Star Wars, new episode, new line up.

This isn't the first we've heard of the new Star Wars Episode VII, and it certainly won't be the last.  Especially with principal photography due to start anytime soon.  So we should be hearing lots more casting news over the coming weeks.

The latest of this is the potential big bad being Adam Driver.

Known most recently for his role in the TV Show Girls, and a big screen outing for Inside Llewyn Davis, Driver may be a relative unknown to many.  With names such as Hugo Weaving and Michael Fassbender also being linked to this project, many may wonder how Driver got a shoe in.

Some think that this is an indication that we may be in for a number of bad guys.  I think it may just be a wise and inspired decision for revitalising the franchise.

What better way than to bring in relatively new blood as opposed to more 'household' names.  It may simply be a move for longevity of character.  If we're to expect more Star Wars episodes in future, and our bad guy is set to star across a few, aging will then start to become a factor.

Most likely he was the best man for the job, and all of these musings will be forgotten once he makes his first appearance.

Never the less, there's likely to be much more news to follow.

Dredd Sequel.....please....

So it looks like the speculative talk has started again following an interview in which Karl Urban said talks were happening about bringing a Dredd sequel to production.

Much has been made of the hash job that was the marketing prior to the films cinematic release, which was the films ultimate downfall.  Then came the fans, who propelled the film up the DVD sales and download charts.  Something that I'm sure would give any potential investors pause for thought.  DVD and Blu Ray sales alone have brought in half of what the film made at the box office....worldwide!

It's no surprise then that talks are ongoing.  What is important is that the people with the money, who make the decisions see that the strong following isn't going anywhere.  There are several ways you can do this:

1. If you haven't already, buy a copy of the film! Blu-Ray, DVD, Digital, whichever.
2. Buy a copy of the one-shot follow up comic.  Let's send a clear message that we want to see more Dredd.  Go to your local comic book store, or pick up a digital copy from Amazon.
3. Sign the petition: http://2000adonline.us5.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a6e40236aa24d482cfff600d2&id=62906ebdcc  Let the decision makers see just how many people want to see a sequel get made.

I don't want to live in a world where rubbish franchise after rubbish franchise can get churned out at the cinema.

I want to live in a world where the public can speak up, the fans can be heard, and we can see a great character brought back to the big screen where he belongs!!

Guardians of the Galaxy finally gets it's trailer...

What better way to start than by letting you watch this glorious trailer (again)...

After getting their first full length trailer aired on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Tuesday night, you'd be hard pushed to still be in the dark about Guardians of the Galaxy.

Scheduled for release later this year, Guardians of the Galaxy represents the first significant step into the unknown since the MCU gained centre stage back in 2008 with the cinematic release of Iron Man.  I'm aware that all characters within the MCU require a certain suspension of disbelief.  Also that this was tested, some might say, to it's limit when Thor took us on a whistle stop tour of his nine realms in The Dark World.  There we were subjected to multiple alien races, fighting wars on far off planets.  Even Aether toting Dark Elf Malekith, played by Christopher Eccleston.

One thing all of them has shared up to now, is an Earth in peril, and a hero/team of heroes fighting to save our bacon.  It's safe to say that we're going to need to be a little more open minded on this one.  The clue might be in the word galaxy.

Even though the appearance of Benicio del Toro gives us our tie back into the MCU as we currently know it, I for one am very keen to see where Marvel Studios runs with this one.  If Guardians is a hit, the world (or galaxy) becomes Marvel Studios' oyster.  Forget The Avengers and Phase 3, this has the potential to go way past that.

Glean what you will from the trailer, as many already have.  I just intend to sit back and enjoy the ride!

An audience with Meryl Streep

I'm no film critic.  I enjoy watching films, and I enjoy writing.  Writing my blog is a nice outlet, and has the added bonus of helping me to write more regularly.

The upshot being that I can decide on the films I want to watch at the cinema.  If I don't like the look of something I can avoid it, and then catch up with it when it arrives on Blu-Ray or an on demand service.  The only time I try and make sure I see all releases, regardless of their genre, is Oscar season.  I really enjoy watching the awards ceremonies, The Oscars and The BAFTAs.  Like some, I love to make predictions on who and what will win.  Congratulating myself when I get it right, telling myself how wrong the judges are when I don't.  In order to do this, I am currently living at the cinema.  As I do at this time every year.  Sometimes this sees me having to sit through films that I'd rather not, to put it mildly.  Other times, I uncover some gems that I would have otherwise avoided.

It's almost like the studios planned the whole thing out.  Crazy right?!

August:  Osage County was very much the latter.  Even though it didn't look like the high octane, explosion riddled adventure that usually catches my eye, the more than impressive cast list made it difficult to ignore.  Lead by Meryl Streep, there are also Chris Cooper, Ewan McGregor, Juliette Lewis, Benedict Cumberbatch and a stellar performance from Julia Roberts.

Osage County was adapted for the big screen by Tracy Letts, who also wrote the play from which it was developed.  I was completely unfamiliar with the stage show, so I had no idea what was in store for me.  Whether it has changed much, for better, or worse, I am not sure.

I'd be wrong if I didn't say that Meryl Streep steals the show with her depiction of Violet Weston.  The matriarch of a dysfunctional family, all brought back to their childhood home in Oklahoma after a family tragedy.  Her performance is mesmerising, and one that could very well see her claim her 4th Oscar win.  That isn't to say the supporting cast doesn't do their bit.  In particular Julia Roberts, playing daughter Barbara Weston.  You could even argue that they share lead roles on screen together.  The strength of the assembled cast is showcased in one of the best scenes of the film, a family dinner that sees them all gathered at once around the dinner table.  Anyone who's endured an awkward family meal may well be watching that scene from behind their hands.

With great performances all round, August: Osage County is well worth a watch.  Whether Meryl Streep wins her fourth Oscar from this remains to be seen.  Whoever wins it, one things for sure this year.  With the calibre and strength of the films this year, they'll be worthy winners.

From desert island to the MCU

Having burst onto our screens in 2004 as Kate Austen in Lost, Evangeline Lilly didn't seem to focus on turning small screen success into big screen roles.

Following the shows finale in 2010, Evangeline starred in Real Steel as Bailey Tallet (2011), having previously had a small part in The Hurt Locker (2008) as Jeremy Renner's wife.  It seems, however, that the aim has merely been quality rather than quantity.  Last year she made a welcome return to our screens in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.  Here she played Tauriel, and Elven warrior.  A character who will make a return this year in the final instalment, The Hobbit: There And Back Again.

Now, the rumour mill has fired up with news of meetings and talks with Marvel Studios.  The thinking being that she will be joining Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas in Ant-Man.  Slated for 2015 this is the start of Marvel's MCU Phase 3, and is being helmed by Edgar Wright.

We know that Michael Douglas is going to be Hank Pym, and Paul Rudd will be Scott Lang/Ant Man.  Which led initially to the thinking that she would play Janet Van Dyne, aka Wasp.  This would fit nice and snug with the Ant-Man story, as well as giving us another member of The Avengers in time for the 3rd Avengers film.

When Ant-Man was first announced and Edgar Wright was unveiled as director, there was speculation that Mary Elizabeth Winstead may join the project, and that she may have taken on the role of Wasp.  Nothing further came of it, and this may now be dead in the water.

Another rumour is that we could see the introduction of Spider-Woman.  As a character who has ties, not only to Ant-Man, but to S.H.I.E.L.D and HYDRA, this might not be so far off the mark.  Talk of rights ownership immediately surfaced due to Sony owning the rights to Spider-Man.  I can't imagine it being an issue though, even though similarly named, they are different characters.  Unless their rights are somehow tied together in a way that we don't know about.

Either way, it looks as though Evangeline Lilly may be the latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Fingers crossed.

Apologies...

Sorry about the last post.  I am currently in the process of getting my blog verified with Technorati.  One of the few things I am trying to do to increase my blogs visibility.  I've also had a play around with the formatting, and I'm currently in the process of trying to set up a bespoke site for the blog.  Trying to wrap my grey matter around HTML and CSS may take a little while though, but we'll see how it goes.

In the meantime, I would love to hear any thoughts or suggestions on the way it looks.  I want to make sure it's easy enough to read, so if there are any issues in that department let me know.

Thanks.

Blog Verification Post

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