Del Toro’s Crimson Peak releases trailer, SNL 40 lineup, Cotillard joins Assassin’s Creed and castings and images fro Deadpool

Until fairly recently, the gaming adaptation Assassin’s Creed was still set for a ridiculous August 2015 release date, before production and most of the casting, but there was then a eighteen month delay. Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class, Prometheus, 300, Shame, 12 Years a Slave) will star as a modern day man who’s forced to relive the memories of his ancestors, who are members of an ancient order while Justin Kurzel (Snowtown) directs.

A new addition is Marion Cotillard, the French-born Oscar winning star of Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, Big Fish, Two Days One Night, Rust and Bone, Contagion, La Vie en Rose, Midnight in Paris and Public Enemies. She teams with her future Macbeth co-star Fassbender in a undisclosed role.

Safe House star Ryan Reynolds and director Tim Miller have been lobbying for a greenlight for so long on mutant spinoff Deadpool and it’s finally on its way. On on set image reveals Wade Wilson’s iconic mask, pleasingly not tampered with from the comic book depiction, while some strides are being made in the casting department. Gina Carano (Fast and Furious 6, Haywire) has joined while three time X-Men star Daniel Cudmore will reprise his rule as Colossus.

It came close to topping our most anticipated list for 2015 and we can now reveal the very first look at Crimson Peak. Pan’s Labyrinth’s Guillermo Del Toro brings us this bold new horror entry which sees a young author lured into a reclusive house by her secretive new husband. It stars Mia Wasikowska (Stoker, Maps to the Stars), Tom Hiddleston (Thor, War Horse), Jessica Chastain (Interstellar, Zero Dark Thirty), Charlie Hunnam (Pacific Rim, Sons of Anarchy) and Doug Jones (Hellboy).

Many Americans will know that this weekend heralds the fortieth anniversary of the sketch show Saturday Night Live and we’ll give a special mention to the phenomenal ensemble of their new special including:

Adam Sandler (actor – Happy Gilmore)
Alec Baldwin (actor – 30 Rock, The Departed, Beetlejuice, The Hunt for Red October)
Amy Poehler (actress – Parks and Recreation)
Andy Samberg (actor – Brooklyn Nine Nine)
Bill Hader (actor – The Skeleton Twins)
Bill Murray (actor – Ghost Busters, Lost in Translation, Groundhog Day)
Billy Crystal (actor – Monsters Inc, When Harry Met Sally)
Bradley Cooper (actor – Guardians of the Galaxy, American Sniper, The Hangover)
Catherine Zeta Jones (actress – The Terminal, Chicago)
Charlie Day (actor – Horrible Bosses, The Lego Movie)
Chris Rock (actor – Madagascar, Top Five)
Christopher Walken (actor – Catch Me if You Can, Pulp Fiction)
Dan Aykroyd (actor – Ghostbusters, The Blues Brothers)
Eddie Murphy (actor – Shrek, Beverly Hills Cop)
Edward Norton (actor – Fight Club, The Bourne Legacy, Birdman)
Emma Stone (actress – Easy A, The Amazing Spider-Man)
George Lucas (director – Star Wars, American Graffiti)
Glenn Close (actress – Guardians of the Galaxy, Mars Attacks)
JK Simmons (actor – Whiplash, Spider-Man)
Jack Nicholson (actor – The Shining, The Departed, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Batman)
James Franco (actor – 127 Hours, Spider-Man, The Interview)
Jim Carrey (actor – The Truman Show, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Dumb and Dumber)
John Goodman (actor – The Artist, Argo, Monsters Inc, The Big Lebowski)
Kristen Wiig (actress – Bridesmaids, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty)
Martin Short (actor – Innerspace, !Three Amigos!)
Maya Rudolph (actress – Bridesmaids, Away We Go)
Melissa McCarthy (actress – Bridesmaids, The Heat, St Vincent)
Michael Douglas (actor – The Game, Wall Street, Ant-Man)
Mike Myers (actor – Wayne’s World, Shrek, Austin Powers)
Paul Rudd (actor – Anchorman, Knocked Up)
Robert De Niro (actor – The Godfather Part II, Goodfellas, Heat, Casino)
Sarah Silverman (actress – School of Rock, Wreck It Ralph)
Sigourney Weaver (actress – Avatar, Aliens)
Steve Martin (actor – Cheaper by the Dozen)
Steven Spielberg (director – ET, Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, Jaws, Raiders)
Tina Fey (actress/writer – 30 Rock, Mean Girls)
Tom Hanks (actor – Toy Story, Cast Away, Forrest Gump, Captain Phillips, Saving Private Ryan, Big)
Will Ferrell (actor – Anchorman, The Lego Movie, Elf, Step Brothers)
Zach Galifianakis (actor – The Hangover, The Campaign, Into the Wild, Birdman)

Crimson Peak – October

Deadpool – February 2016

Assassin’s Creed – December 2016

Sinister Six appoints Drew Goddard, Wreck-It Ralph 2 levels up plus new TMNT posters

Wreck-It Ralph was easily Dinsey’s most charming (non-musical and non-Pixar) animated film in years, and defeated the likes of Monsters University and Despicable Me 2 to win the Tuorhoth Award for Best Animated Film as well as gaining nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Comedy. On top of that, the film, which tells the story of an arcade villain determined to make something better of himself in the gaming world, got an Academy Award nomination, which is lost to Brave, and took nearly $500 million worldwide. You won’t be surprised to hear that we’re immensely excited about today’s news. X-Men: First Class and Captain Phillips composer Henry Jackman let slip that he’d been approached for a sequel.

“I can’t tell you more, not because I’m being coy, but I believe that it is officially on the cards,” he told collider, “I don’t know any more other than a story is indeed being written. I’d be very surprised not to. I’m not blowing my own trumpet. Forget about the music. Just the movie itself I thought was a fantastically imaginative and creative piece of work.” We hope that the follow up will be directed by Rich Moore and will star John C Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Alan Tudyk, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch and Joe Lo Trugilo.

With The Amazing Spider-Man 2 coming very soon, Sony are advancing the continuation of their slice of the Marvel universe. As well as another two Spider-Man sequels, there’ll be a pair of spin offs. Venom will be brought to us by People Like Us director and Star Trek and Fringe writer Alex Kurtzman as well as Roberto Orci and Ed Solomon and that’s followed by The Sinister Six, which we knew was going to be written by Cloverfield, World War Z and The Cabin in the Woods’ (below) Drew Goddard. However, Goddard is now talking with Sony about directing the film.

We’re still not quite sure which iteration of The Sinister Six will be depicted as there have been numerous incarnations and members. There’s a possibility that established Spidey evil-doers such as Lizard (Rhys Ifans), Rhino (Paul Giamatti) and Green Goblin (Dane DeHaan) will be included but we’d put our money on the classic line up of Electro (Jamie Foxx), Kraven the Hunter, Mysterio, Sandman, Doctor Octopus and Vulture. Electro has already found a solid casting and Doc Oc and Vulture have been teased in various trailers but Goddard will have a serious task trying to cast five new villains.

There’s little else to report today besides the revealing of four neat Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles teaser posters. The reboot is brought to us by South African director Jonathan Liebesman (Wrath of the Titans, Battle Los Angeles) and producer Michael Bay (Transformers, Pain and Gain) and stars Megan Fox, William Fichtner, Johnny Knoxville, Tony Shalhoub, Will Arnett, Alan Ritchson, Jeremy Howard, Pete Ploszek, Danny Woodburn and Whoopi Goldberg.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – October 17th

Wreck-It Ralph 2 – 2017

Venom – 2017

The Sinister Six – 2017

New Captain America 2 posters and Amanda Seyfried joins Ted 2

One of the hotly anticipated films of this year is the comedy western A Million Ways to Die in the West. Directed and written by and starring Ted and Family Guy’s Seth MacFarlane, the film also features Liam Neeson, Charlize Theron, Neil Patrick Harris, Sarah Silverman, Giovanni Ribisi and Amanda Seyfried. Seyfried, star of Les Miserables, Mamma Mia and In Time, it seems will be teaming up with MacFarlane once more for the sequel to 2012’s smash hit comedy Ted. The Oscar nominated dark fantasy stormed to success with a decent critical release and $550 million worth of worldwide box office takings. Seyfried’s addition as the female lead for the sequel probably means that Mila Kunis (a MacFarlane veteran) may not be involved. The film will also star Mark Wahlberg and Jessica Barth.

Two awesome new posters have been unveiled ahead of the release of Marvel’s new thriller Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Anthony and Joe Russo direct the sequel with Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L Jackson, Sebastian Stan, Cobie Smulders, Frank Grillo, Dominic Cooper, Hayley Attwell, Toby Jones, Emily Van Camp and Michelle Yeoh but today’s release show two other characters that’ll make their debut in the new film. In the plot, which sees Captain America’s (Chris Evans) dead buddy Bucky reanimated and brainwashed with hatred and an assassin’s skills, Anthony Mackie (The Adjustment Bureau, The Hurt Locker) plays The Falcon, a SHIELD agent who assists Cap in bringing the sinister Winter Soldier down. Meanwhile, Robert Redford, two time Oscar winning star of Out of Africa, The Sting, All is Lost, All the President’s Men and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid as well as director of Quiz Show and Ordinary People, appears in a one sheet dedicated to his shady SHIELD head Alexander Pierce. By for now.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier – March 28th

Ted 2 – June 16th 2015

A Million Ways to Die in the West – May 30th

New Million Ways to Die in the West pic, Mike Newell linked to Triffids and Espinosa linked to Assassin’s Creed

Family Guy’s creator/Ted’s writer, director and star Seth MacFarlane once again directs, stars and writes for his new production, a comedy Western titled A Million Ways to Die in the West. With perhaps the exception of Blazing Saddles, the comedy Western genre has long been cliched and poorly received but MacFarlane’s talent, and all star cast, should make this a success. The film stars MacFarlane, Amanda Seyfried, Neil Patrick Harris, Liam Neeson, Charlize Theron, Sarah Silverman and Giovanni Ribisi and one of the very first stills of the film was released today.

The Triffids, and their Day, will have a place in the heart of many horror fans. The menacing, and carnivorous, plants have seen a few TV reworkings, some more acclaimed than others, since the 1962 original. Sam Raimi (director of Evil Dead, Spider-Man and Oz: The Great and Powerful) is one of the producers of a new Triffids who’ve now set their sights on an acclaimed, BAFTA winning director.

Mike Newell may not instantly ring a bell but he’s reached near cult status with Donnie Brasco and Four Weddings and a Funeral but proved he could deliver excellent box-office goods with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ($896 million worldwide) and Prince of Persia Sands of Time ($335 million).

Another huge directing appointment is also afoot. For a while, video game adaptation Assassin’s Creed has cemented its place in summer 2015 despite having no star, although Michael Fassbender has been rumoured for the lead of Desmond Miles for ages, and no director. However, the latter is set to change.

The man the studios are after is Daniel Espinosa, who directed action thrillers Safe House and Easy Money. Later this year, the Swedish Epsinosa opens his new spy drama Child 44, which star Joel Kinnaman, Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, Jason Clarke, Vincent Cassel, Gary Oldman, Dev Patel and Paddy Considine.

I’m not sure if the time consuming post production stage  on his current project will defer him from accepting the job on Assassin’s Creed but, if Espinosa successfully launches the first film, he could be onto a multi-movie deal. There’s six games’ worth of material to adapt, with more instalments each year, so sequels are likely.

A Million Ways to Die in the West – June 6th

The Day of the Triffids/ The Triffids/ Triffids – 2017

Assassin’s Creed – August 6th 2015

Child 44 – late 2014