Aaron Johnson

New Images and Behind-the-Scenes Photos from Oliver Stone’s SAVAGES, Starring Taylor Kitsch and Blake Lively

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 1:16 pm

Just yesterday we posted the very first TV spot for Oliver Stone’s upcoming crime drama Savages, and now a number of images and behind-the-scenes photos have gone online.  The official images were taken using Instagram (naturally), but the behind-the-scenes photos are actually the more intriguing set.  We see Taylor Kitsch and Aaron Johnson doing prep work at a shooting range with Stone, Blake Lively with blood-soaked hands, and more.  For those unaware, Kitsch and Johnson play two Laguna Beach marijuana kingpins who encounter a world of trouble when their shared girlfriend (Lively) is kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel.

Hit the jump to check out the images. The film also stars Benicio Del Toro, Salma Hayek, Demian Bichir, Emile Hirsch, Uma Thurman, and John Travolta.  Savages opens July 6th.

First TV Spot for Oliver Stone’s SAVAGES

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: May 24th, 2012 at 12:36 pm

The first TV spot for director Oliver Stone’s Savages has gone online.  The film stars Taylor Kitsch and Aaron Johnson as two Laguna Beach marijuana kingpins who encounter a world of trouble when their shared girlfriend (Blake Lively) is kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel.  Though Stone’s recent output hasn’t exactly been stellar, Savages looks to put him back in Platoon/Natural Born Killers territory and I’m eager to see his version of a large-scale action pic.  This TV spot does a fine job of setting up the plot, but I’m not the biggest fan of song choice.  Nevertheless, I like the footage we’ve seen thus far and the very talented Kitsch deserves to have at least one successful release this year.  Here’s hoping for the best.

Hit the jump to watch the TV spot.  The film also stars Benicio Del Toro, Salma Hayek, Demian Bichir, Emile Hirsch, Uma Thurman, and John Travolta.  Savages opens July 6th.

Mark Millar Comments on KICK-ASS 2, Director Jeff Wadlow, the Return of the Original Cast, Hit-Girl and the Future of KICK-ASS

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: May 22nd, 2012 at 7:35 pm

Normally, Mark Millar is not the most reliable of sources, but since we recently confirmed the start date of production on Kick-Ass 2, we can lend a bit more credence to the comic writer’s comments in the following interview.  Director Jeff Wadlow (Never Back Down)  spoke recently on the progress and tone of the sequel to Matthew Vaughn’s 2010 original hit, Kick-Ass.  Millar expands on his comments quite a bit, including a candid talk about Wadlow being chosen as director, the use of Hit-Girl in the sequel, the return of the original cast (including Aaron Johnson, Chloe Grace Moretz and Christopher Mintz-Plasse) and where the franchise will go from here.  Some spoilers lay in wait ahead, but feel free to hit the jump as I’ll move the spoiler-free updates to the head of the line.

Universal in Talks to Make KICK-ASS 2; Jeff Wadlow Will Direct with Eye Towards August Production Start

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: May 8th, 2012 at 3:43 pm

While comic creator Mark Millar has been touting the “greenlight” for Kick-Ass 2 for years now, it turns out that production may finally get started this year.  Deadline reports that Universal is in talks to make a sequel to Matthew Vaughn’s excellent 2010 pic Kick-Ass.  Vaughn is currently busy developing a sequel to X-Men: First Class, so Jeff Wadlow will be taking over directing duties this time around.  Wadlow, who wrote and directed 2005’s Cry_Wolf and directed the 2008 fighting-centered Never Back Down, wrote the script for Vaughn who I’m assuming will be producing.  Hit the jump for more.

Colin Farrell Offered Lead in Akiva Goldsman’s Directorial Debut, WINTER’S TALE

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: April 26th, 2012 at 7:20 pm

Colin Farrell has been offered the male lead in Akiva Goldsman’s directorial debut, Winter’s Tale.  The female lead is set with Jessica Brown Findlay playing a dying young woman who falls in love with a thief who breaks into her West Side Manhattan mansion.  Farrell, if he takes the role in the Warner Bros. picture, would play the thief in this supernatural drama that occurs both in the 19th century and in contemporary times.  Winter’s Tale, based on the 1983 novel by Mark Helprin, also stars Russell Crowe and Will Smith in supporting roles.  Shooting is set to begin in New York on October 15th.  Hit the jump to see who else could fill the role if Farrell opts out.

New Images from the Keira Knightley Movies ANNA KARENINA and SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: April 25th, 2012 at 8:49 am

New images from the Keira Knightley movies Anna Karenina and Seeking a Friend for the End of the World have gone online.  Knightley plays the title character in Joe Wright‘s adaptation of Leo Tolstoy‘s classic tome about late 19th-century Russian society.  Seeking a Friend is far more light-hearted fare, and has Knightley playing a woman who sets out on a road-trip with a guy (Steve Carell) who’s trying to find his high-school sweetheart during Earth’s final days (it doesn’t sound light-hearted, but you can see from the trailer that it’s a comedy).

Hit the jump to check out the images.  Anna Karenina opens November 9th.  Seeking a Friend for the End of the World opens June 22nd

Trailer for Oliver Stone’s SAVAGES Starring Taylor Kitsch, Aaron Johnson, and Blake Lively [UPDATED]

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: April 5th, 2012 at 10:10 am

After yesterday’s brief teaser, the full trailer for Oliver Stone‘s Savages has gone online.  The film stars Taylor Kitsch and Aaron Johnson as two Laguna Beach marijuana kingpins who encounter a world of trouble when their shared girlfriend (Blake Lively) is kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel.  The movie looks like a fun change of pace for Stone, and a bit of a throwback to Natural Born Killers, but without the muddled message on violence and media.  I wouldn’t be surprised if Stone has worked in a comment on America’s War on Drugs, but at least it looks like he’s surrounded it with a slam-bang action flick.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer.  The film also stars The film also stars Benicio Del Toro, Salma Hayek, Demian Bichir, Emile Hirsch, Uma Thurman, and John Travolta.  Savages opens July 6th. [Updated: We've updated the article with a new image from the film]

Teaser Footage from Oliver Stone’s SAVAGES Starring Taylor Kitsch and Aaron Johnson

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: April 4th, 2012 at 9:46 am

Earlier this week, we showed you the first poster for Oliver Stone‘s crime-thriller Savages.  Today, teaser footage from the film has been released.  The film stars Taylor Kitsch and Aaron Johnson as two Laguna Beach marijuana kingpins who encounter a world of trouble when their shared girlfriend (Blake Lively) is kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel.  You won’t gather any of that from the 15-seconds of footage, but you will pick up that Stone has taken a page from Tony Scott‘s playbook of sweaty characters and over-saturated cinematography.

Hit the jump to check out the footage.  The film also stars Benicio Del Toro, Salma Hayek, Demian Bichir, Emile Hirsch, Uma Thurman, and John Travolta.  Savages opens July 6th.

Jessica Brown Findlay to Star in Akiva Goldsman’s WINTER’S TALE; Aaron Johnson and Garrett Hedlund Frontrunners for Male Lead

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: March 21st, 2012 at 8:34 am

Several weeks ago, we reported that Jessica Brown Findlay (Downton Abbey) was in the running for the lead female role in writer-director Akiva Goldman‘s adaptation of Mark Helprin‘s novel Winter’s Tale.  Today, Deadline reports that Findlay has nabbed the role of “the dying young woman who falls in love with a thief who breaks into her home, a palatial West Side mansion, in a drama that takes place in 19th Century and contemporary Manhattan.”  Deadline adds that Aaron Johnson and Garrett Hedlund are the frontrunners to play the thief.  As we previously reported, Russell Crowe and Will Smith, who worked with Goldsman on A Beautiful Mind and I Am Legend, respectively, will have small supporting roles in the film.  Goldsman is making his directorial debut on Winter’s Tale, and shooting is set to begin on October 15th in New York.

I haven’t seen Downton Abbey, but I’ve only heard raves about the show, so I’ll assume that Findlay is great on it.  Hit the jump for a synopsis for Helprin’s novel.

First Look at Joe Wright’s ANNA KARENINA Starring Keira Knightley and Jude Law

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 23rd, 2012 at 8:40 am

The first images from Joe Wright‘s adaptation of Anna Karenina have gone online.  The adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s classic novel stars Keira Knightley as the eponymous protagonist, and the film co-stars Jude Law, Aaron Johnson, Kelly Macdonald, Matthew Macfadyen, Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander, Emily Watson, Olivia Williams, and Ruth Wilson.  As he proved with Pride and Prejudice, Wright doesn’t do boring period pieces.  He does remarkable unbroken takes, and when Wright’s paired with a strong script, he’s unstoppable.  I’ve never read Anna Karenina, but I’m excited to see what Wright has in store.

Hit the jump to check out the images.  The film is due out in the UK on September 7th and we should expect the US release around the same time.

Oliver Stone’s SAVAGES Bumped up to July 6th

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: January 31st, 2012 at 9:07 am

Oliver Stone‘s adaptation of Don Winslow‘s crime novel Savages has been moved up from September 28th to July 6th.  Deadline reports that Universal changed the date after a test screening late last week.  The film centers on two Laguna Beach marijuana kingpins (Taylor Kitsch and Aaron Johnson) who encounter a world of trouble when their shared girlfriend (Blake Lively) is kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel.  The film’s impressive cast also features Benicio Del Toro, Demian Bichir, John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Salma Hayek, and Emile Hirsch.

Hit the jump for an official synopsis and what Savages will be up against at the box office.

First Trailer for ALBERT NOBBS Starring Glenn Close

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: October 12th, 2011 at 7:26 pm

Glenn Close has spent the last three decades trying to bring Albert Nobbs to the screen after the title role won her an Obie in 1982.  She’s finally succeeded, and we’ve got the trailer to prove it.  Close plays a shy butler with a secret: ” ‘He’ is a woman who has had to behave as a man all her life in order to escape a life of poverty and loneliness.”  Janet McTeer, Mia Wasikowska, Aaron Johnson, and Pauline Collins also star.  Rodrigo Garcia (In Treatment) directed the adaptation from a screenplay by Close and John Banville, based on the short story by George Moore.

I am way too immature for the subject matter, and the film received mixed reviews at Telluride and TIFF.  But the trailer suggests a handsomely shot period piece and a tender approach to the story.  If you’re one of those mature cinephiles, check out the trailer plus two clips after the jump to judge for yourself.

Emile Hirsch Joins Oliver Stone’s SAVAGES

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: April 22nd, 2011 at 1:28 pm

Oliver Stone’s Savages continues to round up an impressive cast even though Stone hasn’t made a good film in over a decade.  According to Variety, the latest talented actor to board the flick is Emile Hirsh.  There are currently no details on which role he’ll play, but he’ll be starring alongside Benecio Del Toro, Salma Hayek, Blake Lively, Taylor Kitsch, Aaron Johnson, John Travolta, and Uma Thurman.  The film is based on Don Winslow’s novel which centers a pair of marijuana growers (Kitsch and Johnson) who are forced to work in a Mexican cartel after their friend is kidnapped.  Stone is revising the script Winslow co-wrote with Shane Salerno.

Hirsch recently wrapped filming on William Friedkin’s dark comedy Killer Joe and he’s currently at work on The Motel Life alongside Stephen Dorff and Dakota Fanning.  Hit the jump to read the synopsis for Savages.

Blake Lively, John Travolta, and Uma Thurman Join Taylor Kitsch and Aaron Johnson SAVAGES

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: April 21st, 2011 at 7:29 pm

We heard last week Blake Lively was the frontrunner to play Ophelia in Oliver Stone’s adaptation of Savages, though for scheduling she had to choose between Savages and Oz: The Great and Powerful.  It seems Disney must look elsewhere for a Glinda the Good Witch, because Lively has signed on to Savages.  Additionally, John Travolta and Uma Thurman have joined a cast that is blossoming terrifically.  Taylor Kitsch, Aaron Johnson, Salma Hayek, and Benicio Del Toro have long eyed roles in the film; Deadline writes confidently tonight that all four are on board.

Shane Salerno adapted the screenplay with Savages author Don Winslow.  The story centers a pair of marijuana growers (Kitsch and Johnson) who get into trouble with a Mexican drug cartel.  Read the full synopsis after the jump.

Aaron Johnson Offered Lead in Oliver Stone’s SAVAGES; Johnson and Jude Law in Talks for Joe Wright’s ANNA KARENINA

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: March 17th, 2011 at 6:29 pm

Quickly becoming one of the most sought-after young actors at the moment, Aaron Johnson (Kick-Ass) has been offered the lead role in two high-profile projects. First up, Deadline reports that Johnson is mulling over one of the two lead roles in director Oliver Stone’s adaptation of the Don Winslow novel Savages. The flick tells the story of two pot-growers whose shared girlfriend gets kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel. Jennifer Lawrence was in talks to take on the role of the girlfriend, but her attachment to The Hunger Games throws her involvement into jeopardy given that both flicks will be shooting this summer.

Variety reports that Johnson and Jude Law are in talks to star in director Joe Wright’s (Atonement) adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s classic tragic love story Anna Karenina. Tom Stoppard (Shakespeare in Love) wrote the screenplay and Keira Knightley is set to star. Anna Karenina will shoot this fall, so Johnson could feasibly do both films. Hit the jump for a synopsis of both novels.

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