Bill Nighy

New Posters for WRATH OF THE TITANS

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 7th, 2012 at 11:43 am

Warner Bros. has released two posters and three banners for Wrath of the Titans.  There’s no kraken this time around so none of the characters are going to say, “Let’s get kraken.”  I know the plot involves the titans getting unleashed and Zeus (Liam Neeson) asking Perseus (Sam Worthington) for some help, but I don’t get the point without kraken puns.  Kraken puns make the world go round.

Hit the jump to check out the posters.  The film also stars Ralph Fiennes, Danny Huston, Edgar Ramirez, Bill Nighy, Toby Kebbell, and Rosamund Pike.  Wrath of the Titans opens in 3D on March 30th.

2012 Annie Award Winners Announced; RANGO Named Best Animated Feature

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: February 5th, 2012 at 10:44 am

The 2012 Annie Awards were held last night, and critical favorite Rango ended up deservedly taking home the Best Animated Feature award. Gore Verbinski’s quirky western also took home the award for Best Writing in a Feature Production, Best Editing, and the Members Favorite Award, but lost Best Directing to Kung Fu Panda 2’s Jennifer Yuh Nelson. Bill Nighy won Best Voice Acting for Arthur Christmas, and Rise of the Planet of the Apes took home the Character Animation in a Live Action Feature Production award.

On the television side of things, The Simpsons was awarded the top prize as well as Best Directing and Best Writing. Heading into the Academy Awards, Rango is our clear frontrunner. The Adventures of Tintin was pegged as the film’s biggest competition at the Oscar ceremony, but the Steven Spielberg film was ultimately left out of the nominations. Hit the jump to see the full list of Annie Awards Winners.

First Trailer and Poster for WRATH OF THE TITANS [Updated With New Posters]

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 19th, 2011 at 11:04 am

The first trailer for Wrath of the Titans has gone online.  I was disappointed by Clash of the Titans, but the trailer has somewhat restored my interest in the sequel.  Jonathan Liebesman (Battle: Los Angeles) has taken the reigns from Louis Leterrier and obviously the action scenes are bigger because that’s what sequels do.  But I was taken with the imaginative design for the sets and the creatures.  Presumably the 3D will be much better this time around since it’s not a post-converstion.  But the larger question remains: Is the script any better?  Here’s hoping. [Correction: It is a post-conversion. I was under the impression the filmmakers didn't want to do something so blatantly stupid.]

Hit the jump to check out the trailer and poster.  The film stars Sam Worthington, Ralph Fiennes, Liam Neeson, Danny Huston, Edgar Ramiez, Bill Nighy, Toby Kebbell, and Rosamund Pike.  Wrath of the Titans opens March 30, 2012. [Update: A couple of crazy banners a new image have been released, which are now included after the jump.]

First Trailer and Poster for Bryan Singer’s JACK THE GIANT KILLER

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 15th, 2011 at 4:24 pm

The first trailer for director Bryan Singer’s Jack the Giant Killer has gone online. Based on the classic tale, the fantasy pic tells the story of an ancient war that’s reignited when a young boy (Nicholas Hoult) unknowingly opens a gate between the world of the humans and the world of the giants. We don’t see much here, as it plays out very much like a teaser trailer, but I like the feel of it and it sure is nice to see Singer back doing big action set pieces. Ewan McGregor is the epitome of cool, and Hoult seems a fine choice to play the reluctant hero. Overall, I like the tone and the look of everything, but there’s not enough here to gauge whether or not Singer’s got himself a winner. I’m really looking forward to seeing those giants though.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer. The film also stars Eleanor Thomas, Stanley Tucci, Ian McShane, and Bill Nighy. Jack the Giant Killer opens in 3D IMAX on June 15th, 2012.

ARTHUR CHRISTMAS Review

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: November 22nd, 2011 at 2:36 pm

I’ve always been slightly perplexed when people ask “How does Santa deliver all his presents in a single night?”  It’s as if the possibility of a fat and jolly gentleman who lives in a hostile climate and has consumer goods made by an army of elves is completely plausible, but there’s no getting around the physics of the delivery.  And if that’s the hang-up, then why not simply answer back, “Magic,”?  Aardman Animation’s Arthur Christmas has fun indulging the question of “How?” but knows that it can be funny and heartwarming if you let Christmas night be magical.

Bill Nighy Talks ARTHUR CHRISTMAS, JACK THE GIANT KILLER, WRATH OF THE TITANS, TOTAL RECALL, SHAUN OF THE DEAD, More

by Christina Radish    Posted: November 21st, 2011 at 5:27 pm

In the animated family comedy Arthur Christmas, actor Bill Nighy voices the rather naughty Grandsanta. Upon his retirement, his lovely old sleigh and all of the reindeer who guided it were put out to pasture, in favor of an ultra-high-tech operation that allows for 18.14 seconds to get into each house, deliver the presents, and move on to the next, for the hundreds of millions of children in the world. So, when Santa’s (Jim Broadbent) youngest son, Arthur (James McAvoy), discovers that one child has been missed, he sets out on a mission, with the help of Grandsanta and a giftwrapping-obsessed elf (Ashley Jensen), to get that last present delivered before Christmas morning dawns.

During this exclusive phone interview with Collider, the fantastically lovely Bill Nighy talked about at first thinking he was being asked to play Santa and then realizing what a great character Grandsanta was, navigating voice roles by what he doesn’t want the character to sound like to make sure it’s unique, and how he’s so low-tech that he doesn’t own a computer and only recently was talked into getting an iPhone. He also talked about playing a 22-foot tall giant who eats people in Jack the Giant Killer, playing Hephaestus (the armorer to the Gods) in Wrath of the Titans, his trust in Len Wiseman as a storyteller for the remake of Total Recall (he plays Kuato in the film), his fear of harming Dame Judy Dench while driving her around on a motorcycle for The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, making two more films with the Johnny Worricker character from David Hare’s Page Eight, finally getting the call to be a part of the Harry Potter franchise, and getting stopped all the time by fans who love his work in both Shaun of the Dead and Love, Actually. Check out what he had to say after the jump:

Bill Nighy in Talks to Play the Villain in I, FRANKENSTEIN Starring Aaron Eckhart

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: November 15th, 2011 at 2:33 pm

Bill Nighy is in negotiations to play the villain in Stuart Beattie‘s adaptation of Kevin Grevioux‘s graphic novel I, Frankenstein.  As we previously reported, Aaron Eckhart is set to play Adam Frankenstein in the modern-day update of Mary Shelley’s classic tale, which has Adam “being hunted by demons that want to learn the secret of his creation in order to build an army of reanimated corpse demons.”  That’s what was missing from Shelley’s Frankenstein: Corpse demons. Nighy is in talks to play a demon prince.  Variety also reports that Socratis Otto is in talks to play Nighy’s compatriot, “who is tasked with tracking down and capturing Adam.”  For those unfamiliar with Otto, he’s spent the last two years on Home and Away, a long-running Australian soap opera which also gave us Heath Ledger, Isla Fisher, Guy Pearce, Chris Hemsworth, and other Aussie actors.

Hit the jump for a recap on Nighy and Otto’s other projects.  Production on I, Frankenstein is set to begin in January, and the film is slated to open on February 22, 2013.

Bill Nighy Talks JACK THE GIANT KILLER, WRATH OF THE TITANS and TOTAL RECALL

by Christina Radish    Posted: November 14th, 2011 at 7:50 pm

The 3D, CG-animated family comedy Arthur Christmas finally answers the curious question of how Santa Claus delivers presents to every child around the world, in just one night. Earlier today, Collider had the opportunity to speak with ultra-talented British actor Bill Nighy, who voices the naughty Grandsanta, a crotchety 136-year-old that has been put out to pasture, along with his old-fashioned, classic Christmas traditions. While we will run that portion of the interview closer to the film’s November 23^rd release date, we wanted to share what he had to say about some of the highly anticipated projects he has for 2012.

During this exclusive phone interview with Collider, Bill Nighy talked about playing a 22-foot tall giant who eats people in Jack the Giant Killer, how much he enjoyed working with director Bryan Singer, and how difficult it is to keep a straight face while looking ridiculous in a motion capture suit. He also talked about playing Hephaestus, the armorer to the Gods, in Clash of the Titans 2, and his trust in Len Wiseman as a storyteller, for the remake of Total Recall, in which he plays Kuato. Check out what he had to say after the jump:

5 Clips for ARTHUR CHRISTMAS

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: November 7th, 2011 at 8:25 pm

Aardman Animation—the studio behind Chicken Run and the charming adventures of Wallace and Gromit—has sent over 5 clips from their latest effort, Arthur Christmas.  The film reveals the answer to the age-old question: “So how does Santa deliver all those presents in one night?”

For more on Arthur Christmas, check out Steve’s thoughts on the first 30 minutes and interview with director Sarah Smith.  James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Jim Broadbent, Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, and Ashley Jensen comprise the voice cast in the November 23 release. Watch the clips after the jump.

Theatrical Trailer for ARTHUR CHRISTMAS

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: October 4th, 2011 at 11:45 am

The full theatrical trailer for Arthur Christmas has gone online. The film comes from the fine folks at Aardman Animation (the people behind Wallace & Gromit and Chicken Run), and centers on Arthur, Santa’s son, and his quest to deliver the last Christmas present for a forgotten child on Christmas Eve. The teaser trailers were amusing enough, but we never really got a sense of the story. This full trailer gives us a good idea of the plot, and features the nutty humor that we’ve come to expect from Aardman. It’s goofy and doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it also hints at a good amount of heart sure to come through from the unassuming Arthur. We were shown a full scene from the film at Comic-Con (which Matt and I both really liked), and you can read my recap of that panel here.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer. The film features the voices of James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Jim Broadbent, Bill Nighy, and Imelda Staunton. Arthur Christmas opens in 3D on November 23rd.

First Trailer and Poster for THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: September 15th, 2011 at 1:56 pm

In case you haven’t had your fill of trailers today, we’ve got yet another one for you: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Directed by John Madden (Shakespeare in Love), the film centers on a group of retirees who decide to spend their retirement at a luxurious resort in India, only to find that the actual structure isn’t exactly what they were expecting. The trailer actually looks pretty good, bolstered by a stellar ensemble of British actors including Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Maggie Smith, and Dev Patel. Some of the humor is a bit easy, but there’s actually a hint of the balance between drama and comedy that Madden perfected with Shakespeare in Love.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel opens March 9th, 2012.

First Trailer for PAGE EIGHT Starring Rachel Weisz and Bill Nighy

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: August 17th, 2011 at 3:39 pm

The 2011 Toronto International Film Festival is coming up and I’m insanely jealous of everyone that’s able to go because the line-up of films being showcased is stellar. Among the many features poised to screen at the fest is the spy thriller Page Eight, for which we unveiled a number of new images yesterday. Written and directed by The Reader screenwriter David Hare, the film centers on a long-serving M15 officer (Bill Nighy) who is left an inexplicable file and becomes concerned with a political activist (Rachel Weisz) that begins snooping around. The cast also includes Michael Gambon, Judy Davis, and Ralph Fiennes.

This is very much a teaser trailer, as it doesn’t really give away much of the story. I’m liking the dramatic spy-thriller tone so far though, played much more as a drama than an action film, and I’m intrigued enough to want to see more. Hit the jump to watch the trailer yourself. The 2011 Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 8 – 18th.

TIFF 2011: First Images from DAMSELS IN DISTRESS, GOON, PAGE EIGHT, and VIOLET & DAISY

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: August 16th, 2011 at 11:33 am

Damsels in Distress (starring Greta Gerwig and Adam Brody), Goon (starring Seann William Scott, Jay Baruchel, and Liev Schreiber), Page Eight (starring Bill Nighy, Rachel Weisz, and Ralph Fiennes), and Violet & Daisy (starring Saoirse Ronan, Alexis Bledel, and James Gandolfini) are all playing at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.  We have images for these films.  We think you’d like to see them.

Hit the jump to check out the images.  The 2011 Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 8 – 18th.

Bill Nighy and Danny Huston Join CLASH OF THE TITANS Sequel; Full Synopsis Revealed

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: March 23rd, 2011 at 8:23 am

Production has begun on Jonathan Liebesman’s untitled sequel to Clash of the Titans.  Warner Bros. has sent out a press release confirming the film’s cast.  Returning actors Sam Worthington (Perseus), Liam Neeson (Zeus), Ralph Fiennes (Hades), and Danny Huston (seen in the first film for half-a-second as Poseidon), will be joined by Edgar Ramirez (Ares), Toby Kebbell (Argenor, Posiedon’s demigod son), Rosamund Pike (Andromeda), and Bill Nighy (Hephaestus). It’s worth noting that Gemma Arterton, who was rumored to return as Io, isn’t mentioned in the press release.

Warner Bros. has also sent out a full synopsis for the sequel.  The story takes place 10 years after the first film with Perseus attempting to lead a quiet life.  But he’s called back into action in order to rescue Zeus after the god is captured by Ares and Hades in a deal to unleash the titans.  The plot clearly has a major role set up for Kronos, the leader of the titans, but no actor has been linked to the role at this point.

Hit the jump for the full press release and synopsis.  Clash of the Titans 2 is set to be released in post-converted 3D (ugh) on March 30, 2012.

Nicholas Hoult Nabs Lead Role in Bryan Singer’s JACK THE GIANT KILLER

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 11th, 2011 at 9:31 am

Nicholas Hoult is set to star in Bryan Singer’s Jack the Giant Killer.  The story is a darker spin on the fairy tale of “Jack and the Beanstalk”.  In this re-telling, Jack is on a mission to rescue a princess from the kingdom of the giants. Earlier this week, we reported that casting was ramping up and that Stanley Tucci would play the film’s villain Roderick while Bill Nighy would play one of the two heads of two-headed leader of the giants (the other is played by John Kassir).  Deadline reports that Hoult got on Singer’s radar after being cast as Beast in X-Men: First Class, which Singer is producing.

Hit the jump for more on Hoult.

Copyright ©2005 - 2012. All Rights Reserved. California web design