Billy Bob Thornton

First Images of Billy Bob Thornton and Paul Wesley in THE BAYTOWN DISCO

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: February 3rd, 2012 at 6:25 pm

Consider this post to be our first “whip-ass” article of 2012. We’ve just received some new official images of Billy Bob Thornton from his Southern-fried action-comedy project, The Baytown Disco. The Barry Battles-directed movie follows three redneck brothers attempting to help a woman in a bad spot, only to wind up on the wrong end of the situation. The rest of the cast includes Eva Longoria, Thomas Brodie Sangster, Clayne Crawford, Michael Rapaport, Daniel Cudmore, Travis Fimmel, Andre Braugher and Paul Wesley, the latter of which we have a hi-res shot of in character. Hit the jump to check them out along with a hi-res poster for The Baytown Disco.

James Marsden, Thomas Jane, and Billy Bob Thornton to Star in Grizzly Bear Thriller RED MACHINE

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: January 19th, 2012 at 1:19 pm

As we prepare for Liam Neeson to show us a man’s man’s surivival tale with next weekend’s The Grey, casting is underway on a survival film of a different color. James Marsden, Thomas Jane, and Billy Bob Thornton are set to star in the thriller Red Machine. Marsden and Jane play two estranged brothers who reunite on a camping trip with their girlfriends.  Once out in the wild, however, “things go horribly awry when they are attacked and relentlessly stalked by a horrifying grizzly bear—the Red Machine.” Considering the logline and cast, I initially figured the film would be more along the lines of a comedic farce, but then I learned that Saw V helmer David Hackl is onboard to direct. Now I think we can safely expect lots and lots of bear carnage.

Variety reports that Thornton will play a legendary bear expert and hunter in the film, with a script by J.R. Reher. The three leads are fine actors, and I’m incredibly intrigued to see what Thornton’s take on a grizzly bear expert looks like. Hackl stressed that he’s interested in examining “the thrill of very real fear,” and cites the realistic nature of the pic. No word on how the “realistic” blood count is expected to compare to the Saw franchise.

New Posters for THE PAPERBOY Starring Zac Efron and THE BAYTOWN DISCO Starring Billy Bob Thornton

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 28th, 2011 at 2:25 pm

The first poster for Lee Daniels‘ adaptation of The Paperboy has gone online along with a new poster for the action-comedy The Baytown Disco starring Billy Bob Thornton and Eva Mendes.  I like the simplicity of the Paperboy poster as well as the throwback font.  It doesn’t tell you much about the movie, but it does let us know that Zac Efron has really been working on his biceps.

The previous poster for The Baytown Disco was great but this new one is an overcrowded mess.  Also, both posters use the term “whip-ass”, which I’ve never heard before.  It seems like someone said the tagline should include the word “whoop-ass”, but spell-check wouldn’t accept it, so they had to go with “whip-ass”.  Hit the jump to check out the posters.  Both movies are due out in 2012.

PUSS IN BOOTS Review

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 27th, 2011 at 12:30 pm

Puss in Boots is an adventure movie, but the advertising and the film’s first act would like you to believe otherwise.  The filmmakers can’t be held responsible for DreamWorks Animation’s marketing campaign, but they can take the blame for setting up their movie as an action-comedy before choosing to drop the jokes and shifting into a rote adventure film that takes no chances, makes dated references, and short-changes its title character.  Ironically, the technical aspects of the movie are full of passion, but the story is as soulless and calculated as they come.

Final Trailer and Poster for PUSS IN BOOTS

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 6th, 2011 at 7:29 am

After getting bumped up from November 4th to October 28th, Puss in Boots now has a final trailer and poster.  While I didn’t even bother with Shrek Forever After, I’m getting pretty psyched for the spin-off.  The trailers have been funny and charming, the story looks fun (Puss goes off to find the Goose that Lays the Golden Eggs), and there’s no cynical ogre and his irritating donkey sidekick in sight.  The new poster isn’t as good as the one with Puss walking away from an explosion, but it gets the job done.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer (which still says the movie is coming out November 4th, but they clearly cut it before the date was changed) and poster.  The film features the voices of Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis, Amy Serdaris, and Billy Bob Thornton.

New Images From DreamWorks Animation’s PUSS IN BOOTS

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: September 29th, 2011 at 9:13 am

DreamWorks Animation and Paramount have released a number of new images from director Chris Miller’s Puss  in Boots.  Featuring the voices of Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris, Puss in Boots takes place before the events of Shrek.  Here’s the synopsis:

“Long before he even met Shrek, the notorious fighter, lover and outlaw Puss in Boots becomes a hero when he sets off on an adventure with the tough and street smart Kitty Softpaws and the mastermind Humpty Dumpty to save his town.  This is the true story of The Cat, The Myth, The Legend…The Boots.”

I got to see the opening of the film earlier this year and walked away very impressed by the footage.  Of course, it might have something to do with Guillermo del Toro…as he executive produced the film.  Hit the jump for the new images.  Puss in Boots gets released November 4.

Dimension Commissions Two Different Scripts for BAD SANTA 2

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: July 14th, 2011 at 6:30 pm

The long-awaited sequel to 2003’s fantastically black comedy Bad Santa is getting some serious movement. Star Billy Bob Thornton first told Steve about the project last year, and this past March the actor entered talks to return for a second go-around. Now comes the news that Dimension Films, which is producing the follow-up, has commissioned two writers to pen two different scripts for Bad Santa 2. The studio apparently plans to choose between the screenplays once they’re finished, and may even use the sidelined one for Bad Santa 3. Hit the jump for more.

New Trailer for PUSS IN BOOTS

by Jason Barr    Posted: June 20th, 2011 at 5:29 pm

The theatrical trailer for DreamWorks’ Puss in Boots has landed online and I have to admit that it looks like it could be a lot of fun. Featuring the vocal talents of Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Bob Thornton, and Amy Sedaris, the pic is set before the feline protagonist meets up with Shrek and centers on an adventure in which he must protect the “Golden Eggs” from falling into the wrong hands. While I’m as skeptical as the next person about the necessity of spinoffs such as Puss, if its done in an entertaining and clever way I won’t hold its inherently derivative nature against it. Based on what I’ve seen and heard from the film thus far, it looks as if Puss in Boots could stand on its own fairly well.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer for yourself. Directed by Chris Miller (Shrek the Third) , Puss in Boots hits 3D theaters later this year on November 4th.

John Hurt, Kevin Bacon, Robert Patrick and Ray Stevenson Join Billy Bob Thornton’s JAYNE MANSFIELD’S CAR

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: June 14th, 2011 at 4:05 pm

Billy Bob Thornton hasn’t directed a feature film since 2001’s Daddy and Them. Well, last November Thornton broke the news to us that he was once again stepping back into the director’s chair on a film he co-wrote with his writing partner Tom Epperson called Jayne Mansfield’s Car. Now it looks like Thornton is ready to start shooting on the project, as he’s secured funding and has filled out his cast with John Hurt, Kevin Bacon, Robert Patrick, Ray Stevenson (Thor) and John Patrick Amedori (The Butterfly Effect) joining previously announced Robert Duvall.

Deadline reports that AR Films is funding the project, which is set to start shooting on June 22^nd in Georgia. The story revolves around a guy whose wife leaves him for an Englishman and moves away to England. 20 or 30 years later, in 1969, the wife dies but wishes to be returned to Alabama where she grew up, so the English family meets—and clashes with—the original family that she abandoned. While Thornton’s All the Pretty Horses left much to be desired, Sling Blade was a bit of a masterwork. Hopefully he can recapture that magic with this southern tale.

Daniel Cudmore, Travis Fimmel, and Andre Braugher Join Billy Bob Thornton and Eva Longoria in THE BAYTOWN DISCO

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: April 28th, 2011 at 4:47 pm

Daniel Cudmore (Twilight: New Moon), Travis Fimmel (TV’s The Beast), and Andre Braugher (TV’s Men of a Certain Age) have joined Billy Bob Thornton and Eva Longoria in the Southern comedy The Baytown Disco. Directed by Barry Battles, the film follows three brothers who, as usual, get more than they bargained for when they agree to help a woman get her son back from his abusive father. Serinda Swan, Clayne Crawford, Thomas Sangster and Meagan Good also star.

THR reports that Cudmore, Fimmel and Crawford will star as the trio of brothers. The script, by Battles and Griffin Hood, made the 2009 Black List. The Baytown Disco is set to start filming on May 2^nd in Louisiana.

Billy Bob Thornton in Talks to Return for BAD SANTA 2

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: March 18th, 2011 at 12:27 pm

Back in November, Billy Bob Thornton told Steve that people always want to talk to him about how much they love Bad Santa and that there’s been talk of a sequel.  Of course, sequel talk is cheap, but then in December we reported that The Weinstein Company was actively developing sequels on Miramax hits Shakespeare in Love, Rounders, and yes, Bad Santa.

Today, Thornton was on a panel at SXSW for his Willie Nelson documentary The King of Luck and said he was in negotiations to reprise his foul-mouthed, safe-cracking department store Santa in Bad Santa 2.  The Wrap has now confirmed with the Weinstein Company that Thornton is in talks to star.  A spokesman for TWC tells The Wrap, “”We feel that it’s a Christmas perennial for the R-rated crowd.  Everyone loves the character and Billy Bob’s excited to be in talks with us.”   It’s currently unknown who will write and direct the sequel to the 2003 sleeper hit, but getting Thornton back on board is a great first step.

Billy Bob Thornton Exclusive Video Interview FASTER

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: November 23rd, 2010 at 5:51 pm

The other day I posted part of my video interview with Billy Bob Thornton for Faster.  However, with the film opening tomorrow, it’s time for the full sit down.

During the brief  interview, Thornton talked about why he decided to take on the project (he gives a really honest answer), did he just work as an actor or did he help out with any of the writing, and we talked about his next writing-directing project Jayne Mansfield’s Car.  However, the best part of the interview was when he told me there’s been talk of doing a Bad Santa sequel (please let this happen)!  Hit the jump to check it out:

FASTER Review

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: November 23rd, 2010 at 3:46 pm

Dwayne Johnson is an actor who seemed destined for action-star greatness.  When Arnold Schwarzenegger turns to Johnson in The Rundown and says “Have fun,” it was a passing of the torch.  But that light seems to have diminished as Johnson has, much to the chagrin of his fans, chosen family fare that doesn’t really encourage the bloody mayhem someone of Johnson’s physique and charisma could deliver.  As if to answer all those who were unhappy with films like The Game Plan and Tooth Fairy, in the first five minutes Faster has Johnson get out of prison, drive a badass Chevelle, and shoot a guy in the head.  The film then struggles to keep the remaining 90 minutes interesting, going so far as to introduce a distracting antagonist whose only purpose is to provide brief action scenes.  Weighed down further by vague notions of sin and salvation, Faster is a surprisingly joyless affair that still manages to show Johnson’s dramatic range, but replaces his charismatic grin with deep sorrow.

Exclusive: Billy Bob Thornton’s Next Directing Project is JAYNE MANSFIELD’S CAR; Plus a Sequel to BAD SANTA?!

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: November 21st, 2010 at 6:02 pm

While the last decade has seen Billy Bob Thornton only acting in front of the camera, it seems that he’s planning a return to the director’s chair.  I say this because at this weekend’s junket for Faster, Thornton told me that he’s writing a script called Jayne Mansfield’s Car with his old writing partner Tom Epperson and he hopes to get it made this spring.  After the cameras stopped rolling, I asked if he’d be directing the project.  He said yes.  

On top of that, if you’re a fan of Bad Santa, Thornton told me, “there’s been talk of making a sequel to it, which I actually would like to do.”

More after the jump:

4 Movie Clips from FASTER

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: November 19th, 2010 at 3:02 pm

With Dwayne Johnson’s Faster hitting theaters next week, CBS Films has provided us with 4 clips from Johnson’s return to kicking ass. While I’m under embargo from saying too much, I don’t think they’ll mind if I tell you Faster is exactly what I hoped it’d be:  a lean, violent, revenge flick that shows what Johnson can do when he’s not making family films.

What I especially like about the movie is that it never wastes time trying to give Johnson’s character too much backstory, or trying to make him out to be a saint.  The movie starts with him leaving jail and almost immediately he kills someone.  That’s Faster.  If you’re into watching Johnson going around extracting revenge on the folks that killed his brother, you’ll like this film.  Hit the jump to watch 4 clips.

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