Flight

Paramount Sets Robert Zemeckis’ FLIGHT for November 2 Release; THE GUILT TRIP Moves to Christmas Day

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: May 10th, 2012 at 12:29 pm

Paramount has made a welcome release date announcement today.  Director Robert Zemeckis’ (Back to the Future) long-awaited return to live-action, the drama Flight, has been slated for release on November 2nd (per Box Office Mojo).  Zemeckis has been making creepy motion-capture films like The Polar Express and Beowulf for the last decade, but Flight marks his first live-action feature since 2000’s Cast Away.  Denzel Washington stars as an alcoholic and drug-addicted pilot who safely lands a damaged plane and is quickly heralded as a hero, despite having been under the influence during the accident. The fantastic cast includes John Goodman, Melissa Leo, and Don Cheadle.  The film will square off against the R-rated comedy 21 and Over and Disney’s animated feature Wreck-It Ralph on that November date.

In order to put Flight on the 2012 release schedule, Paramount has pushed the family comedy The Guilt Trip (formerly My Mother’s Curse) from October 2nd to a prime Christmas Day slot.  The film centers on a mother/son road-trip and stars Seth Rogen and Barbara Streisand.  The coveted December 25th date also includes Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained and Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby.

James Badge Dale Talks SHAME, Director Steve McQueen, Robert Zemeckis’ FLIGHT, RUBICON, THE LONE RANGER, and a Lot More

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: January 20th, 2012 at 12:32 pm

James Badge Dale is one of those actors that while you know his work, you don’t yet know his name.  However, I think that’s about to change.  Because after starring in HBO’s The Pacific, AMC’s short lived but really well done Rubicon, and as Michael Fassbender’s friend and boss in Steve McQueen‘s Shame, Dale has shown his versatility and range and he’s become one of those actors that I can’t wait to see what he’ll do next.  And with his roles in Joe Carnahan‘s The Grey, Robert Zemeckis‘ Flight, Marc Forster‘s World War Z alongside Brad Pitt, and Gore Verbinski‘s The Lone Ranger, it looks like I’m not the only one who is a fan of his work.

Last week I got to sit down with Dale for an extended interview at The Grey junket.  Since I spoke to him on camera for The Grey before this interview, I decided to use this time to ask other questions.  We talked about how he got into acting, does he still have to audition, what making Shame was like (he tells some great behind the scenes stories), Rubicon (for fans of the show he talks about a different final episode that was never shot), how he had to fight to be in Robert Zemeckis’ Flight and what he did to land the role, comments on McQueen’s Twelve Years a Slave, and discusses The Lone Ranger.  He calls it a “big, fun Western” with “a different take on it.”  Hit the jump for more.

John Goodman and Missi Pyle Talk THE ARTIST, Robert Zemeckis’ FLIGHT, Pixar’s MONSTERS UNIVERSITY, EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE, More

by Sheila Roberts    Posted: November 16th, 2011 at 11:46 am

John Goodman and Missi Pyle were intrigued when they were approached by director Michel Hazanavicius to play supporting roles in The Artist, his heartfelt and entertaining celebration of Hollywood moviemaking at its most magical. Missi Pyle plays Constance, an actress who is none too pleased when she’s upstaged by Hollywood’s reigning silent screen idol, George Valentin (Jean Dujardin). Goodman portrays Al Zimmer, the cigar-chomping mogul of Kinograph Studios, who walks the line between coddling and corralling his contract stars during the silent film era. In 1929, Kinograph is preparing to cease all silent film production as Hollywood transitions to talking movies, but some actors will prove more adept than others at making the change.

We sat down with Goodman and Pyle at a roundtable interview to talk about what attracted them to the unique project set during a pivotal moment in Hollywood history and told in a silent format. They told us what it was like playing characters that had no dialogue and where everything had to be conveyed visually, why they found the process liberating once they realized they didn’t have to worry about remembering their lines, and how shooting on location in Los Angeles helped inspire their performances. They also discussed what projects they have coming up next, including updates on Robert Zemeckis‘ Flight, Pixar’s Monster’s University, the Awards contender Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, whether or not Goodman will appear in Kevin Smith‘s Hit Somebody and more.

Casting Call: Tamara Tunie Co-Stars Opposite Denzel Washington in FLIGHT; Hope Davis to DISCONNECT

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: October 6th, 2011 at 6:52 pm

Two bits of casting news for you tonight for two projects that have been adding a lot of talent lately. First up, Tamara Tunie (Law & Order: SVU) joins Denzel Washington in Flight, directed by Robert Zemeckis. The drama stars Washington as a pilot with a history of drug and alcohol abuse who safely lands a damaged plane. As the investigation of the malfunction unfolds, an interview with the lead flight attendant (Tunie) leads to the unraveling of the heroic façade of Washington’s character. The drama also stars John Goodman, Don Cheadle, Bruce Greenwood and Melissa Leo. Filming begins this month in Atlanta.

The indie film Disconnect has added Hope Davis (Real Steel) as a mom with an identity crisis who is also coping with her son’s attempted suicide. Director Henry Alex Rubin (Murderball) recently added Jason Bateman, Paula Patton and Haley Ramm to the cast. Billed as “a drama centered on a group of people searching for human connections in today’s wired world,” Disconnect also stars Alexander Skarsgard and Michael Nyqvist.

Melissa Leo and James Badge Dale in Talks for Robert Zemeckis’ FLIGHT

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: September 30th, 2011 at 3:10 pm

Robert Zemeckis continues to fill out the cast for his next live-action feature Flight, and he’s looking to add two more names. Melissa Leo and James Badge Dale are in negotiations to join the drama, which stars Denzel Washington as an alcoholic and drug-addicted pilot who rises to fame after flying a damaged plane to safety. THR reports that Leo will play an investigator who is determined to expose the fact that Washington was under the influence while flying the plane, while Dale will be playing a dying cancer patient. Based on her past performances, Leo will most likely be shrill and incessantly mean. The impressive cast now includes Don Cheadle, Bruce Greenwood, Kelly Reilly, John Goodman, and Brian Geraghty. Production on the alchy pilot movie is set to begin next month in Atlanta.

John Goodman Joins Denzel Washington in Robert Zemeckis’ FLIGHT

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: September 28th, 2011 at 8:16 am

Director Robert Zemeckis has added one more name to his growing cast for Flight. John Goodman is the latest actor to board the pic, which will serve as Zemeckis’ first live-action film since 2000’s Cast Away. Denzel Washington stars as an alcoholic and drug-addicted pilot who safely lands a damaged plane and is quickly heralded as a hero. An investigation by the FAA reveals that the pilot was under the influence while flying, but decides to hide the evidence in order to solidify the Washington’s newfound hero status while the substance-troubled pilot tries to get his life together.

Deadline reports that Goodman will be playing “a friend of the pilot who helps him come to terms with his problems.” The actor joins a solid cast that includes Don Cheadle, Bruce Greenwood, Kelly Reilly, and Brian Geraghty. Goodman can next be seen in the Stephen Daldry drama Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, and is currently filming Ben Affleck’s Argo. You can also catch the thesp on the small screen as he’s currently in the middle of a stint on NBC’s fantastic comedy Community. Shooting begins on Flight in Atlanta next month.

Brian Geraghty Joins Denzel Washington in Robert Zemeckis’ FLIGHT

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 26th, 2011 at 1:59 pm

Brian Geraghty (The Hurt Locker) has joined Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, Bruce Greenwood, and Kelly Reilly in Robert Zemeckis’ Flight.  Washington plays “an alcoholic and drug-addicted pilot whose plane engine malfunctions, forcing him to rescue the aircraft and its passengers, becoming a hero in the process. When the FAA investigates and finds evidence of drug abuse, it tries to sweep the evidence to the side to help preserve the image of the captain, who is trying to change the course of his life.”  There’s no word yet on who Cheadle, Greenwood, and Reilly are playing, but THR reports that Geraghty will play “Washington’s co-pilot, a man who finds religion after the crash.”  Flight is set to begin shooting in Atlanta next month.  It will be Zemeckis’ first non-motion-capture movie in over a decade.

Geraghty is briefly in the comedy Ten Year where he participates in a good running joke with Aubrey Plaza who plays his character’s wife.  He also recently wrapped on the thriller ATM with Alice Eve (She’s Out of My League) and Josh Peck (The Wackness).  Geraghty’s also set to co-star in Aubrey Hepburn’s Neck and Refuge with Krysten Ritter, and he’s also signed on for the comedy Gay Dude.

Don Cheadle and Bruce Greenwood Join Robert Zemeckis’ FLIGHT; Kelly Reilly Confirmed as Female Lead

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: September 21st, 2011 at 6:40 pm

Director Robert Zemeckis is filling out the cast for his return to live-action. Denzel Washington is set as the lead in Flight, where he will play an a pilot who is heralded as a hero after safely landing a damaged plane. His newfound hero status comes under scrutiny as an investigation is launched to determine whether or not he was drunk while flying. Now Moviehole reports that Don Cheadle and Bruce Greenwood have joined the cast. No word on what their roles entail. The report also confirms that Kelly Reilly (Sherlock Holmes), who was in negotiations to take on the female lead, is officially onboard as a drug addict who befriends Washington’s character.

Flight will be Zemeckis’ first live action film since 2000’s Cast Away, as he’s been dabbling in motion-capture fare such as The Polar Express and A Christmas Carol for the past 11 years. Filming on the project is set to get underway next month in Atlanta.

Kelly Reilly in Talks for Female Lead in Robert Zemeckis’ FLIGHT; Vanessa Hudgens Joins John Cusack in FROZEN GROUND

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: September 12th, 2011 at 8:06 am

We’ve got a couple of casting stories for you this morning. First up, Kelly Reilly (Sherlock Holmes) is in negotiations for the lead female role in Robert Zemeckis’ Flight.  The Polar Express director’s return to live-action following his ten-year stretch of motion-capture movies stars Denzel Washington as an airline pilot who is heralded as a hero after he flies a damaged plane to safety. Washington’s heroic achievement becomes overshadowed by an investigation into whether or not he had been drinking before the flight.

Deadline reports that Reilly was one of three actresses that were shortlisted for the role of Nicole, a drug addict who befriends Washington’s character as each tries to get their demons under control. Olivia Wilde and Dominique McElligott (Moon) were the other two actresses in the running, but Reilly ultimately came away with the part. Flight starts shooting this October. Hit the jump for the casting news of Vanessa Hudgens in the serial killer drama Frozen Ground.

First Official Synopsis for Robert Zemeckis and Denzel Washington’s FLIGHT; Film Begins Shooting in October

by Jason Barr    Posted: September 9th, 2011 at 2:25 pm

 

Back in June, we were pretty sure that the live-action drama Flight was going to be Robert Zemeckis’ next film. We were also confident that Denzel Washington would star. Today, we have confirmation of both courtesy of a press release from Paramount. Per the release, Flight (written by Real Steel‘s John Gatins):

“…tells the redemption story of “Whip” (Washington), a commercial airline pilot who pulls off a heroic feat of flying in a damaged plane, saving 98 lives on a flight carrying 106 people. While the world begs to embrace him as a true American Hero, the everyman struggles with this label as he is forced to hold up to the scrutiny of an investigation that brings into question his behavior the night before the doomed flight.”

Like many, I’m a huge fan of much of Zemeckis’ previous work so I’m always excited for anything he puts his directorial stamp on. Moreover, I’m especially happy to see the filmmaker back in the live-action arena after nearly a decade removed from the format (2000′s Castaway was his last). Per the release, the film is slated to begin shooting in Atlanta this October which means a 2012 release is more than likely in sight. For a little more on Flight, read the full press release after the jump.

Robert Zemeckis’ Next Project Confirmed to Be FLIGHT; Set to Shoot This Fall With Denzel Washington Attached to Star

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: June 4th, 2011 at 5:00 pm

It looks like after a decade wading in motion-capture films, Robert Zemeckis’ next film will be the live-action drama Flight. The Back to the Future director first entered negotiations to helm the flick back in April, but no one was certain which project he would choose as his next. He’s flirted with the time-travel films Replay and Timeless, and there’s always the ever-elusive Who Framed Roger Rabbit? sequel. Now 24 Frames reports that Zemeckis has firmed up Flight as his next project, with Denzel Washington expected to close his deal to star shortly and filming aimed for the fall.

The plot of Flight centers on an alcoholic/drug addicted pilot who saves a flight in distress, becoming an American hero in the process. The newfound fame comes with an investigation by the FAA to see whether drugs played a factor in the distress, while Washington’s character attempts to turn his life around. Hit the jump for more on Flight and Zemeckis’ other non-motion-capture projects in the works.

Robert Zemeckis Takes FLIGHT With Denzel Washington

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: April 20th, 2011 at 8:32 pm

After a decade devoted to motion capture, Robert Zemeckis is looking to return to live action for his next film.  Disney’s cancellation of the mo-cap Beatles ode Yellow Submarine surely was a wake up call.   Zemeckis needs time, though, to ease back into the land of the living.  The director flirted with Superman and a Wizard of Oz remake, and the time travel tale Timeless remains a possibility.  And Zemeckis could always revive the Who Framed Roger Rabbit sequel that exists in a constant state of development.

Paramount has added another option, Flight, and it sounds damn promising.  The script by John Gatins (Coach Carter) centers on an alcoholic/drug addict pilot.  And Denzel Washington is “loosely attached” to star.  Details after the break.

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