James Vanderbilt

Anthony Hopkins to Star in Serial Killer Drama SOLACE

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: September 6th, 2011 at 5:39 pm

Hannibal Lecter returns! Kinda. Anthony Hopkins, who won the Oscar for his chilling role in The Silence of the Lambs, is set to return to the serial killer genre with Solace. Variety reports that Hopkins is in final negotiations to star in the film, though this time he’ll be the good guy. The thesp will play a former doctor with psychic abilities who works for the FBI. He gets drawn into a serial killer case where his gift is put to good use (because a psychic doctor/FBI agent is a terrible thing to waste). A director has yet to be set, but the script has a nice pedigree. Sean Bailey and Ted Griffin wrote the first draft, which was subsequently rewritten by James Vanderbilt (Zodiac, The Amazing Spider-Man). Peter Morgan (The Queen) made the most recent pass, and production is now set to begin sometime early next year.

Sony Sets May 2, 2014 Release Date for THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: August 5th, 2011 at 11:27 am

Even though Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man only recently completed filming, Sony has already gotten a jump on the sequel as they’ve dated The Amazing Spider-Man 2 for a May 2^nd, 2014 release. While this seems a bit ridiculous, it makes sense. Screenwriter James Vanderbilt wrote Webb’s reboot, and this past March he was hired to pen a script for the sequel. Apparently Sony liked what they saw (in both Webb’s film and Vanderbilt’s sequel script), as they’ve gone ahead and dated the follow-up. Hit the jump for my thoughts on this move, including the studio’s plans for an inevitable trilogy.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Scribe James Vanderbilt to Pen RED RIDING Adaptation

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: May 14th, 2011 at 7:08 am

Back in 2009, when Columbia acquired the rights to the gritty British crime drama series Red Riding, director Ridley Scott was thought to be teaming up with writer Steven Zaillian (American Gangster) once again. Though Zaillian is still producing along with Scott, it seems Columbia will go with the hot hand for a screenwriter. Heat Vision reports that James Vanderbilt (Zodiac) will write the adaptation of the popular British TV movie series.

Red Riding is based on four novels by author David Peace. The series, and upcoming adaptation, follows a large cast of characters related to serial killings and police corruption that span the years from 1974 to 1983. After his work on Zodiac, Vanderbilt should feel right at home in this genre. (And for those of you playing 6 Degrees of Separation, Andrew Garfield, who plays Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man, was featured in the original Red Riding series. Perhaps we’ll see him again, working off of another Vanderbilt script?)

For more on Vanderbilt’s upcoming slate of movies, hit the jump.

James Vanderbilt Hired to Write THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: March 24th, 2011 at 2:17 pm

We’re still over a year away from Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man, but Sony knows that the best way to kick off a sequel is to make sure you have a script ready to go.  With that in mind, they’ve hired The Amazing Spider-Man screenwriter James Vanderbilt to start work on a sequel.  Heat Vision reports that Vanderbilt outlined his take for the sequel to studio execs yesterday and received the go-ahead to start work on the script.  Of course, there’s no guarantee that Sony will use Vanderbilt’s script, especially if their upcoming 3D Spider-Man reboot tanks.  But the studio clearly has a lot of faith in the screenwriter whose past credits include Zodiac and The Rundown.  Not only did he write Amazing Spider-Man, he also worked on Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 4 before the studio decided the project was taking too long to go into production and it was better to start from scratch.

There’s no word on what the sequel will be about (we’re still not even sure what The Amazing Spider-Man is about), but hit the jump for some of my amazing speculation.  The Amazing Spider-Man stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, and Rhys Ifans.  It’s due out July 3, 2012.

Denis Leary to Play George Stacy in SPIDER-MAN Reboot

by Matt Currie    Posted: November 17th, 2010 at 7:20 pm

Yes, director Marc Webb’s reboot of Spider-Man just got a little angrier. According to Heat Vision, Denis Leary, the popular Rescue Me actor and admitted asshole (seriously, he wrote a song about it), is about to step into the role of George Stacy, police captain and father of main Spidey squeeze Gwen Stacy.

Leary joins a cast that already includes Andrew Garfield as the titular web-slinger, Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy, Rhys Ifans as Dr. Curt Connors (a.k.a The Lizard), Martin Sheen as Uncle Ben, and Sally Field as Aunt May. The as-yet-untitled flick is slated for release in 2012. Hit the jump for more on what you can expect out of George Stacy.

Mary Jane Watson WILL NOT Appear in the Upcoming SPIDER-MAN Reboot

by Ramses Flores    Posted: November 5th, 2010 at 11:11 am

It’s a bit of surprise, but we now have news that the character of Mary Jane Watson will not be appearing in director Marc Webb’s (500 Days of Summer) upcoming 3D Spider-Man reboot.  We’ve been hearing that the new film would feature two love interests for Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) for awhile now, but that Mary Jane Watson would not be the lead female role, and that she would be a minimal role in the film if she were to appear at all. We’ve since learned that Emma Stone (Easy A) has been cast as Gwen Stacy and would be both the lead female role and main love interest in the film.

I’ve since assumed that Watson would be appearing in the film in a minimal role, which would be enhanced in the inevitable sequel, but The Wrap is now reporting that Watson will not be appearing in the film at all since “the character is not currently featured in James Vanderbilt’s (Zodiac) screenplay, and apparently never was.” Spider-Man without Mary Jane Watson to me is like Superman without Lois Lane, so I’m curious to see how fans of the comic book character will react to this news.  You can hit the jump to leave your thoughts in the comments below and to get a recap of what we know about the upcoming Spider-Man reboot.

SPIDER-MAN Reboot Shortlist Includes Jamie Bell, Alden Ehrenrich, Frank Dillane, Andrew Garfield, and Josh Hutcherson

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: May 26th, 2010 at 5:31 pm

Ever since Sony announced that the next entry in the Spider-Man franchise would be a reboot rather than a sequel to the Sam Raimi films, speculation has been rampant as to what young actor might fill Tobey Macguire’s boots as a teenage Peter Parker.  Alvin Sargent (Spider-Man 3) is currently in the middle of re-writing James Vanderbilt’s (Zodiac) script, which is said to be “a more gritty, contemporary redo of the series” with a high school setting.  Meanwhile, director Marc Webb ((500) Days of Summer) has reportedly been meeting with potential candidates for months now.

Hit the jump for details on the potential spider-men, including Jamie Bell, Alden Ehrenrich, Frank Dillane, Andrew Garfield, and Josh Hutcherson.

Screenwriter James Vanderbilt Interview – Talks THE LOSERS, ZODIAC, MURDER MYSTERY, and I Try to Ask About Marc Webb’s SPIDER-MAN…

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: April 11th, 2010 at 11:09 pm

If you’re a fan of David Fincher’s Zodiac, Peter Berg’s The Rundown, or are looking forward to either Sylvain White’s The Losers, Marc Webb’s Spider-Man reboot, or director Kevin Macdonald’s Murder Mystery, you’re going to really enjoy my interview with screenwriter James Vanderbilt.  That’s because earlier today, I got to sit down with the talented screenwriter for an extended interview that covered almost his entire IMDb profile.

We first started talking about The Losers, then we went to Zodiac.  From there I tried to ask about Marc Webb’s Spider-Man reboot, and then we got to a project he is writing for director Kevin Macdonald called Murder Mystery.  Finally, Vanderbilt talked about a project he is writing for himself to direct that takes place in the world of journalism, and then we covered how he writes and The Rundown.

Trust me, it’s a great interview.  Since it’s over 20 minutes, I’ve time indexed each question so you can decided what you want to hear us talk about.  Hit the jump to check it out.

Sony Says Logan Lerman Is NOT Spider-Man

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: April 11th, 2010 at 9:21 pm

On Saturday, we reported that, according to HitFix, actor Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson) was “almost 100% locked” to star in Marc Webb’s Spider-Man reboot.  Tonight, Deadline is reporting that “Lerman was 100% not going to be Spidey and that he is not on the list of candidates being seriously considered.”  This is February all over again when Lerman said he was in early discussions to play the part and Sony responded that, “No offers have been made, nor have any business discussions been made with Lerman.”

Obviously, this is a major role and everyone wants to know who will have the near-impossible task of following Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker/Spider-Man.  Maybe we’ll all wake up tomorrow and learn that Lerman is Peter Parker, but only in the metaphysical sense that, on some level, we are all Peter Parker.  As always, I’m going to keep my fingers crossed for metaphysical casting news.

For a brief refresher on the Spidey reboot story thus far, hit the jump.

Does Sony Pictures Want Logan Lerman for Director Marc Webb’s SPIDER-MAN?

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: April 10th, 2010 at 3:32 pm

Back in early February, 18-year-old Logan Lerman, the star of Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief, said he was in early discussions to play Peter Parker in Sony’s reboot of the Spider-Man franchise for director Marc Webb.

Shortly after the news hit the net, Sony made sure (via THR) to let everyone know Lerman was one of many actors being considered for the role as they said, “No offers have been made, nor have any business discussions been made with Lerman.”

But a new report on HitFix says Logan Lerman is the first choice for Sony Pictures reboot and is “almost 100% locked”, but is not yet in contract negotiations for the role.  More after the jump:

Collider Goes to Puerto Rico to Watch THE LOSERS – Read Our Set Report Plus 6 Brand New Character Posters of the Cast

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: March 25th, 2010 at 10:00 am

Back in September of 2009, I was invited – along with four other online journalists – to the set of director Sylvain White’s The Losers when the movie was being shot in hot and humid Puerto Rico.  While I’ve covered many movies while working for Collider, this was the first time visiting a movie set could actually cost me a lot of money.  The reason?  The location was a secure Port that was guarded by Homeland Security.  Each of us had to wear a special badge given to us by the government and we were warned if we lost it…we’d have to pay $10,000 dollars.  Needless to say, I watched my badge like a hawk.

If you haven’t heard of The Losers, the movie stars Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Zoë Saldana, Chris Evans, Idris Elba, Columbus Short, Holt McCallany, Óscar Jaenada, and Jason Patric and it’s written by Peter Berg and James Vanderbilt. The film is based on the Vertigo comic series by Andy Diggle and Jock.

While I hate making comparisons, The Losers reminds me a lot of The A-Team, except rather than helping those who can’t help themselves, The Losers are out to clear their names and get revenge on the one who betrayed them.  Simply put…it’s an action thriller that should be a lot of fun.

Hit the jump for what we did on set and you can also take a look at 6 brand new character posters of the cast:

Kevin Macdonald to Direct MURDER MYSTERY

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: March 9th, 2010 at 11:10 pm

Director Kevin Macdonald (State of Play) has signed onto helm the murder mystery, Murder Mystery.  Billed as a “whodunit” (I never would have guessed), Variety says the film, “revolves around an American couple honeymooning in Europe who are implicated when they witness a murder and wind up embroiled in international intrigue.”  Yet another reason why there’s no good reason to go to Euro Disney.

The screenplay is by James Vanderbilt who wrote Zodiac as well as the upcoming Spider-Man reboot.  Macdonald’s next film, the historical drama The Eagle of the Ninth, which stars Channing Tatum and Jamie Bell, is set to hit theaters on September 24th.

THE LOSERS Movie Poster Starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Zoe Saldana, Chris Evans, and Idris Elba

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: March 8th, 2010 at 4:36 pm

Warner Bros. has released the final poster for director Sylvain White’s The Losers and you can check it out after the jump.  Based on the DC/Vertigo comic book series, the film was written by Peter Berg and James Vanderbilt and it stars Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Watchmen) as Clay; Zoe Saldana (Avatar, Star Trek) as Aisha; Chris Evans (Fantastic Four) as Jensen; Idris Elba (The Wire) as Roque; Columbus Short (Quarantine) as Pooch; Oscar Jaeneda (Che: Part Two) as Cougar; and Jason Patric (My Sister’s Keeper) as Max.

I did a set visit for The Losers last year and my report and on set interviews will be getting posted later this month.  Until then, check out the poster and the full synopsis:

More SPIDER-MAN Reboot Details: Lower Budget, Higher Drama

by Jackson Bishop    Posted: January 20th, 2010 at 11:43 am

Hope your spider-senses are tingling out there because we’ve got more news on the upcoming Spider-Man reboot from Sony/Columbia Pictures. As most of you already know, the short list of filmmakers being pitched around to take up the reigns of the new Spidey franchise, which contained names like Fincher and Cameron (who was spearheading the effort to bring the webbed wonder to the silver screen in the early nineties), was quickly pared down, leaving 500 Days of Summer director, Marc Webb, the man in charge. I’m going to spare you all the joke about it being meant to be… no I won’t; Webb, Spider-Man, get it?! Anyway, now we’ve got a few more details about the story angle and scope that the studio is shooting for with this new take on the world of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, not the least of which being that the new film is rumored to be budgeted in the $80 million range. That’s almost half the budget of the first film back in 2002!

THR hit with the news that the studio is aiming for the relatively low budget of $80 million, also looking to cast the film with unknown actors. This is understandable, as you want the audience to associate the characters with the actors and not the personality of the actor themselves. It’s the reason Christopher Reeve is still Superman in our hearts and minds, it was the first thing anybody ever saw him in. The budget is a bit more troubling as it seems the studio is cutting out the spectacle that audiences have come to expect from a Spider-flick, perhaps wanting to disassociate the new series from Raimi’s films as much as possible. But are they really expecting general audiences to respond after cutting out the main reason Tom, Dick, and Harry go to see these movies? It’s a bit of a craps shoot. Of course now the Spider-Man name is enough to get people in the door. For more on this and a few story details, pull on your spandex and hit the jump.

SPIDER-MAN Reboot Already Written; Film to be “Gritty, Contemporary”

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: January 11th, 2010 at 9:47 pm

More details have arisen regarding today’s massive news that Sony would be scrapping Spider-Man 4, kicking out Sam Raimi, Tobey Maguire, et al., and rebooting the series.  EW reports that Sony wants “a more gritty, contemporary redo of the series,” and are focused on younger, up-and-coming directors.  I’m going to try and be optimistic and not take that to mean Sony wants someone who can make a good film, but more importantly won’t have enough weight to push any independent artistic decisions.

EW also reports that Sony was always aiming to reboot the series in 2012 no matter what, but they did want one last outing with Raimi, Maguire, and co.  This means that Sony just pushed up the timetable on setting up a crappy precedent where they don’t have to use over forty years of material from the comics, but can just keep redoing the series to suit the demographic with the most purchasing power at the time.  That’s why when Sony means Peter Parker is going back to high-school, it means they’re skewing towards the Twilight crowd because they know the fanboys will nut up, take it, and then complain about it after they’ve already paid x-amount of dollars to see it (most likely in 3D; Sony hasn’t announced that for this new movie, but it’s a safe assumption they’ll jump on that bandwagon as well).

Hit the jump for more details on the Spidey reboot story, including the status of the script, why Sony is rushing to get this film made, and when we can expect to hear who the new director and star of the series will be.

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