Jon Favreau

Jon Favreau and Willem Dafoe Discuss the Legacy of JOHN CARTER in New Blu-ray Featurette Clip

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: May 25th, 2012 at 8:34 am

John Carter is coming to Blu-ray and DVD on June 5, and I hope it finds a second life in home release.  I don’t know what it would take to justify a sequel, but for the sake of ambitious, lush science fiction like this, it would be unfortunate if the lasting legacy was that of a flop.  The expansive universe, as designed by Edgar Rice Borroughs, is really built for serialization.  We have seen this potential realized on screen in the many properties that were inspired by John Carter of Mars.  Jon Favreau points to Star Wars and Superman as two indelible franchises that benefit from the Mars mythos in the featurette, “Influence of John Carter,” which will appear on the Blu-ray.  We were provided a one-minute clip from the featurette, with supporting remarks by Willem Dafoe (the voice of Tars Tarkas in the movie), and we’d like to share it with you after the jump.

IRON MAN 3 News: Jon Favreau to Return as Happy Hogan, Adds “Firepower” with Ashley Hamilton

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: May 24th, 2012 at 5:12 pm

We recently reported that Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale) would be joining Tom Hiddleston as a baddie in Thor 2, so Iron Man 3 went ahead and added their own firepower.  In this case, “Firepower” is actually the villain that Ashley Hamilton (Sunset Beach) is in talks to play.  In the Marvel universe, Hamilton’s character was the pilot of a “power suit” prototype built by the government (likely, S.H.I.E.L.D.) under the codename “Project: Firepower.”  And we all know that, once you’ve strapped on a suit of battle armor, it doesn’t take too long before you challenge Tony Stark/Iron Man himself (Robert Downey Jr.).  Also returning, in a producer capacity, will be Jon Favreau.  But it looks like fans will be able to see the Iron Man director on screen as well.  Hit the jump for more.

Jon Favreau Talks THE AVENGERS Success and IRON MAN 3; Says He’ll Be “Very Involved” in the Production of IM3

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: May 14th, 2012 at 1:49 pm

After launching a series of Marvel Studios films that would eventually culminate in the biggest opening weekend of all time with The Avengers, director Jon Favreau decided not to return to helm Iron Man 3.  Favreau deserves a lot of credit for Marvel’s success, as he launched Iron Man as a superhero film that could be both grounded and fun, and planted the seed for the serialization and cross-pollinating of the future Marvel movies to come.  In an inspired choice, Shane Black (Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang) was pegged to take the helm of Iron Man 3, and production is gearing up to begin in a few weeks with Ben Kingsley onboard as the villain and newcomers Guy Pearce and Rebecca Hall added to the cast alongside Robert Downey Jr. and co.

Favreau recently spoke a bit about the success of The Avengers and the third Iron Man film, revealing that he’ll be producing Iron Man 3 and will actually have a very involved role in the production.  In addition, he teased what we can expect story and character-wise when Tony Stark graces our screens once again.  Hit the jump to see what he had to say.

Watch Full Trailers for New NBC Drama Series CHICAGO FIRE and J.J. Abrams’ REVOLUTION

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: May 14th, 2012 at 12:16 pm

Yesterday NBC announced their new line-up for Fall 2012, and in addition to moving Community to a Friday timeslot (boo), the network also announced their slate of new series.  We included clips from said series in that post, but today NBC has posted trailers for all their new series.  These trailers give us a better sense of what to expect from the shows overall as opposed to the clips, and in this story we’ve included the trailers for two of NBC’s new drama series: Revolution and Chicago Fire.

Revolution comes from executive producer J.J. Abrams and Supernatural creator Eric Kripke and takes place in a world where all forms of energy have mysteriously ceased to exist.  The show stars David Lyons (The Cape), Billy Burke (Twilight) and Giancarlo Esposito and certainly has a strong premise.  Moreover, Jon Favreau directed the pilot.  We’ve also got the trailer for Chicago Fire, starring Jesse Spencer (House) and Taylor Kinney (The Vampire Diaries).  The series comes from Law & Order creator Dick Wolf and follows the lives of firemen in Chicago.  Hit the jump to check out the trailer, and click here to watch the trailers for NBC’s new comedies.

Editorial: Marvel Needs to Re-Hire Joss Whedon for THE AVENGERS 2

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: May 11th, 2012 at 9:21 am

“Marvel needs to re-hire Joss Whedon for The Avengers 2.”  How does this require an editorial?  It’s such an obvious statement.  Not only did the movie have the most successful opening-weekend gross of all-time, but it was also successful among critics.  Why would you risk losing a single piece?  Why jeopardize a formula that delivered such a resounding commercial and critical success?  What studio would do such a thing?

Marvel would.  Their hit-it-and-quit-it relationship with directors has served them well in terms of keeping costs down and making the productions run smoothly.  No one rocks the boat, no one gets a pay bump for the sequel, and no director becomes bigger than the property he is directing.  From a business standpoint, it’s a sensible trend.  But it’s a trend that shouldn’t continue when it comes to The Avengers franchise.  Hit the jump for my explanation of what Marvel stands to gain from hanging on to Joss Whedon.

NBC Series Order Round-Up: Ryan Murphy’s THE NEW NORMAL, J.J. Abrams’ REVOLUTION, GO ON Starring Matthew Perry, and SAVE ME with Anne Heche

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: May 7th, 2012 at 3:59 pm

The networks will be unveiling their fall schedules next week at the upfronts, but a few high-profile NBC pilots have already been picked up to series.  Briefly:

• The New Normal – Ryan Murphy’s blended comedy pilot centering on a same-sex couple and their surrogate.
• Revolution – The J.J. Abrams and Eric Kripke-produced action/drama takes place in a world where all forms of energy have mysteriously ceased to exist.
• Go On – Matthew Perry stars as a sportscaster trying to move on from a loss with the help of his fellow group therapy members.
• Save Me – Anne Heche plays a woman who, after letting herself go while in a broken marriage, goes through a transformation in which she becomes the best version of herself and creates miracles.

Hit the jump for more on each project.

New Featurette for PEOPLE LIKE US Starring Chris Pine and Elizabeth Banks

by Matt Currie    Posted: May 7th, 2012 at 12:18 pm

A bit over a month after the first trailer for long-lost-sibling drama People Like Us debuted online, a sizzle reel (fancy industry talk for “featurette”) has followed. Basically, it’s a lot of the stuff we’ve seen before (plus some new bits), mixed with footage of first-time director Alex Kurtzman (co-writer of Star Trek and Transformers) and stars Chris Pine and Elizabeth Banks discussing the film. Co-written by Kurtzman, frequent collaborator Roberto Orci and Jody Lambert, the film sees a debt-ridden salesman (Pine) who must split a sizeable inheritance with a sister (Banks) he didn’t know about; as he struggles with the “But it’s so much money!” quandary, he forges a relationship with his unsuspecting sis and her young son.

If you thought the first trailer betrayed a bit too much schmaltz, this one won’t do much to sway you. But, at the very least, it improves upon its predecessor by cutting the line “Sometimes the past is a present.” Shudder. Hit the jump to check it out. People Like Us (previously titled Welcome to the People) also stars Michelle Pfeiffer, Olivia Wilde, Jon Favreau, and Mark Duplass. It will hit theaters on June 29.

Jon Favreau Joins Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy in IDENTITY THIEF

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: May 2nd, 2012 at 11:36 am

Director Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses) is busy casting up his next project, Identity Thief, and it appears that he’s added another director to the fray.  Variety reports that Iron Man director Jon Favreau has joined the cast of the comedy, which stars Melissa McCarthy as a woman who steals the identity of Jason Bateman’s character.  Apparently Favreau will play Bateman’s boss.  This isn’t the first time Favreau and Bateman have worked together, as the two starred in the disappointing 2009 comedy Couples Retreat.

In addition to Bateman and McCarthy, Identity Thief also stars Amanda Peet, Jon Cho, and Clark Duke (Kick-Ass).  I was a huge fan of last year’s Horrible Bosses, and I love the idea of Bateman playing the straight man to McCarthy’s sure-to-be unstable character.  Favreau is currently developing his next directorial project, the Disney theme park-centered (and secretive) Magic Kingdom. Production on Identity Thief begins soon, as the film is set to open on May 10th, 2013.

Jon Favreau to Direct NBC Pilot REVOLUTION; J.J. Abrams, Eric Kripke, and Bryan Burk Producing

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: February 8th, 2012 at 8:45 pm

Even prior to any casting or extensive plot details, the NBC pilot Revolution has major geek credentials.  J.J. Abrams and partner Bryan Burk—who together have brought us Star Trek, Alias, Lost, Fringe, etc.—are producing.  Supernatural creator Eric Kripke wrote the script.  Now Deadline reports Jon Favreau, he of Iron Man fame, will direct the pilot.  Favreau has directed a few TV comedies before, including an episode of Undeclared, but nothing of this scope.  Revolution is described as “a high-octane action drama following a group of characters struggling to survive and reunite with loved ones in a world where all forms of energy have mysteriously ceased to exist.”  I don’t know what that means, but it sounds very cool, mostly because I trust the parties involved.

Favreau is also working on Tweaked this pilot season over at CBS.  He wrote the script, which chronicles life and dating among single parents in Santa Monica, and is attached to direct.

COWBOYS & ALIENS Blu-ray Review

by Andre Dellamorte    Posted: December 8th, 2011 at 7:13 am

The premise of Jon Favreau’s Cowboys & Aliens is readily apparent from the title, and with a cast that includes leads Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Sam Rockwell, Olivia Wilde, and genre figures like Clancy Brown, Walton Goggins and Keith Carradine it’s got the right stars for a modern western. And yet the film struggled at the box office and barely crossed the hundred million dollar mark. In the age of the super-expensive blockbuster, this was a misfire. Of course marketing can always be blamed, but after watching the film it easy to see why it struggled to make an impression. As a genre mash-up, it’s not enough of one or the other to be satisfying. Our review of Cowboys & Aliens on Blu-ray follows after the jump.

COWBOYS & ALIENS Team of Jon Favreau, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman Reunite for Government Sci-Fi Series EX-COMM

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: October 5th, 2011 at 10:17 am

Though Cowboys & Aliens didn’t really land with much pomp and circumstance, director Jon Favreau and writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman have plenty of great projects between them like Iron Man and Star Trek. Now Deadline reports the trio are teaming up again for a new pilot called Ex-Comm, a series described as a sci-fi drama with plenty of humor. Kurtzman is only executive producing the series with his collaborator Orci, but the latter will be writing the series with Favreau as well as Seth Green and Superman Returns and X2 writer Michael Dougherty, all of whom will also serve as executive producers.

It’s a strange assembly of writing talent, but the series sounds pretty cool as it’s said to follow a newly-elected President and his top secret Executive Committee (a.k.a. Ex-Comm), the government’s covert team of America’s most elite minds who investigate and protect our nation from the strangest occurrences and “conspiracy theory truths” out there. The series is described as a presidential procedural crossing the paranormal suspense of series like The X-Files and the politics of The West Wing, but with some fun and humor mixed in. Hopefully it turns out better than The Event, a series which seems to share some elements with this new series, but already I’m more confident in this new pilot than the canceled NBC series.

COWBOYS & ALIENS Review

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: July 28th, 2011 at 3:21 pm

Jon Favreau’s Cowboys & Aliens is the equivalent of putting chocolate and peanut butter together and getting a rice cake.  Westerns can be great, sci-fi can be wonderful, and yet the attempt to bring them together has resulted in a bland, flavorless movie.  The script is a mess, all of the storylines are uninteresting, the action is flat, there’s not much room for lead actors Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford to do much beyond growl and grimace, and the usually inspired cinematography of Matthew Libatique is a grand disappointment.  Despite all of these problems, the movie does nothing outright offensive other than waste two hours of your time.

Comic-Con 2011: The Visionaries Panel Recap – Guillermo del Toro and Jon Favreau Talk MAGIC KINGDOM, HAUNTED MANSION, COWBOYS & ALIENS, AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS, and Much More

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: July 21st, 2011 at 7:21 pm

At last year’s Comic-Con, Entertainment Weekly’s “The Visionaries” panel featured Joss Whedon and J.J. Abrams waxing poetic on everything nerd. This year, Guillermo del Toro and Jon Favreau were present to have an earnest conversation between two directors about filmmaking. The topics of conversation ranged from Magic Kindom and Haunted Mansion, to Cowboys & Aliens and At the Mountains of Madness. Favreau even revealed that he has a cameo as a Thark in Andrew Stanton’s John Carter, a project which he previously developed. Hit the jump for my recap of The Visionaries panel.

COWBOYS & ALIENS Video Roundup: 4 Clips, 7 Minutes of Behind the Scenes Footage and 2 Featurettes

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: July 15th, 2011 at 10:24 pm

With director Jon Favreau’s Cowboys & Aliens on the verge of hitting theaters, Universal has released the EPK (electronic press kit) which includes 4 movie clips, 2 featurettes (A Look Inside and Western Meets SciFi) and over seven minutes of behind the scenes footage from when they were making the movie (B-Roll).  If you’re trying to stay spoiler free, I’d advise you to avoid watching these videos.  However, if you want to see a lot of cool looking footage from a movie I can’t wait to see, hit the jump.

Two Clips and Featurette from COWBOYS & ALIENS

by Jason Barr    Posted: July 13th, 2011 at 11:35 pm

Universal has released the first two clips and a new featurette for director Jon Favreau’s Cowboys & Aliens. Starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, and Paul Dano, the film is set in 1873 Arizona Territory and tells the story of a man with no recollection of his past (Craig) as he helps the town he wandered into stave off an alien invasion. Within the first clips of the film, we get a look at Craig and Ford as they “discuss” their seemingly inevitable partnership. All signs seem to indicate that everyone on board is playing the tough western tone straight even amidst the sci-fi elements of the film. Combine this with the line “I don’t know what it is, but it’s bleeding,” and I think Favreau and company have a winner on their hands.

Hit the jump to check out the clips and featurette which showcases commentary from producer Ron Howard, Favreau, Craig, Ford, and Wilde amongst others. Cowboys & Aliens hits theaters on July 29th.

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