Kristen Wiig

2012 Oscar Nominations Announced; HUGO and THE ARTIST Lead the Pack

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: January 24th, 2012 at 6:05 am

The nominations for the 84th Annual Academy Awards have finally been unveiled. Many of the categories have fallen in line just as most have predicted (I fared alright with my predictions, but not great), with Hugo scoring 11 nods, followed closely by The Artist with 10. The biggest surprises are War Horse and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close getting in for Best Picture, the exclusion of The Adventures of Tintin from Best Animated Feature, and The Tree of Life nabbing Best Picture and Best Director nods (hooray!). On the snub side of things, despite landing the most precursor critics awards of any other actor in the race thus far, Albert Brooks was denied a Best Supporting Actor nod for his stellar work in Drive (boo). Additionally, Tilda Swinton was overlooked for giving the best performance of the year in We Need to Talk About Kevin, and AMPAS has no love for Michael Fassbender‘s haunting work in Shame.

There’s still plenty to be happy about, as Gary Oldman has his first ever Oscar Nomination (yes, that’s right) and Melissa McCarthy is a Best Supporting Actress nominee. Hit the jump to check out the full list of nominees. The 84th Academy Awards will be presented by Billy Crystal on February 26th.

Oscars 2012: Adam Predicts the Nominees

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: January 21st, 2012 at 2:38 pm

As I’ve been covering awards season pretty extensively here on the site over the past few months, I figured it would be appropriate to (foolishly) try to predict the upcoming Oscar nominations. It’s been a fairly tame year, as a few frontrunners were singled out early in the race and have held their ground throughout the grueling awards season. We haven’t been without a few surprises, as Steven Spielberg’s War Horse took a massive tumble following snubs from most of the major guilds, and David Fincher has surged back into the race bringing his adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo with him.

Though there are plenty of safe bets when it comes to the 2012 Oscar nominations, there are still a few wildcards and tricky categories. I’ve put on my prognosticating cap (those interested can purchase one of these nifty hats at your local Target) and compiled a list of who and what I think will make the cut. Hit the jump to see how I think the nods will stack up when they’re announced on January 24th.

Kristen Wiig in Talks to Star in Ben Stiller’s Remake of THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: January 19th, 2012 at 1:48 pm

While she’s currently being fielded with hundreds of questions about the non-existent Bridesmaids sequel, Kristen Wiig is firming up plans for her summer hiatus from SNL. We already know that she’s starring in the Sean Penn-directed character drama The Comedian alongside Robert De Niro, and now comes word that she may join yet another actor-turned-director’s project. THR reports that Wiig is in talks to star opposite Ben Stiller in the remake of the 1947 fantasy comedy The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Stiller will also direct the pic, which centers on a magazine proofreader who, incapable of standing up for himself in the real world, retreats to a fantasy where he becomes his poised, confident opposite.

We recently reported that Shirley MacLaine is in talks to star as Stiller’s mother in the film, and Wiig would make an excellent addition to the cast. The Bridesmaids star would play Stiller’s co-worker and the girl of his fantasies (originally played by Virginia Mayo). Production on Walter Mitty is set to begin in April in New York and Iceland, and it’s assumed that Wiig will move on to The Comedian directly after Stiller’s film.

Kristen Wiig Not Planning to Do BRIDESMAIDS Sequel

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: January 18th, 2012 at 11:06 am

Earlier this month, we reported that Universal was considering a Bridesmaids sequel, and would do it whether co-writer and star Kristen Wiig was on board or not.  Wiig has not expressed interest in doing a sequel and said she was currently at work writing another film with her Bridesmaids co-writer Annie Mumolo.  However, Bridesmaids co-star Wendi McLendon-Covey said that Wiig may do the sequel, and had never turned it down flat.  The truth, it turns out, is somewhere in between.

Hit the jump for what Wiig had to say about Bridesmaids 2.

First Trailer for FRIENDS WITH KIDS Starring Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, and Adam Scott

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: January 11th, 2012 at 5:38 pm

The first trailer for the comedy Friends with Kids has gone online. Written, directed by, and starring Jennifer Westfeldt (Kissing Jessica Stein), the film boats a fantastic cast that includes Adam Scott, Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Chris O’Dowd, Megan Fox and Edward Burns. The story centers on a pair of thirtysomething best friends (Scott and Westfeldt) who observe the toll that having kids has taken on the couples they know and resolve to bypass that stress by having a child and then date other people. The trailer looks right up my alley, as it highlights some promising performances, chemistry, and a fair amount of laughs. Matt caught the film at TIFF and wasn’t exactly won over, but Scott has been killing it in supporting roles for years and I’m excited to see him finally take on a lead.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer. Friends with Kids opens March 9th. If you missed them, be sure to check out Steve’s interviews with Hamm, Scott, and Fox from TIFF regarding the film.

Kristen Wiig May Do BRIDESMAIDS Sequel After All

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: January 10th, 2012 at 2:05 pm

Shortly after Bridesmaids became the smash hit comedy of the summer, Universal predictably began mulling over the possibility of a follow-up. Last week it was reported that the studio might be going ahead with a sequel without star/co-writer Kristen Wiig’s involvement. Much hubbub was made about Melissa McCarthy taking center stage in a Bridesmaids 2, but the actress was quick to clarify that she’s not interested in replacing Wiig. Now co-star Wendi McLendon-Covey is setting the record straight, saying that Wiig returning is still very much a possibility. Hit the jump for the details.

Owen Wilson and Christopher Walken Join Paul Rudd in Errol Morris’ FREEZING PEOPLE IS EASY; Kristen Wiig May Co-Star

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: January 4th, 2012 at 12:18 pm

Last July, we reported that Paul Rudd would star in Errol Morris‘ non-documentary feature based on the memoir We Froze the First Man and a This American Life story about Bob Nelson, a California TV repairman who was obsessed with cryogenically freezing humans in order to resurrect them later in the future.  Deadline now reports that Owen Wilson and Christopher Walken are set to co-star, and Kristen Wiig may join the film, which has been titled Freezing People Is Easy, but she first has to wrap her season on Saturday Night Live and she’s also considering other offers.

Zach Helm (Stranger Than Fiction) wrote the script and the production is eyeing a mid-2012 start date.  It sounds like a fun premise, I’m eager to see what Morris brings to the project, and I dig the cast that’s being lined up to star.  Click here to go listen to the This American Life episode about Nelson, “Mistakes Were Made”.

Universal May Do BRIDESMAIDS Sequel without Kristen Wiig

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: January 4th, 2012 at 11:11 am

Kristen Wiig co-wrote her own breakthrough role in last year’s Bridesmaids.  The film is Universal’s highest-grossing romantic comedy ever and naturally the studio would love to have a sequel.  However, Wiig tells THR, “We aren’t working on that.  Annie [Mumolo] and I aren’t planning a sequel. We are writing something else.”  There’s some speculation that Wiig and her co-stars were unhappy with the $100,000 bonus they received for the movie even though it ended up grossing $288 million worldwide.  Universal reportedly offered Wiig and eight-figure payday to return, but she declined the offer and now the studio is looking to hang the sequel on Bridesmaids‘ other breakout star, Melissa McCarthy.

Hit the jump for more.

Sean Penn Confirmed to Direct THE COMEDIAN Starring Robert De Niro and Kristen Wiig

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: October 27th, 2011 at 10:08 am

Back in June, we reported the rumor that Sean Penn was looking to direct the character-driven drama The Comedian, with Robert De Niro to possibly star. Now it looks like things worked out, as it was announced today that Penn will indeed be directing De Niro in the pic, and they’ve found their female lead in Kristen Wiig. The project previously caught the eye of Martin Scorsese, and centers on an aging insult comic in the vein of Don Rickles and Joan Rivers. De Niro’s character “clings to any recognition that comes from his days as a beloved TV character as he tries to reignite his stagnant career. Sentenced to community service for hitting a heckler in the head with a microphone, the comic meets Harmony, a dazzling and defiant redhead who turns his life sideways.”

The script comes from Art Linson (What Just Happened) and comedian Jeffrey Ross. This definitely sounds like an intriguing project, and Penn’s involvement brings quite a bit of weight to the material. It’s been a while since we’ve seen De Niro take on such a nuanced and complex character, and his pairing with the massively talented Wiig is an inspired choice. Penn was last behind the camera on 2007’s excellent Into the Wild. Production on The Comedian is set to get underway next spring. [Update: We've been sent the full press release, which is now included after the jump]

TIFF 2011: Lionsgate Buys FRIENDS WITH KIDS; Music Box Picks up THE DEEP BLUE SEA

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 19th, 2011 at 8:04 am

While a slew of films at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival have already been picked up for distribution, there are other high-profile titles still hammering out their deals.  Variety reports that Lionsgate has acquired Jennifer Westfeldt’s new comedy Friends with Kids.  The story stars Westfeldt and Adam Scott as lifelong friends who decide to have a kid but keep their relationship platonic and open.  I was slightly disappointed by the film, but it’s got a great cast (the film also stars Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and Chris O’Dowd) and I can see the flick having wide appeal.

In other TIFF picks-ups, Music Box has picked up the U.S. rights to Terrence Davies’ romantic drama The Deep Blue Sea starring Rachel Weisz and Tom Hiddleston.  Weisz plays the wife of a high court judge who leaves her husband to move in with a dashing young ex-RAF pilot (Hiddleston), with whom she has fallen passionately in love.  Weisz picked up strong notices for her performance and I’m glad I’ll have a chance to see the film eventually.  No U.S. release dates have been announced for Friends with Kids or The Deep Blue Sea.  Hit the jump for Music Box’s press release regarding The Deep Blue Sea.

TIFF 2011: FRIENDS WITH KIDS Review

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 11th, 2011 at 9:17 pm

Jennifer Westfeldt’s directorial debut Friends with Kids shares some key qualities with her 2001 film Kissing Jessica Stein (which she wrote).  Both films are funny, harmless comedies that take an emotionally satisfying and challenging conceit before scampering back to the status quo.  Westfeldt puts an interesting twist on the parenting-and-marriage sub-genre by rethinking conventional notions of fidelity.  She even goes so far as to examine why the convention exists in the first place.  But ultimately her movie becomes lethargic, predictable, and bland despite the Westfeldts’ strong chemistry with co-star Adam Scott.

Brian Petsos, Oscar Isaac, Elijah Wood, Adam Brody, Kristen Wiig, More to Star in REVENGE FOR JOLLY!

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: September 7th, 2011 at 6:21 pm

Atlas Independent is new to the filmmaking game, but they’re off to a good start with the supporting cast for their first feature Revenge for Jolly!.  Brian Petsos stars as the owner of a dog who died under suspicious circumstances.  He and his cousin “follow a series of clues in an attempt to track down the dog’s murderer, leaving a path of destruction in their wake.”  Oscar Isaac plays the cousin; Elijah Wood, Adam Brody, Ryan Phillippe, Kristen Wiig, David Rasche, Kevin Corrigan, Garret Dillahunt, Bobby Moynihan, and Gillian Jacobs also star.  That’s a cast I trust with this absurdist premise.

Director Chadd Harbold wrapped the sub-$10 million production in August.  For more info on Revenge for Jolly! and Atlas Independent’s mission statement, read the full press release after the jump.

Casting Call: Brit Marling and Nick Nolte THE COMPANY YOU KEEP; Matt Dillon to Co-Star in IMOGENE

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: August 9th, 2011 at 8:19 am

We have a couple quick casting stories to report this morning.  First up, rising star Brit Marling (Another Earth) has chosen between Robert Redford’s The Company You Keep and the Tom Cruise action flick One Shot and cast her lot with the former.  Variety reports that Marling will co-star with Redford and Shia LaBeouf in the flick which centers on a former Weather Underground militant (Redford) who goes on the run when his identity is revealed by an ambitious reporter (LaBeouf).  Nick Nolte will also star in the flick but there’s no word on what role he or Marling will play.  Marling is also committed to reunite with her Sound of My Voice director Zal Batmanglij for the thriller The East.

In other casting news, Matt Dillon will join Kristen Wiig and Annette Bening in Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini’s Imogene.  Wiig plays a playwright who fakes suicide in order to win back her ex but ends up in the custody of her Jersey Shore-esque mother (Bening).  Deadline reports that Dillon will play Bening’s love interest and “he claims to be in the CIA, but his behavior suggests he just might be crazy.”

New Details on Kristen Wiig’s IMOGENE: Annette Bening to Go “Jersey Shore”; Darren Criss Joins Cast

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: July 28th, 2011 at 10:24 am

Last week we reported that Annette Bening would co-star with Kristen Wiig in the comedy Imogene.  The story, which has been a passion project for Wiig, has the Bridesmaids actress as a playwright who fakes her suicide to get back with an ex only to have the plan backfire and place her in the custody of her gambling-addicted mother (Bening).  Vulture now has new details on the project and they sound delightful.  Wiig’s character is from New Jersey and she’s not too proud of it, but even better is that Bening’s character is very much in the Jersey Shore/Real Housewives of New Jersey-mold.  Producer Celine Rattray says of Bening’s character, “Her outfits, her makeup. She’s the mother who’s a little inappropriate all the time, nothing is ever too much, and it’s going to be fun.”  It sounds like a great role for Bening and unlike anything she’s played before.

Rattray also confirmed that Darren Criss (Glee) will be smooching up Wiig in the film, but that’s all we know about his character.  Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini (American Splendor) will to direct from a script by Michelle Morgan (Middle of Nowhere).  Filming is set to begin next month.

PAUL Blu-ray Review

by Andre Dellamorte    Posted: July 28th, 2011 at 8:29 am

Greg Mottola’s Paul is like a nerd’s version of Ocean’s 11. Written and starring Nick Frost and Simon Pegg, the duo play sci-fi fans who run across an alien named Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen), and have to get him to his ship. There are government agents after him – played by Bill Hader, Justin Bateman, Sigourney Weaver and Joe Lo Truglio – and the boys meet a love interest (Kristen Wiig) along the way. Part wish-fulfillment science-fiction, part road movie, Paul works best if you – like the characters – are well versed in nerdom. Our review of the Blu-ray of Paul after the jump.

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