Patton Oswalt

First Trailer for SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: February 9th, 2012 at 5:31 pm

The first trailer for the apocalyptic dramedy Seeking a Friend for the End of the World has landed. The film stars Steve Carell as a man who sets out with a woman (Keira Knightley) to search for his high-school sweetheart during Earth’s final days. It’s a premise you’d expect from a big budget sci-fi pic or a zany road trip comedy, but the tone on display in this trailer is nothing short of fantastic. Director Lorene Scafaria has populated the flick with a brilliant ensemble, as we see Patton Oswalt, Rob Heubel, Connie Britton, Gillian Jacobs, Rob Corddry, and more pop up in this short trailer alone. There are genuinely funny moments, but an underlying sadness permeates throughout that hints at some strong character work as well. I love the way the apocalypse is tackled here and can’t wait to see more.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer. The film also stars Adam Brody, Derek Luke, Melanie Lynskey, T.J. Miller, and Melinda Dillon. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World opens June 22nd.

Patton Oswalt in Talks for Ben Stiller’s THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: February 9th, 2012 at 4:56 pm

Coming off a terrific dramatic turn in Jason Reitman’s Young Adult, Patton Oswalt is now looking to star in Ben Stiller’s next directorial project. Showblitz reports that Oswalt is in talks to star in Stiller’s The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. The film is a remake of the 1947 Danny Kaye film which centers on a LIFE Magazine proofreader who, incapable of standing up for himself in the real world, retreats to a fantasy where he becomes his poised, confident opposite. Stiller stars as the proofreader, Kristin Wiig is onboard as his love interest, and Shirley MacLaine is set as Stiller’s mother. Oswalt will play Todd, “a friendly eHarmony counselor who helps the protagonist create an online dating profile.”

It seems like a perfectly suitable role for Oswalt, who I sincerely hope gets the chance to shine after holding his own opposite Charlize Theron in Young Adult. Oswalt will next be seen in the Dean Koontz adaptation Odd Thomas, and also stars alongside Steve Carell and Keira Knightley in Seeking a Friend for the End of the World. Production on Walter Mitty will begin in April in New York and Iceland.

Patton Oswalt Talks YOUNG ADULT, Charlize Theron, Future Projects, and More at SBIFF

by Christina Radish    Posted: February 5th, 2012 at 8:36 am

Whether he’s on a stage doing stand-up, voicing an animated character, or just having fun on Twitter, Patton Oswalt is a hilariously funny guy. But, at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF), he was honored with a Virtuoso Award for his dramatic work as Matt Freehauf in Young Adult, directed by Jason Reitman and written by Diablo Cody. Collider was there to cover and attend the event, and we’ve compiled the highlights of what the actor had to say, both on the press line and during the Q&A.

While there, Patton Oswalt talked about what the whole award season experience has been like for him, the highlight of getting to talk to people that meant something to him growing up, bridging the gap between being a stand-up comic and a successful actor, that he’s taking a few months off even though he’s been getting a lot of offers, and even likened his friendship with Charlize Theron to that of a flight simulator. Check out what he had to say after the jump.

Patton Oswalt Gets Kicked out for Texting in New Alamo Drafthouse PSA

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 14th, 2011 at 9:08 am

The Alamo Drafthouse has a strict no-texting policy.  They have this weird theory that losing one shitty customer is alright because you’re getting so many more sensible, polite customers in return.  It makes the theater experience better, makes people want to come to the theater, and then profits happen.  Everbody’s happy.  They also make warnings/PSAs that actually work.  When you go to a multiplex, you get a cellphone company like Sprint or AT&T doing a cutesy PSA telling people they shouldn’t talk and text during the movie.  No one pays attention, and they act like ass-holes anyway because the theater isn’t going to enforce anything.

By comparison, the Drafthouse does really catchy PSAs.  Their best was using an angry voicemail from a patron who was kicked out for texting.  Young Adult director Jason Reitman and star Patton Oswalt built off this hilarious voicemail for a new PSA and you can check it out after the jump.

YOUNG ADULT Review

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 9th, 2011 at 5:13 am

“Magical” may be an odd word to describe a dark comedy as intentionally depressing, uncomfortable, and mean as Young Adult.  But there is a magic in watching a writer, a director, and an actor craft a captivating character who keeps the audience guessing to what’s in her head.  In creating Mavis Gary, screenwriter Diablo Cody, director Jason Reitman, and actress Charlize Theron do far more than simply put a mean girl from high school under the magnifying glass.  There’s inarguably a state of arrested development for Mavis, but what keeps her interesting is if she knows how pathetic she really is.  Throughout the movie, I kept wondering, “Does she know she’s deluding herself?  Does she know how much she’s embarrassing herself and is she just trying to ignore it?”  Mavis could have easily turned into a David Brent-type where the obliviousness is both hilarious and cringe-inducing.  Cody, Reitman, and Theron provide a dramatic weight to that obliviousness.  Young Adult only stumbles when the film tries to take a shortcut at the end to force her in a particular direction.  But everything that comes before is a nasty, delightful piece of work

Charlize Theron, Patton Oswalt, and Screenwriter Diablo Cody YOUNG ADULT Interview

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: December 6th, 2011 at 9:12 am

Opening in limited release this weekend is director Jason Reitman’s (Up in the Air) great new movie, Young Adult.  Written by Diablo Cody (Juno), the film centers on an alcoholic young adult novelist (Charlize Theron) who ventures back to her hometown in order to pursue her now-married high school boyfriend (Patrick Wilson).  Patton Oswalt co-stars as Theron’s former classmate.  While Young Adult could have easily taken the familiar steps of “bad person goes home and turns everything around”, I’m happy to report Reitman and Cody have crafted a unique movie that should not be missed.  It’s definitely one of my favorites of the year and I’m pretty sure Theron is going to get a nomination for her portrayal of Mavis Gary.  Watch the trailer here and here’s some clips.

Anyway, I recently got to attend a press conference in New York City with Theron, Oswalt, Cody.  They talked about how the project came together, the idea of going against what we normally see on movie screens, the soundtrack and music from the ’90s, their own high school experiences, actors and directors they really admire, the rehearsal process, and so much more.  Hit the jump to check it out.

2012 Oscar Preview: Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: November 24th, 2011 at 9:20 am

Ah, November. Leaves are falling, colder weather is here (depending on where you live), and the 2011 movie season is coming to a close. While angry shoppers and red Starbucks cups generally mean it’s time to start preparing for the many awkward/tense family encounters that are sure to come, it’s also time to start thinking Oscar. We’ve seen a few contenders throughout the year, but a plethora of heavyhitters will be opening over the next 5 weeks.

To aid in your Oscar polls (or to quench your curiosity) we’ve compiled a state of the race preview as of this lovely Thanksgiving week. Granted, a lot can change from now until February, but a good portion of the major players have already been screened and we’re starting to get a sense of how it could all play out. We’ll be examining all the major categories over the next four days, kicking things off with the infamously unpredictable Best Supporting Actor and Actress. Hit the jump to see where things stand.

15 New Images from Jason Reitman’s YOUNG ADULT Starring Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson, and Patton Oswalt

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: November 17th, 2011 at 6:08 pm

Director Jason Reitman returns to the big screen this year with Young Adult, and 15 new images from the pic have been released. Written by Juno scribe Diablo Cody, the film stars Charlize Theron as an alcoholic writer of young adult fiction who returns to her hometown in order to pursue her high-school boyfriend (Patrick Wilson) who is now happily married with a child. This film has been picking up high praise lately from advanced screenings, and is sure to be an awards contender when Oscar-time comes. I love the cast (Patton Oswalt stars in a supporting role), and Reitman’s Up in the Air was my favorite pic of 2009, so I’m very much looking forward to seeing the film once it opens.

Hit the jump to check out the images. The film also stars Elizabeth Reaser. Young Adult opens in limited release on December 2nd, with a nationwide expansion set for the following weekend.

25 New Images and 4 Set Photos from A VERY HAROLD & KUMAR 3D CHRISTMAS

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

Part of me feels like I’m one of the few people looking forward to another Harold & Kumar movie, but I don’t care.  The Harold & Kumar movies are delightfully madcap, feature a nice mix of gross-out humor and absurdity, and it looks like they’ve gone all out with A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas.  Director Todd Strauss-Schulson seems to have acknowledged that 3D is a mostly-gimmicky technology and used it to augment the shenanigans of his lead characters.

New Line has released twenty-five new images along with four new set photos and I continue to remain jazzed to see the movie.  Hit the jump to check out the images.  A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas opens November 4th.

First Trailer for Jason Reitman’s YOUNG ADULT [Updated with Alternate Trailer]

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 6th, 2011 at 11:24 am

The first trailer for Jason Reitman’s Young Adult has gone online.  Written by Diablo Cody, the story centers on an alcoholic writer of young adult fiction (Charlize Theron) who decides to return to her small hometown and pursue her high-school boyfriend (Patrick Wilson) even though he’s now happily married and has a young child.  What I dig about this trailer is that it is almost entirely devoid of sentiment.   Charlize Theron’s character is apparently just a sad, selfish person and Theron looks like she’s having some fun with the role when she’s not giving a dead-eyed stare. The film also stars Patton Oswalt, J.K. Simmons, and Elizabeth Reaser.  Young Adult opens in limited release on December 2nd and expands nationwide the following weekend. [Update: Hit the jump to check out an alternate, slightly raunchy trailer]

First Poster for Jason Reitman’s YOUNG ADULT Starring Charlize Theron [UPDATED]

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 6th, 2011 at 8:01 am

The first poster for Jason Reitman’s Young Adult has gone online and it’s pretty great.  The film centers on an alcoholic writer (Charlize Theron) who writes young adult novels (hence the design of the poster) and decides to return to her small town to pursue her high-school boyfriend (Patrick Wilson) who is now happily married with a young child.  This leads Theron’s character to another high-school classmate played by Patton Oswalt.  It’s a good cast, Reitman makes pretty good movies, and the script is from Diablo Cody.  Young Adult is being billed as a darker movie than Reitman’s previous work and it’s skipping the festival circuit in favor of a limited release on December 2nd and a wide release the following weekend.  However, because of the re-teaming of Reitman and Cody, the Juno comparison will be inevitable despite the drastically different story and tone.

Hit the jump to check out the poster. [Update: We have updated the poster with a hi-res version]

Patton Oswalt and Johnny Knoxville to Play Brothers in Untitled Comedy

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: August 22nd, 2011 at 8:27 am

Patton Oswalt is one of my favorite comedians working today and his star in Hollywood is slowly on the rise.  After a searing performance in 2009′s Big Fan, he’s had recurring supporting roles on Caprica and United States of Tara.  He’ll be seen back in theaters this December alongside Charlize Theron and Patrick Wilson in Jason Reitman’s Young Adult as well as the less-prestigious but probably-funnier A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas.  Oh, and his new comedy album, Finest Hour, hits stores on September 20th.  Now Oswalt has a starring role opposite the charismatic Johnny Knoxville for an untitled comedy for writer-director Todd Rohal (The Catechism Cataclysm).

The press release describes the plot as “an outlandish yet poignant comedy about a pair of battling brothers who attempt to honor their ailing father by taking a troop of boys on a last ditch camping trip that goes wildly wrong.”  As long as it’s no one says “It’s in the vein of Bushwhacked!” I’ll be happy. The flick’s also got a solid supporting cast featuring Rob Riggle, Maura Tierney, and Patrice O’Neal.  Rohal wrote the script under the title Scout Master and filming begins this week.  Hit the jump for the press release.

Britton, Oswalt, Huebel, Lynskey, and More Join Steve Carell and Keira Knightley in SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD [UPDATED]

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: May 18th, 2011 at 2:08 pm

The cast for the pre-apocalyptic rom-com Seeking a Friend for the End of the World has just kind of exploded.  The film was already set to star Steve Carell as a man who is joined by a woman (Keira Knightley) to find his old high-school sweeheart before the world is destroyed by an asteroid.  Yesterday, we learned that the talented Gillian Jacobs had joined the film and now we’ve received a press release announcing that a truckload of other great actors have signed on as well.  Check out this line-up: Connie Britton, Patton Oswalt, Rob Huebel (who yesterday signed on to another apocalypse-based comedy, Rapturepalooza), Melanie Lynskey, T.J. Miller, Melinda Dillon as well as Aaron Brown (The District), Tonita Castro (The Sarah Silverman Program), Mark Moses (Desperate Housewives), and Bob Stephenson (Jericho).  And this is all in addition to the previously announced cast-members William Petersen, Adam Brody, Rob Corddry (also in Rapturepalooza), Derek Luke, and Lindsay Sloane.  How can the movie squeeze in this kind of ensemble?  It’s a road-trip picture, which means most of these folks will probably only have a scene or two, but it’s better than nothing.

Lorene Scafaria (Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist) is making her directorial debut from her own script.  Production on the film begins this week. Hit the jump to check out the press release.

[Update: We've updated the article with a couple of set photos featuring Carell and Knightley. Check them out after the jump]

Patton Oswalt Joins ODD THOMAS

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: April 14th, 2011 at 12:42 pm

Stephen Sommers’ Odd Thomas continues to round up an impressive cast despite being based on a Dean Koontz novel.  The film stars Anton Yelchin the eponymous character who is able to see and partially communicate with the dead.  In addition to rising stars Addison Timlin (Californication) and Nico Tortorella (Scream 4), Willem Dafoe is in talks to join and now Variety reports that Patton Oswalt “will play Oswald “Ozzie” P. Boone, an eccentric artist who designs sculptures, including a steel pendant that the titular clairvoyant hero wears around his neck.”  Production on Odd Thomas is slated to begin next month in New Mexico.

Oswalt will be seen in theaters later this year in Jason Reitman’s Young Adult and the comedy A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas.  He’s also recording a new CD/DVD/Showtime special on May 14th in Seattle.  Hit the jump for a synopsis of Odd Thomas.

Patton Oswalt Developing Sitcom at Fox; Two New Series for The CW from BUFFY/ANGEL Veterans

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: October 21st, 2010 at 11:21 am

Though Patton Oswalt saw his career blossom from his work on The King of Queens, I find myself much more satisfied with his work as one of the best stand-up comedians working today. However, a report from Vulture that mentions a Fox sitcom being developed around the laugh riot of a man is enough to get me excited about his return to a half-hour comedy series. Oswalt has teamed with comedian Scott Aukerman (former Mr. Show writer and Comedy Death Ray host) to spawn a comedy series following a man whose wife of 20 years hits the road, thus forcing him to get back into the dating world and live on his own. Sounds like your average sitcom, but with Oswalt and Aukerman’s comedic sensibilities, I’m more than looking forward to the final product.

Hit the jump for news on two new series from a trio of veterans from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.

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