Penn Badgley

TIFF 2011: Magnet Picks Up Bobcat Goldthwait’s GOD BLESS AMERICA; Celluloid Dreams Acquires GREETINGS FROM TIM BUCKLEY

by Jason Barr    Posted: September 13th, 2011 at 4:12 pm

With the Toronto International Film Festival in full swing, we have some acquisition news to bring your way tonight. First up, Magnet Releasing announced that it has acquired the worldwide rights to director Bobcat Goldthwait’s God Bless America. Per the press release, Magnet is planning a 2012 theatrical release for the film through Magnolia Pictures’ Ultra VOD program. Starring Joel Murray, Tara Lynne Barr and Mackenzie Brooke Smith, the film follows Frank (Murray), a jobless and potentially dying man whose frustrations manifest themselves via dispatching generally unlikable people. In case you missed it, click here to check out Matt’s review of the film from TIFF.

Up next, Celluloid Dreams announced that it has picked up worldwide rights to co-writer/director Dan Algrant’s drama Greetings from Tim Buckley. Starring Penn Badgley, Imogen Poots, Frank Wood, Jessica Stone and Frank Bello, the pic follows Jeff Buckley (Badgley) as he romances a young woman (Poots) while attempting to understanding the father who abandoned him. The film is currently shooting in New York which means that a 2012 release could well be within reach. For a little more on the God Bless America and Greetings from Tim Buckley acquisitions, check out the press releases after the jump.

Trailer for MARGIN CALL Starring Kevin Spacey, Zachary Quinto, Demi Moore, and Paul Bettany

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: July 25th, 2011 at 5:19 pm

The first trailer for the financial thriller Margin Call has been released. The film debuted at Sundance, and judging from the trailer it looks to be a fairly intense morality piece. The cast is great, and Steve caught the film at the festival and said it was really good. I like the tone here, and the idea of the film’s events playing out over a single day and night is definitely intriguing.

The story centers on the key people at an investment bank during the 24-hour period before the recent financial crisis. The cast includes Demi Moore, Simon Baker, Penn Badgley, Zachary Quinto, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Stanley Tucci and Kevin Spacey. You can check out Steve’s interview with all of the above here and here. Margin Call opens October 21^st. Hit the jump to watch the trailer.

Penn Badgley Making Turn as Jeff Buckley in GREETINGS FROM TIM BUCKLEY

by Jason Barr    Posted: June 20th, 2011 at 6:45 pm

Penn Badgley (Easy A and Gossip Girl) has signed on to play the late Jeff Buckley in co-writer/director Dan Algrant’s (Naked in New York and People I Know) upcoming drama Greetings from Tim Buckley. Per the press release from Smuggler Films, the film will center on the days leading up to Buckley’s 1991 performance at his father’s (the late Tim Buckley) tribute concert and will feature a romance with a young woman who helps him better understand his father who died at the age of 28. In discussing the role, Badgley showed reverence for the opportunity to play the legendary singer-songwriter, saying:

“To play a man who was singularly gifted as an artist, greatly misunderstood & mythologized as a human being… It’s something very special and sacred. I’m going to give all I can to this project.”

Greetings from Tim Buckley is slated to begin production in New York City this August. For more on the project, hit the jump for the full press release.

Exclusive Sundance Interview with Jeremy Irons, Stanley Tucci, Kevin Spacey and Writer-Director J.C. Chandor for MARGIN CALL

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: January 30th, 2011 at 6:17 pm

While at Sundance, I was able to sit down with Jeremy Irons, Stanley Tucci, Kevin Spacey and writer/director J.C. Chandor for a quick interview about Margin Call.  Premiering at this year’s Festival, Margin Call is a really well done economic thriller that revolves around the key people at an investment bank during the 24-hour period before the recent financial crisis. As the film unfolds, we learn who knew what and when, and what lines are you willing to cross to stay ahead.  While it often takes Hollywood years to tell a story about something that just happened, Margin Call has already done it and the results are fantastic.

During the interview, the cast talked about what drew them to the project and what does it mean for each of them to be at Sundance.  As usual, you can either read or listen to the interview after the jump.

Exclusive Sundance Interview with Demi Moore, Simon Baker, Zachary Quinto, Paul Bettany and Penn Badgley for MARGIN CALL

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: January 26th, 2011 at 8:25 pm

It’s hard to land an exclusive interview with big name stars.  After all, when you’re very famous, every reporter wants to talk to you.  So when I was told that I would get some time with Demi Moore, Simon Baker, Penn Badgley, Zachary Quinto and Paul Bettany at Sundance to talk about their excellent movie Margin Call (which premiered last night at Sundance), I made sure my schedule would be clear.  Thankfully, while I didn’t know what to expect when I sat down with this very famous group, everyone couldn’t have been friendlier or more excited to talk about the film.  And after watching it for myself last night, I understand why.  Margin Call, which is written and directed by JC Chandor, is a top notch economic thriller that revolves around the key people at an investment bank during the 24-hour period before the recent financial crisis. As the film unfolds, we learn who knew what and when, and what lines are you willing to cross to stay ahead.  While it often takes Hollywood years to tell a story about something that just happened, Margin Call has already done it and the results are fantastic.

During the interview, the cast talked about what drew them to the project, how did they prepare for the technical jargon, what does it mean for each of them to be at Sundance, and a lot more.  As usual, you can either read or listen to the interview after the jump.

4 Clips from MARGIN CALL Starring Kevin Spacey, Zachary Quinto, Paul Bettany, and Jeremy Irons

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: January 12th, 2011 at 1:36 pm

Earlier this week, we brought you the poster for the upcoming drama Margin Call.  Today, we’re bringing you four clips from the film, which will premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.  The film takes place at an investment firm and looks at a 24-hour period during the early stages of the 2008 financial crisis.

Hit the jump to check out the clips and click here to see images from the film.  Written and directed by J.C. Chandor, Margin Call stars Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto, Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Mary McDonnell, Demi Moore, and Stanley Tucci.  The 2011 Sundance Film Festival runs from January 20 – 30th.

Exclusive: Poster for MARGIN CALL Starring Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, and Jeremy Irons

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: January 10th, 2011 at 11:36 am

We’re pleased to bring you an exclusive look at the poster for the upcoming drama Margin Call.  The film takes place at an investment firm during the early stages of the 2008 financial crisis.  Written and directed by J.C. Chandor,  Margin Call has an impressive cast that includes Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto, Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Mary McDonnell, Demi Moore, and Stanley Tucci.  The film will be playing at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

Hit the jump to check out the poster and click here to see images from the film.  The 2011 Sundance Film Festival runs from January 20 – 30th.

Sundance 2011: First Images from MARGIN CALL Starring Kevin Spacey, Zachary Quinto and Stanley Tucci

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 3rd, 2010 at 5:45 pm

Continuing our coverage of the images being released from films premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in January, we now have the first official images from the financial thriller Margin Call. We previously brought you images from this film via last month’s American Film Market (AFM), but were asked by the studio to take them down. But now from Sundance, we’re able to bring you completely legal and hassle-free images for Margin Call!

In all seriousness, writer/director JC Chandor’s flick actually sounds pretty cool. Featuring an all-star cast including Kevin Spacey, Demi Moore, Stanley Tucci, Paul Bettany, Zachary Quinto, Jeremy Irons, and Penn Badgley, the film revolves around the key people at an investment bank during the 24-hour period before the recent financial crisis. Apparently the key people at this bank have knowledge of the impending disaster, and encounter some serious moral questions. Hit the jump to check out all of the images, as well as the brief synopsis from Sundance.

First Promo Poster, Images and Official Synopsis for MARGIN CALL Starring Kevin Spacey, Demi Moore, Stanley Tucci, Paul Bettany, Zachary Quinto

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: November 8th, 2010 at 1:01 pm

Continuing our coverage of the slew of new images and synopses from the American Film Market (AFM), we’ve got some great images and an official synopsis from the upcoming financial thriller Margin Call. The film marks the feature debut of writer/director J.C. Chandor and features an impressive cast that includes Kevin Spacey, Demi Moore, Stanley Tucci, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Mary McDonnell, Zachary Quinto, Simon Baker, and Penn Badgley.  The film strikes a familiar note, as it centers on the key people at an investment bank during the 24-hour period during the financial crisis.  We recently sat down with Badgley and he told us a bit about the project, so I recommend you check that out. To get a look at the first official images from the film, a promo poster, as well as the official synopsis, hit the jump.

Update: We’ve been asked by the studio to take down the images….sorry if you missed them

Penn Badgley Exclusive Video Interview EASY A

by Jonah    Posted: September 17th, 2010 at 8:57 am

If you don’t recognize Penn Badgley from one of his several roles in films like The Stepfather and John Tucker Must Die, its possible you might recognize him from a little show called Gossip Girl.  In Screen Gems’ Easy A, Badgley plays Woodchuck Todd who doesn’t buy into all the rumors surrounding lead character Olive (Emma Stone).  At the Easy A press junket, Badgley talked adolescence, working with a great cast, and what’s coming up on this season of Gossip Girl.  The full interview lies after the jump.

EASY A Review

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 17th, 2010 at 6:22 am

Easy A is easily one of the funniest comedies of the year.   It’s witty, clever, silly, and is anchored by a breakthrough performance by star Emma Stone.  Comedies set in high schools are usually a grind, but Easy A is the best one since 2004′s Mean Girls. The film even has some smart commentary on the nature of reputation in the digital age and how easier access to information hasn’t made it any easier to get to the truth, especially when a lie can be so much juicier.  And in between its smart jokes and thoughtful subtext, Easy A also has a big heart.  That’s essential when your protagonist is cashing in on pretending to be a skank.

Director Will Gluck Video Interview EASY A

by Jonah    Posted: September 15th, 2010 at 3:42 pm

It takes a fairly competent director to corral a cast including multiple Oscar nominees AND teen magazine cover kids.  With Screen Gems’ Easy A, director Will Gluck takes such a challenge and produces a hilarious film that manages to not hit you over the head with it’s positive message about being yourself.  In Easy A, unassuming Olive (Emma Stone) learns that sometimes anonymity isn’t so bad.  At the press junket, Gluck talked adolescence, how he assembled his cast through blackmail, and the upcoming Friends With Benefits starring Justin Timberlake.  Watch the interview after the jump.

First Ten Minutes of EASY A Online

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 14th, 2010 at 10:22 am

The Emma Stone comedy Easy A has received highly positive buzz coming out of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.  When you see the first ten minutes of the movie that studio Screen Gems has put online, you’ll begin to understand why.  While the framing device of Emma Stone’s character narrating her story via a video blog reminds me of this, there’s also plenty of wit and Stone looks like she could be giving a breakthrough performance.  This intro does a great job of selling the movie and after watching these first ten minutes, I’m betting you’ll want to see the other eighty.

Hit the jump to check out the first ten minutes of the film and click here to see eight clips plus a featurette.  Easy A opens this Friday.

Penn Badgley Interview EASY A; Plus Updates on MARGIN CALL and GOSSIP GIRL

by Sheila Roberts    Posted: September 10th, 2010 at 12:04 pm

Penn Badgley, one of television’s hottest young actors, dons blue paint and a woodchuck costume in his latest role as Woodchuck Todd, the school mascot, in Will Gluck’s hilarious new comedy, Easy A. Badgley’s irreverent character provides the emotional grounding for Emma Stone’s Olive, a self-assured senior whose life begins to parallel Hester Prynne’s in The Scarlet Letter when she’s thrust into the rumor mill after a little white lie elevates her to the status of high school slut.

For Badgley, best known for his role of Dan Humphrey in The CW’s hit series Gossip Girl, playing the part of Woodchuck Todd was so tempting, he arranged to fly between the west and east coasts to accommodate the shooting schedules for both the film and his series. The 23-year-old actor recently completed production on Margin Call, a thriller based on the events surrounding the country’s financial collapse, directed by J.C. Chandor and starring Stanley Tucci, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto and Simon Baker.  More after the jump:

8 Movie Clips and a Featurette from EASY A

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: August 29th, 2010 at 12:52 pm

A movie that I’m hearing a lot of great buzz on is director Will Gluck’s (Fired Up) Easy A.  The film stars Emma Stone, Penn Badgley, Amanda Bynes, Thomas Haden Church, Patricia Clarkson, Cam Gigandet, Lisa Kudrow, Malcolm MacDowell, Aly Michalka, and Stanley Tucci. Here’s the synopsis:

After a little white lie about losing her virginity gets out, a clean cut high school girl (Emma Stone) sees her life paralleling Hester Prynne’s in “The Scarlet Letter,” which she is currently studying in school – until she decides to use the rumor mill to advance her social and financial standing.

The Los Angeles press junket was this weekend and we’ll have exclusive video interviews with most of the cast and director Will Gluck very soon. Until then, Screen Gems has provided us with eight movie clips and a featurette, so hit the jump to check them out.  Easy A hits theaters September 17.

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