Robert Schwentke

Set Photos of Ryan Reynolds and Kevin Bacon in R.I.P.D.

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: September 12th, 2011 at 11:02 am

Filming is underway in Boston on Robert Schwentke’s (Red) adaptation of the Dark Horse comic R.I.P.D., and some set photos have popped up featuring stars Ryan Reynolds and Kevin Bacon. A couple weeks ago we brought you a short video of James Hong and Victoria’s Secret model Marisa Miller filming a scene, and today we’ve got images of Reynolds, Bacon, and a very red Dodge Challenger. The film centers on dead cops who work for the “Rest In Peace Department,” with Reynolds playing a recently deceased officer who is teamed up with a seasoned R.I.P.D. veteran played by Jeff Bridges. Bacon stars as the villain.

Hit the jump to see the photos. The film also stars Mary-Louise Parker and Stephanie Szostak. R.I.P.D. opens June 28th, 2013.

Robert Schwentke to Direct Historical Thriller THE POISON KITCHEN

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: August 9th, 2011 at 9:54 am

Director Robert Schwentke (Red) is currently at work adapting the comic book R.I.P.D. (starring Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges) but he’s already lined up his next film.  Variety reports that Schwentke will direct The Poison Kitchen, which tracks the rise of the Nazi Party.  The script, written by Matthew Sand (Ninja Assassin) takes the point of view of the Muenchener Post, the Munich newspaper that fought against the Nazi Party for more than a decade until it was raided by Nazi stormtroopers in 1933 and its editors imprisoned.  Having recently read Erik Larson’s In the Garden of Beasts, which looks at the rise of Hitler from the perspective of the American ambassador to Germany, it will be interesting to see a film that examines the rise of the Nazis through German eyes.

While Schwentke is German, the movie will be likely be an English-language production and instead of a historical-political drama, it will be a historical-political thriller.  Filming is set to begin next year.

Kevin Bacon to Play the Villain in R.I.P.D. Opposite Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: July 28th, 2011 at 6:46 pm

Apparently Kevin Bacon had fun being all evil in X-Men: First Class, because the actor is looking to take on the villain role in the supernatural comic-book adaptation R.I.P.D. Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges are set to star in the film which centers on a cop who’s recruited by a team of deceased lawmen after he’s killed on-duty. Reynolds plays the recruit, and sets out with the “Rest in Peace Department” to find the man who murdered him. Bridges plays Reynolds’ new partner, a gunslinger who has been dead for hundreds of years.

Variety reports that Bacon is in final negotiations to take on the villain role in the pic, which Robert Schwentke (Red) is directing. Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi (Clash of the Titans) penned the screenplay. Bacon is currently filming Billy Bob Thornton’s return to the director’s chair Jayne Mansfield’s Car. Universal has slated R.I.P.D. for June 28^th, 2013.

R.I.P.D. Release Date is June 28, 2013

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: June 24th, 2011 at 4:54 pm

Last month, we told you Jeff Bridges was starring with Ryan Reynolds in director Robert Schwentke’s adaptation of the Dark Horse comic series R.I.P.D. and filming would begin this September in Boston.  Well, Universal has just announced a release date and it’s June 28, 2013.  As of today, no other movie has claimed the date, but with it being so close to July 4th holiday, it wouldn’t surprise me if another big movie announces the same date.

If you haven’t read the comics, they’re about a group of dead lawmen in the “Rest in Peace Department” who try to keep other dead folks in line.  Bridges will play Roy Powell, whom producer Neal Moritz described as “a gunslinger who’s been dead for hundreds of years.”  Reynolds will play Powell’s partner, Nick Cruz, a recently murdered cop who’s out for revenge.  Powell was originally set to be played by Zach Galifianakis, but he dropped out.

Jeff Bridges in Talks to Join Ryan Reynolds in R.I.P.D.

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: April 28th, 2011 at 4:09 pm

Just recently, Zach Galifianakis was forced to drop out of R.I.P.D. opposite Ryan Reynolds. Well now it looks like Jeff Bridges may be coming aboard the project in his wake. Directed by Robert Schwentke (Red), the supernatural comedy is based on the Dark Horse comic in which dead police officers patrol the underworld. Deadline reports that Bridges is now in talks to join the film following Galifianakis’ departure.

The project has been in development for a while, and speaking to Steve earlier this month Reynolds said that he hopes to shoot it soon. Soon may be a ways off, however, because one of the reasons Galifianakis left the project was fear that Warner Bros. would be exercising their Green Lantern sequel option, forcing Reynolds to shoot Green Lantern 2 later this year, which would push R.I.P.D. back significantly. The casting of Bridges thrills me though; the guy’s comic timing is a thing of beauty. Hopefully things come together at some point to actually get this thing rolling.

Zach Galifianakis Drops Out of R.I.P.D.

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: April 8th, 2011 at 5:44 pm

Zach Galifianakis has been forced to drop out of starring in R.I.P.D. alongside Ryan Reynolds. The actor apparently wanted to do the project, but scheduling issues with Jay Roach’s Southern Rivals, in which he co-stars with Will Ferrell, combined with his commitment to Bored to Death made doing both pictures impossible. To be directed by Robert Schwentke (Red) R.I.P.D. is based on the Dark Horse comic in which dead police officers patrol the underworld. Deadline reports that there was also concern over whether Warner Bros. will be using their option on Reynolds to get him to film Green Lantern 2 this summer, the same time that Universal was hoping to get R.I.P.D. in front of cameras.

Southern Rivals is now the confirmed title for the political comedy that Roach, Ferrell and Galifianakis shopped around to studios back in December. Not much is known about the project other than the fact that it focuses on two political candidates. R.I.P.D. has been in the works for quite some time and this is definitely a setback, especially given the fact that Reynolds’ passion project Deadpool now has a director.

Exclusive: Producer Neal Moritz on JACK THE GIANT KILLER, 21 JUMP STREET and R.I.P.D.

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: January 11th, 2011 at 5:20 pm

A few days ago I sat down with producer Neal Moritz to talk about his latest movie The Green Hornet (which is a lot of fun).  Since we covered so many of his projects during the interview, I decided to break up the conversation by movie.  The other day I posted all the Total Recall news (Colin Farrell is starring, films in Toronto, not in 3D), and today I’ve got updates on Bryan Singer’s Jack the Giant Killer, Ryan Reynolds R.I.P.D., and Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum’s 21 Jump Street - which is going to be directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs).  For more info, hit the jump:

RED Review

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 15th, 2010 at 8:04 am

Red is a movie that’s better than it should be and yet isn’t as good as it could be.  The jokes could be funnier, the action could be more exhilarating, the pacing could be quicker, but the film is still a success.  And yet with stronger direction and a more polished script, Red could have been one of the better films of the year thanks to its strong cast.  Not only do they play off each other well, but Mary Louise-Parker, John Malkovich, Brian Cox, and Helen Mirren all give terrific performances.  Red gets the job done, but there’s frustration in seeing it come up as only passable.

First Clip from RED Starring Bruce Willis and Helen Mirren

by Jason Barr    Posted: September 8th, 2010 at 10:03 am

The first clip from Red has landed online.  Entitled “Restless” the 45-second excerpt from the film shows Bruce Willis and Helen Mirren discussing the trials and tribulations of life after retirement.  There is also a giant gun being used at one point which always makes for a good time.  Based upon what we’ve seen of the film thus far, I think it is fair to say that Helen Mirren’s hyper-violent character is single-handedly making a push for my box-office dollars.

Starring alongside Willis and Mirren is an ensemble cast including: Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, Richard Dreyfuss, Mary-Louise Parker, and Karl Urban.  Directed by Robert Schwentke (Tattoo), the film is an adaptation of Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner’s comic-book series of the same name.  Red opens on October 15th.  To check out the clip, hit the jump.

Robert Schwentke to Direct R.I.P.D. Starring Ryan Reynolds

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 7th, 2010 at 7:27 pm

We reported in early August that director Robert Schwentke (The Time Traveler’s Wife, the upcoming action film Red) was in talks to helm the adaptation of the comic book R.I.P.D. starring Ryan Reynolds.  Deadline now reports that Schwentke has taken the gig and will shoot the film next summer after Reynolds finishes work on the comedy The Change-Up with Jason Bateman and the thriller Safe House with Denzel Washington.

Red is reportedly receiving positive notices from the test-screening circuit and is set to open nationwide on October 15th. Schwentke is also attached to direct an adaptation of Robert Ludlum’s The Osterman Weekend and an adaptation of he Robert Kurson novel Shadow Divers. Hit the jump for a synopsis of R.I.P.D. and click here for Steve’s interview with producer Neal Moritz.

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE Director David Slade Likely to Helm WOLVERINE 2

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: August 20th, 2010 at 8:31 am

It looks like one of two directors is going to be taking Wolverine to Japan.  Vulture reports that the contenders to helm Wolverine 2 are David Slade (Hard Candy, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse) and Robert Schwentke (The Time Traveler’s Wife, the upcoming Bruce Willis action flick Red).  While both men have been approved by 20th Century Fox brass, the decision comes down to Hugh Jackman, and Vulture says he’s going to choose Slade.

Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects) is penning the script, which will see Wolverine traveling to Japan and completely ignorant of the events of X-Men Origins: Wolverine thanks the magic of adamantium memory bullets.  I’m going to assume that McQuarrie will be drawing from Chris Claremont and John Byrne’s 1979 arc that had Wolverine traveling to Japan and falling in love with Mariko Yashida whose father, Shingen Yashida was a Yakuza crime boss.  Shingen also had an illegitimate son, Keniuchio Harada, who was a mutant and came to be known as the Silver Samurai.  Vulture says the plot of the movie has Wolverine battling folks with samurai swords.  Hopefully those swords won’t be coming out their freaking forearms.  Hit the jump for my thoughts on Slade (potentially) getting the gig.

Bruce Willis and John Malkovich Shoot an Extra Scene for RED This Weekend

by CJ Simonson    Posted: August 19th, 2010 at 10:31 pm

When talking about the most anticipated movies coming up this fall, Red has to land on the shortlist.  In a summer of relatively lackluster action films, anything involving comic book adaptations and Bruce Willis is going to receive a warm welcome.  Heat Vision reports that director Robert Schwentke will head back down to Louisiana this weekend with stars Willis and John Malkovich to shoot some extra footage: a comedic tag for the end of the film.  As Heat Vision points out, the movie is testing very highly among audiences, so it’s good to see that Summit is willing to add an extra scene or two to make it better, though there’s no guarantee the footage will end up in the final product.  Red opens on October 15th.

Make sure to check out Collider’s on-set interviews with John Malkovich, Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker and Karl Urban.

RED Director Robert Schwentke Eyes R.I.P.D., the Dark Horse Comic Adaptation Led by Ryan Reynolds

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: August 11th, 2010 at 7:37 pm

Universal is eying a summer 2011 shoot for the Dark Horse comic adaptation R.I.P.D., when star Ryan Reynolds has an open slot in his busy schedule.  But the studio is hoping to land a director in the near future to get a head start on the intensive effects/design required for the production.  Last week, it looked like McG (Terminator Salvation) was in line for the gig, but he opted to focus on the romantic comedy This Means War instead.  (McG informed us in a recent interview that stars Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, and Tom Hardy were readying for a September 13th start date.)

According to 24 Frames, director Robert Schwentke has met with the studio, and is in contention for the job with McG out of the picture.  Schwentke recently gained experience adapting an action-heavy comic for the screen with Red, which hits theaters October 15th.  The buzz surrounding that project — following the revelation of a crazy fun trailer — has reportedly helped his chances at Universal.  Hit the jump for more details on the project.

Bruce Willis On Set Interview RED

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: July 14th, 2010 at 8:07 am

Back in April, when Red was shooting in New Orleans, I got to visit the set along with a few other online journalists (here’s my report).  While we were told in advance that we might not get to speak with Bruce Willis, as morning turned into afternoon and after finishing lunch, we were rushed back to set as we were told Willis would have some time to talk with us and we didn’t want to miss his window of availability.  The thing to know is, when you’re the star of the show and in almost every shot, you don’t have a lot of free time to talk to journalists.

While I’ve gotten to speak with a lot of actors, this was my first time getting to ask Bruce Willis some questions.  I’ll admit, as a fan of Bruce Willis for what feels like my entire life, it was extremely cool to be able to take part in this interview.

As you might imagine, we talked about how he got involved in the project, since this is a PG-13 film was there was any competition for who gets to drop the F bomb, filming in New Orleans and Toronto, and a lot more.  Also, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura joined him in the interview, so hit the jump to read or listen to what they had to say:

John Malkovich On Set Interview RED

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: July 14th, 2010 at 8:07 am

If Red turns out like I expect, John Malkovich is going to steal the show.  That’s because Malkovich plays a retired CIA assassin named Marvin Boggs and for 11 years he was given LSD on a daily basis.  Let’s just say it’s left him a bit messed up.  But even though his character is not normal by most people’s definition, he’s still sharp as a tact, and perhaps by the end of the movie, he’ll save a lot of people’s lives…

But backing up a second, back in April I got to visit the set of Red while the production was shooting in New Orleans.  While on set I got to participate in a small roundtable interview with Malkovich where he discussed what it was like making Red, how the project had changed, all the other projects he’s working on, and we also talked about a pink pig.  Trust me, when Summit starts to releases more images on the pink pig…you’ll start to understand.

But more than anything, what makes this such a great interview is the fact that Malkovich rarely does in depth interviews, so if you’re a fan of this awesome actor, hit the jump to either read or listen to what he had to say:

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