Ron Howard

Imagine Entertainment, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci Developing Adaptation of Anne Rice’s THE TALE OF THE BODY THIEF

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 7th, 2012 at 2:39 pm

Ten years after 2002′s abysmal Queen of the Damned, tales from Anne Rice‘s Vampire Chronicles may be returning to the big screen.  THR reports that Ron Howard and Brian Grazer‘s Imagine Entertainment have optioned the fourth book in the saga of the vampire Lestat, The Tale of the Body Thief.  Star Trek screenwriter Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci are co-producing and screenwriter Lee Patterson is currently at work on the script.

Hit the jump for more details on the project.

CHRONICLE Writer Max Landis Vents About THE DEATH AND RETURN OF SUPERMAN

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: February 3rd, 2012 at 8:26 pm

With Max Landis’ movie Chronicle opening in theaters this weekend, you might be wondering to yourself just how the young writer became interested in superheroic origins or why he chose to give one of his protagonists supervillain tendencies. Well it just so happens that we’ve come across a short directed and narrated by Landis himself that might explain some things. In The Death and Return of Superman, Landis (along with some famous friends like Elijah Wood, Mandy Moore, Ron Howard, Simon Pegg and Chris Hardwick) takes viewers through an NSFW recap of the infamous DC comic series that saw the fall (and rise) of the last son of Krypton. Hit the jump to check it out.

Ron Howard Talks “Project Imagin8ion” Short Film WHEN YOU FIND ME

by Christina Radish    Posted: February 1st, 2012 at 8:32 am

As part of Canon’s “Project Imagin8ion” campaign, two-time Academy Award winner Ron Howard and daughter Bryce Dallas Howard made a film inspired by eight user-generated photos, called when you find me, that recently screened at the Sundance Film Festival. Alternating between the past and present, the short is an emotional fable of two people coping with loss in very different ways, and what it takes to find peace within yourself and reconciliation with the ones you love.

During this recent exclusive phone interview with Collider, Ron Howard talked about how he ended up signing on as producer for this project with his daughter in the director’s chair, that they received nearly 100,000 images that had to be narrowed down to 10 in each of the 8 categories before the final images were selected, how the movie ended up being very personal and very character driven, how clearly proud he is of his daughter’s work, and that he hopes film schools use this kind of exercise to remind people that the world around them offers wonderful ways to push their thinking and imagination. Check out what he had to say after the jump:

Full ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT Cast Confirmed to Return in New Episodes

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: January 30th, 2012 at 3:46 pm

According to series writer and co-executive producer Dean Lorey, the entire original cast of the Emmy-winning series Arrested Development will be returning for the new episodes in 2013. While this should have gone without saying once it was reported that Netflix had picked up the exclusive broadcast rights, it’s nice to get some confirmation from the show-runners since information has been hard to come by. Lorey himself said that “even the schedule is being kept under wraps.” Reprising their roles from the first run will be Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, Portia de Rossi, Michael Cera, Tony Hale, Jeffrey Tambor, David Cross, Alia Shawkat and Jessica Walter, although there are still no formal deals in place.

On his blog, Lorey commented that he is penning a new season along with Mitch Hurwitz and Jim Vallely and will begin shooting in 2012. There is still no word as to the exact number of episodes, only that it was suggested to do a 9 or 10 episode season to bridge the old series to (hopefully) a feature film. Hit the jump for more.

Ron Howard Talks Size and Scope of F1 Racing Drama RUSH; Gives Update on New ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT Episodes and Movie

by Christina Radish    Posted: January 25th, 2012 at 7:55 am

As part of Canon’s Project Imagin8ion campaign, two-time Academy Award winner Ron Howard and daughter Bryce Dallas Howard made a film inspired by eight user-generated photos, called when you find me, that will be screened later this week at the Sundance Film Festival. Alternating between the past and present, the short is an emotional fable of two people coping with loss in very different ways, and what it takes to find peace within yourself and reconciliation with the ones you love.

While we will run what he had to say about the short later, we wanted to share what Howard had to say about the film he’s currently working on, as well as a highly anticipated upcoming project that he has in the works. During this recent exclusive phone interview with Collider, the filmmaker talked about his approach on Rush, which focuses on the 1970′s rivalry between Austrian Formula 1 driver Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl) and British driver James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth), and how he’s hoping to bring the speed and danger of the Formula One racing world to the big screen. He also talked about the status of Arrested Development and how, even though there’s no specific start date or release date, show creator Mitch Hurwitz is hard at work on some hilarious and outrageous ideas for 10 episodes that will lead up to a feature film. Check out what he had to say after the jump:

Akiva Goldsman Sets Up Doc Holliday Series at HBO; Ron Howard Attached to Direct the Pilot

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: November 21st, 2011 at 7:23 pm

The Old West just got a new TV series treatment in the form of Hell on Wheels on AMC. Now HBO, who already delved into the drama with Deadwood, is heading back to the saloon. Deadline has word that Akiva Goldsman, the writer behind films like A Beautiful Mind, I Am Legend and more than a dozen episodes of Fringe, has set up a new two-year overall at HBO which begins with an untitled Western drama series about Doc Holliday. Accepted screenwriters Adam Cooper and Bill Collage will write the series which is inspired by Mary Doria Russell’s novel Doc and also executive produce with Goldsman. In addition, Ron Howard is attached to direct the pilot if the series is ordered. Guess that gestating Dark Tower adaptation really got Howard and Goldsman deep into the Western genre.

A big focus of the series will be a story from Holliday’s life never before told on the screen: a love triangle between the gunslinger, his prostitute wife Kate Elder and his best friend and Old West icon Wyatt Earp. For a rundown of Russell’s novel, check out the synopsis and review of the book after the jump.

Ron Howard Talks RUSH and THE DARK TOWER

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: November 2nd, 2011 at 6:53 am

Ron Howard is currently at work on the Formula One racing drama Rush.  The movie is based on the true story of the 1970s rivalry between Austrian driver Niki Lauda (played by Daniel Brühl) and British driver James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth).  Howard recently spoke about how he’s going to try to sell Formula One to an American audience, which prefers NASCAR.  My pitch would be, “Hey!  Do you want to see what happens when the cars don’t have to go in a circle for ten hours?  Do you want to see racing that’s far more dangerous?  Then come see Rush!”  Howard has a slightly more sophisticated approach and it’s one that I find slightly encouraging.

Hit the jump for what Howard had to say about Rush as well as an update on his epic adaptation of Stephen King‘s The Dark Tower.

The TV Series Parts of THE DARK TOWER Head to HBO

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: October 25th, 2011 at 10:34 am

Just a couple days ago we got word from producer Brian Grazer that $45-50 million had been cut from the budget for the adaptation of Stephen King‘s The Dark Tower to make it more appealing to studios. While Grazer and director Ron Howard are still looking for a place to set up the film portion of the adaptation, we can’t forget that the ambitious project also calls for a couple seasons of television between three planned films. Thankfully, it doesn’t sound like that side of the deal has been hard to set up as Grazer recently spoke with MTV and said, “We’re going to do [The Dark Tower] with HBO. We’ll do the TV with HBO, and we’ll do the movie with… to be determined. We’ll do it right.” Seems like the best home for material like this, that way there aren’t any restrictions as to the violence, language, etc. No details as were offered as to just how long each season will be or anything like that, but it sounds like we might get some solid information sooner than later so stay tuned.

If you’re unfamiliar with The Dark Tower, hit the jump for a synopsis.

Warner Bros. Buys Spec Script THE IMITATION GAME; Leonardo DiCaprio Up to Play Mathematician Alan Turing, Ron Howard May Direct

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: October 11th, 2011 at 9:04 pm

Warner Bros. bought Graham Moore’s spec script The Imitation Game in a 7-figure deal today.  The buzz is reportedly great on Moore’s debut script about the life of British mathematician/computer scientist Alan Turing, though that is not necessarily why the studio outbid several independent companies for the rights.  Rather it is because Leonardo DiCaprio is very interested in the project and has “the inside track” to star.  Moreover, Ron Howard—who won the Oscar when he directed the math biopic A Beautiful Mind—is reportedly interested in the directing.  No talent is officially attached yet.

Turing’s life is absurdly suited for the cinematic ups and downs of a biopic.  Credited as the father of computer science and artificial intelligence, Turing was integral in the development of the modern computer, and a key codebreaker for the British during World War II.  And the downs: Turing was criminally prosecuted for his homosexuality, elected chemical castration over prison, and finally ended his tormented life with a cyanide apple.  More after the jump.

Olivia Wilde Joins Ron Howard’s Racing Drama RUSH; Russell Crowe May Cameo as Richard Burton

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: October 4th, 2011 at 12:28 pm

Olivia Wilde has landed a key role in Ron Howard’s Formula One racing drama Rush. The film centers on the 1970s rivalry between Austrian driver Niki Lauda and British driver James Hunt. Daniel Brühl is set to play Lauda with Chris Hemsworth taking on the role of Hunt, and now Deadline reports that Wilde will play supermodel Suzy Miller. The model fell in love with and married Hunt, but soon thereafter she fell in love with Hunt’s close friend Richard Burton (yes, that Richard Burton). In a strange Three’s Company deal, Hunt and Burton came to an agreement wherein Burton would pay the $1 million divorce settlement for Hunt if Hunt let Miller go. The deal went through, and Burton and Miller eventually married.

Howard is apparently hoping to get Russell Crowe to take on the small role of Burton. No deal has been made, but Crowe may be able to fit a couple of days in for his A Beautiful Mind director in between filming Man of Steel and Les Miserables. If you missed what producer Brian Oliver told Steve about the racing drama, be sure to check out what he had to say here. He talked about the unusual filming schedule and revealed that Slumdog Millionaire director of photography Anthony Dod Mantle is handling the cinematography.

Exclusive: Producer Brian Oliver Talks Ron Howard’s RUSH, Reveals Anthony Dod Mantle (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE) is the Cinematographer

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: October 3rd, 2011 at 11:40 pm

While Ron Howard has had more than a tough time trying to get his ambitious adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower off the ground, the director has moved on for the time being and is currently busy working on the Formula One racing drama Rush. The pic centers on the 1970s rivalry between Austrian driver Niki Lauda and British driver James Hunt, with Inglorious Basterds star Daniel Brühl playing Lauda and Chris Hemworth taking on the role of Hunt.

Steve recently got the chance to speak with producer Brian Oliver about his upcoming political drama The Ides of March, but during the course of the conversation Oliver talked extensively about Rush. In addition to confirming that Academy Award-winning cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle (Slumdog Millionaire) will be the director of photography on the project, he spoke about why they started production early even though Hemsworth isn’t available until January, Howard and screenwriter Peter Morgan’s development process, Mantle’s unique approach to filming the races, and whether or not the film will be in 3D. Hit the jump to see what he had to say.

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT Coming Back for New Season Before the Movie [Updated with Video of Reunion and Ron Howard Interview]

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: October 2nd, 2011 at 8:23 pm

Earlier today, a tweet from The New Yorker, reporting straight from their own festival in New York, announced the unthinkable as Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz revealed during a cast reunion that the series would be back for another season, but that’s not all. This new season would lead directly into the long-gestating movie that has been talked about by each cast member, every other month, since the invention of television. Since that tweet, more details have surfaced from the festival from EW who reveals that Hurwitz intends to shoot 9 to 10 episodes, each focusing on on an individual character from the Bluth clan (which includes Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, Portia DeRossi, David Cross, Will Arnett, Jeffrey Tambor, Jessica Walter, Tony Hale, and Alia Shawkat). Each episode will catch audiences up on what the characters have been doing for the past five years since the series’ cancellation in 2006. More details on the new season and the forthcoming movie after the jump.

[Update: The entire 100-minute reunion Arrested Development reunion panel is now available for your viewing pleasure after the jump; we've also added an interview with Ron Howard where he talks about how the new season will relate to the movie]

Universal Acquires David Guggenheim’s 364 for Ron Howard to Direct

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: September 8th, 2011 at 6:06 pm

Judging from the number of projects Ron Howard is attached to, his ambitious adaptation of The Dark Tower looks to be all but dead. Deadline reports that Universal has acquired a pitch entitled 364 from David Guggenheim, and Ron Howard is set to direct. The film revolves around a man who, on one day each year, has superpowers. The title refers to the number of days a year he spends thinking about what heroic deeds he will perform when the day comes. Guggenheim recently penned the Denzel Washington/Ryan Reynolds drama Safe House.

Howard is currently gearing up to direct the Formula One racing drama Rush (he’s filming scenes this weekend at Germany’s Nurburgring Race Track) and is also attached to a number of other projects. In addition to The Dark Tower, which is currently looking for financing, Howard is attached to a feature film version of Spy vs. Spy and an adaptation of the religious extremist-centered Under the Banner of Heaven.

Ron Howard Starts Filming Racing Drama RUSH This Weekend

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: September 6th, 2011 at 4:20 pm

It looks like the sudden stoppage on The Dark Tower hasn’t gotten Ron Howard down too much. He moved right along to pre-production on the Formula One racing drama Rush, and now he’s set to shoot some scenes for the flick this weekend at Nurburgring Race Track in Germany. The film centers on the 1970s rivalry between Austrian driver Niki Lauda and British driver James Hunt, with Inglorious Basterds star Daniel Brühl playing Lauda and Chris Hemworth taking on the role of Hunt.

Principal photography on the film doesn’t officially get underway until later this year, after Hemsworth has wrapped on The Avengers and Snow White and the Huntsman, but Howard is taking advantage of a race at Nurburgring this weekend to get some key shots. Hit the jump for more, including the significance of the track to the film.

Rumor: Is This the Plot of the ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT Movie?

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: August 16th, 2011 at 7:29 am

Take this news with a grain of sand, hermano.  Screen Rant is reporting that they may have the plot for the long-rumored Arrested Development movie.  I’m not crazy about the idea of an AD movie, but this sounds like it could be pretty great:

Ron Howard is making a movie about the Bluths using an A-List cast. But Dr. Tobias plays himself because nobody wants to play him in the movie. The Bluths decide to make their own movie in contention with Ron Howard’s.

The show has always been meta and the concept would certainly be appealing to a studio who could hire big name actors to help sell the movie based on—let’s face it—a show that was cancelled because it couldn’t build an audience.  Hit the jump for more of my thoughts on this plot and my feelings on an Arrested Development movie.

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