Samantha Morton

Collider Visits the Set of JOHN CARTER

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 9th, 2012 at 9:07 am

“Barsoom” reads a sign on the outskirts of the movie set we’re about to visit.  “Barsoom” is what Martians call their planet in Edgar Rice Burroughs‘ A Princess of Mars.  A group of my fellow online movie journalists and I are headed to the set of Andrew Stanton‘s adaptation of the classic sci-fi novel, John Carter.  Mars may technically be in Big Water, Utah, but today we’ll be walking the ruins of an ancient Martian city, meeting a princess who bleeds blue, and a nine-foot-tall nomad tribe of warriors.  Hit the jump to take a trip to the red planet and find out about my visit to the set of John Carter.

Samantha Morton JOHN CARTER Set Visit Interview

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 9th, 2012 at 9:05 am

Like most of her John Carter co-stars, Oscar-nominee Samantha Morton (In America) has been in blockbuster films, but she’s never had to do motion capture up until this movie.  Also, since she plays a Thark, she also never had to walk on stilts until John Carter.  Morton plays Sola, a pariah of the war-loving Thark society due to her caring and nurturing attitude, and she’s given the task of helping John Carter (Taylor Kitsch) acclimate to life among the Tharks.

Morton was a bit reluctant to talk about her character since she’s used to talking more about the film after it’s finished rather than during production.  It’s a position I absolutely respect, and I’m glad she was at least willing to comment on how working with director Andrew Stanton compared to working with Charlie Kaufman (Synecdoche, New York) and Steven Spielberg (Minority Report), adapting a classic piece of literature (John Carter is based off Edgar Rice Burroughs‘ A Princess of Mars), and a bit more.  Hit the jump for the interview.  John Carter opens in 3D on March 9th.

Amy Adams, Carey Mulligan and Samantha Morton Eyeing Spike Jonze Film

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: February 1st, 2012 at 7:27 pm

Back in October, we reported that Carey Mulligan (Shame) was circling a new, untitled Spike Jonze project starring Joaquin Phoenix (Gladiator) and written by Charlie Kaufman (Adaptation). Now, however, it looks as if two other actresses are eyeing the role. Samantha Morton (The Messenger) and Amy Adams (The Fighter) are both reportedly in discussions to star opposite Phoenix in a film financed by Annapurna Pictures’ Megan Ellison. Details are few and far between but past synopses suggested the satirical film was about a gathering of world leaders meeting to discuss global events from the changing price of oil to the timing of wars. Hit the jump for info on the upcoming film schedule for each actress.

Casting Call: Thomas McDonell Joins Tim Burton’s DARK SHADOWS, Samantha Morton and Sarah Gadon Set for COSMOPOLIS, Malcolm McDowell and Dean Cain in MIND’S EYE

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: March 28th, 2011 at 7:25 pm

We’ve got a few casting stories for you this evening. First up, Thomas McDonell (Disney’s upcoming Prom) is the latest actor to sign on for Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows. The adaptation of the 1960’s gothic soap opera stars Johnny Depp, Eva Green, Michelle Pfieffer, Jackie Earle Haley and Bella Heathcoate. Heat Vision reports that McDonell will play the younger version of Depp’s character, Barnabas Collins, a “self-loathing vampire living in a Maine manor who is searching for his lost love.”

Additionally, Samantha Morton (In America) and Sarah Gadon (Charlie Bartlett) have joined the cast of David Cronenberg’s Cosmopolis. THR reports that Morton will play the estranged wife of the lead character in the thriller, played by Robert Pattinson. Hit the jump for info on Malcolm McDowell and Dean Cain starring in the indie sci-fi thriller Mind’s Eye.

MINORITY REPORT Blu-ray Review

by Andre Dellamorte    Posted: May 7th, 2010 at 1:50 pm

When Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg worked together in 2002, expectations were high. At the time, Cruise was coming off some of his most respected work since the 80’s, with Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut and Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia coming out in 1999. Cruise has always had an eye for working with the A-list of directors, and by the time of Minority Report he had made films with Martin Scorsese, both Tony and Ridley Scott, Cameron Crowe, Oliver Stone and on and on. Spielberg had to be a crown jewel (well, after Kubrick), so it’s interesting that much of the film is about Spielberg making fun of Cruise’s pretty-boy image.

Cruise stars as John Anderton, a divorcee with a son who was kidnapped, and now works in the pre-crime division keeping violent crimes from happening. There are three pre-cogs who see the future and try and stop violence from occurring, but there are those who doubt the system, and its effect on free will. Which is partly why their work is being investigated by Danny Witwer (Colin Farrell)? The hunter becomes the cliché when the next pre-cog notification implies that Anderton is going to kill someone. My review of Minority Report on Blu-ray after the jump.

Walt Disney Releases Synopsis for JOHN CARTER OF MARS and Creates a Facebook Fan Page

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: February 2nd, 2010 at 5:45 pm

With production underway on director Andrew Stanton’s John Carter of Mars in London, Walt Disney has released the synopsis for the movie and also started a Facebook fan page for the film.  Here’s what they sent over:

From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Andrew Stanton (“Finding Nemo,” “WALL-E”), JOHN CARTER OF MARS brings this captivating hero to the big screen in a stunning adventure epic set on the wounded planet of Mars, a world inhabited by warrior tribes and exotic desert beings.  Based on the first of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ “Barsoom Series,” the film chronicles the journey of Civil-War veteran John Carter (TAYLOR KITSCH), who finds himself battling a new and mysterious war amidst a host of strange Martian inhabitants, including Tars Tarkas (WILLEM DAFOE) and Dejah Thoris (LYNN COLLINS).

As you might imagine, this is a huge film for us at Collider, so expect plenty of updates.  Hit the jump to read the rest of what Disney sent over:

JOHN CARTER OF MARS Begins, Marks a Science-Fiction Milestone

by Bill Graham    Posted: January 15th, 2010 at 4:09 pm

Andrew Stanton has made quite a name for himself at Pixar, but his first endeavor in live action films begins today as his adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ beloved John Carter of Mars starts principal photography in London. Burroughs’ string of books, written in the early 20^th century, are collectively known as the “Barsoom” series and have inspired authors Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury, and Robert A. Heinlein, while also having a heavy influence on Star Wars and Avatar.

Having already read the first in the series, A Princess of Mars, I have to say that there is much to be excited about as Burroughs brings an epic scale and an incredibly imagined world with resonating themes and lots of sword fighting. Joining the Academy Award-winning director is an all-star cast, including Taylor Kitsch as John Carter, Lynn Collins, Willem Dafoe, Thomas Haden Church, Polly Walker, Samantha Morton, Mark Strong, Ciaran Hinds, Dominic West, James Purefoy, Bryan Cranston, and Daryl Sabara.

For the full press release, including a plot synopsis and the incredible team Stanton has assembled, hit the jump.

Bryan Cranston Joins Andrew Stanton’s JOHN CARTER OF MARS Starring Taylor Kitsch and Lynn Collins

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: January 13th, 2010 at 9:50 pm

Bryan Cranston, one of the best actors on TV on one of the best shows on TV, has signed on to co-star in Andrew Stanton’s (WALL-E) adaptation of John Carter of Mars.  Based on the Edgar Rice Burroughs series of sci-fi novels, the story follows John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), a Civil War soldier who is mysteriously transported to Mars.  Once there, he is caught in the middle of a war between various groups of Martians.  Heat Vision reports that Cranston will play a Civil War colonel who comes into conflict with Carter.  Unfortunately, that doesn’t sound like a very large role since I imagine most of the film will take place on some planet that is not ours.  The cast also includes Lynn Collins, Willem Dafoe, Samantha Morton, Polly Walker, Thomas Haden Church, James Purefoy, Dominic West, and Mark Strong.

Cranston currently stars on Breaking Bad on AMC and won back-to-back Emmys for Best Actor in a Drama for his performance as mild-mannered meth kingpin Walter White.  It’s a must-watch show.  The first season is already on DVD, the second season will be available on DVD/Blu-ray on March 16th, and the third season premieres on March 21st.  You must catch up and then tune in.

THE MESSENGER Exclusive Video Interviews with Ben Foster/Woody Harrelson and Samantha Morton/Director Owen Moverman

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: November 12th, 2009 at 5:21 pm

Opening tomorrow in New York City, and next week in Los Angeles, is writer/director Owen Moverman’s first movie  The Messenger.  The film is about two U.S. Army officers (Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson) who are responsible for notifying families when someone has died while serving our country.  Foster plays an officer who has just returned from Iraq and he’s assigned to Harrelson to learn how to do the job.  Through these two soldiers, we learn how military families get notified after losing a loved one in war.  While the film deals with strong subject matter, I cannot recommend the movie enough.  The performances are incredible across the board and it almost feels like a documentary, rather than something scripted.

One of the reasons it feels this way is director Owen Moverman didn’t rehearse the notification scenes.  While the actors knew their lines and how the scene would play out, they didn’t practice how to deal with people’s reactions after hearing the news.  They had to play each scene in the moment.  It’s truly powerful stuff.   So to help promote the film, I recently spoke to Ben Foster/Woody Harrelson as well as Samantha Morton and Director Owen Moverman.  Both sets of interviews are after the jump:

Trailer for THE MESSENGER Starring Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 6th, 2009 at 3:24 pm

Sometimes dreams really do come true and the amazing Ben Foster, one of the best actors not headline movies, is finally headlining movies.  He was the only draw for me to see “Pandorum” and if the response to that movie wasn’t so overwhelmingly negative (with Foster getting a pass of “OK”), I would’ve seen it.  But I’ll definitely be in line to see “The Messenger” where he plays a soldier who informs the next of kin when their loved one is killed in action.  I don’t want to categorize this as an “Iraq War” movie because these soldiers have always been around but simply as a war movie which is one of the reasons I think this year’s critically acclaimed “The Hurt Locker” was so effective.  With talented actors like Woody Harrelson, Samantha Morton, and Jena Malone backing him up, I hope that “The Messenger” lets studios and audiences know that Foster deserves to be on the A-list.

Samantha Morton, Dominic West and Polly Walker Join JOHN CARTER OF MARS

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: August 23rd, 2009 at 10:24 pm

I hadn’t heard any casting news for “John Carter of Mars” lately.  The last we heard was when Willem Dafoe happened.  It was a joyous time and my worries were put to rest.  But it’s been over a month since then and when you don’t hear news about “John Carter of Mars”, you worry because the project hasn’t had the easiest time making it to production.  I ask director Andrew Stanton to call me on the cell phone I gave him for emergencies but I haven’t heard from him once.  It makes me upset and disappointed not to mention that I’m pretty sure he’s just using it to text his friends.

But it’s a relief to hear more actors are coming on board: Samantha Morton, Dominic West, and Polly Walker.  Hit the jump to find out which roles they’ll be playing.

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