Shawn Levy

Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson Reunite for INTERNS; Shawn Levy Directing from a Script by Vaughn

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: February 7th, 2012 at 7:38 pm

Wedding Crashers buddies Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson are set to reunite for Interns, with Shawn Levy (Real Steel) directing.  As a producer, Levy is currently in post-production on the Vaughn-led comedy Neighborhood Watch.  Levy was hoping to make Frankenstein next, but Vulture hears that he’ll have to cut the $80 million budget before Fox is willing to consider the project.  Vaughn is in a similar position since The Inane Laws is reportedly having trouble getting off the ground over at Universal.  (The rumor mill whispers that Vaughn is still demanding a Wedding Crashers-era paycheck in the wake of The Dilemma.)  The serendipity led Vaughn and Levy back to Fox to pitch Interns, a comedy that Vaughn wrote about fortysomething friends who get laid off: “Convinced they’ve gone about managing their careers entirely wrong, they resolve to become interns at a Google-like dotcom and start anew.”  Hijinks ensue when Vaughn and Wilson compete against “wily, fresh-faced 22-year-olds” to advance in the company.

Vaughn and Wilson have shown interest in re-teaming, but 2 Guns somehow transformed from a Vaughn/Wilson vehicle to an actioner starring Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington.  Interns sounds like a suitable replacement, with a fruitful premise for their style as a comedy duo.

REAL STEEL Blu-ray Review

by Andre Dellamorte    Posted: January 30th, 2012 at 6:00 am

There’s nothing inherently wrong with a formula picture, the problem is with filmmakers not investing in the formula. There’s just too many big budget movies these days – like the Pirates or Transformers films – where the characters and what they do don’t make sense, and it’s near impossible to care about anything that happens to them. So it’s strange that director Shawn Levy managed to make a formula picture right. Best known for the sub-par Night at the Museum films, Levy came across as a hack. But Real Steel knows exactly what it’s doing and works you over. Hugh Jackman stars as a washed up boxer trying to make his living fighting with robots. Enter his abandoned son (Dakota Goyo) and a special robot that might be able to take them to the top. Our review of Real Steel on Blu-ray follows after the jump.

THE PROPOSAL Director to Helm THE FIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS for Producer Shawn Levy

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: November 14th, 2011 at 4:11 pm

Director Anne Fletcher (The Proposal) has been tapped to direct the family-centered comedy The Fight Before Christmas. The pic, which was scripted by Adam Sztykiel (Due Date) is being produced by Shawn Levy. Variety reports that while no casting decisions have been made, they’re considering a number of actors. Chief among the thespians being considered is Bradley Cooper, who is apparently circling the project (as well as every other movie currently in development). No specific plot details are given other than it’s a “family-centered comedy”, though we can safely assume the pic takes place during the holidays.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of The Proposal, and Due Date was a bit of a misfire, so I don’t have the highest of hopes for this one. Fletcher recently helmed the comedy My Mother’s Curse starring Seth Rogen and Barbara Streisand, which is set to hit theaters November 2012.

Jeffrey Blitz in Talks to Direct TABLE 19 for Fox Searchlight

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: October 27th, 2011 at 4:36 pm

Jeffrey Blitz, the director behind the 2002 Spelling Bee documentary Spellbound, is currently in negotiations to helm the comedy Table 19. The story, written by Jay and Mark Duplass, follows a group of strangers who meet at the “singles” table at a wedding.  The so-called “losers” make running commentary about the ongoing wedding as Table 19 explores the ideologies of marriage from an outsider looking in.

Variety reports that although Jay and Mark Duplass were originally attached to direct, Blitz should easily be able to handle the awkward comedy that will certainly run rampant in Table 19. He also directed Rocket Science, a pic about a stuttering high school student who joins the debate team, and has directed episodes of Parks and Recreation and The Office. Shawn Levy (Real Steel) is attached to produce through his 21 Laps outfit.

 

Guy Ritchie Wants Brad Pitt for THE CANNONBALL RUN Remake; Shawn Levy and Ben Stiller Next in Line

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: October 18th, 2011 at 9:54 pm

We first heard about the inevitable remake of The Cannonball Run remake back in February when Guy Ritchie was linked to the project.  What we didn’t know at the time was Ritchie’s big plans for the action-comedy.  Ritchie reportedly wants his Snatch star Brad Pitt for the lead plus a few of Pitt’s Ocean’s Eleven castmates to fill out the ensemble, and hopes to shoot in Europe.  That’s the Warner Bros. package.  Producer Al Ruddy (Million Dollar Baby) is also fielding interest from Fox and director Shawn Levy, next in line if thin.  Levy reportedly wants his Night at the Museum star Ben Stiller.  Mr. Ruddy: could you, for the sake of science, produce both the Ritchie/Pitt and the Levy/Stiller versions of Cannonball Run?  That would be a fascinating case study.

Hit the jump for news of the potential new financier of the remake: General Motors.

Shawn Levy Talks REAL STEEL Deleted Scenes and What Will Be on the DVD/Blu-ray

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: October 15th, 2011 at 9:49 am

Before Real Steel hit theaters, I got to sit down with director Shawn Levy for an extended video interview.  While I’ve already posted what he said about how the soundtrack came together and his goal for the film, Neighborhood Watch, what happened to his Flash movie, and what’s up with Night at the Museum 3 and The Hardy Boys, I’ve got one more bit and it concerns what he cut out of Real Steel and what will be on the eventual DVD/Blu-ray.

For fans of deleted scenes, Levy told me you can expect about 15 minutes to be on the DVD/Blu-ray and he explained why he cut out some of the footage.  In addition, he says the home video release will have an extensive behind the scenes look at the making of Real Steel and he makes use of second screen (which is where you can use your computer or iPad to have a more interactive experience while watching the movie).  Hit the jump for more.

Shawn Levy to Direct Pinocchio Prequel THE THREE MISFORTUNES OF GEPPETTO

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: October 14th, 2011 at 4:08 pm

20th Century Fox is getting in on all this fairy tale business. Deadline reports that the studio has acquired the spec script The Three Misfortunes of Geppetto for Shawn Levy, who will direct. The script, by Michael Vukadinovich, is a prequel to the story of Pinocchio and tells the tale of Geppetto’s quest through misfortune, war, and adventure to be with his true love Julia Moon. The pic is said to be in the vein of Big Fish and The Princess Bride. If Levy can bring an epic sense of wonder and adventure to Geppetto, it could end up being a fun film, though I’m hoping the director doesn’t opt for the goofy tone of his Night at the Museum films, which could bog this period picture down.

Levy is a pretty busy guy as of late, as his latest directorial effort Real Steel is enjoying a successful box office run. He had been prepping the James Cameron-produced Fantastic Voyage remake as his next directorial project, but he’s also eyeing a retelling of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Additionally, he’s producing the R-rated comedy Neighborhood Watch which has Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, and Jonah Hill set to star, with a script by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. Levy recently talked to Steve about that film, and called the script one of the top three funniest scripts he’s ever read. For a refresher/nostalgia, hit the jump to check out a classic scene from Disney’s iteration of the Geppetto character.

TOP 5: THE AVENGERS, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT Returns, IN TIME Set Visit, THE IDES OF MARCH and REAL STEEL Interviews

by Jason Barr    Posted: October 8th, 2011 at 11:23 am

In last week’s “Top 5″, I painfully admitted to not having seen either Moneyball or 50/50. Moreover, I put my credentials as “mildly credible film blogger” up as collateral in the case that I hadn’t checked both out by this week. Sadly, I’ll have to forfeit my title as I’ve only managed to catch 50/50 so far. On the bright side, I thought that film was great and is definitely one of my favorites of the year thus far. As for Moneyball, well there’s always this week.

In spite of my lack of mild credibility, I hope you’ll still choose to check out this week’s “Top 5″ where you’ll find new hi-res images from The Avengers, the return of Arrested Development, our In Time set visit coverage, and interviews for George Clooney’s political drama The Ides of March and Shawn Levy’s robot boxing extravaganza Real Steel. Hit the jump for a brief recap and link to each.

Director Shawn Levy Interview REAL STEEL

by Christina Radish    Posted: October 7th, 2011 at 12:13 pm

Real Steel is a true underdog tale that combines the grand spectacle of robot boxing with the grounded story of three abandoned beings – a father, a son, and a discarded robot – who, together, have the chance to become real heroes. In 2020, boxing fans have become bored with watching human beings fight each other, so the sport has evolved to the point where robots pummel each other to the death. Washed up, former heavyweight Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman) begrudgingly teams up with his long-abandoned son (Dakota Goyo) to turn a junkyard robot into the champ they believe he can be.

At the film’s press day, director Shawn Levy talked about the challenge of getting the robots to work, the decision behind not giving his star robot Atom a face, why he feels he is able to direct kids so easily, creating his own version of the year 2020, the Simul-Cam B technology used to shoot the film, and his personal philosophy for directing. Check out what he had to say after the jump.

REAL STEEL Review

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 7th, 2011 at 6:09 am

The greatest achievement in Shawn Levy’s Real Steel is building the world of robot boxing.  The term “robot boxing” sounds incredibly stupid when you hear it and flashes of Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em Robots and the failed TV show Battlebots come to mind.  But Levy does a tremendous job for showing not just the hi-tech wonder of the World Boxing Organization (WBO), but he takes us to the back-alleys, run-down theme parks, and country fairs where a punching robot and its owner can make some cash and win some glory.  Paired with well-choreographed fights that wisely make heavy use of animatronics and practical effects, Real Steel almost has an unbeatable combination.  But the clunky storytelling and awful performance from child actor Dakota Goyo stop the movie from landing a knock-out punch (I promise I’ll try to keep the boxing puns to a minimum).

X-MEN: FIRST CLASS and THOR Writers to Adapt MAGICIANS Novel for Fox Drama Series

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: October 6th, 2011 at 9:41 am

Though I would’ve thought the novel would head to the big screen, Deadline has word that Lev Grossman’s fantasy novel Magicians will actually head to TV for an adaptation of the material into a potential drama series on Fox. The network has made a script commitment from X-Men: First Class and Thor co-writers Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz who will adapt the story that is essentially a polished, upper-class, more mature Harry Potter which follows a group of twenty-somethings who study magic, but don’t learn until later that a magical world from some of their favorite childhood stories actually exists. The novel honestly seems a better fit for TV, if only so fans of the book don’t have to worry about their favorite parts being cut out as was the case with several of the Harry Potter films. Michael London (Milk), Shawn Levy (Real Steel) and Michael Adelstein are producing the series which will hopefully get picked up for the 2012 fall TV season. For a more detailed synopsis of Grossman’s novel, hit the jump.

Shawn Levy Talks REAL STEEL Soundtrack, Landing Timbaland, and His Goal for the Film

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: October 5th, 2011 at 10:01 am

One of the many things that really impressed me about director Shawn Levy’s Real Steel was the soundtrack.  Unlike some movies where the songs feel out of place and you’ve never heard of the artists, Levy assembled a great mix of music from Timbaland, Crystal Method, Danny Elfman, Eminem, Tom Morello, Limp Bizkit, Beastie Boys, 50 Cent, Foo Fighters and Alexi Murdoch.

So when I sat down with Levy at the press day, he told me how he put together the soundtrack and tells a great story about his first meeting with Timbaland.  In addition, he talked about his goal for Real Steel, whether or not he got notes from the studio about Hugh Jackman playing an asshole for the majority of the film, and revealed that Real Steel was the most creative control he’s ever had on any movie.  Hit the jump to watch.

Shawn Levy Talks NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH; Says ‘It’s Hands-Down Top Three Funniest Scripts I’ve Ever Read’

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: October 1st, 2011 at 3:57 pm

The more I hear about Neighborhood Watch, the more I think it’s going to be one of the best films of 2012.  First, it’s being directed by Akiva Schaffer (Hot Rod), who makes up one third of The Lonely Island and is very funny.  Second, it’s loaded with an all-star cast made up of Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill, Richard Ayoade, Rosemarie DeWitt, and Nicholas Braun.  Finally, the R rated script has been completely rewritten by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (Superbad, Pineapple Express), with producer Shaw Levy telling me at the Real Steel press day, “It’s hands-down top three funniest scripts I’ve ever read.”

Hit the jump for more info and quotes on the project.

Director Shawn Levy on What Happened to His FLASH Movie

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: September 25th, 2011 at 7:06 pm

Back in 2007, director Shawn Levy was attached to direct The Flash for Warner Bros.  At the time, comic book movies were beginning their rise to prominence, and The Flash was a high profile project for the studio (it still is).  At the time, Levy was coming off Night at the Museum, which had made over $500 million at the worldwide box office, so it wasn’t a surprise when he landed the gig.  Since then, I’ve wondered what happened and why his version of The Flash never got made.  So when I got to speak with Levy at this weekend’s press junket for Real Steel, one of the many things we talked about was what happened to The Flash.  He told me:

“I oversaw a draft for about three-and-a-half months.  And, at that time, I learned two things.  One, if you’re going to take on a character like that… I was still the family comedy guy.  And I just felt like, I gotta get a few more under my belt before I can claim the legitimacy of making a movie like that.  And that’s what I’m doing, to be very honest.  I’m not saying I have a master plan to go back to The Flash.  In the end, The Flash went away because Justice League was gonna happen.  And then it didn’t happen.  To my great dismay, because I would have been first in line for that, too.”

Hit the jump for more.

Exclusive: Director Shawn Levy on the Status of THE HARDY BOYS and NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM 3

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: September 25th, 2011 at 6:35 pm

At this weekend’s press junket for Real Steel, I was able to sit down with director Shawn Levy for an extended interview.  Since the conversation covered so many subjects, I decided to break it up into smaller parts.  I’ve already posted what Levy said about Fantastic Voyage and Frankenstein, as well as what happened to his Flash movie at WB.  And now I’ve got updates on The Hardy Men and Night at the Museum 3.

For those that don’t know, The Hardy Men is a project that’s been in development for awhile and the idea is to have Tom Cruise and Ben Stiller play the grown up Hardy Boys.  When we last reported on the project in early 2010, Levy said, “Developing a movie for two movie stars is a very, very challenging enterprise. The bull’s eye is small and the tone has to be exactly right. So we are still working on it.”  Cut to yesterday.  When I asked Levy the current status, he told me:

“We never cracked the script.  In spite of some noble efforts with myself and Tom [Cruise] and Ben [Stiller] and a few different writers, we never cracked it.”

More after the jump.

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