Stephen Frears

Stephen Frears Frontrunner to Direct Freddie Mercury Film Starring Sacha Baron Cohen

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: May 9th, 2012 at 11:43 am

A biopic of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury has been in the works for quite some time.  In an inspired bit of casting, Sacha Baron Cohen is attached to star as the famed rock musician, and now the project is close to landing a director.  Variety reports that Stephen Frears (The Queen) is the frontrunner to land the directing job, though negotiations have yet to begin.  Apparently other filmmakers are still in the mix, but Frears “has the inside track.”  In addition to more serious fare like The Queen and Dangerous Liasons, Frears also directed the excellent 2000 music-centered dramedy High Fidelity.  Hit the jump for more.

Ben Walker Talks ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER and Stephen Frears’ MUHAMMAD ALI’S GREATEST FIGHT at WonderCon 2012

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: March 20th, 2012 at 12:54 pm

At this past weekend’s WonderCon, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter director Timur Bekmambetov, star Ben Walker and writer Seth Grahame-Smith showed off a new trailer and an extended section of a big action set piece that featured all the principal cast.  If you missed Dave’s recap of the panel, click here.  You can also watch the new trailer here.

Shortly before the panel, I got to sit down with Walker for an extended interview.  We talked about his reaction to the footage he’s seen, what it was like to work with Bekmambetov, what kind of research he did to play Abraham Lincoln, how the 3D be used, and he talks about a particularly gory reshoot and his favorite action scene in the movie.  In addition, with Walker getting ready to film Stephen Frears’ Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight, he revealed who he plays and how excited he is to work his Christopher Plummer.  Hit the jump to watch.

Sundance 2012: LAY THE FAVORITE Review

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: January 24th, 2012 at 12:09 am

I have some theories regarding Lay the Favorite.  I believe screenwriter D.V. DeVincentis was partly paying attention to the script, partly paying attention to ESPN, and mostly paying attention to soft-core porn.  The talented actress Rebecca Hall must have had her brain switched with adult film star Katie Morgan.  And the director Stephen Frears can’t be the same one who directed High Fidelity, The Queen, and The Grifters.  There must be a different director who is also named Stephen Frears, but who is also far less talented.  These theories are the only way to explain why Lay the Favorite is so freaking terrible.

First Clip from Stephen Frears’ LAY THE FAVORITE Starring Rebecca Hall and Bruce Willis

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: January 18th, 2012 at 9:28 am

One of my must-see films at this year’s Sundance Film Festival is Stephen Frears‘ adaptation of Lay the Favorite starring Rebecca Hall and Bruce Willis.  Hall plays a woman who works for Dink, a high-stakes gambler (Willis), and takes to the job like a natural, but she begins to fall for Dink, much to the chagrin of Dink’s wife, Tulip (Catherine Zeta-Jones).  The first clip from the film shows Hall and Willis singing along to The Hollies’ creepy song “The Air That I Breathe” (I know it’s not meant to be creepy, but it just is), driving along the Las Vegas strip, and getting chummy.

Hit the jump for the clip.  The movie reunites Frears’ with his High Fidelity screenwriter D.V. DeVincentis, and co-stars Joshua Jackson, Vince Vaughn, Laura Prepon, and Corbin Bernsen.  Lay the Favorite premieres at Sundance on the 21st and I’ll be there to review it.  The 2012 Sundance Film Festival runs from January 19 – 29th.

Stephen Frears to Remake His 1984 Film THE HIT

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 14th, 2011 at 8:06 am

Director Stephen Frears, screenwriter Peter Prince, and producer Jeremy Thomas are planning to North Americanize their 1984 British gangster flick The Hit.  The original film centered on two hitmen (John Hurt and Tim Roth) who are tasked with executing a mob informant (Terence Stamp in one of the best performance of his career), but the attempt to bring him from his Spanish hideaway to Paris is constantly derailed due to the hitmen’s incompetence.  It’s one of Frears’ best and you check out the excellent Criterion Collection DVD.

Thomas tells Variety that the remake is still in the early stages of development, but the plan is to move the setting to Mexico and the U.S.  “The idea is to make it as an American movie about an American gangster, to tell the story against the backdrop of the land of cinema,” says Thomas.  Frears’ latest film, Lay the Favorite (starring Rebecca Hall, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Bruce Willis) will premiere at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in January.  Hit the jump to check out a trailer for The Hit.

Sundance 2012: First Images from CELESTE AND JESSE FOREVER, LAY THE FAVORITE, GOATS, and SHADOW DANCER

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 5th, 2011 at 4:27 pm

Today, the 2012 Sundance Film Festival announced their premieres line-up. Along with the announcement comes a boat load of images from the films set to be showcased at the fest. After the jump we’ve got images and syonpses from Celeste and Jesse Forever (starring Andy Samberg, Rashida Jones, and Elijah Wood), Lay the Favorite (starring Rebecca Hall, Bruce Willis, and Catherine Zeta-Jones), GOATS (starring David Duchovny, Vera Farmiga, and Ty Burrell), and Shadow Dancer (starring Andrea Riseborough, Gillian Anderson, and Clive Owen).

The 2012 Sundance Film Festival runs from January 19 – 29th.

Stephen Frears to Direct Adaptation of THE BENGALI DETECTIVE

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: November 17th, 2011 at 7:23 pm

Director Stephen Frears and screenwriter D.V. DeVincentis, who teamed up on High Fidelity, are set to work together once again. Variety reports that the duo will tackle an English-language adaptation of the documentary The Bengali Detective for Fox Searchlight. Directed by Philip Cox, the original centers on private eye Rajesh Ji “as he explores Calcutta’s criminal underworld while pursuing his dream to dance on Indian TV.” Ridley and Tony Scott’s Scott Free production banner will produce. While I’m unfamiliar with The Bengali Detective, it sounds like the kind of quirky premise that’s right up Frears and DeVincentis’ alley, with Grosse Pointe Blank coming to mind. Frears and DeVincentis most recently teamed up on Lay the Favorite, an adaptation of Beth Raymer’s memoir. The drama stars Rebecca Hall and centers on Raymer’s rise through the ranks of sports gambling. The cast also includes Bruce Willis and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Hit the jump to watch the trailer for the original Bengali Detective.

Official Synopsis Revealed for LAY THE FAVORITE

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: July 5th, 2011 at 12:25 pm

We’ve received a press release announcing that Stephen Frears’ adaptation of the Beth Raymer’s memoir Lay the Favorite wrapped principal photography today.  The release includes the first official synopsis of the film and there are (unsurprisingly) some variations from the book.  While the book covers Raymer’s rise through the ranks of sports gambling, the movie apparently adds romantic entanglements and drama that, going by the synopsis, seem awfully forced.  But with Frears at the helm and a cast that features Rebecca Hall, Bruce Willis, Joshua Jackson, and Catherine Zeta-Jones, I’m still interested in seeing this flick.

Hit the jump for the full synopsis.

Kodi Smit-McPhee in Talks to Play Benvolio in ROMEO AND JULIET Opposite Hailee Steinfeld; Corbin Bernsen Joins LAY THE FAVORITE

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: June 7th, 2011 at 4:34 pm

And the casting stories keep on coming. 14-year-old Kodi Smit-McPhee (Let Me In) is in early negotiations to join Carlo Carlei’s adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. Variety reports that he’s being eyed for the role of Benvolio, Romeo’s cousin. Hailee Steinfeld is attached to star as Juliet, with Ed Westwick poised to play Tybalt and Holly Hunter set to take on the role of The Nurse. Italian director Carlei (Flight of the Innocent) will helm from a script by Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park). The key roles of Romeo and Mercutio have yet to be cast, but production is set to begin this summer in Italy.

Additionally, Corbin Bernsen has joined the cast of the indie gambling comedy Lay the Favorite. Based on the memoir of Beth Raymer, the flick stars Rebecca Hall, Bruce Willis, Vince Vaughn and Catherine Zeta-Jones. The story centers on Raymer’s rise from a Las Vegas cocktail waitress to one of the world’s best gamblers. Variety reports that Bernsen will play Hall’s father in the flick. Stephen Frears (High Fidelity) is directing from a script by D.V. De Vincentis. I’m a big fan of Frears, and the cast he’s turning out is pretty impressive. Hit the jump to read a synopsis of the novel.

Vince Vaughn Joins Rebecca Hall, Bruce Willis, and Catherine Zeta-Jones in LAY THE FAVORITE

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: May 5th, 2011 at 10:37 pm

Vince Vaughn will join Rebecca Hall, Bruce Willis, and Catherine Zeta-Jones in the gambling drama Lay the Favorite.  The film is based on the memoir of Beth Raymer, played by Hall in the biopic.  Once a Las Vegas cocktail waitress, Raymer became an elite professional gambler: “After falling in love, Raymer soon begins to re-evaluate her life and the profession she has chosen.” Deadline reports Vaughn will play Rosie, a Long Island bookie who employed Raymer.  Willis is Dink Heimowitz, Raymer’s mentor who teaches her the finer points of betting on sports.  Zeta-Jones will play Dink’s wife.

Stephen Frears will direct from a script by D.V. De Vincentis.  I’m always interested in the latest from Frears, and I like the collection of eclectic gathering around Lay the Favorite.  Read a synopsis of Raymer’s memoir after the jump.

Catherine Zeta-Jones Joins Rebecca Hall and Bruce Willis in LAY THE FAVORITE

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: March 3rd, 2011 at 2:19 pm

Catherine Zeta-Jones has been largely absent from cinemas for the past several years, choosing instead to focus on her family. Her last film to be released domestically was 2008′s Death Defying Acts and she hasn’t attached herself to any projects for years.  But it looks like she might be getting back in the game as Deadline is reporting that Zeta-Jones is in talks to join Rebecca Hall and Bruce Willis in Stephen Frears’ adaptation of Beth Raymer’s memoir Lay the Favorite.

Hall would play a young woman who learns the ins and outs of sports gambling from her “lovable, irascible, and big-bellied” mentor/boss Dink Heimowitz (Willis).  Zeta-Jones would play Heimowitz’ wife.  Filming was originally going to take place in New York and Las Vegas in April, but has now moved to New Orleans for Louisiana’s preferable financial incentives.  Hit the jump for a synopsis of Raymer’s memoir.

Bruce Willis in Talks to Join Rebecca Hall in LAY THE FAVORITE, TAKE THE DOG; DIE HARD 5 Goes Back to the Drawing Board

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

A couple weeks ago, we reported that rising star Rebecca Hall (The Town) would lead Stephen Frears’ adaptation of Beth Raymor’s Lay the Favorite: A Memoir of Gambling.  Hall will play Raymor, who chronicled her years working in the world of Vegas sports gambling.  Today, Vulture reports that Bruce Willis has signed on to play Raymor’s mentor/boss Dink Heimowitz in the flick, which is now titled Lay the Favorite, Take the Dog.  In the synopsis of the book, “Dinky” is described as “lovable, irascible, and big-bellied.”  I’m not sure Willis is willing to pack on the pounds, but he’s got “irascible” down to a science.

Vulture also mentions that Die Hard 5 isn’t as far along in development as we thought.  Hit the jump for more on the project as well as the book synopsis for Lay the Favorite.

Rebecca Hall Will LAY THE FAVORITE for Director Stephen Frears

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: January 21st, 2011 at 7:01 pm

The Town star Rebecca Hall has been tapped to take on the lead role in director Stephen Frears’ (The Queen) adaptation of Beth Raymor’s memoir Lay the Favorite: A Memoir of Gambling.  The book chronicles Raymor’s time spent mingling in the world of Vegas sports gambling. Frears directs from a script by D.V. De Vincentis, with whom he collaborated on High Fidelity and Grosse Pointe Blank. The Wrap reports that Focus Features will produce. Hall most recently starred in the indie film Everything Must Go with Will Ferrell. Hit the jump to read a synopsis of Raymor’s memoir.

Gemma Arterton Exclusive Interview TAMARA DREWE; Plus a CLASH OF THE TITANS 2 Update

by Christina Radish    Posted: October 6th, 2010 at 5:19 pm

Based on Posy Simmonds’ beloved graphic novel of the same name, Tamara Drewe is a witty and modern take on the romantic English pastoral. When Tamara Drewe (Gemma Arterton) returns to the quaint village she grew up in, after having had plastic surgery to quite drastically change her appearance, the aspiring writers seeking inspiration at a neighboring retreat quickly become curious, especially when a rock star (Dominic Cooper) begins hanging around. The original owners of the farm that Tamara is taking residence in is the family of Andy Cobb (Luke Evans), who works as a gardener and handyman for his old flame, even though his family had to sell the property years earlier to the wealthy Drewes as a country home. Using her new-found sex appeal to get what she wants from everyone, Tamara ignites the various infatuations, jealousies and love affairs going on among the inhabitants of the farmsteads, all of which are sure to blow up in their faces.

In this exclusive interview with Collider, done during the film’s recent press day, actress Gemma Arterton talked about being intrigued by a character that is so complex and complicated, her desire to play the role to figure out someone that she didn’t initially identify with, and the challenge of making such an ambiguous character watchable throughout the film. She also discussed her excitement to return to the role of Io for Clash of the Titans 2 and how she’s looking forward to the experience of filming in 3D. Check out what she had to say after the jump.

Trailer for Stephen Frears’ TAMARA DREWE Starring Gemma Arterton

by Ramses Flores    Posted: August 26th, 2010 at 5:47 pm

Sony Pictures Classics has released a new theatrical trailer for director Stephen Frears’ (High Fidelity, The Queen) upcoming film, Tamara Drewe.  The film stars Gemma Arterton (Clash of the Titans) as Tamara Drewe, who begins to turn the life of the locals upside down when she returns to the village where she grew up.  Although the trailer doesn’t get me too excited about the film, Frears has proven to be a very talented director and I look forward to seeing anything that has his name on it.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer and to read a plot synopsis for the film.  Tamara Drewe opens on October 8^th and will also be one of the many films at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

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