The Iceman

New Posters for ON THE ROAD, THE ICEMAN and UPSIDE DOWN

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: March 23rd, 2012 at 1:18 pm

We’ve got a few new posters to share with you today:

• On the Road—another character poster for the Jack Kerouac adaptation, this time featuring Tom Sturridge.
• The Iceman—a new poster for the true crime thriller starring Michael Shannon as a vicious professional hitman.
• Upside Down—an international poster for the whimsical, dual world love story starring Jim Sturgess and Kirsten Dunst.

Hit the jump to check them out.

Winona Ryder to Play Killer’s Wife in THE ICEMAN Opposite Michael Shannon

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 12th, 2011 at 5:12 pm

Winona Ryder is joining the cast of the indie thriller The Iceman. The drama is based on the book by Anthony Bruno that chronicles the life of Richard Kuklinski, a professional hitman who kept his work secret from his family. Michael Shannon is onboard to play Kuklinski, and Deadline reports that Ryder has just committed to star as Kuklinski’s wife. The project nearly fell apart after James Franco dropped out, but Chris Evans quickly swooped in and took over the role of Kuklinski’s mentor. The contract killer received the nickname “The Iceman” because he froze the bodies of his victims in order to disguise their time of death and throw the authorities off track.

Benicio Del Toro had been set to play mob boss Roy Demeo, but this latest report makes no mention of his casting so it’s possible he’s no longer involved with the project. Ariel Vromen (Danika) will direct. Hit the jump to read a synopsis of the novel.

Chris Evans Set to Replace James Franco in THE ICEMAN

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: November 21st, 2011 at 12:19 pm

Last month James Franco dropped out of The Iceman, the biopic based on the life of professional hitman Richard “The Iceman” Kuklinski, citing contractual disagreements. While the project was thrown into jeopardy, producers have locked in a solid replacement and things seem to be back on track. Deadline reports that Chris Evans has made a deal to take over Franco’s role as Kuklinski’s mentor. Michael Shannon is onboard to play Kuklinski, with Benicio Del Toro set as mob box Roy Demeo. While Franco was an interesting choice, I quite like the casting of Evans. It’s clear he doesn’t plan on being pigeon-holed into the “leading man” roles following the success of Captain America.

Kuklinski worked as a contract killer for the mob earned the nickname “The Iceman” by freezing the bodies of his victims in order to disguise the time of death and throw the authorities off track. Ariel Vromen (Danika) is directing the pic, which is based on the book The Iceman: The True Story of a Cold-Blooded Killer. Hit the jump for a synopsis.

Michael Shannon Talks BOARDWALK EMPIRE, MAN OF STEEL, and Future Projects

by Christina Radish    Posted: October 31st, 2011 at 9:19 am

On the HBO drama series Boardwalk Empire, actor Michael Shannon plays Agent Nelson Van Alden, a Senior Prohibition Agent with the Department of Internal Revenue. He approaches his work with the zeal of a man on a mission, and will go to almost any lengths to uncover the corruption that he believes to be the root of all evil.

During a recent interview to promote Season 2, Michael Shannon talked about how nice it was to be invited to be a part of Boardwalk Empire, doing a long-term TV series where he never knows what to expect, the depths of despair and misery that his character is facing, how fortunate he feels to be so successful, at this point in his career, and how unprepared he is for the onslaught that comes with being part of a film like Man of Steel, due out in the summer of 2013. Check out what he had to say, along with highlights from the interview, after the jump:

James Franco Leaves THE ICEMAN Citing Contractual Disagreements

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: October 18th, 2011 at 7:14 pm

It looks as if the biopic based on professional hit man Richard “The Iceman” Kuklinski will be short one murderous mentor. James Franco, who was slated to play Robert “Mr. Softee” Pronge, the assassination advisor to Kuklinski (Michael Shannon), has opted out of the project.

The Iceman is based on the book “The Iceman: The True Story of a Cold-Blooded Killer” by Anthony Bruno. Kuklinski claimed to have murdered over 250 men, committing his first at a very early age. Perhaps with Franco’s upcoming role in Oz: The Great and Powerful, the Oscar-nominated actor wanted to distance himself from the subject matter. Hit the jump for more on The Iceman

Exclusive: Michael Shannon Talks MACHINE GUN PREACHER, MAN OF STEEL, BOARDWALK EMPIRE and THE ICEMAN

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: September 21st, 2011 at 4:48 pm

At this year’s Toronto Film Festival, I was able to speak with Michael Shannon about co-starring in director Marc Forster’s Machine Gun Preacher.  The movie is based on the real-life story of Sam Childers (played by Gerard Butler), a former drug-dealer who turned his life around and now dedicates it to saving kidnapped and orphaned children in Sudan.  It’s a hell of a story and one that I’m glad got told.  Watch some clips here.

During the interview Shannon talked about being at TIFF, what the last few years have been like as he’s started landing very high profile roles, making Machine Gun Preacher, the kind of research he does, if he prefers a few takes or dozens, Boardwalk Empire, and how he got cast as General Zod in Man of Steel.  In addition, he talked about The Iceman - which is the story of Richard Kuklinski, who was a hit man in New Jersey who kept his criminality secret from his family.  Hit the jump for the interview.

New Posters for FINAL DESTINATION 5, TYRANNOSAUR, DREAM HOUSE, and THE ICEMAN

by Phil Brown    Posted: July 5th, 2011 at 9:23 am

With the holiday weekend behind us it’s time to give up the multinational obsession with fireworks and blowing things up so that we all finally can get back to obsessing over pop culture minutia. Fortunately that transition was made a little easier today with the release of four posters for upcoming movies that will soon be plastered all over multiplex lobbies. Today the internet has been graced with pics of the Sundance award-winner Tyrannosaur, as well as the upcoming thrillers Dream House, The Iceman, and Final Destination 5 (yes, shockingly The Final Destination didn’t end up being the final chapter in the franchise after it became a hit. Who could have seen that coming?). Hit the jump to get your required daily dose of teaser poster jollies.

CONFIRMED: Michael Shannon, Benicio del Toro and James Franco Set for THE ICEMAN

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: January 20th, 2011 at 4:16 pm

Back in September, we reported that a trio of actors were reportedly looking at starring in The Iceman, the true story of mob contract-killer Richard Kuklinski.  Today, we’ve got confirmation that Michael Shannon, Benicio del Toro and James Franco have officially joined the cast. Shannon has been cast in the lead role of Kuklinski, with del Toro set to play Kuklinski’s employer, mobster Roy Demeo, and Franco tapped as Kuklinski’s mentor assassin. Directed by Ariel Vromen (Danika), the film is based on the book The Iceman: The True Story of a Cold-Blooded Killer by Anthony Bruno, as well as interview footage. Regarding the casting, Vromen said:

“I am honored to work with such a talented cast on such a compelling story. Since the early stages of development I had the dream of casting Michael Shannon as Kuklinski, as I believe there’s no one else that can play this part better than him.”

Kurklinski earned his nickname by freezing the bodies of his victims, disguising the time of death, and throwing police off-track. Hit the jump to read the full press release, which includes a rather terrifying description of Kuklinski.

James Franco, Michael Shannon, and Benicio Del Toro Join Ariel Vromen’s THE ICEMAN

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: September 30th, 2010 at 9:05 pm

It was recently announced that Mickey Rourke would star in The Ice Man, a biopic based on Richard “The Ice Man” Kuklinsky, a ruthless hitman who claims to have murdered 250 people from 1948-1986.  In the meantime, director Ariel Vromen (Danika) has been developing a different Kulinsky biopic under the slightly different title of The Iceman.  Rourke’s casting appeared to give that project a leg up in the war of biopics, but according to Production Weekly, Vromen countered by rounding up an impressive cast of James Franco, Michael Shannon, and Benicio Del Toro for his film.

In fact, Vromen may have had the upper hand for some time now.  An IMDB user by the name of “arielvromen” posted back in April, “Michael Shannon is The Iceman!!!”  Shannon is a fine actor, whose work justifies three exclamation points.  Franco and Del Toro are pure icing (ha) on the cake.  So, sorry Mickey Rourke.  Unless you get the equivalent of, say, George Clooney and Betty White, I’m rooting for The Iceman over The Ice Man.  Hit the jump for a synopsis of the book which serves as the basis of the film.

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