
Director Quentin Tarantino must have written a doozie of a role for a certain Django Unchained character; not only has Kevin Costner left the picture, but now Kurt Russell has exited as well. Both veterans were slated to play the role of Ace Woody, a villainous character who trains slaves to fight each other for public amusement. Granted, the role isn’t feel-good like Man of Steel’s Pa Kent or Miracle’s Herb Brooks, but it’s a Tarantino flick; no one gets out unscathed. Costner had previously cited scheduling difficulties for his departure from Django Unchained, but Russell’s camp has yet to provide a reason. Slightly concerning is the fact that with a December 25th release date, there hasn’t been a replacement announced just yet.
Sacha Baron Cohen also let slip that his planned cameo won’t happen due to a scheduling conflict. The rest of the Django Unchained cast, however, needs little support, boasting Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson, M.C. Gainey, Garrett Dillahunt, Dennis Christopher, Gerald McRaney, Laura Cayouette, Don Johnson, and Tom Savini. Hit the jump for more. [Update: We've added new information regarding Russell's role]

Though we’ve already posted a bounty of G.I. Joe: Retaliation material over the past few days, there’s one more Joe-related story to add to the pile: an international trailer. The new trailer for the sequel premiered yesterday, and this international trailer differs from that one in two ways: more global focus, and more ninjas. The first trailer for the film pleasantly surprised me, but yesterday’s clip left me a little disheartened. I want to see a movie that’s not simply a CGI-heavy Transformers rehash, and I’m hoping director Jon M. Chu has a fun take up his sleeve that’s more hand-to-hand combat oriented. Ninjas automatically make a movie at least 45% cooler, and Dwayne Johnson is the king of charisma.
Hit the jump to check out the international trailer and for a quick rundown on all our recent G.I. Joe: Retaliation coverage. The film opens on June 29th and also stars Adrianne Palicki, Channing Tatum, Walton Goggins, Ray Park, Byung-hun Lee, Elodie Yung, RZA, Ray Stevenson, and D.J. Cotrona.

Paramount has released a new trailer for G.I. Joe: Retaliation that reveals more of the story and showcases some really cool action that’s been amplified by some great looking CGI. While I was in the minority for liking the first G.I. Joe movie, I’ll admit the new trailer looks like a huge step forward for the franchise and the casting of Dwayne Johnson as Roadblock and Bruce Willis as the original Joe seems like it’s going to pay off in a big way at the box office. Hit the jump to check out the new trailer which features London getting hit by a Cobra missle.
G.I. Joe: Retaliation opens June 29 and also stars Adrianne Palicki, Channing Tatum, Walton Goggins, Ray Park, Byung-hun Lee, Elodie Yung, RZA, Ray Stevenson, and D.J. Cotrona.

While Samuel L. Jackson’s role in the upcoming superhero epic The Avengers certainly won’t hurt his status as “highest grossing actor ever,” that doesn’t mean the veteran will neglect his acting roots. Jackson once again teams with director Quentin Tarantino for Django Unchained later this year, a movie which draws inspiration from some of the ugliest events in American history. While we’ve brought you some good looking images of Christoph Waltz in character and of the first teaser poster, the plot itself is a bit on the ugly side. It revolves around Django, a freed slave (Jamie Foxx) and Dr. King Schultz, a German-born bounty hunter (Waltz) who are out to rescue Django’s wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington). Jackson plays a “house slave” of plantation owner, Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio). The outstanding cast also includes Kurt Russell, Garrett Dillahunt, Walton Goggins, RZA, M.C. Gainey, Dennis Christopher, Gerald McRaney, Laura Cayouette, Don Johnson, Tom Savini, and Sacha Baron Cohen. Django Unchained opens December 25th. Hit the jump to see what Jackson had to say about how Tarantino aims to handle the sensitive subject matter.

It’s easy to get overshadowed with The Avengers, The Amazing Spider-Man and The Dark Knight Rises crowding the spotlight, but G.I. Joe: Retaliation has more than enough might to muscle their way in. In these new character images, we get a look at our favorite Joes in action, including the original Joe (Bruce Willis). In this sequel directed by Jon M. Chu (Step Up 3D), the Joes are decimated by a Cobra attack that leaves only a few of the good guys standing. The remaining Joes must band together to take down the evil organization. G.I. Joe: Retaliation also stars Dwayne Johnson, Adrianne Palicki, Channing Tatum, Walton Goggins, Ray Park, Byung-hun Lee, Elodie Yung, RZA, Ray Stevenson and D.J. Cotrona. Hit the jump to check out the new images.

Following the release of the excellent teaser poster for Quentin Tarantino‘s Django Unchained, The Weinstein Company has now released the film’s official synopsis. Briefly, the movie takes place before the Civil War, and follows Django (Jamie Foxx), an escaped slave who teams up with a bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz) in order to rescue Django’s wife (Kerry Washington) from a cruel plantation owner (Leonardo DiCaprio). The outstanding cast also includes Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Garrett Dillahunt, Walton Goggins, RZA, M.C. Gainey, Dennis Christopher, Gerald McRaney, Laura Cayouette, Don Johnson, Tom Savini, and Sacha Baron Cohen.
Hit the jump to check out the full synopsis. Django Unchained opens December 25th.

Developed by Graham Yost and based on the works of crime novelist Elmore Leonard, the hit FX drama series Justified has proven itself to be one of the strongest written and best acted shows on television. One of the new additions for Season 3 has been actor Mykelti Williamson, as the mysterious Limehouse, a man who knows enough secrets to make almost everyone in Harlan uncomfortable.
During this recent interview about his role on the show, Mykelti Williamson talked about not knowing whether or not he’ll be returning next season, the fun of being kept in the dark about where things are going, what he thinks of his character, how much he enjoys watching the show as a viewer, his favorite scene in the finale, and that he keeps a character Bible of his own potential storylines that he hopes to suggest, should he return. Check out what he had to say after the jump.

The first trailer for G.I. Joe: Retaliation has gone online. While I was underwhelmed by the Entertainment Tonight sneak peek, this full trailer is actually kind of fantastic (actual trailer editors > ET editors). It’s got some stellar action, a cool story, and a chill-inducing shot featuring the White House. The story finds the Joes in deep, as the entirety of the G.I. Joe team has been killed save for a few remaining survivors. Director Jon Chu has staged some nice action sequences here, and the trailer is elevated by a nifty cut of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.”
Hit the jump to watch the trailer. The film stars Dwayne Johnson, Channing Tatum, Adrianne Palicki, D.J. Cotrona, and Bruce Willis. G.I. Joe: Retaliation opens June 29th, 2012.

It’s crazy to think that Walton Goggins and his racist character Boyd Crowder almost bit the dust at the end of the pilot for Justified, but after focus group tests showed the audience absolutely loved the character, he was made to stick around, and has lasted into the series’ third season. Now he’s featured alongside Emmy nominated star Timothy Olyphant with shotguns blazing in this brief teaser for the new season set to premiere in January. There’s not really any new footage from the series itself, but this teaser is still pretty kick-ass. Watch it after the jump.

After The Shield signed off in 2008, Walton Goggins set off on the path to become one of the great character actors in genre fare. Justified is the most notable example, highlighted by the recent Emmy nomination. But Goggins’ is starting to pepper his resume with supporting roles in big summer blockbusters (at least by intention) like Predators and Cowboys & Aliens. Next summer will follow suit now that Paramount has signed Goggins for a role in G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation. According to Variety, Goggins will play Warden Nigel James. Goggins is one of several new cast members in what has become more reboot than sequel—Dwayne Johnson (Roadblock), Adrianne Palicki (Lady Jaye), RZA (Blind Master), D.J. Cotrona (Flint), Joseph Mazzello (Mouse), and Elodie Yung (Jinx) are confirmed, while Bruce Willis is in talks to play Joe himself. Channing Tatum (Duke), Ray Park (Snake Eyes), and Byung-hun Lee (Storm Shadow) will reprise their roles from the original.
Director Jon Chu (Justin Bieber: Never Say Never) will start shooting later this month in New Orleans, working from a script by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (Zombieland). G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation is scheduled for release on June 29, 2012.

The nominations for the 2011 Primetime Emmys have been announced. HBO, as always, led the pack as the miniseries Mildred Pierce picked up 21 nominations, Boardwalk Empire picked up 18 nominations, and Game of Thrones nabbed 13 nominations. Also, as usual, Mad Men held the most nominations of any dramatic series by picking up 19 nods. The Emmys also once again overlooked Community in favor of garbage like Glee, but they also finally showed Parks and Recreation some love. It’s also cool that Louis C.K. (Louie), Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), and Walton Goggins (Justified) picked up nominations, but overlooking Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) was just one of the many snubs that the Emmys have become known for.
Hit the jump to check out the full list of nominees. Winners will be announced Sunday, September 18th at 8/7c on Fox.

We have three quick casting stories to report. First up, Michael Chiklis has left behind playing good guy superheroes on the now-canceled No Ordinary Family and will play the villain in Taylor Hackford’s revenge-thriller Parker starring Jason Statham. Statham plays the eponymous character, a thief with a strict moral code. The story is based on Donald Westlake’s series of crime novels and Parker is intended to be the start of a new action franchise. Deadline reports that Jennifer Lopez is still in talks to play the female lead, but I’m just excited to see Chiklis get back into badass Vic Mackey mode (although I wouldn’t classify as Mackey as a straight “villain” as much as a deeply flawed character).
Hit the jump for casting news regarding Chiklis’ The Shield co-star Walton Goggins as well as more casting for the adaptation of What to Expect When You’re Expecting.

The trailer for Rod Lurie’s remake of Sam Peckinpah’s Straw Dogs has gone online. The remake transplants the story from rural England to the deep South where a screenwriter (James Marsden) and his wife (Kate Bosworth) relocate to her hometown. Like in the original, they encounter hostility from the locals and matters get increasingly worse for the couple from there. I’m not familiar with Lurie’s original but I’m liking the Southern setting in the trailer, and Skarsgård is positively creepy as the antagonist.
Hit the jump to check out the trailer. The film also stars Alexander Skarsgård, Dominic Purcell, Laz Alonso, Walton Goggins, and James Woods. Straw Dogs opens September 16th.

We’ve got a couple of casting stories for you today. First up, Vincent D’Onofrio, Chelsea Handler and Eric Bogoslan will star in an adaptation of Bogoslan’s novel Mall, the directorial debut of Linkin Park’s Joe Hahn. Deadline reports that the film will tell the intersecting stories of five suburbanites: “a stoner teen, a restless housewife, a voyeuristic businessman, a mall security guard and a trigger-happy crystal meth addict who heads to the mall looking for trouble.” Handler will play the dark role of the housewife, D’Onofrio will take on the voyeuristic businessman, and Bogoslan is set to play a store owner. Hahn has directed a number of Linkin Park’s music videos.
Additionally, Walton Goggins (Justified) has joined the cast of the indie drama Officer Down. The film stars David Boreanaz, Stephen Dorff, Dominic Purcell (Prison Break) and AnnaLynne McCord (90210) and centers on a doctor and security guard who live out each other’s daytime lives in their dreams at night. The security guard murders his wife, but is then hit by a car and is brought in to the hospital that he doctor works at, where they recognize each other. Deadline reports that Goggins will play the prime suspect in the sexual assault of a young woman, a case being investigated by Dorff’s character. Hit the jump to read a synopsis of the novel Mall.

On the FX drama Justified, actor Walton Goggins plays the intriguing, complex and still completely mysterious Boyd Crowder. Long time friend and ultimate nemesis to U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant), the extremist turned born-again Christian leader turned mine worker always keeps viewers guessing.
In a recent interview, Walton Goggins talked about the growth of his character over Season 2, Boyd’s own moral compass and code of ethics, his evolving relationships on the show, exploring the possibility of love for his character, and how Boyd is still a definite mystery to him as well. Check out what he had to say after the jump:
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