Willem Dafoe

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.

Willem Dafoe and Thomas Haden Church JOHN CARTER Set Visit Intervew

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 9th, 2012 at 9:06 am

Tharks, the green-skinned, six-limbed creatures living on Mars in John Carter are about nine feet tall.  Great actors though they are, Willem Dafoe and Thomas Haden Church, are not nine feet tall.  Even though they’re wearing the standard motion-capture grey leotards and tracking dots, there’s no accounting for height…unless you add stilts.  Watching Dafoe and Church march around on stilts is one of the high-lights of any set visit I’ve gone to.

With a sandstorm whipping into our faces and into our microphones, my fellow movie journalists and I spoke to Dafoe and Church on the set of John Carter.  In addition to talking about the stilts, we spoke about the scene they were currently filming, their characters, how doing motion-capture on set helped their performances, and more.  Hit the jump to check out the interview.  John Carter opens in 3D on March 9th.

7 New Images from JOHN CARTER

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 6th, 2012 at 9:14 am

I was underwhelmed by last night’s Super Bowl spot for John Carter (a movie so epic, it can fit into its title!), but I still think the movie can deliver.  It’s got scope, it’s going to be unlike anything else this year, and it’s got Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo and WALL-E) at the helm.  Disney has released 7 new images from the film and they provide a better look at Lynn Collins as Dejah Thoris, the warrior princess of Mars.

Hit the jump to check out the images.  The film also stars Taylor Kitsch, Samantha Morton, Mark Strong, Ciaran Hinds, Dominic West, James Purefoy, Daryl Sabara, Polly Walker, Bryan Cranston, Thomas Hayden Church, and Willem Dafoe.  John Carter opens in 3D on March 9th.

New Trailer and Poster for Survival Thriller THE HUNTER Starring Willem Dafoe

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: January 27th, 2012 at 11:36 am

The new trailer and poster for The Hunter have been released. The film stars Willem Dafoe as a mysterious man who has been hired to track and hunt the last remaining Tasmanian Tiger. While on the hunting mission, Dafoe must keep his employer and true intent a secret from the suspicious townspeople. While the logline may seem a bit generic (and familiar, given the upcoming release of the survival pic The Grey), the trailer is actually pretty damn enthralling. Dafoe is great as always, and a tremendous air of suspense envelops every scene. The pic premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, where Matt wasn’t all too taken by it (read his review here). I’m really hoping the film delivers, as I’m quite intrigued by this trailer.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer and poster. Directed by Daniel Nettheim, the film also stars Frances O’Connor and Sam Neill. The Hunter will be available VOD on March 2nd, and hits theaters April 6th.

2 TV Spots and New Images from JOHN CARTER Starring Taylor Kitsch

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 16th, 2011 at 1:56 pm

Two new TV spots and a batch of new images have been released for director Andrew Stanton’s (Wall-E) John Carter. Based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’ novel John Carter of Mars, the film tells the story of a former Confederate soldier who is inexplicably transported to Mars where he finds himself in the middle of an epic war between the planet’s inhabitants. The more I see of John Carter the better I feel about it, and these TV spots are no exception. They bring the epic scope of the project into focus, and promise a multitude of creatures, battles, and pretty lights! I’m a huge fan of Stanton’s work at Pixar and I’m hoping he delivers here.

Hit the jump to check out the TV spots and images. The film stars Taylor Kitsch, Willem Dafoe, Lynn Collins, Samantha Morton, Mark Strong, Ciaran Hinds, Dominic West, James Purefoy, Daryl Sabara, Polly Walker, Bryan Cranston, and Thomas Hayden Church. John Carter opens in 3D on March 9th.

3 New Banners from JOHN CARTER

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 1st, 2011 at 6:59 pm

Disney has released three new banners from the upcoming sci-fi flick John Carter. Directed by Wall-E’s Andrew Stanton, the film tells the story of a former Confederate soldier who is inexplicably transported to Mars where he finds himself in the middle of an epic war between the planet’s inhabitants. While I wasn’t too impressed by the first teaser trailer, the latest full trailer has raised my spirits. It looks to be incredibly expansive, the special effects look pretty impressive, and I’m intrigued to see more. Given Stanton’s Pixar background, I’m hoping the full film delivers.

These new banners are pretty nifty. They highlight star Taylor Kitsch and the many creatures he encounters on his journey (including Tars Tarkas portrayed through motion-capture by Willem Dafoe). Hit the jump to check them out. The film also stars Lynn Collins, Samantha Morton, Mark Strong, Ciaran Hinds, Dominic West, James Purefoy, Daryl Sabara, Polly Walker, Bryan Cranston, and Thomas Hayden Church. John Carter opens in 3D on March 9th.

Full Trailer for JOHN CARTER Starring Taylor Kitsch

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: November 30th, 2011 at 9:24 pm

Good Morning America had a sneak peek of the new John Carter trailer earlier today, which probably wasn’t the best way to present a hard sell to an unfamiliar audience, not to mention a critical group of fans ready to tear into the film adaptation that dropped the most interesting half of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ John Carter of Mars. Disney followed up quickly with the full trailer that gives you a better sense of the film.  It looks big, like the event film that Disney needs it to be.

Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Willem Dafoe, Mark Strong, Bryan Cranston, Thomas Haden Church, and James Purefoy star in director Andrew Stanton‘s first live-action feature. John Carter opens in 3D on March 9, 2012.  Watch the trailer after the jump.

“Sneak Peek” at New Trailer for JOHN CARTER

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: November 30th, 2011 at 8:45 am

A new trailer for director Andrew Stanton‘s John Carter has been released. The film centers on a former Confederate soldier who is inexplicably transported to Mars where he finds himself in the middle of a epic war between the planet’s inhabitants. The trailer (or at least the cut that aired on Good Morning America) is short and not sweet. It features lines like “That don’t look like a fair fight,” and “We did not cause this, but we will end it!” Hoo-boy.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer. The film stars Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Willem Dafoe, Mark Strong, Bryan Cranston, Thomas Haden Church, and James Purefoy. John Carter opens in 3D on March 9, 2012. [Update: Stanton has tweeted [via @Illusion0fLife] that the full trailer will air tonight online and during Jimmy Kimmel Live. ] [2nd Update: Disney has asked us to refer to this as a "sneak peek" of the trailer.  That means it's a preview of a trailer, which is the idiotic world of double-marketing we live in.  If you want to see the full trailer in all its wonder, it will run tonight at 9:00pm PST on IGN]

New Images from JOHN CARTER

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: November 26th, 2011 at 10:58 am

Last week a new image from Wall-E director Andrew Stanton’s John Carter popped up online, and now six more images have been unveiled in anticipation of the new trailer dropping next Thursday. Based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’s John Carter of Mars, the sci-fi pic tells the story of a former Confederate soldier who is transported to Mars right in the middle of an epic conflict between the planet’s inhabitants. I wasn’t exactly wowed by the first trailer, so I’m hoping this new one looks more promising. These images are pretty cool, and give us a look at some neat creatures from the film (including Tars Tarkas played by Willem Dafoe), but the film still looks like an incredibly hard sell to general audiences. Hopefully this new trailer will alleviate concerns, as I think Stanton’s an extremely talented filmmaker.

Hit the jump to check out the images. The film also stars Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Samantha Morton, Mark Strong, Ciaran Hinds, Dominic West, James Purefoy, Daryl Sabara, Polly Walker, Bryan Cranston, and Thomas Hayden Church. John Carter opens in 3D on March 9th.

Trailer for FIREFLIES IN THE GARDEN Starring Ryan Reynolds, Willem Dafoe and Julia Roberts

by Jason Barr    Posted: August 26th, 2011 at 10:35 pm

A trailer for writer/director Dennis Lee’s drama Fireflies in the Garden has landed online. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Willem Dafoe, Julia Roberts, Emily Watson, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hayden Panettiere and Shannon Lucio, the film is a semi-autobiographical tale from Lee that focuses on the tumultuous relationships within the Taylor family that are confronted after a tragic car accident kills the matriarch (Roberts).

The film was actually completed back in 2008 and is just now making its way to theaters. Given the amount of star power it contains, I wouldn’t think that bodes well for the final product. That said, I think the cut on display here is plenty effective in setting up the tension between father (Dafoe) and son (Reynolds). Check out the trailer after the jump. Fireflies in the Garden will open to select markets on October 14th.

Willem Dafoe Talks JOHN CARTER, ODD THOMAS, PACIFIC RIM, THE HUNTER and More at D23

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: August 26th, 2011 at 12:30 pm

At last weekend D23 (essentially Disney’s Comic-Con), I was able to speak with Willem Dafoe about director Andrew Stanton’s John Carter.  He talked about who he plays (Tars Tarkas), what the movie is about, and the challenges of making the film.  For more on John Carter, you can read my 20 things to know about the movie from my edit bay visit.  In addition,  Dafoe also talked a bit about Odd Thomas, is he going to work with Guillermo del Toro on Pacific Rim, The Hunter (which premieres at TIFF) and Abel Ferrara’s The Last Day on Earth.  Hit the jump to watch.  You can also watch all my video interviews from D23 here.

D23 Live Action Recap: THE MUPPETS, JOHN CARTER, OZ: THE GREAT AND POWERFUL and THE AVENGERS

by Tommy Cook    Posted: August 20th, 2011 at 10:32 pm

Disney’s D23 Expo (the D standing in for Disney; 23 being a reference to the founding year of the studio – 1923) is kind of sorta like Comic Con, except more family friendly, cleaner, smaller, not as crowded, better smelling. And blue. I swear –it seemed like everything at the Expo was blue.  The seats in the auditorium, the rug on the show room floors, the gelled up lights, the screen – all blue. Hell – even the press packet folder was stripped in the color. At times, I felt like I was watching a latter day Derek Jarman flick.

The big highly anticipated panel of D23 – Walt Disney’s presentation (i.e. shilling) of their upcoming slate of films did not disappoint. So jam-packed was the three hour presentation, I’m forced to split my coverage into two parts. The first herein will focus on Disney’s upcoming live action films, whereas the second will cover their forthcoming animated films. Exclusive footage and clips were shown from the likes of The Muppets, John Carter (formerly of Mars), the just-started-shooting Oz: The Great and Powerful and, of course, The Avengers. For descriptions and impressions of the footage shown, hit the jump.  And for coverage on the live action portion of the panel, featuring Brave, Monsters University, Frankenweenie, and Wreck-It Ralph, click here.

TIFF 2011: New Images from GOD BLESS AMERICA, THE HUNTER, and MONEYBALL

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: August 5th, 2011 at 9:26 am

More images continue to roll out for films playing at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.  New images have been released for Bobcat Goldthwait’s God Bless America, Daniel Nettheim’s The Hunter starring Willem Dafoe, and Bennett Miller’s Moneyball starring Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill.

Hit the jump to check out the new images and a synopsis for each film.  The 2011 Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 8 – 18th.

Willem Dafoe and Rob Kazinsky Join Guillermo del Toro’s PACIFIC RIM

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: July 28th, 2011 at 7:14 pm

Rob Kazinsky had to drop out of The Hobbit in April for personal reasons, but he is again ready for a tentpole.  Variety reports Kazinsky has joined the cast of Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim as a member of the team fighting alien invaders.  Moreover, Willem Dafoe is in early talks to play a “rogue scientist with expertise on alien creatures.”  Sounds like perfect casting.  Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Charlie Day, and Max Martini also star.

After a couple of false starts, Del Toro is chomping at the bit to shoot his next movie in November.  To give you an idea of what’s in store, Del Toro has called it “the biggest giant monster movie ever made“  and promised  “the finest fucking monsters ever committed to screen” at Comic-Con.  Pacific Rim is scheduled for release on July 12, 2013.

Teaser Trailer for THE HUNTER Starring Willem Dafoe

by Jason Barr    Posted: July 27th, 2011 at 3:58 pm

The teaser trailer for Australian director Daniel Nettheim’s adaptation of The Hunter is now available online. Based on the novel by Julia Leigh (who directed this year’s Cannes-entry Sleeping Beauty starring Emily Browning), The Hunter tells the story of Martin David (played by Willem Dafoe), a mysterious man who is in search of the last Tasmanian tiger known to exist. While this may sound like a straightforward enough narrative, the twist comes from the fact that David must keep his employer and true intent a secret from suspicious townspeople.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer which features some really nice cinematography combined with enough foreboding for two teaser trailers. In addition to Dafoe, The Hunter also stars Sam Neill and Frances O’Connor. The film is scheduled to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival which runs from September 8th – 18th.

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