All Articles by Steve Weintraub

Richard Madden and Kit Harington Talk GAME OF THRONES Season 2, the Sex Scenes, CGI, George R.R. Martin, and More

Posted: May 7th, 2012 at 8:49 am

Game of Thrones is more than half-way through its excellent second season, and the show has seen more than its fair share of ugly characters.  However, the Stark family provides the relief of watching honorable people, and Richard Madden and Kit Harington play two of the show’s most admirable characters.  Madden plays Robb Stark who is leading a war to rescue his sisters from King’s Landing, and gain independence for the North.  Harington plays Ned Stark’s bastard son Jon Snow and we’ve seen the character try to retain his father’s steadfast morality in the face of the Night Watch’s cold-hearted pragmatism.  Our partners at Omelete got to sit down with the two actors and talk with them about a variety of topics including the series’ popularity, the controversial amount of sex scenes, the show’s production values, the influence of author George R.R. Martin, and more.

Hit the jump to check out the interview.  Game of Thrones airs Sunday nights at 9/8c on HBO.

Joss Whedon Talks THE AVENGERS, Will he Return for the Sequel, and Reveals the Blu-ray/DVD Will Have 30 Minutes of Deleted Scenes

Posted: May 5th, 2012 at 8:46 am

With The Avengers now playing, Marvel/Disney recently held a massive press junket in Los Angeles and I was able to interview most of the cast, director Joss Whedon, and Kevin Feige (Marvel Studios President).  If you missed the interviews I’ve been posting all week, here’s Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/Hulk), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Chris Hemsworth with Chris Evans (Thor/Captain America) Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Scarlett Johansson with Jeremy Renner (Black Widow/Hawkeye), and Clark Gregg with Cobie Smulders (Agent Coulson/Maria Hill).  And the final interview from the junket, I’ve got Whedon.

During the quick interview, Whedon revealed The Avengers Blu-ray/DVD will have 30 minutes of deleted scenes and that his first cut was three hours!  We also talked about what was cut and whether he’d be back for the sequel.  Hit the jump to watch.

Ola Rapace Talks SKYFALL, Playing a Villain, Working with Javier Bardem, and More

Posted: May 4th, 2012 at 12:12 pm

It’s hard to believe just a few days ago I was on the set of the upcoming James Bond film, Skyfall, in Istanbul, Turkey.  As a lifelong Bond fan, getting to see Daniel Craig film part of a huge action scene near the famous Istanbul Spice Market was something I’ll always remember.  For more on the set visit – including a video blog recap – click here.  You can also read or listen to my interviews with director Sam Mendes, Daniel Craig, producer Barbara Broccoli, Berenice Marlohe, and Naomie Harris by clicking the links.

While in Istanbul, I was also able to participate in a roundtable interview with Ola Rapace.  Even though he was very guarded with his answers, we were able to find out that he’s the person that Bond is after at the beginning of the movie, and he may or may not be in business with Javier Bardem.  During the interview, Rapace talked about whether the script changed once he was cast, his training for the role, what it’s like to work with Bardem, filming around the world, and a lot more.  Hit the jump to read or listen to the interview.

Clark Gregg and Cobie Smulders Talk THE AVENGERS, Reading the Script for the First Time, and More

Posted: May 4th, 2012 at 8:51 am

With The Avengers now playing, Marvel/Disney recently held a massive press junket in Los Angeles and I was able to interview most of the cast, director Joss Whedon, and Kevin Feige (Marvel Studios President).   Every day this week I’ve been posting a new video interview from the junket.  The past few days have featured Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/Hulk), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Chris Hemsworth with Chris Evans (Thor/Captain America) Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Scarlett Johansson with Jeremy Renner ((Black Widow/Hawkeye), and today I’ve got Clark Gregg (Agent Coulson) and Cobie Smulders (Maria Hill).

During the interview they talked about their reactions to reading The Avengers script for the first time and what it’s like when little kids see them.  Hit the jump to watch.

Jeremy Renner & Scarlett Johansson Talk AVENGERS, Meeting Fans, and Tell a Great Story About Watching THOR While Filming

Posted: May 3rd, 2012 at 9:01 pm

With The Avengers opening tomorrow in North America, Marvel/Disney recently held a massive press junket in Los Angeles and I was able to interview most of the cast, director Joss Whedon, and Kevin Feige (Marvel Studios President).   Every day this week I’ve been posting a new video interview from the junket.  The past few days have featured Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/Hulk), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Chris Hemsworth with Chris Evans (Thor/Captain America) Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), and today I’ve got Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow) and Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye)

During the interview they talked about their reactions to reading The Avengers script for the first time, what it’s like when little kids see them, and they tell a great story about watching Thor while filming.  Johansson also talks about the differences between filming Iron Man 2 and Avengers.  Hit the jump to watch.

Fox CEO Tom Rothman Talks 48fps, THE WOLVERINE, PROMETHEUS, CHRONICLE 2, DIE HARD 5, Comic Book Movies, and a Lot More

Posted: May 3rd, 2012 at 8:43 pm

At this year’s CinemaCon, I was able to land an exclusive interview with Tom Rothman (Co-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fox Filmed Entertainment).  While we posted selected portions of the interview last week, after the jump you can read the entire conversation which covers a lot more than comic book movies.  I love getting to speak with actors and directors, but if you really want to find out which projects are moving forward and why certain decisions were made, a studio head has all the answers.

During the wide-ranging conversation we talked about 48 frames per second, the shift towards higher quality films on Fox’s slate, Prometheus (and it’s rating), Daredevil, Fantastic Four, the Chronicle sequel, The Wolverine, the Rise of the Planet of the Apes sequel, a New Mutants movie, A Good Day to Die Hard (Die Hard 5), and more.  Hit the jump to read what he had to say.

Over 30 Images from Gallery 1988′s AVENGERS ASSEMBLE Show

Posted: May 2nd, 2012 at 10:21 pm

With Marvel’s The Avengers opening this weekend, Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles is putting on an Avengers themed art show that’s filled with some really cool stuff.  Featuring original art, posters and prints that are all for sale, if you’re in the L.A. area, it’s definitely worth checking out.  However, for everyone that won’t have a chance to stop by, I attended a preview tonight and took a ton of pics.  I even snapped Joss Whedon and Clark Gregg in front of some of the art.  Hit the jump for the pics and more info.

Samuel L. Jackson Talks THE AVENGERS, Deleted Scenes, and Quentin Tarantino’s DJANGO UNCHAINED

Posted: May 2nd, 2012 at 5:43 pm

With The Avengers opening this weekend in North America, Marvel/Disney recently held a massive press junket in Los Angeles and I was able to interview most of the cast, director Joss Whedon, and Kevin Feige (Marvel Studios President).   Every day this week I’ve been posting a new video interview from the junket.  The past few days have featured Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/Hulk), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Chris Hemsworth with Chris Evans (Thor/Captain America) and today I’ve got Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury).

During the interview, they talked about their reactions to reading The Avengers script for the first time, deleted scenes, and what it’s like when little kids see him.  In addition, with Jackson currently filming Quentin Tarantino‘s Django Unchained, we talked about what it’s like to be working for Tarantino again.  Hit the jump to watch.

Daniel Craig and Producer Barbara Broccoli Talk SKYFALL, Going “Classic Bond”, Invoking the Wit of Ian Fleming and More

Posted: May 1st, 2012 at 10:01 pm

There is something about being in the presence of James Bond.  Maybe it’s because we all grew up watching the character.  Or maybe it’s because we wish we could be him—bedding beautiful women and killing bad guys with ease and style.  And although we all know Daniel Craig is not really James Bond, when he walks into a room filled with reporters from around the world to answer questions about Skyfall, the atmosphere changes.   It’s like everyone just had a few cups of coffee and they’re wide awake and ready to ask a lot of questions.  Trust me: not every actor gets that kind of response from entertainment journalists.

On Sunday afternoon, in Istanbul, Turkey, I got to participate in a roundtable interview with Daniel Craig and producer Barbara Broccoli.  Since Craig had to get back to set to film part of an action sequence on Skyfall, we had limited time.  However, even though Craig and Broccoli were guarded about giving away any of the twists and turns, they still talked about the strength of the script, the humor, how the upcoming teaser trailer only scratches the surface of what Skyfall is about, the stunts, invoking the wit of Ian Fleming, Easter eggs, if Bond 24 is really coming in 2014, and a lot more.  Hit the jump to listen or read the interview.

Director Sam Mendes Talks SKYFALL, How to Craft a Bond Film, the Franchise’s Similarity to DOCTOR WHO, and More

Posted: May 1st, 2012 at 10:01 pm

While director Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road to Perdition, Away We Go) has done a lot of press conferences for his upcoming James Bond movie, Skyfall, I’m pretty sure what you’re about to read is the first interview with any substance.  Usually, various press conferences for the film (including the one he did Sunday afternoon in Istanbul, Turkey) are about the city they’re filming in and what is it like to work with Daniel Craig or Naomie Harris.

However, on Sunday afternoon, shortly after the press conference, I participated in a small roundtable interview with Mendes where he actually went into detail about the movie.  He talked about how the script benefited from the production being pushed back, how they landed Javier Bardem and what type of villain he’s going to play, how Skyfall will show more of Bond and M’s relationship/backstory, how he loves what The Dark Knight and Bourne have done in terms of main characters, how audiences have embraced movies that go darker and more personal, the challenge of filming action scenes, and finding new ways to tell a Bond story.  Hit the jump to listen or read the interview.

Naomie Harris Talks SKYFALL, Her Favorite Bond and Bond Girl, the Moneypenny Rumors and More

Posted: May 1st, 2012 at 10:00 pm

In the upcoming James Bond movie, Skyfall, Naomie Harris plays Eve (not Moneypenny), and she’s out in the field fighting alongside Bond (Daniel Craig) against villains played by Javier Bardem and Ola Rapace.  On Sunday afternoon, during a roundtable interview in Istanbul, Turkey (where they’re currently filming), Harris talked about how she got involved in Skyfall, her character, preparing to do the action, what makes Craig special as Bond, her favorite Bond girl, what it’s like to work for director Sam Mendes, her reaction to reading the script for the first time, and a lot more.  Hit the jump to listen or read the interview.

20 Things to Know About SKYFALL From Our Istanbul, Turkey Set Visit; Plus Video Blog Recap

Posted: May 1st, 2012 at 10:00 pm

James Bond is under fire and pinned down.  He’s stuck behind a fruit stand wearing a form fitting gray suit with his gun drawn.  About fifteen feet to his left, Naomie Harris is in the front seat of a damaged Land Rover.  As he looks around the crowded outdoor Istanbul market filled with hundreds of bystanders, he notices an older motorcycle attached to a cart.  When the gunfire slows down, Bond runs to his right and kicks the bike free.  He gets on and speeds off after his assailant.

Let me back up a second.

For those just learning a new James Bond movie is being released this year (October 26 in the UK and November 9 in the US), Daniel Craig is back as James Bond and it’s being directed by Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road to Perdition, Away We Go).  The film also stars Javier Bardem (as the villain Silva), Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Bérénice Marlohe, Ola Rapace, Ben Whishaw, Albert Finney and Judi Dench as ‘M.’  Skyfall Director of Photography is Roger Deakins (one of the best in the business) and it was written by John Logan (Hugo, Gladiator, Rango).  Neal Purvis & Robert Wade also contributed to the script.  Continued after the jump.

Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans Talk THE AVENGERS, Deleted Scenes, and Little Kid Reactions

Posted: May 1st, 2012 at 5:57 pm

With The Avengers opening this weekend in North America, Marvel/Disney recently held a massive press junket in Los Angeles and I was able to interview most of the cast, director Joss Whedon, and Kevin Feige (Marvel Studios President).   Every day this week I’ll be posting a new video interview from the junket.  The past few days have featured Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/Hulk) and Tom Hiddleston (Loki), and today I’ve got Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and Chris Evans (Captain America).

During the interview, they talked about their reactions to reading The Avengers script for the first time, deleted scenes, and what it’s like when little kids see them.  Hit the jump to watch.

Mark Ruffalo Talks THE AVENGERS, Deleted Scenes, and Reveals He Signed a 6 Picture Deal with Marvel

Posted: April 30th, 2012 at 12:11 pm

With The Avengers opening next weekend in North America, Marvel/Disney recently held a massive press junket in Los Angeles and I was able to interview most of the cast, director Joss Whedon, and Kevin Feige (Marvel Studios President).   Every day this week I’ll be posting a new video interview from the junket.  Yesterday was Tom Hiddleston (Loki), and today I’ve got Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/The Hulk).

During the interview, Ruffalo talked about his reaction to reading The Avengers script for the first time, deleted scenes, and how funny the movie is.  In addition, Ruffalo revealed he signed a six picture deal with Marvel and he’s excited to keep making movies with them after seeing The Avengers.  Hit the jump to watch.

Daniel Craig, Bérénice Marlohe, Naomie Harris and Director Sam Mendes Talk About Filming SKYFALL in Istanbul, Turkey

Posted: April 29th, 2012 at 11:49 pm

“You always go back to Fleming because the character Fleming created over a number of novels was incredibly complex.  Some people sometimes forget in the cliche of Bond, which is the international playboy, and someone who’s always untroubled, and almost never breaks a sweat, that actually what Fleming created was a very conflicted character.”

This was part of what Sam Mendes said yesterday afternoon at a press conference in Istanbul, Turkey about Skyfall, where the 23rd James Bond movie is filming.  It’s also where I type these words.  As you can probably guess, I’m here covering the film and in the coming days you can expect a ton of Bond content (thank you Sony for having such a short embargo!).  Until then, hit the jump to see Daniel Craig, Bérénice Marlohe, Naomie Harris and director Sam Mendes talk about being in Istanbul and filming at the Grand Bazaar, an amazing market that dates to the early Ottoman period.

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