At this year’s Toronto Film Festival, I was able to speak with director Marc Forster about 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 devotes his time to saving kidnapped and orphaned children in Sudan.  The film also stars Michelle Monaghan and Michael Shannon.  It’s a hell of a story and one that I’m glad got told.  You can watch some clips here.

During the interview, Forster talked about why he decided to make Machine Gun Preacher, being the producer and director, the casting process, editing, karoke and what’s the last video game he played.  In addition, with Forster currently shooting World War Z with Brad Pitt, he talked about what drew him to that project and changing the book to make the movie.  Hit the jump to watch.

At this year’s Toronto Film Festival, I was able to talk with the cast and director Marc Forster about Machine Gun Preacher.  With the movie opening in limited release this weekend (it expands next week), you can expect our video interviews in the next few days.  However, with Forster currently shooting World War Z with Brad Pitt, I used some of my time to ask why he decided to change the story of the book for the movie.  He said:

“You want to capture the spirit of the book, but at the same time, you have to create your own narrative for the film.  There are a lot of things from the book that we are trying to incorporate into the film.  It’s a tricky balance.”

He also talked about what drew him to the project and goes into more detail about World War Z.  Hit the jump to watch.

Six new clips from director Marc Forster’s Machine Gun Preacher are now online. Starring Gerard Butler, Michelle Monaghan and Michael Shannon, the “based on a true story” pic centers on Sam Childers (Butler), a once upon a time drug dealer who turns his life around and dedicates it to saving kidnapped and orphaned children in Sudan. Hit the jump to watch some new footage from the film. Machine Gun Preacher hits limited theaters in the U.S. on September 23rd and opens in the U.K. on November 18th.

The first clip from the “based on a true story” actioner Machine Gun Preacher has landed online. Starring Gerard Butler, Michelle Monaghan and Michael Shannon, the film tells the story of Sam Childers (Butler), a converted drug-dealer who makes it his personal responsibility to save hundreds of kidnapped and orphaned children in Sudan. Like I said when the trailer was released, I think Butler is in his element here (i.e. not starring opposite Katherine Heigl in a romantic comedy) and I’m looking forward to checking it out.

Watch the clip, which features some words of inspiration from Monaghan, after the jump. Directed by Marc Forster, Machine Gun Preacher will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival before hitting select U.S. theaters on September 23rd and the U.K. on November 18th. Also, with TIFF beginning tomorrow, be on the lookout for a slew of clips from films premiering at the festival.

A video from the set of director Marc Forster’s (Quantum of Solace) adaptation of Max Brooks’ World War Z has popped up online and it gives viewers a great look at what transforming into a zombie is all about (Hint: you become very flexible). Starring Brad Pitt, Bryan Cranston, Anthony Mackie, Matthew Fox, Mireille Enos and James Badge Dale, the film centers on a United Nations employee (Pitt) who trots around the globe in an attempt to stop a devastating pandemic.

Check out the set video after the jump. World War Z is set to open on December 21st, 2012.

The theatrical trailer for director Marc Forster’s (Monster’s Ball and Quantum of Solace) Machine Gun Preacher has hit the interwebs. Starring Gerard Butler, Michelle Monaghan, and Michael Shannon, the film tells the true story of Sam Childers (Butler), a former drug-dealer who goes on to save the lives of hundreds of kidnapped and orphaned kids in Sudan. While I can’t claim to be Butler’s biggest fan, I have to say that he looks to be in his element in Preacher as a hardened guy who wants to do the right thing the only way he knows how: through violence. Add that in with the fact that I’ve enjoyed much of Forster’s previous work, and Machine Gun Preacher is a film I’m looking forward to watching.

Check out the trailer after the jump. Machine Gun Preacher will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival next month and opens theatrically on September 23rd.

I accept that film adaptations of books will be different.  They have to be and they should be.  However, it’s wise to retain the core concept of the book otherwise the studio is just paying for the name and hoping they’ll sucker in soon-to-be-disappointed fans of the novel.  That appears to be the case with the adaptation of Max Brooks’ World War Z.  The plot of the book takes place after a zombie apocalypse and has a researcher for the UN going around the world to determine the cause.  A mock documentary style would probably work best since the novel has multiple points of view.  I can understand the need to whittle down the movie to a single POV especially when that POV is from a character played by Brad Pitt.

But the official synopsis Paramount just released for the film shows that Paramount has gone far beyond that alteration.  Hit the jump for the synopsis and my reaction.  The movie also stars Mireille Enos, Anthony Mackie, James Badge Dale, and Bryan Cranston.  World War Z is due out December 21, 2012.

Paramount Pictures has set a release date for director Marc Forster’s (Quantum of Solace) upcoming zombie pic, World War Z. The adaptation of Max Brooks’ book will hit theaters on December 21, 2012. Starring Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Anthony Mackie, James Badge Dale, and possibly Bryan Cranston, the pic documents the aftermath of the inevitable zombie apocalypse from a number of perspectives including U.S. Government officials and mercenaries. The film is currently in production and, with its December 21st release date, is slated to go head-to-head with Disney’s Lone Ranger starring Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer, director Phillip Noyce’s (Salt) Hunter Killer, and Ang Lee’s (Brokeback Mountain) Life of Pi starring Tobey Maguire. For more on World War Z, hit the jump to check out a synopsis of the book.

The first image of Gerard Bulter in Marc Forster’s Machine Gun Preacher has gone online.  Butler plays real-life humanitarian Sam Childers, a former criminal who became a protector of Sudanese orphans.  Speaking to USA Today about the role, Butler said, “There is more complexity in a modern-day character who’s a drug addict and a biker turned businessman, missionary and soldier. You don’t get roles like this very often.”  I’m curious to see how brutal Forster and Butler will make Childers or if the audience will allow Childers’ methods to be as violent as possible if they’re in defense of children.

Hit the jump to check out the image.  Machine Gun Preacher opens September 23rd.

Relativity Media has picked up Marc Forster’s drama Machine Gun Preacher and will give the film a limited release on September 23rd.  The movie is based on the real-life story of Sam Childers (played by Gerard Butler), a former drug-dealer who eventually became a crusader for hundreds of refugee children in East Africa.  The film also stars Michelle Monaghan, Kathy Baker, and Michael Shannon.

Since it’s opening in limited release (most likely to build buzz for a possible awards run), it won’t really be competing against the movies opening in wide release, but here’s the list anyway: Abduction starring Taylor Lautner, the family film Dolphin Tale 3D, the action flick Killer Elite, and the sports drama Moneyball starring Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill.  Hit the jump for the press release from Relativity.

Lionsgate had tentative plans to release Machine Gun Preacher in the fall, but three other films — Warrior, Abduction, and Safe — will occupy the studio’s resources with September/October release dates.  Relativity’s fall is lighter, with Shark Night 3D in September and Immortals in November — as newcomers to distribution, the studio is eager for product to push.  The schedules worked out such that, per Risky Business, Lionsgate will hand off the domestic release for Machine Gun Preacher to Relativity.  (Lionsgate will still handle international distribution.)  Gerard Butler and Michelle Monaghan in the biopic about Sam Childers, “a drug-dealing biker who found God and became an activist on behalf of child soldiers in Sudan.  Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace) directed the $30 million independent production from a script by Jason Keller.  No official release date is set, but Machine Gun Preacher is still on the agenda for Fall 2011.

Hit the jump for details on Bastards, the latest acquisition at Paramount.

With production set to begin this month, Marc Forster’s adaptation of Max Brooks’ World War Z continues to fill out its cast.  Bloody Disgusting reports that Matthew Fox is now on board while Deadline adds that Ed Harris is in talks to join him.  The zombie-action flick also stars Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos (The Killing), Anthony Mackie, Julia Levy-Boeken, and James Badge Dale.  BD reports that Fox will play “Parajumper” while Harris role is currently unknown.  The book takes place ten years after a zombie apocalypse but since Paramount sees the property as a tentpole, it will be repurposed into a PG-13 action movie.

Hit the jump for a synopsis of the novel.  Fox is also attached to play the villain in Rob Cohen’s adaptation of I, Alex Cross starring Tyler Perry.  Harris is playing John McCain in Game Change and he’s attached to co-star with Aaron Eckhart in Neil Labute’s The Geography of Hope.

We’ve got a couple of casting stories for you this afternoon. First up, Ben Affleck has tapped Alan Arkin to star in his Tehran hostage crisis flick Argo. Affleck is poised to direct the film, which is based on a Wired magazine article entitled “How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans from Tehran.” The true story tells how the CIA and the Canadian government teamed up to rescue six U.S. diplimats who had been taken hostage by Iranians in 1979. The CIA developed a ruse that involved convincing the Iranians that the diplomats were a Hollywood film crew scouting locations for a movie called “Argo.” Variety reports that Arkin will play a Hollywood producer who’s an O.S.S. veteran and is described as “equal parts bookie and rabbi.” George Clooney and Grant Heslov are producing.

Additionally, James Badge Dale (The Pacific) is in negotiations to join Brad Pitt in Marc Forster’s World War Z. The film is based on the book of the same name which details the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse from the perspective of survivors as varied as mercenaries, US government officials, and impoverished Palestinians. Showblitz reports that Dale will play an American soldier trying to convince the authorities of the danger the zombies pose, and he joins Mireille Enos (The Killing) and possibly Anthony Mackie in the flick which starts production this summer. Hit the jump for the casting news of Elodie Yung in G.I. Joe 2. and a synopsis of the book World War Z.

The Hurt Locker star Anthony Mackie may be starring in two high profile upcoming projects. First up, the actor is fielding an offer to star alongside Brad Pitt and The Killing’s Mireille Enos in the post-apocalyptic tale World War Z. Directed by Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace), the is based on the book of the same name which details the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse from the perspective of survivors as varied as mercenaries, US government officials, and impoverished Palestinians.

Variety also reports that Mackie is being eyed for a role in Ruben Fleischer’s (Zombieland) 1940’s crime drama Gangster Squad. That film boasts an impressive cast that includes Sean Penn, Josh Brolin and Ryan Gosling. No word on what role Mackie would play in either film. The actor is currently filming Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Production on World War Z is set to start his June. Hit the jump for a synopsis of the novel.

Hot off the heels of the success of AMC’s latest series, The Killing, star Mireille Enos is now in talks to join the cast of Paramount’s big-budget zombie pic World War Z. Directed by Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace), the film stars Brad Pitt and is based on the book of the same name which details the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse from the perspective of survivors as varied as mercenaries, US government officials, and impoverished Palestinians.

Heat Vision reports that Enos is in talks to join the cast as Pitt’s wife, and the mother of his two children. Pitt will portray a U.N. worker. The fate of World War Z was in doubt for some time because of the hefty $125 million price tag. However, Paramount was able to find other investors and now production is set to start this June in London, Malta, and other various locations around the world. Hit the jump for a synopsis of the novel.