In the wake of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination in Dallas on November 22, 1963, the country went into a frenzy as news stations produced headline after headline—accurate and inaccurate—of what had occurred at Dealey Plaza that afternoon.  But what happened amidst the chaos of one of the most devastating events in US history and how did those involved in the event respond?  Parkland delves into the aftermath, giving viewers insight into the lives of those closest to the tragedy and following them in a span of four days.  From the nurses and doctors who tended to a wounded President Kennedy to the Secret Service agents responsible for protecting him, and the infamous Abraham Zapruder who captured everything on his 8mm camera, the film focuses on the stories within the news headlines.  More after the jump.

This November will be the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination.  There will be TV specials, memorials, and think pieces.  Peter Landesman’s Parkland looks beyond the assassination and even President Kennedy to examine the surrounding figures on that infamous day and their roles in one of the most important events in American history.  It’s a paradoxical film that mythologizes the people who have been overlooked by the history books, but also demythologizes the actual events by showing the details that were overshadowed by the moment when the course of history changed.  The result is a movie that captivates in how it depicts little moments from average people, but also undermines the story’s power by forcing drama on an inherently dramatic situation.

As great of an actor as he is, Billy Bob Thornton is also a very talented writer/director, and in his latest release, Jayne Mansfield’s Car (out in theaters on September 13^th), he’s expertly doing all three, alongside a cast that includes Robert Duvall, John Hurt, Kevin Bacon, Robert Patrick, Ray Stevenson, Katherine LaNasa and Frances O’Connor.  While we will run the portion of our interview with what Thornton had to say about making that film closer to its release date, we did want to share what he had to say about two highly anticipated projects that he’s connected to.

During this recent exclusive interview with Collider, Billy Bob Thornton talked about how everyone involved still wants to make Bad Santa 2 happen, and that it’s the kind of movie you do a sequel for, but that they jumped the gun a bit in saying just how quickly it would go into production.  He also talked about what drew him to the FX mini-series Fargo, just how good the pilot script is, and not wanting to pass up working with Joel and Ethan Coen (who are executive producers on the project) again.  Check out what he had to asy after the jump. 

The first trailer for writer/director Peter Landesman’s upcoming drama Parkland has landed online.  Produced by Tom Hanks, the pic revolves around the chaotic events that occurred at Parkland Hospital in Dallas on the day that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.  Parkland Hospital is where Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald, and Jack Ruby all died.   At first blush, Parkland could easily be passed off as a film that simply wants to capitalize on the 50th anniversary of JFK’s assassination, especially since it must exist in the same spectrum as Oliver Stone’s 1991 effort JFK, along with the raw imagery of Abraham Zapruder’s historic home movie.  However, this trailer suggests that the film has captured the chaos of the event itself and the ensuing finger-pointing, along with the period-specific aesthetic; let’s hope the decision to focus on Parkland Hospital turns out to be an inspired one.  There are a few hammy moments in this first look, but Paul Giamatti’s performance is certainly one worth watching.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer.  The film also stars Billy Bob Thornton, Zac Efron, Marcia Gay Harden, Jacki Weaver, James Badge Dale, Jackie Earle Haley, Ron Livingston, Colin Hanks, Tom Welling, Jeremy Strong, and David Harbour.  Parkland will debut at the Venice Film Festival and hits theaters later this year.

The first images and poster for writer/director Peter Landesman’s upcoming drama Parkland have landed online.  Produced by Tom Hanks, the pic revolves around the chaotic events that occurred at Parkland Hospital in Dallas on the day that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.  Parkland Hospital is where Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald, and Jack Ruby all died.  The impressive ensemble cast includes Paul Giamatti, Zac Efron, Billy Bob Thornton, and Marcia Gay Harden, all of who can be seen in these debut images.  We’ll get our first look at the pic in action when the trailer debuts on Monday, August 19th, so be sure to check back then.

Hit the jump to take a look at the images and poster.  The film also stars Jacki Weaver, James Badge Dale, Jackie Earle Haley, Ron Livingston, Colin Hanks, Tom Welling, Jeremy Strong, and David Harbour.  Parkland will debut at the Venice Film Festival and hits theaters later this year.

We’ve got some new casting developments regarding FX original programming to attend to today.  First up, Billy Bob Thornton has been tapped to lead the network’s upcoming limited series adaptation of the feature film Fargo. Writers/directors Joel and Ethan Cohen are involved as executive producers, and FX has announced that Thornton will play Lorne Malvo, “the rootless, manipulative man who meets a small-town insurance salesman and sets him on a path of destruction.”  The 10-episode series will feature a new “true crime” story and new characters, but Thornton’s role is similar to the one Steve Buscemi played in the 1996 Coen brothers film.

Novelist/writer Noah Hawley wrote all 10 episodes of the series, and production is set to begin in Canada this fall in anticipation of a spring premiere on FX.  Hit the jump for a couple of additions to the horror anthology series American Horror Story: Coven. 

We’re happy to debut a batch of exclusive new images from the upcoming action-comedy The Baytown Outlaws today.  Written and directed by Barry Battles, the film follows three ruthless brothers who fall into helping a damsel in distress (Eva Longoria) by rescuing her godson (Thomas Brodie Sangster) from her nefarious ex-husband, Rob (Billy Bob Thornton).  It looks like a pretty wild pic, and these images highlight the cast of characters that also includes Quentin Tarantino staple Zoe Bell (Death Proof).  Here’s the trailer.

Hit the jump to check out the new images.  The film also stars Clayne Crawford, Michael Rapaport, Daniel Cudmore, Travis Fimmel, Serinda Swan, Andre Braugher and Paul Wesley.  The Baytown Outlaws is currently available VOD and hits theaters on January 11th.

News has been quiet Southern-fried action comedy The Baytown Outlaws ever since the title change from The Baytown Disco back in June, but a new trailer has dropped today to remind you that it still exists. Written and directed by Barry Battles, The Baytown Outlaws follows three ruthless brothers who fall into helping a damsel in distress (Eva Longoria) by rescuing her godson (Thomas Brodie Sangster) from her nefarious ex-husband, Rob (Billy Bob Thornton).  This is also the film that renowned producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura told us to keep an eye on during a recent set visit and compared Battles’ work to that of a young Quentin Tarantino.

The Baytown Outlaws also stars Clayne Crawford, Michael Rapaport, Daniel Cudmore, Travis Fimmel, Andre Braugher and Paul Wesley. Hit the jump to watch the new trailer.

Steve walked the floor at the American Film Market (AFM) early this morning and managed to bring back some detailed synopses for the following films:

• Jane Got a Gun – A Western starring Natalie Portman and Michael Fassbender
• Parkland – A drama about the JFK assassination starring Billy Bob Thornton, Paul Giamatti, and Jacki Weaver.
• The Green Inferno – The next directorial project from Eli Roth.
• A Walk Among the Tombstones – A crime thriller starring Liam Neeson.
• Agent: Century 21 – An action comedy starring Cameron Diaz and Benicio Del Toro.

Hit the jump to check out all the detailed synopses, which include production start dates.

The Tom Hanks-produced JFK feature film Parkland just landed three impressive actors.  It was announced today that Paul Giamatti, Billy Bob Thornton, and Jacki Weaver have joined the cast of the real-life drama.  The film revolves around the chaotic events that occurred at Parkland Hospital in Dallas on the day that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.  Parkland Hospital is where Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald, and Jack Ruby all died.

Peter Landesman wrote the screenplay based on the book by Vincent Bugliosi and will make his directorial debut with the pic.  No word on what characters the aforementioned actors will portray, but production is set to take place in Austin.  The film is being planned for a 2013 release around the 50th anniversary of the assassination, which will be November 22nd.  Hit the jump to read the full press release.

The jaw-dropping lineup for the upcoming Toronto Film Festival was announced this morning, and a number of images and synopses have been released for films that will be screening at the prestigious fest.  Briefly, here’s a batch of new images:

• The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Directed by Stephen Chbosky) Starring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Nina Dobrev, Melanie Lynskey, Paul Rudd, and Dylan McDermott.
• Jayne Mansfield’s Car (Directed by Billy Bob Thornton) Starring Thornton, Robert Duvall, Kevin Bacon, and John Hurt.
• The Impossible (Directed by Juan Antonio Bayona) Starring Naomi Watts, Tom Holland, Samuel Joslin, Oaklee Pendergast, and Ewan McGregor.
• Byzantium (Directed by Neil Jordan) Starring Gemma Arterton, Saoirse Ronan, Sam Riley, and Jonny Lee Miller.

Hit the jump to check out the images and synopses.

The first trailer for Billy Bob Thornton’s latest directorial effort, Jayne Mansfield’s Car, has landed online by way of an international trailer.  The story revolves around a man whose wife leaves him for an Englishman and moves away to England. 20 or 30 years later, in 1969, the wife dies but wishes to be returned to Alabama where she grew up, so the English family meets—and clashes with—the original family that she abandoned.  The film is still awaiting a U.S. distribution deal despite a seriously stacked cast that includes Thornton, Robert Duvall, John Hurt, Kevin Bacon, Frances O’Connor, Robert Patrick, and Ray Stevenson.

There are laughs to be found in the first half of the trailer which centers on the culture clash between the two families, but the second half hints at some genuinely touching drama that comes out of the situation.  I’m eager to see how the full feature plays out, especially since Thornton hasn’t directed since 2001’s Daddy and Them.  Hit the jump to watch the trailer.

We previously brought you some first images, posters and this kick-ass trailer for Barry Battles’ The Baytown Disco, but now you can forget about them.  In a new distribution deal, the film is now titled The Baytown Outlaws and will, as such, presumably feature a new marketing campaign in the coming months.  The Southern-fried comedy stars Billy Bob Thornton, Eva Longoria and Andre Braugher. The Baytown Outlaws aims to debut early in 2013.  Hit the jump to read the press release.

Billy Bob Thornton is lining up another sports drama based on a book by Buzz Bissinger.  Variety reports that Thornton and Edward Burns will star in the baseball drama Three Nights from Friday Night Lights author Bissinger.  The book chronicles a three-game series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs in 2003 and centers on the strategic decisions made by manager Tony La Russa.  Though Three Nights will be a fictionalized account of the book’s events, the success of last year’s Moneyball certain didn’t hurt the prospect of getting Three Nights into production.

Bissinger wrote the screenplay himself, and David Anspaugh will direct.  If Anspaugh’s name doesn’t ring a bell, I should remind you that he also helmed two of the greatest sports movies ever made: Rudy and Hoosiers.  Thornton will play the team’s pitching coach while Burns will play starting catcher Mike Matheny.  With such an exciting team both in front of and behind the camera, Three Nights is certainly one to keep an eye on.  Hit the jump for a synopsis of the book.

The first trailer has jumped online for Billy Bob Thornton-starrer, The Baytown Disco.  A self-professed “Southern-fried whip-ass extravaganza,” The Baytown Disco features a trio of ruthless outlaw brothers who fall into helping a damsel in distress (Eva Longoria).  She hires them to help return her godson (Thomas Brodie Sangster), who has been kidnapped by her nefarious ex-husband, Rob (Thornton).  While I wasn’t exactly sold on the synopsis and images alone, the new trailer hits all the right banjo strings (and the femme fatales certainly do not hurt).  Directed by Barry Battles, The Baytown Disco also stars Clayne Crawford, Michael Rapaport, Daniel Cudmore, Travis Fimmel, Andre Braugher and Paul Wesley. Hit the jump for the trailer and official synopsis, and to watch the original short that inspired the feature-length film.