Sony Pictures Classics has released posters for their upcoming 2013 films.  Briefly:

• The Armstrong Lie – The new documentary from Oscar-winner Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side) looks at the rise and fall of cyclist of Lance Armstrong, but isn’t a story about doping.  According to Gibney’s it’s “about power”.  Click here to watch the trailer.  The film opens on November 8th.

• The Past – Bérénice Bejo (The Artist) and Tahar Rahim (A Prophet) star in a tale about a French woman who beings a new relationship when her Iranian husband leaves her, and asks for a divorce upon his return.  The film opens December 20th.

• The Invisible Woman – The film revolves around the secret love affair between Charles Dickens and his mistress Nelly Ternan, with director Ralph Fiennes playing Dickens and Felicity Jones playing Ternan.  Click here to watch the trailer.  The film opens on December 25th.

Hit the jump to check out the posters.

Fox Searchlight has released the first trailer for writer/director Wes Anderson’s new film The Grand Budapest Hotel.  The story takes place in early 20th-century Hungary and revolves around the goings-on at the titular hotel, where a legendary concierge (Ralph Fiennes) takes a young employee (Tony Revolori) under his wing to become his trusted protégé.  The movie looks absolutely delightful, and there are some great laughs in this trailer.  It’s also refreshing, unexpected, and exciting to see Fiennes in a comedic role.  [Update: On a side note, Refocused Media tweets that Anderson shot the movie in three different aspect ratios (1.33, 1.85, and 2.35) for reference during it's three time periods.  I'm not sure if that means personal reference, or if it will be a reference for the audience.]

Hit the jump to watch the trailer.  The film also stars Saoirse Ronan, F. Murray Abraham, Edward Norton, Mathieu Amalric, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Lea Seydoux, Jeff Goldblum, Jason Schwarztman, Jude Law, Tilda Swinton, Harvey Keitel, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Murray, and Owen Wilson.  The Grand Budapest Hotel opens March 7, 2014

The first trailer for Ralph Fiennes’ second directorial effort The Invisible Woman has been released online.  The film revolves around the secret love affair between Charles Dickens and his mistress, with Fiennes playing Dickens and Like Crazy star Felicity Jones playing the titular Nelly Ternan.  Instead of sensationalizing the story, the film looks to humanize the author and his relationship with the young woman as a tragedy of sorts, with their inability to go public proving to be an ever-existent limit on the extent of their love.  As a big fan of Jones, I’m looking forward to seeing what she brings to the film with her portrayal of Ternan.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer.  The film also stars Kristin Scott Thomas, Tom Hollander, and Michelle Fairley.  The Invisible Woman opens in theaters later this year.

Gary Oldman is getting back in the director’s chair.  Oldman is developing a biopic of photographer Eadweard Muybridge called Flying Horse that he intends to direct early next year, should the financing come together.  Muybridge was a pioneer in the world of photography, as he focused on the studies of photography in motion and paved the way for the very first motion-picture; the Englishman literally made movies possible.  It’s Muybridge’s personal life, though, that will be front and center in Flying Horse.  Upon learning that his young wife’s friend, a theater critic named Major Harry Larkyns, may have fathered their seven-month-old son, Muybridge tracked Larkyns down and said, “Good evening, Major, my name is Muybridge and here’s the answer to the letter you sent my wife,” before shooting Larkyns point-blank and killing him.  A nice gentleman, no doubt.

Hit the jump for more on the project, including which actors Oldman hopes will star in the film.

Check out the latest casting news for the following pictures:

• Ralph Fiennes (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2) is in talks to topline James Foley’s fantasy drama-romance Sands.  The modestly-budgeted picture is a supernatural love story penned by novelist Renata Bovara.
• Tuppence Middleton (Cleanskin) has joined the impressive cast of the Wachowski siblings’ Jupiter Ascending in an unspecified role.
• Danielle Bisutti (True Jackson, VP) has been added to the cast of James Wan’s Insidious: Chapter 2 as Michelle, whose character details are being kept under wraps.  Insidious: Chapter 2 opens August 30th.

Hit the jump for more on each casting announcement.

John Le Carre novels have always been ripe for Hollywood adaptation.  Anton Corbijn (The American) is working on an adaptation of A Most Wanted Man, and a couple years ago we got Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, which sadly was a bit of a disappointment.  Hopefully, director Justin Kurzel (The Snowtown Murders) will have more success with his adaptation of Le Carre’s Our Kind of Traitor.  The adaptation is moving in the right direction with Ralph Fiennes and Mads Mikkelsen signing on to co-star.

Per Screen daily, “Ewan McGregor will star in the international spy thriller as one half of a couple who gets mixed up with a Russian oligarch and major money launderer (Mikkelsen). Caught up in his plans to defect, they are soon positioned between the Russian Mafia and the British Secret Service.”  Fiennes will play U.K. government fixer Hector Meredith.  Jessica Chastain was rumored for the female lead back in November, but it looks like she has passed, and casting for the role is still underway.  Filming is set to begin this summer.  Hit the jump for an update on the adaptation of Le Carre’s Smiley’s People, and click here for Steve’s interview with producer Eric Fellner.

Wes Anderson has never had much problem lining-up impressive ensembles for his movies.  Even his earlier movies have great casts albeit less famous ones.  In a recent interview with THR, Anderson revealed his next film, Grand Budapest Hotel, will have one of his best casts to date.  First, Anderson confirmed Ralph Fiennes, Bill Murray, and Saoirse Ronan were in the flick (Fiennes and Ronan are the leads).  But they’re only a small part of the large cast.  Anderson will reunite with Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Harvey Keitel, Tilda Swinton, and Jason Schwartzman. Owen Wilson might also have a small role.  The movie will also include Jeff Goldblum, F. Murray Abraham, Jude Law, and Mathieu Amalric (Quantum of Solace).

Hit the jump for more.

Some (un)casting news today.  Check out the highlights below:

• Chris Hemsworth (Thor) is reportedly out of American Assassin, the CBS Films’ adaptation of the Vince Flynn novel.  A source cited scheduling conflicts.
• Ty Burrell (Modern Family) will join Adventureland duo Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader in The Skeleton Twins as Hader’s lover.
• Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale) is in consideration for Our Kind of Traitor, an adaptation of the John le Carre novel. Ralph Fiennes (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) and Jessica Chastain (Lawless) are also rumored.

Hit the jump for more on each project. 

The James Bond film franchise has stood for 50 years.  It has lived, died, returned, died some more, returned again, and as the longest-running blockbuster franchise in history, it constantly walks the line between life and death regarding the series’ potency.  There likely will always be another James Bond film, but the character’s relevancy is always in question.  Can the modern audience accept Bond in a world where a grittier spy like Jason Bourne seemingly has more power to engage audiences?  Isn’t James Bond a relic that can’t convincingly survive in a post-9/11 world?  The latest Bond film, Skyfall, explores these question is a fascinating, compelling manner and does so within one of the series’ most exhilarating, perfectly crafted, and absolutely captivating entries to date.

A new trailer has been release for Skyfall.  There’s only a little new footage, but it does feature Bond’s iconic introduction, so that’s always worth a watch.  The movie has been garnering ecstatic buzz, and I can’t wait to finally get a look at what director Sam Mendes has brought to the franchise (other than the influence of The Dark Knight).

Hit the jump to check out the trailer.  The film stars Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Helen McCrory, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Berenice Marlohe, and Naomie Harris.  Skyfall opens November 9th.

4 new clips from director Sam Mendes’ James Bond film Skyfall have been released.  I’m trying my best to temper my expectations following the incredibly positive early reviews, but these new clips aren’t doing me any favors.  All signs point to Mendes having crafted a Bond film for the books, and opening day can’t get here soon enough.  We’ll have video interviews with the cast soon, but until then check out Steve’s set visit and on-set interviews with Mendes, Daniel Craig and producer Barbara Broccoli, Berenice Marlohe, and Naomie Harris.

Hit the jump to watch the clips.  The film also stars Javier Bardem, Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw and Helen McCrory.  Skyfall opens in traditional theaters and IMAX in the U.S. on November 9th.

We may have the “best Bond ever” in Sam Mendes’ Skyfall if early accounts are to be believed.  Stateside, we’ll have to wait a few weeks to find out (unless you’re like Steve and got to see it early).  The newest clip features Bond (Daniel Craig) going up against his new nemesis, Silva (Javier Bardem).  Bardem looks delightfully crazy as Silva and proves that Bond’s troubles with public transportation are far from over.

Also starring Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes, Berenice Marlohe, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw and Helen McCrory, Skyfall opens in the US on November 9th.  Hit the jump to check out the new clips as well as all the clips released so far. 

Early reviews are in for Sam Mendes’ Skyfall, the latest film in the James Bond series. Reactions have been overwhelmingly positive so far with the phrase “Best. Bond. Ever.” being thrown about.  While it may very well be true, those of us stateside won’t know for sure until Skyfall debuts on November 9th.  In the meantime, we’ve trod carefully through the spoiler-laden minefield of reviews to bring you the latest word on Skyfall from those in the know.  Plus, we have a new clip to share with you that should tide you over.

Skyfall stars Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Helen McCrory, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Berenice Marlohe and Naomie Harris.  Hit the jump to check out the new clip and early reviews.

In the newest clip released for Sam Mendes’ James Bond flick, Skyfall, Bond (Daniel Craig) is up to old habits: namely gambling and womanizing.  This thirty-second spot shows Bond playing cavalier with his hard-earned winnings and introduces him to Severine (Berenice Marlohe).  They must have hit it off since they later meet up for a refreshing Heineken on a passenger train.  We also have the first look at Harald Zwart’s The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones in a behind-the-scenes featurette with cast interviews.

Skyfall, also starring Judi Dench, Ben Whishaw, Helen McCrory, Ralph Fiennes and Naomie Harris, opens November 9th stateside. The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones stars Lily Collins, Lena Headey, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Kevin Durand and opens August 23rd, 2013.  Hit the jump to check out the clip and featurette.

Let’s get to a couple of casting announcements, shall we?

• Ryan Reynolds (Green Lantern) is reportedly circling The Voices, a psychological thriller directed by Marjane Satrapi (Persepolis) from a Black List script by Michael R. Perry (Paranormal Activity).
• Ralph Fiennes (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2) is in talks to join director Wes Anderson’s Europe-set picture, The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Hit the jump for more on both actors and films.