Director Bryan Singer continues to share behind-the-scenes looks at X-Men: Days of Future Past as production on the superhero sequel begins in Montreal.  Last weekend, Singer shared an image of Patrick Stewart in full costume posing for a photographer, and today the director has unveiled a look at Shawn Ashmore’s Iceman also in full costume posing for pictures.  Combined with the Stewart photo, I think this gives us a good idea of what the future-set costumes will look like in the film, and I dig the design.  Ashmore has tracking dots on his face as well, which will likely be used to recreate his likeness in scenes that necessitate CG.  As filming has now begun, it’ll be interesting to see what kind of teases Singer offers on Twitter over the next few months.

Hit the jump to take a look at Bearded Iceman.  The film also stars Ian McKellan, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Ellen Page, Anna Paquin, and Hugh Jackman.  X-Men: Days of Future Past opens in 3D on July 18, 2014.

Prior to last Sunday, Zero Dark Thirty was my favorite pic of 2012 by a considerable margin. However, after my matinee viewing of Silver Linings Playbook, that margin has been replaced with a draw. Whereas Zero provided me with a tension that left me on the verge of breathless at moments, Playbook‘s spectacular performances and head-on portrayal of mental illness and our ability to help each other cope/prevail proved not only hugely entertaining but also quite cathartic.

My 2012 movie scorecard aside, this week’s Top 5 includes our set visit coverage of Oz the Great and Powerful, Duncan Jones being tapped to helm the World of Warcraft movie, more visit coverage from the set of Jack the Giant Slayer, a slew of news from X-Men: Days of Future Past, and a Sundance 2013 wrap-up. A brief recap and link to each of the above is promised after the jump.

From show creator/executive producer Kevin Williamson (The Vampire Diaries), the dark, fast-paced thriller The Following is an epic story of good versus evil, as told through the eyes of ex-FBI agent Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon), who is forced to return to the case that destroyed his career, when it becomes evident that notorious serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) is at the center of a cult of like-minded killers who have created an insidious web of blood and carnage.  With Hardy’s help, a team of agents, including Mike Weston (Shawn Ashmore) and cult specialist Debra Parker (Annie Parisse), attempt to unravel the deadly plot of murder before the body count rises.

During this recent exclusive interview with Collider, co-stars Shawn Ashmore and Annie Parisse talked about how they each came to be a part of the show, simultaneously learning about their characters in both the past and present, working on instinct, how excited they are to read each script, the respect that their characters have for each other, and how they hope viewers will enjoy the roller coaster ride.  Check out what they had to say after the jump. 

If it wasn’t clear before, it certainly is now: director Bryan Singer is making one incredibly ambitious film with the X-Men: First Class sequel X-Men: Days of Future Past.  In addition to First Class stars Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, and Jennifer Lawrence, we previously learned that X-Men actors Ian McKellan, Patrick Stewart, and Hugh Jackman will be reprising their roles in the upcoming follow-up.  The story involves time travel and alternate realities, so the mixing of the younger actors and older actors fits well within the film’s complex plot.

It appears that Singer isn’t simply bringing a few stars from X-Men and X2 back for Days of Future Past, as he revealed on Twitter today that Anna Paquin (Rogue), Ellen Page (Kitty Pryde), and Shawn Ashmore (Iceman) will also be joining the cast of Days of Future Past.  Hit the jump for more.

Darren Lynn Bousman, best known as the director of Saw II, Saw III, and (you guessed it) Saw IV, is the man behind the remake of the 1980 horror film Mother’s Day.  Rebecca De Mornay stars as the mother who helps her three fugitive sons take care of a few unwanted houseguests.  Bill caught Mother’s Day at Fantastic Fest and thought the result was “a surprisingly fun mixed bag.”

Jaime King, Deborah Ann Woll, Briana Evigan, Alexa Vega, Shawn Ashmore, and  Matt O’Leary star alongside De Mornay in the April 1 release.  Bloody Disgusting found what they refer to as a “German sales promo,” but I wouldn’t judge if you’d like to call it a trailer.  We’ll post the official trailer if/when becomes available, but until then, this sales trailer provides plenty of insight into the look and plot of the film.  Watch it after the break.

The simple concept, well executed: Something of a holy grail for the indie auteur and something that Adam Green (Hatchet) managed to pull off with Frozen.

Too-handsome Dan (Kevin Zegers), his too-sweet-and-innocent girlfriend Parker (Emma Bell) and lifelong/douchey best friend Joe (Shawn Ashmore – who played Iceman in the X-Men movies (and whom you can go ahead and make your own jokes regarding that)) are low on cash and visiting a rundown New England ski resort.  Joe holds some resentment toward the new couple but that certainly won’t be the focus of character drama later, so don’t worry about it. The handsome/douchey guys convince Parker to get them onto the ski lift for free and, through a surprisingly plausible series of events, the trio end up trapped on the ski lift in the dead of night, fifty feet in the air and with the ski lodge closed for the next five days.

Oh, and there are wolves.  So, they’re fucked. Hit the jump for more:

Here’s a quartet of TV casting updates coming right at ya. First up, EW has word that Robert Englund, the man behind the original Freddy Krueger, has signed on as a guest star on the forthcoming season of Chuck. The episode titled Chuck vs the Aisle of Terror is set to appropriately air around Halloween with Englund playing Dr Stanley Wheelwright, an evil scientist who can make your waking life a nightmare. Shouldn’t too difficult of a role for Englund to step into, and the content certainly allows plenty of opportunities for homage and jokes. Englund joins a whole slew of guest stars in Chuck’s fourth season including Linda Hamilton, Timothy Dalton, Eric Roberts, Lou Ferrigno, Dolph Lundgren and more.

Hit the jump for more casting news on Fringe, Smallville and CSI.

Opening this Friday, in limited release, is writer/director Adam Green’s Frozen.  The film is about three friends that get stranded on a ski lift late Sunday night.  Since this particular park is closed on weekdays (it’s a New England thing), the friends are forced to make life-or-death decisions while freezing high in the air.  If you’re someone that’s afraid of ski lifts, Frozen will only add fuel to the fire.

The movie played at this year’s BNAT in Austin and at last week’s Sundance Film Festival to very enthusiastic crowds.  I saw a screening and thought it was great.  While the film is limited in locations, the real world aspect and the feeling that what you’re watching could actually happen will definitely freak you out.  Definitely recommended.

Anyway, last week I was able to speak with Shawn Ashmore as he plays one of the three friends trapped on the ski lift.  We talked about being at Sundance, making Frozen, his next movie Mother’s Day, and he explains that he has a twin brother that also acts…so he wasn’t on Smallville!  Watch the interview after the jump:

A trailer for Frozen, a Sundance 2010 “Park City at Midnight” selection, has just been released. The film follows three skiers that are stranded on a chairlift who are “forced to make life-or-death choices that prove more perilous than staying put and freezing to death.” Frozen was scripted and helmed by Adam Green, (writer/director of Hatchet) and stars Shawn Ashmore, Emma Bell, and Kevin Zegers as the three skiers.

The film looks as though it could be an interesting exercise in minimalist horror, and I am curious to see the other “life-or-death” choices referenced in the plot synopsis. Frozen was recently screened at Aint It Cool’s Butt-Numb-A-Thon to a positive reaction, including high praise from Harry Knowles himself, who is quoted in the trailer saying, “Scary and intense. I loved it.”   You can also check out the one-sheet and stills we posted here. Check out the trailer after the jump and look for Frozen in theaters February 5, 2010.

I’ve got to give credit to whoever cut this behind the scenes video from director Darren Lynn Bousman’s “Mother’s Day”, as they’ve done an awesome job. Usually production blogs are boring and safe. Not this one. As you’ll see, this one has swearing, talk of serious violence, and some great editing. Whoever cut this must have drank a lot of red bull as it’s one minute of awesome. Take a look. You’ll agree with me.