Focus Features has released the first Kill the Messenger trailer.  Directed by Michael Cuesta (Homeland, Dexter), the film is based on the true story of news reporter Gary Webb, whose life was ruined when he linked the CIA to a scheme to arm Contra rebels in Nicaragua and import cocaine into California.  His investigation not only threatened to ruin his career, but also his life and the life of his family.  This looks like it will be a good showcase for Renner, and while I like seeing him in blockbusters and high-profile awards contenders, I like that he’s going to be in a nuts-and-bolts story centered around a worthwhile topic.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer.  The film also stars Rosemarie DeWitt, Ray Liotta, Barry Pepper, Michael Sheen, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Oliver Platt, Andy Garcia, Tim Blake Nelson, Robert Patrick, Michael Kenneth Williams, and Paz Vega.  Kill the Messenger opens October 10th.

Though development on the film has been ongoing for some time, director Josh Trank (Chronicle) and 20th Century Fox are finally ready to move forward on the reboot The Fantastic Four, as we’ve learned the pic is poised to go in front of cameras on Monday, May 5th.  The principal cast is set with Miles Teller as Mr. Fantastic, Kate Mara as Sue Storm, Michael B. Jordan as Human Torch, Jamie Bell as The Thing, and Toby Kebbell as the villainous Dr. Doom, but just a couple of days ago we learned of another exciting addition to the ensemble: Tim Blake Nelson as Harvey Elder aka Mole Man.

Nelson recently spoke a bit about his second go-around at a Marvel superhero adaptation (he played Samuel Sterns in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, but never got to make the transformation into The Leader), noting that the script for The Fantastic Four is heavy on heart in addition to action.  Read on after the jump.

Here’s today’s latest casting news:

• Tim Blake Nelson will join Josh Trank’s The Fantastic Four, which stars Miles Teller, Jamie Bell, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, and Toby Kebbell.
• Allison Janney and Morena Baccarin are the latest additions to Paul Feig’s new comedy, Spy, starring Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham, Rose Byrne, Jude Law, Bobby Cannavale, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Peter Serafinowicz, and Miranda Hart.
• Scott Eastwood will lead the George Tillman Jr.-directed Nicholas Sparks adaptation, The Longest Ride.

Hit the jump for more on each film.

The first trailer and images have gone online for Tommy Lee Jones‘ western drama, The Homesman.  The story centers on a claim-jumping rascal (Jones) and a frontierswoman (Hilary Swank) as they escort three insane women from Nebraska to Iowa and battle the harsh elemental conditions of the prairie.  I loved Jones’ 2005 film The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, which played like a modern-day western.  The Homesman looks more like a straight entry into the genre, but also an interesting one.  There appears to be a tricky balance between Jones’ slightly off-kilter character and the serious dangers he and his traveling companions must face.  Nevertheless, it has an outstanding cast, and I assume we’ll be seeing it later this year since it will be released next month in France.  It’s also a safe assumption that it will make its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, so I’m eager to hear the buzz on the picture.

Hit the jump to check out The Homesman trailer and images.  The film also stars Hailee Steinfeld, Meryl Streep, Tim Blake Nelson, James Spader, William Fichtner, and Jesse Plemons.  The Homesman is currently awaiting U.S. distribution.

The first trailer for James Franco’s adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy novel Child of God has landed online.  The film takes place in 1960s Tennessee and tells the story of a violent, dispossessed man who retreats further and further into isolation.  The trailer certainly has a strong sense of foreboding, with a fittingly terrifying turn from star Scott Haze.  The aesthetic feels quite similar to Franco’s other projects, but he’s been passionate about making Child of God for quite some time so it should be interesting to see how it all comes together.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer.  The film also stars Tim Blake Nelson, Jim Parrack, and Franco himself.

The Coen Brothers‘ love making George Clooney look like a schmuck, and it appears they might be doing it again in the near future.  During a recent interview with Thompson on Hollywood, Anne Thompson asked about their comedy Hail Caesar, which they had talked about back in 2004.  According to The Playlist, the film is set to star George Clooney “as a 1920s matinee film idol who takes on Ancient Rome epic” and at one point Tim Blake Nelson was also being considered for the cast.  Joel Coen told Thompson they’ve been working on Hail Caesar, and “there’s a good chance that would be next”; Ethan Coen added that the film is “about the movie business and life and religion and faith. Faith and the movie business”.

Hit the jump for more.

Phase 4 Films has released the red-band trailer and poster for the comedy Adventures in the Sin Bin.  Per the synopsis, the movie is about “a shy teen who loans out his van, nicknamed SIN BIN, to his friends for their sexual exploits while he remains a frustrated virgin. When he meets a helpful school mate and his girlfriend, he finds himself in an awkward love triangle while learning the art of wooing women.”  There are some obligatory “get in my creepy van” jokes, but this may be a film worth keeping an eye on because it’s got a strong supporting cast that includes Gillian Jacobs, Jeff Garlin, and Tim Blake Nelson.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer and poster.  The film stars Bo Burnham, Michael Seater, and Emily Meade.  Adventures in the Sin Bin will be in theaters and On Demand on October 18th.

Earlier this year, we reported that Jeremy Renner was tapped to star in the thriller Kill the Messenger, directed by Michael Cuesta (Homeland).  Renner plays real-life reporter Gary Webb whose life was ruined when he linked the CIA to a scheme to arm Contra rebels in Nicaragua and import cocaine into California.  After publishing his 1996 series “Dark Alliance,” Webb became the target of a smear campaign by the CIA and rival journalists that eventually drove him to depression.  News on the film went silent until about a month ago when we it was announced that Rosemarie DeWitt, Paz Vega, and Michael Kenneth Williams had joined the cast.  It turns out the line-up is stacked with even more talent.  Production has begun on the flick, and a press release has revealed that the impressive cast also includes Andy Garcia, Tim Blake Nelson, Robert Patrick, Barry Pepper, Oliver Platt, Michael Sheen, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

Hit the jump for the full press release, which includes the official synopsis.  Kill the Messenger will be released in 2014.

The first trailer for James Franco’s adaptation of the William Faulkner novel As I Lay Dying has arrived.  Adapting an author as verbose and complex as Faulkner is no easy task, but Franco is tackling As I Lay Dying head on as both director and star.  Given Franco’s incredibly varied tastes, it’s tough to tell if this film is a serious adaptation or just another one of his art experiments.  The drama is certainly played straightforward in this trailer, but the appearance of someone like Danny McBride in the cast is striking.  The verdict on the pic will be in soon enough, as the film is slated to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival which kicks off this week.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer.  The film also stars Tim Blake Nelson, Logan Marshall Green, Ahna O’Reilly, and Jim Parrack.

Just in time for Election Day, a new international trailer for director Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln has been released, and it’s by far the best one yet.  This trailer actually delves into the central focus of the long-in-the-works drama—the passing of the 13th Amendment—and gives us a much better idea of what kind of biopic Spielberg and screenwriter Tony Kushner have crafted.  Much of this trailer is reminiscent of The West Wing, with Daniel Day-Lewis’ Lincoln and his advisers working to secure enough votes to ensure that the amendment will pass.  The trailer also teases the multitude of strong performances from the ridiculously talented ensemble, and I can’t wait to see the whole thing unfold onscreen.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer.  The film also stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, David Oyelowo, Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, James Spader, John Hawkes, Michael Stuhlbarg, David Strathairn, Walton Goggins, Tim Blake Nelson, Bruce McGill, Jackie Earle Haley, Lee Pace and Jared Harris.  Lincoln opens on November 16th.

We posted the first teaser trailer for Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln earlier this week in anticipation of the full trailer being released during the Google + Q&A.  Now that the full trailer is online, we finally get a chance to hear Daniel Day-Lewis speak as Abraham Lincoln.  If I’m being honest, his choice of tone and inflection is not exactly what I had expected, but who am I to tell Day-Lewis what to do?  There are plenty of scenes in the legislative houses, on the streets and on the battlefield, and they all give a sense of scope and tone to the film, just like Spielberg said it would during the Q&A.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer.  The film also stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, David Oyelowo, Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, James Spader, John Hawkes, Michael Stuhlbarg, David Strathairn, Walton Goggins, Tim Blake Nelson, Bruce McGill, Jackie Earle Haley, Lee Pace and Jared Harris. Lincoln opens on November 16th. [Update: We added 7 new images after the jump]

The first teaser trailer for director Steven Spielberg‘s Lincoln has been released.  The teaser comes just days ahead of the first full trailer and live Google+ Q&A with Spielberg and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.  The teaser gives us our first look at Daniel Day-Lewis in motion, though we only see glimpses of him as the titular President.  There’s also a shot of who appears to be David Oyelowo dressed in Union attire as he turns and walks away from Lincoln.  A narration of the Gettysburg address plays over scenes of Civil War combat, but who is speaking remains unclear for the moment.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer.  The film also stars Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, James Spader, John Hawkes, Michael Stuhlbarg, David Strathairn, Walton Goggins, Tim Blake Nelson, Bruce McGill, Jackie Earle Haley, Lee Pace, and Jared Harris. Lincoln opens on November 16th.

In January 2011, we reported that James Franco was set to make his directorial debut by adapting William Faulkner‘s As I Lay Dying.   He planned to get the movie in front of cameras in the summer, but obviously that didn’t happen (he also wanted to shoot an adaptation of Cormac McCarthy‘s Blood Meridian this year).  Today, Showbiz 411 reports As I Lay Dying has finally gotten back on track with a shoot set up for October in Mississippi.  Franco is also starting to line up roles for the adaptation, which is based on a book that contains twelve different points-of-view.  The cast will include Danny McBride, Tim Blake Nelson, Logan Marshall Green, Ahna O’Reilly, and Jim Parrack.  Franco will have a small role in the picture.

Directing Faulkner is a tall order, which is why no one has gotten an adaptation to the big screen since 1959′s The Sound and the Fury.  Faulkner’s novels are incredibly complex, which is partially the result of writing books with over 200 pages and only seven sentences.  Hit the jump for the synopsis of As I Lay Dying.

Steven Spielberg‘s Abraham Lincoln movie, Lincoln, has landed a release date.  We previously reported that the film would open after the 2012 Presidential election so to as avoid any accusation that the movie was making a political statement (we’ll let the trailers and other advertising allow pundits to bloviate and fill airtime draw their own conclusions).  Disney has announced that the movie will open in limited engagement on November 9th before expanding nationwide on November 16th.  It’s worth noting that Lincoln will still be fighting vampires, except this time it will be at the box office.  The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 also opens on November 16th.

Lincoln stars Daniel Day-Lewis as the 16th President, and the all-star cast also features Sally Field, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tommy Lee Jones, James Spader, John Hawkes, Michael Stuhlbarg, David Strathairn, Walton Goggins, David Oyelowo, Tim Blake Nelson, Bruce McGill, Jackie Earle Haley, Lee Pace, and Jared Harris. Hit the jump for a synopsis of the source material.

Tony Kaye made a big splash in 1998 with his directorial debut American History X.  He has kept busy in the years since, but maintained a low profile.  That could change with his new film Detachment.  The cast will bring name recognition to the film: veterans Adrien Brody, James Caan, Christina Hendricks, Lucy Liu, Marcia Gay Harden, Bryan Cranston, William Petersen, Blythe Danner, Tim Blake Nelson are joined by fresh faces like Betty Kaye and Sami Gayle.  Tribeca Films acquired the film in September, and has released trailers and clips over the last month that stand out from the vast collection of promotional material we host here at Collider.  The story follows a substitute teacher (Brody) on assignment at a failing public school.  The appeal of Detachment is in the execution, so hit the jump for trailers, clips, posters, and images from the film.