The past seven days

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Paul Walker dead at 40

Paul Walker, most known for his role in the Fast and Furious franchise, as reportedly died in a car accident at the age of 40. He leaves a 15-year old daughter behind.
Walker was in Santa Clarita, CA when his Porche GT spun out of control and crashed into a tree. TMZ is reporting the vehicle caught fire and burst into flames. They also included that Walker was in the vehicle with an unidentified passenger and it is unclear on which person was driving at the time. Walker's rep confirmed he had been at a car show and was taking individuals on test drives of the vehicle to raise money and awareness for the recent typhoon that hit the Philippines. Walker was leaving said charity event at the time of the crash.

This is a surprise and rather sad. It's always unfortunate to see someone pass at a young age like 40. In case you never saw a Fast and Furious movie, Walker had also starred in Pleasantville, She's All That, Varsity Blues, and The Skulls. Walker was currently filming Fast and Furious 7 where he was reprising his role as Brian O'Conner, so I would expect some sort of delay on that one due to this. Universal has not yet commented regarding the status of Fast and Furious 7 or the tragedy.

[Update] Universal released the following statement:
"All of us at Universal are heartbroken. Paul was truly one of the most beloved and respected members of our studio family for 14 years, and this loss is devastating to us, to everyone involved with the Fast and Furious films, and to countless fans. We send our deepest and most sincere condolences to Paul's family."

It was also released via Walker's official Facebook that he was a passenger in the vehicle and was attending an event for his charity, Reach Out Worldwide, when the vehicle lost control and struck a light post.  Police included that high speed was a factor in the crash.
“All of us at Universal are heartbroken.  Paul was truly one of the most beloved and respected members of our studio family for 14 years, and this loss is devastating to us, to everyone involved with the FAST AND FURIOUS films, and to countless fans.  We send our deepest and most sincere condolences to Paul’s family.”
Read more at http://collider.com/paul-walker-dead/#OjCFwXejzeZEA7AG.99
“All of us at Universal are heartbroken.  Paul was truly one of the most beloved and respected members of our studio family for 14 years, and this loss is devastating to us, to everyone involved with the FAST AND FURIOUS films, and to countless fans.  We send our deepest and most sincere condolences to Paul’s family.”
Read more at http://collider.com/paul-walker-dead/#OjCFwXejzeZEA7AG.99
“All of us at Universal are heartbroken.  Paul was truly one of the most beloved and respected members of our studio family for 14 years, and this loss is devastating to us, to everyone involved with the FAST AND FURIOUS films, and to countless fans.  We send our deepest and most sincere condolences to Paul’s family.”
Read more at http://collider.com/paul-walker-dead/#OjCFwXejzeZEA7AG.99
“All of us at Universal are heartbroken.  Paul was truly one of the most beloved and respected members of our studio family for 14 years, and this loss is devastating to us, to everyone involved with the FAST AND FURIOUS films, and to countless fans.  We send our deepest and most sincere condolences to Paul’s family.”
Read more at http://collider.com/paul-walker-dead/#OjCFwXejzeZEA7AG.99


Friday, November 29, 2013

Frozen - Review

Anna, a young princess, finds herself in a race against the seasons as she ventures out from her kingdom to find her newly crowned Queen sister, Elsa, after her ice powers unintentionally freeze the kingdom in an eternal winter in Frozen.


I went into Frozen with an open mind because I generally like animated movies. Despite being 25-years old, I do enjoy a children's movies for the most part. I thought the previews looked fun and the hype over it gave me a lot of hope. However, I walked out of the theater with a pretty "meh" attitude and few laughs under my belt.
I don't know if it was just me, but I didn't find Frozen to be anything too spectacular. It wasn't nearly as good as previous Walt Disney Animation films such as Tangled and Wreck-It Ralph. It didn't even come close to Wreck-It Ralph and the previews are trying to put it on the same level as The Lion King. The animation itself was gorgeous, but the story was lacking for me. I thought the beginning was very rushed and rather confusing at first. They don't really explain what Elsa's "frozen" powers are and the events with Anna were pretty unrealistic. I feel like after having a closed kingdom for 10 years you wouldn't let your princess run freely around the kingdom without people even asking where she was or what she was doing while the soon to be crowned Queen remains locked in her bedroom. It was very weird. The story itself wasn't even emotionally moving. It was one of the only Disney movies that has not moved me to feel something. Hell, I cried during Wreck-It Ralph.
Like I said, the animation was great. The ice effects and the snow were very beautifully rendered and I would put the animation on the level of the previous films from Disney. I think the events of the movie took away from it, though. There was too much music and break into song moments. They didn't flow too well together and seemed to pop up out of nowhere at times with no real lead in.
As far as characters go, I thought a majority of the characters were enjoyable. Elsa was extremely underdeveloped, though. Anna was more of a main character with Elsa as a supporting character and I felt it should be the other way around due to the fact that Elsa was the one with the powers. The funniest character was the reindeer, Sven. Hands down the most annoying character was Olaf, the snowman. He had his funny moments but as a whole he was rather annoying and had jokes that I think were a bit ahead of the intended audience. There was a joke about being impaled and the only people chuckling were the adults. That seems to be typical of kids movies these days.
I also found the blatant similarities between Frozen and Tangled to be a bit distracting. The reindeer was very similar to the horse in Tangled, Anna and Elsa both looked a lot like Rapunzel, and Prince Hans was similar in looks and personality to Flynn Rider. Also the princess being the hero was like, yeah it's been done. I kept thinking of Tangled the whole time. 

Basically, Frozen was just alright for me. I probably could have, and should have, waited for DVD so I could just rent it. I enjoyed the last half a lot more than the first and it had too much singing. It's unfortunate this movie wasn't just a little bit longer. I think an extra 10-15min could have made a big difference. It wasn't a total loss but it wasn't as good as I was expecting it to be.





Thursday, November 28, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. For some of you it's even Thanksgivukkah!


Either way, enjoy it.


Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Friday the 13th to be rebooted in 2015

I just can't.

Since the property rights switch between Paramount and Warner Bros. went through, we now have news that yet another reboot (not sequel) of Friday the 13th will be released on March 13, 2015. Conveniently so, on a Friday the 13th in a very crowded release year. 
This news is full of fun little 13-related tidbits. Not only will it be released on a Friday the 13th, but it will also be the 13th film in the franchise. It's a bummer than it didn't come out this year because it's 2013. /sarcasm 

And yes, the last reboot was just released in 2009.

However, this unfortunately isn't very surprising. Like mentioned above, Paramount obtained the Friday the 13th rights after a swap with Warner Bros. which was in exchange for Paramount giving up Interstellar, the new Christopher Nolan film. The current micro-budget horror film trend will most likely apply with this new reboot as it has proven successful with R-rated horror films such as Paranormal Activity, The Conjuring, and the previous 2009 version of Friday the 13th. There are also rumors already that this new reboot will utilize the found footage element, but there is no telling for sure. All we have right now is a release date and assurance that this is actually happening.



Monday, November 25, 2013

Jane Got a Gun (finally) gets a release date

After much delay and many casting changes, the new Natalie Portman western finally has obtained a release date. Jane Got a Gun is slated for release on August 29, 2014. The film is being distributed by Relativity Media.

Natalie Portman is one of the only cast members that stuck around from the beginning. Lynne Ramsay was initially hired to direct the film, but she unexpectedly walked out on the project the day filming was set to begin. Gavin O'Conner replaced her in the director's chair.
Along with Ramsay exiting, we also had problems keeping an actor in place for the male roles. Initially the role of Portman's ex-lover was set to be played by Michael Fassbender and the role of the villain was to be played by Joel Edgerton. Fassbender unexpectedly dropped out due to scheduling conflicts with X-Men: Days of Future Past, so Edgerton switched roles and Jude Law was cast as the villain. After Lynne Ramsay dropped out it was announced that Jude Law dropped out, too. After Law dropped, Bradley Cooper stepped in to fill the void of the villain role but it didn't last long. Cooper dropped out of the project shortly after the announcement due to scheduling conflicts with American Hustle. Cooper was replaced with Ewan McGregor and was finally the actor to stick to the role.

Jane Got a Gun follows Jane (Portman), a woman who seeks an ex-lover (McGregor) to help save her outlaw husband (Roland Emmerich) from a gang out to kill him.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire - Review

After their victory in the 74th Hunger Games sparks a rebellion across the districts of Panem, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark return to the arena to fight against other surviving victors in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.


I just have to start by saying this was a great movie and a pretty decent book to film adaptation. I personally enjoyed it more than The Hunger Games and I found it was a lot closer to the source material. Obviously, there were things left out but a majority of what is in the film was in the book. That was a big breath of fresh air. Especially after The Hunger Games had so much missing and had a lot of new things incorporated into the plot.
Starting off with direction, I think Francis Lawrence did a much better job than Gary Ross. The movie itself had a much better flow and it was a lot smoother than The Hunger Games was. I also think the actors had a lot more purpose than they did before.
As far as acting goes, I thought some people did a better job while some people floundered a bit. I thought Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Banks, and Woody Harrelson were fantastic and much better this time around. I'm not saying they were bad in the first movie, but they were more enjoyable and just better this time around. Jennifer Lawrence was the confusing one for me. She was great in The Hunger Games and had her moments in Catching Fire as well, but I feel like she wasn't really trying during the first half of the movie. I don't know if it was intentional to show how damaged Katniss had become or if she is just one of those actresses that has elements she is good and bad at. It was a bit off. I also want to take the moment to say that I cannot stand Liam Hemsworth. They could have cast a much better actor as Gale. I feel like he was cast based on physical appearance and the fact that his brother is Thor.
Regarding the new characters, I thought a majority of the casting was marvelous. Sam Claflin, Jena Malone, Jeffrey Wright, Amanda Plummer, and Lynn Cohen were such great choices, specifically Malone and Wright. I thought Beetee and Johanna were portrayed beautifully. Sam Claflin surprised me a bit, too. I won't say that his portrayal is exactly how I envisioned Finnick Odair when I read the books, but it wasn't necessarily bad. Another newcomer is Philip Seymour Hoffman who I thought did a great job as Plutarch Heavensbee, the new gamemaker. He was very believable as the character.

Now I want to talk about aspects of the movie that have spoilers, so if you haven't seen Catching Fire yet and/or didn't read the books I encourage you to come back once you have. You don't want it ruined for you.

Friday, November 22, 2013

Jessica Lange officially to depart American Horror Story

This was already announced, but I guess it's official now. Jessica Lange has made it known that her intention is to depart American Horror Story after the fourth season next year. Lange has been around since Murder House (aka, season one) where she played an overprotective, crazy mother. In Asylum (aka, season two) she portrayed a singer turned nun. In Coven (aka, season three) she is playing the crazy, drunk on power Supreme of the coven. As far as season four goes, creator Ryan Murphy confirmed she won't have a lead role, but she will have a "great juicy part."

Lange had this to say about leaving the show:
“It ends up being a lot of time during the year being committed to something. I haven’t done that for a long time. It’s like doing a stage play between the rehearsal and the run. This is a 6-month commitment every year. That will be four years in a row. I want to have more time to myself I guess. Once it’s over and I have a full year ahead of me with nothing to do, who knows? It might not have been the best decision. But I think four years doing something is a sufficient amount of time.”


Now, this isn't very surprising. I think Lange has definitely run her course on AHS. In addition to this, there are some hints to the fourth season in terms of location and timeframe. From what we have heard, the show might be staying in New Orleans or moving Southwest to Santa Fe, NM. Another bit of info we got was that the fourth season will not be in contemporary times. 
It ends up being a lot of time during the year being committed to something. I haven’t done that for a long time. It’s like doing a stage play between the rehearsal and the run. This is a 6-month commitment every year. That will be four years in a row. I want to have more time to myself I guess. Once it’s over and I have a full year ahead of me with nothing to do, who knows? It might not have been the best decision. But I think four years doing something is a sufficient amount of time.
Read more at http://collider.com/jessica-lange-leaves-american-horror-story/#FU5DoOitpdcus1KK.99
It ends up being a lot of time during the year being committed to something. I haven’t done that for a long time. It’s like doing a stage play between the rehearsal and the run. This is a 6-month commitment every year. That will be four years in a row. I want to have more time to myself I guess. Once it’s over and I have a full year ahead of me with nothing to do, who knows? It might not have been the best decision. But I think four years doing something is a sufficient amount of time.
Read more at http://collider.com/jessica-lange-leaves-american-horror-story/#FU5DoOitpdcus1KK.99
It ends up being a lot of time during the year being committed to something. I haven’t done that for a long time. It’s like doing a stage play between the rehearsal and the run. This is a 6-month commitment every year. That will be four years in a row. I want to have more time to myself I guess. Once it’s over and I have a full year ahead of me with nothing to do, who knows? It might not have been the best decision. But I think four years doing something is a sufficient amount of time.
Read more at http://collider.com/jessica-lange-leaves-american-horror-story/#FU5DoOitpdcus1KK.99

Disney announces more upcoming release dates

We have some more release dates for upcoming Disney films. Keep in mind they are all subject to change for whatever reason.

Alice in Wonderland 2 will hit on May 27, 2016. Johnny Depp is set to return along with Tim Burton and Mia Wasikowska. It is currently the only 2016 Disney release that isn't Marvel.

The Jungle Book will hit on October 9, 2015. The new adaptation is to be directed by Jon Favreau and it yet another addition to the very crowded 2015 release year.


In other words, we got release dates for movies that shouldn't be happening in the first place. Nothing too exciting here. 


Thursday, November 21, 2013

Possible official titles for Batman vs. Superman

Everyone has been referring to the Man of Steel sequel simply as Batman vs Superman. It's to the point and self explanatory. However, it isn't an official title. Warner Bros. has yet to release an official title for this project and everyone has just settled on the Batman vs. Superman name. However, there is word that WB has registered 8 potential titles for the project.

Fusible claims that the studio has gone to MarkMonitor, an internet brand protection company, to register these 8 titles just in case they want to use one of them. That doesn't guarantee one of them will be used, though. Some studios do it to prevent others from marketing on their brand. Also bear in mind that most of these titles make no sense.

Man of Steel: Battle the Knight
Man of Steel: Beyond Darkness
Man of Steel: Black of Knight
Man of Steel: Darkness Falls
Man of Steel: Knight Falls
Man of Steel: Shadow of the Knight
Man of Steel: The Blackest Hour
Man of Steel: The Darkness Within


Out of the given registries, I think the best ones are Knight Falls and Shadow of the Knight. All the other ones sound gimmicky and stupid. It is also worth mentioning that including any Dark Knight reference might be frowned upon in the end because it could create confusion with Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy. A trilogy WB has said the Man of Steel arc will have nothing to do with and will not follow. Due to that, my guesses are on any of the other titles, like The Blackest Hour, to make the final cut.

I'm still hoping for The World's Finest, but that might just be me. Whatever the title winds up being, the Man of Steel sequel is set for release on July 17, 2015.


Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Universal moving forward with The Purge 2

Universal has sent a release announcing a sequel to The Purge, which was released this past summer, is officially getting a sequel. The sequel will be released on June 20, 2014.

If you didn't see The Purge, which still includes me, it is a thriller about when crime is legalized for one night out of the year to ensure peace for the other 364 days. A family is put in danger after they rescue an injured citizen during the purge. I haven't seen it yet for the sheer fact that it took forever to go on Netflix and I bumped movies ahead of it.
The Purge did seem to be a success, though. Universal Studios Hollywood even picked it up and create a "scare zone" during Halloween Horror Nights. A sequel isn't necessarily surprising.

Here is the trailer:


Tuesday, November 19, 2013

FX orders series from Guillermo del Toro

Guillermo del Toro's new project, The Strain, is set to premiere on FX. The network ordered a 13-episode series from del Toro shortly after production wrapped on the pilot episode. The Strain will make its network debut in July 2014. FX CEO John Landgraf predicted that the series will have anywhere between 39 and 65 episodes. That equals to no more than five seasons.

The series, based on a series of novels by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan, is centered around a team of scientists who wage war against an ancient strain of a virus that confers vampirism. The cast includes Sean Astin, Mia Maestro, Corey Stoll, Kevin Durand, and John Hurt. Former Lost co-runner Carlton Cuse is on board to serve as showrunner.




Winona Ryder may return for Beetlejuice 2

Since the sequel to Beetlejuice is actually happening, of course the next step is discussing which cast members are going to return. We already know that Michael Keaton is 100% willing and wanting to return and reprise the title role as Beetlejuice. Now we have some hints that Winona Ryder, who played Lydia Deetz, may return as well.

When speaking with The Daily Beast, Ryder did drop some hints that she will be part of the sequel. That is if both Tim Burton and Michael Keaton are on board as well.
"I’m kind of sworn to secrecy, but it sounds like it might be happening. It’s not a remake, it’s 27 years later. And I have to say, I love Lydia so much. She was such a huge part of me. I would be really interested in what she is doing 27 years later. I would never go near a sequel if it was not Tim and Michael because those guys, I love.”

This is plausible because it apparently takes place 27-years after the events of the first film.  Ryder was 17 when the first movie was made so this would put Lydia pretty close to her real age. Plus, if she has this information and it's actually true this proves that she has at least read a draft of the script. If she does officially join this project and Burton is directing it will mark the fourth collaboration between them. Ryder previously appeared in Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, and Frankenweenie.
Aside from Keaton and Ryder, other cast members that could realistically return are Catherine O'Hara and Jeffrey Jones. Personally, I would love to see O'Hara as Delia once again. I don't see it as feasible to expect Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin to return as the Maitland's, though. This is due to the sheer fact that their age would make their characters ridiculously unrealistic. Ghosts don't age. Period.




Monday, November 18, 2013

Was Brittany Murphy poisoned?

This is random, but I wanted to share it for the sheer fact that I still miss Brittany Murphy.

A new report is claiming that Murphy, who passed away from "natural causes" in 2009, might have been poisoned. Murphy's father has launched a new investigation claiming that his daughter and her late husband, Simon Monjack, were poisoned by someone out to kill them. He sued to obtain samples of his daughter and hired the Carlson Company to run tests. The lab's general manager, Danny Seilheimer, is claiming the report is a "bona fide report" and that their client is intending to release the report.

Murphy and Monjack died five months apart and the Los Angeles Coroner deemed both deaths due to natural causes via a mixture of pneumonia and anemia. Most shrugged off the odd link due to the fact that many reported that Murphy had been sick for sometime and Monjack had a heart condition.
This new lab report is giving credibility to the theory of poisoning after extremely high levels of aluminum, manganese, barium, and other unspecified metals were found in Murphy's system. The report authorized by Seilheimer lists a total of ten heavy metals found that all were at a level higher than what is considered safe by the World Health Organization. It also states that the cause of death is plausible by poisoning from a third party source with criminal intent.
Symptoms of heavy metal poisoning can include dizziness, headaches, gastrointestinal issues, neurological damage, abdominal cramps, tremors, sweating, disorientation, coughing, wheezing, congestion, and pneumonia.  Most of these symptoms plagued both Murphy and Monjack shortly before their deaths. One source in this theory is a toxic mold that was found in their house along with several different household cleaners and pesticide poisons.



I personally find this very sad. I always loved Brittany Murphy (ah, that laugh) and it was very unfortunate what happened with her. She passed way too young.
You have seen, or heard, Brittany Murphy in films and television such as Clueless, Just Married, King of the Hill, Drexell's Class, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Girl Interrupted, Riding in Cars with Boys, and Sin City.  Her mother and widower, Monjack, also established a foundation in her honor which intended to fund children's art and education as well as the USO and cancer research.




I still miss seeing you on the big screen, girl.

Insidious: Chapter 3 set for 2015

The third chapter in the Insidious story has its release date. Insidious: Chapter 3 is set for release on April 3, 2015. This is yet another addition to a very crowded 2015 release year. With this date it will be in direct competition with Passengers which stars Keanu Reeves and Rachel McAdams.

As of right now we know that Leigh Whannell is set to return to write the script and possibly re-appear as Specs. However, we have no potential plot and it is extremely unlikely that James Wan will return to direct. Wan is currently directing Fast and Furious 7 and announced this summer that he wants to move away from the horror genre. Wan had two horror releases with Insidious: Chapter 2 and the record breaking film, The Conjuring.


I feel like this is both good and bad news. I think Whannell and Wan know better than anyone how far a horror franchise can go. Look at what happened with Saw. I don't want the same to happen with Insidious.

Dumb and Dumber To gets official release date

Dumb and Dumber To has obtained an official release date. The sequel will be released on November 14, 2014. That is just about an exact year from now. They are making a pretty smart move with this and releasing it the week before The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1.

Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels are returning for the sequel and new cast members include Laurie Holden and Rob Riggle. It follows Harry and Lloyd as they search for Harry's illegitimate child.

Friday, November 15, 2013

Terrence Howard points blame for Iron Man firing

Terrence Howard can't seem to know when to stop bitching about getting removed from the Marvel Cinematic Universe after one film. Howard played Colonel Rhodes (aka, Iron Patriot) in Iron Man and was replaced with Don Cheadle for Iron Man 2 and Iron Man 3. In addition to claiming Marvel tried to ruin his career, it appears that Howard finally has someone to blame for his removal and that person is Robert Downey Jr..

Howard is claiming that he was the one who recommended Downey in the first place for the role of Tony Stark. In addition to requesting a failed salary increase for Iron Man 2, he claims that Downey took the pay increase he was entitled to and left him behind. On Bravo's What Happens Live he had this to say about the situation (five years later, mind you):
"It turns out that the person that I helped become Iron Man, when it was time to re-up for the second one, took the money that was supposed to go to me and pushed me out. We did a three-picture deal. That means you did the deal ahead of time—a certain amount for the first one, a certain amount for the second, a certain amount for the third. They came to me with the second and said 'look, we will pay you one-eighth of what we contractually had for you, because we think the second one will be successful with or without you.' And I called my friend, that I helped get the first job, and he didn't call me back for three months."

These claims aren't new in case you weren't aware. Shortly after the release of Iron Man 2 in 2010, Howard was quite vocal about recommending Downey to Marvel in the first place:
"For me to have recommended him, it means all the more so that I helped someone get to where they are supposed to go. Marvel and I are now talking about doing some other things. And Don Cheadle wanted to play that part before I wanted to play it, so everything is very well."


We get it, Terrence. You aren't happy about starring in The Best Man Holiday. No need to keep beating a dead horse after two sequels have already been made. 


FXX lands The Simpsons; will stream for the first time

The Simpsons, aka the longest running show on television, has just completed one of the biggest syndication deals of all time. The FX network, FXX, has just obtained syndication rights for all 24 seasons for a 9-figure price. All 530 episodes will be available for airing by August 2014.
In addition to this, being on FXX means the show will be available for streaming for the first time in its history. FXX subscribers will be able to watch episodes via the upcoming FXNOW mobile app. However, this means Netflix and/or Hulu will not get any Simpsons action for quite sometime.

There has always been hefty competition for Simpsons syndication. Until now all re-run episodes have been aired on Fox, but seeing that FX is a 21st Century Fox subsidiary this isn't all that surprising. FX launched FXX as a more comedy-centered network to appeal to a younger audience. So far regular FX shows such as It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell, and The League have been moved to FXX. Wilfred and Legit  are also set to move to FXX in 2014. The Simpsons will join other syndicated programs on FXX such as Arrested Development, Spin City, Freaks and Geeks, Bob's Burgers, How I Met Your Mother, and Parks and Recreation.
I personally don't see the draw to FXX and have resisted ordering the channel seeing that the re-runs they play can be watched on DVD or Netflix and I don't like the shows they moved from FX. I will only consider it if they move Archer over. I wouldn't be surprised if by 2014 Anger Management and/or Louie move to FXX, though. Just throwing that out there.

Now to go watch some Simpsons on DVD.


Thursday, November 14, 2013

Chris Pratt rumored for Jurassic World

I guess being cast in a Marvel movie is a pretty good thing to happen to you. Chris Pratt is apparently being sought after for a lead role in Jurassic World. Pratt will be seen in Guardians of the Galaxy next year and can be seen this month in Delivery Man with Vince Vaughn. He is also a series regular on Parks and Recreation.

Previously Josh Brolin had entered talks for a lead role, but the project moved on without finalizing anything. The official cast members we have at the moment are Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins, and Nick Robinson. Jurassic World opens June 12, 2015.


Wednesday, November 13, 2013

First trailer for Maleficent

I think they could have brought up the bar in terms of how menacing she is, but this is just a teaser. Take it for what it is. I also don't quite understand Elle Fanning as Aurora. Not a great fit, imo.


Maleficent opens on May 30, 2014.

Fifty Shades of Grey moves to 2015

I called this one.

Along with the first images of Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson, we now have confirmation that Fifty Shades of Grey has moved from an August 1, 2014 release to February 13, 2015. Just in time for Valentine's Day so we can all celebrate misogynistic, controlling, and abusive relationships together!

This all comes after a lengthy development. Not only did it take forever to cast the lead roles, once they were cast everyone was thrown for a loop after Charlie Hunnam dropped out of the project. The project scrambled to find a new Christian Grey and eventually did with Jamie Dornan. Most of the supporting characters still haven't been cast and Dornan was left with almost no time to prepare for this movie, so the inevitable schedule change has happened. I called it for that reason and also because it shared the release with Guardians of the Galaxy. This movie had no chance against a Marvel release, so now it joins the extremely crowded movie schedule 2015 holds.

And we have the first images of our main characters, via EW:





I think this is a better fit that Charlie Hunnam would have been, but we shall see. At this rate I am guessing we won't get a trailer until late summer for fall 2014.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Independence Day 2 gets its release date

After an unspecified delay from its original release slot, Independence Day 2 finally has an official release date. The sequel to the 1996 film will be released on July 1, 2016. The film was originally supposed to come out on July 3, 2015.

Fun Fact: This is coming nearly 20 years after the original release as it came out on July 3, 1996.

There is no word on if any original cast members, specifically Will Smith, are going to return or exactly what the movie is about, but we do know it is being directed by Roland Emmerich and he has a script ready for either scenario. Rumors are circling that Michael B. Jordan (Fruitvale Station) is in the casting pool and that the movie could center around the children of the original cast. If that turns out to be the case I am sure Jordan will be playing Dylan, Will Smith's step-son from the first movie.

Either way, there is plenty of time to get the story straight. We only have 2.5 years to wait.

Stevie Nicks joins American Horror Story: Coven

Yes, the rumors are true.

Stevie Nicks is going to guest star on American Horror Story: Coven. If you have been watching Coven you have heard the "Stevie Nicks is a witch" statement already from free spirit witch, Misty Day (Lily Rabe). Show creator Ryan Murphy confirmed via Twitter that Stevie Nicks was going to visit the Coven. There is no info on exactly when she will show up, or where, but we should see her at some point before the season ends.

Fantastic Four gets a new release date

In addition to a schedule shift for Fantastic Four, we have some other release date shifts:

Fantastic Four is moving from March 6, 2015 to June 19, 2015. Originally the film was rumored for 2014, so this one has shifted a lot already. Josh Trank (Chronicle) is still directing. This now puts the film on the same weekend as Disney/Pixar's Inside Out and one week after Jurassic World. Seeing that Fantastic Four has yet to have any solid casting, aside from Miles Teller apparently playing Reed Richards, a delay was expected.

Assassin's Creed, starring Michael Fassbender, has shifted from June 2015 to August 7, 2015.

Paul Feig's new spy comedy, Susan Cooper, will open on May 22, 2015. The film will star Melissa McCarthy and is set to open three weeks after The Avengers: Age of Ultron and directly aside Tomorrowland.

The Secret Service has shifted from 2014 and will take Fantastic Four's old spot of March 6, 2015. Matthew Vaughn is directing this graphic novel adaptation of a Mark Millar story. Colin Firth and Samuel L. Jackson are attached to star.

First poster for Maleficent

Maleficent is the newest Disney live-action adaptation from Sleeping Beauty. It stars Angelina Jolie in the title role and will tell the classic tale through the eyes of the villain. Maleficent will be followed by other live-action adaptations for Cinderella and Cruella de Vil. Robert Stromberg is making his directorial debut.


In addition to this poster, which looks pretty darn good, we will be getting the first trailer tomorrow. Also starring alongside Jolie are Sharlto Copley, Elle Fanning, Sam Riley, and Juno Temple.

Here is the synopsis:
"A beautiful, pure-hearted young woman, Maleficent has an idyllic life growing up in a peaceable forest kingdom, until one day when an invading army threatens the harmony of the land. Maleficent rises to be the land’s fiercest protector, but she ultimately suffers a ruthless betrayal—an act that begins to turn her pure heart to stone. Bent on revenge, Maleficent faces an epic battle with the invading king’s successor and, as a result, places a curse upon his newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Maleficent realizes that Aurora holds the key to peace in the kingdom—and perhaps to Maleficent’s true happiness as well."

Monday, November 11, 2013

Three spin-offs for The Conjuring planned

In addition to the news of the Annabelle spin-off to James Wan's The Conjuring (read about it here), we now have learned that New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. is planning three spin-offs total.

It was announced that the companies are prepping the projects based off The Warren Case Files. The projects will be micro-budgeted and most likely fast-tracked. Rumors are circling that the Annabelle spin-off may enter production as soon as December for a 2014 release.
There is no further info on exactly which cases the other two projects will focus on, but the Warrens certainly have a decent archive with potentials. In my opinion, if these projects are going to be considered "spin-offs" they should be based off cases from within the room at the Warren's house. Maybe a project exploring Bathsheba Sherman a bit more in depth or something like that. Hopefully this isn't going to mean loose, low-budget reboots of The Amityville Horror or Haunting in Connecticut. Amityville has been done to death and Haunting in Connecticut didn't come out that long ago.

Leave it to Hollywood. They never know when to stop while they are ahead.


Saturday, November 9, 2013

Thor: The Dark World - Review

Thor struggles to defeat an enemy neither Asgard nor Odin can overcome while attempting to balance his reunion with Jane Foster and impending rise to the throne in Thor: The Dark World.


To go more in depth to the synopsis:
A long-standing war is brought to Asgard as Malekith, the leader of the "extinct" dark elves, seeks to try and reclaim the Aether, a powerful weapon kept in Asgard's weapons vault. Malekith attacks Asgard as Jane Foster wanders into an alternate dimension in the UK and obtains an unknown source of Aether. During this event, Heimdall notifies Thor that Jane has disappeared from his watch, so Thor returns to Earth and swoops her to Asgard with him. They soon learn that Malekith is after the Aether and will follow no matter where they attempt to keep or hide Jane. Thor winds up turning to his warrior friends and his untrustworthy brother, Loki, to defeat Malekith and the dark elves once and for all.


Now... I want to start by saying this movie was very, very well done. It has a very different theme than Thor did and was a lot more eventful. Thor fully embraces his birthright and is much more aware of his responsibilities as the future King of Asgard as well as the downsides to the throne. I also thought despite the darkness to the overall plot, it balanced humor very well. It was serious, it was funny, and it was very well balanced. And yes, there was a Stan Lee cameo.

As far as acting goes, I think a lot of the roles were switched in comparison to the first movie. Thor was far less arrogant and seemed to embrace his responsibilities more. Chris Hemsworth handled that very well and it shows how in control of the character he is. Tom Hiddleston was great, as always, and Natalie Portman also showed her control of Jane Foster as she had a bit of a different tone in this one as well. Instead of being awestruck over Thor she was a bit defensive but still longing. Her character was definitely left open for at least one more movie. I do have to say that I think the one who dominated this movie was Christopher Eccleston as Malekith. He was just fantastic to watch and very menacing. Definitely a great villain actor.
The shift in directors probably was for the better now that I have seen both movies. Initially when it was announced that Kenneth Branagh wasn't going to return for The Dark World a lot of people had mixed reactions. Some loved that and some hated it. I think Alan Taylor did a fantastic job and brought a new evolution to the characters that was very necessary. It is important to establish these characters outside of The Avengers, and Taylor was very successful.
One more thing to mention here before I get into spoilers is the visual effects. I think this one had some of the best visual effects in a Marvel movie thus far, obviously excluding The Avengers. Asgard is beautifully rendered and the attack for the Aether was handled well, too. I also didn't think the Aether was too cartoonish either. It maintained fantasy but was a pretty good reality borderline.

As the Marvel Cinematic Universe currently stands, here is my list:

1. The Avengers
2.  Iron Man
3. Thor
4. Thor: The Dark World
5. Captain America: The First Avenger
6. Iron Man 3
7. The Incredible Hulk
8. Iron Man 2


And now it is time for spoilers, boys and girls. If you haven't seen Thor: The Dark World I would encourage you to not spoil it for yourself and come back after you have seen it.

You were warned.



Last chance.



Seriously.


Friday, November 8, 2013

The Conjuring to get Annabelle spin-off

Director of photography John R. Leonetti is hopping into the director's chair for Annabelle, an upcoming spin-off from James Wan's The Conjuring. Leonetti served as the DP for five Wan films including The Conjuring, Insidious: Chapter 2, Insidious, Death Sentence, and Dead Silence. It will be his third time directing a film as he previously directed The Butterfly Effect 2 and Mortal Kombat: Annihilation.

Annabelle will be a prequel and is apparently going to begin filming by Spring 2014.




We also got some news about The Conjuring 2 along with the news of Annabelle. The Hayes Brothers are also penning the second movie and the studio has made it clear they will move forward without James Wan. Wan has previously stated his intent to move away from the horror genre and pretty much made it clear that The Conjuring and Insidious: Chapter 2 were going to be his last horror movies. The studio is probably using the threat technique to try and get Wan to return in the end, but I don't think it will work.

[UPDATE] New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. are planning three spin-offs total, including Annabelle. Read about it here.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 has new images

And Electro still looks really stupid to me.




The Amazing Spider-Man 2 hits theaters next year on May 2, 2014. It will also be in 3D.

Lionsgate developing a Hunger Games theme park?

This is some interesting news. Apparently Lionsgate has been approached regarding a theme park concept for The Hunger Games franchise. CEO Jon Feltheimer mentioned that he has been approached in two territories about possible theme parks. There is no telling exactly what these concepts would be about or where they would show up, but it would be awkward for sure. I don't know if many theme park guests would want to ride and attraction that focused on children killing each other. I also don't know what park this would appear at. I would assume Lionsgate would have to sell certain rights to the franchise to get it to appear inside Universal Studios and I doubt Disney would jump on it.

In other theme park news, Disney CEO Bob Iger elaborated on the rumors of a Star Wars takeover of the Disney Parks worldwide. He confirmed that concepts for more Star Wars attractions are in development at Disney Imagineering for Disneyland in California and Disneyworld in Florida, but there is nothing set in stone just yet. He also says once the domestic concepts are completed they will move on to include more Star Wars in the international parks in Paris, Tokyo, and Shanghai.

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Star Wars: Episode VII gets official release date

Everyone mark your calendars!

Star Wars: Episode VII is currently set to open, in 3D, on December 18, 2015. 
This will mark the first Star Wars film to not be released in the month of May and will be the first film in the franchise to have an initial release in 3D. All previous 3D Star Wars releases have been re-releases. There is no word on whether the film will be shot in 3D or if it will be post-converted. Episode VII will share the release weekend with Universal's World of Warcraft adaptation, Warcraft.
In addition to an official release date, we have also learned the real reason J.J. Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan stepped in and replaced Michael Ardnt to finish the script. Abrams cites speed as the real reason. Arndt exited the project and was replaced in order for them to meet the deadline. Producer Kathleen Kennedy previously tried to convince Disney to push back the release until 2016, but Disney wouldn't budge and was adamant about a 2015 release. As a result, Kasdan was brought in to help speed up the process.


I personally don't mind the December release date for two reasons. First off, in order to obtain the May release date they would either have to shift The Avengers: Age of Ultron or delay Star Wars until 2016. Second, releasing in December gives a bit of a break to viewers and gives them enough time to give us a quality product. There is obviously no way in hell we would get May 2014 and I think it's fairly obvious they aren't willing to shift The Avengers, so people just need to be happy with what we have. We have an official date. Now, it could still change so I am not putting much stock in this for right now. Seeing that it is going directly against Warcraft I wouldn't be shocked to see that one shift up or down by a week. Anything going up against Star Wars is going to get demolished.
Another sidenote about this recent release date, it has caused a rift that resulted in Disney moving the release date for Tomorrowland. Originally set for release in November 2014, it will now be released on May 22, 2015 which is three weeks after The Avengers: Age of Ultron and one week before Inside Out, the next Pixar release.




Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Better Call Saul might be both past and future

AMC recently confirmed a Breaking Bad spin-off to be centered around Walt and Jesse's crooked lawyer, Saul Goodman. The series, to be titled Better Call Saul, was initially marketed and announced as a Breaking Bad prequel and set to premiere by summer or early fall 2014. However, the show might serve as both prequel and sequel.

We saw in the finale that Saul had taken the "out" with his contact and received a new identity and would be found in Nebraska. Bob Odenkirk had some information about the potential Better Call Saul has:
"Well, I’ve talked to Vince (Gilligan) and Peter (Gould), who are writing and creating the series, about this and I’ve said that a lot of people do want to see what happens to next to Saul. So, I don’t know what they’re going to do. I know they’ve talked about prequel, but they’ve also talked to me about sequel, and they’ve also talked to me about a mix of prequel and sequel."


I wouldn't be surprised to see the show venture a bit into the future. The way they left us with Jesse would be interesting to see.







FX orders more American Horror Story

American Horror Story has officially been renewed for a fourth season by FX. We are currently underway into the third season, Coven, and things are going quite well so far. Coven isn't set to end until January 29th, but there will be 13 episodes in season four to tide us over next year.

This renewal is not surprising as Coven has outshined and shattered ratings records of both seasons one and two. There is no word on whether they will do, for the first time, a direct continuation of Coven's storyline or if they will follow suit and have another new theme with new characters.
Another possibility at this point is a continuation of season one (aka, Murder House). The way the season ended left it open for continuation and I was pretty surprised that season two (aka, Asylum) was a completely different thing with new characters and the same actors. With Dylan McDermott and Connie Britton expressing interest to return we might just revisit Murder House. I wouldn't rule it out.


Sin City 2 receives a new title

Sim City: A Dame to Kill For has already been rescheduled once. Now there is some evidence that the title has been changed as well. Despite being directly based off Frank Miller's novel which shares A Dame to Kill For, the new title for the film appears to be Sin City: A Dame to Die For.

Here is the new poster evidence, via Bloody Disgusting:




Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Star Wars casting call sheet surfaces


via Jedi News.


19 animated features submitted for Oscar nominations

A total of 19 films have been submitted to the powers that be to be considered for the Academy Awards in 2014. The nominees will consist of any of these:

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
The Croods
 Despicable Me 2
 Epic
 Ernest and Celestine
 The Fake
 Free Birds
 Frozen
 Khumba
 The Legend of Sarila
 A Letter to Momo
 Monsters University
 O Apóstolo
 Planes
 Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie – Rebellion
 Rio: 2096 A Story of Love and Fury
 The Smurfs 2
 Turbo
 The Wind Rises

 My guesses out of this list are Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, Despicable Me 2, Frozen, Monsters University, and Turbo. A wildcard could be Planes. 

FX announces return dates for 2014

FX has announced the return dates for their 2014 show lineup. It consists of some day changes, so pay attention:


Archer will return on January 13, 2014. The show is switching from Thursdays to Mondays and will air for a total of 13 episodes.

Justified returns on January 7, 2014. It will air on Tuesdays and will have a total of 13 episodes.

Chozen will premiere on January 13, 2014 directly after Archer. It tells the story of a gay white rapper who is fresh out of prison.

The Americans returns on an unspecified date in February 2014.

Jon Favreau to direct The Jungle Book

Jon Favreau, familiar with the Marvel world, is in talks to return to Disney and direct The Jungle Book. The classic tale has been adapted twice by Disney already; once in animated form in 1967 and live-action in 1994. Production is rumored to begin early in 2014.

Favreau previously directed Iron Man and Iron Man 2 and was previously attached to Magic Kingdom. I think he has the right amount of playfulness for a project like this.


Lionsgate developing new Saw installment

This has been rumored for about 3 years now and while there is no script or motion in place, there is word that Lionsgate is actively developing an 8th film in the Saw franchise. The company is looking for a way to continue one of the most, if not the most, profitable horror franchises in history. Saw basically dominated Halloween from 2004-2010 starting with James Wan's feature film debut. Since Saw fell off the radar after an extremely disappointing finish with Saw 3D, the Halloween box office has been handed over to the Paranormal Activity franchise.
If you have never seen a Saw movie you are probably living under a rock. Especially since there are seven of them. Google it.

Now... with this said we have to keep in mind that there is apparently no rush for Lionsgate. There were rumors of a Saw reboot, but sources are claiming the company wants to stay true and just continue on with an 8th installment.



Not happy... not happy at all. Saw 3D was an ass raping to all fans back in 2010 and I can't even imagine what they would continue with. Go home, Lionsgate. You're drunk.


The bigger picture here is who Lionsgate would tap to direct. I am highly doubting any of the four previous directors would jump on the opportunity to direct an 8th film or a reboot. Let's take a look at what our Saw alums are up to:

James Wan:
Wan directed Saw in 2004 and was half of the founding team of the franchise along with Leigh Whannell. He co-wrote the film and directed the original short which featured Whannell in the lead role. He stayed on as an executive producer up until Saw 3D in 2010. However, since Saw we have seen films such as Dead Silence, Insidious, The Conjuring, and Insidious: Chapter 2 and is considered to be one of the best horror directors in the past 10 years. He is also currently directing Fast and Furious 7. In other words, he has moved on to much bigger and better things.
Return odds - no way in hell

Darren Lynn Bousman:
Bousman directed Saw II, III, and IV for our viewing pleasure and was one of two directors to basically get screwed in the end. Bousman chose not to direct Saw V and went on to direct Repo! The Genetic Opera, Mother's Day, and The Devil's Carnival. Not bad films but all are fairly low profile projects, but he seems content with that. In fact, on the Devil's Carnival road shows he refuses to sign any Saw merchandise for fans.
Return odds - no way in hell

David Hackl:
Hackl gave us the second to worst Saw film in the entire franchise with Saw V. The production designer turned director has done essentially nothing since Saw V. He re-teamed with Bousman and served as a production designer for Repo! The Genetic Opera and The Barrens. He currently has a project called Red Machine that is in post-production.
Return odds - plausible

Kevin Greutert:
Greutert gave us the best film since Saw III with Saw VI in 2009. He had served as editor since Saw and was hired to direct VI and did a pretty great job. However, Mark Burg and Oren Koules chose to royally screw Kevin over with Saw 3D and it was apparent that he just didn't give a shit because it was the worst Saw movie to date. Since then Kevin has edited The Collection and directed a film called Jessabelle that is scheduled for release in August 2014.
Return odds - no way in hell

Leigh Whannell:
Whannell never directed a Saw film, but was the co-writer of the original concept with James Wan. He starred as Adam in Saw and Saw III and served as writer on Saw II and Saw III. Whannell even wrote the concepts for the Saw: Rebirth short and the Saw video game.  He also stayed on as an executive producer along with Wan up until Saw 3D. However, he has remained with James Wan and has also moved onto better things. He co-wrote Insidious and Insidious: Chapter 2 and starred in both films as Specs. He also co-wrote Wan's film Dead Silence. He is currently rumored to be on board for Insidious: Chapter 3. Some of us Saw geeks have joked about Whannell directing a future Saw film, but the keyword is "joked." He left Saw a long time ago.
Return odds - no way in hell


Long story short, Lionsgate will have to do some serious convincing to get any of these guys back or they will have to find a new director. I am betting on the latter.


Another Wolverine film in the works

Well, potentially in the works.

Deadline is reporting that James Mangold and Hugh Jackman are planning a spin-off to The Wolverine and that Mangold is already in talks with 20th Century Fox to return. The Wolverine used the character's most popular solo arc, which would be him in Japan, so there is no telling which arc could be next on the list. There is 39-years worth of Wolverine stories so who knows what could be next. It is also possible that a new story could be created. The other question is, would this new Wolverine movie be centered around and/or after X-Men: Days of Future Past?
Moving forward shouldn't be difficult for 20th Century Fox seeing as The Wolverine brought in $413 million in the box office this summer. Not to mention the fact that Wolverine seems to be the backbone of every X-Men movie to date, minus First Class. Hugh Jackman seems to be content with his typecasting as well and has stated he has no plans to retire from the character at the current moment.

So, with X-Men: Days of Future Past hitting in 2014 and Fantastic Four hitting in 2015, could we see a new Wolverine by 2016? It is very possible.



I'm all for another Wolverine movie. I enjoyed The Wolverine and I am curious to see how they are going to move forward with the ending they gave us. Bring it!

Monday, November 4, 2013

Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg reunite for American Ultra

Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg are set to reunite on screen for the new action-comedy, American Ultra, to be directed by Nima Nourizadeh (Project X). The pair previously co-starred in the 2009 comedy, Adventureland. Production is set to begin in April 2014.
American Ultra tells the story of a stoner named Mike (Eisenberg) who is living in a small town with his girlfriend, Phoebe (Stewart). One night Mike's past comes back to haunt him as a government operation targets to wipe him out.


In a way this is exciting because I really love Adventureland. It is literally one of my favorite movies and I think Stewart and Eisenberg have great chemistry. However, the prolonged typecasting of Jesse Eisenberg continues and it's ridiculous. He almost always plays a stoner or a virgin or a whimp or all of them. But even with that said, I will probably see this for the sheer fact that I liked Project X.


Saturday, November 2, 2013

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones poster surfaces

It looks like an album cover for a metal band.


Ender's Game - Review

In Earth's distant future, an International Military force seeks a cadet who can lead them to victory in an alien war. A young cadet named Ender Wiggin is recruited and trained to lead his command and determine Earth's future in Ender's Game.


I have been excited for Ender's Game since I saw the first trailer some months ago. I did read Orson Scott Card's original novel, but that was about 12 years ago when I was in middle school. With that said, I didn't remember a whole lot from the book so I considered myself a viewer that was going into this movie fairly fresh on the material. I must say that I really enjoyed it.
I thought the story was pretty spot on from what I did remember. I liked the concept and the execution. As I was leaving the theater there were those who were criticizing it in comparison to the book, but in a way I am happy that I didn't remember much. I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it as much otherwise.
As far as casting goes I think Asa Butterfield was a great choice for Ender. I first saw him in Hugo and thought he was great then. He has a way of conveying emotion that is very visible and believable. Ender's guilt over the Formics fate was very well played out. Other cast members I thought shined were Harrison Ford, Hailee Steinfeld, Ben Kingsley, and Viola Davis. They all worked very well together.
One thing that I thought shined in this movie beyond the casting was the visual effects and the sound effects. They were very spot on and quite well done. I would have loved to see a bit of clean up on the Formics because they looked a little cartoonish for me, but even with that they weren't horrible on the eyes. The sound effects of the alien bugs were great.

My only real criticism is I thought the movie went a little too fast. It is just under 2 hours long and I feel they could have exceeded 120min and given us a little bit more of the actual battle and Ender's final training into the simulations. A majority of the film focused on his cadet training, the struggles with bullying, and the zero gravity games. It was all fine and I wouldn't have cut any of it out, but once that was over they just kind of threw Ender as a Commander in our face and breezed through the simulations and ended the movie. I would have given at least an extra 15-20min. Not to mention the kid they cast as Bonzo was borderline comical due to his physical stature, but that isn't a big deal.

Overall I did really enjoy Ender's Game. I honestly wouldn't mind seeing it again if I get the opportunity. Definitely a recommendation.
And don't pay attention to all that boycott crap people are trying to pull on Orson Scott Card. He isn't profiting from the movie because he sold the rights and the movie has nothing to do with his statements on marriage. Suck it up and enjoy a good movie for once, people.





Friday, November 1, 2013

More American Horror Story alums trying to return

Seeing that American Horror Story: Coven seems to be the show's most successful season yet, and it's only four episodes in, it would make sense that more actors from previous seasons are trying to return. We first learned that Dylan McDermott expressed some interest in returning for Coven. Now we have word that Connie Britton, who portrayed Vivien Harmon in Murder House (aka, season one), has expressed the same interest. Britton told Rolling Stone, “I’m like, ‘I’ll put that on and jump on a plane and go to New Orleans. Yes, I would do that. As long as we can figure it out with both productions, I’m in. I hope it happens.”
This is to be expected in a way. McDermott appeared on Asylum, but Britton only had one season on AHS. Not to mention Taissa Farmiga who played their daughter, Violet, in Murder House is getting her second shot on Coven.

However, I would expect this to actually happen. Even if Coven is still shooting I don't think they would want to randomly write in new characters just because people wanted cameos. Then again, maybe they would. For the fourth season I wouldn't be surprised to see either McDermott or Britton resurface, though.
As far as Coven goes, we only have a handful of newcomers to AHS as a whole. So far the list of AHS veterans who have appeared on more than one season are:

Jessica Lange (1-3)
Evan Peters (1-3)
Sarah Paulson (1-3)
Frances Conroy (1-3)
Lily Rabe (1-3)
Zachary Quinto (1-2)
Denis O'Hare (1,3)
Taissa Farmiga (1,3)
Jamie Brewer (1,3)
Robin Bartlett (2-3)
Alexandra Breckenridge (1,3)

The Coven newcomers include, but are not limited to:

Emma Roberts (3)
Kathy Bates (3)
Angela Bassett (3)
Gabourey Sidibe (3)
Josh Hamilton (3)


Wait until next season, guys. I'm sure we will see more people returning. Especially if this season has a killer finale. 








Ali G to air on FXX

FX's new network, FXX, has just gained some pretty interesting characters. The network will air two new series from Sacha Baron Cohen featuring his character Ali G. There will be two series to be aired, Ali G: Rezurection and The Best of Ali G. Baron Cohen will return for new remixes and intros and The Best of Ali G will feature episodes never aired in the US. The series are set to air in February 2014. Check your cable providers to check where you can get FXX if you want it.
Along with this news, there is confirmation that Sacha Baron Cohen's production company has just closed a first-look deal with FX Productions. That most likely will mean another television show. 

Here is the press release:
FX PRODUCTIONS CLOSES FIRST-LOOK TV DEAL WITH SACHA BARON COHEN’S PRODUCTION COMPANY FOUR BY TWO and FXX ORDERS ALI G: REZURECTION
FXX Lands All Episodes of Da Ali G Show Remixed With New Original Introductions Starring Baron Cohen
Deal Includes the BAFTA Award Winning English Episodes of the Da Ali G Show That Never Aired on American Television and The Best of Ali G
Ali G: Rezurection Debuts in February 2014
LOS ANGELES, November 1, 2013 – FX Productions (FXP) has closed a first-look TV deal with Sacha Baron Cohen’s production company, Four By Two, and FXX has ordered Ali G: Rezurection to begin airing in early 2014.  Ali G: Rezurection includes every episode of Da Ali G Show with new, original introductions starring Baron Cohen, along with the BAFTA Award winning English episodes of Da Ali G Show that never aired on American television and The Best of Ali G. The deal was announced today by Nick Grad, President of Original Programming, FX Networks and FX Productions and Eric Schrier, President of Original Programming, FX Networks and FX Productions.
“We’re thrilled to be in business with Sacha Baron Cohen,” said Grad, “He is an amazing talent and we look forward to him developing new series for FXP.  We’re also excited to introduce Da Ali G Show and Sacha’s characters to a new audience on FXX, and we can’t wait to see how he will incorporate new, original content in the episodes.”
Da Ali G Show debuted on Channel 4 in the U.K. in 2003.  A character created by Baron Cohen, Ali G originated on Channel 4’sThe 11 O’clock Show and was spun off into Da Ali G Show.  Baron Cohen produced 18 episodes, with 12 of those episodes airing on HBO in the U.S.
Alongside the eponymous Ali G, Da Ali G Show also features the much beloved Borat and Bruno characters, both of whom later headlined critically-acclaimed feature films. In addition to the Ali G episodes, FXX will receive and air all of the Ali G segments and vignettes from The11 O’clock Show.  Baron Cohen is represented by WME and Ziffren, Brittenham, Branca, Fischer, Gilbert-Lurie, Stiffelman & Cook.
In addition to its deal with Four By Two Films, FXP currently has production output deals in place with RCG Productions, the production company of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Executive Producer/Showrunners Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day and Glenn Howerton, and Floyd County Productions, the production company of Archer Executive Producer/Showrunners Adam Reed and Matt Thompson. FXP recently announced a cable exclusive, first-look pact with Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson and their Color Force production company, producers of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid feature franchise and The Hunger Games. It was the first POD deal for FX Productions that was not established through a prior existing relationship with the studio.  FXP has a first-look cable deal with Paul Giamatti, Dan Carey and their production company, Touchy Feely Films.