Cinema Blend recently caught up with Kristina Anapau who, in case you didn’t know, is set to star in the Eric Stolz werewolf movie
First Howl which we first told you about back in 2007. The film stars Eric Stolz, C. Thomas Howell, Stephen Toblowsky, and Chris Showerman as John Howl: Police detective by day, werewolf by night.
The film is currently back on track and inching forward towards production. Kirstina gave us an update on where the movie’s at, what it’s all about, and where she fits into the equation. And it’s exactly what you think it will be: That being kind of awesome. Kristina says “…that it puts a modern spin on the classic horror film. The film focuses on the humanity of John Howl- the battle of his humanity winning out over his animal instinct- a beautiful metaphor for human behavior in our modern times.”
Anapau fits into the film as “a fiery young woman named Sammi who takes matters into her own hands when betrayed by a lover. Sammi injects a lot of humor into her revenge tactics…she’s a very lovable character underneath all her mischievousness”
This isn’t Kirstina’s first time in a werewolf film. Back in 2005 she showed up in Wes Craven’s Cursed, of which Anapau says, “Wes Craven’s Cursed, was completely different from First Howl in both content and style… and the characters I play are very different as well. Working with Wes was such a pleasure… I know working on First Howl with the talent in front of and behind the camera will be just as amazing”
Hallmark Channel has green lighted sequels to its original movies “The Good Witch”.
“Witch’s” Catherine Bell and Chris Potter are set to reprise their roles in “The Good Witch 2″.
In “Witch 2,” which goes into production later this month in Toronto for a 2009 premiere, Cassie Nightingale’s (Bell) relationship with Police Chief Jake Russell (Potter) is threatened when a new man enters her life.
The original “Witch,” which premiered in January, ranks as Hallmark Channel’s second-highest-rated original movie ever. The sequel is from Whizbang Films, with Frank Siracusa, Orly Adelson and Jonathan Eskenas exec producing.
Bell is co-executive producing, and Andrea Raffaghello is producing. Craig Pryce will direct from a script by G. Ross Parker.
Veteran US actor Sam Shepard and Spanish star Eduardo Noriega will head the cast of Mateo Gil’s new project Blackthorn, a western set to shoot in Bolivia next year.
Blackthorn will tell the story of an old American named James Blackthorn (alias Butch Cassidy), played by Shepard, who raises horses in Bolivia but is dying and wants to return to the US. However, along the way he crosses paths with a young Spanish mining engineer accused of robbing a mine (Noriega), and the two slowly strike up a friendship.
“One of the things I like most about westerns is that it’s a truly moral genre. The characters face life and death, and other very important matters (freedom, commitment, loyalty, courage, treacher, justice, friendship… and even love) in very pure and simple terms. The decisions they make are not only very dramatic, but set examples. What more can you ask from a film?,” says Mateo Gil.
Blackthorn will be produced by Spanish outfits Aiete-Arianne Films and Arcadia Motion Pictures alongside Taiwanese company Zeus Films. Spanish broadcaster TVE has pre-bought the TV rights for Spain.
Sam Shepard
Originally Nick Nolte was intended to take the role of James Blackthorn, but has been replaced by Shepard.
Gil is Alejandro Amenabar’s co-scriptwriter on projects including Agora, which has already taken $11m at the Spanish box office in less than a week, the Oscar winning The Sea Inside and Open Your Eyes. His directorial debut Nadie Conoce a Nadie, also starring Eduardo Noriega, picked up a Goya award for special effects in 2000.
Tagline – Alexandria, Egypt. 391 A.D. The World Changed Forever
Plot – A historical drama set in Roman Egypt, concerning a slave who turns to the rising tide of Christianity in the hopes of pursuing freedom while also falling in love with his master, the famous female philosophy professor and atheist Hypatia of Alexandria.
By Pamela Rolfe – HollywoodReporter.com
MADRID — Alejandro Amenabar’s Egyptian epic “Agora” became this year’s top-grossing local film after only four days and snagged the top spot for 2009′s best opening weekend at the Spanish boxoffice.
Released by Fox on Friday, “Agora” earned €7 million ($10.4 million) in the first four days, thanks largely to a strong weekend that raked in €5.4 million ($8 million) with some 7 million tickets sold.
“Agora,” which stars Rachel Weisz, displaces “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs,” the previous top opening weekend with €5.3 million ($7.8 million).
The film’s strong opening leaves it shy of hitting the all-time high for a Spanish film’s opening. Four years ago, Santiago Segura’s “Torrente 3: El Protector” earned €7.2 million ($10.7 million) in the first three days.
The opening follows an unusually aggressive advertising campaign for Spain, spearheaded by broadcaster Telecinco, which saw its film branch Telecinco Cinema co-produce the film with Fernando Bovaira’s Mod Producciones and Amenbar’s Himenoptero.
Focus Features International holds international rights.
Langton was born in Arizona to geologist Jackson Langton and a surgical nurse mother. Her maternal grandfather Stephen Cummings was a World War II pilot and her aunt Sally Spalding is a script supervisor. Langton was raised in Illinois and Texas.
Over the years, Langton has dated a number of well-known celebrities including actors George Clooney and David Chokachi; golfer Tiger Woods; and several non-celebrities. She is now married to internet executive Carl Hagmier. She is an avid snowboarder and has 2 dogs, Riley and Baloo.
Langton came to fame on the television series Melrose Place, playing Samantha Reilly Campbell. After Melrose Place she starred in The Net, a television drama based on the 1995 film of the same name. Langton starred as Angela Bennett, the character played by Sandra Bullock in the film. It was produced in Vancouver, Canada and originally aired on the USA Network.
She also appeared alongside Keanu Reeves and Gene Hackman in the 2000 film The Replacements, and had a brief role in the 1996 indie film Swingers. In addition to these films, she has starred in a number of smaller films like Partner(s) with Jay Harrington and Julie Bowen, Playing Mona Lisa with Alicia Witt, and Kiss the Bride with Alyssa Milano. Her most recent film role was in the film Primeval, which was released in January 2007, as well as an appearance in the video for the song “(You Want to) Make a Memory” by Bon Jovi. Her role as the wife of Kyle Chandler’s character in the film The Kingdom, released on September 28, 2007, wound up on the cutting-room floor.
Langton had a recurring role on Friday Night Lights. The actress also co-stars as Charlie Crews’ lawyer, Constance Griffiths, on NBC’s new show, Life, which premiered September 2007. The show has since been cancelled
1992 : Baywatch: River of No Return (TV) : Tanya
1994 : Terminal Velocity : Jump Junkie #2
1994 : Moment of Truth: A Mother’s Deception (TV) : Kim McGill
1995 : Beach House : Caitlin
1995 : Moment of Truth: Eye of the Stalker (TV) : Elizabeth « Beth » Knowlton
1995 : Extreme (TV) : Sarah Bowen
1996 : Young Indiana Jones: Travels with Father (TV) : Rebecca Donelly
Mike Elizalde, whose credits include “X-Men: The Last Stand”, both of the “Fantastic Four” films, both of the “Hellboy” films and most recently “The Land of the Lost” film, has been in the special effects business for over 20 years. Mr. Elizalde was nominated for a “Best Makeup” Oscar for his work on Hellboy II (2008). He is the owner of Spectral Motion an all purpose special effects shop offering Creatures, Props, Special Makeup Effects. His shop specializes in the design and creation of astonishing cinematic creature effects, special makeup effects, animatronics and action props. Mr. Elizalde shares his journey into the world of filmmaking and special effects with GoreMaster.
M. Night Shyamalan’s next story, Devil, a horror-thriller, is being backed by Universal and directed by brothers John Erick Dowdle and Drew Dowdle (Quarantine) with actor Chris Messina (Julie and Julia) attached to star. Brian Nelson (30 Days of Night) wrote the script based on Shyamalan’s story, the details of which are being kept a tightly guarded secret. I’m not really sure why a movie based on a story no one has heard about would be kept secret, unless Universal is concerned that pre-filming buzz would either be highly critical or ruin one of those “Shyamalan Twists”.
Shyamalan grabbed the world’s attention with The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable and even Signs as well as The Village, Lady in the Water and most recently the “environmental” film, The Happening.
Devil starts production in Toronto on October 26th, 2009 and so far it looks like Messina is on his own because no other names have been attached to the project yet.
Just in time for Halloween, Castle of Chaos in Branson, MO Merges State-of-the-Art 3D with Heart-Pounding Motion, Special Effects, Animatronics, and Gaming for the First Ever 5D Interactive Haunted Experience in the World.
Haunted house aficionados, video game buffs, and Branson tourists who are ready for a thrill will find a whole new kind of entertainment beginning this Halloween season. Castle of Chaos, a fright ride and battle game, is the newest attraction in Branson, MO and marks the world premiere of the 5D experience, it was announced by owner Kuvera Attractions.
Castle of Chaos merges state-of-the-art 3D with heart-pounding motion, special effects, animatronics and gaming for the first-ever 5D interactive haunted experience in the world. Visitors enter an enormous castle to discover the fate of 1920s horror film star Carli Winepeg and her crew, who mysteriously disappeared while shooting the planned epic film Castle of Chaos. Once securely buckled into armchairs with 3D glasses on and pistols ready at their sides, guests are spun into Carli’s tortured world and forced to protect themselves from its terrifying inhabitants.
“Castle of Chaos is such an engrossing experience because it is the first ride in the world to incorporate so many multi-media and interactive technologies in one attraction,” says Tej Sundher, Kuvera Attractions Partner whose family also founded the world-famous Hollywood Wax Museum.
This 21st century haunted house combines the latest in 3D projection with surround sound, special effects, motion-based seats, and a shooting system that scores each member of the audience. The 24 seats are affixed to a five-ton rotating platform that has ten engines and achieves a top speed of 15 rpm. There are sequences that include total darkness, wind, water, smoke, and foul scents, among other effects. Each player racks up points, and the top five scorers are shown on the screen at the end of the ride.
Initial surveys have shown that guests absolutely love Castle of Chaos. “My favorite part was the bats flying out of the screen and over our heads,” wrote 46-year-old rider Don from Florence, KS. “Oh my gosh! The anticipation made me want to bite my nails, but I couldn’t because I was so busy shooting at everything,” said Lizette, age 17, of Waukesha, WI.
“Nearly 50 percent of riders get right back in line to try again,” says Sundher. “The competitive element appeals to all ages and is especially compelling to video game players who always want to improve their scores.”
Players can earn thousands of points shooting at targets including candles, cameras, bats, bugs, rats, and zombies. Items that are more difficult to hit are worth more points, and certain objects react when struck. For example, candles flare when they are hit, one bat flies out upon contact, and a jar releases a ghost when shot.
When his daughter is killed before his eyes, homicide detective Thomas Craven decides to take matters into his own hands and uncovers political conspiracies and cover-ups along the way.
Mel Gibson is being pushed to the edge of his dark side when his daughter is killed in front of him. A brand new trailer for “Edge of Darkness” has been released at Yahoo! Movies and teased first how close Gibson’s character to his daughter. It continues to show glimpses of the murder and the effect of her death.
Taking the role of Thomas Craven, 52-year-old Gibson returns to the big screen as a homicide detective for the Boston Police Department who investigates the death of his activist daughter Emma. Trying to find the person responsible for Emma’s death, Thomas instead uncovers not only her secret life, but also a corporate cover-up and government collusion. His discoveries attract an agent tasked with cleaning up the evidence.
Scripted by William Monahan and Andrew Bovell, “Edge of Darkness” is a feature film adaptation of 1985 BBC television series. Martin Campbell, the director of “Casino Royale”, directs. He also produces along with the original series director/producer Michael Wearing. Bojana Novakovic plays Emma, and Ray Winstone takes on the role of the agent sent to cover up the murder. January 29, 2010 will be the U.S. release date of this drama thriller.
Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie, a black and white short he made while still toiling as an animator at Disney, has been slated for the big-budget, stop-motion, feature-length treatment for a while now, ever since they brought him on board to make the 3D Alice in Wonderland that everyone is salivating over right now.
It’s been presumed Frankenweenie will be gearing up once Alice is finished, in time to meet its 2011 release date, and Coming Soon spoke to producer Allison Abbate to find out just that. The real news is that they’re still considering making it in black-and-white and 3D, which I’m pretty sure would be a first for the digital 3D format. I’m surprised that they haven’t committed to 3D yet, actually, given that every other Disney animated movie is committed to 3D in the foreseeable future, and they’ve been planning Frankenweenie for years.
The other tidbit of news is that the film will be shot at Three Mills Studio in London, where Wes Anderson’s stop-motion The Fantastic Mr. Fox filmed earlier this year.
