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Hollywood North Report Latest News - Canada's Premier Film and TV News Source
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More US Stars For Canadian Movies Says Telefilm
According to reports, Michel Roy, head of Canada's federal film agency Telefilm, is urging the Conservative government to ease restrictions allowing foreign film actors to appear in publicly-funded movies.
Current tax rules require the lead actor or second lead to be Canadian.
Roy said he believes more US movie stars would help Canadian movies at the box office, especially English Canadian features, which accounted for only one per cent of Canadian box office receipts in 2009.
"We need to make changes," Roy said. "In order to make those changes we will have to dare to do new things that at times might shock some people."
Roy says Telefilm, which has invested nearly a billion dollars of tax-payer money into the domestic industry since 2000, has been holding discussions with officials at Heritage Canada.
Meanwhile Canadian leading actors, including Ryan Reynolds (The Green Lantern) and Seth Rogen (The Green Hornet), continue to dominate in US films, which leads to speculation that it may not be the 'stars' of films that attract audiences, but rather universal themes and stories.
Expect ACTRA, the Canadian film actors union, that has been lobbying the industry for more 'Canadian' stories, to go ape over Roy's recommendations...
Sneak Peek The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Walmart reports that fans buying the Vancouver-lensed, Twilight Saga: New Moon DVD will also get a 7-minute sneak peek @ The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, opening June 30.
Walmart said it will be the only retailer to carry The Twilight Saga: New Moon Ultimate Fan Edition on standard DVD and Blu-ray, including footage from Eclipse, with a sneak peek at production of the newest film.
"...New interviews with stars Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner, as well as with series-creator Stephenie Meyer, are integrated with revealing on-the-set footage of some of the key scenes and sets from the upcoming movie.
"This sneak peek @ 'The Twilight Saga: Eclipse' concludes with the world premiere of an actual scene from the upcoming film..."
Shaw Gets Closer To Canwest Purchase
An Ontario provincial court overseeing restructuring of Canwest Global has confirmed its approval of a takeover bid for the company by Shaw Communications.
The investment still requires approval by several groups including Canwest creditors, the CRTC and US investment bank Goldman Sachs, a partner with Canwest on special channel assets.
Shaw plans to own 20 per cent of Canwest's equity and 80 per cent of its voting stock, with Canwest remaining a standalone company. Shaw would acquire 11 local TV stations across Canada, as well as ownership of specialty channels Showcase, MovieTime and HGTV.
Winnipeg-based Canwest owes billions of dollars to creditors, operating under court supervision since 2009...
A-Team Director Runs With The Grey
Director Joe Carnahan (Narc), putting the finishing touches on his Vancouver-lensed feature film update of The A-Team TV series, wants A-Team actor Bradley Cooper for the Scott Free thriller The Grey.
From a screenplay by Carnahan and Ian Jeffers, based on Jeffers short story, The Grey follows survivors of a plane wreck that are hunted down by a pack of hungy wolves.
Carnahan will produce with RSA's Jules Daly and Inferno Entertainment's Bill Johnson. Inferno's Jim Seibel will executive produce.
Inferno has backed the film's $34 million budget, taking foreign distribution, having already scored pre-sales for the UK, France, Australia, Latin America and the Middle East.
Scott Free, the production company owned by brothers Ridley and Tony Scott, recently produced director Carnahan's The A-Team, based on the Stephen J. Cannell TV series.
The A-Team opens in June.
The Red Baron Plays In Toronto March 12
Monterey Media and Video Service Corp., present the feature The Red Baron, written/directed by Nikolai Muellerschoen, opening theatrically in Toronto, March 12.
The action adventure, filmed in English, stars Matthias Schweighöfer as WWI German flying ace 'Manfred von Richthofen', aka 'The Red Baron", Til Schweiger as 'Lieutenant Voss', Lena Headey as 'Käte' and Joseph Fiennes as Allied Forces? Canadian pilot 'Captain Roy Brown'.
The Red Baron is produced by Dan Maag, Thomas Reisser and Nikolai Muellerschoen.
"...'Baron Manfred von Richthofen' is, at the age of 24, the crack pilot of the German aerial combat forces ? a legend in his own time, a hero at home and a man both feared and respected by the enemy. Von Richthofen and his fellow officers see their duels in the sky as tactical, almost sportsmanlike, challenges that, at least at first, obscure their view of the horrors of the battlefields below. For millions of his countrymen, he becomes an idol, a symbol of hope and pride. But the German high command increasingly misuses him for propaganda purposes ? until the young pilot falls in love with a beautiful and resolute nurse who opens his eyes and von Richthofen finally becomes aware of his role in a senseless and barbarous war.
"Despite heavy losses in his squadron while torn between his disgust for the war and his responsibility to his fighter wing, von Richthofen cannot stop flying. Even for this living legend, each new combat mission could be his last? "
Following the theatrical run, The Red Baron will be released on DVD, through VSC on June 1st.
Caprica Goes Gravedancing- February 19
SyFy airs the episode Gravedancing, from the Vancouver-lensed Battlestar Galactica spin-off Caprica, February 19.
In the episode, 'Joseph' demands that 'Daniel' reunite him with his daughter's 'avatar', the 'essence' of his daughter 'Tamara (Genevieve Buechner), living on in virtual space.
'Zoe Graystone' adjusts to living life 'in' a robot and hopes her friend 'Lacy' will help her escape to the neighboring planet 'Gemenon'. Meanwhile, the 'Graystones' attempt damage control as vengeance closes in on them.
OMDC Says Film Biz Is Booming
According to the Ontario Media Development Corp. (OMDC),Ontario film and TV production activity rose 41% from 2008 to 2009, contributing C$946.4 million ($904 million) to the Canadian province's economy.
The Ontario Liberal's 25% tax credit took effect June 2009 and expanded to cover eligible costs beyond labour, contributing to a 114% increase in total foreign spending ($139 million). Foreign feature spending increased from $75.5 million to $154.5 million, with foreign TV series rising from $15.3 million in 2008 to $55.4 million in 2009.
"Despite economic challenges and a strong Canadian dollar, Ontario has consistently demonstrated it has the right mix of government support, financial incentives, world-class infrastructure, superb talent and skills and diverse locations to attract outstanding foreign and domestic productions," said OMDC president/CEO Karen Thorne-Stone said.
"Early indications point to 2010 being another strong year..."
Open Your Heart For Metallo
Actor Brian Austin "90210" Green will reprise his role as 'Metallo', the 'Superman' villain with the 'kryptonite'-infused heart, in the Vancouver-lensed, CW TV series Smallville Episode #9.18.
Green previously portrayed 'John Corben', aka Metallo in two episodes of Smallville's ninth season, first appearing in Savior.
Corben is a war time reporter, who meets 'Lois Lane', expressing his distaste for vigilantes, particularly 'The Blur" (Clark Kent).
In the following episode Metallo, Corben is hit by a truck and wakes up with bionic additions, including a kryptonite powered matrix that replaces his heart while powering up his body.
In the hospital 'Dr. Emil Hamilton' attends to him, but Corben loses it and surging with his new implanted power, begins his search for the Blur, blaming him for his sister's murder.
Corben kidnaps Lois, but Clark confronts him, trying to disable his cybernetics. When that fails, Clark heats a lead door from a nearby boiler and fixes it to Corben's chest, covering his radiating heart, shielding the disabling kryptonite radiation.
When Corben attempts to pry away the plate, he rips out his heart and dies. Later, 'Tess Mercer' reveals she has both the kryptonite core and Corben. She asks a scientist if Corben can be revived, who replies that since 'Metallo' is more machine than man, he has simply gone 'offline'...
DC Comics' 'Metallo' character debuted in 'Action Comics' #252 (May 1959), years before Marvel Comics' 'Tony Stark' aka 'Iron Man', appeared in "Tales of Suspense" #39 (March 1963), also powered by a super heart, following an accident.
The new episode will air Spring 2010.
Happy Birthday Michael Stevens !!!
Happy Birthday from Hollywood North Report to our good friend, HNR Senior Editor Michael Stevens.
The Toronto-born actor, writer, producer, working out of Vancouver and Toronto, has posted close to 5,000 articles for HollywoodNorthReport.com since 2004, covering the Vancouver, Toronto and international film scenes, with 'complete enchilada' back-stories, images and videos.
"I am not a 'paparazzi' or gossip columnist", said Stevens.
"I love making movies and with HNR's Canadian/US reach, have a great opportunity to help other film-makers, including independents and studios, to get the word 'out there', with coverage for their film projects, in development, shooting, or in the can."
HNR also knows Michael loves going to film festivals and industry parties, as well as receiving all those other 'perks' that come with the position.
Happy Birthday M...
Dark Castle Gets Attached To Splice
The Toronto-lensed horror feature Splice, directed by Vincenzo Natali, picked up a distribution deal with Joel "Lethal Weapon" Silver and his Warners-based Dark Castle label, following the North American debut of the France-Canadian co-production @ the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.
Filmed @ Toronto's Black Creek Pioneer Village, Cinespace Film Studios and York University, Splice follows 'Elsa' and 'Clive', two young scientists, who defy legal and ethical boundaries, by splicing together human and animal DNA to create a hybrid organism. Named 'Dren', the creature develops from a deformed female into a beautiful winged chimera, forging a bond with both creators.
Splice will be released theatrically this summer on 3,000 screens with additonal marketing support, budgeted between $25-40 million.
Dark Castle is optimistic that the genetic mutation thriller will be the next box-office busting Paranormal Activity.
Vancouver Investigates Abrams' Fringe
Daniel Craig Moves Into Toronto's Dream House
Actors Daniel Craig, Naomi Watts and Rachel Weisz are currently in Toronto shooting the Morgan Creek 'psychological thriller' Dream House.
Craig plays a publishing executive who quits his job in New York City to relocate his family and two daughters to a house in a quiet New England town. They soon learn their home was once the scene of a terrible crime.
Dream House is directed by Jim Sheridan, noted for My Left Foot and In the Name of the Father. Producers are Morgan Creek's James G. Robinson, David Robinson, Daniel Bobker & Ehren Krueger. Screenplay is by David Loucka.
Principal photography started January 25, shooting at Pinewood Toronto Studios, the largest indoor film studio facility in North America...
Shooting Locations For Toronto's Red
Summit Entertainment's Toronto-lensed comic book adaptation Red, starring Bruce Willis and John Malkovich, will be shooting interior sequences in the Toronto Parking Authority parking garage, @ 2 Church Street between 5PM and 6AM, February 17, 18, 19, 22, 23 and 24.
The nighttime filming, involving 'loud simulated gunfire', will also include an exterior scene February 22, involving emrgency vehicles approaching the garage southbound on Church Street from Front Street.
Red is an adaptation of DC Comics graphic novel of the same name by author Warren Ellis.
Cast also includes Mary-Louise Parker, Academy Award-winners Helen Mirren and Morgan Freeman, Karl Urban, Brian Cox, Richard Dreyfuss, Ernest Borgnine, Julian McMahon, James Remar and Rebecca Pidgeon.
"...Red is the story of 'Frank Moses' (Willis), a former black-ops CIA agent, who is now living a quiet life. That is, until the day a hi-tech assassin shows up intent on killing him. With his identity compromised and the life of the woman he cares for, Sarah (Parker), endangered, Frank reassembles his old team (Freeman, Malkovich and Mirren) in a last ditch effort to survive..."
Directed by Robert "The Time Traveler's Wife" Schwentke, from a screenplay by Jon and Erich "Whiteout" Hoeber, Red is produced by di Bonaventura Pictures' Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Mark Vahradian ("Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"). Executive producers are Jake "Hollywoodland" Myers and Gregory "Jonah Hex" Noveck. Di Bonaventura Pictures' production exec David Ready is co-producer.
Red reunites Schwentke with DP Florian Ballhaus (Marley & Me) and Oscar-winning film editor Thom Noble (Thelma & Louise), shooting in and around the metro Toronto area for nine weeks before moving to New Orleans, late March for the final two weeks of principal photography.
The film is scheduled for worldwide release, October 22, 2010....
District 9 Doing The Oscars
Nominated for Best Visual Effects at the upcoming 82nd Oscars are Vancouver's Dan Kaufman and Peter Muyzers of Image Engine, for their technical work on producer Peter Jackson's District 9.
Nominated in the Best Picture category, District 9 also scored additional nominations for Vancouver-based Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchel for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Other Vancouver companies providing visual effects to District 9 included Embassy and Zoic Studios, rendering computer-generated aliens, weaponry and mother ship.
Disney Plugs Into Tron Legacy
Take a look @ the UK billboard for the upcoming, Vancouver-lensed Disney 3D feature Tron Legacy.
The science fiction adventure, directed by Joseph Kosinski, is a sequel to the 1982 film Tron, with original Tron director Steven Lisberger on board as producer.
Actor Jeff Bridges reprises his role as 'Kevin Flynn', with Bruce Boxleitner as 'Alan Bradley' and Garrett Hedlund as Flynn's adult son 'Sam'. Other cast members include Olivia Wilde, Beau Garrett and John Hurt.
"...Sam Flynn (Hedlund), tech-savvy 27-year-old son of Kevin Flynn (Bridges), looks into his father?s disappearance and finds himself pulled into the same world of fierce programs and gladiatorial games where his father has been living for 25 years.
Along with Kevin?s loyal confidante (Olivia Wilde), father and son embark on a life-and-death journey across a visually-stunning cyber universe that has become far more advanced and exceedingly dangerous..."
Tron: Legacy will be presented in Disney Digital 3-D and IMAX 3D, December 17, 2010, with a 'companion' Tron Legacy video game tie-in.
Click the images to enlarge...
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