Channing Tatum Could Have A Small Role In Quentin Tarantino's HATEFUL EIGHT

Deadline is reporting that Channing Tatum is circling a small role in Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight. This likely due to his breakout performance in the Oscar buzzed Foxcatcher. It also doesn't hurt that he's been knocking-out awesome comedic roles in 21-22 Jump Street and his hilarious cameo in This Is The End. This might be similar to Jonah Hill's small role in Django Unchained.

Confirmed cast members include Samuel L Jackson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, Kurt Russell, Tim Roth and Walton Goggins. Jennifer Lawrence and Viggo Mortenson have previously been rumored for roles.

Tatum also portrayed the real-life gangster Pretty Boy Floyd in Michael Mann's Public Enemies. Quentin has talked about making his own cinematic take on the gangster genre, name dropping Pretty Boy as a possible character. Channing's role in Mann's film was actually cutdown greatly, so Tarantino could use him and audiences really wouldn't be confused.


SOURCE: DEADLINE

RUMOR: Quentin Tarantino Wants Viggo Mortensen For A Role In THE HATEFUL EIGHT

Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight won't be shooting until this winter, but the casting rumors are already flying around. NewYorkDailyNews (via ThePlaylist) is reporting on pretty damn cool rumor, that Quentin Tarantino has met with actor Viggo Mortensen about playing a "ruthless gang leader". However, their source is a hotel guest and doesn't seem like the most reliable intel. That said, Viggo working with Tarantino doesn't seem that out of place. Mortensen gravitates towards more passionate filmmakers, and Quentin has a lot of that.

Previously over the summer, Jennifer Lawrence was being courted for a leading role. It seems like Tarantino's script rewrites have expanded the original roles. Possibly allowing for some serious stunt-casting, which could help draw-in audiences. The way having Leonardo DiCaprio playing the main villain in Django Unchained, helped make that film becoming Tarantino's biggest earners to date.

Having both Jennifer and Viggo on board, could get the attention of a audience members. I'm not entirely sure the massive Hunger Games following are massive fans of Tarantino's work. It could be a  great way to tap-into a huge group of female viewers, who usually don't pay to see his films. The film shoots this winter, and will be released sometime in December, 2015.

SOURCE: NYDAILYNEWS

Who Should Play Villain Omega Red In WOLVERINE 3?

A villain for Wolverine 3 hasn't been revealed or confirmed by anyone involved with the project. However, I've had my own suspicions that Omega Red (or at least his technology) was hinted to a couple of times in The Wolverine. With this in mind, I've put together a wish-list of sorts for who should be considered for the role, if it even exists to be filled.

One of the biggest complaints I've had with the X-Men films is that post-X2 they really haven't had a really solid villain. Magneto and Stryker being the best to date, while there was some interesting elements to Shaw (Kevin Bacon) he didn't give-off a real threat-vibe in First Class. I'm sure Apocalypse will be a worthy adversary for the team, but I'm kind of hoping Fox and producers consider a very familiar X-Men villain for Wolverine 3.

Arkady Rossovich/Omega Red is Logan's second biggest villain next to Sabertooth and has yet to make an appearance in the films. He's a serial-killer turned Soviet super-weapon (came before Brubaker's Winter Soldier storyline) and eventually becomes uncontrollable due to his life-force draining tentacles and madness. A sort of evil version of Wolverine, had Logan been a monster prior to his Weapon-X transformation. There could be a bunch of ways to introduce Rossovich considering the character has ties to the Japanese underworld (The Yakuza). At one point yakuza crimelord Matsu’o Tsurayaba (Matta) becomes his handler. In the comics, Tsurayaba attempts a take over of the Yashida Clan. This eventually leads to the death of Mariko.

My choices for candidates include Daniel Craig (Skyfall, Road To Perdition, Munich, Defiance), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Headhunters, Game of Thrones, Gods of Egypt ), Viggo Mortensen (Eastern Promises, The Road, History of Violence) and Mads Mikkelsen (Hannibal, The Hunt, Valhalla Rising)

DANIEL CRAIG: Daniel has bit of trifecta when it comes to links to actors in the Wolverine franchise. He's previously worked with Hugh Jackman on the stage and also co-starred with Liev Schreiber (Sabertooth) in the Russian WWII thriller Defiance. A role which saw Craig speak more than a few lines in Russian, having an actor that can convincing speak a foreign language is a major asset. He also doesn't play many villains and this would be a chance to really let him loose. I loved how cruel and dark he was in Road To Perdition, perhaps this could further explore that dark side. The only problem is that Craig could be called-up to shoot Bond 25 during the expected 2016 shoot for Wolverine 3. Not to mention Craig's price-tag might scare-off studios looking to save a few dollars.

NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDU: We've already seen his Game of Thrones co-star Peter Dinklage take the villainous role of Trask in Days of Future Past, why not include Nikolaj as well? He's got the look and brooding dark side needed for a role like this. He's yet to really jump feet-first into the comic book genre, even though he was in mix for a role in The Winter Soldier. He surprises me every episode of Thrones and played a solid villain in Headhunters.

VIGGO MORTENSEN: He might be hardest of the bunch to convince, but Viggo has the skills to really pull-off a morbid villain like this. The only problem is that Viggo sees himself more of an actor's actor, taking on more independent roles than big commercial ones post-LOTR. If Fox was aiming to shut-up a lot of critics suspect of the intentions of this project, hiring him could peak a lot of interest of film nerds. Landing the actor could prove to be hardest casting addition to the X-Men franchise.

MADS MIKKELSEN: He's already been linked for meeting with Marvel Studios about roles in Thor: The Dark World and possibly Doctor Strange, but nothing officially has been announced concerning those talks. Obviously, Mads is open to the idea and has starred in genre projects before. Fox could strike before Marvel get's around to finally hiring him, and he'd make a very chilling Omega Red for sure. Unlike, Craig he's likely able to commit to a project like this and has more of an open-mind than Viggo.

RUMOR: DOCTOR STRANGE Coming May 2016 And Villans Revealed?

It was recently announced Marvel/Disney secured two new release dates for untitled projects. The unknown films are slotted for May 6th 2016 and May 5th 2017. It looks we might be getting an official announcement at Comic-Con about these films. DailySuperHero is reporting on a rumor that Marvel could reveal their Doctor Strange film plans (along with casting?) at their pannel and which might fill that May 2016 slot. A while back it was reported by Twitch that the studio had been circulating a script from writers Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer to potentinal directors. Kevin Feige all but confirmed to Collider that Strange would be among the new releases in Phase Three. Which would come after Edgar Wright's Ant-Man (the first film of Phase Three) in November 2015. A May 2016 release date sounds about right for the project. As Marvel is looking like they'll be shooting Ant-Man/Avengers 2 in 2014 after Guardians of The Galaxy wraps up leaving some room in 2015 for new a production.

ThePlaylist mentioned that there was talks the studio was looking at Joel Edgerton for the lead role of Dr. Stephen Strange. However, this was also around the same time that it was rumored the character would show up in Thor: The Dark World. Viggo Mortensen (History of Violence, Lord of The Rings, The Road, Eastern Promises) had been linked for the lead but Marvel came out to deny it. More recently Iron Man 2/Tropic Thunder writer and sometime actor Justin Theroux (Your Highness, American Psycho, Zoolander) had been linked for being in the mix as well. There had been previous rumblings that Javier Bardem (The Counselor, No Country For Old Men, Skyfall) and Benedict Cumberbatch (Hobbit, Sherlock, Atonement, Star Trek Into Darkness, War Horse) had been wanted for possible roles. Considering the pair are best known for playing solid villains it's possible they might end up being in the mix for Dormammu or Mordo.

LatinoReview, who is best known for outing villains for big blockbusters believes they know who the baddies will be. They state that the villains of Doctor Strange include Dormammu, Karl Mordo and The  Giant Mindless One. It's interesting mix of two staple villains from Strange's rouges gallery. I would have expected more of the horror/occult elements to come into play but it's only the first installment. Just remember this the same site that revealed villains General Zod (Man of Steel), Thanos (Avengers) and Khan (Star Trek Into Darkness.

A director hasn't been named but LatinoReview reported on talk that Evil Dead director Fede Alvarez and his writer Rodo Sayagues being linked for the project. Nothing besides rumors and meetings at this point but I'm sure something more solid will be announced at Comic-Con.

Marvel Confirms DOCTOR STRANGE Is Apart Of Phase Three

Marvel's Kevin Feige has confirmed to MTV that previously announced Ant-Man and Doctor Strange will be among the post-Avengers 2 releases in Phase Three. It's the first time Marvel has been certain the Sorcerer Surpreme's solo film was ready to go. Last year the rumor of Doctor Strange showing up in Thor: The Dark World sparked some speculation if Dr. Stephen Strange had already been cast. A name that had been widely rumored was Viggo Mortensen but Marvel had to come out deny the rumor. Other actors that have been mentioned for the project include Benedict Cumberbatch and Javier Bardem. I'm still holding out hope that Oscar winner Jean Dujardin (The Artist, Wolf of Wall Street) will be considered.

 “‘Ant-Man’ is definitely part of Phase Three. Like ‘Iron Man 3,’ it’s certainly set in the Marvel Universe, but it’s also through the lens of Edgar Wright — which is the only reason we’re making the movie…I’ve known Edgar since our first lunch together at Comic-Con in 2004. He asked me what Marvel was doing with ‘Ant-Man’ — we weren’t even a studio then; what a difference eight years makes! It’s very much an ‘Ant-Man’ origin movie from the perspective of Edgar Wright and his co-writer Joe Cornish. It will of course be firmly planted in the MCU, but a different corner than we’ve seen before.”

 “Beyond that… ‘Ant-Man’ is the only one officially announced, but you probably don’t have to look too far to guess at the next list of characters we’re toying with and beginning to develop…’Doctor Strange,’ which I’ve been talking about for years, is definitely one of them. He’s a great, original character, and he checks the box off this criteria that I have: he’s totally different from anything else we have, just like ‘Guardians of the Galaxy.’ He’s totally different from anything we’ve done before, as is ‘Ant-Man,’ which keeps us excited.”

 While a director hasn't been announced for Doctor Strange. There was talk of a script circling to unnamed candidates back in late 2011. It's possible around the release of Iron Man 3 in May the studio could name this director or save the news for Comic-Con in July. A release date hasn't been mentioned by Marvel but I could see it's occult/horror themes playing well in Fall 2015. Yet, with two releases already locked-in with Avengers 2 in May and Ant-Man in August it's likely Strange could be pushed to May 2016.

SPECULATION: Viggo Mortenson Being Looked At For Baron Zemo Not Strange?

Over the summer it had been reported by a few sources that Doctor Strange was going to be introduced in the Thor sequel The Dark World. Being a colleage of Jane Foster (Portman) that would be a rather large role. A few months back there was a rumor circling that Viggo Mortensen was in talks for Strange. A Marvel producer denied this in an interview but stated they've been trying to work with Viggo for years. Not really killing the idea of him taking another role in the Marvel universe.

GeekScape has a decent theory that Viggo is actually being looked for a villain role rather than a franchise part. We know that Mortensen has been turning down big blockbusters such as Man of Steel and Snow White And The Huntsman. They believe that the Lord of The Rings star could be in talks with Marvel Studios for Baron Zemo rather than Doctor Strange. Linking previous tweets that first fueled the rumors. It makes sense considering the producer gave the impression he could be still talking with them. He'd make a solid villain in my opinion and one way for the studio to one-up Hugo Weaving's Red Skull. Another rumor pits Zemo as the villain pulling the strings of The Winter Soldier.

RUMOR: Viggo Mortensen Wanted For Doctor Strange In THOR: THE DARK WORLD?

ScreenRant (via ThePlaylist) has the idea that the role Marvel wants Viggo Mortensen (Lord of The Rings, Eastern Promises) for is actually Dr. Stephen Strange. It's been reported by different sources including ThePlaylist that Strange would be Jane Foster's (Natalie Portman) colleague in Thor: The Dark World. Strange ends up becoming an important supporting character in the film. Joel Edgerton (Warrior, Zero Dark Thiry) has also been linked for the role. The Thor sequel is about to begin production so this news will likely be confirmed sooner rather than later.

The rest of the cast includes Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Christopher Eccelson, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Kat Dennings, Stellan Skarsgård, Jaimie Alexander, Ray Stevenson and Zachary Levi. Alan Taylor of Game of Thrones is directing a script from Don Payne and Robert Rodat with a release date of November 8th 2013.

Strange would be an important piece of the Marvel Cinematic Universe puzzle. Since he'd get his own film which already has a script in place and could join the Avengers in it's sequel. Marvel has previously introduced characters in a similar manner so it's very likely this is happening. During the release of Thor in Odin's vault The Eye of Agamotto was spotted. The relic is linked to Strange and is yet another tidbit fuelling this rumor.

CAST EM': Five Actors For DOCTOR STRANGE

Rumors of Marvel introducing audiences to Dr. Stephen Strange in Thor: The Dark World have been coming from a couple of different sources. Not to mention Orb of Agamotto showing up in Odin's vault has seemingly given enough evidence to believe this might be happening. The orb is scrying crystal ball used by Doctor Strange for clairvoyance. It has been known to open gateways between dimensions. It seems like an excellent way to raise the awareness of the character before moving forward with his solo adventure. Another reason why Guardians of The Galaxy was chosen over Strange and Black Panther. Considering that the Strange film also has a script completed and had been going out to directors last November. A couple of names that have been linked to play Strange include Johnny Depp and out of the running Aussie actor Joel Edgerton (Warrior, Zero Dark Thirty).  I've put together a decent enough list of candidates that Marvel should at least consider.

JOHNNY DEPP: Depp has long been linked for the movie along with Guillermo del Toro as it's director. He has the fifth Pirates of The Caribbean film in development and a possible sequel to The Lone Ranger. It could be an easy payday for the actor but it wouldn't make sense to see Depp in the role as he might steal Thor's thunder.

BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH: Ben has been long rumored to be in talks with Marvel Studios for a role. That has been mentioned more than once and has since led him to visit the offices while promoting  Sherlock. A few things might hold him back from taking the gig which includes the third Sherlock series, work on The Hobbit/Stark Trek Into The Darkness and commitments to the George Smiley (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) sequels.

KARL URBAN: Best known for supporting roles in The Lord of The Rings and Stark Trek franchises. He's also taken on action roles in Bourne Supremecy and more recently with Dredd. The Kiwi actor seems like a perfect match if they're going to make the series more of an adventure thriller. While there have been positive reviews for Dredd, Karl hasn't found a franchise he could end up holding up himself. The only thing that could stop him is commitments to Star Trek 3 and a Dredd sequel.

KIT HARINGTON: If it does turn out to be true that Strange will be working alongside Jane Foster it could be interesting to see him develop a love interest with Darcy (Kat Dennings) during The Dark World. Kit Harington seems perfect if Marvel is aiming for a younger take on the character. He has a history with director Alan Taylor working with him on Game of Thrones. The only issue here is his commitments to the series and his other films' promotional tours. Marvel could have their next Chris Evans/Chris Hemsworth if they ended up going someone like Kit.

VIGGO MORTENSEN: It's rumored currently that Marvel is in talks with Viggo Mortensen (Lord of The Rings, History of Violence, Eastern Promises) for a Phase Two film. ScreenRant has already speculated it could be Dr. Strange for Thor: The Dark World. If this is true it would a triumphant casting choice since Viggo could be as big as landing Hugo Weaving, Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Downey Jr. previously. Not to mention he has been turning down blockbusters left and right lately (Man of Steel, SWATH, Dark Tower), so wrangling him would be quite the feat. Mortensen is an actor who chooses projects based on their director. If they're able to actually sign-on Guillermo del Toro (was attached to direct at one point) or another high-profiled director, it could be enough to get him to sign on.

Viggo Mortensen And Aldis Hodge Taking Marvel Roles?

ThePlaylist has picked up on a Marvel insider's Twitter account that has been revealing tidbits which includes a second source confirming that Doctor Strange is expected to have an important role in Thor: The Dark World. They mention that Viggo Mortensen (Eastern Promises, Lord of The Rings) is currently in negations for role in one of the Phase Two movies. Viggo has had a history of talking but exiting rather large projects lately. He turned down the Zod role in Man of Steel and the Huntsman in SWATH. Marvel could be aiming him to tackle a villain as he'd only be contracted for a few films. There is already speculation that Viggo could be pursuing the role of Dr. Stephen Strange which would see him join the cast of the Thor sequel.

Another interesting bit of casting includes up and coming actor Aldis Hodge is now on Marvel's radar. I'm sure like many before him he's been testing for Black Panther and Luke Cage. Hodge's credits include Die Hard 3, Leverage and Friday Night Lights.

Christian Bale Joins Out Of The Furnace With Scott Cooper Directing

HeatVision reports that Christian Bale has signed on for the lead in Scott Cooper's (Crazy Heart) revenge fueled thriller Out The Furnace. It focuses on Slim (Bale) a man released from prison after serving time for murder in 1986 Indiana. Silm tries to set his life in the right direction for the sake of his girlfriend but when his brother is murdered he's out for revenge. The film previously titled The Low Dweller was originally a film setup with Leonardo DiCaprio  as the star and Ridley Scott directing. In the years since that announcement it hadn't had any traction. There is now movement and some rather large names are pursing roles. Variety reports that Viggo Morten sen could end up playing the film's villain along with Robert Duvall up for the role of Slim's uncle.

Another meaty role seems to be Slim's brother which has a group of young talented actors in the running. They include Casey Affleck (Gone Baby Gone), Taylor Kitsch (Savages), Channing Tatum (Haywire) and Gerrett Hedlund (Troy). The latter previously worked with Cooper on Crazy Heart and Hedlund's role in Akira is now in question with the project getting the axe. Affleck is in similar situation as WB also killed Paradise Lost which had Casey set to play an angel warrior. Kitsch's profile is about to blow up with John Carter releasing next month but seems to be perfect after a performance in the hard boiled Savages. Channing also seems like he could do the film justice but the other names seem more interesting in my opinion.

Hailee Steinfeld Joins Ender's Game

ShowBlitz reports that True Grit breakout star Hailee Steinfeld is in final talks to take the role of Petra Arkanian in Ender's Game. Steinfeld had been in the running for the lead in Hunger Games which went to Jennifer Lawrence instead. Asa Butterfield is set for Ender with Harrison Ford in the mix as well. The film is set for a release on March 15th 2013.

I'm starting to warm up to the project with the cast they're putting together. It almost is making forget that director Gavin Hood was responsible for making X-Men Origins: Wolverine. What do you think of the casting so far? Is Harrison Ford right for the part of Colonel Hyrum Graff or should someone else be cast?

Asa Butterfield Confirmed For Ender's Game, Harrison Ford Could Join

Variety confirms that Hugo's Asa Butterfield has landed the lead of Ender in Gavin Hood's Ender's Game. They go on to mention that Viggo Mortensen had been wanted for the role of Colonel Hyrum Graff but talks broke down. Harrison Ford among others are now in contention for the part. Ford recently worked with producers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman on Cowboys And Aliens so the relationship could work in the film's favor. With the film expected to be released on March 15th 2013 I expect more casting announcements soon.

Viggo Mortensen Drops Snow White, Could He Be Open For Superman Now?

HeatVision has learned talks between producers of Snow White & The Huntsman and Viggo Mortensen have broken down. They say he asked for too much money and profits which has lead him to walk. Viggo was set to play the Huntsman in the film who instead of killing trains Snow White.

I believe the problem might have been the casting of Kristen Stewart in the lead who doesn't have the greatest on set reputation or even the respect of her peers. Whatever the case is Viggo could very well be able to shoot Superman if there is still a role for him. Michael Shannon (Boardwalk Empire) and Edgar Ramirez (Wrath of The Titans, Carlos, Domino) have both been linked to villainous roles. I also wouldn't be surprised to see Charlize Theron leave the production as well as her commitments to Prometheus might keep her busy. There had been talk that there would be two "Alien prequels".

Viggo Mortensen Not Joining Superman, Could Gerard Butler?

Director Zack Snyder has confirmed to LatinoReview that Viggo Mortensen will not be joining Superman: Man of Steel. It had be reported that Viggo had been up for the role of Zod along with Daniel Day-Lewis. ThePlaylist is hearing "whispers" that Snyder wants to reunite with Gerard Bulter (300, Gamer, RockNRolla) and he could end up in the movie.

Butler is great on screen when there is a decent script and solid director behind him. It would be interesting to see him play Zod or other possible villains. Nothing is confirmed or even mentioned by the trades so it's just wishful thinking at this point.

Viggo Mortensen Could Play The Villain In Superman

HeatVision reports that Viggo Mortensen is a person of interest to play the villain in Zack Snyder's Superman. Viggo is currently in talks to join Snow White & The Huntsman but that deal hasn't been signed just yet. I'll be curious to see if Christopher Nolan and Snyder are able to win him over to take the role. Vision believes the role is of General Zod famously played by Terrence Stamp in Superman II. Henry Cavill is the soul actor that has been cast so far but it's expected as the summer gets closer we'll be hearing more official news.

Emily Browning In The Running For Snow White

HeatVision reports that Australian actress Emily Browning has tested for the role of Snow White last week. Unlike the rumor of Kristen Stewart, testing for the role means there is a possibility of landing the part in Snow White & The Huntsman. Browning is about to blowup with her film Sucker Punch looking to be a massive blockbuster for the young actress. Emily is perfect for this type of role as the fantasy action theme is very similar to Sucker Punch.

RUMOR: Kristen Stewart To Play Snow White?

Deadline is reporting on a rumor that could see Twilight's Kristen Stewart in the lead role of Snow White & The Huntsman. It would be a safe bet for Universal since Stewart has a young loyal following. The only thing is that I doubt she would be able to carry a film like this on her own. Even worse she'd be sharing scenes with heavy weights like Viggo Mortensen and Charlize Theron.

It was mentioned that Universal could also be looking at both big names and unknowns for the role. The list of lesser known actresses in the running include Felicity Jones (The Tempest, Cemetery Junction), Riley Keough, Bella Heathcoat (Cogan's Trade, Now) and Alicia Vikander. I'd personally rather see Felicity Jones in the role mainly because she would put more effort into the film and could build a name from it. For Kristen, it would be just a payday between the next emotionless performance.

Viggo Mortensen In Talks For Snow White & The Huntsman

Variety reports that Viggo Mortensen is in talks to star in Universal's Snow White & The Huntsman. The role of the Huntsman has seen some interest from the likes of Tom Hardy, Michael Fassbender and Johnny Depp.

Charlize Theron is likely to take the role of the evil Queen but Snow White has yet to be cast. Previously a list of lesser known hopefuls was released which included names like Felicity Jones (The Tempest, Cemetery Junction), Riley Keough, Bella Heathcoat (Cogan's Trade, Now) and Alicia Vikander. This more than likely takes Viggo out of the running for the lead in Ron Howard's Dark Tower.