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12 articles from 2009

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Mad Men’s Jon Hamm Delivers a Sucker Punch

19 August 2009 1:02 AM, PDT | FilmSchoolRejects.com | See recent FilmSchoolRejects news »

Hot off the heels of the start of Mad Men's third season, Jon Hamm is reaching out and touching pen to paper in hopes of finding success on the big screen. Hamm, who has found his sweet spot in the role of Don Draper, is yet to get into a groove on the silver screen, signing on to such duds as The Day the Earth Stood Still (the lame remake version) and David Wain's abysmal The Ten. And lest we forget him as 'Young Pilot #2' in Space Cowboys... It appears as if his saving grace is coming, however, as Hamm will star alongside James Franco and Mary-Louise Parker in director Rob Epstein's Allen Ginsberg biopic Howl, which looks to be a solid entry into the 2010 release fray. And according to a report from Variety today, Hamm is going to also be getting some action in 2011 alongside the heavy-hitting female cast of Zack Snyder's »

- Neil Miller

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First Look: James Franco In Howl

9 June 2009 10:32 AM, PDT | Slash Film | See recent Slash Film news »

This is the sort of story that we'd often relegate to Page 2, but I'm interested enough in Howl, the upcoming picture about poet Allen Ginsberg, that I want to take the chance to highlight the first photo of James Franco in character as Ginsberg as published by EW. I've been following Franco's Ledger-like emergence as a serious actor with great interest, and this could be a key project in his career. Written and directed by the team of Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman (who also made doc The Celluloid Closet over a decade ago) the film focuses on the publication of the poem Howl and the landmark obscenity trial that ensued. Sharing the frame with Franco there is Aaron Tveit, playing his longtime partner Peter Orlovsky; compare this shot to actual photos of Ginsberg and Orlovsky after the jump. Howl, originally intended as a performance piece when Ginsberg composed it »

- Russ Fischer

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First Look: James Franco as Allen Ginsberg in Howl

5 June 2009 12:50 PM, PDT | firstshowing.net | See recent FirstShowing.net news »

We've heard a little bit about Howl, the film about the 1957 obscenity trial Allen Ginsberg faced after the publication of his poem, but this is our first look at anyone in it. James Franco stars as the poet Allen Ginsberg alongside of Mary-Louise Parker as Gail Potter, Jeff Daniels as Professor David Kirk, and David Strathairn as Ralph McIntosh. Seen below, courtesy of Entertainment Weekly, is our very first look at Franco along with co-star Aaron Tveit as his friend Peter Orlovsky. Howl is written and directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman and was executive producer by Gus Van Sant. Check out the photo below. Franco (on the right) explains that he plays Ginsberg as "an unsure young man who's trying to find his way." Not only does Franco look a bit like Ginsberg, but he knows all about him, too. "All his uncertainty culminates in the poem ' »

- Alex Billington

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Curran Set for Killer Films' Betsy Meets Napoleon Project

7 April 2009 | ioncinema | See recent ioncinema news »

- Looks like Killer Films might once again position themselves in one of those uncomfortable situations where they embark on a project knowing that there is another similar project floating around. Recently I had discussed how they might lose in the first to get the Beat Poet Allen Ginsberg biography out there (their John Krokidas-directed Kill Your Darlings is going up against Jeffrey Friedman and Rob Epstein's Howl) and now they have set up another fatal scenario – it all depends on whether financiers/producers Adi Cohen and Joseph Grinkorn’s Gc Corp. have really been able to acquire “all film and stage adaptation rights” as stated by Variety. Problem is that Killer Film's Betsy and the Emperor might be going up against Napoleon and Betsy – a project pegged with a 2010 start date after actress Emma Watson completes the Deathly Hallows part I and II. Watson would play the titular role of Betsy Balcombe. »

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James Franco joins McBride in 'Your Highness'

1 April 2009 1:48 PM, PDT | screeninglog.com | See recent screeninglog news »

James Franco will re-team with Danny McBride in David Gordon Green's comedy “Your Highness."

Franco and McBride previously starred in Green's "Pineapple Express." In "Highness," two arrogant princes must show great courage and fulfill a perilous quest to secure the future of his dad’s kingdom.

McBride wrote the script with Ben Best, whose credits include "The Foot Fist Way."

Franco was last seen in "Milk." He's currently filming "Howl" for Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman. As for McBride, he will next be seen in "Observe and Report."

Green’s directing credits include 2003’s “All the Real Girls” and the recent “Snow Angels.”

Source: Variety »

- Franck Tabouring

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Franco and McBride Teaming for 'Your Highness'

1 April 2009 1:55 AM, PDT | Rope of Silicon | See recent Rope Of Silicon news »

James Franco and Danny McBride are prepping to team once again following their co-starring roles in Pineapple Express with the comedy Your Highness for Universal Pictures. The script was penned by McBride and Ben Best and the film will be directed by Pineapple Express helmer David Gordon Green. The comedy follows two spoiled and arrogant princes in a medieval fantasy setting. When an evil wizard casts a spell on their father and kidnaps the older prince's fiance, they're forced to go on a quest to save their family and the kingdom. Production is already set for July 20 in Belfast with what I assume will be a 2010 release. Franco is currently filming Howl for directors Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman and was recently nominated for a Golden Globe for his Pineapple Express performance as well as received a lot of good press for his role in Milk. Danny McBride is currently »

- Brad Brevet

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Daily news dose: Anne Hathaway to star in 'Get Happy;' 'New Moon' cast growing

24 March 2009 7:56 PM, PDT | screeninglog.com | See recent screeninglog news »

Here's your dose of film news for March 24, 2009:

• Anne Hathaway is set to play Judy Garland in the big-screen adaptation of Gerald Clarke's biography "Get Happy." Hathaway was recently nominated for an Oscar for her excellent performance in "Rachel Getting Married." The actress will soon star in "Alice in Wonderland" and "The Fiance." (Variety)

• Native Americans Chaske Spencer, Bronson Pelletier, Alex Meraz, Kiowa Gordon and Tyson Houseman have signed on to star in Chris Weitz's upcoming "Twilight" sequel "The Twilight Saga: New Moon." The five will portray members of the wolf pack, defending humans against vampires. Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson return as Bella and Edward. (Variety)

• Taye Diggs has joined Brandon Routh and Sam Huntington in "Dead of Night," based on Tiziano Sclavi's Italian comic books. According to IMDb, the film follows the adventures of supernatural private eye Dylan Dog, who seeks out the monsters »

- Franck Tabouring

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Killer Films is Looking to be Beat Again, Add Trio to 'Darlings'

18 March 2009 | ioncinema | See recent ioncinema news »

- Will Killer Films once again find themselves in one of them conundrums where they come out second in dueling biopics portrayals? When Capote was first to be released theatrically, it sealed the fate for Killer Film's Infamous (Wip gave it the quick death in theaters). Though Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman's Howl focuses mostly on Ginsberg's later-in-life trials and tribulations, there is enough narrative overlap here and perhaps filmland can only have enough room for one Allen Ginsberg interpretation and not two. Christine Vachon is moving ahead with John Krokidas's directorial debut Kill Your Darlings, hiring Jesse Eisenberg, Chris Evans and Ben Whishaw to star in the Krokidas/Austin Bunn script. Whishaw as Lucien Carr, the Columbia University undergrad who brought together a circle of writers that included Allen Ginsberg, to be played by Eisenberg, and Jack Kerouac, to be played by Evans. Killer Films' Christine Vachon »

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Daily news dose: 'Dark Knight' breaks $1 billion; 'Battlestar Galactica' movie coming

21 February 2009 3:14 PM, PST | screeninglog.com | See recent screeninglog news »

Here's your dose of film news for Feb. 21, 2009:

• Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" has done it! The film broke the $1 billion mark last week, becoming the fourth movie to do so. "Knight" has scored almost $533 million domestically and $567 million on its international circuit.

• Universal and Glen A. Larson are in talks to develop a big-screen version of "Battlestar Galactica." According to the Hollywood Reporter, the film would not be connected to the television series and relaunch the story. However, characters such as Adama, Starbuck, and Baltar would be a part of it.

• Fox has acquired the big-screen rights to Benjamin Mee's memoir "We Bought a Zoo," The story follows the author on his quest to buy an old zoo with 200 animals in the English countryside. According to the Hollywood Reporter, no writer is currently attached to the project.

• James Franco will star in "Howl," a drama about the »

- Franck Tabouring

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James Franco To Star In Indie Film About Poet Allen Ginsberg

20 February 2009 1:08 PM, PST | icelebz.com | See recent iCelebz news »

"Milk" actor James Franco will be starring in an indie film about the late poet Allen Ginsberg.

"Howl" will center on the obscenity trial over the poet's famed poem, as well as an animated re-imagining of the poem itself, reports Variety.

Joining Franco are David Strathairn, Alan Alda, Jeff Daniels, Mary-Louise Parker and Paul Rudd. Production will kick off on March 16 in New York.

Werc Werk Work will produce and finance the film, its third project since its launch in August. CEO Elizabeth Redleaf and president Christine Walker will produce along with Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman of Telling Pictures. Gus Van Sant will executive produce.

»

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James Franco to Howl

20 February 2009 8:22 AM, PST | www.canmag.com | See recent CanMag news »

James Franco has fallen for the indies. Indie banner Werc Werk Works - nice name, right? -- to star in Howl.

James Franco for Howl

Directed by Rob Epstein and Chrstine Walker off their own script, Howl centers on the obscenity trial over Allen Ginsberg's poem, as well as an animated reimagining of the poem itself.

Having only launched last August, Werc Werk Works is calling Howl their third production. »

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Franco to Howl

20 February 2009 4:46 AM, PST | JoBlo.com | See recent JoBlo news »

James Franco will star in Howl, a film about the obscenity trial over the controversial Alan Ginsberg poem of the same name. It will also include an 'animated re-imagining of the poem itself', which sounds pretty cool. Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman (The Celluloid Closet) will direct from their own screenplay. I was thinking today that I hate when someone has a riddle for you and you get the answer and it sucks. Well I came up with a riddle of my own and it goes like this: Remember that... »

- James Thoo

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2009 | 2008 | 2007

12 articles from 2009

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