Emma Stone: "The Help"

Sneak Peek the new trailer supporting director Tate Taylor's upcoming film adaptation of author Kathryn Stockett's 2009 novel "The Help", starring Emma Stone, Mike Vogel, Bryce Dallas Howard, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Allison Janney.

"...Set in Mississippi during the 1960s, 'The Help' stars Emma Stone as 'Skeeter', a southern society girl who returns from college determined to become a writer, but turns her friends’ lives—and a small Mississippi town—upside down when she decides to interview the black women who have spent their lives taking care of prominent southern families.

"...Viola Davis stars as 'Aibileen', Skeeter’s best friend’s housekeeper, who is the first to open up—to the dismay of her friends in the tight-knit black community. Despite Skeeter’s life-long friendships hanging in the balance, she and Aibileen continue their collaboration and soon more women come forward to tell their stories—and as it turns out, they have a lot to say.

"Along the way, unlikely friendships are forged and a new sisterhood emerges, but not before everyone in town has a thing or two to say themselves when they become unwittingly—and unwillingly—caught up in the changing times..."

Touchstone Pictures will release "The Help", August 12, 2011.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "The Help"...

Elizabeth Banks Feeds Off "The Hunger Games"

Actress Elizabeth Banks, who played 'Betty Brant' in director Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man", has been cast in the upcoming PG-13 rated adaptation of the best-selling novel "The Hunger Games". Banks will play escort character 'Effie Trinket', alongside Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Dayo Okeniyi and Amandla Stenberg.

Oscar nominated actress Lawrence ("Winters Bone") will play the lead in Lionsgate's anticipated 3-film franchise.

Director Gary Ross ("Pleasantville") will take on the big-screen adaptation of the first novel in author Suzanne Collins book trilogy, "The Hunger Games". Collins other two novels are "Catching Fire" and "Mockingjay".

Screenplay For "The Hunger Games" is by Billy Ray ("Shattered Glass").

Lionsgate will release the first film March 23, 2012.

Premise revolves around 'Katniss Everdeen', a teenage girl, who is forced to represent her region in the annual 'Hunger Games' event, where participants must fight to the death.

"...In this futuristic world, traditional government has gone by the wayside and America is split into 12 regions, each of which must send contestants to this deadly battle each year."

"The Hunger Games" will start filming later this year.

Click the images to enlarge...

"Last Night": Temptation Can Lead Anywhere

Sneak Peek the new poster supporting writer/director Massy Tadjedin's upcoming romantic feature "Last Night", starring Keira Knightley, Sam Worthington, Eva Mendes and Guillame Canet.



"...'Last Night' is the story of a married couple that while apart for one night, are confronted by temptation that may decide the fate of their marriage. 'Joanna' (Knightley) and 'Michael Reed' (Worthington) are 7 years into a successful and happy relationship.

"They are moving along in their lives together until Joanna meets 'Laura' (Mendes), the stunningly beautiful work colleague whom Michael never mentioned.

"While Michael is away with Laura on a business trip, Joanna runs into an old but never quite forgotten love, 'Alex' (Canet) and agrees to have drinks with him.

"As the night progresses and temptation increases for the couple, each must confront who they are inside and outside of their relationship..."

Click the images to enlarge...

"Akira": 'Neo-Tokyo' Is About To Explode

Sneak Peek a new quad poster by Tyler Stout, supporting a special screening of writer/director Katsuhiro Otomo's 1988 Japanese animated feature "Akira", now available on Blu-ray, based on the "Akira" 'manga' comic book series.

The 'cyberpunk' science fiction film is set in the futuristic, post-war city, 'Neo-Tokyo', circa 2019, focusing on 'Shotaro Kaneda', a gang member, who tries to stop 'Tetsuo Shima' from releasing 'Akira'.

'Akira' was a young boy who developed transcendent 'psionic', god-like abilities when serving as a test subject for secret government ESP experiments during the 1980's. He subsequently lost control of this power and the ensuing blast annihilated Tokyo in a horrifying explosion in 1988. After the apocalyptic event, Akira was recovered and subjected to every test known to modern science, which proved unable to solve the mystery. He was then placed within a 'cryonic' chamber underneath the 'Neo-Tokyo Olympic Stadium'.

"Akira" the film explores a number of psychological and philosophical themes, including the nature of corruption, the will to power and the growth from childhood to maturity for both individuals and the human race. Notable themes in the film include youth culture, cyberpunk, delinquency, psychic awareness, social unrest and revolution.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Akira"...

Lady Gaga Gets Into Motorcycles

Sneak Peek the cover to pop singer Lady Gaga's "Born This Way", showing her morphing into a hot, steaming motorcycle (?!)

The part pop star, part-machine image was photographed by fashion shooter Nick Knight who previously shot Gaga for the September 2010 cover of "Vanity Fair" Magazine as well as for the Japanese edition of "Vogue Hommes".

"I don't want to reflect social change," said Knight. "I want to cause social change".

Knight has previously worked with singer David Bowie. Bowie himself, seemingly started the 'morphing' look with his 1974 RCA LP "Diamond Dogs", picturing the rock star lounging around as a non-neutered hound dog.

"Born This Way" will be released May 23, 2011.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek the extended video to Gaga's "Born This Way", written by Lady Gaga, directed by Nick Knight and choreographed by Laurie Ann Gibson...

The End Of 'The Green Hornet' and 'Kato' ?

Dynamite Entertainment's "The Green Hornet: Aftermath" #4, available July 2011, is written by Jai Nitz, with illustrations and cover by Nigel Raynor, in the official graphic novel adaptation to the Columbia Pictures feature "The Green Hornet" :

"...'The Triad' think they have the 'Green Hornet' and his sidekick, but they have a pair of 'Sentinel' employees instead. Can Green Hornet and 'Kato' save their friends in time? And what happens when other costumed vigilantes, cops, and federal agents make the scene? This conclusion to the movie sequel may spell the end of the Green Hornet and Kato..."

Click the image to enlarge...

"Vampirella" Faces Off Against Her Foes

Dynamite Entertainment's "Vampirella" #9, available July 2011, is written by Eric Trautmann, with illustrations by Fabiano Neves and covers by Neves, Paul Renaud, Ale Garza, Jelena Kevic Djurdjevic :

"...On a lonely stretch of highway, 'Vampirella' faces off against her foes: a trio of demonic assassins, drunk on newfound freedom and intent on making the vampiric heroine's death something special..."

Click the images to enlarge...

'The Terminator' Meets The Future Of Law Enforcement

Dynamite Entertainment's "Terminator/Robocop: Kill Human" #1, available July 2011, is written by Rob Williams, with illustrations by PJ Holden and covers by Walt Simonson, Tom Feister and Jonathan Lau :

"...The ultimate killing machine meets the future of law enforcement. In the future world of the 'Terminator', all humanity must be wiped out, so when 'Robocop' is woken from an enforced hibernation, 'Alex Murphy' finds himself among the final hunted. But will his body side with 'Skynet'? Or can man finally overcome the machines...?"

Click the images to enlarge...

"Warlord Of Mars: Dejah Thoris" - July 2011

Sneak Peek Dynamite Entertainment's "Warlord Of Mars: Dejah Thoris" #5, available July 2011, written by Arvid Nelson, with illustrations by Carlos Rafael, and covers by Arthur Adams, Paul Renaud, Joe Jusko, Ale Garza :

"...In the Mars-shattering conclusion of 'Colossus of Mars', 'Dejah Thoris' has rallied the free Martian kingdoms to fight the 'Jeddak of Yorn', merging body and mind with a horrific war colossus of the ancients. If Dejah and her allies can't stop Yorn, he will complete his bloody war against the green Martian hordes.

"All hope lies in Yorn's son, 'Valian', who has joined the rebels. His knowledge of the inner workings of the Colossus are the only chance they have of smashing Yorn. But Yorn has a spy among the allies, as an epic duel in the skies and the emergence of an unexpected hero awaits..."

Click the images to enlarge...

Joe Wright Shoots Keira Knightley For "Chanel"

Sneak Peek actress Keira Knightley ("Pride & Prejudice") as the brand spokesperson for Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle perfume.

An accompanying video promoting the brand is directed by Joe Wright ("Atonement").

The fragrance spot features a cover by Joss Stone of the song "It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World".

"What we tried to do was turn it round", said Wright about the spot, "so that it begins as a story about the 'male gaze', but becomes about the 'female gaze'. The idea is the artifice of projected sexuality".

This is the second Chanel collaboration between Wright and Knightley, with their first Mademoiselle Coco ad debuting in 2007.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek Keira Knightley for Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle perfume...

Nina Dobrev Enjoys "The Perks Of Being A Wallflower"

According to Summit Entertainment, Canadian actress Nina Dobrev ("The Vampire Diaries"), who started her acting career in the Toronto-lensed TV series "Degrassi: The Next Generation", will play the character 'Candace' in the developing film adaptation of author Stephen Chbosky's novel "The Perks of Being A Wallflower".

Published in 1999, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" is narrated by a male teenager who goes by the alias of 'Charlie', describing various scenes in his life by writing a series of letters to an anonymous person, whom he does not know personally.

The story explores topics such as introversion, teenage sexuality and the awkward times of adolescence. The book also touches strongly on drug use and Charlie's experiences with this. As the story progresses, various works of literature and film are referenced and their meanings discussed.

The story takes place in a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania during the 1991–1992 school year, when Charlie is a high school freshman. Charlie is the wallflower of the novel. He is an unconventional thinker, and as the story begins he is shy and unpopular.

Author Chbosky cited J. D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye" as the main inpsiration for the novel.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "The Perks Of Being A Wallflower"...

'Khalar Zym' Crosses Paths With "Conan The Barbarian"

Dark Horse Comics graphic novel adaptation of director Marcus Nispel's "Conan The Barbarian" upcoming 3D reboot starring Jason Momoa, reveals the plot of the film:

"...After witnessing his wife burned at the stake, warlord 'Khalar Zym' (Stephen Lang) sets out on a quest to find the mythical 'Mask of Acheron', an ancient artifact that will bring his beloved back to life. In his search across the lands, Zym destroys a village in northern 'Cimmeria', where a boy (Leo Howard), born of battle survives and is cast out into the world, alone.

"Years later, Zym crosses paths again with 'Conan', the boy who survived. He must now contend with this barbarian nuisance who is now set on vengeance for the slaughter of his village.

"Zym and his daughter 'Marique' (Rose McGowan), eventually clash with Conan in an epic final battle, the outcome of which will decide the fate of the world..."

"Conan The Barbarian" adapts the adventures of author Robert E. Howard's "Conan", set during the 'Hyborian' age.

"Conan The Barbarian" co-stars Rachel Nichols, Stephen Lang, Bob Sapp, Leo Howard, Ron Perlman, Said Taghmaoui and Rose McGowan.

"Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand, with gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth, to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandalled feet..."

The new film started shooting March 2010, based on a screenplay by Joshua Oppenheimer ("Sahara") and Thomas Dean Donnelly ("Cowboys & Aliens") closely adhering to Howard's shadowy "Weird Tales" pulp magazine stories from the 1930's.

Joe Gatta and Avi Lerner of Millennium Films produced "Conan The Barbarian" alongside Paradox Entertainment president/CEO Fredrik Malmberg, rights holder of the Howard estate.

Millennium is eyeing a potential franchise for the R-rated $85 million sex/violence feature, that lensed at Nu Image's Bulgarian Nu Boyana Studio and in South Africa.

"The story opens on the battlefield where Conan is born and tells the origin story that sets the stage for what will be the first of multiple films," said producer Lerner.

Created by Howard in 1932,

'Conan',

associated with the fantasy subgenre 'sword 'n sorcery', has since appeared in licensed books, animation, comics, films, TV series and video games.

'Conan the Barbarian' is also the name of a Gnome Press collection of stories published in 1954, comics and magazines published by Marvel and Lancer imprint paperback novels.

Swedish company Paradox, owners of the entire REH estate, li

censed Dark Horse Comics to revive the character for new "Conan" comic books in 2004, as well as supervise the development of an online RPG "Age of Conan".

Nispel said the look of the film will reflect the fantasy paintings of iconic 'Conan' illustrator Frank Frazetta.

Over the years, several "Conan" stories have been written by authors Poul Anderson, Leonard Carpenter, Lin Carter, L. Sprague de Camp, Roland J. Green, John C. Hocking, Robert Jordan, Sean A. Moore, Björn Nyberg, Andrew J. Offutt, Steve Perry, John Maddox Roberts, Harry Turtledove and Karl Edward Wagner.

Some of these writers finished incomplete Conan manuscripts by Howard, or rewrote Howard stories which originally featured different characters. Most post-Howard Conan stories, however, are completely original works.

In total, more than fifty novels and dozens of short stories featuring the Conan character have been written by authors other than Howard.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Conan The Barbarian"...