Movies
‘Terminator’ Sequels Lose Their Sarah Connor…
Here’s a surprising bit of news that comes courtesy of an interview with “Game of Thrones” star Emilia Clarke, who was the latest to play Sarah Connor in Paramount Pictures’ Terminator: Genisys.
It’s common knowledge that when an actor or actress sign on for a huge franchise role, they’re locked in for at least two sequels.
While Genisys was a huge flop here in the States ($90 million), it performed huge overseas, especially in China (it has topped $350 million overseas).
And with the international explosion came news that the franchise would continue on.
Paramount quickly announced plans for a sixth film to be released on May 19, 2017. Things went quiet until reports started to surface that the sequels were put on hold.
Back in October Skydance Media Chief Creative Officer Dana Goldberg responded to those reports: “I wouldn’t say on hold, so much as re-adjusting,” she explained in regards to the company’s plans to pursue a big-screen trilogy as well as a new TV series announced in late 2013.
Nobody really knows what’s going on behind-the-scenes, but one thing just became clear, they aren’t continuing forth with the “new trilogy” as we knew it. Emilia Clarke is out.
When asked if we’ll see her playing Sarah Connor in the future, she told Comingsoon, “No,” while adding, “Can I say that? It’s okay. No. Uh-uh. But I have some very different roles coming up.”
Whoops.
This news is slightly shocking in the sense that they had planned a new trilogy around her character, and her exit means that they truly are “re-adjusting.” I think it’s time they stop trying to live in-canon and find a way to side-step the franchise and do something that really furthers the sci-fi genre. They’re going to need some supremely talented screenwriters to pull it off, but I have faith in you Hollywood (is that a mistake?).
Movies
Ken Russell’s Controversial ‘The Devils’ Restoration Gets First Teaser Ahead of Theatrical Release
A holy grail for cinephiles is finally within reach after half a century; the long-awaited restoration of Ken Russell‘s controversial horror movie The Devils will arrive this fall.
The first official teaser gives us our first peek at the new restoration, below.
Warner Bros. Clockwork will release the film in theaters globally this fall, in partnership with the British Film Institute (BFI) in the UK. It opens in select North American theaters on October 16 for an exclusive one-week engagement with international theatrical dates to be announced.
Based on Aldous Huxley’s 1952 non-fiction novel The Devils of Loudun and its 1961 stageplay adaptation, The Devils is set in 17th-century Loudun, France.
Oliver Reed stars as Grandeur in the film, complete with the sex appeal that has all the ladies swooning, including the hunchbacked Sister Jeanne (Vanessa Redgrave). Jeanne is exceptionally lustful for Grandeur, which pushes over into wrathful jealousy when she learns of his relationship with the young and stunning Madeleine (Gemma Jones). Cue the demonic seduction accusations, and hysteria and chaos ensue.
Why is this restoration such a big deal? Russell’s original vision was considered far too incendiary and political for its time, with key sequences deemed too intense for viewers. That most infamously includes a sequence in which a demonic possession public display culminated in hysterical nuns tearing down and ravaging a giant crucifix, cut from the film in its entirety, with further cuts for American audiences and edits for UK viewers.
As the press release details, “This new 4K restoration of Ken Russell’s masterpiece was assembled from the original camera negative. The film’s sound has been remastered from original English Composite 35mm Mag Film, transferred at 96kHz, plus other original film elements in selected spots as needed. The Picture and Sound restoration was performed by Warner Bros. Post Production Creative Services, Water Tower Color, and Warner Bros. Sound.“