Alex Billington from FirstShowing is in Cannes right now and took some photos of some of the banners advertising coming attractions and films for “sale” at the film market. He got some great shots of promo banners for films like Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained, One Shot (Christopher McQuarrie's Jack Reacher movie with Tom Cruise), Brian DePalma’s Passion with Rachel McAdams and Noomi Rapace as well as a little movie called White House Taken starring one Gerard Butler.

While it’s exciting to see his face on a film poster (that isn’t the photoshopped mess of Playing the Field), this one is definitely some sort of photoshop composite since Butler hasn’t been that clean shaven in over two years. (He looks a little like Sean Connery.)  All of that aside, it is exciting that the filmmakers are shopping the movie. White House Taken, the new title for the film formerly known as Olympus Has Fallen is set to roll before the cameras next month down in Louisiana with Antoine Fuqua at the helm. Up til now that’s only been an assumption. Since his name is on the banner, I’m thinking he’s signed on the dotted line. (It’s been since last December that Butler was anywhere near a film set and frankly, I’m getting a tad antsy.)

There’s a lot of speculation on the new title, White House Taken and the fact that Roland Emmerich is getting ready to make a movie called White House Down with Channing Tatum. Setting aside the fact that Olympus Has Fallen is just more interesting in general, in my opinion, the move was done to force the latter film to change its title since the two have similar scenarios but Antoine Fuqua’s film should be out of the gate first. Just a theory.  More as this develops. In the meantime feast your eyes on the banner hanging down on the Croisette.

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poster used with permission

Embedded within last night’s season premiere of America’s Got Talent (featuring the debut of fanboy and new judge Howard Stern), was a four minute sneak peek at Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man. The prospect of this was not enough to get me to watch the show, however, as I knew it would be available on the web shortly thereafter. And so it is.

The preview amounts to an extended trailer but there is also a LOT of new footage, starting with the opening sequence on the bridge. And hey, that’s C. Thomas Howell playing the dad! Take a look:

“The Amazing Spider-Man is the story of Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) and Aunt May (Sally Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents’ disappearance – leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans), his father’s former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors’ alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.”

We also have two terrific new posters, one above and one below. It seems they’ve moved up the release date as well. It’s now being touted as July 3 in the US as well as the UK (right before the holiday in the US.) The Amazing Spider-Man will be available for your viewing pleasure in 2D, 3D and IMAX 3D. Can’t wait!

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Before he gets started on the Sin City sequel that we told you about yesterday, (it’s always something, isn’t it?) Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, Robert Rodriguez is hard at work on another sequel. Machete Kills, a followup to his 2010 cult smash starring Danny Trejo is just about ready to go before the cameras and Rodriguez has said this one may overlap with filming of Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.

In this one, Machete(Danny Trejo) is recruited by the U.S. Government and must battle his way through Mexico to take down a madman cartel leader and an eccentric billionaire arms dealer who has hatched a plan to spread war across the planet with a weapon in space. Machete takes on an army in an effort to dismantle a plan for global anarchy.

Jessica Alba will return for this sequel as well, as Sartana. Michelle Rodriguez returns as Luz. This time out they’re joined by Amber Heard, Mel Gibson, Sofia Vergara and Demian Bichir. Obviously no release dates yet, but we’ll keep you posted.

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Back at the end of March we brought you the first trailer for People Like Us, the directorial debut of writer/producer Alex Kurtzman (Cowboys and Aliens, Star Trek, Fringe), is the story of Sam, a man who discovers his father had another family and after the father’s death, is tasked with delivering half of his inheritance to the sister he never knew he had. Thanks to a very likeable cast, headed by Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks, Olivia Wilde and Michelle Pfeiffer, that first trailer gave me instant hope for this.

Check the featurette below (which is really more of an extended trailer) and see if you don’t agree:

“From DreamWorks Pictures comes ‘People Like Us,’ a drama/comedy about family, inspired by true events, starring Chris Pine (‘Star Trek’) as Sam, a twenty-something, fast-talking salesman, whose latest deal collapses on the day he learns that his father has suddenly died. Against his wishes, Sam is called home, where he must put his father’s estate in order and reconnect with his estranged family. In the course of fulfilling his father’s last wishes, Sam uncovers a startling secret that turns his entire world upside down: He has a 30-year-old sister Frankie whom he never knew about (Elizabeth Banks). As their relationship develops, Sam is forced to rethink everything he thought he knew about this family–and re-examine his own life choices in the process.”

Written by Kurtzman and his usual writing partner Roberto Orci along with Jody Lambert, the likeable cast of People Like Us also includes Jon Favreau, Mark Duplass and an uncredited Phillip Baker Hall. It will be released in the US on June 29.

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Sin City, based on a graphic novel by Frank "300" Miller and directed by Miller and Robert Rodriguez came out in 2005. With a budget of $40 million, it grossed nearly $100 million worldwide. So naturally, a sequel was announced. Again, that was in 2005. This is 2012. The following is the history of this project:

24 May 2005 Announced Rodriquez has revealed the film would be based on Miller's story, A Dame to Kill For

12 July 2006 Treatment/Outline No start date set; rumor has it the production is waiting on Angelina Jolie's availability

9 November 2006 Script
Script is nearing completion. Filmmakers are reportedly waiting for the cast's availability before proceeding.

28 June 2007 Development Unknown
Script is complete, but the start date is unknown

12 January 2009 Script NEW Script is complete

22 April 2009 Turnaround Reportedly being shopped to studios.

29 August 2011 Treatment/Outline Scripting. (That would be #3)

19 January 2012 Pre-production

12 April 2012 Casting is underway. Looking to begin shooting this summer.

Color me (and I am by no means alone) skeptical. BUT, the above is the first offical teaser poster so maybe they are truly getting ready to make this thing and it will be called, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.

In the dark bowels of Sin City, Dwight plans to have his vengeance against the woman who betrayed him, Ava Lord, while Nancy is trying to cope with Hartigan’s death

Nancy, of course, was played by Jessica Alba in the first one and it is assumed that she will sign on for the sequel, especially since it hinges on her character. Frank Miller told the Playlist that the “ 'Nancy Callahan character will be the link between the two movies, with the plot to be based on stories such as the eponymous "A Dame To Kill For," "Just Another Saturday Night" and a new one titled "The Long, Bad Night'– the latter of which Miller wrote to tie things together and presumably centers on Callahan. If the graphic novels are anything to go by, that would signal a return for characters played in the original by Mickey Rourke, Rosario Dawson, Devon Aoki, Michael Clarke Duncan, Clive Owen…”

At this point, Dawson, Rourke and Aoki are signed.

Ava Lord, who did not appear in Sin City is another pivotal character. Rose McGowan (yeah, like she’d ever work for Rodriguez again), Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Michelle Williams, Helena Bonham Carter and Rachel Weisz were all considered to play her. 'Considered' doesn’t mean asked and since the part still hasn’t been cast, who knows who’ll they’ll finally end up with. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For is supposedly going to roll this spring.

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The Odd Life of Timothy Green is the latest live-action family film from Disney. I can’t even be cynical about this. Perhaps a more jaundiced eye than even I possess might find fault with this sweet tale of a happily married-yet childless- couple (played by the always likeable Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton) who one night over a few glasses of wine write down all of the most admirable traits a child could have, put them in a box and bury it in the garden. Still with me? Lo and behold, the next morning they wake up to find that they’ve “grown a boy”.

 “Academy Award(R)-nominated director/writer Peter Hedges (“Dan in Real Life,” What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?”) brings enchantment to the screen with “The Odd Life of Timothy Green,” an inspiring, magical story about a happily married couple, Cindy and Jim Green (Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton), who can’t wait to start a family but can only dream about what their child would be like. When young Timothy (CJ Adams) shows up on their doorstep one stormy night, Cindy and Jim–and their small town of Stanleyville–learn that sometimes the unexpected can bring some of life’s greatest gifts.”

The cast also includes Rosemarie DeWitt, David Morse, Ron Livingstone, Common , Lois Smith, M. Emmet Walsh and Dianne Wiest. Timothy is played by Cameron ‘CJ’ Adams. The Odd Life of Timothy Green is set to be released in the US on  August 15 but no UK release date yet. Bit of trivia, the screenplay is from a story by Ahmet Zappa (son of Frank). Enjoy the trailer and the pics below.

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trailer courtesy MSN via HeyUGuys

I think I’ve changed my mind about The Campaign. Warner Bros. has dropped the first trailer for this political comedy/satire, from Jay Roach, the director of Meet the Parents and Austin Powers, as well as HBO's Recount about the 2000 presidential election.  It stars  Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis as rivals for a Congressional set in North Carolina.

When long-term congressman Cam Brady (Will Ferrell) commits a major public gaffe before an upcoming election, a pair of ultra-wealthy CEOs plot to put up a rival candidate and gain influence over their North Carolina district. Their man: naive Marty Huggins (Zach Galifianakis), director of the local Tourism Center. At first, Marty appears to be the unlikeliest possible choice but, with the help of his new benefactors’ support, a cutthroat campaign manager and his family’s political connections, he soon becomes a contender who gives the charismatic Cam plenty to worry about.

My initial reaction was pure cynicism, but after viewing the trailer, which made me laugh,  along with the two “campaign ads" we had earlier this week, I’m coming around on this. There is certainly room on the summer roster for an intelligent, well-made comedy and The Campaign just might fit the bill. It's certainly timely.

The Campaign was written by Chris Henchy (The Other Guys) and Shawn Harwell (Eastbound & Down) and also stars John Lithgow, Brian Cox, Jason Sudeikis, Dylan McDermott and Dan Ackroyd.. It opens August 10 in the US and 28^th September in the UK.  Watch this (thanks to ComingSoon) and then cast your own vote:

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_{I'm kidding of course, but is this great or what?}

In today’s Prometheus news, we have a version of the big poster for the Spanish release (which is primarily in English for some reason), as well as that pic showing a light-hearted moment between cast members Charlize Theron, irrepressible Michael Fassbender and Noomi Rapace during a photo shoot and another of Fassbender looking very pensive and android-like. (EW has a gallery full of exclusive new pics. Tip o' the pin to Movieline and PrometheusNews for cadging a couple.) The pics in the magazine spread that were taken on the set of the film, along with the character portraits, look typically serious, so this one is a rare treat (although they could lighten up on the photoshop). Who knew "David" had the same 'shark smile' as Fassy?

I’m loving those blue skintight scuba/space suits with what appears to be orange piping but I’m guessing in reality it’s meant to stand in for the various bio-support mechanisms such suits have.

Three weeks to Prometheus in the UK, four in the US. Can you feel the excitement? I’m getting tingly just thinking about it. TMI?

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