The Daily Mail has confirmed Carey Mulligan’s involvement in Sam Mendes’ adaptation of Ian McEwan’s best selling book On Chesil Beach, reporting that she will undergo some pre-production training for her starring role as Florence Ponting:

Carey Mulligan will be taking violin lessons so she can be note perfect to play the heroine in the film of Ian McEwan’s story of sex in England before the sexual revolution.

The story will follow the honeymoon, specifically the wedding night of a young, educated couple, both virgins and living ‘in a time when a conversation about sexual difficulties was plainly impossible’. Florence’s marriage to Edward Mayhew (and frustrations in the consummation of their Chesil Beach honeymoon) is used as a study on the sexual and social geography of pre-revolution 1962 England.

Edward Mayhew has yet to be cast but auditions are underway:

Mendes, his partners at Neal Street Productions and Focus Features are studying screen tests featuring a handful of British actors who could play Edward, a graduate historian, who is more a ‘blokey-bloke’, as someone described him, rather than a pretty boy.

Having read On Chesil Beach, it is clear that the novella won’t be easy to adapt for screen with much of the narrative absorbed in a stream of consciousness recount of memories that could disturb the pacing of the film and disrupt the development of a plot. However with McEwan behind the script the film may benefit from any changes that the author himself makes to adapt his story for screen. With Mulligan suitably in the starring role, perhaps On Chesil Beach will be 2011′s Atonement.

Shooting will take place in the South of England and central London this September on the Neal Street Productions and Focus Features production, with BBC Films potentially joining.

What do you think of Carey Mulligan being cast in On Chesil Beach?

Don Hahn, producer of classics such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Beauty And The Beast has revealed to Empire that Disney favorite The Lion King will be returning to the big screen in 3D.

Hahn, who was also the producer for The Lion King, was recently in London to visit pre-production on Tim Burton’s next movie, Frankenweenie, set to shoot soon at Three Mill Studios. It was there that he spoke of the expected return of The Lion King:

“I’m actually trying to work out a 3D conversion of The Lion King. I’ll be doing that when I go back to the States in a couple of weeks,” he said, explaining that we shouldn’t expect to see it for a while yet, since the Disney boffins are taking their time in making Simba, Zazu et al pop out of the screen. “It’s going to be spectacular – we will do a good job for ya! The technology is tremendous. We did A Nightmare Before Christmas a few years ago and Tim thought it was better than the original because it allows you to walk onto the set.”

With Beauty and the Beast already being converted into 3D, along with every other movie that could possibly be squeezed of its last drops of monetary honey, it comes as no surprise that Disney would want to add The Lion King to the 3D bandwagon. Hopefully they can work some magic to create a more spectacular 3D out of this wonderful classic film, rather than just a weak holographic effect that adds nothing to the experience except an annoying pair of glasses on your face.

In related news, Hahn confirmed that the long-awaited sequel to Who Framed Roger Rabbit is still in the works: “Yeah, I couldn’t possibly comment. I deny completely, but yeah… if you’re a fan, pretty soon you’re going to be very, very, very happy.”

Sadly, Hahn also revealed that The Snow Queen, an adaptation of a classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale that was rumoured to be Disney’s next hand-drawn animation won’t be developed in the foreseeable future:

“It’s actually been tabled right now,” explains Hahn. “It’s on the low shelf – we can’t reach it! But seriously, we don’t have the story. It’s a bit like Beauty And The Beast, which sat there for years. We cracked Beauty finally by putting in the objects and creating more plot. The Snow Queen we’ve had a lot of trouble with and I’ve spent years on it. I love it and I think it’s one of the last great fairy tales. It’s kind of crappy that it’s just sitting there right now.”

For now, the next Disney film to come out will be Tangled, the updated version of Rapunzel, which will hit cinemas this year on November 24.

What do you think of The Lion King returning to the cinemas in 3D?

According to the Daily Express newspaper, Oscar winning actress Kate Winslet is the first choice for German filmmaker Bernd Eichinger’s upcoming project. Should she get the role she would star as Austrian kidnap victim Natascha Kampusch who was 10 years old when she was abducted on her way to school. The Guardian details the story that will be adapted for screen by Eichinger:

Following her capture, Kampusch spent eight years living at the home of her captor, communications technician Wolfgang Priklopil, before finally escaping in August 2006. For much of that time, she was imprisoned in a cellar beneath the garage, although neighbours also reported seeing her in the garden. At one stage, she even accompanied Priklopil on a brief skiing holiday.

While Winslet is an accomplished actress, there a couple of obstacles that would get in her way should she want the role. The first is that Natascha Kampusch was 18 years old when she escaped her kidnapper and Winslet is currently 34. This possibly could be overlooked if Winslet was interested in the role. Afterall Emma Thompson was 36 when she played the 20 year old Elinor Dashwood in the 1995 film Sense and Sensibility. The second is that she would need to play an Austrian woman, unless Eichinger plans on adapting it in an English setting. All things considered it seems unlikely that Winslet would accept the role.

Aceshowbiz is also reporting that Christoph Waltz is rumored to be taking on the role of Priklopil in the currently untitled movie, which is scheduled for a 2012 release. Having seen his thoroughly engaging performance as Col. Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds, it’s clear that Waltz would be able to successfully undertake the role of Priklopil.

Eichinger remains best known as a film producer. His recent credits include the Recent Evil and Fantastic Four pictures, along with the Oscar-nominated German drama The Baader Meinhof Complex.

What do you think of Kate Winslet possibly playing the role of an 18 year old?

Established by the British as a criminal dumping ground, Australia has defined itself through its underworld history of gang wars. The infamous bushranger turned defiant outlaw, Ned Kelly, presides as an iconic representation of the ongoing fascination Australia has with its criminal history. His criminal story has been developed for film ten times. The most recent was Gregor Jordan’s 2003 biopic Ned Kelly, starring Heath Ledger, Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush and Naomi Watts. The film wasn’t a success, like most weak biography to screen crime adaptations. Animal Kingdom, however, is a rare crime drama standout that pares back factual details to focus on the dramatic fictional retelling of a 1980’s Melbourne underworld. The result is an emotionally powerful piece of cinema that will stay with the audience for longer than its two hour running time.

In his debut feature, writer/director David Michod establishes Animal Kingdom as a world in which drugs have corrupted the idea of normal life, through two generations. Its setting is timeless, but the film was inspired by the true events that took place in Melbourne in the 1980’s particularly circling around the October 1988 Walsh Street shootings where two young police officers were ambushed and gunned down in the inner-city suburb of South Yarra.

The film begins with Joshua ”J” Cody (James Frecheville), a 17-year-old boy who has come to live with his grandmother, Janine ”Smurf” Cody (Jacki Weaver), after the death of his mother. In Smurf’s household, crime is a career. Her three sons, Andrew known as ”Pope” (Mendelsohn), Craig (Sullivan Stapleton), Darren (Luke Ford) and their associate “Baz” Brown (Joel Edgerton) earn their money through armed robbery. Led by Detective Leckie (Guy Pearce), the police and the armed robbery squad are determined to catch them.

When local police gun two of the family’s sons down without warning, Pope, who is the most feared member of the clan, plans a random attack on police to retaliate. Mendelsohn is chilling in his performance as the dark soul in the family whose very presence seems to intimidate even the audience into submission. The effect is akin to watching a horrifying disaster take place and being unable to do anything except watch the events unfold.

But not even Mendelsohn’s superb performance can outmatch the constant discomfort that Jacki Weaver’s performance of “Mama Smurf” exudes. She smothers her sons with an affection that leaves the audience wondering just how close her relationship with them is behind the scenes of what we see. Her maternal instinct is constantly sexualized with the extended lip-locking kisses that she gives her boys before they go out to sell drugs or commit murder. It is certainly one of the better roles and best performances of Weaver’s career.

The brutality of the criminal underworld is captured mostly by the camera rather than in dialogue. This is perhaps the greatest strength in Michod’s script as it assists the audience in becoming engaged with emotional truth of the events that they are witnessing on screen. Animal Kingdom builds on the combining forces of both the visual and the verbal drama to become a memorable piece of cinema amongst the many in the same genre. The idea of human interaction merely being a constant animal struggle for the same kingdom is constantly reinforced through dialogue.

Joshua, the outsider stuck within a criminal family circle, is caught between his criminal family and a life of normality. Through his innocence, we see the corruption of police officers whose war with the family has escalated beyond the limits of the law. Pearce’s character, Leckie acts as the only character that is entirely good. He uses the same idea of the Animal Kingdom in attempt to save Joshua from his inevitable path of destruction: “Strong animals survive. But you are one of the weak ones. You have survived because you were protected by the strong. They aren’t strong any more.”

Animal Kingdom is compelling in all aspects of cinematic storytelling. The characters are performed with a perfect cast, the screenplay attentive to detail and direction and the fictional, yet emotional truth telling of real events exemplifies the impressive aspects of the crime drama genre. Having won the jury prize for world cinema at Sundance, Animal Kingdom is certain to do well when it is publically released around the world.

Animal Kingdom will be in cinemas August 13.

9.5 out of 10.

Are you excited to see Animal Kingdom?

Screenwriting cousins Mark and Brian Gunn have been hired to write Paramount’s remake of The Monster Squad. Rob Cohen, who produced the original film, will also produce and direct the new version. [Heat Vision]

The original Monster Squad was released in 1987 and was directed by Fred Dekker, who also co-wrote the script with Shane Black. It followed the story of a group of kids who discover a plot by Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, The Gill Man and The Mummy to try and take over the world. The choice of Cohen as director is relevant and arguably good considering that he last directed the Universal sequel The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, which grossed $389 million worldwide.

The production team also includes big names such as the Platinum Dunes team (Michael Bay, Andrew Form, Brad Fuller) and David Ladd (Hart’s War).

Have you seen the original Monster Squad? Is it deserving of a remake?

According to Vulture, Sam Raimi has been offered the director’s chair for Disney’s Oz, the Great and Powerful, a 3D prequel to the 1939 MGM classic The Wizard of Oz. Robert Downey, Jr. is attached to star in the title role.

Raimi was hired last year by Legendary Pictures to develop a film based on the wildly popular World of Warcraft video game but there is still some question as to when this film is going ahead. And with Sony dropping the fourth  chapter to his Spider-Man franchise, Raimi’s schedule is open for another film.

The list of directors considered for Oz has been getting longer and more desperate as Disney tries to push this big money project forward.  Adam Shankman, Sam Mendes, Timur Bekmambetov and Guillermo Del Toro have all declined for various reasons. The question now is whether Raimi will take on Oz and begin filming “sometime this year,” at Disney’s insistence. Despite the high-profile, low-expectation vibe that this project is already emitting Raimi could take the reins from Disney and use his skills to produce a high quality film worth seeing.

The project is written by Mitchell Kapner (The Whole Nine Yards, Romeo Must Die), and Joe Roth.

Would you want to see Sam Raimi direct Oz, The Great And Powerful?

Warwick Davis, the actor who plays both Griphook and Professor Flitwick in the Potter series has just confirmed via Twitter that June 12, 2010 is the last day of principal photography for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final installments in the Harry Potter film franchise. He said:

The end of an Era – today is officially the last day of principal photography on ‘Harry Potter’ – ever. I feel honoured to be here as the director shouts cut for the very last time. Farewell Harry & Hogwarts, it’s been magic!

…the director shouts cut for the very last time. Farewell Harry & Hogwarts, it’s been magic! x

Recent photos of the cast filming the epilogue scene publicly revealed to the world that this was the beginning of the end for the popular Potter franchise. The first film, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone premiered on November 14, 2001. Since then Harry Potter has become the highest grossing film series of all time when not adjusted for inflation, earning over $5.4 billion at the box office worldwide.

Deathly Hallows, directed by David Yates, is the final chapter in Harry’s (Daniel Radcliffe) quest to defeat the dark wizard Lord Voldemort. Dumbledore’s demise has left him alone with his best friends Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) to locate and destroy Voldemort’s remaining Horcruxes.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 is due for for release on November 19. Part 2 will be released July 15, 2011.

Are you sad to hear that Harry Potter has finished filming?

While news of Johnny Depp’s involvement with Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides has kept everybody thinking about the franchise, the film world seems to have forgotten about Geoffrey Rush. But here’s some good news – he’ll be back to reprise his role as the wickedly devious and entertaining Captain Barbossa. Read the full story

Fanpires rejoice, Summit Entertainment has confirmed via press release that Breaking Dawn, the final book in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight saga, will be adapted into two separate films. Having successfully negotiated their contracts the main cast will return with Bill Condon (Dreamgirls, Gods and Monsters) to direct both films. Read the full story