Woody Allen, an American film director who has defined New York City for much of the world, told reporters in Spain on Tuesday he can no longer afford to shoot in the Big Apple. Allen is currently promoting his latest effort You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger, filmed in London, and also is in production on Midnight in Paris, a romantic-comedy, being shot in Paris. He went on to explain that he feels it’s far more cost effective to shoot in Europe, though admitted the infrastructure for film production in New York poses fewer limitations for location shoots.

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Even though it didn’t make much of an impression in Cannes, Woody Allen’s next film, You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger, is Woody Allen’s next film. Somehow the man still has something of a built-in indie audience.

Check out the trailer below [Yahoo]:

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About a month ago, a handful of names were announced for Woody Allen‘s upcoming project Midnight in Paris, which included, among a few others, Marion Cotillard, Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, and Michael Sheen; today, Allen confirmed those reports. Read the full story

Now starting to carve out a leading man persona for himself after years of playing big roles in small films or small roles in big films, Adrien Brody is continuing his roll with a new Woody Allen romantic drama entitled Midnight in Paris, so says THR (via The Playlist). Read the full story

It was recently announced that Woody Allen‘s upcoming film You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, starring Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins, Naomi Watts, and Freida Pinto, would be premiering at the Cannes Film Festival next month en route to its release on September 23. But the buzz has quickly shifted to Allen‘s next project, which has been surrounded by mystery ever since Allen revealed the Paris setting and nothing else. Read the full story

Rachel McAdams is in negotiations to star opposite Owen Wilson and the recently added Marion Cotillard in the yet to be titled Woody Allen film scheduled to shoot in the summer. Read the full story

Critics who saw Whatever Works, in limited release today, felt it appropriate to note Woody Allen’s out-of-step return to New York City was not of the romanticized breadth present in some of his finest films. Whether or not this bandwagon bash affects Allen, he’s fleeing again – this time, to France for a project set to commence filming next year.

He wants Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, the French first lady, to star because she possesses the charisma of a movie star. The pick is not far off base, since Bruni-Sarkozy is a former singer, supermodel and songwriter. She’s also appeared in a few films.

Allen told RTL Radio in Paris on Thursday: “She’s got charisma, she’s already acted so she’s not unknown to an audience. There are a lot of ways I could use her though I don’t have a story for her at the moment.”

Typically, Allen writes a script without a specific actor in mind. Then again, with Diane Keaton and Mia Farrow on board for much of his career, it wasn’t difficult.

What international political figure would fare well on the silver screen?

Woody Allen marks his return to New York with a worthy welcome that recalls back to his earlier films. Whatever Works certainly won’t go down as a great Woody Allen film, but it’s charm is too irresistible to ignore. It falls alongside the minor Allen films, failing to reach the heights of his earlier landmarks.

The film revolves around a sharp-witted New Yorker named Boris Yellnikoff, played by Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm). Boris prefers a life of isolation and despises mostly everyone he meets. One day on his way home Boris finds a young beautiful southern girl named Melodie laying by his apartment. Boris decides to take the young girl in and they soon become friends. Boris becomes infatuated with Melodie and the odd couple decide to get married. Later on they discover they must suffer the burden of Melodie’s dysfunctional parents-who seem to despise Boris.

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Editor’s note: Due to a trip to NYC I wasn’t able to update as frequently as I hoped. Here are the major (and minor) news stories I missed.

First Promo Posters From Cannes Include Shutter Island, The Lovely Bones, + More [Firstshowing]

Quentin Tarantino has an Inglourious Basterds prequel “ready to go”. [NYTimes]

Nicole Kidman No Longer in New Woody Allen Flick [Variety]

Trailer for Woody Allen‘s Whatever Works [Apple Trailers]

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Hello fellow Film Stagers, I’m going to start posting a round-up of smaller film news around the web in a section called Back Stage. These stories aren’t quite big enough to garner a full post, but worthy checking out regardless.

The End of Terminator Salvation will Divide Audiences [/Film]

The Green Lantern Has $150 Million Budget, Shooting in Sydney [THR]

Sam Raimi’s Drag Me To Hell has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for “sequences of horror violence, terror, disturbing images and language.” [ropesofsilicon]

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