The deluge of casting news for "The Hobbit" continues to pour in, and just like our most recent update, today's news concerns someone who is already very familiar with the world of Middle-Earth.
Deadline reports that Orlando Bloom is expected to be the next actor from "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy to lend his talents to director Peter Jackson's two-part prequel, "The Hobbit."
"He's near a deal to return as Elven archer Legolas," reports Deadline's Mike Fleming. "And it's for more than a cameo, I'm told."
If Bloom returns as Legolas, it would mark yet another departure between the big screen "Hobbit" and the novel penned by revered fantasy author J.R.R. Tolkien, as Legolas did not factor into the original tale of Bilbo Baggins. Likewise, Cate Blanchett recently agreed to return as Galadriel, despite the fact that the Lady of Lothlorien doesn't appear in "The Hobbit" novel. Read More...
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'Blue Valentine' Gets Its NC-17 Rating Changed To An R
Posted 12/8/10 6:16 pm EST by Tom DiChiara in Commentary, News
Following a personal appeal from studio chief Harvey Weinstein, the MPAA has gone ahead and reversed its decision, changing the NC-17 it dealt "Blue Valentine" in October to a much more audience-friendly R, according to Variety.
The film had been hit with the NC-17 due to what the MPAA called a "shocking, gory depiction of a dying marriage"... which roughly translates to "a sex scene in which Gosling performs oral sex on Williams."
But according to Deadline, the MPAA ratings board unanimously voted to overturn their previous decision today. Perhaps they were swayed by arguments that other films featuring equally explicit oral sex scenes -- including the recently released critical darling "Black Swan" -- have received an R rating. Or perhaps they were just in the holiday spirit.
Whatever the case, the brand-spanking-new R rating means that 'Blue Valentine" can run promos on TV and run in national theater chains when it's released on December 31 -- two things it would not have been able to do with an NC-17. The fact that all this ratings ballyhoo has stirred up a ton of free PR for the film is just icing on the cake.
Are you glad "Blue Valentine" got its R rating? Tell us in the comments!
Tags Blue Valentine, michelle williams, Ryan Gosling