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Maggie Grace Gets 'Empowered' For 'Taken' Sequel

Posted 4/12/12 11:00 am EST by in Interviews, News

Bryan Mills is a man with a very particular set of skills, skills that make him a nightmare for men like go-to Serbian bad guy actor Rade Serbedzija. But does Bryan's daughter, the long-ago abducted Kim Mills, possess those same skills? One certainly hope so, since she'll have to transform herself from victim to hero in the upcoming "Taken" sequel.

Actress Maggie Grace spoke with MTV News about "Taken 2" during the recent "Lockout" junket, and she revealed that, yes, Kim's stepped up her game considerably since getting abducted in the first Liam Neeson-starring action thriller.

"Yeah, the character is a bit more empowered in this one," she told MTV. "You know, she doesn't morph into La Femme Nikita. It's still grounded in the reality of that world. But yeah, she is her father's daughter, and she definitely steps up."

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J.K. Rowling Announces 'Casual Vacancy' Release Date And Details

Posted 4/12/12 10:57 am EST by in News

JK Rowling

"Harry Potter" and "The Casual Vacancy" have an author in common. By the sound of it, that's about all they share.

A title, a September 27 release date and brand new plot details for J.K. Rowling's "first novel for adults," titled "The Casual Vacancy," have been announced by The Wall Street Journal. Published by Little, Brown, the book takes place in a small town in England where wars are being fought on all sides. Rowling's no stranger to writing about war as seen in "Potter," but it sounds like she has something very different in mind for her next tale.

Keep reading for plot details!

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'Hunger Games' Director's Exit Leaves Fans 'Shocked'

Posted 4/12/12 10:00 am EST by in Video

As someone who went on record saying the "Hunger Games" movie was better than the "Hunger Games" book, I think you can safely assume that I'm disappointed by Gary Ross' departure from the series. I was greatly looking forward to seeing the director's vision of "Catching Fire" on the big screen, and I'm equally curious to see who Lionsgate taps to take his place. Those are mighty big shoes to fill, after all... though, of course, we have some "Catching Fire" director suggestions to help speed the process along.

While we're all still thinking about Gary-Gate this week, our friends at Hollywood Crush spoke with several "Hunger Games" experts and fans across the blogosphere. Words like "surprised," "shocked," and "upset" were used frequently in discussing Ross' exit from the franchise. Can't say I disagree with those feelings. Get all those reactions and more in the video above.

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Exclusive 'Marley' Clip: When Bob Met Desmond Dekker

Posted 4/12/12 7:55 am EST by in Video

Reggae legend Bob Marley's life and career are the subject of a new documentary, "Marley," hitting theaters and VOD in just over a week from today. We premiered the "Marley" poster earlier this year, and now, we have an exclusive clip featuring the "Buffalo Soldier" singer, Jamaican recording artist Jimmy Cliff and more weighing in on how Marley first met Desmond Dekker, the famous ska musician who died in 2006. Watch the clip in the player below.

"Marley" opens in theaters and premieres on VOD April 20th. For more information about the movie, check out the film's Facebook page.

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Mischief Managed In New Exclusive 'Avengers' Clip

Posted 4/11/12 2:02 pm EST by in Hot Stuff, Video

"I have an army." "We have a Hulk." And we just had a geekgasm. We've got the exclusive debut on a brand new "Avengers" clip featuring Tony Stark exchanging zingers with Loki, the God of Mischief. It's light on the action, but heavy on the awesome. Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Hiddleston are in top form in the scene, and we're dying to see more from the two of them. You'll be dying too once you've watched the clip. Stop dilly-dallying and get to it by clicking on the player below!

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'Lockout' Required Guy Pearce To Rediscover His Bodybuilding Roots

Posted 4/11/12 1:09 pm EST by in Interviews, News

Despite appearances to the contrary, breaking into a space prison to rescue the president's daughter is no easy feat. A lot of work goes into becoming a capable ex-special forces badass like Snow, the salty hero of "Lockout," as actor Guy Pearce knows all too well.

Speaking with MTV News during the "Lockout" press junket, Pearce confessed that getting into character as Snow required no small amount of physical training. "[It was about] building up and trying to create a guy who looks like he's as tough as the next guy," said the actor. "But really, he's a bit sort of tired of all of this now. I spent many hours in the gym lifting weights, getting back into some old routines that I'd known from my past."

Old routines from his past, Pearce says? We were curious what that meant, as was Maggie Grace, Pearce's co-star in the film.

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'Hunger Games' Director Gary Ross Won't Return For 'Catching Fire'

Posted 4/11/12 8:00 am EST by in News

After a week of reports going back-and-forth on his status with the franchise, it's now official: Gary Ross will not be returning for another "Hunger Games" movie. Ross and Lionsgate confirmed the news in a joint announcement made late last night, revealing that the director behind the box office titan has put the world of Panem behind him for good.

"I loved making 'The Hunger Games' — it was the happiest experience of my professional life," Ross said in his statement. "Lionsgate was supportive of me in a manner that few directors ever experience in a franchise: they empowered me to make the film I wanted to make and backed the movie in a way that requires no explanation beyond the remarkable results. And contrary to what has been reported, negotiations with Lionsgate have not been problematic. They have also been very understanding of me through this difficult decision."

Sad news for fans of the franchise, no doubt about it. Get more on Ross' departure at MTV News, and stay with us all week long as we continue looking into the story.

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'Prometheus' Shoot Was 'Rigorous' For Guy Pearce

Posted 4/10/12 5:00 pm EST by in Interviews, News

There is not a single film coming out in 2012 that I am looking forward to more than "Prometheus." It's not just Ridley Scott's return to science fiction that has me jazzed, or the fact that we'll once again dive back into the "Alien" universe — the same universe that made me fall in love with movies, for what it's worth — but also the all-star cast that's on board: Charlize Theron, Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender… and perhaps my favorite of the bunch, Guy Pearce.

Pearce, starring in this weekend's sci-fi thriller "Lockout," appears in "Prometheus" in what sounds like a small but pivotal role. He'll play Sir Peter Weyland, founder of the infamous Weyland-Yutani Company that's played a central role in the "Alien" mythology to date. We've already enjoyed a glimpse of Weyland in a fictional TED Talk, part of the "Prometheus" viral marketing strategy. According to Pearce, however, that might be the last we'll see of Weyland — the actor's take on the character, anyway — until the film hits theaters in June.

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'Lockout' Has A 'Great Sense Of Humor,' Stars Say

Posted 4/10/12 2:22 pm EST by in Interviews, News

Picture this: a maximum security prison gets overrun by the inmates, with correctional officers and other bystanders taken as hostages. One such hostage just so happens to be the President of the United States' daughter — and the only man who can save her is a former special forces operative with an agenda of his own.

Nothing too far outside the realm of blockbuster movie possibility, right? In the case of "Lockout," it gets better: all that aforementioned action? It takes place in space.

In certain hands, the far-out premise of "Lockout" could easily be fumbled — it could take itself too seriously, or it could wink way too hard at the viewer. Thankfully, "Lockout" was very much in the right hands from the very beginning (the hands of Luc Besson and his EuropaCorp studio to be precise), a fact that was very attractive to co-leads Guy Pearce and Maggie Grace in signing on for the film.

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Ben Kingsley Eyed For 'Iron Man 3' Villain Role

Posted 4/10/12 10:00 am EST by in News, Super News

Ben Kingsley, one of the finest actors currently working, does not like Iron Man. Well, perhaps he likes the films Iron Man appears in, but he has it out for Ol' Shellhead himself, based on a new report that Kingsley's playing the villain in Shane Black's "Iron Man 3."

Kingsley's role remains under wraps, though it's said to be tied to Warren Ellis' six-issue "Extremis" comic book run. It's also not, apparently, The Mandarin, despite several clues pointing towards the ring-clad villain's ultimate involvement in the "Iron Man" movie franchise. Kind of a bummer, as Kingsley would be an excellent choice for an updated (see: not horribly racially offensive) version of the popular Marvel baddie.

Head on over to MTV Splash Page for more on the news!

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