The game-to-film adaptation train rolls on. Lots of passengers this week too. Yesterday, HBO's "Rome" star Kevin McKidd said that discussions are underway for a "Call of Duty" movie, unsurprising given the massive success of the just-released "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2."
And earlier today we brought you updates from "Twilight" producer Wyck Godfrey, who is also developing adaptations of recent hits "Gears of War" and "Dead Space." In yet more game adaptation news, Capcom has announced that their unreleased title "Dark Void" has been picked up by Brad Pitt's Plan B Entertainment as a potential vehicle for the "Inglourious Basterds" star. Read more...
Brad Pitt has been the subject of a whirlwind of internet rumors that would mystify Sherlock Holmes himself. The "Inglourious Basterds" star was pegged for a cameo as the nefarious Moriarty, the titular master detective's arch-nemesis, in the Guy Ritchie-directed "Sherlock Holmes," but denials from Warner Bros. and other official parties effectively squashed that rumor.
Do you think the real Moriarty would reveal his identity so easily? No, he'd confuse his pursuers with misdirection and false leads. But just like legends, a good rumor never dies. Read more...
In the below Vintage Vid, former MTV personality Chris Connelly talks to Brad Pitt in October '94, a month before the world got to see his standout performance in director Neil Jordan's "Interview with the Vampire." Pitt says here that he tries not to think about the future that lies before him. Little does he know, it's a future that includes an "Ocean's" trilogy, superstardom and Angelina Jolie.
You can of course check out Pitt this weekend, starring in Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds" for an up-close look at exactly where the star's career has gone. In short... UP!
This weekend, Quentin Tarantino sends Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) and his squad of "Inglourious Basterds" behind enemy lines to inflict brutal punishment on the Nazis. The group is particularly well-suited to this task, as the lot of them are Jewish Americans who have a bone to pick with the "Final Solution"-espousing Third Reich.
Of course, as anyone with even cursory knowledge of the Bible knows, World War II was far from the first time that Jews have been oppressed in large numbers. In the story of Exodus, Moses led the Hebrews out of their life of slavery in Egypt. That was only after he heralded the coming of the ten plagues that God would visit upon the Egyptians if the Pharaoh did not let Moses' people go. In the Cecil B. Demille-directed classic, "The Ten Commandments," Charlton Heston played the bearded savior. He and the Pharaoh -- played by Yul Brenner -- are both the focus in today's eBay Prop-Watch. Read more...
This is it folks. Today is the last day of our "favorite Quentin Tarantino character" poll. You spoken loud and clear with your clicks. And unless today brings some massive upset, "Pulp Fiction"'s Jules Winnfield -- and the memorable Sam Jackson performance responsible for him -- is the big winner with (as of now) 44% of your votes. "Kill Bill"'s The Bride (Uma Thurman) is the closest competitor, at 21%. And my pick? Poor Max Cherry (Robert Forster), from "Jackie Brown"? The big loser, at 2%. All this tells me is that "Brown" really is QT's most underrated effort.
In the below video, the director and "Inglourious Basterds" star Brad Pitt describe audience reactions to what is ultimately a funny World War II movie. They focus specifically on a German audience screening, and the crowd's at-first tentative response to the humor.
Hit the jump for your last chance to give Max Cherry his due in the poll! Read more...
I'm not terribly surprised to be informing you that Samuel L. Jackson's "Pulp Fiction" character Jules Winnfield currently has the lead in the "favorite Quentin Tarantino character" poll, with almost 50% of your votes. Come on, Max Cherry fans! I know you're out there! Show some love for the "Jackie Brown" bail bondsman!
In the below video, "Inglourious Basterds" star Brad Pitt talks about the director's characters, how they have fully developed back stories. That's part of the reason they all tend to be so unforgettable; even if you never learn the full background, it's always there to inform the actor's performance, creating a more nuanced, more believable portrayal.
Hit the jump for the poll, and remember: if you don't agree with the picks, share your thoughts in the comments section or upload your video response to Your MTV (make sure to tag it "favorite Tarantino character"). Read more...
UPDATE: Apologies that this wasn't made clearer. Ritchie's comments on Moriarty came before the Brad Pitt rumor started up.
Two days ago word slipped out that Brad Pitt was off to London, where he'd be shooting a few pickup scenes as Moriarty for Guy Ritchie's December blockbuster "Sherlock Holmes," starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. Warner Bros. acted quickly, issuing a statement that Pitt would not be "joining the cast of 'Sherlock Holmes.'" If wishes were fishes, right?
As it turns out, Moriarty will still be making some kind of appearance in "Holmes." How do we know? Because Ritchie himself told MTV's Josh Horowitz! I would even go as far as saying -- and this is pure speculation -- the Pitt may indeed be showing up as Holmes' nemesis in an uncredited role, since that wouldn't technically mean he's "joining the cast." Think on that as you read what Ritchie had to say. Read more...
To hear Brad Pitt say it, his Aldo Raine character in Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds" was right there on the page. He didn't have to interpret or ad lib-- he just played the character as Tarantino wrote him, and that was that. The director doesn't necessarily agree with that statement, as you can see in the video below. Whether or not he wants to admit it though, Tarantino is a master craftsman when it comes to characters.
That's why I'm running a poll this week, to determine who you think takes top honors among Tarantino's many colorful characters. My pick is Max Cherry, from "Jackie Brown." Two reasons for that. One: "Jackie Brown" is my favorite of the director's flicks. Two: Robert Forster is badass. You don't want to mess with that guy. Who's your favorite? Cast your vote after the jump. Don't agree with our selections? Then enter your pick as a write-in in the comments section or record your thoughts on video and share them with us at Your MTV (make sure to tag it "favorite Tarantino character"). Read more...
Today over on MTV.com, Larry Carroll has a report filed from the red carpet of the "Inglourious Basterds" premiere. He got to chat with the various cast members as they strolled by, and the one question he made sure to hit them all with was "which Quentin Tarantino character is your favorite?" The answers are all over the place, from Eli Roth's half-dozen or so choices to -- including Brad Pitt's "True Romance" stoner Floyd! -- to Brad Pitt's humble nod to his "Basterds" co-star Christopher Waltz, who plays "the Jew Hunter."
It's hard to narrow down a single favorite, but I have to go with Robert Forster's bail bondsman Max Cherry, from "Jackie Brown." By far QT's most underrated effort, Forster's top-notch role is just one among many in the movie. Still, it's his character who sticks with me the most. As all of these shady dealings are unfolding before his eyes, this old fogey dullard sticks to his moral center and comes out of the mess clean as a result. Tremendous, that performance.
I want to know who your favorite is though. Hit the jump for the associated poll I'll be running this week, as well as thoughts from the rest of the MTV News team on their own favorites. And of course, if you have more to say than the poll really offers, I encourage you to share your thoughts in the comments or in a video post on Your MTV. Read more...
UPDATE: The original report in Us Magazine was based on an article in today's London Mirror, which it turns out was slightly inaccurate. And by "slightly," I mean "holy crap, who let this news run?!" Brad Pitt is NOT joining the cast of "Sherlock Holmes." So says Warner Bros. So everything I say below is completely false. You can check out WB's statement right here; I've left the original report after the jump, for posterity.
FROM WARNER BROS.: "The report in today’s London Mirror is completely inaccurate. Brad Pitt is not joining the cast of Sherlock Holmes and we're extremely pleased with the production of the film. As planned, it will be released on Christmas Day, 2009. In order to complete the movie, we've scheduled a few days on set to shoot a couple of additional scenes, obtain pick-up shots, and perfect some of the visual effects elements, all of which is standard filmmaking practice."
Oops. Someone done effed up. Read more...
