Quick, when I say midnight movie, what's the first film that comes to mind? As with a lot of things in life, the answer probably depends a lot on how old you are.
For me, the first movie that comes to mind when I think of a midnight movie is "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace," because that's the first film I ever saw at, well, midnight, in a National Amusements Cinema in Hazlet, NJ. I was 18 and a senior in high school.
But for a lot of other people the term midnight movie probably conjures up images of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" or "Eraserheads," cult classics that used to run at independent theaters the second the witching hour began.
Tonight, hundreds of thousands of people will line up with the former camp, dragging themselves out to screenings of "The Dark Knight" at midnight. But when did the change occur -- when did the camp classics make way for the blockbusters? What was the first big movie to premiere at midnight?
Read more...
"Indiana Jones" takes over TRL! That's right, on Tuesday, May 20th at 3:30pm EST, tune in for an entire show dedicated to everyone's favorite adventurer. As part of the show, our correspondent Tim Kash headed down to the home of a certain George Lucas. You'll have to watch the show to see our full tour of the Indy archives, but for now read an accounting of Tim's fun-filled day below.
Today I saw the strangest thing: Four grown men walked into a room and almost immediately turned into little boys — and one of them was me!
About two weeks ago, we got the call that everyone should get at least once in their life: an invitation from film producer George Lucas to visit his legendary Skywalker Ranch. Oh yes, it's true!
According to The Wall Street Journal, the 5000-acre Skywalker Ranch (only 15 acres have been developed) cost Lucas $100 million; it's home to one of the finest collections of film memorabilia in the world, most famously from "Indiana Jones" and "Star Wars." Read more...
If you thought the cantina in Mos Eisley was a "wretched hive of scum and villainy," well you'd better be cautious because an upcoming journey back to the "Star Wars" universe is going to reveal the "greasy, seamy underbelly of 'Star Wars.'"
That's what Steve Sansweet, Lucasfilm's Director of Fan Relations, revealed to MTV News at New York's Comic Con yesterday about the much anticipated live-action "Star Wars" TV show in development. Confirming that the show will "involve some characters we know" along with new creations, Sansweet said the show would be "of epic scale." Read more...
He traveled to a galaxy far, far away last year when both "Robot Chicken" (which he co-created) and "Family Guy" (where he voices a character) spoofed "Star Wars," but now Seth Green is getting ready to join the actual George Lucas family.
"I did something on that cartoon," Green admitted to us at NY Comic Con, revealing for the first time that the "Buffy" star will be making an appearance in the upcoming "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" animated series. "I came in and did a voice." Read more...
- Shia LaBeouf joins "The Dark Fields," the story of a loser who gets his hands on a drug that makes you smarter. (Hollywood Reporter)
- Zack Snyder gets animated, prepares to direct "Guardians of Ga-Hoole," based on a series of children's books. (Variety)
- Jabba the Hutt's kid? Really? I mean, REALLY? Sigh. First trailer for "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" hits web. (StarWars.com)
- "Tropic Thunder" to feature fake trailers a la "Grindhouse." (/film)
- Groovy, baby. Fourth "Austin Powers" rumored to be targeting Gisele Bundchen for female lead. (Boston.com)
Hollywood is filled with the what-could-have-beens...Tom Selleck as Indy, Dougray Scott as Wolverine, Nicolas Cage as Superman. And with an eye towards a galaxy far, far away, don't forget Ryan Phillippe as Anakin Skywalker, at the time one of the most aggressively pursued roles in Hollywood.
Of course, the winning candidate was Hayden Christensen, but Phillippe -- soon to be seen in this weekend's "Stop-Loss" -- confirmed to MTV News that he nearly had the part, making it so far as to meet with George Lucas and Queen Amidala herself. "I read with Natalie Portman," the actor revealed. "I think it was sort of an age thing in their mind. It wasn't quite right, but yeah, they were interested." Watch the video below for more, and then click here for the rest of our chat.
You've got to admire any actor who essentially told George Lucas he'd be happy to do anything in a "Star Wars" movie. And not only that, but Samuel L. Jackson is sounding like he's still up for being a part of the franchise in whatever form it takes.
As we all know the "Star Wars" saga is far from over with not one but two television series in development. The live action series is set to take place after the events of Episode III meaning a Mace Windu appearance ain't looking so likely BUT there's always the new CGI animated Clone Wars series.
And Sam Jackson sounds game to return."Yeah, absolutely," Jackson told MTV News today when asked if he's interested in voicing the Mace Windu character in the new series. Read more...
Whether re-makes, re-imaginings and sequels are worth their time and effort is a battle that has raged among movie fans ever since D.W. Griffith decided to cash in on the success of "Birth of a Nation" with 1916's "Fall of a Nation." Yep, they've been around that long.
Every actor has to make up their own mind on how they feel about such matters, and one of our favorites is Natalie Portman, who has some interesting thoughts on the matter.
"When something works you don't touch it," Portman explained to us recently. "You try to create something new that's positive." (If you want more Natalie, our full "Rough Cut" interview with Portman is viewable here.
As such, she insisted that she'll never star in a long-rumored sequel to her first film, the ass-kicking classic "The Professional." "I really love that film," she added. "And I would work with [director] Luc Besson again, in a second, but [not on a sequel]." Read more...
We've already reported that Anthony Hopkins isn't exactly the biggest fan of fantasy films, but there is one otherworldly epic that's caught his eye, and it's one that he seems up for joining.
While declaring he wasn't a fan of the "Potter" series, the actor perked up while mentioning another blockbuster franchise. "The only of those fantasy movies that I was a fan of was 'Star Wars,' Hopkins stated excitedly to MTV News. Sensing his enthusiasm, we mentioned to Hopkins the upcoming live-action television show, and suggested he could give creator George Lucas a call.
"Maybe I could play the Alec Guinness [part]," he responded, seemingly only half-joking. "The Force be With You." (Watch Hopkins tackle Obi-Wan below)
If I had a hammer, I'd hammer in the evening. But instead I'll provide you with the links of the day (The God of Thunder has the hammer thing taken care of, we think). Read about that and more, including "Star Wars" and "Narnia," below.
- Matthew Vaughn lays down the hammer on "Thor." (Empire)
- The Force is strong with this one: George Lucas on the "Star Wars" TV Shows. (TV Guide)
- The Ratner Pack: Brett Ratner to direct "Mr. S: My Life With Frank Sinatra." Chris Tucker eyeing role of George Jacobs, the crooner's valet. (Variety)
- A "Voyage" to forever: Third "Chronicles of Narnia" film gets pushed back a full year. (JoBlo)
- Isla Fisher to star in "Confessions of a Shopaholic." (Hollywood Reporter)
