I talked about the very serious film Paradise Lost earlier today — the documentary about the just-freed West Memphis Three. But there’s that other Paradise Lost being developed by Legendary Pictures and director Alex Proyas. That’s the very loose adaptation of the epic poem by Milton that chronicles the break between Lucifer and Heaven. The film will be a largely mocapped, CGI affair with Bradley Cooper playing Lucifer and Benjamin Walker playing the archangel Michael. And now they’ll be joined by Djimon Hounsou as Abdiel, the angel of death. Read More »
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Benjamin Walker, the star of rock musical Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, walked away from playing Beast in X-Men: First Class, only to end up in the title role of Timur Bekmambetov’s Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Now he is finishing a deal to appear in another big movie that will revamp an old tale. Only this time, the tale is much older and the scope is infinitely more broad: the actor will be the Archangel Michael in Alex Proyas‘ Paradise Lost, which already stars Bradley Cooper as Lucifer. Read More »
You don’t have to wait until next summer to see what Benjamin Walker is going to look like as the ax-wielding, vampire killing 16th President of the United States. While most major films wait until after shooting is done to begin building hype, The New York Times has published a feature article on Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter that includes our first look at the film while it’s still in production in Louisiana. Directed by Timur Bekmambetov, produced by Tim Burton and based on the novel by Seth Grahame-Smith, reimagines Lincoln’s history. It surmises that Lincoln’s parents were killed by vampires and that he dedicated the rest of his life to destroying all blood-suckers. It stars Walker as Lincoln, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as his wife, Mary Todd and actors like Rufus Sewell, Dominic Cooper and Anthony Mackie.
And though the idea is totally out there, Grahame-Smith thinks it’s now more appropriate than ever, especially with the national reaction to the killing of Osama Bin Laden.
There’s something in the American psyche, we want our presidents to be warriors. We’re giving that to Abraham Lincoln, sort of posthumously in this case.
Check out the photo and some new info on the film after the break. Read More »
Seems like Timur Bekmambetov has just about filled all of his leads for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. The 3D adaptation of the Seth Grahame-Smith novel featuring the 16th President as a deadly vampire killer stars Benjamin Walker as Honest Abe, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as his wife Mary Todd, Anthony Mackie as Secretary of State William Seward, Dominic Cooper as vampire-killing mentor Henry Sturges and now he’s cast Jimmi Simpson as Josh Speed, Lincoln’s friend and personal assistant. Simpson is most recognizable for small but pivotal roles in Zodiac, Date Night, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and for his starring role on the new show Breakout Kings. Read more after the jump. Read More »
The next two actors has been added to one of our most anticipated movies currently in pre-production that’s not based on a comic book character. Anthony Mackie, star of The Hurt Locker, 8 Mile and the upcoming The Adjustment Bureau, and Dominic Cooper, star of Captain America: The First Avenger, An Education and Mamma Mia have signed on to co-star in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, directed by Timur Bekmambetov, produced by Tim Burton and starting Benjamin Walker as Lincoln. Mackie will play a character named Will, who is most likely William Seward, Lincoln’s best friend in the book and a fellow vampire hunter. In real life, Seward was Lincoln’s Secretary of State and white but Mackie will surely be a bit more of a bad ass. Cooper is playing Henry Sturges, a fictional character who serves as Lincoln’s vampire-killing mentor. Read more after the jump. Read More »
Fox is moving full steam ahead on the adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith‘s novel Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. The author scripted, and Timur Bekmambetov will direct and produce, with Tim Burton also producing. Last week Benjamin Walker, once tapped to play Beast in X-Men: First Class before electing to do Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson on Broadway, was hired to be Abraham Lincoln.
That leaves a couple of big roles, notably the fictional Henry Sturges, a vampire who saves Lincoln at 16 (John Ford wouldn’t recognize this Young Mr. Lincoln) and then becomes the future president’s vampire-killing mentor. A non-vampiric Whistler, if you will. But since Kris Kristofferson is probably not interested and/or too old, the role is reportedly open to Joaquin Phoenix, if he wants it. Read More »
Guess there are no hard feelings between Fox and Benjamin Walker, who last year walked away from the role of Beast in Matthew Vaughn’s X-Men: First Class. The studio has just signed the actor to be Abraham Lincoln in Timur Bekmambetov‘s upcoming Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Read More »
Before Daniel Day-Lewis gets his chance to don the beard and top hat, 20th Century Fox will have Honest Abe wielding axes and decapitating vampires. In October, the studio bought the rights to Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter with a script by Seth Grahame-Smith, based on his novel, to be directed in 3D by Timur Bekmambetov and produced by Tim Burton. A release date of June 22, 2012 has already been set, so the focus of the filmmakers has recently on casting their lead.
Deadline is now reporting that an eclectic mix of actors will soon test for the role. They are Benjamin Walker, James D’Arcy, Adrien Brody, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Josh Lucas, and Timothy Olyphant. We break them down, as well as the project, after the jump. Read More »
