Box Office: 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Blasts Off with Record-Breaking $94M Debut

1. Guardians of the Galaxy- $94M
Remember when Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy was deemed their greatest gamble? Well, Marvel just dropped their shorts all over the nay-sayers with the film's $94M debut, the third highest of the year behind Captain America: The Winter Soldier (Marvel must be poppin' corks everywhere today) and Transformers: Age of Extinction, both of which went on to do pretty well ($700M and $1B respectively) at the box office. It's also the biggest August opening in history, blowing past The Bourne Legacy's $69M. The film got off to an incredible start with an $11M Thursday night, followed by another $11.7M solely in IMAX showings. The space-comedy also played well overseas with another $66M tacked on internationally, so the $170M film should be putting a little more coin in Marvel's coffers. Most important is that audiences and critics dug the film and its cast of irreverent unknown heroes. It currently holds an 'A' Cinemascore and a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, and the solid buzz is why a sequel was formally announced last week at Comic-Con. Now the question is whether it can maintain this level or if it will suffer a severe second-week drop like Godzilla, which had a similar debut but then slumped across the $200M mark.
2. Lucy- $18.2M/$79.5M
Obviously, Lucy was going to take a tumble since most of the sci-fi flick's audience would be drawn to Guardians of the Galaxy, but at $79M against a $40M budget Luc Besson and Universal are definitely happy. 
3. Get On Up- $14M
The James Brown biopic Get On Up got on up to a $14M debut, a respectable if somewhat underwhelming total. It's not bad, but it falls way short of the $27M opening weekend for 42, which starred Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson. Much of the marketing for Get On Up has focused on one thing and that is Boseman's electrifying performance as Brown, which some are calling potentially Oscar-worthy. But they said the same thing about 42 and Boseman was left largely ignored come awards season. We'll just have to wait and see if that changes this time around.
4. Hercules- $10.7M/$52.3M
Not even the box office might of Dwayne Johnson could prevent Hercules from suffering a huge 65% tumble in week number two. The $100M film isn't doing much domestically but is fairing a bit better overseas with $56M, giving it a $108M total haul.
5. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes- $8.7M/$189.3M
6. Planes: Fire & Rescue- $6.4M/$47.5M
7. The Purge: Anarchy- $5.5M/$62.9M
8. Sex Tape- $3.5M/$33.9M
9. And So It Goes- $3.3M/$10.4M
10. A Most Wanted Man- $3.3M/$7M
The John Le Carre adaptation A Most Wanted Man, which also features the last non-Hunger Games performance by Philip Seymour Hoffman, expanded to over 700 theaters and performed well with a $4,500 per site average.

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Review: 'A Most Wanted Man' Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Rachel McAdams

NOTE: This is a reprint of my review from the Sundance Film Festival.

Hollywood has never been more enamored with the tradecraft novels of John le Carré than they are right now, having gained in popularity in this post 9/11 society of ours. But for me, I've always had something of a love/hate relationship with his work. While the murky games of spies and dark government assets is one le Carre knows better than anybody, the realism of his writing doesn't always make for the greatest entertainment. Every now and then you wish a car would blow up or somebody would fire a rocket launcher or something. Much like the most recent le Carre adaptation, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, A Most Wanted Man is another pot boiler with a great cast and a story that emphasizes facts, figures, and mood while leaving character in the background.

Philip Seymour Hoffman brings a palpable weariness to the role of Gunther Bachmann, an espionage operative in Hamburg, a country trying to overcome its reputation as a hot bed of terrorist activity. Gunther is part of an organization so secret, so deep in the weeds nobody knows who they report to. They operate on their own, preventing any security threats in a way they see fit. Like many of le Carre's most popular protagonists, Gunther is a shrewd, calculating man who is smarter and tougher than his physical appearance would suggest. He's a man called on to make the hard decisions because he always does.

When a battered and starving half-Chechnyan, half-Russian man emerges out of nowhere seeking political asylum, it catches the attention of not only Gunther's agency, but the CIA (represented by Robin Wright) and other departments in Germany. Gunther's investigation into whether this man is truly who he says, or perhaps a terrorist in disguise, is undermined at every turn by those who claim to be on his side. The ways of spies are often like the mafia; it's your friend with the biggest smile who sticks in the knife. The situation becomes cloudier when a local banker and civil rights advocate (Rachel McAdams) gets involved, along with a shady money man (Willem Dafoe) who is hired to help the refugee gain access to a sizable inheritance.

The second international thriller by Anton Corbijn (he directed George Clooney in The American); the film gets off to a slow start and never gains any momentum. Not that a le Carre story ever aims for big sizzle, the lack of energy is especially burdensome since there is so little interest in developing any of these characters. By contrast, an excellent le Carre adaptation like The Constant Gardener has a central figure with a personal stake in finding a hidden truth. It's no less analytical than A Most Wanted Man or 'Tinker Tailor', but there's an attempt to tell a story, not just go over procedures. And it's a shame because Hoffman really is great as Gunther, a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. The entire veteran cast, and yes that includes McAdams wielding a convincing German accent, fit into le Carre's world perfectly. Ultimately, A Most Wanted Man is too stiff and calculating to appeal to anybody but the most die-hard fan of the genre.

 Rating: 2.5 out of 5

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New Trailer for 'A Most Wanted Man' Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Rachel McAdams

It's sad to think that we are quickly coming to the end of our opportunities to see the great Philip Seymour Hoffman in action, and the hope is that these final performances live up to his fantastic career standard. Audiences may have to catch up with the small-town drama God's Pocket (review here) since it didn't get much of a theatrical release, while many more are likely to check him out in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay. But in-between those films we'll have a chance to see Hoffman do his thing in Anton Corbijn's A Most Wanted Man, based on the espionage novel by John Le Carre, and a new trailer for it has been released.

Hoffman goes full-on "chain smoking man" as the head of a covert German spy operation in Hamburg tasked with tracking down a mysterious Chechen-Russian immigrant who may or may not be a terrorist. Complicating matters is the involvement of the CIA (led by Robin Wright) and an altruistic lawyer (Rachel McAdams) who has decided to become the refugee's advocate. While Hoffman is great as a man carrying the weight of the world's security on his shoulders, the film has a serious lack of sizzle that can't be ignored.

A Most Wanted Man opens July 25th with Willem Dafoe and Daniel Bruhl co-starring.


A MOST WANTED MAN -Philip Seymour Hoffman by Teaser-Trailer.com

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First Trailer for John Le Carre Adaptation 'A Most Wanted Man' Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman

The smooth, understated approach of director Anton Corbijn, seen previously in his Joy Division biopic, Control, and the George Clooney hit man film, The American, would seem a perfect fit for the espionage world of John Le Carre. The ongoing war on terror and the conversation over national security have thrust the author's work back into the Hollywood spotlight, and so we have the first trailer for Corbijn's adaptation of A Most Wanted Man, which brings both of those ideas into focus.

Philip Seymour Hoffman, in one of his final performances, plays a German agent in an off the books anti-terrorism unit, who must sort out the truth behind a half-Chechen, half-Russian man who escapes into Hamburg asking for political asylum. Rachel McAdams plays a civil rights advocate who believes the man is innocent and not the Muslim spy multiple government agencies think him to be. Despite a wonderful cast that includes Daniel Bruhl, Willem Dafoe, and Robin Wright, the film left me cold at Sundance, and was one of the bigger disappointments of the festival.

A Most Wanted Man opens July 25th.

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Sundance Review: 'A Most Wanted Man' Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Rachel McAdams

Hollywood has never been more enamored with the tradecraft novels of John le Carré than they are right now, having gained in popularity in this post 9/11 society of ours. But for me, I've always had something of a love/hate relationship with his work. While the murky games of spies and dark government assets is one le Carre knows better than anybody, the realism of his writing doesn't always make for the greatest entertainment. Every now and then you wish a car would blow up or somebody would fire a rocket launcher or something. Much like the most recent le Carre adaptation, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, A Most Wanted Man is another pot boiler with a great cast and a story that emphasizes facts, figures, and mood while leaving character in the background.

Philip Seymour Hoffman brings a palpable weariness to the role of Gunther Bachmann, an espionage operative in Hamburg, a country trying to overcome its reputation as a hot bed of terrorist activity. Gunther is part of an organization so secret, so deep in the weeds nobody knows who they report to. They operate on their own, preventing any security threats in a way they see fit. Like many of le Carre's most popular protagonists, Gunther is a shrewd, calculating man who is smarter and tougher than his physical appearance would suggest. He's a man called on to make the hard decisions because he always does.

When a battered and starving half-Chechyan, half-Russian man emerges out of nowhere seeking political asylum, it catches the attention of not only Gunther's agency, but the CIA (represented by Robin Wright) and other departments in Germany. Gunther's investigation into whether this man is truly who he says, or perhaps a terrorist in disguise, is undermined at every turn by those who claim to be on his side. The ways of spies are often like the mafia; it's your friend with the biggest smile who sticks in the knife. The situation becomes cloudier when a local banker and civil rights advocate (Rachel McAdams) gets involved, along with a shady money man (Willem Dafoe) who is hired to help the refugee gain access to a sizable inheritance.

The second international thriller by Anton Corbijn (he directed George Clooney in The American), the film gets off to a slow start and never gains any momentum. Not that a le Carre story ever aims for big sizzle, the lack of energy is especially burdensome since there is so little interest in developing any of these characters. By contrast, an excellent le Carre adaptation like The Constant Gardener has a central figure with a personal stake in finding a hidden truth. It's no less analytical than A Most Wanted Man or 'Tinker Tailor', but there's an attempt to tell a story, not just go over procedures. And it's a shame because Hoffman really is great as Gunther, a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. The entire veteran cast, and yes that includes McAdams wielding a convincing German accent, fit into le Carre's world perfectly. Ultimately, A Most Wanted Man is too stiff and calculating to appeal to anybody but the most die-hard fan of the genre.

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New Trailer for 'A Most Wanted Man' Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Rachel McAdams

As Sundance looms ever closer, we're starting to get some actual footage at some of the movies set to make their world debut, and one that's sure to get a lot of attention is A Most Wanted Man. Directed by Anton Corbijn (The American) and starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel McAdams, Willem Dafoe, Daniel Bruhl, and Robin Wright, the film is based on the John Le Carre novel so you know you're delving into the deep, dark corners of international espionage.

A new international trailer has been released and it looks like a worthy companion to Le Carre's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. There's still no release date but Lionsgate will probably sort all of that out after Sundance and have it in theaters by the end of 2014. The film centers on a starving and tortured half-Chechen, half-Russian immigrant who arrives in Hamburg's Islamic community and becomes the target of multiple security agencies. McAdams plays the German civil rights lawyer convinced he's not an extremist but an oppressed victim on the run.



PLOT: A half-starved young Russian man is smuggled into Hamburg in the dead of night with an improbable amount of cash secreted in a purse around his neck. He is a devout Muslim. Or is he? He says his name is Issa. 

Annabel, an idealistic young German civil rights lawyer, determines to save Issa from deportation, even if the price is her career—and her safety. Searching for clues to his mysterious past, she confronts the incongruous sixty-year-old scion of a failing British bank—and a triangle of impossible loves is born. 

Meanwhile, scenting a sure kill in the “War on Terror,” the rival spies of three nations converge upon the innocents.

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'The Raid 2', 'A Most Wanted Man', 'Laggies' and More Added to Sundance Line-Up

After an interesting but unspectacular first crop of announcements, the Sundance Film Festival has come out swinging with the rest of the line-up from the Premieres and Documentaries categories. The one that has me all riled up is The Raid 2, the bone-breaking sequel to The Raid: Redemption. Also worth getting excited for are Anton Corbijn's John Le Carre adaptation A Most Wanted Man starring Rachel McAdams and Philip Seymour Hoffman; Lynn Shelton's Laggies with Keira Knightley and Chloe Moretz; offbeat biopic Frank with Michael Fassbender; Brit Marling and Mike Cahill's I Origins; Marjane Satrapi's The Voices starring Ryan Reynolds; anti-romantic comedy They Came Together with Paul Rudd and Amy Pohler; and White Bird in a Blizzard starring Shailene Woodley.

Check out the latest additions below. Sundance runs from January 16th-26th.

Premieres

Calvary / Ireland, United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: John Michael McDonagh) —Calvary is a blackly comedic drama about a priest tormented by his community. Father James is a good man intent on making the world a better place. When his life is threatened one day during confession, he finds he has to battle the dark forces closing in around him. Cast: Brendan Gleeson, Chris O'Dowd, Kelly Reilly, Aidan Gillen, Dylan Moran, Marie-Josée Croz.

Frank / Ireland, United Kingdom (Director: Lenny Abrahamson, Screenwriters: Jon Ronson, Peter Straughan) —
Frank is an offbeat comedy about a wannabe musician who finds himself out of his depth when he joins an avant garde rock band led by the enigmatic Frank—a musical genius who hides himself inside a large fake head.
Cast: Michael Fassbender, Domhnall Gleeson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Scoot McNairy.

Hits / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: David Cross) — A small town in upstate New York is populated by people who wallow in unrealistic expectations. There, fame, delusion, earnestness, and recklessness meet, shake hands, and disrupt the lives around them. Cast: Meredith Hagner, Matt Walsh, James Adomian, Jake Cherry Derek Waters, Wyatt Cenac.

 I Origins / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Mike Cahill) — A molecular biologist and his lab partner uncover startling evidence that could fundamentally change society as we know it and cause them to question their once-certain beliefs in science and spirituality. Cast: Michael Pitt, Brit Marling, Astrid Bergès-Frisbey, Steven Yeun, Archie Panjabi.

Laggies/ U.S.A. (Director: Lynn Shelton, Screenwriter: Andrea Seigel) — Laggies is a coming of age story about a 28-year-old woman stuck in permanent adolescence. Unable to find her career calling, still hanging out with the same friends, and living with her high school boyfriend, Megan must finally navigate her own future when an unexpected marriage proposal sends her into a panic. Cast: Keira Knightley, Sam Rockwell, Chloë Grace Moretz, Ellie Kemper, Jeff Garlin, Mark Webber.

Little Accidents / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Sara Colangelo) — In a small American coal town living in the shadow of a recent mining accident, the disappearance of a teenage boy draws three people together—a surviving miner, the lonely wife of a mine executive, and a local boy—in a web of secrets. Cast: Elizabeth Banks, Boyd Holbrook, Chloë Sevigny, Jacob Lofland, Josh Lucas.

Love is Strange / U.S.A. (Director: Ira Sachs, Screenwriters: Ira Sachs, Mauricio Zacharias) — After 39 years together, Ben and George finally tie the knot, but George loses his job as a result, and the newlyweds must sell their New York apartment and live apart, relying on friends and family to make ends meet. Cast: John Lithgow, Alfred Molina, Marisa Tomei, Darren Burrows, Charlie Tahan, Cheyenne Jackson.

A Most Wanted Man / Germany, U.S.A. (Director: Anton Corbijn, Screenwriter: Andrew Bovell) — Based on John le Carré’s bestselling book, Anton Corbijn directs this modern-day thriller with Academy Award–winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel McAdams, Robin Wright, and two-time Academy Award nominee Willem Dafoe headlining an ensemble cast. Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel McAdams, Willem Dafoe, Robin Wright.

Nick Offerman: American Ham / U.S.A. (Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts, Screenwriter: Nick Offerman) — WARNING: MINOR NUDITY AND NOT SUITABLE FOR VEGETARIANS. This live taping of Nick Offerman's hilarious one-man show at New York's historic Town Hall theater features a collection of anecdotes, songs, and woodworking/oral sex techniques. The routine includes Offerman's 10 tips for living a more prosperous life, so hearken well. Cast: Nick Offerman.

The One I Love / U.S.A. (Director: Charlie McDowell, Screenwriter: Justin Lader) — Struggling with a marriage on the brink of falling apart, a couple escapes for the weekend in pursuit of their better selves, only to discover an unusual dilemma waiting for them. Cast: Mark Duplass, Elisabeth Moss, Ted Danson.

The Raid 2 / Indonesia (Director and screenwriter: Gareth Evans) — Picking up where the first film left off, The Raid 2 follows Rama as he goes undercover and infiltrates the ranks of a ruthless Jakarta crime syndicate in order to protect his family and expose the corruption in his own police force. Cast: Iko Uwais, Yayan Ruhian, Arifin Putra, Oka Antara, Tio Pakusadewo, Alex Abbad.

 Rudderless / U.S.A. (Director: William H. Macy, Screenwriters: Casey Twenter, Jeff Robison, William H. Macy) — When a grieving father in a downward spiral stumbles upon a box of his deceased son's original music, he forms a rock 'n' roll band, which changes his life. Cast: Billy Crudup, Anton Yelchin, Felicity Huffman, Selena Gomez, Laurence Fishburne, William H. Macy.CLOSING NIGHT FILM

They Came Together / U.S.A. (Director: David Wain, Screenwriters: Michael Showalter, David Wain) — This subversion/spoof/deconstruction of the romantic comedy genre has a vaguely, but not overtly, Jewish leading man, a klutzy, but adorable, leading lady, and New York City itself as another character in the story. Cast: Amy Poehler, Paul Rudd, Ed Helms, Cobie Smulders, Max Greenfield, Christopher Meloni.

 The Trip to Italy / United Kingdom (Director: Michael Winterbottom, Screenwriters: Rob Brydon, Steve Coogan, Michael Winterbottom) — Michael Winterbottom reunites Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon for more delectable food, some sharp-elbowed rivalry, and plenty of laughs. Cast: Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon.

The Voices / U.S.A., Germany (Director: Marjane Satrapi, Screenwriter: Michael Perry) — This genre-bending tale centers around Jerry Hickfang, a lovable but disturbed factory worker who yearns for attention from a woman in accounting. When their relationship takes a sudden, murderous turn, Jerry's evil talking cat and benevolent talking dog lead him down a fantastical path where he ultimately finds salvation. Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Gemma Arterton, Anna Kendrick, Jacki Weaver.

White Bird in a Blizzard / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Gregg Araki) — Based on the acclaimed novel by Laura Kasischke, White Bird in a Blizzard tells the story of Kat Connors, a young woman whose life is turned upside down by the sudden disappearance of her beautiful, enigmatic mother. Cast: Shailene Woodley, Eva Green, Christopher Meloni, Shiloh Fernandez, Gabourey Sidibe, Thomas Jane.

Young Ones / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jake Paltrow) — When a series of events is set into motion, altering his young life forever, Jerome is forced to make choices that no child should ever have to make. Cast: Michael Shannon, Nicholas Hoult, Elle Fanning, Kodi Smit-McPhee.

Documentary Premieres

The Battered Bastards of Baseball / U.S.A. (Directors: Chapman Way, Maclain Way) — Hollywood veteran Bing Russell creates the only independent baseball team in the country—alarming the baseball establishment and sparking the meteoric rise of the 1970s Portland Mavericks.

Finding Fela / U.S.A. (Director: Alex Gibney) — Fela Anikulapo Kuti created the musical movement Afrobeat and used it as a political forum to oppose the Nigerian dictatorship and advocate for the rights of oppressed people. This is the story of his life, music, and political importance.

Freedom Summer / U.S.A. (Director: Stanley Nelson) — In the summer of 1964, more than 700 students descended on violent, segregated Mississippi. Defying authorities, they registered voters, created freedom schools, and established the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. Fifty years later, eyewitness accounts and never-before-seen archival material tell their story. Not all of them would make it through.

Happy Valley / U.S.A. (Director: Amir Bar-Lev) — The children of "Happy Valley" were victimized for years, by a key member of the legendary Penn State college football program. But were Jerry Sandusky’s crimes an open secret?  With rare access, director Amir Bar-Lev delves beneath the headlines to tell a modern American parable of guilt, redemption, and identity.

Last Days in Vietnam / U.S.A. (Director: Rory Kennedy) — During the chaotic final weeks of the Vietnam War, the North Vietnamese Army closes in on Saigon as the panicked South Vietnamese people desperately attempt to escape. On the ground, American soldiers and diplomats confront a moral quandary: whether to obey White House orders to evacuate only U.S. citizens.

Life Itself / U.S.A. (Director: Steve James) — Life Itself recounts the surprising and entertaining life of renowned film critic and social commentator Roger Ebert. The film details his early days as a freewheeling bachelor and Pulitzer Prize winner, his famously contentious partnership with Gene Siskel, his life-altering marriage, and his brave and transcendent battle with cancer.

Mitt / U.S.A. (Director: Greg Whiteley) — A filmmaker is granted unprecedented access to a political candidate and his family as he runs for President.

This May Be the Last Time / U.S.A. (Director: Sterlin Harjo) — Filmmaker Sterlin Harjo's Grandfather disappeared mysteriously in 1962. The community searching for him sang songs of encouragement that were passed down for generations. Harjo explores the origins of these songs as well as the violent history of his people.

To Be Takei / U.S.A. (Director: Jennifer Kroot) — Over seven decades, actor and activist George Takei journeyed from a World War II internment camp to the helm of the Starship Enterprise, and then to the daily news feeds of five million Facebook fans. Join George and his husband, Brad, on a wacky and profound trek for life, liberty, and love.

We Are The Giant / U.S.A., United Kingdom (Director: Greg Barker) — We Are The Giant tells the stories of ordinary individuals who are transformed by the moral and personal challenges they encounter when standing up for what they believe is right. Powerful and tragic, yet inspirational, their struggles for freedom echo across history and offer hope against seemingly impossible odds.

WHITEY: United States of America v. James J. Bulger / U.S.A. (Director: Joe Berlinger) — Infamous gangster James "Whitey" Bulger’s relationship with the FBI and Department of Justice allowed him to reign over a criminal empire in Boston for decades. Joe Berlinger’s documentary chronicles Bulger’s recent sensational trial, using it as a springboard to explore allegations of corruption within the highest levels of law enforcement.

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1st look at John Le Carré adaptation 'A Most Wanted Man'; Ralph Fiennes and Mads Mikkelsen join 'Our Kind of Traitor'

So you loved Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and are eagerly awaiting the next pot-boiling John Le Carré adaptation? Well lucky you, because there will be plenty to choose from before too long.

First up, we're getting our first look at Philip Seymour Hoffman and Rachel McAdams in A Most Wanted Man, which follows a half-Chechen, half-Russian, tortured half-to-death immigrant turns up in Hamburg’s Islamic community, laying claim to his father’s ill gotten fortune, both German and US security agencies take a close interest. The central mystery surrounds the man's true identity. Is he an oppressed victim or an extremist bent on destruction? The film also stars Willem Dafoe, Robin Wright, and Daniel Bruhl, with Anton Corbijn (The American) directing. Awesome cast and a perfectly set director, so it's a wonder why no U.S. distribution has been secured yet.

Then there's Our Kind of Traitor, which recently cast Ewan McGregor in one of the lead roles and will be directed by Justin Kurzel (The Snowtown Murders). Last fall it was rumored that Mads Mikkelsen, Ralph Fiennes, and Jessica Chastain would join the international thriller, which follows an English couple(McGregor is one) who get mixed up with a Russian money-launderer and are forced to go on the run.  While it appears Chastain is out, Fiennes and Mikkelsen are now confirmed, making this yet another Le Carré adaptation with a stellar roster. Fiennes will play a U.K. "fixer", while Mikkelsen plays the Russian oligarch central to the story.

And as for Smiley's People, the true sequel to 'Tinker Tailor'? Tomas Alfredson and Peter Straughan are indeed coming back to direct and script, and the film may shoot some time in 2014 with the principle cast returning. More reason to celebrate.[THR/Screen Daily]

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Daniel Bruhl joins 'A Most Wanted Man' as production begins

With production beginning on Anton Corbijn's adaptation of John Le Carre's A Most Wanted Man, a number of new additions and an official synopsis have helped clear up some confusion about the cast. A new press release has revealed that Inglourious Basterds star Daniel Bruhl has come aboard along with a number of other lesser known German actors to round out the final roster. The film has long starred Philip Seymour Hoffman and Rachel McAdams, but reports last month had them replaced by Willem Dafoe and Robin Wright. Turns out that wasn't the case.

Hoffman and McAdams are still leading the film, with Dafoe and Wright staying on. That's an awesome foursome, and working alongside the talented Corbijn who has scored with both Control and The American, it should make for an intense spy thriller. Check out the newly released plot synopsis below.....

When a half-Chechen, half-Russian, tortured half-to-death immigrant turns up in Hamburg’s Islamic community, laying claim to his father’s ill gotten fortune, both German and US security agencies take a close interest: as the clock ticks down and the stakes rise, the race is on to establish this most wanted man’s true identity - oppressed victim or destruction-bent extremist?
 
Poignant, compassionate and thrilling, A MOST WANTED MAN prickles with tension right through to its last heart-stopping scene. It is a cerebral tale of intrigue that is both contemporary and deeply human, touching on love, rivalry, politics and the world we live in.

After Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Le Carre films are red hot right now, so look for A Most Wanted Man to make some serious waves next year.

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