New Trailer for Terrence Malick-Produced Abe Lincoln Drama 'The Better Angels'

There was a point not too long ago when it looked like 2014 would see the arrival of at least two Terrence Malick movies, Knight of Cups and his untitled music scene drama. Turns out we were being all hopeful and blinky-eyed on that score as the only Malick project coming out is The Better Angels, which he merely produced for his longtime collaborator, A.J. Edwards to direct.

A new trailer for the film has been released and you can see Malick's influence on Edwards' style first and foremost. A historical coming of age drama, The Better Angels depicts Abraham Lincoln's tough Indiana upbringing that helped shape him into one of our most important Presidents. Braydon Denney takes on the role of honest Abe, with Brit Marling, Diane Kruger, Wes Bentley, and Jason Clarke playing his greatest influences.

The Better Angels didn't get the strongest reviews when it played at Sundance earlier this year, but that could change when it opens on November 7th.

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Brit Marling and West Bentley join Terrence Malick-produced 'The Green Blade Rises'

Here's hoping you aren't sick of Abraham Lincoln movies yet. After the ridiculous Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Stephen Spielberg's Lincoln, there's still one more on the way, and this one could be looked upon as sortof an origin story to both of those flicks.

The Green Blade Rises may sound like an episode of Thundercats or something but it's actually the latest film to tackle the life of this country's 16th President. Produced by Terrence Malick and directed by his protege, A.J. Edwards, the film will detail Lincoln's childhood and upbringing that helped mold him into one of our greatest leaders. The latest to join the cast are indie fave Brit Marling(Sound of My Voice) and Wes Bentley, who just finished filming Malick's Knight of Cups. What a career turnaround he's made lately, eh? Diane Kruger is set to play Lincoln's stepmother, while Jason Clarke(Lawless) is Tom Lincoln, his father. Lincoln's birth mother will be played by Marling, with Bentley as one of his schoolteachers. 

Filming is set to begin this fall, so hopefully we'll find out who will play young Lincoln soon.

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Sure Shots: Richard Jenkins; Diane Kruger; Emma Roberts

* Of the two White House-set thrillers, Roland Emmerich's White House Down looks the stronger by far. And now it's getting even stronger with the addition of vaunted character actor, Richard Jenkins(The Visitor). He'll play the Speaker of the House, trailing behind the VP in the Presidential line of succession. Something tells me that will come into play. Channing Tatum will come to the rescue as a Secret Service agent when terrorists attempt to take the President hostage. Jamie Foxx, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and James Woods star. [Variety]

* The very German Diane Kruger as a southern belle? Ok, sure. We'll go with that. She'll play Abraham Lincoln's step-mother, Sarah Bush Lincoln, in Green Blade Rising.While we still don't know who will write the script or direct, we do know Terrence Malick is producing, which makes it worth keeping a close watch on. Sarah Lincoln was a crucial figure in setting Abe on his path to becoming the man he grew up to be, coming into his life when he was 10 years old, and teaching him how to read. [Movie Nation]

* Emma Roberts(Scream 4) and Kathryn Hahn(Wanderlust) have joined Jason Sudeikis and Jennifer Aniston in the drug-fueled comedy, We're The Millers.  Directed by Rawson Thurber, the story centers on a low level drug dealer who attempts to transport 1400 pounds of marijuana across the border by creating a fake family going on a road trip. Jennifer Aniston is playing his wife, with Roberts as a troubled girl who poses as their daughter, and Hahn as the wife of a DEA agent. Nick Offerman co-stars, along with a cameo by Ed Helms. [Variety/Deadline]

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1st look at Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Maybe it's because I haven't read Seth Grahame-Smith's book yet, but I don't know what to think about Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. I've heard dismal things about his Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and the adaptation of that novel has had more than a few problems getting underway. On one hand I love the premise, which has Lincoln surviving a vampire attack as a kid and spending the rest of his life(and his time as President) as a secret killer of the bloodsuckers.  Timur Bekmambetov(Wanted, Night Watch) is directing, which is also a positive. The cast rocks: Benjamin Walker, Anthony Mackie, Dominic Cooper, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jimmi Simpson, Alan Tudyk, and Robin McLeavy are all featured heavily. So what's my issue? Tone.

Bekmambetov describes the film as a cross between D.W. Griffith's Abraham Lincoln(back in 1930) and Noferatu. To me that sounds like a train wreck in the making. Might be a better idea to tackle this thing from a pure camp angle, like Bubba Ho-Tep or something.

We're still more than a year away before the June 22nd 2012 release date hits, but Fox is getting out in front of things by releasing the first image from the historical horror. It comes courtesy of the New York Times(via The Playlist), and doesn't really show much but it does give us our first look at Benjamin Walker as "Honest Abe". 

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Mary Elizabeth Winstead to play Mary Todd in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Why don't you just go ahead and forget that story from a couple days ago about Robin McLeavy signing on to Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Turns out it was true at all, because now THR reports that Mary Elizabeth Winstead will be taking on the role of Mary Todd, Abe Lincoln's future wife.

I'm pretty close to drooling here. Winstead has been on my shortlist for years, and having her included in a film I'm already crazy about is just icing the cake. She'll be joining an inspired cast including Benjamin Walker as Abe Lincoln; Anthony Mackie as William Seward; Dominic Cooper as Henry Sturgess, who trains Lincoln to slash and burn vamps. Scoot McNairy(Monsters) is reportedly up for an unidentified role, as well. No word on that just yet.

My only fear is that she'll be all buttoned up in colonial gear. Who in the blue hell wants that? 

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Anthony Mackie, Dominic Cooper join Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

As if the concept of ol' Honest Abe slashin' and hackin' vampires isn't cool enough, the cast surrounding Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is starting to look pretty slick as well. Alongside Benjamin Walker as Lincoln comes word that Anthony Mackie(The Hurt Locker) and Dominic Cooper(Mama Mia) have signed on as well.

Mackie will be taking on the role of Will, Lincoln's best friend and fellow vampire hunter. Cooper will be filling the spot recently rumored to be going to Joaquin Phoenix, that of Henry Sturgess, the vampire who helps train Lincoln in the ways of bloodsucker destruction.

Ever since 2006's Half Nelson, where I think he out-acted Ryan Gosling, Mackie has been on fire. Obviously it was The Hurt Locker that really catapulted him into the public eye. He was recently featured on the cover of Vanity Fair, and can next be seen in The Adjustment Bureau, starring Matt Damon and Emily Blunt. He's outstanding in that film as well.Cooper will be seen next as Howard Stark(Iron Man's daddy) in Captain America: The First Avenger.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is based on the novel by Seth Grahame-Smith. Tim Burton is co-producing, along with Timur Bekmambetov who is also on board to direct. It's due out in theaters on June 22nd, 2012.

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Joaquin Phoenix's big screen comeback in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter?

So, Joaquin, how'd that rappin' career work out for ya? Oh? It was all a trick? A ruse? A cunning attempt to fool us? Well now that all theI'm Still Here nonsense is over, and I assume that Paul Bunyan beard has been shaven off, it looks like the eccentric Joaquin Phoenix could be making his return to real movies for the first time since 2008's underrated Two Lovers.  Deadline is reporting that the actor is mulling over a major role in Timur Bekmambetov's Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, based on the novel by Seth Grahame-Smith.

If accepted, Phoenix would be tackling the role of Henry Sturgess, a vampire who teaches the 16th President how to fight and kill other bloodsuckers. Benjamin Walker is currently slated to star as Lincoln in the action flick, due out in theaters on June 22nd 2012.

Very happy to see Phoenix at least considering a return, even though I'm a bit pissed at the way he blew up the marketing campaign for Two Lovers with his silly antics. He remains an extremely talented, versatile actor and his presence has been sorely missed, in my opinion. 

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Benjamin Walker is Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

He turned down the role of Beast in X-Men: First Class in favor of playing our 7th President in Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, and now he'll get his shot at the 16th. Deadline reports that Benjamin Walker has just been signed to star in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, based on Seth Grahame-Smith's 2010 horror novel.

Walker beat out a number of contenders for the role, including Adrien Brody, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, and Josh Lucas. Directed by and co-produced by Timur Bekmambetov(Wanted), the story reimagines 'Honest Abe' as a vicious slayer of the bloodsuckers all throughout his presidency. Tim Burton is co-producing as well. Grahame-Smith himself handled the scripting chores, with a planned 3D release already set for June 22nd 2012.

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Tim Burton + Abe Lincoln = Zombies?

The last time Tim Burton teamed up with Timur Bekmambetov, they brought the gorgeously animated feature, '9'. Despite that film's critical and financial failure, the two obviously must've hit it off because now they're teaming up for an even bigger story. Screen Daily is reporting that the pair have signed on to produce an adaption of Seth Grahame-Smith's crazy novel, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

Grahame-Smith will handle his own writing chores on the film. His work has been the subject of much attention lately, as his previous novel Pride & Prejudice and Zombies is also being prepped for production.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter only just hit store shelves today, so here's a look at the promo trailer for the book. Pretty damned hilarious, if you ask me. I'm all in for this one.

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