New Pics of Tom Hiddleston and Mia Wasikowska in Guillermo Del Toro's 'Crimson Peak'

This past weekend saw the release of another low-budget, low expectations horror in The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death (review here); pretty much how the first weekend has been over the last few years. And while there promises to be plenty more meager genre efforts throughout 2015, one should have fans of Gothic horror pretty damn excited. A couple of weeks ago we got the first look at Jessica Chastain  in Guillermo Del Toro's Crimson Peak, and now it's time to check out more of the haunted house flick's cast. 

These new images give us the first look at Mia Wasikowska and Tom Hiddleston in the horror-romance which also co-stars Pacific Rim's Charlie Hunnam. Here's Empire's  synopsis:  A young woman (Wasikowska) is swept off by her feet by a charismatic suitor (Hiddleston) and taken back to his ancestral home. There she finds more than she bargained for, including a jealous sister (Chastain) and more than a few skeletons in the closet.

I happened to catch a good chunk of footage at Comic-Con and the most impressive thing is how visually striking the film is. It's closer in look to Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth than anything he's done recently, but even creepier if you can believe it. Crimson Peak opens October 16th. 

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Jessica Chastain's Icy Stare in First Image from Guillermo Del Toro's 'Crimson Peak'

Forget about Paranormal Activity next Halloween, because a Guillermo Del Toro horror is set to take over the genre crown. Del Toro is following up Pacific Rim with his star-studded gothic ghost story, Crimson Peak, and now the first image from it has arrived featuring Jessica Chastain looking downright spooky.

Starring Tom Hiddleston, Mia Wasikowska, and Charlie Hunnam, the film has been described as a haunted house story and a gothic romance, which could be amazing in the hands of someone like Del Toro. He hasn't been in territory this dark since Pan's Labyrinth, and just this image alone is worth getting excited about. Here's the official synopsis:

In the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author is torn between love for her childhood friend and the temptation of a mysterious outsider. Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds…and remembers.

Hopefully this means a trailer is right around the corner, preferably the one shown at Comic-Con last summer which was fantastic. Surprisingly it hasn't made a way to the Internet yet.

Crimson Peak opens October 16th 2015.  [TheFilmStage]

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Release Dates for 'Pitch Perfect 2'; 'Everest', 'Crimson Peak', and More

Universal is hoping to make their mark on the crowded 2015, without having to rely too heavily on Fast & Furious 7. And so today they've revealed a number of release dates for some of their biggest upcoming films.

The Elizabeth Banks-directed Pitch Perfect 2 will hum a new tune on May 15th 2015, when it will go head-on against Mad Max: Fury Road. Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, and the rest of the Bardem Bellas are expected to return.

Then there's Guillermo Del Toro's gothic horror Crimson Peak, arriving on October 16th 2015, just in time for Halloween. The film stars Charlie Hunnam, Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston (replacing Benedict Cumberbatch), and Jessica Chastain, with this as the official logline: In the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author is torn between love for her childhood friend and the temptation of a mysterious outsider.  Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds…and remembers.

Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, Jake Gyllenhaal, and John Hawkes will scale Everest for director Baltasar Kormakur on February 27th 2015. The film chronicles two separate expeditions to scale the world's highest mountain. 

John Erick Dowdle (Quarantine) will bring horror As Above, So Below to screens later this year on August 15th. Ouija will move its pieces to October 24th 2014, putting it up against horror champ Paranormal Activity 5 and the newly-titled Vince Vaughn comedy Business or Pleasure. And A Walk Among the Tombstones starring Liam Neeson arrives September 19th 2014.

 

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Tom Hiddleston Replaces Benedict Cumberbatch In 'Crimson Peak'

Tom Hiddleston and Benedict Cumberbatch often seem like two sides of the same coin. Both are extremely popular, fan-favorite British actors who keep their feet planted in both refined dramas and films that play better with the Comic-Con set. So it makes some sense that with Cumberbatch stepping down from Guillermo Del Toro's Crimson Peak, presumably to take part in James Gray's The Lost City of Z, it would be Hiddleston who replaces him.

Hiddleston will be joining a cast that includes Mia Wasikowska (who replaced Emma Stone), Charlie Hunnam, and Jessica Chastain, although none of their roles have been precisely clear. All we really know is that it's a Gothic ghost story that could contain graphic sex, which would be an interesting change of pace for Del Toro.

We got a brief chance to see Cumberbatch and Hiddleston together in War Horse, thus proving that they aren't in fact the same dude. Then again they're doing some amazing things with technology nowadays. Maybe it was really Hiddleston who was cast in Star Wars 7, and not Cumberbatch?  Crimson Peak begins filming early next year.

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Benedict Cumberbatch Departs Guillermo Del Toro's 'Crimson Peak'

Planned as Guillermo Del Toro's next major project, the horror Crimson Peak has had some trouble holding on to its stellar cast. The Pacific Rim director assembled Benedict Cumberbatch, Emma Stone, Jessica Chastain, Charlie Hunnam, and Mia Wasikowska for the Gothic ghost story about an author who discovers her husband isn't who he claims to be. Scheduling issues forced Stone to drop out a few weeks ago, and now Cumberbatch has exited the film.

THR reports that Cumberbatch has moved on, but they make it clear that it wasn't due to schedule conflict. So let the speculation on that begin! It's not as if the actor doesn't have a lot on his plate, as he'll be making the press rounds for four films coming out later this year: August: Osage County, The Fifth Estate, 12 Years A Slave, and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

There's plenty of time to find replacements for Stone and Cumberbatch as Crimson Peak doesn't roll until next year.

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Mia Wasikowska May Replace Emma Stone in Guillermo Del Toro's 'Crimson Peak'

Ever since she made a splash a few years ago in Disney's Alice in Wonderland, Mia Wasikowska has settled into a nice groove of prestige films. Movies like The Kids Are All Right, Jane Eyre, Lawless, and this year's Stoker have kept her busy, but she's now being called back into the world of blockbusters by joining Guillermo Del Toro's Crimson Peak.

Scheduling conflicts have forced the previously announced Emma Stone to drop out, with Wasikowska being eyed to replace her. She'd be joining Charlie Hunnam (Pacific Rim), Benedict Cumberbatch, and Jessica Chastain in the Gothic horror/ghost story, which we now have a few new details for. Wasikowska would play "young author named Edith Cushing who discovers that her charming new husband is not who he appears to be", while Chastain and Cumberbatch are siblings.

Filming is set to begin some time in 2014, which should give Wasikowska time to wrap up some of her other projects. She'll be seen later this year in Jim Jarmusch's vampire tale Only Lovers Left Alive. An adaptation of Madame Bovary is in the works, along with Todd Hayne's Carol, and David Cronenberg's Maps to the Stars. She recently wrapped Richard Ayoade's The Double starring Jesse Eisenberg.

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Jessica Chastain next to scale the 'Crimson Peak'

Although plot details remain bare on Guillermo Del Toro's upcoming horror, Crimson Peak, the cast he's putting together suggests it will be something special. Already with Emma Stone, Charlie Hunnam, and the newly-added Benedict Cumbertbatch, the latest to join is Zero Dark Thirty's Jessica Chastain.

What the Best Actress nominee has signed up for is still pretty much unknown, except that it will be a gothic romance and ghost story set at the turn of the century. Del Toro is quoted describing it as being "in a Bronte fashion. Dark and stormy and wind-swept."

It's possible that the surprising box office success of Mama helped Chastain decide to tackle the genre again. Filming on Crimson Peak begins next year, which gives Chastain plenty of time to star in Liv Ullmann's Miss Julie. She'll also be seen this year in the twin relationship dramas that comprise The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby.

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Benedict Cumberbatch joins Guillermo Del Toro's 'Crimson Peak'

If it seems like Benedict Cumberbatch has been everywhere lately, that's probably because it's true.  Already featured as the bad guy in Star Trek into Darkness and the dragon Smaug in The Hobbit trilogy, he'll also be taking on the role of Julian Assange in The Fifth Estate. And that's not even counting his regular gig as the iconic sleuth in the BBC's Sherlock. So what's next? How about joining an upcoming horror film being put together by Guillermo Del Toro?

Cumberbatch has joined  Charlie Hunnam and Emma Stone in Crimson Peak, a film that Del Toro has mostly been keeping details on under lock and key. We know it'll be a ghost story with gothic romance elements, but that's pretty much it at this point. Obviously that means there's no info on Cumberbatch's role.

Filming is set to begin next February. Cumberbatch will be seen later this year opposite Julia Roberts and Meryl Streep in August: Osage County. He'll also appear in Steve McQueen's Twelve Years a Slave. [Variety]

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Charlie Hunnam in talks to join Guillermo Del Toro's 'Crimson Peak'

The chance to see Guillermo Del Toro turn his visual effects wizardry onto giant robots and monsters is one reason to get hyped for Pacific Rim, but another reason may be its star, Charlie Hunnam. The actor has been toiling away for awhile, first coming to attention for many in Judd Apatow's short-lived series, Undeclared, and now in FX's Sons of Anarchy. Working together must have been an enjoyable experience for both, because Variety reports the two may re-team for Del Toro's next film.

Hunnam is in talks to join Crimson Peak, the Gothic ghost story that seems to be developing rapidly. Just a few days ago Emma Stone came aboard to star in the film, which is also said to have some romantic elements. Stone and Hunnam certainly make for a gorgeous and easily marketable pair. Hunnam's generally a strong actor, but he'll need to bring it better than he did in Deadfall if he hopes to keep up with Stone. Then again, horror is a relatively new avenue for both.

Good news for a project that was promising from the very start. Del Toro should tackle Crimson Peak early next year after he completes the pilot for The Strain.

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Emma Stone in talks for Guillermo Del Toro's 'Crimson Peak'

In her relatively short career, we've seen Emma Stone excel in a number of different genres. Getting her start in comedies like Superbad and her breakout Easy A, she's since moved on to period-dramas like The Help, and superhero movies like The Amazing Spider-Man. She's arguably the most popular actress working right now, and Guillermo Del Toro is hoping to use that popularity for his next film.

Variety reports Stone to be in talks for Crimson Peak, the ghost story being developed by Del Toro as his next directorial effort. We learned about it just last month, and what scarce info we have suggests it's a classic ghost story with gothic romance elements. Del Toro, Matthew Robbins and Lucinda Coxon wrote the script, with production possibly to begin in February 2014.

Why the long wait? Well, Stone will be hanging out with Spider-Man and Elektro most of the year, while Del Toro is following-up Pacific Rim directing the pilot to FX series, The Strain.

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