'Bond 24' Officially Titled 'Spectre'; Christoph Waltz, Lea Seydoux, and more Confirmed

Nobody makes a show out of a simple title and cast announcement better than the producers of the James Bond franchise. Every time a new 007 film is on the way the Internet obsesses over what it will be titled, and producers today have fed into that enthusiasm with a huge spectacle at Pinewood Studios to announce that Bond 24 will be officially titled Spectre.

You'll recall that SPECTRE is the name of the evil organization that includes Bond nemesis Ernst Stavro Blofeld, recently rumored to be played by Christoph Waltz. Well now Waltz has been confirmed for the film, but as a character named Oberhauser, which sounds like a name designed to deceive the fans. He joins along with the previously rumored Lea Seydoux and Monica Bellucci as Madeleine Swann and Lucia Sciarra, Dave Bautista as henchman Mr. Hinx, and Andrew Scott (Pride) as a character named Denbigh. Daniel Craig, Naomie Harris, Ralph Fiennes, Rory Kinnear, and Ben Whishaw will all be returning in their familiar roles.

Other than that we didn't learn much from returning director Sam Mendes, except that Bond's hot new ride will be the Aston Martin DB10. Production is now underway on Spectre, which opens November 6th 2015.

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'Bond 24' Adds Lea Seydoux as Femme Fatale

We're only about a year away from Bond 24's supposed release date, and still we know next to nothing about it. The film has no title and other than the returning cast of Daniel Craig, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, and Naomie Harris there is little word on who will be starring in it. Last summer a rumor surfaced that Lea Seydoux would circling the "Bond Girl" role in the film, and now Baz Bamigboye at the DailyMail is confirming it to be true.

Seydoux, who starred in the acclaimed drama Blue is the Warmest Colour, has signed on to play a sexy femme fatale in the next Bond flick.  Chances are she won't be the only one, though, as Bond likes to keep his options open when it comes to the ladies he bags. Hey, you know it's true. Penelope Cruz has been mentioned as a possibility, which would be interesting considering her husband Javier Bardem played the villain in Skyfall. As for Seydoux, she'll meet with the rest of the cast in November and prep for filming which is to begin in December.

Bond 24 opens November 6th 2015.

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Is Lea Seydoux the Next Bond Girl?

It's been a little bit of a roller coaster figuring out where things stand with the 24th James Bond film. Sam Mendes has been a little flaky about returning to the Skyfall follow-up, and last we heard it had been delayed as franchise scribes Neal Purvis and Robert Wade came back to punch up John Logan's script. But casting has also been an issue with Chiwetel Ejiofor and Penelope Cruz rumored for roles. But now a new story from the guys at Schmoes Know says Palm d'Or winner Lea Seydoux is next in line to play a Bond Girl.

The site, which has been surprisingly accurate on a lot of this stuff lately, says the Blue is the Warmest Color star is up for an unspecified role in the film, while speculating she could be playing secret agent Miranda Frost. Frost would be a returning character after being portrayed by Rosamund Pike in Die Another Day, so if that's true it would be a pretty big deal. This is based on some earlier reporting on their part but at this point nothing has been confirmed, and with the script undergoing some changes who knows where anything stands.

So we'll see what happens. If Seydoux does come aboard she would be joining Daniel Craig when Bond 24 begins shooting in 2015.

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Gorgeous New Trailer for 'Beauty and the Beast' Starring Lea Seydoux and Vincent Cassel

Considering the visual flourishes he's shown on Brotherhood of the Wolf and Silent Hill, the first trailer for Christophe Gans' Beauty and the Beast felt a little flat. But with the film headed to the Berlin Film Festival and on the verge of its French debut, a new trailer has been released that showcases the magical qualities of the story, and the gorgeous cast Gans has put together.

 Lea Seydoux (Blue is the Warmest Color) and Vincent Cassel (Trance) lead the film, which appears to be taking a fairly traditional route on the classic story of a beautiful woman who falls in love with a hideous beast. Plenty of CGI and bold costumes await, allowing Gans to put his artistic stamp on the production, so hopefully it'll find a way onto our shores.

Beauty and the Beast opens in France on February 12th.

Belle et La Bête

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First Trailer for 'Beauty and the Beast' Starring Lea Seydoux and Vincent Cassel

Pairing Christophe Gans, the director behind the imaginative Brotherhood of the Wolf and Silent Hill, with fairy tale Beauty and the Beast would seem like a match made in cinematic heaven. Throw in Palm d'Or winner Lea Seydoux (Blue is the Warmest Color) and Vincent Cassel (Trance) and there's little wonder so many have extremely high hopes. We've seen a number of gorgeous, colorful images but does the finished product actually work?

The first trailer has arrived and even though it's in French there's no problem picking up on all the familiar story elements. The problem is that other than the gorgeous Seydoux and Cassel's combination of menace and charm, there's little that stands out as inspiring. Actually, it looks far more tame than one would expect from Gans.

Beauty and the Beast has yet to gain a U.S. date but opens in France on February 12th.

Belle et La Bête

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Review: 'Blue is the Warmest Color' Starring Adèle Exarchopolous and Léa Seydoux

In the days following its Cannes premiere, where it also took home the prestigious Palm d'Or, Abdellatif Kechiche's Blue is the Warmest Colorwas unjustly labeled the "3-hour lesbian sex film". It was an unfair reduction of an emotional tale of love and heartbreak, just as similar turns of phrase were used to diminish Brokeback Mountain into the "gay cowboy movie". But at the same time, Kechiche invites such simple criticisms and undermines two magnetic lead performances by being obvious and even reductive when it comes to fleshing out the details of a very complicated relationship.

Very loosely based on the French graphic novel Blue Angel, the film is mostly seen through the eyes of 15-year-old Adèle (Adèle Exarchopolous) as she's on the cusp of realizing her sexual identity. This isn't one of those movies where homosexuality is something to be contended with; actually Adele doesn't struggle with it much at all. She's a bright girl who adores books and hangs out with her friends, who speak frankly and openly about sex, like most teens tend to do. She's also quite heterosexual, at least initially, and develops a crush on a boy in her grade. After a literature class on fate, love at first sight, and fulfilling what the heart requires, Adèle catches only the slightest glimpse of the blue-haired Emma (Lea Seydoux), and with an audible gasp her life is altered forever. That guy she was with becomes a distant memory as she can't get Emma out of her mind. The film doesn't dwell too long on the usual struggles of "coming out" or the realization that one is gay. In the case of the former we don't really see it at all, while the latter is a brief obstacle at best. Other than some teasing by her friends, which is admittedly quite cruel, Adèle seems to know what her heart truly wants.

A twist of fate brings the two girls together again, and soon they are inseparable. Emma is older, more experienced and confident in a way Adèle has yet to grow into, and initially it's very clear who holds the power in this relationship. Adèle is more than just smitten, she's hopelessly in love, and the way she navigates what turns out to be a roller coaster of emotions is the film's driving force. While the two are obviously lesbians, one of the best things about the movie is that neither is defined by their sexuality. This is about one girl's cautious steps into first love, and how she deals with the joys, pains, comforts, and insecurities that come with being in an adult relationship. At the same time, Adèle is very much still a girl; let's not forget that she's only meant to be around 15 in the beginning; and it takes some time getting over the age difference. Sure, the French may be a little more lenient on these things but here it still looks a tad creepy.

And speaking of creepy, let's just go ahead and talk about what most people are really interested in anyway: the sex. Let's just say there is a very good reason the film was saddled with an NC-17 rating. There are three notable sexual encounters, and all are quite explicit and extremely graphic. That's not the issue, really, as frank portrayals of sex have their place, especially in a film that is as open and emotionally raw as this one is. The problem, besides the fact that the scenes are uncomfortably long, is that you can almost feel Kechiche's lecherous eye leering over every shot. Make no mistake; this was a movie you can tell was shot by a man.  The first time Adèle and Emma make love it should be about the experience of it, the passion of losing oneself in the moment; especially for Adèle who has been dreaming of this encounter with this particular partner. But Kechiche shoots the sex like he was stringing together porn clips, focusing on how many positions he can get these women in rather than on the emotions behind the acts. They're intense, absolutely, but passionate and revelatory they are not.

While Kekiche's script occasionally stumbles to sound natural, such as when it indulges in weak double entendres about clams (really dude?), at others it's strikingly personal and startlingly powerful. Following them over the course of years, we're given the sort of insightful, in-depth look at an evolving relationship that it's almost like you're eavesdropping. There are ups and downs, of course, as their careers, personal viewpoints, and complacency complicate matters. Yet throughout it all we see how Adèle and Emma complement one another, fulfilling that need they've both been searching for. We're thrust so deep into their lives that the things we don't see are distracting. Other than a couple of dinner scenes we don't learn much about Adèle's family. Nor do we know if she's come out to them or if they know about how close she is with Emma. It's suggested that Adèle has kept her sexuality to herself, as she does in the novel, but as more characters emerge one can't help but wonder where she stands. The film treads much of the same emotional territory as last year's terrific gay drama Keep the Lights On (review here), really digging into the desperate lengths people will go to hold on to love.

Cannes may have felt the need to give the Palm d'Or to both actresses but this is truly Exarchopolous's film. Her Adèle is such a fully-realized creation that it's impossible to tell there's any acting going on. She's practically in every scene, commanding them all with her innocence that grows naturally into maturity and self-assuredness. Seydoux sheds much of the supermodel look we're accustomed to, donning a tough exterior as Emma, whose harsh features and attitude mask her true kindness. Together the two make a combustible pair, and it's because of them that Blue is the Warmest Color is such a vivid experience despite Kekiche's missteps.

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First Trailer for Wes Anderson's 'The Grand Budapest Hotel'

Coming off his biggest box office and critical success in Moonrise Kingdom, a lot of eyes are on Wes Anderson's follow-up, The Grand Budapest Hotel. But rather than deliver another quirky coming-of-age tale, he's bringing his idiosyncratic style to a murder mystery set in Hungary pre-WWI. Can't get any more different than that.

After the teaser poster hit just a couple of days ago, the first trailer for the film has been released and it's definitely a Wes Anderson movie. Ralph Fiennes is M. Gustave, a legendary (and possibly psychic) concierge at the Grand Budapest Hotel who along with his most trusted lobby boy (Tony Revolori) get mixed up in the theft of a priceless Renaissance painting after the death of a distinguished guest. The ensemble includes Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan,  Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Lea Seydoux, Jeff Goldblum, Jason Schwartzman, Jude Law, Tilda Swinton, Harvey Keitel, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Murray and Owen Wilson, an impressive gathering even by Anderson standards.

The Grand Budapest Hotel isn't likely to convert anyone into an Anderson fan, but those who are already down with him can check out the film on March 7th 2014.

The Grand Budapest Hotel Trailer by Flixgr

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First Poster for 'Beauty and the Beast' with Vincent Cassel and Lea Seydoux

Christophe Gans' vast visual flourishes gave Brotherhood of the Wolf and Silent Hill a lurid, imaginative touch. So the idea of him taking on an updated version of Beauty and the Beast is promising on its own, but through in Vincent Cassel and red-hot Lea Seydoux (Blue is the Warmest Color) and the results should be magic.

The first poster for La Belle Et La Bête has been released and it offers up a look at the beast, played by Cassel who starred in Gans' Brotherhood of the Wolf. Don't expect a Disney version of the classic story, either, as Gans will draw mostly from the original 18th century story by Madame de Villeneuve, which is considerably darker and more in line with the director's sensibilities.

Beauty and the Beast opens in France on February 12th 2014 but has yet to gain U.S. distribution. [Allocine]

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New U.S. Trailer and Posters for Palm d'Or Winner 'Blue is the Warmest Color'

Marketing Palm d'Or winner Blue is the Warmest Color to an international audience is one thing, but trying to do the same for its domestic release is quite another. Merely checking off its festival acclaim won't do the job, and it's generally a tough sell to push a 3-hour lesbian romance with no recognizable stars and a troublesome NC-17 rating. Not an enviable task for distributor Sundance Selects, but they're smart enough to know that when Steven Spielberg talks people listen, and his extraordinary praise for the film are the centerpiece of the first U.S. trailer: "Magnificent...we were under the spell of the film and its wonderful actresses."

Starring Lea Seydoux and Adèle Exarchopoulos with direction by Abdellatif Kechiche, the film explores the highs and lows of a romantic relationship between two women, and yes it contains some graphic sex. But as this wordless, purely emotional trailer suggests this is about a lot more than just their physical connection.

Blue is the Warmest Color opens on October 25th. Check out the trailer below, and feast on a pair of new posters, too.

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First Trailer For Palm d'Or Winner 'Blue Is The Warmest Color'

Already one of the most buzzed about and acclaimed films of the year after sharing the Cannes Palm d'Or between director Abdellatif Kechiche and stars Léa Seydoux and Adele Exarchopolous, Blue Is the Warmest Color would seem to be a shoe-in favorite for Oscar gold. But alas it's not meant to be as it will miss the release date window, meaning it can only qualify next year. While that's disappointing, and certainly lessens the Best Foreign Language, the praise being heaped on the film is extraordinary, and so is the power in the first trailer.

Set to make its North American debut in Toronto next, Blue is the Warmest Color chronicles the passionate and turbulent relationship between 15-year old Adele and the blue-haired Emma. It's a love that will change them both in profound ways, exploring the sadness, happiness, and anger that are a part of every relationship, same-sex or not. The film drew some criticism for its long, extremely graphic sex scenes but that was secondary to the rave reviews earned for its dramatic intensity and lead performances.

Blue Is the Warmest Color hits TIFF next month, then opens on October 25th.

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'Blue is the Warmest Color' takes Cannes' top prize; check out two clips now

The doors have closed on the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, and now that all is said and done, this will go down as one of the strongest years for American filmmakers and American movies.  Films like Ryan Coogler's Fruitvale Station, the Coen Brothers' Inside Llewyn Davis, Alexander Payne's Nebraska, and Jim Jarmusch's Only Lovers Left Alive all performed well and were greeted warmly by the picky crowd on the Croisette, but when all was said and done it was the French romance Blue is the Warmest Color that took home the festival's top prize.

Steven Spielberg and his jury have selected the French drama Blue is the Warmest Color as the Palm d'Or winner, taking the extraordinary step to grant it not only to Tunisian director Abdellatif Kechiche, but also to the two lead actresses Lea Seydoux and Adèle Exarchopoulos. It was a historic decision for a couple of reasons, none of which have to do with the lesbian romance at the heart of the story, although the steamy sex scenes are what has garnered the most attention. The win marks the first time that a movie based on a comic book has ever taken the Palm d'Or, as it's based on Julie Maroh's graphic novel Le Bleu est Une Couleur Chaude. The unique circumstances also mean that Jane Campion, who won in 1993 for The Piano, is no longer the only female Palm d'Or winner.

Bruce Dern, who was nominated for an Oscar 35 years ago for Coming Home, took the Best Actor prize for Nebraska, while Berenice Bejo won Best Actress for Asghar Farhadi's Iranian family drama, The Past.  Below you'll find the complete list of honors from the Un Certain Regard, FIPRESCI, and Ecumenical Jury categories, followed by two clips from Blue is the Warmest Color. 

PALME D’OR:
LA VIE D’ADÈLE - CHAPITRE 1 & 2 (Blue Is The Warmest Color) by Abdellatif KECHICHE

GRAND PRIX:
INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS by Ethan COEN, Joel COEN

PRIX DE LA MISE EN SCEN (BEST DIRECTOR):
Amat ESCALANTE for "HELI"

PRIX DU SCENARIO (BEST SCREENPLAY):
JIA Zhangke for "TIAN ZHU DING" ("A Touch Of Sin")

CAMERA D’OR (BEST FIRST FEATURE): 
"ILO ILO," Director: Anthony CHEN

PRIX DU JURY (JURY PRIZE):
"LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON" by KORE-EDA Hirokazu


PRIX D’INTERPRETATION FEMININE (BEST ACTRESS):
Berenice Bejo, "THE PAST"

PRIX D’INTERPRETATION MASCULINE (BEST ACTOR): Bruce Dern, "NEBRASKA"

PRIZE OF UN CERTAIN REGARD
THE MISSING PICTURE by Rithy PANH
 
JURY PRIZE - UN CERTAIN REGARD
OMAR by Hany ABU-ASSAD

DIRECTING PRIZE - UN CERTAIN REGARDAlain GUIRAUDIE for STRANGER BY THE LAKE

A CERTAIN TALENT PRIZE - UN CERTAIN REGARD
For the ensemble cast of LA JAULA DE ORO by Diego QUEMADA-DIEZ

AVENIR PRIZE - UN CERTAIN REGARD
FRUITVALE STATION by Ryan COOGLER

FIPRESCI PRIZE - COMPETITION PRIZE
Blue Is The Warmest Color (La vie d'Adèle — Chapitre 1 & 2) by Abdellatif Kechiche (France, 2013)

FIPRESCI PRIZE - UN CERTAIN REGARD PRIZE
Manuscripts Don't Burn (Dast-Neveshtehaa Nemisvosand) by Mohammad Rasoulof (Iran, 2013)

FIPRESCI PRIZE - PARALLEL SECTION
Blue Ruin by Jeremy Saulnier (USA, 2013), shown in the Directors' Fortnight.

ECUMENICAL JURY PRIZE
LE PASSÉ/The Past de Asghar Farhadi (Compétition Officielle)

ECUMENICAL JURY PRIZE - SPECIAL MENTION
SOSHITE CHICHI NI NARU (TEL PÈRE, TEL FILS)/Like Father Like Son de Hirokazu Kore-eda (Compétition officielle)
MIELE de Valeria Golino (Un Certain Regard)

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Charlotte Le Bon replaces Lea Seydoux in Michel Gondry's 'The Foam of Days'

As French actress Lea Seydoux's popularity has begun to spread to other parts of the world, in particular Hollywood after appearing in both Midnight in Paris and the latest Mission: Impossible, it's inevitable that some of of the projects she's been attached to would have to be dropped due to a crush on time. Unfortunately, the one film that is probably the most interesting of them all is the first that has to go.

In January we learned she was attached to star in the next film from colorful visual director, Michel Gondry(Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind). Titled The Foam of Days, it's based on Boris Vian's 1947 novel and follows a wealthy inventor whose new wife suddenly falls ill due to a water lily in her lungs. The only way to treat her is to always have her surrounded by flowers, an expense with quickly drains his bank account.  With Seydoux out, she's been replaced by relative unknown Charlotte Le Bon(Astérix et Obélix: On Her Majesty's Secret Service). She'll join Audrey Tatou, Romain Duris, Gad Elmaleh and Omar Sy, with more casting to be announced shortly. Filming will begin next month on the 16th.

As for Seydoux, she's got plenty to look forward to, including a modern take on Beauty and the Beast, starring Vincent Cassel and directed by Christophe Gans. Plus she'll take on the lesbian romance, Blue is a Hot Color, based on Julie Maroh's graphic novel. [Allocine]

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Sure Shots: Dracula; 'Mary Poppins'; Lea Seydoux

* Somebody has sucked dry all the creative juices running through Hollywood. With a handful of Dracula projects already in development, Sony Pictures is looking to add one more, only they hope to turn theirs into a period piece franchise. Written by Jason Keller(Mirror Mirror), his take will focus on the the vampire's origin story, but other details remain scarce. With Gary Shore's Dracula Year Zero already out there, this makes two origin stories competing to see which gets completed first. Do I get a vote? Hopefully neither will see the light of day. Vampire movies have been overused to the point where they need to be buried for at least a decade. [Deadline]

* The Blind Side director John Lee Hancock is in early talks to direct Saving Mr. Banks, based on the true story behind Disney's attempts to get author P.L. Travers to sell them the film rights to her 1934 novel, Mary Poppins. Written by Kelly Marcel, with the screenplay appearing on the Black List of the best unproduced screenplays, the story will detail Travers' deeply personal connection to the story of the mystical nanny, leading to her resistance in selling the rights. Travers is a fascinating figure, so I'm pretty excited about this one, especially since it's being housed by Walt Disney who already own many of the Mary Poppins rights. Travers(real name Helen Goff) idolized Peter Pan author J.M. Barrie, and his influence is felt on the Poppins story. [Deadline]

* Last year proved to be huge for rising French actress, Lea Seydoux. Appearing in two of 2011's most acclaimed films of wildly different genres, Midnight in Paris and Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol, Seydoux is looking like a star to keep a close eye on. Variety reports she has now joined the cast of Blue is a Hot Color, from Tunisian director Abdellatif Kechiche(Games of Love and Chance) and starring Adele Exarchopoulos, the story follows a young woman who unexpectedly falls in love with another female and must face the judgement of her friends of family. Seydoux has two films due out later this year, and recently signed on to star opposite Vincent Cassell in a new version of Beauty and the Beast.

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Vincent Cassel and Lea Seydoux are 'Beauty and the Beast' for Christophe Gans

Tired of all the fairy tale movies coming out lately? How many Snow White movies are on the way? Three? Four? Red Riding Hood...Hansel & Gretel...Sleeping Beauty...it's a new one every other week. Well, too bad for you because there's another one on the way, although this one sounds like it could be the best of the bunch.

Vincent Cassel is set to reteam with his Brotherhood of the Wolf director, Christophe Gans, for a big screen version of Beauty and the Beast. Lea Seydoux, who has had a big year appearing in both Midnight in Paris and Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol, is also expected to star. It's unclear right now whether it will be a straight adaptation or a modernization. I'm betting it's the latter, but until we know for sure there's no point speculating on the plot.

Gans is making some pretty big promises about, claiming he'll create "a completely new visual universe never experienced before and produce images of an unparalleled quality." Bold words, but he's shown to have a distinct artistic flair in Brotherhood of the Wolf and Silent Hill, so I have no doubt he can meet his lofty goals. [ThePlaylist]

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Michel Gondry adds Lea Seydoux and Gad Elmaleh to 'The Foam of Days' cast

Those who have been sorely disappointed by Michel Gondry's recent body of work (The Green Hornet) should take hope. The filmmaker has a pair of projects that should allow him to flex his creative muscles, the way he did with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Science of Sleep. He's currently at work on The We & The I, a film inspired by his book: You'll Like This Film Because You're In It, which was based in part on Gondry's Be Kind Rewind. And while that community filmmaking project sounds great, it's what he has afterwards which has my attention.

Last summer we learned of his plans to direct The Foam of Days, an adaptation of Boris Vian's 1947 French novel, Froth on the Daydream.  Audrey Tatou(Amelie) and Romain Duris(The Beat That My Heart Skipped), two of France's biggest stars, joined the project and now Gondry has added two more international stars who have recently been waking waves here in the States.


Lea Seyoux and Gad Elmaleh are the latest to join the rather unique sounding French-language film. The story centers on Colin, a wealthy man who meets and quickly marries Chloe. During their honeymoon, Chloe becomes ill from a water lilly in her lungs, a rare and painful condition that can only be cured by having her constantly surrounded by flowers, the expense of which drains his fortune.

Seydoux recently appeared in two critically acclaimed films, turning up in Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris and as a villain in Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol. Elmaleh also had a small role in Allen's film, and provided one of the voices in Steven Spielberg's The Adventures of Tintin. Um, he'd probably like for us all to forget he turned up in Adam Sandler's Jack & Jill, but unfortunately I can't. Sorry, dude.

We probably won't see this until later in 2013, but it's Gondry, and so we have to expect it'll be colorful and visually arresting. Another one to keep a close eye on. [Variety]

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