Keanu Reeves Lines Up Sci-Fi Film, 'Replicas'

Don't call it a comeback! No, really, don't call it a comeback, Keanu Reeves has been keeping busy for years, albeit in smaller passion projects nobody has seen. But last weekend he burst back into the spotlight with John Wick, and now he's preparing his next move. No, it's not a John Wick sequel (yet), but a reunion with Constantine producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura for Replicas.

Directed by Tanya Wexler (Hysteria) and based on a treatment Reeves cooked up with John Wick producer Stephen Hamel, the story centers on a neuroscientist who challenges the laws of science and the government to revive his family who were killed in an auto accident. Chad St. Johnson wrote the screenplay, and the plan is for production to begin in the fall.

Unfortunately, this probably means his sci-fi drama Passengers will stay on the backburner awhile longer, but it's good to see Reeves back in the public eye.

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Scott Cooper to Direct Film on Granite Mountain Hotshots Wildfire Tragedy

The lack of interest audiences seemed to have in Out of the Furnace despite an Oscar-worthy cast was surprising, but it didn't slow down Scott Cooper in the least. He moved on to another film with big name stars, joining Johnny Depp for the Whitey Bulger biopic, Black Mass. While Cooper is still on set of that one he's already looking forward to his next project, a film on the brave firefighters of the Granite Mountain Hotshots.

It was last year as wildfires raged across Arizona that 19 members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots died while trying to stop the Yarnell Hill blaze. Cooper will direct a film on their heroic act and sacrifice with Ken Nolan (Black Hawk Down) writing the screenplay. Brendan McDonough was the only member of the team to survive and he is consulting on the film, along with Amanda Marsh, the widow of the squad's leader, Eric Marsh. Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura says the aim is to honor the men and their loyalty to one another rather than focusing on the tragedy, the largest wildland firefighter

di Bonaventura: “The nation came together to mourn the great loss of life by these heroes, but their bonds with each other makes their story so much more extraordinary and compelling. The story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, and the tragedy that befell them, is not as much about the fire as it is about a group of blue-collar guys and their families and the brotherhood that they form with one another.” [Deadline]

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New Director Sought for 'G.I. Joe 3'; Teaser Poster Released

Despite Jon Chu frequently talking about his plans for a sequel to G.I. Joe: Retaliation, it was beginning to look more like he was getting some distance from the franchise. He circled the Star Trek 3 gig for some time, and then took on a live-action Jem and the Holograms. But when his name recently surfaced as the frontrunner to helm Now You See Me 2, it became clear he would not be chronicling the Real American Heroes' next adventure.

Collider spoke with producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura who confirmed that new directors are being sought for G.I. Joe 3....

di Bonaventura: “We’re just starting [to talk to directors]. We’re negotiating with a writer right now, and once we close that deal—which should be any moment—then we’ll have a story locked down. I’m really excited about it.” 

Paramount Pictures recently dated the film for some time in 2016, which means a production date of early next year is likely. Dwayne Johnson, who is due to return and take over the franchise as Roadblock, previously said filming would begin in January of 2015, but di Bonaventura says it will be a touch later...

di Bonaventura: "G.I. Joe 3 we are trying to get going, starting early next year…I think it’ll be a little later than [January]. I think February or March is probably more realistic. We were originally shooting for January and I think it’s slid a little bit, but you never know. It’s still a little too early to tell yet."

As for other characters who might be returning other than Roadblock? That's still very much up in the air...

di Bonaventura: “One thing is for sure: there were some characters the fans were really shouting for us to put in, we’re gonna put in a few one of the ones that they know that would be new to the movie audience if they don’t know the mythology.”

One thing is clear, though, and that the ninja action is only due to be ramepd up to another level, at least if this teaser poster, sent to our pals at Bleeding Cool, is to be believed. It shows the insignia of the Arashikage Clan, of which Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes are members.

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New Japanese 'G.I. Joe: Retaliation' trailer; reshoots didn't add more Channing Tatum

It's coming out for real this time, right? One of the big shockers from last year was the sudden yanking of G.I. Joe: Retaliation off of Paramount's schedule, knocking it from June all the way down to March 2013. The reason given was to allow time for a 3D post-conversion, but rumors began to emerge that the real reason was to fix a major gripe from test audiences. Namely, the lack of presence by red-hot Channing Tatum was a big problem, and reshoots were ordered to rectify that. The worst kept secret around was that Tatum, one of the few to return from 2009's G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, gets sent to the great toybox in the sky early on.

During an interview with CraveOnline, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura said that the reshoots had nothing to do with adding more of Tatum to the story...

di Bonaventura: “No, it’s not. That is a complete rumor. I don’t know where that started. Literally, Channing shot for - if I have it wrong, I’m off by an hour - four hours, five hours? So it wasn’t really about that at all.”

Not sure I buy it. On its face, there's little sense in killing off the most popular actor of a franchise trying to gain a foothold in a crowded market. Paramount aren't stupid. They've seen the numbers Tatum pulled in last year, and will want their piece of the action.

Meanwhile, the marketing for the film is in full swing again, and an awesome 40-second Japanese trailer just hit the web. It's basically non-stop adrenaline showcasing Dwayne Johnson, Bruce Willis, Lee Byung-hun, and Adrianne Palicki, but no Tatum.

Directed by Jon Chu, G.I. Joe: Retaliation finally hits on March 29th. [CBM]

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Bruce Willis gets political in the new action thriller, 'Five Against A Bullet'

Is it possible Bruce Willis has found the Fountain of Youth or something? At 56 year old(!!!), he doesn't seem to be slowing down one bit, and actually appears to be doing more intense roles than ever before. This next year alone has him in The Expendables 2, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, A Good Day to Die Hard, and a sequel to Red. Not to mention whatever straight-to-DVD nonsense he fits in the cracks of his schedule. Dude is on a tear, and that's not even counting is role in Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom.  Can I have some of whatever he's having?

After being talked up for the role by uber-producer Lorenzo Di Bonaventura, Columbia Pictures has confirmed that Willis will star in Five Against A Bullet. The action film written by Alex Litvak(Predators) follows a Mexican politician who hires the world's five best bodyguards to protect him through a contentious election. This all in the wake of his father's murder at the hands of a vicious drug cartel.

No word on when filming will begin, but it'll have to work around the Die Hard and Red 2 schedules. If anybody can find a way to make it all work, it's Willis. Di Bonaventura likens the script to that of The Magnificent Seven and The Wild Bunch. Bold words. I'm curious to see how the rest of the cast shapes up.

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