First Look at Troubled Western 'Jane got a Gun' with Natalie Portman and Joel Edgerton

Was there a more troubled movie over the last couple of years than the western Jane got a Gun? The film saw its original director Lynn Ramsay split (or was canned, depends who you ask) a couple of days before production, leading to a whole mess of lawsuits. But that was the tip of the iceberg as multiple stars have come, gone, switched roles and so forth, including Michael Fassbender, Jude Law, and Bradley Cooper. Oh, and even the cinematographer split at one point. Through all of this Natalie Portman has stayed on board in the title role, but she's been the on constant in a project in a continual state of flux. Hopefully her commitment is now beginning to pay off.

The first images from Jane got a Gun have been released, which is great for those who still have high hopes for it. Gavin O'Connor (Warrior) took over as director, which is certainly promising, but the constantly-changing release dates are another issue. The film has been bumped around the schedule multiple times and is now set to open on September 4th. We'll see.  Portman stars as a woman who turns to a gunslinging ex-lover (Joel Edgerton, who used to be in the villain role) to help defend her husband (Noah Emmerich) from a vicious band of outlaws. Ewan McGregor stars as the bad guy, with Rodrigo Santoro and Boyd Holbrook co-starring.

So is there still reason for optimism? There's a lot of talent here on both sides of the camera, but until we get some footage of Jane got a Gun it's too early to tell.

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First Trailer for Terrence Malick's 'Knight of Cups' with Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, and Natalie Portman

Oh, how naive we were. There was a time not that long ago when many of us sat back and thought we may get two or maybe even three Terrence Malick movies in 2014, remarkable given the low output for the majority of his career. Instead we got none (unless you count Malick-produced The Better Angels, which I don't), but today has brought some unexpected news on Malick's film Knight of Cups, which stars Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman, and Imogen Poots. Not only will it premiere as part of the Berlin Film Festival lineup next year, but out of the clear blue the first trailer has arrived.

Typical of Malick, there doesn't appear to be much of a plot but the basic logline seems to be well-represented here. Bale plays a womanizer who gives in to temptation, celebrity, and excess, while the net effect of this footage is like The Wolf of Wall Street done Malick-style. It's actually quite a refreshing change for Malick to get us out of the natural environment with beautiful twirling women and frolicking children, and into something more modern and contemporary.

While there's still no release date we can expect to see Knight of Cups in 2015.

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Sony Hack Reveals Steve Jobs Biopic Madness as Natalie Portman Turns Down a Role

Remember that stench of doom we sensed around Jane Got a Gun earlier this year as it went through a brutal gauntlet of production issues? Well, that's how the forever-developing, troubled Steve Jobs biopic is starting to look. Penned by Aaron Sorkin and to be directed by Danny Boyle, the film was set up at Sony before they got nervous and dropped it, only for Universal to come to the rescue. When a project of this scope gets dumped there's always a bigger story behind it, and thanks to Sony getting hacked we know just how chaotic things were behind the scenes.

We're not going to post hacked emails or anything like that; leave that to the folks over at Gawker who posted a blistering series of conversations between widely despised producer Scott Rudin and Sony chief Amy Pascal. In them we see the bull-headed twosome fighting over everything, but it's Rudin who looks like a total donkey for ripping into Angelina Jolie, calling her a "minimally talented spoiled brat" amongst other scathing insults. What the heck does Jolie have to do with anything? You may recall she and David Fincher, who was originally supposed to direct Jobs, were going to do a massively-budgeted Cleopatra epic. That project never came together and Fincher bounced, but she apparently was still holding out hope earlier this year, only to have Sony dangle the Steve Jobs film in his face. Of course, that didn't work out for Sony, either. Ironically, Rudin refers to Jolie's massive ego but these emails reveal he needs to check himself in a major way.

Meanwhile, the Jobs film is bumping along over at Universal but still has some problems to iron out. Michael Fassbender is set (for now) to star as the tech giant with Seth Rogen as Steve Wozniak. Recently Natalie Portman's (coincidentally of Jane Got a Gun!) name was mentioned for the female lead but now Variety says she's turned it down for unspecified reasons. Perhaps she sensed something was wrong, too? Sorkin could be bringing his The Newsroom star Jeff Daniels in to play Apple CEO John Sculley so maybe things aren't all bad. Then again, let's just wait and see if Fassbender makes the start date. If not, Universal could always turn to Tom Cruise, who was sought by Sony out of desperation.

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Natalie Portman in Talks to Join Michael Fassbender in Steve Jobs Biopic

This is how quickly things can change for a Hollywood production, given that it has enough potential. The Danny Boyle-directed, Aaron Sorkin-penned Steve Jobs biopic was dumped by Sony only days ago, and already it has a new studio at Universal and a confirmed star in Michael Fassbender. So what's next? How about another big name in Natalie Portman?

According to Deadline, Portman has entered negotiations to join the film, which is based on Walter Isaacson's best-selling biography. There's no word on her role but a couple of major female leads are yet to be filled, with Jessica Chastain said to be eying one of them. Steve Jobs' daughter is said to be a central character, and so is Joanna Hoffman, Apple's former head of marketing for the Mac. Portman hasn't appeared in a film this year, and only had Thor: The Dark World last year, so it's good to see her attached to a project this big. She does have a couple of Terrence Malick movies on the way, plus the troubled Western Jane Got a Gun.

Production on the film is set to begin in the winter, so expect more news to come soon.

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Review: 'Thor: The Dark World' Starring Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, and Natalie Portman

At one point in Marvel's superhero sequel Thor: The Dark World, the devious Loki (Tom Hiddleston) exclaims confidently "If it was easy, everybody would do it!" That sentiment could describe Marvel's genius construction of their cinematic universe, a perennial cash cow that only seems to be getting more lucrative by the film, especially in the wake of the $1.5B-grossing The Avengers. While an assemblage of Earth's Mightiest Heroes was always a shoe-in to be a hit, the solo films have been more of a challenge, and none more so than Thor. And while that first movie did well despite its many problems, the sequel surpasses Iron Man 3 in terms of scope and focus to be one of the most entertaining superhero movies yet.

The mandate is pretty clear for this one from the beginning: Do everything bigger!! The sheer spectacle of Thor: The Dark World stands on par with The Avengers, and while nobody is going to say the film is better, it's impressive the number of elements director Alan Taylor is able to juggle successfully. A Lord of the Rings-style flashback, complete with dark elves that look like orcs battling Asgardians with swords and axes, introduces us to the villain Malekith (Christopher Eccleston). There's a bit of mumbo jumbo about the alignment of the Nine Realms and Malekith's desire to plunge the universe into eternal darkness using a powerful destructive force known as the Aether. Defeated, Malekith is forced into slumber and the Aether hidden away where it can never be found, until of course it is found years later quite accidentally by Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) while searching for Thor (Chris Hemsworth), who has been missing for months.

So where exactly does one hide a blond chiseled slab of godly beefcake, anyway? Well, you don't, and in the wake of the attack on New York City in The Avengers, Thor is seen delivering Loki to an Asgardian prison where he'll sit for the rest of eternity. But even when behind mystical prison walls Loki is good at getting under one's skin and that includes his mother Frigga (Rene Russo), who gets a greatly expanded role this time as the mediator between her two sons. As Thor gets on with the business of protecting Asgard and the Nine Realms, while also catching the eye of his warrior colleague Sif (Jaime Alexander), he's still torn by his love for Jane. Returning to Earth to find her, he's greeted by a couple of nice slaps to the mug, but after discovering she's been bonded to the Aether it's off to Asgard they go. Before she can finish awkwardly meeting Thor's parents, Malekith is awoken and stages a devastating attack that leaves Thor, Loki, and the almighty Odin (Anthony Hopkins) struck to their core.

And what a battle it is. Really, Malekith's attack on Asgard is the film's biggest set piece, and it looks absolutely incredible. It benefits by the impressive direction by Taylor, the Game of Thrones vet giving Asgard a more grounded, recognizable look than the fake, comic book look favored by previous director, Kenneth Branagh. This Asgard actually looks like a place people could inhabit, which fits with Marvel's clear mandate to make Thor fit into a realistic world. Since the bulk of the action takes place away from Earth this time, it also affords the chance to really dig into the Shakespearean drama that is Thor's family line. Bad blood continues to boil between Thor and Loki, with Hemsworth and Hiddleston both playing their parts extremely well. Let's face it, Hiddleston has been the rock star of the entire Marvel Universe up to this point, and every time he's on screen the film has a dangerous vibe that is undeniably fun. We're presented different shades to Loki's scorned child selfishness that were missing in the first film, and mark him as more than someone out for vengeance. Hemsworth too has really grown into a solid actor, as we saw recently in Ron Howard's Rush, and this version of Thor is one who is feeling the weight of responsibility and family obligation wear him down. The family dynamics of the Thor movies are unlike anything else Marvel's movies can offer and they are consistently fascinating.

Less interesting is pretty much everything that has to do with Jane Foster and her irritating pal, Darcy (Kat Dennings), who had been a scene-stealer the last time around. Less is more with a snarky character like Darcy, and she's around so much that eventually one starts to wish Malekith would pay her a personal visit. For what it's worth, Portman gives her all imbuing Jane Foster with a measure of strength, but she's still basically a damsel in distress waiting to happen. She gets a few moments to flash her intellect alongside the returning Dr. Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard), but any explanation of the overly-complicated plot just sounds like gobbledygook ripped from an episode of Doctor Who. Idris Elba gets a little more to work with as the fierce protector Heimdall, including a brief but thrilling action sequence that was probably designed just for his fans. One problem that continues to trouble Marvel films are their lackluster villains, and Malekith is another in a long line of them that don't feel all that important.

Effortlessly combining sci-fi, supernatural, and fantasy elements, anything can and often does happen in Thor: The Dark World, and that unpredictability is a big part of why Marvel has struck gold (or is it lightning?) one more time.

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Bad Dates and Space Ships in Two 'Thor: The Dark World' Clips

Marvel has always been pretty good at injecting humor into their superhero movies, at least when it comes to Iron Man and The Avengers. But it's been sort of lacking in the other films, and for something like Thor: The Dark World, which deals with Norse gods, dark elves, and apparently space ships, it's silly enough that the jokes should write themselves. And now we've got two clips that show the film will have a decent sense of humor about it.

The first clip gives us our first footage of Chris O'Dowd's cameo appearance as a date for Natalie Portman's character, Jane Foster. There was some speculation he would be playing a version of Thor's human host Donald Blake, but that's not the case and he appears to just be a guy who sees his one shot at scoring with Foster ruined by her best friend, Darcy.

The second clip has more of a Star Wars feel as Thor and Loki make a daring escape aboard a space ship while their pursuers attempt to shoot them down. Of course, Loki can't help but be a backseat driver the whole time and it's a wonder Thor doesn't just shoot him out the air lock.

Starring Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Christopher Eccleston, Idris Elba, Jaimie Alexander, Stellan Skarsgard, Anthony Hopkins, and Kat Dennings, Thor: The Dark World opens November 8th.

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Thor gets Slapped Around in New 'Thor: The Dark World' Clip

As far as excuses for standing up your girlfriend go, defending the world form alien invasion and being trapped in a mystical realm are pretty darn good. However they don't stop Thor from getting slapped across his godly grill by Jane Foster in the latest clip from Thor: The Dark World. Set some time after The Avengers, the scene features the lovers' reunion and Jane's obvious anger over being left behind. There's a pretty good chance Thor will take harder blows later in the film, but few will be quite as personal.

Starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Idris Elba, Christophr Eccleston, and Jaime Alexander, Thor: The Dark World opens on November 8th.


"Marvel's Thor: The Dark World" Clip - 'Where Were You?' by thesevensees

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First Look at Chris O'Dowd in 'Thor: The Dark World'

Considering the fervor that erupts around all of Marvel's casting decisions, it's kind of interesting that Chris O'Dowd's cameo in Thor: The Dark World has largely been ignored. Or at the very least it's already been forgotten. It was a few months ago that O'Dowd tweeted he'd filmed a brief date scene in the Marvel sequel, and now Empire has provided our first look at it.

The image shows O'Dowd opposite Natalie Portman as Jane Foster and Kat Dennings as her best friend. Thor and Foster appear to be on the outs in this film, at least initially, so we could be looking at her agreeing to meet her ex-boyfriend, Donald Blake, with Dennings' character there as support. It's all just speculation but expect O'Dowd to be funny and undeniably likable for however long he's on screen.

And in case this isn't enough Thor hype for you, USA Today has unveiled a new poster done up in Lego style, all for the release of the Lego: Marvel Super Heroes game that I'll be indulging in on October 22nd. Thor: The Dark World hits theaters on November 8th.

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Stan Lee Says Marvel Is Planning An 'Inhumans' Movie

With Thor: The Dark World right around the corner (check out a couple of new posters here), Phase Two of Marvel's master plan is in full swing, and already attention is focusing on what the studio has on the horizon. The only confirmed Phase Three film right now is Edgar Wright's Ant-Man, and Doctor Strange seems to be a personal favorite of studio President Kevin Feige. Nothing is really concrete until Feige says it is, but a certain Marvel Comics legend has a few thoughts on what's coming up.

Stan Lee spoke to TooFab and says Black Panther, Doctor Strange, and the Inhumans are due for Marvel flicks. We've heard about all three of these at various points, but it's the first we've heard about the Inhumans in awhile. They are sort of like the redheaded stepchildren of the Marvel Universe, even more than mutants like the X-men. They're the descendants of genetically-altered humans from the prehistoric era, gifted with latent superhuman powers that only emerge when exposed to the Terrigen Mists. The Inhumans established a society called Attilan in the dark area of the moon, and are ruled by a royal family led by the king, Black Bolt. It doesn't make much sense for Marvel to introduce another intergalactic team movie with Guardians of the Galaxy coming up, and the complicate family dynamics that define the Inhumans isn't much different than what we see in the Thor films.

As a guy who was practically raised on Marvel comics it's sort of expected that I love anything and everything Stan Lee does and says.  The guy is a legend, and it's fun to see him pop up in every single Marvel movie. But he's not someone I would consider the most rock solid source when it comes to Marvel Studios projects. It's likely that one or all of these movies will get done at some point, just don't take Lee's word as a confirmation.

Meanwhile, Marvel's definitely in the business of offering more content with strong female leads. An Agent Carter TV series is in the works, and according to Natalie Portman we can expect that to continue on the big screen. She tells SciFi Now...

Portman: "There are definitely many strong [Marvel] women, but it will be exciting when there is a central female character, which I think is coming - I have heard is coming. And, of course, also a central non-white character will also be exciting... But they do definitely have strong female characters in them and I think it's a testament to the people who run Marvel, their respect, their just normal human respect for women, the way they want to characterize them; you can tell when men talk to you, as just a person or as a 'woman.' "

Black Widow seems like the most obvious choice for her own film, but perhaps too obvious. On the comics side Marvel has really been pushing Carol "Captain Marvel" Danvers as an A-league superhero, and if she ends up in The Avengers: Age of Ultron as many expect, don't be surprised if a solo franchise follows. 

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Marion Cotillard In, Natalie Portman Out for 'Macbeth' Opposite Michael Fassbender

A lot has changed in the couple of months since Natalie Portman was attached to play Lady Macbeth in an adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth. It was set to be another shot at working alongside Michael Fassbender, after the first attempt in Jane Got a Gun fell into disaster when he dropped out. But as it turns out, Portman's now planning her directorial debut A Tale of Love and Darkness, and this time it's her who is moving on, but it may just be for the better.


Deadline reports that Oscar-winner Marion Cotillard will now play the manipulative Lady Macbeth in the film, to be directed by Justin Kurzel (Snowtown) and written by Todd Louiso (Hello I Must Be Going) and Jacob Koskoff. It would have been interesting to see how Portman tackled such an iconic character, but Cotillard is a more natural fit, and the scenes she'll share with Fassbender should absolutely smolder.

Expect a faithful adaptation with plenty of big, bloody battle scenes. Filming begins early next year and will probably hit just in time for next year's Oscar race.

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New 'Thor: The Dark World' Trailer Starring Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston

While many considered Thor the most uneven of Marvel's slate of superhero films, it was also one of the most successful. Hauling in $450M for a character that few considered worthy of a solo franchise (the same could've been said for Iron Man at one point) is a pretty big deal, but Marvel hasn't been content to merely rehash the same formula for the sequel, Thor: The Dark World. With Game of Thrones director Alan Taylor at the helm, the footage presented at Comic-Con suggested a story that was more violent and definitely bleak in tone. And now we're getting another look at just how dire things get for the thunder god in a brand new trailer.

Picking up where The Avengers left off, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) finds he must turn to his traitorous brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) for help in defending Asgard and Earth from the shadowy threat of Malekith (Christopher Eccleston), a dark elf.  Hiddleston is the highlight, channeling a Hannibal Lecter vibe for Loki that is both fun and a little menacing. With the character not appearing in Avengers: Age of Ultron, we may only get to see him as part of the Thor franchise, so it's good see his role expanded even further. We also get better glimpses at Sif (Jaime Alexander), who appears to be a little jealous of Thor's lover Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), and Heimdall (Idris Elba) showing he can do more than just guard the Rainbow Bridge.

Thor: The Dark World opens on November 8th.


THOR: THE DARK WORLD - Trailer 2 by dmagianet

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Ben Affleck Joins David Fincher's 'Gone Girl'; Three Eyed for Female Lead

Ben Affleck may be preparing to direct an adaptation of Dennis Lehane's Live By Night, but when a chance to work with David Fincher on a high-profile project like Gone Girl arises, he'll drop everything to make it happen. Deadline reports that Affleck is putting everything aside in order to star in the film, based on the acclaimed best-selling novel by Gillian Flynn.

Fincher has been in a holding pattern on a couple of projects, a follow-up to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Disney's big budget version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, so this deal with Affleck would make Gone Girl his next directorial effort. Affleck would be taking the male lead as Nick, a man whose wife goes missing on their 5th wedding anniversary, with all of the clues pointing to him as a suspect. It's a role that requires a lot of nuance and restraint, traits Affleck should have no trouble handling.

The plan was for Live By Night to shoot this fall, but now it's being pushed to early next year, with Affleck still delivering a finished product to Warner Bros. by the end of 2014. As for the female lead, The Wrap says Natalie Portman, Charlize Theron, and Emily Blunt are being targeted. Reese Witherspoon, who is on board as a producer, isn't expected to take an acting role at this point.

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First Teaser Poster for 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier', Plus New 'Thor: The Dark World' Image

Comic-Con starts in just a few days, and of course leading up to it we're going to get a flurry of news (like the recent Guardians of the Galaxy details), images and posters. Marvel has released the first teaser poster for next year's sequel, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and while it's a fairly standard image it does suggest that the film will be much darker than the last. Chris Evans is back in the star-spangled costume, and he'll be teaming up with the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) to take on his former partner Bucky (Sebastian Stan), who is alive and operating as an assassin known as the Winter Soldier.

We're also getting a new image from Thor: The Dark World, but you won't find the hammer-wielding hero anywhere around. Instead this one focuses on Frigga (Rene Russo) , Thor's stepmother and Queen of Asgard. She didn't have much of a part last time, but here she's armed with a sword and looking like she's ready to protect Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) from an impending attack. My guess is someone has broken in looking for Thanos' Infinity Gauntlet, which is currently in Odin's possession. Hopefully the ladies, and that includes Jaime Alexander as Sif, will get more to do this time around.

Thor: The Dark World opens on November 8th, while Captain America: The Winter Soldier arrives April 4th 2014.

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Natalie Portman Eyed for Cheerleading Thriller 'Dare Me'

After starring in three films in 2011, two of which were pretty terrible and the other featured an Asgardian thunder god, Natalie Portman has been keeping a very low profile. She's roaring back into action this year, though, with a pair of Terrence Malick films on the way, Thor: The Dark World coming up this fall, and the western Jane Got a Gun currently in production. Now she's adding one more project to her schedule, and all you need to know is that it's described as "Heathers meets Fight Club". Check please.

Portman is being sought for Dare Me, an adaptation of Megan Abbot's novel centered on the contentious world of high school cheerleading. The story follows Addy Hanlon, a senior co-leader of a cheer squad, who sees her authority threatened  by the arrival a new young coach. As Addy tries anything in her power to regain her position, a death forces her to re-examine her loyalties.

Abbott will be adapting the script herself, with Michael Sucsy (Grey Gardens) set to direct. Portman's role hasn't been made clear, although it's doubtful she'll be a cheerleader waving a pair of pom-poms around. [Deadline]

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First official look at Terrence Malick's 'Knight of Cups' with Christian Bale and Natalie Portman

If the response to Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life was mixed, the reviews for his follow-up To the Wonder were absolutely brutal. The chief complaint, and one that I wholeheartedly subscribe to, is that the film felt derivative and indulgent, like a filmmaker going back to an empty creative well. It barely made a blip on the box office radar, and almost certainly won't end up on the Best Picture shortlist next year.

Not that it matters much, as the suddenly-prolific Malick has two films coming up, and the first one we're getting an official look at is Knight of Cups. Set photos have revealed a virtual "who's who" of Hollywood, although with Malick's editing tendencies who knows if any of them will make the final cut. The first image reveals stars Christian Bale and Natalie Portman and....*shocker*...they're prancing along the beach while the waves come in. Based on this photo alone it looks like we're in for more of the same from Malick, but we won't know for sure until debut footage unspools at Cannes. Vaguely described as a story about "temptation, celebrity, and excess", set photos have revealed Cate Blanchett, Isabel Lucas, Antonio Banderas, Wes Bentley, Imogen Poots, Freida Pinto, Teresa Palmer, Ryan O'Neal, Jason Clarke, and Joel Kinnaman at different points, but again, let's wait and see if any of them actually turn up in the finished product.

As for Malick's other untitled film formerly known as Lawless, it's set in the Texas music industry and that's pretty much all we know about it other than the cast. Bale, Blanchett, and Portman will be joined by Ryan Gosling, Michael Fassbender, Rooney Mara, Benicio Del Toro, Holly Hunter, Val Kilmer and Berenice Marlohe. [THR]

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Natalie Portman is Lady Macbeth to Michael Fassbender's 'Macbeth'

Michael Fassbender and Natalie Portman had a chance to work with one another before in the troubled Western, Jane Got a Gun, but it never came to pass. It was Fassbender's sudden departure that sent the film spiraling out of control, making headlines for a week. But the headaches he helped start don't seem to have phased Portman much, because she's agreed to join him in an adaptation of Macbeth.

Just a day after Fassbender was announced for the lead role, Portman has come aboard to play his Lady Macbeth. This version, written by Todd Louiso and Jacob Koskoff, will stick to the 11th century setting and maintain the original Shakespearean dialogue, but will also feature more blood and violence with significant battle scenes.

Justin Kurzel (Snowtown) is directing, and he's probably doing cartwheels over having the star power of Fassbender and Portman. Filming is slated to begin later this year. [Screen Daily]

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First trailer for 'Thor: The Dark World' starring Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman

As Marvel prepares to unleash Iron Man 3 on us in little more than a week, they've already begun the push for the next in their mega-hit line of superhero titles. We've already seen glimpses of Thor: The Dark World in the Phase Two preview, along with a new poster and some photos released as star Chris Hemsworth has been making the interview rounds. Now Marvel is officially pulling out all of the big guns as the first trailer is finally here.

Directed by Game of Thrones' Alan Taylor, the mood of the sequel is considerably blacker and less flashy, as the title would suggest. Thor finds himself again attempting to save the Earth from a powerful threat, this time from the Dark Elf Malekith the Accursed (Christopher Eccleston), and in order to keep his lover Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) safe he whisks her away to Asgard. We already know she'll face some disapproving members of Thor's family, and we see hints of that in the scowl on the face of Sif (Jaime Alexander), who has always seen herself as Thor's true love.

Perhaps most importantly of all, we see the next step in the contentious relationship between Thor and his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston), who is locked away like Hannibal Lecter after the events of The Avengers. It looks like Thor is going to need his help to stop Malekith's schemes, and Loki's sneering glee over that pretty much steals the show. Overall, Marvel appears to be leaving behind some of the campier elements from the first film and going with something that, at least for now, has more of an epic quality.

Thor: The Dark World hits theaters on November 8th, and in October in the U.K.


Thor: The Dark World trailer by FilmBoy.gr

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New 'Thor: The Dark World' images; Chris Hemsworth talks Thor's love life

The compassion Thor (Chris Hemsworth) has for the people of Midgard (Earth) is a central part of his character, and certainly was in the first film as he came to its rescue. But now that he's in a relationship with Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), he's going to have figure out that human women like to get a phone call when their demigod boyfriends are in town.

A pair of new photos have emerged as part of an extensive interview Hemsworth did with USA Today, and in it he talks about how Thor's lack of communication with Jane while he was saving the world in The Avengers will be a major plot point in Thor: The Dark World....

Hemsworth: "Thor still has lot of explaining to do, and a lot of making up. Even demigods end up in the doghouse, mate. So none of us is safe."

It does appear that the two mismatched lovers will get back together just in time for her life to be in danger, forcing Thor to whisk her away to Asgard for safe-keeping. There she'll meet his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins), and the rest of the Norse god clan, who according to Marvel boss Kevin Feige won't immediately take a liking to her....

Feige: "It's superhero action, but it's the familiar territory of a love triangle where the parents think your girlfriend is wrong for you,"

At The Avengers' conclusion, Thor was headed back home with his evil brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) in tow, and this film begins with him imprisoned. But when the Dark Elf Malekith the Accursed stages attacks on both Asgard and Earth, Loki is the only one he can turn to for help...

Hemsworth: "Needing Loki's help turns everything on its head. And it allows us to explore the underlying complexities of their relationship. It really ends up being a kind of chess match."

It sounds like Hiddleston, arguably the breakout star of Thor and The Avengers, is going to have an even larger presence this time. Perhaps another MTV Movie Award for Best Villain is in his future? Thor: The Dark World opens on November 8th.

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Natalie Portman circling 'Code Name Sasha' and 'Last Witness'

After taking a hiatus to have a kid, Natalie Portman hasn't let the grass grow under feet in piling up new projects with which to make her comeback. We already know she'll be appearing in both of Terrence Malick's upcoming films, and she's set to begin on Thor: The Dark World pretty soon. The last few weeks have seen her attached to Lynne Ramsay's western Jane Got a Gun possibly with Michael Fassbender starring; In the Garden of Beasts with Tom Hanks and Michel Hazanavicius; and recently she's been linked to Jackie, a long gestating flick where she'd play Jackie Onassis. Phew! Now you can add two more potential films to the pile.

TheWrap reports that Portman is being eyed for two very different movies. The most promising is Code Name Sasha, which is being described as akin to La Femme Nikita or a female Training Day, and has her as "a single mother who has been engaged in criminal activity since she was a teenager.  She is given a chance to get out when the FBI asks her to go under cover to bring down the world’s largest gun-running organization."  We haven't seen Portman do action in a long time, so this is immediately intriguing as someone who loved her in Leon: The Professional. Still, the description bothers me because La Femme Nikita and Training Day aren't at all the same. Might just be some marketing guy throwing two action flicks out there at random.

The other film is Last Witness, which would have her as a psychologist working with the sole survivor of a cafe bombing in Boston who now has amnesia. Meh.

There's no additional talent attached so it's obviously too soon to start getting excited. Just add these to the extensive list of stuff that may or may not happen.

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Michel Hazanavicius may direct Tom Hanks and Natalie Portman in 'In The Garden Of Beasts'

The five Oscar wins for The Artist did more than just introduce younger audiences to the magic of silent era cinema. It was also an introduction of sorts to star Jean Dujardin, and certainly brought director Michel Hazanavicius into the spotlight. While Hazanacicius already has a couple of other projects cooking, he may be looking to take on another promising new film which already has at least one Oscar winner in tow and the possibility of a second.

Deadline reports that Hazanavicius is in talks to direct an adaptation of In the Garden of Beasts, based on Erik Larson's non-fiction book about the life of William Dodd, the U.S. Ambassador to Germany during the Nazi era. Dodd was one of the first to suspect the full extent of Hitler's plans, while his daughter Martha complicated matters by having physical relationships with a number of top Nazi officials.

The rights to Larson's novel were picked up late last year by Tom Hanks, and the plan is for him to produce and star as William. The role of Martha is being looked at as a possible starring gig for recent Oscar winner Natalie Portman, but no firm deal is in place with her just yet. Since her return to acting she's set herself up for a number of projects, so finding a way to slot this one in could be a problem.

Hazanavicius also has a pretty booked up schedule so if he signs on for this it could be a couple of years before it really gets rolling. But clearly this is a film worth keeping a close watch on and seeing how it develops.

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