First Trailer for Noah Baumbach's 'While We're Young' starring Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts

Noah Baumbach's last two films, Greenberg and Frances Ha, dealt with people at different stages of life crisis. One concerned an acerbic middle-aged man while the other was about a flighty, irresponsible girl nearing 30. One thing about Baumbach is that his characters are always flawed, sometimes downright unlikeable, but always "real". And that seems to again be the case with his latest film, While We're Young, which follows two couples from very different generations.

Starring Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, Amanda Seyfried, and Adam Driver, the film centers on an older married couple, both documentary filmmakers, who are revitalized by the hipster lifestyle after meeting a younger duo. The trailer plays this as more of a comedy than some of the early reviews out of Toronto indicated, but Baumbach's trademark scathing wit is definitely in place.

While We're Young opens next year on March 27th.

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Lake Bell to Direct 'The Emperor's Children' with a Script by Noah Baumbach

The multi-talented Lake Bell won a lot of fans with her directorial debut, In a World..., a funny and charming look at sexism in the voice-over industry. She's been keeping plenty busy since then, recently appearing in Million Dollar Arm opposite Jon Hamm, but now she's finally landed her follow-up behind the camera and it's a project that has been developing for quite some time.

About four years ago Noah Baumbach (Frances Ha) was set to write and direct an adaptation of Claire Messud's The Emperor's Children, with hopes of Keira Knightley, Eric Bana and Richard Gere starring. That never happened, and Scott Cooper briefly eyed the job only for that to also fall through. Now Bell takes over the reins with Baumbach's screenplay still in play. The story follows "three entitled but unsuccessful late twentysomethings who orbit the life of a famous journalist in the months before and after the events of 9/11. Two people's entrance into this circle threatens an upheaval."

No word on if there will be an attempt to lure back any of the earlier stars or if Bell plans to take a role for herself. Bell will be seen next in John Erick Dowdle's action flick, The Coup, starring Owen Wilson and Pierce Brosnan. [THR]

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Peter Bogdanovich adds Owen Wilson, Brie Larson, and Olivia Wilde to 'Squirrels to the Nuts'

Peter Bogdanovich is a legend by pretty much anybody's book, right? We're talkin' the guy behind The Last Picture Show and Paper Moon, so any time he ventures out to make a new film it's a big deal. Unfortunately, those times have been few and far between lately,  which made it all the more exciting a couple of years ago when we heard he was planning a new indie comedy, Squirrels to the Nuts. Word on it has been kinda quiet ever since, but now some big moves are being made that have it skyrocketing near the top of my must-see list.

The awesome Brie Larson(21 Jump Street), Owen Wilson, and Olivia Wilde have joined the cast of the film, which sounds like a screwball comedy in the vein of Bogdanovich's What's Up, Doc? The story follows a hooker turned actress(Larson), who sells her services to the director of a Broadway play(Wilson), who also happens to be married to its star. Wilde will play a therapist with an alcoholic mother. Jason Schwartzman is said to be circling a role as well, although he's not involved officially yet.

As if that wasn't good enough, Noah Baumbach and Wes Anderson, two kindred souls if there ever were any, are on board as producers. Their presence all but assures funding will be found, and that we'll see this in theaters at some point. If the target fall start date pans out, we may see it some time next year.  This would be Bogdanovich's first feature film since 2001's The Cat's Meow, a great true life murder mystery involving Charlie Chaplin(Eddie Izzard), Marion Davies(Kirsten Dunst), and William Randolph Hearst. [Variety]

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Jesse Eisenberg and Naomi Watts in talks for Noah Baumbach's While We're Young

 Even though Roger Dodger remains Jesse Eisenberg's best role and film in my opinion, it was Noah Baumbach who truly introduced us to the actor by casting him in The Squid and the Whale.  And now there's a possibility the two could be working together again, as the LA Times notes that Eisenberg is in talks to join Baumbach's latest, While We're Young.  As if their reunion wasn't enough to whet a lot of people's appetites, the trade also reports that Naomi Watts is in talks as well.

The film would follow a young couple who inspire an older, more uptight couple to loosen up and have some fun. The older, childless couple is feeling a bit lost as the rest of their friends start having kids. There's been some acting shake-ups on the film already, with Greta Gerwig, Cate Blanchett, and James Franco having been attached in the past, but all having dropped out for various reasons.

The one constant has been Baumbach's Greenberg star, Ben Stiller, who I'm assuming will play part of the older couple. Which means Watts would likely play the other. Eisenberg and whoever his co-star turns out to be would be part of the younger. Sounds like an idea that's right up Baumbach's alley. I just hope he makes his characters likable for once.

This one is firmly in the rumor camp for now, but I hope it turns out to be true. 

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Noah Baumbach snags Ben Stiller, James Franco for 'While We're Young'

I wasn't the biggest fan of the last collaboration between Noah Baumbach and Ben Stiller. That would be Greenberg, which had Stiller starring as an angry, uptight dude with some serious mid-life crisis issues goin' on. It had it's good qualities, in particular an eye opening performance by Greta Gerwig. She's definitely on my radar now. Stiller was in rare form as well. My biggest problem with it was script related.

Baumbach and Stiller must've had a heck of a time workin' together because they've been rumored to be workin' together on other upcoming projects, but now there's one that appears to be next on the list and right up their respective alleys.  Vulture reports that Baumbach and Stiller will be collaborating on While We're Young, a story about how a documentary filmmaker and his wife are inspired to loosen up by a hip, young couple.  James Franco is on board already, likely as one of the hip cats. There's a possibility that Cate Blanchett and Greta Gerwig(yay!!) could come aboard as well, but that's yet to be confirmed.

Other than The Squid and the Whale and Fantastic Mr. Fox, Greenberg was my favorite Baumbach film. He and Stiller seem to have a rapport that works out well for both of them, so I'm curious to see where this goes.

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