Malin Akerman has 'The Ticket'; Ty Simpkins Joins 'Meadowland'; 'A Hundred Streets' Adds Samantha Barks

 Malin Akerman, whose ABC sitcom Trophy Wife was recently cancelled, has locked a starring role opposite Dan Stevens in The Ticket. Written and directed by Ido Fluk and produced by Oren Moverman, the indie drama centers on a sightless man who suddenly regains his vision only to be “blinded” by his obsession with the superficial. Akerman will play Stevens' wife who is left by him when his sight returns. That's probably the most absurd thing about it. Who in their right mind would dump Malin Akerman? [Deadline]

The cast of Reed Morano's ensemble drama Meadowland is expanding by the hour, it seems. With Olivia Wilde, Luke Wilson, Elisabeth Moss, Natasha Lyonne, and the recently-added Yolanda Ross already on board, the latest addition is Iron Man 3 and Jurassic World's  Ty Simpkins. The story centers on a couple who are struggling with the disappearance of their son. Simkpins will play a troubled special needs child at the school where Sarah (Wilde) teaches.

The Idris Elba/Gemma Arterton drama One Square Mile is undergoing some changes. Not only has it been renamed A Hundred Streets, but Samantha Barks (Les Miserables) is joining the indie drama's cast. Directed by Jim O'Hanlon the film will tell interconnected stories of people within one square mile of each other in London. [ScreenDaily]

Read More

The World Needs a Monster in First Trailer for 'Dracula Untold' Starring Luke Evans

*UPDATE* The first trailer released a few days ago was a leak, but here's the official one from Universal. Hey, they're exactly the same!

The story of Dracula has been told just about every way imaginable since Bram Stoker introduced us to the king of vampires back in the 19th century. There have been countless movies, a recent TV series, he's a Marvel supervillain, not to mention Dracula's face has been plastered on cereal boxes and in animated movies for kids. Basically, being Dracula, and by extension vampires as a whole, are no longer much of a big deal. But one thing we haven't seen much of is the story behind the real-life man who inspired Dracula's story, and that's about to change with the help of some big budget special effects in Dracula Untold.

Starring the red-hot Luke Evans and marking Gary Shore's directorial debut, the first trailer for Dracula Untold comes with a great deal of spectacle in the Game of Thrones mold. Evans plays Vlad Tepes, later known as Vlad the Impaler), who fights to save his family from the threat of Mehmed the Conqueror (Dominic Cooper), and in an effort to protect them makes a deal with an ancient creature that turns him into Dracula. "Sometimes the world doesn't need another hero. Sometimes what it needs is a monster". Sarah Gadon plays Vlad's understandably concerned wife as her husband begins to transform, while Les Miserables' star Samantha Barks also has a role.

Obviously this is playing fast and loose with Vlad's story but some moments, like when he attacks Mehmed's men for trying to recruit his son for war, are based on a actual events.  Dracula Untold hits theaters on October 17th when it should appeal to the Halloween crowd.


Dracula Untold Official Trailer (2014) Luke Evans, Horror HD by NewTrailers BOS

Read More

'Les Miserables' Star Samantha Barks Joins 'Dracula' with Luke Evans

Vampire movies aren't going away any time soon, but there does seem to be an effort to make them interesting and thrilling again, and more than just fodder for teen romance movies. After kicking around in various stages of development for years, a film based on the origin of king vamp Dracula finally took a big step forward when Luke Evans came aboard, and now the latest addition if Samantha Barks, coming off her breakthrough performance in Les Miserables.

Barks is set to play Baba Yaga, which is a powerful witch from Eastern European folklore. Others joining the already announced duo of Dominic Cooper and Sarah Gadon are Art Parkinson (Game of Thrones) as Dracula's son, Charlie Cox (Boardwalk Empire) in an unknown role, and Icelandic actor Thor Kristjansson as a slave boy who grows into an assassin for the Ottoman Empire.

With Gary Shore directing, the film will chronicle how Transylvanian prince Vlad became Dracula by risking eternal damnation to save his family from a Turkish army's onslaught. Dracula hits theaters on August 8th 2014. [THR]

Read More