Harrison Ford and Ahnuld on the set of Expendables 3

Principal photography is officially underway in Bulgaria (Yes, Bulgaria) for the 3rd part of Sylvester Stallone's action franchise. The Governator snapped this photo of himself, director Patrick Hughes and Harrison Ford on the set during the first day of filming and posted it to his instagram account yesterday.

He should have plenty of other photo ops coming up with  Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, Antonio Banderas, Mel Gibson and Wesley Snipes also on board.

"Expendables 3" opens August 15, 2014.

Matt Damon joining Nolan's "Interstellar"

Matt Damon's a busy guy. He's got "Elysium" in theaters, is in negotiations to return as Jason Bourne and now according to the playlist he's signed on for a part in Christopher Nolan's currently-in-production "Interstellar". No word on what his part entails though it's being called a "small, undisclosed" part.

I hope for his sake and the sake of the rest of the top-notch cast Nolan has enlisted for "Interstellar" that this effort doesn't drown in its own heaviosity the way "Inception" did.

A new clip from "Riddick"

Riddick faces off against one seriously gnarly alien and must save his CG puppy from depixelation in this clip from the 3rd installment in Vin Diesel's other franchise.


"Riddick" hits theaters September 6th.

"47 Ronin" starring Keanu Reeves - International trailer

Mr Reeves has been pretty quiet the past few years but he's about to try and reclaim his place in contemporary Hollywood with this big budget action film. Le blurb...

Keanu Reeves makes an explosive return to action-adventure in 47 Ronin. After a treacherous warlord kills their master and banishes their kind, 47 leaderless samurai vow to seek vengeance and restore honor to their people. Driven from their homes and dispersed across the land, this band of Ronin must seek the help of Kai (Reeves)--a half-breed they once rejected--as they fight their way across a savage world of mythic beasts, shape-shifting witchcraft and wondrous terrors.

As this exiled, enslaved outcast becomes their most deadly weapon, he will transform into the hero who inspires this band of outnumbered rebels to seize eternity.


"47 Ronin" will attempt to seize eternity on Christmas day.

The top 10 movies for the weekend of August 23 - August 25, 2013

1) The Butler	$16.5 Million
2) We're the Millers	$13 Million
3) The Mortal Instruments	$9.3 Million
4) The World's End	$8.7 Million
5) Planes	$8.5 Million
6) You're Next	$7 Million
7) Elysium	$6.9 Million
8) Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters	$5.2 Million
9) Kick Ass 2	$4.3 Million
10) Blue Jasmine	$3.9 Million

The number one movie a year ago this week was Liongate's "Expendables 2" which held on to the top spot for a second week with $13.4 million in ticket sales.

(Green indicates new release)

Matt Damon in talks to return as Jason Bourne

Twitch is reporting that Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass are in negotiations to return to the Bourne franchise. With Damon stating repeatedly that he'd only consider doing another Bourne film if Greengrass is directing its no surprise to hear the studio is talking to both simultaneously.

Where this will leave Jeremy Renner is anyone's guess but I suppose if you're Universal it's good to have options going forward.

Slew of new images from "Thor: The Dark World"

We thought we'd take advantage of a slow month for movie news by skipping out of town for a few days but we're back now and ready to go. First up is a baker's dozen of new pics from "Thor: The Dark World" that Empire posted recently. Malekith is front and center in this batch of photos and he looks appropriately creepy and dangerous but he's not the only one making an appearance. We also see the big guy and his brother Loki along with several other returnees from the original film; including Stellan Skarsgard looking fetching in the latest academic-wear out of jolly old Oxford.

See the entire set over at empireonline.

Ben Affleck as Batman? Really?

OPINION: At the risk of generating a flurry of correspondences whose main argument is what a "hater" I am I have just one thing to say about the announcement that Ben Affleck will be playing Batman opposite Henry Cavill's Superman: I hate this idea.

That's not to say I hate Mr Affleck. I've never met the guy and for all I know he's a champion human being. I also really liked "The Town" and congratulate Benjamin on developing into a top-notch director. However, Ben Affleck as Batman is one of the worst, if not the worst, casting decision since Sophia Coppola in "Godfather Part III". Affleck simply doesn't possess the complex, alternately charming/menacing persona the part requires. When he's trying to look tough he looks like he's trying to look tough and he never seems all the comfy around the ladies either; a big problem if you're trying to portray a billionaire playboy.

No Ben Affleck should continue to cultivate his directing career and DC et al should announce it was all a really early (or really late) April fool's joke and that they'll have an actual announcement next month or something. Then everyone can go back to looking forward to the upcoming Batman/Superman movie instead of erasing it from their 'must see' list for 2015.

Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.

Poster for Terry Gilliam's " The Zero Theorum"

"An eccentric and reclusive computer genius plagued with existential angst works on a mysterious project aimed at discovering the purpose of existence—or the lack thereof—once and for all."

Starring Christoph Waltz, Mélanie Thierry, David Thewlis, Peter Stormare, Tilda Swinton, Ben Whishaw and Matt Damon "The Zero Theorum" is set to debut in Europe at the end of 2013, though there is no  theatrical release date for the US at this time.

New UK trailer for Ridley Scott's "The Counselor"

When this project was being talked about a year or so ago I must admit I didn't give it much thought. It seemed like little more than a weigh station for Scott on the road to some other higher-priority project like the Prometheus or Blade Runner sequels. As footage has gradually leaked out though it seems clearer and clearer that this not a practice round before the big tournament. This is the real deal. The Cormac McCarthy story is one of an LA lawyer deciding to dip his toe into the drug biz to make a quick score like his parents might have done in the 60s. But its not the 60s and the people running the business in SoCal these days are not the hippie couple down the block but very, very nasty, conniving, unforgiving bastards with little (if any) fear of anyone or anything.

Featuring Michael Fassbender, Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Brad Pitt and Cameron Diaz (in a rare serious role) "The Counselor" is quickly moving up my list of must see films for this fall.


"The Counselor" opens October 25th.