Moviefone Editorial

Tag: peter jackson

  • New ‘Mortal Engines’ Trailer Incites City Battles in Peter Jackson’s Fantasy Adaptation

    Peter Jackson knows a thing or two about world-building in films and his fingerprints are all over the new trailer for “Mortal Engines,” even if he didn’t direct it himself.

    Jackson did co-write the screenplay with “Lord of the Rings” collaborators Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens. His protege, Christian Rivers, takes the director’s chair for the first time for this adaptation of Philip Reeve’s sci-fi fantasy novel.

    The story takes place in the future, when cities roam Earth on wheels, battling each other for resources. It’s survival of the fastest. Then, two unlikely heroes forge an alliance that will change the course of the future.

    There’s a lot going on, visually, in the trailer. Much of it is stunning, of course; Rivers is a former visual effects artist. But there is a lot going on, plot-wise, in the trailer, too, and it comes across as a bit dense and impenetrable. The cast includes Hugo Weaving, Hera Hilmar, Robert Sheehan, Jihae, Ronan Raftery, Leila George, Patrick Malahide and Stephen Lang

    “Mortal Engines” opens in theaters December 14.

  • Ashley Judd Sues Harvey Weinstein for Harming Her Career

    Actress Ashley Judd is suing Harvey Weinstein, claiming the disgraced producer harmed her career when he spread lies about her after she rejected his sexual advances.

    Judd’s lawsuit charges Weinstein with defamation, sexual harassment, intentional interference with prospective economic advantage and unfair competition.

    On “Good Morning America,” the actress said, “I lost opportunity, I lost money, I lost status and prestige and power in my career as a direct result of having been sexually harassed and rebuffing the sexual harassment.”

    The suit says Judd did not realize “something unseen was holding her back from obtaining the work she wanted, and had been doing so for decades.”

    Then, in December, “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson came forward to admit that he was warned by Weinstein not to cast Judd or Mira Sorvino in the movies.

    “I recall Miramax telling us [Judd and Sorvino] were a nightmare to work with and we should avoid them at all costs,” he said.

    “At the time, we had no reason to question what these guys were telling us, but in hindsight, I realize that this was very likely the Miramax smear campaign in full swing,” Jackson continued. “I now suspect we were fed false information about both of these talented women, and as a direct result their names were removed from our casting list.”

    Judd’s suit alleges that Weinstein bad-mouthed her as payback for refusing his sexual advances, which she detailed to the New York Times last fall.

    The actress said any compensation she wins will be donated to the Times Up Legal Defense Fund.

    Weinstein spokesman Juda Engelmayer refuted the suit’s claims in a statement: “The most basic investigation of the facts will reveal that Mr. Weinstein neither defamed Ms. Judd nor ever interfered with Ms. Judd’s career, and instead not only championed her work but also repeatedly approved her casting for two of his movies over the next decade. The actual facts will show that Mr. Weinstein was widely known for having fought for Ms. Judd as his first choice for the lead role in ‘Good Will Hunting’ and, in fact, arranged for Ms. Judd to fly to New York to be considered for the role. Thereafter, Ms. Judd was hired for not one, but two of Mr. Weinstein’s movies, Frida in 2002 and ‘Crossing Over’ with Harrison Ford in 2009. We look forward to a vigorous defense of these claims.”

  • David Bowie Was Too Busy to Play Gandalf in ‘The Lord of the Rings’

    If director Peter Jackson had had his way, “The Lord of the Rings” would have featured none other than the late, great David Bowie in one of the trilogy’s key leading roles. Now, as the “LOTR” franchise celebrates its 15th anniversary this week, timed to the December 2001 release of “The Fellowship of the Ring,” fans finally know the reason why Bowie never made it into the trilogy.

    Earlier this year, actor Dominic Monaghan, who played Merry in the series, told the Huffington Post that he saw Bowie at a “LOTR” audition back when the franchise was first casting. While there was some speculation that Jackson wanted Bowie to play Gandalf, the heroic wizard who was eventually played by Ian McKellen, the exact circumstances of the rocker’s potential involvement in the franchise remained a bit of a mystery.

    In honor of the series’s big anniversary, the Huffington Post interviewed the “LOTR” casting director to get the real scoop about why Bowie never appeared in the films, and it turns out that the reason is a pretty simple one: He just didn’t have time.

    “He was unavailable,” casting director Amy Hubbard explained to HuffPo, confirming that Jackson was interested in Bowie for the Gandalf role. But the rocker’s schedule was so packed, he never even auditioned, according to Hubbard.

    “We approached him,” she told HuffPo. “I’m pretty sure it was Peter Jackson’s idea in the first few weeks that we got going. It was one that he’d always wondered about, and we rang [Bowie’s agent], and [Bowie] was far too busy.”

    Of course, McKellen wound up being perfect for the part, and today, it’s hard to picture anyone else in the role. Still, it’s curious to think about how Bowie would have fit into the “Lord of the Rings” universe. Would he have been willing to reprise his role for the “Hobbit” trilogy, as McKellen did? Would he have somehow found a way to wear glitter? We’ll never know, but it’s fun to imagine the possibilities.

    [via: Huffington Post]