The narrative architect behind the Bourne film series, Tony Gilroy, takes the helm in the next chapter of the hugely popular espionage franchise that has earned almost $1 billion at the global box office: The Bourne Legacy. The writer/director expands the Bourne universe created by Robert Ludlum with an original story that introduces us to a new hero (Jeremy Renner) whose life-or-death stakes have been triggered by the events of the first three films. For The Bourne Legacy, Renner joins fellow series newcomers Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Stacy Keach and Oscar Isaac, while franchise veterans Albert Finney, Joan Allen, David Strathairn and Scott Glenn reprise their roles.

The Bourne Legacy opens on August 3rd.

Source: iTunes trailers

If you’ve seen the trailer, then you know the twist that comes halfway though the movie. If the studio hadn’t added it to the trailer, it would have had a bigger shock value to the movie. The lucky thing is that there is another twist that’s not seen coming. The movie starts off really well and it is in fact really creepy at times. Once Will starts looking for what happened at the house, the movie loses itself. It becomes a bit convoluted. Once the first twist comes the movie seems to find some footing and becomes a bit interesting again. The film isn’t much of a horror movie like the trailers and commercials would have you believe. It’s more of a mystery-love story.

The directing by Jim Sherian (My Left Foot, In the Name of the Father) is really good here. The movie has a great look and can be fun to watch at time. The acting from Craig, Weisz and Naomi Watts, who plays a neighbor, Ann Patterson, who might have the answer to all Will’s questions, are really solid. Craig and Weisz, who later married after meeting on the set of this movie, had great chemistry here. The problems come from the script, written by David Loucka (The Dream Team, Eddie). The story and idea is an interesting one, but the script is uneven and seems like the entire movie was made just to have the twists. There are a lot of positives, but not enough to make the script worth caring about. There have been many movies that have handled twist endings so much better than this one. If you have to see it, I’d say wait until you can rent it on DVD, and even then, maybe just wait until it hits HBO or Showtime.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Deadline is reporting she’s in “deep talks” or whatever that means , as this new film will follow “an operative from a covert government program that is even more dangerous than the Treadstone brainwashing program that hatched Bourne.”

More on this I’m sure as it develops for its Summer 2012 release.

Deadline Hollywood reports that Rachel Weisz (Constantine, The Lovely Bones), Naomi Watts (King Kong, Fair Game), Blake Lively (Green Lantern, The Town), Natalie Portman (Black Swan, Thor), Anne Hathaway (Get Smart, Valentine’s Day) and Keira Knightley (Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy, Never Let Me Go)  are in talks with Nolan to join the cast. The actresses won’t be competing for the same role. It’s said one is for a villain, and the other a love interest for Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale). Of course, Nolan is keeping the identity of the character a secret, so much that even Tom Hardy doesn’t know what character he’s playing.

No doubt the first character that comes to mind would be Selina Kyle/Catwoman, who has been speculated to appear as a villain (here). However, that may not be the case as she has been known to play both a love interest to Batman and a villain. Although, a couple of those actresses certainly have been known to take on roles of tough females, and would be a good choice for Catwoman. There’s also a chance anyone of those could be Talia al Ghul of Harley Quinn. Natalie Portman may be more fit for a love interest than a villain, and with the buzz off her performance in Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan, we can bet that Nolan is looking at her closely. We should know soon who gets cast in the film, and what characters they’ll play soon.

Production will kick-off in April for a release in July of 2012.

Darren Aronofsky is attached to this particular piece as director, marking this as the second time that himself and Weisz have collaborated together on a feature, the first time being on The Fountain. Right now Aronofsky is in the middle of post production on the Natalie Portman starring thriller Black Swan, scheduled to be released in theaters sometime in 2010.

Cinema Blend has more on the developing story, which a possibly cool decision story-wise if Weisz does sign up for the newest sequel.:

Our source says that’s exactly what they’re discussing behind the scenes of Bond 23. In fact, they’re considering Weisz to play the head of Quantum, the secret organization responsible for all the bad guy activity in the last two films. More than just another Bond babe, she’d be the mastermind pulling the strings behind everything that’s happened in Daniel Craig’s Bond movies so far, and the architect of James Bond’s suffering.

This is neither confirmed or denied by anybody, so once again we toss this into the rumor mill. Bond 23 at the moment will be directed by Sam Mendes with Peter Morgan writing the script, having Daniel Craig reprising the role once more as the charming and cunning James Bond.

If they went along with this story line, would you take it? Or would you rather somebody else fill the role or be the next Bond girl?

Everwood

The second one of the three projects Smith is a part of is Whirligig, an independent drama by Chaz Throne with Smith as a young man who hits rock bottom and returns home to live with his parents. He find comfort with his married neighbor, and when he befriends the woman’s adopted 12-year old Vietnamese son, family secrets are revealed (THR).

The last of the projects is yet another independent feature entitled Conception, written and directed by Josh Stolberg. The story follows nine couples as they grapple with sex, love and pregnancy. Smith enters a relationship with a divorced woman (Julie Bowen) who has a child (THR).

The picture is penned by Borderline writer David Loucka with Brothers director Jim Sheridan taking the reins. Producing the picture is Daniel Bobker, Ehren Krueger, David Robinson and James G. Robinson under Morgan Creek. You can still watch Weisz on the big screen along with Saoirse Ronan and Mark Wahlberg in the Peter Jackson big screen adaptation of The Lovely Bones.

Based on the best-selling tome by Alice Sebold, The Lovely Bones tells the story of 14-year old Susie Salmon, who is raped and murdered by her neighbor in rural Pennsylvania on December 6, 1973. She is transported to an in-between realm between Heaven and Earth, where at one moment it can be beautiful in its scenery, and in another melancholy, with reminders of the world she has left behind.

She is befriended by a spirit guide Holly (Nikki Soohoo), who encourages her to move on and let her family heal their pains. Her father (Mark Wahlberg) and mother’s (Rachel Weisz) marriage has become fractured as Jack spends his time looking for his daughter’s killer and ignores Abigail, who takes time away from the household so she can deal with the loss of her child.

Susie cannot come to terms with the fact that her life was cut short by a hollow human being who has covered his tracks and has gotten away with this heinous crime. Little does she know that she is not the first victim of George Harvey (Stanley Tucci), and if she doesn’t intervene somehow, she won’t be the last.

It’s might sound alarming to call a movie which deals with such ugly subject matter as beautiful – but it is -  Peter Jackson, the Art Directors, and the CGI team have created a piece of artwork come to life with Technicolor vibrancy as seasons change and drip with colors as environments diversify depending on where you are. This is world that a young girl has created where she can be happy and surrounded by symbollic imagery of the world she left behind. This is also a period piece – and like with David Fincher’s Zodiac - the 1970′s Americana is nailed with the the clothes, technology, and innocence of a time where you felt comfortable leaving your child for a moment, long before kids were put on milk cartons when they were missing.

Across the board the acting was strong, but Stanley Tucci and Saoirse Ronan steal the show with Oscar caliber performances as the sinister killer and his innocent prey. Tucci is genuinely menacing in his role and never takes it into the over the top arena. Subtly goes along way in bringing some trust from his victims, as witnessed in his luring of Susie to a perverted room under the ground equipped with board games and soda pop. Saoirse captures the purity of a young girl who enjoys the little things in life like taking pictures with her camera and having a crush on a boy at school. She is happy to be alive in the world and has a bright future to look forward to.

Since I have not read the book, I can’t tell you if the writing team of Peter Jackson, Philippa Boyens, and Fran Walsh (Jackson’s wife) screenplay has divagted from its original source material, but I can assure you that after a four-year rest (King Kong) from directing, Peter Jackson has delivered a long in the tooth, yet exhilarating fable that is similar to the after life ambitions seen in Richard Matheson’s What Dreams May Come. His career has come full circle as The Lovely Bones has the dramatic and fantastic elements seen in his 1996 endeavor Heavenly Creatures, which was his first detour away from scares and proving he could conquer any genre.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

New clip from The Lovely Bones called ‘Have a Few Questions’:

The Lovely Bones Exclusive Clip

Trailer Park | MySpace Video

Kondracki recently wrote along with Nadia Benamara and directed the 2009 film “Viko”. Weisz is set to appear in the Peter Jackson directed film “The Lovely Bones” which is opening in theaters on January 15, 2010.

The film is directed by Peter Jackson, who is best known for two outstanding trilogies – his early horror films (Bad Taste, Meet The Feebles, Dead-Alive) and the Lord of the Rings .

Dreamworks plans a limited release (for Oscar consideration) in December, before going nationwide on January, 15 2010.

Synopsis: Based on the critically acclaimed best-selling novel by Alice Sebold, and directed by Oscar® winner Peter Jackson from a screenplay by Jackson & Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens, The Lovely Bones centers on a young girl who has been murdered and watches over her family – and her killer – from heaven. She must weigh her desire for vengeance against her desire for her family to heal. Oscar® nominee Mark Wahlberg and Oscar® winners Rachel Weisz and Susan Sarandon star along with Stanley Tucci, Michael Imperioli and Oscar® nominee Saoirse Ronan.

Source: Yahoo

An Education: Winner of the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival, An Education is the one of the biggest front runners in this year’s Oscar race, with across the board praise for its female lead Carey Mulligan, and raves for lead actor Peter Sarsgaard, and supporting performance by the under appreciated Alfred Molina. At this point, Carey Mulligan is the biggest front runner in all the races combined with an assured nomination and possible victory.

The Lovely Bones:  Peter Jackson‘s highly anticipated return comes in the adaptation of the Alice Sebold novel The Lovely Bones.  The film tells the story of a young woman who is brutally raped and murdered and watches from heaven, as her family tries to cope with the loss, and try to solve what or why it happened.  One of the biggest front runners in this year’s Oscar race has already been screened  a  few times, and is slowly loosing steam as reviews come in saying the film is magnificent, but plays more as a thriller, rather than solid drama.  Keep a look out for technical nominations, as well as nominations in lead for past Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan of Atonement, and supporting nominations for Rachel Weisz, as with as the big ones for Best Picture, Director and Adapted Screenplay.

Avatar:  To put this film, as being highly anticipated would not do the film justice with fans and fanboys, to see what the master filmmaker has conjured up with his first feature length film since 1997′s record breaking phenomenon Titanic.  Oscar prognosticators seem to be at odds whether the film will be a Best Picture nominee, with the Academy changing to 10 films, but those  who have seen cuts or scenes from the film overwhelmingly believe it can.  Expect the film to sweep the technical categories.

Precious: Based on the novel “Push” by Sapphire :  Already the front runner for a Supporting Actress win, Mo’Nique seems to be on every one’s radar at the moment, since the film’s reception at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, where the film went on to win the coveted Grand Jury Prize, along with the Audience Award.  The film has been slowly gaining steam towards a Best Picture nomination, as well as, a nom for Gabourey Sidibe as the film’s lead playing an overweight black woman who is pregnant with her second child, and under pressure from her cruel mother (Mo’Nique), while seeking guidance from a social worker (Mariah Carey).

Nine : On the Oscar train since the film’s announcement; Nine marks the return to the musical for Chicago director Rob Marshall in an adaptation of the Broadway play of the same name.  The film stars a virtual roster of Oscar winners and nominees, with Judy Dench, Kate Hudson, Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Sophia Loren, Nicole Kidman and in the singing and dancing lead, Daniel Day Lewis.  Early buzz has been mixed, but likely to take a Best Picture nomination, as well as, acting categories going either way for Judy Dench and Marion Cotillard.

Bright Star: Still the only female to every win the best director award at the Cannes film festival, Jane Campion returns with Bright Star, an original screenplay of her own that tells  of poet John Keats and his lover Fanny Brawne, played by Abbie Cornish in a star making performance, whose previous work in Candy and Stop-Loss first put the talented actress on the Hollywood map.  Though the film’s reception has considerably cooled since it’s Cannes premiere, the film is growing a strong following hoping to muster up some Oscar attention, with its best chances in the lead actress and original screenplay categories.

The Road: Loved by many, and indifferent to others, the film tells the incredibly bleak story of a father and son on their trek to to the coast in a post apocalyptic America.  Viggo Mortenson returns in top form as the father protecting his son, played by Kodi Smit-McPhee.  Both actors are looking to earn Oscar nominations for their respective performances, but with Mortenson and the film’s cinematography so far the one’s up ahead.

The Hurt Locker:   One of the summer’s breakout films The Hurt Locker has been receiving raves since its premier at the Venice Film Festival last year and has not slowed down since.  The Hurt Locker is primed for Oscar gold with enough love for the film to earn its slot in the Oscar top 10 list, as well as, nomination love for Best Director Kathryn Bigelow, and possible nomination for lead actor Jeremy Renner and supporting actor Anthony Mackie.

UP:  With Oscar prognosticators still reeling over last year’s omission of Wall*E in the Best Picture category, UP seems to have all the right marks to fit the bill, and give Pixar its coveted Best Picture nomination, a first for an animated film since 1991′s Beauty and the Beast.

Amelia: Beloved director Mira Nair returns with the ambitious biopic of legendary pilot Amelia Earhart played by Oscar winner Hilary Swank in an attempt to get Oscar number 3.  Don’t expect Ms. Swank to obtain the win, but a nomination is very likely for the film, along with coveted Best Picture nomination and long shot nominations for Richard Gere and Ewen McGregor, to have the next possible acting nominations outside of the film’s technical nominations.

Invictus:  In the most obvious Oscar film out there, the secretive Invictus tells pseudo biopic of famed civil rights activist Nelson Mandela, played by Morgan Freeman and his hosting of the 1995 Rugby World Cup, in hopes to unify his country with Matt Damon, as one of the film’s rugby players.  With the film directed by Oscar winner Clint Eastwood and previous Oscar track record look for Invictus to do well at the big show.

A Prophet: France’s official entry into the Best Foreign Film race, as well as hopes to crack the Best Picture race, A Prophet has earned nothing but raves, with many calling the film the best prison film ever made, with comparisons to last year’s Gomorrah.

Up In The Air: Jason Reitman returns again from the Toronto International Film Festival, after his success last year with Juno, with his new dramedy Up In The Air starring a never better George Clooney, in what folks are describing as the best film of the year so far (up till September). It’s a story of a lonely businessman working up to 10 million frequent flyer miles, who falls for a similar woman on the way played by Vera Farmiga.  Look for the film to aim toward nominations for lead George Clooney, supporting noms for Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga, as well as luck for Best Picture, Director and Adapted Screenplay.

The Informant! : Based on the book by Kurt Eichenwald, Warner Bros. is looking to gain some serious momentum towards getting the Steven Soderbergh dark comedy nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay, as well as a Best Actor for Matt Damon as the corporate whistle blower.

A Single Man: After earning raves at this year’s Venice Film Festival and winning the fest’s Golden Lion Award, along with Best Actor Colin Firth, A Single Man is shaping up to be this year’s dark horse. The film tells the story of  a gay college professor, who learns his lover has died. It has just been purchased by The Weinstein Company, and we all know how  well they do come Oscar time.

Get Low: In the dark dramedy starring  Robert DuVall in a performance earning him raves surpassing his work in The Apostle, Get Low tells the folk fairy tale of a man about a 1930′s recluse who goes as far as throwing his funeral party while still alive.

And if the film gets released this year, look for Terrence Malick to score well with his highly secretive film starring Brad Pitt and Sean Penn in The Tree of Life, but seeing as the man takes around 2 years per film and takes even longer in between, we can never count him in the race until  his film is completed.  The film’s plot has been keptsecret by the studio, but is known to be a 1950′s period peace telling  a multi-generational family story, with information leaked that Malick is indeed working with CGI for the first time including pre-historic dinosaurs.