February 2004
February 26th, 2004
Paramount Classics Weighs in for Bale Drama
By Chris Gardner
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Paramount Classics has snapped up distribution rights to the Sundance Film Festival (news - web sites) selection "The Machinist," a drama for which Christian Bale (news) lost 65 lbs.
Reuters
Slideshow: Sundance Film Festival
The specialty division has acquired rights to the Filmax International picture in North America, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand. It is planning a late-2004 release.
Bale plays a factory machinist Trevor Reznik, who has not slept in a year. His lack of sleep has led to a deterioration in his physical and mental health, and he struggles to come to terms with his breakdown. Jennifer Jason Leigh (news), Michael Ironside (news), Aitana Sanchez Gijon and John Sharian also star. Brad Anderson directed.
Separately Universal Pictures has struck a deal for domestic distribution rights for the romantic comedy "Prime," starring Sandra Bullock (news) and Meryl Streep (news). The project is in preproduction with a fall start planned. Written and to be directed by Ben Younger, "Prime" centers on a successful thirtysomething woman (Bullock) who inadvertently falls for the twentysomething son of her therapist (Streep).
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
February 25th, 2004
Paramount Classics acquires Sundance thriller "The Machinist" from Filmax.
February 24th, 2004
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Ken Watanabe will follow his Oscar-nominated performance in "The Last Samurai" by squaring off against Christian Bale in the upcoming Batman movie.
The untitled Warner Bros. project is scheduled to start production next month in London. Christopher Nolan ("Insomnia") is directing.
Watanabe will play the villainous Ra's Al Ghul, an immortal strategic mastermind who wants to bring his own brand of order to the world.
He joins Bale, cast as Bruce Wayne/Batman; Michael Caine as Wayne's trusted butler Alfred; Katie Holmes as a childhood friend of Wayne's; Liam Neeson as Wayne's mentor Henri Ducard; and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, a former board member and sidelined employee of Wayne Enterprises.
Watanabe made his English-language debut with Warner Bros.' "The Last Samurai," though he has been acting since the early 1980s in Japan, where he is a household name, known for playing heroic samurai roles.
Seems like RTL got something wrong here ...
February 22nd, 2004
According to RTL Videotext both Morgan Freeman (as Lucius Fox) and Liam Neeson (as Ra's al Ghul) have joined the cast of Batman: Intimidation.
February 13th, 2004
Christian is in Berlin to attend the screening of "The Machinist" at the Zoo Palast movie theatre (9:30 pm). The movie is being shown as part of the "Panorama" section of the festival.
The press conference for the movie was held Friday afternoon, unfortunately he didn't attend.
February 12th, 2004
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Liam Neeson is in final negotiations to star opposite Christian Bale in Warner Bros. Pictures' upcoming Batman movie.
Neeson would join Bale -- set to play Bruce Wayne, a.k.a. Batman -- and Michael Caine, who is appearing as Wayne's butler, Alfred. Katie Holmes and Cillian Murphy also have been cast. The studio declined comment on Neeson's role. Christopher Nolan is directing.
Neeson, who was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Oskar Schindler in "Schindler's List," was most recently seen in "Love Actually." His recent credits include "Gangs of New York" and "Star Wars: Episode 1 -- The Phantom Menace." He will next appear in "Kinsey," in the title role of the noted sex researcher, and is shooting "Kingdom of Heaven."