Elizabeth Olsen, Bryan Cranston circling Godzilla remake

[babz]

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118065783/

While Legendary Pictures awaits a Frank Darabont polish on its "Godzilla" script, the studio continues to assemble its cast, entering talks with Elizabeth Olsen and Bryan Cranston to co-star.
Aaron Johnson is also in talks. Sources stress that no deals will be done until the finished script materializes.

Gareth Edwards is directing with Warner Bros. distributing. Legendary's Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni will produce along with Mary Parent, who helped produce "Pacific Rim" for Legendary.

Character descriptions, along with other plot details, are under wraps for now.

Pic will bow May 16, 2014, with production expected to start next month. Even with Darabont still tinkering, Legendary found it important to lock in its leads to make its March start time.

Best known for her breakout role in the 2011 Sundance pic "Martha Marcy May Marlene," the Gersh-repped Olsen has largely stuck to her indie roots with roles in "Kill Your Darlings" and "Liberal Arts." She does have FilmDistrict's remake of "Oldboy" set to bow later this year, but "Godzilla" would mark her first tentpole feature.

Olsen had been on the lookout for a franchise pic with Paramount showing interest for her on "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" reboot and testing for "Captain America: Winter Soldier," for a role that eventually went to Emily VanCamp.

With "Breaking Bad" going into its final season, Cranston's schedule should be opening up for more film roles. The UTA-repped actor was able to squeeze in Sony's "Total Recall" and Warner Bros.' "Argo" while also filming a 16-episode season of the AMC show.

Honestly, this is a bad career move. I don't think any young starlets should do a blockbuster unless it has an established fanbase, it's a huge risk. She is on her way to being considered an Oscar contender....don't fuck it up.

[Thomas]

Can we trust someone named Gareth?

This looks really B.

[RRA]

Yeah I'm all for a good Godzilla live-action movie, but....I don't think it can be done honestly.

Nevermind that 1998 movie who's own shit took their own shit on that property as far as I'm concerned. Godzilla to me is a dude in rubber suit molesting a guy in another monster rubber suit, rolling around in cardboard Tokyo against Japan's army of 10 people.

[Greg]

I love that it has a release date before a script. Quality!

[Donezo]

Oh Lizze Olsen.......already losing parts to Emily Van Camp. Everything looked so promising two short years ago!

[Thomas]

I love that it has a release date before a script. Quality!

The words "awaits a Frank Darabont polish" screams Cannes!

[RRA]

Fun Fact: Jean Reno had to pass on another movie to do that '98 GODZILLA.

That movie was THE MATRIX.

Thus Hugo Weaving gets jobs in Hollywood as a result.

See good can come from worthless shit.

Speaking of shit, the best part of the '98 Godzilla movie wasn't in the movie itself. Emmerich and Devlin really were pissed at Siskel & Ebert for giving them bad reviews for years so they made Siskel & Ebert-chariactures as revenge, except the real Siskel & Ebert were honored. (They gave GODZILLA big thumbs down, and disapointed that their characters weren't eaten or stomped.)

[Thomas]

That's really fun, I was LOLing.

[RRA]

That's really fun, I was LOLing.

Honestly the only interesting thing about this new Godzilla is the piss fight between the producers and Legendary Pictures and WB, lawsuits flying around, egos clashing.

Which in itself is big news for nerds because Legendary Pictures was the majority funder for Nolan's Batman movies and the last two Superman films including MAN OF STEEL. If they and WB end up divorcing....indeed who will then raise the cash for those DC movies that WB is desperate to fast track?

EDIT - my favorite fateful casting change in recent times is still that fateful decision by Dougary Scott to pull out of a Marvel movie because of a Tom Cruise movie he was working on, thus we all know who Hugh Jackman is but not Dougary Scott (or if we do, but he hasn't given us a reason to give a shit.)

[Thomas]

I give shits.

[RRA]

I give shits.

You're very charitable.

[Greg]

Trivia time with RRA!

[RRA]

Trivia time with RRA!

Fun Fact: I'm not stuck here at AD. The rest of you are stuck with me.

[siowafc]

I really liked Dougray Scott's Oscar-caliber work in Death Race: Inferno.

[RRA]

I really liked Dougray Scott's Oscar-caliber work in Death Race: Inferno.

Don't forget his award-worthy performance in HITMAN.

[kupo]

Gareth Edward's Monsters is actually a really fascinating monster flick made with a lot of integrity. It's on Netflix Instant if you want to check it out. He was actually a really inspired choice. Whether he'll deliver, of course, is another issue entirely.

[Blasty]

Fun Fact: Jean Reno had to pass on another movie to do that '98 GODZILLA.

That movie was THE MATRIX.

Thus Hugo Weaving gets jobs in Hollywood as a result.

See good can come from worthless shit.

Speaking of shit, the best part of the '98 Godzilla movie wasn't in the movie itself. Emmerich and Devlin really were pissed at Siskel & Ebert for giving them bad reviews for years so they made Siskel & Ebert-chariactures as revenge, except the real Siskel & Ebert were honored. (They gave GODZILLA big thumbs down, and disapointed that their characters weren't eaten or stomped.)

This story reminds me of the 2-Headed monster creature from Willow:



That George Lucas decided to lovingly call the 'Siskbert'.

[kissfromarose]

They should bring back Maria Pitillo.

[Aurelius]

I love that it has a release date before a script. Quality!

It shows Hollywood's corporate thinking. Every project I have ever done except for one has done this. That project was the best thing I ever worked on.

[CMJ]

Gareth Edward's Monsters is actually a really fascinating monster flick made with a lot of integrity. It's on Netflix Instant if you want to check it out. He was actually a really inspired choice. Whether he'll deliver, of course, is another issue entirely.

I agree....I dug the hell out of Monsters (one my biggest pleasant surprises of recent years - I had zero expectations walking in), so I'll give his take on Godzilla a shot.