Sony Pictures Moving Forward with Alvarez’s “The Girl in the Spider’s Web”

Posted on March 15, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Fede Alvarez is definitely walking into a spider’s web…

Sony Pictures will move forward with The Girl in the Spider’s Web, the long-in-the-works follow-up to the studio’s 2011 pic The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, with the 39-year-old Uruguayan filmmaker still on board to direct.

Principal photography is set to begin in September with a release date scheduled for October 5, 2018.

The Don’t Breathe helmer has been aboard to direct the new pic based on the Millennium book series created by Stieg Larsson.

It will feature a whole new cast, including the role of the books’ linchpin Lisbeth Salander, played by Noomi Rapace in the original Swedish trilogy and Rooney Mara in Sony’s Dragon Tattoo directed by David Fincher.

Steven Knight, Alvarez and Jay Basu penned the script for the new movie.

The Girl in the Spider’s Web is the fourth book in the Millennium series and was written by David Lagercrantz after Larsson’s death; the fifth, also from Lagercrantz, was just launched at the London Book Fair.

Columbia Pictures president Sanford Panitch announced the new pic at the post-launch cocktail party and said Alvarez is meeting with actresses to play Salander. David Beaubaire is overseeing the project for the studio, which holds rights to the entire Millennium book series.

Columbia/Sony’s 2011 film was based on the first book in Larsson’s hot international-bestselling series centering on Salander, a tough-as-nails hacker with a steel-trap mind and a heart of gold. It was nominated for five Oscars including for Mara as Best Actress and won one for Editing. The film made $232.6 million worldwide, but a planned sequel never materialized.

Larsson died suddenly in 2004 before the books were published.

“I’m hugely excited and grateful for this opportunity,” Alvarez said in the announcement. “Sony has become family to me, and I can’t think of a more thrilling project to celebrate our relationship. Lisbeth Salander is the kind of character any director dreams of bringing to life. We’ve got a great script and now comes the most fun part — finding our Lisbeth.”

Alvarez Partners with Good Universe to Launch Content Company “Bad Hombre”

Posted on February 7, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Fede Alvarez is taking Donald Trump’s words to task…

The 38-year-old Uruguayan filmmaker, best known for directing Evil Dead and Don’t Breathe, has partnered with Good Universe to launch Bad Hombre, a new content company that will produce films across the horror, thriller and sci-fi genres.

“Bad Hombre” will ring bells for many…

During the third and final presidential debate Trump, who has favored deporting those who have arrived in the U.S. illegally, said, “We have some bad hombres here, and we’re going to get them out.”

Most recently, A White House official confirmed that Trump told Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto earlier this month that he might send U.S. troops to deal with “bad hombres down there” if the Mexican military doesn’t.

The deal marks an ongoing relationship between Good Universe and Alvarez. Good Universe co-founders Joe Drake and Nathan Kahane served as executive producers on Alvarez’s first two feature films as director — Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead and Don’t Breathe via Ghost House Pictures — both of which were successful at the box office.

Evil Dead grossed $97.5M worldwide in 2013, while Don’t Breathe grossed $156.4M.

Alvarez will lead Bad Hombre creatively and has hired longtime collaborator Rodo Sayagues as an executive help build the slate of genre films.

Alvarez In Talks to Direct “Dante’s Inferno.”

Posted on September 18, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Fede Alvarez’s career is on fire…

The 35-year-old Uruguayan filmmaker is currently in talks to direct Dante’s Inferno.

Universal Pictures is setting Alvarez, the man behind the Evil Dead remake, to helm the live action adaptation of the Electronic Arts video game, which is rooted in the famous literary work.

The protagonist, Dante Aligheri is a knight who with the help of the poet Virgil ventures into the nine rings of hell to rescue his beloved Beatrice. In the process, he becomes an

unwitting pawn in an ancient war between heaven and hell. Rights to the video game were won by Universal several years ago in a bidding battle.

The game was released in 2010 for Xbox and PlayStation.

Álvarez’s “Evil Dead” Remake This Weekend’s Box Office Champ

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

The first time’s the charm for Fede Álvarez at the box office…

The 35-year-old Uruguayan filmmaker’s highly anticipated Evil Dead remake, his first feature film, proved to be the big winner at the North American box office in its opening weekend, earning an estimated $26 million.

The remake of Sam Raimi’s tale of demonic possession beat out the previous champ G.I. Joe: Retaliation, which came in No. 1 with an estimated $41.2 million last week.

Among the remakes of horror films, the Álvarez’s thriller earned more on opening weekend than Texas Chainsaw 3D, which opened to $21.7 million in January. But Evil Dead made less than Guillermo del Toro’s Mama, which earned $28.4 million in February. Receiving a “C+” from CinemaScore, it is predicted to wind up with around $50 million.

Here’s a look at this weekend’s Top 10 films at the box office:

1. Evil Dead – $26 million

2. G.I. Joe: Retaliation – $21.1 million (tie)

2. The Croods – $21.1 million (tie)

4. Jurassic Park – $18.2 million

5. Olympus Has Fallen – $10.4 million

6. Tyler Perry’s Temptation – $10 million

7. Oz: The Great and Powerful – $8.1 million

8. The Host (2013) – $5.2 million

9. The Call – $3.5 million

10. Admission – $2.05 million

The Release of Álvarez’s “Evil Dead” Moved Up to April

Posted on February 1, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Fede Álvarez will now face a Jurassic challenge at the box office…

Sony Pictures has shifted the release date for the 34-year-old Uruguayan filmmaker’s highly anticipated Evil Dead remake.

The horror film, being hailed as “the most terrifying film you will ever experience,” will now open nationwide on April 5, the same weekend that Universal Studios’ Jurassic Park 3D will be released.

Produced by the original film’s director and star – Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell respectively – Evil Dead will counter Steven Spielberg’s genetically engineered now-3D dinosaurs with R-rated gore and a twist on the classic Evil Dead premise that already has the genre crowd’s attention.

In addition, Álvarez’s film will compete against Danny Boyle’s Trance, starring Rosario Dawson. Although that film will be released in limited theaters.

Gomez’s “Spring Breakers” to Premiere at SXSW Film Festival

Posted on January 17, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

It looks like Selena Gomez will be spring breaking in Austin this March…

The 20-year-old half-Mexican American actress/singer’s highly anticipated Spring Breakers will have its United States premiere at the SXSW Film Conference and Festival in Austin, taking place March 8-16.

Directed by Harmony Korine, Spring Breakers stars Gomez as one of four college girls who end up in jail after robbing a restaurant in order to fund their spring break vacation, only to find themselves bailed out by a drug and arms dealer who wants them to do a little dirty work.

In addition to Gomez, the film stars Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson and James Franco.

Meanwhile, Uruguayan director/screenwriter Fede Álvarez’s Evil Dead remake will have its world premiere at the festival.

Based on the cult classic from director Sam Raimi, the film centers on five friends, holed up in a remote cabin, who discover a Book of the Dead that unwittingly summons up dormant demons, which possess the youngsters in succession until only one is left to fight for survival.

The film stars Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Lou Taylor Pucci, Jessica Lucas and Elizabeth Blackmore.

Latest Red Band Trailer for Álvarez’s Evil Dead Remake Released

Posted on January 4, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

It’s being hailed as “the most terrifying film you will ever experience”… And, the latest trailer for the Evil Dead remake, directed by Fede Álvarez, definitely shows that is quite possible…

The red band clip features some seriously violent and extremely gory scenes, including a cringe worthy scene of a girl splitting her own tongue with a blade. Staying true to the original version (directed by Sam Raimi), the footage of the 34-year-old Uruguayan filmmaker’s Evil Dead reimagining features bloody special effects that look way too realistic.

The remake of the 1981 cult classic horror film, Evil Dead tells the story of five young people who become holed up in a remote cabin where they discover a Book of the Dead. They unwittingly summon up dormant demons living in the nearby woods, which possess the youngsters in succession until only one is left intact to fight for survival.

In addition to directing the film, Álvarez co-wrote the script with Oscar winner Diablo Cody.

During a panel at New York Comic-Con last October, Álvarez explained that he first watched the original Evil Dead when he was very young. He said that he wanted to recreate the experience he had for a modern audience by using advanced technology that wasn’t available during the filming of the original.

“There are some things that people who never saw the original will enjoy but there are a lot of hints out of the original and there are a lot of very small details that you have to be an Evil Dead freak to notice,” said Álvarez. “There’s a lot of those, all the time.”

The remake film is slated for an April 12, 2013 release in the United States.

Tri-Star Releases Trailer for the Alvarez-Directed “Evil Dead”

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Death becomes Fede Alvarez…

Following the release of Tuesday’s teaser trailer, TriStar Pictures has released the official trailer for The Evil Dead remake, which is being directed by the 34-year-old Uruguayan filmmaker.

The red band trailer for Evil Dead, which stars Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Jessica Lucas, Lou Taylor Pucci and Elizabeth Blackmore, centers on Mia, a young woman struggling with sobriety who heads to a remote cabin with her brother and a group of friends, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads to danger and horror.

Evil Dead is set to open in theaters on April 12, 2013.

Alvarez Teases His “The Evil Dead” Remake

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Fede Alvarez is putting his spin on an Evil classic…

The 34-year-old Uruguayan filmmaker is directing a remake of Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead horror film, the first of the franchise’s three films. It’s Alvarez’s first full-length feature film. He’d previously directed the short films Panic Attack!, El cojonudo, El último Alevare and Los pocillos.

Sony‘s TriStar Pictures has released a teaser trailer in advance of the release of the updated film’s official trailer on Wednesday.

The original films revolve around the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis, a fictional Sumerian text which wreaks havoc on a group of cabin inhabitants in a wooded area in Tennessee. The protagonist, Ashley J. “Ash” Williams, played by Bruce Campbell, is the only character left alive by the end of the series.

Alvarez’s re-do, starring Suburgatory’s Jane Levy and Shiloh Fernandez centers on Mia, a young woman struggling with sobriety who heads to a remote cabin with her brother and a group of friends, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads to danger and horror.

Raimi and Campbell are both involved in the reboot, serving as producers on the film.

Evil Dead will be released on April 12, 2013.

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