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Black Panther Trailer


Wakanda is one of Africa's biggest nations, it's still a third world country but it's also holder of many secrets. It's former ruler was King T'Chaka, the nation loved their King but he was killed by a bomb explosion, since then his son T'Challa is his rightful heir and  leader of the Black Panther tribe.

After returning to his country, T'Challa finds his country of Wakanda fragmented and in disarray; though his people are still loyal to the crown and his lineage, many people have seized the opportunity to take a piece of Wakanda for themselves - one of which T'Challa is all too familiar with.

Klaw is T'Challa's nemesis and is an incredibly intelligent yet despicably evil man who will go to any lengths to take what he thinks is his for the taking. Klaw wishes to take the Wakandan land for his own and is willing to destroy all its citizens if needs be.

Continue: Black Panther Trailer

War For The Planet Of The Apes Trailer


The long anticipated war between man and ape has finally arrived. The leader of the genetically-modified apes, Caesar, refuses to take responsibility for it; he has given the surviving humans too chances to maintain peace between them to count, but it's not in a human being's nature to allow their planet to be ruled by anything other than their own species. After Caesar's former right-hand man Koba betrays him and incites anger between both humans and apes, their ultimate civility was always going to collapse into an all-out war. Now that an army has been assembled lead by the Colonel, no mercy will be shown towards their primate counterparts. Though there is one man, the Preacher, who still believes there's a chance there can be peace.

Continue: War For The Planet Of The Apes Trailer

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Trailer


After the release of The Force Awakens at the end of 2015, Disney and Lucas films didn't mess around delivering the general public its first announcement/teaser for The Last Jedi back at the start of 2016. Now, well over a year later, we finally get to see some proper footage from the upcoming movie. 

Many of the key cast from Star Wars: The Force Awakens will feature in The Last Jedi including Daisy Ridley as Rey, John Boyega as Finn, Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron and Adam Driver as Kylo Ren who famously slaughtered his much-loved father in a face to face battle that made for one of the most pivotal scenes in the history of Star Wars.

As ever with new Star Wars releases, the scrip and the story outline is one of Hollywood's most closely guarded secrets and few official details have been released to the public. We do know that the story will pick up where The Force Awakens ended with Rey going off into a mountainous setting to hunt down Luke Skywalker in a bid to train with him and learn his knowledge. 

Continue: Star Wars: The Last Jedi Trailer

The Ten Most Anticipated Films Of 2017


Star Wars Daisy Ridley Tom Hardy Christopher Nolan Emma Watson Gal Gadot Dwayne Johnson Steve Carell Scarlett Johansson Vin Diesel Judi Dench Andy Serkis

As always, there are far too many sequels, spin-offs, remakes and reboots clogging the cinemas, but hopefully they'll be better than 2016's lacklustre batch. (Release dates are subject to change.)

Rey tracks down Luke Skywalker in Star Wars Episode VIII

Star Wars: Episode Viii - Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill continue the saga (Dec). More sci-fi sequels worth waiting for: the gang reteams for more space antics in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 (May), Michael Fassbender returns for Alien: Covenant (May), and Harrison Ford is back for Blade Runner 2049 (Oct).

Continue reading: The Ten Most Anticipated Films Of 2017

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens Review

Essential

Appealing both to a new generation of viewers and fans of the series since the beginning, this 30-years-later sequel to 1983's Return of the Jedi is a thrilling adventure. Filmmaker J.J. Abrams has managed to capture the tone of the original trilogy while telling a story about young, vibrant new characters whose connection to the overall saga deepens intriguingly as events unfurl.

Over the past three decades, the Empire has regrouped, forming the First Order to crush the Old Republic for good. And the plucky Rebellion hasn't offered much resistance since leader Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) disappeared. The Empire's top henchman Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) is searching for him just as diligently as the rebel leader General Leia (Carrie Fisher). But the real action is happening out of their grasp, as disaffected storm trooper Finn (John Boyega) teams up with rebel pilot Poe (Oscar Isaac) and then feisty scavenger Rey (Daisy Ridley) and expressive droid BB-8. Along the way, Han Solo and Chewbacca (Harrison Ford and Peter Mayhew) find themselves back in the fray. And everyone is startled when there's a strong stirring in the force.

Abrams beautifully recreates the scruffy, clanky mechanical atmosphere of the original trilogy, infusing scenes with witty banter and John William's soaring score to throw us right back into that familiar galaxy. This includes the saga's main themes: the temptation of power, how true heroism is often accidental, and the tension between parents and children. Combine this with a plot that propels itself with a series of unexpected adventures and battles, all centred on the characters, and the film taps strongly into the teen in all of us.

Continue reading: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens Review

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens TV Spot Trailer


After the victory of the Rebel Alliance over the Galactic Empire and subsequent demolition of The Death Star, you'd imaging life in a certain galaxy would be a little more subdued, but as we soon learn, life for Princess Leia, Luke and Hans wasn't exactly easy following their small yet essential victory.

30 years on and to most citizens - humanoid and alien - the stories of evil Lord Darth Vader and the Jedi Masters are just a legend, a story they tell their children that starts with the well-known overture: 'A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away'. Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the seventh film in the Star Wars series and is an additional story to the original Star Wars outline.

The film follows a set of new characters as they join the battle and fight the evil forces once again threatening to destroy their galaxy. The Force Awakens was directed by Jj Abrams and sees a number of cast favourites return to the story including Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher.

Andy Serkis Learns Directing Skills From 'The Battle Of The Five Armies' [Interview]


Nine years after his final appearance as the iconic Gollum in Peter Jackson's 'The Lord of The Rings' trilogy, Andy Serkis returned to reprise he role in 2012's prequel, 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey'. But at the last moment, Jackson asked Serkis to act as the second unit director for the film as well. "It was a huge epic adventure" he explains, before confessing "which I didn't even know I was going to be involved in!" 

Continue reading: Andy Serkis Learns Directing Skills From 'The Battle Of The Five Armies' [Interview]

The REAL 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Trailer Is Now Here [Trailer + Pictures]


Star Wars Jj Abrams Harrison Ford Mark Hamill Daisy Ridley John Boyega Anthony Daniels Carrie Fisher Andy Serkis Peter Mayhew Domhnall Gleeson Oscar Isaac George Lucas Lupita Nyong'o Gwendoline Christie Kenny Baker

It's finally here! The teaser trailer you've all been waiting for: 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens', and while it's not really giving anything away, it looks pretty intense. Vehicles have updated, the stormtroopers are looking shinier and R2D2 appears to have evolved.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens LogoStar Wars returns in December 2015

Since George Lucas announced his retirement from the franchise, there's been all sorts of speculation about what differences could be expected from an updated sequel: though it's difficult to tell from the less than one and a half minute trailer. Everyone seems to be in a rush (especially, in a comical fashion, R2D2) and there's some brand new faces, who all look a little nervous as a voiceover booms out: 'There has been an awakening. Have you felt it? The dark side and the light.'

Continue reading: The REAL 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Trailer Is Now Here [Trailer + Pictures]

Avengers: Age Of Ultron - Extended Teaser Trailer


The Avengers may be feeling like they are capable of anything after saving New York City from Loki's rampage and returning the deadly Tesseract to its rightful place in Asgard, but the group have a new threat to overcome. As the group; Tony Stark (Iron Man), Steve Rogers (Captain America), Bruce Banner (Hulk), Thor, Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow) and Clint Barton (Hawkeye); attempt to enjoy an usually civilised evening together, they are interrupted by Ultron - a backfired project of Stark who is dead set on destroying the human race and branding them puppets in his game. With S.H.I.EL.D. destroyed, their chances of saving the world once again are looking dangerously slim. Now beginning to question just how much power they have, they are forced to regroup for a mission that could finally see their end.

Continue: Avengers: Age Of Ultron - Extended Teaser Trailer

'Jungle Book: Origins' Adds Benedict Cumberbatch As Voice Of Shere Khan


Benedict Cumberbatch Andy Serkis

Benedict Cumberbatch is adding to his impressive list of voice roles by joining the cast of ‘Jungle Book: Origins’ to play the villainous tiger Shere Khan.

Benedict CumberbatchBenedict Cumberbatch at the Brits

The film, which is set for release in October of 2016, is one of two Jungle Book films in production. Cumberbatch has joined Serkis’ crew – the Warner Bros. project, while Jon Favreau is taking on Disney’s version. 

Continue reading: 'Jungle Book: Origins' Adds Benedict Cumberbatch As Voice Of Shere Khan

"The Hobbit" Hits Comic-Con With Nostalgic Panel And Colbert's Trivia Quiz


Peter Jackson Andy Serkis Stephen Colbert

If you were not at SDCC over the weekend, fret not, because some panels, like the one with the cast of The Hobbit and Stephen Colbert (what an inspired lineup) are already hitting youtube. One hour of Hobbit and Tolkien-related goodness, moderated by the biggest Tolkien nerd there is? Yes, please, that sounds absolutely amazing. And it was.

Stephen Colbert
Think you know your Tolkien? Not as well as Colbert does.

Besides the absolutely obligatory trivia contest (which Colbert won, against one of the series writers, no less), the panel also included a very brief update from Peter Jackson on The Hobbit: There and Back Again. The director, who has spent almost two decades working on Tolkien adaptations, said about the journey: “It’s a commitment I’ve really enjoyed taking.”

Continue reading: "The Hobbit" Hits Comic-Con With Nostalgic Panel And Colbert's Trivia Quiz

Apes, Transformers And Dragons: But Where Are The Women In The Summer Blockbusters 2014?


Keira Knightley Andy Serkis Mark Wahlberg Michael Bay

Summer has arrived (if you ignore the weekend rain) and so have some fantastic cinematic blockbusters.There’s exciting viewing for everyone: out-and-out action, talking apes on a CGI-level almost incomprehensible, tamed dragons, a cinematic experiment that took 12 years to make and a romantic comedy to satisfy your sentimental side. However, if you delve a little deeper, an inescapable fact arises and the question has to be asked: where are all the women?

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Andy Serkis in the visually phenomenal Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. But the cast has very few women

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes looks epic. The story, the action and the special effects set the stage for a movie of fantastic proportions. But there are only two prominent female figures to at least 10 main male characters, both ape and human alike. In the ape world, the woman is Caesar’s wife, giving birth and feeling unwell afterwards for most of the movie. In the human world, we have one woman in a five-strong male group who are daring to enter into the carefully constructed world of the apes.

Continue reading: Apes, Transformers And Dragons: But Where Are The Women In The Summer Blockbusters 2014?

A Week In Movies: Gibson's Major Award, Special Screenings In New York, Set Photos From London And Three Big Trailers


Mel Gibson Andy Serkis Keri Russell Daniel Radcliffe Tom Hardy Christopher Eccleston David Thewlis Ben Affleck Steve Carell

Mel Gibson

This is a week when most attention was on the sporting world, with the Wimbledon finals, the Formula One British Grand Prix and the Tour de France starting in Britain, and of course the World Cup in Brazil. So most people didn't notice that the Karlovy Vary Film Festival kicked off in the Czech Republic by awarding Mel Gibson with the Crystal Globe for outstanding artistic contribution to world cinema. The festival wraps up on Saturday. Here's Mel Gibson at the 49th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival - Mad Max screening .

Meanwhile in New York, the stars turned out on Tuesday for the premiere of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. Cast members Andy Serkis and Keri Russell were joined by visiting filmmakers Darren Aronofsky and Paul Haggis and actors Alex Karpovsky and Bridget Moynahan. The film opens this week in the US and next week in the UK. Here's a Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes clip to get you in the mood.

Continue reading: A Week In Movies: Gibson's Major Award, Special Screenings In New York, Set Photos From London And Three Big Trailers

5 Reasons Why You Need To Go See ‘Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes’ This Weekend


Andy Serkis

Matt Reeves’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes invades US theatres tomorrow (July 11th) and the critics are promising this is one not to be missed. Picking up 10 years on from where Rise of the Planet of the Apes left off, now Cesar and his nation of evolved apes are under threat from human survivors, hoping to prove they’re the dominant species. With an all-star cast including Andy Serkis, Gary Oldman, Jason Clarke and Keri Russell the movie has already scored an impressive 94% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. But if you’re in need of more convincing, here’s five reasons why you need to see Dawn of the Planet of the Apes this weekend.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Cesar and co. are under threat in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

1. It takes Planet of the Apes to a whole new level

Continue reading: 5 Reasons Why You Need To Go See ‘Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes’ This Weekend

Critically Praised "Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes" Dives Deep Into The Psychology Of Violence, Say Creators


Andy Serkis Gary Oldman

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is one of the most highly anticipated films of the year, both by fans and industry insiders – the latter are counting on it to revive a box office, left inexplicably dead after 4th of July weekend. But unlike its 2011 predecessor, Dawn is under new management. So the challenge for newly appointed screenwriter Mark Bomback and director Matt Reeves is now to prove that they can sustain the franchise, while still releasing a movie that can stand on its own too feet (like its ape characters, get it?)

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Early reviews of Dawn have been largely favorable.

For his part, Bomback reckons they’ve done just that. In this film, the previously mild-mannered ape leader Caesar must navigate a delicate treaty with the humans, while still keeping his restless advisor, the scarred chimp Koba, happy. But Koba doesn’t want to sit still and neither do the humans, who have been pushed to the brink of extinction by the virus unleashed in the last film. "We wanted to keep the same quality as 'Rise,' but there's also this larger franchise that it's a part of," says Bomback ("Unstoppable") for the New York Daily News.

Continue reading: Critically Praised "Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes" Dives Deep Into The Psychology Of Violence, Say Creators

Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes - Clip


In a post-apocalyptical Earth inhabited by only the few humans who survived the viral pandemic that wiped out most of human civilisation less than ten years ago, man and ape are at war. A troop of genetically modified apes have taken over the planet led by the enraged and long-suffering Caesar; the first ape to have been modified enough to develop human speech and intelligence. Determined not to let humankind rule over them as they once did, the apes will stop at nothing to make sure they are never subjected to brutal scrutiny ever again. However, Caesar knows deep down that there are still good men in the world, and he also knows that if those men and his primate family don't work together to create peace in the world, it will be the end of all of them.

Continue: Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes - Clip

Live-Action, Performance Capture, Whatever - Andy Serkis Is In 'Avengers: Age Of Ultron'


Andy Serkis

Andy Serkis, famous for his work with CGI and his performance as Golem in The Lord of The Rings films, has confirmed that he’ll be appearing in the the upcoming Avengers film, Age of Ultron. 

Talking in an interview with Variety, Serkis said: "The Imaginarium is the performance capture consultant and I'm playing a role [in both Avengers and Star Wars]. On Avengers, I've been working closely with Mark Ruffalo."

Andy SerkisSerkis has confirmed he has a role in Age of Ultron

Continue reading: Live-Action, Performance Capture, Whatever - Andy Serkis Is In 'Avengers: Age Of Ultron'

A Week In Movies: Star Wars Cast Announced, Festivals Bring Out Stars In London And New York While Efron And Rogen Hit L.A


Harrison Ford Mark Hamill Carrie Fisher Andy Serkis Max Von Sydow Ryan Reynolds Keira Knightley Zac Efron Seth Rogen Richard Linklater Sam Claflin Lily Collins

Star Wars Read Through

Of course the biggest movie news this week was the official announcement that Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher will be back for Star Wars Episode VII, along with the performers behind C-3PO, R2-D2 and Chewbacca. Newcomers to the saga include Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Domhnall Gleeson, John Boyega, Andy Serkis, Max Von Sydow and Daisy Ridley. JJ Abrams starts filming this month in London. For all the cast info and to see the, now infamous, first cast reading photo for Star Wars Episode VII click here.

This past week in London, the Sundance London Film and Music Festival took place with a flurry of filmmakers and stars attending, including Ryan Reynolds and Gemma Arterton, who were on hand to present their offbeat serial killer black comedy The Voices. Browse our arrivals gallery for 'The Voices' screening at Sundance London.

Continue reading: A Week In Movies: Star Wars Cast Announced, Festivals Bring Out Stars In London And New York While Efron And Rogen Hit L.A

Mark Hamill On Boyega, Ridley, Gleeson, Isaac: "Wow, They're Good"


Mark Hamill Star Wars John Boyega Daisy Ridley Domhnall Gleeson Max Von Sydow Andy Serkis

Mark Hamill, the American who will reprise his role as Luke Skywalker in JJ Abrams Star Wars: Episode 7, has spoken of his approval of the new cast-members, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Domhnall Gleeson, Max Von Sydow and Andy Serkis. The new cast-members were revealed in a photograph from the script-read through at Pinewood Studios this week, with Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Hamill also attending the session.

Star Wars episode 7 cast reading

Afterwards, the 62-year-old tweeted:

Continue reading: Mark Hamill On Boyega, Ridley, Gleeson, Isaac: "Wow, They're Good"

Scarlett Johansson And Lupita Nyong'o Land Roles In Jungle Book Adaptation


Scarlett Johansson Lupita Nyong'o Idris Elba Jj Abrams Jon Favreau Andy Serkis

Scarlett Johansson and Lupita Nyong'o are reportedly in talks to star in Jon Favreau's adaptation of the classic tale, The Jungle Book. The actresses will join Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom's Idris Elba, who will voice the man-eating tiger, Shere Khan.

Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson Is To Star In John Favreau's Adaptation Of 'The Jungle Book.'

Johansson ('Under The Skin') is rumoured to be in line for the voice of Kaa, the deceptive python who eats other animals by hypnotising them whilst 12 Years a Slave star Nyong'o is in final negotiations to voice Rakcha, the mother wolf who adopts the human boy, Mowgli, according to THR. The role would see Johansson become the movie's second villain, after Elba's formidable Shere Khan.

Continue reading: Scarlett Johansson And Lupita Nyong'o Land Roles In Jungle Book Adaptation

The Apes Have Shotguns (And The Earth) In New "Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes" Stills


Gary Oldman Andy Serkis Judy Greer Jason Clarke Keri Russell

Let’s just slip into geek out mode for a few minutes with these ten new Dawn of the Planet of the Apes stills released by Empire Magazine and USA Today, among others. The stills reveal nearly the entire cast of Dawn characters, some really cool CGI and the biggest news of all – it looks like the formerly mild-mannered and lovable Caesar is now wielding a shotgun.

Watch the Dawn teaser trailer below.


We also get several glimpses of the apes, which have well and truly taken over the world by the time of the film. The virus, released in Rise has by this point wiped almost all of humanity, including James Franco’s character from the previous film (or his contract expired, both valid possibilities). Either way, the main protagonist is now Gary Oldman’s character, the leader of a small band of survivors, whom we’ve already seen give a rousing speech in one Dawn trailer. Oldman stars alongside Jason Clarke and Keri Russell, the other leaders of the colony, which settles just outside of San Francisco.

Continue reading: The Apes Have Shotguns (And The Earth) In New "Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes" Stills

Andy Serkis Gets His Very Own Precious: 'The Jungle Book'


Andy Serkis Idris Elba Warner Brothers Disney

Andy Serkis, who hit worldwide notoriety for portraying the character of Gollum in The Lord of The Rings films, is to direct ‘The Jungle Book’ for Warner Bros., who will be under extra pressure to deliver a faithful version of the iconic tale with Disney also working on a live-action adaptation, directed by Jon Favreau.

Andy SerkisAndy Serkis is set to direct 'The Jungle Book'

Serkis is thought to be the final turn in what has been a winding road towards finding a director. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Babel) left the project due to scheduling conflicts while Ron Howard was briefly in talks to take the helm – they proved to be fruitless. Serkis will also produce the movie with ‘Harry Potter’ writer Steve Kloves and Jonathan Cavendish, who is Serkis’ partner at The Imaginarium - his Fox-based production company.

Continue reading: Andy Serkis Gets His Very Own Precious: 'The Jungle Book'

A Week In Movies: Stars Court Awards Attention At Premieres, While Bieber Hits The Red Carpet And Several New Trailers Arrive


Christian Bale Bradley Cooper Amy Adams Jeremy Renner Christopher Nolan Andy Serkis Forest Whitaker

American Hustle

Two big premieres this week were more about raising awards-worthy awareness than launching a movie. Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Chris Cooper, Abigail Breslin and Juliette Lewis were all on hand for the August: Osage County premiere in Los Angeles. Meanwhile in New York, Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner were all dressed up for American Hustle. Both films are scooping up awards and nominations at the moment. Watch Bradley Cooper and Christian Bale arrive at 'American Hustle' NY Premiere and here's another video showing Amy Adams as she dazzles on the red carpet.

Justin Bieber won't be chasing awards for his latest behind-the-scenes doc Believe, which held its much-hyped world premiere in Hollywood on Wednesday. He was joined on the red carpet by director Jon M Chu, who also directed two Step Up movies, the last G.I. Joe blockbuster and Bieber's previous doc, 2011's Never Say Never. You can watch the trailer for Justin Bieber: Believe here.

Continue reading: A Week In Movies: Stars Court Awards Attention At Premieres, While Bieber Hits The Red Carpet And Several New Trailers Arrive

Samantha Shannon's "The Bone Season" - What's All The Fuss About?


Andy Serkis

Samantha Shannon, the 21-year-old author behind The Bone Season, is on everyone’s lips these days. The book has only been released today, though advance reader copies have been making the rounds for several months, but Shannon has been bombarded with praise from all sides in the mean time. The young author has even been compared to J. K. Rowling, author of cultural phenomenon Harry Potter. It’s a comparison that’s been further invited by the fact that The Bone Season is the first in a seven-part series of books.

The books are set in a futuristic world – in 2059 Oxford has been converted into a prison colony for clairvoyants. They will be trained to use their powers against an army of flesh-eating creatures from another world. It’s an easy enough premise to summarise, but not at all easy to imagine. Nevertheless, interest in The Bone Season has been so high, that the book earned Shannon a “six-figure advance” from publishers Bloomsbury. According to the BBC, the film rights have already been sold to Andy Serkis' film studio, The Imaginarium. Not surprising, as this is generally the way the publishing industry functions today.

The book falls, as you may have guessed from the premise, within the wildly popular of late dystopian genre. Shannon quotes Margaret Atwood, George Orwell and John Donne among her influences in creating the classic dystopia – a world enough like our own to make it feel uncomfortably close, but with several quite major differences. The author herself described it by saying: "The Bone Season is urban fantasy. It's not a high fantasy where you're inventing a whole new land. It's strongly rooted in real places.”

Continue reading: Samantha Shannon's "The Bone Season" - What's All The Fuss About?

Video - Andy Serkis And Jason Clarke Open Up About The Depth Of Their Characters In 'Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes' Comic-Con Conference - Part 2


Andy Serkis and Jason Clarke discuss their characters from 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' in a press conference for the upcoming movie and Comic-Con in San Diego.

'Because of the way that Caesar came into the world and was brought up by human beings, he was always an outsider', Andy explains. 'There was a sense of not knowing who he was; he was brought up by a human being and believed himself in many ways to be a human being, he had many human attributes, he learnt human belief systems through his father, Will, who he believed to be a good man.' Jason adds, 'In a funny kind of way I play a different mirror to Caesar. through the story I guess he finds his inner ape as well.'

The Hobbit An Unexpected Journey Has Some Unexpected Thrills, Say Its Stars


Martin Freeman Andy Serkis

Peter Jackson's long awaited adaptation of J.R.R Tolkien's The Hobbit has already graced screens in New Zealand, but ahead of its North American and British release over the next two days, the stars have given some hints of the exciting scenes to come.

"There are some really good [scenes] in the first one," Martin Freeman, who plays Bilbo Baggins told MTV News of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. "I find it rather thrilling, but I'm looking forward to the other biggies, the battle being one, Smaug of course. Smaug is going to be great." And Freeman was quick to make sure people don't get distracted from his titular character, as Benedict Cumberbatch threatens to dominate as Smaug. "Don't give Benedict any more f---ing credit," Freeman joked. "Somehow, 'The Hobbit' still ends up being about some f---ing jerk."

Andy Serkis, who reprises his popular turn as Gollum, has also been doing some work behind the camera, directing action scenes for Peter Jackson. "Obviously the Battle of the Five Armies is going to be [great]," Serkis said, adding that they have yet to film that particular sequence. "We just started getting into it because of the change making it into three movies. We had to sort of hang on to [film] that. That is going to be extraordinary, don't you think? There are the barrels, there's a ton of stuff."

Andy Serkis On His Gollum Turned Director Role In The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey


Andy Serkis Peter Jackson

Andy Serkis as Gollum was arguably the most iconic aspect of The Lord of The Rings trilogy. His sneering obsessiveness provided twists within the plot, and cult-like mimicry from fans outside it. 

However, his reprisal of the role comes with an added twist, and this time it's behind the camera, as he fulfils second unit director, shooting battle sequences in 3D for director Peter Jackson. "Directing was my main job this time - more than playing Gollum," he explained to Reuters. "I worked 200 days with a huge team shooting battle sequences, aerials. It was an amazing experience and one which I was very, very thankful to Peter for asking me to do."

Serkis's supposed new found role will have come as quite a surprise to many casual and ardent fans alike, but it's not something he's not well versed in. "I'd already started directing short films when we were doing 'Lord of the Rings,' then videogame projects," he explained. "So Peter's known that I've been heading towards directing for a long time. But I always thought my first outing would be a couple of people and a digital camera in the back streets of London somewhere!"

Continue reading: Andy Serkis On His Gollum Turned Director Role In The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Pictures: The Hobbit Premiere, Cate Blanchett, Elijah Wood, Peter Jackson


Cate Blanchett Peter Jackson Martin Freeman Elijah Wood Ian McKellen Hugo Weaving Billy Connolly Benedict Cumberbatch Andy Serkis James Nesbitt Guillermo Del Toro

Cate Blanchett, The Hobbit Premiere, WellingtonCate Blanchett Looking Typically Radiant At The Hobbit In Wellington

Peter Jackson and his team repaid New Zealand for its hospitality this week, by hosting the world premiere of the new Lord of the Rings film The Hobbit in central Wellington. The country has played host to some of the biggest movie stars on the planet for the past year while Jackson shot the film on its rolling green hills.

More than 100,000 turned out for the premiere of the movie, which has sparked Middle Earth mania in New Zealand. According to The Telegraph, presenters on national radio greeted listeners in fictional elvish language, while newspapers came equipped with complimentary Hobbit posters. Thousands of fans turned out for the premiere at the Embassy Theatre in full Lord of the Rings garb, delighting stars including Cate Blanchett, Martin Freeman and Elijah Wood who walked the red-carpet. Wellington actually renamed itself 'The Middle of Middle Earth' for the event, which has been regarded as a godsend for the country's tourism industry. Delays and union disputes have disrupted the production of The Hobbit, though despite wrapping up the hugely anticipated movie, director Peter Jackson admits he is still nervous about the critical reception. "Nothing's ever perfect and it never will be, it's a real mistake if you say we're stopping now because we've made the perfect film," he told Radio New Zealand. "You never have and you never will.I've got severe fatigue right now, but only because I've just finished the film. There's been all sorts of obstacles" 

Continue reading: Pictures: The Hobbit Premiere, Cate Blanchett, Elijah Wood, Peter Jackson

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Trailer


Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit, who lives a quiet life in The Shire. His peace is interrupted one day when Gandalf arrives on his doorstep, persuading Bilbo to hold a party in his home. Bilbo refuses but has no choice but to agree when Gandalf pesters him.

Continue: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Trailer

Arthur Christmas Review


Very Good

This lively holiday romp has a steady stream of sharp verbal and visual gags that hold our interest. Even when the plot stalls in the middle, it's difficult to stop chuckling at the filmmakers' deranged sense of humour.

At the North Pole, Santa (Broadbent) is a bit complacent after 70 years on the job, letting his heir-apparent son Steve (Laurie) convert Christmas Eve into a high-tech black-ops style mission executed with military precision. To Steve, missing one child is an insignificant statistic. But Steve's younger brother Arthur (McAvoy) disagrees, and teams up with his feisty Grandsanta (Nighy) to make sure the last gift is delivered the old fashioned way.

Yes, the film is a riot of clashes between tradition and progress, the wisdom of the years and youthful vigour. Fortunately, the serious themes are subverted, hilariously playing with our expectations and never turning into a nostalgic paean to the olden days. That said, this British production does feel eerily co-opted by Hollywood, from the use of the American "Santa Claus" (no one ever calls him "Father Christmas", which might have made sense of the film's odd title) to the somewhat feeble attempts to ramp up the action and suspense. Not to mention a massive wave of sentimentality at the end.

But even this is undermined by Baynham (Borat) and director Smith's script, which maintains a dry British sense of humour and gives the strong vocal cast plenty of snappy material to play with. While most of the characters are a bit unmemorable, Nighy gets the best lines: Grandsanta as an old coot full of surprises, including some terrific rude jokes and an amusingly animated hound-style old reindeer sidekick. Staunton also has some terrific dialog as the underestimated Mrs Santa.

Visually the film is brightly colourful, amusingly designed with small sight gags and continual Christmas imagery. While the characters look a little plasticky, the settings are gorgeously rendered, and the flying sleigh sequences almost make it worth seeing in 3D. The problem is that the film feels stretched out by random antics and underdeveloped plot-threads along the way that add nothing to the overall story. So we get tired of the bumbling chaos, mainly because we know exactly where it's got to end up.

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn Trailer


Tintin is a young and passionate journalist who is always accompanied on his adventures with his faithful terrier, Snowy. One day, while out browsing a market place, Tintin comes across a rare model of a boat called 'The Unicorn'. He buys it and almost immediately has to ward off other potential buyers interested in the boat.

Continue: The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn Trailer

Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes Review


Excellent
Rebooting this franchise seemed somewhat iffy until we heard it would involve Weta performance-capture technology (complete with Serkis). And indeed, it's an eye-popping, involving summer movie that manages to layer thoughtful substance with the lively action.

Will (Franco) is a San Francisco scientist experimenting with a new Alzheimer's medication he hopes will cure his father (Lithgow). But things take an unexpected turn when his greedy boss (Oyelowo) gets rid of his lab-test chimps, leaving Will to raise infant ape Caesar (Serkis) in secret. But Caesar's super-human intelligence can't keep him out of the clutches of the nasty father-son animal controllers (Cox and Felton), who badly underestimate him.

Can Will and his chimp-expert girlfriend (Pinto) sort out the mess before a furious Caesar takes matters into his own capable hands?

Continue reading: Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes Review

Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes Trailer


Will Rodman, is a scientist who's hugely dedicated to his job in the hope that he'll find a cure for the degenerative illness Alzheimer's. Having developed a formula that looks to reverse some of the damage done to the brain, his lab begins to test the medication on apes.

Continue: Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes Trailer

The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn Trailer


Tintin is a young and enthusiastic journalist who is accompanied on his exploits by his pet dog Snowy and Captain Haddock. When Tintin buys a model ship as a present for his good friend Captain Haddock, he doesn't realise just how special his find is. After giving the present to the ex-sailor, he explains that this isn't any normal model ship, it's a replica of The Unicorn, a ship sailed by Haddock's ancestor Sir Francis Haddock.

Continue: The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn Trailer

Brighton Rock Trailer


Pinkie Brown might be young but his reputation as a fierce and brutal criminal precedes him in many circles. When Pinkie commits a revenge killing, an innocent bystander named Rose sees Pinkie's gang take the victim away. In a ploy to learn how much Rose knows Pinkie attempts to seduce the young girl. Pinkie finds himself falling for Rose but how sure is he that she won't speak to the police and more so, how can Rose trust a murderer who might make her the next victim.

Continue: Brighton Rock Trailer

Burke & Hare Review


OK
You can see what Landis was trying to do here: recapture the funny-scary tone of one of his biggest hits, 1981's An American Werewolf in London. But the mix of comedy and grisliness in this comical take on a true story is off the mark.

In 1828 Edinburgh, friends William Burke (Pegg) and William Hare (Serkis) realise they can make good money supplying cadavers to world-class surgeon Dr Knox (Wilkinson). But when they can't find a dead body, they kill someone instead. Hare's wife (Hynes) finds out and wants in on it, but Burke can't tell his aspiring actress girlfriend (Fisher) how he makes his living. Meanwhile, Knox is battling a rival surgeon (Curry) for the King's seal. And the local militia captain (Corbett) is closing in.

Continue reading: Burke & Hare Review

Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll Review


Good
Anchored by a ripping central performance from Serkis, this biopic about notorious musician Ian Dury is too stylish for its own good. Director Whitecross shows ambition and audacity, but his riotous visual style is distracting.

Disabled by polio at age 10, Ian Dury (Serkis) grew up with a fierce determination to be himself, and against the odds became an iconic leader of Britain's punk scene in the 1970s. But his unruly lifestyle takes a toll on his personal relationships, and he barely knows his son Baxter (Milner) from his first wife Betty (Williams). So Baxter comes to stay with him and his current girlfriend Denise (Harris), and both father and son need to figure out how to relate to each other. And to realise how much they need each other.

Continue reading: Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll Review

Flushed Away Review


Good
As nice as it can be to see movies at press screenings -- nestled in big comfy chairs, away from the masses and ticket prices -- there were benefits to watching Flushed Away in a big ol' auditorium filled to the brim with the 10-and-under crowd. It validated that my finding the movie bland and inspiring didn't just mean I'm outside key demographics. Those kids? They weren't laughing a whole lot either.

Flushed Away is a prototypical anthropomorphic-fish-out-of-water tale, about a pampered pet rat named Roddy St. James (voiced by Hugh Jackman) who gets accidentally flushed down the toilet of his owners' posh Kensington flat and ends up out of his element in a rat-sized version of London down in the sewers. His attempts to make his way back up top get him mixed up with a sassy lass, Rita (Kate Winslet), who is on the run from a local crime boss and his thugs. Of course, because this is an animated family film, the boss is an ill-tempered toad and one of the henchmen is an albino former lab rat, but the ideas are universal.

Continue reading: Flushed Away Review

Shiner Review


Terrible
Not to be confused with dog-story Sounder, Shiner gives us Michael Caine, Martin Landau, and a pile of unknowns at their unbearable worst, in a story about a boxing promoter (Caine) who bets his life's savings on one of his son's fights, only for disaster to ensue.

Although Caine won an Oscar in 1999 for The Cider House Rules, there's a reason you didn't see his follow-up in this movie: because it's total crap. The acting is awful and the story is an insult. Director John Irvin has had better luck with "women's films" like Widow's Peak and A Month By the Lake, but unfortunately his action ends up more like Raw Deal.

Continue reading: Shiner Review

Lord Of The Rings:
the Two Towers Review


Good

Unless you're a "Lord of the Rings" superfan, you'd better brush up on "Fellowship of the Ring" before seeing the sequel "The Two Towers," because director Peter Jackson just jumps right in to the middle of the story without much in the way of introductions or explanations.

He assumes you know who Hobbits Merry and Pippin are and why they've been abducted by the Uruk-Hai, the beastly minions of unseen supernatural villain Sauron (you know all about them, right?). He assumes you recall where "Fellowship" left off with human warrior Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) and Elfin archer Legolas (Orlando Bloom), and why they're trying to rescue Merry and Pippin.

He also assumes you know that hero Hobbits Frodo and Sam (Elijah Wood and Sean Austin) are still trying to reach the kingdom of Mordor, where they are to cast the dangerously omnipotent Ring into the volcanic fires of Mount Doom, thus keeping it out of the hands Sauron, who would use its dark psychic powers to lay waste to the world.

Continue reading: Lord Of The Rings:
the Two Towers Review

Lord Of The Rings: Fellowship Of The Ring Review


Good

In the entire three hours of the audacious, transporting, spectacularly cinematic first "Lord of the Rings" installment, there are only two very brief moments that don't come across as being 100-percent a part of the mystical, dark and magical realm of Middle Earth.

These moments are not because of bad performances (there aren't any), negligent directing or special effects gaffes. In fact, from the digitally dialed-down stature of the actors playing hobbits to the frightfully demonic hoards of living-dead orcs (minions of the supernaturally evil antagonist), the effects are seamless.

These moments of doubt are merely scenes that take place in such plain locations (e.g. a non-descript river bed) that they seem far too familiar and Earthly in a movie of underground troll cities, ominous mountains called Doom, idyllic ancient forest hamlets of immortal elves, and hobbit's homes burrowed into impossibly green hillsides.

Continue reading: Lord Of The Rings: Fellowship Of The Ring Review

The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King Review


Good

By the time hobbit hero Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) finally -- finally! -- struggles to the top of Mount Doom, where at the climax of "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" he must cast into its volcanic fires the malevolently omnipotent Ring that has been slowly consuming his psyche for three movies now, many of the nit-picky things that have gotten on my nerves throughout all the "Lord of the Rings" flicks had come to a head.

So many times now has Frodo's whiney, obsequious traveling companion Samwise Gamgee (Sean Austin) begun boo-hoo-hooing that I started rooting for him to be chucked into the lava along with the jewelry. One too many times has a lucky coincidence saved our hero, as when in this picture he's captured by the demonic, bad-tempered Orcs, only to be rescued moments later when his two guards -- the only two guards in an entire tower it seems -- are conveniently distracted by fighting with each other.

And once too often has director Peter Jackson assumed that the previous installments will be fresh in minds of the audience. That's a pretty safe bet for his fan base, but for the unobsessed, "Return of the King" -- like "The Two Towers" before it -- has many what-did-I-miss? moments. For example, in one of two climactic battle scenes, a never-identified army of fearsome face-painted foes riding atop gigantic elephants appears on the flank of the protagonists' battalion, prompting the question, "Who the heck are these guys?" (Apparently they were in the second movie too, but pardon me for not having seen it since last year.)

Continue reading: The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King Review

Andy Serkis

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Andy Serkis

Date of birth

20th April, 1964

Occupation

Actor

Sex

Male

Height

1.73






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Andy Serkis Movies

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Movie Review

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Movie Review

After the thunderous reception for J.J. Abrams' Episode VII: The Force Awakens two years ago,...

War for the Planet of the Apes Movie Review

War for the Planet of the Apes Movie Review

The surprisingly thoughtful prequel trilogy comes to a powerful conclusion with this robust, dramatic thriller,...

Breathe Trailer

Breathe Trailer

Robin Cavendish seems to have everything. He is handsome, educated, extraordinarily intelligent and has a...

Black Panther Trailer

Black Panther Trailer

Wakanda is one of Africa's biggest nations, it's still a third world country but it's...

War For The Planet Of The Apes Trailer

War For The Planet Of The Apes Trailer

The long anticipated war between man and ape has finally arrived. The leader of the...

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Trailer

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Trailer

After the release of The Force Awakens at the end of 2015, Disney and Lucas...

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Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens Movie Review

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens Movie Review

Appealing both to a new generation of viewers and fans of the series since the...

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens TV Spot Trailer

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens TV Spot Trailer

After the victory of the Rebel Alliance over the Galactic Empire and subsequent demolition of...

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer

It's been thirty years since the Rebel Alliance; led by the noble Luke Skywalker, the...

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer

30 years ago, the Rebel Alliance struck their killing blow against the Galactic Empire. The...

Avengers: Age Of Ultron Trailer

Avengers: Age Of Ultron Trailer

They've fought private military corporations, Nazi splinter-groups and a Norse god. Now, The Avengers assemble...

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer

Set three decades after the devastating events of 'Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the...

Avengers: Age Of Ultron Trailer

Avengers: Age Of Ultron Trailer

The Avengers may be feeling like they are capable of anything after saving New York...

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