Dakota Fanning Has Cancer (and a British Accent) in Now Is Good

Young adulthood has seemed to suit Dakota Fanning well, as the now 18-year-old has embraced her transition out of childhood with a number of ballsy, mature moves. The latest in her career progression? Tackling the two-fold challenge of playing a dying cancer patient and sporting an English accent, as seen in the trailer for Now is Good. Try to ignore the Mia Wasikowska vibe emanating from Fanning (and the spectre of Mandy Moore, who did this already in the Nicholas Sparks pic A Walk to Remember, if you remember) after the jump. In the film, based on the 2007 YA novel Before I Die, Fanning's a 17-year-old leukemia patient who decides to waive treatment as her condition gets worse in order to live life to the fullest, etc. Is she spunky in the face of impending death? Yep! Will she inevitably teach those around her lessons on how to live fully? I mean, of course. Is Fanning's Brit-speak a bit wobbly but nonetheless confident? Absolutely. War Horse's Jeremy Irvine co-stars as the boy Fanning wants to cross off her bucket list, if you catch my drift. Kaya Scodelario of Skins fame also co-stars, which excites me even though she's nowhere to be seen here. I'm curious to see less of Fanning gleefully indoor skydiving and more of her breaking the law, having sex, getting into trouble thanks to the license terminal illness gives her character to pack a lifetime of risky, thrill-seeking behavior into a truncated last hurrah, but maybe that's just me. The film is due stateside in 2012. [Yahoo!]

Five Sci-Fi Figures Impacted By John Carter

You may understand that the completely new movie John Carter will depend on some early tales Edgar Grain Burroughs title character first came out in guides 100 years ago. But you will possibly not fully appreciate the influence that Burroughs creation has received round the sci-fi genre and popular culture generally. So, with the help of BigShinyRobot.com editor and Burroughs enthusiast Bryan Youthful, I offer the 5 best figures impacted by John Carter: 1. Costly Gordon John Carter will be a direct ancestor from the early sci-fi hero, additionally to Buck Rogers. While using Carter tales, Burroughs created that breathless, serialized style fifteen years just before being prominent in people 30s serials, states Youthful. He was writing movie serials before movie serials existed. 2. Han Solo & Pals George Lucas has credited these Costly and Buck as inspirations for "Alien.Inch Its almost the grandchild of John Carter, states Youthful. Too as with an even more direct way, you can start to see the parallels between two legendary couples: John Carter and Dejah Thoris, their relationship is very Han Solo and Princess Leia, Youthful highlights. They might be very snippy towards each other but theyre both really strong-willed figures, as well as the movie really plays that up a lot more in comparison to books. 3. Superman John Carters forces on Mars are derived just like Supermans are in the world, where his can be influenced through the geography in different ways, states Youthful. Because hes acquainted with Earths gravity, when Carter visits Mars he out of the blue has amazing physical forces compared to people around him. And John Carter must visit and uncover grounds to fight of those individuals who he should not have vested fascination with, other than many of them appear like him, states Youthful. And Superman must carry out the same factor here. 4. Malcolm Reynolds John Carter can be a Civil War veteran who fought against against for your losing side quite similar to a particular "Firefly" captain. Mal Reynolds can be a guy who lost his fight inside the war, which he thought he was fighting to find the best, Youthful states. He has many really deep personal issues about how precisely that conflict went, and thats greatly how John Carter is just too. And additionally, there is the genre parallel: Firefly is greatly a Western wide, states Youthful, and thats just what John Carter is actually, since 1912. 5. Indiana Manley In the event you return and study people [John Carter] books and how theyre setup, there's a cliffhanger within the finish of every single chapter, states Youthful. The adventures and difficulties that Carter finds themselves in are apparent precursors to people of Dr. Manley, a b - --movie hero in the polished, blockbuster film franchise. One factor that people love about Steven Spielberg is always that he takes people B movies and adds a layer of craft into them so that it enhances them into classic movies that are mix-generational, Youthful states. You don't have to merely be described as a B movie lover to love Raiders In The Lost Ark. Its merely a well-made movie, which is because same mold as John Carter. Reveal what you consider inside the comments section and also on Twitter!

Focus dates 'For a lot of fun, Call...'

Focus Features has slotted Jamie Travis' comedy "For a lot of fun, Call..." for Sept. 14 in La and NY. "Good Time" opened up lately at Sundance, where Focus closed the sale. The comedy stars Lauren Anne Burns, Ari Graynor, Mark Webber, Seth Rogen and Justin Extended. Burns and Graynor portray two youthful girls that are short round the funds needed to exist in NY City and accept room together. Burns co-written the script with Katie Anne Naylon. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

Tom Hollander Joins Invisible Lady

Rob Fiennes' Dickens biopic The Charles Dickens bi-centenary is constantly on the fling interesting projects at us, like Mr Smallweed hurling cushions at his wife. Together with BBC and BFI seasons and Mike Newell's Great Anticipation, Rob Fiennes is pointing The Invisible Lady, by which he'll also take part in the author. Just revealed to become joining him is Tom Hollander, who'll be playing Dickens' friend and frequent collaborator Wilkie Collins.Calling The Invisible Lady a "Dickens biopic" is helpful shorthand, it ironically plays into just what the it and also the film are about: Dickens' secret mistress Ellen "Nelly" Ternan, and her airbrushing from his official history.Ternan would be a theatre actress (annually more youthful than Dickens' oldest daughter) with whom Dickens carried out cheating during the last 13 many years of his existence. As part of a less-than-respected profession, Nelly's social position was minimal, and Dickens visited inordinate measures to help keep the connection from the public eye. Exposure as Dickens' mistress might have introduced the actress utter disgrace and ruin throughout his lifetime, but she did achieve some status after Dickens' dying, despite their relationship getting at that time emerged.Expect a colourful depiction around the globe from the Victorian theatre, hiding an excoriating look at nineteenth-century social mores. Felicity Johnson is playing Nelly, with Kristin Scott Thomas as Dickens' lengthy-suffering wife Catherine. Holland, once we stated, is Wilkie Collins, most well-known because the author from the Moonstone and also the Lady In Whitened, but additionally an abundant playwrite. He co-written The Frozen Deep with Dickens, also it was that fateful production which Dickens and Nelly first met.The script is as simple as Shame's author Abi Morgan, and it is according to Claire Tomalin's book, first released in 1991. Shooting begins in April.The Invisible Lady will come in paperback from Penguin, and Tomalin's newer Charles Dickens: A Existence is presently still only in hardcover from Viking.

Affiliates: Occasions

TODAY: The Television stations Foundation America fetes Fox's Dennis Swanson having its Golden Mike Award. Plaza Hotel. BroadcastersFoundation.org Ben Vereen discusses his career incorporated in City College of NY's Black History Month program. CCNY's Aaron Davis Hall. Cuny.edu TUESDAY: Pixar's Andrew Stanton and "The Daily Show's" John Hodgman are the sound system within the Ted 2012 Full Spectrum confab. Through Friday at Extended Beach Undertaking Arts Center. Conferences.ted.com/TED2012 The Beverly Slopes Bar Assn. hosts the seminar Get My Client's Content Off Your Website focusing on the internet takedown notices. BHBA's office on Beverly Drive. Bhba.org THURSDAY: Chuck Lorre and Michael Eisner are the inductees for the Television Academy Hall of Fame. Beverly Slopes Hotel. Emmys.tv A screening of Dervis Zaim's "Shadows and Faces" starts the inaugural La Turkish Film Festival. Through Sunday within the Egyptian Theater. Latff.org Film Independent at LACMA spotlights French helmer Robert Bresson getting a double bill featuring 1956's "A Man Steered obvious of" and 1971's "Four Nights from the Dreamer." Bing Theater. Lacma.org FRIDAY: Producer Suzanne p Passe is most likely the honorees within the Mayor's Masked Ball benefitting the united states . Negro College Fund. Biltmore Hotel. Uncf.org SUNDAY: Bill Cosby and Rita Moreno will probably be feted within the Jackie Robinson Foundation's annual honours dinner. Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. JackieRobinson.org MARCH 7: Turner's Michael Wright, AMC's Joel Stillerman, MTV's David Janollari, ABC Family's Kate Juergens and Starz's Carmi Zlotnik participate in the Hollywood Radio & Television Society's cable designers lunch. Beverly Hilton. HRTS.org Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

'Star Trek 2' Set Photos Show Benedict Cumberbatch Fighting Spock

"The Exorcist 2" is shrouded in secrecy. We don't include the official title, we don't be familiar with plot, which we've no clue who Benedict Cumberbatch is playing though all signs indicate a villain, especially thinking about a completely new set photo that's just turned up at our door step. In this particular start searching at director J.J. Abrams' presently shooting "Star WarsInch follow-up, we view quite clearly that Zachary Quinto's returning Spock as well as the newcomer carried out by Cumberbatch are greatly not pals. The Two are stored in fight on top of what's being known to as "a place Barge set." Through the fight too as with the photo you will see here, Spock does his easier to stop his foe using his famous Vulcan Dying Grip, nevertheless the move fails Cumberbatch's character has the ability to overpower look at your grip and restore the surface of the submit his struggle in the Star Fleet officer. Strangely enough, Spock is not the needed one wearing a Star Fleet uniform. Cumberbatch's unknown character is seen wearing a black version in the uniform under his silver heavyweight coat. A sign this person will be a friend before he will be a foe? In another shot within the epic fight, Zoe Saldana joins the ideal once again as Uhura. She's employing a phaser to be able to save Spock from Cumberbatch's villain, though whether she'll work can be a different story altogether. Due to Eric Ford with On Location News for your awesome new photos! What can you consider the initial "Star WarsInch set photos? Who you think Cumberbatch is playing? Reveal inside the comments section or hit us on Twitter!

MPAA Responds After Weinstein Intends Leave Of Absence From Rankings System

MPAA Upholds R Rating On Bully UPDATE, 5:33 PM: The MPAA has released this response from Joan Graves, chair from the association’s Classification and Rating Administration, which doles out movie rankings. Here you go: Bullying is really a serious problem and it is a topic that parents should consult with their kids. The MPAA concurs using the Weinstein Company that Bully may serve as an automobile for such important discussions. The MPAA also offers the duty, however, to spot and represent the strong feedback from parents through the country who wish to learn about content in movies, including language. The rating and rating descriptor of some language, indicate to oldsters this movie consists of certain language. With this, some parents might want to place their kids for this movie yet others might not, but it's their choice and never ours to create them. The R rating isn't a judgment on the need for any movie. The rating simply conveys to oldsters that the film has elements sufficiently strong to want consideration before permitting their kids to see it. Once advised, many parents might take their kids to determine an R-ranked film. School districts, similarly, handle the resolution of showing movies on the situation-by-situation basis and their very own recommendations for parental approval. Independently, an MPAA insider told Deadline’s Nikki Finke that Harvey Weinstein is threatening a “leave of absence” in the MPAA rankings system for “Pure publicity. He isn't an associate so he is able to’t have a leave. He may not have his films ranked, that is his right. It can be theaters if they would like to show unrated films. Some do. Others don’t.” PREVIOUS, BREAKING…Harvey Weinstein today sayshis clients are thinking about “a leave of absence in the MPAA for that expected future”. It’s not part of the film studio lobbying and rankings group. But this follows the association maintaining its R-rating around the indie distributor’s documentary Bully. The ruling puts a dent or dimple inHarvey Weinstein’splan for that studio and filmmakers to exhibit the film like a teaching tool in middle schools and schools (a screening from the film is planned for tomorrow at LA’s Fairfax High).The rankings board initially gave the documentary about school bullying the rating according to language, and Weinstein personally attended the appeals hearing today the board takes a two-thirds election, and Weinstein states the Lee Hirsch-directed film fell one election lacking becoming PG-13. It’s unclear how Weinstein Co would show its films with no MPAA rating while not needed, an unrated film rarely is tested in theaters per a historical though nonbinding agreement between participants and also the MPAA. The present rankings system has been around place since 1968. Here’s Weinstein’s statement: By today, The Weinstein Clients are thinking about a leave of absence in the MPAA for that expected future. We respect the MPAA as well as their process but feel this time around it's been a bridge too much. I've been through a number of these appeals, but that one election loss is a big blow in my experience personally. Alex Libby gave an impassioned plea and gracefully defended the requirement for kids to have the ability to check this out movie by themselves, avoid their parents, because that's the only method to truly create a change. With school-age kids of my very own, I understand this can be a crucial problem and school districts over the U.S. have responded in kind. The Cincinnati school district signed onto bus 40,000 of the students towards the movie but since the appeals board maintained the R rating, the college district will need to cancel individuals plans. Personally, i will request celebs and personas worldwide, from Rhianna (that has a basis of her very own) towards the Duchess of Cambridge (who fell for bullying and contributed wedding proceeds) to First Lady Michelle Obama (whose foundation has arrived at to us too), to consider a stand beside me in eliminating bullying and becoming the youth into check this out movie without restriction.