We have some new looks at a vampire film, a 3D adaptation of a classic of American literature, a bloody martial arts film and an upcoming thriller to start your day. So let's get cracking….
First off, already playing to positive test screening buzz, here comes the first image of Tom Cruise as "Jack Reacher." Based on Lee Child's best-selling page-turner "One Shot," writer/director Christopher McQuarrie has adapted the book and directed the film that tells the story of an ex-military cop/drifter who gets mixed up in the case of a sniper who is randomly picking off citizens…or is he? “He is an extremely pragmatic, matter-of-fact person,” McQuarrie says about Reacher. “He’s very solitary, but he can’t walk away from a situation that needs to be made right. His own sense of right and wrong tie into that situation and he can’t leave until it’s been resolved. That’s his Achilles heel.”
As for the "controversy" over Cruise taking on the character? “For those of you who know the books, I’m obviously not 6-foot-5, like Jack Reacher,” Cruise said. “But Lee felt that I was the right guy to drive fast cars and kick the s–t out of people onscreen.” We'll see if he delivers the goods on December 21st. [EW]
One of the biggest question marks of the year has to be Baz Luhrmann’s 3D adaptation of the classic F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, “The Great Gatsby.” While not everyone is a fan of his more melodramatic and operatic tendencies, there is no denying he is a visual talent. And to that end we have a few new images showing off Leonardo DiCaprio’s Gatsby with Daisy (Carey Mulligan) and Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgerton). The costumes and set design look lush, and Edgerton in particular is sporting a pretty classy moustache, so it’ll be interesting to see how Luhrmann’s visual style adapts to the addition of the z-axis. [Empire/Facebook]
Next, we have our first look at the RZA’s long-talked-about directorial debut, “Iron Fists.” The image comes in advance of the trailer which will debut on Thursday and it looks like it’ll be suitably violent. The film follows a blacksmith (RZA) in feudal China who makes weapons for a small village. He is put in a position where he must defend himself and his fellow villagers. Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu, Pam Grier and Jamie Chung are among the cast and while there’s no word on a release date (yet), there’s been talk of
Finally, back in April, we got a look at the sales poster for Neil Jordan’s newest film, “Byzantium,” which stars Saoirse Ronan and Gemma Arterton as a mother-daughter vampiric duo, and now we have a new still from the film which shows Arterton in the same brooding pose on the poster. The last time Jordan dealt with the vampire mythology he delivered the biggest hit of his career, “Interview With The Vampire,” so we’re anxious to see what he has in store for his return. The film will hopefully hit the festival circuit later this year. [Hey U Guys]
