Almost 10 years after its finale, Ray Stevenson revealed what the original Rome ending and final Titus Pullo scene was supposed to be.

DEN OF GEEK
David Crow
March 17, 2017

Before there was Spartacus or The Tudors, Vikings or The Borgias—before Game of Thrones—there was Rome. As the first salvo of a legion of period epics and historic fictions on premium cable, Rome was one of the most ambitious gambles ever ventured by HBO with a first season cost that was upwards of $100 million due to pricy sets (the biggest in the world), principal photography in Italy, and the usage of old fashioned 35mm cameras.

The series proudly attempted to tell a sort of an “Upstairs, Downstairs” drama between Rome’s patrician class and its plebian underbelly, making it something of a semi-prequel to I, Claudius as we witnessed the rise and fall of Gaius Julius Caesar (Ciaran Hinds), and then the many years of warfare between the various parties in the wake of his death—including a young Octavian (first Max Pirkis, then Simon Woods)—as well as Rome’s transition from republic to empire.

It was a grand effort… perhaps too much so. Indeed, the popular cult series only ran for two seasons, abruptly ending 10 years ago in 2007. While there was some second-guessing and regret after the ratings for Rome season 2 increased, the die was already cast and that season concluded the story with Octavian becoming Augustus, the first Emperor of Rome, and his quiet plebian right-hand, Titus Pullo (Ray Stevenson), taking on the responsibilities of raising a son since his best mate Lucius Vorenus (Kevin McKidd) lies presumably in the grave.

“Bruno [Heller] once did outline a story that he was going to start the whole series with,” Stevenson said. “An 88-year-old Pullo going down to the riverside by Vorenus’ tomb, or sarcophagus, pouring wine on it, taking a sword out while sitting there on the banks, looking at the glistening river, and committing suicide.

“And as he has his face hit the sand on the banks, a fish jumped out of the water, and the silver light on the fish caught the sword, which brought us right into that first battle with Lucius Vorenus and [Titus Pullo] where he breaks ranks.”


http://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/rome/252090/hbos-rome-ending-was-originally-very-different

James McAvoy: TIFF Review: 'The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him & Her' Starring Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Viola Davis & More

INDIE WIRE
BY NIKOLA GROZDANOVIC
SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 10:55 AM

Akira Kurosawa’s masterpiece "Rashomon" heralded the term “Rashomon effect,” which refers to the contradictory nature of different perspectives telling the same story (something that has been employed endlessly in the years since, mostly in the context of twisty thrillers). Used effectively, it remains one of the most powerful ways interrogating truth and subjectivity? One of many strengths of Benson’s "Eleanor Rigby" is precisely that kind of exploration because it's built into the conceptual framework of the film and the structure alone allows the film(s) to become something much more than just another relationship film. The story revolves around a couple who have been together for 7 years; Connor (James McAvoy) is a 33-year-old bar-owner and Eleanor (Chastain) is struggling with unhappiness and needs a change. One day, she decides to start from scratch and disappear from Connor’s life, asking him not to contact her nor to try and find her. In “Him”, we follow Connor as he talks to his friends (including his chef played by the priceless Bill Hader) and his father (Ciaran Hinds, in a very nuanced and endearing performance), trying to understand the situation and dealing with such an impactful change in his life. In “Her” we see some of the same events that transpired in “Him” but from Eleanor’s vantage point, as she attempts to make some kind of meaningful change in her life with the help of her family (William Hurt and Isabelle Huppert are her parents and Weixler is her sister) and her teacher (Viola Davis, in easily her best role since "The Help"). How do you move on? Where does “you” stop and “us” begin? Can a person truly change? These questions and more percolate in Benson’s epic story of love, life, loss, happiness and family.

Perhaps it sounds all a bit too Hallmark (to use one of the characters phrases), and in the hands of some of other less talented artists these kinds of stories can nosedive straight into the territory of some bad made-for-cable Lifetime movie. But Benson’s multi-layered, organically paced, delicate and quite often hilarious screenplay holds it all together with wit and brio. He was also fortunate enough to land a perfect ensemble cast. McAvoy has never been better; obviously comfortable with the role and completely understanding of Connor’s confusion, he looks relaxed and is inherently likable from the very first frame. Chastain’s Eleanor is cold and distant compared to Connor, but as the delicate actress that she is, she gives all of herself and delivers another highly nuanced, human character. The rest of the supporting cast, including the perfect fathers Hinds and Hurt, the wine-drinking Huppert going through a “quiet crisis” and the cynically hilarious and gentle soul that is Viola Davis all just add to the overall strength of the film.

We’ve tip-toed carefully around the pivotal incident which is at the core of the film, because it’s something that is best discovered within the journey, layer by layer. What makes “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby” truly stand apart from all the other films of its kind, be they French art-house award winners, your mother’s favorite Meg Ryan movie or the myriad of romantic comedies out there, is the emotional depth that is allowed to be dug by the film’s premise and length, executed almost perfectly. There are many meandering moments where you might find yourself thinking, “where is this going” and you will be forming opinions about these people which undoubtedly affect your judgment of the movie, but that’s all part of the bigger picture Benson is painting. Like an epic sonnet, with beautiful accompanying music and songs, “Eleanor Rigby” deals with memory, perception and the emotional toll a relationship can have on an individual as much as it deals with the more grandiose themes of love and loss. It’s a finely tuned and tenderly detailed love story of two people told on a cosmic scale, and it’s one of the year’s greatest relationship films. [A-]


READ MORE HERE: http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/the-disappearance-of-eleanor-rigby-him-her-starring-jessica-chastain-james-mcavoy-cirian-hinds-william-hurt-viola-davis-bill-hader-and-isabelle-huppert-20130910

Spooks star Richard Armitage to play Ross Poldark in BBC remake? Friday, June 28, 2013 BY WB Miles (West Briton)

A television heart-throb has been chosen to play the lead in the remake of the legendary 70s drama, Poldark.

The Poldark Appreciation Society has voted for Spooks star Richard Armitage to take the role of brooding hero Ross Poldark.

Armitage was the clear winner to take up the role first made famous by Robin Ellis in the dramatization of a series of novels set in Cornwall by Winston Graham.

Val Adams from the Poldark Appreciation Society told the Daily Mirror: “I knew Winston Graham for more than 20 years and I am convinced he would approve of Richard wholeheartedly.”

The society would also like to see Bill Bailey as Jud Paynter, Pam Ferris as Prudie, Ciaran Hinds as Warleggan and EastEnders actress Jo Joyner as Poldark’s true love Elizabeth.

They were unable to decide who should land the role of Poldark’s wife Demelza, played in the original by the late Angharad Rees.

BBC bosses could be approaching the casting of the new series with some trepidation. When ITV cast John Bowe as the smouldering hero fans protested and over 50 members of the Poldark Appreciation Society marched through Bristol wearing 18th century costumes.


Read more: http://www.westbriton.co.uk/Spooks-star-Richard-Armitage-play-Ross-Poldark/story-19420209-detail/story.html#ixzz2XWGxabQc 
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Poldark fans want Richard Armitage to play lead in BBC remake 19 Jun 2013 00:00 Poldark Appreciation Society members – fans of the Winston Graham novels set in 18th century Cornwall – took a vote (DAILY MIRROR)

Only one actor is right to play the lead role in the £10million remake of 70s drama Poldark, fans say.

The Poldark Appreciation Society want BBC bosses to sign up North and South hunk Richard Armitage, 41.

The 500 members – fans of the Winston Graham novels set in 18th century Cornwall – took a vote.

Armitage — Lucas North in TV’s Spooks and Thorin Oakenshield in The Hobbit movies — was the clear winner to take on Robin Ellis’s role as Ross Poldark.

Society founder Val Adams said: “I knew Winston Graham for more than 20 years and I am convinced he would approve of Richard wholeheartedly.”

The BBC may want to take heed – when ITV cast John Bowe as Ross for an attempted re-make in 1996, the Society marched through the streets in protest and the show was an expensive disaster.

Val added: “The ITV fiasco was a flop which could have been avoided if they had listened to the people that know Poldark inside out.

“A new series of Poldark is long overdue and if done correctly should be a massive hit.”

The six-part romantic saga, adapted from the novels of Winston Graham, will return on BBC1 next year.

The Society would also like to see Bill Bailey as Jud Paynter, Pam Ferris as Prudie, Ciaran Hinds as Warleggan and EastEnders actress Jo Joyner as Poldark’s true love Elizabeth.

They were unable to decide who should land the role of Poldark’s wife Demelza, played in the original by the late Angharad Rees.

Set in late 18th century Cornwall, the story tells how dashing Captain Ross Poldark returns to his estate from war, looking forward to a reunion with his family and love of his life Elizabeth.



Check out all the latest News, Sport & Celeb gossip at Mirror.co.uk http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/poldark-fans-want-richard-armitage-1962515#ixzz2WfxCNKWs
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Ciarán Hinds on Playing Game of Thrones’ Mance Rayder By Jennifer Vineyard (VULTURE)

Ciarán Hinds was worried when he was cast as Mance Rayder in Game of Thrones that fans might revolt — at 60, "I'm probably a bit older than some people might have thought of" for the King Beyond the Wall, he says. But since there was no script for season three when he was offered the part and he hadn't read the books, he was unaware of just how large the role would be, until his goddaughter clued him in. Now that he's shot scenes in the first three episodes (plus a reaction shot in a later episode), Hinds is starting to get caught up on theGoT phenomenon, Jon Snow theories, and what's in store for the wildling army, which he chatted about with Vulture.

Were you a big Game of Thrones fan prior to coming aboard the show? Had you read the books? Were you aware of the phenomenon?
No to all of the above. Well, I was aware of it, because it's filming in my hometown, Belfast, so when I met with them, they asked, "Do you know this?" And I said, "Well, I know of it." So they gave me a pile of DVDs to watch. I'm halfway through series two.

There's been a lot of anticipation for Mance ...
And then it's only me! There you go. You go, "Oh! It's only him." I haven't had the chance to read the books — they're mighty books; they're big tomes — but I'm hoping to begin them this summer. Actually, when we were filming in Iceland, where I'd never been, it was like being in the Winter Olympics, just like a blizzard in late November, and it was rugged work. You shoot between nine and five, because of the light, and we'd have evenings clear because it was dark.

READ MORE: http://www.vulture.com/2013/04/game-of-thrones-mance-rayder-ciaran-hinds-interview.html

Game of Thrones: season three, episode two – Dark Wings, Dark Words, by Sarah Hughes (THE GUARDIAN)

Game of Thrones … Margaery and Joffrey enjoy some quality time together. Photograph: LFI/Photoshot
Spoiler Alert: This blog is published after Game of Thrones airs on HBO in the US on Sunday at 9pm ET. Do not read on unless you have watched episode two (which airs in the UK on Sky Atlantic on Monday at 9pm). As ever, we are going to (hopefully) avoid book spoilers as well.

Click here for Sarah Hughes' season three, episode one blog


"Everything that's happened since then, all the horror that's come to my family is all because I couldn't love a motherless child"

I loved this episode, which was written by Vanessa Taylor, who also wrote two of my favourite episodes of last season, Garden of Bones and The Old Gods and the New. It had everything that makes Game of Thrones so addictive: the adept juggling of a number of plotlines, subtle character development and brooding hints of trouble to come. It was also an episode largely concerned with alliances: Jaime and Brienne formed a tentative bond based on a mutual love of swordplay, Robb realised that northern loyalty may not be set in stone and Commander Mormont called on the increasingly shaky ties of the Night's Watch to keep Sam alive, literally forbidding him to die. Elsewhere Margaery took the first steps towards breaking Joffrey's bond with Cersei, Bran made some interesting new friends and Arya ran into the Brotherhood without Banners. Best of all, however, was the heart-rending conversation between Catelyn and Talisa, which started by showing us the younger woman's desperate desire to integrate herself with her mother-in-law and ended by revealing the depth of Catelyn's guilt.

"There's no need to be frightened, we're only women here"

Enter Diana Rigg doing her best Countess of Grantham. Olenna Tyrell, aka the Queen of Thorns, is one of my favourite characters in the books and Rigg's spiky, imperious performance was a delight. The Tyrells understand the importance of PR more than most characters playing the game – as Cersei pointedly told Joffrey: "Margaery dresses like a harlot for a reason. She married Renly for a reason" – and their tea party showed how adept they are at hiding behind pretty words. That said it was hard not to feel for poor Sansa as her wide-eyed dream of friendship was crushed by the realisation that it was all just politics, again.

READ MORE: http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2013/apr/08/game-of-thrones-season-three-episode-two-dark-wings-dark-words

Diana Rigg, Ciaran Hinds: 'Game of Thrones:' A Look at Season 3's New Faces and Characters (YAHOO)

By Carrie Bell | Yahoo! TV – Mon, Mar 25, 2013 1:03 PM PDT

The cast dishes on Ciaran Hinds, Diana Rigg, and (spoiler!) a giant arriving in Westeros this season.

Helen Sloan/HBO - Mance Raydar (Ciaran Hinds) and Lady Olenna Tyrell (Diana Rigg) in "Game of Thrones" Season 3.

SPOILER ALERT: This post contains storyline and character spoilers for the third season of "Game of Thrones."

With 27 series regulars and hundreds of guest stars, day players, and extras wandering in and out of Westeros and points beyond, keeping track of who's who on "Game of Thrones" is almost as big a feat as planning the Battle of Blackwater Bay. That task isn't going to get any easier when Season 3, which was shot by three units across five countries and promises plenty of fresh faces, begins March 31 on HBO.

Arguably, the most major addition to the cast was Ciaran Hinds. One, his resumé is as respected as Tywin Lannister's and almost as long as the feared coming winter, with "Rome," "Harry Potter," "Political Animals," and "There Will Be Blood" among the highlights. Two, he is portraying Mance Rayder, the ex-Night's Watchman who united 90 clans into one Wildling army currently moving in on the Wall. Rose Leslie (Ygritte) admitted at the junket last week in Beverly Hills to being a tad starstruck as "we've been watching him from a young age. Phenomenal."

Kit Harington, whose Jon Snow is trying to infiltrate the camp and must get Rayder to trust him, was also in awe. "He's a wonderful, wonderful man, and for someone who hadn't read the books and hadn't even seen the show when he joined and did his first few scenes, he nailed the character. That's the mark of the man's genius and genius of the writing."

READ MORE: http://tv.yahoo.com/news/-game-of-thrones---a-look-at-season-3-s-new-faces-and-characters-200346280.html

Game of Thrones Season 3: Richard Madden The epic journey continues with season three (GULF NEWS)

There are times when the epic journey that his character, Robb Stark, has embarked on in Game of Thrones has felt a little similar to Richard Madden’s own experience working on the acclaimed HBO show. You might say that they’ve grown up together.

On screen, Madden plays Robb Stark who, when still a very young man, is chosen to lead his people after his father Ned (played by Sean Bean) is murdered at the hands of the Starks’ bitter enemies, The Lannisters.
The warring clans are at the heart of a brutal battle for control of Westeros, the fictional land created by George R. R. Martin in his brilliantly imagined series of best selling fantasy novels, A Song of Ice and Fire. Martin has now completed five volumes and a further two are planned.

Madden was just 21 when he landed the much sought after role in the show, which is based on Martin’s books, and he recently completed the third season. He has, he says, come of age as an actor during that time, mirroring his character, Robb, who develops into an assured, charismatic leader as the story unfolds.

“I went from being a young actor getting a great part in a big show, which I didn’t expect, with more and more pressure being put on me as an actor, which I’ve really enjoyed and hopefully I’ve handled well and acquitted myself well,” he says


READ MORE: http://gulfnews.com/arts-entertainment/celebrity/game-of-thrones-season-3-richard-madden-1.1163530

'Game Of Thrones' Season 3 Preview: The Challenges Ahead Kit Harington, Sophie Turner and more weigh in on their arcs ahead of Sunday's premiere. By Amy Wilkinson (@AmyMWilk) (MTV)

Winter came to New York on Wednesday (March 27), sweeping in on a cloud alongside "Game of Thrones" The Exhibition, a touring collection of Westeros memorabilia (think: Joffrey Baratheon's crossbow and Ned Stark's head!), co-sponsored by HBO and Time Warner Cable. And many of the realm's famous faces were also on hand at the VIP fete, where they gamely teased what fans of the epic should expect when season three premieres on Sunday.

Get More: Movie Trailers, Movies Blog

For virginal Jon Snow (played by Kit Harington) — whom we last saw north of the wall among the Wildlings — the opposite sex will pose the biggest challenge.


"I think it's resisting advances from a certain lady, and he's going to find that very hard," Harington told MTV News of his character's struggles this season. "[Also] convincing Mance Rayder and the Wildlings that he's a gentleman who wants to break free from the Night's Watch and be part of them. He's a spy in enemy territory, and he has to convince them that he is one of them and convince himself of that [which] can be ultimately quite confusing."

Meanwhile, half-sister Sansa (played by Sophie Turner) will try to evade her royal captor, former fiancé Joffrey.


READ MORE: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1704639/game-of-thrones-season-3-preview.jhtml

HBO: 'Game of Thrones' piracy is a compliment by James Hibberd (EW)

How does HBO feel about having the most pirated show on TV?

Not too bad, apparently.

HBO programming president Michael Lombardo spoke to EW about the rampant illegal downloading of the network’s fantasy hit drama Game of Thrones, which returns for its third season tonight.
The show’s second season was recently released to record-setting DVD sales for the network. But in December, Thrones topped another chart that is far more dubious — Thrones ranked as the most illegally downloaded TV series for 2012. “I probably shouldn’t be saying this, but it is a compliment of sorts,” Lombardo said. “The demand is there. And it certainly didn’t negatively impact the DVD sales. [Piracy is] something that comes along with having a wildly successful show on a subscription network.”

The show is currently, on a per-season basis, the network’s top money-earner despite widespread piracy of the show, the executive confirmed. “If you look at aggregate of international and DVD sales — which are the two revenue streams we look at since we’re not selling it domestically on another platform — yes, absolutely, in terms of shows we have on now,” Lombardo said.

In fact, one of Lombardo’s issues with piracy is a creative one. The executive expressed concern that illegal copies can be of poor quality when the Thrones team takes pride in lavishly producing the show. “One of my worries is about the copies [downloaders are] seeing,” Lombardo said. “The production values of this show are so incredible. So I’m hoping that in the purloined different generation of cuts that the show is holding up.”

READ MORE: http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/03/31/hbo-thrones-piracy/

Ciaran Hinds: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Game of Thrones Star Ciarán Hinds is Not Funny He has specifically requested that we not elaborate on this headline.

By Kimberly Kaye • Mar 26, 2013 • New York City

"Don't explain it in that little section below the headline," Ciarán Hinds instructs while organizing tea for the two of us in his dressing room at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. "It should just be, headline: ‘Mr. Hinds isn't funny,' period. Then your first sentence can be, ‘Hinds comes from a long line of dead stoics,'" he laughs. Of course it's not true. Anyone who helps an interviewer fabricate skewed headlines and desk copy has a sense of humor, and Hinds continues to show it off with wry one-liners and well-placed expletives. A Belfast native and veteran onscreen bad guy in flicks like Munich and TV shows like Game of Thrones, the leading man is currently dominating Broadway's Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, playing infirmed Southern non-gentleman Big Daddy opposite Scarlett Johansson, Benjamin Walker, and Debra Monk. It's a role he nearly didn't take, convinced an American might be better suited to the Southern gothic poetics of Tennessee Williams. With the show's run coming to an end on March 31, we checked in with Hinds to talk about poetry, the possibility of doing drag, and his Broadway run with Scarlett and company.

You said opening night you felt there must be somebody more qualified to do American, poetic Tennessee Williams than you. Do you still feel similarly?

That's tough. I said yes to the job, I get paid to do the job. The job is to not shortchange anybody. But no [actor] ever really knows what [audiences get] from what they do. You try to work, with the director and your fellow actors, to get somewhere, but other people are the judge of whether you hit that note right. That's why sometimes you say yes to parts like this, even if you're unsure. You're unsure about much of what you do. Sometimes people will say to me ‘Why do you always play bad men? [points to face] It's the face!

READ MORE OF THE INTERVIEW HERE

Ciaran Hinds, James Purefoy - CAESAR'S DEATH - HAPPY IDES OF MARCH

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FvgP5hO99o

ZARADUR

GAME OF THRONES SEASON THREE CASTS CIARÁN HINDS AS MANCE RAYDER (THE DAILY BLAM) BY PIETRO FILIPPONI PUBLISHED: AUGUST 17, 2012 - 7:33AM in TV Television News Game of Thrones Game of Thrones HBO Fantasy Mature

Ciarán Hinds (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, HBO's Rome) has joined the cast of Game of Thrones in one of the most important roles for the upcoming season. According to Entertainment Weekly, Hinds will play the often referenced but yet to be seen Wildling leader Mance Rayder, who has united the disparate clans of the Far North behind a single mission: To attack The Wall. Another Rome alum, Tobias Menzies (Brutus) was also recently cast for the show's new season for the part of Edmure Tully.

The third season of Game of Thrones is currently filming in Belfast, Croatia, Iceland and Morocco in preparation for it's return on March 31st, 2013.

Based on the popular book series “A Song of Ice and Fire,” by George R.R. Martin, this hit Emmy®-winning fantasy series chronicles an epic struggle for power in a vast and violent fantasy kingdom. Among the returning members of the ensemble cast are Emilia Clarke, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Emmy® winner Peter Dinklage, Michelle Fairley, Lena Headey and Kit Harington. David Benioff and D.B. Weiss executive produce. New cast additions for season two include Stephen Dillane (John Adams, King Arthur) as Stannis Baratheon and Carice van Houten (Repo Men) as Melisandre. More additions include Liam Cunningham (Camelot) as the onion knight Davos, Natalie Dormer (The Tudors) as Margaery Tyrell, Gwendoline Christie as the knight Brienne, Nonso Anozie as a merchant prince, Tom Wlaschiha as the assassin Jaqen H'gar, Andy Beckwith as Rorge, Roy Dotrice as a pyromancer, Michael McElhatton as Roose, Robert Pugh as Craster, Hannah Murray as Gilly, Oona Chaplin as Jeyne, Patrick Malahide as Balon Greyjoy, Ian Hanmore as a Warlock, Daniel Portman as a squire and Gemma Whelan as the axe wielding Yara Greyjoy.

READ MORE:http://www.dailyblam.com/news/2012/08/17/game-of-thrones-season-three-casts-ciar%C3%A1n-hinds-as-mance-rayder

Ciaran Hinds as Gaius Julius Caesar in HBO's Rome

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZwjzmlChac&feature=player_embedded

Ciaran Hinds was perfect as Caesar and Rome was perfect.  Why HBO stopped making the series is a mystery.

VANESSA REDGRAVE TO GUEST STAR ON ‘POLITICAL ANIMALS’ by: Jacob Hall Yesterday (SCREEN CRUSH)

In the vast majority of cases, someone signing on to guest star in a TV series that hasn’t aired yet isn’t news. However, the great Vanessa Redgrave appearing on a series that already features Sigourney Weaver, Ellen Burstyn and Ciaran Hinds is not just news, it’s a swift kick to your senses, a reminder that USA’s upcoming ‘Political Animals‘ should probably be on your radar.

Redgrave will play Diane Nash, who, within the universe of the show, is the first openly gay member of the Supreme Court. She is a friend and mentor to Weaver’s Elaine Barrish, a divorced former First Lady who became Secretary of State after failing to snag a presidential nomination (shades of Hillary Clinton, except for the whole divorce thing). Hinds will play her ex-husband, the former President. Carla Gugino will play the “hungry DC journalist” hellbent on taking Nash down. Burstyn’s role is unspecified, but considering her talent, you can be it’ll be a great part.


READ MORE: http://screencrush.com/vanessa-redgrave-political-animals/

Persuasion with Ciaran Hinds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOIsfsgyNJg&feature=related

The best version of Persuasion, in my opinion, and it was overshadowed in 1995 by the wonderful "Pride and Prejudice" movie.  But this is equally beautiful and Ciaran Hinds is wonderful.

Ciaran Hinds, Sigourney Weaver: Political Animals trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vknBN4TALDI#!

Ciaran Hinds On For New Suspense thriller He's joining Eric Bana & Rebecca Hall 12 April 2012 | Written by James White | Source: Focus Features (EMPIRE)

Back in February, the first word broke about Boy A director John Crowley’s new, untitled suspense thriller, when it snagged the services of Eric Bana and Rebecca Hall in the lead roles. It still doesn’t have a final name, but the movie does at least now boast a supporting cast, with Ciaran Hinds, Riz Ahmed, Kenneth Cranham, Jim Broadbent, Anne-Marie Duff and Julia Stiles all on board.

 The script is by Eastern Promises writer Steve Knight (which gives us high hopes for its quality), and the plot finds Hall and Bana as legal eagles who also happen to be former lovers. They’ve largely steered clear of each other, but when they're paired as part of the defence team on a high-profile terrorism case, loyalties are tested and nerves are set on edge as their lives are put at risk. We’re going to guess that barrister's wigs are disturbed, but that’s entirely speculation at this point.

READ MORE:  http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=33641

Irish actor Ciaran Hinds to play US President in upcoming “Political Animals” By CATHY HAYES, IrishCentral Staff Writer

Ciaran Hinds, the Belfast-born actor behind the Oscar-winning short film The Shore, has been unveiled as one of the stars of an upcoming six-part miniseries on the USA Network titled Political Animals.

The new show casts Hinds as Bud Hammond, the former president of the United States who was adored by the public while in office.

Political Animals will focus on his relationship with his wife Elaine, played by Sigourney Weaver, after the pair has divorced and she now holds the position of Secretary of State after a failed presidential bid of her own. The show is an apparent mirroring of the real life political dramas of the Clinton family.


READ MORE:  http://www.irishcentral.com/ent/rish-actor-Ciaran-Hinds-to-play-US-President-in-upcoming-Political-Animals-145987405.html

THE RANT: ‘JOHN CARTER’s’ MASSIVE FALLOUT: Who’s to blame for Disney’s ‘$200-million’ bomb (THE RANT)

THE RANT: ‘JOHN CARTER’s’ MASSIVE FALLOUT: Who’s to blame for Disney’s ‘$200-million’ bomb By Michael Cavna

SOMETIMES BAD FLOPS happen to good people. Even those hideous, avert-your-eyes flops that cause you to question how so much talent can go to so much disgraceful waste. Amid the commercial carnage that follows the CGI blood-splatter, even Hollywood’s best coroners are sometimes stumped by the precise cause of staggering box-office death.

They walk away, shaking their heads, chalking it up to fickle audiences or muddled plots or who-knows-what-exactly? Commercial death comes, as it must, to all serial big-spenders backing gargantuan movies. But in the case of “John Carter,” it didn't have to be this way.

Disney still has its Imagineers. But where in the Martian world were the studio’s marketeers? “John Carter” may go down as one of Hollywood’s biggest movie flops ever. But it should rightly go down as one the town’s biggest marketing flops ever.

Did someone at the Mouse House dial the E.R. instead of PR? The Mouse House announced this week that it anticipates that “John Carter” — its new film about Edgar Rice Burroughs’s Civil War “Martian” — will “book a loss of $200 million” for the quarter. Meaning in Hollywood dollars, it’s on track to be one of the biggest money-losing ka-booms ever. “John Carter” had grossed nearly $190-mill globally as of last weekend — but had a whopping production budget of about $250-million, plus its $100-million marketing price tag, the AP reports.


READ WHAT MAY HAVE GONE WRONG:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/the-rant-john-carters-massive-fallout-whos-to-blame-for-disneys-200-million-bomb/2012/03/19/gIQAOKf6VS_blog.html