Oscar Beat: Best Actor Predictions—It’s Gary Oldman Then Everyone Else

Collider
Adam Chitwood
October 16, 2017

Well folks, it’s that time. I’ve been covering some preliminary buzz and shakeups in this current awards season for the past couple of months, but as we head into November, the race starts taking a much more solid shape and predictions come into play. All this week I’ll be laying out my preliminary predictions for some of the biggest categories, and I’m kicking things off with the Best Actor race—which, actually, of all the major races is maybe the least exciting of all.

Indeed, while previous years saw various actors jockeying for the top position, this one very much seems like it’s Gary Oldman’s to lose. The beloved performer turns in a wholly transformative performance in Joe Wright’s World War II drama Darkest Hour, in which he plays Winston Churchill. Oldman is indeed as good as everyone’s saying, and bolstered by an Anthony McCarten script that gives him multiple explosive speeches—which he subsequently hits out of the park—this is a film chock full of “Oscar clip”-worthy scenes.

But beyond Oldman, it’s really not that competitive of a Best Actor race—this year Best Supporting Actor is where the real fight is. Timothee Chalamet should absolutely be in contention for his star-making turn in Call Me By Your Name, which continues to rack up critical support after first bowing at Sundance earlier this year. It’s a major contender in multiple big categories, and while younger performers don’t usually score Best Actor nominations, if the Academy takes to Call Me By Your Name the way audiences at Sundance, TIFF, and the New York Film Festival did, he should make the cut.

There’s also Jake Gyllenhaal giving one of the best performances of his career in Stronger, although his footing is less solid given that the film seems to have unperformed at the box office and, disappointingly, is at risk of being forgotten come Oscar time. Andrew Garfield could be back in the mix for his impressive turn as a paraplegic in director Andy Serkis’ true-story drama Breathe. That film has some mediocre reviews, which may stand in Garfield’s way, but the guy’s incredibly likeable and does a swell job in the film. And, let’s face it: if he can get nominated for Hacksaw Ridge, a nod for Breathe is entirely possible.

 BEST ACTOR PREDICTIONS: http://collider.com/oscars-best-actor-predictions-2018/

Benedict Cumberbatch Joins 'Jungle Book' for Warner Bros. (Exclusive)

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
8:00 AM PDT 8/19/2014 by Borys Kit



Warner Bros.’ adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book has landed its first voice lead, and it’s elementary.

Benedict Cumberbatch will voice Shere Khan, the man-eating tiger who is the villain of the classic tale of a boy named Mowgli who is raised by jungle animals.

Andy Serkis, the motion capture king after pioneering motion capture with such roles as Gollum and Caesar, is making his directorial debut with the movie,
Jungle Book is based on the more-dark-than-you-think short stories written by Kipling and centers on Mowgli, an orphaned boy raised by wolves who befriends Baloo the bear and Bagheera the black panther. The tiger Shere Khan is a lifelong enemy of Mowgli’s, with each vowing to slay the other.

 READ MORE HERE: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/benedict-cumberbatch-joins-jungle-book-726146

RICHARD ARMITAGE WANTS TO ACT IN A FILM WITHOUT SPECIAL EFFECTS (FAN SHARE) BY: ELIZABETH DARRELL

After spending months and months acting opposite a green screen, it makes sense that actors woud get tired of it and want to act opposite real people in real settings. Richard Armitage, who plays Thorin Oakenshield in the Hobbit films, was recently interviewed by the Independent and spoke of his desire to act in movies without any special effects.

He said, "I've spent the past two years in a special FX environment for The Hobbit. I also need to find something where I'm not fighting or inflicting violence on someone, as a lot of the roles I've had, such as Lucas North in Spooks and Guy of Gisborne in Robin Hood, have involved that. I don't know why that's been the case!"

Read more: http://www.fansshare.com/news/richard-armitage-wants-to-act-in-film-without-special-effects/#ixzz2QTyvDwfr

Benedict Cumberbatch Praised By Ian McKellen For Performance In ‘Hobbit The Desolation Of Smaug’ (THE GLOBAL DISPATCH) By Stephen Nevets

With The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug coming to cinemas at the end of the year, Ian McKellen has praised his co-star Benedict Cumberbatch who will appear as the voice to the dragon in the highly anticipated sequel.

Cumberbatch will appear as the dragon using the same pioneering motion capture technology that won Andy Serkis acclaim for his performance as Gollum and speaking to Metro, McKellen said

“Doing motion capture for a part such as that is tricky, I mean, how do you play a dragon? Then again, before Lord of the Rings people were saying, ‘How on Earth do you play a Gollum?’

READ MORE: http://www.theglobaldispatch.com/benedict-cumberbatch-praised-by-ian-mckellen-for-performance-in-hobbit-the-desolation-of-smaug-48235/

Richard Armitage, Andy Serkis, James Nesbitt for The Hobbit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QNBVJnrDssw

Exclusive Video: Martin Freeman on The Hobbit The star of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has some NSFW words for his co-star Benedict Cumberbatch. (CRAVE ON LINE)

March 5th, 2013 William Bibbiani

Bibbs grills the star on his personal history with J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy series, how the ending of The Hobbit changed when the film split from two films into three, and Andy Serkis's first turn behind the camera as Peter Jackson's 2nd Unit Director. Freeman also has some decidedly choice words for his "Sherlock" co-star, and the future voice of Smaug, Benedict Cumberbatch. You can see them on-screen together (sort of) in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, which hits theaters on December 13, 2013.

READ MORE: http://www.craveonline.com/film/interviews/453879-exclusive-video-martin-freeman-on-the-hobbit

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” Crosses One Billion Dollars and Still Climbing (HERALD ON LINE)

BURBANK, CALIF. — “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” has surpassed the billion dollar milestone at the worldwide box office. The joint announcement was made today by Toby Emmerich, President and Chief Operating Officer, New Line Cinema; Gary Barber, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios; Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures; and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

To date, the blockbuster has earned $301.4 million domestically. With its recent release in China, where it has grossed $37.3 million in 10 days, the film has earned a staggering estimated $700 million internationally, for a global total of $1 billion to date. “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” becomes only the 15th film in history to exceed one billion dollars worldwide.


In making the announcement, Fellman stated, “We could not be more proud to have reached this amazing benchmark. Together with our partners at MGM and New Line, everyone at Warner Bros. congratulates Peter Jackson and his entire cast and crew on the extraordinary success of this film.”

Read more here: http://www.heraldonline.com/2013/03/03/4662171/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey.html#storylink=cpy

Richard Armitage Dishes on Battle of Five Armies in 'Hobbit: There and Back Again' ACES SHOW BIZ

The Thorin Oakenshield depicter predicts the epic battle will be a manic fight in the air, while another cast member Andy Serkis claims, 'It's going to be intense beyond belief.'

"The Hobbit" has just released the first installment of the trilogy, but one of its actors, Richard Armitage, is already raving about the epic Battle of Five Armies in the third film, "The Hobbit: There and Back Again". While the intense sequence hasn't been shot just yet, he envisioned what it would be like.

"It's been put aside until next year, thankfully," Armitage jokingly said of the filming. "It's this big thing looming over us. I'm predicting about ten weeks for the shoot because it's an extensive battle and each character is going to have their 'hero' moment on the battlefield. It's a manic fight in the air - the eagles are fighting bats - and on the ground, and I can't wait to see what Pete does with that."

Actor and second-unit director Andy Serkis, who will handle the big fight sequence, hints that "it's going to be intense beyond belief. It's going to be extraordinary - that's all I can say." The epic battle sequence will see the Men, the Elves, the Dwarves and the Eagles, all fighting for the future of Middle-earth.

Read more: http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00056650.html#ixzz2GAZI25HR

Martin Freeman's hilarious Gollum Impression

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=veDqZplgE-w

Opragorm

Stolen from Martin Freeman Facbook Page

FINAL ‘THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY’ VIDEO BLOG IS ONLINE by Jacob Hall Yesterday

After years of anticipation, ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey‘ is finally in theaters and outside of money and transportation, there’s nothing stopping you from going to see it right now. However, if money or transportation are a problem for you right now, you can always watch the concluding chapter of Peter Jackson‘s wonderful video blog about the making of the film. The focus this time? Finishing the film and getting it to the premiere!

View the final blog here

The Hobbit: an expected masterpiece in a distracting frame (THE ONE RING)

DECEMBER 4, 2012 at 10:13 AM
BY CALISURI   -

‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey‘ is a fulfilling and entertaining adventure that is sure to please most Middle-earth enthusiasts.  Filled with direct book-to-screen moments and some unique new additions, the film stands as a strong first installment of a three-year adventure. If you think of it as a fine art masterpiece in a beautiful museum, it can sit proudly next to its LOTR siblings. Well, sorta. You see, someone chose an overly busy frame with bright colors and fancy patterns that distracts from the essential content. Luckily, in your experience, you can easily swap out the frame.

As you’ll read later, this reviewer suggests this may be the wisest course first-up.

As an adaptation and expansion on Tolkien’s 75-year-old children literature classic — emphasis on children — this film is more fantastic and at times more ‘cartoony’ than its trilogy predecessor. A quick example… while in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring we see the four Hobbits trying to escape Farmer Maggot and falling down a long slope with nothing but a broken carrot, in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey we see the Company of Thorin falling down a 1000-foot crevasse (multiple times) and simply dusting themselves off.

That theme permeates the film. The ‘bad guys’ are not quite horrible monstrosities that cause death and destruction but instead are similar to villains in an episode of the A-Team. You know, where no matter how many times they shoot at our heroes, they never actually hit their mark. It ultimately makes for exciting confrontations, but no real concern the heroes will meet their doom. Some who are not familiar with the childish nature of The Hobbit might find this a bit odd when they compare the drama to the LOTR films.

The acting by the core cast was astoundingly good. Martin Freeman IS Bilbo Baggins and as expected delivers an amazing performance with true emotion, humor and feeling. Ian McKellen is a less serious version of his LOTR-self and in many ways a lot more likable. His sense of humor comes across more in the performance and it is very endearing. Richard Armitage delivers a dead-on performance of Thorin. For those of us who know what the future holds for Thorin, I can clearly state the casting was perfect. Andy Serkis returns as Gollum and provides yet another amazing performance. ‘Riddles in the Dark’ will be one of your favorite scenes – guaranteed!


READ MORE AT THE ONE RING.NET.: http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2012/12/04/66330-the-hobbit-an-expected-masterpiece-in-a-distracting-frame/

Neala Johnson's review of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (ADELAIDE NOW)

IT'S great to be back in Middle-earth. There may be a great darkness descending on the forests, but the weather is always fine in Hobbiton.

And that’s exactly where Peter Jackson drops us into The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey; 60 years prior in Tolkein-time to the happenings of Jackson’s Oscar-winning $2.8 billion-grossing The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Prepare your children before taking them to An Unexpected Journey

This is not yet the time of Frodo, Aragorn and Legolas. The central figure here is the hobbit of the title, Bilbo Baggins.

A happy homebody, he is overwhelmed when a baker's dozen dwarves pile into his kitchen. Their mission: to reclaim their home from the dragon Smaug. Bilbo is to be their "burglar”. But this hobbit is a reluctant journeyman - adventures, he says, are "nasty, uncomfortable things" and "make you late for dinner".

Martin Freeman (UK TV shows The Office and Sherlock) is the perfect Bilbo - equal parts wide-eyed wonder, fearful bumbling and dry humour.

Thorin’s hero back-story is marvellously fleshed out. Little wonder there’s already major buzz around Armitage - his Thorin is to The Hobbit what Viggo Mortensen’s Aragorn was to The Lord of the Rings.

The breadcrumbs that link this new prequel to Jackson’s much-loved LOTR trilogy are many - from the appearance of Frodo (Elijah Wood) to Bilbo’s first encounter with Gollum and that one ring.

The latter scene is magnificent: both frightening and funny as Bilbo and the split-personality creature trade riddles in a watery cave.

Gollum’s amazingly expressive face is just one pointer to the technological leaps taken in filmmaking, and embraced by Jackson and his team, in the last decade. Unsurprisingly, An Unexpected Journey features a lot more CGI than the LOTR movies, while thankfully still making good use of New Zealand’s epic landscape and a quality flesh-and-bone ensemble cast.

 READ MORE: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/entertainment/movies/neala-johnsons-review-of-the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey/story-e6freeuc-1226529768368

The Hobbit Red Carpet VIDEO, New TV Spot PLUS COMPLETE LIST OF THEATERS AROUND THE WORLD WITH 48 fps HFR 3D capabilitiy

 ‘THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY’ OFFERS TWO NEW TV SPOTS
by Damon Houx Yesterday  (SCREEN CRUSH)

‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ is only two weeks away from release, and we’re about to get word on the film. The movie screened today in New York and Los Angeles, and the review embargo for lifts Monday, December 3, at midnight EST. We’ll have a review for you then, but until that time here’s two new TV spots for the movie.

CLICK HERE TO SEE WHICH THEATERS AROUND THE WORLD WILL BE 

SHOWING THE HOBBIT IN ITS 48 FPS HFR 3D FORMAT 


READ MORE OF SCREEN CRUSH ARTICLE HERE: http://screencrush.com/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-tv-spots-2/

Stephen Colbert Announces 'Hobbit Week,' Featuring Film's Stars 7:40 AM PST 11/30/2012 by Jordan Zakarin (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER)

The "Colbert Report" host and avid Tolkien fan will have on his show the film's stars Martin Freeman, Andy Serkis and Ian McKellan, as well as Peter Jackson.

Stephen Colbert is bringing Middle Earth to Midtown Manhattan.

A devoted fan of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy series, the Colbert Report host will celebrate the release of the first chapter of the big-screen adaptation of The Hobbit with an entire week dedicated to the film on his Comedy Central series. He will welcome as guests Ian McKellen, who plays Gandalf, on Monday, Dec. 3; Martin Freeman (Bilbo Baggins) on Tuesday; director Peter Jackson on Wednesday; and Andy Serkis (Gollum) on Friday.

READ MORE:http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/stephen-colbert-announces-hobbit-week-395852

Richard Armitage, Martin Freeman, presenting at Arias 2012

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=B4ExaGIZbm0#!

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First look at 'The Hobbit': Peter Jackson's fantasy epic is eye-popping New technology and director's skill make this 'Lord of the Rings' prequel one for the ages BY ETHAN SACKS / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins in 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.'

WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- There’s only one real wizard in Middle Earth - and it’s director Peter Jackson.

The auteur from Down Under unveiled “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” - the first installment of his prequel trilogy to his “Lord of the Rings” series - in his native New Zealand Wednesday.

It was an eye-popping night, from the celebrity-filled red carpet to, more important, the action on screen.


The movie offers technological wizardry, thanks to a 48 frames-per-second format, twice the industry standard. Critics who saw a trailer earlier this year were unimpressed, but after a minute or two of adjusting, the higher resolution is eye-popping, similar to discovering HD television for the first time.


Lighter and funnier than its “Lord of the Rings” predecessors, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” remains faithful to the fantasy world last seen in the 2003 Academy Award-winning “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”

The connections abound through the two-hour-forty-minute epic, including important cameos from Andy Serkis’ Gollum and Elijah Wood’s Frodo.

The result runs rings around most special-effects driven blockbusters.

The movie opens Dec. 14 on this side of the Pacific.

esacks@nydailynews.com


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/new-hobbit-film-eye-popping-article-1.1209539#ixzz2Dd1JaokB

Thousands celebrate Hobbit premiere in New Zealand By Gyles Beckford | Reuters – Wed, Nov 28, 2012 (YAHOO NEWS)

Reuters/Reuters - British actor Richard Armitage, who plays Thorin the dwarf, poses on the red carpet at the world premiere of 'The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey' in Wellington November 28, 2012. 

REUTERS/Mark …more 

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of people packed New Zealand's capital city, clambering on roofs and hanging onto lamp posts on Wednesday to get a glimpse of the stars at the red carpet world premiere of the film "The Hobbit: an Unexpected Journey".

Wellington, where director Peter Jackson and much of the post production is based, renamed itself "the Middle of Middle Earth", and fans with prominent Hobbit ears, medieval style costumes, and wizard hats had camped out the night before to claim prized spaces along the 500 meter (550 yards) red carpet.

Jackson, a one time newspaper printer and the maker of the Oscar winning "Lord of the Rings" trilogy more than a decade ago, was cheered along the walk, stopping to talk to fans, sign autographs and pose for photos.

The Hobbit trilogy is set 60 years before the Rings movies, but Jackson said it has benefited from being made after the conclusion of the J.R.R. Tolkien fantasy saga.

READ MORE: http://news.yahoo.com/hobbit-faithful-occupy-zealand-city-ahead-premiere-002346739--spt.html

The Hobbit World Premiere: Peter Jackson, Martin Freeman, Cate Blanchett Celebrate in New Zealand by Josh Grossberg (E!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUQS-dQ81Pw
RichardArmitageNet

One premiere to rule them all and in the darkness bind them.

Middle-earth mania was in full force as an estimated 100,000 Kiwis turned out to hail Peter Jackson and stars Martin Freeman, Hugo Weaving, Andy Serkis and Cate Blanchett at the world premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Wednesday night in the New Zealand capital of Wellington.

The blockbuster, the first installment of a new trilogy that's serving as a prequel to the director's trio of Oscar-winning Lord of the Rings films, earned rave reviews from those in attendance at its first showing at the Embassy Theatre, whose entrance was decorated to look like a Hobbit house.


Excited fans—many of whom wore homemade hobbit feet, elven cloaks and wizard costumes—cheered as Jackson and company walked a massive red carpet. Along with new cast members including Richard Armitage, who plays the dwarf leader Thorin Oakenshield, were veterans of the first trilogy, among them Elijah Wood, who briefly reprises his role as Frodo in The Hobbit and lavished praise on Freeman in the lead as Bilbo Baggins.

"He was brilliant, the right amount of funny," Wood told The Hollywood Reporter. "He has strange qualities but also real heart. He is the heart of the movie, and he really pulled it off."


READ MORE: http://www.eonline.com/news/366579/the-hobbit-world-premiere-peter-jackson-martin-freeman-cate-blanchett-celebrate-in-new-zealand

Video - HOBBIT ACTORS ARRIVE IN NEW ZEALAND ON HOBBIT PLANE (STUFF.CO.NZ)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDRokSo0H6Q

Five months after wrapping up filming, the cast of The Hobbit have reunited in Wellington to celebrate tomorrow's movie premiere.

Four of the 13 dwarfs and wizard Radagast, played by British actor Sylvester McCoy, made their way to the capital in Air NZ's new Hobbit styled Boing 777-300 and were met by the rest of the cast lead by director Peter Jackson.

The plane had made his maiden flight on Saturday in Auckland and has since been to Los Angeles and London.

Tourists arriving at the airport for the premiere excitedly flocked to the windows underneath the massive Middle of Middle Earth sign to catch a glimpse of Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage and the rest of the Company of Dwarves.

"This plane with its 77-metre flying billboard came from Los Angeles and down from Auckland this morning,"  Air New Zealand deputy chief executive Norm Thompson said. "It's the first time this plane has arrived in Wellington, which is really fitting for the occation".

ANOTHER FILM OF THE ARRIVAL - CLICK HERE

Hobbit stars pour into Wellington SOPHIE SPEER (STUFF.NZ)

Hobbit actors Hugo Weaving, Andy Serkis, Martin Freeman, Zealandia's Lauren Schaer, Elijah Wood and Richard Armitage pay a visit to Wellington's Zealandia.

The stars of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey are pouring into Wellington ahead of tomorrow's world premiere.

Actors Martin Freeman, Elijah Wood, Andy Serkis and Richard Armitage flew into the capital on Sunday and spent yesterday with Hugo Weaving at Zealandia.

Zealandia spokeswoman Lauren Shaer said the group were filming an interview for an American show at the wildlife sanctuary.

"They were all really lovely. Hugo was especially interested in our conservation work as he is involved with similar projects himself.

READ MORE: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/culture/8002657/Hobbit-stars-pour-into-Wellington