CHAPPIE

[jo]

Not too much details on what kind of role Hugh might play in this movie --

www.deadline.com/2013/09/hugh-jackman-neill-blomkamp-sci-fi-chappie/#utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Hugh Jackman is joining the cast of Chappie, from District 9 and Elysium helmer Neill Blomkamp. He’s attached to play the rival of Dev Patel’s character in the South Africa-set sci-fi pic about an android cop (mo-capped by Sharlto Copley) who’s kidnapped by gangsters (Yo-Landi Visser and Ninja of the rap duo Die Antwoord). Sony and MRC are co-producing the pic.

More speculations on Hugh's role --

screencrush.com/chappie-hugh-jackman/

The film follows two gangsters who steal a robot to use for their own shady means. Screen Daily adds that they think they know who Jackman is playing in the film:


"From what little extra info I have, it would seem that Jackman is playing a CEO who ends up on the wrong side of the gangsters. He’s apparently quite a resourceful character, though.

‘Chappie’ is based on Blomkamp’s 2004 short film ‘Tetra Vaal,’ which you can watch below. The short features Blomkamp’s signature visual effects style in the form of rabbit-eared robots. Though ‘Chappie’ is said to be a comedy, it doesn’t seem that the director is straying far from the sort of material we’ve seen in ‘District 9′ and ‘Elysium.’ ‘Chappie’ is set for a March 27, 2015 release....

Jo

[foxie]

I wish he would stay away from scifi.

[karppool]

He did recently say in an interview that he wanted to try something lighter/a comedy.....I guess he was in negotiations for this...

[jo]

Besides, this is only 2 weeks work ( he said he will be in South Africa for a couple of weeks for the filming) - so maybe it is something light that he thinks might be fun to be involved in, while he is likely waiting for developments on other major projects.

I think Hugh likes the variety in his career -- film and stage, film genres, even performing gigs ( or commercials, for that matter ). That probably makes him a better performer because his work never gets stale


Jo

[jo]

www.channel24.co.za/Gossip/News/Who-will-be-Hugh-Jackmans-SA-body-double-20131028

Who will be Hugh Jackman’s SA body double?
2013-10-28 12:44by Biénne Huisman

Johannesburg - Wolverine actor Hugh Jackman requires a South African body double – and only the country’s hottest torsos need apply, City Press reported.

Jackman will star in local director Neill Blomkamp’s third feature film, Chappie, which will be filmed in Johannesburg next month.

The hunky 45-year-old actor famously bared his chiselled pectorals as mutant superhero Wolverine in the X-Men films, which are based on the popular Marvel Comics series.

And now the hunt is on for his muscular local doppelgänger.

Hopeful heart-throbs from across the country flocked to castings, which kicked off in Joburg this week.

"Height is very important. See torso reference picture attached for build and shoulders," states an e-mail detailing specifications for Jackman’s body double that was circulated to local casting agents.

Jackman weighs 82kg and is 1.88m tall. His chest measures 114cm and his waist 89cm. His shoe size is 11.

In Chappie, Jackman will cross swords with Yo-Landi Vi$$er and Watkin Tudor Jones of Die Antwoord. The actor revealed in an interview that he plays a "resourceful CEO who has beef with gangsters". The thugs are portrayed by Die Antwoord’s Ninja and Vi$$er. They kidnap a robot cop voiced by Sharlto Copley.

Blomkamp will again endeavour to blend sci-fi and comedy in the movie, which was co-written by his wife, Terri Tatchell.

Jackman will reprise his superhero role next year in X-Men: Days of Future Past.


- City Press

If filming is due to start next month ( November?), then that frees up Hugh's schedule from the earliest part of next year. Presumably, the end-of-year HOUDINI workshops will continue to happen.

Care to guess which project he might be working on in early 2014?

*Houdini?
*Greatest Showman on Earth?
*Others?


Jo

[suefb]

Well, I'm still going by the initial articles which had said Hugh's filming would take place in January. I think his role is small, and that filming for the rest of the movie could begin well before he gets involved.

As for the first part of the year, who knows. I had been thinking Greatest Showman, but things would have to come together with this re-write very quickly to squeeze that in before Michael Gracey's next film project, Rocketman, in the fall. I'd been hoping for Unbound Captives, but I think Madeleine Stowe is too busy on her TV show. There were still a couple of rumors about Selma coming around again. There hasn't been a single mention of Six Years since the book came out. I think that, if anything comes up, it'll be something that appears seemingly out of the blue, like Chappie did.

[jo]

I honestly think that the problems with UNBOUND CAPTIVES are mainly two-fold:

*The return of the western genre has not been successful ( Lone Ranger, Cowboys and Aliens, etc) so Hollywood may not be enamoured to finance it.

*Madeleine Stowe will be a first-time director -- I think there may be strong reservations about her ability to cope with the demands of that responsibility, especially as this has a little bit of "epic" characterizing the storyline. Will she allow someone else to take over? The project caught the interest of Fox early on because Ridley Scott was initially interested to helm it and was planning to do it with Russell Crowe. That of course has not panned out, I think because Ms Stowe was insistent that she helm the movie.

Hollywood funding is not that easy to get, the film project will need to attach a director who is well-respected even if relatively new in Hollywood ( e.g., Denis Villeneuve of Prisoners but he was well known for his Oscar-nominated Incendies and his work in the Canadian film industry). Also, even if Prisoners was among the top-rated Black List scripts in 2009, it took several years before it finally got filmed. And look at the cast they needed to put together to make it happen. Plus the film had a bit of an indie drama vibe to it, despite that it belongs to the thriller genre.

Hugh himself admitted that Unbound Captives is very difficult to get off the ground.

[suefb]

Oct 28, 2013 9:42:06 GMT -5 jo said:

I honestly think that the problems with UNBOUND CAPTIVES are mainly two-fold:

*The return of the western genre has not been successful ( Lone Ranger, Cowboys and Aliens, etc) so Hollywood may not be enamoured to finance it.

*Madeleine Stowe will be a first-time director -- I seriously think there are reservastions about her ability to cope with the demands of that responsibility, especially as this has a little bit of "epic" characterizing the storyline. Will she allow someone else to take over? The project caught the interest of Fox early on because Ridley Scott was initially interested to helm it and was planning to do it with Russell Crowe. That of course has not panned out, I think because Ms Stowe was insistent that she helm the movie.

Hollywood funding is not that easy to get, the film project will need to attach a director who is well-respected even if relatively new in Hollywood ( e.g., Denis Villeneuve of Prisoners but he was well known for his Oscar-nominated Incendies and his work in the Canadian film industry). Also, even if Prisoners was among the top-rated Black List scripts in 2009, it took several years before it finally got filmed. And look at the cast they needed to put together to make it happen. Plus the film had a bit of an indie drama vibe to it, despite that it belongs to the thriller genre.

Hugh himself admitted that Unbound Captives is very difficult to get off the ground.

I agree completely with the questions about Madeleine Stowe and getting funding, and finding the right cast, etc. But I don't think it's a problem with the Western genre. I think there are always a couple of western-themed movies each year, and some do well and some don't. In many ways, Django Unchained was a Western and it did quite well. But ... if it hadn't been Quentin Tarantino directing an amazing cast, it would not have. Anyway, all to say that it seems next to impossible that UC will be a go anytime soon. But we'll see. Speculation is always fun.

[Jamie]

Oct 28, 2013 9:42:06 GMT -5 jo said:

I honestly think that the problems with UNBOUND CAPTIVES are mainly two-fold:

*The return of the western genre has not been successful ( Lone Ranger, Cowboys and Aliens, etc) so Hollywood may not be enamoured to finance it.

*Madeleine Stowe will be a first-time director -- I think there may be strong reservations about her ability to cope with the demands of that responsibility, especially as this has a little bit of "epic" characterizing the storyline. Will she allow someone else to take over? The project caught the interest of Fox early on because Ridley Scott was initially interested to helm it and was planning to do it with Russell Crowe. That of course has not panned out, I think because Ms Stowe was insistent that she helm the movie.

Hollywood funding is not that easy to get, the film project will need to attach a director who is well-respected even if relatively new in Hollywood ( e.g., Denis Villeneuve of Prisoners but he was well known for his Oscar-nominated Incendies and his work in the Canadian film industry). Also, even if Prisoners was among the top-rated Black List scripts in 2009, it took several years before it finally got filmed. And look at the cast they needed to put together to make it happen. Plus the film had a bit of an indie drama vibe to it, despite that it belongs to the thriller genre.

Hugh himself admitted that Unbound Captives is very difficult to get off the ground.

A couple of years back, the remake of True Grit did very well. While the cinematography was expansive, they told a "small, intimate story". I think this may be the key to bringing back the western as a genre. Don't try to be a huge flash/bang knockoff. Just tell a good story that happens to be set in the West. Unbound Captives is most like The Searchers and it was the same there. While the filming showed you the vistas of the west, the story itself was very much just a family drama. This has been the format of all the best westerns over the years.

[suefb]

Oct 28, 2013 9:53:25 GMT -5 Jamie said:

A couple of years back, the remake of True Grit did very well. While the cinematography was expansive, they told a "small, intimate story". I think this may be the key to bringing back the western as a genre. Don't try to be a huge flash/bang knockoff. Just tell a good story that happens to be set in the West. Unbound Captives is most like The Searchers and it was the same there. While the filming showed you the vistas of the west, the story itself was very much just a family drama. This has been the format of all the best westerns over the years.

I also thought of True Grit after my post! I was even thinking of editing it to add a ps about it. But you did that for me. Story, director, and cast ... regardless of the genre, those are the thing that matters.

[jo]

www.flicksandbits.com/2013/10/28/neill-blomkamps-chappie-begins-filming-sharlto-copley-hugh-jackman-dev-patel-sigourney-weaver-star/59417/

Neill Blomkamp’s ‘Chappie’ Begins Filming; Sharlto Copley, Hugh Jackman, Dev Patel & Sigourney Weaver Star

Sony Pictures Entertainment and MRC have begun production in Johannesburg, South Africa on ‘Chappie,’ the next film from writer-director Neill Blomkamp...

Maybe that is why they are looking at candidates for body double for Hugh now? Taris on holiday or busy with another project?


Jo

[jo]

I wonder if Hugh and Sigourney Weaver will have scenes together and see them interact together? I bet Hugh will be thrilled to act with Sigourney.


Jo

[klenotka]

I hope they will have scenes together. Sigourney is great. Her Ripley has always been on the "best female characters" list and she is just such a fun to watch. In Galaxy Quest and Paul, she obviously made a fun from herself. I think she could get along with Hugh very well because that´s one thing they have in common I remember Hugh introducing Sigourney at the Tonys

[jo]

They've already started filming CHAPPIE --

www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2013/11/11/slumdog-s-soweto-shoot

There's yet no sign of Aussie star Hugh Jackman, but UK actor Dev Patel - and his overzealous bodyguards - continued shooting Neill Blomkamp's new sci-fi movie in Soweto this weekend.

The 23-year-old ofSlumdog Millionaire fame was spotted arriving at "base camp", just off Old Potchefstroom Road, on Saturday afternoon, where the principal cast, including "Chappie" (Sharlto Copley) and Die Antwoord's Yolandi Visser and Ninja had their trailers marked out.

More ...

[jo]

Hugh is already in South Africa --

Hugh Jackman‏@realhughjackman1h
What an amazing trip! Phinda Safari ... Justin, our ranger - extraordinary!

http://instagram.com/p/iw3ksDChIb

Jo

[mamaleh]

Is that a baboon? Must be so different to see them in the wild.

Ellen

[ruby]

Jan 4, 2014 19:42:43 GMT -5 mamaleh said:

Is that a baboon? Must be so different to see them in the wild.

Ellen

Ellen? Did you misplace your glasses?

[birchie]

Jan 4, 2014 19:42:43 GMT -5 mamaleh said:

Is that a baboon? Must be so different to see them in the wild.

Ellen

Here's a bigger one so you can see it better Ellen

Sue

[mamaleh]

LOL, thanks, Sue. When you're barely awake, holding a phone while riding home on a dimly lit evening bus, it seems like a lion's tongue resembles the colorful streak of a baboon. I must alert Scientific American.

By the way, I got up very early yesterday morning to go into the city to rush BEAUTIFUL, the Carole King musical. It's really good, and Jessie Mueller is marvelous in the title role. I predict a Tony for her. This jukebox-style, entertaining show is the distaff version of JERSEY BOYS and will be almost as big a hit, I think.

Ellen

[jo]

Hugh Jackman ‏@realhughjackman 17m
Day 1 on Chappie! Vincent is born, rocking the mullet. Working with Neill Blomkamp in SA. This film is…

http://instagram.com/p/i3dDBYChMD

He has created another character look! The mullet is a little reminiscent of Correlli but it is an entirely new Hugh Jackman movie persona

http://instagram.com/p/i3dDBYChMD

#

[jo]

In CORRELLI --

[jo]

Some interesting ( gasp!) reactions to Hugh's mullet hairdo.

news.moviefone.com/2014/01/07/hugh-jackman-mullet-photo/

In this feature, if you scroll down - there is a photo gallery of his best non-Wolverine roles and a short critique of his performances :

*The Prestige
*Erskineville Kings
*The Fountain
*Prisoners
*Les Miserables

Amazingly coincidental to my favorite portrayals and spot-on reviews! Although I'd put in Oklahoma! and Australia on that list, too.


Jo

[jo]

From the set of CHAPPIE --

[jo]

Not sure if this part of the CHAPPIE set or a tourist spot in SA --

thehughjackman
12 minutes ago
Filmed in Soweto. This place is incredible. Love it! #Chappie #Vincent #SA

---

http://instagram.com/p/jCCUkkChBa

#

[jo]

A tweet from someone from Johannesburg --

milisuthando bongela ‏@missmillib 2m
Oh yeah, yesterday @mariapodesta & I watched Hugh Jackman acting scenes for a film in our street in Yeoville. It was awesome.

Sounds intriguing, as we have no idea what the movie and Hugh's role in it are all about


Jo