Amazon continues to pump out original material that would have been right at home in the movie theaters just a couple of years ago. Their latest is called Jolt, and it boasts an impressive cast headlined by Kate Beckinsale.
The film, which debuts on the streaming giant later this month, follows the story of Lindy, a bouncer with a homicidal tic. The film’s title comes from her attempt at self-control; electric shock. Once her friend is murdered, she sets out for revenge, while the cops target her as the prime suspect. Action ensues.
Last night Warner Bros. dropped the newest trailer for the upcoming Suicide Squad movie, beautifully set to Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, which is now stuck in my head. This trailer, which has me quite a bit more excited than the first one did, shows us little more of the team, though the exact story is still a mystery.
On July 15, 1988, 20th Century Fox released the newest movie from Predator director John McTiernan. It was the story of a Christmas party gone wrong, and featured a script that had already been turned down by nearly every A-list action star in Hollywood. So the studio settled for TV actor and co-star of the ABC show Moonlighting, Bruce Willis. The movie was titled Die Hard and it went on to become one of the highest-grossing films of the year, catapulting Willis into stardom and becoming the greatest action movie ever made.
On February 13, 2013, 20th Century Fox released the newest movie from Max Payne director John Moore. It was the story of a father-son relationship gone awry and featured a script that had been shown to only one A-list action star in Hollywood: Bruce Willis. The movie was titled A Good Day to Die Hard and it has now tarnished the franchise spawned from the greatest action movie ever made.
So with a brand new year come a need for a grand way to kick it off in good old American fashion, and doesn’t get much more American than John McClane. So Valentine’s Day 2013 he’s going to Russia to show ’em how ‘Murica does it. We have a few new trailers and featurettes that have debuted on the internet in the last few days, and we figured to gather them all up for everyone so you can enjoy in the awesomeness that is Bruce Willis’ signature franchise.
The term ‘geek’ can be used or taken in a lot of different ways. Mostly though, it’s commonly used to describe someone with an abundance of knowledge on a particular subject, combined with a genuine love for said topic. For example, I could be easily referred to as a ‘Batman Geek’. I have a love for the mythology, I’m knowledgeable about the subject matter, and I’m passionate about what it all means to me. Perhaps that is why the abortion of a movie known as Batman and Robin is so painful for me to watch.
The Batman Mythos isn’t the only thing I geek out about however. There is another do-gooder that I find myself attached to as well – John McClane. Played by Bruce Willis and star of 4 Die Hard movies (with a cameo in Loaded Weapon 1), McClane was the ultimate ‘wrong time-wrong place’ guy. Through four movies he’s fought and defeated Hans Gruber, John Amos, Scar from the Lion King, and U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens – all the while, arguing with either his wife, his daughter, or Sam Jackson.
In addition to my love of Die Hard (and of Batman), I’ve also got what you might call an ‘uber-crush’ on one Ms. Mary Elizabeth Winstead. I mean, come on, who wouldn’t? So imagine my surprise when I first heard she had been cast to play Lucy McClane in 2007’s Live Free of Die Hard. She obviously owned the role, and I loved the movie and I believe her to be the most promising female movie star to come along in quite a while. Just look at her script selection – Black Christmas, Death Proof, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, The Thing, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter – she picks the movies I would pick if I were her. So awesome.
So anyhow, when news broke of the impending 2013 Valentine’s Day release of the franchise’s fifth movie – A Good Day to Die Hard – I was pretty bummed that it seemed she wouldn’t be involved. And then today, news broke which indicates otherwise! Booyah! According to The Film Stage, Ms. Winstead spotted on the set in Budapest:
Now the extent of her role is not yet known, so it could be anywhere from an extended cameo, to an actual role, but her mere presence makes me swoonexcitedelated confident that I won’t be disappointed on Valentine’s Day.
In addition to this, we have some other casting updates, four of them actually. Cole Hauser (Pitch Black) will appear as a supporting villain, marking his 3rd time in a Bruce Willis movie, previously appearing in Hart’s War and Tears of the Sun. In addition to Mr. Hauser, we will be seeing Megalyn Echikunwoke who has a funny connection to the film. She played ‘Nicole Palmer’ during the first season of 24, and just a few years ago FOX was kicking around the idea of crossing over the 4th Die Hard movie with a 24 film launch, pairing up the wise-cracking John McClane with the ultra serious and stoic Jack Bauer. It would’ve been epic. ALSO cast was Amaury Nolasco (Southland) who most people will likely recognize from Prison Break. If that’s not enough, we’ll throw in Russian Model Anne Vyalitsyna just for good measure.
There is also a rumor that Captain Picard will be playing the villain in this newest installment, but it’s not yet confirmed…
Combine those four with Willis, Winstead, and Jai Courtney (John McClane Jr) and you’ve got a damn solid cast. Aside from casting, there is actually some other news as well. Director John Moore, whose resume ranges from ‘disappointing and mediocre’ to ‘down right effing terrible’ has been handed the reins to one of the greatest Action franchises ever, and I’m a little worried. But he talked to Empire and said something I found interesting:
EMPIRE: …this is a Die Hard movie, pure and simple. In other words, no glib jokes then? No “How can the same shit happen to the same guy five times…” lines?
MOORE: “No, because that’s preposterous! I don’t know whether it’s post-financial crash or whatever, but I don’t think people are in the mood for that bollocks anymore. People are well savvy to the cynical reheating of any product, any franchise. Any shit won’t do. The bar’s a bit higher.”
EMPIRE: But what about the fish-out-of-water element, with McClane in Moscow?
MOORE: “There are a couple of great gags and a couple of great McClanisms. It’s not like he this idiot, bumbling around Moscow making ‘America won the Cold War’ jokes. It’s not Carry On Die Hard, I can assure you…”
EMPIRE: And what about the scale of the movie? So far, each Die Hard has been bigger than the one before…
MOORE: “The scope along goes from New York to Moscow. It’s very, very international. There’s a car chase through Moscow that’s taking us 78 days to shoot. So… yeah. That should answer your question!”
This movie could make John Moore, and I really hope it does, because that would mean it was good. If it sucks though, I’ll have to add him to a list with Paul WS Anderson (who ruined Alien vs. Predator) of Directors I won’t watch anymore.
Finally, we have some footage. And SPOILER ALERT – At some point John McClane will bleed…
And just for fun, here’s some history you might not have known. Keep in mind though, she is totally wrong in thinking that Die Hard 2 is better than Die Hard: With a Vengeance…
Out of all the names being tossed around to play the Holy role of the son of John McLane in the latest Die Hard movie, I was hardly expecting that it would be…. Jai Courtney. Puzzled by the name? Me too. The face however is certainly familiar as Jai Courtney played the role of Varro on Starz Movie Channel’s Spartacus: Blood and Sand. Varro as you may or may not know was the best friend of Spartacus on the show and the two were indeed an enjoyable duo to watch. It will be hard to see Courtney without his trademark blonde curls that he had in the show, (not to mention the accent.) but I’m sure he’ll be better off without them as he is firing multiple rounds into bad guys side by side with Bruce Willis.
Here’s an official confirmation of the story from the forthcoming A Good Day to Die Hard from Fox:
[box_light]”A Good Day to Die Hard puts McClane on an international stage — truly a NYC fish out of water in Moscow — and introduces his estranged son Jack. An apple that has not fallen far from the tree, Jack may even be more of a hardass than his father. Despite their differences, they must work together to keep each other alive — and the world safe for democracy.” [/box_light]
This sounds good to me as long as Justin Long stays out of the picture this round. I wouldn’t mind another cameo from Kevin Smith and even one from Mary Elizabeth Winestead though. The plot I’m sure will turn out to be a little more in depth as production gets rolling, but at this point there is excitement enough that movie is now going to be on the fast track into theaters. And it’s needless to say that Jai Courtney has an opportunity to send his career into the stratosphere with this gig. After all he is starring next to one of the most recognizable stars in Hollywood for the past twenty years and one of the best, if not THE best action movie franchise. Now all that is needed is a villain…
Let’s hear some comments below! Not what anyone was expecting or better that a relatively unknown actor will be playing the role of Jack McClane? (Or will it be Gennaro?)
Grizzly Bomb 