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Ben Affleck’s Batman is ‘different’


Ben Affleck insists his Batman is "different" to Christian Bale's.
The 43-year-old actor portrays the Caped Crusader in the upcoming 'Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice' and insists he would never have taken on the role if he felt the movie was
a direct follow-on from the 'Dark Knight' trilogy.
He said: "If I thought we were just doing a sequel to the Christian Bale movies, I wouldn't have done it.
"They exist as three great movies but on their own, and I also wouldn't be comfortable with saying, 'We're gonna one-up that.'
"What I'm interested in is that we're doing something different."
Ben was offered the role shortly after winning an Oscar for 'Argo' and before filming 'Gone Girl'.
Though he was incredibly in demand at that point, he knew he had to take on the project as it was likely to be his last chance at tackling the superhero genre.
He told Empire magazine: "I probably was at the point of having, maybe, the most opportunities I've ever had in my career. And then this Batman thing came along.
"And, quite frankly, I thought there was probably not going to be another chance to be in a movie like this."

Michael Keaton: Movies are excruciating to make


Michael Keaton says movies can be "excruciating" to make.
The 64-year-old star has enjoyed a varied and acclaimed acting career but readily admits he doesn't enjoy spending hours on set waiting for his scenes as it can be extremely boring.
Keaton confessed: "I get easily bored. Frankly, film acting can be quite dull. You sit around in a trailer being bored out of your f***ing mind. All day. It's excruciating."
The process of bring a story to life on the big screen even put him off making Hollywood movies for a time.
Keaton - who played Batman in Tim Burton's two Dark Knight adventures - explained: "I didn't really enjoy acting for a long time. I didn't hate it , I just didn't enjoy it. Nothing was fitting. I find a lot of other things interesting and I just wasn't focused."
Keaton received universal acclaim for his performance as Riggan Thomson in 2014's 'Birdman' - for which he won the 2014 Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his portrayal of Riggan - and can currently be seen in the multiple Oscar award nominated 'Spotlight', which tells the true story of the Boston Globe journalists who delve into the cover-up of sexual abuse by Catholic priests in Massachusetts.
Speaking about his recent successes in movies, he joked to the Metro newspaper: "Put me in a film, and I'll get you Oscars. I think people want me to answer, 'Oh my God, it's so great now and before it was so horrible.' But I'm still doing what I always did. You get offered things that are great or you're in things that make people money or things that get critical acclaim. It's that simple."

Jerry Bruckheimer meets with Tom Cruise to talk Top Gun sequel


Tom Cruise has met Jerry Bruckheimer to discuss 'Top Gun 2'.
The action star is set to reprise his role as Lieutenant Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell from the 1986 film about fighter pilots at America's combat flying school in Miramar.
Producer Bruckheimer has revealed he and Cruise met up at the weekend in New Orleans to discuss plans for the action blockbuster, which was confirmed last June to be in development.
Taking to his Twitter account, Jerry uploaded a photograph of the pair smiling together and captioned it: "Just got back from a weekend in New Orleans to see my old friend @TomCruise and discuss a little Top Gun 2 (sic)"
The original 'Top Gun' was a big box office success and has gone on to achieve classic status amongst film fans due to its high octane jet fights, quotable lines which include "I feel the need ... the need for speed" and the love story between Cruise's Maverick and Kelly McGillis, who played Charlie Blackwood.
The film's soundtrack was also lauded and Berlin's track 'Take My Breath Away' - written by Giorgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock - went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
A date for shooting on the sequel has not been confirmed, and Cruise is currently filming 'Jack Reacher: Never Go Back' and thriller 'Mena'.

Catherine Zeta-Jones: Dad’s Army was hilarious to make


Catherine Zeta-Jones "laughed" all the way through the making of 'Dad's Army'.
The Hollywood starlet was thrilled to return to the UK to make the new comedy movie - which is based on the famous BBC television sitcom set during the World War II which focuses on the home guard left behind to protect Britain from potential Nazi attacks.
And the highlight was working with some of the finest British actors around who all made her laugh hysterically throughout shooting.
Speaking on the red carpet at the premiere of the film in London, Catherine - who plays glamorous journalist Rose Winters, who is sent to report on the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard platoon - shared: 'It was everything I hoped it to be, it was all these great actors, knew their lines, knew what they were doing. We were laughing all the way through it and it just reminded me how much I love being in the UK to work and to be with British actors. It's nice to come home and this was like coming home to a cup of Ovaltine, nice and cosy."
While braving the rain on the red carpet, Catherine - who is married to Michael Douglas - was joined by the Chelsea Pensioners, all of whom were dressed in military attire, at the glitzy event.
'Dad's Army' was broadcast by the BBC from 1968 and ran until 1977 and all the original characters were brought to life in the movie adaptations.
The cream of the crop of British film are part of cast for the Olivier Parker-directed movie, including veteran actors Sir Tom Courtenay, who plays Corporal Jones, and Frank Williams, who reprised his role from the TV series as Reverend Timothy Farthing, as well as Bill Nighy who portrayed Sergeant Wilson, 'Sherlock' star Mark Gattis (Colonel Theakes), 'The Hunger Games' actor Toby Jones (Captain Mainwaring) and Blake Harrison - who plays Private Pike - and who was joined by his 'Inbetweeners' co-star Emily Atack, who also stars as Daphne.
And Michael Gambon - who plays Private Godfrey - added he was definitely the right person to depict the lovable old platoon member and retired shop assistant.
He said: "I'm like Godfrey, I'm always mooching around, I'm not doing anything right, I forget things. If someone says left, I turn right. I'm not very bright up here."
'Dad's Army' is released in cinemas on February 5.

Dustin Hoffman’s Kung Fu Panda confusion


Dustin Hoffman thought he voiced a raccoon rather than a panda in 'Kung Fu Panda 3'.
The Hollywood actor reprises his role as Master Shifu in the upcoming computer animated comedy movie, but the 78-year-old star didn't even realise that his character was a bear like the titular character.
When asked by 'Today' show's Matt Lauer what type of animal his wise alter-ego is, he replied: "I'm not even sure ... what is ... is it a raccoon?"
Fortunately, help was at hand for Hoffman and an aide informed him that Shifu, who he has voiced for three movies, is a red panda.
After getting some assistance, he then unconvincingly confirmed: "I'm a read panda."
While Hoffman made sure he signed up 'Kung Fu Panda 3' - which stars Jack Black as main character Po, as well as Angelina Jolie as tiger Tigress and Jackie Chan as Monkey - there are many movies he has turned down throughout his glittering career.
The star believes he had a "problem with success" after rejecting the chance to appear in several huge motion pictures, including 'Schindler's List' and 1977 sci-fi movie 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'.
He said: "I read it and when I finished it, I said, 'That's the best script I've ever read, and I'm not going to do it.'
"I turned down many more brilliant things and more great directors than any actor I know.
"I think I had a problem with success. I turned Woody Allen down. I turned Schindler's List down. I turned [Federico] Fellini down, I turned [Ingmar] Bergman down."
Despite rejecting huge movie offers, Hoffman has won two Academy Awards during his career for Best Actor in 1979's 'Kramer vs. Kramer' and 1988 flick 'Rain Man'.

Sylvester Stallone honoured with Montecito Award


Sylvester Stallone will be handed the Montecito Award at the Santa Barbara Film Festival.
The 'Creed' star is set to be honoured at the annual ceremony, which takes place on February 9 at the Arlington Theatre in Santa Barbara, California.
Santa Barbara International Film Festival's executive director Roger Durling said: "Sylvester Stallone's performance in 'Creed' has reminded us of what a true talent he is and what a joy it is to share in his successes as the many beloved characters he has created ...
"He is a true legend in our field, and it is our privilege to present him with the Montecito Award, and to continue to honor his legacy."
It has been a great awards season so far for the 69-year-old actor, who was so shocked with his win for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture at the Golden Globes that he didn't even realise he had been given a standing ovation.
He said at the time: "You're kidding! I did not expect to win at all. I was promising myself I would be very aware the whole time, but it proves I was not aware.
"Just the fact that these incredible people were applauding, it reminds you that in this life, it's never really over until it's over and you should never give up trying, which is a great message."
Previous winners of the Montecito Award include Jennifer Aniston, Kate Winslet and Naomi Watts.

Don Cheadle: Rhodes is a pivotal character in Captain America: Civil War


Don Cheadle's character James 'Rhodey' Rhodes plays a "pivotal" role in 'Captain America: Civil War'.
The 51-year-old actor is reprising his role as Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes - aka War Machine - in the upcoming Marvel Studios sequel and unlike in other movies he is at the forefront of the plot and the action.
Speaking from the Sundance Film Festival, he said: "I never know what it's going to be and they keep their cards very close to their breast with Marvel. I never know where the character's going to go, but he's become more and more and in the next one, you'll see that what happens to Rhodey is a little bit more intense and pivotal to what happens in the rest of the stories."
Cheadle has played Tony Stark's pal in two 'Iron Man' sequels and in 'Avengers: Age of Ultron', although he did not feature prominently in the second superhero ensemble.
The star enjoys being part of the Marvel cinematic universe although he admits it can frustrating acting with green screens all the time.
He said: "I ultimately like it when we're there and I'm working with other actors and it's fun, but it can be very tedious. A lot of time you're looking at a green screen and a tennis ball on a C-stand. But you just give over to the elements and go, 'Oh these are the toys and I'm playing with the biggest and best toys,' and we're flying around and doing stuff that if I was 10 years old, I would be having the greatest time in my life!"
The film will be centred around a feud between Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Captain America (Chris Evans) and as well as a number of Avengers returning the film will also feature first time appearances in the franchise from characters Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and Spider-Man (Tom Holland).
'Captain America: Civil War' hits theatres this May 6.

Bryan Cranston’s Trumbo ego


Bryan Cranston enjoyed playing another "big ego" in his new movie 'Trumbo'.
The 44-year-old star achieved worldwide fame as the self-obsessed school teacher who climbs to the top of an illegal drug ring in 'Breaking Bad' and in 'Trumbo' he plays the prolific 1940s Hollywood screenwriter Dalton Rumbo in the Jay Roach directed biopic.
The movie follows the life of the 'Spartacus' writer who was considered an eccentric genius and who spent 11 months in prison in 1950, after he refused to give up names of his colleagues who were communist sympathisers to the House Un-American Activities Committee.
And asked what attracted him to the role - for which he has received a Best Actor nomination at the Oscars - Bryan said: "He is so flamboyant and dramatic - chain-smoking and holding court. A big life, a big ego. But he had a true heart."
However, the actor is nothing like the characters he has played in 'Trumbo' and 'Breaking Bad' and says his fame won't turn him into a self-righteous diva.
In an interview with Time Out London magazine, he said: "I'm in the position now of being offered the lead in a movie or TV show. I thought: I've been in bad environments where everyone's nervous, walking on eggshells wondering if the star is going to be happy today, or if the director is going to scream at people. I don't want that in my life. I want the drama to be in the show."

Matt Smith to star in Robert Mapplethorpe biopic


Matt Smith will play photographer Robert Mapplethorpe in the new biopic.
The 'Doctor Who' star has been signed to star as the pioneer of photography who died aged 42 in 1989 after a long battle with the AIDS virus, and will be joined by 'Girls' actress Zosia Mamet who is set to play Robert's one-time lover Patti Smith.
Robert photographed the biggest artists and musicians of his era including the likes of Andy Warhol, Debbie Harry, Grace Jones and most famously dated Patti Smith, whose album 'Horses' uses one of his pictures.
He was also best known for creating large stylized black and white portraits of pictures of nude men and women as well as images of flowers.
While James Franco was originally tipped to play the famed photographer when the project got off the ground in 2012, but director Ondi Timoner is delighted to get Matt on board.
She told Deadline: "After several years of developing this script and searching across the globe for the perfect talent to embody the rich and layered roles of visionary artists Robert Mapplethorpe and Patti Smith, I am ecstatic to have found Matt Smith and Zosia Mamet. They will bring indelible passion, raw humanity, and authenticity to this timeless, inspiring story."

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