Movies

Ridley Scott has revealed the 'Prometheus' sequels will bring the story back to the start of the 1979 film 'Alien'.
The 77-year-old director has planned the next three movies in the money-spinning sci-fi franchise and has teased how the series will evolve.
He told The Hollywood Reporter: "'Prometheus 1' was borne out of my frustration that on 'Alien 1' in 1979 - I only did one as I don't normally do sequels.
"I was amazed that in the three that followed that no-one asked the question, 'Why the Alien, who made it and why?' Very basic questions.
"So I came up with the notion of 'Prometheus 1', which starts to indicate who might have made it and where it came from."
And Ridley explained that the story will eventually come full circle.
He said: "So I'm now going to the next one, which is the next evolution directly connected with the first one, which was this [Elizabeth] Shaw, when he replaced Michael Fassbender in two pieces and we'll kind of pick it up there and it will evolve.
"When that's finished there'll be another one and then another one which will gradually drive into the back entrance of the film in 1979."

Reese Witherspoon is set to produce a film about Ruth Handler, the creator of Barbie.
According to The Tracking Board, the Oscar-winning actress - who has her own production company, Pacific Standard - has picked up the movie rights to Robin Gerber's book 'Barbie and Ruth', which documents Handler's rise to success with the iconic blonde doll.
The tome has been described as "a fascinating account of how one visionary woman and her product changed an industry and sparked a lasting debate about women's roles".
Ruth was inspired to create Barbie after watching her daughter Barbara playing with paper dolls as if they were adults.
She also noticed Barbara couldn't properly dress her dolls in the clothes she had made them.
Ruth along with the help of her husband Elliot - who worked for toy manufacturers Mattel - developed and launched Barbie in 1959, and instantly had a hit on their hands which has lasted to this day.
As well as inventing Barbie, later in her life Ruth co-founded a company that manufactured an ultra-realistic replica of a women's breast after she herself developed breast cancer.
'Barbie and Ruth' is the second Barbie movie project in the works, Sony is developing a live-action movie based around the plastic blonde bombshell.
Reese's production company was formed with the aim to release films that focus on women. Previous hits include 'Wild' and 'Gone Girl'.

Jennifer Hudson thinks it is "unfortunate" there is a lack of diversity in Hollywood.
The 'Dreamgirls' actress - who is currently starring in Broadway musical 'The Color Purple' - is glad that there are actors and actresses "opening the doors" for stories with major black characters.
Commenting on the controversial Hollywood Reporter cover, which saw no minority actresses appear in an awards preview, she said: "It's unfortunate but that's the nature of things. That's why I love to see stories like ['The Color Purple'] with major black characters. Looking at people like Taraji [P. Henson] and Viola [Davis] ... making it more known and creating that platform for us to be seen in that way ... it's some strong women out there ... actors that are just so powerful and inspiring me and other actresses and opening up the doors for us to be able to do more and to be seen in that way."
The 34-year-old singer and actress insists if actors from all backgrounds are given the "opportunity", they can excel.
She added to Grio magazine: "I believe it was Viola that said, it's about the opportunity. We can do it too, but give us that opportunity.
"Taking advantage of those opportunities when they're presented to us makes more room for us in that way."

Sir Michael Caine feared his career had entered a downward spiral in the 90s.
The Hollywood legend remains among the most recognisable faces in the movie business, but has admitted to feeling anxious after being considered too old to play the lead in a romantic film.
He recalled: "I was 62, 63 and one day I got a script and I read it and I sent it back to the producer with a letter saying the part was too small.
"He sent me a letter back saying, 'I didn't want you to read the lover, I wanted you to read the father.' And I went, 'Oops.' That was a turning point for me. I suddenly realised getting the girl was all over."
Sir Michael, 82, subsequently backed away from making films - but was ultimately convinced to return by Jack Nicholson.
He told ShortList magazine: "I gave up and I went to live in Miami. I was having loads of fun, and then Jack got a script and said, 'Why don't you do this movie ['Blood and Wine'] with me?'
"So I started off again. Then I did 'Little Voice' and a whole series of movies I really enjoyed. I won Academy Awards, Baftas and Golden Globes all over the place. 'Little Voice' got me going again."

Will Smith is determined to not over-act.
The 47-year-old Hollywood star is among the world's most recognisable actors and he has admitted that one of the secrets to his success is to "not act too much" as he believes this deters viewers.
He said: "That's an obsession for me, to not act so much that people don't want to see it.
"You act so much that you turn people off, or you put so many creatures in it that now people don't take the acting seriously."
Will also revealed that he attempts to combine intimate character details with blockbuster elements.
The 'Men In Black' star told the 'Awards Chatter' podcast: "I'm obsessed with trying to put small character dramas into the middle of blockbuster packages.
"The most successful I've ever been with that concept is 'I Am Legend'.
"'I Am Legend' easily could've been a stage play, right? You know, a one-man show, a dude with a dog.
"You generally would think you need a little bit more than that for a blockbuster, but to date that's my biggest opening and my second biggest film."

The new 'Gremlins' movie won't be a reboot or a remake.
The much-discussed new film has been years in the making and 'Gremlins' star Zach Galligan has revealed there was "a decent chance" he'd appear in the movie.
He said: "It's not going to be a reboot. It will not be a remake in any way, shape, or form."
The 51-year-old American said the original film's writer Chris Columbus will not allow the new movie to be a remake.
He explained: "Chris Columbus has come out and said that the first film is very near and dear to his heart and as long as he is alive it will never be remade.
"So the only thing they will be, and apparently are going to be doing, is something along the lines of like 'Jurassic World', where it will be 30 years later."
He said too, that the new movie would refer to events in the first film, which was released in 1984.
Zach shared: "I swear on my life, I don't know if I'm in it or not, but I think there is probably a decent chance since I'm one of the few people left standing from the first movie.
"Hopefully they won't use too much CGI, or the CGI will be really good like the 'Planet of the Apes' movies, and hopefully we'll have some practical effects too."

Harrison Ford thinks Han Solo and Chewbacca are like an "old married couple".
The 73-year-old actor - who has reprised the role of Han for the JJ Abrams-directed 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' - has told fans of the franchise to expect a familiar dynamic between his on-screen character and that of Peter Mayhew.
Harrison told Empire magazine: "They were very much like an old married couple to start with. I think people will find them very much the same as ever."
The Hollywood legend also recalled the moment they were reunited.
He said: "It was as warm as fuzzy as you might imagine. It was great to see old friends."
Harrison's remarks come shortly after another of his 'Star Wars' co-stars, actress Carrie Fisher, said she accepted she will always be Princess Leia to people "long ago".
The 59-year-old actress, who is reprising her iconic role in upcoming movie 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens', said: "I long ago accepted that I am Princess Leia. I have that as a large part of the association with my identity. There wasn't a lot of hesitation (to do the movie)."
Carrie also revealed she was delighted to have been cast in the new movie, in part because it's harder for actresses to find work as they age.
She said: "I'm a female and in Hollywood it's difficult to get work after 30, maybe it's getting to be 40 now."

Sir Michael Caine feels he is in "competition" with himself.
The 82-year-old film star has admitted that despite becoming one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood, he never harboured any huge career ambitions and doesn't worry about competing with other actors.
Asked if he ever felt under-appreciated, he said: "No, that didn't bother me at all. You have to remember, I was a reparatory actor, I was nobody for years.
"I couldn't be a star - a cockney guy from Elephant & Castle, son of a Billingsgate fishmonger. I have no sense of competition with any other actors - I love other actors and their performances. Love them. My competition is with myself."
Sir Michael suggested his superstar status has been achieved through good fortune.
He told ShortList magazine: "All I've ever done, right to this day, from my first part - I was a butler who came in and said, 'Dinner is served' - is to try to be the best possible actor I could be.
"The fact that I became a star, as I said earlier, I just thank God for that. Nothing to do with me whatsoever."

Rose McGowan quit acting because it became "so boring" in front of the camera.
The former 'Charmed' star - who has given up being an actress to become a director - insists there are too many "tent pole" superhero films in the movie industry nowadays and has called for more "intelligent" and "complex" motion pictures.
In an Instagram post, she wrote: "Thoughts on the current state of tent pole films aka superheroes. I'd like to petition for other stories to be added to the slate. Where are the human stories? I don't want green goblins and tight outfits. I want intelligence, daring, work that drives society forward. I want a mirror, not every cliché regurgitated ad nauseum. From Scarface, to Lebowski, to M, to Anchor Man, to the sublime Carol, to Chinatown,to Sullivan's Travels-. Let's bring complexity back. Let's be the badasses we used to be. Open up the director's chair and it'll change. #hollywood #directing think of all the stories not on screen because women are blocked by the status quo. F**k the status quo. Honestly, it got so boring in front of the camera I had to quit. Boring often times egomaniacal tyrants not making art. Hmmm.. Why ever should that change? Add women. Change the conversation. Promote depth. (sic)"
The 42-year-old star commended director Todd Haynes for his work on romantic-drama movie 'Carol' - which tells the story of a female department store worker who falls for an older, married woman - praising him for "championing women" in the film.
She wrote: "PS thank you Todd Haynes for loving complex stories and championing women. It brings such instant depth to make a character female. Thank you for letting this complex woman see another complex woman's tale onscreen. I saw myself. A rare treat. (sic)"