After much ado about casting and re-casting, in round three of who will kick-up some dust and dig in his spurs opposite Oscar winner Natalie Portman in her New Mexico western “Jane Got a Gun”, her Star Wars co-star Ewan McGregor has come into focus!
Both are experienced in NM filming as Portman has been here for both “Thor” and “Brothers”, and McGregor starred in “Men Who Stare at Goats” back in and returned with Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender and Gina Carano for “Haywire”.
As everyone knows all too well nothing is confirmed until all hands are on deck, all stars are on their mark and the director yells, ACTION!
So here’s to a great shoot for all involved, how ever things fall out on this and every AWESOME production rolling right now here in New Mexico!
UPDATE 4/23/1013: Unofficial confirmation continues to roll in! This exceptional looking production IS NEW MEXICO bound!
As we first broke the news here, Johnny Depp is expected back in New Mexico for his upcoming film “Transcendence”. Though no official confirmation of the production making its way to the Land of Enchantment has been announced, lead casting details are abundant!
Cinemablend reports that Christopher Nolan’s BATMAN co-stars Morgan Freeman and Cillian Murphey have joined the cast of the film which is helmed by Wally Pfister, Nolan’s director of photography on the famed Dark Knight trilogy.
The cast rounds out with Rebecca Hall (Iron Man 3, The Town), Paul Bettany (Legion, Creation), Cory Hardrict (Battle Los Angeles, Gran Torino) and Kate Mara (127 Hours, Brokeback Mountain) to co-star.
Very little information has come out regarding the plot of the film, penned by Jack Paglen, except that its likely something of a sci-fi/fantasy, physiological drama in which “a scientist’s brain gets uploaded into a supercomputer with the aim of creating the world’s first machine that can think for itself”.
Production is expected to begin later this month for release on April 25, 2014.
Keep it here for what we hope will be an official word on at least some of the project getting underway here in NM!
Rumors are swirling about who will step in to replace Jude Law in the upcoming Natalie Portman western “Jane Got a Gun”…but has anyone thought that it may be TWO of the a fore mentioned studs instead of just one????
L’est we forget that there’s more than just one vacancy left after the upheaval resulting from a certain director’s direct exit from the film…as we alluded to here, prior to that directorial mess, a genuine scheduling conflict caused a leading man void in the Portman produced pelicula.
IF anyone has ever taken a word of my advice on what a riveting film NM’s Own 2009 “Brothers” was, they’ll know that both Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal are a natural fit to work with Portman, and as for Jeff Bridges…well, CRAZY HEART!!!! Need I say more? If so, how ’bout a little film called “True Grit”, starring the naturally dreamy and perfectly aged Jeff Bridges!
Finally I’d be remiss if I didn’t disclose that Bridges’ co-star in Grit, none other than THE Matt Damon of the long ago NM Film, “All the Pretty Horses” is, as of this writing, a scheduling clear contender…
Of course it will be no surprise if none of the above make it to set, as is the world of movie making…maybe one of the locals can take a stab at one or two of the vacant roles on this pic.
Meanwhile, word on the wire is that another long lived leading man is recently signed on for a yet to be announced NM western, namely one Kurt Russell who is said to be on board with “Bone Tomahawk”, led by Timothy Olyphant (Justified) and Jennifer Carpenter (Dexter).
Keep your ears to the grindstone my friends, New Mexico’s Summer shoot schedule is set to be a bumpy ride!
***UPDATE*** We are unable to divulge whether tribal, public or private property, locations or facilities are in talks to host this project, but multiple local area sources have confirmed to us the film’s likelihood of shooting in New Mexico.
In a far out blind item, we were recently hinting at rumblings that the biggest of biggies by way of global superstars, was possibly en route BACK to New Mexico!
Now that reports are rolling into the blogosphere that Johnny Depp’s next feature film is in fact on the rails, rapidly headed toward meeting production dates for a Spring 2014 release date, we ~can tell you – DEPP IS HEADED BACK TO NEW MEXICO!
Transcendence (which I will now learn how to spell) is set to co-star NMFilmer Paul Bettany, who starred in the 2009 New Mexico film Legion. Dark Knight cinematographer Wally Pfister will make his directorial debut with the film, which Collider reports to be about “a scientist whose brain gets uploaded into a supercomputer with the aim of creating the world’s first machine that can think for itself”.
Female leads currently being bandied about include NMFilm star Emily Blunt (Sunshine Cleaning), Rooney Mara, and Rebecca Hall.
In addition to the rumblings on the web about the upcoming Captain America:The Winter Soldier shoot being delayed from spring to summer, there are also whispers in the wind that good ol’ New Mexico and El Capitán may not be completely DUNZO after all…
From this HIGHly respected speculative reporting post we can tell you that the Captain of NM’s own AVENGERS may be returning to a sound stage near YOU!
In the supremely secretive world of development on into pre-production, NO OFFICIAL confirmations will likely ever become avail. until any such projects are well into production or sometimes even nearly wrapped.
Do take note though, when you’re talking to your NM Film Friends who may crew, star or otherwise regularly staff NM productions, and their eyes take on a particular glaze, just know that that is likely the moment when visions of their signature on an ironclad non-disclosure agreement (NDA) is crossing their mind (otherwise known to us as the patented “Disney Daze”).
But eventually when someone tells someone, who tells someone, who hears something from someone (probably one of the wonderful wait staff of a New Mexico small business), we will get the anonymous suggestion in our inbox@oneheadlightink.com or on our tip-line 505.510.1006, that says, “yeah, he’s here”. Meanwhile we wait…
As we first found out here, comedic genius Seth MacFarlane is looking to film part of his upcoming western parody, A Million Ways to Die in the West here in NM.
Co-written with his Ted and Family Guy writers Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild, MacFarlane’s take on the wild west is a period piece, “with contemporary humor, with one undercurrent being just how dangerous and painful life really was in the late 1800s.”
This will be MacFarlane’s sophomore direction of a feature film, following the wildly successful run of his debut directorial work on Ted, the highly irreverent and heavily R-weighted comedy starring Mark Wahlberg which has grossed over $500M worldwide.
Recent underground reports say that A Million Ways…is this close to sealing a deal to shoot in NM.
Fellow comedy box office gold miner, Adam Sandler also has a western comedy on the horizon, and those sight/sites are also rumored to be set on NM!
Deadline Hollywood says:
This is the laffer that Sandler was going to make at Sony before Happy Madison Productions moved it to Paramount. The title [Ridiculous 6] is reminiscent of the 1960 United Artists pic The Magnificent Seven that starred Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson and James Coburn, the drama about seven gunfighters drafted to protect a Mexican town, so might this be a variation featuring inept gunslingers?
Both films are slated for a spring shoot, wherever they may shake-out…
The beautiful and talented Natalie Portman is no stranger to NM.
It was here, while she was busy catching the eye of ““Thor”“, that Santa Fean’s caught the starlet out and about. And in northern N.M., Portman delivered a heart wrenching performance along with her equally riveting co-stars, Tobey McGuire and Jake Gyllenhaal in 2009′s “Brothers”.
Now the Oscar winner is set to produce and star in the upcoming Western, “Jane Got a Gun”.
Buzz on the wire is that Michael Fassbender is also in for a leading role in the project. Off the wire, the buzz is the possibility of the film landing in NM for at least part of its early 2013 production.
According to the Hollywood Reporter:
Jane Got a Gun centers on a woman whose outlaw husband returns home riddled with bullet wounds and barely alive. When her husband’s gang eventually tracks him down to finish the job, she is forced to reach out to an ex-lover and ask if he will help defend her farm.
From one Roswell, NM born phenom to another, the highly anticipated feature film about extraordinary 2009 Kentucky Derby Winner, Mine That Bird is headed for production.
“Wild Ride” tells the story of a misfit group of New Mexico cowboys who find themselves on the journey of a lifetime when they learn that their crooked-footed racehorse qualifies to run in the Kentucky Derby. Based on the true story of Mine That Bird, the cowboys must overcome impossible odds even before they reach Churchill Downs and the land of Kentucky’s blue bloods.
Dances With Wolves producer, Jim Wilson will direct the film which he co-wrote with Faith Conroy. The production is currently scheduled to get underway in New Mexico this September.
UPDATE 07/2/12: It’s officially a wrap on NM’s latest hit television production.
Among the stars, producers, staff, crew & guests; Longmire creator, best selling author, Craig Johnson was on hand for the sunset party in Santa Fe last night!
Deadline Hollywood broke the exciting news yesterday that the number one new show on cable television has been renewed for a second season.
Not the least of the breakthrough performances from the stars of the show, is New Mexico’s lead role standing-in for Wyoming, and this NM bloggette can confirm exclusively that Longmire WILL return to its New Mexico roots to shoot its sophomore season in the Spring of 2013.
I can also report that the series is set to wrap first full season production in Santa Fe this weekend.
Longmire airs Sunday nights on A&E through August 5.
Congratulations and continued success to all involved!
Battleship director Peter Berg appears to be headed New Mexico way for Universal Pictures, Lone Survivor.
The film, adapted from Marcus Luttrell’s best selling book, is based on the failed June 28, 2005 mission “Operation Red Wing”, in which four members of SEAL Team 10, were tasked with the mission to capture or kill notorious Taliban leader, Admad Shad.
Reportedly saddled-up for a lead in this wartime drama, helmed by Berg is the star of the upcoming NM Production, 2 Guns, Mark Wahlberg, set to play Marcus Luttrell, the only member of his team to survive.
Taylor Kitsch of Friday Night Lights fame is slated to play Mike Murphy in the film.
The long rumored, dramatic series pilot prospect, centered on Rodeo Cowboy turned Clark County Sheriff, Ralph Lamb appears to be materializing right here in New Mexico.
Local industry diehards (literally) are purportedly prepping in Santa Fe, Las Vegas and Albuquerque to receive the CBS Studios pilot for the untitled “Lamb” project.
The real-life career of Las Vegas Sheriff, Ralph Lamb spanned nearly two decades in the 60s and 70s, where his now storied figure, known as the “Cowboy Sheriff” reportedly oft engaged in hand to hand combat up against formidable foes including members of the Mafia and the Hell’s Angels.
James Mangold (Wolverine, Walk the Line) is set to direct the periodic series pilot as penned by Nicholas Pileggi (GoodFellas) for a prospective spot in a fall 2012 CBS line-up.
The rumors on top of rumors (aka trusted industry reports/sources and whispers in the wind) say that none other than Dennis Quaid is slated for the lead role as Lamb himself with one formidable foe role being filled nicely by Michael Chiklis.
Our sources and scheduling alike would mandate that the project is currently in pre-production, to be followed by March shoot dates.
UPDATE 5/8/12:( After a promising report that Tin Star had not been kicked to the curb and effectively maintained a pulse upon delivery to its network earlier in the year, the prospective series, Tin Star has now gone the way of another New Mexico/TNT Network pilot; The Rabbit Factory pilot filmed here back in 2010.
GATEWAY, the Western television series pilot Warner Horizon Television filmed in New Mexico under the name “Tin Star” last fall, has reportedly received the greenlight.
According to a December 2011 press release, TNT had ordered a slew of new shows aimed to fill the 2012-2013 season, and now our sources tell us that we can expect the series to return for regular production.
Gateway is a “Western saga revolving around three brothers who step in to save their town when their father, the town sheriff, is murdered. The brothers are pitted against a corrupt cattle baron who is determined to make the town his own. The cast includes 1Cam Gigandet, Keir O’Donnell, David Denman, 4Karen Allen, Ana De La Reguera, 2Keith Carradine, 3Donal Logue, Shanno Lucio, Eric Lang, Anthony Lapaglia and Bill Sadler.”
The TNT show is expected to join the A&E western drama series, LONGMIRE now in pre-production right here in New Mexico!
Very good news, if it holds to be true, as the state is set to say goodbye to both Breaking Bad and In Plain Sight this year.
Longmire, the television series pilot, based on Craig Johnson’s novels about small-town sheriff Walt Longmire filmed right here in New Mexico last spring.
A&E has since picked the contemporary western crime drama for a 10 episode first-season to air on the network in 2012. The series stars Robert Taylor (The Matrix), Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica, 24), Cassidy Freeman (Smallville) and friend to NM Lou Diamond Phillips.
The Wyoming Business Report recently featured a story on the upcoming series touting that as the setting of the story, Wyoming is expected to be used for backgrounds and various footage.
HOWEVER Michell Howard, of the Wyoming Film Office, said “the series pilot was filmed in New Mexico and likely will continue there since Wyoming doesn’t have sound stages and enough established TV production crews.”
Robert Taylor plays the man the show and novels are named after, Walt Longmire. He’s the dedicated and unwavering sheriff of Absaroka County. Recently widowed, he hides his pain behind his charisma and dry wit.
Sackhoff plays one of Walt’s deputies. Her character’s only been working with Walt for six months after working homicide in Philadelphia for five years. They two share a playful relationship, though some sexual tension may be building under the surface. Also cast in the series is Lou Diamond Phillips, Bailey Chase, and Cassidy Freeman. Chris Chulack, who is best known for his extensive work on ER, directed the pilot while Hunt Baldwin and John Coveny wrote it.
Longmire is a fantastic opportunity for Robert Taylor to break in to the mainstream. He’s an Australian actor with only a handful of film credits to his name. He most recently starred in the Australian thrillers Storm Warning and Rogue (which also starred fellow Aussie Sam Worthington) in 2007 and in 2009 he starred in Coffin Rock.
Robert Taylor plays the man the show and novels are named after, Walt Longmire. He’s the dedicated and unwavering sheriff of Absaroka County. Recently widowed, he hides his pain behind his charisma and dry wit.
