The Cowboys and Aliens Interviews!

The Huffington Post has published a ton of video interviews that Jon Favreau did with different members of the cast and crew of Cowboys and Aliens. I love Jon Favreau, he seems like a really genuine guy, AND he's an accomplished interviewer. One of my favorite shows from the early 2000s was Dinner for Five where him and 4 other people (of various background) would site around and talk about whatever. Infinitely fascinating.

For these new interviews, which I guess have been dubbed The Cowboys and Aliens Interviews, Favreau interviews various people involved with the film...Including Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Writer Damon Lindelof, and Producers Kurtzman and Orci. The only ones missing are Daniel Craig (who is Sweden filming The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and Sam Rockwell. Everyone comes off as funny and genuine, especially Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Lindelof and of course Spielberg and Howard....Brain Grazer doesn't say much so I can't really gauge him, he mostly just sits around and looking crazy.

There is a lot of content to get through but its funny and fascinating and you probably won't notice the length. To get you started here is the first part of the Harrison Ford interview....you can see the rest HERE at their official Youtube channel, or at the Huffington Post link above....Enjoy!

More Cowboys and Aliens Stuff!

The new international poster for Cowboys and Aliens was just released, as well as a quick behind the scenes video. I just found the video yesterday. I was hoping for more, it shows mostly footage from the trailers, but it has some behind the scenes stuff with them filming along with talking head interviews.

There is something I have to disagree with Steven Spielberg on, the original Graphic Novel wasn't very good. Any longtime reader of the Emporium should know that I hated the original graphic novel this is based on. It was incredibly derivative of generic action movie writing. However, the movie looks to be nothing like it, AND the idea is solid...sort of Independence Day meets The Valley of Gwangi, so I'm very excited! Please-be-good-Please-be-good-Please-be-good!

Does anything need to be said??! New Cowboys and Aliens Trailer!

.....and its a good one. The first trailer was pretty darn good, this one kicks it out of the park! It really gets into the story more and some of the new footage they show is equal parts VERY cool, and a little unsettling (like what looks like some of the Towns folk hanging from alien crafted wires in some hidden location, creeepy). Also, as if the big budget Weird West-ness of it wasn't enough, it also has Harrison Ford, Sam Rockwell, and Clancy Brown.....I mean Come ON! I can not wait for this film!



I really hope it does well so that the studios see that Weird Western ARE a viable genre to be explored and not just the fare of the passionate but (a lot of the time) either underfunded or under-talented lot. I guess we'll find out.

The official synopsis: Blockbuster filmmaker Jon Favreau directs Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford in an event film for summer 2011 that crosses the classic Western with the alien-invasion movie in a blazingly original way: Cowboys & Aliens. Joined by an arsenal of top moviemakers—Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci—he brings an all-new action thriller that will take audiences into the Old West, where a lone cowboy leads an uprising against a terror from beyond our world.

1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger (Craig) with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he discovers is that the people of Absolution don’t welcome strangers, and nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde (Ford). It’s a town that lives in fear.

But Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Screaming down with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless one by one, these monsters challenge everything the residents have ever known.

Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for salvation. As this gunslinger slowly starts to remember who he is and where he’s been, he realizes he holds a secret that could give the town a fighting chance against the alien force. With the help of the elusive traveler Ella (Olivia Wilde), he pulls together a posse comprised of former opponents—townsfolk, Dolarhyde and his boys, outlaws and Apache warriors—all in danger of annihilation. United against a common enemy, they will prepare for an epic showdown for survival.

Cool New Cowboys and Aliens Super Bowl Spot!

Now, I'm not much of a Super Bowl/Football/sports watcher, but if anything got me excited for the big game it was the promise of some cool new trailers. Most importantly, (among others) Cowboys and Aliens!

Its basically a 30 sec television spot, with only a few new shots (like Daniel Craig jumping onto the wing of an aliens spacecraft, which reminds me of The Valley of Gwangi for some reason), but it still looks great. If you didn't check out the big game, here is the trailer in all its glory. You can also check out the official Website HERE if you haven't already.

More stuff on Cowboys and Aliens!

It was fortunate that they released the new international poster for Cowboys and Aliens today. I was planning on posting a trailer commentary that Jon Favreau did and now I can kill two birds with one stone!

I love the new poster, I think I actually like it more than the first one. It feels like its in the vein of the original except that the "Cowboy" is clearly Daniel Craig now. I'm also liking it's style with the silhouetted figure rimmed with light, I hope all of the characters get posters like this!

If you click the image above you can see a bigger version!

Also, a couple weeks ago, MTV sat down Jon Favreau and had him do commentary on the trailer. There is some interesting stuff here as he talks about the film and some of his thoughts on certain decision he's made.

On another level, its interesting that MTV is doing this. As far as I know they haven't had other directors commentate on their trailers....Is it possible? A hotly anticipated Weird Western? I dont think there's any doubt about that, the trailer has surely caused a splash.

Personally I think this film is going to be huge, and will quite possibly reinvigorate not only the Western (as I'm certain True Grit might do too) but the Weird Western as well as studios start rushing to get that Cowboys and Aliens money. Lets just hope it does fall into a pit of crappy cheaply made films (we have enough of those already) but only time will tell...Until then enjoy!

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

New Poster and Trailer for Cowboys and Aliens!

The first poster for Cowboys and Aliens has been released and I gotta say...WOW! I was just reading a snippet of interview with Harrison Ford (where he quickly mentioned this movie) and he was saying that the film starts off very much a strong Western, then suddenly has a strange new element added too it, and then goes back to being a very strong Western again, except with this new element in the mix (the very definition of "Weird West" if you ask me). This poster feels very much like that. You have the dynamic cowboy pose, a gorgeous desert landscape, and a wristband made from alien technology. The poster says it all, and it looks great!.......but lets just hope the film is just a dynamic. This film is one of the strongest hopes for the Weird Western genre to come along since Wild Wild West (which, coincidentally, there is also some new news about that I'll report on later this week)

Its possible too that, with the release of the first poster, there might be a teaser trailer coming very soon. Ill keep you guys posted on the details!

Also, if you click on the above picture, you can check out the details in a larger format!

EDIT: So, quite unexpectedly (sort of), the new teaser trailer for the film was released today. Wow! It starts off with a bang and gets better throughout. Everyone looks great! AND We get our first look at Harrison Ford as Woodrow Dolerhyde (and Keith Carradine is in this?! Awesome!). I think the trailer will make a big splash, it looks great.

They've opened up the official movie site and there are pages to Twitter sites, Facebook, and Blogs....basically anywhere that people are talking about the movie and everyone seems to love it. Also there are pages with new images, videos and downloadable stuff. Keep it bookmarked, I'm pretty sure they will be updating quite frequently until the film is released next July.

Until then check out the trailer!

New Set Photo from Cowboys and Aliens!

Collider reported today that Noah Ringer, who is starring in Cowboys and Aliens, tweeted a new photo from the set. Looks cool! Kinda.... Is it just me or does this particular shot look like the set from a 2 O'clock Wild West show at Tombstone or Knott's Berry Farm? It looks a little fake, especially the back buildings, with their thin structures....unlike the previous photo which was a great shot from set. I'm sure lighting and camera work can do wonders....or who knows, maybe this is meant to be blown up in the alien invasion! Or.....Maybe I'm just being to picky......We shall see..

You can click on the above Photo for a better look!

First Official Image for Cowboys and Aliens!

So, the San Diego Comic Convention is over but some good stuff came from it! Mostly, relating to this blog, John Favraeu and the cast of Cowboys and Aliens came to talk about the film. Some footage was shown (although not much since they've only been shooting for 4 weeks) and the first official image was released (which you can click on to make bigger).

The Panel consisted of Favraeu, Daniel Craig, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Adam Beach and Harrison Ford at his very first Comic Con ever (Apparently he was a little stunned at the reaction when he walked on stage)

Coming Soon.net was there at the panel, and wrote up a run down of the footage that was shown, and described it like this:

1) The first clip wasn’t super exciting and just featured a very grimy Daniel Craig ride up to a house on horseback, go inside and wash his face in the sink before inspecting a nasty wound on his stomach. He’s got a weird gold bracelet on his wrist. Before he could examine it closely, he’s stopped at gunpoint by none other than Clancy Brown who says only two people get shot like that: villains and victims. Craig says he doesn’t know which one he is.

2) Craig is sleeping in a jail cell when somebody spits on him from an adjacent cell. It’s Paul Dano, who taunts him and tells him he’s in a world of trouble when his father gets there. Craig pulls a very James Bond move and reaches through the bars and pulls Dano in to them headfirst, knocking him out.

3) Here’s the money scene. Dano and Craig are escorted in a police wagon and chained together, much to Dano’s terror. They’re about to ride off when a group of men on horseback arrive, led by Harrison Ford as Dano’s father. The sheriff tells Ford that they have to take Craig to see the judge but Ford wants Craig for himself, “Either you give him to me or I’ll get him myself.” Ford looks scruffy and pretty great in what little we see of him. Just as things are about to get heated, the men notice something in the sky. There’s a very skinny string of lights making their way towards them.

The lights get closer and closer, before they disappear. All of a sudden they reappear right above the small town as three or four alien ships that immediately start raining fire and blowing up everything in sight. The ships seem to beam down small circles of blue light followed by the fireballs that gave a little WAR OF THE WORLDS feel. In the midst of all the chaos and destruction we see some of the other characters; Olivia Wilde saves a small boy hiding under a house, Sam Rockwell tries to save his wife/girlfriend as escaping horses nearly trample her, and Harrison Ford looks perplexed/terrified. All of a sudden the side of the police carriage is blown open by the same blue light we see from the ships. Daniel Craig walks out wielding some sort of alien weapon on his arm (clearly the weird bracelet from the first scene). He looks down at it as if it’s new to him, then looks to the attacking spaceships and fires a blast that brings down one of the vessels on to the street below. The attack ends and the town slowly walks over to the crashed spaceship, led by Craig, who looks down at his arm as the weapon mechanically shrinks down back to bracelet size. He shares a look with Ford and the scene ends.

Sounds amazing, I wish I could have been there!

Yo can read more about the Con and the Panel at ComingSoon.net and Collider.com

First Set Photo from Cowboys and Aliens!

I just found this exciting bit of photography over at Paul Green's excellent Encyclopedia of Weird Westerns site. Jon Favreau has posted the first photo from the set of Cowboys and Aliens on his Twitter account! Filming commenced on June 10 in Santa Fe, New Mexico and the film is set for release in July 29, 2011...Almost exactly a year from now!

After the Daniel Craig picture, and now this, I'm not exactly sure why I haven't kept an eye on Favreau's Twitter account, but I think that should change very soon, especially if he's going to keep up with this behavior!

Also, in related news, Walton Goggins has just joined the cast that also includes Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig, Olivia Wilde, Noah Ringer, Sam Rockwell, Clancy Brown, Keith Carradine, Adam Beach, and Paul Dano.

Man! I just got really excited for this....What a cast! As I hear more news I'll pass it on....til then, Adios Pards!

That cool Cowboys and Aliens pic, Actor revealed!

So I gotta say, I like this picture a lot. Like all good cowboy pictures should, it has great silhouette. The picture was released last week by Jon Favreau on his Twitter. Its a picture of one of the actors in the movie and at the time, Favreau was very hush hush as to the actors identity (not wanting to reveal such big news on Twitter). Personally I thought it was Sam Rockwell, since it looks a little thin and not beefy (ie Manly) enough to be Harrison Ford. Well it turns out that its Daniel Craig! It looks great....I just hope his costume design gets more interesting as they progress.

Also, speaking of Harrison Ford, I still can't believe how cool it is that hes in this. From an official synopsis that released last week, it sounds like he is going to be, if not a villain, at least an antagonist. An antagonist who has to team up with Daniel Craig and Co to fight a common enemy.....as long as he has a substantial part and doesn't die in the first five minutes I'm on board!

Who am I fooling, I'm on-board anyway...I cant wait to see what they do, its starting to look better all the time!

Heres the Official Synopsis that was released last week:

1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger (Craig) with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he discovers is that the people of Absolution don’t welcome strangers, and nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde (Ford). It’s a town that lives in fear.

But Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Screaming down with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless one by one, these monsters challenge everything the residents have ever known.

Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for salvation. As this gunslinger slowly starts to remember who he is and where he’s been, he realizes he holds a secret that could give the town a fighting chance against the alien force. With the help of the elusive traveler Ella (Olivia Wilde), he pulls together a posse comprised of former opponents—townsfolk, Dolarhyde and his boys, outlaws and Apache warriors—all in danger of annihilation. United against a common enemy, they will prepare for an epic showdown for survival.

Yowza it sounds like fun! :Fingers crossed:

Harrison Ford WILL be fighting Cowboys and Aliens soon!!!

UPDATE: It was Just confirmed on Favreau's Twitter Harrison Ford is joining the cast of Cowboys and Aliens!

Please stop asking if Harrison Ford is in Cowboys & Aliens. Okay? He is. Please don't tell anybody.

Nice!

----Original Story----

Its all just rumor at this point, but Latino Review is reporting they heard from an anonymous tip that Harrison Ford might be joining the Weird Western Cowboys and Aliens directed by Jon Favreau. If this is true, it would be very exciting!! Ford needs a good role to get behind after some uninteresting parts he's taken in recent years, and this could be just the thing!

Favreau also put a little tease in one of his Twitter posts last night: Some very cool Cowboys & Aliens casting news coming soon... Hmmmmm, tantalizing...and this would certainly fit the bill...

Nothing has been announced just yet, but lets keep our fingers crossed...I'm suspecting that there will be something later this week, and when there is I'll let you know!

Olivia Wilde to fight Cowboys and Aliens!

Just a quick post today, since its apparently Cowboys and Aliens week. The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that House and Tron: Legacy star Olivia Wilde will be taking the female lead in the new Cowboys and Aliens movie opposite Daniel Craig.

Wilde will play a character named Ella who joins up with mysterious a gunslinger (Played by Craig) in an unlikely uprising against an alien invasion.

I'm excited that the film is coming together so quickly! And even though it isn't a Weird Western, per say, I'm also looking forward to the Coen Brothers remake of True Grit at the end of the year.....next year should be a fun year for Westerns and just movies in general!

Stay tuned for more info!

Daniel Craig Saddles Up in Cowboys and Aliens!

According to Deadline Hollywood Daniel Craig is confirmed to take over the role of Zeke Jackson from Robert Downey Jr. in the film version of Cowboys and Aliens. This is, I must say, very exciting news for a couple of reasons. I like Daniel Craig, and this has major franchise possibilities. But even more importantly, It means that the film is very much alive, and that there is a new Weird Western on the horizon; hopefully a good one! With Jon Favreau's track record lately, I don't think that will be a problem.

As more info inevitably arises I'll post it here...but until then you can click HERE to read the story for yourself over at Deadline Hollywood

Daniel Craig to go up against "Aliens"?

Its still a little early to give this report a definite YES, since negotiations are just now taking place, but British Actor Daniel Craig is in early talks to replace Robert Downey, Jr. in Cowboys and Aliens, as reported by Collider.com

Variety picked up the story and says this about it:

DreamWorks and Jon Favreau are in talks with Daniel Craig to play the lead role in "Cowboys and Aliens" after Robert Downey Jr. ankled the project.

Craig has been offered the role of Zeke Jackson in the pic, based on the 2006 graphic novel about a group of Apache Indians and Western settlers who resolve to patch up their differences when an alien spaceship crash-lands in their city.

Reps for Craig said it was too early to comment on whether the actor would board "Cowboys and Aliens," which Favreau is directing. Project is written by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof.

While it is still early days and Craig has not officially accepted the role, the thesp does have a long-standing relationship with DreamWorks, having appeared in "Munich" and "Road to Perdition."

With production on the next James Bond pic up in the air until the fate of beleaguered MGM is decided, Craig may have a open slot in his schedule to shoot "Cowboys and Aliens."

I have to say that, if this happens, Craig would be a really good replacement. He has a great Westerner face and he's a really good actor. He could, hopefully, bring a lot of presence to the role. I honestly didn't know who could replace Downey, Jr. but this could be inspired (if it happens).

I'll keep you informed as more info is released!

Downey, Jr Drops Out of Cowboys and Aliens...

I have to admit that I'm a little saddened by the news that Robert Downey Jr has dropped out of Cowboys and Aliens. I love him as an actor and he would have been great in this. However, the rumored reason was because a sequel to Sherlock Holmes was fast tracked and it caused a scheduling conflict. I LOVED Sherlock Holmes, so this part of the rumor makes me very happy, and as long as RDJs departure doesn't kill the Cowboys and Aliens movie, I think I can live with him doing Sherlock and leaving this one in the quite capable hands of Jon Favreau. Thankfully, it doesn't seem like the project is dead, they are actively looking for a replacement, have a start date of July, and are even thinking of shooting the film in 3D

You can read all about it HERE

Cowboys and Aliens has a planned Summer 2011 release date. As more info surfaces I'll keep you informed.

Jon Favreau, Robert Downey Jr. making 'Cowboys & Aliens'

If you've read my previous post about Cowboys and Aliens, you know that I wasn't a fan of the comic, and with a movie in the works I was skeptical that it would be any good.....but The Hollywood Reporter has just released info that may very well change my mind. According to the industry paper, Jon Favreau has just signed on to direct the film with Robert Downey, Jr starring.

You can read the full story here

Very exciting news, I like both of them very much; and who knows, with this team and a good script writer, maybe a movie will improved the story!

Cowboys vs. Aliens?!!............yawn.........

This is supposed to be a movie. Robert Downey Jr. has signed on to star and this is supposed to eventually be turned into a movie. So I thought, Cowboys and Aliens that sounds REALLY fun! They certainly thought it was good enough to make a movie out of it...So I bought it.....

I read this on a plane going over to Japan, in about 20 minutes (Its a fast read, and I'm a slow reader)

I hate to say it, but it sucked....

Imagine that really cool sounding movie from the 1980s that you watch thinking it is going to be fun, and turns out to to be boring and formulaic, (Strange Days comes to mind for me, "you mean the friend did it? Ooooo big surprise!") That's Cowboys and Aliens.

It reads like it was already made to be a movie, they already had figured out where the first and second plot points went, and what the final battle was going to be....but they forgot to tell an intriguing or even an original and interesting story. Everything just kind of happens the way you expect it too, and then its over. This is sort of the Valley of Gwangi with aliens, without the great Harrihausen stop motion and without an ounce of fun.

The story in a nutshell:

In the Old West, settlers and Native Americans wage a bloody battle for control of the land. But when the Earth is threatened by conquerors from the stars, these sworn enemies must work together to save all humanity.

I wont spoil it for you but, not surprisingly, the Cowboys win......(Sorry I just lied about not spoiling it)

The artwork was another point of annoyance. I don't know what it is about comic books artists, but when you see a professional draw a page it looks good, REALLY good. When you see someone who WANTS to be professional (but doesn't have the chops yet) everything looks sloppy and uneven...it LOOKS like a wannabe comic artist drew it.....that's what this book looks like. Boring story, bad artwork, 2 strikes against it...the only thing saving it is the idea which would have potential in the right hands.

Hopefully the movie will take the idea and turn it into something fun, but until then I have to give this:

1 out of 5 Alien Laser Six Shooters