Michael B. Jordan Page 3

The prospect of a re-boot of such a classic franchise as 'The Matrix' should be an exciting one, but history has made us sceptical. Warner Bros. are taking on this new project as fans pray that it doesn't turn out as poorly as some of the other 90s sci-fi reimaginings of the 2000s and 2010s. 

Just how likely is 'The Matrix' to fail?

Zak Penn ('Behind Enemy Lines', 'X-Men: The Last Stand', 'Alphas') is apparently in negotiations for writing the script while 'Creed' actor Michael B. Jordan has been toted to star. According to The Hollywood Reporter, original creators the Wachowski Sisters aren't thought to be involved in the remake.

Continue reading: Is 'The Matrix' Reboot Doomed To Miss The Mark?

Sylvester Stallone has admitted he considered boycotting this year’s Academy Awards because of the #OscarsSoWhite controversy. The Creed star is nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category, but his co-star Michael B. Jordan and the film’s director Ryan Coogler both missed out on nominations.

Sylvester Stallone with Michael B. Jordan in Creed.

“Certainly, there is a universal law of existence. You either adapt or cease to exist. Adaptation and evolving were definitely necessary,” Stallone said when asked about the Academy’s new measures to diversify their membership (via Entertainment Weekly).

Continue reading: Sylvester Stallone Admits He Considered Oscars Boycott

Academy Award sceptics are expecting another white-washed year, with diversity in Hollywood still not as broad as we need it to be. If you're one of the cynics, you'd be right to think that way, because even going through the ton of blockbusters seen in 2015, only a handful have any actors of colour.

We thought we'd throw a few of our own suggestions into the mix, ahead of the official announcement of this year's Oscar nominations. They're all deserving of a nod, so fingers crossed for each one of these:

'Creed' landed one Golden Globe win this year

Continue reading: From Creed To Concussion: Culturally Diverse Suggestions For 2016 Oscar Nominations

The sequel to the 'Rocky' franchise 'Creed' has proved to be one of the champions at the box office during its opening week, which is just as well given the gruelling preparation Michael B. Jordan undertook to get ready for the role. And whilst it's an exciting tale about the son of Apollo Creed, Rocky Balboa's former rival and friend, it's got us thinking about some of the best boxing films there have been.

Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone team up in 'Creed'

It's a popular subject in sports dramas - after all, who doesn't love a good fist fight? And martial arts have always played a big part in movies. Filmmakers just can't seem to put down the gloves, but it's easy to see why:

Continue reading: 9 Must-See Boxing Films If You Loved 'Creed'

The actor ate nothing but grilled chicken, brown rice and steamed broccoli while working out six days a week. "It was brutal!" Michael B. Jordan says. "Half the time you're eating you're not even hungry. You don't even want to eat, you just know you have to put food in your body just to keep going. And you're pretty antisocial because that's your life. Your alarm goes off and you're shoving food in your face and then you have to hit the gym." But even as he transformed his physique and performed all of his fight scenes himself, he keeps things in perspective. "I'm an actor, I am not a boxer," he says. "Not at all! It was very humbling to get in the ring with a real boxer. We had all professional fighters in our film, and I believe that helped me a lot, because they were quick to point out anything that was inauthentic. The way we approached it was that every punch was a line. Every fight was its own scene."

The film reunited Jordan with his Fruitvale Station director Ryan Coogler, who are already planning to work together again. "I really value the actor-director relationship," Jordan explains, "and we have a shorthand, a way of communicating on the set that makes things very comfortable. We push each other to be better." Of course, Creed brought additional pressures as the seventh film in the Rocky saga. But Jordan said that having Sylvester Stallone on the set as a costar made a huge difference. "Sly assured me that I didn't have to worry about competing with anything," Jordan says. "He'd say, 'You're Creed, and I'm here to support you.' When you have the man himself reminding you of that day in and day out, there is no pressure. The guy is incredible! He's been doing this for over 40 years, and he's really a solid, respectable guy."

Continue reading: Creed Was A Transformation For Michael B. Jordan

The latest Fantastic Four movie starring Michael B. Jordan and Miles Teller opened at the US box office with a disappointing $26.2 million over the weekend, taking the number two spot and falling way short of its predicted $40million opening. The film had a budget of around $120 million and studio Fox has already lined-up a sequel for 2017.

Fantastic Four fell short of expectations at the US box office.

Fantastic Four will now go down as one of the worst openings for a film based on a Marvel property, taking a little more than Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance, which opened with $22.1 million in 2012. The film suffered from bad reviews and currently holds an embarrassing 8% rating on review site Rotten Tomatoes.

Continue reading: 'Fantastic Four' Becomes A Fantastic Flop At US Box Office

Fox has scheduled three more upcoming Marvel movie dates so that the studios can keep continually churning out new superhero movies in the years ahead. The new films - a Wolverine and a Fantastic Four sequel and a mystery Marvel project - are plotted for release from 2017 and onwards. The next Wolverine is set for March 3, 2017, the Fantastic Four sequel is pencilled in for July 14, 2017, and the last one is due to arrive on July 13, 2018, according to Variety.

Fox Have Plotted A Release Date For The Next 'Wolverine' Movie, For 2017.

Whilst details on the latter two projects are a lot more vague, it was announced last November that Hugh Jackman will be returning to the role of the iconic mutant for a follow-up to 2013's franchise-boosting The Wolverine alongside director James Mangold.

Continue reading: Fox Announces, 'Wolverine,' 'Fantastic Four' Sequels, Plus Mystery Project

The “Fantastic Four” reboot cast has been finalized (almost). The release date has been set – June 19, 2015, according to Deadline – and now the movie has its four leads as well. As predicted, Fantastic Four will star Kate Mara as Invisible Girl, Fruitvale Station breakout Michael B. Jordan as the Human Torch, Miles Teller as Mr. Fantastic and Jamie Bell (Nymphomaniac) as The Thing. The deals are still being negotiated, but all look fairly solid. Deadline reports that Bell and Jordan’s involvement is certain.

Mara is most likely to fill Jessica Alba's shoes as Sue Storm.

The script is being penned by Simon Kinberg and Fox is handing the direction to Josh Trank. Trank has previously worked on Chronicle, so it could be said that he has some experience with sci-fi. On the other hand, this is only his second feature film, meaning that Fox is banking on a relative newcomer to kick off what will likely become the studio’s attempt at a superhero franchise, a la Avengers.

Continue reading: With Director, Cast And Release Date Set, 'Fantastic Four' Reboot Might Work Out

It’s been over two months since Thor: The Dark World came out, which means that we’re itching for some superhero news to tide us over! Luckily, rumors are flying around that the cast for the 2015 movie The Fantastic Four reboot, has finally been picked. For those who aren’t already Fantastic Four fans, this bunch of superheroes/astronauts gained their powers after they were exposed to cosmic rays whilst hanging out in outer space. You know, that old chestnut.

Let’s take a look at the potential The Fantastic Four reboot cast.

Johnny Storm/The Human Torch

Continue reading: Kate, Michael, Miles And Jamie: Meet The 'Fantastic Four' Reboot Cast

That Awkward Moment, an upcoming comedy starring Zac Efron, is being marketed as a romcom for the guys’ guy. We’ve already seen the male perspective on action, thriller, adventure, sci-fi and practically every other film genre in existence. What That Awkward Moment promises is a male version of a romantic comedy.

It's sort of like Sex and the City, except not quite as pink and sparkly.

Efron, who has now firmly moved on from his High School Musical days, plays Jason, a confused 20-something living in the big city, trying to maneuver around the perils of jobs, dating and relationships with his small group of likeminded friends. It’s a familiar scenario, except obviously, he’s a dude. The film is set to open in theatres this coming Friday.

Continue reading: Zac Efron And Co. Release "That Awkward Moment" - A Romcom For The Guys' Guy

Zac Ephron is hurting, but he’ll be ok – his jaw, that is. So said pal Michael B. Jordan for E! News, during last night’s GQ Man of the Year event. In case you haven’t heard, Zephron broke his jaw over the weekend, when he slipped outside his apartment on Sunday. He also managed to acquire a gash in his face, which required stitches. According to Jordan, however, the Hairspray star is doing fine and resting up.

Efron sustained an unpleasant injury over the weekend, while exiting his LA home.

"He's good," Jordan said during the GQ event (he is among this year's honorees). "He's going to be OK."

Continue reading: Zac Efron "Going To Be Ok" Says Actor Michael B. Jordan

Next up in the world of vacuous teen flicks is That Awkward Moment, a film about three middle class dudes looking to 'score some chicks' in that thorny world of dating that presents us with such impossible conundrums as 'bros vs. hoes.'

Three Guys Make A Pact To Stay Single: What Could Go Wrong?

The movie focuses on three early-twenties guys, Jason, Daniel and Mikey, who enter into a pact to stay single together after Mikey (Michael B. Jordan) splits from his girlfriend. Predictably, Jason (Zac Efron) and Daniel (Miles Teller) meet girls and try to keep their new flings on the low whilst pretending there's nothing more than casual sex going on.

Continue reading: 'That Awkward Moment': Zac Efron's Bromance Movie Takes Flight [Trailer]

The first picture of Zac Efron in his upcoming romantic comedy 'That Awkward Moment' has been unveiled ahead of its January release.

Efron really isn't the innocent Disney star he once was, is he? Since 'High School Musical 3' he's been peed on by Nicole Kidman in 'The Paperboy', become a boy racer in 'At Any Price' and smoked pot as a hippy in 'Liberal Arts'. Now he plays a young bachelor who is on a mission to go through as many girls as possible without falling into the trap of a relationship in 'That Awkward Moment'; unfortunately, there's no clear cut line between friends and lovers these days. His cohorts are being played by Miles Teller ('The Spectacular Now') and Michael B. Jordan ('Fruitvale Station') but, like any film about bachelorism (yes, that's a word), Efron's character Jason will no doubt fall head over heels for some girl-next-door type who's 'different' from other girls. 

It's not just the movie roles that have got more adult either; his personal troubles would shock Disney fans as he was only fairly recently discharged from rehab after secretly struggling with a serious cocaine addiction. His habit had a serious impact on the filming of another of his upcoming movies 'Neighbours' when he regularly failed to turn up to the set. Sources close to him admitted to TMZ, 'It was common knowledge he was struggling with cocaine.'

Continue reading: Zac Efron And Co-Stars Look Super-Suave In 'That Awkward Moment' [Picture]

Andrew Garfield has progressive ideas for Spiderman. Earlier this month, the British-American star mused on the idea of Spidey turning gay, "Why can't we discover that Peter is exploring his sexuality? It's hardly even groundbreaking!" he said, in conversation with Entertainment Weekly.

The comic-book characters certainly need to move in fresh directions, whether it be time, place, or something more specific to the characters, such as gender, race or sexual orientation. The Avengers moved forward a little, the Dark Knight franchise featured giant strides for Batman, and - to some extent - The Wolverine pushed things on with its Japanese setting.

This week at San Diego Comic-Con, Garfield revisited his ideas though assured the crowd that Spiderman will not be turning gay anytime soon.

Continue reading: Andrew Garfield On A Gay Spiderman: "That's Just Not Going To Work"

The Wire actor Michael B. Jordan is in talks to play Apollo Creed's grandson in MGM's Rocky spin-off, directed by Fruitvale Station filmmaker Ryan Coogler. The pair worked together on the recent Sundance winning movie about the final hours of Oscar Grant's life, and the studio are keen to keep a winning team.

The movie would be a continuation of the Rocky saga, with Sylvester Stallone reprising his role as Rocky Balboa - this time a retired fighter turned trainer. 

Coogler - whose new movie won both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at Sundance - fully intends Creed to be his follow-up to Fruitvale. According to Deadline, he wants things to movie quickly and getting Michael B. Jordan to sign on the dotted line is his priority.

Continue reading: 'The Wire' Star To Play Apollo Creed's Grandson In Rocky Spin-Off

The Weinstein Company's hard-hitting drama Fruitvale Station starring The Wire's Michael B. Jordan has seen its odds slashed to just 14/1 to win Best Picture at the Oscars in 2014. After slew of positive reviews and a box office taking of almost $54,000 per screen on a limited release, Ryan Coogler's retelling of the shooting of Oscar Grant on New Year's Day in creating massive buzz.

The movie won the prestigious Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival, with Sundance jury member Tom Rothman telling Coogler, "This will not be the last time you guys walk to a podium," according to the Los Angeles Times.

It's likely that Fruitvale Station will collect more honors as the year goes on, though can it maintain the momentum until next February and peep its head above Oscar bait movies The Wolf of Wall Street, August: Osage County, The Monuments Men, Captain Phillips and American Hustle? That's not to mention the likes of Nebraska, Inside Llewyn Davis, Gravity, 12 Years A Slave, The Counselor, Out Of The Furnace, Fox Catcher and the excellent Before Midnight.  It's a huge ask and one that this writer believes may well be out of reach.

Continue reading: Can Superb 'Fruitvale Station' Maintain Momentum Until Oscar Season?

Fruitvale Station - the new Oscar-tipped most by Ryan Coogler - tells the story of one of America's most unjust killings. In the early hours of New Year's Day, 2009, a young Bay Area kid by the name of Oscar Grant III was unarmed and lying face down on a subway platform in Oakland, California. Seconds later, he was shot in the back by a police officer.

The grainy cell phone footage captured by onlookers incited protests and unrest across the country, opening up a debate on law and order, violence and race, as noted in the New York Times. 'Fruitvale Station' - a movie snapped up by Harvey Weinstein for $2 million at the Sundance Film Festival - takes on extra significance given the roots of its director.

Coogler, 27, is a Bay Area native who went to film school at the University of South California. He remembers the incident all too well and does a stunning job of reconstructing it with the help of his cast Michael B. Jordan (The Wire), Melonie Diaz and Oscar winner Octavia Spencer. 

Continue reading: Go See This Movie: 'Fruitvale Station' Is An 'Unstoppable Cinematic Force'

Fruitvale Station is released on Friday 12th July. The movie follows 22-year-old Oscar as he encountered acquaintances around San Francisco Bay on New Year's Eve 2008. His day ended in tragedy when he was accidentally shot by police officers. The film has been widely praised by critics.

Michael B. Jordan at a screening of Fruitvale Station, at the Museum of Modern Art, New York.

The film is based on the true story of Oscar Grant III who was shot by police officers at a railway station in Oakland, California. Grant was restrained by police officers who believed him to be armed; the death caused controversy throughout the US.His death appears to be accidental with Police Officer Mehserle using his gun instead of his Taser.

Continue reading: Critics Say Ryan Coogler's Debut 'Fruitvale Station' Is "Magnificent"

Winner of both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival, Ryan Coogler's Fruitvale Station is emerging as one of the leading movies of the year.

Based on a true story, it stars The Wire's Michael B. Jordan as Oscar Grant - the 22-year-old Bay Area resident who was shot dead by BART officers on New Year's Day.

Coogler's direction appears slick and well-constructed, Jordan and co-stars Octavia Spencer and Melonie Diaz put in natural performances, though it's the story that takes centre stage here.

Continue reading: Why The Weinstein's 'Fruitvale Station' Might Be The Finest Movie Of 2013

Few had even heard of Ryan Coogler's Fruitvale Station before it won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. It was snapped up by Harvey Weinstein, who has a well-documented knack of taking little known movies from the film festival and turning them into Oscars gold. Will he do the same with this gritty drama? The signs look good.

Watch the Fruitvale Station trailer!

Based on a true story, it stars The Wire's Michael B. Jordan as Oscar Grant, a 22-year-old living in the San Francisco Bay area. As the New Year approaches, he become determines to turn around his life and provide for his girlfriend and 4-year-old daughter. After boarding a particularly crowded Bay Area Rapid Transit train, Oscar manages to get involved in a fight with some old adversaries and when the BART police are called, he is detained along with other passengers at Fruitvale Station. Through a cruel twist of fate, he is accidentally fatally shot in the early hours by a police officer who withdrew his gun rather than his intended taser. Oscar winner Octavia Spencer (The Help) plays Grant's mother, while Best Actor Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland) is one of the film's producers. This thing has pedigree.

It is due for US release on July 26th 2013, though reaction at this week's Cannes Film Festival - where it is competing in the Un Certain Regard competition - has been unanimously positive. Xan Brooks of The Guardian wrote, "Fruitvale Station made a noise at Sundance, was snapped up by the Weinsteins and played out to roaring approval here in the Un Certain Regard section."

Continue reading: Fruitvale Station Stuns Sundance And Cannes, Next Stop The Oscars? [Trailer]

Harvey Weinstein's company spent around $2 million in acquiring the rights to the drama 'Fruitvale' following its screening at the Sundance Film Festival, according to a person close to the film who was not authorized to speak on record, reports the Los Angeles Times. The independent festival - founded by actor Robert Redford - is a hunting ground for Hollywood big-wigs searching for the next hit movie.

A couple of years ago, he snapped up The Details and My Idiot Brother at the festival, two independent movies that did well critically, though provided little commercially. However, The Weinstein company has plenty of room to take risks following successes in the form of The Kings Speech, The Reader, Inglorious Basterds, Django Unchained and David O Russell comedy, Silver Linings Playbook. The company's latest acquirement, Fruitvale, is based on the 2009 shooting of the 22-year-old African American father Oscar Grant by a BART police officer in Oakland, an event that sparked outrage among community activists. It stars the up-and-coming Michael B. Jordan in the lead role, best known for playing Wallace in HBO's critically acclaimed series The Wire, and as Vince Howard on Friday Night Lights. The movie is written and directed by Ryan Coogler and follows Grant in the 24 hours leading up to his death, during which he spends time with his family and decides to stop dealing marijuana. 

The acquisition comes hot on the heels of Relatively Media's purchase of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's sexual obsession story "Don Jon's Addiction" for around $4 million. The company is behind movies such as The Fighter, Dear John and the huge grossing Immortals.

Continue reading: Prepare Yourself, Oscars 2014: Harvey Weinstein Just Bought 'Fruitvale'