Simon Pegg Page 5

Star Trek script-writer Simon Pegg has defended the decision to portray the character of Hikaru Sulu as openly gay, and has insisted that he and George Takei – the actor who originally played Sulu – haven’t fallen out over the matter.

Speaking at the red carpet premiere in London of Star Trek Beyond on Tuesday (July 12th), Pegg addressed the matter which was revealed at the end of last week, where Takei, himself openly gay and a fervent LGBT rights campaigner, expressed disapproval at the decision to make Sulu, played by John Cho, an openly gay character, insisting that the film’s creators should have written in a new original character.

Simon Pegg at the premiere of 'Star Trek Beyond' in London

Continue reading: Simon Pegg Hasn't Fallen Out With George Takei Over Gay Sulu Character

Star Trek Beyond co-writer Simon Pegg has said he “respectfully disagrees” with George Takei, after the actor called the news that Hikaru Sulu would be gay in the new movie “really unfortunate”. Takei, who is openly gay and played Sulu in the original series and movies, said that the franchise should have made a new character gay, instead of “twisting” Gene Roddenberry’s creation.

John Cho as Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu.

In a statement released to The Guardian Pegg said: “I have huge love and respect for George Takei, his heart, courage and humour are an inspiration. However, with regards to his thoughts on our Sulu, I must respectfully disagree with him.”

Continue reading: Simon Pegg And George Takei Disagree Over Sulu Being Portrayed As Gay In 'Star Trek Beyond'

The show must go on. That's the attitude of bereaved 'Star Trek Beyond' cast member and screenwriter Simon Pegg, who's determined to make the promotional run of the new movie all about the late Anton Yelchin, who tragically passed away at the age of just 27 last month.

Anton Yelchin is honoured by his 'Star Trek' castmates

'Star Trek' stars are still reeling from the loss of their close friend and colleague; Anton Yelchin protrayed Pavel Chekov in the 2009's 'Star Trek' and 2013's 'Star Trek Into Darkness' and had just completed the latest instalment of the franchise when he died suddenly in a freak car accident at his San Fernando Valley home on June 19th 2016. Simon Pegg, who plays Scotty, is refusing to let his memory be forgotten.

Continue reading: Simon Pegg Is Determined To Make 'Star Trek Beyond' All About Anton Yelchin

Most of these movies feature actors, actresses and filmmakers who really should have known better...

10. Terminator Genisys
Surely this fragmented, messy reboot will sink this franchise forever. Nothing about the story or characters made any sense. But it looked cool. 

9. The Visit
M Night Shyamalan went minimal for this unoriginal found-footage horror-comedy that manages a hint of gleeful grisliness but no real characters or plot. 

Continue reading: Rich Cline's 10 Worst Films Of 2015

Hollywood celebrated itself on Sunday night with the 87th Academy Awards, ignoring the critics' favourite Boyhood to present the best film, director and screenplay Oscars to the show business comedy Birdman. The lively presenters and winners were caught backstage by paparazzi in the press room.

Photos - 87th Annual Oscars Red Press Room - Sunday 22nd February 2015

Continue reading: A Week In Movies: Oscar Awards Birdman, Then The Stars Party And Return To Work. Trailers Arrive For Simon Pegg As An Aussie Hitman, A Bradley Cooper Romance And A Kristen Wiig Comedy

Forget Hector and the Search For Happiness. That was a blip in the otherwise brilliant career of Simon Pegg. And anyway, he’s at his best when working with Edgar Wright – good news, then, that the pair has confirmed a brand new project together.

Edgar Wright [L] and Simon Pegg [centre] are working together again

“Edgar and I were having a conversation the other day about it, and it has a title and everything. We're kind of into a creative cycle nowm” Pegg said when speaking to Edith Bowman on BBC 6 Music, "We've all got different things [going] on and we know we have to get those things done. The coming-together thing is without question on the table and will happen when we can do it."

Continue reading: Edgar Wright And Simon Pegg Set To Combine Again On New Movie

Simon Pegg has had an intriguing career. He's been highly praised for his terrific collaborative projects with Edgar Wright, from the British TV series Spaced to the Cornetto Trilogy of twisted English comedies: Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World's End. He's also managed to crack Hollywood with recurring roles in big franchises like Mission: Impossible, Ice Age and JJ Abrams' Star Trek.

Hector and the Search for Happiness

But his more adventurous projects back home in Britain have struggled to find audiences or critical approval. While How to Lose Friends & Alienate People (2008) had mixed reviews, Burke and Hare (2010) was called a misfire by both critics and audiences. And then there was 2012's A Fantastic Fear of Everything, which has just a 33% positive rating from critics and an only slightly less terrible 37% from the public.

Continue reading: Hector And The Search For Happiness Savaged By The Critics

Hector and the Search for Happiness, the latest of Simon Pegg's movies that has nothing to do with Edgar Wright, is out on Friday (August 15, 2014) - and it ain't looking good. It's sort of familiar territory for Pegg - he plays a quirky British psychiatrist who becomes increasingly tired with the humdrum of dating Rosamund Pike, having a well-paid job and owning a nice flat in London.

Simon Pegg [L] and Rosamund Pike [R] in 'Hector and the Search for Happiness'

So Hector does what anyone in his situation would do: he embarks on a global quest in the search for happiness. It's based on the novel of the same name - which doubled as a bit of a self-help hit in 2010 - though the movie appears to have bombed with the critics. It currently holds a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, albeit with the big-hitters yet to wade in.

Continue reading: Simon Pegg's 'Hector And The Search For Happiness' Has 0% On Rotten Tomatoes

Simon Pegg and a bunch of celebs attended the UK premiere of 'Hector And The Search For Happiness' in London on Tuesday night.

Pegg’s character – Hector – has everything you could ostensibly want in life: an interesting job with a comfortable salary and a beautiful girlfriend, Clara (Rosamund Pike). But it soon dawns on Hector that there’s more to life than living in London, attending dinner parties and earning a decent wage – he wants to travel the world in the search for happiness. 

But that doesn’t leave his friends and girlfriend feeling too great, and problems soon ensue. Hector has to appease Clara, reeling from the recent discovery that her boyfriend isn’t happy, while simultaneously attempting to find that very happiness. 

Continue reading: UK Premiere Of 'Hector And The Search For Happiness' [Pictures]

The death of acting legend and comedic master, Robin Williams, has prompted many tributes from colleagues, friends, family and fans to pour in from around the world as people come to terms with the loss of an icon. The 63-year-old versatile star of such classics as Mrs Doubtfire and Good Will Hunting was found dead at his home on Monday 11 August in what has now been confirmed as suicide by asphyxiation.

Robin Williams was 63 when he took her own life

His untimely death has left many devastated that they will no longer be able to frequently witness his talent with the potential for a Mrs Doubtfire sequel now unlikely to come to fruition. There are, however, four films as yet unreleased in which Williams stars and will be seen on screen.

Continue reading: The Final Projects Of Robin Williams

It looks like British favourite James Corden has successfully sealed his fate as another Brit over on American shores with his appointment as the new host of CBS’ Late Late Show all but confirmed by the broadcaster itself. Of course, just because he’s travelling over to the US to have a go in the host seat of a different studio does not automatically mean he’s going to be a hit and, so far, his selection has not been met with too raucous an applause, mainly because most Americans don’t know who he is.

James Corden is said to be the next host of American chat show, The Late Late Show

However, that’s not to say he won’t win his new state-side audience over because, if Corden has proved anything with his British career to date, it’s that he’s not too bad at his job.

Continue reading: James Corden's Gone All USA: But Which Other Comedy Brits Have Flown Across The Pond?

After a storm of scepticism surrounding Edgar Wright’s decision to walk away from the future Marvel blockbuster Ant Man, the British director has instead turned his hand to a new project which promises to put a fresh spin on the action-packed crime film. Having shot to directorial superstardom after the incredibly successful ‘Cornetto Trilogy’, his collaboration with long-time friends Simon Pegg and Nick Frost which included the crowd-pleasers Shaun Of The Dead, Hot Fuzz and World’s End, Wright has found himself as one of Hollywood’s most in-demand directors. Moreover, he has proved that he is unafraid to walk away from a project if he feels strongly perturbed by the direction it is being aimed toward by studio executives.

Wright left Ant Man after a prolonged dispute over the script

With Wright freed from Ant Man after script disputes, Baby Driver is reportedly being fast-tracked towards production, with the screenplay already being written following the Wright’s 2010 hit Scott Pilgrim Vs The World. Details on the film remain scarce, but a small amount of speculation has been addressed by the director in a series of interviews. As intrigued fans have pointed out, Baby Driver is also the name of a track from the iconic Simon and Garfunkle album Bridge Over Troubled Water. In an interview conducted in 2011, Wright conformed he had written a script that borders on being a musical, admitting that it would in many ways act as a departure for the director in terms of style.

Continue reading: Everything We Know About Edgar Wright's 'Baby Driver'

Simon Pegg stars in Hector & The Search For Happiness, a feel good comedy about a London-based psychiatrist who suddenly realises that his inner-city professional life adds up to one thing: unhappiness.

Simon Pegg is searching for happiness in his new movie

So he decided to take off and try and find it for himself, leaving his wife (Rosamund Pike) behind in London as he traverses the earth in persuit of something close to happiness. Christopher Plummer, Toni Collette, Stellan Skarsgård, and Jean Reno also star. 

Continue reading: 'Hector And The Search For Happiness': Simon Pegg Travels The World [Trailer + Pictures]

Felix Dexter tragically passed away at the premature age of 52 on Friday, 18 October. The St. Kitts-born London comic was one of the first black comics to break into the mainstream of British comedy and his comic writing and acting earned him countless plaudits and awards during his life time. Following the annoucnemnt of his death, some of the comics who worked alongside him and who were influence by his comic style gave their respects to the late star.

Born in the Caribbean island nation of St Kitts in , Dexter developed myeloma, a type of bone marrow cancer, only a few months ago and sadly succumbed to the tragic illness this week. He first began flirting with success as a stand-up comic, but it wasn't until he appeared in The Real McCoy that he became a household name and tickled the funny bone of millions. He later went on to work as part of the Royal Shakespeare Company and more recently appeared on television as part of the BBC sketch show Bellamy's People and the sitcom Citizen Khan. Some of his more famous roles also include the Fast Show and Absolutely Fabulous.

Comedian and QI panellist Alan Davis tweeted his shock at the passing, writing on his Twitter page, "Sad and shocked to hear about Felix Dexter passing away. So many gigs with him back in the olden days. Always a pleasure. RIP Felix."

Continue reading: Tributes Flood In From Famous Fans Of Felix Dexter

Lee Daniels' The Butler has retained its position at No.1 in the US Weekend Box Office for the second week. The movie is an historical epic which follows the true story of Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker), a black butler who served at the White House through the offices of eight presidents. Whitaker is supported by a cast of award winning actors including Oprah Winfrey, Alan Rickman, Josh Cusack and Robin Williams.

Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey at the L.A. premiere of Lee Daniels' The Butler.

This weekend Lee Daniels' The Butler may not have been, financially, as successful as last weekend. It made over $17 million this week as opposed to the $25 million it earned in its opening weekend. Meanwhile We're the Millers, starring Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis, made $13 million down from $17 million last weekend. The comedy made a similar amount to The Butler in its opening weekend ($26 million) yet has continued, by comparison, to be more financially profitable. 

Continue reading: 'The Butler' & 'We're The Millers' Retain Top US Box Office Positions

New British comedy The World's End has been released today (23rd Aug) in America and is the third in the tenuously linked 'Cornetto Trilogy.' First off, you should know that the title is the name of the pub that proves crucial to the plotline of the movie as the characters embark on that modern British crusade: the epic pub crawl. The movie serves as a sort-of sequel to 2007's Hot Fuzz and 2004's Shaun of the Dead in that the same band of UK comedy actors are employed.

Simon Pegg [L] & Nick Frost [R] Are The Lords Of British Comedy Acting.

We Brits love our dorks so there's little hunky eye candy within the trilogy's recurring cast of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Bill Nighy and Paddy Considine. However, what you do get is some of Britain's funniest comedy actors playing a band of unlikely heroes who will win over your hearts for their determination and the film's daft sense of humour.

Continue reading: Here's Why America Should Flock To See 'The World's End' This Weekend

Having enthralled U.K audiences and critics alike, it’s time for Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s World’s End to go stateside. The film marks the end of the unusually titled ‘Cornetto Trilogy,’ and sees a few friends return to a town where everything is not quite as it seems.

Simon Pegg, Rosamund Pike and Nick Frost at the Hollywood premiere of The World's End

What American audiences might not know – seeing as Pegg has already has a degree of success stateside – is that his partnership with director Edgar Wright and co-star Nick Frost goes way back to the British sitcom, Spaced, which laid the foundations for the Cornetto trilogy: Shaun of The Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World’s End.

Continue reading: Simon Pegg's The World's End Is A Veritable August Treat

ITV has purchased Big Talk - the production company part owned by Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright - for $12.5 million, which could rise to $30 million depending on performance.

Founded in 1995, Big Talk is responsible for British hits Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, as well as Pegg, Frost and Wright's new movie The World's End. 

BBC Worldwide owns 25% of the company and stands to make a potential £7.5 million from the deal. According to the Guardian, the deal was prompted by the expiry of Big Talk's five-year deal with the BBC's commercial.

Continue reading: ITV Buys Simon Pegg, Nick Frost's 'Big Talk' In $30 Million Deal

The World's End, the final movie in Edgar Wright's Cornetto trilogy, appears to have cemented the position of Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright and Nick Frost among the British comedy movie elite.

It began in 2004 with the peerless Shaun of the Dead and moved nicely long with the hugely enjoyable Hot Fuzz in 2007. Now, six years on, the pair reunite for 'The World's End' - the story of five childhood friends getting back together to conquer the epic pub crawl they could never complete as youngsters.

The jokes are very much the same. Pegg even re-enacts the jumping through the garden fence gag, though to a certain extent it's better to rehash the successful stuff and go out with a bang, than risk new, less funny material and scupper the whole darn trilogy.

Continue reading: The World's End: Are Pegg And Wright The New Richard Curtis And Hugh Grant?

The World's End - the third and final instalment of Edgar Wright's 'Cornetto' comedy trilogy starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Paddy Considine - hits cinemas nationwide on July 19, 2013. It centres around five friends who attempt a notorious pub crawl in their unassuming hometown - twelve pubs, twelve pints and the only the strongest will survive.

Of course, the mind of Edgar Wright doesn't work think along quite such straight lines and the boozy group unwittingly become humankind's only hope for survival.

Also starring British talent Rosamund Pike, Eddie Marsen and The Hobbit star Martin Freeman, The World's End promises a hugely enjoyable finale for the trilogy - also featuring Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz - though the soundtrack is worth checking out too.

Continue reading: 'The World's End' Soundtrack Is A Glorious Tribute To The 1990s

Edgar Wright's hugely anticipated sci-fi comedy The World's End premieres in London on Wednesday (July 10, 2013) bringing together the British director, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost for the final time (for the Cornetto trilogy, at least). The movie stars Pegg as an immature 40-something who persuades four friends to undertake a marathon drinking session in a small English town. 12 pubs. 12 pints.

The gang's likely unreachable goal is to make it to the final pub - The World's End - though events taken an unpredictable turn.

What audiences may not be aware of is that Wright's comedy is based on a true life pub crawl he and friends undertook in the 1990s. The filmmaker enlisted some of the finest British actors around - Frost, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine and Eddie Marsan - to play his buddies, though made sure to invite the original pub-crawl line-up to the premiere.

Continue reading: The Real Pub Crawl That Inspired Edgar Wright's 'The World's End'

Edgar Wright was speaking to fans in a Yahoo! Q&A session on Friday (May 24) about the upcoming comedy The World's End, the final edition of the much-loved Cornetto trilogy. The filmmaker revealed a few details on the summer release, including the news that there is a special, mystery cameo appearance has been lined-up for audiences.

Wright didn't go into much detail about the planned cameo, wanting to keep it a secret for the movie launch. He mentioned that although long-time collaborator and friend Jessica Hynes, who co-wrote and starred in Spaced with The World's End star Simon Pegg, will not be appearing in the final instalment of the Cornetto series, "there are other cameos. Including a man that has yet to appear in the films."

Alongside Pegg and Cornetto favourite Nick Frost, the film also stars long-time collaborators Martin Freeman (who has featured in all three films), Rafe Spall and Paddy Considine (of Hot Fuzz fame) as well as Eddie Marsan and former Bond girl Rosamund Pike. The movie follows a group of childhood friends who over the years have drifted apart but decide that after 20 years they are to recreate an 'epic pub crawl' in their hometown that bested them first time. As drinking commences though, the group notice a that things aren't quite right and soon things take a turn for the worse and get a little post-apocalyptic, resulting in the boys becoming Earth's only hope for survival.

Continue reading: Edgar Wright Promises Surprise Cameo For 'The World's End'

12 Pubs 12 Pints...

The first trailer for Edgar Wright's new movie The World's End has rolled out online - and it looks a riot. The final instalment in the Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) follows Gary King, a 40-year-old looking to reclaim the glory of his teenage years by vowing to complete the infamous Newton Haven pub crawl that he and his pals failed to finish 20 years ago. The problem lies in the fact that his friends are now middle class, comfortably living blue collar workers: why would they possibly agree?

Watch the trailer for The World's End here!

Continue reading: The World's End: 12 Pubs, 12 Pints, What Could Possibly Go Wrong? [Trailer & Pictures]

The first trailer for Jj Abrams' Star Trek sequel Into Darkness has emerged online today (December 5, 2012), with trekkies already drooling all over their keyboards at the menacing voiceover provided by Benedict Cumberbatch. It's been long rumored that the British star plays the iconic villain Khan, though does the trailer lend credence to the speculation?

In a tone not a million miles away from Tom Hardy's Bane in The Dark Knight Rises trailer, Cumberbatch's character forebodingly asserts, "You think your world is safe, it is an illusion, a comforting lie told to protect you, enjoy these final moments of peace, for I have returned, to have my vengeance.so, shall we begin?" The reference to a 'return' has left Star Trek fans in no doubt that Cumberbatch plays Khan Noonien Singh, a villain genetically engineered to be the perfect human. He is equipped with super strength, superior intellect and is a master strategist. In the trailer, Cumberbatch sits on the captain's chair and basically causes mayhem. The character was portrayed by Ricardo Montalban in both the television episodes and the 1982 movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. 

Though fans appear set on Cumberbatch as Khan, his co-star Simon Pegg categorically denied that was the case during an interview with The Telegraph earlier this year. "It's not Khan. That's a myth. Everyone's saying it is, but it's not. I think people just want to have a scoop. It annoys me - it's beyond the point to just ferret around for spoilers all the time to try to be the first to break them," he said. Cumberbatch himself told Shortlist magazine, "Yep, it's yet another thing I can't talk about [laughs]. I'll tell you this, it's iconic and it's exciting. I'm bored of denying that it's Khan now, because people keep saying it."

Continue reading: Star Trek Into Darkness Trailer Leaks: Benedict Cumberbatch Plays Khan?

Chris Pine, the actor set to play Captain Kirk in the upcoming Star Trek film, has talked of the pressures of taking on the iconic role.

Smokin' Aces star Pine is to step into the shoes of William Shatner in the JJ Abrams picture which tells of the adventures of the Starship Enterprise during their time at Star Fleet academy.

Though he confirmed he would reveal "not a thing" during an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the 27-year-old did let slip some small details about the movie, set for a Boxing Day release.

"I think the biggest mistake I could ever do would be to try to recreate what Mr Shatner did," he explained. "There are certain qualities that Kirk has that are vital for someone who is a leader of men.

"And those qualities, I definitely wanted to take from what Mr Shatner did in the original series. But my job is to take something new, to Take That and build upon it, really do my own thing. I just feel no pressure when it comes to that."

The young actor admitted he can understand the fears of hardcore fans but attempt to allay some of their concerns.

"I don't have that many credits and people are very worried that their Kirk is going to be destroyed. But I can only say that we're having a great time. JJ has been wonderful and the cast is phenomenal. I think what we're doing is very special."

Pine said he had not met Shatner, but added: "I've met Mr Nimoy a couple of times. He's been on set and we have a couple of scenes in the film, which will be nice, and I'm excited for those."

Though Heroes star Zachary Quinto is to play the young Vulcan, Pine's comments could imply that time travel is featured in the movie or that flashbacks will be used.

After a call for 'odd-looking' extras, much of the movie's major casting has been completed.

British comedy favourite Simon Pegg will play the young Scotty, Lord Of The Rings actor Karl Urban stars as Leonard 'Bones' McCoy and comic actor John Cho plays Mr Sulu.

Continue reading: New Captain Kirk Talks