Universal Releases First-Look Images For ‘Wanted’ With Jolie, Freeman

Universal on Monday released first-look images for “Wanted,” which stars Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy and Morgan Freeman and was filmed in part in Chicago. These were first published here.










Notice the second official photo above with Jolie (who plays an assassin) in the red Dodge Viper. We have been publishing the following photo by James Devaney of Getty Images, which was shot on set.

Audio: 10-Minute Interview With ‘Stardust’ Director Matthew Vaughn

I am publishing my full, 10-minute audio interview with “Stardust” director Matthew Vaughn in unedited form. The film opens everywhere on Aug. 10.

Click here for the Matthew Vaughn interview.

Claire Danes in “Stardust”
Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures
In this interview, it’s interesting why Vaughn has departed from producing violent films like “Snatch” and “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” to directing “Stardust”. He said it’s because he had children.

He also says CG effects are often a “get-out-of-jail card” for many Hollywood directors.

Vaughn says he worked closely on set with Neil Gaiman, who wrote the novel, and created with him a list of lots of candidates for the lead female role. They decided on Claire Danes.

This interview took place on July 24, 2007 at the Four Seasons in Chicago.

Bourne is Back, Badass in ‘Ultimatum,’ Still Unrealistically Unbreakable

CHICAGO – Matt Damon as Jason Bourne never thinks. He just does.

Bourne’s always armed with the right devices and brainwaves to foretell his next move. Should he need a rag because he’s about to rooftop hop in Morocco and his hands need protection from random glass shards, Hollywood obliges.


Matt Damon (left) and Joey Ansah in “The Bourne Ultimatum”
Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures
As badass as Bourne is, though, the film tends to forget it isn’t “Unbreakable”.

Bourne – or, as he learns in “The Bourne Ultimatum,” really David Webb – is no Bruce Willis. He’s human without supernatural CGI. While the character is designed to just be a man, the third in this series especially takes his body to the extreme. There’s no way in hell he’d still be standing at this one’s conclusion.


Matt Damon in “The Bourne Ultimatum”
Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures
Think of Rocky being pummeled by the Russian and living to tell the tale. Bourne shows a little bit of blood, utters a few “ow” growls and always gets back up in his rapid-thinking, rapid-acting prime. This ghost continues to refuse to be found.

That’s forgivable, though, because “The Bourne Ultimatum” isn’t selling you on its realism. If you’ve been following what is now a trilogy, you’ve come to expect intense action, explosions, nauseating camera work and yet another deep look into the CIA’s inner chasms.


Director Paul Greengrass (left) and Matt Damon in “The Bourne Ultimatum”
Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures
Though the story feels as if it’s being stretched ad nauseam to prolong its money-making roll, it’s still fun, I was still looking forward to screening it and I’m still glad I did.

In his three peat, Bourne goes home to steal some answers about who he really is and why he’s so unbreakable. While jumping through lots of hoops and thwarting all the “assets” our secret government has to dish out, he solves his own riddle.

The film, which opens wide on Aug. 3, is left open for an entirely new story.

© 2007 Adam Fendelman, HollywoodChicago.com