New Doctor Who set photos return to an iconic location. Three actors discuss what's ahead on Game of Thrones. Get the inside scoop on how The Avengers is turning out. Plus composer Hans Zimmer discusses his final Batman score!
It's spoilers all the way down!
Top image from The Amazing Spider-Man.
The Amazing Spider-Man
Rhys Ifans discusses his dual role as Dr. Curt Connors and the Lizard:
"Curt is a force for good throughout his life. He's a geneticist who wants to help people, like him, who are limbless. In his eagerness to advance that science, he makes a mistake and that's an occurrence we've seen throughout time, sometimes to our benefit, sometimes to our detriment...He is a broken man who wants to fix himself. The Lizard almost becomes a drug for him, an alter-ego like Jekyll and Hyde, if you like. He's strong and brave and agile in a way that he can't be in his own life."
He also discusses the motion capture process that went into creating his performance as the Lizard:
"Each of your facial movements are repeatable, but then you add the face of a lizard. I was, disturbingly, able to recognise some of my facial tics. In terms of the physicality, I had a particular way I wanted The Lizard to move. I didn't have lots of CGI downtime...Some days I'd be standing on set like one of those 'Golf Sale' people with the pole stuck down the back of my tracksuit, and on top would be the Lizard head. It was quite comical in comparison to the end result."
[Empire via MTV Splash Page]
The Avengers
While I can't speak to the accuracy of all this, here's the latest inside scoop on how the movie is shaping up:
Word 'round the campfire is Marvel considers The Avengers to be their best outing yet. I've talked to some cynics in the group who weren't sure it was going to come together and they're all doing their mea culpas now. They say it has the heart, the action, the humor and the suspense a movie like The Avengers should have. The only criticisms I've heard is that [Joss] Whedon's eye isn't as cinematic as it should be, but that the rest of the movie is so good that you accept it.
The Dark Knight Rises
Composer Hans Zimmer discusses making the music for Christopher Nolan's Batman movie:
"I had an idea of a different way of writing music, or a different way of getting an orchestra to perform music as well. And basically it worked out, and snippets of it are starting to appear in the trailer. And really I have 25 minutes of very, very radical, very different stuff. There were two great parts. One was Chris came to the [recording] sessions and really embraced what I was doing and really liked what I was doing. But, in a peculiar way, the greater part was that the musicians had never worked in this way before, and really loved it. And months later, when I was doing the ‘Sherlock' sessions, the musicians were still talking about those two days, even though they'd done all this other stuff in the meantime. So I know I'm onto something. Really my enemy right now is time, because I have so many ideas."
There's more at the link. [Hero Complex]
Lockout
Here's a bunch of new promo photos from the upcoming space prison breakout movie starring Guy Pearce as a wrongfully convicted federal agent tasked with saving the president's daughter (Lost's Maggie Grace) from rioting space prisoners. [IGN]
Skyfall
IMAX has announced they will be digitally remastering the new James Bond film for a simultaneous release in their theaters. [The Hollywood Reporter]
G.I. Joe: Retaliation
Dear John actor D.J. Cotrona explains the relationship between his character Flint and Adrianne Palicki's Lady Jaye:
Anybody that's familiar with 'G.I. Joe,' any of the storylines, they're two very main characters and they have a pretty specific relationship between them that evolves and goes certain places. I think we did it justice in the movie so I think the fans are going to be really excited. It [starts as] a brother-sister thing, and it continues on into other places."
Doctor Who
Here are some new set photos from Southerndown Beach, which was previously used as Bad Wolf Bay in "Doomsday" and "Journey's End." Of course, before we start wildly speculating about some Rose Tyler and clone Tenth Doctor cameo - OK, fine, there's no way to stop Doctor Who fans wildly speculating about something like that - it should be pointed out this beach also was used for the planet Alfava Metraxis in "Time of the Angels" - which, come to think of it, if the location is being reused for anything, actually seems like the far more likely candidate - so it's most likely just meant to be some all new setting. Anyway, so far, only Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill have definitely been spotted on set. [Doctor Who Locations]
Fringe
Here are three sneak peeks for this Friday's winter finale, "The End of All Things."
This Friday's episode will feature "a shocking visitor to Walter's (John Noble) lab, the reappearance of Peter's (Joshua Jackson) baby Henry and a very naughty Nina (Blair Brown)" in an episode that will be crucial to the show's mythology and feature a heartbreaking ending. There's some additional tidbits and speculation here. [E! Online]
Executive producers Jeff Pinkner and Joel Wyman have been making the rounds to promote tonight's big episode. First up, Pinkner explains how this episode fits into the season's overall story:
"It's definitely, as they say, a game-changer in that our characters learn a lot more and the audience is going to learn a lot more about the über-plot of the season's bad guy, David Robert Jones (Jared Harris). [The Observer peels] back some layers about what his agenda has been and use that as an opportunity to revisit the things on the show we've seen before. It's the 14th out of 22 episodes and it's very much an episode that's going to launch us into the back half of the episodes."
Joel Wyman also talks about "A Short Story About Love", which kicks off the show's return on March 23 and marks his directorial debut on the show:
"It's an episode that's really close to me. It's about love and all the great things that we talk about on Fringe. To us, it's the perfect version of what a Fringe [episode] is because it has a great, terrifying element to it that is very Fringe-y. At the same time it has this incredible love story aspect with things that people are going to be very excited for, we believe, as far as the relationships on the show."
They also confirm their hope to bring back Kirk Acevedo as Charlie Francis before the end of the season, but there's nothing official yet. [EW]
Elsewhere, Joel Wyman talks some more about David Robert Jones's role the rest of the way, as well as Olivia's ultimate fate:
Certainly by implication, what David Robert Jones is doing on our side, he's doing on the other side as well, and his designs are multi-universal in scale and scope. We know, thus far, because of the bridge that we opened last season, Peter sacrificed himself for it before he returned. Both worlds have been healing and now David Robert Jones has stepped into the fray and thrown a monkey wrench into that. As long as this season-long arc plays out, it has implications for both universes. As you say, Olivia's return or seeming return isn't going to be without complication.
We all know that Olivia is aware that she will die. How will that factor in?
We can't give you that, but it's a major part of where we're sort of heading. One of the great things about that character is that she's always dealing with things that are crazy and because it's Fringe, we're allowed to handle things in ways you wouldn't expect. We can't really say a lot about that because, don't forget, she actually met the person [in "Lysergic Acid Diethylamide"] who was supposed to kill her so he will come back. You'll have to watch and see how all these things are connected.
Jeff Pinkner also offers some cryptic hints about there being two Nina Sharps:
Without answering it directly, if it were a shape shifter, someone would have to die. So you can't have two Ninas if one of them is a shape shifter. It's part of the mystery, but at the same time, we've established that David Robert Jones can pretty much cross over pretty much at will now.
There's more at the link. [Live Feed]
Game of Thrones
Here's the first photo of Nonso Anozie in character as Xaro Xhoan Davos. In the accompanying interview, Anozie discusses his character:
I play Xaro Xhoan Daxos and he's an interesting character. He's the prince of Qarth. Qarth is a new land which is further to the east of Dothraki, the host kingdom, where Daenerys was married to Khal Drogo. She's moving on to see if she can find a way to build an army and move to take over her "rightful seat" in Westeros. She bumps into my character and a lot of new interesting things are going to happen. I can't say legally say too much about it but it's going to be eye-opening and exciting.
Aiden Gillen discusses his role as Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish, and what's ahead in season two:
"I'm actually trying to get out of playing villains now – maybe signing up for six seasons as Littlefinger goes against that, but I don't see him as a villain, more a brilliant strategist and survivor in a cut-throat world. There's some strong new characters (there always are with George R.R. Martin, and they'll just keep coming) – Robert's [Baratheon, former King of Westeros] brother Stannis being a very obvious one to note. We see Littlefinger branch out and go on some travels too, and it's nice to get out of the house. I have some dealings with Tyrion – he's really dominating the scene in King's Landing now...There's always a lot going on and there's no rush to pair everyone up with everyone. Having worked on The Wire, I know the merits of playing the long game. It's more interesting, not patronising."
And finally, Rory McCann discusses his role as Sandor Clegane, alias the Hound:
Well, I don't think The Hound likes Joffrey, but he's doing his job looking after him. The power, as you can imagine, will be going to [Joffrey's] head and the real bully will be coming out, and it will be raising all sorts of memories for The Hound - the way that he was bullied. And you'll be seeing the relationship between Sansa and Joffrey deteriorate - seeing the bullying that's going on and again, The Hound will be able to link that to his childhood as well.
That's amazing. All right, so The Hound has an interesting relationship with Sansa. How is that going to work, going forward, as he sees Joffrey grow in power?
He's going to be in conflict, I think. I think he wants to look after Sansa and totally understands her position, but he's also in a position [of] - if he steps in, he is risking his life… I think in the first season you can see with Sandor and Sansa, that there's a frustration with Sandor trying to get through to Sansa that it's not all fairytale and true knights and there's so much badness in the world. But, by the end of the first season, obviously she's seen… her father having his head cut off. So she's maybe seen the light now, but I think there's still a frustration of trying to [get her to] see the reality of the whole situation. It's giving advice to Sansa for survival, basically.
True Blood
Jonathan Kowalsky, whose previous credits include Justified and Dollhouse, has reportedly been cast as Todd Jeffries in episodes four and five, which are reportedly titled "We'll Meet Again" and "Boot N' Rally Ally" respectively. According to an earlier casting notice, Todd Jeffries is described as follows:
[TODD JEFFRIES] Seen in flashback to Iraq in 2003, this U.S. Marine joins his squad (which includes Patrick and Terry) on a trip to a small village, where their plans to party and wreak a little havoc go tragically awry. 5 lines, 1 scene (26).
The River
Here are some promo photos for next week's episode and fifth overall, "Peaches." [SpoilerTV]
And here are some photos for episode six, "Dr. Emmet Cole", which airs March 6. [SpoilerTV]
Alcatraz
Here's a sneak peek for next week's episode, "Clarence Montgomery."
Once Upon a Time
Mary Margaret will be arrested by Emma for her alleged part in Kathryn's disappearance, and Mr. Gold will end up defending her in court. [E! Online]
Executive producer Edward Kitsis reveals who Sebastian Stan, best known for playing Bucky Barnes in Captain America, will play in episode seventeen, which airs March 25. The fact that the episode is called "Hat Trick" now makes a lot more sense:
"We find out how the Mad Hatter became mad," Kitsis teases. "Sebastian is so good in this role. He's brilliant. The first [difference] you'll notice is in who the Mad Hatter was and his backstory. Then what Wonderland is and [its] changes is something we hope to explore also. We're hoping this tells you the story of the Mad Hatter, but will also leave you questions about Wonderland."
Fellow executive producer Adam Horowitz discusses Black Swan's Barbara Hershey's upcoming appearance as the Evil Queen's mother:
"Evil is not born, it's made. Her mother has a specific viewpoint about the world. Hopefully you'll get a great insight into Regina and why she is the way she is."
There's some more at the link, and there's some additional stuff from Kitsis and Horowitz here. [E! Online]
Episode nineteen will reportedly be called "The Return." [SpoilerTV]
Grimm
Here's a sneak peek for tonight's episode, "Last Grimm Standing." You can check out some more here and here.
Here are some promo photos for next week's episode and thirteenth overall, "Three Coins in a Fuchsbau." [SpoilerTV]
Awake
Here's another character poster.
Supernatural
Here's the official description for episode sixteen, "Out With the Old", which airs March 16:
DOUBLE TROUBLE - After a ballerina is found dead from dancing herself to death, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) look into the case and discover the ballet slippers she wore were cursed. When Dean accidentally touches the shoes the power of the curse starts to take hold of him.
The Vampire Diaries
Here are some promo photos for the next episode and sixteenth overall, "1912", which will air March 15. [SpoilerTV]
And here's the synopsis for the episode:
THE MURDER MYSTERY DEEPENS - The present-day murders in Mystic Falls remind Damon (Ian Somerhalder) of a similar crime spree a century earlier. In flashbacks to 1912, Damon recalls a beautiful vampire, Sage (guest star Cassidy Freeman), who showed him a whole new way to exist. Sheriff Forbes (Marguerite MacIntyre) warns Damon not to get involved in her investigation, but Damon is convinced she's going after the wrong suspect. Elena (Nina Dobrev) and Matt (Zach Roerig) resort to breaking and entering in their search for evidence to prove Dr. Fell (guest star Torrey Devitto) is a murderer. For reasons known only to her, Rebekah (guest star Claire Holt), becomes interested in locating one of the town's oldest landmarks. Finally, Elena comes to a new understanding of the path her life has taken, and Damon makes an emotional confession to Stefan (Paul Wesley).
Damon and Elena's relationship reportedly "will be heating up again" before the end of the season. [E! Online]
The Secret Circle
The CW has released the synopsis for episode sixteen, "Lucky", which airs March 15:
CASSIE CONFRONTS HER FATHER, DIANA FINDS NEW LOVE AND FAYE TURNS UP THE HEAT WITH LEE - Cassie (Britt Robertson) catches Blackwell (guest star Joe Lando) sneaking around the abandoned house. After confiding in Adam (Thomas Dekker), he tells her he knows Blackwell was looking for a device to drain witches' powers and clearly back to his old ways. Faye (Phoebe Tonkin) shows up at Lee's (guest star Grey Damon) house to invite him to the school fundraiser, but is taken aback when Eva (guest star Alexia Fast) greets her at the door claiming to be Lee's girlfriend. Meanwhile, Melissa (Jessica Parker Kennedy) encourages Diana (Shelley Hennig) to date a normal guy and points her in the direction of a new, handsome guy in town (guest star Tim Phillipps). Dawn (Natasha Henstridge) runs into Blackwell at the school but the reunion isn't quite what she expected.
And here are some promo photos for the episode. [SpoilerTV]
Additional reporting by Jennifer Griffith-Delgado and Charlie Jane Anders.