The Bourne Legacy is the latest movie to recast a main character in order to continue the franchise. But from Bond to Bewitched, Batman to Dumbledore, Hollywood has never been afraid to dump old stars and seek fresh blood for the sake of a character’s longevity.
http://www.npr.org/2012/08/03/156842428/franchises-age-but-their-stars-stay-forever-young
The Dark Knight lived up to its hype. The latest installment in the Batman film series set records with its opening weekend, taking in an estimated $155 million at the box office. Spider-Man 3 previously held the record, taking in $151 million last year.
Director and screenwriter Christopher Nolan and actor Christian Bale are two of the driving forces behind the blockbuster’s success.
The Dark Knight is the third collaboration for the pair, who previously worked together on Batman Begins and the dueling-illusionists thriller The Prestige.
Nolan first made a name for himself with the Oscar-nominated low-budget hit Memento. He went on to direct the murder mystery Insomnia before reviving the Batman franchise.
In addition to starring as Batman in the franchise’s last two films, Bale has had major roles in the films 3:10 to Yuma, Rescue Dawn, American Psycho and The Machinist. He is slated to appear in the next Terminator film.
A. O. Scott speaks with the screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, who makes his directorial debut with “Synecdoche, New York.”
J.J. Abrams’ science-fiction thriller Super 8 was inspired, in part, by Steven Spielberg’s earliest works. Critic David Edelstein says the film hits home in a way more impersonal franchise pictures don’t.
http://www.npr.org/2011/06/10/137029544/super-8-close-encounters-of-the-e-t-kind
Tagged with npr review film:director=j.j. abrams film:title=super 8