By Jeff Sneider
TheWrap

Hot off a star-making performance as Leonardo DiCaprio‘s wife in “The Wolf of Wall Street,” Margot Robbie is in negotiations to play Jane in David Yates’ “Tarzan,” TheWrap has learned. She is also in talks to replace Amanda Seyfried in Craig Zobel’s “Z for Zachariah.”

Representatives for both films did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Robbie plans to shoot “Zachariah”  before taking on Warner Bros’ big-budget remake of the classic “Tarzan,” which is slated to star Alexander Skarsgard, Christoph Waltz and Samuel L. Jackson, according to individuals with knowledge of her schedule.

Warner’s go-to “Harry Potter” filmmaker Yates is directing the adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ series of novels about the King of the Jungle, with Skarsgard in the title role.

Jerry Weintraub and Alan Riche are producing, while Mike Richardson will executive produce with Yates. Warner Bros executive Jesse Ehrman will oversee the project on behalf of the studio, which plans to start production this summer. The studio is already high on Robbie, who stars opposite Will Smith in Warner’s con artist movie “Focus.”

Also read: ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ Co-Stars Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie Survive Teleprompter Snafu (Video)

“Z for Zachariah” is a psychological thriller that Nissar Modi adapted from Robert O’Brien’s post-apocalyptic novel. Michael Benaroya is fully financing the picture, which is expected to star Chris Pine and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Tobey Maguire and Matthew Plouffe will produce through their Material Pictures banner alongside Zik Zak Filmworks’ Skuli Malmquist and Thor Sigurjonsson, as well as Palomar Pictures’ Joni Sighvatsson.

Robbie is in negotiations to play a young woman who believes she’s the only survivor after a devastating nuclear event, though she comes to learn she is not alone when two strangers wander onto her farm from the forest.

“Zachariah” was initially supposed to start filming in August 2013 before production was delayed until November, when Ejiofor was in the midst of an important Oscar campaign for “12 Years a Slave.” That, in addition to several other factors, delayed production until early 2014.

That delay forced Seyfried to drop out of the project to film “Fathers and Daughters” with Russell Crowe, after which she’ll star alongside Rebel Wilson in the Universal comedy “He’s F-ing Perfect.”

Also read:  ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ Backlash: 10 Other Movies That Made Crime Seem Cool (Photos)

Robbie next co-stars alongside Michelle Williams, Matthias Schoenaerts and Kristin Scott Thomas in the Weinstein Company’s romantic drama “Suite Francaise.” The stunning Australian actress got her start on the Aussie series “Neighbours” before landing the lead in the short-lived ABC series “Pan Am.” In addition to playing the ‘Duchess of Bay Ridge’ in Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-nominated “Wolf of Wall Street,” Robbie recently appeared in Richard Curtis’ “About Time.”

She’s represented by CAA, Management 360, Australian agent Aran Michael and attorney Jeff Bernstein.

The post ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ Star Margot Robbie in Talks for ‘Tarzan’ She’s Jane (Exclusive) appeared first on TheWrap.

By Josh Dickey and Lucas Shaw
TheWrap

Kristen Stewart‘s return to Sundance with “Camp X-Ray” was looking like a success — at least initially — as festivalgoers began to tweet positive things about her starring turn in the Guantanamo Bay drama that premiered midday Friday to a partial standing ovation at the cavernous Eccles Theater in Park City.

“I think Kristen Stewart thrives in realistic material. She’s recognizable, human in Camp X-ray. Movie demanded it,” tweeted freelance film reporter and reviewer Matt Patches.

Photos: Stars at the Sundance Film Festival

The film, written by first-time feature director Peter Sattler, follows Amy (Stewart), a solider who’s assigned to prison guard duty at Guantanamo Bay, where she befriends an inmate (played by “A Separation” star Payman Maadi. Sattler has said that Stewart had a lot of input on the character and script, which was shot at a juvenile prison outside of Los Angeles.

Also on TheWrap: 18 Must-See Movies at Sundance (Photos)

“Camp X-Ray” is in U.S. competition in Park City, where Stewart flew in from Los Angeles on Thursday to attend the premiere. But K-Stew is no Sundance newbie: She came to Park City in 2010 for the premiere of “The Runaways,” in which she played rocker Joan Jett, and has attended other years without a film in competition.

Stewart’s post “Twilight” career has been mixed; her performance as the moody Marylou in Walter Salles’ “On the Road” was generally well-received, but her Blockbuster followup “Snow White in the Huntsman” was less so: TheWrap critic Alonso Duralde wrote that “Even swaddled in armor and chain mail, it’s hard to imagine this blank-faced debutante stirring an army to follow her to Forever 21, much less to battle against a powerful necromancer.”

Related stories from TheWrap:

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By Brent Lang
TheWrap

Going to the movies got pricier last year as 3D films and higher ticket costs made catching the latest Blockbuster a more expensive proposition, according to new data by the National Association of Theater Owners.

The average ticket price rose a little more than 2 percent in 2013 to $8.13, compared to $7.96 in the previous year. It was a record-high annual average, NATO said.

Also on TheWrap: 3D Still A Hit With Foreign Audiences, But Domestically It’s a Different Story

The fourth quarter average was even higher — $8.35, a 3.7 percent jump from the year-ago period — although short of a high-water mark set earlier in the year. The fourth quarter culprit was likely a series of high-profile 3D and IMAX releases such as “Gravity” and “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.” Movies in those formats carry a surcharge.

During the third quarter, the average ticket price topped out at $7.84, but that was a period in which the major hits such as “The Conjuring” and “We’re the Millers” arrived in two dimensions.

During the second quarter, average ticket prices hit a record high of $8.38. “Iron Man 3? and “Man of Steel” were among the major 3D releases in theaters during that three-month period ending June.

NATO is the main lobbying arm for exhibitors.

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By Jeff Sneider
TheWrap

Robert Redford lobbed a blame bomb at his “All Is Lost” distributor Roadside Attractions on Thursday, suggesting that he may have been snubbed for a Best Actor nomination because the film “suffered from little to no distribution.”

In Redford’s opening remarks on the first day of the Sundance Film Festival, the veteran actor lamented: “We had no campaign to help us cross over to the mainstream. I don’t know what they were afraid of. They didn’t want to spend money or they were incapable.”

Photos: Oscar snubs and surprises | More: ‘Gravity’ and ‘American Hustle’ lead the pack

In one of the most competitive races in ages, Redford missed out on a nomination in favor of Christian Bale (“American Hustle”), Bruce Dern (“Nebraska”), Leonardo DiCaprio (“The Wolf of Wall Street”), Chiwetel Ejiofor (“12 Years a Slave”) and Matthew McConaughey (“Dallas Buyers Club”).

While Roadside Attractions didn’t shell out for a lavish awards campaign like the major studios did for “Gravity,” “American Hustle” and “12 Years a Slave,” Redford may want to look in the mirror: The actor did little to no campaigning for his tour-de-force performance in “All Is Lost,” allowing writer-director J.C. Chandor to stump for the film in his place.

“Would it have been wonderful to be nominated? Of course, but I’m not disturbed by it. I’m fine,” Redford said in front of a packed house at the Egyptian Theater.

The Sundance founder did his best to keep the attention on the 30th anniversary of the festival, saying “I don’t want it to get in the way of why we are here.”

Also read: Oscar Nominations: The Complete List

“These films are reliant on campaigns. It can get very political,” said Redford, who reminded the crowd that Hollywood is a business and one he respects.

“The film I made with J.C. Chandor is something I’m very proud of. It was for me a pure cinematic experience. For me as an actor, it gave me a chance to go back to my roots,” said the 77 year-old actor, who has only been nominated once before as an actor for his work in the 1973 caper “The Sting.”

Roadside Attractions chief Howard Cohen and parent company Lionsgate did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s requests for comment, though we will update this post if and when they do.

The post Robert Redford Slams Roadside Attractions for Oscar Snub: ‘We Had No Campaign’ appeared first on TheWrap.

By Brent Lang
TheWrap

Steven Soderbergh may have retired from movies, but that doesn’t mean he’s stopped directing.

The Oscar-winning filmmaker will make his New York theater debut directing “The Library” with Chloe Grace Moretz at the Public Theatre this spring.

It’s provocative sounding fare, centering on a school shooting survivor who finds that her story is distorted in the media coverage of the tragedy. Moretz, who is best known for her work in the ultra-violent “Kick-Ass,” will make her New York theater debut, as well.

Scott Z. Burns wrote the script. He previously collaborated with Soderbergh on “Side Effects” and “Contagion.”

After completing “Side Effects,” Soderbergh swore off directing films.  In a speech last spring at the San Francisco International Film Festival, he made it clear that he no longer saw a place for himself in a business run by studio executives who don’t know or love movies.

He previously directed for the stage in 2009 at Australia’s Sydney Theatre Company, where he oversaw a play called “Tot Mom,” according to the Los Angeles Times.

“The Library ” will debut March 25 at the Public and will open officially on April 15.  It is scheduled to close on April 27.

The post Steven Soderbergh, Chloe Grace Moretz Team for School Shooting Play appeared first on TheWrap.

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By Jethro Nededog
TheWrap

Leonardo DiCaprio‘s newest Oscar nomination has his fans going nuts over his journey to winning one of the coveted film awards, one that started two decades ago.

On Thursday, the actor was nominated for “The Wolf of Wall Street,” his fourth Academy Award nomination. “I am deeply humbled by this honor,” DiCaprio said of the nom.

He added, “‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ has been a passion project of mine, and I found the role to be one of the most challenging and rewarding of my career. Congratulations to all of my fellow nominees and thank you to the Academy for this extraordinary recognition.”

Photos: Oscar snubs and surprises | More: ‘Gravity’ and ‘American Hustle’ lead the pack

The nom represents his latest opportunity for a win since earning his first nomination in 1993 for Best Supporting Actor for “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?” Nominations for “The Aviator” and “Blood Diamond” followed, yet DiCaprio has yet to win an award.

And the 0-3 record has clearly become an aggravation for his fans. They’re proving to be very gifted at expressing their desire for the actor to finally win. DiCaprio’s statement was very humbled, but his fans’ reactions ranged from hopeful to crazy, sometimes violent levels.

Take a look at some of what the Leo fandom is saying on Twitter:

If Leo doesn’t win an oscar this year, I’m actually going to blow up Hollywood. Gonna let it burn. Just gonna stand there and watch it burn.

— Dina Michelle (@dinaamichelle) January 16, 2014

@AnjaWintour UGH. Side note: if Leo doesn’t get an Oscar this year I’m going to punch a baby in the mouth.. But not really.

— Venezia Fanner (@VeeLovesMusic) January 16, 2014

IF LEO DOESNT GET AN OSCAR THIS YEAR I WILL THROW A FIT

— Baddest Bitches (@Baddest_Bitches) January 16, 2014

So The Wolf of Wall Street is out on Friday and I’m also guessing that Leo DiCaprio won’t get an Oscar either. Sort it out Academy!

— Tom (@Tomtheycallme) January 16, 2014

Leo DiCaprio better win that damn Oscar. Long overdue.

— Chase Dechnik (@ChaseDech) January 16, 2014

If leo doesn’t win an oscar this year I will burn the academy to the ground like he’s brilliant just give him what he deserves #loveleo

Leo is nominated for an Oscar AGAIN and if he doesn’t win I will CRYYY

— Alejandra (@alepinkmann) January 16, 2014

I hope Leo Dicaprio wins an Oscar for Best Actor !! Please Lord give the man a Break

— Brandon Mohan (@TheBrandonMohan) January 16, 2014

Awww yaaayy Leo got nominated for an oscar! Pleaseee win, his acceptance speech just has to be one word: “finally.”

— Aya Gad (@_ohmygad) January 16, 2014

I say this every year but 2014 it’s serious. If Leo doesn’t win an Oscar, I am DONE. Cars will explode, houses will burn, the whole 9 yards.

— Elisabeth Jackson (@Elisabethh_J) January 13, 2014

If leo doesn’t win an oscar this year I will burn the academy to the ground like he’s brilliant just give him what he deserves #loveleo

The post Leonardo DiCaprio Fans Are Going Crazy Over His Oscar Nomination — Literally Nuts appeared first on TheWrap.

Oscar Best Picture Nominations: Whose Box-Office Bounce is Biggest? ‘Her,’ ‘Philomena’ and Other Slow Starters

David O. Russell on ‘American Hustle’ Nominations: ‘You Try to Expect Nothing’

Oscar Nominations: Megan Ellison First Woman to Score 2 Best Picture Nods in Same Year

WENN

Anne Hathaway may have been a double winner at the Oscars last year if she hadn’t dropped out of “Silver Linings Playbook” due to creative differences with director David O. Russell.

The film’s producer, Harvey Weinstein, has revealed Hathaway was the first choice to play mentally-unstable Tiffany Maxwell in the movie, but she had a falling out with Russell and was replaced by Jennifer Lawrence. Both women won Oscars — Lawrence took home a Best Actress award and Hathaway a Best Supporting Actress honor for “Les Miserables.”

Weinstein told radio host Howard Stern, “‘Silver Linings Playbook’ was originally going to be with Anne Hathaway and Mark Wahlberg … and then Anne wasn’t doing it. And she’s marvellous, and wonderful and she was my choice, I love her. … We had Annie and then we had Mark … then whatever happened, happened … David and Anne had some creative differences. They didn’t see eye-to-eye.”

“Then Jennifer Lawrence and two or three other actress came in, and the minute we saw Jennifer Lawrence’s tape … I said, ‘How the hell are we gonna replace Annie?’ And then this amazing creature walked in.” Wahlberg’s role went to Bradley Cooper, who was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his performance.

Complete list of 86th Annual Academy Award nominations announced Thursday:

1. Best Picture: “American Hustle,” ”Captain Phillips,” ”Dallas Buyers Club,” ”Gravity,” ”Her,” ”Nebraska,” ”Philomena,” ”12 Years a Slave,” ”The Wolf of Wall Street.”

2. Actor: Christian Bale, “American Hustle”; Bruce Dern, “Nebraska”; Leonardo DiCaprio, “The Wolf of Wall Street”; Chiwetel Ejiofor, “12 Years a Slave”; Matthew McConaughey, “Dallas Buyers Club.”

3. Actress: Amy Adams, “American Hustle”; Cate Blanchett, “Blue Jasmine”; Sandra Bullock, “Gravity”; Judi Dench, “Philomena”; Meryl Streep, “August: Osage County.”

4. Supporting Actor: Barkhad Abdi, “Captain Phillips”; Bradley Cooper, “American Hustle”; Michael Fassbender, “12 Years a Slave”; Jonah Hill, “The Wolf of Wall Street”; Jared Leto, “Dallas Buyers Club.”

5. Supporting Actress: Sally Hawkins, “Blue Jasmine”; Jennifer Lawrence, “American Hustle”; Lupita Nyong’o, “12 Years a Slave”; Julia Roberts, “August: Osage County”; June Squibb, “Nebraska.”

6. Directing: David O. Russell, “American Hustle”; Alfonso Cuaron, “Gravity”; Alexander Payne, “Nebraska”; Steve McQueen, “12 Years a Slave”; Martin Scorsese, “The Wolf of Wall Street.”

7. Foreign Language Film: “The Broken Circle Breakdown,” Belgium; “The Great Beauty,” Italy; “The Hunt,” Denmark; “The Missing Picture,” Cambodia; “Omar,” Palestine.

8. Adapted Screenplay: Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke, “Before Midnight”; Billy Ray, “Captain Phillips”; Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope, “Philomena”; John Ridley, “12 Years a Slave”; Terence Winter, “The Wolf of Wall Street.”

9. Original Screenplay: Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell, “American Hustle”; Woody Allen, “Blue Jasmine”; Craig Borten Melisa Wallack, “Dallas Buyers Club”; Spike Jonze, “Her”; Bob Nelson, “Nebraska.”

10. Animated Feature Film: “The Croods”; “Despicable Me 2”; “Ernest Celestine”; “Frozen”; “The Wind Rises.”

11. Production Design: “American Hustle,” ”Gravity,” ”The Great Gatsby,” ”Her,” ”12 Years a Slave.”

12. Cinematography: “The Grandmaster,” ”Gravity,” ”Inside Llewyn Davis,” ”Nebraska,” ”Prisoners.”

13. Sound Mixing: “Captain Phillips,” ”Gravity,” ”The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” ”Inside Llewyn Davis,” ”Lone Survivor.”

14. Sound Editing: “All Is Lost,” ”Captain Phillips,” ”Gravity,” ”The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” ”Lone Survivor.”

15. Original Score: “The Book Thief,” John Williams; “Gravity,” Steven Price; “Her,” William Butler and Owen Pallett; “Philomena,” Alexandre Desplat; “Saving Mr. Banks,” Thomas Newman.

16. Original Song: “Alone Yet Not Alone” from “Alone Yet Not Alone,” Bruce Broughton and Dennis Spiegel; “Happy” from “Despicable Me 2,” Pharrell Williams; “Let It Go” from “Frozen,” Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez; “The Moon Song” from “Her,” Karen O and Spike Jonze; “Ordinary Love” from “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom,” Paul Hewson, Dave Evans, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen.

17. Costume: “American Hustle,” ”The Grandmaster,” ”The Great Gatsby,” ”The Invisible Woman,” ”12 Years a Slave.”

18. Documentary Feature: “The Act of Killing,” ”Cutie and the Boxer,” ”Dirty Wars,” ”The Square,” ”20 Feet from Stardom.”

19. Documentary (short subject): “CaveDigger,” ”Facing Fear,” ”Karama Has No Walls,” ”The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life,” ”Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall.”

20. Film Editing: “American Hustle,” ”Captain Phillips,” ”Dallas Buyers Club,” ”Gravity,” ”12 Years a Slave.”

21. Makeup and Hairstyling: “Dallas Buyers Club,” ”Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa,” ”The Lone Ranger.”

22. Animated Short Film: “Feral,” ”Get a Horse!,” ”Mr. Hublot,” ”Possessions”, “Room on the Broom.”

23. Live Action Short Film: “Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn’t Me),” ”Avant Que De Tout Perdre (Just before Losing Everything),” ”Helium,” ”Pitaako Mun Kaikki Hoitaa? (Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?),” ”The Voorman Problem.”

24. Visual Effects: “Gravity,” ”The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” ”Iron Man 3,” ”The Lone Ranger,” ”Star Trek Into Darkness.”

(AP) — The con-artist comedy “American Hustle and the 3-D space odyssey “Gravity” lead the Academy Awards with 10 nominations each, with the historical epic “12 Years a Slave” trailing closely with nine nominations.

The nominations, announced Thursday morning in Beverly Hills, Calif. , set up an apparent three-horse race between three very different films, all of which were nominated for best picture.

Nine films were nominated for best picture. The other nominees are “Captain Phillips,” ”Dallas Buyers Club,” ”Her,” ”Nebraska,” ”The Wolf of Wall Street” and “Philomena.”

The most notable omission by the academy was Tom Hanks, whose lead performance in “Captain Phillips” was widely considered a shoo-in. Robert Redford, expected by many to be nominated for the shipwreck drama “All Is Lost,” also missed out on a best actor nod. Redford has never won an acting Oscar.

The best actor nominees are Chiwetel Ejiofor (“12 Years a Slave”), Bruce Dern (“Nebraska”), Leonardo DiCaprio (“The Wolf of Wall Street”), Matthew McConaughey (“Dallas Buyers Club”) and Christian Bale (“American Hustle”)

Disney’s making-of “Mary Poppins” tale “Saving Mr. Banks” also failed to land either a best picture nomination or a best actress nod for Emma Thompson.

The best actress nominees are Amy Adams (“American Hustle”), Cate Blanchett (“Blue Jasmine”), Sandra Bullock (“Gravity”), Judi Dench (“Philomena”) and Meryl Streep (“August: Osage County”).

The 86th annual Academy Awards will take place March 2, with Ellen DeGeneres hosting for the second time.