Novelist James Patterson's signature character is getting a cinematic reboot based upon the novel I, Alex Cross and titled, appropriately enough, Alex Cross.  Previously played by Morgan Freeman in Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider, the detective will this time be portrayed by Tyler Perry, stepping out of his Madea outfit and into a thriller.  A batch of images from Alex Cross provide our first looks at Perry in character.

Synopsis: Friends With Kids is a daring and poignant ensemble comedy about a close-knit circle of friends at that moment in life when children arrive and everything changes. The last two singles in the group observe the effect that kids have had on their friends’ relationships and wonder if there’s a better way. They decide to have a kid together – and date other people. There are big laughs and unexpected emotional truths as this unconventional ‘experiment’ leads everyone in the group to question the nature of friendship, family and, finally, true love.

I recently had the immense pleasure of speaking with one of my all time favorite actors, Titus Welliver, about his prolific and impressive television work. But as accomplished as his TV resume is, the actor has just as distinguished of a film and stage career. Welliver first gained attention in the groundbreaking off-Broadway play “Riff Raff,” which was written, directed and co-starred actor Laurence Fishburne. He would eventually reprise the critically acclaimed role that he originated on stage as the sympathetic drug addict and part-time thief Billy “The Torch’ Murphy in the film adaptation of the play entitled Once in the Life, which also starred Fishburne and marked his feature film directorial debut. In fact, while the actor and I were chatting about the making of Once in the Life and his work in "Riff Raff," which also happens to be my all time favorite stage play, the actor happened to mention that he and Fishburne are discussing doing a revival of the show. “I have to say Laurence and I have been sort of toying with the idea of doing the play again even though it's been about twelve years since we made the film,” Welliver admitted.

While the actor is probably best known for his extensive television work that includes playing Silas Adams on HBO’s Western-based series Deadwood, the pivotal role of Kyle Hollis on the brilliant but short-lived NBC series Life, season three villain Jimmy O’Phelan on FX’s motorcycle gang series Sons of Anarchy, a recurring role on the current Fox series Touch with Kiefer Sutherland, and of course, as the Man in Black (A.K.A. the Smoke Monster) on ABC’s cultural phenomenon Lost. But he’s also appeared in many popular feature films including The Doors, Mobsters, Twisted, Assault on Precinct 13, and most recently Man on a Ledge, which opened on January 27^th and is in theaters now. But his most famous film roles have come from his collaborations with fellow actor and now critically acclaimed writer/director Ben Affleck. Welliver first appeared in Affleck’s Boston-based directorial debut Gone Baby Gone as Lionel McCready, and also appeared as FBI agent Dino Ciampa in The Town (also set in the Boston area) opposite Jon Hamm (TV’s Mad Men). Now, Welliver will achieve the hat trick by also appearing in Affleck’s upcoming third directorial effort Argo, which will be the first of his films, as a director, not set in Massachusetts.

Opening in theaters on January 27th is a new thriller from director Asger Leth (Ghosts of Cite Soleil) called Man on a Ledge. The film features an excellent cast of young and veteran actors including Sam Worthington (Texas Killing Fields), Elizabeth Banks (The Hunger Games), Jaime Bell (The Eagle), Anthony Mackie (Real Steel), Edward Burns (Newlyweds), Genesis Rodriguez (TV's Entourage), Titus Welliver (TV's Lost), Kyra Sedgwick (TV's The Closer), and Ed Harris (The Rock). 

IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick recently had an opportunity to sit down and speak with actor Edward Burns about his role in Man on a Ledge. Burns discussed the new film, why he took the role, what he looks for in Hollywood scripts, playing a New York cop, collaborating with Elizabeth Banks, working opposite Titus Welliver, and what it feels like to actually walk out on the ledge of a building. 

Synopsis: From the ledge of the 25th floor of a NYC skyscraper, where one wrong step means death, a cornered Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) must orchestrate a dangerous plan to prove his innocence for a crime he didn't commit.

On paper, the upcoming Friends With Kids doesn't sound too different from any number of other movies of a certain stripe.  The film follows a pair of Manhattan-based friends in their thirties who decide to have and raise a child together despite not being in a relationship and naturally being drawn to one another.  But the first trailer is out now, and it fairly well promises that Friends With Kids rises above that somewhat-familiar concept. 

For one thing, there's an incredible cast, led by the never-disappointing Adam Scott and proven leading lady Jennifer Westfeldt.  The rest of the ensemble is like a Bridesmaids redux, including Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Jon Hamm, and Chris O'Dowd working an American accent like a pro.  Though they weren't in Bridesmaids, both Edward Burns and Megan Fox play supporting roles as well.

Actor/filmmaker Edward Burns first gained attention from Hollywood in 1995 with his critically acclaimed independent film The Brothers McMullen, which he wrote, directed, produced and starred in himself. As the legend goes, Burns had been working as a production assistant on Entertainment Tonight and used his salary to help finance the film. After the it was completed, Burns was able to use his connections at ET to give a copy to actor/director Robert Redford, which eventually led to its inclusion at Redford’s Sundance Film Festival where it went on to win the Grand Jury Prize and was bought for $10 million by 20^th Century Fox. That’s not bad considering the film only cost around $28, 000 to make.

Hot on the heels of that success, Burns made She’s the One, which he also wrote, directed, and starred in opposite (then little known actresses) Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz, and Amanda Peet. The film went on to be his most financially successful movie to date. While Burns would continue to write and direct movies over the years including Sidewalks of New York, The Groomsman, and Nice Guy Johnny, it was his acting work that would make him a household name. Beginning with a starring role in Steven Spielberg’s now classic WWII film Saving Private Ryan, Burns became one of the most reliable actors around continually giving daring performances in both studio and independent films. His acting resume includes several diverse projects opposite Oscar-winning talent such as 15 Minutes with Robert De Niro, Confidence with Dustin Hoffman, Life or Something Like It with Angelina Jolie, and A Sound of Thunder with Ben Kingsley.

Synopsis: An honest cop, framed for a crime he didn't commit, appears on a window ledge hundreds of feet above the street in Manhattan, following a strange plan known only to himself.

Synopsis: This is a movie about the cost of being asked to give up your dream. Two years ago, I walked out of a meeting with my agents who strongly encouraged me to put myself up as a director for hire. While there’s nothing wrong with that, I didn’t spend my entire adult life fighting to become a filmmaker with a personal voice to abandon that for what might be higher paying but less rewarding work. I walked out of the meeting and thought, “I need to write a script about how tough it is to make that choice.