Opening in theaters on February 17th is the long awaited sequel to 2007's Ghost Rider entitled Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, which is based on the popular Marvel Comics antihero. The new film is directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor (Crank), and once again stars Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage (Leaving Las Vegas) as Johnny Blaze, as well as the role of Ghost Rider, which was portrayed by a stunt actor in the previous film. Besides Cage, the film features a cast of actors who are all new to the Ghost Rider franchise including Idris Elba (Thor, The Losers), Ciaran Hinds (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), Violante Placido (The American), Christopher Lambert (Highlander), newcomer Fergus Riordan, and Johnny Whitworth (3:10 to Yuma) as the villain Blackout. 

IAR's very own Heather Newgen recently had a chance to sit down and speak with both Idris Elba, and Johnny Whitworth about their work on Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. The talented actors discussed the new film, their different roles, Elba's original character's connection to the Marvel universe; and why he is attracted to comic book adapted material, Whitworth's dual role; and how the actor was able to portray such a dark character, the directors unusual filmmaking techniques, and hot monks.

Opening in theaters on January 27th is the new action-packed, wilderness-survival thriller from director Joe Carnahan (The A-Team) called The Grey. The movie features an exceptional cast of veteran actors including Liam Neeson (Taken), Dermot Mulroney (Abduction), Frank Grillo (Warrior), James Badge Dale (Shame), Dallas Roberts (3:10 to Yuma), Joe Anderson (The Crazies), and Nonso Anozie (Conan the Barbarian).

IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick recently had an opportunity to sit down with actors Dermot Mulroney, Frank Grillo, James Badge Dale, and Dallas Roberts to discuss their work on The Grey. The exceptional group of actors talked about the new film, their characters' arcs, working with director Joe Carnahan, the movie's physically taxing demands, and why Frank Grillo actually got himself arrested to research his role.

Screenwriters Michael Brandt and Derek Haas are best known for their work on such successful films as Invincible, 2 Fast 2 Furious, 3:10 to Yuma, and Wanted. But the scribes are now adding director and producer, respectively, to their resumes with their new spy thriller The Double, which opened in theaters in October 28^th.

The movie features an incredible cast of actors including Richard Gere (Primal Fear, The Jackal), Topher Grace (Predators, Spider-Man 3), Stephen Moyer (TV’s True Blood), Odette Yustman Annable (TV’s House), Stana Katic (TV’s Castle), and screen legend Martin Sheen (Apocalypse Now, The Departed). The Double tells the story of retired CIA operative Paul Shepherdson (Gere) who is paired with a young FBI agent named Ben Geary (Grace) to unravel the mystery of a senator’s murder, which appears to have been committed by a Soviet assassin that Shepherdson thought he killed during the Cold War. The film features many twists and turns and will keep audiences guessing until the very end.

I recently had a chance to speak with Michael Brandt and Derek Haas about their new film The Double, while they were in Paris preparing for their next film Overdrive, which stars Karl Urban (Star Trek) and Ben Barnes (The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian). The co-writers spoke to me about the new film, its complicated storyline, the spy thriller genre, No Way Out, casting Gere and Grace, Brandt’s directorial debut, controversy over the movie’s trailer, Overdrive, and casting Urban and Barnes as brothers.

Though it was a hit at home and abroad, 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine was not hugely well received by critics or fans.  For the follow-up The Wolverine, 20th Century Fox has been looking to adapt Frank Miller and Chris Claremont's much-loved Marvel comics arc which finds the adamantium-infused mutant finding love and trouble in Japan.  After numerous setbacks this, the project is set to begin shooting in several months under new director James Mangold, making his first comic book-based picture.  There have been no shortage of rumors and rampant speculation about The Wolverine, but Mangold has gone on the record to discuss his approach to the material, including details on recent extensive rewrites to the screenplay.

Opening in theaters on October 28th is a new spy thriller from writers Derek Haas and Michael Brandt (3:10 To Yuma, Wanted) called The Double. The film marks Brandt's directing debut and features an incredible cast of actors including Richard Gere (Primal Fear, The Jackal), Topher Grace (Predators, Spider-Man 3), Stephen Moyer (TV's True Blood), Odette Yustman-Annable (TV's House), Stana Katic (TV's Castle), and screen legend Martin Sheen (Apocalypse Now, The Departed). 

IAR's managing editor Jami Philbrick recently had a chance to sit down with actors Topher Grace and Stephen Moyer to discuss their new film The Double. The two actors spoke candidly about the new movie, it's complicated twists and turns, their characters, their love for spy thrillers, and the Cold War. 

Back when Darren Aronofsky was still attached to direct the stand-alone semi-sequel The Wolverine, it looked as though the project would be in production by the summer, with a hirsute Hugh Jackman once again sporting adamantium claws, this time on location in Japan, where the Frank Miller-inspired story takes place.  Then Aronofsky abruptly bailed and an unprecedented natural disaster wracked Japan.  20th Century Fox said publicly that The Wolverine would proceed with a new director, and now that James Mangold is in negotiations to helm, Jackman himself claims that shooting should get underway this fall.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan, best known for his turn as the sadistic Comedian in Watchmen, will play a different kind of badass in the action-thriller The Courier, which is being produced by Arclight Films. Hany Abu-Assad, whose 2005 Palestinian film Paradise Now received an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Film, is directing. Morgan is also executive producing.