SWATH COMPOSER TO SCORE 
'CATCHING FIRE' & 'MALEFICENT'

IMDb

SWATH composer James Newton-Howard will be composing scores for two of Hollywood's biggest films coming up the next two years.  Howard is not the only SWATH connection with the films either. 

Howard will score Disney's 'Maleficent' which is produced by SWATH producer Joe Roth, stars Angelina Jolie opens on March 14, 2014 as an IMAX 3D film.  'Maleficent' is currently being filmed in the UK. 

The Hunger Games next film 'Catching Fire' will also be scored by Howard.  'Catching Fire' is currently being filmed in Georgia (US) and will star SWATH's Sam 'Prince William' Claflin as Finnick Odair which is one of the franchise's most coveted roles.  'Catching Fire' opens November 22, 2013.

Source

FIRST LOOK AT ANGELINA JOLIE AS 'MALEFICENT'

Disney

Walt Disney Studios released the first photograph of Angelina Jolie as the villain 'Maleficent' today with excentuated cheekbones to boot. Maleficent is the story of Sleeping Beauty which "reveals the events that hardened her heart and drove her to curse the baby, Aurora."  


Maleficent  being produced by SWATH's Joe Roth and is joined by executive producers SWATH's Palak Patel and Jolie (see the press release below for the full list of producers).  


Maleficent appears to be the next big fantasy fairy tale film in a line of fairy tale films being released (SWATH, Red Riding Hood, Mirror, Mirror).  Unlike SWATH, this film will be in 3D.  IMAX is not mentioned. The release date is March 14, 2014.


Maleficent is being filmed in the UK at Pinewood Studios and around the same areas as SWATH.  There are also a few SWATH crossovers from the cast extras to stunts actors and even the crew. 


If you want to follow the latest on Maleficent, our @malencasey located new Twitter fansite at @MaleficentMovie.


We will occasionally provide interesting updates regarding the film as we await news on a SWATH sequel.


Read the full press release below.




Burbank, CA (June 19, 2012) – The Walt Disney Studios announced today that production began Wednesday, June 13th, on “Maleficent,” starring Academy Award®–winning actress Angelina Jolie.


Directed by two-time Oscar®-winning production designer Robert Stromberg (“Avatar,” “Alice in Wonderland”), in his directorial debut, and produced by Joe Roth, “Maleficent” is written by Linda Woolverton (“The Lion King,” “Beauty and the Beast”) and executive produced by Angelina Jolie, Don Hahn, Matt Smith and Palak Patel.


Co-starring in the film are Sharlto Copley (“District 9”), Elle Fanning (“Super 8”), Sam Riley (“On the Road”), Imelda Staunton (“Vera Drake”), Miranda Richardson (“The Hours”), Juno Temple (“Atonement”) and Lesley Manville (“Secrets & Lies”).


This is the untold story of Disney’s most beloved villain, Maleficent, from the 1959 classic “Sleeping Beauty.” The film reveals the events that hardened her heart and drove her to curse the baby, Aurora.


Behind-the-scenes talent includes Academy Award®–winning cinematographer Dean Semler (“Dances with Wolves,” “In the Land of Blood and Honey”), production designer Gary Freeman (“Saving Private Ryan,” “The Bourne Supremacy”), two-time Oscar® nominated costume designer Anna B. Sheppard (“Schindler’s List,” “The Pianist”) and seven-time Academy Award–winning makeup artist Rick Baker (“Planet of the Apes,” “Men in Black”).


“Maleficent” is scheduled for a March 14, 2014 release in 3D.








Source

ROTH & PATEL TO PRODUCE A LITERARY- THEMED ACTION- ADVENTURE THRU SONY PICTURES

Universal

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that SWATH producers Joe Roth and Palak Patel along with Ernest Luppinacci will produce a new film through Sony Pictures that is a "literary-themed action-adventure" film. 

Sony has "pre-emptively" obtained the rights to The Royal Honour Society.  Details are sketchy.

THR writes:

"[The project] it's described as the iconic stories of some of England's greatest writers from the late 19th century -- among them H.G. Wells (The War of the Worlds, The Invisible Man), Jules Verne (20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Journey to the Center of the Earth), Robert Louis Stevenson (Treasure Island, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) -- together in an action-adventure tale.

"Think of it as a reverse League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, the Alan Moore-written comic book series later turned into a 2003 Fox movie that featured the famous creations of many late-19th century authors."

Sounds interesting and very fanboyish but we are sure it will have a universal appeal.  We cannot wait to hear more details. 

However in the meantime, Hollywood is still in its fairytale phase with SWATH being released June 1st and with Roth currently producing the Sleeping Beauty story 'Maleficent' starring Angelina Jolie.  'Maleficent' is currently in production in the UK starring Angelina Jolie.



via @malenacasey/Source