Tag Archives: Arnold Schwarzenegger

Exclusive ‘Last Stand’ Featurette With Arnold, Plus An Interview With Jaimie Alexander

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“The Last Stand,” Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s return to his role as a leading man action star, hits Blu-ray and DVD today, so we’re bringing you this exclusive look at a featurette from the disc. If you’ve ever seen how Schwarzenegger talks about his movies, especially the “Total Recall” audio commentary, you know how fun it can be.

Also, to celebrate the release, we spoke with Schwarzenegger’s co-star Jaimie Alexander, who explained what it was like to watch herself in an action movie alongside the legend.

Check out our interview with Jaimie Alexander after the jump!

How has it been looking back at “The Last Stand”?
I’ve said it before, but this probably the most fun I’ve ever had on a set. We all would eat lunch together every day. We just had such a great crew and cast. I wish there could be a sequel.

Is it different watching yourself in an action movie?
With me in action films, I feel like the focus isn’t directly on me as an actress. It’s more about what’s going on around me. When I watch it, I’m not as critical of myself. I’m more like, “Whoa, that was crazy.” When I see something that I’ve done, like a drama or a comedy, it’s like crickets. I get nervous because I’m front and center. I only watch myself when I have to go to the premiere. I don’t own any of my own movie or anything. I don’t know if that’s weird or very Johnny Depp of me to say, but that’s the truth.

How about watching yourself next to Arnold Schwarzenegger?
It was pretty cool. I have four brothers, and seeing it through them and seeing how excited they were. We all grew up watching Arnold’s movies. He’s very much a hero to us and an idol. I couldn’t believe when I signed onto this. I just thought, “Holy crap. I’m doing an action film with Arnold Schwarzenegger.” I have all of his movies from when I was a kid. It was one of those moments when I first met him. I was thinking, “Don’t say anything dumb. Don’t do anything weird.” I was kind of nervous, and he’s just a really nice guy. He’s got a crazy sense of humor, and he’s genuinely himself. I just appreciated that so much.

Was there anything in the movie that made you think “I can’t believe I did that”?
There’s a scene that was kind of cut together where you couldn’t quite see what happened or how I got into the Suburban, but he spins the Suburban in a 360, and I have to literally jump into the Suburban, hanging onto Zach Gilford‘s leg. I thought, “Schwarzenegger’s driving this, and I’m jumping in, and this is really epic.” I did all of my own stunts on that movie. I think it was more of an ego thing because I wanted to show Schwarzenegger that I could do it. The man jumped off a building and when through three awnings. That was him. He’s 65. If he can do that, I’m jumping in this Suburban.

“The Last Stand” hits Blu-ray and DVD today!

Is Wesley Snipes Joining ‘Expendables 3′?

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Is Wesley Snipes Joining Expendables 3?

by Eddie Wright

On April 2, Wesley Snipes was officially released from the clink following a stint for tax evasion. Now — according to Slyvester Stallone‘s Twitter feed — the three-time Vampire hunter is said to be joining your future Father’s Day purchase, “Expendables 3.”

Late on April 15, Stallone tweeted the following about the Simon Phoenix to his John Spartan:

Does Stallone simply mean Snipes is back in the real world and no longer donning stripes? Or does the “…with US” mean that he’s suiting up with Stallone and his (rumored) cohorts Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Jackie Chan, Bill Clinton (?), Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chuck Norris, and other 80′s icons? We await confirmation/denial.

In other “Sylvester Stallone likes Twitter news,” the sinewy star stoked the flames about Mel Gibson joining the crew behind the camera. He said:

Stallone added that he was just joshing, but figured he’d take the opportunity to ask fans for their thoughts/build buzz:

Finally, adding some clarification on April 15:

“Expendables 3″ is currently in pre-production. No director is attached.

[via Joblo]

What do you think of this “Expendables 3″ update? Let us know in the comments below or hit us up on Twitter!

‘Hansel & Gretel’ Tops Box Office With Modest $19 Million

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Despite less than magical reviews from critics, “Hansel Gretel: Witch Hunters” captured the box-office crown over the weekend with a $19 million #1 debut.

The weekend’s other new critical turkeys — “Parker” and “Movie 43″ — were less fortunate (and right in line with most projections). Jason Statham‘s latest action vehicle, “Parker,” opened with just $7 million, while the ensemble comedy “Movie 43″ (which includes Hugh Jackman and Halle Berry) collected just $5 million in its first weekend.

“Hansel Gretel” is a 3-D action flick that reimagines the fairy tale characters as gun-toting badasses played by Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton. The $50 million film arrived nearly a year after its originally release date. It’s off to a decent start overseas, particularly in Russia. Over 20 percent of critics who saw it reviewed it poorly, but audiences who bought tickets assigned it a CinemaScore of “B.”

The previous weekend’s #1 movie, “Mama,” was #2 with $12.8 million. The Guillermo Del Toro-produced horror flick was made for a reported $15 million budget, making its two-week domestic total of $48.6 million quite impressive.

“Parker” rounded out the top five with the lowest debut for Statham since “Crank: High Voltage” in 2009, despite an audience for the book upon which it was based and pre-release clips that featured Statham’s costar Jennifer Lopez stripping to her underwear. Statham was the second member of “The Expendables” cast to go it alone this year, on the heels of the Arnold Schwarzenegger flop “The Last Stand.” Sylvester Stallone is up next to bat with this weekend’s “Bullet to the Head.”

Oscar contenders “Silver Linings Playbook” and “Zero Dark Thirty” continued to do well, snatching up the #3 and #4 spots, respectively. Bradley Cooper and Golden Globe-winner Jennifer Lawrence star in “Silver Linings Playbook,” which brought in $10 million during its second weekend in wide release for a $69.5 million gross. Osama Bin Laden manhunt drama “Zero Dark Thirty” nabbed another $9.8 million.

Comedians have often joked that Academy Awards contenders are rarely seen by wide audiences, but receipts for most of this year’s Best Picture nominees tell a different story. “Zero Dark Thirty” has made $69.9 million thus far; “Django Unchained” is Quentin Tarantino‘s highest-grossing film ever with $146.2 million; “Les Miserables” has made $137.2 million; “Lincoln,” $167 million; “Life of Pi,” $103 million; “Argo,” $117.5 million; only “Amour” and “Beasts of the Southern Wild” have done small numbers, as each have been limited by low theater counts.

Check out everything we’ve got on “Hansel Gretel: Witch Hunters.”

Jessica Chastain Takes On Jessica Chastain At Box Office

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January has generally been regarded as a “dumping ground” of sorts for the studios, who cast away troubled projects and outright stinkers early in the year. But the success of movies like “The Grey” and the poorly reviewed but mega-profitable “The Devil Inside” and “Texas Chainsaw 3D” have changed all of that. January may still have a bad rap, but that doesn’t mean it’s all bad at the box-office.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend will see the full-fledged return of Arnold Schwarzenegger in “The Last Stand”; Guillermo Del Toro‘s latest horror, “Mama”; Mark Wahlberg and Russell Crowe in “Broken City” and the expansion of awards-season darling “Silver Linings Playbook,” all vying for the box-office crown.

Last weekend belonged to “Zero Dark Thirty,” which was bolstered by the Academy Award nominations. The controversial drama about the hunt for Osama Bin Laden has a solid shot at hanging on to the #1 spot, but will face its strongest competition from “Mama.” Both films include Jessica Chastain (does she ever sleep?). “Mama” was produced by genre film maestro Guillermo Del Toro.

“Expect ‘Mama’ to carve up around $20 million,” Exhibitor Relations box-office analyst Jeff Bock told MTV News. “‘Zero Dark Thirty‘ would need to drop by less than 20 percent to win the weekend. That will give horror flicks two of the three weekends to start 2013, making it the hottest genre around. As Freddy, Jason and paranormal ghosts know, horror icons never die. They just fall down and play dead for a bit.”

Horror isn’t the only genre going through a commercial resurgence. “The Expendables” co-stars Sly Stallone, Jason Statham and Bruce Willis all have separate movies coming soon, with Schwarzenegger releasing his first full-fledged flick since he became California’s governor. His role in the “Expendables” movies was more of an extended cameo, but “The Last Stand” is the full meal deal. The flick pairs him with Johnny Knoxville.

“It’s hard to believe that it’s been a decade since Arnie headlined his own original action flick, but let’s face it, he’s never been out of the limelight over that span of time,” Bock said. “And while the ‘The Last Stand’ looks like a solid return to form for his core fans, let’s not forget this is January, not summer, and that studios often use this time of year to test the box-office waters. Arnold’s costar is Johnny Knoxville and that spells all sorts of trouble. This isn’t ‘Jackass 4-D.’ Plus, with Mark Wahlberg playing his action card in ‘Broken City,’ which is a legitimate crime thriller, and ‘Mama’ expected to take the weekend, that leaves ‘The Last Stand’ in a bit of pickle — $12 million, tops.”

Meanwhile, industry projections put the debut for “Broken City,” which is the first solo outing from Hughes Brothers director Allen, at $16 million.

While “Lincoln,” “Argo,” “Les Misérables” and most of the rest of the Oscar contenders have already done most of their business, at least one of them should have its biggest weekend yet. Jennifer Lawrence took home a Golden Globe last week for her role in “Silver Linings Playbook,” which expands into 2,500 theaters this weekend. “The buzz at the Globes was intense and the film continues to pick up adherents,” noted IMDB.com’s Keith Simanton, predicting it could make up to $10 million. “Everybody who sees this film loves it, from the snootiest film critic to the security guard who was working the line at the Globes.”

Check out everything we’ve got on “Zero Dark Thirty.”

‘The Last Stand’: The Reviews Are In!

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It’s a fair assumption to bet that the most dedicated and devout Arnold Schwarzenegger fans are already lining up to see his new movie “The Last Stand,” his first non-”Expendables” role and turn as a leading man since leaving political office, but what do the critics think of Schwarzenegger’s return?

The Kim Jee-woon-directed flick is an action-adventure that revolves around retired LAPD officer-turned-sheriff (Schwarzenegger) who is reluctantly pulled into a larger law-enforcement operation to catch a drug kingpin and his dangerous gang members. The R-rated film is a return to form for Schwarzenegger and also features Johnny Knoxville, Forest Whitaker, Jamie Alexander and Genesis Rodriguez. So did the critical mass welcome the cinematic return of the former California governor? The answer is yes-ish, given its 64 percent “Fresh” standing on Rotten Tomatoes.

Find out the specifics as we race through the “Last Stand” reviews!

The Story
“The warmed-over redemption story casts Schwarzenegger as a disgraced LAPD officer who takes a job as sheriff in a sleepy border town, where he hopes to forget a botched operation. Keeping the peace in Sommerton Junction isn’t much work for this overqualified lawman, but when a notorious drug kingpin (Eduardo Noriega) escapes from an FBI convoy and starts barreling toward Mexico at 200 mph, Schwarzenegger is called back into action. With just a few other woefully inexperienced deputies — including a prisoner (Rodrigo Santoro) and a local gun hoarder (Johnny Knoxville) granted a temporary badge — Schwarzenegger tries to fend off the kingpin’s army of mercenaries (led by a hilariously accented Peter Stormare) and keep him from slipping across the border.” — Scott Tobias, The A.V. Club

Arnold
” ‘The Last Stand’ is the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie you didn’t even realize you wanted to see. This is the action superstar’s first leading role in a decade, having left acting to serve as the governor of California and whatnot, and while it may not have occurred to you to miss him during that time, it’s still surprisingly good to see him on the big screen again. He is not exactly pushing himself here. Korean director Kim Jee-woon’s American filmmaking debut turns out to be an extremely Schwarzeneggerish Schwarzenegger film, full of big, violent set pieces and broad comedy. He may look a little creaky (and facially freaky) these days, but Arnold proves he’s still game for the mayhem as he fires off rounds and tosses off one-liners, and the movie at least has the decency to acknowledge that it knows that you know that he’s old.” — Christy Lemire, The Associated Press

The Action
“What truly sets The Last Stand apart from other modern action films is the use of tons of practical effects. There’s digital in there — a guy gets shot in half by a gatling gun digitally — but there are also a bunch of thrilling car scenes done in camera, and there’s a bunch of squib-work on display as well. The action scenes have a palpable intensity, and Jee-woon (and his second unit) shoot them with expert precision. The Last Stand‘s action scenes range from shoot outs to crazy car stunts to a daring escape in Las Vegas to a great fist fight, and every sequence is fun and engaging.” — Devin Faraci, Badass Digest

The Final Word
“If you’re a grown-up who is able to enjoy escapism as escapism, though, ‘The Last Stand‘ is confident, breezy fun, and Arnold tweaks his own advancing age in a way that never feels like overkill. He’s still a badass. He’s just gonna feel it the next day. I have to admit, I really wasn’t looking forward to his return to movies. It felt like a moment that had passed. Now, though, I’m excited because he did it the right way, trusting a filmmaker and using his clout to let the director make the film he wanted to make. The cast is good across the board, and there’s eye candy for men and women alike. The cinematography by Ji-young Kim is crisp and colorful, and I was delighted by how clean the shooting style for the action sequences is. There’s no shaky-cam, and you can see everything that’s happening. It’s ridiculous that I have to point that out, but that’s how bad it’s gotten in modern action cinema. Simply observing the basics in composition and geography is cause to celebrate right now, and “The Last Stand” is a reminder of just how much fun a pure action film can be when everyone involved treats it like it matters. Arnold is, as he promised, back, and it turns out that is good news indeed.” — Drew McWeeny, HitFix.com

Arnold Schwarzenegger Reveals: What Does It Take To Be His Sidekick?

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Action-movie fans everywhere are getting ready to welcome Arnold Schwarzenegger back this weekend with the release of “The Last Stand,” his first non-”Expendables” role and turn as a leading man since leaving political office.

Schwarzenegger stars as former LAPD legend Ray Owens, who now works as a sheriff of a small town. Naturally, Owens has to return to his tough-guy roots when a group of deadly mercenaries threaten the safety and civility of his small town. Owens is reluctantly forced to enlist the help of his trusty sidekick, wannabe policeman Lewis Dinkum (Johnny Knoxville), which got us thinking: What makes a good sidekick?

“The important thing is that you click, that he is as enthusiastic about the mission,” Schwarzenegger told MTV News, speaking specifically about his character and Knoxville’s. “He has a different approach to how he accomplishes the same goal as I have. I’m a very disciplined law-enforcement guy, and he’s kind of a lunatic.”

“I’ve been dying to be on the force my whole life, but I’m a little too mercurial to be included,” Knoxville added. “It was the greatest day of my life when I was asked to join the force.”

Finally, we asked the veteran action star what the average person would need to do to become a worthy sidekick, and to hear it from Schwarzenegger, you have to be able to do a lot more than meets the eye.

“All you have to do is gain 50 pounds of muscles, gain a little bit in height and in your acting [abilities],” he advised. “Be able to do the stunts, throw yourself around, be able to fall off buildings, be able to be shot at, all these kinds of things.”

See how Knoxville fares as Schwarzenegger’s sidekick in “The Last Stand” when it hits theaters Friday.

Check out everything we’ve got on “The Last Stand.”

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Wants ‘Conan’ To Be A ‘Spectacle’

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Now that Arnold Schwarzenegger is finished with his political career as the Governor of California, he’s taken a place back in movie-making land, i.e., the place where we first got to know him and love him as the hulky action star he is. His first leading role is in “The Last Stand,” followed by a slew of other action-oriented projects, one of which is his return to the comic book character he made famous in the ’80s: Conan the Barbarian.

When MTV News caught up with Schwarzenegger (alongside co-star Johnny Knoxville) recently during a press day for “Last Stand,” we asked him for an update on the plans for the third film, “The Legend of Conan.”

“I’m excited [about it] because I’ve been hyping the idea to Universal Studios for quite some time,” Schwarzenegger said. “The important thing with the ‘Conan’ project is to make it into an A-movie that they treat it like a ’300′ or any of those great movies, rather than a B-movie where they hack a few heads off, a few limbs off and run around with a sword.”

He went on to say that he wants to deliver a superior action film for the modern educated audiences who want to see smart and well-made action movies.

“The audience and the fans are very sophisticated. They’ve seen all the ‘Spider-Man’ and ‘Superman’ and ‘Iron Man‘ [movies] and the ‘Expendables’ as regular action movies. They’ve seen it all,” Schwarzenegger said. “So when they see a ‘Conan’ movie coming, they demand a spectacle. That’s what we tried to do with ‘Last Stand‘ — to give them the car chases, cars going 200 mph, racing through cornfields, crazy stuff you haven’t seen before. You have to give them great entertainment.”

Finally, in thinking about all the Schwarzenegger star vehicles that are supposedly being brought to life, via revamped films and/or sequels, we asked the man behind them all which movie character he most wants to revisit among the “Terminator” franchise, “Conan” and “Triplets.”

“I think all three of them — ‘Terminator,’ ‘Conan’ and ‘Triplets,’ the sequel to ‘Twins’ — I think all three of those are potentially huge movies and could be successful,” he admitted. “The key thing is that they’re written well they’re directed by great directors, hopefully for one of those films I can get Johnny back.”

Knoxville, who had been listening intently to his “Last Stand” co-star, nodded in agreement. “I would love it.”

What do you want to see in a new Schwarzenegger film? Tell us what you think in the comments!

Arnold Schwarzenegger Takes His ‘Last Stand’ In Exclusive Clip

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As he always promised, Arnold Schwarzenegger is back — but these days, he’s a little worse for wear.

The former Governor of California returns to his rightful place as a blockbuster legend with the upcoming action movie “The Last Stand,” in theaters on January 17. In his first non-”Expendables” role since leaving office, Schwarzenegger stars as Ray Owens, once an LAPD legend, but now the sheriff of a quiet border town called Sommerton Junction. Just when he thought he’d seen enough action, Owens finds himself sucked back into a violent and deadly situation when notorious drug kingpin and fugitive Gabriel Cortez races directly for the border with hostages in tow, with one goal in mind: getting south of the border and ridding himself of U.S. law enforcement. To do that, he’ll have to pass through Sommerton Junction and face the full weight of a group of officers, including the sleepy Owens.

Lifelong experience busting bad guys aside, Owens is in for a rude awakening when “The Last Stand” picks up. MTV News has an exclusive clip from the movie, featuring Schwarzenegger back in the action hero grind — but to say that he’s seen better days is a serious understatement.

The clip sees Owens trapped inside of an abandoned school bus, taking enemy fire from a nearby rooftop. With no end in sight to the assault, Owens has to take matters into his own hands. First, his fellow officer Sarah Torrance (“Thor” star Jaimie Alexander) tells him exactly where the assault is coming from. Then, with covering fire provided by his allies, Owens breaks free from the bus and makes a run for it, miraculously dodging bullet-fire along the way. His final stop: crashing through a diner window, rolling onto the floor, and wearily picking himself up from the pile of broken glass. The diners gaze upon Owens in stunned silence, until the cashier finally speaks up.

“How are you, sheriff?” he asks innocently enough.

Groaning and exhausted, Owens sits up and spits out the perfect answer for the character as well as the actor: “Old.”

Directed by Kim Jee-Woon and co-starring Johnny Knoxville and Genesis Rodriguez, “The Last Stand” speeds into theaters on January 17, 2013.

What do you think of the “Last Stand” clip? Tell us in the comments section below!

Check out everything we’ve got on “The Last Stand.”

It’s Officially The 1980s … At Least For Action Heroes

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How do you prefer your action hero? Do you like the angsty, sleeker Jason Bourne-type? Or are you a purist? Only the bulging muscles and quippy kills of the 1980s will do for you. Give me your Stallones and Schwarzeneggers. Spare me your Renners and Damons, right?

If that’s the case, Thursday must have been one hell of a ride for you.

Allow us to recap: First, a new trailer for “A Good Day to Die Hard” dropped yesterday, and for the first time gave us some hope that this could resemble a proper “Die Hard” movie, beyond starring Bruce Willis as some guy named John McClane. We’re obviously going to reserve our judgment, but as an odd-number “Die Hard” movie, there may be hope yet for the 007 of Plainfield, New Jersey.

Then, Deadline dropped a fur-lined bombshell on us that Arnold Schwarzenegger will be returning as Conan in “The Legend of Conan.” If that concept alone doesn’t crush your enemies, listen to how producer Fredrik Malmberg describes the reboot. “The original ended with Arnold on the throne as a seasoned warrior, and this is the take of the film we will make,” he said. “It’s that Nordic Viking mythic guy who has played the role of king, warrior, soldier and mercenary, and who has bedded more women than anyone, nearing the last cycle of his life. He knows he’ll be going to Valhalla, and wants to go out with a good battle.” Yes.

With all of this news, “The Last Stand” coming in January and Schwarzenegger tweeting this picture from the set of “Ten,” it’s high time we wonder when 80s action returned in such a big way. Perhaps we are just now seeing the fruits of the Stallone Renaissance of the late aughts, when he took back his title belt with “Rocky Balboa” and “Rambo,” which, of course, led to the first “Expendables.”

No doubt, the end of Schwarzenegger’s governorship in California and his return to acting full-time factored into the comeback for both him and the genre he shaped. The returns began as a trickle, but we are now at the base of a wave of actioners coming from Schwarzenegger.

Bourne may have defined action for a decade, but the genre has doubled back on itself recently. Whether this is just a nostalgic kick or a sign of things to come, any old-school action fan should revel in the slate for 2013 and the near future, because it’s starting to look like the good old days.

Who’s your favorite 1980s action hero? Leave your comment below!

‘Last Stand’ Poster Blows Us Away In Dailies!

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We were already excited about “The Last Stand” on the principle of a new Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, but when it gets a poster like this, we begin to think we’re in for a real treat.

Also, Christopher Lloyd appreciates your “Back to the Future” obsession and Batman gets lost in today’s Dailies!

» Christopher Lloyd spoke with Parade about his long career and the lasting effects of “Back to the Future.”[Parade]

» This is what happens when Batman uses Apple Maps. [Vulture]

» A new featurette about “Cloud Atlas” seems to have some idea of what the movie is about.[The Playlist]

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» We’re pretty sure this video is the first five minutes of the new season of “American Horror Story,” but we’re too scared to find out. [io9]

» Ranking Christopher Walken‘s most psychotic characters. [Vulture]

» Just a badass “Kill Bill” Mondo poster[Collider]

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» The most shocking transformations in cinema history. [Parade]

» This is the kind of poster we expect from a Schwarzenegger movie. [Twitch]

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Welcome to the Dailies, where the MTV Movies team runs down all the film and television news, odds and ends that are fit to print! From awesome fan art to obscure casting news, this is your place to feast on all the movie leftovers you didn’t know you were hungry for.

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