Pictured: New York street turns into a disaster zone for new Avengers movie... as Robert Downey Jr joins cast for more action packed scenes

By ELLIE GENOWER

Disaster zone: A street in midtown New York City was turned into a disaster area earlier yesterday for the forthcoming blockbuster movie The Avengers

With plumes of smoke, a pile up of bright yellow taxis and burned out cars, it looked very much like a disaster had happened in a midtown Manhattan street yesterday.

The road provided the dramatic setting for big budget action movie The Avengers, which is currently shooting in New York as the city prepares to mark the tenth anniversary of 9/11.


Mayhem: New York taxis pile up and a car is burned out on the Manhattan set yesterday


Extras and crew members swarmed around in between breaks from filming the movie, which features a star-studded cast including Scarlett Johansson, Robert Downey Jr and Chris Evans.

The stars filmed several action shots for the movie over the weekend, all reprising their superhero roles seen in previous films based on Marvel comic characters.


To the rescue: Iron man star Robert Downey Jr was filming in the guise of alter ego Tony Stark in the Central Park area of the city this weekend


Today's dramatic street scenes are clearly a reflection of the film's big budget status - it is rumoured to be costing in the region of $150 million.

Several different scene set ups in the city appeared to have included car pile ups and burned out vehicles, with one area showing with the remains of a jet engine, though to be the superhero's method of transport.


Need for speed: Downey Jr, as alter ego Tony Stark gets into a convertible sports car for one new scene


The film tells the story of Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson) director of the peacekeeping organisation S.H.I.E.L.D., who recruits Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) Thor (Hemsworth) and Captain America (Chris Evans) to save the world from destruction.

The weekend saw Robert Downey Jr on set filming in a black sports car, appearing as his suited alter ego millionaire Tony Stark, who becomes Iron Man.

According to Chris Evans, Stark and his character Captain America will see a bit of conflict in the movie.

'I think there's certainly a dichotomy - this kind of friction between myself and Tony Stark,' Evans told MTV.


Super jet: A section of fuselage sticks into the side of a wooden prop in one area of the city


Ready to save the world; Several cars were destroyed and covered with rocks for use in one scene


'They're polar opposites. One guy is flash and spotlight and smooth, and the other guy is selfless and in the shadows and kind of quiet... and they have to get along. They explore that, and it's pretty fun.'

Elsewhere, Scarlett Johansson has been busy in the guise of her Iron Man 2 role The Black Widow, wearing the character's trademark black catsuit.

Jeremy Renner also stars as Hawkeye, the world's greatest archer, and British actor Tom Hiddleston reprises his role as Loki from recent hit movie Thor.

Renner was seen alongside Johansson and Evans filming some high octane chase scenes over the weekend.


To the rescue: Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans have been busy filming several action scenes amidst the rubble


In addition to filming in New York, the cast and crew are also expected to shoot scenes in New Mexico and Los Angeles.

The Avengers team originally made its début in print in 1963 and was created by Marvel comics writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby.

The film is set for release in North American in May 2012.


Hammering it home: Chris Hemsworth towered over co-star Robert Downey Jr as they prepared for a scene

The Avengers explosion scene in Pershing Sq 9-4-11


The Avengers | Filming In New York City #1


The Avengers | Filming In New York City #2


The Avengers - Extra Video Clip 1


source: dailymail

Mr Right and Miss Wrong...

By CHRIS TOOKEY



Dex appeal: Jim Sturgess and Anne Hathaway



David Nicholls’ word-of-mouth bestseller was not only a charming, cleverly structured romantic comedy, but also one of the most observant books about British society in the past 20 years.



The film works well enough to make it one of 2011’s more entertaining romcoms. Near the end, it even made me cry — but I fear that some of my tears were of frustration that it wasn’t much, much better.



Compared with how good it should have been, it’s a disaster.





Disappointment: Jim Sturgeons delights as Dexter but Anne Hathaway doesn't live up to expectations as Emma





The story is of two Edinburgh university graduates who become best friends, but fail to come together romantically until almost too late. By showing us the same day — St Swithin’s — over 20 years, it tells the story of their relationship and, through them, the story of a generation.



It’s not a wholly original concept — aspects of it are borrowed from Sondheim’s masterly musical Merrily We Roll Along and Bernard Slade’s 1975 stage comedy Same Time, Next Year — but it is a splendid conceit, which shows us the passing of time and the missed opportunities many of us come to regret in middle age.

Let’s start with the positives.





By gum she's bad: Anne Hathaway as Emma





The film has a five-star, sensational leading performance by Jim Sturgess as Dexter, a public-school smoothie who can’t resist a pretty female face or the attractions of quick and easy fame on the telly. In many ways, he personifies the arrogance of youth.



Without a charming, multi-faceted actor, Dexter could easily have been unsympathetic in his resolute superficiality.



Sturgess captures brilliantly Dexter’s self-destructiveness and ability to deceive himself, if no one else, while his eyes reflect his guilt at never quite doing the right thing by his long-term best friend Emma (Anne Hathaway) or his parents (Ken Stott and Patricia Clarkson).





Bestseller: The novel One Day was a huge hit but the film disappoints





Because Sturgess is so great, the film is all about him, in a way that the novel never is. It is he who has the tragic character arc, he who grows as a character, him who you weep for by the end. The film is also excellent in its supporting players. Rafe Spall is marvellous in the potentially caricature role of Ian, the scruffy stand-up comedian whom Emma beds as a second-rate substitute for Dexter.





Cut down: The character of Emma in One Day is refined from the novel, her affair with a married man is removed in the film





source :dailymail

No wonder Angelina went to Glasgow with him! Brad Pitt's stunning brunette assistant is back on the scene, zombie thriller World War Z

By GEORGINA LITTLEJOHN and MARCUS BARNES



Brunette beauty: Brad Pitt and the unknown lady are pictured during a break from filming on the set of his new film World War Z in Glasgow



He's a pin up for countless women around the globe, but very few of those admirers will ever get a chance to be as close to Brad Pitt as his on set assistant is.



The lucky lady has been looking after the Hollywood actor on the set of his new film World War Z and is sure to be the envy of Brad fans the world over.



Filming is taking place is Glasgow, where the streets have been transformed to resemble those of Philadelphia.





A threat?: How will Angelina Jolie react to Brad's close working relationship with the pretty lady?





In new pics taken on the set of the movie, Brad, 47, is seen taking a break from filming accompanied by the pretty brunette who is likely to be a set manager.



Of course, his partner Angelina Jolie will have little to worry about - the dynamic between the actor and his on set companion is nothing more than a professional working relationship.



However her beauty could well cause a slight bit of jealousy on Angelina's part, which is only natural for any man or woman whose partner works closely with an attractive member of the opposite sex.





Victims?: The new zombie thriller is based on a book of the same name





Glasgow is the latest city to undergo an amazing transformation thanks to the new zombie thriller.



Film staff have so far managed to transform Valletta and Falmouth into a world dealing with the aftermath of a global zombie war.



And this week the post-apocalyptic scenes witnessed in by locals in Malta and Cornwall have come to Glasgow, as Brad Pitt and his crew bring the living dead to the Scottish city.



The city centre has been transformed into Philadelphia for scenes for the actor's upcoming movie World War Z.





It's looking good, everyone! Brad Pitt talks to crew members as he arrives on set in Glasgow to start filming scenes for World War Z





Welcome to Scotland! Brad gives a cheery wave as he wraps up filming for the day







Apple of his eye: Brad carried his laptop as he left work - perhaps with some more lines to learn when he got back to Angelina and the children





And Brad, 47, was right in the thick of it all as he chatted to his crew and watched as the streets were turned into the US city.



Cochrane Street has been renamed John F Kennedy Boulevard and American road signs and street names were put up while yellow taxi cabs and white police cars lined the streets as Philadelphia came to life.





Keep up the good work: Brad looked happy with the set as he chatted to crew members





Working hard: Crew members line the street and get the lighting and the cameras ready





Glasgow was chosen to double as the Pennsylvanian city because of the huge similarities between them including the architecture, wide roads and grid layout of the cities.



Local people have been recruited as zombie extras and Glasgow City Council said the production will involve almost 1,200 people and the impact on local economy is expected to be more than £2 million.





Ready for your close-up, Mr Pitt? Brad is directed as he prepares for what could be a car chase scene





Buckle up: Brad gives one last look out of the car door before shooting the scene





On film: The star is seen stuck in a traffic jam and a police motorbike knocks his wing mirror off - so he gets out to get the smashed mirror back





The film Brad's latest film is a post-apocalyptic horror film based on the novel of the same name by Max Brooks.



Brad plays Brooks who scours the world collecting the stories and experiences of those who have survived ten years after the human victory over the world wide zombie epidemic.





Read all about it: Crew members carry American newspaper boxes on to the set





The means streets of Philadelphia: Glasgow is unrecognisable as yellow taxis and American cars line the city's roads





Reclaiming the streets: Crew members climb aboard a cherry picker to put up American road signs





Marc Forster, who directed Bond classic Quantum Of Solace, is the man behind the lens, while Mireille Enos, who plays leading lady Sarah Linden in The Killing, will play Brad's wife.



Brad arrived in the city yesterday with partner Angelina Jolie and their six children - Maddox, 10, Pax, seven, Zahara, six, Siloh, five and three-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox - having chartered a Virgin train from London.





Forces united: A Glaswegian police officer looks inside a white Philadelphia police car





Coming through: An actor playing an American traffic cop weaves his way through the taxis





The A-list couple and their six children were snapped arriving at Euston station this morning in a large black people carrier and surrounded by bodyguards and members of their entourage.



When they arrived in Glasgow at 2.30pm, silver vehicles with tinted glass were allowed onto platform 11 to whisk them away from a waiting crowd.







And action! Actors and extras take their positions





In character: Actors dressed as a policeman and a homeless man get ready for their scenes





Who ordered the meat? Locals stand around and watch the action as a delivery truck arrives on set





Speaking to the Scottish Sun, a fan who had been waiting for them to arrive said: 'There were dozens of screaming fans waiting patiently for a glimpse. After all, it's not every day you can say you've seen a Hollywood movie star in Glasgow Central Station.



'But a glimpse was about all people were going to get because no sooner were they off the train than they were straight into some fancy people carriers and off.





You'll need another coat: Rain washes away newly painted crossing lines





Landmark: Workers put up signs for Philadelphia's famous suspension bridge





'Cops and security were trying their best to keep the crowds at bay and it would have been nice if the couple had just waved or something. But even the kids had their heads down.'



The couple are believed to be staying the Carnell Estate Mansion near Kilmarnock and will make the 16th century home theirs for their next few weeks.





Famous commuters: Angelina Jolie walks down the platform with daughter Shiloh while Brad carries his youngest daughter Vivienne





Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie Stay in Scotland For World War Z!





source: dailymail

First look: Daniel Radcliffe goes to the dark side in brooding horror film Woman In Black

By HOLLY THOMAS



Impressive: Daniel Radcliffe cuts a dashing figure as lawyer Arthur Kipps, sent to a remote island to wrap up the affairs of a deceased client



The teaser trailer for Daniel Radcliffe's first 'grown up' film since Harry Potter has been released...and it's safe to say he's graduated Hogwarts in spooky style.



This two minute taste of The Woman In Black promises a chilling tale, beautifully shot and laden with ghostly ambiance.



It looks set to prove as haunting and atmospheric as the phenomenally successful stage version.





Spooky stuff: Radcliffe has promised that the atmospheric ghost story is 'going to be terrifying.'





The adaption of the classic book and play is directed by Eden Lake's James Watkins, while the script comes from Jane Goldman, the co-screenwriter of Kick Ass and X-Men: First Class.



The story follows a young lawyer Arthur Kipps, who travels to a remote house on an island somewhere in Britain to put the last affairs of a deceased client in order.



He is disturbed by the sight of a ghost at the client's funeral, who children can see but refuse to speak of.





Silent observers: The children see The Woman In Black, but are reluctant to talk to anyone





As the ghost becomes increasingly malevolent, the town is thrown into a frenzy of terror, with the 'house on the marsh', becoming the focal point of the haunting.



The trailer opens with chime toy box music, with disturbing images of old children's toys.



A spooky child's voice declares 'During afternoon tea, there's a shift in the air, a bone-trembling hill that tells you she's there.'





Mystery: Could a family secret be at the heart of the trouble?





The voice continues: 'There are those who believe the whole town is cursed, but the house in the marsh was by far the worst.'



'What she wants is unknown, but she always comes back, the spectre of darkness, the woman in black,' the scary rhyme concludes.



The scenes are shot beautifully, with Radcliffe's pale lawyer reminiscent of Johnny Depp's detective character in Sleepy Hollow.





'There are those who believe the whole town is cursed': A chilling voiceover describes the ghastly effect of the haunting





The barest glimpses of the ghost are frightening enough in themselves.



And Radcliffe has promised that the film won't disappoint for scares.



'It's going to be terrifying, and at the test screening they had, apparently people were leaping out of their seats terrified, so I think it's just going to be a really, really good movie,' the 22-year-old told MTV News.



The Woman In Black is due for release February 12, 2012.





New direction: This film should see a transition for Radcliffe into more adult roles





'During afternoon tea, there's a shift in the air, a bone-trembling hill that tells you she's there..'





Restless: The ghost's unfinished business tears the town apart







source: dailymail

The curse of Batman... Another shocking accident unfolds on the set of The Dark Knight Rises

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER



Another mishap: The Batwing crashed today in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on the set of The Dark Knight Rises



There's been more unscripted drama on the set of the The Dark Knight Rises.



The Batwing was semi-wrecked today after hitting a large stop light in the streets of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.



The vehicle was speeding down the street in a chase scene when the accident happened.





Oops: The Batwing had been chasing other vehicles when the crash happened





Fortunately no actors were hurt in the accident and after about an hour the crew was able to return to work.



Gary Oldman, who plays Commissioner Jim Gordon in the film, once again directed by Christopher Nolan, was yesterday spotted filming a scene on the top of a heavily armoured truck.



The British born actor was seen sipping from a water bottle as he took a rest in between scenes.





Witnesses: A large crowd had gathered to watch the movie shoot just before the accident unfolded





Back on set: Gary Oldman was spotted filming on the Batman area yesterday





Large scale production: The British-born actor filmed a scene on a large truck





It was the second accident to befall the movie, which some people are saying is cursed, in a matter of days.



Earlier in the week a stunt double for Anne Hathaway crashed into expensive camera equipment.



Taking the channel to task, she hit back with: 'I was not going to admit it: I asked someone to send me a few reactions [to the photo]. And I happen to know that MTV's reaction was "meh".





And action! An Anne Hathaway stunt double on the set of Dark Knight Rises at the Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh on Friday





The stunt double and cameraman were both uninjured in the smash, according to TMZ, but the equipment was destroyed.



The cost of the damage is not yet known and a spokesperson for Warner Bros had no comment.



Meanwhile, Hathaway had defended the new look Catwoman costume, which was unveiled in an official still last week.

MTV branded the outfit 'unflattering' and 'underwhelming'.





Catwoman catastrophe: YouTube footage shows the stunt double crashing into a camera while driving down a set of stairs on the two-wheeled 'Batpod'





'What I am happy to say is, if you didn't like the photo, you only see about a 10th of what that suit can do.



'And if you did like the photo, you have excellent taste.'



Very little information has been revealed about the storyline of the new film, in which Hathaway stars as Selina Kyle, also known as Catwoman.



The Dark Knight Rises also stars Christian Bale, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine and is set to be released in July 2012.









source: dailymail