Steven Spielberg Warned Antonio Banderas on ‘Zorro’ Set in 1997 That CGI Would Replace Practical Filmmaking: ‘Things Are Going to Change Fast’

Will Smith revealed he almost turned down the role of Agent J in his mega-hit sci-fi comedy "Men in Black" until executive producer Steven Spielberg personally interceded. During a Thursday appearance on Kevin Hart’s "Hart to Heart" talk show, the 54-year-old actor remembered how he initially planned to reject the part since he was opposed to making another alien-themed movie after starring in the science fiction blockbuster "Independence Day" the year prior. Smith said his former manager James Lassiter, who he described as the "arbiter of taste" for his career at the time, strongly advocated for him to take the role.

Kevin Hart’s Peacock show “Hart to Hart” on Thursday had Will Smith on board, as he recalled the grand way Steven Spielberg pitched him on taking on a role in the 1997 film Men in Black.

Will Smith has revealed how Steven Spielberg convinced him to star in Men In Black, despite the actor having reservations about the project.Smith starred in 1997 sci-fi action comedy opposite Tommy Lee Jones. The pair portrayed Agent K and Agent J, respectively, who were tasked with investigating a series of alien-related incidents on Earth.The film — which spawned two sequels and a spin-off with Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson — was a critical and commercial success, but Smith needed convincing before taking on the role.During a recent appearance on Kevin Hart’s Peacock TV show Hart To Heart, the actor said he was hesitant to star in the film right after Independence Day — another sci-fi film about aliens.“I kind of understood Men in Black a little bit but I didn’t want to make Men in Black,” Smith said.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director When Will Smith was ready to turn down the role of Agent J in 1997’s “Men in Black,” executive producer Steven Spielberg decided to take matters into his own hands. During a recent appearance on Kevin Hart’s “Hart to Heart” talk show (via Insider), Smith told the story of Spielberg sending a helicopter to bring him in for a meeting in which Spielberg questioned Smith’s apprehension over “Men in Black.” It all started with Smith not wanting to make another alien-centric movie after 1996’s “Independence Day,” his first bonafide blockbuster. James Lassiter, Smith’s former manager, urged Smith to take the role of Agent J.

Antonio Banderas is reminiscing. The Spanish actor took advantage of Throwback Thursdays to share an inspiring story of his days as a young actor. Melanie Griffith concealed her old Antonio Banderas heart-shaped tattoo with new inkStella Banderas keeps going strong with boyfriend Álex Gruszynski after rekindling their loveA post shared by Antonio Banderas (@antoniobanderas)The photo was shared on Instagram, and is a close up shot of his face taken in the ‘80s.

Will Smith is one of the biggest movies out there, starring in many fan favorites, such as Independence Day, the Bad Boys franchise, and Men In Black.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor Seth MacFarlane has donated $1 million to The Entertainment Community Fund to help provide financial assistance for industry workers during the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. The organization, formerly known as The Actors Fund, also exclusively tells me that recent donors include The Katie McGrath & JJ Abrams Family Foundation, Stacey Abrams, Annette Bening, Tom Bergeron, Greg Berlanti, Rachel Bloom, Rosanne Cash in memory of Johnny Cash, Suzanne Collins and Cap Pryor, Vince Gilligan, Lynn Nottage, Michelle Pfeiffer and David E.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Seth Rogen is bringing the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” franchise back to life in the upcoming animated movie “Mutant Mayhem,” which he has a story credit on and produced through his Point Grey Pictures company. During an interview with Polygon ahead of the film’s release, Rogen was ask what has kept him “turned off” from joining other movie franchises like the Marvel and DC superhero films. “Honestly, probably fear,” Rogen said.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” has generated a lot of headlines due to its nudity and sex scenes, the first of the director’s career. Cillian Murphy, who plays the title character in Nolan’s biographical drama, was recently asked by GQ UK to weigh in on all of the buzz surrounding the “Oppenheimer” sex scenes, to which Murphy said they were “vital” to the film.

Director, producer, and writer Steven Spielberg will be honored with the Eva Monley Award from the Location Managers Guild International (LMGI) at its 10th annual LMGI Awards on August 26, 2023 at the Eli and Edythe Broad Stage. 

Steven Spielberg and Paul McCartney recently attended a screening of Christopher Nolan‘s Oppenheimer together.The pair were spotted outside a cinema in New York’s summer vacation hotspot the Hamptons on Monday (July 24). You can view the pair at the premiere below.McCartney and the famous director have known each other since 1986, when the former Beatle told Rolling Stone at the time that he sought out Spielberg’s advice on the possibility of making a movie about the Fab Four’s career.More recently, Spielberg noted that The Beatles song ‘Michelle’ from 1965’s ‘Rubber Soul’ brought back memories of his first kiss in college.Steven Spielberg and Paul McCartney were spotted at a theater to watch #Oppenheimer in the Hamptons on Monday July 24.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” is now playing in theaters nationwide, but one if its most emotional scenes might not have made it to the big screen had the filmmaker not held her ground against studio executives. In several interviews before the comedy’s theatrical release, Gerwig revealed that it was suggested she cut out the scene where Barbie (Margot Robbie) meets an elderly woman on a bench and tells her she’s beautiful. “I love that scene so much,” Gerwig told Rolling Stone. “And the older woman on the bench is the costume designer Ann Roth. She’s a legend. It’s a cul-de-sac of a moment, in a way — it doesn’t lead anywhere. And in early cuts, looking at the movie, it was suggested, ‘Well, you could cut it. And actually, the story would move on just the same.’ And I said, ‘If I cut the scene, I don’t know what this movie is about.'”

Atom Egoyan will be returning to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) to premiere his latest movie, “Seven Veils”.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director James Cameron has no intention of using artificial intelligence to write a film script. In a new interview with CTV News, the Oscar winner expressed doubt over AI bots being able to write “a good story.” According to Cameron: “I just don’t personally believe that a disembodied mind that’s just regurgitating what other embodied minds have said — about the life that they’ve had, about love, about lying, about fear, about mortality — and just put it all together into a word salad and then regurgitate it…I don’t believe that’s ever going to have something that’s going to move an audience. You have to be human to write that. I don’t know anyone that’s even thinking about having AI write a screenplay.”

Steven Spielberg warned Antonio Banderas of the imminent rise of CGI back on the set of 1998 film The Mask of Zorro.Celebrating the 25th anniversary in a recent interview, Banderas reflected on the Martin Campbell-directed action-adventure film – which was produced by Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment – and how the latter told him that “things are going to change”.“Steven Spielberg said to me once when we were shooting, ‘This is probably going to be one of the last Westerns shot in the way the Westerns were shot in the old days, with real scenes with real horses, where everything is real, [real] sword fighting, no CGI.’ Everything was [practical],” Banderas told Yahoo Entertainment.“And he said, ‘But things are going to change. They’re going to change and they’re gonna change fast.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Michael Cera revealed in an interview with The Guardian that he suffered a career crisis at 19 years old after his career exploded thanks to the 2007 releases of awards juggernaut “Juno” and R-rated comedy blockbuster “Superbad.” Both films made Cera a recognizable actor, but that made life difficult for him in return. “I didn’t know how to handle walking down the street,” Cera said. “Fame makes you very uncomfortable in your own skin, and makes you paranoid and weird. There were lots of great things about it, and I met a lot of amazing people, but there’s a lot of bad energies, too, ones that I was not equipped to handle.”

With the writers and actors on strike, well, who the hell knows what’s going on? You may not hear from any actors, writers, or hell, even directors who are not doing press in solidarity. So, in a bid to still continue making things interesting for you and for us, we’re reintroducing an old Flashback Friday or Throwback Thursday feature and just calling it “Flashback”: a fun excuse to highlight old interviews, old stories, classic movie stories and more.

Stella Banderas is going strong in her relationship with Álex Gruszynski. The 26-year-old daughter of Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith rekindled her romance with her first boyfriend earlier this year, after her split from Eli Meyer, and it seems she is happier than ever.The young model and designer is sharing her love and appreciation for the businessman, who she has known since they were kids.

Steven Spielberg predicted an “implosion” in the Hollywood film industry 10 years ago, whereby he warned of ticket price fluctuation as a result of failing blockbuster films.Speaking at the opening of a new media centre at the University of Southern California alongside George Lucas back in June 2013, the directors envisioned a world in which the failure of half a dozen $250million (£190million) movies could result in a dramatic ticket price variances.Spielberg told USC students (via Hollywood Reporter) that price increases could mean “you’re gonna have to pay $25 for the next Iron Man, you’re probably only going to have to pay $7 to see Lincoln”.He added that students were trying to enter the industry at a time when event more established directors struggled with getting commercial releases into cinemas, saying his Oscar-winning 2013 film Lincoln came “this close” to premiering on HBO instead of a theatrical release.The Jaws director went on to say that some ideas from younger filmmakers are “too fringe-y for the movies”.He said: “That’s the big danger, and there’s eventually going to be an implosion – or a big meltdown.

Melanie Griffith is sporting some new ink.