A new poster and trailer for Prisoners and Jake Gyllenhaal drops out of Mississippi Grind

The good news this week comes in the shape of a second trailer for Prisoners (via Rope of Silicon) and a poster (via IHJ) that would look good on any wall... (see below)



But brace yourselves - there is some less than good news in Gyllendom today. Jake Gyllenhaal is now not Mississippi bound. His place in Mississippi Grind, which seemed so sure, is now taken by Ryan Reynolds - more details here. This is a big surprise because Jake wasn't just set to act in the film, he was also down to produce it, with filming due to start any day. In fact, filming was supposed to have begun in the spring. Clearly, something wasn't right. Does Jake have something else planned for the summer? Or is he biding his time, planning new projects, while he waits to promote An Enemy and Prisoners later this year. It's unlikely that Into the Woods will take much of Jake's time so we must and see what happens. It is a disappointment.

Talking of An Enemy and Prisoners, the speculation has begun about the content for this season's festivals. With thanks to a commentor for the tip, Hitfix predicts that Prisoners and An Enemy will both feature at Venice (28 August - 7 September) even though they are expected to appear at Toronto (5 - 15 September). Films, actors and directors can and do appear at both festivals, as we know from Brokeback for example.  Playlist adds that An Enemy is expected to have a Venice premiere. Whereas Venice's rules insist that films must premiere at the festival, Toronto is less rigid, again supporting the speculation that both could show at Venice and Toronto. It certainly looks as if both could show in Toronto so the question is will they, and Jake, first make an appearance in Venice?



Buzz surrounds Jake for writers - the author of Revenge Wears Prada, Lauren Weisberger, is keen to see Jake work with Anne Hathaway if her sequel to Devil Wears Prada grows movie wings. “Jake Gyllenhaal!” the 36-year-old tells Magic FM. “I love him and I love Anne and Jake’s on-screen chemistry." No doubt about that at all.

End of Watch tops the charts, Jake Gyllenhaal in Atlanta and Mississippi Grind off to Berlin

This post must start with a disclaimer. I am writing it on an alien laptop, my own having decided to pull its own plug yesterday. Therefore, there is a high likelihood of a) typos; b) curses; c) violence. Actually, talking of curses and violence, this brings me on naturally to Jake Gyllenhaal's latest R-rated watch-from-behind-the-fingers movie, End of Watch, which is top of the US DVD sales chart. It is wonderful to see the film repeatting its box office success and this bodes well for the UK release in March. The film may have been rushed over in the theatres but it could come into its own on the smaller screen.

The other good news this week is the news from Deadline that Mississippi Grind, Jake's next film, is to start shooting in the spring. So straight on the heels of Prisoners, Jake will be back at work. Whether it's anywhere near the Mississippi is another matter. It's also good to hear that Mississippi Grind will be proffered at the Berlinale this year, just twelve months after we had the excitement of watching Jake notch up some jury service duty at the German festival.

Jake, meanwhile, continues to film Prisoners in Georgia mising it with visits to Whole Foods and NYC. We also hear that Jake is back doing his Spin classes, known in the gym where he's been seen in Atlanta as Fly Wheel Sports. 'He looked like he worked out hard'.It looks as if photos may be few and far between.

Some time ago we had a poll on WDW in which we put to the vote what type of film we would like to see Jake. The winner was a historical drama (possibly something to do with the white billowing shirts and tight trousers). With the UK gripped by Richard III following his discovery in a Leicester car park, more or less in one piece, the time is ripe for Jake to bring the past to life. I can just see him as a chivalrous knight fighting wrongs and blackguard lords. That or a pirate. What do you think? Any preference?

Thanks to IHJ for the pics.

**Updated** Catching up with Jake - at play and at work. News on Prisoners, Grind and Face Pet

As the well-known expression goes, the proof is in the pudding and without doubt the latest pictures of Jake Gyllenhaal are a big, fat, luxurious blancmange of a pudding, proving beyond all reasonable doubt that the beard really has gone. It was not just wishful thinking brought on by a blurry photo, a magnifying glass and a Jake Gyllenhaal Identification Kit.

Last Sunday (13 January), Jake was courtside to watch (spoiler) the Brooklyn Nets beat the Indiana Pacers in Brooklyn, NYC. There is a brief video here of highlights so get that Jake Spotting Kit out again. Thanks to IHJ for the lovely photo of a very Renditiony like Jake.

There is another video, though, and so with thanks to Laure for the link...



And here's a photo from it. There are no words to describe Peter's beard. Suddenly the Face Pet seems like such an innocent creature.

Prisoners

Filming is due to start on Prisoners tomorrow (16 January) with no doubt a very happy and tuneful Hugh Jackman. More clues about the filming have emerged, such as reports of false snow (if they were filming in the UK they'd not have to worry about any such false snow nonsense - I believe that Oxford would make a fine movie city double). There has also been an additional casting of a Dark Knight villain David Dastmalchian.

The filmmakers are also extremely set in their ways about what sort of cars they want in Prisoners as can be seen in this bit of casting information:

'The first casting call I’ve seen for this one seeks men and women ages 18 to 55 with cars of various colors, but not red, white, really bright or with custom paint jobs.'

Why not red? Why not white or bright? My car is blue, if only I weren't so far away...

There is more information about the filming location here.

One thing is for sure, the attachment of  Hugh Jackman to Prisoners in this great year for Hugh can bring nothing but good to this exciting project.

Talking of Hugh Jackman, here is a shamefully blatant link to my review of Les Miserables (This link should now work!)

Grind

There is also more news about the project after Prisoners (probably), Mississippi Grind. Not only is Jake set to be one of the two male leads in this film but he he is also producing, doubling the potential significance of this film.

Variety reports that Ben Mendelsohn (Animal Kingom) is in talks to play the older of the two men - the 'a gambler in debt who sets off on a road trip through the Southern U.S. with a young gambling addict in an attempt to change his luck'.

'Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck will write and direct the pic. Besides Gyllenhaal, Lynette Howell, John Lesher and Jamie Patricof will also be producing through Electric City Entertainment.'

Further background information comes from Cinemablend.

All in all, exciting times! With no Face Pet!

Thanks again to IHJ for the beautiful old new photos from the Love and Other Drugs days of 2011.

Jake Gyllenhaal to start work on Mississippi Grind in May and some new End of Watch shots

Jake Gyllenhaal is clearly aiming to lend new meaning to the expression 'a tad busy'. Not only has his play got an extension - taking him almost all the way up to Christmas (everyone in the Gyllenhaal-Sarsgaard family will be receiving book tokens this year, including the babies) - and End of Watch is being released across the globe, then there's Prisoners to make and now we have confirmation that Jake is still to make Mississippi Grind next year. Not only that, it has a production month - May. Travelling down the Mississippi in May sounds good to me. The news comes from John Lesher, End of Watch producer who sounds very glad to be working again so soon with Jake.



This interview comes courtesy of the London Film Festival where Michael Pena has also been doing his bit to promote the movie. I must apologise to the End of Watchers for the classic October London weather but at least it wasn't foggy...



This seems like an excellent point to add a link to my review of End of Watch from the festival's Saturday screening.

There are some great new publicity shots for End of Watch over at IHJ. Here are a couple.

I wrote a guest post at Demention, a blog owned by novelists who look at the world a little differently. It's about time travel. You can read it here!

New project! Jake Gyllenhaal to star in Mississippi Grind? And Gwyneth Paltrow screens End of Watch

No wonder Jake Gyllenhaal's not doing much sport at the moment, how on earth would he find the time?! Previews of If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet start next week and today we learn that Jake will be attending a special screening of End of Watch on Sunday hosted by Proof co-star Gwyneth Paltrow (you remember, the co-star that cried a lot).

To top it off, we have news that Jake may well have signed the dotted line on his next movie project - Mississippi Grind, written and directed by Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden. Both were responsible for a film that Jake has named as one of his favourites, Half Nelson starring Ryan Gosling.

The Hollywood Reporter broke today's news and tells us: 'The story centers on a down-on-his-luck gambler facing crushing debt who teams up with a younger gambling addict (Gyllenhaal) in an attempt to change his luck. The two set off on a road trip through the South with visions of winning back what has been lost. The lead character would be a plum role for Hollywood's fortysomething set. WME, which reps Fleck, Boden and Gyllenhaal, is packaging the project, which would fall in the less-than-$10 million budget.'

Several things to note here: a) less than $10 million budget? It's fair to say then that it won't feature aliens or battleships; b) at long last I might learn to spell Mississippi; c) who would you cast as the 'fortysomething'? I would definitely like to see Robert Downey Jr in the role but it's quite possible that any and all of the Avengers may be ruled out by the (tiny) budget.

So, as they say, watch this space!

My review of The Hunter is now on MovieBrit.