Michael Fassbender
|
BirthDate BirthPlace |
N/A
N/A |
-
Michael Fassbender longed to be in a heavy metal band
June 07, 2012 5:00am ESTThe X-Men: First Class actor dreamed of becoming a rock star and attempted to form a metal group while he was growing up in a small town in Ireland, but it ended up with only two members who both played lead guitar. Their first and only gig was a disaster and Fassbender was forced to give up his musical dream. He tells U.S. TV host Jimmy Fallon, "I wanted to be a musician, I was into heavy metal, I wanted to be a lead guitarist in a heavy metal band. (I loved) Iron Maiden, Metallica, Slayer... "There was just one other guy (in my band) and he played guitar also. It's always hard to find a drummer and a bass player in a small town, we couldn't find the back-up so we just went out as we were. "We only played one gig. It was a little pub, it was lunchtime trade and there was middle-aged people and we were trying to play Metallica and they kept telling us to turn it down."
-
Prometheus rockets to the top of U.K. box office chart
June 07, 2012 5:00am ESTAlien prequel Prometheus soared to the top of the U.K box office chart in its opening weekend (01-03Jun12). The sci-fi hit, starring Michael Fassbender, took more than $9.3 million (£6 million) in ticket sales, placing it above Kristen Stewart's Snow White and the Huntsman, which took $5.4 million (£3.5 million). Men in Black III dropped from the top spot to third place, banking $4.7 million (£3 million), and The Avengers - titled Avengers Assemble in the U.K - dropped one place to fourth, with $1.3 million (£848,000). Last week's number two, The Dictator, completes the top five with takings of $1.2 million (£754,068).
-
The Evolution of Movie Androids
June 06, 2012 2:13pm ESTThis Friday, Prometheus — the sorta-prequel to returning director Ridley Scott’s own 1979 sci-fi masterpiece, Alien — invades theaters, with Michael Fassbender as the title ship’s butler and maintenance man, David, who just so happens to be an android (Fassbender has said that he modeled the motions and mannerisms of David after Olympic swimmer Greg Louganis rather than previous big-screen versions of the robotic human doppelgangers). It got us thinking about the movie androids that preceded him, er, it, and how far Hollywood has come in that department. T-800, T-850, T-101 (Arnold Schwarzenegger), Terminator Movies Super-human powers: Is an expert computer system at its (zillion) core; power source, er, lifespan of up to 120 years; vastly superior endoskeleton to that of humankind; self-healing. Weaknesses: The human resistance; the noses of dogs; other Terminators (like Robert Patrick’s liquid-metal shape-shifting T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgment Day). Notes: We know, we know: Technically, Ahnuld’s Terminator is a cyborg, not a full-on android, but the difference between the two (some humanlike organic composition for the former vs. 100% robot for the latter) is negligible enough for us, for the purpose of this list, to mention Schwarzenegger — who himself may someday turn out to be the greatest android ever! Lieutenant Commander Data (Brent Spiner), Star Trek Movies/TV Series Superhuman powers: Positronic brain; immune to all biological diseases (except polywater); can be disassembled for easy storage; waterproof. Weaknesses: Unable to dream; vulnerable to tech hazards and viruses; cannot swim. Notes: Armed with nothing more than a pretty bad makeup job and his own (purposefully) robotic performance, Spiner was able to cement a spot in the hearts of many a techie and Trekkie during his lengthy tenure (TV’s Star Trek: The Next Generation and four Star Trek films) as Data. He also provided countless laughs over the years, of both the intentional and unintentional variety. Replicants, Blade Runner Superhuman powers: Superior strength, agility, and intelligence; fully programmable for any mission. Weaknesses: Voight-Kampff tests; the term “skin-job”; four-year lifespan. Notes: There will seemingly forever be a lack of clarity as to whether or not Harrison Ford’s Rick Deckard was himself a replicant, due to everything from the fact there are a whopping seven different versions of Blade Runner to his failure of the Voight-Kampff test. The key people involved in the movie are split on the issue, but for what it’s worth, Deckard was written as a human in the Philip K. Dick novel on which the big-screen version is based. The debate rages on, with full Web sites currently devoted to the topic! SID 6.7 (Russell Crowe), Virtuosity Super-human powers: Can be programmed with multiple, variable personalities, used advantageously (for evil); tons of RAM capacity; capable of regeneration. Weaknesses: Denzel Washington; impalement. Notes: Virtuosity remains something of a disaster cinematically, but the virtual reality-gone-murderous concept makes for quite a mindf***, even if the execution thereof doesn’t quite work. Plus, we’ll watch Denzel and Russell square off all day, any day! Vanessa Kensington (Elizabeth Hurley), Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery Superhuman powers: Super-humanly hot; skill with a Desert Eagle Weaknesses: Vulnerable to Austin Powers’s “charms.” Notes: Early on in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Kensington self-destructs after malfunctioning related to a TV remote, and it is revealed that she was a fembot all along. She’s still the prettiest damned robot since Rosie on The Jetsons. David (Haley Joel Osment), A.I.: Artificial Intelligence Superhuman powers: Endless love; ability to not blink; great posture; undrownable. Weaknesses: Can’t swim; sibling jealousy; has the emotions of a real boy. Notes: Reaction to this Steven Spielberg-directed (and Stanley Kubrick-hatched) sci-fi drama remains mixed to this day, but there’s no denying that Osment was superb and believable as the main “humanoid,” to an almost disturbing degree — which was thanks more so to his astute interpretation of David than any effects wizardry. HONORABLE MENTIONS Ash (Ian Holm), Alien (1979) Bishop (Lance Henriksen), Aliens (1986) Surrogates, Surrogates (2009) Gunslinger (Yul Brenner), Westworld (1973)
-
'Prometheus' Mythology 101: What You Need To Know
June 06, 2012 2:07pm ESTRidley Scott's ultra-mysterious Prometheus is headed to theaters this Friday, and fans of the decade-spanning Alien franchise are endlessly enthusiastic — but also very, very confused. Is it a reboot? A prequel? A sequel? A sequel that's secretly disguised as a prequel? We know that the film stars Charlize Theron, Michael Fassbender, Idris Elba, Noomi Rapace, and Logan Marshall-Greene as members of an interplanetary expedition to find out where the human race came from, but the little buggers' involvement in all of this remains a mystery. To date, there have been six other films in the Alien franchise: Alien, Aliens, Alien 3, Alien Resurrection, Alien vs. Predator, and Alien vs. Predator: Requiem. That's a lot, and the latter two were so far removed from Scott's original masterpiece that it's hard to know if their weird Predator back story even counts. (Most Alien fans would probably answer that question with a resounding no.) Still, to make things easier for those who may not know that in space, no one can hear you scream, Hollywood.com has broken down the very basic need-to-know facts from the Alien-verse, even though we still don't know much about that damned Weyland Corporation. The Creatures: Unlike many other works of science fiction, the Aliens here — also known as Xenomorphs — are a relatively unintelligent (but adaptable) lifeform whose only goal seems to be survival of the species, and destruction of anything that stands in their way. They are skeletal in appearance, and have elongated skulls with no eyes. Their blood is a potent acid that can melt through flesh, and their tails are deadly blades. They are very strong, and can quickly adapt to their surroundings — in the films, they figured out how to use their opponents' machinery at a basic level — basic enough to turn off power and kill everybody. Alien life begins with a Queen, who can produce an army of beasts all by her lonesome. Once the eggs are released, they patiently wait for a potential host to enter their vicinity. Once this happens, a "facehugger" parasitoid attaches itself to the host's face to deposit an embryo. After the embryo is deposited, the facehugger dies. Soon after, the host awakens with no symptoms. After an incubation period of about 24 hours, the "chestburster" emerges from the victim's chest, killing him or her instantly. The creature reaches adult size in a matter of hours, and then everybody is totally screwed. The Timeline: In Alien, Ripley's ship, the Nostromo, entered the planetoid LV-426 in 2122, after receiving a warning signal broadcast from a spacecraft on the planetoid called The Derelict. The Derelict is believed to have crashed on LV-426 (also called Acheron) several millennia prior to the arrival of the Nostromo. In its cockpit, an alien lifeform called "The Space Jockey" had been fossilized, with a giant hole in its chest that suggested outward explosion. The ship also contained a chamber of Alien eggs, causing the initial Alien infestation. After Nostromo was destroyed during the initial attack, Ripley (and Mr. Jones the cat) awoke 57 years later (in Aliens) in 2179, to find that LV-426 was now home to a terraforming colony, "Hadley's Hope," that contained a population of 158. Bad news. Ripley re-entered the planetoid on the USS Sulaco when communication with the colony was lost, and once again fought off the Aliens, who had infested everyone but the child Newt under the direction of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation (who had ordered the colonists to re-enter The Derelict to be used as hosts). Unfortunately, this time Ripley was "impregnated" by the Alien Queen on her way out of dodge. In Alien 3, Ripley's hypersleep chamber crashed on Fiorina "Fury" 161, a really crappy all-male prison colony where Tywin Lannister acted as the prison doctor. An Alien facehugger had crashed with them, and infested the colony via the prison's dog. Ripley learned that she was impregnated with the Alien Queen when she scanned herself after noticing that none of the Aliens would kill her, and sacrificed herself and the Queen to (hopefully) save humanity. Alien Resurrection took place in the 24th century, 200 years after the events of Alien 3. Scientists on the vessel USM Auriga cloned Ripley using DNA from blood samples taken before her death, and also extracted the embryo of the Alien Queen to raise it and collect its eggs. In the cloning process, Ripley's DNA was mixed with the Queen's, giving her enhanced strength, acidic blood, and an emotional link with the Aliens. A mercenary ship called the Betty kidnapped several humans, using them as hosts for the Aliens. The Aliens destroyed the Auriga, whose default command in an emergency was to land on Earth. Ripley and co. used the Betty to destroy Auriga, which eventually collided into Earth. During Ripley's time on the Auriga, she discovered that the Alien Queen had developed the ability to create life without the need for human hosts. Prometheus is set in late 21st century, less than 100 years before the events of the first Alien film. Prometheus focuses on a Weyland-sponsored scientific exploration on a vessel named for the Titan in Greek mythology who stole fire from the gods and gave it to humans, resulting in his liver being eaten every day for all of eternity. Weyland Corporation: The Weyland-Yutani Corporation are somehow behind everything bad that ever happens in the Alien universe. Throughout the franchise, the corporation has its hands in all aspects of space colonization and research, and their goal throughout centuries has been to obtain living Alien specimens for use as biological weapons. In Alien, Ripley was in their employ, and she eventually learned that the company considered her crew expendable, as their on-board android's main goal was to protect the Alien specimen. In Aliens, Weyland told the colonists to explore The Derelict, showing again that they consider human life to be expendable. In Prometheus, Michael Fassbender will portray another Weyland-created android, and Guy Pearce will star as Peter Weyland, the billionaire founder and CEO of Weyland Corp. Follow Shaunna on Twitter @HWShaunna [PHOTO CREDIT: 20th Century Fox] MORE: 'Prometheus' Concept Artist Explains How the Movie Fixes 'Alien' 'Prometheus' and Defying the R-Rated Blockbuster Odds 'Prometheus' Sneak Peek: Mysterious Missions, Angry Aliens, & Reflective Robots — CLIPS
-
'Prometheus' and Defying the R-Rated Blockbuster Odds
June 06, 2012 7:22am ESTWhile the mystery behind man's creation is the question that burns at the heart of this week's sci-fi epic Prometheus, the movie's own birth can be traced fairly definitively. Director Ridley Scott had long been mulling over prequelizing his seminal, 1979 space horror Alien, bringing on artists and writer Jon Spaihts half a decade to go to develop a story. But it all finally came together when LOST vet Damon Lindelof came on board to polish the screenplay into Prometheus — a sci-fi in the vein of Alien that stands alone with heady, big picture concepts and terrifying creature mayhem. Touting that combination, it was a no-brainer that Fox would move ahead with the film and let the creative team run wild with their seed of a cinematic idea. But even with a pedigree comprised of Hollywood's upper echelon — a standard continued to be set by the top-notch cast of Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, and Noomi Rapace — Prometheus is still a risk for the studio. Committing to the hard R-rating the material desperately calls for, Fox boldly steps out this weekend into an arena where few have found blockbuster-sized success. The R rating presents a formidable challenge for a movie, limiting their audience to the 18 and up crowd, a majority who are not the target demographic when it comes to theatrical experiences — especially during the summer. A few days ago, The Avengers became the third highest-grossing movie of all time, thanks to its transcendent ability to become a four-quadrant movie. The kids who frequent the air-conditioned safehavens of movie theaters during the summer trekked out for repeat viewings of the comic book action flick; adults who grew up with the comics finally had an event film; and those who couldn't care less about a group of caped crusaders punching aliens in the faces were dragged along by their excited friends. With an R rating, Prometheus already narrows the field of vision. Despite the restrictive nature of the MPAA's adult branding, R-rated movies can triumph at the box office. 2012 has seen two films branded with R cross the $100 million mark: the raunchy comedy 21 Jump Street and Denzel Washington's Safe House. 2011 even saw an R-rated movie blow past $200 million, with The Hangover Part II grossing $254.5 million in the states alone. The biggest hurdle for Prometheus may be its sci-fi roots — while R-rated comedies thrive, they naturally appeal to a broader audience and, in general, cost significantly less than a special effects-driven spectacle. The cost of producing Prometheus is anyone's guess, but it's safe to assume that as a summer movie, it has to make summer movie numbers — which, these days, is upwards of $200 million. Very few R-rated, sci-fi movies have been able to cross that event horizon, with 2003's Matrix Reloaded ($281 million) being the most recent. Only two other movies fit as apt comparisons: 1991's Terminator 2: Judgment Day ($204.8 million) and (a bit of a stretch) the 2007's comic book adaptation 300 ($210.6 million). Even franchise revivals that stir up nostalgia don't muster up much business. 2003's Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines bowed out at $150.4 million. The factor that could help Prometheus mission into the great box office unknown is the ship's captain: Ridley Scott. The auteur director has made a career out of R-rated films targeted directly at mature moviegoers. Scott has made five movies in his career that have made over $100 million, four of which were rated R: Gladiator ($187.7 million), Hannibal ($165.1 million), American Gangster ($130.2 million), and Black Hawk Down ($108.6 million). Back when the director was in the genre business, with entries like Alien, Blade Runner and Legend, movies weren't raking in the amounts of money they do today. His return to summer-friendly could provide Prometheus with the draw to overcome the R rating curse, making the film Scott's career best. Scott, Lindelof and the rest of the Prometheus crew had few bumps in making of their film. There were assumptions that Fox would take the safe road, trim down the movie's violence and secure a PG-13 rating suitable for the masses. Instead, they stuck with the unfiltered imagination of Scott and Co. Will the risk pay off? The movie has already made over $40 million worldwide before its descent into American box offices and that success could easily translate stateside. A mega-hit with an R-rating is a rarity, but as evidenced, it may be a void audiences are clamoring to have filled. Follow Matt Patches on Twitter @misterpatches More: Get Your Very Own Michael Fassbender Robot — VIDEO 'Prometheus': Noomi Rapace Might Creep You Out — VIDEO Charlize Theron and Michael Fassbender Gear Up in ‘Prometheus’ Pics [Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox] Prometheus & R-Rated Box Office Returns
-
Michael Fassbender scarred by Alien
June 06, 2012 7:15am ESTMichael Fassbender has never forgiven his parents for letting him watch Alien as a child, because the creepy movie left him "disturbed". The actor, who stars in Alien-inspired film Prometheus, was so frightened by the 1979 sci-fi horror movie he grew convinced his body could be infiltrated by extraterrestrial beings and his life would come to a gruesome end. He tells the Chicago Sun-Times, "My parents allowed me to see it for some reason, which was odd because they were very strict. For some reason, they had no problem with their child seeing creatures bursting out of the chests of human beings. "I'll never forget running home very disturbed. I'll never forget (actor) John Hurt laying on that table in space and this creature just bursting out of him. I thought, 'Whoa, what am I watching here? Could this happen to me?'"
-
'Prometheus' Sneak Peek: Mysterious Missions, Angry Aliens, & Reflective Robots — CLIPS
June 05, 2012 2:13pm ESTRidley Scott's Prometheus is on its way to theaters, bringing some of the visionary director's classic elements of sci-fi, horror, and human drama to the screen. The film stars the likes of Charlize Theron, Michael Fassbender, Idris Elba, Noomi Rapace, and Logan Marshall-Greene as the members of an interplanetary expedition to find out where the human race came from. Unearth hints at the movie's mysterious plot by exploring these clips (but make sure to watch out for facehuggers). Prometheus is in theaters on Friday, June 8. Theron plays Meredith Vickers, top dog in Prometheus. In the clip below, it seems as though the crew's mission might have been devised with some ulterior motives. When Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace), Charlie (Logan Marshall-Greene), and their trusty robot David (Michael Fassbender) head down into the mysterious caverns, things don't go quite as planned. In a conversation between man and robot, the question about where we all came from gets a little... heavy. As with most cinematic space missions, this one seems to take a turn for the worse. The much, much worse. Prometheus More: 'Prometheus': New Trailer Brings Up More Mysteries — VIDEO 'Prometheus': Noomi Rapace Might Creep You Out — VIDEO & POSTER 'Prometheus' TED Clip: Guy Pearce Proclaims "We Are the Gods Now"
-
The Best and Worst Moments of the 2012 MTV Movie Awards
June 04, 2012 12:17am ESTThe MTV Movie Awards this year showed us a lot of, well, stuff. It wasn't all bad, and it wasn't all good; but watching the awards show was an experience. Some people got awards, and a few of those awards were actually ones that they didn't make up on the spot. But we're here to bring you the best and worst moments from this year's big dance. In case you missed it, or didn't! Best Red Carpet Moment: Perks of Being a Wallflower Trailer Debut. The long-awaited film from the book with the same name is sure to be a hit among the MTV-and-older set. The book was nearly universally loved, so to see the trailer released (finally!) after years of waiting for the film is pretty exciting. Get More: Nina Dobrev, Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, 2012 Movie Awards, New Movies Worst Moment of Attempted Charlie Sheen Relevancy: Every reference that MTV made to the man. Seriously, that's enough. Best High-Fashion Blood-Splatter Dress: Mila Kunis Next: Pork pie hats and dog buttsBest Unsolicited Anger Moment: Mark Wahlberg, getting angry at the random, inaudible person in the audience. I hope he said hi to his mother for Mark. Worst Category: Onscreen Dirtbag. Because was that really the only name they could think of for this? Best Audition for a Buster Keaton bio-pic: Josh Hutcherson's hat Best Impression of an '80s-Era Aerosmith Microphone: Wiz Khalifa's microphone stand. Next: Elvira wigs and Johnny DeppWorst Intro to a Category: Best Kiss. Dog butthole jokes. America. COME ON. Best Dress: Kristen Stewart's. Homegirl's dress was FIRE, y'all. Best Middle-Aged Woman: Joe Perry and his Elvira wig. (Steven Tyler's bellbottoms are really jealous, so let's not talk about it too much.) Best Award Moment: gfjhfduibhfdiuhfsiugdfh. I mean, Johnny Depp. Sorry, I type his name and have a reaction. Every time. That Johnny Depp; man, what a career, eh? He's like, some super talented fella, apparently! The whole intro reel was just radical and reminds the world that Johnny Depp is still totally the man. And to follow up with Johnny performing with The Black Keys? Be still my heart. That was one of those old school-style MTV moments that reminds you of the networks' heyday. Get More: The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling featuring Johnny Depp (Live), Music, More Music Videos Next: Fassbender is FassBETTER!Worst Use of a Joel McHale: Joel McHale as Lester Boonshaft. If you have a Joel McHale, and you have an archer's uniform, why is there not more flitting about in tights and perhaps a remake of Robin Hood: Men in Tights? Best Michael Fassbender: Michael Fassbender. Just for being Fassbendery. Also I had no idea that Fassbender could get FassBETTER and then I saw him with a beard. And I won't make a d**k joke, I promise... even though I've seen Shame and know it is a glorious member of society. Best Award Acceptance: Elizabeth Banks for Best Transformation, featuring the boys from Magic Mike. It was stiff competition, but Joe Manganiello's shaft dance was truly a revelation. Get More: MTV Shows Next: Dark Knights and Ginger LadiesBest Earnest Moment: Emma Stone. Golly gosh, girl. Not only are you sassy, adorable, hilarious, and a fellow ginger, but you also name-dropped another one of my Head Queen Goddess Boss Ladies, Gilda Radner. I think it's safe to say you deserve the honor of being a fellow Head Queen Goddess Boss Lady (even though this Trailblazer Award seems a bit of an odd choice)... Welcome, girl! You're America's Girl Crush. Best Exclusive: The Dark Knight Rises. I JUST WANT TO SEE THE S**T OUT OF THIS MOVIE, YOU GUYS. And oh, hi, hello to you, too, attractive human specimen Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Get More: 2012 Movie Awards, New Movies So that was the 2012 MTV Movie Awards. Are we a better or worse nation for it? Only time will tell. Follow Alicia on Twitter @alicialutes [All images via MTV] More: 'Hunger Games' and 'Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn' Among MTV Movie Award Winners MTV Movie Awards Winners: Which Winners Were Actually Good? The MTV Movie Awards in the Year 2032
-
Channing Tatum's 'Magic Mike' Revealed — POSTER
May 31, 2012 7:23pm ESTThe world has spoken, so Channing Tatum has made a male stripper movie. Magic Mike, which has been getting plenty of buzz 'round The Internets, finally has a poster. It seems as though Tatum & Co. have lost their shirts! Oh no! Here, let me not help you with finding them. The movie, which is rumored to be quite funny, is certainly amping up the camp with this poster. It's like the Village People, but hilarious and yet somehow still sexy? Riddle me that, boys. Also, the tagline...can we have a moment? You have to have a sense of humor about yourself to make that line really...work it. And if you needed anymore convincing that this movie was totally worth it: Matt Bomer and Alex Pettyfer also take their shirts off. Here's hoping bar owner Dallas (Matthew McConaughy) has a glorious monologue about being a grizzled warrior of the dancing dude business--an exotic dancer with a heart of gold, perhaps? And since we know that this movie is totally getting greenlit for Magic Mike 2: The Naked Michael, we've decided to cast the new male stripper stereotypes for you (you're welcome, Hollywood). namely: - The Male Nurse Stripper, played by Jean Dujardin - The Nerdy Philosophy Student Stripper, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt - The Sommelier Stripper, played by Michael Fassbender - The Study Abroad Romance Stripper, played by Gael García Bernal - The Homeless Stripper, played by Shia LaBeouf - The Train Conductor Stripper, played by Gilles Marini - The Green Party Presidential Nominee Stripper, played by Ryan Gosling (I will use any excuse to put Ryan Gosling in a film.) We are but visual beings. The line for this film starts right here, behind me. Magic Mike is in theaters June 29th. Follow Alicia on Twitter @alicialutes More: 'Magic Mike': Channing Tatum & Alex Pettyfer Find Themselves, Lose Their Clothes — TRAILER Channing Tatum Stripping in 'Magic Mike': Sexy or Hilarious? — PICS Joe Manganiello on 'Magic Mike': 'Big Dudes in Thongs Dry Humping 200 Female Extras a Day'
-
Charlize Theron shocked by Michael Fassbender's Oscars snub
May 28, 2012 7:15am ESTCharlize Theron is astounded Michael Fassbender missed out on an Oscar nomination for his racy turn in Shame, insisting he's so talented she wants to "punch him". The actress was already a huge fan of the Irish star before they met on the set of new sci-fi epic Prometheus, thanks to his acclaimed turn as a sex addict in the hard-hitting movie last year (11). Fassbender was hotly-tipped to be one of the five men up for Best Actor at the Academy Awards in February (12), but failed to get enough votes to land the nod. He has admitted he was shocked by the snub, because he was geared up to be nominated by Hollywood insiders, and now Theron has slammed the Academy for failing to recognise Fassbender at the industry's biggest prizegiving. She tells Britain's You magazine, "My co-star Michael Fassbender is one of the funniest guys I've ever been around. I saw him in Shame, in which he plays a sex addict, and I didn't stop thinking about that film for weeks. "No disrespect to the people who were nominated for Oscars, but the fact he wasn't to me was utter bulls**t. I think he's incredible. He's so effortless that I want to punch him! It just seeps out of him."
