Crews with the Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz spy flick "Knight & Day," formerly known as "Wichita," are setting up shop outside of the Boston Public Library for a shoot slotted for Tuesday, Nov. 10. Production is scheduled to continue at the BPL until Wednesday, Nov. 11.
On Monday, Nov. 9, filmmakers orchestrated a roof-top stunt scene on top of the garage located at 100 Columbus Avenue near the Back Bay Orange Line T stop.
For those keeping track, the Boston Public Library located at 700 Boylston Street has been showcased in a slew of made-in-Boston film action, including an elaborate chase sequence for Diaz's other locally shot flick currently in theaters called "The Box."
In early October, Copley Square was transformed into a Hollywood-esque movie lot with the cast of the Adam Sandler-produced "Zookeeper," including Kevin James, Rosario Dawson and Leslie Bibb, filming scenes at the upscale Fairmont Copley Plaza. For the scene, designers lit up the Boston Public Library with dramatic lighting.
In April, MTV aired two made-in-Boston episodes of the Justin Timberlake-produced competition reality show "The Phone." In the episode called "The Russians," 22-year-old Brighton native Mitch hung out in a towel at a so-called Russian sauna, found the name of a piece of music at the Boston Public Library to use as a password for a Russian informant and helped his partner dodge green lasers to snag the show's top prize of $35,000.
Also, back in September 2007, the Boston Public Library was the scene of the crime in "The Pink Panther 2" starring Steve Martin as Inspector Jacques Clouseau. While filming at the BPL, there were reports that a priceless marble bust was knocked on the floor of the Grand Staircase. Fortunately, the damage wasn't caused by the movie crews.
Click here for the latest on all of the made-in-Boston film action.
“It’s been, really, so much fun. I love Boston. It’s fantastic. There’s so much brainpower, like, surging there."
--Cameron Diaz, promoting the made-in-Boston flick "The Box" on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon," insists that she's enjoyed the last two months filming the Tom Cruise spy film "Knight & Day" in the Hub.
"He’s a terrific director. You never know what you’re getting into with any director, but he’s been in this business for so long that he really know what he’s doing and he’s a great director. All of us enjoyed working with him so much.”
--Blake Lively, known as Serena van der Woodsen from "Gossip Girl" and filming scenes as tot-toting local in the blue-collar heist flick "The Town," says she's smitten with Ben Affleck's work directing and acting in the made-in-Boston movie.
"About 60 percent of stuff I've lived through or experienced, witnessed and the rest is just creative imagination for a good story."
--Johnny Hickey, the filmmaker behind the shot-in-Charlestown indie flick "Oxy-Morons," says his real-life misadventures dealing with OxyContin addiction inspired the locally shot cautionary tale.
"Boston Casting is seeking men with law enforcement experience, especially SWAT, to work as extras in the feature film Knight & Day (formerly Wichita) on Friday, November 13." --Scouts with "Knight & Day" are on the hunt for men and women who look good sporting a uniform available for a 30-minute wardrobe fitting on Monday, Nov. 9 and available to shoot scenes all day on Friday, Nov. 13. E-mail a recent photo, relevant experience and a primary phone number at wichitacasting@gmail.com.
Ben Affleck's blue-collar heist flick "The Town" is slotted to film all day Friday, Nov. 6 at the old-school watering hole known as "Old Sully's" located at on Union Street near the Community College Station Orange Line T stop, according to a Loaded Gun Boston tipster.
Known for its wood-paneled backroom, the nondescript pub is a colorful haunt from Charlestown's past with roots going back to the speakeasy days of Prohibition. Crews are slotted to film inside as well as two exterior shots at night.
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, crews filmed some strip club scenes at Centerfolds/The Glass Slipper located at 22 LaGrange Street.
Affleck, playing Boston's most wanted bank robber, is both directing and starring in the film following a love triangle involving a crook, a bankteller and a FBI agent. The movie is an adaptation of the Charlestown-based heist novel "Prince of Thieves" by Chuck Hogan which was written for the big screen by Peter Craig and Affleck.
"The Town" also stars Jon Hamm, known as Don Draper from "Mad Men," as a FBI agent who becomes smitten with a female bank employee, played by "Frost/Nixon" and "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" actress Rebecca Hall.
Blake Lively, known as Serena van der Woodsen from "Gossip Girl," is playing Affleck's troubled ex-girlfriend. Jeremy Renner, winning over critics with his role in "The Hurt Locker," stars as Lively's brother and Affleck's partner in crime.
Click here for the latest on Ben Affleck's "The Town."
Tom Cruise, after spending the weekend dressed as a scarecrow while trick or treating with wife Katie Holmes who sported a dalmation outfit and daughter Suri who sparkled as a blue princess in Beacon Hill's Louisburg Square, was back to work Monday, Nov. 2 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on set of the made-in-Boston spy flick "Knight & Day."
Crews filmed a scene involving a MBTA bus in the Seaport District's Northern Ave. between Atlantic and D Street.
Meanwhile, a Loaded Gun Boston tipsters says "Knight & Day" crews are setting up shop in the Maverick Square section of East Boston near Sumner and New streets here. Production is slotted to continue in the LoPresti Park area, inside of the Boston Towing & Transportation warehouse located at 36 New St., until Thursday, Nov. 5.
On Monday, Nov. 9, crews are setting up to film on Columbus Avenue near the Back Bay Orange Line T stop filming Nov. 9. Base camp is set up on the corner of Columbus and Berkeley while holding is the area near Stix Lounge & Restaurant located at 35 Stanhope St.
In "Knight & Day," Cruise and Cameron Diaz have a glamorous and sometimes deadly adventure, where nothing and no one--even the now fugitive couple--are what they seem.
Amid shifting alliances and unexpected betrayals, they race across the globe, with their survival ultimately hinging on the battle of truth versus trust. "Knight & Day" is slotted to hit theaters on July 2, 2010.
Co-stars include Peter Sarsgaard (“An Education”) as a federal agent relentlessly pursuing the couple; Viola Davis (“Doubt”) as a CIA director trying to decipher the true purpose of their high-wire activities; Paul Dano (“There Will Be Blood”) as an eccentric genius behind a revolutionary technology; and Olivier Martinez (“Unfaithful”) as a ruthless arms manufacturer. Also co-starring are Maggie Grace (“Taken”) and Marc Blucas (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”).
Punctuating a year chock full of locally shot movies, the sci-fi flick "The Box," starring Cameron Diaz and James Marsden, hits theaters on Friday, Nov. 6.
And this is just the beginning ... there are a slew of flicks slotted for release in 2010. Can't keep up with all of the made-in-Massachusetts film action? Don't fret.
Here's a comprehensive list in chronological order:
*Bride Wars, released Friday, Jan. 9 Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson play best friends who are pitted against each other when their wedding dates clash.
*Paul Blart: Mall Cop, released Friday, Jan. 16 Kevin James stars as Paul Blart in "Mall Cop," a comedy about a security guard trying to stop a group of organized crooks who take over a mall. While set at the fictional West Orange Pavilion Mall in New Jersey, a majority of the film was shot at the mall in nearby Burlington.
*Pink Panther 2, release Friday, Feb. 6 Martin's Jacques Clouseau teams up with a squad of bumbling International detectives in an attempt to stop a globe-trotting thief who specializes in stealing historical artifacts.
*The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, release Friday, May 1 A bachelor played by Matthew McConaughey is haunted by the ghosts of his past girlfriends (including Ben Affleck's wife Jennifer Garner) at his younger brother's wedding.
*The Proposal, released Friday, June 12 Shot in the Bay State but set in NYC and Alaska? Diva boss Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) forces her assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds) to marry her in order to keep from losing her visa status in NYC and avoid deportation to Canada. The Rockport-shot scenes act as a stand-in for ... get this ... Sitka, Alaska.
*The Surrogates, released Friday, Sept. 25 The film, set in Boston in the near future where humans interact with one another through surrogate robots, stars Bruce Willis as a cop who tracks down murderers.
*The Invention of Lying, released Friday, Sept. 25 Formerly titled "This Side of Truth," the Ricky Gervais comedy shot in Lowell and starring Jennifer Garner is set in a world where no one has ever lied, until a writer seizes the opportunity for personal gain.
*The Maiden Heist, released on DVD on Tuesday, Oct. 27 Starring Morgan Freeman, Christopher Walken and William H. Macy, this made-in-Boston flick is a comedy of errors following three museum security guards and their attempt to steal artwork after it's been transferred to another museum.
*The Box, release Friday, Nov. 6 Based on the short story by Richard Matheson, "The Box" stars Cameron Diaz as Norma Lewis and James Marsden as Arthur Lewis, a suburban couple with a young child who receive a simple wooden box as a gift, which bears fatal and irrevocable consequences. "The Box" is directed by "Donnie Darko" filmmaker Richard Kelly.
*Edge of Darkness, release Friday, Jan. 29, 2010 Mel Gibson stars as a homicide detective for the Boston Police Dept. who digs up the many secrets surrounding the death of his activist daughter. "Edge of Darkness" was shot in Boston from Monday, Aug. 18 until Saturday, Nov. 22.
*Shutter Island, release Friday, Feb. 19, 2010 Two U.S. marshals (played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo) investigate the disappearance of a patient from a hospital for the criminally insane on an island near Boston. Based on Dennis Lehane's novel "Shutter Island."
*Furry Vengeance, release Friday, April 2, 2010 Starring Brendan Fraser, Brooke Shields, Dick Van Dyke and "The Hangover’s" Ken Jeong"Furry Vengeance," follows a real estate developer played by Fraser who faces an unlikely group of protesters: a crew of local woodland creatures who don't want their homes disturbed.
*Grown Ups, release Friday, June 25, 2010 Set in Connecticut during a Fourth of July weekend, "Grown Ups" is a comedy about five high school friends who reunite with their families during the summer at a lake house after 30 years apart and stars Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider, David Spade, Salma Hayek, Maria Bello and Maya Rudolph.
*Knight & Day, release Friday, July 2, 2010 The currently in production "Knight & Day," formerly known as "Wichita," follows Tom Cruise as a secret agent who pops in and out of the life of a single woman played by Cameron Diaz. The two race across the globe while Peter Sarsgaard's federal agent character pursues the fugitive couple.
*The Town, release Friday, Sept. 10, 2010 An adaptation of the blue-collar heist novel "Prince of Thieves" by Chuck Hogan, "The Town" stars Jon Hamm as a FBI agent who becomes smitten with a female bank employee, played by "Frost/Nixon" and "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" actress Rebecca Hall. Ben Affleck, playing Boston's most wanted bank robber, is both directing and starring in the film following a bizarre love triangle involving a crook, a bankteller and a FBI agent. Blake Lively, Jeremy Renner, Titus Welliver and Slaine also star.
*Zookeeper, release Friday, Oct. 8, 2010 The Adam Sandler-produced "Zookeeper" follows Kevin James as a zoo caretaker who consults with the animals in an attempt to learn their methods of dating and mating to help him win back the woman of his dreams. Rosario Dawson has been cast as Kate, the smart zoo veterinarian who works alongside James' character Griffin. Leslie Bibb plays Stephanie, the ex who broke Griffin's heart.
*The Company Men, release 2010 Starring Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones, Chris Cooper and Kevin Costner, "The Company Men" follows a year in the life of three men trying to survive a round of corporate downsizing. Affleck plays a corporate bigwig whose six-figure salary is suddenly cut after he gets a pink slip.
*Valediction, release 2010 When a car accident leaves a father fighting for his daughter’s life, his journey for the pieces of the puzzle that will save her lead him to discover it's actually his life that he is fighting for. In the film, Eliza Dushku plays Ben Barnes' lover.
*Girlfriend, release 2010 In “Girlfriend,” Jackson Rathbone is thrust into a bizarre love triangle with a small town single mom (played by Shannon Woodward from “The Riches”) and newcomer Evan Sneider. The drama centers around Sneider’s protagonist, a young man with Down’s Syndrome, who romantically pursues Woodward’s character Candy.
*The Social Network, release 2010 Partially shot in Boston and starring Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake and Andrew Garfield, "The Social Network" follows founder Mark Zuckerberg (Eisenberg) getting dumped at a Boston-area bar and ends with him adding his former girlfriend to his friend list on his multibillion-dollar social networking site. The story is based on Mezrich's latest book, "The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook. A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal."
*The Fighter, release 2011 Primarily shot in Lowell, "The Fighter" tells the story of Boston fighter "Irish" Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg) and how he was helped to the world lightweight championship by half-brother Eklund (Christian Bale). Amy Adams is Charlene, a gritty bartender from Massachusetts who ends up dating Wahlberg's character.
Click here for the latest on all of the made-in-Boston film action.
When indie film mainstay Jesse Eisenberg takes a break from dodging the undead in "Zombieland" or filming the partially made-in-Boston flick "The Social Network," he takes a stand for displaced animals.
The 26-year-old actor, currently filming an overnight scene at the Chevalier Theater located at 30 Forest St. in Medford, agreed to go on camera and urge folks to adopt abandoned and abused animals for a purr-worthy public service announcement (PSA) for the Washington Animal Rescue League.
Eisenberg, a foster parent to cats of his own, posed with a gray and white stray at the InterContintental Boston located at 510 Atlantic Ave. while taking a break from filming the Boston-set scenes for "The Social Network." Insiders at the shoot say Eisenberg was gracious and accommodating on set.
As previously reported in Loaded Gun Boston, Eisenberg is wrapping in Massachusetts this weekend and slotted to shoot two scenes at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland beginning Monday, Nov. 2 and Tuesday, Nov. 3 between 6-10 p.m. Filming is slotted to continue in the wee hours after 10 p.m. in the academic areas around the Keyser and Wyman quadrangles.
In "The Social Network," Eisenberg stars as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
The script follows founder Zuckerberg getting dumped at a Boston-area bar (shot at the Thirsty Scholar Pub in Somerville) and ends with him adding his former girlfriend to his friend list on his multibillion-dollar social networking site. The story is based on Mezrich's latest book, "The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook. A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal."
The film has been shooting in Boston since Monday, Oct. 19 and will move in November to Los Angeles, where it's scheduled to wrap in February.
Click here for the latest on "The Social Network."
The made-in-Boston movie madness continues with three films shooting in Medford, Charlestown, Melrose and the Fenway Park area throughout the Halloween weekend.
Crews with "The Social Network," the partially made-in-Boston flick based on local author Ben Mezrich's tell-all book about the founding of Facebook in a Harvard dorm, will film a late-night scene kicking off at 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29 at the Chevalier Theater located at 30 Forest St. in Medford.
When filming ends around 7 a.m. Friday, Oct. 30, crews with "The Social Network" plan to wrap in Boston and head to the Homewood campus of Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland. They'll set up on Sunday, Nov. 1 and shoot two scenes on campus beginning Monday, Nov. 2 and Tuesday, Nov. 3 between 6-10 p.m.
Meanwhile, the Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz spy flick "Knight & Day," formerly known as "Wichita," will close down the Fellsway in Melrose from Washington Street to East Border Road On Friday, Oct. 30 beginning at 6 p.m. until 7 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 31 featuring Diaz's stunt double. Meanwhile, the actress is rumored to be filming in Westwood on Thursday, Oct. 29.
Ben Affleck's "The Town" has wrapped in the North End and is filming scenes in Charlestown on the corner of Monument Square and Tremont Street next to the Bunker Hill Monument for the rest of the week. Word is that crews plan to return on Monday, Nov. 2 to Howard Johnson Boston located at 1271 Boylston St. where set designers transformed the Fenway Park hotel into the fictional Van Ness Motor Inn.
On Tuesday, Nov. 3 and Wednesday, Nov. 4, the blue-collar heist film "The Town" will return to Melrose where crews plan to film at a former MASSBank branch located at 476 Main St. and W. Foster Street.
Click here for the latest on all of the made-in-Boston film action.
Crews with "The Social Network," the partially made-in-Boston flick based on local author Ben Mezrich's tell-all book about the founding of Facebook in a Harvard dorm, plan to film some of the Harvard-based dorm scenes at, get this, the Homewood campus of Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland.
According to a memo sent out by university administrators, filmmakers with "The Social Network" plan to shoot two scenes on campus beginning Monday, Nov. 2 and Tuesday, Nov. 3 between 6-10 p.m. Filming is slotted to continue in the wee hours after 10 p.m. in the academic areas around the Keyser and Wyman quadrangles.
On Thursday, Oct. 29, crews will film a late-night scene kicking off at 3 p.m. in Medford. Casting scouts are on the hunt for college student types between 18 and 23-years-old for the overnight shoot. Click here for details.
Last week in Boston, crews transformed the upscale South End gift shop Posh, located 557 Tremont Street, into a Harvard-esque bookstore called the "Crimson Emporium." The storefront boasts "clothing & collectibles."
They also set up shop at Wheelock College, located at 200 Riverway, as a stand-in for a certain Ivy League hot spot in Cambridge. Crews spent the afternoon of Monday, Oct. 19 covering the college stand-in with fake snow. Director David Fincher also shot some on-campus scenes at Boston University.
In the film, Justin Timberlake will play Sean Parker, the Napster co-founder who became the founding president of Facebook while Jesse Eisenberg stars as Mark Zuckerberg. Andrew Garfield stars as Eduardo Saverin, a former founder who had a fallout with Zuckerberg
The script follows founder Zuckerberg getting dumped at a Boston-area bar (shot at the Thirsty Scholar Pub in Somerville) and ends with him adding his former girlfriend to his friend list on his multibillion-dollar social networking site. The story is based on Mezrich's latest book, "The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook. A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal."
The film has been shooting in Boston since Monday, Oct. 19 and will move in November to Los Angeles, where it's scheduled to wrap in February. For the record, Timberlake's character isn't featured in the Boston-set scenes and is scheduled to start filming when crews move to Los Angeles.
Click here for the latest on "The Social Network."
"We're going into pre-production of 'Code of Silence' in December, shooting in January."
--Mike O'Dea, who unveiled his short film "Townies" at the New York International Film and Video Festival last Friday, tells Loaded Gun Boston that his on-and-off again flick "Code of Silence" will begin filming in early 2010.
“He is an ‘extremely generous’ director. He knows what he wants and has good instincts. He helps you along.”
--Titus Welliver, known for his role as the mustached "Uncle Lionel" in the made-in-Boston flick "Gone Baby Gone" and actor in the currently in production "The Town," gushes over Ben Affleck's ability as a director.
“There are drinking competitions associated with the film, there are thousands of fans with tattoos. You just cannot buy that kind of fandom.”
--Writer-director Troy Duffy, promoting the Friday, Oct. 30 release of the set-in-Boston flick "The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day," admits that the original "Boondock Saints" still has cult credibility.
"Jay Lavender ("The Break-Up") is attached to adapt Rick Reilly's tale of a group of golfing buddies at a run-down Boston course. The group discovers they've been playing next to an elite club and holds a competition over who will be first to play a round."
--Variety reports that Steve Carell from "The Office" is tee-ing up to produce the set-in-Boston comedy "Missing Links" following a crew of golfing buddies.
The “Twilight" madness continues on Thursday, Nov. 12 where die-hard fans can participate in "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" event at the Natick Collection's Hot Topic and Nordstrom located at 1245 Worcester St.
Similar to the scream fest last year in Saugus with Robert Pattinson, fans who acquire VIP credentials on Saturday, Oct. 31 will be granted access to the meet and greet with select cast members. The Natick mall event will feature performances from artists from the film's soundtrack.
Also, "New Moon" cast members Ashley Greene and Kellan Lutz will be making an appearance at Nordstrom Natick Collection.
Below is the handful of malls tapped to participate including:
11/06/09 - Los Angeles CA - Hollywood & Highland Center
11/08/09 - Denver, CO - Park Meadows
11/09/09 - Washington, DC - Fair Oaks Mall
11/09/09 - San Francisco, CA - Stonestown Center
11/10/09 - Chicago, IL - TBD
11/10/09 - Philadelphia area - Cherry Hill Mall
11/10/09 - Houston, TX - Houston Galleria
11/11/09 - Miami, FL - Dadeland Mall
11/11/09 - Minneapolis, MN - Mall of America
11/12/09 - Atlanta, GA - Mall of Georgia
11/12/09 - Boston, MA - Natick Collection
11/12/09 - Seattle, WA - Westfield Southcenter
11/13/09 - Phoenix, AZ - Scottsdale Fashion Square
11/14/09 - Salt Lake City, UT - Fashion Place
In the "New Moon" film slotted to hit theaters on Nov. 20, the romance between mortal and vampire soars to a new level as Bella Swan (Stewart) delves deeper into the mysteries of the supernatural world she yearns to become part of—only to find herself in greater peril than ever before.
Following Edward Cullen’s (Pattinson) departure from Forks, Washington , Bella discovers his image comes to her whenever she puts herself in jeopardy. In time Bella’s frozen heart is gradually thawed by her budding relationship with Jacob Black (Lautner) who has a supernatural secret of his own.
Cameron Diaz and her on-screen sister played by Maggie Grace, known for her work as the poor little rich girl Shannon Rutherford on ABC's "Lost" series, filmed a wedding reception scene for the spy-comedy "Knight & Day" inside of of the Jacob Wirth Restaurant located at 31 Stuart St. in Boston's Theatre District on Thursday, Oct. 23.
Yes, it's the yellow bridesmaid dress that keeps on giving.
A pack of coiffed bridesmaid extras donned the same yellow dress we've seen Diaz wear over the past few weeks.
In the film, Diaz will reportedly stand-in for their late father and walk Grace's character down the aisle.
"Knight & Day" follows Cruise as a secret agent who pops in and out of the life of a single woman played by Diaz. The two race across the globe while Peter Sarsgaard's federal agent character pursues the fugitive couple.
Principal filming for the made-in-Boston spy flick "Knight & Day" kicked off on Tuesday, Sept. 15 at the Worcester Regional Airport.
Paul Dano, known as the brooding brother in "Little Miss Sunshine" and star of Spike Jonze's upcoming "Where the Wild Things Are," is set to play an "eccentric genius behind a revolutionary technology" in the flick.
On Friday Oct. 23, crews with "Knight & Day" will return to South Boston's Massport Haul Road from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. On Sunday, Oct. 25, they're shutting down Rutherford Ave. again from Sullivan Square to Austin Street from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.
On Friday, Oct. 30 beginning at 6 p.m. until 7 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, the Fellsway in Melrose will be closed for filming from Washington Street to East Border Road.
Crews with the Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz spy-comedy "Knight & Day," formerly known as "Wichita," set up shop outside of the Jacob Wirth Restaurant located at 31 Stuart St. in Boston's Theatre District.
Based on the production signs outside of the restaurant, filming is slotted to kick off in the late hours of Wednesday, Oct. 21 and continue until Thursday, Oct. 22.
A Boston favorite since 1868, Jacob Wirth is an authentic German restaurant and beer hall that attracts a cross-section of regulars and theater-going tourists. During filming, the old-school haunt is closed.
The scene centers around a wedding reception for Diaz's on-screen sister played by Maggie Grace, known for her work as the poor little rich girl Shannon Rutherford on ABC's "Lost" series. In the film, Diaz will stand-in for their late father and walk Grace's character down the aisle.
In "Knight & Day," Cruise and Diaz have a glamorous and sometimes deadly adventure, where nothing and no one--even the now fugitive couple--are what they seem.
Amid shifting alliances and unexpected betrayals, they race across the globe, with their survival ultimately hinging on the battle of truth versus trust. "Knight & Day" is slotted to hit theaters on July 2, 2010.
Co-stars include Peter Sarsgaard (“An Education”) as a federal agent relentlessly pursuing the couple; Viola Davis (“Doubt”) as a CIA director trying to decipher the true purpose of their high-wire activities; Paul Dano (“There Will Be Blood”) as an eccentric genius behind a revolutionary technology; and Olivier Martinez (“Unfaithful”) as a ruthless arms manufacturer. Co-starring are Maggie Grace (“Taken”) and Marc Blucas (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”).
The last place fans will find up-and-coming “Twilight” actor and 100 Monkeys musician Jackson Rathbone?
“I don’t go to malls,” he jokes, taking a break from filming the indie flick “Girlfriend” outside of the State Road Auto Body’s garage in Wayland. “You won’t see me in a tabloid magazine outside of a club unless my band just played there. I keep myself busy. I consider myself an artist and not just an actor,” he says, punctuating each sentence with a thick Texas accent.
Rathbone, known as vamp brother Jasper Hale in the “Twilight” series, is playing a volatile auto mechanic Russ in the made-in-Wayland flick. He’s wearing gray coveralls and is covered from head to toe with grease. Behind him is a picturesque autumn setting with leaves changing colors juxtaposed with the harsh metal garage set. The actor graciously signs autographs and poses for photos for the handful of locals checking out the set.
The 24-year-old comments that he’s been filming around the clock in Wayland since flying in from Vancouver where he’s shooting a beefier role in the third edition of the Stephenie Meyer franchise called "Eclipse." So far, Rathbone says he’s blown away by the New England aesthetic ... and the kindness of the locals.
“I’ve never filmed in Massachusetts,” he says, signing an autograph for a mechanic wearing a “bodies are our business” T-shirt. “It’s been wonderful filming in Wayland and Natick and in the outskirts because everyone has been so kind to us. I mean, they shut down their auto body shop on a weekday for us. They could be working and they’ve opened their garage for us.”
In “Girlfriend,” Rathbone is thrust into a bizarre love triangle with a small town single mom (played by Shannon Woodward from “The Riches”) and newcomer Evan Sneider. The drama centers around Sneider’s protagonist, a young man with Down’s Syndrome, who romantically pursues Woodward’s character Candy. So far, the actor says the on-screen chemistry has been magic.
“Every time we go back to watch dailies, we’re all silent,” he says. “If you’re watching playbacks in a room full of producers and they’re all silent, you know something is going right.”
Rathbone, smoking a cigarette and exuding a Johnny Depp-esque swagger when the camera rolls, jokes with the locals who step up to shake his hand. “Be careful,” he muses, wiping his palms on his grease-monkey getup. “You don’t know where this hand has been.”
For the record, the scene is a sexually explosive interaction with Woodward’s character in the State Road Auto Body office. His hand, by the way, was all over Candy for most of the shoot.
Rathbone says he’s been able to go there as an actor because of the “laid-back, casual atmosphere” on set. “The thing with indie film is that you have so much freedom,” he says. “And at the same time, you have to accomplish things either quicker or more creatively because of the budget.”
The rising star continues, “As an actor, I believe in putting yourself out there. I try not to hold my cards too close to my chest. It’s also about being honest. The job of an actor is to stand where they tell you stand, wear what they want you to wear, but you always have to be honest.”
When he isn't in front of the camera, Rathbone tours with his acting-singing buddies Ben Graupner and "Girlfriend" producer Jerad Anderson from 100 Monkeys.
“I’ve been lucky and blessed to be able to make a living since I was 19- or 20-years-old as an actor. My dad always said you’ve got to have a vocation and an avocation," he muses. "For awhile, I thought music was my avocation. But, it’s become my vocation as well. My avocation these days is taking a pretty girl to dinner.”
COMING SOON: Interview with "Girlfriend" filmmakers Justin Lerner, Jerad Anderson and Shaun O'Banion. --Photo courtesy Wayne/Lauren Film Company
Set designers with "The Social Network," the partially made-in-Boston flick based on local author Ben Mezrich's tell-all book about the founding of Facebook in a Harvard dorm, set up shop at Wheelock College, located at 200 Riverway, as a stand-in for a certain Ivy League hot spot in Cambridge.
Crews spent the afternoon of Monday, Oct. 19 covering the college stand-in with fake snow.
Meanwhile, crews transformed the upscale South End gift shop Posh, located 557 Tremont Street, into a Harvard-esque bookstore called the "Crimson Emporium." The storefront boasts "clothing & collectibles." Filming at Posh on Tremont is scheduled for the afternoon of Wednesday, Oct. 21 and Thursday, Oct. 22. Also on Tuesday, Oct. 20, director David Fincher shot some on-campus scenes at Boston University.
And on Wednesday, Oct. 21 and Thursday, Oct. 22, filmmakers plan to get a little closer to Cambridge when crews take over the Thirsty Scholar Pub located at 70 Beacon St. in Somerville.
Justin Timberlake will play Sean Parker, the Napster co-founder who became the founding president of Facebook while Jesse Eisenberg has been cast as Mark Zuckerberg. Andrew Garfield stars as Eduardo Saverin, a former founder who had a fallout with Zuckerberg.
As previously reported in Loaded Gun Boston, crews are actively looking for locations in Cambridge and Boston armed with a script crafted by Aaron Sorkin, the writer for such flicks as "Charlie Wilson's War" and "A Few Good Men." While several scenes will be shot in Cambridge, a part of the movie may be filmed in California.
Kevin Spacey, who in 2007 filmed the made-in-Boston flick "21" which was also inspired by one of Mezrich's non-fiction works called "Bringing Down The House," is producing alongside Scott Rudin and Dana Brunetti.
David Fincher, known for highly stylized work with films like "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and "Fight Club," is in advanced negotiations to direct.
The script follows founder Zuckerberg getting dumped at a Boston-area bar and ends with him adding his former girlfriend to his friend list on his multibillion-dollar social networking site. The story is based on Mezrich's latest book, "The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook. A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal."--Copyrighted photo by Ryan Miner, Beantown Photo and candid courtesy Drew Denerstein
"There are so many chances in the world, but everything is connected. There is nothing in existence that doesn't connect us to any experience and any person at any given time anywhere in the world."
--Cameron Diaz, currently in Boston filming the spy-comedy "Knight & Day" with Tom Cruise, chats about her other locally shot flick "The Box."
"I've been doing research about the film. I'm starting to creep on a little bit more see what it's all about."
--Justin Timberlake, slotted to play Napster co-founder Sean Parker in the partially made-in-Boston flick "The Social Network," dishes on his upcoming role. Filming of the so-called Facebook movie is scheduled to kick off this week in Harvard Square and at the Thirsty Scholar Pub located at 70 Beacon St. in Somerville on Wednesday, Oct. 21 and Thursday, Oct. 22.
"It's a perfect segue for the kids who have outgrown 'Twilight' but want something romantic and scary. Our monster will be quite terrifying; she is sexually attractive and monstrous at the same time."
--Michel Shane, producer of the upcoming set-in-Boston flick "Cradlewood" with Ian Somerhalder and Emma Lung, says he opted to film the gothic fairy tale in Melbourne, Australia over the Hub because of their 42-percent tax incentive.
“This helps promote tourism in the commonwealth and that is the greater purpose."
--Richard Walsh, spokesperson for Massport, spills about the location fees paid to the Pike and Massport to cover the onslaught of road closings to allow for filming of Tom Cruise's "Knight & Day" and Ben Affleck's "The Town."
Crews with Tom Cruise's spy-comedy "Knight & Day," formerly known as "Wichita," continue to film an elaborate stunt in Charlestown involving a vehicle careening off of a bridge.
Commuters should expect a traffic snarl or two when shooting is expected to close several roads in Charlestown and South Boston this weekend.
As previously reported in Loaded Gun Boston, crews plan to shut down Rutherford Avenue from Sullivan Square to Austin Street during filming from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17.
Also, the sidewalks around the site will be closed off to all foot traffic. During preliminary filming between 3 a.m. until 6 a.m., one lane in each direction will remain open.
Production continues in South Boston beginning 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18 until 6 a.m. Monday, Oct. 19 at the Massport Haul Road between Pumphouse Rd. and the I-90 East on-ramp.
In "Knight & Day," Cruise and Diaz have a glamorous and sometimes deadly adventure, where nothing and no one--even the now fugitive couple--are what they seem.
Amid shifting alliances and unexpected betrayals, they race across the globe, with their survival ultimately hinging on the battle of truth versus trust.
Co-stars include Peter Sarsgaard (“An Education”) as a federal agent relentlessly pursuing the couple; Viola Davis (“Doubt”) as a CIA director trying to decipher the true purpose of their high-wire activities; Paul Dano (“There Will Be Blood”) as an eccentric genius behind a revolutionary technology; and Olivier Martinez (“Unfaithful”) as a ruthless arms manufacturer. Co-starring are Maggie Grace (“Taken”) and Marc Blucas (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”).
"Knight & Day" is slotted to hit theaters on July 2, 2010. Click here for the latest.
Producer Graham King's GK Film unleashed the first theatrical trailer for Mel Gibson's made-in-Boston thriller "Edge of Darkness."
The good news? The Hub is showcased in all of its gritty glory. Think more "The Departed" and less "Bride Wars."
The film, slotted for release on January 29, 2010, was directed by Martin Campbell from a script by "The Departed" scribe William Monahan.
Based on the dark 1985 BBC miniseries, "Edge of Darkness" is a thriller about a Boston cop who investigates the murder of his protester daughter who who was killed on the steps of his own home (a triple-decker located at 68 Bradfield in Roslindale).
"Edge of Darkness" was shot in Boston from Monday, Aug. 18 until Saturday, Nov. 22.
Locations include South Station, Foodie's in the South End, Cathedral of the Holy Cross, 315 Dartmouth Street, Gannon Municipal Golf Course in Lynn, Hampshire County Courthouse in Northampton, Mount Sugarloaf in South Deerfield as well as a sound stage in Chelsea.
James Mangold's currently-in-production, Boston-based flick formerly known as "Wichita," starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz, has undergone a name switcheroo. The new title? It's "Knight & Day," according to Variety.
"Knight & Day" follows Cruise as a secret agent who pops in and out of the life of a single woman played by Diaz.
Principal filming for the made-in-Boston spy flick "Knight & Day," starring Cruise, Diaz, Paul Dano, Maggie Grace and Marc Blucas, kicked off on Tuesday, Sept. 15 at the Worcester Regional Airport. Locations outside of Massachusetts include Spain, Austria and the tropics.
In addition to the filming on Rutherford Avenue in Charlestown on Saturday, Oct. 17, crews with Tom Cruise's spy-comedy flick "Knight & Day" set up shop for a night shoot scheduled for sometime this week near the Target located at 101 Commerce Way, with production set up at the end of Cabot Street, in Woburn.
Also, scenes that were postponed because of rain at Nissenbaum's Auto Parts located at 486 Columbia St. in Somerville are rescheduled for Thursday, Oct. 15 and Friday, Oct. 16.
Speaking of Cruise, word is that his wife Katie Holmes enrolled daughter Suri into Catholic pre-school, the Yawkey Center for Early Education and Care in Dorchester, for a three-month stint while Cruise films in Boston.
Crews with the Adam Sandler-produced flick "Zookeeper" set up shop outside of the Hynes Convention Center located at 900 Boylston St. for a fashion-show scene shot at the posh Prudential Center. Filming is slotted to continue into the wee hours of Tuesday, Oct. 13.
Large spotlights lit up the entire block across from the Boylston Street Fire Department building. "I was walking up Boylston toward the Fenway and was blinded for an entire block by the big spotlight in front of a 'Zookeeper' truck," spills one Loaded Gun Boston tipster.
A crew of "hip, young, fashion-forward" extras were getting prepped for the animal-themed fashion event and flocked to the set.
"Zookeeper" follows James as a zoo caretaker who consults with the animals in an attempt to learn their methods of dating and mating to help him win back Bibbs' character Stephanie.
Adam Sandler, Cher, Jon Favreau, Sylvester Stallone and Judd Apatow star as animal voices in the flick. The five are voicing animals at the zoo where keeper James longs for his ex played by Bibb. Sandler will be the voice of a capuchin monkey while Cher is slotted to be a giraffe. Favreau has been cast as a bear, Stallone as a lion and Apatow as an elephant.
Dorchester native Donnie Wahlberg, playing a zookeeper who detests the furry critters under his watch, Joe Rogan from "Fear Factor," James' off-screen wife Steffiana De La Cruz and comedian Nat Faxon also co-star.
"I actually got shot in the neck... Things sort of blow up when you shoot the fake stuff--a squib blew a piece of bondo (filler) off a car and into my neck. It kinda looks like a zit but it's a way better story."
--Jon Hamm, currently filming Ben Affleck's "The Town" in Boston, explains why he has a rather large bump on his neck during an appearance on "The Late Show with David Letterman" on Friday, Oct. 9.
"As young children often do, his daughter Suri has, according to Cruise, some comical responses. For example, she will sometimes throw down her hands and say 'Why is this person following me?' and has responded to encroachments on her privacy by raising a hand and declaring, 'Personal space!'"
--Jessica Corsi, a Harvard Law Record blogger, gives a blow-by-blow account of Tom Cruise, in town filming "Wichita," visiting Prof. Bruce Hay's entertainment law class at Harvard on Monday, Oct. 5.
“I saw Ben filming in Copley Square last week and I started to wonder. That’s the thing about geneology, you wonder if you can do it, then you start to play around with it."
--Rhonda McClure, a researcher at the New England Historic Genealogical Society, reveals that Cambridge homeboys Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are related ... 10th cousins once removed.
"It’s unexpected work that comes through your door. They know I can get it done for them and that’s why they keep coming to me. I didn’t have the material they wanted for the garage, so I contacted Steve and he got it. I get the job done and they keep coming back.”
--Michael Cohen, owner of Signs by J in Dorchester, says he's been busy transforming storefronts for a slew of locally shot movies including Affleck's "The Town" as well as Cruise's untitled "Wichita" project.
The sci-fi movie, set in “a world where you can be anyone, go anywhere, do anything," stars Bruce Willis as a cop who tracks down a group that destroys the robots in a way that kills their human operators as well.
During production last summer, yellow "VSI" signs were used as an acronym for Virtual Self Industries, or the name of the company that creates the film's synthetic stand-ins
Figured out the mystery flick? Simply register for Loaded Gun’s bi-weekly newsletter slotted to relaunch later this month. The sign-up widget is located on the right-side navigation. Once you type in your e-mail address, you’ll be prompted to enter the mystery made-in-Boston movie.
Loaded Gun, a Boston-based pop culture blog, will relaunch its bi-weekly newsletter on Friday, October 23. Sign up and register for a slew of Hollywood East-inspired prizes including DVDs of made-in-Boston films to giveaways like the Orient Watch to the right (model BNQ1X0037).
The Ladies Orient Watch giveaway officially ends Thursday, October 22 at 11:59 a.m.
Looking for the perfect gift for your boyfriend, spouse or father? Check out the Orient Diver Automatic (cfd0c001m). The water-resistant men's watch has a 40-hour power reserve, stainless-steel case and is water resistant.
One lucky winner will be announced in the revamped bi-weekly newsletter scheduled to relaunch on Friday, October 23.
In addition to the preliminary filming on Rutherford Avenue in Charlestown and chatter that the film is landing a chopper between 3-5 p.m. on the Zakim Bridge this Sunday, Oct. 11, crews with Tom Cruise's spy-comedy flick "Wichita" set up shop for a night shoot scheduled for sometime this week near the Target located at 101 Commerce Way, with production set up at the end of Cabot Street, in Woburn.
"There's a T bus and motorcycles being prepared on set with trailers, catering, makeup and wardrobe. Set construction appears to be a massive effort with five 18-wheelers parked along Cabot Street," spills a Loaded Gun Boston tipster.
"Several cameras are mounted in various positions inside the T bus. News vehicles with CNN and other logos, that will be part of the scene, are being positioned as well as motorcycles," the source continues.
Meanwhile, expect a traffic snarl or two on Sunday, Oct. 11 because crews with "Wichita" are scheduled to close down the Zakim Bridge between 3-5 p.m. The commute down I-93 as well as the Zakim Bridge is expected to be impacted. The scene is a precursor to an elaborate stunt involving an 18-wheeler flipping off the iconic bridge.
The untitled "Wichita" project follows Cruise as a secret agent who pops in and out of the life of a single woman played by Diaz.
Principal filming for the made-in-Boston spy flick "Wichita," starring Cruise, Diaz, Maggie Grace and Marc Blucas, kicked off on Tuesday, Sept. 15 at the Worcester Regional Airport.
Also, Paul Dano, known as the brooding brother in "Little Miss Sunshine" and star of Spike Jonze's upcoming "Where the Wild Things Are," is set to play a "charming but mysterious scientist" in the soon-to-be-renamed "Wichita" movie.
Apparently, Dano's character is thrust into the action when his invention becomes the focus of Cruise and Diaz's chase.
Click here for the latest on "Untitled Wichita Project."
On the hunt for an oh-so-clever Halloween costume? Don't fret.
Inspiration may literally be around the corner ... especially if you live in the North End where crews with Ben Affleck's "The Town" and other flicks like the indie "OxyMorons" and the Tom Cruise spy movie "Knight & Day" have taken over the streets.
Here are a few costume ideas--inspired by films currently in production and others already in theaters--pulled from the influx of made-in-Boston movie action:
"The Town": We've seen the Cambridge homeboy in a bevy of outfits while filming his Charlestown-based heist flick. How about a man in uniform? During his week-long shoot 'em up scene at Fenway Park, Affleck dressed up as a Boston Police officer and an EMS worker. Also, Jon Hamm from "Mad Men" whipped out a shotgun in character as a FBI agent on a mission.
There's one look, spotted in the scene currently being shot at the laundry-turned-bank set on Salem Street in the North End (pictured below), featuring a gun-toting nun on the run. A bank-robbing sister act? Now, that's scary.
"Shutter Island": Sure, the release date for Martin Scorsese's made-in-Massachusetts film, "Shutter Island," starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo, has been moved from October to Feb. 19, 2010. But DiCaprio's fedora-wearing protagonist is the perfect '50s-inspired gumshoe costume idea.
Seriously, what happened to patient 67? Grab a straitjacket and tease your hair for a look pulled directly from the Ashecliffe Hospital for the criminally insane.
"Bride Wars": Here comes the bride ... of Frankenstein? Give that tired old wedding dress new life with a costume inspired by the characters in the locally shot bridezilla flick.
"Surrogates": OK, the made-in-Boston sci-fi movie "Surrogates," starring Bruce Willis, may have been a box-office dud, but it should be easy to dress up as a synthetic sexpot. Time to whip out the aluminum foil.
"Paul Blart: Mall Cop": Who knew that the goofball antics of a misfit security guard and his cast of mall-rat pals would segue … or is it Segway … its way into slacker infamy? Security guard gear and a Segway. It's a no-brainer.
"Whip It": OK, first-time director Drew Barrymore didn't film her roller derby chick flick in Boston, but she did roll into town to promote it and, along with "Whip It" co-star Jimmy Fallon, she won us over in the pro-Red Sox flick "Fever Pitch." Also, Newton's Ari Graynor stars as Eva Destruction. Go for a tight green vest and pleated skirt, dust off those roller skates and, voila, you're a Hurl Scout.
"Zookeeper": Sport a khaki jacket with plenty of pockets, find a pith helmet, perch a stuffed animal on your shoulder and carry a PETA friendly dart gun, and you're Kevin James' character Griffin in the Adam Sandler-produced flick "Zookeeper."
Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz stop traffic Thursday, Oct. 8 filming a scene in the South Boston waterfront district for the made-in-Boston spy flick "Wichita."
Ronda Morra, a Loaded Gun Boston reader, captured all of the action here which included Cruise jumping from a moving car and Cameron Diaz in the back seat of a black sedan.
As previously reported, crews are hashing out an elaborate stunt involving a vehicle careening off of a bridge slotted to begin filming this weekend.
"They're doing a lot of construction in the center of Charlestown's Rutherford Avenue," says Rod T., a Loaded Gun Boston reader.
Filming is slotted for Saturday, Oct. 10 from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m, Sunday, Oct. 11 from 6 a.m to 1 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 17 from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
According to a memo sent to Charlestown-area residents, crews plan to shut down Rutherford Avenue from Sullivan Square to Austin Street during filming. Also, the sidewalks around the site will be closed off to all foot traffic.
The filming crew is slotted to set up a production area in back of Rutherford Avenue next to the fence along Spice Court.
The untitled "Wichita" project follows Cruise as a secret agent who pops in and out of the life of a single woman played by Diaz.
Principal filming for the made-in-Boston spy flick "Wichita," starring Cruise, Diaz, Paul Dano, Maggie Grace and Marc Blucas, kicked off on Tuesday, Sept. 15 at the Worcester Regional Airport.
Click here for the latest on "Untitled Wichita Project."--Photos courtesy of Ronda Morra
Set designers with Ben Affleck's "The Town" transformed New Spin Laundry located at 100 Salem St. in the North End into a convincing faux bank called First Boston Savings on Tuesday, Oct. 6.
Boston emcee Slaine (pictured), who made a bang as gun-runner Bubba Rogowski in Affleck's "Gone Baby Gone," was on set today for some shoot 'em up action which included an armored car parked in front of the bank stand-in.
"When it came to working with Ben again, this time as a Charlestown bank robber, I just couldn’t turn it down," Slaine says here.
Jeremy Renner, winning over critics with his role in "The Hurt Locker," was also on set and stars as Blake Lively's brother and Affleck's partner in crime. Click on the photo below to see Renner chatting with Affleck and preparing for a scene in the back of the armored car.
Meanwhile, production is slotted to return to New Spin Laundry on Wednesday, Oct. 7 but may be postponed because of the weather.
"I was on Salem Street tonight and a crew member dropped off a notice in the store I was in stating that filming would be postponed tomorrow due to inclement weather," informs Loaded Gun Boston reader Erin K.
From Wednesday, Oct. 21 to Friday, Oct. 23, crews are filming in Melrose at a former MASSBank branch located at 476 Main St. and W. Foster Street.
Also, crews return to the North End from Tuesday, Oct. 20 until Monday, Oct. 26. Here's the lowdown:
On Tuesday, Oct. 20, they're filming from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Commercial Street between Henchman and Hull streets and between Charter and Unity street from 3-6 p.m.
On Wednesday, Oct. 21, crews return to Pizzeria Regina from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
On Thursday, Oct. 22 and Friday, Oct. 23, they're taking over Foster Street at Commercial between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. crews return to Salem and Parmenter streets from 2-6 p.m.
On Monday, Oct. 26, they're filming at a North End location TBD.
Click here for the latest on Affleck's "The Town."--Copyrighted photos for Loaded Gun Boston by Ryan Miner, Beantown Photo
Remember the King Cobra parked outside of the Fairmont Copley on Friday, Oct. 2 during filming of the Adam Sandler-produced 'Zookeeper' flick starring Kevin James, Rosario Dawson, Leslie Bibb and Donnie Wahlberg?
A stand-in for the car slithered its way to Nissenbaum's Auto Parts located at 486 Columbia St. in Somerville on Monday, Oct. 5.
The auto's animal-themed license plate? Yes, it's the hissing onomatopoeia: "SSSSSSS."
For those not familiar with Nissenbaum's, it's famous for its car-smashing contraption known as "The Crusher." Also, the parts hotspot boasted the state's first approved incinerator which was built in 1964 and used until '67. Also, the lot was transformed into the fictional "Mike Scrap & Metal" in a previously aired episode of MTV's "The Phone."
Speaking of "Zookeeper," the Franklin Park Zoo is auctioning off three walk-on parts in the flick here. The scene, a fashion show sequence scheduled for the Boston area, is slotted to film beginning Monday, Oct. 12 until Wednesday, Oct. 14.
"Zookeeper" follows James as a zoo caretaker who consults with the animals in an attempt to learn their methods of dating and mating to help him win back the woman of his dreams. Rosario Dawson has been cast as Kate, the smart zoo veterinarian who works alongside James' character Griffin. Leslie Bibb plays Stephanie, the ex who broke Griffin's heart.
After rain delayed production of Ben Affleck's "The Town" starting on Commercial Street and heading across the Charlestown Bridge on Saturday, Oct. 3, crews moved in early on Sunday, Oct. 4 to orchestrate an elaborate cops-and-robbers chase scene involving stunt doubles wearing masks and nun outfits.
Armed with a helicopter filming aerial shots, unit No. 2 with Affleck's blue-collar heist flick shut down the entire Charlestown Bridge around 5 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 4. Production, which showcases the bridge in all of its glory, continued all day. The scene's climax involved a van catching on fire and ultimately blowing up.
As previously reported in Loaded Gun Boston, the bridge closing did cause a traffic snarl or two. One family, trying to make the trek to the North End for a family function, had issues reaching their final destination after finding out the bridge was closed early in the morning.
The chase scene topped some of the more sophisticated scenes from Boston's film past.
For example, the opening sequence of the Kevin Spacey flick "21" follows young prodigy Ben Campbell (played by Jim Sturgess) making the trek across the Mass. Ave. Bridge to Cambridge and features breathtaking scenes of the Charles and a birds-eye view of the MIT campus and the quintessential overhead shot of several rowing crews on the Cambridge side of the river. Helicopters filmed the bike scene which caused a traffic snarl after closing the entire Mass. Ave. Bridge on April 22, 2007.
Next week, crews with Tom Cruise's spy flick known as the untitled "Wichita" project plan to top the made-in-Boston action with an elaborate stunt involving a vehicle careening off of a bridge. The scene will shut down Rutherford Avenue from Sullivan Square to Austin Street for two Saturdays in a row.
Filming is slotted for Saturday, Oct. 10 from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m, Sunday, Oct. 11 from 6 a.m to 1 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 17 from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Also, "The Town" will make a return trip to the North End neighborhood this week. Here's the rundown:
Tuesday, Oct. 6 and Wednesday, Oct. 7 from 6 a.m.-8 p.m. at New Spin Laundry located at 100 Salem Street which will be transformed into a bank.
Wednesday, Oct. 7 from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. at Prince Street in front of Polcari Park.
Wednesday, Oct. 7 from 6 a.m.-8 p.m. at Snowhill, N. Hudson and Charter streets.
Thursday, Oct. 8 from 6 a.m.-8 p.m. at Margaret and Sheafe streets.
Thursday, Oct. 8and Friday, Oct. 9 from 6 a.m.-8 p.m. at Foster Street
Tuesday, Oct. 13 from 6 a.m.-8 p.m. at Salem, Prince, Hanover and Parmenter streets.
Tuesday, Oct. 13 from 6 a.m.-8 p.m. at Pizzeria Regina located at 11 1/2 Thacher Street.
Click here for the latest on Affleck's "The Town."
In the wee hours of Saturday, Oct. 3, Copley Square was transformed into a Hollywood-esque movie lot with the cast of the Adam Sandler-produced "Zookeeper," including Kevin James, Rosario Dawson and Leslie Bibb, filming scenes at the upscale Fairmont Copley Plaza on the corner of Dartmouth Street and St. James Avenue.
Earlier on Friday, Oct. 2, James, Dawson and Bibb filmed inside the posh Italian eatery Sorellina located at 1 Huntington Ave.
As previously reported in Loaded Gun Boston, designers orchestrated dramatic lighting in the area which lit up the Boston Public Library and Old South Church located at 645 Boylston Street.
A slew of trailers lined the streets surrounding the Boston Public Library including Exter, Boylston and Blagden street.
"Kevin James just left his trailer on a Segway en route to the set wearing a suit coat and blue Adidas track pants. Good look," tweets a Loaded Gun Boston reader.
"Zookeeper" follows James as a zoo caretaker who consults with the animals in an attempt to learn their methods of dating and mating to help him win back Bibbs' character Stephanie.
Adam Sandler, Cher, Jon Favreau, Sylvester Stallone and Judd Apatow star as animal voices in the flick. The five are voicing animals at the zoo where keeper James longs for his ex played by Bibb. Sandler will be the voice of a capuchin monkey while Cher is slotted to be a giraffe. Favreau has been cast as a bear, Stallone as a lion and Apatow as an elephant.
Dorchester native Donnie Wahlberg, playing a zookeeper who detests the furry critters under his watch, Joe Rogan from "Fear Factor," James' off-screen wife Steffiana De La Cruz and comedian Nat Faxon also co-star.
On Monday, Oct. 5 from 5 a.m. until 9 p.m., the 'Zookeeper' is filming at Nissenbaum's Auto Parts located at 486 Columbia St.
With a van blow-up scene involving fire slotted for Ben Affleck's "The Town" on Commercial Street across the Charlestown Bridge this weekend, crews with Tom Cruise's spy flick known as the untitled "Wichita" project plan to top the made-in-Boston action with an elaborate stunt involving a vehicle careening off of a bridge.
"They're doing a lot of construction in the center of Charlestown's Rutherford Avenue," says Rod T., a Loaded Gun Boston reader.
Filming is slotted for Saturday, Oct. 10 from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m, Sunday, Oct. 11 from 6 a.m to 1 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 17 from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
According to a memo sent to Charlestown-area residents, crews plan to shut down Rutherford Avenue from Sullivan Square to Austin Street during filming. Also, the sidewalks around the site will be closed off to all foot traffic.
The filming crew is slotted to set up a production area in back of Rutherford Avenue next to the fence along Spice Court.
The untitled "Wichita" project follows Cruise as a secret agent who pops in and out of the life of a single woman played by Diaz.
Principal filming for the made-in-Boston spy flick "Wichita," starring Cruise, Diaz, Paul Dano, Maggie Grace and Marc Blucas, kicked off on Tuesday, Sept. 15 at the Worcester Regional Airport.
This week, crews filmed scenes throughout South Boston including the Boston Fire Museum located at 344 Congress St. Beginning Saturday, Sept. 19, Cruise and Diaz filmed at the Parisian brasserie Gaslight located at 560 Harrison Ave. The untitled "Wichita" project follows Cruise as a secret agent who pops in and out of the life of a single woman played by Diaz.
Click here for the latest on "Untitled Wichita Project."--Photo by Ryan Miner, Beantown Photo and Rutherford Ave. shot by Rod T.
As soon as Ben Affleck wrapped a scene for "The Town" in front of the fountain near Trinity Church in Copley Square, crews with the Adam Sandler-produced flick "Zookeeper" set up shop on Friday, Oct. 2 inside the upscale Italian eatery Sorellina located at 1 Huntington Ave. and outside of the upscale Fairmont Copley Plaza.
Designers orchestrated dramatic lighting in the area which lit up the Boston Public Library and Old South Church located at 645 Boylston Street.
"Kevin James just left his trailer on a Segway en route to the set wearing a suit coat and blue Adidas track pants. Good look," tweets Loaded Gun Boston reader Matt Raymond.
James was joined on set by Rosario Dawson, playing the smart zoo veterinarian Kate, and Leslie Bibb, James' on-screen ex. In addition to his trademark Segway from "Paul Blart: Mall Cop," James was spotted near a souped up King Cobra (pictured below) in front of the Fairmont Copley Plaza. Production is slotted to continue until the wee hours of Saturday, Oct. 3.
On Thursday, Oct. 1, "Zookeeper"filmed scenes at 20 Taft St., a traditional triple-decker home in North Dorchester. On Monday, Sept. 28, James and co-star Bibb were riding a horse together on Crane Beach located in Ipswich on the North Shore.
"Zookeeper" follows James as a zoo caretaker who consults with the animals in an attempt to learn their methods of dating and mating to help him win back Bibbs' character Stephanie.
Sam Baltrusis is currently a freelance editor/writer based in Boston where he's an instructor for Mediabistro.com and contributes to various regional publications including Boston Spirit Magazine. Follow me on twitter.com/loadedgun.
Loaded Gun, a Boston-based pop culture blog, relaunched its bi-weekly newsletter called Loaded Gun Insider. Sign up here and register for a slew of Hollywood East-inspired prizes including DVDs of made-in-Boston films. Click here for the official rules. Want to advertise? Click here.
Crews with the Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz spy flick "Knight & Day," formerly known as "Wichita," are setting up shop outside of the Boston Public Library for a shoot slotted for Tuesday, Nov. 10. Production is scheduled to continue at the BPL until Wednesday, Nov. 11.
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