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Tag: Hercules

  • Kellan Lutz Has the Intellectual Muscles to Match His Ripped Physique

    Kellan Lutz, known for his ripped physique and action movies, has got way more going for him than just his enviable physical gifts. The actor is also ripped, if you will, intellectually.

    The 29-year-old Twilight alum studied chemical engineering at Chapman University before pursuing acting, but doesn’t care if people really only see him as a dumb jock.

    “I don’t mind — people can judge a book by its cover,” Lutz told the New York Post. “As long as you stay out of the paparazzi and the press and you’re more known for your work than your personal life, there’s still a bit of mystery there.”

    Lutz continues to improve his intellect. He is often found on set reading science books. He’s also working on some patents on some mysterious projects he has in the works.

    “It’s great to have my acting world and also work on some of my chemical compounds and mixtures,” he says. “I can’t really talk too much about it, but we’re almost there.”

    His physical attributes have certainly helped him line up some dream acting roles of late. He is starring in The Expendables 3 alongside Sylvester Stallone, who is trying to convince Lutz to chill a bit on the workouts so he doesn’t look like a wimp next to the muscular, young actor.

    “I was bigger because of Hercules and now that I was actually wearing clothes, Sly was like, ‘You don’t have to work out so much. Don’t worry about it!’ ” Lutz told The Post of his co-star’s joke.

    Lutz joins the star-studded cast, including Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Dolph Lundgren, as a young Navy SEAL who is learning the ropes. This time, the mercenary group goes up against a dangerous arms dealer, played by Mel Gibson.

    “A lot of the young guns, when we weren’t working, we just wanted to be on set to watch the ‘men’ work — the veterans, the legends,” he says.

    The Expendables 3 hits theaters on Friday.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Lucy Overpowers Hercules at Box Office

    “It’s a great result in every depressed marketplace … And I think it says that more female action stars are called for.”

    Although the 2014 summer box office numbers are down by one-fifth as compared to last year, Luc Besson’s French action film, Lucy, hit big at theaters this weekend.

    Lucy, starring Scarlett Johansson and Morgan Freeman, follows a 25-year old American woman studying in Taiwan who is tricked into carrying a packaged drug inside her abdomen. The drug, CPH4, a synthetic superdrug that can increase the user’s brain function capacity, is accidentally released in Lucy’s system when one of her captor’s kicks her in the stomach. After that, all hell breaks loose.

    Lucy is the latest in summer female-power films, overpowering its predecessors Maleficent and The Fault in Our Stars at $44 million. In fact, in the first weekend, females made up 50 percent of ticket buyers for the new film.

    Lucy is one of many recent films in which Johansson portrays an action hero, including Iron Man 2, The Avengers, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

    “The main reasons for coming to see the film were the story, and then Scarlett,” said Nikki Rocco, Universal’s president of domestic distribution. “She’s very diversified in what she does. Luc brought out the best of her in this movie.”

    The R-rated film received mixed reviews in the Twitter world.

    But, despite differing opinions and only receiving a C+ CinemaScore, Lucy beat Dwayne Johnson’s Hercules, which received a B+, in the first weekend.

    Dawn of the Planet of the Apes finished in third at $16.4 million for the weekend.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Dwayne Johnson Stars in New ‘Hercules’ Clip

    Dwayne Johnson Stars in New ‘Hercules’ Clip

    New scenes from the upcoming summer blockbuster film Hercules aired Wednesday night on MTV, featuring Dwayne Johnson in the title role.

    The Brett Ratner film sees Johnson as the Greek demigod Hercules who, having endured his legendary twelve labors, has his life tested when he is summoned by the King of Thrace and his daughter to aid in defeating a tyrannical warlord.

    Johnson is mostly known for his WWE career he began in 1996 with the name Rocky Maivia in a group popularly recognized as “The Nation of Domination.” He later took over the group, and changed his name to The Rock, for which he owns all rights.

    Johnson said in an interview with Comic Book Resources that he wanted to play the role of Hercules as soon as he came to Hollywood fourteen years ago.

    “I first asked about it when I came to Hollywood 14 years ago. I asked about Hercules and Walking Tall, but at that time I was actually shooting Scorpion King, so it was a little close,” Johnson said.

    “I’m happy I didn’t make it back then, because I couldn’t have brought I think the same weight and substance, just living as a man and having the experiences I’ve had today,” he continued.

    Johnson, whose film credits include Snitch and G.I. Joe: Retaliation, is currently filming Fast & Furious 7, reprising his role as Luke Hobbs.

    Co-starring along side Johnson in the film is a cast that includes Ian McShane, Joseph Fiennes, Rufus Sewell, and John Hurt.

    Hercules,  based on the Radical Studios graphic novel Hercules: The Thracian Wars, is scheduled to release in theaters July 25. 

    Image via YouTube

  • Dwayne Johnson In First “Hercules” Clip

    Dwayne Johnson stars in the upcoming Brett Ratner-directed Hercules, and a preview of the film was released this week.

    The movie focuses on the tale of what happened after the well-known tale of Hercules’ 12 labors. According to the synopsis:

    Haunted by a sin from his past, Hercules has become a mercenary. Along with five faithful companions, he travels ancient Greece selling his services for gold and using his legendary reputation to intimidate enemies. But when the benevolent ruler of Thrace and his daughter seek Hercules’ help to defeat a savage and terrifying warlord, Hercules finds that in order for good to triumph and justice to prevail… he must again become the hero he once was… he must embrace his own myth… he must be Hercules.

    Johnson rose to fame as a professional wrestler–known as The Rock–but has become a huge action star over the years, earning the title of Hercules after showing audiences what he could do in films like G.I. Joe: Retaliation and Fast And Furious 6. He recently showed off his action chops for MTV, teaching how to take a bottle to the head.

  • Dwayne Johnson Stars In Action-Packed “Hercules” Trailer [Video]

    As if remaking everything else was not enough, there will soon be yet another version of Hercules. Dwayne Johnson, formerly known as “The Rock,” has been chosen to play the title role, and will portray the tough demigod.

    Dwayne Johnson has been placed in action-packed roles ever since leaving his wrestling career, and this film looks to be no different. This version of Hercules is supposed to be much different, and darker, than the Disney version, as well as the television show that came before it.

    Fans of the Hercules legend may or may not remember that a film about Hercules was already released once this year called The Legend of Hercules. The film opened in January to awful ratings, and featured Twilight star Kellan Lutz in the role of Hercules.

    The new Hercules that features Dwayne Johnson will have a different source material from every production that has come before it, and will be based on a graphic novel series called Hercules: The Thracian Wars by Steven Moore and Admira Wijaya.

    Following along the lines of the graphic novel, the film promises to be gritty, violent, and action-packed. On the other hand, what Dwayne Johnson film doesn’t have all of those qualities? Perhaps he is the right choice for this film, and he certainly has the build to play someone like Hercules.

    In addition to the upcoming Hercules film, Dwayne Johnson has appeared in several films including the Fast and Furious films, Pain and Gain, The Other Guys, and Empire State. In each film, he continually displays his big muscles, and plays the tough guy in the film.

    The film is directed by Brett Ratner. Before this film, he has had several hit films, while also enduring a couple of flops. He has directed films such as Rush Hour, Red Dragon, Rush Hour 3, and Tower Heist.

    Dwayne Johnson spoke about the film, and its tone, when saying “The tone is a nice, even balance. I think of Gladiator and 300. There’s also personality in the movie. There’s fun. There’s some wink in the movie in a way that makes the audience feel good.”

    He also mentioned that, in creating the film, everyone wanted to pay homage to the mythology, while also giving it their own twist. The film’s plot will center on Hercules, who, in the wake of his legendary twelve labors, becomes a mercenary. When the King of Thrace and his daughter seek him out for help to defeat a tyrannical warlord, his life is tested in a way it never has before.

    Aside from the lead role of Hercules, the film stars Ian McShane, Rufus Sewell, Joseph Fiennes, Peter Mullan, John Hurt, and Rebecca Ferguson. The new Hercules film featuring Dwayne Johnson will open in theaters on July 25th.

    Image via Youtube

  • Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Plays ‘Hercules’ In Brett Ratner Film [Trailer]

    There are only a few actors in Hollywood that could effectively portray the mythological hero Hercules, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is definitely one of them.

    The former pro-wrestler turned actor appeared at CinemaCon Tuesday for the promotion of his upcoming action flick, Hercules. Johnson screened the newly-released trailer for select members of the press on Monday during a brunch hosted by Paramount Pictures, in which he also entertained questions from the participants.

    The highly-anticipated film adaptation of the Ancient Greek legend has taken 10 years to conceptualize and put together. However, it was with the arrival of Rush Hour director Brett Ratner that the project started to come into focus. The film features English actor Ian McShane, who also narrated the trailer, theater actor Reece Ritchie as Hercules’ nephew Iolaus, and Russian model Irina Shayk as Hercules’ love interest Megara.

    Apart from playing the title role, Johnson also plays the role of Greek thunder god Zeus as well as Trojan hero Achilles.

    The film is based on the graphic novel entitled Hercules: The Thracian Wars, in which the plot revolves around the events following Hercules’ twelve labors. According to the movie’s official synopsis, Hercules turns into a mercenary due to being “haunted by a sin from his past”. Hercules serves as a hireling of sorts and sells his services for gold along with five other companions, but returns to being “the hero he once was” toward the end of the story.

    Johnson went through eight months intensive training and bodybuilding to prepare himself for this role. The hulking 6-foot-5 actor revealed that he idolized Hercules in his youth and considered the character as “the first superhero”.

    The semi-retired WWE star, whose real name is Dwayne Douglas Johnson, is no stranger to playing mythological figures. He also starred in the 2001 adventure film The Mummy Returns as the terrifying Scorpion King.

    Hercules premieres in US theaters July 25.

    Hercules: A First Look

    Image via YouTube

  • Dwayne Johnson as Hercules: Trailer Released

    “I am Hercules!”

    After posting a teaser picture on Instagram last week, Dwayne Johnson’s new Hercules look has finally been revealed after keeping it under wraps since filming began.

    “Paramount, MGM and I made a pact,” Johnson said. “We wanted to make a massive global and entertaining movie while doing all we could to never reveal the actual look of Hercules.

    “As an actor, not showing my chiseled, extraordinary, handsome face was a tremendous sacrifice for me,” he added jokingly.

    The first photo was revealed on Sunday when Johnson posted a picture via his Twitter account.

    Johnson, standing tall at a chiseled 6 foot 5 inches, said that he trained more for Hercules than any other role he has played. “But in the end,” he said. “It was all well worth it.”

    Before production began, the 41-year old star (who is often called the “franchise saver”), told MTV news that this role has been a dream of his for years.

    “Understand, for me when I was a kid, Hercules was always a hero of mine, from Steve Reeves to the multiple guys who have played Hercules, but the idea and the notion of this man,” he said. “When I first got into movies, I thought, ‘Gosh, I would love to do that one day.’ I always thought that the version of Hercules that I want to play was one that was more dramatic and survived in barren lands and not necessarily slick in any way or anything like that. It’s been around and been on my mind for some time.”

    Though the new trailer doesn’t give many details of the film, viewers see plenty of shots of the bearded scantily-clad actor fighting various mythical creatures and, of course, locking lips with a dark-haired beauty. It’s enough to spark curiosity. And with his looks and charming personality, movie-goers seem to love him, despite some film flops in which he has appeared (Be Cool).

    The $100 million film, directed by Brett Ratner (The Family Man, Red Dragon, Prison Break), also stars Ian McShane, Joseph Fiennes, and John Hurt.

    Hercules opens in theaters on July 25.


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZVDmPwCWCk

    Image via YouTube

  • Kevin Sorbo Plays Atheist Prof in “God’s Not Dead”

    Most people know Kevin Sorbo as the title character from Hercules and the dashing captain of the starship Andromeda. He is a fixture at comic-cons across the nation for those roles. But, despite his still-bustling acting career, many fans are not aware of much of his recent work. That is, perhaps they were not, until Christian-themed film God’s Not Dead hit theaters March 21st and quickly climbed to number four at the box office.

    God’s Not Dead stars Shane Harper as Josh Wheaton, a college freshman struggling to maintain his faith. Sorbo plays Professor Radisson, a bitterly angry philosophy professor who believes God does not exist. On the first day of class, Radisson insists each student write “God is dead” on a piece of paper. Wheaton nervously refuses, because he believes God is not dead, enraging Radisson. Radisson challenges Wheaton to provide the antithesis, to prove God’s existence. The film follows Wheaton’s attempts to maintain his faith and persuade his atheist professor.

    The film is, on the surface, a classic student-surpasses-teacher story. On paper, its plot is reminiscent of the Christian student vs. atheist professor urban legend that has appeared on everyone’s Facebook feed at least once. Though reviews are currently scarce, it has already garnered criticism as a “ham-fisted Christian campus melodrama” by Scott Foundas at Variety. The Hollywood Reporter declared it to be “clearly designed as propaganda”.

    What is impressive, however, is how well Sorbo pulls of the arrogant, atheist professor role. Sorbo is a dedicated Christian. He even claims to have been blacklisted in Hollywood for his strong religious beliefs, as well as his political ones.

    Although Sorbo credits the “well-written script” for his character’s strength, THR praised his performance as “smooth” and “effective” despite the character’s “one-dimensional” portrayal. It sounds like Sorbo was only being modest.

    God’s Not Dead is currently playing in theaters across the U.S.

    Image via Youtube

  • Dwayne Johnson Posts Pics of “San Andreas” Online

    “Puttin’ in a lot of hard ass work and proud to play my next role…”

    Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson took to Instagram yesterday to post a photo from his latest film, San Andreas.

    The film, directed by Brad Peyton (Journey 2: The Mysterious Island) follows a rescue-chopper pilot, played by Johnson, as he makes his way across California to save his estranged daughter after a massive earthquake … thus, the name of the film.

    The real San Andreas Fault runs 810 miles through California and has been a focus of earthquake study since it was discovered in 1895 by a professor of geology from UC Berkley. In 2006, a study concluded that the fault has reached a sufficient stress level for the next “big one,” or a +7.0 quake; however, exactly when it will occur, no one knows.

    (Which begs the question … why are people still living in California??)

    While filming for the upcoming film has not begun, the photo Johnson posted is most likely a shot from a training session or costume test.

    Carla Gugino (Spy Kids, Watchmen) has also signed on to be in the film, playing Johnson’s ex-wife. Alexandra Daddario (Percy Jackson, True Detective) will play his estranged daughter.

    As well as San Andreas, the 41-year old actor is set to appear in an adaptation of the 1980s television show, The Fall Guy, and in Hercules: The Thracian Wars, also starring Ian McShane, Joseph Fiennes, and John Hurt.

    Although named as the top-grossing actor of 2013, Johnson’s career began with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in the mid-1990s. Since 2000 when he hosted Saturday Night Live, his acting career has taken off, sometimes being called “franchise Viagra,” with films such as The Mummy Returns, The Scorpion King, Get Smart, and Fast Five.

    San Andreas arrives in theaters on June 15, 2015.


    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Kellan Lutz: Goodbye Twilight, Hello Hercules

    Kellan Lutz has left his Twilight past and jumped into the land of Hercules. Long known for his role as vampire Emmett Cullen in The Twilight Saga series of films, he now stars as Hercules in The Legend of Hercules, which opened in theaters nationwide on Friday.

    “It’s the hero’s journey – you have the wizard, you have the antagonist, that’s the king, and you have the different missions he has to go through and the love interest in Princess Hebe. Story-wise, it’s all there, that’s what drew me to it,” Lutz said in a recent interview with Reuters. “I knew when I saw the superheroes that I wanted to fight against injustice. So from a young age, I always wanted to make the world a better place like Captain Planet would do, or He-Man, or Tarzan or Hercules.”

    How difficult do you suppose it will be for Twilight fans to see The Legend of Hercules and not think of Kellan Lutz as Emmett Cullen? Might he wind up as typecast as some feared Robert Pattinson would? It’s often difficult when beloved actors switch from long term roles into one that is fresh and new. Hopefully this will break the vampire’s spell on Kellan Lutz and make him a hit on the big screen as a hero this time around.

    Kellan certainly convinced a reporter that he has Herculean strength during a recent interview. When she asked if he performed his own stunts in the film, he lifted her off the floor–chair and all.

    Have you checked out Kellan Lutz in The Legend of Hercules? Do you think he will do the role justice or should he stick to playing a vampire and fighting the Volturi instead?

    Image via Facebook

  • Snow Totals – The East Coast Getting Hammered

    A Nor’easter is blasting the east coast as of Thursday, dumping snow, bringing strong winds and extremely frigid cold temperatures.

    A blistering winter blizzard covered large sections of the Northeast U.S. in snow Thursday, canceling flights, shutting down highways closing schools through Friday and causing at least eleven deaths.

    “There will be travel problems,” said Hugh Johnson, a weather service meteorologist in Albany, N.Y. “It will be very cold.”

    This major storm slamming the Midwest and East Coast that started on Thursday is going to affect more than 100 million people in its path – many places with wind chills of 15 to 25 below zero, the National Weather Service said.

    Snowfall levels hit 21 inches just north of Boston, and parts of upstate New York have seen about 18 inches so far, according to the National Weather Service.

    Schools and government offices are closed on Friday in Massachusetts, and Governor Patrick sent a warning to all residents, advising them to stay inside and avoid the “very, very dangerous” temperatures. More than 2,300 flights have been canceled and 7,000 delayed, according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware.

    “The snow is easy to move because the air was so cold when it snowed that it’s sort of light and fluffy stuff — but, uh, it’s cold,” Avalon “Nick” Minton said as he cleared the entrance to his garage and sidewalk in Arlington, Mass. “That’s the main part. It’s cold.”

    New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency and ordered the following roads and highways shut down:

    – The Long Island Expressway will be closed at midnight at the Queens/Nassau border and will be closed eastward through Suffolk County.
    – The New York State Thruway south of Albany through to Yonkers will also be shut down at midnight.
    – Commercial traffic on Interstate 84 will be shut down at 5 p.m. and the entire road will be shut down at midnight.

    “Mother Nature has come to wish us happy New Year,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

    Image via YouTube

  • How Is Winter Storm Hercules Affecting You?

    With winter upon us, it is inevitable that the season will bring storms, ice, snow, and all-around chaos at some point during its allotted months. And 2013 is no exception. Mother Nature has mixed up a large helping of significant snowfall, freezing temperatures, bone-chilling winds and white-out blizzards, making this nor’easter a major force to be reckoned with.

    AccuWeather meteorologist Bernie Rayno is quoted saying that the nor’easter, now named Hercules, “…is likely to be the coldest weather for much of the Northeast since January 2009.”

    One storm watcher records in fast time just how much snow Hillsborough, NJ is getting.

    The Weather Channel is offering live and up to the minute updates on this brutal storm, as well as documenting some of the catastrophes it is causing.

    With Hercules spanning from as far south as Georgia and all the way up through Canada it’s safe to say that many of us will be restricted as far as travel, work, and just stepping outside to get the paper. The nor’easter is expected to dump anywhere between 6 and 21 inches of snow and its gaining momentum. More than 100 million people throughout the northeast and midwest will be affected.

    It’s not just snow and frigid temperatures either – Hercules is causing problems along the coast with huge rolling waves and torrid surf.

    Between the cold, wind, snow, interstate pile-ups and complete weather mess that this nor’easter is bringing, it’s advised by the meteorologists to stay inside and keep warm. So stock up on supplies, make sure you’ve got a safe and reliable heating source and hunker down if you’re in the path of this storm. They named it Hercules for a reason.

    Image via Twitter

  • Winter Storm Hercules Heads to the Northeast

    Before Winter Storm Hercules is finished with the US, roughly 1 in 3 Americans will have seen snow in the early days of 2014.

    The massive storm dumped more than a foot of snow on parts of the Midwest on New Years Day, and is now slamming the Northeast.

    According to meteorologist Chris Dolce, Hercules could reach blizzard proportions in some areas: “The Northeast I-95 corridor will feel the worst impacts from Hercules Thursday evening into Friday morning. Gusty winds will combine with the snow to produce poor visibility and dangerous travel conditions. Localized blizzard conditions are possible on Long Island and in coastal parts of southeast Massachusetts.”

    Illinois saw at least six inches of snow on Wednesday, with some areas reporting up to a foot. The storm caused delays into and out of Chicago airports.

    According to the Chicago Tribune, it’s the most snow the city has had since the blizzard of 2011 – and it’s still snowing. Thanks to lake-effect snow, totals could reach two feet before the snow stops overnight.

    The Indianapolis area has received more than five inches of snow since this morning, according to the Indianapolis Star. Weather conditions are responsible for multiple traffic accidents throughout the state.

    As Hercules moves out of the Midwest, the Northeast is buttoning down in preparation.

    “This will be a full-blown Nor’easter,” said winter weather expert Tom Niziol.

    Image via Twitter

  • Winter Storm Hercules Set to Pound Northeast

    The first winter storm of 2014 didn’t wait long before sweeping into the midwest and northeast areas of the United States.

    The storm, named Hercules, is predicted to hit between Wednesday and Friday, according to USA Today, with the heaviest impacts in New England on Thursday and Friday. The storm could produce blizzard conditions at times throughout the New England states.

    “Over a foot of snow will fall in localized areas of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut and the cities of Hartford, Conn., Providence, R.I., and Boston,” said Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather meteorologist.

    Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York City will also be impacted with snow amounts ranging from 6 to 12 inches.

    Chicago could see 6 to 8 inches as well, resulting from lake-effect snow boosts.

    Lighter amounts of one to four inches are expected in areas around Kansas, Nebraska, and the Ohio Valley. Meanwhile in Kentucky and Tennessee, accumulation of one inch are also possible.

    Hercules is an interesting storm in that the snowfall rates may not get high during the storm itself but the snowfall will continue for 24 to 30 hours, keeping road crews on their toes.

    Snowfall will eventually wind down on Friday as the system moves out to sea, but not before it brings temperatures in parts of New England close to record lows.

    “It’s going to be right around freezing on Thursday but that’s going to feel mild compared with Friday,” Mark Paquette, AccuWeather meteorologist, said.

    The wind gusts could range from 15 to 30 miles an hour and will make it feel like below zero at times. “You get the snow, then you get the cold and the wind, making it really miserable,” Paquette said.

    The next possible winter storm after Hercules could move through the Great Lakes and Northeast on Sunday into Monday. If the next system is named, it will be called Ion.

    Image via Twitter

  • Dwayne Johnson Rocks ‘Hercules’ And Earthquake Flick

    Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has successfully tackled the competition through WWE as well as multiple film roles. He has been everything from the Tooth Fairy to The Scorpion King to a Fast & Furious CIA road warrior. What has he not done?

    He hasn’t taken on Mother Earth just yet; however, this is all about to change. Dwayne has recently been in the final stages of signing on to star in New Line Cinema’s earthquake disaster flick, San Andreas. The film will be directed by Brad Peyton who previously worked with Dwayne on Journey 2: The Mysterious Island.

    Fans who can’t seem to get enough of the buff star have been given sneak peaks into his upcoming summer 2014 movie, Hercules: The Thracian Wars, (not to be confused with Hercules: The Legend Begins starring Kellan Lutz that is also due for a 2014 release) through Facebook and Twitter posts that Dwayne Johnson has shared.

    Even though Dwayne Johnson looks every inch the archetype of the tough demigod hero, Hercules, he has garnered a strong fan base for showing his funnier and softer side. In interviews and pictures the popular movie star has shown that in spite of his masculine physique, he does not take himself too seriously.

    Noting Dwayne Johnson’s charisma explains why his films have been so successful and grossed such high amounts. According to Box Office Mojo, the 2013 combined lifetime movie gross for Dwayne Johnson films (Fast & Furious 6, Pain and Gain, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, and Snitch) totaled $454,008,663. What other WWE champ could be so universally loved for sporting the milk mustache while wearing rocket pajamas?

    [Images Via Dwayne Johnson’s Facebook Page]