Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen, Joe Wright, and Dario Marianelli together again as principal photography begins for 'Anna Karenina' this month!

Pride & Prejudice and Atonement cast (Keira Knightley star of both P&P and Atonement and , P&P only)) and crew (director , producers Paul Webster, Tim Bevan, and Eric Fellner, Academy Award winning composer (P&P, Atonement, The Soloist, Jane Eyre) twice Academy Award Nominee costume designer Jacqueline Durran (P&P/Atonement/The Soloist),  three-time Academy Award Nominee production designer Sarah Greenwood (P&P/Atonement/The Soloist/Hanna), and three-time Academy Award nominee set decorator Katie Spencer (P&P/Atonement/Hanna)...add a few The Soloist and Hanna crew as well) are all together again and will be reuniting and re-teaming for the new film, Anna Karenina starring Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen, Jude Law, and Aaron Johnson as principal photography starts this month in the UK and Russia. Working Title Films will produced the film, while Focus Features will distribute domestically its theatrical release and Universal Pictures will distribute internationally.

Actresses Emily Watson (Angela's Ashes and Hillary and Jackie) and Ruth Wilson (Luther and Small Island) were just announced to have joined the already confirmed Anna Karenina cast here.

Here are a few of the many news articles today about Anna Karenina (or read an official press release via Focus Features)...

Principal Photography Starting on Joe Wright's Anna Karenina (via  ComingSoon.net)

Focus Features announced today that Joe Wright's Anna Karenina, starring Keira Knightley, Jude Law and Aaron Johnson, will start shooting in the U.K. and Russia this month:

Joe Wright will direct the epic romance Anna Karenina, adapted from Leo Tolstoy’s classic novel by Academy Award winner Tom Stoppard (Shakespeare in Love). The Working Title Films production will commence filming in the U.K. and Russia this month. Focus Features will distribute the movie domestically, and Universal Pictures International (UPI) will distribute the movie internationally, in the second half of 2012.

Keira Knightley, Academy Award-nominated for Pride & Prejudice, will star as Anna Karenina in her third collaboration with Mr. Wright. Ms. Knightley will be starring opposite two-time Academy Award nominee Jude Law, as Anna’s husband Aleksei Karenin; and Aaron Johnson (Nowhere Boy), as Count Vronsky. Rounding out the cast will be Kelly Macdonald (Boardwalk Empire), Matthew Macfadyen (Pride & Prejudice), Domhnall Gleeson (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows), Alicia Vikander (The Seventh Son), two-time Academy Award nominee Emily Watson, Olivia Williams (Hanna), and Ruth Wilson (Luther).

Also reteaming with Mr. Wright on Anna Karenina are Academy Award-winning composer Dario Marianelli, twice-Academy Award-nominated costume designer Jacqueline Durran, and three-time Academy Award-nominated production designer Sarah Greenwood. The cinematographer will be Academy Award winner Philippe Rousselot. Melanie Ann Oliver (Focus’ Jane Eyre) will edit the feature. Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui will be the choreographer on the movie.

The story unfolds in its original late-19th-century Russia high-society setting and powerfully explores the capacity for love that surges through the human heart, from the passion between adulterers to the bond between a mother and her children. As Anna (Ms. Knightley) questions her happiness, change comes to her family, friends, and community.

Read more: Principal Photography Starting on Joe Wright's Anna Karenina - ComingSoon.net

Joe Wright To Direct ‘Anna Karenina’ For Focus With Keira Knightley As Lead (via Deadline) 

It’s official: Atonement director Joe Wright and star Keira Knightley are reteaming for Anna Karenina, the Working Title films adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s novel that was written by Tom Stoppard. The film will be distributed by Focus Features in the U.S. and Universal Pictures International worldwide sometime in the second half of 2012. Working Title co-chairs Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner are producing with Paul Webster; the trio were 2008 Oscar nominees as producers of Atonement.

Knightley will star as Anna, Jude Law will play her husband Aleksei Karenin, and Aaron Johnson (Nowhere Boy) will play Count Vronsky. Kelly Macdonald, Matthew Macfadyen, Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander, Emily Watson, Olivia Williams and Ruth Wilson also have been cast in the story of a woman making her way in early-19th-century Russian high society. It’s familiar territory for Wright, who directed the period adaptations Pride & Prejudice and Atonement, also for Working Title and Focus; he also directed The Soloist for Working Title and UPI and most recently Hanna for Focus.

Focus Features to Distribute Director Joe Wright's 'Anna Karenina' (via Hollywood Reporter)

Focus Features will distribute the Joe Wright-directed adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's classic Anna Karenina in the United States in the second half of 2012. Universal Pictures International will distribute the movie internationally.

Keira Knightley, Jude Law, Aaron Johnson, Kelly Macdonald, Matthew Macfadyen and Emily Watson star in the adaptation written by Tom Stoppard (Shakespeare in Love). Filming begins in the U.K. and Russia this month.

Working Title co-chairs Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner are producing with Paul Webster.

“Joe Wright is a master filmmaker, and with Tom Stoppard’s brilliant screenplay this Anna Karenina will be full of both pageantry and emotion," said Focus Features CEO James Schamus. "To realize Joe’s vision, we have the perfect producing partners in Working Title and Paul Webster, whose acumen is unsurpassed. With Keira Knightley playing this iconic role and a splendid cast supporting her, today’s moviegoers will be drawn to this powerful story.”

Wright previously made Pride & Prejudice and Atonement with Focus and Working Title.

On DVD and Blu-ray Today: Hanna

On DVD and Blu-ray (with Digital Copy) today (September 6th), P&P/Atonement director 's recent theatrical released, action/suspense thriller film, Hanna starring an outstanding and talented cast in Saoirse Ronan (leading the cast in the title role) with Eric Bana, Cate Blanchett, Tom Hollander, and Olivia Williams. Read my Film Review: Hanna and see my Hanna signed poster!

Go get your DVD/Blu-ray copy or get your Hanna Blu-ray + Digital Copy Blu-ray (See Blu-ray and digital copy cover to your left via NBCUniversal Store)   

DVD Active has the following DVD and Blu-ray details and loaded with extras features as well as DVD cover artwork below...

Title: Hanna (IMDb)
Starring: Saoirse Ronan
Released: 6th September 2011
SRP: TBC

Further Details:
On September 6th, Universal Studios Home Entertainment will release Hanna on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. Directed by Joe Wright and starring: Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana and Cate Blanchett, this film follows "Hanna, a 16-year-old girl raised in the desolate, icy wilds of Finland by her ex-CIA agent father Erik and trained to become the perfect assassin."

Extra features on both releases include: an alternate ending, deleted scenes, 'Anatomy of a Scene: The Escape From Camp G' and a feature-length commentary with the director. For Blu-ray purchases there are the following exclusives: 'Adapt or Die' featurette covering training, a 'Central Intelligence Allegory' making-of, 'Chemical Reaction' featurette about music - specifically the Chemical Brothers' involvement in creating the score, 'The Wide World of Hanna' featurette about location shots and a Hanna promo.

Hanna DVD cover artwork

(source: DVD Active)

DVD News: Joe Wright's 'Hanna' film coming to DVD and Blu-ray September 6th!

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has just announced the DVD and Blu-ray disc release date of September 6th for 's recent theatrical released, action/suspense thriller film, Hanna starring an outstanding and talented cast in Saoirse Ronan (leading the cast in the title role) with Eric Bana, Cate Blanchett, Tom Hollander, and Olivia Williams. The film, according to Box office Mojo, did very well and debuted at #2 in the U.S. domestic's box office grossing $12 million (JW's biggest opening weekend!) during the Easter weekend (with an estimated $30 million budget) and now a total domestic gross of $40+ million (over 2 million more than P&P movie's total domestic gross, which was $38.4 million, but that's because it started off as a limited release while Hanna was already in wide release) with an additional $18.2+ million foreign box office gross and a worldwide total gross of $58.7+ million in its 13 weeks theaters run.

DVD Active has the following DVD and Blu-ray details and loaded with extras features as well as DVD cover artwork below...


Title: Hanna (IMDb)
Starring: Saoirse Ronan
Released: 6th September 2011
SRP: TBC

Further Details:
On September 6th, Universal Studios Home Entertainment will release Hanna on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. Directed by Joe Wright and starring: Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana and Cate Blanchett, this film follows "Hanna, a 16-year-old girl raised in the desolate, icy wilds of Finland by her ex-CIA agent father Erik and trained to become the perfect assassin."

Extra features on both releases include: an alternate ending, deleted scenes, 'Anatomy of a Scene: The Escape From Camp G' and a feature-length commentary with the director. For Blu-ray purchases there are the following exclusives: 'Adapt or Die' featurette covering training, a 'Central Intelligence Allegory' making-of, 'Chemical Reaction' featurette about music - specifically the Chemical Brothers' involvement in creating the score, 'The Wide World of Hanna' featurette about location shots and a Hanna promo.

Hanna DVD cover artwork

(source: DVD Active)

Film Review: Hanna

I just saw Hanna recently and thought it was AWESOME! This was one of the few films I've been following and anticipating to see (obviously, I've been blogging about it and promoting it here: ) since I heard one of my favorite directors was directing it with an outstanding and talented cast in Saoirse Ronan (leading the cast in the title role) with Eric Bana, Cate Blanchett, Tom Hollander, and Olivia Williams. This film was all that and more! It was much more than I expected and far surpasses my expectations. It definitely delivered, both the film and its actors' strong and solid performances.

Check out and read part of my review of this film below!

Hanna (2011)

starring Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana, Cate Blanchett, Tom Hollander

     

 Watch the trailer for Hanna

(source: hollywoodstreams) 

Hanna (Ronan) is a teenage girl. Uniquely, she has the strength, the stamina, and the smarts of a soldier; these come from being raised by her father (Bana), an ex-CIA man, in the wilds of Finland. Living a life unlike any other teenager, her upbringing and training have been one and the same, all geared to making her the perfect assassin. (brief Hanna synopsis by Focus Features via IMDB)

Now, this was a brilliant, clever, entertaining, full of action, adventure, mystery, that has you on the edge-of-your-seat, suspense thriller, with humor film all in one, that I've seen in a long time. It was like a mixture of Leon: The Professional (featuring the young Natalie Portman) and the Bourne movies (starring Matt Damon) with a fairytale theme (ie. Little Red Riding Hood, but more like Hansel and Gretel, which I think if I remember right, was one of the bedtime stories by the Grimm Brothers that young Hanna was read to by her father Erik) to it. This is one of the films I loved and enjoyed watching this year...thus far. The story was great, brilliant, and cleverly written. Director Joe Wright did a fantastic job directing this film. The original score throughout the film composed by The Chemical Brothers were quite interesting, haunting, hypnotic, and addictive to listen to. It's very catchy and stays in your head even after the movie ended. Read my full Film Review: Hanna. (via my Movies Blog)

Speaking of Hanna movie, I've just won a Hanna signed poster!!!! Yes, I did and unexpectedly too!

Here are some photos I took (and thought I'd share here with you all) for the Hanna poster I've just won (one of the 5 signed posters by Saoirse Ronan) from Focus Features (via its official twitter page), which I had enjoyed and randomly participated in their #Hanna signed poster contest prior to seeing the movie. I just received my prize over the mail Thursday and it was huge! It's a double-sided (or rather the back is like a mirror-image of the front) poster and was nicely packaged, so it was in good condition when I got it. The interesting thing was that not only it was signed by Saoirse Ronan, but by her co-star Eric Bana (which was a nice surprise as it was only Ronan that was said to have signed the posters in the contest) too! Wow, what a double treat!!

My Hanna signed poster
(signed by Hanna stars: Saoirse Ronan and Eric Bana!!

Thanks to @FocusFeatures!)

Plus, here are two cool Hanna web promo posters I've downloaded from the official Hanna website that was part of the Hanna signed poster contest I've won above especially when I got the clue and the right answer to the trivia games, I got the following...

Hanna web posters

 (source: the official Hanna website)

In Theaters Today: Hanna

Now showing in wide release and in theaters near you is Saoirse RonanTom Hollander

Fantastic acting and crisply choreographed action sequences propel this unique, cool take on the revenge thriller.

Peter Travers of Rolling Stone calls Hanna “A knockout! Like nothing you’ve ever seen! A fairy tale of lightning speed and gritty action!” Read full review here!

Photo by Alex Bailey/Jasin Boland/Universal Pictures

'Hanna' Stills

) 

• Hanna: Featurette
• The Wide World of Hanna 
• What Does Music Mean to Hanna? 
• Hanna's Spree Park and Other Haunted Amusement Parks 
• New Clips from Hanna 
• Hanna Kicks Ass, As Do These Other Fine Ladies 
• Joe Wright Talks Hanna: "I hope it freaks ‘em out...just a little bit." 
• Behind The Scenes Of Hanna: Making An Action Heroine For The 21st Century 
• Joe Wright 
• Saoirse Ronan  
• Eric Bana
  
• Cate Blanchett

 

• Photos: Joe Wright and Saoirse Ronan at the 'Hanna' New York Premiere and after party
• Photos: Joe Wright and Saoirse Ronan at WonderCon's 'Hanna' Panel 
• New 'Hanna' stills featuring Saoirse Ronan and Tom Hollander 
• 'Hanna' production stills and soundtrack info! 
• Movie News: Joe Wright hopes to direct 'Anna Karenina' in the fall with Keira Knightley! 
• New 'Hanna' poster and two new clips 
• Watch a new 'Hanna' trailer! 
• New 'Hanna' movie poster 
• Watch the first trailer to Joe Wright's 'Hanna' starring Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana, and Cate Blanchett 
• The Chemical Brothers to score Joe Wright's new teen assassin flick 'Hanna' 
• Movie News: Joe Wright's 'Hanna' film gets picked up by SPWAG with a theatrical release date 
• Joe Wright currently filming teen assassin flick 'Hanna' in Europe 
• Movie News: Saoirse Ronan to Re-Team with ATONEMENT director Joe Wright in 'HANNA'

Joe Wright/Hanna Related Articles...

• Q&A: Joe Wright Talks ‘Hanna,’ Says He Was “Terrified” At First About Directing The Action Sequences
• Joe Wright on Directing "Hanna": "A little bit of a punk came out in me." 
• Exclusive: Joe Wright Wants To Direct African Adventure Film ‘Stanley’ 
• Review: ‘Hanna’ A Study In Merciless Violence, Strong Performances And Block Rockin’ Beats 
• Exclusive: Joe Wright “Waiting On” Saoirse Ronan & James McAvoy To Confirm For ‘Anna Karenina’

Photos: Joe Wright and Saoirse Ronan at the 'Hanna' New York Premiere and after party

Director Joe Wright attended with his Hanna stars Saoirse Ronan and Eric Bana at the New York screening of "Hanna" at Regal Union Square on April 6, 2011 in New York City.
  
Tomorrow Hanna opens in theatres across the US! Be sure to see it! It's been getting early rave reviews thus far...

Also, tune in TONIGHT to see Hanna director Joe Wright on Last Call with Carson Daly on NBC at 1:35amEST/PST.

Check out new photos of JW, Saoirse Ronan, and Eric Bana below!

"Hanna" New York Screening - Arrivals

  

(Photos by Dave Alloca/Starpix | Jason Kempin/Getty Images North America
| zimbio.com) 

"Hanna" New York Screening - After Party

Actress Saoirse Ronan and director Joe Wright attend the
after party for the New York screening of "Hanna" at Casa La Femme
on April 6, 2011 in New York City. 

(Photos by Jason Kempin/Getty Images North America | zimbio.com)

Photos: Joe Wright and Saoirse Ronan at WonderCon's 'Hanna' Panel

Director Joe Wright and star Saoirse Ronan of the new teen assassin/action film, Hanna were in attendance during 2011 WonderCon at Moscone Convention Center this past Saturday, April 2, 2011 in San Francisco, California. JW and SR did a Hanna Q&A panel to promote the film.

Hanna opens in wide theatrical release this week (Friday, April 8th)!

Check out photos of JW and SR below as well as videos from their Q&A at WonderCon, early film reviews, and Hanna related articles...

Hanna Panel at WonderCon 2011 - Day 2

(photos by Max Morse/Getty Images North America | Saoirse Ronan Web | zimbio.com)

View more photos of Saoirse Ronan and JW at WonderCon - Day 2 

 Watch the Hanna Q&A videos

with JW and SR @ WonderCon 2011

(source: RaeDor87)

 (source: RaeDor87)

  

Hanna 2011 - WonderCon Highlights 

with Joe Wright and Saorsi Ronan

  

WonderCon 2011: Hanna Is an "Elegant" Action Heroine 

- The first question of the panel went to Wright: why do a film like this after movies like Atonement and Pride & Prejudice? But the director said that Ronan was actually the one who suggested that he take it on. One of the things that attracted him to it was the fact that “it’s not a franchise, not based on a comic, not even based on fairytale specifically,” which allowed the director creative license to dream up his own world.
- Wright joked that two of the bad guys in the film were actually inspired by his own bullies from when he was growing up. “It was my way of getting back at them, by having them slain by a girl,” he quipped.
- Ronan beats up guys twice her size in the flick, and the actress endured plenty of training to get the fight scenes, particularly in martial arts. “I suddenly had muscle in my arms, and I was strong,” she said. “I had never experienced that before!”
- As for why Ronan loved the script, she explained: “It’s important that we have strong female characters in movies now.” And unlike other “sexy or cool” leading women in film, Ronan likes that Hanna is a misfit. “She is weird, and I think Hanna as an action heroine — if that’s what you want to call her — is quite elegant in her temperament and behavior except when she’s kicking ass. I think we haven’t seen an action heroine like this yet.”

- Wright also touched on the importance of heroines in movies, and got up on his soapbox to address female empowerment. “The place of young women in society, and the continued sexual objectification of women — I find that whole culture terrifying and kind of disgusting really,” he said. “I wanted to address that with this film. I remember when the Spice Girls came out in the ’90s and they called it ‘girl power.’ I think that’s bullsh*t. I probably shouldn’t say this, but I look at posters for recent films with girls kicking ass; there’s one out at the moment, in bikinis and crop tops, and this is supposedly female empowerment, and that’s bullsh*t. Female empowerment is not about sex; that’s the point of female empowerment. It’s about brains. So I was very keen to look at those issues with this movie, and Hanna exists outside of that.” Obviously Wright was getting in a dig at Sucker Punch, but his little speech received huge cheers from the audience. (Source)   

Hanna articles  

• WonderCon 2011: HANNA Presentation
•  'Hanna': Saoirse Ronan, a Jason Bourne for the 'Glee' generation
•  "Hanna" an overly showy pursuit thriller
• WC11: Joe Wright, Saoirse Ronan Talk Girl Power In Hanna Panel
• WonderCon 2011: "Hanna" Roundtable With Director Joe Wright and Star Saoirse Ronan 
• WonderCon: 'Hanna' Director Joe Wright Slams 'Sucker Punch' for 'Bull----' Female Empowerment 
• Battle of the Action Chick Flicks 
• 'Hanna' Empowers Females

Plus Hanna Reviews 

• REVIEW | 'Hanna' is the Ass-Kicker that 'Sucker Punch' Wanted to Be
• Review: 'Hanna' 'Two Jews On Film' One Is Left Breathless By This Action Thriller (Video)