The film’s producers, along with Dimension Films and Miramix have hired two writers to draft two different scripts for a sequel. The writers are Johnny Rosenthal, whose million-dollar script Iron Jack has been stuck in development since 2009, and Dirty Grandpa writer John Phillips. The idea is to use one for Bad Santa 2 and maybe the other for a third film. I like to imagine that they are bitter rivals working on their scripts in the same coffee shop. Casting one another icy glares and putting laxatives in one another’s lattes when the opportunity arises. May the best man win!! (LA Times)

Thornton co-wrote the story with frequent collaborator Tom Epperson. The plot focuses on two rival families on different continents in 1969. What that has to do with Jayne Mansfield’s car or how that is logistically even possible is beyond me, but it’s got Robert Duvall!

Thornton has also found funding for the project, but all things considered, that’s not nearly as interesting as the participation of ROBERT DUVALL.

“We feel that it’s a Christmas perennial for the R rated crowd. Everyone loves the character and Billy Bob’s excited to be in talks with us.”

It was actually Thornton who initially let slip about this at South by Southwest, so it looks like this might actually be happening. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night! (via The Wrap)

Duvall will have a supporting role in this independently financed film that may or may not be about blonde bombshell actress Jane Mansfield. The Godfather actor claims the movie “puts Tennessee Williams in the back seat — it’s that brilliant.” From what I know about Tennessee Williams, he would have no problem going into the backseat, as long as a swarthy Italian WWII soldier dude was there with him.

Speaking of WWII, here’s what we do know about the plot, courtesy of Duvall:

“It’s about a guy in between WWI and WWII who raises a family after his wife left him for an Englishman and moved to England…When the wife dies, she asks to be brought back to Alabama to be buried, and at that point the character hasn’t seen her in 20 or 30 years. The two families — her original family she abandoned and her English family — meet and then things get really interesting.”

This doesn’t exactly scream out to me “go see this,” but as everyone says, “you gotta respect The Duvall.” I say that at least twice a week. (indieWIRE)

The holidays are right around the corner, and it looks like Billy Bob Thornton has a gift for us in the form of Bad Santa 2. Well, not really, but he’s open to the idea, which is a start.

“‘Bad Santa‘ [has] become like a classic Christmas movie. People watch ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ and ‘Miracle on 34th St.’ and Bad Santa now is sort on the box set. And there’s been talk of making a sequel to it, which I actually would like to do. I’ve never done a sequel to one of my movies, but that one makes sense to me to do it.”

Of all the films Billy Bob would choose for a sequel, I’m surprised he wants Bad Santa. Not that it’s a bad choice, but with the public clamoring for a follow up to the prison comedy Monster’s Ball, it seems a bit out of left field. (Collider via First Showing)

The tough guy movie of the year is here. Faster is all about the characters and attitude, much more so than action. This is how you make a cool movie. It’s not just set pieces. It’s an overall tone.

driver (Dwayne Johnson) gets out of prison and goes on a rampage, shooting people before you even know what’s going on. This is a list movie, where they introduce all the bad guys and then Driver goes through killing them all. That might remind audiences of Kill Bill but to me it harkens back to Point Blank. There’s no watered down “likeability” but it’s full of respect and honor.  The characters accept their role in this story and have their confrontations.

Killer (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) is on Driver’s tail, and Killer is just interested in conquering another quest. He’s already a perfect physical specimen. He just needs a more dangerous game. Cop (Billy Bob Thornton) is on the case, but he’s not a very good cop. Each character speaks to what another character lacks, and it’s a more interesting triangle than usual.

Driver is the best character The Rock has ever played, and that includes The Rock. His actions are so stark before he does pretty much any talking, it just brings us into this story. We don’t have to know Driver’s motivations right away, but we’ve got to stick with him because we’re already in too deep to get out.

I like The Rock, and Johnson is good at comedy too, but it’s cool to see him take a serious badass role. There’s a lot of staring going on. He’s sweaty and gritty. He crosses several lanes of traffic without looking. Of course we know the cars will stop but he doesn’t care. He tosses an interventionist card because he’s not going to talk about his feelings. The Rock is back in action, and better than ever.

George Tillman, Jr. may not have a lot of action set pieces in Faster but he knows how to play visually. His character introductions are completely informative, incorporating behavior and visual cues with slow motion, music and humor. Driver’s reunion with his car is a big deal, even though there’s not really a car chase. There kind of doesn’t have to be, because Driver probably wouldn’t risk his beauty.

Faster brings back all the classic elements that have been missing from movies and takes them to new levels. Driver is one of those miraculous cases of survival who should be dead but he’s back. The hit man is obsessed with excellence and conquering all challenges. There is actually a character close to retirement, and the “one last job” angle has a way different context here. There’s even a gratuitous strip club scene, although they’re all in bikinis. Damn.

The film introduces some new twists too. Real things happen to these characters in between plot points. The deadbeat cop who works too much actually chooses his family in an interesting, still morally ambiguous way. They deal with relationships, addictions, families and religion. Some films throw that in to pretend they have more of a plot, but Faster actually delivers the drama.

I do wonder how all these expert drivers in movies have time to work out and study martial arts too. Learning how to drive that well must take hours and hours behind the wheel every day for your entire life. Those are good skills but you’re still in a seated position. What, you drive for six hours, lift weights for two and do kata before bed?

Faster is just a solid, aggressive thriller. The title might suggest more action than the movie actually delivers, because that’s probably the only way to market it. It’s actually a refreshing minimalist character piece, but man does it propel you through Driver’s anger and Killer’s obsession. Dare I say Faster is also furious? I dare.

The Faster teaser trailer has Tokyo drifted onto the scene. It’s nice to see Dwayne Johnson shedding his tooth fairy wings and picking up a gun. He should only kick ass from now on and stop these movies where he gets into embarassing situations with nine-year-olds.

The film follows an ex-con who sets out to avenge his brother’s death after they were double-crossed during a heist years ago. It also stars Billy Bob Thornton, Maggie Grace, Moon Bloodgood, and Carla Gugino. That’s a whole lotta sexy for one movie. The women must have joined together at some point to fend off Billy Bob’s forceful advances.

Faster skids into theaters Novembe 24, 2010.

Check out the teaser after the jump…

Faster — Trailer – Watch more Movie Trailers

USA Today premiered the first production still of the action movie Faster starring Dwayne Johnson the wrestler with the eyebrow thing. The Rock (Ooooopsie!) plays “an ex-con pursued by cops and killers as he sets out to avenge his brother’s death.” The film also stars Billy Bob Thornton, Carla Gugino, and Moon Bloodgood. Now I can think of two reasons to see this film that each have two reasons to see this film. And no, I’m not talking about testicles.

The tag for Faster is "Revenge is the only thing that drives him." Thought provoking stuff, but I think that this guy would disagree:

Show your chauffeur some respect Dwaaaayne. (/Film)