STATE OF PLAY

Screenplay by Matthew Michael Carnahan, Tony Gilroy, and Billy Ray
Directed by Kevin Macdonald

Russell Crowe
Ben Affleck
Rachel McAdams
Helen Mirren

Premiere date: April 17, 2009
PG-13 for some violence, language including sexual references, and brief drug content.

Cal McCaffrey is an old-school-style journalist working for the Washington Globe. He begins to investigate the death of a young woman who was the research assistant and mistress of his friend Stephen Collins, an ambitious congressman whose career is likely ruined when his affair is revealed. Joined by young political blogger Della Frye, Cal races against time and deadlines to solve the murder, which may be only a small part of a much larger crime.

Yet Another Delay

After the stunning news that Shutter Island has been moved to 2010, this one doesn't upset me much.

Julie Taymor's new film, The Tempest, has been moved to next year also, due to "a lot of special effects work going on with the film". Taymor also did the 2002 biopic Frida starring Salma Hayek, and the 2007 Beatles' music flick Across the Universe.

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The Tempest is based on the famous Shakespeare play, though the lead character has been changed to a woman for Taymor's version. The story apparantly focuses on Prospera (Helen Mirren), her daughter Miranda (Felicity Jones) and a shipwrecked crew full of Prospera's enemies. Rounding out the rest of the cast is Djimon Hounsou, Ben Whishaw, Jeremy Irons, Alfred Molina, Geoffrey Rush, and Russell Brand.

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Lots of talent aboard the project, but it will have to wait until next year. An exact release date has not been announced.