Boston's The Surrogates Hitting Theaters

I was watching the Patriots game the other night and noticed a futuristic Boston in a movie trailer. The Surrogates with Bruce Willis and Radha Mitchell is hitting theaters September 25th.

A futuristic Boston is the backdrop as FBI agents investigate a high-tech surrogate phenomenon that allows people to purchase unflawed robotic versions of themselves. I am still not sure exactly what that means but I’m a big Willis fan so I look forward to seeing the flick.

I also look forward to seeing how the filmmakers used CGI to bring Boston into the future. We have seen plenty of movies that show an older Boston (Amistad) but none that highlight the city looking forward. Maybe city architects will get some ideas.

Two for 1 Tickets

If you are interested in saving some dough, I came across a 2-for-1 promopromo Fandango is running if you use a Visa Signature card. Here’s the link.

Surrogates Trailer Released

The trailer for the Boston-made movie The Surrogates, with Bruce Willis has finally been released. As of right now the release date is still September 25th. As previously reported filming took place in the Seaport District, Worcester including the Old Worcester Courthouse, and in the Back Bay area. Having gone a whole year without any Bruce Willis action movies, I think we the American people are overdue.

2009 Releases!

The movies shot in Boston over the last two years are being released! Here are the updates:

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past: The romantic comedy is about a bachelor who attends his younger brother’s wedding and is haunted by the ghosts of his past girlfriends.

- Starring: Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner
- Filming Locations: South Street, Wellesley, Ipswich, Chelsea, and Hingham
- Release Date: 1 May 2009

Watch the trailer!

The Proposal: A pushy boss marries her young assistant in order to keep her Visa status in the U.S. and avoid deportation to Canada.

- Starring: Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock
- Filming Locations: Financial district, Rockport area, Salem
- Release Date: 19 June 2009

Watch the Trailer!

The Surrogates: The Disney a sci-fi thriller story is set in the near future where humans interact with one another through surrogate robots.

- Starring: Bruce Willis
- Filming Locations: Seaport District, Old Worcester Courthouse, Worcester, MA, Back Bay
- Release Date: 25 September 2009

No trailer yet, but they have launched a website where you can create your own surrogate.

This Side of the Truth: A comedy about a town where no one has ever lied - until a writer decides to give it a shot for his own personal gain.

- Starring: Written/Directed by Ricky Gervais: Tina Fey, Jennifer Garner, Christopher Guest, Jason Bateman, Jonah Hill, Rob Lowe
- Filming Locations: Lowell, MA
- Release Date: 25 September 2009

No trailer, but here is a hilarious video of Ricky Gervais announcing the release date.

Shutter Island: Based on the book by local author Dennis Lehane (Mystic River and Gone Baby Gone), Shutter Island follows the story of two United States Marshals who investigate a mental patient’s disappearance on a Boston area island. They uncover that nothing is quite what it seems on this mysterious island.

- Starring: Directed by Martin Scorcese: Mark Ruffalo, Sir Ben Kingsley and Leonardo DiCaprio
- Filming Locations: East Boston, Taunton, Medfield, Nahant Beach, Hyde Park and Boston Harbor Islands (Peddocks Island), North End
- Release Date: October 2, 2009

The Box: This thriller/horror focuses on the the story of a mysterious wooden box that brings both fortune and misfortune into the lives of a couple after being opened.

- Starring: Cameron Diaz and James Marsden
- Filming Locations: South Boston, Boston Public Library, Ipswitch
- Release Date: 30 October 2009

Edge of Darkness: A police officer investigates the death of his activist daughter.
-Starring: Mel Gibson
-Filming Locations: South Station, South Boston, Berkshires, Lincoln, South Deerfield
-Release Date: 12 November 2009

Bruce Willis Makes Waves in Mass!

It's true that as far as gossip and juicy stories go, Boston has been spoiled the past few months with seven films shooting in and around the city, but now with a possible Screen Actor's Guild strike looming, movie production is starting to slow dramatically. That means for the sake of this blog, I've got to dig a little deeper for Hollywood tidbits. Apparently, so do the news outlets, because the following story seems to be making a big deal.

Maybe Surrogates star, Bruce Willis, is just that big of a deal that something as simple as observing a cell phone conversation makes the news.

This week, Bruce and the rest of the cast headed down to Hopedale, MA to film some scenes for the upcoming sci-fi flick, The Surrogates. To get to the location, bright yellow signs marked "VSI" (Boston Herald reports this is shorthand for something in the script) left a breadcrumb-esque trail, and neighboring town, Milford, was not having it. In fact, a town official even said the sign trail "uglies up the town.”

And this story made the Milford Daily News.

Please, SAG, don't strike. We need some good gossip!

But that's not all, folks! Just last week, Willis and the gang were shooting in the Back Bay area of Boston. When a crew member accidentally gave a car coming from a garage the "okay" to pull out, Bruce was almost hit. He then lashed out on the poor crew member saying he didn't have time for this. However, just a few minutes later, Mr. Die Hard was walking past the garage entrance again, when his cell phone rang. He stopped everything, answered it and proceeded to gab for such a long time that he even requested a chair to sit in! Which of course begs the question: Whatchu talkin' 'bout, Willis?

The Surrogates Hits Seaport Area

While out around Boston today, we came across the filming of the Surrogates, the sci-fi film starring Bruce Willis. It looks like the crew is setting up shop in a building on Necco Street in the Seaport District.

The filmmakers kept shooting two cars driving down Necco street; one vintage and one new. We did not have any Willis sightings but the cars were pretty darn cool. Both were rented special for the shoot.

Bruce Willis' The Surrogates Coming to Boston

Bruce Willis will be heading to Boston to begin shooting The Surrogates in February of 2008 according to Variety. The Disney a sci-fi thriller story is set in the near future where humans interact with one another through surrogate robots. Willis is set to play a cop who tracks down a murderer.

This is not Willis' first time in Beantown filming. He actually made a camero as a courtroom extra in a Paul Newman legal drama back in the early 80s. If you guessed The Verdict, you would be correct. The next time you see The Verdict on A&E, watch for Willis in the background of the courtroom scenes.He had hair back then.