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Insurgent Final Trailer — and Veronica Roth on differences from the book


The final trailer for Insurgent, number two in the Veronica Roth Divergent series, has been released. My big take away is how cute Shailene Woodley looks in this short post-The Fault in our Stars haircut! I always thought the style she had in The Fault in Our Stars was too matronly. Gosh, how much more money would the movie have made if only she had the right hairstyle?! Didja know the movie, which cost a smallish $16 million has made over $300 million to date?


But seriously, getting beyond that, check out how many big future stars are packed into the clip. Woodley herself is set to play Lindsay Mills in Snowden, opposite Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Edward Snowden in Oliver Stone's fictional look at the real life drama. Fingers crossed that Woodley as Lindsay plays a bigger role in Snowden's life than supportive girlfriend. We just watched the Citizen Four documentary last night; really eye opening. According to Snowden, Lindsay, who left the US to join Snowden in Russia, didn't know anything about his activities; he said he kept her in the dark in order to protect her.


Woodley's Fault in our Stars costar Ansel Elgort who plays her brother Caleb here—and in the final two installments, Allegiant 1 and Allegiant 2—is about to start filming November Criminals. Based on the novel by Sam Munson, November Criminals reunites Elgort with Carrie co-star, Chloe Grace Moretz.


Miles Teller (Peter) who starred with Shailene in the spectacular The Spectacular Now gave a remarkable performance in this years' break out hit Whiplash. JC Simmons just got the Best Supporting Actor award for his role as the abusive teacher in the film but Teller is equally astounding as the young musician driven to be the best he can be. A little movie with a huge and important message. He just wrapped production on a not so little movie, The Fantastic Four, in which he's Mr. Fantastic no less.


Sexy co-star Theo James (Four) is currently at work on The Secret Scripture the period film based on Sebastian Barry's novel—a serious, dramatic story, worlds away from Insurgent's dystopian fare. He stars in The Secret Scripture as Father Gaunt along with Eric Bana, Rooney Mara, Vanessa Redgrave and Aidan Turner. A priest?! I know but no worry he's back to his hunky self in London Fields based on the Martin Amis novel—on my tbr pile—with Johnny Depp, Amber Heard and Jim Sturgess. Set for release this year, it's one of 2015's Ten Books I Can't Wait to See On Screen


And of course, Octavia Spencer (Johanna) who graciously played along with Neil Patrick Harris bomb of an Oscar magic trick (I sorta liked it) has a slew of projects coming out including The Great Gilly Hopkins based on the book by Katherine Paterson and Fathers and Daughters alongside Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfried, Jane Fonda and Qvenzane Wallis.

That's a whole lot of actors comfortably easing into their places in the new theatrical landscape.

That's what struck me. But for those fans worried that the movie isn't faithful enough to the book—Tris is supposed to be afraid of guns but the trailer doesn't support that—author Veronica Roth has posted some words of comfort on her Tumblr.

So!
A few weeks ago I flew out to Los Angeles, a mythical place where there are flowers…on trees…in February. (What is this sorcery?!) And while I was there, I experienced another strange yet wonderful phenomenon: I saw Insurgent.
I shot this photo of the kind of flowering-in-February tree Roth was talking about a couple of days ago here in my Los Angeles neighborhood

Guys, Insurgent is great— and fun to watch. It is a tense, action-packed adventure of a movie. At certain points, my muscles were so clenched I felt like I had just done a series of push-ups. When I left, I immediately wanted to go back in and see it again. (I still do!)
I know that some of you are probably apprehensive because as the trailers have revealed, there are a few clear differences between the book and the movie. I shared that apprehension walking into the screening room, but I walked out of the movie relieved—and excited. Insurgent, the book, has a complicated plot—a lot of moving parts, a lot of ups and downs. That sort of thing can work in a book, but if it’s translated directly to the screen, it makes for a messy, confusing movie. The changes that were made streamline the story so it makes sense for this new format; in other words, they work.
And more importantly, the characters—especially Tris, whose difficult emotional journey is really the driving force of Insurgent—are definitely the ones I know and love. Watching it, I felt so lucky that we had such a strong cast, who brought so much to every moment, and a great director, who added so much richness to the world while still keeping it familiar.
I can’t wait for you guys to see it, too!