Thanks to jannaclaire who uploaded the clip to YouTube we can all enjoy the brief sneak preview at ‘Nine‘s Behind the Scenes that ET aired yesterday. There are some new shots of Marion. Edit: Caps have since been replaced by HQ ones from official Rehearsal Montage.

There were some rumours that ‘Nine‘ would be pushed back. However, The Weinstein Company has officially issued the following statement to HitFix.com:

“The rumors are untrue. ‘Nine‘ is opening limted on November 25 and will continue to expand through Christmas.”

007 Nine – 2009 > Screencaptures > Rehearsal Montage Watch on YouTube
001 Nine – 2009 > Stills uploaded HQ still

The release date for Rob Marshall’s star studded musical ‘Nine‘ is fast approaching – November 25 – and finally we get to see some more Marion stills. Though middle to low quality they’re definitely exciting, so enjoy!

TheProjectNine has kindly scanned the ‘Nine‘ feature in this week’s Entertainment Weekly. There is a lovely picture (with Marion) from group rehearsals.

Also some background information from Variety:

“Take It All,” originally written as a trio for Kidman, Cruz and Cotillard but, just before shooting, rearranged as a solo for Cotillard, according to music supervisor Matt Sullivan. “Heart-wrenching” is how Yeston describes the performance by Cotillard (who won an Oscar playing Edith Piaf).

Music director Paul Bogaev’s biggest job was working with the actors and preparing them to record the songs before shooting. Cotillard auditioned for the producer but was cast as the wife.

001 Entertainment Weekly (US) – August 21-28
004 Nine – 2009 > Stills

I’ve added an article from someone who met Marion Cotillard at the annual Gaumont lunch, where she was promoting Le dernier vol. She revealed her 2008 Halloween costume:

• Cotillard on a Tear, Hollywood.com

Marion Cotillard celebrated ‘Nine‘ together with the movie’s producer The Weinstein Company earlier today. Her co-star Penélope Cruz was supposed to stand next to her. Unfortunately, she was sidelined by “some sort of food poisoning.” People.com reports:

Harvey Weinstein passed on the bad news to a select group of journalists. He then introduced Academy Award winner Marion Cotillard, another star of the ensemble piece. “It was an amazing adventure, it was my dream to be in an American musical,” Cotillard said. “I really hope you are going to love what you are going to see.”

Weinstein added, “When you see [Cotillard] sing, when you see her dance, we bring back a tradition that we need to do more of.”

019 62nd Annual Cannes Film Festival – The Weinstein Company Celebrates ‘Nine’

My husband makes movies.
To make them he lives a kind
of dream, in which his emotions
aren’t always what they seem.
- Luisa Contini

Marion-related material & information just doesn’t stop coming in these days, eh? Well, I’m not complaining! You can view the brand new trailer for Marion’s upcoming musical ‘Nine‘ on Apple.com.

Video link: 01 ‘Nine’ Trailer
Gallery link: 17 Nine – 2009 > Screencaptures > Trailer

“NINE” is a vibrant and provocative musical that follows the life of world famous film director Guido Contini (Daniel Day-Lewis) as he reaches a creative and personal crisis of epic proportion, while balancing the numerous women in his life including his wife (Marion Cotillard), his mistress (Penelope Cruz), his film star muse (Nicole Kidman), his confidant and costume designer (Judi Dench), an American fashion journalist (Kate Hudson), the whore from his youth (Fergie) and his mother (Sophia Loren). The film is directed by Rob Marshall (CHICAGO). The original 1982 Broadway production of “NINE,” with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston, won five Tony Awards including Best Musical.

Cinematic Happenings Under Development has a report on how the producers of ‘Nine‘ are hopeful the film will be part of next year’s awards season. To increase the film’s chances they set a new release date for Rob Marshall’s musical: November 25, 2009.

Michael Tolkin wrote the original script draft but, in final Oscar-bait form, it was rewritten by the late Anthony Minghella shortly before his death.

Now the film has moved up to November 25 from December 11; that’s a big Thanksgiving weekend thumbs-up from The Weinstein Company. And why not? The last time Marshall unleashed a musical (Chicago) it took home many dollars and awards for Harvey & Co.

Sorry for the lack of updates but real life certainly is keeping me busy. I can’t actually promise I’ll be around more often over the coming weeks but I will try to update on all the recent Marion news today and in the coming days.

First up, new pictures of Marion in connection with her involvement with Greenpeace, the original HQ still of her upcoming musical “Nine“, 7 additional HQ pictures during the Christmas Lights Switch-on and a new picture at the Dior event in China (Marion poses with John Galliano and Charlize Theron) courtesy of L’express. Enjoy!

And another exciting picture: a promotional still featuring the leading ladies of “Nine” – including Marion Cotillard, Kate Hudson, Nicole Kidman and Penelope Cruz – has been released! Click the picture on the left to view it.

Ms. Cotillard is back in London. London’s Cipriani restaurant hosted a dinner for the upcoming movie musical Nine cast members last night. Harvey Weinstein the producer gathered together Dame Judi Dench, Kate Hudson, Sophia Loren, Marion Cotillard and Fergie for dinner. They will start to shoot in a few days time.

See pictures at LaneyGossip.

[edit:] Added the pictures to our gallery here.

Think of the Daily Mail what you want, but when it comes to news about movies they’re mostly pretty accurate. Last week they reported the following:

Sophia Loren arrived Tuesday, Judi Dench joined up last weekend. The leading ladies of Rob Marshall’s film musical Nine are now all in London, rehearsing like crazy and taking singing and dancing lessons.

Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, R&B star Fergie and leading man Daniel Day-Lewis have have been working solidly, preparing to shoot at Shepperton Studios from next month.

There’s no truth to the rumour that producer Harvey Weinstein is learning tap so he can be in the male chorus line.

Nine director Rob Marshall is setting up a drama school where his stars, including Penelope Cruz, Daniel Day-Lewis and Marion Cotillard, can work exclusively on their high notes, dance steps and even their dialect.

Cruz reveals, “We have a camp in London where you go from the dancing room to the singing room, to the acting room to the dialect coach.

“It’s all day like that and I can’t wait to get started.”

Source: Hollywood.com

On another note, Fergie has joined the film’s all-star line-up and is very excited about it.

“I’m speechless. I’m definitely going to be a sponge on set,” the Black Eyed Pea was quoted by stv.tv as saying. “I want to pick up on everything that all these brilliant actors are bringing to the table. I’m probably going to be the quietest that I’ve ever been while working just because I want to watch and learn.”

Of her lady of the night character, Fergie said: “(I’m) just thrilled I get to play a character. I’m singing, but I’m not singing as myself. I’m going to be singing as a character, and that’s what’s really exciting to me.”