Jerry Bruckheimer's 'Sorcerer's Apprentice' takes Manhattan

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer could not be more psyched about his new summer action-adventure film, "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," starring Nic Cage, Jay Baruchel, Monica Bellucci, Alfred Molina and newcomer Teresa Palmer. The film opens July 14.

He describes the film's plot about an ancient sorcerer -- Balthazar Blake (Cage) -- in modern-day New York. Balthazar is searching for the prime Merlinian, a young descendant of the powerful wizard Merlin, who will have the power to defeat the powers of evil that threaten the world.

Balthazar finds the new sorcerer in the person of Dave Stutler, played by a very reluctant Baruchel. Balthazar must teach the physics nerd to develop his magic powers, which subsequently gives him self confidence in his own life. And his love life.

Doing justice to the original "Sorcerer's Apprentice" segment (starring Mickey Mouse) from Disney's "Fantasia," meant making sure the sequence fits. "I think we pulled it off," Bruckheimer tells The Dish Rag. "That sequence always gets applause."

He loves that the movie incorporates Old World magic in 21st century New York, from Times Square and Battery Park toTriBeCa, the subway and Chinatown.

Bruckheimer says casting Baruchel was a no-brainer: "He's someone I have worked with in the past [on the short-lived series 'Just Legal'], and he's perfect for this part. He's the real deal."

But he didn't cast Nic Cage. "He cast me," Bruckheimer admits. "He came to me and said 'We have this script and I'd love you to work on with us.' We brought in [director] Jon Turteltaub ... and we got the rock 'n' roll sorcerer."

They also brought in talents such as cinematographer Bojan Bazelli ("Mr. and Mrs. Smith"), costume designer Michael Kaplan ("Star Trek"), and visual-effects wizards John Nelson ("Gladiator" and "Iron Man") and John Frazier ("Spider-Man 2" and all the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films), to mention just a few.

That's quite a pedigree. And it all shows on the screen. Take a look at the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" trailer:



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Video credit: Elizabeth Snead, Disney