Indiana Jones 5 with Shia LeBeouf as the Lead?
May 16, 2008
“I haven’t even told Steven or Harrison this,” George Lucas said. “But I have an idea to make Shia [LeBeouf] the lead character next time and have Harrison [Ford] come back like Sean Connery did in the last movie. I can see it working out. And it’s not like Harrison is even old. I mean, he’s 65 and he did everything in this movie. The old chemistry is there, and it’s not like he’s an old man. He’s incredibly agile; he looks even better than he did 20 years ago, if you ask me.” - From Foxnews
WHAT A DISASTER! ‘Speed Racer’ $20M Weekend Half What Warner Bros Hoped; Rival Studios Accuse WB Of Inflating #s
May 12, 2008
Showing just how fiercely competitive the summer box office is right now, rival Hollywood movie studios are complaining to me they don’t believe Warner Bros’ domestic gross numbers released today claiming its disastrous Speed Racer came in 2nd behind Marvel’s Iron Man in the weekend’s Top 10 contest. All the other majors — Fox, Sony, Paramount, Universal, Disney, and MGM — have the anime actioner opening only 3rd. And they dispute WB’s reporting that Speed Racer made $20.2 million for Fri-Sat-Sun because its projected Sunday number isn’t seen as possible. “That’s a very aggressive Sunday estimate to try and claim 2nd,” one studio’s top marketing and distribution mogul complained to me this morning, echoing the disbelief of most of his colleagues. - From Nikki
Hollywood on Strike 2.0?
May 7, 2008
Major studios and the Screen Actors Guild broke off three weeks of contract talks without agreement on Tuesday, stoking fears of renewed Hollywood labor unrest after a 100-day writers strike that ended in February. News of the stalemate came in a statement from the studios’ bargaining agent, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), about 90 minutes after a self-imposed deadline for reaching a settlement had passed. The AMPTP statement blamed “SAG’s continued adherence to unreasonable demands,” citing the union proposals to increase the “residual” payments actors earn for DVD sale. - From Reuters
Ellen Page is ‘Jane Erye’
May 6, 2008
Ellen Page is set to play one of English literature’s most famous characters, the eponymous heroine of Charlotte Bronte’s “Jane Eyre.” Alison Owen of Ruby Films, who most recently produced “The Other Boleyn Girl,” is working with BBC Films to develop the new adaptation of Bronte’s classic 19th century romance. It’s the story of a mousy governess who softens the heart of her saturnine employer Mr. Rochester, only to discover that he’s hiding a terrible secret. - From Variety
Iron Man bigger than Jesus, and Will Smith
May 4, 2008
Paramount Pictures release of Marvel Studios’ Iron Man total combined estimated global box office for Marvel Studios’ Iron Man is $201,000,000. “It beat Will Smith and Jesus!” gushed a Paramount insider referring to the openings of I Am Legend and The Passion Of The Christ. “It’s just mind-blowing. Internally, some people were going into high 80sM and low 90sM but people were laughing at them. We had our own box office poll and maybe one person thought $100M.” The monster numbers now make Iron Man the second biggest 3-day release for a non-sequel in the history of Hollywood, behind only Sony’s first Spider-Man. - From Nikki
Brad Pitt looks dorky in latest from Coen Brothers
May 4, 2008
Brad Pitt and George Clooney join recent Oscar champ Tilda Swinton (best supporting actress, “Michael Clayton”) in the next flick from those Oscar-nabbers Joel and Ethan Coen (best picture, director, screenplay, “No Country for Old Men”). New teaser photos are out of “Burn After Reading,” in which Pitt portrays a gym trainer on the run after swiping a computer disk containing the hush-hush tattle of a CIA snoop. This time, instead of portraying Clooney’s foe, Swinton is his lover. Read more
Ballmer’s kiss off letter to Yang, and Yang’s response
May 4, 2008
Dear Jerry. After over three months, we have reached the conclusion of the process regarding a possible combination of Microsoft and Yahoo!. I first want to convey my personal thanks to you, your management team, and Yahoo!’s Board of Directors for your consideration of our proposal. I appreciate the time and attention all of you have given to this matter, and I especially appreciate the time that you have invested personally. I feel that our discussions this week have been particularly useful, providing me for the first time with real clarity on what is and is not possible. Read more
Exclusive: Tom Cruise buys Google Adwords, to launch new web site. In two days, his official web site TomCruise.com is gonna…
May 3, 2008
ITEM: Tom Cruise is buying Google Adwords. His Scientology handlers must be working on his SEO optimization; type in “Tom Cruise” in Google Search — and his paid sponsored ads pop up at the top of the search results. It directs surfers to a new official TomCruise.com launching soon… Some of the google ads say “Get the real scoop from Tom Cruise. Stay Tuned For Official Site Launch” “The Countdown is On. TomCruise.com launches May 5th. Get the scoop!” and “The Official Site Launches Soon. You’ll Never Guess What’s Coming!” Read more
J.J. Abrams talks Star Trek
May 2, 2008
“It was an opportunity to take what I think has been a maligned world — to sound crass, a franchise — and treat it in a way that made it something that I wanted to see,” said Abrams, who recently finished shooting on “Star Trek,” due in theaters May 8, 2009. “To take the characters, the thoughtfulness, the personalities, the sense of adventure, the idea of humanity working together, the sense of social commentary and innovation, all that stuff. To take it and apply it in a way that felt genuinely thrilling.” - Via AP
Jackson’s Lovely Bones Halted
May 2, 2008
Rumour has it there’s trouble in paradise. Our spies have reported that Peter Jackson’s The Lovely Bones ceased production at one stage due to a rift between the big man and his art director over the best way to depict Heaven. Given that a large portion of film takes place in that very location, with main character Susie Salmon looking down on her family after her murder, this seems a crucial point of difference. The Wellington crew apparently took a break while the creative differences were sorted. - Via NZ
Mendes swaps in Maggie Gyllenhaal
May 2, 2008
Maggie Gyllenhaal will replace Toni Collette in Sam Mendes’ untitled relationship comedy for Focus Features. Gyllenhaal will play a bohemian college professor who is an old friend of the character played by Krasinski. Collette dropped out of the film due to scheduling delays on the shoot, which recently got under way in Connecticut. Gyllenhaal begins lensing her role next week. - Via Variety
Oprah and Tom Cruise Acting Stupid Part 2
April 29, 2008
Tom Cruise is making a highly-publicized return to Oprah in a two-parter, this Friday and next Monday. He hasn’t sat down with the talk show host since his infamous couch jumping almost 3 years ago. Pegged to discuss his 25 years in show business, the pair also dig into weightier topics, like Scientology, his blow up with Matt Lauer over psychiatry drugs and his wife Katie Holmes. The whole thing took place at Cruise’s Telluride ranch, and Oprah even rode a snowmobile with the actor. - Via Huffpost
Mel Gibson the actor finally returns
April 29, 2008
Mel Gibson has committed to star in “Edge of Darkness,” marking his first starring role in a feature film since he headlined “Signs” and “We Were Soldiers” in 2002. Martin Campbell will direct the feature adaptation of the six-hour 1985 BBC miniseries, which Campbell also helmed. William Monahan wrote the script, and Graham King is producing through his GK Films banner. Campbell, who last directed “Casino Royale,” developed the project and brought it to King a year ago. He enlisted Monahan for a page one rewrite; the scribe worked with King on “The Departed.” King is self-financing the project and is committed to an August production start in Boston. It is unclear whether he will fully finance through production or enlist a studio. - Via Variety
Guillermo del Toro hates Hobbits. Wait. Huh?
April 28, 2008
First of all, hasn’t anybody noticed that del Toro has repeatedly said he doesn’t like Tolkien, and that he never finished reading “The Lord of the Rings”? Here’s what he told me in Cannes in 2006, when I asked him about the influence of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis on his own work: “I was never into heroic fantasy. At all. I don’t like little guys and dragons, hairy feet, hobbits — I’ve never been into that at all. I don’t like sword and sorcery, I hate all that stuff.”
Miley Cyrus ‘Embarrassed’ by Semi-Nude Spread
April 27, 2008
Miley Cyrus, the 15-year-old star of “Hannah Montana,” said she is “embarrassed” by a provocative photo spread shot by famed photographer Annie Liebovitz that is appearing in the upcoming issue of Vanity Fair. “I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be ‘artistic’ and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed,” she said in a statement released today. “I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about.” Read more
Creepy! Larry David and Evan Rachel Wood in Woody Allen’s latest.
April 27, 2008
Larry David, the mind behind Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, is set to be the lead in Woody Allen’s next, as-yet-untitled feature, which is scheduled to shoot in New York City in the spring. Plot details are being kept under wraps, but David will act alongside Evan Rachel Wood (Across the Universe). The movie marks Allen’s return home after he made three films in London and one, the upcoming Vicky Cristina Barcelona, in Spain.
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Variety reviews Iron Man
April 27, 2008
If “Iron Man” delivers on the prognostications, the first summer blockbuster of 2008 will see several participants emerge with new cachet. First among them will be Robert Downey Jr., who has signed to play billionaire inventor Tony Stark and his superhero alter ego Iron Man in two sequels. Read more
Comic book geeks, there’s hope for you yet.
April 20, 2008
ITEM: Eva Mendes and comic book genius Frank Miller at “The Spirit” Preview at New York ComicCon.
FACT: This is the closest anyone who reads comics, or in the comic book industry, will ever get to a girl this smokin’ hot. Read more
Will Horseface Die in the Sex and the City Movie?
April 20, 2008
Whatever “Sex and the City’s” Cynthia Nixon was paid for being in the upcoming film version of the hit HBO series, she deserves a raise. The actress let it slip to host Billy Eichner during the Creation Nation comedy show at the Zipper Theater on Apr. 15 that “a character dies in the movie.” And in turn, Nixon made the SATC movie — dare we say — interesting. - Via MSNBC
Tony Stark’s Cameo in The Incredible Hulk
April 20, 2008
The panel audience got a special treat that we in theatres (most likely) won’t — after the trailer, they showed the much-discussed cameo that Tony Stark makes in Hulk. Stark is sitting with General ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross in a bar — and Ross is completely drunk. Stark says “I hear you’ve got an unusual problem.” “You should talk,” replies Ross. Stark then shoots back, all smooth: “You should listen.” - Via Cinematical
Judd Apatow. Ready for a crash?
April 17, 2008
When Judd Apatow was asked by a colleague about the recent pendulum swings in his fortunes, he responded with a trademark quip: He said that he had the “fastest rise, fall and rise” in Hollywood. Get ready for another potential roller coaster ride. Read more
Cate Blanchett gets rave reviews for Son III
April 14, 2008
Cate Blanchett has given birth to her third son. Blanchett, 38, delivered Ignatius Martin Upton in Sydney on Sunday, said Tim McKeough, media relations manager at the Sydney Theatre Company, where Blanchett and her playwright husband are co-artistic directors. “All are well and very happy,” McKeough said Monday. The baby weighed 7 pounds, 9 ounces, he said.
Sam Raimi’s spooky new series
April 14, 2008
Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert have tapped “The X-Files” vet John Shiban to exec produce their upcoming syndie skein “Wizard’s First Rule.” Shiban, who is with the CW’s “Supernatural,” will help translate Terry Goodkind’s series of books into a weekly TV series. Project is set in a fantasy world of magic and wizards and focuses on the Seeker, a man who is destined to save the world, but not before battling a whole bunch of bad guys. Scribe said he plans “to take a cue from ‘The X-Files’” in setting up the skein’s structure. “There’s an overarching mythology to the series, but the job of Seeker allows (the lead character) to fight evil in self-contained episodes,” he said. Shiban, new to the syndie realm, said he’s enjoying the genre’s advantages. — Via Variety
UPDATED: Leaked pic of sexy nurse Scarlett Johansson from The Spirit. And no, we will not take down the pics, Lionsgate. But thanks for the legal threat.
April 9, 2008
Scarlett plays a femme fatale named Silk N. Floss in Frank Miller’s The Spirt, and her name and outfit are any indication, this will be one sexy character.
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Upcoming Disney/Pixar Movies
April 8, 2008
The first Disney digital 3-D movie for release is “Bolt,” the story of a dog of the same name who thinks he has superhero powers. John Travolta gives voice to Bolt while hit teen singer/actress Miley Cyrus is voicing Bolt’s owner Penny in the movie, due to open on November 26. “Up,” the story of an unlikely 78-year-old adventurer and his 8-year-old sidekick, is due to be released on May 29, 2009. “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2″ are due to be re-released in digital 3-D on October 2, 2009 and February 12, 2010 respectively, while “Toy Story 3″ is due to hit screens on June 18, 2010.
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