This week’s post on movie news and movie rumors brings you up to date on the latest from Hollywood. First up, Denis Leary has been added to the cast of Marc Webb’s Spider-Man reboot. He will play the father of Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone). Leary has gone from comedian to dramatic actor (TV’s “Rescue Me”) to this. Will likely be a relatively small role.
The hit Paranormal Activity will see a third movie in the franchise. After the success of the first film which was made for $25k and earned over $100mm to the latest still in theaters, making over $80mm thus far on a $3mm budget, adding a new film was essentially a no-brainer. Will this become the new Saw franchise or will it end at three movies though? The third movie will drop on 10/21/11.
George Clooney is looking to take the lead in Steven Soderbergh’s just announced Man from U.N.C.L.E. This would be a remake based on the TV series. Clooney would play agent Napoleon Soto and the film will reportedly retain its original 1960′s setting.
Another A-lister, Iron Man 2 star Robert Downey Jr. is looking closely at How to Talk to Girls. This one still has to be at the rumor stage in the sense that the article is quick to make mention that no deal has been struck yet and RDJ is only interested in the project at this juncture.
Hostel director Eli Roth is going to produce a movie based on the fake Clown movie trailer. You can look at the trailer by clicking on the link, it’s not really my cup of tea.
Not imminently related but THR has a book review of “75 Years of DC Comics.” The book will run you a mere 2 bills if you want it. You can get up on your superhero knowledge with this one.
Hopeful filmmakers now have another option to try to get their project seen and/or to market with Amazon Studios. The announcement was made earlier this week, but here is a breakdown on what it might really have to offer.
Finally, it appears all of you Keanu Reeves fans will have an opportunity to see his movie Henry’s Crime. It has found distribution and will be released into 10 markets in the Spring of 2011. The movie co-stars Vera Farmiga and James Caan. Whoa! Here is a scene, just because I like you so much.
It’s been announced that Scarlett Johansson is set to play a perfect alien woman in the upcoming Under The Skin, a sci-fi drama told from the alien star’s perspective. This casting news will make complete sense to many.
Under The Skin is written by Jonathan Glazer, director and writer of the underrated thriller Sexy Beast. ScarJo’s alien will be the perfection of physical human form using her seductive sexuality to annihilate human prey. Who’s in at this point?
Like Madonna said, "Would you like me to seduce you?"
Additionally, Scarlett’s alien, while being deadly, will acclimate to the world around her and the complex nature of our lives here. This will cause drama in her life with the aliens as she starts to sympathize with and likely want to become one of us on Earth. The film is told through her eyes; the eyes of an alien, in this unique manner.
All of this adds up to possible perfect casting (talk about type-casting, the horror!), and an easy sell for extras hoping to be destroyed and seduced by Johansson (presumably). I think ScarJo is a capable actress but the muse of Woody Allen (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), will have a tough time topping that chick from Terminator 3. Doesn’t this kind of sound like that film? (Never saw it to be honest, but come on!)
Former Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen heart-throb Megan Fox has been added to the comedy Friends with Kids. She is joining a troupe that already includes The Town co-star Jon Hamm, SNL’s Kristen Wiig, and Adam Scott. The comedy is written, directed by and starring Jennifer Westfeldt, according to THR.
Friends with Kids is about a couple in their 30′s who notice that having kids has enacted an enormous toll on their friends relationship and vow to have kids and see other people, so as to spare them the toll of the kids. Makes sense, I suppose. Scott and Wiig, play one couple, Westfeldt and her real-life beau Hamm, another. Fox will be a chick that Scott ends up dating (post kid, I presume).
Westfeldt has come a long way since the indie-hit Kissing Jessica Stein in 2001. Peace.
The once beloved comedian Eddie Murphy has seen his star fall on harder times in recent years. The news from Deadline that he is joining Ben Stiller in the upcoming film Tower Heist, is a possible sign that he is trying to resurrect his career the right way.
Tower Heist as it is now known – it is no longer known as Trump Heist, when it was to feature an Ocean’s Eleven-style heist in Donald’s famous Trump Towers – is going to be directed by Rush Hour helmer Brett Ratner. Ben Stiller was already on board as a maintenance worker in the tower whose intimate knowledge of the building helps a group of disgruntled and defrauded employees who were scammed out of their money the Bernie Madoff way. The employees want to stick it to the culprit (Alan Alda) who is living large under house arrest. Hence, the heist portion of the title. Sounds pretty good so far.
Murphy will undoubtedly play one of the employees (presumably the lead), who heads up the plot to rip the big wig off. He once dabbled in the corporate world years ago in the stellar Trading Places. With Murphy and Stiller on board, I would expect some laughs, ala Rush Hour and Ocean’s Eleven. Could be an intriguing mix for this one and should lead to further named actors coming on board (a hunch). The bigger question to me though is will Eddie Murphy be able to recapture the promise of his young career? Is it far too late to do so? Chime in with your thoughts.
The sci-fi film that has been bouncing around Hollywood the last few months has found a new lead in The Blind Side, Oscar-winning actress Sandra Bullock. After the role had been reportedly offered to Angelina Jolie (twice) and was most recently offered to Natalie Portman, Bullock has stepped in where the others have failed to cash in as she is in negotiations to star in the challenging lead role in Gravity.
THR reports that this should be the first project for Bullock to take on, post break-up and post-Oscar. Alfonso Cuaron is set to direct the piece which has been described as a Cast Away-type role for a female lead, lost in space. Cuaron’s Children of Men has been among the movies that former writers for this site have loved. Robert Downey Jr., is already on board to co-star, so the project definitely offers one of the hotter roles in town for a woman.
Sandy is an interesting choice, a step up above Portman in my estimation, who I really didn’t think could handle the role. Bullock will have her hands full as well, but is no doubt eager to attempt the challenge. I certainly could have seen Jolie pulling it off, but her star-wattage could have potentially gotten in the way. Looking forward to see how this one continues to shape up. Hit me with your thoughts on Bullock’s casting.
Fresh off of winner a Best Actor Oscar for his work in last year’s Milk, Sean Penn is going to square off against a Mexican drug bad in Cartel. Variety reports that the actor is in talks for the film which involves the following:
Scripted by Peter Craig, the mission movie will follow Ed Marker as he journeys to protect his son after his wife is brutally murdered in the gritty world of Mexican cartels.
The drama took root at Imagine (Entertainment) as a remake of 1993 Italian film “La scorta,” which followed four cops’ struggle to guard a special prosecutor trying to bring mob bosses to justice. It evolved into an action vehicle for Penn.
Brian Grazer is set to produce the film and with Penn in the lead, now as a “hot” actor again, and an interesting premise, you might be able to expect a bigger film than perhaps one would have previously thought on topic alone. It sounds like a good enough storyline, perhaps slightly better than average for a thriller, and Penn has proven to be great in the tough-ass or hard-ass type of roles. So I can see this as a good fit and potentially a film worth seeing. Agree or disagree? We accept all opinions here, even if we don’t always embrace them all. Just kidding. Or not. Out.
