Film News Roundup – September 2009 – Week 2
It’s Going To Be at Least Two Years Till We See ANCHORMAN 2
co-writer and director Adam McKay says it will be at least two years before we see the film. McKay and Ferrell are working on “The Other Man” with Mark Wahlberg, and co-stars Paul Rudd, Steve Carrell, and David Koechner all have full schedules as well.
Eureka’s Erica Cerra goes goddess in Percy Jackson
When I heard what Percy Jackson was about I read it and pushed, pushed, pushed to be in the movie. So I was absolutely thrilled when I got a role, and then I was sitting in a room with Sean Bean and Kevin McKidd and Melina Kanakaredes, who plays Athena. It was a wonderful experience, and I’m a very big fan of Chris Columbus, so that was really cool as well. In the novels, in the other stories, Hera and Zeus show up to help Percy, so hopefully they will also in the [sequel] scripts.”
Todd McFarlane Talks Oz
“I think my “Twisted” version is a little scary for Warners to embrace. I essentially pitched Lord of the Rings. It was big, it was bold and it wasn’t a very pretty place. It was badass! There’s no Baum in it at all. When they bought it from me, my thing was, turn off the MGM mindset. It’s a public domain property, let’s go invent some cool new ideas, which basically will surprise people. What’s going to get a new generation to go look at Oz is if you reinvent it on some level.”
Jamie Chung on Snyder’s Sucker Punch
“It takes place in the 1950’s and it’s a story about a girl who’s put into an insane asylum against her will by her evil stepfather. And she goes into these fever dreams to escape. Somehow her alternate reality affects her reality, just like in ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ All of the characters in her fever dreams are from her real life. And the girls plan to escape and they come up with a plan and things go terribly wrong and it really does affect her reality … there’s amazing, amazing fight sequences. It puts ‘300′ to shame! It’s the same stunt guys – 8711. Damon (Caro) and Logan, the trainer. But it really is ‘300′ but with a female cast. It’s really empowering. It’s powerful, there’s machine guns! The girls have been training for 12 weeks, so you can only imagine. The girls are lifting 210 pounds.”
Tom Cruise Wanted to Be in Terry Gilliams The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
“I know there was a period when Tom’s agents were keen. The thing is, I was only interested in people who were friends of Heath. Simple as that. I wanted to keep it in the family,” said Gilliam.
Tron: Legacy release date set for Dec. 17, 2010
Walt Disney will be releasing Tron: Legacy, its highly anticipated 3-D sequel to Tron, on Dec. 17, 2010, the studio confirmed today. The follow-up to the 1982 cult classic is directed by Joseph Kosinski, who is making his feature debut with the film. Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxleitner return from the first film, which was released in the summer of 1982. Bridges and Boxleitner will be joined in Tron: Legacy by Garrett Hedlund, Michael Sheen, John Hurt, Olivia Wilde, James Frain and Beau Garrett. Currently scheduled for release on the same date are The Green Hornet, The Smurfs and Yogi Bear.
AKIRA Movie Update
Screenwriters Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby are about to turn in their version of an “Akira” movie and the reason why the project has been so quiet is they’ve been hard at work trying to get the script right. They wrote the adaptation of “Children of Men” and they’re also credited with “Iron Man” (although a lot of that movie was written on the set). The story is still set in post-apocalyptic Manhattan in the near future and the famous motorcycle is definitely a part of the film. The movie is still a priority for the studio, and if the script meets with approval from key people, the movie could go into production in 2010 with a release date in 2011.
Charlie Sheen has a cameo in Wall Street 2
Oliver Stone talks financial crisis and his sequel
“I can’t tell you how many young people have come up to me in these years and said, ‘I went to Wall Street because of that movie,’ ” Mr. Stone said, standing on a street corner between Federal Hall and the New York Stock Exchange. A recognizable face himself, he was stopped only once during the stroll, not by a broker but by a Stock Exchange security officer who wanted to talk about his time in Vietnam. (Mr. Stone is a veteran himself, and directed the 1986 film “Platoon.”)
‘Boondock Saints’ sequel in works
Reedus, Flanery reunite for film’s Oct. 30 release
New indie distributor Apparition and Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group are joining forces to release the sequel “The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day,” which will hit theaters on Oct. 30. From writer/director Troy Duffy, “Boondock” continues the saga of the the MacManus brothers, played by Norman Reedus and Sean Patrick Flanery, who first appeared in 2000’s “The Boondock Saints,” which developed a cult following despite having grossed little more than $30,000 in its domestic release. In the new film, which also stars Clifton Collins Jr. and Julie Benz, the two brothers do battle against the Boston mob.
Marc Blucas joins Wichita project
Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz cast in James Mangold film
Marc Blucas has been cast in James Mangold’s untitled Wichita project opposite Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz and Maggie Grace. Fox is producing the spy thriller about an upbeat Midwestern woman (Diaz) who goes on a blind date with a man (Cruise) who turns out to be a federal agent. She gets pulled into a violent worldwide journey to pro¬tect a powerful battery that holds the key to an infinite power source.
‘Lord of the Rings’ lawsuit settled
J.R.R. Tolkien estate sued New Line over films
New Line Cinema, the Tolkien estate and publisher Harper Collins have settled the lawsuit over profits from the “Lord of the Rings” films released between 2001 and 2003. The Tolkien estate had sued New Line for at least $150 million in damages for failing to pay 7.5% of gross receipts from the three films, which netted an estimated $6 billion combined. But in a statement on the settlement, Christopher Tolkien said, “The Trustees regret that legal action was necessary, but are glad that this dispute has been settled on satisfactory terms that will allow the Tolkien Trust properly to pursue its charitable objectives. The Trustees acknowledge that New Line may now proceed with its proposed films of ‘The Hobbit.’ ”
Hillcoat, Penhall line up projects
Director, writer eye potential Daniel Craig pics
for director and writer John Hillcoat and Joe Penhall, the road ahead is paved with intriguing projects. Penhall is in talks with Daniel Craig to write an English remake of Gallic heist pic “La Bonne Annee” for the thesp to star in. The original film, which was made in 1973 by Claude Lelouch, follows a criminal recently released from prison who hatches a plan to rob jewelers in Cannes. Hillcoat is also talking to Craig about another project and is developing a bigscreen adaptation of Nick Cave’s novel “The Death of Bunny Munro,” about a sex-obsessed traveling salesman on his final road trip.
Rob Zombie’s ‘Superbeasto’ heading to VOD
R-rated animated pic also gets limited theater run
The title will bow as a video-on-demand or pay-per-view offering via cable operators Comcast Corp. and Charter and satcasters DirecTV and Dish Network. As of last Saturday, the pic based on Zombie’s comicbook of the same name will have a limited run in 50 theaters spread across 22 states. On Sept. 22, “Superbeasto” lands on DVD and download-to-own platforms, including iTunes, Amazon, Xbox and PlayStation.
Parallel eyes Irish projects
Films include ‘Swim,’ ‘Vegas’
Irish shingle Parallel Pictures is bringing together the cream of Irish film talent for a brace of projects. An adaptation of Irish author Flann O’Brien’s seminal metaphysical novel “At Swim-Two-Birds.” Irish thesp Brendan Gleeson will make his directorial debut with the pic. Colin Farrell, Cillian Murphy and Gabriel Byrne have all boarded the project. Gleeson adapted the book for the screen and will also co-star. Alan Moloney is also producing “The Virgin of Las Vegas” with U2 frontman Bono. Liam Neeson is attached to star in the project, which affectionately recalls the Irish pop culture phenomenon of show bands. Neeson will play an aging show band singer, prone to drink and living in Vegas, who finds his life turned on its head following the arrival of a mysterious stranger.
TWC will speak the ‘King’s’ English
Weinstein Co. nabs N. American rights to ‘Speech’
The Weinstein Co. has picked up all North American rights, as well as all rights in a handful of foreign markets, to Tom Hooper’s King George VI (“Bertie”) biopic “The King’s Speech,” which stars Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush. Story follows the young king — father of Queen Elizabeth II — as he reluctantly assumes the throne after his brother, Edward, abdicates. Considered unfit to rule and cursed with a nervous stammer, the unprepared monarch turns to an unorthodox speech therapist, Lionel Logue. The two men form an unlikely friendship as King George finds his voice and leads the country into war against the Germans.
The Fine Print
This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive roundup of the entire weeks’ news. All stories are chosen by me for no other reason than that they got my attention and might capture yours. If something you think is more important chime in on the feedback; we’d love to hear comments and have a conversation about it.
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