Film News Roundup – January 2010 – Week 4
Zachary Quinto Tunes Up For Spielberg’s Gershwin
Zachary Quinto is at the center of the biopic of George Gershwin, which DreamWorks acquired last fall. Quinto will play the famed composer and pianist, who with brother Ira was responsible for more than a dozen Broadway shows before dying at 38. DreamWorks is even supplying accent and dialogue coaches for Quinto, and shooting could begin as soon as April.
Want The Early Word On AVATAR 2? I’ve Got Some News For Ya… WAR Is Coming…
Just what is being discussed right now? Well for one, what we saw in AVATAR’s finale was just a battle. AVATAR 2 will be full blown war. War is coming – Jim Cameron war that is! We know that Cameron and Landau are taking AVATAR sequels OFF of Pandora.
From Paris with Love Director Pierre Morel Dishes on Dune
“I’m a huge Dune fan, a reader, like for 30 years; I read it when I was a teenager. I’ve read it 10 times maybe, so I want to stay true to the book. Saying that, I also think that there’s a lot of scenes that are not described in the books—it’s just mentioned, like the bad guys attacking something—and it might make sense to include those in the movie, not just by mentioning it but showing them, and that would maybe [call for] some action scenes, yes. It’s not about action. It’s not the point. It’s not about [making] an action movie. It’s just doing Dune. It’s like a huge universe thing, and there’s such a fanbase, like guys who have been reading that forever—you can’t mess with that.”
Razzies: Who’s worse, Transformers 2 or Land of Lost?
In advance of tomorrow’s Oscar nominations, the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation has released its nominees for the worst movies of the year, led by Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, with seven nods, including worst director, worst picture, worst screen couple and worst actress (the lovely but scary Megan Fox).
Will The Next Bourne Be A Prequel?
Matt Damon says it could be
There’ll probably be a prequel of some kind with another actor and another director before we do another one, just because I think we’re probably another five years away from doing it – we’ve got to get a script…
‘Flight of the Conchords’ co-creator will direct Disney’s Muppet movie
HBO’s “Flight of the Conchords” co-creator James Bobin has decided it’s time to sing the music and it’s time to light the lights, signing on to direct Disney’s new Muppet movie. Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller wrote the new Muppet project. Segal is described as a “Muppet freak” by those close to him, with paraphernalia from the Jim Henson show all over his pad. Plot details are being kept secret, but Bobin is expected to bring a musical sensibility to the project.
Olivia Newton-John to play hockey mom
Canadian drama ‘Score: A Hockey Musical’
Olivia Newton-John (“Grease,” “Glee”) is set to star in “Score: A Hockey Musical,” Michael McGowan’s music-driven drama about Canada’s national sport. Newton-John and Canadian songwriter Marc Jordan will play the highbrow parents of a teen hockey phenom who goes from zero to hero on the ice in a matter of weeks. Newton-John and Jordan will also co-write and perform a song for the Canadian indie movie’s end credits. Mongrel Media plans a late 2010 Canadian theatrical release.
Why Mel Gibson won’t appear in Mad Max 4
On the plans for a fourth “Mad Max” film: “I’m glad [franchise director George] Miller is making it, and it’s going to be the best one. I’m not going to be in it, that’d be corny.”
Mel Gibson: The shadow in his smile
The actor is back in theaters after a long break — and a very publicized breakdown. Will moviegoers welcome his return?
“I felt ham-fisted,” Gibson said, plainly embarrassed. “[M. Night Shyamalan] told me I was just doing too much. I looked around, though, and I was the oldest guy on the set [of ‘Signs’] and I felt like the least sophisticated. I decided I needed to rethink everything. I got into this, all of this, because I wanted to be good. I walked away because I don’t know that I was bringing much new to anything. It could be argued that I’m not bringing anything new to it in this film, but I would argue that I did. Another seven or eight years of living informs the choices one makes.”
‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ coming in 3D!
Warner Bros. will release the next two “Harry Potter” films in 3D, a move underscoring the post-”Avatar” rush for extra-dimensional boxoffice. Studio executives on lots around town have been scrutinizing film slates for opportunities to expand forays into 3D releasing. Warners has been testing footage from its upcoming “Clash of the Titans” — converted into 3D by an outside vendor — and the tests have gone so well that execs have decided to release not only “Titans” but also the two-part “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” in 3D.
Michael Bay on where Transformers 3 will rampage
Writing on his personal blog, the director says: Busy scouting – Chicago, Detroit, and Washington D.C. for Transformers last week. Things are going well. The script is feeling very different from the other two. I ended my scout down in Miami this weekend to load my plane with 14 Florida Surgeons, specialists in various fields and flew them down to Haiti.
Keanu Reeves Heads to Space With a Director
Gabriele Muccino is nearing final talks to take over directing duties for Passengers, a sci-fi romance that’s being produced by Keanu Reeves and Stephen Hamel’s Company Films. Written by Jon Spaihts, Passengers has been descibed as “a love story set on a spaceship” and will star Reeves in a role that’s sure to make full use of his three emotions, considering that he plays a man prematurely awakened from a cryogenic sleep.
Producer Graham King Interview: Talks EDGE OF DARKNESS, DARK SHADOWS, and THE TOURIST
While you may not recognize the name Graham King, you’ve seen some of the movies he’s produced like The Departed, The Aviator, Traffic, and Blood Diamond. Also, with over a dozen projects listed in development on IMDb, he’s clearly positioning himself as a producer to follow. Collider recently got to sit down with him and discussed not only his latest project, but all the other things he has in development like Dark Shadows, The Tourist, Rum Diaries, Rango, London Boulevard , The Town, and Mel Gibson’s Viking movie.
Mel Gibson reteaming with Shane Black for Universal spy thriller
Mel Gibson is in negotiations to reteam with his “Lethal Weapon” scribe Shane Black for Universal’s spy thriller “Cold Warrior.” Black, directing his second movie after “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,” is tackling a tale in which a Cold War spy (Gibson) comes out of retirement to confront a domestic terrorism threat from Russia by teaming up with a younger agent. Charles Mondry wrote the script.
Nicholas Hoult joins ‘Mad Max’ movie
Zoe Kravitz, two others in talks to walk ‘Fury Road’
Nicholas Hoult is walking “Fury Road,” the new “Mad Max” movie from series writer-director George Miller. The movie is set a short while after the story detailed in 1985′s “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome,” which keeps Mad Max, the character originated by Mel Gibson, relatively young. Details are being kept quiet, but it is known that Hoult’s character is named Nux. Kravitz, whose character’s name is Five Wives, Palmer and Clemens are in a convoy being chased by bad guys.
The Cutting Room Floor
- ‘The Freebie’ picked up by Phase 4, Sundance title stars Katie Aselton, Dax Shepard
- ‘Little Fockers’ release date shifts to Dec.
- Weinstein Co. picks up ‘Blue Valentine’, stars Michelle Williams, Ryan Gosling
- New Evidence That Frank Herbert Loved David Lynch’s Version of Dune
- James Cameron to H.R. Giger: I’m sorry
- Ti West scares up ‘Innkeepers’, haunted hotel pic
- Cooper’s Town announces film slate, ‘Well,’ ‘Crumpacker’
- Trek’s Quinto calms fears that he’s leaving the franchise
- ‘Twelve’ inks deal at Sundance, ‘Hesher’ scores a U.S. home at film festival
- Scribe to tell ‘Story’, Universal taps Broyles to adapt from novel
- 3D ‘Toads’ has Sundance hopping
- Warner Bros. Hires a Mortal Writer for Kombat
- Saw VI Director Sounds Thrilled About Future Of Series
- Interview: The Cast Of Edge Of Darkness
- Phase 4 acquires ‘Hugh Hefner’, Distrib nabs domestic rights to Berman’s doc
- Requa, Ficarra to helm Carell comedy, ‘Phillip Morris’ directing duo set for
- Louis Mellis to write ‘Princess’ Gangster’
- MUTANTS Synopsis, Artwork And Release Date
- DreamWorks nabs ‘Eat, Sleep, Poop’
- Romantic role for Ginnifer Goodwin, in talks for ‘Something Borrowed’
- Bollywood pic to preem on YouTube
- Banderas, Paxton set for ‘Knockout’
- Cyrus, Moore circle ‘L.O.L.’
- Casting ‘Castro’s Daughter’
- Web Series Tied to ‘Blade Runner’ Is In the Works
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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