Gleeks of the world, prepare to be slightly disappointed. A rumor that the live touring performances of Glee hitting the stage this spring would be expanded to a full Broadway production have been dashed. Fox spokesman Chris Alexander, told Variety that the studio is "very careful when contemplating the brand extensions of our franchises." However considering tickets for the mostly sold out shows are running as high as $9,999 on Stubhub, perhaps Fox should reconsider this stance. But, wait! Before you go running off to sing "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" into the bathroom mirror, some good news...
more »
By now you've no doubt heard that Marvel has tapped Chris Evans to play Captain America in The First Avenger: Captain America. If he accepts the nine (nine!) film deal that he's being offered, Evans will join the Marvel universe for a second time--he was Johnny Storm in Fantastic Four--and keep the anti-Channing Tatum contingent from burning Hollywood to the ground. That's all well and good obviously, and Evans is actually good for the role (even the geeks agree!), but there's seems to be an even bigger problem with this planned summer 2011 tentpole than who dons the red, white and blue tights. Namely, Joe Johnston.
more »
Maybe it wasn't the best time for Gerard Butler to co-star in a movie that's being called "embarrassing" because of its box office totals. Fresh off The Bounty Hunter, Butler is among the final choices to play CIA counterterrorism agent Mitch Rapp in the CBS Films adaptation of Consent to Kill, one of the 11 best-selling novels in a series by Vince Flynn. Joining the Scottish hunk on the short list are the Colin Farrell and Matthew "Hey, what am I doing mentioned here?" Fox.
more »
Unless you're Armond White, you're probably pretty excited to see Noah Baumbach's latest film, Greenberg. In the sad-eyed comedy, Ben Stiller plays Roger Greenberg, an unctuous New Yorker who transplants temporarily to Los Angeles to housesit for his absent brother (a hilarious Chris Messina), build a dog house and, hopefully, work out his many psychological issues. Of the latter problem, it helps when a girl who looks like Greta Gerwig is around to be a shoulder to cry on (or, in the case of Greenberg, irrationally yell at and have sex with). It's being called a career highlight for Stiller--he's still better in Zoolander, but whatever--but where does Roger Greenberg rate on the list of unlikable characters created by Noah Baumbach? To the tale of the tape!
more »
And you wonder why Warner Brothers shoehorned a third dimension into the upcoming Clash of the Titans. For the third Friday in a row Alice in Wonderland was the top choice for ticket buyers with $8.6 million in ticket sales. As for the newcomers, the results ranged from disappointing ($7.5 million for Jennifer Aniston's The Bounty Hunter) to "whatever" ($7 million for Diary of a Wimpy Kid) to downright ugly ($2 million for Repo Men). Remember what Chris Rock said about Jude Law at the Oscars in 2005? Turns out he was right. Take that, Sean Penn!
more »
Join us now in welcoming Christopher Rosen, who'll be guest editing for us this weekend. A regular contributor to the NY Observer's website and the man behind the Clockwork Orange-esque experiments going on over at 42inchtelevision.com, Christopher will be here over the next glorious 48 hours to break any developments in the ongoing firestorm surrounding Heidi Montag's psychic manager, while keeping one eye trained on the box office. A warm round of applause for Christopher, if you please.
You've sprung forward through another week of news and commentary at Movieline, for which your devoted staff sends its thanks over the nonstop squeak of our hamster wheel. We'll slow it down for a few days, if you don't mind, but please do read on for a look at the week's rich, redoubtable results. And have a splendid weekend!
more »
· Jeannie!!! How many TIMES does Ben Affleck have to TELL you?! Keep your stinky little fingers off his growth-hormone stash! RARRRRRGH BEN EAT LITTLE BLACK KITTIE RARRRRGH! [HuffPo]
more »
We all know that Rosie O'Donnell is Team Coco, but what happens if she has to compete against him? Into the Oprah-sized hole of syndicated talk come two potential contenders: Conan O'Brien, who is said to be mulling a talker outside of late-night, and Rosie O'Donnell, who Gossip Cop claims has signed a syndication deal for the 2011-2012 season. It's said that her new series will be more political in nature than her Koosh-flinging talk show of yore. Hasselbeck for sweeps guest! [Gossip Cop]
Silly-nilly music video directors! Always too caught up in envisioning three-minute pop dioramas. Video grandmaster Michel Gondry may be the silliest in the field; He claims disinterest with Lady Gaga and misplaces his single Video Music Award for Massive Attack's 1995 clip "Protection." Can you believe we found it? It was sitting next to a dainty old cherry tree that Bjork was wearing. Now: Which of this week's commenters wins the hardware?
more »
Be excited! The cast of the The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills has at last been revealed. It includes Kim and Kyle Richards, the Patty and Selma of the Hilton family, Adrienne Maloof-Nassif, whose family owns the Las Vegas Palms and the Sacramento Kings and who's married to a surgeon from Dr. 90210, Lisa Vanderpump-Todd, wife of British restaurateur Kenneth Todd whose maiden name suggests a gay Scandinavian porn star or discontinued Reebok, and Camille Donatacci Grammer, former Playboy model, wife of Kelsey Grammer, and the outspoken face of severe Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Let the IBS fundraiser-planning catfights begin! [E! Online]
When you direct a critically acclaimed sleeper hit that earns four-times its budget -- and in doing so manage to coax the supernatural Bill Murray cameo that Ghostbusters 3 would give its right Zuul nut for -- you're pretty much granted the keys to the kingdom. And that's precisely what's happening for Zombieland director Ruben Fleischer, who the LA Times reports has been courted for several high-profile projects -- everything from Will Ferrell comedy Daddy's Home, a chick-version of The Hangover called The Bachelorette (ooh! Rozlyn Papa crossover potential!), and -- gird your loins -- Mission: Impossible IV. But it's a smaller film that has Fleischer most excited:
more »
Hey fanboys, get excited! Here's the new trailer for Ramona and Beezus, based on the classic series of, uh, "graphic novels" by Beverly Cleary, and starring, let's say, "Captain America frontrunner" Selena Gomez. No, no. This is not working. All that boy-friendly advice from Disney is so hard to actually put into practice!
more »
Alert your great aunt after she gets back from buying Winstons: Days of Our Lives has been picked up for a 45th season! That's a whole lot of baby switches and soft-focus fights about faking Peter's death. As the show continues to evolve for soap lovers all over the nation, Movieline has one request: Help this discarded homosexual out with a nudity-related sideplot. [EW]
IESB is reporting that the Captain America shortlist is down to three, though it's important to note that none of these names were on the original shortlist. Lots of commitment-phobes over at Marvel! Anyway, the finalists are Chris Evans, Channing Tatum, and rumored frontrunner Sebastian Stan, best-known for the short-lived NBC series Kings and an arc on Gossip Girl (sorry, Chace!). Still, the website cautions that Stan's early childhood years in Romania could disqualify him for this very American role. Awesome: We're going to have Captain America birthers. UPDATE: Maybe it was offered to Chris Evans? So says THR! [IESB]
