Anne Hathaway is Not Ricky Gervais, and 6 Other Stories You'll Be Talking About Today

hathaway_franco_225.jpgAlso in this Wednesday edition of The Broadsheet: Bette Midler weighs in on the Best Picture nominees... Steve Carell will talk to his dog, but in a sad way... there's a second Spider-man musical in the works... and more ahead.

· Not that you needed Oscar co-host Anne Hathaway to remind you that she isn't Ricky Gervais, but: She isn't Ricky Gervais. "I can guarantee that if you're looking for someone to call people out, we're not your hosts," Hathaway told THR about the difference between her and James Franco as awards show hosts and Golden Globes roastmaster ringmaster Gervais. "I think that humor is really difficult to pull off, and I'm not particularly adept at it. I wouldn't feel comfortable doing it. Also, I don't mean to sound overly serious, but I am the youngest host in history and I have no business being cynical or calling anyone out. I certainly haven't earned the right to do that." [THR]

· Speaking of the Oscars, Bette Midler has some opinions about a few of the Best Picture nominees. "I loved The Social Network," she wrote on Twitter. "That character, Zuckerberg, was even more annoying than Glenn Beck." Zinger! What about Black Swan, Bette? "I'm so confused about Black Swan. Is this what happens when a prima ballerina has no turn out?" Ding! And The Fighter? "Why don't they make a movie where Mark Wahlberg can be shirtless in every scene? Oh wait, never mind." Don't forget to tip your waitress. [@BetteMidler]

· Steve Carell will star in an adaptation of Dogs of Babel. Based on the novel by Carolyn Parkhurst, Babel tells the story of a man who finds his wife dead in the backyard, with only his dog as a witness; he then begins to attempt to converse with the dog to try and understand the tragedy. No director is attached yet. [Deadline]

· "Our goal isn't to tear down Julie Taymor or parody her production," said Justin Moran, creator of The Spidey Project: With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility, a new musical which is scheduled to open at the Peoples Improv Theater on March 14. "Our goal is to do what she should have done in the first place, and that's just make a really good musical." For reference, The Spidey Project cost about $65 million less than Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. [NYT/ArtsBeat]

· Clash of the Titans director Louis Leterrier has signed on for G, a silly-sounding tentpole that's being described as The Day After Tomorrow meets Taken, but with zero gravity. [THR/Heat Vision]

· Speaking of silly-sounding: Zombies vs. Robots is a thing that Michael Bay is producing. [Deadline]

· Don't hold your breath, but David O. Russell would like to make the long-in-development Cocaine Cowboys with Mark Wahlberg. The good news here: David O. Russell is making movies again! [The Playlist]



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