Any teeth-gnashing you did over the will-he-won't-he drama surrounding Alec Baldwin co-starring in Rock of Ages was for naught. Deadline reports that while Baldwin wanted out of the film "if at all possible," he was coaxed into appearing by Warner Bros. head Jeff Robinov. They don't pay him the big bucks for nothing. Rock of Ages starts shooting on May 23. [Deadline]
· On a slow Friday, what better time to check out the official Monsters University logo and daydream about the Pixar prequel's endless possibilities. If you feel like you've seen this one before, that's because you sorta have: a black-and-white version of the MU logo leaked out earlier this year. Click ahead to see the color-infused version, then stick around for more Buzz Break.
Answer: A film entitled The Paperboy, based on Pete Dexter's 1995 novel. I know, I know; when you hear the word "paperboy" you think A) minimum wage-earning neighborhood scamp, B) the 1984 Atari video game, or C) the 1993 hip-hop jam "Ditty," by the rapper Paperboy. But no! Pedro Almodovar, Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron, Tobey Maguire, Sofia Vergara, and Precious director Lee Daniels have another Paperboy in mind.
For some people, Friday the 13th is a time to rub any available rabbit's feet and throw salt over their shoulders. For you, however, this particular Friday the 13th is a time to honor Maverick, Goose, Iceman, and aviator sunglasses. That's right: It's Top Gun Day!
This weekend is an important one for Kristen Wiig, because the box office success of her first starring vehicle Bridesmaids will determine whether the Saturday Night Live actress can cross the tricky Hollywood threshold into leading lady-dom. Before the wildly anticipated comedy ("The Hangover...for women!") opens though, let's look back at the box office successes of Wiig's female predecessors at SNL.
The premise for the upcoming sci-fi thriller Looper is a juicy one: Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as a hitman who kills hooded victims sent to him via time travel from 30 years in future (where time travel exists, and is frowned upon). Things are great until his futuristic self (played by Bruce Willis) shows up to be executed, sans hood. Cue: plot-thickening music! The first image of Willis-as-older-Levitt has arrived online, and it looks just like Bruce Willis. With a machine gun. Click ahead for your first look at Looper.
As if you needed further proof that Meryl Streep's performance as former British Prime Minster Margaret Thatcher is going to be at the top of the Oscar heap in 2012, there's this: The Weinstein Company has purchased the U.S. distribution rights for The Iron Lady, meaning Streep's Best Actress campaign will be directed by Harvey Weinstein. Sorry, all other actresses. [Deadline]
Also in this Friday (woo!) edition of The Broadsheet: The Terminator franchise gets purchased... Legend finds a director... The Three Stooges adds a villain... and more ahead.
It seems CBS wanted a movie star to take over for Charlie Sheen on Two and a Half Men, and they got one. Ashton Kutcher -- last seen wooing Natalie Portman in the $70 million grossing No Strings Attached -- has been cast as Sheen's replacement on the hit series. Said Kutcher on Twitter: "What's the square root of 6.25?" Said Sheen on Twitter: "GNARLY!! Check out this new app Viddy!" [Deadline]
A few weeks ago, Steven Soderbergh postponed his early retirement to take on a juicy project brought to him by Channing Tatum. Based on Tatum's real-life experiences, the project -- titled Magic Mike -- would center on a friendship set in the world of male strippers. And just moments ago, in a casting coup for crotch tattoo-ed actors everywhere, Deadline announced that Alex Pettyfer has signed onto the project.
According to People, Mary Tyler Moore has scheduled surgery to remove a meningioma, a benign tumor of the lining tissue of the brain. The surgery was recommended by the Oscar nominee's neurosurgeon, who has been monitoring Moore's condition for years. Our thoughts go out to you, Mary! [People]
It might be Friday the 13th weekend, but one film in particular is destined to get lucky as the nation's No. 1 box-office draw! Wow, that is the stupidest thing I've ever written. Not so stupid, however: Your Weekend Forecast, featuring one of the fiercest B.O. bottlenecks of the year to date. Let's investigate...
It's your lucky day, Big Lebowski fans. The actual cardigan that Jeff Bridges wore throughout the duration of Joel and Ethan Coen's beloved comedy is being auctioned off this weekend in Beverly Hills. So just how much will the vintage piece of Dude memorabilia run you?
More news out of the bustling Cannes marketplace: Naomi Foner, producer, screenwriter and mother to Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal, will direct Very Good Girls from her own script. What's more, she's got acclaimed up-and-comers Dakota Fanning and Sundance It girl Elizabeth Olsen attached as her leads, playing two friends trying to lose their V-cards during a summer in New York City. But who will play the "charismatic street artist" both gals fall for?
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