During the press rounds for The Ceremony, Uma Thurman dropped an update of sorts on that Quentin Tarantino Spaghetti Western that was reported last month. According to her, it's actually not going to be a Western, but a "Southern." No word yet about the spaghetti.
So, let's say you're Warner Bros. studios. Despite being an anthropomorphic conglomeration, life is pretty good for you. Your massively profitable Harry Potter series is about to come to a conclusion, but you've got a lot of bullets left in your gun: After making one of the highest grossing movies in the world with Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan made you money AND prestige with Inception -- and he's about to make another Batman movie. You've got a possible new superhero franchise with Green Lantern. And you own the movie rights to Superman, possibly the most iconic character in history behind Mickey Mouse and Jesus Christ -- so why would you give it to the man who keeps cranking out hyperkinetic failure after failure?
After Sarah Lane, Natalie Portman's Black Swan dance double, dropped the accusation that Natalie only personally danced about 5% of the movie, it was only a matter of time until Swan filmmakers rebutted her claims. And rebut they have, saying "Natalie herself did most of the dancing featured in the final film." They even managed to play nice with Lane and avoided any character assassinations, saying "We were fortunate to have Sarah there to cover the more complicated dance sequences and we have nothing but praise for the hard work she did." Hmmm. So, it's a classic case of She Said / Swan Said; which side do you believe? [EW]
Perhaps trying to distract from his embarrassing second-place finish to a children's sequel, the Los Angeles Times is reporting that Zack Snyder has officially chosen Amy Adams as the Lois Lane to Henry Cavill's Clark Kent. Lady luminaries such as Rachel McAdams, Jessica Biel and Kristin Stewart were reportedly in contention but three-time Academy Award-nominee Adams edged them all out. So what can we expect from Adams' Lois Lane?
Everybody loves a good David and Goliath story and boy is this a humdinger of one. In this corner is Zack Snyder, director of big event movies beloved by the Comic Con cognoscenti, helming a movie featuring big explosions, pretty girls in short skirts and elaborate fight scenes, all released in gross-maximizing IMAX and PG-13. In this corner is Diary of a Wimpy Kid, an unassuming kids' movie rushed into production after the relative success of the first installment. And the Kid just cleaned Snyder's clock, despite the aforementioned IMAX surcharges and despite a large chunk of Kid's ticket sales coming from discounted child prices. Ladies and gentlemen, your Weekend Receipts are here.
Take a good look at the pile of 80s remake effluvia that includes Red Dawn, Footloose and Robocop, and then throw another turd on the barbie: MGM has announced plans to remake the Child's Play's film series, starring Chucky the homicidal doll. Must we? No one will claim that the original Child's Play was any great work of art, but is there any reason to update it and remake for today's audience other than a stirring need for cash? Besides which, do kids today even play with dolls anymore? Shouldn't it be about a demonic Nintendo DS that comes to life and starts snapping shut (demonically!) on people's fingers? Brad Dourif, the original voice of Chucky, is slated to return, as is the creator of the whole series, Don Mancini, to write and possibly direct. God only knows what Oprah will have to eat to get through this one. Just to stir your nostalgia, the original Child's Play trailer is below. [/Film]
Yesterday we saw a little peek of him softshoeing his way into our hearts, but today's entry in All Things Daniel Radcliffe focuses on his raison d'être, Harry Potter. A new leaked still from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 shows Harry grimly walking away from a scene of absolute destruction -- is it the grounds at Hogwarts? Whose bodies are strewn upon the ground? Does anyone else imagine the sad walking away music from the old Incredible Hulk playing? Put on your sorting thinking caps and give poor ol' Harry the caption he deserves. [ONTD]
Coming Soon is reporting that Sam Raimi has officially cast James Franco as the titular, fast-talking conman in Oz, The Great and Powerful, his adult-tinged prequel to the Wizard of Oz. And errant ballerina Mila Kunis is also coming aboard at the witch Glendora; no word as to whether she is a good witch or a bad witch. It's long been rumored but I think Franco is great choice for a silver-tongued scamster -- after all, didn't he con us all into thinking he'd be able to host the Oscars? [ComingSoon]
As the embers from the Jennifer Lawrence casting inferno die down, director Gary Ross is ready to turn his attention to the boys. Ross is reportedly testing out his Hunger Game hopefuls with previously cast Lawrence to see who has the right spark. Weeds's Hunter Parrish and X-Men: First Class' Lucas Till are among those in the running for Peeta, the baker's son, while Liam "My brother is Thor" Hemsworth and Falling Skies' Drew Roy are amongst those up for huntsman Gale. We've sized up the pros and the cons or each candidate below but who are your ideal boys for your dream Hunger Games cast?
Mirror, mirror on this site / Who's about to play Snow White?
Deadline lets the rumor run / Saoirse Ronan will play the Fairest One
And who has joined this starry cast / to play Snow's prince, come at last?
Armie Hammer (just one of him) / Will mount the search for snowy trim.
[Deadline]
Well, it seems like we might have a real horse race going here. Despite our predictions that Zack Snyder's CGI onslaught would handily win the weekend, Sucker Punch barely fended off the merciless assault from a kids' movie sequel. In fact, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Roderick Rules might yet come out on top for the weekend once the lucrative Sunday matinee money comes rolling in, but for now it settled for number two. Who do you think is more nervous for those final numbers -- Snyder himself or the producers behind his new Superman? Your Friday box office is here.
Our emotions got the best of us this week at Movieline HQ, where devastating losses, frightening feuds and more than a couple wild cultural developments took their tolls. But now it's Friday, and we have weekend editor Dixon Gaines's stabilizing influence to look forward to. Rejoice, and drop back by Saturday and Sunday as the healing begins. Have a good one!
Celebrated TV and film actor Bill Cosby (loved him in Ghost Dad) once had a program called The Cosby Show with seriously fabulous opening credits. Those credits have been remixed to an electronic dance beat, and I'm telling you Sabrina La Beauf has never been funkier. Mysteriously, Lisa Bonet is the worst. Anyway: Have a glorious weekend and let Phylicia Rashad's sashaying lead the way! [YouTube]
These days everyone's a critic. No, really: The folks at NextMovie got rapper Pharoahe Monch to review Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch for a video series entitled, appropriately enough, "Rappers Review Movies." (Previous installments include Lil Mama on Big Momma's House 3 -- oh, the sweet poetry in that pairing -- and Talib Kweli on The Fighter.) So what did the Queens-born self-identified nerd (who famously sampled the theme from Godzilla for his chart-topping 1999 anthem "Simon Says" and has a new album out now) think of Sucker Punch?
You may never become the President of the United States, declare war on Nazi Germany or revive the economy from a Great Depression, but now you can play someone who has done all three things onscreen. Notting Hill director Roger Michell is searching for U.S. actors to play Franklin Delano Roosevelt, his distant cousin Daisy and his wife Eleanor for the film Hyde Park On Hudson, about the romantic relationship between FDR and Daisy. Michell hopes that the film, being developed by the UK's Film4, will begin shooting later this year. Casting suggestions encouraged below. [Deadline]
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