Also in today's edition of Hollywood Ink: The Streep/Fey wonder pairing Mommy and Me finds a studio... Russell Brand picks his battles... the powerhouse Duvall/Black tandem re-teams... and more...
· Does Inception really need to be made cuter when it already costars Tom Hardy? The Best Week Ever braintrust has managed the impossible by inserting cuddly pets into the trailer in an attempt to create a kids' version of the film. I would call this video crazy, but alas, it's already had itself declared sane by three different psychiatrists. [Best Week Ever]
When he isn't part of the cacophony of voices debating the ending of Inception, Damon Lindelof is a busy Hollywood screenwriter. The former Lost executive producer had already lined up two major co-writing jobs while his series was still on the air -- Star Trek 2 and Cowboys & Aliens with Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci -- but now it appears that he might have found his own solo venture: the Alien prequel. Maybe.
Though we were totally in favor of Carey Mulligan boarding the thriller Cradle Will Fall -- in which she'd potentially steal Kate Winslet's husband and adopted baby, if producers assembled their dream cast -- it looks like it's not going to happen. Mulligan's reps just reached out to Movieline to insist that while the in-demand actress has a host of potential projects in front of her, she isn't attached to Cradle Will Fall at all. Julie Bowen, your move.
Though he's engaged and a father, when the Daily Mail asked Inception actor Tom Hardy whether he'd ever dallied with the same sex, the rising star was unusually candid: "I've played with everything and everyone. I love the form and the physicality [of men], but now that I'm in my thirties, it doesn't do it for me. I'm done experimenting but there's plenty of stuff in a relationship with another man, especially gay men, that I need in my life." Best of all, though, was his initial quip when asked whether he'd experimented: "Of course I have. I'm an actor for ****'s sake." Rampage Jackson was right! [Daily Mail]
· You may say the most notable thing about the Yogi Bear poster is the debut of the film's CG characters, but I say it's the fact that Dan Aykroyd is first-billed above the title. Click through for a closer look, as well as more Buzz Break.
The Showcase Showdown between Bob Barker and Drew Carey might not materialize after all. After recently implying that Carey was a less-than-thrilling replacement host of The Price is Right, Barker insists that he has nothing against Carey because, well, he's financially tied to his success. "I would not criticize Drew Carey. I would not criticize this show...I have a sizable royalty that I am paid every year this show is on, and it's going on for years. I would be an absolute fool." For those hoping for a bigger fight, this goes out to you. [EW]
Talk about no-win situations: A day after Oliver Stone apologized for contextualizing Hitler and citing "Jewish domination of the media" ("Jews obviously do not control media or any other industry," Stone said), a pair of powerful and justifiably irate Jews have gotten together to persuade Showtime to cancel Stone's upcoming documentary on the network. Does anyone else see the problem here?
Good news parents -- you can bring your children to see the next Mel Gibson movie! The MPAA announced that The Beaver has been given a PG-13 rating for "mature thematic material, some disturbing content, sexuality and language including a drug reference." Summit Entertainment is no doubt thrilled by this box office-friendly turn of events. Mark "TBA 2010" on your calendars immediately. [Rope of Silicon]
Pajiba reports that Carey Mulligan is thisclose to signing on to Cradle Will Fall, a thriller about a surrogate who gets a little too attached to the family she's carrying a baby for. Basically, it's the newest entry in what Movieline likes to call the "crazy white bitch" genre, and though some bloggers are tsk-tsking Mulligan for sinking to such fare, here's why it's exactly the right move for her.
Cue up some Kimya Dawson: Diablo Cody, Movieline's favorite Internet talk show host, gave birth Tuesday to a baby boy. Marcello Daniel Maurio weighs 7 pounds, 2 ounces and, according to Cody's Twitter page, is "lightly mustachioed." Congrats! [PopEater]
It bears mentioning that the notorious, Weinstein-shelved, fest-darling, Amber Heard-starring teen thriller All the Boys Love Mandy Lane screened secretly last weekend at Comic-Con -- and it may finally receive US distribution sooner than later. Producer Keith Calder tweeted about a "light at the end of the tunnel" for the film, while Heard herself gave a 'Con interview noting the nearly four-year wait since Mandy's TIFF '06 premiere is nearing an end. Prepare your DVD players! Alas. [STYD]
Also in today's edition of Hollywood Ink: Another aspiring mutant joins X-Men: First Class... Breaking Dawn adds a little more class... and Brett Ratner is attracted to Unknowns.
· The creator of a long-running ABC hit has voiced interest in hiring the unstoppable Betty White for a continuing role. Can you guess the show? Hint: This creator's been chatting a lot today. Yep, you guessed it... [ONTD]
Despite what American Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe might want, it doesn't look like Justin Timberlake and Elton John will appear as judges next season. Timberlake's insiders call his rumored involvement "silly," while John's publicist was a big harsher in tone, telling Deadline: "It's absolute rubbish. This story's three months old. There's more chance of me f***ing you than Elton being on U.S. Idol." He later came back with the PG-version: "Elton's got commitments right up until next year. As we stand at the moment, Elton has no plans to do that show." [Deadline]
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