Apparently the real horror of Scream 4 is all behind the camera -- they've got abrupt cast departures, impetuous hires, Wes Craven's lack of script control, Kevin Williamson's eviction, among other snafus. Now, as one of Movieline's anointed commenters, you get a chance to add 10 more familiar names to the cast and make it the celebrity cavalcade it deserves to be. And so you know, I've already taken Jennifer Love Hewitt/Alfre Woodard/Kieran Culkin/Cicely Tyson/Justin Bieber/Gloria Stuart/Cole and Dylan Sprouse/Luise Rainer/Alfred Hitchcock. So choose something else.
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Because Fourth of July weekend wouldn't be complete without some fireworks, here comes the implosion that is Scream 4. Earlier today, Zap2it reported that Kevin Williamson had been taken off the horror sequel and replaced with Ehren Kruger, much to the consternation of the cast -- and likely Williamson himself, since he wasn't a big fan of Kruger's Scream 3 script. And now, it looks like their source for this scoop has been unearthed: Could it be Kevin Williamson himself?
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You know the rumor that Piers Morgan is taking over Larry King's desk at CNN for approximately $8 milllion ayear? Well, Simon Cowell would like to clear that up in two parts. First, that is not a rumor -- that is an inevitability -- and second, the former American Idol personality is totally responsible for negotiating that lucrative move. "I knew about this weeks ago. [Morgan] was under contract to us on America's Got Talent, so he called me and we helped sort of broker the deal." [Extra]
As promised, the conspicuously titled Project X -- the Todd Phillips/Joel Silver co-produced guerrilla comedy -- had found its no-name cast: Miles Teller, Oliver Cooper, Jonathan Daniel Brown, Kirby Bliss Blanton, Dax Flame, Nichole O'Connor, Thomas Mann and Alexis Knapp will all hope to become the next McLovin' -- or Zack Galifianakis -- when they take part in the Nima Nourizadeh-directed comedy. Precious few details about Project X are available, but it reportedly "revolves around a group of kids documenting a house party that suddenly goes awry," and that "like Cloverfield, the movie would unfold from the point of view of the person videotaping the party." So this is the Cloverfield sequel you've been waiting for! It's gonna be the best night ever, etc. [Variety]
As we all know, James Cameron's best work is not Aliens, Avatar, or Titanic, but instead his one contribution to music video history: Martini Ranch's "Reach" video, a deliciously absurd parable about female bodybuilders and Kathryn Bigelow's doability in a cowgirl outfit. Alas, Cameron hasn't directed a music video since, although according to will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas, the director is going to put off Avatar 2 to direct their concert film. Um what?
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Poor Manoj. The guy literally never saw the Shyamalashing coming from critics of his new, instantly notorious The Last Airbender, and I don't know if even his fiercest detractors ever envisioned him striking rock bottom quite as violently he has with this one. I mean, it's bad, folks. But don't take my word for it (or Kyle's, or Stephanie's for that matter). Read on for a flight of bile that makes our earlier Grown Ups and Sex and the City 2 hate-tastings sweet by comparison.
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Since Scream 4 updates apparently happen hourly, here's your latest: Screenwriter Kevin Williamson has already been replaced on the set by Scream 3 writer Ehren Kruger. And now Kruger -- the man responsible in part for the immortal Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen script -- is handling the rewrites and leaving the cast quite unhappy. The changes reportedly caused Lauren Graham to drop out and are upsetting Hayden Panetierre, whose role has been "dumbed down significantly." Just wait until she's allowed to read the finished script. [Zap2it]
It's not just domestic spies who reflect the increasingly fraught relations between the U.S. and Russia. The Kremlin (or somebody) appears to have put a hit out on Toy Story 3, which has grossed a disastrous $4.8 million among Russian moviegoers in its first 10 days of release. By comparison, Shrek Forever After grossed $37.7 million over the same period. Of course this can mean only one thing: Armond White is huge in Russia. [LAT]
· Early estimates for The Twilight Saga: Eclipse's Thursday showings cap out around $25 million, giving the blockbuster an $88 million head start into the weekend proper. As if that weren't enough momentum, Summit is deploying nearly two dozen cast members to multiplexes nationwide to personally introduce select screenings and thank Twihards for their support, dedication and hard-earned money. Kristen Stewart will no doubt make her appearance, if any, from the safety of her new, armor-plated MopeMobile. [Deadline]
A pair of Mad Men regulars jump to the movies, The Fall Guy gets a big-screen shot, and more Hollywood Ink after the jump.
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Welcome back to Movieline Attractions, your regular guide to everything new, noteworthy and/or cash-hoarding at the movies. It's a light week for new releases, with nobody really coveting the roadkill role opposite a certain teen-friendly Brinks truck of a franchise. Well, nobody except for Manoj Shyamalan, apparently. But even he won't be truly flattened, regardless of the reviews. Let's explore the box-office potential, whaddya say?
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These just came over the wire from Cancun, where the big announcement was made. He looks as surprised as you are. Two more (including one with director Marc Webb), after the jump.
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Whoa! So that happened. The statement just came in from Sony, and while we collect ourselves, we'll let you read it. It's a great choice, though an older one than I was expecting them to make. More later:
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· No One Dies in Lily Dale is HBO's upcoming documentary about a town full of mediums, and hopefully up to par with the network's other docs like Youth Knows No Pain and Kevorkian. TV is crowded with spooky apparitions and lingering spirits, but this particularly entry (previewed below) looks kind of human. Intriguing! [HBo]
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The Harry Potter cast may be a big, happy family, but one of their own has family troubles that are quite severe. The brother and father of 22-year-old actress Afshan Azad (who plays Padma Patil, the student Ron dated in Goblet of Fire) have been charged with threatening to kill her at her home in Manchester. Yikes. Azad will next appear in the series wrap up, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. [BBC]
