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TOLDJA! Hollywood Looks to Blogs for TV and Film Projects
Filed under: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Mystery & Suspense, Dreamworks, Home Entertainment
"It's only a matter of time before the 2010s do for blogging what the 1930s did for newspapers." That's what I wrote yesterday in a Pitch of the Day post, and I didn't realize how immediately prophetic it was. Only hours later The Hollywood Reporter announced a new HBO series in the works centered on a character who is ... a blogger. Specifically the show, titled Tilda, will be about a "no-holds-barred" entertainment journalist who works online. And she's female, so she's being compared to real-life Hollywood bloggers Nikki Finke, Sharon Waxman and Anne Thompson.Given the clear Finke connection, I just had to use her signature "TOLDJA!" in the headline, but in all honesty I had no idea anything like this was on the way, nor did I truly want it to be. It might be interesting, though, given that I can't imagine it resembling my own bloggery life at all. Coming from wrier/director Bill Condon (Dreamgirls; Gods and Monsters -- which would be a fitting title for a show about bloggers, IMHO) and writer/producer Cynthia Mort (The Brave One; HBO series Tell Me You Love Me), I expect something a little more glamorous than is the reality for most entertainment bloggers.
Olivia Wilde Saddles Up For 'Cowboys & Aliens'
Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Casting, Newsstand, Dreamworks, Steven Spielberg, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Western, Daniel Craig
I don't know if the image of Daniel Craig in chaps left too many speechless, or if it was that no one was interested in Cowboys & Aliens once Robert Downey Jr. rode off the range, but few had much to say when the rumor mill put Craig in the saddle. Well, what do you say to the news that Craig is officially in, and that he'll be joined by Olivia Wilde? According to THR's Heat Vision, Wilde will play Ella, a woman who joins Craig's mysterious gunslinger to fight off the aliens. (Is the gunslinger now mysterious and no longer named Zeke Jackson? Curious.) I'm not sure if Ella appeared in the original graphic novel / web-comic. There was a female gunfighter named Verity who traded bullets with the Apache right alongside Zeke. Perhaps she'll be a variation on that character, or she'll be a pioneer woman with a rifle, or she'll be one of the West's soiled doves like Megan Fox in Jonah Hex. (Cue the fervent wishing of many male readers for Wilde in similar attire.)
Jon Favreau is directing, and Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci of every-script-under-the-sun-fame have penned the screenplay with Damon Lindelof. Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, and Brian Grazer are producing alongside Scott Michael Rosenberg, the author of the graphic novel. Shooting is expected to begin this summer. Between this and Tron: Legacy, I think Wilde may be destined to be summer's geek goddess.
Will Zachary Quinto Play Gershwin for Steven Spielberg?
Filed under: Drama, Music & Musicals, Casting, RumorMonger, DIY/Filmmaking, Newsstand, Dreamworks, Steven Spielberg
Unlike Captain Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto hasn't gone crazy signing onto action films and franchise characters like Jack Ryan. That probably has something to go with his Heroes commitments, but perhaps he's just picky, or no one has sent him the kind of brawny material they've sent Pine. Or perhaps he was brushing up on his musical skills, because according to Deadline Hollywood Daily, Quinto may be playing the legendary George Gershwin in a biopic directed by Steven Spielberg.A Gershwin biopic would definitely be a quiet, melancholy kind of film. The famous composer studied piano up until the age of fifteen, and left school to sell songs on New York's Tin Pan Alley and briefly worked in vaudeville. His songs, classical pieces, and operas like Porgy and Bess are more striking than his life was, which ended at the tragically young age of 38 due to a brain tumor. But his wasn't the kind of dramatic, crazy life that usually produces biopics so it'll be interesting to see how they handle it.
As you probably know, trying to guess Spielberg's next project has been a twisty sort of game. He's dropped them as fast as we could write about them, and this one could be no exception. But he's reportedly quite eager to get back into the director's chair, and a Gershwin biopic is one of three projects he's very interested in. The project is basically set to go with a script from Doug Wright, with Marc Platt and Michael Feinstein producing. Apparently, nothing is official, but DreamWorks has been prepping Quinto for the role. They've hired accent and dialogue coaches for the actor, and shooting could begin in April. Providing this actually goes before cameras, do you think he'll be a good Gershwin?
Another Guidebook Adaptation: 'Eat, Sleep, Poop'
Filed under: Comedy, Family Films, Dreamworks
Two weeks ago, we heard news that a pregnancy guidebook, What to Expect When You're Expecting, is being turned into a film. In my response, I predicted that we'd also eventually get an adaptation of the book's sequel, What to Expect: The First Year. But now it seems someone will beat Lionsgate to the punch on that idea, because DreamWorks is already developing a movie based on a parenting guide. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the studio bought the rights to an upcoming book called Eat, Sleep, Poop: A Common Sense Guide to Your Baby's First Year. The guide will be adapted by Four Christmases scribes Matt Allen and Caleb Wilson as a comedy (as opposed to a horror film, which some of us might presume it to be). And just so you know, this has some prestige attached: three-time Oscar-nominee Walter F. Parkes (Awakenings) is producing with Laurie MacDonald (The Ring).
Like What to Expect, this has franchise potential. Pediatrician Scott W. Cohen, who wrote Eat, Sleep, Poop, plans to continue with a series of follow-up books. The first book comes out of his experience raising a child of his own, which drastically changed the way he practices his profession. So it seems the film's plot could come more out of Cohen's story than from impersonal instructional steps, as What to Expect appears to be doing.
D.J. Caruso to Helm James Frey's Sci-Fi Version of 'Hiding Out'
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Family Films, Dreamworks, Remakes and Sequels
As it turns out, Michael Bay will not be directing an adaptation of the upcoming young adult sci-fi novel I Am Number Four, which he bought the rights to last summer. Instead, Heat Vision reports that D.J. Caruso, best known for his Shia LaBeouf-headed Hitchcock homages Disturbia and Eagle Eye, will be at the helm. Sadly for comic book fans, this does mean another obstacle in the way of Caruso's long-planned film of Y the Last Man.But those of us who are fans of Jon Cryer's '80s classic Hiding Out can rejoice with this news. Because if you are indeed a fan of Hiding Out, it's probable that you'd also enjoy a science fiction version of the movie -- even one that's unofficially so. See, I Am Number Four, which was written by James Frey (of A Million Little Pieces infamy) and Joby Hughes, is about a group of aliens who escape their planet just before it's destroyed by other aliens and head to Earth. The title character (that'd be "Number Four") does his hiding out as a high school student.
'Pianist' Scribe Writing Spielberg's Martin Luther King Biopic
Filed under: Drama, Dreamworks, Steven Spielberg
Timely news comes on the heels of Martin Luther King Jr. Day: DreamWorks has tapped a screenwriter for its biopic about the civil rights leader. Ronald Harwood, who won an Oscar for penning Roman Polanski's Holocaust drama The Pianist, will handle the task of adapting MLK's life once again for the screen, this time with the authorization of part of the King Estate. While other films and miniseries about or involving the Reverend Doctor have been made in the past, none have been approved by any members of his family or had access to his intellectual property (such as the "I Have a Dream" speech). This as yet untitled biopic will also be a bigger deal than past efforts due to the fact it's being produced by Steven Spielberg.Harwood is also a pretty significant player. In addition to winning an Academy Award, he's been nominated for his scripts for The Dresser and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Other films he's written include Australia, The Browning Version and Polanski's film of Oliver Twist. He also has experience with civil rights subject matter. A native of South Africa, Harwood wrote the adaptation for the apartheid drama Cry, the Beloved Country and the made-for-TV biopic Mandela, starring Danny Glover as the anti-apartheid activist (and South African president-to-be). He's also covered the apartheid subject in novels and plays.
Pitch of the Day: I Have a Dream
Filed under: Casting, Dreamworks, Steven Spielberg
One of the constants of movie blogging is receiving comments from unknown actors (and non-actors) who think they're perfect for such and such part. This is mostly the case with announcements of high-profile biopics and other similar projects based on a true story. For example, last year when news came out that Steven Spielberg is planning a film about Martin Luther King Jr., I wrote on potential casting ideas at another site and got comments from a few people who would rather see themselves in the role of the civil rights leader rather than some A-list actor.One guy included his phone number in his comment, while another man linked to his website. The latter, a "motivational performer" who recites Dr. King's speeches across the nation, does indeed deserve to star in a film. But not Spielberg's. Instead, I propose that he play himself in a meta movie about his wish. It would obviously be called...
I Have a Dream
This movie could work with any kind of biopic, but the MLK angle obviously fits with the holiday. and the title. It'd be kind of a cross between Harmony Korine's movie about celebrity impersonators, Mister Lonely, and that episode of Growing Pains in which Mike and his girlfriend naively hope to be cast in a Broadway revival of Our Town after starring in their high school production of the play.
Daniel Craig Might Saddle Up For 'Cowboys & Aliens'
Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Casting, RumorMonger, DIY/Filmmaking, Newsstand, Dreamworks, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Western, Daniel Craig
Losing Robert Downey Jr. didn't slow down Cowboys & Aliens for very long, and it didn't even get to jump into the rumor pool. According to Collider, Daniel Craig might just be the man who fills Downey's boots. He's still in negotiations and has not been officially cast, so don't start dreaming of leather chaps just yet.I certainly hope Craig is the man who takes the part. As James Bond, he's one of the undisputed action leaders right now, but he still hasn't gotten to make a name for himself outside of 007. I think it would be wonderful to see him cut loose in something lighter, and to pair him up with Jon Favreau would be ideal. I don't think this is going to be a Wild Wild West by any means, so I don't think it'll hurt Craig's upward climb at all.
The only reason I could see Craig unable to take the part would be a conflict with Bond. Craig and Judi Dench have hinted Bond 23 would film late this year, and aim for a 2011 release. Cowboys & Aliens is aiming for a summer 2011 release date as well. So schedule conflicts could derail Cowboys & Aliens a little longer, or it could find another brawny fellow riding the range altogether. Hollywood is certainly chock full of guys I'd like to see in a ten gallon hat ...
'Transformers 3' Bayhem To Commence Filming in May
Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Paramount, Dreamworks
Funny how when you give up paying attention to a franchise, news on its future developments goes in one ear and out the other. I enjoyed the first Transformers, feeling it delivered an enjoyable blend of big budget action and whiz-bang effects, but absolutely hated Revenge of the Fallen. I could barely wait for it to end and by the time the credits signaled I could finally flee the theater, I had sworn off the series. Since then, I've only been paying vague attention to any progress on a new film, mainly because all news concerning said film seemed to revolve around the supremely untalented Megan Fox.I was kind of surprised when I came across a headline this morning at IESB that declared filming on the untitled part 3 was set to begin this May. I know I've been ignoring Transformers news for the most part, but I thought word that Michael Bay and company were all officially coming back would have stood out. Turns out it did not. But considering that those big, brawling robots are relevant to pop culture, I figured it was best I scan back and read up on where production stands.
- Michael Bay is returning to direct, despite initially saying he needed a year to recover from Revenge of the Fallen.
- Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman have moved on and will not be returning to script part 3. Ehren Kruger, the man largely responsible for all of the bad things about Revenge, will take over writing duties.
- Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox are both signed on. Unfortunately for us, the studio probably won't let Bay kill off Fox in the opening scene.
- Bay wants this new film to focus more on the "characters", particularly the relationship between Sam and Bumblebee. He also wants his big budget action movie to have less action.
Paramount is still looking to stick to the July 1st, 2011 release date earmarked before Revenge of the Fallen even came out. With filming set to begin in May, we should start getting our first official glimpses of Transformers 3 late summer. Will 'less action, more characters' be enough to sway back audiences spurned by the assault on the senses that is Transformers 2? Only time will tell.
Robert Downey Jr. Won't Play 'Cowboys & Aliens'
Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Casting, DIY/Filmmaking, Newsstand, Dreamworks, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Western
DreamWorks' Wild West adventure Cowboys & Aliens will have to find someone else to wield a six-shooter, because Robert Downey Jr. has dismounted from his horse. According to The LA Times, Downey Jr. has has to drop out of the DreamWorks film due to schedule conflicts. While he hasn't officially signed onto anything, it's rumored to be a conflict with a Sherlock Holmes sequel. Or maybe he just needs a break -- I mean, two franchises plus The Avenger and its spin-offs? Maybe he drew the line at a third. Too bad. He looks so good in hats!
Cowboys & Aliens still boasts one half of the Iron Man duo, as Jon Favreau remains in the director's chair. The hunt is currently on the hunt for a manly actor who can replace Downey Jr. The film is a potential franchise for any one brave enough to grab the reins and play Zeke Jackson, leader of the anti-alien revolt. All those who failed to get in The Green Lantern or Thor might want to call up Favreau and DreamWorks, because once you're in a Favreau comic adaptation, you're untouchably awesome.
Production is tentatively set to begin this year for a release in summer 2011. In the meantime, you can still read Cowboys & Aliens online and cast your vote for Zeke Jackson in the comments. DreamWorks could use the help.
Tom Cruise and J.J. Abrams Reunite for 'Mission Impossible 4'
'Big Top Pee-Wee': The Original Benicio Del Toro Wolfman
Spin-ematical: New on DVD and Blu-ray for 2/9
Watch This: Brilliant Oscar-Nominated Short 'Logorama'
Chris Nolan to Lead 'Superman' Reboot!?
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