Cinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.com/media/feedlogo.gifCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comen-usCopyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Casting Rumors for Tim Burton's 'Alice in Wonderland'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/05/casting-rumors-for-tim-burtons-alice-in-wonderland/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/05/casting-rumors-for-tim-burtons-alice-in-wonderland/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/05/casting-rumors-for-tim-burtons-alice-in-wonderland/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Before we get started, I just want to make it clear that in Hollywood nothing is ever official until you see the press release (and you should probably take the following news with a big grain of salt). Over at the Alice in Wonderland fan site, talk has surfaced that Tim Burton has finally cast Alice in his live-action version of Alice in Wonderland (not to be confused with the long-suffering American McGee creation).

According to the commenter, Ian B: "My brother is working on the movie and he said Alice has been cast. He is a music supervisor for the movie and said there will be a press release about it on July 9th. The role was originally supposed to be Evan Rachel Woods but she backed out. Alice won't be played by a child but a 23 year old. From what I was told it's her first Burton movie, and her first big role in a film that will be released world wide." So who's the lucky gal? Say hello to Ryan Nikole Parker. Parker is not very well known, and other than a few TV credits is a relative newcomer to the business.

Burton struck the deal for Alice with Disney back in November, and according to comments on the IMDB message boards, he's already finished casting. Luckily for us, July 9th isn't that far away, so we won't be waiting long for the official word.

Sound off below on who you would like to see go down the rabbit hole with Mr. Burton.

[via The Bad and Ugly]

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]]>alice in wonderlandAliceInWonderlandfrankenweenietim burtonTimBurtonJessica BarnesSat, 05 Jul 2008 13:32:00 ESTOriginal Script for 'Hancock' Leaks Onlinehttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/03/original-script-for-hancock-leaks-online/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/03/original-script-for-hancock-leaks-online/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/03/original-script-for-hancock-leaks-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Okay, so we went through something similar with Frank Darabont's unused draft of the latest Indiana Jones installment, which managed to be a bit better (read: Mutt-less) compared to the still entertaining end result. Now, it appears that the original draft for Hancock -- long titled Tonight, He Comes -- has popped up by way of Jeff Wells over at Hollywood Elsewhere (read it here). Oh, and if it's authentic, it happens to be missing the next-to-last page.

I've found the behind-the-scenes hearsay -- conveniently summed up in this NY Times piece -- on this film to be fairly fascinating. First, as scripted by Vy Vincent Ngo, Tonight had made the rounds as a reportedly hard-R superhero drama that capitalized on the somewhat sexual nature of the title. However, it seems once Will Smith was brought on board, Sony saw fit to tame things down considerably.

Even as recently as April, the MPAA had twice handed them an R instead of the sought-after PG-13, and now the finished result runs a choppy 92 minutes -- distinctly shorter than indicated in AICN test screening reports which made particular mention of a subplot involving statutory rape. Of course, as Wells brings up, it's hard to ignore the involvement of producer/screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, whose recent work on Smith's last hit, I Am Legend, had a similarly slapdash second half at the compromise of the original material.

I've yet to get more than a couple of pages into this thing, but do you guys think this is the real deal, and if so, do you guys think that this is the real film compared to what's on thousands of screens this week?

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]]>actionhancockpeter bergPeterBergsuperherotonight he comesTonightHeComeswill smithWillSmithWilliam GossThu, 03 Jul 2008 16:45:00 ESTRandy Quaid to Meet the Press?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/03/randy-quaid-to-meet-the-press/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/03/randy-quaid-to-meet-the-press/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/03/randy-quaid-to-meet-the-press/#commentsFiled under: ,

And we thought that the shrinking gap was only between theatrical and DVD releases. Now it's how soon a project can get off the ground after someone passes away. Anna Nicole Smith had barely been gone a month when projects started to cook up on her life and death. Now Defamer has spotted that a super-respectful NINETEEN DAYS after Tim Russert dies of a heart attack, a telepic is already in the works with a casting notice up on Craigslist. The notice even says that Randy Quaid has already signed on to star.

When the news broke, did someone reach over for their phone, call up Quaid, and get this set up? Or, maybe they, you know, waited a few days so they wouldn't seem eager to capitalize on the man's death (and spent that time throwing together a script). So, this ad says that a New York-based film company is looking to cast an unknown actress in the role of Maureen Orth, Russert's wife, and that the film will follow the last 24 hours of his life. So, not only can they not wait a bit to get this going, but it's also centered on the man's death?

The casting is certainly appropriate, but that's about the only nice thing I can say about this news.

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]]>CinematicalMaureen OrthMaureenOrthRandy QuaidRandyQuaidTim RussertTimRussertMonika BartyzelThu, 03 Jul 2008 11:32:00 ESTAll's Well For Rose McGowan, Robert Rodriguez and Their Movies?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/03/alls-well-for-rose-mcgowan-robert-rodriguez-and-their-movies/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/03/alls-well-for-rose-mcgowan-robert-rodriguez-and-their-movies/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/03/alls-well-for-rose-mcgowan-robert-rodriguez-and-their-movies/#commentsFiled under: ,

Apparently, Hollywood (and all watching) cheered too soon -- a representative for Rose McGowan has hit back at the reports that she has split with Robert Rodriguez, or scrapped their movies. McGowan's rep told People Magazine that "the production of all three films is moving forward with Rose to star." And one of those mysterious sources "close" to the actress insisted their relationship was fine.

Now, naturally we here at Cinematical could really care less about the status of their engagement -- we just wanted to know what was going to happen to those movies. And that all depends which dubious glossy you believe -- the New York Post, who broke the story, or the damage controlling People. We all know those official statements and mysterious sources can mean nothing in six months.

But even if this was all tabloid fiction, it really should serve as a wake-up call for Rodriguez and McGowan. What must it be like to turn on your television, laptop, or radio and hear people rejoicing over your break-up in the hopes that, now, Red Sonja would not be remade? They've even gone so far as to "officially" recast Barbarella with Jessica Alba on many news sites. That has to hurt. So, maybe it's time for you crazy kids to scale it back a bit. Pick one of your three love projects to make (we can give you that much), and then devote your time and talents to a movie that doesn't involve your other half. I can't really speak for McGowan, but might I humbly suggest A Dame to Kill For to Rodriguez?

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]]>barbarellared sonjaRedSonjarobert rodriguezRobertRodriguezrose mcgowanRoseMcgowanwomen in chainsWomenInChainsElisabeth RappeThu, 03 Jul 2008 10:32:00 ESTFan Rant: Do We Really Need 'Friends: The Movie'?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/02/fan-rant-do-we-really-need-friends-the-movie/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/02/fan-rant-do-we-really-need-friends-the-movie/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/02/fan-rant-do-we-really-need-friends-the-movie/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Here's a stat that may or may not blow your mind: According to Box Office Mojo, Sex and the City has grossed $312 million worldwide. Yup. $312,533,654 to be exact -- for a movie based on a hit HBO show that went off the air a few years ago. Since we all know what happens when Hollywood gets a look at those kinds of numbers, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to predict what the future holds: plenty more TV-to-movie adaptations. We're practically guaranteed another Sex and the City flick, and earlier today Monika brought us news that the long-rumored Friends movie might be moving forward.

Honestly, why wouldn't it move forward? You're telling me Matt Leblanc, whose last credit on IMDb is Joey, is holding out for a massive paycheck? Same goes for Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox and Jennifer Aniston, with the latter being the only one getting decent big-screen work (though, truth be told, she's about two movies away from becoming yesterday's news). The others are all showing up in bit parts, directing films that don't go anywhere and/or trying desperately to make the TV thing work again. Fact is, together they're a pot of gold. Apart and, well, we don't really care, do we?

But could a re-emergence on the big screen revive these careers? Could they somehow find a way to take the cutesy sitcom and turn it into a feature film people would actually want to see? Could Friends: The Movie make more money at the box office than Sex and the City? And should we care?

Continue reading Fan Rant: Do We Really Need 'Friends: The Movie'?

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]]>cinematicalcourteney coxCourteneyCoxdavid schwimmerDavidSchwimmerfeaturedfriendsfriends movieFriendsMoviejennifer anistonJenniferAnistonlisa kudrowLisaKudrowmatt leblancMattLeblancErik DavisWed, 02 Jul 2008 18:02:00 ESTKristen Wiig and Mila Kunis Might Pick Up Some 'Extract'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/02/kristen-wiig-and-mila-kunis-might-pick-up-some-extract/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/02/kristen-wiig-and-mila-kunis-might-pick-up-some-extract/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/02/kristen-wiig-and-mila-kunis-might-pick-up-some-extract/#commentsFiled under: , ,

After years of Beavis and Butt-Head, there was Office Space. But after red Swingline staplers and the need for flair, Mike Judge took a number of years off from directing -- until the largely ignored Idiocracy. This time around, however, we don't have to wait as long (as Eugene pointed out in April). Extract is on the way, and now EW's Hollywood Insider has shared more of the plot, and who's in talks to co-star alongside Jason Bateman.

The film will focus on a guy who owns a flower-extract plant -- the industrial sort, not the leafy sort. In typical, professional Judge fashion, the guy is having a bunch of bad luck, which includes "workplace issues and a cheating wife." EW sources say that Kristen Wiig is looking into playing the wife, while Mila Kunis might grab a role as a plant employee. That sounds like a set up for Forgetting Sarah Marshall, revisited -- the man can choose between his crappy partner and the wonderful nice girl right in front of him.

Between the possible murk of an actors' strike and Wiig's SNL schedule, the film is slated to start production in August.

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]]>CinematicalExtractJason BatemanJasonBatemanKristen WiigKristenWiigMike JudgeMikeJudgeMila KunisMilaKunisMonika BartyzelWed, 02 Jul 2008 17:02:00 EST'Friends' ... The Movie?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/02/friends-the-movie/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/02/friends-the-movie/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/02/friends-the-movie/#commentsFiled under: ,

Back when I posted about television shows hitting the big screen in February, I included a joke Matthew Perry made about how the cast of Friends were "trying to organize a thing soon," but he meant a dinner, not a movie.

Did he, in fact, mean a movie? We can take this with a grain of salt right now, but The Daily Mail says that a film based on the popular series has gotten the green light to start filming in the next year and a half, with all of the actors interested in reprising their roles -- Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, and David Schwimmer.

Basically, it's all said to be due to the success of Sex and the City, and their source says: "she [Aniston] and Courteney have already talked this summer about what they want out of a Friends movie, and if deals can be made with them, everything else can fall into place rather quickly." The rest of the piece has a bunch of particulars about money, and how the show is at the top of the TV-to-screen list.

Whether it's true or not, it makes sense. But do you want to see the friends reunite?

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]]>CinematicalCourteney CoxCourteneyCoxDavid SchwimmerDavidSchwimmerFriendsFriends MovieFriendsMovieJennifer AnistonJenniferAnistonLisa KudrowLisaKudrowMatt LeBlancMatthew PerryMatthewPerryMattLeblancMonika BartyzelWed, 02 Jul 2008 13:32:00 ESTMcGowan and Rodriguez Break Up! Hollywood Cheers!http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/02/mcgowan-and-rodriguez-break-up-hollywood-cheers/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/02/mcgowan-and-rodriguez-break-up-hollywood-cheers/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/02/mcgowan-and-rodriguez-break-up-hollywood-cheers/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We usually don't report the goings-on of Hollywood relationships (be them long term or of the booty call variety), however this one is pretty epic. According to -- ugh -- the New York Post, sweethearts Rose McGowan and Robert Rodriguez are no longer together and no longer getting married (they were engaged prior to this). Why is this important news? Why should people care? Well, partly because Rodriguez was in the process of lining up a few interesting movie remakes (Barbarella, Red Sonja) with McGowan in the lead. One imagines McGowan had snagged the roles because, well, she was boinking Robert Rodriguez. But when there's no more action between the sheets, does that mean there's no more McGowan in the starring role?

The Post claims their break-up was partly due to the fact that Rodriguez was having a hard time finding financing for Barbarella with McGowan in the lead because she's not a big enough box-office draw. I know some of you beg to differ because she's got the hot "I'll sleep with your man if you leave him alone for five seconds and he can put me in one of his movies" seductress thing going on, but could you seriously see a flick starring Rose McGowan bringing in at least $70 million (reported budget for Barbarella) to the box office? Personally, I can't. With Jessica Alba or Charlize Theron or Angelina Jolie? Sure. Not Rose McGowan. (Last time I checked, her ass didn't exactly ignite a box office firestorm for Grindhouse.)

Should be interesting to see what develops from here. What would you like to see happen?

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]]>barbarellacinematicalred sonjaRedSonjarobert rodriguezRobertRodriguezrodriguez and mcgowan break upRodriguezAndMcgowanBreakUprose mcgowanRoseMcgowanErik DavisWed, 02 Jul 2008 12:02:00 ESTMark Millar and a 'Big Name Action Director' Revamping Superman?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/02/mark-millar-and-a-big-name-action-director-revamping-superman/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/02/mark-millar-and-a-big-name-action-director-revamping-superman/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/02/mark-millar-and-a-big-name-action-director-revamping-superman/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Mark Millar is becoming a real Hollywood insider these days, a Frank Miller in training. He dropped quite an intriguing bombshell to Scotland's Daily Record -- claiming that there's a Superman movie revamp on the way. While some of his claims could be dismissed as wishful thinking by a man who merely wants to fulfill his Kryptonian dreams, he's certainly talking it out with someone. Says Millar, "I've been planning this my entire life. I've got my director and producer set up, and it'll be 2011. This is how far ahead you have to think. The Superman brand is toxic after that last movie lost 200 million, but in 2011 we're hoping to restart it. Sadly I can't say who the director is, but we may make it official by Christmas. But fingers crossed it could work out, that would be my lifetime's dream."

Now, this flies directly in the face of Bryan Singer confirming he was attached to the sequel. But there's been a peculiar lack of progress with it. He's obviously busy with Valkyrie, but when you look at how quickly the Iron Man and Spider-Man franchises are moving, well, someone's not moving faster than a speeding bullet anymore. Could Warner Bros really be open to rebooting the franchise? The parallels between Ang Lee's Hulk and Bryan Singer's Superman Returns are striking, and I can honestly see the studio choosing a similarly clean slate. But they would be ditching a pretty expensive investment in Returns, and creating quite a controversy in the process.
Far more people loved Superman Returns than Hulk, and Singer commands a lot of geek cred.

Continue reading Mark Millar and a 'Big Name Action Director' Revamping Superman?

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]]>Bryan SingerBryanSingerMark MillarMarkMillarSupermanSuperman rebootSuperman ReturnsSupermanRebootSupermanReturnsElisabeth RappeWed, 02 Jul 2008 09:25:00 ESTOscar Buzz for 'Mamma Mia'?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/02/oscar-buzz-for-mamma-mia/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/02/oscar-buzz-for-mamma-mia/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/02/oscar-buzz-for-mamma-mia/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Even when I started following the industry obsessively, I always wondered how it came to be that by October or November of each year, there would always be a fairly clear picture of who the Oscar "frontrunners" were, which films were falling out of the race, and sometimes even which movies are "locks" in certain categories I figured the buzz had to start somewhere -- and that to some extent, the tail had to be wagging the dog.

Maybe it starts with glowing advance Hollywood Reporter reviews. Consider Ray Bennett on Meryl Streep in the ABBA musical Mamma Mia!, due July 18th: "Streep is sensationally good in rendering the whole yarn credible and in making dramatically moving songs such as 'Slipping Through My Fingers,' sung to her departing daughter, and 'The Winner Takes It All' to a lost love. It's no stretch to think of her performance in Oscar terms, ranking with previous musical winners such as Liza Minnelli, Barbra Streisand and Catherine Zeta-Jones."

So: is this that fabled "Oscar buzz" we keep hearing about, or just one dude sounding off about a movie he liked? Is this the first step toward Streep being a "Best Actress lock" come December? I wouldn't have put Mamma Mia! (or, for that matter, The Dark Knight) on my Oscar shortlist a few months ago -- looks too silly! The release date's all wrong! But I guess now that I've read The Hollywood Reporter, I'm supposed to think it's a contender. Right?

Or did you know that all along?

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]]>mamma miaMammaMiameryl streepMerylStreepEugene NovikovWed, 02 Jul 2008 08:02:00 ESTWhat's in Harvey Weinstein's Recycling Bin?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/01/whats-in-harvey-weinsteins-recycling-bin/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/01/whats-in-harvey-weinsteins-recycling-bin/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/01/whats-in-harvey-weinsteins-recycling-bin/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

For everyone who's ever watched a bad movie and thought, "If this is what they produced, I wonder what they threw away?," the Village Voice has found an answer. In an amusing and fascinating article posted today, reporter Tony Ortega says he and a buddy accidentally stumbled across a recycling bin full of paper from Harvey Weinstein's office -- and not just from the office, but from Weinstein's own desk. Ortega proceeds to tell us all the juicy details he learned about the daily work of a movie mogul.

So what is Harvey Weinstein throwing away? Lots of copies of screenplays, naturally, as well as daily sheets (prepared by an assistant, no doubt) listing phone calls he needs to make or return. As you might imagine, the roster of people seeking Weinstein's attention is staggering, with actors, agents, lawyers, producers, and reporters all vying for his time. Michael Moore called him on April 25 and Weinstein didn't return the call for over a month. I'd say being able to ignore Michael Moore for a full month is the very definition of power.

Strangely, Weinstein's e-mails are printed out for him to peruse. (Maybe he gets eye strain from looking at a computer monitor? Maybe he just likes wasting paper?) There were some pretty interesting tidbits in the copies he tossed, including lots of stuff about the Weinstein-produced Project Runway, if you're into that.

Continue reading What's in Harvey Weinstein's Recycling Bin?

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]]>harvey weinsteinHarveyWeinsteinmichael mooreMichaelMoorevillage voiceVillageVoiceEric D. SniderTue, 01 Jul 2008 21:42:00 ESTEddie Murphy Says Goodbye to 'Beverly Hills Cop'??http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/01/eddie-murphy-says-goodbye-to-beverly-hills-cop/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/01/eddie-murphy-says-goodbye-to-beverly-hills-cop/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/01/eddie-murphy-says-goodbye-to-beverly-hills-cop/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

I wasn't entirely thrilled with the news that Brett Ratner was bringing Axel Foley back to the screen with Beverly Hills Cop IV. But the news that it would be made kid friendly just completely killed it, along with the statement: "10-year-old kids, 12-year-old kids don't really know the old Beverly Hills Cop. So it's an opportunity to make it new for kids." How thoughtful. I'm sure the tykes were sitting there, realizing that something was missing from their lives ... Norbit as a cop! That's it!

Anyhow, it looks like Sam might be getting his wish, and that Eddie Murphy wasn't thrilled with the sequel idea either. He spoke to ExtraTV, and said he's planning to leave the movie biz after the release of his latest film, Meet Dave. Now that doesn't mean it'll be Eddie's last (he's also got flicks like A Thousand Words on the way), but it does look like Dave will inspire a big, finite wave to the movie industry so that Murphy can "go back to the stage and do standup."

So, what about BHC? He said he didn't want to do it because "the movie wasn't ready to be done." On Bev III, Murphy noted: "They said, 'this is how much we're going to pay you.' I said, 'let's go shoot it! I don't care if the script ain't right.'" Some sites are taking his first statement to mean he's out, while others think he is still in and itching to do it. If he really is retiring, then he's definitely out, and Ratner will have to find a new Foley, or give up the project. Let's hope he's done and it's the latter.

UPDATE: Latino Review spoke to Ratner recently who debunked the "it's for kids" rumors, saying "Dont believe everything you read on the internet. Believe me, this is going to be a hard core 'R' Beverly Hills Cop. I start shooting next year" So ... is Eddie in or he is out?

Ed Note: Corrected the quote since it's clear he was talking Bev III and not IV.

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]]>Beverly Hills CopBeverly Hills Cop 4BeverlyHillsCopBeverlyHillsCop4Brett RatnerBrettRatnerCinematicalEddie MurphyEddieMurphyMonika BartyzelTue, 01 Jul 2008 10:32:00 EST'Hobbit' Hints at 'Hellboy' Huddle: Del Toro Speaks!http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/01/hobbit-hints-at-hellboy-huddle-del-toro-speaks/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/01/hobbit-hints-at-hellboy-huddle-del-toro-speaks/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/01/hobbit-hints-at-hellboy-huddle-del-toro-speaks/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

At yesterday's press day for Hellboy II: The Golden Army, the eloquent, elegant Guillermo del Toro had plenty to say about crafting the sequel to 2004's Hellboy, which we'll have at Cinematical closer to the film's opening; he also dropped a few facts and thoughts about his upcoming job helmingThe Hobbit. On the 'facts' front, del Toro mentioned that The Hobbit (which may be two films, one adapting the original novel and the other bridging The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings with new material) will have a very different look than some of his other films: "The Hobbit will be (presented) in 2.35-to-1. ..." Translating cinematographer to English, that means that The Hobbit will be presented in widescreen, all the better to capture the hills and dales of the Shire.

Del Toro also spoke about the potentially tricky task of making his two Hobbit films in the wake of Peter Jackson's wildly successful trilogy, as well as what kind of material he might bring to a second movie -- and the tricky question of what Tolkien-created material Peter Jackson has the rights to (and can be used to create the two Hobbit films) and what material Jackson does not own the rights to (and can't use in a film). Del Toro's answers may have been short on detail, but they were long on vision. "What we're talking (about) is, obviously, utilizing the materials that are available to us, and the discipline has been to try and know, for my part, everything else -- not to know it and use it, but to know it and not step on those things.

Continue reading 'Hobbit' Hints at 'Hellboy' Huddle: Del Toro Speaks!

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]]>featuredguillermo del toroGuillermoDelToroHellboy II The Golden ArmyHellboyIiTheGoldenArmyJ. R. R. TolkeinJ.R.R.TolkeinThe HobbitThe Lord of the RingsTheHobbitTheLordOfTheRingsJames RocchiTue, 01 Jul 2008 09:02:00 EST'Hostel III' to Torture Moviegoers Without Eli Roth?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/30/hostel-iii-to-torture-moviegoers-without-eli-roth/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/30/hostel-iii-to-torture-moviegoers-without-eli-roth/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/30/hostel-iii-to-torture-moviegoers-without-eli-roth/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

You know, sometimes you just want to get your hands on a studio executive and shake them until they see sense. Straight from the 'why bother?' files, Bloody Disgusting has received a tip that Hostel producer Scott Spiegel has been tapped to direct the third installment of the horror series. Not only would Spiegel be behind the camera for the flick, but he would also be in charge of writing the script. Even though I might not be the biggest fan of Eli Roth or Hostel, I do know one thing: if you aren't going to do something right, don't do it at all.

After the release of Hostel II, it became clear that Roth had no plans on torturing tourists again in the near future, and fans of the series were given the bad news that a third film could be a straight-to-DVD affair. At least fans can take solace in the fact that Spiegel produced the first two films, and has solid horror cred, so at least he knows his way around some blood-spatter. Spiegel's deal has not been confirmed yet, so stay tuned to Cinematical for any updates that come our way.

What do you think? Should Hostel continue without Roth? Or, is the series better off as the sole property of Roth's sick imagination?

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]]>eli rothEliRothHostel 3Hostel3scott spiegelScottSpiegelJessica BarnesMon, 30 Jun 2008 19:32:00 ESTQuentin Tarantino's Next Great Discovery: Porn Star Tera Patrickhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/30/porn-star-tera-patrick-next-generation-of-fast-pussycat-tura-sa/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/30/porn-star-tera-patrick-next-generation-of-fast-pussycat-tura-sa/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/30/porn-star-tera-patrick-next-generation-of-fast-pussycat-tura-sa/#commentsFiled under: , ,



The women of the porn world are known for having certain physical talents, but is one of them cracking the bones of weak men? Quentin Tarantino seems to think so, according to Page Six. They say the director, who is remaking Russ Meyer's Faster, Pussycat, Kill! Kill!, has his sights set on Tera Patrick to play Varla, the role originally played by Tura Satana, and the star says: "It would be the hottest remake ever, and I'm honored to be considered. I was built for this part."

I see the resemblance, not to mention the (very) similar first name, but I wonder if she can pull off that snarl and imposing physical presence. The beauty of Tura, which you can see above, is that she always looked sexy, tough, and mean -- and she was shapely, but still big enough that she wasn't some petite sort of butt kicker, but a raven-haired Amazonian. Then again, I'm not familiar with Tera's work, so maybe someone out there can weigh in on her suitability. Can Tera Kill! Kill!?

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]]>CinematicalFaster Pussycat Kill KillFasterPussycatKillKillQuentin TarantinoQuentinTarantinoTera PatrickTeraPatrickTura SatanaTuraSatanaMonika BartyzelMon, 30 Jun 2008 11:34:00 ESTThe '300' Prequel / Sequel That Won't Just Go Awayhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/30/the-300-prequel-sequel-that-wont-just-go-away/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/30/the-300-prequel-sequel-that-wont-just-go-away/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/30/the-300-prequel-sequel-that-wont-just-go-away/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Last week, Collider spoke to producers Mark Canton, Gianni Nunnari, and Bernie Goldmann of 300, as well as director Zack Snyder, who all confirmed they were still hoping for a follow-up of some kind to 300. Today, Variety is reporting it as a done deal.

There are so many things wrong with this story that I just don't know where to begin. First, it wasn't cool of Variety to scoop Collider, and not credit them. But honestly, I can't believe the trades even ran this story. I mean no disrespect to Collider, as they ran it in the right context, but Variety is implying that this is on the verge of being filmed. Any 300 spin-off is entirely theoretical at this point, as it depends on a book that Frank Miller is only believed to be writing. No one even knows if he's jotted an outline down, let alone what it will be about. I watched Collider's interview with the aforementioned producers -- and with all due respect, when asked point blank if they had been in contact with Miller, they didn't answer. That doesn't confirm a solid project. I'm going to go out on a limb here, and suggest Miller hasn't given it a second thought since the movie came out.

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]]>300300 sequel300SequelFrank MillerFrankMillerLegendary FilmsLegendaryFilmsElisabeth RappeMon, 30 Jun 2008 09:32:00 ESTOne 'Hobbit' Movie to (Maybe) Rule Them Allhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/30/one-hobbit-movie-to-maybe-rule-them-all/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/30/one-hobbit-movie-to-maybe-rule-them-all/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/30/one-hobbit-movie-to-maybe-rule-them-all/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

There has been a lot of heated debate about that second Hobbit film. Many Lord of the Rings fans will take anything Middle-Earth, even if it's two hours cobbled out of appendices. Others see it as a betrayal of the Tolkien canon, and a blatant money grab by all involved. I readily admit I fall into the first category -- but I certainly don't want to see a bad film just to get a visual Middle Earth fix.

No matter what camp you fall into, however, Guillermo del Toro just made a statement that should please everyone. According to Defamer, he promises they are looking at adapting The Hobbit first and foremost -- and that a second film may not even happen. "We believe there is a second movie," del Toro said. "If there isn't, there will not be. If we find it, we will shoot it, but by God, if we do not find it, we will not shoot it. I am anxious to shoot the book, and I'm willing and able to dedicate myself to shooting the [second film]. In the four books that are in the domain of the copyright, there are appendices and ideas and things that can be traced without risk. But I have to be careful not to overstep. We believe there is a way to create this film and make it interesting, but it's too early."

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]]>guillermo del toroGuillermoDelToroj.r.r. tolkienJ.r.r.TolkienPeter JacksonPeterJacksonThe HobbitThe Hobbit spin offTheHobbitTheHobbitSpinOffElisabeth RappeMon, 30 Jun 2008 09:02:00 ESTDiscuss: Do Politics Belong in Kids Movies?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/28/discuss-do-politics-belong-in-kids-movies/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/28/discuss-do-politics-belong-in-kids-movies/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/28/discuss-do-politics-belong-in-kids-movies/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



A couple of people have been griping about Wall-E director Andrew Stanton's refusal to admit that his cute little movie about a robot in love actually contains some pretty upfront green politics, but there's a far more polarizing reference in the film than its harmless pro-environment agenda. It's no major plot spoiler to reveal that, about an hour or so into the story, Fred Willard appears in a recorded message as the mysterious president of Earth's corporate government and orders the ship's captain (Jeff Garlin) to "stay the course." Wait, we've heard this one before: It was the go-to statement used by the Bush administration for about three years or so when describing its modus operandi in Iraq (the term was abandoned when staying the course started to sound like a bad idea). In Wall-E, the context is quite different -- it's an order to not do something, rather than take action -- but hard to ignore nonetheless.

Certain critics with (surprise!) conservative slants have taken issue with this. At Dirty Harry's Place, John Nolte expresses his disappointment in the first paragraph of his review: "Have we lost the wonderful studio who brought us The Incredibles and Ratatouille to Bush Derangement Syndrome?" he asks. New York Post critic Kyle Smith picked up the rant and decided to write his own, even though he hadn't seen the film yet: "This kind of crack, lame as it is, also breaks the spell of the movie by hurling you out of the theater and back into reality."

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]]>andrew stantonAndrewStantonanimated filmsAnimatedFilmsbrad birdBradBirdconservativeconservative biasConservativeBiasconservativesdirty harrys placeDirtyHarrysPlaceeric kohnEricKohnfamily filmsFamilyFilmsfeaturedfred willardFredWillardiraqjohn nolteJohnNoltekyle smithKyleSmithliberalliberal biasLiberalBiasliberalsnew york postNewYorkPostpixarpixar wall-ePixarWall-epoliticspresident bushpresident2008PresidentBushratatouillestay the courseStayTheCoursethe incrediblesTheIncrediblestopicalwall-ewalleEric KohnSat, 28 Jun 2008 18:32:00 ESTMark Millar's 'War Heroes' Headed for the Big Screen?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/26/mark-millars-war-heroes-headed-for-the-big-screen/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/26/mark-millars-war-heroes-headed-for-the-big-screen/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/26/mark-millars-war-heroes-headed-for-the-big-screen/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Well, it certainly seems that Mark Millar is becoming very popular in Hollywood these days. Pretty impressive considering his first movie adaptation hasn't even hit theaters yet. In an interview with the Sunday Herald, Millar let it drop that there have been some offers for his latest series, War Heroes. Millar told the Herald that there have already been two offers for the rights to the property, making Heroes the latest in a series of Millar's books headed for the big screen.

Millar describes War Heroes as Full Metal Jacket meets X-Men (which already sounds pretty awesome), and the story is set a few years in the future after John McCain has been elected president (and now you know you're in the realm of fiction). In Heroes, the US has been racked by terrorist attacks, so the government offers up superpowers to anyone willing to enlist in the military. But nothing ever goes that smoothly in the world of comic books, so as the story progresses, some less than savoury characters sign up to get the coveted powers.

Millar, unlike other comic book stars, seems to be happy turning his books into feature films. But don't think he's a babe in the woods when it comes to Hollywood; he seems to have a pretty good grasp on how the game works, telling the Herald, "They'll buy a project based on just a title, a blurb and an image." And if they smell what the business calls "high concept," they will go into a feeding frenzy."

Providing the box office receipts for Wanted are as good as everyone involved expects, it shouldn't take long for War Heroes to get a feature film deal of its own. What do you think? Sound interesting?

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]]>kick assKickAssmark millarMarkMillarwantedWar HeroesWarHeroesJessica BarnesThu, 26 Jun 2008 20:02:00 ESTJason Bourne Heading South for Fourth Filmhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/26/jason-bourne-heading-south-for-fourth-film/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/26/jason-bourne-heading-south-for-fourth-film/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/26/jason-bourne-heading-south-for-fourth-film/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Sure, the third Jason Bourne film was called The Bourne Ultimatum, which sounds pretty final. And sure, the author of the books, Robert Ludlum, only wrote three of 'em. But when everyone's having a good time and -- especially -- making money and earning Oscars, why stop the party just because the trilogy is finished? Quadrilogies are the new trilogies.

The guys at IESB.net were on the red carpet at the genre-oriented Saturn Awards the other night, and they managed to snag a few words with Frank Marshall and Pat Crowley, producers of (among many other things) the Bourne series. Marshall re-confirmed that a fourth film is definitely in the works, saying, "Hopefully we're gonna be shooting next summer for a release in 2010."

The video at IESB also has Marshall explaining, "There was a fourth book written, but it was not by Mr. Ludlum, so we're probably going to take our own direction." He and Crowley both observed that Jason Bourne has not been to South America yet, and that that's where they're thinking the next adventure will be set.

Paul Greengrass, who directed the second and third Bourne films, is back onboard, and so is Matt Damon. So far, there has been no announcement of who's writing the screenplay. Whoever it is might want to brush up on his Spanish, though.

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]]>Eric D. SniderThu, 26 Jun 2008 19:02:00 EST