Cinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.com/media/feedlogo.gifCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comen-usCopyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Frank Darabont Will Die To Make 'Fahrenheit 451'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/28/frank-darabont-will-die-to-make-fahrenheit-451/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/28/frank-darabont-will-die-to-make-fahrenheit-451/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/28/frank-darabont-will-die-to-make-fahrenheit-451/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A new adaptation (I refuse to use the word remake here) of Fahrenheit 451 has been in the works for ten years now. I was very excited by the news that Mel Gibson was planning it as a Braveheart follow-up, as it seemed like that would mark a new and serious phase of his directing career. I wish that was something I could have been right about.

Frank Darabont was the next one to take it on, and he's been attached to it since 2001, rewriting Terry Hayes' script and being delayed by everything from Indiana Jones IV, Mission Impossible III, The Mist, and Law Abiding Citizen. SciFi Wire caught up with Darabont at the Saturn Awards, and the director / writer declared that it was really time to get on with it already ... and that it might actually get underway this time, depending on whether or not the Big Name Actor he wants signs on.

"Fahrenheit is the thing I'm trying to get up next, which is casting-dependent, so it's one of those. I'm out to somebody at the moment, fingers crossed, because, boy, do I want to make that movie. I'm not giving up. I'll die in the traces before I don't make that movie ... It's not one of those movies that are vastly expensive by any contemporary standard, but money is still money, and it's of a price that requires somebody that will justify that investment. This is definitely going to be more than The Mist, so those other considerations do come into play."

You can go crazy wondering just who that Big Actor who can pull in the money and box office might be. Could it be someone that rumors have long attached, like Tom Hanks (Darabont's pick for years), Brad Pitt, or Tom Cruise? Or could we be looking at someone newly bankable, like Johnny Depp?

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]]>Brad PittBradPittfahrenheit 451fahrenheit451Frank DarabontFrankDarabontJohnny DeppJohnnyDeppMel GibsonMelGibsonTom CruiseTom HanksTomCruiseTomHanksWarner BrosWarnerBrosElisabeth RappeSun, 28 Jun 2009 11:02:00 ESTCruise! Diaz! Spy Comedy! 'Wichita' (?!)http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/28/cruise-diaz-spy-comedy-wichita/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/28/cruise-diaz-spy-comedy-wichita/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/28/cruise-diaz-spy-comedy-wichita/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Tom Cruise and Cameron DiazDon't hold your breath, but Tommy Boy may have chosen his next project. Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz "are in advanced negotiations" to star in an action comedy currently titled Wichita, according to Variety. Cruise is notoriously indecisive cautious, though, so it's not a go until the cameras start rolling.

If all goes well for 20th Century Fox, the idea is to throw the movie into the summer 2010 maelstrom. Fox already has The A-Team, Gulliver's Travels, and Predator set for the season. The bigger question is how Cruise would handle the role. The character he would play is described as "a secret agent who pops in and out of the life of a single woman." The movie is described as having "several action scenes," so it sounds like it would lean more on comedy and romance. The sole time Cruise has tried to be funny and romantic was his Academy Award-nominated performance 13 years ago in Cameron Crowe's Jerry Maguire. Cruise looks very good when he's running, and can play stoic and stiff in his sleep, but comedy is basically an undiscovered country for him.

The secondary question is James Mangold, who is set to direct. He has mad skills with actors (Girl, Interrupted, Walk the Line), but his only previous romantic comedy was Kate & Leopold with Meg Ryan and Hugh Jackman in 2001, which, alas, I haven't seen. Cameron Diaz is a definite asset as a comedic actress. Still, I'm wondering: is this a recipe for disaster?

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]]>cameron diazCameronDiazjames mangoldJamesMangoldtom cruiseTomCruisewichitaPeter MartinThu, 28 May 2009 16:35:00 ESTSpin-ematical: New on DVD for 5/19http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/19/spin-ematical-new-on-dvd-for-5-19/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/19/spin-ematical-new-on-dvd-for-5-19/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/19/spin-ematical-new-on-dvd-for-5-19/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Spin-ematical: New on DVD for 5/19

Valkyrie
Tom Cruise wants to kill Hitler. "Worth seeing for its irresistible ensemble of character actors, a handful of really well-crafted sequences, and a truth-based story that simply deserves to be repeated," wrote Scott Weinberg. Directed by Bryan Singer. Available in single-disc and double-disc editions, and also on Blu-ray. Rent it.

Add to Netflix queue | Buy at Amazon

Paul Blart: Mall Cop
Kevin James as a plus-sized man in uniform. "Harmlessly humorless, Paul Blart tepidly goes through its motions, but that doesn't mean you have to," opined Nick Schager. Directed by Steve Carr. Also on Blu-ray. Skip it.

Add to Netflix queue | Buy at Amazon

My Bloody Valentine 3D

Remake of 1981 slasher flick. "Cheesy, corny, gimmicky, gory fun ... low-brow entertainment with high-tech execution," declared William Goss, and I concur. Consider this movie a love letter to horror fans. With Jensen Ackles and Kerr Smith. Directed by Patrick Lussier. Also on Blu-ray. Rent it.

Add to Netflix queue | Buy at Amazon

True Blood: The Complete First Season

Southern Gothic vampire weirdness translated remarkably well to television, despite some wonky faux-Louisiana accents. Not every episode works, yet even the imperfections and blemishes are fascinating to watch. With Anna Paquin. Also on Blu-ray. Buy it.

Add to Netflix queue | Buy at Amazon

After the jump: Indies on DVD, more Blu-ray picks, and Collector's Corner!

Continue reading Spin-ematical: New on DVD for 5/19

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]]>collectors cornerCollectorsCornercrips and bloods made in americaCripsAndBloodsMadeInAmericafanboysfeaturedindies on dvdIndiesOnDvdmy bloody valentine 3dMyBloodyValentine3doutlanderparis 36Paris36paul blart mall copPaulBlartMallCopthe friends of eddie coyleTheFriendsOfEddieCoyletrue bloodTrueBloodvalkyriePeter MartinTue, 19 May 2009 12:02:00 ESTTravolta Cassidy and the Sundance Cruise?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/07/travolta-cassidy-and-the-sundance-cruise/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/07/travolta-cassidy-and-the-sundance-cruise/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/07/travolta-cassidy-and-the-sundance-cruise/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

I seriously love the Daily Express. These guys know how to scheme up a good rumor. This time around, they're going for the ultimate buddy remake. Forget the likes of Paul Newman and Robert Redford. Who'd want those guys when you can have Tom Cruise and John Travolta? According to the gossip rag, Cruise wants to remake the 1969 classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and star in it along with Travolta. Not only that, but Cruise reportedly got the blessing of Paul Newman before he passed on.

According to the Express' source, this remake has "been a pet project of his [Cruise] that has been on the back-burner for years. But now he's ready to go, and will most likely happily eschew the enormous salary that he normally commands."

Now I'd love to see Travolta and Cruise as buddies on the big screen. I think they could have a lot of fun with each other. But a Western? One of the most iconic Westerns with two of Hollywood's most notable and critically loved male stars? No thanks. If this is, in any way, true, Newman must have been high on pain meds. And if it comes to fruition, I think we're all going to want to be high on them.

Would you like Travolta Cassidy and the Sundance Cruise?

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]]>Butch Cassidy and the Sundance KidButchCassidyAndTheSundanceKidCinematicalJohn TravoltaJohnTravoltaPaul NewmanPaulNewmanRobert RedfordRobertRedfordTom CruiseTomCruiseMonika BartyzelTue, 07 Apr 2009 16:15:00 ESTRead the Best Movie That You're Never Going to Seehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/30/read-the-best-movie-that-youre-never-going-to-see/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/30/read-the-best-movie-that-youre-never-going-to-see/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/30/read-the-best-movie-that-youre-never-going-to-see/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

This is what I know for sure: that two or more screenwriters got together and wrote a screenplay so ... touchy that their respective agencies refused to send out, and as such, they've made this hilariously irreverent project available on the interwebs for any and all to gawk at and gasp over.

As a matter of time and priorities, I rarely read or go looking for scripts, but with yesterday being a Sunday and all, I was blessed with an hour or two to spare and this entering my periphery. And guess what? I don't want to see this made into a movie. It simply wouldn't do. Hollywood is incapable of serving up huevos like this to people like us -- at best, they'll be undercooked.

Not to oversell it, but the careers nay, lives of all involved (audience included) would peak after it was made and seen. We don't deserve this. God doesn't deserve this. But there it is. Enjoy.

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]]>balls outBallsOutthe robotard 8000TheRobotard8000William GossMon, 30 Mar 2009 15:03:00 ESTGeek Daily: Mickey Rourke Has to Eat, Muscle Suits and Wolverine, And More!http://www.cinematical.com/2009/01/21/geek-daily-mickey-rourke-has-to-eat-muscle-suits-and-wolverine/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/01/21/geek-daily-mickey-rourke-has-to-eat-muscle-suits-and-wolverine/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/01/21/geek-daily-mickey-rourke-has-to-eat-muscle-suits-and-wolverine/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,



There is a delicious irony in the penny-pinching that surrounds Iron Man 2. We're talking about Tony Stark, a Marvel character who is wealthier than God, and whose sequel will bring in millions at the box office. Yet the studio reportedly didn't want to bring Jon Favreau back because they were convinced they could pay a new guy less. Then came reports that they dumped Terrence Howard largely because they had overpaid him. Last week, Samuel L. Jackson told the world that Marvel was feeling the economic crunch, and wouldn't pay his asking price to reprise the role of Nick Fury. Now, Variety reports that Marvel is offering Mickey Rourke the grand total of $250,000 to play Crimson Dynamo, and hints that he may not sign for such a low offer. Seriously Marvel? Of course, actors are hideously overpaid and all, but I think Rourke deserves a decent chunk of change for Iron Man 2 considering what Marvel will make on the film.

Meanwhile the "maybe they aren't overpaid, money doesn't heal humiliation" category, check out this Liev Schreiber quote from Details about playing Sabretooth in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. "I started to read blogs in the comic world with things like 'That's the dumpiest, most out-of-shape Sabretooth I've ever seen in my life!' They gave me a muscle suit at the beginning. I was so humiliated I thought, I've got to try to do this on my own ... I felt like I owed it to the genre to be big." Now take a moment, and be glad Fox cast someone as committed as Schreiber so that you didn't have to see Sabretooth in a rubber muscle suit.



Continue reading Geek Daily: Mickey Rourke Has to Eat, Muscle Suits and Wolverine, And More!

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]]>ed brubakerEdBrubakerGeek DailyGeekDailyhugh jackmanHughJackmanIron Man 2IronMan2jeffery dean morganJefferyDeanMorganjon favreauJonFavreauliev schreiberLievSchreibermickey rourkeMickeyRourkesam raimiSamRaimisamuel l. jacksonSamuelL.Jacksonsleeperterrence howardTerrenceHowardtom cruiseTomCruisewatchmenElisabeth RappeWed, 21 Jan 2009 12:03:00 ESTInterview: 'Valkyrie' Producer and Writer Christopher McQuarriehttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/12/25/interview-valkyrie-producer-and-writer-christopher-mcquarrie/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/12/25/interview-valkyrie-producer-and-writer-christopher-mcquarrie/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/12/25/interview-valkyrie-producer-and-writer-christopher-mcquarrie/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,



Best known as the writer of The Usual Suspects, Christopher McQuarrie has an impressive number of films on his resume (including his criminally overlooked directorial debut, The Way of the Gun), but Valkyrie -- opening nationwide this week -- saw him also serve as a producer alongside director Bryan Singer and star Tom Cruise. A thriller about the 1944 plot inside the German military to try and assassinate Adolph Hitler, Valkyrie turns one of history's nightmares into a taut modern thriller -- a tricky balancing act that the film pulls off: "What we tried to do was to always maintain the focus that this was a movie about an event, that this was a movie about the events of July 20th (1944), and remain focused on that. We weren't making a bio-pic, we weren't making a film about the Holocaust -- all of those things were happening ... (but) this movie is about this incredible event that happened. ... And at the same time, maintaining a sense of responsibility."

McQuarrie spoke with Cinematical from New York about working alongside the German government, how producing a mega-million war film was like "drinking from a firehose," forgoing German accents, his possible future take on superheroic franchise The Champions and much more. You can listen to the podcast here at Cinematical by clicking below:



You can also download the interview in full right here -- and those of you with RSS Podcast readers can find all of Cinematical's podcast content at this link.

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]]>Bryan SingerBryanSingerChristopher McQuarrieChristopherMcquarrieEddie IzzardEddieIzzardTerence StampTerenceStampTom WilkinsonTomWilkinsonValkyrieJames RocchiThu, 25 Dec 2008 17:02:00 ESTTom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie, Together Foreverhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/12/19/tom-cruise-and-christopher-mcquarrie-together-forever/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/12/19/tom-cruise-and-christopher-mcquarrie-together-forever/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/12/19/tom-cruise-and-christopher-mcquarrie-together-forever/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Okay, maybe Tom Cruise and Valkyrie screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie won't be together forever ... but they are in for a very long haul. Variety reports that McQuarrie is penning no less than three projects for Cruise to star in.

The first up is likely to be The Tourist, which has Cruise and Charlize Theron attached as the leads. A remake of the French thriller Anthony Zimmer, the original script was penned by Julian Fellowes. McQuarrie is quickly rewriting it so that the film can begin shooting by March.

The pair also might be returning to World War II, as McQuarrie and Mason Alley are teaming up to write Flying Tigers, the real life story of a volunteer fighter squadron that was formed to assist the Chinese in fighting the Japanese during WWII. Cruise isn't formally attached, but he has been itching to do another fighter pilot movie since the days of Top Gun.

But the most intriguing film on the McQuarrie-Cruise slate is the UA project The Champions, which McQuarrie is penning and producing alongside Guillermo del Toro. Based on the British television series about super-powered government agents, it's now being developed for Cruise to star in. It was inevitable that Cruise was going to want in on this whole "superhero" trend -- the aura around his Tropic Thunder costar Robert Downey Jr. was espcially hard to miss. How could he not want some of that? Remember, he's already attached to Sam Raimi's Sleeper, so he's obviously waking up to the trend and franchise potential of superpowers. Well, best of luck to McQuarrie and Cruise -- may the relationship be a fruitful one.




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]]>christopher mcquarrieChristopherMcquarrieFlying TigersFlyingTigersguillermo del toroGuillermoDelToroThe ChampionsThe TouristTheChampionsTheTouristTom CruiseTomCruiseValkyrieElisabeth RappeFri, 19 Dec 2008 14:45:00 ESTCharlize Theron Recruits Tom Cruise in 'The Tourist'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/11/04/charlize-theron-recruits-tom-cruise-in-the-tourist/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/11/04/charlize-theron-recruits-tom-cruise-in-the-tourist/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/11/04/charlize-theron-recruits-tom-cruise-in-the-tourist/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Charlize TheronHe was once the hottest thing on the planet; she was most recently a secret selling point of a summer blockbuster. Will a first-time teaming of Tom Cruise and Charlize Theron melt the universe? If negotiations get finalized, they'll be united in awesomeness in the upcoming thriller The Tourist, according to Variety.

Cruise is set to play the titular role of an American vacationer who gets sucked into a dark world of espionage when an Interpol agent taps him to help her catch a sneaky bad guy. Don't you hate when that happens? If only I could count the number of times I've been recruited while on vacation to assist a gorgeous, highly-trained government agent do her job. Theron would play the agent, a woman with a past romantic history with the wily master criminal. I must ask again: why do all the beautiful ladies always fall for the irredeemably corrupt yet charming bad boys?

My guess is that Theron uses Cruise to make her old boyfriend jealous, but I haven't seen Anthony Zimmer, the French original that serves as the basis for The Tourist. Maybe that doesn't matter, because the original's plot has evidently been changed around. In Anthony Zimmer, the female lead was not a law-enforcement officer but instead the criminal's current mistress.

Will Tom have hidden talents that blossom only when forced into the role of a reluctant warrior? Will Charlize fall for a typical American tourist dressed in Bermuda shorts and black socks? Will sparks fly between Tom and Charlize? Time will tell; production is slated to begin by next March under the helm of director Bharat Nalluri (Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day).

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]]>anthony zimmerAnthonyZimmerbharat nalluriBharatNalluricharlize theronCharlizeTheronthe touristTheTouristPeter MartinTue, 04 Nov 2008 17:02:00 ESTNicole Kidman and Tom Cruise are Overpaidhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/11/nicole-kidman-and-tom-cruise-are-overpaid/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/11/nicole-kidman-and-tom-cruise-are-overpaid/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/11/nicole-kidman-and-tom-cruise-are-overpaid/#commentsFiled under: , ,

In the last few years, Nicole Kidman has starred in a number of movies that underperformed at the box office, but last year's disappointing grosses for The Interpreter The Invasion, The Golden Compass and even Margot at the Wedding likely contributed to her being named the least bankable actor in Hollywood by Forbes magazine. Apparently, given her exorbitant asking price, Forbes estimates her movies only earn, on average, as much from ticket sales as she earns for appearing in them. This is a major drop compared to last year, when Kidman's films were estimated to gross $8 for every $1 she's paid.

After Kidman, Forbes names Jennifer Garner, whose '07 films The Kingdom and Catch and Release did poorly enough that the runaway success of Juno couldn't help her ranking. On average her films grossed $3.60 for every $1 she took home. In third place, not surprisingly, is Kidman's ex, Tom Cruise, who bombed big time with Lions for Lambs last year. Others making the list of most overpaid actors include Nicolas Cage, Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, Jim Carrey, Cate Blanchett and Will Ferrell. Meanwhile, Russell Crowe, who topped the list last year, is considered more fairly paid this year thanks to the success of American Gangster.

Such fluctuations in actors' bankability only continues the debate regarding the importance of movie stars these days. Certainly all the names on Forbes' list are big names who occasionally headline blockbuster hits, but are they actually significant to moviegoers' attraction to a movie? Apparently not.

So, which actor do you think is most in need of a major reality check before his or her next major paycheck?

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]]>cameron diazCameronDiazcate blanchettCateBlanchettdrew barrymoreDrewBarrymorefeaturedjennifer garnerJenniferGarnerjim carreyJimCarreymovie starsMovieStarsnicolas cageNicolasCagenicole kidmanNicoleKidmanrussell croweRussellCrowetom cruiseTomCruisewill ferrellWillFerrellChristopher CampbellThu, 11 Sep 2008 13:45:00 ESTTom Cruise to Play a Serial Killer?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/tom-cruise-to-play-a-serial-killer/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/tom-cruise-to-play-a-serial-killer/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/tom-cruise-to-play-a-serial-killer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

I bet when you woke up this morning, you thought the same thing I did: "When are we going to get to see Tom Cruise viciously murder a whole bunch of people on the big screen ... again?" Right? We're SO on the same wavelength here, like internet, movie-related soul mates from outer space! That said, fellow soul mate, Variety tells us that Cruise and United Artists have acquired rights to The Monster of Florence, based on the book by Douglas Preston. Cruise will produce and possibly star, though there's no word on whether he'd play the killer or one of the men trying to crack the case.

This is actually a pretty crazy story, and I believe it was the subject of a recent 48 Hours Mystery (or Dateline) where these two guys -- Preston and Italian journalist Mario Spezi -- were on an intense search to find out who exactly committed eight gruesome double homicides between the years of 1968 and 1985. Both men claimed to have found the guy, but then -- since they knew so much about the case -- both became actual suspects themselves. It's a pretty wild story and one that's ripe for the big-screen treatment. Only problem is it kinda suffers from "the Zodiac issue" where no one currently knows who the killer is, and so they won't be able to tie a nice, shiny bow around this puppy. Regardless, it's a good story and I'm curious to see what they do with it. You?

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]]>cinematicalthe monster of florenceTheMonsterOfFlorencetom cruiseTomCruiseErik DavisFri, 05 Sep 2008 10:02:00 ESTTom Cruise Wants to be a 'Sleeper' With Sam Raimihttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/19/tom-cruise-wants-to-be-a-sleeper-with-sam-raimi/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/19/tom-cruise-wants-to-be-a-sleeper-with-sam-raimi/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/19/tom-cruise-wants-to-be-a-sleeper-with-sam-raimi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Tom Cruise has decided it's his turn to get in on the comic book action -- and he's teaming up with Sam Raimi to do it. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the duo is setting up the DC/Wildstorm comic series Sleeper at Warner Bros. At this point, Raimi is only producing, but Cruise is hoping to star.

Penned by Ed Brubaker, Sleeper was a 12-issue series set in the Wildstorm universe, which means it steers clear of all those heroic crossovers. (It actually involves a villain created by Alan Moore, though, which should be a terrific selling point.) It centers on Holden Carver, a man who was fused with an alien artifact that makes him impervious to pain, and allows him to pass that torment onto whoever he touches. Being a sensitive sort, Carver wants to get rid of his powers -- but tough luck, he's working undercover in the Tao criminal organization. There's a Departed-like twist that leaves Carver stranded within the organization -- but he falls in love with one member, Miss Misery, while befriending another, the cuddly Genocide Jones. All the while he's torn between the work he's doing, his powers, and his relationships with unsavory people.

Sleeper has been embroiled in complicated rights issues, having been set up at several different studios over the years. Warner Bros, post-Watchmen lawsuit, is being extra careful to make everything black and white this time -- and Cruise's interest has already spurred the detangling process. (Which is kind of funny, if you remember the rumors that he was in the running to play Oxymandias -- and Adrian's fascination with how Alexander the Great undid a complicated knot. Wheels within wheels!)

I know there's some Sleeper fans out there -- it's one of those quiet, but well received books that never get enough attention. How do you feel about Cruise playing the lead?

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]]>Alan MooreAlanMooreDC ComicsDcComicsDCWildstormEd BrubakerEdBrubakerSam RaimiSamRaimiSleeperTom CruiseTomCruiseWarner BrosWarnerBrosElisabeth RappeTue, 19 Aug 2008 10:02:00 ESTTom Cruise Thinks About Becoming 'The Tourist'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/14/tom-cruise-thinks-about-becoming-the-tourist/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/14/tom-cruise-thinks-about-becoming-the-tourist/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/14/tom-cruise-thinks-about-becoming-the-tourist/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Having just watched Tropic Thunder last night, my head is half full with Tom Cruise's performance. I won't spoil it, but I will say that he's got more than just a brief blip in the film, and at times, the Scientology stigma that's plagued him lately just dropped away. Of course, that led me to the conclusion that he needs more comedy to get his career back on track, but while he IS starting a Food Fight, he's also looking for more spy action.

The Hollywood Reporter posts that he's in negotiations to star in the remake of the French spy thriller The Tourist. This is the feature that Bharat Nalluri signed on to direct in June, that focuses on an American tourist who becomes a pawn in a female Interpol agent's dangerous game. Basically, a money launderer changes his name and face, but this tourist looks like the guy, and is brought into the mess and set up as the bait.

Personally, I wish he'd just stick with the laughs right now, but what do you think? Would Cruise make good bait? And check out our recent What Should Cruise Do Next Poll where 47% of you currently feel he should do a comedy.

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]]>CinematicalThe TouristTheTouristTom CruiseTomCruiseMonika BartyzelThu, 14 Aug 2008 09:02:00 EST'Valkyrie' Returns to '08http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/13/valkyrie-returns-to-08/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/13/valkyrie-returns-to-08/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/13/valkyrie-returns-to-08/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



UPDATE: Cinematical has been given this brand new still from the film, which shows Cruise without the eye patch.

MGM seems to be trying to reverse the effects of the doomsaying that circulated about Tom Cruise and Bryan Singer's Hitler-assassination-attempt thriller Valkyrie in the spring, culminating in the announcement that the movie was moving from December 2008 to President's Day 2009. That was received as a surrender, a sure sign that the studio had no confidence in the film and was doing damage control by moving it out of harm's way. Now, following some successful test screenings, MGM has reversed itself and is moving Valkyrie back into the heart of Oscar season: December 26, 2008. Apparently, though, the studio still doesn't think it has awards potential, and is making the move because it thinks Valkyrie will do well in the Christmastime marketplace.

I'm sure positive test screenings did have a lot to do with MGM's decision, but I think it's a smart move because it's great spin control. The press loves to read the tea leaves of studio behavior, and will see this as a major vote of confidence. I suspect the buzz on Valkyrie will seriously improve now that it is no longer the subject of what was perceived as a February dump.

For my part, I don't care about Tom Cruise or his silly eyepatch, but I have a lot of trust in Bryan Singer. The man can make a good mainstream thriller, and I don't see why Valkyrie should be any exception. I think a lot of the "bad buzz" (such as Roger Friedman randomly attacking the film) is just Cruise-bashing, which may be justified but probably shouldn't extend to his movies.

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]]>bryan singerBryanSingerfeaturedMGMtom cruiseTomCruisevalkyrieEugene NovikovWed, 13 Aug 2008 20:23:00 ESTTom Cruise Starts a 'Food Fight'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/12/tom-cruise-starts-a-food-fight/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/12/tom-cruise-starts-a-food-fight/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/12/tom-cruise-starts-a-food-fight/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

You know how they say the way to a man's heart is through food? Well, when you're an actor who's fallen from grace, then the way back into the hearts of your audience is through comedy. AND ... if you really want to go berserk, you choose a film that combines food and comedy! Wham! Welcome back to Hollywood Mr. Tom Cruise. Yup, The Hollywood Reporter tells us Cruise is enjoying all the buzz surrounding his scene-stealing cameo in Tropic Thunder and is now "loosely attached" (ie: the Oscar wind can blow and knock him right off) to the comedy Food Fight.

Should he remain this film's star, Cruise would play a snooty New York chef who, for some odd reason, is forced to cook in a school cafeteria. Steven Brill was originally in talks to direct the film, but they've since gone on to other candidates (one imagines Cruise wasn't too keen on working with the dude behind Without a Paddle and Drillbit Taylor). As of now, Adam Brooks (Definitely, Maybe) is attached to pen the script. Food Fight is just one of several projects Cruise is "loosely attached" to, as the world is still waiting to see what the man takes on following his stint as an eye patch-wearing Hitler assassin in Bryan Singer's upcoming Valkyrie.

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]]>adam brooksAdamBrookscinematicaldefinitelyfood fightFoodFightmaybesteven brillStevenBrilltom cruiseTomCruisetropic thunderTropicThundervalkyrieErik DavisTue, 12 Aug 2008 16:02:00 EST'Edwin A. Salt': Tom Cruise Is Out, Angelina Jolie Is Inhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/12/edwin-a-salt-tom-cruise-is-out-angelina-jolie-is-in/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/12/edwin-a-salt-tom-cruise-is-out-angelina-jolie-is-in/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/12/edwin-a-salt-tom-cruise-is-out-angelina-jolie-is-in/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Remember how we told you about six weeks ago that it looked like Tom Cruise's next project would be an espionage thriller called Edwin A. Salt? In fact, the news was that Cruise was going to do Edwin instead of the political thriller The 28th Amendment. Well, now it looks like he's not doing either one. He's changed his mind on Edwin, and now the star of the film is going to be ... Angelina Jolie.

I'm not sure I would have considered Tom Cruise and Angelina Jolie interchangeable, but that's Hollywood for you. According to Variety, Cruise was the latest in a long line of actors who have expressed interest in the project over the years, and after he backed out, Jolie threw her hat in the ring. The deal is pretty much set, and it was thrown together very quickly. I guess when Angelina Jolie says she wants to headline your spy thriller, you bring some people in over the weekend to hammer out the details.

The screenwriter, Kurt Wimmer, will make adjustments in the script to accommodate the protagonist's new gender, and obviously the title will have to change slightly. (Edwin A. Salt = Edwina Salt?) But considering Jolie has already played an action hero successfully in Mr. & Mrs. Smith and this summer's Wanted (pictured), I suspect all that'll really be necessary is a find-and-replace search of the character's name. It's not like Wimmer will need to incoporate a scene where the spy gets her nails done or goes shoe shopping.

So now the question is: After next year's Valkyrie, what will Cruise's next project be? I think Edwin would have been a great fit for him. Of course, f I were the one making Cruise's career decisions, a lot of other things would be different, too, so never mind what I think.

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]]>angelina jolieAngelinaJolieedwin a saltEdwinASaltfeaturedkurt wimmerKurtWimmertom cruiseTomCruiseEric D. SniderTue, 12 Aug 2008 09:01:00 ESTOh No! 'Top Gun 2'?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/21/oh-no-top-gun-2/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/21/oh-no-top-gun-2/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/21/oh-no-top-gun-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Honestly, by now, I think we've all lost that lovin' feeling.

It wouldn't surprise me in the least to hear that folks were mulling a sequel to the 1986 romantic fighter jet flick. Not only are sequels to older films hot these days (see: Indiana Jones 4, Rocky 6, Die Hard 4), but Tom Cruise could provide a real boost to his rep if he were to revisit the character that kinda made him. Whether or not it would actually turn out to be a good movie is a whole different conversation. First off, according to those extremely reliable cats at The Sun, a script outline for Top Gun 2 is done and "movie bosses" want Cruise to star.

Apparently a source said this about the plot: "The idea is Maverick is at the Top Gun school as an instructor - and this time it is he who has to deal with a cocky new female pilot." Ooohh, original ... and spicy! It's like Karate Kid 4 meets A Really Big Paycheck for Tom Cruise! And yet ... we'd all still see it. Why are we such suckers? We currently have no idea how real this rumor is, so for the time being I wouldn't exactly break out into song and dance. Maybe it'll happen, maybe it won't.

What say you? Could this be the sequel we've subconsciously been waiting for our entire lives?

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]]>cinematicalmavericktom cruisetom gun 2TomCruiseTomGun2top gunTopGunErik DavisMon, 21 Jul 2008 11:32:00 ESTCruise Might Skip Playing President and Play a Spy Insteadhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/01/cruise-might-skip-playing-president-and-play-a-spy-instead/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/01/cruise-might-skip-playing-president-and-play-a-spy-instead/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/01/cruise-might-skip-playing-president-and-play-a-spy-instead/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We reported several weeks ago that Tom Cruise was all but confirmed to play the U.S. president in The 28th Amendment, a thriller that was to be directed by Phillip Noyce and co-star Denzel Washington. But now Variety has delivered a hold-your-horses on that story, saying Amendment is being set aside in favor of something else: an espionage thriller called Edwin A. Salt.

This one will star Cruise as a CIA agent accused of being a traitor. He has to go on the lam long enough to clear his name, find the real bad guy, etc.; you know the drill. The film has been in the works as a star vehicle for Cruise for some time, with Terry George and Peter Berg at various times attached to direct it. (The screenplay was written by Kurt Wimmer, author of the recent flop Street Kings.) Now it looks like the reins will go to Noyce, who previously made the action flicks Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger.

The 28th Amendment sounds fine, and no doubt it will still get made with a different director and co-star for Denzel. But I really like the sound of Edwin A. Salt. Noyce is a very solid director, with 2002's double-whammy of Rabbit-Proof Fence and The Quiet American still looming large in my memory, and he's generally made serious, respectable films (Sliver notwithstanding). We don't know yet how Cruise's troubled Valkyrie will turn out, but Edwin A. Salt -- a heroic role guided by a smart director -- could be a wise move for his next project.

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]]>28th amendment28thAmendmentdenzel washingtonDenzelWashingtonedwin a. saltEdwinA.Saltphillip noycePhillipNoycetom cruiseTomCruiseEric D. SniderTue, 01 Jul 2008 09:32:00 EST'Top Gun' Bar Destroyedhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/27/top-gun-bar-destroyed/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/27/top-gun-bar-destroyed/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/27/top-gun-bar-destroyed/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



On the heels of the terrible Universal Studios fire comes word of another landmark movie location gone up in flames. San Diego's Kansas City Barbeque, which can be seen in Top Gun (watch one of its memorable scenes, dubbed in Italian, above), was been gutted by a fire that started yesterday in an open cooking pit. According to the AP article reporting on the fire, the restaurant was used for the scene in which Maverick (Tom Cruise) first picks up Charlie (Kelly McGillis) by singing "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling," but this is incorrect (that scene was shot in Coronado, at the Officer's Club at Naval Air Station North Island). Kansas City Barbeque was used for the above scene in which Goose (Anthony Edwards) and Maverick are singing "Great Balls of Fire," as well as the final scene when "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" is playing on the jukebox.

The restaurant had capitalized on the fact that Top Gun was filmed there, and as you can see on its website, people referred to it as the "Top Gun Bar." You could even purchase Top Gun merchandise there and see props from the film, including the piano that Goose plays on and the jukebox from the end. Although the fire was reportedly extinguished in only 20 minutes, the restaurant has been destroyed and apparently those props are now lost forever.

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]]>movie locationsMovieLocationstom cruiseTomCruisetop gunTopGunChristopher CampbellFri, 27 Jun 2008 12:32:00 EST'Valkyrie' Update: No Cruise Photoshoppinghttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/25/valkyrie-update-no-cruise-photoshopping/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/25/valkyrie-update-no-cruise-photoshopping/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/25/valkyrie-update-no-cruise-photoshopping/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Tom Cruise may be guilty of some odd public antics -- but he isn't guilty of photo fudging. Last week, we reported on Slate's little expose, where they examined a publicity photo released by United Artists. According to their graphic experts, the photo of Claus von Stauffenberg had been altered to better resemble Tom Cruise.

However, Yahoo! Movies now says Slate has been forced to retract the story. It turns out they were comparing the wrong photos -- they used one from the AP, as opposed to the Getty photograph United Artists used. Unfortunately, Slate didn't search all available archives for the photo before making their assertion.

United Artists is understandably upset over the slanderous claim. "The picture United Artists used of Colonel Stauffenberg can be found all over the Internet," said Valkyrie co-writer and producer Chris McQuarrie. He added that it would be much easier to "alter Tom Cruise" than to doctor "every available picture of Claus von Stauffenberg."

Now, with all due respect, I politely disagree with McQuarrie that the photo used by United Artists is easy to find. When this story first broke, I did my own Google search out of curiosity. The most readily available photo of von Stauffenberg is the one accompanying this post. It is also the first image Getty produces when you search their archives. The only site that produced the same photo was Spartacus Educational, and even then I wasn't sure, as the UA version seemed so much cleaner.

Continue reading 'Valkyrie' Update: No Cruise Photoshopping

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]]>claus von stauffenbergClausVonStauffenbergTom CruiseTomCruiseValkyrieElisabeth RappeWed, 25 Jun 2008 14:02:00 EST