Gospel According to Janis Tagged Articles at Cinematical

We've got a few bits of news about the upcoming Janis Joplin biopic -- one of them, anyway -- that we've previously chatted about here and here. Unfortunately, some of the news ain't good. It seems that production on the Gospel According to Janis was supposed to gear up last November, but has hit a snag. According to an interview with VH1, Zooey Deschanel says that the movie is currently "on hold." Why? Deschanel says it "seems like it's been hard to get all the money and the rights in place." However, she wasn't specific on which rights are causing the hold -- the life or music rights.

Assuming that the issues can be worked out, the feature should prove to be interesting. Zooey's description of the flick is a bit curious. While the actress says that "it's about her vitality rather than her [tragedy]," almost the entire film will take place on October 4, 1970 -- the day that the musician overdosed and died. There isn't expected to be a slew of flashbacks; it seems that there will be some, but the film will mainly focus on that one day: "It's a sort of microscope rather than a general overview." So, it's an uplifting account of her final moments. How this will work ... well, your guess is as good as mine!

Odds and ends from Wednesday:

• After cracking us up as conniving Hollywood agent Ari Gold on HBO's Entourage, Jeremy Piven has signed on to play a conniving American diplomat in Peter Berg's The Kingdom. Pic, which already sports a dynamite cast of Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Chris Cooper and Jason Bateman, tells of a group of U.S. FBI agents who are sent to investigate the bombing of an American facility in the Middle East.
• Maverick Films is looking to lock and load after snatching up the spec script Shoot, written by Ron Krauss and Tom Hietter. Picture The Fast and the Furious, but with gunslingers instead of souped-up automobiles. Pic, which Krauss will also direct, revolves around the "underground world of contemporary gunslingers" and follows a young shooter on his quest to challenge the sport's undefeated champion.
• As we previously reported (without any official word), Zooey Deschanel is now confirmed to be taking on the role of Janis Joplin in Penelope Spheeris' upcoming biopic, Gospel According to Janis. Written by Spheeris and Brad Vanderburg, pic will focus on the period of time between Joplin first moving to California and her subsequent death eight years later. I've always thought Deschanel was a bit too "goth" looking to play Joplin, but she definitely has the gritty, indie part down. So, let's see what she does with it.

When we hear anything about Penelope Spheeris' Janis Joplin biopic Gospel According to Janis, it's always about the casting of the central role. Last year, the rumor was that Renee Zellweger had actually been offered the part, but (much to Karina's glee) wasn't sure about taking it (she didn't). Then came a parade of girl-names, from Courtney Love and Brittany Murphy to Lindsay Lohan, Pink and Scarlett Johansson (who I'm pretty sure is suggested to studio heads for any female role these days, just because the mere mention of her name makes them drool).

Also in the most recent list of actresses allegedly seen by Spheeris was Zooey Deschanel, the pint-sized, singing actress who for some reason has all even slightly geeky boys eating out of the palm of her hand. Well, boys, it's possibly time to rejoice: The UK's Popbitch (an email newsletter) claims that Deschanel has officially won the part. Whether it's true or not remains to be seen -- it is a fact, however, that she's currently playing Liza Minnielli in Simply Halston, which in and of itself is pretty awesome. I just may be warming up to this Zooey character.

[via Film Stalker]