June is here, and summer has more or less begun, even if we have to wait until June 21 for the official start date. I'm here in the Bay Area, under a blanket of fog, wearing a sweater (if you saw last year's wonderful Colma: The Musical, you'll get a visual) while everywhere else people are sunbathing and drinking frosty frappuccinos. No matter. I've spent many summers like this and I have my share of fond summer memories even if they happened in the freezing cold rather than the relaxing heat. I was just remembering back to my first summer here. I had a pretty laid-back, part-time job that allowed me to go to as many movies as I wanted. So this week I thought I would do a flashback to the summer of 1991. (Imagine a pre-Tarantino world!) Things started well with the 50th anniversary re-release of Citizen Kane, and although I'd seen it many times before (and since) I got to see it on the big screen for the first time.

Next up came the documentary Truth or Dare. I wasn't a particularly big Madonna fan, but there was one scene that made the movie an event. Warren Beatty (then dating Madonna) turns up in her dressing room and is nonplussed about the intruding cameras: "She doesn't want to live off-camera, much less talk. There's nothing to say off-camera. Why would you say something if it's off-camera? What point is there existing?" Little did we know that those words would come to define our country and culture in the 21st century.

In this business, sometimes interviews are scheduled and sometimes they're not. I remember attending a party last year, and while outside at one point I found myself standing next to Paul Haggis. Of course I had nothing prepared, but those of us who do this for a living know it's important to get info when you can, however you can. Something similar happened to Frosty over at Collider, who wound up standing next to director John Singleton while both were waiting for their cars at a hotel valet. Frosty jumped at the opportunity to get the scoop on Singleton's planned A-Team flick, based on the popular TV show, and surprisingly Singleton was willing to offer up some good stuff.

Most importantly, Singleton said he really wants Woody Harrelson for the part of Murdock. During the on-the-spot interview, he noted, "And I don't know who is in the cast yet...but I do know that the only person I want right now is, that I really, really want is Woody Harrelson to play Murdock – the guy who is crazy but he's kind of real smart, a jack of all trades. That's the only person I really, really want." Excellent choice if you ask me, and one I'd really like to see happen. Additionally, Singleton said that they'll be asking all cast members to sign onto multiple films, which means they'd like this one to go the franchise route. Right now, the only other potential cast member is Ice Cube, who's in talks to play B.A. Baracus. As far as tone goes, the director said: "It's not a comic movie farce like Starsky and Hutch, it's kind of in the tradition of the 80's action pictures, the man's movies like Die Hard, Predator, Commando, or even Lethal Weapon – more so than anything else. The action is very serious, but there is humor. That's what we are going for."

I dig it. You can head on over to Collider to read the rest of the interview, which briefly touches upon budget and a few other things. How do you feel about this A-Team movie? Is this the type of film that will come down to its cast, its script -- or is it all a complete waste of time? Sound off below ...

[via Slashfilm]

When Variety first announced (though it had been confirmed earlier) that John Singleton would be directing a big-screen version based on the popular television series, The A-Team, they also mentioned that Ice Cube was in talks to star as B.A. Baracus -- a role once owned (and, some would argue, still owned) by Mr. T. Sure, the man has been busy churning out kiddie fare, like Are We There Yet (and its sequel), but if you ask me Cube is the only guy I see taking on this role, while also making it somewhat believable. He's loosened up a bit, but I'd like to think the dude still has some edge left.

BlackFilm recently sat down with Ice Cube while he was out promoting his latest "comedy" First Sunday, where they asked him about the role of B.A. Baracus. On whether he's considering it: "Hell yeah, especially with John Singleton directing!" On what he would bring to the character: "I wouldn't try to duplicate what Mr. T did, but I will have the same impact on you when you were little watching the TV show. I'm going to bring my own flavor to it and I am going to do the mohawk." Great -- sounds like he already has the role. So does he? "I don't know. They want me to do it if all the business works out right. I was a fan as a kid and that would be, not a dream come true, but it's definitely a good thing to do and I would put it on my resume for sure."

So, Ice Cube with a mohawk? Would Mr. T pity that fool? And who else could you see joining this film?

I pity the fool who doesn't want a Hobbit film!

I did not see I Am Legend this past weekend, but apparently there was a poster planted in the film's fictional Times Square for a Batman vs. Superman movie, due out on May 15, 2010. (Check out a screen grab above, courtesy of Slashfilm.) Folks immediately began speculating -- was this a secret teaser poster for Justice League? Had they changed the name (as previously rumored) to Batman vs. Superman? No such luck fanboys (and girls); seems it was only a gag dreamed up by screenwriter/producer Akiva Goldsman, who, long ago, was attached to write a Batman vs. Superman film. But it's still pretty cool, and a neat little Easter Egg if you ask me.

We know John Singleton has signed on to direct a big-screen A-Team movie, and that casting is currently underway, but what's the script look like? Moviehole got their hands on the script, and there's some "interesting" stuff in there. Like, B.A. Baracas (played by Mr. T on the TV show) is listed as a "22-year-old walking steel with two-percent body fat." Yup, expect Tyrese Gibson in this role. Here's a bit more from their synopsis: "I'll be honest - it's not that tantalizing. The whole action of the movie revolves around some vases and stolen art. At one point there's a scene that takes place on a yacht - and it's an art auction. It's just not that interesting." Head on over to Moviehole to read their full review of the 118-page script.

This morning it was announced that Peter Jackson and New Line had kissed and made up, and are moving ahead on the long-planned Hobbit adaptation. However, Jackson is only listed as an executive producer, which means they still need to seek out a director to helm the picture. I'd expect Sam Raimi to be the first one they call, but if Sam takes on this monstrous double-feature, don't expect the guy to be back in the director's chair for Spider-Man 4. Which will also likely mean that Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst will opt out. Would you gladly take Raimi on Hobbit, or could Jackson get real nutty and somehow convince Guillermo del Toro to give up all 300 of his current projects to direct two Hobbit films? Where do you stand? Who do you want directing these movies, if not Jackson?

Though it still hasn't hit the trades (I imagine an official announcement will come tomorrow), BlackVoices has spoken with director John Singleton, and he has confirmed to them that he will indeed direct a big-screen version of The A-Team, based on the popular '80s television series (Latino Review first posted the A-Team rumor earlier this week). IESB also confirmed the news through their sources at Fox. Additionally, Singleton said he will not be directing Executive Order: Six, as previously announced through the trades, and we imagine he'll instead concentrate solely on bringing The A-Team to the big screen ... and not completely pissing off all its fans in the process.

This feature film version has been in development for a long time, and for awhile we never thought it would happen. I mean, how can you re-cast someone like Mr. T? And if you do re-cast Mr. T, then wouldn't it be weird to see someone else acting like Mr. T? I love Ving Rhames too ... but c'mon! According to Latino Review's original post, "Stephen J. Cannell, who created the show, will produce the movie with Spike Seldin. Mark Silvestri will exec produce. Alex Young will oversee the pic at Fox. The new "A-Team" will be updated from the Vietnam era and reflect contemporary issues and politics. Tone of the film will be less cartoony and more serious, in the vein of "Die Hard" and "Lethal Weapon." But the van stays, right? The black van with the red stripe has to stay? And who do you get to play The A-Team? Do they go older (Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames) or younger (Mark Wahlberg, Tyrese Gibson) ... or younger and older (Bruce Willis, Channing Tatum, Mark Wahlberg and Ving Rhames)? In your opinion, what needs to happen in order for this film to succeed?

Oh, and before you start wondering about casting -- Singleton's last film, Four Brothers, starred both Wahlberg and Gibson. So I'd like to think they'd be his first choices ...

[via Coming Soon]

Great, now I have that damn theme song in my head. A big-screen A-Team movie had been rumored for awhile now, with series creator Stephen J. Cannell championing the project for the past few years. Last we heard, some unknown writer had been tapped to throw together a script, and now Latino Review reports the new and improved A-Team flick might have snagged a director: John Singleton. Oh yes. Because when you can't remake Boyz in the Hood, you settle for the next best thing -- a group of guys in a kickass van who go around blowing sh*t up. I pity the fool who thinks this is a bad idea.

But don't think you'll be getting a lot of the cheese from the old show. Cannell has said that he wants to update the A-Team, and instead of all of them being Vietnam vets, they'll most likely be vets of the Iraqi war (or the writer's strike ... or something). And it'll be darker in tone; people will actually die in this film, unlike the TV show. LR says it will be in the vein of Die Hard and Lethal Weapon. Okay, so will we see any cameos from the original cast members? As recently as this past May, Mr. T body-slammed the idea of a cameo, as only Mr. T would. He said, "We don't do cameos! You don't disrespect us, or 'Pow! Pow! it's insulting me to ask me to be in it [as someone else]. It's just like my ex-girlfriend saying 'Why don't you come out to dinner with my new boyfriend?' You see what I mean? I am not going to do that." Aside from A-Team, Singleton just signed on to direct the oddly titled Executive Order: Six. We're not sure whether one will come before the other, or if this rumor is any true, but we might as well start debating: Who would you like to see in the new A-Team movie. For ideas, check out our dream cast, including Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon.

I can't stand movie titles that do not, in any way, seem to coincide with the film's plot. Case in point: Variety tells us John Singleton has signed on to direct a thriller called Executive Order: Six, which will be financed by Relativity and is based off a script written by Philip Eisner (from a story he wrote with Robbie Consing). Lawrence Bender and Karen Barber will produce. Based on the title, it sounds like some corporate-themed flick, where guys in suits do bad things. It also begs the question: What happened to Executive Order one through five?

So what's it actually about? Well, Executive Order: Six follows "residents of a small, snowbound town, who band together to fight a mysterious horror that turns out to be an alien being unleashed by a plane crash." Sounds sort of like 30 Days of Night ... with an alien instead of vampires. I'm sure the whole Executive Order: Six fits into the script somehow, but you're telling me there weren't any other title suggestions? Like Snow Alien? Like ... The Secret Lives of Aliens? Or ... Crash Aliens? A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila? Wait, scratch that last one. Anyway, kudos to Singleton for finding another project to helm; the director has had a rough few months -- first he was involved in a car crash that killed someone, and then Tulia, the Halle Berry/Billy Bob Thornton flick he was supposed to direct, was postponed due to Berry being preggers (lingo you pick up after hanging around with way too many pregnant women). Do you like the title? What would you have called it?

My first thought should be to congratulate Halle Berry on her pregnancy, which she finally, officially announced on Access Hollywood Tuesday. But instead, I'm thinking primarily about John Singleton, who stands to lose by the news. The Boyz n the Hood director is having some bad luck of late -- in case you didn't hear, he accidentally killed a woman recently -- and Berry's bun in the oven has unfortunately affected Singleton's latest project. He was set to direct Tulia, a Southern courtroom drama with Berry and Billy Bob Thornton, but now, thanks to the actress' unavailability for the next six months or so, the film has been postponed -- if not canceled. According to TMZ, Lionsgate has definitely halted production, which was scheduled to begin shooting in October, with no word on when it would resume. The gossip news site did learn, though, that the project hasn't been shelved entirely.

I had been excited for Singleton when he took over Tulia from Carl Franklin. Here, I was thinking he could work with the reunited Berry and Thornton, who paired up on Monster's Ball, and direct the actress to another Oscar nomination (she won for Ball). And then his career would pick up again, proving that his status as youngest director to ever be nominated for the directing Oscar was not a fluke. Maybe it wouldn't get him another nomination, but it would hopefully get him enough respect to finally get him his Luke Cage greenlight. Now, even if Singleton does remain attached to Tulia, it won't be bringing him to any Academy Awards until at least 2010. Currently, Singleton is also having trouble as a producer. He worked with filmmaker Franc. Reyes on the new release Illegal Tender, which has only made $2.5 million in its first two weeks -- most of it earned opening weekend before a near-60% drop. Considering Reyes' previous film, Empire, grossed seven times that amount, Singleton could be blamed.

[via WENN]

Even though The Fast and the Furious films are not exactly classics of American cinema, apparently there's still some money to be made from the series -- so we probably should have seen this coming. Edmunds, a car enthusiast web site, is reporting that pre-production has begun on what could be the fourth film in the Furious franchise. Sources that have worked on the first three films told Edmunds that the fourth installment is "in development at Universal." So far there has yet to be any mention of a writer or director for the project, (previous directors in the series include Justin Lin and John Singleton) but it's not like it really matters. These films have never been about plot development and character study; all you really need is a crack team of stunt drivers.

Another film seemed inevitable after the not-so-subtle cameo by Vin Diesel at the end of Tokyo Drift (the third film in the series). According to Edmunds sources, the script will be reuniting characters from the first three films, including Paul Walker and Tyrese Gibson. But it's not about the actors, it's all about the cars. Edmunds reports that there could be a reappearance of the 1970 Dodge Charger from the first film, as well as mention of a 1987 Buick GNX being included in the fun. Since my car knowledge is limited to what I've picked up from video games, I'll take their word for it that watching a Buick in action is something to look forward to. According to Edmunds, Universal is planning on a Summer 2008 release, but there has been no official word from the studio on the project. So stay tuned for any updates that come our way.

Filmmaker John Singleton was involved in a tragic car accident on Thursday that left one woman dead, says The L.A. Times. Police were quick to note that Mr. Singleton was completely sober at the time of the accident and also he was obeying the legal speed limit. L.A. Police spokesman Jason Lee explained that Mr. Singleton struck a 57-year-old woman named Constance Russell and also that the woman died from her injuries the following morning.

Apparently no files will be charged against Singleton -- the report claims that Ms. Russell was not navigating the road at a designated crosswalk -- but obviously this is tragic news all around. John Singleton is best known for breaking in with Boyz n the Hood. His other films include Higher Learning, Rosewood, Shaft, 2 Fast 2 Furious and Four Brothers. His next project looks to be a crime drama called Tulia, plus he's also been mentioned as the helmer on the long-discussed Luke Cage adaptation.

The Cinematical staff would like to extend its deepest sympathies to the family of Ms. Russell.