Without Remorse Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Odds and ends from just another manic Monday:

• Okay, now that I've forced the song Manic Monday into your head, let's kick things off with another casting for the film Hairspray. Young Zac Efron has nabbed the role of Link in the big-screen version of the popular musical, which was based off the 1988 John Waters film. Efron, who previously appeared in The Disney Channel's High School Musical, had to convince producers that he could lose the wholesome Disney attitude and add the spunk needed for Link, the hunky heartthrob of The Corny Collins Show. I'm not sure what exactly he had to do to prove he was past Disney's cute and cuddly persona -- perhaps he took a page out of Britney Spears' book and just removed all his clothing.
• The rumblings, whispers and rumors are now over -- Keith Richards is officially onboard for a role in Pirates of the Caribbean 3. According to director Gore Verbinski himself, Richards will make an appearance in the third installment, albeit a small one. While Verbinski did not confirm who or what Richards would be playing, we all assume the character will be related in some way to Captain Jack Sparrow. Seeing as Johnny Depp used Richards as his inspiration behind Sparrow, it would be fitting if the Rolling Stones guitarist played Father Sparrow. I'm sure a script will leak online at some point so, until then, we're playing the waiting game.
• Paramount is definitely on the move and, unfortunately, it appears some future projects are being shelved for the time being. Two such projects are the big-budgeted Tom Clancy adaptations of Without Remorse and Rainbow Six, both recently placed into turnaround by the studio. Though Remorse was already building up steam, having John Singleton attached to direct and Joaquin Phoenix in the starring role, it appears Paramount wants to, instead, focus on reviving the character Jack Ryan. They want to update the role, which was previously played by Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford and Ben Affleck, by searching for a younger, new star. Hey, as long as they stay away from Freddie Prinze Jr., I'm a happy man.

Today's odds and ends:

• In an interview with an Australian newspaper, Chopper himself (Who, now that he's given up on the crime thing, is touring the country as part of an autobiographical, comedic stage show. No lie.) announced that a sequel to Andrew Dominik's 2000 movie about him is in the planing stages, albeit without the too-famous-to-get-fat-again Eric Bana.

• Edward Zwick's star-filled The Blood Diamond began shooting in South Africa this week. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou, and Jennifer Connelly, the film is a story about diamonds, family, and, since Leo's in it, some sort of romance (though probably not with Hounsou). Warner Brothers hopes to have it in theaters by late December, just in time for an Oscar run.

• In one of the oddest movie moments of all time, rumor has it that Philip Seymour Hoffman is being chased to play Roger Ebert in an in-development Russ Meyer biopic. If this works out, I think it's safe to say that it will be the only time an Oscar nominee plays a real-life film critic on screen. It's almost too meta to comprehend. [Edit: check the comments for Ebert's own debunking of the rumor.]
  

• Latino Review has the scoop on the casting of John Singleton's previously-discussed Tom Clancy adaptation, Without Remorse. According to their exclusive, Singleton has found his "young and athletic actor who can grow with the picture" in Joaquin Phoenix, who is in final negotiations to star as CIA operative Mr. Kelly. Huh. Joaquin Phoenix? In an action series? [via Dark Horizons]
  

John Singleton has agreed to direct Without Remorse, the latest film version of a Tom Clancy novel. Singleton will also write the screenplay for the movie, which is about a CIA operative (and ex-Navy SEAL) named John Kelly. Though the character was played by Willem Dafoe in Clear and Present Danger, Singleton is "looking to cast a young and athletic actor who can grow with the picture." (Willem, don't wait by the phone.) Also attached to the project is former super-agent, CAA founder, and Disney COO Michael Ovitz who both once represented Singleton and also owns the rights to the book. He'll be producing the film for Paramount.

There's nothing better than well-made action movie, and the success of the Bourne series makes it clear that audiences still love the genre. Singleton's statements about Without Remorse make it clear that he doesn't plan to stray far from the conventions set by the Jack Ryan movies, which shouldn't upset Paramount too much - given the money those movies made, there's no reason to reinvent the wheel with this one.