Oddly enough we're told it's Justin Theroux, who's making his screenwriting debut with Tropic Thunder a bit later this summer. Yes, that would be the same Justin Theroux who played the immortal role of Adam Kesher in Mulholland Dr. and the badass Irishman Seamus O'Grady in Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. The trade piece breaking the story gives no hint of why Marvel Studios thought of Theroux for the project, and I couldn't find out anywhere else, but I'm sure someone will give an interview soon enough.

Last year, Theroux directed an indie called Dedication from someone else's script, starring Tom Wilkinson and Billy Crudup. It got mediocre reviews and I missed it, despite my eagerness to watch anything with Wilkinson. If a career change is what the actor was after, he certainly got it: writing Iron Man 2 is a pretty plum gig. Can you imagine?

Of course, I tend to doubt that the sequel -- which is set for release in April, 2010 -- is going to wind up with just one screenwriter when all is said and done. Theroux's draft will probably be reworked, retouched and polished a dozen times. But it's cool that the actor-turned-director-turned-scribe will at least take a first crack.

Just when I thought I couldn't be any more in love with the thought of Tropic Thunder, they make a mockumentary trailer, which you can see above, called Rain of Madness. As Jan Jürgen, Justin Theroux grabs a camera and films what is happening during the most expensive and grandiose Vietnam War film of all time. The aims of a filmmaker, the comfort of a good pair of shoes, and even the man that brings down Mother Nature with his fire -- it's all in there.

I can only hope that there's more to this mockumentary than a trailer, and that the camera gets turned on Jan a few times -- maybe not a full-length doc, but at least more Coogan mocking. But for now we'll have to wait and see. At the very least, they've got a website for this puppy, which you can check out in the title link above. So far, it doesn't have much, but it does have a great letter to the audience from Mr. Jürgen.

Are you ready for a Rain of Madness?

I am in no way a history buff. I like to think I know all I needed to know when I graduated fourth grade -- names, faces, places, dates and documents. It's not that I'm not interested in history, it's just that I never found time to dive into everything. I've enjoyed reading up on New York's history (where I'm from) and I'll enjoy the occasional historical flick (until everyone trashes it for not being accurate), but apart from that ... nada. However, lately I've been pulled into the first two installments of HBO's John Adams, starring Paul Giamatti as that legendary pimp (aka the second President of the United States). Should we just give him the Emmy now?

The mini-series is a great conversation piece; my wife and I stayed up late last night watching the second part, then looking up stuff on Wikipedia and discussing the events just prior to the American Revolution. In case you haven't watched it yet, the first two parts (which premiered this past Sunday) cover everything from the Boston Massacre up to the writing of the Declaration of Independence (loved the scene where Adams, Franklin and Jefferson are reading over the Declaration, sharing notes). Additionally, the cast is pretty awesome -- you have Laura Linney (as Abigail Adams, John's wife), Tom Wilkinson (as Benjamin Franklin), Danny Huston (as Samuel Adams), David Morse (as George Washington) and Justin Theroux (as John Hancock).

The only issue I was having was that the series jumps around in years, and you need to pay close attention to dialogue in order to figure out where we are in time. But other than that, I'm absolutely addicted already. It's intense, it's extremely well-acted, it's beautifully shot and it's definitely something you should watch ... if only to learn a thing a two about how we here in the United States came to be.

How about you? Early reactions?

So folks have been taking tons of jabs at Tom Cruise for wearing an eye patch in the new Bryan Singer flick Valkyrie. If you think that's bad, get a load of the guy in these new photos (courtesy of JustJared) in which he's dressed as a studio exec for a cameo role in Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder. And what's their idea of a studio exec? Why a fat, hairy-chested bald guy -- is there any other kind? Cruise's cameo had been rumored for quite some time now, while Stiller and Co. have been doing what they can to keep quiet when asked about the role. Unfortunately, the surprise casting is now out in the open, but in my opinion it's worth it to see these pics. And kudos to Cruise for putting himself out there ... though as a guy who has the potential to one day be fat and bald, I sort of take offense. Boo Tom Cruise. Shame on you.

In Tropic Thunder, Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Justin Theroux and Jay Baruchel play a group of American actors attempting to shoot a war film who, through a series of freak accidents, become forced to become the soldiers they're portraying. Nick Nolte, Bill Hader and Steve Coogan also star. Honestly, with this cast, how can this film not be an absolute riot. I've been off the Stiller wagon for awhile now, as I'm sure a lot of you have, so hopefully he still has it in him to produce a gem. Tropic Thunder is due out on July 11. A petition to ban Tom Cruise from giving fat, bald men everywhere a bad name will be started (by myself) tomorrow.

[via Joblo]

The hunk ... He's a fairly disputed figure in the world of cinema, subjected to the taste and whims of anxious, heterosexual women everywhere. The hunk's popularity is often fleeting -- the beefcake stud for one year is often forgotten by the next. But most importantly, the hunk is entirely, and completely, subjective. One woman's pearl is another woman's stale, salty oyster.

One might argue that some tastes are, therefore, off, but subjectivity and sex are one of the world's big blessings. We don't all lust for the same people, and thus, the earth can stay safe. Otherwise, imagine a world-wide Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered. It wouldn't be pretty. So, what follows are my list of hunks.

I am sure you will question some of my picks, and I will admit -- some don't have the stellar physique that the others do. That being said, each of them have been in horror movies, and they've done their fair share of testosterone bewitching. But this is just my own, subjective taste, which will probably bother and bewilder some. But that's where the comments come in. Share your horror hunks, who have chased, or been chased, on-screen -- extra points if they're a little surprising. This is Halloween, after all, which is all about a world that's just a little different...

When Owen Wilson dropped out of filming Tropic Thunder due to his sudden (and, thankfully, non life-threatening) hospitalization, I was pretty bummed -- that film was shaping up to be one of my most anticipated of 2008. I know, I haven't been too fond of Ben Stiller as of late, but he had lined himself up with one heckuva cast, and the premise sounded like a blast. Hey, that rhymes. Cool. But what can you do -- sh*t happens -- and since the cast still rocks without Wilson, it's all good. Now, Variety tells us they've found Wilson's replacement in one Matthew McConaughey. But you McConaughey fans shouldn't get your hopes up too much, as Variety claims "the job amounts to an uncredited cameo." So no matter who took on the part, we still would've been left with the same response: "Oh, look, it's blah blah blah in a cameo role. Ain't that cute?"

McConaughey joins a cast that already includes Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Nick Nolte, Jay Baruchel, Justin Theroux, Bill Hader, Steve Coogan and, although nothing official was ever released, apparently Tom Cruise may show up playing a studio executive in another one of them uncredited cameos. Those of you who know Stiller and his entourage should be aware that his films are full of these cameos -- but that's what makes them sooo special. In the flick, directed by Stiller, a group of actors gather to shoot a big-budget war film on a remote island. However, problems arise when the situation calls for these fake soldiers to become real ones. McConaughey will shoot his part over the course of one week; he also just finished filming the flick Surfer Dude for director Andy Tennant. Tropic Thunder hits theaters on July 11, 2008.

Those nice people over at The Weinstein Co. just sent Cinematical the first poster for Justin Theroux's upcoming romantic dramedy Dedication, starring Billy Crudup and Mandy Moore. The story revolves around a highly-dysfunctional author of children's books (Crudup) who has major issues with women, enjoys telling children that Santa Claus doesn't exist and whose personal motto is "Life is nothing but the occasional burst of laughter rising above the interminable wall of grief." When his usual illustrator, played by Tom Wilkinson, unexpectedly dies, the author must begin working with an attractive young female illustrator, played by Moore. Dedication, which premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival and was snapped up by the Weinsteins at that time, marks the directorial debut of Theroux, who is known for his acting work in David Lynch films Inland Empire and Mulholland Drive, along with other credits. The film will also feature other well-known players such as Dianne Wiest, Amy Sedaris, and Bob Balaban, and is scheduled to hit theaters on August 24. Click on the image above to get the full-sized poster.

Since the script called for an "overweight gross-out comedian with a drug addiction," who better to cast than Jack Black? The actor has just signed up to play a character named Jeff "Fats" Portnoy in Tropic Thunder, to be directed by Ben Stiller. Written by Justin Theroux (who starred alongside Stiller in Zoolander and Duplex) and Etan Cohen, pic follows a group of actors who run into a whole mess of trouble while filming a big-budget war movie, forcing them to become the commandos they are playing. Think of it as Three Amigos! meets another wacky Ben Stiller comedy.

Along with Black, Robert Downey Jr. will play four-time Oscar winner Kirk Lazarus, known as the "greatest actor of his generation." Jay Baruchel will tackle an unknown actor named Kevin Sandusky and Stiller plays a dude named Speedman -- who, I assume, will be all amped up and ready to kick major ass (ie: typical Stiller shtick). Theroux also stars, though there's no word on who he is playing (maybe the washed-up actor looking for a second chance?). It's funny that Black should land this part, as his character's major obstacle is that he must give up a drug addiction in order to shoot in the jungle. Sound familiar? Back when Black was on a brief hiatus from filming King Kong, the guy took the opportunity to get absolutely sloshed, partying it up as if there were no tomorrow. I guess those jungles really get to a guy, huh? Tropic Thunder is currently scheduled to hit theaters on July 11, 2008.

I went to a meeting tonight and returned home to discover that the industry wheeling and dealing at Sundance had produced a number of distribution deals. An LA Times article refers to the latest round of deals as "a spending spree reminiscent of drunken sailors on shore leave." I can't top that description. Here's the scoop, as well as some updates on previous deals in progress:

• Fortissimo Films has bought the worldwide (except China) distribution rights to Nanking for an as-yet undisclosed price. Nanking is about the Japanese invasion during WWII of Nanking, China. At first, I thought Nanking was a feature because well-known actors are listed on the film's IMDb page, and some controversy has occurred about writing credits, but apparently it's a documentary that contains a filmed stage reading of pertinent letters and documents. Look for a review of Nanking by Kim Voynar later this week.
  
• Paramount Vantage picked up near-worldwide distribution rights to How She Move (pictured at right), a Canadian feature about urban step dancing. Is this the same as stepping, which was featured in Stomp the Yard? If so (or if buyers are similarly confused), Stomp the Yard's box office success might explain the estimated $3-4 million sale for this film. The plot of How She Move also sounds Save the Last Dance-ish.
  

To be honest, in all the rush of the holidays I never got around to watching Night At The Museum, granted I'm not a huge Ben Stiller fan, but I got the occasional chuckle out of the trailer. Well, in the end it looks like I didn't really miss out on anything unforgettable. I never really thought Stiller would be a good fit for family films; I always thought his comedy worked best when it could get a little more "adult". If you've seen the SNL digital short by Adam McKay about a one night stand with Glen Frey then you know what I mean.

Production Weekly announced that Stiller and writing partner Justin Theroux are set to begin production on their comedy Tropic Thunder. The story would follow a film crew besieged by problems, including being mistaken for commandos in a local war on location, all while trying to make a big budget epic war movie. So I can only assume the plot is Stiller's nod to his humble beginnings in Steven Spielberg's Empire of The Sun. Stiller is set to direct the film with principal photography scheduled to begin this July. Hopefully the laughs will be kept PG-13 at the very least.