will mccormack Tagged Articles at Cinematical
Rashida Jones Makes a 'Frenemy of the State'
Filed under: Action », Comedy », Deals », Universal », Scripts », Family Films », Comic/Superhero/Geek »
I am appalled this awesome little news item slipped past my radar, and even more upset that I am just now hearing that Rashida Jones has a comic book called Frenemy of the State at Oni Press. As if that isn't neat enough, Variety reports that Frenemy has just been optioned by Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment. I mean, a comic book that's not only penned by a woman, but stars a young woman is actually being optioned. It's the stuff geek girl dreams are made of.But I'm jumping the gun a little here, because if you're as out of the loop as I was, you don't know what Frenemy of the State is about. It stars a young heiress who works undercover for the CIA, and was described at ComicCon as "What if Paris Hilton was a spy?" But Jones describes the heroine as being a little classier than that: "She has lived a life of privilege, attended the best schools and learned every language, but her obsession with spying on exes gets her into trouble and she is recruited to be a spy in exchange for not going to prison. There is a comic element to it, this girl who is so conscious of social standing and wearing the right shoes, suddenly becoming responsible for these dangerous, life-threatening missions." If that sounds a bit drippy, remember that Lara Croft started off as a careless young heiress too, until she discovered the thrill of artifacts and firearms.
Overture Snags Rashida Jones Rom-Com
Filed under: Casting », Deals », Scripts »
Overture's latest smart rom-com move was to purchase Celeste and Jesse Forever, a script written by Will McCormack and Rashida Jones, who will also star as Celeste. Celeste and Jesse Forever is the tale of a divorcing couple that is struggling to keep their friendship together while also seeing other people. Suzanne and Jennifer Todd will produce under their Team Todd shingle. This is the first screenplay credit for both actors; Rashida Jones was, of course, the adorable (and three-dimensional!) fiancé Zooey in this spring's I Love You, Man, and she is currently on the TV show Parks and Recreation. McCormack has been on TV shows like In Plain Sight and Brothers & Sisters, as well as in films like Syriana and Team Todd-produced Prime and Must Love Dogs. As previously reported on Cinematical, the spec script was initially picked up by Fox Atomic.Overture is also behind another upcoming cool romantic comedy written by and starring a talented and very funny woman, Charlyne Yi's Paper Heart. And while their other non-traditional rom-com, Last Chance Harvey, didn't do all that well, it seemed to be fairly popular with its target audience and garnered Dustin Hoffman a Golden Globes nom. And it was also behind Sunshine Cleaning, which, while it obviously wasn't a romantic comedy (or even that funny, despite what the trailers led you to believe), was an interesting and entertaining movie with women behind and in front of the camera. Amy Adams and Emily Blunt were strong leading ladies, and director Christine Jeffs and first-time screenwriter Megan Holley were behind the scenes.
Is it possible that there is a studio out there willing to take a chance on unique stories and fresh talent, and fresh female talent, at that? I'm rooting for them -- and for Rashida!
Rashida Jones Moves From Romantic Interest to Leading Lady
Filed under: Comedy », Casting », Deals », Scripts »
When you're the daughter of Peggy Lipton and Quincy Jones, good things are bound to happen. It took a few years, but Rashida Jones is on fire. She just got to play the perfect girlfriend and fiance of Paul Rudd in I Love You, Man, and now she's getting her own starring gig -- from her own pen. Variety reports that Fox Atomic has picked up a spec she wrote with Will McCormack called Celeste and Jesse Forever, and she's set to star.Even better than the news is the subject matter. The spec focuses on a young couple who are getting divorced. But rather than some sensational, War of the Roses type battle, the couple are trying "to maintain their longstanding friendship while pursuing other relationships." If this film treats relationships with half the honest and reality of I Love You, Man, this should be a worthy comedy.
I do, however, wonder how she'll hold up in the starring role. I've enjoyed her for a number of years now, since catching her on Boston Public, but I found her performance in I Love You, Man, to be a bit uneven. It actually felt like the film was shot in order, and she grew into her role. The initial scenes -- awkward and stiff, the latter scenes, more genuine, organic, and enjoyable. But making her own words come to life -- you can't get a better character and plot to feel comfortable with, so I've still got high hopes. How about you?
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