Co-Star Showdown: Collette + Hoffman v. Hunt + Schreiber
October 5, 2008
In one corner, we have Toni Collette and Philip Seymour Hoffman (doesn’t that sound good already?). The Hollywood Reporter posts that PSH has just signed his voice up to star opposite Collette in Mary and Max, a claymation project from Down Under. Sort of like a claymation version of Love Letters, the film focuses on two penpals who foster a friendship over 20 years while one lives in Australia and the other in the US. I don’t know if this is a tale of classic pen to paper, or something a tiny more modern with late-night World wide web session while one goes to bed and the other rises. To make things even more interesting — it’s the feature debut for Harvie Krumpet Oscar winners Adam Elliot and Melanie Coombs.
In the other corner, there’s one of the strangest couplings I’ve read in a while — Helen Hunt and Liev Schreiber. Variety reports the pair are starring in a new drama called Every Day. What’s weird — they’re playing a “couple whose marriage is strained to the breaking point.” Nip/Tuck’s Richard Levine will make his feature directorial debut with the film, which starts production in New York this month. I don’t know why, but this pairing just seems really strange. They’re not far off in age, so who knows?
Weigh in below: Which pair do you want to see more? Read more
Strathairn, Ormond, and O’Hara Face Autism
October 4, 2008
There’s a new biopic finally gaining steam that hasn’t been mentioned on Cinematical before — HBO’s Temple Grandin project. Back in August, Claire Danes signed on, and now The Hollywood Reporter posts that David Strathairn, Julia Ormond, and Catherine O’Hara have joined the cast.
Temple Grandin is a 61-year-old woman with autism known to be one of the leading voices in autism advocacy. As a child, she was derided by her classmates for being different — nicknamed “tape recorder” because of her tendency to repeat things numerous times. But bursting out of that, Grandin went to college and eventually earned a PhD in animal science, ultimately becoming an recommend of humane slaughterhouses as well — an ideal candidate to show both the struggles and successes that can come from autism.
A passion project that’s been in the works for nearly a decade, filming begins this month in Austin with Danes playing Grandin, while Strathairn plays her university science teacher, Ormond will play her mom, and O’Hara, her aunt. It’s a great story to see come to fruition, and with this cast, I’m hoping for good things — Danes breaking out of that older seductress habit, O’Hara getting a opportunity to be serious. Ormond is good and, well, Strathairn always ups the ante. Thoughts?
Still Half Naked, Megan Fox Becomes a Mermaid?
October 3, 2008
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Love her, hate her, envy her or worship her, fact is Megan Fox sells sex with the best of them. She may not be in line for an Oscar nod anytime soon, but she knows what her greatest assets are and is more than willing to flaunt the hell out of them if it means another starring role in a large Hollywood film. And that’s what we’re here to speak about (I think), as Now Magazine claims Fox has nabbed a lead role in the big-screen comic adaptation of Fathom – and, luckily, this is one role where clothes are definitely optional.
In Fathom (which has been in development for some time, and is now apparently over at Fox Atomic), Fox would play Aspen Matthews, an amnesiac girl who’s discovered and adopted by a naval officer vacationing on a cruise line out at sea. Eventually we learn Aspen isn’t just some regular girl, but instead a member of a race of aquatic humanoids called the Blue who, somehow, can control water. So she’s not a mermaid, and this isn’t a remake of Splash (though I think I’d like to see a remake of Splash, maybe …), but like any comic, it has its good guys, its villains, its intrigue and its adventure. And if Fox can film the whole thing half naked, then it’s also a big box office draw.
More on this project as it develops. Who’s up for a little underwater action with Ms. Fox?
Even Russell Brand Has to Make Audition Tapes
October 3, 2008
I’m finally writing a post here that my sister will read. You see, she adores Russell Brand almost as much as Brand loves Cinematical and Scott Weinberg (see image above as proof of this fact). Maybe even more, because unlike most Americans, she was avidly following his British career via his podcast and BBC America. There have been many humbling moments in my Cinematical salad days, but none quite so humiliating as when I told her Brand was in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. “I know. I followed the filming on his podcast.” At least Weinberg promptly embarrassed her by getting all cozy with her favorite Englishman.
As my sister wasn’t one of the casting directors for Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Brand had to make an audition tape to convince them of his weirdly-coiffed worthiness. In honor of its DVD release, MTV has the exclusive, and I’ve embedded it below for your viewing pleasure. And if you’re like my sibling and can’t get enough, I’ve also included the karaoke version of his in-film music video, Infant Sorrow.
5-1 my sister writes “I’ve already seen both of those videos” in the comments. Hopefully, you’ll be more appreciative.
Casting Bites: Jack Black Becomes Jason Bourne & More!
October 2, 2008
Is Jack Black replacing Matt Damon in the Bourne franchise? Thankfully, no, however The Hollywood Reporter tells us the funnyman has teamed back up with Kung Fu Panda writers Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger for a live-action comedic take on The Bourne Identity. In the film, Black will play some dude who washes up on the shores of Cuba with no memory of who he’s or how he got there. Of course, he automatically believes he’s a superspy (thanks Hollywood!), though nothing could be further from the truth. Sounds like a funny premise — but is Black the right one for the role?
Meanwhile, Sky High’s plant-loving sidekick, Danielle Panabaker, is going back to school. According to The Hollywood Reporter, she’ll star in Chuck Russell’s upcoming sci-fi action film called Prodigy. Based on Dave Kalstein’s book, the film focuses on an elite prep school that takes teaching to the extreme — they make students into geniuses with a “drug-and-diet regimen.” Panabaker will play the smartie daughter of a senator who questions the powers that be. This might be particularly bad for those powers since, as Publisher’s Weekly describes it, the conditioning makes these kids “ninja-assassin geniuses.”
Last but not least, there’s the talented Michael Sheen. Putting aside retro politics and The Music Within, Variety reports that the actor has picked up two new gigs. First, there’s Sam Jackson’s Unthinkable, which dips into the ethics of torture and terrorism, and then comes a little Alice in Wonderland. Unfortunately, there’s zip-all on who he’s playing in these films. At least that leaves us free to speculate — who on Earth will Sheen be in the world of Mad Hatters and White Rabbits?! Not Tweedledee and Tweedledum — that’s Matt Lucas, it seems.
News Bites: ‘Transformers 2′ Goes IMAX, Mary Jane Returns and More
October 1, 2008
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Happy New Year to all my brothers and sisters. Might 5769 kick a whole lot more ass than 5768. While over 98% of Hollywood takes the day off, here’s what’s happening:
Variety reports that Michael Bay has taken a page from Christopher Nolan and will shoot “at least three action set pieces” using IMAX cameras during Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Usually I’d reserve this spot for a Bay joke, but I truly think this is a great thing for a film like Transformers. The action scenes in the last one felt claustrophobic (especially toward the end), and so utilizing IMAX would allow Bay and Co. to open it up and really have fun with the thing. Visually, this could add a lot to the film. Hopefully they’ll use it for some big robot battle. Other films also mentioned in the article as possible contenders for a similar IMAX approach include Iron Man 2 and Y: The Last Man.
Looks like the old gang is making a play for Spider-Man 4 (and 5?), as Kirsten Dunst told MTV that she’s “in” when asked whether she’d be returning to the mega-franchise as Peter Parker’s old lady, Mary Jane. However, she did follow that up with “I’m not saying anything. I know there’s rumors …” — which, in actor-speak, means “We’re still negotiating and I’m not really allowed to open my big mouth.” I’d expect a large announcement soon stating the return of Sam Raimi, Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst for a back-to-back shoot of Spider-Man 4 and 5.
Geek Daily: ‘Ghostbusters 3′, Secret Marvel Projects, and Gasps From ‘Justice League Mortal’
September 30, 2008
We end the week with all kinds of intriguing possibilities and rumors — try to contain your joy at the Ghostbusters 3 bit, especially if you’re at work. We can’t have your employers finding out you’re reading Cinematical on the clock!
- Bill Murray is at Fantastic Fest, undoubtedly partying with our writers and promoting City of Ember and at the film’s Q&A, AICN’s Kraken (a stellar guy) asked the question we all wanted the answer too — would Murray return for Ghostbusters 3? Murray thinks the scriptwriters (borrowed, you’ll remember, from The Office) are off to a good begin, that enough time has passed to heal the Ghostbusters 2 wounds, and he would definitely be open to playing Peter Venkman again. In fact, his enthusiasm for the franchise was rekindled by recording the voice for the upcoming video game — and he had even been singing the theme song in public. There’s video of Murray’s answer up at AICN, so check it out, and get your hopes up.
- One of the questions surrounding Iron Man 2 was its change-up on the writing front. Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby weren’t returning, their job was taken by Justin Theroux, and we all frowned a little inside. But MTV has the scoop that they’re unavailable for Iron Man 2 because they’re working on something else for Marvel. Fergus wouldn’t specify what, he just dropped maddening hints. “There are some really juicy [movies] that we are very much speaking intensely with Marvel about … We’re interested in working on a bunch of these other Marvel projections and everything in the Marvel canon is fair game. We have a lot of ideas about all this, but until they officially ask us to come do one of these we’ll keep our mouths closed about the actual ideas. It’s moving along nicely but nothing official yet. But, yes, we are planning on working on some of those movies. That much I’ll state.” At this point, all of the Marvel movies have writers — and impressive ones at that. Either they’re replacing someone, or it’s a new character altogether. Guess away.
Casting Bites: Hathaway on ‘Prada’ Sequel, Clooney as ‘The Lone Ranger’ and More
September 29, 2008
As insane as it would be to see a motion picture where Nick Nolte chats with God, that’s not quite the Arcadia he’s getting involved in. The Hollywood Reporter posts that Nolte, Haley Bennett, and Carter Jenkins have signed on for a coming-of-age indie called Arcadia Lost. Bennett and Jenkins star as pretty unlucky step-siblings — mother and father die in a car crash on their first family trip, and while on their own “the stunned teens roam the Greek countryside and befriend an expatriate vagabond (Nolte) who leads them to a mysterious spiritual ceremony.” So it’s kinda god-like, but in a style more fitting to Nolte. If this is your cup of tea, check out THR for info on tracking the film through Facebook.
And then there’s the sleek and tough Maggie Q. Variety tells us she’s going to star in a new historical action pic directed by Tian ZhuangZhuang called The Warrior and the Wolf. Tang Wei was originally linked to the film, but since Lust, Caution got her in trouble with China, methinks they looked elsewhere. Warrior will tell the story of two warriors in ancient China, and is currently in production in the Xinjiang province.
What probably won’t be going into production any time soon, if ever, is a sequel to The Devil Wears Prada. In a discussion with MTV, Anne Hathaway said: “I’m really, really proud of Fox’s decision not to pursue a sequel. When I did Bride Wars with them I asked what happened, and they stated we can’t make a story, and it’s not worth it to damage the original film.” That being stated, she has wished for a decent story for a sequel, and would continue the franchise if it was right. If Fox hasn’t come up with something worthwhile yet, they probably won’t (kudos to the studio for not forcing the issue) … but maybe thoughts of more Andy will lead Hathaway to a similar role elsewhere.
Cinematical’s Week in Review: Newman, Bond, Depp, Superman … and Seagal?
September 28, 2008
- Legendary actor Paul Newman passes away at the age of 83.
- Cinematical sits down with Daniel Craig and Marc Forster to discuss Quantum of Solace. What happened to the line, “Bond, James Bond?” Check out these new images from the film. Oh, and James Bond doesn’t think he’ll ever seduce a man.
- Could Steven Spielberg direct Superman?
- Exclusives: Images from Steven Seagal’s Kill Switch. First poster for Clint Eastwood’s Changeling. New poster for Charlie Kaufman’s Synecdoche, New York. Trailer for The Pleasure of Being Robbed.
- Fan Made: Holy hottie Hellgirl! Cozy up to some nifty Star Wars slippers. What do the economic bailout and The Dark Knight have in common? Look out … it’s Angelina Jolie: The Doll.
- Odd News: From Wanted to … Moby Dick? American Psycho: The Musical? Awesome! Someone wants a Lethal Weapon 5 … but who?
- Countdown: Five Fall/Winter Trailers to Watch, Four Casting Choices for Brett Ratner’s Batman, Three Awesome Movie-Related T-Shirts to Buy, Two Pics of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland … and one week in review!
- Cinematical Seven: Top Movies Within Movies Since 2000, and Sex Addicts on the Silver Screen.
- Fan Rant: Leave Keira Knightley’s skinniness alone!
- They’re Back: Captain Jack, Ghostbusters, I Am Legend prequel, Vehicles 2 gets an earlier release
- Insert Caption: How to Lose Friends and Alienate People
- Interviews: Gary Cole and Spike Lee
- Reviews: Eagle Eye, Nights in Rodanthe, Choke, Miracle at St. Anna
- And finally … Cinematical hits up Fantastic Fest.
Filed under: RumorMonger, Fandom, Newsstand
Rachel McAdams Romances Sherlock Holmes
September 27, 2008
Filed under: Casting, Mystery & Suspense
Usually it’s not too hard to imagine what a film will be like. This is not, however, the case with Sherlock Holmes. First, it was a challenge to try and imagine just how Guy Ritchie would handle the material, even with the recommendation of a “slightly stylized 1891.” Robert Downey Jr. was an intriguing choice for Mr. Holmes, and now as the bigger casting pieces start to fall into place, I’m dying to see what Ritchie makes of it.
Jude Law IS in as Watson, and The Hollywood Reporter posts that Rachel McAdams has signed on to play Sherlock’s love interest, Irene Adler. THR says the character showed up in only one story — 1891’s “A Scandal in Bohemia,” but should the film become part of a series, she’ll be there for the ride. As Elisabeth pointed out when Mark Strong signed on, Ritchie isn’t interested right now in a sequel, but that doesn’t mean the studio isn’t salivating over the thought. Oh yes, and Strong, who was cast in a few roles through the rumor mill — he’ll play Blackwood, Holmes’ main villain. There’s some excellent talent in here, and after RocknRolla, I’m dying to see Strong go head to head with Downey Jr.
