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Elston Gunn's WEEKLY RECAP
Well the weekend is upon us and Father Geek is here yet again with another fine column from Elston Gunn. This WEEKLY RECAP should spark your interest on several up and coming Hollywood projects. So throw away that newspaper, turnoff CNN and retreat from more election non-news into this week's WEEKLY RECAP...
TAKEN FROM VARIETY AND HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
CASTING
CASTING
* Samuel L. Jackson is in talks to direct Universal's TRUCK 44 for
writer/director Peter Berg. It's about a group of New York firefighters who
try to execute a complicated heist in an office building, but things go awry
when they accidentally set off a fire in the building that they must
extinguish.
* Johnny Knoxville (MTV's "Jackass") is in negotiations to star opposite
Sarah Jessica Parker in Columbia Pictures' LIFE WITHOUT DICK about a woman
who falls for the hit man hired to kill her beau. Bix Skahill (CHAIN OF
FOOLS) will direct from his own script. Harry Connick Jr. joins the pic as
the hit man. Shooting begins next month.
* Terrence Howard (BIG MOMMA'S HOUSE, THE BEST MAN) is in talks to star in
MGM's HART'S WAR opposite Bruce Willis and Colin Farrell. Gregory Hoblit
will direct the film based on the novel by John Katzenbach about a prisoner
of war who is falsely accused of murder. Production begins in January in
Prague.
* Ryan Alosio (upcoming REPLI-KATE) joins Judy Greer (WHAT PLANET ARE YOU
FROM?) in the indie pic WITHOUT CHARLIE for writer/director Adam Rifkin.
* Alexandra Paul will star opposite Eric Roberts in ROUGH SKY, an indie
thriller to be directed by John Cassar. Shooting begins next week in
Toronto.
* Joshua Jackson will star in the comedy LONE STAR STATE OF MIND for
director Dave Semel ("Dawson's Creek") and Screen Gems.
* Matthew McConaughey, John Turturro, Clea DuVall and Amy Irving will star
in 13 CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ONE THING for writer/director Jill Sprecher
(CLOCKWATCHERS) and Single Cell Pictues. The film tells five interwoven
stories dealing with karma. Michael Stipe and Sandy Stern are producing.
* Rupert Everett and Judi Dench will star in the Miramax feature adaptation
of Oscar Wilde's comedy THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST. Oliver Parker (AN
IDEAL HUSBAND) will direct from his own screenplay.
* Guy Pearce (L.A. CONFIDENTIAL) is in final talks to star in THE TIME
MACHINE, the new adaptation of the H.G. Wells classic novel for
DreamWorks/Warner Bros. Simon Wells (THE PRINCE OF EGYPT) will direct from
a script pennedy by John Logan (ANY GIVEN SUNDAY). Production begins in
February.
* Omar Gooding and Taraji Henson will join John Singleton's BABY BOY. Rap
artist Snoop Dogg is in talks to take a role as well. The Columbia Pictures
drama will start shooting next month. R&B artist Tyrese will play the title
role.
* Laura Linney (YOU CAN COUNT ON ME) is in final talks to star opposite
Richard Gere in THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES for director Mark Pellington
(ARLINGTON ROAD) and Screen Gems. Production is scheduled to begin in
January.
* Brittany Murphy will join Michael Douglas in DON'T SAY A WORD for New
Regency/20th Century Fox and director Gary Fleder. It tells the story of a
psychiatrist who must treat a violent mental patient in order to free his
kidnapped daughter.
* Nathalie Baye will play Patsy Stone in ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS, the French
film version of the hit British TV series. Josiane Balasko will play Edina
Monsoon while Marie Gillain will be her daughter Saffron. Shooting begins
at the end of the month.
* Matthew Lillard (SCREAM, WING COMMANDER) is in talks to play Shaggy in
SCOOBY-DOO for Warner Bros. and director Raja Gosnell (BIG MOMMA'S HOUSE).
Freddie Prinze Jr. and Sarah Michelle Gellar are in talks to play Fred and
Daphne.
* Amanda Peet (WHIPPED) is in final talks to join Morgan Freeman and Ashley
Judd in the thriller HIGH CRIMES, based on the novel by Joseph Finder, for
director Carl Franklin (ONE FALSE MOVE) and 20th Century Fox/New Regency
Prods. It's about a female defense attorney who must defend her husband who
is accused and arrested for a crime he claims he didn't commit.
* Brad Pitt is in talks to star in New Line Cinema's SEARED, inspired by the
chef Anthony Bourdain's KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL. David Fincher is developing
the film about the rise of a celebrity chef with producer Art Linson.
* Mel Gibson may star in THE LOST PATROL written and to-be-directed by
Randall Wallace. It tells the story of the first battle between U.S. and
Viet Cong troops, based on the book WE WERE SOLDIERS ONCE...AND YOUNG by
Harold Moore and Joseph Galloway.
* Gary Sinise joins Philip Baker Hall, Mason Gamble and Dylan Baker in A
GENTLEMAN'S GAME for director J. Mills Goodloe, who wrote the script with
Tom Coyne. It's about a group of folks whose lives are changed during a
summer stay at an exclusive country club.
* Kathryn Erbe will play the female lead in DRAGONFLY opposite Kevin
Costner. Tom Shadyac directs the pic about a widower who thinks he's
receiving messages from his wife through dying patients.
* Samantha Morton (SWEET & LOWDOWN) will star in MORVERN CALLAR, based on
Alan Warner's novel, for Scottish filmmaker Lynne Ramsay about a supermarket
worker, who covers up her boyfriend's suicide, sells his unpublished novel,
and uses the money to clubhop on an island in the Mediterranean. Production
began in February.
* Jude Law is in early talks to join Tom Hanks and Tom Sizemore in ROAD TO
PERDITION for DreamWorks and director Sam Mendes. Shooting is scheduled to
begin early next year. Based on a Max Allan Collins gangster novel, it's
about a hit man and his son who go on a journey of revenge.
DIRECTOR/WRITER ATTACHMENTS
* Rod Lurie (THE CONTENDER) is in final talks with DreamWorks to direct the
psychological drama THE CASTLE, written by David Scarpa with a rewrite by
Graham Yost. The story follows a general who is sent to military prison,
creates an army out of the convicts and threatens to take down the corrupt
warden. Production is hoped for a mid-March start with Robert Redford and
Mark Wahlberg possibly playing the leads.
* Michael Hoffman is in talks to direct HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS for
Paramount about a womanizer who bets his buddies he can stay in a
relationship that lasts longer than 10 days. However, the woman he chooses
wants to get rid of him soon. This romantic comedy was written by Kristen
Buckley and Brian Regan.
* Mike Newell is developing and may possibly direct THE POETESS for
Universal Pictures/Working Title Films. Will Davies wrote the script which
is loosely based on real-life events while he attended Cambridge University.
* Rob Minkoff (THE LION KING, STUART LITTLE) will direct STUART LITTLE II
for Columbia Pictures. The script to the sequel is going through a rewrite
by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel.
* Antony Hoffman (RED PLANET) is eyeing to direct a film for The Canton Co.
and Absolute Entertainment based on "One Bad Cop," a New York Times Magazine
article by Lou Cannon that focuses on the origins of the Rampart scandal,
which centered on assassination and corruption involving a disgraced officer
and members of the Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums (CRASH).
* Bryan Singer is in early talks to direct a sequel to X-MEN for 20th
Century Fox, though a script has not been written. Patrick Stewart, Hugh
Jackman, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen and Anna Paquin have all
signed to return for the second pic.
* Anthony and Joe Russo (PIECES) will next make WELCOME TO COLLINWOOD for
Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney's company Section Eight. It's about a
group of blue-collar Cleveland guys who try to rob a pawn shop. Isaiah
Washington (ROMEO MUST DIE) is attached to star.
* George Armitage (GROSSE POINTE BLANK) is attached to direct the indie pic
TWISTED about a group of young thieves who want to steal the royal jewels of
Iran. Richard Regen wrote the script.
* Chuck Russell (THE MASK, ERASER) is in talks to direct Dwayne "The Rock"
Johnson in THE SCORPION KING, a spinoff of Universal's upcoming THE MUMMY
RETURNS.
* Anjelica Huston will develop and direct A TIME TO BE BORN, based on the
satirical novel by Dawn Powell, for Revolution Studios as a starring vehicle
for Julia Roberts. It follows a woman who married into wealthy by stealing
a newspaper baron from his wife during the early part of World War II. She
later uses an old friend to cover for an affair she is having, but things
turn awry when her friend and the guy fall for each other. Meanwhile, her
husband is seeking revenge.
* Donald Petrie is in talks to direct a remake of the 1979 comedy THE
IN-LAWS entitled TILL DEATH DO US PART for Warner Bros. The studio is
hoping for Michael Douglas and Billy Crystal to star as the odd couple whose
kids are getting married.
* Melanie Mayron is replacing director Evan Dunsky, who left due to creative
differences, on SLAP HER, SHE'S FRENCH for Bandeira Entertainment. Piper
Perabo and Jane McGregor star.
* Andrew Bergman is in final talks to rewrite and direct JUST MARRIED for
20th Century Fox about a young married couple who endure the honeymoon from
hell. Sam Harper penned the original story.
* Andy Cadiff will direct the romantic comedy UNTITLED FIRST DAUGHTER
PROJECT for Alcon Entertainment about a U.S. first daughter who wants to be
a normal 18-year old. This project is different from New Regency's
FIRST DAUGHTER to star Jerry O'Connell for director Brian Robbins.
FOR SCRIPT NEWS, VISIT MY SCRIPT REPORT AT
HTTP://WWW.SCREENWRITERSUTOPIA.COM
MISCELLANEOUS PRODUCTION TIDBITS
* Dimension Films will distribute the Chinese-language Jackie Chan movie THE
ACCIDENTAL SPY. Teddy Chen directed the film about an exercise equipment
salesman who is told he is the lost son of a wealthy Korean mogul, but finds
out he is part of a worldwide conspiracy.
* New Line Cinema has purchased the feature rights to A HEARTBREAKING WORK
OF STAGGERING GENIUS, the best-selling autobiography by Dave Eggers. Eggers
was orphaned at 22 and was left to take care of his 8-year old brother. He
co-founded the satirical Might Magazine and was rejected by MTV'S "The Real
World."
* Director Micki Dickoff has optioned the life rights to a character
featured in the upcoming Off Broadway play THE EXONERATED, an oral history
of life of death row. Dickoff's project is based on the life of Kerrey Max
Cook, who was acquitted of the rape and murder of young Texas woman, but
spent 22 years on death row before her acquittal as a result of
prosecutorial misconduct.
* Columbia Pictures is developing a sequel to CHARLIE'S ANGELS and is in
talks with Flower Films to produce it, John August to write it, McG to
direct it and finding out if the stars will return.
TRUCK 44, LIFE WITHOUT DICK, 13 CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ONE THING, SEARED,
A GENTLEMAN'S GAME, MORVERN CALLAR, THE CASTLE, HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10
DAYS, WELCOME TO COLLINWOOD , TWISTED, A TIME TO BE BORN, ROAD TO PERDITION,
A HEARTBREAKING WORK OF STAGGERING GENIUS are all projects I want to learn
more about. That's a lot. Maybe this time next year will be a great time
for movies. Anyone know any more about THE POETESS? Since Mike Newell is
involved, I'm pretty curious.
Until next week...
Elston Gunn
elstongunn@hotmail.com
Elston Gunn
elstongunn@hotmail.com
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+ Expand All
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Im gravy.
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20th Century Fox needs to shell out whatever amount of moolah it takes to get Singer back. As great as "X-Men" was, the franchise could easily falter on the second outing if it's placed in the wrong hands. Keep Singer. He's proven himself. He knows what he's doing. Fans love him. I doubt he'll want to stick around for a third movie, but I think he's the most vital component for a successful sequel.
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Nov 18, 2000 12:28:42 AM CST
Well it's good to see Chuck Russell is still employable.
by bari umenema
After "Bless this Mess" I mean "Bless the Child" I didn't think he'd ever get to direct anything ever again. It's a shame because he used to be talented, his remake of "The Blob" was great. "The Mask" was groovy, "Eraser" fun for an Arnold actioner but good lord he lost his compass with Kim Basinger so now he's got to redeem himself by telling The Rock how to be a Scorpion King. Good luck Chuck! Don't get stung. And tell Vince McMahon to get lost you don't need him hanging around the production, of course he "owns" The Rock's likeness so that gets Vince a credit of some sort. Showbiz, how yucky can you get.
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TAKEN FROM THE RICH & GIVEN TO THE POOR. DAMN NEAR FAMOUS, an autobiographical film by writer/director Bob Buchanon goes into production at Touchstone. It tells the story of how Buchanon, at the precocious age of 33, spent four months on the road stalking boy band sensation 4U. John Cusack plays Buchanon. Michelle Williams plays groupie Elenore Rigby. Hayden Christenson, Ryan Phillipe, Freddie Prinze Jr., Chris Klein, Casper Van Dien and Mickey Rourke play 4U....John Singleton will tackle interracial romance with THE MYTH IS TRUE, the story on a colledge co-ed (Kirsten Dunst) who falls for her African American lit professor (Michael Clark Duncan)....George Lucas will once again bring his obsession with water fowl to the screen by executive producing Willard Huyck's BABY HUEY. The bad news is that ILM FX whiz Scott Turnstile says that while they can create CGI aliens, dinosaurs and robots, a giant duck in a diaper is too sophisticated for them. "We can't realistically do the range of expressions a character like Huey would have," Turnstile said. Instead, Baby Huey will be played by wrestler Bill Goldberg in a duck suit...MULTISYLLABLE is the latest independent feature written and directed by Joel Schumacher and the final chapter in his I-DO-NOT-SUCK Trilogy....Wes Craven will be taking his cannibal-biker characters to England for THE MOORS HAVE EYES...Antonio Banderas will star in MATEDORS IN SPACE for director Robert Rodriguez. Described as a cross between INDEPENDENCE DAY and BLOOD & SAND, the film tells the story of a disgraced bullfighter who leads a squad of fighter jock torreadors against alien invaders from the constellation Taurus and wins back the respect of the woman he loves (Melanie Griffith)....Stuart X. Kensington will direct his screenplay JAYNE MANSFIELD LOST HER HEAD for Miramax. The crime drama, set in the early '60s, centers around four ex-cons who met and found religion in the same prison prayer meeting. To pay their Chaplin's gambling debts, they decide to steal a solid gold bust of Jayne Mansfield from Anton Szandor Le Vey, high priest of the Church of Satan. "Le Vay was cooperating with us at first," Kensington told me, "but then he put a curse on me and withdrew the Church's official sanction of the project. You'd think that a guy who worships Satan would have a better sense of humor."
See you at the library. -
jokin
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Definitely.... odd. I wonder what Bubble will sound like.
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Nov 18, 2000 3:28:34 AM CST
No surprise with Singer in X-Men sequel or a Charlie's Angels 2,
by andy travis
This guy deserves another high-profile role after L.A Confidential. I could see him as the Time Traveler. Of course they'll probably place him in the present time, for starts, rather than Victorian England. Oh well.
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Nov 18, 2000 3:34:42 AM CST
Yeah but what about that Special Emmy ET's Mary Hart & Bob Goen
by regis travolta
The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has decided to award a special belated Emmy to Entertainment Tonight talking heads Mary Hart and Bob Goen for "celebrity ass-kissing and longevity of brown-nosing with a magnitude never seen before." Said the Academy's ass-kissing and brown-nosing official Stanley Mandelbaum, "When it comes to really delivering perfect on-air anilingus to vapid celebrities, nobody does it better than Bob and Mary. They really know how to stick their tongues right up a celebrity's ass and french kiss the hell out of it, and for that we thank them in the most honored way we can, by giving them a special Emmy. The two of them have perfected and achieved new heights in the art and deserve this to no end."
Star publicist Pat Kingsley, of pub firm PMK, agreed: "Bob and Mary are the tops, or I should say the bottoms, in their field. I always make my clients available to them because I know they will make my clients happy and delighted with their creampuff questions and endless adulation. It makes my job that much easier." Goen and Hart could not be reached for comment as they were busy interviewing celebs.
Stuttering John Melendez from the Howard Stern radio show, however, was available for comment. Notorious for his blowtorch-level questions hurled at unwary celebs at numerous premieres, Melendez had this to say: "F-f-f-f-f-f-fuck 'em! Me and Howard t-t-t-t-t-ake the opposite approach. We love to em-m-m-m-m-mbarrass the shit out of 'em-m-m every ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-chance we g-g-g-g-get."
(Lots more of these funny articles at Bizcotti.Com. We've even got Buzz Maverik on occasion. Be sure to look through Bizcotti archives of past editions. Funnier than the Onion!)
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and Sam Mendes movie is becoming very intruiging. As for Rod Lurie directing a film not from his own script, I find that hard to believe as the only reason he is able to direct in the first place, is because he writes...he is a terriable director, doesn't know where to put the camera. Mel in another war film? Its getting redundant.
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Ouch!
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... THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST. One of the best plays ever being adapted by a filmmaker who knows how to adapt(well) plays! Rupert Everett for Algernon and Judi Dench for Lady Bracknell( I suspect) are perfect!!!
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...was funny as shit this week, just picturing the boy band 4U hahah!Mickey Rourke! ha good good stuff. okay i must go back to figuring out ways to make Cameron Diaz love me. Good work Buzz. DropKick Splittin like pants....
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This is a GREAT book!! I highly recommend it. It's odd and very funny! For those of you who haven't read it I suggest that you go out and get it. Warner's other books THESE DEMENTED LANDS and THE SOPRANOS (no, not the HBO show) are both wonderful as well. Actually THE SOPRANOS is my favorite of his three novels. I hear it has been optioned by Miramax. CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT ONE!!! Anyway, I hope this picture turns out to be good. If it's half as good as the book it'll be great. For those of you who liked TRAINSPOTTING (both the movie and the film) I think you'll like this as well. Don't know about Samantha Morton, never seen her work. Oh well. Here's hoping this turns out well!
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I just realized that I wrote "if you loved the movie and the film"!! Ooops! I meant 'if you loved the BOOK and the film.' Sorry about that. It's been a long day and news that exciting..... well it makes a girl lose her mind! (Ok well it wasn't THAT exciting. guess I'm just tired).
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Smart move number two would be to
make this more of an action movie
with the Sentinels as the villains. And re-signing Ian
McKellan to reprise his role as
Magneto is INSTRUMENTAL in the
X-Men franchise's future success.
Doing this will guarantee a $200
plus million at the box office. -
my significant other knew guy pearce when he was a teenager in the small town of geelong, australia. she said he was a shy kind of chap who would stand in the corner at parties and barely say a word. this doesn't mean anything, but i thought i'd play a little six degrees of separation. glad to see he's getting the cool roles - 'the count of monte cristo' and 'the time machine' both seem interesting, if not must-see stuff*****you know how i feel about lillard and 'scooby doo'. god, i can't stand this fucker's ludicrous overacting, and he's set to shipwreck what was already a fairly shaky project*****even though the reunion of pitt and fincher is cause for jubilation and tumescence, and food movies are usually good movies, 'seared' is a crap title*****'road to perdition' will be one of the coolest movies EVER. EVER, i tell you*****why has it taken so long for george armitage to get another gig? waiting for the next 'miami blues' or 'grosse pointe blank' should take this long*****while not as mind-boggling as 'alien baby project', the appearance of duelling first daughter projects is enough to provoke mass head-scratching. do we really need to see melissa joan hart on the big screen that badly? (c'mon, who do you THINK they're gonna cast?)*****soderbergh, wes anderson or PT anderson should make the movie of the eggers book. that is all*****uninformative, i know, but that's how i fell this week. any major dude will tell you, now five-tone has too.
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