Ricky Gervais, of recent Extras fame on HBO, has a video blog documenting the progress of This Side of the Truth, his first foray into comedy filmmaking as a writer and director.
The last installment of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows", will be split into two separate films, Part 1 and Part 2. This should most likely both madden and thrill devoted fans everywhere.
The film "21", out in theaters in a couple of weeks, is based on an adaptation of the book "Bringing Down the House", a true story of a group of MIT students and math geniuses that won millions in Vegas by counting cards. Check out an excerpt of the book here.
The producers of "The Grudge" and "The Ring" are releasing a new horror film out on March 21st, 2008. "Shutter" is a remake based on haunting photographs found by a newlywed couple in Tokyo. The film stars Joshua Jackson and Rachel Taylor, directed by Masayuki Ochiai.
Platinum Dunes is in talks with Paramount Pictures to update the Roman Polanski-directed "Rosemary's Baby", which was based on Ira Levin's 1967 horror novel and in theaters during the late '60s. Platinum Dunes's producers have prior remakes of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", "The Amityville Horror" and "The Hitcher" with future releases on "The Birds" and "A Nightmare on Elm Street". I can't really imagine anyone else except for Mia Farrow in the lead role, especially what with her trouncing about diplomatic relations between that of Spielberg and the Beijing 2008 Olympics's planning committee. Maybe Ellen Page when her calendar's open?
And finally, "Bumper" has been referred to as a remake of "The Breakfast Club", only it involves five strangers that meet while stuck in an airport because of a flight delay. First of all, barring a tragedy, that would never happen. Second, why even mention "The Breakfast Club"? Totally unnecessary, unless one of the characters gets everyone upgraded to first class for free or something, which is also unlikely; rage against the injustice of flight delays, airborne travelers everywhere!
Apparently, someone "happened" to let loose on YouTube (yeah, right Warner Bros., likely story) a video clip of a screen test from music video director Spike Jonze and acclaimed novelist Dave Eggers's Where the Wild Things Are, which doesn't reach theaters until 2009. The film Where the Wild Things Are is based on a famed classic children's book of the same title by Maurice Sendak.
Interestingly enough, the final version of the film is expected to incorporate both CGI and puppetry. For example, presumably in the video clip link posted below, the puppet's face will be animated by CGI. Of course, this doesn't always emulate the script itself; does anyone remember MirrorMask?
Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell have agreed to act in scenes as Heath Ledger's character in director Terry Gilliam's "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus". The fate of yet another seemingly cursed Gilliam film has been up in the air since Ledger's death by accidental overdose of prescription medication. Really, there probably isn't a better tribute for such a talented actor as Ledger in his sudden and begotten departure from theaters and viewing screens worldwide.
Word on the blogosphere is that Rob Zombie's to direct a "Conan the Barbarian" remake. The first "Conan the Barbarian" was directed by John Milius in 1982 and starred California's Govenator himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger, as well as James Earl Jones. But who will play Conan in the Zombie version? Brett Michaels, anyone? Henry Rollins? The possibilities are endless.
Zombie's also still in production limbo on "The Haunted World of El Superbeasto", an animation film based on a comic book by Zombie himself. Featuring actor Paul Giamatti as the lead character, Dr. Satan, "El Superbeasto" follows the exploits of a washed-up Mexican wrestler in the mythic world of Monsterland.
Miguel Arteta, director of "The Good Girl" and "Chuck and Buck", is in final negotiations to direct "Superbad" star Michael Cera in comedy flick "Youth in Revolt".
Cera will play the lead character of Nick Twisp in "Youth in Revolt", a distraught teen tormented by a world of adults, in an adaptation of author C.D. Payne's cult classic title.
Apparently, director Terry Gilliam most likely plans to move ahead with the film, The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus, regardless of Heath Ledger's sudden death.
Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, the writers from "Across the Universe", have written the script for an animated film inspired by the music of the Rolling Stones, "Ruby Tuesday". Production has been postponed as of the writers' strike.
"Across The Universe", Julie Taymor's painterly effort, incorporated musical-esque overtones by the Beatles.
Ideally this does not insinuate a similar composition for "Ruby Tuesday"; not that Mick Jagger and Keith Richards roving around animated in CGI would even remotely resemble the same thing whatsoever.
Sony Picture Classics has sealed the deal for Sundance favorite, Jonathan Levine's, "The Wackness".
Unfortunately, Sony Picture Classic's not well known for its marketing capabilities, leaving films with such potential as "Persepolis" and "My Kid Could Paint That" virtually to Netflix queues instead of respective box office clout from theater release.
SPC also released indie flick "Junebug" with Amy Adams, the star of Disney's "Enchanted".
The WGA has started a domino effect after initially signing an interim agreement with United Artists and thereafter Lionsgate, Marvel and most recently RKO Productions, Inc. Some of Lionsgate's productions include "Rambo", "Saw 5", "Weeds" and "Mad Men". Marvel can also resume production on "Ant Man", "Captain America", "Thor" and "The Avengers". "Iron Man" and "Hulk" were not affected by the strike.
Other studios that have signed interim agreements with the WGA include United Artists, Worldwide Pants, Spyglass Entertainment, MRC, Jackson Bites, Mandate Films and Sidney Kimmel Entertainment.
Did Tom Cruise's stance as a Scientologist inspire United Artists as one of the first studios to sign on to what appears as an alternative route to relieving the wearied effects of the writers' strike? Or, maybe Cruise's just that driven by zeal to appear as a Nazi propagandist in UA's helmed film, "Valkyrie"? Hmmm.
Ellen Page, the Oscar-nominated star of indie mega-watt hit "Juno", will appear in "Whip It!", Drew Barrymore's directorial debut.
"Whip It!" is about about a teenager that lives in a small Texas town and bullied into beauty pageants, but finds herself after joining a female roller derby team. The screenplay was written by derby star Shauna Cross, otherwise known on the circuit as Maggie Mayhem. Whatever happened to the stereotype of the meek or unsociable writer? Screenplay penners like Cross and Diablo Cody, the buzz-worthy writer of "Juno", will end up forcing the WGA to contemplate the ability to bungee jump, hog-tie a wild boar, or participate as a contestant on a reality show as a requirement for membership.
"I really admire how Drew constantly challenges herself as an artist," Page said. "She's proven herself as an actress and a producer, and I have no doubt she'll bring great vision and creativity to the director's chair. I can't wait to kick ass on wheels!"
Oliver Stone's next feature will be dramatist effort entitled "Bush". The negative p.r. for the most inarticulate US of A president looks set to continue.
In the way of recent politico films, Stone directed "Comandante", a documentary, or "buddy film", on Fidel Castro for HBO. And he wanted to shoot a doc on Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but was refused for being "part of the Great Satan".
Stone plans on starting production by April, with a release date in time for the election in November, or the inauguration of Bush’s successor in January. He's in talks with Josh Brolin, star of "No Country For Old Men", to play the title role.
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