Flix Mix

A few notes of non-strike interest:

-The Hollywood Reporter has news of yet another pointless remake of a Hollywood classic

Producer Mark Headley and actor Christopher Mitchum (son of acting great Robert Mitchum) have obtained remake rights to the 1952 classic western "High Noon".

The original film followed a town marshal (Gary Cooper)forced to face a gang of killers by himself. The lovely Grace Kelly co-starred.

A director and a star are being sought to play the lead and hopes to begin shooting early next year with a target budget of about $20 million.

Aside from my contention that a remake of this should not happen at all. The projected budget seems awfully low...

--Now that actor Josh Lucas is not in the Trek reboot--he's lined up his next gig

Lucas will star in the psychological thriller "Tell-Tale" The news via The Hollywood Reporter.

Adapted from the classic story by Edgar Allan Poe "The Tell-Tale Heart,"-the film has Lucas starring as a single father whose recently transplanted heart leads him on a search to find the donor's killer before a he becomes it's next victim.

Ridley Scott, Tony Scott and Michael Costigan are producing. Michael Cuesta is set as director.

TTH is my favorite Poe story. I love the modern twist

--Michelle Pfeiffer and Ashton Kutcher will team up to star in "Personal Effects" reports Coming Soon.

Based on Rick Moody's story "Mansion on the Hill," it follows the adventures of narrator Andrew Wakefield as he tries to come to terms with his sister's death --that happened just before she was to be married. Soon finding himself employed at a ritzy wedding-planning business, he alternates between memories of the past with the present job.

Shooting begins November 26th in Vancouver.

This seems like an offbeat project for Kutcher....I'm so glad Pfeiffer is working steady again.

--Josh Hartnett and Sam Rockwell are set to star in "End Zone" as reported in Variety.

Hartnett plays a gifted running back who is having a tough time adjusting to stardom.

Rockwell plays an excitable school publicist.

Still to be cast is a teacher of international terrorism and mass destruction who sees the running back as the perfect soldier/student.

George Ratliff and David Gilbert adapted Don DeLillo's book of the same name.

Ratliff is slated to direct. Shooting begins in February in New Mexico.

Never read the book--but the premise is quite timely...

--Director Christopher Nolan has denied media reports that a Hong Kong location shoot for next summer's "The Dark Knight " was scrapped due to pollution.

The scene involved Batman diving into Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor, and when the shoot was relocated there were immediate media reports that the cause was due to the water being too contaminated.

Nolan tells The AFP "That was my decision, nothing to do with pollution. It was simply a script decision. Once you see the finished film, you will understand why. As far as the pollution question goes, I honestly have no problem dumping movie stars in it."

The shoot plans to utilise the city's high-rise skyscrapers instead, notably the tallest building - the 90-storey IFC2 - which star Christian Bale will jump off of for the stunt.

--Here's the first look at Bryan Singer's Valkyrie....



--Later today: The Chicago Bears, at 3-5, take on the 2-6 Oakland Raiders....

Here's a preview of the action to ponder while I cross my fingers.