Built Ford Tough

First Indy now Jack Ryan?

The push to restart the Jack Ryan film franchise may get a big boost from the one guy to have played the character twice on the big screen - Harrison Ford.

Talking with The Sun, Ford says the Tom Clancy-invented character is one of the few he's played that is worth coming back to...

Ford played Ryan in Patriot Games in 1992 and in Clear and Present Danger (1994) The film series lay dormant following 2002's The Sum of All Fears- with Ben Affleck

In recent months, there was talk that the studio suits were planning on using a new story and not based on one of Clancy's books one point Ryan Gosling was linked earlier this year to the role.

Ford says:

"That's a character that I think you could revisit acknowledging the passage of time and his increasing age. It wasn't age dependent that character and his experiences were chockablock full of recipes for good engaging movies so that's a character I wouldn't mind revisiting."

Hey If Ford can come back in his 60's as Indy he can surely have one more shot as Ryan...

Still, Gosling makes a fine choice if the powers that be decide to go younger...

Sex Sells

Sex and the City: The Movie had a great first day in theaters....

From Variety:

Breaking all the rules about chick flicks, New Line and Warner Bros.' bigscreen adaptation "Sex and the City" is expected to gross at least $20 million in its opening day, a sum usually reserved for male-driven event films or family fare....

A female friend of mine saw the chick flick yesterday telling me that it was really "fantastic" She also could not stop raving about "Mr. Big" Chris Noth...

Congrats and all ladies but I still don't get it...

Bad Cop Good Cop

After making news in '06-this project seems to be moving ahead
According to Variety, the suits and bean counters at Paramount Pictures are now ready to bring back detective Axel Foley in a fourth installment of "Beverly Hills Cop".

Eddie Murphy is on board to reprise his role as Axel, with busy boy Brett Ratner negotiating to call the shots.

Murphy says he wants to be more actively involved in any fourth flick.

A writer will be hired shortly to do the script.

Murphy could certainly use a megahit return ala Harrison Ford. The BHC 4 script must be flawless...

Shooting begins next year for a Summer 2010 release.

Will Ratner do Cop and the Hef biopic back to back?

RIP Alexander Courage (1919-2008)

Composer Alexander Courage who wrote the soaring theme for the "Star Trek" TV series in the 1960s and was an Emmy Award-winning, Oscar-nominated arranger, has died. He was 88

Courage, who had been in declining health since 2005, died May 15 at an assisted-living facility in Pacific Palisades, said his step-daughter, Renata Pompelli

He worked as an orchestrator on film musicals like "My Fair Lady," "Hello, Dolly! "Doctor Dolittle" and "Fiddler on the Roof" -- as well as for original films-working with two of my favorite film music composers-John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith including "The Poseidon Adventure," "Jurassic Park," Basic Instinct," Sleeping with the Enemy" Rudy, L.A. Confidential and "The Mummy.

""He made a very big contribution to the musical life of Hollywood from the end of the second World War to recent years," Williams told The LA Times on Thursday.

"He was known to most musicians in the community as having been one of the architects of what we used to refer to as the MGM sound, which meant that most of the musical films from MGM had a particular style of orchestration, which was an extension and development of what was done in the theater in the 1920s," Williams added.

His contributions to Trek are immeasurable and its that stirring theme that will always be with me...



The recently released complete score for Superman IV: The Quest for Peace adapted and conducted by Courage at the request of Williams is a true gift. Courage was able to honor Williams and his themes-while making it sound fresh not an easy feat...

I know Courage has been ill....Still it's a very sad day indeed...

Thank You Mr Courage...for setting Trek on the right musical course...

From Iron To Silk?

Brett Ratner tells EW.com that he's met with and wants Robert Downey Jr. to portray Playboy founder Hugh Hefner for Ratner's pipelined biopic, tentatively titled Playboy.

"Robert Downey Jr. agreed to do it based on the script," the director says. "We're gonna hand him the script very shortly. He loves the character and the role and we've been meeting with him on it. So, if he wants to do it, we're excited to have him." Ratner adds, "We wanted him before Iron Man so we were ahead of the curve."

Downey's people declined to comment on the story.

Meanwhile, The Chicago Sun Times reported that Hefner has signed off on the potential Downey Jr. casting. He took a liking to the actor after seeing "Iron Man" and admires his humor and vulnerability.

The film will center on the early years of the magazine.

Production on the project is expected to happen next summer, depends upon Downey's "Iron Man 2 " commitments for 2010 and the final of Playboy script...

If they can dot the I's and cross the T's on this...Downey's would be a great Hef!!.

Big Deal

The gals (and Mr Big) from Sex and the City (reviews) take on Indy in a battle for the top spot; While Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman encounter The Strangers (reviews)


'Charlotte' (left), 'Carrie', 'Miranda', and 'Samantha'

Dave McNary and Pamela McClintock of Variety:

In an unusual reversal of box office politics, women will be driving weekend traffic as New Line and Warner Bros. open the bigscreen adaptation of former HBO series "Sex and the City" in 3,285 theaters today.

Particularly in the summer months, female-skewing films are used as a counterprogramming tool against the testosterone-driven tentpoles, not as event pics unto themselves.

In this case, the R-rated "Sex and the City" is the most buzzed-about movie of the weekend, while Universal will counterprogram with Rogue horror title "The Strangers," which opens in 2,467 runs. They are the only two new wide releases.

"Sex and the City" has already shown decent foreign traction with $7.3 million at 2,264 in its opening day in France, Germany and the U.K. The high-profile comedy's also launching this weekend in Austria, Italy, Singapore and South Africa.

Domestically and internationally, the weekend winner is likely to be Paramount holdover "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." Pic could do as much as $50 million in business at the domestic B.O. and easily jump the $200 million mark in only its second weekend in release. Domestic cume through Wednesday was $165.6 million, according to Rentrak.

"Sex and the City" provides the first fresh glimpse of characters Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha since the skein went off the air four years ago. Women, particularly in big cities, are responding by buying tickets in advance, leading to numerous sold-out Friday and Saturday night shows.

Film, written and directed by Michael Patrick King and reuniting the original cast, has clear advantages, and disadvantages, in terms of box office allure.

On the plus side, the film has a built-in fanbase. On the other hand, the pic is rated R, making it tougher for teen girls to see it, and it may not play as well in smaller markets.

Warner Bros., which is distributing the movie for the pared-down New Line, said the film doesn't need men to work.

...Universal said it's in a good position with the R-rated "Strangers," directed by Bryan Bertino and starring Liv Tyler, considering how much "Sex and the City" is weighted toward females.

Joshua Rich of EW:

Expect to see a ''Devil Wears Prada''-size debut for ''Sex and the City,'' but ''Indy 4'' will stay No. 1

Read More

While I realize there's a fan base for SATC-Personally-I don't see what all the fuss is about... I know enough about it though to stay away..

Next Week: It's Kung Fu Panda with its star packed cast VS. Adam Sandler in You Don't Mess With The Zohan.

The Silent Treatment

With 30 days to go before the Screen Actors Guild contract expires...

SAG silent as studio talks restart

Guild keeps low profile as deadline approaches...

Stay Tuned....

Zack And Miri Make A Trailer

An Internet only teaser trailer for Kevin Smith's latest flick Zack and Miri Make a Porno-starring Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks is here...

WARNING!!!!!!!!!!! CONTAINS VERY EXPLICIT ADILT LANGUAGE!!! WARNING!!!! NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN!!!



I'm hoping "Porno' puts Smith's career back on track after a lengthily dry spell. The film opens October 31st 2008.

RIP Harvey Korman (1927- 2008)

One of the greatest comedic talents to ever appear on TV and in movies has passed away....

Harvey Korman died Thursday in Los Angeles of complications from the rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm four months ago, his family said. He was 81.

From 1967-1978 the 4-time Emmy winner was a regular on "The Carol Burnett Show" playing various characters in hundreds of sketches...His funniest bits though were when he would work on the series with Tim Conway and Conway always found a way to make Korman crack up in front of the live studio audience...



He also provided the voice for the alien interloper The Great Gazoo on "The Flintstones" He also appeared on "The Munsters" a few times and even directed a episodes of the Carol Burnett Show spin off "Mama's Family"

On film Korman made me laugh whenever he worked with Mel Brooks. Like when he played Hedley Lamarr in the western spoof Blazing Saddles or the evil yet sniveling Dr. Charles Montague in High Anxiety. Heck, his performances in both the uneven Dracula: Dead and Loving It and History of the World: Part I as Count de Monet were the bright spots...

He will be fondly remembered but sorely missed

Read more about Korman here

Mechanics Of Casting

According to The Hollywood Reporter:

Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson and John Turturro will all be back to reprise their roles--along with previously confirmed Shia LaBeouf in the upcoming Transformers 2



It's all good as long as Fox gets to spend more time under the hood in the second flick.

Filming is currently underway in Los Angeles before moving to Pennsylvania next week...

Hey, At Least It's Not A Remake...

Michael Bay's production company Platinum Dunes will turn Hasbro''s supernatural game "Ouija Board " into a horror flick according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Although specific details about the plot for the film is being kept under wraps, it's known that it will be a supernatural adventure with the board playing an integral part of the story.

The board game has been a staple since 1966, with millions being sold worldwide.

David Berenbaum has been charged with writing the script.



My first impression is that the premise may have its merits and cool factor...But the potential for it to suck is high as well.

What's next? Monopoly-The Movie.

Seeking Salvation

Posting on the official blog for "Terminator 4," director McG has put up a piece of concept art of post-judgment day Los Angeles, and in a letter updates the production's current status.

"We've officially started principal photography on Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins. Like you guys, I've been a long-time fan of the series and I understand your passion for the Terminator movies-- and it's my full intention to deliver a film that lives up to the previous three installments.

I've spent time with James Cameron, spoken to Arnold Schwarzenegger, gone over the story with Jonah Nolan and enlisted Stan Winston.

Everything we're shooting is designed to be tactile and real, you'll be seeing a whole set of inspired designs you've never seen before, and best of all you'll finally get to see some of the post-judgment day future that was only hinted at in the previous movies.

John Connor will be pushed to the brink. And for me, Christian Bale embodies Connor's strength and tenacity perfectly. And after visiting Sam Worthington on the set of Avatar, I know he's perfect for his role.

As you know, Anton Yelchin is playing Kyle Reese, and his prep has been unbelievable. The guy's been watching all three Terminators incessantly and he's definitely going to capture the essence of the character Michael Biehn created in Cameron's first film.

We started principal photography with a sequence at Griffith Observatory. I've already seen a cut of it -- Anton and Sam are excellent. I'll have more on that soon, and can't wait to share some of what we're doing with you all.

Stay tuned for more."

It all sounds good...McG seems to be doing what needs to be done in order to ensure a positive result...I just hope that all of the prep translates to a kick ass feaure film...

The Yoke Gets The Joke

Omelete posts this way cool Banner Ad for The Dark Knight featuring Heath Ledger as The Joker...



This is of course the umpteenth poster for the July 18th flick--but I don't care--each one is unique enough to make it fun. The marketing for the sequel has been just great.

The Time Is Near

It's been awhile since there's been any substantial news to report on concerning Watchmen...

The gang at AICN put up a photo of the 1940's Minutemen in the project. The characters are the original 'Watchmen' in the 1980's set tale and are seen in photo.

They include Silk Spectre, Nite Owl, Captain Metropolis, Mothman, Silhouette, The Comedian, Dollar Bill and Hooded Justice.

According to The New York Times the plans to release an animated version of "Tales of the Black Freighter" have changed a bit. The Watchmen tale will not be a part of the initial DVD, but rather appear as its own DVD release just five days after the movie hits theaters on March 6th 2009.

The disc will also includes a documentary-style film called "Under the Hood" that will delve into the characters' backstories. Also the studio plans a dozen 22-26 minute Webisodes in the build-up to "Watchmen".

Director Zack Snyder informs us that he's currently editing the film and that it's is nearing three hours in length He intends to fight to keep as much as possible in the movie.

Finally,"Watchmen" will hit DVD sometime in the early Fall, of '09 and then again as an 'Ultimate Edition' with both "Watchmen" and 'Tales' edited into one large movie will hit in early 2010.

3 hours in length sounds pretty good to me. The story is just too dense to be squeezed into a 2 hour Cliff Notes version.

Now can we please see some footage...?!!

Spidey Version 2.0

Reported but not confirmed last week plans were afoot to possibly shoot the next two "Spider-Man" movies back-to-back based on James Vanderbilt's work.

According to Latino Review, franchise producers Laura Ziskin and Grant Curtis have a couple of new name to perhaps play Peter Parker...

Patrick Fugit (Almost Famous) is rumoured to be at the top of their list to replace Tobey Maguire should he bow out.

And if Fugit does not work out they claim that Michael Angarano(Sky High) is their next potential replacement.

Al of this is speculation for now--But the chatter is interesting enough to warrant discussion. Remember-At one time Jake Gyllenhaal was considered for Spidey

We'll just have to wait and see if LR has it right...

Jailhouse Rock

Film director Robert Rodriguez and his gal pal "Grindhouse: Planet Terror" star Rose McGowan are shopping around a violent women's prison drama to the TV networks.

The folks over at AICN first broke the news on Monday...

Today, The Hollywood Reporter confirms the story.

Simply called "Women in Chains!-Josh Miller and Marc Fortin wrote the premise.

McGowan is going to play one of five chained women at the center of the show. Rodriguez is expected to direct.

I'm all for the idea of a story centered on chicks in jail but wouldn't it make a better flick than TV series.

Class Envy

Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont ("Made Of Honor") are set to replace both Mark Teitelman and Gina Wendkos to write and direct the teen comedy "Big Man on Campus" says The Hollywood Reporter.



The film shows us what happens when the most popular girl in school is unexpectedly rejected by an ubernerd. Her social status drops, his rises, and the there is a popularity power shift in the entire school.

Kaplan and Elfont are very sturdy talents and will probably do good things with the premise.

RIP Joseph Pevney (1911-2008)

Prolific film and TV director Joseph Pevney died on May 18 in Palm Desert, California at age 96.

Among the films that Pevney directed: Tammy and the Bachelor (1957) the James Cagney vehicle, Man of a Thousand Faces (1957) and Westerns such as The Plunderers (1960)

Pevney also helmed multiple episodes of noted television series, including "Bonanza" "The Incredible Hulk" , and "Trapper John, M.D."

But it was his work on the original "Star Trek"-helming 14 episodes, including "Arena", The Devil in the Dark" "The Trouble with Tribbles and The City on the Edge of Forever"--that I will never forget.

Here's a classic scene from "City":

The Mole

Here's the trailer for the upcoming dark comedy Choke



Based on 2001 novel by Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club)-the film got some attention at Sundance...

And it looks just as off beat as Fight Club the movie...

The film is scheduled to be released on September 26, 2008.

Getting Into It

The theatrical trailer for the star sudded romantic comedy He's Just Not That Into You is online...



Based on the self-help book of the same name--one would think with that much talent involved that a hit would be guaranteed...

We'll know for sure when the film is released on October 24, 2008...

Halfway There

Good News on the Strike Front:

AFTRA, majors agree deal

The majors and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists have signed a prime time deal that will ease — but not eliminate — the town’s fears of an actors strike.

Following nine consecutive days of negotiations, AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers reached a tentative three-year agreement early Wednesday at AMPTP headquarters in Encino.

Now it's up to The Screen Actors Guild to do the same...

Middle class will be a focus of Screen Actors Guild talks -

Stay Tuned...

The 4rh Quarter Begins

Some news on the strikr front with a little over a month to go before Doomsday II arrives:

Hollywood actors' labor talks reach key juncture-studios have rankled both the Screen Actors Guild and AFTRA alike by seeking new rules allowing TV and movie clips to be played on the Internet without prior consent from actors ...

AFTRA, studios nearing deal...still negotiating...

Stay Tuned...

Par-Tay

Lindsay Sloane is joining A Good Old Fashioned Orgy says The Hollywood Reporter.

It's the classic story of a 30-year-old man (Jason Sudeikis) who is forced to grow up when his parents decide to sell the family vacation home and enlists his friends to throw one final party: an orgy.

Sloane plays a high school teacher who has found religion and is trying to get her friends to go to Bible study but ends up going to the orgy.

Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck are calling the shots on the eyebrow raising-titled picture.

Kiddie Table

The cast of the ensemble comedy "Table for Three," is set.

Brandon Routh, Sophia Bush, Jesse Bradford, Jennifer Morrison, Johnny Galecki and Liza Lapira are all in the flick says Variety.

The story involves a suddenly single young man who invites the "perfect couple" to share his large apartment, only to see them completely disrupt his life as they butt into a blossoming relationship.

Routh has the lead role while Bradford and Bush portray the couple.

Michael Samonek calls action on his own screenplay. A release is scheduled for later this Fall.

Aside from Galecki's Sit-com experience none of the cast members are known for yuking it up...

All eyes will be on Routh though...as he has the lead.

Ticket To Fly

Ewan McGregor has signed on to co-star in the Amelia Earhart biopic "Amelia" says Variety

The story centers on the legendary aviator (Hilary Swank) and chronicles her rise to fame, marriage and passionate affair with Gene Vidal (McGregor), father of author Gore Vidal

Ronald Bass penned the screenplay while Mira Nair calls the shots.

McGregor will shoot his role shortly in Toronto before he moves on to "Angels & Demons" in early June.

I'm glad McGregor is keeping so busy He's a very talented guy who's often under appreciated.

RIP Sydney Pollack (1934-2008)

Multi talented director producer and actor Sydney Pollack died of cancer on Monday at the age of 73 at his home in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles. He was surrounded by family, said his publicist, Leslee Dart. He had been diagnosed with cancer about nine months ago.

Pollack is best known for the 1985 film Out of Africa, for which he won two Academy Awards as director and producer. He also helmed The Way We Were, with Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford in 1973 -- They Shoot Horses, Don't They? The Firm the intense thriller Three Days of the Condor, the 1995 remake of Sabrina. Pollack's final directorial effort was the documentary Sketches of Frank Gehry.

For me though. his finest work was the 1982 gender bending comedy Tootsie--everything about film worked perfectly. Dustin Hoffman plays a struggling actor so desperate for work, he willing to take a part on a daytime soap playing a woman.. Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, and Bill Murray co-star. Pollack plays Hoffman's agent in the film

Which leads me to his acting credits: making appearances on TV's "Will & Grace" and "The Sopranos" His last on screen role is the recently released Made of Honor-playing dad to Patrick Dempsey's character.

Pollack served as exec producer on the recently premiered HBO Film Recount....

Variety has more on Pollack's life and career...

Crystal Clear

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull dominated the worldwide box office over the holiday weekend--


Pamela McClintock of Variety

Steven Spielberg's "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" crystallized into the biggest opening for both the filmmaker and Paramount as the classic action-adventure franchise returned to the bigscreen after an 18-year slumber to grab a worldwide gross of $311.1 million.

"Crystal Skull"--buoyed by baby boomers and their kids--grossed an estimated $126 million domestically for the four-day Memorial Day weekend, the second best showing ever for the holiday frame. Opening on Thursday, pic's five-day cume was an estimated $151.1 million from 4,260 runs.

Overseas, where the Harrison Ford topliner began playing on Wednesday, "Crystal Skull" grossed $160 million in its debut. Weekend take of $146 million is the fifth best international opening of all time.

Stateside, the only Memorial Day opener to gross more was last year's "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," which made $139.8 million in its domestic debut.

Worldwide gross of "Crystal Skull" bested the debut of "War of the Worlds," the previous best opener for both Spielberg and Paramount.

"Crystal Skull," produced by George Lucas' LucasFilms, played much more like a family film than a sequel. With sequels, the busiest days are Friday, or Thursday if the film goes out early. That wasn't the case with "Crystal Skull," which saw a hefty 19% jump from Friday to Saturday.

Elsewhere at the domestic Memorial Day box office, Disney sequel "Chronicles of Narnia" declined a steep 58% in its second weekend to an estimated $23 million from 3,919 runs for the three-days, according to Rentrak. Four-day haul was an estimated $28.6 million for a cume of $96.7 million in the film's first 11 days. Pic placed No. 2 for the holiday frame.

Coming in No. 3 was Par's B.O. hit "Iron Man," which declined just 37% in its fourth frame to $20.1 million from 3,915 for the three day. Four-day haul was $25.6 million for a cume of $257.8.

Twentieth Century Fox's Cameron Diaz-Ashton Kutcher laffer "What Happens in Vegas" continued to thrive, serving as counter-programming to the bigger summer tentpoles. For the three-days, "Vegas" dipped only 35% to an estimated $9 million from 3,188 runs. Four-day take was an estimated $11.1 million for a cume of $56.4 million in the film's third frame.

Placing No. 5 at the holiday box office was Warner Bros.' "Speed Racer," which declined 51% in its third frame to $4 million from 3,112 runs for the three-days. Four-day gross was an estimated $5.2 million for a cume of $37.4 million.

On the specialty side, Overture's "The Visitor" made the top 10 chart for the second weekend in a row. Film placed No. 10 for the Memorial Day frame, grossing an estimated $917,000 from 270 runs for a cume of $4.6 million in its seventh frame....

Joshua Rich of Entertainment Weekly:

Harrison Ford's adventure dug up a huge (but not record-breaking) opening of $126 mil over the Memorial Day weekend. Read More...

What Happens in Vegas... continues to surprise while Speed Racer sputters...For a nostalgia infused flick with a big budget to not even make it to $40 million is just plan awful...

RIP Robert Knox (1990-2008)

Tragic news...Harry Potter actor Robert Knox is dead...He was just 18 years old...



Knox (pictured Far Right w/brother Jamie and his Mother Sally), who has a minor role in the upcoming "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" was stabbed to death during a brawl in London on Saturday...

Knox was stabbed after he got caught up in a fight outside a bar in southwest London, Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

A 21-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of murder...

In a statement, Knox's parents Colin and Sally said: "Rob was kind and thoughtful and would always help out others.

"The life and soul of the party, he was very outgoing, loved sports, and would always strike up a conversation with people.

"He was respectful to others and adored by all his family and friends."

Film producers Warner Bros. said: "We are all shocked and saddened by this news and at this time our sympathies are with his family."

A man came to the bar in Sidcup armed with two knives and was seen waving one of them around through the window.

A scuffle broke out and Knox and his brother Jamie were reportedly trying to protect each other.

Several others sustained knife wounds.

The brothers' friends Tom Hopkins, 18, and Tarik Ozress, 17, managed to pin the armed man down, wrestling with him for several minutes before police arrived.

Hopkins, who was stabbed in the head, said: "Rob was just trying to help out. He was like that. I grabbed the knife, I didn't know at the time that he had another knife. It was just chaos."

Knox was taken to hospital and pronounced dead.

Friends said there had been a [fight] over a phone last week and believe it could have been a revenge attack.

Knox plays Ravenclaw student Marcus Belby in the upcoming film, the sixth installment of the popular series is set for release on November 21 2008.

Video: 'Harry Potter' Actor Killed in London Stabbing

Family of murdered Robert Knox speak out

Harry Potter actor's father Colin Knox visits murder scene

How very sad...

Hero Status

Marvel Studios head honcho Kevin Feige (pictured) offered up a status report on the company's film plans to Sci-Fi Wire...

*"The First Avenger: Captain America" will be a period piece set during World War II .

Feige says the film, scheduled for release in May 6th 2011, will act as the set up for the eventual "The Avengers " movie to be released six weeks later on July 1st.

He also dismissed all of the recent chatter that Matthew McConaughey was up for the role...but he did confirm that one of the objects glimpsed in Tony Stark's lab as seen in "Iron Man is indeed part of the character's shield. (Thank goodness!! Cap is not a pretty boy surfer dude!)

*"Iron Man 2" is still on schedule for April 30th 2010, with talks underway for director Jon Favreau to return.

*"Thor " is scheduled for July 4th 2010 with Mark Protosevich currently toiling away on the script.

A new director will be announced later this Summer following the recent exit of Matthew Vaughn a few weeks ago-The Hollywood Reporter said that Vaughn's "holding deal" on the film had expired...There may be more to the story: Vaughn says he didn't want a big name for the lead role...(With him gone Is the studio looking to cast none other than Brad Pitt in the role?)

Pitt could make it work and would certainly put butts in the seats to see a film about a lesser known comic book character.

Feige promises that much of the action for Thor will be set in the mythical Norse realm of the gods - Asgard....

*Meantime-Lost writer/producer and creator of the popular comic book series "Y: The Last Man" (which itself is being made into a film for 2009), Brian K. Vaughan will pen a big screen adaptation of his other comic "Runaways" for the studio says The Hollywood Reporter.

It's very cool that Vaughn will be adapting his own material...

Welcome Return For Indy

The Man With The Hat came back in a big way over the extended Memorial Day weekend...Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull proves-even with a hero in his sixties-Indy's as popular as ever...



Pamela McClintock of Variety:

Steven Spielberg's "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" is looking to become the second-best Memorial Day opener ever, with an estimated four-day gross of $126 million from 4,260 runs...

The folks at EW:

''Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'' has the biggest debut of 2008...Read More..

Dave McNary of V says International audiences dig 'Indiana'

Film is sixth biggest foreign launch of all time...

Still haven't seen the film for myself yet but I plan to rectify that within the next week.

Final numbers for the weekend will be released on Tuesday...

Higher Education

The 2008 Cannes Film Festival comes to close...

From Variety:



Laurent Cantet's "Entre les murs" went to the top of the class by winning the Palme d'Or of the 61st Cannes Film Festival. The win marks the first time in 20 years a film from France has taken the fest's top prize...

• Story and complete winners list...

Turning Death Into A Fighting Chance To Live

Director J.J. Abrams and writers Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman-the trio behind the Star Trek reboot insisted that there was no way to include the older version of Captain Kirk (William Shatner) in the new film-Thanks to the character's death in 1994's Star Trek Generations...

After some clever editing of the Generations climax-YouTube member Editing Room found a way around the story dilemma..Proving once again-"There are always possibilities"...

Double Vision?

Not one, but two Spider-Man sequels are in the offing--so says the latest rumor...

The folks over at Cinematical received an unconfirmed scoop saying that writer James Vanderbilt (Zodiac) turned in a draft of a script for Spider-Man 4 to studio suits recently

While that's not so much news--the source goes on to say his story arc encompasses two films, opening up the possibility that the studio might shoot the fourth and fifth films in the series simotaneously...

This has been done a few times before in film history--like when director Richard Donner shot Superman and most of Superman II that way in the 70's

Of course. even if this Spidey claim is indeed accurate, it still remains to be seen if director Sam Raimi, Tobey Maguire, and Kirsten Dunst will return for the two films.

We Don't Need Another Hero

ItsJustSomeRandomGuy has posted his latest video...

In it, Iron Man and The Dark Knight compare notes and film franchises....

T-Specs

Warner Bros.has issued a press release about Terminator 4 complete with a plot outline. The synopsis reads as follows:

"In the highly anticipated new installment of "Terminator franchise set in post-apocalyptic 2018, Christian Bale stars as John Connor, the man fated to lead the human resistance against Skynet and its army of Terminators. But the future Connor was raised to believe in is altered in part by the appearance of Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), a stranger whose last memory is of being on death row. Connor must decide whether Marcus has been sent from the future, or rescued from the past. As Skynet prepares its final onslaught, Connor and Marcus both embark on an odyssey that takes them into the heart of Skynet's operations, where they uncover the terrible secret behind the possible annihilation of mankind."

As usual details are kept at a minimum with this sort of press material...McG is calling action on the flick now in production to meet a May 22 2009 release date...

Playing Politics

Hollywood Reporter says that Richard Dreyfuss is in final negotiations to play the part of Vice President Dick Cheney for Oliver Stone's President Bush biopic W.

This marks the last major casting slot to be filled on the film..

Stone is rushing production to try and meet the October 17th premiere date. Three weeks before the next President is elected. Lest you think the potential actors strike would derail those plans-a waiver from The Screen Actors Guild is already in place to ensure that work on the film goes uninterrupted..

Stone doesn't like Bush + Most actors in the industry and union don't like him either = waiver divided by a suspect release date and you are left with...

Facts And Figures

Now that Indiana Jones is finally back in theaters--How's he doing?

Deadline Hollywood Daily reports that "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" took in an estimated $25 million for its first day of release in North America yesterday.

The number is indeed very good, but that figure did not break the record set by "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith which took in $50 million for its opening day Thursday in 05.

Industry estimates are between $140-$175 million for Indy's first five days. Assuming the high end figure holds true that would put Indy just ahead of "Sith" figures with the best first five days of all time...

Stay Tuned...

Twin Peaks

Twin brothers Mark and Michael Polish (Twin Falls Idaho)have formed Prohibition Pictures and will shoot their next two projects back to back starting next week says Variety.

First up is the comedy Manure about a manure salesmen (Billy Bob Thornton) in 1960s heartland America. Production starts on Tuesday and will tun through mid-July. The trio worked together in '06's The Astronaut Farmer

A few days after that they will begin shooting the comedy "Stay Cool" starring Winona Ryder, Sean Astin and...Chevy Chase!!!.

The pair co-wrote the scripts.

Mark Polish will be a featured actor in both flicks.

Space Nazis Attack

Blind Spot Pictures and 27 Films Productions and the team behind the popular parody Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning are working on the dark sci-fi comedy "Iron Sky" says The Hollywood Reporter.

The film's premise takes place in 1945 where a Nazi regiment took off in rockets from Antarctica and set up base on the dark side of the moon. In 2018, they decide its time to come back.

The trailer has already become an Internet sensation. Director Timo Vuorensola reveals they plan to shoot most of the film in Germany hoping to cast some major German talent for the film.

Don't let the subtitles scare you Star Wreck is very funny and worth a peek...and if Sky is as funny as it looks...

Demme Task

Jonathan Demme is taking over for Martin Scorsese as director on the Bob Marley documentary according to Variety

Demme will work with the Marley family on the biopic of the legendary singer songwriter which is scheduled for a global release on February 6th 2010, in what would have been Marley's 65th birthday.

Demme previously worked on another flick about legendary songster the Neil Young documentary "Heart of Gold" from '06.

Scorsese left the project due to "scheduling conflicts".

If Scorsese had to step out--Demme makes a great replacement HOG is great docu and I expect the Marley tribute to be the same.

Word Up

Kerry Washington ("Fantastic Four") will star opposite Eddie Murphy in "A Thousand Words" says Variety.

Murphy plays the savvy head of a literary agency who discovers he only has a thousand words left to say before he dies.

Washington is going to play Murphy's wife, who wants him to slow down and enjoy life and his family.

Brian Robbins is calling the shots on the flick...

Washington seems like a good fit... She always delivers no matter the material or genre.