To The Moon And Beyond

Here's the latest two-fer post brought to you by Tatiana Siegel and Dave McNary of Variety:

Jake Gyllenhaal (pictured) will team with helmer Doug Liman for DreamWorks' "Untitled Moon Project."

Actioner revolves around a private expedition to the moon and the race for lunar colonization.

Screenplay was originally penned by Liman and John Hamburg. Author-screenwriter Mark Bowden ("Black Hawk Down") did a complete reconception of the story and will pen the screenplay.

The project marks the return of Alli Shearmur former Paramount co-president of production, who ankled the studio earlier this year. She will produce alongside Simon Kinberg and Liman.

Liman and one-time Universal exec Shearmur developed a strong relationship back when Liman directed "The Bourne Identity" for the studio. Shearmur also worked with Gyllenhaal when she oversaw production on "Zodiac."

DreamWorks has targeted the project for the fast track.

Gyllenhaal will next shoot the Jim Sheridan-helmed "Brothers" opposite Tobey Maguire.

Liman, whose helming credits include "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" and "Swingers," directed the upcoming futuristic "Jumper," which 20th Century Fox will release early next year.

I love the premise! This will be Gyllenhaal's first real crack as an action leading man...Unless of course, he does Spider-Man 4 first Doug Liman has a nice track record in the genre... It should be fun...

Next up:

Michael Cera and Kat Dennings (both pictured) are attached to star in Mandate Pictures' "Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist." Sony Pictures will distribute worldwide.

Based on the novel by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, story revolves around two bridge-and-tunnel teenagers, nursing broken hearts, who fall in love during one sleepless night in New York while searching for their favorite band's unannounced show. Peter Sollett ("Raising Victor Vargas") is directing from a script by Lorene Scafaria.

Mandate has scheduled production to begin late this year.

Depth of Field's Chris and Paul Weitz, Kerry Kohansky and Andrew Miano are producing. Mandate [president] Nathan Kahane and Adam Brightman will exec produce.

"When Kerry first brought us Lorene's script, I was drawn to the unique combination of humor and emotion in her story that fuels this duo's journey," Kahane said.

Cera, who starred in summer hit "Superbad," next stars in Jason Reitman's awards-season hopeful "Juno," which Mandate produced.

Dennings, whose credits include "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," is shooting "I Know What Boys Like" for Columbia Pictures. She also stars in "Charlie Bartlett," set for release on Feb. 1.

Both Cera and Dennings are talented young stars on the rise. Will there be on screen chemistry between the two? It's probably a safe bet.

A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy?

The countdown to an entertainment industry strike may have just sped up a bit...

Dave McNary and Josef Adalian of Variety:

Networks and studios have started thinking about the unthinkable this week.

The harsh rhetoric surrounding the WGA, negotiations plus the guild's recent move to seek strike authorization have convinced execs that the threat of a Nov. 1 strike may be very real. A possible lockout is also being discussed.

"We are trying to get as much stuff as possible shoved through," said one studio VP. "It's as hot as I've ever seen it. And whether or not they strike on Nov. 1, we have to act as if they will."

On the feature side, studios are no longer taking writing pitches and are pretty much limiting themselves to making deals on fully developed packages. Warner Bros and Universal, for example, have put out the word to agents: Don't bring in any spec scripts until the situation resolves itself.

"A strike on Nov. 1 is a real option," WGA West [president] Patric Verrone told Daily Variety on Monday. "What I'm hearing from our screenwriters and show runners is that they're being asked to schedule additional table reads, prepare additional scripts and squeeze in more shows, which may be physically impossible in that amount of time."...

Agents admit that the pace of feature deal-making has stayed hectic in recent weeks -- but only for short-term projects. "Making any deals in long-term feature development has become really tough," one ten-percenter groused.

Producers and execs say available writing jobs have been drying up in recent days. "Unless you're a triple-A high-end rewriter, you're not getting an assignment now," one prominent producer said.

One agent noted that feature animation writing jobs may become a hot area for scribes in coming months since that arena's not covered by the WGA.

"I am looking more toward open director assignments rather than writing assignments," a manager noted, pointing out that the DGA is unlikely to go on strike and will probably make a deal by the end of year.

The possibility that a writers strike could start in just a few weeks, with the current contract expiring Oct. 31, had not been prominent on the town's radar until recently.

The prevailing sentiment had been that the WGA would wait for several months -- perhaps until summer, when both the SAG and DGA contracts expire -- before staging a work stoppage.

The WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers return today to the bargaining table for a seventh day of negotiations in a process that has so far yielded only acrimony and finger-pointing. Verrone said that the guild's stressing the possibility of a Nov. 1 strike to get the companies to come off their proposal to revamp residuals.

"We're hoping that possibility will get companies to negotiate seriously," he added.

But AMPTP president Nick Counter told Daily Variety that the prospect of an early strike has always been part of the planning for studios and nets.

"The companies all have contingencies and will be ready in the event a strike occurs," Counter added.

One industry insider believes writers will wait to see if any progress is being made before deciding to walk out.

"If there's absolutely no progress being made, they'll go out," the insider said. "If there is some movement, they might give it a few more weeks."

Endeavor partner Rick Rosen said he remains hopeful that a strike can be averted altogether.

"I'd hate to see this turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy, like the Iraq war," Rosen said. "I'd like to see people trying to engage in some meaningful and constructive dialogue rather than making pronouncements."...

Find out what the TV nets are doing to prepare by reading the entire article here...

All I can say is...Stay Tuned....

Ache-y Break-y Heart

The Game Plan upset Ben Stiller's plan to have the #1 movie in America with his latest comedy...

The Heartbreak Kid had to settle for second place...



Brandon Gray of Box Office Mojo:

With an estimated $14 million, The Heartbreak Kid fell short of industry expectations and Ben Stiller's track record, but The Game Plan held well over a weak weekend…

Ben Fritz of Variety:

Disney broke hearts at DreamWorks this weekend as a strong $16.3 million second weekend for “The Game Plan” vanquished the weak $14 million bow of “The Heartbreak Kid.”

Ben Stiller starrer, the first under the new DreamWorks-Paramount moniker meant to emphasize the former studio’s independence from its corporate parent, averaged just $4,345 per screen at 3,229 theaters. Remake was one of Stiller’s lowest openings of recent years, behind comparable pics such as “Along Came Polly” and “Zoolander.”

Soft showing is the third in a row for helmers the Farrelly brothers, whose “Fever Pitch” and “Stuck on You” saw slightly lower debuts. However, 1998’s “There’s Something About Mary” opened with roughly the same B.O., albeit on 1,000 fewer screens, before going on to become a word of mouth hit and rake in $176 million.

“The Game Plan,” meanwhile, proved it had staying power as it fell only 29% on its second frame.

“We continued to draw very strong into families, but the adult audience actually expanded,” said Disney distribution topper Chuck Viane.

Sunday perf was undoubtedly helped by Monday’s holiday status, as more kids were able to go to movies at night.

The Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson starrer has now cumed $42.8 million, and it looks well positioned to extend its lead with Columbus Day still to come.

The other wide openers also fared poorly.

“The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising,” the first family pic from the new Fox-Walden partnership, barely registered, debuting at a dismal $3.75 million. Pic, which opened at 3,141 locations, averaged only $1,186 per play.

Sony bowed Jennifer Lopez-produced “Feel the Noise,” from TriStar, at 1,015 and grossed a soft $3.4 million, averaging $3,350 per screen.

Sony Pictures Classics took “The Jane Austen Book Club” wide on its third frame but wasn’t able to recruit many members, grossing a weak $1.5 million at 1,232. Per-play average was $1,246; cume is now $2 million.

Universal’s “The Kingdom” held well in its soph sesh, declining 45% to $9.3 million. That was good enough to land the Saudi Arabia-set terrorism thriller at No. 3 and up its cume to $31.4 million.

In limited release, Warner Bros.’ “Michael Clayton” had one of the best limited bows of the year, grossing a boffo $704,000 at 15 theaters. George Clooney starrer averaged $46,903 per screen and looks well positioned as Warner Bros. plans to take it wide to around 2,400 theaters Friday...

Read rhe complete analysis when you click herr

Joshua Rich of Entertainment Weekly:

''The Heartbreak Kid'' flops and falls between The Rock and a hot place, finishing behind ''The Game Plan'' and ahead of ''The Kingdom''...

RIP Lois Maxwell (1927=2007)

Lois Maxwell (pictured w/Sean Connery) died last week from complications from lung and vascular disease. She was 80 years old.

Best known for playing Miss Moneypenny in 14 James Bond films, beginning with 1962's Dr. No, through 1985's A View to a Kill--with Roger Moore ending his turn as 007.

Maxwell's career spanned some 60 years in both film and television. She won a Golden Globe for her work in the 1947 feature film That Hagen Girl. She also appeared in TV's The Saint, opposite Moore.

Her screen time in the Bond films may not have been very long but it was always memorable...She will be missed.

Read the New York Times obituary for more...

--One of the longest rivalries in football writes it's latest chapter in a prime time showdown between the Chicago Bears and the as yet undefeated Green Bay Packers. If the Bears ever needed a regular season win...This would be it.

Read the preview from USA Today of the latest Sunday Night Football game...

Here's The Situation...

The October 12th, 2007 issue of EW features a cover story about the ongoing feud between director Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema, that's resulted in a brutal legal battle and threatened the film version of The Hobbit...The prequel story to The Lord of the Rings film trilogy.
Benjamin Svetkey offers up a status report on the whole affair--leaving room for optimism that all may soon be resolved... ''The Hobbit'': Is Peter Jackson coming back?

Issue #958 also offers readers a grim outlook regarding the industry strike....

Speaking of grim: The Philadelphia Phillies are in a must win situation against The Colorado Rockies The Phils are down 2 games to none in the best of 5 series. Here's A Preview Of Tonight's Prime Time Match-Up...Go Phils!!!

New York Over-Run By Rats?

Guess what? it's been confirmed that Len Wiseman (Right) has been replaced as the helmer on that Escape from New York remake...



Reports have none other than Brett Ratner (left) in line to take over the project...!

Aint It Cool News was the first site to report the switch and that Wiseman had bowed out of the project. It appears that Ratner was New Line Cinema's first choice to replace Wiseman.

The site IESB.net contacted a source at New Line who confirmed Wiseman's departure.

I'm sorry to see Wiseman leave "New York"--It could have been fun...

What is it with Ratner being ever the replacement on high profile flicks? First, he takes over for Bryan Singer on X-Men: The Last Stand, now this.

As I said before though, the director of the new Escape really doesn't matter--it's success or failure rests with star Gerard Butler...

Wiseman's exit apparently has affected another New Line film in a big way:

IESB further claims that Wiseman won't be directing the studio's Gears of War - The Movie either, as had been reported in August of this year:

Adding--"New Line Cinema will most likely not move forward with (GOW) at all. Our source is saying that the studio has concerns with ballooning budget of the film."

Wow! GOW was a major property for NL--Things must have really gotten bad for the studio to abandon the video game inspired movie all together.

The Cineplex Is Where The Heart Is

Three new wide releases enter the box office fray this weekend...



Ben Stiller (pictured W/Malin Akerman) gets to work with his famous dad Jerry Stiller in the comedy The Heartbreak Kid (reviews); Susan Cooper's book is adapted in The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising (reviews); And then there's the rapper drama Feel The Noise (reviews).

Pamela McClintock and Dave McNary of Variery:

The Farrelly brothers will look to break Judd Apatow's recent hold on R-rated comedy with Ben Stiller laffer "The Heartbreak Kid," which DreamWorks-Paramount opens this weekend in 3,229 theaters.

"Heartbreak" has a clear shot at winning the frame. Whether it can match the $22.5 million opening for the Farrellys' Jack Black-Gwyneth Paltrow starrer "Shallow Hal" or the $24.2 million bow for their Jim Carrey laffer "Me, Myself & Irene" is the question.

New on the family front is Fox Walden's fantasy-adventure "The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising," which 20th Century Fox unspools in 3,141 locations. Movie is the first released under the Fox Walden banner, a marketing partnership between Fox and Philip Anschutz's Walden Media.

"Seeker" could have a tough time taking out Disney holdover "The Game Plan," which opened to a surprisingly strong $22.9 million last weekend.

The race for No. 2 could well be between "Game Plan," starring Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson, and Universal holdover "The Kingdom."

The weekend's other new wide opener is "Feel the Noise," a reggaeton music-dance drama produced by Jennifer Lopez's Nuyorican Prods. Sony bows the pic in 1,015 locations...

With "Heartbreak Kid," DreamWorks and Paramount are looking to ride the wave of success enjoyed recently by R-rated comedies, including "Knocked Up," directed by Apatow, and "Superbad," produced by Apatow. U's "Knocked Up" opened to $33 million in June, Sony's "Superbad" to $30.7 million in August.

Marketing campaign for "Heartbreak," a reimagining of the Neil Simon-penned 1972 pic, has relied heavily on Stiller, who plays a newlywed who discovers he may have found the perfect woman -- and she's not his wife.

Stiller last worked with Bobby and Peter Farrelly on 1998 box office hit "There's Something About Mary," which opened at $13.7 million on its way to a domestic cume of $176.5 million.

While pic is generating interest among young males, DreamWorks and Par will rely on word of mouth to some degree, since they can't advertise the movie's most crude moments.

Stiller was last in theaters with family comedy-adventure "Night at the Museum," which opened to $30.4 million. Thesp has enjoyed big opening numbers for other broad comedies, including sequel "Meet the Fockers," which grossed $46.1 million in its first weekend.

But with its restrictive rating, "Heartbreak" is more limited in scope.

The Farrellys' last two pics came in below expectations. "Fever Pitch" opened at $12.4 million in 2005 on its way to a domestic cume of $42 million, while "Stuck on You" opened at $9.4 million on its way to $33.8 million.

With its Walden Media pact, Fox is looking to expand its reach in the family market while sharing the risk. Fox will co-finance some of the films released under the Fox Walden banner, as it did with "Seeker."

"Seeker," based on the tome by Susan Cooper, concerns a boy who discovers he's the last in a line of immortal warriors. Expectations for box office are modest.

A handful of specialty films expand this weekend, including Wes Anderson's "The Darjeeling Limited," which Fox Searchlight takes from two to 19 runs in the film's second frame. Focus Features expands Ang Lee's NC-17 rated "Lust, Caution" from one to 17 theaters in its second frame.

In their third frames, Sony Classics' "The Jane Austen Book Club" platforms from 41 to 1,232 theaters; Paramount Vantage's "Into the Wild" expands from 33 to 135 runs; while Warners takes Brad Pitt-Casey Affleck oater "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" to 61 from five runs.

Among other new specialty entries, Sony Classics bows docu "My Kid Could Paint That" in eight locations in L.A. and Gotham, while Yari Film Group releases Jake Paltrow's directorial debut "The Good Night," starring sister Gwyneth Paltrow, Penelope Cruz and Martin Freeman, in two locations.

Warners opens Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner: The Final Cut" in two runs in L.A. and New York as part of a campaign for the DVD releases. Also opening in two locations in Los Angeles is A.J. Schnack's docu "Kurt Cobain About a Son," which Balcony is releasing...

You'll find the entire article here...

Joshua Rich of Entertainment Weekly says "Heartbreak" will rule:

His new teamup with the Farrelly brothers seems to have little competition for the weekend's box office crown...

None of the these new flicks are wowing the critics...Maybe that will change next week when George Clooney as Michael Clayton opens wide with Tony Gilroy calling the shots...

Robo-Post

It's machine mania!

--The website CHUD is hearing chatter that "Charlie's Angels" helmer McG is negotiating to direct Terminator 4 " which is being rush-prepped thanks to the strike threat.



A script was handed in last week to The Halcyon Company who own the screen rights to the franchise.

The film is said to be set after the apocalypse, as told in Terminator lore, and seen in the last film, Rise of the Machines and has John Connor organizing the surviving humans to resist Skynet's army of robots.

McG and Terminator? Hmm...

Meanwhile, in related story/rumor, the folks over at Aint it Cool say that despite being attached to the fourth Fast and the Furious, actor Vin Diesel (pictured) is also in talks to be a part of T4 - taking on the role of the flicks' antagonist.

Diesel can certainly play the badass quite well...He would fit the T mold very well...



--As reported last week, Transformers 2 is moving forward as well, with original scribes Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman back for more...The Hollywood Reporter has news today that the duo will have help penning the sequel's script--Ehren Kruger ("Scream 3" "Reindeer Games" and "The Ring") will be the third man on the team. The trio are said to be negotiating for the whopping sum of between $5-7 million for their efforts.

Director Michael Bay, star Shia LaBeouf, head honcho producer Steven Spielberg, along with smaller honchos Tom DeSanto, Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Don Murphy are all said to be back as well.

LaBeouf, Bay And Josh Duhamel Study The Last Shot

Kruger's work, in my opinion, has produced an uneven track record...

Although, with the looming threat of a strike--many were saying the sure-fire sequel would wait until things were settled before going into production..Since the film is now on the fast track...The potentially big payday means the trio has to write fast

With Kurtzman and Orci busy polishing their script on the Star Trek reboot, it's no great surprise that Kurtzman & Orci's aked their partner on the forthcoming film "Nightlife," to help them on TF2.

This Side Up...

Another graphic novel is being adapted for the big screen:

Tatiana Siegel and Diane Garett of Variety:

Eduardo Rodriguez has signed on to direct zombie pic "Fragile" for Rogue Pictures.

Based on the graphic novel by Stefano Raffaele, story kicks off after an airborne virus has reduced much of the Earth's population to feral zombies. A recently undead soldier then teams with a female zombie and a human teenager, racing against time to find a cure before being hunted down by the soldier's former military unit.

Jeff Dixon adapted the screenplay of the Humanoids-published graphic novel as a spec.

John Baldecchi, Justin Connolly, Pierre Spengler and Fabrice Giger are producing. Keith Dinielli is co-producer.

"'Fragile' gives me the opportunity to explore the horror we're used to in the genre but set in a unique post-apocalyptic world where zombies aren't the monsters anymore," said Rodriguez, who helmed Dimension Films's "Curandero," which was written and produced by Robert Rodriguez.

Eduardo Rodriguez is attached to direct "Open Grave" for NALA Films, with Jonathan Shestack producing.

Dixon is writing the graphic novel "Run Like Hell" for Viper Comics, as well as the screenplay for "Buried," which is set up at Maverick Films.

The premise behind "Fragile" sounds a lot like most post-apocalyptic horror tales--zombies or not. An airborne virus--very few humans left a small band of survivors try to save what's left of the world. Meh. Let's wait and see...

Murphy's Turf

Another actor/director reunion...




Tatiana Siegel of Variety:

Eddie Murphy and helmer Brian Robbins are in final negotiations to reteam for the DreamWorks comedy "A Thousand Words."

Pair recently collaborated on the laffers "Norbit" for DreamWorks and the upcoming "Starship Dave" for 20th Century Fox.

Story centers on a glib man who finds out that he has only 1,000 words left to speak before he dies.

Steve Koren ("Click") penned the screenplay.

Alain Chabat, Stephanie Danan, Nicolas Cage and Norm Golightly are producing.

Robbins and Sharla Sumpter Bridgett are expected to come on to produce via Robbins' DreamWorks-based Varsity Pictures shingle.

DreamWorks is eyeing a pre-strike start date.

Murphy is currently shooting the comedy "NowhereLand" for Paramount Pictures.

He has several projects in development at various studios, including a big screen adaptation of "Fantasy Island" at Columbia Pictures.

Multihyphenate Robbins also directed "The Shaggy Dog," "The Perfect Score" and "Varsity Blues."

While the jury's still out on the as yet released "Starship", of course, "Norbit" was a total waste of film stock and time...

Having said that, the premise of "Words" could yield some laughs--then again, I originally thought the same thing about Click and then, I saw it...

The Difference Between "Write" & Wrong

It's another two-fer post as a pair of high profile flicks are making news via IESB.net:



--With filming finally underway on Zack Snyder's eagerly awaited adaptation of Watchmen, word is, that Transformers and Star Trek screenwriters Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman were tapped to revise the screenplay.

According to the site:

"The pair were brought in months ago to take a whack at the critically acclaimed superheroes."

Adding--"there were minor tweaks of the Orci/Kurtzman script done by director Zack Snyder himself."

Given how dense the graphic novel, in fact is. It's not a surprise that Orci and Kurtzman got a crack at penning the script. Many a writer has been asked to do the very same for years as the film's been in development for a long time--just as a live action film version of Transformers had been as well...

--Indiana Jones was kidnapped and held for ransom!

Over 2000 production stills, plot sensitive paperwork including a complete production budget breakdown, multiple computers, and possibly the script for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull were stolen from director Steven Spielberg’s office on the Universal Pictures lot.

IESB.net:

The thief started contacting multiple entertainment websites including TMZ.com and offering the stolen goods for a sum of $2000.00.

The IESB has been informed that TMZ.com may had obtained some of stolen property and were on the verge of running the story on its TV division until Paramount lawyers stepped in.

TMZ.com went as far as promoting their upcoming story but we have been informed that they have scrapped their original plans.

Read the full story...



The good news here for the suits and the production team is that a suspect has been arrested in the case--apprehended at The Standard Hotel in Los Angeles, CA.

While I certainly don't condone what Roderick Davis did. Part of me is still a bit envious over the fact he even possessed the stuff at all...

Triangulation

Two brothers get the gal that comes between them...

Tatiana Siegel of Variety:

Natalie Portman (pictured) has signed on to star alongside Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal in Jim Sheridan's love-triangle drama "Brothers" for Relativity Media.

Based on Susanne Bier's 2004 Danish-language film, story centers on a man (Maguire) who is sent to fight in Afghanistan while his black-sheep brother (Gyllenhaal) cares for his wife (Portman) and child.

Connie Nielsen ("Gladiator") played the wife in Bier's version, speaking in her native Danish.

David Benioff ("The Kite Runner") is penning the remake. Relativity's Ryan Kavanaugh is producing alongside Michael De Luca and Joni Sighvatsson, with shooting scheduled to begin in early November.

Portman will star in the upcoming films "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" "The Other Boleyn Girl" and "My Blueberry Nights."

Portman is a good fit for this film. She has proven that she has no fear in choosing work. From her fanboy roles in V for Vendetta and the Star Wars Prequels, to dramas like the Closer and Heat...

Getty-Up And Go

Snatched and then some...



Michael Fleming of Variety:

Universal Pictures and Peter Berg (pictured) will develop a drama about the 1973 kidnapping of oil heir Jean Paul Getty III. Studio has acquired screen rights to the John Pearson book “Painfully Rich: The Outrageous Fortune and Misfortunes of the Heirs of J. Paul Getty.”

Berg’s Film 44 will produce with Chris Clark.

Robin Shushan has been set to write the script. She is adapting “The Contortionist's Handbook” for GreeneStreet.

The grandson of the oil billionaire, Getty was snatched at age 16, with a $17 million ransom demanded. When the family didn’t reply fast enough to the ransom note, Getty’s captors forwarded an envelope that contained his ear, with a promise that more pieces would follow. Ultimately, the ransom was paid, Getty was found in southern Italy, and the kidnappers got away with the fortune.

Berg, who is coming off “The Kingdom,” recently pacted to make a movie about the 2006 Kentucky Derby-winning racehorse Barbaro and its attempt to heal after shattering a leg in the Preakness, based on a Buzz Bissinger-penned article in Vanity Fair.

Berg is shooting “Hancock,” with Will Smith, Charlize Theron and Jason Bateman

It's nice to see Berg is keeping busy by tackling varied subjects for his films....

The man behind one of my favorite TV shows, Friday Night Lights (The second season of which, kicks off Friday October 5th 9:00 PM EDT/8 Central on NBC--Watch, You'll be glad ya did!) should be able to make a solid flick from the real-life kidnapping case...

Authors Ask To Authorize

A strike update as things inch closer to industry "doom"

Dave McNary of Variety:

Ratcheting up the tension on the labor front, the Writers Guild of America is asking its members for strike authorization.

In a Monday message to its 13,000 members, guild leaders said they've been forced into asking for approval of a work stoppage because studios and networks are acting unprofessionally at the bargaining table.

"Since talks began on July 16, the companies have refused to engage in serious negotiations," the WGA said. "Instead, they have rejected each of our proposals and responded with a 'comprehensive' proposal of their own: 32 pages of draconian rollbacks that would eviscerate virtually every gain that writers have made in the past 50 years."

The move portends that negotiations -- set to resume Thursday -- will continue to follow a rocky course in the face of an Oct. 31 contract expiration as each side seeks to gain leverage through an exceptionally hostile public relations battle.

Nick Counter, president of the AMPTP - Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, shot back Monday, accusing the WGA of not taking the negotiations seriously and lying to its members.

"A strike authorization vote is a routine procedure that unions frequently take in the course of negotiations," he said. "The Writers Guild's strike authorization is notable only because its negotiators seem intent on striking without seriously addressing the AMPTP's proposals, and with no regard for the devastating impact on their members, fellow unions and this industry. WGA's leadership is pursuing this reckless strategy by misleading the membership about our proposals."

Counter also said the companies have no choice but to push for a revamp of residuals due to the massive shifts in revenue streams in showbiz.

"We refuse to go the way of industries that deny change or have failed to adapt fast enough," he added. "We are determined to turn the extraordinary challenges and transformative changes confronting us into beneficial opportunities for all."

The WGA leaders agreed with Counter on one point -- that the authorization vote doesn't necessarily lead to a strike, noting that unions regularly take such a step. The ballots are due back Oct. 18; talks are scheduled to resume Thursday...

"Are the companies serious about this proposal?" the WGA said. "They can't be. They know that it is unacceptable to every writer, director and actor in Hollywood. But they have left the rollbacks on the table and refuse to address the significant issues that must be resolved in these negotiations. This may be a stall tactic, or it may reflect the companies' belief that they can get a better deal from another union. Whatever the reasons, it is apparent that the companies do not yet feel the pressure to conduct serious negotiations. That is why the negotiating committee and elected leadership have taken the serious step of asking you to authorize a strike."

The message was signed by WGA West president Patric Verrone, WGA East president Michael Winship, all the members of the negotiating committee and all the members of the respective ruling bodies -- the WGA West board of directors and the WGA East council.

For its part, the guild is seeking increased jurisdiction over work performed for the Internet and other new-media platforms, along with guaranteed jurisdiction over reality programs, animation and game shows. It's also seeking clearer definitions and payment for reuse of work on new-media platforms.

Many observers believe the WGA won't reach a deal by the Oct. 31 expiration but won't strike -- opting instead to allow members to continue working under terms of the expired contract in hopes that SAG and DGA can achieve a better deal. Contracts for the DGA and SAG expire June 30, with the DGA expected to be first to the bargaining table...

The complete article can be read here...

Will that optimistic scenario come to pass...? Can SAG or the DGA save the day? Stay tuned--This could be "fun".

More Trek Spec

Another week, another new casting rumor for the next Star Trek flick--And a denial on a previous Trek casting item (sort of)...

Karl Urban (pictured) is said to be linked with director JJ Abrams' big-screen reboot of the 41 year-old franchise...




IESB.net reported on Friday that Urban was offered the role of the film's Romulan baddie.

However, Trek Movie.com says that while Urban is indeed in the running for a role, "it is not for the film's villain (nor is it for Kirk). The source would not go further when pressed, but based on the actor's age (35) either Scotty or Bones may be a good guess."

He could in fact, be up for the supporting role of Captain Christopher Pike.

Urban's film credits include Pathfinder, Doom, and The Bourne Supremacy.

TM.com also adds that their sources have advised them that Paramount is "looking for well known brand name actor (especially one who will help the film play in foreign markets). This fits with the report that there is interest in Russell Crowe for the part."

Urban would make a fine casting addition to the film--no matter the role he may eventually get...

The same site follows up on the rumor that actor Mike Vogel is the front runner to play Captain Kirk in the film.

Their sources claim Vogel is "'just one of the people being looked at' for role and that they are still mulling options".

Vogel's publicist is quick to add--the original article as written was "not true.'"

All of this Trek casting stuff is just too much fun to ignore...Stay Tuned.

Peachy Keen

The cast of The Soloist rounds out...



Tatiana Siegel of Variety:

Catherine Keener (pictured) has signed on to co-star in DreamWorks’ music pic “The Soloist.”

Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr. have already boarded the project, which “Atonement" helmer Joe Wright will direct starting in January.

Story centers on Nathaniel Ayers, a homeless musician with schizophrenia who dreams of playing at L.A.’s Disney Hall. The screenplay, by Susannah Grant (“Erin Brockovich”), is based on a 2005 series of articles by Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez.

Downey Jr. will play Lopez, who found Ayers (Foxx) on the streets of downtown Los Angeles. Keener will portray Lopez’s wife.

Gary Foster and Russ Krasnoff are producing, while Tim Bevan exec produces.

Lopez’s articles, “From Skid Row to Disney Hall,” also serve as the basis for an upcoming book by Putnam.

Keener recently wrapped “Hamlet II” opposite Steve Coogan. Her other upcoming credits include Charlie Kaufman’s directorial debut, “Synecdoche, New York,” and Spike Jonze’s “Where the Wild Things Are.”

Best known for roles in The 40 Year Old Virgin and Capote, Keener is one versatile film star...She makes a fine fit for the drama...

Thick As Thieves

Antonio Banderas and Morgan Freeman are teaming up...



Dave McNary of Variety:

[The pair is] set to star in caper drama "The Code" with Mimi Leder helming and Nu Image's Millennium Films producing.

Lensing begins in mid-October in Sofia, Bulgaria, at Nu Boyana Film Center, owned by Nu Image. Producers are Boaz Davidson, Danny Lerner, Les Weldon, Lori McCreary (Freeman's partner in Revelations Entertainment) and Randall Emmett; with First Look Holdings principals Avi Lerner, Henry Winterstern, Danny Dimbort and Trevor Short exec producing.

First Look Studios will distribute in North America, with Nu Image handling international territories.

Ted Humphrey has penned the script, based on a story by Reuben Leder.

Freeman will portray a veteran thief who recruits a younger crook, played by Banderas, to help him pull off one final job in order to repay his debt to the Russian mob.

Film's co-financed by Nu Image/Millennium and First Look Studios. Nu Image/Millennium's upcoming slate includes "John Rambo," directed by and starring Sylvester Stallone, and Robert De Niro-Al Pacino starrer "Righteous Kill ," directed by Jon Avnet.

Other than the occasional Shrek flick Banderas really hasn't made that much of a splash of late. It's nice to see that someone as talented as Freeman is keeping busy....

Game Winners

Disney's Game Plan to defeat The Kingdom worked like a charm as the family film easily took the top spot over the weekend.

Brandon Gray of Box Office Mojo:

Family comedy The Game Plan scored an estimated $22.7 million over the weekend, beating out action movie The Kingdom…

The Rock And Madison Pettis

Pamela McClintock of Variety:

Disney had the winning game at the weekend box office, with family laffer "The Game Plan" easily grabbing the keys to the castle from Universal's Middle Eastern geopolitical drama "The Kingdom."

"Game Plan," toplining Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and sporting a kid-friendly PG rating, exceeded expectations in grossing an estimated $22.7 million from 3,103 runs.

Director Peter Berg's R-rated "Kingdom" grossed an estimated $17.7 million from 2,793 runs. Film stars Jaime Foxx, Chris Cooper, Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman.

Two pics got off to a close race on Friday, but all bets were off as "Game Plan" saw a whopping 63% jump from Friday to Saturday, compared to a 16% bump for "Kingdom."

Weekend's other wide opening, MGM-Lakeshore's "The Feast of Love," struggled to cook up an aud, grossing an estimated $1.7 million from 1,200 runs. Pic couldn't crack the top 10, coming in No. 11.

On the specialty side, comedy also ruled, with Fox Searchlight and Wes Anderson's "The Darjeeling Limited" nabbing the highest per-screen average of the year at $70,000. Pic, starring Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman and Adrien Brody, grossed $140,000 from two runs in Gotham on Saturday and Sunday after opening the New York Film Festival on Friday.

But there also was plenty of interest in Ang Lee and Focus Features' erotic period pic "Lust, Caution," which grossed an estimated $61,688 from an exclusive run in Gotham. Film, rated NC-17, nabbed one of the best per screen averages ever for an exclusive opening, as well as for a foreign language film...

You can read the complete article by clicking here...

Joshua Rich of Entertainment Weekly:

The Rock's turn as a father-out-of-water helps the family-friendly comedy win out over the mostly-R-rated competition...

Two more reasons to celebrate:

--20 years ago this week, Star Trek: The Next Generation premiered in syndication, lasting 7 seasons--178 episodes--and spawning 4 feature films...



Taking you back to the to the first mission:





--You Gotta Believe! Congratulations to the Philadelphia Phillies on winning the NL East Divisional Title!! Good Luck In The Baseball Playoffs!!!!