Penguin Piper

Mark Waters ("Freaky Friday," "Mean Girls") is circling a film adaptation of Richard & Florence Atwater's beloved tale "Mr. Popper's Penguins says Variety.

The book follows Mr. Popper, a house painter whose dreams of Arctic exploration prompt him to write letters to real explorers. One of them sends him a penguin, which he keeps in the icebox.

Before he knows it, the painter has a litter of twelve beaked birds. They eat voraciously, leading him to form Popper's Performing Penguins, a stage act that goes on tour and creates mayhem at every stop.

Sean Anders and John Morris, ("Sex Drive") are writing the script adaptation.

John Davis is producing the pic

Greenberg writer/director Noah Baumbach and star Ben Stiller were previously considering re-teaming for the project but are no longer involved. Instead, Jim Carrey, Jack Black and Owen Wilson are all said to be keen on doing the pic.

Swing Batta Batta

Major League writer/director David S. Ward tells Moviehole that a new film based on the hit 1989 baseball comedy is in the works, one that could reunite the original cast.

"... It's 20 years later, and Wild Thing comes out of retirement to work with this 19-year-old player. We've actually got three new characters in the new film. And if the new film is popular, they could carry the franchise on" says Ward.

Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen Corbin Bernsen and Wesley Snipes starred in the original.

Ward admits Sheen is the only one he's spoken to so far about returning - "He's excited to do it if and when it happens. But he can't shoot it this year, because he's back doing Two and a Half Men but we could potentially shoot it next year - in his hiatus from the show".

All for it as long as we can forget Major League II and Major League: Back to the Minors ever existed

--The first film was a home run--the next 2 not so much....

Oscar Fodder

Deadline reports that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has apparently discussed the possibility of moving up the 2011 Oscars a full month so they would take place at the end of January - putting it only a week or two after the Golden Globe Awards

Most recentoy the ceremoney has been held in late February.

A statement Wednesday by the academy said the earliest any date change could take effect would be for the Oscars in 2012. A firm date of Feb. 27 already has been set for next year’s 83rd Oscars.

“The date for the next Oscar telecast, the 83rd, has already been announced and is firm: February 27, 2011,” said Leslie Ungar, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences said Wednesday.

Ungar said that no decision’s been made

If a date change were to happen in 2012 then the move would notably condense awards campaign time, force studios to issue DVD screeners earlier than planned, and would likely alter studio release plans so many Oscar-fare films normally released in December would then open earlier in the Fall.

The story came a few hours after the announcement of movie producer Bruce Cohen, and TV producer Don Mischer as the show runners for the next Oscars ceremony, replacing Adam Shankman and Bill Mechanic's whose critically-slammed ceremony last year did manage a rare ratings.uptick

The team will begin discussing potential hosts for the show next week... And yes Betty White already been mentioned by somebody I'm sure...

Table Read

David Cronenberg is attached to direct a film adaptation of Jonathan Lethem's 1997 novel "As She Climbed Across the Table"says Pajiba.

The sci-fi satire follows a sociologist named Philip Engstrand who is romantically obsessed with particle physicist Alice Coombs. Alice meanwhile is obsessed with her work, or rather 'The Lack' - an artificially-created miniature black hole inside her laboratory that appears to have its own personality and intelligence.

Philip becomes jealous of Alice and the Lack's relationship and his curiosity leads him to explore the pocket universes inside The Lack.

"Schindler's List" screen writer Steven Zaillian will produce the film

Cronenberg's schedule is pretty packed and so where he fits Table in is anyone's guess The helmer is currently at work on "A Dangerous Method" and recently talked about doing a Eastern Promises Sequel . He was also linked to film adaptations of "Cosmopolis" and The Matarese Circle until both projects got put on hold last year

Front Lines

With his Harry Potter obligation now completed star Daniel Radcliffe has selected his first post-Potter feature - a new film adaptation of the Erich Maria Remarque classic 1929 novel "All Quiet on the Western Front" reports Variety

Radcliffe will play Paul Baumer, a young German infantryman fighting in the trenches of France during World War I

Lew Ayres played the role in the 1930 film adaptation which won the Best Picture Oscar that year.

Producer Ian Stokell told Variety, “Daniel brings a vulnerability and innocence to Paul. When we realized how much he loved the script we were really excited because we know he can tap into the delicate balance between intensity and believability that is critical for this demanding role.”

Lesley Paterson will co-produce

Radcliffe previously portrayed a World War I soldier in 2007 TV drama "My Boy Jack".

Filming kicks off in Spring 2012

Great Ape

Versatile actor John Lithgow and Freida Pinto have joined Rupert Wyatt's Planet of the Apes prequel, called (at least for now) Rise Of The Apes says The Hollywood Reporter

The film revolves around a scientist (James Franco) dealing with the aftermath of genetic experiments on apes and monkeys in San Francisco. Turns out the apes are starting to behave more and more human-like and start a revolution.

Lithgow will play Franco's on screen father while Pinto is signed on signed as primatologist Caroline.

Don Cheadle has yet to be officially cast in the pic

Amanda Silver and Rick Jaffa (Eye for an Eye, The Relic) wrote the screenplay

The production team have has hired Weta Digital to create fully CG apes.

Lithgow has done it all From his twisted turns in thrillers like Blow Out and Cliffhanger: He starred in the best segment of Twilight Zone: The Movie; dramas like the original Footloose and Terms of Endearment: Cult classics like The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension and of course comedy on TV's "3rd Rock from the Sun"

With casting like this I am a bit less worried about this one--just a bit..

The pic start shooting on the 5th of July. The release date has been set as June 24th, 2011.

There's A Good Director In There Somewhere

Bruce Willis, Gwyneth Paltrow and Bradley Cooper are "loosely attached" to star in an as yet untitled M. Night Shyamalan pic says Heat Vision.

No details are known about the project and studio suits have only been able to read the screenplay under the direct supervision of one of Shyamalan's assistants.

Shyamalan has "The Last Airbender"coming out July, the first movie he has directed that isn't based on his original material...

Whatever this secret pic is--I'm intrigued by the potential casting of the trio...Shyamalan is a talented guy--who I think is convinced that he has to shock his audience all the time..And with that he forces himself into a corner. Since Airbender took him away from that structure I hope he can revive his career...moving ahead. I know I have been a bit tough on him before---But I still want him to do well...

You can do it M Knight!

Prom Players

Friday Night Lights co-star Aimee Teegarden has snagged the lead; Yin Chang, Thomas McDonell, Danielle Campbell, Nolan Sotillo, Jared Kusnitz, Nicholas Braun, Ben Esler, (pictured) Kylie Bunbury and DeVaughn Nixon will join her in the high school comedy "Prom" says Variety.

The story follows a group of teens as they prepare for the big end-of-the-year dance and is said to be in the tone of the John Hughes' classic 80's teen angst comedies.

Disney hopes the $5-10 million film will be a franchise success like "High School Musical"

Joe Nussbaum directs from a script by Katie Wech.

Ted Griffin and Justin Springer will produce the pic.

If The Sunday Shoes Fit

Dancer Kenny Wormald will star as Ren McCormack in the remake Footloose says Deadline

First Zac Efron was gonna do it, then Chace Crawford and then Thomas Dekker...a virtual unknown Wormald joins Julianne Hough as Ariel, Dennis Quaid as Reverend Moore and Miles Teller is Willard.

Kevin Bacon and Lori Singer starred in the 1984 original, which told the story of a rebellious outsider who moves to a new town where music and dancing are banned and proceeds to shake everything up.

Craig Brewer calls action from Susannah Grant's script--which he reworked.

Craig Zadan and Neil Meron Brad Weston and Dylan Sellers will will produce the pic.

Jamal Sims will choreograph how Wormald will dance his way on the big screen.

"I can promise Footloose fans that I will be true to the spirit of the original film," Brewer states "But I still gotta put my own Southern grit into it and kick it into 2011. It's going to be a blast!"

The remake hits theaters in April 2011

Working With Whales

Kristen Bell is in negotiations to join "Whales" according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Based on the non-fiction book and set in 1988, the story follows a small-town news reporter (John Krasinski) and a Greenpeace volunteer (Drew Barrymore) who enlist the help of rival superpowers to save a trio of Gray Whales that were found trapped under the ice of the Arctic Circle

Bell will play a reporter from Los Angeles with her looks being her greatest asset.

Ken Kwapis is attached to direct

Jack Amiel and Michael Begler wrote the script

Steve Golin, Michael Sugar, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Liza Chasin will produce.

Production kicks off in the Fall

Buzzing About

Our first look at The Green Hornet film...

Michel Gondry's The Green Hornet is based on the 1960s television series. The film stars Seth Rogen as Britt Reid, Jay Chou as Kato and also stars Cameron Diaz, and Christoph Waltz

Reid is the son of LA’s most prominent and respected media magnate and perfectly happy to maintain a directionless existence on the party scene — until his father mysteriously dies, leaving Britt his vast media empire.

Striking an unlikely friendship with one of his father’s more industrious and inventive employees, Kato, they see their chance to do something meaningful for the first time in their lives: fight crime. But in order to do this, they decide to become criminals themselves — protecting the law by breaking it, Britt becomes the the Hornet as he and Kato hit the streets.

The action looks very cool but the tongue in cheek humor proved flat at least here and I am not sure if that's a good thing or not

The film comes to theaters January 14th, 2011

Something Strange

Even as we get our first look at Jason Momoa as the new Conan

Deadline reports that the remake's screenwriters Joshua Oppenheimer and Thomas Dean Donnelly (Sahara) have been hired to script the live-action feature film version of the comic Dr. Strange

Created in 1963 by Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko the character was a self-centered New York surgeon who lost his touch after a car accident. He became a wandering derelict and then found his way to a healer in the Himalayas. This is where he learned to tap into psychic powers to fight evil wizards and other evildoers.

Donnelly and Oppenheimer have been busy of late scripting another comic book based pic Dylan Dog: Dead of Night as well as Sheepish Airborn and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune

Glee-The Movie Trilogy

Cover your ears because a large portion of my family is about squeal with delight...

HollywoodLife.com reports that all the major cast of the hit TV series "Glee" are signed up to do as many as three potential films....

The site claims there's a three-film option clause in the contracts that the various actors signed prior to shooting the "Glee" Pilot

"[The actor] hereby grants [the studio] three exclusive, irrevocable options to engage [the actor] in up to, respectively, three feature length motion pictures"

While not confirmed the news isn't a big surprise given its ratings--Still a film adaptation is a long way off folks---with the cast locked in for at least two more full seasons.

I know I'm gonna get slaughtered for saying this by said family members...But my reaction is... meh...Never seen the show...

The Shire District

Peter Jackson wants Neill Blomkamp to take over the directing duties on The Hobbit: Part 1 and The Hobbit: Part 2 says TheOneRing

Since Guillermo del Toro's exit, various names have been mentioned (like shiver!! Brett Ratner) as candidates with Jackson himself indicating that if no-one else can be secured, he would take on the job.

His choice of Blomkamp though isn't a major surprise, the pair worked closely together on "District 9" that Blomkamp directed and Jackson produced.

The hiring would mean Jackson would likely have more creative control than if a more seasones director stepped in

"District 9" demonstrated the new filmmaker's strong talent and skill working within a budget. and given the money woes of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios that's a good thing

Oh Mandy!

24-year-old actress Amanda Bynes has announced that she is retiring from acting via her Twitter account,...

"If I don’t love something anymore I stop doing it. I don’t love acting anymore so I’ve stopped doing it"..

I know that she's been at this since she was young but to say goodbye at 24?

Liked her alongside Jennie Garth in the series What I like about you. and in the pic She's the Man

Bynes hasn’t been in a movie since Hairspray in 2007.

She added, “I’ve never written the movies & tv shows I’ve been a part of. I’ve only acted like the characters the producers or directors wanted me to play"

Her "last" film is this year's comedy Easy A

While I wish her well..I have a feeling she will be back acting before too much time passes...

This move is out of frustration over basically playing the same character over and over again

Boys Father

Anchorman director Adam McKay could very well direct a film adaptation of Garth Ennis' comic book The Boys' says Collider.

Although this possibilty has been rumored for some time--serious talks have begun

The comic is about a CIA squad, known informally as "the boys," whose job is to keep watch on the population of superheroes and, if necessary, intimidate or even eliminate them.

Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay (Æon Flux) will adapt the script

Neal H. Moritz will produce the pic.

A Nightmare on Elm Street remake director Samuel Bayer said a few months ago that he wanted to adapt the property, but the studio wants McKay.

Scary Moves

EW reports that both Anthony Anderson and Marielle Jaffe (Percy Jackson And The Lightning Thief).have joined Scream 4

Screenwriter Kevin Williamson reunites with director Wes Craven and franchise stars Neve Campbell Courteney Cox Arquette and David Arquette as they welcome aboard new potential victims of Ghostface Emma Roberts Lauren Graham Nico Tortorella Hayden Panettiere ("Heroes") Lake Bell and Rory Culkin.

In a bit of film irony Anderson starred in the "Scream" spoofs, "Scary Movie 3" and "Scary Movie 4" He more recently appeared in Transformers and "The Departed".

The pic starts shooting in Michigan at the end of this month--for release April 15, 2011.

RIP Ronald Neame (1911-2010)

The director of the best and first disaster film of the 1970's The Poseidon Adventure has died.

Ronald Neame passed away from complications due to a fall. He was 99.

His father, Elwin Neame, was a film director and his mother, Ivy Close, was a film star. During the 1920s Neame started working at the famous Elstree Studios. One of his first jobs was assistant cameraman for Alfred Hitchcock on Blackmail (1929), the first talking picture made in England.

He soon started getting films as a cinematographer and after working together on In Which We Serve, Neame and the great David Lean helped form a production company called Cineguild.

After a fall-out with Lean and the demise of the company in 1947, Neame turned to directing with Take My Life.

As a director he would prove quite versatile, doing many different genres like comedy The Promoter , Hopscotch, and First Monday in October , psychological dramas The Chalk Garden, the musical version of Scrooge, and the thriller The Odessa File.

A pioneer of British cinema but for me--it's The Poseidon Adventure--with Gene Hackman and Ernest Borgnine squaring off on a capsized ocean liner that holds a special place for me...

Variety has more on Neame

Toys of Joy

Toy Story 3 gave the summer box office the jolt it so desperately needed--Breaking records all the while...

Poor Jonah Hex didn't even crack the top 5...!!

Just where did he land?



Gregg Kilday of 'THR

Like kids ripping the wrapping paper off of a present, moviegoers rushed to Disney's "Toy Story 3" this weekend as Pixar's newest hit rang up an estimated $109 million.

Playing in 4,028 theaters, the further animated adventures of Woody, Buzz and the gang, this time in 3-D, posted the best opening weekend for a Pixar movie ever, leap-frogging the $70.5 million that "The Incredibles" posted in 2004.

Its slightly-frontloaded Friday gross of $41 million was the top opening day for an animated movie, besting the $39.4 million that "Shrek the Third" rang up in 2007, although "Toy" stopped short of setting a new weekend opening record for an animated movie, which the third "Shrek" still holds with $121.6 million.

With 11 number one openings for its 11 movies, Pixar's track record remains unbroken. "That kind of streak is unbeatable," Chuck Viane, Disney domestic distribution president, said. "They're the greatest story-tellers around. (Director) Lee Unkrich found a way to take everyone's best friends, Woody and Buzz," and deliver the goods like crazy."

On the other hand, audiences treated "Jonah Hex" like the proverbial lump of coal.

The PG-13 rated DC Comics adaptation, produced by Warners and Legendary and starring Josh Brolin as an avenging Civil War vet, took in just $5.1 million from 2,825 locations. That added up to a dismal eighth place debut.

Still, Hollywood appears to have snapped out of the boxoffice doldrums that becalmed ticket sales in May.

Even though families were flocking to "Toy Story," Sony's "The Karate Kid" held on respectably in its second weekend. Falling 48%, it easily captured the second spot as it pulled in an additional $29 million and saw its domestic tally rise to $106 million after its first 10 days.

Fox's "The A-Team," muscling through its second weekend, fell just 46% as it captured $13.8 million as its domestic cume closed in on the $50 million mark.

All together, the weekend's top 10 movies corralled $179.2 million, up 28% from the $139.8 million that the top 10 amassed during the comparable weekend last year when "The Proposal" was the number one film with an opening weekend of $33.6 million.

Nicole Sperling of EW

Toy Story breaks records; 'Jonah Hex' lands in eighth place...

Next Up: Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz reunite for the action comedy Knight and Day; While Adam Sandler, Kevin James, and Chris Rock try to act like Grown Ups

Adventures In Filmmaking

When I made my film 10 years ago--I coined the term "film making on the fly" to describe the experience to everyone who asked me what it was like...

Following up on yesterday's post about the indie thriller The Pendant.

Mary Phelps (Kristy Richman) a tax assessor that is assigned to evaluate the property of a hotel that has become delinquent on paying their taxes.

When the hotel owner is unavailable at the time of her arrival she is forced to spend the night at the hotel. Amidst dealing with personal issues with ex boyfriend (Mike Marino) and the strange occurrences throughout the night she is forced to find her inner self.

Here now is my first exclusive chat with the film's Director Jason Mayer and Writer Deven Lobascio...

And let's just say it brought back a lot memories for me Maybe someday I will tell you all the full story of my experience--- but for now...

How did the film come about?

Jay : I was asked to direct this comedy script that took place in a hotel. Then the genre changed from a comedy to a giallo style type movie. Got the re-write back and I just wasn't into it. But I was really triggered to do a thriller movie that takes place in a hotel. So I rang up Deven and threw him an idea. We hung up the phone and about an hour later there was a story that was really good and we just kept bouncing ideas off of each other.†

Deven: I remember getting a call from Jason and he asked for me to come up with a story that takes place in a hotel. It took me about only a hour to come up with a solid idea. This was my first time to get a chance to make a feature length film so I had my mind working harder than ever.

Tell us about your main character.

Jay : Mary Phelps is played by Kristy Richman and she did an amazing job. There were a few other actresses I had in mind but they didn't really have the look I was going for. Kristy came in and took the dialogue scenes to a whole different level but so did the other actors who had the long dialogue scenes. There's 3 pretty big dialogue scenes in this movie. I was always worried they wouldn't turn out right because of how long they were. One scene is about 5 minutes long of talk. The next one is 10 min long. And after that about 8 minutes long. When I showed a†rough cut†of the movie to a friend he was just blown away by the chemistry Kristy had with the other actors. I was really happy about that.

Deven: When I was writing scenes that contained the character of Mary Phelps I remember wanting an actress that had a very distinct look and was able to draw attention to the character and be able to hold long dialogue scenes. Once I saw Kristy I knew almost immediately that she was a perfect fit. She is able hold a scene of any kind and makes people want more of not only her but what is on screen as well. I believe is her work and she is a pleasure to have on set. I have full confidence in her acting and she will have a promising career in this industry

What was it like on the set? Best and worst time?

Jay : It was tiring, aggravating, fun. We spent almost 2 months in a hotel working from†9pm†to about 5am. Not the best of hours to be shooting a film. But it was so aggravating at times because it's a†low budget†movie. We had to do everything ourselves. Kristy was the make up person. Deven was the sound guy. I was doing grips, directing, filming all at once. I wish someone had a video of me pushing the dolly with my stomach while filming. It was just real guerrilla style filmmaking. Look up penny-pitching in the dictionary...The Pendant should pop up. But all in all it was absolutely fun. Doing something that makes you happy, no matter how much it p***es you off, it's always still fun.

Post production? Best and worst?

Jay : The money aspect of everything. Everything costs a fortune that we can't afford. We're hoping people wanna do it for a low pay and get deferred payment. But that's always hard cause it's not a guarantee the movie will get picked up. So far it's going good though. I edited the movie and i always trim it up. This week I'll have a locked picture. I'm really excited to see this movie with the†sound design†and music. When Deven and I got the official trailer back with music...we were floored. Music and sound are going to make this movie. It's such a sound fx driven flick.

And the reaction of family and friends when you told them you were making a movie

Jay : My family is proud and happy. I can't get accepted to school for my life. I just got a fafsa†letter in the mail†asking more and more questions that I can't give them. I don't get it. My Dad would be proud I know that. I'm pretty sure though there is family members like...yeah, wake up.

Deven: At first I thought my parents and family would not be very supportive of what I am chasing. But they realized that this is what I want to do and they realize there is something special. Writing movies has been a dream of mine for years and once Jason gave me my first chance I was all over it and I wont stop until I get where I want to be.

Favorite Filmmaker other influences Least Favorite?

Jay : I've got a list of em. Kevin Smith, Paul Thomas Anderson,†Robert Rodriguez,†Quentin Tarantino,†Edgar Wright,†Adam Green. I don't have a problem with any filmmakers. It's all opinion and no one will ever will the argument. Only thing I have a problem with are all these remakes. It's a shame cause 98% of them aren't good. The fans will always complain but they still go out and buy the†movie ticket†so they'll keep remaking them. I saw that they're going to remake†Monster†Squad...seriously?! The day they remake†Star Wars†I'll cry.

Me: LOL! Nothing is sacred!!!

We talked about the industry What's your take on current film trends (like 3-D)?

Jay : I think I jumped ahead in the last question. 3-D isn't bad but it's just an attempt to save the industry. It's working, good. Wonder what The Pendant would look like in 3-D...a sledgehammer coming down on a theater...could be cool. But Avatar was amazing in 3-D but I haven't seen a movie in 3-D where something reaches out and grabs me.†Spy Kids†3-D though, I remember Stallone's hand coming right in my face, that was cool.

What kind of posts can we expect when you guys write for me here on The Last Reel

Jay : Updates! Trying to keep people in touch with the movie as much as possible. Trying to build a a fan base.

Thanks Guys! We will talk again soon...and of course good luck...