Disney Also Scraps Wild Hogs 2 Plans

Source:Variety

December 17, 2009

Variety reports that Wild Hogs 2: Bachelor Ride is the third high-profile that Disney has scrapped since Rich Ross took over at the studio, joining Captain Nemo: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Wedding Banned on the halted list.

The trade says the sequel was targeting a production start next summer, with Walt Becker back as director, and John Travolta, Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence and William H. Macy reprising their roles.

Original screenwriter Brad Copeland had written the sequel script, and new writers were in the process of being hired. That ended this week, when word came down that the picture wasn't going to get made.


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Frank Miller Talks 300 Follow-Up

Source:Los Angeles Times

December 15, 2009

The Los Angeles Times received an update from Frank Miller about his follow-up to 300, which earned $456 million in theaters worldwide.

Miller says the new project, now titled Xerxes, begins about 10 years before the events of 300, and Zack Snyder has expressed interest in it as a film property as well. "It's the battle of Marathon through my lens," Miller said. "I've finished the plot and I'm getting started on the artwork."

Miller said that during his research trips to Greece he realized that the myth and history overlap begins to blur, which adds to the storytelling allure. "The fact and the myth are inseparable and, believe me, when you go sailing for a while in the Aegean Sea, you start believing in Poseidon."


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The Hangover You Won't Soon Forget

Source:Jeff Rago

December 14, 2009

With over $275 million dollars in domestic grosses, The Hangover has now surpassed Wedding Crashers as the #1 R-rated comedy of all time. Vince Vaughn and director David Dobkin each sent "Hangover" director Todd Phillips a bottle of champagne to congratulate him on this distinctive honor.

"It is surreal," Phillips told ComingSoon.net at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. Warner Home Video is set to release last summer's smash hit on Blu-ray Disc as well as a Single-Disc Cut and 2-Disc Special Edition DVD on December 15. "The Hangover: Unrated Cut" promises more content and even more photos from the lost camera to help you piece together the events from that infamous night.

Actor Rob Riggle, who plays taser-happy Officer Franklin, thought the film was funny while doing it but could not have predicted its success. He credits this to Phillips' casting of Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis. "I think that's why it worked. Their performances, their comedic genius and talents. It all just kind of came together."

Phillips agrees: "Movies in general, comedies especially, are so much about casting. I take that part of it the most seriously because comedy's about chemistry and chemistry comes from casting. So, it all really stems from casting. That's the part I really spend the most time on."

Actress Rachael Harris' portrayal of caustic, abrasive Melissa is an example of just one of Phillips' many brilliant casting decisions for this film. "It really was carefully crafted," says Harris. "They really worked on making all these characters very specific. I'm this castrating b*tch. Heather is the sweet-as-pie prostitute. Ed is a complete pushover. Phil got married and got trapped. Wants to get out, wants to see something outside of his marriage. Then you've got Zach, who is a complete wing nut and represents the little boy or little girl in all of us. I think that because these characters are so specific is why it works."

Phillips showed up in Vegas fresh from wrapping his latest project Due Date, which stars Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis. "Zach's second movie and he's starring with Robert Downey Jr. We're all in awe of Zach… he's totally different (in 'Due Date') than he is in 'The Hangover.'"

His next task is to cut the 125 minutes of Due Date down to a respectable 100. "I always subscribe to: it should be 100 minutes. So, that's always around where it lands. I love editing. Editing you have to be ruthless on yourself. Sometimes you look at a scene, it took three days to shoot, it costs so much money, it was all these things. You have to forget all that when you're editing. This slows the movie down… bye. Or this isn't working… bye. It's time to get ruthless when you're editing. I love that part actually."

This love of editing is one reason Phillips is excited that The Hangover will be released on Blu-ray Disc in addition to the Single-Disc and 2-Disc Special Edition DVD. "As a filmmaker, it's amazing. The color balance, the color transfer. It's really subtle. That's exactly how we saw the film while we were editing on a perfect HD screen, perfect resolution. That's really what Blu-ray's done."

The Blu-ray Disc and 2-Disc Special Edition DVD versions are also loaded with special features including the "Gag Reel," "The Dan Band!" and Phillips' personal favorite, "The Madness of Ken Jeong." "Ken is just the craziest guy on the planet," Phillips says. "We let Ken do a 'free one' I call it. Let him just go off. 'The Madness of Ken Jeong' is sort of an uncut take of him just trying stuff. I think they cut some things out for legal reasons so if you see an edit don't worry it was purely legal because he said things you can't say. Other than that it was pretty much free form Ken Jeong stream of consciousness which is some of the weirdest stuff."

Justin Bartha, who plays groom-to-be Doug Billings, recalls being on set the day after "The Madness of Ken Jeong" was shot. "Literally this is a movie where so much crazy stuff happens and you have crew members in shock still. They were like, 'you won't believe what happened. I don't know if I can work on this movie any more.'"

"He offended everybody," Phillips adds laughing.

Heather Graham, who plays "hippy stripper" Jade, is really looking forward to seeing the bonus feature of the extra photos from the missing camera. "You're creating the back story of what they are trying to remember. In the script it didn't say well this happened and that happened so we would just make it up. We knew that Ed was pulling his tooth out but it didn't say in the script why he did it so while were shooting the movie Todd would just be like, 'if you have a good idea why Ed would pull his tooth out, tell me.' So everyone would just tell him ideas. Then one day someone said he just did it because he dared him that he wasn't a good enough dentist." Cut and print.

Fans will be getting a second helping of The Hangover when The Hangover 2 hits theaters Memorial Day Weekend 2011. Phillips is working on the script right now with plans to start shooting this summer, but don't expect these four guys to head back to Vegas. "I don't think it's necessarily going to tie as closely to this evening as maybe some people want or think," Phillips explains. "I think when you have created four really fun characters that have really good chemistry, you can take those guys and put them somewhere else and go through a new set of situations and circumstances and hopefully it's just as interesting. What's really ultimately appealing about 'The Hangover' is these four guys and their interaction. It's not even Vegas. It's not so much the device as it is the characters."

What? No Vegas? Can you let us know where it will take place? "I've been instructed by Warners not to," Phillips responds. "I think you'll be surprised by the setting and the circumstances of how they end up there."

If you can't wait until Memorial Day '11, you can get your The Hangover on December 15 and continue the celebration on New Year's Day with "National Hangover Day." Cure what ails you by logging on to NatlHangoverDay.com for all the details.


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Mel Gibson to Direct Leonardo DiCaprio

Source:Variety

December 13, 2009

Mel Gibson will direct Leonardo DiCaprio in an untitled period drama about Viking culture that will be written by William Monahan, reports Variety. Shooting is expected to begin in fall 2010.

The trade says that DiCaprio, who has long been fascinated by Viking culture, will play one in a storyline that will be as unsparing as Gibson's other period directing efforts, Braveheart, The Passion of The Christ and Apocalypto.

"This will be an awe-inspiring story, created with some of the industry's finest cinematic talent, and I am just over the moon to be making this film with Mel, Leo and Bill," producer Graham King said.


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Bryce Dallas Howard Joins Eastwood's Hereafter

Source:Variety

December 10, 2009

Bryce Dallas Howard will star opposite Matt Damon in Clint Eastwood's supernatural drama Hereafter for Warner Bros. Pictures, says Variety.

Hereafter tells the story of three people -- a blue-collar American, a French journalist and a London school boy — who are touched by death in different ways.

The project is produced by Eastwood, Kathleen Kennedy and Robert Lorenz. Steven Spielberg, Frank Marshall, Peter Morgan and Tim Moore are the executive producers.

Peter Morgan wrote the script for the film, which will shoot in Paris, London, Hawaii and San Francisco. The movie is scheduled for a December 2010 release.


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Howard on Spider-Man 4, Terminator and Twilight

Source:Perri Nemiroff

December 10, 2009

ComingSoon.net got a chance to talk to Bryce Dallas Howard at the press day for The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond where she was asked about possibly returning as Gwen Stacy in Spider-Man 4 and Kate Connor in another "Terminator" film, taking over the role of Victoria in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and her new script, The Originals.

Q: Will your character Gwen have a big role in "Spider-Man 4?"
Bryce Dallas Howard: Oh goodness! I don't know. I mean, it was really made clear to me when we all did "Spider-Man 3" that it was entirely possible that a character could come back or a character could not and this could be just a specific plotline to that film because there's so many stories in the comic book series and you want to pack as much in as possible so it's truly up to Sam, up to, you know, the writers and the people who have done such an amazing job protecting that franchise and choosing the best storylines for audiences and I'm a fan first. I had an incredible time working with them but more than anything what I want is for that franchise to just continue to kick butt and to really appease the really really really loyal fans, so, including myself.

Q: Have you been approached about the next film?
Howard: No, no. No, I haven't.

Q: Aw!
Howard: Oh no! But really, I mean, there's no disappointment because it's just, it's exciting. You know what I mean? It's exciting like what's happening with that franchise. I'm just so glad that there's going to be two more. You know, 'cause like, after the third that was the question and... or I guess during the third that was the question and after it came out it was pretty clear that, you know, people were really supportive of the franchise. So, I'm just really stoked that it's continuing on.

Q: McG announced his plans to make a fifth and sixth "Terminator" film. If that does happen, would you like to be involved again?
Howard: Oh yeah! I haven't signed anything that would obligate them to me or me to them or anything like that because it was... that film was made with a lot of humility, you know, it's like we'll do this one the best that we can and if people ask for more then they ask for me. But, it's an incredible group. We are all fiercely committed to the story, I mean, it's Terminator for goodness sakes. So, yeah, if that comes about I would, you know... and if I should be so lucky that they invite me back, I would be loathed to walk away from that.

Q: You take over the role of Victoria in the next "Twilight" movie, "Eclipse." Will you be involved after the completion of that film?
Howard: I don't want to give anything away, but there's – Victoria has a lifespan is what I'll say.

Q: What was your experience joining this cast that had already been together for two films?
Howard: I was really struck by what an incredible group of young people are in that franchise. Their friendships are so genuine and they really ground each other and there is a lot going on around them, you know, there's a lot of attention and a lot of scrutiny, but I'm truly moved by how solid they've remained and their values and their belief systems and their caring of one another throughout all of that and I think that with... you hope for that within a franchise. Part of the reason to come back together is to continue to tell a story but also to come back together because everyone genuinely enjoys working with one another. It was a really really really positive experience for that reason, other than, you know, set aside the fact that just I read the books and loved the books from the very beginning and these characters are extraordinary. It's such an absorbing story that I just felt very lucky that given the unfortunate circumstances surrounding it that I was just, you know, invited in. I hope that "Eclipse" continues this trend of being really reverent of what Stephenie created with the books.

Q: What advice would you have for an actor playing a role originated by another actor? There has been major backlash in your situation and most feel you've handled the situation very well.
Howard: Well, we'll see. Jury's still out in terms of the work because Rachelle [Lefevre] really created an incredible character and is exquisite and I feel like the uproar that occurred was really appropriate because part of the joy of seeing a franchise is seeing... it's almost like a television series, seeing the actors grow with the franchise. Her unavailability was really really really really unfortunate. So, I would just say, advice? Gosh, I mean, just to do your best and be like uber respectful, uber respectful because, you know, she won that role for a reason and I hope to honor everything that she created.

Q: What's the status of the screenplay you wrote, "The Originals"?
Howard: Well, it's still happening. I co-wrote it with Dane Charbeneau who's now my brother-in-law, he married my sister, and, yeah, we're still working away at it and we'll see. I mean, everyone in Hollywood has a screenplay. It takes a lot for something to get greenlit, especially in this day and age, but we'll just do our best.

Q: Will your father direct it?
Howard: I don't want to say no, but I could just say a solid, genuine I don't know. I mean, it's at Imagine, so that's always a possibility, but there's no kind of definitive answers.

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Is Josh Brolin the New Man in Black?

Source:Los Angeles Times

December 9, 2009

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Columbia Pictures is considering bringing on Josh Brolin for Men in Black 3.

Who he will play is not known:

He could play a new single-monikered government agent, with Tommy Lee Jones' Agent K passing the baton to Brolin's character. Or he could play Agent K as a young man. Or something else entirely.

Will Smith is expected to return for the third installment, written by Etan Cohen, but will Jones? Barry Sonnenfeld may also come back to direct.

Brolin's upcoming projects include Jonah Hex and Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps.


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