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Mid-Week Movie News Wrap Up – April 17, 2009

Niall Browne — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:11:13 +0000

In this Weeks spell check busting installment: Matthew McConaughey is an Exchange Student; Heffalump writer Spiliotopoulos will write Bekmambetov’s Wanted 2 – will Angelina Jolie be involved? Megan Fox is Crossing over; John Carter of Mars is Chabon and which one of the Watchmen has Morning Glory for Star Trek’s Abram?

1. Matthew McConaughey’s production company J.K. Livin is producing a comedy called Exchange Student. According to The Hollywood Reporter:

“The story revolves around two exchange students, one who ships out from the U.S. and one who comes in, who experience new environments in very different ways: One has the time of his life, the other goes off the rails. The tenor of the project is described as a family comedy with wry overtones a la Wes Anderson.”

Mike Vukadinovich will write a script from the idea that originated with “Bongos” McConaughey, who may also take a role in the film.

The Sahara star will next be seen in Ghosts of Girlfriends Past opposite Jennifer Garner.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

2. Evan Spiliotopoulos will write the sequel to last years surprise smash Wanted.
The writer who previously wrote Pooh’s Heffalump Movie will take over writing duties from Michael Brandt and Derek Haas and Chris Morgan.

The Timur Bekmambetov directed film was based on a comic by Mark Millar and J.G. Jones.

The main question is will Angelina Jolie be written into the script or will it focus on James McAvoy’s blossoming hitman career?

I’d expect every effort be made to have Jolie return – but they might just have another actress star opposite McAvoy.

Megan Fox anyone?

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

3. Speaking of Megan Fox, the actress will take the lead role in The Crossing.

“(In the film) a couple returning from a Mexican vacation is carjacked and the husband kidnapped. The wife (Fox) must smuggle heroin across the border in order to spring him.”

No director is yet attached to the Screen Gems production, but several directors have met with the producers. If one is hired soon then the film might start shooting by July.

Megan Fox has a busy year ahead with Passion Plays with Mickey Rourke; Josh Brolin’s Jonah Hex and Fathom all on the way.

She’ll next be seen in low budget art house drama Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

4. Screenwriter and Novelist Michael Chabon is doing a rewrite on John Carter of Mars for Disney.
Chabon said:

“I’ve been hired to do some revisions to an already strong script by Andrew Stanton and Mark Andrews. I wrote my original screenplay The Martian Agent back in 1995 because I wished I could do (Edgar Rice) Burroughs’s Barsoom. So this is pretty much a dream come true for me.”

Andrew Stanton is slated to direct the film which could be released in 2012.

Source: Sugarbombs.com

5. Watchmen star Patrick Wilson has joined the cast of Morning Glory. Wilson will join the stellar line-up of Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams and Jeff Goldblum in the J.J Abrams produced comedy.

Morning Glory is the story of two warring television anchors (Ford and Keaton) who host a morning television show. McAdams is the producer brought in to try and sooth them and boost ratings. Wilson will play her romantic interest.

The Roger Michell directed comedy will start shooting in New York next month.

Abrams’ Star Trek opens on May 8th.

Source: Variety

That’s it for now. See you at the movies!

Megan Fox Plays Passion For Mickey Rourke

Niall Browne — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:26:16 +0000

With Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen getting ready for release, the Diablo Cody penned Jennifer’s Body already in the can and Jonah Hex and Fathom on the way, it looks like Megan Fox is getting ready to take over cinema screens across the globe.

The actress has now signed on to star opposite Mickey Rourke in Passion Plays, a 1940’s set dramatic thriller. The Transformers star’s character is described as “a slender beauty with wings who is part of a carnival.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter:

“Rourke will play a down-on-his-heels trumpet player, and Fox will play an angel in 1950s Los Angeles, with Rourke finding redemption in Fox after he attempts to save her from a gangster. Those familiar with the project describe it as a dramatic but heartwarming tale.”

Heartwarming and redemption? Period setting? Does anybody else think that this will get Mickey Rourke another Oscar nomination?

Passion Plays sounds like an interesting film with a period setting that can only add to the intriguing premise . Rourke does redemption with aplomb – one only has to watch The Wrestler and even Sin City to see this but will Fox be able to match the Iron Man 2 star’s intensity?

It’s doubtful – Fox is hardly known for her acting talent, but I’m sure her attachment wont harm the film getting funding or getting bums on seats for that matter.

Passion Plays will be directed by screenwriter Mitch Glazer.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

Weekend Movie News Wrap Up: March 15, 2009

Niall Browne — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 01:41:28 +0000

This Week:

We watch the Watchmen’s grosses; Ben Stiller leaves family comedy behind with Greenberg; Brendan Fraser returns to The Center Of The Earth; Vance joins Fraser and Harrison Ford in Crowley; Mickey Rourke has Passion and The Strangers become familiar.

Box Office

Dwayne Johnson’s Race To Witch Mountain captured the top spot with an estimated weekend gross of $25 million. There was once a time that people thought that “The Rock” was going to inherit Arnold Schwarzenegger’s action throne – not it appears that he’s the new family Eddie Murphy.

It looks like people aren’t watching the Watchmen – with a drop off of 67% showing that the film does not have legs. With a weekend of $18 million and a total take of $86 million far from a financial disaster, the film must be classed as an underachiever. Having said that – it’s a miracle that the film was ever made at all.

The Last House On The Left remake managed an opening of $14 million. Not bad for a horror remake that has very little name recognition, but poor considering horror openings of recent months.

Taken banked another $6 million giving the film an amazing $126 million total. With a sequel on the way it looks like this is a film that audiences really love.

Madea Goes To Jail managed another $5 million giving the Tyler Perry flick $83 million in the bank.

Slumdog Millionaire continues to connect with audiences grossing another $5 million. So far the film has banked $132 million and with DVD imminent, the film will be very, very profitable.

Speaking of profitable – Paul Blart: Mall Cop arrested another $3 million bringing its total to $137 million.

The top ten was rounded out by He’s Just Not That In To You, Coraline and Miss March all making $2 million plus over the weekend.

Movie News

1. Noah Baumbach will direct Ben Stiller in the “dramedy” Greenberg. Rhys Ifans, Brie Larson and Juno Temple will co-star in the film.

According to Variety:

“Penned by Baumbach, story centers on a New Yorker (Stiller) who moves to Los Angeles to housesit for his brother and figure out his life. He ends up having a relationship with his brother’s assistant.”

It sounds like Stiller is returning to his low budget roots. At least it’s not set in a museum!

Source: Variety

2. Brendan Fraser will star in a sequel to last years surprise hit Journey To The Center Of The Earth.

According to Variety:

“The sequel’s based on Richard Outten’s script Mysterious Travels: The Lost Map of Treasure Island, in which Prof. Trevor Anderson and his nephew embark on a journey to a mysterious island that was the subject of three classic novels (Jules Verne’s Mysterious Island, Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island and Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels).”

Talk about pillaging classic literature.

Journey To The Center Of The Earth cost $60 million to make and grossed $241 million world wide. Do you see the financial sense?

Source: Variety

3. Speaking of Brendan Fraser – Courtney B. Vance will join The Mummy star and Harrison Ford in Crowley.

According to The Hollywood Reporter:

“Vance will play a father whose daughter has the same genetic disease as the children of Fraser’s character.”

4. Mickey Rourke is a very busy man. Having signed on to Iron Man 2, The Expendables and Broken Horses he has now attached himself to Passion Plays.

The drama film will be written and directed by Mitch Glazer, the writer behind Scrooged and The Recruit. The plot is being kept secret.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

5. Horror movies need sequels. It’s almost an unwritten rule.

Laurent Briet is now in talks to direct a sequel to Rogue Pictures surprise hit The Strangers .

The low budget horror starred Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman cost $9 million and grossed $81 million worldwide.

Expect a remake in 10 years.

Source: Bloody Disgusting

That’s it for now. See you at the movies.