Ever since a live-action, 3D Yogi Bear movie was announced back in February this year, there hasn’t really been any movement on the news front regarding it. However, fast forward to now and we may have our main cast in the form of Dan Aykroyd, Anna Faris and Justin Timberlake.

Aykroyd is in negotiations to voice the titular character in Yogi Bear, with Faris set to play a nature documentarian who follows the antics of Yogi in the fictional Jellystone Park. Timberlake is also in talks to join the project, possibly playing Yogi’s sidekick, Boo-Boo. The film is being directed by Eric Brevig (Journey To The Center of the Earth), and produced by Donald De Line and Karen Rosenfelt as a live-action/CGI hybrid in the vein of Alvin and the Chipmunks and Garfield (aim high, why don’t you?).

What’s suspiciously absent from The Hollywood Reporter’s article is the fact that the movie was supposedly being developed for 3D. When it was announced earlier this year, that was one of the points of discussion, as it increasingly has become with this slew of 3D movies as of late. However, with this latest news 3D wasn’t mentioned – just live-action/CGI. So does that mean Yogi Bear will be regular ol’ 2D after all? Or will it still fall in line with what seems like every second movie these days and jump out at us in three-dimensions?

As I said back in February, I don’t think adapting Yogi Bear into a half-live-action feature film is the worst idea in the world, but it certainly has the potential to be real crap. More and more it’s (sadly) sounding like the project will be in the vein of the aforementioned Alvin and the Chipmunks and Garfield, the latter of which features Aykroyd’s Ghostbusters buddy, Bill Murray (didn’t Murray warn you Dan? ). If Yogi Bear can improve on those movies it’ll be a success… In a way…

Faris is a bit of a stale comedic actress, IMO, with only a couple of films of note in which she shines (Just Friends and Observe & Report). She recently lent her voice to a couple of other big-budget animated films, namely Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel. I’ve never seen why anyone puts Timberlake in movies – even when he’s tried to be serious and really go for it, he’s really paled in comparison to the talent around him (most notably in Black Snake Moan).

It’s just a voice Timberlake will be lending to Yogi Bear, but still, couldn’t they have gotten someone else? Will his name alone be enough to draw people? I think the target audience (read: kids) would see it regardless of who does the voices, so why not get a good, quality voice actor instead of going for a big (music star) name?

What do you think of the cast they’ve attached so far for the live-action/CGI Yogi Bear movie? Do you think they should adapt the classic cartoon to the big screen or leave it be?

Yogi Bear is hoped to start shooting this December, and has a planned release of sometime in 2011.

Source: THR

• 3D ‘Yogi Bear’ Movie On The Way
• Green Hornet & Tron Legacy Fight For Release Date
• ‘Marmaduke’ Coming To The Big Screen
• Dan Aykroyd Talks Ghostbusters 3
• Reitman “100% Attached” To Direct Ghostbusters 3
• Dan Aykroyd Gives Ghostbusters 3 Updates!

For those of you following the troubled development of Seth Rogen’s upcoming adaption of The Green Hornet, the movie was officially delayed five months from its original summer, 2010 scheduled release to December 17th. According to to the star of the movie, this was a very positive thing as it allowed for more time to finish post production and not rush the film.

Fortunately for moviegoers, the movie is now on the right track and has entered into production as of yesterday. Most of the film’s cast is now locked down with Tom Wilkinson and David Harbour representing the latest additions and we received official confirmations for  Cameron Diaz and Edward James Olmos having roles in the film.

Everything was looking on the up and up… until now. Disney’s moving in to fight for that same release date for their 3D movie, Tron Legacy. But that’s not all, there’s two other films scheduled for that holiday weekend as well…

For The Green Hornet, there’s still one more actor who’s in negotiations – Nicolas Cage, who will reportedly be playing the gangster villain of the film, giving the cast several bankable actors and starpower.

What’s interesting about The Green Hornet’s new release date is that Disney is seemingly moving up the Tron sequel to compete for this spot. The last we heard about the schedule for the Tron Legacy was at their San Diego Comic-Con panel where it was still thought to open sometime in 2011.

Both films are big budget projects that will pump out heavy marketing for themselves so something’s got to give or else they’ll split the holiday crowds.

That’s not all though – Also opening that weekend, the same weekend James Cameron’s Avatar opens this year, are The Smurfs and Yogi Bear, both of which are in 3D. That means the two family movies will have to share the limited amount of 3D-capable screens with Tron Legacy.

At least those two movies are targeted towards different demographics, but wow, that weekend sure will be busy…

Don’t be surprised of Tron Legacy shifts back to 2011.

Can that weekend support the opening of these four films or do you think one of them will move out?

As it stands, The Green Hornet, Tron Legacy, The Smurfs & Yogi Bear all open December 17, 2010.

• Nic Cage Passes On Green Hornet Villain Role
• The Green Hornet Delayed By 5 Months
• First Green Hornet Set Photos Reveal Kato & More!
• Green Hornet Production Start & Casting Additions
• Seth Rogen Explains The Green Hornet Villain
• ‘Yogi Bear’ Adds Aykroyd, Faris & Timberlake

The strip-mining of our childhoods continues with the classic cartoon character Yogi Bear getting a big-screen adaptation. Not counting the animated flick from the mid ’60s called Hey There, It’s Yogi Bear, this will see the character make his debut in a live-action film.

Now those dropped mouths and widened eyes can go back to normal as when I say live-action I mean in the same way as Alvin and the Chipmunks and Garfield were live-action – so Yogi (and other characters from the show) will be animated and the world around will be real.

And unsurprisingly, this cartoon-to-movie adaptation will join the over-brimming bandwagon and be developed as a 3D project. Journey to the Centre of the Earth director Eric Brevig is set to direct the Yogi Bear movie, which is unsurprising since Journey (also a 3D movie) made Warner and Walden $230 million last summer.

Joshua Sternin and Jeffrey Ventimilia who both were executive producers on That’s 70’s Show, are writing the screenplay together for the film, which “will offer a new take on the half-century-old title character and his sidekick Boo Boo, who get into a series of misadventures in Jellystone Park.”

I can’t say I remember the Yogi Bear cartoon show all that clearly – I know I definitely watched it when I was younger (didn’t we all?) but I can’t recall specifics. However using what I can remember about it I honestly think it’s not the worst idea in the world to translate it to the big-screen.

However…

I think combining live-action with CG in the vein of Alvin and the Chipmunks is a flat out bad idea – I say just make it completely animated and do it in the style of Bolt and Kung Fu Panda. Sure, have it in 3D but I don’t see the direction they’re going with it working all that well with the popular technology.

Even though it may not be the worst idea in the world, I also can readily admit there is high potential for a real stinker here – after all following in the footsteps of Alvin and the Chipmunks and Garfield doesn’t exactly inspire positivity.

So is a half live-action, half CGI (and 3D) Yogi Bear movie a good idea? Or should they leave this character on the small and completely animated screen altogether?

The Yogi Bear movie is hoped for a 2011 release.

Sources: Cinematical and The Hollywood Reporter

• ‘Yogi Bear’ Adds Aykroyd, Faris & Timberlake
• ‘Marmaduke’ Coming To The Big Screen
• Green Hornet & Tron Legacy Fight For Release Date
• ‘Hong Kong Phooey’ Heading To The Big Screen
• Paramount Bringing ‘Rats of NIMH’ Back to the Big Screen
• Robert Rodriguez To Film Jetsons Movie Next Year?

Welcome to another news filled edition of the Weekend Movie News Wrap Up.

This week:

We check out the weekend box office; Steven Seagal ponders Under Seige 3, Men In Black 3 is a possible threat; Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro Paint Houses; Yogi Bear is coming to a cinema near you; we hear how long Watchmen runs and has Nolan signed for Batman 3?

Box Office

Shame on you America. Beverly Hills Chihuahua should bark up around $30 million over the weekend. I think the less I say about it the better.

Meanwhile, Shia LeBoeuf‘s Eagle Eye should rake in another $17-$18 million on it’s second weekend. The Richard Gere / Diane Lane rom-dram Nights In Rodanthe tumbled 50% from last weekend. The comedy Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist should bank about $15 million, while the Ed Harris directed western Appaloosa should shoot up around $5 million by Monday. You could say that it’s an Appa-winna! How To Lose Friends And Alienate People did just that by stiffing on its opening with a weekend take of less than $1.5 million. Ouch.

Movie News

1. Steven Seagal is pondering a return to the Under Siege franchise. Come on, you can’t blame him – everyone is returning to old action franchises these days. The ponytailed one told MTV:

“There are offers and we’re looking at them. I personally want it to be something more modern. In other words, I wouldn’t mind if it was about something more mystical or…maybe extraterrestrial in nature. Some real government top secrets instead of just the typical.”

You know what? I’m up for that.

Source: MTV

2. Nobody’s childhood is safe. Joshua Sternin and Jeffrey Ventimilia will be penning a film version of Yogi Bear. Ash Brannon will direct the CGI and live action hybrid. Nooooooooooooo!

Well if Beverly Hills Chihuahua can do $30 million….

Source: Variety

3. Here come the Men In Black…again. Word on the street is that Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are eager to suit up for a third alien busting adventure.

Does Will Smith have any artistic integrity left?

Tommy, you were so good in No Country For Old Men, why make this?

Source: Moviehole

4. Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro will re-team for I Heard You Paint Houses. Don’t worry the film isn’t a decorating drama.

According to Variety:

“(The) Pic’s title refers to mob slang for contract killings, and the resulting blood splatter on walls and floors. Book was written by Charles Brandt, who befriended Sheeran shortly before the latter’s death in 2003. Among the crimes Sheeran confessed to Brandt, according to the 2004 book, was the killing and dismemberment of Hoffa, carried out on orders from mob boss Russell Bufalino.”

Sounds like it was made for the duo. It must be the 100^th film that Marty is now slated to direct.

Will it ever happen?

Source: Variety

5. Cinema Blend reckon that Chris Nolan has signed for Batman 3. The site is using Production Weekly as a source, which states that the film is going to go into pre-production in February, with Nolan slated to return along with Christian Bale, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, and Gary Oldman.

It’s all possible. However, isn’t this news just saying that Warners will start thinking about the film in February?

We’ll find out at some point.

Source: Cinema Blend

6. I was watching Film 2008 with Jonathan Ross this morning, and the presenter interviewed Matthew Goode who is playing Ozymandias in Watchmen. The actor said that the running time currently stands at around three hours and twenty five minutes, but Warners want it to be cut down to around the three hour mark.

Well length didn’t harm The Dark Knight.

That’s it for another week. See You at the movies.

• ‘Yogi Bear’ Adds Aykroyd, Faris & Timberlake
• 3D ‘Yogi Bear’ Movie On The Way
• Live-Action ‘Where’s Waldo?’ Film Headed to Theaters
• Beverly Hills Cop IV ‘A Huge Priority’ For Paramount
• Robert Rodriguez’s ‘Machete’ May Have Its Cast
• Men In Black 3 In Development!