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April 20, 2001

Well, yes and no.  Adam Sandler and Julia Roberts are looking to co-produce the upcoming, based-on-a-true-story film, tentatively titled NIAGARA, for which the studio is in talks with Sandra Bullock to star.  The film will be based on an article by Suzi Parker entitled, "Genie in a Bottle:  The Sex Drink That's Rocking Little Rock." The article deals with a herbal drink out of Little Rock, Arkansas, that's being billed as a female Viagara that can make a woman "feel relaxed and tingly in the right places."  The film would be backed by the newly formed Revolution Studios (TOMCATS).
                                              

April 20, 2001

I file this in the "I'll believe it when I see it" column.  Movie Headlines is reporting, by way of site Ananova, that Jim Carrey and Kevin Spacey are set to star in a movie called THE FOOL ON THE HILL about "a radio station that broadcasts from a mental hospital." While I'm as excited as the next guy about a possible Spacey/Carrey team-up, something just sounds fishy here. Wouldn't we have heard something about this before now?  What's probably happening is that there's a script somewhere and someone made an off-the-cuff remark like, "Yeah, we'd like to get Jim Carrey and Kevin Spacey..." and that got turned into this. I won't hold my breath for this one.
                                        

April 20, 2001

Here's another story I don't completely trust, but I'll throw it out there for everyone to debate.  Brad Pitt and Olivia Williams (RUSHMORE, THE SIXTH SENSE) have been lined up to remake THE GAMBLER. Not the Kenny Rogers version but the film version based on the semi-autobiographical Dostoevsky novel about a writer who's a compulsive gambler. The script was written by Jeremy Leven (DON JUAN DE MARCO) and Pitt would play the role of the novelist that has lost it all to the dismay of his fiancee (Williams).  Alan Howard and Alan Rickman are also purported to be in the cast. Why don't I trust this story? Same reason as I don't trust the Carrey/Spacey team-up.  Plus it came from the same site, Ananova, which can be less that trustworthy.
                                              

April 20, 2001

Peter Stormare (FARGO) has spoken out about his role in the Spielberg/Cruise collaboration MINORITY REPORT.  He told a Swedish newspaper, "I have only been allowed to read my part, It's a secret project." Gee, thanks Pete.  Luckily, CA managed to get some information from a scooper who elaborates.  "He [Stormare] will play a doctor, who's been previously arrested by Tom Cruise's character, and who is now performing an eye operation on the Cruiser."  Another Coming Attractions scooper added a report that a special effects studio is currently working on an updated version of the jet-packs seen in THE ROCKETEER for this movie. I don't know about you, but I'm really glad Spielberg has returned to some good old-fashioned science fiction.  This one should be a blast.

April 20, 2001

The long dead SUPERMAN LIVES project looks to be gaining some life as the dubba-dubba-WB has signed Paul Attanasio (THE SUM OF ALL FEARS) to pen his own version of the script.  There is no word on whether he'll be using any of the material from the tons of previous scripts that were written (most notably by Kevin Smith), but don't count on it.  If Warners had liked any of those scripts in the first place they would've hired a script doctor instead of having it re-written a hundred times.  Just please, no Nic Cage as Supes.  Please. I'm begging you.

April 20, 2001

Source: Joey Baloney

• The second trailer for Tim Burton's PLANET OF THE APES debuts online tonight (Friday) at 7:30pm PST over at the official site
• Jersey Films (PULP FICTION) has bought the rights to a film version of the lives of Orville and Wilbur Wright.  Read more about this film here
• The nominations for the World Stunt Awards (hmm, too many award shows?), to be broadcast June 16th on ABC, have been announced and you can read how CHARLIE'S ANGELS cleaned up, here

April 19, 2001

A new scooper to the world of JoBlo, 'Larry Bagina' (who is my new favorite person in the world), was so so so kind to send in these shots from the set of SPIDER-MAN currently filming in New York City. Here we see Kirsten Dunst, alone as Mary Jane and then Kirsten and Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker. These are great quality, close-up shots and I can't thank Larry enough for them. Check them out below and enjoy!

Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane
< Click on pic for bigger version >

Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane
Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker
< Click on pics for bigger version >
                                               

April 19, 2001

In an interesting little piece of counter-programming, Sony has moved its Julia Roberts, summer, romantic-comedy, AMERICA'S SWEETHEARTS to July 20th, the opening day of the big-budget, action flick, JURASSIC PARK 3.  Executives say the main reason for the move was that the film simply could not have been finished in time for its original July 4th release date.  If you'll remember, Roberts once before lined up against a heavy-hitter when her NOTTING HILL opened up with a respectable $27 million against THE PHANTOM MENACE's fanboy-based audience.  It should be interesting to see how this one pans out (much like last summer's PERFECT STORM vs. THE PATRIOT).
                                              

April 19, 2001

The soundtrack for TOMB RAIDER looks to be shaping up nicely with the addition of a few top-notch musical acts signing to contribute original songs.  So far U2, Nine Inch Nails, the Chemical Brothers, Outkast, Fatboy Slim, Missy Elliott with Nelly Furtado, and Groove Armada have all recorded songs for the film's soundtrack, which is due in stores in the middle of May (a full month before the film's release).  TOMB RAIDER star Angelina Jolie has also agreed to appear in the video for U2's track, "Elevation."
                                        

April 19, 2001

Producers of BRIDGET JONES' DIARY have bought the film rights to the second novel by author Helen Fielding, BRIDGET JONES: THE END OF REASON, and are currently considering a sequel to the moderately successful film.  There have been no discussions with stars Renee Zellweger to reprise the role of the neurotic Brit but one thing is for sure: Hugh Grant's character is not featured in END OF REASON. BRIDGET JONES has been done well in the United States and extremely well in the UK where it has set a record for the biggest opening ever by a British film.  Joey's two cents: Is it just me or is Renee Zellweger just cute as a damn button?  Even after gaining 30 lbs. she still does it for me. If only she spoke with an English accent all the time....
 

April 19, 2001

Joe Pesci, who won an Academy Award for his work in GONE FISHIN', I mean GOODFELLAS, is in serious talks to play notorious mob stoolie Sammy "The Bull" Gravano in the film SAMMY THE BULL. Gravano achieved notoriety when he ratted out John Gotti to the FBI, who with Sammy's help were able to finally convict the "Teflon Don."  The Bull has since taken to crime again, ditching the Witness Protection Program and setting up an ecstasy ring in Arizona. Pesci reportedly will only star in the film if it is developed as a theatrical release and not a TV or made-for-cable movie.
                                              

April 19, 2001

The presentation that Morgan Freeman and producer Lori McCreary made at Comdex for their upcoming film RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA is now online and available for your downloading pleasure.  The whole thing is about ten minutes long and includes a teaser and some visualizations and production art that will be used in the film. Here's how to check it out:  Click here, then click on "archive", select broadband and once it begins, skip ahead to 43:30 and enjoy.

April 19, 2001

Source: Joey Baloney

• Read about the progress that has been made on the possible GHOST RIDER movie here
• More pictures from the set of OCEAN'S 11 are online and you can check them out here
• Somebody in Nova Scotia snapped some shots of Kevin Spacey filming the Lasse Hallstrom pic, THE SHIPPING NEWS and they're online here
• Wanna take a look at the making of the computer animated film, SHREK?  If you're so inclined head over and watch this...

April 18, 2001

Episode I DVD news

New Line to release 13 DAYS under new Infinifilm label

Their description:
"Infinifilm™ is a groundbreaking DVD brand designed for the moviegoer who wants the ultimate entertainment experience. Explore. Escape. Interact. Take your movie-watching experience to a whole new level. Go beyond the movie and discover the fascinating facts and intriguing stories surrounding your favorite films! "

My take:
Similar to New Line’s Platinum Series release, Infinifilm will be a separate label whose primary special features beyond commentary tracks, deleted scenes and documentaries will be a "Pop Up Video" styled extra, which when selected will provide bubbles of information during the movie through which you can access supplemental information but also take you to other special features and footage. If done properly, this could be a very cool line of DVDs.

For a cool demo of how the system works, check out: www.infinifilm.com

April 18, 2001

Amsterdam based beer brewers Heineken have struck a deal with John Travolta, Halle Berry and Hugh Jackman to use their likenesses in a television and print promotional tie-in with their upcoming film, SWORDFISH.  The deal is rare considering the nature of the ads (stars rarely do alcohol) and film's R rating which usually scares away potential tie-ins. In a JoBlo exclusive, we have the official tagline for the SWORDFISH/Heineken promotion: "Heineken Beer and Warner Brothers' SWORDFISH - two things that'll put you to sleep."
                                              

April 18, 2001

Lasse Hallstrom, John Irving, and Miramax Films, who brought you the Academy Award winning film THE CIDER HOUSE RULES, are back at it again, this time with an adaptation of Irving's upcoming novel, THE FOURTH HAND.   Irving will write the script and Hallstrom will direct this project as soon as he is finished directing THE SHIPPING NEWS with Kevin Spacey.  The film is being developed as a possible starring vehicle for George Clooney.  HAND revolves around a "handsome, womanizing TV reporter" whose hand is bitten off by a lion during a news report.  He becomes somewhat famous as a result and a woman offers him the hand of her dead husband if he will father her child in return.  How do people think this stuff up?...
                                        

April 18, 2001

According to MSNBC, Antonio Banderas is set to play the title role in the upcoming film version of the Broadway play, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.  Fans had been hoping that original Broadway actor Michael Crawford would get the role to which Banderas says "Michael Crawford, he made what actors call a creation, something that was his own, but what happens in the movies is not for an individual to decide." Maybe this will be the film musical that doesn't bomb (insert gigantic eye roll here).
                                              

April 18, 2001

Clint Eastwood and Brian Helgeland (A KNIGHT'S TALE) are teaming up for two films; one is the adaptation of Dennis Lehane's current bestseller MYSTIC RIVER and the second is the film version of Michael Connelly's BLOOD WORK.  Eastwood will direct, produce and star in both films with scripts from Helgeland, who won a screenwriting Oscar for his work on LA CONFIDENTIAL.  What strikes me as odd about this is that Helgeland has primarily been a director of late and I find it odd that he would write a script for someone other than himself to direct.  Although after PAYBACK, maybe they're trying to get him away from the director's chair.
 

April 18, 2001

Source: Joey Baloney

• Coming Attractions has posted some exclusive pics from PLANET OF THE APES that you can see here
• The new banner for FINAL FANTASY is online and you can check it out here
• Some official shots from the set of JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK are online at News Askew
• Let's all take some time to welcome the News Reaper to the JoBlo family.  Now that that's out of the way, head over to her page and read about the NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET prequel that's in the works

April 17, 2001

Jean Grey herself, Famke Janssen, is in final negotiations with Columbia Pictures to star as Serleena, the lead villainess in MEN IN BLACK 2. Ms. Janssen will join Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones who are reprising their roles from the first film, as well as newcomers Johnny Knoxville (JACKASS) and Rosario Dawson (who's already trying to forget she was in JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS). Famke can be seen next in the Jon Favreau/Vince Vaughn mob comedy, MADE.
                                              

April 17, 2001

Bob Weinstein, the 500lb. gorilla behind Miramax, has announced that the upcoming sequel to SPY KIDS, subtitled THE ISLAND OF LOST DREAMS, will be the only sequel.  They will instead concentrate on television, animation and book deals for the lucrative franchise.  LOST DREAMS is scheduled to begin production later this year and director Robert Rodriguez already has the script ready. Rodriguez says the only real reason they are making a sequel (besides the money) is that his original idea for the first film was too long for the standard traditional children's film length.  He is now taking what he trimmed and turning it into a new feature.
                                        

April 17, 2001

Despite the fact that he has said that the next James Bond film will be his last, Pierce Brosnan is now saying that if they find a way to keep the franchise fresh, he would consider staying on "for a few more."  The star spoke with the Calgary Sun promoting his new film THE TAILOR OF PANAMA and said that he disagrees with MGM's strategy to dish out a new Bond film every year and a half.  He went on to say that "I want this next Bond film to be the most surprising, realistic and edgy of any I've done." I couldn't agree with much more. As great as the Bond films can be, they really need to liven things up before they get really stale, really quick.
                                              

April 17, 2001

Character actor, Edward James Olmos (STAND AND DELIVER) spoke with Cindy Pearlman at the Chicago Sun-Times and said that a big-screen version of the 80s TV show MIAMI VICE, "will probably come out within the next few years." Olmos, who starred on the series along with Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas, says he's been trying to get a VICE film off the ground for years and may have only recently convinced Universal to go for it.  This sounds like an actor who wants a decent project to get underway so they can have work again (see Tom Arnold and TRUE LIES 2 assurances that it will happen any day now).

April 17, 2001

Here's a look at the new teaser poster for JURASSIC PARK 3, which appears very similar to the original with the addition of a Pterodactyl shadow across the new JP logo. We have been assured that a trailer for this film should hit theaters and the net any day now.

April 17, 2001

• Ashley Judd has spoken out about her upcoming role as CATWOMAN, talking with Cindy Pearlman here
• Wanna read some possible "major spoilers" concerning Spielberg's AI?  If so, then head here
• A description of the characters in the Wes Anderson comedy THE ROYAL TENNENBAUMS (starring Gene Hackman, Ben Stiller and Gwyneth Paltrow) is available for your reading pleasure here

April 16, 2001

Ang Lee spoke with USA Today and revealed his plans to scrap the current HULK script by David Hayter (X-MEN), which he says he "wasn’t particularly taken with" and start fresh. The director revealed he is currently doing cellular research to study how "a person can become a Hulk" and that he will most likely use photorealistic animation to create Hulk in the movie. The film isn’t due until 2003.
 

April 16, 2001

Movie Headlines reported that in the current issue of Premiere Magazine there is a power listing of stars in Hollywood. Harrison Ford was on the list and this is what it said regarding the star: "Still up for doing a fourth INDIANA JONES adventure, which producer (George) Lucas just set up at Paramount." Could the people at Premiere be privy to information we don’t know about? Possibly, but this could also simply be the latest in the ongoing rumors regarding any further episodes in the Indy saga.
                                        

April 16, 2001

Producers working with the USA Network are looking to make a reality-based television show based on the hit 1970s CANNONBALL RUN movies. The net has said that they look to have CANNONBALL stars Dom DeLuise and Burt Reynolds as color commentators on the program which will follow 18 contestants in a cross country race from New York to Los Angeles. There is no word how the network plans to handle such issues as the posted speed limits. The show, titled THE REAL CANNONBALL RUN 2001, will premiere in August. Thankfully there are no plans for any further CANNONBALL movie sequels (although this seems bad enough).
                                              

April 16, 2001

Twentieth Century Fox and Marvel Entertainment are both suing each other over the plans for a television series based on the MUTANT X comic book. Fox is claiming that any Marvel/mutant television show would cheapen the X-MEN film franchise and Marvel says it would be extremely difficult and cost prohibitive to halt production at this point. No word on how these legal battling could affect the upcoming X-MEN sequel, which is scheduled to begin pre-production in January 2002.
 

April 16, 2001

Here are some release date announcements and changes for upcoming movies: SIMONE (Al Pacino, Catherine Keener) slated for October 12th; KNOCKAROUND GUYS (Barry Pepper, Vin Diesel) slated for August 31st; JASON X was pulled from its cushy August slot and announced as TBA; POOTIE TANG (Chris Rock) moved to 2002 from spring 2001 and; DIABLO, I AM SAM, ABOUT SCHMIDT, BLADE 2 and RUN RONNIE RUN have all been moved to unannounced dates in 2002.
 

April 16, 2001

• Read multiple reports from the set of SPIDER-MAN filming in New York City here and here
• Tea Leoni is talking about her experience filming JURASSIC PARK 3 and you can read what she has to say here
• Read a review of the finished version of the upcoming film, A KNIGHT'S TALE here