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June 22, 2001

You hate to read about shit like this, but here's yet another remake that Hollywood wants to attempt based on an already classic movie! Damn man, doesn't anybody have any original ideas left in Tinseltown?!? Director Brian Helgeland (PAYBACK, A KNIGHT'S TALE) is apparently interested in remaking the classic ultra-violent Western, THE WILD BUNCH, with the one difference being that the film would no longer take place in the wild west, but rather the present day. Huh?!? What do you say, Brian?

"This time around the gang of aging anti-heroes will be made up of a group of Los Angeles cops, all of whom are on suspension from the force. Consequently they decide to take a journey to Mexico, where they plan a major bank robbery." Helgeland's apparently still in the early stages of this "remake" but if it does get the green light from Warner Bros, it could go into production next year. I'll let you all guess as to whether or not the studio is gonna green light this sucker...duh! Doesn't anybody remember what happened to Gus Van Sant's PSYCHO remake? Aaaanyway...
 

June 22, 2001

Thanks to "Chris" for sending us the head's up on all of this. Chris recently had the opportunity to see (first-hand) what James Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment was planning for their future, and apparently, the underwater stuff wasn't included (that's the bit of news that we reported on yesterday). Anyway, here's what's on the menu:

• Cameron is CURRENTLY involved, not in an underwater IMAX endeavor, but in a MARS IMAX (we were shown pictures and drawings from pre-production) project that may be coupled with television as well. It's expected to be a documentary style project, but logically, he will bring his extravagant production practices to create a realistic trip of a group in the future journeying to Mars - there was a bit more involved, but I can't quite
  recall.
• A project that they say will be going into pre-production soon will be "Solaris," to be directed by Steven Soderberg. It is based on a 1972 Polish novel.
• It also looks as though John Sayles will be directing "Brother Termite," based on the novel which deals with aliens in the white house and government agencies.
• Cameron actually was possibly thinking about doing Terminator 3, but has lost interest - as you have reported, Arnold continues to follow it as it bounces between involved parties.
• Very likely, as you have also reported, is that Cameron will be doing "True Lies 2" in the near future.

June 22, 2001

Damn!!! In case you hadn't hear yet, cutie-pie actress Kirsten Dunst was preparing to follow in the brave footsteps of other teen actresses like Mena Suvari, Katie Holmes, Christina Ricci and Shannon Elizabeth, for her next movie entitled CRAZY/BEAUTIFUL by showing us all of her "stuff" on the big screen. But the 19-year old apparently changed her mind about the 2-minute nude scene (mental note: the scene was shot so SOMEONE must have it SOMEWHERE!), after she saw the film with her mom.

Director John Stockwell said "I think her mom was a bit taken aback. Kirsten felt a little uncomfortable about too much attention on the nudity in her first sexual movie." After that, the director basically cut half the scene out and all that was left was some "narrative" but no boobies, kids! But....but....they let her kiss Brad Pitt in INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE when she was only 13!?!! :) 
     

June 22, 2001

If you're a regular here at JoBlo.com, you would know by now that I've got this (bordering on just plain creepy) obsession with actor Vin Diesel. Something about the man just "appeals" to me and I seriously don't know what to do about it (btw, THE FAST AND FURIOUS is a fun ride...). Anyway, the story goes that good ol' Vin went to Cuba on vacation but brought NO CASH with him, only charge cards, believing that he wouldn't need any "real" money in another country. Well, unfortunately for the Vinster, Cuba wasn't hip to his cards (hmmmm, I wonder why?) and there he was, stuck in a country with no money to spend! Thankfully, there's a nice ending to the story...take it away, Mr. Diesel:

"I didn't think I needed cash because I thought I could go anywhere in the world and use my credit cards. So stupid. It's amazing that you can go to another country and you are powerless. Anyway, we charge up this bill and no-one knows me and then this couple, one gentleman from Tel Aviv that was like selling arms or something and this lady that was sort of this Saudi Arabian princess, had seen me in PITCH BLACK the night before. His girlfriend gave us the money for everything and for our tickets home. She couldn't believe we were down there and we had a blast and the next day she came to our rescue."
      

June 22, 2001

I have no idea if this is a joke or not, but Variety is reporting it, so I guess it must be true! Action-film director John Woo is apparently in talks to develop a computer-animated feature film based on the $4 billion TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES franchise. Oooooookay! Didn't that whole fad die about ten years ago?!? Strange. I actually used to love TMNT myself, in fact, I still have all of the early Mirage Studios copies of their comic books (that's when they were in black and white and cool!). The good news about this bit is that co-creator of the TURTLES, Peter Laird said that Woo expects to return the turtles "to their darker, edgier comic book roots". The film will cost between $40-60 million and is tentatively scheduled to be released to the big screen in Christmas of 2002.
     

June 22, 2001

This movie seems to have been spoken about forever, so to be honest with you, I'm getting a little bored of hearing about it myself, but allow me to give you this update anyway (for those who still care). Elvis-lover Nicolas Cage is reportedly in "early negotiations" to star in the live-action adaptation of the comic book GHOST RIDER.

The film has apparently been granted a $75 million budget (expected to be the most expensive movie in Dimension's history), and to be directed by Steve Norrington (the dude who directed BLADE). The script has already been written by David Goyer (the dude who wrote BLADE). The film is "a drama about a motorcycle stuntman named Johnny Blaze, who sells his soul to a dark force to save the life of his girlfriend. When the pact goes awry, Blaze becomes a fiery demon-like entity who takes out his wrath on bad guys."
     

June 21, 2001

So where has the King of the World, James Cameron, disappeared to since his infamous ego-boosting speech on Oscar night a few years ago? Well apparently, he's been working on a 3D IMAX documentary alongside Jean–Michel Cousteau, which will be taken from the TV series that he's currently shooting about underwater exploration. And yes, word on the street is that he might include some shots of the actual TITANIC underwater (I wonder if Leo's still there, too?). His next "real" movie is expected to be TRUE LIES 2, with a possible release in 2002 (yeah, right!).
     

June 21, 2001

This bit of news might bode well for Vin Diesel (the man! the legend!) appearing in the next TERMINATOR movie (that would be #3, for those keeping score at home), because it now appears as though the filmmakers behind the next movie have scrapped the original TERMINATOR 3 script written by Tedi Sarafian (which featured Arny fighting a female Terminator!) and have given the free reign to the writers of David Fincher's underrated THE GAME screenplay, John Brancato and Michael Ferris. The new script apparently has the subtitle: RISE OF THE MACHINES. Now the new writers have NOT been specifically told to get rid of the whole female 'bot thing, but I guess only time will tell. For now, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Edward Furlong (is he out of the hospital already?) are the only two to have signed on the line that is dotted, and will return to the franchise.
    

June 21, 2001

Good ol' Clint from Moviehole recently had the opportunity to speak to none other than Johnny Travolta, who when asked about a possible sequel to the horrendous film THE GENERAL'S DAUGHTER, exclaimed, "For sure! If it's good, I'm in. They're actually writing sequels to a few of my movies, which I'm interested in. One to GET SHORTY and PULP FICTION, which I'm still interested in (contrary to reports)." Travolta also mentioned that he's interested in doing a musical with pals Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe......huh? Anyway....

Read full JOHN TRAVOLTA interview here

Read full HUGH JACKMAN interview here
     

June 21, 2001

Less than a month before his next big Hollywood movie KISS OF THE DRAGON is set to be released, action star Jet Li has posted a message on his official website, asking parents NOT to take their children to see his movie! He said, "I ask that you please not take your children to see KISS OF THE DRAGON. The film utilizes very realistic, hard-core, action-packed fight sequences and is not appropriate for children." Holy shit...did Arny or Rambo ever utter those preventive words in public? Not sure, but even though this film is rated R, you do gotta respect the Jetster for telling it like it is. Good stuff, dude.....hope you show some boobies, too! :)
     

June 21, 2001

A few years back, you couldn't get enough of this guy showing off his gonads in every other movie, but all of a sudden, he seemed to have disappeared off the face of the planet. So where in the world is Harvey Keitel, the man who jerked off to teenage girls in a great film called BAD LIEUTENANT (and yeah, he was the BAD lieutenant!)? Well, today comes word that Harvey has signed on to star and produce a black comedy entitled MURDER TRUST, slated to begin shooting on location in Europe this year. The film, to be directed by James Riffel, "is based on a true story centering on a group of five working-class barflies who come up with a scheme to kill people in order to get their insurance money. But one of the guys they try to kill (Keitel) won't seem to die, and they must come up with several ways to off him." Sounds pretty groovy to me. But please Harvey...no more dick shots!
     

June 21, 2001

So how important are test audiences to studios nowadays? Well, just ask Julia Roberts, Catherine Zeta Jones and John Cusack, the three stars of AMERICA'S SWEETHEARTS (opening July 20), who were recently asked to go back and re-shoot an entirely different ending for their movie. Why? Well, as it turns out, "test audiences" didn't much care for the film's original "romantic" ending and wanted something "funnier". Wow. The new ending was apparently quickly written and shot over a weekend (sound like a good idea to you? Me neither!). Anyway, for anyone still interested in checking out the "lame duck" trailer of this film, go to our very own JoBlo's Movie Trailers section..
    

June 21, 2001

The one thing that I admire about writer/director Christopher McQuarrie (other than that whole USUAL SUSPECTS Oscar thang!) is the fact that he actually admitted that the mid-tier of his directorial debut WAY OF THE GUN was "leaden" on the film's DVD commentary track. I liked a lot of that film, but was bored stupid during its overly convoluted and slow midsection and it's nice to know that the director acknowledged it somewhat. Anyway, he's now ready to give directing another shot as the main man for a film entitled CHIMERA. "The project is about a group of boat salvagers who find a lost 1953 passenger ship floating aimlessly in a remote region of the Bering Sea. After claiming the ship and attempting to tow it to land, mysterious things begin to happen aboard the derelict vessel." McQuarrie is presently supervising the latest draft of the script, and no start date has yet to be set. 
    

June 21, 2001

Alright, so this might not be that great of a news item, but living in Montreal, I can say that I'm pretty excited that the baddest motherfucker of them all is coming to our fair city to shoot a picture. The film entitled NO GOOD DEED, to be directed by Bob Rafelson, will co-star Milla Jovovich (the orange-haired girl from THE FIFTH ELEMENT) and Stellan Skarsgard (one great actor!). "Based on the Dashiell Hammett short story called "The House on Turk Street", the story centers around an auto theft detective who gets in the middle of a complicated situation, leading him to learn the hard way how easily a favor can turn into a nightmare." The film is independently financed for $22 million and does not have a domestic distributor yet. Now if I can only run into ol' Sammy in the street, so that he could knock some sense into me already...!
    

June 20, 2001

Honestly, it's not that I'm lazy to write anything here, but what else can I say but WOW!!!

< click pic to see bigger version at CA >
   

WEEKLY DVD NEWS

June 20, 2001

Lucasfilm and Fox Video confirmed the official date for EPISODE 1 as October 16th as well as all of the added features for the double disc set. From the press release: " The Episode I DVD was digitally mastered by THX for superior sound and picture quality, providing the perfect showcase for the incredible detail and breathtaking scope of Writer/Director George Lucas's first episode in the mythic Star Wars saga. Special features on the disc include the first-ever running commentary by Lucas, an exclusive deleted scenes documentary featuring seven new sequences completed just for this DVD, and an extraordinary hour- long documentary film culled from over 600 hours of behind-the-scenes footage. Also included is an interactive featurette with a glimpse into the process of creating scenes from storyboards to animatics to final film composites. Additional features include the original theatrical trailers, TV spots, a gallery of never-before-seen cast and crew photos, an award-winning twelve- part web documentary series, and five featurettes that provide an insider's look at The Phantom Menace's storyline, design, costumes, visual effects and fight scenes."

< click to PRE-ORDER now! >
    

June 20, 2001

Paramount held a huge Italian street festival in New York last week (which Joey Baloney wasn't invited to….grrr) where they basically confirmed all the details for the October 9h release of the GODFATHER TRILOGY. For 99 bucks (suggested retail price), you get all three movies which fall onto 5 separate discs. The first and third flicks have their own discs while the second one is spread out over 2 separate DVDs. A fifth and final disc is reserved exclusively for extras and is supposed to have a total running time of 3 hours and 20 minutes. Extras include audio commentary with director Francis Ford Coppola on all three films and loads of other stuff including a 73-minute "The Godfather Family" documentary with rare footage including casting screen tests and rehearsal footage, behind the scenes material and interviews, "Filming Locations," "The Cinematography of The Godfather" and two "The Music of The Godfather" featurettes, the "Francis Ford Coppola's Notebook" including "The Transformation from Book to Movie," "The Corleone Family Tree," "Godfather Timeline" with deleted scenes and "Comparison of the Book to the Movie," extensive still galleries with stills from the Premiere, the Oscar ceremonies and traditional still and animatic storyboards and more, full-color, large size slipcovers for each disc, theatrical trailers and even "A Homage to The Godfather: The Sopranos". Mamma mia, talk about bang for the buck!

< click to PRE-ORDER now! >
   

June 20, 2001

Mark September 25th on your calendar because America's favorite dysfunctional cartoon family will finally be getting its long awaited release on DVD. The entire first season (which I thought was kind of crappy, I can't wait for Seasons 4-7) will cost around 40 bucks (for 3 DVDs) and include every show from the first year as well as an unknown "lost episode" Other extras haven't been confirmed but individual commmentaries are expected for each show. Should be a kick ass little box set.

June 20, 2001

The DVD you've all been waiting for…
I know that JoBlo will be out getting fresh batteries for his DVD remote to make sure the "pause" button is good working order because on July 11th, THE GIFT will finally be making it's way onto DVD. If you're a little confused at what I'm talking about, just check out JoBlo's review of the movie to find out what all the hoopla is about.

< click to PRE-ORDER now! >

The ultimate edition of AMERICAN PIE is also slated to be released on July 31st.

< click to PRE-ORDER now! >

More New Releases Announced!
JOSIE AND THE PUSSCATS (August 14th), MEMENTO (September 4th), BLOW: Infinifilm (September 11th), EXIT WOUNDS and DRIVEN (September 18th) A KNIGHT'S TALE (September 25th), THE MUMMY RETURNS (October 2nd)

Check out all upcoming DVD releases here
    

June 20, 2001

Don't you hate it when studios don't give any Net critics (hey there!) a sneak peek at their films, and opt instead to show the film to "stuffier" old-school critics in the "more serious" branch of the media? (Bah! I'm obviously biased here but I'm in a "whining" kinda mood today... :) Well, according to both "Time" and "Newsweek" magazine's film critics, both of whom were invited to see an early screening of Steven Spielberg's A.I., the film has some good things going for it and some bad things as well. Richard Corliss from "Time" said, "As a movie, A.I. engrosses without quite enthralling. It's got technological wonders ... that are truly wonderful." But he goes on to say that Spielberg isn't always "on his game," noting that "intriguing plot twists ... are dropped for excursions that are more about art direction than efficient storytelling."

David Ansen of "Newsweek" is also rather ambivalent about the film noting that it's "a rich, strange, problematical movie full of wild tonal shifts and bravura moviemaking," but also says about the last part of the movie, "Spielberg's screenplay loses its grip, the film goes limp, and you wonder whether the movie Kubrick envisioned and the one we're seeing have fatally parted ways." But overall, it seems as though Anson did like it, as he concludes with: "A.I. exhilarates, frustrates and provokes: it's the most ambitious Hollywood movie in sight." So when am I (JoBlo) going to see the movie? (remember that Joey Baloney is on vacation this week, so I'm filling in on the news) No clue. All's I know is that I'm still living in my parents basement and it's all goooood. Oh yeah, call me Dreamworks, Warner Bros!!

BTW, we are giving away A.I. watches and posters over the next couple of weeks, as well as an opportunity to win a Dell computer if you could draw your own awesome poster design of A.I. Check it our below:

Click here to enter the A.I. give-aways!!
   

June 19, 2001

You can't help but somehow DISRESPECT this sequel, after the original movie ran with the tagline "No mercy. No shame. No sequel." Ugh. I guess they just sorta kinda forgot about all that, eh? Oh well, Hollywood will always be Hollywood and money will always be money ("that's why they call it money!"-- very cool line from David Mamet's upcoming film HEIST), so here we are only 1 year after the release of the surprisingly funny SCARY MOVIE, with the full trailer for the sequel (which you could check out at JoBlo's Movie Trailers) and now the poster, which you can see below. Is the trailer any good? I saw it and other than the "What are you doing here? Well, this is the sequel!" joke, it doesn't look all that humorous. And the poster? Ugh, more of the same I'm afraid.

< click pic to see larger version >
   

June 19, 2001

The world has officially gone mad! The hilarious rumor earlier on this year about a GLADIATOR sequel is apparently not all that funny according to producer Douglas Zwick, who had originally come out and said that ""talks are underway to make a prequel to the swords 'n' sandals epic." Zwick went on to say, "there's "certainly something being discussed, but there's been no decision made. We're looking at lots of options ... You don't finally do something like that unless you have a dazzling story to tell. What we certainly won't do is some shadow of the first one to grind out a few bucks."

Now, IGN FilmForce has learned that writer-producer David Franzoni is in early negotiations with Dreamworks to write either a PREQUEL or a SEQUEL to the first film. No word on whether star Russell Crowe or director Ridley Scott are either interested in the project or willing to return, but apparently the studio has confirmed that the studio themselves have officially "sold out" in the biggest way possible. What's next....TITANIC: THE DAY AFTER? AMERICAN PSYCHO 2? (oops!)

Discuss the end of the world and GLADIATOR 2 here
     

June 19, 2001

Just when you thought that the last crappy installment of the CROW film series was the bottom of the friggin' barrel, along comes yet another bit of news about yet another sequel ready to ruin everyone's memory of the amazing original film starring Brandon Lee. Edward Pressman's production company (this is the man who produced all three of the previous Crow incarnations), is apparently readying to turn yet another Crow novel into the next film. There is apparently a director already attached to the film, one who could "attract name talent", the film will most likely feature a female hero. The rumored "Crow" movie entitled LAZARUS starring DMX, if filmed, will apparently not have anything to do with the real CROW franchise of movies. Whatever.  
     

June 18, 2001

We already know about the goofy SCORPION KING prequel that is set to star The Rock himself (can you smell what Universal is cookin'? MONEY!!), but now comes word that the next installment of the MUMMY series might not star ol' Brendan Fraser after all. Word on the street is that babe-olicious actress Rachel Weisz has already turned down any future Mummy sequels, and with Brendan asking for more and more money (can you blame the bastard?), the producers are apparently thinking about having their son character, Alex O'Connell, star in the next film as an "older version" of himself. They apparently want to make the film more "contemporary" as well...
  

June 18, 2001

Just when you thought that a few bombs and a possible "straight-to-video" movie would keep good ol' Rocky/Rambo down, now comes word that Sly Stallone is continuing his uphill battle against Hollywood's disses of the past few years, and wrapping up a film opposite Madeleine Stowe (and where the hell has she been?) in a romantic comedy entitled AVENGING ANGELO. ADRIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!

"The story centers on a woman (Stowe) who has discovered that she is the daughter of Angelo, a major Mafia boss. When he is killed by a hit man, she decides to seek revenge and is aided by his bodyguard (Stallone), with whom she falls in love." The film is currently wrapping production in Toronto and Sicily, and also features the last work done by late actor Anthony Quinn (who plays Angelo). The film is directed by Martyn Burke (PIRATES OF SILICON VALLEY) and also co-stars Andy Garcia (and where the hell has he been??).
     

June 18, 2001

What a strange, strange item in the news today. Word on the street is that Elvis-loving man and actor, Nicolas Cage (who starred in HONEYMOON IN VEGAS as an Elvis Presley impersonator, acted like the king in David Lynch's WILD AT HEART and adopted a goofy Presley-esque accent for CON AIR), is in love and looking to marry ex-wife of all-around weirdo singer Michael Jackson, Lisa Marie Presley (aka Elvis Presley's daughter!). Cage is reported to have a massive collection of Elvis memorabilia, so maybe this is just his way of adding to the collection, eh? ;) Cage's divorce with actress Patricia Arquette has yet to be finalized. 
  

June 18, 2001

Anyone who loved PITCH BLACK, must've loved the character of Riddick in that movie as well. He was rough, he was tough, he was built like a champ and he oozed charm all over those damn aliens! Nowadays, the actor who played Riddick, Vin Diesel, is apparently co-writing the sequel with director David Twohy entitled THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK. The film will apparently not deal with the same aliens as in the first film, but will definitely stay in that same universe. You go, Riddick, you crazy bastard!!
  

June 18, 2001

You may remember Ed Norton turning down a role in HART'S WAR, a film being directed by Gregory Hoblit (FREQUENCY) a while back, and eventually replaced by Colin "the next best thing" Farrel, a while back, well now comes our first look at the star of that movie, one Bruce "I'm dating young girls!" Willis, in full army gear. According to the IMDB, the film is about "A law student who becomes a lieutenant during World War II, is captured and asked to defend a black prisoner of war falsely accused of murder." See pic below:

< click pic to see official site >
   

June 18, 2001

Producer Craig Perry recently told SciFiWire that the scipt for the follow-up to last year's surprise hit FINAL DESTINATION has been written. The original film just won the award for best "horror film" at the 2000 Saturn Awards, and brought in some moocho dollars for the studio. They are now looking for a director for the film, as James Wong, the original film's director, is too busy filming the sci-fi thriller THE ONE starring Jet Li. Perry also said that the film "...pretty solidly builds on the mythology of the first one, and it doesn't shy away from the things that made the first one work, which are the gritty, clever, entertaining and spectacularly over-the-top death sequences. I think one of the things that made the first movie interesting is that it didn't rely on computer-generated images..."
  

June 18, 2001

The Man of a 1000 Scripts, Stax, is back with yet another review of an upcoming movie. This time it's for REIGN OF FIRE, a film starring our favorite American Psycho, Christian Bale, Matthew McConaughey and Gerard Butler (the vampire dude from DRACULA 2000). The film is currently filming in Ireland, directed by X-FILES: FIGHT THE FUTURE director, Rob Bowman and is set to be released in June 2002. What's the movie about? According to the IMDb, "A brood of fire-breathing dragons emerge from the earth and begin to set fire to everything, establishing dominance over the planet." Wow, pretty cool!! So what did Stax think of the script of this movie? Well, he says that overall, "I found Matt Greenberg’s rewrite for Reign of Fire to be a fun and involving genre yarn that overcame its shortcomings with charm and zest. It’s superior to most of the trifle I’ve seen this season so at least I've some film to look forward to next summer." Read more below:

Read Stax's entire script review here