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September 21, 2001

We are continuing to see the shuffling of film schedules in the wake of the terrorist attacks. The latest films to take a second look at their content and release dates are Disney's BAD COMPANY (formerly BLACK SHEEP) and Miramax's GANGS OF NEW YORK.  The Joel Schumacher directed COMPANY was scheduled for a high-profile release this Holiday season but now the film has been moved to a undecided 2002 date due to content (specifically scenes that revolve around a hijacked nuclear bomb) that would "not be appropriate for a Christmas release."  The film stars the unlikely duo of Chris Rock and Anthony Hopkins and is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.

As for GANGS, the final decision on a move hasn't been made yet but Miramax is currently talking over the possible move with all parties involved, including director Martin Scorsese.  The film is currently slated for December 21st but may not see most theaters until January or February of 2002.  Whether a possible move will affect the film's chance at Academy Award nominations remains to be seen but I'm sure that's a factor Miramax is taking into consideration.

Download the BAD COMPANY trailer here

Download the GANGS OF NEW YORK trailer here
  

September 21, 2001

Stephen Soderbergh took a break from such weighty "issue" films like TRAFFIC and ERIN BROCKOVICH to concentrate on something a little lighter - OCEAN'S ELEVEN.  But after the director wraps production on his next film, HOW TO SURVIVE A HOTEL ROOM FIRE, he will reteam with TRAFFIC star and Academy Award winner Benicio Del Toro for a Che Guevara biopic.  I'm ashamed to say I'm a little sketchy myself on the details of Che Guevara and his revolution on the Batista government on Cuba.  All I really know about the dude is that pretty much every white college kid has a t-shirt with the image below on it. Here's a quick bio on the dude (I know, I know...this glosses over a lot but I don't have the time to get into everything the man did) courtesy of The Che Guevara Information Archive:

"In 1953 he went to Guatemala, joined the pro-Communist regime of Jacobo Arbenz Guzmán, and when Arbenz was overthrown (1954) fled to Mexico, where he met Fidel Castro and other Cuban rebels. 'Che' Guevara became Castro's chief lieutenant soon after the rebel invasion of Cuba in 1956. He proved to be a resourceful guerrilla leader and was soon one of Castro's closest and most trusted friends. As president of the national bank after the fall (Jan., 1959) of Fulgencio Batista he was instrumental in cutting Cuba's traditional economic ties with the United States and in directing the flow of trade to the Communist bloc. He served (1961–65) as minister of industry. At heart a revolutionary rather than an administrator, he left Cuba in 1965 to foster revolutionary activity in other countries. In 1967, while directing a guerrilla movement in Bolivia, he was wounded in a clash with government troops, captured, and executed."

Certainly sounds like an interesting life and with Soderbergh at the helm and Del Toro starring this could be a real crazy ride and a shoo-in for Academy Awards.

September 21, 2001

We brought you word here at JoBlo.com a while back that the special edition ALMOST FAMOUS DVD would be hitting stores this December.  Until now, we haven't heard anything official from writer/director Cameron Crowe on the disc.  The special edition, UNTITLED: THE BOOTLEG CUT, will hit stores on December 4th in a three disc (!!) package that will include two DVD discs and one CD of music from "Stillwater" the movie's fictional band. It will also feature TWO VERSIONS of the movie, the original theatrical release and an all-new extended version featuring more than 30 minutes of never-before-seen footage. Here's the whole deal:

Almost Famous/Untitled - The Bootleg Cut DVD features more than 5 hours of extras including:

• Two film versions ­ The original cut and an extended Untitled version both available in widescreen
• Director's commentary on new Untitled version
• A specially created featurette including behind-the-scenes footage, plus rehearsal footage from Stillwater¹s San Diego Show, and more
• Original Rolling Stone articles from the 1970s penned by Cameron Crowe with an introduction by Crowe
• Cameron Crowe¹s Top Ten 1973 album picks
• Academy Award’-winning script
• Nancy Wilson¹s original music made exclusively for the DVD menus
• Deleted Scenes with Cameron Crowe commentary including: Famous real life rock 'n rollers Pete Droge and Elaine Summer singing "Small Times Blues" in its entirety
• Stillwater¹s Cleveland concert including six songs performed live
• Production Notes
• Trailer
• Dolby and DTS Sound
• Cast & Crew Bios

Crowe spoke to the Hollywood Reporter and said, "Don't get me wrong, I loved the theatrical version of ALMOST FAMOUS, but this is just closer to the original script that was known as UNTITLED...This is something different, special to all of us involved in making the movie and for those fans who wanted to see more about what was happening behind the scenes back then."  Crowe's VANILLA SKY opens shortly after the release of the DVD on December 14th.

Support JoBlo.com and preorder UNTITLED: THE BOOTLEG CUT here
 

September 21, 2001

Dana Carvey never achieved the film success of some of his fellow SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE pals. Mike Myers, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, David Spade, Dennis Miller and many others went on to have lucrative post-SNL careers.  Carvey tried valiantly but his films bombed and THE DANA CARVEY SHOW was cancelled from television after only a few episodes. Well the man is back and ready to take another shot at stardom with MASTER OF DISGUISE.  He wrote the script himself and will star alongside James Brolin, Robert Loggia and 80s film and TV staple Edie McClurg (THE HOGAN FAMILY, FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF, ELVIRA: MISTRESS OF THE DARK and plenty others) and the newly announced Jennifer Esposito in the film.

DISGUISE has Carvey's character finding out he is the latest in a long line of "masters of disguise" when his parents are kidnapped by an evil arch-nemesis and using his new found skill to rescue them.  Esposito will play his loyal assistant and girlfriend and McClurg will play his mother.  Can Dana find success where so many of his colleagues have?  He certainly deserves to...

  Hello Jennifer, my name's Joey...
 

September 21, 2001

Harry and his gang of spies got their hands on a pretty neat exclusive from SPIDER-MAN.  Not only is there another cool shot of Spidey himself but we get a great, clear shot (looks like a publicity shot actually) of the Green Goblin in action.  I'm a big fan of what they did with Spidey but the Goblin just ain't getting it done for me.  Hopefully when you see it all in action (with different lighting) it'll look a whole lot cooler.  Take a look below (click the images for the larger shots) and decide for yourself:

<click above to see larger versions>

September 21, 2001

Got word yesterday from Morgan Creek that some of you may be interested in.  The upcoming EXORCIST prequel (to be directed by John Frankenheimer) is looking for young men to star and they're willing to take a look at you and see what you've got.  If you're an African American, Hispanic or "mixed" male between the ages of 15-18, then send along your pertinent info (name, phone number, address, experience, etc.) to:

EXORCIST Casting
Morgan Creek Productions
4000 Warner Boulevard
Burbank, CA  91522

Of course, when you're accepting your Academy Award, make sure you thank all of us at JoBlo.com... ;)
  

September 21, 2001

I had suspicions about yesterday's WINDTALKERS test screening review from the getgo. Really I'm just suspicious of any first-time scooper (sorry scoopers but it pays to be weary in this business).  I try to do my research the best I can and if it looks like things are on the up and up, I'll run the scoop.  Yesterday, a bogus review slipped through the cracks.  Numerous people who had seen WINDTALKERS wrote in to say that the scooper had it all wrong when he discussed portions of the film.  The "review" has been removed from these pages and I apologize for the mix-up.

Download the WINDTALKERS trailer here
 

September 21, 2001

Source: Joey Baloney

• Read a negative review of the Kevin Spacey/Jeff Bridges film K-PAX here
• Check out some of the first images from the Miramax film COMPANY MAN here
• There's a promo sheet from SCOOBY-DOO online here that details (among other things) when you can expect to see the trailer...
• I've gotten a whole bunch of people e-mailing me wondering where they can get their hands on JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK goodies. Previously I had no answer but today I do.  Head to Kevin Smith's store online here and buy one

September 20, 2001

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE's Will Ferrell is in negotiations to star in the Holiday comedy ELF, about a man who grew up with Santa among his elves despite his obvious differences. The script was written by David Berenbaum and was brought to Ferrell because of his "comedic sensibilities" and producers Ferrell will have the "opportunity to play a character who is completely naive, sincere and totally out of his element." ELF follows the misadventures of the misplaced main character who is making a mess of the North Pole because of his abnormally large size.  Santa sees this is beginning to upset the man so he sends him back to America to discover his roots. Berenbaum is a Disney studio writer and is currently working on THE HAUNTED MANSION, which will be loosely based on the attraction at the Disney theme parks.
  

September 20, 2001

According to the IMDB, Jackie Chan was "...scheduled to shoot scenes for his film Nosebleed at the World Trade Center on the morning of last week's attacks but that filming was canceled because of a late script. Chan told the Hong Kong newspaper Oriental Daily News, "Filming was scheduled to have taken place at 7:00 a.m. last Tuesday morning, and as I had to be at the top of one of the towers for one of the scenes, I would probably have died if the shooting had gone ahead as planned." He added: "Well, I guess my time is not up yet."

The Jackie Chan action film NOSEBLEED was originally going to center around a window washer for the World Trade Center who learns of a terrorist attack and is forced to defend his country. As you can imagine the film will have to be rewritten in light of recent events. There is no plan yet, according to MGM, on what the new plotline will entail but there are no plans at this point to abandon the film completely.  Jackie is currently filming HIGHBINDERS in Ireland and has TUXEDO coming up next for DreamWorks.
 

September 20, 2001

So you want to help out and contribute to the relief efforts for the New York City and Washington DC disasters?  All you have to do is go see a movie.  It's that simple.  Just pick any movie on September 25th, which has been named "Victim's Benefit Day at the Movies."  The National Organization of Theater Owners (NATO) has said that participating chains (find the list of theaters here) will donate 100% of box-office and concession sales to the United Way and American Red Cross evenly.  If Tuesday's bad for you then maybe this will be a little better for you.  Revolution Studios wants to help so they're re-releasing their two summer films, THE ANIMAL and AMERICA'S SWEETHEARTS on September 21st with all proceeds going to The September 11th Fund.  So now's your chance schmoes.  Get out there and like Michael Jackson said, "make that change."
 

September 20, 2001

Academy Award winning director Milos Forman (ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST) has signed on to direct BAD NEWS from a script written by Doug Wright (QUILLS).  The film will be based on the book of the same name by Donald Westlake.  NEWS is a "comic caper" that revolves around a petty casino thief who teams with another crook to heist an Native American owned casino.  He soon learns that he is being double-crossed and sets out to turn the tables before it's too late.  Author Westlake also wrote the novel that the Martin Lawrence/Danny DeVito film WHAT'S THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN was based on.  The film would be a bit of a departure for Forman who tends to tackle more dramatic films like AMADEUS, MAN ON THE MOON and THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLYNT.
  

September 20, 2001

Source: Joey Baloney

• Read an interview with SIMPSONS producer Al Jean and read his thoughts on the feature film here
• An early review of the MR. SHOW based film RUN RONNIE RUN is online here
• Read about the possibility of Joss Whedon (BUFFY) writing the script for IRON MAN here

September 19, 2001

Eric Bana?  Who?  I know some people have heard of this guy and the people who have seem to like him, but this choice came completely out of left field for me.  To be completely fair, he hasn't signed on the dotted line just yet, but Michael Fleming from Variety says that Eric Bana is the frontrunner and favorite of director Ang Lee for the title role in THE HULK.  For those like me who are unaware of the man's work, Bana is an Australian comic who has hosted his own TV show and starred in a film entitled CHOPPER. CHOPPER is apparently a film many love but I have never heard of (should I have?). Looking at the pictures of this guy I was personally hoping for someone a little geekier in the role.  Then again, I don't know this guy from Adam so he could surprise me.  We'll just have to wait and see (and trust in the man Ang Lee I suppose...).

September 19, 2001

No, not Macauley.  He's busy with [insert your own Michael Jackson joke here].  The latest Culkin to take on Hollywood is little Rory (in Mr. Burns voice: "Like a little Rory Calhoun..."), who is set to star alongside Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix in SIGNS.  Rory was first seen in last year's YOU CAN COUNT ON ME where he starred along with Mark Ruffalo who was originally slated to play Phoenix's role but dropped out due to an illness.  Let's just hope that creepy dad Kit can stay off the set and stop tormenting his kids.  Oh jeez...I need to stop watching the E! True Hollywood Story...
 

September 19, 2001

A little clarification on the news reported yesterday about the fundraising telethon for relief efforts in the wake of the terrorist attacks.  The special entitled AMERICA: A TRIBUTE TO HEROES will air this Friday from 9-11pm on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, UPN, WB, Spanish station Telemundo, as well as being simulcast on the radio and internet.  It was made clear that the special will not be a telethon (although there will be the opportunity to donate money) but more of a tribute to those who lost their lives.  Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Bruce Springsteen, Jim Carrey, Will Smith, Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise have all committed to participate in the program. 
 

September 19, 2001

The popular video game HOUSE OF THE DEAD is being made into a feature film by Mindfire Entertainment and casting is currently underway for the thriller.  The film is modestly budgeted at $15-20 million and the search is also currently on for a director for the project.  DEAD is currently scheduled to begin filming this January. The video game was a popular arcade staple for sometime and crossed over well to the home video game market.  The plot, and I'm just guessing here, will revolve around zombies and a group of people who set out to kill them. *cough* residentevil *cough*....
 

September 19, 2001

Source: Joey Baloney

• Read the English translation of the script for THE RING - the Japanese thriller currently being remade by Gore Verbinski (THE MEXICAN) for DreamWorks - here
• Watch some official video clips from LORD OF THE RINGS at the official site here
• In a statement to theater owners, it was revealed that a new SPIDER-MAN trailer would premiere before the release of LORD OF THE RINGS this December. Read more about Spidey promotional material here
• Check out some shots from A BEAUTIFUL MIND starring Russell Crowe here

September 18, 2001

THE TIME MACHINE, which stars Guy Pearce, was scheduled to battle it out with heavyweights like ALI, THE MAJESTIC and OCEAN'S 11 this holiday season at the box-office.  DreamWorks looked its competition straight in the eye and...balked.  Fearing their expensive sci-fi flick would fall victim to more star-studded vehicles, the studio has pushed TIME back until February 8th - a weekend they hope will be more complimentary.

The release date change was decided the day before the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington DC and these attacks in no way shaped their decision.  What will be changed in TIME however will be the ending which was to originally feature chunks of the moon crashing down upon New York City.  This move could be beneficial for DreamWorks in more ways than one as the vacant spot on Christmas Day leaves a possible opening for a limited release of the Tom Hanks vehicle THE ROAD TO PERDITION.  The studio is anxious to release the film in theaters this December so as to make it eligible for Academy Award consideration.
  

September 18, 2001

Smith checked in on Monday and gave fans an update after taking some time off from the site.  He said he's been working hard on the script and that he even has a title (which he didn't reveal).  He didn't say much about the plot other than "it's pretty much the biggest 180 you can make from JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK."  What we do know about the film so far is that it will reunite the CHASING AMY team of Ben Affleck, Jason Lee and Joey Lauren Adams and will center around the young father of a little girl.  Smith went on to touch on a whole host of other subjects (the terrorist attacks, the box office receipts for J&SBSB and his Vulgarthon film festival for 2001) and you can read all about it here.
 

September 18, 2001

DreamWorks decided to rework the poster for its film THE LAST CASTLE in light on the recent terrorist activity last week and has released the new artwork.  The original poster featured an American flag being flown upside-down - a military distress symbol.  The studio feared this might be taken as an anti-American gesture so they pulled the poster and have replaced it with the generic one-sheet you see below.  If you compare the two, the first is obviously the more striking but I can see where the studio would want to pull it. It's just too bad they couldn't come up with something better than the profiles of the four main characters. Snooooze......

=
 

September 18, 2001

This Friday, all major American television networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox) and select cable channels will air a telethon to raise money for relief efforts in the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington DC.  What's as impressive as the camaraderie between the rival networks is the list of A-list Hollywood stars ready and willing to participate.  Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, Jim Carrey, George Clooney and Clint Eastwood are among the stars who have signed to participate in the telethon, although in what fashion hasn't yet been announced. The telethon will be produced by Joel Gallen who has worked on the MTV Movie and Video Music Awards shows.  Expect a lineup for the show to be released later this week.
 

September 18, 2001

Source: Joey Baloney

• The official website for the Al Pacino/Robin Williams thriller INSOMNIA has gone live (sort of) and you can check it out here
• According to this report, the rumors that Pixar is running behind schedule on their films just isn't true.  In fact, a year-by-year line-up of Pixar films is given and everything is said to be right on track
• Check out the trailers for THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE, THE WASH and IMPOSTER right here at JoBlo.com

September 17, 2001

This review of OCEAN'S ELEVEN by Julius Funkenstein actually came in last week, but I just didn't feel comfortable reporting it just yet. The nation was still in the throes of the terrorist attacks and in the end I thought it should wait until a new week.  Now, Monday is upon is and we all attempt to go on with our lives in a somewhat normal fashion, as difficult as that may be.  That being said, let's take an early look at one of the most highly anticipated films for the remainder of 2001.  Here's Jules:

JULIUS FUNKENSTEIN TAKES A LOOK AT OCEAN'S ELEVEN

THE SET-UP

THE REVIEW

Finally...the Verdict...this is some great stuff. In my top 5 of the year...this isn't a film that belongs to one person. This isn't a Pitt or a Clooney or a Roberts film. This film is everybody's. This is truly an ensemble film in a sea of fakes...

Send your scripts, your girlfriends, your self respect to... juliusfunkenstein@hotmail.com

Check out the official OCEAN'S ELEVEN website here
  

September 17, 2001

Source: Ain't It Cool News

Harry Knowles over at AICN is good buddies with several directors including Guillermo Del Toro, Robert Rodriguez and the one and only, Quentin Tarantino. Q recently spotted Harry his latest screenplay entitled KILL BILL, a film which is set to star Uma Thurman. The script was apparently 222-pages long and filled with many fights. Harry's positive (of course) spoiler-filled thoughts are detailed here 

September 17, 2001

"The only certainty in his future is a plan to make more movies. He's lined up one apiece with (David) Russell, (Paul Thomas) Anderson and Gray. The scripts aren't even ready, and Russell, scheduled to go first, is still weighing two options. 'I'm game for either,' he says. 'They know me. They know what I'm capable of and what I'm willing to do for them as an actor.'" - LA Times

While the rest of the country is trying to figure out what his Adam Sandler movie is about, is PT hard at work on another script for Wahlberg, Hoffman and Reilly? Could be, I guess we'll just have to wait and wait and wait and see..
 

September 17, 2001

Last week I got an e-mail from veteran reporter Smilin' Jack Ruby which basically said that make-up effects guru Rick Baker would be working on THE HULK as one of his next projects.  Then I get an e-mail this weekend from SJR basically saying "stop the presses."  He actually had a chance to sit down with Baker who spoke of THE HULK in that interview saying, "You know, I heard that, too. It's one of those internet rumors that I don't know how it happened. Numerous people have come up asking me about that. Nobody's talked to me about it."  OK, so he's NOT going to be working on THE HULK.. But then comes this report on Sunday in Variety:

"Baker muscles up for HULK: Veteran f/x artist Rick Baker is about to turn green, agreeing to tackle the makeup f/x efforts for Universal actioner THE INCREDIBLE HULK once his duties on Sony's alien sequel MEN IN BLACK 2 are completed...While no release date has yet been set, HULK is anticipated to storm into theaters in summer 2003."

OK, now I'm thoroughly confused.  He's in...then he's out...now he's in??  I'm guessing that Variety's story (which appeared under the "Cyberbiz Brief" subheading) was reported from the original story on the net.   They probably never got the correction and ran the story as it stood earlier this weekend.  If Baker himself denied the rumors, it's probably not true.  But maybe Universal saw the rumors and decided to bring the guy aboard.  Who knows...Either way, Baker has signed on for his next film - DreamWorks' remake of the Japanese thriller THE RING.
 

September 17, 2001

A week or so ago, we reported (via Film Force) that director Gary Ross (PLEASANTVILLE) and screenwriter Scott Frank (MINORITY REPORT) had left the long in-development CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY film.  Frank recently wrote to the folks at FF to talk about this and give his version of the events that led to his departure.  The writer said that one of the reasons was that "MINORITY REPORT took much longer than I had anticipated" and that "I had to jam CHARLIE as well as two other projects that I had committed to before MINORITY REPORT into that time."  Frank wished to stay faithful to Roald Dahl's original book (the author hated the WILLY WONKA film) but eventually found that to be to great a challenge. "It was frustrating," said Frank, "and starting, quite honestly, to depress me."  He went on to say that he is now reworking his scripts for A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES and THE LOOKOUT.   No word on who will take his, and Ross' place, on the remake to the loved original.

Buy WILLY WONKA... on Special Edition DVD
 

September 17, 2001

Source: Joey Baloney

• Read an early review from David Mamet's next film HEIST, due out October 26th, here
• Check out some pictures from the Kevin Spacey/Jeff Bridges film K-PAX here
• The official STAR WARS site has posted the next installment in their behind-the-scenes documentary on ATTACK OF THE CLONES. Head here to watch the online feature

The 2002 Movie Preview !

Below is a list of movies that are coming out next year. Want more info? Click on the links...