Here we go again with the Media Recap. Almost everything is pooled from Reuters, which pooled it from Variety, so here ya go...
Taken from REUTERS
CASTING
(signed)
* Michael J. Fox will lend his voice to the title character, a mouse, in STUART LITTLE directed by Rob Minkoff (THE LION KING).
* Jeanne Tripplehorn (BASIC INSTINCT) is joining the cast of the Abbie Hoffman biopic ABBIE!
* Denis Leary is joining Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo in THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR for United Artists; directed by John McTiernan (DIE HARD).
* Constance Moore (SELENA) wil play the female lead opposite Scott Glenn in THE LAST MARSHALL.
* Rapper Master P is joining the cast of TAKEDOWN for Dimension Films directed by Joe Chappelle.
* Rosanna Arquette will star with Kamala Lopez in the indie pic CREATING KALI.
* Anthony LaPaglia has joined Spike Lee's SUMMER OF SAM.
HARRY NOTE: Please give me as much info on this project as you can, I'm dying to hear more!!!
* Stephen Dillane and Kerry Fox (WELCOME TO SARAJEVO) will play the leads in THE DARKEST LIGHT directed by FULL MONTY writer Simon Beaufoy.
* Joey Lauren Adams, Brett Butler, Jennifer Tilly and Gwen Verdon wil join Kathy Bates, Gary Sinise and Shirley MacLaine (also director) in BRUNO.
* Will Ferrell ("SNL") and Elaine Hendrix (THE PARENT TRAP) will join Molly Shannon as she plays Mary Katherine Gallagher from "SNL" in SUPERSTAR for Saturday Night Studios.
* Norm MacDonald is joining the cast of MAN ON THE MOON.
* Billy Bob Thornton is starring, writing and directing DADDY AND THEM with Laura Dern, Kelly Preston, Ben Affleck, Diane Ladd, Andy Griffith, Brenda Blethyn, Michael Jeter, Jim Varney, musician John Prine, Tuesday Knight and Saundra Seacat for Miramax. He's going to squeeze the film in before March when he is due to direct Matt Damon in ALL THE PRETTY HORSES.
HARRY NOTE: What a cast! That's going to be a hoot. I think I have the script on that, I'll check, if I do, I'll write up a report on it for y'all.
(in talks)
* William H. Macy is in final negotiations to play the Shoveler in MYSTERY MEN bases on the Bob Burden comic book.
* Also in MYSTERY MEN news, Hank Azaria may play Blue Raja. Paul Reubens and Claire Farlani are in talks to join the film too.
HARRY NOTE: I think the cast and the concept for Mystery Men could be a classic combination if all goes well. I'm really dying to see images of the costumes, shots of action, etc etc...
* Dougray Scott (EVER AFTER) is in talks to play a sinister role in the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE sequel.
DIRECTOR/WRITER ATTACHMENTS
(signed)
* Czech director Vojtech Jasny is directing RETURN TO PARADISE LOST, inspired by his own experiences, in his homeland Moravia, Czech Republic.
* Tim Hill (Nickelodeon's "Action League Now") will make his feature directing debut with MUPPETS IN SPACE--he's replacing Randal Kleisner who left over creative differences.
* Don Most (Ralph Malph from "Happy Days") will direct his first film with the indie feature THE LAST BEST SUNDAY.
* Pat Proft (upcoming WRONGFULLY ACCUSED) will next parody DIRTY HARRY and, according to Army Archerd, has turned in his script DEEP TITANIC: ARMAGEDDON or TITANIC TOO.
HARRY NOTE: Oh dear god, no!!!
(in talks)
* Michael Apted (EXTREME MEASURES) is in talks to direct BOND 19 for MGM/United Artists.
MISCELLANEOUS PRODUCTION TIDBITS
* Sony Pictures Classics has picked up North American and British distribution rights to THE LOSS OF SEXUAL INNOCENCE directed by Mike Figgis (LEAVING LAS VEGAS). Look for it post-Sundance festival next year.
* Irwin Winkler was given A MAN IN FULL, a 900 page manuscript by Tom Wolfe, to possibly produce for Columbia Pictures. The two, of course, were responsible for THE RIGHT STUFF.
* Paramount Pictures paid $1.25m for TREKKIES, a documentary about diehard "Star Trek" fans, directed by Roger Nygard. Includes interviews with stars from the different series and films.
HARRY NOTE: There is also a cool Prequel documentary being done by a cool fella, who's recording the fan fever for the project. I know he's going to be filming at DRAGONCON in Atlanta from like Sept 3rd through the 7th or something like that.
* Nicolas Cage, director Brian DePalma and writer David Koepp will reteam (just did SNAKE EYES) for a Howard Hughes biopic.
* Elmer Bernstein will score his 205th film with WILD WILD WEST.
HARRY NOTE: This news about Elmer Bernstein rocks!!! I'm so excited by it I could just... Ummm... anticipate buying the cd.
* Warner Bros. has optioned JUWANNA MANN about a player kicked out of the NBA only to pose as a woman and join the NBA.
That does it for this week. I'm already excited about DADDY AND THEM. Just look at that cast. I'd never imagined Jim Varney, Ben Affleck and Andy Griffith in the same cast--John Prine too...if you've never heard his music, do it now. I'm also pumped for MYSTERY MEN. It looks to be shaping up well cast-wise very nicely. Weeks ago I mentioned Anson Williams (Potsie from "Happy Days") is directing his own flick. Now that Ralph Malph is, could Joanie, Chachi, or even Jenny Piccolo be too far away? Dougray Scott's casting...is MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 2 forging ahead? Congrats to Elmer Bernstein--and Michael Apted if he gets the Bond gig (will this be good?) See ya next week.
Elston Gunn.
