Well here's Elston's latest Media Recap. At the end of it he has a list of films that are in production that he'd like to see more info on AICN on. Well I agree. If you know anything about those projects, let me know. Well here's the Recap....
TAKEN FROM VARIETY AND HOLLYWOOD REPORTER VIA REUTERS
CASTING
(signed)
* Owen Wilson (ARMAGEDDON) has joined the cast of THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE.
* Patricia Clarkson, Vinessa Shaw and Walton Goggins have joined Harry Connick Jr. and Pete Postelthwaite in LETTERS FROM A WAYWARD SON for writer/director Randall Harris. Production begins Oct. 26 in Nashville.
* Gloria Estefan makes her dramatic film debut joining Meryl Streep in Wes Craven's 50 VIOLINS.
* Catherine Keener joins SIMPATICO based on Sam Shepard's play.
* Lin Shaye (THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY) joins DETROIT ROCK CITY.
* Joe Pantoliano joins both LIFE BEFORE THIS with Stephen Rea and Catherine O'Hara, as well as BLACK AND WHITE with Ben Stiller and Robert Downey Jr.
* Kirsten Dunst has signed to play the female lead in THE CROW: SALVATION for Dimension Films.
* Jamie Foxx will replace Sean "Puffy" Combs in the role of quarterback in Oliver Stone's ANY GIVEN SUNDAY.
* Mackenzie Astin joins MATING HABITS OF THE EARTHBOUND HUMAN.
* Kristen Johnston is joining the Austin Powers sequel. She will play Ivana Humpalot. Production begins next month.
* Jane Alexander (ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN) joins THE CIDER HOUSE RULES.
* Steve Zahn will join Tom Cruise in MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2 for Paramount with an early '99 start. (HARRY NOTE- "Cool")
* Jean Claude Van Damme will soon begin filming UNIVERSAL SOLDIER 2 for Columbia Pictures.
(HARRY NOTE: "Oh thank god Van Damme is making yet another film! Oh the agony of uncertainty about the greeeeeeeaaaat actor. And in a brilliant sequel to a briiiilllllliant original. That was a film that cried out to continue it's arc. Oh baby, I'm soooooooooo happy")
DIRECTOR/WRITER ATTACHMENTS
* Director Alfonso Arau (LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE, A WALK IN THE CLOUDS) has signed to direct TO CATCH A FALLING STAR written by Michael Cohn (upcoming SNOW WHITE IN THE BLACK FOREST).
* Peter Hyams (THE RELIC) will direct END OF DAYS with Arnold Schwarzenegger starring.
* Director Les Mayfield (FLUBBER) will direct THE BLUE STREAK with Martin Lawrence playing a thief who disguises himself as a cop to recover his lost loot.
* FOX 2000 is stepping up production on a Mickey Mantle biopic written by Angelo Pizzo (HOOSIERS).
* Polygram Filmed Entertainment has greenlighted Neil Labute's next flick, NURSE BETTY. Shooting starts Dec. 7.
* Dreamworks has bought the pitch THE GHOSTS OF OCTOBER, an actioner set against the Chicago Fire.
* Lindbergh, Spielberg and Berg. Steven Spielberg is slowly developing a project about Charles Lindbergh based on the novel, "Lindbergh" by A. Scott Berg.
* Universal Pictures has bought the rights to Bryan Burrough's DRAGONFLY: NASA AND THE CRISIS ABOARD MIR with Will Smith and James Lassister's Overbrook Prods. producing.
* PRACTICAL MAGIC co-writer Robin Swicord will make her feature directing debut with her own THING OF BEAUTY about the modeling business.
* Geoffrey Wright (ROMPER STOMPER) will direct CHERRY FALLS, a slasher flick about a quiet all-American town experiencing high school killings. October Films will distribute the flick with an early 1999 shoot. Wright is also attached to the sci-fi thriller THE SPARROW for Universal, but not attached to MGM's SUPERNOVA or Fox's SILVER SURFER.
* New Line has hired Jeffrey Nathanson (TWISTER, SPEED 2) to write the sequel to RUSH HOUR.
* Dimension Films has optioned SCREAM IF YOU KNOW WHAT I DID LAST HALLOWEEN by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer (SPY HARD).
* A spec script adapted from F. Scott Fitzgerald 1922 novellette "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz" with production designer Rick Carter (JURASSIC PARK) attached to make his directing debut.
MISCELLANEOUS PRODUCTION TIDBITS
* Universal has built a full scale sub for the flick U-571. Michael Douglas is still out, but director Jonathan Mostow (BREAKDOWN) is looking for a new leading man. Shooting begins in January.
* Mel Gibson may be passing on HOGAN'S HEROES, but his Icon Prods. is in talks to pick up Robert Redford's THE LEGEND OF BAGGER VANCE.
REMAKE OF THE WEEK: Imagine Entertainment and Lumiere International will remake the 1955 British comedy THE CONSTANT HUSBAND.
Long recap this week, wouldn't you say? However, nothing really sticks out for me to talk about that doesn't really speak for itself. Except for...UNIVERSAL SOLDIER 2? Jamie Foxx replacing Puff Daddy in an Oliver Stone flick? Gloria Estefan in a Wes Craven flick? Mickey Mantle written by the HOOSIERS scribe? Mackenzie Astin in a new flick? SCREAM IF YOU KNOW WHAT I DID LAST HALLOWEEN? A very intersting, eclectic, but exciting mix of news. I like the odd stuff...unpredictable. Cool.
I would also like to do something different. Other than the news that stuck out this week I realized there are an awful lot of projects beginning or will soon begin shooting. Keep an eye out on these flicks for cool info to give Harry--I personally would love to see some on-the-set pictures and reports or even script reviews. There are a bunch: MYSTERY MEN, SLEEPY HOLLOW, DETROIT ROCK CITY, THE CIDER HOUSE RULES, THE LIMEY, THE SIXTH SENSE, GHOST DOG, SHE'S ALL THAT, THE THIRD MIRACLE, 50 VIOLINS, SIMPATICO, LIGHT IT UP, SUNDOWNING, IN TOO DEEP, END OF DAYS and AUSTIN POWERS 2.
Plus, don't forget SUMMER OF SAM, MAN ON THE MOON, DADDY AND THEM, THE REAL INSPECTOR GADGET, PITTSBURGH and TAKEDOWN. I would assume these should soon wrap if they haven't all ready.
Enjoy the leaves changing.
Elston Gunn
