Hey folks... other than the Ridley Scott/HANNIBAL bits.. This is a bit of a lackluster week from the mainstream press and Hollywood. But for what news there was... Elston gathered it up and packaged it real nice and purty for ya... as has done for nearly a year now. Great work Elston!
TAKEN FROM VARIETY AND HOLLYWOOD REPORTER VIA REUTERS
CASTING
* Ashley Judd will co-star in WHERE THE HEART IS with Natalie Portman for director Matt Williams (creator of "Roseanne" & "Home Improvement"). Sally Field is in talks to make a cameo in the flick about a pregnant teen who makes an Oklahoma Wal-Mart her home after she's abandoned by her boyfriend.
* David Cross ("Mr. Show with Bob and David") joins Steve Zahn, Salma Hayek and Jeff Goldblum in SHINY NEW ENEMIES for Warner Bros. and the director team Traktor.
* Dan Cortese and Virginia Madsen joins AFTER SEX with Brooke Shields, Johnathan Shaech, D.B. Sweeney and Maria Pitillo about relationships after a wild weekend in Palm Springs. Cameron Thor (SHADED PLACES) directs the Thomas Kostigen script.
* Robert De Niro is in talks to star in the Universal comedy MEET THE PARENTS for possible director Jay Roach (AUSTIN POWERS). It's based on Greg Glienna's indie about a man who's warned not to go meet his future in-laws. De Niro is also attached to NAVY DIVER (which Cuba Gooding Jr. exited) and 33 LIBERTY STREET, a heist love story written by Jim Herzfield (MEET THE DEEDLES).
* Jared Leto and Jake Gyllenthal are heading for New Line's A LEONARD COHEN AFTERWORLD for director James Cox about a road trip during the weekend of Kurt Cobain's death.
* Rachel Blanchard (THE RAGE: CARRIE 2) is in final talks to star in New Line's SUGAR, SPICE AND A SEMI-AUTOMATIC for director Francine McDougal.
* Zoe McLellen (INVENTING THE ABBOTTS) joins Justin Whalin, Thora Birch, Kristen Wilson and Marlon Wayans in DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS.
* Leonor Varela (ABC's "Cleopatra") joins TEXAS RANGERS for Dimension Films and director Steve Miner.
* Laura Linney (THE TRUMAN SHOW) will star opposite Matthew Broderick in YOU CAN COUNT ON ME executive produced by Martin Scorcese. She'll play a mother struggling to raise her child while dealing with her overbearing boss. Kenneth Lonergan (ANALYZE THIS) is directing from his own script.
* Mary Randle joins HOLLOW MAN with Kevin Bacon and Elisabeth Shue.
* Harland Williams (THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY) joins Johnathan Lynne's THE WHOLE NINE YARDS with Bruce Willis and Matthew Perry.
* Scarlett Pomers (HAPPY, TEXAS) joins ERIN BROCKOVICH for director Steven Soderbergh. Julia Roberts, Marg Helgenberger and Albert Finney.
* Dave Foley ("NewsRadio") has joined the cast of MONKEY BONE. He'll play an agent to Brendan Fraser's cartoonist.
* Chris O'Donnell will play the lead in VERTICAL LIMIT for director Martin Campbell (THE MASK OF ZORRO). Robert King (RED CORNER) wrote the script about a mountain climber who comes out of retirement to save his sister. Shooting begins in August in New Zealand for hopeful summer release. It is being pegged as an event film.
DIRECTOR/WRITER ATTACHMENTS
* Actor Robert Carlysle and director Antonia Bird (both of RAVENOUS) will co-direct the Scottish biopic BENNY LYNCH written by Frank Deasey for their own 4 Way Pictures (formed with Mark Cousins) based on the life of a Scottish boxer in the 1930s who fell from grace after being a world champion. Bird will also direct the AIDS activism film REBEKKAH as well as NINETY DAYS about a British single mom who stumbles into poverty after she falls for an American man.
* Director Agnieszka Holland will direct THE NAZI AND THE BARBER based on the 30 year old cult novel by Edgar Hilsenrath (EUROPA, EUROPA) about a Nazi who changes his identity during World War II and ends up being an Israeli war hero.
* Luis Mandoki may direct ANGEL EYES for Warner Bros. about two emotionally damaged people who fell in love and repair each other's psyches.
* Eric Schaeffer (IF LUCY FELL) will direct THOU SHALT NOT for the Bubble Factory written by Alan Freedland and Alan Cohn ("King of the Hill" execs) about a dead lawyer given a second chance by God if he can go a week without breaking all 10 Commandments.
* Stephen Susso and John Weidner will write the actioner AIRTIME for Miramax and director Scott Ziehl (BROKEN VESSELS) about a taxi driver who gets caught up with the L.A. Police Dept. in high speed car chases.
* Al Pacino will direct CHINESE COFFEE starring himself and Jerry Orbach. Elmer Bernstein will score that film as well as BRINGING OUT THE DEAD.
* Ridley Scott is in talks to direct HANNIBAL, the sequel to SILENCE OF THE LAMBS for producer Dino DeLaurentiis. A writer is yet to be attached.
* Music video director Sam Bayer (Nirvana, the Rolling Stones, David Bowie) is in talks to direct Sly Stallone in the remake of GET CARTER for Warner Bros. The story follows a mobster who searches for revenge after the murder of his brother.
* Visual effects guru Ken Ralston will make his directorial debut with JUMANJI 2. Production is scheduled to begin this year for a Christmas 2000 release. Johnathon Hensleigh wrote the script.
MISCELLANEOUS PRODUCTION TIDBITS
* Monica Potter has dropped out of MISSION TO MARS to star in HEAD OVER HEELS replacing Claire Danes who left that project after determining the role was not suitable for her.
* Producer Kevin McClory is in talks with Australian and German film companies to co-produce an alternative James Bond franchise beginning with a THUNDERBALL remake.
* 20th Century Fox has picked up Michael Laughlin's script NAKED REVERSE, a comedy that blends sex, the media and college football. Betty Thomas is producing but may or may not direct.
* Paramount is trying to team Chris Rock with directors Chris and Paul Weitz (AMERICAN PIE) on I WAS MADE TO LOVE HER written by Rock and writers from "Chris Rock Show," Ali LeRoi, Louis C.K. and Lance Crouther.
* Sony Pictures has picked up REWIND by Tim Kirk and Dave Carpenter for producer David Permut (FACE/OFF). It's a GROUNDHOG DAY-ish story about a man so nervous about his marriage, every time he hears a song reminding him of a past love, he goes back to relive the experience.
* Many A-list actors including Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon are eyeing the lead in Anthony Minghella's COLD MOUNTAIN for producer Sydney Pollack based on the novel by Charles Frazier about a wounded Civil War soldier who gets up from his hospital bed and begins walking home.
* Paramount has picked up SATURDAY AFTERNOON MADNESS by Don Calame and Chris Conroy about two friends who take part in a contest to try to win $1 million by kicking a field goal.
I can't believe there isn't any remake news of the week this week...unless you count GET CARTER getting a director. If you check old recaps, you'll see how often flat-out remakes are in development. Interesting. *** Lots o' directors getting work this week, but I suppose the biggest news is Ridley Scott's attachment to HANNIBAL. Could be something special. *** Claire Danes, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Monica Potter have all changed their minds over a few projects. We'll see how wise they were. *** DeNiro lining up 3 projects? The man never takes a break. I like the premise to MEET THE PARENTS. Anyone see the short? Give your opinion in the Talk Back. *** Ashley Judd and Natalie Portman together in a flick set in Wal-Mart. Genius. *** Elmer Bernstein has attached himself to films which brings him over the 100 mark I believe. *** VERTICAL LIMIT and event film, eh. Anyone read the script? How about THOU SHALT NOT? *** THE WHOLE NINE YARDS just keeps getting better it seems...if not eclectic.
I should mention that if you're in the Palm Beach, Florida area and want to be in a flick, 4 males and females in their early 20s and a female in her mid to late 20s are needed for a sad love story entitled BITTERSWEET. Shooting begins mid-August. For more information email bittersweet2000@hotmail.com to find out where to send a head shot among other logistics. Tell 'em Elston Gunn sent ya...or not.
Enjoy the weather and thanks for the emails. Until next week...
Elston Gunn
elstongunn@hotmail.com
