FATHER GEEK just received Elston Gunn's Labor Day Weekend Weekly Recap with lots of interesting items from the week that was... but enough of me, and on to our Weekly Recap...
TAKEN FROM VARIETY AND HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
CASTING
* Emily Bergl (THE RAGE: CARRIE 2) joins Brad Renfro and Dominique Swain in New Line's HAPPY CAMPERS for writer/director Daniel Waters.
* Arnold Schwarzenegger is attached to star in a remake of the 1957 western SEVEN MEN FROM NOW about a federal officer who witnesses his wife's murder and finds himself the prey in a conspiracy while he searches for the killers. Paul Schrader scripted the updated version set in contemporary Houston. Schwarzenegger will start THE SIXTH DAY for director Roger Spottiswoode this fall.
* Robin Williams is attached to produce and star in TAXI DOG for Warner Bros. about a mean street dog and a mean cab driver forced into a reluctant partnership. The story is based on a series of picture books by Debra and Sal Barracca.
* Kelly McGillis and Susie Porter will play lesbian lovers in THE MONKEY'S MASK for director Samantha Long (THE WELL) based on the erotic thriller by Dorothy Porter.
* Tom Arnold grabbed roles in both BOX MARLEY for director Chris Cherot (HAV PLENTY) and ANIMAL FACTORY for director Steve Buscemi. He'll play a prison rapist in the latter.
* Rachel Leigh Cook (SHE'S ALL THAT) is in talks to star in NORTHANGER ABBEY based on the Jane Austen novel. Andrew Davies is adapting the novel about the sexual awakening of a young woman who loves Gothic fiction.
* Alicia Witt joins Stephen Dorff and Melanie Griffith in John Waters' CECIL B. DEMENTED about an indie film director who kidnaps a Hollywood actress and forces her at gunpoint to star in their underground movie. In the end, the Hollywood actress, Honey Whitlock (Griffith), becomes a guerrilla filmmaking terrorist. Witt will play the director's girlfriend, a porn actress.
* Brad Pitt is in talks to star in THE MEXICAN for producer Lawrence Bender and John Baldecchi about a mobster who goes to Mexico to find a cursed pistol. J.H. Wyman scripted.
* Sandra Bullock will star in the comedy MISS CONGENIALITY for Castle Rock Entertainment about an FBI agent posing undercover as Miss New Jersey and having to stop the efforts of a group trying to bomb a national beauty pageant.
* Charlize Theron is in talks to play the female lead in THE LEGEND OF BAGGER VANCE possibly starring Matt Damon and Will Smith to be directed by Robert Redford. Shooting begins in Savannah in late Sept.
* Susan May Pratt joins the Nicholas Hynter-directed ballet flick as well as the indie film SEARCHING FOR PARADISE for director Myra Paci.
* Kris Park joins Spike Lee's BAMBOOZLED.
* Patrick Stewart may star in WINDING STAIRS by Michael Blake (DANCES WITH WOLVES) and a project about a hitman trying to establish a normal life with a family. He'll also produce a remake of the 1969 film THE ASSASSINATION BUREAU for Paramount and his Flying Freehold Prods.
* Bruce Willis is in talks to star in OUTLAWS oppostie Val Kilmer for Disney. Harley Peyton wrote the script about two bank robbers in a love triangle with a girl who is thought to be kidnapped by the two.
* Doug Hutchison (CON AIR) joins BAIT, the action-comedy starring Jamie Foxx and Kris Kristofferson.
* Arden Myrin ("Working") grabbed a role in New Line's A LEONARD COHEN AFTERWORLD.
* Ali Landry has landed a role in Destination Films' BEAUTIFUL starring Minnie Driver for director Sally Field.
* Karyn Parsons ("The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air") will star opposite Tim Meadows in Paramount's THE LADIES MAN for director Reginald Hudlin (MAJOR PAYNE).
* Diana Scarwid joins WHAT LIES BENEATH starring Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer.
DIRECTOR/WRITER ATTACHMENTS
* Michael Bregman will direct TABLE ONE starring Michael Rooker, Stephen Baldwin and Burt Young about four guys who try to open the next Moomba, but doesn't turn out the way they had hoped.
* Ken Loach is directing BREAD AND ROSES starring Pilar Padilla, Elpida Carillo and Adrien Brody, written by Paul Laverty (MY NAME IS JOE) about two Mexican sisters working in the U.S. whose relationship is tested when an American activist wants them to join his guerrilla campaign for trade union recognition.
* Mike France is scripting THE INCREDIBLE HULK for Universal and a spring start date.
* Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron has been tapped to develop John Grisham's THE RUNAWAY JURY for New Regency and Warner Bros. two years after the initial adaptation fell apart.
MISCELLANEOUS PRODUCTION TIDBITS
* Theodore Witcher is setting up IF I DON'T SIX, a drama about the freshman year of a football player at a Big 10 school written by Elwood Reid from his own novel, and LIBRA, a love story among a community of musicians in New York for his MK-Ultra production company and New Line Cinema.
* MGM is developing a remake of the 1966 Peter Sellers flick AFTER THE FOX to be written by George Gallo. Brett Ratner is in talks to direct the story of a master of disguise who escapes from prison and poses as a film director to smuggle stolen gold bullion.
* Disney has optioned an untitled pitch from former valet Kirk Ward and his partner Charlie Santori about the hard-working men and women who park cars for a living.
* Fox may become a domestic partner with Disney on GANGS OF NEW YORK starring Leonardo DiCaprio and to be directed by Martin Scorsese.
* Walt Disney Co. has temporarily halted production on a sequel to PETER PAN to develop the project some more.
A PETER PAN sequel? THE RUNAWAY JURY back in development? Spring start date for THE INCREDIBLE HULK? Anybody know any more about Spike Lee's BAMBOOZLED? Lots of interesting casting this week with some big names to boot. Schwarzenegger, Tom Arnold and Patrick Stewart are going to be busy for a while. CECIL B. DEMENTED and THE MEXICAN sound interesting. Robin Williams in TAXI DOG? Hmm. Couple of remakes too: AFTER THE FOX and THE ASSASSINATION BUREAU. Not a big week this week, but some cool stuff nonetheless.
Enjoy the Labor Day weekend...my birthday is Saturday the 4th so you can celebrate that too if you'd like. Have a good one.
Until next week...
Elston Gunn
elstongunn@hotmail.com
