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Shia LaBeouf Still Wants to Be 'Y: The Last Man'

Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Thrillers, Casting, RumorMonger, Celebrities and Controversy, Scripts, Newsstand, Comic/Superhero/Geek

I spoke too soon. We all did. After the heartening news that Shia LaBeouf wasn't interested in being the last man on earth (to which every other guy on the planet yelled "Fool!!"), he's hastily amended his brush-off to Collider.

While he still feels the part of Yorick is too "Sam Witwicky" and stresses that he wants to do something that's "foreign," he's still very interested in Y: The Last Man. He just wants to wait a few years, and he'll have the time to get the Witwicky out of his system.

"I love Y! Y is my favorite comic book ... Brian K. Vaughn, Neil Gaiman, the guys who write the Criminal series, these are all my favorite, this is my favorite stuff to read. It's the stuff that I love. Y: The Last Man is my favorite comic book. It's also DJ Caruso's favorite comic book. We DO want to make it ... Absolutely, man! In fact, that's what's going on right now. Vaughn and Ellsworth and DJ are writing the script now. The script is not ready to be shot. DJ is making a different movie right now. He's making Jack and the Beanstalk. There's just other things going on with DJ and I wouldn't want to make the movie with anybody else because he loves it like I do. But I don't think Vaughn is trying to give it to anybody else. I think that it is something that's very realistic, it's just not in the pipe for the next year."

Well, I'm pleased that he's a fan of the series and who knows? Maybe a few years will see me warm up to him, and be delighted that he was the first pick for the last man.

Sigourney Weaver on 'Ghostbusters 3' and 'Alien' Prequel

Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Casting, RumorMonger, Fandom, Remakes and Sequels

The latest scoop on Ghostbusters 3 has Sigourney Weaver pegged to return alongside the rest of the original cast members. Well, when SciFi Squad's Mike Moody chatted her up recently, Ms. Weaver seemed to be singing a very different tune. Here's a snippet:

Mike Moody: The rumor is you might revisit one of your famous comedy roles, Dana Barrett, in another Ghostbusters sequel. Where do you think Dana and Peter Venkman's relationship will be when the new movie picks up?

Sigourney Weaver: Probably non-existent.

Really?

SW: Yeah, I'm pretty sure. I think they're still writing it, but (laughs) I'd be very surprised ... You never know. I just did a benefit with Bill (Murray), and we love working together, but I think they're trying to create something new completely with the Ghostbusters, although I know Bill is in it. I hope my little son Oscar (from Ghostbusters II) is a Ghostbuster!

So, you won't be appearing in the movie?

SW: No, I don't expect to have anything to do with it, although I wish them well.

Weaver also talked about the planned Alien prequel, whether she'd have anything to do with it and what it means to her to hear that Ripley was recently named the most iconic science fiction character of all time. Read the rest over at SciFi Squad.

What Do 'Transformers 2' and 'SpongeBob SquarePants' Have in Common?

Filed under: Casting, Fandom



While I have yet to see Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (mainly because a little newborn baby has kept me from leaving the crib), I've been real interested in the cries of racism being echoed throughout the internet when it comes to the new Transformers robots Mudflap and Skids (pictured above). Here's how director Michael Bay described them: "Some of the junior Transformers are just dumb. But it's great for kids because they're like the Little Engine That Could. They're (screw)-ups, but they get really heroic at the end." And here's how Movieline described them: "There are two robots in the film called Mudflap and Skids, and despite being red and green, respectively, they are voiced in a way that clearly designates them to be the "black" robots. Also, Skids has a gold front tooth (no, I'm serious) and both cannot read."

CHUD's Devin Faraci
adds to the debate: "Simply put they are offensive beyond measure, and if their names were Stepin and Fetchit I could maybe argue that they were a joke or a bit of meta-commentary or anything except horrible, horrible racial stereotypes." So what does this all have to do with SpongeBob SquarePants? Well, funnily enough, those expecting a comedic black actor to be the voice behind both Mudflap and Skids will certainly be surprised to learn that, in reality, Tom Kenny (aka the voice of SpongeBob) is the dude who brought The Twins to life on screen. I'm not sure this info makes the whole thing any less racist, but I just found it kinda funny and interesting and bizarre. (Kenny also voices various robots in the Transformers animated series as well.)

For those who have seen the new film, what did you think of Mudflap and Skids?

[via Movieline]

Casting Bites: Benicio del Toro, Kathryn Hahn, and Cher

Filed under: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Casting

Stephen Dorff and Chris Pontius (Jackass) aren't the only men gearing up for Sofia Coppola's upcoming film Somewhere. It turns out the rumors are true -- Movieline has confirmed that Benicio del Toro will be making an appearance. Unfortunately, it's only brief. He'll play someone Dorff has a run-in with at the Chateau Marmont (where Dorff's character is holed up). This is fitting, as the site points out, since that's where he had that rumored sexy run-in with Scarlett Johansson. Will they meet in an elevator?

Meanwhile, funny woman Kathryn Hahn, who you surely remember from films like Anchorman and Step Brothers, has scored two new gigs -- one on the big screen, and one on TV. The Hollywood Reporter posts that she has grabbed a part in James Brooks' untitled baseball comedy, and is also developing a pilot with husband Ethan Sandler that she will potentially star in. As for the comedy -- that's the Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson, and possibly Jack Nicholson flick focusing on romance, laughs, and baseball. She'll play Rudd's assistant.

Finally, Cher is really doing what she can to perk up her career lately. Aside from Drop Out and The Zookeeper, Variety has confirmed that the earlier talks have now been sealed -- Cher will head to Christina Aguilera's upcoming Burlesque. The saucy icon will play "a former dancer who struggles to keep the club open and gives the young girl a chance to shine." Cher will sing for the film, but there's no word on whether she'll turn back time to wear that bathing-suit like body floss.

Kevin Williamson Rues a Sidney-Less 'Scream' Reboot

Filed under: Horror, Casting, RumorMonger, Remakes and Sequels

Thanks to that Internet phenomenon known as Twitter, the Scream world was buzzing over the weekend, clearing up some questions whilst opening up a whole other can of worms.

Last we heard, the Arquettes were in talks to reprise their roles for Scream 4. But they weren't the only ones Kevin Williamson was counting on. June 10: "Come on Sid! Say yes! Please!!!!!! I'm begging!!!!!" But it looks like begging didn't help to schmooze Neve Campbell back to her killer-fighting role. On Friday, Williamson followed up with: "Trying to figure out a Sid-less scenario. She won't do it. This sucks." (The tweet has since been removed, but can be found in the Google cache here.) He now says that he's "moving forward will all my characters regardless...it's the story I wanna tell."

Williamson further clarified his comments to PopWrap, saying "I've had numerous conversations with Neve. She's a friend. Nicest girl on the planet. It just ain't workin' out and it sucks for me." He also admitted that Campbell not doing it kinda hurts his original idea, because her role was a lot bigger than we all may have originally thought. "It was no cameo. I'd never play Sid out that way. And I ain't got no Sid-less scenario. So, I don't know yet what to do." He did, however, clear up one thing. This is definitely not a reboot: "It is a sequel. Scream 4. The first chapter of a new trilogy."

Could this be a chapter where the frights start from moment one and actually carry through to the end? Williamson is scaring himself, but can he still scare us?

Brody, Whitaker, Wood, and Gigandet Sign on for 'The Experiment'

Filed under: Drama, Thrillers, Casting, Scripts

Here we go again! The latest film to get put through the remake ringer: Das Experiment. But at least this incarnation is getting a pretty interesting cast. Variety reports that Adrien Brody, Forest Whitaker, Elijah Wood, and Cam Gigandet will star in The Experiment, Paul Scheuring's (Prison Break) take on the German psychological thriller.

For the uninitiated, Experiment focuses on a collection of ordinary guys who sign up for a research study. They must become a group of guards and prisoners to see what affects power and control can have on a man. Of course, those affects will be bad. Brody will be the de facto head of the prisoners, while Whitaker will play the guard who becomes corrupt with power. One can assume that the other two will fall in line on one of the two sides, although their roles aren't being shared at this time.

Man, I wonder if they'll get any pointers from Rider Strong? The Boy Meets World kid got all sick with power on Veronica Mars when Logan had to partake in this very experiment for class. But seriously -- with Brody and Whitaker at the front, this could be one sweetly dark flick. As for the Scheuring side, Prison Break never appealed to me so you wonderful readers will have to weigh in on that end. Filming begins in Iowa next month, so are you ready to tap into your darker, power-hungry side?

Overture Snags Rashida Jones Rom-Com

Filed under: Casting, Deals, Scripts

Overture's latest smart rom-com move was to purchase Celeste and Jesse Forever, a script written by Will McCormack and Rashida Jones, who will also star as Celeste. Celeste and Jesse Forever is the tale of a divorcing couple that is struggling to keep their friendship together while also seeing other people. Suzanne and Jennifer Todd will produce under their Team Todd shingle. This is the first screenplay credit for both actors; Rashida Jones was, of course, the adorable (and three-dimensional!) fiancé Zooey in this spring's I Love You, Man, and she is currently on the TV show Parks and Recreation. McCormack has been on TV shows like In Plain Sight and Brothers & Sisters, as well as in films like Syriana and Team Todd-produced Prime and Must Love Dogs. As previously reported on Cinematical, the spec script was initially picked up by Fox Atomic.

Overture is also behind another upcoming cool romantic comedy written by and starring a talented and very funny woman, Charlyne Yi's Paper Heart. And while their other non-traditional rom-com, Last Chance Harvey, didn't do all that well, it seemed to be fairly popular with its target audience and garnered Dustin Hoffman a Golden Globes nom. And it was also behind Sunshine Cleaning, which, while it obviously wasn't a romantic comedy (or even that funny, despite what the trailers led you to believe), was an interesting and entertaining movie with women behind and in front of the camera. Amy Adams and Emily Blunt were strong leading ladies, and director Christine Jeffs and first-time screenwriter Megan Holley were behind the scenes.

Is it possible that there is a studio out there willing to take a chance on unique stories and fresh talent, and fresh female talent, at that? I'm rooting for them -- and for Rashida!

'Conan' May Have Found The Next Beefy Austrian Star

Filed under: Action, Casting, Remakes and Sequels

A new journey to the world of Cimmeria has been in the works for eons, with a slew of delays, casting rumors, and rewrites keeping the project barely puttering. Just look here to freshen up. But now ... the new Conan the Barbarian may have been found. And he bares a striking resemblance to the last. (My emphasis of that word will make sense in a second.)

The Hollywood Reporter's Risky Biz Blog reports that Lionsgate and Nu Image/Millennium are not interested in finding a fresh Conan, but grabbing an Arnold Schwarzenegger look-alike. They're in talks with Roland Kickinger -- a 41-year-old actor who, just like Arnie, is from Austria, is a body-builder-turned-actor, had a role as a T-800, and even played a Conan-era Arnie in See Arnold Run. Talk about the Schwarz being with you ... and about a lack of casting creativity!

Could this, perchance, be a little over-the-top? I mean, yay for Kickinger, who could finally make a huge mainstream-role out of his Arnold similarities and set out on the path for gubernatorial success. But as for the film and the rest of us -- this seems more over-the-top than a mirrored version of Psycho!

I don't think Schwarzenegger can say "I'll be back" anymore. It just doesn't have the same ring when there's a new Austrian to cover for him.

Reese Witherspoon as a Bad 'Pharm Girl'?

Filed under: Comedy, Casting, Deals

Reese WitherspoonDrugs could make a good girl go bad. Reese Witherspoon, who rose to stardom as a good girl in bubbly comedies Legally Blonde and Sweet Home Alabama before winning an Oscar for the dramatic Walk the Line, will star in and produce Pharm Girl for Universal Pictures. Here's the "bad" part: Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, responsible for I Love You Philip Morris but best known for writing the acerbic Bad Santa, "are writing the screenplay and in talks to direct," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

It's hard to believe it's been 18 years since Reese debuted as a spunky young teen in Robert Mulligan's evocative The Man in the Moon. In the decade before Legally Blonde, she gave a scorching performance as an incredibly foul-mouthed, rebellious teen in Matthew Bright's super-dark Freeway (which had a biting comic edge), and eventually won wide acclaim in Alexander Payne's superb Election. It would be refreshing to see sweet Reese go dark in her comedy again, after all the lighter humor that's become her trademark.

Reese has a host of other potential projects boiling right now: Alexander Payne's little people flick Downsizing, clone comedy Used Guys, and James L. Brooks' softball romantic comedy. I haven't been too excited by her recent films, whether comic (Just Like Heaven) or dramatic (Rendition), but it was good to hear her distinctive Southern twang in Monsters vs. Aliens, and I'd like to see the Bad Santa boys cook up a twisted, irreverent satire about the "dark underbelly" of the pharmaceutical industry. Would you go see Reese as a bad "pharm girl"?

'Red Dawn' Rewrite and New Wolverines Join the Pack

Filed under: Action, Casting, MGM, Scripts, Remakes and Sequels

Since I'm resigned to the fact that everything is going to be remade sooner or later, the best I can hope for is that at least studios will hire people who know what they're doing. On that note, there's a ray of hope for MGM's Red Dawn remake because Latino Review reports that Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton) has been hired to do a rewrite. I've got nothing against the project's original scribe, Carl Ellsworth, but if I had to choose between the two, I would much rather go with the writer of those Bourne films than the writer of Disturbia.

Yesterday, it was announced that Josh Peck and Adrianne Palicki will star alongside Chris Hemsworth (Star Trek) in the tale of a group of teens turned militia men better known as the Wolverines. According to THR, Hemsworth will play the group's leader, Jed Eckert (originally played by Patrick Swayze), and Peck will be reprising Charlie Sheen's role as Jed's younger brother, with Palicki filling in for Jennifer Grey as the tough-as-nails fighter and love interest for Jed. In the original film, our heroes went up against invading Communist hoards, but for the update it has been changed from Communists to a more generic threat of Russian and Chinese military.

Now I've decided that I won't get worked up about a remake unless the movie was good in the first place, and unfortunately my love of Dawn is more about nostalgia than the film itself. But you can't deny it's become a little outdated over the years (is anyone that worried about Communist invaders anymore?) -- but Gilroy has a way with smart action films, so I'll remain optimistic that he can pull it off ... how about you?

Red Dawn is scheduled to arrive in theaters in 2010.
 

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