Filed under: Comedy, Romance, Casting, Scripts

Gigli might have tanked as one of the crappiest films of all time, but that’s not stopping Jennifer Lopez’s attraction to rom-coms. Her romance-centric comedies barely garner 5 out of 10 in the thousands of votes on IMDb, and she can’t even come close to the likes of old pros like Sandra Bullock, but she keeps coming back for more.

The Hollywood Reporter posts that Lopez has signed on to star in CBS Films’ new rom-com called Plan B. Coming from a spec by Kate Angelo, the film focuses on a single woman itching to have kids. Since she hasn’t met a man she can settle down with, the woman decides to go for “Plan B” and get artificially inseminated. However, the same day that she conceives twins, she meets the man of her dreams (Plan A). (I’m sniffing a Baby Mama sort of scenario…)

Amusingly, the piece also notes that Amy Baer of CBS Films says that this project “would take Lopez back to her core strength of the romantic comedy,” and it’s being boasted as a comedy that will cross gender lines, a la Knocked Up. While I wouldn’t be surprised if she could make an Out of Sight sort of comeback, methinks this won’t kick her into wide-appeal rom-com land. Between this and the kid-centric Governess, do any of you out there really want more Lopez-led romance?

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Filed under: Casting, Fandom, Newsstand

I don’t know a guy or a girl who doesn’t have a crush on Carla Gugino. Somehow the Top Whatever Sexiest of Whatever Lists have all passed her up in favor of, like, that girl from 7th Heaven, but she’ll always have a spot toward the top of my sexy list. Gugino will take on the legendary (and original) Silk Spectre in Watchmen this spring, and a couple of months ago she played one of them rough-sex types in Righteous Kill — but now … well, now she’s taking sexy one step further in the form of a porn star. Wait, strike that … a pregnant porn star! Hot!

Variety reports that Gugino will star in Elektra Luxx, which — get this — is a sequel to an ensemble comedy called Women in Trouble, which never found distribution. Yeah, so why not make the sequel when the original never had a chance to fail? As previously mentioned, Gugino will play a porn star whose life gets turned upside down when she discovers a bun in the oven. Joining her in the cast are Tim Olyphant, Alicia Silverstone and Justin Kirk. Oh, but writer-director Sebastian Gutierrez isn’t stopping there, and although filming on the second film is now underway, plans are already in place for a third installment tentatively called Women in Ecstasy. Unfortunately, we may never have a chance to see it … or its previous two installments.

That brings up a good question: Has a sequel ever hit theaters before (or instead of) the original?

Update: Check out two images of Carla Gugino as Elektra Luxx after the jump.

Continue reading Carla Gugino to Play a Porn Star

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Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Casting, Disney, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels, Games and Game Movies

It is not often that movie geeks can be taken by surprise, but that’s exactly what happened at Comic Con back in July when Disney screened test footage from the long-rumored sequel to the 80’s sci-fi classic, Tron. Now a few months later fans can rejoice at news that the project is still chugging along — in fact, The Hollywood Reporter has announced that Olivia Wilde (of TV’s House) and Beau Garrett ( Wilde’s co-star in the horror flick Turistas) have signed to star along side Jeff Bridges in the sequel to the cult classic.

Newcomer Joseph Kosinski will direct from a script co-written with LOST writer Adam Horowitz. This is Kosinski’s first feature after making a name directing commercials for Gears of War, Halo 3, and Apple, and has already been signed for the Logan’s Run update over at WB (if that happens). According to the Reporter, TR2N, “is acting as a “next chapter.” Plot details are being guarded closely, but Wilde will play a worker in the virtual world who tries to help fight Master Control Program, the villainous intelligence protocol that was the nemesis in the original film.”

Although, if we’re being honest with ourselves, was Tron really about the plot? I know that for me it was all about those cool light-up suits and the possibility that I might disappear into my Commodore 64 (What do you want? I was seven).

TR2N (a title that gets more irritating to type each and every time) is scheduled for release in 2011.

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Filed under: Casting, Exhibition

Since the baby descended upon their lives, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard have been laying low, staying out of the spotlight. (Except, of course, for Ms. Gyllenhaal showing Katie Holmes how Dawes is done.) But now each actor has a bunch of projects on the way, and have added a play to the mix.

Variety reports the pair have grabbed roles in an Off Broadway production of Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya, which will hit the stage next year. The twist in this news — they’re both grabbing roles, but they’re not playing lovers. Gyllenhaal will play Yelena, while Sarsgaard plays doctor Astrov. This means that she’ll play the new, young wife of Serebrakov (the 70+ George Morfogen … a coupling I bet you didn’t see coming!). Also in the cast are Meryl Streep’s daughter, Mamie Gummer, and Denis O’Hare (the man who watched the infinite abyss in Garden State) as Uncle Vanya. Just to make it all the more tantalizing — Austin Pendleton (Catch-22, Short Circuit) is directing it.

New York residents should definitely keep an eye out for it, and the rest: head to the Big Apple and make it a Dawes-on-stage double feature — Katie v. Maggie, the final decision. I’d rather suggest you see Peter and Maggie’s short film High Falls, but it doesn’t seem to be available on DVD or online.

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Filed under: Action, Casting, Warner Brothers, RumorMonger, Scripts, 20th Century Fox, Newsstand, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels, War

Lots of maddening hints in the news today — I share them merely in order to tease you as they have me.

Like this one, for example — Justin Theroux says he and Jon Favreau have now decided on a villain for Iron Man 2, and the announcement will be held “at some Comic-Con or something.” [IGN]

Or this: Guy Ritchie has a lead in mind for Sgt. Rock, but he won’t say who, except that it’s no one from his past films. So you can cross Jason Statham, Mark Strong, Robert Downey Jr., and Gerard Butler off the “Names That Rumor-Mongerers Love” list. He did say the script is done, it will be set in WWII, and it will feature Easy Company. However, the biggest hurdle in getting it made is its budget which is “slightly intimidating.” [MTV Splash Page]

David S. Goyer says the Master of Magnetism’s origin movie is on hold until X-Men Origins: Wolverine comes out. If Wolverine is a success, then Magneto gets his origin movie. I think that seems unfair, don’t you? [Superhero Hype]

Continue reading Geek Daily: ‘Iron Man 2′ Villain, ‘Sgt Rock’, Magneto & Deadpool

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Filed under: Comedy, Drama, Casting

*
When you watch Mark Ruffalo act, have you ever thought: “Hey, Ben Stiller would be a good Ruffalo replacement”? No? Me neither.

But it’s happening! Back in May, Mark Ruffalo and Amy Adams were set to star in Noah Baumbach’s next film, Greenberg.** Now, The Hollywood Reporter posts that Stiller has signed on to replace Ruffalo in the feature. I would assume that this is due to the death of Ruffalo’s brother, which has been making news lately, but it could just be a case of a film taking too long to come to fruition. Amy Adams is out as well, and they’re currently searching for her replacement.

It certainly seems like Stiller is now trying to balance his goofy Tropic Thunder type fare with something a bit meatier, between this and that earlier Chicago 7 rumor. As I’ve said before — I’m all for it. It’s about time he went back to more dramatic fare. But who should he traverse the rocky road of relationships with? Any ideas?

*The Hollywood Reporter has since corrected their post — Ruffalo was never attached, but rather one of the actors interested in the film.
**The title of the film is actually Greenberg, not Greenburg, as THR listed.

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Filed under: Action, Music & Musicals, Casting, Deals, RumorMonger, Fandom, Comic/Superhero/Geek

Don’t worry hardcore Spidey fans, Evan Rachel Wood is not replacing Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane, Peter Parker’s girlfriend. However, according to the actress herself, she’s signed on to play Mary Jane in Spider-Man: The Musical, which begins rehearsals in June, 2009, and will most likely arrive on Broadway before the next big-screen sequel in early 2010.

We’ve known for awhile now that the musical’s director, Julie Taymor, has been championing her Across the Universe stars for the lead roles in the musical. Now that Wood has nabbed the co-lead, will Jim Sturgess play Spidey? According to Wood, who spoke with IESB at a press junket for The Wrestler, they’re “still trying to convince him.” It’s important to note that both Wood and Sturgess have workshopped the musical with Taymor recently, so chances are good both will open the show in New York. Remember, music and lyrics have been provided by U2’s Bono and The Edge — and with two pretty movie stars in the starring roles, this thing could take off. Whaddya think? Will Spidey ruin his superheroic kickass appeal by deciding to belt out a tune or three on Broadway?

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Filed under: Action, Casting, Deals, Scripts

It’s been a while since word hit earlier this year that Brad Pitt had picked up the rights to David Grann’s upcoming book called The Lost City of Z. But after months of silence, the ball is rolling once again. Variety reports that Paramount has tapped James Gray (We Own the Night) to adapt Grann’s work and then helm it with Pitt definitely taking the starring role as British explorer Percy Fawcett.

Lost City follows the true story of Fawcett, a man who “left Victorian society” in the ’20s to explore the Amazon, obsessed with the legendary, advanced city Z. He made his way into the jungle with his son in search of this legend, and disappeared. Over the years, even Grann himself have tried to retrace Fawcett’s steps. There are a number of rumors and possibilities, but as with any expedition many years later — none have been verified.

There’s no word on whether this will stay back in time, or merge Fawcett’s quest with Grann’s later discoveries. But either way, Fawcett is an icon who not only inspired Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World, but is also rumored to be the inspiration for Indiana Jones. That Crystal Skull was a fiasco, so maybe it’s time to hand the reigns over to the original explorer and get a whole new taste of archaeology.

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

What’s Tron without Tron? I mean, you can have a Tron, but if it’s not the real Tron, then it doesn’t seem like a Tron-worthy endeavor. Does it?

Confused? Let me explain: Coming Soon reports that Disney’s upcoming Tron 2.0 will not only have original cast member Jeff Bridges (Kevin Flynn/Clu), but also Tron himself, Bruce Boxleitner. However, the piece does use some strange wording, saying that he’s “filming a role” rather than returning to Tron. So, this could just be a cameo, or a small role set to woo us ol’ fans of the original.

The first dealt with Bridges being a hacker who is sucked into the world of computers and has to team up with Boxleitner’s Tron to bring down the MCP, or Master Control Program. This time around, Olivia Wilde is playing a “worker in the virtual world” who has to face the MCP, while Beau Garrett gets to play a virtual world siren.

This should be a good gig for Bruce, who continues to work, but hasn’t had anything of Tron proportions lately. But how should he show up? I would love to see a years-later sequel actually make use of the original players, rather than just highlight them, but how ’bout you?

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Filed under: Comedy, Romance, Casting, Scripts

I don’t know about you, but when I play the “actors who could be related game,” like Jeffrey M. Anderson did back in July, I always start with Marisa Tomei being the perfect person to play Jonah Hill’s mom. Really. Don’t they look alike? The long, lean … okay, forget it. I never dreamed of pairing the two up, but Fox Searchlight has.

The Hollywood Reporter posts that Marisa Tomei, Jonah Hill, and John C. Reilly are in talks to star in a new intergenerational comedy. (Note: I originally misread “intergenerational” as “intergalactic.” Those three in space would have been so much cooler, but I digress.) Right now, the Jay and Mark Duplass (who are making their studio debut after several successful indie mumblecore-ish movies) film is without a name, but it was once called Safety Man. Tomei will play a woman starting a new relationship with Reilly, only to have her pesky son (Hill) try to foil the romance.

I love the idea of this trio, and can’t wait to see what it would bring. However, why does Tomei always get paired with the less sexy of Hollywood? I know that it happens a lot in Tinseltown — men who would be looked over normally become prime pieces of arse when they transform into successful actors. But did getting paired with Joe Pesci back in ‘92 curse her? Mickey Rourke with a face lift. Philip Seymour Hoffman. William H. Macy. Even the love interest of George Costanza on TV. Now, Reilly. Hollywood: Pair her with a sexy leading man in a really good film already, would ya?

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