Caffeinated Clint
Its hotter and sweatier than Seth Rogen’s armpit here today – soaring temperatures across Australia; Global Warming has well and truly kicked in! – so I’m just to going to lay a few of these news items out for you guys to read whilst I consume this ice-cold can of Tab.
– Either Hayden Panettiere and Ali Larter have asked NBC if they’ll let them finish up on “Heroes”. Michael Ausiello says whoever it is will probably have their request for early dismissal refused.
– Adam Sandler is rumoured to have accepted a role in Sony’s “The Green Hornet”. According to The LA Times, he’d cameo as an undisclosed superhero.
– ABC are doing another (they did one in the 90s with Ed Begley Jr and Leonardo DiCaprio) TV series based on the Ron Howard movie “Parenthood”. The show is being adapted for TV by “Friday Night Lights” writer/exec producer Jason Katims. The new “Parenthood” has been created as an hour-long comedy-drama, and will retain the tone of the movie – but with new characters and with storylines that center on the modern challenges that come with raising kids in this post-Facebook, post-iPod world.
– Though the showrunners have tossed around the idea of killing Jack Bauer (of “24”) next season they’ve realized they’ll need Jack alive if there’s to be a ”24” movie franchise (as many expect there will be). “Kiefer and I have always said, ‘Jack Bauer’s gotta die,'” says EP and frequent director Jon Cassar. “But then the idea of a 24 movie came up and we went, ‘Oh, okay, maybe not.’
– The final poster for next month’s “Watchmen” is online – watcha think? and anyone else as excited as I am to see this flick!?
– ”Gladiator” screenwriter William Nicholson is set to write ”1066”, about the epochal confrontation between King Harold and William the Conqueror for control of England’s throne that culminated in the Battle of Hastings.
– The race is on to bring a Steve McQueen biopic to the bigscreen. Weeks after producers Michael Cerenzie and Christine Peters revealed that they are developing a film on the life of the iconic actor, producer David Foster (“The Mask of Zorro”) unveiled plans that he is spearheading a project based on a memoir penned by McQueen’s first wife, Neile McQueen Toffel.
– Michael Fassbender, Dominic West and Bond girl Olga Kurylenko are girding their loins for Neil Marshall’s Britain-set sword-and-sandals thriller “Centurion,” for “Slumdog Millionaire” producer Christian Colson.
– Universal has found its director for international thriller “The Sigma Protocol”: Berlin prize winner Jose Padilha. “Sigma” is based on Robert Ludlum’s final completed novel, published after the prolific author’s death in 2001. Like the Jason Bourne franchise, another big Uni property, the story involves a man on the run in Europe from assassins and agents.
– Warners Bros. and producer Dan Lin are in early development on a a reboot of “Tomb Raider,” the popular video game action franchise. Angelina Jolie will not be involved in the new film.
– Apparently a deal has been reached for Dolph Lundgren to reprise his role as Andrew Scott in the third “Universal Soldier” movie. It’s rumoured that the actor will only have a small role in the film though – indicative of the rather brief 6-days of shooting he’ll participate in. The film, starring Jean Claude Van Damme, rolls next month in Bulgaria.
– Some nifty concept art for the feature film version of “World War Z” can be found at io9. Check out the Easter Eggs in it – like the “Quantum of Solace” poster!
– “Saw 4” and “Saw 5” co-stars Scott Patterson and Costas Mandylor will reteam for “The Rogue”, says GilmoreGirlsnews.com. A war-based conspiracy thriller, “Rogue” fixes on a CIA officer who carries out a dangerous mission to locate Al Qaeda terrorists in Afghanistan but instead finds himself at the center of a deadly conspiracy.
– Lucy Hale (TVs “Privilged”) had also auditioned for the role of Jane in “Twilight” sequel, “New Moon”. The actress believes Dakota Fanning has snagged the role though.
– MoviesOnline says Sony’s gearing up to shoot “Resident Evil 4” in Toronto. Speaking of sequels, Christopher Mintz-Plasse is already talking about a follow-up to “Kick-Ass” with MTV.
– Will James Franco, Seth Rogen & Steve Carell all cameo in actor/writer Jason Segel’s upcoming “Muppet Movie”? “I’ve told all of my friends that I’ve written parts for them,†Segel revealed to MTV. “But I have way less friends than you imagine.â€
– The first review of “Underbelly : A Tale of Two Cities”, premiering next month in Australia, is up at The Daily Telegraph. Meanwhile a fairly racy viral video for the series has emerged.
– Universal has finally officially acknowledged the ”Howard the Duck: Special Edition” they have due on DVD only on 3/10, says The Digital Bits. Extras will include the A Look Back at Howard the Duck featurette, multiple archival featurettes (on the stunts, effects and music) “and so much more.”
– 20th Century Fox will release “The Hobbit” in Australia. Roadshow Film Distributors had released the three “Lord of the Rings” films.
– NBC has handed a pilot order to “Day One,” a futuristic drama from “Heroes” writer-producer Jesse Alexander. The project, produced by Universal Media Studios, chronicles the aftermath of a global event that devastates the world’s infrastructures when a small band of survivors strive to rebuild society and unravel the mysteries of why the event took place and what the future has in store.
– According to Filmz.dk, actor Shawn Knowles (“Cirque du Freak”) has joined the cast of “Zombieland”, starring opposite Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg. He’s listed as playing a character named ‘Harold’.
