Week of « Prev | Next »
9 articles
Barry Sonnenfield to Direct and Exec. Produce Funny In Farsi for ABC
2 hours ago
Producer-Director Barry Sonnenfeld (Pushing Daisies) is set to direct and executive produce the pilot of Funny in Farsi. The single-camera comedy is being developed for ABC about growing up Iranian American in 1970s Newport Beach, based on Firoozeh Dumas’ memoir of the same name.
According to THR, ABC ordered a pilot script last season, but the director they had in mind pulled out and the project got shelved. The pilot has been adapted from the book by Jeffrey Hodes and Nastaran Dibai (who worked together on the three-camera According to Jim), and Sonnenfeld is helming the show in conjunction with another show, likely a drama, both in a deal with ABC.
»
- Michael Sullivan
WB Announces Clint Eastwood: 35 Films 35 Years at Warner Bros. DVD Box Set
2 hours ago
Warner Bros. has announced an incredible Clint Eastwood DVD box set. They’re calling it Clint Eastwood: 35 Films 35 Years at Warner Bros., and if you can’t tell by the title, it includes Eastwood’s entire filmography at the studio from Where Eagles Dare (1968) through Gran Torino (2008) in an really nice giftbox. According to the studio, also included is an all-new short film about Eastwood’s life and career produced by film critic and documentarian Richard Schickel, featuring in-depth interviews and revealing, intimate footage never-before-seen plus rare photos and letters. The box set is scheduled for release February 16th, 2010 and the retail price is $179 and change. It’s a hell of a deal for any Eastwood fan. The only negative is it’s not available on Blu-ray. Check out the artwork after the jump:
»
- Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub
The Hobbit Filming Delayed. Peter Jackson Explains
3 hours ago
With Peter Jackson promoting his new movie The Lovely Bones around the world, we’re getting a lot of updates on the project every Lord of the Rings fans is dying to see: The Hobbit. While filming was scheduled to begin early next year on the two films, Jackson told the German website MovieReporter.net (via TheOneRing)
“We’re currently working on the second script which we hope to have completed by the end of this year or beginning of next. When the scripts are completed, we can begin with the exact calculation of the necessary budget. We hope to start filming in the middle of next year. However, we’ve received no green light from the studio yet.”
Now before you get too excited and think Warner Bros. isn’t going to make these films, think again. The Lord of the Rings franchise made the studio an enormous amount »
- Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub
Fox wants Matthew McConaughey’s Rooster Tales
3 hours ago
Variety is reporting that Matthew McConaughey, through his J.K. Livin’ Productions, will be producing an animated series for Fox based on the life and times of his brother. According to McConaughey, his brother, Michael, also known as “Rooster,” has had a life “so unbelievable, we had to animate it.” The story is set to start with the marriage of a rough, redneck sheriff to a young woman from Mexico. Hilarity ensues when he is welcomed into her family…of 114. After beating out TBS and Comedy Central for the rights to develop Rooster Tales, Fox now has the show in the script stage.
While the premise is somewhat reminiscent of Salma Hayek’s memorable appearance as Jack Donaghy’s girlfriend on 30 Rock I am unsure if there is really enough comedic potential for a quality series. Really, what I am most impressed with is the euphemism-friendly title.
»
- David Corbin
Thomas Dekker to Lead Indie Drama Waska Co-Starring Jeremy Piven, Lynn Collins, and Kate Walsh
15 hours ago
In what’s sure to be an uplifting tale on par with E.T. and commercials for the Olympics, Thomas Dekker (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles), Jeremy Piven, Lynn Collins, and Kate Walsh have all been cast in Waska, which is about a young father (Dekker) whose 3-year-old freezes to death on a fishing trip. I believe we’ve found our feel-good film of 2010.
According to THR, “a local prosecutor (Piven) goes after him, townspeople like his ex-wife (Collins) rage at him and others support him as he attempts to makes sense of what happened.” Mira Sorvino, Elizabeth McGovern, and Joseph Morgan also co-star in the film. Waska is based off a novel by Leslie Schwartz and is probably a great beach read.
»
- Matt Goldberg
MTV to Present Live Webcast of Avatar Roundtable with James Cameron, Zoe Saldana, and Sam Worthington
16 hours ago
The attempt to make sure every man, woman, and child knows about James Cameron’s Avatar continues as MTV will host a live webcast of a roundtable discussion with Cameron, stars Zoe Saldana and Sam Worthington, and producer Jon Landau. Variety reports that MTV News managing editor Josh Horowitz will moderate the 30-minute event, which will feature unseen footage from the movie. The webcast will also be shown on the official Avatar Facebook page and fans will be able to submit questions to either site.
MTV will broadcast the event on December 3rd in preparation for their half-hour special on Avatar on December 16th. Avatar will hit theaters in 2D, 3D, and 3D IMAX on December 18th. Hit the jump to read a full synopsis on the film. No word yet if 20th Century Fox plans to market the film in our food and drinking water.
For those just tuning in, »
- Matt Goldberg
Sam Raimi’s Ghost House Makes High-Priced Deal with Fede Alvarez Based on His Low-Budget YouTube Short, Panic Attack!
16 hours ago
Heat Vision reports that Fede Alvarez, a Uraguayan filmmaker who created a YouTube hit with his low-budget sci-fi short, Panic Attack!, has signed a deal with Sam Raimi’s Ghost House Pictures to develop and direct an original genre project. While Panic Attack! only cost several hundred dollars, his deal with Ghost House is reportedly in the six- against seven figure range (meaning that he’s being paid $X00,000 and if the film gets made he gets a bonus amount which would bring his salary to $X,000,000). The same day Alvarez posted his video, Hollywood came calling as they were impressed with what he was able to accomplish with such a low budget.
Alvarez’ short is less than five minutes long and is about robots invading and attacking the city of Montevideo. That’s all that happens in the movie. The robots invade and then they attack. The end. I »
- Matt Goldberg
Paramount Pictures to Head to Area 51 with Paranormal Activity Director Oren Peli
17 hours ago
According to BFDMemo, Paramount Pictures has picked up the distribution to director Oren Peli’s Area 51, the highly anticipated follow-up to this year’s box office smash, Paranormal Activity. As previously reported on numerous occasions, Paranormal Activity is the most profitable film of all time, pulling in more than $106 million at the box office on only a budget of $11,000.
Bfd notes “Peli had a much larger budget to work with on this extraterrestrial tale than he did for his ghost story, as sources said he brought the film in at a shade under $5 million.” The story continues that Area 51 will employ the same “found-footage” device of Paranormal Activity as it follows three teens whose curiosity brings them to the infamous secret military base of sci-fi lore. While no release date has been set, the film almost certainly debut sometime in 2010. Peli’s next film after Area 51 will »
- Matt Goldberg
Angels & Demons Blu-ray Review
19 hours ago
One of the rules in the mystery thriller genre is that if you want to find your suspect for the killings, it’s probably not the obvious answer. One should be suspicious of the nice, the genteel, the physical unthreatening, and often the sexual repressed/fey types. If the idea is surprising your audience, the person in the first act cutting the brushes will probably not be the killer, unless he never shows up again, and the camera lingers (the Hunt for Red October rule). As mystery/thrillers go, Angels & Demons is perfectly competent, but never much more, and the person most likely to be the ringleader is evident if the rules above are paid attention to. My review of the Angels and Demons Blu-ray after the jump.
Tom Hanks returns as Robert Langdon, called to the Vatican to help after the illuminati have shown their hand and threaten to »
- Andre Dellamorte
9 articles
