The Inside Scoop - Page 5

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is set to star and George Tillman Jr. is set to helm "Faster".  Johnson will play an ex-con bent on avenging the death of his brother, who was murdered 10 years earlier when the two were double-crossed during a heist.

I've just never bought into Dwayne Johnson as a movie star yet.  His delivery is just too self aware still.  He looks like an action star.  He may even act like a subpar one.  But he needs to up his acting chops a little in my book.  Even Stallone and Arnie had some chops... okay, maybe just Stallone... but Arnie was believable as a badass. 

But that's just me. 

Source:  Variety

Here's the press release.  It looks like the planned two week only engagement might end up being longer.  All profits are going to charity... according to the suits at Sony.

Sony Pictures Entertainment, in conjunction with Sony Music Entertainment, today announced that the first 24-hours of pre-sales activity for Michael Jackson's "This Is It" has resulted in record-breaking sales throughout the world as fans secure the first tickets to the two-week, limited engagement of the highly-anticipated motion picture.

With reports still coming in from nations around the world, it is believed no movie in history has generated so many ticket sales so far in advance of its release.

In North America, online ticket sellers Fandango and MovieTickets.com report that there is extraordinary demand for the film with hundreds of showtimes already sold out after one day of pre-sales. Some 80% of all online ticketing service transactions were for the film, which will debut in some markets with special advance showings the evening of Tuesday, October 27 and will open worldwide on Wednesday, October 28. The film is directed by long-time Jackson collaborator Kenny Ortega.

Domestically, an unprecedented number of shows for the two-week engagement have sold out in the first 24 hours of ticket availability in locations from coast-to-coast, including such cities as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Nashville and New York, among others. Internationally, exhibitors from London and Sydney to Bangkok and Tokyo have experienced the same epic demand.

I have yet to see this flick, but word has it that it's one of the most terrifying films of all time.  "Paranormal Activity" was made for a mere $11,000 and was a hit at film festivals in 2007 and 2008 but never got a good release.  Dreamworks, via Steven Spielberg himself, picked up the rights to the film for an updated bigger budget remake.  That never came through and its been sitting on the shelf at Paramount since.  But strong word of mouth opted Paramount to do a small release some of the major college cities across the country, hoping that people would "Twitter" it up. 

Well, that worked.  The film made an excellent $6,489 per screen average across the country over the weekend at the twelve college cites.  Paramount Pictures plans to expand the film to twenty more cities this weekend.

The film will play in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, DC & Baltimore, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose and Tampa.

If your town isn't on this list people, go to Eventful.com and demand it!   It's in my town so I'll try and see it this weekend.  PARAMOUNT WANTS TO HERE FROM YOU... get this film a wide release. 

Word has it that it has the potential to be the next "Blair Witch Project"... but 10 times more freaky. 

Paramount received over 200,000 letters/emails demanding a wide release. 

As most of you have probably heard, Roman Polanski was arrested in a "trap" set up by L.A. prosecutors in Zurich when he attended the film festival to recieve an award.  He is currently fighting extradition back to the states for his admitted crime of raping a 13-year old back in the 70s.  He accepted a plea bargain and then skipped town to France where he couldn't be touched.  He's been out of U.S. hands since, despite directing many critically acclaimed films and even earning an Oscar for "The Pianist" a few years back.  

Well, his latest film "The Ghost",  starring Pierce Brosnan as fictional former British leader Adam Lang and Ewan McGregor as a ghostwriter hired to help complete his memoirs, is based on the Robert Harris novel.  The film is still in post production and is now on hold due to the Polanski situation.  

Now, the question is... what's your opinion?  Do you think a talented director like Polanski should be forgiven for his admitted crime of raping a 13-year old girl?  Does talent surpass right from wrong?  Does the fact that it happened over 30 years ago and that the victim had publicily forgiven him mean bigons should be let bigons?  

Hmmmmm.... 

Source:  The Hollywood Reporter  

George Clooney is set to star in the adaptation of the 2005 novel "A Very Private Gentleman", about an assasin who vows to retire after a botched job in Sweden.  He's waiting for his final assingment to be set while he stays in a small Italian country town and befriends a local priest and romances a local. 

This is a whole genre in its own, isn't it?  The assasin/gun-for-hire who's tired of the job and wants to retire but has that one last assignment.  Cliche?  To some maybe.  But I love the genre;) 

Leo DiCaprio is set to play Travis McGee, a self-described beach bum who lives aboard 52-foot houseboat the Busted Flush and alleviates his cash-flow problems by hiring on as a "salvage consultant." He recovers property for clients, taking a hefty percentage and getting into a lot of danger and romance in sun-drenched Florida. "The Deep Blue Goodbye," the first in a 21-volume bestselling Travis McGee series, was originally published in 1964.

DiCaprio, Peter Chernin, Amy Robinson and Jennifer Davisson Killoran will produce.

Sounds good to me.  Although, I'm starting to miss the early Leo that gave us such performances in "What's Eating Gilbert Grape", "The Basketball Diaries", and even, to a somewhat lesser extent maybe, "Romeo and Juliet".  I miss that range.  He's played the badass guy for quite a few films now and I'd like to see him take more chances.  Something even more edgier than his underrated performance in "Revolution Road". 
Source:  Variety

Wes Craven and Neve Campbell are now both OFFICIALLY back for a fourth "Scream" movie!  Now, I wasn't a huge fan of the third one, but a big fan of the first and second.  I'm glad that Craven is back in the director's chair and pumped that Campbell is returning to her role as the ever killer-plagued Sydney.  I think it's the right time.  I'm glad it's been, damn, 9 years since the last Scream movie because it offers them a fresh take with so much time having passed by. 

Courtney Cox and David Arquette were already signed to the project, which ALMOST went on without Craven and Campbell.  Original writer Kevin WIlliamson had been hired to write a sequel and we presviously reported how worried he was as far as dealing with a rewrite if Neve Campbell didn't come back. 

All is well in "Scream" land though.  The sequel is set to shoot this coming April or May of 2010.  

Source. Variety 

In a related story to the "Scream" news, Bob Weinstein of The Weinstein Company and Dimension also announced that they are developing a third "Halloween" movie, which will be in the booming 3D.  Rob Zombie, who directed the "Halloween" remake and its sequel (both of which were terrible in my humble opinion, albeit with some freaky visuals), is apparently NOT coming back.

Beyond that, Bob Weinstein said,  "I'm heading back to my franchise films," Weinstein declared, citing plans to shoot sequels/reboots to "Hellraiser" and "Scanners" in 3D. Also on the slate are remakes of "Short Circuit", "An American Werwolf in London", and "Children of the Corn". "These films are our strength, and we are committed to doing them in style."

Source:  Variety

First off, I LOVE the original "V" miniseries!  Do you remember how big of a deal that was back in the 80s?  The second miniseries was great as well, while the eventual single season of the show is hit or miss (I have all "V" related projects on DVD, so I'm well versed). 

Well, ABC, after years of development (and a rumored film version) had finally cast and shot a new "V" series.  I saw the trailer and honestly wasn't that overwhelmed. 

It looks like the show is in trouble though.  They've had some production delays and now it looks like ABC is only showing the first four debut episodes this Fall, and then we won't see more "V" until after the Olympics in March!! 

Is the show being retooled?  Is this just an idiotic executive decision?  We won't know until we see that debut episode I guess.  

Danielle Harris (Halloween 4 and 5, Halloween 2 remake) is set to star in "Night of the Living Dead: Origins", a 3D CGI spin-off of the George A. Romero classic. 

Simon West will produce while Zebediah de Soto will helm.  This Romero-less feature will involve the backstories of the characters of the original film.  De Soto, who co-wrote the script with David R. Schwartz calls his version "an American-style anime."

Okay, they had me at Harris, had me at 3D, but lost me at CGI and no Romero involved.  Time will tell. 

Source:  Shock Till You Drop