Archive: February 2009 (21-30 of 218)

Feb 26 2009 11:40 AM ET

Russell Brand tapped for 'Arthur' remake

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British comedian Russell Brand (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) will star in a remake of 1981′s Arthur, which earned Dudley Moore an Oscar nomination for playing the titular lush, Variety reports. Peter Baynham, one of Sacha Baron Cohen’s cowriters on Borat, will pen the script.

Feb 26 2009 11:30 AM ET

Total Recall remake in the works: This is not a dream

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Producer Neal Moritz (I Am Legend) and Columbia are in final negotiations to remake Total Recall, Paul Verhoeven’s 1990 Arnold Schwarzenegger sci-fi classic, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Based on the Philip K. Dick story "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale," that smash, in which Arnold played a futuristic Average Joe who may or may not be a secret agent determined to free Mars from its draconian leaders, grossed $261 million worldwide. As Quaid, Arnold slayed Sharon Stone, flirted with three-breasted women, and tracked down a creepy freedom-fighter named Kuato. After 19 years, Moritz is hoping the advancements in technology and state-of-the-art visual effects will help refresh the story.

Harvey and Bob Weinstein had once hoped to develop a remake (or sequel) when they still ran Miramax, but Columbia secured the rights when the Weinsteins left to start their own company.

Feb 26 2009 11:30 AM ET

Dollhouse Star to Produce Mapplethorpe Biopic

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Eliza Dushku, star of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Fox’s new Dollhouse, will produce a film based on the life of 1970s photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, whose daring and controversial celebrity portraits made him famous, before dying at age 42 from complications related to AIDS.

Variety reports that Dushku has recruited indie documentarian Ondi Timoner (DiG!) to direct the film, which is currently titled The Perfect Moment, but did not mention who might star as the acclaimed shutterbug.  Dushku told E! last month at Sundance that she imagined her older brother Nate in the lead role. "Nate physically has an uncanny resemblance to Robert," Dushku said. "Some pictures are really eerie."

Feb 26 2009 11:25 AM ET

Warner Bros. to continue 'NeverEnding Story'

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Leonardo DiCaprio’s production company, Appian Way, and The Kennedy/Marshall Co. (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) are in talks with Warner Bros. to reboot the fantasy franchise The NeverEnding Story. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the new film would "examine the more nuanced details of the book [by Michael Ende] that were glossed over in the first pic." DiCaprio’s Appain Way is also working on a live-action version of 1988′s Akira.

Feb 26 2009 11:16 AM ET

Jerry Seinfeld doing marriage-themed reality show for NBC

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Jerry Seinfeld is reuniting with NBC for his first full-time TV project since his sitcom went off the air in 1998. Seinfeld is partnering with The Oprah Winfrey Show‘s Ellen Rakieten to launch The Marriage Ref, a reality series featuring celebrities, comedians, and athletes who will judge couples in the midst of marital disputes while recommending various strategies to resolve their problems, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "This is not a therapy show, it’s a comedy show," Seinfeld told Variety. "After nine years of marriage, I have discoveredthat the comedic potential of this subject is quite rich."

Seinfeld will serve as executive producer andcreator, though it seems quite possible he’ll also appear on-screen from time to time alongside celebrity guests. NBC has ordered six one-hour episodes, set to air this fall.

Feb 26 2009 01:08 AM ET

Superman: Rare comic going up for sale in online auction

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A "pristine" copy of the comic book issue that debuted Superman will go up for auction on a website this Friday, reports the Associated Press. Bidding for Action Comics No. 1, which was originally available for 10 cents in 1938, will start at $1, but the co-owner of the website running the auction told the AP that he expects the copy to sell for higher than $126,000 (which is what the same issue in "fine" condition normally sells for). Only 100 copies of the comic are known to exist, according to the story. The auction, at ComicConnection.com, will last for two weeks.

Feb 25 2009 11:01 PM ET

Samuel L. Jackson inks deal to play Nick Fury in 'Iron Man 2'...and possibly beyond

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Marvel has agreed to a long-term pact with Samuel L. Jackson for the actor to play Nick Fury in Iron Man 2 and, possibly, other projects in the future, several outlets are reporting. Jackson cameoed as Fury at the very end of 2008′s Iron Man, but there had been speculation that he wouldn’t necessarily reprise the role in future films. As the leader of S.H.I.E.L.D., Fury pops up in a number of Marvel comics, meaning that the studio could now have at least one major casting decision taken care of for many of its upcoming movies.

Feb 25 2009 10:54 PM ET

Justin Timberlake to guest on Jimmy Fallon's 'Late Night' debut

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NBC announced today that Justin Timberlake will be joining Robert De Niro and Van Morrison as guests on Jimmy Fallon’s March 2 Late Night debut. Timberlake and Fallon famously teamed up on Saturday Night Live for "The Barry Gibb Talk Show." Other guests for Fallon’s premiere week include Tina Fey, Cameron Diaz, Donald Trump, Billy Crudup, and Drew Barrymore.

Feb 25 2009 07:40 PM ET

Cate Blanchett to star opposite Russell Crowe in Ridley Scott's Robin Hood film

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Variety is reporting that Cate Blanchett has been cast as Maid Marian in Ridley Scott’s upcoming take on the Robin Hood saga. Russell Crowe is already attached to play Robin Hood in the film, which had originally been called Nottingham but is currently untitled. Filming begins in April with Brian Grazer (Frost/Nixon) producing and an estimated $130 million budget. Sienna Miller had been attached to the role of Marian but left the project last year.

Feb 25 2009 02:46 PM ET

Liz Smith dropped by the New York Post

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Esteemed gossip columnist Liz Smith has been dropped by the New York Post, where her column has run for 33 years, CNN reports. She will continue to write five times a week forwowOwow.com, an online community for women. No reason was given for the Post’s decision, but editor Col Allan released a statement saying, "The Post is grateful to have been able to publish Liz Smith’slegendary column for so many years. We wish her the very best for thefuture." The 86-year-old Smith has written for the New York Post, New YorkDaily News, and Newsday and has appeared on New York’s WNBC-TV for more than 10 years.

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