Is Hong Kong action starlet Michelle Yeoh game enough to take on Keanu Reeves in “The Matrix” sequels?
Maybe. Daily Variety columnist Michael Fleming is reporting that the “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” actress might jump in to replace fellow actioner Jet Li in the back-to-back sci-fi action sequels.
According to Fleming, Li‘s decision to drop out of the project has to do with a disagreement over pay.
The “Romeo Must Die” hotshot has allegedly asked for $13 million for two films, but the project could only afford shelling out $3 mil for both films without any backend deal.
Julia Stiles ‘INDENTITY’ CRISIS: “10 Things I Hate About You” actress Julia Stiles will join Matt Damon in “Go” director Doug Liman‘s “The Bourne Identity,” Variety reports.
The picture is an adaptation of a Robert Ludlum novel about an amnesia victim ( Damon) who’s being hunted by assassins. Stiles, who appears in the upcoming “Save the Last Dance,” will play a Paris-based officer of a U.S. national security agency.
ENTER THE RING: “ER” regular Michael Michele will be joining Will Smith, Jamie Foxx and Mario Van Peebles in “Ali,” the biopic on the titular pugilist, Variety says.
HERE’S JACK: According to Variety, actor’s actor Jack Nicholson has taken a pay cut to star in “Election” director Alexander Payne‘s “About Schmidt.”
No word on how much of a slash it would be, but the trade paper is saying that the actor is likely to make a backend deal where he will take a percentage of any profits.
Nicholson‘s usual per picture salary is about $15 million.
FIGHTING ON: The Hollywood Reporter says that “Girlfight” upstart Michelle Rodriguez might star in “Resident Evil,” a feature based on the popular video game.
