[IMG:L]Fight Club Is Back Together Again
Edward Norton is teaming up with his old Fight Club nemesis Brad Pitt to star in State of Play, an adaptation of the British miniseries. Kevin MacDonald (The Last King of Scotland) is set to direct. Norton will play a congressman whose speedy political rise is threatened by an investigation into the death of his mistress. Pitt plays a politico-turned-journalist whose relationship with the legislator is compromised when he oversees his newspaper’s investigation into the murder and develops a relationship with the congressman’s estranged wife. Ah, what a tangled web weaved. I’m looking forward to seeing those two actors square off another time. And that reminds me … I want to watch Fight Club again, too.
[IMG:R]Penn to Play Harvey Milk
Sean Penn is attached to play gay ’70s San Francisco politician Harvey Milk, and Matt Damon his assassin in a long-gestating project from director Gus Van Sant. Damon would play White, who shot San Francisco city supervisor Milk and Mayor George Moscone in 1978. After serving five years of a seven-year sentence, White committed suicide in 1985. This is the latest chapter in a long-running race to film the biopic of the first openly gay prominent elected official, which has pitted Van Sant‘s yet-to-titled project against director Bryan Singer’s adaptation of Randy Shilts’ 1982 bio The Mayor of Castro Street. But since Singer is off making Tom Cruise’s Valkyrie and is actively developing the Superman sequel, it looks like Van Sant may be the first in production–and the one with the most promising cast. That reminds me … I want to watch Van Sant‘s To Die For again.
[IMG:L]Hudson Enjoys Sex in The City
Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson (do you think she gets a jolt every time she reads “Oscar winner” before her name?) has joined the cast of Sex and the City: The Movie. Hudson will play the assistant to Sarah Jessica Parker‘s character, Carrie Bradshaw, in the film based on the hit HBO comedy series. In July, the show’s four leads, including Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon, came aboard for the film after New Line Cinema agreed to finance and distribute it. Chris Noth also joined the cast to reprise his role as Mr. Big. Michael Patrick King is writing and directing. Carrie’s got an assistant, huh? Hmm, should be interesting to see how our favorite columnist has moved up in the world.
[IMG:R]Bosworth Decides to Die
Kate Bosworth–that’s Superman’s Lois Lane to you–will play the title role in a feature adaptation of the best-selling novel Veronika Decides to Die. Bosworth will play a woman who wakes up in a mental institution after a failed suicide attempt, only to discover she has a weakened heart and scant few days to live. You think she’d be happy about that, but no. The film follows her recovery as she finds true love and a newfound will to survive. Oh boy, bring the tissues.
[IMG:L]Lucas and Brody Are in Love
Josh Lucas and Adam Brody are set to star in Death in Love. The indie drama follows a pair of story lines that revolve around two brothers (Lucas, Lukas Haas). While Haas‘ character must deal with his mother (Jacqueline Bisset), his brother is lost in life until he is befriended by a scam artist (Brody). Boaz Yakin (Remember the Titans) is directing from his own script. I like Josh Lucas, even if he’s been stuck in a string of big-budgeted flops like Poseidon and Stealth. A nice quiet indie might be his ticket to salvation.
[IMG:R]The Haunting of Madsen
Virginia Madsen is starring in the horror film The Haunting in Connecticut. Has there ever been a comedy with “Haunting” in the title? Probably not. I digress. The film is based on one family’s experience with supernatural forces after settling into a new home. Martin Donovan (Showtime’s Weeds) will play Madsen‘s husband, and Kyle Gallner, their cancer-ridden son, who becomes aware of the paranormal activity present around him. Elias Koteas will play a priest and fellow cancer patient to whom Madsen‘s character turns for help. Cancer and ghosts–not your usual combination.
Until next week…
