Parker Out, Beckinsale In
The lovely Kate Beckinsale, who’s played everything from a vampire to Adam Sandler’s wife (not an easy task), has stepped in to replace Sarah Jessica Parker in the horror thriller Vacancy. Parker dropped out because of personal reasons, said a spokeswoman for Screen Gems, the Sony Pictures genre arm that is making the film (rumor has it she might be pregnant with kiddie number two). I reported on this movie before but as a recap, Beckinsale and co-star Luke Wilson play a couple who find videocams in their motel room, and then realize they are being taped for a snuff film. That can’t be good. Is Norman Bates involved in anyway?
Streep and Daughter Go Out for the Evening
Meryl Streep and her daughter will play the same character at different ages in the family drama Evening, which also stars a cast of thousands, including Glenn Close, Toni Collette, Claire Danes, Vanessa Redgrave and Redgrave’s daughter, Natasha Richardson. As an adaptation of Susan Minot’s novel by Michael Cunningham (The Hours), Evening is about a dying woman (Redgrave) who recalls key moments in her life as she drifts in and out of consciousness. While awake and still under the influence of morphine, she discusses her life with her daughters (Richardson, Collette). Danes portrays the lead character as a young woman, and Streep and her 23-year-old daughter, Mamie Gummer play the woman’s college friend at different ages. Hugh Dancy (HBO’s Elizabeth I) portrays is a young suitor, and Close is cast as his mother. Streep and Gummer have previously appeared together, albeit briefly, in 1986’s Heartburn and 1993’s The House of the Spirits. Also on board is Patrick Wilson (Little Children) as the woman’s one true love. Oscar nominations could quite possibly be plentiful.
Jackson Eyes New Fantasy
He just can’t get enough of the stuff, can he? Peter Jackson has optioned Temeraire, a historical fantasy series by first-time novelist Naomi Novik. The saga reimagines the world of the Napoleonic Wars with the addition of an air force of dragons and valiant aviators. It centers on British naval Capt. Will Laurence, who captures a French ship, where he discovers an unhatched dragon egg in the hold–a gift from the Emperor of China intended for Napoleon. When the egg hatches, he is forced to give up his naval career to become captain of the dragon he names Temeraire. “Temeraire is a terrific meld of two genres that I particularly love–fantasy and historical epic,” Jackson told the Hollywood Reporter. “I can’t wait to see Napoleonic battles fought with a squadron of dragons. That’s what I go to the movies for.” You know what? I agree with him. And dragons ARE pretty damn cool.
Sedgwick Joins The Rock
Kyra Sedgwick will star opposite Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in Disney’s family football comedy The Game Plan. The film centers on a football player who learns that he has a daughter and follows his journey to become a father. Sedgwick, who was nominated for an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her work on TNT’s drama The Closer, will play Johnson’s ruthless, over-the-top sports agent who doesn’t care about the daughter. Scenery chewing isn’t anything new for Sedgwick but a Disney flick? Guess maybe she wants to do something for her kids or something.
Here Come The Avengers
Even though Marvel Entertainment is making a sequel to The Incredible Hulk and plans to make Iron Man into its own feature film, the company intends to release a live-action version of The Avengers–a team dubbed as “Earth’s mightiest heroes.” Set to pen the screenplay is Zak Penn, the writer behind the last two X-Men movies, the comic book The Avengers began as a team consisting of superheroes Thor, Ant-Man, Wasp, Iron Man and Hulk. Later, Captain America and a host of others joined. Executives didn’t say exactly which of Marvel’s superheroes would be depicted in The Avengers movie, but I’m sort of interested in seeing what Ant-Man would look like.
Classic Cartoon Gets Big-Screen Treatment
The time-traveling cartoon adventures of Mr. Peabody & Sherman are coming to the big screen via DreamWorks Animation. The adaptation of the classic animated television series–centering on the genius dog Mr. Peabody and his boy Sherman–will be directed by Rob Minkoff, whose credits include The Lion King and the Stuart Little movies. Produced by late animation legend Jay Ward, Mr. Peabody features the world’s brainiest dog and his pet boy. The series of short segments premiered in 1959 as part of Ward’s classic Rocky & Bullwinkle series and followed the duo as they went back in time, via Mr. Peabody’s WABAC Machine, to a pivotal moment in history. Remember when Saturday morning cartoons used to be entertaining? I do.
Until next week…
