Willis is full of Fury
Marvel Comics boss Avi Arad, one of the busier men on the planet these days, has confirmed Bruce Willis is in negotiations to play comic book super-agent Nick Fury in a new movie adaptation. According to World Entertainment News Network, Arad hopes to cast the tough-nut actor and turn him into the heroic character, with a long-running film franchise in mind. Wonderful, that’s just what we need. Another comic-book, spy-hero franchise. Arad tells Web site Chud.com, “There’s no American James Bond. James Bond is an incredible franchise based on what a British 007 would be, but you don’t have a franchise based on what an American guy would be with the same job, belief, everything.” The movie will follow the fortunes of eye-patch wearing Fury as he tackles international espionage issues as the boss of spy organization S.H.I.E.L.D. I suppose if anyone can pull this off convincingly, it’s Willis.
What’s with Mel Gibson these days?
The guy sure does march to the beat of a different drummer. According to Variety, when production chiefs from selected studios trooped to Mel Gibson’s Icon Prods. headquarters after an invite to read a script for his planned film in the summer 2006, they were surprised at the very first page of the script: “The dialogue you are about to read will not be spoken in English.” Yes, that’s right. Gibson, who made The Passion of the Christ, the most successful Aramaic-language film ever, is at it again. 
His newest film, titled Apocalypto, will be shot entirely in an obscure Mayan dialect. The story, set 500 years ago in ancient Mexico, is described as a “unique adventure” and will presumably have the same kind of subtitles Gibson reluctantly added to The Passion. Gibson is due to begin shooting the film on location in Mexico in October and is aiming for a summer 2006 release. The film’s cast will also consist of unknown performers native to the region of Mexico. Few others details about Gibson‘s project were revealed. “He lets his work speak for itself,” spokesman Alan Nierob told Reuters. Well, that’s certainly the truth. And, just like with The Passion, Gibson is also financing this one himself, only looking for a studio to distribute domestically. Many passed up the offer, but Disney took the bait. “We couldn’t be more excited about working again with Mel and his team,” Dick Cook, chairman of the Walt Disney Studios told Variety. “This is one of the most original and unique scripts we’ve had the opportunity to read recently, and we plan for this to be an anchor of our summer schedule.” Of course, you realize this does not have Jesus Christ in it. Not quite sure there’s the same built-in audience for a movie about ancient Mayans. But hey, more power to you, Mel!
Foster gets back in director’s chair
Jodie Foster is getting behind the camera for the first time in 10 years with Sugar Kings, a drama in which she may also star. Based on the Vanity Fair article “In the Kingdom of Big Sugar” by Marie Brenner, the project centers on a female lawyer, fresh out of law school, who teams with a veteran public-interest attorney to take on a powerful sugar baron on behalf of exploited migrant workers. Sounds appropriately PC–and right up Foster‘s alley. Although, if she doesn’t want to star in it, she might consider casting Ashley Judd. She can do the whole do-gooder lawyer thing in her sleep. The last time Foster directed a film was 1995’s Home for the Holidays, and she return to theaters in September with the Disney thriller Flightplan–and it looks gooood.
Kidman’s out, Swank’s in as Fleiss
Nicole Kidman is reportedly off the list to play infamous Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss in a biopic based on her life. According to WENN, the Oscar-winning Kidman was interested in playing the notorious Fleiss, who boasted of a vast string of celebrity clients–but is no longer considering it. Fleiss claims producers are now looking at Hilary Swank to fill the spot. Apparently, the former madam doesn’t really care who plays her. She tells gossip site The Scoop, “…they said ‘How about Hilary Swank?’ and I said, great, fine, whoever. I would have said great, fine, whoever, if they had said Roseanne Barr. I stopped paying attention because I’m focusing on my future, not my past.”
Dillon, Hudson to star in new comedy
Matt Dillon has signed to star opposite Owen Wilson and Kate Hudson in the comedy You, Me and Dupree, which is slated to shoot in the fall. The Universal Pictures project tells the story of a newlywed couple (Hudson, Dillon) whose relationship problems boil over when the groom’s unemployed best man, Dupree (Wilson), moves in with them for a brief period and seems to have no intention of leaving. I can definitely see Wilson being an irritating freeloader, can’t you?
Ricci takes a stab at Penelope
Christina Ricci is set to play the title character in Penelope, a drama about a young woman who suffers from a “curse” and sets out to free herself of the life-long bad streak of bad luck and find her true self. Reese Witherspoon will take a supporting role, and will serve as a producer. Wow, Reese taking a smaller role–that’s interesting. But in Ricci‘s case, she just really needs a good film under her belt. The actress was last seen in Wes Craven‘s contemporary werewolf caper Cursed. And if that wasn’t bad enough, Ricci‘s 2001 Miramax film Prozac Nation was recently released on video after failing to get theatrical distribution. Ouch. She’s a good little actress, when given the right thing to do. It doesn’t sound as if Penelope is it, but here’s hoping.
Divorce: White House-style
Warner Bros. and Imagine Entertainment are teaming up on The People’s House, a Stacy Sherman-scripted comedy about a first couple divorce that puts the White House in play as a marital asset. Variety reports the story revolves around the First Couple’s marriage woes. The President is caught philandering, and the First Lady kicks him out of the house and files for divorce. Because they have few personal assets beyond the promise of future riches from memoirs and speaking engagements, she’s granted custody of the most famous residence in D.C. The most powerful world leader finds himself sleeping in his childhood bedroom, returning to the Oval Office for only for work. That’s brilliant. No cast is set as yet, but if its spot-on, this could be a big hit.
Until next week…
