** MOVIE NEWS **
BOND 22
'The Daily Record' reports that actor Clive Owen (Croupier) will take
over from Pierce Brosnan as James Bond in 2007.
The paper claims that "at a Press Conference at Pinewood Studios in
January or February 2004, Pierce Brosnan will reveal his last outing as
007 will be Bond 21, to be made next year and released in 2005."
"And for the first time, the new James Bond will be unveiled at the same
time. We can reveal that Clive will take on the mantle in the Bond 22
which will be filmed in 2006 and shown in 2007."
An inside source commented, saying: "Clive's the one. There have been
rumours about Clive, but these rumours are getting louder and louder
now. No one at the top will come out and admit it, but the claims it's
Clive are coming from different sources within 'Eon' who make the Bond
films..."
"He's not hugely known, but has done some good films and is at least a
name people recognise. Most of the other names mooted are already known
actors so could never be Bond. Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan were both
known actors, but not hugely famous when they took on 007 and they are
the best."
ALIEN 5
The 'Star-Ledger' newspaper reports that director Ridley Scott is
definitely in talks with 'Fox' about returning to film a fifth and final
instalment of the Alien saga he started back in 1979.
Ridley Scott confirmed, saying: "I'd like to go back to do a tight movie,
one-on-one. I think that's always scarier. When you get too many aliens,
it diminishes the terror. It becomes an action movie, whereas ours was
about flat-out terror."
The trade also mentions he's been speaking with director James Cameron
(Aliens) about the new project...
ALIEN VS PREDATOR
Gossip from the set of director Paul W.S Anderson's Alien Vs Predator
movie suggests that audiences can expect a hybrid Predator/Alien
creature (complete with tail) and marine jumpsuits with permanent gun
attachments!
BAD BOYS III
Will Smith hinted at a possible storyline for a third Bad Boys movie to
'Empire Online', saying: "You know, there was an early draft of the
script that actually set Bad Boys II in London but that script never
came together. Maybe Bad Boys III, we could blow some stuff up here."
THE EXEC
'Warner Brothers' will adapt Doug Miers' cult comic book The Exec into a
movie, to be directed by Christopher Nolan after he finishes Batman 5.
Nolan's brother Jonathan will write the script, which is a futuristic
look at a society where corporations govern, and business is waged like
warfare.
Producer David Heyman (Harry Potter) said: "It has the elements of the
tension Chris created in Memento and Insomnia, but it is also a
major-sized film."
THE HITCH-HIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY
'Variety' reports that the continually stalling sci-fi comedy has
finally been given the go-ahead by 'Disney' to head into production next
year. No word yet on whether Jay Roach (Austin Powers) is still attached
to direct.
HARRY POTTER & THE PRISON OF AZKABAN
Emma Thompson will make a guest appearance as the eccentric Professor
Trelawny in the third Harry Potter movie, according to 'The Herald Sun'.
KILL BILL - SEQUEL & PREQUEL
David Carradine, who plays the titular Bill in Quentin Tarantino's Kill
Bill Volume I and II, has commented that Tarantino has envisioned a true
sequel and prequel to these moves.
David Carradine: "Bill wouldn't be in the sequels. The original concept calls
for two sequels, but they're going to be shot quite a bit apart. The
children of some of the characters in this picture will become the stars
of the subsequent movies, but there are also plans for a prequel that
would be animated. It would be done with anime, as far as I know. That
would take you back and give some of [The Bride's] back-story. As far as
the prequel cartoon and, to a lesser extent, the sequels, these are
visions that Tarantino has..."
xXx 2
As we know, director Rob Cohen is not returning to film a sequel to xXx,
his extreme-sporting espionage action thriller. But now the film's
original star, Vin Diesel, has also dropped out!
'The Hollywood Reporter' indicates that actor Ice Cube will assume the
lead role - but not the same character - with Lee Tamahori (Die Another
Day) to direct. Diesel and Cohen will serve as executive producers on
the project.
THE LION, THE WITCH & THE WARDROBE
An official press release from the movie states that the project will be
filmed in Hobsonville, Auckland, New Zealand. Kiwi-born director Andrew
Adamson (Shrek) will film almost all of the film at the Hobsonville
Airbase and the Defence Quarters located there.
The South Island (used for Middle Earth in The Lord Of The Rings) will
become Narnia. The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe will feature a largely
American cast and production is to start sometime in 2004, with a
December 2005 release for the USA and New Zealand.
WETA will handle the special-effects, having previously worked on The
Lord Of The Rings trilogy, as well as prepping to film Peter Jackson's
King Kong remake.
THE MAN WHO KILLED DON QUIXOTE
Director Andrew Davis (The Fugitive) is keen to film a movie based on
Don Quixote, previously abandoned by Terry Gilliam.
Andrew Davis told 'Moviehole': "I'm thinking of doing Don Quixote. Terry
Gilliam tried to do it. I talked to someone who's involved in it, and he
still wants to do it... its very complicated. But I'm in talks. It's
hard to think how I can make a movie that's going to be so all of the
world, that's going to have somebody in it that people are going to want
to come and see, because every three years someone else is 'hot' and
it's such a classic story - not unlike Holes - that has such a
following, I've got to do it right."
"If I got to make it, I'd like to make it with someone like Jon Voight
you know, or someone like John Leguizamo - who probably aren't big
enough stars to get it greenlit. If Johnny Depp said he wanted to do it
again right now, we'd get the money. We'll see."
MEET THE FOCKERS
Actress Teri Polo has mentioned she is due to start filming a sequel to
Meet The Parents with Ben Stiller next Spring. Polo also mentioned the
film would focus on Stiller's parents - Mr. & Ms. Fokker, and his
Grandmother - affectionately known as Mother Fokker!
STAR WARS EPISODE III
Another title rumour: Star Wars Episode III - Revenge Of The Sith. This
one based on a recently registered domain name by LucasFilm Ltd...
THE THREE STOOGES
'The Boston Herald' revealed a bit of potential casting for The Farrelly
Brothers biopic - Benecio Del Toro as one of the Stooges!
** IN THE PIPELINE **