DAN’S MOVIE DIGEST 146

The film tells the true story of 300 elite Spartan fighters who, led by KingLeonidas (Butler), fought to the death against King Xerxes’ massive Persianarmy during the battle of Thermopylae in 481-480 B.C. According to lore,their valour inspired all of Greece to rise up against the invadingPersians, planting the seeds of democracy.

Snyder and his writing partner Kurt Johnstad have adapted the screenplayfrom Miller’s graphic novel.

As with Sin City, also based on Frank Miller’s work, the movie will becreated using hyper-real “comic-book-style” renderings.

BEOWULFMalkovich may be joining Robin Wright Penn and Anthony Hopkins in Beowulf,an animated movie from Robert Zemeckis (Back To The Future) using the sametechniques he employed in The Polar Express.

Malkovich says his role would be that of “a sort of advisor to the King,”and added “I don’t have the newest script, which will be on my desk when Iam back in France. It’s not definitive – but it is very likely.”

THE WICKER MANAnother horror remake, this time of the classic 1973 British film thatstarred Christopher Lee. Nicholas Cage is set to star as a police officerinvestigating a child’s disappearance on an island inhabited by a strangecult of townsfolk. Leelee Sobieski (right) will play the female lead, with EllenBurstyn (Requiem For A Dream) assuming Lee’s role as the cult leader. BOND 21: CASINO ROYALEMelbourne newspaper ‘The Age’ reported that Hugh Jackman has turned down anopportunity to become the new James Bond, when Martin Campbell’s upcomingCasino Royale starts shootings.

The newspaper says Jackman turned down the offer after talking with wifeDeborah-Lee Furness, because he didn’t feel he needed to play Bond in orderto boost his career.

THE OMEN: 666The upcoming remake of classic 70’s horror The Omen is gathering pace, withLiev Schrieber and Julie Stiles cast as the parents to child antichristDamien Thorn. Child actor Josh Hutcherson (Zathura) will play said parentsdemonic son (see below)

The movie is set for a very timely release of 6 June 2006 (06/06/06)…

X-MEN III’IGN FilmForce’ has confirmed a recent internet rumour that actor Bill Duke(Predator) has joined the cast of X-Men III. Duke will play a politician inThe President’s cabinet.

Michael Murphy (Batman Returns) will play Warren Worthington Sr, new mutantAngel’s father, while Olivia Williams (The Sixth Sense) has been cast as DrMoira MacTaggert. Her character, in the comics, was a former lover ofProfessor X who ran a mutant research centre on Muir Island in her nativeScotland.

All figures are weekend box-office gross.

• 1. Four Brothers ($21.2m)
• 2. The Skeleton Key ($16.1m)
• 3. The Dukes of Hazzard (2005) ($13.0m)
• 4. Wedding Crashers ($11.8m) (total to date: $164m)
• 5. Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo ($9.63m)
• 6. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) ($7.41m) (total to date: $184m)
• 7. La Marche de L’empereur ($6.85m)
• 8. Sky High ($6.31m)
• 9. Must Love Dogs ($4.58m)
• 10. The Great Raid ($3.38m)

UK TOP 10 (CINEMA)

• 1. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) (£2.88m)
• 2. The Island (£1.48m)
• 3. Crash (2004) (£0.81m)
• 4. Herbie: Fully Loaded (£0.67m)
• 5. Madagascar (£0.64m)
• 6. Fantastic Four (2005) (£0.56m)
• 7. Wedding Crashers (£0.55m)
• 8. War of the Worlds (2005) (£0.33m)
• 9. Something new, but IMDB.com forgot to put the name in! (£0.00m)
• 10. The Rising (£0.22m)

All the following are U.K. release dates, and are subject to change.

• 19th August 2005: Bewitched (right), Paradise Now, R-Point, Danny the Dog, Me and You and Everyone We Know, Bewitched (2005),
• 26th August 2005: Sisterhood of Traveling Pants, The Dukes of Hazzard (2005), Bad News Bears, Intruder, The Cave
• 2nd September 2005: The Business, The Honeymooners (2005), Red-Eye, On a Clear Day, Vital
• 9th September 2005: Cinderella Man, Land of the Dead, Rock School, The Man, The Longest Yard
• 16th September 2005: Four Brothers, Must Love Dogs, Pride and Prejudice (2005)
• 23rd September 2005: The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Revolver
• 30th September 2005: Goal!, Corpse Bride, A History of Violence, Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, Aeon Flux, The Perfect Man, Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo, The History of Violence
• 7th October 2005: Night Watch, Oliver Twist (2005), The Constant Gardener, Serenity, The Kinky Boot Factory
• 14th October 2005: Wallace & Gromit Movie: Curse of the Wererabbit, Lord of War, The Dark
• 21st October 2005: Nanny McPhee, Murderball, Elizabeth Town, Syriana, Sky High, Broken Flowers
• 28th October 2005: Doom, Flightplan, The Legend of Zorro
• 4th November 2005: V for Vendetta, The Exorcism of Emily Rhodes,
• 11th November 2005: Everything is Illuminated, The New World, Hustle & Flow, In Her Shoes
• 18th November 2005: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• 2nd December 2005: Tickets
• 9th December 2005: Hey Mr DJ, Just Like Heaven, The Chronicles of Narnia: Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), Shopgirl, Brokeback Mountain
• 14th December 2005: King Kong (2005)
• 16th December 2005: The Hawk is Dying
• 30th December 2005: Stray Dogs
• TBA: The Adventures of Shark Boy & Lava Girl in 3D, Domino, The Pink Panther (2005), Halloween 9, Final Destination 3D, Noel, The Tiger and the Snow, Underworld: Evolution, Walk the Line

All the following are U.S. release dates, and are subject to change.

• AUGUST: The Skeleton Key (12), Deuce Bigelow European Gigolo (12), The Aristocrats (12), Red Eye (19), Valiant (19), The Cave (26), The Brothers Grimm (26), Undiscovered (26)
• SEPTEMBER: Birth Of The Pink Panther (23), Legend Of Zorro (23), Serenity (30), Spy Hunter (30)
• OCTOBER: Wallace & Gromit (7), The Fog (14), Land Of The Dead (21)
• NOVEMBER: Cars (4), Harry Potter 4 (18), Brother Grimm (23)
• DECEMBER: Chronicles Of Narnia (9), Underworld 2 (9), King Kong (14), The Producers (24), Zathura (21), Mad Max Fury Road (31), Die Hard 4 (31)

Page Content copyright © Dan Owen, 2005.