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Dan Owen reviews
I s s u e # 4 82 0 J u n e 2 0 0 3
THUNDERBIRDS’The Sun’ released a photo of the Thunderbirds cast (see right). Now isthe time to start worrying, people… ugh… ALIEN vs PREDATORAfter years of will-they-won’t-they, it looks like Alien Versus Predatoris finally going to be made. Filming will commence in October with PaulW.S Anderson (Resident Evil) at the helm.
According to ‘Filmjerk’ the story follows “human scientists going on anexpedition to Antarctica to lure Predator hunters, using Alien eggs asbait. Of course, these plans quickly go awry and the humans findthemselves in the crossfire between two warring alien species”.
Casting agents are after seven main human characters – with no actorsfrom previous Alien or Predator movies to return. The cast will includean attractive female environmental researcher, her hunky Egyptologistex-beau, a gruff Han Solo-esque American archaeologist, the billionaireindustrialist financier who hides his terminal disease, theEnglish-accented Afro-Caribbean team leader, a muscle bound Texan, and ageeky but intelligent scientist.
BATMAN 5’The Daily Show’ interviewed Guy Pearce (Memento) recently, who statedthat “Chris Nolan [director of Memento] seems to think I’d make a goodBatman”, to which host Jon Stewart enquired “when did you turn thatdown?” for Pearce to respond “I haven’t yet”…
HELLBOYDozens more pictures are being leaked onto the ‘net, including someshots from the origin sequence where Hellboy is born. This latest image(see right and below-right) shows Rasputin and his Mecha-Glove from that early sequence. BOB THE BUILDER – THE MOVIEHarrison Ford has been approached to lend his vocal talents to Bob TheBuilder, in a movie version of the animated character’s TV series -voiced in the UK by Men Behaving Badly star Neil Morrissey.
Ford was apparently talked into the role by girlfriend CalistaFlockheart (Ally McBeal) whose adopted son Liam is a huge fan of theshow.
CHARLIE’S ANGELS 3Will there be a third movie? Drew Barrymore revealed all while beinginterviewed in L.A recently, saying: “We don’t know yet because we justworked so hard to make the first one. We all love being together so muchthough that we’re together anyway, so work or play, either or is goodfor us. I think right now, we want to see how people react to this one”.
Lucy Liu also commented that: “We also discovered yesterday or last weekthat this is the first sequel for all of us. That’s kind of a cool thingbecause we got to experience that for the first time. If we get theopportunity to work together again on something else, that would be funtoo.”
COLOR ME KUBRICK’The Hollywood Reporter’ states that John Malkovich has signed to starin the comedy Color Me Kubrick – based on the true story of a man whoconned his way into London’s high life by pretending to be reclusivedirector Stanley Kubrick! Hamburg’s Film Board will co-finance thislow-budget feature (900,000 – or $1.1 million. GET SHORTY 2’The Hollywood Reporter’ revealed that Brett Ratner (Red Dragon) ispoised to direct a sequel to Get Shorty, entitled Be Cool. The moviewill again star John Travolta, but Ratner owes New Line Cinema anothermovie in the meantime – which is likely to be Rush Hour 3.
Be Cool will see Travolta’s character Chili Palmer decide he’s hadenough of the movie business and moves into the music business, where hemeets sexy young singer and decides to make her a star.
HIGHLANDER 5 – THE SOURCEThe French edition of ‘Premiere’ carried an interview with ChristopherLambert about a fifth Highlander movie. Lambert confirmed this, saying:“Yes they’re doing another one called Highlander – The Source, and lastI heard I’ve got all of a days work on it for some flashback stuff.There will be a new cast, and those actors will hopefully carry on theseries.”
“It’s a great story about some young highlanders who are in search oftheir existence’s golden goose. I hear Russell [Mulcahy, the firstfilm’s director] might be back to do this new one, so I’m definitelylooking forward to it and being a part of it – regardless of how smallthe duty is.”
THE HITCH-HIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY’Empire Online’ reported that British directing/producing team GarthJennings and Nick Goldsmith will take charge of the movie version ofDouglas Adams’ The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide To The Galaxy.
Months ago it was announced that Chicken Run scrib Karey Kirkpatrickwould be adapting the script, which Jennings and Goldsmith are likely tobe working from. The two directs have directed music videos and TVcommercials.
Representative Roger Birnbaum said: “We finally cracked the story, andhired these clever English fellows to make sure that the picture isvisually inventive and funny and accessible to contemporary audienceswhile still connected to the book Douglas wrote almost 25 years ago.”
KING ARTHUR’The Hollywood Reports’ states that the upcoming King Arthur movie hasnew additions to its cast: German actor Til Schweiger and Swedish actorStellan Skarsgard (The Exorcist – The Beginning). MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 3’Variety’ reports that filming on Mission Impossible 3 has been pushedback to January 2004, meaning the proposed 21 May 2004 release date isextremely unlikely! THE PHANTOM’Friends Of Phantom’ talked with writer Steven De Souza about the latestattempt to adapt The Phantom superhero to the big-screen.
“We feel our picture is tougher, grittier, and certainly, contemporary,not retro [compared to the 1996 Billy Zane version]. The real challengewill be promoting it without duplicating the look of that [1996]campaign… so Hero will be sent to pasture for the coming attractions,and it would not surprise me if the Phantom is only shown obliquely, ornot at all. In my humble opinion, a title change would help.”
“My story was turned in at the end of last year and the script wasfinished in May 2003. The script has only been read by the producers sofar. I have finished my contract with them… The fictional film takesplace in New York, and in Bengalla, in both Mawitaan and the jungle.I’ve tried to write a modern, smart and arrogant villain in the spiritof Hans Gruber.”
“Circumstances force him to work with the Sengh, who he views as aparticularly superstitious lot. The Sengh in my script are more thanpirates – they are a globe-spanning, ancient order making a comeback inthe 21st century via an uneasy alliance with an American industrialistwho is seemingly above reproach”.
“My approach is that the hero should always be the underdog. So whilethere will be gadgets and weaponry galore, most of this should be in thehands of the villains. On the other hand, certainly in an exotic,mysterious land like Bengalla, there could be all sorts of unique,unusual and very deadly local weaponry of which the famous Bandar poisondart is only the tip of the iceberg… there’s much more to be seen inthis arena.”
RUSH HOUR 3Brett Ratner spoke to ‘About.com’ about his next project, now he hasquit the Superman production and – surprise, surprise – it’s Rush Hour3!
“I just got the script for Rush Hour 3 today [3 June], so I’m going toread it tonight after I leave here and if it’s good, I’m going to dothat. If not, I’ve got a few other movies that I’m trying to decidewhich one I’m going to do.”
“I’d love to do Dark Materials. I’m begging for Dark Materials. It’sjust a hard thing to tackle because it’s so much. It’s three greatbooks. We’re trying to figure it out.”
What about the rumoured live-action version of cult animation hitSamurai Jack his name is attached to? “Samurai Jack, we’re justdeveloping the script. I love the script to Be Cool, which I’m notdoing, but I’m interested in. I love it. I don’t know, there’s so muchgood stuff around.”
What can audiences expect from Rush Hour 3? “Theyre going to New York,Paris and then another third place that I’m not going to give awaythat’s going to be amazing. Basically, they’re both fish out of water.”
SCARY MOVIE 3’Lights Out’ had the full details for the third Scary Movie movie:Charlie Sheen (Hot Shots!), Denise Richards (Starship Troopers), JaRule, Jeremy Piven, Simon Rex, Pamela Anderson, Jenny McCarthy, AnnaFarris, Regina Hall, Anthony Anderson, Leslie Nielsen, Eddie Griffin(Undercover Brother), Camryn Manheim, Macy Gray, Method Man, Redman andMaster P. SHARKSLAYERA new CGI animated movie is coming soon from the ‘Dreamworks’ studio,following on from the huge success of Shrek a few years ago.
Sharkslayer is an underwater adventure, with a voice-cast that includes:Will Smith, Angelina Jolie, Jack Black, Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese,Renee Zellweger, Doug E Doug and Peter Falk! (see below)
British actor Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) also revealed that the lovableWookie will rescue babies Luke and Leia during the film, and deliverthem to Obi Wan Kenobi.
X-MEN 3’Dreamwatch’ magazine reported that “James Marsden [Cyclops] is signed,but producer Lauren Shuler Donner says Ian McKellen [Magneto] andPatrick Stewart [Professor X] will return ‘if our writers can deliverthe goods.'”
Producer Ralph Winter also said, “I think if we can figure out the storyquickly, we could be out in a two year period.”
US TOP 10 (CINEMA) The latest figures were not available at the time this issue went online.
* TRAILERS * American Wedding
Sounds terrible.
Probably because they’ve removed “Pie” from the title.
Pie Wedding? Sounds worse!
No, idiot! This is American Pie 3!
Oh! Great news! I loved the first one and, well, liked the second one.
Good, then this should be right up your alley. All the gang are back,except the pointless characters (Tara Reid, etc), but Alyson Hannigan,Seann William Scott, Eugene Levy and Jason Biggs are at hand. Those thatmatter, really.
So what’s the premise this time? A wedding, by any chance?Your mind is razor sharp today. Yes, in Pie 3, Jim and Michelle areengaged to married. Cue lots of marital-style gross-out gags.
Should we be excited, or is the rule of diminishing returns standing firm?
Well, the trailer for American Wedding is hilarious, and the team haveapparently only returned because it’s significantly better than “Pie 2”.In their opinion, anyway.
* OBITUARIES *
Gregory Peck [1916 – 2003]
(Obituary by Dan Owen)
Hollywood legend Gregory Peck has died aged 87. He was the star of morethan 60 films, such as Cape Fear, Spellbound and Roman Holiday. Peck’scareer saw him nominated for five Oscars. He won only once, for his roleas a lawyer defending a black man against a rape charge in To Kill AMocking Bird.
Peck died peacefully overnight in his Los Angeles home with hisFrench-born wife Veronique by his side. His publicist Monroe Friedmansaid: “I have great sorrow in announcing the news that Greg passed awayovernight in his home, where he loved to be.”
Laura Sadler [1980 – 2003](Obituary by Dom Robinson)
Holby City actress Laura Sadler has died after being critically injuredin a 40ft fall from a second-floor balcony at the home of her boyfriend,Holby City actor George Calil, 30, after they had been taking cocainelate into the night. He was arrested following the incident on Sunday but wasreleased on police bail.
Born on Christmas Day, 1980 in Ascot, Berkshire, Laura Sadler starred in the1996 film Intimate Relations With Julie Walters, Les Dennis and AmandaHolden, an episode of Inspector Morse, the children’s fantasy BelfryWitches alongside The Office‘s Lucy Davis and also the long-running BBCchildren’s TV series Grange Hill from 1997-1999 as Judi Jeffreys, thecharacter meeting a similar coincidentally macabre ending.
Note that these are US release dates.
Email Dan Owen
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.