The big news on today’s geek circuit was not so much that the previously reported almost-casting of talented young “Easy A” star Emma Stone in the Spider-Man flick was made a sure thing. No, it was that she would not be the new Mary Jane Watson as everyone assumed, but would play Spidey’s other paramour, so far downplayed at the movies, Gwen Stacey. Seems Stone, who has so far been a redhead in her films, is actually a natural blonde. Who knew?
Still, aside from those who are complaining that Stone is “all wrong” for Stacey but “perfect” for MJ, presumably because, well, Stone is smoking hot as a redhead, there is one other factor for those of us who think Ms. Stone is pretty great. It’s that, (spoiler alert) we shouldn’t get too attached to her in the role.
The Deadline crew has really been working overtime these last few days, so there’s much to talk about as a new week begins.
* I’m not kidding about the pace of news from Deadline today. Just as I was starting to finish writing this, Mike Fleming broke the news that we have a “Superman” director who’ll be working with producer Christopher Nolan, and he is one Zack Snyder of “300,” “Watchmen,’ the “Dawn of the Dead” remake and that owl movie that’s out right now. Expect a fightin’ Supes. Should you expect a good Supes movie? Dunno. I never understood the grief that “Superman Returns” got. It was a nice, fun movie in the best senses of the words “nice” and “fun.” Will this one be all grimness and unnecessary darkness? I hope not.
* Fox landed the film adaptation rights for apparently the hottest book of the moment, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter which is being produced by Tim Burton and directed by Timur Bekmanbetov (“Night Watch,” “Wanted“), who purchased the rights with their own money. And it’s not like they were afraid to show they really wanted it:
When Tim and Timur and their entourage of reps came to the Fox…they were met with a huge banner at the gate. It had the title treatment of the script and was emblazoned, “Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov present Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”. At their parking spot were signs saying “Parking For Vampire Hunters Only: park at your own risk,” and so forth. There were bloody footprints lining the walkway and stairs leading from their cars to the meeting in Building 88 with images from the book and lines from the script. As if that were not enough, there also were bloody axes strewn about, and a bugle player in a Confederate uniform playing “Taps” as the filmmakers walked to the meeting..
Yes, like Camelot, Hollywood is a silly place, and I sort of like it that way. I just wished I enjoyed Bekmambetov’s movies, because I didn’t.
* Re: silliness. Check out this promotion for “Jackass 3D”
* I seriously dislike writing about stories that say that so-and-so is “about to be” “offered” a part. There are simply too many items like that and too many “ifs” (maybe the studio will change their minds; maybe the star will say “no,” etc.) and I prefer to wait until the story is further down the road. Nevertheless, Mike Fleming has reported that Emma Stone is about to be offered the part of Mary Jane Watson in the Marc Webb-directed 3D “Spiderman” reboot opposite Andrew Garfield.
I didn’t want to waste any time getting this posted as I have a strong feeling that “the Facebook movie,” directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin, is going to be one of the big films this year, quite possibly at awards time. It certainly looks better than “Benjamin Button.”
Definitely more Fincher than Sorkin, which will relieve the Sorkin-dislikers — and they are perhaps even more legion than Joss Whedon-skeptics, perhaps not too coincidentally. (Excess cleverness annoys people if they don’t find it clever.) The first part of this reminded me more of a traditional high-end corporate commercial than a typical trailer. The tagline is memorable, but I have a feeling it will get very old, very fast.
One thing, this looks like a possible breakthrough role for Jessie Eisenberg while future Spider-Man Andrew Garfield seems to be in more of a supporting role, at least in this trailer. I do have to say that, by using that choral rendition of Radiohead’s “Creep” and some of those deliberate Fincher camera moves, they get a very somber tone. I guess that’s okay, but it’s not like anyone was killed in the founding of Facebook…or were they?
Also, note how they throw in what looks like a totally random shot of an attractive young lady walking away from us in rather minimal panties. It’s important that we know there is a hot girl in panties walking away from us somewhere in this movie.
But seriously folks, I’m delaying tonight’s box office preview slightly, but it should be up VERY early tomorrow.
I used to be disgusted, now I try to stay bemused…
* Yes, they weren’t kidding. Ben Stiller and Tom Cruise are teaming up to make a Les Grossman movie, declares Nikki Finke. I try never to prejudge films, and I really did think Cruise was hilarious in “Tropic Thunder.” However, I think writer Michael Bacall, Ben Stiller, and whoever winds up directing really have their work cut out for them in terms of this not turning into some kind of inverted ego-fest (“look at me — I’m willing to act all crazy!”) like what we saw on MTV a few nights back.
* A new James L. Brooks romantic comedy by any name will probably be worth a look, and maybe better than that.
* It’s always seemed to me that the best part of the guilty pleasure appeal of “Entourage” — aside from Ari, Lloyd, and Johnny Drama, anyway — is the lightning fast pacing that nearly always leaves fans wanting more. Now, producer Mark Wahlberg is determined to give us more in the form of a movie to follow up from the conclusion of the television show. I’m concerned about whether he gets the concept of why you want to always leave an audience wanting more. If not, “Entourage” could become the male equivalent of “Sex and the City” in theaters as well as the small screen.
* THR’s Borys Kit has the shortlist of actors being considered for the new Marc Webb “Spiderman” and, not surprisingly given Webb’s good taste in actors, they’re a pretty strong bunch, with the biggest name being the one-time “Billy Elliot” and the Tintin to be, Jamie Bell.
* Much as I am not a fan (I’m not sure who is, exactly), it was once tempting to think that maybe Michael Bay was perhaps showing good judgment by letting Megan Fox go from the next “Transformers” flick. If Jeff Schneider at the Wrap has his facts right, however, it might just be another reason to think even less of him and also, maybe, to worry about her. And is it really possible that the earlier reports were part of a bluff, which Fox has now called? Oy. H/t The Playlist.
* More from Borys Kit. I’ve written about Carl Erik Rinsch a couple of times here. He’s a very interesting commercial director who’s a protegee of Ridley Scott and who has an arresting visual style of his own. Now, it appears possible that his first feature film could be that new version of “Logan’s Run,” which maybe someone other than me remembers was actually based on a book — way better than the lame seventies movie, if my teenage opinions can be trusted — written in 1967 by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson. Rinsch definitely has a feel for science-fiction, I think.
* The Frairs Club’s next roastee will be one Quentin Tarantino. Expect cursing, but perhaps better written than usual. Lots of geek and pot-smoking jokes too, no doubt.
* If you’re a killer, but forget you’re a killer, are you still a killer? And if you remember, can you start over and drop your bad habit? Those are the questions that appear to be the topic of “Jack,” which John Cusack has just signed on to. No word on who’ll be playing his no doubt brilliant and beautiful, yet vulnerable, doctor.
* Steve Carrell playing the big-in-the-Philippines songwriter of “We Built This City”? Works for me.
* Speaking of signing on, the new editorial director of THR aka The Hollywood Reporter is the former editor-in-chief of Us Weekly. Anne Thompson wonders just how complete a shift to celebrity journalism this might mean for the venerable trade pub, which may not really be a trade for very much longer if her pessimistic/realistic guess is right.
* Ever wondered why the residents of Skull Island bothered to put a Kong-sized door in that giant wall meant to keep the big ape out? Greg Ferrera has a theory.
* I didn’t even know this was happening, but the John Williams Blogathon is under-way at Edward Copeland’s place, celebrating easily the most famous film composer of our era. Yes, his work on “Jaws,” “Star Wars,” etc. is pretty great, but there’s he’s got more musical quivers in his bow than you might think.
The big news on today’s geek circuit was not so much that the previously reported almost-casting of talented young “Easy A” star Emma Stone in the Spider-Man flick was made a sure thing. No, it was that she would not be the new Mary Jane Watson as everyone assumed, but would play Spidey’s other paramour, so far downplayed at the movies, Gwen Stacey. Seems Stone, who has so far been a redhead in her films, is actually a natural blonde. Who knew?
