Public Enemies - What Did You Think?
A couple weeks ago we told you that Academy Award winning producer Brian Grazer (A Beautiful Mind, American Gangster) had signed on to produce the Steve Oedekerk-scripted big screen adaptation of Stretch Armstrong. The film is part of Universal’s multi-picture development deal with Hasbro to turn board games and toys into a series of possibly horrible probably pointless movies. For Stretch Armstrong, they even have a release date - April 15, 2011. So who is going to direct? How about Ron Howard?
Stretch Armstrong Movie Gets April 2011 Release Date
Posted on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009 by Peter Sciretta
Back in February, we told you that Steve Oedekerk was developing a big screen adaptation of Stretch Armstrong as part of Universal’s deal with Hasbro to turn board games and toys into a series of possibly horrible probably pointless movies. Well it appears the film is going into production, and even has a release date - April 15, 2011. Ugh.
Academy Award winning producer Brian Grazer (A Beautiful Mind, American Gangster) has come on board to produce the project. Grazer issued the following statement: “Stretch Armstrong is a character I have wanted to see on screen for a long time. He’s an unconventional kind of super hero with a power that no one would want. It’s a story about a guy stretching - if you will - the limits of what is possible to become all that he can be.”
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First Look: Russell Crowe in Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood
Posted on Sunday, April 19th, 2009 by Peter Sciretta
Universal Pictures has released the first photo of Russell Crowe as the title character in Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood. Producer Brian Grazer tells USA Today that Robin Hood’s look has been completely updated: “He doesn’t have the old Robin Hood tights. He’s got armor. He’s very medieval. He looks, if anything, more like he did in Gladiator than anything we’re used to seeing with Robin Hood.” I like the new look a lot. What do you guys think?
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22% of Vanity Fair’s Top 100 are Filmmakers
Posted on Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008 by Peter Sciretta
Vanity Fair has released the VF 100 - an annual listing of the top 100 leaders of the information age. Below you can find a listing of movie related entries on the list. Check out the full list on VanityFair.com.
4. Steve Jobs - Former Pixar CEO, Member of Disney’s Board of Directors
9. Angelina Jolie/Brad Pitt - Actors
14. Steven Spielberg - Director, Producer, Dreamworks co-founder
22. David Geffen - Dremworks Co-founder
23. George Lucas - Writer, Director, Producer, Chairman of LucasFilm
24. Jerry Bruckheimer - Producer
28. John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Brad Bird - Pixar’s creative team
32. Sumner Redstone - Majority Owner of Paramount Pictures
33. Arnold Schwarzenegger - Actor
34. Tom Hanks - Actor, Producer
35. Robert Iger - Head of the Walt Disney Company
43. Oprah Winfrey - Actress (kinda), Producer
44. Jon Stewart - Comedian, Actor
45. Stephen Colbert - Comedian, Actor
53. Jeffrey Katzenberg - Dreamworks co-founder, CEO of Dreamworks Animation
55. George Clooney - Actor, Producer
58. Judd Apatow - Producer, Writer, Director
59. Robert De Niro - Actor, Producer, Director
66. Brian Grazer/Ron Howard - Producer/Director
85. The Coen Brothers - Writers, Directors, Producers
87. The Weinstein Brothers - The Weinstien Co
93. Jerry Weintraub - Producer
Robert Downey Jr. to Play Hugh Hefner in Playboy?
Posted on Sunday, May 25th, 2008 by Hunter Stephenson
“Grotto!?!”
Over the last six months, I’ve had four unrelated sources tell me off the record that Robert Downey Jr. was a total lock to star in a Hugh Hefner biopic entitled Playboy. Of course, this was before Iron Man’s grosses went interstellar. Chicago’s Sun Times now reports that the actor is close to signing on, even though the original director, Brett Ratner, is purportedly no longer attached, but may circle back (I bet.) for producer Brian Grazer.
Would Marvel Studios be cool with Downey Jr. playing a porn magnate? The company recently tossed out the R-rating, so it might be iffy territory. In my view, Tony Stark is not exactly Clark Kent, and this role would only increase Downey’s mainstream visibility. Moreover, Hefner’s story is not mired in smut like a Larry Flynt or a Bob Guccinone–it’s by far the more mainstream rags-to-riches tale. But some people in the know have serious doubts. Is the box office there for this movie? Does Downey need to risk it? Will the film hold relevance in the quickening era of YouPorn and Xtube? They have a point (Playboy is venturing into the gay biz for a reason).
The Sun Times reports that Downey’s people have emphasized that nothing is final until a script and/or director is finalized. As you might expect, there are certain unprecedented benefits to playing this role. We’ll see what happens. Tropic Thunder, which looks to be a huge hit, will only strengthen Downey’s demands and demand.
Discuss: Should Downey take the role or pass? Are you interested in seeing the story of Hugh Hefner? Â
Brett Ratner in Talks to Direct Remake of The Incredible Shrinking Man For Universal
Posted on Friday, April 18th, 2008 by Hunter Stephenson
“Mayonaise. Nom nom nom.”
Pssssssst, put your ear up to the monitor. Here that? That’s the sound of so many strikes at a bowling alley. Brett Ratner and Eddie Murphy: together at last for a presumably plastic potty-humored family comedy! Ratner is in talks to helm a remake of the 1957 movie The Incredible Shrinking Man for Universal, with Murphy circling the lead. The script is by Thomas Lennon and Reno 9-11’s Robert Ben Garant (The Pacifier, Night at the Museum), and HR reports that it tells the tale of a Las Vegas magician who falls under a spell that causes him to lure ’00s Eddie Murphy gradually shrink to the point of disappearing. Brian Grazer will produce.
In related but not related discussion, where this leaves Ratner’s biopic about Hugh Hefner is unforeseen. Rick Moranis has not yet chimed in on his feelings about Ratner invading his “shrink” territory. I predict $200 million at the box office, and $230 mill if there’s a talking dog, cat, bumble bee and/or Murphy rides on top of said creatures. Sleep soundly tonight imagining what Ratner’s vision for a “Las Vegas magician” will look like.
Discuss: If you were forced to choose between watching one Ratner movie Clockwork Orange-style non-stop for three months or lopping off your pinkie after four huge margaritas, which? And Money Talks is excluded.
