The News Vacuum: Miscellanious Deals, Rumors, Casting News, Film Flotsam...and Rambo V

Eric Bana says his villainy role as Nero in J.J. Abrams's Star Trek is nothing more than a "cameo." News to me. You? Here's another quote from the Aussie actor about his role: "It's just a great character, it's J.J. Abrams. It's a really well-written script, great part. Couldn't say no. I don't actually look at the size of parts ever." [The Herald Sun]

In what marks our second weird-beard item of the day (my quota is filled, yipps!), /Film staple Sam Rockwell is growing out his face's wilderness for a role in which he'll play...[water bubbles]...a man who is stranded on the moon for three years. Wow, I've had people do the start-stop-start-stop to me in the parking lot of a Sonic Burger, but leaving a guy shoe-gazing for a thousand nights on the giant, white rock? Bust. The indie film is entitled Moon (obviously), and will be directed by Duncan Jones, aka Zowie Bowie, spawn of hollow-cheeked rocka David Bowie. I can fight off images of the moon from "Tonight, Tonight" but imagining the couch sesh and brain cloud that procreated this idea makes me want Pringles. [MTV]

Perma-glowing actress Kate Hudson (Fool's Gold) will star as painter Margaret Keane [click name for art works] in the film Big Eyes for first time directing duo Larry Karaszweski and Scott Alexander. A big-eyed Oscar bid for Hudson, the biopic focuses on Keane's significant popularity as an artist in the '50s and '60s, even while her works were quizzically produced under her husband's name. After a messy divorce, the couple ended up in federal court, where she painted before a judge and won the case. After the court battle, she moved to Hawaii, became quite religious and her work experienced an eerily happy mood swing. Girls Girls Girls. [Variety]

The Weinstein Co. has acquired movie rights to the intriguing novel Wolf Boy written by Evan Kuhlman and published in 2006 by Crown. When a boy's older brother, Francis Wolf, is killed in a car accident, he creates comic-style stories illustrated by his eccentric girlfriend entitled The Adventures of Wolf Boy, about a superhero who himself battles the grief of a dead, un-tased bro as well as spectacular villains while attempting to save the world. The film will mix live action and animation, and the book is being adapted by Chris Parker (Mulan II). No director is attached at this time. Sounds kind of Juno-y to me, if the opening credits attacked Diablo Cody's retro-toy potty mouth and Michael Cera died like Mac Culkin in My Girl. [Variety]

The Web's Sly Stallone aficionado, AB King, says that MGM has hip-ish actors like Ryan Gosling, Cillian Murphy, Ben Foster and not-so-hip Elijah Wood pegged for one young sidekick role in Stallone's Charles Bronson remake The Mechanic. The Rambo auteur recently signed a two-pic deal at Nu Image/Millennium Films to direct and star in two action films, so The Mechanic is probably one of them, and after he recently ruled out Rambo V, might the other by Death Wish? Stallone is back in a major way, it's insane.

But wait! Like a coin-op catfight between Steve Wiebe and Billy Mitchell...Rambo V might still have a shot! It seems Stallone is giving mixed signals from across the bar to his second most famous character. Kissy Kissy. Most recently, he said a third sequel will "depend on the success of this one, but right now I think I'm gearing one up. It will be quite different." What!?! That would totally negate the response he gave here saying no more Rambo flicks ever, not even in...space. And yet at this rather recent link, he combines this "yes, no" weirdness, and I'd say it's the best response to where Rambo V stands. When asked if he'll return for another Rambo sequel he says straight-up, "No." But when asked if he'd consider another Rambo sequel (what balls this interviewer has, eh?), Stallone says...

"I have a very, very bizarre idea. It's probably so absurd, but it's got to formulate a little bit. If I told you I was going to do one about a sixty one year old boxer, you'd go, 'Yup!' But if you find the right formula almost anything is feasible. It's just coming in there and making the audience go, 'Okay, that's possible. That is feasible.' It's weird. I mean, Space Cowboys. Hello? But it worked."

Hello? Did Stallone really just friggin' imply that Rambo is going to space? I mean, there are lots of movies with old dudes kicking younger dudes' asses. Why name drop Space Cowboys? Lastly, the creator of the Rambo character, David Morrell, has commented at length on his liking the new film, and it's worth a read. (Oh yeah, and I gave it a 10/10.) [Dark Horizons]