Stuff You Need to Know, Thursday, December 18, 2008

All the pop culture news you need, played at 2x the speed because you’ve got plenty to get done today. You’re welcome.

Adam Shankman (Hairspray) is on board to direct Bob the Musical for Disney. The movie “centers on a mild-mannered man who suddenly hears the ‘inner song’ of people’s hearts after being struck on the head.” Man, that was a great episode of Scrubs, wasn’t it? And he’s also doing the new Sinbad movie (the sailor, not the comedian) for Sony. “Story centers on Sinbad and his crew, who are marooned off the coast of China and embark on a quest to find the lamp of Aladdin.” Source: Variety.

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Box Office Mojo has been snagged by the IMDB, which of course is in turn owned by Amazon. Maybe this means they’ll finally allow paying subscribers again. Regardless, they’re the best box office site online and I’m amazed it took this long for somebody to snap them up. Good for them.

Fritz Leiber’s Conjure Wife has got Billy Ray (Breach) on board to scribe and helm a new adaptation. “Ray’s update will amp up the prurience factor as one woman’s desire to take over a more ideal female body factors into the plot.” So either this is some weird threesome or incorporates elements from Nip/Tuck? Source: Hollywood Reporter.

William H. Macy is back in his old role on ER, at least for one episode, since that dinosaur is finally about to fall over. The show, we mean, not Macy. Macy is unstoppable. Source: Variety.

In what sounds pretty promising, Barry Sonnenfeld is on board to produce and direct the action-comedy The How-To Guide For Saving the World, in which the secret enclave that protects the earth is wiped out, paving the way for aliens to invade. The only thing standing in their way is a most unlikely hero, the woman who can’t stand him, and a book that tells them how to protect the planet. Source: Hollywood Reporter.

Well, not that I needed them to second me, but Variety calls out the Herod in the current touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar as incredibly terrible, just as I did. Thanks for backing my play, Big V.

Maggie Q is on board for King of Fighters–the live action version of a video game–which is in production in Vancouver. Also on board is Ray Park. Expect it to hit cinemas in 3Q 2009. Best part? No Uwe Boll! Source: Variety.

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