Somebody go check on Dindrane. George Miller and Brad Pitt are going to do The Odyssey for Warner Brothers. As a sci-fi story in outer space. At least that's the word, the article doesn't seem to say either is officially attached at the moment. The article also says that Miller still attached to Justice League, which I still, sorry, don't think will ever happen. Pitt is also on tap for a movie based on the book Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, about the manager of the Oakland A's, who built his baseball team using computer analysis to help decide what players to draft. Steve Zaillian (All the King's Men) is scribing and David Frankel (Devil Wears Prada) is to helm. Source: Variety.
Making the upcoming All About Eve reading even more of something they damn well better film, Brian Bedford (who's done a lot, but you probably know him best as the voice of Disney's animated Robin Hood) Peter Gallagher, Angela Lansbury, Cynthia Nixon (Sex and the City) and John Slattery (Mad Men) have all joined the cast. And I had forgotten I actually reviewed the DVD here. Source: Variety.
So this is...somewhat alarming. I read an article on Variety about Richard Donner and how The Goonies has had such staying power and a rabid fanbase. And then, out of the blue, Mr. Donner threw even a curveball at my head: "I'm in the process of trying to get it done as a musical on Broadway. Wouldn't that be great?" You're kidding, right? The article: "The director has already met with former Broadway entertainment attorney John F. Breglio, and Donner seems confident things are moving in the right direction." Wait. You're not kidding? "[Donner's] even figured out where to break for intermission: right after the kids fall through the hole, with the second half unfolding underground." Wow. You are seriously not kidding. Wow.
Okay, this is interesting: and it's theatre, but keep reading even if it's not your bag. Hamlet in the West End stars Jude Law. Michael Grandage (Frost/Nixon) is now directing it because a guy by the name of Kenneth Branagh has exited the production because he's going to be doing that Thor thing. If you can catch the upcoming season at Donmar Warehouse, Jebus, it sounds awesome: Branagh is there doing Ivanov, Derek Jacobi is going to be in Twelfth Night, and Judi Dench in Madame de Sade. Nice. Source: Variety.
Actually, looking at that pic of him, he wouldn't make a bad Loki either, would he?
The Happytime Murders is what happens when puppets go noir. No, seriously. It's a spec script that the Henson Company has picked up and will produce under their Henson Alternative banner, which is to them what Touchstone is (well, was) to Disney. (At least they didn't call it HENSON EXTREME.) It's what happens when there's a world in which puppets and humans live side by side. However, in this world the puppet cast of a children's TV show starts to get bumped off one by one and it's up to a disgraced alcoholic puppet detective to find out what's really going on. So...erm...it's a fucked up cross between Greg the Bunny and Watchmen? Brian Henson is to helm it. Source: Hollywood Reporter.
Don Cheadle is Rhodey in Iron Man 2. Apparently talks with Terrence Howard just didn't work out. So far, it looks like everybody else is coming back. Source: Hollywood Reporter.
Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit is being revived on Broadway, starring Christine Ebersole, Rupert Everett and Angela Lansbury. Lansbury is in the role of Madame Arcati. Performances start in February. I would love to see Lansbury perform. Source: Variety.
Steve Martin, or what's left of him, is joining Alec Baldwin to play rivals for the affections of Meryl Streep in an untitled romantic comedy. Nancy Meyers wrote and will helm, just like she did for Something's Gotta Give. Source: Variety.
Mulan is getting adapted. Your first two guesses will probably be Broadway and a live-action adaptation. You're correct on the latter, although it will be based on the original legend and not the Disney film, and will be made by a partnership of Xinhua Media and China Film Group, which is steered by the Chinese government. It will shoot this spring. Source: Hollywood Reporter.
Short one today because it's Columbus Day and nobody felt like working.
Did you know there's a Toxic Avenger musical? Apparently so and they want to take it to Off-Broadway. Read the review here.
Want some footage? Okay...here's "Kick Your Ass." Because you wanted a choreographed showstopper that involves dancing with someone's intestines and multiple incidents of dismemberment. You know you did. Here's the official site. Lloyd Kaufman FTW.
Update: The vids were ordered taken down from YouTube by the George Street Playhouse. Hope you enjoyed them while they lasted.
