The Hobbit Set to Start Production in June

Is there a light at the end of the tunnel for The Hobbit? It appears so.

Production Weekly has the info that production on the Lord of the Rings precursor (that will split into two separate films) is set to start this coming June in New Zealand. Producer Peter Jackson stated this news in the closing months of last year. He also shrugged off earlier rumblings that the first installment had been pushed back to Christmas 2012 from 2011. Such troubles first came about due to the current sticking situation with MGM.

To be honest, it came off as someone playing the denial game (not unlike what Sony recently did with the Spider-Man 4 delay). But with the production planning a 14 month shoot (not unlike the trilogy before it), it appears old Pete was right the whole time.

Speaking of Spider-Man 4 with it suspended in purgatory at the moment, could this perhaps open up Tobey Maguire’s chance of playing Bilbo Baggins? That, if you’ll remember, was originally broken by Latino Review and as always immediately denied by everyone involved. Just saying...

Zombieland Writers Confirmed for Deadpool

The information about Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (screenwriters responsible for Zombieland) being hired to pen Deadpool has been out in the open for a month now. It originated from CHUD for those who care. So props to them (particularly author Devin Faraci) for that.

Cut to now and the trades have "broken" the exact same story. Boy, isn’t that a weird coincidence? Would one call that stealing? It doesn’t help matters that they’re actually charging you money for basically cutting and pasting info broken by movie-news sites. All the while, they won’t even give them the professional (and just plain ethical) courtesy of giving them credit for breaking such stories. Yeah, that is a total dick move.

And that, boys and girls, is why I won’t give them credit when they actually break stories all their selves. Is that a dick move on my part? You decide.

Getting back to the topic on hand, so 20^th Century Fox is serious about letting Ryan Reynolds headlining this potential comic-book franchise while Warner Brothers has him committed to do the same for Green Lantern (that starts filming in the coming months)? I still find that hard to believe.

Sure, Robert Downey Junior is headlining both the Iron Man and now Sherlock Holmes series. But those aren’t mutually exclusive to comics like Green Lantern and Deadpool are. I’ll believe it when I see it , to be honest.

Mendes, Sam Mendes

Sounds like Eon Productions aren’t too terribly bothered by MGM being sold after all.

Hot off the heels of that story from earlier this morning comes news to the contrary. Via Heat Vision comes word that British filmmaker Sam Mendes is in negotiations to direct the forthcoming next James Bond cinematic outing.  

The Broccolis have hit the Fast-Track button on Bond 3. If everything goes according to plan, production could commence as soon as this June. So it looks like that November 2011 release date is still a go. Sure, there is the possibility of it hitting in the summer instead. I’ve long been of the opinion that 007 will return to the summer and during the Daniel Craig reign. But that particular summer is already over-stuffed as it is. Just can’t see that happening.

But what to make of Mr. Mendes’ directorial involvement? He’s nowhere near the filmmaker I had pegged the Broccolis to hire. That’s not to say I’m against him (I’m not). With the exception of Revolutionary Road (which I haven’t seen and looks like bad Oscar bait), I’ve enjoyed everything on his filmography. My almost high anticipation for the new Bond installment has increased.

Spidey Sense Tingling! Spider-Man 4 Won't Hit 2011?

If you were hoping to see Spider-Man swinging again onto the silver screen, you better sit down.

Deadline Hollywood reports, as of now, there is no start date on Spider-Man 4 and the film will not make its May 5, 2011 release date. Director Sam Raimi and Sony are having it out over issues regarding the script, who to have as the villain, etc. Things are looking pretty bad for old Webhead.

Does any of this sound familiar? It should. That’s because IESB broke the exact same information right before the Christmas holidays last month. Due to the highly sensitive nature of such a property, plenty came out and tried to debunk the story - citing spokespersons from the studio. Uh, it’s their job to lie.

But here’s the thing though, kids. The original article from Team Sanchez made too much sense for it to be wrong. You’re telling me that the filmmakers and studio were going to solve all their issues over the screenplay, villain, casting, etc. in the span of a month or so and still start filming by March? I don’t think so. Not to mention, the absolute silence from both the Spider-Man camp and Sony was damning before the story even hit. If everything was going hunky-dory, they would have been making plenty of noise to hype up the start of production.

Finke’s piece does add some interesting new info to the fold. Raimi and the studio have hired yet another screenwriter - Alvin Sargent (who had a hand in penning the last two films). So now a fourth writer is on-board to fix everyone’s issues? Yet another bad sign, folks. She also confirms the Movieline piece about John Malkovich being Raimi’s choice for Vulture and the prospects of Anne Hathaway joining appear to be DOA (aka too much money).

So what does it mean for the fourth installment in the long run? Personally, I think it's only a matter of time before Raimi walks - assuming he hasn't already. Too much bullshit trying to make Spider-Man 4 and it could be all for naught. After the last film (that nerds and general public alike hated), I don't know anyone who honestly cares about this franchise anymore. It feels like a lost cause to be honest.

Sean Penn is a Stooge Again!

Sounds like I’m making this up, but it’s honest to God the truth. AMC was playing a Three Stooges marathon this past New Year’s Eve. So I showed them to my five year old niece. She didn’t like them – just sat there and did some fake laughs. Damn kid.

Anyway, the last thing we heard about a film-version (to be directed by the Farrelly Brothers) was Sean Penn stepping down from his role as Larry to get his marriage and family life back on track. Yes, the man’s a fucking retard with the shit he’s said and done in the past. But you have to give him props for having his priorities straight. Family first, fuck everything else.

According to co-director Bobby Farrelly (speaking to Boston Herald), Penn has now returned to the production. Benicio Del Toro still appears to play Moe ("He he Moe is their leader!") while Jim Carrey has fallen out as Curly. I suppose the notion of doing a comedy people would pay money to see was too much for Carrey.

While the search for a new Curley presses on (No love for Shemp? Come on!), Bobby and Peter will direct an Owen Wilson comedy Hall Pass first.

Pre-Production on Next Bond Installment Delayed

James Bond’s license to kill has been put on suspension for the time being.

Coming off the revelation from screenwriter Peter Morgan last month, now comes official confirmation from the Broccolis on the next Bond film.  Speaking to Total Film (via MI6), producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli confess that all work on the 23^rd installment (and third under the reboot series headlined by Daniel Craig) has been delayed.

We all have the MGM ownership mess to thank. Once of all of this is absolved (which is expected to be done with in the coming weeks if not days), everyone will get right back to work on Bond 3. Earlier reports from both Craig and Judi Dench stated that production was planned to start by the end of this year for a late 2011 release.

Even with the current delay, I don’t see it being pushed back to 2012. The series has had quite the reputation for being churned out fast. There’s no reason to suggest why this one will be an exception to that rule.

Return to Oz. Again.

The Wizard of Oz is one of the very few films I would call perfect. Hell, it still gets me (and many others) to this day and also one of the great examples of putting an actor in an eternal time-capsule. Sure, Judy Garland was doped out of her mind in her final years. But that shit doesn’t matter. She will always be Dorothy Gale – the little farm girl trying to get home to her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry.

Any attempt to revisiting it (even if the intention to merely to adapt the other L. Frank Baum books and not directly reference the 1939 film) will almost certainly fail. Check out the 1985 "sequel" Return to Oz. By no means is it a bad film, but they were begging to fall on their faces by following up Wizard of Oz. Don’t even get me started on last year’s Tin Man mini-series.

There have been various incarnations of a new Oz film in development over the years and I’ve frankly never paid any attention to their status. But that won’t stop Hollywood from trying. Pajiba got their hands on the plot synopsis for Oz: The Return to Emerald City as described below:

It’s a modern-day sequel. The story centers on Dorothy Neil, a bright and ambitious young lawyer for a prestigious law firm in Chicago. Neil is the grand-daughter of Dorothy Gale, who is now an old woman living in Kansas and telling her tales about her time in the land of Oz to a new generation of kids. However, trouble is afoot in Oz, as a new witch is destroying the magic that keeps the entire place running. While babysitting her boss’ kid, the kid and Dorothy Neil are brought back to Oz and united with the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Man, and the Scarecrow and tasked with killing an evil witch and restoring order in Oz.

This immediately gives off the Superman Returns and Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland vibe. At least it’s not the "Let’s make everything dark and fucked up" take Todd McFarlane was working on. As per Pajiba’s sources, that version is DOA and Return to Emerald City is out to new screenwriters for polishing.

'Avatar' Takes Over Box Office Again

Weekend Actuals Jan 1st - Jan 3rd

1 Avatar $68,490,688
2 Sherlock Holmes $36,612,481
3 Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel $35,189,653
4 It's Complicated $18,802,965    
7 The Princess and the Frog $9,824,311
8 Did You Hear About the Morgans? $4,932,338
9 Invictus $3,909,312    
10 Nine $3,901,203 

Who Controls the Spice? Pierre Morel

The last update we got on Dune was the departure of Peter Berg (currently prepping Battleship for Universal and possibly helming a Hancock sequel over at Sony afterwards). Reports said Paramount was looking at District 9’s Neil Blomkamp and The Descent’s Neill Marshall to take over the property. Granted that was three months ago and another name has now come out of left field to sit in the director’s chair.

Entertainment Weekly reports that Pierre Morel (behind last January’s surprise smash Taken) has been given the gig. His hiring merely solves half the problem. The studio still needs another screenwriter on board and, yes they’re searching. The priority for this latest version is to remain faithful to the original 1965 Frank Herbert novel.

Color me surprised Paramount has a fire under their ass to get Dune on the big screen. It seemed like nothing more than talk, frankly. Plus to properly adapt the Herbert book will take a lot of money and I’m still questioning whether any studio is willing to do that.

Most Dune fans will be happy to know this probably means we won't see Robert Pattinson as Paul Atreides.

Sherlock Holmes Sequel Nixed For Gay Subtext?

During a recent interview to promote Sherlock Holmes (prior to its release), Robert Downey Jr. played up the possibility of a "more than just bromance" relationship between him and Jude Law’s Watson. Everyone had their laughs and moved on. Having seen the flick, I didn’t see that angle. The movie plays them up more as brothers more than anything else. Of course, there’s no denying the subtext isn’t there. But that’s why we all love film – it’s subjective. You say tomato, I say tomahto.

Andrea Plunket (who holds the US rights to the character) isn’t fond of having our heroes using their detective skills on one another’s anatomy. Speaking to Total Film, she said, "I hope this is just an example of Mr Downey’s black sense of humour. It would be drastic, but I would withdraw permission for more films to be made if they feel that is a theme they wish to bring out in the future."

Uh, considering the shit they’ve allowed to have happen to the character over the years (Seven Per-Cent Solution, anyone?), I’m not holding my breath expecting much to amount from this. If there’s anything we’ve all learned about the entertainment industry, it’s that money talks. The film is doing too well at the moment (currently at $140 million and is expected to hit $200 million) for such a retarded reasoning to block its inevitable sequel.

For me, the great concern is the participation of Guy Ritchie. Last we all heard, he was lined up to helm Lobo for Warner Brother and producer Joel Silver (presumably after seeing a cut of Holmes in its early rough-cut stage). With the reportedly impending unveiling of WB’s DC plans, Lobo might be a part of those plans. That would make his directorial involvement in the Holmes sequel questionable – especially dependant on when the studio plans to release it. My own personal guess would be Christmas 2011 - with or without Guy Ritchie calling the shots again.