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Robert Rodriguez has cast Charlie Sheen as the president in his new film, Machete Kills, effectively pranking his own production. What other great ideas have the geniuses of Hollywood cooked up lately?
Robert Rodriguez (Getty)
Roseanne Gets Roasted
It's not a greenlight per se, but television news is thin on the ground this week and this story perked my ears up a little. Comedy Central will air a roast of Roseanne Barr to be hosted by Glee's Jane Lynch, who tends to be a lot more bearable when she's not playing Sue Sylvester. This is notable because they typically roast people who are already "controversial" to begin with, like Charlie Sheen, Donald Trump, and Pamela Anderson. Roseanne is a smart, talented woman who starred in one of the greatest sitcoms ever (She should run for president! Not really). Hopefully, this roast will draw the kind of top comedic talents that can stand up to her. I'm looking at you, Sarah Silverman!
Roseanne Barr (Getty)
BBC America Goes for Canadian Clones
Fresh off being greenlit by Canada's Space channel for a ten-episode run, Orphan Black has been picked up by BBC America for its Supernatural Saturdays programming. The show, created by John Fawcett (Spartacus) and Graeme Manson (Flashpoint), is about a streetwise young woman who witnesses a suicide, and, realizing that the victim looks like her, decides to assume her identity. You're thinking Ringer, right? But wait! It turns out that she discovers that both her and the suicide lady are clones, there are many more of them, and some mysterious force is out to kill them all. Well, it sounds like it could be interesting, but I'd just as soon throw on some classic episodes of The Avengers. I'm old.
David Fincher Produces IOU
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Fincher is producing the thriller IOU, which will be directed by Jacob Aaron Estes from a script by Michael Arlen Ross. The production company is Media Rights Capital. Anything Fincher puts his name to is going to get my attention. That said, it's hard to know what to make of this, as plot details are being kept under wraps. Ross wrote the script for Turistas, the underwhelming torture porn flick, while Estes directed the 2004 teen thriller Mean Creek, which I remember being pretty decent. I'm going to take a "wait and see" approach. Just like with everything else. Mostly.
David Fincher (Getty)
Rob Reiner's New Film Is... Hey, Wake Up!
Reiner will direct a new thriller, You Belong to Me, financed by Scott Pictures and produced by Castle Rock and Southpaw Entertainment. Shooting begins in New York in the fall. Speaking of not waiting and seeing, Reiner is kind of the anti-Fincher, in that I seriously doubt he will ever make another interesting film. Like Woody Allen, his best films were made decades ago, only in Reiner's case he hasn't fooled anyone with recent films like Flipped and The Bucket List. It's his first thriller since the overrated Misery. And yes, I said Misery is overrated.
Rob Reiner (Getty)
Everything Can and Should Be a Movie!
There's a Lego feature coming out, tentatively titled The Piece of Resistance. Those waiting for a Justice League movie might have to settle for this one in which Lego Batman (voiced by Will Arnett of Arrested Development -- an inspired choice) teams up with Lego Superman (possibly voiced by Channing Tatum). Chris Pratt of Parks and Recreation voices the lead role and the movie is being directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller (21 Jump Street). I'm not that excited about the proposed Need for Speed and Carmen Sandiego movies, but this one sounds kinda fun.
Will Arnett (Getty)
Are you looking forward to any of these? Which one sounds the most intriguing? Please let me know in the comments below.
