SkimIt
I mentioned the rumors last week and now Peter Jackson has confirmed The Hobbit will indeed be stretched into three feature-length films. But hey, at least 90 minutes of that is probably just tech credits.
Guillermo del Toro Does Pinocchio
One of my favorite contemporary directors, Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth), is taking on a classic of children's literature, Pinocchio, according to Deadline. ShadowMachine is producing the stop-motion animation film, which del Toro is co-directing with animation vet Mark Gustafson (The PJs), from a script co-written by Matthew Robbins, with whom del Toro previously collaborated with on Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. The Jim Henson Company is also involved. Based on del Toro's track record, expect something dark, twisted and atmospheric, and much better than Roberto Benigni's misbegotten 1997 live action version.
Taylor Kitsch Goes Indie
Kitsch, one-time heartthrob cast member of Friday Night Lights and more recently the star of two very big Hollywood flops, John Carter and Battleship, has signed on to co-star with consummate British tough guy Brendan Gleeson in The Grand Seduction. Canadian quirkmeister Don McKellar will direct from a script by Michael Dowse (Goon) and Ken Scott, based on Scott's script for the French-Canadian film, Seducing Dr. Lewis. Sounds pleasant enough, and really, maybe Kitsch should lay off the blockbusters for a while.
R-Patz on the Rebound
Screen Australia announced the greenlight for Robert Pattinson's new project, The Rover. Porchlight Films and Lava Bear Films are producing. Aussie David Michod writes and directs the futuristic western about a broken man hunting down the gang who stole everything from him. Shades of Mad Max? I was a fan of Michod's debut feature, the gritty crime drama Animal Kingdom, and he'll reteam with co-star Guy Pearce for this one. With Cosmopolis and now this, it seems like R-Patz is getting his act together for a long, fruitful post-Twilight (and post-Kristen Stewart) career.
The End for Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore has signed on to direct her next film, titled The End, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Warner Brothers is producing the film and the script is by former Heroes scribe Aron Eli Coleite. The drama will feature several very personal stories about how people around the globe deal with impending Armageddon. I thought Barrymore's directorial debut, Whip It, was pretty solid entertainment. This one sounds more ambitious. If I'm skeptical it may just be that I really didn't like the similarly themed Seeking a Friend for the End of the World.
Larry David: The Movie
Larry David hasn't committed to any more seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm, but HBO announced at the Television Critics Association gathering this week that the funnyman will be doing a movie for them. It was originally planned as a theatrical release at Fox Searchlight, but now it will be produced by HBO, which will air it. No plot details are available yet, but Greg Mottola (Superbad) is directing, and according to Deadline Jon Hamm and Michael Keaton are rumored to be David's co-stars. Sounds good so far. I'm not the biggest Curb fan, but when David is in his groove, he's pretty damn funny. I'm certainly more interested in this than the rumored feature version of the loathsome Entourage.
Vince Vaughn's Brady Bunch
It's not a greenlight, just a script commitment, but CBS is apparently trying to reboot the classic '70s sitcom The Brady Bunch with Vince Vaughn executive producing for CBS Television Studios. Mike Mariano (Raising Hope) will write and also exec produce. The new show will focus on an adult Bobby Brady and his own blended family. This show has already been rebooted in two reasonably entertaining 1990s movies. Every aspect of it has been analyzed, imitated and parodied to death in the ensuing years. I just can't imagine how to make this property interesting again, but I guess that's why those Hollywood geniuses get the big bucks!
Are you looking forward to any of these? Which one sounds the most intriguing? Please let me know in the comments below.
