Bale Boards Prisoners

Looks like things are moving forward on the spec script Prisoners.

First, Mark Wahlberg was attached to the project regarding a father who captures and tortures the man he believes is responsible for the disappearance of his small child.

Not long after director Bryan Singer was said to be hovering around it. Production Weekly later reported that the Usual Suspects and X2: X-Men United helmer had in fact agreed to direct the film. In the interest of full disclosure, said report was subsequently pulled although Singer is still eyeing it as his Valkyrie follow-up.

And now Hollywood Reporter (via their Risky Bizz Blog) reveals that Christian Bale is now attached to the project - presumably he'll be portraying the man in question for kidnapping the lead's daughter.

It's funny how mainstream audiences seem to forget the range of Bale's acting - he's played his fair share of "baddies" in the past. The man is playing Batman, John Connor and Melvin Purvis - time to take a break from being the hero!

Meanwhile, the spec script that grabbed the attention of these various talents is said to be one Helluva page-turner - i.e. there's more to it than being publicly revealed.

War Monkeys Lands New Director

Shock Till You Drop reports that director Kevin Munroe has had to step down from directing duties for the forthcoming horror/comedy War Monkeys. 

The TMNT director is apparently up to his eyeballs in zombies, vampires and Superman (well make that the actor who plays the Man of Steel Brandon Routh) with his currently-in-production Dead of Night down in New Orleans.

But fear not, IESB big-cheese Robert Sanchez (whose producing the film) has already tapped a new director for the job: Fanboys helmer Kyle Newman.

The film, which concerns special military-trained Rhesus monkeys being let loose in an underground base and the two janitors who are forced to fight them off, will commence with casting next week with production to start in June.

Gotta be honest here, this project sounds pretty damn-awesome - curious to see the "look" of the film as well as the afore-mentioned monkeys more than anything. Sounds like it'll be full of over-the-top violence, humor and of course monkeys. So needless to say, I'm already hooked.

Yet Another Director In Talks for Little Fockers?!?

Apparently, it's impossible to get a filmmaker to commit to a sequel that nobody cares about even though it'd be all but guaranteed to make a fortune at the box-office.

I'm referring to the news from this morning that Universal is now talking to About a Boy and In Good Company director Paul Weitz to helm Little Fockers for them.

It was just two weeks ago that the studio was apparently settling on Tommy Boy director Peter Segel for the gig - a decision that made a lot of sense considering his successful track-record with comedies. Hell, his last film Get Smart turned out to be a better film and bigger hit than anyone expected last summer.

And before that, the studio was deciding among Weitz, Peyton Reed (Yes Man) and David Wein who I thought would ultimately get the job based on his Role Models being a hit for Universal last fall - shows what I know!

When I say that "nobody cares" about Little Fockers, I refer to us nerds of course. I actually like Meet the Parents quiet a bit , but its follow-up Meet the Fockers was pretty much one of those "Been there, done that" sequels that just retreads the same material as the first film.

Jackie Earl Haley is the New Freddy Krueger

A few months back, the good folks over at Latino Review revealed (via their sources) that Oscar-nominee, Watchmen star and professional Vic Holtreman look-alike Jackie Earl Haley was tipped to done the fedora and stripped-sweater as the new Freddy Krueger in the forthcoming Nightmare on Elm Street remake.

Even after the Nightmare producers denied said news, Latino Review stuck to their guns on the story. Cut to this afternoon, Bloody-Disgusting reports that Haley is in "final talks" for the role and that an official announcement of his casting could hit the press as early as next week.

I think I speak for many when I say: Never.doubt.Latino Review!

What's interesting is that Haley was many fans' first choice to play Krueger similiar to how he was picked by many to portray Rorschach in Watchmen. Hell, even people who hated Synder's film admitted that Haley was pitch-perfect as the masked vigilante. Weird, huh?

Boston Affiliate Doesn't Want To Air Leno's Show

As observers continue to debate the merits of NBC's decision to anchor a Jay Leno talk show in its Monday through Friday at 10 p.m. spot, an affiliate has weighed in against the plan.

WHDH-TV announced today it will not air Leno's show, instead filling the 10 to 11 p.m. slot with local news.

Adding insult to injury for Leno is the fact that WHDH is the NBC affiliate in Boston, Leno's hometown.

In a statement made available to the press, NBC TV Network President John Eck said, "WHDH's move is a flagrant violation of the terms of their contract with NBC. If they persist, we will strip WHDH of its NBC affiliation. We have a number of other strong options in the Boston market, including using our existing broadcast license to launch an NBC-owned and operated station."

According to Variety, insiders say NBC is looking at contingency plans in Boston should WHDH make the move. One of those options would be to turn WNEU (Channel 60) into an NBC affiliate. Currently, WNEU is a Telemundo station in Boston, the nation's No. 7 market.

WHDH owner Ed Ansin said he believes a local newscast will draw better ratings than Leno at 10 p.m.

"We feel we have a real opportunity with running the news at 10 p.m. We don't think the Leno show is going to be effective in primetime," Ansin told the Boston Globe. "It will be detrimental to our 11 o'clock. It will be very adverse to our finances."

WHDH's 10 p.m. news broadcast would be anchored by Frances Rivera and Kim Khazei. That duo currently hosts the 11 p.m. news show on the station. WHDH would continue to air its 11 p.m. newscast, and plans call for that broadcast also to be hosted by Rivera and Khazei.

Leno is scheduled to take over the 10 p.m. spot in September.

Mickey Rourke and Megan Fox make a Passion Play

Comeback king Mickey Rourke and the Supernova hot Megan Fox are set to star in a drama called 'Passion Plays' for first time director Mitch Glazer, whose writing credits include 'The Recruit' and 'Scrooged', he will write 'Passion Plays' as well as sit in the hot seat for the first time according to Risky Biz Blog.

Rourke will play a down-on-his-heels trumpet player, and Fox will play an angel in 1950s Los Angeles, with Rourke finding redemption in Fox after he attempts to save her from a gangster. Those familiar with the project describe it as a dramatic but heartwarming tale.

Fox's character is described, in part, as as a slender beauty with wings who is part of a carnival.

This sounds great and another smart choice for Rourke who is building up an impressive slate of projects in the afterglow of his success as Randy the Ram in 'The Wrestler'. Perhaps even more interesting is the path Megan Fox is taking, she has already been written off as eye candy by nerd boys on the net b/c god knows the script from Transformers is a really good one to base your view of an actress on, however she is choosing well on the heels of her robot-fest success, choosing roles in smaller but interesting projects like the Diablo Cody scripted 'Jennifers Body' and the western 'Jonah Hex'. 'Passion Plays' though could be the project that really allows her to show what she can do, personally I cannot wait to hear more on this one.

3 More set for Nolan's 'Inception'

Finally some fresh news on Christopher Nolan's hotly anticipated follow up to 'The Dark Knight', and it comes in the form of some exciting casting news from Variety.

Warner Bros. is in talks with Marion Cotillard, Cillian Murphy and Ellen Page to join Leonardo DiCaprio in "Inception," which Chris Nolan wrote and will direct as his next film.

I am a huge fan of Page, she is a unique talent and Cillian Murphy is an actor that just needs that one role to become the new Christopher Walken. The way this cast is shaping up looks to be as impressive as Nolan's previous movies, hopefully we will get some plot details soon!

Men In Black 3 In the Works

Earlier this afternoon at this year's ShoWest along with confirmation on Spider-Man 4 and Ghostbusters 3 (which we all knew were in development), Sony officially announced plans were under-way for a third Men In Black film(!)

Sony President of Worldwide Distribution Rory Bruer said nothing else pertaining to the forthcoming "threequel" including whether they had already settled on a story and/or hired screenwriter(s), a release date and most importantly the participation of stars Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones and series-director Barry Sonnenfeld.

Wow. I won't lie - didn't see that coming at all. Sure the previous Men In Black installments made a fortune, but I assumed it'd be a cold day in Hell before we saw another one. I seem to recall reports back around 2001 that getting all three parties on-board cost Sony quiet a penny.

If this all works out, Sony could end up having one solid ass summer come 2011 with Spider-Man 4, Ghostbusters 3 and now Men In Black 3.

News, Rumors & 100% Grade-A Internet Bullshit - April 1, 2009

-Last summer's Pineapple Express was one of the few films that lived up to it's pre-release hype - at least in my opinion. Hell, I showed the DVD to an in-law a week or so back and the film still holds up. I'd go as far to say it's one of the best films among the Apatow comedies. So it's great to hear that co-stars James Franco and Danny McBride will re-team with its director David Gordon Green for the fantasy-comedy Your Highness.

-In what many (including myself) consider "out there" casting, Arrested Development alum Will Arnett has joined the cast of Jonah Hex in the un-comedic role of a Union soldier who teams up with the title character - played by Josh Brolin. Recent Oscar nominee Michael Shannon has also jumped on-board the cast along with John Malkovich and Megan Fox.

-Robert Patrick confirms earlier rumblings (started by who else but McG) that he might show up in the Terminator: Salvation sequel (which is currently aiming for a Summer 2011 release) as the creator of the T-1000 that famously caused quiet a bit of Hell for the Connors in Terminator 2: Judgement Day.

-The Australian film-industry is really about to boom. Adelaide Now reports that along with Green Lantern and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader which are about to start production in the months ahead, Disney is scouting locations for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Captain Nemo (which the Mouse is fast-tracking like mad to have it out by next year) and John Carter of Mars.

Wolverine Springs a Leak!

A workprint of the upcoming X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie has spilled all over the interwebs. It's a mostly-finished high quality copy-- missing some CGI but fully enjoyable. Whether this is a giant oops or a crazy studio ploy to convince people that the movie really doesn't suck is up to you. I know I'll actually be going to the theater to see it.