Kit Bowen's Weekly Role Call, July 30
By Kit Bowen, Hollywood.com Staff
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Friday, July 30, 2004
Jude Law |
Law, Penn become King's Men
It always puzzles me why those Hollywood execs feel they have to muck with an already-established classic--such as remaking the Oscar-winning 1949 All the King's Men, which starred John Ireland and Broderick Crawford--but then I hear the casting choices and get excited about the prospects. Jude Law has been cast as Jack Burden, the journalist-narrator of Robert Penn Warren's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, which follows the rise and fall of a corrupt Huey Long-like Southern politician named Willie Stark. What's even more intriguing is the fact Sean Penn is in negotiations to star as Stark. Steven Zaillian (Schindler's List) wrote the script and is set to direct when production begins later this fall. I see great possibilities.
Behind the Tortilla Curtain
For the first time in their lengthy careers, Kevin Costner and Meg Ryan are teaming up to star in The Tortilla Curtain, an adaptation of the T.C. Boyle novel. It's the story of two families--one wealthy and experiencing suburban angst, the other illegal immigrants from Mexico trying to make a new life for themselves--whose lives cross paths in a hit-and-run accident. Ouch. But that's not all Costner is doing right now. He's also working on an untitled Warner Bros. comedy, which continues the storyline of The Graduate, many years later, where Benjamin Braddock (the character originated by Dustin Hoffman) is now middle-aged, as well as producing, directing and starring in Modoc: The True Story of the Greatest Elephant That Ever Lived. Now that's just got to be one of the all-time worst titles ever. Good luck with that, Kev.
Affleck is a real Nowhere man
Ben Affleck is attached to star in Nowhere Men, an adventure film Hollywood Reporter describes as Ocean's Eleven meets Men in Black. The Disney project revolves around a group of people who pursue covert missions, aided by their extraordinary personal gifts. Extraordinary personal gifts? Wonder what that means exactly? Do they rob banks with these "gifts"? Are there superheroes involved? Sounds like he's reaching, my friends. Affleckhas also been tapped to star with Rebecca Romijn-Stamos in Man About Town, about a top Hollywood talent agent who seems to have it all--success, money and a beautiful wife (Romijn-Stamos). But it all starts to unravel when he finds out that she is cheating on him and his journal has been stolen by a reporter who could expose him. I don't know about you, but I think Affleck needs to get a better agent, not play one.
Wahlberg, Bullock in Capote biopic
Mark Wahlberg and Sandra Bullock are making plans to star in the Truman Capote biopic Every Word Is True. Wahlberg will portray In Cold Blood killer Perry Smith, while British stage actor Toby Jones, best known as the voice of the gnomish Dobby the House Elf in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, is set to star as Capote. The film will focus on the relationship that developed between Capote and convicted murderers Dick Hickock and, in particular, Smith, while the pair awaited execution on death row. Sandra Bullock is in negotiations to play To Kill a Mockingbird author Harper Lee. No snarky comment here; count me in.
Diesel is Guilty
With his only dramatic showing, A Man Apart, having tanked at the box office, Vin Diesel has been trying to gain back some acting credibility. Now, he's getting a chance do just that by working with Oscar-nominated director Sidney Lumet (All the King's Men original helmer, by the way) in Find Me Guilty, a film based on a true story about a mobster who refuses to play the rat and instead defends himself in court. We'll see if Diesel's got the acting chops to keep up with Lumet in what sounds like a pretty unoriginal premise.
Lee's Watchman
Spike Lee is in negotiations to direct The Night Watchman, a cop thriller based on an original screenplay by noir novelist James Ellroy. Set in early '90s Los Angeles, the ensemble piece is described as being in the vein of Ellroy's Oscar-winning L.A. Confidential, centering on a cop who uncovers corruption and must resolve the problem in order to redeem himself. See the above Find Me Guilty comments on the been there, done that motif.
That's Mr. Woodcock to you
Add another surly curmudgeon to Billy Bob Thornton's resume. After playing the disgusting lead with a heart of gold--plated, that is--in Bad Santa, Thornton has signed to star in New Line's comedy Mr. Woodcock about a young man who returns to his hometown to stop his mother from marrying his evil high school gym teacher (Thornton). The role is the second high school-based project for Thornton this year. He recently finished shooting Universal's football tale Friday Night Lights, as well as Paramount's redo of The Bad News Bears. That's a third curmudgeon, right there.
Keillor's Prairie Home gets adaptation
Minnesota humorist Garrison Keillor's radio show A Prairie Home Companion is getting the silver screen treatment, with director Robert Altman at the helm. Keillor wrote the screenplay about the quirky life backstage at the radio show, which is expected to star Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin as a fading sister duet act and Tom Waits and Lyle Lovett as Dusty and Lefty, the singing cowboys. Let's hope watching all the Prairie action is more exciting than listening to Keillor read excerpts on the radio. (Put you right to sleep, man.)
Until next week…
Photo(s) by Ken Kwok- © 2004- Hollywood.com, Inc- All Rights Reserved