The Scout

This Week's Issue

2008-03-27T08:23:00.000-07:00

Dear readers of The Scout, if you would like a full-color print version of The Scout to read at your leisure or would like to catch up with a past print edition of The Scout, send your e-mail address to shawnw@app.com and you'll be put in a directory to have a PDF edition sent to you once a week. Or, if in a hurry, click on the rough at left for a quick read.

Reminder: A new edition of The Scout (pdf) is available at www.app.com/entertainment in the WebExtras queue, in Friday's Jersey Alive! or can be sent to you per instructions above. In it (above), photographs from the set of Michael Mann's "Public Enemies"; a chart on the commercial performance of 3-D; Anthony Minghella's In the Queue; The Thermometer; and so much more.

Exclusive Photograph of Ray Park's Snake Eyes and "G.I. Joe" Preview

2008-03-25T09:03:00.000-07:00

Ray Park (Toad in “X-Men” and Darth Maul in “Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace”) stars as another fearsome, silent type as Snake Eyes, a mute, faceless elite ninja, in an exclusive photograph from Stephen Sommer’s “G.I. Joe” (Aug. 7, 2009). "He's the world's greatest ninja, but he's also next-generation. He's not afraid to use a sword one second, and a split-second later he's pulling out his Glock," says Sommers ("The Mummy," "Van Helsing") of Snake Eyes in an interview with USA Today. "His chief nemesis is arguably the world's other great ninja, Storm Shadow. The two grew up together, were blood brothers and now are mortal enemies." To read the full preview, visit USA Today.

Gleeson Joins "Green Zone"

2008-03-25T09:01:00.000-07:00

Brendan Gleeson ("In Bruges") will star with Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Amy Ryan and Jason Isaacs in Paul Greengrass' "Green Zone," an adaptation of Rajiv Chandrasekaran's nonfiction "Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone," about political and militaristic circumstances within the American enclave in central Baghdad. Brian Helgeland wrote the script. (Variety)

Ratner in Talks for "Harbinger"

2008-03-25T08:07:00.000-07:00

Brett Ratner ("Rush Hour") is in discussions to direct "Harbinger," an adaptation of the Jim Shooter's Valiant Comics series in which corporations broadcast war for profit. Alexandra Milchan will produce with Ratner and Jay Stern. (The Hollywood Reporter)

"Meet Dave" Trailer

2008-03-25T08:06:00.000-07:00

The trailer for "Meet Dave" (July 11), with Eddie Murphy, is available to view. For more awfulness, I refer to trailers for "Step Brothers" and "The Love Guru." (Yahoo! Movies)

Wolfgang Petersen Vs. Aliens

2008-03-25T07:08:00.000-07:00

Wolfgang Petersen ("Troy," "The Perfect Storm") will direct "Uprising," a thriller about a war against extraterrestrial invaders. Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher ("Gladiator") will produce. Charles Leavitt ("Blood Diamond") will write the screenplay. (Variety)

"Drillbit Taylor" Bombs With $10.2 Million; Tyler Perry Scores Again

2008-03-24T08:29:00.000-07:00

1. "Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!," $25.1 million, $86.5 million total
2. "Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns," $20 million
3. "Shutter," $10.7 million
4. "Drillbit Taylor," $10.2 million
5. "10,000 BC," $8.6 million, $76 million total
6. "Never Back Down," $4.9 million, $16.8 million total
7. "College Road Trip," $4.6 million, $32 million total
8. "The Bank Job," $4.1 million, $19.4 million total
9. "Vantage Point," $3.8 million, $65 million total
10. "Under the Same Moon," $2.6 million, $3.3 million total

Estimates for the weekend of March 21-23, 2008. For the absolute best in statistics, commentary and analysis, visit Box Office Mojo. Any red letter denotes The Scout's critical assessment, or grade, of each film.

This Week's Issue

2008-03-21T08:49:00.000-07:00

Dear readers of The Scout, if you would like a full-color print version of The Scout to read at your leisure or would like to catch up with a past print edition of The Scout, send your e-mail address to shawnw@app.com and you'll be put in a directory to have a PDF edition sent to you once a week. Or, if in a hurry, click on the rough at left for a quick read.

Reminder: A new edition of The Scout (pdf) is available at www.app.com/entertainment in the WebExtras queue, in Friday's Jersey Alive! or can be sent to you per instructions above. In it (above), a report about 3-D, the future of theatrical exhibition; a reminder to register for David Silverman; The Thermometer; and so much more.

Rick Baker in an Interview About Joe Johnston's "The Wolf-Man"

2008-03-20T10:06:00.000-07:00

"'The Wolf Man' and 'Frankenstein' were probably the two most important films in my childhood that made me want to become a makeup artist," says Rick Baker in an interview with Entertainment Weekly about Joe Johnston's "The Wolf-Man" (Feb. 13, 2009) an update of George Waggner's 1941 cult classic with Lon Chaney Jr. and Claude Rains. Benicio del Toro is cast as the bitten Lawrence Talbot; Hugo Weaving ("The Matrix"), as Det. Aberline; Anthony Hopkins, as Sir John Talbot; and Emily Blunt (“The Devil Wears Prada”). To read the interview and to view new photographs, visit EW.com.

"Tropic Thunder" Trailer

2008-03-18T08:27:00.001-07:00

The trailer for Ben Stiller's "Tropic Thunder" (Aug. 15), with Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Nick Nolte and Steve Coogan, is now available at the official site.

Anthony Minghella, 54, Dead

2008-03-18T07:49:00.000-07:00

Director Anthony Minghella, an Academy Award winner for "The English Patient" (1996), is dead at the age of 54. A spokesman said Minghella died from a brain hemorrhage at 5 a.m. Tuesday morning at Charing Cross Hospital in London while the director was in routine surgery. Minghella's other credits include "The Talented Mr. Ripley" (1999), "Cold Mountain" (2003) and "Breaking and Entering" (2006), all with Jude Law. Minghella was in production on "The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency," a BBC adaptation of Alexander McCall Smith's novel. Minghella was a partner with Sydney Pollack in Mirage Enterprises.

"Horton" a $45 Million Smash, "Doomsday" Not So Lucky

2008-03-16T12:11:00.001-07:00

1. "Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!," $45.1 million
2. "10,000 BC," $16.4 million, $61.2 million total
3. "Never Back Down," $8.6 million
4. "College Road Trip," $7.8 million, $24.3 million total
5. "Vantage Point," $5.4 million, $59.2 million total
6. "The Bank Job," $4.9 million, $13.3 million total
7. "Doomsday," $4.7 million
8. "Semi-Pro," $3 million, $29.8 million total
9. "The Other Boleyn Girl," $2.9 million, $19.2 million total
10. "The Spiderwick Chronicles," $2.4 million, $65.4 million total

Estimates for the weekend of March 14-16, 2008. For the absolute best in statistics, commentary and analysis, visit Box Office Mojo. Any red letter denotes The Scout's critical assessment, or grade, of each film.

This Week's Issue

2008-03-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

Dear readers of The Scout, if you would like a full-color print version of The Scout to read at your leisure or would like to catch up with a past print edition of The Scout, send your e-mail address to shawnw@app.com and you'll be put in a directory to have a PDF edition sent to you once a week. Or, if in a hurry, click on the rough at left for a quick read.

Reminder: A new edition of The Scout (pdf) is available at www.app.com/entertainment in the WebExtras queue, in Friday's Jersey Alive! or can be sent to you per instructions above. In it (above), a sneak peek at The Comedian in Zack Snyder's "Watchmen," The Thermometer, an investigative comparison between the advertisements for "300 and "10,000 BC," and so much more.

"Incredible Hulk" Trailer

2008-03-13T08:45:00.000-07:00

The teaser trailer for Louis Leterrier's "The Incredible Hulk" (June 13), with Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, Tim Blake Nelson and William Hurt, is now available to view at MTV.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" to be Two Tentpoles

2008-03-13T08:17:00.000-07:00

Either for profits or artistic justice, Warner Bros. will develop "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," J.K. Rowling's final chapter in the series of children's novels, as two tentpoles, reports Jeff Robinov, President of Warner Bros. Pictures Group. David Yates ("Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," November's "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," now in production) will direct "Part I" (November 2010) and "Part II" (Summer 2011). Steve Kloves ("Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone") will write the scripts. David Heyman will produce, with David Barron.

"Over ten years ago, we made a commitment to Jo Rowling that, above all else, we would be faithful and true to the spirit of her books, and ever since we have endeavored never to compromise on the creative ambitions of the films. 'The Deathly Hallows' is so rich, the story so dense and there is so much that is resolved that after discussing it with Jo, we came to the conclusion that two parts were needed to do it justice," said David Heyman. "I am thrilled that David Yates is returning to direct 'The Deathly Hallows.' He is both inspired and inspiring and is a passionate fan of the remarkable world and characters Jo has created. I know he will lead our incomparable cast and crew—most of whom have been with us since the very beginning—in bringing the series to the unforgettable conclusion it deserves."

Cusack, Li Travel to "Shanghai"

2007-11-27T20:14:00.000-08:00

John Cusack is in talks with The Weinstein Company to star with Gong Li in "Shanghai," a period piece Mikael Hafström ("1408") will direct, reports Variety. Hossein Amini will write the script, in which an American returns to Shanghai, in occupation of the Japanese, to unravel a murder mystery. Mike Medavoy and Barry Mendel will produce, with Arnie Messer as executive producer.

Mark Ruffalo as Investigator in Scorsese's "Shutter Island"

2007-11-27T20:13:00.000-08:00

Mark Ruffalo will star with Leonardo DiCaprio in Martin Scorsese's "Shutter Island," an adaptation of Dennis Lehane's novel, reports The Hollywood Reporter. Ruffalo is cast as U.S. Marshal Chuck Aule, sent to an eponymous Massachusetts island with his new partner in 1954 to investigate the disappearence of a patient from a mental hospital. Laeta Kalogridis wrote the script. Mike Medavoy, Arnold Messer, Brad Fischer and Scorsese will produce. Lehane, Kalogridis and Louis Phillips will executive produce. Production will start in March.

"Kingdom of the Crystal Skull": The Whip-Cracking First Photographs

2007-11-27T13:33:00.000-08:00

New photographs: Harrison Ford (below) and Shia LeBeouf (with Ford, above) in Steven Spielberg and George Lucas' "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" (May 22, 2008). Click for a bigger version.

Heath Ledger's Madman The Joker in Nolan's "The Dark Knight"

2007-11-27T08:24:00.000-08:00

Empire Magazine's latest issue (at left) submits a new photograph of Heath Ledger as The Joker in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" (July 18, 2008). Click the image for a closer examination.

Willis to Face "The Surrogates" in Jonathan Mostow's Thriller

2007-11-27T08:16:00.000-08:00

Bruce Willis will star as a detective in "The Surrogates," an adaptation of Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele's graphic future-shock thriller of a novel in which humans, in isolation, use surrogate robots to interact, reports Variety. Jonathan Mostow ("Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines") will direct. Michael Ferris and John Brancato ("Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines") wrote the script, and David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman, Max Handelman and Elizabeth Banks will produce for Touchstone Pictures.

Independent Spirit Awards Sings Along to "I'm Not There"

2007-11-26T20:02:00.000-08:00

Todd Haynes’ impressionistic Bob Dylan retrospective “I’m Not There” is a nominee in four 2008 Film Independent's Spirit Award categories — Best Feature, Best Director, Best Supporting Male (Marcus Carl Franklin) and Best Supporting Female (Cate Blanchett) — and won one honorary award — the inaugural Robert Altman Award — given to the director, casting director and ensemble cast. Also contenders with four nominations: Julian Schnabel’s “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,” Jason Reitman’s “Juno,” and Tamara Jenkins’ “The Savages.” Flashback: “Little Miss Sunshine” swept last year’s awards with wins for Best Feature, Best Director, Best First Screenplay and Best Supporting Male (Alan Arkin).

"Watchmen" Sets a Dead Ringer for Dave Gibbons' Illustrations

2007-11-26T20:00:00.000-08:00

On a New York City backlot built in Vancouver, B.C., Zack Snyder (“300”) is in production on “Watchmen” (March 6, 2009), an adaptation of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ deconstructive apocalyptic epic novel to star Billy Crudup, Patrick Wilson, Jackie Earle Haley, Malin Akerman, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Matthew Goode. For set photographs and commentary about the production, visit the official site for “Watchmen.” Note: The Scout will match the production design on the set with the source material in Friday's issue.

Brad Pitt Leaves "State" in Disarray

2007-11-26T09:03:00.000-08:00

Brad Pitt is out in a pay or play deal as a participant in Kevin Macdonald's "State of Play," an adaptation of Paul Abbott and David Yates' BBC miniseries to star Edward Norton, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, Jason Bateman and Robin Wright Penn, reports Variety. Russell Crowe is in talks to replace Pitt as a political journalist in a breach of ethics. Norton will star as a congressman under suspicion in the murder of a mistress; Mirren, as a steely newspaper editor; Penn, as the congressman's wife; and Bateman and McAdams, as reporters. Matthew Michael Carnahan ("Lions for Lambs") wrote the script. Andrew Hauptman will produce with Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner. Abbott will executive produce. The production, in a state of flux, must begin to shoot Thursday, or Macdonald will lose other participants in the project.

"Enchanted" Claims Thanksgiving Weekend Crown With $35 Million

2007-11-26T08:35:00.000-08:00

1. "Enchanted," $35.3 million, $50 million total
2. "This Christmas," $18.6 million, $27.1 million total
3. "Beowulf," $16.2 million, $56.3 million total (C+)
4. "Hitman," $13 million, $21 million total
5. "Bee Movie," $12 million, $112 million total
6. "Fred Claus," $10.7 million, $53 million total
7. "August Rush," $9.4 million, $13.3 million total
8. "American Gangster," $9.2 million, $115.7 million total (C+)
9. "The Mist," $9 million, $13 million total
10. "No Country for Old Men," $8.1 million, $16.6 million total (A)

Estimates for the weekend of November 23-25, 2007. For the absolute best in statistics, commentary and analysis, visit Box Office Mojo. Any blue letter denotes The Scout's critical assessment, or grade, of each film.

Christian Bale: From "Batman" to John Connor in "Terminator"

2007-11-24T20:20:00.000-08:00

Christian Bale will star as John Connor in "Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins" (2009), the first sequel in a new trilogy to recalibrate the futuristic saga of man versus machine, reports Ain't It Cool News. Victor Kubicek, Derek Anderson and Moritz Borman will produce. John Brancato and Michael Ferris ("Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines") wrote the script. Peter D. Graves will executive produce. McG ("Charlie's Angels") will direct.

Miller to Star in "G.I. Joe"

2007-11-21T12:43:00.000-08:00

Sienna Miller ("Interview," "Stardust") will star as The Baroness, an intelligence officer for a syndicate known as Cobra, in Stephen Sommers' "G.I. Joe" (Aug. 7, 2009), an adaptation of Hasbro's popular line of toys and TV series, reports Variety. Lorenzo di Bonaventura ("Transformers") will produce with Hasbro's Brian Goldner.

This Week's Issue

2007-11-21T10:39:00.000-08:00

Dear readers of The Scout, if you would like a full-color print version of The Scout to read at your leisure or would like to catch up with a past print edition of The Scout, send your e-mail address to shawnw@app.com and you'll be put in a directory to have a PDF edition sent to you once a week. Or, if in a hurry, click on the rough at left for a quick read.

Reminder: A new edition of The Scout (pdf) is available at www.app.com/entertainment in the WebExtras queue, in Friday's Jersey Alive! or can be sent to you per instructions above. In it (above), Bob Dylan's seven dimensions in Todd Haynes' retrospective "I'm Not There," The Thermometer's measurements of "No End in Sight" and IMAX 3-D, The Bulletin on Kevin Smith's latest and so much more.

Cage, Buscemi, Morgan Join Jerry Bruckheimer's "G-Force"

2007-11-21T08:16:00.000-08:00

Nicolas Cage, Steve Buscemi and Tracy Morgan will voice hyperintelligent animals on a mission to stop an evil billionaire in "G-Force" (May 1, 2009), reports The Hollywood Reporter. Bill Nighy and Will Arnett will star, as well. Visual effects innovator Hoyt Yeatman will direct. Cage will voice Speckles, a mole; Buscemi, will voice Bucky, a hamster; and Morgan will voice Blaster, a guinea pig. Nighy will star as an industrialist, and Arnett, an FBI agent. Jerry Bruckheimer will produce. Mike Stenson, Chad Oman and Duncan Henderson will executive produce for Walt Disney Pictures.

"21" Trailer

2007-11-20T08:26:00.000-08:00

The trailer for Robert Luketic's "21" (March 28, 2008) with Kevin Spacey, Laurence Fishburne and Kate Bosworth, is available to view in Quicktime at Yahoo! Movies.

Ellis to Direct 3-D "Destination"

2007-11-20T08:19:00.001-08:00

David R. Ellis ("Final Destination 2," "Snakes on a Plane") will direct "Final Destination 4," reports The Hollywood Reporter, with the sequel to be shot in 3-D. Eric Bress wrote the script.

Parisot to Direct "Weekend Warrior"

2007-11-20T08:19:00.000-08:00

Dean Parisot ("Galaxy Quest") is in final negotations to direct "Weekend Warrior," in which a teacher saves the world one weekend at a time as a superhero, reports Variety. Andrew Lazar ("Get Smart") will produce. Bill Birch wrote the script.

"Cloverfield" Trailer

2007-11-19T09:58:00.000-08:00

The trailer for Matt Reeves and J.J. Abrams' "Cloverfield" (Jan. 18, 2008), a.k.a. "1-18-08," is available to view in Flash at Empire Online and in HD at the official site.

"The Spiderwick Chronicles" Trailer

2007-11-19T08:21:00.000-08:00

The trailer for "The Spiderwick Chronicles" (Feb. 15, 2008), with Freddie Highmore, is available to view in Quicktime at Yahoo! Movies.

"Beowulf" Slays "Mr. Magorium" With $28 Million in Receipts

2007-11-19T01:14:00.000-08:00

1. "Beowulf," $28.1 million (C+)
2. "Bee Movie," $14.3 million, $93.8 million total
3. "American Gangster," $13.2 million, $100.9 million total (C+)
4. "Fred Claus," $12 million, $35.8 million total
5. "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium," $10 million
6. "Dan in Real Life," $4.5 million, $37 million total (C+)
7. "No Country for Old Men," $3 million, $4.9 million total (A)
8. "Lions for Lambs," $2.9 million, $11.6 million total (B-)
9. "Saw IV," $2.3 million, $61.8 million total
10. "Love in the Time of Cholera," $1.9 million

Estimates for the weekend of November 16-18, 2007. For the absolute best in statistics, commentary and analysis, visit Box Office Mojo. Any red letter denotes The Scout's critical assessment, or grade, of each film.

"The Brave One" on DVD in February, Plus "The Invasion"

2007-11-17T08:23:00.000-08:00

Soon on DVD: "The Jane Austen Book Club" will be available for rental and purchase Feb. 5; "Daddy Day Camp," Jan. 29; "Saw IV," Jan. 22; "No Reservations," with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Aaron Eckhart, Feb. 12; "Introducing the Dwights," Feb. 12; Neil Jordan's "The Brave One," with Jodie Foster, Feb. 5; "Becoming Jane," with Anne Hathaway, Feb. 12; and "The Invasion" (D), with Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, Jan. 8.

"Fool's Gold" Trailer

2007-11-17T08:21:00.000-08:00

The trailer for Andy Tennant's "Fool's Gold" (Feb. 8, 2008), with Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson, Ray Winstone and Donald Sutherland, is available to view at Moviefone.

"Margot" in Red Bank

2007-11-16T12:43:00.000-08:00

Noah Baumbach's "Margot at the Wedding," with Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Jack Black, will open on Wednesday, Nov. 21, at Clearview's theater in Red Bank. (I say good riddance to Wes Anderson's lame duck "The Darjeeling Limited," easily the worst film of the fall, and welcome "Margot.") To buy tickets in advance, visit MovieTickets.com. If Baumbach's latest is sold out, Sidney Lumet's "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" is a worthy alternative in the adjacent theater. Or ... The Coens' "No Country for Old Men," at a multiplex nearby.

Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks to Star in Kevin Smith's "Porno"

2007-11-16T12:27:00.000-08:00

Seth Rogen ("Knocked Up," "Superbad") will star with Elizabeth Banks ("The 40-Year-Old Virgin") in Kevin Smith's "Zack & Miri Make a Porno," in which close friends Zack and Miri, deep in debt, enlist the aid of amateurs to produce a pornographic flick for quick cash, reports The Weinstein Company. "Getting Seth in this flick is like suddenly growing an extra six inches in the crotch," said Smith. "And as if that wasn't awesome enough, we scored the comedically and aesthetically gifted Elizabeth, too. Cast-wise, I'm now extremely well-hung." Scott Mosier will produce, and Harvey and Bob Weinstein of The Weinstein Company will executive produce and distribute. Production will start in January in Pittsburgh.

Katherine Heigl of "Knocked Up" to Tell "Ugly Truth"

2007-11-16T08:44:00.001-08:00

Katherine Heigl ("Knocked Up," ABC's "Grey's Anatomy") will star in "The Ugly Truth," reports Variety. Robert Luketic ("Legally Blonde") will direct for Columbia Pictures. Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith wrote the script, in which a single television producer and a chauvinistic news correspondent engage in a series of outrageous relationship tests. Production will start in April.

McG of "Charlie's Angels" to Direct Next "Terminator"

2007-11-16T08:44:00.000-08:00

McG ("Charlie's Angels") will direct "Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins" (2009), the first sequel in a new trilogy to recalibrate the futuristic saga of man versus machine, reports Moviehole. Victor Kubicek, Derek Anderson and Moritz Borman will produce. John Brancato and Michael Ferris ("Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines") wrote the script. Peter D. Graves will executive produce.

This Week's Issue

2007-11-15T08:40:00.000-08:00

Dear readers of The Scout, if you would like a full-color print version of The Scout to read at your leisure or would like to catch up with a past print edition of The Scout, send your e-mail address to shawnw@app.com and you'll be put in a directory to have a PDF edition sent to you once a week. Or, if in a hurry, click on the rough at left for a quick read.

Reminder: A new edition of The Scout (pdf) is available at www.app.com/entertainment in the WebExtras queue, in Friday's Jersey Alive! or can be sent to you per instructions above. In it (above), a sneak peek at "Wanted," The Thermometer, a TiVo! Alert for "Darkon," political apathy at the multiplex and so much more.

The Bulletin: 'Persepolis' Trailer

2007-11-15T08:19:00.000-08:00

The trailer for Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud's "Persepolis" (Dec. 25) is available in Quicktime at Yahoo! Movies.

'Definitely, Maybe' Trailer Available
The trailer for "Definitely, Maybe" (Feb. 14, 2008), with Ryan Reynolds, Abigail Breslin and Isla Fisher, is available to view at Moviefone.

Reilly to Star in 'Cirque du Freak'
John C. Reilly ("Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story") will star as a vampire with a teenage apprentice in "Cirque du Freak," an adaptation of Darren Shan's children's novel, reports Variety. Paul Weitz ("About a Boy," "American Dreamz") wrote the script and will direct at Universal Pictures. Weitz will produce with Lauren Shuler Donner. Production will start in February.

More Cast in 'Tetro'
Alden Ehrenreich and Maribel Verdu will star in Francis Ford Coppola's "Tetro," a saga about an artistic immigrant family in Argentina, reports The Hollywood Reporter. Matt Dillon will co-star, and Javier Bardem is in talks to join the cast. Coppola wrote the script, and plans to begin production in Buenos Aires in January.

'The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor' Photos

2007-11-14T12:03:00.000-08:00

In an exclusive photograph, Michelle Yeoh (left) stars in Rob Cohen's "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" (Aug. 1, 2008). Visit Filmz.ru for more photographs of Brendan Fraser, Maria Bello, Jet Li and Yeoh in character. For video and commentary, visit Cohen’s blog.

The Bulletin: 'Friday the 13th' Update

2007-11-14T10:49:00.000-08:00

Marcus Nispel of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (2003) will direct an update of "Friday the 13th," reports ShockTillYouDrop.com. Damian Shannon and Mark Swift ("Freddy Vs. Jason") wrote the script. Michael Bay will produce.

Duvall Celebrates 'Christmases'
Robert Duvall will star with Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon in "Four Christmases" (Nov. 14, 2008), a comedy in which a couple struggles to visit all four parents of divorce on Christmas Day, reports Variety. Matt Allen and Caleb Wilson wrote the script. Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum and Jonathan Glickman will produce with Vaughn and Witherspoon for New Line Cinema. Production will start in December.

Mark Your Calendar
On DVD: "Who's your Caddy?" will be available for rental and purchase Nov. 27; and Griffin Dunne's "Fierce People," with Diane Lane and Donald Sutherland, Feb. 5.

The Bulletin: Rourke Knocks Cage Out of the Ring

2007-11-13T10:24:00.000-08:00

Mickey Rourke will star in "The Wrestler," now in development at Darren Aronofksy's Protozoa Pictures, instead of Nicolas Cage, once in talks to star, reports Variety. Robert Siegel wrote the script, in which weary professional wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson, in retirement, entertains the prospect of a rematch with The Ayatollah, an old nemesis. Aronofsky ("Requiem for a Dream") will direct. Production will start in January.

Wahlberg is 'Max Payne'
Mark Wahlberg is in negotiations to star as Max Payne, an archetypal street detective, in an adaptation of the Rockstar video game, reports Variety. John Moore ("Flight of the Phoenix") will direct, and Julie Thorne will produce with Scott Faye. Beau Thorne wrote the script.

Newell Sought for 'Persia'
Jerry Bruckheimer sent an offer to Mike Newell ("Love in the Time of Cholera," "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire") to direct "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" (2009), reports Variety. Newell met with executives to discuss the adaptation of the video game, with negotiations to begin shortly. Jeffrey Nachmanoff ("The Day After Tomorrow") and Jordan Mechner wrote the script.

Polanski Sees 'Ghost'
Roman Polanski will direct the political thriller "The Ghost," an adaptation of Robert Harris' novel in which a ghostwriter's assignment to complete the memoirs of a former British prime minister throws his life into jeopardy, reports Variety. Harris will write the script. Robert Benmussa and Alain Sarde will produce.

Verhoeven to Direct 'Thomas Crown' Sequel
Paul Verhoeven ("RoboCop," "Basic Instinct," "Black Book") will direct "The Topkapi Affair," a sequel to John McTiernan's romantic caper "The Thomas Crown Affair" (1999), reports FilmTotaal. Pierce Brosnan will star.

Hartnett, Rockwell in 'End Zone'
Josh Hartnett and Sam Rockwell will star in "End Zone," an adaptation of Don DeLillo's novel, reports Variety. George Ratliff will direct. Ratliff wrote the script with David Gilbert. Production will start in February in New Mexico.

Scott to Throw 'Stones'
Ridley Scott will direct "Stones," a supernatural thriller about ancient shrines, reports Variety. Matt Cirulnick wrote the script. "Stones" will resume development when the Writers Guild of America strike concludes. Scott will follow "Body of Lies," a geopolitical thriller now in production with Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe, with "Nottingham," with Crowe to star as the Sheriff of Nottingham.

Mark Your Calendar
On DVD: "Resident Evil: Extinction" will be available for rental and purchase Jan. 2; and "December Boys," with Daniel Radcliffe, Dec. 11.

The Weekend Top Ten

2007-11-12T08:03:00.000-08:00

1. "Bee Movie," $26 million, $72.2 million total
2. "American Gangster," $24.3 million, $80.7 million total (C+)
3. "Fred Claus," $19.2 million
4. "Lions for Lambs," $6.7 million (B-)
5. "Dan in Real Life," $5.87 million, $30.7 million total
6. "Saw IV," $5 million, $58 million total
7. "The Game Plan," $2.4 million, $85.4 million total
8. "P2," $2.2 million
9. "30 Days of Night," $2.1 million, $37.3 million total
10. "Martian Child," $1.75 million, $6 million total

Estimates for the weekend of November 9-11, 2007. For the absolute best in statistics, commentary and analysis, visit Box Office Mojo. Any red letter denotes The Scout's critical assessment, or grade, of each film.

"Righteous Kill" Promotional Trailer

2007-11-09T08:38:00.000-08:00

A promotional trailer for Jon Avnet's "Righteous Kill," with Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, is available to view at Millennium Films' official site.

"Alvin and the Chipmunks" Trailer

2007-11-09T08:37:00.001-08:00

The trailer for "Alvin and the Chipmunks" (Dec. 14), with Jason Lee, is available to view in Quicktime at Yahoo! Movies.

"Valkyrie" Trailer

2007-11-09T08:37:00.000-08:00

The trailer for Bryan Singer's "Valkyrie" (June 27, 2008), with Tom Cruise, is available to view in Quicktime at Yahoo! Movies.

Del Toro to Direct "Champions"

2007-11-09T08:35:00.000-08:00

Guillermo Del Toro ("Pan's Labyrinth") will write, direct and produce "Champions," an adaptation of Monty Berman and Dennis Spooner's 1968-69 British TV series about a squad of secret government agents with superhuman abilities, reports Variety. United Artists' Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner will produce, and Robert Green will executive produce.

"Beowulf" to Open Earlier

2007-11-09T08:34:00.000-08:00

Robert Zemeckis' "Beowulf" will open in select conventional venues and in IMAX 3D on Thursday, Nov. 15, at 9 p.m., a night early.

A First Look at "Nim's Island"

2007-11-09T08:20:00.000-08:00

Read an exclusive article (with bonus photographs) about "Nim's Island" (Apr. 4, 2008), an adaptation of Wendy Orr and Kevin Millard's children's novel with Jodie Foster, Gerald Butler (left) and Abigail Breslin, at USA Today.

Ryder, Greenwood Board J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek"

2007-11-09T02:35:00.000-08:00

Winona Ryder and Bruce Greenwood ("Thirteen Days") will star in J.J. Abrams’ rehabilitation of “Star Trek” (Dec. 25, 2008), in which Abrams expands on the Enterprise crew’s ascendancy at Starfleet Academy, reports Variety. Ryder will star as younger Spock's mother, and Greenwood, as Christopher Pike, the Starship Enterprise's first captain. Chris Pine will star as James T. Kirk; John Cho (“American Pie”), as Hikaru Sulu; Simon Pegg (“Shaun of the Dead”), as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, the Enterprise’s engineer; Karl Urban ("Doom"), as Leonard "Bones" McCoy; Zoe Saldana, as Uhura; Zachary Quinto and Leonard Nimoy, as Spock; Anton Yelchin, as Pavel Chekov; and Eric Bana, as villain Nero. Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci wrote the script. Bryan Burk and Damon Lindelof will executive produce with Kurtzman and Orci.

The Bulletin: Butler Flees 'New York'

2007-11-06T08:34:00.000-08:00

Gerald Butler ("300"), cast to be the next Snake Plisskin in an update of John Carpenter's dystopian thriller "Escape From New York" (1981), has fled the project due to creative differences, reports Variety. Jonathan Mostow ("Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines") will rewrite Ken Nolan's script for New Line Cinema with an option to replace Len Wiseman ("Live Free or Die Hard") as director. Neal Moritz ("The Fast and the Furious") will produce. In the original "Escape From New York," Plissken (Kurt Russell), a notorious fugitive with an outlaw's stylish eye patch, infiltrates Manhattan, an inescapable maximum security prison of the future, to rescue the President of the United States.

Dobkin Up to Speed on 'The Flash'
David Dobkin ("Wedding Crashers," "Fred Claus") will direct "The Flash," an adaptation of DC Comics' speedy daredevil, for Warner Bros. Pictures, reports MTV. A creation of Gardner Fox and Harry Lampert, "The Flash" has the ability to sprint extremely fast, exploit superhuman reflexes and violate certain laws of physics, i.e. time travel. Dobkin will direct "The Flash" as a peripheral sequel to Warner Bros.' "Justice League of America" (2009), now in development. In February, Shawn Levy ("Night at the Museum") was chosen to direct, but the production gridlock of DC Comics properties at Warner Bros. — between a sequel to Bryan Singer's "Superman Returns," the rush to corporatize George Miller's "Justice League of America" and the languid development of "Wonder Woman" — is enough to suggest Levy's version of "The Flash" is not a priority.

Connelly, Bates in 'Day' Update
Jennifer Connelly and Kathy Bates will star in an update of Robert Wise's 1951 classic "The Day The Earth Stood Still" (May 9, 2008) at 20th Century Fox, reports Variety. Keanu Reeves co-stars as Klaatu, a humanoid extraterrestrial sent to Earth with an ultimatum: Cease fire or risk annihilation. Production begins in November in Vancouver. Scott Derrickson ("The Exorcism of Emily Rose") will direct. Ryne Douglas Pearson and David Scarpa wrote the script.

'The Great Debaters' Trailer Available
The trailer for Denzel Washington's "The Great Debaters" (Dec. 25), with Forest Whitaker, is available to view in Quicktime at Yahoo! Movies.

The Bulletin: New 'Cloverfield' Trailer in Two Weeks

2007-11-05T11:39:00.000-08:00

Paramount Pictures will reveal a new trailer and title for "Cloverfield" (Jan. 18, 2008), a code name for J.J. Abrams' mysterious project in which a creature engulfs Manhattan in apocalyptic destruction, in front of Robert Zemeckis' "Beowulf" (Nov. 16).

Ridley and Tony Scott to 'Tell' All
Ridley and Tony Scott will develop the psychological "Tell-Tale," a modern update of Edgar Allen Poe's classic "The Tell-Tale Heart," reports The Hollywood Reporter. Michael Cuesta will direct with a $20 million budget. Dave Callaham wrote the script. Ridley Scott, Tony Scott and Michael Costigan will produce with Christopher Tuffin and Martin Shore.

Lau to Direct 'Transit'
Andrew Lau ("Infernal Affairs") will direct "Transit" for The Weinstein Company, reports The Hollywood Reporter. Lorenzo di Bonaventura will produce, with Adam Kolbrenner as executive producer. David Andron wrote the script, in which a man must assassinate targets in a trio of cities in 12 hours or his son will die.

Ruffalo, Hawke and Peet in 'Real Men Cry'
Mark Ruffalo, Ethan Hawke and Amanda Peet will star in Brian Goodman's autobiographical "Real Men Cry," about a circle of thieves in South Boston, reports The Hollywood Reporter. Bob Yari, Mark Frydman will produce with Rod Lurie. Production will start in November in Boston.

Rhames to Throw 'Punch'
Ving Rhames stars as Sonny Liston in "Phantom Punch," a chronicle of the heavyweight champion boxer's rise to fame in production in Toronto, reports The Hollywood Reporter. Robert Townsend will direct. Ryan Combs wrote the script. Hassain Zaidi and Marek Posival will produce.

Harrelson Under New 'Management'
Woody Harrelson will star with Jennifer Aniston and Steve Zahn in Stephen Belber's romantic comedy "Management," in production in Portland, Ore., reports Variety. Belber wrote the script, in which an assistant motel manager (Zahn) stalks a former fling (Aniston). Harrelson will star as Aniston's boyfriend, a yogurt magnate.

Stallone in 'Death Wish'
Sylvester Stallone ("Rocky Balboa") is in talks to direct and star in an update of Michael Winner's "Death Wish" (1974), about a widow on a ruthless vengeance streak, reports Variety. Michael Ferris and John Brancato ("Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines") will write the script. Kevin King will produce.

Pearce Hits 'The Road'
Guy Pearce ("Memento," "The Proposition") will star in "The Road," an adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's postapocalyptic novel, reports ShockTillYouDrop.com. John Hillcoat ("The Proposition") will direct. Joe Penhall wrote the script. Marc Butan, Wagner and Cuban will executive produce, and Nick Wechsler, Steve Schwartz and Paula Mae Schwartz will produce. Production will start in January.

Gyllenhaal, Biel to be 'Nailed'
Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Biel will star in the risque political satire "Nailed," in which a D.C. receptionist with a head injury and naughty sexual urges crusades for a career in politics with the assistance of an immoral congressman, reports The Hollywood Reporter. David O. Russell ("Three Kings," "I Heart Huckabees") will direct and write the screenplay with Al Gore's daughter, Kristin Gore.

The Bulletin: 'X-Files' Sequel to Arrive Next Summer

2007-11-05T10:07:00.000-08:00

David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson will return as FBI special agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, respectively, in "The X-Files 2" (July 25, 2008), reports Variety. Chris Carter, the mastermind of the series, will direct. Carter and Frank Spotnitz wrote the script, said to be independent of the series. Production will start in December in Vancouver.

Streep, Adams as 'Julie & Julia'
Meryl Streep will star as famous chef Julia Child in "Julie & Julia," an adaptation of Julie Powell's book "Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen," reports Variety. Amy Adams ("Junebug") will co-star as Powell, a secretary on a culinary quest to cook all 524 recipes in Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." Nora Ephron ("Sleepless in Seattle") will write the script and is in talks to direct.

Roberts, Owen to Star in 'Duplicity'
Julia Roberts and Clive Owen will star in "Duplicity," in which spies unite to stage an elaborate con to fraud corporations out of a valuable asset, reports Variety. Tony Gilroy ("Michael Clayton") will direct. Gilroy wrote the script. Jennifer Fox will produce with Laura Bickford. Production will start in March.

Worthington in Talks for 'G.I. Joe'
Sam Worthington (James Cameron's "Avatar") is in talks to star in "G.I. Joe," an adaptation of Hasbro's popular line of toys, reports Variety. Stephen Sommers ("Van Helsing") will direct. Stuart Beattie ("Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl") wrote the script. Production will start in February.

Penn, Moore and Ryder in 'Pippa Lee'
Robin Wright Penn, Julianne Moore and Wynona Ryder will star in "The Private Lives of Pippa Lee," an adaptation of Rebecca Miller's novel about a dutiful wife's nervous breakdown upon word of her husband's infidelity, reports Variety. Miller ("The Ballad of Jack and Rose," "Personal Velocity") will direct. Production will start in April in Connecticut.

Vanderbilt to Script 'Spider-Man 4'
James Vanderbilt ("Zodiac," "The Rundown") will write a script for "Spider-Man 4" for Columbia Pictures, reports The Hollywood Reporter. Laura Ziskin will return to produce, but the involvement of Sam Raimi, as director, and stars Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst remains uncertain.

'Wanted' Trailer Available
The awful trailer for Timur Bekmambetov's "Wanted" (Mar. 28, 2008), an adaptation of Mark Miller and J.G. Jones' comic with James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman, is available to view at the official site.

Mark Your Calendar
On DVD: David Cronenberg's "Eastern Promises" (B+), with Viggo Mortensen and Naomi Watts, will be available for rental and purchase Dec. 26; "Moliére," Jan. 22; Rod Lurie's "Resurrecting the Champ," Feb. 26; "Rocket Science," Jan. 29; "The Bourne Ultimatum" (B-), with Matt Damon, Dec. 11; "Mr. Woodcock," Jan. 15; and "2 Days in Paris," with Julie Delpy, Feb. 5.

The Weekend Top Ten

2007-11-04T13:12:00.000-08:00

1. "American Gangster," $46.3 million (C+)
2. "Bee Movie," $39.1 million
3. "Saw IV," $11 million, $51 million total
4. "Dan in Real Life," $8.1 million, $22.95 million total
5. "30 Days of Night," $4 million, $34.2 million total
6. "The Game Plan," $3.85 million, $81.96 million total
7. "Martian Child," $3.65 million
8. "Michael Clayton," $2.9 million, $33.2 million total (B+)
9. "Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?," $2.7 million, $51.2 million total
10. "Gone Baby Gone," $2.4 million, $14.94 million total

Estimates for the weekend of November 2-4, 2007. For the absolute best in statistics, commentary and analysis, visit Box Office Mojo. Any red letter denotes The Scout's critical assessment, or grade, of each film.

October's Diet

2007-11-04T08:46:00.000-08:00

Instead of an enormous, cumbersome list at year's end, I'll report on what I watch monthly. I leave you to count the carbs ("Little Shop of Horrors"). The pictures I saw in October, per The Scout's diary, with past months' diets available in the archive):

"Battleship Potemkin" (A) (Director: Sergei M. Eisenstein, 1925)
"Floating Weeds" (A) (Director: Yasujiro Ozu, 1959)
"The Jazz Singer" (A-) (Director: Alan Crosland, 1927)
"Michael Clayton" (B+) (Director: Tony Gilroy, 2007)
"Frankenstein" (B) (Director: James Whale, 1931)
"Mask" (B) (Director: Peter Bogdanovich, 1985)
"Grace is Gone" (B-) (Director: James C. Strouse, 2007)
"Halloween" (B-) (Director: John Carpenter, 1978)
"In the Valley of Elah" (B-) (Director: Paul Haggis, 2007)
"Bride of Frankenstein" (C) (Director: James Whale, 1935)
"Cat People" (C) (Director: Jacques Tourneur, 1942)
"Gaslight" (C) (Director: Charles Cukor, 1944)
"The Heartbreak Kid" (C) (Director: Peter and Bobby Farrelly, 2007)
"Curse of the Demon" (C-) (Director: Jacques Tourneur, 1958)
"The Lady Vanishes" (C-) (Director: Alfred Hitchcock, 1938)
"The Man Without a Face" (C-) (Director: Mel Gibson, 1993)
"Vincent & Theo" (C-) (Director: Robert Altman, 1990)
"The Wolf Man" (C-) (Director: George Waggner, 1941)
"Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein" (D+) (Director: Charles Barton, 1948)
"Into the Wild" (D+) (Director: Sean Penn, 2007)
"Dracula" (D) (Director: Tod Browning, 1931)
"Goodbye, Mr. Chips" (D) (Director: Herbert Ross, 1969)
"The Wild One" (D) (Director: Laslo Benedek, 1953)
"Always" (F) (Director: Steven Spielberg, 1989)
"Funny Ha Ha" (F) (Director: Andrew Bujalski, 2005)
"Kuffs" (F) (Director: Bruce A. Evans, 1992)
"Little Shop of Horrors" (F) (Director: Frank Oz, 1986)
"Next" (F) (Director: Lee Tamahori, 2007)

The Halloween Weekend Top Ten

2007-10-28T09:32:00.000-07:00

1. "Saw IV," $31.75 million
2. "Dan In Real Life," $11.8 million
3. "30 Days of Night," $6.8 million, $27.5 million total
4. "The Game Plan," $6.1 million, $76.9 million total
5. "Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?," $5.6 million, $47.2 million total
6. "Michael Clayton," $4.9 million, $28.66 million total (B+)
7. "Gone Baby Gone," $3.8 million, $11.2 million total
8. "The Nightmare Before Christmas" (Digital 3D), $3.44 million, $10.1 million total
9. "We Own the Night," $3.39 million, $25 million total
10. "The Comebacks," $3.37 million, $9.9 million total

Estimates for the weekend of October 26-28, 2007. For the absolute best in statistics, commentary and analysis, visit Box Office Mojo. Any red letter denotes The Scout's critical assessment, or grade, of each film.

The Bulletin: Travolta Vs. Washington in 'Pelham'

2007-10-26T09:06:00.000-07:00

John Travolta will board an update of Joseph Sargent's "The Taking of Pelham One, Two, Three" (1974), about a police lieutenant in a rush to impede a subway train with hijackers aboard, with Denzel Washington to co-star, reports Variety. Tony Scott ("Man on Fire," "Crimson Tide") will direct at Columbia Pictures. David Koepp ("Spider-Man," "Jurassic Park") wrote the script. Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch will produce with Scott. Travolta, typically a juicy villain ("Swordfish," "Face/Off," "Broken Arrow"), is cast as a New York Subway train hijacker in demand of a ransom; and Washington, as the chief detective in a position to save the passengers.

Harrelson in Stone's 'Pinkville'
Woody Harrelson will star in Oliver Stone's Vietnam War docudrama "Pinkville," about the U.S. Army's mass murder of 347 to 504 defenseless Vietnamese civilians Mar. 16, 1968, in the hamlet of My Lai, reports The Hollywood Reporter. Bruce Willis, Michael Peña and Channing Tatum will co-star. Mikko Alanne wrote the script. United Artists will finance a budget of roughly $40 million, and MGM will distribute.

'Underworld' Prequel in Production
Special effects artist Patrick Tatopoulos will direct "Underworld 3: The Rise of the Lycans," with Michael Sheen ("The Queen"), Bill Nighy and Rhona Mitra to star, reports Variety. Len Wiseman ("Underworld," "Underworld: Evolution") will produce with Tom Rosenberg, Gary Lucchesi and Skip Williamson. Danny McBride wrote the script, about the origin of a blood feud between the aristocratic vampires, the Death Dealers, and the subservient werewolves, the Lycans.

Foxx in 'Zebra Murders'
Jamie Foxx will star as a detective in "The Zebra Murders: A Season of Killing, Racial Madness and Civil Rights," an adaptation of Prentice Earl Sanders and Bennett Cohen's account of a series of racial murders in San Francisco in 1973-74, reports Variety. Matthew Carnahan ("The Kingdom," "Lions for Lambs") will adapt. Brad Pitt and Dede Gardner will produce with Foxx and Jaime Rucker King. Jeremy Kleiner, Marcus King and Shelby Stone will executive produce.

Mann, De Niro Tune 'Machine'
Michael Mann ("Heat") will develop "Frankie Machine," an adaptation of Don Winslow's novel "The Winter of Frankie Machine" with Robert De Niro to star, reports Variety. De Niro and Jane Rosenthal will produce. Alex Tse ("Watchmen") will rewrite Brian Koppelman and David Levien's script, in which withdrawn assassin Frank Machianno, in retirement as a bait shop owner, agrees to mediate a mob dispute but quickly is the target in a trap.

Mark Your Calendar
On DVD: "The Nanny Diaries," with Scarlett Johansson, will be available for rental and purchase Dec. 4; and Rob Zombie's "Halloween," Dec. 18.

TiVo Alert: 'Darkon' on IFC

2007-10-25T08:15:00.000-07:00

TiVo alert! Andrew Neel and Luke Meyer's terrific "Darkon" will premiere Monday, Nov. 12, at 9 p.m. on IFC and replay at 1 a.m. Tuesday. If you love the sociological humor and poignancy of NBC's "The Office," program the TiVo now. I caught "Darkon" at the Woodstock Film Festival in October 2006. Read The Scout's review (below).

The Scout, Oct 19, 2006: Skip Lipman so desperately desires to be a hero, to lead, to conquer, to live, to matter, and in Andrew Neel and Luke Meyer’s irresistible documentary, hundreds like Skip (or Bannor, as he’s known in the imaginary universe of Darkon) retreat into a realm of rich fantasy in the forests and meadows of Maryland from dead-end jobs, social foibles or, worse, hopeless, downtrodden existences. Outcasts in suburbia, but lords, warriors and elves in a make-believe medieval wilderness haven, participants engage in a histrionic conquest for hexes of terrain. A hilarious, poignant and gracious illumination of an extravagant subculture, “Darkon” also expertly grasps the essence of a much bigger conceit: Our addiction to escape. B+

This Week's Issue

2007-10-24T15:26:00.000-07:00

Dear readers of The Scout, if you would like a full-color print version of The Scout to read at your leisure or would like to catch up with a past print edition of The Scout, send your e-mail address to shawnw@app.com and you'll be put in a directory to have a PDF edition sent to you once a week. Or, if in a hurry, click on the rough at left for a quick read.

Reminder: A new edition of The Scout (pdf) is available at www.app.com/entertainment in the WebExtras queue, in Friday's Jersey Alive! or can be sent to you per instructions above. In it (above), the cast list of J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" prequel; The Torture Porn Drip Chart; and so much more.

The Bulletin: Scorsese, DiCaprio on 'Island'

2007-10-24T09:19:00.000-07:00

Martin Scorsese will direct "Shutter Island," an adaptation of Dennis Lehane's novel about a manhunt for a murderess, reports Variety. Leonardo DiCaprio will star as U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels. Laeta Kalogridis will write the script. Mike Medavoy, Arnold Messer, Brad Fischer and Scorsese will produce. Lehane, Kalogridis and Louis Phillips will executive produce. Production will start in March.

Hackford Will Direct 'Ranch'
Taylor Hackford ("White Nights," "Ray") will direct "Love Ranch," reports Variety. Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci will star as Sally and Joe Conforte, proprietors of the Mustang Ranch, the first legal house of prostitution in Nevada. Production starts in January in Albuquerque, N.M. Mark Jacobson wrote the script. Hackford, Lou DiBella, David Bergstein and Marty Katz will produce.

More Join 'The Changeling'
Jeffrey Donovan, Colm Feore and John Malkovich will star with Angelina Jolie in Clint Eastwood's "The Changeling" (Nov. 7, 2008), reports The Hollywood Reporter. Donovan will star as a police captain; Feore, the chief of police; and Malkovich, a reverend. Michael Straczynski (TV's "Babylon 5") wrote the script, in which a Los Angeles mother, her son the victim of an abduction, suspects the child back in her arms, is, in fact, not her own and confronts a conspiracy of corruption. Ron Howard, once on the shortlist as director, and Brian Grazer of Imagine Entertainment will co-produce with Rob Lorenz of Malpaso Productions.

Thornton to Star in 'Eagle Eye'
Billy Bob Thornton will star with Shia LeBeouf in "Eagle Eye" (Oct. 10, 2008), in which a slacker and a single mother must join a sleeper cell in order to extricate themselves of erroneous terrorist ties, reports Moviehole. Michelle Monaghan and Rosario Dawson will co-star. D.J. Caruso ("Disturbia") will direct.

Cage is 'The Wrestler'
Nicolas Cage is in talks to star in "The Wrester," now in development at Darren Aronofksy's Protozoa Pictures, reports The Hollywood Reporter. Robert Siegel wrote the script, in which weary professional wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson, in retirement, entertains the prospect of a rematch with The Ayatollah, an old nemesis. Aronofsky ("Requiem for a Dream") will direct.

The Bulletin: New 'I Am Legend' Trailer

2007-10-24T08:57:00.000-07:00

The trailer to Francis Lawrence's "I Am Legend" (Dec. 14), with Will Smith, is available to download in Quicktime at Rotten Tomatoes.

New 'Rambo' Trailer Available
The trailer for "Rambo" (Jan. 25, 2008), with Sylvester Stallone, is available to view (below) via YouTube.

Mark Your Calendar
On DVD: "The Brothers Solomon," with Will Forte and Will Arnett, will be available for rental and purchase Dec. 26; "The Ten," Jan. 15; "Illegal Tender," Dec. 18; "3:10 to Yuma" (C) with Christian Bale and Russell Crowe, Jan. 8; "Balls of Fury," Dec. 18; "Good Luck Chuck," with Dane Cook and Jessica Alba, Jan. 15; "Mr. Bean's Holiday," Nov. 27; and "The King of Kong: Fistful of Quarters," Jan. 29.

The Bulletin: Gosling Aborts 'The Lovely Bones'

2007-10-22T13:55:00.000-07:00

Sad development: Ryan Gosling (“Lars and the Real Girl,” “Half Nelson”) is out as a star of Peter Jackson’s “The Lovely Bones,” an adaptation of Alice Sebold’s novel in which a slain girl, Susie Salmon, observes her own family’s grief — and her killer’s deeds — on Earth in the afterlife, reports Variety. A day prior to production, Gosling, 20 pounds heavier and a full beard grown for the part (a method, I assume, to appear older), quit due to creative differences with Jackson. In The Los Angeles Times, the director was said to be in shock at the actor’s paunchy appearance. Sadder yet: Mark Wahlberg (!) will substitute for Gosling as Jack Salmon, Susie’s father. Wahlberg’s capable, but not exactly a fair trade. Saoirse Ronan co-stars as Susie, the slain daughter; Stanley Tucci, as Susie’s murderer, George Harvey; and Rachel Weisz, as Susie’s mother. Jackson wrote the script with Philippa Boyens and Fran Walsh. Carolynne Cunningham, Jackson, Walsh and Aimee Peyronnet will produce, and Tessa Ross will executive produce with Ken Kamins and Jim Wilson. “The Lovely Bones” is in production in Pennsylvania.

Hopkins in 'The Wolfman'
Anthony Hopkins will star as Claude Rains' Sir John Talbot in a period update of George Waggner's 1941 classic "The Wolfman" (Feb. 13, 2009), reports MTV. Benicio Del Toro co-stars as Lon Chaney Jr.'s Lawrence Talbot, the prodigal son a werewolf curses in London. Mark Romenek ("One Hour Photo") will direct, with Rick Baker ("American Werewolf in London") as an effects technician. Scott Stuber, Mary Parent, Rick Yorn and Del Toro will produce. Andrew Kevin Walker ("Sleepy Hollow," "Se7en") wrote the script.

Benioff on Cobain
David Benioff ("The 25th Hour" December's "The Kite Runner") will adapt "Heavier Than Heaven," Charles Cross' biography about Nirvana's Kurt Cobain, for Universal Pictures, reports Variety. Eric Fellner, Tim Bevan, Ben Silverman and Graham Larson will produce. Cobain's widow Courtney Love will executive produce with Howard Weitzman.

'Superman' Writers Abort Sequel
Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris ("Superman Returns," "X2: X-Men United") will not write a sequel to Bryan Singer's "Superman Returns," reports Variety. As a result, Warner Bros. is in search of a writer(s) to script "The Man of Steel." Brandon Routh will likely star in the sequel.

Campbell in Negotiations for 'The Birds'
Martin Campbell ("Casino Royale") is in negotiations to direct an update of Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" (1963), an adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier's short story, reports Variety. Naomi Watts ("Eastern Promises," "The Ring") will star. Michael Bay, Andrew Form, Brad Fuller, Peter Guber and Cathy Schulman will produce. Stiles White and Juliet Snowden wrote a draft of the script for Universal Pictures, but revisions await.

Schreiber in Talks for 'Wolverine'
Liev Schreiber is in talks to star as William Stryker, Wolverine's nemesis, in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" (May 1, 2009), reports Variety. Hugh Jackman will co-star, and Gavin Hood ("Rendition") will direct for 20th Century Fox. David Benioff wrote the script. Production will start in the winter in Australia, then relocate to New Zealand and New Orleans. Lauren Shuler Donner and Ralph Winter will produce with Jackman and John Palermo Kevin Feige will executive produce.

'Stop-Loss' Trailer Available
The trailer for Kimberly Peirce's "Stop-Loss" (Mar. 28, 2008), with Ryan Phillippe, is now available to view at MTV.

The Weekend Top Ten

2007-10-21T15:28:00.000-07:00

1. "30 Days of Night," $16 million
2. "Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?," $12.1 million, $38.9 million total
3. "The Game Plan," $8.1 million, $69.2 million total
4. "Michael Clayton," $7.1 million, $22 million total (B+)
5. "Gone Baby Gone," $6 million
6. "The Comebacks," $5.9 million
7. "We Own the Night," $5.5 million, $19.8 million total
8. "Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas" (Digital 3D), $5.14 million
9. "Rendition," $4.2 million
10. "The Heartbreak Kid," $3.9 million, $32.1 million total (C)

Estimates for the weekend of October 19-21, 2007. For the absolute best in statistics, commentary and analysis, visit Box Office Mojo. Any red letter denotes The Scout's critical assessment, or grade, of each film.

Love and Death in the Catskills

2007-10-19T07:30:00.000-07:00

Dear readers of The Scout, if you would like a full-color print version of The Scout to read at your leisure or would like to catch up with a past print edition of The Scout, send your e-mail address to shawnw@app.com and you'll be put in a directory to have a PDF edition sent to you once a week. Or, if in a hurry, click on the rough at left for a quick read.

Reminder: A new edition of The Scout (pdf) is available at www.app.com/entertainment in the WebExtras queue, in Friday's Jersey Alive! or can be sent to you per instructions above. In it (above), quick impressions Of "Grace is Gone" and "The Cake Eaters," at the 8th Annual Woodstock Film Festival (Oct. 10-14); Peter Sarsgaard's Career Path; and so much more.

The Bulletin: Cage Searches for 'The Vanished'

2007-10-17T08:03:00.000-07:00

Nicolas Cage will star in "The Vanished," about an American man in search of his lost Muslim son overseas, reports Variety. Hany Abu-Assad ("Paradise Now") will direct for Focus Features. Larysa Kondracki and Eilis Kirwan will write the script. Noah Rosen with David Alpert, and Tracy Seward, will produce. Production will start in April.

Snyder Snaps 'Last Photograph'
Zack Snyder ("300," "Watchmen") will direct "The Last Photograph," in which a mysterious snapshot is a catalyst for a trek into Afghanistan, reports Variety. Kurt Johnstad will write the script. Snyder will produce with Gianni Nunnari and Deborah Snyder.

Mark Your Calendar
On DVD: "Death Sentence," with Kevin Bacon, will be available for rental and purchase Jan. 8; Danny Boyle's "Sunshine," Jan. 8 (From Dec. 26); "In the Shadow of the Moon," Feb. 12; "Ocean's Thirteen," Nov. 13; and "Shoot 'Em Up," with Clive Owen and Paul Giamatti, Jan. 2

The Weekend Top Ten

2007-10-15T07:32:00.000-07:00

1. "Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?," $21.5 million
2. "The Game Plan," $11.5 million, $59.4 million total
3. "Michael Clayton," $11.01 million, $12 million total
4. "We Own the Night," $11 million
5. "The Heartbreak Kid," $7.4 million, $26 million total (C)
6. "Elizabeth: The Golden Age," $6.2 million
7. "The Kingdom," $4.6 million, $39.95 million total
8. "Across the Universe," $4 million, $12.9 million total
9. "Resident Evil: Extinction," $2.7 million, $48 million total
10. "The Seeker: The Dark is Rising," $2.15 million, $7.1 million total

Estimates for the weekend of October 12-14, 2007. For the absolute best in statistics, commentary and analysis, visit Box Office Mojo. Any red letter denotes The Scout's critical assessment, or grade, of each film.

The Bulletin: 'Charlie Wilson's War' Trailer

2007-10-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

The trailer for Mike Nichols' "Charlie Wilson's War" (Dec. 25), with Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman, is available in Quicktime at Yahoo! Movies.

Smith Rules Mann's 'Empire'
Will Smith will star as a media magnate in Michael Mann's "Empire," reports Variety. John Logan ("The Aviator") wrote the script. James Lassiter, Smith and Mann will produce for Columbia Pictures.

Hooper to Drive 'Buick 8'
Tobe Hooper ("The Texas Chainsaw Massacre") will direct "From a Buick 8," an adaptation of Stephen King's novel about an eerie vintage automobile, reports Variety. Johnathon Schaech and Richard Chizmar wrote the script. Etchie Stroh and Robert Katz will produce.

The Bulletin: 'Terminator' to Reboot

2007-10-10T11:34:00.000-07:00

The future is near. Victor Kubicek, Derek Anderson and Moritz Borman will produce "Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins" (Summer 2009), the first sequel in a new trilogy to recalibrate the futuristic saga of man versus machine, reports Variety. Andrew Vajna and Mario Kassar sold the entire property to Halcyon CEOs Kubicek and Anderson. Warner Bros. and the financiers will next select a director, with McG ("Charlie's Angels") a possibility. "This is set in the future, in a full-scale war between Skynet and humankind," Anderson told the trade. John Brancato and Michael Ferris ("Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines") wrote the script. Peter D. Graves will executive produce. As for Arnold Schwarzenegger, no word on whether the California politician will ... be back.

Bana to Star as Villain in 'Star Trek'
Eric Bana (“The Hulk,” “Munich”) will star as Nero, the chief villain, in J.J. Abrams’ rehabilitation of “Star Trek” (Dec. 25, 2008), in which Abrams expands on the Enterprise crew’s ascendancy at Starfleet Academy, reports Variety. Chris Pine will star as James T. Kirk; John Cho (“American Pie”), as Hikaru Sulu; Simon Pegg (“Shaun of the Dead”), as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, the Enterprise’s engineer; Karl Urban ("Doom"), as Leonard "Bones" McCoy; Zoe Saldana, as Uhura; Zachary Quinto and Leonard Nimoy, as Spock; and Anton Yelchin, as Pavel Chekov. Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci wrote the script. Bryan Burk and Damon Lindelof will executive produce with Kurtzman and Orci.

'Jumper' Trailer Available
The trailer for Doug Liman's "Jumper" (Feb. 15, 2008), with Samuel L. Jackson, Hayden Christensen and Jamie Bell, is available at the official site in Flash or in Quicktime at Yahoo! Movies.

Roberts May Join Kidman in 'Monte Carlo'
At the New York Film Festival premiere of Noah Baumbach's "Margot at the Wedding," Nicole Kidman said Julia Roberts may star in the actress' "Monte Carlo," an adaptation of Jules Bass' novel "Headhunters." Tom Bezucha and Maria Maggenti wrote the script, in which Midwest schoolteachers drop out of a lackluster Parisian vacation to pose as wealthy socialites in Monaco. Bezucha will direct, and Rick Schwartz and Kidman will produce.

Gyllenhaal, Liman Fly to the Moon
Jake Gyllenhaal will star in Doug Liman's project about a private expedition to the moon and the race for lunar colonization, reports Variety. Liman and John Hamburg wrote a draft. Mark Bowden ("Black Hawk Down"), in a complete reconception, will write the script. Alli Shearmur will produce with Simon Kinberg and Liman.

Fuqua to Direct 'Escobar'
Antoine Fuqua ("Training Day," "Shooter") will direct "Escobar," an adaptation of Roberto Escobar Gaviria's book "Mi Heramo Pablo," about the late, infamous cocaine trafficker Pablo Escobar, reports Variety. "Escobar" competes with another Escobar biography, Joe Carnahan's "Killing Pablo," an adaptation of Mark Bowden's novel "Killing Pablo: The Hunt for the World's Greatest Outlaw" with Javier Bardem and Christian Bale to star. "My brother will be portrayed as a ruthless head of the Medellin cartel," Escobar Gaviria, Pablo's confidant and accountant, said in a statement. "This is just 10% of the story. The other 90% is the story others trying to portray him simply don't have." Oliver Stone will produce with Justin Berfield, Jason Felts and James Reach. David McKenna ("Blow") will rewrite the script under Fuqua and Stone's supervision. Production will start next year in Colombia and Puerto Rico.

Pixar to Mine 'Mars'
Pixar representatives Jim Morris, Andrew Stanton ("Wall-E") and Mark Andrews will develop a trilogy to Edgar Rice Burrough's "John Carter of Mars" series, in which a Civil War veteran transports via a portal to a distant planet, reports ERBZine. The creative emissaries met with the author's representatives Danton Burroughs, Sandra Galfas and Jim Sullos last week to discuss the property, reports the site.

Mark Your Calendar
On DVD, "Eagle Vs. Shark" will be available for rental and purchase Jan. 8; "War," with Jason Statham and Jet Li, Jan. 2; "Stardust," Dec. 18; "Once," Dec. 28; "September Dawn," Jan. 2; and "Superbad" (B-), Dec. 4.

The Weekend Top Ten

2007-10-07T11:24:00.000-07:00

1. "The Game Plan," $16.3 million, $42.8 million total
2. "The Heartbreak Kid," $14 million
3. "The Kingdom," $9.3 million, $31.4 million total
4. "Resident Evil: Extinction," $4.3 million, $43.5 million total
5. "The Seeker: The Dark is Rising," $3.7 million
6. "Good Luck Chuck," $3.5 million, $29 million total
7. "Feel the Noise," $3.4 million
8. "3:10 to Yuma," $3 million, $48.6 million total (C)
9. "The Brave One," $2.3 million, $34.3 million total
10. "Mr. Woodcock," $2 million, $22.4 million total

Estimates for the weekend of October 5-7, 2007. For the absolute best in statistics, commentary and analysis, visit Box Office Mojo. Any red letter denotes The Scout's critical assessment, or grade, of each film.

The Bulletin: Murphy Speaks 'A Thousand Words'

2007-10-05T08:03:00.000-07:00

Eddie Murphy is in talks to star in "A Thousand Words," about a glib man with only 1,000 words left to speak prior to death, reports Variety. Brian Robbins ("Norbit," May's "Starship Dave") will direct for DreamWorks. Steve Koren ("Click") wrote the script. Alain Chabat, Stephanie Danan, Nicolas Cage and Norm Golightly will produce.

Mark Your Calendar
George Clooney's "Leatherheads," with Reneé Zellweger and John Krasinski, will open Apr. 4, 2008 (From Dec. 7); and Marc Forster's "The Kite Runner," an adaptation of Khaled Hosseini's novel, Dec. 14 (From Nov. 2). On DVD, Danny Boyle's "Sunshine" will be available for rental and purchase Dec. 26.

'27 Dresses' Trailer Available
The trailer for "27 Dresses" (Jan. 11), with Katherine Heigl, is available in Quicktime at Yahoo! Movies.

'Sweeney Todd' Trailer Available
The trailer for Tim Burton's "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (Dec. 21), an adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's stage musical, is available in Quicktime at Yahoo! Movies.

'The Mummy 3' Sneak Peek

2007-10-04T08:53:00.000-07:00

Dear readers of The Scout, if you would like a full-color print version of The Scout to read at your leisure or would like to catch up with a past print edition of The Scout, send your e-mail address to shawnw@app.com and you'll be put in a directory to have a PDF edition sent to you once a week. Or, if in a hurry, click on the rough at left for a quick read.

Reminder: A new edition of The Scout (pdf) is available at www.app.com/entertainment in the WebExtras queue, in Friday's Jersey Alive! or can be sent to you per instructions above. In it (above), a sneak peek at "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor"; Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert's biggest disagreements of 1987; reviews of the latest trailers; Michael Cera and the hoodie; and so much more.

The Bulletin: Raiders of the 'Crystal Skull'

2007-10-03T10:50:00.000-07:00

No production is safe. As Francis Ford Coppola pleads with burglars in a raid of his Buenos Aires office to return a laptop drive with script notes for "Tetro," secret photographs and computer equipment on the set of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg's "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" go poof, reports The Los Angeles Times. "An investigation is being conducted by law enforcement," said Kristin Stark, a spokeswoman for DreamWorks. "We want to warn the media that anything that is offered is stolen property," Spielberg's spokesman Martin Levy said. "We know it is out there."

Diesel, Walker Back for 'Fast 4'
Vin Diesel and Paul Walker will reunite in "The Fast and the Furious 4," reports The Hollywood Reporter. Justin Lin ("The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift") will direct and write the script with Chris Morgan for Universal Pictures. Neal Moritz will produce with Diesel. Production will start in the spring in Los Angeles, then transplant to Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

Del Toro on Lovecraft
Guillermo Del Toro ("Pan's Labyrinth," "Hellboy II: The Golden Army") will next direct "At the Mountains of Madness," an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's novel about an Antarctic expedition's discovery of a mysterious menace in the ruins of a lost civilization, reports Latino Review. Universal Pictures will distribute, Susan Montford and Don Murphy will produce.

Portman Joins Maguire, Gyllenhaal in 'Brothers'
Natalie Portman will star with Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal in a remake of Susanne Bier's "Brothers" (2004), reports Variety. Jim Sheridan ("In America") will direct, and David Benioff ("The 25th Hour") will write the script, in which a soldier is sent to Afghanistan to leave his wife and child in the care of his jailbird brother. Ryan Kavanaugh will produce with Michael De Luca andJoni Sighvatsson. Production will start in November.

Forster to Direct 'The Jury'
Marc Forster ("The Kite Runner," the next James Bond installment) will direct an adaptation of Pete Travis and Peter Morgan's British miniseries "The Jury" (2002) at 20th Century Fox, reports Variety. Beau Willimon will write the script, about a young Sikh student on trial for the murder of a classmate tormentor. Forster will produce with Brad Simpson, Guymon Casady and Quentin Curtis. Rob Green will executive produce.

New 'Mummy 3' Photographs
View photographs of Brendan Fraser, Maria Bello and Michelle Yeoh on the set of Rob Cohen's "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" with additional video and commentary at Cohen's blog.

The Bulletin: Bardem, Bale in 'Pablo'

2007-10-02T10:25:00.000-07:00

Javier Bardem and Christian Bale will star in "Killing Pablo," an adaptation of Mark Bowden's novel "Killing Pablo: The Hunt for the World's Greatest Outlaw," about the late, infamous Pablo Escobar, reports Variety. Joe Carnahan ("Narc," "Smokin' Aces") is in talks to direct, with Bob Yari, Mark Gordon and Jason Zelin to produce. Escobar's rise as a kingpin of the drug cartel in Medellin, Colombia, began in the 1970s, but in 1992, a coalition of Columbian police and military, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the CIA, and vigilantes of other cartels, began a manhunt for Escobar. Escobar was shot to death Dec. 2, 1993, in a shootout with the Search Bloc, a special Columbian task force. Bardem will star as Escobar; Bale, as Maj. Steve Jacoby, a U.S. Delta Force commander in search of Escobar.

Coppola Seeks Return of Script
Francis Ford Coppola continues to plead for the return of a laptop drive with the drafts for "Tetro," stolen with cameras and other items in a raid at his Buenos Aires office on Sept. 26. Coppola said the disk holds, too, "all of the photographs of my life, all of my writing" — 15 years worth. Coppola is in Buenos Aires to begin production next year on "Tetro," a saga about the rivalries of an artistic immigrant family in Argentina, with Matt Dillon to star.

Murray, Schwartzman to Voice 'Fox'
Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman will join George Clooney and Cate Blanchett as voices in Wes Anderson's "The Fantastic Mr. Fox," an adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic novel, reports MTV. Anderson's latest excursion into animation with artist Henry Selick ("James and the Giant Peach," "The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou") will follow a clever fox's attempts to outwit a crop of villainous farmers. Allison Abbate and Jeremy Dawson will produce. Clooney and Blanchett will voice Mr. and Mrs. Fox.

Scorsese to Document George Harrison
Martin Scorsese ("Shine a Light") will direct a documentary about the life and career of George Harrison, reports Variety. Scorsese will produce with Harrison's widow Olivia and Nigel Sinclair. "George Harrison's music and his search for spiritual meaning is a story that still resonates today and I'm looking forward to delving deeper," Scorsese told Variety.

Third 'Jackass' in the Works
On "The Howard Stern Show," Steve-O said a third "Jackass" will start production in January, reports Slashfilm.

Berg to Kidnap Getty
Peter Berg ("The Kingdom," "Friday Night Lights") will develop an adaptation of John Pearson's book "Painfully Rich: The Outrageous Fortune and Misfortunes of the Heirs of J. Paul Getty," about the 1973 abduction of oil heir Paul Getty III, reports Variety. Berg will produce with Chris Clark. Robin Shushan will write the script. The grandson of an oil billionaire, Paul Getty III was taken at 16 with a $17 million ransom demand. In response to the family's silence or failure to act quickly enough, the kidnappers sent an envelope with Getty's ear inside, with a promise of more pieces to follow. With the ransom eventually paid, Getty was found in southern Italy, and the kidnappers were never caught.

Luke In, Snipes Out of Lee's 'Anna'
Derek Luke ("Antwone Fisher") will replace Wesley Snipes in Spike Lee's "Miracle at St. Anna," an adaptation of James McBride's World War II novel in production in Italy, reports Variety. Snipes withdrew due to travel difficulties while in a contest to dispute a federal indictment for tax fraud. Luke joins John Turturro, James Gandolfini, Michael Ealy, Omar Benson and Tory Kittles. McBride will write the script, a true account in which the U.S. Army's African-American 92nd Division combats racism and fascism in a Tuscan village, St. Anna, in 1944. Touchstone Pictures is in talks to distribute.

Mark Your Calendar
"License to Wed," with Robin Williams, Mandy Moore and John Krasinski, will be available for rental and purchase Oct. 30; "In the Land of Women," with Meg Ryan and Adam Brody, Oct. 30.

'Wall-E' Trailer Available
The trailer for Pixar's "Wall-E" (June 27, 2008) is available in Quicktime at Yahoo! Movies.

September's Diet

2007-10-01T15:36:00.000-07:00

Instead of an enormous, cumbersome list at year's end, I'll report on what I watch monthly. I leave you to count the carbs ("Burglar"). The pictures I saw in September, per The Scout's diary, with past months' diets available in the archive):

"Fanny & Alexander" (A) (Director: Ingmar Bergman, 1983)
"Love & Death" (A-) (Director: Woody Allen, 1975)
"Eastern Promises" (B+) (Director: David Cronenberg, 2007)
"The TV Set" (B-) (Director: Jake Kasdan, 2007)
"Bug" (C+) (Director: William Friedkin, 2007)
"3:10 To Yuma" (C) (Director: James Mangold, 2007)
"The Baxter" (C) (Director: Michael Showalter, 2005)
"Hollywoodland" (C) (Director: Allen Coulter, 2006)
"Blackboard Jungle" (C-) (Director: Richard Brooks, 1955)
"Project X" (C-) (Director: Jonathan Kaplan, 1987)
"Vacancy" (C-) (Director: Nimrod Antal, 2007)
"Blow Out" (D+) (Director: Brian De Palma, 1981)
"Death Becomes Her" (D+) (Director: Robert Zemeckis, 1992)
"Flushed Away" (D+) (Directors: David Bowers and Sam Fell, 2006)
"Hair" (D+) (Director: Milos Forman, 1979)
"Killer's Kiss" (D+) (Director: Stanley Kubrick, 1955)
"Lucky You" (D+) (Director: Curtis Hanson, 2007)
"Mr. Holland's Opus" (D+) (Director: Stephen Herek, 1995)
"Scoop" (D+) (Director: Woody Allen, 2006)
"The Bridge" (D) (Director: Eric Steel, 2006)
"Johnny Dangerously" (D) (Director: Amy Heckerling, 1984)
"Rush Hour 3" (D) (Director: Brett Ratner, 2007)
"The Russia House" (D) (Director: Fred Schepisi, 1990)
"300" (F) (Director: Zack Snyder, 2007)
"Burglar" (F) (Director: Hugh Wilson, 1987)
"Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment" (F) (Director: Jerry Paris, 1985)
"The Rookie" (F) (Director: Clint Eastwood, 1990)

The Weekend Top Ten

2007-10-01T07:58:00.000-07:00

1. "The Game Plan," $22.7 million
2. "The Kingdom," $17.7 million
3. "Resident Evil: Extinction," $8 million, $36.8 million total
4. "Good Luck Chuck," $6.3 million, $23.6 million total
5. "3:10 to Yuma," $4.2 million, $43.9 million total (C)
6. "The Brave One," $3.8 million, $30.9 million total
7. "Mr. Woodcock," $3 million, $19.6 million total
8. "Eastern Promises," $2.9 million, $11.2 million total (B+)
9. "Sydney White," $2.7 million, $8.6 million total
10. "Across the Universe," $2 million, $5.5 million total

Estimates for the weekend of September 28-30, 2007. For the absolute best in statistics, commentary and analysis, visit Box Office Mojo. Any red letter denotes The Scout's critical assessment, or grade, of each film.

Dialogue

2007-09-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

Dear readers of The Scout, if you would like a full-color print version of The Scout to read at your leisure or would like to catch up with a past print edition of The Scout, send your e-mail address to shawnw@app.com and you'll be put in a directory to have a PDF edition sent to you once a week. Or, if in a hurry, click on the rough at left for a quick read.

Reminder: A new edition of The Scout (pdf) is available at www.app.com/entertainment in the WebExtras queue, in Friday's Jersey Alive! or can be sent to you per instructions above. In it (above), an introduction to Dialogue, a sample of conversations in a theater lobby near you; the Summer Movie: Hype Vs. Reality Finale; a sad history of NC-17; and so much more.

The Bulletin: Aniston Boards 'Traveling'

2007-09-26T07:52:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Aniston will star with Aaron Eckhart in "Traveling," in which a floral designer meets a charismatic grief counselor at a Seattle hotel, reports Variety. Brandon Camp directs. Mike Thompson and Camp wrote the script. Scott Stuber and Mary Parent will produce with Thompson.

McAdams, Mirren, Penn to Star in 'State of Play'
Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren and Robin Wright Penn will join Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and Jason Bateman in "State of Play," an adaptation of Paul Abbott and David Yates' BBC miniseries, reports Variety. Norton will star as a congressman under suspicion in the murder of a mistress; Pitt, a political journalist in a breach of ethics; Mirren, as a steely newspaper editor; Penn, as the congressman's wife; and Bateman and McAdams, as reporters. Kevin Macdonald ("The Last King of Scotland") will direct for Universal. Matthew Michael Carnahan (November's "Lions for Lambs") wrote the script. Andrew Hauptman will produce with Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner. Abbott will executive produce. Production will start in November.

Mark Your Calendar
Tamara Jenkins' "The Savages," with Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney, in select theaters Nov. 30 (From Dec. 27), and Scott Derrickson's update of Robert Wise's "The Day the Earth Stood Still," with Keanu Reeves, Dec. 12, 2008 (From May 9, 2008). On DVD, "The King of California," with Michael Douglas and Evan Rachel Wood, will be available for rental and purchase Jan. 29; and "Paprika," Nov. 27.

Wes Anderson's 'Hotel Chevalier'

2007-09-25T10:50:00.000-07:00

Wes Anderson's short film "Hotel Chevalier" will premiere to the public at Apple Stores tonight in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and San Francisco, and be available for free on Apple's iTunes Store tomorrow. The sexy prologue to "The Darjeeling Limited" stars Jason Schwartzman, as Jack Whitman, and Natalie Portman, as Whitman's ex, (briefly, tastefully nude) in a hotel suite rendezvous in Paris. The short, 13 minutes in length, will not precede theatrical cuts of "The Darjeeling Limited" (Sept. 29), to be shown at the New York Film Festival.

The Bulletin: Field Joins Spielberg's 'Lincoln'

2007-09-25T09:32:00.000-07:00

Sally Field will star as Mary Todd Lincoln, wife of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, in Steven Spielberg's "Abraham Lincoln," an adaptation of Doris Kearns Goodwin's biography "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln," reports Variety. Liam Neeson will co-star as Lincoln. The 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth is February 12, 2009.

Ratner, Tucker Claim 'Mr. S'
Brett Ratner ("Rush Hour 3") will direct "Mr. S," an adaptation of George Jacobs and William Stadiem's tell-all "Mr. S: My Life With Frank Sinatra," a glimpse into the Rat Pack order, reports Variety. Chris Tucker will star as Sinatra's valet Jacobs. Stadiem, a Hollywood chronicler, will write a script to insert anecdotes about Marilyn Monroe, Peter Lawford, the Kennedys, Ava Gardner, Humphrey Bogart, Mia Farrow, Elvis Presley, Swifty Lazar and Marlene Dietrich. Jay Stern, Adam Fields and Ratner will produce.

Washington, Scott Back for 'Pelham'
Denzel Washington will star in an update of Joseph Sargent's "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three" (1974), about a police lieutenant in a rush to impede a subway car with hijackers aboard, reports Entertainment Weekly. Tony Scott ("Crimson Tide," "Man on Fire") will direct.

Bateman in 'State of Play'
Jason Bateman ("The Kingdom," December's "Juno") will join Brad Pitt and Edward Norton in "State of Play," an adaptation of Paul Abbott and David Yates' BBC miniseries, reports Variety. Norton will star as a congressman under suspicion in the murder of a mistress; Pitt, a political journalist in a breach of ethics; and Bateman, as a reporter. Kevin Macdonald ("The Last King of Scotland") will direct for Universal. Matthew Michael Carnahan (November's "Lions for Lambs") wrote the script. Andrew Hauptman will produce with Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner. Abbott will executive produce. Production will start in November.

Eastwood, Damon in Mandela Project
Warner Bros. is in talks to finance "The Human Factor," an adaptation of John Carlin's book "The Human Factor: Nelson Mandela and the Game that Changed the World," with Morgan Freeman to star as the former president of South Africa, reports Variety. Clint Eastwood is in talks to direct and Matt Damon to star. Lori McCreary and Freeman will produce with Mace Neufeld. Anthony Peckham ("Don't Say a Word") wrote the script, in which South Africa is chosen to host the 1995 Rugby World Cup a year subsequent the fall of apartheid.

Biel in Talks for 'Justice League'
Jessica Biel ("Next") is in talks to star as Wonder Woman in "Justice League of America," an adaptation of DC Comics' property in which an all-star cabal — Wonder Woman, Batman, Superman, the Flash and Aquaman — tag-team for justice, reports Variety. George Miller ("Happy Feet," "Mad Max") will direct. Kieran and Michele Mulroney wrote the script for Warner Bros.

Mark Your Calendar
In a sprint to avert collision with a potential strike in Hollywood, a sequel to Michael Bay's "Transformers" is in fast development for June 26, 2009 at Paramount Pictures. The involvement of Bay, Steven Spielberg or the original cast is uncertain. On DVD, "Interview," with Steve Bushemi and Sienna Miller, will be available for rental and purchase Dec. 11; "Rush Hour 3" (D), Dec. 26; "I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry" (F), Nov. 6; and "Underdog," Dec. 18.

The Weekend Top Ten

2007-09-24T08:44:00.000-07:00

1. "Resident Evil: Extinction," $24 million
2. "Good Luck Chuck," $14 million
3. "The Brave One," $7.2 million, $25.1 million total
4. "3:10 to Yuma," $6.35 million, $37.9 million total
5. "Eastern Promises," $5.7 million, $6.5 million total (B+)
6. "Sydney White," $5.3 million
7. "Mr. Woodcock," $4.97 million, $15.7 million total
8. "Superbad," $3.1 million, $116.2 million total (B-)
9. "The Bourne Ultimatum," $2.79 million, $220.1 million total (B-)
10. "Dragon Wars," $2.5 million, $8.4 million total

Estimates for the weekend of September 21-23, 2007. For the absolute best in statistics, commentary and analysis, visit Box Office Mojo. Any red letter denotes The Scout's critical assessment, or grade, of each film.

The Bulletin: Pitt Joins Aronofsky's 'Fighter'

2007-09-21T09:50:00.000-07:00

Brad Pitt will substitute for Matt Damon in Darren Aronofsky's "The Fighter," about Massachusetts bruiser Micky “Irish” Ward’s unlikely climb to be a lightweight champion with the support of half-brother Dicky Eklund as his KO’d trainer, reports Variety. Pitt will star as Eklund, a part once fit for Damon, and Mark Wahlberg, as Ward. Conflict's in Damon's schedule, due in part to production gridlock as a Hollywood strike nears, left Damon unable to commit. Paul Attanasio (“Donnie Brasco,” “The Good German”) rewrote Lewis Collick, Eric Johnson and Paul Tamasy’s script, but Scott Silver will submit a new draft. David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman will produce.

More Women Join 'The Women'
Bette Midler, Cloris Leachman, Carrie Fisher, Lynn Whitfield, Joanna Gleason, Ana Gasteyer and Debi Mazar will star in Diane English's update of George Cukor's "The Women" (1939), in production in Boston, reports Variety. Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, Debra Messing, Jada Pinkett-Smith and Candice Bergen co-star. Victoria Pearman, Mick Jagger and Bill Johnson will produce with English.

Bruckheimer's 'Nine Lives'
Jerry Bruckheimer will produce Jonathan Hensleigh's pitch "Nine Lives," about a superstitiously invincible detective, reports Variety. Hensleigh will write the script. "Nine Lives" is Hensleigh's fifth assignment for Bruckheimer ("The Rock," "Armageddon," "Con Air," "Gone in 60 Seconds").

'Southland Tales' Trailer Available
The trailer for Richard Kelly's goofy apocalypto "Southland Tales" (Nov. 9), with Seann William Scott, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and Sarah Michelle Gellar, is available in Quicktime at Yahoo! Movies.

Fall's Back!

2007-09-20T09:22:00.000-07:00

Dear readers of The Scout, if you would like a full-color print version of The Scout to read at your leisure or would like to catch up with a past print edition of The Scout, send your e-mail address to shawnw@app.com and you'll be put in a directory to have a PDF edition sent to you once a week. Or, if in a hurry, click on the rough at left for a quick read.

Reminder: A new edition of The Scout (pdf) is available at www.app.com/entertainment in the WebExtras queue, in Friday's Jersey Alive! or can be sent to you per instructions above. In it (above), a movie preview for fall, the first photograph on the set of "Sex and the City," talk about "Robotech," and so much more.

The Bulletin: 'Sex' Photograph

2007-09-19T11:59:00.000-07:00

Love the bag! The first photograph of Chris Noth and Sarah Jessica Parker (left) on the set of Michael Patrick King's "Sex and the City" (May 30, 2008). Click on the image for a better glimpse.

McConaughey Joins 'Tropic Thunder'
Matthew McConaughey will substitute for Owen Wilson in "Tropic Thunder" (July 11, 2008), Ben Stiller's comedy about five actors haphazardly caught in the crossfire of a real war while on the location shoot of a bombastic war epic, reports Variety. Stiller stars, directs and produces, with Stuart Cornfeld, for DreamWorks. Wilson was to star as an actor under fire until the actor's hospitization in the wake of a suicide attempt. Nick Nolte, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Brandon Jackson, Steve Coogan, Jay Baruchel, Matt Levin, Andrea De Oliveira and Danny McBride co-star. "Tropic Thunder" is currently in production in Hawaii.

'The Road' To Come
Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban will produce an adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's apocalyptic novel "The Road," reports The Hollywood Reporter, with Viggo Mortensen ("Eastern Promises") possibly to star. Dimension Films is in final negotiations to distribute "The Road" in North America. John Hillcoat ("The Proposition") will direct. Joe Penhall wrote the script. Marc Butan, Wagner and Cuban will executive produce, and Nick Wechsler, Steve Schwartz and Paula Mae Schwartz will produce. Production will start in January.

The Woodstock Film Festival Schedule Available
The schedule for the 2007 Woodstock Film Festival, Wednesday, Oct. 10, to Sunday, Oct. 14, is available at the official site. James C. Strouse's "Grace is Gone," Terry George's "Reservation Road," Todd Hayne's "I'm Not There" and Julian Schnabel's "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" will screen at the festival with about 100 other independent productions.

Mark Your Calendar
Werner Herzog's "Rescue Dawn" will be available for rental and purchase Nov. 20; "Hot Rod," Nov. 27; "Bratz: The Movie," Nov. 27; and "I Know Who Killed Me," with Lindsay Lohan, Nov. 27.

The Bulletin: Broadbent Joins 'Half-Blood Prince'

2007-09-18T10:07:00.000-07:00

Jim Broadbent ("Bridget Jones' Diary," May's "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull") will star as Horace Slughorn, a starstruck scholar of magic, in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" (Nov. 21, 2008), reports Dark Horizons.

Saldana Aboard 'Star Trek' as Uhura
Zöe Saldana (February's "Vantage Point") will star as Uhura in J.J. Abrams' rehabilitation of "Star Trek" (Dec. 25, 2008), in which Abrams expands on the Enterprise crew's ascendancy at Starfleet Academy, reports Variety. Saldana joins Zachary Quinto and Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock and Anton Yelchin as Pavel Chekov. Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci wrote the script. Bryan Burk and Damon Lindelof will executive produce with Kurtzman and Orci.

Mark Your Calendar
James C. Strouse's "Grace is Gone," with John Cusack as a father at a loss to inform his daughters of the sudden death of the nuclear unit’s matriarch in Iraq, will debut in select cities Dec. 7 (From Oct. 5).

The Bulletin: 'Juno' is 'Smoking' Hot

2007-09-18T09:43:00.000-07:00

The trailer for Jason Reitman's "Juno" (Dec. 14), with Ellen Page, Michael Cera, J.K. Simmons, Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman, is available via YouTube (below).

The Weekend Top Ten

2007-09-17T08:44:00.000-07:00

1. "The Brave One," $14 million
2. "3:10 to Yuma," $9.2 million, $28.5 million total
3. "Mr. Woodcock," $9.1 million
4. "Dragon Wars," $5.37 million
5. "Superbad," $5.2 million, $111.3 million total (B-)
6. "Halloween," $5 million, $51.2 million total
7. "The Bourne Ultimatum," $4.2 million, $216.2 million total (B-)
8. "Balls of Fury," $3.34 million, $28.9 million total
9. "Rush Hour 3," $3.32 million, $133.2 million total
10. "Mr. Bean's Holiday," $2.7 million, $28.5 million total

Estimates for the weekend of September 14-16, 2007. For the absolute best in statistics, commentary and analysis, visit Box Office Mojo. Any red letter denotes The Scout's critical assessment, or grade, of each film.

The Bulletin: Zwigoff to Direct '$40,000 Man'

2007-09-14T09:11:00.000-07:00

Terry Zwigoff ("Ghost World," "Bad Santa") will direct "The $40,000 Man," a spoof in which an American astronaut is rebuilt as a bionic man on a budget of $40,000, reports Variety. Chris Bender and JC Spink will produce for New Line Cinema. Jake Weiner will executive produce. Zwigoff will rewrite the script with Daniel Clowes ("Art School Confidential").

'The Bucket List' Trailer Available
The trailer for Rob Reiner's "The Bucket List" (Dec. 21), with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, is available in Quicktime at Yahoo! Movies.

Mark Your Calendar
"The Simpsons Movie" (B) will be available for rental and purchase Dec. 18. "Sex and the City: The Movie" will open next summer — May 30, to be exact.

The Bulletin: Norton, Pitt Reunite for 'State of Play'

2007-09-12T09:10:00.000-07:00

Brad Pitt and Edward Norton ("Fight Club") will star in "State of Play," an adaptation of Paul Abbott and David Yates' BBC miniseries, reports Variety. Norton will star as a congressman under suspicion in the murder of a mistress, and Pitt, a political journalist in a breach of ethics. Kevin Macdonald ("The Last King of Scotland") will direct for Universal. Matthew Michael Carnahan (November's "Lions for Lambs") wrote the script. Andrew Hauptman will produce with Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner. Abbott will executive produce. Production will start in November.

Weinsteins Buy Romero's 'Diary'
The Weinstein Company will distribute George A. Romero's latest zombiethon, "Diary of the Dead," reports The Hollywood Reporter. The Weinsteins paid $2 to $2.5 million for the theatrical rights.

Mark Your Calendar
Sylvester Stallone's "John Rambo" declares war at multiplexes Jan. 25, 2008. As for DVD, Adam Shankman's "Hairspray" (C) will be available for rental and purchase Nov. 20; and "El Cantante," with Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez, Oct. 30.

The Bulletin: Tobey Maguire and 'Robotech'

2007-09-11T12:47:00.000-07:00

First, Michael Bay's "Transformers." Then, Fox's announcement to develop "Voltron: Defender of the Universe." Now, Warner Bros. will develop "Robotech," an adaptation of the epic Japanese TV series in which robotic sentinels defend Earth against massive waves of invasions from outer space, with Tobey Maguire to possibly star as a savior pilot, reports The Hollywood Reporter. "We are very excited to bring 'Robotech' to the big screen," Maguire said. "There is a rich mythology that will be a great foundation for a sophisticated, smart and entertaining film." Drew Crevello and Maguire will produce, and Craig Zahler will write the script. Frank Agrama will executive produce.

Polanski Leaps From 'Pompeii'
The immortal Roman Polanski ("The Pianist," "Chinatown," "Knife in the Water") will no longer direct the $130 million effects behemoth "Pompeii," an adaptation of Robert Harris' novel about the catastrophic volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D., reports Screen Daily, due to conflicts in Polanski's schedule and indefinite production delays due to concerns of a strike. "I put a lot of work and energy into the development of Pompeii, so it is not without regret that I have to decline my further involvement," Polanski told Screen Daily. Alain Sarde and Robert Benmussa will seek a replacement director.

Hudson to Star in 'Sex and the City'
Jennifer Hudson ("Dreamgirls") will star as Carrie Bradshaw's assistant in Darren Star's "Sex and the City: The Movie," reports Variety. Hudson joins Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis and Chris Noth. Michael Patrick King, executive producer of the television show, will direct for New Line Cinema and HBO. King will produce with Parker, John Melfi and Star. King wrote the script. Production will start in September in New York City.

Cheadle Books Room at 'Hotel'
Don Cheadle will star as a social worker in "Hotel for Dogs," an adaptation of Lois Duncan's 1971 children's novel in which two orphans hide a bunch of stray dogs in an desolate hotel, reports Variety. Thor Freudenthal will direct. Jeff Lowell wrote the script. Jon Gordon, Lauren Shuler Donner and Jack Leslie will produce. Emma Roberts ("Nancy Drew") co-stars. Production will start in November.

Mark Your Calendar
Michael Moore's "Sicko" (B+) will be available for rental and purchase Nov. 6.

The Bulletin: The Title of the Next 'Indiana Jones'

2007-09-10T08:47:00.000-07:00

The full title of the next "Indiana Jones" installment will be "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" (May 22, 2008), as star Shia LeBeouf said Sunday night at the MTV Video Music Awards in Las Vegas.

'Lust, Caution' Wins Golden Lion at Venice
The winners at the 64th Annual Venice Film Festival: The Silver Lion for Best Direction, Brian De Palma for "Redacted"; the Silver Lion for Jury's Selection, "I'm Not There" by Todd Haynes; the Golden Lion for Best Picture, Ang Lee's "Lust, Caution"; the Volpi Cup for Best Actor, Brad Pitt in "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"; and the Volpi Cup for Best Actress, Cate Blanchett in "I'm Not There."

'There Will Be Blood' Trailer Available
The trailer for Paul Thomas Anderson's "There Will Be Blood" (Dec. 27), an adaptation of Upton Sinclair's novel "Oil!" with Daniel Day Lewis, is available at Slashfilm.

'Iron Man' Teaser Available
The phenomenal teaser for Jon Favreau's "Iron Man" (May 2, 2008), with Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Bridges, Terrence Howard and Gwyneth Paltrow, is available at Apple.com.

Penn, Damon May Swim in Van Sant's 'Milk'
Sean Penn is in talks to star as Harvey Milk and Matt Damon as Milk's killer, Dan White, in Gus Van Sant's biography of the slain openly gay politician and city supervisor of 1970s San Francisco, reports The Hollywood Reporter. Michael London will finance. Bruce Cohen and Dan Jinks will produce. Dustin Lance Black (HBO's "Big Love") wrote the script. Production will start as early as December in San Francisco. Van Sant's project will delay or kill Warner Independent Productions and Bryan Singer's deal with Participant Productions to develop an adaptation of Randy Shilts' novel about Milk, "The Mayor of Castro Street," with Christopher McQuarrie ("The Usual Suspects") to write the final draft. White shot Milk and San Francisco Mayor George Moscone to death in 1978.

Perelman to Direct 'Atlas'
Vadim Perelman ("House of Sand and Fog") will direct "Altas Shrugged," an adaptation of Ayn Rand's philosophical 1957 novel, reports Variety. Angelina Jolie will star. Howard and Karen Baldwin and Geyer Kosinski will produce, and Perelman will rewrite a draft of the script for Lionsgate.

Judd to Star as 'Helen''
Ashley Judd will star in "Helen," in which a young student lifts a music professor out of a chronic depression, reports Variety. Sandra Nettlebeck ("Mostly Martha") will direct. Nettlebeck wrote the script. Production will start in October in Vancouver.

Smith Gains 'Seven Pounds'
Will Smith will star in "Seven Pounds," in which a suicidal man falls in love, reports Variety. Gabriele Muccino ("The Pursuit of Happyness") will direct. Grant Nieporte wrote the script. Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, James Lassiter, Steve Tisch and Smith will produce with production to start in February.

Fiennes to Star in 'The Duchess'
Ralph Fiennes will star with Keira Knightley in Saul Dibb's "The Duchess," an adaptation of Amanda Foreman's biography of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, reports Variety. Knightley will star as the scandalous aristocrat, and Fiennes, as the Duke of Devonshire. Hayley Atwell and Dominic Cooper will co-star. Pathe and BBC Films will finance. Production will start Sept. 23 in London.

Mark Your Calendar
Olivier Dahan's "La Vie En Rose" (C), with Marion Cotillard as Edith Piaf, will be available for rental and purchase Nov. 13.

The Weekend Top Ten

2007-09-10T08:30:00.000-07:00

1. "3:10 to Yuma," $14.1 million (C)
2. "Halloween," $10 million, $44.2 million total
3. "Superbad," $8 million, $103 million total (B-)
4. "Balls of Fury," $5.7 million, $24.3 million total
5. "The Bourne Ultimatum," $5.5 million, $210 million total (B-)
6. "Shoot 'Em Up," $5.45 million
7. "Rush Hour 3," $5.3 million, $129 million total
8. "Mr. Bean's Holiday," $3.4 million, $25 million total
9. "The Nanny Diaries," $3.3 million, $21 million total
10. "Hairspray," $1.95 million, $114.9 million total (C)

Estimates for the weekend of September 7-9, 2007. For the absolute best in statistics, commentary and analysis, visit Box Office Mojo. Any red letter denotes The Scout's critical assessment, or grade, of each film.

Summer In Review

2007-09-10T07:22:00.000-07:00

In terms of revenue, I present the summer's hits and misses, with budgets and expectations as factors. Any red letter denotes The Scout's critical assessment, or grade, of each film, and an asterisk signifies a film still in theaters.

Smashes
"Spider-Man 3," $336.5 million (C+)
"Shrek the Third," $321 million (C)
"Transformers," $311.4 million* (C+)
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," $308.7 million (C)
"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," $288 million (C)

Hits
"The Bourne Ultimatum," $211 million* (B-)
"Ratatouille," $201.9 million (A-)
"The Simpsons Movie," $180.4 million* (B)
"Knocked Up," $148 million (B)
"Live Free or Die Hard," $133.7 million (C)
"I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry," $117.8 million (F)
"Hairspray," $114.9 million* (C)
"Superbad," $103.4 million* (B-)
"1408," $71.6 million
"Halloween," $44.2 million*
"Sicko," $24.2 million (B+)
"Waitress," $18 million (C)

Toss-Ups
"Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," $131.6 million (D)
"Rush Hour 3," $129.1 million*
"Ocean's Thirteen," $117 million (C+)

Misses
"Surf's Up," $58.9 million
"License to Wed," $43.4 million
"No Reservations," $41.5 million
"28 Weeks Later," $28.6 million (C-)
"Balls of Fury," $24.2 million*
"War," $20.5 million*

Bombs
"Evan Almighty," $99.8 million (D)
"Underdog," $40.7 million
"Stardust," $34.6 million*
"Mr. Brooks," $28.5 million (C-)
"Nancy Drew," $25.6 million
"The Nanny Diaries," $21 million*
"Georgia Rule," $18.9 million (D)
"Hostel: Part II," $17.6 million
"The Invasion," $14 million (D)
"Hot Rod," $13.8 million
"Evening," $12.4 million
"Daddy Day Camp," $11.9 million
"A Mighty Heart," $9.1 million (B)
"Delta Farce," $8.1 million
"Death Sentence," $7.9 million*
"El Cantante," $7.4 million
"I Know Who Killed Me," $7.2 million
"Bug," $7 million
"The Last Legion," $5.8 million
"Lucky You," $5.8 million
"Death at a Funeral," $5.6 million*
"Rescue Dawn," $5.4 million
"Away From Her," $4.5 million (B)
"Talk To Me," $4.4 million
"Sunshine," $3.6 million
"Resurrecting the Champ," $3.1 million
"The Ex," $3 million
"Gracie," $2.9 million
"Illegal Tender," $2.9 million
"Captivity," $2.6 million
"You Kill Me," $2.4 million

The Bulletin: 'Valkyrie' Roundtable

2007-09-05T08:43:00.000-07:00

A new photograph via London's The Daily Mail of the cast of Bryan Singer's "Valkyrie" (June 27, 2008), a dramatization of actual events in which German officers hatch a scheme to assassinate Adolf Hitler at the height of World War II. "Valkyrie" stars (from left) Kevin McNally, Christian Berkel, Bill Nighy, Tom Cruise, Terence Stamp, David Schofield and Kenneth Branagh. Tom Wilkinson, Carice van Houten ("Black Book"), Patrick Wilson, Thomas Kretschmann, Eddie Izzard and Stephen Fry co-star.

The Bulletin: 'Transformers' in IMAX, October DVD

2007-09-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Michael Bay's "Transformers" (C+) will wreak havoc Sept. 21 in IMAX theaters nationwide and be available for rental and purchase Oct. 16. Also, Kasi Lemmon's "Talk to Me," with Don Cheadle, will be available for rental and purchase Oct. 30; and Len Wisemen's "Live Free or Die Hard" (C), with Bruce Willis, Nov. 20.

'Stephen King's The Mist' Trailer Available
The trailer for Frank Darabont's "Stephen King's The Mist" (Nov. 21) is available in Quicktime at Yahoo! Movies.

August's Diet

2007-09-04T10:19:00.000-07:00

Instead of an enormous, cumbersome list at year's end, I'll report on what I watch monthly. I leave you to count the carbs ("Passenger 57"). The pictures I saw in August, per The Scout's diary, with past months' diets available in the archive):

"Ace in the Hole" (A) (Director: Billy Wilder, 1951)
"The General" (A) (Directors: Buster Keaton and Clyde Bruckman, 1927)
"Sicko" (B+) (Director: Michael Moore, 2007)
"Coal Miner's Daughter" (B) (Director: Michael Apted, 1980)
"High Plains Drifter" (B) (Director: Clint Eastwood, 1973)
"Perfume: The Story of a Murderer" (B) (Director: Tom Tykwer, 2006)
"The Bourne Ultimatum" (B-) (Director: Paul Greengrass, 2007)
"Superbad" (B-) (Director: Greg Mottola, 2007)
"Fracture" (C+) (Director: Gregory Hoblit, 2007)
"Stalag 17" (C+) (Director: Billy Wilder, 1953)
"Ellie Parker" (C) (Director: Scott Coffey, 2005)
"Hairspray" (C) (Director: Adam Shankman, 2007)
"Inland Empire" (C-) (Director: David Lynch, 2006)
"Lean on Me" (C-) (Director: John G. Avildsen, 1989)
"Stripes" (C-) (Director: Harold Ramis, 1981)
"Disturbia" (D+) (Director: D.J. Caruso, 2007)
"On Golden Pond" (D+) (Director: Mark Rydell, 1981)
"Blades of Glory" (D) (Directors: Will Speck and Josh Gordon, 2007)
"Hoffa" (D) (Director: Danny DeVito, 1992)
"The Invasion" (D) (Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel, 2007)
"The Last Man on Earth" (D) (Director: Sidney Salkow, 1964)
"Passenger 57" (D) (Director: Kevin Hooks, 1992)
"Bird on a Wire" (F) (Director: John Badham, 1990)
"Foxfire" (F) (Director: Annette Haywood-Carter, 1996)
"Her Alibi" (F) (Director: Bruce Beresford, 1989)
"Idlewild" (F) (Director: Bryan Barber, 2006)
"The Presidio" (F) (Director: Peter Hyams, 1988)
"Wild Hogs" (F) (Director: Walt Becker, 2007)

The Bulletin: 'Lars and the Real Girl' Trailer

2007-09-04T08:07:00.000-07:00

The trailer for Craig Gillespie's "Lars and the Real Girl" (Oct. 12), with Ryan Gosling, is available to view via YouTube (below).

The Labor Day Weekend Top Ten

2007-09-04T08:01:00.000-07:00

1. "Halloween," $31 million
2. "Superbad," $15.6 million, $92.4 million total (B-)
3. "Balls of Fury," $13.8 million, $16.8 million total
4. "The Bourne Ultimatum," $13.1 million, $202.6 million total (B-)
5. "Rush Hour 3," $10.4 million, $122 million total
6. "Mr. Bean's Holiday," $8.1 million, $21 million total
7. "The Nanny Diaries," $6.4 million, $16.5 million total
8. "Death Sentence," $5.2 million
9. "War," $5.1 million, $17.97 million total
10. "Stardust," $3.9 million, $31.9 million total

Estimates for the weekend of August 31-September 3, 2007. For the absolute best in statistics, commentary and analysis, visit Box Office Mojo. Any red letter denotes The Scout's critical assessment, or grade, of each film.