Yep, the band is getting back together. The principal players behind 2003’s School of Rock — director Richard Linklater, screenwriter Mike White and star Jack Black — are reuniting for a sequel, according to Variety. School of Rock 2: America Rocks will picks up with Black’s Dewey Finn leading a
group of summer school students on a cross-country field trip that
delves into the history of rock ‘n’ roll, exploring the roots of jazz,
blues, rap, country and other musical genres. How the first film — freewheeling, both fun and comfortably familiar, and, to a certain degree, family-friendly — failed to crack $100 million domestically is God’s private mystery, but Paramount will now have a second crack at screwing things up.
Daily Archives: July 14, 2008
Casting of Kate Hudson Will Not Force Me to Make Golf Pun
It doesn’t seem to matter that her movies attract shrugs of indifference like roosters attract junebugs — Kate Hudson has scored a major coup in securing a role in Nine, allegedly besting Sienna Miller and Anne Hathaway, among others, to win the role of Stephanie, a Vogue fashion journalist working in Italy, in director Rob Marshall’s new film.
Not to be confused with The Nines, the movie is an adaptation of the Tony Award-winning 1982 Broadway musical, adapted by Michael Tolkin (The Player) and the late Anthony Minghella, with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston, composer and lyricist for the original stage production. “We are thrilled that Kate Hudson is joining this group of some of the
most talented and creative actors in film, and it will be an incredible
experience for audiences to watch this cast work under the brilliant
direction of Rob Marshall,” said executive producer Harvey Weinstein in
a statement released today. “Inspired by one of cinema’s most profound
auteurs, Minghella’s dramatic writing and Marshall’s dynamic staging
will provide the actors with a daring opportunity to showcase their
artistic potential.”
Indeed, Hudson joins a host of Hollywood heavyweights, with Oscar winners Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Nicole Kidman and Judi Dench all taking starring roles in the movie, inspired by Fellini’s classic 8 1/2. Described as a sultry and
enchanting musical about a famous film director struggling to find harmony amidst his tumultuous professional and personal lives, the film will star Day-Lewis as said famous director, Guido Contini; Cotillard as his wife, Luisa; Penelope Cruz as his sultry mistress, Carla; Kidman as his film star muse, Claudia Graham; Dench as Lily, his confidant and costume designer; and Sophia Loren as
his mother. The role of Saraghina, described as “the whore from Guido’s
youth,” is yet to be cast, so get those head shots in, ladies! Filming is scheduled to commence in the United Kingdom on October 10, with an expected awards-push release in late 2009.
Hellboy II Sees Box Office as Red Door, Paints It Black
Writer-director Guillermo del Toro‘s eye-popping, idiosyncratically flavored Hellboy II: The Golden Army owned the top spot at the box office this past weekend, ringing up $34.5 million, or 57 percent of its 2004 predecessor’s total domestic haul. Will Smith’s Hancock, which owned the box office over the July 4 weekend, came in a close second, with $32.1 million, and has now earned around $164.1
million since its sneak debut on the evening of July 1. Brendan Fraser’s Journey to the Center of the Earth 3-D opened third, with $21 million. Meanwhile, Eddie Murphy‘s very quietly screened Meet Dave opened to $5.3 million, good for seventh place for the weekend.
Rounding out the top 10, placing fourth was Wall▪E ($18.8 million, $163.1 million overall), the latest collaboration from
Pixar/Disney; fifth was hyper-kinetic shoot-’em-up Wanted ($12 million, $112.5 million overall), starring James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman; sixth was Steve Carell‘s big screen action-comedy adaptation of Get Smart ($7.2 million, $111.6 million overall); eighth was animated family flick
Kung Fu Panda ($4.4 million, $202.2 overall); ninth was Universal’s Edward Norton-starring reboot of The Incredible Hulk ($2.3 million, $130 million overall); and tenth was Abigail Breslin‘s Kitt Kitredge: An American Girl ($2.3 million in its second weekend in release, $11 million overall). In limited release, Harold, starring Breslin’s older brother Spencer, opened on three screens to $10,578, while Garden Party opened on seven screens to around a single Andrew Jackson more than that tally.
Arnold Schwarzenegger as National Energy Czar?
So, his endorsement of John McCain notwithstanding, Arnold Schwarzenegger has indicated he would consider a position as energy czar in an administration of Barack Obama. When George Stephanopoulous asked Schwarzenegger about the idea on ABC’s This Week, and whether he would take Obama’s call, the California governor replied, “I would take his call now, I will take his
call when he’s president — any time. Remember, no matter who is
president, I don’t see this as a political thing. I see this as we
always have to help, no matter what the administration is.” Presumably his coronation would not involve a massive chain of fireballs… but maybe it would, I don’t know. For the full read, from Politico, click here.