Elizabeth Berkley, Briana Evigan Join Donnie Darko Sequel
Elizabeth Berkley and Briana Evigan have boarded “S. Darko” (aka “Samantha D”), the sequel to “Donnie Darko” being directed by Chris Fisher. Ash R. Shah is producing.
Ed Westwick (”Gossip Girl”) and Justin Chatwin (”The Chumscrubber”) also are in the movie, which stars Daveigh Chase, reprising her role from the original cult classic.
The story, set seven years after the first film, follows Donnie Darko’s sister, Samantha, who, in dealing with her broken family, flees town with her best friend (Evigan) when they are plagued by bizarre visions.
Berkley is playing a speed freak-turned-Jesus freak whose sentiments about ridding the world of its exponential sin are rivaled only by her infatuation with her dreamy pastor.
- From THR
Cryer, Spader get in Rodriguez’s “Shorts”
TV stars Jon Cryer and James Spader are returning to the big screen, signing up to star in Robert Rodriguez’s “Shorts,” a family adventure movie that also stars William H. Macy and Leslie Mann.
Rodriguez, who also wrote the screenplay, is serving as his own director of photography, editor and visual effects supervisor. The Warner Bros. project is shooting on location in Rodriguez’s Austin hometown.
“Shorts” is set in fictional Black Falls, a suburb where everyone works for Black Box Unlimited Worldwide Industries Inc., whose communication gadget is sweeping the country. A youngster (Jimmy Bennett) discovers a rainbow-colored rock that grants wishes to anyone who holds it. First it causes havoc among the kid population, but things get turned up several notches when adults get their hands on it.
Cryer and Mann play the boy’s parents, Spader is Mr. Black, and Macy is the father of a germophobic genius.
- From Reuters
NY Times: Disney and Pixar, The Power of the Prenup
IN April, the Walt Disney Company summoned movie theater executives for a rare audience before its reigning king of animation, John Lasseter. A co-founder of Pixar and director of “Toy Story,” Mr. Lasseter was unveiling the roster of films that an aligned Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios planned to release over the next four years.
Walking onstage wearing one of his trademark Hawaiian shirts — this one with yellow and green palm trees — Mr. Lasseter was greeted by giggles and pointing from a smattering of audience members.
“What did you think I’d wear?” he asked amid the titters. A business suit and a pair of mouse ears, most likely.
When Disney bought its rival, Pixar, in 2006 for $7.4 billion, many people assumed the deal would play out like most big media takeovers: abysmally. The worries were twofold: that either Disney would trample Pixar’s esprit de corps (turning Mr. Lasseter into a drone, chanting “Hi Ho” en route to Mickey’s animation mines) or that Pixar animators would act like spoiled brats and rebuke their new owner.
Both companies had a history of acrimony, and Robert A. Iger, the new chief executive of Disney, was a mystery. Could he manage the megawatt personalities Pixar would bring into Disney’s fold? Some analysts, investors and media pundits also questioned the hefty price Disney paid for a small studio that released only one movie a year.
But two years into the integration of Pixar — and as the company rolls out “Wall-E,” a risky love story about robots that is estimated to cost at least $180 million — the merger is notable for how well it’s faring. Indeed, in an industry where corporate marriages often create internal warfare (Paramount and DreamWorks SKG are the most prominent example) Disney and Pixar have found a way to make it work.
“Most acquisitions, particularly in media, are value-destroying as opposed to value-creating, and that certainly has not turned out to be the case here,” said David A. Price, author of a newly published book from Knopf, “The Pixar Touch: The Making of a Company.”
The smooth ride — so far, at least — also seems to be pleasing Wall Street, where grumbling about Pixar’s price tag has died down. Disney’s stock has climbed 28 percent since its 52-week low on Jan. 22, in large part because of investor confidence that the company can overcome a difficult economy by leveraging Pixar’s computer-generated characters across its vast empire. In recent months, Disney’s shares have significantly outperformed those of most of its competitors.
- From NYTimes
Will James McAvoy Bag Bilbo Baggins?
HAVING memorably portrayed the faun Mr Tumnus in the big screen version of The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, Scottish star James McAvoy is the front runner to play fantasy hero Bilbo Baggins in the film The Hobbit.
Industry insiders insist the 29-year-old is in “pole position” to land the prestigious role. During the previous Lord Of The Rings film, Bilbo was played by Ian Holm.
“A number of names have privately been doing the rounds, including Daniel Radcliffe and Jack Black but James is the one the film’s bosses really want,” whispers our movie mole with the furry feet.
“They’re expected to have talks with him soon so hopefully it could be confirmed in the not too distant future.”
- From Express
Miley Cyrus looks like she’s giving a handjob, getting a facial
Oh wait, just the CD cover for Miley Cyrus’ latest album “Breakout.” Oops. “Breakout” drops in stores everywhere on Tuesday, July 22. The album’s first single, “7 Things”, debuted on Radio Disney earlier this month.
Exclusive: John Lasseter, Disney, Fires Brittany Murphy. Mae Whitman is the new voice of Tinker Bell!
Oops, Brittany Murphy and Disney…. Don’t look at the below picture, which introduced Brittany Murphy as the OFFICIAL voice of Tinker Bell. In 2006, during a major media PR blitz, Disney rolled out the red carpet for the then hot actress. Flash forward to 2008, as John Lasseter, Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney and Pixar, fires alleged cokehead Murphy and gives the Tinker Bell voice job to Mae Whitman. (more…)
Harry Potter and The Prequel of Riches
The secret of what happened before boy wizard Harry Potter went to Hogwarts will be revealed through the unusual channel of a charity auction next month.
Author JK Rowling has penned an 800-word outline of a prequel to the seven book series that has made her into a billionaire which will be sold at the auction on June 10 by bookseller Waterstones.
The outline, which ends with the line “From the prequel I am not working on — but that was fun!” is one of 13 story outlines written for the auction by famed authors including new Bond writer Sebastian Faulks and Nobel laureate Doris Lessing.
- From Reuters
Stand up! More news on Judd Apatow’s next directing project.
He’s one of the brightest bulbs in the comedy firmament, but if you miss a punch line in the newest Judd Apatow film, the still-untitled “Adam Sandler Project,” don’t worry. Co-star Seth Rogen told MTV News: “[The plot will center on] stand-up comedians.” - From MTV