Hollywood Hotline - Week of August 1, 2024
HOLLYWOOD HOTLINE Archives
Howdy Hotliners!
Fresh off his OPPENHEIMER (2023) Best Supporting Actor Oscar win, Robert Downey Jr, in keeping with the Faustian deal he made back when he was in prison (in 1999), has somehow sold his soul to Marvel Studios for even more moola a la Michael Corleone in THE GODFATHER PART III (1990) —to return and star in not one, but count ‘em, TWO, Russo Bros. directed Avengers-Whatever-Phase-It-Is-I-Don’t-Know-And-I’m-Not-Checking-Because-Who-Gives-a-Shit-at-this-Point-Sequel-Slash-Spin-Offs? So it was only fitting that Downey was wearing a well-fitted, hand-tailored, money-colored green, ‘Dr. Doom’ three-piece suit. (Did you see how dead-eyed he was when he took his mask off? Looked like The Riddler besting Batman: “Answer at me, bro!”)
This gives me big sweaty Kathy Kennedy Rise of Skywalker vibes. What a panicky desperate move for all involved. Film School History will not be kind (I can almost hear the type writer as Marty Scorsese writes another NY Times editorial!)
Without further ado, let’s check the hotline:
Brittany Spears going for that Oscar gold. Free and flying and dancing alone for her phone (camera) like a Blonde Phoenix rising from the ashes of a Las Vegas high rise. Spears should play herself and they should use the same de-aging technology from THE IRISHMAN (2019) for her to play her younger self singing in malls. Speaking of, they should get Robert De Niro to play her father. He can be de-aged too.
It’s Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey meets Meets Waiting For Godot
Keanu Reeves you are a god amongst men. Alex Winter I love you too! Sign me up please! Just put ‘em in my veins.
Here’s a two-minute glimpse of their magic in a bottle collective creative genius:
Al Pacino and Jessica Chastain Headline William Shakespeare adaptation LEAR REX
KING LEAR done by CANDYMAN (1992) director Bernard Rose. Sounds like a fun one.
Neve Campbell is Back, and It’s Gonna Be a SCREAM (VII), Baby!
Love Neve Campbell! She was my first on-screen crush in middle school and high school and I remember being a little jealous when I found out she was dating John Cusack (from 1998-2002) when he had his Malibu Ken mojo dojo beach house. Also love the first two SCREAMS (1996, 1997). Be really cool if John Cusack was the masked ghost face killer in this one or at least makes a cameo. Or! He could play the ‘Dewey’ surrogate now that David Arquette is out. Anyway, sign me up please!
Alfonso Cuarón and Cate Blanchett Making TV Magic Together
“The new Apple TV+ show, which debuts on October 11, stars Cate Blanchett as a powerful journalist who finds troubling details from her own secret past inside the pages of a lurid novel. Kevin Kline is the frail and lonesome old man who publishes it, eager to inflict not just pain, but also humiliation on the woman he believes caused his own loss and sorrows.”
I’m getting AMADEUS (1984) meets A MURDER OF CROWS (1998) vibes and I am here for it. Sign me up!
1992 Weekly World News Cover Story of Bat Child Found in Cave FINALLY a Netflix show!
I remember reading the original issue and thinking it was real until my single-mother explained to me it was legitimate fake news.
TV Users Spent 313 Billion Minutes on Streaming Platforms This Week
I’m gonna go take a long walk off a short pier. BRB!
Why can’t Rob Lowe give us a sequel to BAD INFLUENCE (1990)!?
Scott Stuber Jump-starting United Artists
Another buyer in the Hollywood market is good for movies and theaters. More diverse buyers please. Thank you. (But never forget that this buyer is the same dude that greenlit BATTLESHIP (2012).
Epic 17 Minute Trailer Showing the Chinese Invasion of Taiwan
Whoa. Talk about some controversial subject matter for a TV show! No soft balls down the middle here.
COMING SOON:
SLINGSHOT - APOLLO 13 (1995) meets EVENT HORIZON (1997) but with Casey Affleck and Larry Fishburne. Looks pretty bad. Too Plus-y for me.
THE SILENT HOUR - If Joel Kinnenmen is not careful he might find himself typecast! (He just made SILENT NIGHT 2023 with John Woo)
BAGMAN - Another PEE PEE POO POO MAN scary story title character with thee most ridiculous/hysterical title graphic —just skip to the end of the trailer to laugh with me!
THE PENGUIN - “So what if The Penguin is. . . a New York gangster?” —And? “And? Aaaaaaaand we get Colin Farrel to play him in a fat suit?” —Sold!
KAOS - Netflix trying to do SUCCESSION (2018-2023) by way of Greek mythology. Gives me CLOUD ATLAS (2012) vibes but it’s a TV show starring Jeff Goldblum as Zeus question mark?
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