Hollywood Hotline - Week of November 22, 2024
HOLLYWOOD HOTLINE Archives
Howdy Hotliners,
It’s Barbenheimer 2.0 this weekend with GLADIATOR II (2024) and WICKED (2024) going sword-to-broom in what I’m calling GladiWicked II! Woo-hoo! Get your special fuckable novelty popcorn buckets while supplies last! I currently don’t have plans to see either movie, but I’ve heard G-II only works because of Denzel, and that Wicked movie songs not as good as Wicked stage songs (but still tracking to be huge). Also, Today I Learned that The Wizard of Oz based off a real guy who disappeared during a storm in a hot air balloon, natch ;)
TOP STORY:
Luca Guadagnino Finally Smoking that DC Rock
Luca Guadagnino and Daniel Craig are re-teaming after QUEER (2024) for SGT. ROCK, which is a Warner Bros. Discovery “DC Universe” project Quentin Tarantino once considered:
“However, there is a script – I’m not going to do it – that I always really liked a lot by David Webb Peoples, who wrote UNFORGIVEN (1992) and BLADE RUNNER (1982). He wrote a movie version of SGT. ROCK that I always thought was really terrific. I don’t think I’m ever going to end up doing it but I really did like that script and it’s one of the few times I’ve considered doing another script.”
Sgt. Rock is the leader of Easy Company during World War II in the DC Universe. He was created by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert in 1959, and is one of the enduring icons of the era of war comics.
Peoples’ script dates back to 1987, and originally had Arnold Schwarzenegger attached to star. While that certainly would have made for an interesting film, it’s probably safe to assume that all parties involved have moved on.”
Apparently, Guadagnino is using his CHALLENGERS (2024) screenwriter for this new version. Meh.
Without further ado, let’s check the Hotline:
FUTURE FILMS:
GODZILLA MINUS ONE Director Going to Give Us That Barton Fink Feeling
“Following a competitive bidding war, Sony Pictures has landed the project GRANDGEAR from GODZILLA MINUS ONE (2023) director Takashi Yamazaki and Bad Robot. The studio has greenlit the pic with Yamazaki writing original screenplay, directing and producing. Bad Robot’s J.J. Abrams will also produce along with Glen Zipper. The film will mark Yamazaki’s first English language pic with plot details being kept under wraps.”
Can’t wait to see what Director Yamazaki does with a studio budget. Sign me up for this gear next year.
THE POPE’S EXORCIST Director Fighting an Alien Abduction
“[The film is about] a father who tries to mend his broken relationship with his daughter during a camping trip in the Utah wilderness, only to be attacked by a hostile extraterrestrial, determined to kidnap them and take them to an unknown and terrifying alien world. The film is currently re-casting for a planned shoot in Australia in the first half of 2025.”
THE POPE’S EXORCIST (2023) made my Top 10 list that year, which I assure you is no easy feat. Please, for the love of god, let him cast Russell Crowe in this. I am begging you my Lord, Amen.
Funny Stand Up Comedian and Friends to be BORN LOSERS
Funny man Bill Burr, is writing, producing, directing, and starring in a movie about BORN LOSERS. That’s it. That’s all I got. Sounds hilarious!
Long Lost Early Orson Welles Film Coming to DVD
“Warner Archive Blu-ray will be releasing a physical copy of the 1943 espionage thriller JOURNEY INTO FEAR, which was the third and final film Welles made under the RKO contract that commenced with CITIZEN KANE (1941).”
Very curious to see even if it doesn’t sound quite complete.
TRENDY TV:
“Counselor! Come out, come out, wherever you are!”
Javier Bardem taking over the Robert De Niro role in CAPE FEAR (1962, 1991) for AppleTV+ TEN HOUR SERIES (!!!) adaptation. My gawwwd. Low-key there was not enough story for Martin Scorsese’s two-hour version. Marty and Steven Spielberg Executive Producing in honorarium. The showrunner is Nick Antosca whose only other series, BRAND NEW CHERRY FLAVOR, 2021 I turned off for being too boring. Not a good sign!
Toys “R” Us Getting its Own Reality TV Show
Where families fight to the death over Lego sets. Two families enter, one family leaves! Two families enter, one family leaves! Two families enter, one family leaves!
Starbucks Coffee Getting into the Hollywood Producing Game
Because why not? Can’t let Chik-fil-a have all the fun building their own cinematic universe!
“Sugar23, Keanu Reeves, UltraBoom and Starbucks Studios are partnered on MADWOMAN’S GAME, a feature documentary with backdoor pilot aspirations that will be directed by Zach Zamboni, the Emmy-winning showrunner whose work includes the docuseries ANTHONY BOURDAIN: PARTS UNKNOWN (2013-2018).[Doc] follows the journey of a young Latina chess enthusiast, Bianca Mitchell-Avila, as she explores life’s lessons through the lens of the game.”
I guess with their coffee sales slipping they had to pivot into video? Pretty gross!
COMING SOON:
PARTHENOPE - I’m getting STEALING BEAUTY (1996) vibes
THE LAST SHOWGIRL - I’m getting THE WRESTLER (2008) vibes
MINECRAFT - I’m getting JUMANJI (1995, 2017, 2019) vibes
THE MADNESS - I’m getting ENEMY OF THE STATE (1998) vibes
SE7EN - New 4k restoration is getting IMAX release in January
THE STUDIO - Who says Hollywood is dead?
Today was also the day JFK was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, 1963. Perfect time to watch ONE DAY IN AMERICA (2023)
Remember! There was a conspiracy in Dallas that day! Oswald was just a patsy!
Until next week, Hotliners! Thanks for calling in.
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