Future Film Round-up

A new feature to this blog, every Wednesday or so I’ll put up some notes on developing films to be released in the future, whether in 6 months or a few years from now. I’m only going to put stuff that’s been confirmed by the filmmakers themselves, as I’m not terribly interested in rumours and such. So, news for this week:

- Director McG (Charlie’s Angels, Terminator Salvation) is making a new version of 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, and he wants Will Smith to star in it.

- A hearing between Warner Bros. and Twentieth Century Fox to decide the future of The Watchmen has been cancelled, which probably means that a settlement has been reached, and the film was be released as scheduled on March 6th.

- Getting back to the Smith family, Jaden Smith, Will’s son, is playing the lead in a new version of the Karate Kid, and now Jackie Chan has been cast as Mr. Miyagi. Pat Morita was nominated for an Oscar when he played the role, so we’ll see. Personally, I actually think Jackie Chan makes a good choice.

- A new version of John Steinbeck’s novel East of Eden is being developed, to be directed by Tom Hooper, who made this year’s John Adams mini-series for HBO. It promises to be more faithful than the 1955 version starring James Dean, which only covered The fourth and last section of Steinbeck’s novel.

- Apparently, there is a biopic of Steve McQueen in the works. Maybe they’ll explain why his car loses 6 hubcaps during the car chase from Bullitt.

- Johnny Depp is scheduled to start filming The Run Diary this March, based on the book by Hunter S. Thompson. Bruce Robinson is directing.

- Andrew Stanton, director of Finding Nemo and Wall-E will be moving to live action and directing John Carter of Mars, based on the books by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Though it will be live action, expect a considerable amount of CGI, so in the end, it shouldn’t look much different than Wall-E.

- Steven Spielberg should start filming Lincoln this year, starring Liam Neeson as the theatre-hating President of the United States.

- And finally for this week, Mickey Rourke and Sam Rockwell have been cast as villains in Iron Man 2, with Rourke as Crimson Dynamo and Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer.

Upcoming movies in the next week

Moulin Rouge - 2001, Baz Luhrman; Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor. Playing at the Mayfair on Thursday (probably won't see, though I've never seen it, and I'd like to).

I've Loved You For So Long - 2008. Kristin Scott-Thomas. Opening at the Bytowne on Friday. Not sure who the director is, but Kristin Scott-Thomas is supposed to be really good as a woman reunited with her sister after having been in prison for 15 years for a brutal murder. Was playing at Starcite in Gatineau for the past few weeks, but without English subtitles. (will probably see)

Role Models - 2008. Paul Rudd, Stiffler, McLovin. [I figured those names would mean more than the actors' real names]. Opens Friday at any theatre near you. There's a few good laughs in the trailer, so who knows, I might see it.

Shoot the Piano Player - 1960, Francois Truffaut. Truffaut's second feature demonstrates his love for old Hollywood crime films. Playing at the Bytowne next Monday, and if you're a fan of French new Wave, you have to go see it. (Will definitely see)