Variety reports that comedian Louis C.K. has quietly shot a pilot for FX. Provisionally titled Louie, the trade says the show is based on Louis C.K.’s current life as a divorced father of two. Actors play his ex-wife, kids and friends, and episodes in the show would be built from both stand-up routines and sketches. The show sounds a lot like Lucky Louie, C.K.’s previous show which ran on HBO. It had a similar ‘based on reality’ structure, though I expect the FC show could be slightly less confrontational.
The trade report has an unusual amount of detail, but the show has an unusual genesis. C.K. relates that he said to FX, “wire me a quarter of a million dollars and I’ll give you a DVD in a month, and amazingly, they did. Because it was only $250,000 they had the reasonable expectation that I wasn’t going to disappear with the money. To them, it’s a low-risk thing, and for me, I was able to try different stuff.” The pilot has two stories, one in which the character Louie chaperones a field trip for his child’s class, to disastrous result, and one where he has a bad date experience. (Not an Indiana Jones style bad date experience.) “It’s a unified stream of conciousness,” the comedian says. “It all comes from me being a 41-year-old divorced comic trying to raise children, meet people and have sex.”
And if you missed the news earlier this week (I did) CK has also been added to NBC’s Parks and Recreation, where he’ll appear in a multi-episode story arc as a potential love interest for Amy Poehler’s character. Finally, you can see him soon in The Invention of Lying; he gets a few moments in the international trailer.
All of this is great news, as far as I’m concerned. His stand-up special Shameless is one of my favorite pieces of stand-up comedy; I can’t count how many times I’ve watched it. When he’s on, C.K. has a dry delivery that kills. Lucky Louie never got a fair shot on HBO, and I hope he can make this show work.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Sam Worthington Likely As McG’s Nemo, Updates on Terminator 5
McG has been hyping the upcoming TV series Human Target on the TCA press tour and by the by discussing his plans for another Terminator and also his 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea adaptation. Previously, McG had suggested he had Will Smith in mind for the role of Captain Nemo. Of course, Nemo is an Indian in the books, and Smith is not so it was clear that McG was willing to take some liberties. He still is, because according to an interview with IGN, his new top choice is none other than Sam Worthington.
Worthington played Marcus in McG’s under-appreciated yet definitely underwhelming Terminator Salvation, and will soon be seen in Avatar and Louis Leterrier’s Clash of the Titans. McG’s definitely a fan:
Look out for Clash of the Titans because Clash is going to be really good – I’ve seen some of that. Now he’s doing The Tourist with Charlize [Theron]. He’s all over the place, and I might cast him as Nemo if it’s in the cards. We’ll see.
So, it seems perhaps that negotiations are all that stand between this rumor and an official announcement - scheduling and pay and all that jazz. IGN also asked McG about the ongoing development of Terminator 5. Here’s some of what he told them:
The idea is to play with one of the tried and true rules of the franchise – time travel – and introduce it in this picture. I don’t want to share too much, but let’s just say it’s very, very likely that John Connor is going to end up running through rooms like this where he knows something that none of us know. And we’ll have a much more clearly defined antagonist in the new picture. It will be more of a chase movie with a new Terminator that is on your ass.
Doesn’t sound too bad. According to what we’ve heard already, the destination for John Connor’s time travel will be London circa 2011. And back then, in June, McG was also threatening a large scale invasion from the future:
[Skynet] figured out time travel to the degree where they can send more than one naked entity. So you’re going to have hunter killers and transports and harvesters and everything arriving in our time and Connor fighting back with conventional military warfare, which I think is going to be f**king awesome.
Doesn’t seem to mesh entirely with the “clearly defined antagonist”, but that’s not necessarily the case. I remain highly optimistic for the next McG Terminator film - should it ever happen. I’m just sorry that Christian Bale and his daft voice will be involved, and that Jonathan Nolan will probably be dragged along for the ride too.
Worthington played Marcus in McG’s under-appreciated yet definitely underwhelming Terminator Salvation, and will soon be seen in Avatar and Louis Leterrier’s Clash of the Titans. McG’s definitely a fan:
Look out for Clash of the Titans because Clash is going to be really good – I’ve seen some of that. Now he’s doing The Tourist with Charlize [Theron]. He’s all over the place, and I might cast him as Nemo if it’s in the cards. We’ll see.
So, it seems perhaps that negotiations are all that stand between this rumor and an official announcement - scheduling and pay and all that jazz. IGN also asked McG about the ongoing development of Terminator 5. Here’s some of what he told them:
The idea is to play with one of the tried and true rules of the franchise – time travel – and introduce it in this picture. I don’t want to share too much, but let’s just say it’s very, very likely that John Connor is going to end up running through rooms like this where he knows something that none of us know. And we’ll have a much more clearly defined antagonist in the new picture. It will be more of a chase movie with a new Terminator that is on your ass.
Doesn’t sound too bad. According to what we’ve heard already, the destination for John Connor’s time travel will be London circa 2011. And back then, in June, McG was also threatening a large scale invasion from the future:
[Skynet] figured out time travel to the degree where they can send more than one naked entity. So you’re going to have hunter killers and transports and harvesters and everything arriving in our time and Connor fighting back with conventional military warfare, which I think is going to be f**king awesome.
Doesn’t seem to mesh entirely with the “clearly defined antagonist”, but that’s not necessarily the case. I remain highly optimistic for the next McG Terminator film - should it ever happen. I’m just sorry that Christian Bale and his daft voice will be involved, and that Jonathan Nolan will probably be dragged along for the ride too.
NBC: Chuck Won't Return Until March 2010
Forget what you heard at Comic-Con: As of Wednesday, Chuck will not return to your television any sooner than next spring.
At the NBC executive panel, Angela Bromstad, the net's president of primetime, said that reports of an early return for Chuck have been somewhat exaggerated. Season 3 will run for 13 episodes beginning in March.
But there was a glimmer of hope. In a larger conversation about the relative successes and failures of shows like The Listener, The Philanthropist and Merlin this summer, Bromstad discussed the possibility of extending Chuck's episode order to help launch a more high-profile summer 2010 slate. "Right now we're asking ourselves: Is this something we let run into the summer season?" she said. "But we haven't decided."
For those keeping score at home, NBC has also announced that Friday Night Lights wouldn't return until summer 2010, after a fall run on DirecTV. Bromstad, a self-proclaimed FNL fan, admitted that its ratings don't justify a slot in the fall lineup.
At the NBC executive panel, Angela Bromstad, the net's president of primetime, said that reports of an early return for Chuck have been somewhat exaggerated. Season 3 will run for 13 episodes beginning in March.
But there was a glimmer of hope. In a larger conversation about the relative successes and failures of shows like The Listener, The Philanthropist and Merlin this summer, Bromstad discussed the possibility of extending Chuck's episode order to help launch a more high-profile summer 2010 slate. "Right now we're asking ourselves: Is this something we let run into the summer season?" she said. "But we haven't decided."
For those keeping score at home, NBC has also announced that Friday Night Lights wouldn't return until summer 2010, after a fall run on DirecTV. Bromstad, a self-proclaimed FNL fan, admitted that its ratings don't justify a slot in the fall lineup.
New Writing Duo Joining J.J. Abrams on Mission: Impossible 4
It looks like another pair of writers who worked with J.J. Abrams are being tasked with the screenplay for Mission: Impossible IV. Variety is reporting that Josh Applebaum and Andrew Nemec, formerly co-exec producers on Alias, are working on the next entry in the MI series which will be co-produced by Abrams and Tom Cruise(as we’ve reported earlier). They will be taking over screenwriting duties for Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, who are currently busy with Fringe and the next Star Trek film. There is no confirmed director as of yet (Abrams is pretty busy these days, after all), and it seems that we’re not even sure how involved Cruise’s Ethan Hunt will be in the film.
Given how well MI:3 turned out, I’m not shocked that Abrams is still involved in some capacity. And while I’d like to see him return to direct, I’d be very surprised if he does. MI:3 proved he could make a big-budget action film, but right now it makes more sense for him to focus on the Star Trek franchise given that film’s massive success. There are also many Abrams proteges to choose from (I’d honestly love to see what Matt Reeves could do with the franchise), so he could still keep the production within the family.
Abrams had this to say on the Applebaum/Nemec collaboration:
I’ve been looking forward to working with Josh and Andre again for years. Their sense of balance between character and action is wonderful, which I know is hugely important to Tom as well. We’re off to an exciting start, so, as usual, fingers crossed.
Mission: Impossible IV is currently aimed for a 2011 release (hopefully by then Cruise will return to being more of a bankable star).
Given how well MI:3 turned out, I’m not shocked that Abrams is still involved in some capacity. And while I’d like to see him return to direct, I’d be very surprised if he does. MI:3 proved he could make a big-budget action film, but right now it makes more sense for him to focus on the Star Trek franchise given that film’s massive success. There are also many Abrams proteges to choose from (I’d honestly love to see what Matt Reeves could do with the franchise), so he could still keep the production within the family.
Abrams had this to say on the Applebaum/Nemec collaboration:
I’ve been looking forward to working with Josh and Andre again for years. Their sense of balance between character and action is wonderful, which I know is hugely important to Tom as well. We’re off to an exciting start, so, as usual, fingers crossed.
Mission: Impossible IV is currently aimed for a 2011 release (hopefully by then Cruise will return to being more of a bankable star).
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Peter Berg Talks Dune
Last year it was announced that Peter Berg would be directing a new adaptation of Frank Herbert’s massive and influential novel Dune. We haven’t yet heard much about what Berg plans to do with his version, which will be the third filmed take on the story. SciFiWire caught up with Berg, who reveals that there is not yet a script, but says “there’s a more dynamic film to be made” from the novel.
[The book] was much more muscular and adventurous, more violent and possibly even a little bit more fun. I think those are all elements of my experience of the book that can be brought in without offending the die-hard fans of the Bene Gesserit and Kwisatz Haderach. There’s a more dynamic film to be made.
‘Dynamic’ I can see. David Lynch’s 1984 version was ponderous (though it has moments of exaltation and amazing sets) while the 2000 Sci Fi Channel mini-series was overly pagebound. It kept a lot of the details Lynch had to cut, and left out most of the art. Yet scripting a dynamic film that properly deals with two warring political houses who are scrabbling over the planet Arakkis and the valuable spice it exclusively produces has proven to be a difficult task, if those previous efforts are any example. There’s a lot of politics to cover, a great deal of mystical mumbo jumbo and no small amount of pure science fiction.
But audiences now are accustomed to a faster storytelling pace, especially when it comes to establishing settings and background, so Berg may have a little wiggle room that Lynch didn’t. Just look at the opening titles to Berg’s The Kingdom, which you can see at Yahoo, for an example of how he might contract years of galactic history and intrigue into a few minutes. I do hope Berg has better luck than Lynch. “Dune took me off at the knees. Maybe a little higher,” Lynch said of his experience, which was a difficult and expensive production that earned scathing reviews.
[The book] was much more muscular and adventurous, more violent and possibly even a little bit more fun. I think those are all elements of my experience of the book that can be brought in without offending the die-hard fans of the Bene Gesserit and Kwisatz Haderach. There’s a more dynamic film to be made.
‘Dynamic’ I can see. David Lynch’s 1984 version was ponderous (though it has moments of exaltation and amazing sets) while the 2000 Sci Fi Channel mini-series was overly pagebound. It kept a lot of the details Lynch had to cut, and left out most of the art. Yet scripting a dynamic film that properly deals with two warring political houses who are scrabbling over the planet Arakkis and the valuable spice it exclusively produces has proven to be a difficult task, if those previous efforts are any example. There’s a lot of politics to cover, a great deal of mystical mumbo jumbo and no small amount of pure science fiction.
But audiences now are accustomed to a faster storytelling pace, especially when it comes to establishing settings and background, so Berg may have a little wiggle room that Lynch didn’t. Just look at the opening titles to Berg’s The Kingdom, which you can see at Yahoo, for an example of how he might contract years of galactic history and intrigue into a few minutes. I do hope Berg has better luck than Lynch. “Dune took me off at the knees. Maybe a little higher,” Lynch said of his experience, which was a difficult and expensive production that earned scathing reviews.
Brian Henson Updates On New Dark Crystal and Fraggle Rock Pictures
In a chat with MTV, Kermit-heir Brian Henson has given the world an update on the long promised Dark Crystal sequel and Fraggle Rock spin off movie. Both, he tells us, are progressing nicely and could be entering pre-production soon. Blimey. I’m not too disbelieving about the Fraggle picture but the perennially on-off Dark Crystal sequel… well, I’m hopeful anyway. We can say that.
The plan with the Fraggle film is to net a broader audience than the TV show. Here’s Henson:
It’ll have a strong musical component. It’ll be expanded to an older audience. Fraggle Rock’ [the TV show] was presented… for a pretty exclusively children’s audience. The feature film does expand it to be more accessible to a wider audience.
Adding songs to make it accessible to a wider audience? That’s a new one on me.
As for The Power of the Dark Crystal, a film we’ve had swung about like a carrot on a string for a generation now, Henson promises good things:
It has a very strong script.
MTV’s italics, Henson’s emphasis.
I’ve got a very deep affection for most things Henson, from the Muppets to the more animatronic creations and even their more recent dalliances with animation. I’d honestly love to see Doozers crawling over the big screen, or Skeksis duelling once again.
Apparently, Dave McKean’s Mirrormask came into being because the Hensons wanted to make a fantasy film on a budget. Dark Crystal and Labyrinth do such strong ongoing business on disc and this had not escaped the attention of the Henson. They seized the opportunity to seed another long-term investment, and McKean’s film was cooked up on a tight, tight budget. Perhaps it didn’t do as well as they’d hoped, because the plan now seems instead to be knotted up with restarting existing franchises and brands.
Perhaps if MTV had thought to ask about the Hensons’ in-development movie of Edward Gorey’s The Doubtful Guest I’d be reporting something really exciting. I think that’s the picture they’ve been developing that I’m most keen to see. It’s not an existing movie (despite being an adaptation, I know) and it is a truly wonderful book - a Where the Wild Things Are with a smaller installed audience? Shouldn’t mean it couldn’t be as exciting.
The plan with the Fraggle film is to net a broader audience than the TV show. Here’s Henson:
It’ll have a strong musical component. It’ll be expanded to an older audience. Fraggle Rock’ [the TV show] was presented… for a pretty exclusively children’s audience. The feature film does expand it to be more accessible to a wider audience.
Adding songs to make it accessible to a wider audience? That’s a new one on me.
As for The Power of the Dark Crystal, a film we’ve had swung about like a carrot on a string for a generation now, Henson promises good things:
It has a very strong script.
MTV’s italics, Henson’s emphasis.
I’ve got a very deep affection for most things Henson, from the Muppets to the more animatronic creations and even their more recent dalliances with animation. I’d honestly love to see Doozers crawling over the big screen, or Skeksis duelling once again.
Apparently, Dave McKean’s Mirrormask came into being because the Hensons wanted to make a fantasy film on a budget. Dark Crystal and Labyrinth do such strong ongoing business on disc and this had not escaped the attention of the Henson. They seized the opportunity to seed another long-term investment, and McKean’s film was cooked up on a tight, tight budget. Perhaps it didn’t do as well as they’d hoped, because the plan now seems instead to be knotted up with restarting existing franchises and brands.
Perhaps if MTV had thought to ask about the Hensons’ in-development movie of Edward Gorey’s The Doubtful Guest I’d be reporting something really exciting. I think that’s the picture they’ve been developing that I’m most keen to see. It’s not an existing movie (despite being an adaptation, I know) and it is a truly wonderful book - a Where the Wild Things Are with a smaller installed audience? Shouldn’t mean it couldn’t be as exciting.
Zach Galifianakis Guardedly Talks Hangover 2
IGN has a good interview with Zach Galifianakis, conducted recently at the Television Critics Association confab, and he talked a bit about The Hangover 2. Specifically, the comedian sounds like he’s not just racing to do the film because he can, which is a relief.
Hangover director Todd Phillips and his writing partner Scot Armstrong are currently writing the follow-up, and there has been a lot of speculation about where it will go, and whether it could be justified at all. We’re not the only ones speculating, as Galifianakis says:
I haven’t seen the script. I’m not running to do The Hangover 2. I told Todd, the last thing I want is the Police Academy chain all of the sudden, where I’m only known from… You’ve got to be careful with something like that. The movie’s really good, why bother with a sequel? And I’m not saying that I’m not going to do it. I’m just posing these questions. These are things I ask Todd. Obviously, the reason is executives have Bentleys to pay for. I would love, love, love to work with those guys again. The script has to be good! But I’m working with Todd on a movie we’ll be shooting in about six weeks. So I’ll do that first, and then we’ll see how it goes.
Galifianakis says less about that movie he’s doing in six weeks: Due Date, the other road trip movie he’s doing with Phillips. That one got a lot more interesting when Robert Downey, Jr. was added as the guy Galifianakis is escorting across the country. I was seriously ambivalent about the film based on the logline (as I was, I’ll admit, about The Hangover) but with those two in the front seats you’d have to be dead not to see the potential.
Hangover director Todd Phillips and his writing partner Scot Armstrong are currently writing the follow-up, and there has been a lot of speculation about where it will go, and whether it could be justified at all. We’re not the only ones speculating, as Galifianakis says:
I haven’t seen the script. I’m not running to do The Hangover 2. I told Todd, the last thing I want is the Police Academy chain all of the sudden, where I’m only known from… You’ve got to be careful with something like that. The movie’s really good, why bother with a sequel? And I’m not saying that I’m not going to do it. I’m just posing these questions. These are things I ask Todd. Obviously, the reason is executives have Bentleys to pay for. I would love, love, love to work with those guys again. The script has to be good! But I’m working with Todd on a movie we’ll be shooting in about six weeks. So I’ll do that first, and then we’ll see how it goes.
Galifianakis says less about that movie he’s doing in six weeks: Due Date, the other road trip movie he’s doing with Phillips. That one got a lot more interesting when Robert Downey, Jr. was added as the guy Galifianakis is escorting across the country. I was seriously ambivalent about the film based on the logline (as I was, I’ll admit, about The Hangover) but with those two in the front seats you’d have to be dead not to see the potential.
Paula Abdul Exits American Idol
Paula Abdul has announced on her Twitter account that she will not be returning to "American Idol' for another season.
"With sadness in my heart, I've decided not to return to IDOL," she said. "I'll miss nurturing all the new talent, but most of all being a part of a show that I helped from day 1 become an international phenomenon. What I want to say most, is how much I appreciate the undying support and enormous love that you have showered upon me. It truly has been breathtaking, especially over the past month. I do without any doubt have the BEST fans in the entire world and I love you all."
Fox said, "Paula Abdul has been an important part of the American Idol family over the last eight seasons and we are saddened that she has decided not to return to the show. While Paula will not be continuing with us, she's a tremendous talent and we wish her the best."
Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGaurdi are returning as judges with Ryan Seacrest once again hosting the show.
"With sadness in my heart, I've decided not to return to IDOL," she said. "I'll miss nurturing all the new talent, but most of all being a part of a show that I helped from day 1 become an international phenomenon. What I want to say most, is how much I appreciate the undying support and enormous love that you have showered upon me. It truly has been breathtaking, especially over the past month. I do without any doubt have the BEST fans in the entire world and I love you all."
Fox said, "Paula Abdul has been an important part of the American Idol family over the last eight seasons and we are saddened that she has decided not to return to the show. While Paula will not be continuing with us, she's a tremendous talent and we wish her the best."
Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGaurdi are returning as judges with Ryan Seacrest once again hosting the show.
USA Network Announces New Cast of Characters
USA Network has announced its new cast of characters with a 2010 development slate of original branded concepts. Contributing to the slate are the creative talents behind some of television and film's biggest hits, including Stephen J. Cannell, Mike Newell, Tom Fontana, Steve Stark, David Breckman and Randy Zisk. The slate was announced today by Jeff Wachtel, president, USA original programming & co-head, original content, Universal Cable Productions.
"USA's development slate reflects our continued commitment to creating uniquely appealing characters," said Wachtel. "One year after forming Universal Cable Productions, the studio is moving ahead with an aggressive lineup for 2009/2010."
USA Network's upcoming slate includes:
FACING KATE
A new spin on a legal franchise featuring a mediator from a family of corporate lawyers. From Universal Cable Productions. Executive producer and writer is Michael Sardo ("The American Embassy," "Caroline in the City"). Steve Stark ("Medium") is executive producer.
CRASH DUMMIES
A veteran Hollywood stuntman, his reluctant son and a team of offbeat movie magic specialists. From Universal Cable Productions. Executive Producer is Matt Pyken ("Knight Rider"). Producers are Jack Gill and Steve Jensen. Actor John Schneider ("Smallville," "The Dukes of Hazzard") will star and produce. CRASH DUMMIES is produced by Reveille ("The Office," "Ugly Betty").
GOOD COP, BAD COP
Sibling rivalry is taken to new heights when an estranged brother and sister are paired up as cops in their small hometown. From Universal Cable Productions. Writer is John Quaintance ("Notes from the Underbelly," "Joey").
LOUISE CANDELL
A female attorney, whose star was on the rise, unexpectedly becomes a star on YouTube . . . for all the wrong reasons. From Universal Cable Productions. Writer is Matthew Lieberman ("Judging Amy"). John Wirth ("Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles") is also an executive producer on the project.
BUSY BODIES
A soccer mom teams up with a gay stay-at-home dad to solve mysteries in the suburbs. From Universal Cable Productions. Writer is Billy Finnegan (playwright for "Esther Damsack"). Executive producer is Jimmy Miller ("Get Smart," "Step Brothers," "Elf") from Mosaic. Producers are Sam Hansen and Ann Blanchard also from Mosaic.
ROCK DOC
A famous rock star leaves the music business to go to medical school. From Universal Cable Productions. Writer is Todd Samovitz ("Wonderland"). Executive producers are Mike Newell ("Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," "Four Weddings and a Funeral"), Laverne McKinnon and Mary Martin.
STEPHEN J. CANNELL/SCOTT KAUFER PROJECT
An ex-con car mechanic goes undercover. From Universal Cable Productions. From Executive Producer Stephen J. Cannell ("The A-Team," "The Rockford Files"), with Scott Kaufer ("3 lbs," "Boston Legal") as executive producer.
HOTEL DIX
An old school hotel detective is brought back to work at a modern hotel. From Universal Cable Productions. Executive producer/writer is Tom Fontana ("The Philanthropist," "Oz," "Homicide: Life on the Street"). Adam Bernstein ("30 Rock," "Worst Week") is also an executive producer and attached to direct.
GOURMET DETECTIVE
A food detective travels the world and stumbles across mysteries of the palate . . . and murder. From Universal Cable Productions. Executive producer and writer are David Breckman and Randy Zisk (MONK). Producer is Steve Valentine ("Crossing Jordan," "Spiderman").
"USA's development slate reflects our continued commitment to creating uniquely appealing characters," said Wachtel. "One year after forming Universal Cable Productions, the studio is moving ahead with an aggressive lineup for 2009/2010."
USA Network's upcoming slate includes:
FACING KATE
A new spin on a legal franchise featuring a mediator from a family of corporate lawyers. From Universal Cable Productions. Executive producer and writer is Michael Sardo ("The American Embassy," "Caroline in the City"). Steve Stark ("Medium") is executive producer.
CRASH DUMMIES
A veteran Hollywood stuntman, his reluctant son and a team of offbeat movie magic specialists. From Universal Cable Productions. Executive Producer is Matt Pyken ("Knight Rider"). Producers are Jack Gill and Steve Jensen. Actor John Schneider ("Smallville," "The Dukes of Hazzard") will star and produce. CRASH DUMMIES is produced by Reveille ("The Office," "Ugly Betty").
GOOD COP, BAD COP
Sibling rivalry is taken to new heights when an estranged brother and sister are paired up as cops in their small hometown. From Universal Cable Productions. Writer is John Quaintance ("Notes from the Underbelly," "Joey").
LOUISE CANDELL
A female attorney, whose star was on the rise, unexpectedly becomes a star on YouTube . . . for all the wrong reasons. From Universal Cable Productions. Writer is Matthew Lieberman ("Judging Amy"). John Wirth ("Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles") is also an executive producer on the project.
BUSY BODIES
A soccer mom teams up with a gay stay-at-home dad to solve mysteries in the suburbs. From Universal Cable Productions. Writer is Billy Finnegan (playwright for "Esther Damsack"). Executive producer is Jimmy Miller ("Get Smart," "Step Brothers," "Elf") from Mosaic. Producers are Sam Hansen and Ann Blanchard also from Mosaic.
ROCK DOC
A famous rock star leaves the music business to go to medical school. From Universal Cable Productions. Writer is Todd Samovitz ("Wonderland"). Executive producers are Mike Newell ("Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," "Four Weddings and a Funeral"), Laverne McKinnon and Mary Martin.
STEPHEN J. CANNELL/SCOTT KAUFER PROJECT
An ex-con car mechanic goes undercover. From Universal Cable Productions. From Executive Producer Stephen J. Cannell ("The A-Team," "The Rockford Files"), with Scott Kaufer ("3 lbs," "Boston Legal") as executive producer.
HOTEL DIX
An old school hotel detective is brought back to work at a modern hotel. From Universal Cable Productions. Executive producer/writer is Tom Fontana ("The Philanthropist," "Oz," "Homicide: Life on the Street"). Adam Bernstein ("30 Rock," "Worst Week") is also an executive producer and attached to direct.
GOURMET DETECTIVE
A food detective travels the world and stumbles across mysteries of the palate . . . and murder. From Universal Cable Productions. Executive producer and writer are David Breckman and Randy Zisk (MONK). Producer is Steve Valentine ("Crossing Jordan," "Spiderman").
Conduit Developers Want To Do Sequel
High Voltage has more stories to tell in the series. Fans need to buy more copies.
Fans hoping for a sequel to Nintendo's exclusive first-person shooter will have to buy a couple more copies each.
According to the Radio-Blodec podcast (via Nintendoeverything), High Voltage Software, the developer, would love to continue the series.
Producer Joshua Olsen was asked about the impact the sales for the first game will have on the possibility of doing a sequel.
"I have no idea, it all depends on the fans and sales but it's a little early for now to assume anything," said Olsen.
"Anyway, we are very interested to make a sequel to The Conduit, it's quite a robust world and there are more stories we want to tell."
So, are there plans to make a sequel?
"Sure there are, The Conduit is the first part for our hero and we want to make more parts to tell more things about him," he added.
If everyone who bought The Conduit the first time would buy three more copies each, that would probably be enough.
Fans hoping for a sequel to Nintendo's exclusive first-person shooter will have to buy a couple more copies each.
According to the Radio-Blodec podcast (via Nintendoeverything), High Voltage Software, the developer, would love to continue the series.
Producer Joshua Olsen was asked about the impact the sales for the first game will have on the possibility of doing a sequel.
"I have no idea, it all depends on the fans and sales but it's a little early for now to assume anything," said Olsen.
"Anyway, we are very interested to make a sequel to The Conduit, it's quite a robust world and there are more stories we want to tell."
So, are there plans to make a sequel?
"Sure there are, The Conduit is the first part for our hero and we want to make more parts to tell more things about him," he added.
If everyone who bought The Conduit the first time would buy three more copies each, that would probably be enough.
Agent: Roy, Blazers agree to five-year extension
Now that two-time All-Star Brandon Roy and the Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to a five-year contract extension, his agent says it is possible Roy will stay in his native Northwest for his entire career.
Agent Bob Myers confirmed to The Associated Press late Wednesday night that Roy has agreed in principle to a five-year contract at the NBA maximum salary. Myers said the fifth year, ending in 2015, is at Roy's option.
Myers said he's expecting the Blazers to hold a news conference on Friday to announce the deal, which was first reported Wednesday by Yahoo! Sports.
The extension could be worth more than $80 million, depending on what the league's salary cap is for the 2010-11 season. That would be the second-richest in Portland's history.
The 25-year-old Roy will earn just under $4 million this season, the final year of his rookie contract. The new deal is likely to net him around $14 million for the 2010-11 season, and he will receive 10.5 percent raises on his base salary each season from 2011-2012 through the end of the deal.
Myers acknowledged it is rare for players today to remain with one team for their entire careers because of free agency and the salary cap, but said Roy "is one of the unique players to have a chance to have that sort of relationship with one team."
"Both sides would benefit in that arrangement," Myers said.
The 25-year-old Roy led the Blazers with 22.6 points and 5.1 assists per game last season, his third in the league. The Seattle native and 2006 Pac-10 player of the year at Washington was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2007 as the No. 6 overall pick by Minnesota, who traded his rights to Portland.
The versatile, high-scoring guard helped the Blazers go 54-28 last season, which they began as the second-youngest team in the NBA and ended with their first postseason appearance since 2003. Roy scored 52 points in a game against Phoenix in December, the second-most points scored in a game by a Blazers player.
In the process, he and the team won back a fan base that had been jaded by the so-called Jail Blazers of the recent past.
Portland was 21-61 in the season before Roy arrived.
Agent Bob Myers confirmed to The Associated Press late Wednesday night that Roy has agreed in principle to a five-year contract at the NBA maximum salary. Myers said the fifth year, ending in 2015, is at Roy's option.
Myers said he's expecting the Blazers to hold a news conference on Friday to announce the deal, which was first reported Wednesday by Yahoo! Sports.
The extension could be worth more than $80 million, depending on what the league's salary cap is for the 2010-11 season. That would be the second-richest in Portland's history.
The 25-year-old Roy will earn just under $4 million this season, the final year of his rookie contract. The new deal is likely to net him around $14 million for the 2010-11 season, and he will receive 10.5 percent raises on his base salary each season from 2011-2012 through the end of the deal.
Myers acknowledged it is rare for players today to remain with one team for their entire careers because of free agency and the salary cap, but said Roy "is one of the unique players to have a chance to have that sort of relationship with one team."
"Both sides would benefit in that arrangement," Myers said.
The 25-year-old Roy led the Blazers with 22.6 points and 5.1 assists per game last season, his third in the league. The Seattle native and 2006 Pac-10 player of the year at Washington was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2007 as the No. 6 overall pick by Minnesota, who traded his rights to Portland.
The versatile, high-scoring guard helped the Blazers go 54-28 last season, which they began as the second-youngest team in the NBA and ended with their first postseason appearance since 2003. Roy scored 52 points in a game against Phoenix in December, the second-most points scored in a game by a Blazers player.
In the process, he and the team won back a fan base that had been jaded by the so-called Jail Blazers of the recent past.
Portland was 21-61 in the season before Roy arrived.
School of Rock Writer Mike White’s New Spec Bought By Columbia
There was a minute where Mike White seemed poised to break out in a big way. He wrote and co-starred in School of Rock after being a supervising producer and writer on Freaks and Geeks. But the time after School of Rock seemed to be fallow as many of his next projects have taken time to develop. Which is why I’m happy to see that, according to Variety, White has sold a spec script to Columbia called Babe in the Woods. (He also appears in Columbia’s Zombieland; you can see him briefly in the red band trailer released today.) More on the new project after the jump.
No cast or director are attached to the script yet; the trade says White will polish the draft before sending it out. The story follows “a female freshman from the Midwest who arrives at Yale and becomes a target of the New Jersey mob.” The script is designed as an action-comedy, and I like the setup simply for the fact that we don’t see a lot of broad films of that type with a female lead. This could be an opportunity for any number of young actresses (Aubrey Plaza?) to do something that will easily snag an audience and make a few bucks.
White has plenty of other stuff going on. He’s scripting the School of Rock sequel, as expected. He produced and appears in Gentlemen Broncos, the new film from Jared Hess with Sam Rockwell and Jermain Clement about a young writer who attends a fantasy convention to find that his ideas have been stolen by another novelist. (White previously wrote Nacho Libre for Hess.) Finally, he’s working with Scott Rudin to adapt Sean Wilsey’s memoir Oh the Glory of it All; White wrote and is producing. It’s a lot of work; turns out the last few years haven’t been fallow at all, just quiet.
No cast or director are attached to the script yet; the trade says White will polish the draft before sending it out. The story follows “a female freshman from the Midwest who arrives at Yale and becomes a target of the New Jersey mob.” The script is designed as an action-comedy, and I like the setup simply for the fact that we don’t see a lot of broad films of that type with a female lead. This could be an opportunity for any number of young actresses (Aubrey Plaza?) to do something that will easily snag an audience and make a few bucks.
White has plenty of other stuff going on. He’s scripting the School of Rock sequel, as expected. He produced and appears in Gentlemen Broncos, the new film from Jared Hess with Sam Rockwell and Jermain Clement about a young writer who attends a fantasy convention to find that his ideas have been stolen by another novelist. (White previously wrote Nacho Libre for Hess.) Finally, he’s working with Scott Rudin to adapt Sean Wilsey’s memoir Oh the Glory of it All; White wrote and is producing. It’s a lot of work; turns out the last few years haven’t been fallow at all, just quiet.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Jason Segel Joins The Adventurer’s Handbook
Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, I Love You Man) has joined the cast of The Adventurer’s Handbook. In February, Jonah Hill and his friend/writing partner Max Winkler (yes, Henry Winkler’s son) sold a spec screenplay, originally titled Adventurer’s Club, for a seven figure deal to Universal, with Lonely Island/SNL Digital Shorts/Hot Rod director Akiva Schaffer attached to direct. The story “centers on four 20-something guys who, inspired by a book [Mick Conefrey's non fiction handbook], set out overseas in search of a mysterious location described in the book.” It has been described as “an edgy, broad comedy” likely to be R-rated.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Segel will play one of the four friends, “a talented musician who never got his act together, becoming a backup piano player and an alcoholic.” Hill plays an “engineer, isolated from his family,” and Jason Schwartzman will play “a spoiled and cowardly three-time Grammy winner.” You can start to see how this dynamic will work, and Schwartzman and Segel seem to be specifically cast to take advantage of their musical backgrounds (which almost guarantees a hilarious musical sequence).
Unless Winkler plans on making his acting debut (actually, he did have a cameo in Cop and 1/2), then a fourth actor has not yet been announced. Universal hopes to have the film in production by early next year, which means we’ll likely learn who the fourth member of the group is pretty soon.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Segel will play one of the four friends, “a talented musician who never got his act together, becoming a backup piano player and an alcoholic.” Hill plays an “engineer, isolated from his family,” and Jason Schwartzman will play “a spoiled and cowardly three-time Grammy winner.” You can start to see how this dynamic will work, and Schwartzman and Segel seem to be specifically cast to take advantage of their musical backgrounds (which almost guarantees a hilarious musical sequence).
Unless Winkler plans on making his acting debut (actually, he did have a cameo in Cop and 1/2), then a fourth actor has not yet been announced. Universal hopes to have the film in production by early next year, which means we’ll likely learn who the fourth member of the group is pretty soon.
Larry Fessenden Directing US Remake of The Orphanage
The long threatened promised US remake of The Orphanage has found its director and, frankly, I couldn’t be happier. Larry Fessenden is the man, and as well as signing on to helm this picture through production, he’s already co-written the remake script with the original’s producer, Guillermo del Toro.
This is very possibly not going to be a fashionable opinion but I see no reason why they won’t make a better film than J.A. Bayona’s original. I did like the 2007 version but definitely not to the extent of drop-down fainting witnessed in many of peers. And anyway, even if I had found it the best film of the year I’d still passionately support del Toro and Fessenden’s right to rework it. This isn’t Spielberg having a grasp at Harvey.
Fessenden’s most famous prior pictures would be The Last Winter and Wendigo, each of them ecological horror films about forces of nature pushing makind into some rather sticky situations - so, revenge films, essentially, and each of them amongst my favourite films of their release years. Less well seen were his earlier works No Telling, a Frankenstein story, and Habit, which dealt with vampires. You can see how the monster-loving del Toro found a suitable collaborator here very easily.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the casting of the female lead for the new Orphanage is currently underway. I’ve got an eerie premonition they’ll be nodding towards Tilda Swinton (who acted alongside Fessenden in Broken Flowers), though only time will tell. Watch this space for my victory lap or crow-pie dinner.
In associated news, it seems that Fessenden’s own indie production company, Glass Eye Pix, have completed production on a feature film shot entirely on a DSLR camera. Joe Maggio’s Bitter Feast was shot in 15 days on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II. I should point out that this was using the video facility, not pixelated from an incredibly long and tricky series of still frames.
There’s more on Bitter Feast at Indie Wire, while the film’s official site currently loops back to the page for Scareflix, Glass Eye’s slate of horror fare. The other two 2010 pictures being touted are Stake Land and Hypothermia, both of which have interesting promo artwork.
It’s a good time to get to know Larry Fessenden if you didn’t already.
This is very possibly not going to be a fashionable opinion but I see no reason why they won’t make a better film than J.A. Bayona’s original. I did like the 2007 version but definitely not to the extent of drop-down fainting witnessed in many of peers. And anyway, even if I had found it the best film of the year I’d still passionately support del Toro and Fessenden’s right to rework it. This isn’t Spielberg having a grasp at Harvey.
Fessenden’s most famous prior pictures would be The Last Winter and Wendigo, each of them ecological horror films about forces of nature pushing makind into some rather sticky situations - so, revenge films, essentially, and each of them amongst my favourite films of their release years. Less well seen were his earlier works No Telling, a Frankenstein story, and Habit, which dealt with vampires. You can see how the monster-loving del Toro found a suitable collaborator here very easily.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the casting of the female lead for the new Orphanage is currently underway. I’ve got an eerie premonition they’ll be nodding towards Tilda Swinton (who acted alongside Fessenden in Broken Flowers), though only time will tell. Watch this space for my victory lap or crow-pie dinner.
In associated news, it seems that Fessenden’s own indie production company, Glass Eye Pix, have completed production on a feature film shot entirely on a DSLR camera. Joe Maggio’s Bitter Feast was shot in 15 days on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II. I should point out that this was using the video facility, not pixelated from an incredibly long and tricky series of still frames.
There’s more on Bitter Feast at Indie Wire, while the film’s official site currently loops back to the page for Scareflix, Glass Eye’s slate of horror fare. The other two 2010 pictures being touted are Stake Land and Hypothermia, both of which have interesting promo artwork.
It’s a good time to get to know Larry Fessenden if you didn’t already.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Hugh Jackman is The Greatest Showman on Earth
Variety reports that 20th Century Fox has attached Hugh Jackman to play American showman P.T. Barnum in The Greatest Showman on Earth, an original contemporary musical to be written by Jenny Bicks (Sex and the City).
The film will be produced by Laurence Mark (Dreamgirls), Jackman and his Seed partner John Palermo.
Jackman will play the showman with a penchant for hoaxing a gullible public as he creates the three-ring circus that made him famous. The musical also focuses on his infatuation with singer Jenny Lind -- the so-called Swedish Nightingale.
The film will have a contemporary musical score, and the studio is in talks with British singer-songwriter Mika to write music and lyrics.
The Lind role is being scripted for Anne Hathaway, who teamed with Jackman in his opening Oscars number.
The film will be produced by Laurence Mark (Dreamgirls), Jackman and his Seed partner John Palermo.
Jackman will play the showman with a penchant for hoaxing a gullible public as he creates the three-ring circus that made him famous. The musical also focuses on his infatuation with singer Jenny Lind -- the so-called Swedish Nightingale.
The film will have a contemporary musical score, and the studio is in talks with British singer-songwriter Mika to write music and lyrics.
The Lind role is being scripted for Anne Hathaway, who teamed with Jackman in his opening Oscars number.
Steve Zahn Boards Wimpy Kid
Steve Zahn will star in Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Fox 2000's adaptation of Jeff Kinney's novels, with Thor Freudenthal directing.
Based on the best-selling illustrated novel by Jeff Kinney, the film chronicles the adventures of wisecracking middle school student Greg Heffley over the course of an academic year, as told through the young man's diary and hand-drawn cartoons.
Jeff Filgo & Jackie Filgo and Jeff Judah & Gabe Sachs wrote the screenplay.
Zachary Gordon, who was tapped after a nine-month search, will play the title role, with Zahn and Rachael Harris portraying his parents. Robert Capron will portray his best friend, and Devon Bostick will play his brother.
Based on the best-selling illustrated novel by Jeff Kinney, the film chronicles the adventures of wisecracking middle school student Greg Heffley over the course of an academic year, as told through the young man's diary and hand-drawn cartoons.
Jeff Filgo & Jackie Filgo and Jeff Judah & Gabe Sachs wrote the screenplay.
Zachary Gordon, who was tapped after a nine-month search, will play the title role, with Zahn and Rachael Harris portraying his parents. Robert Capron will portray his best friend, and Devon Bostick will play his brother.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Panic! At The Disco's Spencer Smith Wants New Music To Do The Talking
'These songs are just Brendon and I having fun, because that's what we want to do,' drummer tells MTV News.
For nearly a month now, ever since Panic! at the Disco announced that guitarist Ryan Ross and bassist Jon Walker were leaving to start a new band called the Young Veins, there has been speculation that any number of "Behind the Music"-type maladies (drugs, money, jealousy ... you name it) had led to the split.
Despite both sides denying that there was any drama involved — both said "creative differences" were to blame — that speculation didn't show any sides of letting up.
And Spencer Smith was getting tired of it. So last week, when both Panic! and the Veins released singles on the same day (Panic! had announced the date in advance; the Veins, well, didn't), Smith wasn't annoyed at his former bandmates for attempting to steal his thunder.
"No, I wasn't shocked or mad at all. We had about three weeks of people not knowing what was going on with the bands, and it's kind of nice that the music was released at the same time," Smith told MTV News. "Because I think that after fans are able to hear me and [Panic! frontman] Brendon [Urie]'s song and Ryan and Jon's song, it's kind of apparent that there's a difference in musical styles, and so it kind of puts to rest some of the rumors about what happened out there."
So with both tunes available for a side-by-side comparison, Smith is prepared to let his band's song, "New Perspective," do the talking for him and Urie. He says they'll both remain good friends with Ross and Walker, as well as fans of their band, but really, it's time to move on. The music Smith and Urie are working on as Panic! will go a long way to accomplishing that goal. The only problem now is whittling down the batch of tunes they have at their disposal.
"Brendon is always sort of writing his own little songs. He'll write these weird little show-tune-sounding things — he's always kind of had his own little collection of songs, some of which we've been drawing from or using little sections of for the new stuff," Smith said. "And a few months ago, [it] was right around the time I moved in with Brendon, and we kind of started working on stuff together — and Jon and Ryan had been doing the same thing, kind of towards the end of touring, they had been working on some songs together — and that was kind of right around the time that maybe where we wanted to go wasn't particularly matching up, and so, it just kind of went from there."
Smith said he and Urie haven't decided who will produce their album. So far, they've been recording demos with Goldfinger frontman John Feldmann, but there's still plenty of other names to consider for the project, including Pretty. Odd. producer Rob Mathers (who just so happens to be producing the Young Veins' debut) and some dude named Mark Hoppus.
"We haven't decided yet, you know? We've met a couple of other producers, but we haven't really decided who we want to do the record with," Smith said. "When we get done with the [Blink-182] tour in August, hopefully in the fall is when we'll be recording. ... We've actually talked to Rob, and hopefully he'll do some string arrangements or maybe produce a track for us. And, of course, Mark Hoppus. We've met with him, and we'll be touring, too, so hopefully we can work it out on the road."
Whoever they get to produce the album, Smith is ready to get it out there. After all, he's over talking about the past, and he's looking very much forward to the future.
"We're just going to have fun. These songs are just Brendon and I having fun, because that's what we want to do," Smith said. "I know that, on some level, we'll always be linked to Jon and Ryan, but we're just looking forward to doing Panic! at the Disco ... and I think our fans are too."
For nearly a month now, ever since Panic! at the Disco announced that guitarist Ryan Ross and bassist Jon Walker were leaving to start a new band called the Young Veins, there has been speculation that any number of "Behind the Music"-type maladies (drugs, money, jealousy ... you name it) had led to the split.
Despite both sides denying that there was any drama involved — both said "creative differences" were to blame — that speculation didn't show any sides of letting up.
And Spencer Smith was getting tired of it. So last week, when both Panic! and the Veins released singles on the same day (Panic! had announced the date in advance; the Veins, well, didn't), Smith wasn't annoyed at his former bandmates for attempting to steal his thunder.
"No, I wasn't shocked or mad at all. We had about three weeks of people not knowing what was going on with the bands, and it's kind of nice that the music was released at the same time," Smith told MTV News. "Because I think that after fans are able to hear me and [Panic! frontman] Brendon [Urie]'s song and Ryan and Jon's song, it's kind of apparent that there's a difference in musical styles, and so it kind of puts to rest some of the rumors about what happened out there."
So with both tunes available for a side-by-side comparison, Smith is prepared to let his band's song, "New Perspective," do the talking for him and Urie. He says they'll both remain good friends with Ross and Walker, as well as fans of their band, but really, it's time to move on. The music Smith and Urie are working on as Panic! will go a long way to accomplishing that goal. The only problem now is whittling down the batch of tunes they have at their disposal.
"Brendon is always sort of writing his own little songs. He'll write these weird little show-tune-sounding things — he's always kind of had his own little collection of songs, some of which we've been drawing from or using little sections of for the new stuff," Smith said. "And a few months ago, [it] was right around the time I moved in with Brendon, and we kind of started working on stuff together — and Jon and Ryan had been doing the same thing, kind of towards the end of touring, they had been working on some songs together — and that was kind of right around the time that maybe where we wanted to go wasn't particularly matching up, and so, it just kind of went from there."
Smith said he and Urie haven't decided who will produce their album. So far, they've been recording demos with Goldfinger frontman John Feldmann, but there's still plenty of other names to consider for the project, including Pretty. Odd. producer Rob Mathers (who just so happens to be producing the Young Veins' debut) and some dude named Mark Hoppus.
"We haven't decided yet, you know? We've met a couple of other producers, but we haven't really decided who we want to do the record with," Smith said. "When we get done with the [Blink-182] tour in August, hopefully in the fall is when we'll be recording. ... We've actually talked to Rob, and hopefully he'll do some string arrangements or maybe produce a track for us. And, of course, Mark Hoppus. We've met with him, and we'll be touring, too, so hopefully we can work it out on the road."
Whoever they get to produce the album, Smith is ready to get it out there. After all, he's over talking about the past, and he's looking very much forward to the future.
"We're just going to have fun. These songs are just Brendon and I having fun, because that's what we want to do," Smith said. "I know that, on some level, we'll always be linked to Jon and Ryan, but we're just looking forward to doing Panic! at the Disco ... and I think our fans are too."
Tom Arnold Still Says Next Cameron Film To Star Schwarzenegger and Tom Arnold
The New York Times has a big profile piece on Tom Arnold in which he’s defended by no less than Judd Apatow, but the piece is getting attention for a little quote from Arnold that appears right at the end. Talking about a movie that the NYT admits has no plot or script, the actor says: “All I know is Jim Cameron’s making it and Arnold [Schwarzenegger] and I are going to be in it, and it starts shooting in 14 months, the day after Arnold stops being governor of California. It’s not going to be called True Lies II, but it might as well be. I can live with that.” That’s certainly a good way to get some attention.
This isn’t the first time Tom Arnold has said this. Back in January he made almost exactly the same statement to StarPulse. (”If all goes as planned, the day Arnold (Schwarzenegger) leaves office we will again team with Jim Cameron and do a comedy. Jim says it might not be called “True Lies II,” but it will be fun.”) A sequel had been planned in the early part of this decade, with Eliza Dushku talking up her own involvement years ago, but was derailed by the September 11 attack in New York. Now, with Cameron fully on the Avatar train, talking sequels and spin-off projects, going back to True Lies, or a film quite a bit like it, seems like an improbable move.
The best part about all this is that the entire thrust of the New York Times piece is that Tom Arnold is a bit crazy and will say just about anything that comes to his mind. Take the point of the thing literally, then, and view his Cameron quote as entertainment and not news. At least for the time being.
This isn’t the first time Tom Arnold has said this. Back in January he made almost exactly the same statement to StarPulse. (”If all goes as planned, the day Arnold (Schwarzenegger) leaves office we will again team with Jim Cameron and do a comedy. Jim says it might not be called “True Lies II,” but it will be fun.”) A sequel had been planned in the early part of this decade, with Eliza Dushku talking up her own involvement years ago, but was derailed by the September 11 attack in New York. Now, with Cameron fully on the Avatar train, talking sequels and spin-off projects, going back to True Lies, or a film quite a bit like it, seems like an improbable move.
The best part about all this is that the entire thrust of the New York Times piece is that Tom Arnold is a bit crazy and will say just about anything that comes to his mind. Take the point of the thing literally, then, and view his Cameron quote as entertainment and not news. At least for the time being.
Carter wants to fit into supporting role in Orlando
Vince Carter isn't looking to replace Dwight Howard as the face of the Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic.
Not even close. The recently acquired Carter just wants to fit with his new team and get the prize that has eluded him for a decade in the NBA -- a championship ring.
"I think we have a wonderful team," Carter said of the Magic during a break at his basketball camp. "On paper it's pretty darn good. It's the preparation and work we put in, and not becoming complacent."
Carter admitted on Wednesday that he was surprised by the June trade that sent him and forward Ryan Anderson from the New Jersey Nets to the Magic for center Tony Battie and guards Courtney Lee and Rafer Alston.
However, the thought of playing near his home and sharing the court with Howard, Rashard Lewis and Jameer Nelson has rekindled the championship hopes that disappeared in New Jersey over the past two years with the trades that shipped Jason Kidd to Dallas and Richard Jefferson to Milwaukee.
The acquisition of Carter gives the Magic a proven go-to player who has averaged 23.5 points in his 10 NBA seasons. He is also a versatile scorer who can prevent opponents from focusing all their defensive efforts on stopping Howard's inside game.
The trade also gives Orlando, which lost to the Lakers in the NBA Finals in five games, an immediate replacement for Hedo Turkoglu, who was shipped to Toronto in a sign-and-trade deal.
The one thing Carter isn't looking to do is to be the focal point of the Magic, something that he has been throughout his career in Toronto and New Jersey.
"If you think about it, I never really said 'This is my team,"' Carter said of his four-plus seasons in New Jersey. "I said, 'I'm going to help this team win.' When I first got here, it was Jason's team. I just want to help make (Orlando) better. He (Howard) can be the face all he wants. My concern is more so just getting wins. I kind of leave that for people to say or debate on. I think for me, it's 'Can Vince come in and do his part for the Orlando Magic?' That's more so my goal."
Carter conducted his camp at the Nets' training facility on Wednesday. He had committed to the youth camp before the trade and the Nets allowed him to hold it.
But Carter enjoyed being back and seeing old friends. He talked to coach Lawrence Frank, Nets president Rod Thorn and a couple of former teammates.
The only regret he had was not finishing the job he started, which was to get the Nets a title.
"I mean, I worked my butt off to gain the trust of each and every player here and every staff member and really to instill the mentality and belief that we could win," Carter said. "I don't think we were expected to win as many games as we did. It was just creating a mentality and making it a habit."
Carter was the player the Nets counted on for scoring and leadership in recent years, and he said now it will probably fall to All-Star guard Devin Harris to fulfill the role.
"I mean, Devin can do it," Carter said. "He has seen it done and he's been around. It's just if he wants it. He has definitely established himself in the NBA as a player and that's the next level for him."
Carter spoke highly of the players the Nets acquired from Orlando, saying Lee was unbelievable, Battie was a proven veteran who has been to the championship round and that Alston is a great leader.
For the Nets to be successful next season, he said it will take a team effort in a year where not much is expected.
Carter did not know how the Nets would fare in the 2010 free agency market when LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade might all be available.
"It will be a great opportunity for somebody, maybe a guy who wants an opportunity to build a team around him and play with Devin," Carter said. "You give them another guy or another stud, anything can happen. I think it's possible. I really do."
For now, all Carter is thinking about is the Magic, admitting he still feels weird.
"It's hard to say Vince Carter, Orlando Magic right now," he said. "It won't be once we start doing things as a team."
Not even close. The recently acquired Carter just wants to fit with his new team and get the prize that has eluded him for a decade in the NBA -- a championship ring.
"I think we have a wonderful team," Carter said of the Magic during a break at his basketball camp. "On paper it's pretty darn good. It's the preparation and work we put in, and not becoming complacent."
Carter admitted on Wednesday that he was surprised by the June trade that sent him and forward Ryan Anderson from the New Jersey Nets to the Magic for center Tony Battie and guards Courtney Lee and Rafer Alston.
However, the thought of playing near his home and sharing the court with Howard, Rashard Lewis and Jameer Nelson has rekindled the championship hopes that disappeared in New Jersey over the past two years with the trades that shipped Jason Kidd to Dallas and Richard Jefferson to Milwaukee.
The acquisition of Carter gives the Magic a proven go-to player who has averaged 23.5 points in his 10 NBA seasons. He is also a versatile scorer who can prevent opponents from focusing all their defensive efforts on stopping Howard's inside game.
The trade also gives Orlando, which lost to the Lakers in the NBA Finals in five games, an immediate replacement for Hedo Turkoglu, who was shipped to Toronto in a sign-and-trade deal.
The one thing Carter isn't looking to do is to be the focal point of the Magic, something that he has been throughout his career in Toronto and New Jersey.
"If you think about it, I never really said 'This is my team,"' Carter said of his four-plus seasons in New Jersey. "I said, 'I'm going to help this team win.' When I first got here, it was Jason's team. I just want to help make (Orlando) better. He (Howard) can be the face all he wants. My concern is more so just getting wins. I kind of leave that for people to say or debate on. I think for me, it's 'Can Vince come in and do his part for the Orlando Magic?' That's more so my goal."
Carter conducted his camp at the Nets' training facility on Wednesday. He had committed to the youth camp before the trade and the Nets allowed him to hold it.
But Carter enjoyed being back and seeing old friends. He talked to coach Lawrence Frank, Nets president Rod Thorn and a couple of former teammates.
The only regret he had was not finishing the job he started, which was to get the Nets a title.
"I mean, I worked my butt off to gain the trust of each and every player here and every staff member and really to instill the mentality and belief that we could win," Carter said. "I don't think we were expected to win as many games as we did. It was just creating a mentality and making it a habit."
Carter was the player the Nets counted on for scoring and leadership in recent years, and he said now it will probably fall to All-Star guard Devin Harris to fulfill the role.
"I mean, Devin can do it," Carter said. "He has seen it done and he's been around. It's just if he wants it. He has definitely established himself in the NBA as a player and that's the next level for him."
Carter spoke highly of the players the Nets acquired from Orlando, saying Lee was unbelievable, Battie was a proven veteran who has been to the championship round and that Alston is a great leader.
For the Nets to be successful next season, he said it will take a team effort in a year where not much is expected.
Carter did not know how the Nets would fare in the 2010 free agency market when LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade might all be available.
"It will be a great opportunity for somebody, maybe a guy who wants an opportunity to build a team around him and play with Devin," Carter said. "You give them another guy or another stud, anything can happen. I think it's possible. I really do."
For now, all Carter is thinking about is the Magic, admitting he still feels weird.
"It's hard to say Vince Carter, Orlando Magic right now," he said. "It won't be once we start doing things as a team."
Mavs sign big man Drew Gooden
The Dallas Mavericks have signed big man Drew Gooden, expecting him to back up Dirk Nowitzki at power forward and play alongside him at center.
The deal, agreed to late last week, was announced Thursday.
Gooden is joining his seventh team, having also played for Memphis, Orlando, Cleveland, Chicago, Sacramento and San Antonio. Over his career, he averages 12.0 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.
"We are very pleased to add Drew to our front line for the upcoming season," team president Donnie Nelson said. "Drew is a veteran player with NBA finals experience that is entering the prime of his career at 27 years old. He will provide valuable minutes at both the center and power forward positions with his tenacity in the paint, rebounding and ability to knock down shots."
The deal, agreed to late last week, was announced Thursday.
Gooden is joining his seventh team, having also played for Memphis, Orlando, Cleveland, Chicago, Sacramento and San Antonio. Over his career, he averages 12.0 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.
"We are very pleased to add Drew to our front line for the upcoming season," team president Donnie Nelson said. "Drew is a veteran player with NBA finals experience that is entering the prime of his career at 27 years old. He will provide valuable minutes at both the center and power forward positions with his tenacity in the paint, rebounding and ability to knock down shots."
Sunday, August 2, 2009
EXCL: David Twohy on Continuing the Riddick Saga
Earlier today, ShockTillYouDrop.com had a chance to sit down with director David Twohy to talk about his upcoming psychological thriller A Perfect Getaway and during our interview, we got around to talking about Twohy's dark sci-fi franchise, which seemingly petered out with 2005's The Chronicles of Riddick, but in fact, Twohy has been in regular communication with the movie's star, Vin Diesel, on how to continue the series.
"I've sketched out two ideas for the next installment," he told us during the exclusive interview. "Vin and I have decided on one approach of those two, and there's some interest at the studio level but it would be as a PG-13 film, and we don't want to do that anymore. That's one of the concessions we thought we made with 'Riddick' that we shouldn't have made. We also spent too much money and we were too ambitions, so yes, if we do go back to a third one, it will be focused again, hopefully again the same way that 'Pitch Black' was, and we'll spend less money doing it. We're just trying to figure out how much less we can do it for, because I don't think Vin is going to work for scale again."
"The third movie would be more modestly-scaled and it would probably feel more like 'Pitch Black' then 'Chronicles'," he continued. "It will always be Riddick-centric. If the question is whether it will be more like the first one than the second one, the difference is that yeah, you can sell it on its creatures and say 'This is a creature fest and we're going to go out as us vs. the creatures' but that's like a lot of different movies. However, the hallmark of a good movie, and I think 'Pitch Black' is a good movie, is that even if you took the creatures out of the picture, you'd still have some pretty interesting character dynamics going on within that group, and it's almost like you can tell the same story without the creature or substitute some other external pressure on the group, because there were internal pressures as well that were interesting. So was it really a creature feature? It had the hallmarks of it, the trappings of a creature movie, but it also had pretty good characters."
Even though Twohy and Diesel may be seriously talking about the way to move forward with the Riddick franchise, that's not the only thing on Twohy's plate, as he admits to always having a few original scripts in some stage of development to tackle after he finishes whatever movie he's working on. The one he seems most interested in doing is something called Crying Havoc, which will be produced by Ridley Scott. Twohy filled us in on the premise: "It is about an FBI Agent who uses technology to track a spy around the world, only to learn that the spy is more demon than human, and that demon leads him into the lower circles of Hell, psychologically speaking. That's a cool one, and it hopefully has the same visual prowess of a movie like 'Constantine' but a hopefully more coherent script. That's in the works and that may be next."
Look for our full interview with Mr. Twohy sometime next week before A Perfect Getaway opens on August 7.
"I've sketched out two ideas for the next installment," he told us during the exclusive interview. "Vin and I have decided on one approach of those two, and there's some interest at the studio level but it would be as a PG-13 film, and we don't want to do that anymore. That's one of the concessions we thought we made with 'Riddick' that we shouldn't have made. We also spent too much money and we were too ambitions, so yes, if we do go back to a third one, it will be focused again, hopefully again the same way that 'Pitch Black' was, and we'll spend less money doing it. We're just trying to figure out how much less we can do it for, because I don't think Vin is going to work for scale again."
"The third movie would be more modestly-scaled and it would probably feel more like 'Pitch Black' then 'Chronicles'," he continued. "It will always be Riddick-centric. If the question is whether it will be more like the first one than the second one, the difference is that yeah, you can sell it on its creatures and say 'This is a creature fest and we're going to go out as us vs. the creatures' but that's like a lot of different movies. However, the hallmark of a good movie, and I think 'Pitch Black' is a good movie, is that even if you took the creatures out of the picture, you'd still have some pretty interesting character dynamics going on within that group, and it's almost like you can tell the same story without the creature or substitute some other external pressure on the group, because there were internal pressures as well that were interesting. So was it really a creature feature? It had the hallmarks of it, the trappings of a creature movie, but it also had pretty good characters."
Even though Twohy and Diesel may be seriously talking about the way to move forward with the Riddick franchise, that's not the only thing on Twohy's plate, as he admits to always having a few original scripts in some stage of development to tackle after he finishes whatever movie he's working on. The one he seems most interested in doing is something called Crying Havoc, which will be produced by Ridley Scott. Twohy filled us in on the premise: "It is about an FBI Agent who uses technology to track a spy around the world, only to learn that the spy is more demon than human, and that demon leads him into the lower circles of Hell, psychologically speaking. That's a cool one, and it hopefully has the same visual prowess of a movie like 'Constantine' but a hopefully more coherent script. That's in the works and that may be next."
Look for our full interview with Mr. Twohy sometime next week before A Perfect Getaway opens on August 7.
Exclusive: Might Tim Olyphant Be Back for Hitman 2?
There's been talk lately of 20th Century Fox doing a sequel to their hit action movie Hitman, but as they work on figuring out a script, ComingSoon.net caught up with the movie's lead actor Tim Olyphant at the junket for David Twohy's A Perfect Getaway and asked whether we might see him returning as Agent 47 in the proposed Hitman 2.
"It's not on my schedule," he said diplomatically. "If they want me to do another one, I supposed they could have me, yes," he suggested when asked whether he signed on to do more than one movie. "The things that I've got in front of me right now I'm really excited about the television show. What I can tell you about ‘Hitman' is that I'm thrilled that it was as successful as it was and it was a really nice opportunity and I appreciate that opportunity."
That television show Olyphant refers to his next big project, the new FX series "Lawman" based on Elmore Leonard's U.S. Marshall character Raylan Givens, who appeared in the novels "Pronto" and "Riding the Rap," the pilot being based on the short story "Fire in the Hole." It will air in the spring of next year. "We shot the pilot and it's been picked up. I start shooting in October or November." Olyphant hasn't met Leonard yet but being that the novelist is an executive producer on the show, he's expecting to have a chance and he's looking forward to it.
In the meantime, Olyphant has A Perfect Getaway coming out next week and then early next year, he's starring in the Overture Films remake of George Romero's 1973 thriller The Crazies.
We asked him how much of Romero's anti-military sentiment from that era of his career was being carried over to the remake. "Participant is behind it and Participant doesn't do anything that doesn't have a real message to it, so it's kind of an unusual film for them. Participant does like ‘Syriana' and ‘Inconvenient Truth'—it's a nice marriage and a nice twist to the kind of movies they do. I think that if there's anything worth keeping from the original, it's that intelligent metaphor where it was a horror film, but it was really a commentary on the Vietnam War. Oddly enough, that metaphor is still relevant in a very contemporary point of view."
"It's not on my schedule," he said diplomatically. "If they want me to do another one, I supposed they could have me, yes," he suggested when asked whether he signed on to do more than one movie. "The things that I've got in front of me right now I'm really excited about the television show. What I can tell you about ‘Hitman' is that I'm thrilled that it was as successful as it was and it was a really nice opportunity and I appreciate that opportunity."
That television show Olyphant refers to his next big project, the new FX series "Lawman" based on Elmore Leonard's U.S. Marshall character Raylan Givens, who appeared in the novels "Pronto" and "Riding the Rap," the pilot being based on the short story "Fire in the Hole." It will air in the spring of next year. "We shot the pilot and it's been picked up. I start shooting in October or November." Olyphant hasn't met Leonard yet but being that the novelist is an executive producer on the show, he's expecting to have a chance and he's looking forward to it.
In the meantime, Olyphant has A Perfect Getaway coming out next week and then early next year, he's starring in the Overture Films remake of George Romero's 1973 thriller The Crazies.
We asked him how much of Romero's anti-military sentiment from that era of his career was being carried over to the remake. "Participant is behind it and Participant doesn't do anything that doesn't have a real message to it, so it's kind of an unusual film for them. Participant does like ‘Syriana' and ‘Inconvenient Truth'—it's a nice marriage and a nice twist to the kind of movies they do. I think that if there's anything worth keeping from the original, it's that intelligent metaphor where it was a horror film, but it was really a commentary on the Vietnam War. Oddly enough, that metaphor is still relevant in a very contemporary point of view."
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