"The Three Musketeers" tells the story of the hot-headed D'Artagnan as he joins forces with three veteran musketeers to stop the evil machinations of the villainous Cardinal Richelieu. Straughan's script will play up the action and sexier elements of the story much the same way that Wigram, who co-wrote and produced "Sherlock Holmes," reimagined the detective as a bare-knuckle boxing, martial-arts savvy sleuth molded by Robert Downey Jr.

No director or cast has been attached to the project yet. With work under way on prepping a "Holmes" sequel, the producer sees similar franchise potential in "The Three Musketeers." Dumas penned two sequels to his original novel.

Permalink | Subscribe | | | Comments (View)

Tom Cruise Signs on for Mission Impossible 4



Tom Cruise has signed on for a fourth Mission Impossible film. J.J. Abrams and Tom Cruise will produce.

Cruise and J.J. Abrams -- who co-wrote the "Mission: Impossible III" screenplay -- will produce from a screenplay by Josh Appelbaum and Andre Nemec, a writing duo hired last summer to pen the script from an idea hatched by Cruise and Abrams. Appelbaum and Nemec spent four seasons with Abrams as co-exec producers of "Alias."

The announcement also means that Paramount's managed to repair its relationship with Cruise after ditching the star four years ago.

All three of the Mission Impossible films so far have been very entertaining. J.J. Abrams did a great job with Mission Impossible 3. The film has been slated for Memorial Day weekend in 2011. It will have tough competition. Unless things change, Cruise's fourth film as Ethan Hunt will be up against a Hangover sequel and a fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film.

Posted on February 9, 2010
Permalink | Subscribe | | | Comments (View)

Marion Cotillard, Kate Winslet Sign on for Soderbergh Disease Thriller

Variety reports that Steven Soderbergh has lined up quite a few A-list stars for his next film. The action thriller is called Contagion and will star Kate Winslet, Matt Damon, Jude Law and Marion Cotillard.

Soderbergh's been developing the project -- not yet set up at a studio -- with producing partner Gregory Jacobs. The plan is to shoot the pic later this year. Michael Shamberg and Stacy Sher are producing through their Double Features banner; Participant Media's in talks to produce and co-finance.

"Contagion," based on a script penned by Scott Z. Burns, is described as centering on a deadly disease with multiple plotlines in the same style as Soderbergh's "Traffic." Burns was a writer on "The Bourne Ultimatum" and penned "The Informant!," which Soderbergh directed.

Soderbergh has turned his attention to thrillers lately. He is currently directing Knockout which stars Ewan McGregor and Antonion Banderas.

Posted on February 8, 2010
Permalink | Subscribe | | | Comments (View)

Bradley Cooper, Reese Witherspoon and McG Join This Means War

According to The Hollywood Reporter, McG is set to direct This Means War, an action comedy which will star Bradley Cooper and Reese Witherspoon.

Bradley Cooper and Reese Witherspoon are attached to star in the tale of two best friends, inseparable since childhood, who fall in love with the same woman (Witherspoon). The men's bond disintegrates, and their ensuing battle escalates to mammoth proportions.

*****

McG's schedule opened up when Disney pulled the plug in November on the remake "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Captain Nemo," which he had been readying for production.

Bradley Cooper and Reese Witherspoon? That could work.

Posted on February 4, 2010
Permalink | Subscribe | | | Comments (View)

10 Best Picture Oscar Nominations



Ten pictures are nominated in the Best Picture category this year. Here is the list:

• Avatar, James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers
• The Blind Side, Nominees to be determined
• District 9, Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham, Producers
• An Education, Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers
• The Hurt Locker, Nominees to be determined
• Inglourious Basterds, Lawrence Bender, Producer
• Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness, Producers
• A Serious Man, Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Producers
• Up, Jonas Rivera, Producer
• Up in the Air, Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman, Producers

Photo: Todd Wawrychuk / © A.M.P.A.S.

Posted on February 2, 2010
Permalink | Subscribe | | | Comments (View)

Video: 2010 Grammy Red Carpet Highights

The Grammy Awards were last night. They were lengthy (3 1/2 hours) but featured some great performance and amazing outfits. In this "Best Of the Red Carpet Clip" Ryan Seacrest hears the story of how Russell Brand and Katy Perry got engaged and chats with everyone from Pink to Taylor Swift. Take a look:



You can find more coverage of the Grammys here.

Posted on February 1, 2010
Permalink | Subscribe | | | Comments (View)

Rumor: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie to Skip Oscars



E Online is reporting that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt will not be attending this year's Academy Awards. Angelina Jolie will be missed on the red carpet.

As for why the couple, not seen together publicly since a December outing in New York, has suddenly caught a case of the camera-shies?

Jolie will be heading to Venice at the end of February to start production on The Tourist, a remake of a French thriller costarring Johnny Depp in which Jolie plays a vengeful Interpol agent.

The Oscars are being held on March 7th. Angelina Jolie shooting a film at the end of February is not a good excuse for missing the Oscars. There is no film that shoots during the Oscars. It's the Oscars. Plus, the film crew and cast would love it if Angelina attended and mentioned the movie. The news that they are not attending comes amidst rumors the hot Hollywood couple is splitting up.

Photo: Bryan Crowe, ©A.M.P.A.S.

Posted on January 26, 2010
Permalink | Subscribe | | | Comments (View)