Random News of the Week (July 8 - July 13, 2008)

Ever wondered what it would take for Bruce Campbell to do another EVIL DEAD? He was interviewed by Entertainment Weekly this past week and had a few interesting tidbits to share. According to Bruce, Sam Raimi feels like he can do an EVIL DEAD film anytime so other projects are taking priority. Bruce said “Even if he is in the old director’s home and I’m in the old actor’s home, he can still call me up and we’ll make one more.” But it could be difficult too as Bruce says “What are you going to do, make a 200 million dollar EVIL DEAD movie? Remember that ARMY OF DARKNESS only cost 12 million dollars. You’re going to have to take all of Sam’s toys away to make a new one.” $200 million EVIL DEAD? I think that just might be crazy enough to work!

Joss Wheden has dropped his GONERS project. He is now focusing on CABIN IN THE WOODS. Drew Goddard who co-wrote the script for CABIN with Whedon said, “it’s genius. It's funny. It's got a harder and darker edge, but it's also got classic Whedon qualities. It'll rip your heart out and be heartfelt at the same time.”

The RED DAWN remake is looking more and more like a reality. Carl Ellsworth (RED EYE, Y THE LAST MAN) is going to write the script for the remake. He said, “The tone is going to be very intense, very much keeping in mind the post-9/11 world that we're in," says Ellsworth, who was 11 when the original was released. "As 'Red Dawn' scared the heck out of people in 1984, we feel that the world is kind of already filled with a lot of paranoia and unease, so why not scare the hell out of people again?" Dan Bradley (never directed as first billed but was second unit directory on SPIDER MAN 2, INDIANA JONES 4, BOURNE ULTIMATUM).

Warner Bros. has the rights to ELFQUEST. Rawson Thurber (DODGEBALL: A TRUE UNDERDOG STORY) is directing. No word if this will be live action, animated, or something in between. The original comic, which the Pinis initially self-published starting in 1978, followed a tribe of elves known as the Wolfriders in their attempts to survive and link with other dispersed elves on an Earth-like planet with two moons while on the lookout for tribes of humans and trolls, both of which acted as allies and enemies.

With the box office success of WANTED, a trilogy is now fully in the works. Both James McAvoy and Terrence Stamp are locked down to be back in the sequels. They will use flashbacks to tell the story of Angelina Jolie's Fox character.

Director Edgar Wright (SHAUN OF THE DEAD, HOT FUZZ) talked about his adaptation of ANT MAN for Marvel Studios. He said it will be more like an “IRON MAN-esque action/comedy”.

After the success of the SEX AND THE CITY film last month, Hollywood is trying to get any favorite TV series the greenlight for a feature film. First up is FRIENDS. Where all the cast from the original series are getting big payouts to come back for a feature length film. I always hated this show. The laugh track was like a knife in my temple.

Quentin Tarantino's INGLORIOUS BASTARDS is starting to move quickly to production. The Weinsteins will co-finance the film and distribute it. Shooting will take place in Europe starting in October and will be put through an accelerated production schedule to be finished in time for next May's Cannes Film Festival.

Sigourney Weaver referred to ALIEN this week and said she would still do another if Ridley Scott is involved. Based on what I heard at last year’s comic con from him directly, I think he still wants to do an ALIEN to show it can be done “right” after the disasters of AVP and ALIEN 4. She said, “I would definitely do another if I had a director like Ridley Scott and we had a good idea. Ridley is enthusiastic about it."

Guy Ritchie has his Sherlock Holmes and it’s a surprisingly great choice. Robert Downey Jr. will be playing Sherlock in the upcoming drama-action based film (no relation to the Will Ferrell project with the same character).

Jon Favreau has not FINALLY been confirmed for IRON MAN 2. No word if they are keeping the 2010 timeline but the offer was more generous and reasonable and Favreau is taking it.