Catching up on the catching up…
“Gai-King” might be moving forward as a movie, but its cooler super robot mecha-anime series antecedent, “Voltron: Defender of the Universe” is now dead as a feature film. Rights holders World Event Prods and Classic Media decided, why spend so much money on live-action adaptation when we can instead focus on another rebooted animated series on Nicktoons and a new toy line from Mattel? Going by the teaser footage, nerds shouldn’t worry too much. You try explaining to contemporary audiences how five people piloting giant-sized lion robot machines join together to form one mammoth robot that fights evil alien invaders? Yeah, this much better left off as a cartoon.
“True Blood” star Stephen Moyer (who is a very odd looking guy for a leading man) has signed on for two films according to THR. One is the Hyde Park thriller “The Double,”which he’ll co-star alongside Richard Gere and Topher Grace, and then the other is “The Big Valley” which he’ll star in with Jessica Lange. This writer hasn’t really seen “True Blood,” but from what little glimpses of melodrama we’ve seen it seems like the adult equivalent of the “Twilight” films. Congratulations to all the filmmakers and TV makers that have ruined the vampire mythos for years to come.
Blame it on “Just Wright”? You may have read this LAT story about Fox Searchlight putting the “urban” Taraji P. Henson project, “Baggage Claim” into turnaround (essentially letting the project go so another studio can have it if they wish). Why? Essentially: “urban” films don’t do well enough for this mini-major studio (see the dismal returns on the Common and Queen Latifah dramedy).
Randall Einhorn, a veteran TV director who has helmed episodes of “The Office,” “Modern Family” and “Parks & Recreation” is making the leap from small screen to big screen. The filmmaker is set to direct his first feature-length picture called, “Late Bloomer.” The project will be a dramatization of the real-life story and memoir of Hollywood journalist Ken Baker, who had a more than fucked up puberty. He had tumor in his brain during his teenage years that flooded his body with the female hormone prolactin; he leaked milk from his nipples and could hardly ever have an erection. The L.A. Times calls the project, “The 40 Year Old Virgin” for high schoolers.
Andy Garcia, Eva Longoria Parker, Catalina Sandino Moreno (“Maria Full of Grace”), Peter O’ Toole, and Bruce Greenwood (“Star Trek,” “The Sweet Hereafter”) will star in the Mexican historical epic, “Cristiada.” Incidentally, did you know that the Garcia produced, “City Island” indie film has already racked up $5.2 million at the box-office? To put that in perspective, name one person in “City Island” outside of Garcia (you can’t) and then remember that “Greenberg” starring Ben Stiller is already gone from theaters and only made $4.2 million dollars during its run. Sometimes those, “huh?” films shouldn’t be discounted and sometimes find an audience.
