Entertainment News from Eye On Weho

Eye on Entertainment
Nathaniel Grey
Entertainment Editor
February 1, 2012

Shakespeare's Zombies

A Single Man star Nicholas Hoult is on a new diet of human brains in the motion picture version of Isaac Marion's novel Warm Bodies. Jonathan Levine (50/50) directs from his own adapted screenplay about a zombie who falls in love with the girlfriend of one of his victims. You might call it a Romeo & Juliet with more blood and guts. Joining Hoult are James Franco's brother Dave Franco, Analeigh Tipton (Crazy Stupid Love), and John Malkovich. Hoult will head to Namibia in March, to costar in the reboot Mad Max Fury Road starring Tom Hardy in the title role. The production has been on and off again more times that Kim Kardashian has had a boyfriend but at this point it's still under the direction of George Miller who helmed the prior Mad Max movies. This updating also features Charlize Theron and Zoe Kravitz.

Wow, Wow and Wow! Glee certainly hit it out of the ballpark with the recent salute to the music of Michael Jackson episode. Especially during the special effect merging faces scene for 'Black or White.' Remaining on a high note, the show will feature special guest Ricky Martin as the new Spanish teacher on the Feb. 7th episode. I look forward to seeing him put the Bi in Bilingual. The following week's Valentine's Day episode brings the long awaited appearance of Rachel's two Gay dads. After lots of speculation and reader polls the roles have gone to Broadway star Brian Stokes Mitchell and Jurassic Park's Jeff Goldblum. Interesting selection of two very handsome men but I guess that means Nathan Lane will have to make his series debut in some other role. I'd love to see him as an over-the-top ROTC Counselor.

Glee vet Dijon Talton, the former only black male member of New Directions, hasn't left show business. Although the shameful fact the series never addressed the departure of his character could leave that impression. Talton plays opposite Kelsey Grammer's daughter Greer and Warehouse 13's Allison Sagliotti in the comedy horror film Chastity Bites. I should clarify that the film has nothing to do with the child of Sonny & Cher. That should be obvious simply because his name is now Chaz. It's humor looks to be more on the intellectual side than I would say the Scary Movie franchise. The premise takes 16th century Hungarian Countess Elizabeth Bathory, the serial killer who bathed in the blood of her virgin victims to remain young. I thought that Gloria Allred started that tradition. The new version of the Bathory legend places her as an abstinence counselor in a modern day American High School.

Canada's E-One films will distribute Dustin Lance Black's long awaited film Virginia. Completed two years ago and previously known as What's Wrong With Virginia, the story focuses on a Sheriff whose campaign for a state senate seat crumbles due to his daughters irresponsible actions. The cast has a family theme with Mrs. Paul Bettany Jennifer Connelly, Julia Roberts niece and Eric Roberts daughter Emma Roberts, Ed Harris and wife Amy Madigan, plus Lost In Space star June Lockhart's daughter Anne as the voice of the police dispatch operator. If those names aren't enough to make you buy a ticket then check out these other players, The Simpsons' Yeardley Smith, My Week With Marilyn's Tobey Jones, True Blood's Carrie Preston and High School Musical's Lucas Gabreel. But personally, having the name Dustin Lance Black attached is more than enough for me to have interest.

After seeing dead people in The Sixth Sense, Haley Joel Osment starred in the charming Secondhand Lions in 2003 and then took time off to attend college. Though I'm saddened to report he has yet to grow into his Jay Leno-like chin, I am delighted to announce his next film. It's called Sassy Pants,and has him playing the flamboyant boy toy of Diedrich Bader (The Drew Carey Show). That's flamboyant with a capitol F as he wears Daisy-Duke short enough to show his religion cut-off jeans and Kate Gosselin's side swept hair style. Based on the short film Boutenniers the premise takes a teen, frustrated by her over-bearing mom to running away to live with her Gay dad and his lover. Sassy Pants made its world premiere January 28th at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Proving his career is far from deceased Osment will star in the film version of Steve Niles graphic novel, Wake the Dead. The story offers a new version of the Frankenstein legend in which a young Victor Franklin is a college student dedicated to taking control of death. Isn't that just another description for Hazing week?

If you are a Gay man who grew up through the 70s you must remember your first Stretch Armstrong toy. Not just for it's limitless ability to change length and girth but how it was the boyfriend of your favorite G.I.Joe doll. That is, if you were an only child. For guys with sisters, Stretch's main man was probably Malibu Ken. Until he went and found He-Man's Grindr account. Universal Studios has selected that vintage toy line as what they hope will be their next goldmine. Having reaped record profits from the G.I. Joe and Transformer films, the studio is confident it has found a new cash cow. Or for you vegetarians, I'll call it "Money Tofu." Continuing the topic of rubbery things, If the rubber suited man from American Horror Story made you lose your breath, wait until you see Olivia Wilde in a head to toe red rubber suit in the upcoming film The Incredible Burt Wonderstone. While she does have holes from which to see what she's doing there is also a heart shaped cut out over her cleavage. I guess for those that follow my cousin's belief that women's clothing should never prevent motor boating. The comedy follows the growing competition between two Las Vegas magicians. Joining Wilde are Jim Carrey, Steve Carrell, Boardwalk Empire's Steve Buscemi, The Sopranos' James Gandolfini, and real-life Vegas magician Cris Angel for director Don Scardino.

Albert Nobbs star Janet McTeer stars in the new film The Woman in Black with Harry Potter vet Daniel Radcliffe. The plot centers on a traveling lawyer who arrives in a small town to discover a vengeful spirit is terrorizing it's residents. Which brings the question, what sort of auto club travel rating does a place like that get? The cast includes Roger Allam (V For Vendetta), Ciaran Hinds (Rome) and Tim McMullen (The Queen.) Smash, NBC's answer to the success to the money maker called Glee debuts on Feb. 6. The show details behind the scenes efforts of staging a Broadway musical about Marilyn Monroe. To assure the producers and network of ongoing I-tune sales, Smash will include fantasy moments with original tunes not written for the Marilyn show. The Dreamworks production features one of the most impress casts on this TV Season including Debra Messing (Will & Grace), American Idol vet Katherine McPhee, Brian d'Arcy James (Shrek The Musical), Jack Davenport (Pirates of the Caribbean), and the legendary Angelica Huston.

Another Feb. 6th premiere is the second of three Absolutely Fabulous 20th Anniversary specials for 2012 airing on both BBC America and Logo. More chaos and comedy from Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders is a party worthy event. Showtime brings new episodes of the costumed period drama The Borgias on Feb. 8th. All original cast members return including Brideshead Revisited star Jeremy Irons, Francios Arnaud, David Oakes and Holliday Grainger as Lucrezia. 2 other Showtime series begin new seasons that night, Nurse Jackie starring The Sopranos' vet Edie Falco and The Big C with Laura Linney.

The Feb. 10 release of Rampart, about police corruption in 1999 LA may not bring big audiences here in Hollywood since many believe nothing has changed. Yet, with the knowledge of it's cast may change that. Rampart features Sex and the City's Cynthia Nixon, poster child for Bi-polarism Anne Heche, The Walking Dead star Jon Bernthal plus real life actor brothers Ben and Jon Foster. On the subject of The Walking Dead, the second half of it's current season begins on Feb. 12th. Can't wait to see where the characters are after the shocking revelations of it's mid-season finale. I won't spoil it for those that have yet to catch up but I will say that it is rare television that has me yelling "Holy shit!" at the screen. Robert Kirkman, creator of the graphic novel from which The Walking Dead is based, has a new book called 'Thief of Thieves' debuting Feb. 12th.

For the latest in production, casting and release news, follow my Twitter account @Greyagenda

Previous Entertainment Features:

Return to Home Page