Entertainment News from Eye On Weho

Eye on Entertainment
Nathaniel Grey
Entertainment Editor
April 15, 2011

A CUT ABOVE BROADWAY

Comic book and hunky Australian fans will have to wait even longer to see Hugh Jackman in the Wolverine movie sequel. Due to previously announced director Darren Aronofsky backing out and that the last version of the script called for much of the film to be shot in now earthquake and tsunami ravaged Japan, The Wolverine has been set aside in a box which he can't claw his way out of. Leaving an opening in his work schedule, the Tony award winning actor will return to the live stage of San Francisco's Curran Theatre with an original production called Hugh Jackman in Performance, May 3 - 15. As a reminder to So Cal residents, don't feel left out just cause it's not happening at the Ahmanson or Pantages, San Francisco is only an hour's flight away. *** The theme of Superheroes and Broadway continues with news about Bryan Singer next assignment. The X-Men: First Class writer and producer, will direct an upcoming biographical project on Bob Fossee based on the book 'Bye Bye, Life: The Loves and Deaths of Bob Fosse,' by actor/choreographer Sam Wasson. Under the banner of HBO Films, the picture will be overseen by Executive producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (Hairspray.) As if they don't already have enough on their plate, the team of Zadan and Meron are also executive producing the upcoming Footloose remake. ***

Still no word as to Law & Order SVU coming back for a 13th season, so B.D. Wong recently did a pilot for another NBC series called REM. Though I can find no resource that tells me what the R.E.M. stands for I can confirm that Michael Stipe is no involved but it comes from Kyle Killen, who created last year's critically acclaimed though short lived Lone Star and former 24 showrunner Howard Gordon. The drama features Jason Isaacs as a cop who awakens from an accident only to discover that he's living in two different realities. Wait a minute, isn't this a natural for Charlie Sheen? Probably not considering I doubt any of his perceived realities are REAL. The cast also feature Wilmer Valderrama (That 70s Show,) Dylan Minnette (Saving Grace) and the fabulous Cherry Jones (24.) ***

Fans of ABC's Cougar Town will want to tune in to www.emmys.com on Wednesday, April 20th, 7:30pm for the live webcast of An Evening with Cougar Town presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The panel will include Courtney Cox, Christa Miller (Ellie) Busy Philipps (Laurie,) Josh Hopkins (Grayson,) and Brian Van Holt (Bobby.) ***

Producer/director Roland Emmerich (The Day After Tomorrow) is one of the busiest guys in Hollywood. He received the Visionary Award at Outfest's fifth annual Legacy Awards in October at the Director's Guild of America and on hand to support the director/producer were comedian Jeff Stuart, Jeff Goldblum (Independence Day) and Chiwetel Ejiofor (Serenity.) When he's not receiving awards, he's committed to projects all the way up to 2014. Among his to-do list is the long awaited film version of Isaac Asimov Foundation trilogy as well as two sequels to Independence Day. There is also The Zone which details an alien invasion, certainly not a new topic for Emmerich but what will be unique is it's relatively low budget of only $5 million. Which is Lindsay Lohan's monthly budget for jewelry that she doesn't really pay for. His most immediate project, scheduled for a Sept. 2011 veers away from his traditional Sci Fi themes. Titled Anonymous, it's described as a period piece thriller about who was the true author of Shakespeare's work. The cast consists of out actor Derek Jacobi (The Borgias,) David Thewlis (Total Eclipse,) Jamie Campbell Bower (Camelot,) Joely Richardson (Nip/Tuck,) her mum Vanessa Redgrave and Xavier Samuel (Newcastle.)

Dane DeHaan, who plays Jesse, the out Gay teen on HBO's In Treatment has the film Jack and Diane coming to theatres next year. The story offers two girls, of the film's title, who meet in New York and rapidly fall into an intense relationship destined to fail as one is leaving the country in 7 days. The titled roles are played by Juno Temple (Atonement) as Diane and Riley Keogh (The Runaways) as Jack. Riley is the daughter of Lisa Marie Presley and granddaughter to Elvis. She'll be joining another celebrity offspring in the form of Jane Fonda's son Troy Garity (Soldier's Girl,) for her next movie The Good Doctor. The project features Orlando Bloom as the alleged good physician who finds a new purpose in life after treating a girl for kidney disease. With a nod toward Munchhausen's syndrome, the doctor fears loosing the patient who boosted his self esteem so he makes sure she has enough illness to keep her in the hospital and near to him. Wow, Orlando playing a bad guy? What did he do over the summer, work for BP or FOX news in order to train for such a role?

Tom Hardy, who played the gay character of Handsome Bob in RocknRolla has been cast in director Christopher Nolan's third Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises. He'll be playing the massive character of Bane while his costar from Nolan's film Inception Joseph Gordon Levitt is rumored to appear but in an as yet untitled role. Also confirmed are Christian Bale in the title role with returning costars Morgan Freeman (Lucius Fox,) Gary Oldman (Jim Gordon,) Nestor Carbonell (The Mayor,) and Michael Caine (Alfred.) A couple of new faces joining the ensemble include Jose Pence (The Social Network) as a young Ra's Al Ghul and Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle aka Catwoman. Need I point out the irony that the scene stealer of the last movie, Heath Ledger, was Anne's costar in Brokeback Mountain. Insert scary twilight zone theme music here. Filming started this month for a planned July 2012 release. Here's some more irony for you. Tom Hardy plays Ricky Tar opposite Gary Oldman's George Smiley in the upcoming film version of John le Carre's Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. All these tidbits could bring about a whole new version of Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. Which reminds me, I've always wondered, is it kosher for Jews and Muslims allowed to play that game?

Adam Sandler finds success in show business a drag. Which could be the reason he's wearing a dress in his next movie Jack and Jill. Under the eye of his I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry director Dennis Dugan, Adam plays brother and sister twins. Set for a 2011 release, joining Adam are Katie Holmes and Al Pacino with the eyebrow raised casting of Regis Philbin and Shaquille O'Neal.What? Marty Ingels and Scott Baio weren't available? *** Will & Grace Vet Sean Hayes' name is floating through the rumor mill as about to step into the role of Larry for the Farrelly Brothers next motion picture, The Three Stooges. Former Mad TV cast member Will Sasso will play Curly and Modern Family's Sofia Vergara is in the running for a character named Lydia. *** Best known as playing a priest in the TV miniseries The Thorn Birds, Richard Chamberlain has been cast as Monsignor Murphy in the independent comedy A Perfect Family, written by Paula Goldberg (Out at the Wedding.) The story focuses on a devote Catholic wife and mother trying to win an award from the church designating hers as the perfect family, despite all the red flags that hers couldn't be more opposite. Also featured are Emily Deschanel (Bones,) Jason Ritter (The Event) and Kathleen Turner (Serial Mom.) Of course it's got Kathleen Turner. It practically screams sequel to Serial Mom. *** And lastly, I can't send enough praise and appreciation to Brothers & Sisters creator Jon Robin Baitz, Executive producer Greg Berlanti and the series writers for creating a wonderful new relationship for Uncle Saul in the form of Jonathan Byrold as played by the amazing Richard Chamberlain. To see such an iconic actor go from a closeted yet successful career from Dr. Kildaire to TV Minseries as Shogun and the Thorn Birds, to being an out, and still handsome actor at the age of 77, actually kissing another man on primetime television sends chills up my spine and hopefully brings great joy and sense of accomplishment to Mr. Chamberlain.***

Until next time, I'm Nathaniel Grey and I was born this way.

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