Entertainment News from Eye On Weho

Eye on Entertainment
Nathaniel Grey
Entertainment Editor
July 1, 2012

Ellen's Wife is a Munster

X-Men's Bryan Singer is directing the TV movie/pilot for a remake of The Munsters called Mockingbird Lane, named after the street on which the family of fright lived in the original show. The project was written by Pushing Daisies creator Bryan Fuller and features a cast that includes Jerry O'Connell as Herman, Ellen Degeneres' wife Portia DeRossi as Lily and Eddie Izzard as Grandpa. Glee vet Cheyenne Jackson will play a scout master to Eddie Munster who falls for Lily. Wow, a gay actor playing a scout master? This country is going to hell in a Judith Leiber handbag.

Bridesmaids cast member, Rebel Wilson attends another wedding in A Few Best Men. Awaiting US distribution, the project comes from The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert director Stephan Elliot. The story of a groom who takes his three best men to the Australian outback for rural nuptials was written by Death At A Funeral scripter Dean Craig. Joining Wilson in the comedy are Olivia Newton John and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse's Xavier Samuel.

The Lifetime cable channel has picked up Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry's new series titled Devious Maids. ABC passed on the pilot which featured All My Children legend Susan Lucci, Ugly Betty vet Ana Ortiz and Melrose Place heart throb Grant Show. The series comes from Brothers & Sisters creator Greg Berlanti and features Sigourney Weaver as a former first lady who is now Secretary of State. But this time, Weaver may be battling aliens of the worst kind.

A legend of a higher caliber, Vanessa Redgrave will play a lesbian Supreme Court judge in the USA network's new series Political Animals which debuts July 15th. Redgrave's costar from Letters to Juliet and her real life husband, Franco Nero, joins J. Edgar's Leonardo DiCaprio and out actor Dennis Christopher in Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained. The story of a bounty hunter, Christoph Waltz, who partners with an escaped slave, Jamie Fox, will be released Christmas day.

If you lusted after nearly naked Brenton Thwaites in the recent telefilm Blue Lagoon: The Awakening, you'll get to see more of him when he costars with Angelina Jolie in the film Maleficent. Following the recent trend of Snow White revamps, this film takes a new look at Sleeping Beauty starring Elle Fanning, Kaboom's Juno Temple with Harry Potter vets Miranda Richardson and Imelda Staunton. Avatar production designer Robert Stromberg makes his directorial debut on the project for Alice in Wonderland producer Joe Roth. Angelina's papa, Jon Voight will join The L Word's Katherine Moennig, One Tree Hill's Austin Nichols, and Liev Schreiber in the new Showtime series Ray Donovan. The show, which follows a professional fixer for the rich and famous, comes from Southland creator Ann Biderman.

Magic Mike cast member Alex Pettyfer costars with Oprah Winfrey, Iron Man's Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr. in director Lee Daniels The Butler. The drama centers on the life of Eugene Allen, a White House butler who served eight presidents over the course of three decades. Other top stars in the cast include Liam Neeson as Lyndon Johnson, Alan Rickman as Ronald Reagan, Jane Fonda as Nancy Reagan, Minka Kelly as Jackie Kennedy and John Cusack as Richard Nixon. Yes, you read that right, John Cusack as Tricky Dick.

Richard Chamberlain, who many remember as a Priest in the miniseries The Thornbirds dons the robes once again in a new stage version of The Exorcist. The play makes it's world premiere 6/3 at LA's Geffen Playhouse running through 8/12.

Moonrise Kingdom's Tilda Swinton joins The Avengers Chris Evans and Jamie Bell in film version of Jacques Lob and Benjamin Legrand's graphic novel Snowpiercer. The story about a post apocalyptic world covered in snow and ice focuses on a group of survivors living on a train. Rounding out the cast are Octavia Spencer, John Hurt and The Borgias' Luke Pasqualino for The Host director Joon-Ho Bong. Isn't that Korean for a bride who put out for the best man?

Reno 911 vets Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant have reunited to write, co-direct and star in the supernatural comedy Hell Baby. The Darko Entertainment film co-stars GCB vet Leslie Bibb, Rob Corddry, and Reaper's Michael Ian Black. The premise has a couple with a demonic baby calling for the services of the Vatican's Elite Possession Response team.

Modern Family's Sarah Hyland is keeping it in the family when she joins real life boyfriend Matt Prokop in the comedy Struck By Lightning. Written by Glee's Chris Colfer, the story back tracks as Colfer's character explains how he black mailed fellow students into writing for his literary magazine. For his first produced screenplay, he landed director Brian Dannelly (Saved) and a jackpot cast. The movie features Bridesmaids' Rebel Wilson, Mad Men's Christina Hendricks, Dermot Mulroney, Allison Janney, and Desperate Housewives Polly Bergen. There is so much positive buzz about the project that it will be the closing night gala feature of Outfest on 7/22.

Hyland's uncle from Modern Family, Eric Stonestreet, joins Star Trek's John Choo and Melissa McCarthy in director Seth Gordon's comedy Identity Thief. The screenplay details the challenges of a man who encounters the woman who stole his identity. Jason Bateman costars with Iron Man's John Favreau, 2012 vet Amanda Peet and American Horror Story's Morris Chestnut.

Queen Latifah joins Phylicia Rashad and her daughter Condola Rashad in the Lifetime Movie Channel's upcoming remake of Steel Magnolias.

Harry Potter vet Alan Rickman teams with Burlesque star Stanley Tucci in the upcoming remake of the Shirley MacLaine film Gambit from Soapdish director Michael Hoffman. This look at a disgruntled art curator who plots revenge on his abusive boss by convincing him to buy a forged Monet painting. I guess that's what's called 'Regenge' in the art world. Also in the cast are Cameron Diaz, A Single Man's Colin Firth and Saving Hope star Cloris Leachman.

American Gigolo writer and director Paul Schrader will direct The Canyons, a sexual thriller written by American Psycho scripter Bret Easton Ellis starring Lindsay Lohan and straight porn star James Deen.

Doctor Who's Sophie Okonedo (Liz 10) joins Chad Allen and Janeane Garofalo in the gay grooms comedy For Better or For Worse. Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss star Brad Rowe directs the story of a Gay wedding where friends and family seem determined to turn the special day into a disaster. You need friends and family for that? Just invite Lindsay Lohan.

Glee vet Cheyenne Jackson, Ghostbuster Dan Aykroyd and Rob Lowe have been added to the cast of HBO's Liberace film Behind the Candelabra. Steven Soderbergh directs with Michael Douglas in lead role with Matt Damon as his lover Scott Thorson. The project is scheduled to debut on the cable channel next year.

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

Return to Home Page