Thursday, May 14, 2009

Film News: Nicole's a No-Show, Multiple Jekyll & Hydes, Scorsese Tackles Ol' Blue Eyes

- Nicole Kidman has pulled out of Woody Allen's upcoming, untitled movie, citing a scheduling conflict. Allen's film is now scheduled to begin filming this summer on the East Coast; Kidman will be producing and starring in The Rabbit Hole in the UK during that time. Previously it had been announced that Kidman would costar with Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Josh Brolin, Naomi Watts and Freida Pinto in Allen's film. [Entertainment Weekly]

- Robert Louis Stevenson's Jekyll and Hyde has become a hot property. In addition to the contemporized version starring Keanu Reeves that was recently announced, Guillermo del Toro is developing his own adaptation. Del Toro's full slate of currently schedule films, however, means that his Jekyll movie is years away from becoming reality. A third bigscreen adaptation helmed by Abel Ferrara has just been announced. Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker will play Dr. Jekyll and rapper 50 Cent will play Mr. Hyde. Yeah, I don't know what to think about that either . . . [Fangoria][Variety]

- Universal Pictures and Mandalay Pictures have annouced that Martin Scorsese will direct and produce the first silver screen biopic about the legendary Frank Sinatra. Simply titled Sinatra, the film is intended to "touch on all phases of Sinatra's life." According to one of the studio execs, Leonardo DiCaprio is "an obvious candidate" to star in the film since he has starred in Scorsese's last four flicks. Any music used in the film will come from Sinatra's original recordings, so the lead actor will not need singing ability. [Variety]

- Tina Fey and Steve Carell will be joined by Ray Liotta, Mila Kunis and Mark Ruffalo in the Fox comedic movie Date Night. Liotta, Kunis and Ruffalo join a cast that also includes Mark Wahlberg, James Franco, Taraji P. Henson, Common and Leighton Meester. Filming for Date Night began last month. [Hollywood Reporter]

- Because he wasn't going to be busy enough with half-a-dozen upcoming projects, Hugh Jackman has signed on to star in Unbound Captives alongside Oscar-winner Rachel Weisz and Twilight's Robert Pattinson. Weisz will play a woman "whose husband is killed and her two children kidnapped by a Comanche war party in 1859." Jackman will play the fronstiersman who rescues Weisz' character, and Pattinson will play her son. Madeline Stowe, who penned the script, will also make her directorial debut with Unbound Captives. [Variety]

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