News: March 22nd-28th 1999

In this section you will find the latest news & rumours on current and upcoming Hollywood projects. To spice up the page we also serve a variety of new posters, images and reviews. If you have a scoop you'd like to share with everyone, please submit it to us.

The Wild, Wild West: Two test screening reviews for this upcoming Will Smith/Kevin Kline film, which opens July 4th in the US. There are some minor spoilers, for those who haven't read much about this film online. The other review of 'Wild, Wild West' has been posted in our movie forum. Also, the official site has been updated, click on the logo above to take a look. A big thanks to 'Anonymous' and 'Steven.'

The Courier: Brad Pitt ("Se7en") has expressed "serious interest'' in a thriller called "The Courier." The indie project, budgeted at about $50 million, concerns a courier hired to make a drop to a man who is impossible to find. Pitt will likely take an executive producer credit if he participates. Shooting is likely to take place in a number of locations, including San Francisco, Chicago and Las Vegas, according to Variety.

Tarzan: An advance poster for the upcoming Disney adventure "Tarzan" landed in my mailbox today. This animated film will feature the voices of Tony Goldwyn, Wayne Knight, Glenn Close, Minnie Driver and Rosie O'Donnell. Thanks to 'Alan.'

Mace and Mardi: Paramount Pictures is picking up the dark action/comedy script "Mace and Mardi" for Jodie Foster and Mel Gibson to produce. The project, seen as a possible starring vehicle for the boxoffice stars, was scripted by Jim Uhls ("The Fight Club") and is in turnaround from Miramax Films. The studio is paying high-six against seven figures for the script, which Uhls will co-produce with Foster's Egg Pictures and Gibson's Icon Prods. The script centers on a neurotic couple who work as bounty hunters. While undergoing marriage counseling, they realize they want to quit the business. However, they must engage in more hunts to finance their new life, THR reports.

Me, Myself and Irene: 20th Century Fox is close to a deal to reunite Jim Carrey with his "Dumb and Dumber'' filmmakers Peter and Bobby Farrelly on the split-personality comedy "Me, Myself and Irene.'' Carrey supposedly wants "Irene'' to be his next film, sources close to the project said. Carrey will play a Rhode Island state trooper with a split personality. When he fails to take his medication, each of his competing personalities falls in love with the same woman (Irene), and with his internal chemistry now in tumult, they declare war on each other. The Farrellys co-wrote "Me, Myself and Irene'' with Mike Cerrone.

Mission to Mars: Tim Robbins is in negotiations to star in Walt Disney Studios' highly anticipated science-fiction thriller "Mission to Mars," sources said. He would join a cast that includes Gary Sinise and Don Cheadle. Robbins would play Woody, a gung-ho astronaut who, along with his astronaut wife, leads a rescue mission into outer space after a mission to Mars meets disaster. Arriving at the distant planet, the mission discovers a survivor and learns what happened to the ill-fated mission. Ted Tally is rewriting the script with director Brian De Palma rolling cameras in July. Disney will probably release "Mission to Mars" in May or June 2000 under its Hollywood Pictures label.

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me: The two new advance posters are now out. The first features Austin Powers himself, and the other his nemesis, Dr. Evil. This groovy sequel is set to be released June 11th, 1999 in the US. [Updated.]

Gladiator: Got an anonymous scoop claiming that "the German actor RALF MÖLLER, a. k. a. CONAN, plays in the new movie Gladiator!!!" Could be true, and I'll try to find some more info.

Fanboys: According to THR, Harry Knowles, the man behind the popular site Ain't It Cool News, may be embarking on a second career. Knowles has agreed to play himself in the yet-to-be-financed feature "Fanboys" written by Ernie Cline. The road-trip comedy is set a year ago and follows four "Star Wars" fans from Ohio who plan to break into director George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch in an attempt to see the rough cut of the "Phantom Menace" prequel. No comment on Harry's site yet.

Minority Report: Steven Spielberg reported to Variety that he recently spoke on the phone to Tom Cruise in Australia and that Cruise would indeed wind his “Mission: Impossible II” movie in time (despite the delayed start) to begin their “Minority Report” in September. They’ll shoot entirely in L.A. and on the 20th Fox lot, the first time for Spielberg at that studio, which he’s looking forward to it. Speaking of 'Minority Report' - got yet another anonymous scoop claiming that Matt Damon is rumored to be set for a role in the film..

Gone in 60 Seconds: Giovanni Ribisi ("Saving Private Ryan") is set to appear as Nicolas Cage's brother in "Gone in 60 Seconds" for producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Shooting begins mid-May. Ribisi will play Cage's ne'er-do-well younger brother Kip, who is hired by a mafioso to carry off an elaborate car heist. When Kip realizes he can't pull the heist off, he turns to his brother for help. Angelina Jolie also appears in the film. The film's writer Scott Rosenberg and director Dominic Sena are revising the script. Mike Stenson and Chad Oman are executive producing the Disney project, THR reports.

Planet of the Apes: James Cameron is no longer orbiting Fox's "Planet of the Apes" remake, which he was to have written and produced under his Lightstorm Entertainment banner. Fox, however, is still high on the project and has entered into discussions with other creatives, including Michael Bay. The "Armageddon" director is said to be very enthusiastic about the remake of the 1968 sci-fi classic, pending delivery of an acceptable script. Writing chores are now to be handled by Bill Broyles, whose deal is being negotiated. Lightstorm president Rae Sanchini confirmed that Cameron has cut ties to the project in an amicable parting that leaves the studio free to go "Ape" on its own, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

A Soldier of the Great War: The “Rounders” team of star Edward Norton, writers David Levien and Brian Koppelman and financier/distrib Miramax Films will deal their next hand with “A Soldier of the Great War.” The film will be based on the novel by Mark Helprin, author of “Winter’s Tale” and “Ellis Island & Other Stories,” among others. Pic concerns a 70ish Italian professor who’s an ex-war hero. Encountering a young illiterate factory worker on a lonely road, he recounts his WWI experiences, during which he confronted various lovers, madmen and Mafiosi. Levien and Koppelman will begin work on the screenplay this year, with production slated for sometime in 2000.

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace will premiere May 16th at benefit screenings held in a dozen U.S. cities. Each event will be a fund-raiser for a children's charity where all costs will be underwritten by corporate sponsors. The Los Angeles premiere will benefit the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. The charity is hoping to raise more than $700,000 from the event. No theater has been chosen for the screening. Tickets for the L.A. screening and after-party start at $500 each, with packages priced at $5,000, $10,000 and $25,000, Variety reports. Also, click on the picture about for a whole bunch of new Episode I scans (some of which could be concidered spoiler pics) from the latest Star Wars Insider over at TheForce.net.

Texas Rangers: James Van Der Beek (''Dawson's Creek'') and Dylan McDermott (''The Practice'') are saddling up to star in "Texas Rangers,'' a long-delayed project that was expected to be the last film directed by Sam Peckinpah. The drama is about how a ragtag group of youngsters banded together after the Civil War to form the Texas Rangers, a group charged with the dangerous and ruthless duty of cleaning up the West. Steve Miner will direct "Texas Rangers'' from a script by John Milius.

The Conjure Man Dies: Morgan Freeman's Revelations Entertainment continues its push into independent production with "The Conjure Man Dies," an adaptation of the 1932 Rudolph Fisher novel that will star Freeman as investigator Dr. Archer. Kevin Hooks ("Passenger 57") is attached to direct. "Conjure Man," the first mystery novel published by a black writer featuring black characters, is set in the height of the 1930s Harlem Renaissance and follows an investigation into the murder of a conjure man, or psychic. "This is an important piece of fiction, not only for black history, but for the history of American literature as a whole because it's a unique snapshot of a treasured time and place," Freeman said according to THR.

Play It to the Bone: Tom Sizemore ("Saving Private Ryan") will join Woody Harrelson, Antonio Banderas and Lolita Davidovich in Ron Shelton's "Play It to the Bone." Sizemore will play a big-time Las Vegas promoter in the film about two washed-up boxers who get a chance to fight in Las Vegas when there is a last-minute dropout. He was repped on the deal by UTA and Beth Holden at Propaganda Management. The movie, which rolls next month, will be produced by Stephen Chin and distributed by Buena Vista. After "Bone," Sizemore begins production on the indie film "Cupid Tattoo," a thriller about a policewoman who falls in love with a former rock star, acquitted for murder, whom she is assigned to protect. The film co-stars Sizemore's wife Maeve Quinlan. Following that gig, Sizemore will star in "Interstate," which will be directed by Louis Couvelaire and produced by Renny Harlin, Amanda Stern and Paul Brooks, THR reports.

Editors Note: Still pretty slow news-wise, but while waiting for them big scoops to show up, why not read Johnathan Pritchett's personal thoughts on the recent Academy Awards show here --->

Life: A poster for the new Eddie Murphy/Martin Lawrence film "Life," about Ray (Murphy) and Claude (Lawrence) who are two men who are wrongly convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment at a Mississippi penitentiary. 'Life' will be released April 16th, 1999 in the US/Canada.

Train Man: Paramount Pictures has climbed aboard "Train Man," optioning P.T. Deutermann's explosive thriller for producer Alan Ladd Jr. After a heated auction with two other bidders, Paramount won rights to the book with an offer that will pay an estimated $500,000 in the back end. St. Martins Press is planning a winter launch for the novel, which centers on a train-obsessed madman who wires some of the biggest railroad bridges around the country and blows them up from his remote shack, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The World Is Not Enough: Thanks to the Unofficial TWINE Site for letting us know that they've made available the shooting script of the pre-credits sequence of the latest James Bond film. The script, re-written by Dana Stevens and Bruce Feirstein, is an exciting journey from the daring bank escape to the high speed boat chase down the River Thames in London, and featuring the Millennium Dome! More Info >>>

The Matrix: Brian over at Movie Salvage managed to catch an early screening of this long awaited sci-fi film, click below to read his very positive review. While you're there, he's also landed some wonderful scoops today, so be sure to take a look:

Editors Note: Not much news today after the Oscar's last night. Personally I thought the show was better than expected, and you can read the results right here. On another note, it's Jeffery Sanders' (our reviewer) birthday today, and I'm sure he'd appreciate a few words in his mailbox. Also, the results of the Star Wars trailer poll can be found at this location.