Mamma Mia Sequel? Here We Go Again

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Universal, Family, Music, Musicals, Sequels, Comedy, Casting, Celeb News, Celebrity Gossip, Rumors, Upcoming Releases

Mamma Mia! star Amanda Seyfried recently confirmed that a sequel to the successful flick is in the works. So what’s the bad news? It, too, will feature ABBA music. Well, we can’t have it all.

“I will do it,” Seyfried reported. “And I know Meryl’s [Streep] game as well, so bring it on.”

Get ready for the sing-along.

Read More | Perez Hilton

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Sneak Peek: New Video Clip From Nine

Posted by Kathleen Kane Categories: Weinstein Company, Adaptation, Drama, Musicals, Romance, Casting, Filmmaking, Trailers, Upcoming Releases, Videos

Rob Marshall’s new film Nine is epic.

For one, the cast is impeccable: Daniel Day-Lewis, Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Nicole Kidman, Judi Dench, Sophia Loren, Kate Hudson, and Stacy “Fergie” Ferguson. That’s 7 Oscar wins and 11 Oscar nominations between them!

Secondly, this video—spliced with rehearsal footage and new clips of the film—just makes me more excited for musical (that could be my Chicago and Moulin Rouge fangirl in me). Having been partially based on Federico Fellini’s autobiographical 8 1/2, I can’t see why it won’t please audiences.

I suppose we shall find out on its opening day, December 25th; in the meantime, enjoy the video!

Read More | LA Times

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Madonna Wants Blanchett for Musical

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Drama, Musicals, Political, Romance, Casting, Celeb News, Celebrity Gossip, Rumors, Upcoming Releases

Madonna wants Cate Blanchett to star in her new musical—when the Queen of Pop wants you, is there even a chance of declining?

The “4 Minutes” singer is set to direct and produce Wallis, which follows the life of American socialite Wallis Simpson, who Britain’s King Edward VIII gave up the throne to marry, and wants the Notes On A Scandal actress to take on the lead role opposite Doctor Who actor David Tennant after opting against casting Keira Knightley.

A source told Britain’s The Sun newspaper, “The final script is now written and the locations have been scouted. Madonna is now trying to assemble the cast and put the finances in place. The first scene of the film is an old woman in her 90s living on her own in a Parisian flat. She starts to tell her life story to her housekeeper. It turns out the old woman is Wallis Simpson. There will be a song for each decade of her life.”

Madonna, whose last acting role in a movie was in 2002 flop Swept Away, had been planning to start work on the film last year, but it was put on hold while she finalized her divorce from Guy Ritchie.

Click to continue reading Madonna Wants Blanchett for Musical

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Hugh Jackman Going to the Circus

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: 20th Century Fox, Musicals, Casting, Celeb News, Upcoming Releases

The man best known as Wolverine will soon bring P.T. Barnum back to life in a brand new movie musical. That’s right - Hugh Jackman is going to sing, dance and make viewers want to run away to the circus.

Showman will revolve around the life of P.T. Barnum, whose known for his hand in creating Barnum and Bailey Circus. Barnum is behind such innovations as the three-ring circus set up that’s still used today. Writers of the script are hoping to get Anne Hathaway to play the female lead in the movie. Contemporary songs will help bring this period piece into the modern era.

P.T. Barnum died in 1891. He was born in Connecticut and during his long career in entertainment wrote several books. He was a celebrated promoter and showman through most of his life.

Read More | E! Online

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Find the Weight on Penelope Cruz

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Weinstein Company, Adaptation, Musicals, Celebrity Gossip, Upcoming Releases

Let me start by saying that I agree with actress Nia Vardalos. Too much emphasis is placed on women and weight in Hollywood. But every once in a while, I come across a story like this and I can’t help but laugh.

During the production of Nine, several of the cast members were asked to gain weight for their roles in the musical. According to singer Fergie, it was suggested by director Rob Marshall that she and Penelope Cruz each add on 17 pounds. “We were eating our brains out. We ordered everything fried and full of fat and salty,” she told Allure magazine.

While it’s easy to see from the trailer that the Black Eye Peas performer did reach at least part of her goal (I highly doubt that was 17 pounds), I’ve been struggling to see - from any angle - what the Oscar-winner put on. Can anyone help me?

Read More | Us Magazine

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First Look: Daniel Day-Lewis and All His Women in Nine Trailer

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Weinstein Company, Adaptation, Musicals, Trailers, Upcoming Releases

What would Daniel Day-Lewis do to get past his Academy Award-winning role as Daniel Plainview? He’d move on with a bevy of women.

In Nine, the There Will Be Blood star trades in the oil industry for a life behind the camera. Daniel plays Guido Contini, a Venice director who struggles to complete his film while handling all the women in his life. It’s a part that was once given to Javier Bardem.

Click to continue reading First Look: Daniel Day-Lewis and All His Women in Nine Trailer

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Hayden Panettiere the New Heroine of Footloose?

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Paramount, Adaptation, Music, Musicals, Casting, Celeb News, Celebrity Gossip, Rumors, Upcoming Releases

Rumor has it that Heroes cheerleader Hayden Panettiere has auditioned for the upcoming remake of Footloose, the project formerly dropped by Zac Efron (and possibly picked up by Chace Crawford).

An unnamed source says that Panettiere’s pipes left nothing to be desired when she bellowed out a tryout tune for the singing role in the flick. In case you didn’t know, the new Footloose movie is going Broadway - that means big musical numbers and all.

Hayden Panettiere has flexed her singing stylings in the past. She released “Wake Up Call,” in 2007 and has appeared on several soundtracks.

Chace Crawford, notably of Gossip Girl fame, isn’t officially on board with the movie, but the press has already given him the starring role. Neither Panettiere or Crawford’s rep was available for comment.

Read More | E! Online

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This Week on DVD and Blu-ray: March 31, 2009

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight, Sony, Universal, Action, Adaptation, Drama, Foreign, Musicals, Romance, Science Fiction, Comedy, Home Entertainment

Here are some of the DVD and Blu-ray options available this Tuesday:

• An American in Paris: Blu-ray
• The Chronicles of Riddick: Blu-ray
• Ghosts of Mars: Blu-ray
• Gigi: Blu-ray
• Marley & Me: DVD, Blu-ray
• Pitch Black: Blu-ray
• Seven Pounds: DVD, Blu-ray
• Slumdog Millionaire: DVD, Blu-ray
• South Pacific: Blu-ray
• Tell No One: DVD, Blu-ray

Click here to see the TV-on-DVD options for this week.

Read More | Amazon

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Remake News: The Thing, The A-Team, East of Eden and More

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Columbia Pictures, Universal, Action, Adaptation, Drama, Horror, Musicals, Period, Science Fiction, Thrillers, Casting, Upcoming Releases

The Thing: Universal - apparently feeling the winter blast - has decided to redo the classic John Carpenter film. In the 1982 version, research teams in Antarctica are killed off by a shape-shifting alien. The reimaging, which will be directed by Matthijs Van Heijningen, will be based off the same source material as the Kurt Russell vehicle. Ron Moore, Battlestar Galactica‘s executive producer, is in charge of the script.

Click to continue reading Remake News: The Thing, The A-Team, East of Eden and More

Read More | Hollywood Reporter

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2009 Golden Globe Nominations (Film)

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: DreamWorks, Disney, Fox Searchlight, Paramount, Universal, Warner Bros, Weinstein Company, Adaptation, Animation, Drama, Family, Foreign, Foreign Language, Independent, Musicals, Period, Political, Romance, Sequels, Comedy, Awards, Lists

Although a looming SAG strike may threaten next year’s Academy Awards, the Golden Globes ceremony should finally go on as planned. The 66th annual event is scheduled to air on Sunday, January 11th, just 11 days before the Oscar nominations are announced.

Here are some of the noteworthy mentions from this year’s list of film nominees:

• Frost/Nixon and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button both led the field with five nominations each.
• Despite being chosen Best Film by the New York Film Critics, Sean Penn was the only nod Milk received by the HFPA.
• Meryl Streep earned two nominations for her work in Doubt and Mamma Mia.
• Kate Winslet is also up for two awards. Her films - Revolutionary Road and The Reader - are also up for Best Picture.
• Heath Ledger did get a posthumous nomination as expected.
• Although he was recently recognized for his acting work in Gran Torino, director Clint Eastwood (Changeling) was only acknowledged for his musical achievements.

(You can find the full list of film nominees after the jump. Click here for the TV nominations.)

Click to continue reading 2009 Golden Globe Nominations (Film)

Read More | Hollywood Foreign Press Association

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