For a brief, glorious moment, "Pirates of the Caribbean" director Gore Verbinski was attached to helm the video game-to-movie adaptation of "BioShock." Unfortunately, it wasn't to be. Verbinski is still set to produce, but he stepped aside as director after scheduling conflicts arose. I wonder if the spotty history games have on film also played a part?
Regardless, the hunt for a director has been on. More than that, we're actually nearing endgame. Variety reports that Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, director of "Intacto" and "28 Weeks Later," is in talks to step in and take the reins. Fresnadillo's confirmation is pending publisher Take-Two Games' approval, as they have the final word. Presumably, Fresnadillo will be working with a budget that falls below the $160 million figure which originally halted the project long enough for Verbinski to jump ship. Read more...
Of all the directors in all of Hollywood, could anyone have predicted that the person who’d end up replacing Gore Verbinski at the wheel of the multi-billion dollar "Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise would be the guy who scored an Oscar nod for “Chicago”? You remember, the 2002 musical about those lovely, murderous ladies? The one staring Richard freaking Gere?
Well, according to a report in Variety, that’s what is gonna happen: Rob Marshall is set to assume directing duties for the fourth "Pirates." Hey, it could be an inspired choice or a demented one—who’s to say at this point? So let’s take a look at some reasons why Marshall’s “Pirates” might rock or why it instead might stink, er, sink. Read more...
Not much is known about Gore Verbinski’s latest collaboration with Johnny Depp, a CG animation/motion-capture hybrid movie about household pets on a dangerous cowboy adventure. Turns out that lack of knowledge extends to the title itself, which MTV News has learned might not even be called “Rango,” as had been previously reported.
“It was called ‘Rango,’” Bill Nighy told MTV Movies Editor Josh Horowitz while promoting the 3D Disney movie, “G-Force.” “I think it may be called ‘Rango,’ it may be called ‘Cheap as Dirt.’”
Read more...
Contributed by Silas Lesnick
While talking to Isla Fisher at this weekend's "Confessions of a Shopaholic" junket, MTV News learned about an exciting bit of casting; Fisher has joined Gore Verbinski's 2011 animated adventure film, "Rango".
Already set to star Johnny Depp as a household pet who goes on a fantastic adventure, the film reunites Depp with the "Pirates" director. Fisher is set to voice a lizard that Depp's character
encounters on his travels. Read more...
You really do have to be wary online -- your quirky Internet lifestyle may just end up a Hollywood movie. According to Variety, "Pirates of the Caribbean" director Gore Verbinski and Universal Studios have bought the rights to Alexandra Alter's Wall Street Journal article, "Is This Man Cheating on His Wife?" He's developing the project with an eye to the director's chair and Steven Knight ("Eastern Promises") is writing the script.
The 2007 piece focused on one man's dedication to his persona in "Second Life." In real life, Ric Hoogestraat was a married 53-year-old suffering from serious health problems. But in "Second Life," he's a handsome, muscular Johnny Depp type -- and he's married to a slim redhead who isn't his wife. His dedication to his online persona was destroying his real life and his marriage, and his wife feared that he would wake up and realize he traded reality for pixels. Read more...
- “Pirates” collaborators Johnny Depp and Gore Verbinski reunite for “Rango,” the animated story of a household pet sent on a wild adventure. (Variety)
- Arnold Schwarzenegger visits “Terminator: Salvation” set, continuing to fuel rumors he actually appears in the film. (/film)
- Wes Anderson to write, possibly direct “My Best Friend,” a remake of a French film about a man who realizes that nobody likes him. (Variety)
- The cast of “Airplane” re-unite to talk about the very funny film. Surely, you can’t be serious? I am, and don’t call me Shirley. (MSNBC)
