The Playlist

Russell Brand Out, Ben Stiller In For 'Rentaghost'

By Kevin Jagernauth
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October 12, 2011 7:07 AM
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0 Comments

In Hollywood, you're only as good as your last movie, and with Russell Brand's first bonafide leading man vehicle "Arthur" opening at number three this spring and then fading fast from theaters, it seems some heat has fallen off Mr. Katy Perry. Meanwhile, Ben Stiller continues to be a moneymaker (at least when you stick him in mainstream fare). "Little Fockers," as wretched as it was, still made over $300 million worldwide. "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian"? More than $400 million around the globe. So it's no surprise that the folks behind the gestating movie version of the TV show "Rentaghost" would prefer one name much more than the other.

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Russell Brand & Julianne Hough Confirmed For Diablo Cody's Directorial Debut 'Lamb Of God'

By Kevin Jagernauth
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September 26, 2011 5:36 AM
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5 Comments

While Diablo Cody's distinct voice has provided the foundation for a diverse array of projects ranging from "Juno" to "The United States Of Tara" to the forthcoming "Evil Dead" reboot, she is going to be taking her next script to the screen herself with "Lamb Of God."

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Russell Brand Offered Male Lead In Diablo Cody's Directorial Debut 'Lamb Of God'

By Oliver Lyttelton
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August 2, 2011 8:28 AM
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12 Comments

'Rock Of Ages' Co-Star Julianne Hough A Contender For LeadThe screen career of Russell Brand has been an interesting thing to follow so far. The stand-up comedian broke out as a highlight of "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," and spun off the same character to a lesser, but still fair degree of success in "Get Him To The Greek" (and showed some impressive dramatic chops in places), but the last year has displayed some mixed success: "Hop" was a huge hit, although Brand never appeared on screen, while "The Tempest" and, more importantly, "Arthur," were both awful, and both flops.

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First Look At Russell Brand & Alec Baldwin In 'Rock Of Ages' Is Amazing/Terrifying

By Kevin Jagernauth
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May 31, 2011 5:53 AM
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2 Comments

Looks like Alec Baldwin is going to be in "Rock of Ages" after all. After reports surfaced earlier in the month that the actor was leaving the upcoming musical "Rock of Ages" for undisclosed reasons (some said there was a personal matter he needed to attend do), it looks like everything is hunky dory.

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Weekend Box Office: 'Hop' Defeats Four Newcomers; 'Your Highness' Flops Loudly And Rudely

By Gabe Toro
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April 10, 2011 4:48 AM
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12 Comments

Earlier in the year, the tepid box office returns were something to be ignored, as 2011 was competing with the previous year, with both “Avatar” and then the anomaly of “Alice In Wonderland” each raking in a cool billion. Well, it’s April, and it’s time for Hollywood to panic. There have been no genuine out-of-the-box hits so far this year and lots of flops, and the two (barely) $100 million grossers considered underperformers (“Rango” and “Just Go With It”). Let’s face it, part of it is a failure of marketing, but the blame must be laid on inadequate product. Even when it comes to the early year doldrums, this has been a banner year for garbage.

Review: 'Arthur' A Tedious, Bland Comedy That Earns Intermittent Laughs Almost By Accident

By Kimber Myers
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April 8, 2011 2:21 AM
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1 Comment

“Why?” will echo through your head if you’re a fan of the 1981 “Arthur” starring Dudley Moore as you watch this useless remake. The original won a shiny pair of Oscars and is considered a classic, but apparently Warner Bros. thought it needed to be remade for contemporary audiences. But the larger philosophical question soon fades in favor of a strictly personal one: “Why me?” Though it has fleeting funny moments, this Russell Brand vehicle is a sputtering Pinto that surprises more when it runs well than when it lurches to a stop.

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Russell Brand & Diego Boneta Ready To Sing In 'Rock Of Ages'

By Kevin Jagernauth
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April 4, 2011 9:07 AM
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0 Comments

So, the "Rock Of Ages" train continues to roll, bringing on more passengers as it gears up to start filming very soon.

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Russell Brand Wants To Go Behind The Camera For Two Developing Comedy Starring Vehicles

By Simon Dang
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April 2, 2011 3:50 AM
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2 Comments

Russell Brand has quickly found himself becoming a comedy stalwart in Hollywood after debuting in 2008's "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" but it sounds like the sometimes controversial figure is already eyeing bigger and better things,as he reveals his ambition to move behind the camera.

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Watch: Second 'Arthur' Trailer Adds Greta Gerwig, Still Not All That

By Oliver Lyttelton
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March 3, 2011 2:56 AM
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5 Comments

It's possibly just because the rest of the ceremony was such a painful, dull slog, but the presentation of Best Foreign Language Film by Helen Mirren and Russell Brand was one of the few lively points of this year's Oscars, with some suggesting on the night that the duo would make better hosts next year than James Franco and Anne Hathaway, although it could also be argued that the Pixar lamp and the rotting corpse of David Niven would have more chemistry as hosts than Franco & Hathaway.

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Tom Cruise Signs On For 'Rock Of Ages,' Will Sing Bon Jovi

By Kevin Jagernauth
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February 11, 2011 3:25 AM
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6 Comments

Finally. After months and months of all sorts of names being linked to "Rock Of Ages," the biggest one of them all has finally signed on marking the first actual casting for the film.

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