Thompson on Hollywood

Trailer Watch: Eat Pray Love and Salt Star Roberts and Jolie

Two leading ladies, two very different films. One puts Angelina Jolie through an identity crisis in Salt's neo-cold war atmosphere, the other stars Julia Roberts in a big-budget adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert's bestseller, Eat, Pray, Love. Jolie and Roberts are two of the highest-earning, name-brand A-listers in the business. See the trailers below for these summer movies. Eat Pray Love could prove welcome summer programming for adults, especially women, while Jolie could inject an element of the unexpected in Salt, which was originally set to star Tom Cruise.

By Cameron Carlson
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July 7, 2010 9:15 AM
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Carell Leaves The Office, Forbes' Most Powerful Celebs, Top Gun Sequel, Paramount Breaks Records

-It will be a sad day in TV history when Steve Carell ends his reign as Michael Scott when the 2010-2011 season of The Office wraps in May. While walking the red carpet for the premiere of Despicable Me last night, he confirmed to E! that the end was in sight. "I just thought it was time for my character to go," he said, now that his seven season contract is almost up. He doesn't see it as a "huge deal." He actually believes it is a good thing, a chance to add "new life" to the show. With the strong ensemble cast and writers, he has no doubt "it'll continue as strong if not stronger than ever." Sorry Steve, but the Michael Scott faux-humility has no place here. Without you, the show should end. Pajiba lists the seven most likely candidates to replace him.

By Sophia Savage
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June 29, 2010 5:24 AM
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Vanity Fair Cover Girl Jolie Talks Home vs. Career, Bier Teases Haevnen, Kick-Ass Power Petites

- Angelina Jolie graces the cover of August's Vanity Fair, amping up for the release of Salt on July 23rd. The mag posted a taste of the interview today. It's not the first time she's said it, but Jolie was clear about acting not being the most important thing to her, and she does not anticipate doing it much longer, even though it helped her to learn about herself while growing up.

By Sophia Savage
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June 28, 2010 3:10 AM
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Reitman's Elliot Allagash, Lion King in 3-D and Disney Homes

- Jason Reitman's Right of Way Films has picked up Simon Rich's excesses-of-the-rich satire Elliot Allagash, reports THR. Current SNL writer Rich will adapt his book, which follows a picked-on private school student who is taken under the wing of another student, the villainous, drunken Allagash. While Reitman does intend to produce, he may not direct. The filmmaker is currently developing Bonzai Shadowhands with The Office's Rainn Wilson starring as a once-great ninja who is leading a dull life. Right of Way Films was co-created with Indian Paintbrush, backed by billionaire Steven Rales, who will produce and finance the project.

By Sophia Savage
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June 23, 2010 5:29 AM
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This Means War Casting Saga, WGA vs. IMDb, Boyle directs Olympics, Fairy Tales are New Vampires

- McG can't make up his mind on casting vidgame-to-film This Means War. While Reese Witherspoon is set to play the femme at the center of a dispute between two spies--best friends turned enemies in this action-comedy--the two male leads are up in the air. In-demand Bradley Cooper has bailed on the role originally intended for Martin Lawrence, while Seth Rogen and Chris Pine were both reported as attached at some point. Now Vulture asserts that McG has offered his Terminator Salvation star Sam Worthington the lead. The Playlist, which has been tracking the This Means War casting saga, writes that Justin Timberlake was being considered for the film, and filmmakers may go to Colin Farrell if Worthington is a no-go.

By Sophia Savage
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June 17, 2010 3:40 AM
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Summer Movies: What Can Top Iron Man 2?

It's starting to look a lot like summer.

By Anne Thompson
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April 20, 2010 4:01 AM
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Jolie Passes on Wanted Sequel, Universal Bails

The deal on The Wanted sequel: Universal wanted Angelina Jolie to star. That meant that she had to approve the script--which had to persuasively bring her back from certain death. Once she turned the movie down, Universal killed the sequel--what could have been a valuable franchise for the studio--and Jolie is moving on to space thriller Gravity, for Warners, reports New York Vulture.

By Anne Thompson
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February 26, 2010 12:44 AM
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Industry Gives Hollywood Film Festival Free Pass

I am surprised by the film industry and the media's continued willingness to give a free pass to entrepreneur Carlos de Abreu's Hollywood Film Festival, a cannily constructed facade which honors stars, filmmakers and craftspeople and lines the pockets of de Abreu.

By Anne Thompson
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October 19, 2009 12:31 PM
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Vanity Fair New Establishment Favors Editor Cronies

The one year that I covered the Hollywood side of the Vanity Fair New Establishment List, I found that the final list reflected less accurate reporting than who was a possible cover subject or socialized with editor Graydon Carter. This year the nasty economy allowed VF to trim some familiar names while the Hall of Fame protects some Carter cronies.

By Anne Thompson
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September 3, 2009 8:16 AM
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Jolie Considering Wanted 2

Right now, Universal Pictures needs a few good tentpoles, like Wanted 2. And right now they are sitting on pins and needles waiting for word to come back from Angelina Jolie, who is reading the new Wanted 2 script. Russian director Timur Bekmambetov has figured out a way to bring her ruthless assassin back from certain death in a sequel. But Jolie has to buy it first. And Universal will have to pay Jolie. She got $15 million last time. In a period when most movie star salaries are going down, hers is moving up.