Thompson on Hollywood

Halle Berry Does Comedy, Bill Murray Speaks

- Though she has several projects in the pipeline, Halle Berry has been absent from the big screen for a few years. Her last movie was 2007's largely unnoticed, yet well-reviewed Things We Lost In The Fire, from Danish director Susanne Bier (Brodre). Berry played a grieving widow drawn to her late husband's drug addict friend, played sympathetically by Benicio del Toro.

By Sophia Savage
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July 22, 2010 5:00 AM
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Pascal Talks Girl with Dragon Tattoo Casting and R Rating

In a wide-ranging conversation with The Wrap's Sharon Waxman, Sony co-chairman Amy Pascal reveals her direction for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

By Anne Thompson
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July 19, 2010 7:45 AM
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Lone Scherfig's One Day Starts Filming with Hathaway and Sturgess

Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess have started filming One Day, which David Nicholls adapted from his bestselling novel. Lone Scherfig (An Education) is directing; the ensemble includes Romola Garai (Atonement), Jamie Sives (Get Him To The Greek), Rafe Spall Hot Fuzz, Ken Scott (Charlie Wilson's War) and Jodie Whittaker (Venus).

By Sophia Savage
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July 15, 2010 6:36 AM
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Power Pair Roberts and Murphy, Bardem and Cruz Wed, Forster's Heretics, Mozart Opera Hits Cinemas

- While the b.o. fate of the movie based on the global bestseller Eat Pray Love won't be determined until the peripatetic romance opens August 13, in-demand writer-director Ryan Murphy (also Glee's co-creator/exec-producer) has won not only Sony's vote of confidence, but star Julia Roberts is also happy to pair up with him again. Murphy just signed on to write and direct an original romantic comedy for Roberts, reports Deadline. The high concept: working woman loses job, switches roles with stay-at-home husband, and must adjust to newfound motherhood. Brad Pitt's Plan B will produce with Murphy, as it did with Eat Pray Love. Murphy is also on the shortlist for the film adaptation of the musical Wicked.

By Sophia Savage
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July 14, 2010 5:33 AM
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Phoenix as The Hulk, Jolie's Upcoming Projects, Mulligan in Chisel Beach, Talking Julianne Moore

- Since news dropped that Edward Norton won't be reprising his role as Bruce Banner/The Hulk in The Avengers, words have been exchanged between Marvel's Kevin Feige and Norton's WME agent Brian Swardstrom, who calls Marvel's statement "[an] inappropriate attempt to paint our client in a negative light." Feige had said that Marvel's decision was ""rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members. The Avengers demands players who thrive working as part of an ensemble."

By Sophia Savage
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July 12, 2010 5:00 AM
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Casting News: DiCaprio in Wolf, Washington in Safe House, Lost's Pellegrino Goes SyFy

- Leonardo DiCaprio is teaming with Ridley Scott (not Scorsese, as once planned) for the screen adaptation of Jordon Belfort's memoir The Wolf of Wall Street, according to Deadline. The screenplay by Sopranos (and Boardwalk Empire) writer Terry Winter follows a head stockbroker (DiCaprio) as he leads his team in coaching clients to purchase stocks that fund their extravagant lives--until they get caught. Scott and DiCaprio are both busy: Scott's helming 3-D Alien prequel and DiCaprio is prepping a Hoover biopic, so it's unclear when Wolf will land on their schedules.

By Sophia Savage
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July 8, 2010 5:40 AM
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Streep and Bridges, Burton and Kong, Damon at the Zoo, Mischer on Betty White as Oscar Host

- Meryl Streep and Jeff Bridges - yes, please! Production Weekly says the pair, a pinnacle of Oscar clout, are finalizing deals to star as a couple undergoing marriage counseling in dramedy Great Hope Springs. ThePlaylist also notes that Philip Seymour Hoffman was suggested to play the couple's doctor, but his schedule may exclude him from that possibility. I Am Sam director Jessie Nelson is lined up to direct from a script written by Vanessa Taylor, a TV writer and producer who worked on series Alias, Everwood and Tell Me You Love Me.

By Sophia Savage
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June 24, 2010 5:29 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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The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Hits EW Cover

Prediction: as the Twilight craze peaks and heads toward its inevitable decline, EW and MTV and other outlets will seek to build another reliable hot topic. Next best thing, with the third book of a global hit trilogy hitting shelves and joining the other two on bestseller lists stateside, two of three foreign films playing well on U.S. screens and David Fincher's big Hollywood remake coming up: Stieg Larsson's Millenium trilogy. EW actually put The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo book on its cover this week (complete with rare interview from producer Scott Rudin). Expect the mag to go back to the well many times in the next few years: who will play Mikael Blomqvist and Lisbeth Salander? etc.

By Anne Thompson
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June 19, 2010 7:12 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.