Thompson on Hollywood

TV Roundup: NBC Remakes Munsters, Jeff Garlin's New Show, PBS Clarifies Bert and Ernie’s Status

Confirming that television has officially run out of new ideas, NBC has signed on to remake The Munsters, just after their announcement of a Frankenstein remake and CBS’s new Bewitched. NBC passed on a revamp of the 1960s show last year, but asked Bryan Fuller, the creator of Pushing Daisies, to make a second attempt. The Hollywood Reporter writes that Fuller wants to make his hour-long version of the Munster's edgier, darker, and character-focused.

By Maggie Lange
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August 12, 2011 8:20 AM
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Jennifer Grey Tweets Her Reaction To #DirtyDancingRemake

The original petite and sassy “Baby” from the 1987 Dirty Dancing, who held her own against Patrick Swayze’s sultry hulk, tweeted yesterday about the upcoming Dirty Dancing remake: “I love @Kennyortega and trust that he will do something special #DirtyDancingRemake.”

By Maggie Lange
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August 10, 2011 8:17 AM
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Video: New Dirty Dancing Director Ortega's Newsies with Singing, Dancing Christian Bale

As we reported Monday, Lionsgate is giving Dirty Dancing (1987) a makeover, directed by original choreographer Kenny Ortega. Lionsgate is revamping the classic after unsuccessfully releasing sequel Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. The struggle here won't be to charge up teenage interest in the tale of teenage Baby’s forbidden romance with hip-swiveling Johnny Castle, packed with 60s classics from the original plus brand new compositions--just shove it down the willing throats of Glee, HSM and So You Think You Can Dance fans and the studio will make money. The struggle will be in creating a memorable film that has lasting powers of its own. Otherwise people will keep watching the original--nothing's stopping them so far. Do the math: Dirty Dancing was made for $6 million and brought in $213.95 million worldwide.

By Sophia Savage
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August 9, 2011 6:14 AM
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Kenny Ortega to Direct Lionsgate Dirty Dancing Remake

We haven't heard too much of Kenny Ortega since This Is It, his 2009 Michael Jackson documentary, but Lionsgate announced today that it will be producing a remake of Dirty Dancing with Ortega at the helm.

By Jacob Combs
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August 8, 2011 11:52 AM
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Johnny Depp and Pirates Crew Reinvent Western Lone Ranger, Tonto

Now that Cowboys & Aliens can be viewed as a too-pricey western tentpole wannabe, how does Disney feel about Jerry Bruckheimer's Lone Ranger going into pre-production? They've ditched "the," and buttressed themselves from criticism by staffing up with their tried-and-true --but pricey-- Pirates gang, now that #4 yielded a satisfactory $1.03 billion worldwide and Johnny Depp is considered a major movie star. Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio penned the script, rewritten by Justin Haythe. Gore Verbinski has worked with Depp four times, including the modestly successful but costly animated western Rango ($242.8 million worldwide to date). And what marquee loyalty does Depp command when he's not Jack Sparrow? Neither Sweeney Todd nor The Tourist was a slamdunk, topping out at $153.3 million and $278.7 million (mostly foreign) worldwide, respectively.

By Anne Thompson
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August 8, 2011 10:15 AM
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Amazing Spider-Man Comic-Con Thunder Stolen by Ifans Arrest

The big reveal at Sony's Friday The Amazing Spider-Man panel at Comic-Con was the villain of Marc Webb's superhero reboot, The Lizard, played by gifted Welsh actor Rhys Ifans, who is pixellated when in giant Lizard mode. In Hall H the studio screened a clip of Lizard terrorizing two school girls in a school lavatory, breaking up through a toilet. (The LAT made a fuss about Ifans here).

By Anne Thompson
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July 23, 2011 6:30 AM
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Comic-Con: DreamWorks' 3-D Fright Night, Vampires, Colin Farrell's Career & Underworld Awakening

DreamWorks' Fright Night panel started off with more Twilight bashing as moderator Chris Gore called it the "badass blood-thirsty panel." True vampire fans aren't necessarily Twilight fans, it's clear. Underworld: Awakening screened footage (also in 3-D) before the Fright Night panel, with "Grandmother of Vampires" Kate Beckinsale (she gladly wears the title) talking about her "shiny bottom": no Twilight glitter. The moderator thanked her for appearing naked in the footage. And that's all we'll say about that franchise. Len Wiseman is also directing wife Beckinsale and Fright Night star Colin Farrell in Total Recall, along with Bryan Cranston, John Cho, Ethan Hawke and Bill Nighy.

By Sophia Savage
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July 23, 2011 1:15 AM
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Dragon Tattoo: Craig Defends Poster Nudity; Selling Film with Brutality, Sweden Learns from Fincher

News bites on David Fincher's The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo will keep on coming until the December 21 release. Now, it's Daniel Craig defending the controversial poster with a topless Rooney Mara. Why shouldn't we be offended? "People have opinions about it, but I think it sort of works as a poster because [Rooney] looks great."

By Sophia Savage
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July 18, 2011 5:44 AM
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Romeo and Juliet: Steinfeld's Romeo is Douglas Booth; Holding a Candle to Zeffirelli & Luhrmann

The latest adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, from Italian director Carlo Carlei (1993's Flight of the Innocent), now has a Romeo for its Juliet. Hailee Steinfeld will be joined by 19-year old Brit Douglas Booth, who is prettier than she is. Clearly this movie is targeted to a young girl demo.

By Sophia Savage
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June 22, 2011 8:04 AM
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Elba's Star Rises with Pacific Rim; Del Toro Wants To Direct Jolie in Maleficent

Idris Elba may not be playing Django in Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained (he did, however, win our casting poll), but after TV hits The Wire, The Office and Luther and numerous co-star and supporting film roles (including 28 Weeks Later, American Gangster, RocknRolla, Obsessed, The Losers, Taken, Thor) and the upcoming Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance and Prometheus (alongside Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace and Charlize Theron), the actor is anything but desperate for work.