Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Reel Facts & Opinions

FACT: John Moore, whose last film was 2008’s critically drubbed MAX PAYNE, has been signed on to direct Bruce Willis in DIE HARD 5.

OPINION: Moore has a decent eye for action sequences (his plane-crash in FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX was pretty spectacular), but really hasn’t made a film that has been met positively. With Willis reaching his 57th birthday, there isn’t much to get excited about here. Let it go, Bruce.

FACT: A month ago, Disney pulled the plug on its LONE RANGER film, citing budgetary disagreements between director Gore Verbinski and Jerry Bruckheimer. Enter Johnny Depp (cast to play Tonto), who went to Disney and pretty much laid down an ultimatum; No Gore, No Johnny. An agreement was reached on a budget and the film is back on.

OPINION: As usual, it’s Tonto to the rescue. This blogger has to tip his hat to Depp, whose loyalty to Gore (who directed Depp in the first three PIRATES films and RANGO) just may have saved this project. If only we can get Bruce Willis to do the same…

FACT: Producer David Katzenberg and author Seth Grahame-Smith (PRIDE AND PREJUDICE & ZOMBIES), newly signed on with Warner Bros., are looking to put together a followup to Tim Burton’s 1988 horror-comedy BEETLEJUICE. The plan is not to film a remake, but to “reboot it by advancing the storyline of the original” (whatever the hell that means).

OPINION: The only hope a BEETLEJUICE 2 has is if Burton and Michael Keaton get back on board. Burton looks to be a lock to return, as he has already collaborated with Grahame-Smith on ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER and on his own DARK SHADOWS film due next year. One has to hope that Burton would keep any sort of “reboot” in check, and now allow any knuckleheads to ruin the fun universe that he created. Keaton’s age would not be a factor, as he would obviously be under a lot of makeup again. It’s doubtful that Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis would return, as they would just be too damn old to be playing dead people; and we all know that ghosts don’t age. Right?

What say you?

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