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Sure, Midnight Run came out in 1988, but why not try to turn it into a franchise 20-odd years later?
Screenwriter Tim Dowling (Just Go with It, Role Models) was hired two years ago to write a sequel script that would allow Robert De Niro to reprise his role as bounty hunter Jack Walsh. Now the sequel may have a director in Brett Ratner (Tower Heist, the Rush Hour trilogy). Deadline reports that Ratner is in talks to direct the sequel for Universal, which has also hired screenwriters David Elliot and Paul Lovett (G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Four Brothers) to rewrite Dowling's script.
De Niro is still attached to the project, but it's unlikely Charles Grodin — who played the embezzling mob accountant (Jonathan "The Duke" Mardukas) Walsh escorted to L.A. in the first movie — will step out of retirement to return.
This isn't the first attempt to create a Midnight Run franchise. Universal produced a trilogy of TV movies in 1994 — Another Midnight Run, Midnight Runaround, Midnight Run for Your Life — which starred Christopher McDonald in the De Niro role.
Ironically, Ratner is also directing another movie with ties to a mid-1990s Universal TV movie — Hercules and the Amazon Women, which became the basis of the long-running Hercules show that starred Kevin Sorbo. Ratner's upcoming big-screen Hercules, however, is for MGM. Based on Steve Moore's 2008 graphic novel Hercules: The Thracian Wars, that movie will star Dwayne Johnson and start shooting in New Zealand this October.
Posted 03.22.12 by Ryan -
With initial reviews of The Hunger Games overwhelmingly positive (the movie currently has a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes), most would agree that Gary Ross was the right person for the job to direct this highly anticipated adaptation. But what would the movie look like in the hands of Michael Bay? Jennifer Lawrence would be replaced by a Victoria's Secret supermodel and the tributes would to battle with robots... in 3-D. We'll give you a minute to shudder at the thought. We think the Hunger Games franchise is safe from Bay, who is busy ruining the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise.
Entertainment Weekly posted some re-imagined Hunger Games posters if the movie had been directed by by the likes of Bay, David Fincher, and even Woody Allen. Though the posters are rather humorous, we can only let ourselves laugh knowing Ratner and Bay are no way involved in the franchise.
And in other "What if?" Hunger Games news, NextMovie.com posted photos of the Hunger Games characters as Simpsons figures. Apparently, Kantiss and company would feel right at home in Springfield.
see Kantiss as a Simpsons character >> Posted 03.20.12 by Chris -
"Do You Smell What Hercules is Cooking?"
The big screen adaptation of Steve Moore's Radical Publishing graphic novel Hercules: The Thracian War that was once set up at Universal with Peter Berg (upcoming Battleship) attached to direct, is back off the shelf and being cooked up over at MGM as the next directing project for Brett Ratner. Who will Ratner get to play the demigod son of Zeus? According to Variety, Ratner is interested in Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, whose career is white-hot right now, with one movie currently in theaters (Journey 2: The Mysterious Island), another due this summer (G.I. Joe Retaliation) and yet another about to go into production (Michael Bay's Pain and Gain).
more about Hercules >> Posted 02.24.12 by BrentJS -
Earlier this month, the 84th Academy Awards telecast was set to be produced by movie director Brett Ratner and hosted by Ratner's Tower Heist star Eddie Murphy. Then, after Ratner committed two public gaffes while out promoting Tower Heist (Ratner once used a homophobic slur while discussing rehearsals and also offered a rather candid summation about his sex life with actress Olivia Munn, which he later recanted), Ratner dropped out as the show's producer, with Murphy following shortly thereafter.
Academy Award–winning producer Brian Grazer stepped in and replaced Ratner and eventually named eight-time Oscars host Billy Crystal to replace Murphy. With the dust settled, Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences President Tom Sherak told EW that he felt "very badly" for Ratner.
read Sherak's comments while grazer defends whether Crystal was the "safe" choice >> Posted 11.14.11 by Ryan -
Now that both Brett Ratner and Eddie Murphy have stepped down as the producer and host of the 84th Academy Awards telecast, respectively, only Ratner has been replaced, with Academy Award–winning producer Brian Grazer quickly announced as the new producer.
British comedian Ricky Gervais (The Office, The Invention of Lying) has offered to take Murphy's place. "I’ll do it," Gervais told Access Hollywood. Gervais has hosted the Golden Globes in the past, coming under scrutiny for last year's telecast for his cutting jokes aimed at some of the celebrities in attendance.
gervais offers a "two for one" >> Posted 11.10.11 by Ryan -
The dust has finally settled and it looks like Academy Award–winning producer Brian Grazer will be producing the 84th Academy Awards telecast next year instead of director Brett Ratner. Ratner resigned from his position yesterday after committing two public gaffes while promoting his latest movie, Tower Heist.
Soon after, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences issued a press release announcing Grazer as the new producer in charge. "Brian Grazer is a renowned filmmaker who over the past 25 years has produced a diverse and extraordinary body of work," said Academy President Tom Sherak. "He will certainly bring his tremendous talent, creativity and relationships to the Oscars."
what's next for Ratner? >> Posted 11.10.11 by Ryan -
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today that actor Eddie Murphy has "withdrawn" as host of the 84th Academy Awards. This announcement came right on the heels of producer Brett Ratner's decision to walk away from producing next year's Oscar telecast.
Murphy released a statement with his resignation, though he did not comment specifically on why he chose to leave, other than it was connected to Ratner's departure.
First and foremost I want to say that I completely understand and support each party's decision with regard to a change of producers for this year's Academy Awards ceremony. I was truly looking forward to being a part of the show that our production team and writers were just starting to develop, but I'm sure that the new production team and host will do an equally great job.
We're guessing that without Ratner producing, he was afraid of looking as silly as James Franco did at this year's Oscars. This news comes as a disappointment for those hoping for a funny Academy Awards show, so hopefully the Academy will ultimately choose another talented comedic actor to host the show — may we suggest NPH?
Posted 11.09.11 by Mandy -
ReelzChannel Celebrity Rundown
Brett Ratner says he stepped down as producer of the 2012 Academy Awards, but was actually fired for saying "rehearsal is for fags" at a Tower Heist premiere last Friday. The Hollywood Reporter has collected nine other crude Brett Ratner quotes, most having to do with his "banging" of Olivia Munn.
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A juror in the trial of Jacko doc Conrad Murray said the decision to find him guilty of manslaughter was easy and that all jurors were in agreement early in the deliberation process. Meanwhile, earlier reports that Murray was on a suicide watch are false, which didn't really add up since Murray will likely only serve just a single year of a likely 4-year sentence.
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Nancy Grace finally exited Dancing with the Stars last night and joked that it was "a huge miscarriage of justice."
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Back from a quick trip to Kris Humphries' home state of Minnesota, Kim Kardashian is now jetting to Atlanta to play a role in Tyler Perry's highly ironically titled The Marriage Counselor, set for a 2012 release.
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First lingerie, then a Bentley, now White House party crasher and "groupie slut" Michaele Salahi is flashing a new $15,000 diamond ring courtesy of Journey guitarist Neal Schon.
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Oprah Winfrey's ample bosoms nearly flopped out of her low-cut dress as she posed next to Uma Thurman at a Versace for H&M party in NYC last night.
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84-year-old Penn State football coach Joe Paterno may have coached his last game as The New York Times reports the university's Board of Trustees is planning "JoePa's" exit in the wake of a sex scandal involving his former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.
Posted 11.09.11 by reelz -
Director Brett Ratner was an unusual choice to produce next year's Academy Award telecast. In choosing Ratner, the Academy seemed to indicate that they were looking to rebound after this year's ceremony, hosted by James Franco and Anne Hathaway, which wasn't as warmly received as hoped. However, after a series of public gaffes, Ratner has decided to step down from the Oscars, in what may be the first step in rebuilding his image.
It began earlier this month with an appearance on G4TV's Attack of the Show, where Ratner was trying promote his latest movie, Tower Heist. Once there, Ratner discussed how he had "banged" former co-host and actress Olivia Munn, something he later admitted he lied about. Then, after a screening of Tower Heist in Los Angeles, Ratner used a homophobic slur while discussing his feelings about rehearsing for a movie, which, again, led to an apology. "I apologize for any offense my remarks caused," said Ratner in a statement. "It was a dumb and outdated way of expressing myself."
The latest apology comes in Ratner's letter to the entertainment industry, which discusses his exit as a producer of the Oscars.
read Ratner's letter >> Posted 11.09.11 by Ryan -
The first two Beverly Hills Cop movies helped set up a successful franchise, one that 1994's Beverly Hills Cop III basically ruined. Like many fans, we've been holding out hope for Beverly Hills Cop IV, which has had Eddie Murphy attached to star and director Brett Ratner (the Rush Hour trilogy) set to helm the sequel since 2008.
But how long to hope? Especially with Ratner and Murphy pairing up for next week's Tower Heist instead? In an interview with Rolling Stone, Murphy revealed that another movie sequel isn't happening. "They're not doing it," Murphy told the magazine... But that doesn't mean it's the end for Detroit detective Axel Foley.
what's next for Beverly Hills cop? >> Posted 10.27.11 by Ryan