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Originally posted on www.thefancarpet.com

Whitney to Sparkle?

Pop star Whitney Houston is looking to make an acting comeback in the music drama Sparkle.

The singer who hasn’t been seen on screen since 1996 when she starred in the romantic movie The Preachers Wife is hoping to show fans that she still has what it takes in a remake of this 1976 film.

Houston is currently in negotiations to play the one of the film’s lead, along with former American Idol winner Jordin Sparks and Mike Epps. Does this sound a little like Dreamgirls anyone? With a musical film based on the Supremes and staring an American Idol contestant and one of the world’s biggest female music artists?

The film would see Sparks play the films lead role as a sister who kicks off her career as a singer in a church choir, and in the late 1950s finds fame and success as part of a girl group.

Houston herself will be playing the role of Sparkle’s mother, who is described as a restful type who doesn’t encourage her daughter. Epps would play the role of Satin, a stand up comedian who marries the sister and drags her down a drug-induced path with him.

Mara Brock Akil has written the script, and Salim Akil is on to direct the project. There is currently no information about when the film will be shooting.

Point Break To Be Remade

It looks as though cult classic Point Break is the latest in a long line of movies to be given the Hollywood reboot treatment.

There has been discussion for years that there would potentially be a sequel to the Keanu Reeves/Patrick Swayze movie. The last time anyone heard about it was back in 2008 where a proposed project Point Break: Indo was circulating, which would have seen Jan De Bont direct and feature a plot that would see a new agent trying to track down Swayze’s character.

Unfortunately after the sad loss of Patrick, back in 2009 the film was scrapped. But now it looks like a reboot is picking up steam in the development stages.

In a press release the company behind the film said, “The new version is set in the world of international extreme sports, and like the original involves an undercover FBI agent infiltrating a criminal ring.”

At this moment in time there is currently no information on any casting or who will direct the picture but stay tuned because it shouldn’t be long until new information surfaces.

Kelly Reilly Joins Flight

Sherlock Holmes star Kelly Reilly has become the latest edition to drama thriller Flight.

The film already has Denzel Washington confirmed to play the lead character, and it will be directed by Robert Zemeckis.

Reilly is currently in talks to play the role of Nicole Devlin, a young woman who’s currently battling her drug addiction, who meets Whip an airline pilot, played by Washington.

Washington’s character is currently being hailed as a hero after landing a damaged plane and saving 106 people in the process. However his celebration is cut short as an investigation is launched into whether he was drinking at the time of the incident. The pair then go on to confront their demons together and become good friends.

Reilly seems to be quite lucky in gaining the role, as she won it over Hollywood’s current golden girl Olivia Wilde, so that audition must have been one hell of an audition.

The script for the film has been written by John Gatins, and shooting is set to begin next month.

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Originally posted on www.thefancarpet.com

Hellraiser Back Burned

It looks as though the remake of cult horror film Hellraiser has been put on the back burner once again.

The news comes after the creative team behind the remake, Patrick Lussier and Todd Farmer announced that their re-envisioned Hellraiser would probably never see the light of day.

The film remake has had numerous ups and downs over the last few year, dating back to 2007 when Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo were attached to the project to direct a screenplay written by Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton, who wrote the one of the many Saw sequels. After these two left Pascal Laughier was in for a while and then he left and was replaced by Christian E Christiansen, but he too has since left the project. Things aren’t looking good for this remake.

Well, it has to be said that maybe this is a blessing in disguise that the studio have decided to back burn this, I mean isn’t it about time people started making original films once again?

Olivia Wilde To Star In The Longest Walk

It has been reported that Olivia Wilde has been cast in the lead female role in new film The Longest Walk.

The film which is based on a script written by Peter Glanz, who will also be making his directing debut with the film will see a man named Conrad Valmont, who has spent his entire life sponging off his parents have his life completely fall apart during the course of a week. Things don’t sound so good for the life long sponger do they?

The movie is an adaptation of the short film A Relationship In Four Days, which was also created by Glanz and was screened at Cannes and the Sundance Film Festival back in 2008.

The short film version features a girl who comes along and manages to turn around the life of the parent sponger, I’m guessing that’s where Wilde comes in.

There is no news at the moment about shooting or who any of the other cast members are so watch this space.

Contagion Tops Box Office

After spending just over three weeks at the top of the box office The Help has been knocked off its poll position by new film Contagion.

The film, staring Gwyneth Paltrow, took $23 million at the box office, and is also the first film to break the $20 million threshold since The Help opened up a month ago.

However although it has debuted at number one, the film’s producers may have been hoping for a little bit of a better opening to re-coup even more of the movies $60 million budget, although considering it was the 10^thanniversary on 9/11, it may have had a little bit of an impact of people visiting their local cinemas.

Coming in third this week was Warrior, but despite the buzz and hype surrounding the new feature it only managed to take $5, despite estimates being closer to $10 million. Ouch.

It looks as though the box office took a big hit in terms of taking this week, considering movies from the likes of Adam Sandler only came in at number 15, but maybe that’s because he didn’t star in it.

Maybe next week may see a surge in cinema going after this weekends mourning for 9/11.  

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Originally posted on www.thefancarpet.com

O'Malley Joins R.I.P.D.

Comic book adaptation R.I.P.D. has added another cast member to its list in the form of Glee supporting actor Mike O’Malley.

Also joining the cast will be Victoria’s Secret model Marisa Miller. They will both have small supporting roles in the latest comic book film to hit screens.

Ryan Reynolds will be staring in the film’s lead role, as a police officer that is cut down in the line of duty. After his death his work is only just beginning as he is assigned to the titular force of deceased police officers whose job is to make sure that no spirits are causing mayhem. Reynolds character also has his own quest, as he attempts to seek down the man who killed him.

Also rumoured to be joining the cast is James Hong, who would be playing the part of Reynolds earthly avatar.

Looks like this film is shaping up to have quite the cast.

Shooting for the film is expected to kick off next week.

Olivia Wilde Replaces Jennifer Garner

Olivia Wilde has replaced Jennifer Garner in the cast of indie drama Better Living Through Chemistry.

Garner had had to pull out of the film due to the recent announcement that she is currently pregnant with her third child.

Wilde will be playing the role of a trophy wife who lures a small town chemist, played by Sam Rockwell, from a loveless marriage with crazy nights filled with passions and prescription drugs. But things all get a bit sinister when they begin to plan the murder of Wilde’s husband.

Michelle Monaghan has also been cast in the film, playing the part of Rockwell’s wife, and Judy Dench will be joining the cast as the narrator, she did do a fabulous job of narrating in Notes on a Scandal.

Geoff Moore and David Posamentier both wrote the script and will now be joining each other in their own director chairs.

The film has been pushed slightly back due to the casting change, but they plan to start work on the film this autumn in Maryland.