Following
Up
‘Black Hawk Down’
Ewan McGregor’s
big franchise is about to open another outlet: “Star
Wars: Episode II – Attack Of The Clones” opens May
16 (and is previewed on page 44).
There’s no word yet on “Episode III” –
no title, no plot, no cast – but Internet chat rooms are without
doubt already pointing out how lame its title and concept are.
The Scotsman is next set to romance erstwhile, ersatz Englishwoman
Renee Zellweger in “Down With Love,” a comic hommage
to the Doris Day-Rock Hudson romantic comedies of the late ‘50s
and early ‘60s. Filming was set to begin in mid-May. Peyton
Reed was reportedly set to direct the film, also set in the ‘60s,
from a screenplay by Eve Ahlert & Dennis Drake (TV’s “The
Nanny”). Fox remains coy about a release date.
Another reported McGregor project, “Young Adam,” is
an erotic thriller based on the first novel by Scottish writer Alexander
Trocchi. It concerns a drifter, working with a barge owner and his
wife on the Glasgow/Edinburgh Canal, who finds a dead woman in the
water. David McKenzie was set to make his directorial debut from
his own screenplay. Tilda Swinton (“The Deep End”) costars
in the independent film. Filming in Scotland was set to begin in
March.
ShoWest’s
Male Star of Tomorrow Josh Hartnett is already cementing
his heartthrob status onscreen in Miramax’s “40 Days and
40 Nights.” He’s currently abstaining from involvement
in other projects.
Currently onscreen
in Buena Vista’s “Big Trouble,” Tom Sizemore has
made a career playing gruff military types in the likes of “Saving
Private Ryan,” “Pearl Harbor” and, of course, “BHD.”
He goes on leave with “Dreamcatcher.” Based on
the novel by Stephen King (“The Green Mile,” “Hearts
in Atlantis”), it’s a science fiction tale about four
childhood friends who find their hunting trip interrupted by an
invading alien force that controls humans like puppets. Lawrence
Kasdan (“Body Heat,” “The Accidental Tourist,”
“French Kiss”) directs from a screenplay by Kasdan and
William Goldman (“Hearts in Atlantis,” “The General’s
Daughter”). Sizemore’s costars include Morgan Freeman
(“The Shawshank Redemption,” “The Sum of All Fears”),
Thomas Jane (“Original Sin”), Donnie Wahlberg (“Diamond
Men”), Timothy Olyphant (“Head Over Heels,” “Rock
Star,”) and Damian Lewis (the HBO miniseries “Band of
Brothers”). Warner Bros. has yet to set a release date.
Jason Isaacs
may not be especially well known to American audiences, but
the native Liverpudlian (yes, he’s one of several royal subjects
who play American soldiers in “BHD”) should become more
familiar soon. He’s due next in “The Tuxedo,”
a comic spy actioner about a cab driver who inherits the covert
mission – and the computerized, superpowered formal wear –
of a hospitalized U.S. operative. Issacs costars with Jackie Chan
(“Rush Hour 2”), Jennifer Love Hewitt (“Heartbreakers”),
Ritchie Coster (“15 Minutes”), Debi Mazar (“The Insider”),
Romany Malco, Peter Stormare (“Chocolat”) and Mia Cottet
(“Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion”). TV commercial
director Kevin Donovan makes his feature directorial debut from
a screenplay by Michael Wilson, Phil Hay, Michael Leeson (“What
Planet Are You From?”) and Matt Manfredi (“crazy/beautiful”).
DreamWorks fastens its cumberbun June 7.
Sooner or later, every actor born upon the British Isles will appear
in at least one “Harry Potter” film. Isaacs’ turn
comes with round two. “Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets”
follows Harry’s return to Hogwart’s – despite a warning
that his presence will cause disaster – as the student body
mysteriously starts turning to stone. Like part one, it’s directed
by Chris Columbus from a screenplay by Steve Kloves, and based on
a book by J.K. Rowling. Actors reprising their roles from “Sorcerer’s
Stone” are Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, Rupert Grint as
Ronald Weasley, Emma Watson as Hermione Granger, Robbie Coltrane
as Gamekeeper Rubeus Hagrid, Richard Harris as Headmaster Albus
Dumbledore, Alan Rickman as Professor Severus Snape, Maggie Smith
as Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, John Cleese as Nearly Headless
Nick, Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy, John Hurt as Mr. Ollivander, Ian
Hart as Professor Slatero Quirrell, Julie Walters as Mrs. Molly
Weasley, Richard Griffiths as Vernon Dursley, Fiona Shaw as Petunia
Dursley and Zoe Wanamaker as Madame Xiomara Hooch. Newcomers to
the series include Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy, Kenneth Branagh (“How
to Kill Your Neighbor’s Dog”) as Gilbert Lockhart, Miriam
Margolyes (“End of Days”) as the green-fingered Professor
Sprout, Mark Williams (“High Heels and Low Lifes”) as
Ron’s father, Shirley Henderson (“Bridget’s Jones’s
Diary”) as Moaning Myrtle, Gemma Jones (“The Winslow Boy”)
as Madam Pomfrey and Sally Mortemore as librarian Madam Pince. Warner
Bros. makes no secret of the Nov. 15 release date.
Isaacs re-enlists in the U.S. military in “Windtalkers.”
The action drama, set during World War II, is about a Navajo
“code-talker” (whose native language made him unintelligible
to the Japanese) and the white soldier assigned to protect him –
or kill him if the threat of capture manifested itself. John Woo
(“Mission: Impossible II”) directed from a screenplay
by John Rice & Joe Batteer (“Chasers,” “Blown
Away”). Isaacs’ costars include Nicolas Cage (“Captain
Corelli’s Mandolin”), Christian Slater (“3,000 Miles
to Graceland”), Emily Mortimer (“Disney’s The Kid”),
Noah Emmerich (“Frequency,” “Love & Sex”),
Mark Ruffalo (“You Can Count on Me,” “The Last Castle”),
Matt Henderson (“The Ring”) and newcomer Roger Willie.
MGM is talking a June 14 release.
“Passionada” is a romantic comedy, set in New Bedford,
Mass., about a Portuguese widow romanced by an English fisherman
(Isaacs) who’s recently moved into town. As their affair progresses,
it becomes clear to her teen daughter that he is not really who
he claims to be. Dan Ireland (“The Whole Wide World,”
“The Velocity of Gary”) directed from a screenplay by
brothers Jim and Stephen Jermanok. Isaacs’ costars include
Sofia Milos (“Jane Austen’s Mafia!”), Lupe Ontiveros
(“Storytelling”), Seymour Cassel (“The Royal Tenenbaums”),
Theresa Russell (“Wild Things”), Emmy Rossum (“It
Had to be You”) and Chris Tardio. The independent film awaits
a distributor.
Ron Eldard
washes off the dirt of battle for the perfumed air of “Divine
Secrets Of The Ya-Ya Sisterhood.” The comedy-drama is about
a Seattle woman who doesn’t invite her mother – whom she
considers an embarrassment – to her wedding, only to become
the recipient of a mysterious box containing mementos and a diary
detailing the mother’s adventures. It’s based on the novel
by Rebecca Wells (“Little Altars Everywhere”). Screenwriter
Callie Khouri (“Something to Talk About,” “Thelma
and Louise”) directs from a screenplay by Khouri and Mark Andrus
(“Life as a House,” “As Good as it Gets”). Ashley
Judd (“Someone Like You”), Sandra Bullock (“Miss
Congeniality,” “Murder By Numbers”), Ellen Burstyn
(Requiem for a Dream”), James Garner (“Space Cowboys”),
Cherry Jones (“The Perfect Storm”), Shirley Knight (“Angel
Eyes,” “The Salton Sea”), Matthew Settle (“U-571”),
Maggie Smith (the “Harry Potter” series, Allison Bertolino
(“Flipper”), Fionnula Flanagan (“The Others”),
Angus MacFadyen (“Titus”), Jacqueline McKenzie (“Deep
Blue Sea”), and Kiersten Warren (“Duets”) costar.
Warner Bros. expects to get its ya-yas out on June 7.
Eldard picks up a gun again for “Phone Booth.”
The thriller, set in New York, concerns a womanizing media consultant
chosen as an assassin’s target: He is told that if he hangs
up the payphone he’s talking into, a sniper rifle will put
a bullet in his brain. Joel Schumacher (“Tigerland,” “Bad
Company”) directs from a screenplay by Larry Cohen (“Body
Snatchers,” “Cellular”). Colin Farrell (“Hart’s
War”) stars as the consultant, Eldard is the sniper. Ray Liotta
(“John Q”), Forest Whitaker (“Panic Room”),
Radha Mitchell (“Pitch Black”) and Katie Holmes (“The
Gift”) also star. Fox puts the call through November 15.
“Ghost Ship” is a contemporary thriller about a
crew that discovers a passenger vessel lost at sea in 1953 –
weird and unusual things begin to occur as they tow the boat back
to land. Steve Beck (“Thirteen Ghosts”) directs from a
screenplay by Mark Hanlon (“Buddy Boy”). Eldard’s
costars include “ER” castmate and longtime girlfriend
Julianna Margulies (“What’s Cooking?”), Isaiah Washington
(“Exit Wounds”), and Desmond Harrington (“Riding
in Cars with Boys,” “We Were Soldiers”). Warner Bros.
sets it adrift Oct. 25.
Playwright/actor
Sam Shepard, who plays major general William Garrison in
“BHD,” turns toward his more literary side for “Leopold
Bloom.” The title is a nod to the main character in James
Joyce’s “Ulysses.” The drama tells two stories set
in the American South that are eventually resolved simultaneously.
The first story is about a woman (Elisabeth Shue) who suspects her
husband of cheating on her; as a result, her possibly illegitimate
son is deprived of love and attention. The second concerns a writer
(Joseph Fiennes) who is released from prison after 15 years and
gets a job at a diner/motel. Mehdi Norowzian makes his directorial
debut from a screemplay by Massy and Amir Tadjedin. Shepard plays
the diner’s manager; Dennis Hopper plays the owner. Mary Stuart
Masterson (“Digging to China”), Justin Chambers (“The
Musketeer”) and Jake Weber (“Wendigo”) also star.
Australian actor
Eric Bana keeps his American accent and changes a few letters
in his name to play Bruce Banner in “The Hulk.” The
actioner, based on the 40-year-old Marvel comic book character created
by Stan Lee (“X-Men,” “Spider-Man”), is about
a scientist transformed by gamma radiation into an impossibly strong
green giant every time he gets angry. Ang Lee (“Ride with the
Devil,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” ), no relation
to Stan, directs from a screenplay by David Hayter (“X-Men”),
Mike France (“Cliffhanger”), Michael Tolkin (“Deep
Cover,” “The Player”) and Lee (“Eat Drink Man
Woman”). Bana’s costars include Jennifer Connelly (“A
Beautiful Mind”), Sam Elliot (“The Contender,” “We
Were Soldiers”) and Nick Nolte (“The Golden Bowl”).
Universal rips off its shirt June 20, 2003.
Hugh Dancy
bivouacs in a more pleasant setting in “The Sleeping Dictionary.”
The romantic comedy is about a young British colonial officer
abroad (Dancy) who gets into hot water with his superiors when he
falls in love with the beautiful native woman they assigned to sleep
with him and teach him the local language. British TV writer-director
Guy Jenkin (“Drop the Dead Donkey”) made his feature directorial
debut from his own screenplay. Dancy’s costars include Jessica
Alba (“Idle Hands,” TV’s “Dark Angel”),
Emily Mortimer (“Disney’s The Kid”), Noah Taylor
(“Vanilla Sky”), Brenda Blethyn (“Saving Grace”)
and Bob Hoskins (“Last Orders”). Fine Line defines June
7 as the release date.
William Fichtner
works steadily, and puts that steadiness to use in his role in “Equilibrium.”
The future-set thriller, written and directed by screenwriter
Kurt Wimmer (“Sphere,” “The Thomas Crown Affair”),
is about a cop who rebels against a society that has outlawed all
emotion. Fichter’s costars include Emily Watson (“Gosford
Park”), Taye Diggs (“The Way of the Gun”), Angus
MacFadyen (“Titus”), Sean Bean (“Lord of the Rings:
The Fellowship of the Ring,” “Don’t Say a Word”)
and Christian Bale (“Behind Enemy Lives,” “Reign
of Fire”). Miramax/Dimension has yet to settle on a release
date.
“Julie Walking Home” finds Fichtner in a drama
about a faith healer who loses his virginity along with his ability
to heal. Agnieszka Holland (“Washington Square,” “The
Third Miracle”) directs from a screenplay co-written by Holland
(“Europa, Europa,” “Olivier, Olivier”), Arlene
Sarner (“Blue Sky”) and Roman Gren. Fichtner castmates
include Miranda Otto (“What Lies Beneath,” “Human
Nature”), Lothaire Bluteau (“Urbania”) and Jerzy
Nowak (“Schindler’s List,” “White”). It
has yet to find a distributor.
Yet another
Brit “BHD” actor, Tom Hardy, plays what studio
publicists are billing as Capt. Picard’s “most dangerous
adversary yet.” He joins the 10th installment of the “Star
Trek” movie franchise, “Star Trek: Nemesis.” Expecting
a long-awaited peace between the Romulans and the Federation, the
Enterprise crew arrives at Romulus only to discover that Earth is
threatened with destruction. Stuart Baird (“Executive Decision,”
“U.S. Marshals”) directs from a screenplay by John Logan
(“Gladiator,” “The Time Machine”). Reprising
their movie/TV roles are Patrick Stewart (“X-Men”), Brent
Spiner (“Dude, Where’s My Car?”), Michael Dorn (“Jagged
Edge”), Marina Sirtis (“Death Wish 3”), Gates McFadden
(“Muppets From Space”), LeVar Burton (“The Hunter”),
Whoopi Goldberg (“Kingdom Come”), Wil Wheaton (“Flubber”),
Majel Barrett (“Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home”) and Jonathan
Frakes (“Camp Nowhere”). Also new to the series are Ron
Perlman (“Enemy at the Gates,” “Blade 2”), Steven
Culp (“Thirteen Days”), Dina Meyer (“Bats”),
and Kate Mulgrew (“Camp Nowhere”) as Kathryn Janeway.
Paramount puts it into orbit this autumn. 
