August 2004

Elmer Bernstein dies at 82
Posted Friday, August 20, 2004, 6:48AM CDT by Franklin Harris
Composer Elmer Bernstein died this week after a long illness. He was 82. Bernstein wrote more than 200 film and television scores, including those for "The Magnificent Seven," "The Ten Commandments" and John Wayne's last seven films.

Source: World Movie Magazine

New Line wants 'Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash'
Posted Tuesday, August 17, 2004, 5:58PM CDT by Franklin Harris
First it was "Freddy vs. Jason." Is "Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash" next? New Line Cinema is in negotiations with director/producer Sam Raimi for the film rights to Raimi's character Ash, who is portrayed by Bruce Campbell in the films "Evil Dead," "Evil Dead 2" and "Army of Darkness." New Line hopes to have Ash (again played by Campbell) face off against slasher-flick villains Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees.

Raimi would likely not direct the film, but he might serve as a producer.

Source: Cinescape Online

Abrams set to helm 'MI:3'
Posted Tuesday, August 17, 2004, 5:48PM CDT by Franklin Harris
"Alias" creator J.J. Abrams will direct "Mission: Impossible 3" when the film finally begins production summer 2005. Tom Cruise will star.

Source: Dark Horizons

Spielberg, Cruise drafted for 'War of the Worlds'
Posted Thursday, August 12, 2004, 12:21PM CDT by Franklin Harris
With shooting of "Mission: Impossible 3" on hold until next year, Tom Cruise has moved on to a new project. He will star in a remake of "The War of the Worlds" to be released next summer. Steve Spielberg will direct, as his untitled film about the terrorist attack on the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics has also run into delays.

"Mission: Impossible 3" ran into difficulties following the departure of director Joe Carnahan. "Alias" creator J.J. Abrams has since come on board to direct the sequel, but the delay left an opening in Cruise's schedule and a hole in Paramount's 2005 summer schedule, which "The War of the Worlds" will now fill.

Source: Cinescape Online

Fay Wray dies at 96
Posted Monday, August 9, 2004, 6:30PM CDT by Franklin Harris
Actress Fay Wray, best known as the object of King Kong's desire in the original 1933 version of "King Kong," died Sunday. She was 96.

Source: Reuters

Lions Gate's 'Cabin Fever' relapse
Posted Sunday, August 8, 2004, 11:39AM CDT by Franklin Harris
Lions Gate is moving forward with a sequel to Eli Roth's horror movie, "Cabin Fever."

Source: Moviehole

'X-Men' director gets out-Foxed
Posted Sunday, August 8, 2004, 11:31AM CDT by Franklin Harris
Fox has terminated its development deal with "X-Men" and "X2" director Bryan Singer just days after Singer signed with rival studio Warner Bros. to direct the next "Superman" movie. This places Singer's involvement with a third "X-Men" movie in doubt.

Source: Sci-Fi Wire

Lord Voldemort reveals himself
Posted Thursday, August 5, 2004, 5:18AM CDT by Franklin Harris
Ralph Fiennes has signed on to play the evil Lord Voldemort in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," the fourth film based on J.K. Rowling's best-selling series of novels.

Source: Cinescape

New Agent 86 spies big-screen 'Get Smart'
Posted Wednesday, August 4, 2004, 9:31PM CDT by Franklin Harris
Steve Carell ("Anchorman," "The Daily Show") has agreed to play secret agent Maxwell Smart in a big-screen version of "Get Smart," based on the 1960s TV series starring Don Adams as the bumbling Agent 86.

Source: Cinescape

Daleks return to 'Dr. Who'
Posted Wednesday, August 4, 2004, 9:25PM CDT by Franklin Harris
The BBC and the estate of Terry Nation have reached an agreement that will allow Nation's creations, the Daleks, to appear in the new "Doctor Who" series now in production.

Source: BBC

Lucas opens animation studio
Posted Wednesday, August 4, 2004, 6:29AM CDT by Franklin Harris
"Star Wars" creator George Lucas is opening an animation studio in Singapore. Lucasfilm will own 75 percent of Lucasfilm Animation Singapore, with the other 25 percent owned by a private group of Singapore investors and the government. Lucas said the studio will produce animation for movies, television and video games.

Source: Cinescape

'Nip/Tuck' star meets his Doom
Posted Tuesday, August 3, 2004, 9:06AM CDT by Franklin Harris
"Nip/Tuck" star Julian McMahon will play arch-villain Dr. Doom in 20th Century Fox's "Fantastic Four" movie, based on the Marvel comic book. Filming is scheduled to begin this month in Vancouver.

Source: Coming Soon