Tropic Thunder News

Wednesday, November 18

Justin Theroux to Pen Space Invader Romantic Comedy

Justin Theroux is something of a Renaissance man in Hollywood. As an actor, Theroux has appeared on numerous TV shows and in over a dozen movies, including acclaimed filmmaker David Lynch's Mulholland Dr. In addition, Theroux also works behind the scenes and behind the camera. He produced and wrote the script for Tropic Thunder and he wrote and directed Dedication.

Theroux recently tried his hand at the superhero genre, penning the script for the sequel to director Jon Favreau's adaptation of the classic Marvel Comics character Iron Man. Now, THR is reporting that Theroux has been hired by Fox to write a draft of Space Invader, a romantic comedy set in space that was originally written by Mike Lisbe and Nate Reger. Will Arnett (Arrested Development) will star in Space Invader as a man who follows his wife into space because he suspects her of cheating on him with one of her fellow astronauts. Theroux may also direct the movie, though this is still uncomfirmed.

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  Dedication - Trailer

  With each moment we write our story - Now on DVD

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  Tropic Thunder - Clip 4

  "You People"

Posted 11/18/2009 by BrentJS

Related: Justin Theroux | Will Arnett | Mulholland Dr. | Dedication | Tropic Thunder | Iron Man 2

Friday, October 9

Robert Downey Jr. Says His Sherlock Holmes Role was "Really Difficult"

From all indications, director Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes is not going to feature the contemplative detective that we have come to know through countless films and TV shows, but rather a more visceral version of the character. Actor Robert Downey Jr., who will portray Holmes to Jude Law's Dr. Watson, said that portraying the character was very demanding.

I am kicking ass for two-and-a-half hours, and all this stuff I've been learning for five years [is applied]. Suddenly, I'm co-choreographing with these veteran stunt guys and bad-asses. And I'm in there, having this meat-eating, man-slaughtering competition with these guys, and then, at the same time, playing a very reserved Brit. And that, to me, was a massive education and just a process.

While Downey Jr. said that his role in Holmes was "technically really difficult," it was his Oscar-nominated role as black-faced Kirk Lazarus in Tropic Thunder that really took its toll on him.

Whatever it was, it was just this massive catharsis for some reason. And then, after that, I was like, "Oh well, now that space is empty." All this kind of venom, rage, discomfort, and hiding behind things stuff kind of went away.

Next Showing: Sherlock Holmes opens December 25

Posted 10/9/2009 by BrentJS

Related: Jude Law | Guy Ritchie | Robert Downey Jr. | Tropic Thunder | Sherlock Holmes

Wednesday, April 8

Anna Faris Stuns at Observe and Report Premiere

The co-star of Seth Rogen's latest vehicle, Observe and Report, Anna Faris turned heads at last night's premiere in Los Angeles. An actress since the age of 9, Faris has appeared in more than a dozen feature films, including the four Scary Movie movies, and with two comedic performances alongside Ryan Reynolds in Waiting and Just Friends. Faris appeared in several episodes during the final season of Friends and she received wider recognition as an actress following her appearnce in Brokeback Mountain.

Written and directed by Jody Hill, Observe and Report also stars Ray Liotta (Revolver) and features an appearance by up-and-coming comedic actor Danny McBride (Eastbound and Down). While superficially similar to Kevin James' latest project, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, Observe and Report has been described as a darker, more mature film, with Rogen commenting:

They're totally different movies.

Observe and Report synopsis courtesy of Warner Bros.:

At the Forest Ridge Mall, Head of security Ronnie Barnhardt (SETH ROGEN) patrols his jurisdiction with an iron fist. The master of his domain, he combats skateboarders, shoplifters and the occasional unruly customer while dreaming of the day when he can swap his flashlight for a badge and a gun.

Ronnie's delusions of grandeur are put to the test when the mall is struck by a flasher. Driven by his personal duty to protect and serve the mall and its patrons, Ronnie seizes the opportunity to showcase his underappreciated law enforcement talents on a grand scale, hoping his solution to the crime will earn him a coveted spot at the police academy and the heart of his elusive girl Brandi (ANNA FARIS), the hot makeup counter clerk who won't give him the time of day.

But his single-minded pursuit of glory launches a turf war with the equally competitive Detective Harrison (RAY LIOTTA) of the Conway Police, and Ronnie is confronted with the challenge of not only catching the flasher, but getting him before the real cops do.

Next Showing: Observe and Report opens Friday, April 10

Posted 4/8/2009 by BrentJS

Related: Anna Faris | Ray Liotta | Scary Movie | Danny McBride | Waiting ... | Just Friends | Pineapple Express | Seth Rogen | Tropic Thunder | Jody Hill

Saturday, April 4

Robert Downey Jr. Pumping Up for Iron Man 2

Actor Robert Downey Jr. has been working non-stop since he played Tony Stark in Iron Man (2008). His hilarious portrayal of Kirk Lazarus, an actor who undergoes a skin pigmentation-altering procedure to “get into character” in Tropic Thunder (2008), was followed with a performance as a journalist in The Soloist (2009), and he recently completed filming for Guy Ritchie’s latest endeavor, Sherlock Holmes, due in theaters this December.

While Downey Jr.’s portrayal of the world’s greatest detective (sorry, Batman) in Sherlock Holmes is eagerly anticipated, what fans are really curious about is his return to the role that brought him his most recent wave of fame. Iron Man was the 2nd-highest grossing film of 2008 and helped further legitimize superhero films as a distinct movie genre capable of both financial and critical success.

In a recent interview with ET!,

Downey Jr. said:

"It's one thing to say you're Iron Man, it's another thing to be fully ready to do that."

When asked if he would be in shape to play a superhero after losing weight to play the gaunt Sherlock Holmes, Downey Jr. replied:

"I'm on Beefcake Charlie status. I've got to not be the skinny Brit anymore. I have to be the Tony that you know and may have loved."

Gwyneth Paltrow returns as Tony Stark’s assistant, Pepper Potts with Samuel L. Jackson resuming his role as Nick Fury. Iron Man 2 also stars Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, Mickey Rourke as Whiplash and Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer.

Next Showing: Iron Man 2 blasts into theaters May 7, 2010.

Posted 4/4/2009 by BrentJS

Related: Gwyneth Paltrow | Sam Rockwell | Robert Downey Jr. | Iron Man | Tropic Thunder | The Soloist | Sherlock Holmes | Iron Man 2 | Iron Man 3 | Mickey Rourke

Friday, December 5

Experts Say Bad Economy Good for Comedy

It's a movie industry truism that when times are tough, the hoi polloi long to see Hollywood millionaires falling off rooftops and smacking each other around. During The Great Depression, Reuters reminds us, "families flocked to madcap movies by Laurel and Hardy, the Marx Brothers, and the Three Stooges." This year, the beneficiaries of our financial woes have included Tropic Thunder, Step Brothers, and Get Smart. And now, of course, Four Christmases is the current box-office champ. Which can only lead to the frightening conclusion that audiences are even more desperate now for a laugh than when they were sleeping in cardboard boxes and surviving on sandwiches made out of old newspapers. Indeed, as long as Four Christmases is the country's #1 hit, we're officially in The Even-Greater Depression.

Posted 12/5/2008 by reelz

Related: Four Christmases | Step Brothers | Get Smart | Tropic Thunder

Tuesday, November 18

Tropic Thunder DVD Details

In Tropic Thunder, which releases on DVD today, Brandon T. Jackson plays Alpa Chino, a rapper making a crossover to movie actor. ReelzChanel sat down recently with Jackson to discuss the action comedy, as well as the actor's roles in the upcoming The Day the Earth Stood Still and Fast and Furious.

Find out about his "crazy" first day on the Tropic Thunder set, what he thought of Robert Downey, Jr.'s performance, the DVD's extras, and more in our Interview with Tropic Thunder Star Brandon T. Jackson.

Posted 11/18/2008 by reelz

Related: Brandon T. Jackson | Tropic Thunder

New DVD Releases: Tropic Thunder, Wall-E, and More

Wall-E, Disney/Pixar's dazzling computer-animated tale of interstellar robot love, leads this week's crop of new DVD releases. Also debuting on DVD today: The estrogen-and-denim fest Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, starring America Ferrera and Blake Lively; Alex Gibney's documentary Gonzo, about late author Hunter S. Thompson; and Mister Lonely, the latest oddball offering from indie darling Harmony Korine.

Our DVD pick of the week is Ben Stiller's comedy hit Tropic Thunder, featuring Robert Downey Jr.'s unforgettable turn in blackface -- a performance recently touted by EW as a potential Best Supporting Actor Oscar contender. The Director's Cut features 14 additional minutes of unbridled hilarity, an alternate ending, and the superb Hearts of Darkness parody Rain of Madness.

We recommend the Blu-ray version, because, for reasons we can't quite fully explain, comedy is somehow funnier in HD.

Posted 11/18/2008 by reelz

Related: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 | Wall-E | Tropic Thunder

Wednesday, August 27

Tropic Thunder Makes it Rain on iTunes

Paramountannounced today that Rain of Madness, the mockumentary chronicling the filmingof Tropic Thunder's fictional war movie, is now available for free via download on Apple'siTunes. Spoofing Hearts of Darkness, Eleanor Coppola's legendary account of herhusband's disastrous Apocalypse Now shoot, Rain of Madness recounts the variousnightmares faced by Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black and therest of the fictional cast and crew of Tropic Thunder.

Tropic Thunder fans will no doubt be overjoyed to knowthat Rain of Madness features more of Tom Cruise in his show-stopping role as thefictional film's fat, balding, egomaniacal producer Les Grossman.

Posted 8/27/2008 by reelz

Related: Tropic Thunder

Tuesday, August 19

Pineapple Express Much Bigger Hit than Tropic Thunder?

On paper, Tropic Thunder's $25.8 million number one opening this past weekend makes it this summer's top comedy, knocking off the previous week's Pineapple Express, which took in $23.2 million.

But when you add in the fact that Tropic Thunder is one of the most expensive comedies of all time, with a production budget of $92 million (according to Box Office Mojo), the big picture changes considerably.

Pineapple Express, on the other hand, sported a streamlined budget of only $27 million. Since its August 6th opening, Pineapple has garnered an impressive $62 million domestic toll. With $65 million less in production budget, the stoner action comedy is far and away the more successful movie. And considering Thunder's likely drop-off next weekend in the 50 percent range, it's unlikely the Ben Stiller comedy will even break even before home video, especially when you add in the flick's massive marketing costs.

Judd Apatow and Co. may seem like goofy stoners, but they have stuck to a shrewd, smart business plan. Their success has easily afforded the temptation to go for a larger budget, but instead they've stuck to the same plan again and again, with every Apatow production thus far landing in the $20-35 million range. The other big advantage here is that the occasional misstep like Walk Hard, budgeted at $35 million, can be recovered without much worry.

With three upcoming projects in production as a producer or director including next summer's surefire hit Funny People (starring Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen) Apatow's reign as king of comedy isn't ending anytime soon.

Posted 8/19/2008 by reelz

Related: Ben Stiller | Judd Apatow | Pineapple Express | Tropic Thunder

Sunday, August 17

Box Office Results: Tropic Finally Ends Dark Knight's Run

Source: BOX OFFICE MOJO

Posted 8/17/2008 by reelz

Related: The Dark Knight | Tropic Thunder | Star Wars: The Clone Wars