Monday, June 30

• Seth Rogen, Mall Cop

  There are "independent" films -- those produced by the Weinsteins of the world and packed with A-list actors working for scale. Then there are independent films -- those financed with maxed-out credit cards and completed by sheer force of will.

  Jody Hill's comedy gem The Foot Fist Way belongs decidedly in the latter category, and while the film didn't necessarily shatter any box office records in its brief theatrical release, it did manage to net for its Concord, North Carolina-bred writer/director an array of prominent Hollywood admirers, chief among them the Talladega Nights and Step Brothers superduo of Will Ferrell and Adam McKay.

  For his first studio release, Observe and Report, Hill managed to nab none other than emerging comedy heavyweight Seth Rogen, star of Knocked Up, Superbad and the upcoming Pineapple Express, to play the lead as a delusional, overzealous mall cop on the trail of an elusive streaker.

  With visions of a potential McKay/Ferrell-esque partnership dancing in my head, I traveled to Observe and Report's Albuquerque, New Mexico set on an oppressively hot Tuesday a few weeks ago to get a glimpse of the comedy gold that a collaboration between Rogen and Hill might yield. And I got that -- but I got more. A lot more. 

  Come back soon for a comprehensive writeup of my Observe and Report set visit, featuring in-depth interviews with Rogen, Hill, producer Donald De Line (who happens to be developing a little flick called Green Lantern), and co-stars Ray Liotta and Michael Pena.

  More importantly, I'll furnish a detailed recap of my very own acting debut in the film -- in a short yet memorable cameo as an alternative-lifestyled mall patron shopping for fashionable storage containers with my disheveled life partner.

  I'm pretty sure that's how Olivier got started.

  
  

  Posted 06/30/2008 by Thomas

  Seth Rogen | Jody Hill | Observe and Report

Wednesday, June 11

• Seth Rogen to Face the Apocalypse

  Seth Rogen and Knocked Up co-star Jay Baruchel are reuniting for more comic mayhem in a new action comedy entitled Jay and Seth vs the Apocalypse. The movie is based on a short by Seth Rogen and his writing partner Evan Goldberg (Superbad), who will be writing the script together.

  Jay and Seth vs. the Apocalypse should start shooting next year. You can check out the original short right here.
  

  Source: Variety.

  
  

  Posted 06/11/2008 by Heather

  Jay Baruchel | Seth Rogen | Jay and Seth vs. the Apocalypse

Thursday, June 5

• Green Hornet to be $70-100 Million Action Flick, Says Rogen

  Seth Rogen took time out from shooting his new comedy Observe and Report (working title) on Tuesday to spill details aplenty regarding his forthcoming Green Hornet flick, which was recently given the green light by Sony. Rogen and Superbad/Pineapple Express writing partner Evan Goldberg turned in a first draft of the script about three weeks ago and are currently at work on a second.

  Rogen said his version of The Green Hornet won't be a parody, but "a very intense action movie" with comedic elements. "It's the quintessential story about a hero and his sidekick," he added, while emphatically assuring us that it won't be another Batman & Robin. Ideally, he sees the movie's budget in the $70 to $100 million range.

  The short-lived '60s Green Hornet TV series is known primarily for introducing American audiences to a young Bruce Lee, who played the Hornet's badass chauffer/sidekick Kato. As for his own Kato, Rogen is eyeing Kung Fu Hustle star Stephen Chow.

  The Green Hornet is currently slated for a June 2010 release.

  
  

  Posted 06/05/2008 by Thomas

  Seth Rogen | The Green Hornet

Thursday, December 13

• Apatow: Brad Pitt the inspiration for Pineapple Express 

  Does next summer's Seth Rogen/James Franco buddy flick Pineapple Express, dubbed a "reefer action comedy" by producer Judd Apatow, have the potential to rank among the greatest stoner flicks of all time? It's not an impossible feat, considering the "competition" consists of such timeless classics as Half Baked and Dude, Where's My Car?

  What can fans expect from the latest Rogen/Apatow collaboration? In an exclusive interview with ReelzChannel.com last week, the red-hot writer-director-producer revealed the inspiration for Pineapple Express: 

  "Years and years ago I watched True Romance and I thought Brad Pitt was so funny as a character who was on crack or meth, and it was only one scene," Apatow recalled. "And I thought, 'I wish this movie followed him out the door.' I thought it would be great to do one of those pot movies, but with the action of a Jerry Bruckheimer movie, that looked really good and was also filled with people who were stoned."

  Apatow describes the finished product as "this really demented movie that's in the school of Superbad, but also has an enormous amount of action and violence."

  Skeptical? Check out the hilarious, definitely R-rated clip from Pineapple Express over at JoBlo.com -- and believe.

  
  
  Next Showing: Pineapple Express is slated for an August 8, 2008 release

  Posted 12/13/2007 by Thomas

  Judd Apatow | James Franco | Seth Rogen | Pineapple Express

Sunday, November 18

• Movie newz: Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl & Kristen Stewart

  Seth Rogen is the newest member to join Kevin Smith's fold. The star of Knocked Up and Superbad has been cast as the lead in Smith's upcoming comedy, Zack & Miri Make a Porno, opposite The 40-Year-Old Virgin costar Elizabeth Banks, as two friends who make a porn to alleviate debt and discover they have feelings for each other.

  Rogen's Knocked Up costar Katherine Heigl also has a deal going this week. Heigl has signed to star in The Ugly Truth, a romantic comedy about a morning show producer who is tested by her chauvinistic correspondent's theories on love. Robert Luketic (Legally Blond, Monster-in-Law) will direct.

  And finally Kristen Stewart will star in Twilight, a thriller/romance adapted from Stephanie Meyer's novel about a young girl's relationship with a mysterious classmate when she moves to a small town. Catherine Hardwicke (The Nativity Story) will direct.

  Source: Variety. 

  
  

  Posted 11/18/2007 by Heather

  Kevin Smith | Catherine Hardwicke | Robert Luketic | Seth Rogen | Kristen Stewart | Katherine Heigl | The Ugly Truth | Twilight | Zack and Miri Make a Porno

Tuesday, July 24

• Knocked Up boosts business in an unlikely area

  Anyone who has seen Knocked Up knows that Seth Rogen and is band of slacker buddies' dream of building a website with images of Hollywood nude scenes is ruined when that they've been beaten to the punch by Mr.Skin.com.

  What you may not realize is how much Mr. Skin's website benefitted from its mention in the movie.  Mr.Skin.com experienced a 35% increase in new traffic during June (the month that Knocked Up hit theaters). That's a total of 2.9 million unique visitors.

  Not that the site wasn't doing well already--Mr.Skin grossed $5.3 million in 2006. But it looks like tickling Judd Apatow's funnybone is beneficial in more ways than one.

  Source: The New York Times

  
  

  Posted 07/24/2007 by Heather

  Seth Rogen | Knocked Up

Thursday, July 19

• Seth Rogen going Green

  Knocked Up star Seth Rogen has signed on with Columbia Pictures to write and "likely" star in a big-screen adaptation of The Green Hornet, The Los Angeles Times reports.

  If and when Rogen's version of The Green Hornet makes it to the big screen, it will be quite an accomplishment for the Judd Apatow protege. Hollywood's been trying to get a Hornet film made for years without any success, despite the apparently insatiable consumer demand for comic book-related properties. Most recently, Clerks director Kevin Smith was attached to write and direct for Miramax, but the project went nowhere and Smith eventually moved on. 

  The Green Hornet began as a radio show in the '30s, chronicling the adventures of Britt Reid, a wealthy newspaper publisher by day and costumed crime-fighter at night. The character eventually branched out to other media, including film, television and comic books, with varying degrees of success. The short-lived '60s TV series is notable for introducing American audiences to a young Bruce Lee, who played the Hornet's badass sidekick Kato.

  Columbia is said to be hoping for a 2009 release for The Green Hornet.

  
  

  Posted 07/19/2007 by Thomas

  Kevin Smith | Seth Rogen | Thomas Leupp | Knocked Up

Thursday, May 24

• Seth Rogen talks Superbad

  At a recent press junket for Knocked Up, its star, Seth Rogen gave a little taste of what he's got in store with his next movie, the long-awaited Superbad.

  "I think it just kind of was born out of a desire to see teen characters that are a lot like what [co-writer Evan Goldberg and I] were like when we were in high school," said Rogen.

  He and Goldberg started writing the comedy, about two high school social rejects who go to a graduation party and impress their crushes, when they were just 14.

  "We were teenagers in Vancouver. There was no real implication that it would ever get made into anything, it was just to amuse ourselves," the self-deprecating actor explained. "Unfortunately, really filthy filthy jokes is what amuses us, so that's what we wrote."

  Rogen says Superbad is a return to movies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, because it shows things like, in the MPAA's words "pervasive crude and sexual content, strong language, drinking, some drug use and a fantasy/comic violent image - all involving teens."

  Sounds awesome.

  
  
  Next Showing: Superbad hits theaters August 17, 2007.
  

  Knocked Up trailer

  Starring Seth Rogen

  Posted 05/24/2007 by Heather

  Seth Rogen | Evan Goldberg | Knocked Up | Superbad

Saturday, May 19

• Get Knocked Up online

  To get fans amped up for their upcoming summer blockbuster Knocked Up (aka Judd Apatow's follow up to The 40-Year-Old Virgin), our friends at Universal have put together quite a fancy website.

  The Knocked Up website has all sorts of features for fans who just can't wait for the movie to reach full term, including The Edit Bay (additional movie clips, deleted scenes, Apatow's Director's Video Diary, etc.), Freebies (a free ticket to Knocked Up for those who buy the all-new unrated Double Your Pleasure edition of The 40-Year-Old Virgin), and more.

  My favorite? Easily the Knocked Up Baby-Maker. You just upload pix of you and whomever you want and it will whip you up a potential future baby. It's very easy. I took a stab at it with a picture of my husband and myself, and suffice it to say, I will be filing for divorce in the morning.

  You can visit the Knocked Up website at KnockedUpMovie.com.

  
  
  Next Showing: Knocked Up is due in theaters June 1, 2007.
  

  Knocked Up trailer

  From the director of The 40 Year Old Virgin.

  Posted 05/19/2007 by Heather

  Judd Apatow | Seth Rogen | Katherine Heigl | Knocked Up