Monday, October 5

• Showgirls the Sequel?!

  Remember the following phone exchange in Scream 2 between Randy (played by Jamie Kennedy) and the psychotic killer?

  Killer: What's your favorite scary movie?

  Randy: Showgirls. Absolutely frightening.

  Well amazingly, JoBlo.com writes that German site Extratipp is circulating a rumor that the Paul Verhoeven flesh-fest — notorious for its asinine plot and atrocious acting — might be getting the sequel treatment.

  Unfortunately (or fortunately ... we can't decide), this alleged project has nothing to do with Verhoeven. Some unknown named Marc Vorlander is supposedly developing the sequel, which is titled Showgirls: Story of Hope. The title references the name of one of the original movie's minor characters, who was played by Rena Riffel.

  Normally, if you see a character's name in the title of a movie, you expect that character to last. But no, apparently Hope kicks the bucket very early. JoBlo threw the content of the German post into a Google translator and got the following excerpt:

  It's about stripper who died from a dose of contaminated cocaine. Her brother comes to Frankfurt to find the responsible and revenge.

  Okay, when Alfred Hitchcock surprised audiences with the death of Janet Leigh's Marion Crane midway through Psycho, at least he dropped a hint by not having Leigh's name as the first credit. And he certainly didn't title the movie Psycho: Story of Marion.

  We'd like to think that this Vorlander character is only joking, but we'll have to wait and see.

  
  

  Posted 10/05/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: Paul Verhoeven | Rena Riffel | Showgirls

Tuesday, June 16

• Natalie Portman to Star in Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan

  The Hollywood Reporter confirms that Natalie Portman will star in Black Swan, the next movie from director Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler, The Fountain, Requiem for a Dream). The "supernatural thriller" has Portman playing a veteran ballerina who develops a rivalry with another dancer — who may, or may not, be a product of the her imagination.

  Black Swan was originally picked up in 2007 by Universal, which eventually let it go. The Creative Artists Agency represents both Portman and Aronofsky and is pitching the project to other studios. It is being produced by Phoenix Pictures and Aronfosky's own Protozoa Pictures. John MacLaughlin wrote the original script, which was later revised by Protozoa's Mark Heyman.

  The movie could begin shooting sometime this year, if it sells quickly. Aronofsky is also at work on a remake of Paul Verhoeven's 1987 sci-fi action hit RoboCop.

  
  

  Posted 06/16/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: Natalie Portman | Paul Verhoeven | Darren Aronofsky

Wednesday, June 3

• Thomas Crown Affair Screenwriter to Pen Total Recall Remake

  Variety reports that Columbia Pictures has signed Kurt Wimmer to pen the screenplay for an upcoming remake of Total Recall, the 1990 sci-fi action movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and directed by Paul Verhoeven.

  Wimmer previously wrote the scripts for the surprisingly fun remake of The Thomas Crown Affair and his own directorial debut, the Matrix knock-off Equilibrium (starring Christian Bale).  He's currently at work on Salt, a Philip Noyce-directed thriller starring Angelina Jolie and Liev Schreiber.

  Columbia announced the Recall remake earlier this year, which will reportedly be a "contemporized adaptation" of the story. No actors, directors, or release dates have been announced yet for the project.

  
  

  Posted 06/03/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: Arnold Schwarzenegger | Christian Bale | Liev Schreiber | Paul Verhoeven | Phillip Noyce | Angelina Jolie | Kurt Wimmer | Total Recall | The Thomas Crown Affair | Equilibrium | The Thomas Crown Affair

Monday, June 1

• Halle Berry May Star in Verhoeven's The Surrogate

  The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Halle Berry is in talks to star in The Surrogate, directed by Paul Verhoeven (Total Recall, Basic Instinct, Starship Troopers).

  The thriller marks Verhoeven's return to Hollywood after helming the critically acclaimed Dutch-language Black Book and the period piece The Winter Queen, which is still in production.

  The script for The Surrogate will stem from the novel by Kathryn Mackel. If cast, Berry would play the part of Bethany Dolan, a wife struggling to bear children. The Dolans find a surrogate mother in Sable, a computer expert who convinces the couple to let her into the family. Sable, however, has a shady past that becomes more of a danger as the pregnancy progresses. The cover of the novel labels it as a "Christian Chiller," although it's unclear if the religious and supernatural elements of the story will translate to the big-screen adaptation.

  
  

  Posted 06/01/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: Halle Berry | Paul Verhoeven | The Surrogate | The Winter Queen

Friday, May 29

• Paul Verhoeven Returns to Hollywood with The Surrogate

  According to Cinema Blend, Paul Verhoeven (Robocop, Basic Instinct, Starship Troopers) has signed with 20th Century Fox to direct the big-screen adaptation of Kathryn Mackel's The Surrogate. This marks Verhoeven's return to Hollywood fare after directing the critically acclaimed 2006 Dutch-language movie Black Book and the period piece The Winter Queen, which is still in production.

  Mackel's novel tells the story of the Dolans, a couple struggling to bear a child. They find a surrogate mother in Sable, a computer expert who convinces the couple to let her into the family. Sable, however, has a shady past that becomes more of a danger as the pregnancy progresses. The cover of the novel labels it as a "Christian Chiller," although it's unclear if the religious and supernatural elements of the story will translate to the big-screen adaptation.

  Ralph Winter, who oversaw the X-Men movies (including the recent X-Men Origins: Wolverine), is producing The Surrogate along with Deborah Giarratana, Robin Guthrie and Susana Zepeda. The current draft of the script was written by Roderick Taylor and Bruce Taylor. No casting decisions or release dates have been announced.

  
  

  Posted 05/29/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: Paul Verhoeven | Ralph Winter | Bruce Taylor | Roderick Taylor | Robin Guthrie | X-Men Origins: Wolverine | The Surrogate | The Winter Queen

Tuesday, November 13

• Brosnan set to reprise his only other bankable movie role

  Now that he's been freed from the schackles of the James Bond franchise, Pierce Brosnan is poised to pursue sequels to his other, less well-known movies. Variety reports that Brosnan, who played 007 in four Bond flicks before handing over the reigns to Daniel Craig, has signed on for a sequel to his 1999 hit remake The Thomas Crown Affair, in which he played a wealthy businessman with a penchant for burglary. Paul Verhoeven (Showgirls, Hollow Man) set to direct. Shooting begins in January.

  One can only hope that a Remington Steele movie will follow.

  
  

  Posted 11/13/2007 by reelz

  Related: Paul Verhoeven | Pierce Brosnan | The Thomas Crown Affair