Prequels, Sequels & Remakes

Don Cheadle will replace Terrance Howard as Jim Rhodes/War Machine in Iron Man 2. While Marvel have made no official statement, the word is that contractual negotiations fell through because of financial differences. Says Terrance Howard, “It was the surprise of a lifetime. There was no explanation. [The contract] just…up and vanished. I read something in the trades implicating that it was about money or something, but apparently the contracts that we write and sign aren’t worth the paper that they’re printed on, sometimes. Promises aren’t kept, and good faith negotiations aren’t always held up.”

Star Trek XI’s synopsis: “Star Trek’s time-travel plot is set in motion when a Federation starship, the USS Kelvin, is attacked by a vicious Romulan (Eric Bana) desperately seeking one of the film’s heroes. From there, the film then brings Kirk and Spock center stage and tracks the origins of their friendship and how they became officers aboard the Enterprise. In fact, the movie shows how the whole original series crew came together.”

Universal is moving forward on the fourth Bourne movie as a tentpole project. George Nolfi will write the script, the first original story in the series instead of being based on one of Robert Ludlum’s novels. Director Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon are already on board.

Fox is fast-tracking a sequel to 1987’s Wall Street. Allan Loeb has been hired to write, and Edward R. Pressman will produce, what is being planned as a Michael Douglas vehicle, though he’s not technically attached yet. It’ll be about Gordon Gecko coming back into the, now more tumultuous, financial world after getting out of prison. Bud Fox, Charlie Sheen’s character, will not be in it.

Paul W.S. Anderson, “I’m writing an adaptation of the Long Good Friday right now, set in present-day Miami. Then I will probably write Resident Evil 4.”

David Friendly says that Big Momma’s House 3 is currently in the script writing stage, and will hopefully be ready for 2009. [E: Why?]

When asked Sam Raimi said that he isn’t sure about Dylan Baker’s Dr. Connors as the villain in the next Spider-Man, “He’s a great actor, and I think one day The Lizard’s story will be told. I don’t know if it will be this one or not. I just don’t know. I’m definitely hoping to work with Dylan in the picture. I just don’t know who the villain is yet.”

Kevin Smith on going back to any of his earlier films: “I don’t think so for Jay and Bob. I am 38 now and it’s not cute having a baseball hat on backwards. Plus I would have to get in shape to play him and that would be pathetic. Jason no longer looks like the impish weed dealer as well, becausehe’s grown up. When I get into my 40’s I might want to visit Dante and Randle and see what they are up to though.”

Lakeshore Entertainment and MGM are reinventing 1980’s Oscar winner Fame. Some of the names signed on are Thomas Dekker, Kristy Flores, Paul Iacono, Paul McGill, Naturi Naughton, Kay Panabaker, Kherington Payne, Collins Pennie, Walter Perez, and Anna Maria Perez de Tagle. The story will be in the same vein as the original with a bunch of young hopefuls trying to make it at the High School for the Performing Arts… they wanna live forever, so, baby, remember their names.

Shannon Elizabeth and Edward Furlong are filming on Night of the Demons. “Inspired by” the ‘80s movie of the same name, it’s about three friends who go to a Halloween party at a notorious mansion where six people disappeared without a trace about eighty years ago and the owner hung herself. After the party is broken up by the police, the remaining guests realize (dun dun DUN) the mansion is home to demons that need seven vessels to break a curse. Drac Studios is in charge of makeup.

While it’s nothing official it is kinda interesting, Iron Man Writers Want Hulk To Be ‘The Avengers’ Villain.