Movie News!

So let’s dive right in here with a story I literally just read but am very jazzed about. Several months ago, the History Channel announced that they would be airing their first scripted drama in 2011 in the form of an 8-part miniseries about the life of JFK called “The Kennedys”. Some people (myself included) have expressed some concern over the fact that it is being written and produced by the people who made 24 as they are openly conservative. However, I have faith that the History Channel is aware of how much hype this thing is already getting and they’ll make sure it’s as legit as it can be. And with the new announcement of casting, it sounds like they will be successful. John F. Kennedy will be played by Greg Kinnear with Katie Holmes as Jackie. They have also cast Barry Pepper as Robert F. Kennedy and ultimate mini-series actor Tom Wilkinson as Joseph Kennedy. Personally, I am stoked. Kinnear is one of my favorite actors and I never actually realized how much he looks like JFK until just now. And finally, FINALLY Katie Holmes has found her chance to actually prove herself as an actress and not just the brain-washed kept woman of a psychopath.

= ? Really?

Other casting news, Penelope Cruz has dropped out of Lars Von Trier’s upcoming film “Melancholia” to be replaced by…Kirsten Dunst? This is where the info gets fuzzy because Charlotte Gainsbourg is also cast and I have a much easier time believing that she could take over a Penelope Cruz role than Kirsten Dunst, who I’m pretty sure is the complete visual opposite of Penelope Cruz. Not surprisingly, Cruz has opted to do the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film over Von Trier’s film. On the one hand, I’m sad because I’m sure she would be phenomenal in it and I’m always looking to see her in meaty roles, but on the other, a gal’s gotta make money. And she is literally the only reason I will see the Pirates movie so I think it’s for the best.

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Now for some DEVASTATING casting news. As you recall, in my last Movie News post, I expressed utter glee and delight at the news that Christoph Waltz would be playing Sigmund Freud in the upcoming film “The Talking Cure.” Well….now he isn’t. It’s Viggo Mortensen. I love Viggo, I really do, but if there was ANYONE who was truly meant to play Freud it is Christoph Waltz. On top of this, they’ve changed the name of the film to “A Dangerous Method” which, at the risk of sounding stupid, sounds really stupid.



In lighter events, Carey Mulligan has now officially been cast in Emma Thompson’s remake of My Fair Lady AND an English version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Not sure what’s happening with the film of The Seagull, but if I find out it’s been scrapped I will probably injure someone. This Christoph Waltz business is bad enough.