New Line Cinema announced in their weekly newsletter that "Middle Earth will be revealed...Friday, April 7th!" Sharing no details, New Line said fans can get a "first look at the HEROES A first look at the CREATURES A first look at the TALE...."
Well, no one can say they aren't trying. Stop by the LOTR films' official Web site and see whether the reality is as good as the hype. You can always try to come up with a really good question for director Peter Jackson and get your 15 minutes of fame.
Columbus Discovers Potter
Variety reports that Chris Columbus, the man who brought you Mrs. Doubtfire, has agreed to take on Warner Brothers' first of what they hope will be a series of films based on J.K. Rowlings superhit kids books, the Harry Potter series.
WB's president of worldwide productions said "...[I]t was important to us to find a director who has an affinity for both children and magic." when he announced the studio's selection to helm Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. He didn't mention they were also looking for somebody who doesn't mind tight schedules.
Columbus's was one of several A-list directors whose names were attached to the project. Three of those--Steven Spielberg, Rob Reiner and Wolfgang Petersen--passed. Spielberg had casting problems with WB and Rowling and had other plans (see related article) and Reiner didn't say, but Petersen told Cinescape editor Steve Hockensmith he wasn't happy with the timeframe.
WB wants Harry in theaters by next summer--July 4, to be precise--and Petersen felt that wasn't enough time to do a decent job on the F/X-laden film. If WB wants the movie done in time, he said they "should have started yesterday."
There isn't much there at the moment, but you can visit the WB Harry Potter Web site at http://www.warnerbrosmovies.com/harrypot... Steve Kloves (The Fabulous Baker Boys) is handling the writng chores, and filming is scheduled to begin this summer in England.
Spielberg Postpones Minority Report for Kubrick Project
Steven Spielberg will write and direct the film project Stanley Kubrick had planned to work on after completing Eyes Wide Shut, according to a report in Science Fiction Weekly..
Based (loosely, of course--this is Kubrick) on a short story by Brian Aldiss, A.I. (which stands for "artificial intelligence," in case you're new to the genre) is a tale about robots sharing earth with humans after the polar ice caps have melted. According to Spielberg, Kubrick had been working on the idea for the film for 18 years, and he said he is "intent on bringing to the screen as much of that vision as possible, along with elements of my own."
