Film News (13/06/09)

Some small stories this week - but only for minor projects that may or may not ever happen. At least there's a wide range of genre's - family comedies, horror and soft-core porn all get their moment in the sun (after the jump).

The Originals

Did you think that Bryce Dallas Howard has been a little quiet recently? Well apparently the reason she's only done a couple of films in the last few years (including the Terminator behemoth currently in cinemas) is because there are times she like to do other things - like going on family picnics and writing screenplays.

I'm only half kidding about the family picnics, because her latest screenplay - The Originals - was co-written with her brother-in-law Dane Charneneau and may be directed by dad Ron (up in the picture with Bryce).

It's about a groups of twenty somethings who go back to their home town when a former teacher mysteriously lapses into a coma. No doubt they share their angsty stories and learn a little about living.



Heavy Metal

James "King of the World" Cameron has signed on to direct a segment of the Heavy Metal portmanteau film, joining David Fincher, Gore Verbinski, Zack Snyder and Mark Osbourne in the based-on-comic-book franchise. It's an odd adaptation as the comics, which mix ultra-violence with sexual imagery (although notably it's rarely sexual violence), have no recurring characters which leaves the directors with hundreds of stories to use. It's a fascinating group or auteurs, so I for one will certainly be in thye queue to see this.

The Odd Life of Timothy Green

It's from Disney, and has a great title. Is there anything else to say. Story idea is being developed by Peter Hedges.

Scream 4

And 5, and 6...

Wes Craven has been letting the Weinsteins know that he might just be interested in taking the reins for the next Scream movie if Kevin Williamson's script is up to scratch. It's a tough dilemma to face, obviously Wes doesn't want the highly successful franchise to slip through his fingers, but at the same time will the law of dimishing returns continue to affect the series. David and Courtney Cox Arquette have both already signed on to be chased by the mysterious ghostface.