Bill Murray continues to be a stubborn old coot; Babyonce’ is already stopping the world in its tracks; Leo DiCaprio will build an Oscar out of your ticket stubs; Ricky Gervais probably shouldn’t do some things again; Runaway brides come out of mediocre movies, and a party of five could mean a fist to the face!
Today’s Hollywood Dish is the Key Master.
Who You Gonna Call? Bill Murray!: Now, as iconic 80’s movies go, you really can’t get a better example than Ghostbusters. It was hilarious and full of the kind of fun that made watching movies an event and not just an outing. Dan Aykroyd has been discussing a third installment for years and the fanboy rumor mill has gone pretty crazy with thoughts on how to improve upon a pretty great idea. Slowly we’ve seen progress and learned that the movie would involve some measure of passing the torch to a younger generation of Ghostbusters with names like Jonah Hill and Seth Rogan bandied about. The one sticking point — the most obvious sticking point — the involvement, or lack thereof of Bill Murray. Most believe that we shouldn’t revisit Ghostbusters without Bill Murray. Okay, but Murray, sort of weirdly, isn’t agreeing to appear in the franchise… yet. He’s said that he hasn’t read a script (even though one clearly exists), and has in the past alluded that the script would have to be something special for him to return. Okay, first, just who the Proton Pack do you think you are Bill Murray? Sure yes, we thought you were pretty good in Lost in Translation and a few other odd indie flicks, but really, dude, yeah really, you’re Pete Venkman. That’s who you are. I’m sorry if that hurts your precious “acting sensibilities” but seriously, you did a cameo in Zombieland, where they did nothing but celebrate the fact that you were in — wait for it — yes, GHOSTBUSTERS! Here’s your chance to continue being relevant, you old diva. So get on board and have a last hurrah with the boys. Just what exactly do you have to lose? And you should probably make up your mind soon since Aykroyd has said in a recent interview, “Yes, we will be doing the movie and hopefully with Mr. Murray. That is our hope. We have an excellent script. What we have to remember is that ‘Ghostbusters’ is bigger than any one component, although Billy was absolutely the lead and contributive to it in a massive way, as was the director and Harold [Ramis], myself and Sigourney [Weaver]. The concept is much larger than any individual role and the promise of ‘Ghostbusters 3’ is that we get to hand the equipment and the franchise down to new blood.” So yeah, Venkman, get over yourself or you could miss out on something spectacular which is a huge part of your legacy. I’d say getting slimed again is better. Then again, I hear Chevy Chase is back in Hollywood. Maybe he’d like to take a shot at Ghostbusting? [THR]
A Star is Waiting to Be Born: Now that Beyonce’ has announced her impending baby launch during last Sunday’s VMAs, what will happen to the movie she’s set to film next year? The Clint Eastwood directed remake of A Star is Born was set to begin filming in February of 2012. However, since Beyonce’ has become Beybumpce’ the studio is talking about pushing the filming back. However, the arrival of Baby Bey Z isn’t the only reason. The studio still hasn’t found a lead actor for the role. Initially Eastwood wanted Leo DiCaprio for the role, but apparently he used up all his Leo chips on the upcoming J. Edgar Hoover biopic. Other actors on the potential short list are Will Smith and Christian Bale. The extension will allow for more time to find a definitive leading man for the project. In the meantime we assume there will also be more time for Beyonce’ to launch a maternity clothing line, maybe do a record of lullabies, perhaps write a parenting book, appear in her own TLC special, do a nude Demi photo, and then finally give birth to a baby while filming a music video in Sri Lanka. Oh, whatever. How do you know she’s not working on all of the above? [Deadline]
Leo DiCaprio is Never Taking a Vacation: Speaking of Leo DiCaprio roles, this guy just won’t stop working ever, and by working ever we mean working with Martin Scorsese. Yes, we get it. Marty is great. Marty is talented, but seriously, it’s getting a little Depp/Burton. And nothing should ever get too Depp/Burton. The staid duo’s next project is rebooting 1974’s The Gambler which starred James Caan as an academic whose gambling addiction has gotten the better of him. We suppose that because 1) Leo is a huge gambler, one who we hear is a bit of a sore loser and 2) Matt Damon’s supposed Rounders sequel has yet to get off the ground, if ever. DiCaprio feels the time is right to marry one of his hobbies with a genre we haven’t seen much of in the last decade or so. Given the very many staunch roles DiCaprio is taking on recently including Clint Eastwood’s J. Edgar, Baz Luhrman’s The Great Gatsby, and Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained, it would seem that he’s hedging his Oscar bets pretty closely. He’s definitely chasing something. That’s a lot of movie roles in the next few years. One could wonder just how much that flop The Beach, and Shutter Island (Marty Scorsese!) has cost the actor in his own “personal fulfillment” chips? Is he afraid of making another gross misstep? It seems he has a “Never Again” sentiment when it comes to certain roles, meaning I don’t suppose we’ll see him in a remake of 1987’s Mannequin, right? So, instead, look for a continuation of “Movies Possibly Out of DiCaprio’s Acting Reach But He’ll Do Them Anyway.” [Deadline]
Ricky Gervais to Possibly Insult Sean Penn and Lose His Life: So remember last year’s Golden Globes when everyone just really wanted to maybe murder Ricky Gervais for hosting what Deadline has called, “The Meanest Golden Globes?” Like literally he had Tom Hanks and Tim Allen preparing for some sort of American/British fisticuff melee? Well, he may be back. Apparently NBC has offered Gervais hosting duties once again. He says he’s considering it, but that he probably shouldn’t do it. Not wouldn’t do it, kids. Shouldn’t do it. We wonder if this is one of those undercover nuance things. Like when someone offers you some sort of gross concoction at a dinner party. They offer, and you say “Oh, yum. Looks good. I really shouldn’t.” They offer again telling you all the things they did to make it so good, and you’re thinking, “Well, it looks a bit like dog crap.” But you try it anyway to be polite. You then taste it, realize that it is indeed dog crap, but smile through it anyway. The next time you’re at their house and out comes the dog crap and they play the, “Oh, Ricky, you loved our goat intestine membrane stew so much last time! Here, have some more.” Now, yes, now you can say, “Oh, you know what? I recently found out that I’m severely allergic to goat crap intestine stew! I’m so sorry. Really though, it’s wonderful. A great mix of sewage and…what? Olives? Such a pity. A shame that I can’t ingest your cooking, a true shame. Please remember for next time. No goat crap for me. I’ll just stay right here by the safe, un-crapped crackers.” See, this is what he should probably say about this whole hosting thing. [Deadline]
Julia Roberts and Kiefer Sutherland Probably Don’t Speak Anymore: Oh, the early 1990’s. Jeans with a full front panel, lots of paisley, crispy bangs, Julia Roberts with her mouth and all that crinkly frizz hair. Men loved her, but mostly Kiefer Sutherland loved her. They were engaged you know? Right after they did the movie Flatliners. Yep, he saw her wearing all of the above and thought, “Man, I just have to marry that girl. No matter that she laughs like a hyena having an enema, or that her mouth could swallow my head whole, I just love that girl, that girl of mine.” But something happened, and it didn’t work out. Well, Julia, the minx, ran off with Jason Patric (Michael!), Kiefer’s (David!) best friend and The Lost Boys co-star. Wow, I bet no one saw that coming. So this is why it’s tricky falling in love on a movie set. Now that they’re going to remake Flatliners with Source Code writer Ben Ripley set to develop the script, we can only wonder who’ll be next to walk the line of love and infidelity brought to you by a movie about dying, your last wish, and pondering life in death or after it. Such big heavy topics. It means the actors will need to have sex to figure them all out. That is the Flatliners law. Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal, or Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling, we wish you guys luck. I totally see the probability of one of these couples rebooting a movie about well, the ultimate reboot. Clear! [THR]
Today in celebrity feuds: Matthew Fox vs. Party Bus Driver: We’ve reported on a few celebrity feuds over the last few weeks. There were the ones between Piers Morgan and Keith Olbermann, and then Paula Deen and Anthony Bourdain. This week it’s Party of Five, and Lost star Matthew Fox vs. a random female bus driver! What?! Fox was arrested early yesterday morning for punching the driver in the chest and stomach. He is accused of attempting to hitch a ride to his hotel aboard a private party bus. When told the bus was already rented and that he couldn’t board, Fox allegedly punched the driver twice before receiving a blow to the mouth in return from the 29-year-old driver. Well, first — who knew Matthew Fox was a giant douchebag?! That’s some serious weirdness right there. We’d kind of expect something like this out of Charlie Sheen or David Arquette, or some other marginal creepozoid, but Charlie Salinger/Jack Shephard? What’s next, Fred Savage kicks a puppy? Also, secondly, good on the bus driver for punching that crazed, abusive assbag in the face! That’s what I call, “Get off my farking bus!” I really hope that’s what she said when she punched him. That, I think would have made a great series finale to the end of Lost, Amirite? [THR]
