BuzzSugar -- Entertainment hourly.

Buzz News Roundup, 8/11

BuzzSugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:30:51 -0700

The Office has been given the key post-Super Bowl time slot and will air a one-hour episode following the game, Entertainment Weekly reports.
According to ComingSoon, Steve Buscemi and Romany Malco will star together in Saint John of Las Vegas, a loose adaptation of Dante's Inferno.
Tori Spelling has no deal to appear on 90210 and her desired salary may be the sticking point, E! reports.
Sara Gilbert is joining the cast of The Big Bang Theory after a successful guest-starring gig, Zap2it reports.
Dennis Hopper will get his own exhibit in France where, apparently, he is highly revered, writes Variety.
Clarke Peters and Wendell Pierce — aka Freamon and Bunk from The Wire — are joining Treme, David Simon's new HBO pilot about New Orleans, writes The Hollywood Reporter.
Variety has the news that director Chris Columbus is readying a film about Robert F. Kennedy's 1968 presidential run.
24 producer Carlos Coto and Brett Ratner are working on an action-comedy for Fox titled Wild Boys, which will follow "ex-soldiers turned suburban dads," ComingSoon reports.
Matthew Bomer — aka Bryce Larkin from Chuck and Jay from Traveler — has been cast in the lead of a USA series called White Collar, writes The Hollywood Reporter.

Photo courtesy of NBC

Bret Ratner, Eddie Murphy to Team Up for a Beverly Hills Cop 4

BuzzSugar — Thu, 29 May 2008 10:25:09 -0700

Apparently, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull has been an inspiration to other old franchises looking to capitalize on nostalgia as Brett Ratner is aiming to resurrect the Beverly Hills Cop movies with a fourth installment. Eddie Murphy will reportedly "reprise his role as Detroit detective Axel Foley." Variety has more:

Studio is aiming for a 2009 production start and a summer 2010 release. Lorenzo di Bonaventura (G.I. Joe, Transformers 2) will produce. Jerry Bruckheimer, who produced the original Beverly Hills Cop trilogy with late partner Don Simpson, won't be actively involved in the new film.

What do you think about this news? Totally unnecessary? Or possibly fantastic?

Source

Which Rumored Actor Would Best Play Hugh Hefner?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 27 May 2008 11:37:54 -0700

The latest Hugh Hefner biopic rumor comes to us via the Chicago Sun Times and states that Robert Downey Jr. is being considered to play the girly mag mogul. Previously, rumors have swirled around Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Cruise. So, which of these men would best portray the Hef? And if none of them, who could you see in the role?Source

Which Rumored Actor Would Best Play Hugh Hefner?

Leonardo DiCaprio

Tom Cruise

Robert Downey Jr.

None — I'll tell you my better idea in the comments!

Jack McBrayer Touches Mariah Carey's Body

BuzzSugar — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 14:31:43 -0800

You know how sometimes folks who are famous for very different reasons end up doing some project together, and you can't quite imagine how they even ended up knowing each other's names, much less collaborating? That's how I'm feeling about the video for Mariah Carey's new single, "Touch My Body," featuring 30 Rock's Jack McBrayer as the object of Miss Mariah's lust.

You know how I feel about Jack, and it's hilarious to watch his Kenneth the Page-like nerdy character become Mariah's fantasy boy toy — whether he's being spanked, having a pillow fight, or even catching a frisbee in his mouth like a puppy. Only a 40-second snippet has leaked so far, but here's hoping we'll see the whole Brett Ratner-directed video soon. What's that? Yup, Ratner's involved, too. I don't know whose idea this was, but it's strangely brilliant.

To check out McBrayer as Mariah's hunka hunka burning love, just

Do You Think Tom Cruise Could Play Hugh Hefner?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:54:59 -0800

Here's a casting rumor I wouldn't have guessed: according to a random "source" Tom Cruise is being considered for the role of Hugh Hefner in Brett Ratner's biopic on the Playboy founder. This same source claims, "Tom knows of Hugh's colorful past and thinks he would be the perfect person to bring it to the big screen. He also thinks the role would be a challenge for him, and would remind people of his versatility as an actor. At the moment people are concentrating on his personal life, and his marriage to Katie — but he wants to remind them that he can act too." Last summer the rumor mill was working overtime suggesting Leonardo DiCaprio in the role, which made a lot of sense to many of you. But Tom Cruise? What do you think of this idea?Source and source

Do You Think Tom Cruise Could Play Hugh Hefner?

Yes

Other (tell us below)

Buzz News Roundup, 9/21

BuzzSugar — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 13:30:29 -0700

Brett Ratner and Chris Tucker will team up for a film adaptation of the book Mr. S: My Life With Frank Sinatra, a tell-all written by Sinatra's valet George Jacobs, writes ComingSoon. Ratner will produce and direct while Tucker is eying the role of Jacobs.
Rather than watch celebrities get drunk and humiliate themselves, VH1 is creating a celebrity reality series that will follow "celebrities" going through rehab, Variety reports.
Billboard reports that Dr. Dre's 2008 album Detox will be his last album.
Hollywood Reporter has news that Warner Bros. will definitely make a live-action film adaptation of Justice League of America comics, with George Miller directing.
CBS' "Survivor: China" dominated the ratings on Thursday night, writes Hollywood Reporter.
Former Ramones member Richard Reinhardt is suing Apple and Wal-Mart for copyright infringement, Reuters reports.

Source

Brett Ratner's "Blood" Runs Blue for NBC

BuzzSugar — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 14:28:50 -0700

What's Brett Ratner gotten himself up to after Rush Hour 3?
Word is the guy's-guy is headed to TV, directing and executive-producing a crime drama called "Blue Blood" for NBC.

What's the story?
The show, which Fox initially wanted but decided not to pick up, is an ensemble drama about rookie NYPD cops, centering on one — a Harvard grad — who decided to follow the family path by entering law enforcement. It's based on a memoir of the same name by Edward Conlon.

This means Ratner is all over your TV.
He already executive-produces "Prison Break" for Fox and the new show "Women's Murder Club" for ABC. If the CW or CBS comes up with a project for him, he'll be dangerously close to ruling the world.

Source

Rush Hour 3 Zooms to the Top of the Box Office

BuzzSugar — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 06:30:00 -0700

Well, Brett Ratner has become an even wealthier man. Having figured out a most profitable buddy action flick formula, his latest movie Rush Hour 3 took the box office crown this weekend, raking in $50.2 million. Though extremely respectable, this sum falls short of the $67.4 million made by Rush Hour 2 its opening weekend in the summer of 2001.

The Bourne Ultimatum stayed strong in second place for its second weekend in theaters, bringing in $33 million, while The Simpsons Movie followed up in the No. 3 slot. Stardust, the fantasy adventure based on the Neil Gaiman novel, sadly didn't do so well its first weekend, bringing in just $9 million in fourth place. It didn't do quite so poorly as Daddy Day Camp did in its first weekend, however, as it just barely edged Transformers out of the tenth-place spot and earned approximately $3.5 million.

This weekend should prove exciting at the box office with the releases of one of the summer's biggest comedies, Superbad, and the creepy-looking The Invasion, starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig. Hopefully one of those will knock Rush Hour 3 off its throne.

Source

Brett Ratner to Direct Hugh Hefner Biopic

BuzzSugar — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 10:32:49 -0700

Brett Ratner's doing what now?
Brett Ratner has signed on to direct a biopic all about Playboy founder Hugh Hefner. Ratner is known for directing mostly action movies like Rush Hour, so he's probably just the "man's man" for the job.

Ratner says:
"'Hef came from a puritanical upbringing and reinvented himself to be the godfather of the sexual revolution,' Ratner told Daily Variety. 'He also used his magazine to advocate civil rights and free speech, and put James Brown on his show 'Playboy After Dark' when they didn't put black performers on national television. He broke all kinds of taboos, especially in sexuality.'"

Why I care:
Having started a confusing love affair with the E! series "The Girls Next Door," I have acquired this intense fascination with Hugh Hefner. Where there was once vague annoyance toward the man who's made millions exploiting women's bodies, there is now a strange curiosity.

Why?
He's super old. He has three girlfriends around whom he behaves like an affectionate, sometimes confused grandpa. Every so often he'll talk about "his girls" with great fondness, and he makes comments like "I'm in a really good place right now... This is the best time of my life." I have to wonder if he is referring to the fact that his current situation — living with his three main girls — is really like a family situation in which he can play daddy, sugar daddy and granddaddy at any given time. And yet, to some people he's still a sex symbol. I'm not interested in reliving Hefner's successes photographing naked ladies, but I am interested to see how he went from that to this wrinkled old man with a reality TV show. I look forward to this movie.

Source and source

"On the Lot" Premieres Tonight

BuzzSugar — Tue, 22 May 2007 10:53:34 -0700

Fox is giving us a double-dose of reality tonight, following the final "American Idol" performances with the premiere of "On the Lot," this summer's competition series for aspiring filmmakers. In episodes tonight and Thursday, the 50 semifinalists report to "Hollywood Boot Camp," where they're put through their paces by judges Carrie Fisher, Brett Ratner and Garry Marshall. The judges will screen their films, hear their attempts at pitching their ideas, and whittle the pool down to 18.

I can't say I'm expecting much from Hollywood Boot Camp, which I think will be a lot like "Idol"'s Hollywood Week (lots of filler; not much time to get to know the contestants who are good enough to care about). I'm much more excited for next week, when we get to see the 18 finalists' films and start voting for our favorites. Still, I'll check out the show tonight, if only to see whether Carrie Fisher can hold a candle to Paula Abdul in the crazy-judge department. Are you planning to watch "On the Lot"? You can let me know, and watch a clip of Brett Ratner telling his "how I got started in Hollywood" story, if you

Fox Names the Judges for "On The Lot"

BuzzSugar — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 04:00:51 -0700

I'm getting psyched for "On the Lot," Fox's summer reality series in which filmmakers will compete for the chance at a $1 million development deal with Dreamworks. Fox has chosen its slate of judges, and it's full of Hollywood powerhouses: Garry Marshall, Carrie Fisher, Brett Ratner and Jon Avnet (not pictured).

It sounds like they've got all corners of Hollywood covered with these four: Producers, directors, writers and actors, spanning from relatively young (Ratner) to fairly old (Marshall). Between them, the judges have worked on sci fi, chick flicks, and blockbusters, so they've got a wide variety of tastes and experiences. I think the greatest part will be watching them interact: Ratner is a goofball, and Carrie Fisher could turn out to be the nutty Paula Abdul of the bunch. I've seen Garry Marshall speak before, and he seems like a nice man, but I could see him getting mean Simon-style if someone presents a sub-par film.

"On the Lot" will air twice each week, with a format similar to "American Idol." On one show, we'll see the contestants put together films in a variety of genres and get to vote on our favorites; on the other, the filmmaker with the fewest votes will be voted off. The show starts May 22 after the final "Idol" performance show, with 50 finalists getting sent to a rigorous "Hollywood boot camp." Can't wait till then? Check out some of the films submitted to the competition.

Source