Tyler Perry: Action Hero
Today: Tyler Perry tries a new genre, a Canadian show gets another American season, and Jena Malone is in the running for a big role.
.The Call Sheet sifts through the day's glut of Hollywood news to find the stories even non-industry types care about. Today: Tyler Perry tries a new genre, a Canadian show gets another American season, and Jena Malone is in the running for a big role.
Oh boy. Here is a trailer for Alex Cross, a reboot of the James Patterson franchise (used to be Morgan Freeman) starring Tyler Perry, of Madea fame, as the dogged detective. So it's Tyler Perry in a serious thriller that he did not write, direct, or shoot on his poorly lit Atlanta soundstage. So this should be interesting! From the looks of the trailer, the movie is decidedly B-grade, with Matthew Fox doing some ham-handery as the sneaky evil killer and Perry trying to sound all grave and knowing without saying "Hallelujer" after he discovers a clue. I'm rooting for Perry — it would be interesting to see him get a bigger audience — but I'm just not sure this is the right project. I mean, Ed Burns is in it. And Ed Burns is not in good movies these days, almost as a rule. So that doesn't bode well. Despite that, it is fun to see Tyler Perry running around with a gun that he didn't just pull out of his bra or wherever Madea keeps that gun that Madea has. And hey! At least Ashley Judd isn't in this one!
While on the topic of cheap-ish entertainments about crime solving, ABC has renewed its sneakily Canadian cop show Rookie Blue for a fourth season. It's been a quiet summer success for the network, regularly winning its timeslot in the important key demo, so they're signing up for another go-around. Rejoice, fans of the Toronto police department. And also rejoice, fans of Gregory Smith. Our beloved Ephram Brown is all grown up now and is a Canadian police officer. Maybe one day a case will bring him to the Hamptons where he'll meet Emily Thorne and say, "Hey wait a minute, your name isn't Emily or Amanda. It's Amy Abbott and you should come home with me." And then she will. [The Hollywood Reporter]
What fresh hell is this? Jena Malone, the whimpery whiner from Step Mom, is in the running to play badass Johanna Mason in the next Hunger Games film, Catching Fire. That is outrageous! Outrageous, I tell you. I know she played a tough babe in that awful Sucker Punch thing, but this is not the same. Jena Malone just does not have it. Who knows who does, but it's not her. Anyway, why does it really matter? The only real casting that matters is Finnick. And even then who really cares. The first movie was ultimately kind of a letdown and so who's to say that the second one, which is even harder to film, will be any better? Best not to care at all. About anything. That's the spirit, right? [Entertainment Weekly]
Elizabeth Banks says that Charlie Kaufman's latest project, Frank or Francis, has fallen apart. They were about to shoot, but then something happened and it's no longer happening. Which is terrible news! The movie, a satire of Oscar prestige movies that is also a musical, was to star Banks, Steve Carell, Jack Black (eh), Kevin Kline, Kate Winslet, and Catherine Keener. And now it's, what, just not happening? The world stinks. That's all. It just stinks. [Moviefone, via Vulture]
This kid, from Spring Awakening, has been hired to play the best friend of this kid, from Newsies, on next season of Smash. Best friend, eh? How "best" are we talking here, hm? It is Smash after all! It's a legitimate question! Whatever the situation, welcome to the Smash family, kid. This terrible, dysfunctional family that will probably split up soon. [The Hollywood Reporter]
