Film ON AIR

Emile Hirsch must have thought ‘Speed Racer’ was his big breakthrough. But now that nobody is interested in the movie, he’s getting his name out in a different way. While most of Hollywood probably didn’t know his name until now, Hirsch is making headlines by leaving his agency after ‘Speed Racer’ flopped at the box office this weekend.

Although he doesn’t say it, it’s quite clear the flop is the reason. If there was another reason, you wouldn’t leave your agency after such a box office weekend. Or his timing is really really off. Shari Rosenzweig represented Hirsch for the last 7 years at UTA. He got him roles like Chris McCandless in the critically acclaimed ‘Into the Wild.’ It seems quite harsh to leave your agency after all these years and just one ‘Speed Racer.’ But Hollywood is nervous and filmmakers are moving all over.

Nicolas Cage will help Werner Herzog with his remake of the 1992 cult hit ‘Bad Lieutenant.’ Originally played by Harvey Keitel, he will play a corrupt cop who spends most of his time doing drugs and having sex. Doesn’t sound too bad right?

Pressman Film Corp. will produce the new picture for financier Nu Image / Millennium Films, with production starting in July. Producer Avi Lerner also wants to note they will put in ‘as much filth as the original.’

In this day and age I’d say it wouldn’t be that hard to beat a movie from 1992 in filth, but I can’t say, since I didn’t have the honor to see the original.

Some people have asked me ‘what the hell is up with that Bunraku movie.’ Well, I must say I didn’t know much about it and I looked it up. So without further ado, here’s the first of hopefully many ‘in production’ posts.

Bunraku

Release date: TBA, 2009
Budget: unknown

Director: Guy Moshe
Actors: Josh Hartnett, Demi Moore, Ron Perlman, Gackt Camui
Produced by: Picturesque Films and Snoot Entertainment
Filming location: Romania

‘Bunraku’ is based on the similarly named theater puppets in Japan. These special type of Japanese puppets generally require three puppeteers to make everything move, from head to fingers. The main characteristic of the puppet is the face, which is able to transform quickly. A virgin can become the devil in a split-second.

Continue reading In production: info on the 'Bunraku' movie

Senator Entertainment will produce the new Samuel L. Jackson vehicle ‘Unthinkable,’ which starts shooting this September in Michigan. The story follows an interrogator who has to find out where three nuclear devices are placed, just two days before they go off. He will be helped by a female FBI agent, surely to be selected on her ‘acting abilities’ later this year.

Doesn’t all sound too exciting if you ask me, but maybe it will be more exciting than the teaser of Samuel L. after the ‘Iron Man’ credits. Spoiler: it’s really not worth the wait.