Hm. Noted crazy Mel Gibson will star in the film The Beaver for noted lesbian Jodie Foster, who will direct and co-star. The film, once thought to be a project for Steve Carell, is about a man who finds comfort in a beaver hand puppet. So it'll be a cheapish quirky indie type affair, although it will star one of the most vociferously strange movie stars of the past twenty years. Could be great! Could be awful. [Variety]

The Green Lantern is nearing the end of its major casting process, mulling over three actors for the lead role of a hotshot Air Force pilot who meets a dying alien and gets deputized into a space police department. (That is an actual plot of a movie. And a comic book!) Warner Brothers is trying to decide between Bradley Cooper, Ryan Reynolds, and Justin Timberlake, of all people, but is apparently having some trouble reconciling their favorite with the director's. So we'll either get a kind of boring Green Lanternt, a wise-cracking kind of annoying Green Lantern, or a singin' dancin' Green Lantern. None of which sound terribly thrilling. [THR]

The Minnie Driver/Uma Thurman comedy Motherhood, which premiered at Sundance this year, has set an October release date. The movie is about a crazed mommy trying to plan a birthday party for her daughter while the crazy city world provides obstacles along the way. Obstacles like Isn't This Basically the Plot of Jingle All the Way and Uma Thurman Is Never Funny. [Variety]

Quirky comedy queen Zooey Deschanel has signed on to play James Franco's love interest in the David Gordon Green comedy Your Highness, about a lazy prince (Danny McBride) who must go on a quest to save his kingdom. Other than the fact that Natalie Portman plays McBride's wildly disproportionate love interest, this film is weird because it looks as though Gordon Green really is going down this broad comedy route. Will we ever get a George Washington, All the Real Girls, or Snow Angels again? [THR]

Nicole Kidman will star in and produce a movie version of the book Little Bee, about a wealthy British couple who has an encounter with a Nigerian orphan while on an African vacation. No word yet on whether Jerry Seinfeld will voice the orphan character. [Variety]

Everwood surly teen Gregory Smith has joined the cast of that Canadian Grey's Anatomy-with-badges police drama Copper that will air on ABC in the States. Treat Williams is wondering if maybe there's a part for a tough-but-principled chief or something. [THR]

Ugh. Shoulda-been-gone-by-now Napoleon Dynamite star Jon Heder has landed a Comedy Central sitcom. It's about a laid-off IT worker who leaves his urban life to return home to the small town where he grew up. Which has been the idea for basically everything these days. In a nifty little distribution deal, if the sitcom's first batch of episodes do well, an automatic 90 more will be ordered. Yeesh. [Variety]

Gibson was on the Tonight Show last night and confirmed the existence of his new bastard son, his eighth child. "I guess that makes me 'Octo-Mel'", he sputtered amusingly. Then he stretched out his lips to emulate the crazy, collagened Suleman. And the audience roared.

So we'll forgive the blotto religious zealots, but not the bloat-o fame zealots. Because only one of them gave us Tequlia Sunrise. Only one.

Gibson must have been eager to get things out in the open: the actor says in court papers he has been officially separated from his wife for more than two and a half years. Grigorieva, signed to Gibson's Icon Records, is herself said separated from Dalton. There were already property records tying the two together, and blurry photographs of a jaunt in Costa Rica (tied to Grigorieva in the Russian press), so it's not like the pair were a complete secret from the world.

Still, Gibson apparently has for years kept his split from his wife under wraps. The breakup dates from the weeks just after the star's anti-semitic tirade against Los Angeles sheriff's deputies. Had it been exposed at the time, it might have dealt his image a particularly damaging double blow.

Now that Gibson's wife has forced the matter into the public eye, taking the Grigorieva relationship public is a way for the actor to underline that he has nothing to hide — and that his life is not as lonely as pathetic as you might expect for an alcoholic anti-Semite ditched by his wife.

Luckily for Gibson, his current Oksana was not scared off by that other musician named Oksana who kept saying she had been sleeping with him.

There are three possibilities. There's Russian pianist Oksana Kolesnikova, who is married and has loudly denied any involvement with Gibson. She was just "entertaining Mr. Gibson with her piano music," if you know what she means, and we think you do.

There's also Oksana Pochepa, a blonde model signed (says Russia Today) to Gibson's Icon music label, who has been loudly confirming involvement with the movie star — perhaps a bit too loudly. She's known as "the Shark," which is delightful.

Then there's theOksana of the moment, Oksana Grigorieva, yet another Soviet musician and mother to actor Timothy Dalton's son. The London-based composer (left, via Rex Features) is reportedly separated from Dalton. Russia's Komsomolskaya Pravda thinks she has to be the woman pictured frolicking with Gibson recently on a Costa Rican beach.

Most importantly, no one has reached her for comment yet, for whatever reason, so she hasn't issued any denials, so for all we know she could be the one.

Assuming she's not, the global celebrity press will go through every last remotely plausible Russian woman named Oksana until either Gibson's reputation for womanizing inflates beyond all reason or the movie star makes some kind of public statement dsaying he wasn't with anyone named "Oksana," ever, so please just shut up.

Then the tabloids will come up with something really off the wall and explosive, like that Gibson's marriage ended over some other big imploding star like, oh, Britney Spears. ( Ha ha, too late.)

So far, the front-runner among his purported mistresses is Russian pop singer Oksana Pochepa, who has been telling the press she's in a "serious" thing with the movie star. From The Sun:

We are different people, but Mel is a grown man and knows precisely what he wants and me too - I know what I want.

There's also some unidentified brunette in Costa Rica Gibson was spotted hugging on the beach. The Mail reports that Gibson's womanizing began spiraling out of control after he filmed Apocalypto in Mexico more than two years ago and was drinking heavily in Veracruz. The tabloid added that his wife, who Gibson once told the New Yorker was "a much better person than I am," got tired of setting him straight.

Maybe Gibson's congregation can pick up the slack. Its members would probably like some sort of explanation for his behavior, too. Especially the ones set to live in the houses his construction company is building "inside the walled grounds."

(Pic via The Sun)

Back in 2006, Mel was estimated to be worth $900 million, and since there was no prenup—who got those when the husband was just a weirdo Australian in 1980?—Robyn is legally entitled to half. She's sought joint custody of their one child who is still a minor, Tom, age 9. Mel's publicist has put out a statement for both of them:

"Throughout our marriage and separation we have always strived to maintain the privacy and integrity of our family and will continue to do so."

So, sigh. The sanctity of marriage gets even... sanctityer. Really, the poor lady has put up with a lot. We think she's earned that half a billion bones.

[TMZ]

Warner Bros. on Wednesday acquired the domestic rights to Edge of Darkness, featuring Gibson as a Boston detective grappling with his only child's murder. Martin Campbell directed, Robert De Niro walked out, and everyone remaining is preparing for the shitstorm forecast for Gibson's release back into the wild. It's his first leading role since Signs in 2002 and officially ushers in a new, post-SugartitsGate era for Gibson's PR squad. But at least the hard work is mostly done, with Warners having spent the last year rehearsing with one crisis after another and Team Gibson at the ready with its boilerplate mea culpa just in case. And anyway, Miley Cyrus's scandal game passed Gibson's by years ago. This is as win-win as it gets.

• WB nabs rights to Mel Gibson film [Variety]

We already found two donations from David Geffen amounting to $200,000, and, confirming reports, another $100k each from a "self-employed" Brad Pitt and Ellen DeGeneres. And what of donations in support of the measure? We managed to ferret out an "unemployed" Mel Gibson living in Cameron Park who gave $250 to the Yes side. Alas, this was probably not the star but a gay-hater of lesser means bearing the same name, as Cameron Park is a community about 25 miles outside Sacramento. Then again, you never know where the Malibu land baron might have a little pied-a-terre. We'll just assume it is the Apocalypto director until we hear otherwise.

• Follow the money: Track contributors [LAT]

The film would have been the first installment in the series since 1998, when Lethal Weapon 4 grossed $285 million globally for Warner Bros. Original Lethal Weapon screenwriter Shane Black had a script out to Joel Silver, who wanted Black to direct after their collaboration on Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. The rest is speculation — which is just fine with Donner, who is on the outs with Silver and hypothesized that Mel Gibson vetoed the project himself out of loyalty to his six-time director:

"I would like to think that Mel turned it down because I wasn't involved. Knowing Mel, I would like to think that. Would that be the kind of thing he does? It sure would be." ...

"Joel Silver tried to ace me out of it. He tried to put it together but made sure he didn't do it until my contract was up. You know, it's typical of the man. A guy who wasn't even around at the beginning when we started on the first one. He came in late."

In our perfect world, we imagine the actor forgoing the project after calculating the combined age of the Donner/Gibson/Danny Glover braintrust at 182 — younger than the Spielberg/Lucas/Ford trinity's 188 as they consider their own franchise's ill-advised fifth installment, but still. We'll take any rationalization if it means we don't have to see Silver forcing Glover to squeal like a pig two years from now on South Park. Crisis averted.

• Richard Donner says 'Lethal Weapon 5' is 'dead in the water' [Hero Complex]

According to [one] source, Campbell had Bobby D. repeatedly shoot and re-shoot a scene where his character tries to hit a ball out of a sand trap. At the end of the day, the actor reportedly approached the director to discuss the long day, and the discussion degenerated into a shouting match that culminated with De Niro hitting the road. [...]

Producer Graham King, who brought The Departed to Boston and knows a little something about working with A-List talent, swears that there is nothing more to the story than real-life “creative differences.”

“The issue really was that Bob saw the character one way and we saw it another,” King told the Track. “And it was hard for Martin, especially, to get his head around how Bob wanted to portray the actor.”

Other rumors suggested that De Niro simply didn't know his lines ("That dog don't hunt," quipped his flack, so cross that off!) and/or couldn't hack it with the mildly anti-Semitic Gibson, with whom he hadn't even yet shared a scene. God only knows, though it should be noted that Ray Winstone — a celebrated charity golf stud in his native England — was just brought in to replace De Niro. We're just saying.

• Why Robert De Niro left Mel Gibson’s ’Edge’ [Boston Herald]

Tom's macho, chest-baring role in Top Gun was less about getting the girl than it was about male bonding, a topic the VP's Military Man knows quite a bit about. And Cruise's shiny leather vest and gelled back hair in Magnolia surely taught him a thing or two about squeezing larger than life pecs into confining fabrics, though a quick viewing of Leatherman's moves will provide guidance on how to bust a move when it's raining men.

Tom spent some time propping a rock hard construction hat atop his pretty mane while overseeing a Crenshaw construction project last year, but we're sure some practice would lead to Cruise mastering the VP Construction Guy's ability to wear that hat without mussing up a 'do. Of course Cruise will have to add some bling to his Independence Day get-up to look as tricked out as the VP Cowboy, and we highly suggest he arm himself as the group's resident cop did, while playing a German officer overseas.

And no, we would never forget the 70s group's peacocked out Indian chief, but without any Dances With Wolves-esque parts on his resume, we suggest summoning fellow nutcase and tribal expert Mel Gibson to step in as Tom's mentor. As long as no one mentions the fact that Cruise is portraying a gay guy dressed head to toe in feathers and plumes, all should be well.

[Photo credits: rotten.com, nerve.com, Bear's Garage, X17]

[T]he presence of Britney Spears in a poolside cabana at the CineVegas party was enough to turn all of us serious cinema people into gawking gossips. I counted four people in her cabana — and every time I looked in, no one was speaking, and at one point, Ms. Spears herself appeared to be texting — but this micro-entourage required a full wall of security detail, and attracted a nearly-unnavigable crowd of onlookers.

Everybody tried to get a picture, but every time anyone got anywhere near enough with a camera, at least one bodyguard would raise a finger in a terrifying point, a silent gesture of pure terror. ... Why was she here? Did the festival invite her? Did The Palms pay her to show up? Did she come to see movies?

In actuality, the silent-cabana hint suggested a scenario that a scan of our Defamer Britney-Text Interceptor™ log confirmed late Sunday: After all those painstaking negotiations between the two in recent weeks, "Ms. Spears" simply couldn't close a deal to pre-sell Mel Gibson's new film to distributors at CineVegas. Or maybe "2 bad mel always TIFF :-(" simply meant they'd have to take in their planned screening of the sold-out Schoof if/when it plays at Toronto this fall. Anything's possible.

[Photo Credit: X17]

• CineVegas Diary: Britney Spears & Cinephilia [Spout Blog]

As the Daily Mail reports, Lily, Lindsay and Sam all had a giggle on Monday, which naturally concerns us. Lily, who is close with Ronson's older brother, Amy Winehouse-enabler and fellow DJ Mark Ronson, hasn't exactly been what we Americans call "sober" of late. Her travails through Cannes included bouts of vomiting, seasickness- (or alcohol poisoning-) induced fainting spells, topless cliff diving and all around bad behavior. Plus, why on earth would Sam allow Lindsay to sit next to Lily instead of within belly-poking distance by her side?

As for Britney, the soon-to-be Vegas sensation had yet another date with guiding light Mel Gibson last night. And the pairing that once made us nauseous now warms our pro-Britney heart. Looking sanitary, healthy and slim, Spears even made the wise decision to don jeans instead of her trademark Britney-flashing skirts. The former anti-semitic sugar tits-loving Force is with you, Brit.

[Photo credits: WENN, X17]

• LINDSAY LOHAN, LILY ALLEN AND HER LESBIAN LOVER MAKE THREE [Daily Mail]
• BRITNEY POPOZAO POST [ONTD]

boomp3.com



The self-proclaimed King of Malibu, Mel Gibson, had difficulty locating his brand new car after enjoying dinner at Nobu. Gibson smashed the button on his keyless remote over and over again as he paced around the parking lot. Gibson felt that there were far too many luxury cars in his kingdom and something should be done about it. Gibson said, "In the morning, I'm going to work on a proclamation in the morning with my lawyer about how I'm the only one who can drive a BMW, since I'm the king of these 27 miles of scenic beauty." Gibson explained that any other residents with a BMW would be able to trade their car in for a Lexus hybrid or they could just get out of town and move to Calabasas.

[Photo Credit: X17]

Surprisingly and delightfully, Splash News has the best details on how the alleged new couple behaved at the party:

She wore a tight sexy black dress, Louboutin heels and a bright red lipstick. Britney seemed relaxed and happy and laughed as she and Jason shared some jokes. The pair seemed very comfortable together. They sat in a private VIP booth, stayed for 1/2 hour, Britney took a cigarette break and her father seemed to be happy with his daughter having a great time with Jason.

Britney in Louboutins? Where have her beloved glued-on cowboy kickers run off to? Maybe they'll be her wedding present to Juno Lynn? But, we have to say, our favorite tidbit from this story is the fact that "Britney took a cigarette break" and "her father seemed to be happy" are in the same sentence. It's times like these when, for just a split second, we kind of wish Jamie Spears was our dad too.

[Photo credits: Splash]

• BRITNEY SPEARS SMILES AGAIN AS SHE STEPS OUT WITH NEW AGENT 'BOYFRIEND' [Daily Mail]

While some sources are saying the guy in question is her agent Jason Trawick, we think he looks just like Britney's brother Bryan, recently named a co-trustee of her estate. But we seriously hope not, considering the lovey dovey nature of their beach behavior.

And as for speculation that Spears is pregnant, recent reports that the recovering poptard is simply putting on pounds after ditching her ADD meds make more sense after seeing her boogie-boarding, something we doubt even Britney would do with a bun in the oven. Not to mention the appearance of those beloved Mommy Lollipops.

[Photo credits: Splash]

• BRITNEY'S BIKINI FUN IN COSTA RICA [PopSugar]

Back in March, we heard Malibu’s own Ken and Barbie, Mel Gibson and Britney Spears, were aligning their forces of stupidity for the greater good. But it was tough to figure out whether or not they were on a date or set to co-produce a new film starring each and every one of their split personalities. But thanks to recent reports, it sounds as though the partnership was neither love- or business-bound. They’re just two confused drunks trying to stay clean together! Master of sobriety Mel recently flew both Britney and her owner, father Jamie Spears, down for a vacation at his Costa Rican clam shack for some R&R. But why now? And more importantly, why does Britney keep hiding her newly rotund tummy from the paparazzi?

After being spotted at a health clinic just before her jaunt to Mel's, rumors circulated suggesting the healing poptard might be pregnant yet again. Coupled with the fact that Spears has recently favored camouflaging her baby-making area whenever the paparazzi swarm, the theory seemed plausible. But it was merely wishful thinking — the clinic in question specializes in (yawn) sports injuries. As a source tells The Sun, Spears just feels chunky after going cold turkey on her ADD meds, and being force-fed cuisine by her drug addict-turned-chef dad: "She has put on a lot of weight in recent weeks...she is extremely paranoid about her body at the moment." We just hope Mel doesn't accidentally erupt in another sexist spat and address her as Sugar Tits before grabbing her and passing out.

[Photo credits: X17, Splash]

• BRITNEY SPEARS AND DAD HEAD TO MEL GIBSON'S COSTA RICAN RANCH [Us]
• BRIT TESTS STOKE BABY RUMOURS [The Sun]

Meg Ryan appeared on the special issue's third cover, following Jodie Foster and Cindy Crawford, in 1994. Happily married to Dennis Quaid and still enjoying that whole America's Sweetheart phase, Ryan was a natural choice. But as we all know, five years later Ryan entered an affair with Proof Of Life co-star Russell Crowe, which led to divorce, trout pout and making dirty movies. Oops. As for Mel Gibson, People's 1996 cover star, beauty gradually descended into bigotry and all kinds of sugar tit-laden anti-Semitic madness we just don't even feel like discussing in detail at the moment.

The very next year, none other than Tom Cruise and his uber-serious mug graced the cover. Officially adored by the world after appearing in Jerry Maguire the year before, Cruise was still married to Nicole and every woman in the country felt that Cruise truly "completed" them. But after hiring a divorce lawyer, a beard (in the form of Penelope Cruz), and a new wife, Cruise's beauty is now only recognized by those with OT-V clearance and above. And finally, 2004's issue featured a blissfully married Jennifer Aniston, who sadly spent most of her interview "laugh[ing] off speculation of then-husband Brad Pitt's rumored romance with Mr. & Mrs. Smith costar Angelina Jolie." Again, oops.

[Photo credits: People.com]

• KATE HUDSON IS PEOPLE'S MOST BEAUTIFUL COVER GIRL [People]