Gawker: defamer, robocop

The Chrome Knight Returns

Seth — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EDT

· The rumors are true! Darren Aronofsky will write and direct a sequel to RoboCop for MGM, with both parties hoping they can score a piece of this guy-in-a-stupid-costume-noir mania currently gripping the planet. [Variety]
· A third Harold & Kumar movie is coming. Details are scarce, but word has it they will partake of the herb and refer to their skin colors a lot, and that Neil Patrick Harris will make a cameo. [Variety]
· The fate of SAG leadership hangs in the balance, with splintered factions Membership First and Unite for Strength vying not just for control, but also for Most Nerdy Name That Sounds Like A Star Trek RPG Subtitle. [Variety]
· Warner Bros. and Leonardo DiCaprio's production company are "quietly putting out word" that they'd like to make a feature version of The Twilight Zone. But wait! There's a twist ending to this item: Everyone has a pig snout! Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder. [THR]
· Comic-Con was overrun by "rabid teenage fangirls" at the Twilight panel, who rushed the stage, tore the panel apart limb from limb, and feasted on their flesh. That's the last time we let girls into Comic-Con! [THR]
· MTV is developing a show based on Elizabeth Berkley's teen girl advice site AskElizabeth.com. This strikes us as a terrible idea, but we guess someone has to undo all the damage wrought by The Hills. Might as well be Nomi Malone. [THR]

Darren Aronofsky Front-Runner to Direct 'RoboCop' Sequel/Remake Nobody Wants

STV — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:20:00 EDT

Call us skeptics, cynics, whatever, but we're far more interested in the rumors circling MGM's RoboCop reboot than anything in the film itself. A few weeks ago we checked out whispers that director Darren Aronofsky was at the top of the short list to helm the film, which has a 2010 release date; his reps denied it ("But Darren's flattered!" we were assured), but alas, the chatter persists, with yet another report circulating this week that the studio is close to signing Aronofsky for the project — which, as if it's any consolation, is reportedly a sequel, not an updating.

But at least we have some more local laying-waste to look forward to, as opposed to, you know, Detroit:

Here's the logline: Present day Los Angeles, 20 years afterthe termination of the RoboCop program, the city decides to reinstate the program. If this all happens, I'd love to introduce Aronofsky to The Dark Knight, where he can see how to do it right...

Of course, Aronofsky was the one Warners passed over in favor of Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins, leaving Aronofsky the indistinct pleasure of watching the studio dump his messy, misbegotten The Fountain in the general vicinity of the multiplex in late 2006. The filmmaker needs a boost as much as MGM itself; he's a risk, but one worth taking if they must overhaul the franchise. We figure Justin Theroux will be on the hook for a screenplay draft by the end of August.

'RoboCop' Logline Reveals It's Actually a Sequel [Bloody Disgusting via /Film]

MGM Chief Blames the Germans as Slide of the 'Valkyrie' Continues

STV — Mon, 19 May 2008 15:00:00 EDT

You tell us what's more frightening about MGM boss Harry Sloan's recent proclamations from Cannes: A) That the guy freely admits both Robocop and the Brat Pack-slays-the-Communists epic Red Dawn are up for remakes at his studio, or B) Sloan's public support of Tom Cruise, Valkyrie and United Artists has winnowed to the point of "clanking endorsement." Oh, who are we kidding? Valkyrie trumps everything:

As for all the bad buzz surrounding Valkyrie, from MGM subsidiary UA, Sloan said that photos of an eyepatch-clad Tom Cruise as an SS officer were "a little bit unfortunate," but were released to reassure the German government about the seriousness of the project.

MGM/UA's prepared to prevail over the nay-sayers. "We've had image problems before," Sloan said, alluding to early negativity on hits like Casino Royale and Rocky Balboa. "The film will speak for itself."

Not any more it won't. Let's hope the German government didn't get a look at the Valkyrie trailer or happen to notice when MGM pushed its release date a second time to February 2009; we can probably safely assume they don't read Roger Friedman, right?

MGM: two up for remake treatment [THR]