Speaking of Kong, Oscar-winning Lord of the Rings composer Howard Shore has quit the project in the home stretch. "During the last few weeks, Howard and I came to realize that we had differing creative aspirations for the score," Peter Jackson told the Hollywood Reporter in a statement. "Rather than waste time arguing with a friend... we decided amicably to let another composer score the film." James Newton Howard (The Village) has accepted the rush job.
read more
Question: Any news about the Smurfs movie?
Answer: I read in USA Today last week that producers envision the CGI trilogy as a comical adventure, with a Lord of the Rings-like fellowship of Smurfs unraveling a mystery. "We looked for what are the pressing questions about the Smurfs," said the pic's writer, Jordan Kerner. "How did they get here? Who is Gargamel and why does he want Smurf soup?" Hopefully they'll also catch the evildoers who napalmed the Smurf village. And then promptly feed them to Azrael.
read more
The Lord of the Rings hobbit Sean Astin has joined the cast of Fox's 24. Although he will work for CTU (which will still be headed by James Morrison's Bill Buchanan), the net isn't spilling another single bean about Astin's character, and it certainly isn't admitting that he will have furry feet. The clock starts ticking again on Jan. 8.
read more
Citing personal reasons, Ian Holm (The Lord of the Rings, Chariots of Fire) has asked to be released from his commitment to play the lead in CBS' forthcoming John Paul II miniseries; in his stead, Jon Voigt (Anaconda, Deliverance) will portray the elder pontiff, Variety reports. Cary Elwes still will play the younger Karol Wojtyla, which again I say is great, because brother absolutely killed in The Princess Bride
read more
At the Television Critics Association press tour in Beverly Hills, Calif., CBS teased an upcoming miniseries about Pope John Paul II, from the producers of the net's 2000 Jesus. "I read the first night [script] and it's like a papal page-turner," says CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler. "It's a very exciting story. He's a great character." Pope John Paul II, born Karol Wojtyla, will be played by Cary Elwes — who was an absolute riot in The Princess Bride, so I'm psyched! — and, in his later years, by Ian Holm (The Lord of the Rings).
read more
