Roundup 9/25

I've been slacking lately, so let's get to work.

• Michael Caine told MTV that he will be starring alongside Matthew McConaughey and Scarlett Johansson in an upcoming heist film called Brilliance. I've got a soft spot for heist movies, ScarJo is hot, and I don't mind McConaughey when he's not cheesing it up in the newest chick flick, so this whole project sounds cool to me.

• We all knew that Seth Rogen was going to write The Green Hornet with his partner Even Goldberg (the duo wrote Superbad and Pineapple Express), and we also knew that he would star as the titular character. What we didn't know was who was going to direct it, but word is out. Stephen Chow, director of Kung Fu Hustle and Shaolin Soccer, has signed to direct and also star as Kato, Green Hornet's Asian sidekick. Interesting choice - Chow has handled action and comedy before, so I'm sure this will be fine.

• M. Night Shyamalan is considering directing a sequel to Unbreakable. The film was originally intended to be the first in a trilogy, but after the poor marketing and weak critical response to the film after it wasn't The Sixth Sense 2, plans fell apart and Night moved on. I'm inclined to think that a sequel at this point wouldn't be so bad, especially if that was how the whole thing was supposed to go down anyway and even more so if he could lock down stars Bruce Willis and Sam Jackson to return. Come on, Night - you need another good movie, and soon. People are losing faith.

• Laughably, Nic Cage will be starring in Domenic Sena's (Gone in 60 Seconds, Swordfish) newest supernatural thriller, entitled Season of the Witch. Why is that funny? Because Cage will be playing a 14th century knight who is transporting a girl thought to be a witch who started the Black Plague. You've got to be kidding me.

• Timur Bekmambetov, director of Wanted and the Night Watch films, has been signed to direct a reimagining of Moby Dick. The studio wants to bring the stylish look of Wanted to the tale of Moby Dick, yet it's written by the guys who wrote Accepted and New York Minute. I don't know what to say, other than this probably shouldn't happen.

• In Johnny Depp overload news, Disney announced tonight at their trade show that the actor will star in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland as the Mad Hatter. No big surprise there. What IS surprising is that Depp will also play Tonto in Jerry Bruckheimer's version of The Lone Ranger! WTF, mate? Also, they all but confirmed another Pirates of the Carribean sequel, leading some to speculate that Depp has signed a multi-picture deal with the House of Mouse. Oh, and at that same show, National Treasure 3 was confirmed. Tonto, though? Really?

• "American Psycho: The Musical" has been given the greenlight for Broadway. Now THAT'S a musical I could get excited for.

• Apparently we'll have to see Quantum of Solace on November 14th without the famous "Bond, James Bond" and "shaken, not stirred" line. Seems the producers have decided to do away with those catchphrases along with the gadgetry that made the series so cheesy during the end of the Brosnan era. Whatever - Casino Royale was really good, and if the trailers are any indication, QOS should be really sweet as well, one-liners or not.