Hollywood Round-up, 6/25

By Jason Apuzzo. • Govindini and I were at the LA Film Festival yesterday, where it was a zoo – in large measure because the Twilight world premiere was right across the street.  The whole Twilight cast was there along with Stephanie Meyer, Jaden Smith, the NY Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez (in town to get his butt kicked by the Dodgers), Kim Kardashian … and about 20,000 screaming female fans – in what looked like the world’s largest outdoor high school prom.  We had a lot of fun, and a good time seemed to be had by all.  Meanwhile, the film itself is gearing up for what looks to be a monster opening weekend …

• It’s looking like Peter Jackson will be directing the Hobbit films, after all. No surprises here as Jackson finally accepts his predestined fate.  [Btw, the 5-movie set of the LOTR and Hobbit films will be quite a keeper some day … as well as about 50 hours long.]

• The Tom Cruise/Cameron Diaz pic Knight and Day opened poorly, with the entire industry circling around like there’s blood in the water.  Still not sure why Cruise draws such animosity given how much money he’s made for other people.  Or is that maybe the reason?

• John Lasseter will be co-directing Cars 2 for Pixar after all, with Brad Lewis.  The film will also be getting the IMAX 3D treatment upon release.  Lasseter is one of the industry’s last great innovators, and we wish him well.

• With sci-fi projects getting hotter and hotter, producer John Davis and Fox have optioned Ray Bradbury’s classic, The Martian Chronicles.  By odd coincidence, I just pulled out my autographed copy of Martian Chronicles recently to read.  Govindini and I met Ray a few years ago and had a nice chat with him – what an inspiration he remains.  Footnote: I recommend the TV adaptation of Martian Chronicles made in the early 80s featuring Rock Hudson.  It’s a little longish, but still quite good.

• Is this script excerpt the leaked opening of Ridley Scott’s forthcoming Alien prequel? Inquiring minds want to know.

• There will, apparently, be a ban on movie futures trading, after all. This has been one of the truly bizarre controversies of recent years.  Just know that Tom Cruise is happy about this, given how Knight and Day is opening.

• The UK’s Guardian asks whether fans should ‘rise up’ in protest of the forthcoming Planet of the Apes prequel, Rise of the Apes. Only after they rise up against the Clash of the Titans sequel.  Somebody should stop that crime while it’s still in progress.

• AND IN TODAY’S MOST IMPORTANT NEWS … Mel Gibson and Russian girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva are filing dueling restraining orders against each other. Ouch.  Gotta watch the Cazadores there, Mel.

And that’s what’s happening today in the wonderful world of Hollywood …

Posted on June 25th, 2010 at 4:33pm.