Yeah … baby?
Austin Powers is tan, rested, and ready for a comeback. So says Mike Myers, creator of the British spy who shagged his way into our hearts in the 1990s.
‘People often say that Abraham Lincoln emancipated the slaves. The slaves basically emancipated themselves because they wanted freedom.’
No franchise is ever truly dead, and Myers hasn’t had a hit since, well, Austin last signed off in 2002.
Will anyone care, though? Delayed sequels have a spotty track record, from the sublime (“Top Gun: Maverick”) to the atrocious (“Independence Day: Resurgence”). And Austin’s libido could be tricky to recreate in a post-MeToo era.
Imagine an intimacy coordinator on the set of an “Austin Powers” comedy. The mind reels …
Under the Gunn
Do we have Skydance to thank for dodging a speeding superhero bullet?
James Gunn’s reign as head of DC comic-book movies came to an end this week, more fallout from Skydance’s acquisition of Warner Bros.. One report suggested Gunn’s upcoming “Superman” sequel is a turkey, which necessitated Gunn’s pink slip. That’s not all.
Team Gunn reportedly had plans to bring back Wonder Woman in the sequel, titled, “Man of Tomorrow.” Not only was Gal Gadot left out of said plans (huge mistake), the Amazon warrior was going to go the full Ellen.
Is it any wonder Skydance gave Gunn the early hook?
Freedom faker
We know “The View” is the dumbest show on television. The hosts prove it on a weekly basis, and there’s nary a legacy media fact-checker in sight.
Even by those lower-than-low standards, co-host Sunny Hostin embarrassed herself and the show anew this week. To no one’s surprise, Hostin dug deep into a racial conversation and came up with the hottest take imaginable: American slaves freed themselves.
“[In] the Civil War the enslaved left and joined the Union Army because they wanted to fight for this country and for their freedom. People often say that Abraham Lincoln emancipated the slaves. The slaves basically emancipated themselves because they wanted freedom and they fought for their freedom.”
They “freed themselves.” And ABC insists “The View” is a “news” program. Try “comedy” …
Scribe scrum
Too many cooks in the kitchen? What about the writers’ room?
The upcoming “Avengers: Doomsday” just unveiled its official list of screenwriters. Many movies are written by the director in question. Others use two or three scribes for the finished film.
The “Avengers” writers assembled in a very big way. The film boasts 10 credited screenwriters, including two whose names we know from their acting gigs: Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman.
Reynolds is a pretty quippy guy for an actor, and he helped co-write the last two “Deadpool” movies. Jackman hasn’t had a single writing credit during his decades in the business. But he does now.
Plus, the film notoriously boasts a massive cast of previous superhero actors, including the casts of the Fantastic Four and the X-Men features. Up until now, neither Reynolds (Deadpool) nor Jackman (Wolverine) were part of the announced supergroup.
Here’s guessing they didn’t pen a few lines for Thor or Ant Man …
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Robert Gauthier/Apu Gomes/Archive Photos/Getty Images
‘Inglourious’ departure
When Quentin Tarantino calls, you answer the phone. And when he invites you to a table read, you show up (maybe with donuts??).
Actress Isabelle Huppert got just that call from the director in the run-up to his 2009 World War II movie “Inglourious Basterds.” Contract squabbles emerged, and when the actress failed to show up for a table read, Tarantino did what directors do.
“She didn’t show up, so f**k it. I fired her,” Tarantino recalls in Jay Glennie’s new book, “The Making of Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds,” according to People.
Maggie Cheung ended up taking Huppert’s role. The film earned eight Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. Christoph Waltz waltzed off with the movie’s only win — Best Supporting Actor.
He’ll be back
“Get to da othah choppah!”
Arnold Schwarzenegger may be 79, but the former A-lister isn’t slowing down. In fact, he has a trio of sequels on his plate. He told propagandist Jimmy Kimmel that he’s mulling updates to “Conan,” “Commando,” and “Predator.” The latter may be the most interesting, in part, because the 1987 original was one of the decade’s best sci-fi adventures.
Plus, that series has had two recent successes — the Hulu original “Prey” and the big-screen “Predator: Badlands.” That’s called “buzz” in the business.
“Predator’s” original characters were killed by the alien beastie the first time around, but the creature’s fascinating look and sound became part of pop culture lore.
What’s our suggestion? In the words of “Dutch” Schaefer, “Come on! Come on! Do it! Do it!” After all, Ah-nold isn’t getting any younger.
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