Private Ryan in the World of Warcraft universe? Ok, not likely, but the writer is the same. Robert Rodat, screenwriter for “Saving Private Ryan” is writing the script for the “World of Warcraft” movie.
Or so says director Sam Raimi: “We want to be really faithful to the game. We would have our writer, Robert Rodat, really craft an original story within that world that feels like a ‘World of WarCraft’ adventure. Only obviously, it’s very different ’cause it’s expanded and translated into the world of a motion picture."
While the plot originally centered on the Lich King, apparently that was …read more

"Opposite Day" is headed for theaters, and I can’t help but think of the "Seinfeld" episode where George decides to do the exact opposite of everything he’s ever done – and it turns out great.
But no, this is a Disney movie and has nothing to do with "Seinfeld." It’s based on an original idea by studio production president Oren Aviv (pictured, left, with Bob Iger), and centers on a corporate hatchet man who wakes up one morning and finds he must follow the exact opposite of his normal routine. I’m sure all hilarity ensues.
"Nancy Drew" scribe Tiffany …read more

Waiting for “Star Trek 2”? It’s already in a go mode, and SciFi Wire’s got the latest scoop straight from director-producer J. J. Abrams.
"We’re hopefully going to have everyone, obviously, from the first cast,” says Abrams. “I keep trying to spread this rumor that I’m going to recast Kirk as Greg Grunberg, but no one ever prints it.” Ok, there you go, Mr. Abrams.
He says that Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof and Roberto Orci have started work on the script, but he didn’t spill much about it. “Yes, we know the direction, but it’s very early. We’re working …read more

A fourth installment of Universal’s “Bourne” franchise is on the way, and a writer is hard at work on a script. Well, ok, I have no idea if he’s hard at work, but at least he’s been tapped to work on it. Josh Zetumer has signed on to pen the installment, scheduled for a 2011 release.
It’s an interesting turn of events that brought him to the script. George Nolfi, who worked on “The Bourne Ultimatum,” was originally tapped to pen the fourth entry, but had to step away because of his work on “The Adjustment Bureau,” based on …read more

You’ve gotta wonder just how far you can stretch things in some of these lawsuits. Now a woman who wrote an obscure vampire book as a teenager is suing "Twilight" author Stephenie Meyer. She’s accusing her of stealing ideas for the fourth book in the series, “Breaking Dawn.” I mean, there’s only so many plotlines you can take with a vampire, right?
Jordan Scott’s lawsuit claims that while she was writing her book, “The Nocturne,” she posted passages online, which Meyer then stole for her own book.
I haven’t read "The Nocturne,” but apparently, the books have similar language, storylines, …read more

Holy cow, I can’t wait for this movie. The cast alone is enough to make me happy, but the story by Nancy Meyers looks fun, too. “It’s Complicated” stars Meryl Streep as Jane, a woman whose husband, Jake (Alec Baldwin), leaves her for a younger woman. Turns out he’s not all that hip on having a younger wife. He wants Jane back.
Things get even more complicated when Jane learns that her architect, Adam (Steve Martin), is interested in her, too. The stellar cast also includes John Krasinski (“The Office”), Hunter Parrish (“Weeds”), and Lake Bell. See what I mean …read more

When I was a kid, I remember my parents going to see "Barbarella," and coming home all mysterious about what the movie was about.
In case you weren’t around in 1968, the sci-fi action-adventure centers on a female mercenary (played by Jane Fonda) who roams the universe of a distant future, taking on missions requiring bravery, creativity, and sensuality. It was all very sexy.
Now a remake is in the works! Joe Gazzam is writing the screenplay, with original producer Dino De Laurentiis  and his wife, Martha De Laurentiis on board to produce the update.
Originally, Robert Rodriguez was eyeing …read more

I saw “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice” at the Traverse City Film Festival yesterday. It’s the 40th anniversary of the Oscar-nominated film, released in 1969, and director Paul Mazursky was on hand to answer a few questions after the screening.
What strikes me about the film is that most movies in the 1960s focused on the younger generation – the Woodstock generation. But this film concentrated on two wealthy, upper middle-class couples living in L.A. I was coveting their homes and cars and swimming pools, but of course, under the facade are  bunch of issues – sexual …read more

I love Walter Matthau! So I’m thrilled to hear that his son, Charlie Matthau, is taking on an Elmore Leonard project.
Matthau has written a screenplay inspired by Leonard’s 1988 novel "Freaky Deaky,” and he’ll also direct the film adaptation of it, scheduled to begin production in January. The novel revolves around former 1960s radicals and their escapades in 1974 Los Angeles.

Matthau is producing the film through his Matthau Co., along with executive producers Simon Horsman of Future Films USA and Fred Pauzar of Blackwood Entertainment Group.
"I am the luckiest director in the world to be able …read more

The baseball drama “Moneyball” has gone through several changes since its inception. The latest is Aaron Sorkin being brought in to draft a new version of the flick by next month, drawing on Steve Zaillian’s earlier take.
Brad Pitt remains on board to star, but Steven Soderbergh is out as director and writer. Based on Michael Lewis’ bestselling book, the story follows the Oakland A’s and their unorthodox approach to evaluating talent.
There’s no doubt that Sorkin is a talented writer. He recently completed “The Social Network” (a.k.a. the Facebook movie), and also penned 1992’s “A Few Good Men” and ABC’s “Sports …read more