Screen Time

Trying to get the facts straight about the proposed Justice League movie is like trying to give Superman a noogie. It’s hard. Really hard. And minus some kryptonite knuckles, it aint gonna happen anytime soon. That’s why I haven’t been posting about every JL rumor - and there have been tons - that hits the Web here.

So far, a number of online reports state that “Happy Feet” director George Miller will direct the upcoming ensemble superhero flick. From there the questions only multiply, and I haven’t heard any real answers from Warner Bros., the studio reportedly committed to the project.

So far, a number of young actors have been screen tested for the thing, but it’s still unclear whether this will be a live action movie, a complete CGI fest, or a combination of the two, like “300.” Also, will this movie diverge from the current “Superman Returns” and “Batman Begins” franchises? Is the short, blond and very un-Amazonian Teresa Palmer going to play Wonder Woman? Does the script feature a violent showdown between Superman and Batman? … Like I said, the questions go on and on.

Here’s from The Hollywood Reporter’s latest report about the casting process:

Miller is seeing about four or five actors for the parts of Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Flash, Aquaman, Green Lantern and the Martian Manhunter, with a few overlaps …

On the roll call are Adam Brody (Fox’s “The O.C.”), Joseph Cross (”Running With Scissors”), D.J. Cotrona (”Windfall”), Mary Elizabeth Winstead (”Grindhouse”), Michael Angarano (”Sky High”), Teresa Palmer (”Wolf Creek”), Max Thieriot (”Jumper”) and rapper Common.

The cast of NBC’s “Friday Night Lights” is well-represented as well, with Minka Kelly, Adrianne Palicki and Scott Porter also among those testing for parts.

So, a teeny bopper Justice League? I really hope it’s a cartoon.
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Photo courtesy Cartoon Network

UPDATE: Pine Is Kirk! ‘LOTR’ actor is Bones!

Hot off the news that Eric Bana (now an official badass after being referenced in “Knocked Up”) will play the villain in JJ Abrams upcoming “Star Trek XI” project, reports are coming in that actor Chris Pine is being considered for the role of Captain Kirk. Some folks are even calling Pine the new “It Boy.”

Pine is probably best known for starring opposite Lindsay Lohan in “Just My Luck” and for playing one of the assassins in “Smokin’ Aces” - both of these movies made me want to flee the theater. I know, I know … it’s unfair to judge Pine by his short resume, and he might even prove Bill Shatner proud if he does get to sit in that captain’s chair in the new “Trek” flick.

I gotta say that I ‘d rather see Pine as Kirk than that frat-a-touille Mike Vogel.

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Photo courtesy Samuel Goldwyn Films

The inevitable has happened. Someone just cast Toby Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal as brothers in a movie. It’s called, remarkably, “Brothers” and it’s directed by Jim Sheridan (”In America,” “My Left Foot”) and co-stars Natalie Portman.

This is either brilliant casting or a big no-brainer. I remember back in 2000/2001 - the “Wonder Boys” and “Donnie Darko” days - most people couldn’t tell Maguire and Gyllenhaal apart. They both had that same sleepy-eyed, slim, “alternaboy” look and it seemed like they were always landing similar roles - usually playing the sensitive, sleepy-eyed alternaboy in indie movies.

For a while there I was referring to Gyllenhaal as the “poor man’s Tobey Maguire,” since Maguire seemed liked the better actor, and he seemed to get the better gigs. Well, Maguire still gets great roles (”Spider-Man,” “The Good German”) but Gyllenhaal’s resume is lookin’ pretty good nowadays (”Brokeback Mountain,” “Jarhead”). Who’s the better actor? I dunno, I think it’s a draw at this point. They both still have the market cornered on the sleepy-eyed manboy thing. Hopefully we’ll get to see them act against each other once “Brothers” opens in 2009.

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The official poster for the upcoming comedy “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” just hit the Web. Yep, that’s it up there. I never thought I’d see so much of John C. Reilly. I think the guy reveals more of his … assets here than he did in “Boogie Nights,” and he played a porn star in that movie!

So, if this funny image isn’t enough to get you in the theaters, remember that “Walk Hard” is co-written and produced by Judd Apatow (”Knocked Up,” “The 40-Year-old Virgin”) and is directed by Jake Kasdan, who worked with Apatow on the great TV shows “Undeclared” and “Freaks and Geeks.”

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 UPDATE: Vogel OUT, Pine IN!

… and who the heck is Mike Vogel?

Those are two questions people paying close attention to the hype surrounding JJ Abrams’ upcoming “Star Trek XI” project are asking themselves today.

IESB reported this week that Vogel, who also stars in Abrams’ upcoming “Cloverfield” project, will most likely be cast as the new Kirk in Abrams’ upcoming “Trek” update. The role was, of course, made famous by William Shatner.

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