Published by Clay Cane on Wednesday, August 19, 2009 at 12:00 am.
Word on the street is that Rosario Dawson has signed on for Denzel Washington’s new film Unstoppable. As previously reported, Unstoppable was a go then stopped — however, after some negotiations the flick is back on its feet. Now, the cast includes Rosario Dawson, Chris Pine and of course Denzel Washington. Unstoppable is in theater November of 2010.
Anthony Mackie, who has received rave reviews for his performance in The Hurt Locker, has recently been cast in The Adjustment Bureau. According to Variety:
“The Adjustment Bureau,” adapted from Philip K. Dick’s short story, centers on a smooth-talking congressman whose political future is thrown in doubt by the arrival of a mysterious ballerina in his life.
Mackie is appearing in “The Bacchae” in Gotham as part of Shakespeare in the Park. ‘The Adjustment Bureau’ will shoot in New York immediately following the wrap of the play.”
In other news, Tyler Perry has been a victim of Craigslist fraud. According to his web site:
“I get an email from my staff saying that someone put an ad up on Craigslist saying that I was casting a movie in L.A., and in order to be considered for this (FAKE) Tyler Perry movie, you have to join their club for $29.95. THAT IS A LIE, don’t fall for it. These folks are trying to rip you off. I hate for people to prey on people’s dreams and hopes. Why don’t people get a job and stop trying to steal folks’ hard-earned money….Ugh, that makes me mad; let me breathe.”
Be on the look out actors — dreams can’t be bought on Craigslist!
Published by Clay Cane on Thursday, August 6, 2009 at 12:00 am.
A new article by The Los Angeles Times explains how even A-list actors are taking a deep pay cut from their ritzy salaries. Once upon a time, Denzel Washington was paid $20 million per flick, but after re-signing up for Unstoppable, those digits were slashed to an undisclosed number. Oscar winner Julia Roberts refused to take a paycut for The Proposal so the studio hired Sandra Bullock. However, Will Smith’s paycheck isn’t suffering.
For basically everyone except Will Smith, salary quotes have evaporated, simply vanishing into thin air, as have the much-coveted first-dollar gross deals that top actors and filmmakers used to get. As one successful producer put it: “Quotes and first-dollar gross have just flown out the window — the studios simply won’t make those deals anymore,” he explained. “It’s all about what the role is worth in that particular movie. The studio pays for the lead actor or actress, but after that, well, the talent is just getting grinded. Everyone else is lucky to be working.”
Well, if actors are going from 20 to 10 million or 10 to 5 million — that doesn’t sound like too much suffering to me.
Do you think Hollywood should take a pay cut or are the actors already getting paid too much?
Nearly two weeks after Denzel Washington formally withdrew from the Tony Scott-directed drama, the actor and the studio have reached a compromise. The deal has put the runaway-train picture back on its fast track for a fall start, with pre-production under way in Pittsburgh.
Washington has been attached since April to reteam with Scott and play a veteran engineer who jumps into a locomotive with a young conductor (Chris Pine of “Star Trek”) to stop an unmanned runaway train loaded with toxic cargo. The Mark Bomback script is based on true events.
Progress on the film slowed recently when Fox insisted that the budget be brought close to $90 million, which required salary concessions from the director and star. Sources said the studio asked Scott and Washington to shave $3 million and $4 million off their respective salaries. Washington declined and his WME agent Ed Limato began looking for other film jobs for his star’s fall slot.
Well, good luck to Denzel on the film. Thankfully, when Denzel believes in a project it’s usually a good movie! We will all be looking forward to it.
Published by Clay Cane on Monday, July 13, 2009 at 12:00 am.
Denzel Washington was set to star in a new movie called Unstoppable, alongside Chris Pine of Star Trek fame. However, due to budget issues all production has stopped.
Fox is claiming budget issues have stalled production on the movie, which was still in the conceptual stages. Washington and “Star Trek” star Chris Pine were attached as a veteran engineer and his protege, respectively, who are tasked with stopping a runaway train full of toxic chemicals.
That concept, plus the presumably high costs of the movie’s stars, apparently raised red flags at the Fox accounting department. The studio claims it’s working to get the film back on track for less cash.
The plot sounds slightly similar to Taking of Pelham 1 2 3. Well, we always look forward to seeing Denzel on th screen so hopefully unstoppable will get back on the road.
Published by Clay Cane on Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 9:53 am.
Last week Denzel Washington told MTV that he is working alongside Will Smith to star in a comedy. Apparently, the two will be the lead, which 100% equals box office mega-billions. Washington, who is a two-time Oscar winner has done very little comedy in his epic career. Washington revealed that he tried some improvisation in London and it was successful — now that I would’ve loved to have seen!
Times they are changing – I can remember just a few years ago Black actors saying it’s rare you will have two lead Black actors in one movie — the belief is they will need one White actor for the movie to sell (think John Travolta in Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, Dakota Fanning in The Secret Life of Bees, etc.). Ever wondered why you’ve never seen Halle and Denzel in a movie? Will Smith and Queen Latifah? So, to hear about this coming up is huge progress for Hollywood. Watch the video below to see what Washington said to MTV’s Josh Horowitz.
Published by Clay Cane on Monday, June 15, 2009 at 12:00 am.
The Hangover is relentlessly hanging on at the box office — beating out legends like Denzel Washington and John Travolta on their opening weekend. For the second week in a row The Hangover - the comedy that includes an appearance from Mike Tyson – rocked the number one spot at the box office. This is only the second movie this year to spend two consecutive weeks at #1, the other was Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail in February. Washington and Travolta’’s The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 brought in $25 million and ranked at #3 this weekend.
Eddie Murphy’s Imagine That, which was met with mixed reviews, made $5.7 million charting at #6 for the box office this weekend. This is a slight increase from Meet Dave from last year, which only brought in $5 million. However, the movie did not even top Night at the Museum 2, which was released over a month ago.
Published by Clay Cane on Friday, June 12, 2009 at 12:00 am.
Summary: A transit dispatcher (Denzel Washington) randomly receives a call from a terrorist (John Travolta) who holds hostages on a New York City subway car and wants $10 million. The dispatcher has his own criminal history and is sucked into the terrorist’s world of sarcasm; gun shots and one-liners like, “Lick my bone hole!”
Review: Once you’ve seen one hostage film you’ve seen them all. Innocent people are kidnapped, a few sacrifice their lives to save others, racial humor, a common citizen comes to save the day and you know the rest. The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 isn’t anything groundbreaking or unique, but it’s a fun flick with strong acting and a suitable storyline. Yes, a good movie, but don’t expect to see the best testosterone thriller of the summer in a flick that’s sometimes as eventful as getting stuck between 34th and 42nd Streets on the A train in New York City.
Pelham is a remake from 1974 and is revitalized with a new script and directed by Tony Scott. Scott had a goal he wanted to accomplish: to simply entertain and have fun with camera angles — wow, those camera angles! At times I felt like it was Cloverfield all over again. Nonetheless, Scott accomplished his goal. The movie opens with “99 Problems” by Jay-Z, you whiz around New York City like you are on a train ride and there is a clock counting down to when the terror strikes. Incredibly formulaic, but it works.
It’s the strong acting that ultimately saves the movie. The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 isn’t a high-art film and neither Travolta nor Washington have anything to prove. The two are veterans in Hollywood and have flawless chemistry, great comedy and superb energy. Then we have James Gandolfini, who plays the mayor of New York — Gandolfini could recite the menu at McDonald’s and make you think he deserves an Oscar.
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 is a light summer film, slightly political at times, but overall fun.
Published by Clay Cane on Wednesday, June 10, 2009 at 10:05 am.
Well, we all know Denzel Washington is loved by all, but things got pretty hilarious on Jimmy Kimmel’s show segment “The Team Mating Game,” which is a take off the “Newly Wed Game.” Grant Hill and Amar’e Stoudemire played against Dahntay Jones and Birdman Andersen on who knows their teammate better.
In Jimmy’s last question, he asked, “Grant, we asked Amar, what celebrity would you like to make sweet. hot filthy love to. What did he say?” Grant said he is a married man, but reluctantly answered Halle Berry — not wanting to get in trouble with his wife.
Amar flipped over a sign that read “Denzel Washington.” Now that is some great TV! Grant Hill took it with a sense of humor. Plus, it’s a good plug for Denzel’s new movie, The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3,” which is in theaters Friday.
Published by Clay Cane on Thursday, June 4, 2009 at 12:00 am.
We all know the story of President Barack Obama will come to the big screen eventually — I’m surprised Steven Spielberg hasn’t bought the rights for it yet! However, Denzel Washington, who brought the life of Malcolm X to the movies, says he will not play President Barack Obama. Here is why according to The Insider:
“When Obama’s story is ready to be told, I’ll be too old to do it.”
He added: “And if it were made now, he has too much to do to have me asking for tips on how to play him.”
Too old? If Diana Ross could play a 16 year old in The Wiz when she was 33 then Denzel could be Obama. Then, I realized the Oscar winner is 54 years old – doesn’t it seem like Denzel is still 40? The brother is aging well!
Denzel Washington is starring in The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, which is in theatres Friday, June 12th. Come back here on the 12th for a review!
Regardless of his age, do you think Washington could tackle the Obama story?
Published by Clay Cane on Tuesday, February 17, 2009 at 12:05 am.
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 is in theaters in June and the trailer has finally hit the Internet. Denzel Washington is a New York City subway dispatcher whose life is uprooted when a train is hijacked by a gang leader, played by John Travolta.
The movie is a remake from 1974 and looks like it will be a definite thrill ride.
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Word on the street is that Rosario Dawson has signed on for Denzel Washington’s new film Unstoppable. As previously reported, Unstoppable was a go then stopped — however, after some negotiations the flick is back on its feet. Now, the cast includes Rosario Dawson, Chris Pine and of course Denzel Washington. Unstoppable is in theater November of 2010.
