Photo-illustration: Getty Images
The Many Faces of Will Ferrell
2 to Be Precise: Will Ferrell will star in 2-Face, a high-concept comedy by Hancock’s Vince Gilligan that despite the fortuitous timing of its announcement is not a Dark Knight spinoff. Instead, it’s about a bleeding-heart liberal with a split personality who’s a racist. Spoiler alert — this will definitely be in the trailer: Liberal Side: “Let’s recycle some cans.†Racist Side [cocking a rifle]: “…some Mexi-cans.†[HR]
West Side Historia: Arthur Laurents will bring his new version of West Side Story to Broadway in 2009, with Spanish-language dialogue and Hispanic actors adding authenticity to the classic musical. “The scenes with the Spanish are wildly exciting because they are much less inhibited,†an excited Laurents tells the Times. The original Jerome Robbins choreography will remain unchanged, however, and will sadly continue to lack any Lambada. [NYT]
Three Go Crazy: Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Robert Duvall will star in the music drama Crazy Heart for CMT Films, based on the book by Thomas Cobb about an alcoholic country singer who gets his life and career back on track with the support of a female reporter. Yawn — in the head-to-head battle of country music movies, we’ll take Toby Keith’s Beer for My Horses because it’s got Ted Nugent killing people. [Variety]
Woo’s 22 Caliber: John Woo will direct the comic-book adaptation of Caliber for Johnny Depp’s Infinitum Nihil. Story follows King Arthur and his knights as nineteenth-century gunslingers in the Pacific Northwest, where they undoubtedly leap sideways holding two pistols as doves fly away in slow motion. [Variety]
Live-Action TMNT?: Playmates’ Website for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toys has dropped the intriguing bait that Mirage Licensing is “in negotiations with several companies about a new TMNT movie for release in 2010.†Please God let there be giant puppet fights! Please God let Elias Koteas take time out of his busy schedule working at Applebee’s to play Casey Jones again! [Playmates Toys]