Another Day, Another Remake: Berry Gordy’s eighties cult classic The Last Dragon is getting the remake treatment, and Samuel L. Jackson has taken on the role of Sho’nuff, the Shogun of Harlem (played in the original by the recently departed Julius Carry). Produced by the Wu’s RZA, the story will mirror the first one’s (young martial-arts students fights his way through the streets of New York in hopes of becoming the greatest fighter alive). Given Sho’nuff’s awesome dialogue (asking his minions questions like “Am I the baddest mofo lowdown around this town?†to which they reply, “Sho ‘nuff!’), it seems pretty clear that this is the role Jackson was born for. [HR]
Cops Melt Cube Heart: Ice Cube, he of “Fuck the police,†will lend his considerable talents to NBC by writing and producing a buddy cop comedy. If this is truly a just world, the show will be a 30 Rock spinoff starring Cube as the straight cop and Tracy Jordan as his kooky sidekick. Make it happen, Ben! [Variety]
One Important Book: Gary Oldman will play nasty bad guy to Denzel Washington’s valiant hero in upcoming Warner Bros. thriller Book of Eli. The movie revolves around Eli (Washington) as he fights his way across an American wasteland protecting a book that might hold the key to saving humanity. Oldman plays Carnegie, a small-town despot hell-bent on getting that book. And audiences relish Oldman’s return to his natural state — totally insane villain. [HR]
Big Cat Attack: Courteney Cox will shoot a pilot for ABC single-camera sitcom Cougar Town, written by Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence and Scrubs and South Park scribe Kevin Bigel. The show will center on a hot, newly single 40-year-old mom and her 17-year-old son who live in a town that has been overrun by a band of actual cougars who eat everyone. Oh wait. Strike that last part. No actual cougars. Just a hot mom and her son. [HR]
Preach On!: Sam Mendes has signed on direct Columbia Pictures’ adaptation of supernatural graphic novel Preacher, his second foray into the comic world, following 2002’s Road to Perdition. The story of a Texas preacher who travels the country fighting evil was originally meant to be directed by Kevin Smith nearly a decade ago. Then it was slated to become an HBO TV series. Mendes is expected to drop out by year’s end. [Variety]