Down Under: Robert Zemeckis and Disney are mounting a 3-D performance-capture remake of the Beatles’$2 1968 animated movie Yellow Submarine, with a targeted release date around the time of the 2012 summer Olympics. The original, which took place in the underwater paradise of Pepperland, revolved around the Beatles rescuing Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band from the music-hating Blue Meanies. The deal for the rights has been months in the making, and lawyers are still bartering for clearances for the soundtrack. Should things work out, it should be a hit — as Variety helpfully notes, “Though the Beatles broke up in 1970, interest in their music has remained high.†[Variety]
Cornelius Crane Does TV: John Hawkes (Deadwood, Eastbound & Down) will join the final season of Lost as Lennon, a “ scruffy, edgy and charismatic spokesperson and translator for the president of a foreign corporation who is far more powerful than it seems from his position †What corporation? Oceanic Airlines? Widmore Industries? Mr. Cluck’s Chicken Shack? [HR]
Grim Outlook: An Antoine Fuqua–directed, Nicholas Pileggi–scripted mob drama in the works at Morgan Creek is being sued by the real-life mistress of its main character, the late Colombo crime family capo Gregory “the Grim Reaper†Scarpa. Linda Schiro claims she and her daughter “Little Linda†Schiro are owed $150,000 for their life rights and for acting as consultants. The studio says the lawsuit is spurious and that it plans on moving forward with the project — but guys, seriously, maybe it’s not the best idea to mess with someone who used to date a guy nicknamed “the Grim Reaper� [HR]
Jacksons on TV: The previously discussed Jackson Brothers reality show is now a go at A&E, according to Roger Friedman. The pilot for the show had been shot before Michael’s death, and now the network will produce further episodes showing the brothers dealing with their loss. Also, Joe Jackson will probably do something crazy. [HR]
Dennehy, Director: Brian Dennehy will make his feature directorial debut on Redemption, a drama he co-wrote with Joe Seldner. The script tells the true story of Joyce Ann Brown, who served a nine-year prison sentence for a 1980 fur-store robbery and murder she didn’t commit, and Jim McCloskey, an advocate for the wrongly convicted. For the record, Dennehy directed seven made-for-TV movies before getting a chance to go to the big screens, which makes him sort of the Patrick Duffy of directing stuff. [HR]
Jimi Jams: Despite these things having always fallen through in the past, Legendary Pictures is attempting to put together a feature film based on the life of Jimi Hendrix. His estate, Experience Hendrix, run by his stepsister, Janie Hendrix, has previously denied rights to his music for other biopics, but Legendary is planning on first putting the project together and then convincing the estate. What could possibly go wrong? [Variety]