We’ll begin with the unnecessary sequelization of Hitman as new rumors suggests Daniel Casey’s script has been turned in and a source says “it’s great.” Apparently the villain will be someone known as ‘Albino’ which is rumored to be based on albino twins, Mark Puriyah II and Mark Parchezzi III, from “Hitman: Blood Money”. There is no word on whether or not Timothy Olyphant will return as Agent 47 and to be honest this all sounds like a film Fox would release direct to DVD.
Speaking of hitmen, Sylvester Stallone is set to star as a New Orleans hitman who teams with a New York City cop in action pic Headshot for Running Scared helmer Wayne Kramer. In the film, Stallone’s character teams with a young NYPD detective in a high-stakes investigation that leads from the dingy back alleys of New Orleans all the way to the power corridors of Washington, D.C. The unlikely duo, brought together by two vicious murders, take on all who stand in their way, and are willing to sacrifice everything to exact revenge. Shooting is scheduled to begin in May in Louisiana and New York.
James Cameron is still at work producing 3D adventure flicks, determined not to let his recent outing (Sanctum) deter him as he and Fox have set Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum, Real Steel) to direct the Fantastic Voyage remake. Previously Paul Greengrass had been attached and word is Darren Aronofsky, Timur Bekmambetov, Jonathan Mostow and Louis Leterrier all met with Cameron to discuss the project with a script from Shane Salerno (Armageddon) and Laeta Kalogridis (Shutter Island) currently polishing it up. The film is a remake of the 1966 original about a team of scientists shrunk into a ship in an attempt to save a colleague’s life by going into his brain and removing a blood clot before they return back to their normal size.
Finally, a new contender is named to fill Robert Downey Jr.’s departed shoes in Sam Raimi’s Oz, the Great and Powerful and it is none other than the very busy James Franco. Johnny Depp was the first one with a crack at the role, but he passed and Franco’s name climbed to the top to play the title character, a young illusionist with a grandiose attitude who is forced to flee a traveling circus. His hot air balloon is swept up by a tornado to the land of Oz, which is run by two magical wicked witches. No dealmaking has been done, but this would serve as a reunion for Franco and Raimi as Franco played Harry Osborn in Raimi’s Spider-Man features.
