Okay, enough time has passed between when I got this info that I finally feel comfortable sharing it. I was put in touch with a gentleman who happens to work for Brian Grazer at Imagine Entertainment. We had a long talk about various things, and I mentioned my admiration for Kevin. He brought up Fletch 3, and told me some news that will probably break your heart. At the time I talked to him (about a month ago), he said that since Kevin had stated that he had no interest in directing the project, that it was officially dead.

Marilyn Manson was on the show discussing his new album, Mechanical Animals. As you probably know, he’s been dating Rose McGowan. Someone called in who claimed to have seen Ben Affleck in a Pittsburgh bar earlier this summer. Ben allegedly said (according to the caller) that Rose was putting on some weight and that she was only dating Marilyn Manson for notoriety. Manson responded by saying that he didn’t care what that “queer” thought. He said that he is fully authorized to hand out Queer Cards and that Ben Affleck would definitley receive one. Throughout the show, Manson made references to Good Will Hunting saying that he’d rent it to get some man-on-man oral sex tips, since it was probably full of stuff like that. He seems to have something against Ben now (if he didn’t already). The whole thing was done in a joking sense, and, while I am a fan of Ben Affleck as well as Marilyn Manson, I found it to be rather funny.

‘Boiler’ looks at Affleck as hot commodity

Ben Affleck is in talks to star as an aggressive Yuppie stockbroker in Artisan Entertainment’s “Boiler Room,” sources said. The project, which will be produced by Team Todd, is expected to get a green light relatively soon. Filming could begin in New York as early as mid-November. The project, which was set up this summer (HR 7/2), concerns the high-pressured world of Wall Street “boiler rooms,” where young stockbrokers peddle highly dubious stock to unsuspecting buyers. Sources said that negotiations over Affleck’s involvement are not focused on the lead role of Seth, a college dropout who descends into the world of corrupt stock trading. “Boiler Room” will mark the feature directorial debut of Ben Younger, a video director who also penned the screenplay. The film would be produced by Suzanne Todd and Jennifer Todd of Team Todd.

THIS COMING WEEK IN REVIEW

Busy, is the word.

Little Scoop Schwalbach is off to Washington to do some reporting for USAToday on the whole Clinton affair (pun intended), so that may explain the frequency with which I pop up over the next few days.

However, come Wednesday, I won’t be around for a few. I’m doing another set of commercials – this time for Nike/Footlocker. Four spots, featuring Vincent Gallo (he of ‘Buffalo 66’ fame). We’ll be shooting around the Fort Washington section of New York. This is the second time I’ll be working from someone else’s scripts (which are quite good), and the added bonus is that our ‘Dogma’ d.p. Bob Yeoman‘s shooting them. Should be fun.

There’s a bunch of DD news that Marvel will be sending out a press release on later in the week – seems they’ve sold out of the book. On the retailer side, many stores have reported selling out of their stock of the book as well. Joe told me that a store he’s friendly with ordered seven hundred copies, and that there’s only fifty left. The owner said in all his years of dealing, he’s never seen a book sell this fast. Needless to say, we’re all happy about the book’s reception. If you haven’t seen it yet, I suggest getting your mitts on a copy soon (the book made it into the top ten, by the by).

Thanks for all the reaction to the tour. We’ve heard your thoughts and are now working toward setting it up. More news as it unfolds.

Also, we may hold another VulgarThon afterall. I forgot how many new folks have joined the fold since last year – folks who never made it out for the ‘thon because they didn’t know about it. So whether it’s the same program, or a slightly revamped one, you’ll get your chances to see the little-seen smaller flicks, and at least one of mine (and maybe ‘Good Will’ for good measure).

I’m off to bed, folks. Sleep tight.

Last night in Phoenix AZ I attended the test screening for Enemy of the State staring Will Smith and Gene Hackman. I’m going to tell you everything I know, and then, I’ll have to disapear for a while, so that no one will find me. They already canceled my credit cards, and started to discredit me in the press….Oh, but I’ll get them back I will!

The movie we were shown was a work print. However, I can say honestly that I feel this film would be much differnet from the final cut. Most, if not all, of the effects shots were in, and the score seemed appropiate. That is to say, it didn’t have the feel of a “temp” track. Some of it actually worked in places! The editing, however, seemed a little choppy and the physical quality of the film (lots of cracks and black marks) seemed a little off, but other than that, I think I saw what actually would be the release. With that being said, on to the reivew!

The film starts off with a CIA stlye murder of a Senator. This Senator opposes something called the Telecommunications Privacy and Security Act. Well, John Voight, (Senator Reynolds), is really in favor of this act (which is supposed to strip all privacy away from the populace) and when he can’t convince the other sentator…He and some National Security Agency goons kill this poor senator and dump him and his car in the lake where they were talking. Sound interesting yet?

Well, it just so happens that Jason Lee had a camera stashed down at the lake filming wildlife for some Government Agency. He goes down there to pick up his film, and some NSA goon sees him do it. Obvious secuirty leak right, since they made the Senators death look like a suicide.

The NSA positively id’s ole Mr. Lee, tap his phones and when he figures out what he has on his tapes, he calls his friend in a Left Wing magazine. Well, the NSA show up with Goons and a technical support Survelience team (including Randy from Scream!) and they chase him around the city, which ends with him getting creamed by a Firetruck. Now, before he gets creamed he passes a copy of the tape off to Will Smith, who unknowningly takes it home. Sound interesting yet?