By Jason Apuzzo. • Brit actor Andrew Garfield has been chosen as Spider-Man, in what’s regarded by many as a surprise. I’m not even going to pretend I know who this guy is. Bigger question: does the Spider-Man series have any gas left in the tank, with new superhero franchises sprouting every day like weeds?
• Twilight: Eclipse cast members will apparently be mingling with theatergoers around the country. This is a great idea … and also a security nightmare, which is why star Kristen Stewart has been worrying about her safety of late. Actually, if they really want to thank fans they should just pay for their popcorn. [$7 a bag?]
• IMAX is expanding into Russia. It’s amazing how IMAX has become a viable distribution option, especially given that nobody shoots in that format anymore. I once was on a balloon ride in Africa with some guys shooting in IMAX and the camera package alone nearly sank the balloon.
• Restrepo‘s Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger talk to The Wrap today about their non-political approach toward their documentary on the Afghan war. There was a time when this was the normal approach taken by documentarians. I actually wish more filmmakers on both the left and right took that approach today …
• … unlike Oliver Stone. And so Maria Conchita Alonso, who seemed to appear in every film made during the 1980s, will be leading a protest outside a screening of Oliver Stone’s South of the Border tonight in Santa Monica. I have mixed feelings about things like protests and boycotts, because they basically just deliver free publicity to the people you’re protesting – and does anybody really care about Stone anymore? So I imagine he’s thrilled by this. But it doesn’t change the fact that what he’s doing in this documentary glorifying Hugo Chavez is repulsive and dishonest.
• Mel Gibson’s life and career have now officially imploded. Don’t believe anyone who tells you he can recover from this. He’s done. And while we’re at it, Kelsey Grammar has got some major p.r. headaches coming his way, as well. Very sorry to read all this.
• In separate incidents, Kim Kardashian recently posed next to a wax figure of herself, and Megan Fox posed with a mannequin of herself. Our challenge to LFM readers: pick out the fakes!
• AND IN TODAY’S MOST IMPORTANT NEWS … Dolly Parton is defending Miley Cyrus’ new ‘sexy’ persona, saying “we need to let her spread her wings.” Dolly would know. 🙂
And that’s what’s happening today in the wonderful world of Hollywood …
Posted on July 2nd, 2010 at 12:20pm.
Wait a minute, I thought the “Red Dawn” guy had been cast as Spider Man. Now I’m really confused. Is this some sort of “Red Dawn” backlash? They were going to cast the all-American guy, but now they’re going for the thin, scruffy anemic Brit?
“In separate incidents, Kim Kardashian recently posed next to a wax figure of herself, and Megan Fox posed with a mannequin of herself. Our challenge to LFM readers: pick out the fakes!”
Yeah, how can you tell the difference??
This guy isn’t even good-looking. How can he play Spider Man?
I have no idea.
He elevated Boy A from television movie material to theatrical release in the U.S., for one, playing a Peter Parker-like character. This is a Robert Downey-like coup. Yes, really.
Good for Maria Conchita Alonso. I didn’t know she was such a patriotic gal. It’s nice to see her protesting this Oliver Stone garbage disguised as a movie. It must be extremely offensive for the actual South Americans who have to live under tyrannies like that of Hugo Chavez to see Hollywood filmmakers like Stone apologizing for that dictatorship.