Movies

TMZ EXCLUSIVE: Forget "Charlie Wilson's War" at Universal Pictures - Owen Wilson's war at Paramount Pictures sounds like more fun: Paramount is greenlighting "Drillbit Taylor," a new comedy that will star Owen Wilson as a soldier-of-fortune hired by a group of nerdish high school freshmen to protect them from bullies. Steve Brill, who directed Adam Sandler in "Mr. Deeds" in 2002 is set to direct, with the farce expected to go before cameras this fall.

In the meantime, fans of Wilson shouldn't despair: He'll next be seen in the comedy "You, Me and Dupree" at Universal opposite Matt Dillon and Kate Hudson.

Meanwhile, in the unceasing talent agency poaching derby, we hear director John Singleton has fired United Talent Agency and has gone over to Creative Artists Agency. (Apparently, despite "Four Brothers" $92 million worldwide haul, Singleton hasn't reaped a windfall of gigs, and so UTA got the "Shaft"...see what we did there? "Shaft"? Get it. Sigh.)

The Jack Black wrestler-cook comedy "Nacho Libre" surpassed all expectations with a strong $27.5 million opening weekend, finishing just behind the animated automobiles of "Cars" in the most crowded field of new films yet this summer.

"Nacho" was expected to bring in about $20 million in its debut, according to most estimates, but performed surprisingly well, and was drawing even bigger crowds than "Cars" on Friday.

The comedian dons some blue tights and a glamorous red cape as the title role in his newest film, "Nacho Libre." Black plays a chef-turned-lucha libre (Mexican freestyle fighter) who needs to keep his identity a secret from the monastery where he lives and works.

"He loves the Lord but he also secretly loves Lucha Libre, Mexican wrestling, the excitement and the thrills of that life," Black says about his character, who's tormented "because priests are not supposed to wrestle."

Director Jared Hess says the film is loosely based on a true story. "I learned about the story of a true Mexican wrestler down in Mexico City," he says, "who was actually a Catholic priest who began wrestling to provide a little extra for an orphanage and it just seemed like it had a lot of good potential to be a really good fun movie."

Alejandro Agresti's "The Lake House" opens nationwide this weekend, reuniting Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, so we thought it a good time to catch up with the fascinating Argentinian emigre director at home in Holland.

When I rang him up at his home in Holland this morning, Agresti was still a bit jetlagged from the American premiere of the film in L.A. But not so tired that he couldn't share with me some exciting news about his next film, "The Scent of Books.": Based on his novel of the same name, it's about three writers, now in their 60s, who receive an inheritance of 20,000 rare, first edition books from their mentor.

Stepping into the famous shorts donned by Jessica Simpson and the iconic Catherine Bach isn't easy, but "Deal or No Deal" model April Scott is up to the challenge.

While rumors were swirling that "Laguna Beach" babe Kristin Cavallari would step into the role, the prequel to last summer's hit remake of "The Dukes of Hazzard," the honor went to April, a relative unknown.

Scott isn't scared of the comparisons that will likely be made between her and her predecessors. "They're not going the exact same way," April says of the film, "I think I'm somewhere between Jessica Simpson and Catherine Bach, it's a nice medium."

Expect to see a lot of the Maxim Hot 100 babe's long legs in the film, which April tells us explains how her character came up with her now legendary shorts and just whose attention Daisy's been trying to grab by wearing them.

The hottest item for Hollywood starlets to tote around town can't be found at Kitson or any other boutique. These days the must-have accessory for every Lindsay, Paris or Britney is a fame-seeking and coattails-riding younger sister.

Here are a few Hollywood siblings that are forging a career out of their more famous sister's shadow.

This years most anticipated summer blockbuster brings the ultimate superhero back from a mysterious absence of a few years. Superman's comeback is bittersweet as he learns that love of his life Lois Lane has moved on with her life and has a new family. To make matters worse, Lex Luthor, played by a freshly shaved Kevin Spacey, is back to his old tricks.

The film stars newcomer Brandon Routh in the role that made Christopher Reeves famous and super-hottie Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane.

Celebrities get approached daily by some of their biggest fans, but some leave a deeper impression on the star then others.

TMZ was interested to know what funny, bizarre, or meaningful moments these recognizable people encounter on a daily basis.

Have you ever asked your favorite TV personality for a picture of their feet? Probably not-- but one star told TMZ that exact story.

4) Colleen Has Just GOTTA KNOW: What happened to Joss Stone? When is her next album due out? Is there a new album?

Joss Stone's publicists have let TMZ know that while no album should be expected for at least two years, the passionate vocalist is currently putting her pen and pad to work. Having been portrayed as the "white Aretha Franklin," this 19-year-old's next album will no doubt prove to, for the third time around, take us where no Englander has taken us before. For the spotlight on Stone, take a look here.

5) Terrianni Has Just GOTTA KNOW: Why is Paul Walker not in the next Fast and the Furious movie? It won't be the same without him.

Paul Walker will indeed be missed in the latest street racing flick, "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift." Lucas Black, of "Friday Night Lights" and "Jarhead," has now taken over the lead. But what TMZ found out is that the "Fast and the Furious" franchise is actually centered around real life drift racing, as opposed to specific characters. And Paul Walker's role as Brian O'Conner in the previous two wasn't solely as a street racer. Now don't let the lack of Paul deter you from this fast-paced film. Make sure to check it out as it hits theaters June 16th. To catch up on the first two movies, check out some of these links.

6) Savannah Has Just GOTTA KNOW: What's going on with Eminem's marriage?

Eminem's second marriage to Kim Mathers didn't exactly work out the way either of them thought it would. While we can't say specifically what went wrong, we can say that the divorce was filed on Eminem's part due to "a breakdown in the marriage relationship to the extent that the objects of matrimony have been destroyed." For more details on the story, click here.

The White Stripes are learning this lesson in a courtroom years after recording some early material.

A producer sued the band claiming the work he did on their first two records helped create "the White Stripes sound." Jack and Meg White say they paid the guy to record them, but that was it and that he's not due any money beyond the recording fees paid to him all those years ago.

In testimony given at the trial this week an interesting side bar arose. According to the AP, Jason Stollsteimer of the Von Bondies testified about a spat he had with Jack at a Detroit nightclub in 2003. Stollsteimer told the jury he found "a note stuck to my door with a knife in it." The alleged knife pinned up a magazine interview which seemed to minimize White's role in producing a Von Bondies album. The article, Stollsteimer said, had written across it: "That's the last ... time I help you out."

The untitled project is in the development phase, studio spokeswoman Jennifer Chamberlain said Wednesday. The Elliott biopic will be produced by Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal through their company, Tribeca Films.

Elliott, 34, began her music career with the all-girl group, Sista. She has won four Grammys, including best rap solo performance for "Get Ur Freak On" in 2002.

Jen and Vince faced some tough questions at the London premiere of their new film "The Break-Up," but still managed to stay tight lipped about their rumored relationship.

Aniston remained cool, although somewhat taken aback, as one reporter asked her how hard it was making the film after her own break-up with ex-hubby Brad Pitt, replying 'Not hard at all, we were way past that at that point."

Vince had his own share of personal q's thrown his way as well with another curious reporter asking him at what point did he fall for Aniston during the filming. Vaughn, of course, played dodgeball with her saying, "we just had a good time shooting the movie and had a lot of fun."

Bruce Willis is the latest celeb to be accused by paparazzi of brutality. As Dan Rather would say, this dog won't hunt.

At best, when it comes to the world of paparazzi, the line between right and wrong often gets blurred. More than a decade ago, Alec Baldwin was prosecuted for allegedly attacking a paparazzo. It's pretty clear that Baldwin did lay hands on the guy, but the circumstances were that the actor was bringing his wife (now his ex and his enemy) and newborn baby Ireland home from the hospital when the pap popped. Whatever Baldwin did, the jury believed the paparazzo had it coming. Baldwin was acquitted.

At around the same time Tony Danza had his own run-in in Malibu. This one was intriguing. A photog was on the beach, shooting in the direction of Danza's balcony. My recollection is that the pap had some sort of shirt over his head so he could secretly snap the shots. Danza became enraged because his kids were on the balcony and he didn't think they were fair game.

As the kid in front of me sneered with disdain at the hindmost in the "Top Ten" list of films, a thought occurred to me. It's easy to make the mistake of thinking "Poseidon" is a bomb because its No. 10.

It is a disaster, but not because it's No. 10 here at home. It's what it's not doing overseas that's the problem. Domestic box office rank means less and less; it's the worldwide gross that means success or failure on a big Hollywood movie.

Last summer, the Orlando Bloom movie "Kingdom of Heaven" had all the markings of a 100-megaton bomb: Despite being the first big release of the summer, it made less that $20 million in its opening weekend. And after four months in theaters, "Kingdom of Heaven's" theatrical release was shut down by 20th Century Fox. With a purported budget of at least $130 million, its $47.4 million domestic gross would normally spell major trouble for the suits in Fox's cushy production offices.

Except for one thing: "Kingdom of Heaven" made another $163 million overseas -- more than three times what it did in the States. Fox studio president Hutch Parker and his crew could heave a huge sigh of relief: Their reserved parking spaces were safe. Not so at Warner Bros.-based Virtual Studios, which produced "Poseidon." It's done $55 million at home, and $56 million abroad. Needless to say, Virtual's CEO Benjamin Waisbren doesn't work there anymore.

The ultimate expression of the studios lust for foreign lucre is, of course, China. The challenge is that the average Chinese urbanite made just about $1,000 last year (peasants in the countryside make about 70% less).

But the potential is massive. Even if Hollywood has to sell its movies at deeply discounted prices, the sheer size of the Chinese market is astonishing.

That's why the Chinese government's move last week to kick Sony's "The Da Vinci Code" out of theaters and take the scissors to Paramount's "Mission: Impossible 3" is so alarming for Hollywood. It's not what they did, it's the reasons, or the apparent lack of reasons, that has Hollywood studio chieftains' nerves rattled.

Howard French's column in the New York Times today is perhaps the best explanation of what's wrong with the world's most coveted and least understood marketplace. He wrote, "The government recently recalled the latest installment of "Mission: Impossible," offended, it is said, by depictions of the Shanghai police as slow to respond to a crime, and by images of this city, the new Asian Oz, that showed laundry hanging out to dry...The film is now being shown in a sanitized version, free of the kinds of scenes that are among the most normal sights of everyday life here. For "The Da Vinci Code," the contortions grew even more absurd. For reasons that have still not been convincingly explained, the government suddenly withdrew a film that was well on its way to becoming one of the highest grossing ever here."

And that has Hollywood worried. "The Da Vinci Code" is a monster hit with or without China, and at any rate, had run its course there. But Paramount, and for that matter, Hollywood, needs the world to step up and love "Mission: Impossible 3" and all its subsequent action films. When markets as big as China start acting irrationally, it makes an already risky business that much riskier.

Sandra and Keanu, who last teamed up 12 years ago for the hit film "Speed," are at it again, this time in a supernatural romance.

The film is an adaptation of Korean classic "Il Mare," which follows the story of two lonely hearts who begin swapping letters through a magical mailbox and find out they're actually living two years apart.

Keanu had only good things to say about his co-star at the film's premiere and was glad to be paired with her again, "I don't know if it was different, it was more of just a good thing. She has developed so much as a person and from when I met her until now, there is so much more experience in what she has been doing"

And Sandra let slip that the two plan on working together again in the near future, "You know, we are looking, now we are actually thinking about it more actively rather than saying 'let's see what comes along,' I want to be around him a little bit more in a working capacity. We are finding it."

Paramount Pictures has extended an 18-month option on the property to develop it as a vehicle for the Detroit rapper, Daily Variety reported Tuesday. The show debuted on CBS in 1957 and ran until 1963. Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers III, has committed to shoot the role and is excited about his latest opportunity, Interscope Records spokesman Dennis Dennehy told The Associated Press. Dennehy did not provide additional details.

The concept of the series will be updated to contemporary times and feature Eminem playing a bounty hunter, Daily Variety said. The 33-year-old Grammy-winning rapper rose to stardom with best-selling CDs, deeply personal lyrics and a starring role in the 2002 film "8 Mile." Eminem is also expected to be involved in producing the soundtrack of the new film.