James Franco's Monkey Mania
It's true. He did it. Or he will do it. Also today: a nerd documentary to end all nerd documentaries, Scream 4 will feature a vampire, a link to a picture, and a Peter Scolari joke.
Here's what the world needs now, in 2010: Another Scream sequel! Yessir, Scream 4 is in the works with original cast members Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette Cox Aniston. But! They'll be "passing the baton" to a new generation of wisecracking, movie-referencing teens. Those teens will likely be Hayden Panettiere from the smash television series Proactiv Commercials and Ashley Greene, a vampire from Forks, WA. Rory Culkin, son of Kit, might play Greene's love interest. Panettiere would be the film geek character. Because... that makes sense. Oh, and Lake Bell, mysterious presence, will play a police officer who knew Neve in high school. So she's the replacement Dewey. A wayyy hotter replacement Dewey. The Jamie Kennedy vs. Hayden Panettiere hotness debate is, though, mostly a draw. [THR]
Morgan Spurlock, professional hamburg eater, is teaming up with Joss Whedon, professional lady lover, to make a documentary about Comic Con. It's called Comic-Con Episode Four: A Fan's Hope. OK. See that's a reference to Star Wars. So in the first movie, not like the first chronologically in terms of the story, but the first to come out, it was Episode Four: A New Hope. This was meant to imply an ongoing saga, you know. Like IN MEDIA RES or some shit. Man that movie is so good! So are the next two. And then the three worst movies ever made came out, and the only good part was when the whiny (but beautiful) Canadian was lying on a lava hill with a terrible case of no-legs. Other than that, feh. Oh, but the documentary. Yeah, who cares. Comic Con is so over. It's all corporate now, maaaan. It's been Phantom Menaced. [Variety]
What's sadder than being a cast member on $#!t My Dad Says says? Being fired from being a cast member on $#!t My Dad Says. This and other (brief) tales of recasting woe await you at Nikki Finke's wonder emporium. [Deadline]
James Franco, weirdest fuckin' dude on the planet, is next going to star in the new Planet of the Apes movie, Rise of the Apes. He'll play a doctor who thinks he's cured Old Timer's disease so he tests his magic formula on common monkeys and then they all turn into Dr. Zaius. (Dr. Zaius, Dr. Zaius / Dr. Zaius, Dr. Zaius / Ohhh Dr. Zaius. I love the legitimate theater.) After that, Franco will play a 16th century courtesan to Oliver Platt's wicked governor in a film called The Courtesan's Curtain, directed by Dr. Zaius. Because why not. [THR]
A guy who wrote for Bosom Buddies and Laverne & Shirley has created a teen dance buddy comedy for the Disney Channel called Shake It Up! The teens will suffer from Parkinson's and alcohol withdrawal. The teens will be played by the replacement Tini from Big Love and someone called Zendaya. I think she is Sanjaya's partially absorbed twin. For other roles on the series, I have it on good authority that Peter Scolari is verrrrrrryyy available, so. He could play a dance coach or something. I dunno. Just thought it'd be nice. [Variety]
This Person has been cast in a movie. Will you go see it? [THR]