And here comes the Lance Armstrong movie

Lance Armstrong recently admitted to doping during an interview with Oprah. Now Bad Robot and Paramount are planning a film on Armstrong based on the yet-to-be written book “Cycle of Lies: The Fall of Lance Armstrong” by Juliet Macur. Columbia Pictures was developing a biopic as well, based on the book “It’s Not About the Bike”, with Gary Ross working on the script. I’m going to guess that project is dead now in light of recent events.

Lukas Eggen can be reached at eggen.lukas@gmail.com.

Box office battle: 2012 named the biggest year in Hollywood

Gary Ross helped kicked things off with “The Hunger Games” starring Jennifer Lawrence back in March. Since then, we’ve seen some flops like “Wrath of the Titans” but with giant sized hits like Joss Whedon’s “The Avengers”, Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises” and Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” and some surprises like “Moonrise Kingdom” and “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”, Hollywood had a record year. In all, $10.8 billion in ticket sales happened in 2012, up from $10.6 last year. Now of course inflation, 3D and stuff like that has something to do with it. But it was also the first time that Hollywood saw in increase in total ticket sales, with attendance up 5 percent from the previous year.

Lukas Eggen can be reached at eggen.lukas@gmail.com.

“Mockingjay” hires director

Gary Ross directed “The Hunger Games”. Now, Francis Lawrence is helming “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire”. Reports are that Lawrence will also direct “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay”. Lawrence will direct both parts. Given  the schedule, with all three of the remaining films hitting theaters year after year, it makes sense. I’m not convinced Lawrence can handle it though. “I Am Legend” was OK. Anyways, the series stars Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, Liam Hemsworth as Gale, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta and a host of others.

Lukas Eggen can be reached at eggen.lukas@gmail.com.

“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” sequel may lose director

“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” was one of the big surprises in 2011, earning nearly $500 million worldwide. But, the sequel, titled “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”, which will follow Caesar (Andy Serkis), may lose director Rupert Wyatt. Much like Gary Ross, who directed “The Hunger Games”, Wyatt is reportedly worried the short turnaround (Fox wants it released in May of 2014), won’t be enough time to deliver a quality product.

It would be a shame to lose Wyatt at this point. And, Fox will have to move quickly to find a replacement. Hopefully, they can find some good talent quickly.

Lukas Eggen can be reached at eggen.lukas@gmail.com.

What the Hunger Games could have looked like

We all know Gary Ross won the directing job for “The Hunger Games” starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth. But, what if he hadn’t gotten the job? Mortal Kombat Legacy creator Kevin Tancharoen released his pitch, which uses footage from multiple films. What do you think? Would he have made a good choice? Would you like to see him get a shot in one of the two remaining installments?

Lukas Eggen can be reached at eggen.lukas@gmail.com.

More “Hunger Games” news

Ok, so Amanda Plummer has joined as Wiress. But that’s not all, not even close. Reports say that Lionsgate and Suzanne Collins are looking for new directors for the final two parts of the series (“Mockingjay is being split into two a la “Harry Potter”). The thinking is that Francis Lawrence will be too busy finishing “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” to prep for the third and fourth films. Gary Ross directed the first, so it’s possible we could see four different directors take each film.

Also, reports are that Sam Claflin (“Snow White and the Huntsman”) has nabbed the role of Finnick Odair, beating out Armie Hammer (“Mirror, Mirror”, “The Social Network”), Garrett Hedlund (“Tron: Legacy”), Lucas Till (“X-Men: First Class”) and Trevor Donovan (“90210”).

Whew. But wait, there’s one more piece of news. Variety is reporting that the frontrunners to play Mags and Beetee are…Melissa Leo and Tony Shaloub.

If all these reports prove to be true, Plummer, Claflin, Leo and Shaloub would join a cast that already includes Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, Donald Sutherland, Lenny Kravitz, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Jenna Malone, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson and Stanley Tucci.

Lukas Eggen can be reached at eggen.lukas@gmail.com.

Potter, Hunger Games directors vying for “Tarzan”

Warner Brothers is looking to develop one of two very different Tarzan scripts. The first is being written by Craig Brewer (“Footloose”) while the other is being written by Adam Conzad. Looks like WB is leaning toward Conzad as reports say David Yates (“Harry Potter”). Gary Ross (“The Hunger Games”) and Susanna White (“Nanny McPhee Returns”) are vying to helm the script.

One would imagine WB would go with Yates or Ross simply because no one wants another “John Carter” on their hands. White would certainly be an interesting choice and going with the less obvious choice sometimes pays off in  big way. But, “Nanny McPhee Returns” to “Tarzan”? I can’t see them giving her the project.

Lukas Eggen can be reached at eggen.lukas@gmail.com.

“Hunger Games” director to helm “Houdini”

Gary Ross (“Pleasantville”, “Seabiscuit”) is moving from “The Hunger Games” to another book adaptation. Reports are that Ross will helm “Houdini” based on the biography “The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America’s First Superhero.”

No casting has been announced. However, the book says that Houdini acted as a spy for Britain and that his death may have been revenge by the spiritual movement.

Lukas Eggen can be reached at eggen.lukas@gmail.com.

MTV movie award nominations are in

Have you ever wondered whether characters from “Harry Potter”, “Twilight” or “The Hunger Games” would win in a popularity contest? Well, here’s your chance. The nominations are in for the MTV Movie Awards. And, in the Best Movie category you’ve got “The Hunger Games”, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2”, “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1”, “The Help” and “Bridesmaids”.

Here are all the nominees and categories.

MOVIE OF THE YEAR (voting stays live throughout the 2012 Movie Awards ceremony)
– Bridesmaids
Director: Paul Feig, Producers: Judd Apatow, Barry Mendel, Clayton Townsend (Universal Pictures)
– The Hunger Games
Director: Gary Ross, Producers: Nina Jacobson, Jon Kilik (Lionsgate)
– Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Director: David Yates, Producers: David Heyman, David Barron, J.K. Rowling (Warner Bros. Pictures)
– The Help
Director: Tate Taylor, Producers: Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan, Brunson Green (DreamWorks)
– The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1
Director: Bill Condon, Producers: Karen Rosenfelt, Wyck Godfrey, Stephenie Meyer
(Summit Entertainment)

BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE
– Emma Stone – Crazy, Stupid, Love. (Warner Bros. Pictures)
– Emma Watson – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Warner Bros. Pictures)
– Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games (Lionsgate)
– Kristen Wiig – Bridesmaids (Universal Pictures)
– Rooney Mara – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Sony Pictures)

BEST MALE PERFORMANCE
– Channing Tatum – The Vow (Sony Pictures)
– Daniel Radcliffe – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Warner Bros. Pictures)
– Joseph Gordon-Levitt – 50/50 (Summit Entertainment)
– Josh Hutcherson – The Hunger Games (Lionsgate)
– Ryan Gosling – Drive (FilmDistrict)

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
– Elle Fanning – Super 8 (Paramount Pictures)
– Melissa McCarthy – Bridesmaids (Universal Pictures)
– Liam Hemsworth – The Hunger Games (Lionsgate)
– Rooney Mara – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Sony Pictures)
– Shailene Woodley – The Descendants (Fox Searchlight)

BEST COMEDIC PERFORMANCE
– Jonah Hill – 21 Jump Street (Sony Pictures)
– Kristen Wiig – Bridesmaids (Universal Pictures)
– Melissa McCarthy – Bridesmaids (Universal Pictures)
– Oliver Cooper – Project X (Warner Bros. Pictures)
– Zach Galifianakis – The Hangover Part II (Warner Bros. Pictures)

BEST CAST
– 21 Jump Street (Sony Pictures) – Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, Dave Franco, Ellie Kemper, Brie Larson
– Bridesmaids (Universal Pictures) – Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper
– Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Warner Bros. Pictures) – Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Tom Felton
– The Help (DreamWorks) – Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jessica Chastain
– The Hunger Games (Lionsgate) – Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson, Lenny Kravitz

BEST ON-SCREEN TRANSFORMATION
– Collin Farrell – Horrible Bosses (Warner Bros. Pictures)
– Elizabeth Banks – The Hunger Games (Lionsgate)
– Johnny Depp – 21 Jump Street (Sony Pictures)
– Michelle Williams – My Week with Marilyn (The Weinstein Company)
– Rooney Mara – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Sony Pictures)

BEST FIGHT
– Channing Tatum & Jonah Hill vs. Kid Gang – 21 Jump Street (Sony Pictures)
– Daniel Radcliffe vs. Ralph Fiennes – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
– Jennifer Lawrence & Josh Hutcherson vs. Alexander Ludwig – The Hunger Games (Lionsgate)
– Tom Cruise vs. Michael Nyqvist – Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (Paramount Pictures)
– Tom Hardy vs. Joel Edgerton – Warrior (Lionsgate)

BEST KISS
– Channing Tatum & Rachel McAdams – The Vow (Sony Pictures)
– Jennifer Lawrence & Josh Hutcherson – The Hunger Games (Lionsgate)
– Robert Pattinson & Kristen Stewart – The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 (Summit Entertainment)
– Rupert Grint & Emma Watson – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Warner Bros. Pictures)
– Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone – Crazy, Stupid, Love. (Warner Bros. Pictures)

BEST GUT-WRENCHING PERFORMANCE
– 21 Jump Street (Sony Pictures) – Jonah Hill & Rob Riggle
Schmidt shoots Coach Walters in the d#@k
– Bridesmaids (Universal Pictures) – Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Ellie Kemper
Food poisoning turns the girls’ dress fitting into a disaster
– Drive (FilmDistrict) – Ryan Gosling
Elevator beat-down
– The Help (DreamWorks) – Bryce Dallas Howard
Minny gives Hilly a pie she won’t forget
– Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (Paramount Pictures) – Tom Cruise
Ethan Hunt scales to new heights

BEST ON-SCREEN DIRTBAG
– Bryce Dallas Howard – The Help (DreamWorks)
– Collin Farrell – Horrible Bosses (Warner Bros. Pictures)
– Jennifer Aniston – Horrible Bosses (Warner Bros. Pictures)
– Jon Hamm – Bridesmaids (Universal Pictures)
– Oliver Cooper – Project X (Warner Bros. Pictures)

BEST MUSIC
– “The Devil is in the Details,” Chemical Brothers – Hanna (Focus Features)
Interrogation scene
– “Impossible,” Figurine – Like Crazy (Paramount Vantage)
Anna texts Jacob from across the pond
– “Party Rock Anthem,” LMFAO – 21 Jump Street (Sony Pictures)
House dance party
– “Pursuit of Happiness,” Kid Cudi (Steve Aoki Remix) – Project X (Warner Bros. Pictures)
The party erupts into chaos
– “A Real Hero,” College w/Electric Youth – Drive (FilmDistrict)
The Driver takes Irene and her son for a fun ride

For the record, some picks I would make (although I understand its mostly adolescent teenage girls that vote for this stuff so I’d probably be outnumbered here):

I’d go with “Bridesmaids” or “The Hunger Games” for best movie. “Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol” for Best Fight and Ryan Gosling for Best Male Performance. Anyways, what do you guys think of the nominations?

Lukas Eggen can be reached at eggen.lukas@gmail.com.

Francis Lawrence offered “Catching Fire”

Director Francis Lawrence has been offered to direct the film “Catching Fire” the sequel to the box office smash “The Hunger Games”. Lawrence is best known for directing three adaptations, “Constantine”, “I Am Legend” and “Water for Elephants”.

Not exactly thrilled with the choice, but not unexepcted.