When Kristen Wiig wants to make a passion project, well, Hollywood now knows to listen.
Having co-written and starred in "Bridesmaids," the surprise early summer hit that recently became the biggest R-rated female comedy of all time, Variety reports that Wiig has earned a pickup for "Imogen," a comedy she's championed for a while now.
Back in March, Wiig gave Indiewire a synopsis of the film, saying, “It’s basically about a girl who kind of pretends to kill herself... to get her recently ex-boyfriend’s attention. She ends up having to go live with her mom, whom she hasn’t seen in years."
Indiewire has quotes from Wiig on a number of her other potential starring roles, which, collectively, mark a long-in-the-making, well deserved transition from standout supporting actress. Wiig, one of the top names on "Saturday Night Live," had previously excelled in comedies such as "Knocked Up," "Paul," "Date Night" and "MacGruber," the "SNL" big screen adaptation in which she played second to Will Forte.
Wiig also recently nabbed another TV role; she'll voice Lola Bunny in the new "The Looney Tunes Show".
For more on the new film, click over to Variety.
There are few things guaranteed in the upside down, always changing world of Hollywood, but here's one thing you can bank on: a successful film, if at all possible, will get a sequel.
And as the summer moves forward, "Bridesmaids" is becoming more than just a success.
A big opening weekend got the speculation started, but having just passed "Sex and the City" as the highest grossing R-rated female-driven comedy of all time, there's little doubt that Universal will be hungry for another helping of the Kristen Wiig-starring, Paul Feig-directed and Judd Apatow-produced laugh factory (with names like those, was there any doubt it'd be a hit?).
Thus far, no green light has been given, but Feig already is licking his chops to get it made -- if the script is worthwhile.
"It's not officially been moved toward, but I'd be very open to it," he told Movieline. "It would just have to be as good or better than this one. What you don't want to do is the one that ruins the memory of the first one. But nothing would make me happier if we could make another one with this amazing cast, and people go, 'That's awesome!' If it's as good or as better than the first one, that would be fantastic. Because everything around it was great -- the cast, the people behind the scenes, the stories we're telling, the fact that we get to do movies for and with hugely talented women. What could be better than that? It would be great to carry that on, but, again, it has to be high quality."
Feig made similar comments back in May, when he wasn't quite sure how well the film would do at the box office.
"Who knows? I mean, it depends how we do in the next couple weeks, but I know there's definitely ... it's already been brought up," he told NY Magazine. "So, um, you know, when you get a group that's this deep and this good, it's a crime to not use them again. You just want to make sure that you do it as well as you did the first one and try to make it better, even. So, we're up for the challenge."
Tom Cruise returns for a fourth chapter in the "Mission: Impossible" franchise, the Brad Bird-directed "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol." Alongside Cruise is the eventual heir to the series, Jeremy Renner, who plays the mysterious Brandt, an agent whose allegiances Hunt is unsure of as the film takes shape.
Filmed in Dubai, it sets up Hunt and his crew on a seemingly impossible escape mission, with any slipup meaning they'll be labeled terrorists. Bird makes his live action directorial debut after helming a number of hit Pixar films, including the animated actioner, "The Incredibles."
Cruise is seen executing a number of insane stunts throughout, including some major building scaling. It wasn't tough to get him to do them, Bird said.
"He actually lives for that stuff. He loves it," Bird told MTV News recently. "Loves it. The day we finished shooting on the Burj, everyone suddenly relaxed because nothing had happened, no one had gotten injured or died, and the only one who was bummed out was Tom because he had to come down from the building. He loves that stuff."
Alyson Hannigan grew up in Hollywood. And Hollywood has grown up with her.
The gentle, always smiling actress made her commercial debut as a child, starred in "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" and then shot to true stardom as the awkward, flute-loving prom date to Jason Biggs' pie-loving character in the first "American Pie" film.
Each subsequent sequel of the dessert defiling series brought the awkward crew to a new stage in their lives, from high school to college to, in 2003, marriage. It's become a generation-defining trilogy, and to hear Hannigan tell it, a total surprise, too.
"With the first one, they had put some sort of sequel clause in my contract and I was like, 'ahh, I wouldn't be in a sequel,'" she laughed in a conversation with The Huffington Post. "'There's no way. My character leaves at the end of the movie, so even if there was a sequel, I wouldn't be in it.' And here we are."
Where Hannigan is, exactly, is Atlanta, filming "American Reunion." Thirteen years after Jim and co. pledged to lose their virginity, their high school reunion brings them all back together. And as unlikely as it seems that the kid who crotch dived into a pie is the father of perky band girl's child, that progeny is a major player in the new film. Continuing the pattern, Hannigan has a child now, too.
"I haven't met my child yet for the film but I'll meet him today, I hope he likes me and I hope my daughter doesn't get jealous that I'm holding some other kid. I'll have some explaining to do," she laughed. "Like, 'why is that kid calling you mommy?' I don't know how old the actor kid is, but he's playing two, and my daughter's two, so they're probably in the same ballpark. I'm hoping they're in the same weight category, because I'm only just holding my daughter who is 25 pounds, if he's much heavier, I could struggle."
Which, of course, would actually be pretty funny.
Beyond the child, though, there are many old cast members to catch up with. If you've imagined what crazy paths Stiffler, Finch, Jim and the gang may have taken, you may just see them on the big screen. And that real life awkwardness at high school reunions? Not in this one.
In what is becoming one of the most meta marketing campaigns in recent movie memory, Disney has released a new trailer for their upcoming film, "The Muppets." And it's even more self-aware than ever.
The third in its movie parody series, "Being Green" spoofs the upcoming superhero epic, "The Green Lantern," the Ryan Reynolds-flick set for release this weekend. Kermit, of course, takes on the green hero role, and a Reynolds-esque voiceover plays throughout.
But in what is a new twist, Jason Segal, who wrote and is co-starring in the film, actually revolts against the concept against fake trailers. Within the fake trailer. Mind blowing.
This souped-up sequel kicks it into high gear with new characters, slick animation and a global espionage caper. Though not the winningest Pixar entry ever, Cars 2 should still pull ahead of box-office competitors and thrill young racing fans with high-octane action.
MORE: How do all the Pixar movies stack up?
Play Premiere: "Monte Carlo"
Play "Footloose" Trailer
Play "Transformers" Stars Invade Russia
The Bigger Picture: Trading in the small-town setting and Doc Hollywood formula of the original, Cars 2 pimps out its ride with an international, James Bond-esque makeover. The film's exotic locales allow for some impressive visuals and set pieces, but the convoluted spy storyline might leave little ones in the dust.
Racecar Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) and his tow-truck buddy Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) head overseas when McQueen accepts a challenge to compete in the World Grand Prix. The high-profile face-off involves multiple showdowns on the raceways of Japan, Italy, France and England.
Their plans take a detour when Mater is mistakenly ensnared in a top-secret mission headed by English spy Finn McMissile (go-to Brit actor Michael Caine) and rookie agent Holley Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer). McQueen and Mater's friendship gets tested during the ensuing carfuffle, and they have to band together to solve a nefarious car-killing conspiracy before the final finish line.
Read more: http://www.eonline.com
Disney announced on Monday a new Pixar film would be released November 27, 2013, Deadline reports, though the House of Mouse withheld any information on title or plot. All they would reveal is that it will be an original story, not a sequel.
The 3D animation studio has a full roster of upcoming releases, the next being "Cars 2," which hits theaters on Friday. They'll premiere a "Toy Story" short, "Hawaiian Vacation," about Barbie and Ken before the showing of "Cars 2," and an untitled short before Disney's November release of "The Muppets." They'll also release Spanish-language short, "La Luna" in 2011.
In 2012, they will help out with the release of the Jerry Bruckheimer/Disney adventure film, "John Carter," and then release the studio's first film about a female hero in "Brave." Then, in 2013, a sequel to "Monsters, Inc.," titled "Monsters University" will hit theaters.
So, where does that leave this new mystery film? Right now, "Up" director and Pixar legend Pete Docter, who has had a major drawing and story hand in nearly all of the studio's big releases, is working on an untitled mystery project, to be released in 2013.
