The Green Hornet

[Stefen]

She picks shitty scripts. She hasn't been in anything good since Gangs of New York and she kind of sucked in that. She showed so much promise in Being John Malkovich but decided to go the Rom-Com route instead.

[MacGuffin]

Stephen Chow leaves 'Hornet'
Will no longer play Kato in the feature
Source: Hollywood Reporter

Stephen Chow is Kato no more.

The actor-filmmaker has walked away from Columbia's "Green Hornet" feature after what the studio characterized as a "mutual and amicable decision by both sides to move on."

Seth Rogen is starring in the big-screen treatment of the crime-fighting hero, with Michel Gondry directing.

Chow initially was the director of the project but dropped out in December because of creative differences. At the time, the CAA-repped actor still was on board to play the Hornet's sidekick and chauffeur.

The movie, which now has Cameron Diaz aboard as the female lead, is on track to begin production in September.

[modage]

booooooo

[matt35mm]

Saw that coming from miles away.

[SiliasRuby]

I don't know why I don't care....I just don't.....strange. I want to care.

[MacGuffin]

Seth Rogen: Hornet problems? What problems?
Source: SciFi Wire

Seth Rogen seemed mellow about the various hurdles his Green Hornet film has faced and assured reporters on Saturday that the movie is going forward despite rumors to the contrary.

Rogen spoke about the proposed superhero movie for the first time since news broke this week that Stephen Chow officially dropped out as sidekick Kato, which followed news that the film's release date and production date have been postponed by weeks.

"It's going great," Rogen said sincerely in a group interview today in Santa Monica, Calif., where he was promoting the comedy Funny People. "In my head, we lost Stephen Chow in April, so it's something I've had a lot of time to wrap my head around."

Rogen explained that the news of Chow's departure made the rounds only lately, but added that he and the filmmakers have known about it for a while and are already actively pursuing new Katos. "To me we haven't had a Kato since April, and we're looking," he said. "We're kind of in the same boat we were in beforehand."

As for the frequent delays, Rogen cited the economic downturn. Low DVD sales have made the studios more cautious about funding major projects. Also, Rogen affirmed, he, co-writer Evan Goldberg and director Michel Gondry are making an atypical studio blockbuster.

"You know, we're not trying to make what they would probably consider to be a 100 percent safe version of a movie like this," Rogen said. "We like to push the envelope in some directions. We like to do things that we find interesting and new and original. You bring Michel Gondry into the equation, and that opens up a whole new bag of worms."

In the same way Rogen's comedies are collaborative, with the actors improvising and writing jokes for each other, Rogen has also sought input from his gang for Green Hornet.

"Right now we're making a big movie and not many of our friends have made a movie this scale," he said. "So we're inviting everyone imaginable to come and just see what it's like and give us their ideas and throw in their input, have them learn from what we're doing and to get all their ideas in the process."

Funny People is Rogen's last starring role until he films The Green Hornet, but he teased that he may make an appearance at this week's San Diego Comic-Con to offer a preview. "There may be a little something at Comic-Con. I never know what I can say and what I can't say."

The Green Hornet is scheduled to open July 9, 2010.

[MacGuffin]

Nicolas Cage in Talks for The Green Hornet
Source: Variety

Columbia Pictures is in early talks with Nicolas Cage to play the gangster villain in The Green Hornet, reports Variety.

Cameron Diaz is negotiating to play a reporter and love interest in the Michel Gondry-directed film that stars Seth Rogen as the masked crime fighter.

The picture is moving full steam ahead for a fall start date, even as the studio looks to replace Stephen Chow, who was going to play sidekick Kato. Rogen and Evan Goldberg wrote the script and Neal Moritz is producing through his Original Films.

The Green Hornet is targeting a July 9, 2010 release

[Tictacbk]

"Hey Nicolas, wanna be in this Green Hornet movie?"
--Does it pay?
"Yes."
--I'm in.

[MacGuffin]

SDCC: Michel Gondry Raps About The Green Hornet
by Kevin Kelly; Cinematical

This might be one of the strangest videos you'll ever see on Cinematical. Over my several short years of movie coverage, I've witnessed some strange things: I actually saw Crispin Glover's "What in the hell is this" film experience What Is It?, watched Kevin Smith double over in pain from a leg cramp during an interview, and kicked Jim Carrey in the foot.

However, nothing beats Michel Gondry free-form rapping to the sounds of his son Paul beatboxing. Oh, and he's rapping about the Green Hornet's car, Black Beauty, which Sony had just unveiled after Preview Night at Comic-Con. Truly bizarre. Plus he gives us a short preview of the movie's opening scene ... and maybe the theme song?


http://video.aol.com/aolvideo/AOLMovies/cinematical-at-comic-con-michel-gondry-beatbox/30437742001

[matt35mm]

(shrug) I can't see it.  Gives me a "can't find what you're looking for" page.  If I were more proactive I'd figure out the problem or relink to a working video, but uh, I've had a couple of drinks and it's late, so...

[MacGuffin]

Taiwanese popster Jay Chou to play Hornet's Kato
Source: SciFi Wire

Sony Pictures tweeted that Taiwan musician-actor-filmmaker Jay Chou has been hired to replace Stephen Chow as Kato in Seth Rogen's upcoming The Green Hornet.

The 30-year-old pop star recently made the transition to movies and is reportedly a Bruce Lee fan; he has appeared in three Chinese-language movies.

Chow was initially signed to direct the movie and to play Kato, but dropped out.

Chou joins Nicolas Cage, Rogen and Cameron Diaz in the movie, which is to be directed by Michel Gondry, with a reported fall start date.

Rogen and Evan Goldberg wrote the script and Neal Moritz is producing through his Original Films. The movie is eyeing a July 2010 release.

The Green Hornet is based upon the 1960s television serial—which was itself based on 1940s radio serials—about a masked hero who fights crime.

[pete]

he's not funny.

[MacGuffin]

Edward James Olmos joins cast of Green Hornet
Source: SciFi Wire

BSG, Miami Vice and Blade Runner stalwart Edward James Olmos has joined the cast of Michel Gondry's upcoming The Green Hornet, according to Hollywood Snitch.

Olmos joins an increasingly impressive cast on the superhero flick, which as of now includes well-known comic book fan Nicolas Cage (who is currently trying to develop a follow up to Ghost Rider, will lend his voice to the upcoming Astro Boy, and will star in the adaptation of Mark Millar's Kick Ass comic book), Cameron Diaz, Jay Chou as Kato, and Seth Rogen as Britt Reid, aka The Green Hornet.

The Green Hornet is currently scheduled for a July, 2010 release.

[MacGuffin]

Now, if Box Office Mojo is to be believed (and they're pretty reliable), Seth Rogen and Michel Gondry's The Green Hornet will now debut over a year after making a modest presentation at this past Comic-Con, having been bumped back from next July to the following December for reasons unknown.

[Stefen]

It's going to be an awards contender!