First look at Spider Man Musical...

While production has been delayed on the Broadway "why did they make that a musical?" show Spider-Man, Turn off the Dark, it is still moving forward and the role of Peter Parker / Spider-Man has recently been cast. The role went to rock singer Reeve Carney (pictured above). He will join the previously announced Evan Rachel Wood as "Mary Jane Watson" and Alan Cumming as the "Green Goblin".

Reeve Carney is the lead singer of the band "Carney". Their first CD is called "Mr. Green" and will be released in 2010 on Interscope Records. Reeve has also appeared on film in Snow Falling on Cedars and Julie Taymor's latest project, Shakespeare's The Tempest.

Although the idea of seeing Spider-Man on stage singing and dancing in a musical could make you want to hurl, the casting of Carney is a glimmer of hope. The music / lyrics for the show were written by Bono and The Edge so casting a true rocker who also has an amazing presence and acting ability took the producers quite some time. By the looks of the video below, they may have found exactly what they were looking for.

Check out the music video for Carney's single entitled "Love Me Chase Me" which co-stars Evan Rachel Wood for a preview of what's in store on the Broadway stage in 2010. Reeve has amazing vocals and the chemistry between the two smolders. The song is pretty hot as well...

WEZ Sez: Spider-Man, Turn off the Dark - Mixed Bag - Good production team / Bad idea for a musical. The casting of Reeve as Spider-Man might make the perfect mix though.

We may find out Who Framed Roger Rabbit...

Robert Zemeckis has announced he is beginning to work on a sequel to Who Framed Roger Rabbit! The film will be directed by Zemeckis and is being written by the original team of writers. No word yet on when it will begin filming, but over 20 years after the original (first one was released 1988), we may get the chance to see Roger and Jessica and the whole toon gang once again!

The main reason Zemeckis wants to re-visit this material is the new technology available to him. He told MTV News that he will utilize his Motion Capture technology that he used to make Polar Express and Christmas Carol. The picture will also be in 3D. Here's hoping he doesn't ruin the movie classic. The original was so fantastic because how it was 2D animation with live actors. A 3D-CGI animated Roger just won't have the same effect.

Until the details of the project are finalized, let's all hope that this classic movie gets a sequel that does it justice...

WEZ Sez: Roger Rabbit 2 - Sweet - As long as they stay true to the original art work

Couples Retreat RACIST posters...

Couples Retreat US Poster

 

Couples Retreat UK Poster

Can you spot the differences?

The UK version of the Couples Retreat poster has many differences when compared to the US version. The two background couples are switched. Kristen Bell is holding a suitcase. There is no black couple.... WAIT. WHAT? In a move that has many people crying racist, Universal removed Faizon Love and Kali Hawk from the UK promo poster. They have since released an apology and stated they would dis-continue the 3 couple promo poster for future markets, but the damage has been done. Despite the studios claim of using couples that would have international recognition (because Malin Ackerman has more international acclaim than Faizon Love?), their actions were clearly racially driven.

It is time for black actors to be an equal part of the movie and entertainment industry. That means getting roles that aren't just the "token friend" or "funny-guy" or "receptionist", but having real opportunity. Although industry analysts say movies with black stars do not fare as well over-seas, the studio should not pretend like there are no black actors in their film to trick people into coming. Racism will never end unless small things like this stop happening. Especially when it's removing one of four couples in a movie billed as "four couples... one week... let the bonding begin!"

WEZ Sez: Universal UK Poster for Couples Retreat - Sugar Free

 

Johnny Depp to return as Captain Jack Sparrow...

Johnny Depp is having a big week! Besides being named the Sexiest Man Alive (See Below), it has just been announced that he will be returning for a 4th installment of the 2.5 billion grossing franchise, Pirates of the Carribean. The film will be called Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and will be directed by Rob Marshall. Scratching your head much? Marshall seems to be an odd choice for the action-adventure franchise having previously directed Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha and the up-coming movie-musical Nine, but hey... he knows how to make a stunning image. Marshall recently talked about the news saying, "it’s something that I was offered and never in the world thought I would do but then I was like ‘why not?’"

Now that Marshall has signed on for the project, they are considering re-naming the film: Pirates of the Caribbean 4: The Musical Adventure. It will feature musical numbers sung by Johnny Depp and choreographed by Marshall himself.

Rob Marshall

Meanwhile, Depp has confirmed his involvement in the picture and signed on for a minimum pay-day of $33.6million (with additional gross from ticket sales). Quite a hefty sum that could make him the highest paid actor in Hollywood. Also returning to the picture is Geoffrey Rush. Don't expect to see Keira Knightly or Orlando Bloom though, they are both through with the franchise. Penelope Cruz is rumored to be taking over as the female lead.

You can expect the movie in 2011...

Johnny Depp Sexiest Man Alive for second time...

People Magazine revealed the cover of their Sexiest Man Alive issue today. It features Johnny Depp. At this point it seems that someone unexpected will never win this title. Honestly, are they going to rotate the same 15 guys from previous years on the cover for the next 15 years? And of all the shots of Depp, it's hard to believe this one is the sexiest...
Who else is bored out of their mind with this issue before it even hits stands?

Teaser shot of Johnston...

Womp, womp, womp...

Playgirl released a teaser shot of Johnston yesterday. If the picture is a preview of what's to come, it's underwhelming to say the least. Not only is he giving sad puppy-dog face, it looks like he failed to man-scape for the shoot. There's a jungle under there! Perhaps his manager, Tank Jones was too busy having a "fantastic" time at the shoot to inform his client that his arm-pit hair looks like a rug. It has also been reported that Johnston did not pose fully nude for the shoot. From the looks of this picture, unruly hair may have been a major factor in that decision...

WEZ Sez: Levi Johnston teaser shot - Super Sour

A Sarah Palin Day treat...

The latest edition of Newsweek

Newsweek caused a stir as the latest cover for the magazine was revealed featuring Palin from a photoshoot she did for Runners World Magazine. In a facebook tirade, Palin blasted the cover as sexist:

"The choice of photo for the cover of this week's Newsweek is unfortunate. (...) The out-of-context Newsweek approach is sexist and oh-so-expected by now. If anyone can learn anything from it: it shows why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, gender, or color of skin. The media will do anything to draw attention -- even if out of context."

Being a photo from a magazine that has already been printed, how is it sexist? Perhaps Palin is upset for being painted as a sell-out with no real place in politics so she called it sexist to draw attention away from that fact.The word she should have used to describe the cover is "true". What do you think?

Happy Sarah Palin Day...

Sarah Palin says: "Buy my book!"

After much anticipation, Sarah Palin's book, Going Rogue, is coming out today. So to celebrate the genius and logic of our potential future President (God help us all) here is a re-cap on some of the things she said in her major interviews with Oprah and Barbara Walters this week:

- Palin gave Levi Johnston a porn name on Oprah. "I believe he goes by the name Ricky Hollywood now ... he's quite busy with the media tours." Meanwhile Palin is on a month-long media tour promoting her book.

- Sarah Palin tried to explain her devastating interview with Katie Couric last year by saying she was "annoyed with the question." She told Oprah that Couric asking what publications she read to stay in touch was a loaded question and "no matter what (she said) it (would) be twisted and perceived as a bit negative" so she answered "all of them." Of course the obvious answer would have been "New York Times, US News and News Week."

- Palin talked about Tina Fey with Barbara Walters saying the facts were blurred because of Fey's spot-on impersonation. Fey said "I can see Russia from my house" as Palin. Palin pointed out that she never said those words. What she actually said was, "you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska." She went on to clarify this statement in the original Katie Couric (Oct. 08) interview by saying:
"As Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border. It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there, they are right next to our state."
(Source: CBS.com) See the interview clip after the JUMP
After reading that, you can see how Tina Fey was WAY off when she said "I can see Russia from my house." What she should have said is "My name is Sarah Palin and you can rest easy because I'm keeping an eye on Russia!"

- Palin also talked with Barbara Walters about her decision to quit the Governorship in Alaska. She said she quit because she was approaching "that final year in office, and most normal politicians, what they do, knowing that they're not going to run again, they're in that lame duck ... that, that situation, they milk it." So instead of milking the lame duck situation by sitting in office and doing nothing, she quit and really did nothing. Oh wait, she did do something. She wrote a book that has already made her $1.25million dollars! (her retainer from Harper Collins)

- Barack Obama gets 4 out of 10 stars as President according to Sarah Palin. Meanwhile, in a recent CBS poll, less than 1 in 4 people view Palin favorably. That equals 2.3 out of 10 stars for Palin as a person. Ouch.

- Running for president is not on Sarah Palin's "radar" right now... blah, blah, blah. She can't wait to put her name on that list.

See great Sarah Palin videos and VOTE on how you will celebrate Sarah Palin Day after the JUMP...

Father of the Year Nominee Jon Gosselin may finally shut up...

Jon Gosselin has posted a video to Funny or Die that shows just how out-of-touch he is. The video is not funny at all, in fact, it's depressing. In the video, Jon says he is going to give up his life, return his Ed Hardy shirts and be normal again. But wait... Don't pee your pants from excitement yet - it was his lame attempt to be funny. This humorless video gets you so worked up with excitement, that the realization that it's all a big "joke" will cause severe depression. Does he not realize that the world wants him to shut up? If this video was posted to any other site, people would believe him and there would be mass rioting in the streets!


WEZ Sez: Jon Gosselin Funny or Die video: Sugar Rush if it was true, but Sugar Free because it's all a fantasy.

Watch the video after the JUMP if you dare... but be warned: Causes Severe Depression

Lady Gaga is crazy...

...And if you don't agree with that, her newest music video "Bad Romance" will convince you. The Lady will be releasing a CD follow-up to her smash "The Fame" next week, called "The Fame Monster". It has 8 new songs on it, including her newest single "Bad Romance". The music video dropped last week and it is CRAZY! In another display of crazy, if you pre-order the "Lady Gaga Super Deluxe Fame Monster Bundle" for $115, you get a lock of her hair. Forget crazy, that is just disgusting.

WEZ Sez: Lady Gaga "Bad Romance" - Sugar Rush - She may be crazy but you HAVE to see this video!

WATCH the video after the JUMP...

Chris Brown and Rihanna debut new music videos...

Just in case you didn't know that Chris Brown hit Rihanna back in February, the two music stars released videos on Friday to remind you.

Rihanna's video for her single "Russian Roulette", features her being killed by various men, guns, cars, etc. She is standing brave in the face of violence yet also seems to enjoy feeling sorry for herself. It's like re-watching the past 9 month Chris Brown saga in 5 boring, laborious minutes. The blatant imagery is nauseating. There's a difference between speaking out on violence against women (like she did on 20/20) and using it for entertainment. AND her hair is out-of-control! What was she thinking?

Chris Brown's new single is called "Crawl". The video features a no-apologies Rihanna look-alike who has left Chris for bigger and better things. He spends the video trying to make things right without ever admitting what he did to make her leave. Sound familiar? It should. That's exactly how Brown has acted through the whole debacle. Although he has some good moves and the video moves along nicely, the song is about having to crawl for forgiveness, but Brown has done nothing to deserve it.

WEZ Sez:
Rihanna "Russian Roulette" - Sugar Free - Bad song and over-indulgent music video.
Chris Brown "Crawl" - Mixed Bag - Good song and entertaining video, but doesn't work as an apology.

Watch the music videos and VOTE for your favorite after the JUMP...

Kanye and will.i.am are gay fashion icons...

Kanye West

...According to Fergie that is. Fergie recently had an interview with gay magazine The Advocate and took up the topic of hip-hop / rap music and gay audiences. She noted that while largely considered homophobic, Kanye West and the Black Eyed Peas have worked very hard to make the music more open and appealing to gay audiences. "Kanye West really did a great thing for hip-hop and made it very mixed and open." Kanye has spoken out against homophobia many times in the past, saying in 2005, "The bravest thing I did this year was speaking out against homophobia (...) because if you bring it up, people think you must be gay. But you don't have to be gay to not gay-bash." 


If you have any questions about this, Fergie would like you to simply look at will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo, and Kanye West, saying, "They're completely gay-friendly. Are you kidding me? Look at how they dress!"

Apl.de.ap, Fergie, will.i.am, Taboo