Last week I spent a day at Robert Rodriguez’s Troublemaker Studios loitering around the parking lot, interviewing some actors on that lot, and raiding the catering van for cookies. You can probably guess it was a set visit for Predators, but I’m bound and gagged like The Gimp from spilling anything about that for the time being. However, I can blather all I want about tidbits from everything not involving “Predators versus No-Longer-Larry Fishburne” (yep, Fishburne is in the film as a character named Noland… I can say that. I know. What an incredibly — not very interesting — piece of “news”).
First, both Rodriguez and Troublemaker Studios co-owner Elizabeth Avellán confirmed Spy Kids 4 is a go. However, they’re jettisoning the original actors and rebooting the franchise because those kids are total geezers by now. So, expect the 12-year-old fanboys of the world to start foaming and ranting and accusing Rodriguez of raping their present childhoods. Spy Kids: The Rebooting is expected to go in front of cameras next spring and will be shot in 3-D, because Spy-Kids 3-D: Game Over just wasn’t third-dimensional enough for you all.
Sin City 2 is also happening… someday. What day? What year? What century? No one knows. Both Rodriguez and Frank Miller want to do it. Rodriguez was adamant that it will actually happen within his lifetime. It’s just a matter of getting their shit together and actually filming the fucker, as Ed Wood would say. I also asked if there was any truth to recent rumors Sin City 2 would be an entirely new story. Rodriguez denied such reports. According to Rodriguez, the latest version of the script was written in 2007 and while it does have original bits to better connect the stories between the films, the majority is based off previously published material. And since all of us journalists were hungry, tired and not very good at our “jobs,” no one bothered to follow up on my question to confirm what “Sin City” tales are planned for the sequel. Sorry about that…
I will say this, every time Trejo, Rodriguez or anyone associated with Troublemaker Studios mentioned Machete, they — without fail — displayed giddy smiles. Perhaps they have something quality on their hands, then again Rodriguez always seems incredibly excited about whatever he’s working on… even when he’s working on the likes of Taylor Lautner and Lava Girl.
No news on Rodriguez’s Nerveracker. However, Avellán confirmed that Barbarella was dead as dead can be. I think everyone knew that. The only reason I bring it up is that I noticed a mock-up of a set for the film (with a miniature Rose McGowan figurine, no less) in the production-design area. It may have been a space-ship interior. Who’s to say. Lots of ovals and pod chairs. Very true to the original’s aesthetics. So there’s your glimpse into a movie that never happened.
In a variety of rather unrevealing newsy tidbits: No one has approached Topher Grace for the Venom spin-off. Does this shock anyone? After all, Spider-Man 3 climaxed with Grace swallowing a goblin-bomb that didn’t even leave a pile of Topher dust for the coroner. Oh and Alice Braga doesn’t seem to know which ending of I Am Legend she prefers. Again, not exciting, but it’s Sunday night and Christmas is around the corner so I’m spreading what wealth I have.
That’s all for now, the good stuff is around the corner when my actual report from the set of Predators is released from its cage. Stay tuned.
