1.) We’ve already seen how much Ashton Kutcher looks like Steve Jobs in the upcoming biopic jOBS, which will close the Sundance Film Festival on January 26. Now, USA Today gives us our first look at Josh Gad as Jobs’ Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. I wouldn’t quite say the resemblance is uncanny, but a successful biopic has never been purely dependent on casting lookalikes. Open Road Films has already picked up the film for an April release.
2.) After watching recent ’80s remakes like Fright Night, Conan the Barbarian and Red Dawn set the box-office on fire (no, not really), Warner Bros. has decided now is the time to reboot Gremlins. The studio would have to work out a deal with Steven Spielberg‘s Amblin Entertainment first, and negotiations have fallen through several times over the years, but a source seems to think there’s a decent chance we could see Gizmo and company back on the big screen in the relatively near future. [Vulture]
3.) Al Pacino has been attached to play disgraced former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno since September, when the project’s source biography, Joe Posnanski‘s “[amazon asin=”1451657498″ text=”Paterno”]”, sat atop the New York Times Bestseller list. Things got more interesting yesterday when producer Edward R. Pressman revealed the film will reunite Pacino with his Scarface and Carlito’s Way director Brian De Palma.
A deal is currently being worked out with David McKenna (American History X, Blow) to pen the script, with the project currently operating under the rather ironic title of Happy Valley. Posnanski actually started working on the book long before any news of the now-infamous child molestation scandal broke, thus the coach’s fall from grace is only part of the story. It’ll be interesting to see which material and themes McKenna chooses to focus on. [Deadline]
4.) Brett Ratner‘s Hercules has set a date to open in theaters August 8, 2014. The Paramount-MGM co-production will star Dawyne Johnson as the titular strongman. Ryan Condal wrote the script based on the graphic novel “Hercules: The Thracian Wars,” which picks up the son of Zeus’ story after he completes his 12 laborious adventures as he and his band of mercenaries are hired to train the king’s army. [The Wrap]
5.) Patrick Stewart, Carla Gugino and Matthew Lillard will star in Match for writer/director Stephen Belber (Tape, Management), who is adapting his own Broadway play. Set in the 1960s, Stewart’s character is a reclusive former choreographer who finally faces the impact of his past decisions after he’s paid a visit by a couple interested in learning about dance. [THR]
