Voice Casting Tidbits for 'Yogi Bear' and 'Puss in Boots'

Entertainment Weekly just got a big casting scoop on the unnecessary adaptation of the classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon "Yogi Bear." Dan Aykroyd is in talks to voice the picnic basket stealing bear and Justin Timberlake is also in talks for the role of Boo-Boo. Meanwhile, Anna Faris (again, also in negotiations) will play a nature documentarian following Yogi and Boo-Boo for her next project.

While there's not much mentioned in the vein of conflict or plot for this film, I'm left wondering how and if Ranger Smith will fit into this story. The frustrated character was such a huge part of the original cartoon that I can't imagine them leaving him out.

The film is set to begin filming in Auckland, New Zealand next month from a script by Brad Copeland ("Wild Hogs"). It will be directed by Eric Brevig ("Journey to the Center of the Earth").

"Yogi Bear" is already slated for a December 17, 2010 release.

"The Hangover" star Zach Galifianakis is certainly making a name for himself as of late: after starring in the $461 million comedy smash hit this summer, he has garnered himself a slew of roles, the latest of which is voicing a children’s nursery rhyme character in the upcoming "Shrek" spin-off movie, "Puss In Boots."

The Hollywood Reporter states that Galifianakis is in talks to voice Humpty Dumpty, and if cast he’ll be joining the voice of "Puss In Boots" himself, Antonio Banderas, as well as Salma Hayek who’s voicing Kitty. The spin-off will be written by Tom Wheeler, and will be a prequel leading up to the feisty feline’s appearance in "Shrek 2."

"Shrek the Third" director, Chris Miller, will direct the Dreamworks animated film, which is now set to hits theaters on November 4th, 2011 .Before then, Puss In Boots will make another appearance in the fourth installment of the successful Shrek franchise, entitled "Shrek Forever After," which hits theaters on May 21, 2010.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: First Showing, Screen Rant

Movie News Mash 18

ALIEN PREQUEL
The Playlist is reporting secondhand news from their Entertainment Weekly which discusses the recently talked about "Alien" prequel feature Ridley and Tony Scott are setting up with Carl Rinsch directing. However it appears Fox isn’t interested in Rinsch and they want Ridley back at the helm. Rinsch also is apparently involved romantically with Ridley’s daughter Jordan (just added gossip for fun).

SCREAM 4
The new "Scream" trilogy is still being talked about with Digital Spy catching up with director Wes Craven. The original "Scream" helmer tells the site, “Bob Weinstein (The Weinstein Company co-chairman) has talked to me, he’s interested in me directing it. I had a brief conversation with Kevin [Williamson], I know that Kevin is writing. What I’ve said to Bob is I’m not closed to it, I’m not open to it, I’ll be perfectly happy to read a script and tell him what I think. That’s where it’s at and I’m not expecting a script until August. I don’t know what the premise is or anything.”

PREDATORS
The rumor of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character from the original "Predator" would be featured in some way in "Predators" has been squashed by Robert Rodrgiuez. He told AICN, “We’re still writing a new script, and although I know Arnold personally and he’s the coolest person on the planet, I have not contacted him about this at all at this time.”

PUSS IN BOOTS
In speaking with Movehole, writer David H. Steinberg confirmed that the "Puss in Boots" spin-off movie will feature all new characters, with no sign of Shrek, Fiona, Donkey or any of the other recurring characters from the "Shrek" series:

“[It will feature] all new characters - except Puss… ‘It doesn’t overlap with Shrek at all. Partly that was done to tell an original Puss story, but partly because we didn’t know what Shrek 4 (and now Shrek 5) were going to do with the characters and we couldn’t write conflicting storylines.”

GHOST BUSTERS III
ComingSoon.net spoke on the phone with filmmaker Harold Ramis about the upcoming "Ghostbusters III." According to Ramis, the story is being written but no one from the previous cast has officially signed on to be in the film.

"I wrote the story for the new movie with them, and Dan and I've been consulting. We're just waiting to see a first draft and where we are," Ramis said, although he's very optimistic it will happen with Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson returning as well. "Everyone says they'll do it, they've all said they'll do it. No one has signed anything yet--we haven't signed anything either--but there's the spirit of willingness in the air."

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Other Sources: Rope of Silicon, Screen Rant

Antonio Banderas Talks Puss in Boots Spin Off

ComingSoon.net just got off the phone with actor Antonio Banderas, talking with him about his upcoming heist thriller "Thick as Thieves" (also referred to as "The Code"), directed by Mimi Leder ("Deep Impact") and co-starring Morgan Freeman, which hits DVD and Blu-ray on June 23.

With the announcement by DreamWorks Animation last week of their animation slate for the next four years--you can read it here--we eventually got around to talking about the role of Puss in Boots, which Banderas has voiced since "Shrek 2." Besides plans for a fourth movie "Shrek Forever After" next year, it was also confirmed that they'll be rolling forward with a spin-off movie called "Puss in Boots."

Banderas said that he has his third recording session next week for "Shrek Forever After," which he thinks will be his last one, and then he said that they've have already given him a look at the script for the spin-off movie. "I'm very happy with what I'm doing. In a way, it's easy work because I know the parameters of the character. I know how to move him around. At the same time, a couple days ago, I went to DreamWorks and they pitched me what is going to be Puss in Boots' own movie, and it looks unbelievable. It looks really, really cool. They've been working very, very heavy on the script for almost three years, and they didn't just want to give me any kind of thing until the other day when Jeffrey finally called me and he said it was done. I went there and I was very surprised how the movie is going to take off. I love it."

Banderas confirmed that the movie would indeed be an origin story for the swashbuckling feline and got into a few more details about the tone. "Yes, we're going to go from the time he's a very little cat, so you see actually why and how he becomes an adult killer, and the reasons why he ends up on that path. It's interesting because it goes away from that kind of use of popular culture that 'Shrek' has. It goes in a different way, and the movie sometimes gets almost emotional, I may say, and it's kind of epic. I found when they pitched the movie to me, and now reading the script, a total real connection with the character. Obviously, he's a cartoon, but (I have) a real personal connection with him in terms of what he's expressing. It's very emotional at some points, it's very special. It's going to surprise people I think; they're not going to expect what we're going to do."

Are you interested in seeing a type of "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" film except it being about Puss in Boots?
Source: ComingSoon.net

Puss in Boots

According to Latino Review, TV writer Tom Wheeler has been hired to write the spin-ff film from "Shrek 2" that will star Puss in Boots, the assassin cat voiced by Antonio Banderas.

Puss in Boots was meant to kill Shrek, but ended up joining his group instead and returned for "Shrek 3" and "Shrek the Halls."
Now Puss will get his own movie.

So how will "Puss in Boots" do as a spin-ff film? Will there be characters from the "Shrek" films? Will it be an origin story? Will it somehow follow the story based on the real tales of "Puss in Boots?"

A fourth "Shrek" movie, "Shrek Goes Fourth," is schedule to come out in May of 2010.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!