With Robert Rodriguez every week claiming he’s working on a new project (where are Sin City 2, Barbarella, and The Jetsons , Rob?) it’s hard to take any film he says he’ll do too seriously until there’s hard evidence. Well, here’s a little. Machete takes one dainty step towards actualization this week with the first character poster premiering at the American Film Market. I’ll remain skeptical of its existence until I end up accidentally seeing it on a plane (even if I see it in a theater, only that later plane viewing will convince me of its existence). After all, the film will reportedly also star Robert De Niro, Lindsay Lohan, and Steven Seagal, which sounds like such an incredibly unlikely, fake cast that it basically negates the reality any posters of Jessica Alba in Linda-Hamilton-in-Terminator mode.

I’ve always said, give David Arquette enough time, he’ll eventually find a reason to get himself out of bed. And this spring, looks like he’ll have one: Bob Weinstein has revealed that, to fight waning elongated-white-mask sales, Dimension Films will begin production on Scream 4 in April or May. Series regulars Wes Craven, Neve Campbell, David Arquette, and Courtney Cox are all not doing that much besides being in Cougar Town /watching Cougar Town , and are expected to return to kick off a new rapidly-declining trilogy. Weinstein also announced Robert Rodriguez is working on a new Spy Kids movie to be shot in 3-D, thus rendering Spy Kids 3-D not that special anymore. Additionally, the studio hopes to have a Halloween 3-D ready by next year’s holiday that the film is most appropriate for, and Weinstein confirmed plans for remakes of Children of the Corn , Short Circuit , and American Werewolf in London and 3-D sequels to Hellraiser and Scanners . Sounds like if you’re the kind of person who wants to put on annoying glasses and watch a piece-of-shit remake/sequel, Dimension is the studio looking out for you.

Rose McGowan and her boyfriend fiance Robert Rodriguez were snapped catching a flick at the Arclight in Hollywood last night, and it looks like these two are still going strong! Think they'll ever get married? Robert did confirm the…

My principles may be crumbling, just a little. Neil Marshall (pictured) is in talks to direct Predators , according to Bloody Disgusting , citing an anonymous tipster. At this point, it’s very much a rumor — for all we know, Marshall was visiting a friend in the commissary at 20th Century Fox and was seen in close proximity to an executive — but of all the possible candidates to helm a sequel to the alien hunter franchise, I’d definitely be down with Marshall. He has three features to his credit: The Descent is the best and most widely-acclaimed, a feverish nightmare in which a group of women explore a cave and discover deadly denizens, to their dismay. I got a huge kick out of the bloody, funny, pulse-pounding Dog Soldiers , featuring Scottish soldiers on a training run who encounter werewolves, and, though I was decidedly in the minority, really enjoyed the post-Apocalyptic action epic Doomsday . The latter was his first with a Hollywood studio (Rogue Pictures). Upcoming is his “old-style swords ‘n’ armor action epic” Centurion , which looks promising but doesn’t yet have US distribution. Robert Rodriguez is on board to produce. Predators is already set to be released on July 7, 2010, so Fox will have to make a decision soon. Marshall has always written his own scripts; if this rumor proves to be true, either he’ll have to pound out a rewrite in a hurry or take what Fox gives him. Considering the track records of Marshall and Fox, there’s reason for both optimism … and despair. Filed under: Action , Sci-Fi & Fantasy , RumorMonger , 20th Century Fox , Remakes and Sequels Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Now that Robert Rodriguez won’t be making Barbarella anytime in the near future it looks like he has put his live-action Jetson ’s flick at the front of the pack instead. The director recently told MTV that he hopes to get the film in front of cameras by next year. A script was completed by Adam F. Goldberg ( Fanboys ) back in 2007, but Rodriguez has been hard at work on a rewrite and keeping quiet about casting prospects. The Jetsons was the story of a futuristic family living in a world run by sprockets … and that was about it, really. Each week, George Jetson would get fired, promoted, you name it — and then head home to his family which consisted of the perfect housewife, a genius son and boy-crazy daughter. Their dog would mispronounce words; the robot maid would get a few wisecracks in and voila! A cartoon classic was born. I’m not a big Jetsons fan, but I do love to play fantasy casting director, so here are my picks for a live-action Jetsons : George Jetson: Steve Carell Despite having a spotty record on the big-screen, Carell proved once before that he can walk away from a TV adaptation with his dignity intact. He not only has the look down, but he can play a lovable loser with the best of them and has a knack for physical comedy. What more could you ask for in a George Jetson? Jane Jetson: Reese Witherspoon Jane wasn’t exactly a ditz, but let’s just say she wasn’t the sharpest sprocket in the pile either. Witherspoon has made bank on playing these kinds of characters in the past, and I think she has just the right amount of uptight to be the doting wife (and straight man) to her wackier better half. After the jump: my final picks… Filed under: Comedy , Casting , Fandom , Family Films , Remakes and Sequels Continue reading Cast This: The Live-Action ‘Jetsons’ Movie Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

In the vast void of remakes and sequels, there was one I was actually happy about — Robert Rodriguez’s take on Barbarella . Rose McGowan was the absolute perfect choice ( read why here ), and I knew the Double R could make something fun from it. But then his plans needed a huge budget, and scared Universal into their bank vault to protect the monies. Hope might have lingered, but now there’s no reason to hold on. In a conversation with MTV , Rodriguez said that while a German company offered to fork over $70 mil so he could make the film, he wasn’t keen on having to spend all that time overseas. Naturally — how would he see his kids or make his late-night Latin meals? So he said no, and now the project is dead and he’s moved on. The most we can hope to get is a potential release of the artwork that shows plans, and how cool it would’ve been. Tease. I have a wild idea: Make a faux trailer and at least give us something. Hell, it could be tacked onto Machete ! On a small scale, Rodriguez could show us at least some of his vision. We could see Rose fight the Orgasmatron! I’m thinking a short film trailer, like the tantalizing Trailer for a Remake of Gore Vidal’s Caligula . Who’s with me? Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy , Deals , Remakes and Sequels Permalink | Email this | Comments

At a news conference yesterday, Robert Rodriguez confirmed rumors he’s going to relaunch the Predator series, but judging by the film’s new title, sounds like there’s going to be a slight change: Director Robert Rodriguez has taken on the 20th Century Fox PREDATOR franchise and creating a newly rebooted “PREDATORS.” We’ve heard the rumblings that this was coming via B-D, but now it’s been confirmed. IESB has also confirmed it will be Rodriguez’ own take on the original concept and he is in fact not only producing the reboot, he’s also directing it. Rodriguez talked to the audience of press members and revealed his upcoming film slate. “I’m going to be able to shoot my upcoming Machete here, a sci-fi action film called Nervewrackers, a re-boot of the Predator series called Predators, and a couple of smaller movies called Sin City 2 and The Jetsons.” Wait a minute–did he just say Predator s ? As in more than one Predator!? What a sly change. Great work, Double R. Get to work on that after you finish all the other movies you probably aren’t ever going to start. And make sure Rose McGowan plays the majority of the Predators. UPDATE: Oh, and it will be out July 7 next year . Robert Rodriguez is Re-booting PREDATOR! [IESB]

This time they f**ked with the right Mexican! When I wrote about Eli Roth cooking up a feature helping of Thanksgiving, I couldn’t help but think about Machete , and wish he was heading for the big screen. Just a week later, my wish has been granted! If only that could happen every day. Variety reports that Robert Rodriguez has written a script for Machete , and hopes to grab Danny Trejo and start production this June in Austin. But he won’t helm this alone; this time around, he’s grabbing longtime editor Ethan Maniquis to co-direct. This blissful non-studio film (his first since El Mariachi ) will follow Machete, a Mexican ex-Federale who hides as a day laborer until he gets “double-crossed by a corrupt state senator.” He is, of course, also an expert knife-wielder and dude who can do some stunning things with a bike and a gun. But that’s not all. We’ve all been wondering what Rodriguez has been doing when he should have been making Sin City, Barbarella , and all the other projects that he’s talked about. He’s been writing Machete , and, well … Predators — yes, a sequel to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1987 alien fest Predator . There’s no further word on the project right now, so I’ll leave it up to you to imagine what RR will make of it. Are these the projects you want Rodriguez focusing on? Or is there something else you want to see him busy himself with? Filed under: Action , Sci-Fi & Fantasy , Deals , Scripts , Remakes and Sequels Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sin City is the series that just can’t catch a break. Last week, IESB.net was reporting that the Weinstein Company / Dimension had lost the rights to Sin City , and that the franchise was being quietly shopped around. The rumors were hotly denied by the Weinsteins … but now The Hollywood Reporter is saying the same darn thing. While the Weinsteins continue to maintain that they hold the rights, producers all around town are saying that Frank Miller’s “estate” has been shopping around those same rights. It’s unclear if they have lapsed due to the failure to renew or move on the property, but it seems strange that they could have expired so soon. This is a rumor that I think we all hope comes true. I’d like to see Sin City land at a studio willing to actually put A Dame to Kill For into production instead of just talking about it. It’s been four (count ‘em, four) years since Sin City, with “production starting in a matter of weeks!” reports being issued every three months or so. The talent remains enthusiastic and attached. Fans are clamoring for the rest of the sleazy series. It’s a no brainer for any other studio, but the Weinstein Company seems to believe delaying films until the end of the world is a sound business principle. What would you like to see ultimately happen with the next Sin City movie, and who do you think would take the best care of it? Filed under: Action , Thrillers , Deals , Noir , Mystery & Suspense , RumorMonger , Celebrities and Controversy , The Weinstein Co. , DIY/Filmmaking , Newsstand , Comic/Superhero/Geek , Remakes and Sequels Permalink | Email this | Comments

I'm sure people hate them for obvious reasons, but I loooved Planet Terror too much! Plus, Rose McGowan and Robert Rodriguez are a totes hot couple. Am I right or am I right?…