TFC Journal at TheFilmChair.com

Top Story: Jessica Alba is in talk to play funny in Little Fockers, the second Meet the Parents sequel. The starlet will play the sexy pharmaceutical rep who drives all the boys wild. That’s range, folks. Paul Weitz directs and Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro return. (THR)

In Other News: Temple Hill Entertainment has picked up the screen rights to The Hills star Lauren Conrad’s debut novel, L.A. Candy. (Variety)

Uma Thurman will star in Ceremony, a comedy about a young man who falls for an older bride-to-be. Michael Angarano will play the young man. (Variety)

Fin.

Top Story: Stephen King has signed on to turn his Hard Case Crime mystery, The Colorado Kid, into a series for E1. Though the novella had no surface elements of the supernatural, the series, titled Haven, will focus on the mysteries and curses plaguing the inhabitants of an isolated New England community. (Variety)

In Other News: Leonardo DiCaprio is attached to star in Fox’s adaptation of John D. MacDonald’s The Deep Blue Goodbye. (Variety)

Roman Polanski’s The Ghost, a political thriller about a British politician and his ghostwriter, is now in jeopardy because of the director’s arrest in Switzerland. All I can say is: “Free Roman”! (THR)

Fin.

Breck Eisner’s remake of George Romero’s The Crazies doesn’t hit theaters until February, but we have a little teaser for you today courtesy of Overture Films. Looks like the cover to a great pulpy horror novel. Is this going to be a successful Romero update like Dawn of the Dead? Or will it be a disaster like that Day of the Dead movie that I’m sure came out at one point but you probably haven’t seen? We’ll find out on Feb. 26, 2010.

Check out the trailer for George Romero’s 1973 classic after the jump.
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More Antichrist wickedness. Designed by artist David V. D’Andrea for the Fantastic Fest screening of Lars von Trier’s Antichrist. The film hits theaters Oct. 23 and will be available on demand Oct. 28.

Top Story: Roman Polanski arrived in at the Zurich Airport planning to attend the Zurich Film Festival where he was to receive a lifetime achievement award. Instead, he was greeted at the airport by Swiss authorities who arrested the director.  The Swiss Justice Ministry cooperated with Los Angeles County’s request for extradition so that Polanski, who fled the US for France after pleading guilty to unlawful sex with a minor in 1978, can face sentencing in the States. Polanski had avoided visiting countries that would likely extradite him to the US and visited Switzerland numerous times in the past three decades. No word yet on when Polanski what prompted the arrest on this occasion or when he will actually delivered into US custody. (Variety)

In Other News: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs topped the domestic box office for a second weekend in a row.  The 3D animated film only dropped 19 percent on its way to adding $24.6 million to its growing haul. (Variety)

Overseas, Disney/Pixar’s Up won the weekend with $12.3 million. The film’s worldwide total is now over $500 million, with its UK opening still to come. (Screen Daily)

R.I.P. The Beautiful Life. (THR)

Fin.

“If Haley got pregnant, would you ever pretend she got mono for a few months and then tell everyone the baby’s yours?”
–Middle daughter Claire’s reaction to her older sister having a boy over.

Top Story: Neve Campbell has taken her love of working one step too far. The actress has officially signed on for Scream 4, which will be part of a new trilogy from the Weinsteins’ Dimension Films. Just taking a guess, but I don’t think Neve Campbell will make it through the first 10 minutes of this Scream. David Arquette and Courtney Cox Arquette had previously signed on to return, with Wes Craven in talks to direct and Kevin Williamson writing the script. (Variety)

In Other News: Another remake of the twice remade 1934 film A Star is Born may finally be moving forward at Warner Bros. (THR)

Newmarket has picked up the U.S. distribution rights to Jon Amiel’s Creation. I bet the people who put down all that money to see The Passion of the Christ never thought that the profits would one day be used to release a Charles Darwin biopic. (THR)

Opening Today:
Fame (2009)
Pandorum
Surrogates

Fin.

“And I made us a mix CD. It’s all made up of songs about people watching people. It’s mostly Sting.”

–Leslie Knope on essential stakeout music.

Top Story: Columbia Pictures is prepping a sequel to its 2007 Marvel adaptation of Ghost Rider. David Goyer is in talks to write to story and supervise the production. Nicolas Cage is expected to return in the title role. (Variety)

In Other News: David Cronenberg is in talks with Fox to write and possibly direct a remake of his 1986 sci-fi film The Fly. (Variety)

In toys-that-have-no-reason-to-be-movies news, Universal plans to make young women more insecure by turning Mattel’s Barbie into a movie star. (Variety)

Sam Raimi has signed on to produce a supernatural horror film from newbie British helmer Corin Hardy. The film, titled Refuge, will tell the story of a small town under siege from Yeti attacks. (THR)

Stanley Tucci will join Christina Aguilera and Cher in the modern musical Burlesque. (Variety)

Fin.

Top Story: Universal has figured out a way to get me to see a Sweet Valley High movie. The studio is negotiating for the rights to the book series and plans to have Academy Award winner Diablo Cody (love saying that) adapt and produce. (THR)

In Other News: David Fincher has added three friends to his Facebook movie. The Social Network, written by Aaron Sorkin, will feature Jesse Eisenberg as Facebook Mark Zuckerberg. Justin Timberlake and  Andrew Garfield will also star. (Variety)

Twilight author Stephenie Meyer will see her adult novel The Host turned in to a feature film with Andrew Niccol adapting the book and directing. (Variety)

Lionsgate picked up the worldwide rights to writer-director Stephen Gaghan’s next film, an action thriller about a deep cover operative turned beat cop who fights a global organization. (THR)

Fin.