Theaters Give Chace on Halloween
While CW fans get to know him as lacrosse-playing teen-about-town Nate Archibald on Gossip Girl, Chace Crawford has also been busy screaming for his supper.
The Haunting of Molly Hartley, a supernatural thriller starring the 22-year-old heartthrob (who also made magic in the teen-witch chiller The Covenant), has been given a Halloween 2008 release date after indie distributor Freestyle Releasing acquired the U.S. rights to the film, the company announced Thursday.
Crawford plays Joseph, the nice guy who befriends new-girl-in-school Molly (Haley Bennett), who, for unknown reasons, is becoming increasingly freaked out by… something.
Crawford is one on a long list of current and former CW/WB/UPN stars, including Chad Michael Murrary, Jessica Biel, Sophia Bush, Barry Watson, Tom Welling, Kristen Bell, Brandy and Emily VanCamp, who have flashed their scary sides to beef up their big-screen credentials.
Tisdale Plays Musical Chairs with Career Plan
Ashley Tisdale is not a girl, not yet a witchy womanbut she's on her way.
Like several Disney-spawned stars before her, the septum-challenged High School Musical alum is in the process of establishing a tween-friendly business empire of her own, in talks to both star in the big-screen remake of Teen Witch and potentially produce a Disney series based on her prefame life as a mall employee.
According to the trades, Tisdale is parlaying her Sharpay Evans success into a new gig: Louise Miller, the unpopular high schooler who discovers she descended from Salem's pointy-nosed finest and has the black magic prowess to prove it.
The fantasy musical, originally starring Robin Lively in the titular role, was first released in 1989. Tom Cruise's United Artists is producing the remake. A start date has yet to be set as the script has not yet been written.
Meanwhile, the 23-year-old is building a career on more than just her pretty face, also starting negotiations for a one-year first-look producing deal with FremantleMedia North America, the same juggernaut behind American Idol.
Per Variety, under the not-yet-final deal, Tisdale would seek to develop herself as a global brand à la Disney cohorts Miley Cyrus and Hilary Duff, developing unscripted shows for Fremantle aimed toward a younger demographic. Tisdale herself would remain behind the cameras.
At least one of the shows would be kept in the network family, as Tisdale is already developing an untitled series for the Disney Channel based on her less-than-glamorous pre-HSM life, when she was working at a mall. As with the unscripted projects, Tisdale would not appear in the series.
Tom Cruise’s United Artists Plots Sci-Fi Trilogy From Ronald D. Moore
“Sci-fi.”
So, a writer/producer for Battlestar Galactica, Ronald D. Moore, is writing a sci-fi trilogy for Tom Cruise’s fledgling United Artists. That’s all of the info offered basically. As we’ve said before, original sci-fi seems to be on the comeback as we close out the decade and enter a considerable unknown. Moore previously worked on Cruise’s Mission: Impossible 2. Here’s what UA partner Paula Wagner had to say about him…
”Over the last decade Ron has emerged as the foremost sci-fi, fantasy creator, writer in the industry and working with him to bring his creative talents to the big screen is a great partnership for our studio.”
After striking out with Lions For Lambs, launching a force field against Valkyrie’s bad buzz and green lighting a stupid remake of Teen Witch, UA needs to produce a seriously popular and profitable franchise. More news on Moore’s trilogy as it develops. Is it just me or should Cruise make two more Risky Business films? Just me? Eeek.
via Variety
Ashley Tisdale to Star in Remake of Teen Witch For United Artists. Top That!?
In the year 2115, two robot scientists will compare 1989 and 2009 using the original version of Teen Witch and United Artists‘ Teen Witch remake starring the girl/”global brand” above, Ashley Tisdale (High School Musical, bright backgrounds). Cue robotic eye rolling. I checked on IMDB and thankfully, the cornerstone of the cheeky original, Zelda Rubenstein (right) is still alive, so UA better call her up for a tween-appealing cameo or face a spell not worthy of Carol Anne.
This might not be totally accurate, but I believe the original movie ranks on 20somethin’ girls’ endearing nostalgia-meter right around where American Ninja or Cyborg ranks with dudes of the same age. So it’s not exactly a female Fletch, but Tisdale has her bedazzled work cut out for her. Can she top the original’s rather amazing signature musical number entitled “Top That!”? That is a rhetorical question, but we’ve included the link to “Top That!” for your enjoyment. Yes, it’s friggin’ worth it.
via HR