Being Jim Carrey

The latest talks between representatives for Jim Carrey and USA Films are underway, and things are looking good for Being John Malkovich author Charlie Kaufman

Representatives for Jim Carrey have begun early talks to have the actor star in the upcoming USA Films feature, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, for director Michel Gondry.  The script comes from Being John Malkovich scribe Charlie Kaufman and will be produced by Steve Golin, who also produced Malkovich through his Anonymous Content.

Since garnering an Academy Award nomination for his Malkovich script, Kaufman's works have been hot reads among Hollywood A-list actors.  With Carrey beginning talks to star in Eternal, interest by actresses to play the female lead has begun heating up. Eternal takes place in the depths of the human brain.   It deals with a man and what he goes through as he tries to move on from the steamy relationship he had with his former mate. Gondry is a former commercial and music video director who recently made his name on the festival circuit with the feature, Human Nature, starring Tim Robbins and Patricia Arquette.

Kaufman recently penned the screenplays for Adaptation, the Columbia feature starring Nicolas Cage, and George Clooney's directorial debut, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, which stars Clooney, Sam Rockwell, and Drew Barrymore for Miramax.

Carrey will next be seen on the big screen in the Frank Darabont drama, The Majestic, for Castle Rock and is attached to star opposite Nicole Kidman in an as-of-yet untitled comedy for writer-director Gary Ross.  He has also entered the producing field through his Pit Bull productions, gearing up to work on a Howard Hughes biopic with director Chris Nolan and an adaptation of the Jerry Stanley novel, The Children of the Dust Bowl, for Jersey Films.

Their Troubles Almost Over

Big Trouble, which was scheduled for opening shortly after the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, is back on the boards--now scheduled for a spring debut

What else would you expect from a movie with this name?  It was supposed to come out in October, but Touchstone Pictures' Big Trouble, which includes a scene with a bomb on a plane, was postponed after September 11. Touchstone has announced that the film is now scheduled for nationwide release on Friday, April 5, 2002.

Big Trouble is helmed by veteran director Barry Sonnenfeld, director of The Addams Family, Get Shorty, Men in Black, and the upcoming Men in Black 2.  The film comes from the comedic mind of Miami Herald syndicated columnist and author, Dave Barry.  The ensemble cast includes Tim Allen, Zooey Deschanel, Omar Epps, Dennis Farina, Ben Foster, Janeane Garofalo, Johnny Knoxville, Jason Lee, Dwight "Heavy D" Myers, Rene Russo, Tom Sizemore, Stanley Tucci, Sofia Vergara, and Patrick Warburton.

The flick tells the story of how a mysterious suitcase brings together and forever changes the lives of a run-of-the-mill ensemble consisting of a divorced dad, an unhappy housewife, two Mafia hit men, a pair of street thugs, two love-struck teens, two FBI men, and a psychedelic toad.  (What, no rock stars?)  It is produced by Sonnenfeld, Barry Josephson, and Tom Jacobson from a screenplay by Robert Ramsey and Matthew Stone.  Graham Place is co-producer and Jim Wedaa is executive producer.   Buena Vista Pictures will be the distributor.

Full Duplex

Danny DeVito to take over directing post for Miramax Film's upcoming comedy, Duplex, set in New York City and starring Ben Stiller and Drew Barrymore

We know that the housing shortage in downtown Manhattan is critical, but this is ridiculous.  Imagine a young couple offered the apartment of their dreams in downtown Manhattan only to learn that they can't move into their upscale new pad until the current occupant, a little old lady, moves out.  And she seems to have no intentions of moving out ... ever!  The couple soon enough decides that their only recourse may be murder.

With the film's departure of Greg Mottola, Danny DeVito has agreed to move in and take over directing duties.  Mottola left the project early this month.   He was scheduled to begin production last month.  Now, with the revised lineup, it's likely that the project won't gear up until January, although casting has yet to be completed. DeVito recently wrapped up work as director of the Warner Bros. film, Death to Smoochy, a comedy about rival children's show hosts, in which he stars with Robin Williams and Edward Norton.

The actor/director had been briefly slated to direct Kate Hudson in Paramount's How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, but those duties have since been taken over by Mike Newell.

DeVito's directing credits include Throw Momma From the Train, The War of the Roses, and Hoffa.

Oceans Sink Harry Potter

The film that held top box-office draw for three weeks was finally swamped as an old Rat-Pack remake reclaimed top earnings honors for the three-day period ending December 9

After three weeks at No. 1, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone made way for Ocean's Eleven, an all-star remake of a vehicle about a daring Vegas heist.    According to studio estimates issued Sunday, Dec. 9, Ocean's Eleven swept $39.3 million from moviegoers in the United States and Canada, a record for a three-day December opening.

Meanwhile, for the same period, Harry Potter pulled in $14.8 million, taking its 24-day total to $239.7 million.  (The film is called Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in English-speaking Canada and in most international territories.)  Both flicks were released by Warner Bros. Pictures, a unit of AOL Time Warner, parent company of CNN.com.

The action-packed war story Behind Enemy Lines (Fox) slipped one spot to No. 3 with $8.1 million in its second weekend, while Monsters, Inc. (Walt Disney) was steady at No. 4 with $6.7 million in its sixth weekend.  Spy Game (Universal), starring Pitt and Robert Redford, fell two places to No. 5 with $4.6 million in its third weekend.

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