Movie News Bites

by Matt McDaniel | October 15, 2008

Douglas Going Back to 'Wall Street'?
This week 20th Century Fox announced they are going ahead with a proposed sequel to 1987's "Wall Street," which won Michael Douglas an Oscar for the role of tycoon Gordon Gekko. Called "Money Never Sleeps," it is said to pick up with Gekko re-entering the financial world after prison and finding it to be even more cutthroat than how he left it. Douglas has expressed interest in returning to the character, but says he won't commit until he reads the script. Read The Hollywood Reporter's article >>

Stone Tries to 'Not Take Sides'
On Friday, the director of the original "Wall Street," Oliver Stone, presents his new movie biography of the 43rd president, "W." While the outspoken auteur admittedly rushed the film to open before election day, he says the film was not intended to show George W. Bush in an unfair light. Stone tells Reuters, "The movie tries to understand Bush and make him a human being...I have tried not to take sides." Read the full Reuters story >>

To hear more from Stone and the cast of "W." take a look at our exclusive video interview below.

Bell and Bateman on a 'Couples Retreat'
After suffering through one bad relationship in a tropical paradise in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," Kristen Bell is trying to repair another while again getting big laughs in "Couples Retreat." She and Jason Bateman will play one of four couples roped into therapy at an island resort. The movie re-teams "Swingers" stars Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau, who also wrote the script. Kristin Davis will play Favreau's wife, and Malin Akerman plays Vaughn's. Read The Hollywood Reporter's story >>

Cheadle In, Howard Out of 'Iron Man 2'
Favreau's next directing job, "Iron Man 2," will sport a new face in the cast. Don Cheadle will step into the role of Jim "Rhodey" Rhodes, Tony Stark's best friend who became the superhero "War Machine" in the comics. Cheadle replaces Terrence Howard, whose contract negotiations with Marvel Studios reportedly fell apart over "financial differences." Cheadle's character is said to have a bigger role in the sequel, which will open on May 7, 2010. Read the full article from Reuters >>

First Look at Downey as 'Sherlock Holmes'
Meanwhile, "Iron Man" himself, Robert Downey Jr., has just begun work playing another brilliant and iconic hero, "Sherlock Holmes." Downey was photographed on location in London this week in costume. He looks decidedly different than previous portrayals of the famed detective, wearing a bowler hat, neckerchief and striped vest. The movie is based on the comic book by Lionel Wigram, rather than an original Arthur Conan Doyle story. Directed by Guy Ritchie, it also stars Jude Law as Dr. Watson, Rachel McAdams as Holmes' love interest, and Mark Strong as the villainous Blackwood. See Robert Downey Jr. in costume >>

Flaming Cars Disrupt Travolta Filming
Filming on John Travolta's next movie has been disrupted after 10 cars were set on fire at the production's location. "From Paris With Love," a spy thriller costarring Jonathan Rhys Meyers, was scheduled to shoot in one of Paris' toughest housing projects called Les Bosquets. It's not yet know who set the cars ablaze, but for now filming continues indoors. Read the full AP report >>