Casting rumor

13thstreet.com reports (from a story on Undercover Music News) that singer Natalie Imbruglia is close to signing on to star in a remake of "Dead End." The article mentions that the project "has also attracted the interest" of Edward Norton, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Matt LeBlanc. [Thanks to Joanne for the info!]

EN interviewed in Cal Ripken Jr. special

VCR Alert EN was one of the individuals interviewed for a two-hour special called "The Season: A Year with Cal Ripken, Jr." It will be shown on ESPN2 on SATURDAY, Dec 29 in the evening (check your local listings). The special originally aired in Nov- I don't know when it will repeat again [Thanks to Joanne for the info!]. Also, EN participated in another related project: EN serves as the narrator of "Cal Ripken Jr.: The Ironman's Legendary Career", a one-hour program that was just released on VHS mid-December. more on "The Ironman's Legendary Career". EN and his family are long-time Oriole fans. The Dreamcatcher Foundation has one last autographed item up for auction- a Fight Club poster signed by EN and Brad Pitt.

Red Dragon filming starts soon, Foster cameo is fake rumor

Dark Horizons reports that January 7 is locked as the start of shooting for Red Dragon. However, it turns out the much hyped rumor about Jodie Foster being offered a cameo in the film (and subsequently turning it down) isn't true. Coming Soon! interviewed Red Dragon director Brett Ratner and he "confirms that they have not spoken with either Julianne Moore or Jodie Foster about reprising the Starling role in 'Red Dragon.' Ratner says he's not sure 'what they are talking about.'" According to Variety, the resurrected Runaway Jury project that was to star Will Smith seems to have collapsed [Thanks to Margaret for the info!]. EN was attached to star in this project back in May 1997 with Sean Connery and Gwyneth Paltrow in talks to co-star under the direction of Joel Schumacher. However, the project fell apart (but EN did get paid). Read today's Variety story: "Runaway Jury" loses case again or check my Nonprojects page for the history of the project

DreamCatchers Foundation auction

The DreamCatchers Foundation has items signed by Edward Norton up for auction. HURRY and bid!!! Soem of the auctions are ending as early as THURSDAY DECEMBER 20.

Update on Hughes project

An article in Variety mentions that the Howard Hughes project starring Edward Norton to be directed by Milos Forman has stalled while another one starring Jim Carrey is in the planning stages. Castle Rock books Howard Hughes project

Red Dragon, Actors

Dark Horizons reports that Jodie Foster has passed on a cameo appearance in Red Dragon. They also report that Michael Caine has signed on to The Actors. Last fall, EN was interested in this project, however, I don't know if he is still considering it.

Fiennes joins Red Dragon

Ralph Fiennes has signed on to play the serial killer "The Dragon" in Red Dragon Read the announcement Fiennes gets fired up for Uni's 'Dragon' [Thanks to Nina for the news!!!].

Red Dragon killer casting, Hopkins and CGI

Daily Variety reports that Ralph Fiennes will be meeting with director Brett Radner about the key role of Francis Dolarhyde aka the serial killer The Dragon in Red Dragon. It also mentions that Sean Penn was also one of the actors Ratner met with for this role, however the "buzz seems to be centering on Fiennes." Also, Dark Horizons and Ain't-it-Cool News both received a rumor from the same source on Wed Nov 21 that Jodie Foster might make a cameo in Red Dragon. This week's Entertainment Weekly (Harry Potter cover) has an article talking about the use of CGI (computer-generated imaging). The article mentions that CGI will be used to make Anthony Hopkins appear younger in Red Dragon since at least part of the action will occur years before Silence of the Lambs. Other smaller mentions: last Friday (I think) Entertainment Tonight ran a segment on all the new rumors asserted by a new book on millionaire Howard Hughes and mentioned EN as one of the actors (as well as Johnny Depp and Leonardo Di Caprio) considering playing Hughes in an upcoming film. I don't know if any progress has been made, but as long as ET is bringing it up, why not read more about the project in a Sept 2001 Archerd column Reviving Howard Hughes. Last year around this time, EN spoke about his interest in a comedy called The Actors written and to be directed by Irish playwright Conor McPherson (The Weir). At the time, EN's concerns about this film was that the studio had some different ideas on how the film should be done. Well, a Oct 29 Variety article reports that the project has a new studio: The Actors was acquired by Miramax (picked up after turnaround from DreamWorks Pictures) and that filming is scheduled to begin in March. I don't know if this change affects EN's interest in the role but I thought I'd bring it up. Also, a March start date is cutting it close: EN will start filming Red Dragon in January and generally likes to take a little time to switch gears between projects. So I guess we'll see what happens.

Hotel, casting news on Red Dragon

EN in HOTEL? Some very interesting news today courtesy of Jacinda at Hayek Heaven: EN filmed a scene in Mike Figgis' Hotel, which includes Salma Hayek and Saffron Burrows. Hotel (like Figgis' Time Code) was entirely improvised. Hayek plays a MTV personality and was surprised to find EN in one of her takes. He had set it up with Figgis and the cast and showed up on the Venice set when he was supposed to be in New York. But it's unknown whether EN will make the final cut. If not, the Time Code DVD contained a lot of extra material, so hopefully it will be the same for a Hotel DVD. More info on this project can be found in the article Salma, the original Latin goddess. I'll try to post more background info as soon as I can at the Hotel page. More news: update on Red Dragon casting: Harvey Keitel has signed on and Philip Seymour Hoffman and Mary-Louise Parker are in final negotiations. For all the info, go to the Red Dragon page. Below is Hayek's comment about EN's surprise visit to the Hotel set:

"I had just talked to him the day before. I was nervous and shocked and I had to pretend he was a famous actor I was trying to interview for my show. I just couldn't believe it."

Red Dragon filming, Smoochy script review

13thstreet.com reports that Red Dragon may film in Baltimore. This is interesting since Dr. Hannibal Lecter was supposed to be a prominent psychiatrist in Baltimore when he was discovered to be a serial killer. Another interesting fact: EN grew up in Columbia, a suburb of Baltimore. Dark Horizons posted another script review of Death to Smoochy (Positive, Minor Spoilers)- Click here for the script review [Thanks to Joanne for the info!]

War Letters, Smoochy release date

American Experience: War Letters airs tonight on PBS. The New York Times wrote a favorable article in the program which provides more details about the show- The Troops at the Front as Poets for Future Readers. Upcomingmovies.com reports that the release date for Death to Smoochy has been moved up a week to March 15th, 2002. [Thanks to Joanne for the info!] Strangely enough, this means that Death to Smoochy will open against Hart's War (EN was signed for the lead in Hart's War but weeks later dropped out of the film).

Fan Mail?

The concern over anthrax has changed policies in the entertainment community in the handling of fan mail. Endeavor, the agency that represents Edward Norton, no longer accepts fan mail for any of their clients, so if you try to send a letter to him, most likely it will be send back. I don't know what this means for letters that have already been received. Unfortunately, the Endeavor address was the only address to send fan mail to EN. I'll let you know if and when there is an alternative method Read the Variety article - Madness in Mailrooms. I'm going out-of-town for a few days, so this is the last update until Sunday.

Concert for NY, Red Dragon

EN was at Saturday's "Concert for NY"- Take a look at some pics [Thanks to Joanne for the pic!]. The Score will be released on DVD in the U.S. on December 11. In addition to the trailer, it will have a "Making the Score" featurette, additional footage and a commentary by director Frank Oz and director of photography Rob Hahn [Thanks to Joanne, B.L., and Emily ? for the info!] . And now on RED DRAGON front: an Anthony Hopkins interview that took place at the end of September for the release of Hearts in Atlantis has been posted on IGN Film Force. When asked about the project, "Hopkins seems hesitant to discuss it, saying only 'that's in the works, I guess. I just take it a day at a time. I'm told that Edward Norton is going to play the other part, and that's wonderful. Brett Ratner is directing it. That's planned for January.'" Also, Dark Horizons (10/12/01) posted that Australia's Who Magazine reports that Australian actor Ben Mendelsohn looks set to join Red Dragon. The crucial role that had not been cast is that of the serial killer "The Dragon" (aka "The Tooth Fairy). I don't know if this is the role that Mendelsohn would play, but producer Dino De Laurentiis mentioned going with "somebody with practically a new face". I've been catching up and adding items to the Update page including an interview with Motherless Brooklyn author Jonathan Lethem. Unfortunately, we received another unexpected tragedy: my grandmother passed away, weeks shy of her 99th birthday. Nothing I write seems adequate to describe her.

Smoochy photos, Score articles

Thanks so much to everyone who emailed their well-wishes while my family has been waiting for news of my cousin Bobby after the WTC attack. There was a good article published on him and I've posted it : 2 Seats to cherish for father, son. Please bear with me as I slowly get back to the website. There are three new photos from Death to Smoochy that I found today and posted in the Smoochy gallery. The Score opened in the U.K. at the end of September so there are some new articles posted too. Please check the Updates page for all the new stuff.

Red Dragon casting

Dark Horizons reports that Jeremy Piven (Very Bad Things, TV's "Ellen") is auditioning for a role in Red Dragon, most likely the role of the serial killer "The Dragon" (aka the Tooth Fairy). Red Dragon page

Autographs

Autograph Collector magazine ranked EN as #3 on the worst celebrity signers list. How is this list determined? ABCnews.com posted an article about the list and the people who compile this list annually. It is not based on disappointed fans who reported bad experiences, it's determined by two autograph hunters that make six-figure salaries from getting autographs and selling them. While this list is probably not the best way to gauge how EN will react to a fan's request for an autograph, you may want to try a less aggressive approach since he also has to deal with the professional autograph hunters. So don't ambush him outside the men's room (in fact, you may want to nix any plans that involve either "ambushing" or the "men's room"). Read ABCnews.com's Celebrity Autograph Hunters

EN as Howard Hughes?

CASTING POSSIBILITY: In today's Archerd column in Daily Variety, EN was one of the names mentioned (along with Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio) as possibilities for the lead of an upcoming project on the life of Howard Hughes based on a biography written by Richard Hack to be produced and directed by Billy Friedkin. This is not the first time EN has been mentioned in connection with a Howard Hughes project. In Variety's 1/13/00 Dish column, EN was mentioned to play the billionaire in a version to be directed by Milos Forman and written by screenwriters Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (People vs. Larry Flynt and Man on the Moon). However, that project has never seemed to pan out. Leonardo Di Caprio has also been interested for a long while in starring in a Hughes biography, but his project has never come together either. Read today's Archerd column "Reviving Howard Hughes"