Williams puckers up for "Smoochy"*
By Michael Fleming
Variety, Thursday October 5, 2000 4:14 AM ET
NEW YORK (Variety) - Robin Williams is near a deal to star in Death to Smoochy, a Warner
Bros. comedy that will be directed by Danny DeVito.
Williams will play Rainbow Randolph, a Barney-like costumed TV star fired for
taking payola and replaced by the clean-cut title character, a blue rhinoceros. Randolph then
plots to kill his rhino rival, or actually the clean-cut guy under the fuzzy suit. DeVito will
also star in the film.
The project, scripted by Lucky Numbers scribe Adam Resnick, has been a high-profile
number since Jim Carrey seriously considered playing the title role before choosing the Frank
Darabont-directed Bijou.
WB is keen on Edward Norton to fill the rhino suit, a possibility now that the actor became
free after exiting the Greg Hoblit-directed MGM film Hart's War. Norton might well be
eyeballing real rhinos as he's away on vacation in Africa, so the disposition of the role could
take several weeks to sort out. Filming begins in January.
Williams is about to start work playing a villain in the Fox Searchlight psychological thriller
One Hour Photo, which will be directed by music video veteran Mark Romanek (Fiona Apple's
"Criminal").
Smoochy would then make a second bad-guy film for Williams, except that his character r
edeems himself at the end of the script as he and Smoochy turn the tables on a ruthless
programmer.
Reuters/Variety REUTERS
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