Exclusive: Shia LeBeouf Talks Indy IV!
Phew, it’s all kicking off over at Indy IV Towers, isn’t it? First of all came today’s news that Cate Blanchett has signed on to play an as-yet undisclosed role opposite Harrison Ford in the fourth Indy movie.
Then an email from an anonymous source dropped into Empire Magazine’s inbox this morning, which speculates that Messrs. Lucas and Spielberg may have finally settled on a title: it's all very unofficial at this point, but the current thinking is that the movie may wind up as Indiana Jones And The City Of Gods.
And, last but not least, our man at ShoWest, the big old exhibitor, erm, exhibition in Las Vegas, has reported back with an exclusive quote or two from Shia LeBeouf on his rumoured involvement in Indy IV/City Of Gods/Whatever It’s Called.
Now, if you’ve been keeping up to date, you’ll know that LeBeouf, who will soon be seen in the forthcoming Transformers, has been linked with the role of Indiana Jones’ son (would that make him Henry Jones III?), with some sources claiming that the deal was as good as done and dusted. But according to The Beef, that just ain’t so.
“I was rumoured to be in Superman as Jimmy Olsen, and I put a lot of eggs in that basket and I was really excited about it, so super-stoked,” said the 20 year-old actor. “Then it fell through. This is that same type of thing for me...”
Ah, but does that mean that there’s some truth in it? After all, for something to possibly fall through, the possibility of it remaining upright must first exist, non?
“It is a rumour, one that I might have started,” continued The Beef. “Who wouldn't? But at this point I don't have it and I'd be lying if I said I did. So it's a rumour, and maybe it's a rumour that's helping or hindering me. I don't know what the role is, I don't know if there is a role... but it's one of those things. It's just another rumour.”
Well, thanks for clearing that up, Shia. As for that rumoured title, it certainly sounds suitably Indiana Jonesy, and right now some of Empire’s finest brains are working hard to figure out if it’s a) genuine, and b) holds any clues as to the object Indy will be looking for this time around. We’re pretty sure that there is no connection to Fernando Meirelles’ classic, City Of God, though. Let the speculation begin!
Bon Jovi Charges Down The 'Highway' On New CD
Bon Jovi will release its next album, "Lost Highway," June 19 via Island/Mercury Nashville. First single "(You Want To) Make a Memory" hits radio tomorrow (March 20); the group will perform it live April 16 during the CMT Awards in Nashville, May 2 on "American Idol" and June 19 on NBC's "Today."
Two other album cuts have already been utilized in TV and film; the title song is featured in the trailer for the John Travolta comedy "Wild Hogs," while "We Got It Going" featuring Big & Rich serves as the theme for ESPN's coverage of the Arena Football League.
The Dann Huff- and John Shanks-produced "Lost Highway" is the follow-up to 2005's "Have a Nice Day," which has sold 1.4 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
The album's single, "Who Says You Can't Go Home" featuring Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland, hit No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, the first time in almost 30 years that a top billed non-country artist has reached No. 1 with their first attempt at the country chart. It hadn't happened since pop crooner Tom Jones did so with "Say You'll Stay Until Tomorrow" in 1977.
Bon Jovi has yet to announce tour plans; the group finished 2006 with the No. 3 tour according to Billboard Boxscore, grossing $131 million.
Elvis Costello Albums Reborn Via Universal
A hefty batch of reissues as part of Universal's acquisition of the Elvis Costello catalog will arrive May 1. Eleven Costello albums, from 1977's "My Aim Is True" to 1986's "King of America," will re-appear in digipaks with their original U.S. track listings and artwork.
Also due for release are "This Year's Model," "Armed Forces," "Get Happy!!," "Trust," "Almost Blue," "Imperial Bedroom," "Punch the Clock," "Goodbye Cruel World" and "Blood & Chocolate."
In addition, Universal has created two new compilations with track listings supervised by Costello himself. "The Best of Elvis Costello -- The First 10 Years" rounds up 22 songs from the period, including classics such as "Watching the Detectives," "Pump It Up," "Clubland," "Man Out of Time" and "Oliver's Army."
The second album, "Rock and Roll Music," is meant to showcase the more up-tempo side of Costello's oeuvre, from "No Action" and "Lipstick Vogue" to live versions of "Mystery Dance" and "You Belong to Me." Two previously unreleased tracks, an alternate version of "Honey, Are You Straight or Are You Blind?" and a demo of "Welcome to the Working Week," are also included.
Costello has also scheduled a short North American tour, beginning May 2 in Los Angeles and running through May 19 in Philadelphia.
Sex and the small screen
Lost's Evangeline Lilly (Kate) and Grey's Anatomy's Patrick Dempsey (Derek, aka Dr. McDreamy) are the "Sexiest Stars" on TV.
That's according to TV Guide's first list of the sexiest, which hits newsstands Thursday featuring the No. 1's on separate covers.
The picks, chosen by the magazine's editors, suggest that TV's sexiest show is Grey's: Three of the hit drama's docs made the cut.
Oddly enough, the actor who plays Mark Sloan (Eric Dane), dubbed Dr. McSteamy, isn't hot enough for the top 10.
The steamiest network? ABC, taking half of the sexiest slots, far ahead of NBC's five.
The rest of the ladies:
2. Eva Longoria, Gabrielle Solis on Desperate Housewives
3. Katherine Heigl, Izzie Stevens on Grey's Anatomy
4. Marg Helgenberger, Catherine Willows on CBS' CSI
5. Ali Larter, Niki Sanders on Heroes
6. Nadine Velazquez, Catalina on My Name Is Earl
7. Roselyn Sanchez, Elena Delgado on Without a Trace
8. Rashida Jones, Karen Filippelli on The Office
9. Rebecca Romijn, Alexis Meade on Ugly Betty
10. Jennifer Morrison, Allison Cameron on House
And gentlemen:
2. Sendhil Ramamurthy, Mohinder Suresh on Heroes
3. James Tupper, Jack Slattery on Men in Trees
4. Josh Holloway, Sawyer on Lost
5. Taylor Kitsch, Tim Riggins on Friday Night Lights
6. Shemar Moore, Derek Morgan on Criminal Minds
7. Skeet Ulrich, Jake Green on Jericho
8. Eric Mabius, Daniel Meade on Ugly Betty
9. Justin Chambers, Alex Karev on Grey's Anatomy
10. Dave Annable, Justin Walker on Brothers & Sisters
Oshawa preps for 'Colbert Day'
TORONTO (CP) - Ever since his satirical news program took to the airwaves in late 2005, American comic Stephen Colbert has revelled in taunting Canada.
He welcomed Canadian viewers to "The Colbert Report" - pronounced "ra-PORE" - when it launched on The Comedy Network in November '05 by telling them: "I am Stephen Colbert. I have balls. If you're lucky, they might just rub off on you."
When the Conservatives booted the Liberals out of power in last year's federal election, Colbert was quick to take credit, crowing: "I fixed Canada in 77 days!"
Now Canada, it appears, is ready to thank Colbert for his repair work by holding a "Stephen Colbert Day" celebration, featuring none other than Don Cherry himself, the type of no-nonsense straight-shooter who would be well and truly adored by Colbert's faux right-wing pundit.
A night of festivities, including a Colbert lookalike contest, is being held Tuesday in Oshawa, an industrial city east of Toronto better-known for its GM plant than its tendency to whoop it up.
"The only cool thing that has ever happened to Oshawa," commented one blogger on her blog It's Gonna Be a Blue Moon Rising.
Shannon McFadyen, a spokeswoman for the city of Oshawa, said Sunday that Colbert himself is not appearing at the event, but added "The Colbert Report" may send a field producer for a future segment on the show.
Nonetheless, more than 1,500 people are expected to turn out at the General Motors Centre, a gleaming new venue in downtown Oshawa that opened in November and seats 6,000, McFadyen said.
"We're getting a really interesting mix of people who are coming," McFadyen said. "There are hockey fans, Don Cherry fans and then sort of younger university students who are really into the Colbert show. We have a group of kids coming up from New York University, for example, and some interest from Newfoundland. It's a real blend of people because the themes are hockey and comedy."
It all started when about two million Colbert fans inundated an online contest to name the mascot of the Saginaw Spirit, a Michigan OHL team. Steagle Colbeagle the Eagle was born as a tribute to the comedian.
Colbert soon threw his support behind the squad and began trash-talking its OHL rivals, especially the Oshawa Generals.
After a public volley of taunts and counter-taunts, Oshawa Mayor John Gray issued a challenge to Colbert on the eve of a recent showdown between the two teams: if the Generals won, Colbert would have had to wear a Generals jersey for an entire show. If the Spirit won, Gray had to declare Colbert's birthday "Stephen Colbert Day" in Oshawa.
Colbert, whose pundit was inspired by Fox News's belligerent Bill O'Reilly, accepted the challenge but had a more humiliating suggestion: he wanted "Stephen Colbert Day" to be declared not on his own birthday, but on Gray's - March 20. And so it was.
"How old are you going to be?" Colbert asked Gray in a recent interview on his show. "Old enough to know better than to take on Stephen Colbert?"
"Hopefully, in the future, yes," Gray, who turns 48 on Tuesday, admitted sheepishly.
One of the highlights of the night's festivities promises to be the selection of the winning Colbert lookalike.
Five semi-finalists have been chosen from across Canada and the winner will be determined by the competitor who gets the loudest cheers from the audience on Tuesday night. The victor wins a trip to New York City, where he'll attend a taping of the "The Colbert Report," a spawn of Jon Stewart's "The Daily Show."
There will also be a hockey challenge featuring a showdown between the team's mascots: the Generals' Shooter and the Spirit's aforementioned Steagle Colbeagle the Eagle.
For the $5 cost of admission, there will also be free cake and Dr. Pepper - Colbert's favourite soft drink.
For McFadyen, the entire Stephen Colbert event signifies that the city of Oshawa, which has long lived in Toronto's shadow, has a sense of fun all its own.
"It's just one of the things we are doing to say Oshawa has a lot to offer. It's an exciting place to be."