Actor Robin Williams poses as he arrives at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles Britannia Awards in Beverly Hills, California November 30, 2011Reuters
MORE TO COME
Robin Williams has left us, but his indelible presence will live on with four new movies.
As reported in Us Weekly, the late actor, who died of a suspected suicide yesterday at 63, will grace the big screen in four films set for posthumous release.
First up: Boulevard, a low-budget drama directed by Dito Montiel (Empire State) in which Williams plays a bored bank employee whose humdrum existence takes a bizarre turn when he meets a troubled young street hustler named Leo (Roberto Aguire).
Co-starring Bob Odenkirk and Kathy Baker, Boulevard received positive reviews when screened at New York's Tribeca Film Festival in April. Although the film currently has no release date or theatrical distribution deal, that's expected to change in the wake of Williams' passing.
Slated for release on Nov. 7, Merry Friggin' Christmas teams Williams with Community star Joel McHale and comedy veterans Lauren Graham, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Oliver Platt.
In the film's premise, McHale plays a beleaguered father named Boyd who is bullied into spending Christmas with his dysfunctional family, most notably his own dotty father Mitch, played by Williams.
When Boyd realizes that he left his son's gifts back home, father and son are forced to take an eight-hour road trip to fetch them on Christmas Eve.
Earlier this year, McHale raved about working with Williams in an interview with The New York Daily News.
"I never met anybody with a bigger brain than him," said McHale in the interview. "He is such an open soul and one of the most sensitive and great guys and I would kill for the man."
On Dec. 19, Williams will reprise his portrayal of former U.S. president Teddy Roosevelt in Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, which released its first trailer less than two weeks ago.
In the third entry in the franchise, Williams plays opposite Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson and Ben Kingsley. Williams previously assumed the Roosevelt role in the 2006 feature Night at the Museum and the 2009 sequel Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.
And early next year, Williams – or at least his voice – will be prominent in the British comedy feature Absolutely Anything.
Directed by former Monty Python regular Terry Jones, Almost Anything casts Simon Pegg as a dour schoolteacher who suddenly has the ability to do absolute anything he wants (courtesy of powers bestowed upon him by an impish group of aliens played by John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam and Jones himself).
Williams voices a talking CGI-animated dog, named Dennis the Dog, in the offbeat sci-fi feature.
But sadly, moviegoers will never see Williams in the much-anticipated followup to Mrs. Doubtfire.
Last spring, Fox 2000 announced that it was developing a sequel to the 1999 comedy hit starring Williams as a man who cross-dresses as a British nanny in order to spend more time with his kids – and from all reports, Williams was more than willing to revisit the role.
But according to a Tuesday report in Variety, the sequel is now unlikely to ever happen, if only because nobody could possibly step into Mrs. Doubtfire's sensible footwear to play the role.
"His [Williams'] performances were unlike anything any of us had ever seen," said director Chris Columbus, who was signed to direct the sequel. "They came from some spiritual and otherworldly place. He truly was one of the few people who deserved the title of 'genius'."
BREAKING BAD NEWS
Conan O'Brien was forced to get serious in a hurry after learning of the death of Robin Williams. While taping Monday night's edition of Conan, the show's host, along with sidekick Andy Richter and guest Will Arnett, were stunned upon hearing that Williams had unexpectedly passed away. "This is absolutely shocking and horrifying and so upsetting on every level," said O'Brien to his audience near the episode closing. Added Arnett: "As funny as he was – he's truly one of the all-time greats – he was even better as a person. He was even more fantastic, just the loveliest, sweetest, one of the kindest guys that I've ever worked with."
Source: Entertainment Weekly
TEAM SPIRIT
Kate Upton claims she was recently banned from wearing Detroit Tigers gear at Yankee Stadium. While filling in for Kelly Ripa on Live with Kelly and Michael, the supermodel said she recently made the mistake of wearing Tigers gear during a recent visit to a Yankee game. "I used to be a really big Yankees fan," said Upton. "But I'm sleeping with the enemy. My boyfriend [Detroit pitcher Justin Verlander] plays for the Tigers. I had to pick a side. …The Yankees told me, 'You're not allowed to wear a Tigers hat. You're not allowed to wear any Tigers gear.' It's like a bad breakup."
Source: Us
HORROR SHOW
Grammy-winner Patti LaBelle will tackle a role on American Horror Story: Freak Show next season. The singer has signed a deal to appear in four episodes of the FX anthology series created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk. Specifically, LaBelle will play the mother of Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe) who becomes involved in uncovering the dark secrets of Twisty the clown killer. LaBelle joins the AHS cast that already includes Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates and Angela Bassett.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
PRISON BREAK
A&E will attempt a bold reality-TV experiment in the upcoming series Love Prison. The new show's format will take couples who have only dated over the Internet and force them to share quarters for a one-week period on a deserted island – with no electronic devices allowed. "The couples are forced to get to know each other the hard way," said the A&E release promoting the series. "This social experiment will test the validity of online compatibility versus real-life chemistry." Love Prison will debut September 8 on A&E.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
GOLDEN BOY
Have you seen James Franco's new beach-boy hairstyle? The actor posted a photograph of his blonde tresses on Instagram on Monday, along with the comment, "That Late 90s bleached look." Franco agreed to the hair treatment in order to play gay activist Michael Glatze in the upcoming film titled Michael.
Source: MTV