Readers of the Morning Deal Report (or any of my other nonsense), take note: vacation beckons me, so I will be posting sporadically over the next two weeks or so. Please, for the sake of the children, keep your grieving to a minimum. Now on with your regularly scheduled briefing.
As you may know, Steven Spielberg and Juno screenwriter Diablo Cody are collaborating on a Showtime series, The United States of Tara. Now, Variety reports that Cody is scripting an untitled comedy for Dreamworks that, like Tara, is based on an idea by Spielberg. No details are available, but I do have to wonder how Spielberg came to the conclusion that Diablo Cody is the vessel through which all his wondrous notions shall be realized. There seems to be a distinct difference in sensibilities here, but maybe it’s just me.
Meanwhile, you knew it wouldn’t be long before Iron Man 2 started revving up, especially once Jon Favreau started whining on his MySpace page that he hadn’t been hired to direct it yet. (This has since been rectified.) Now the super-sequel has a screenwriter. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Justin Theroux has been tapped to pen the follow-up due in April 2010. If the name sounds familiar, it’s probably because Theroux is best known as an actor. David Lynch fans will recall him from Mulholland Drive and Inland Empire, but Theroux also has a screenwriting credit on the upcoming Tropic Thunder.
Finally I have to tell you about the Billy Joel documentary Last Play at Shea, which will capture the piano man’s upcoming concert at the soon-to-be-demolished Shea Stadium. Why do I have to tell you about this? Only because of this great Variety quote from producer Steve Cohen: “We wanted to approach this like a Ken Burns documentary, looking at Billy and Shea Stadium’s place in the pantheon of New York.” Yep, the Civil War, baseball, jazz…and Billy Joel. That, my friends, is America.
Related:
Diablo Cody Unwraps "Jennifer's Body"
Adams v. Marvel: Iron Man Turns to Crime?