Oct 27 2009 'Green Hornet' Cast Gets Larger, Stranger
Seth Rogen as the dapper, heroic Green Hornet still too normal casting for you? Then how about we add aging Canadian rock band Anvil (of Story of Anvil fame) and Edward Furlong (of being leader of the anti-Terminator resistance in the future fame) for some reason? Movieweb spoke to writer/producer/actor Rogen about his Green Hornet adaptation, and the actor confirmed those are, in fact, people he has allowed in the film:
MW: I've heard rumors that Edward Furlong might be in the movie?Seth Rogen: Edward Furlong is in the movie, yes.
MW: And what role is he playing?
Seth Rogen: That I can't reveal.
MW: What is the reasoning behind Anvil appearing in the film, and how did that happen?
Seth Rogen: Well, as a Canadian hard rock fan I actually have known about Anvil for many, many years. And we needed a band for a scene in the movie and Gondry was like, "How about Anvil?" We asked them and they said yes.
Man, I wish he'd gone into why Furlong was in the film instead of why Anvil is involved. I can figure out why you put Anvil in a film: they're a band, and you need a band. I get that. But Furlong... that's a mystery. That's what I want to hear. I don't know why you put Edward Furlong in a film. What's his type? More overweight Macaulay Culkin?
Oct 1 2009 For Real Look at Green Hornet This Time
OK, forget that earlier post with the blurry photo of the jacket-less stunt guy dressed as Green Hornet. Here's the real deal: Seth Rogen in full dapper superhero regalia. No more complaining about Rogen's hypothetical appearance; now the grumbling will hold actual weight!
Personally, I couldn't care less if it's Rogen or anyone else wearing the green mask. I'm still pissed that the Green Hornet is being represented visually at all. Boo! Booooo! Keep Green Hornet in the audio of a 1930s radio drama! Boooooo!
Oct 1 2009 First Look at Seth Rogen's 'Green Hornet' Costume
From Splash News, here's the first look at Seth Rogen's costume in his upcoming Green Hornet film. Looks good, assuming his jacket is just off for this scene. And assuming that jacket would normally be a Charlotte Hornets (Starter brand) jacket like I had in sixth grade. In that case, everything is perfect.
Sep 15 2009 Losing Nicolas Cage Is A-OK
While the loss of a Nicolas Cage would sent projects like Ghost Rider's Second or National Treasure 3: Another Book with Further Secrets into great turmoil, Michel Gondry and Seth Rogen's Green Hornet project has picked up the pieces of its now Cage-less life and moved on gracefully. The film, currently in production, lost Nic as its villain last week, but already its replaced him with Christoph Waltz, the 52-year-old actor whose performance in Inglourious Basterds has everyone saying, "That guy is really good at pretending to be a Nazi."
I wish I didn't know Nicolas Cage almost had the role. No matter how good Waltz's performance is, in the back of my mind I'll always be pondering how much more intense-faced it could have been.
Christoph Waltz Is Villain In 'Green Hornet' [Deadline Hollywood]
Sep 9 2009 'Green Hornet' Loses Its Cage
The Green Hornet now has a Nicolas Cage Score of -1! Or maybe just an NCS of 0, depending on how you want to look at it. According to Heat Vision Blog, negotiations for Nicolas Cage to play the villain in Michel Gondry and Seth Rogen's adaptation have fallen apart, and Columbia is looking for a new actor to fill the role.
Can I suggest Timothy Dalton for the part? I swear, it feels like forever since I've hated a dignified gentleman-villain with a pencil mustache.
Jul 28 2009 Is This Your Kato?
Will the next shirt this man puts on be whatever shirts valets wear (probably some kind of dress shirt)? So say "various Asian news outlets," all claiming South Korean actor Kwon Sang-woo has been cast as Kato in Michel Gondry and Seth Rogen's The Green Hornet.
Kwon is the third actor rumored to be taking the part of the sidekick: previously, Stephen Chow was set to co-star but left over creative differences, and, more recently, I saw some jackass on the street shout "Yo, Kato!" at a random Asian guy in a black suit, but I'm not sure how official that was. I'll call some sources.
South Korean Rumored to Play Kato [Latino Review]
Jul 21 2009 'Green Hornet' Getting More Questionable, Cagier
As if the idea of a Michel Gondry-directed action film starring Seth Rogen as a famous masked hero wasn't dubious (though admittedly intriguing) enough already, Variety is reporting some Green Hornet casting updates that should make the image of a question mark pop into existence above your head. Nicolas Cage and Cameron Diaz, both of whom seem nearly incapable of making a decent film without the involvement of Spike Jonze, are in talks to join:
Columbia Pictures is in early talks with Nicolas Cage to play the gangster villain in "The Green Hornet."Cameron Diaz is negotiating to play a reporter and love interest in the Michel Gondry-directed pic that stars Seth Rogen as the masked crime fighter.
The picture is moving full steam ahead for a fall start date, even as the studio looks to replace Stephen Chow, who was going to play sidekick Kato.
Well, I hope they're able to get Eddie Murphy's voice for Kato the Talking Cat. If they're set on making this the most improbable-to-succeed movie ever, that's going to be key.
Apr 15 2009 'Green Hornet' Fight Scenes: Variable Speed Madness
Could Michel Gondry's The Green Hornet action sequences be met with the same level of imitation/parody as The Matrix? The whimsical director spoke with MTV about what he plans for the film's fight scenes, and it sounds nuts:
Gondry explains: “I change the speed of the camera at different spots in the image at different times. So, it seems like they’re in the same world but at different times, and then they’re back together.”Although it’s a little tricky to comprehend with the written word, Gondry basically plans to reinvent the fight scene by having Green Hornet moving slowly, Kato moving super-fast, the villains at normal speed — and then mixing it all up repeatedly. “So, one will go fast and the other will go slow, and then they’ll meet,” he explained. “It’s [as if] they’re in different dimensions, but when they touch each other they come into the same dimension.”
I can't wait until Japanese television gets some guys to play ping pong like this.
Feb 24 2009 Michel Gondry Making 'Green Hornet' Out of Cardboard and Clouds
When it was announced Seth Rogen's portly face would be behind the mask of Green Hornet, it was definitely an odd, unexpected choice, but one tempered by the inclusion of Stephen Chow as both director and Kato. Maybe, with the aid of his comedy-action direction skills, Rogen as Green Hornet could be the new HEATH LEDGER IS THE ONLY JOKER EVER. It probably wouldn't be that hard, considering that the general perception of Green Hornet is somewhere in the range of "some dude in a suit and a green mask, I think" to "who?"
But then Chow dropped out from directing, and it looked like the film might not even get made. EXCEPT now Michel Gondry stepped out of his dream chamber and said he'll do it. So not only will this not be your grandpa's Green Hornet, this is shaping up the Green Hornet you never could have feasibly put together in your mind given infinite time.
Jan 28 2009 Never Mind About 'Green Hornet' Being Cancelled
Following a Monday report that The Green Hornet was most likely cancelled, writer Seth Rogen shot back with some emails to HitFix's Drew McWeeny, who first reported the story. Apparently the film is still happening, and Rogen isn't pleased people are saying otherwise:
"'The Green Hornet' has many people working for it, including production designers, costume designers and many conceptual artists, office staff, etc.," he said during our e-mail exchange back and forth. "[The studio heads] have every intention on making it, and assuming we're able to hire a new director in the upcoming weeks, which seems like a distinct possibilty, it should still hit the release date."
He makes a good point about how unsubstantiated rumors can make those working for the film needlessly worry. Like, I bet when Christopher Nolan read this story, he was really freaking out. "Fuck ME--I hired Eddie Murphy???"
Jan 26 2009 'Green Hornet' Troubles!
Ut oh for The Green Hornet! HitFix is reporting that Seth Rogen's bewildering, chubbier take on the action hero is in trouble:
Ever since Stephen Chow started to waffle about his participation in the film, I've been hearing rumors that there were major hesitations at Sony. Then at Sundance, I heard several people say that the film was off completely. I spoke this afternoon with a source close to the film, and while they didn't call it completely dead, they did say it is "highly unlikely" that the film will shoot in 2009 at all.
Of course, the good news is this clears the way for a CGI/live-action hybrid version wherein Will Smith plays the voice of a CGI hornet fighting crime alongside his feline sidekick, Cat-O. That sounds more like the vision of the Green Hornet my mom wants to rent.
Dec 19 2008 Stephen Chow Still Kato but Not Director/Kato
Following what's being called "creative differences," Stephen Chow has dropped out as director of Seth Rogen's Green Hornet script, though the actor still plans to play Kato. From Variety:
There's been another change in the "Hornet" nest: Stephen Chow has dropped out as director of "The Green Hornet" but will still play Kato in Columbia Pictures' latest bid to get the crimefighter to the bigscreen.The studio and producer Neal Moritz are in the process of setting a new director to keep the picture on track to begin production by spring.
Chow, who directed and starred in "Kung Fu Hustle" and "Shaolin Soccer," signed in September to direct the film and play the role originated in the TV series by Bruce Lee. He stepped out as director over creative differences.
First I thought, "Oh, he must have a problem with all the racial implications of being an Asian servant to a white man," but nope, he's OK with the Kato business. Just some creative differences. He probably wanted some crazy Shaolin Soccer-style stuff to happen, the studio didn't like that direction, but he was a professional about it. Told them, "OK, I'll just be the man-servant. That part I'm still fine with."
Sep 19 2008 Stephen Chow Playing Famous Asian Chauffeur
Stephen Chow is going to direct The Green Hornet! And be the Kato! From ComingSoon:
Stephen Chow, one of Asia's most popular box-office draws as the award-winning star and director of such films as Kung Fu Hustle, CJ7, and Shaolin Soccer, will direct Seth Rogen and star opposite him as Kato in Columbia Pictures' The Green Hornet, set for release June 25, 2010, it was announced today by Doug Belgrad and Matt Tolmach, presidents of Columbia Pictures. The screenplay is by Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg, who will also executive produce.
That sounds awesome, actually. I just hope Chow never finds out Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg aren't the Wachowski Brothers! Ha ha! Right, Seth Rogen?
Rogen said, "Stephen was always my and Evan's first choice for director and to play Kato. We just hope that he never finds out we're not the Wachowski Brothers."
Ha, that's what I'm sayin', Seth! We're such friends, Seth Rogen and I.
Jun 23 2008 'The Green Hornet' Logo!!!
The official Green Hornet site has been updated with a logo for Seth Rogen's fatter take on the classic hero. If, in two years, you decide to take your wife and newborn child (yes, you have a beautiful baby girl!) to the film, this will probably be the title image greeting you in the opening sequence. I proofed it and everything looks spelled right; let's go ahead with this thing.
Nov 28 2007 Seth Rogens Speaks About 'Green Hornet'
Seth Rogen spoke to MTV about his Green Hornet project, elaborating that he's still deciding on whether to go a more action or comedic route, that he has eyes on Steven Chow or Tony Jaa to star as Kato, and that he'll try to get more in shape for the lead role. He added:
Just a few weeks ago, [co-writer Evan Goldberg and I] laid out our outline for the movie to the studio, and before the phone call, Evan and I were like, 'This is not like any superhero movie — they might just hate that. It's not using any of the normal superhero movie formats. It's not an origin story. It's more like a regular action movie.' [But] they really liked it and told us to go for it.
To those upset that a chubby guy will be making a comedic version of their beloved costumed crimefighter, at least be grateful it's someone talented, like Seth Rogen, instead of, say, Kevin James. I'm sure the King of Queens would love to draw the manservant relationship between Green Hornet and Kato into an extended, over-the-top gay joke, rather than the subtly implicit gay joke it already is.
Jul 23 2007 Stephen Chow to Play Kato?
The blogosphere (read "nerds") is up in arms about the news that Seth Rogen wants Stephen Chow to play Kato in the new Green Hornet movie he's writing.
Stephen Chow is both Asian and does kung fu, so I don't know what people are whining about.
Jul 20 2007 Seth Rogen Takes Green Hornet
Columbia Pictures appears to have a lot of faith in Seth Rogen since the success of Knocked Up: according to Variety, they've just given him writing/acting duty on the long-discussed Green Hornet project. Once rumored as a vehicle for typically-handsome leads George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg and Jake Gyllenhaal, the dashing masked millionaire is now apparently more of an awkward, chubby guy with curly hair.
Don't get me wrong, I like Seth Rogen, but I'm not sure a classic character like Green Hornet should necessarily be more out of shape than I am. If we don't maintain Green Hornet's serious role as a monument to handsome white male superiority over lesser races we use as personal man servants, we'll only have Fantasy Island and a handful of other examples.
