Casting Notes: George Lopez Is Speedy Gonzales; Anjelica Huston And Philip Baker Hall In I’m With Cancer
Consider this a courtesy report on the fact that New Line is making a film based on the Warner Bros. cartoon characterSpeedy Gonzales, withGeorge Lopezproviding the voice of the character. Because, like theAlvin and the Chipmunksmovies, theGarfieldfilms,et al, this one is a movie purely for the kids. As an adult who always thought the character was the worst of WB’s stable, this sounds awful.
Speaking ofGarfield, the writers behind that first movie (Alex SokolowandJoel Cohen) are writingSpeedy, which will be a live-action/CGI hybrid. Anne Lopez, wife of George, says “We wanted to ensure that it was not the Speedy of the 1950s — the racist Speedy. [He’s] going to be a misunderstood boy who comes from a family that works in a very meticulous setting, and he’s a little too fast for what they do. He makes a mess of that. So he has to go out in the world to find what he’s good at.” My guess: he doesn’t become Mexico’s cultural ambassador to the UN. [THR]
After the break, Anjelica Huston and Philip Baker Hall help make the cast for Rogen and McAvoy’s upcoming ‘cancer comedy’ look more like one for a Paul Thomas Anderson movie. Could there be any more ridiculous story pairing? OK, sure there could, but it probably won’t happen today.
That ‘Untitled Cancer Comedy’we’ve talked about before, previously calledI’m With Cancer, has just added two immense talents:Anjelica HustonandPhilip Baker Hall. If I wasn’t on board before, I am now. In a big way.
The film follows a guy, played byJames McAvoy, who learns he has cancer and successfully battles the disease.Seth Rogenco-stars and produces, withAnna KendrickandBryce Dallas Howardalong for the ride.Jonathan Levineis directing from a semi-autobiographical script byWill Reiser. [Variety]
