latest news
Geoffrey Rush Joins Tropfest
The acclaimed actor and newly-crowned Australian of the Year, Geoffrey Rush, will be a key player in 2012’s Tropfest activities.
Naomi Watts To Play Princess Diana
The Aussie actress is set to play the people’s princess in an upcoming film that chronicles the final two years of Diana’s life.
Sullivan Stapleton Signs On To ‘300’ Prequel
The Aussie actor has beat out the competition to land a role in the upcoming blockbuster.
James Cameron Loses Long Time Australian Collaborators
Producer Andrew Wight and cinematographer Mike deGruy lose their lives in a helicopter crash.
search the site
newsletter
Enter your email address below to receive the weekly Filmink newsletter
Young Aussie Tops US Script List
A screenplay about the life of Jim Henson by Chris Weekes (pictured) catches fire in the US!
A list, entitled ‘The Black List', put together by Hollywood executive Franklin Leonard based on a survey of over 300 Hollywood insiders, has named The Muppet Man by Australian Christopher Weekes at the top of its must-read list.
The news about The Muppet Man, which is being produced by The Jim Henson Company (Good? Bad? You decide!) , comes on the heels of Weekes being hired to rewrite another Hollywood film, Waterproof, for director Kevin Lima (Enchanted), about a man releasing mythological creatures into the world. Didn't we read about that in Dumb Ideas Department?? But seriously....
Other films on Leonard's list include Aaron Sorkin's Facebook origin story The Social Network at number 2, which is already well into pre-production under director David Fincher.
Others on the list include The Voices about a schizophrenic who starts listening to his foul-mouthed cat and dog when covering up an accidental murder; Aaron Guzikowsi's Prisoners, a dark thriller about a Christian survivalist taking the law into his own hands, which Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) is directing; and Cedar Rapids by Phil Johnston, which is about a middle aged insurance man who finally gets the chance to show everyone what he's made of. Comedy ensues... Directed by Miguel Arteta (The Good Girl), the film stars Ed Helms (The Hangover), John C. Reilly, Anne Heche and Sigourney Weaver.
Christopher Weekes is a newcomer to Hollywood, though he did write, direct and star in the local feature film Bitter & Twisted, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival to great acclaim and receiving a limited release in local cinemas in 2008.
Many Australian movie fans may have missed this intense indie drama starring Leeanna Walsman, Noni Hazlehurst, Steve Rodgers, Gary Sweet and Matthew Newton, but it's coming to DVD in January, so be sure to check it out then.
But back to The Muppet Man... What we want to know is who is going to play Jim Henson? Please, not Jim Carrey!
To download the entire The Black List, go here.