Hollywood Headlines: A crazy week in review
At long last, the Green Day musical, “American Idiot,” arrived on the Great White Way in April and, at first, it had no problem selling tickets. Then sales started to sag, and producers brought in Green Day frontman Billy Joe Armstrong, pictured at left, in the fall. That seemed to work, so he’ll try it again in January and February. (Charles Sykes / Associated Press)
Could there even be a better choice? Robert Downey Jr. is talking to producers about starring as the wizard in Disney’s planned “Wizard of Oz” prequel. Meanwhile, “American Beauty” director Sam Mendes and “Hairspray” and “Bedtime Stories” director Adam Shankman are also said to be circling the project. Click here for more. (Nina Prommer / EPA)
The two came up with the idea over dinner (rumors of the album date to 2008), but that was the only time they were in the same room while working on the project. Hornby, shown here with actress Carey Mulligan, sent Folds lyrics, and then the musician set to work. Sometimes there was back-and-forth, over the phone or via e-mail. This week, Folds talked to Paste magazine about composing the music. Click here for more. (Chris Pizzello / Associated Press)
A version of Hollywood Stock Exchange for people with real disposable cash -- i.e., the proposed movie futures trading market -- has so many detractors, it’s a wonder that it is still even being considered. With major studios and industryites already opposed, now the government has jumped in, with the Senate Agriculture Committee (really? Agriculture?) moving to ban the trading, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), above, and a quartet of colleagues trying to shoot it down. In a letter to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the senators wrote, “We are also concerned that this new derivative product may not serve a public purpose, and we encourage the commission to seriously consider this question before approving these contracts.” Yeah, but we’d still like to place $25 on the “I Dream of Jeannie” remake. Click here for more. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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A hit-and-run involving a “no parking” sign has Heather Locklear in hot water with the police. They can’t prove she was behind the wheel when the incident took place, but damage to her BMW was enough for authorities to issue her a misdemeanor traffic ticket. Oh, and Locklear is on probation for a 2008 DUI. Click here for more. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)
