the industry

Baz Luhrmann Sets His Sights on West Egg

Susan Mikula’s sic transit 05 (2008).

The Great Luhrmann: In news that will horrify all of America’s tenth-graders, Aussie Baz Luhrmann has acquired the rights to The Great Gatsby. Luhrmann’s next project will be an adaptation of the classic F. Scott Fitzgerald novel of glamour of the Jazz Age. There’s not yet a script or a studio attached, but according to Variety, Luhrmann plans to focus on it after Australia’s award run. Which, considering Australia’s complete lack of Oscar viability, we’re guessing means now. [Variety]

Bosom Buddies: Valkyrie writer Christopher McQuarrie may have really stumbled across something with this Tom Cruise guy. The scribe is currently working on three projects designed as potential star vehicles for the couch jumper. There’s Flying Tigers, about a volunteer fighter squadron that helped the Chinese fight the Japanese before the U.S. entered WWII. Potential Maverick revival? Maybe. McQuarrie is also working Guillermo del Toro on The Champions, about a group of government agents whose plane crashes in Himalayas and who are given superhuman powers by an advanced civilization. Last, there’s The Tourist, a remake of 2005 French thriller Anthony Zimmer. The good news for McQuarrie is that whatever Tom Cruise can’t star in, Will Smith will gladly take. [Variety]

Kristin Gone Mad: Kristin Chenoweth is coming back to NBC to star in David E. Kelly’s legal drama Legally Mad. The plucky blonde will play Skippy Pylon (really?), an upbeat but smart Chicago lawyer who has moments of psychosis and likes the fact that she gets mistaken as a teenager, which might be the weirdest description of a legal show ever. [Variety]

Yee Haw: Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay are coming together to bring Cocaine Cowboys to HBO. The high-testosterone pair will executive-produce the tale of the early days of cocaine trafficking in Miami. Meredith Stiehm, creator and executive producer of Bruck’s Cold Case, will write the script for the story, which is based on a 2006 Billy Corben documentary. The difference? Michael Bay is involved, so you can bet there will be explosions! [HR]

Rogers That: Frank Miller and Odd Lot Entertainment, the duo behind the upcoming flick The Spirit, are close to teaming up again on Buck Rogers. Odd Lot is currently optioning the rights from Nu Image/Millennium, so Miller can write and direct his take on the classic space-traveling character. Seems like a good idea for Miller to get this deal inked before any more reviews of his directorial debut spill in. [HR]

Baz Luhrmann Sets His Sights on West Egg