Watch out, Warner Bros., there might soon be a new WB studio in town — as in, Wayans Brothers. That’s right, the talented family of clowning hyphenates (writer-director-producer-actors all) also known as Keenen Ivory, Damon, Marlon, and Shawn Wayans, are looking to build their own film production mecca on 70 acres of a former Army base in Oakland, CA. While the project is still its infancy and awaiting approval, the Bros.’ master plan includes not only studio space for shooting what could be the next White Chicks or Scary Movie, but also a Universal City-esque themed amusement park, hotel, and retail space. Meanwhile, the foursome has a slew of projects on the way, including Little Man, The Munsters, and the promising Homey The Clown.
It appears that Beyonce Knowles is finally making her bid for independence, as last weekend brought the news that supergroup Destiny’s Child is disbanding. The announcement, made by bandmember Kelly Rowlands onstage at their final concert in Barcelona, cited the trio’s desires to pursue solo careers — ostensibly more solo albums for Rowlands and third mate, Michelle Williams, and full-blown superstardom for their frontwoman. Beyonce, who has already gone the way of the diva with her multi-platinum solo debut album and roles in films like Austin Powers: Goldmember and The Fighting Temptations, is set to continue her quest to fill Diana Ross’ heels with acting gigs in the upcoming flicks The Pink Panther and Dreamgirls.
And finally, though worried fans continue to fret, Batman Begins actress Katie Holmes is inching ever closer to joining that religion of the stars, the Church of Scientology. During a red carpet interview for her new film, Holmes admitted to taking classes on the controversial faith, which the entire world by now knows would please her newfound, Scientology-loving boyfriend, Tom Cruise. Cruise, meanwhile, rocks the cover story of this week’s Entertainment Weekly with a gem of an interview, dropping some (misinformed?) knowledge on his second favorite subject — asserting that Carl Jung, bastion of modern psychiatry, was an editor for a Nazi newspaper and that the drug methadone was originally named for Adolf Hitler.
