The Weekly Ketchup: Dunst Forgives Self For Bad Acting, Downey Reflects On "Iron Man," New "Magneto" Director, And More!

by Nick Hershey | May 4, 2007

In this week’s Ketchup, Kirsten Dunst talks about the woes of blue-screen theatrics, Robert Downey Jr. discusses his "Iron Man" pedigree, and the new "Magneto" director comes with plenty of superhero experience.

Also, Sam Raimi admits to being a "Spider-Man" revisionist, and another Frank Miller work is headed for the big screen. Read on.

This Week’s Most Popular News:

Dunst Admits Bad Spidey Acting
Kirsten Dunst is an acclaimed actor having conquered period pieces, character drama and comedy. Can the "Spider-Man" films be her biggest acting challenge to date?

New "Iron Man" Pic and Thoughts from Downey
Did Robert Downey Jr.’s history of substance abuse have anything to do with him getting the role of Tony Stark (aka "Iron Man")? Probably not, but it’ll still help the actor get into the character, I bet.

David Goyer to Direct "Magneto"
He’s had his hand in a whole bunch of superhero flicks, and you can now add another one on to the filmography of writer/director David S. Goyer. He’ll be directing and (re-)writing the "Magneto" flick for Fox.

"Spider-Man 3" Turns "Spider-Man 1" on Its Head
"Sam Raimi never does "Spider-Man" as just a guy in tights beating up bad guys. The first film had a huge moral message and the second even tried having Peter Parker give up the powers. Now, "Spider-Man 3" even revises some events from the original.

WB Grabs Another Hot Frank Miller Title
With "300" in the rear-view mirror, but not before snagging more than $430 million in worldwide box office, Warner Bros. is hungry for another Frank Miller project. And now they have one…

I forgive you, too, Kirsten.

In Other News:

Australian Luke Ford and Michelle Yeoh have joined the cast of "The Mummy 3," which is scheduled to begin shooting this Summer, and will open in theaters in Summer 2008.

Ed Burns will join Katherine Heigl, James Marsden and Malin Akerman in the cast of "27 Dresses," a comedy to be directed by Anne Fletcher.

John Calley will produce an adaptation of the upcoming Anthony Moore novel "The Swap" for Columbia Pictures.

GreeneStreet Films has acquired Craig Clevenger’s suspense novel "The Contortionist’s Handbook" for a big screen adaptation. A writer and director have yet to be named for the project.

Rowan Atkinson will reunite with his "Johnny English" director Peter Howitt for a version of Charles Dickens‘ "David Copperfield."

Warner Independent Pictures has acquired domestic distribution rights to Leonardo DiCaprio‘s environmental documentary, "11th Hour" with Warner Bros. Pictures International acquiring overseas rights.

Emma Roberts will star in "Wild Child," a comedy that will begin production this summer for Universal Pictures, with Nick Moore directing.

John Cusack is set to star the action thriller "Stopping Power," with Jan de Bont directing.

Josh Hartnett will star in the drama "I Come with the Rain," with Tran Anh Hung serving as writer and director.

Cillian Murphy, Sienna Miller, Max Minghella and Emma Booth will star in "Hippie Hippie Shake" with Beeban Kidron directing for Universal Pictures.

Michael Mann hopes to direct Leonardo DiCaprio in an "L.A. Confidential"-style film noir for his next project, with Mann having delivered an untitled script written by John Logan to studio executives.

George Clooney and his Smoke House partner Grant Heslov are working on a dramedy for Warner Bros. Pictures detailing how the CIA used a fake movie project to smuggle six Americans out of Tehran during the 1979 hostage crisis.

Film and stage director Julien Nitzberg is working on a biopic of professional wrestler Sputnik Monroe, who helped integrate wrestling in the South in the 1950s.