The Weekly Ketchup: "Spider-Man" Sans Tobey Maguire(?), "Transformers," "Superman Returns" Sequel, And More!

by Nick Hershey | March 16, 2007

In this week’s Ketchup, producer Avi Arad talks "Spider-Man"’s future, with or without Tobey Maguire, Shia LaBeouf explains how "Transformers" avoided an R rating, and Brandon Routh discusses his possible adversaries in the "Superman Returns" sequel.

Also, Shia LaBoeuf got confirmed as Indiana Jones’s son (only to deny the report a bit later), and then made the news again by being confused about a "Constantine" sequel. Read on.

This Week’s Most Popular News:

"Spider-Man" Will Go On Without Tobey Maguire
They’re not even done constructing all the "Spider-Man 3" footage into an actual movie yet, but that won’t stop the astute movie-geek interviewers from asking Avi Arad about if and when we can expect a "Spider-Man 4."

LaBeouf Says MPAA Not the Boss of Spielberg; "Transformers" Avoids R Rating
Fresh from dispelling rumors that he was all set to star as Harrison Ford’s son in next year’s "Indiana Jones IV," Shia LaBeouf has dispensed more behind-the-scenes information about a high-profile film — this time, one he definitely is a part of, summer’s Steven Spielberg-produced, Michael Bay-directed "Transformers.

Routh Talks Villains for "Superman Returns" Sequel
It certainly had its moments, and was unquestionably better than "Superman III" and "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace," but last year’s franchise reboot "Superman Returns" was far from perfect. There was the occasionally leaden pacing, for one thing, not to mention the glaring lack of a super-powered villain to test Superman’s mettle (and light up the screen with some rock ’em sock ’em action).

Shia LaBeouf Confirmed as "Indiana Jones" Junior
According to one of Slate Magazine’s sources, it’s a done deal: Shia LaBeouf IS on board to play the heroic archaeologist’s son in "Indiana Jones 4."

LaBeouf Says "Hey, I’m in the News Again…and What’s This About ‘Constantine 2’?"
In his continued quest to lead a news item every day this week, Shia LaBeouf tells Sci Fi Wire that he was caught off-guard by recent reports that Warner Bros. is in talks with Keanu Reeves and Rachel Weisz to reprise their roles in a sequel to 2005’s "Constantine."

LaBeouf looks just as confused as the rest of us.

In Other News:

Gabriel Macht and Kate Beckinsale will co-star in the action-thriller "Whiteout," the first project from Joel Silver‘s Warners-based Dark Castle Entertainment.

New Line Cinema has acquired "The Black Path," a fictional drama based on true story of the Incan treasure of Atahualpa. Newcomer Henry Jones will write the script.

Rob Brown ("Finding Forrester") has been cast opposite Dennis Quaid as legendary football player Ernie Davis in Universal Pictures’ "The Express."

Warner Bros. has acquired screen rights to Lois Lowry’s 1994 Newbery Award-winning novel "The Giver," with Red Wagon partners Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher set to produce the long-awaited project.

Warner Independent Pictures will remake the German comedy "Night of the Living Dorks," with Chris Bishop set to write the script.

Cuba Gooding Jr. and Ray Liotta will co-star in the indie drama "Hero Wanted," which will mark the directing debut of Brian Smrz.

Don Cheadle will star in and produce five upcoming feature film projects, including a biopic of jazz legend Miles Davis, on which he will also make his directing debut.

Daniel Craig and Julianne Moore are in talks to star in the adaptation of Jose Saramago’s novel "Blindness," with Fernando Meirelles already on board as director.

Disney has acquired film rights to the sci-fi graphic novel "The Surrogates" and will develop it for director Jonathan Mostow. Mostow’s "Terminator 3" writers John Brancato and Michael Ferris will handle the screenplay.

French director Alexandre Aja has signed on to write and direct a remake of the 1978 horror/parody "Piranha."

Martin Lawrence will team with Raven Symone in "College Road Trip," a Disney comedy in which they will play an overprotective father and daughter visiting universities.

Oscar-nominated director Stephen Frears ("The Queen") is in talks to direct "The Burial," a drama based on a New Yorker profile of attorney Willie Gary.

Warner Bros. will bring Producer Lionel Wigram‘s upcoming comic book "Sherlock Holmes" to the big screen, with Neil Marshall ("The Descent") set to direct.

Finally, Michael Bay will produce and possibly direct "2012: The War for Souls," an adaptation of Whitley Streiber’s upcoming sci-fi novel, with Dreamworks partners Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci set to produce.