Sam Worthington Goes 'Commando'

Once again, Sam Worthington has somehow or other charmed his way into a big leading role. We've said it before, it's not a question of talent, really, but rather why he seems to be getting everything. I just think it's weird that he turned down a job that eventually went to Johnny Depp. Shouldn't that be the other way around?

The latest offer made to Worthington is the starring role in Fox' remake of Commando, so writes News In Film, which is also a bit skeptical of why Worthington is the top pick here. Certainly, his success in Avatar had to be a consideration for Fox, but you'd think his propensity to fall in love with one project and dump it quickly for something else would be, too. That said, Worthington is building a resume full of franchises: Avatar, Clash of the Titans, Quartermain, Dan Dare, possibly The Last Days of American Crime, and Dracula Year Zero. This one has the markings of a possible series, too, even though Schwarzenegger's muscle-bound original didn't spawn any sequels.

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Darren Aronofsky's 'RoboCop' Reboot Unplugged

Gee, here's a surprise: The RoboCop remake is dead. Two reports, one from The Financial Times and the other from Moviehole, indicate the same thing, and apparently Darren Aronofsky is leaving the project, which I think he's unofficially stopped seriously considering about a year ago.

Trouble really started bubbling up when MGM began walking around with the insides of its pockets hanging out. Nearly $4 billion in debt does not normally give a filmmaker a ton of confidence he'll get the financial support needed to make a movie. And that, reportedly, is what has happened. "Gone. Kaput. Canceled," an insider told Moviehole about the project, adding that Aronofsky "lost interest." Oh, irony: As Aronofsky loses interest, MGM pleads for leniency because it can't pay interest.

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'Footloose' Remake Finally Makes Its Bacon

If you're still interested in the Footloose remake, first making the bold assumption that you were ever interested, then you'll be happy to learn the cast is finally set and Paramount will proceed as planned. Well, not exactly. It was supposed to open this spring, then later this month, and now April 1, 2011. But it's on track, anyway.

Zac Efron bounced out of this, then director Kenny Ortega caught a lifeboat. Chace Crawford couldn't fit the shooting schedule around marij...um...Gossip Girl, and then Craig Brewer came in to direct, on the condition he could also rewrite it, so there was some more lost time. But Paramount swears it's all a go now. Through a press release, the studio notes that Julianne Hough is still in the cast, Dennis Quaid will play her father, the John Lithgow character from the original. And the new Kevin Bacon is unheralded Kenny Wormald, seen on MTV's Dancelife, whatever that is. He's clearly got moves, though, having toured as a dancer of Justin Timberlake and the Pussycat Dolls. Of course, that's only half the battle, isn't it?

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Inevitable 'Karate Kid' Sequel Now More Inevitable

Hey, guess what: Jaden Smith's going to take off that jacket again. To no one's surprise, we're getting a Karate Kid sequel, which means we're only a couple movies away from learning the identity of this generation's Hilary Swank. I know you're excited about that prospect.

Anyway, Sony says the sequel will happen, and that the seed was planted a few weeks back. So there haven't been any real developments, like writers, plot, or that sort of thing, but director Harald Zwart tells Entertainment Weekly, “I would absolutely love to do a sequel. I think working with those guys was the best part of my career. So yeah, if they want me, I would love to do it again.” There's no word on Jackie Chan returning as Mr. Han, the Miyagi character he actually did rather well. But if he did Shanghai Knights...I'll let you finish that thought.

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'Monster Squad' Remake Hires Writers

The remake of The Monster Squad is starting to take shape, with Platinum Dunes and Paramount hiring Mark and Brian Gunn to write the script for director-producer Rob Cohen. The Gunns aren't kissin' cousins, but they're the next best thing: Screenwritin' cousins. That should have been an Elvis movie, too, I think.

Cohen was one of the producers of the 1987 original, which I feared would be lost to the ravages of time, but now it's back, and if Cohen weren't directing, I'd probably be a little more enthusiastic. Well, enthusiastic for me. But Cohen is not my favorite filmmaker and he tends to overdo everything. That's not what this movie needs. And since it comes from the house of Michael Bay...well, you get the point. But Shane Black's original screenplay was fun, and you've got Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, the Gill Man, and the Mummy (though not Rob Cohen's other Mummy, I wouldn't think), so there's some chance for real nostalgia points here if nothing else.

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