Fox Searchlight has picked up the rights to writer/director Bobby Newmayer's Phat Girlz, which stars Mo'Nique as a "smart-mouthed aspiring fashion designer" and her struggles with love and weight. Steven Imes, Mo'Nique's brother/manager/co-producer of Girlz, says, "I think it represents a milestone in that someone
was gutsy enough to tell the story of a fat woman and of what they go
through in this country."- New Line and Walden Media are working on Journey 3-D a new adaptation of Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth. They're looking to Eric Brevig, a Special Achievement Academy Award winner for his effects work on Total Recall, to direct. The film will be shot in regular live-action, with certain elements and characters filmed in 3-D, courtesy of the massive-format cameras Walden routinely uses on James Cameron's underwater documentaries.
- Attorney Generals from 32 states have signed their names to a letter begging studios to affix an anti-smoking label to the DVD release of any film in which smoking is depicted. The National Association of Atorney Generals has been trying to rid the screens of tobacco for a while now; they were behind an earlier lobbying effort to mandate an R-rating on any film clouded with serious smoke. But, as Brian Lowry puts it, "It does not appear that the group has the authority to enforce such action, so it must be content with requesting that Hollywood do so."
- The Producers Guild of America will give special awards to Norman Lear, Clint Eastwood and Roger Corman at their annual ceremony on January 22.
Phat Girls, new Jules and smoking rules: Variety in 60 Seconds
Reader Comments
(Page 1)2. Phat Girlz should not be encouraged.
Posted at 10:12PM on Nov 18th 2005 by Finished.Law.School
3. I think that the movie should be watched by millions. Kudos to Monique. I am tired of watching media and music showcase plus sized women as pitiful morons. There are women who choose to stay plus sized, but go to the gym everyday so that cardiovascular system is exercised. I think america is too weight conscious. I think it has nothing to do with health, I wish people stop fooling themselves, it has everything to do with how pleasing or displeasing appearence is to the to the eyes. Plus sized women give birth, live , laugh, love, have romantic relationships...get married and yes..have sex..wonderful sex. So stop fooling yourselves and making it look like you are so concerned about the health of individuals...face your discrimination....and then watch the movie...maybe it will teach you something...
Posted at 11:08AM on Nov 21st 2005 by W.J. Jones
1. Just reading the words "Phat Girlz" caused me searing pain
Posted at 5:50PM on Nov 17th 2005 by Eliot Phillips