Biopic on the club that time forgot

Be still my post-punk heart. It looks as if the much- rumoured film focusing on CBGB’s, the New York club that gave such luminaries as Talking Heads and The Ramones their first break, is powering its way towards production.

Directed by Randall Miller, who helmed the wine- making documentary Bottle Shock, the picture already boasts an intriguing cast. Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, is set to play Iggy Pop. Malin Åkerman will impersonate Debbie Harry and Alan Rickman essays Hilly Kristal, the venue’s influential boss. Gabba, Gabba!

The same League as Avengers?

Everyone knows that Hollywood reacts to the success of any film by throwing a series of imitations into production. So, when the The Avengers became the third-most successful film ever in the US, it seemed inevitable that some sort of clone would be quickly green-lit. But hang on. The summer schedules are already groaning with superhero movies. What can the moneymen do?

Comic fans will know where this conversation is heading. Warner Bros seems set to reignite plans for a film version of Justice League, essentially the DC equivalent of Marvel’s Avengers. Such a film would, in theory, unite Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman.

It’s a slippery notion. Would this Batman be a variation on the one perfected by Christopher Nolan? Would DC really want to bring back Green Lantern after the relative failure of the Ryan Reynolds venture? What will happen if Man of Steel, the upcoming Superman reboot, fails to do the business? It’s not quite money in the bank.

A film with me in it

It will be of no interest to sane Reel News readers, but, if they screw up their eyes and peer closely, they will catch a glimpse of your current correspondent in this week’s Woody Allen: A Documentary (reviewed on page 11). A small square of bald pate is visible on the right-hand side of the audience at the Cannes press conference for Allen’s You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger. Just thought we’d mention it.