Category: Celebs

Death Race 3000

Craig / / 2002, Celebs, Death Race 2000, Unmade Films

On Friday, Dark Horizons posted an item based on an article in the The Chicago Sun Times in which director Paul Anderson [“Resident Evil’] discussed plans to re-make “Death Race 2000” as “Death Race 2000!” The kicker is that the film is being developed as a Tom Cruise project. Anderson revealed that, “Tom plays Frankenstein, the best driver in the world. But he has that nickname because he’s been in so many crashes. He’s a little bit beat up. He’s a little reckless.” A script was turned in last week and Anderson is excited about it.

What makes this film really cool for SZoners? Anderson was quoted as saying, “I’d love to cast Sly Stallone and bring him back as the same character he played in the first one. He was a great Machine Gun Joe.”

– Craig Zablo (March 9, 2002)

Bummer Stock

Craig / / 2002, Celebs

The March 4, 2002 issue of People contains the pic above with the following:

In a year marked by corporate scandal and financial ruin, Sylvester Stallone is waging his own battle. The Rocky star watched as his more than 3.9 million shares of Planet Hollywood stock, which he received as payment for promotional work, dwindle in value from $20 a share to 10 cents each. Stallone blames his former business manager Kenneth Starr [no relation to the Lewinski prosecutor] for alledgedly telling him that ‘it would send the wrong message to the market” if he sold, while counseling other investors to cash out. Stallone, 55, who teamed with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis to revive the franchise in 1995, claims he lost $10 million after the chain filed for banruptcy in 1999. He’s suing Starr for $17.3 in damages. [Schwarzenegger got out two years ago; Willis is still very much invested,” says his rep.] Ben Fields, a rep for Starr, whose clients reportedly include Warren Beatty and Al Pacino, told Daily Variety that Stallone‘s claims were “utter hogwash.” He adds, “I call him Stallone the Suer.” Says Starr spokesman Dan Klores: “[He] has sued or been sued by everyone from his stepfather to his landscapers, architects, production companies, producers… and wives.” Responds Sly‘s attorney: “My client will set the record straight.” Stay tuned.


Thanks to Ernest “Jazzman” Resendes for the pic and article!

Craig Zablo (March 9, 2002)

TWO STALLONE TIDBITS

Craig / / 2002, Celebs, TV

Stallone warns Philly colonists in ‘Liberty’ role
Mon Mar 4, 1:52 AM ETBy Steve Brennan


LOS ANGELES (The Hollywood Reporter) — Sylvester Stallone is putting extra star muscle behind the planned PBS animated series “Liberty’s Kids” from DIC Entertainment. Stallone‘s distinctive voice will be used to re-enact the character of Paul Revere in the high-profile series that is set amid the events of the American Revolution.

Also new to the all-star cast is British actor Michael York, who has signed do provide the voice of Adm. Lord Howe, leader of the English naval forces and responsible for blockading the colonial ports. York is the first British actor to come aboard the project.

The series is set to premiere on PBS on Labor Day.

“Liberty’s,” which will air five days a week on PBS, follows the adventures of four teenage apprentices working for Benjamin Franklin’s newspaper in colonial Philadelphia. The great events and the heroes of the American Revolution are introduced to viewers through the kids’ interaction as reporters.

Joining Stallone — who gets to utter the famous warning “The British are coming! The British are coming!” — is an A-list cast of celebrity voice actors, including Walter Cronkite as Benjamin Franklin, Michael Douglas as George Washington, Billy Crystal as John Adams, Annette Bening as Jane Adams, Whoopi Goldberg as Deborah Sampson, Ben Stiller as Thomas Jefferson, Liam Neeson as John Paul Jones, Dustin Hoffman as Benedict Arnold and Yolanda King, daughter of the late Martin Luther King Jr., as Elizabeth Freeman.

Bob Stack, Sylvester Stallone, Chuck Norris were the showbiz honorees at the U.S. Vets Gala Honoring America’s Heroes, held Friday at the BevHilton. Lionel Richie, Constantina and Living Proof entertained.

By Army Archerd, Daily Variety Senior Columnist

Craig Zablo (March 4, 2002)

SLY ALL OVER ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

Craig / / 2002, Celebs, Honors, Rocky

Entertainment Weekly’s February 22, 2002 issue contains two articles which Sly fans will want to check out.

“25 Years Ago” by Steve Wolf presents an overview of the ceremonies held on March 28, 1977 when “Rocky” and “Network” duked it out at the 1976 Oscars…”

Here’s a Stallone-related excerpt:

Cindefella

On his way into the Oscars, Sylvester Stallone told the crowd outside, ” My pumpkin is waiting. I’ll see you later. ” With his nominations for Best Actor and screenplay, though, Sly had already written himself a happy ending. The only two men to pull off that qyuiniela in the same year were Charlie Chaplin ( 1940, The Great Dictator) and Orson Welles ( 1941, Citizen Kane ).

There is also mention of Ali’s surprise appearance when Sly was announcing Best Supporting Actress.

“I may not win anything here in the form of an Oscar, ” said the actor, ” but I really feel it’s a privilege to be standing next to a living legend, and it’s something I’ll always treasure for the rest of my life .”
“The Right Hook,” by Chris Nashawaty is a five and one-half page article (with seven pictures) about “Rocky”: “the only Cinderella story more rousing than ‘Rocky’ is the tale of its unlikely route to Best Picture.

– Craig Zablo (February 17, 2002)

SMILIN’ JACK RUBY LOOKS AT “DOLAN’S CADILLAC”

Craig / / 2001, Celebs, Unmade Films

Smilin’ Jack Ruby (gotta love that name!) posted a very positive review of the script for “Dolan’s Cadillac” over at Fandom.com. Jack had some very interesting things to say…

  • “I had the opportunity to read the script and not being ABKing (SZ regular Andrew! – Craig Zablo), I am skeptical of all things Sly Stallone. Well, this role is tailor-made for him.”
  • “He’s the ultimate heavy, the kingpin of Las Vegas organized crime and the guy who runs the Mandarin Casino, which rises high over the strip.”
  • “I have read the script and it’s pretty interesting. You wouldn’t think it, but it actually combines some elements of The Shawshank Redemption into a revenge thriller, though this story never tries to get to that level. It’s a revenge pic, pure and simple.”
  • “If you read the short story, you’ll find out what this big revenge thing is. Needless to say, it is something incredibly cinematic that makes me really, REALLY want to see this movie.”
  • “Kevin Bacon as Tom is perfect casting…”
  • “I’m sure this will turn into a project with a lot of good actors as the parts are well written.”
  • “I have to hand it to Sandy Title and Jonathan Penner, this is an adaptation I want to see…”
  • “It is well-cast, well-written… really keeps the tone of Stephen King intact in the script.”

To read the complete review, click |HERE|. – Craig Zablo (February 18, 2001)

SLY IN UK’S HOTDOG MAGAZINE

Craig / / 2002, Celebs, Cop Land

Ernest “Jazzman” Resendes sent in the following:

I found this in the current issue of HOTDOG ( UK edition, volume3 number 2 ). It includes a piece that reads…

WHY MISS DIAZ… YOU’RE HIDEOUS
They’re Hollywood’s sexiest stars, but here they’re king of funny lookin.’ More than most passport pictures even…
STORY: Mark Wyatt

…It highlights actor’s who have transformed themselves for various roles. Among those featured are Sly Stallone, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Robert Deniro, ect…

Thanks to Ernest “Jazzman” Resendes for sending in the info!

– Craig Zablo (February 17, 2002)

SLY SUES OVER STOCK LOSSES

Craig / / 2002, Celebs, Planet Hollywood

Stallone Sues Over Planet Hollywood Stock Losses
Fri Feb 15, 5:52 AM ET
HOLLYWOOD (Variety) – Actor Sylvester Stallone has filed a $17.3 million lawsuit against a business manager who urged him to hold onto Planet Hollywood stock as the share price spiraled downward and the theme-restaurant company plunged into bankruptcy.

Stallone, in a complaint filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, claimed that Kenneth Starr, a business manager with many celebrity clients, cost him more than $10 million by repeatedly advising Stallone to hang on to more than 3.9 million shares of Planet Hollywood International stock.

Stallone received the shares in exchange for promotional work for the movie-themed restaurant chain, which went public in 1996 with help from Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis. The shares peaked in September 1996 at $28.50, making Stallone’s stake worth more than $111 million.

Starr allegedly “had actual or constructive knowledge of the poor financial condition of Planet Hollywood” because he also represented Keith Barish, a member of the company’s board of directors and a large shareholder. Financial information about the company normally sent to Barish also went to Starr, the suit said.

When Stallone became a Starr client in 1997 at the suggestion of Barish, Planet Hollywood stock was trading at between $16 and $20, making Stallone’s investment worth $60 million to $80 million.

Starr, when asked by Stallone or his assistant about selling the stock, said he shouldn’t, that a sale would hurt the company by sending the wrong message to the stock market, and that the price of the stock could be expected to go much higher, the suit said.

Starr allegedly made similar statements over several years as the stock price continued to go down. The company filed for bankruptcy in October, 1999. Stallone eventually sold his shares in March, 2000 for less than ten cents apiece and netted $295,256.74, the suit said.

Starr allegedly told others that Planet Hollywood was heading for bankruptcy at a time when the stock was still trading at more than $5, the suit said.

Stallone also complained in the lawsuit that despite instructions to invest only in conservative, liquid investments, Starr lost some $7.3 million by putting the actor’s money in three high risk, illiquid mutual funds.

– Craig Zablo (February 17, 2002)

STALLONE VS GIBSON

Craig / / 2002, Celebs, Unmade Films

The February 25 – March 4, 2002 issue of US Weekly contains an article in the “The Hot Stuff” section titled “Sly Vs. Mel”

Sylvester Stallone and Mel Gibson are calling a cop – the same cop. Sources say the two Hollywood heavyweights are trying to woo former New York police commissioner Bernard Kerik with lunches and meetings in an attempt to get the rights to his best-selling autobiography, The Lost Son: A Life in the Pursuit of Justice. “They’re really fighting each other over it,” says one insider. Also interested in the book rights, according to another source, is Robert DeNiro. The tables have turned since Kerik took Stallone to Ground Zero two months ago in an attempt to ingratiate himself with the actor. Now a competition has sprung up, and, says one source, “Kerik’s in the driver’s seat.”

– Craig Zablo (February 17, 2002)

SLY’S BEEN IN THE ENDZONE BEFORE…

Craig / / 2002, Celebs

In the February / March 2002 issue of Movieline, an article entitled, “You Can Leave Your Shirt On,” by Joe Queenan appears. The article discusses (with a humorous slant) several “older male” actors who regularly take off their shirts in movies. Pierce Brosnan, Harrison Ford, Robert Redford, Tommy Lee Jones, Arnold Swarzenegger and others are mentioned. The general consensus of the article is that the shirts should stay on… but here’s what Mr. Queenan says about Sly:

“No story about middle-aged vanity would be complete without mentioning Sylvester Stallone. Tellingly, the customarily vain Stallone does not take off his shirt in last year’s, “Driven,” generously forgoing a golden opportunity to upstage his costar Kip Pardue. However, Stallone does briefly appear in a sweaty athletic shirt in “Get Carter,” a woeful remake of Mike Hodge’s 1970 film noir classic. Having scrutinized 35 movies in which Sly’s contemporaries part with their shirts, I found it great to see a movie in which a guy showing off his shoulders finally had some shoulders worth showing off. Rippling, taut, enormous, those granite-like Rambo-era pecs and biceps still say it all. Built like the proverbial brick shithouse, Stallone doesn’t need to primp and preen in front of a mirror to get his message across. All he has to do is stand there and let the camera do its work. As a famous man once said, when you get into the end zone, act like you’ve been there before.”

– Craig Zablo (February 9, 2002)