“Champs” Filming

SYLVESTER STALLONE‘s CART-Based Movie ‘Champs’ Continues Filming at Tenneco Automotive Grand Prix Of Detroit

DETROIT, June 14 /PRNewswire/ — Franchise Pictures, the production company for the Champ Car-based film preliminarily entitled “Champs,” will continue shooting footage for the feature at this weekend’s 19th Annual Tenneco Automotive Grand Prix of Detroit.

SYLVESTER STALLONE, featured star and producer of the film, will be at The Raceway on Belle Isle to continue work on the project. Cast members joining STALLONE at Detroit are supermodel ESTELLA WARREN and German actor TILL SCHWEIGER.

The focal points of this weekend’s filming will be post-race celebrations and Victory Circle activities. This will occur after the formal victory ceremonies for the CART FedEx Championship Series race on Sunday afternoon. Additionally, over 200 film crew members will gather aerial footage from helicopters over Belle Isle, shoot on-track action from the pace cars, and do work in the pits throughout the race weekend which is sanctioned by Troy, Mich.-based Championship Auto Racing Teams.

“Champs” is scheduled for release to more than 3,000 movie theaters in the summer 2001. The film is being distributed by Warner Brothers.

The Tenneco Automotive Grand Prix of Detroit will be held June 16-18 at The Raceway on Belle Isle. To order tickets, call 1-800-498-RACE or 313-870-7223 or visit any TicketMaster location. Anyone interested in being a part of the race as a volunteer should contact the Detroit Grand Prix Association at 313-872-3472. For further event and ticket information, visit www.imgmotorsports.com .

SOURCE: IMG Motorsports

Craig Zablo (June 14, 2000]

ESTELLA WARREN JOINS CHAMPS

ESTELLA WARREN JOINS CHAMPS

 The Hollywood Reporter has announced that Estella Warren has joined the cast of Champs which is scheduled to begin filming in July. Warren who is best known for being a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, has appeared in independent films in the past, but this will be her first “major budget studio feature.” Thanks to Dark Horizons and “The Grim Reaping Lots of Money” for the tip.
-Craig Zablo (May 27, 2000)

Sly Ready for “Rocky VI”

On May 11th Entertainment Weekly OnLine ran a piece by WILLIAM KECK which quoted SYLVESTER STALLONE as saying that he’s finished a script for “Rocky VI” and would like to begin work on it as soon as he’s finished filming “Champs.” The only hold up at this point is whether or not MGM is willing to greenlight the film at the budget STALLONE needs ($22 million). SLY wants to do the film soon noting that “It’s already been ten years since Rocky V. It’s now or never.”

The news that SLY himself was talking about making a sixth “Rocky” also appeared at Cinescape, Ain’t It Cool News, and Dark Horizons.

As it stands now we know for certain that SLY wants to do a sixth “Rocky.” MGM was already interested. SLY and MGM should be able to reach an agreement on the budget. Twentytwo million doesn’t seem unreasonable, especially consider ing that “Rocky V” made $41 million (the lowest of amount in the series), and that was in 1991 dollars!

– Craig Zablo
[May 11. 2000]

Two Stallone Total Film Tidbits

Ernest “Jazzman” Resendes sent in the following: “There are a couple of news bits from the current “TOTAL FILM” magazine. Probably nothing that we haven’t read before but what the heck.”


CONFIDENCE
Sylvester Stallone wrestles with: “I have gun. Give money.”

The grunting that one takes on Morton Orwell, a bank-robbing sophisto on the run from the lot: an FBI guy, an old enemy and a rogue intelligence agent…

But it’s definitely a distant future thing. Waterworld lensman Kevin Reynolds was recently bumped off the project, they’re still casting for a love interest and Sly has yet to finish being Michael Caine in the dubious Get Carter remake. And then he’s doing that there motor racer Champs. This one seems to be an attempt to shove him back into the action limelight after the critical nod of Cop Land.

One tiny worry: the script is by one Simon Davis Barry. Yes, the man who took an uncredited writing gig on (off!) the Treat Williams TV movie 6 Hours to Die. Quite.


TOP GEAR
Stallone on starting grid for fast car flick.

After backing his brain into the garage for a re-tool, Sylvester Stallone‘s gone and got his legendary motor movie greenlit.

Originally thought to be set around the noisy ego-fest that is Formula One, Stallone recently announced at a press conference that the film would now feature Championship Auto Racing Teams (that’s CART, acronym likers). “CART‘s brand of open-wheel auto racing provides some of the most thrilling, involving, and inspiring form of sport in the world,” the former Rambo gnashed. The Sly-scribbled script, called Champs, has the full backing of CART execs, excited at a chance for some of that lovely international promotion.

Word on the track is that the film’s now aimed at a June start for a possible 2001 release, with most of its $65-million budget going on flashy effects to “bring the audience into the car…”

Thanks to Jazzman for the info!
Craig Zablo
[May 7, 2000]