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Our Long National Nightmare Has Been Resurrected: Olivia Munn Returns to Television

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under Trade News | Comments (21)

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  • Just when you thought it was safe to turn on the television again, Olivia Munn has climbed back out of the depths of television hell after the cancellation of “Perfect Couples” and landed an even better role, as a series regular on Aaron Sorkin’s upcoming HBO series about the behind-the-scenes machinations of a cable news operation. Munn will play a “sexy financial analyst.” Alison Pill (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) will also join the cast as an associate producer at the assignment desk. Jeff Daniels has already been tapped to lead the series as the cable news anchor while Marisa Tomei is ever closer to joining as the network’s executive producer. (Deadline)

  • Russell Crowe now wants to direct. He setting up a project to direct and star in called 77, a 70s’ crime thriller based, like Crowe’s L.A. Confidential, on a James Ellroy novel. Per Deadline, the film will focus on the unsolved homicide of an LAPD officer in 1974 and the nationally televised battle in South Central Los Angeles between the Symbionese Liberation Army and the LAPD, which included 50,000 rounds of gunfire.

  • Paul Greengrass, who has apparently just been bopping around taking meetings since Green Zone now looks to perhaps direct The Deep Blue Good-by, after his MLK Jr. biopic, Memphis, hit a few snags. It’s based on the first of a series of novels that center around the character created by John D. MacDonald, Travis McGee, who lives on a houseboat and recovers property for clients. It’s one of several projects Greengrass is eying, according to Deadline.

  • Nicholas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) has enrolled another cast member in his Judd Apatow produced, Five Year Engagement. “The Office’s” Mindy Kaling will join a cast that already includes Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, Alison Brie, Chris Pratt, Rhys Ifans, Lauren Weedman, David Paymer, Kevin Hart and Jacki Weaver. The movie will follow the extended engagement of a young couple played by Segel and Blunt. (Variety)

  • Chris Diamantopoulos (“24”) is the latest cast member to join the Farrelly Brothers Three Stooges shitshow. He’ll play Moe, joining Will Sasso as Curly and Sean Hayes as Larry (yes, that Sean Hayes). Sofia Vergara is also in talks to star. (Variety)

  • Joel Schumacher has signed on to “direct” The Hive, about an emergency operator who must confront a killer from her past to save a young girl’s life. Where it concerns Schumacher, “direct” is a strong word, however. It’s more like “incompetently regurgitate scenes in a somewhat linear fashion.” (Variety)









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    Comments

    a whole lot of nothing happening here

    Posted by: splinter at April 26, 2011 11:33 AM

    • "Mindy Kaling will join a cast that already includes Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, Alison Brie, Chris Pratt"

    ALREADY THERE AT THE THEATRE

    Posted by: arrrghzi at April 26, 2011 11:37 AM

    Something tells me that Russell Crowe directing would be like a real life version of The Stunt Man, but with more telecommunications projectiles.

    Posted by: Mrs. Julien at April 26, 2011 11:38 AM


    Aside from the blank void that is Olivia Munn, that is a truly impressive cast. I love Jeff Daniels and Allison Pill. I just wish Hollywood would stop trying to make Olivia Munn happen. Give it up.

    Posted by: Figgy at April 26, 2011 11:42 AM

    Figgy - They are too busy giving up on the Jessicas Biel and Alba at the moment. The Simpson acquiescence took much longer than expected and as a result they are terribly behind. They'll get to the Olivias Munn and Wilde eventually.

    Posted by: Mrs. Julien at April 26, 2011 11:48 AM

    Olivia Munn needs to enroll in the Denise Richards school of how to play characters whose mental capacities are hilariously above their own. Is cleavage an acting technique?

    Posted by: logar at April 26, 2011 11:49 AM

    Olivia Munn must be so much more charming and likable in real life. I just don't get it. Aaron Sorkin, c'mon! This is some David E. Kelley crap right here. Sure, Munn's photogenic, but her persona/presence/all that ain't no bag'a chips.

    Posted by: RobP at April 26, 2011 11:51 AM

    Kudos to you Dustin on the delicious display of invective in the last item.

    Posted by: Mrs. Julien at April 26, 2011 11:54 AM

    Is cleavage an acting technique?

    Yes. It's one of the ways that life imitates art and vice versa.

    Posted by: Mrs. Julien at April 26, 2011 11:55 AM

    As long as Munn gets naked and on all fours Danaerys Targaryen-style, I'll let this pass.

    Posted by: Fredo at April 26, 2011 12:13 PM

    Wouldn't it just be better to get the original cast of Sports Night and do an HBO reboot?

    Posted by: APOCooter at April 26, 2011 12:20 PM

    Yes.

    Posted by: RobP at April 26, 2011 12:25 PM

    I'm glad the took the time to inform me that she will be sexy. Kind of how they need to tell us when Will Ferrell will be "hilarious" in a role.

    When the talent doesn't sell the role based on who they are, that's red flag number one. Time to replace Olivia Munn with Alison Brie in everything:

    1) open "the real world"
    2) hit Ctrl-H for find/replace
    3) replace Olivian Munn with Alison Brie
    4) press Ctrl-A for "replace all"
    5) be sure to save your changes before exiting.

    There. All better.

    Posted by: Markus at April 26, 2011 12:28 PM

    It's OK. Aaron Sorkin has a history of introducing "Sexy ________s" and then completely dropping them after a season/a few episodes. I'm just gonna assume Olivia Munn is the Moira Kelly of this show.

    Posted by: esme at April 26, 2011 12:33 PM

    esme has a good point. She'll wear short skirts for a while, say a few witty, emasculating lines to the Macho Man of the show, get into a scandal and leave forever.

    Posted by: Figgy at April 26, 2011 12:47 PM

    So Olivia Munn will be a fictionalized Erin Burnett on that show?

    Posted by: Todd at April 26, 2011 12:53 PM

    Jason Segal really has no business being a leading man. He is the best friend. And I don't want to see his average penis again.

    I would watch Russell Crowe direct the phone book. Hope he will be in it.

    Posted by: kirbyjay at April 26, 2011 12:55 PM

    @kirbyjay

    Spoiler: Russell Crowe isn't in the phone book.

    Posted by: arrrghzi at April 26, 2011 2:13 PM

    @kirbyjay: I heard what you said about Jason Segal. And I will remember it. Watch your back. *Points at eyes with two fingers, points at you with said fingers*

    P.S. I don't hate Olivia Munn (she was terrific on Attack of the Show), but she's a bad actress. What's Allison Janey doing? Get her back.

    Posted by: ChristianH at April 26, 2011 4:03 PM

    Nice one, arrrghzi.

    Posted by: MelBivDevoe at April 26, 2011 8:14 PM

    If it keeps Olivia Munn off the Daily Show then I'm all for it.

    Posted by: Uda at April 26, 2011 8:30 PM