An Appropriately Dark Awards Season Awaits
· The Writers' Guild of Great Britain says they're in solidarity with the WGA, and is planning to stage an awards ceremony on Sunday to remind the world that scribes are to be cherished and celebrated, not placed in front of studio gates for SUV target practice. [Variety]
· This year's Oscar contenders display a "bleak, even nihilistic worldview," a largely coincidental development as all were put into production long before Hollywood's collective spirits were darkened by the ongoing labor Armageddon. Should the strike drag on into February, look for replacement host Ryan Seacrest to provide an appropriately somber tone to the proceedings. [THR]
· The Pinkett-Smith family is getting together to make the drama The Human Contract, a film Jada is directing and writing and Will is executive producing. No role is specified for precocious son Jaden, though he may eventually be awarded an associate producer credit for secretly punching up the script during trips to the set with mom and dad. [ Variety]
· The strike stil isn't dampening Hollywood's insatiable appetite for re-teaming, as Juno director Jason Reitman and screenwriter Diablo Cody will be hooking up again for Fox Searchlight's comic horror flick Jennifer's Body. [THR]
· Pierce Brosnan and director Paul Verhoeven are attached to The Thomas Crown Affair sequel which will begin shooting in January; sadly, Rene Russo's love-interest services will no longer be required, limiting today's re-teaming related excitement to the previous item. [Variety]