Hollywood: Joaquin Phoenix

By Tony Rizzo

HOLLYWOOD — “Joker” opened in October 2019, grossed $1.7 billion, received 11 Oscar nominations, won two, including best actor for Joaquin Phoenix, and then silence. Usually when a film is a runaway hit like, say, “Top Gun: Maverick,” sequel talk starts immediately, but there was no sequel talk for “Joker” ... until now!

Director Todd Phillips has written (with Scott Silver) and will direct the sequel, “Joker: Folie a Deux” (a French medical term for a rare mental disorder in which two people share the same delusion). Even though we haven’t heard much from Phoenix, he’s been busy completing “Disappointment Blvd.,” with Parker Posey, Nathan Lane and Patti LuPone, and then immersed himself in creating his “Napoleon,” as directed by Ridley Scott for Apple TV+. Among actors who’ve portrayed Napoleon are Marlon Brando (“Desiree,” 1954), Rod Steiger (“Waterloo,” 1970), Ian Holm (“The Emperor’s New Clothes,” 2001) and Christian Clavier (“Napoleon,” 2002). Joaquin has some mighty big shoes to fill.

Joaquin Phoenix

Speaking of “Top Gun: Maverick,” there is a big legal dogfight brewing between Paramount Pictures and the Israeli-based widow and son of Ehud Yonay, the man who wrote the original article in California Magazine in 1983 that “Top Gun” was based on. Paramount says the copyright expired after 35 years and it didn’t need to be renewed. It plans to “vigorously fight” because the Yonays believe their copyright was still in effect and want big bucks.

Hats off to Matthew McConaughey for standing up in front of the whole world “As a father, gun owner and a Texan from Uvalde.” McConaughey, who now lives in Austin, called for all Americans to “step up for change in gun responsibility, including enacting background checks, red flag laws and upping the age requirement to 21.” He further added, “I don’t support gun control, I support gun responsibility.”

He took time from making films while he considered running for governor of Texas, but after careful consideration, he reconsidered.

If you’re old enough to remember “The Munsters” TV series, which ran from 1964-66, it probably just brought a smile to your face. If you don’t remember the original series, there were five films from 1966-1996. Rob Zombie, who wrote and directed “House of 1000 Corpses” (2003) and two highly profitable “Halloween” sequels in 2007 and 2009 (both starring Malcolm McDowell of “A Clockwork Orange” fame), has written and is directing “The Munsters,” with Jeff Daniel Phillips as Herman, Sheri Moon Zombie (his wife) as Lili, and Daniel Roebuck as Grandpa. Both Pat Priest and Butch Patrick (the original Munster children) have cameos in the movie. Zombie is producing the film for Peacock and promises it will be faithful to the original series. Even Frankenstein never had it this good!

© 2022 King Features Synd., Inc.