'Zoolander 2' Back On with Penelope Cruz Joining the Cast

If the opening weekend success of Dumb and Dumber To is any indication, audiences are willing to wait decades for a sequel to beloved comedies. For years Ben Stiller has been trying to get a sequel to his goofy modeling world comedy Zoolander off the ground, with a script he and Justin Theroux completed some time ago. Paramount has been the one blocking any progress, but I've got a newsflash for you, Walter Cronkite, Zoolander 2 is happening.

According to Deadline, the ridiculously good looking Penelope Cruz has joined the Zoolander 2 cast, which is expected to bring back Will Ferrell as the evil Mugatu and Owen Wilson as Zoolander's rival, Hansel. Stiller will also direct and produce, but it's unclear what role Cruz will take. Perhaps she'll play herself as numerous other stars did in the first film, which has become a quotable cult favorite since it opened in 2001.

So, good news or bad news?I can see Paramount's view on this, especially considering how well they did with Anchorman 2, but that film spent the entire time trying to remind you how funny the first film was. My fear is that a Zoolander sequel won't attempt to do anything new.

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Penelope Cruz Boards 'Grimsby'; Aurora Perrineau Joins 'Equals'; 'This is Happening' for Mickey Sumner

 * Last seen in Ridley Scott's grim (but kind of awesome) The Counselor, Penelope Cruz will take on something much lighter in Sacha Baron Cohen's spy parody, Grimsby. She joins Cohen, Mark Strong, Isla Fisher, Gabourey Sidibe, Annabelle Wallis, Rebel Wilson, and Ian McShane in the film about a British secret agent forced to go on the run with his brother, a dim-witted soccer hooligan. Cruz will play the head of a philanthropic organization and possibly more than she appears to be. Fellow agent? Or fellow soccer enthusiast? Grimsby is filming now with Louis Leterrier directing. [THR]

* Aurora Perrineau of the upcoming live-action Jem and the Holograms has joined Nicholas Hoult, Kristen Stewart, Guy Pearce, and Kate Lyn Sheil in Equals, the sci-fi romance directed by Drake Doremus. Set in a future when human emotion is non-existent, two people whose feelings have been turned back on find one another and forge a connection. Perrineau will play a new mother whose child is born crying, a sign that he was born with emotions. [Deadline]

* Mickey Sumner, so good opposite Greta Gerwig in Frances Ha, has joined the indie comedy This is Happening. Also starring Cloris Leachman, James Wolk (Mad Men), Judd Nelson, and Rene Auberjonois (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), the story is "about a people-pleasing brother (Wolk) and pot-dealing sister (Sumner) who embark on a road trip to take their grandmother (Leachman) to an assisted-living facility." Ryan Jaffe, writer on the Rainn Wilson comedy The Rocker, will be making his directorial debut.

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Penelope Cruz Confirmed for Next Bond Film?

With Daniel Craig suddenly dropping out of The Whole Truth, and a pair of actresses eyed as Bond Girls, it does seem as if preparations are under way for the next James Bond film. About a year ago, word began to spread that Penelope Cruz may have a role in the follow-up to Skyfall, on the heels of her husband Javier Bardem's villainous turn. And now her name has surfaced again, but does it mean she's been confirmed?

French site Premiere has the story, noticing that a recent Sony schedule has Cruz listed as part of the cast along with Craig, Naomie Harris, and Ralph Fiennes. It could be an error, conflating rumor as fact, so until something official comes down just keep this filed away as a maybe. Interestingly, Ben Whishaw's name wasn't listed and he's fully expected to return as Q. We've also yet to hear an update on rumors of Chiwetel Ejiofor as the bad guy Bond will tangle with.

Bond 24 opens November 6th 2015.

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The Talent Show: Penelope Cruz

Hollywood is synonymous with beautiful people, so how does one stand out amidst the sea of cosmetically enhanced perfection? Well, in the case of Madrid born sexpot Penelope Cruz it’s a mix of imperfectly perfect features, an endearing innocence and a sexy accent. It also doesn’t hurt that she’s held the status of “A-list” actress for almost 15 years now, first coming to American screens in Blow, the biopic of drug runner George Jung. Her trip to US screens was far from her first success in the film industry; Cruz has had starring roles in award winning Spanish language films since 1992 with Jamon, Jamon, and later in Abra Los Ojos. Since coming stateside Cruz has brought her brand of sexy to each and every film she’s been a part of from Vanilla Sky to Vicky Christina Barcelona, right up to this weekend’s Oscar hopeful The Counselor. So on to what makes her hot, after all…that’s what the Talent Show is all about isn’t it? I mentioned her imperfectly perfect features, her distinctive nose and pouty lips really make her unique, coupled with that amazing body and the innocence’s that she exudes she would be on the top of anyone’s list. That’s not the icing on the cake though, the real ace in the hole with Penelope Cruz lies in her thick Spanish accent…I don’t think I’m alone in saying of all the accents a person can have a Spanish accent is easily the most sexy. An exotic beauty with an adorable accent that can hold a scene against some of Hollywood’s top names? What’s not to love? As if this weren’t enough she decided to become best friends with fellow Latin superstar Salma Hayek to deliver the ultimate one-two blow of sexiness that Hollywood has ever produced. 

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New Teaser for 'The Counselor' Is All Kinds of Sexy

What's your poison? Women, men, money, power, violence? Whatever it is this new trailer for Ridley Scott's The Counselor has got it.

It's not often that I get completely cised for an upcoming film off the :30 second teaser trailer, but let me break this down for you. Oh, and I should include that after watching it I still have only the most vaugue of ideas as to what it's about. We start off with an off screen death trap that is sure to have been the most gory you've seen in a while. Cut to Javier Bardem's "Best Spanish Guy Accent of All Time" voice-over, insert shots of Micheal Fassbender and Brad Pitt looking cool and for good measure throw some super-hot Penelope Cruz on top. The bonus? Well that's something that I did not think was realistically possible. A HOT Cameron Diaz. I haven't been a fan of that woman's looks since The Mask in '94, but here we are almost 20 years later and I can say without reservation that la chick es caliente. FO SHO!

Check it out.

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Penelope Cruz to be a Bond Girl in next James Bond film?

It appears that all of the directorial wrangling on the next James Bond film is over with now that Sam Mendes is on board to direct the next two. As contract talks with Daniel Craig continue to lock him down for what is looking like a two-part story, a rumor has emerged that they may have found his Bond Girl co-star.

A report over at Yahoo! says that Penelope Cruz is set to become the "oldest ever Bond Girl" in Bond 24. Only in Hollywood does it make a difference that Cruz will be 41 by the time production is expected to begin, when few make a big deal over Craig being 45 and would be approaching 50 by the time all is said and done. Whether this story is legit or just a rumor making the rounds is unclear, but it does seem unlikely that they would be looking to fill other roles before everything with Mendes and Craig has been finalized. But it does sound as if the producers have been trying to land her for some time, but her busy schedule always proved a hindrance. She's currently pregnant by her husband, Javier Bardem, who played the villain Skyfall.

Cruz would be coming off the $1B-grossing Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and it's still up in the air whether she'll return for the fifth film. Chances are she wouldn't be able to do both.  Cruz definitely has the glamourous look of a Bond Girl, and can more than hold her own if called upon to get physical. Nothing has been confirmed, but shooting on Bond 24 is expected to begin next year.

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Penelope Cruz may join Ridley Scott's 'The Counselor'

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are undoubtedly the most powerful and famous couple on the planet not named Barack and Michelle Obama. Since they have about a million kids from every corner of the globe, it's rare that you see both away making movies at the same time, with one usually playing house parent. It's even more rare that they work together on anything, with the last time being 2005's Mr. and Mrs. Smith. On the the other hand, you've got Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem, who have starred in seven movies together already, and the married couple might be making it eight.

Cruz is reportedly circling a role in The Counselor, Ridley Scott's film based on an original script by Cormac McCarthy. Easily the most pursued movie in Hollywood right now, they've had zero problems finding A-listers to star in it, with Michael Fassbender, Pitt, and Bardem on board, and Jolie in talks. If she joins, Cruz would play the love interest to Fassbender's character, a lawyer who hooks up with a criminally connected buddy to make a major drug buy on the Mexican border, only to have the whole thing blow up in their faces.

Here's the problem: The role THR has Cruz pegged for is the one Jolie is supposedly eying. So does that mean Jolie is out, perhaps too busy with her upcoming commitment to Maleficent? Or is one of them taking on another female role? From what I've heard there are two major female parts to be filled.

Whether it's Cruz, Jolie, or both, The Counselor looks incredible on paper.  Filming should be getting underway soon and I can't wait!

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