John Malkovich is planning on being exceedingly busy this year. First up, it seems he’s confirmed rumours that he’ll be playing the villain in Spider-man 4, with Bad Taste reporting that he told an Italian TV show “that he’s waiting for the final script to be sent to him, and that the movie has been delayed. He also hopes that shooting will begin as soon as possible.”
Malkovich is up for the role of villain The Vulture in Spider 4, but seeing as it’s disagreements between Sam Raimi and the studio over which bad guys to use (Sam wants The Vulture, Sony isn’t as keen) that has delayed the film’s planned shoot, it seems Malkovich really will have to wait for that final script to see whether they even keep his role in the final movie.
However, while he’s waiting to out about Spider-man, he’s got plenty to keep him busy, as THR reports that Malkovich has signed onto another comic book movie, Red. He’s replacing John C. Reilly in the film, as an erratic and paramoid former CIA agent who thinks everyone is out to get him. He ends up joining Bruce Willis’ quest to bring down some younger, hi-tech assassins who have been sent to kill Bruce. The movie also stars Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, Mary-Louise Parker, Julian McMahon, Richard Dreyfuss, Ernest Borgnine and Brian Cox, with shooting beginning this week. It’s not known why Reilly exited the movie, but it’s good news for Malkovich.
If all that weren’t enough, THR also says that Malkovich will be among those rounded up for 10 days of reshooting on the upcoming wild west zombie movie, Jonah Hex. While the studio has tried to suggest it’s merely routine and that it’s being done to bolster the movie try and turn it into a major tentpole release, it’ll no doubt fuel rumours that the film is in trouble. Some reshoots have already taken place, and as we previously reported, I Am Legend director Francis Lawrence has been hired to help Jimmy Hayward put the film together, which certainly suggests the making of the movie has become far trickier than anticipated.
Now Malkovich, Josh Brolin, Megan Fox and co. are being rounded up for more shooting, which not only includes redoing some scenes, but adding in 12 additional pages of script. The reshoots are due to take place later this month, and we’ll be able to see in June whether all this tinkering was worthwhile.