By Romeo San Vicente
Wonder Woman + Elizabeth Hurley = love?
If she comes from an already man-free, lesbian-leaning place called Paradise Island, are we surprised that the rebooted "Wonder Woman" TV project from David E. Kelly is going to feature an arch lady-nemesis who may have strong feelings for the crime fighter in red, white and blue? No? Good, because that villainess – an evil pharmaceutical corporation CEO – is going to be played by Elizabeth Hurley, who should be great at bringing some devilish sex to the role. In other cool casting news, "Rent" alum Tracie Thoms is on board as Etta, cheery personal assistant to "Friday Night Lights" star Adrianne Palicki's Diana Prince/Wonder Woman. More casting and go-to-series decision news as it comes in, but that sound you hear is a million lesbian TV viewers clearing space on their DVRs.
The 'Jackass' machine keeps rolling
The men of "Jackass" need to keep working. And if those jobs could involve less chance of spinal cord injury then so much the better. And to that end, Johnny Knoxville has a couple of new projects lined up. The first one, called "First Man," is a script about a rowdy hellraiser whose wife is elected president. His response? Goofy post-adolescent (OK, more like creeping middle-age) rebellion. And after that Knoxville is planning to re-team with "Jackass" colleagues Bam Margera and Ryan Dunn for a crime comedy called "Mustache Riders." It'll co-star Willie Nelson as a veteran outlaw who leads three small-time crooks on a buried treasure hunt and will, in keeping with the three "actors'" abilities, provide them with the opportunity to do their own stunts. Now, it's presumed that none of those stunts will involve two naked men being superglued to one another like in "Jackass 3D," but you never know. Don't underestimate these guys and their love of the gay-adjacent scenario.
Romeo in the military, Audrey Hepburn in Japan
Alan Brown keeps busy. Don't know him? Well he's the man who just adapted Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" for the big screen, but set it in an all-male military academy and called it "Private Romeo." Up-and-comers Seth Numrich and Matt Doyle star (yes, it features original Shakespearean English as the boys engage in basketball court brawls and tender make-out scenes) and it'll start hitting film festivals this spring. And in even bigger news, Brown's new film project, "Audrey Hepburn's Neck," is in the early stages of production and will star Krysten Ritter, Ari Graynor and Brian Geraghty. It's based on Brown's own 1996 novel and is a romantic comedy about a young Japanese man obsessed with American women. It's also the story of his American friend, a gay guy who has more than his share of adventures with his own obsession: Japanese men. So whatever you call Brown after these projects hit screens, don't call him timid or safe.
'New Year's Eve'? For gays too?
"Pretty Woman" director Garry Marshall knows when to strike while the iron is still hot. His last film, the huge ensemble comedy "Valentine's Day," was a big hit with audiences and, in spite of its timid – OK, stupid – portrayal of gay love (Gay characters Eric Dane and Bradley Cooper don't kiss. Instead, one of them brushes the other's check with an orchid. Yes, really.) it managed not to offend much of the queer audience. Well, now Marshall's back in action with a sequel of sorts: "New Year's Eve." It'll star, among "many" others, Robert DeNiro, Ashton Kutcher, Katherine Heigl, Lea Michele, Josh Duhamel, Sofia Vergara, Zac Efron, Hilary Swank, Jon Bon Jovi, Michele Pfeiffer, Sarah Jessica Parker, Ice Cube and Ryan Seacrest. So a franchise of holiday-themed rom-coms is born. But we demand that this time the gays and/or the lesbians be allowed to kiss at midnight. This isn't a polite request. Just do it.
