SPOILERS are ahead for Disenchanted, now streaming with a Disney+ subscription. 

Fifteen years after Disney fans first fell in love with Enchanted, Amy Adams’ Giselle, the cast from the original, along with some new faces have come together for Disenchanted. The sequel follows Giselle and Patrick Dempsey’s Robert as they move out of New York City to the suburbs with a teenage Morgan and their new baby. Although Giselle has spent a lot of time outside of the animated Disney princess world of Andalasia when we catch up with her in Disenchanted, the movie is packed full of Disney references, just like the first movie. 

Disenchanted sees Giselle’s new town looking like home when she wishes for a fairytale life. It leads to numerous opportunities for Disney easter eggs. As director Adam Shankman recently shared with us: 

Adam Shankman spoke to Disenchanted’s Disney easter eggs during the movie’s virtual press conference, in response to CinemaBlend’s question on the subject. He continued by sharing some specific moments from the film, saying: 

That’s right. During Gabriella Baldacchino’s tune titled “Perfect,” Morgan, who is hypnotized like the rest of the town to be a fairytale character, takes up the role of being a classic Disney heroine. As Shankman explained, the scene calls back to various Disney “I Want” songs. Looking back at the scene, I definitely see it. Morgan clutches a piece of material just like Aurora does with Phillip’s cloak in “Once Upon A Dream” and a splash of water erupts behind her like The Little Mermaid’s “Part Of Your World” as she sits on a ledge. 

I’m sure there’s more in that scene alone. Speaking to easter eggs elsewhere in Disenchanted, Shankman also said this:

Sounds like we could spend an entire viewing looking out for Disney references! As Giselle’s fairytale wish comes true, she becomes an evil stepmother, and Morgan becomes the hero of the story. With that, Adams gets to emulate a new side of herself and reference many Disney villains with her clothing, and Pip gets turned into a cat who looks just like Cinderella’s Lucifer. Speaking of Cinderella, the Disenchanted director also pointed out that Jayma Mays and Yvette Nicole Brown wear evil stepsisters Anastasia and Drizella’s iconic dresses as well. 

The movie arrived on Disney+ this weekend to mixed reviews from critics overall and CinemaBlend’s raving Disenchanted review rating it 4.5 out of 5. You can make your own decision as to if the sequel is good or evil. But no matter way, you gotta love that Disenchanted continued the tradition of including all the Disney callbacks as Enchanted did. 

It’s been 15 years since Amy Adams brought her fairytale charm to New York City through princess-to-be Giselle, and fans of the live action Disney film have been looking forward to its sequel Disenchanted for quite a while. The time is finally here, as the movie is currently available for streaming with a Disney+ subscription. The Disenchanted cast sees the return of our old favorites — Patrick Dempsey as Robert, Idina Menzel as Nancy and James Marsden’s Prince Edward (though the trailers don’t show nearly enough of him). There are also quite a few new names to the universe, including comedy greats Maya Rudolph, Yvette Nicole Brown and Oscar Nuñez.

Disenchanted will see Giselle and Robert moving their family out of Manhattan and into the suburbs. With Adam Shankman directing and Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz behind the music, we’ve been promised some major musical moments, including Idina Menzel finally getting to sing. The reviews are in to tell us what we need to know about this Disney+ sequel before deciding whether or not to settle in for a movie night with the fam. Let’s see what the critics have to say, starting with CinemaBlend’s review of Disenchanted. Our own Mike Reyes rates the movie 4.5 stars out of 5, saying it one-ups the original and is one of Disney’s best of the year: 

Amelia Emberwing of IGN agrees that this is a “mostly successful” effort, rating the movie a “Good” 7 out of 10. She warns that people hoping for simply more of the original movie might be disappointed, as Disenchanted takes the story in a different direction. The critic says:  

For Moira Macdonald of The Seattle Times, this movie was well worth the wait, Amy Adams is still a dream, and the sequel is filled with lavish musical numbers. The critic rates it 3 out of 4 stars, saying: 

Not all of the critics enjoy Giselle’s turn as a villain, however. Owen Gleiberman of Variety opines that Amy Adams’ goody-two-shoes character was the highlight of Enchanted, and her transformation into a wicked stepmother leads to a “scattershot” sequel. He says: 

Lovia Gyarkye of THR is also underwhelmed with the follow-up to Enchanted, saying it lacks charisma and curiosity, despite the best efforts of its talented cast. According to the review: 

Giselle's sweet naivety was unquestionably part of what made Enchanted such a classic 15 years ago, and it seems like the critics aren’t all in agreement about the arc her character takes in the long-awaited sequel. Others, however, give it their full endorsement. If you’d like to check Disenchanted out for yourself, the movie is available now for streaming on Disney+. If you’d like to start planning your next trip to the theater, be sure to check out our 2022 Movie Release Schedule, and see what’s coming to the big screen in 2023.

There’s certainly a strategy in the inner workings of Disney that determines what movies go to streaming, and which ones head to theaters. For two of the more recent films that have been deemed Disney+ originals, a heady current of nostalgia has carried sequels from fond wishes into actual reality. In the case of Hocus Pocus 2, the result was a cute legacyquel that pleases crowds and honors its legacy well. 

With the studio’s latest roll of the dice, director Adam Shankman's Disenchanted, Disney has delivered a sequel that goes above and beyond, expanding the Amy Adams-led story into something even richer and more beautiful.

Catching us up with the life and times of Giselle (Amy Adams) and Robert (Patrick Dempsey), the follow-up shows us the happy couple uprooting their lives from New York City and heading to suburbia. Growing concerned about her life outside of happily ever after and an ever complicated relationship with her stepdaughter Morgan (Gabriella Baldacchino), Giselle makes a desperate and magical wish she thinks will change her life for the better. 

At this point, the stage in the film is set for what seems like a standard Disney fairy tale, right down to the title of the sequel being Disenchanted. That’s not what audiences are about to experience, though, as what winds up unfurling isn’t just a revisiting the jokes of the first film with a villainous twist.

The sequel to Enchanted is an improvement on the original, and one of the best Disney films of the year.

When it debuted, Enchanted was a sly satire of the traditional fairy tale that also knew when to stick to the formula. It was what made the movie so popular in the first place, as Disney was poking fun at itself with the wide-eyed Giselle while never belittling that innocence. Disenchanted sees our princess still very optimistic and pulling for the best, but also brought a bit more down to earth. 

If anything, the magical element introduced by Amy Adams’ protagonist allows Disenchanted to skew in the other direction. Amping things back up into pure storybook beauty, the rest of Giselle’s family starts to act as if they were in a classic Disney movie. 

Just as brilliantly as Enchanted toed the line between worlds, Disenchanted sends its universe into fully realized, and brilliantly colored life. Musical numbers are plentiful, allowing Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz to yet again weave their magic in the Disney catalog. The villainous twist to this film’s story isn’t merely used as the easy narrative path, as Amy Adams gets to have a lot of fun slowly turning into an evil stepmother. 

Amy Adams’ villain era adds another layer to this well-crafted continuation.

You could practically call Disenchanted a Jekyll and Hyde spinoff with the way that Adams shifts between her bright and chirpy side and the darkness that slowly takes her over in the film. It isn’t a mere scenery chewing transformation either, with a real struggle being depicted between the two halves of Giselle. And if you thought Amy Adams’ songs were fun when she’s goodying things up, her number as an evil opponent to Maya Rudolph's similarly vicious Malvina is one of the best in this impressive new slate.

By embracing the magic that she came from, Disenchanted puts Giselle in a novel position. The very way of life that instilled her with her natural sunshine is now working against her, and it’s just as compelling as seeing her trying to become a more normal, well-rounded person through her previous New York adventure. Humor is still very much present, but the development of the characters in Brigitte Hales’ screenplay (from a story by writers  David N. Weiss, J. David Stem, and Richard LaGravenese) doesn’t happen merely to drive a sequel story. 

Most exciting is the facet of Disenchanted’s story that continues to keep the focus on its female characters. Going as far as to send the male figures in the family off on the standard heroic quests, the spotlight is firmly on Giselle and Morgan for the most part. Working from an organic strategy, the results allow for a movie that wins you over with – what else–  a pure, beating heart. 

Disenchanted finds fresh magic that recalls the best of Disney adventures past. 

The traditionally labeled “princess movies” of Disney’s storied history tend to focus on a heroine who wants some sort of “adventure in the great wide somewhere.” In Disenchanted, the whole universe gets to feel that yearning, and many lessons are learned as a result. The same could be said for this Disney+ original, as through tribute, Easter eggs, and musical references from past tales, the endgame is something that will truly delight fans of such things.

Classical stories are alive and well, but it never feels like Disenchanted is leaning on any one scenario in particular to make an overt message. There’s love for the characters, and the Disney legacy felt from start to finish. Just as before, Giselle and the world around her are treated with the utmost care, and all we have to do is let ourselves get caught up in that world all over again.  

As the evolution of Disney’s princess-centric stories has made great strides on the animated front, the live-action remakes seem to have been lagging behind in recent years. Disenchanted is the sign that while the studio should definitely keep pursuing better in the realm of flesh and blood acting, it’s more than high time to put the same energies into those films that have catapulted the animated canon to beautiful heights. 

After 29 years, the Sanderson sisters are finally coming back, and their return is anticipated with tremendous excitement (albeit perhaps not by the residents of Salem, Massachusetts that they plan to cast their dastardly spells on). Fans of the original Hocus Pocus have spent decades requesting a sequel starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, and at long last Hocus Pocus 2 will be premiering this fall. There are great expectation for wonderful and creepy on-screen magic in the movie – and executive producer Adam Shankman makes it sound like there was plenty of magic on the set of the sequel as well.

Shankman recently got the opportunity to hype audiences for Hocus Pocus 2 via an interview with People, and it seems his primary mode of doing so was celebrating the reunion of the movie's three biggest stars/antagonists. The filmmaker essentially likened Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy being back together as a kind of time travel, and it sounds like it didn't take any effort whatsoever for them to recreate their characters' wonderful dynamic. Said Shankman,

Just looking at the image from Hocus Pocus 2 at the top of this article is somewhat surreal, as the brilliant costuming and make-up perfectly illustrate the idea that no time at all has passed for these characters. Hopefully someone was running a camera behind the scenes when all three of them first arrived on set in full wardrobe as Winifred, Sarah and Mary, and hopefully we'll get to enjoy that footage either before or after the sequel's arrival. (One would expect it to be just as wholesome as Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy's trailer reaction video)

Directed by Anne Fletcher, Hocus Pocus 2 is a real-time sequel in the sense that the story will pick up 29 years after the heroes from the original lit the legendary Black Flame candle and then defeated the Sanderson sisters (stopping them from magically stealing the youth from the children of Salem). Whitney Peak, Lilia Buckingham, and Belissa Escobedo will play a new trio of teenagers who accidentally resurrect the terrible witches, and the responsibility falls to stop their nefarious plotting before it's too late. 

The debut teaser trailer for Hocus Pocus 2 landed online last month, and you can give it a watch below:

In addition to featuring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, Doug Jones is back reprising his role as the undead Billy Butcherson, and new cast members include Tony Hale and Sam Richardson. You can learn more about the new Hocus Pocus movie with our Quick Things guide.

Hocus Pocus 2 will be premiere online on September 30, but don't wait until then to pick up a Disney+ subscription. You can not only watch the first movie to prepare for the sequel, but there are plenty of other great original and classic Disney films on the streaming service.

To discover all of the new movies heading to theaters and streaming between now and the end of December, head over to our 2022 Movie Release Calendar. 

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Disney is known for crafting beloved family friendly animated musicals. But before the House of Mouse started doing remakes of movies like Aladdin, it mixed both animation and live-action in 2007’s Enchanted. The sequel Disenchanted recently wrapped, and we can see how Amy Adams and director Adam Shankman celebrated this achievement.

Since Enchanted hit theaters well over a decade ago, fans were beginning to worry that a sequel would never happen. But the beloved characters will return to the screen in Disenchanted, including Oscar nominee Amy Adams as Giselle. And with the movie finally in the can, Adams and Adam Shankman celebrated, as you can see below

And just like that Disenchanted is officially in the can. While it’ll be some time before the project is completed and given its bells and whistles like visual effects, but the Enchanted sequel has never felt more real. We’ll just have to wait and see what musical adventures are coming our way with the Disney flick.

The above image comes to us from director-producer Adam Shankman’s personal Instagram account. While not actually revealing any sets or costumes for Disenchanted, it’s thrilling to learn that the project has taken such an exciting step forward. Although it does look like Amy Adams is still rocking some of Giselle’s magical hair in this image.

Enchanted’s sequel is currently expected to get its release on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

Not much is known about Disenchanted, but the limited information is definitely helping to buoy excitement for Disney fans out there. The new movie will once again feature musical numbers written by Broadway legends Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz. The starring cast will also be back to join Amy Adams, including James Marsden, Patrick Dempsey, and Idina Menzel. Fans are especially hoping that the latter actress gets a song this time around, as Menzel didn’t get to sing in the first Enchanted.

At the end of Enchanted, Giselle was living her happily ever after in the real world with Patrick Dempsey’s Robert and his daughter Morgan. Meanwhile, Idina Menzel’s Nancy and James Marsden’s Prince Edward got married in the animated world of Andalasia. But the drama is continuing with Disenchanted, and I can’t wait to see how the last 15 years have been to that motley ensemble. There will also be a bevy of new characters in the streaming sequel, including a villain played by the always delightful Maya Rudolph.

Disenchanted is currently expected to hit Disney+ sometime in 2022. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

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Enchanted 2, now officially known as Disenchanted, has been in development for over a decade now, but as of last month, the Disney sequel is finally filming. While Kevin Lima directed Amy Adams’ first outing as Giselle of Andalasia, Hairspray’s Adam Shankman has taken the directorial reins on Disenchanted, which will premiere on Disney+. Just like its predecessor, the sequel will be packed with major musical moments, and Shankman has teased a little bit of what’s coming on that front.

Disenchanted began principal photography on May 17, and recently taking to his Instagram page, Adam Shankman shared the following photo of 75 dancers who’ve been employed to take part in the Hollywood production:

Frankly, it would have been weird if Disenchanted hadn’t followed in its predecessor’s footsteps and ditched the musical material. Simultaneously homaging and poking fun at classic Disney movies, Enchanted including numbers like “Happy Working Song” and “That’s How You Know.” So it’s only natural For Disenchanted to deliver its own show-stopping numbers, and these dancers get to take part in these extravaganzas. Oh, and it’s also good to see they’re following the proper health guidelines by wearing masks while rehearsing.

As for what we can specifically expect from any of Disenchanted’s musical numbers, that’s hard to say. However, it was reported in April that Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs characters Grumpy, Happy, Sneezy, Sleepy, Dopey, Bashful and Doc will play a “pivotal role” in the sequel that includes them participating in a musical number. Assuming that’s true, Disenchanted would stand out from its predecessors by directing involving established Disney characters rather than just following the Disney formula. Granted, many actors who’s appeared in past Disney productions, from Julie Andrews to Jodie Benson, also appeared in Enchanted, but in new roles.

Taking place 15 years after the events of the first Enchanted movie, Disenchanted sees Amy Adams’ Giselle, Patrick Dempsey’s Robert Phillip and Morgan Phillip, who’s now being played by Gabriella Baldacchino, moving to a new house in the Monroeville suburb. The community is overseen by Maya Rudolph’s Malvina Monroe, who has nefarious intentions for the family. Things start getting out of hand when Giselle wishes that their lives could be like the perfect fairytale, and when the spell backfires, she’ll have to race to save both Robert and Morgan, as well as Andalasia, before the clock strikes midnight.

Along with the aforementioned actors, Disenchanted also sees James Marsden and Idina Menzel reprising Prince Edward and Nancy Tremaine, respectively, while the newcomers include Yvette Nicole Brown, Jayma Mays, Oscar Nunez and Kolton Stewart. In addition to directing, Adam Shankman is also a producer and worked on the script. Disney veteran Alan Menken returned to compose the score and write the movie’s songs with Stephen Schwartz.

Disenchanted will premiere on Disney+ sometime in 2022, so make sure you’re subscribed to the Mouse House’s streaming service. For those curious about movies arriving later this year, look through our 2021 release schedule.

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Guy Pearce has done a number of different projects over the course of his career. The actor has starred in dramas like Momento and The Hurt Locker and blockbuster films like Iron Man 3 and Prometheus. Of course, one of the more family-oriented films is most known for is Adam Sandler’s Bedtime Stories, which saw him play the role of snooty Kendall Morgan. It was a fun part, and fans likely enjoyed watching Pearce flex his comedic muscles. The actor himself actually found starring in the film to be “quite the thrill,” and he recently opened up about why this was the case.

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Guy Pearce about his work in The Last Vermeer and, during our chat, he spoke on how he came to be involved with Bedtime Stories. And as it turns out, he had a very personal reason for wanting to team up with Adam Sandler and Adam Shankman for the Disney film, which made it all the more satisfying for him in the end:

Having starred in a string of films with such heavy material, one can definitely understand why Guy Pearce needed a bit of a palate cleanser. And it looks like the film did just that for him. The film's fun vibe, paired with the family-oriented nature of an Adam Sandler production, would likely make for an enjoyable filmmaking experience. The storybook comedy is currently available to stream on Disney+, which you can sign up for using this link.

Guy Pearce’s Bedtime Stories role really allowed him to humorously chew scenery as a villain, and the actor has since learned quite a bit about playing a bad guy. However, his recent role as Dutch folk hero Han van Meegeren, is an example of a character who has a few more shades of gray. But most would agree that whatever kind of role he’s playing, Pearce can nail them all.

Guy Pearce was a fun part of Bedtime Stories, and it would be nice to see him get even more silly in another film. And even more, seeing him and Adam Sandler team up in another movie would be fun as well.

The Last Vermeer is now available on Digital, Blu-ray and DVD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Is anyone else daydreaming about spooky season already? Well, here’s some good news: the Hocus Pocus sequel has found its director. Whispers of a continuation to the 1993 classic have been in talks for years, but it looks like it’s now officially moving forward for Disney+ with Hairspray director Adam Shankman on board to helm.

Adam Shankman most recently directed the 2019 rom-com What Men Want starring Taraji P. Henson, and is also attached to Disney’s Enchanted sequel, Disenchanted. He has found success with making musicals and comedy projects such as Rock of Ages, Bedtime Stories, A Walk To Remember and The Wedding Planner. Now the question is what the vision for Hocus Pocus 2 will be.

Workaholics writer and producer Jen D’Angelo is writing the script, and Lynn Harris (The Notebook, The Shallows) is producing, per Variety. There have been many rounds of talk about a Hocus Pocus sequel for so many years that's it’s tough to decipher what fans can expect from the Halloween movie. Last we heard, the script does include the central three Salem witches from the original as characters in the movie.

Back in November, Sarah Jessica Parker said that she, Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy had signed on to star in Hocus Pocus 2, adding “Now we wait.” This followed a previous version of the project in development at Disney Channel with a new cast that Midler publicly looked down upon.

Other cast members have also shared their interest in reprising their roles in another Hocus Pocus movie. Thora Birch, who was nine at the time of the original movie’s release, is down to reprise her role of Dani in a sequel. Here’s what she said about Hocus Pocus 2 last month:

Could it be a full-on reunion? Doug Jones has previously spoken out about the possibility of playing Billy Butcherson again too! Back in 2018, much of the original cast came back together to celebrate 25 years since its release – though most of the child actors are no longer working in Hollywood.

1993’s Hocus Pocus was helmed by Kenny Ortega before he went on to direct the High School Musical and Descendant movies for Disney Channel. When the movie originally hit theaters in July 1993, it didn’t make much money, but it has become a staple and tradition during Halloween time.

The report doesn’t clear up whether Adam Shankman will start production on Hocus Pocus 2 or Enchanted 2 first. Stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more updates on Disney+ content!

Between Lily James’ Cinderella, Emma Watson’s Belle, Naomi Scott’s Jasmine, Yifei Liu’s upcoming Mulan and Halle Bailey’s recent casting as Ariel, live-action princesses are reigning Hollywood. But remember when the only animated Disney princess to become flesh and bone was Amy Adam’s Giselle in 2007’s Enchanted? The big-screen musical blended fairytale lore with New York City life for a feel-good blockbuster.

Whispers of a sequel titled Disenchanted has been talked about for some time now. So long that fans may have put their wishes to see it aside in disbelief that it will ever come. Word has now come that the sequel may be finally moving forward and an update from the studio is coming soon, according The DisInsider’s Skyler Shuler.

Back in November, CinemaBlend talked to Disenchanted’s director Adam Shankman about where the sequel was in the development process as he was promoting his comedy What Men Want. Here’s what he said:

Since that was seven months ago, it’s definitely imaginable that since Disenchanted has pushed farther along with final drafts, the logistics of budget and music and an announcement is on the way. But on the other hand, the project was first introduced back in 2010, reportedly at one point production was to begin in 2017… which obviously didn’t happen either. We’ll have to take this rumor with a grain of salt because in this case, seeing is believing.

Adam Shankman previously said the reason Disenchanted has been taking so long is because Disney went through a big regime change during its development, who decided to give other projects the go-ahead before Giselle could return. The Hairspray director also pointed out that Disney doesn’t move forward with projects until it gets them right and the Enchanted sequel will be no exception.

The movie will reportedly reunited Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz for the movie’s music, which will apparently be more song and dance-heavy then the original was. Menken has been busy lately crafting new music for the live-action Aladdin and collaborating with Lin-Manuel Miranda for the Little Mermaid’s additional songs. It’s unclear whether he’s had time to craft the music for Disenchanted or not.

The always-busy Amy Adams doesn’t have too much on her plate right now except on Ron Howard’s Hillbilly Elegy, perhaps so she can play Giselle again? Patrick Dempsey’s Robert, James Marsden’s Prince Edward and Idina Menzel’s Nancy would likely return, but there’s just been so little talk about what’s going on with the project besides Shankman’s few updates.

Let’s hope this rumor is true and we’ll learn more of what’s going on with Disenchanted soon!

What Men Want takes a premise movie fans saw back in 2000 with What Women Want and flips it on its head. In this version, Taraji P. Henson can hear men’s thoughts. In most other ways, the narratives diverge, however; so when a journalist called What Men Want a reimagining, director Adam Shankman agreed, clarifying it’s not really a remake. He said:

Sometimes it can be difficult to differentiate between all of the words out there for movie projects that are in the same vein as movie projects that came before. There are reboots and remakes, reimaginings and sequels. There are also spinoffs and prequels -- basically, lots of different directions you can go in within the same universe. Sometimes what we think may be one thing may be envisioned a little differently by other people involved with a project.

Per Adam Shankman’s comment to Salon, it’s clear he sees What Men Want as a reimagining rather than a remake of the original Nancy Meyers movie. What Women Want and What Men Want have the hearing thoughts thing in common, both are comedies and both feature an accident leading to a wonderful ability. Yet, what Taraji P. Henson needs to fix in her life and how she goes about it are different.

The challenges she faces are different. Her career and interpersonal relationships are different; in fact, unlike What Women Want’s Nick, she has a supportive group of friends (even if she sometimes neglects them). She’s not a straight villain at the beginning like Nick, who Shankman describes as “the hero and the villain,” but she is inept often. What Men Want also spends more time showing Ali fixing relationships in her career and friendships outside of her romantic relationship. Plus, Ali has a gay assistant with his own sublot, unlike Nick. Ergo, it’s a reimagining, not a remake.

Probably more importantly, Shankman feels like this script tackles the ability to hear thoughts in an entirely different manner, noting,

What Men Want didn’t win the box office last weekend, but the romantic flick had a good start in theaters with $19 million. In the weeks to come, we’ll have to wait and see if this reimagining ends up with another one of those nouns—a sequel.

Director Shankman and producer Will Packer shared some thoughts with CinemaBlend about what that could entail, but if you can’t wait to see what the future holds, be sure to see what theaters have coming up in the meantime with our full movie premiere guide.

Disney has been cashing in on the trend of nostalgia in the movie industry by creating live-action adaptations of its animated blockbusters. The House of Mouse will go the more traditional sequel route with Mary Poppins Returns, but many fans are still wondering what happened to the Enchanted sequel. Titled Disenchanted, the project has long been in development, and CinemaBlend just got an update from director Adam Shankman.

CinemaBlend recently spoke to Adam Shankman about his new Taraji P. Henson movie What Men What, where the conversation eventually turned to his announced role as director of Disenchanted. Shankman said the following:

While not exactly breaking news, this update is certainly going to be exciting for Enchanted fans out there. Because with the script finally shaping up and star Amy Adams on board to reprise her role a Giselle, it looks like the wheels are finally moving forward, and making Disenchanted a reality.

Adam Shankman's comments to CinemaBlend's Sarah El-Mahmoud will likely be a relief for moviegoers who thought an Enchanted sequel was never going to happen. The original movie was released back in 2007, so it's already been well over a decade of waiting. And while those involved occasionally give vague updates, Shanksman's most recent statement makes the plans feel a bit more concrete.

Enchanted featured a great cast of actors, with Amy Adams leading the charge as cartoon princess turned fish out of water Giselle. James Marsdon matched her ridiculousness as Prince Edward, while Grey's Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey played the straight man as Robert. Frozen star Idina Menzel also played Robert's fiancee Nancy, who ended up going 2-D and falling in love with Edward by the film's end.

Disenchanted would be able to give fans an update about how Giselle is adjusting to life in the real world, and her role as a mother figure to Morgan. Furthermore, it could give Idina Menzel the opportunity to belt out some new Disney tunes, as Nancy's time in Andalasia likely made her a bit more musical. Acclaimed composer Alan Menken wrote the music for the first film, so hopefully Adam Shankman is working alongside the writer for the developing sequel.

Of course, it's likely going to be quite some time for Disenchanted to come to theaters, as it hasn't even been written, let alone filmed and edited. As such, the mystery surrounding Adam Shankman's upcoming Disney feature won't slow down anytime soon.

You can catch Adam Shankman's What Men Want when it arrives in theaters on February 8, 2019. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your trips to the movies in the New Year.

In case you hadn't heard, the rampant Hollywood trend of remakes isn't going anywhere. One of which being a new take on 2000's What Women Want starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt. That rom-com followed a misogynist advertising executive who one day gains the ability to hear the thoughts of women. It now serves as an inspiration for the upcoming film What Men What starring Taraji P. Henson, who will be listening in to inner workings of men's minds this time around.

In anticipation for the film's release this February, I spoke with What Men What's director Adam Shankman about the project. Now I'm no mind reader, but amidst news of films based on another, we often wonder how much will be recycled from what we've already seen. Here's what Shankman said:

Whew! As charming as What Women Want was back in its day, seeing it again, just with the genders flipped isn't enough to make it worth the revisit. What Men What is using the same "curse" set-up as the Mel Gibson version, with some completely different circumstances surrounding it.

This time Taraji P. Henson will play a sports agent trying to break the glass ceiling in her male dominated office, where she believes she's earned a promotion. In the comedy, Henson's character drinks a questionable brew of tea from a psychic and bumps her head at a nightclub, waking up with the thoughts of the men all around inside her head.

Director Adam Shankman did notice a distinct difference between the set ups of What Men Want in comparison to the Mel Gibson movie with the film's main characters in his interview with CinemaBlend. In his words:

In an age when female actresses are taking roles previously held by men in movies, this example is an interesting one because it shows that the replacement of gender held an importance in how the lead's story plays out. Take a look at the latest red-band trailer for What Men Want:

While in What Women Want, Mel Gibson's chauvinistic behaviors were put under the microscope due to his new ability, Taraji P. Henson will learn a common misconception between the two genders: they're more alike than we think. What Men Want will perhaps combat the cultural construct of the opposite sex being literal opposites, aside from being an entertaining comedy. Not a bad way to do a remake.

What Men Want comes to theaters on February 8, 2019 and stars Aldis Hodge, Tracy Morgan, Pete Davidson and Max Greenfield alongside star Taraji P. Henson.

Disney's Enchanted was a major hit when it arrived in theaters in 2007, providing a fish out of water story that utilized both animation and live-action sequences. The movie was well received critically, made a ton of money at the box office, and was even nominated for a few Oscars for its original music. An Enchanted seemed like a no brainer, so fans and cinephiles alike were surprising to see ten years already pass without much word on its still developing sequel. The sequel, titled Disenchanted, is apparently still in the works at Disney, and director Adam Shankman recently provided an explanation for its long gestation period.

It looks like all the major changes happening at the House of Mouse may have contributed to the long development process of Disenchanted. But Adam Shankman has assured the public that the project is still all speed ahead, and that the story is still being crafted at the studio. But the question remains: when the hell is the sequel going to start production?

Narratively, there were quite a few interesting dynamics to play with following the events of Enchanted. Giselle (Amy Adams) and Nancy (Idina Menzel) have essentially switched places, with the latter joining Edward in Andalasia. This will finally allow Menzel to sing in the sequel, as she wasn't given the opportunity in the first movie. Giselle is no doubt still continuing to adjust to life in the real world, as well as her new role as a mother to Robert's daughter Morgan. Adam Shankman also ensured that he's been in touch with the cast, so hopefully the likes of Patrick Dempsey, Timothy Spall, and Susan Sarandon may return as well.

In his conversation with Collider, Adam Shankman also gave a few updates about Disenchanted. Perhaps the most exciting is that there will be many more musical numbers the second time around, no doubt partly to feature the talents of both Amy Adams and Idina Menzel.

This should be extra exciting for fans of Enchanted, as the musical numbers were a major highlight of the original film. Since that's what also got Enchanted the most critical acclaim, it stands to reason that Disney would want to expand what they're so good at.

CinemaBlend will update you on Disenchanted as more details come out. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

2007's Enchanted was a fun and surprisingly thoughtful treat from Disney, simultaneously paying homage to the studios' classic animated princess movies and making fun of their stereotypical tropes. While the movie worked excellently as a one-off tale, a sequel was was announced several years later, although it's been languishing in development hell ever since. However, it now looks like Enchanted 2 is back on track with a new director being eyed to lead the charge.

According to THR, Hairspray director Adam Shankman is in negotiations to helm Enchanted 2, which is officially titled Disenchanted. If a deal is worked out, he would take over directing duties from Kevin Lima, who oversaw the first movie. Step Up's Anne Fletcher was tapped to direct the sequel in 2014, but two years later, it looks like Disney wants to go in a different direction. The report also included a basic plot synopsis provided by THR's sources. Set 10 years after the first movie, Disenchanted will see Princess Giselle questioning her "happily ever after life," which subsequently leads to the lives of everyone around accidentally being "turned upside down," both in the real world and the animated kingdom of Andalasia. Amy Adams is expected to reprise Giselle, and Disney is hoping to start shooting Disenchanted by summer 2017.

For those who need a refresher on Enchanted, the movie followed Princess Giselle, an animated citizen of Andalasia who finally believed that she'd found her "happily ever after" when she fell in love Prince Edward and would soon marry him. However, her life was thrown askew before the wedding when Edward's evil step-mother Queen Narissa transported her to our world, where magic is basically nonexistent and "happily ever afters" are rarer. She eventually met a cynical divorce lawyer named Robert and his daughter Morgan, and as she helped brighten up their lives, Giselle's idea of true happiness gradually changed. By the end of the movie, she decided to stay in the real world to start her own fashion business and build a family with Robert and Morgan.

While it may seem odd at first to release Disenchanted after Enchanted provided a happy ending. it's actually an interesting way to continue playing on Disney fairy tale movie tropes. After all, just because a story ends doesn't mean that the characters don't go on living their lives. Just because Giselle found new people to love in our world doesn't mean that the years after would be perfect. As for Adam Shankman, he has plenty of musical experience helming the Hairspray and Rock of Ages theatrical adaptations, while his other directing credits include The Wedding Planner, A Walk to Remember and Bedtime Stories. Shankman is also a longtime choreographer, so taking on Disenchanted would put many of his talents to good use if he and Disney work out an arrangement.

Stay tuned to Cinema Blend for all the relevant details surrounding Disenchanted as more news comes in. For now, let us know what you think of these developments in the comments below.

The last time that Vin Diesel, director Adam Shankman, and writers Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant teamed up the results were not pretty. I am, of course, referring to the 2005 family comedy The Pacifier, which featured the Fast & Furious 6 star playing a disgraced Navy SEAL-turned babysitter. The film got crushed by critics, but actually wound up being a big box office hit, making over $100 million domestically on a $56 million budget. Still, you can excuse us from being excited about the group's next collaboration.

According to Deadline, Shankman is now in talks with MGM to direct The Machine, a new family comedy that Lennon and Garant originally wrote (it has since been rewritten by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar) and that Diesel has been attached to since May of 2011. The plot description says the film is about a robot (Diesel) that was designed by the Pentagon to be the ultimate weapon. The project is eventually scrapped and buried, but 20 years later the Diesel-bot is discovered and activated by a child. The government then swoops in to try and take control of the situation and the robot must protect the family he's staying with.

The site doesn't mention when they are planning to start production, though it's worth mentioning that Diesel's summer will likely be dedicated to filming Fast & Furious 7. Shankman's last feature effort as a director was the 80s metal musical Rock of Ages with Tom Cruise, and he most recently directed the television show Glee's 2012 Christmas episode.

The actor W.C. Fields was once quoted as saying, “Never work with animals or children,” and it’s not exactly hard to figure out why. With both you are introducing elements that can never be predicted, and given how insane film sets typically are unpredictability is not a very good thing. So imagine how director Adam Shankman must have felt when a wild baboon starting going nuts while he was trying to make Rock of Ages.

I was recently invited to participate in a roundtable interview with Shankman to discuss the upcoming musical. Check out our conversation below in which Shankman discusses not only the literal on-set monkey shines, but also the madness and freedom of the 80s, choosing Diego Boneta as his star, and how John Waters served as his inspiration.

This movie seemed like a great deal to put together.

It was. It was actually scary because you had to do the A Beautiful Mind thing, because you’re tracking all these [pretends to trace pins with pieces of string]… with Hairspray there was a nice little train that you got on, this was like tracking all these different stories with less time than I had on Hairspray and the exact same amount of money. Basically everything in this movie is made of paste and papier-mâché.

How did you manage to put this all together and bring it from the stage to the screen?

I think I went in with a very clear picture in my head of what I wanted to do, which started with writing kind of this love letter to all these things. My past, which literally happened right where we are sitting right now [the London Hotel in Los Angeles]. I grew up two miles down the street, my dad’s office was around the corner, he was a music business manager. I graduated in 1982, I lived in this world – I wasn’t a metal head, but this music was on MTV, every other video was “Hot For Teacher” or “Pour Some Sugar On Me” or “White Snake” or Ratt “Round N’ Round,” Twisted Sister…whether or not you had them in your Walkman they were everywhere. And the news was literally full of – I mean, I watched MTV News, that was my go-to news channel then [laughs] – and the news was full of the antics of these guys. And these were guys who could throw a couch out of a window of a hotel and it was a funny thing! It wasn’t like a bad thing.

So I wanted to make sure that I was honoring that and not making fun of that number one. Number two, I wanted to make sure that these people, because I want them supporting the movie and because this music is so entrenched in our lives that I honor that as well, and not make fun of them and that. The period makes fun of itself for god’s sake. You don’t have to go out and make fun of the period. It’s its own gimmick, a joke, so to speak. Shoulder pads! Come on! So there’s that, and I also had to honor my whole history in musical theater. So I just went in almost approaching it as a drama, but with a lot of authenticity, and knowing full well that it would be really, really funny and really crazy if I could actually pull it off. And two things made me know that I could pull it off and made me feel like I could pull it off. One, my production designer I haven’t seen in 35 years, but grew up in my neighborhood and his little brother was my best friend in elementary school, so he knew exactly what I was talking about when I was talking about imagery and Tower Records and this and that. There was no research that needed to be done.

Tom Cruise is the first person who said to me, “Dude, when are we going to make a musical?” and he was laughing because Suri [Cruise]’s favorite movie was Hairspray, and I think he was sort of joking, and I was like, “Yeah, we got one coming down. Let’s make Damn Yankees!” And then when this opportunity came up I thought, “Oh my god, if I could get one of the biggest movie stars in the world to play one of the biggest rock stars in the world…and I’ll tell you what was his audition for this movie: it was Tropic Thunder. So knowing he could commit to a comedic character the way that he commits to a dramatic character. There’s no 100 percent with him, there’s only ten billion percent, so I knew if I was going to fly, it was going to fly. And I think he was so stunned by the fact that somebody actually had the balls to ask him to do this that he kind of had to take it seriously. And then we took him and he worked with a vocal coach and he was prepping Mission: Impossible, so he had a year back-and-forth about potentially doing this and then he finished and the vocal coach was like, “He’s insane. He’s got this huge voice,” and I heard and I was there with a glass on the door. He said, “Let’s do this,” and the second he came in the rest of the cast was like [makes sounds people rushing in], except for Diego. But the first person I wanted in the movie was Mary J. [Blige]. So that’s where I started vocally. And then it was about putting in the right two kids.

Why did you choose to start with Mary J. Blige?

Because I wanted Mary J. Blige [laughs]. She’s Mary J. Blige.

And in the musical that character is usually the best singer.

Yeah, the fabulous African American woman who knows everything about everything. And Queen Latifah had done it twice, so it was someone else’s turn.

I had the pleasure of visiting you on the set and you spoke with us for 45 minutes, you were very gracious, but you never mentioned that there was a monkey in this movie. Why did you keep the monkey a secret? What was the motivation for having the monkey in the movie, and how did Tom Cruise enjoy his time with the monkey?

He enjoyed working with Mickey, is the monkey’s name. He enjoyed Mickey immensely. Mickey was very sensitive and very, very sweet. It came from Bubbles, Michael Jackson’s Bubbles. And we were talking about Michael Jackson and Bubbles because there’s nothing in this movie that didn’t happen, basically. I know it seems weird, but it’s all real. And Tom basically said, “I want a friend,” and I said, “Okay,” and Justin [Theroux] said, “Let’s get you a monkey,” and then I was like, “Well, The Hangover II has that capuchin, so I guess it’s a baboon.” And then Tom was like, “And I think his name is Hey Man.” And I was like, “Stay calm, whatever you want.” Yeah, it was Tom who came up with the name. So he kept saying “Hey Man” and maybe it was Justin who said, “And maybe that’s his name,” and I was like “That’s awesome!”

Was it difficult training a monkey?

No! They’re very well trained beforehand and they have the script and they know what they have to do.

I heard he got loose.

Oh, well, when the trainers are saying, “Nobody grab him, he’ll kill you…” He was actually playing. It was 4:30 in the morning, there’s a thousand extras in the street, it was like 110 degrees – I’m not kidding – and he got loose, and it was just him loping around screaming [imitates very loud monkey scream], with those giant canines showing. And there were five trainers chasing him going, “He’s fucking with you! Don’t touch him!” And I turned to the producer and I was like, “You’ve got to be kidding. I do not need this shit right now.” So that’s movie making.

What did you see in Diego Boneta?

The only way I can give you a comparison is when I found Nikki Blonsky in Hairspray. I knew that I wanted somebody fresh with no baggage, who knew who they were. I had no idea that he was a star in Mexico and Brazil and all that because I don’t hang out there! I didn’t know! I was on a website and I got to his audition and I’m clicking through, and at first I was like, “Oh my god, that face!” And then I went, “Oh my god, that hair! I wouldn’t have to wig him!” That was really my first thing. And then he acted and, you know, Julianne [Hough] and Diego are absolutely the unsung heroes in this movie, or sung heroes I guess, because they didn’t have any of the character eccentricities to fall back on. They actually had to act normal in this world, and it’s a really weird world, so the balancing act of doing that and actually selling what they had to sell against all those actors was nothing short of miraculous. No one realizes just how hard that balancing act was, but with Diego…I’m not going to lie, there’s some clunky dialogue in there by just trying to be normal in the world. And the exposition about his dreams and all that kind of stuff, and he made it all sound so okay. And then when he sang it was a pop sound, but it was a fabulous voice. So with Julianne we had to sign her up for rock star college, kick the country out of her; with him we had to kick the pop star out of him, and teach them how to move. And the period it was really fun to educate them on – we just watched tons of videos and we even watched Valley Girl a hundred times. I mean, it was a blast. And they were just so excited and open, and they were the only ones who were there the whole time. They had to carry the whole movie, everybody just kept on kind of popping in and out.

When we spoke with Mary J. Blige earlier she mentioned that she was asked to see the musical, though she never did, but when we spoke to Diego he told us that you specifically told him not to see the movie. What was the motivation behind that approach?

Mary’s role is very, the one in the play is Justice in the play also plays a lot of other characters, so I didn’t want her to kind of confuse what that was. And the specific Justice stuff is pretty the same in the play. Drew, in the movie, is not as withdrawn and shy as the Drew in the play. So I didn’t want Diego to think that’s what I wanted him to do.

When you’re adapting a musical, particularly one that was such a big hit or is such a big hit, and you bring it to the big screen, how do you decide what to change, what to keep, what to cross out…

Honestly, it came with the courage to do it at all came from John Waters when I got Hairspray and John… I emailed John, I got his email address, and I said, “Dear Mr. Waters, my name is Adam Shankman, I was just invited to direct the musical of Hairspray, hope you don’t mind, love Adam.” And I was in Baltimore making the first Step Up at the time and he immediately emailed me back saying, “So where are you?” and I said, “I’m in Baltimore,” and he said, “So am I! Let’s have lunch.” So we had lunch, and we had never been in Baltimore before so it was kind of a strange kismet, but immediately he said to me, “Do not do what I did, do not do what the play did, you can only do what you do. You have to tell the story through your own filter otherwise it will be a disaster. If you try to pander to who you think the other audiences are,” and he said, “You can change anything as long as you make a good movie. Everyone will forgive you as long as you make a good movie. Because, you know, fans are going to be fans.” Weirdly, for my limited career I’ve made a lot of adaptations, so with this one, in kind of crafting it for the screen, I just had to go with how I thought that the story was told most honestly. In the play Sherrie sleeps with Stacee Jaxx, which, in the movie, would be unforgivable. You could never root for that relationship again. Stacee then gets her fired for no apparent reason. Things happen in the play, literally she gets fired so that she can sing “Harden My Heart.” You know what I mean? I had to give more, and it works fabulously in the play because they have a narrator and it’s super fun and kitschy and I just needed audiences to hook into my characters more emotionally. So that’s kind of where I started, and then I needed to cut at least 30 minutes out in order for it to be proper length for an audience.

Why do you think younger people who aren’t as familiar with the music go see Rock of Ages?

Because it’s a party! It’s fun and for boys there’s a lot of naked girls and for girls there’s a lot of romance. The whole movie, ultimately, is about people searching for what they think is something, but what they’re really looking for is love. And none of the excess or any of that means a damn unless you have a grounded place to start from, which is love. So it’s a sweet, weird morality story in a weird way, that has the fun of that period, and that period was the last time that this freaking country was innocent. You could have all the sex you want, there was no AIDS, you could do all the drugs you want, there was no rehab. You could throw TVs out of windows of hotels and people loved it, threw their hands up. And so it was a time without consequence so it’s just fun. It’s just a party.

Tom Cruise is now almost 50 years old, but if you think that's going to stop him from taking on the most challenging film roles he can find you are dead wrong. Beginning this week in IMAX theaters you will be able to see Cruise scale the tallest building in the world - the Burj Khalifa in Dubai - and then swing from it on a cable and then next year he'll be rocking out on stage 80s style in Adam Shankman's Rock of Ages. Are you desperate to know what that will look like? Then check out the newly released trailer.

Watch the first preview for the film below and head over to Apple to see it in HD.

In addition to the trailer the first poster has also been released, which you can see here:

Featuring a full line-up of stars including Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, Russell Brand, Paul Giamatti, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Malin Ackerman, Mary J. Blige, Bryan Cranston, Alec Baldwin, and Cruise, Rock of Ages is set in 1987 as two young people (Boneta, Hough) fall in love try to make it big in Los Angeles. This is set against the backdrop of a rock club that comes under fire when the mayor's hyper-conservative wife (Zeta-Jones) tries to shut it down. The film is based on the hit Broadway play by Chris D'Arienzo and will hit theaters on June 1, 2012.

Alec Baldwin came very, very close to walking away from the musical Rock of Ages before the producers convinced him to stick around, and I think we can all now be insanely grateful he stayed. Director Adam Shankman just tweeted a photo form the set, in which both Russell Brand and Baldwin are getting their hair metal on, but only one of them needs a ridiculous wig to make it happen. Look at the photo below and giggle wildly at will.

Shankman accompanied the photo with the caption "Russell and Alec making my life heaven on #rockofagesmovie," which may be a reference to the cover of the song "Heaven" by Warrant that the entire cast performs at one point in the original Broadway show that the movie is based on. Baldwin plays the owner of the rock club at the center of the show, The Bourbon Room, and Brand plays his trusty assistant Lonny; at one point in the second act, when the club seems to be closing down, the two joke around that they have feelings for each other by singing "Can't Fight This Feeling" by REO Speedwagon. I have no idea how any of this lands them at the fair, which is clearly the setting of this photo, but when you're making a movie musical you've got to open up the settings, and why not allow Russell Brand to walk around with a giant lollipop?

With a cast that also includes Catherine Zeta-Jones, Paul Giamatti, Malin Akerman, Mary J. Blige and of course Tom Cruise, there's plenty of room for Shankman to tweet more ridiculous photos from the set. Here's hoping they keep coming in this slow post-holiday week.

Reports of Alec Baldwin’s departure from Adam Shankman’s Rock of Ages adaptation were premature … even though they sort of started from Baldwin’s camp in the first place.

Earlier in the week, we reported that Baldwin was bowing out of Shankman’s big-screen musical, though no reason was given at the time. Baldwin was set to play club owner Dennis Dupree opposite Tom Cruise, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Russell Brand, Paul Giamatti, Malin Akerman and the rest of the Rock Of Ages cast.

But don’t count Baldwin out just yet. According to Deadline, Baldwin actually is going to do the movie, and is in Miami with the cast for the director’s full run-through. The report says Baldwin warned the production that an unspecified health issue might have kept him out of the production, and if they had an opportunity to replace them, they should consider it. But they didn’t, and so he’s still on board as Dupree.

Baldwin’s presence tends to make just about everything better (yes, I’m looking at you, It’s Complicated), so the news that he’s staying on board Rock, which expects to begin shooting on May 23, is welcome, indeed. We also hope that the unspecified health problem is minor and that Baldwin makes a swift recovery.

Alec Baldwin has just dropped out of Adam Shankman's highly anticipated Rock Of Ages adaptation. It's a disappointing blow for the Hairspray director but far less disappointing when put into context. Losing Alec Baldwin sucks, but losing him in this situation is like taking Danny Ainge off the 1985-1986 Celtics or removing Jeff Lynne from the Traveling Wilburys. The cast is simply too high powered to cower amidst one exodus. Sure, Tom Cruise, Malin Akerman, Paul Giamatti, Russell Brand, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Bryan Cranston and Alec Baldwin sounds better, but had he never been announced, the project likely would still have the same amount of buzz.

Baldwin was set to play club owner Dennis Dupree. No reason has been publically given for his departure, but when all is said and done, the old standby, scheduling conflicts, will likely be cited. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the lack of Baldwin should create a little more work for the casting department, but it's unlikely to affect Rock Of Ages' shooting schedule or ultimate release date.

The adaptation of the Broadway hit is told through a medley of 80s classics, an amalgamation of big hair and bigger high notes. Even without Baldwin, it should open to a big starting weekend whenever it officially drops sometime next year.

Here's a look at a rehearsal from the Broadway play to get you in the mood…

In an apparent effort to cram as many famous names as humanly possible into his Rock of Ages musical, Adam Shankman has added two new roles and filled them with Bryan Cranston and Catherine Zeta-Jones. We learned in late April that Zeta-Jones would be playing a villainous character, described as "the love child of Tipper Gore and Anita Bryant," who's on a crusade to ban rock and roll-- because, apparently, one Footloose remake in a single year just isn't enough. Now Deadline is reporting that Bryan Cranston has also signed on, to play the husband of Zeta-Jones's character. Shankman actually tweeted further detail, that Cranston will in fact be playing the mayor of Los Angeles, home of the rock club where the musical is set.

Remember, this cast already includes Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand and Julianne Hough in central roles, with Tom Cruise, Mary J. Blige and Paul Giamatti also rounding out the cast. The lead role went to relative unknown Diego Boneta, but otherwise it's going to be a musical crammed with famous faces, a gambit that worked well for Shankman's previous musical Hairspray, at least. We'll see if audiences are as happy to have starpower mixed in with their 80s hair metal once the movie starts filming next month.

As for Cranston, he sang reasonably well in his monologue during an SNL hosting gig last fall, but this will be his first big movie musical. Then again, the role will probably be small enough that he won't have to do a ton of belting anyway.

Even though he didn't quite pull off having the #1 and #2 movie at the box office last weekend-- Hanna pulled ahead of Arthur at the last minute, with Hop up at #1-- Russell Brand has once again earned consideration as an actual movie star. And next he'll be bringing that starpower to the already crowded cast of Rock of Ages, the movie adaptation of the hair metal Broadway musical that Hairspray's Adam Shankman is directing. Rumor had it back in January hat he might join the cast, and now Shankman himself has confirmed on Twitter that Brand has indeed signed on.

As rumored Brand will be playing Lonny; thanks to the Rock of Ages Wikipedia page, which I have worn out trying to piece together this lengthy casting process, I've learned that Lonny is the narrator of the stage play, and works at the rock club that's central to the narrative, the Sunset Strip-based Bourbon Room. He's the right hand man to the club's owner Dennis Dupree, played by Alec Baldwin in the movie; yes, the world will soon be blessed with a duet between Alec Baldwin and Russell Brand as they sing REO Speedwagon's "Can't Fight This Feeling" and confess their true feelings for each other. Apparently it's all part of some hilarious joke. Yeah, the nuances get lost on Wikipedia sometimes.

This probably goes without saying, but though Amy Adams at one point was in the running for a major part, Deadline says her Superman shooting schedule has gotten in the way. Production on Rock Of Ages, with Tom Cruise, Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, Mary J. Blige and Paul Giamatti also starring, starts later this spring.

If you thought Alec Baldwin's most unexpected career move would be starring in a series of ads for a regional supermarket chain-- well, OK, he probably still hasn't topped that, but he's coming close. The Wrap reports that he's been offered the role of Dennis Dupree in Rock of Ages, an adaptation of the Broadway musical that tells the story of young people living their dreams in Los Angeles to the tune of 80s hair metal songs. Baldwin would be playing the role of the owner of the club at the center of the story, a character originated onstage in Los Angeles by Tenacious D member Kyle Gass (the one who isn't Jack Black) and currently played on Broadway by Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider.

No, Baldwin doesn't exactly jump to mind when you think "rock and roll," but with Mary J. Blige and Tom Cruise also considering roles, they're going in a lot of different directions with the casting for this one. Adam Shankman, who previously adapted Broadway hit Hairspray for the screen, will be directing, with Toy Story 3 writer Michael Arndt brought in for the script, which is a really good sign. Production is set to start in March, around the time Cruise finished shooting Mission: Impossible 4, and Baldwin could probably wrap the season of 30 Rock and make his way over easily. He may not be an icon of the metal years the way Dee Snider is, but Baldwin has a way of making pretty much everything better these days, and I'd be beyond happy to see him belt "The Final Countdown" wearing some leopard-print pants.

I’m starting to miss the chubby, funny Seth Rogen. Now he’s doing superhero movies and… musicals? The Star says he’s considering a role in Adam Shankman’s movie version of Rock of Ages. I’d rather see Rogen get back to smoking pot and attending illegal Mexican donkey shows. I definitely do not want to see him sing or worse, dance.

See people liked Seth Rogen because he sort of seemed like he could really be your odd, slightly metal, stoner friend. And it was fun rooting for that guy, who could be you or one of your buddies, to make it big in Hollywood against the odds. Now it seems like he’s making it big by abandoning himself and becoming just another generic Hollywood dude, and you’ve gotta wonder how long it will be before people start bailing out on him. I’m still on the Rogen bandwagon, I’ll put up with all the extreme weightloss to play a superhero, but I’m probably getting off if he does a musical.

At least Rock of Ages is sort of a rock and roll musical, though if he did Cats that would potentially be hilarious. The Broadway musical on which Rock will be based is built around classic glam metal hits of the 80s, including Asia. You know how I know you’re gay? Because you’re going to be in a musical which uses music from Asia.

Word is that Rogen is being considered for the part of the movie’s narrator Lonny. Shankman is expected to start shooting Rock of Ages later this year with an eye towards a 2011 release.

UPDATE! Seth Rogen has denied the rumors that he'll be involved in Rock of Ages.

The large female version of John Travolta may have haunted my dreams for the summer of 2007, but Hairspray was pretty damn good and I’m not the only one who thought so. Adam Shankman’s film was a massive success pulling in $119 million domestically and another $84 million overseas. What happens when a film does well? Sequel talk, of course, and for Hairspray 2 there was a whole lot of it.

There were hopes of having the cast tackle the music of the late 60s, getting Link Larkin (Zac Efron) to dabble in some drugs, even Edna (Travolta) dropping some pounds after getting hooked on diet pills. But forget that all now because the movie isn’t happening, plain and simple. As reported by the British Press, Shankman had this to say about the supposed sequel: “I’m going to kill that rumor now, that got killed.” He added, “It’s ok, I was so happy with the first one, let’s leave well enough alone. It’s all good.”

Yes, Hairspray 2 sounds like a fun concept, but, odds are, it’d end up being a major disappointment. Even with these seemingly amusing plot ideas, it’s hard to imagine the sequel being as fresh and fun as the original. Odds are, the silliness of the first would have been pushed over the top into pure stupidity. I agree with Shankman, it’s best to leave this one alone, but we all know Hollywood; when a guaranteed hit sits in the palm of a studio’s hand, it only takes a baby step to get things going. Hairspray 2 may be going nowhere now, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the idea pop up again in the future. And who knows, maybe the time would even be right.

Amid the flurry of rumors about Oscar hosts yesterday, and the actual announcement that Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin had gotten the job, Entertainment Weekly actually got on the phone with Oscars producer Adam Shankman to talk about the madness. While there's an awkward moment near the end about the fact that Martin and Baldwin are both white males, causing Shankman to claim "There’s been a constant theme in my work to be against racism," it's mostly an enlightening, somewhat surprising interviewing.

Most surprising of all? They really did want Tina Fey to host it, and Baldwin might have been a second choice to be paired with Martin. Shankman explains, "It wasn’t that she turned us down but her work schedule right in that time, she’s writing the last of her shows, and we realized then that it wouldn’t work. But they were so great on the show together (the Oscars last year) and he’d done 30 Rock. Once again there were lots of discussions in there."

And even though Shankman is best known for directing the musical Hairspray, he might not force Martin to play the banjo and Baldwin to tap dance. "There had been a lot of speculation surrounding the hiring of me as a signal that there might be more of the song/dance. But I don’t want musical numbers unless there’s an organic fit into the show."

Shankman actually seems to have a good head on his shoulders about this whole thing, and a level of self-awareness-- he said he wanted to let the Academy know he wasn't trying to make the MTV Movie Awards-- that the Oscars can always use. Read the whole interview and see if you find the same faith in Shankman that I did.