ROSIE O'DONNELL'S NIP/TUCK SPIN-OFF
O'Donnell generated buzz with a skin-baring, laugh-generating, and mildly disturbing turn last year on three episodes of FX's soapy drama. How much buzz? Well, after playing white-trash lottery winner Dawn Budge — a role which saw The View co-host bed Christian (Julian McMahon) on a zebra-skin rug — rumors flew about a potential series spin-off starring O'Donnell. So, what happened? An FX source tells EW that while there were talks between O'Donnell and series creator Ryan Murphy, the project never went beyond brainstorming.
PROGNOSIS: O'Donnell's rep claims discussions are ''ongoing,'' and the comedienne has expressed interest in returning to Nip/Tuck next season. That means there's a very good chance we haven't seen the last of Dawn Budge — or that zebra-skin rug. — TS
DR. DRE'S DETOX ALBUM
Dr. Dre's ongoing operation on his third solo album must rank as one of the most drawn-out medical procedures in history. Back in 2002, he suggested that his next disc, Detox, would be out by summer '03. A series of delays followed as Dre focused on producing hits for the likes of 50 Cent. But in late 2004, Eminem reassured fans, rapping ''Don't worry 'bout that Detox album, it's comin'.'' Then this February, Dre himself called an L.A. radio station to say that, ''I'm not totally sure about the month, but it will be definitely be out this year.''
PROGNOSIS: Dre's recent comments were encouraging, but he's a notorious perfectionist — remember, there was a yawning seven-year gap between The Chronic and 2001 — so it could be a while. — SVL
BEN STILLER'S CBS PROJECT
CBS scored the coup of the season when it announced last summer that Ben Stiller was going to executive-produce and direct a sitcom starring his wife, actress Christine Taylor. Better still, Stiller planned to take a recurring role in the semiautobiographical series, which would feature Taylor as a Hollywood actress who stays close to her hometown friends and family. Everything about the show seemed like a slam dunk — even more so after Night at the Museum opened in December and roared past $500 million worldwide, officially making Stiller one of the most bankable comedy stars on the planet.
PROGNOSIS: The script never made it out of development hell, so the project has been tabled for now, and it's unclear whether CBS will revisit it. Fortunately for Taylor, all her hubby's movie cash should soften the blow. — Lynette Rice
STEVEN SPIELBERG'S LINCOLN
It feels like four score and seven years since Steven Spielberg optioned the rights to Doris Kearns Goodwin's unfinished Abraham Lincoln biography back in 2001. (In his defense, Goodwin's book, Team of Rivals, didn't reach stores until October 2005.) And with the director committed to Indiana Jones 4 next, Lincoln has been put on hold again — but it doesn't look like it'll be a long wait. The director has long been passionate about our 16th president, and the project is moving forward with Pulitzer Prize
winner Tony Kushner (Munich) writing the script and Liam Neeson set to star.
PROGNOSIS: Spielberg embraced a ''one for them, one for me'' strategy
in 1993 (Jurassic Park/Schindler's List) and 2005 (War of the Worlds/Munich). So it seems more likely than not that he'll pull off an Indy/Lincoln twofer. Honest. — Jeff Labrecque
You Might Also Like
- Burning Questions The scoop on ''Kid Nation,'' Britney, ''Dallas'' (2007)
- News Roundup ''G.I. Joe'' gets a director | Dawnie Walton
- Movie News The ''Dallas'' movie goes bust (2007) | Vanessa Juarez
- Movie News Our picks for the ''Dallas'' movie (2007) | Paul Katz
