TV
Writer Rob Thomas (Veronica Mars) is banking on the idea that love is
better the second time around. Production begins July 14 on the pilot
for Cupid, a remake of his 1998 dramedy that starred Jeremy Piven as the
heaven-sent — or was he just crazy? — love broker who had to unite 100
earthbound couples in order to return to Mount Olympus. There's never
been a successful reboot of a failed live-action TV show (the last
notable attempt was the 2000 return of CBS' sitcom Grapevine, starring
CSI's George Eads, eight years after it first appeared). But Thomas
thinks the update for ABC could mesh well with the network's
female-oriented shows such as Grey's Anatomy. ''Someone has to crack this
nut of putting an anthologized romantic comedy on TV,'' says Thomas.
''What I'm hoping for is the thinking man's Love Boat.'' This time around,
Bobby Cannavale (who won an Emmy for his role as Will's cop
boyfriend on Will & Grace) will replace Piven as the
bow-and-arrow-toting Trevor (a.k.a. Cupid), while Sarah Paulson (Studio
60 on the Sunset Strip) will take over for Paula Marshall as his
doubting, court-appointed psychiatrist. The action will move from
Chicago — where the original was shot — to New York, and Thomas is hoping
that he can persuade Cupid's previous leads to appear as guest stars:
''I'd love Jeremy and Paula to be a couple for a sweeps month.'' Sadly,
all this matchmaking has prevented Thomas from contributing to this
season's most talked-about reboot: the updated 90210 on The CW. (The
network developed the idea and recruited Thomas to pen the script.) ''I'm
pulling hard for it so I can get a weekly check,'' he cracks. ''I hope it
kicks ass for the next five years!'' — Lynette Rice
Movies
Not even a big shot like David Fincher could keep Heavy Metal at
Paramount. The Zodiac director is currently spearheading an edgy,
animated movie inspired by the 1970s fantasy magazine of the same name. Well-known sci-fi scribes like Steve Niles (30 Days of Night)
and Joe Haldeman (The Forever War) were part of a team that wrote a batch of erotic and violent story lines that were presented to the
studio, but Paramount's new production execs felt the ideas were too
risqué for mainstream audiences. Tim Miller, whose Blur Studio is
handling the animation, says he, Fincher, and current Heavy Metalpublisher Kevin Eastman are now shopping the film to other studios.
''David really believes in the project. It's just a matter of time.'' — Nicole Sperling
Music
Singer-songwriter Josh Kelley is joining wife Katherine Heigl on
the small screen. Well, sort of. In addition to appearing on the new
Ovation TV series Bonefish Grill's Notes From the Road (premiering Aug.
7) alongside touring artists like Jason Mraz and Ben Folds, he's close
to signing a production deal with E! for a reality show concept he
concocted, and is also shopping two pilots that he wrote. (A couple of
networks have shown interest.) But he's not giving up on his music
career. Kelley just scored an opening slot on Rod Stewart's upcoming
road trek. ''He's someone I've been dying to tour with,'' Kelley says. As
for his wife's recent dig at the Grey's Anatomy writers? ''She's a good
businesswoman who knows what she wants. There's nothing wrong with being
proactive and not letting people make decisions for you.'' — Shirley Halperin
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