As his latest movie "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" gets set to hit theaters, movie legend Michael Douglas recently announced that he's been diagnosed with stage four throat cancer, which could potentially end his career.
Meanwhile, with George Clooney's latest thriller hitting theaters, the actor/director recently announced that he's stepping back behind the camera for a film that is set to star Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti.
Also in the news are casting rumors for Fox's reboot of its "Fantastic Four" franchise and an ambitious 3D war film from the writer/producer of HBO's acclaimed mini-series "The Pacific."
On a recent airing of David Letterman's late night show, actor Michael Douglas announced to the world that he's starting his most ambitious project ever. Douglas explained that a while back he was diagnosed with an advanced state of throat cancer, which could potentially limit his ability to speak if the treatments do not go well. With chemotherapy just getting underway, Douglas remained positive, adding that he has been told that he has an 80% chance of recovery.
Though Douglas has been made famous by a bevy of acting roles, not to mention being the son of Kirk Douglas, he actually got his big break when he produced a small 1975 film called "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." The pinnacle of Douglas' career thus far was his Oscar-winning role as Gordon Gecko in Oliver Stone's "Wall Street." Other prominent roles include Steven Soderbergh's highly lauded "Traffic" and Paul Verhoeven's controversial "Basic Instinct."
Another prominent actor who continues to put together an impressive list of films is George Clooney, who stars in the current release "The American." As "The American" looks to catch on with audiences, Clooney announced that he'll be directing drama "Farragut North," a film that originally was expected to star Leonardo DiCaprio before the production fell through in 2007.
With Clooney's industry clout, however, the film has been resurrected and has grabbed an A-list cast that will include Oscar-winner Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti. The film will reportedly be based on a campaign worker who gets swept into the political corruption surrounding the campaign.
Clooney has not only earned respect for his acting roles in recent years, but he has also has received acclaim for his directing efforts, which include "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," "Good Night and Good Luck" and the recent release "Leatherheads."
While Clooney gets back behind the camera, Warner Brothers is making plans to go ahead with an ambitious World War II film set to be written and produced by Bruce C. McKenna, who recently helmed HBO's "The Pacific." According to Deadline, Warner Brothers is going ahead with a $200 million 3D production that will center on the often overlooked Battle of Midway.
Though D-Day and Pearl Harbor gets more historical attention, the June 1942 Battle of Midway was arguably the most important early battle the United States was involved in during WWII. It's unclear at this point whether or McKenna will be directing as well as writing, but he's reportedly signed a deal to deliver a script within the next eight weeks to get pre-production underway. The film should also be the first 3D war film to hit theaters.
Another ambitious project starting to take shape is Fox's reboot of "Fantastic Four." To date, Fox has released two "Fantastic Four" films that have been commercial successes but were critically panned. With new-age action hero movies like "The Dark Knight" and "Iron Man" shifting audience expectations for comic book movies, Fox is looking for a new angle to revamp the series.
Part of Fox's plan is to bring in a new cast in an effort to stress character development. Rumored to be a part of the newly forming cast are Adrien Brody (Mr. Fantastic), Alice Eve (Invisible Woman) and Kevin Pennington (Human Torch). The biggest name being tossed around right now, however, is Bruce Willis, who Fox is trying to secure for the prominent role of The Thing.
Unlike the previous two films, The Thing in the new movie is expected to be completely CGI, which would require Willis to only provide a voice over. The "Fantastic Four" reboot is slated to hit theaters in the summer of 2013.
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June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.