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Lots of people in Mayberry had a motive for wanting to kill Barney Fife. He was always throwing Ernest T. Bass in the pokey for throwing rocks. Otis the town drunk couldn’t have a couple of cocktails without Barney cuffing him. Maybe Thelma Lou finally had it with the deputy’s two-timing ways with Juanita over at the diner. But the actual person who posed the biggest threat to Don Knotts, the comedian who played Barney, was none other than Andy Griffith himself.

“I dreamed I killed Don Knotts,” Griffith once told the Sioux City Journal, as reported by MeTV, revealing an unconscious desire to throttle his wiry costar. The dream occurred while Griffith was filming his first project after The Andy Griffith Show — but Knotts remained on the actor’s mind. “I woke up the next morning, and my conscience was killing me,” Griffith remembered. “I called Don...

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Actress Elizabeth MacRae, best known for her roles on General Hospital (Gh) and Gomer Pyle: U.S.M.C, among other credits, has died at the age of 88. She passed away in her hometown of Fayetteville, North Carolina on Monday, May 27.

Elizabeth MacRae’s Television Legacy

Elizabeth was cast in her first TV role, playing a witness for the courtroom drama, The Verdict is Yours. As the next several years past, MacRae increased her presence on television, cast in sitcoms and dramas and appearing in various popular shows from the ‘60s and ‘70s, including, Hawaiian Eye, 77 Sunset Strip, The Andy Griffith Show, Surfside 6, Death Valley Days, The Fugitive, and I Dream of Genie – just to name a few.

One of her most famous roles was playing Lou-Ann Poovie, Gomer’s girlfriend, in Gomer Pyle: U.S.M.C, in the show’s final three seasons (1966 to 1969).

She had a total of 15 appearances on the show,...

Elizabeth MacRae, who played girlfriends of Gomer Pyle and Festus Haggen on television and a woman who seduces Gene Hackman’s surveillance expert in The Conversation, has died. She was 88.

MacRae died Monday in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where she was raised, her family announced.

MacRae showed up as Lou-Ann Poovie on 15 episodes of the CBS comedy Gomer Pyle: Usmc during its final three seasons (1966-69). She was signed to work just one episode, “Love’s Old Sweet Song,” on the Jim Nabors starrer but impressed producers enough to stick around for more.

Earlier, she portrayed April Clomley, the girlfriend of deputy marshal Festus (Ken Curtis), on CBS’ Gunsmoke on four installments from 1962-64.

In The Conversation (1974), written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, MacRae played Meredith, who dances with Hackman’s Harry Caul in his apartment, sleeps with him and then swipes one of his audiotapes. The actress was among...

Elizabeth MacRae, known for her recurring roles in General Hospital and Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., has died. She was 88.

MacRae died on May 27 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where she grew up.

After graduating, MacRae pursued a career in acting and auditioned for Otto Preminger’s production of Saint Joan in 1956. Although she didn’t land a role, she continued to pursue acting. She moved to New York City where she studied with Uta Hagen at the Herbert Berghof Studio and gained experience in off-Broadway productions.

MacRae landed her first television role playing a witness in the courtroom series The Verdict Is Yours. Over a career that spanned 25 years, MacRae would be featured in television shows like Route 66, Surfside 6, Rendezvous, The Fugitive, Judd for the Defense, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, I Dream of Jeannie, The Andy Griffith Show, and many more.

One of her most prominent roles was in Gomer Pyle,...

Clockwise from top left: Moon (courtesy Liberty Films UK), Die Hard (courtesy 20th Century Studios), The Iron Giant (courtesy Warner Bros.), The Truman Show (courtesy Paramount Pictures) Graphic: The A.V. Club YouTube offers a veritable treasure trove of free movies ready to watch at your convenience. Comedies, dramas, hidden gems,...

Clockwise from top left: Moon (courtesy Liberty Films UK), Die Hard (courtesy 20th Century Studios), The Iron Giant (courtesy Warner Bros.), The Truman Show (courtesy Paramount Pictures)Graphic: The A.V. Club

YouTube offers a veritable treasure trove of free movies ready to watch at your convenience. Comedies, dramas, hidden gems,...

Buddy Ebsen is probably best known for his role in The Beverly Hillbillies, but he was a seasoned actor who took on a wide array of roles for seven decades. In 1961, Ebsen guest starred in an episode of The Andy Griffith Show. Let’s take a look back at the episode and Ebsen’s role.

Buddy Ebsen | John Springer Collection/Corbis via Getty Images Who Buddy Ebsen played in ‘The Andy Griffith Show’

Ebsen guest starred in The Andy Griffith Show in Nov. 1961. He was 53 at the time. The actor played the role of David Browne, a drifter who floats through Mayberry looking for a few free meals. The episode was the sixth of the second season and directed by Bob Sweeney. The episode, titled “Opie’s Hobo Friend,” was written by Harvey Bullock, Sheldon Leonard, and Aaron Ruben.

The plot of ‘Opie’s Hobo Friend,’ guest starring Buddy Ebsen

One morning,...

Famed comedic actor Don Knotts was best known for his role as Barney Fife in The Andy Griffith Show. But he had a hugely successful, varied career that lasted half a century. One of his fan-favorite roles was when he played a fish-obsessed-man-turned-fish in The Incredible Mr. Limpet. Here’s a look back at the 1964 film and Knotts’ role in it.

Don Knotts | Hulton Archive/Getty Images Who was in ‘The Incredible Mr. Limpet’

The Incredible Mr. Limpet was produced by Warner Bros and featured Knotts in the starring role. The film also hosted such names as Carole Cook, Jack Weston, Andrew Duggan, Larry Keating, Oscar Beregi Jr, Charles Meredith, and Elizabeth MacRae. The live-action portion of the movie was directed by Arthur Lubin. Bill Tytla, Robert McKimson, Hawley Pratt, and Gerry Chiniquy directed the animation. The Incredible Mr. Limpet features songs “Super Doodle Dandy,” “I Wish I Were A Fish,...

Don Knotts was a beloved comedic actor best known for his part of Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show and his role of Ralph Furley on the sitcom Three’s Company. The actor was cracking jokes up until his final breath. Here’s what he was sick with, how he died, and his net worth at the time of his death.

Don Knotts | Kevin Winter/Getty Images Don Knotts died on February 24, 2006

The Barney Fife actor died on Feb. 24, 2006 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. He died from pulmonary and respiratory complications as a result of lung cancer. His family and his old friend and co-star Andy Griffith were with him when he died.

Knotts’ heart had stopped when he was in the ambulance that was taking him to the hospital. Paramedics revived him on the way, but by the time the family and Griffith got to the medical center,...

Carole Cook, a protege of Lucille Ball who would become a familiar face through appearances on Ball’s TV shows, movies like The Incredible Mr. Limpet and Sixteen Candles and stage musicals 42nd Street and Romantic Comedy, died today of heart failure in Beverly Hills, California, just three days before her 99th birthday.

Her death was announced by husband Tom Troupe.

Born Mildred Frances Cook in Abilene, Texas, Cook made her Broadway debut as a replacement in 1954’s Threepenny Opera. After moving to Los Angeles, she became a favorite of Ball’s, who suggested the name spelling of Carole in honor of movie star Carole Lombard. “Like her, you have the same healthy disrespect for all things in general,” Ball told Cook.

Cook would subsequently make guest appearances on Ball’s sitcoms The Lucy Show and Here’s Lucy. The two remained life-long friends, with Ball serving as matron-of-honor at Cook’s 1964 wedding to Troupe.

Growing up in the NASA hub of Houston, Richard Linklater remembers the pervasive impact the first moon landing had on his childhood. He fuses those memories with fantasy in his new movie, the animated “Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood” (currently streaming on Netflix).

Linklater even likens it to a cinematic scrapbook: It’s both a nostalgic snapshot of the ordinary suburban childhood he experienced and the extraordinary scientific achievement he witnessed. In fact, he describes it as “A Portrait of a Free Range Childhood,” in which his alter ego, fourth grader Stan, fantasizes about making his own secret trip to the moon.

“Getting to do this was wonderful in a ‘You Are There’ realism,” Linklater said, referring to the Walter Cronkite-hosted educational TV series about American history. “It was a significant moment in time that will be remembered forever: when humans first left the atmosphere of their...

Legendary screenwriter and director Shane Black discusses some of his favorite movies with hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

The Last Boy Scout (1991)

Sweet Smell of Success (1957) – John Landis’s trailer commentary

High and Low (1963)

Hard Times (1975) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary

The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (1966) – Ernest Dickerson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review, Glenn Erickson’s 4K Blu-ray review

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

The Beguiled (1971) – John Landis’s trailer commentary

Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia (1974) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Kino Lorber Blu-ray review, Glenn Erickson’s Twilight Time Blu-ray review

Convoy (1978) – Dennis Cozzalio’s review

8 Heads In A Duffel Bag (1997)

Diner (1982)

The Bodyguard (1992)

12 Angry Men (1957)

Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)

Fist of Fury a.k.a. The Chinese Connection (1972) – Larry Karaszewski’s trailer commentary...

Our 75th guest! The legendary filmmaker John Sayles joins Josh and Joe to explore some of his favorite movies.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Ulzana’s Raid (1972)

Django (1966)

The Birth Of A Nation (1915)

City Of Hope (1991)

Return of the Secaucus 7 (1980)

The Challenge (1982)

Avalanche (1978)

Eight Men Out (1988)

Piranha (1978)

The Howling (1981)

The Wizard Of Oz (1939)

The Killers (1964)

The King And I (1956)

Time Without Pity (1957)

The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964)

Ben-Hur (1957)

The Ten Commandments (1956)

Two Women (1960)

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

Citizen Kane (1941)

Spartacus (1960)

Fixed Bayonets! (1951)

The Steel Helmet (1951)

Merrill’s Marauders (1962)

Targets (1968)

Touch Of Evil (1958)

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Woodstock (1970)

Crime In The Streets (1956)

The Bad Seed (1956)

The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)

Fedora (1978)

Dune (1984)

The Cotton Club (1984)

Choose Me (1984)

Raising Arizona (1987)

El Norte (1983)

Yellow Sky (1948)

Apocalypse Now (1979)

The Irishman (2019)

A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood (2019)

The Thing (1982)

Chinatown (1974)

Manhattan (1979)

Duck Amuck (1953)

Goodfellas (1990)

Humanoids Of The Deep (1980)

Cockfighter (1974)

Dynamite Women a.k.a. The Great Texas Dynamite Chase...

Back in the 1960s, the line between TV and movie stars was never more clearly defined, with actors from television seldom being able to make it on the big screen while film actors turned their noses up at the small screen. Don Knotts, however, was an exception, not only dreaming of movie stardom, but actually achieving it. In some ways, that's pretty surprising when you consider just how successful he was as Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show. He played the character with the understanding that series star Andy Griffith only intended to stay with it for five years, giving himself a deadline of sorts by which he needed to parlay that show's success into something bigger. Andy ended up changing his mind because of financial incentives thrown his way, while Don didn't, having been offered a five-film deal with Univeral. He chose to leave the show,...

After the marching bands and giants balloon characters parade by on TV… After all the college and NFL football games are played out… After the plates are cleaned of the last turkey drumstick and final piece of pumpkin pie… what better than to cuddle up with our loved ones and watch some good, wholesome family favorites on Thanksgiving!

In honor of the holiday and before you head out the door to catch all the Black Friday sales, check out Wamg’s list of some of our favorite family-friendly movies to watch on Thanksgiving Day.

Wizard Of Oz

For many years this 1939 masterpiece was truly event television. Before home video and cable TV, the only way to see this (outside of revival movie theatres and colleges), was once a year (usually on CBS). Families would gather around the tube for a chance to visit that magical enchanted land (just think of...

Chicago – When sequels are made, they are rarely better than the original and often have different cast members. “Dolphin Tale 2” defies both of those conventions, and the returning cast delivers the goods – including Ashley Judd, Morgan Freeman, Harry Connick Jr., and the teenage actors Nathan Gamble and Cozi Zuehlsdorff.

Both 17-year-old actors are experienced veterans in show business, and both began when they were eight years old. The first “Dolphin Tale” film was Zuehlsdorff’s debut, and Gamble had his first movie role in the Best Picture Oscar nominated “Babel” in 2006. Zuehlsdorff can also be found on the Disney Channel’s “Mighty Med” TV series, and Gamble had kid roles in “Marley and Me” and “The Dark Knight.”

Cozi Zuehlsdorff and Nathan Gamble of ‘Dolphin Tale 2’

Photo credit: Warner Bros.

The two bright and intelligent actors sat down to talk with HollywoodChicago.com, regarding “Dolphin Tale 2” and their careers,...

We were all shocked by the tragic news of Robin Williams' unexpected death last week. As tribute to all the times he made us laugh and cry, we’ve decided to share our favorite memories from his storied career.

Any time a person who has had so much impact on so many people’s lives passes away, it is understandably hard to comprehend. Robin Williams was one of these people. He used his talents to become much more than just a comedian. He was an entertainer. As tribute to all of the great accomplishments in his career, we’ve decided to share our favorite memories. Feel free to join us by adding your own.

Victor Medina

I was pretty young when Robin Williams first rose to stardom as Mork from Ork, but I was a dedicated fan. I bought a pair of official Mork suspenders and wore them all the time.

Here's the latest Austin and Texas news (and boy, is there a lot of it this week).

Fantastic Fest announced its first wave of films in the 2014 lineup. Kevin Smith's horror film Tusk will open the fest (a 180 degree turn from the Kevin Smith film that opened Fantastic Fest in 2010, Zack and Miri Make a Porno), followed by the Tim League-produced anthology ABCs of Death 2. The festival also announced that movie critic/film historian Leonard Maltin will be in Austin for the fest, heading up the comedy film jury and hosting events. Also, take a look at the gorgeous 2014 poster for the fest.Fantastic Fest will take place Sept. 18-25 at Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar -- and check out the photo above for a preview of what the renovated theater looks like right now. No word yet on the grand opening, although aGLIFF will also take place...

Warner Bros. and Boyhood director Richard Linklater have parted ways on the studio’s planned remake of The Incredible Mr. Limpet, despite the helmer having been attached to the project since 2011. Apparently, Warner Bros. eventually realized that Linklater’s schedule would not allow production on the film to commence in a timely fashion, and it wants to get The Incredible Mr. Limpet into theaters sooner rather than later.

Other directors have been approached by the studio, but no names have been dropped in association with the remake just yet. Like the 1964 family film, this take on the novel by Theodore Pratt will also focus on a man who is transformed into a fish. However, the story will no longer take place during World War II. This time around, The Incredible Mr. Limpet will find the title character as a beach bum and conservationist who is devoted to saving the fish population around his town.

Richard Linklater, the auteur behind films like Dazed and Confused, the Before Sunrise trilogy, and A Scanner Darkly may be walking away from the WB's planned remake of The Incredible Mr. Limpet. The director, who peppers in studio fair like the 2005 Bad News Bears remake between projects he's more passionate about, seems to want to capitalize on the current buzz surrounding his film, Boyhood, to make another more personal film. The writer-director spent 12 years working on Boyhood, literally shooting the film little by little, with the same cast, depicting a true coming-of-age tale.

The film has been getting absolutely sensational reviews since it's limited release last month- scoring 99% on RottenTomatoes with 168 critics having chimed in. The film features a cast that includes frequent Linklater collaborator Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette, and a handful of unknown actors. The reception to this film, which clearly meant a lot to the filmmaker, has seemingly knocked Mr.

Richard Linklater might be an auteur, but he’s not a snob: One year after releasing Before Sunset in 2004, for example, he directed a remake of the Bad News Bears. Still, there is a certain degree of artistic whiplash in going from Boyhood, his current critical hit that he spent 12 years making, to a remake of The Incredible Mr. Limpet, a Warner Bros. project he’s been attached to for more than three years. The original Limpet was an animation/live-action hybrid that starred Don Knotts as a man who turns into a fish and helps the Navy destroy Nazi submarines.

Everything’s coming up roses for Richard Linklater these days. After stumbling slightly during the mid–2000s, the Texan's filmography is in great shape following the triptych of “Bernie,” last year’s swoon-worthy “Before Midnight” and this year’s fantastic and much-discussed “Boyhood.” With that “time sculpture” finally released, Linklater is looking for another project, and it may be one that’s been percolating for as long as “Boyhood.” During the run-up to the release of “Bernie,” Linklater was eyeing a return to the studio system, circling a remake of the 1964 Don Knotts-starring live-action/animation hybrid “The Incredible Mr. Limpet.” The project developed in fits and starts, but "that project's not happening. The financing kind of went away," the director said last month. "That's the thing with those announcements. You never know the reason why it gets announced, but it's usually someone on the financing or sales side trying to.

Richard Linklater, one of his generation’s best and most influential filmmakers, has chosen That’s What I’m Talking About as his next project. As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, it looks like Linklater has chosen his next project after the highly successful Boyhood. Since 2011 the director has been attached to direct a remake of the Don Knotts’ classic The Incredible Mr. Limpet, but he has now reportedly left the project for the more personal That’s What I’m Talking About.

The film is said to be semi-autobiographical and, as stated by THR, “follows freshmen as they navigate through the first year of college life, while trying to make the baseball team”. Set in the 1980s, the film seems like a spiritual successor to 1993’s Dazed and Confused. The film is said to be shooting this fall.

After helping create the indie boom of the late 80s/early 90s,...

For the past few years Richard Linklater has been attached to direct The Incredible Mr. Limpet for Warner Bros. That’s the remake of the 1964 film (or a re-adaptation of the source novel by Theodore Pratt) in which a man turns into a fish… which then helps the Navy find and sink German U-Boats. The […]

The post Richard Linklater Leaves ‘The Incredible Mr. Limpet’ to Focus on ‘That’s What I’m Talking About’ appeared first on /Film.

Richard Linklater is exiting Warner Bros.' The Incredible Mr. Limpet, multiple sources tell The Hollywood Reporter. The director, whose 12-years-in-the-making film Boyhood is currently in theaters and has been garnering strong critical praise, had been attached to the remake of the 1964 family comedy since 2011. Photos 25 Summer Movies for Grown-Ups Based on the novel by Theodore Pratt, Mr. Limpet centers on a man who is transformed into a fish. Sources say Warner Bros. has been talking to directors to replace Linklater after it began to look like his schedule wouldn't match up

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Mad Men star Jon Hamm is looking to join the remake of the 1964 Don Knotts film, The Incredible Mr. Limpet. Other actors in talks to come on board include Kevin Hart, Danny McBride, Sarah Silverman, Josh Gad, and comedy duo Key & Peele. If cast they will join Zach Galifianakis.

The movie is being directed by Richard Linklater (Boyhood, Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, After Midnight) from a script based on the novel by Theodore Pratt. Warner Bros. has been trying to get this movie made for the last 20 years, and it looks like it's finally coming together. 

The original story followed "an everyman who is transformed into a fish and goes on to fight Nazis." In this new version, Galifianakis is expected to play Larry Limpet, "a bearded beach bum trying to save the fish population. When he's turned into a fish, Limpet sets out on an adventure to save his town and the sea world,...

It’s Saturday, so you know what that means! It’s time for the latest edition of the WhatCulture.com News Brief, where we bring you the hottest movie and television related news to hit the web over the last week. In the last installment I mentioned that the Hollywood news cycle was slowing down a bit… but that has seemingly changed this week, as we have a lot to talk about today!

These recaps tend to be a bit superhero and blockbuster heavy, but this week Tinseltown gave us a bit more to work with, creating a more evenly balanced array of news items to talk about. On one end of the spectrum we have updates on Ridley Scott’s next biblical epic, and the upcoming spin-off of The Conjuring (which gives me nightmares from the premise alone). Then we’ve got news about TV shows like True Detective,...

The Important News Shane Black's '70s crime comedy Nice Guys starring Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling has found a home at Warner Bros. Mission: Impossible 5 has found its leading lady, whom you have probably never heard of. Meanwhile, Scarlett Joahansson and Jonah Hill have joined the cast of Hail Caesar! and Dwayne Johnson will headline The Janson Directive, based on a book from the writer of The Bourne Identity. Star Wars: Episode VII will be filming in IMAX, and it just cast two new fresh faces. Richard Linklater's remake of The Incredible Mr. Limpet may star Jon Hamm and Zach Galifianakis. Oh, and J.K. Rowling published a new Harry Potter story online. Because nothing screams heartwarming family movie like the writer of Transformers: Age of Extinction, Disney...

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"That thing has been in development for over three years. Interesting how the week I have a film coming out someone decides it's a good idea to promote this. Not sure what they hope to gain," "Boyhood" director Richard Linklater told Indiewire about the brewing remake of "The Incredible Mr. Limpet," one that he also recently said "wasn't happening." So take this next bit of info with a grain or three of salt. According to The Wrap, Jon Hamm, Danny McBride, Sarah Silverman, Kevin Hart, Josh Gad, Keegan Michael Key and Jordan Peele are all in talks for roles for 'Limpet,' with Zach Galifianakis still attached to star. The trade says that if everything goes according to plan production might start this fall, but it would seem that someone needs to tell Linklater this is happening first. Meanwhile, another project that looks to have fallen by the wayside is "Larry's Kidney.

Star Wars: Episode VII: Via his production company Bad Robot, director J.J. Abrams shared a behind-the-scenes photo from Star Wars: Episode VII, revealing an IMAX camera in the desert location of Abu Dhabi and the caption "#bestformatever," leading to the unofficial conclusion that at least part of the film is being shot in the large-scale IMAX format. [Twitter]   The Incredible Mr. Limpet: Richard Linklater's remake of 1964's The Incredible Mr. Limpet is moving forward with news that Jon Hamm is "circling" a villainous role opposite Zach Galifianakis as the titular character, a good-hearted beach bum who is inadvertently turned into a fish. The original starred Don Knotts and combined live action with animation, which the sequel will do as...

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My just posted interview with Richard Linklater took place on May 31 and when I asked him about his long-gestating remake of the live-action/animation hybrid The Incredible Mr. Limpet starring Zach Galifianakis all he said was essentially at a loss for words saying, "Yeah, I don't think that's happening... You know, studios, eh, they're so full of sh*t, you know, it's just, nothing, nothing..." Now, a couple days after that interview posted The Wrap has a story suggesting Jon Hamm is circling a live-action role opposite Galafianakis, who has long been attached to play Larry Limpet, a bearded beach bum trying to save the fish population. When he's turned into a fish, Limpet sets out on an adventure to save his town and the sea world, learning valuable lessons along the way. Did something happen in the month since I spoke with Linklater that turned this project aroundc After all,...

Jon Hamm is circling whilst Danny McBride, Sarah Silverman, Kevin Hart, Josh Gad, Keegan Michael Key and Jordan Peele are in talks for various supporting roles in Richard Linklater's upcoming remake of the fantasy adventure "The Incredible Mr. Limpet" at Warner Bros. Pictures.

Zach Galifianakis stars as the title character, a bearded beach bum trying to save the fish population. When he's turned into a fish, he sets out on an adventure to save his town and the sea world.

Hamm would play the villain, a businessman who mines the ocean floor. McBride and Silverman are in talks for live-action roles, whilst Hart, Key and Peele are expected to voice sea creatures in the movie.

Linklater will direct from a script based on the novel by Theodore Pratt. Shooting will begin either later this fall or early next year depending upon scheduling.

Source: The Wrap...

It's been over three years since director Richard Linklater was revealed to be attached to a remake of The Incredible Mr. Limpet, the hybrid animated and live-action film from 1964 that starred Don Knotts as a man who is turned into a cartoon fish. Earlier this year we learned that Linklater was still involved after all these years with the filmmaker's Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly collaborators Femke Wolting and Tommy Pallotta working on the animation side of things. Now the cast around leading man Zach Galifianakis is starting to fill out with names like Jon Hamm, Danny McBride and more comedy gems. The Wrap also pegs Sarah Silverman, Josh Gad, Kevin Hart and sketch comedy masters Keegan Michael Key and Jordan Peele ("Key & Peele"). The original story has been changed slightly as this version will follow Galifianakis playing Larry Limpet, a bearded beach bum trying to save the fish population.

With his 12-year project Boyhood set to open this weekend, Richard Linklater is turning his attention to his next film. Casting is well underway for The Incredible Mr. Limpet, Linklater’s remake of the 1964 film for Warner Bros. And so far, things seem to be shaping up nicely. Jon Hamm is reportedly looking to join […]

The post Richard Linklater’s ‘The Incredible Mr. Limpet’ Adds Jon Hamm and More appeared first on /Film.

Richard Linklater's upcoming remake of The Incredible Mr. Limpet is beginning to take shape with a variety of talent showing interest in the passion project. Josh Gad, Jon Hamm, Kevin Hart, Danny McBride, Sarah Silverman and Key & Peele are all up for roles in the remake of the 1964 Don Knotts comedy classic. The impressive cast would join Zach Galifianakis who has been attached as Mr. Limpet for years already. The Incredible Mr. Limpet follows the timid Henry Limpet, who...

  Exodus: Gods and Kings Trailer: The first trailer for Ridley Scott's Exodus: Gods and Kings sets up the rivalry between Moses (Christian Bale) and Ramses (Joel Edgerton), with a hint of epic battles, epic plagues and "something that is coming that is out of my control." The movie hits theaters on December 12. [Apple]   Star Wars: Episode VII: Via his production company Bad Robot, director J.J. Abrams shared a behind-the-scenes photo from Star Wars: Episode VII, revealing an IMAX camera in the desert location of Abu Dhabi and the caption "#bestformatever," leading to the unofficial conclusion that at least part of the film is being shot in the large-scale IMAX format. [Twitter]   The Incredible Mr. Limpet: Richard...

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The WB has strangely been trying to get a remake of The Incredible Mr. Limpet off the ground for years, even though the vaguely-remembered comedy turns fifty this year. Starring Don Knotts, the Arthur Lubin-directed film has been up for a remake, most recently with Richard Linklater attached to direct and Zach Galifianakis starring. But there was no movement for years, suggesting the project was dead. Not so fast, said destiny. The Incredible Mr. Limpet is finally returning to screens. The Wrap claims that Jon Hamm is one of many big names circling The Incredible Mr. Limpet. Given that the project would mix animation and live-action, Hamm would star in the live-action portion of the film as the villain of the piece. While Limpet was a bookkeeper in the original film, Galifianakis would be playing him as a beach bum desperate to save the local fish population. Hamm's character...

The project in development for some time, director Richard Linklater's upcoming remake of The Incredible Mr. Limpet is now attracting a wide variety of talent. The Wrap reports that Josh Gad, Jon Hamm, Kevin Hart, Danny McBride, Sarah Silverman and Key & Peele are all up for roles in the Warner Bros. comedy.

A remake of the 1964 Don Knotts film classic (in turn based on the novel by Theodore Pratt), The Incredible Mr. Limpet follows milquetoast Henry Limpet, who experiences his fondest wish and is transformed into a fish. The new version of the tale sets the action in present day and has Galifianakis' Limpet attempting to save the fish population of a small beach town.

With Richard Linklater's “Boyhood” hitting theaters Friday, the director has started casting another passion project — WB's remake of “The Incredible Mr. Limpet,” which has Jon Hamm circling a live-action role opposite Zach Galifianakis, and comedy stars Danny McBride, Sarah Silverman, Kevin Hart, Josh Gad, Keegan Michael Key and Jordan Peele in talks for various roles, multiple individuals familiar with the fantasy adventure movie have told TheWrap. Warner Bros. had no comment. Linklater will direct from a script based on the novel by Theodore Pratt, though the project has had a prolonged development period, as WB has been trying to update the story for two.

Listen, I know we’ve all been waiting with bated breath for that The Incredible Mr. Limpet remake to finally get out the door and into theaters. Details have been scarce ever since the project was first announced in the late 90s- first, Kung Pow: Enter the Fist mastermind Steve Oedekerk was ready to direct, with Jim Carrey as the astounding man-fish. Oedekerk stepped down, but the troops were rallied and Brad Bird was offered the gig. Then, Bird caught a glimpse of Mr. Limpet’s new look: a CGI fish with Carrey’s human face transplanted on via mo-cap. He described it thusly: “If you saw this in the water, you would get out of the water and run screaming and tell everyone the world was ending.” Plans for the film fell apart shortly afterward. Then, they fell back together when Enchanted director Kevin Lima boarded the project. Zach Galifianakis was in talks to play a...

Despite receiving heaps of praise for his more mature dramatic work (namely Boyhood and the Before trilogy), filmmaker Richard Linklater is still attached to the upcoming The Incredible Mr. Limpet remake at Warner Bros. We first wrote about his involvement a few years ago, back in 2011, reporting that he was slated to be hired and did get the job. Ever since then he's been working on this project and now seems to be making a few major steps forward. Most importantly, he has hired two animation filmmakers to work on the animation half of the film - Femke Wolting and Tommy Pallotta, of the project Last Hijack. This latest news comes from ScreenDaily, where they report that "Tommy showed [The Last Hijack] to Richard Linklater, who we’ve collaborated with previously. Richard loved the animation technique that we used." Linklater has previously worked with Tommy Pallotta, a Texas-born filmmaker, and Femke Wolting, a Netherlands-born filmmaker,...

After years of playing a comic book hero in X-Men and The Wolverine, Australian actor Hugh Jackman will be getting into bad guy mode for Warner Bros. this time. Variety has word that the Les Miserables Oscar nominee is in talks to play the villainous pirate Blackbeard in Pan, the new adaptation of the classic story J.M. Barrie fairytale that has Atonement director Joe Wright at the helm, working from a script by Jason Fuchs that actually appeared on this year's Black List. This will be the first time Jackman has played a bad guy, and he must have been looking for one because one of his other options was a bad guy role too. The trade says Jackman was also considering playing the antagonist of the remake of The Incredible Mr. Limpet. That's a project we haven't heard anything about since 2011 when Richard Linklater was said to be flirting the the material.

According to Variety, Hugh Jackman is in negotiations to play the pirate Blackbeard in Joe Wright's Pan. We had heard that Javier Bardem was Warner Bros.' first choice to play the villain, but after he passed they went to Jackman. The X-Men actor seems dead set of playing a bad guy, as he was apparently also weighing up the antagonist role in WB's remake of The Incredible Mr. Limpet. This new origin story for Peter Pan is said to revolve around "an orphan who is taken to the magical world of Neverland where he becomes a hero to the natives and leads a revolt against the evil pirates". Captain Hook will be in the movie too, but he'll start out as Pan's friend before betraying him. Variety also report that Ryan Gosling was in line to play the Hook role but declined. WB are expected to do...

1964's The Incredible Mr. Limpet featured Don Knotts ("Three's Company"), and co-starred: Carole Cook, Jack Weston, Andrew Duggan, and Larry Keating. The story took place in 1941 just before the attack on Pearl Harbor. It focused on a timid bookkeeper Henry Limpet (Don Knotts) who had a deep love for fish. One day Henry decides to enlist in the Navy like his buddy George (Jack Weston), but is rejected for being "too small and too weak to be a soldier." This crushes his spirits and he heads off to Coney Island. There, he falls into the water and with no reason given turns into a fish. From that point on the film features Henry as an animated fish. He basks in this new world, even meeting a female fish that catches his eye. Kinky! He also realizes that he has a unique...

So, remember Tom Shadyac? He's the guy who was at one time a box office comedy titan, thanks to "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective," "The Nutty Professor," "Liar Liar" and "Bruce Almighty." But then he decided after making millions upon millions of dollars that there was more to life and made a documentary. "I Am"was a lot of feel good, New Age-y mumbo jumbo, that found him talking with folks like David Suzuki, Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Lynne McTaggart, Ray Anderson, John Francis, Coleman Barks, and Marc Ian Barasch about like the world, man. That was a couple of years ago, and while he briefly popped up as a contender to direct a remake of Arthur Lubin's 1964 film "The Incredible Mr. Limpet" that had Zach Galifianakis attached to star, it didn't happen. But now another remake might bring him back in the ring. Deadline reports that...

We’ve watched the marching bands and giants balloon characters parade by on TV, we’ve watched college football, we’ve had our fill of turkey and all the trimmings… now, what better than to cuddle up with our loved ones and watch some good, wholesome family favorites on Thanksgiving Day? After all, we need our rest so we can rise and shine before the sun comes up on Black Friday to catch all the sales. So, in honor of the holiday and as a way to give you a jump on your holiday viewing schedule, we’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite family-friendly movies to watch on Thanksgiving Day.

Wizard Of Oz

For many years this 1939 masterpiece was truly event television. Before home video and cable TV, the only way to see this (outside of revival movie theatres and colleges), was once a year (usually on...

Moviefone's New Release Pick of the Week "Marley" What's It About? "Last King of Scotland" director Kevin Macdonald delivers a comprehensive documentary look at the life of global music icon, Bob Marley. See It Because: By tackling everything in between his birth and death -- including his Jamaican upbringing, his early recordings and his enigmatic personality -- Maconald, along with Marley's family and bandmates, offers perhaps the best, most thorough account of Bob's life that we'll ever receive. Watch an Exclusive Clip from "Marley" - (Also Available on Amazon Instant Video) Moviefone's Blu-ray Pick of the Week "Full Metal Jacket" 25th Anniversary Edition What's It About? Stanley Kubrick tells an intense and harrowing story of young Marines in the Vietnam War, from their days in boot camp to surviving on the battlefield. See It Because: "Full Metal Jacket" has been transferred to the high-def Blu-ray format before, but this...

Richard Linklater’s “Bernie” is hitting New York and Los Angeles theaters later this week and we caught up with him at the San Francisco International Film Festival to talk about the film.

The film tells the real-life story of Bernie Tiede (Jack Black), a much-loved funeral director who forms a relationship with Marjorie Nugent (Shirley MacLaine), a cold and insanely rich recently widowed woman. After several years of under-appreciated service and company, Bernie loses it and puts several bullets in Marjorie’s back, killing her. During the following nine months, Bernie is able to keep his crime a secret as he goes about spending her fortune buying gifts for the people in the town of Carthage and saving struggling businesses sort of like a dark Robin Hood.

Spattered throughout the film are a series of documentary-style interviews with the citizens of Carthage expressing their views on Bernie and his violent act.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 is one of those shows that got its hooks into me quickly, but eventually I just lost track of. I’m not even sure how the timing of it worked out, but somehow, I just didn’t seem to watch it anymore.

Die-hard fans may count themselves as far more excited to see these multi-film releases hitting shelves, but I’m glad to get the chance to touch base with a series I once loved, but missed out on.

The Xxiii release showcases four films, naturally of varying genres, plus a nice selection of bonus features, going so far as to somehow include the MST3K-ified The Incredible Mr. Limpet (which I must have seen 5,000 times as a kid) as a bonus.

It’s the usual brand of off-beat comedy commentary, with Joel, Mike, Tom Servo, and Crow T. Robot letting these old works of “art...

It seems kind of ironic that a project called Instant Karma picked up by New Line Cinema back in 2003 because anything but a quickly put together project, but that's Hollywood for ya. However, Heat Vision reports the project has life again with Sony Pictures Animation picking up the fantasy comedy about a misguided safecracker from New Orleans who dies but suddenly finds himself reincarnated as a fly. As the hero does good deeds to improve his karma, he moves up the food chain through a variety of animals, such as a frog, raccoon and dog, trying to get back to his human body and the woman he loves. This sounds a little bit like The Incredible Mr. Limpet (which has a remake in development with Richard Linklater potentially at the helm). Honestly, the story sounds intriguing, but I wish it wasn't a live-action CG hybrid. Sony Pictures Animation has actually...