This remake will fail because no actor no matter how talented can capture the spirit of Leslie Nielsen’s comedic characters. The only thing anyone will think watching this movie is “it’s not Leslie Nielsen”.

By Brent Lang
TheWrap

James Bond needs to put down the martini stat, because a new study this week reports that the super spy’s liver desperately needs a breather.

British researchers analyzed 007’s alcohol consumption in the Ian Fleming novels that inspired the hit film series and found that he drinks more than four times the limit recommended for men. Who cares about Ernst Stavro Blofeld, because Bond’s proclivity for all things fermented may mark him down for an early visit from the Grim Reaper.

The study’s authors predict that Bond is at risk to die from alcohol-related diseases by age 56. The report was published in the Christmas edition of the British Medical Journal, and its authors indicated that Bond’s sexual and espionage related exploits were all the more extraordinary because with that kind of alcohol intake he should have difficulty raising a gun, let alone a much loved portion of his anatomy.

Also read:  Spider-Man Universe: Alex Kurtzman to Direct Venom, Drew Goddard to Write Sinister Six

“The level of functioning as displayed in the books is inconsistent with the physical, mental, and indeed sexual functioning expected from someone drinking this much alcohol, the study’s authors write. We advise an immediate referral for further assessment and treatment, a reduction in alcohol consumption to safe levels, and suspect that the famous catchphrase ‘shaken, not stirred,’ could be because of alcohol induced tremor affecting his hands.”

The study’s authors read 14 Bond novels, kept copious notes documenting each time he raised a glass and found that he had only 12.5 alcohol free days out of 87.5 days on which he was able to drink. They found that the MI-6 agent is at considerable risk of developing liver disease, cirrhosis and, worst of all, impotence.

Film Violence in PG-13 Often Comes With Sex and Drinking, Study Finds

Crazy-Crowded Christmas at Box Office: Will Hollywood Ever Learn?

Sam Mendes Returns to Direct Bond 24

WENN

Ridley Scott is going full steam ahead with a remake of classic crime drama “Murder on the Orient Express.”

Agatha Christie’s 1934 Hercule Poirot novel was transformed for the big screen in 1974 and proved a hit, with actress Ingrid Bergman giving an Oscar-winning performance alongside Albert Finney as the Belgian super-sleuth. The starry cast also included Sir Sean Connery, Lauren Bacall and Vanessa Redgrave.

The “Alien” director is now planning to reboot the tale after signing up to produce a new adaptation for 20th Century Fox Studios.

Alfred Molina previously played Poirot in a 2001 small screen version of “Murder on the Orient Express,” while the iconic detective was most recently portrayed by David Suchet, who retired the role last month after more than two decades on U.K. TV.

By Jeff Sneider
TheWrap

Jesse Eisenberg and Jason Segel are attached to star in Anonymous Content’s “The End of the Tour,” multiple individuals familiar with the project have told TheWrap.

Segel will play David Foster Wallace, the author of “Infinite Jest” who committed suicide in 2008, while Eisenberg will play Rolling Stone reporter David Lipsky.

James Ponsoldt (“The Spectacular Now”) will direct from a script by playwright Donald Margulies, who adapted Lipsky’s book “Although Of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself: A Road Trip With David Foster Wallace. Coincidentally, Ponsoldt used to work at Rolling Stone while he was in college.

Story finds Lipsky accompanying Wallace across the country on a book tour promoting “Infinite Jest,” just as Wallace starts to become famous. Along the way, jealousy and competition bubbles up between the two writers as they discuss women, depression and the pros and cons of fame.

David Kanter and Matt DeRoss will produce for Anonymous Content, which did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.

Production is tentatively scheduled to begin in February.

Also from The Wrap:  Kristen Stewart Lines Up Two Indies: ‘American Ultra’ With Jesse Eisenberg, Tim Blake Nelson’s ‘Anesthesia’

Eisenberg, who is coming off the box office hit “Now You See Me,” will soon be seen in Kelly Reichardt’s “Night Moves” and Richard Ayoade’s “The Double.” He’s set to star opposite Kristen Stewart in PalmStar and Likely Story’s action comedy “American Ultra,” which is scheduled to start production in April. He’s repped by CAA and attorney Patti Felker.

Segel, who recently popped up in “This Is the End,” next stars opposite Cameron Diaz in Jake Kasdan’s Sony comedy “Sex Tape.” He’s repped by WME, Abrams Entertainment and attorney Warren Dern.

Ponsoldt, who previously directed “The Spectacular Now” and “Smashed,” is repped by UTA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.

DALLAS (AP) — Farrah’s bling has fetched far more than Gene’s wool fling.

Separate auctions were held Thursday in Dallas: One featured Texas native Farrah Fawcett’s jewelry and other memorabilia, while another had as its centerpiece the gray wool suit worn by Gene Kelly in “Singin’ in the Rain.”

Heritage Auctions sold various items once belonging to Fawcett for more than $500,000. A 10.95-carat diamond ring earlier was sold for $245,000. A red bathing suit pulled in more than $4,000.

Also included in the sale was her 1977 People’s Choice Award for her role in “Charlie’s Angels” ($20,625). Other items put up for auction by Fawcett’s nephew, Gregory Walls of Houston, included scripts and costumes.

“Though Farrah Fawcett will forever be associated with the 1970s and that famous, famous hairdo of hers, she remains a beloved, respected, instantly recognizable Hollywood star just as much today,” Margaret Barrett, director of entertainment and music auctions at Heritage, said in a news release.

Kelly’s suit was purchased by the theme restaurant Planet Hollywood International for more than $106,000. Kelly wore the suit for the soggy featured dance in the 1952 movie musical.

Heritage officials said Planet Hollywood intends to display the suit at one of its properties but hasn’t decided which one.

“Planet Hollywood has the world’s largest assemblage of memorabilia and we’re thrilled and excited to add this iconic piece to our collection,” said Robert Earl, chairman and founder of Planet Hollywood International.

Gerald Sola, a retired postal worker, had kept the suit in a closet at his northern California home for decades after purchasing it at an MGM lot sale in 1970 for $10.

“I took it off the rack and looked at it,” Sola said in a release issued by Heritage. “I noticed right away that there were water stains in the jacket. I knew right away what it was from so I bought it.”

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ryan O’Neal’s attorneys on Thursday concluded their defense of the actor in a lawsuit aimed at making him relinquish an Andy Warhol portrait of Farrah Fawcett that he says he has owned since 1980.

The silkscreen portrait continues to hang in O’Neal’s beachside home, but the University of Texas at Austin wants a jury to determine that it should be handed over to the school in accordance with Fawcett’s final wishes.

The “Charlie’s Angels” star left the university all her artwork upon her death in June 2009.

O’Neal’s final witnesses included Redmond O’Neal, his son with Fawcett, and a chiropractor who treated the actress and watched her work on her own sculptures.

Redmond O’Neal’s testimony was limited by Superior Court Judge William MacLaughlin, who told attorneys on both sides that the three-week case has featured too much testimony that has nothing to do with who owns the disputed artwork.

Redmond O’Neal told jurors that his mother didn’t like a reality TV producer who testified for the university. The producer, Craig Nevius, said he believes Ryan O’Neal stole the portrait from Fawcett’s condominium.

Nevius provided footage from Fawcett’s reality show, and images and other information that was presented by university attorneys in their bid to gain possession of the portrait. Experts said the artwork is worth anywhere from less than $1 million to $12 million.

Nevius was called back to the stand Thursday, with university attorneys using some of the video footage his company shot for Fawcett’s reality show “Chasing Farrah” to try to bolster their case. In the footage, Fawcett shows off one of the Warhol portraits in her storage facility to a celebrity auction house owner and declares, “I have two.”

When questioned about why she needed two Warhols, Fawcett is heard saying she thought she would leave one to her son. She does not mention O’Neal or indicate he has ownership, but O’Neal’s attorneys contend the clips don’t prove the actress actually owned both portraits.

The actor’s case consisted largely of witnesses who knew Fawcett and recounted their recollections of conversations with the actress about the two portraits Warhol created of her while she was filming a special for the TV show “20/20.”

A jury of six men and six women will begin their deliberations after closing arguments, which are expected to occur Monday.

WENN

Former U.S. intelligence chief Leon Panetta has revealed he accidentally offered up top secret information about the mission to kill terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden to “Zero Dark Thirty” scriptwriter Mark Boal during a classified meeting.

Panetta explains he was unaware Boal was in attendance and assumed everyone in the room had the proper clearance to be there.

A statement from Panetta reads, “I had no idea that individual was in the audience. To this day, I wouldn’t know him if he walked into the room.”

Requests for the documents were made by members of political watchdog group Judicial Watch, and on Tuesday bosses at America’s Central Intelligence Agency released them.

The information pertains to the name of the ground commander of the unit that carried out the raid.

This isn’t the first controversy surrounding the movie — in 2012, reports suggested officials at the CIA gave classified information to director Katherine Bigelow and Boal after they requested it. However, Boal insisted he never asked for any documents.

The film also made headlines for its heavy depiction of torture on screen. Many U.S. lawmakers were upset by the suggestion enhanced interrogation techniques were used to extract pertinent information from enemy combatants. The government officials insisted the important intelligence which led to Bin Laden’s death was not obtained through torture.

“Zero Dark Thirty,” which starred Jessica Chastain and Jason Clarke, chronicles the story of the years leading up to the mission which led to the attack on Bin Laden’s Pakistan compound — and the terrorist mastermind’s death in 2011.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ryan O’Neal says an Andy Warhol portrait of Farrah Fawcett still represents one of his strongest connections to his longtime partner.

The Oscar-nominated actor told a jury Wednesday that he talks to the portrait and he feels Fawcett’s presence by having it in his house.

The University of Texas at Austin is suing O’Neal to try to gain possession of the portrait. Fawcett left all her artwork to the school and it claims O’Neal improperly took it from her condo days after her death.

O’Neal has testified Warhol gave him the portrait and he wants to pass it on to his son with Fawcett, Redmond.

Testimony in the case is winding down, with O’Neal and his son expected to be among the case’s final witnesses.

Entertainment Tonight.

Actors Taye Diggs and Idina Menzel have separated, according to People.

“Idina Menzel and Taye Diggs have jointly decided to separate at this time. Their primary focus and concern is for their son. We ask that you respect their privacy during this time,” the couple’s reps told People.

Co-starring in the musical Rent together, the couple married in January 2003. They have one child together, a four-year-old son named Walker.

Related stories on ETonline.com:
ET’s ‘Sonos’ Giveaway!

ET to GO: Tyler Perry on Directing as ‘Madea’

By Greg Gilman
TheWrap

The first online teaser trailer for “Godzilla” has arrived, and it is quite a tease: the iconic movie monster makes only a brief appearance after quite a build up of brave soldiers leaping from a plane into a decimated city.

But at least it’s big. Really, really big.

Human stars Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor-Johnson look appropriately distraught in quick flashes from director Gareth Edwards’ crack at the Japanese Kaiju that filmmaker Ishir Honda first brought to life in 1954.

Warner Bros. is releasing the Legendary production on May 16.

‘Birth of the Living Dead’ Producer Talks George Romero’s Cultural Impact, What’s Wrong With ‘Walking Dead’
Aaron Taylor-Johnson Closes Deal to Play Quicksilver in Marvel’s ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ (Exclusive)