Bubba Nosferatu (Ron Perlman as Elvis)

[hack slash]

August 27: Bruce Campbell nixes BUBBA HO-TEP sequel:(

Genre fave Bruce Campbell dropped a bombshell on FANGORIA RADIO listeners the other night: The actor has turned down appearing in BUBBA NOSFERATU, the long-mooted sequel/prequel to his and director Don (PHANTASM) Coscarelli’s 2002 sleeper hit BUBBA HO-TEP. You read that right: The EVIL DEAD actor won’t be growing out his sideburns and donning the white jumpsuit again to play the geriatric Elvis Presley for the follow-up. The reason, Campbell said, had to do with the screenplay by Coscarelli and co-scripter Stephen Romano, which features Elvis, both in the past and present, battling a clan of Las Vegas vampires and dealing with the machinations of his duplicitous manager, Colonel Tom Parker (to be played by Oscar nominee Paul Giamatti, a big Coscarelli/Campbell fan).

“[BUBBA NOSFERATU] is dead to me,” Campbell said flatly. “It sleeps with the fishes. Don Coscarelli is a very passionate filmmaker. We got to a few points [developing the screenplay] that we couldn’t reconcile. I want to keep our friendship, so we parted ways. So I’m not part of that project.”

So will BUBBA NOSFERATU move forward without Campbell? Coscarelli told Fango that he is considering recasting the film with another actor whom the fans would embrace, but he admits that it will be a tall order to fill Campbell’s shoes. Campbell, meanwhile, commented on another sequel that genre buffs got excited about a few years back, the proposed FREDDY VS. JASON. VS. ASH movie that former New Line exec Jeff Katz pushed for. The major mashup never happened, Campbell said, because “it blows! You really think Ash would be allowed to kill Freddy and Jason off? We [including EVIL DEAD creator Sam Raimi] didn’t have any control on the project, New Line did, so there was no reason to do it.”

FREDDY VS. JASON. VS. ASH has since been reborn as an upcoming comics miniseries from Wildstorm (see item here). As far as a fourth EVIL DEAD movie is concerned, Campbell added, “Raimi still talks about it, but he’s in no rush to do it with everything else he has going on. Sam jokes, ‘Maybe we can do another EVIL DEAD when we’re 70.’ ”

The squared-jawed horror star also put the kibosh on the EVIL DEAD remake reports. “The feedback from the fans was 90 percent negative,” Campbell noted of the once-announced redux. “It’s going nowhere. The remake has fizzled fast at Sam’s company.”

Not everything was a downer out of Campbell’s lips, though he did call his Sci Fi Channel movie ALIEN APOCALYPSE a “piece of crap” and MAN WITH THE SCREAMING BRAIN, which he directed in Bulgaria, “el stinko. I failed in some respects.” On the upbeat side, the actor proudly revealed that his hit USA Network summer series, BURN NOTICE, in which he plays an old spy gone to seed (see here for more), has been picked up for a second season. “We start shooting in January, and the show will be back on the air in June 2008.” Campbell’s agent and publisher want him to pen a third book as well, as a follow-up to his best sellers IF CHINS COULD KILL: CONFESSIONS OF A B MOVIE ACTOR and MAKE LOVE! THE BRUCE CAMPBELL WAY. “All I have is a title at this point,” Campbell teased. “It’s called SURROUNDED BY IDIOTS: WHY YOU SHOULD BE GLAD I’M NOT EMPEROR OF THE WORLD.”

[Cody]

“[BUBBA NOSFERATU] is dead to me,” Campbell said flatly. “It sleeps with the fishes. Don Coscarelli is a very passionate filmmaker. We got to a few points [developing the screenplay] that we couldn’t reconcile. I want to keep our friendship, so we parted ways. So I’m not part of that project.”

Jeez, I wonder what's in the script that Campbell could so dislike that he would have to quit the project to preserve their friendship... Kind of strange.

It really sucks that Campbell quit, but I'm still onboard to watch BN if it happens.

[Just Jeans]

The man did Alien Apocalypse and The Man With the Screaming Brain... which means there must have been something dead awful in the script for Campbell to walk. :o

Oh well, at least he's doing the second season of Burn Notice. I'm really enjoying the first one.

[sCabbOy]

Personally, I don't care. I think Campbell isn't only an overrated actor he's a dick IRL. I may be more inclined to watch this without him... but on the same token I'm sure a sequel to a movie that should have never had a sequel won't be worth watching.

I thought Ossie Davis was the star of BubbA Ho Tep

[The 5th Golden Girl]

I really, really hope there's never a "Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash" movie. That'd be like having Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock vs. some indie wrestler a bunch of people like. The indie guy may be a good wrestler, and he may have his fans, but he just doesn't belong in the ring with those other two.

[Rich]

I am glad he did not do the sequel, because Bubba-Ho-Tep I thought was just terrible.

[Brett H.]

I really, really hope there's never a "Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash" movie. That'd be like having Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock vs. some indie wrestler a bunch of people like. The indie guy may be a good wrestler, and he may have his fans, but he just doesn't belong in the ring with those other two.

It's weird because everyone I know pretty much has watched an Evil Dead movie. Most I know have only heard of Jason and Freddy, not seen any of the movies.

[sCabbOy]

There will never be a FvJvA, I really don't think they'd be stupid enough to completely ruin 3 franchises withga stupid concept like that.

[Kane Lives]

I really, really hope there's never a "Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash" movie.


I agree. I like all three characters, but crossing the world of Ash with that of Freddy and Jason just comes across as a silly concept to me.

I think the comic book format suits that concept much better, and that's as far as it should go.


As far as Bubba Nosferatu... I'm not terribly upset that a Sequel seemingly won't be coming to pass. I found the first one to be quirky and fun at times, but overall it ranked with me as simply 'okay'.

[Melanie Jarvis]

Well, I thought Bubba Ho-Tep was a pretty good movie, and I won't look forward to the sequel if Bruce Campbell isn't playing Elvis because I thought he totally kicked ass in the role.

[Melissa's Necklace]

Personally, I don't care. I think Campbell isn't only an overrated actor he's a dick IRL. I may be more inclined to watch this without him... but on the same token I'm sure a sequel to a movie that should have never had a sequel won't be worth watching.

I thought Ossie Davis was the star of BubbA Ho Tep

RIP Ossie Davis. Loved him in that movie. Don't know who could fill Campbell's shoes though.

[Cody]

the screenplay by Coscarelli and co-scripter Stephen Romano, which features Elvis, both in the past and present, battling a clan of Las Vegas vampires and dealing with the machinations of his duplicitous manager, Colonel Tom Parker (to be played by Oscar nominee Paul Giamatti, a big Coscarelli/Campbell fan).

Meanwhile, Giamatti has told Fangoria Radio that he loves the script.

[sCabbOy]

RIP Ossie Davis. Loved him in that movie. Don't know who could fill Campbell's shoes though.

Watching Bubba Ho-Tep and Nosferatu back to back it will be hard. I'd say nobody because Campbell did such a good job as Elvis. Maybe that dude from the Dawn Of The Dead remake- the security guard haha.

[The Heat]

Meanwhile, Giamatti has told Fangoria Radio that he loves the script.
That's what was so curious to me. A script that's not good enough for Bruce Campbell but that Oscar-nominated Paul Giamatti really likes?

Hmmm.... :shifty:

[sCabbOy]

That's what was so curious to me. A script that's not good enough for Bruce Campbell but that Oscar-nominated Paul Giamatti really likes?

Hmmm.... :shifty:

It goes to show you that opinions differ. Just because someone is Oscar nominated it doesn;t make them know-it-alls when it comes to movies and vide-versa.

[hack slash]

That's what was so curious to me. A script that's not good enough for Bruce Campbell but that Oscar-nominated Paul Giamatti really likes?

Hmmm.... :shifty:

Giamatti thought Lady in the Water:side: and Paycheck:meh: were good enough scripts as well;)

[The Heat]

Giamatti thought Lady in the Water:side: and Paycheck:meh: were good enough scripts as well;)
True, but he also picked American Splendor, Sideways, The Illusionist and Cinderella Man. Other than the Evil Dead series he did with his buddies, Campbell hasn't exactly lit the world aflame with his filmography.

[sCabbOy]

I loved Lady In The Water... dunno why.

[The Dream Master]

I thought Lady in the Water was underrated even if it was M. Night's worst film so far.

[Just Jeans]

Other than the Evil Dead series he did with his buddies, Campbell hasn't exactly lit the world aflame with his filmography.

As far as I know, Bruce has never really had an ambition to break into mainstream cinema.

[sCabbOy]

It's because Campbell is a crappy overrated actor only capable of playing one character which he has played in Evil Dead 1-3, Brisco County Jr, Jack of All Trades, Xina, Hercules and so on.

[The Dream Master]

See, I don't think he's really supposed to be considered much of an actor; he's more of a persona, I guess. I mean, every character he plays is Bruce Campbell, to a certain extent. Granted, I haven't seen everything the man has done, so there might be an example contrary to this.

Anyway, I love Bruce. I'd like to see him pop up in more mainstream things, but I guess it wouldn't be the same if that happened.

[Just Jeans]

Campbell is hardly the first actor to play himself in every single role, and some of those guys are big name stuff (Christopher Walken comes to mind). As far as I know, Campbell has never aspired outside of the B-movie range because B-movies are what he enjoys doing. They fit his persona.

[The Heat]

As far as I know, Bruce has never really had an ambition to break into mainstream cinema.
I would believe that, except that he's doing a very popular show on USA called Burn Notice. That's pretty mainstream. I think, if given the roles, he would have gladly taken them and moved into the mainstream audience's psyche. He's just not that great of an actor, although Bubba Ho-Tep was very good.

Back to the original point, Giamatti is 4000x the actor Campbell is, which is why it's curious that the guy who did Alien Apocalypse thought this role wasn't good enough for him...for whatever reason.

[sCabbOy]

The difference between Walken and Campbell is that Walken CAN play other characters really well and he has.

But I'm sure if Cambell was given mainstream roles he'd take them.

[Just Jeans]

I would believe that, except that he's doing a very popular show on USA called Burn Notice.

It's popular enough to garner a second season. Not sure that makes it mainstream (I wouldn't call Battlestar Galactica or Eureka or Doctor Who mainstream either.)

But I'm sure if Cambell was given mainstream roles he'd take them.

No doubt. But that's not the same thing as actively seeking a career in mainstream cinema.

[The Tall Man]

I think a lot of you are forgetting Bruce acted with Paul-effin'-Newman. Stays out of the mainstream? Pshaw!

T.M.

[Rick]

He's also done mainstream TV, he was in the last season of Ellen as a regular cast member.

[hack slash]

not sure if this should go in here or a Phantasm 5 thread

From DREADCENTRAL.COM


Bubba Dead, Tall Man Alive? ::

Last month Fangoria was able to confirm that Bruce Campbell was no longer attached to Bubba Nosferatu, but that doesn't exactly mean it is dead in the water. In the article it is mentioned that filmmaker Don Coscarelli wants to recast the part of Elvis. A source that wishes to remain unnamed e-mailed with the information that the BN script had been sent to three actors: Kurt Russell (who has played the King before), Jeffery Combs and a mystery third person.

Sadly all three actors turned down the part. What does this mean for us fans? The project is once again dead. Damnit!

On the brighter side of things, the same source who brought us the BN info was also able to update us on the status of the fifth Phantasm film ("First Look at Phantasm V?" - July 2007). According to our anonymous friend, "As for Phantasm V... things are starting to heat up with Anchor Bay Entertainment (Starz now) meeting with Don quite a lot these days. You should find it suspect that franchise hero Reggie Bannister is linking to a Phantasm5.com site on his official webpage (reggiebannister.com). Might this mean something?"

[Cody]

Kurt Russell ... turned down the part.

Damn, Kurt going Elvis again for this movie would've been really fucking cool.

[The Tall Man]

Cody said it all. Kurt Russell... as Elvis... in a Coscarelli movie? Man, I love Bruce, but that'd kick so much ass... and I could actually feel good about rooting for Russell again! :)

T.M.

[killaG]

I wish Kurt Russell would have agreed to play Elvis. Even Jeffery Combs would have been a cool replacement for Bruce Campbell.

[Cody]

This could be pretty cool.

Ron Perlman as Elvis in BUBBA NOSFERATU? (http://www.aintitcool.com/node/38925)

Paul Giamatti has been attached to this film for a little while, awesomely cast as Col. Parker, I might add, but then the movie seemed to disappear.

The only word we’ve heard lately was Bruce Campbell commenting that he’s passed on the movie, which, obviously, doesn’t bode well.

Now, we have the exclusive news out of Paul Giamatti’s mouth about who has been tapped to fill Elvis’ jumpsuit and take on some blood-suckin’ sumbitches. ...

Quint: Cool, so I guess you have an announcement. That’s the whole point of doing this, so let’s hear it.

Paul Giamatti: (laughs) No, definitely. We want to get this thing done, BUBBA NOSFERATU. I saw HO-TEP when it came out and I used to say in interviews when people asked me which director I wanted to work with I would say “Don Coscarelli” and nine times out of ten, they would go “Who the hell is that?”

Quint: Which makes you fucking badass, by the way.

Paul Giamatti: Are you kidding me? He’s fuckin’… and a lot of people thought I was kidding when I would say it, too. “I’m not kidding. I’m totally serious!” I saw BUBBA HO-TEP and it’s one of my favorite movies. I loved it and then somebody finally showed him some interview in which I said that and he called me up. I went and met him and he’s a great guy, you know?

Quint: Yeah, on top of his movies being fantastic, he’s the nicest person in the world, hands down.

Paul Giamatti: And his movies are amazing. They are totally unique, you know? So then he asked me if I was interested in doing this one and I was just like “You have got to be kidding me. Yeah, absolutely!” I said, “I have a little production company and we can help you guys do this” and he brought me in onboard and now we have got Ron Perlman interested in playing Elvis.

Quint: Nice. Perlman is awesome. Have you gotten the chance to talk much with him?

Paul Giamatti: Oh yeah. He’s a great guy. He’s an amazingly great guy and I’ve always loved him as an actor, so when he actually was interested, I couldn’t believe our luck man, like “This is fucking great!” He’s a really terrific guy. Have you met him?

Quint: I’ve met him a few times, yeah, in the oddest places… always. I went to visit a movie in Romania called BUNRAKU, which he was in.

Paul Giamatti: He’s always making movies in eastern Europe.

Quint: Apparently he’s like Elvis over there… Well literally, but there you go… hence the connection.



Paul Giamatti: That’s perfect man, but yeah it has all worked out so great and I don’t know, I just… I’ve never been so excited about doing something and being able to throw… trying to put my production company in on it, too. I mean I’ve never wanted to do something like this before, but I like this thing so much that I really want to see it get done.

Quint: The immediate question, especially from the fans is going to be “What happened to Bruce [Campbell]?” You know fan bases. You break continuity and there’s going to be a lot of questions.

Paul Giamatti: Oh sure, absolutely. I’m sure everybody is going to want to know that.

Every effort was made by us, he just didn’t want to do it and he was cool about it. He just didn’t want to do it, which is a bummer, because part of the reason I love that movie is him… a big part of it. He’s fantastic and I’ve always loved him. I’m a big fan of his, but he didn’t want to do it, which is totally cool.

Quint: It’s surprising to me, because I kind of got the feeling that for the longest time he was just trying to shake the character of Ash and then he does BUBBA and I think that out of everything that I’ve seen him in, this really tested him as an actor. It was a very meaty role.

Paul Giamatti: Absolutely, I know! And he’s fantastic in it.

Quint: He knocks it out of the park, yeah.

Paul Giamatti: Absolutely, he’s great in it. He’s totally great in it, so yeah I don’t know. I’m not sure what his reasons were particularly. I think he’s doing a lot of his own stuff now like directing stuff on his own and he just wants to do that, I guess. It was a disappointment and we really tried and then after a while it was like “Now we are just going to start pissing the guy off! He’s being totally cool about it, I mean, but I don’t want to piss the guy off.”

I our thinking was kind of like, “Well who the hell do we find who is a really good actor and a guy who is going to fit right?” You know what I mean? It was sort of like, for a while we let the thing sit and then all of a sudden we were like “Well, maybe we should go to Ron Perlman,” which just seemed like a great idea and he was up for it.

Quint: Perlman’s also very talented at acting through makeup and I think he would actually be attracted to this, because unlike a lot of his other projects, he’s not completely buried in prosthetics, but he’ll…

Paul Giamatti: Yeah! (laughs) He’s a really, really great actor and incredibly flexible, so I really can’t wait to see the guy do it.

Quint: Yeah, well that’s great man. So let’s talk a little bit about the movie. You are on board playing Col. Parker, right?

Paul Giamatti: Yeah, playing Col. Parker and you have got Elvis and there’s a bunch of… I don’t know if Don has told you much about it particularly. Have you talked to him about it?

Quint: Not much…

Paul Giamatti: I don’t want to give too much of it away! So yeah I’ll be playing Col. Parker, who… You know part of the great thing about this is not only are these wonderful genre movies, but he’s actually taking a weird, interesting take on the whole Elvis myth and kind of investigating the whole Elvis myth in a really interesting way, so it’s got a lot of stuff about Col. Parker being responsible for a lot of what happened to Elvis and kind of literally making him a vampire in some ways, you know? A kind of a blood sucker… It plays on a lot of things, this movie, in a great way and it’s got Sitting Bull in it and there’s a peyote trip in it that is amazing and it’s just a big leap beyond the other movie. It’s ten times more insane and bizarre and it’s great and hilarious, too. It’s funnier than the other one is even. It still ends up being this great character study of this Elvis guy.

Quint: What’s fascinating to me is that you don’t really see this often, especially with movies that are made based off of a short story or a novel, you don’t usually see a lot of continuations that aren’t direct sequels from already written material, so I think it’s kind of a fascinating approach that Don has taken with this, where he is coming up with his own story.

Paul Giamatti: He’s just getting to stretch the myth out more now in his own direction, but like I say, he’s basing it now in his own take on Elvis and Col. Parker and what happened to him and it just amplifies what was already there. Col. Parker himself is a completely fascinating. He gets into Parker’s back story, which is a whole weird thing and the weirdest thing about him is that all of these people and the paths in their life lends themselves to this kind of thing so well. Do you know what I mean? (laughs)

Col. Parker is a completely bizarre, shadowy weird figure. He’s like something out of a horror movie or something. Nobody really knows much about him and I didn’t even know that he was Dutch! He’s not American! He’s this sort of quintessential American huckster character and he’s not American! He’s Dutch! He escaped the Nazis and it’s just completely bizarre. So it has this larger than life, grotesque weird lovely thing going on anyway and that Elvis was obsessed with astrology and the occult and all of this stuff. It just makes so much sense, these movies. It’s great.

Quint: It’s going to be the new Nazis: Elvis mythology.

Paul Giamatti: (laughs) Exactly! You can tie anything into him in a way, so that makes sense.

Quint: Yeah, and like you were saying, it’s kind of tragic that a lot of the people that Elvis surrounded himself with were the people that kind of led to his death and led to his lifestyle and led to him kind of becoming a prick in a lot of ways. They fed the monster.

Paul Giamatti: Yeah, they created a monster out of this seemingly sweet and innocent guy, but this is what’s also nice about the whole… I mean playing with the “Elvis is still alive” thing is great, too, because it gives you this whole… It’s what makes the first movie so weirdly poignant and moving, this sense that you want to believe that the guy could have lived beyond all of this horrible ravaging of fame that he went through and came out okay in the end. It’s why Bruce is so great in that first movie and why he’s such a great character and so he’s kind of a mench, you know? He’s an okay guy. You go “Thank God, maybe he got away from all of this crap and was okay in the end.”

Quint: He’s a grumpy bastard, but he’s the likable grumpy bastard.

Paul Giamatti: Yeah, he’s a likeable guy. I don’t know… And you feel like Elvis probably was actually an okay guy underneath all the insanity that developed around him.

Quint: I think having Perlman in the role is a very interesting casting choice. It’s going to be something that I think a lot people are going to have to see, because it’s…

Paul Giamatti: Well, that’s what I also think is nice about it. I think a lot of people, the fans and stuff will be able to say “Well, this is an interesting choice. This is an interesting direction to go” and he’s a heavyweight real actor and it will be interesting to see what he does.

Quint: Yeah, I mean you look at him in any of Guillermo [Del Toro]’s work or his (Jean-Pierre) Jeunet films, it’s like I just love the complexity that he can play with his eyes. The dude likes to work, so you see him in all kinds of movies ranging from miserable to awesome, but he’s great in every one that he does.

Paul Giamatti: Exactly! He’s always good, he’s always the best thing about whatever he’s in.

Quint: He was even good in an Uwe Boll movie, so… (laughs)

Paul Giamatti: Yeah and he’s got huge balls as an actor, too. He takes big risks. The first thing I ever saw him in was THE NAME OF THE ROSE, where he plays that bizarre hunchback in that thing and I remember sitting there going like “Where the fuck did they find this guy?” I was like,“They found a real hunchback. They found this bizarre little hunchback to be in this thing” and it’s him! He’s got real balls. He will go out there and do completely off the wall shit, too. I’ve seen him on stage, too. He’s a great stage actor and he takes real risks on stage and I love that.

Quint: I think if you also consider just how inventive just Don is visually as a filmmaker, I think he’s kind of perfectly set up to point Perlman in the right direction.

Paul Giamatti: I think so. Absolutely! ...

Quint: When do you think you guys would look to shoot it?

Paul Giamatti: I would like to do it next Springish. That’s when Ron has a window to do it and that’s when we are aiming to do it, so hopefully soon, you know hopefully pretty soon. ...

Like a lot of you I’m sad to see Bruce not attached to this project, but I’m also giddy to see what Coscarelli, Giamatti and Perlman do with this story, which sounds incredibly fun. I’ve heard Coscarelli describe it as his favorite thing he has ever written.

More Coscarelli loving at the link.
[b]ADDED:
There was a tease for this news that I missed - the Bubba Ho-tep website (http://www.bubbahotep.com/) is now just "WHO?" in Hellboy font.

[Just Jeans]

I'll reserve judgment until I see him in action, but my gut instinct is "Not cool."

I mean, I like Perlman, but as Elvis? I dunno.

[sCabbOy]

haha.

This movie should not be made without Campbell as Elvis. As far as I am concerned Campbell nailed it and made you feel that this guy actually thought he was Elvis (whether or not he really was).... and had a lot of great one liners.

[Cody]

I'll reserve judgment until I see him in action, but my gut instinct is "Not cool."

I mean, I like Perlman, but as Elvis? I dunno.

The more I imagine it, the more I visualize awesome.

I doubt they'll get him to look much like Elvis, but I'd love to watch him being Elvis.

[Chex]

I can picture Pearlman as Elvis. Quite easily, in fact. I just don't know if I'd rather trade Campbell for him though as I thought Campbell nailed it perfectly.

[Cody]

Co-Writer Talks Casting (http://www.dreadcentral.com/story/exclusive-screenwriter-talks-bubba-nosferatu-casting)

official word from Bubba Nosferatu writer Stephen Romano on the casting!

"Yes, Ron will be playing Elvis," Romano told us. "Obviously, finding the right actor to step into the role was crucial. I think the casting choice is fucking inspired. Ron is a brilliant actor and has the right street cred, too."

So Colonel Parker is cast (Giamatti), Perlman is donning the pompadour, but who’ll be playing the titular bloodsucker? ”They're talking about another major genre star for the role of Bubba Nosferatu himself, but I can't comment on that until an official announcement is made,” Romano teased us. ”Giamatti is very, very excited about this project. Don Coscarelli is, of course, very happy with the casting. Paul and Ron together in this film as Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley is going to be amazing."

[Just Jeans]

To quote my main man Torgo: I don't know about it. I just don't know.

I'll see it, obviously, but I'm cautious about getting excited. A trailer can't come soon enough.

[sCabbOy]

I like Perlman, but his voice... it sounds like it may be really annoying as an Elvis impersonator. He also sort of looks like a Neanderthal... Then again Campbell doesn't look like Elvis but the prosthetic made him...

I dunno, If it is as good as the first I will be excited.

[Ron]

Bruce Campbell? Who the fuck needs you? I love the Evil Dead films and thought he was great as Ash, but he is and will always be a never-was of yesteryear. If I never saw Bruce Campbell in another thing it would not bother me.

[Rick]

Bruce wasn't the best Elvis, even though I thought the movie was great. Pearlman though? I think he's a great actor but he'll really be way off the mark.

[sCabbOy]

Let it be known that I loathe Campbell.

Anyways, he sold Elvis. He made you really think that he was Elvis.. well made you think that he thought that he was Elvis.

[The Dream Master]

Alright, someone really needs to answer this one for me: how is it that Coscarelli can get funding for a sequel to Bubba Ho-Tep that won't even feature the original film's star, but he can't get the money for Phantasm V? Granted neither film would exactly be a blockbuster, but I would think an investor would feel a lot safer putting money behind Phantasm, but that's just me.

[Just Jeans]

To be honest, I think Coscarelli has lost interest in Phantasm. He's got this in his immediate future and John Dies at the End on his plate for sometime after this wraps.

[The Dream Master]

Maybe, but the company line on Phantasm V is that they can't get funding; I mean, there's apparently been a script in place for a while. I dunno, I just wish he'd come out and say that he doesn't really want to do it instead of making us think it would be possible if not for funding. I guess it doesn't matter in the end because we're not getting either way.

[The Dream Master]

Perlman Updates: (http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/31096/ron-perlman-mutant-chronicles-bubba-nosferatu-and-keeping-busy)

While Perlman has wrapped up work on several projects recently, that doesn’t mean he’s resting on his laurels. One of the projects he was recently attached to is the highly anticipated Bubba Nosferatu: Curse of the She-Vampires, which is the prequel/follow-up to the Don Coscarelli cult classic Bubba Ho-Tep. For Bubba Nosferatu Perlman will be stepping into the shoes of Elvis since this time around Bruce Campbell has opted to not play the part of The King.

“I have to say that one day randomly getting an email from Paul Giamatti (who plays Colonel Tom Parker) asking you to play Elvis, well, it was one of the best surprises. It’s just something you don’t turn down,” said Perlman. “I immediately went back and watched the first film just so I could immerse myself in this genius world Don (Coscarelli) created, and I am really looking forward to when we start shooting, which should hopefully be late this fall.”

[Just Jeans]

I'm just not seeing it, man. Perlman strikes me all wrong for Elvis, even moreso than Bruce did when I first heard that announced. Hopefully, he'll wow me.

[Bill 1981]

I'm kind of 50/50 on the idea, myself...

First off, I enjoyed the Bubba Ho Tep quite a bit. It was great to see the humorous side of Bruce come out as the King. Sadly, the film has been stolen from my collection a year and a half ago and I'm still pissed about it to this day. :meh:

Secondly, Ron Perlman is a damn-good actor, as is Paul Giamatti. Although, I find the idea of Perlman & Giamatti as Elvis & Col. Parker is just downright hilarious. But I'm kind of at odds to convice myself that it'll be worth seeing until either production stills and/or a teaser trailer are released... Moreso, this being April Fool's Day, I'm sure this is just one big prank on the majority of the fanbase, such as ourselves. :p

[The Dream Master]

Considering Perlman took the job as Elvis last year, April Fool's Day has nothing to do with it. :X

[Bill 1981]

The joke's on me then. :p

Anyhoo, I'm still 50/50 on accepting the idea.

[The Dream Master]

I dunno, I'm really seeing it more for Coscarelli. He's probably out on the street begging for change as we speak to get production on this started. :X

[Bill 1981]

Yeah, times are tough, even for acclaimed directors such as Don.

[The Dream Master]

Times have been tough for Don for 20 years. :X

[Bill 1981]

Ouch. Touche. :X

[Just Jeans]

He needs to stick what he does well (Phantasm) rather than tackling things that are scary, unfamiliar territory (John Dies At The End).

Times have been tough for Don for 20 years. :X

Troof. Don was out begging for pocket change to fund his features back when gas was looming dangerously toward a dollar a gallon.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

[nottidelterrore]

I do like the idea of Ron Perlman playing The King. Perlman is awesome.

Don needs give us Phantasm V instead of that John movie.

[Just Jeans]

John Dies at the End is a damn interesting novel -- by all accounts -- but I agree, I'd rather he focus on Phantasm V.

[Cody]

Kind of related - the latest entry on Trailers From Hell (http://www.trailersfromhell.com/trailers/350) is Coscarelli doing commentary over the King Creole trailer.

[Cody]

Perlman Ready to Don Studded Jumpsuit (http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/15961)

Perlman confirmed that the wheels are in motion to get NOSFERATU off the ground this year. “I’m hearing that its looking really, really good that we’ll shoot it the minute I get done with SONS OF ANARCHY, which is early October,” Perlman told BD.

The plot is “under wraps,” according to Perlman, but the actor did say that the story is a good one and very much in line with the first film. “As sequels go, it won’t disappoint,” says Perlman. “If you liked the first one, I think you’re going to really dig the new take.”

Although the casting of Perlman as the King of Rock n’ Roll may seem a bit odd, its probably no odder than the casting of Bruce Campbell when we first heard it. “I loved the original,” says Perlman. “I was really surprised to hear that Bruce Campbell did not want to reprise the role. So we have his blessing. I know Bruce and I would never want to go in and replace him unless he said, ‘Hey man, I don’t want to do this one again, but good luck with it.’ So I loved the original. I love the fact that this one has Paul Giamatti in it, who I am a huge, huge fan of. And its a cool script.”

Perlman says it was his love of the original movie that drew him to NOSFERATU rather than any particular desire to play out a lifelong Elvis fantasy. “I was never an Elvis freak,” admits Perlman. “The frenzy that he whipped the world into, I did not become a part of. I admire him and I think he was a really compelling figure, but his music wasn’t the kind I was listening to as a kid growing up. I was a jazz guy. Elvis for me was more of an acquired taste, but I think he was an amazingly talented guy who had a very tragic life because he was such a slave to what the world wanted from him. In that regard, he really touches me.”

So is Perlman practicing his hip-swivel in front of the mirror? “I’m hoping that it kind of just washes over me when I put on the white jumpsuit.”

[The Dream Master]

Fango has some interesting casting news (http://fangoria.com/home/news/9-film-news/3554-ron-perlmans-bubba-nosferatu-update.html).

SCRIMM JOINS THE NOSFERATU?

While talking with FANGORIA RADIO recently to promote his new film I SELL THE DEAD, HELLBOY star Ron Perlman gave hosts Debbie Rochon and Tony Timpone an update on the long-gestating BUBBA NOSFERATU project. In the BUBBA HO-TEP (pictured left) sequel/prequel, Perlman will don the sequined Elvis suit previously donned by Bruce Campbell in the 2004 sleeper written and directed by PHANTASM guru Don Coscarelli, who encores on the follow-up.

“Well, I have this window that’s about to open,” Perlman revealed. “I’ll be done shooting [his cable series] SONS OF ANARCHY in September, and we’re hoping to get into production on BUBBA in my hiatus between seasons two and three. I just spoke to [actor] Paul Giamatti [set to play Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker] and Don Coscarelli this morning, and we’re just moving the ball down the field, trying to get her done.”

Perlman will likely reteam with his I SELL THE DEAD co-star Angus Scrimm in BUBBA NOSFERATU; Scrimm is being recruited to play a Boris Karloff-like horror star who Elvis meets up with (pre-HO-TEP) in Los Vegas on the set of a vampire movie. Though production may begin by year’s end, Perlman has not begun scouring through the wealth of Presley archival material out there.

“I try to do things one at a time, not to get ahead of myself too much,” the actor said, “but I’m sure when the moment arrives, I’ll have plenty of time to immerse myself in the King. He’s a character that I’ve been living with my entire life.”

Perlman admitted that he’s thrilled about the BUBBA NOSFERATU opportunity and playing the rock ’n’ roll legend. “Well, he’s so iconic because there was never anyone like him and never since. Elvis created an entire new place for that image. He’s so iconic, he’s mythic. I’m very titillated to see what it’s gonna be like to be inside the white jumpsuit.”

[Cody]

Spoilery script review (and script link) (http://scriptshadow.blogspot.com/2009/08/bubba-nosferatu-curse-of-she-vampires.html)

Review is positive and the reader enjoyed it, though he liked the flashback story a lot better than the present day story, which he felt repeated too many things from the first film.

[Sean [The Wildcard]]

After reading that review, I can kind of see why Campbell opted to not be involved with the project.

It seemed that the film has two stories going for it. One in the past (via flashbacks, more so than the first film) and then the current story. And it sounds like they're trying to make them intertwine as the film progresses, which comes off as confusing.

It all does sound pretty damn interesting though. I'll give it a shot, but would have really preferred to see Campbell back in the role.

[Cody]

The Demise of Bubba Nosferatu (http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/53787/indie-horror-month-interview-don-coscarelli-staying-independent-demise-bubba-nosferatu-fu)

DC: Well, let's talk about one project that I know horror fans will most likely never get to see now- Bubba Nosferatu which I know you were planning on making with Paul Giamatti. It was awesome to see him be a part of John Dies but can you talk about what happened there exactly? Is there any hope for the project at this point now?

Don Coscarelli: Paul and I were going to work on Bubba Nosferatu, yes; he's so great and that's why he's in John Dies. In some ways, Paul has become the patron saint of genre arts- he really loves doing these oddball horror movies and he's a huge champion for what we do. There was a Variety interview one year sometime around Awards Season and they asked Paul 'what director would you like to work with?' and he answered 'Don Coscarelli because I loved Bubba Ho-Tep' which was just stunning to me.

I met him and immediately felt such a kinship with him- my plan in fact was that upon meeting him, I decided I wanted to somehow fold him in to this planned Bubba Ho-Tep sequel. I really wanted to explore some different areas or sides of Elvis. I've become quite the Elvisphile now actually.

I really had this interest in how Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis' manager, had this Svengali-like hold over Elvis; I mean- where did that come from? Why would he let Parker control his choice of movies so he could only do all this crap? Why was he paying this guy fifty percent of his earnings? Why was he not allowed to travel outside of the US? I'll tell you why- because Colonel Parker was not legal; he immigrated illegally from Holland and he wouldn't dare let Elvis go anywhere he couldn't.

I mean, Elvis never played Japan. Elvis never toured Europe; the biggest star in the world never visited that world. So obviously there is only one answer- vampirism. My co-writer, Steven Romano, and I concocted this wonderful story about really telling the path of Colonel Parker and the path of Elvis and how these guys met and formed this bond. I really thought this screenplay was one of my greatest accomplishments. Paul loved it but Bruce Campbell has declined to take part in it so it just got shot down and has kind of evaporated into thin air at this point. I know I'd still love to do it but I think we've all moved on now.

There was a moment we were considering shooting the project with Ron but at the time, it sort of felt like that script had kind of lost its mojo- so to speak. So I think that's probably a dead and gone project now.

[Natman]

Now just be this honest about Phantasm and let me down easy.

[nottidelterrore]

Damn. I was hoping we'd see this someday.