It’s been more than a year since Superman Returns graced our screens and it’s fair to say that – with the exception of his turn as the mopey Man of Steel – Brandon Routh’s CV still skirts dangerously close to that of Joey Tribbiani’s. However that may soon change with news of a movie about jazz legends Benny Goodman and Gene Krupa. Entourage’s Kevin Connolly, the diminutive manager to fictional film star Vincent Chase had this to say to the New York Post when asked about upcoming projects:
“I’m going to do a movie, I’m acting in it. I’m playing Benny Goodman in a movie…It’s the story of him and Gene Krupa…Brandon Routh, Superman [is playing Gene]. …It’s about the first interracial band in the thirties. With Teddy Wilson and Lionel Hampton and you know these guys came and they just blew them away…[They are played by] Nick Cannon and Ludacris.”
This sounds an interesting film, though it’s unclear if it’ll be for the big screen or as an HBO-style TV movie. Krupa was a pioneering drummer. Prior to him drums where seen mainly as a way to keep time, Krupa threw that out the window by bringing crazy drum solos into jazz. The Benny Goodman Trio were also notable as the first band to perform ignoring racial segregation laws in the 1930s.
It’s nice to see Routh get another shot at a decent role, though personally I don’t think he’s that great an actor. No big studio or director has been knocking down his door and it was alarming how little dialogue he had to deliver in Superman (perhaps to hide his limitations). I wouldn’t be surprised if he and Superman Returns become to the Superman franchise what George Lazenby and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service are to the Bond series.
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So glad to see Kevin Connolly is set to star in two movies this year. “Hot Men” and “He’s Just not that into You” both look great and have fantastic casts. I hope we get to see more of Kevin in 2007 and 2008. With Entourage just renewed for Season 5, and two new movies, we are guaranteed it.
For the love of Mike, What is it with you people? You got on poor Christopher Reeve when he defined Superman for all time by saying he was a lousy actor and now you’re pulling on Brandon’s cape…give the guy a chance. He has two new movies in post production and a new role as Gene Krupa…I enjoyed Superman Returns based on the way Brandon played his role. I fell in love with the Man of Steel all over again.
Back off, or you’ll have me to deal with…
what happened to this movie? was it scrapped due to the writer’s strike?