Jennifer Lopez is at a bizarre crossroads in her career, where she’s currently famous for formerly being a superstar, because at any rate, no one wants to see her in movies or listen to her music. Her last few efforts on the big screen — “The Back-Up Plan,” “El cantate” and “Bordertown” — were outright duds. While on the music fromt, despite having a hit single with “On The Floor,” no one bought her album “Love?” with only 183,000 copies sold to date a far cry from her previous effort “Brave” (650,000 copies) and leagues away from the era when she was moving units in the millions. But that being said, she’s still a brand, an “American Idol” host and a hugely influential and popular figure in the Latino community and above all, there is still a curiosity factor about Jenny from the block that for whatever reason piques the pop culture mind. But movie execs are dumb, and while Lopez is getting another shot at a couple of upcoming movies, she will not be toplining as she did back in her “Maid In Manhattan“/”The Wedding Planner” days.
Deadline reports that J.Lo is in talks for the female lead in the Jason Statham thriller “Parker” and is looking at the supporting role in “What To Expect When You’re Expecting.” First up, “Parker” is set to be directed by Taylor Hackford, and is based on the character created by Donald E. Westlake—portrayed on screen already by Mel Gibson in “Payback” and Lee Marvin in “Point Blank”—and rather than being based on any single book, it seems the character will be lifted and plopped into some fresh adventures in a script by John J. McLaughlin, who co-wrote “Black Swan.” Lopez would play Leslie, a woman who gets linked with Parker as he pulls off a heist in what we’re guessing is some kind of femme fatale-ish role if Westlake’s books are anything to go by.
Meanwhile, “What To Expect When You’re Expecting” stars Cameron Diaz and Matthew Morrison in an adaptation of the best-selling pregnancy book. “Nanny McPhee” and “Everybody’s Fine” helmer Kirk Jones will be behind the camera for the film and while no specific plot details yet, the the movie is said to be a multi-thread narrative not unlike “Love Actually” that will track five different couples on the path to having a baby. Diaz will play the host of weight-loss fitness show who is exactly 42 years old, with Lopez eyeing the role of Holly.
“Parker” is set to shoot in August, and though not production slate has been announced just yet for ‘Expecting,’ with a May 11, 2012 date already pencilled in, it will likely start shooting soon. So can J.Lo rebuild her film career with supporting roles? It will be up to audiences to decide, but as far as career strategies go, it’s a smart play.
Please! Not Jlo! She\’s going to hog the movie with her big Ego and mediocre acting. Jlo is Way Overrated. She\’s in the public eye, but when it comes down to numbers…her last movie the Back-Up Plan flopped even with tons of promo and her current album Love?\’s sales are Poor. The movie execs aren\’t smart if they cast Jlo who will Not bring big numbers.
Love the books. Love Darwyn cooke\’s adaptation. And honestly, the news regarding the movie adaptation of it just doesn\’t sound interesting at all. I enjoy statham\’s movies for their entertaining value and you get what you pay for when he headlines movies. But he doesn\’t fit the material. I imagined the series as an old fashioned noir of old. Not getting that vibe from it. It\’ll turn out to be your paint by the numbers statham action movie. And now with this untalented ghetto trash being in it? Ruined.
Blue Steel , I completely disagree about your racial angle about what film audiences want to see. Jennifer Lopez\’s biggest problems were her horrible taste in scripts and directors, and her priority to have massive commercial success as a A-lst movie star . Jennifer\’s only shining light was her turn in \” Out of Sight \” – that should have compelled her to only strive for quality film projects .
Jenny\’s biggest mistake in her movie career was thinking she could be Julia Roberts with a few those romantic comedy roles. This country didn\’t want to see a latino girl in romantic comedies falling in love with white guy after white guy. White people didn\’t want to see that. Latino people didn\’t want to see that. Black people didn\’t want to see that. It\’s a sad but true fact. Not to mention those movies weren\’t all that good either.
Jenny from the block should have stuck with roles like Out of Sight or U Turn type roles. Took more of an Angelina Jolie path in her career. Action roles, dark dramas, thrillers.
\”Parker\” could be good for her if it\’s a Karen Sisco (out of sight) type of role.
There\’s a Leslie character in Flashfire, which is one of the second wave of Parker books. If they\’re doing an adaptation of that, it\’s an interesting way to go.