Daniel Day-Lewis as William “Bill the Butcher” Cutting in director Martin Scorsese’s ‘Gangs of New York.’
Sooner or later, it seems that every classic movie will one day become a TV series. But not many of them can boast the director of the Oscar-nominated original film, nor someone with the clout and kudos of Martin Scorsese.
You’re likely aware of Scorsese’s 2002 gangster movie, which boasted the star power of Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz and Daniel Day-Lewis and adapted Herbert Asbury’s 1927 non-fiction book ‘The Gangs of New York’.
‘Gangs’ cinematic story (adapted by Jay Cocks, Steven Zaillian and Kenneth Lonergan) was set in a god-forsaken district of early-1860s Lower Manhattan known as the Five Points.
The vicious Nativist, Bill “The Butcher” Cutting (Day-Lewis) is the supreme overlord of an area riddled with crime, prostitution, theft and murder, as the American Civil War still rages on.
Sixteen years after the brutal murder of his father at Bill’s blood-stained hands, an orphaned Irish American, Amsterdam Vallon (DiCaprio), returns to this melting pot of corruption to avenge his untimely death; yet a lot has changed since then.
Who can remember the once-innocent boy and now a young man bent on revenge, who works his way up to the hierarchy of Five Points? Will Amsterdam ever taste the dangerous but sweet fruit of retribution?
(L to R) Leonardo DiCaprio as Amsterdam Vallon, and Daniel Day-Lewis as William “Bill the Butcher” Cutting in director Martin Scorsese’s ‘Gangs of New York.’
Not wanting to repeat what has already been brought to the screen (to the tune of nearly $200 million worldwide at the box office and 10 Oscar nominations), the plan from Miramax TV, according to Deadline, is to focus on characters who didn’t appear in the movie.
Playwright and TV writer Brett Leonard, who most recently was on the staff of the Apple TV+ drama ‘Shantaram’ (which stars Charlie Hunnam) is overseeing the new show, while Scorsese will be an executive producer and bring his considerable experience to directing the first two episodes and therefore setting the visual tone for the show.
This is not the first time that ‘Gangs’ has been the target of a proposed TV version, nor the first time Scorsese has been involved.
In 2013, Miramax and GK Films started development on a series which would likewise deviate from the film’s focus, instead spreading the story to other cities, including Chicago and New Orleans and chronicle the birth of organized crime in America.
“This time and era of America’s history and heritage is rich with characters and stories that we could not fully explore in a two-hour film,” Scorsese said at the time of that original announcement. “A television series allows us the time and creative freedom to bring this colorful world, and all the implications it had and still does on our society, to life.”
The show as of yet doesn’t have a broadcast or streaming home, but you can imagine that HBO would certainly be interested given the success of ‘Boardwalk Empire,’ it’s last collaboration with the director that featured mobsters.
Director Martin Scorsese at the Academy Awards.
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After appearing in 2014’s ‘Annie’, Cameron Diaz largely stepped back from acting, and in 2018 announced that she was officially retired from acting. Well, as has happened with other Hollywood “retirements”, it appears that it didn’t stick and she’s coming back for a new movie.
Diaz will join her ‘Annie; co-star Jamie Foxx in the fittingly-titled ‘Back in Action’, which is a new Netflix action-comedy. There are no plot details available for the movie yet, but we do know that ‘Horrible Bosses’ Seth Gordon will direct from a script he wrote with ‘Neighbors’ Brendan O’Brien, while Beau Bauman is producing.
Foxx announced the movie and Diaz’ return in a funny Twitter post that included a phone call between the pair where Diaz relates her concerns about coming back. Foxx then adds NFL superstar Tom Brady – a man who knows a little something about “un-retiring” – who offers some advice about coming back to work.
Cameron I hope you aren’t mad I recorded this, but no turning back now. Had to call in the GOAT to bring back another GOAT. @CameronDiaz and I are BACK IN ACTION – our new movie with @NetflixFilm. Production starting later this year!! 🦊🐐 pic.twitter.com/vyaGrUmbWb
Filming is due to start on the new action-comedy later this year, but no release date is on the books yet.
Back in 2020, Diaz told Gwyneth Paltrow why she decided to step back from her career. “I had gone so hard for so long, working, making films. And it’s such a grind,” Diaz said. “And I didn’t really make any space for my personal life. And then I decided to stop making movies and really focus on my personal life, my personal relationships, my family, my friends, and then Benj [Madden] and I met each other and we got married pretty much immediately, because we both knew we had to do it.”
“I stopped, I really looked at my life and I saw what I had been — because when you’re making a movie, it’s the perfect excuse,” she added. “They own you. You’re there 12 hours a day for months on end. You have no time for anything else. And I realized I handed off parts of my life to all these other people, and they took it. And I had to basically take it back and take responsibility for my life. That’s my job. There’s lots of things I had to iron out and a lot of relationships I had to repair. A lot of relationships I had to build, that I was absent in my life.”
Diaz joins a list of actors and other filmmakers who have announced their retirement from the business. Some, like Steven Soderbergh, have since returned to their careers. Others, such as Jack Nicholson and Gene Hackman, have stayed enjoying their time away from the spotlight.
It’s not yet clear whether Diaz will be returning full time after ‘Back in Action’ – perhaps her experience making the movie and any subsequent press tour will inform her decision either way.
Cameron Diaz in 1998’s ‘There’s Something About Mary.’
In the mood for a romance movie? We listed the best romantic comedies to watch to for you.
‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ (1961)
Holly Golightly is an eccentric New York City playgirl determined to marry a Brazilian millionaire. But when young writer Paul Varjak moves into her apartment building, her past threatens to get in their way.
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‘Annie Hall’ (1977)
A Woody Allen classic. New York comedian Alvy Singer falls in love with the ditsy Annie Hall.
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‘Manhattan’ (1979)
Manhattan explores how the life of a middle-aged television writer dating a teenage girl is further complicated when he falls in love with his best friend’s mistress.
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‘Moonstruck’ (1987)
No sooner does Italian-American widow Loretta accept a marriage proposal from her doltish boyfriend, Johnny, than she finds herself falling for his younger brother, Ronny. She tries to resist, but Ronny lost his hand in an accident he blames on his brother, and has no scruples about aggressively pursuing her while Johnny is out of the country. As Loretta falls deeper in love, she comes to learn that she’s not the only one in her family with a secret romance.
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‘Bull Durham’ (1988)
Veteran catcher Crash Davis is brought to the minor league Durham Bulls to help their up and coming pitching prospect, “Nuke” Laloosh. Their relationship gets off to a rocky start and is further complicated when baseball groupie Annie Savoy sets her sights on the two men.
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‘Say Anything…’ (1989)
A noble underachiever and a beautiful valedictorian fall in love the summer before she goes off to college.
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‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ (1994)
Over the course of five social occasions, a committed bachelor must consider the notion that he may have discovered love.
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’10 Things I Hate About You’ (1999)
Buena Vista Pictures
Still one of the funniest, sweetest, and most quotable teen romcoms. We wish Heath Ledger were still here, singing “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You.”
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‘The Best Man’ (1999)
Universal
Writer Harper (Taye Diggs) has to decide who he really loves: girlfriend Robin (Sanaa Lathan) or old flame Jordan (Nia Long). And survive the fallout from writing about all his friend’s complicated love lives.
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‘Never Been Kissed’ (1999)
20th Century Fox
Drew Barrymore is Josie, who was a geeky unpopular teen, and is now a reporter who’s assigned to go undercover at a high school. She gets a crush on her English teacher (Michael Vartan) and, yes, by the end of the film, she does get her first kiss from him — in full view of the cheering students.
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‘Notting Hill’ (1999)
Universal
A chance encounter between an ordinary bloke (Hugh Grant) and a movie star (Julia Roberts) leads to an unexpected romance. The supporting cast is what really makes this film, especially Grant’s gross roommate (Rhys Ifans). And the scene where Grant bluffs his way (terribly) through a press junket when he drops in to see Julia on the wrong day at her hotel is pure movie magic.
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‘Bring It On’ (2000)
Universal Pictures
New cheer captain Torrance (Kirsten Dunst) has her hands full: Recruiting a new cheerleader, coming up with new (not stolen) routines, and making peace with a rival school. Is there time for the cute, mix-tape-making brother (Jesse Bradford) of new BFF Missy (Eliza Dushku)? Yes, yes there is.
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‘High Fidelity’ (2000)
Touchstone Pictures
John Cusack is a record store owner (yeah, OK, this movie is 19 years old) who is obsessed with making the perfect music mix. And winning back his ex-girlfriend, who trots out a series of rebound boyfriends in front of him. Eventually (after lots of great tunes and voiceover), he gets over his fear of commitment. They reunite to a surprisingly great cover version of “Let’s Get It On” by Jack Black.
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‘Meet the Parents’ (2000)
Universal
It’s an uphill battle when Teri Polo brings home fiancé Ben Stiller, who can’t go 60 seconds without embarrassing himself in front of her parents. And her perfect ex, Owen Wilson. This is still silly, sublime perfection.
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‘Miss Congeniality’ (2000)
Warner Brothers
“You think I’m sexy. You want to kiss me.” Another magical Hollywood makeover turns uncouth FBI agent Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock) into a total hottie so she can go undercover at a pageant. Fellow agent Eric (Benjamin Bratt) can’t resist and we can’t blame him.
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‘Return to Me’ (2000)
MGM
In this vastly underrated romcom, grieving widower Bob (David Duchovny) meets Grace (Minnie Driver) and romance ensues. And then they both realize she, a heart transplant recipient, has his dead wife’s heart. The supporting cast is terrific, including Grace’s BFF, Bonnie Hunt (who also directed). The ending couldn’t be more romantic. Swoon.
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‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’ (2001)
Miramax
In the first Bridget Jones movie, our favorite Brit romcom heroine is torn between upper-class snob Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) and her cad of a boss (Hugh Grant). And then there’s the unfortunate incident with the Playboy bunny outfit.
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‘Kissing Jessica Stein’ (2001)
Fox Searchlight
Single Jessica Stein (Jennifer Westfeldt) finds the perfect-sounding mate in the personals: Except it’s a woman, not a man. She decides to roll the dice and begins a start-stop-go relationship with Helen (Heather Juergensen) in this funny, heartfelt indie.
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‘Legally Blonde’ (2001)
MGM
Elle Woods, the most unlikely feminist icon, gets into Harvard Law to follow her douche-y ex. She ends up fighting justice on all fronts, teaching women the almighty “bend and snap,” and lines up a far better bf in Luke Wilson.
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‘The Princess Diaries’ (2001)
Buena Vista Pictures
Mia (Anne Hathaway) finds out she’s a princess and gets a fab makeover — and ends up with the cute, guitar-playing guy (real musician Robert Schwartzman, lead singer of Rooney). Of course, by the second film there’s another guy in the picture. We also love the relationship between Queen Clarisse (Julie Andrews) and her bodyguard (Hector Elizondo).
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‘Amélie’ (2001)
UGC Fox Distribution
In this dreamily, gorgeous French film, imaginative Amélie (Audrey Tatou) sees the world in the most fanciful way. She finds her soulmate in Nino (Mathieu Kassovitz), who likes to collect abandoned photo booth pictures. It only gets more whimsical from there.
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‘About a Boy’ (2002)
Universal Pictures
In this very funny film based on the Nick Hornby novel, single guy Hugh Grant pretends to be a single dad to attract single moms… all goes well until new gf Rachel Weisz learns his “son” (Nicholas Hoult) isn’t his son at all. Fortunately, all is put right when he makes a complete fool of himself to save Hoult from the same fate.
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‘Bend It Like Beckham’ (2002)
Twentieth Century Fox
Still one of our go-to romcoms. Jess (Parminder Nagra) just wants to play football like her hero David Beckham, but her traditional family disapproves. One incentive to keep playing, the handsome coach (played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers in a rare good-guy role).
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‘Brown Sugar’ (2002)
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Taye Diggs and Sanaa Lathan are childhood friends who share a love of hip-hop — and, they eventually admit — each other. The soundtrack (and the music cameos) are on fire.
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‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ (2002)
IFC Films
It’s the highest-grossing romantic comedy of all time for a reason. The timeless story of how once-mousy Toula (Nia Vardalos) meets and marries Ian (John Corbett) is all the funnier thanks to her hilarious family.
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‘Something’s Gotta Give’ (2003)
Columbia Pictures
In one of the most complicated of romcom relationships, Diane Keaton starts dating Jack Nicholson, who was first dating her daughter! Why she ends up choosing the unfaithful old fart over hot young doctor Keanu Reeves, we’ll never know. Keaton received her fourth Best Actress Oscar nomination for the film.
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‘Love Actually’ (2003)
Universal Pictures
What’s your favorite storyline in Richard Curtis’s Christmas-set smorgasbord? We’re fond of author Jamie (Colin Firth) proposing to housekeeper Aurélia (Lúcia Moniz) in terrible Portuguese. And, of course, Prime Minister Hugh Grant falling for the tea girl (Martine McCutcheon). Not so much into the stalking of Keira Knightley. (Sorry, Andrew Lincoln.)
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’13 Going on 30′ (2004)
Columbia Pictures
Jennifer Garner does “Big” in this charming romcom in which she avoids becoming a Mean Girl and ends up with the right guy after all (Mark Ruffalo). Oh and nobody cuts a rug to “Thriller” quite like her.
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‘The 40-Year-Old Virgin’ (2005)
Universal
Geeky 40-year-old virgin Andy (Steve Carell) manages to woo Trish (Catherine Keener)… until she starts thinking his oddness means he’s a serial killer! Features one of the most epic grand gesture third-act scenes set to ’80s rockers Asia’s “Heat of the Moment.” And of course, the “Kelly Clarkson!” waxing scene.
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‘The Holiday’ (2006)
Columbia Pictures
Two unlucky-in-love women, an American (Cameron Diaz) and a Brit (Kate Winslet), swap houses for the holidays and (of course) find romance. Romcom queen Nancy Meyers wrote and directed.
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‘Enchanted’ (2007)
Disney
Amy Adams is perfection as Giselle, an animated princess who finds herself in gritty, real-life NYC. Luckily, there’s a flesh-and-blood Prince Charming Patrick Dempsey), who can’t help falling for her. Favorite bit: Giselle summoning the birds — and rats and roaches — of the city to help her clean his apartment.
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‘Knocked Up’ (2007)
For fun loving party animal Ben Stone, the last thing he ever expected was for his one night stand to show up on his doorstep eight weeks later to tell him she’s pregnant.
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‘Juno’ (2007)
Faced with an unplanned pregnancy, an offbeat young woman makes an unusual decision regarding her unborn child.
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‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’ (2008)
Universal Pictures
Running into your ex and her new rock star boyfriend on vacation? Awkward! Conveniently for Peter (Jason Segel), hotel concierge Rachel (Mila Kunis) is into guys on the rebound.
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‘Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day’ (2008)
Focus Features
While we do care about aspiring actress Amy Adam’s many loves in this period comedy, we are far more invested in down-on-her-luck governess Miss Pettigrew (Frances McDormand) finally hooking up with well-heeled Joe (Ciarán Hinds) after several missed opportunities.
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‘The Proposal’ (2009)
Touchstone Pictures
It’s a bumpy ride to love for obnoxious boss Margaret (Sandra Bullock) and her beleaguered assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds). He agrees to act as her fiancé so she won’t be deported (she’s Canadian). Has that not ever led to true love in the movies?
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‘500 Days of Summer’ (2009)
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Hopeless romantic Joseph Gordon-Levitt reflects on what went wrong with ex Zooey Deschanel in this wonderfully offbeat indie.
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‘Just Wright’ (2010)
Fox Searchlight Pictures
A reminder that Rebel Wilson is not the first plus-size star to do a romcom. And that in this story that has physical therapist Queen Latifah working with injured b-ball star Common, we are so rooting for him to get wise to gold-digger Paula Patton and get with the Queen instead.
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‘Crazy, Stupid, Love’ (2011)
Warner Bros.
Emma Stone falls for Ryan Gosling and his not-Photoshopped abs in this very funny film with almost as many romantic storylines as “Love, Actually.”
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‘Bridesmaids’ (2011)
Annie’s life is a mess. But when she finds out her lifetime best friend is engaged, she simply must serve as Lillian’s maid of honor. Though lovelorn and broke, Annie bluffs her way through the expensive and bizarre rituals. With one chance to get it perfect, she’ll show Lillian and her bridesmaids just how far you’ll go for someone you love.
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‘Silver Linings Playbook’ (2012)
After spending eight months in a mental institution, a former teacher moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife.
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‘Pitch Perfect’ (2012)
Universal
When Beca (Anna Kendrick) sings Jesse (Skylar Astin)’s favorite song, “Don’t You (Forget About Me),” that’s the key to cementing their romance. And winning the singing competition, of course.
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‘About Time’ (2013)
Universal Pictures
Richard Curtis directs this tale of time-traveling Tim (Domhnall Gleeson), who gets endless retakes to woo the girl of his dreams (Rachel McAdams). Have your tissues ready for this one: It’s as heartbreaking as it is funny.
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‘Enough Said’ (2013)
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Sadly, this change-of-pace role for “Sopranos” star James Gandolfini was one of his last: He romances Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who inconveniently is good friends with his ex (Catherine Keener). Both leads and writer/director Nicole Holofcener racked up a number of awards nominations (deservedly so).
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‘The Spectacular Now’ (2013)
A24
Yay, a coming-of-age Shailene Woodley romance where no one dies! Reminiscent of ’80s classics like “Say Anything…,” this comedy-drama feels refreshingly real. She and Miles Teller won a Special Jury Award for Acting at the Sundance Film Fest.
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‘Sing Street’ (2016)
Lionsgate
Before she was Freddie Mercury’s muse in “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Lucy Boynton was inspiring Cosmo (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) to form a band, just so she can be their videos. Set in ’80s Dublin, this mostly feel-good comedy from the director of “Once” is gold. Unhappily, the great original songs were overlooked at Oscar time.
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‘The Big Sick’ (2017)
Lionsgate
Comedian Kumail Nanjiani and real-life wife Emily Gordon wrote this Oscar-nominated film about how they met, broke up (he never even told his family about her!) and ultimately reunited. Kumail plays himself and Zoe Kazan plays Emily.
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‘Crazy Rich Asians’ (2018)
Warner Bros.
Rachel (Constance Wu) is shocked to discover that her boyfriend Nick (Henry Golding) belongs to an incredibly wealthy family. And his mother (Michelle Yeoh) is not a fan of hers. Challenge accepted!
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‘Juliet, Naked’ (2018)
Lionsgate
Annie (Rose Byrne) has been in a dead-end relationship with Duncan (Chris O’Dowd) for years. He’s obsessed with musician Tucker Crowe (Ethan Hawke), which, in a hilarious twist, leads to Annie hooking up with Duncan’s idol. Another Nick Hornby gem.
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‘Palm Springs’ (2020)
When carefree Nyles and reluctant maid of honor Sarah have a chance encounter at a Palm Springs wedding, things get complicated when they find themselves unable to escape the venue, themselves, or each other.
It’s been 25 years since “The Mask” hit theaters and capped off an amazingly successful year for Jim Carrey. Even now, we can look back on this kooky romantic comedy as one of the only good comic book movies of the ’90s. Celebrate this big anniversary by learning more about the making of “The Mask” and why it’s so different from the source material.
1. “The Mask” is loosely based on a comic book series published by Dark Horse Comics. However, the source material is much darker, with the stories focusing on ordinary people who are transformed into a sadistic killer called Big Head.
2. One of the biggest differences between the comic and the movie is that Stanley Ipkiss is much less sympathetic in the former. in fact, he’s eventually killed when his girlfriend steals the mask and murders him in his sleep.
Dark Horse Comics
3. Originally New Line intended “The Mask” to form the basis of a new horror franchise. One early pitch involved a mask maker who removes the faces of corpses and transplants them onto teenagers in order to transform them into zombie-like slaves.
4. Jim Carrey’s distinctive yellow zoot suit was actually inspired by the suit he wore to his very first stand-up comedy set.
New Line Cinema
5. If the body shop where Stanley is getting ripped off by the mechanics seems familiar, that’s because the scenes were shot in the unused firehouse that also doubled as the headquarters in 1984’s “Ghostbusters.”
6. Anna Nicole Smith was the studios original top choice to play Tina Carlyle. However, Cameron Diaz (who made her acting debut in “The Mask”) got the part after being discovered at a modeling agency. Bullet dodged!
8. The movie was originally meant to end with Stanley’s friend Charlie Schumaker inheriting the mask.
9. The DVD includes a deleted scene that sheds more light on the origins of the titular mask. It shows a group of Vikings burying the mask in what would later become New York City.
New Line Cinema
10. Carrey was nominated for both a Golden Globe and a Razzie Award for his performance.
11. While it was the third Jim Carrey movie released in 1994, “The Mask” was the first of the three to enter production. Because filming began before Carrey’s explosion in popularity, he was paid a surprisingly modest $450,000 for the role.
New Line Cinema
12. At the time, “The Mask” was the second highest-grossing superhero movie ever, only topped by 1989’s “Batman.” However, both have since been eclipsed by the current wave of superhero movies.
13. The magazine Nintendo Power held a contest where the winner would receive a cameo role in the sequel movie. However, after Carrey dropped out of the sequel and the project became trapped in development hell for years, Nintendo Power was forced to award the winner an equivalent cash prize instead.
“Maybe I should, you know, I mean, I’m down. I’m literally doing nothing,” Diaz said.
Applegate replied, “I’m literally doing nothing, too! I’m semi-retired, I haven’t worked for years.”
Then Diaz said, “I’m semi-retired, too, and I am actually retired, so I would love to see you ladies.”
Now, Applegate is fudging with her semi-retirement, since she’s appeared in “Bad Moms,” “A Bad Moms Christmas,” “Crash Pad,” and “Youth in Oregon” in the last two years. But Diaz hasn’t done a movie since 2014’s “Annie.”
Diaz’s career status came up earlier this month when Blair revealed that a “Sweetest Thing” sequel was unlikely since her co-star had retired. “She’s like, ‘I’m done,’” Blair told Metro News. But when that comment sparked a lot of conversation, Blair walked her statement back:
????????☎️???????????? BREAKING NEWS ????????????. Guys please, I was making a joke in an interview. CAMERON DIAZ is NOT retiring from ANYTHING. And for more breaking news: I am NOW retiring from being Cameron Diaz’s spokesperson. ????
Diaz’s retirement was cemented by an article in People in which a source said the star was focusing on married life with Good Charlotte guitarist Benji Madden.
“I can’t say whether or not she will go back to being a full-time actress, but for now she has other interests, causes she believes in, and time to pursue them,” the source said. “Cameron has made a wonderful life for herself. Marriage agrees with her.”
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