Rumor mill churns

This time of year, the well of movie news is dryer than your mom’s… backyard pool also is this time of year. No day like today, then, to revel in and ponder over a couple fairly ridiculous and completely unverified rumors like the filthy, pondering little pigs we are. First of all, a scooper wrote in to AICN claiming to have seen the listing for the Wachowski Bros.’ SPEED RACER (under the codename “Shoalin Cowboy”) on WB’s 2008 UK slate document and says that ”in the slate doc it showed clearly in capital letters the name of Keanu Reeves under the main title.” This would suggest that Reeves may be in for the role of Speed Racer himself. A little odd considering Speed Racer is a teenager, but not so odd considering the Wachowski-Reeves relationship already established with THE MATRIX. I suppose it’s not too crazy to think the Wachowski’s would alter Speedy’s age but take this one with a grain of salt for now, of course. Read the full email from the scooper HERE.

Also, Virgin.net is reporting, without any kind of source whatsoever, that Val Kilmer is about to sign on to star in a sequel to his 1985 classic REAL GENIUS. If you haven’t already, I’d advise you put this one right out of your mind before you’re done reading this sentence. But, hey, if it turns out to be true I’ll be the first one to sign the petition for the return of William Atherton.