Seth Rogen to Play Walter Cronkite in JFK Assassination Drama ‘Newsflash’

Variety ^ | December 11, 2017 | Dave McNary

[EdnaMode]

Seth Rogen will play legendary anchor Walter Cronkite in the upcoming film “Newsflash,” centered on CBS’ coverage of the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

David Gordon Green is directing the drama from Ben Jacoby’s script. Former Warner Bros. production president Greg Silverman is producing through his Stampede Ventures, along with Adam Kolbrenner of Madhouse Entertainment.

Cronkite, who began working as a radio announcer in 1935, had been named the anchor of CBS’ nightly newscast in 1962. The pic will also feature include Cronkite, newsman Dan Rather, producer Don Hewitt, and CBS network president James Aubrey.

The network broke into its broadcast of “As the World Turns” for Cronkite to announce that Kennedy had been shot in Dallas. CBS returned to the soap opera, then interrupted it again with Cronkite’s announcement of Kennedy’s death: “From Dallas, Texas, the flash, apparently official: President Kennedy died at 1 p.m. Central Standard Time. 2 o’clock Eastern Standard Time, some 38 minutes ago.”

Cronkite, 46 at the time, was referred to as “the most trusted man in America.” He retired in 1981 and died in 2009.

Rogen stars in James Franco’s “The Disaster Artist.” His dramatic roles include “50/50” and “Steve Jobs,” portraying Steve Wozniak.

Green’s credits include “Pineapple Express,” “The Sitter,” “Manglehorn,” “Joe,” and Jake Gyllenhaal’s “Stronger.” He’s attached to direct the reboot of “Halloween” starring Jamie Lee Curtis.

“Newsflash” is being co-represented by CAA and UTA. Rogen is repped by UTA. Jacoby is repped by Verve and Madhouse. Green is repped by CAA. The news was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.

[rlmorel]

I’m very much looking forward to that.

Churchill...the King of the Un-Politically Correct!

(I am a major Churchill-O-Phile...)

[dfwgator]

.every single time I looked at him, all I could see was “Dumb and Dumber”!

And I bet I know which scene from Dumb and Dumber.

[katana]

Yes, he's Canadian.

I am not at all sure the word he referred to is quite that long.

[EdnaMode]

Thanks for the info.

[tumblindice]

Seth’s a twat all right, but I’m not sure he’s a big enough twat to play Uncle Wally, gasbag extraordinaire.

[morphing libertarian]

Not familiar with the movie. Just trying to be a smart ass.

[abb]

For a large part of the afternoon, all three networks were relying upon reporting of wire service and newspaper reporters for real news, and basically reading their copy on the air.

[rlmorel]

LOL, okay, you got me.

Don’t watch it.

[RinaseaofDs]

You and me both.

The indispensable figure of the 20th century. Mother Theresa and Margaret Thacher tie for the women’s division.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

What the Hell has happened to Rogen?

He was HILARIOUS in 40-year-old Virgin. I even liked him in The Green Hornet, Knocked Up, and The Interview.

Now all of a sudden he's this social justice d-bag.

[x]

Your picture isn't goofy enough.

But maybe what we're talking about is different ways of being goofy.

Old Walter was losing a lot of his marbles in his last years.

[EdnaMode]

Wow, that’s very interesting. Times have changed a lot since then.

[ealgeone]

I must say, I saw the movie “Sausage Party”, and while there were some parts I found funny, it degenerated to the point the last third of the movie was disgustingly pro-homosexual and by the time it ended, my opinion of the movie had changed significantly in a negative way.

Seth Rogan's movies, if you removed the profanity and gratuitous nudity, would last about 5 minutes. The dude's a no talent hack.

[rlmorel]

Of course, now I understand the phrase “sausage party” but I was clueless at the time.

I admit to enjoying ribald and raunchy or profane humor as the mood fits me, but this crossed far over the line into political statement, indoctrination and advocacy.

For an animated, comedic feature, I cannot think of a worse mistake to make.

[MD Expat in PA]

I must say, I saw the movie “Sausage Party”, and while there were some parts I found funny, it degenerated to the point the last third of the movie was disgustingly pro-homosexual and by the time it ended, my opinion of the movie had changed significantly in a negative way.

When I was staying at my nephew’s and late one night after the kids were in bed, he, his wife and I watched Sausage Party on I think Netflix.

You have to understand that none of us are prudes and enjoy some “adult” and over the top, even a bit gross humor, Team America or Old School for instance. We are all also big fans of GOT.

But Sausage Party was just excruciatingly bad. Not funny at all. My nephew’s wife left the room after about 15 minutes to go fold laundry and after another 5 minutes, my nephew asked me if he could turn it off, and I said, “Please do”.