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For the past few decades, Morgan Freeman has been a Hollywood icon, celebrated for his remarkable performances and commanding screen presence that has left audiences captivated. Therefore, Freeman’s personality and talent are often admired by fans, whereas colleagues have described the intensity of his aura as somewhat unsettling.

Jim Carrey and Morgan Freeman in a still from Bruce Almighty | image: Universal Pictures

Jim Carrey, who starred alongside Morgan Freeman in Bruce Almighty, famously recounted a memorable first encounter that highlighted this intimidating feeling. Stating how in a moment of enthusiasm, he shook Freeman’s hand, only to be told by the legendary actor to refrain from touching him again, Carrey admitted to being scared by the intriguing interaction.

Morgan Freeman’s Intimidating Aura Scared the Life Out of His Co-Star Jim Carrey

Appearing in critically acclaimed films, Morgan Freeman‘s deep voice, tall stature, and strong presence have often...

It's astonishing to think what an enormous hit Tom Shadyac's film "Bruce Almighty" was when it came out back in 2003. Jim Carrey played Bruce, a mid-level TV reporter who is selfish and a little disappointed with his job. When a rival named Evan (Steve Carell) is promoted above him, Bruce wails to God that life is unfair. Astonishingly, God Almighty (Morgan Freeman) appears to Bruce in order to give him a lesson. For one week, and limited to only a small portion of Buffalo, New York, Bruce will be given the infinite power of the Divine, teaching him that being God isn't as easy as all that. Bruce uses his Godly powers for petty, personal things like parting traffic and increasing the bust size of his girlfriend Grace (Jennifer Aniston). 

Naturally, Bruce's cavalier use of power -- and his lazy acumen when it comes to answering prayers -- leads to chaos.

It has been revealed that Jim Carrey’s hit 2003 film Bruce Almighty almost had two sequels.

Screenwriters Steve Koren and Mark O’Keefe shared their plans for Brucifer, a Bruce Almighty sequel that would’ve found Carrey’s character gaining the powers of a devil instead of God.

In the original film, Carrey plays the role of Bruce Nolan, a television reporter who complains to God that he is not doing his job correctly and is offered the chance to try being God himself for one week.

“[Carrey’s] manager and him wanted to do Brucifer,” Koren told Syfy. “We went in and pitched it, but it never quite worked out, because it was later on… It would have been another giant movie and I don’t think they wanted to do it. It just didn’t work out for some reason, but a lot of people loved it, including Jim.”

While Brucifer...

Jim Carrey starred in the 2003 film Bruce Almighty which was written by Steven Koren, Mark O’Keefe and Steve Oedekerk. The film was a success at the box office and could’ve had a sequel with Carrey reprising his role but it ended up not getting made.

In an interview with SyFy Wire, Koren and O’Keefe recalled that on the premiere of Bruce Almighty they ran into producer Michael Bostick and pitched him an idea for a sequel. The follow-up story would be called “Brucifer” and would involve Carrey’s Bruce acquiring Satan’s powers.

“[Carrey’s] manager and him wanted to do Brucifer,” Koren said. “We went in and pitched it, but it never quite worked out, because it was later on … It would have been another giant movie and I don’t think they wanted to do it. It just didn’t work out for some reason, but a lot of people loved it,...

“Bruce Almighty” remains one of Jim Carrey’s biggest hits with 484 million at the worldwide box office, so it’s no wonder co-screenwriters Steve Koren and Mark O’Keefe cracked an idea for a sequel that would bring back Carrey’s Bruce Nolan. In a recent interview with Syfy, Koren and O’Keefe revealed their plans for “Brucifer,” a “Bruce Almighty” sequel that would’ve found Carrey’s character gaining the powers of Satan instead of God.

In “Bruce Almighty,” Carrey played a stressed news reporter who gains the powers of God (played by Morgan Freeman). Bruce’s newfound omnipotence complicates his relationship with girlfriend Grace (Aniston). Koren and O’Keefe said they pitched the sequel, “Brucifer,” to producer Michael Bostick on the night “Bruce Almighty” opened in theaters in May 2003.

“[Jim Carrey’s] manager and him wanted to do ‘Brucifer,'” Koren said. “We went in and pitched it, but it never quite worked out,...

We've all had those "Sliding Doors" moments where we wonder what our lives might be like if something went differently. Usually, they come in the form of major life decisions -- promotions, relationships, time spent with loved ones -- but sometimes they're in the form of movies that got away. Reader, I'm having a real "Sliding Doors" moment right now, because I suddenly, desperately need to live in a world where Universal made a "Bruce Almighty" sequel about the devil called, of all things, "Brucifer."

"Bruce Almighty" screenwriters Steve Koren and Mark O'Keefe, who co-wrote the film's script with Steve Oedekerk, recently spoke to SyFy Wire about the 2003 comedy in which Jim Carrey gains the power of God from Morgan Freeman's wise, white-clad deity. During the conversation, they opened up about an ultimately scrapped third film that would've seen TV reporter Bruce (Carrey) headed in, well, a different direction.

Mark O'Keefe: out after 7 years as L'Oreal's top marketer

The top marketer at L’Oreal has exited after a 20-year tenure with the company.

Mark O’Keefe, who was general manager of L’Oreal Australia’s consumer products division for the last seven years, has left “to pursue a new challenge outside the group,” according to an internal memo from the company’s Melbourne-based boss.

O’Keefe has been replaced by Jon Arnold, who has been with the company for 14 years, latterly based in Paris.

Arnold will oversee brands including L’Oreal Paris, Garnier and Maybelline. He will work with agencies including Publicis Mojo Melbourne and digital shop Reborn.

MD of L’Oreal Australia and New Zealand Johan Berg said in the note:

After 20 years with L’Oréal, seven of which as the General Manager of the Consumer Products Division in Australia, Mark O’Keefe has left the company...

NBC is developing a television adaptation of 2010 film comedy The Infidel. The British movie starred comedian Omid Djalili as a devout Muslim who discovers that he was adopted and his birth parents are Jewish. Djalili is expected to reprise the title role, while the film's producers are also attached to the project, according to New York Magazine. Bruce Almighty scribe Mark O'Keefe will write the pilot for the potential series, with Djalili also executive producing. The British Iranian stand-up comic has previously worked with NBC on two occasions, appearing as (more)...

Adam Sandler has picked his next project as the actor is set to topline and produce the Columbia Pictures/Revolution Studios high-concept comedy Click with an April production start planned. Based on a script from Bruce Almighty scribes Steve Koren and Mark O'Keefe, Click centers on a workaholic architect who finds a universal remote that allows him to fast-forward and rewind to different parts of his life. Complications arise when the remote starts to overrule his choices. The film is being produced by Sandler's Happy Madison production banner and Neal H. Moritz's Original Film, which brought the project to the studio. Sandler and Happy Madison partner Jack Giarraputo will serve as producers along with Moritz. The project is being overseen by Columbia Pictures co-presidents of production Matt Tolmach and Doug Belgrad, along with Revolution Studios partner Todd Garner. Click marks Sandler's seventh starring role for the Sony Pictures Entertainment family, following such hits as Big Daddy, Mr. Deeds, Anger Management and Punch-Drunk Love as well as the upcoming 50 First Dates, which is slated for a Feb. 13 release. He is currently shooting the James L. Brooks-directed cross-cultural comedy/drama Spanglish.