'Bullitt'&'Krull'Director Peter Yates Passes Away at 82 Years Old« FirstShowing.net

Sad news kicks off this January week asDeadlinereports directorPeter Yates, the man behind the prolific action-filled cop dramaBullitthas passed away at 82-years old. Though he hadn't directed anything since 2004, Yates had already left a permanent impression on the film industry. After studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, the filmmaker worked as an assistant and assistant director before finally getting his first feature,Summer Holidaystarring Cliff Richards, in 1963. But it wouldn't be until he helmedRobberyin 1967 that he would catch a break that would lead him to direct one of the most memorable cop movies of all time.

In 1968 the British filmmaker directed Steve McQueen and some of the best car chases you've ever seen inBullitt. You may have seen The Fast and the Furious, but Bullitt has some real, kick-ass driving. Since then Yates has also worked with Dustin Hoffman onJohn and Mary, Peter O'Toole onMurphy's War, and a young Jackie Earle Haley and Dennis Quaid inBreaking Away. Yates was also responsible forKrull, a cult sci-fi favorite, but he followed that up with a film on the opposite end of the spectrum inThe Dresser, a drama with Albert Finney and Tom Courtenay that would garner a Best Picture nomination and a Best Director nod for Yates. Hollywood has lost a truly influential director today, and we will miss him dearly.

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Baz Luhrmann and Michael Mann Considering 3D for Next Films?« FirstShowing.net

While we've been getting used to major blockbusters and tentpoles going 3D, it sounds like some directors whose films aren't normally full of huge CG creatures and hundreds of special effects shots, might also be venturing into the third dimension. Straight from the filmmakers themselves,Baz Luhrmann(Moulin Rouge) andMichael Mann(Public Enemies) have hinted that their next projects might be in3D. Word from Luhrmann comes fromTHRwhere he mentioned that hisforthcoming adaptationofThe Great Gatsbystarring Carey Mulligan was workshopped in 3D. As for Mann, he was a little less specific about which project might be in the 3D format.

Though both haven't made solid decisions regarding the use of 3D, Luhrmann seems closer to actually following through considering his workshop with the format. WhileThe Great Gatsbyseems like a strange choice for a 3D film, Luhrmann's trademark stylistic visuals and storytelling techniques seem to be more friendly to 3D than what Mann has in mind. Here's what theCollateraldirector said on a panel for theConsumer Electronics Show(viaBleeding Cool),"I would probably shoot… just apure dialogue dramaI would shoot in3D."

Does that mean he might be considering shootingCapa, thewar photographer biopicstarring Andrew Garfield and Gemma Arterton, in 3D? Or perhaps two of hispreviously mentioned projects,Big TunaorAgincourt, are more suited for him to play with the format. At this point we can only speculate, but the fact that filmmakers who don't usually craft big budget tentpoles are moving towards 3D seems to imply that this trend is more than a gimmick.What do you think?

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DreamWorks Animation Announces'Monkeys of Bollywood'Movie« FirstShowing.net

An interesting assembly of musical and cinematic talent is coming together for DreamWorks Animation next ambitious project.Varietyreports the animation studio is currently developingMonkeys of Bollywood, an animated musical in the spirit of internationally famous Bollywood cinema. The story will be set in Mumbai and follows two monkeys who try to stop an ancient demon from conquering the world. Not much to get excited about, but composerA.R. Rahman, responsible for scoring bothSlumdog Millionaireand127 Hours, is certainly a selling point. And that's not all the talent involved to get you excited for a musical of this sort.

ComposerStephen Scwartz, who not only wrote musicals likeGodspellandWickedbut also scored and wrote songs for Disney hits likePocahontasandEnchanted, is also on board for the animation studio's first feature musical. And if that wasn't enough, Gurinder Chadha and Paul Berges, the producing team that deliveredBend It Like Beckhamand the Bollywood style romantic comedyBride and Prejudiceis behind the project. That's a great collection of people to put an animated Bollywood musical together.

Though the story is original, the Hindu epic poemThe Ramayanaapparently inspired the project.Wikipediasays the poem"depicts the duties of relationships, portraying ideal characters like the ideal servant, the ideal brother, the ideal wife and the ideal king."It's quite a bold move to venture into animated musical territory that has been dominated by Disney for so long, but this assembly of talent is the right way to go. We'll keep you posted as this project develops.Interested?

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Jeffrey Dean Morgan Starring in Ghost House Thriller'Dibbuk Box'« FirstShowing.net

Late last year, right around the time whenParanormal Activity 2was destroying the box office, wewrote about a new projectin the works calledDibbuk Box. I thought it might be another found-footage thriller, but it looks like Danish filmmakerOle Bornedalis going to direct a straight horror, as described, closer toThe ExorcistorThe Shining. Well,Varietyreports thatJeffrey Dean Morganhas been cast in the film as a recently divorced father whose youngest daughter becomes strangely connected to an antique wooden box she purchased at a yard sale. Yep, she got a hold of that Dibbuk Box, and the spirit inside ain't too happy.

As his daughter's behavior becomes more erratic, he senses a dark presence building until he discovers that the box contains adibbuk-- a"dislocated spirit that inhabits and ultimately devours its human host."And supposedly it's inspired bytrue events. Sam Raimi's Ghost House Pictures is producing and filming starts this month. Lionsgate already hasDibbuk Boxset for release on Halloween weekend,October 28th, in place of theSawfilms which, hopefully, have finally finished. For all the fans of the horror genre, this definitely sounds like a film to keep an eye on, especially with Jeffrey Dean Morgan in the lead. Stay tuned for more!

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Adam Sandler& Andy Samberg Teaming Up for'I Hate You Dad'« FirstShowing.net

Though one of the funnymen has already left behind the late night sketch comedy series"Saturday Night Live"while the other is responsible for reinvigorating the series through hilarious Digital Shorts likeLazy Sundayand most recentlyI Just Had Sex, the two will soon be working together.THRreportsAdam SandlerandAndy Sambergare in talks with Columbia Pictures to lead the comedyI Hate You, Dad, the story of a father who moves in on the eve of his son's wedding and promptly begins feuding with the bride-to-be. Apparently Sandler would be playing Samberg's son though the age difference between them is less than 12 years.

Of course, since something as little as a difference in sex isn't stopping Sandler from playing a twin brother and sister in Jack and Jill, I'm sure Sandler won't mind putting on some make-up to look a little more aged. The project is still in the early stages of development though as no director is still attached. Sandler's Happy Madison production banner is behind the project, but the script has been sitting around since late 2008. Funnily enough, this project isnotsome sort of spin-off fromI Love You, Mandespite the title similarities and the fact that Samberg also had a role in the Paul Rudd and Jason Segel comedy.

Last time Sandler worked with fellow, former"SNL"cast members the result wasGrown Upsand it ended up on my list of theworst five films from 2010. I'm hoping that with Samberg's more contemporary comedic sensibilities involved we'll get a decent comedy this time around. Until then, Sandler is trying out another romantic comedy in February with the release ofJust Go With Itwhich puts him alongside Jennifer Aniston. I think this new project sounds a bit more promising for some decent comedy from Sandler though.How about you?

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Paramount Goes IMAX in 2011, M:I4 to Have IMAX-Shot Scenes« FirstShowing.net

Earningquite a bit of good moneyonTron Legacy,IMAXis on a roll right now and to keep it up, they need to line up some big stuff in2011. Well - Paramount and IMAX officially announced that they'll be releasing four of their big tentpole movies from 2011 on IMAX: J.J. Abrams'Super 8, Michael Bay'sTransformers: Dark of the Moon, Brad Bird'sMission: Impossible - Ghost Protocoland Spielberg/Jackson'sThe Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn. Best of all, they say thatMission: Impossiblewill feature"scenes shot with IMAX cameras"that, likeThe Dark Knight, will feature a fullframe IMAX shots.

If you love seeing movies on a gigantic IMAX screen, then there's some good stuff coming up to enjoy on it (especially while we wait forThe Dark Knight Rises), that's for sure."Consumer demand forThe IMAX Experiencehas never been higher,"said Paramount's Rob Moore."Coupled with the rising popularity of the IMAX brand, the growing number of IMAX screens and the increased interest from our top filmmakers to have their movies offered in this format, IMAX is and continues to be a key part of our release strategy."Always glad to hear them supporting IMAX.The Adventures of TintinandTransformers 3were shot in 3D and will be released inIMAX 3D, howeverSuper 8and the newMission Impossiblesequel won't be in 3D.

"When you combine the incredible storytelling talents of J.J. Abrams,Michael Bay,Brad Bird, andSteven Spielbergwith technologies that transport the audience into the story, you create an awe-inspiring experience that takes movie-goers to places they only dream of -- and that is what the core and spirit of our partnership with Paramount Pictures is all about,"said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment."We are very excited to share these amazing event films with IMAX exhibitors and movie-goers and look forward to working with these brilliant filmmakers as they showcase their talents in our format."

I'm most excited to learn thatMission: Impossible - Ghost Protocolis getting entire IMAX scenes, as those blew me away inThe Dark Knight. We haven't seen that utilized again sinceTransformers: Revenge of the Fallenand that was kind of a waste anyway. This time though we have Pixar mastermindBrad Birdat the helm and know that he's dabbling in IMAX makes me anxious with excitement to see something from this new sequel already. No word on the length or exact number of scenes we'll see in IMAX, but the more the merrier.Super 8will be released onJune 10th, 2011;Transformers: Dark of the Moonwill be released onJuly 1st, 2011;Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocolwill be released onDecember 16th, 2011; andThe Adventures of Tintinwill be released onDecember 28th, 2011.Which of these are you most excited for?

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David O. Russell Rewriting and Directing Adaptation of'2 Guns'?« FirstShowing.net

There's been a lot of buzz surrounding Mark Wahlberg's reunion with directorDavid O. Russell(The Fighter) for thevideo game adaptationUncharted: Drake's Fortune. However, before that project, Russell was slated to directVince VaughninOld St. Louis, the story a traveling salesman who has been an absentee father and how his life changes when his daughter becomes a part of it. Now it sounds like a new project with Vaughn is being set up instead asTHRreports Russell is in early talks to rewrite and direct an adaptation of2 Guns, a pulp story about cops and thieves and the men that are something in between.More below!

Based on Steven Grant'sgraphic novel of the same name, here's the short and sweet synopsis of the wholly intriguing story:

Trench has targeted a local bank to rob, and asked Steadman in on the job. Trench figures it's a great way to score -- considering it's a cover for mob money. They'll be thieves ripping off thieves. But what Steadman doesn't know is that Trench is a DEA agent. And what Trench doesn't know is that Steadman's a Naval Intelligence officer. They're both cops! And neither one knows that they're not robbing the mob, they've been set up to steal $50 million from the CIA!

Vaughn has been attached to the project since Universal picked up the property back in 2008, and apparently he's still attached now. The prospect of Russell and Vaughn collaborating on a project like this is enticing. And for anyone who doubts Vaughn doing more than his normal fast-talking, wit-filled diatribes for minutes at a time, he did see a little bit of action inMr. and Mrs. Smith. It sounds like 2 Guns won't take off until afterUncharted: Drake's Fortune, but it's not clear what that will mean forOld St. Louis.Thoughts?

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Disney is Already Close to Greenlighting a Sequel to Tron Legacy?« FirstShowing.net

Though the reviews may be split almostright down the middle, you can't deny thatTron Legacycreated some massive buzz and really pleased some hardcore geeks out there. It's also great to see the power ofComic-Con hyperesult in a big blockbuster and its moderately successful release. Well now it sounds likeTron Legacywas successful enough that the seeds planted in the franchise reboot of sorts may get a chance to grow.AICNhas word from their"Grapevine of Industry Insiders"that Disney is incredibly close togreenlighting a sequelto keep the story of Sam Flynn pushing forward, so we won't have to wait another 28 years for a sequel this time.

Nothing is official yet, and it's not clear when Disney might make this announcement, but it's not really surprising. Even though the film had plenty of closure, there's definitely some subplots left open to be dealt with at a later time (especially one concerning a great actor as a new character with ties to a villain from the originalTron). And whileTron Legacywasn't as huge a success as an installment ofHarry Potter, theworldwide box office takeis nothing to ignore, and the merchandising that comes with the franchise certainly helps. As someone who thoroughly enjoyedTron Legacy(even though it has plenty of flaws), I'm interested in seeing where the story goes from here (especially if Daft Punk does the score again).How about you?

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MGM Officially Announces November 2012 Return of James Bond!« FirstShowing.net

After hearing that the unfortunately delayed next installment ofJames Bondwas being halted by MGM's financial woes, good news came in the form of a plan for Agent 007 toreturn in November 2012. Whilered tape and rumblingsof halted pre-production had recently created skepticism about hitting that mark, today MGM officially announced (via press release) that James Bond will return to theaters onNovember 9th, 2012. And if that wasn't enough good news,Daniel Craigis confirmed to reprise his role on Her Majesty's Secret Service andSam Mendeswill still be at the helm of this23rd installmentof the ever-growing James Bond franchise.Hell yes!

One thing's for sure, Craig is going to be very busy over the next few years since he is also signed for the American adaptation of all three installments of Steig Larsson'sMillennium Trilogywhich begins withThe Girl with the Dragon Tattoocurrently in production. Take that into account with MGM's plans for one Bond movie every two years and Craig's got a busy schedule.

Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan are behind the screenplay, and while we don't have any details yet, that surely won't stop Bond's biggest fans from getting excited. The film is still simply being referred to asBond 23, and we'll be eagerly awaiting the official title sometime down the road. Personally, I can't wait to finally see Sam Mendes take on 007. Craig has just done a phenomenal job as Bond, and thinking back to Mendes work with him onRoad to Perdition, I can't wait to see what these two do with this franchise. Excited?

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Jessica Biel + Four Others Now Shortlisted for'Dark Knight Rises'« FirstShowing.net

A rumor just cropped up atCollidersayingNaomi WattsandEva Greenhave possibly been cast in the two female roles in the anticipated sequelThe Dark Knight Rises. It was believed that Green snagged the role of female villainTalia al Ghul, daughter of Batman Begins villian Ra's al Ghul, while Watts would be playing love interestVicki Vale. However, those two names don't appear on Heat Vision'snew shortlistof actresses who are meeting with Nolan for the sequel. Those in the running include usual suspects likeKeira Knightley,Anne HathawayandJessica Biel, but there are some less known names mentioned to be in the running as well.

Also taking meetings with Christopher Nolan areKate Mara(We Are Marshall,127 Hours) andCharlotte Riley. ApparentlyGemma Arterton(Clash of the Titans) was also supposed to meet with Nolan, but herrecent castinginHansel and Gretel: Witch Huntersmay preclude her from even considering a role in the film. In addition, Watts and Green have been too busy shooting their own projects to meet with Nolan yet, so it's very unlikely that they're even close to snagging a role in the sequel just yet (though Watts was on theprevious shortlistof actresses in the running)

However, even if Collider is wrong about the casting, they were right about one thing. Apparently one of the female roles will indeed be Talia al Ghul, and if Tom Hardy ends up playing a villain like everyone expects, then we may have two villains for Batman to deal with again. As a point of interest, Charlotte Riley is actually engaged to Tom Hardy, so do what you will with that information. For now we'll just try to sit patiently until some official information gets released.Which of these ladies would you like inThe Dark Knight Rises?

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Casting Tidbits: Jeremy Piven, Jennifer Lawrence& Kevin James« FirstShowing.net

Ok, so I still live with my parents, which I admit is bogus and sad. However I do have Casting Tidbits, and I still know how to party. But what I'd really like is to do"Wayne's World"for a living. It might happen. Yeah, and monkeys might fly out of my butt! First up,The WrapreportsJeremy Pvien("Entourage") andMike O'Malley("Glee") will star in the Miley Cyrus action comedySo Undercoverfrom director Tom Vaughan (What Happens in Vegas). The story follows a tough, street-smart private investigator (Cyrus) who's hired by the FBI to go undercover in a college sorority. Piven plays an FBI agent while O'Malley plays Cyrus' father.

Second,Deadlinehas a list of the young actresses who have emerged as the frontrunners to star alongside Taylor Lautner in thepreviously announcedadaptation ofIncarceron. The story follows a young boy (Lautner) who lives in a prison that is a complete society in a world stuck in the 17th century and run by computers. But things get interesting when the boy comes into contact with the prison warden's daughter, who kind of lives in a jail of her own, and they find a key that can change everything. Up for the role of the warden's daughter areBlake Lively(The Town),Jennifer Lawrence(fresh off an amazing performance in Winter's Bone) andEmma Watson(of theHarry Potterfranchise). We'll keep you posted when a decision is made.

Next,Deadlinehas word thatKevin Jameswill re-team withThe Zookeeperdirector Frank Coraci for yet another comedy. The two will collaborate on a currentlyuntitled projectthat follows a physics teacher who moonlights as a mixed martial arts fighter to raise money and save the music program his students love. But the stakes are even higher as he makes it all the way to the Ultimate Fighting Championships. Coraci has done some decent work with Adam Sandler inThe Wedding SingerandClick, but it's hard to find anything funny about Kevin James.

Finally,The WrapreportsRon Livingstonhas booked two new projects. First, the Office Space star has landed a role inThe Odd Life of Timothy Green. Director Peter Hedges (Dan in Real Life) will helm the film from a story by Ahmet Zappa about a couple unable to conceive (Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Garner) who bury their wishes for a baby in a box in their backyard. Some time later, they discover a child there, but the child is not all that it appears. It's not clear what role Livington will play. Additionally, the actor has also been cast inTen Year, the ensemble high school reunion drama featuring Justin Long, Channing Tatum, Kate Mara, Anthony Mackie and many more.

Well, that's all for this edition ofCasting Tidbits. Be sure to stay tuned for more casting updates on the way.

Kelly Osbourne co-stars as a sorority sister alongside Eloise Mumford, Lauren McKnight, Megan Park, Morgan Calhoun and Alexis Knapp.
Miley's"momager"Tish Cyrus will also produce, while Jodi Zuckerman-Weiner will exec produce for Cyrus' production company Hope Town Entertainment, along with Rob Cowan.

Piven next stars in Mark Pellington's indie drama"I Melt With You,"which will be one of the hottest acquisition titles at Sundance next week. He also plays a key role in Robert Rodriguez's latest"Spy Kids"sequel, and is set to star in the indie"Drift."

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James Franco and His Entire Family May Make a Movie Together?« FirstShowing.net

This past Christmas we highlighted a special127 Hoursthemedholiday greetingfromJames Francoand his real-life grandmother. But now it sounds like we might get a feature film with the whole Franco family sometime in the future. Incase you didn't know, James Franco's younger brotherDave Franco(left) is also an actor who has appeared in films likeCharlie St. CloudandGreenbergalong with TV series like"Greek"and"Scrubs."Well the younger Franco, while talking toMTVrecently, revealed that he's working on a script for a film in which theentire Franco familywould star. This will be the most genuine family comedy ever.

You may have also seen Dave starring with his future Oscar host brother in some Funny or Die videos teachinginvaluable lessons about acting. Apparently they're working on some more for the online comedy behemoth, but then he also revealed this bit of news:

"There's also a feature film that I'm writing for my brother and I to star in, where we playversions of ourselvesnamed Davie and James. Without giving away too much, it all takes place aroundThanksgiving and Christmas breakaround our hometown of Palo Alto {California}. Ourreal familywill be in it, myreal friendsfrom home will be in it, and the vibe of it is going to be anextended version of our Funny or Die videos. It's going to be difficult for me, because it's now a 90-minute version of him giving me shit and making fun of me."

That sounds like it could really be a great project, but is the entire Franco family as talented as the two brothers? Perhaps it will be somewhat of a mockumentary so their acting skills don't have to be honed so perfectly? All I know is James has been taking on some very interesting projects recently, and this would be yet another intriguing installment in the actor's career. As for Dave, his star is certainly rising, and as difficult as it might be to measure up to his brother's work, he seems to be doing his best.Are you interested in a Franco family film?

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Ben Stiller Chats About Producing Richard Ayoade's'Submarine'« FirstShowing.net

If you followed our coverage from the Toronto Film Festival, one ofmy favorite films(and favorite of nearly everyone who saw it) was the charming coming-of-age comedySubmarine, directed byRichard Ayoade("The IT Crowd") and starring the youngCraig Robertsas Oliver Tate (above). Well, inEmpire's postwith new updates fromBen Stiller, instead of covering therepetitivenews thatZoolander 2isstillwaitingfor the studio, I'm focusing on Stiller's comments aboutSubmarine. What is his connection? Stiller, along with his company Red Hour Films, produced the film in the UK, so he's highly responsible for making it happen.

Here is most of what Stiller had to say about Richard Ayoade'sSubmarinefrom Empire'srecent update:

"Garth Marenghi{Ayoade's fictional character} I had seen and was a fan of. That was all I knew. So I can’t say that we had any kind of relationship beforehand. We just got sent the script – I don’t even know, to tell you the truth, how we got hold of it – but Richard's agent might be our agent too. But we thought it was a really great script and then I saw his videos that he had directed and just thought he had a reallyinteresting sensibility. We met and he’s just a very thoughtful guy. And I thought what he did with the movie wasvery assured and bold, for a first film. Just his process was very specific. I had a really good experience with him."

That's always good to hear. And in case you think Stiller didn't really know about it, when asked about the star Craig Roberts, he continues with even more glowing comments:"I thought Craig wasamazingtoo. I felt like he and Yasmin (Paige) both, you could sense that they so trusted Richard as a director. I loved that he is very honest but alsovery funny. Their relationship is so funny but also has the awkwardness. The cast and the director– everyone's just doing their thing and not apologising for it."They definitely don't need to apologize for it either! It was a wonderful film and will probably end up as one of my favoritesthisyear, too.

For those anxious to finally watchSubmarine, since I've been hyping it so much, the good news is that it wasbought by The Weinstein Company in Torontoand will be arriving in theaters sometime later this year after it also plays theSundance Film Festival. I'm just happy to hear that the experience behind-the-scenes was as positive as the end result on the screen, as I know onceSubmarinehits theaters it should instantly become a favorite of a lot of moviegoers. We will continue to keep you updated and let you know when TWC releases a trailer as well. In the meantime, be sure toread my reviewfrom Toronto - I'll be seeing it again at Sundance!

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Casting Tidbits: John Michael Higgins, Brendan Fraser& Tina Fey« FirstShowing.net

You have part of my attention -- you have the minimum amount. The rest of my attention is back at the offices of Facebook, where my colleagues and I are doing things that no one in this room, including and especially your Casting Tidbits, are intellectually or creatively capable of doing. First,THRreportsJohn Michael Higgins(A Mighty Wind) got a role in Cameron Crowe's adaptation ofWe Bought a Zoo, amemoir from Benjamin Mee, following a man (Matt Damon) and his family who move into a mansion that includes the 30-acre Dartmoor Wildlife Park, home to over 200 animals. Higgins will play a zoo inspector.

Second,DeadlinereportsBrendan FraserandKristen Scott Thomas(Nowhere Boy) are set to star inSeconds of Pleasure, a new drama from write/director Neil LaBute (In the Company of Men).Colin FirthandEd Harrisalso currently have offers on the table, but they haven't signed yet. Though details are scarce, LaBute has a short story with that title, but acollection of short storiesthat contains that very shorty also goes by that title. So either LaBute is adapating his short story into a feature length film, or he's putting together a series of vignettes based on a few of the stories inside the aforementioned collection of short stories. We'll keep you posted.

Next,The WrapreportsTina Feywill star inAdmission, an adaptation of Jean Hanff Korelitz'snovel of the same name. Paul Weitz (In Good Company,American Pie) is set to direct the film which follows an admissions officer at Princeton and her relationship with a prospective student who may not be Ivy League material. Apparently this casting news comes fairly early since the project is still in the early stages of development, but Fey has already met with Weitz and they are discussing a deal now.

Also,EWhas word that Michelle Pfeiffer rounds out the cast of Alex Kurtzman's directorial debut Welcome to People. The Star Trek writer has garnered quite the cast already with Chris Pine The story playing a businessman who returns home after his estranged father’s death and discovers that he has an alcoholic sister (Elzabeth Banks) with a 12-year-old son. Olivia Wilde will play Pine's girlfriend in the film and now Pfeiffer will play Pine's widowed mother. Should be interesting to see a big budget, blockbuster writer like Kurtzman settle down with afamily drama.

Finally,VarietyreportsJohn Hawkes(Winter's Bone) andMolly Parker(The Road) have signed on to star inThe Playroom, an indie drama from writer Gretchen Dyer and director Julia Dyer (they're sisters).The film follows suburban parents of four in 1975 where their volatile teenage daughter (Olivia Harris) acts as surrogate mother to the younger children, who have created a make-believe world in their attic hideaway while the parents act out a sordid story below. Sound a bit peculiar, but with John Hawkes involved, I'm definitely interested.

Well, that's all for this edition ofCasting Tidbits. Be sure to stay tuned for more casting updates on the way.

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Mysterious New Sci-Fi Project'Alien Sleeper Cell'in Development« FirstShowing.net

Maybe I'm making a bigger deal out of this than I should, but you never know, something like this could be the nextDistrict 9.Varietyposted a news article talking about producerBill Blockand his companyQEDInternational's upcoming line-up of projects, from aJust Causeadaptation toThe FieldstoCrosshair, but they also mention one in specific, without providingtoomany details. One project he's working on is calledAlien Sleeper Cell, written by newcomerMorgan Davis Foehl, an assistant editor onI Now Pronounce You Chuck& Larry, that deals with"otherworldly beasties."That's all they say and that's all we can find.

There really isn't anything else about thisAlien Sleeper Cellout there. What makes it interesting is that Bill Block was one half of the producing team (Peter Jackson the other) onDistrict 9. Now Block is a half of the producing team on this too, partnered with Adrian Askarieh'sPrime Universe Prods. Once the script is complete, Block's QED Intl. and Prime Universe will package the project and seek out independent financing or partner with a studio to fund it. So it's obviously in theveryearly development stages, butAlien Sleeper Cellsounds like something to keep our eye on, it might be pretty cool.Anyone hear anything about it?

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Frances McDormand Aims to Capture Animals in'Madagascar 3'« FirstShowing.net

Though they may not be the best films to come out of DreamWorks Animation, families seem to love the antics of the wild animals in theirMadagascarfranchise. And the adventure is slated to continue withMadagascar 3. Since DreamWorks' Jeffrey Katzenberg recently commented on plans for afourth installmentof the animated franchise, this third one better deliver. It sounds like they're on the right track with some new voice talent coming on board asHeat Visionreports the talentedFrances McDormand(Fargo,Burn After Reading) has landed the role of a calculating and goal-oriented animal control officer who leads her team to capture the animals.

This will be the first time McDormand has used her voice for an animated feature, so part of me wishes it was something a little better (I'm just not a big fan of theMadagascarmovies). In May of 2009,we heardthat the story would have our heroes (Ben Stiller,Chris Rock,David SchwimmerandJada Pinkett Smithare reprising their roles) relocate from Africa to Europe via a traveling circus. That still sounds accurate since some new characters are supposed to include an Italian sea lion, a Russian tiger and a Latina jaguar (but apparently the nationalities of these characters could change). However, Katzenbergrecently mentionedsomething about the animals being back in the NYC zoo too. Hopefully he didn't spoil the ending.Anyone interested?

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'Rise of the Apes'Pushed Back to November,'Penguins'in Summer« FirstShowing.net

Briefly:20th Century Foxis re-arranging their2011release schedule, as is the custom once execs meet at the beginning of the year and discuss the status of their films. The biggest change is a delay forRise of the Apes, directed by Rupert Wyatt, starring James Franco, Andy Serkis, Freida Pinto, which was pushed fromJune 24ththis summer untilNovember 23rd, Thanksgiving week. Considering we haven't seen anything from it yet and its marketing is highly dependent on Weta finishing photo-realistic rendering of CGI apes, a delay is understandable and acceptable, because I want it to turn out the best it possibly can.More below!

Hollywood Reporterannounces a few other major Fox date changes.Mr. Popper's Penguins, directed by Mark Waters and starring Jim Carrey, whichwe just featured photos for, has moved up from August 12th toJune 17thto fill their summer slots. David Gordon Green'sThe Sitter, starring Jonah Hill, was pushed up toJune 24th; Thomas Bezucha'sMonte Carlowith Leighton Meester and Selena Gomez opensJuly 1st; New Regency'sWhat's Your Number?with Anna Faris moves from April 29 toSeptember 30th; David Frankel'sThe Big Year, with Jack Black and Steve Martin, will now openOctober 14th. Solid fall line-up.

The only other big change wasGattacadirectorAndrew Niccol'sNow(formerlyI'm.mortal), with Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried, which moved from its original date of September 30th toOctober 28th, which seems like an interesting change considering that means it's opening Halloween weekend up against other horror films (likeDibbuk Box) and as far as I know it's not horror, it's a sci-fi thriller. Do they really think it'll perform well on Halloween? That's actually one of this year's sci-fi movies that I'm really excited for. Anyway, those are the only updates, but always check thefull2011 Release Schedulefor the latest.

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Charlize Theron Takes'Snow White& the Huntsman'Over'J. Edgar'« FirstShowing.net

After considering two very different roles in two very different projects, it looks likeCharlize Theronhas finally made her choice. Though it had previously been mentioned Theron wasleaning towardstaking the role of Helen Gandy, a Justice Department file clerk who ended up being J. Edgar Hoover’s secretary in Clint Eastwood'sJ.Edgarbiopic, she's apparently chosen to play the evil queen inSnow White and the Huntsman. Since this Snow White project was meant to be filming by now, the delayed schedule must have conflicted with Eastwood's film, but another high profile project may have been a factor.More below!

This news of Theron finally signing on came in the form of another bit of casting forJ. EdgarfromDeadline."Gossip Girl starEd Westwickhas joined the cast as Agent Smith. Rather than being a manipulative villainous computer program in The Matrix, this character is a clean cut operative with writing skill and once Hoover discovers the man can write, he conscripts the agent to write the FBI director's biography. But complications arrise when Smith gets a little too close to the truth. But before that news came along with Theron's denial ofJ. Edgarand confirmation ofSnow White and the Huntsman, it had been said she turned down the historical drama for another big project.

Vulturereports that Theron apparently dropped out of the project because she's considering taking the lead role in Ridley Scott'sAlienprequel. The actress is supposed to have the script in hand this week a decision to follow shortly thereafter. However, it seems kind of strange to turn down a solid part for just the chance to take the lead role in another film, even if it is anAlienprequel. The studio wants a big name like Theron, but Scott is still sweet on Noomi Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo). Despite Vulture's reliability, the news on theAlienprequel from all sources has been all over the place, and we'll just wait for some official news. We'll keep you posted as more information becomes available.

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First Official Look at Rooney Mara in'Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'« FirstShowing.net

Back in August we found out thatThe Social NetworkstarRooney Marahadsnagged the lead roleof Lisbeth Salander in David Fincher's adaptation ofThe Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, thefirst installmentof the popularMillennium Trilogy. If there were any doubts that Mara would fit into the tough female lead role, almost all of those doubts should be removed asW magazine(viaJoBlo) has delivered the first two photos of Mara all decked out in Salander's trademark short, pitch-black haircut, leather jacket and tattoos. Looking simultaneously sexy and kick-ass, I'm definitely interested to see what Mara does with the character. See the photos below!

Here's our first look atRooney Maraas Lisbeth Salander courtesy ofW magazine:

The character is described as"a gamin,Audrey Hepburnlook-alike but withtattoosandpiercings, the take-no-prisoners attitude ofLara Croftand the cool, unsentimental intellect ofMr. Spock. The vulnerable victim turned vigilante; a willfully antisocial girl."It looks like they've nailed that if the above pictures are any indication. And if you feel silly for being skeptical, well Mara herself wasn't sure she was right for the part. The actress says,"“Before I read the book,I didn’t think I could do it. I locked myself in a room for a week and read all three books, and decided I really wanted to be Lisbeth. But I thought I had no shot at it.” How about them apples?Now what do you think of Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander?

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Rogen& Goldberg Detail Hard R-Rated Animated'Sausage Party'« FirstShowing.net

Last summer, some vague news surfaced whenThe Playlistlearned about a new animated film calledSausage PartyfromEvan GoldbergandSeth Rogen. At the time no plot details were revealed, but Goldberg said the project would be a computer animated film and involved directorsConrad Vernon(Monsters vs. Aliens) andMark Osborne(Kung Fu Panda). Then laterJonah Hill, who was said to be part of the project as well,said himselfit would be an aggressive, hard R-rated animated flick. Now whilst promotingThe Green Hornet, Goldberg and Rogen have given up some simple plot details, and this sounds like it's going to be a weird comedy.

In talking toScreenrant, Rogen revealed,"It’s a Rated-R, super dirty,mockery of a Pixar movieaboutsausages in a supermarketthat need to get back to their aisle before the fourth of July."Goldberg gave a little but more away in his description atCinemaBlend,"It’s about sausages, hot dogs, and they’re whole goal is to get purchased. And they get lost and they need to get back to they’re aisle before the Fourth of July starts. I don’t want to give away too much."

Sounds unique and potentially hilarious (plenty of double-entendre dick jokes I'm sure), but getting a hard R-rated animated movie isn't going to be an easy task, especially when you don't have an established name like"South Park"in the title. Still, I'm definitely interested and hoping these guys get it off the ground sooner than later.How about you?

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Jennifer Love Hewitt to Helm Ghostly Tale'Wait Till Helen Comes'« FirstShowing.net

After a hook-handed, fisherman killer never forgot what she did last summer,Jennifer Love Hewittwent on to become the"Ghost Whisperer"for all the geriatrics who watch CBS. Now the actress will go from ghost whispering to telling a ghost story asVarietyreports she is set to make her feature directorial debut withWait Till Helen Comes. Written by Sanchez Mandryk and based on thenovel of the same nameby Mary Downing Hahn, the story focuses on a family who has recently moved to the Maryland countryside where the tormented ghost of a little girl suddenly becomes involved with the young daughters of the family.

Even creepier is the house in which this family has moved was once a church and the little girl spirit only seems to be interesting in haunting the 12-year old daughter in the family, but forms an intimate though dangerous friendship with her 7-year-old stepsister. Sounds like this could end up like a mix ofThe Good Sonand countless ghost stories that use the innocence of children to make a dangerous spirit even more scary. If you're skeptical of Love Hewitt's directing talents, apparently the actress has had some experience behind the camera directing several episodes of"Ghost Whisperer,"so she's primed for a feature film now.Anyone interested?

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Lena Headey is the Villainous Ma-Ma in Pete Travis'Judge Dredd« FirstShowing.net

She's already kicked-ass and fought Terminators as the titular character in"The Sarah Connor Chronicles", now it seems actressLena Headeywill be facing off against Karl Urban in director Pete Travis'Dreddthe new adaptation ofJudge Dredd. ApparentlyBleeding Coolhad heard rumblings of the casting before it turned up at a reliableJudge Dreddfansite, and Headey has already been shooting on the film for a week. So who's she playing? The actress is taking on the villainous role ofMadeline Madrigal(aka Ma-Ma), the leader of a gang who over run the Peach Tree City Block where the majority of the action in it takes place.

The script is said to describe the villain as a woman in her late 50's or early 60's with a big scar through her cheek and lip. Obviously the age range has probably been changed since Headey isn't anywhere near that old. We've already seen arough first lookat Karl Urban in costume as Judge Dredd, but I'm hoping for a more official, high quality glimpse at this new adaptation soon.Dreddtakes us to the wild streets of Mega City One, the lone oasis of quasi-civilization on Cursed Earth. Judge Dredd (Karl Urban) is the most feared of elite Street Judges, with the power to enforce the law, sentence offenders and execute them on the spot– if necessary.Thoughts?

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Chris Hemsworth& Tom Hiddleston on Fighting in Marvel's'Thor'« FirstShowing.net

We're almost two weeks into 2011 and that means we're that much closer to theMay 6threlease of Marvel Studios' anticipated adaptation ofThor. After thatfirst spectacular trailerand a couple ofcoolposters, I'm hoping that Marvel doesn't decide to show too much more for giving away the finer points of the promising-looking comic book flick. However, I'm definitely interested in hearing some ofThor'slead actors talk about the action on set. Thankfully,SFX Magazine(viaComicBookMovie) talked with the film's hero,Chris Hemsworth, and villainTom Hiddleston, where they opened up a bit about fighting on the blockbuster.

The God of Thunder himself, Chris Hemsworth, talked about putting on some muscle and creating a fighting style and physical demeanor to unique to this Thor. The actorelaborated:

"I had to put on about 20 pounds for the film. and I've lost most of that since I stopped shooting. It was such an effort to keep it on. Then, yeah, we did a lot of stunt training about how {Thor} moved and him as a character, and the more you work out physically how he moves helps with your dialogue scenes and vice versa, so it's an ongoing process. Thor's movement is closely linked toMjolnir, his legendary war hammer. He spins it and throws it and it flies and comes back. Working out how to use that as a weapon practically and itsadvantagesanddisadvantages, and then developing the style of how he fights and the body positions that he has in the comic books and trying to use some of them. It was great!"

As forTom Hiddleston, the man behind the mischievous villain and Thor's brother Loki, he alsoopened upabout some of his training and the fighting style he tried to develop for his character. Tom explains:

"I did a lot of training, actually, which is less visible than it is in the size of his arms {laughs}. {Director Kenneth Branagh} asked for me to bevery leanandvery strongat the same time, and he wanted me to develop afighting style. I don't know if you know the Brazilian martial art ofcapoeira, but it was something like that. I felt like if Thor was a big rock, Loki was like the wind, and he would dance around this sturdy block of granite. So I developed a kind of fighting style that was much more balletic, a kind oflethal dance."

It should definitely be interesting to see how the different fighting styles of Thor and Loki contrast and hopefully clash against each other when the film hits theaters at the beginning of the summer blockbuster season. If thattraileris any indicator, this should bequitea clash of the titans, andKenneth Branaghmay be the next bad-ass blockbuster director on the scene. The talent he's amassed and the passion they've put into making it as accurate to the comic yet edgy for today is fantastic. It should be a fun way to kick off the summer. But until then, we'll just have to sit and wait patiently untilThorhits theaters onMay 6thof this year.Sound good?

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Ridley Scott's Alien Prequel'Prometheus'Ready to Launch in 2012« FirstShowing.net

Whoa - it's here, the official announcement that Ridley Scott'sAlienprequel (or, no longer anAlienprequel, you'll find outwhy) is in development.Deadlinereports that 20th Century Fox has officially announced the titlePrometheusand a release date ofMarch 9th, 2012. But here's the catch, it might not exactly be anAlienprequel after all, as it has morphed into something"more original."And this original idea apparently involves five major roles, one of which will be played byNoomi Rapace, the others haven't been cast, but actresses circling roles called"Vickers"areAngelina JolieandCharlize Theron. More quotes below!

As wealready know,Lost'sDamon Lindelofcame in last year to rewrite Jon Spaihts's original script that he initially drafted for Scott. Well, it expanded into"new directions"(as was hinted atin a recent update) and has become something else. So here's how it's explained in its current form by Ridley Scott himself:

"While Alien was indeed the jumping off point for this project, out of the creative process evolved anew, grand mythologyanduniversein which this original story takes place. The keen fan will recognize strands of Alien'sDNA, so to speak, but the ideas tackled in this film areunique, large and provocative. I couldn't be more pleased to have found the singular tale I'd been searching for, and finally return to this genre that's so close to my heart."

Wow, Lindelof must've struck someseriousgold, because it sounds like he's riled up Scott in a big way and even made sure to get Fox on-board ready to go with a 2012 release date. Deadline spoke to Lindelof who, as well, seemed ecstatic to even be working on the same project:"In a world flooded with prequels, sequels and reboots, I was incredibly struck by just howoriginalRidley's vision was for this movie. It's daring, visceral and hopefully, the last thing anyone expects. When I sat in a movie theater as a kid, feet raised off the floor for fear that something might grab my ankles, I never dreamed in mywildest imaginationI would one day get to collaborate with the man responsible for it. Working alongside him has been nothing short ofa dream come true."And with that dream realized, together they're set to bring usPrometheusin 2012!

That's all the info Deadline has for now, also adding that"the other major roles will be cast shortly,"as I'm sure production will be aiming to get underway sometime soon this year. This probably explains why Jolie leftGravityand why Noomi Rapace (ofThe Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) was one of Scott's top contenders originally. This really sounds incredible, an entirely new sci-fi series from Ridley Scott and Damon Lindelof that brings in new characters in a new universe. And I bet he'll somehow still sneak in an explanation for the"Spacey Jockey"fromAlien. Stay tuned for more updates as they arrive!Until then - what do you think?

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Shane Black Directing a New Adaptation of'Death Note'Manga« FirstShowing.net

After seeing previews for small theatrical screenings of theJapanese live-action adaptationsof thepopular mangaDeath Note, I could not have been less interested in checking out the international film trilogy. However, news fromDeadlinethatShane Black(writer of theLethal Weaponfranchise and director ofKiss Kiss, Bang Bang) has been hired by Warner Bros. for a new live-action adaptation of theDeath Noteseries. The story follows a boy named Light Yagami who stumbles upon the Death Note, a notebook that delivers death to any human whose name is written on its pages, and vows to use it to rid the word of evil.

For a little more information on the story, here's the official synopsis:

Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects - and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds theDeath Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god.Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But whencriminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L totrack down the killer. With L hot on his heels, will Light lose sight of his noble goal...or his life? Light tests the boundaries of the Death Note powers as L and the police begin to close in. Luckily Light's father is the head of the Japanese National Police Agency and leaves vital information about the case lying around the house. With access to his father's files, Light can keep one step ahead of the authorities. But who is thestrange man following him, and how can Light guard against enemies whose names he doesn't know?

Anthony Bagarozzi and Charles Mondry are adapting the manga after working on Doc Savage, an upcoming drama that Black will direct for Sony. Black says,"It’s my favorite manga. I was just struck by its unique and brilliant sensibility. What we want to do is take it back to that manga, and make it closer to what is socomplexandtruthfulabout thespirituality of the story, versus taking the concept and trying to copy it as an American thriller."The gritty, film noir feel ofKiss Kiss, Bang Bangshows Black has the right sensibilities for a film like this, but that's the only film he's directed. Of course, once being at the top of the spec script market, Black has plenty of experience in Hollywood and I don't doubt his skills one bit.How about you?

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Greengrass Planning Film on Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr« FirstShowing.net

We already know director Lee Daniels has been developingSelma, a period drama focusing on the five-day, four-night protest march against those who were not in support of passing theNational Voting Rights Act of 1965that started in Selma, Alabama as well as the events leading up to it. Now another filmmaker is preparing his own location-specific Civil Rights related drama.Vulturereports directorPaul Greengrass(United 93) has been planning to makeMemphis, a film that chronicles the events leading up to the assassination ofMartin Luther King, Jr.in Memphis, Tennessee. Greengrass even wrote the film himself based on his own research.

Unless I'm mistaken this would be the first film to focus specifically on King's activities to organize the city's sanitation workers in the spring of 1968 before his assassination on April 4th of the same year. Vulture notes that this would be less of a biopic and more of a portrayal of the chaos and turmoil King's personal and professional life was enduring at the time. Not only was his marriage falling apart, but he was gaining weight, smoking and drinking heavily and losing some of his most important allies. Sounds like a hell of a movie to me. Nothing is official yet, but producer Scott Rudin might get involved and the picture could land at Focus Features.Interested?

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Atari Bringing Arcade Game Missile Command to the Big Screen« FirstShowing.net

Following the upcomingBattleshipandAsteroidsadaptations,Atarihas hired writersBurk SharplessandMatt Sazamato adapt the classic 80s arcade gameMissile Commandinto a feature film. ProducerPeter Chernin(Rise of the Apes) is developing the project at his own production company, with Atari exec producing. Sharpless& Sazama recently wrote theFlash Gordonreboot and worked onDracula Year Zero.Missile Command, which hit in 1980, is one of the simplest games involving firing counter-missiles from the ground to destroy incoming missile attacks from the air. How that will be made into a movie, I have no idea?

There couldn't be a more perfect time to reference a recentJames Cameronquote that's spreading around the web. ViaScreen Rant:"We have a story crisis they want to make theBattleshipgame into a film. This is puredesperation."Exactly!And yet here we are, reporting even more depressing news that a classic 8-bit game that involves defending our country by shooting missiles with a trackball is the latest basis behind a big budget action movie that's now in the works. This better be likeRed Dawnor else I don't know what the heck to expect. I don't even know if they'll set it in the Cold War or update it to be contemporary, but either way this definitely seems like a desperate attempt to capitalize on a brand that, well, hasn't been around for the last 20 years.Does anyone think aMissile Commandmovie might actually turn out okay?

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American Society of Cinematographers Awards 2011 Nominees« FirstShowing.net

Its been a hell of a year for cinematography, at least I thought. There were quite a few truly gorgeous films, but it's time to take a look at this year's nominees in the feature film category of the 25th AnnualAmerican Society of CinematographersOutstanding Achievement Awards. The five nominees are:Black Swan'sMatthew Libatique,Inception'sWally Pfister,The King's Speech'sDanny Cohen,True Grit'sRoger DeakinsandThe Social Network'sJeff Cronenweth. In the photo above is Libatique working onBlack Swan."These five people haveset the standardfor today's cinematography,"said ASC's Richard Crudo.

This is the ninth nomination for Deakins, most of the others have come from various Coen Brothers films, too. In addition to his nomination forTrue Grit, Deakins will also be honored as the recipient of the ASC's 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award. So no matter what, he's a winner! This is the third nomination for Wally Pfister followingBatman BeginsandThe Dark Knightpreviously. Cohen, Cronenweth and Libatique are all first-time nominees. I'm amazed this is Libatique's first, he also shotRequiem for a Dream,Inside Man,The FountainandIron Man 1& 2- yet no nominations before this?!"The artistically diverse approaches these talented cinematographers employed are a glimpse at whatvisionaries with a cameracan accomplish,"said ASC President Michael Goi in the press release."They arevisual storytellersof the highest caliber."

Strong words from the pres, but nonetheless true. I certainly can appreciate great cinematography when I come across it and these five movies are definitely the best work out of this past year. My top pick personally isThe King's Speech, just because they used the most refreshingly unconventional and unique approach to shooting a period piece, yet it still looked absolutely stunning, truly representative of the old adage that"every frame should look as beautiful as a photograph"- and they certainly did! I've been trying to setup an interview with Danny Cohen, who's also a fairly young newcomer, but haven't had any luck yet. The winner of the ASC Awards will be announced at their celebration in Hollywood onFebruary 13.Good choices?

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Trent Reznor Scoring David Fincher's'Girl With the Dragon Tattoo'« FirstShowing.net

Looking back at 2010, one piece of last year that Iknowwill be talked about for years is Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' score for David Fincher'sThe Social Network, that's not only topping a lot of best soundtrack lists (including the/Filmcast's Best of), but is just an amazing contemporary score than many folks listen to on a daily basis. So I'm not really surprised, but Iamvery excited to report thatTrent Reznoris scoring Fincher's next film,The Girl with the Dragon Tattooremake, that he's shooting. The Nine Inch Nails musician confirmed during a live chat with Jon Pareles onTimesTalktonight (caught byThe Film Stage).

Obviously not only did his work onThe Social Networkjust turn out phenomenal in the end, but he must've become friends with Fincher, as that would explain why he wants him back for more. Reznor has apparently been working on the film for about six weeks so far and said to"expect something different"thanThe Social Network, but they've obviously got a long ways to go, so plenty can change. I'm guessing that Reznor might also work with producer/composerAtticus Rossagain, but that hasn't been confirmed yet. Fincher is still hard at work onThe Girl with the Dragon Tattooas Sony has the film set for release thisDecember 21st. Reznor's style will fit well into a brilliant, dark"techno-thriller"like this, which makes him a perfect choice.

If you can't tell, I've been listening to the score while writing this and it really is incredible (it's worth every penny!). It's a great accompaniment to almost any kind of work you're doing, although it' particularly fitting because I'm working on a website right now too– how meta! Anyway, this is fantastic news to hear, as I've found myself enjoying most of the work that mainstream musicians have done on various soundtracks, and I'm happy to see Reznor continue working in film once again. I'm already looking forward to hearing/seeingThe Girl with the Dragon Tattooeven though we've still got another 12 months to go. Bring it on, Fincher!

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George Clooney Leading Adaptation of'The Monster of Florence'« FirstShowing.net

In the recent news, it's become clear thatGeorge Clooneyis quite busy both in front of and behind the camera. In addition to directingThe Ides of Marchand being attached to helm an adaptation of a stage musicalabout the Enron scandal, Clooney is also supposed to star in Alfonso Cuaron's sci-fi filmGravityand maybe Steven Soderbergh's adaptation ofThe Man from U.N.C.L.E.But nowDeadlinehas word on another starring vehicle for the A-list star as Fox 2000 has just closed a deal to adapt Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi'snon-fiction crime thrillerThe Monster of Florence, the story of the duo's attempt to solve a 30-year old serial murder case.

Clooney would play Preston in the story following the investigation of the murder of seven couples killed between 1974 and 1985 while parked in their cars just outside of the titular Italian city. With a cold trail and uncooperative police, Spezi and Preston weren't sure if they would ever solve the case. While you can find out the outcome by reading the book (or even just a summary elsewhere), I'll leave that tidbit unspoiled. It's not clear how soon Clooney would shoot the project, especially since Christopher McQuarrie and Nathan Alexander (who both worked onValkyrie) still have to write the script. It certainly sounds like quite a captivating crime thriller, but we're still not sure who will direct it, so stay tuned.Interested?

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Is Coppola Shooting a Portion of'Twixt Now and Sunrise'in 3D?« FirstShowing.net

Late last yearwe wrote about a new horror-thrillerthat the greatFrancis Ford Coppolawas already in the middle of quietly shooting calledTwixt Now and Sunrise. We don't know too much about it besides that it starsVal Kilmeras a horror novelist, as well as Elle Fanning and Bruce Dern. Well, found in a new interview with Coppola onThe 99 Percent(viaSlashFilm) is mention of a very interesting aspect of the film. Not only was it apparently inspired by"analcohol-induced dream{Coppola} had in Turkey"but he may have already shot one"brief dramatic segment"of itin 3D. Uh what- is Coppola turning into Gaspar Noé?

Coppola has alwaysbeen opposed to 3D, saying once that he has no interest in watching a movie wearing glasses, but a future where he might not have to isn't far off. Here's the key statement from his interview:

He recently wrapped his latest picture,Twixt Now and Sunrise, based on an alcohol-induced dream he had in Turkey. The film even features thelatest 3-D technology– but as a brief dramatic segment thatserves the story, rather than the typical two-hour, multiplex gimmick.

Note: this isnota quotefromCoppola, but it'sinthe piece, so I'm assuming they spoke about it during the interview, then pulled out the details later on.Twixt Now and Sunriseis Coppola's first venture into horror sinceBram Stoker'sDraculain 1992 and contains elements of gothic horror and romance. It's based on the"nightmare"he had and was worked into a short story first. It's an intriguing project, but Coppola's recent flicks (Youth Without Youth, Tetro) haven't been that great, so who knows how it'll turn out. I love that he's using 3D not as a gimmick, which I still think it mostly is, but as a filmmaking"tool"in the proper situation. If there's at least one filmmaker whowasis a truemasterof the tools of cinema, it's Francis Ford Coppola.

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Andy Samberg and Johnny Knoxville Could Join'Three Stooges'« FirstShowing.net

The project has gone through plenty of ups and downs throughout its decade long gestation, specifically a fluctuating cast thatonce includedJim Carrey, Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro, but development onThe Three Stoogessaunters forward. Though co-writer/co-director Peter Farrelly has mentioned hefears for the worstwith this project, news in December reported that it hadmoved to Foxwith intention of starting production in March. It looks like that's still on asThe WrapreportsJohnny Knoxville,Andy Sambergand Australian comicShane Jacobsonhave been shortlisted to play Moe, Larry and Curly respectively.

Farrellypreviously saidthe cast could include a major movie star or a complete unknown andno onewould be counted out, and these names certainly meet both criteria so far. The reputations ofJackassmastermind Johnny Knoxville and"Saturday Night Live"favorite Andy Samberg precede them, but Shane Jacobson is virtually unknown in the U.S. However, down under, the comedian can be seen in several commercials and hosts"Top Gear Australia."You can see Jacobson in this Australian commercialright hereas well asthis trailerforKenny, a mockumentary for which Jacobson has received much praise.

While I'm still wary of this project actually getting off the ground, the cast does sound intriguing. I'm just not sure it's going to be easy see past Samberg and Knoxville's respective antics and personality to which we've become accustomed. Personally, I think more unknown talent is the way to go, but the studio is likely looking for some big names (especially ones that appeal to the younger demographics unfamiliar with"The Three Stooges") to try and get this project out of development hell and into theaters. One thing's for sure, brotherly writing and directing duo Peter and Bobby Farrelly certainly have their hands full.What do you think of this potential cast?

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New Digital Media Format Dubbed'UltraViolet'Unveiled at CES« FirstShowing.net

It's about time. Hollywood is taking ahugestep forward in digital distribution today. Six major studios have announced a new"serviceandformat"calledUltraViolet, created by the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE). Although I cherish my ever-growingBlu-Raycollection, I recognize that the future is headed towards digital disc-less distribution and along withNetflix Instant, which I already use and love, UltraViolet sounds like it's the next step in evolving the digital distribution game. There are numerous press releases and details coming in across multiple days atCESin Las Vegas, so there is plenty to read through!

Among the studios supporting UltraViolet are Lionsgate Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros."Complementing the physical DVD and Blu-ray home entertainment markets, studios will begin offeringUltraViolet contentthis year throughdigital online retailersanddigital rightsthat come with packaged media, giving consumers the ability to watch digital entertainment acrossmultiple platformssuch as connected TVs, PCs, game consoles and smartphones."So it sounds like they're trying to come up with one unifying system for movie distribution and ownership, if that's what I'm understanding from this press release, which sounds terrific.

Here's howThe Wrapexplains it:"Get to know the nameUltraViolet. By next year you'll be able to playall the moviesand shows you download over almost any device— from TVs to smartphones to tablets to PCs to Blu-ray players. You'll also be able toburn them onto DVDsand share them with family and friends."That sounds like a dream come true, is this all for real, is that exactly what we're getting? Apparently thatisthe plan with this. In addition to those six aforementioned studios, other stakeholders in the service include media behemothComcastas well asMicrosoft,Best Buyand yep, even our palNetflix. I'm sure Apple and Amazon and will be joining this soon, too– as they're my two primary digital destinations right now.

"These six major Hollywood studios were a driving force in creating UltraViolet, and their plans to make films and television shows available through the UltraViolet ecosystem cements amilestoneunion among the content, technology and retail services industries,"said Mark Teitell, General Manager of the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE)."In 2011, UltraViolet will substantiallyraise the baron the electronic home entertainment experiences in-market today."

Here's a look at what's next: Initially, consumers will only be able to play content they have stored in thecloud-based accountby downloading UltraViolet-optimized media player apps for PCs, game consoles and smart mobile devices. In early2012, the first electronic devices designed specifically for UltraViolet are expected to become available. Consumers will also be able to register up to 12 devices so UltraViolet content can be easily downloaded or shared between them. If you're looking for more specific details, PR Newswire has thefullpress releasewith tons of details, andEngadgethas a good articlefrom back in July when the concept was first being announced. This really sounds like an incredible new concept with a lot of potential.

The digital revolution reallyisbeginning and a future where DVDs may not even exist for purchase anymore seems a lot closer now than before. As a big fan ofNetflixandOn Demandas well as DVDs and theatrical viewing (the onlytrueway to see cinema), I'm a supporter of all these formats and curious to explore every one, as I'm looking for the best way to enjoymoregood movies."Today's announcement that UltraViolet is ready shows that the entertainment and technology communities have made good on their promise to give the world anew, user-friendly digital standardfor collecting movies and TV shows in the digital age,"said DECE's Mark Teitell. Let's hope UltraViolet reallydoeslive up to that promise. I'll be following closely.

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'Karate Kid' Remake Director to Adapt 'Bakugan Battle Brawlers'« FirstShowing.net

As someone whose never really been a big fan of anime, that means that my childhood was void of any interest in cartoon/toy/card game crossovers likeYu-Gi-Oh!andPokémon. Therefore, I can't say that I have much interest in this new project that sounds all too similar to those aforementioned imports.The WrapreportsHarald Zwart, who most recently helmed the remake ofThe Karate Kid, is attached to direct an adaptation of the strategic card game turned animeBakugan Battle Brawlers. Going simply by the titleBakugan, the story utilizes a card game mixed with battles between monsters for a worldwide tournament.

Pretty original, right?! Anyway, the cartoon itself is an adaptation of the game created by Sega and Spin Master, but here's the story that was crafted for the anime series:

Dan Kuso and his five on-line friends started playing Bakugan when game cards inexplicably fell from the sky. Using combinations of cards and special marbles that turn into monsters, they fight duels and win points. Dan loudly proclaims he's going to become the all-time champion. He and his friends learn that Bakugan monsters have lives in the dimension of Vestroia. But the mysterious gamer Masquerade is destroying the monsters he defeats by sending them to the Doom Dimension.

Obviously there's interest in the property because it was named"Toy of the Year"by the Toy Industry Association in 2009, which was it's second consecutive win. Of course, any film that combines a familiar brand has the potential for even more merchandising and that just makes executives feel all warm and gooey inside. This will be a step up for Zwart in the scale of his films, but since he was in the director's chair forAgent Cody BanksandThe Pink Panther 2, he's quite familiar with directing films for a younger audience.

Honestly, I can't say that I'm the least bit interested, and since the adaptation of"Avatar: The Last Airbender"didn't turn out so well (yes, I know it's not a Japanese anime), I don't have too much faith in this project yet. Not only is it yet another adaptation of a toy/cartoon series headed to the big screen, but this kind of story and action has been beaten into the ground by thePokémonfranchise. Of course, I'm always ready to have my mind changed, so the ball is in your court Universal.What do you think?

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John Goodman Ready to Be 'Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close'« FirstShowing.net

We'll next see him in Kevin Smith's peculiar, but whollyinteresting looking horror filmRed State(which we'll be checking out at theSundance Film Festivallater this month), but notJohn Goodmanhas a new project lined up.THRreportsThe Big Lebowskistar will join Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock in the adaptation ofJonathan Safran Foer's novelExtremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Stephen Daldry is directing the film which tells the story of Oskar, a 10-year old boy (to be portrayed by unknown child actor Thomas Horn) who loses his father (Hanks) in the 9/11 attacks and goes on a cathartic journey to deal with his loss.

The boy takes a journey across New York, looking for information relating to the lock-box key box left behind by his father and meets an assortment of people along the way who are each dealing with their own forms of grief and loss not entirely different from his own. Goodman's role is that of a doorman in Oskar's apartment building who goes on a trip to exhume the father's coffin. Surely plenty more high profile cast members should be announced soon with Stephen Daldry (The Reader) directing from a script by Eric Roth (Forrest Gump) and this project is bound to be quite an awards contender down the road.Interested?

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