Oscars: The 2011 Academy Award Winners

In a surge reminiscent of its late-breaking Oscar season momentum, The King’s Speechtriumphed at the 2011 Academy Awards, winning three of the final four categories including Best Picture, Best Actor (Colin Firth), and Best Director (Tom Hooper). The magnificent British drama took home four golden statues on Sunday, tieing Christopher Nolan’sInceptionfor the most Oscars, and narrowly beating critic favorite and three-time winner The Social Network.

Hosted by a smug, sleepyJames Francoand a cheery, happy-to-be-thereAnne Hathaway, the 4+ hour ceremony felt like an eternity.  The next-generation actors were supposed to liven what is traditionally a stuffy telecast, but their monologue and subsequent appearances lacked the classy zingers of Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin’s banter or the pep of Hugh Jackman’s show.

Further attempts to appeal to a populist crowd, such as autotuning some of 2010’s big blockbusters or quipping about Charlie Sheen, fell flat, and were upstaged by the wit and charm of 94-year-old Kirk Douglas and the F-bomb dropped by Melissa Leo during her otherwise appreciative acceptance speech.

A noticeably pregnant and gracious Natalie Portman won“Best Actress,” besting a radiant Annette Bening in her fourth nomination and loss. A bearded Christian Bale joked about his co-star’s foul mouth while picking up“Best Supporting Actor.” Aaron Sorkin powered through his pre-written speech for his“Adapted Screenplay” win while the music swelled over him. Overall, there were very few upsets in a night of deserved winners.

Here is the full list of the 2011 Academy Award winners:

BEST PICTURE
127 Hours
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
WINNER: The King’s Speech
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter’s Bone

BEST ACTOR
Javier Bardem, Biutiful
Jeff Bridges, True Grit
Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
WINNER: Colin Firth, The King’s Speech
James Franco, 127 Hours

BEST ACTRESS
Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone
WINNER: Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine

BEST DIRECTOR
Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
Joel& Ethan Coen, True Grit
David Fincher, The Social Network
WINNER: Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech
David O. Russell, The Fighter

BEST SONG
“Coming Home,” Country Strong, Tom Douglas, Troy Verges and Hillary Lindsey
“I See the Light,” Tangled, Alan Menken, Glenn Slater
“If I Rise,” 127 Hours, A.R. Rahman, Dido, Rollo Armstrong
WINNER:“We Belong Together,” Toy Story 3, Randy Newman

BEST EDITING
127 Hours, Jon Harris
Black Swan, Andrew Weisblum
The Fighter, Pamela Martin
The King’s Speech, Tariq Anwar
WINNER: The Social Network, Angus Wall and Kirk Baxter

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Alice in Wonderland, Ken Ralston, David Schaub, Carey Villegas and Sean Phillips
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows— Part 1, Tim Burke, John Richardson, Christian Manz and Nicolas Aithadi
Hereafter, Michael Owens, Bryan Grill, Stephan Trojanski and Joe Farrell
WINNER: Inception, Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Andrew Lockley and Peter Bebb
Iron Man 2, Janek Sirrs, Ben Snow, Ged Wright and Daniel Sudick

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Exit Through the Gift Shop, Banksy and Jaimie D’Cruz
Gasland, Josh Fox and Trish Adlesic
WINNER: Inside Job, Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs
Restrepo, Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger
Waste Land, Lucy Walker and Angus Aynley

BEST LIVE-ACTION SHORT
The Confession, Tanel Toom
The Crush, Michael Creagh
WINNER: God of Love, Luke Matheny
Na Wewe, Ivan Goldschmidt
Wish 143, Ian Barnes and Samantha Waite

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
Killing in the Name (Nominees TBD)
Poster Girl (Nominees (TBD)
WINNER: Strangers No More, Karen Goodman and Kirk Simon
Sun Come Up, Jennifer Redfearn and Tim Metzger
The Warriors of Qiugang, Ruby Yang and Thomas Lenno

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
WINNER: Alice in Wonderland, Colleen Atwood
I Am Love, Antonella Cannarozzi
The King’s Speech, Jenny Beaven
The Tempest, Sandy Powell
True Grit, Mary Zophres

BEST MAKEUP
Barney’s Version, Adrien Morot
The Way Back, Eduoard F. Henriques, Gregory Funk, Yolanda Toussieng
WINNER: The Wolfman, Rick Baker and Dave Elsey

BEST SOUND EDITING
WINNER: Inception, Richard King
Toy Story 3, Tom Myers and Michael Silvers
TRON: Legacy, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle and Addison Teague
True Grit, Skip Lievsay and Craig Berkey
Unstoppable, Mark P. Stoeckinger

BEST SOUND MIXING
WINNER: Inception, Lora Hirschberg, Gary A. Rizzo, and Ed Novick
The King’s Speech, Paul Hamblin, Martin Jensen, and John Midgley
Salt, Jeffrey J. Haboush, Greg P. Russell, Scott Millan, and William Sarokin
The Social Network, Ren Klyce, David Parker, Michael Semanick, and Mark Weingarten
True Grit, Skip Lievsay, Craig Berkey, Greg Orloff, and Peter F. Kurland

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
127 Hours, A.R. Rahman
How to Train Your Dragon, John Powell
Inception, Hans Zimmer
The King’s Speech, Alexandre Desplat
WINNER: The Social Network, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
WINNER: Christian Bale, The Fighter
John Hawkes, Winter’s Bone
Jeremy Renner, The Town
Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right
Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Hors la Loi (Outside the Law) (Algeria)
Incendies (Canada)
WINNER: In a Better World (Denmark)
Dogtooth (Greece)
Biutiful (Mexico)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Another Year, written by Mike Leigh
The Fighter, Screenplay by Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy& Eric Johnson;
Story by Keith Dorrington& Paul Tamasy& Eric Johnson
Inception, written by Christopher Nolan
The Kids Are All Right, written by Lisa Cholodenko& Stuart Blumberg
WINNER: The King’s Speech, Screenplay by David Seidler

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
127 Hours, Screenplay by Danny Boyle& Simon Beaufoy
WINNER: The Social Network, Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin
Toy Story 3, Screenplay by Michael Arndt; Story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich
True Grit, written for the screen by Joel Coen& Ethan Coen
Winter’s Bone, adapted for the screen by Debra Granik& Anne Rosellini

BEST ANIMATED FILM
How to Train Your Dragon
The Illusionist
WINNER: Toy Story 3

BEST ANIMATED SHORT
Day& Night, Teddy Newton
The Gruffalo, Jakob Schuh and Max Lang
Let’s Pollute, Geefwee Boedoe
WINNER: The Lost Thing, Shaun Tan and Andrew Ruhemann
Madagascar, Carnet de Voyage (Madagascar, a Journey Diary), Bastien Dubois

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter, The King’s Speech
WINNER: Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit
Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Black Swan, Matthew Libatique
WINNER: Inception, Wally Pfister
The King’s Speech, Danny Cohen
The Social Network, Jeff Cronenweth
True Grit, Roger Deakins

BEST ART DIRECTION
WINNER: Alice in Wonderland, Robert Stromberg, Karen O’Hara
Happy Potter and the Deathly Hallows— Part 1, Stuart Craig, Stephenie McMillan
Inception, Guy Hendrix Dyas, Larry Dias, Doug Mowat
The King’s Speech, Eve Stewart, Judy Farr
True Grit, Jess Gonchor, Nancy Haigh

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Chatty Charlie Sheen May Miss 'Major League 3'

After a radio interview tour last week that launched countless tabloid headlines and forced the temporary cancellation of his CBS series“Two and a Half Men,”Charlie Sheenwill continue his career implosion in an ABC in interview with Andrea Canning that will air during the network’s primetime series“20/20″ and daily on“Good Morning America.”

Sheen has become a regular fixture on celebrity outlets the past few weeks for his numerous arrests, brief hospitalization for“abdominal pains,” and short stints in rehab, but things got increasingly worse for the 45-year-old actor when he opened his big mouth to scumbag radio host Alex Jones on February 24.

In theepic audio, Sheen compares himself to Marlon Brandon’s character, Colonel Kurtz, inApocalypse Now, takes several verbal swings as Chuck Lorre (creator of“Two and a Half Men”), articulates the phrase“Bible grippers,” rattles off something about“Vatican assassin warlocks,” and rambles on about his supposed light switch addiction. But Charlie“Wild Thing” Sheen’s tirade also included a bit aboutMajor League 3, the long-rumored baseball comedy follow-up that would essentially ignore 1998’s Major League: Back to the Minors.

“It’s being directed and written by a genius named David Ward who, I don’t know, won the Academy Award at 23 for writing The Sting? {He was 29.} It was his pen and his vision that created the classic that we know today as Major League. In fact, a lot of people think the movie’s called Wild Thing, as they should. Whatever… If they want me in it, it’s a smash. If they don’t, it’s a turd that opens on a tugboat.”

Wise words from the Vatican assassin warlock, but Morgan Creek CEO James Robinson may be opting for that tugboat. In a comment toTMZ, Robinson said,“Obviously with Major League 3 there’s a huge part written for Charlie’s character… but after dealing with Lindsay Lohan onGeorgia Rule, I can speak for someone who has experienced the difficulties of working with an actor dealing with addiction.” He continued by rehashing Lohan’s unreliability and the money they stand to lose if Sheen can’t control himself.

But Sheen’s already out millions due to the shutdown of his series, which was paying him nearly $2 million an episode at this point (it’s eighth season). While CBS hasn’t officially canned the show, the meltdown could potentially cost all parties involved hundreds of millions of dollars in lost licensing fees, rerun revenue, and advertising, estimates theLA Times. Of course, Sheen pledged to still arrive for work on Tuesday, despite production being halted indefinitely.  Unfortunately, the other 200+ people who were showing up when there was work to do are now out of a job.

One network’s sizable loss is another’s gain though, as the big Sheen get will likely boost ABC’s ratings as curiosity spreads. Deadlinereports ABC is battling with the Academy to allow promos for the interview during the prestigious awards show.  The Academy, which has approval over even the advertisements, is adamantly refusing.

Aside from interviews, we may not have seen the last of Sheen on television. The actor claimed toRadarOnlinehe is“close to securing a deal” with HBO for a one-hour show called“Sheen’s Corner” that will focus on the“truth and the absurd.” Sheen says the deal, which HBO denies, would grant him $5 million an episode, roughly (ironically) two and a half times what he made on his CBS sitcom.

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'Justin Bieber' Movie Director Lands 'G.I. Joe 2' Gig

Paramount Pictures has selected a director for the big-budget follow-up to 2009’s G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra:Step Up 2 the Streetsfilmmaker Jon Chu.

Chu, whose resume consists of twoStep Upmovies and recently the concert documentary Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, was on a short list of names to replace Stephen Sommers, who directed the original butskipped the sequelafter rumored clashes with the studio. Others considered for the job, according toLatinoReview, included Jaume Collet-Serra (Unknown) and F. Gary Gray (Law Abiding Citizen).

But Chu turned a $15 million budget onNever Say Neverinto $57.5 million (and rising), which showed not only strong numbers in the Bieb’s die-hard fan base, but decent returns in other demographics after the film gathered a rather positive consensus from critics.

Chu also whipped up an alternate“Director’s Fan Cut” for the film last week (now in theaters), making it possible for Paramount to re-release the movie to its digital, 3D locations with enough extra footage to double dip into the pockets of the pop sensation’s loyal following. Meanwhile, Collet-Serra’s movie with Liam Neeson performed well enough, but didn’t quite gather theTakensize numbers of Neeson’s previous Winter hit. ButDeadlinereports the decision came down to Chu and Gray, who turned the studio’s The Italian Jobremake into a blockbuster roughly eight years ago.

Channing Tatum, who oddly enough starred inStep Up, is expected to return as the central hero, Duke, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt could (and should) reprise his role as the villainous Cobra Commander, considering the first film’s cliffhanger. Though Gordon-Levitt has become even more of a star since 2009, and is already lined up to play an unknown part in Christopher Nolan’sThe Dark Knight Rises. The original G.I. Joe, made for a bloated $175M, brought in $300 million worldwide.

Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, who wroteZombielandand one helluvaDeadpoolscript, penned the toy-based sequel. No word on if Paramount is planning 3D for the follow-up, given Chu’s background with the technique.

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Details on Steve Carell's Post-'Office' Projects

In case you haven’t heard, Steve Carell will be exiting NBC’s“The Office” sometime in April, weeks before the finale of season seven and ushered out of television with aguest starring rolefrom his personal friend, Will Ferrell.

His timely exit signals the end of a six-year agreement with NBC, made in 2005 at a time when his career was burgeoning beyond supporting spots in Ferrell comedies and a brilliant six-year stint as a regular correspondent on“The Daily Show.” Success came quickly, with his first starring role inThe 40-Year-Old Virgin, a SAG ensemble award for his dramatic turn inLittle Miss Sunshine, a flop (Evan Almighty), a hit (Get Smart), and a few delightful, animated leads inHorton Hears a Who!andDespicable Me.

But with“The Office” off his plate for good, Carell’s schedule is widening to take on several more projects a year in an exciting mix of upcoming comedic and dramatic performances.

Carell can next be seen inCrazy, Stupid, Love, a film he produced with Warner Bros and set for July 29, 2011.  (No relation to Julia Roberts’ similarly comma-ed drama. Less eating and praying, I expect.)  The marital comedy co-stars Julianna Moore, Ryan Gosling, Kevin Bacon, Marisa Tomei, and Emma Stone in the story of Cal, a family man whose life is turned upside down when his wife (Moore) demands a divorce and he’s thrust into the dating world with a handsome“wingman” named Jacob (Gosling).

For his next production, the 48-year-old actor is alsoreportedlyjoining the dramaGreat Hope Springs, opposite the inimitable Meryl Streep.  He will play Dr. Feld, a marriage counselor who attempts to foster reconciliation between a woman (Streep) and her husband (an unnamed actor).  The project re-teams Streep withDevil Wears Pradadirector David Frankel and is currently scheduled to shoot this August.

Carell will follow up that supporting role withBurt Wonderstone, a wacky broad comedy for New Line Cinema about a Las Vegas magician who accidentally kills his partner and must regain his magic mojo in order to compete with a rival illusionist. Fun fact:Wonderstonewas co-written by John Francis Daley (a.k.a. Sam Weir on“Freaks and Geeks”).

After those movies, Carell is attached to a few more potential picks for the latter half of 2011 and into 2012. One isThe Abstinence Teacher, a comedy that re-teams the actor withLMSdirectors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris andpairs him with showbiz darlingSandra Bullock. He would play a born-again soccer coach who falls for a sex education teacher (Bullock) in a small conservative town. Another isOf All the Things, a narrative re-telling of the documentary by the same name about Dennis Lambert, a musician in the’70s and’80s, and his comeback tour in the Philippines. He’s also still circlingGet Smart 2, though there have been no recent developments on bringing Carell and his rapidly rising co-star, Anne Hathaway, back to CONTROL.

However, the most recent announcement is Carell will leadDogs of Babel, an adaptation of Carolyn Parkhurst’s novel about a linguistics professor grieving over the death of his wife. The script, adapted by Jamie Linden (Dear John), is a moving portrait of depression and confusion in the wake of the tragedy, during which Paul desperately searches for answers about her final days by trying to communicate with the family dog (who saw the accident) and uncovering new revelations about the woman he married.  It’s a pitch perfect role for dramatic Carell (or DramatiCarell, if you prefer) and returns the versatile actor to the same doldrums that earned him critical acclaim forDan in Real Life.

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D.J. Caruso to Direct 'Preacher'

After several false starts, the adaptation of the Vertigo comic book seriesPreacheris moving ahead again with director D.J. Caruso.

The directortweetedthis week,“My deal just closed on Preacher. Going back to the dark side and pretty fucking pumped!” He will direct from a script by John August (Go, Big Fish). The controversial story, written by Garth Ennis, tells of a small town Texas preacher who becomes possessed by a creature of both pure goodness and evil.  When his uncontrollable powers decimate his entire congregation, the holy Jesse Custer literally goes on a violent journey in search of God, who abandoned Heaven.  In other words, this isn’t the squeaky clean Caruso we saw behindEagle Eyeand the Hitchcockian redoDisturbia.

Caruso, whose latest film (I Am Number Four) is currently in theaters, was rumored for the gig last month but the question-marked headlines faded without confirmation from Columbia Pictures and his potential hiring was written off as another faint possibility in the comics’ long run to the silver screen.

During the 75-issue run from 1995 to 2000, Ennis sold the rights to Electric Entertainment in‘98 and they quickly set Rachel Talalay (Tank Girl) as the director. (See, fans, it could be worse?)  Kevin Smith and his producing partner Scott Mosier helped Ennis pitch the concept to Harvey Weinstein circa 2000, but he passed and Smith remained attached for a few years.  By 2002, James Marsden was linked to the lead, but the project died down again due to budget constraints.  HBO commissioned a pilot and a“series bible” (an outline of the first season) in 2006, but the cable network abandoned the idea due to its dark and controversial nature. Columbia Pictures swept up the rights in 2008 and attached Sam Mendes to direct and John August to write the script.  Mendes ultimately walked (to directBond 23), after which Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan) expressed interest.

While I’m eager to see a… (ahem) faithful adaptation ofPreacheron screen (any screen will do), Caruso seems like an odd choice to try for another green light, particularly without altering the comics’ irreverent tone. We’ll be following this one closely, but I will be surprised if this adaptation happens after all these years.

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Hollywood Remaking The Bodyguard, Soapdish

In a town where everything somewhat old is being renewed again, remakes of the 1991 comedy Soapdishand the 1992 dramaThe Bodyguardare headed to the recycling plant.

According toDeadline, Warner Bros is rebooting the hit— which made the studio $411 million worldwide that year (7th largest domestic gross in 1992)— as a potential starring vehicle for another pop singer turned actress. The original, about a bodyguard who protects a popular singer, was the acting debut of Whitney Houston in the early’90s, though the singer only eventually made two other features (Waiting to ExhaleandThe Preacher’s Wife) and a television rendition of Cinderella. The new version will reportedly maintain the concept while updating the titular character to an Iraq War veteran protecting his client in an age of Twitter, Facebook, TMZ, and the like.

No singer is attached at this point, but you’d have to expect emerging actresses Taylor Swift and Rihanna to be on the short list. The former has circled a few projects after appearing briefly inValentine’s Dayand the latter is making her big screen debut inBattleship. Plus possibly Katy Perry, Christina Aguilera and perhaps even Beyonce, who is preparing to work with WB and Clint Eastwood onA Star is Born. They’ll also need to find a young actor to be the bodyguard, originally played by Kevin Costner, so someone contact Channing Tatum.

Jeremiah Friedman and Nick Palmer, whose spec script Family Getawaymade theBlack Listlast year, will write the new version. No word on whether the studio plans to reuse the song“I Will Always Love You.”

Meanwhile, producer Alan Griesman thought it was a good idea to redo showbiz comedySoapdish, which originally starred Robert Downey Jr., Sally Field, Teri Hatcher, Kevin Kline and Whoopi Goldberg, who will probably flip out again about being“erased.” According to theHollywood Reporter, Ben Schwartz will write the script about antics behind the scenes of a soap opera.

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Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio to Re-Team on‘Wolf of Wall Street'

Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio will collaborate for the fifth time onThe Wolf of Wall Street, a project the two attempted before and later becameLeo’s possible reunionwith Ridley Scott.

Vulturelearned last week the project left Warner Bros and secured independent financing to possibly shoot by June 2012. The potential film keeps Scorsese working with“Boardwalk Empire” producer Terence Winter, who wrote the script circa 2008, after the legendary filmmaker shot the HBO pilot and executive produced the series.

It also puts Scorsese back in his wheelhouse of crime and corruption, centered on the meteoric success of Jordan Belfort, a former white collar criminal in the 9′0s who turned his own life of stock market manipulation into a bestselling memoir. In a sort ofCasinomeetsBoiler Room, the book (and, subsequently, the script) tells the story of a hungry broker scratching his way from the bottom selling penny stocks to million-dollar suites loaded with high-priced hookers, drugs, and stacks of under-the-table earnings.

However, while Scorsese is completing post-production work on his 3D family filmHugo Cabret(now scheduled for November 23), he will not move immediately into the financial drama. According to thePlaylist, Scorsese’s next film isSilence, a drama based on the Shusaku Endo novel about two 17th century Jesuit priests who face violence and persecution while traveling to Japan to spread the gospel of Christianity. Daniel Day-Lewis,Benicio del Toro, andGael Garcia Bernalwere attached to star in a previous try, one of many false starts since 1998.

Scorsese also hasThe Irishmanlined up with hisothermuse attached, Robert De Niro, and potentiallyJoe Pesci and Al Pacino. Let’s hope he finds the time to make all three.

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Studio Releasing New Cut of Justin Bieber Movie

Paramount’s Insurge Pictures has announced plans to release a new,“director’s fan cut” ofJustin Bieber: Never Say Never, the 3D concert film and backstory documentary about the 16-year-old pop music sensation.

According to the press release, tickets go on sale Tuesday afternoon forJustin Bieber: Never Say Never Director’s Fan Cut, a new edit of the movie with 40 minutes of unused footage (only available in digital 3D locations).  However, director Jon Chu scooped out 30 minutes from the original cut, which means the runtime is only 10 minutes longer.

The extra clips include new songs, fresh looks at Bieber’s home life, and video of the film’s premieres across the country, giving“fans an even deeper look into Justin’s life.”

The appropriately-titled Never Say Neverwas released on February 11, just days before the lucrative Valentine’s Day rush. The movie managed to gross $29.5 million in its first weekend, good enough for second place at the box office behind the Sandler-Aniston rom-comJust Go With It. (A moment of silence for American cinema…) Thus far, in 11 days, The Biebs has scored $51.4 million for the studio on an initial, low-risk budget of $13M.

Re-releases have been done before (ahem: Star Wars), but an updated version being distributed to locations is an unprecedented move that other studios are likely watching closely. Paramount has essentially found a way to double-dip into the theatrical profits from a small, but loyal fan base.  A successful third weekend could mean more digital re-edits for other die-hard franchises like Spider-Man, Twilight, and the eventual reboot of Twilight.

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Context, Analysis for the New‘Thor’ Trailer

Last week, Marvel unveiled the theatrical trailer for Kenneth Branagh’sThor, their May 6, 2011 release and the next stand-alone piece of the Avengers puzzle. While the trailer itself is epic in scope, I thought I might provide some context that might explain what exactly is happening in this two and a half minutes. First, watch the trailer:

This post does contain spoilers. However, since this particularThortrailer focuses on reminding people that lovely actress (and probable Oscar winner)Natalie Portmanis in the film, many of the shots are of the God of Thunder on Earth from the portion of the plot where he is exiled from the kingdom of Asgard. As a result, there is quite a bit omitted from the movie’s predominantly otherwordly (Nine Worlds) settings, such as Asgard and Jotunheim.

Those shots feature Portman’s character, Jane Foster, an astrophysicist in the movie rather than a nurse (like in the comics). Seen delivering some snarky lines is her assistant, Darcy, played byKat Dennings, and Foster’s colleague, Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgård). These Jeep scenes and introduction of this mysterious stranger are all from the very beginning of the movie, which is then intercut with flashbacks of Thor (Chris Hemsworth) interacting with characters in Asgard and then his exile to our planet.

It also gives us these progressive shots of widening Natalie Portman astonishment:

A flashback re-introduces Thor, son of Odin (Anthony Hopkins), in his home world just moments before he is crowned king of Asgard. After some comic banter with his half-brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), and the Warriors Three, the masses assemble and Thor kneels before his father to take the oath. Check out these beautiful images of Asgard:

But the ceremony is interrupted by an attack on Asgard by the Frost Giants of Jotunheim. (But how did they get in?) Angered by the disturbance, Thor rallies the warriors to march into Jotunheim and cripple the invaders at the source. This sets up a blue-tinted battle sequence (featuring Thor’s signature hammer throw).

A frost beast versus Sif (Jaimie Alexander), Fandral (Josh Dallas), and Hogun (Tadanobu Asano).

Laufey (Colm Feore), the Jotun king.

Upon his return from battle, Odin casts Thor out of Asgard for his reckless actions. On Earth, his first trial is to recover Mjolnir, his mighty hammer. But it’s being protected by Agent Coulson (who Thor calls“son of Coul”) and his S.H.I.E.L.D. team. (You may remember, thefirst trailerprimarily centered on Thor battling guards at the compound to get to Mjolnir.)

His second trial (and means of proving himself worth of Asgardian royalty) is a face-off against“The Destroyer,” a magical suit of armor sent to Earth by Loki to, well, destroy Thor and the Warriors Three. Here’s a shot from the teaser:

The Destroyer powering up:

Thor confronting the Destroyer while Jane, Erik, Darcy and the Warriors Three, including Volstagg (Ray Stevenson), cower in the background. A fight ensues.

But that isn’t the climax. Thor ultimately returns to Asgard to confront Loki, which sets up this scene (note the Rainbow Bridge behind him):

This showdown:

This mighty swing (Loki in the foreground):

And this:

Excited yet?

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Ryan Gosling to Star in 'Logan's Run' Remake

Warner Bros is closing a deal withRyan Goslingto star in the long-gestating remake ofLogan’s Run, an update of the 1976 sci-fi film to be directed by Nicolas Winding Refn (Bronson).

Set in a futuristic“utopia,” members of society are put to death at the age of 30 until Logan 5 (Gosling) refuses his mandatory death sentence and goes on the run to survive.

The remake has been kicked around for years at Warner Bros, attracting directors like Bryan Singer, Joseph Kosinski (Tron: Legacy) and, most recently, Ridley Scott apprentice Carl Erik Rinsch (who moved on to47 Ronin). Refn’s hire is an inspired choice given the filmmaker’s eye for impressive visuals and affinity for the struggles of man, but unexpected since he has no experience with a studio. However, his vision could also benefit from alackof science fiction in his filmography and the potential for a fresh perspective instead of the usual genre conventions. Alex Garland (28 Days Later) wrote the script for Rinsch before his exit and Refn will work from that framework.

Gosling, 30, is extremely choosy with his roles, so the announcement that he’s starring in a high-profile remake (via Deadline) comes as a pleasant surprise. While he may have found commercial success withThe Notebook, Gosling has been exceptional in indie films likeHalf Nelson,Lars and the Real Girl, and recentlyBlue Valentine.

The duo collaborated last year on the stunt driver and heist thrillerDrive, which we’ve been looking forward to since the duo was hired along with the lovely Carey Mulligan. (For more details, read ourscript review.) That movie is due out in September.

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Adrianne Palicki to Lead NBC's 'Wonder Woman'

Adrianne Palicki, best known for her role in the former NBC series“Friday Night Lights,” has been cast in the network’s“Wonder Woman” pilot as the DC Comics superheroine.

The pilot, written by David E. Kelley (”Ally McBeal”,“Boston Legal”), picks up in an alternate reality where the international public is aware of Wonder Woman and her affiliation with Themyscira Industries (think Iron Man and Stark Industries).

Flashbacks hint of her Amazonian origins on Paradise Island and a love affair with Steve Trevor, a government employee who accidentally crashed on the hidden island years ago.

But Diana/Wonder Woman is unable to return to either and is left cleaning up the streets with her magical golden lasso, arguing her case at a Congressional hearing (ahem,Iron Man 2) and lamenting her lost life/love with her best friend and publicist, Myndi. Wonder Woman’s nemesis is Veronica Cale, a high-powered pharmaceutical executive with a case of super envy (one head of hair away from being Lex Luthor) and a plot to create super soldiers to thwart her superhuman enemy.

Deadlinereports 27-year-old Palicki was the only actress invited to test for the part, originally played by Lynda Carter in the 1970s series.

This isn’t Palicki’s first superhero pilot, though. She played the evil Siren in a pilot episode of“Aquaman” for the CW Network, but the show was never picked up for a series. Palicki was a series regular on three seasons of“FNL” before starring in Fox’s“Lone Star,” which was cancelled after just two low-rated episodes last year. Her film roles have been limited to playing a dim-witted prostitute inWomen in Troubleand its dim-witted sequelElektra Luxx, and gun-toting ladies inLegionand the long-delayedRed Dawnremake.

McG was in negotiations to direct the pilot, but backed out due to a scheduling conflict. Instead, Jeffrey Reiner, who directed Palicki in“Friday Night Lights” and the pilot episode of NBC’s“The Event,” is closing a deal to direct.

We will have a review of the“Wonder Woman” pilot shortly as part of our ongoing pre-season series, but for now check outour review of NBC’s“Playboy.”

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Mila Kunis is a Wicked Witch in 'Oz' Prequel

Black Swanactress Mila Kunishas been cast as Theodora, the eventual Wicked Witch of the West, alongsideJames Francoin Sam Raimi’sOz the Great and Powerful, a prequel to the classic story,The Wizard of Oz.

According toVulture, Franco and Raimi (who worked together on the Spider-Man series) met and discussed Kunis’ involvement before he officially signed to star as the fast-talking magician who flees from a traveling circus in a hot air balloon only to wind up in the magical land of Oz.

Theodora, who eventually becomes the Wicked Witch of the West in the familiar story, begins as a good witch, torn by her affections for Oz and the corrupting influences of her powerful sister Evanora (of the East). When war breaks out between the evil witches and the various creatures of Oz, the magician (mistaken as a wizard) joins the forces of good with Glinda (of the North) for an epic battle— reminiscent of the stand-off in Burton’s recentAlice in Wonderland.

In the script, which underwent revisions recently by David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole), Theodora is described as beautiful, dressed in an open-collared white shirt, black pants, and black knee-high boots with“quick eyes, quick movements, and a quick, lively mind.”

Vulture also says Kunis was being considered for a part in WB’s live-actionAkiraremake, which signed the Hughes brothers to directover a year ago. Warner Bros president Jeff Robinov reportedly (and rather randomly) offered the lead, Kaneda, to Brad Pitt, who passed.  Franco was also rumored for the part, as was Zac Efron.  It’s unclear when, or if, the expensive Akiraredo will get off the ground, but Disney’s Ozprequel shoots this July.

The ubiquitous Franco, 32, and Kunis, 27, played supporting roles together inDate Night, a rather disposable romantic comedy that starred Steve Carell and Tina Fey but wasn’t quite the hilarious flick its star-studded ensemble deserved.

This announcement partially confirms suspicions that Kunis is using some kind of witchcraft and/or wizardry in order to appear exponentially more sexy every day. However, we’ve been unable to confirm this because she will not respond to our numerous calls to her personal cell phone.

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Justin Lin, Arnold Schwarzenegger for 'Terminator 5?'

Last month, former California governor and action star Arnold Schwarzenegger said he was eying three scripts for his Hollywood comeback. Based on the hints he provided, we determined one is the WWII dramaWith Wings as Eagles, a project he considered as far back as 1997. Another is likelyThe Expendables 2and the opportunity for a more expanded role alongside his friend and former business partner, Sly Stallone. But the third could very well be Terminator 5…

Universal Pictures is interested in reviving the sci-fi series, according toDeadline, and is eying the fifth installment as a directing vehicle for Justin Lin, who has made the studio boatloads with his two Fast and the Furious films and recently turned in another, Fast Five. (Lin also directed the very best episode of NBC’s“Community,” the paintball episode titled“Modern Warfare.”)

The studio is also looking at putting screenwriter Chris Morgan on the job after his success with Universal’s Wanted, the upcoming samurai film47 Ronin(which is well-written), and the aforementionedFast Five.

Currently, no movie studio holds distribution rights to the series after the rights holder, the Halcyon Company, went bankrupt and a bidding war ended with a $29.5 million bid from hedge fund group Pacificora year ago. Sony and Lionsgate were in negotiations with the winner at the time, but walked away disgusted with the terms.

While Schwarzenegger isn’t officially returning to the franchise that helped launch his career, yet, news of Universal’s interest coincides with the 63-year-old actortweetingthis to his 1.9 million followers on February 10. ”Exciting news. My friends at CAA have been asking me for 7 years when they can take offers seriously. Gave them the green light today.”

But the potential begs the question: can Schwarzenegger still play the Terminator? His version of the character was recreated (briefly) for the fourth using CGI face replacement and a muscular body double, but does it make sense to re-hire a man in his mid-60s to play a finely-tuned killing machine?

McG was lined up to direct a fifth and possibly sixth installment following the lackluster, PG-13 Terminator: Salvation, but he’s not expected to return with the regime change. Instead, McG is directingthe board game adaptation Ouija. Meanwhile, Lin is committed to directing aHighlanderreboot for Summit Entertainment, which is currently receiving a script polish byTwilightscreenwriter Melissa Rosenberg.

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Michelle Pfeiffer Joins Tim Burton, Johnny Depp Film 'Dark Shadows'

Michelle Pfeifferis in talks to joinDark Shadows, Tim Burton’s feature film adaptation of the supernatural 1960s soap opera.  Producer and star Johnny Depp is playing Barnabas Collins, a 175-year-old vampire.

Pfeiffer, 52, will play Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, the reclusive matriarch of the film’s central family in the small Maine fishing town.  An agoraphobic, Elizabeth hasn’t left the family mansion since the disappearance of her husband a decade earlier, according toTHR.

Burton likes to“keep it in the family” and Pfeiffer is no exception.  The two worked together on 1992’sBatman Returnswhen the actress played the leather-clad temptress Catwoman.  Similarly, this is the eighth partnership of Burton and Depp, and Burton’s domestic partner,Helena Bonham Carter, will collaborate with the director for the sixth time.  Bonham Carter is reportedly preparing to play Dr. Julia Hoffman, a specialist in psychology and rare blood disorders who arrives in the town to investigate a kidnapping and stays to help Barnabas cure his thirst.

Eva Green,Jackie Earle Haley, andBella Heathcoate, who have not worked with Burton before, were announcedearlier this month.  Green will play Angelique, a powerful witch and the spurned lover of Barnabas Collins; Earle Haley is negotiating to play Willie Loomis, a conman who releases Barnabas from his sealed coffin only to be attacked and enslaved as the vampire’s manservant; and Heathcoate is playing Victoria Winters, the young governess of the Collins estate.

Burton is assembling the cast quickly to start shooting inApril 2011, which fits the considerably packed schedule of his lead, who has three movies out this year and another three or four lined up to shoot in 2011.  Burton will move from this toFrankenweenie, a stop motion animated feature expansion of his 1984 short film about a resurrected dog, then either Disney’sMaleficent, a Sleeping Beauty re-imagining, or, more likely,DreamWorks’Monsterpocalypse, a thriller about monsters and robots battling each other in a cityscape.

Pfeiffer is part of the crowded ensemble for New Line’sNew Year’s Eveand a part of theWelcome to the Peoplecast.

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Sony Reveals Official 'Spider-Man' Title, New Picture

Sony’s Columbia Pictures announced today the official title for Marc Webb’s web-slinger reboot:The Amazing Spider-Man.

The additional adjective, a nod to the original comics, comes over a year after Sonyscrapped the fourth installmentof Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man movie series with Tobey Maguire lined up to take on John Malkovich’s Vulture. It’s also a little over two months since Webb began shooting the $80 million reboot with 3D RED cameras for its July 3, 2012 re-launch.

The studio also released the second official image of Andrew Garfield as the titular hero, complete with mask, mechanical web shooters, and a recognizable pose (see below).

(In case you missed the first image of Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man,click here.)

The Amazing Spider-Manreturns to the roots of the hero— co-created by Stan Lee in 1963 and now on issue #654— and the high school origins of his alter-ego, Peter Parker. Specific details on the plot are under wraps, but Parker will be juggling the introduction of his new super powers, a budding relationship with Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), and battling the forces of The Lizard (Rhys Ifans) and Nels Van Adder (Irrfan Khan).

The rest of the cast includes Sally Field and Martin Sheen (Aunt May and Uncle Ben), Denis Leary (George Stacy), Chris Zylka (Flash Thompson), and C. Thomas Howell (Ray Cooper).

What do you think of the new image and title?

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Ralph Fiennes in Talks for James Bond 23

Ralph Fiennes is reportedly in talks for an unknown role inBond 23, the temporary title for the next installment in the nearly 50-year-old spy series to be directed by Sam Mendes.

The exciting possibility comes from the UK’sDaily Mail, who has been hit-or-miss in terms of reliability, but if true Fiennes would appear alongside returning 007 Daniel Craig and potentially Javier Bardem, who iscurrently consideringa villain-type role in the sequel.

Fiennes, 48, was approached because“the part is one of extreme complexity and only an actor of great ability and dexterity can take it on,” according to their source. The British actor certainly fits that description and his filmography ranges from brooding baddies like Voldemort and Hades to the complicated Nazi character ofSchindler’s List. Fiennes is in post-production on his directorial debut,Coriolanus, a historical drama expected to sell to the Weinstein Company soon.

Both the Mail’s article and Bardem’s honest discussion of his involvement mentioned Mendes’ supposedly“revolutionary” take on the enduring series, which came under criticism for its similarity to the Bourne series in 2008 withQuantum of Solace(the highest grossing of the franchise) and has traditionally pit Bond against a familiar diabolical villain. But Mendes’ movie may have a radical new take if the early whispers wind up coming true.

“It’s the first of a new generation of Bond films, and the ideas Mendes has push the film into darker territory where the characters are modern, mature and challenging,” a film executive in Los Angeles connected to the production told the outlet.

Other“major names” are being considered too and, at one point, Mendes was talking with hisAmerican Beautystar Kevin Spacey about coming aboard. Unfortunately, Spacey is preparing a stage role as Richard III and will be unavailable.

Judi Dench has been confirmed to return as M, the role she has played since 19965’sGoldenEye.

Bond 23 is already scheduled for release on November 9, 2012.

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Amber Heard to Play 'Red Sonja?'

Blonde bombshellAmber Heardis the top choice to lead Nu Image/Millennium’sRed Sonjaremake andSimon West(The Mechanic) is set to direct, says producer Avi Lerner.

“We didn’t want to start it until we’d finished Conan,” Lerner toldEmpire, referring to Marcus Nispel’s Conan the Barbarianremake starring Jason Momoa. ”We will definitely shoot Red Sonja in between Conan and Conan 2. We already chose the director: an English guy called Simon West.”

Heard is Lerner’s“favorite for the role” after seeing her work in the Nu Image/Millunnium movieDrive Angry 3Dalongside Nicolas Cage. Lerner does acknowledge he hasn’t talked to Heard about the movie and the studio will be“talking to a few girls for the role.”

A reboot of the sword-and-sandal epic was kicked around inJune 2008with Robert Rodriguez producing for his then girlfriend Rose McGowan attached to wear the chain mail bikini. Highlander: Endgamedirector Douglas Aarniokoski was all set to go behind the camera, and the studio even disseminatedteaser postersfeaturing McGowan as the flame-haired heroine. But by 2010, Rodriguez and McGowan were no longer an item and the project was scrapped.  Millenniumreportedlydiscussed the role with Megan Fox, but nothing ever came of it and Fox slipped into obscurity following her Transformers firing.

Heard is also in talks to star in the NBC drama pilot“Playboy” about a group of women (bunnies) working at the New York Playboy Club in the 1960s.

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Shane Black to Write and Direct 'Iron Man 3?'

Shane Black is reportedly in contention to write and direct Marvel’sIron Man 3.

THRreports the writer-director has“powwowed” with the comic book studio about directing the sequel, but the assumption is he would also write a draft, like Marvel’sThe Avengershire Joss Whedon.

Black is best known for writing all fourLethal Weaponmovies (which are now being rebooted), but Black also directed Robert Downey Jr. for his first and only feature, the criminally under-seenKiss Kiss Bang Bang.

Other filmmakers will be considered, of course, so Black’s involvement is far from a“sure thing.” However, Downey Jr. has negotiated himself into director approval on these projects and would certainly favor his friend and former collaborator— though you couldn’t tell from the photo above where RDJ looks like he’s trying to murder the cameraman with his mind.

If Marvel does hire Black, it would be another in a long list of bold choices for their action hero tentpoles. Jon Favreau wasn’t a popular pick forIron Man, coming off the family-friendly flopZathura. Kenneth Branagh is mostly known for his Shakespearean work, which somewhat translates to the Norse gods ofThor, but certainly not action. Even Whedon is an unorthodox hire to directThe Avengers, though his writing skills are unquestionable.

Favreau announced inDecemberhe would not be returning to the franchise he helped rocket to popularity. Instead, he is working on Disney’sThe Magic Kingdom, a movie about theme park attractions coming to life a laNight at the Museum. But Favreau left behind a rich, somewhat practical world that will expand exponentially with Marvel’s Avengers in 2012. This extended universe potentially opens the doors for the mystical villainMandarin, who was carefully set up in the previous two, and allows for Tony Stark’s newfound superhero pals to tag along for the fight.

Iron Man 3is already scheduled for release on May 3, 2013.

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'X-Men: First Class' Trailer Brings the Beginning

20th Century Fox has unleashed the full trailer forX-Men: First Class, a reboot of the comic book franchise that follows Charles Xavier (James McAvoy)“before he was Professor X” and Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender)“before he was Magneto.” Set against the backdrop of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Matthew Vaughn-directed, Bryan Singer-produced movie begins with the struggle of the mutants before they were X-Men and the Brotherhood.

The reboot stars McAvoy, Fassbender,January Jones(Emma Frost),Kevin Bacon(Sebastian Shaw),Caleb Landry Jones(Banshee), Oscar-nominated actressJennifer Lawrence(Mystique),Rose Byrne(Moira MacTaggert),Nicholas Hoult(Beast),Jason Flemyng(Azazel),Oliver Platt(Man in Black),Edi Gathegi(Darwin), andLucas Till(Havok).

X-Men: First Classis scheduled for June 3, 2011.

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Rosamund Pike Joining 'Wrath of the Titans'

Rosamund Pike is negotiating to play Andromeda inWrath of the Titans, the Jonathan Liebesman-directed sequel to Warner Bros’Clash of the Titans.

Pike, who broke out as a Bond girl inDie Another Day, has been mentioned in connection with several high-profile roles lately. She was considered for Emma Frost inX-Men: First Class, which ultimately went to“Mad Men” actress January Jones. Then, recently, she was on thespeculative shortlistfor a“major female lead” inSuperman: Man of Steel, which is reportedly General Zod’s accomplice, Ursa, and has not been cast yet. Although the shooting schedules don’t overlap (Clash 2 is set for March 2011, Superman for June), Pike is likely out of the running for Ursa.

Andromeda was featured in the 2010, faux-3D hit and played by Alexa Davalos, but she is“unavailable for the sequel,” according toDeadline. Sam Worthington (Perseus), Gemma Arterton (Io), Liam Neeson (Zeus), and Ralph Fiennes (Hades) are attached to reprise their roles from the first film, which made $492 million worldwide last year.  The sequel will be shot in 3D this time, rather than converted last minute, and scheduled for Spring2012.

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'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' Super Bowl Ad

Here is the Super Bowl XLV commercial for Michael Bay’sTransformers: Dark of the Moon, the third installment of fighting CGI robots, explosions, Shia LaBeouf, and mannequin sidekicks. I like the epic scope of this video, but the pulsing alarm throughout was more annoying than attention-grabbing. The trailer received a mixed reaction from everyone at the Super Bowl soirée I attended, so I’d love to hear your thoughts below.

Transformers: Dark of the Moonis set for July 1, 2011.

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Julia Roberts in Talks for 'Snow White' Queen

Julia Robertsis reportedly in talks to play the evil queen inThe Brothers Grimm: Snow White, an edgy, modernized re-imagining of the German folk tale to be directed by visionary filmmaker Tarsem Singh (The Fall) for Relativity Media.

Vulturesays Roberts’ representation has begun“negotiating in earnest” for the opportunity. Brett Ratner, who is producing, said this version reaches back 500 years to the original incarnation of the story, when the seven dwarfs were robbers (not miners) and there was a dragon.

The news strikes at a time when Universal is actively casting and moving ahead on their own fairy tale,Snow White and the Huntsman, which has Charlie Theron attached to play the same vain, villainous character. Kristen Stewart and Viggo Mortensen are negotiating for the titular leads, though nothing is quite official yet.

Meanwhile, Disney’sSnow and the Seven, yet another re-imagining, has just hired screenwriter Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3,Little Miss Sunshine) to tell the story of a 19th century Englishwoman who returns to Hong Kong for her father’s funeral where she discovers her stepmother is plotting against her. She escapes to China where she’s protected by seven monks. Natalie Portman has long been interested in the lead and Francis Lawrence was once attached to direct.

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'Thor' Super Bowl Commercial

Here is the Super Bowl commercial for Kenneth Branagh-directedThor, starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, and Anthony Hopkins. It’s mostly a shortened version of thefull trailerwe saw in December with a few new shots of the God of Thunder on Earth, his various magical enemies, and the power of Mjolnir, the hammer of Thor.

Thoris set for May 6, 2011.
Official synopsis:

Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment present the epic adventure,“Thor,” which spans the Marvel Universe from present day Earth to the realm of Asgard. At the center of the story is the mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth), a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth by his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins)and is forced to live among humans. A beautiful, young scientist, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), has a profound effect on Thor, as she ultimately becomes his first love. It’s while here on Earth that Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends thedarkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.

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'Drive Angry 3D' Super Bowl Commercial

During this weekend’s Super Bowl XLV, Summit Entertainment is touting the supernatural action flickDrive Angry 3D. A mulletedNicolas Cageplays a vengeful father who returns from hell to find the man who killed his wife and kidnapped his daughter. Also starring Amber Heard, William Fichtner, and Billy Burke.

Watch Nicolas Cage walk away from an explosion:

Drive Angry 3Dis scheduled to hit theaters February 25, 2011.

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Joseph Gordon-Levitt Joins 'Dark Knight Rises'

Inceptionstar Joseph Gordon-Levittis in talks to reunite with Christopher Nolan for the director’s third and final Batman film,The Dark Knight Rises.

It’s unclear what role Gordon-Levitt will play in the film, though he has been rumored in connection with the threequel sincelast summer. However, Nolanstruck downInternet rumors that the Riddler would appear in the film, as well as any notion that the Joker would make a return without the late Heath Ledger. The oft-rumored Hugo Strange is also a possibility, though details of the character’s involvement are pure speculation at this point.

Anne Hathawayhas already been confirmed as Selina Kyle (a.k.a. Catwoman) and Gordon-Levitt’sInceptionco-starTom Hardyis playing the musclebound baddie Bane. A third villain isn’t out of the question, but would certainly complicate the plot as Nolan is building to a finale.

Another option would be Dick Grayson, a young circus performer orphaned by a mafia boss and taken in by Bruce Wayne (played byChristian Bale). In the comics, television series, and the 1995 movieBatman& Robin, Grayson ultimately becomes Robin, Batman’s crime-fighting sidekick. Gordon-Levitt certainly has the chops to play the“Boy Wonder,” but both Nolan andBalehave downplayed the possibility of introducing Robin into this gritty Gotham. (Nolan said Grayson was in a“crib somewhere” duringThe Dark Knight.) Does that rule out Nightwing?

Cinematographer Wally Pfister recently spoke with the Kevin and Josh Movie Show (viaRopeofSilicon) about the“threequel” and said of the script:“Plain and simple— he’s done it. It’s a phenomenal script. He’s still in the process of cutting it back because it’s a very long script right now, but it’s really phenomenal.” He then said Nolan asked him to go back and rewatch the first two films, to which Pfister added,“Dude, it’s a perfect trilogy.” Pfster also said the goal is to shoot as much as they can in IMAX, continuing to push the boundaries of technical cinema like the filmmaking duo did onThe Dark Knight. ”The opening scene of the movie will blow your mind,” he said.

Shooting starts this Spring and, according toDeadline, the 29-year-old actor will have completed his starring role in Rian Johnson’sLooper, a sci-fi time travel film with Bruce Willis that should hopefully be on everyone’s radar by now.

The Dark Knight Risesis scheduled for July 2012.

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Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley Join Tim Burton's 'Dark Shadows'

Eva Green,Jackie Earle Haley, andBella Heathcoateare all in various stages of negotiations to join Tim Burton’sDark Shadowsalongside producer and star Johnny Depp.

Scheduled to beginshooting in April, the eighth collaboration of Burton and Depp is an adaptation of the supernatural daytime soap opera that aired from 1966 to 1971. Depp, 47, will play Barnabas Collins, 175-year-old vampire.

Green, who broke out in 2006’sCasino Royaleas James Bond’s cat-eyed love interest, has not worked with Burton before, but certainly possesses the Gothic chic look we’ve come to expect from the director’s leading ladies. According toDeadline, the 30-year-old actress will play Angelique, a powerful witch originated by Lara Parker in the series. The character is a powerful witch and the spurned lover of Collins’ who casts the curse that turns him into a vampire.

Jackie Earle Haley is negotiating to play Willie Loomis, a conman who releases Collins from his sealed coffin only to be attacked and enslaved as the vampire’s manservant. Haley was one of the originalBad News Bearsbefore leaving the business, only to return with an Oscar-nominated performance inLittle Children. He recently played Freddy Krueger in the rebootedNightmare on Elm Street.

Relative newcomer Heathcoate is reportedly playing Victoria Winters, the young governess of the Collins estate. She was mentioned as one of the possible choices for Snow White that will likely go to Kristen Stewart instead.  Heathcoate also joined the cast of“Sopranos” creator David Chase’s film,The Twylight Zones.

Burton has filled out a particularly solid cast thus far, which just leaves a casting announcement for Josette du Pres Collins, Barnabas’ true love. But it’s hard to imagine Burton wouldn’t cast his partner, Helena Bonham Carter.

According to the UK’s Sun newspaper, Depp is on a strict green tea and“low fructose fruit” diet to shed pounds and look“as gaunt as possible” for the role. His target is a reported 140 lbs., which is probably about 20 lbs. less than his current figure.  It’s not exactly a Christian Bale-like transformation, but still the kind of dedication Depp is willing to endure for his“childhood dream” and a film he’s been prepping for three years.

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Producers Shopping 'Ender's Game' Script

Several major studios and financing companies heard a pitch today for anEnder’s Gameadaptation written and to be directed by Gavin Hood (X-Men Origins: Wolverine,Tsotsi) and produced by Alex Kurtzman and Robert Orci (Star Trek,Transformers,“Fringe“).

According to theHollywood Reporter, the sci-fi package“hit nearly every studio” including Warner Bros, Disney, and Sony.

But the Orson Scott Card novel is a tough sell to studios given its inherent price tag and dark subject matter. The story tells of a fearful human race preparing for another imminent attack from the Formics, a fleet of insectoid aliens.  To fortify their defenses, the international military commissions a “Battle School” to train gifted children, like the novel’s central hero, Ender Wiggin, who excelsand ascends through the ranks.

Then again, the 1985 book comes with a devoted following and a built-in series of five more novels to draw from should the original outing become a blockbuster.

The award-winning novel nearly received the silver screen treatment after Card himself submitted a screenplay to Warner Bros in 2003.  The studio attached two screenwriters (includingWolverinescribe David Benioff) to polish the script, along with director Wolfgang Peterson, but the project fell apart by 2008. Is WB serious about making the film this time?

Disney is also a curious choice, since the Mouse House tends to make family-friendly entertainment and this alien invasion thriller doesn’t exactly fit the criteria, especially if you’re familiar with some of the more shocking plot twists.

A likely home for Ender would be DreamWorks, where Kurtzman and Orci have a first-look deal that already includes the TV series“Locke& Key,” the first two Transformers flicks, and the upcoming genre mashupCowboys& Aliens. Kurtzman and Orci (or K/O, as they call themselves) are also behind the TV reboot“Hawaii Five-O” at CBS and are currently working onStar Trek 2for Paramount.

Follow-up meetings are scheduled this week, so fans should hopefully know soon whetherEnder’s Gameis getting a second flight.

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Javier Bardem Offered Villain Role in Bond 23

Javier Bardemis a busy man these days. Aside from recently welcoming his first son into the world with actress Penelope Cruz, the Oscar-winning actor is nominated for a“Best Actor” Academy Award forBiutiful, and is currentlyconsidering the leadin the sprawling adaptation of Stephen King’sThe Dark Towerseries.

The latest development is that Bardem, 41, has been offered the role of James Bond’s nemesis in the untitled 23rd installment of the 007 series. According to theLA Times, the Spanish actor met with the director, Sam Mendes (Road to Perdition,American Beauty), about the villainous part.

Bardem, who played the iconic antagonist inNo Country for Old Men, has not agreed to anything yet, since he hasn’t read the script, but reportedly enjoyed the thought of joining the long-running James Bond saga alongside returning actor Daniel Craig. “They’re changing the whole thing, the whole dynamic,” Bardem said. “I’d be playing Bond’s nemesis, yes, but it’s not that obvious. Everything is more nuanced. It’s very intriguing.”  Very intriguing indeed…

The script and its story details are under wraps, but the plot reportedly picks up whereQuantum of Solaceleft off. The growing gap between this upcoming installment and the oddly-named 2008 hit is due to MGM’s continuing financial woes. The company is slowly climbing its way out of roughly $4 billion in debt by leveraging its popular properties, like Bond and J.R.R. Tolkien’sThe Hobbit(set to start shooting this month). Meanwhile,Deadlinereports several studios are jockeying to distribute the movie, which may require a co-financing pact with MGM for Bond 23 and several others.

The untitled movie is already scheduled for release on November 9, 2012.

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