Four Actors to Screen Test for‘Bourne’ Spin-Off

Over a year after Paul Greengrass and Matt Damonbowed outof the Bourne franchise, Universal and writer/director Tony Gilroy have lined up four potential actors to star inThe Bourne Legacy, a spin-off of the Damon trilogy intended as a“new chapter” in the same mysterious spy thriller universe.

Earlier this month, amaster listof actors in their late 20s and early 30s leaked to the trade news sites, including just about everyone, most of whom you might expect to vie for a high profile gig like Bourne. But puny names like Paul Dano and Tobey Maguire left many scratching their heads and the rest were generally underwhelming. All eyes are on Gilroy as he takes the series in a new direction, and this casting is undeniably the most important step in its continued success (or abrupt failure).

Deadlinehas learned the names of who will screen test for the part, which, for the uninitiated, is basically a filmed scene with the actor in a realistic environment to give the decision-makers an opportunity to see how the candidate fits into their vision for the film.

I prepared a dossier for each of the four candidates below, but the outlet also says ubiquitous 24-year-oldShia LaBeoufmay also be in the mix (but won’t test), as well as former“Friday Night Lights” actorTaylor Kitsch. Do you have a favorite from those below?

Actor:Joel Edgerton
Age:36
Origin:Sydney, Australia
Notable Movies:Star Wars: Episodes II and III, Animal Kingdom, and the upcoming remake of The Thing
Why He’ll Do:In the likely scenario where Treadstone is expanding its covert operations globally and recruiting from anywhere on the planet, an Australian addition to the spy force seems like a distinct possibility. Particularly since Edgerton is a capable actor and physically formidable, but otherwise an average-looking gentleman who could very easily blend into a crowd of, say, lumberjacks or bloggers. I also personally prefer the role go to a relative unknown rather than the same rotating crop of young, able-bodied talent.
Why He’s a Poor Choice:
No one has heard of him. Universal is essentially relaunching the franchise with a new face, and Edgerton’s name above the title or visage plastered on a poster does nothing for most people (outside of Australia). Edgerton is likely to inspire a string of questions from fans instead of the usual reluctant acquiescence that comes with a big budget reboot.

Actor:Dominic Cooper
Age:32
Origin:London, England
Notable Movies:Mamma Mia!, An Education, Tamara Drewe, Captain America: The First Avenger and the upcoming Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.
Why He’ll Do:Cooper exudes a sort of charming magnetism on screen that engages you enough to listen to what he has to say. How that translates to Bourne, well, I have no idea.
Why He’s a Poor Choice:Without the day-old scruff, Cooper resembles a baby-faced twentysomething. He’s small in stature and wholly un-intimidating, especially when flashing a pair of kind eyes and a winning smirk. A departure from Damon’s Bourne is to be expected, but he should at least look like he could take a punch.

Actor:Garrett Hedlund
Age:26
Origin:Roseau, Minnesota
Notable Movies:Eragon, Tron: Legacy, Country Strong, and the upcoming On the Road
Why He’ll Do:Hedlund is the most recognizable of the four listed actors, and he’s rakishly handsome. He’s also cultivated a growing following of female fans who may be willing to sit through the spin-off’s inevitable car chases and swoon when Hedlund sports his own brand of roguish charm. Hedlund is also the youngest, which to a studio executive means he is the most capable of carrying the franchise longer.
Why He’s a Poor Choice:It feels like I missed a meeting somewhere, sometime where and when everyone gathered together to decide that Garrett Hedlund should become a Hollywood star. Maybe my invitation got lost in the mail. But I wish I had been at that pivotal congregation, if only so I could hear the reasons why, of all people, Hedlund was chosen as the“next big thing,” and perhaps the gavel pound that rendered Sam Worthington obsolete.

Actor:Luke Evans
Age:31
Origin:Pontypool, Wales
Notable Movies:Clash of the Titans, Robin Hood, and (upcoming) The Raven, The Three Musketeers, and Immortals
Why He’ll Do:Like it or not, Evans is coming up. It’s just a matter of whether or not Universal wants to lock in the actor while he’s on his way into the spotlight rather than someone who may already be established.
Why He’s a Poor Choice:Evans looks more like a candidate for James Bond, not Bourne. So, in this makeshift showdown between Bond and Bourne that the media has created, does the fresher franchise want to appear further influenced by 007’s polished, European demeanor?

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Armie Hammer, Saoirse Ronan Line up 'Snow White'

Armie Hammer has signed to play the charming Prince Andrew Alcott and Saoirse Ronan is in talks to star as the titular maiden inThe Brothers Grimm: Snow White, one of several revisionist fairy tale re-imaginings in the works.

This particular modernization will be directed by Tarsem Singh (The Fall) for Relativity Media andalready signedJulia Robertsto play the evil Queen. 24-year-old Hammer, who played both Winklevoss twins inThe Social Network, has been confirmed, according toDeadline, but the 16-year-old actress was still“in discussions” as of last weekend.

Meanwhile, Universal is struggling to lock in its cast forSnow White and the Huntsman, a slightly different version that involves werewolves. Twilightstar Kristen Stewart is cemented as the lead and Charlize Theron has long been set as the other evil Queen, one that has been using magic to sap the beauty from the land’s fairest to replenish her own. Viggo Mortensen was in lengthy discussions to portray the huntsman, a laborer who rescues Snow White from the queen and flees into the forest, but he backed out over financial concerns.  THRclaims Mortensen wanted $8 million and gross participation to join the movie.

Both“re-imaginings” borrow heavily from the familiar story of Snow White, including evil queens, witchcraft, talking mirrors, seven dwarves, and handsome princes, butBrothers Grimmshews closest to the version told by Disney nearly 75 years ago. Snow White communes with animals and performs her chores as a humble servant while her evil step-mother mismanages the kingdom into poverty.  The arrival of the prince, who is being forced to select a suitable wife, sets up a chance encounter with the lovely Snow White and her inevitable rivalrywith the Queen as they both vie for his affection (and riches).

That seems to be the main problem with Hollywood’s newfound infatuation with fairy tale retreads. There’s no magic or creativity, and instead the stories are simply being retold with live-action performances and fancy special effects. But I supposeAlice in Wonderlandwasn’t anything especially inventive or magnificent, and Disney banked over a billion dollars on Tim Burton’s 3D revisit. Hopefully Tarsem’s eye for visual flourish will be enough here.

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'Pie' Cast Returning for 'American Reunion'

The original cast ofAmerican Pieis being reassembled for a fourth installment in the comedy series titledAmerican Reunionand centered on the gang ten years after their high school graduation.

Universal has already locked deals withJason Biggs(Jim),Seann William Scott(Stifler), andEugene Levy(Jim’s father), according toTHR, and the studio is in negotiations withThomas Ian Nicholas(Kevin), Tara Reid(Vicky), Chris Klein(Oz), Mena Suvari(Heather) and Jennifer Coolidge(Stifler’s mom and the original“MILF”) to reprise their roles.

Suspiciously absent from the list is the most successful of the original cast,“How I Met Your Mother” star Alyson Hannigan. I’m not surprised Reid, Biggs, Klein and the rest were quick to discuss their return since their careers have slid into obscurity, but Hannigan is one of the key members of CBS’s hit sitcom and needn’t remind anyone of the doing dirty things her character did to a flute. I was also surprised Seann William Scott, who just entered rehab, is back after working diligently to shed his Stifler image all these years.

In the leaked plot details atWhat’s Playing, Hannigan’s Michelle is still married to Jim (Biggs), but their next-door neighbor has a crush on him that could have violent results. Meanwhile, Jim is something of an Internet celebrity when the invention of YouTube means his sex tape with Nadia becomes a viral sensation.  Oz is a Malibu millionaire with a gold digger girlfriend and his old flame, Heather, is dating a middle-aged surgeon who tries to act younger.  Stifler hasbecome a temp and avoids the shame of the reunion.

After the third movie explored the oh-so-fresh“hilarity” of bachelor parties and bridesmaids inAmerican Pie: The Wedding, the series slid into direct-to-video branding of various raunchy sex comedies. Does the original cast make you want to watchReunion?

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Amy Adams is Lois Lane in Zack Snyder's Superman Reboot

Three-time Oscar nomineeAmy Adamswill play intrepid reporter Lois Lane in Zack Snyder’sSuperman: Man of Steel.

The 36-year-old actress will star opposite British actor Henry Cavill, 27, in the comic book reboot slated for a December 2012 release. Adams was not on the rumored shortlist for Lois that circulated inFebruary, which included Jessica Biel, Rachel McAdams, andWatchmenactress Malin Akerman.

“There was a big, giant search for Lois,” Snyder told theLA Times.“For us it was a big thing and obviously a really important role. We did a lot of auditioning but we had this meeting with Amy Adams and after that I just felt she was perfect for it.”  He declined to elaborate how Lois fits into the story conceived by producer Christopher Nolan and screenwriter David S. Goyer, but said the casting was the“linchpin” to the project.

Adams broke out in 2005 when she was nominated for the indie filmJunebugand landed a guest starring role on NBC’s then fledgling comedy“The Office.” Since then, Adams has cultivated a diverse career of plucky, endearing roles, like Disney’s live-action fairy tale Enchantedand the cooking treatJulie& Julia, and serious, dramatic turns, such as the controversial religious filmDoubtand, most recently,The Fighter.

Adams joins a cast that officially includes Cavill,Diane Lane(Martha Kent), andKevin Costner(Jonathan Kent).

The search is still on for the villain(s), who may or may not be General Zod and his cohorts Non and Ursa. Snyderrecently struck downrumors that Viggo Mortensen would play the antagonist, but the actor is said to have passed on the potential schedule conflict, Universal’sSnow White and the Huntsman, which could very well bring him back into the fold. Michael Shannon, who has been crushing his role on HBO’s“Boardwalk Empire,” is also reportedly in the mix, according toDeadline.

Meanwhile, the announcement arrived Sunday, curiously, as weekend box office numbers were released, which showed WB and Snyder’s $82 million girl power flick Sucker Punchopening to a disappointing $19 million and second place behindDiary of a Wimpy Kid 2.

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Elizabeth Taylor is Dead at 79

After a lengthy battle with congestive heart failure, Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylorhas passed away at the age of 79.

The actress had been hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles for treatment since February.  Taylor has been plagued with medical conditions since birth, also including scoliosis, a benign brain tumor, skin cancer, and two bouts with debilitating pneumonia.  She was diagnosed with congestive heart failure in 2004, a condition in which the heart becomes too weak to pumpblood to the extremities.

One of the last remaining stars of Old Hollywood glamour, Taylor is perhaps known for her personal life as much as her long, storied career.  An actress since the age of nine, Taylor would eventually appear in over 50 films, including classicsCat on a Hot Tin Roof,Giant, and the famously expensive epic Cleopatra, which made her the first actress to earn seven figures for a role. She won two Academy Awards for“Best Actress,” playing the leads in 1960’s Butterfield 8and 1966’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Taylor was married eight times, including a brief liaison with hotel heir Nicky Hilton, a Virginia senator, and twice in a tumultuous on-and-off relationship with herCleopatraco-star, Richard Burton.

As her acting career waned, Taylor became a vocal advocate for AIDs research after the death of her long-time friend andGiantco-star, Rock Hudson.  She helped establish The American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) in 1985, an organization dedicated to research, treatment, and advocacy for AIDs and HIV patients.  Taylor later founded her own organization, the Elizabeth Taylor Aids Foundation (ETAF).

Elizabeth Taylor is survived by her four children, 10 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

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'The Amazing Spider-Man' Writer Returns for Sequel

Shooting hasn’t wrapped yet on Columbia Pictures’The Amazing Spider-Man, the Mar Webb-directed reboot of the superhero movie franchise, and the studio has already re-hired screenwriterJames Vanderbiltto work on the sequel.

TheHollywood Reportersaid Vanderbilt met with executives Wednesday to outline his take on the inevitable follow-up and was given the go-ahead to begin officially writing another installment. The screenwriter initially conceived a trilogy arc for the more character-driven comic book adaptation, which fits with the studio’s vision of leaner, lower budget flicks with less expensive CGI set pieces.

Vanderbilt was originally hired to work onSpider-Man 4inOctober 2007when Sam Raimi was still attached to direct another movie starring Tobey Maguire. But the studio and director clashed over creative differences, namely that Raimi wanted to use the Vulture (played by John Malkovich) and Columbia insisted on telling the transformation of Dr. Connors (Dylan Baker) into the Lizard.  When the sequel ultimatelyfell apart, Columbia had already commissioned Vanderbilt’s slimmer, character-focused take and got their reptilian villain (nowplayed by Rhys Ifans).

Oscar-winning screenwriter Alvin Sargent, who worked onSpider-Man 2, 3, andAmazing, will likely provide a polish once Vanderbilt is finished.

The Amazing Spider-Manis scheduled to complete photography in mid-April before the special effects wizards make their contributions. The reboot is set for July 3, 012.

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Slew of Superman Updates from Zack Snyder

WithSucker Punchset to open this Friday, director Zack Snyder is making the press rounds to promote his latest film, a wild girl power flick that smashes together a multitude of genres, time periods, and role-playing fetishes. The jury is still out on that, at least until the studio lifts the critic embargo currently protecting its $85 million movie.

Luckily, Snyder was somewhat forthcoming about his next project, a fresh adaptation of the DC Comics hero operating under the working titleSuperman:Man of Steel.

Fans have been keeping a close eye on the casting, particularly after the left-field announcement ofBritish unknown Henry Cavillfor the lead. But Diane LaneandKevin Costnerwere soon confirmed to play Clark Kent’s adoptive parents (Martha and Jonathan) and that initial skepticism seemed to slowly give way to cautious optimism.

Snyder toldi09,“My idea was that Superman’s parents should be vibrant, like real people, not like some doddering ancient cliché… I think the thing you realize when you look at Diane and Kevin, in our decision to cast them so far, you sort of get a sense of how tonally we’re looking at the movie, and what you realize is that those guys are serious actors, and we’re taking this shit fucking seriously in terms of the toneof having those guys.” Love it.

Unfortunately, Snyder confirmed toLatinoReviewthat Viggo Mortensen willnotbe joining the cast. The prolific actor had beenrumoredfor the film’s widely speculated villain, General Zod. (Does this mean Mortensen is doingSnow White and the Huntsmaninstead?)

Apart from denying Internet speculation, Snyder isn’t authorized to talk much about the movie itself. Talk did, however, turn to Snyder being asked to direct the reboot.  ”{Superman} came out of nowhere really, it wasn’t what we had planned,” said Snyder’s fellow producer and wife Deborah Snyder over the weekend at the Los Angeles press event (viaThe Playlist). The300director had been working ona prequelto his 2006 sword-and-sandal actioner, a project titledXerxesand based on a new graphic novel from Frank Miller.

But the Snyders were essentially sold after a lunch meeting with producerChristopher Nolanand his own wife/producing partner, Emma Thomas. “I said to Zack ‘I don’t really know about this,’” Deborah Snyder recalled. ”Well, lets go see what they have to say, and we both left saying wow. This is great!”

Of course, the Snyders were naturally coy about details regarding the plot and characterization of Kryptonian hero, but Zack said,“I think‘Superman’ is broken and needs to be fixed, from a movie stand point.” In another interview with theLA Times, Snyder confirmed his take will follow an approach similar to Nolan’sBatman Beginsby bearing no connection to previous Superman movies while still“respecting the canon.”

Fishing for a vague enough analogy and perhaps brandishing a renewed loyalty to DC Comics, Snyder even took a few shots at Marvel’s recent superhero movie slate.

“I’m a fan ofIron Manmovies, but really? Iron Man. A whole franchise of movies.Iron Man 4? Fair enough, but the fact that we don’t have a Superman movie in the midst of this is crazy,” Snyder said.“It would be like if we were making a movie about all the Greek gods, but no one had made a movie about Zeus because they’re like, ‘I don’t know what to do with him, he’s too awesome.’ We’re at this point where all of these minor Gods have movies and franchises, and it just seems to me that it’s time to fix that… I’m like reallyThor? Like really? It’s like the world is out of balance. It’s like we lost our mind here people, ‘Come on.’”

Be sure to visit our sources for more info:The Playlist,LA Times,Latino Review,i09

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Shortlist of Actors for WB's 'Akira' Remake

Warner Bros is reportedly pushing forward with its Americanized remake of KatsuhiroÔtomo’sAkira, based on the writer-director-artist’s 6-volume manga series.

The latest development stems from studio excitement over a rewrite by Harry Potter series screenwriter Steve Kloves— at least the fourth person hired to adapt or polish the script— which prompted another round of casting discussions with the director,Book of Elifilmmaker Albert Hughes.

The film will center primarily on the relationship between two friends and fellow gang members Kaneda, the primary lead, and Tetsuo (possibly renamed Travis), who discovers he possesses immense and increasingly uncontrollable psychokinetic powers. It’s unclear if the plan is still to develop the sci-fi concept as a two-part epic, asinitially announced, or if Kloves’ take condenses the six volumes into one feature.

Deadlinereports the short list of actors given the script and considered for Tetsuo (Travis?) are:Robert Pattinson,Andrew Garfield, andJames McAvoy.

Right away, let’s just acknowledge Pattinson is a truly terrible choice. Regardless of his faithful following of die-hard apologists or how tall and dreamy his hair might look, the British heartthrob simply isn’t right for the role of Tetsuo. Despite being a member of a gang, the character is a follower and distinctly diminutive while realizing a dark and extremely powerful ability that levels city blocks and drives him to the brink of insanity.  None of that describes RPattz.  Well, I suppose he has the brooding part down by now.

New Spider-Man lead Garfield is the more obvious choice, given his experience with conveying intense emotional angst, but he may not be willing or able. Meanwhile, McAvoy has shown tremendous range and should be on everyone’s radar afterX-Men: First Class.

As for the role of Kaneda, which will probably inevitably be renamed to“Kevin,” Deadline has heard the list includes Garrett Hedlund(Tron: Legacy),Michael Fassbender(Magneto in X-Men: First Class),Chris Pine(Captain Kirk in the rebooted Star Trek),Justin Timberlake(pop singer turned actor) andJoaquin Phoenix(actor turned“rapper” turned nutty trickster).

It’s a very mixed bag, but Fassbender and Pine stand out as the most worthy candidates, despite being quite old for the part. Timberlake continues to pop up in movies, but I’m not sure the public at large is convinced of his leading man status just yet. Hedlund could be decent given the right direction, but do we really want another movie where he plays a rebellious biker?  Then there’s the inclusion of Phoenix on the shortlist, which I’m convinced is still part of his elaborate ruse. That Joaquin is nutty.

However, in the story’s Hollywood displacement from“Neo-Tokyo,” Japan to a dystopian Manhattan in New York City, the characters are now older and American, drawing early ire fromRacebending.com(via/Film), who refer to the process as“whitewashing.” The organization, founded in 2009 to protest the Caucasian casting in M. Night Shyamalan’sThe Last Airbender, has created an online petition, or the Internet equivalent of shaking your fist angrily at no one in particular.

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Darren Aronofsky Walks from 'The Wolverine'

Darren Aronofsky will no longer directThe Wolverine, 20th Century Fox’s follow-up to 2009’sX-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Aronofsky officially backed out on Thursday, issuing this statement to the press,“As I talked more about the film with my collaborators at Fox, it became clear that the production of‘The Wolverine’ would keep me out of the country for almost a year. I was not comfortable being away from my family for that length of time. I am sad that I won’t be able to see the project through, as it is a terrific script and I was very much looking forward to working with my friend, Hugh Jackman, again.”

Deadline’s sources say his exit is the unfortunate result of an ongoing custody battle between the director and his ex-fiancée, Rachel Weisz, over their son Henry Chance.  But the studio may also be reevaluating its production strategy after the earthquake and ensuing tsunami tragedy in the crippled country of Japan, though that decision won’t come until much later with the new unnamed director. Expect a Fall 2011 start date at the earliest.

TheBlack Swanfilmmaker has been attached to re-team with Hugh Jackman (The Fountain) since earlyOctoberand had begun taking pre-production meetings to discuss his vision for the movie, which he adamantly (adamantiumly?) promised was not a true sequel to the critically-panned origin story.

Aronofsky’s departure is certainly a disappointment for fans, who had hoped for a Christopher Nolan-esque re-imagining of the brooding comic book character rather than the popcorn-selling reboot of two years ago. But whenBlack Swanbecame a bona fide $281 million hit (worldwide) amidst awards recognition, some hesitation was to be expected from a talent who built a career making films through the independent route.

The script, penned by Christopher McQuarrie, has continued to receive praise from industry insiders, though I don’t dare breathe a detail from it for fear of Fox’s usual legal coercion. I will say that I think Silver Samurai could potentially be a worthy villain at the center of Wolverine’s Japanese saga. Maybe.

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Official 'Super 8' Movie Trailer

The first trailer for J.J. Abrams’ Super 8 has arrived courtesy of Paramount.  Expanding upon theSuperbowl spotand earlyteaser, the new trailer hints at the character driven nature of the film. They’ve recycled some footage though, showing something decidedly inhuman trying to bash its way out of a derailed train car, but there’s no sign of the beastie itself.  

Kyle Chandlerstars alongsideElle Fanning,Zach Mills,Noah Emmerich,Ron EldardandAmanda Michalka.

Meanwhile,Latino Reviewseems to think they have answers about the monster (contains possible spoilers).

Super 8will be released on June 10, 2011. Official teaser poster:

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Quentin Tarantino's Next is a Western

Good news for Quentin Tarantino fans. Unlike his last film,Inglourious Basterds, Tarantino will not be developing his next project for over a decade.

Instead, according to multiple sources, the filmmaker has already completed writing on a Western as his follow-up to the WWII ensemble film and, ifAICN’s sources are correct, it could potentially starBasterdsbaddie Christoph Waltz.

Deadlinesays Tarantino confirmed the genre film (though it’s usually difficult to pin his work to one category), which he said“just flowed out of him,” and reported that the final script will be delivered within two months. The Weinstein Company will then look to put the picture into production soon after, which means we could see another Tarantino film by 2012.

Unfortunately, further details on the movie are scarce, but it is not the multi-director collaboration and Sergio Leone tribute/Spaghetti Western titledThe Angel, The Bad And The Wisethat was rumored last week.

The director is programming the New Beverly theater in Los Angeles— Tarantino bought the place in February 2010— throughout the entire month of March. The double-feature scheduling includes the U.S. premiere of Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, an unrated combined version of his martial arts-themed revenge two-parter. The compilation includes a new anime sequence written and overseen by Tarantino that bridges the gap in the story, plus potentially some bonus footage thrown in for good measure.

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'At the Mountains of Madness' Greenlit, Tom Cruise to Star

After years of preparation, Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’sAt the Mountains of Madnesshas finally received the green light and is“supposed to shoot” this June, says producer Don Murphy.

The film, centered on an expedition to Antarctica that uncovers a dark, mysterious force, was announcedlast summeras del Toro’s next film after the director exited the big-budget, two-part adaptation ofThe Hobbit.

In the interview withi09, Murphy suggested the summer start date, but the outlet learned the projected timeline isn’t set in stone yet.  Neither is the involvement ofTom Cruise, who has often been rumored for the lead as del Toro’s first choice.

Murphy said Cruise is on board— no, he’s not playing“Madness”— but the actor’s representation was quick to clarify Cruise has not officially signed for the fantastical horror project just yet.  He was recently added to the cast ofRock of Ages, an’80s jukebox musical that will feature Cruise belting out Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead or Alive” while swishing a mane of long rockstar hair.

Ron Perlman, who played Hellboy for del Toro in two comic book movies, has said he has a part in the film as well, playing a no-nonsense expedition leader.

Update:HitFixreached out to del Toro and Murphy, who confirmed no date is set yet.

Update 2:Deadlinesays Universal is balking at Madness’ $150 million price and R-rating, and del Toro may move on to direct PG-13Pacific Riminstead.  Or the project could jump to anther studio, like Fox who already has a relationship with Cameron fromAvatar.

But, while nothing is concrete just yet, news of the film’s advancement is music to the ears of del Toro and Lovecraft fans alike. Del Toro has been sketching images from the novella since 1993 and completed a script by‘98.  Like Cameron’sAvatar, the technology simply wasn’t there to realize his concept, including shape-shifting creatures and an epic scope.  The writer-director later developed a new adaptation in 2006, but ran into money issues at Warner Bros.  But when del Toro’s schedule cleared and he reinvigorated his focus on the material, the project was set up at Universal with James Cameron producing and overseeing the 3D production.  Again, budget concerns have held up scheduling, until now.

In a fantastic piece on del Toro inThe New Yorker, the director called his vision“so terrifying” and allowed detailed descriptions of the horrific creatures designed at Cameron’s production company, Lightstorm.  Morphing Shoggoths, symmetrical slave-like alien beings, are compared to tapeworms, cucumbers, jellyfish, even a“botched circumcision” and given in the vicinity of eight permutations of undulating mass.

Murphy said“the script is very close to the H.P. Lovecraft source material.”  However, del Toro has managed to incorporate Lovecraft’s gargantuan, tentacled monster Cthulu into the film’s climax, a departure from the novella.  In the New Yorker, the concept artist had drawn the creature surrounded by floating parasites, giving the monster a haloed, regal look.  A quote from the script reads,“Its membranous wings extend, filling the horizon, its abominable head silhouetted by lightning in the clouds!”  I have a feeling we will all be in awe when this movie is finally made.

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Cast Updates on Ridley Scott's 'Prometheus'

Ridley Scott’sPrometheus, the not-quite prequel to his 1979 filmAlien, continues to pad its already stellar cast as the production approaches its March start date.

“The Wire” alumIdris Elba(pictured right) has joined the film, along with British actorsSean Harris(Red Ridingtrilogy), Kate Dickie(”The Pillars of Earth”), andRafe Spall(Hot Fuzz), according to theDaily Mail. Like most everything about the film, details on their characters are being kept under wraps.

But a few tidbits have leaked, namely that the plot centers on the flight crew of the“Prometheus,” a massive spaceship commissioned by one of the remaining superpowers on Earth. That group includesGirl with the Dragon Tattoostar Noomi Rapace as Elizabeth Shaw,Charlize Theronas Vickers, and Michael Fassbender as (potentially) an android named David.

Their mission is to venture to the planet of Erix and prepare natural resources through a process called“terraforming,” which makes the surface livable for humans.  There, the crew encounters the xenomorphs, the alien creatures that have become iconic throughout the four installments of the franchise.

Bleeding Coolhas learned the aliens adapt to their victims. In other words, if the alien gestates inside of a dog, like one did in David Fincher’s Alien 3, then the creature takes on some of the canine’s qualities. The same applies to humans and other alien creatures, like the“Predalien” of the god-awfulAliens vs. Predator: Requiem.

Talking withMTVon the set ofSherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Rapace opened up about her role in the sci-fi thriller. The Swedish actress said she has met with Scott about eight or nine times to discuss the character, Elizabeth Shaw.  ”She’s definitely her own {character}.  She’s a scientist, she is very bright, and she’s a believer. I think there are some similarities, but she’s very much her own.  I don’t think people will compare her so much to Ripley once they see the movie.  But Ripley was a hero for me.”

Shooting on the big budget movie will span roughly six months and, at one point, film in the Scottish Highlands, according toAICN. Prometheusis set for release on June 8, 2012.

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‘Lara Croft: Tomb Raider’ Returns in 2013

Graham King’s GK Films has acquired the film rights toTomb Raiderwith the intention of rebooting the video game franchise on the big screen by 2013.

The new movie(s) will not have any narrative connection to Paramount’s Lara Croft action-adventures in 2001 and 2003 starring Angelina Jolie as the, um, well-endowed character in the signature tank top and short shorts.

Warner Bros picked up the rights inearly 2009with plans of bringing Lara Croft back, but the“re-imagining” never got off the ground. Twilightstarlet Kristen Stewart was reportedly offered the gig back when she was being considered for Jolie action movie scraps likeWanted 2. That was a truly terrible idea, up there with rumors of mouthy actress Megan Fox taking over the role.

But GK Films isn’t just some random production company hoping to make a name for itself with an established brand. In 2010 alone, King producedEdge of Darkness,The Town,London Boulevard, andThe Tourist. Perhaps it’s possible to revive the scantily clad Lara Croft as a kick-ass heroine, but who could they get to play her? Gemma Arterton?

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MGM Selects New Director for 'RoboCop' Reboot

Out from under its financial burdens, MGM is pushing ahead with another profitable franchise from the vault.  The new management, Spyglass partners Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum, have hired Brazilian filmmakerJose Padilhato rebootRoboCop, the gritty cyborg cop drama originally released in 1987 and directed by Paul Verhoeven.

According toDeadline, Padilha impressed executives with his work onElite SquadandElite Squad 2: The Enemy Within, which currently stands as the highest-grossing movie in his home country of Brazil.  No writer has been hired for the new take yet, so his vision for the source material is unclear.  The original centered on a Detroit police officer who nearly died in the line of duty, but was revived as part crime-fighting machine.

Black Swanfilmmaker Darren Aronofsky was attached to the project before MGM’s financial meltdown, but when production was halted to sort out its debt problem the director moved to Fox’sThe Wolverine, the clawed comic book follow-up starring Hugh Jackman.

RoboCop is one of several reboots in the works at MGM, including development on aPoltergeistredo, a Hercules movie, and remakes of’80s hitsMr. MomandThe Idolmaker.

MGM emerged fromChapter 11this year by converting its crippling $4.25 billion debt into equity.  Now they are producing Peter Jackson’stwo-partThe Hobbit(along with WB), developing the23rd James Bond movie, and finally setting release dates for shelved projectsThe Cabin in the WoodsandRed Dawnunder Sony’s distribution banner.

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Sylvester Stallone Not Writing, Directing 'Expendables 2'

Sylvester Stallone, who co-wrote, directed, produced, and starred inThe Expendables, will not be behind the camera for the upcoming sequel and is currently discussing the position with a handful of directors, according to theLA Times.

The follow-up, which is in active development at Millennium Films, will instead be based off a script from David Agosto and Ken Kaufman, neither of who contributed to the original. Agosto’s resume consists of a single short film, but Kaufman co-wroteSpace Cowboys, the movie about the aged astronauts that starred Clint Eastwood and friends back in 2000.

This is potentially a good thing for the series, which will likely include expanded roles for Bruce Willis and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as well as new characters (Jean-Claude Van Damme?). While Stallone clearly has a knack for writing and directing smashmouth action and brawny heroes, he has consistently shown a tin ear for dialogue dating back to theRockysequels. Perhaps his new writing duo and a capable director can punch up his concepts and let Stallone focus on being Stallone.

The original movie made $274.5 million worldwide last summer.

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Teaser Trailer for 'The Hangover 2'

Warner Bros has released the teaser trailer forThe Hangover: Part II, the follow-up to 2009’s hit comedy starring“Wolfpack” members Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), and Alan (Zach Galifianakis). Jay-Z’s“Reminder” plays as the trio walks in slow motion through the streets of Bangkok. Hungover, of course. Plus Stu has a Mike Tyson face tattoo…

Check it out below or atApple.com:

In“The Hangover Part II,” Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zach Galifianakis) and Doug (Justin Bartha) travel to exotic Thailand for Stu’s wedding. After the unforgettable bachelor party in Las Vegas, Stu is taking no chances and has opted for a safe, subdued pre-wedding brunch. However, things don’t always go as planned. What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but what happens in Bangkok can’t even be imagined.

The Hangover 2hits May 26, 2011.

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Details on Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Pacific Rim’

This week was heartbreaking for Mexican filmmakerGuillermo del Toroand his loyal following. After months of pre-production development, the director has reluctantly walked away from the Universal pictureAt the Mountains of Madness, a passion project for del Toro that dates back to at least 1993 when the fantasy enthusiast began sketching his take on the beloved H.P. Lovecraft novella.

Despite having James Cameron on board as a producer and Tom Cruise lined up to star, studio executives were unwilling to budge on the strict PG-13 rating requirement. Del Toro firmly believed in an“R” to properly unravel the intense narrative. Unfortunately, the two sides were unable to come to an agreement.  Hopefully, the creative team can reposition the horror film at another studio, but, for now, Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of At the Mountains of Madnessis dead.

In the wake of the collapsed project, Guillermo del Toro announced his next film will bePacific Rim, a PG-13 movie aiming for a 2013 release set up at Legendary Pictures and written by top-notch screenwriter Travis Beacham. Del Toro has flirted with a Beacham script before, namelyThe Killing on Carnival Row, one of my all-time favorite screenplays about a murder mystery in the chimerical world of faeries, vampires, dwarves, werewolves, seal-people, and other oddities.

However, not much is known aboutPacific Rimyet, other than it’s about giant monsters and will allow del Toro to create a“new world” of beastly creatures. That’s only halfway accurate. This project will give theHellboyfilmmaker the opportunity to createtwoworlds.

The first is an alternate version of Earth in the near future, decades after a historic date in November 2012 when the firstkaiju, a towering Godzilla-like beast, emerged from a hole in the Pacific Ocean and attacked the city of Osaka, Japan. The second is“The Anteverse,” another universe on the other side of that gaping portal, 5 miles below our ocean’s surface.

Since the first attack, the rim has been“spitting out” a variety of gigantic monsters at an increasing rate, which then stride out of the ocean and begin destroying sea-bordering cities, like Tokyo and Los Angeles. In order to combat these monstrous, otherworldly menaces, the military developed the“Jaeger” program, which trains teams of two pilots to jointly operate massive, building-sized mechanized suits of armor and high-tech weaponry.

Within the first act alone, we are given enough detailed background on the god-like Jaeger systems, its shared neural piloting system (called“pons”), and the relentless beasts. But Beacham is an absolute master at immediately establishing characters and their conflicts.

The central character is Raleigh Antrobus, 23, a skilled Jaeger pilot still wrestling emotionally with the loss of his co-pilot and biological brother, Yance, during a mission a year earlier. The ordeal has wreaked havoc on his mind spirit, leaving him with ghostly nightmares of the battle from the shared“pons” experience. After the initial setup, the damaged hero is recruited to re-join the task force in Tokyo, where pilots are in demand, and team with a fellow“leftover,” 22-year-old female Japanese pilot Mako Mori. Naturally, the language barrier (among other things) presents an issue for the out-of-sync duo, meaning an even steeper learning curve for the unprecedented pairing.

Meanwhile, Felicity“Flick” Kincaid, a journalist and Yance’s former fiancée, circles the globe (ours) to discover answers about this mysterious rift and the origins of its intensifying threat.

Without ruining any more surprises (past the first act), there are several different species of towering kaiju, each with their own unique characteristics, and the clashes between monster and machine are epic in scale. Beacham has even developed his own glossary and lingo for his characters, a blend of scientific and military jargon used to describe the elements of this fully fleshed out reality, much like the shorthand in Cameron’sAvataror the developing mecha-warrior versus aliens movie All You Need is Kill.

The concept and Beacham’s script are unbelievable. With the right budget and creative control, this could very well be Guillermo del Toro’sJurassic Park, a visual marvel with a pseudo-science backbone and massive, kaiju-sized appeal. Hell yes.  Bring it on.

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3D 'Stars Wars: Episode I' set for February 2012

Lucasfilm and 20th Century Fox have announced the release date for the 3D post-conversion ofStar Wars: Episode I– The Phantom Menace.  The re-re-release will hit theaters February 10, 2012.

George Lucas’ special effects company (and nowRangoanimators), Industrial Light& Magic, is overseeing the conversion“with a keen eye for both technological considerations and artistic intentions.”

Lucas apologists will likely take a peek, but many fans will scoff at the thought of sitting through Episode I again, much less in post-converted 3D— no argument here, scoff away.  However, starting in episode order, rather than by chronological release date, means ILM will have the opportunity to tinker with Jar Jar Binks’ protruding tongue or attempt to draw a realistic performance out of a flat Hayden Christensen before focusing their attention on converting the three films that matter, the original Star Wars trilogy.

3D may be a passing fad— not fast enough?— but there’s something to be said about seeing those sci-fi classics in the theater on a towering screen and bombarded by the films’ incredible, iconic sounds.  Three dimensions or not, the opportunity to catch the adventures of Luke, Han, and Leia again could be exciting enough for Star Wars fans young and old, regardless of how they feel about the prequels or“special” editions.

Are you through with Lucas’ cash grabs or are you excited to see Star Wars in 3D?

(Note: James Cameron is planning his 3D re-release ofTitanicin April 2012.)

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Script Details on Jonah Hill’s Directorial Debut, 'Kitchen Sink'

At the 2010 South by Southwest Film Festival, almost a year ago, I sat down with Jonah Hill to talk about his latest comedy, the Duplass brothers-directedCyrus. At the time, Hill was emerging from the Judd Apatow troupe to take on more professional challenges, including a meatier role in the dependency dramedy, voice over work in an animated DreamWorks tentpole, and sharing writing-producing duties on a comedic“21 Jump Street” adaptation.

But Hill is a self-professed film fanatic himself, and I was curious if his new career trajectory was headed towards directing. ”That’s my intention,” Hilltold me at the time. ”Yeah. I feel lucky and blessed to be doing what I’m doing now, but my intention completely is to become a director.  That’s exactly what I want to do.  And I think the more movies I do, the more I learn and the more great directors I get to work with the more I learn about how to do that.  But that is my ultimate goal.  100%.”

So it comes as no surprise that less than a year later, Hill is lining up his directorial debut on Oren Uziel’s2010 Black Listscript with a tongue-in-cheek title, The Kitchen Sink.

According to theHollywood Reporter, the project was pitched as“The Breakfast ClubmeetsZombieland,” but there’s nothing particularly Hughesian about the story other than a few easy high school archetypes and a comparison to the undead hit is unfair to the clever send-up written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick.

If a script is aware of its stereotypical characters, does that mean it’s okay? Uziel’s genre mashup gimmick is fully conscious of its numerous clichéd influences, like an“SNL” sketch gone agonizingly long and bordering on the aimless spoof territory of hacks Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. A more appropriate comparison would be“Jennifer’s BodymeetsMars Attacks!” with perhaps someFido-style domestic zombie comedy.

Spoilers:The premise is a town is overrun by a simultaneous vampire and zombie apocalypse, then invaded by aliens. Seriously.  The script starts with an attention-grabbing action sequence as Dag, an awkward average teen, and Lorelei, his hot, pot-smoking neighbor, take on the hordes of clashing undead before they’re interrupted by the abrupt arrival of otherworldly beings who disintegrate everything (and everyone) in sight.

After some flashbacks to when the world was (slightly) normal, Dag is joined by a beautiful vampire classmate named Petra and a nerdy zombie, Ned, who control their urges to devour him in order to collectively survive. Though this basically means they tolerate one another’s bellyaching about Dag’s dashed hopes for popularity, Ned’s overbearing father/senator, and Petra’s disappointment in a conniving boyfriend.

Despite being a zombie whose primary focus is braaaains, Ned has the ability to randomly form coherent sentences, if only to ask his fellow zombies where he can score some more delicious brains. Of course, they simply grunt in return.  Because they’re zombies… Clever.

Meanwhile, the trio manages to discover the aliens arrived and fell in love with TiVo, specifically to continuing watching transmissions of“Nash Bridges.” Conveniently, the town is in close proximity to the dairy farm (?) of Don Johnson.  Perhaps the celebrity cameo will change based on availability—Zombielandoriginally featured Patrick Swayze— but the Johnson-related jokes are flat and derivative of Bill Murray’s hilarious appearance.

With the“Nash Bridges” motivation uncovered, the group sets out to stop the alien invasion by satiating their craving for Johnson. (Wait, that came out wrong…) But not before an oddly serious interlude where a key vampire in the community argues the slippery slope of human prejudice against the undead.  Social commentary or not, the resolute scene hardly fits what is otherwise a slapdash effort at genre bending and cheap satire.

It’s a messy script, both tonally and narratively, but the biggest disappointment is that the gimmicky Kitchen Sinkis not particularly funny and not quite the project we hoped would become the first film directed by the very funny Jonah Hill.

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Arnold Schwarzenegger Says 'Terminator 5' Offer Among 15 Films

Since the end of his term as governor of California in January, former action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger has been open and honest about his return to Hollywood.

Just weeks after the end of his political career, 63-year-old Schwarzeneggerspoke of three scriptshe was considering, including the WWII dramaWith Wings as Eaglescentered on an experienced, highly-decorated Nazi soldier named Klaus Ostermann who becomes disillusioned with the war and opts to help a concentration camp full of POWs.

At the time, many speculated that the other two projects wereThe Expendables 2, the inevitable sequel to Sly Stallone’s macho ensemble flick, andTerminator 5. The rumor strengthened when Universalreportedlyexpressed interest in purchasing rights to the series forFast& Furiousdirector Justin Lin andFast Fivescreenwriter Chris Morgan.

Naturally, Arnold’s name surfaced for a proper return to the franchise, particularly since it coincided with the former Governator’s tweet in early February,“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.”

Which brings us to this past Sunday, when Schwarzenegger took questions from the audience at The Arnold Classic, an annual bodybuilding competition. TheArnoldFansasked for clarification about his three scripts and Schwarzenegger responded candidly,“Well, first of all it’s more like 15 films, obvious ones from The Terminator to remakes of Predator and The Running Man and all of those things. Then also a lot of original stuff too. But I am also packaging a Comic Book character right now. I’m going to announce that sometime by the end of March or the beginning of April.”

We’ve heard about another Terminator movie, but a reboot ofPredator? I was under the impression the studio just tried that.  A remake ofThe Running Man? Wasn’t that titledGamer? Plus, what happened to Fox’sremake ofCommandothat had fans up in arms?

Lastly, a comic book character and Arnold seem like a natural fit. The actor left Hollywood circa 2003, just as the subgenre was returning with X-Men, Spider-Man, and Batman, so it’s no surprise he wants to get in the game while it’s still hot and, frankly, while he’s still fit enough to do so. That being said, no one has any idea what comic Schwarzenegger is eying and the possibilities are rather endless.  Let’s just hope it’s not a Mr. Freeze spin-off.

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Channing Tatum Attached to 'Peter Pan Begins'

G.I. Joestar Channing Tatumis attached to yet another fairy tale re-imagining titledPeter Pan Begins, a pitch package that went out to studios on Tuesday.

Screenwriter Billy Ray, who wroteBreachand the upcoming adaptation ofThe Hunger Games, is on board, according to theHollywood Reporter, as well as producer Joe Roth, who is already working on a few other fairy tale re-visitations, includingOz the Great and Powerful(with director Sam Raimi and stars James Franco and Mila Kunis) andSnow White and the Huntsman(with stars Charlize Theron and Kristen Stewart).

Details on the project are limited for now, but it’s only a matter of time before a logline or a draft makes its way online. I’m curious to see how a musclebound Tatum, 30, factors into the origins of a never-aging boy who sneaks into girls’ windows. Not in a creepy way, but in amagicalway. Of course, Steven Spielberg already mined the after story with the quasi sequelHookthat posited“what if Peter Pan grew up and became Robin Williams?”

The pitch is part of Hollywood’s recent push to return to the lands of magic, myth and public domain and avoid the costs of comic book license fees or producing a (gasp) entirely original work.  Which explains why there are at least three Snow White movies in production, four Oz re-imaginings, a grown-upHansel& Gretel, Red Riding Hood, a Mulan redo, a new Little Mermaid take, and even an origin story ofTinkerbellwith Elizabeth Banks attached to star.

In fact, another Peter Pan movie already exists. Screenwriter Ben Magid soldPanto New Line in 2006 and recently Ben Hibon, who helmed the magnificent animated sequence inHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows– Part 1, agreed in Novemberto direct. That story centers on a retired police captain named Hook who goes in search of a missing boy with the help of a former kidnap victim named Wendy.

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List of Actors Considered for 'The Bourne Legacy'

Universal and writer-director Tony Gilroy are currently searching for a new lead to headlineThe Bourne Legacy, a spin-off of the action-packed trilogy starring Matt Damon.

Unfortunately, Damon will not be returning for the fourth installment of the series as Jason Bourne due to his friendship with departing director Paul Greengrass and his increasingly busy schedule. “This is nota reboot or a recast or a prequel,” Gilroy said inOctober. ”No one’s replacing Matt Damon. There will be a whole new hero, a whole new chapter…this is a stand-alone project.” Gilroy, who wrote or co-wrote the first three films, called it an expansion of the spy universe established by those movies directed by Doug Liman and Greengrass.

According toVariety, Gilroy has an idea of the kind of actor he wants, but Universal is, of course, providing their own suggestions. This means the“short” list of names being considered amounts to a who’s who of late 20s, early 30s actors, many of whom you’ll recognize right away. But Gilroy insists on screen-testing each of the candidates, regardless of“A-list” status, which could be an issue for the prima donnas. To which I say, good, Bourne fans don’t want to see someone fill the role that isn’t willing to put in the effort.

Variety’s list includes: the Prince of Persia Jake Gyllenhaal, former Spider-ManTobey Maguire, Tron: Legacy starGarrett Hedlund, X-Men Origins: Wolverine’s GambitTaylor Kitsch, and Twilight vampireKellen Lutz.

Deadlineadds a few more names to the mix: Animal Kingdom actorJoel Edgerton, Black Hawk Down starJosh Hartnett, There Will Be Blood’sPaul Dano(what?),“Boardwalk Empire” starMichael Pitt, Guatemalan actor and Body of Lies actor Oscar Isaac, the new MagnetoMichael Fassbender, Clash of the Titans actorLuke Evans, I Am Number Four heartthrobAlex Pettyfer, and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter leadBenjamin Walker.

So basically everyone. While a few of them seem downright ridiculous (no way will it be Dano), others such as Pitt and Gyllenhaal seem like worthy picks for the continuation.  Sure, Hartnett and Hedlund have a female following due to their rakish good looks, but they generally flat on screen and would mean a significant step down from Damon.  We’ll hopefully know more soon but, for now, do you have a favorite among the potential stars?

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'The Dark Knight Rises' Against Talia al Ghul?

Speculation on Christopher Nolan’s third and final Batman installment,The Dark Knight Rises, has been rampant for months now, dating back toSummer 2010rumors thatJoseph Gordon-Levittwas on board to play The Riddler. While Nolan later debunkedJGL’s enigmatic involvement, the young star wound up part of the production after all, reportedly accepting an undisclosed role that reunites him with much of theInceptionteam.

Thus, in this cyclical rumor mill where no one quite knows anything for sure, more fan casting rises again. This time it involves Inceptionfemme fataleMarion Cotillard, who is also somewhat-confirmed for the sequel, and her secretive part.

BadAss Digestsays“a good source near the Batcamp” believes the main antagonist is Talia al Ghul, the daughter of Liam Neeson’s Ra’s al Ghul fromBatman Begins. If the Cotillard rumors are true, it’s a strong possibility she’ll be playing Talia. Furthermore, she has assumed leadership of the“League of Shadows,” the clandestine organization Batman battled in the first film, and Bane (Tom Hardy) will be her muscle/possible love interest.

Update: For what it’s worth,Batman-on-Film.comconfirms these rumors.

Their sources didn’t know for sure who Gordon-Levitt will play— though persistent rumors have him pegged as eitherBlack MaskorAlberto Falcone— but his villainous character is reportedly part of the League as well. I’m betting on young mobster Falcone myself.

As for Anne Hathaway, who nearly confirmedafter the Oscarsthat she will transform from Selina Kyle into Catwoman, her character will ultimately become Batman’s ally.

Again, details are not confirmed at this point and, in typical Nolan fashion, these plot elements will not be official until there is a formal studio announcement. However, if this is true, the return of the League is certainly a fantastic way to tie together the trilogy from Batman’s origins to his continued guardianship of Gotham. What do you think?

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Julianne Hough to Star in 'Rock of Ages' with Tom Cruise

Former“Dancing with the Stars” professionalJulianne Houghis taking another step into her own Hollywood stardom withRock of Ages, the Adam Shankman-directed’80s jukebox musical and adaptation of the Broadway production.

Hough, 22, will play the lead, Sherrie Christian, an actress from Kansas looking to make it in California who meets an aspiring rocker named Drew (who remains uncast, thus far). The role attracted the attention of several multi-talented entertainers, like Katy Perry and Taylor Swift, but Shankman called Hough“nothing short of a miracle” after her audition, according to theHollywood Reporter.

Tom Cruiselocked in last month to play Stacee Jaxx, an obnoxious hair-band rocker and temptation to both Drew (professionally) and Sherrie (sexually), which means he’ll be belting out Bon Jovi’s“Wanted Dead or Alive” and a duet to Foreigner’s“I Wanna Know What Love Is.” Thepreviously announcedMary J. Bligeis set as Justice, the sassy owner of a nearby strip joint who sings a cover of Poison’s“Every Rose Has Its Thorn.”

Russell Brand,who worked with Shankman on the god-awful family comedy Bedtime Stories, continues to circle the part of Lonnie, the bar manager of The Bourbon.  Alec Baldwinis considering the role of the owner, Dennis. Together, they would sing a duet of REO Speedwagon’s“Can’t Fight This Feeling.” Anne Hathawayis no longer in talks to play a journalist that sleeps with Cruise’s character.

The two-time“Dancing with the Stars” winner and budding actress had a supporting role in the Christina Aguilera song-and-dance dramaBurlesqueand is playing the female lead in Paramount’sFootlooseremakealongside“Gossip Girl” actor Chace Crawford.

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Diane Lane Joins 'Superman' as Martha Kent

Warner Bros announced Diane Lane has officially joined the cast of Zack Snyder’s newSupermanmovie, tentatively titledMan of Steel. She will play Martha Kent, the adoptive mother of Clark Kent (a.k.a. Superman) played byHenry Cavill.

Kevin Costner wasrecently rumoredfor Jonathan Kent, Martha’s husband and Clark’s father, but he has not been confirmed yet. Meanwhile, the search is still on for General Zod (Viggo Mortensen is on the shortlist), his female sidekick Ursa (there are three actressesvying for that role), and, presumably, Non, the third villainous Kryptonian featured inSuperman II. Snyder is also meeting with several named actresses for the part of Lois Lane.

Due to a ruling by a federal judge in August 2009, the rights to Superman’s origins reverted back the estate of creators Joel Schuster and Jerry Siegel, which includes any references to Krypton (but Kryptonite is okay), his biological parents (Jor-el and Lara), and his trip from the alien planet to his crash-landing on Earth.  Barring any further legal wrangling, Superman’s rights will fully revert to the estate in 2013 (hence the urgency to produce another installment).  The new Superman movie is scheduled for December 2012.

“This was a very important piece of casting for me because Martha Kent is the woman whose values helped shape the man we know as Superman,” Snyder said in the official studio press release.“We are thrilled to have Diane in the role because she can convey the wisdom and the wonder of a woman whose son has powers beyond her imagination.” Lane, 46 and still absolutely stunning, was last on screen in Disney’sSecretariatin 2010.

Ironically, Lane starred in 2006’s Hollywoodlandabout the mysterious death of TV Superman George Reeves.

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Viggo Mortensen Sought for 'Superman' Villain

Viggo Mortensen is reportedly a“person of interest” to play the villain in Zack Snyder’sSuperman: Man of Steel.

According to theHollywood Reporter, the oft-rumored baddie for the comic book reboot is none other than General Zod, a fellow Kryptonian with superhuman powers and a passing desire to rule Earth. Mortensen is on the top of the list to play the supervillain, originally portrayed by Terence Stamp in Superman I and as the main antagonist in Superman II.

His“person of interest” status means no formal negotiations have begun, and may not ever start if Mortensen closes his deal to star in Universal’sSnow White and the Huntsmanopposite Charlize Theron and potentially Kristen Stewart.

Kevin Costner, who was mentionedlast weekas a possibility for Jonathan Kent (Superman’s adoptive father), is also merely being discussed at this point.

Snyder has been busy meeting with and considering potential cast members in February after signing British actorHenry Cavillfor the lead the month before. In addition to Zod and the Kents, there are three female roles to cast: Superman love interest and intrepid reporterLois Lane, General Zod groupieUrsa, and an unknown lady.

Mortensen is a commanding presence on screen, whether he’s playing an evil character or not, and would make a fine addition to a studio tentpole looking to re-establish a lucrative franchise. Cavill, Costner, and Mortensen working with Snyder and producer Christopher Nolan?  When can we see it?  Oh, right, December 2012.

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