'Snow White and the Hunstman' Lead Offered to Johnny Depp« FirstShowing.net

In apress releasetoday, Universal announced release dates for many of their forthcoming tentpole films including a December 21st, 2012 release for the fairytale adaptationSnow White and the Huntsman. While we've heard names likeCharlize Theron,Angelina JolieandTom Hardytossed around for possible roles in the film, it's a slow news day today, which means an unlikely casting scoop has made its way online.The Wrapis now reportingAlice in Wonderlandproducer Joe Roth is looking to work with his Mad Hatter, actorJohnny Depp, yet again. An offer is apparently out to the actor for the lead role of the huntsman.

While the connection between Depp and Roth certainly helps the possibility, we haven't forgotten just how damn busy Depp is and just howmanyprojectshe already has on his future slate. As we all know, offers are handed out to actors all the time, and they're just as quickly turned down. This is by no means a done deal, and personally I find it wholly unlikely. Aside from Depp's demanding future, I'm not sure the actor, who carefully selects a wide variety of roles, would be so eager to take on another alternate telling of a Disney inspired tale. It just seems too obvious of a role for him even though the role is said to be quite meaty with plenty of substantial drama.

In addition, The Wrap points out that since Universal is looking to start production in January, it would be Depp's obligations to projects he has already finished shooting that may keep him wrapped up.The Touristopens in December,Rangoin March,Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tidesin May, and the indieThe Rum Diaryis supposed to hit sometime in 2011 as well. The publicity around the world for all of these films would keep anybody too busy to shoot a film at the beginning of the year, and that doesn't even include the almostunfathomablenumberof projects the actor is said to have in development. While this is a slight possibility, I wouldn't hold your breath for very long.Would you want Johnny Depp inSnow White& the Huntsman?

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Roland Emmerich About to Start Shooting a Secret Sci-Fi Project« FirstShowing.net

I guess alien invasion sci-fi movies reallyareall the rage right now. Though he's been working on his period dramaAnonymous, explosive German filmmakerRoland Emmerichhas apparently been secretly working on another small project.Heat Visionreports that Emmerich is already preparing to shoot a film calledThe Zone, another"found footage"sci-fi film, likeCloverfield, that revolves around an alien invasion. No other plot details are known, but Emmerich will cast improv-based unknown actors and work with a$5 millionbudget. Whoa! Give or takeAnonymous, he hasn't worked with a budget less than $100 million since 1994!

For those who need something to grasp onto regardingThe Zone, apparently two of the leads have just been cast (or so they say). We don't actually know the actors' names yet, but here are the character breakdowns: one is a"haggard journalistin his 40s or 50s"and the other is a"black man in his early to mid 20's, thecameraman."I already have a feeling this is going to be a cheesy Roland Emmerich version ofCloverfieldandMonstersmixed, which may or may not be cool to see. What I guess I mean is that the problems with his movies mostly lie in the script, and it might be cool to see him tackle"found footage"style sci-fi action story wrapped around an epic alien invasion. Come on, this is the guy who brought usIndependence Day!

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Anderson& Baumbach Producing Peter Bogdanovich's Next Film« FirstShowing.net

The truly original and eccentric filmmakersNoah Baumbach(right) andWes Anderson(middle) have previously collaborated with stupendous results. Baumbach scripted Anderson'sThe Life Aquatic with Steve ZissouandFantastic Mr. Foxand their styles couldn't have meshed any better. Now the two are teaming up again, but this time as producers. In a new interview with theNational Post(viaThe Playlist) directorPeter Bogdonavich(The Last Picture Show) revealed a few new projects he's working on including a screwball comedy calledSquirrel to the Nutswhich will be produced by both Baumbach and Anderson.Read on!

Bogdonavich says the comedy is"about an escort, a theatre director and a private detective."His previous work likeWhat's Up Docalready shows his love for similar screwball material so this sounds right up his alley. When you combine his comedic sensibilities with Baumbach and Anderson's unique style and comedy tastes, then you've got quite a project to look forward to in the future.

In addition, the adaptation ofThe Turn of the Century, a project we heard aboutback in February, is still very much in the cards. The screenplay for that project is already done, but it's unsure how soon he might tackle that or the aforementioned comedy. This is quite an amazing set of projects for a filmmaker who is getting up there in years. Of course, that's not stopping Clint Eastwood so why should that stop Mr. Bogdanovich from partaking in the mixture of two different generations of filmmakers?Interested?

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Casting Tidbits: Eugene Levy, Jeremy Piven and Casey Affleck« FirstShowing.net

We're now a quarter of an inch tall, and sixty four feet from the Casting Tidbits. That's an equivalent of three-point-two miles. That's a long way. Even for a man of science. First up,Varietyreports the hilariousEugene Levyhas snagged a role in the hockey centric comedyGoon, an adaptation ofDoug Smith and Adam Frattasio's bookGoon: The True Story of an Unlikely Journey Into Minor League Hockey. The film follows a bouncer (Seann William Scott) who joins a rag-tag hockey team and inspires them to greatness and Jay Baruchel is already signed on to play his best friend. No word on what character Levy will play, but a good bet might be the coach.

Second, in a press release from Dimension Films, the entire cast has been announced for Robert Rodriguez's action adventure family filmSpy Kids 4: All the Time in the World. Though we've previously mentioned most of the cast members in previous Casting Tidbits, one name has not yet been revealed.Jeremy Pivenis playing the villain known as the Timekeeper who threatens to take over the planet and forces retired agent Marissa Cortez Wilson (Jessica Alba) back into action along with her two twin step-kids with the help of the original Spy Kids Carmen and Juni Cortez (Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara). Robert Rodrigiuez is back as director, director of photography, editor and visual effects supervisor on the film.

Next,THRreportsCasey Affleck(Gone, Baby, Gone) andJudd Hirsch(Independence Day) have joined the ever-growing cast of Brett Ratner's action comedyTower Heist. The film follows an overworked manager (Ben Stiller) of an illustrious tower residence who leads a team of defrauded workers in a heist of its penthouse tenant, a Bernie Madoff-type Wall Street capitalist (Alan Alda) who pulled a Ponzi scheme and swindled the staff. Affleck will play Stiller's character's friend who works with him in the high-rise, but wants no part of the heist and wants to turn him and his co-workers in for their scheming. No word on which character Hirsch will play in the film.

Also,EmpirereportsRichard Griffiths(Uncle Vernon from theHarry Potterfranchise) will play King George II inPirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. The casting was revealed in a quick chat with Geoffrey Rush who recalled his trend of taking roles advising royalty fromElizabethand the sequelThe Golden AgetoThe King's Speech. Then he continued by saying Barbosa is a privateer in King George II's court where he mentors the historical leader as well.

Finally,Varietyreports the charmingAngela Lansbury(Beauty and the Beast,"Murder, She Wrote") has joined the cast of the adaptation ofMr. Popper's Penguinsstarring Jim Carrey. The story follows Mr. Popper, a high-powered, New York businessman who suddenly inherits six penguins. He soon realizes the difficulties of raising the animals and faces major challenges at work and home. Lansbury is playing Mrs. Van Gundy, the owner of a local tavern that Mr. Popper attempts to buy. She joins a cast that already includes Carla Gugino (Watchmen) and Philip Baker Hall (Magnolia).

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

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Matt Damon Talks Bourne and Soderbergh's Liberace Biopic« FirstShowing.net

Lately there's been a lot of chatter surrounding the offshoot from the Jason Bourne franchise thatMatt Damonhelped build with directors Tony Gilroy and Paul Greengrass. Though Damon and the latter filmmakerstepped awayfrom another sequel, recently it was revealed Gilroy wouldboth direct and writethe next installment ,The Bourne Legacy, butwithout the focuson amnesiac operative Jason Bourne. Well in an interview withEW, Damon cleared the air aboutrecent commentsthat made him sound out of the loop and bitter about the Bourne-less feature and even has news on the gestatingLiberace biopicfrom Steven Soderbergh.

First with Bourne, when the actor mentions that,"Nobody bothered to call me,"he wasn't saying that he hadn't been aware of project and the franchise continuing without him. Here's what Damon had to say about his comments and his future with the Bourne franchise:

"I was in a roundtable and they were, like, badgering me about the next Bournemovie. And I was like, 'I don’t know, guys, they didn’t call me. They’re doing another movie with Tony.' I think it’s asmart thing to do. It doesn’t interfere with Paul {Greengrass} and me doing a movie. As I understand it, if you think ofX-Menand thenWolverine, it’s just that process in reverse. Tony doesn’t want to hurt the Bourne story. So as I understand it, Jason Bourne is alive in the world that Tony’s going to create. I don’t appear in it, but it’s very much that world. As far as Paul and I are concerned, as long as there’s room for us to come in and do another one, we’re thrilled."

So though Damon isn't doing another Bourne sequel now, apparently he and Greengrass aren't adverse to coming back to the series down the road, and that's definitely some good news. The real question will be whether audiences want to follow another character in the Bourne universe, with a Bourne title, but no Jason Bourne in the story. I guess we'll have to wait and find out.

On the Liberace biopic front, we'veheardintermittentupdatesfrom directorSteven Soderberghsince the project was announced years ago withMichael Douglasattached to staras the iconic pianist. Since Damon is still lined up to play Scott Thorson, one of Liberace's bitter companions, the actor had some relieving news about the gestating project which has had an uncertain future since Douglasrecently revealedhe was diagnosed with Stage 4 throat cancer. Well apparently Douglas isrecovering just fine, is primed to get back to work, and has cleared his schedule to shoot the Liberace biopic next summer. Here's what Damon had to say about that and his upcoming slate:

"I’m doing a few weeks onContagionwith {Steven} Soderbergh, and then I’m doing Cameron Crowe’s movie {We Built A Zoo} in the spring. And then we’replanning on doingLiberacein the summer with Michael {Douglas}. And I’ve talked to Michael and everything’s on schedule for him, which is great. Sowe’ve all cleared our schedulesand are all really excited about that happening. And then the fall’s wide open. So I’d love to do something with Paul, whether we doBourneor something else. I know he’s been looking for something."

So there you have it. Bourne isn't entirely out of the question for Damon or Greengrass sometime down the road and Soderbergh's Liberace biopic is on track to shoot next year. It's great to hear that Douglas has recovered so quickly and is eager to get back on screen. Meanwhile, Damon has quite an impressive variety in the films on his future slate, and I honestly can't wait to see every single one of them.How about you?

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Tom Hardy Circling Key Role in 'Snow White and the Huntsman'« FirstShowing.net

Many fans were excited by thenewsthatInceptionstarTom Hardyhad snagged a major, unrevealedrole in the next Batman moviefrom Chris Nolan. In addition, we recently heard that he'sone of the frontrunnersfor the lead role inTotal Recall. Though his schedule seemed rather crowded, it looks like he's making time to squeeze in a project between production on the McG action comedyThis Means Warwith Chris Pine, and the upcoming sequel toThe Dark Knight.The Playlistreports that Hardy is close to signing a deal to take a major roleSnow White and the Huntsman, one of the many fairytale adaptations now in development.

Since the project was unveiled at the end of September, development has moved rather swiftly in a short amount of time to have already reached casting. Of course withThe Brothers Grimm: Snow WhiteandSnow and the Sevenstill in the works, it's easy to see why time is of the essence. In addition to Hardy's role as the titular hunstman named Eric (haunted by the death of his wife at the hands of a white wolf), apparently Universal wants to getAngelina Jolieto play Ravenna, the evil queen and villain of the piece. Though she'll be completing her directorial debut on theBosnia War set love storywe recently heard about, she doesn't have any projects lined up as an actress next year. However, hersupposed linkto Tim Burton's evil queen centric filmMaleficentmay keep her from taking the role.

As for Snow White, it looks like an unknown will take the role as a huge casting call is apparently taking place in the UK right now. Though The Playlist says the script is a very strong action adventure story, I'm kind of worried about the rushed development tainting what would-be a unique adaptation of the classic fairytale. It sounds like they're on the right track with the casting, but withcommercial directorRupert Sandersmaking his feature directorial debut with this big of a film, it does raise some concerns.What do you guys think?

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Francis Ford Coppola Quietly Shooting New Film with Val Kilmer« FirstShowing.net

Staying under the radar with his more recent films likeTetroandYouth Without Youth, directorFrancis Ford Coppolais working out of the spotlight yet again asDeadlinereports the filmmaker is already quietly shooting his next film. So what is this unheard of project? TitledTwixt Now and Sunrise, the film is described as a thriller with horror elements and features slightly faded starVal Kilmerin the lead role as a horror novelist.Elle Fanning(The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) andBruce Dern(Monster) make-up the supporting cast. Though no details are mentioned, apparently the film is based on a short story by Coppola himself.

Though he's not making films with as high of a profile as his previous projects, the decade sabbatical Coppola took afterThe Rainmakercertainly left a void. Though his most recent films haven't measured up to the likes ofThe Godfather, the man is still truly an auteur as he rounds up financing himself without studio interference. Even more exciting is that this will be the first venture into a horror film for Coppola since his turn directing 1963'sDementia 13for producer Roger Corman (though some people thinkJackis so bad, that it's scary). Hopefully we'll hear more about his new project sooner than later.Interested?

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Director Tony Scott Confirmed for a Brand New 'Top Gun' Sequel« FirstShowing.net

Well I'll be damned. A couple of days agowe wrote about a news reportsaying that Paramount had offeredTony Scottand producer Jerry Bruckheimer the chance to return for a brand newTop Gunsequel, some 14 years after the original. Oh and apparently Christopher McQuarrie (Usual Suspects, Valkyrie) is writing the script, which has a small role for Tom Cruise to return as Maverick. Well, some sites (What's PlayingandHitFix) caught up with Scott at a press event this weekend for his new filmUnstoppableand confirmed with him that he is actually directingTop Gun 2, as it's called, but wouldn't comment on Cruise's involvement.

"This world fascinated me, because it's so different from what it was originally,"Scott says."But, I don't want to do a remake. I don't want to do a reinvention.I want to do a new movie."

In theHitFixpiece, Scott spoke about his interest and what the story might be about. Inspired by current technological advances, there's an Air Force base down in Fallon, Nevada where,"these computer geeks— these kids play war games in a trailer… these guys can actually fly drones. They are unmanned aircraft. They operate them and then they party all night."Okay, so from the sounds of that, we're not gettingTop Gun 2, we're gettingStealth 2. This just sounds awful, I have to admit. I thought this might be a chance for Tony Scott to get back to his action-filled roots (Top Gunwas one of the first films he directed back in 1986) but it sounds like he's going to continue spiraling further and further out of control with worse and worse movies.

Scott adds that it"will partially examine the end of the era of fighter pilots"with the focus on the"kids"who now control these drones. Aw, how sad. Apparently this isn't going to be his next film, as he's got hundreds of projects on his plate right now, but it is coming soon - maybe"a few years away."I really hope McQuarrie can put together a good script, because from what Scott's said, this sounds terrible. We'll continue to keep you updated on this, but just know that in a few years, we'll be hosting one hell of aTop Gunreunion party.

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Liam Neeson Now Taking Mel Gibson's Role in 'The Hangover 2'« FirstShowing.net

Since the cast and crew decided Asian penises and a baby being forced to gesture masturbation were just a tad more tasteful than allowingMel Gibsonhave a cameo inThe Hangover 2, someone has to take the roleleft vacant by his forced departurefrom the sequel.VarietysaysLiam Neeson(Taken,The A-Team) has quickly stepped in to play the small role of a crazed tattoo artist the guys encounter in Thailand. Neeson revealed his role (which will shoot this weekend) to the site only a few days afterthe newsthat dissension amongst the cast and crew had forced Warner Bros and director Todd Phillips to pull Gibson from the film.

Filming is taking place on the Warner Bros. lot, where a Bangkok set has been built, and then the production moves to Thailand at the end of October. Though no official details on the comedy sequel have been revealed, therecent rumored storylinepegs all the guys re-tracing their steps after a hard night of partying leads to a drunk Stu (Ed Helms) sleeping with a Thai tranny. Sounds exactly like the type of tomfoolery we can expect from another crazy night of partying with Ed Helms, Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis and Justin Bartha. Though Gibson's cameo would've been more fun, we don't see Neeson do a lot of comedy, so he's an adequate replacement.Agreed?

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Wesley Snipes Mentions Another Hoover Film, 'Blade' and More« FirstShowing.net

Though he's currently dealing with legal troubles with the IRS that could garner a 3-year stint in prison,Wesley Snipesis still looking to get some new projects off the ground. Recently the actor/producer toldDeadlineabout his development of a period drama entitledCode Name Zorro. The story centers J. Edgar Hoover's campaign to discredit Martin Luther King Jr. by way of the titular operation which covertly attempted to subvert King’s influence over the civil rights movement by tarnishing his reputation. There's more on this project, Snipes' comments on continuingBlade, and details on a new family time travel film below.

ForCode Name Zorro, Snipes has been working with MLK's son to gather information about how the iconic civil rights activist was treated by Hoover and his FBI. The project, scripted by Justin Stamm, has the full endorsement of King's family and Snipes says it's"an important project that has my focus."Speaking of focus, though the film's catalyst is Hoover's fear and attempted smearing of MLK, apparently the film will actually follow the final moments in the life of former assistant FBI director William Sullivan, who headed Code Name Zorro and found himself wiretapping King’s phones, and orchestrating such dirty tricks as giving King's wife audiotapes of the civil rights leader's conversations with other women. Sullivan wrote to Hoover after the famous"I have a dream"speech,""We must mark {King} now, if we have not done so before, as the most dangerous Negro of the future in this nation."Pretty intense stuff, right?

However, Deadline is quick to point out the plethora of MLK centric projects developing in the industry right now. Lee Daniels isstill workingonSelma, Steven Spielberg has abiopic in the workswith full support from the estate, and Oprah Winfrey and HBO are developing a 7-hour miniseries based onTaylor Branch's book serieschronicling America's history during King's life. In addition, Clint Eastwood is working on his own J. Edgar Hoover biopic which may overlap some of the same material, even if the focus seems to be on Hoover's balance of work and his supposed secret homosexual romance. Fortunately, if the market gets too crowded, this isn't the only project Snipes is producing.

Today,Varietyreported his Maandi Media Entertainment banner is now producingChronicles of the Mayan Tunnel, an $80 million 3D family action-adventure project based on an unpublished book byRaul Julia-Levy, son of the late actor Raul Julia. The story follows four youngsters sent back in time 1,500 years to the height of the Mayan Empire and Julia-Levy will feature in the film as Yum Kax, a Mayan god of justice. Our heroes have to face-off with the war god Ah Puch, a role reserved for Snipes if his legal entanglements get cleared up in time.

As for going back to hunting vampires, Snipes is a little perturbed about recent rumors suggesting other actors like Idris Elbamight be up for a new take onBlade. Snipes says,"Maybe we get around to doing anotherBlade, except, from what I’m reading, every other actor is talking about playing him, and nobody is talking to Wesley. How strange that they don’t come and talk to me about it.” It's not really that strange considering what we'veheard about his behavioron the set of the Marvel comics franchise, but I digress. Personally, I'd rather see Snipes pursue these new projects and continue finding others instead of returning toBlade.How about you?

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Stephen Norrington is No Longer Directing 'The Crow' Remake« FirstShowing.net

It looks like Wahlberg might be behind a regime change with this. Afterreporting a few days agothat Mark Wahlberg was the front-runner for the role of Eric Draven inThe Crowremake, we now have word fromComics2Filmthat directorStephen Norringtonisn't involved anymore. Norrington, infamous forThe League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, was the one who originallyspearheaded development on thisback in 2008. When the site got in touch with him for an update, he replied with,"I don't know about that story but I can tell you I'm no longer involved withThe Crow."Rumors are that it might've been because of Wahlberg.

Norrington when on to say that an"unnamed star"had become involved and loved his vision/take on it, but"rejected the Norrington/Cave script and asked for a completely new take from a completelynew writer."He addded:"As I had gotten involved explicitly as a writer-director my exit was inevitable. I was bummed. I had developed agenuinely authentictake that respected the source material while moving beyond it, and Nick Cave came in and added more depth,"Norrington tells us."I think the fans would have been pleasantly surprised."There wasn't confirmation that it's Wahlberg who's doing this, or another unidentified actor, but thatisan interesting story behind the speedbump in the development ofThe Crow. We'll keep you updated!

Whenever we write about this remake, there's always a considerably lively response in the comments, which means people are definitely interested to hear about this, but most don't want it to happen at all. They'll be happy knowing this has hit a snag, but I'm sure whatever big name actor is now attached will definitely help them get a new writer and director on-board quite quickly."I will say I think Wahlberg could be cool if they take a gritty blue-collar approach,"Norrington added."He's a truthful actor. I think he could really ground the supernatural stuff."Let's hope whoever they choose can deliver a performance on par with Brandon Lee.

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Shyamalan Secretly Working on New Sci-Fi 'One Thousand A.E.'« FirstShowing.net

What's this all about?M. Night Shyamalanhas a new project he's working on. And no, it's not horror, but it is science fiction.Heat Visionis reporting that Shyamalan has been in town this week putting together his next project, titledOne Thousand A.E., which he will apparently take on as his"next directorial effort."It's being developed at Overbrook Ent., Will Smith's company, but according to THR this has nothing to do with thatother secret Shyamalan projectfrom the summer with Bruce Willis and Bradley Cooper attached. This one apparently has a script written byThe Book of EliwriterGary Whitta- okay, now I'm interested.

So what do we know aboutOne Thousand A.E.? Not much. Heat Vision says it's an"ultra clandestine sci-fi project"that is being developed as a starring vehicle forJaden Smith. As long as we're not inThe Day the Earth Stood Stillterritory again, that's fine. Will Smith won't actually be starring in it either. If that"A.E."part of the title is the same as Disney'sTitan A.E., then maybe it has something to do with the destruction of Earth. Even though Shyamalan didn't write it, you know this will have something to do with coincidences. That said, I'm open to seeing Shyamalan explore the science fiction genre, but I know he's got a lot of work ahead of him if he wants people to stop laughing at him and take him seriously. I'd like to see a comeback.

There's not much we know about this yet, but it's on our radar now, so we'll be sure to keep our eye out forOne Thousand A.E.Anyone have any thoughts as to what it could be about? From the mind of Gary Whitta, I'm definitely curious to hear more about this, as he's great with unique sci-fi concepts.Your thoughts?

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'Glee' Creator May Direct 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' Remake« FirstShowing.net

Though Fox's musical series"Glee"has theirOctober 26th episodededicated entirely to the music and fashions of the 1975 cult classicThe Rocky Horror Picture Show, the series creator may be spending even more time in the time warp.DeadlinereportsRyan Murphyis apparently in line to direct Fox 2000'sremakeof everyone's favorite transvestite fueled musical. While I'm not a die-hard fan, it seems a bit excessive that Murphy gets to direct an entire episode full ofRocky Horrormusical numbers only to follow it up with a remake of the entire film itself. The biggest question is whether or not die hard fans want their precious musical remade at all.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Personally, the fact thatThe Rocky Horror Picture Showstill rakes in money from midnight showings (particularly around Halloween), why do we need an all new version? The short answer is money, and if only a couple cast members from"Glee"make it into the remake, then the audiences would quickly follow (even if Murphy's adaptation ofEat Pray Lovewasn't a huge blockbuster). I gotta say, Jane Lynch as Dr. Frank-N-Furter has a certain amount of appeal, but that kind of ruins the whole transvestite from Transexual, Transulvania angle. Murphy's involvement isn't set in stone though, so the"Glee"overlap may not be an issue. While the choice of director will be integral as to whether audiences welcome this remake, I'm not exactly shivering with antici…pation.How about you?

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WB& Akiva Goldsman Snag High Concept Drama 'Dark Moon'« FirstShowing.net

As Michael Bay sets his sights on our lunar satellite with the blockbuster sequelTransformers: The Dark of the Moon, Warner Bros. andAkiva Goldsman'sWeed Road production banner have picked up a different moon-centric story withDark Moon. The spec script drama from writer/directorOlatunde Osunsanmi(The Fourth Kind) focuses on the concept that manned moon missions did not stop with Apollo 17 in 1972. Taking a"found footage"route, the film reveals a black ops post-Apollo mission sent to the moon to explore previously classified discoveries and its unintended and disturbing consequences. Sounds pretty kick-ass.

Though the found-footage concept ha kinda started to lose its edge, the concept itself is certainly an intriguing one. Osunsanmi did some interesting work by mixing real events with fiction forThe Fourth Kindeven if the movie didn't exactly hit the mark, so it's got some potential. There's plenty of great conspiracy theories to be fueled by the film, and outer space, even as nearby as our moon, still holds many mysteries. For now though, it's unclear whetherDark Moonwill be Osunsanmi's next directing gig since he's also attached to helmThe Commuterfor Gold Circle films.We'll keep you posted as this project develops.Interested?

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Paul Verhoeven Directing Spicy, Supernatural Thriller 'Eternal'« FirstShowing.net

We've previously heard about afewdifferentprojectswith this filmmaker involved, and now we can add yet another one into the mix. Having previously directed films likeShowgirlsandBasic Instinct, directorPaul Verhoevenis no stranger to the erotic, and it looks like he's headed back to the same sexy territory.Deadlinesays Verhoeven has made a deal to directEternal, a supernatural thriller described asFatal Attraction, but with a"succubus temptress."The idea and script comes fromDavid Lougherywho crafted the sensual thrillerObsessed. Production is slated for next summer, but it's not clear if this will be Verhoeven's next project.

In the story, after a recovering alcoholic stops a woman from jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge, they end up sleeping together and creating quite the spicy love affair. Upon returning home, his wife confronts him along with a private investigator who has photos to catch him in the act. However, the photos only show him alone drinking the night away with his mistress nowhere to be found. Though at first he thinks himself crazy, he discovers that his lover is a ghost who is after his soul. Yep, homeboy fucked a ghost. Sidney Kimmel Entertainment is producing along with A Bigger Boat, Greene Street Films and Sparkler Entertainment.Sound interesting or just plain silly?

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Spielberg's 'War Horse' Pushed to December 2011, After 'Tintin'« FirstShowing.net

We just updated our2011 Release Schedule, so I thought it would be appropriate to mention that the release date of Steven Spielberg'sWar Horse, the first movie he's directed sinceIndiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, has changed. It was originally set to hit theaters in early August next year, at the end of the summer, but Disney (who's releasing all DreamWorks movies) has pushed it toDecember 28th, 2011. The interesting thing about that date is that it's only five days afterThe Adventures of Tintin, co-directed by Spielberg and Peter Jackson, arrives in theaters (on December 23rd), but maybe that's notthatbig of a deal.

Deadlineadds that DreamWorks' Stacey Snider said the studio thought it"felt like aholiday movie"after they screened some early footage of the upcoming World War I set adaptation. I can't agree or disagree yet, having seen no footage myself, but I was looking forward to seeing this in the summer; it's never too soon to release the next new Spielberg movie! That said, maybe this is the best decision, since they think it will play well with holiday crowds, but December 2011 is becoming quite crowded already. Martin Scorsese'sHugo Cabret, Guy Ritchie'sSherlock Holmessequel, Brad Bird'sMission: Impossible IV, David Fincher'sThe Girl with the Dragon Tattooremake, Cameron Crowe'sWe Bought a Zoo, and Jason Segel'sMuppetsmovie areallscheduled for release in December of 2011.Damnthat looks like it'll be a great month no matter what!

Spielberg'sWar Horse, based onMichael Morpurgo's novelwhich also became astage play, was adapted by Lee Hall (Billy Elliot) and Richard Curtis (Pirate Radio). This follows a young man named Albert (played by newcomer Jeremy Irvine) and his horse, Joey, and how their bond is broken when Joey is sold to the cavalry and sent to the trenches during World War I. Despite being too young to enlist, Albert still heads to France to save his friend. The cast also includes Tom Hiddleston, Emily Watson, David Thewlis and Niels Arestrup. The photos above were takenwhile shootingin Europe. We'll continue to keep you updated onWar Horse!

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Bradley Cooper Denies Rumors About Being a 'Flash' Candidate« FirstShowing.net

Earlier in the week, itwas rumoredthatBradley Cooper(The Hangover, A-Team) was in the running to star asThe Flashin the upcoming DC Comics adaptation. We know that aFlashmovie is in the works, DC's Geoff Johns has talked about it, but they haven't started any casting yet. Cooper spoke toSuperHeroHyperecently,"I'veneverheard anything about it ever,"he said, laughing it all off. However, the original report says that Cooper is the"current favorite,"which means maybe Warner Bros has yet to offer him the role, but will be in the next few weeks. There's still the potential for just about anything, but don't get too excited yet.

There's been a lot of talk about the script forThe Flashmovie recently, which is due by the end of this year, with screenwriter Greg Berlantisaying things likehow it deals"with somebody who is already a crimefighter in a world of those kinds of criminals and that kind of murder and homicide {same as inGreen LanternandThe Dark Knight}."It sounds like a very solid version ofThe Flashis going to make its way to the big screen eventually, but we'll have to wait a while longer to find out who exactly will be playing Barry Allen. Everyone originally wanted Ryan Reynolds, but he's got too many comic book characters, so Cooper was another good suggestion. If not him, who else might be the very best choice to play theScarlet Speedster?Any ideas?

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Amy Adams, Chris Cooper& Rashida Jones Playing with Muppets« FirstShowing.net

A little over a week ago we heardAmy Adamswas in the process of considering atrio of different roles. Now we have word on her officially joining at least one of the previously reported projects asEWreports she has chosen to star inThe Muppets(apparently this is the working title for the time being), the newest film to feature Jim Henson's trademark puppet characters. In addition,Heat Visionalso discoveredChris Cooper(The Town) andRashida Jones(I Love You, Man) will also star alongside star Jason Segel in the film. Below you'll find information on all the characters these new cast members will play in the new film.

The story for this new flick written by Segel and Nicholas Stoller (director ofForgetting Sarah MarshallandGet Him to the Greek) follows a reunion of the Muppets to put on a show in order to save a movie studio. Segel is playing the lead human character with Adams taking the role of his girlfriend who joins him in his quest to gather the Muppets. Meanwhile, Cooper plays a greedy villain who aims to buy the studio just to dig for oil buried underneath it and apparently has never found the Muppet gang to be funny at all. Finally, Jones takes the role of an ABC executive. Hopefully director James Bobin ("Flight of the Conchords") will give the Muppets a triumphant return to the big screen after an eleven year absence followingMuppets from Space.Excited?

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Samuel Bayer Directing an Adaptation of Graphic Novel 'Tumor'« FirstShowing.net

With the mediocre remake ofA Nightmare on Elm Streetin his rear view mirror and a forthcoming sequel already in the works, directorSamuel Bayeralready has an eye on moving out of the horror genre. In a report about the launch of a new company called Red Crown Productions,Varietysays the new banner already has a frontrunner for its first project with an adaptation ofJoshua Hale's graphic novelTumor, which premiered at Comic-Con this past summer. Apparently Bayer is already attached to direct the story of a failed private detective who suffers from an inoperable brain tumor that causes time-bending hallucinations.

Apparently the graphic novel was the first created for release on Amazon's digital readerThe Kindle, so if you feel like picking it up right away, here's the official plot synopsis to help you decide:

Self-characterized“sad sack of shit” Frank Armstrong is an off-the-books PI, semi-retired. In his favored beanery one day, a strong-arm materializes in Frank’s booth with a job offer: find the boss’ daughter, who stole from him to elope with her boyfriend. Then Frank’s bad headache suddenly knocks extrahard, scaring even the muscle across from him. Soon enough, he’s in the hospital with a metastasizing brain tumor. But the daughter looks just like the wife he lost 20 years ago, blown away by her father as Frank fears this girl will be. With the girl’s help, he crashes out of the hospitaland keeps her moving for her own safety while he figures out how to put her completely out of danger. Meanwhile, the tumor has Frank thinking the girl is his wife and scrambles his sense of past and present.

Sounds like quite an interesting project, and if Bayer's direction of sequences taking place simultaneously in the real world and the dream world A Nightmare on Elm Street are any indicator, then he should have fun with this time scrambling plot element. I'm still waiting for him to really move out of his music video roots with a real film rather than a sloppy horror remake. The project sounds like quite a different endeavor for producer Daniela Taplin Lundberg who has worked on films likeThe Kids Are All RightandGrace is Gone, but I'm definitely interested so far.How about you?

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Returning Cast Revealed for 'How to Train Your Dragon' Sequel« FirstShowing.net

In a move likely meant to generate more buzz and awareness for this week'sBlu-Ray/DVD releaseof DreamWorks Animation's best recent film,How to Train Your Dragon, some returning cast members for thepreviously announcedsequel have just been revealed via press release. Reprising their roles from the first film areJay Baruchel,Craig Ferguson,America Ferrera,Jonah Hill,Christopher Mintz-Plasse,T.J. MillerandKristen Wiig. In addition,Dean DeBloiswill return as writer and director with Bonnie Arnold producing, and his co-director Chris Sanders executive producing, though he's not helping to direct the sequel.

It's not clear what storyline will the sequel will follow (or if there's still a chance for Gerard Butler to return with everyone else), but with awhole series of booksfrom Cressida Cowell as inspiration, there's plenty of ideas. A couple titles includeHow to Be a PirateandHow to Cheat a Dragon's Cursewith six more books in the series that could be adapted for the big screen. All we know right now is is the sequel will bring Hiccup and his faithful dragon Toothless along with much of their Viking tribe back to theaters, once again in3D, for release sometime in2013.

It'll be hard to top the original film which is one of the few truly impressive endeavors from DreamWorks Animation, but it sounds like everyone onboard is quite excited.DeBlois says,"Ambitions are high with this epic next chapter, and together with an incredible team of filmmakers, we plan to build uponHow to Train Your Dragon'soriginality, boldness and heart, in hopes of once again touching audiences around the world."Excited?

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Disney Running 4D Showings of 'Nightmare Before Christmas'« FirstShowing.net

Fans of Burton and Selick'sThe Nightmare Before Christmasshould already know that the animated classic gets re-released by Disney in 3D every year around Halloween. If you live in Los Angeles, you'll get a real treat if you decide to catch a showing of the movie at the world famousEl Capitan Theatre. Disney is running special4Dshowings ofNightmare Before Christmasfor a limited time later this month. What does 4D involve? In classic Disney fashion, they'll have"special effects in the theater itself, such as wind and fog"(viaHero Complex). This is the first time these"4D Sensory Effects"will be used for a film at the El Capitan.

Sure, it's a little gimmicky, a bit cheesy, but it reminds me of theWilliam Castlein-theater gimmicks that we don't ever see anymore. Plus, this is Disney, they're masters of integrating effects into their events, that's essentially exactly what Disneyland is all about. I don't know how much more there will be besides just some wind and fog, but this should be a great experience for any big fans ofNightmare Before Christmas. Plus, if you want a truly all-encompassing experience, you can also participate in thePumpkin King Dinnersome of the nights, too. I know this"4D"is probably even more gimmicky than the 3D itself, but I love this stuff and coming from Disney, I expect it to be a fantastic experience. You can buy tickets on theEl Capitan website.

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They Live Remake Still in the Works, But Without the Sunglasses« FirstShowing.net

This is a travesty! How can you remake John Carpenter's cult classicThey Livewithout the sunglasses? If you don't know what we're talking about, maybe you should pick up a copy ofThey Liveon DVDand see for yourself. A remake ofThey Livewasfirst announced way back in 2008and hasn't been mentioned since. At the NY Comic-Con, sci-fi siteio9caught up with producerEric Newman(also ofThe Thingprequel) and got some details out of him about the remake, including who's writing -D.B. Weiss. But apparently HBO's"Game of Thrones"has kept him too busy to get into this, but he says"he's an old friend and a talented guy."

So when are they planning to actually start work on this remake?"I'm hoping that's something we can get into next year,"he says."We've talked aboutThey Live. And we've been developing something sort of in theThey Livespace… We're hoping next summer. It would be a great movie to make."So they've got an idea for something that isn't necessarily a remake, and that's where the sunglasses concern comes into play. He says:

"We're discussing that. I'd like to say that really, a vagrant wandering around the streets could get you to try on his sunglasses, if he would leave you alone afterwards. He may even pay you $100, 'Hey put these on.' So we're kind of exploringdifferent versionsof what is thatthingthat allows you to see. But I'm not going to tell you what it is."

So it might be something different than sunglasses?"It might be something different than sunglasses."Let the complaining begin. Although, maybe this is a good thing. Maybe it's a good idea that they're not going to step on Carpenter's original and take a fresh, new approach to this remake. I'm actually not that opposed to the idea of not having the sunglasses, especially if it's something else much more modern that will make this remake fit in with contemporary society likeThey Livedid back in1988. Plus, there is a lot more than just billboards and magazines to be converted into giant"OBEY"signs nowadays, so they really do have a bigger"playground"to play in this time around. We'll continue to keep you updated on the status of this remake.

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Mad Max: Fury Road's Shoot Delayed Until At Least Early 2012« FirstShowing.net

Big surprise here (I'm kidding). Although production was supposed to start by the end of this year on George Miller'sMad Max: Fury Roadstarring Tom Hardy as the new Mad Max, production has been delayed, for a very long time.The Australianreports on the delay, adding that most of the crew who were about to work for a few months have been left"in the dust."Here's the worst part:"Production is now anticipated to begin in the Broken Hill region in February2012."Wow, so this is not delayed for just a few months, but formorethan a year - and that's only for the shoot, meaning we probably won't get to see the film untilat least2013.

I'm honestly not too surprised by this news for a few reasons. First, production has already been delayed. AsThe Australianexplains:"In July, Kennedy Miller Productions said unseasonal rains had made the Broken Hill area too fertile and production was put back to later this year."Secondly, George Miller has been trying to get this made for years and it is just one of those projects that's always going to be troubled. For now, it sounds like we'll just be waiting to hear anything, but it looks like Tom Hardy won't be playing Mad Max for quite a while, despitesounding quite excited in Julywhen we talked to him about it. We'll definitely let you know if we hear anything new and we'll be back again in 2012 with, hopefully, good news aboutMad Max 4.

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David O. Russell Writing/Directing Uncharted: Drake's Fortune« FirstShowing.net

Ah, so this explains everything! Sony has officially announced with a press release thatDavid O. Russell, who was previously attached toPride and Prejudice and Zombies, is set to write and direct an adaptation of the video gameUncharted: Drake's Fortunefor Columbia Pictures. Avi Arad, Charles Roven, Ari Arad and Alex Gartner are producing the live-action action-adventure film that follows the adventures of treasure hunter Nathan Drake. We've covered a few stories about this project before, namely that they werehiring writersto take a crack at adapting it, but it looks like Russell dropped everything to take this on full-time.

Columbia's President Matt Tolmach said:"David is atremendouschoice to take on this film. He's equally adept at combining all the classic elements involved in this property: great character development, strong comedy, and amazing action sequences. He has a brilliant vision for this material and we know he will bring his original, unique voice to this adaptation."I really hope that's not all BS talk, as I want this to be good.

The action-filled story in the originalUncharted: Drake's Fortune(which now has a few sequels) follows a descendant of explorer Sir Francis Drake, a treasure hunter namedNate Drakewho believes he's learned the whereabouts of El Dorado, the fabled South American golden city, from a cursed golden statue. Oddly, Columbia's press release barely mentions a plot, so I think that Russell may blaze his own trail and come up with his ownIndiana Jones-like historic adventure story for the film. Russell has been jumping all over the map since leaving thatNailedprojectbehind, I just hope he can handle big action-adventure.Thoughts?

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Mike Myers Will Voice Pepé Le Pew for Live-Action/CGI Movie« FirstShowing.net

Following in the footsteps of other Looney Tunes characters making their way to the big screen in the form of live-action/CGI hybrid flicks,Vulturehas the scoop on yet another adaptation in development . We've already heard about features forBugs Bunny,Speedy Gonzales(voiced by George Lopez) andMarvin the Martian, but now theromantic, lustful skunkPepé Le Pewis headed to theaters. Funnily enough, the French stench of a lover will be voiced byMike Myers, who we previously heard was the top choice to voice Marvin the Martian. I suppose it's not out of the question to have him voice multiple roles, but it does seem unlikely.

The classic Looney Tunes character always found himself in the pursuit of the affection of a female skunk, which was usually actually a female black cat (Penelope Pussycat) who accidentally got white paint on her back, thus making her look like a skunk. Of course Pepé's odorous smell always caused her to run in the other direction. Completely oblivious to his natural scent, he would pursue her wherever she ran, and well, he was kind of a creeper. As with many of the classic Looney Tunes, director Chuck Jones always delivered outstanding shorts brought to lifeby the amazing voicework of Mel Blanc.

Sadly it's the spectacular work of those two animation talents that make me adverse to any new iteration of the Looney Tunes at all. Bringing any of the classic characters into the real world will just result in more trash likeScooby-Doo. I guess Warner Bros. like ruining their staple cartoon characters. Yes, I know these movies are"supposed to be for kids,"but with Pixar's work and plenty of other animated films not being dumbed down for younger audiences, this slide-scale rating and acceptance of"kids's movies"is just getting ridiculous. Films can entertain children without becoming a mindless, pandering collection of pratfalls and fart jokes.

Myers work onShrek(a huge box office success) is probably one of the biggest pushes behind getting his talents for this venture, but I still want to see him make a return to live-action films. However, I don't want another silly, over-the-top character likeThe Love Guruand I really don't want anotherAustin Powerssequel. Mike Myers, if you're paying attention,pleasetry to do something likeSo I Married an Axe Murdereragain. No it's not a great movie, but just be yourself (and maybe one other character if you really feel the need). Either that, or do what some people have been expecting and bring back Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar for anotherWayne's World. The time might be right if Dana Carvey isreturning to moviesas well.What do you guys think of all this?

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Guns N' Roses Guitarist Slash is Now Producing Horror Films« FirstShowing.net

Following in the footsteps of musician turned filmmaker Rob Zombie,Deadlinereports legendary guitaristSlashfrom Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver is starting his own production company. In association with Scout Productions (behind films likeTranssiberianandFog of War), Slash has set up the aptly namedSlasher Filmsbanner to produce edgy contemporary horror fare with a nod to the thrillers of the 70's and 80's. Their first project has already been lined up withNothing to Fear, a horror/thriller following a family as it looks for a big change by moving to a small town in rural Kansas only to encounter an ancient demon with an insatiable blood lust.

Jonathan W.C. Millswrote the screenplay which should begin shooting early next year, but a director hasn't been revealed just yet. Here's what Slash had to say about his new endeavor,"I've always been a huge horror fan and creating films that take you back to the days where horror movies actually scared the hell out of you is something I've always wanted to do. My audience is made up of young, edgy, discerning consumers, with an appetite for quality and a hint of anarchy."That's what way to put it, I guess. Though I'm not a fan of the horror genre, I've found some decent throwback horror flicks likeHouse of the Devilto be quite good. It'll be interesting to see if Slash can bring together the right talent for some fresh horror.Thoughts?

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David O. Russell Has Exited Pride and Prejudice and Zombies« FirstShowing.net

Though we've heard about his involvement with the adaptation ofSeth Grahame-Smith novel remixPride and Prejudice and Zombiessincelast December, it looks like directorDavid O. Russellhas now departed the project.Vulturehas new news which pegs his departure from an issue with scheduling. Star and producer Natalie Portman couldn't meet the proposed start date, so Russell has moved on to direct thepreviously reportedfilmOld St. Louiswith Vince Vaughn instead. However, scheduling issues have made a previous casting addition null and void, but allowed for a once rumored actress to step in. Details below.

Old St. Louisfollows a traveling salesman (Vaughn), who has been an absentee father, and the changes in his life when his daughter becomes part of his new life. Previously, we'd heardScarlett Johanssonwouldtake the role of Vaughn's secretarywho accompanies him and his daughter on a cross-country sales trip. However, the sudden bump up in the start of production will keep her out of the project. However, the earlier shoot dates will now allowChloe Moretz, who had to pass on the project previously, to take the role of Vaughn's daughter.

Personally, I would've much rather seen Russell tacklePride and Prejudice and Zombiesif only because it would've been something completely different for the filmmaker. This likely reduces the chances of Russelldirecting the Jim CarreycomedyUnder Coveras well. The real question now though is whetherPride and Prejudice and Zombiesis dead in the water, or if another director will quickly be found to take up the adaptation.Anyone else disappointed?

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Tony Gilroy Directing the Next Sequel in the Bourne Franchise« FirstShowing.net

We heard back in June that franchise screenwriterTony Gilroywould return toscript another installmentof the Jason Bourne franchise despite the fact that Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrassdecided to step awayfrom the series. NowDeadlinereports Gilroy is also stepping up to direct the sequel, tentatively titled,The Bourne Legacy. As someone who's a bit leery about another sequel in the franchise after the story felt like it came to a logical conclusion, Gilroy's writing was certainly a plus, but I'm not sure his directing really improves the chances of this project living up to franchise standards, especially if Damon doesn't return.

Damon has already said he wouldn't return to play Jason Bourne if Greengrass didn't come back as well, but with one of the staples of the franchise involved, there's a chance he could change his mind. However, Gilroy's success as a director is about 50/50 since his 2007 directorial debutMichael Claytonwas followed up with the wholly boring and disappointingDuplicity, so I'm not so sure it's the best idea.

Apparently whether or not Damon decides to return, Universal plans to move forward with the project, even if that means replacing him. That doesn't sound like the best idea since Damon is an integral part of the franchise, and we all know Universal hasn't had the best luck at the box office lately. It's unclear how soon the project might get off the ground, but it's definitely a priority for the studio. We'll keep you posted as more information becomes available.Would you see a Jason Bourne film without Matt Damon?

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Ron Howard to Direct My Stroke of Insight, Wants Jodie Foster« FirstShowing.net

Although I don't have many good things to say about his newest film,The Dilemma(watch the trailer), I still considerRon Howarda very talented director, he just needs the right kind of non-comedy projects to work on.Deadlinesays he may have a new one lined up followingThe Dilemma(andThe Dark Tower) that's an adaptation of brain scientist Jill Bolte Taylor's memoirMy Stroke of Insight. Sony Pictures and Imagine Entertainment, including Brian Grazer, are teaming up to produce, withSemi Chellas("The Eleventh Hour") writing the script. And apparently Howard wantsJodie Fosterto star, but she's not officially attached yet.

My Stroke of Insight, published in '07, deals with the complexities of the human mind. In 1996, the 37-year old Taylor suffered a massive stroke caused by a blood vessel that exploded in the left side of her brain. A Harvard-trainedneuroanatomist, Taylor's brain function deteriorated in a matter or hours to where she couldn't walk, read or write, or recall past memories. It took 8 years for her to mend. Her knowledge of how the brain works gave her the opportunity to experience and write about brain recovery that became at times even mystical, as the right half compensated for the damaged left half and infused her with feelings of peace and well-being that she has tried to retain, even after reclaiming her life and standing in the scientific world.

Obviously comparisons can be made to Howard'sA Beautiful Mind, which I think is far and away one of the best movies he's ever directed. However, it seems like this will present a much different but still very unique filmmaking challenge, almost similar toThe Diving Bell and the Butterflymore than anything. Don't forget that Ron Howard is still set to start on his adaptation ofStephen King'sThe Dark Towerseries, so I imagine that will come first before he gets toMy Stroke of Insight, but I'm sure this will be coming soon. If you want to hear more about this rather fascinating story, you can watchJill Bolte Taylor's TED videoonline as well.

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The Hobbit May Supposedly Get the Greenlight in a Few Days!« FirstShowing.net

Finally some good news! Although we don't know who is buying or funding MGM yet, apparently the studio is making progress in some ways.LA Timesis reporting that Warner Bros, who now runs New Line Cinema (the other half developing in addition to MGM), may be very close to givingThe Hobbita greenlight in the next week or two. The studios havenearlyfinalized a deal withPeter Jacksonto direct the two films with a rumored budget of around$500 million. They're also close to resolving other legal issues that have long held up the project, including those related to the underlying rights from the estate of author J.R.R. Tolkien.

Nothing is official yet (you will definitely know when that is the case!), but anonymous sources close to the production told theLA Timesthat MGM is"eager to make the films,"and they"could give Warner Bros the official okay in thenext few days."But, of course, they need to come up with half of $500 million, which is a challenge for a studio on the verge of bankruptcy. WB and New Line have"beenwaitingfor MGM, which for more than a year has been virtually out of cash."Word is they"expect to have all issues settled shortly in order to begin production inmid-Januaryso that the first of the two movies would be ready for a holiday2012release."We'll be crossing our fingers hoping that everything works out soon, as I'm already anxious!

There's also a ticking clock associated with the project, as they say that"if production doesn't begin by the first quarter of next year,"thenThe Hobbit"will miss its planned release dates and will likely have to once again bedelayed."You may remember that we wrote a few articlesearlier this yearsaying that 2012 was a delayed release, but as far as I know, it was always planned for 2012/2013. Obviously they had a big hiccup with Guillermo del Toro leaving, but it seems as if Jackson is still pushing forward and is trying his hardest to get this ready to start shooting next year. We'll let you know when/if they officially do get the greenlight!

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