Bizzy Bodies

Here's the first collection of industry bits made up of news that I couldn't get to since 2012 began...

-Tom Hanks' Playtone and Reliance Entertainment are teaming to produce the animated online science-fiction series "Electric City" says The Hollywood Reporter.

-Kiefer Sutherland told Deadline that he will start work on the "24" movie in April with it a direct continuation set within six months from the end of the last episode!

-Edward Brown, 34, was arrested by Chicago police last week after stripping off his clothes and parading his naked body at a recent screening of "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" says THR

-Leonardo DiCaprio will NOT be involved in promoting the upcoming 3D re-release of "Titanic". A source says "He's proud of Titanic but it was 15 years ago. He doesn't relish having to go back and promote that movie all over again, especially as it probably won't need it."

-Former "Will and Grace" star Megan Mullally has confirmed that not only is the much talked about "Party Down" film actually happening, but she's returning for it according to The Huffington Post. Mullally says "John Enbom is writing it right now" and she expects the rest of the cast to be back. 

-Disney Pictures has set directors for their "Maleficent" and "Matterhorn" movies reports Reuters.

-Emma Stone attached to star in "Little White Corvette" says Variety.

-Korean filmmaker Kim Ji-woon will return home for his next project "The Fall Of Humanity" reports Han Cinema via Twitchfilm.

-Alex Timbers is in final negotiations to make his feature directorial debut on "Heck" at MGM says Variety.

-"The Artist" director Michel Hazanavicius will helm a contemporary remake of Fred Zinnemann’s 1948 feature "The Search" as his next project reports Variety.

-Sarah Polley will adapt the Margaret Atwood historical novel "Alias Grace" for the big screen says The Hollywood Reporter.

-Rapper Kanye West met with film executives to discuss working on a live-action "The Jetsons" movie according to NME.com....Not So Fast folks...

-Matthew Fox ("Lost") will headline Peter Webber's Japan-set political thriller epic "Emperor" says Variety.

-Paramount and MGM have pushed back the release of the Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton action fantasy tale "Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters" by almost a year from its original date in part due to rising star Jeremy Renner says The Hollywood Reporter.

-Zach Helm ("Stranger than Fiction") is set to script an adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's 1957 suspense novel "Deep Water" says The Hollywood Reporter.