Playing "Games" At The Mall

As photos from the first leg of Lionsgate's Mall Tour to promote the March 23rd release of  The Hunger Games suggest--The idea was a good one...

Stars Jennifer Lawrence who plays heroine Katniss Josh Hutcherson who plays Katniss' love interest Peeta and Liam Hemsworth who plays the other male lead Gale Hawthorne were greeted by throngs of screaming fans of the books at Westfield Century City Mall on March 3, 2012 in Los Angeles, California.

The eight-city tour is being sponsored by the Microsoft Store, China Glaze, and h2O Natural Spring Water. The last stop takes place on Saturday, March 10th in Seattle.

The story involves a young love triangle playing out against a dystopian future where North America has been divided into twelve oppressed districts, each of which is forced to send tribute in the form of a boy and a girl to compete in a televised battle to the death once a year.

Elizabeth Banks will play Effie Trinket; Wes Bentley is Head Gamemaker Seneca Crane; Woody Harrelson is drunk, yet endearing mentor Haymitch: Stanley Tucci will play the ebullient and relentlessly upbeat Flickerman, host of the Games; Donald Sutherland has been cast as President Snow Amandla Stenberg and Dayo Okeniyi are set to play the characters of Rue and Thresh; Jack Quaid and Leven Rambin play District 1 tributes Marvel and Glimmer; Willow Shields will play Prim Everdeen; Paula Malcomson is Mama Everdeen; Ian Nelson and Kalia Prescott are playng Tributes from District 3. Ashton Moio and Kara Petersen are playing tributes from District 6. While Samuel Tan and Makenzie Lintz occupy District 8; Sam Ly and Leigha Hancock appear as District 7 Tributes; Imanol Vepez-Frias and Annie Thurman inhabit District 9; Jeremy Marinas and Dakota Hood are playing the District 10 Tributes.; Latarsha Rose and Brooke Bundy will play Portia and Octavia; Lenny Kravitz will play the role of Cinna and Toby Jones is legendary arenas announcer Claudius Templesmith. Amber Chaney will play the Avox girl, Kimiko Gelman and Nelson Ascencio are Venia and Flavius respectively,

Author Suzanne Collins who wrote the novel series on which the film is based adapted her work into script form which Billy Ray has re-written. Gary Ross called action.

There are already plans to adapt the other 2 books in the saga...

The Lorax Speaks For The Trees While It Makes Serious Green

The CGI toon of The Classic Dr. Seuss tale The Lorax broke records this weekend as it took the box office top spot--While the found footage comedy Project X settled for 2nd place.

Pamela McClintock of THR:

Lighting up the family marketplace, Universal and Illumination Entertainment's Dr. Seuss' The Lorax debuted to a staggering $70.7 million, marking the best opening ever for a non-sequel animated title if the number holds.

The 3D pic -- receiving a glowing A CinemaScore -- narrowly bested the $70.5 million earned by Pixar's The Incredibles in 2004, according to Universal estimates. Final numbers will come in Monday morning.

Either way, Lorax is an enormous victory for Universal and Illumination, as well as the film business in general. After last year's moviegoing slump, which dampened the family marketplace, the domestic box office is surging. Revenues were up nearly 30 percent this weekend, marking the 9th weekend in a row of growth.

Lorax broke a number of other records, including nabbing the top opening of 2012 in beating the $41.2 million debut of The Vow. It's also the best showing for any animated film since summer 2010 when Toy Story 3 debuted to $110.3 million and Shrek Forever After opened to $70.8 million. And Lorax scored the fourth best opening ever for any Universal title.

"The result is phenomenal. Word of mouth was great, and that's why Saturday was up 80 percent from Friday. It's just spectacular," Universal president of domestic distribution Nikki Rocco said.

Playing in a total of 3,729 theaters, Lorax drew more than 50 percent of its grosses from 3D and digital IMAX theaters. The 269 IMAX locations turned in a generous $5.4 million.

Dr. Seuss, who would have turned 108 this year, published The Lorax in 1971. The big screen adaptation is voiced by Danny DeVito, Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Ed Helms and Betty White.

Lorax cost under $70 million to produce and is the third movie from Universal and Illumination after box office hits Despicable Me and Hop.

"I think there was a huge desire to see a Dr. Seuss 3D film from the creators of Despicable Me," Rocco said.

Nearly 70 percent of moviegoers turning out for Lorax were parents and kids under the age of 12. The pic skewed females across all age groups.

Illumination's Chris Meledandri produced the film, which marks his second Dr. Seuss production after Horton Hears a Who!, which he made at Fox when running Fox Animation (Lorax is easily the top opening for a Dr. Seuss adaptation. Previous best was Universal's How the Grinch Stole Christmas, which opened to $55.1 million in 2000).

Meledandri's best opening prior to Lorax was Fox's Ice Age: The Meltdown ($68 million).

Heading into the weekend, tracking was strong for Lorax following an aggressive marketing campaign by Universal that included more than 70 global promotional partners.

Warner Bros.' found-footage comedy Project X--costing a modest $12 million to make--also did better than expected in opening to $20.8 million. The R-rated film was produced by Todd Phililps and Joel Silver.

Project X, receiving a B CinemaScore overall, appealed heavily to younger males, who gave it an A CinemaScore. Of those buying tickets, 67 percent were under the age of 25, while 58 percent of that demo were males.

"Todd Phillips is just incredibly talented," said Warner Bros. executive vice president of distribution Jeff Goldstein.

Project X was directed by Nima Nourizadeh from a script Michael Bacall and Matt Drake.

Warners waged a nationwide casting call for the R-rated pic, which stars Thomas Mann, Oliver Cooper and Jonathan Daniel Brown.

Also making a major push this weekend was Oscar winner The Artist, which expanded from roughly 1,000 theaters to more than 1,756 following its Academy Award victories, including best picture. Distributed by The Weinstein Co., the silent black-and-white film came in No. 10, grossing $3.9 million for a cume of $37.1 million. The film was up 34 percent, reflecting an Oscar bump.

Among holdovers, Relativity Media's Navy SEALs action pic--featuring real members of the elite special forces until--scored a strong second weekend, coming in No. 3 and falling only 44 percent to an estimated $13.7 million for a domestic cume of $45.2 million.

Top 10 Domestic Box Office, March 2-March 4

1. Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, 1/3729, Universal/Illumination, $70.7 million

2. Project X, 1/3,055, Warner Bros., $20.8 million

3. Act of Valor, 2/3,053, Relativity/Bandito Brothers, $13.7 million, $45.2 million

4. Safe House, 4/2,553, Universal, $7.2 million, $108.2 million

5. Tyler Perry's Good Deeds, 2/2,132, Lionsgate, $7 million, $25.7 million

6. Journey 2, 4/3,060, New Line/Warner Bros., $6.9 million, $85.6 million

7. The Vow, 4/2,826, Screen Gems/Spyglass, $6.1 million, $111.7 million

8. This Means War, 3/2,324, Fox, $5.6 million, $41.5 million

9. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, 3/2,487, Sony/Hyde Park, $4.7 million, $44.9 million

10. The Artist, 15/1,756, The Weinstein Co., $3.9 million, $37.1 million

Next: Taylor Kitsch is John Carter from Earth who must save Mars; Eddie Murphy can only say A Thousand Words in his (long delayed) comedy; Elizabeth Olsen is trapped in the Silent House.

Centipede III On The Way

Dieter Laser and Laurence R. Harvey will both play lead roles in The Human Centipede III (Final Sequence) reports EW. 

The duo played the demented antagonists in the first and second film respectively.

Writer-director Tom Six has also cast himself in a supporting role for the last part in the trilogy.

Sister Ilona Six will produce the pic that's described as “100% politically incorrect.” Six says that the third installment will make part two ‘look like a Disneyfilm’.

Production on #3 will take place this May and June somewhere in the southern US for a release in 2013.

Margulies Is Giving Meds To Stand Up Guys

Julianne Margulies--whose career took off on the long-running medical drama ER, is back dispensing medicine in the action comedy Stand Up Guys, says Deadline.

The story follows two aging hit men, one of whom has been given the job of eliminating his best friend. The pair decide to spend a final night on the town picking up hookers and jacking cars before pondering the choices they've made in life and making a decision about what to do.

Al Pacino, Alan Arkin, and Christopher Walken star in the film.

Margulies will play Arkin’s daughter Lila who works as a nurse in the hospital and takes care of Pacino when he Od’s on Viagra®

Noah Haidle wrote the script while "The Cove" producer Fisher Stevens is set to call action

Production will take place in Los Angeles this April when Margulies is on hiatus from her current TV gig The Good Wife

Sewell & Heche Lead The Occult

Rufus Sewell, Anne Heche and newcomer Alycia Debnam Carey are in final talks to star in the thriller "The Occult" says The Chicago Tribune.

The story follows a small commune on the verge of witnessing an age old prophecy come to fruition - the coming of the devil's daughter. As the shared eighteenth birthday of five girls approaches, a sequence of murders causes panic to spread through the community making those to wonder whether the prophecy is coming true or someone is silencing those that know too much.

Christian E. Christiansen (The Roommate) will direct the film

Mickey Liddell and Pete Shilaimon are producing.

Production kicks off later this month in North Carolina.

Owen Wilson Makes An Admission To Fey In Drama

Owen Wilson is mulling over whether he will take on Paul Weitz’s upcoming drama Admission according to Vulture.

Tina Fey is tipped to play an Ivy League admissions officer whose relationship with a 17-year-old recruitment prospect threatens to ruin her career and personal life.

Wilson would play a teacher at an alternative high school who falls for Fey.

Karen Croner ("One True Thing) wrote the script

Weitz would also produce

Production hopes to kick off in June.

Elba & Henson Take On Good Deed

Idris Elba and Taraji P. Henson will star in the thriller "No Good Deed" says The Hollywood Reporter.

The story follows a former District Attorney-turned-stay-at-home mom and her two small children who are terrorized and kidnapped from their home when she invites a good-looking mysterious stranger in to wait for help after his car ran off the road.

Sam Miller, who is best known for having directed episodes of the BBC Series Spooks and the Elba-led "Luther", is calling the shots using a script by Aimee Lagos.

Will Packer and Lee Clay will produce the pic.

Production starts in April in Georgia.

Baker Works For A "Year"

Simon Baker is set to join the comedy I Give It a Year says Variety.

The story follows a mismatched couple as they struggle to survive their first year of marriage.

Dan Mazer's written the script and will call action.

Rafe Spall also stars

Kris Thykier, Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner will produce the film

Production kicks off this spring in London.

Kinnaman IS RoboCop In Reboot

It's official--The Killing star Joel Kinnaman will put on the metal suit in the upcoming RoboCop reboot confirms Deadline.

Gran Torino screenwriter Nick Schenk was recently hired to pen a new draft of the script for director José Padilha. Last March Joshua Zetumer was hired to write the reboot of the RoboCop franchise that now aims to explore in detail a part of the story that Paul Verhoeven's 1987 classic did not--Alex Murphy's actual transition from man to machine.

Kinnaman will follow former metal worriors Peter Weller in the first film and RoboCop 2 and then Robert John Burke ("RoboCop 3"), as well as Richard Eden (the shortlived Canadian TV show), David Sobolov (the animated series "RoboCop: Alpha Commando") and Page Fletcher (the mini-series "RoboCop: Prime Directives.)

Kinnaman's been eyed for other tentpole pics in the past year--It will be interesting to see how he does and what develops as the process moves ahead

It's been confirmed that new the film would be set in Detroit, where Verhoeven's took place. Shooting hopes to kick off this Summer.

Rossum Is A Bad But Beautiful Creature

Emmy Rossum has joined the cast of the supernatural love story Beautiful Creatures says THR.

The story is based on the first in a trilogy of novels by authors Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. In the first book, high-school student Ethan Wate (Jack O'Connell) meets and becomes bewitched by Lena Duchannes (Alice Englert), a 16-year-old whose family has moved to the small South Carolina town where he lives. The two must confront a curse that has haunted her family for generations as she comes to grips with her powers.

Rossum will play Ridley, Englert's cousin who became a dark witch on her 16th birthday, turning the girls into enemies.

Oscar-nominated "The Help" actress Viola Davis plays a librarian and friend of the teen boy's deceased mother who loves him like a son and will do whatever she can to protect him. Emma Thompson will play the complex role of Mrs. Lincoln, who is a small town religious leader, who is also possessed by a dark witch named Sarafine

Richard LaGravenese (P.S. I Love You and Freedom Writers) wrote the script and directs.

Erwin Stoff, Broderick Johnson Andrew Kosove and Molly Smith will produce the pic

Production kicks off in April in New Orleans.

Williams Takes A "Seventh Son"

Olivia Williams has joined the cast of "The Seventh Son" in an unspecified role says Deadline.

Based on Joseph Delaney’s best-selling series "The Last Apprentice" (aka."The Wardstone Chronicles"), the story follows a young man named Tom (Ben Barnes) in training to be the apprentice of a 'Spook' (Jeff Bridges), a fighter against evil magic, in the 1700's.Trouble begins when his friend Alice (Alicia Vikander) tricked into releasing the most sinister witch in the world (Julianne Moore).

Kit Harington will play the former apprentice of Bridges' character. Antje Traue also stars.

Matt Greenberg adapted the script while from which Russian director Sergey Bodrov (Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan) will call action.

Bodrov, Thomas Tull, Basil Iwanyk and Lionel Wigram are producing.

Production starts in March for a February 15, 2013 bow.

Kidman Steps In For Weisz In Railway Man

Nicole Kidman will replace Rachel Weisz in the film adaptation of "The Railway Man" says Variety. Weisz had to drop out of the role due to schedule overruns on 2 of her pics.

The film follows Eric Lomax (Colin Firth), a real-life army officer who suffered at the hands of Japanese soldiers during World War II --only to seek revenge decades later.

Kidman takes on the role of Patricia 'Patti' Wallace, Lomax's second wife. Patty was instrumental in helping her husband deal with his psychological damage and put him together with one of the Japanese officers who was responsible for his torture

"War Horse" star Jeremy Irvine will play the younger version of Lomax.

The script by Andy Paterson and Frank Cottrell Boyce will adapt the Lomax memior of the same name

Jonathan Teplitzky will direct.

Chris Brown Bill Curbishley and Paterson produce.

Production starts next month.

The Muppets Officially Get A Sequel

Disney is moving ahead with plans for a sequel to "The Muppets" says Variety--it helps that the first film made $154 million at the worldwide box office.

Director James Bobin and co-writer Nicholas Stoller will write the script for the sequel.

Human Jason Segel may return to star in the sequel, but his various other gigs are keeping him too busy to help write the sequel.

Word of the sequel came a few weeks ago during the international publicity tour for the first film.

Willis Takes A "Bullet"

Bruce Willis is set to star in the action thriller "Five Against A Bullet" says The Hollywood Reporter.

The story follows a Mexican politician who, after his father is killed by a drug cartel, hires the five best bodyguards from around the world to protect him through a contentious election.

Alex Litvak wrote the screenplay.

Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Jordan Schur and David Mimran are producing.

Willis will take on A Good Day to Die Hard before going Against A Bullet

Kunis Pretties Up "Hell"

Mila Kunis has joined the stop-motion animated adult comedy "Hell & Back" reports Deadline.

In the pic T.J. Miller and Nick Swardson voice two best friends who must rescue their buddy when he's accidentally dragged to hell.

Kunis' provides the voice of the offspring of a horny Orpheus who sired her during his journey down the River Styx--She has a keen ability to navigate the underworld.

Rob Riggle, Brian Posehn and Kumail Nanjiani also star.

Tom Gianas and Ross Shuman direct using a script they wrote with Hugh Sterbakov.

Alexander Bulkley and Corey Campodonico are producing the 2013 release

Espinosa Takes Outsider

Safe House helmer Daniel Espinosa is in talks to direct the gritty action thriller "The Outsider" says The Hollywood Reporter.

The script by Andrew Baldwin follows a POW in Osaka during World War II who stays on after the war. He works his way through the rituals and hardships to become the rare outsider who gains membership in the Yakuza crime unit.

Michael Fassbender has expressed interest in the pic, but no actors have entered talks yet. 

Art and John Linson are producing the pic.

Winstead Dates An A.C.O.D.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead has joined the cast of Stuart Zicherman's indie comedy "A.C.O.D." (Adult Children of Divorce) says Deadline

In the film Adam Scott stars as a grown man named Carter still dealing with the ramifications of his parents' divorce who must do what he can to bring the family together when his younger brother decides to get married.

Winstead will play the long-time girlfriend of Scott.

Jane Lynch will play a down on her luck author and therapist who jumps at the chance to regain the spotlight when her former patient Carter shows up seeking her advice. Richard Jenkins is gonna play the father, whose uncompromising lifestyle and complete disdain for his ex-wife threatens to destroy the wedding.

Ben Karlin wrote the screenplay with Zicherman who makes his directorial debut here

Karlin Tim Perell and Teddy Schwarzman will produce the film.

Strong Tries To Crack The Last Symbol

Danny Strong ("Recount") has been hired pen the newest draft of the adaptation of author Dan Brown's latest Robert Langdon novel The Lost Symbol reports Deadline. 

Mark Romanek ("Never Let Me Go," "One Hour Photo") will helm the sequel

Ron Howard, who directed both the 2003 movie adaptation of The Da Vinci Code that made $758 million worldwide, and the follow-up film Angels & Demons (which Brown had actually written first) that made a considerably lower $486 million opted out this time He will instead produce with Brian Grazer.

The third story with symbologist Robert Langdon finds events set around Washington DC where the head of the Smithsonian Institute has been kidnapped and Langdon must confront the Freemasons, Noetic Science and a tattooed killer.

Strong marks the third writer to adapt The Lost Symbol script after Oscar-nominated writer Steven Knight and Brown himself.

Tom Hanks, who played Langdon in the first two films, is expected to reprise the role--but a deal is not yet signed yet

Scar-Jo & D'arcy "Make Psycho"

Scarlett Johansson and James D'Arcy are set to play Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins in the film Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of 'Psycho' says Variety.

It will explore how the 1960 classic was actually quite a departure for Hitch in that it was a more explicitly shocking film which was meant to compete with other low-budget horror pictures of the day. The script weaves in the relationship between Hitchcock and his wife

Anthony Hopkins will play Alfred Hitchcock. Helen Mirren will play his wife Alma Reville, a talented editor in her own right who was particularly good at error correction including dialogue revision, plot inconsistencies and continuity problems such as Leigh swallowing while playing dead for the infamous "Psycho" shower scene.

So far the casting seems spot on for the project....

Sacha Gervasi directs the film that is based on Stephen Rebello's 1990 book which Black Swan co-writer John McLaughlin and Tom Thayer  have adapted with author Rebello.

Ivan Reitman, Joe Medjuck and Tom Pollack will produce.

At one time Ryan Murphy was due to direct the pic.

As some you may know--I really learned to appreciate Hitch and his work in my youth and while getting my film degree-- So glad this one is FINALLY going ahead!! If you have never read Rebello's book you simply must!

Shooting kicks off in April.

The pic is drawing comparisons with My Week With Marilyn in terms of the Leigh role perhaps leading to awards consideration for Johansson.

Group Travels To "Claire’s Cambodia"

Mary Kay Place, Sarah Paulson, Mamie Gummer India Muenez, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Casey Wilson and Joe Lo Truglio will star in the dramedy "Claire’s Cambodia" says Deadline

The story follows three estranged sisters, whose resentment and envy of one another is barely dented by the news that their father is terminally ill.

Stacy Sherman ("God Sleeps in Rwanda"), wrote the script and will direct the film.

Production begins this Summer in Los Angeles.

"Who Invited The Giant Furry Peanut" To The Party?

This weekend at the movies--The Classic Dr. Seuss tale The Lorax (reviews) comes to the big screen as a CGI Toon with the voices of Taylor Swift, Danny Devito, Zac Efron, Ed Helms, Rob Riggle and the great Betty White; And Thomas Mann Oliver Cooper and Jonathan Daniel Brown throw a wild party in the found footage comedy Project X (reviews)

Meantime recent Best Picture Winner The Artist (reviews) expands hoping its glory makes some noise...

Pamela McClintock of THR:

Universal and Illumination Entertainment's foray into the animation business hopes to score another win with the release of Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, which opens nationwide on Friday--the birthday of the late author.

Lorax is widely expected to win the weekend crown and possible match or better the $38.1 million debut of Paramount's Rango on the same weekend a year ago (directed by Gore Verbinski, Rango won the Oscar for best animated feature on Feb. 26).

The second new wide release of the weekend is Warner Bros.' found-footage comedy Project X, about a group of teenage boys who document an out-of-control house party. The R-rated film, made for a modest $12 million, is expected to open in the mid teens, but could hit $20 million if word of mouth is good.

The other headline is Oscar winner The Artist, which the Weinstein Co. expands from nearly 1,000 screens to more than 1,700, hoping to parlay its top Academy Award wins into additional business. The black-and-white silent film has grossed nearly $33 million to date domestically.

Dr. Seuss--who would have turned 108 this year--published The Lorax in 1971. The big screen adaptation is voiced by Danny DeVito, Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Ed Helms and Betty White.

The Lorax cost under $70 million to produce and is the third movie from Universal and Illumination after box office hits Despicable Me and Hop.

Illumination's Chris Meledandri produced the film, which marks his second Dr. Seuss production after Horton Hears a Who!, which he made at Fox when running Fox Animation.

Tracking is strong for Lorax following an aggressive marketing campaign by Universal that included more than 70 global promotional partners.

Overseas, Lorax only opens day and date in the United Arab Emirates. It will begin its international rollout in earnest next week.

Project X, produced by Todd Phillips and Joel Silver, was directed by Nima Nourizadeh from a script Michael Bacall and Matt Drake. The film opens at midnight Thursday.

Warners waged a nationwide casting call for the R-rated pic, which stars Thomas Mann, Oliver Cooper and Jonathan Daniel Brown

Fortune & Glory For Indy On Blu-Ray!

It's about FRICKIN TIME! All 4 Indiana Jones films are being released on Blu-ray later this year

No specific release date has been given for Indiana Jones Blu-ray Collection  other than sometime this Fall
 
The box set will include all four Indy films using "the highest possible high definition picture and audio presentation". There will also be a “best of” collection of documentaries, interviews, featurettes and a few new surprises.

Best of? I hope all of the extras from the standard DVD set carry over--they are awesome and I would hate to lose them on Blu...Fingers Crossed.....

Here's the promo trailer for the new set:

The Short Archetype Gets Remake

Producer John Davis has picked up feature film rights to Aaron Sims' great sci-fi short "Archetype" in order to turn it into a full length flick says Heat Vision.

The original short folllows an eight-foot tall combat robot named RL7 that malfunctions during a mission, developing unexplained memories, causing its creators to investigate its odd behavior.



Aaron Sims will make his feature film directorial debut using newbies Guy Busick and Ryan Murphy (No not the creator of Glee) expanded adapted script.

Sims runs a company that specializes in previs and visual effects with their work seen in the likes of "War Horse," "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" and "The Thing" prequel/remake.

Killer Joe Gets An NC-17 Rating

Director William Friedkin's adaptation of Tracy Letts darkly comic story Killer Joe has been given an NC-17 rating by the Motion Picture Association of America reports Deadline.

The story follows a drug-dealing brother (Emile Hirsch) and sister (Juno Temple) who plot the death of their mother (Gina Gershon) for the insurance money and hire "Killer Joe" Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), a cop and contract killer, to do the deed.

The film premiered in Venice and Toronto last year to fairly good reviews and has won its U.S. distribution from LD Entertainment. The company is expected to appeal the rating which was handed out for "graphic aberrant content involving violence and sexuality, and a scene of brutality".

Hitfix says the film is "casually violent, kinkily erotic and features Gina Gershon doing inappropriate things with fried chicken."---Dweep....! The reviewer says that he couldn't recall anything in the film that might warrant the rating.

Friedkin is best known for directing classics The Exorcist and The French Connection.

Scott Einbinder and Nicolas Chartier produced Killer Joe.

Joffe Adapts Before I Go To Sleep

Rowan Joffe ("Brighton Rock") will write the adapted screenplay and direct the psychological thriller "Before I Go to Sleep" according to Variety.

Based on S J Watson's debut novel, the story follows a young woman who, after a night of partying, wakes up to discover that she has aged beyond recognition.

Liza Marshall will produce while Ridley Scott and Tony Scott, Jenny Borgars and Christine Langan will executive produce.

 Production is hoped to begin by mid year.

Butler Is Brilliant--Bana Is Not

Gerard Butler will replace Eric Bana on the diamond-heist thriller "Brilliant" says Variety.

The Gillian Gorfil's script follows a small-time criminal who partners with a female thief to pull off a daring diamond heist.

Casting for the female lead is now underway

Director Robert Luketic, who previously worked with Butler on "The Ugly Truth", is calling action on the film.

Gorfil, Sidney Kimmel, Gary Lucchesi and Tom Rosenberg will produce.

Production kicks off this May in Boston.

High On Hunger Games Film

The anticipation for Lionsgate's adaptation of The Hunger Games is growing folks....Deadline reports that tracking numbers for the film are very high. With three weeks to go before the March 23rd  release, the film is registering 23% ‘First Choice’ and 54% ’Definite Interest' - numbers even more than a few studio tentpoles can only dream of. Right now the film is on course for an opening above $70 million....or more...And while the numbers skew towards its target demo of young females, interest is strong across the board....

Meanwhile the film has received a PG-13 rating from the Motion Picture Association of America for "intense violent thematic material and disturbing images - all involving teens".

The story involves a young love triangle playing out against a dystopian future where North America has been divided into twelve oppressed districts, each of which is forced to send tribute in the form of a boy and a girl to compete in a televised battle to the death once a year.

Jennifer Lawrence plays heroine Katniss Josh Hutcherson plays Katniss' love interest Peeta; Liam Hemsworth also stars as the other male lead Gale Hawthorne; Elizabeth Banks will play Effie Trinket; Wes Bentley is Head Gamemaker Seneca Crane; Woody Harrelson is drunk, yet endearing mentor Haymitch: Stanley Tucci will play the ebullient and relentlessly upbeat Flickerman, host of the Games; Donald Sutherland has been cast as President Snow Amandla Stenberg and Dayo Okeniyi are set to play the characters of Rue and Thresh; Jack Quaid and Leven Rambin play District 1 tributes Marvel and Glimmer; Willow Shields will play Prim Everdeen; Paula Malcomson is Mama Everdeen; Ian Nelson and Kalia Prescott are playng Tributes from District 3. Ashton Moio and Kara Petersen are playing tributes from District 6. While Samuel Tan and Makenzie Lintz occupy District 8; Sam Ly and Leigha Hancock appear as District 7 Tributes; Imanol Vepez-Frias and Annie Thurman inhabit District 9; Jeremy Marinas and Dakota Hood are playing the District 10 Tributes.; Latarsha Rose and Brooke Bundy will play Portia and Octavia; Lenny Kravitz will play the role of Cinna and Toby Jones is legendary arenas announcer Claudius Templesmith. Amber Chaney will play the Avox girl, Kimiko Gelman and Nelson Ascencio are Venia and Flavius respectively,

Author Suzanne Collins who wrote the novel series on which the film is based adapted her work into script form which Billy Ray has re-written. Gary Ross called action.

Collins praised the now completed film via Facebook posting:

Dear Readers,

I’ve just had the opportunity to see the finished film of The Hunger Games. I’m really happy with how it turned out. I feel like the book and the film are individual yet complementary pieces that enhance one another. The film opens up the world beyond Katniss’ point of view, allowing the audience access to the happenings of places like the Hunger Games control room and President Snow’s rose garden, thereby adding a new dimension to the story.

Director Gary Ross has created an adaptation that is faithful in both narrative and theme, but he’s also brought a rich and powerful vision of Panem, its brutality and excesses, to the film as well. His world building’s fantastic, whether it be the Seam or the Capitol. It’s amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.

And, my God, the actors. The cast, led by the extraordinary Jennifer Lawrence, is absolutely wonderful across the board. It’s such a pleasure to see how they’ve embodied the characters and brought them to life.

So I’d like to sincerely thank all the many people who devoted their time and talents to the film, especially producers Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik, and the excellent teams at Color Force, Larger Than Life, and Lionsgate.

I hope you enjoy the film!

Publicity for the film is going full speed with a heaping amount of stills from the film debuting over at On No They Didn't. And don't forget that Mall Tour

Plans are underway to adapt the other 2 books in the saga...

Percy Jackson Seals His Fates For Sequel

Mary Birdsong, Yvette Nicole Brown and Missi Pyle have joined the cast of the upcoming sequel Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters says The Hollywood Reporter.

Thor Freudenthal helms this follow-up to 2010's The Lightning Thief with Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario and Brandon T. Jackson reprising their roles.

The film series follow an ordinary boy who discovers that he is the son of the Greek god Poseidon. In the 2nd book by author Rick Riordan Percy and his group of friends set out to find the mythical Golden Fleece and free a friend who has been captured.

The actresses will play The Fates, the sisterly trio of mythological goddesses who determine the destiny of all. Douglas Smith is in final negotiations to join the film in an as-yet unknown role according to Variety.

Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski ("Ed Wood," "Agent Cody Banks") wrote the script using elements from other books in the series as well.

Chris Columbus (who directed the first film) and Karen Rosenfelt will produce the pic with a March 26, 2013 release date set.

Watson Leads The Bling Ring

Emma Watson will star in Sofia Coppola's crime drama The Bling Ring says Deadline.

The film is based on the true story of a group of Los Angeles teenagers who robbed the Hollywood Hills homes of several celebrities in 2008 and 2009. Watson will play the leader of the pack, in the film written and directed by Coppola.

Taissa Farmiga also stars in the film per Variety.

Youree Henley and her brother Roman Coppola will co produce the pic with her.

There's no word on a production start date as of yet.

Comic Book Bloodshot Film On The Way

Sony Pictures has acquired the film rights to the Valiant comic "Bloodshot" says Deadline.

The 1992 comic series from Mark Millar centered on a ruthless killer for the mob who is framed for a murder, put into Witness Protection, and then betrayed and forcibly subjected to an experimental program.Injected with nanites that rebuild his brain and body to become a weapon of superhuman strength, he escapes and tries to figure out who he was.

Jeff Wadlow will write the script. At one point Matthew Vaughn was linked to the movie but has obviously moved on

Neal Moritz, Jason Kothari and Dinesh Shamdasani will produce the film

Hess Will Look After The Pet

Jared Hess ("Napoleon Dynamite") has been hired to direct long-gestating sci-fi live-action family comedy "The Pet" says Variety.

Matt Lieberman who wrote the forthcoming Short Circuit remake concieved the story which centers on a man abducted by aliens, taken to their planet and turned into a family pet.

Tim Dowling performed a recent re-write on the script but with Hess' involvement that script is expected to get further tweaks.

David Silverman had been attached to direct the film at one point.

Scott Rudin, Craig Perry and Sheila Hanahan Taylor are producing the film

Weitz Will Rewrite New Cinderella Pic

Chris Weitz ("The Golden Compass," "About a Boy") is in talks to rewrite the latest live-action film version of the fairy tale "Cinderella" says THR.

"The Devil Wears Prada" writer Aline Brosh McKenna sold the pitch to Disney back in 2010 which re-imagines the story as it follows a "prince set for a politically arranged marriage, until the evil plan is threatened when the prince meets Cinderella".

Mark Romanek ("Never Let Me Go") is attached to direct

Simon Kinberg will produce the film.

Lone Ranger Starts Filming; Adds 4 More

Harry Treadaway, Matt O'Leary, W. Earl Brown and Leon Rippy have all joined the cast of  Gore Verbinski's big-budget re-telling of "The Lone Ranger" says Variety.

The iconic Ranger is among a group of Texas Rangers chasing down a gang of outlaws led by Butch Cavendish. The gang ambushes the Rangers, seemingly killing them all. One survivor (The Social Network's Armie Hammer) is found, however, by an American Indian named Tonto (Johnny Depp), who nurses him back to health.

The Ranger, wearing a mask and riding a white stallion named Silver, teams up with Tonto to bring the unscrupulous gang and others of that ilk to justice.

The character began as a 1930s radio show before becoming a star is several movie serials, TV shows, comic strips comic books, toys, novels and more.

Treadaway and O’Leary will be members of the criminal gang led by Burt Cavendish (William Fichtner). Brown and Rippy's roles haven't been revealed.

Justin Haythe (Revolutionary Road) Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio wrote the script.

Helena Bonham Carter, Barry Pepper,James Badge Dale Tom Wilkinson James Frain and Ruth Wilson co-star

Jerry Bruckheimer produces the pic.

The Lone Ranger hits theaters on May 13th, 2013 with filming finally underway.

Leachman Owns "Adult" Bookstore

The great Cloris Leachman has joined the comedy satire "Adult World" says Deadline.

Emma Roberts plays Amy a recent college graduate with a degree in poetry who is convinced she is the next star in the literary world and moves back with her parents to write poetry. With a stack of rejection letters, unpaid loans and no money, her parents force her to get a real job - but the only place that will hire her is an erotic bookstore--owned by Leachman's character.

Evan Peters Shannon Woodward and John Cusack co-star

Scott Coffey directs from the script by Andrew Cochran.

Alex Goldstone, Joy Gorman, Justin Nappi, Kevin Turen, and James Laxton produce.

Production on the film is currently underway in upstate New York.

Helms Up For Rusty In New Vaction Movie

"The Hangover" and "Cedar Rapids" star Ed Helms is being mentioned to play a grown-up Rusty Griswold  in the Vacation reboot says Deadline.

The original series of 4 films from 1983-1997 followed the Griswold family as they took a summer road trip across America, a European Vacation, stayed home for a Christmas Vacation, (the best of the sequels in my opinion) and a Vegas Vacation with mishaps happening all along the way. Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo starred as the adult Griswolds .

The new version is said to focus on a now adult Rusty Griswold--played by multiple actors over the years by Anthony Michael Hall, Jason Lively Johnny Galecki Ethan Embry.

The update will follow Clark Griswold's son who now has his own family.

Still no word if Chase or D'Angelo will cameo or not.

The film will be written and directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein