Stone's A Female Squad Member?

Look!! A Zombieland reunion! At least I hope there is....

One of my absolute favorites Emma Stone is in early talks to play the female lead in the 40's-era period crime drama "The Gangster Squad" says The Hollywood Reporter.

The film will be helmed by Z-land's Ruben Fleischer which starred Stone

Based on a series of LA Times articles, the true story tale follows a secret "off the record" police task force in the 1940 who pursued high-profile gangster Mickey Cohen a member of the so-called Jewish Mob

Will Beall, a former LAPD officer who patrolled South Central and wrote the novel L.A. Rex penned the script.

Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling Michael Peña Josh Brolin Holt McCallany Giovanni Ribisi and Anthony Mackie also star.

Stone might play a woman caught between Gosling's good cop character and Penn's character

Dan Lin and Kevin McCormick are producing the film Shooting kicks off this Fall

Stone can be seen opposite Gosling in the rom-com Crazy Stupid Love in theaters Friday

Mazzello Is A Man Playing A 'Mouse' In G.I. Joe 2

Joe Mazzello is set to play the role of Mouse in G.I. Joe 2: Cobra Strikes says Deadline

Channing Tatum will reprise his role as Duke in the sequel, and Byung-hun Lee is scheduled to return as well. French actress Elodie Yung will play a ninja member of the Joe squad named Jinx Adrianne Palicki will play the female lead in the film as Lady Jaye/Alison R. Hart-Burnett. She is the Joe Team’s covert operations specialist Ray Stevenson will play the villain Rapper/actor RZA AKA Robert Diggs amd D.J. Cotrona are cicling roles as well.

Mazzello, who was just a kid when he appeared in first 2 Jurassic Park films most recently co-starred in the Emmy-winning cable miniseries The Pacific and was last seen in The Social Network He seemingly beat out a lot of actors for the role. Beyond that nothing is really known about Mouse

Jon Chu calls the shots on the film from a Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick script .The film is being produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura and has an August 10th 2012 release date.

Production starts on the film later this summer in Louisiana.

Allen & Finney Are Still After Bourne

Joan Allen and Albert Finney have signed on to reprise their roles from the original Bourne films in Tony Gilroy's The Bourne Legacy according to THR.

Written and directed by Gilroy Jeremy Renner is playing a new character within the Bourne universe, an agent in a different covert government program than the one Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne was trapped in. Damon will not appear in the film his character will be a presence in the new franchise restarter.

Allen will return as CIA Deputy Director Pamela Landy, who hunted Jason Bourne in the second film of the original trilogy, "The Bourne Supremacy," turned one of the rogue agent's greatest allies in the third installment, "The Bourne Ultimatum."  Finney was in the last act of "Ultimatum" playing Dr. Albert Hirsch, the man in charge of Operation Treadstone, the behavior modification program that created Jason Bourne.

Rachel Weisz also stars as the female lead while Edward Norton is set to play the villain Oscar Isaac plays a brainwashed assassin named 'Number 3' in the film

Frank Marshall, Jeffrey M. Weiner and Ben Smith will produce.the new Bourne

The reboot is expected to start shooting in the fall for an August 3rd 2012 bow

Mental Wards

Liev Schreiber, Anthony Lapaglia and Rebecca Gibney have all joined the cast of P.J. Hogan's "Mental" says Variety.

The already in production pic follows a crazy hotheaded hitchhiker (Toni Collette) who is brought on to nanny five girls by their father, a philandering politician, after his wife is hospitalized for a nervous breakdown.

Gibney will play her older sister and is putting on around 20 pounds for the role

Jerry Zucker, Janet Zucker, Todd Fellman and Jocelyn Moorhouse will produce.

A three month shoot kicked off this week.

The pic  marks Hogan's first Australian film since "Muriel's Wedding" in 1994.»

Thurber Polishes Umbrella

Rawson Thurber (Dodgeball) has been hired to rewrite The Umbrella Academy says Deadline.

Based upon the comic created by My Chemical Romance lead singer Gerard Way the story follows an adopted dysfunctional family of superheroes with bizarre powers who are brought together by a mentor.

The first draft of the adapted scrippt was written by Mark Bomback.

O'Leary Campbel Rule The World

Matt O'Leary and  Billy Campbell have joined the cast of  actor Matthew Lillard’s directorial debut "Fat Kid Rules the World," according to The Wrap

Based upon the award winning KLGoing novel--The story follow a friendless fat teen Troy Billings (Jacob Wysocki) who is so downhearted he's planning to end it all when he's saved by a chance encounter with Marcus Macrae (O’Leary), a charismatic but unreliable 18-year-old punk rocker who adopts Troy as his newly cool pal and changes Troy's life forever. This despite the protestations of Troy’s dad (Campbell), who is convinced that Marcus is a drug addict and menace.

Michael Galvin and Peter Speakman adapted the script.

Rick Rosenthal and Nick Morton are producing the film with Lillard.

The film is currently shooting in Seattle.

Martini Fights For The Pacific Rim

Max Martini has joined the cast of Guillermo del Toro's sci-fi flick "Pacific Rim" says Variety .

The film is "set in a future where giant malevolent creatures threaten to destroy the earth, city by city. To combat its annihilation, the planet must band together and use a highly advanced weapons technology to eradicate the growing threat."

Charlie Hunnam, Charlie Day, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi. also star in GdT-directed 2013 release

Travis Beacham penned the screenplay

Thomas Tull Jon Jashni, del Toro. and Callum Greene will produce.

Production is expected to get underway this fall.

Nolte Keeps Company W/ Redford

Nick Nolte is in talks to join Robert Redford's political thriller "The Company You Keep" says Variety

The story centers on a former Weather Underground militant (Redford) who is forced out of hiding and goes on the run when a young journalist (Labeouf) uncovers his true identity.

Nolte's role is unknown at present

The script will adapted by Lem Dobbs from the book by Neil Gordon.

Redford will call action and produce the pic Bill Holderman and Nicolas Chartier.

Production is scheduled to start in Vancouver this September

Rebel Gets Struck

Rebel Wilson has joined the high school comedy ‘Struck By Lightning says Variety

Glee's Chris Colfer  wrote the film and will star as a character struck and killed by a bolt of lightning and chronicles his exploits as he blackmails his fellow senior classmates into contributing to a magazine he's publishing.

Allison Janney, Christina Hendricks, Dermot Mulroney, Sarah Hyland, Angela Kinsey, Allie Grant, Ashley Rickards co-star

Brian Dannelly helms the pic that is said to be in the spirit of films made by the late John Hughes.

David Permut ("Youth in Revolt") is producing the film

Production began last week on the indie project.

Stewart Clan Makes And Breaks K-11

Talk about keeping it in the family

Cameron Stewart, brother of  Twilight actress Kristen Stewart, makes his feature film debut in the dark character drama "K-11" reports Showblitz.

The film follows a successful young record producer (Goran Visnjic) who wakes up after a three-day binge in a special unit of L.A. County's Men's Central Jail dedicated to vulnerable prisoners, a place ruled by a viper transsexual (Kate del Castillo).  Kristen’s older brother will play a jail inmate named Sledgehammer Kristen was thinking about taking on the viper role but took Snow White and the Huntsman instead

D.B. Sweeney, Ralph Cole Jr., Tara Buck and Ian Nelson also star

Cameron and Kristen's mother Jules Mann-Stewart co-wrote the script and will make her directorial debut on the project. 

Production began last week in Woodland Hills and Hollywood.

Wolf Creek 2 Is A Go

Original "Wolf Creek" director Greg McLean will soon begin production on Wolf Creek 2 says Screen Daily.

The 2005 horror film followed the tragic tale of three young adults who run afoul of a psychotic serial killer (played brilliantly by John Jarratt) in the Australian Outback

Jarett is locked to return Casting on other roles will begin shortly

Aaron Sterns ("Rogue") will co-write the screenplay.

With finabcing for the follow up now in place.pre-production will kick off in December for a February shoot under McLean's direction. 

Cool Bits As The Heat Wave Continues....

Some great industry bits in this batch of industry bits but I saved the best one (a Rumor?) for last...

-Steven Spielberg wants to turn Keith Huff's Broadway play "A Steady Rain" into a film reports ComingSoon.net.

-Michael Winterbottom's acclaimed video journal comedy "The Trip" will get a sequel says British Comedy Guide (via The Playlist) The original was a six episode UK mini-series in 2010 which was edited down to a feature film which got a release in the U.S. earlier this year.

-Sony Pictures Animation have won the film rights to Chris Grine's graphic novel series "Chickenhare"  and is planning to make an animated film says Variety.

-Mo'Nique is in talks to play a supporting role in the indie dramedy "Bumped" says Variety.

-Kevin Lima will direct DreamWorks Animation’s "Monkeys of Mumbai" reports Heat Vision.

-Former "24" showrunner Howard Gordon and "Final Destination" writer/director James Wong are looking to team up for a film based on the original premise "2084" says Heat Vision.

-Actor Ralph Fiennes is looking to direct "The Invisible Woman", a film about a love affair had by author Charles Dickens reports The Daily Mail.

-Producer Denise Di Novi has confirmed she is working with Guillermo del Toro on his new version of the classic tale "Beauty and the Beast". Former "Harry Potter" actress Emma Watson is being eyed for the lead.

-Waterman Entertainment has acquired the film rights to the 80's Marvel comic "Strikeforce: Morituri" according to a press release from the company.The story takes place on an Earth that has been conquered by aliens, scientists have developed a way to grant humans superpowers but with a terrible price - they will die within a year. Despite being doomed, they battle the aliens. Comic creator Peter B. Gillis is co-writing the script with Connor Cochran and production hopes to kick off in December.

-Friday Night Lights was a film first then a low rated yet acclaimed TV series now TV Line reports that the original film's director and the show's executive producer Peter Berg is pushing forward with plans to bring the property back to the big screen with the members of its small screen cast. The report claims the new movie "will pick up right after the series' finale and will center on Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler) and Tmai (Connie Britton)". A rep for Universal Pictures however says "We do not currently have a Friday Night Lights project in development....

Yes please more FNL!!!

The Uglies Win Popularity Contest

A feature film version of author Scott Westerfeld's 2005 futuristic novel and the first book in a trilogy  entitled Uglies is on the way says Variety.

Set in a future in which teenagers undergo surgery on their 16th birthdays to become like supermodels, the story follows Tally Youngblood - an "ugly" teen forced by authorities to forgo her transformation until she infiltrates The Smoke, a community of rebels who choose to retain their appearance and live outside of normal society.

Jacob Forman ("All the Boys Love Mandy Lane") will write the adapted screenplay. 

Producer John Davis has also optioned the rights for the next two books in the series--Pretties and Specials as well

"Uglies" the film gets going next year.

Mine Disaster Resuce Hits Big Screen

Produces Mike Medavoy and Edward McGurn have won the film rights to bring the story of the 2010 Copiapó mining accident to the big screen says THR

The movie will chronicle “the events surrounding the mine’s collapse and the subsequent rescue efforts, which culminated in the emotional retrieval of all 33 miners after 69 days trapped half a mile beneath the surface."

Jose Rivera, who was nominated for an Oscar for writing The Motorcycle Diaries, will pen the script

“Like millions of people around the world, I was completely engrossed watching the rescue at Copiapó. At its heart, this is a story about the triumph of the human spirit and a testament to the courage and perseverance of the Chilean people. I can't think of a better story than this one to bring to the screen,” said Medavoy.

Production on the film is scheduled to start in 2012.

Heroes Come Home

Marvel suit Joe Quesada has confirmed over the weekend that they have regained the rights to the Blade films as well as the Punisher series reports Worst Previews.

The deals with the various studios that have Marvel heroes state they must continue making films based the property every few years or the rights automatically revert back to Marvel.

Quesada adds that although the company has the rights again for these film properties we shouldn't expect any development on a pic for either of them for quite some time.

SDCC '11 The Avengers Assembled

Marvel released the final character posteers at Comic-Con for The Avengers.

Ion Man

Hulk

Captain America In His New Suit

All of the Avengers solo character shots can be made to assemble a giant poster:

Robert Downey Jr Jeremy Renner,  Cobie Smulders Chris Hemsworth Mark Ruffalo Chris Evans Samuel L. Jackson anf Amanda Righetti star in the May 4, 2012 release written and helmed by Joss Whedon

Ford Wears Black Hats

Harrison Ford is poised to play western legend Wyatt Earp in a film adaptation of  Max Allan Collins' 2007 novel "Black Hats" says THR

The story sqaures Earp against Al Caponed uring the 1920s with Earp commissioned by Doc Holliday's widow to go to New York. There, Doc's son owns a speakeasy which is being menaced by a young Capone.

The suddenly very busy Kurt Johnstad will write the adapted script

Basil Iwanyk, Jason Netter, Rodrigo Teixeira and Fernando Loureiro will produce.

SDCC '11 Back In The Shadows

It was confirmed at Comic-Con that four of the original cast members of the 60's gothic soap opera will be making cameos in Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows movie says Bloody Disgusting.

Lara Parker (Angelique), Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie Evans and Josette du Pres), David Selby (Quentin Collins) and yes Jonathan Frid (Barnabas Collins) reportedly spent three days on set. 

Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley, Bella Heathcote,Thomas McDonell Jonny Lee Miller Gulliver McGrath Chloe Moretz, star in the pic based on the cult TV Series a spooky soap-opera that featured gothic horror staples. Rocker Alice Cooper may also have a cameo in the film as well

Depp reportedly told Jonathan Frid in person on the set that "None of this would be here if it wasn't for you".

Seth Grahame-Smith has penned the script while Depp, Graham King, Richard Zanuck, Christi Dembrowski and David Kennedy are producing the pic.

The movie is set for a May 4th 2012 release

America The Beautiful

Captain America wins the weekend while R-rated comedy Friends With Benefits settles for 3rd behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Pamela McClintock of THR

Paramount and Marvel Studios scored another victory as Chris Evans-starrer Captain America: The First Avenger topped the domestic box office with an estimated $65.8 million launch, in line with fellow superhero pic Thor and successfully priming the audience for next summer’s superhero extravaganza The Avengers.

Technically, Captain America is the highest grossing superhero pic of the summer, having narrowly beat the $65.7 debut of Thor, but even Paramount insiders cautioned Sunday's estimate of $65.8 million could turn out to be too high, meaning Thor will come out ahead.

Captain America did enough business to come in No. 1, ahead of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, which fell a steep 72% after its mammoth debut a week earlier.

Warner Bros.' Deathly Hallows 2 still remained a box office giant, grossing $48.1 million in its second frame for a domestic total of $274.2 million. Its dip was no surprise to box office observers, considering it opened to $169.2 million, the best showing of all time and underscoring the rush to see the final title in the franchise. The pic is destined to become the top earner of the series, and is already close to eclipsing the $317.6 million earned domestically by Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

Deathly Hallows 2 easily won the weekend race at the international box office, grossing an impressive $121.3 million in its second weekend--a 61% drop--for a foreign total of $560.4 million and massive global cume of $834.6 million as the pic races toward the $1 billion mark.

Coming in No. 3 at the domestic box office was Screen Gems’ Justin Timberlake-Mila Kunis starrer Friends With Benefits, Hollywood’s latest raunchy R-rated comedy. The pic, directed by Will Gluck, opened to $18.5 million, slightly behind the $19.7 million earned by the similarly themed No Strings Attached in January of this year.

Friends With Benefits, made for a modest $34 million, played best to women, who repped 62% of the audience, and drew a B+ CinemaScore

The Screen Gems film will need a good hold if its to overcome the lowest opening among the recent crush of R-rated comedies. Sony worldwide president of domestic distribution Rory Bruer believes Friends With Benefits will accomplish exactly that.

"This film will be around for the rest of the summer. The chemistry between Justin and Mila is great," Bruer said.

Released in 3D and directed by Joe Johnston, Captain America was the main headline of the weekend. Together, Captain America and Thor—which opened to $65.7 million in May—sport the biggest openings of the summer for non-sequels, and the best of any superhero pic. It easily bested the $53.2 million debut of Green Lantern. However, Captain America only drew 40% of its grosses from 3D screens, a far lower ratio than Thor.

Captain America, receiving an A- CinemaScore, did drew a younger audience than Thor, with 43% of those buying tickets under the age of 25. Of those turning out for the opening weekend of Thor—which drew a B+ CinemaScore—only 25% were under the age of 2

Costing a reported $140 million to make, Captain America is the final title to be distributed theatrically by Paramount per its deal with Marvel Studios. Together the partners have now released four films, including the first two pics in the enormously lucrative Iron Man franchise.

Disney, owner of Marvel, will now take over the distribution of Marvel titles previously handled by Paramount, although Paramount will still have an interest in Avengers and Iron Man 3, including pay TV rights.

Both Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth, star of Thor, are reprising their roles in Avengers, which also features Mark Ruffalo as The Incredible Hulk and Sam Jackson. as Nick Fury, among other Marvel characters.

“When you look at these two properties [Captain America and Thor], you’ve now got a lot of momentum going into next summer’s Avengers,” Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore said.

Even rival studios have credited Paramount for its marketing acumen.

Captain America and Thor have done the best of any superhero pic this summer in terms of their opening gross, while Thor is the summer’s top superhero title worldwide, grossing $445.8 million globally, compared to the $346.9 million earned so far by Fox’s X-Men: First Class.

There have been questions about how Captain America will perform o averseas, because of its title and bent. If the film’s opening in Italy over the weekend is any indication, the movie appears to be on solid footing.

Captain America opened to $2.8 million in Italy, 16% ahead of the first Iron Man, but slightly behind Thor.

“It played like a big tentpole in Italy, suggesting there won’t be much push back overseas,” Moore said....

Grady Smith of EW:

'Captain America' stands proud with $65.8 million; 'Harry Potter' plummets, still huge...

Next: Jon Favreau mixes genres with Cowboys & Aliens: The Smurfs hit the reel world: And Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling and the great Emma Stone discover Crazy, Stupid, Love

SDCC '11 An Amazing Time For Andrew Garfield

The panel for The Amazing Spider-Man reboot at Comic-Con had a few highlights....But for me it was the new Spidey's intro that struck a cord... And thus I found it online







Andrew Garfield Rhys Ifans, Martin Sheen Chris Zylka Emma Stone Denis Leary and Sally Field star.

The script penned by James Vanderbilt and Alvin Sargent sees the wall crawler take on the Lizard (Ifans) Marc Webb called action.

A release date is set for July 3, 2012.