Box Office Update: Sony Double Teams Moviegoers

In a major weekend win for Sony Pictures both the CG animated Hotel Transylvania and the sci-fi bender Looper took the top 2 spots at the cineplex.

Pamela McClintock of THR:

In a sizeable victory for Sony, 3D toon Hotel Transylvania debuted to $43 million --the biggest opening since The Dark Knight Rises and the top September bow ever. It's also the best performance to date for the studio's animation unit.

The good news didn't end there. Looper, released by Sony's TriStar label in tandem with FilmDistrict and Endgame Entertainment, took the No. 2 spot with a $21.2 million opening.

Looper, a Chinese co-production, is also doing impressive opening business in China, where it's expected to gross between $23 million and $25 million for the weekend.

Directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, Hotel Transylvania was fueled by good word of mouth (the film received an A- CinemaScore) and a pent-up demand for family product. The pic's voice cast is led by Adam Sandler, Kevin James and Selena Gomez.

Sony Animation's previous top debut was The Smurfs, which opened to $35.6 million in summer 2011. The previous best September bow was Sweet Home Alabama ($35.6 million).

Hotel Transylvania also scored the biggest September single day in history with $19 million, beating Sweet Home Alabama ($14.7 million).

Looper, directed by Rian Johnson and receiving stellar reviews, stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis.

Thanks to Hotel Transylvania and Looper, which received a B+ CinemaScore, weekend revenues should be bup 24 percent over last year, ending a post-summer losing streak.

The grim news of the weekend -- Walden Media wide release Won't Back Down, distributed by 20th Century Fox, opened to a dismal $2.7 million, only good enough for a 10th place finish. The education drama, starring Viola Davis and Maggie Gyllenhaal, was handily beat by Universal's musical comedy Pitch Perfect, even though that film was only a limited release.

Pitch Perfect grossed $5.1 million from 335 theaters, placing No. 6. The movie expands nationwide next weekend.

Next Up: Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow and Rebel Wilson sing a little louder as Pitch Perfect steps it up; Liam Neeson kicks bad guy butt again in Taken 2; And director Tim Burton brings a very personal tale Frankenweenie to life

Neeson Chats Taken Future: Olsen Talks Oldboy

With Taken 2 set to hit theaters worldwide next week star Liam Neeson was asked by Empire if he would consider taking part in a third film.

Neeson said "I don't see it. I don't think it's going to happen. I really don't. I can't see a possible scenario where audiences wouldn't go, 'Oh, come on...! She's taken again?'"

Also speaking with the mag actress Elizabeth Olsen talked about the remake of Chan-wook Park's 2003 cult classic "Old Boy" and says that she sees this as an alternate take on the same story.

"It's going to be a different story, just because one--it takes place in a non-descript city in America and two--it's ten years later, so technology is different. It's not trying to redo the film – it's coming at it from a different view. As well as focussing on the primary source of the Korean film, for our film there's also the Japanese Manga, so we're using the primary source of the illustrated novel, really."

She then goes on to compare this to "Let Me In" and "Let the Right One In" .

"Those aren't the exact same films, but they're just a different take on the same story".

QT Will Cameo In "Django Unchained"

Rex Linn who plays the role of "Tennessee Harry" in Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained" told The Playlist that Tarantino not only helmed the upcoming film but will play a small role as well.

Linn says "You'll know the scenes when you see them. We'll be on the screen with Don Johnson and Jonah Hill. The scenes may not be long, but you will remember them."

The spaghetti western style film follows a a German dentist-turned bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz) and freed slave Django (Jamie Foxx) seek to free Django's wife (Kerry Washington) from her powerful owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio).

Samuel L. Jackson will play Stephen, an expert manipulator and house slave of the plantation owner. Dennis Christopher will play Leo Moguy, who serves as lawyer to Candie. Laura Cayouette will play the widowed sister of Candie M.C. Gainey will play the villainous role of Big John Brittle. His character does some not very nice things to Django’s wife, Broomhilda. Johnson will play a wealthy southern plantation owner who Django and Schultz meet in their pursuit of a bounty Industry make up guru Tom Savini plays another Brittle brother. Gerald McRaney also star. Rapper/actor RZA AKA Robert Diggs will portray Thaddeus, a violent slave toiling away at a Mississiippi plantation. Misty Upham will play Minnie, who owns a trading post/bar.James Remar will play “Ace Speck, who purchases Django at the Greenville Slave Auction Tom Wopat‘s portraying Marshall Gill Tatum Todd Allen will appear as “plantation overseer Dollar Bill.” James Russo is without a specified part Cooper Huckabee is the last of the Brittle brothers, the redneck outlaws who sell off Django and Broomhilda. Michael K. Williams, Zoë Bell and Danièle Watts co star.

The pic has a December 25, 2012. release date

Webb Back For More Spidey

Despite some uncertainty whether he would be back due to a scheduling conflict, it seems that "The Amazing Spider-Man" director Marc Webb will be back for "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" says Variety.

Andrew Garfield is already set to return as Peter Parker and Emma Stone in talks to reprise her role as Gwen Stacy. 

Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Jeff Pinkner are writing the script based on a previous draft by James Vanderbilt.

Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach will produce.

The new film is due to begin production early next year to meet its May 2nd 2014 release date.

This is good news. I liked the reboot quite a lot and look forward to see what Webb does next.

10 Things Film Gears Up; Loses Atwell

Intandem Films will finance Gil Junger's rom-com 10 Things I Hate About Life reports Variety.

Despite the callback to 1999's Junger's "10 Things I Hate About You", and under appreciated TV series a decade later  this film is NOT a sequel but rather will have a "similar spirit".

The story follows two people who meet when they are trying to commit suicide in a scenic spot.

Hayley Atwell was attached at one point to star but she's moved on due to a scheduling issue.

Junger, Gary Smith and Andrew Lazar will produce the film.

The pic will begin shooting this November in Los Angeles

Dench & Coogan Take "Philomena" To Heart

The great Judi Dench and Steve Coogan will star in Stephen Frears' bittersweet comedy "Philomena" says THR,

The movie centers on an Irish woman who has spent 50 years searching for the son taken away from her when she was a teenager.

Prolduction begin at the end of October.

Portman Playing "Jackie"?

Natalie Portman is wanted to play the title character in the biopic Jackie says Deadline.

Noah Oppenheim's script concerns former first lady Jackie Kennedy following her husband President John F. Kennedy's assassination in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963.

Darren Aronofsky was attached to direct. Portman's involvement depends upon which director sits in the big chair.

Marling & Bentley Hope "The Green Blade Rises"

Brit Marling and Wes Bentley have joined A.J. Edwards' biopic "The Green Blade Rises" says Deadline.

This particular film covers three years of Abraham Lincoln's life in the wilderness of Indiana and is an alternate take on the former U.S. President, the hardships that shaped him, the tragedy that marked him forever and the two women who guided him to greatness.

Marling will play his mother Nancy Lincoln while Bentley plays his first teacher.

Diane Kruger will play Sarah Bush Lincoln, Abraham's stepmother.

Terrence Malick is producing. Production kicks off this Fall.

Radcliffe Goes After Frankenstein Role

Daniel Radcliffe is reportedly keen on playing the lead role of Hunchback in director Paul McGuigan’s version of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein reports The Wrap.

Based on a script by Max Landis (“Chronicle”), this puts a sci-fi spin on the classic story of a lumbering creature produced through a scientific experiment.

Shawn Levy was previously attached as director but left due to budgeting issues.

The character is described as pathologically dirty and dressed in old clown's clothing. The focus is now on getting the final script, at which casting will officially begin.

Millar Is Fox Consultant On Superheoes

Comic creator Mark Millar will serve as creative consultant on Fox's various screen adaptations of Marvel's superheroes according to a press release

Millar wrote several celebrated Marvel Comics books and will work with Fox on developing new paths for its X-Men film series and Fantastic Four films to travel.

Upcoming films include James Mangold's "The Wolverine", Matthew Vaughn's "X-Men: Days of Future Past" and Josh Trank's "Fantastic Four" reboot.

Former "Home and Away" Boys Circle "Need For Speed"

Actors Brenton Thwaites and Luke Bracey, both former stars of Aussie soap "Home and Away", are being tested for roles in film version of the Electronic Arts best-selling video game franchise "Need for Speed" according to Deadline.

George and John Gatins are writing the script from which Scott Waugh ("Act of Valor") would call action,

As a rival to the "Fast and Furious" film series, 'Need' has sold over 100 million copies of the eighteen games in the series, making it the most successful racing video game series in the world.

At last report, Taylor Kitsch had reportedly been offered the lead role.

John Gatins and EA will produce the film.

Box Office Preview: Cause And Affection

This weekend at the cineplex--It's Joseph Gordon-Levitt versus Bruce Willis in Rian Johnson's sci-fi bender Looper (reviews); You can check in to the CG animated  Hotel Transylvania (reviews) with an all star voice cast; And Viola Davis, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Holly Hunter Won't Back Down (reviews) in this true life educational drama.

Pamela McClintock of THR:

Kids pic Hotel Transylvania -- boasting a voice cast led by Adam Sandler and Selena Gomez -- should have no trouble claiming the weekend crown, while sci-fi drama Looper is expected to do solid business as well.

Combined, the pair of films should help the domestic box office recover from a tough post-summer stretch. Looper, directed by Rian Johnson and receiving stellar reviews, stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis.

In an unusual twist, both films are from the Sony family. Hotel Transylvania is a big Sony release, while the studio's TriStar label is releasing Looper in tandem with FilmDistrict.

Conservative estimates show Hotel Transylvania grossing in the $28 million to $30 million range, while Looper should land in the high teens.

Prospects for the weekend's third new wide release, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis education drama Won't Back Down, aren't as bright. The film, distributed by 20th Century Fox and produced by Walden Media, may only gross in the $5 million range.

Won't Back Down, about a parent and teacher's battle to take over a failing public school, has drawn the ire of teachers' unions, but overall awareness is still soft.

Specialty openings include Universal's musical comedy Pitch Perfect, about an all-girls a cappella group. The films, whose cast includes Anna Kendrick and Brittany Snow, opens in 335 theaters on Friday before expanding nationwide on Oct. 5.

Universal held its largest-ever word-of-mouth screening program for Pitch Perfect, which it co-financed with Paul Brooks' Gold Circle Films. Brooks produced the film alongside Elizabeth Banks and Max Handelman.

Rootin' for Willis and JGL of course--The film looks AWESOME!!!!

RIP Herbert Lom (1917-2012)

The great character actor Herbert Lom died in London at the age of 95 says THR.

In a career that spanned over five decades he appeared in more than 100 movies and television shows playing everything from the leading men, good guys, and villains alike.

Lom will be best remembered for his role as Chief Inspector Dreyfus, Inspector Clouseau's (Peter Sellers) long-suffering boss, in the The Pink Panther film series--starting with "A Shot in the Dark". The pair had great chemistry and I spent many hours as a young boy watching their antics with my parents and siblings--enjoying their work.

The varied roles in his career included a gangster in the original "The Ladykillers", a pirate in "Spartacus", a psychiatrist in "The Seventh Veil", a harbor master in "Fire Down Below", a doctor in 1979's "The Lady Vanishes", German colonel Bockner in the 1985 version of King Solomon's Mines, and a Muslim leader in "El Cid".

Lom also appeared in a number of horror classics The Phantom of the Opera, Mark of the Devil, Asylum, Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Dead Zone.-- And Now the Screaming Starts! He played "Professor Abraham Van Helsing", opposite Christopher Lee in Count Dracula matching wits with the vampire. Lom appeared as one of the ten victims in Ten Little Indians, playing the drunken "Dr. Edward Armstrong"

He also played Captain Nemo in "Mysterious Island" and Napoleon Bonaparte twice in The Young Mr. Pitt" and "War and Peace".

Lom also had time to two historical novels, get married and divorced three times--leaving behind two sons and a daughter. He will be greatly missed, but has left us all a great body of work.

Kelly & Cage Team For "Amicus"

Nicolas Cage is in talks to star in "Donnie Darko" director Richard Kelly's new crime thriller "Amicus" reports The Press Association.

The film will be based on the true story case of former Motown Records producer Lawrence Horn. Horn hired a hitman to murder his wife, quadriplegic son and live-in nurse so he could inherit their wealth.

The film is expected to span more than two decades, from the initial crime through the trial and the subsequent victims' families' lawsuit against publisher Paladin Press. A book published by the company -Hit Man: A Technical Manual for Independent Contractors was used by the killer James Perry

Cage would play First Amendment attorney Rodney A. Smolla.

The script is based upon Smolla's book about the case called Deliberate Intent.

Kelly will also produce the film with Laura Bickford and Mike Nilon.

Production hopes to kick off in January in Atlanta.

Cage is also attached to star in the revenge thriller called I Am Wrath and the drama Joe

Miller Helps To Protect The "Homefront"

Omar Miller has joined the cast of director Gary Fleder's Homefront says Variety.

James Franco stars as a meth kingpin named Gator who runs the small town to which a family, led by an ex-DEA agent (Jason Statham), moves in the hope of a quiet life.

Miller will portray the only real friend to Statham's character, who helps keep him and his daughter safe in the volatile surroundings.

Kate Bosworth will play the meth-addicted sister of Franco. Frank Grillo (Warrior) in talks to costar as a one of Franco’s henchmen,Winona Ryder will play a biker who teams with 'Gator'. Izabela Vidovic joins the pic as Statham's daughter. Rachelle Lefevre will be playing school psychologist "who tries to warn the family about the dangers of living there."

Sylvester Stallone wrote the script adaptation of author Chuck Logan's novel

Logan Kevin King Templeton and Rene Besson will produce the pic.

Production has started in New Orleans.

Thewlis Tries To Solve "The Zero Theorem"

David Thewlis has joined the cast of Terry Gilliam's "The Zero Theorem" says The Playlist.

Pat Rushin's script is set in an George Orwellian type corporate world run by a shadowy figure called 'Management'.

Christoph Waltz plays an eccentric and reclusive computer genius plagued with existential angst who works on a mysterious project aimed at discovering the purpose of existence once and for all.

Other characters in this world include a "flamboyantly lusty love interest" (Mélanie Thierry) with virtual sex on their mind, and the rebellious whiz-kid teenage son of Management.

Tilda Swinton also stars in a cameo

Dean Zanuck will be producing the film.

Production kicks off in Romania in November.

Hoffman Gets "The Best of Me"

Michael Hoffman ("One Fine Day," "The Last Station") is in talks to direct the film adaptation of Nicholas Sparks' latest bestseller The Best of Me says Deadline.

The story follows two former small-town high school sweethearts from opposite sides of the tracks. Now middle-aged, they’ve taken wildly divergent paths but neither has forgotten their first love affair and the past is confronted when they return to their hometown for a funeral.

Will Fetters ("The Lucky One") is wanted to do a rewrite of J. Mills Goodloe's adapted script draft.

Sparks and Denise Dinovi are producing the film.

Streep And Swank Circle Jones' "Homesman"

Meryl Streep and Hilary Swank are linked to the Tommy Lee Jones-directed period drama "The Homesman" according to The Wrap.

Jones is not only writing, producing and directing the project, he's also starring as a pioneer who, along with a frontier woman (Swank), escort three insane women across the American prairie.

Streep's role is not yet known.

The potential casting comes from a package being presented to possuible buyers attending the upcoming American Film Market event.

Brühl Takes On "Wanted Man"

"Inglourious Basterds" actor Daniel Brühl has joined the cast of Anton Corbijn's "A Most Wanted Man" says Empire.

Based on author John le Carré's 2008 political novel the story is set in present-day Hamburg, the action begins when a mysterious, near-dead half-Chechen, half-Russian fugitive arrives in the city's Islamic community desperate for help and looking to recover his late Russian father's ill-gotten fortune.

The story is loosely based on Murat Kurnaz, a Turkish citizen and legal German resident seized by American authorities and sent to the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, in Cuba before being released without charge in 2006.

Andrew Bovell ("Edge of Darkness") wrote the adapted script.

Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel McAdams, Robin Wright Willem Dafoe, Rainer Bock, Charlotte Schwab, Max Volkert Martens and Martin Wuttke also star.

Gail Egan, Andrea Calderwood, Malte Grunert, and Stephen Cornwall and Simon Cornwell will produce.

Production has started in Hamburg.

Fox No Longer Wants "Alexander"

Fox has put its live-action adaptation of author Judith Viorst's children's book "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" into turnaround says Deadline.

Steve Carell was attached to star in the film which "The Kids Are All Right" filmmaker Lisa Cholodenko was co-writing with Rob Lieber

Cholodenko would direct. 

Shawn Levy is producing.

Fox was said to be uncomfortable with the budget and let it go. The pic will be shopped around starting immediately with its talent still attached.

Phillips Says Trust Your Eyes

Even as "The Hangover" and "Old School" director Todd Phillips preps the remake of The Gambler--and  once he finishes The Hangover Part III, Phillips will start work on an adaptation of author Linwood Barclay's thriller novel Trust Your Eyes says Variety

 The film is described as a blend between “…Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window and Barry Levinson’s Rain Man, story follows a schizophrenic, map-obsessed savant who witnesses a murder online on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. He insists that his older brother investigate, and the siblings cross paths with a politically connected ex-cop and his ice pick-wielding henchwoman.”

No screenwriter has been attached to adapt the novel.
 
Phillips will also produce the pic with Dan Lin.

Jon Silk co-producing and Scott Budnick serving as executive producer.

JT Likes Food & Drink In "The Last Drop"

Justin Timberlake is in talks to star in the romance The Last Drop says Variety.

In the film JT would play an alcoholic restaurant critic woring for New York Magazine. He soon realizes he must change his addictive behavior when he falls for a young woman.

Brandon Murphy and Phil Murphy wrote the screenplay, which landed on the 2011 Black List from which director Peter Sollett (Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist) will call action.

Greg Shapiro will produce the film.

Nathan Kahane and Joseph Drake are executive producing.

No production schedule was given.

Alexander Injured On Set Of "Thor 2"

"Thor" actress Jamie Alexander says that she has been seriously injured on the set of  the sequel "Thor: The Dark World".

Alexander, who plays Sif, reportedly slipped while walking to the set in the rain says Yahoo. The injury is not halting production and her schedule has been moved around to accommodate her recovery.

On Monday she tweeted "Today I sustained a pretty horrible injury. I'm lucky I'm not paralyzed. Thank you (with all of my heart) to those who've looked after me… Meds are kicking in. Awesome funny nurses here at the hospital. Physio tomorrow. All good."

Alan Taylor directs the sequel that is on a larger scale than the first film with double the amount of Asgardian characters and the inclusion of Thor (Chris Hemsworth) battling more mythical Norse creatures.

Tom Hiddleston who plays Loki will return as will Natalie Portman playing Jane. Kat Dennings will reprise her role as Darcy Lewis, the spunky sidekick to Portman's from the first film and Idris Elba will be reprising the role of Heimdal. ‘Chuck’s’ Zachary Levi is lined up to replace Josh Dallas who will not reprise his role as Warriors Three member Frandral Anthony Hopkins will be back playing Thor's pops. Christopher Eccleston will play the villain--the character of Malekith The Accursed, is the ruler of the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim and has magical abilities including teleportation, energy projection, flight, and shape changing ability. He also has a weakness to iron which cancels out his powers. Eccleston takes over from Mads Mikkelsen who was originally slated to play the part but had to pass due to scheduling issues with the "Hannibal TV show. The great Alice Krige ("Star Trek: First Contact," "Silent Hill") will play the Dark Elf queen Alflyse. Richard Brake will play a captain in an elite squad of warriors known as the Einherjar. Clive Russell ("Sherlock Holmes") will play Tyr, Asgard’s god of war and the older brother of Thor.

"Saving Private Ryan" scribe Robert Rodat is set to perform a re-write of the sequel. First Thor co-writer Don Payne had written the first draft.

Production is underway to meet a to Nov. 15, 2013 release date.

Directors "Rise" To Take Over "Apes" Sequel

Since Rupert Wyatt will not be directing the upcoming sequel "Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes", the studio has compiled a short list of potential replacements says Deadline.

Matt Reeves is at the top of the list with J Blakeson Juan Carlos Fresnadillo Jeff Nichols Guillermo del Toro and Juan Antonio Bayona are also under consideration.

Does the fact Reeves is no longer attached to work on the new the Twilight Zone movie--according to Variety--over scheduling conflicts mean anything??

The film will continue the action from last year's Rise of the Planet of the Apes. As human society contiues collapsing after a viral outbreak and the highly intelligent simians now free, the story will follow the apes on their path to emerge as society’s new rulers.

Wyatt chose not to return reportedly due to the fact that the director wasn't comfortable with making the May 23rd 2014 release date the studio had announced.

Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver are said to have turned in a script which the studio has warmed up to--after "Contagion" scribe Scott Z. Burns took a crack at it.

The pic is being readied in time to make that date. It's expected the studio and producers Peter Chernin and Dylan Clark will quickly anounce a replacement.

Stromberg Goes On "Safari"

"Maleficent" director and Oscar-winning production designer Robert Stromberg is doing an epic adventure flick called "Safari" for his next gig says Variety.

Stromberg will direct the project which has been set up at Hydra Films, Inc, a new production company which helps filmmakers obtain financing through the development of "pitch-vis" trailers and presentations.

Although no specific story details were given, Safari is said to be, "a large-scale adventure pic in the vein of Jurassic Park and Avatar."

Hydra is also working on the family film "The Otherworldly Adventures of Tyler Washburn" based on the children's book by Dylan Cole.

Whishaw Wished For "Robopocalypse"

Ben Whishaw is at the top of the list to play a hacker named Lurker in Steven Spielberg's technothriller "Robopocalypse" says Variety.

Based on Daniel H. Wilson's novel, the cautionary tale explores the fate of the human race after a robot uprising. Wilson has a Ph.D. in robotics and grounded his tale in a heavy degree of authenticity derived from real robot technology.

"Cloverfield's" Drew Goddard wrote the adapted script.

"Thor" star Chris Hemsworth is being eyed to star as is Anne Hathaway,

Soon to be former Fox chief Tom Rothman (he steps down in early 2013) is in talks to produce

Robopocalypse is set for release 25th April 2014.

Russell & Brake Join "Thor: The Dark World"

Clive Russell ("Sherlock Holmes") and Richard Brake ("Batman Begins") have joined the cast of Alan Taylor's "Thor: The Dark World" says Deadline.

Alan Taylor directs the sequel that is on a larger scale than the first film with double the amount of Asgardian characters and the inclusion of Thor (Chris Hemsworth) battling more mythical Norse creatures.

Brake will play a captain in an elite squad of warriors known as the Einherjar. Russell will play Tyr, Asgard’s god of war and the older brother of Thor.

Tom Hiddleston who plays Loki will return as will Natalie Portman playing Jane. Kat Dennings will reprise her role as Darcy Lewis, the spunky sidekick to Portman's from the first film. Jaimie Alexander is returning to play Sif and Idris Elba will be reprising the role of Heimdal. ‘Chuck’s’ Zachary Levi is lined up to replace Josh Dallas who will not reprise his role as Warriors Three member Frandral Anthony Hopkins will be back playing Thor's pops. Christopher Eccleston will play the villain--the character of Malekith The Accursed, is the ruler of the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim and has magical abilities including teleportation, energy projection, flight, and shape changing ability. He also has a weakness to iron which cancels out his powers. Eccleston takes over from Mads Mikkelsen who was originally slated to play the part but had to pass due to scheduling issues with the Hannibal TV show.The great Alice Krige ("Star Trek: First Contact," "Silent Hill") will play the Dark Elf queen Alflyse

"Saving Private Ryan" scribe Robert Rodat is set to perform a re-write of the sequel. First Thor co-writer Don Payne had written the first draft.

Production is underway to meet a to Nov. 15, 2013 release date.

Murray & Lansbury Check Into Anderson's "Hotel"

A while back filmmaker Wes Anderson stated that if he had his way there was a dream cast that he would have in his new film "The Grand Budapest Hotel". Now it seems as though several of those names have joined the film  says The Playlist.

Both Bill Murray and Angela Lansbury are now confirmed to star in the film

Johnny Depp and Jude Law also star.

All that we know about the plot at this point is that one character is a psychic medium, and the action is set in and around Europe.

Lansbury says that her role is essentially a cameo as a 'woman of mystery'.

Scott Rudin is going to be a producer.

Production on the film kicks off in January in Germany.

Sonnenfeld Circles "Lore"

Director Barry Sonnenfeld is in talks to helm the comic adaptation "Lore" says THR.

Described like Sonnenfeld's own "Men in Black with mythological creatures", and based on the graphic novel by Ashley Wood and T.P. Louise--the story follows the secret society of Shepherds - guardians who hold the banished world of mythical creatures at bay. When the generational line of Shepherds is broken, a reluctant hero finds her life threatened from every quarter - and the creatures are coming back.

Dwayne Johnson is attached to star in the sci-fi action flick

Cory Goodman and Jeremy Lott wrote the adapted script.

Andrew Lazar, David Alpert and Rick Jacobs are producing the film.

Fleischer Becomes A "Spy Hunter"

"Zombieland" and "Gangster Squad' director Ruben Fleischer has signed on to helm the film adaptation of Midway Games 80's video game hit "Spy Hunter" says Vulture.

'Hunter' is an action/driving game featuring the G-6155 Interceptor, a fictitious car that is beset by a wide array of enemy vehicles. The lead character is an ex-fighter pilot turned freelance assassin who specialises in targeting intelligence agents who have gone rogue.

The idea for the film version has been around for awhile. Directors John Woo and Paul W.S. Anderson have been attached to helm the pic.

‘The Rock’ Dwayne Johnson was due to star at one point. At last report Chad St. John was writing the script.

Carano Leads All-Female Version Of "The Expendables"

Former MMA fighter-turned-actress Gina Carano ("Haywire") is attached to star in the Untitled "all-female riff" on "The Expendables" says Variety.

Dutch Southern has come onboard to pen gender switch riff of the star-studded action franchise. Southern previously wrote "Hoof Harrington's Greatest Hits" which made the 2010 Black List

Several prominent actresses affiliated with the action genre are already said to be in talks to star.

Among those female action stars on a wish list of potentials Linda Hamilton, Cynthia Rothrock, Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Ann Moss, Michelle Rodriguez,  Uma Thurman, Zoe Saldana, Michelle Yeoh and Summer Glau.

Adi Shankar ("The Grey," "Machine Gun Preacher") will produce the project

Baruchel Says "Goon" Sequel On The Way

The hockey comedy "Goon" looks like it's getting a sequel.

Actor/writer Jay Baruchel took to Twitter to confirm that he and Jesse Chabot are working on a script for a  sequel.

Evan Goldberg, who co-wrote the original with Baruchel, is back to produce. Michael Dowse is will be returning to direct.

The first pic follows a bouncer (Sean William Scott) who becomes an enforcer on an underdog semi-pro hockey team.

For fans concerned that a sequel is being rushed, Baruchel posted the following in an attempt to assure fans that they need not worry.

"Please know this: GOON is pretty close to sacred for all of us involved and we would only be entertaining the idea of continuing the saga if we were all equally convinced that Doug, Laflamme, Stevesy, the Russians, Rolie, Ogilvy Belchy and Eva were only getting started. We will give them and you guys the epic, violent, heartfelt awesomeness that is not just deserved but required. HIGH. LAND. ERS."

2 Brits & And An Irish Lass Travel To "Monaco"

British actors Robert Lindsay and Roger Ashton-Griffiths along with Irish actress Geraldine Somerville have all joined the cast of Olivier Dahan's biopic "Grace of Monaco" reports Variety.

Arash Amel's Black List-making script will cover a six month period in 1962 when French leader Charles de Gaulle and Rainier III, Prince of Monaco (Tim Roth) were arguing over Monaco’s standing as a tax haven.The then 33-year-old Grace Kelly (Nicole Kidman), had given up her acting career to marry Rainier and become his wife by this time, politically maneuvered her way behind-the-scenes to save Monaco.

Lindsay will play Aristotle Onassis the Greek businessman whose girlfriend, opera singer Maria Maria Callas (Paz Vega), was a close confidante of Kelly's. Ashton-Griffiths will play filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock who worked with Kelly on "Dial M For Murder," "Rear Window" and "To Catch a Thief". In this film Hitchcock tries to get her to come out of retirement to star in his new movie. Somerville will play Prince Rainier's traitorous older sister Princess Antoinette who was exiled after a failed attempted coup. Parker Posey is playing Madge Tivey-Faucon, one of Princess Grace’s ladies-in-waiting. Parker Posey has joined, Milo Ventimiglia would play Grace’s press agent, Rupert Allan. The great Frank Langella plays a priest.

Pierre-Ange Le Pogam is producing the picture.

The project is currently filming in France.

Wiseman To Unwrap Mummy Redux

Len Wiseman is in talks to helm the Untitled Reboot of The Mummy Film Franchise says Heat Vision.

Stephen Sommers called action on the action packed and fun first film in 1999 which starred Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz--The pic was a reboot of the classic Universal Monsters series from the 30's and 40's.

Reaction from audiences on the two subsequent sequels in The Mummy Returns in 2001 and
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor in '08 was quite muted--though all three pics grossed over $400 million worldwide.

This one is expected to go in a different direction. The script  from "The Darkest Hour" and early "Prometheus" writer Jon Spaihts is said to take the action from the 1920's to contemporary times.

Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Sean Daniel and Jim Jacks are producing the reset.

Robin Friday Bio On The Way

A biopic of 1970's English pro-soccer player Robin Friday called "The Greatest Footballer You Never Saw", is on the way says Variety.

Friday became a cult hero for working-class fans as an icon who refused to take life seriously and who lived every moment as if it were his last. He retired in 1977 and died in 1990 at the age of 38.

Julian Stone and Paolo Hewitt adapted the script for the film, from the 1997 biography by former Oasis band member Paul McGuigan.

"SuperTed" creator Mike Young will produce the film.

Gyllenhaal May Be Among The "Prisoners"

Jake Gyllenhaal is in talks to join the long gestating thriller "Prisoners" says THR.

Aaron Guzikowski's lauded script centers on a small-town carpenter named Keller (Hugh Jackman) whose young daughter and best friend are kidnapped. After the cops fail to find them, Keller takes the law into his own hands, but in the process runs up against the big city detective assigned to the case.

if Gyllenhaal takes the role he would play the detective investigating the kidnappings who butts heads with Keller.

Melissa Leo also stars.

Incendies helmer Denis Villeneuve's calling action on the film.

This one's been around for quite some time folks...Over the years directors like Antoine Fuqua and Bryan Singer, and actors like Christian Bale, Mark Wahlberg Leonardo DiCaprio and even Jackman have all been attached at one point in in time. All of them dropped out for various reasons.

Andrew Kosove, Broderick Johnson, Kira Davis and Adam Kolbrenner will produce.

Production will begin early 2013, once Jackman completes "The Wolverine” with a November 2013 release planned.