Box Office Update: White House Down On Its Luck

Despite starring the very popular Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx in the second White House is taken over film of the year White House Down sputtered in debut. Sandra Bullock and  Melissa McCarthy generated The Heat at the Cineplex...Monsters University stays on top.....

Pamela McClintock of THR:

Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock's The Heat ended up having all the firepower at the North American box office as their new R-rated comedy crushed Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx's big-budget tentpole White House Down.

From 20th Century Fox, The Heat opened to a rousing $40 million, marking another major win for McCarthy and her Bridesmaids director Paul Feig. The pic marks McCarthy and Feig's best opening to date -- as well as Bullock's.

Conversely, director Roland Emmerich's White House Down debuted to a dismal $25.7 million. The action pic cost a pricey $150 million to produce and marks the second Sony summer tentpole to flop after Will Smith's After Earth.

Disney and Pixar's Monsters University stayed at No. 1 in its second weekend, declining a slim 44 percent to $46.2 million and pushing its domestic total to $171 million. The toon has jumped the $300 million mark after earning another $44.2 million overseas from 37 territories for an international total of $129.3 million.

Monsters University wasn't the only 3D animated film making headlines. Overseas, Universal's Despicable Me 2 broke records as it opened in six countries, scoring $41.5 million for the weekend for an early international total of $50 million from seven territories (it opened in Australia last weekend.) The sequel opens Tuesday in North America, where it is expected to be just as much of a monster.

Despicable 2 opened No. 1 in the U.K., France, French Switzerland, Netherlands and Belgium, and was second only to Man of Steel in Sweden and Australia. In the U.K. and Ireland (considered one market), the toon opened to $15.7 million -- the top opening ever for a Universal film, as well as being the top opening of 2013. Including last week's previews, the U.K. total is an outstanding $23.3 million.

In North America, The Heat came in No. 2, followed by Paramount holdover World War Z, which held well, falling 48 percent to roughly $30 million. The Brad Pitt zombie tentpole has now earned $124 million domestically.

Heading into the weekend, The Heat and White House Down were each tracking to bow in the $30 million range. And on Friday night, each film earned an A- CinemaScore from moviegoers.

The Heat, costing Fox a modest $43 million to produce, provided a needed respite for younger and older women weary of action fare stars (females made up 67 percent of the audience). In the film, Bullock stars as a strict FBI agent who is forced to team up with McCarthy's rough-around-the-edges Boston street cop.

To date, McCarthy's top opening at the domestic box office is Identity Thief, which debuted earlier this year to $34.6 million. Bridesmaids grossed $26.2 million in its domestic debut in May 2011. The film, whose ensemble cast also included Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph, became a female-friendly comedy hit and has gone on to gross $288.4 million to date worldwide.

White House Down will turn into a financial headache for Sony unless it does exceedingly well overseas. The A- CinemaScore is a good sign in terms of strong word-of-mouth, but simply not enough moviegoers turned out. In the film, the president of the United States (Foxx) and a wannabe Secret Service agent (Tatum) team up after the White House is invaded by terrorists and the U.S. Capitol destroyed.

One problem -- White House Down comes out just three months after FilmDistrict's White House-under-siege film Olympus Has Fallen played in theaters. Another is a glut of male-skewing action films in the market, including World War Z and Man of Steel.

White House Down is the lowest opening for an Emmerich-directed tentpole in recent times. In summer 2004, The Day After Tomorrow debuted to $68.7 million. Independence Day -- which also featured the destruction of the White House -- opened to $50.2 million in July 1996.

Sony believes the film will have strong legs based on the A- CinemaScore. Also, plenty of females turned out (49 percent).

"We couldn't be more proud or supportive of the film Roland, Channing and Jamie created. This weekend's launch is just the beginning. While White House Down opened in a few smaller countries this weekend, it will not begin to open in major overseas territories until mid-July and it will continue to roll out overseas well into the fall," said a Sony spokesman.

On a brighter note, Sony's innovative end-of-the-world comedy This Is the End continued to prosper, grossing $8.7 million in its third weekend for a North American total of $74.7 million.

Among other weekend highlights, Warner Bros. and Legendary's Man of Steel jumped the $500 million mark globally.

Even with its poor showing here---I still say WHD looks soooo much better than The White House is taken over by North Korean terrorists actioner Olympus Has Fallen--I base that notion on the trailers for both films and my gut.

Next Up: Things kick off early thanks to the holiday weekend. Gore Verbinski's big-budget re-telling of "The Lone Ranger" rides into town with The Social Network's Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp on horseback. The Gru Crew returns in Despicable Me 2.

Shane Black On "Doc Savage" Film

As we know "Iron Man 3"co-writer/director Shane Black is following up with another comic book adaptation - 1930s pulp adventure hero Doc Savage.

While at the Saturn Awards this week, Black told Collider that the film will retain the 1930s setting of the stories. He also spoke about his love for the character:

"We’re shooting it as though it’s in the 30s, including all the Capra-esque elements of 1930s films like You Can't Take It with You,  The idea of ‘What if Jimmy Stewart were a stone-cold killer?’ basically. It’s that kind of combination which we enjoy. Doc Savage is a personal film to me. It’s a 1930s pulp character so it hasn’t been around for 75 years or so, but people if they’re introduced to it they’ll get to know, hopefully, what I came to love as a kid. I’ve read those series for 43 years and always wanted to figure out how to crack it."

Will You Climb "Jacob's Ladder" (Again)?

Heat Vision reports that a remake of the tripped out thriller "Jacob's Ladder" with its fusion of paranoia thriller, non-linear narrative, distinctive effects and horror is on the way.

The original film starred Tim Robbins as Vietnam War vet Jacob Singer, who suffers bizarre flashbacks and nightmarish hallucinations as a result of things he experienced both before and after the war. We watch as Jacob attempts to learn the truth behind the visions, slowly slipping further and further into a darker nightmare.

LD Entertainment has pegged Jeff Buhler (Insanitarium, The Midnight Meat Train) to revising an earlier sceipt draft penned by Jake Wade Wall (When a Stranger Calls, The Hitcher). The producers want the new version to pay homage to the 1990 original  rather than do an outright remake. The plan is also to "contemporize the story with new situations and characters but still maintain a story that examines issues and poses existential questions."

Mickey Liddell Jennifer Monroe Michael J. Gaeta and Alison R. Rosenzweig are producing.

 The search for a director is on.

No production schedule was given.

The original film was directed by Adrian Lyne, from a screenplay by Bruce Joel Rubin. Reviews were good, but 'Ladder' barely made back its budget at the box-office.

Elizabeth Peña, Danny Aiello, Matt Craven, Pruitt Taylor Vince also starred

The special effects broke new ground since none of them were created in post production, everything was recorded in camera. This included the first film use of the now copied trick of filming someone's head moving around at a low frame rate - resulting in unsettling super fast head shaking when brought back up to normal speed.

The film was a major inspiration for the Silent Hill video games, and its much debated about ending remains one of the most talked about ever.

"Captain Planet" Movie On The Way

Sony Pictures is in final talks to pick up the film rights to early 1990s environmental cartoon series "Captain Planet and the Planeteers" says  Heat Vision.

 

The original show followed five teens from around the world given powers by Gaia, the earth spirit, to protect the planet from polluters. When their powers are not enough, they combine to summon a superhero named Captain Planet
.
The toon was produced by Turner Broadcasting and the now defunct DIC Entertainment, that also brought us "Inspector Gadget" and "The Real Ghostbusters".

Mark Gordon, Don Murphy and Susan Montford will produce the Captain Planet film adaptation.

Both a film and new live-action series adaptation had previously been in development, but neither of them got past that

Pena And Hounsou Will Be On "The Vatican Tapes"

Variety reports that Michael Pena and Djimon Hounsou have joined the horror thriller "The Vatican Tapes".

The story follows a 27-year-old woman (Olivia Dudley) who begins to have a devastating effect on anyone who gets close to her.

Pena will play a local priest who believes she is possessed, while Hounsou plays a Vatican official called in to exorcise the demon.

Dougray Scott, Kathleen Robertson, Peter Andersson, Olivia Dudley, John Patrick Amedori and Alex Sparrow also star.

Mark Neveldine ("Crank," "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance") will direct from an initial script by Christopher Borrelli that he and Michael C. Martin revised.

Tom Rosenberg, Gary Lucchesi and Chris Cowles are producing the film.

Production will begin in July.

WB Lives In Weitz's "Young World"

Deadline reports that Warner Bros has nabbed the film rights to filmmaker Chris Weitz's debut young adult novel "The Young World".

The story is set in New York City after a disaster kills everyone not aged between 12 and 21. The surviving teens are also left without any amenities.

Weitz will helm the film and produce the film with Andrew Miano.

The book will be released next year.

Lowndes Pretties Up "Eden"

The lovely Jessica Lowndes has joined the survivor thriller Eden as the female lead says The Hollywood Reporter.

A cross between "Alive" and "Lord of the Flies," the story begins when a soccer team's plane crash lands on a deserted Pacific island. Team spirit evaporates as disagreements cause the group to separate into factions - a violent one lead by an unbalanced ruler (Ethan Peck), and a compassionate one led by a selfless player (Nate Parker). 

Diego Boneta, plays the wildcard, a cocky player who becomes an obsessive and sadistic barbarian.

Eugene Simon and Sung Kang also star.

 Mark Mavrothalasitis wrote the script from which Shyam Madiraju will make his feature directing debut.

Jaume Collet-Sera's, Parker, Juan Sola and Hernany Perla will produce.

Production hopes to begin next month in Malaysia.

Jeff Chan Gets Zombie Gig "19"

Deadline reports that QED has made a pre-emptive buy of a pitch for a zombie thriller called 19.

Jim Agnew and Sean Keller (Tokarev) are writing the screenplay that is set in a world where everyone becomes a zombie after turning 19 years of age, with the world now ruled by teenagers and children.

Jeff Chan is making his feature film directing debut after calling the shots on two Internet shorts based on the popular Call of Duty® video game franchise.

Bill Block and McG are attached to produce the film.

The studio wants to turn this premise into a movie trilogy, as well as a series of books.

DreamWorks Lights The Match For "The Fire Sermon"

DreamWorks has pre-emptively acquired poet and author Francesca Haig's "The Fire Sermon," the first in a proposed trilogy of young adult novels says Deadline.

Set four hundred years after an apocalypse, a technology-free society now exists made up entirely of twins. One of each set is perfect, the other slightly mutated. An apartheid system forces the mutated twins to settlements, even though when one twin dies, so does the other.  The focus is on a brother and sister twin, and what happens when he becomes a leader in the repressed society.

Carla Hacken is set to produce the pic.

McRobbie Is A Shark For "Inherent Vice"

Peter McRobbie will play loan shark Adrian Prussia in Paul Thomas Anderson's adaptation of author Thomas Pynchon's novel "Inherent Vice" says Deadline.

In 1969 Los Angeles, Joaquin Phoenix will play a stoner detective named Doc Sportello, whose ex-girlfriend (Katherine Waterston of "Taking Woodstock" and "Michael Clayton") Shasta, sets things in motion. Now a straight-laced partner to a real estate mogul, she enlists Doc's help to protect the mogul from his murderous wife and her young boytoy.

Martin Short Owen Wilson Jena Malone Reese Witherspoon Josh Brolin Maya Rudolph and Benicio Del Toro co star. Sean Penn is up to take a role as well.

Anderson wrote the adapted screenplay

Anderson, Megan Ellison, John Lesher and JoAnne Sellar will produce the film .

PTA has been talking about making Vice since 2010, but went off to make The Master instead. Word is PTA is looking to make Vice into a comedy in the vein of Cheech and Chong meets The Big Lebowski or Boogie Nights.

Filming is underway Los Angeles

DeWitt's Set To "Kill The Messenger"

Rosemarie DeWitt is in final talks to play the female lead in the biopic drama "Kill The Messenger" says Deadline.  No other details were given about DeWitt's character,

Michael Cuesta will direct the movie that is based on the tragic tale of journalist Gary Webb (Jeremy Renner) who committed suicide after being denounced by the Central Intelligence Agency.

Paz Vega will play the girlfriend of a jailed wealthy dealer.

The script was written by Peter Landesman adapted from author Nick Schou's non fiction book.

Scott Stuber, Renner, Don Handfield and Naomi Despres will produce the pic.

Production begins in August in Atlanta.

Stamp Is Critical Of Big Eyes

Terence Stamp has joined the cast of Tim Burton's comedic drama biopic "Big Eyes" says THR.

The film will tell the story of Margaret and Walter Keane (Christoph Waltz and Amy Adams), the artists whose work, especially paintings of doe-eyed children, became a pop-culture phenomenon in the 1950s and 1960s. However their home life was anything but perfect. Margaret was the artist but her husband took all the credit. During the their divorce they fought over the rights to their work with Margaret eventually winning the dispute- painting a picture in federal court to prove she was the one responsible for the work.

Stamp will play John Canaday, The New York Times senior art critic who is appalled and exasperated by Walter's rise to prominence.

Krysten Ritter will play DeeAnn, the free-spirited confidante of Adams' who tries to coax her friend to come out of her shell. Danny Huston will play a burnt-out, heavy-drinking gossip reporter. Jason Schwartzman has been cast as San Francisco art gallery owner Ruben.

Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski wrote the script and will produce with Burton and Lynette Howell.

At one point, Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Reynolds were going to star with Alexander and Karaszewski at the helm

The film will shoot this summer.

Plummer Swaped Into "Imagine"

Christopher Plummer will replace Michael Caine in writer Dan Fogelman's directorial debut "Imagine" says Deadline.

In the drama Al Pacino plays an aging 1970s rocker who can't give up his hard living ways. But when he discovers an undelivered letter written to him when he was 19 by John Lennon, he straightens his life out and reconnects with his estranged son (Bobby Cannavale).

Plummer will portray the longtime manager of Pacino’s character and Jennifer Garner will play his daughter in law.

Annette Bening plays Pacino's love interest the owner of the small New Jersey hotel where he takes up residence.

Denise Dinovi Jessie Nelson and Nimitt Mankad are producing

Steve Carell was initially attached to star.

Production starts Monday in Los Angeles.  .

Jimmy Franco Leaves "Last Days"

Two weeks before production was scheduled to start, actor/director James Franco has pulled out of the contemporary thriller "The Garden of Last Days" says Deadline.

As a result, the $3 million project has been shut down and will NOT go forward. $500,000 was already spent on pre-production costs. Franco's exit is said to be due to a disagreement with the studio over the crew he wanted to hire. Franco wanted fresh but inexperienced crew, and the suits wouldn’t approve of his choices.

Based upon author Andre Dubus III's book--The story involves three interwoven story lines - a stripper forced to bring her three-year-old daughter to work; an angry, loner who gets thrown out of the club; and a foreigner with an endless supply of cash about to commit a terrifying act.

The film would have been set in present day New York rather than around the September 11th attacks time frame of the book. Hanna Weg wrote the adapted screenplay.

Weg, Gerard Butler, Alan Siegel, Danielle Robinson, Vince Jolivette and Miles Levy were set to produce the picture

DiCaprio And Foxx "Mean Business"

"Django Unchained" co-stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Jamie Foxx are will reunite for the crime thriller "Mean Business on North Ganson Street"  says THR.

Based on S. Craig Zahler's upcoming novel, DiCaprio stars as a disgraced detective sent to a Missouri town partnered with a hot-tempered detective (Foxx). The pair come together just as their fellow police officers become targets for murder. The two decide to seek out their own brand of justice.

Zahler is adapting the script, with no director attached as yet

DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson Killoran will produce the film.

LEGO's "Ninjago" Gets It's Own Movie

Since there's been great reaction to the recently released "The Lego Movie" teaser trailer, Warner Bros is moving ahead with plans for another feature film based on the popular toy says Heat Vision.

Dan Hageman and Kevin Hageman who have a story credit on "The LEGO Movie," are set to write the script for a film based on the LEGO toy line called "Ninjago".

Ninjago already exists as a hit Cartoon Network animated series which the pair also wrote.

Set in a fictional world inspired by Chinese and Japanese myths, the story follows the red ninja of fire. The film boasts a new take that "diverges" from the TV series.

No director is attached to the film yet.

 Dan Lin, Roy Lee, Phil Lord and Chris Miller are producing the pic.

Wahlberg Is The "American Desperado" For Berg

Mark Wahlberg will star in the film adaptation of Jon Roberts and Evan Wright's book "American Desperado" according to Variety.

The film will be based on Roberts' life as a New York City gangster who ran guns for the CIA and smuggled cocaine and cash for the Medellín Cartel,

Peter Berg will call action on the film using an adapted script penned by William Monahan ("The Departed").

Berg and Wahlberg recently wrapped work on the war biopic "Lone Survivor".

It is hoped that production might start in 2014.

Trio Vie For "Secret Service" Partner Role

Jack O'Connell, John Boyega and Christian Cooke are being considered for a lead role in "The Secret Service" for Fox reports Variety.

 Created by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons--the comic book follows a seasoned Secret Service agent (Colin Firth) who takes a younger agent under his wing as they investigate the murder of every resident of a small town and a mysterious secret involving Mount Everest.

Whomever wins the role will play the young secret agent. The trade notes that more names may pop up besides this top trio depending upon how they test

Matthew Vaughn will call action from an adapted script he wrote with Jane Goldman.

Production is set to begin this Fall.

The film is currently scheduled for a November 14th 2014 debut.

Lord And Miller Oversee "The Reunion" Guest List

"Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" and 21 Jump Street" writer/directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller are reuniting for the comedy "The Reunion" says Variety.

While the pair will produce, the project is Miller's movie and he will write and direct the film alone.

The story is set at a high school reunion, no further story specifics have been revealed.

No production schedule has been released.

The duo are currently at work on "The Lego Movie" with the comedy sequel 22 Jump Street also in the works.

Edgerton Joins Nichols' Next Movie

Variety reports that Joel Edgerton is in talks to co-star with Michael Shannon in "Take Shelter" and "Mud" filmmaker Jeff Nichols' now Untitled sci-fi film once called Midnight Special.

The story is set in present day--further plot details are being kept under wraps.

The film will be produced by Sarah Green and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, with Glen Basner and Christos V. Konstantakopoulos the exec producers.

Production will begin February 2014.

Reynolds Replaces Jake In "Mississippi Grind"

Ryan Reynolds will star in "Half Nelson" filmmakers Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck's indie drama "Mississippi Grind" says Deadline.

The story centers on a down-on-his-luck gambler facing crushing debt who teams with a younger gambling addict (Reynolds) in an attempt to change his luck. The two set off on a road trip through the South with visions of winning back what has been lost.

Reynolds steps into the lead following the departure of Jake Gyllenhaal.

Ben Mendelsohn ("Animal Kingdom," "Killing Them Softly") also stars

Fleck and Boden will direct from a screenplay they wrote.

John Lesher, Jamie Patricof and Lynette Howell are producing the pic

Production begins early next year.

Box Office Preview: Boys VS Girls

This weekend at the Cineplex--Channing Tatum looks after POTUS Jamie Foxx in the second White House is taken over film of the year White House Down (reviews). Sandra Bullock and  Melissa McCarthy star in the R-rated cop comedy The Heat (reviews).

Pamela McClintock and Rebecca Ford of THR:

Estrogen and testosterone face off at the domestic box office this weekend as two very different buddy films both eye a debut in the $30 million range.

In the male corner is Roland Emmerich's big-budget tentpole White House Down, starring Jamie Foxx as the president and Channing Tatum as a wannabe Secret Service agent. The two characters find themselves uniting after America's most famous residence is overrun by terrorists and the U.S. Capitol destroyed.

Appealing to the female set is The Heat, starring Sandra Bullock as a straight-laced FBI agent who is forced to team up with a crass Boston street cop played by Melissa McCarthy, one of Hollywood's hottest box office stars. The 20th Century Fox film reteams McCarthy with Bridesmaids director Paul Feig.

Disney and Pixar's Monsters University could beat both new films in its second weekend as it continues wrangle the family-friendly crowd.

White House Down, costing Sony $150 million to produce, could mark one of the lowest openings for a Roland Emmerich tentpole, particularly when accounting for inflation. In summer 2004, The Day After Tomorrow debuted to $68.7 million. Independence Day -- which also saw the destruction of the White House -- opened to $50.2 million in July 1996.

Part of the issue could be that White House Down comes out just three months after FilmDistrict's White House-under-seige film, Olympus Has Fallen. Nevertheless, Tatum and Fox have sizable fan bases, and White House Down could overperform.

Another is a glut of male-skewing product in the marketplace, with World War Z heading into it second weekend, and Man of Steel into its third.

The Heat was modestly budgeted, costing $43 million to produce.

Feig's Bridesmaids grossed $26.2 million its domestic debut in May 2011. Becoming a female-friendly comedy hit, the film, which also starred McCarthy along with Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph, has gone on to gross $288.4. million to date worldwide.

The Heat is currently selling 50 percent more advance tickets on Fandango than were sold at the same time in the sales cycle for Bridesmaids.

Monsters University, the prequel to 2010 hit Monsters Inc., debuted in 4,004 theaters last weekend to earn $82.4 million, making it Pixar's second-highest opening ever behind 2010's Toy Story 3.

Trio Of Ladies Visit "Suite Française"

Ruth Wilson, Margot Robbie and Alexandra Maria Lara have joined the cast of the World War II drama "Suite Française" says Deadline.

Based on author Irène Némirovsky's novel, the story charts the love affair between a young French woman (Michelle Williams) and the German officer (Matthias Schoenaerts) assigned to watch her in Nazi-occupied France.

Sam Riley will play the role of a French soldier named Benoit. Kristin Scott Thomas is set to play Williams' mother.

Dibb and Matt Charman wrote the adapted script.

Michael Kuhn will produce the pic.

Production got underway this week in Brussels and Paris.

Moore Circles Hunger Games Ender

THR reports that Julianne Moore is in talks to join the two film adaptation of the last book in author Suzanne Collins' trilogy- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1/The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2.

Moore would play District 13 leader Alma Coin. In the book, she is in charge of the mysterious district where heroine  Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) launches her fight against the tyrannical Capitol regime. The pair clash over Katniss' methods and motivations.

Multi-award-winning "Game Change" and "The Butler" writer Danny Strong will pen those adapted scripts.

Francis Lawrence, who called action on the sequel "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,"--Out Nov. 22, 2013 is also slated to helm the two film finale.

Mockingjay Part 1 opens November 21st 2014 while Part 2 hits November 20th 2015

Soccer Team Stranded In "Eden"

Heat Vision reports that Diego Boneta, Ethan Peck. Nate Parker, Eugene Simon and Sung Kang are set to star in the survival thriller "Eden".

A cross between "Alive" and "Lord of the Flies," the story begins when a soccer team's plane crash lands on a deserted Pacific island. Team spirit evaporates as disagreements cause the group to separate into factions - a violent one lead by an unbalanced ruler (Peck), and a compassionate one led by a selfless player (Parker). 

Boneta plays the wildcard, a cocky player who becomes an obsessive and sadistic barbarian.

 Mark Mavrothalasitis wrote the script from which Shyam Madiraju will make his feature directing debut.

Jaume Collet-Sera's, Parker, Juan Sola and Hernany Perla will produce.

Production hopes to begin next month in Malaysia.

A year ago, Parker helmed a 'proof of concept' teaser short to help raise funds for the film:



We have seen this concept play out before---what's the new spin

Diaz Takes On Bullock's "Annie" Role

Cameron Diaz has joined the cast of the upcoming remake of "Annie" says Deadline.

Oscar nominee Quvenzhané Wallis ("Beasts of the Southern Wild") will star as the iconic big-hearted orphan adopted by  a new incarnation of Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks  named Benjamin Stacks (Jamie Foxx) in this contemporary update of the classic Musical and Comic Strip.

Sandra Bullock was offered the role of Miss Hannigan, the mean lady who runs the orphanage where Annie and her fellow orphans live. She had initially passed on the role before coming back to the negotiating table, though her representatives  were unable to strike a deal Diaz will now take over

Will Gluck will direct the project and is currently revising the screenplay by Emma Thompson and Aline Brosh McKenna.

James Lassiter, Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith, Jay Z, Jay Brown and Tyran 'Ty-Ty' Smith
will produce the film.

At one time Will and Jada's daughter Willow was considered for the lead.

A Christmas 2014 release is planned with a fall shoot eyed.

Marvel Wants A Sit Down Wiith Diesel

Fast and the Furious film franchise star Vin Diesel revealed on his Facebook that he could be playing a superhero at some point.

Diesel says: "Marvel has requested a meeting… no idea what for… haha, you probably know better than me…"

The speculation as to which Marvel character the actor could be playing has reved up--Everything from the starring roles in "Black Panther" and "Doctor Strange" movies, to a mo-capped Thanos who will serve as the big bad in "The Avengers" sequels.

Is Armie Hammer Marvel's "Ant Man"?

Earlier this week "The Lone Ranger" actor Armie Hammer was spotted on the set of "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" which led to speculation that he has been cast as "Ant-Man".

Both Hammer and "Ant-Man" director Edgar Wright have since shot down the notion.

The Hoff And Liotta Along For The Ride In "Stretch"

David Hasselhoff and Ray Liotta will cameo as themselves in director Joe Carnahan's comedy thriller "Stretch" says Digital Spy

Patrick Wilson stars as a down-on-his luck limo driver trying to pay back a debt when his next passenger turns out to be a nut job (Chris Pine) selling his ledger of criminal associates to the highest bidder.

The deets of James Badge Dale's role are unknown. Brooklyn Decker plays Wilson’s ex-girlfriend, a label-obsessed party girl. Ed Helms will play a fellow chauffeur at Stretch’s company, the ideal driver who is a ghost and shows up as Wilson’s conscience.

Jason Blum is set to produce the pic.

Production begins this Summer

Joe Anderson Spies For Ratner's "Hercules"

Joe Anderson ("The Grey") has joined the cast of Brett Ratner's upcoming "Hercules: The Thracian Wars"  says Empire.

An adaptation of the Steve Moore penned comic, the story follows Hercules (Dwayne Johnson) years after he carried out his twelve tasks and has turned his back on the Gods. He discovers a higher calling as he defends the mythical Mount Olympus from an evil army. He and six friends have become mercenaries who've been hired by the King of Thrace to train his men into becoming an army every bit as ruthless as they are.

Anderson will play a marathon runner who serves as a scout for Hercules, reporting on their enemies’ movements.

Rufus Sewell has signed on to play Autolycus the son of the messenger god Hermes. Norwegian actor Aksel Hennie is set to play a mad warrior named Tydeus. Joseph Fiennes will play the pampered king who assigns Hercules his labors. In Greek mythology, this would be King Eurystheus, but it remains to be seen who he’ll actually be in the film. Ian McShane is reportedly playing Amphiarus, who is equal parts priest, prophet and warrior who counsels Hercules. John Hurt will play the weary ruler of Thrace, while Rebecca Ferguson will play his daughter, a healer. Reece Ritchie will play Iolaus, a poet and Herc's nephew, who eagerly promotes his uncle's achievements and adventures, and throughout the film is forced to become a warrior alongside his uncle. "Kon-Tiki" actor Tobias Santelmann will play Rhesus, a golden-locked barbarian and revolutionary. Antje Traue also stars.

Ryan Condal and Evan Spiliotopoulos penned the adapted script.

Beau Flynn, Barry Levine and Ratner will produce.

Production is currently underway in Budapest. The film is currently slated for an August 8th 2014 release.

The film is not to be confused with Renny Harlin's epic "Hercules 3D" starring Kellan Lutz

McCarthy-Miller Will Yell Back At "Mean Moms"

Beth McCarthy-Miller will helm the comedy "Mean Moms" says Deadline.

The film is based on the advice book by author Rosalind Wiseman, the same author behind the book that inspired Tina Fey's "Mean Girls".

The story follows a happily married mother of two who moves from small town America to the high-class suburbs and is faced with confronting the cutthroat world of competitive parenting.

The writing team of Sean Anders and John Morris are rewriting the adapted screenplay.” Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein also were tapped last year to redraft the project.

Adam Shankman, Jennifer Gibgot and Jill Messick are producing the pic.

1D Trailer: "Just 5 Normal Lads"

A new trailer for the bio-concert film featuring One Direction--called 1D3D--has been released....

Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me) directed the 3-D film, which will be released on August 30, 2013.

Spurlock was/will be given access to the private moments of band members Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson, as they start out on their world tour, which launched this month

Spurlock is producing with Simon Cowell, who discovered the band on his X Factor U.K. reality competition in 2010. Also producing are Ben Winston (One Direction: A Year In The Making) and Adam Milano.

I dedicate this post to my niece Mia who was lucky enough to see the band in concert recently,,,,Happy Birthday sweetie!!! I think she'll love this!

Bond 24: Mendes Not Locked....Yet...

Despite that James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson are willing to wait for him, director Sam Mendes says he still not sure if he'll return to helm "Bond 24".

The "Skyfall" director spoke about the ongoing talks at the premiere of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Musical" which he has been working on for the past few months--telling Hey U Guys:

"In answer to the question you’re going to ask, I don’t know yet. I’m in discussion over the ‘B’ word and I won’t make any decision until ['Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'] is open. It’s taken a long time to get this open and this has been my focus"

The Daily Mail claims that Oscar winner Penelope Cruz is up for the female lead...That has not been confirmed...We do know though that John Logan is back to write the next one.

Marino Returns; Starr Is New To "Mars"

Ken Marino is set to reprise his role as rival private investigator Vinnie Van Lowe in the "Veronica Mars" movie says  E! Online. At the same time. Marino's "Party Down" co-star Martin Starr, has been cast as a new character in the film---named Lou 'Cobb' Cobbler.

Kristen Bell stars Jason Dohring returns as Logan Echolls. Chris Lowell as Veronica’s ex Stosh Piznarski and  Percy Daggs III, who played Veronica's best bud Wallace Fennel Francis Capra and Christine Lakin will reprise their roles of Eli "Weevil" Navarro and Susan Knight respectively and Tina Majorino has signed on to reprise her role as Cindy “Mac” Mackenzie as well. Brandon Hillock, who played Deputy Sacks, Kevin Sheridan, who played Sean Friedrich, Jonathan Chesner, who was known affectionately by his fellow Neptune High students as Corny. Krysten Ritter is back as Gia Goodman Daran Norris (Cliff McCormack), Amanda Noret (Madison Sinclair) Sam Huntington (Luke Haldeman) and Enrico Colantoni (Keith Mars) will be back too."New Girl" star Max Greenfield will reprise his role as Deputy Leo.

The highly successful "Veronica Mars" Kickstarter movie push got the ball rolling with series creator Rob Thomas receiving a total of $5.7 million from 91,585 backers - almost three times their original goal.

Thomas writes the script and will direct the feature-- "Life has taken Veronica away from Neptune. In the years since spoiling Keith's chances to be reelected sheriff, Veronica hasn't taken a case. But something big is about to bring her back home and back to her calling - which just happens to be around her ten year high school reunion."

"The movie is outlined, but frankly, I needed to know how we were doing to figure out how to model the script and how to write it. There are very specific things that are going to be affected by what our budget is," Thomas told The Hollywood Reporter in mid-March.

Filming has started on the project that gets distribution via Warner Bros. A Comic-Con panel for the pic is also expected to happen in July.

Banks Weds For "Love & Mercy"

Elizabeth Banks has joined the indie biopic "Love & Mercy" says THR.

The film is described as an unconventional look at the life of the The Beach Boys front man Brian Wilson (John Cusack) and explore his well known battle with mental illness.

Banks will play the role of Melinda, a former model who later becomes Wilson's wife

Paul Dano is attached to play the younger version of Wilson. Paul Giamatti was cast as Dr. Eugene Landy, the therapist of Wilson in early June

Bill Pohlad is directing the action using a script from Oren Moverman (The Messenger).

Atticus Ross, who worked with Trent Reznor on The Social Network, has been hired to work on the movie's soundtrack and overall sound design.

Pohlad and John Wells will produce the film

Production begins in August in Los Angeles.

Mukunda Michael Dewil Builds A "Wet House"

Mukunda Michael Dewil will direct the thriller "Wet House"  says Deadline.

The story follows a psychologist who becomes entangled with an apparent psychic living in a wet house (a place where alcoholics can drink themselves to death). Said patient proves an aid in solving a string of grizzly massacres.

Jack Reher wrote the script.

Mark Holder and Christine Holder are producing the film for Zero Gravity Films. Production will take place  this fall in South Africa as the first of three features Zero Gravity plans to shoot there.

Efron Thriller "Falling" Finds A Writer

Screenwriter Jeremy Lott is set to write the script for the supernatural thriller The Falling says Deadline.

Plot details are being kept under wraps for now. Zac Efron is attached to star in the lead role.

Akiva Goldsman and Lott will produce the film.

Joby Harold Tory Tunnell Efron, Jason Barrett and Michael Simkin will serve as executive producers .

Lott co-wrote Lore with Black List scribe Cory Goodman, a script that Warner Bros bought for seven figures with Dwayne Johnson attached to star. The studio will also make The Falling.