New Year's Rockin' Eve

Singer Bon Jovi, Seth Meyers and Til Schweiger have all joined the cast of Garry Marshall's ensemble rom-com "New Year's Eve" says The Hollywood Reporter.

A sequel  of sorts to last year's Valentine's Day the ensemble piece follows various lovers preparing for the New Year holiday. The numerous storylines will combine and features various major names working at discount rates.

Jovi will play a successful rock star who once dumped Halle Berry's caterer character but now finds himself face to face with again at a party

Meyers and Jessica Biel will play a broke couple a baby due who're in a race to make sure it is the first one born in the year in order to claim a $25,000 prize.

Katherine Fugate penned the screenplay

Abigail Breslin, Robert De Niro, Zac Efron, Ashton Kutcher, Lea Michele, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michelle Pfeiffer, Hilary Swank and Sofia Vergara also star.

Tweet

Now Thomas

Thomas McDonell ("Prom") been cast in the lead role in film adaptation of "The Spectacular Now" says Variety.

Based on the book by Tim Tharp, the story follows Sutter (McDonell, a high school senior living large with a beautiful girlfriend and an endless supply of whiskey. His girlfriend wants him to do something that he can't quite remember, but he doesn't worry about it when he can live in the now?

Lee Toland Krieger (The Vicious Kind) directs from an adapted screenplay by Scott Neustadter

Michael Weber and Shawn Levy will produce. the pic

Tweet

The Glow of Oscar

Nominations for the 83rd Annual Academy Awards were announced this morning:

"The King's Speech" and "True Grit" leads the way with eleven nominations apiece, "The Social Network," and "Inception" with nine.

127 Hours and The Fighter  got seven each, “Toy Story 3″ has six, "Black Swan" and  Winter's Bone with five, and The Kids Are All Right with four.

Biggest surprise for me Jennifer Lawrence gets noticed for Bone And big snubs Ryan Gosling shut out for Blue Valentine: Julianne Moore and Kids Mila Kunis and Swan

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Amy Adams, The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter, The King’s Speech
Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit
Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Christian Bale, The Fighter
John Hawkes, Winter’s Bone
Jeremy Renner, The Town
Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right
Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech

BEST ACTRESS

Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone
Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine

BEST ACTOR

Javier Bardem, Biutiful
Jeff Bridges, True Grit
Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
Colin Firth, The King’s Speech
James Franco, 127 Hours

BEST DIRECTOR

Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
Joel & Ethan Coen, True Grit
David Fincher, The Social Network
Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech
David O. Russell, The Fighter

BEST PICTURE

127 Hours
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The King’s Speech
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter’s Bone

BEST ANIMATED FILM

How to Train Your Dragon
The Illusionist
Toy Story 3

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Hors la Loi (Outside the Law) (Algeria)
Incendies (Canada)
In a Better World (Denmark)
Dogtooth (Greece)
Biutiful (Mexico)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg, The Kids Are All Right
Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson, The Fighter
Mike Leigh, Another Year
Christopher Nolan, Inception
David Seidler, The King’s Speech

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Michael Arndt, Toy Story 3
Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy, 127 Hours
Joel & Ethan Coen, True Grit
Debra Granik and Anne Roselini, Winter’s Bone
Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network

ART DIRECTION

"Alice in Wonderland"
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One" "Inception"
"The King's Speech"
"True Grit"

CINEMATOGRAPHY

"Black Swan"
"Inception"
"The King's Speech"
"The Social Network"
"True Grit"

COSTUME DESIGN

"Alice in Wonderland" "I Am Love" "The King's Speech"
"The Tempest"
"True Grit"

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

"Exit Through the Gift Shop" "Gasland"
"Inside Job"
"Restrepo"
"Waste Land"

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT

"Killing in the Name"
"Poster Girl"
"Strangers No More"
"Sun Come Up"
"The Warriors of Qiugang"

FILM EDITING

"127 Hours"
"Black Swan"
"The Fighter"
"The King's Speech"
"The Social Network"

MAKEUP

"Barney's Version"
"The Way Back"
"The Wolfman"

MUSIC (SCORE)

A.R. Rahman for "127 Hours"
John Powell for "How To Train Your Dragon"
Hans Zimmer for "Inception"
Alexandre Desplat for "The King's Speech"
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for "The Social Network"

MUSIC (SONG)

'Coming Home' from "Country Strong"
'I See the Light' from "Tangled"
'If I Rise' from "127 Hours"
'We Belong Together" from "Toy Story 3"

SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)

"Day & Night"
"The Gruffalo"
"Let’s Pollute"
"The Lost Thing"
"Madagascar, a Journey Diary"

SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)

"The Confession"
"The Crush"
"God of Love"
"Na Wewe"
"Wish 143"

SOUND EDITING

"Inception"
"Toy Story 3"
"Tron: Legacy"
"True Grit"
"Unstoppable"

SOUND MIXING

"Inception"
"The King's Speech"
"Salt"
"The Social Network"
"True Grit"

VISUAL EFFECTS

"Alice in Wonderland"
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1"
"Hereafter"
"Inception"
"Iron Man 2"

Anne Hathaway and Oscar nominee James Franco host the live telecast on Sunday February 27th

Tweet

Self Stater Starter

Filmmaker Kevin Smith is raising plenty of eyebrows at the Sundance Film Festival His horror film Red State bowed last night and the reaction was decidedly mixed.

Variety says it's "a dull blade slashing wildly, predictably and ineffectually at its target".

The Playlist says it's "an ambitious, greatly flawed stab at horror".

Cinema Blend calls the pic a "messy, ambitious disappointment".

Finally, /Film says "While it’s far from perfect, when he retires he can certainly be proud to have made something both surprising and thought-provoking".

The much talked about after event- an auction for the rights to distribute the $4 million-dollar film didn't end up happening  because Smith bought the film himself for $20 there and then from the producer and announced a plan to self-distribute the film on October 19th

Before that he intends to have a roadshow for the film kicking off March 5th at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

Called the "Red State USA Tour" Deets are up at View Askew, the goal is to be able to draw enough of an audience in enough places to pay the cost of the pic.

Smith and actor Michael Parks will have a Q& at each location Tickets are expected to be in the $50-100 range, and there'll be giveaway goodies as well.

Smith also announced that once he finishes his next project, the hockey comedy " Hit Somebody" which feature much of the cast of "Red State", he plans to retire from directing.

I will believe THAT when it happens...

Tweet

Razzie Dazzle

The 31st annual Razzie awards have announced the nominations for the "Worst Achievements in Film" for 2010. "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" and "The Last Airbender" lead the way with nine nominations apiece.

While "Sex and the City 2" gets seven nominations. "The Bounty Hunter" earns four nominations and "Vampires Suck" nabs three.

The Razzies will be given out Saturday, Feb. 26 at at 7:30 p.m. PT at Hollywood's Barnsdall Gallery Theatre -- the night before the Academy Awards as is tradition

The complete list of nominees:

Worst Picture

"The Bounty Hunter"
"The Last Airbender"
"Sex and the City 2"
"Twilight Saga: Eclipse"
"Vampires Suck"

Worst Actor

Jack Black, "Gulliver's Travels"
Gerard Butler, "The Bounty Hunter"
Ashton Kutcher, "Killers" and "Valentine's Day"
Taylor Lautner, "Eclipse" and "Valentine's Day"
Robert Pattinson, "Remember Me" and "Eclipse"

Worst Actress

Jennifer Aniston, "The Bounty Hunter" and "The Switch"
Mylie Cyrus, "The Last Song"
Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon "Sex and the City 2"
Megan Fox, "Jonah Hex"
Kristen Stewart, "Eclipse"

Worst Supporting Actress

Jessica Alba, "The Killer Inside Me," "Little Fockers," "Machete" and "Valentine's Day"
Cher, "Burlesque"
Liza Minnelli, "Sex and the City 2"
Nicola Peltz, "The Last Airbender"
Barbra Streisand, "Little Fockers"

Worst Supporting Actor

Billy Ray Cyrus, "The Spy Next Door"
George Lopez, "Marmaduke," "The Spy Next Door" and "Valentine's Day"
Dev Patel, "The Last Airbender"
Jackson Rathbone, "The Last Airbender," "Eclipse"
Rob Schneider, "Grown Ups"

Worst Eye-Gouging Mis-Use of 3-D

"Cats & Dogs 2: Revenge of Kitty Galore"
"Clash of the Titans"
"The Last Airbender"
"Nutcracker 3-D"
"Saw VII"

Worst Screen Couple/Screen Ensemble

Jennifer Aniston & Gerard Butler, "The Bounty Hunter"
Josh Brolin's Face & Megan Fox's Accent, "Jonah Hex"
The entire cast of "The Last Airbender"
The entire cast of "Sex ad the City 2"
The entire cast of "Eclipse"

Worst Director

Jason Friedberg & Aaron Seltzer, "Vampires Suck"
Michael Patrick King, "Sex and the City 2"
M. Night Shyamalan, "The Last Airbender"
David Slade, "Eclipse"
Sylvester Stallone, "The Expendables"

Worst Screenplay

"The Last Airbender," written by M. Night Shyamalan
"Little Fockers," written by John Hamburg and Larry Stuckey
"Sex and the City 2" written by Michael Patrick King
"Eclipse", screenplay by Melissa Rosenberg
"Vampires Suck," written by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer

Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel

"Clash of the Titans"
"The Last Airbender"
"Sex and the City 2"
"Eclipse"
"Vampires Suck"

Tweet

Balls In The Air

"Kick-Ass" co-writer Jane Goldman is NOT already at work on the script for the  sequel-as reports on the Internet had suggested

Goldman says via her Twitter account "saw a few erroneous reports today that I'm currently writing Kick Ass 2 script – sorry if anyone's disappointed, but not true. Currently writing for 2 other projects, then on to lovely Matthew Vaughn's next thing (right now, looks unlikely to be KA2) when X-Men post-prod' ends".

Might that 'next project' of Vaughn's be a film adaptation of another of "Kick Ass" creator Mark Millar's comic titles - "Superior" or even "Bloodshot", the comic adaptation about a slain mobster re-animated with superpowers.. Goldman says one of the 'two other projects' she's working on is a secret  yet to be announced.

Kick-Ass 2: Balls To The Wall will just have to wait...

If you have not yet seen the first pic yet Do yourself a favor Watch KA on Blu-ray/DVD I LOVED IT! It's captures the unconventional tone of the story perfectly. Aaron Johnson Mark Strong, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Chloe Moretz were just terrific Heck I liked the work of Nicolas Cage in the film--And for me to say that about him is BIG....

Tweet

Never Too Old For This Sh*t?

Last week was a big week for getting a remake of Lethal Weapon off the ground .

The 80's action franchise about mismatched cops starred Mel Gibson and Danny Glover

Producer Joel Silver has hired Will Beall to write the script for the reboot at says Deadline.

Beall is a former LAPD officer who patrolled South Central and wrote the novel L.A. Rex . He's also written a few episodes of TV series "Castle" and the crime drama The Gangster Squad which Ruben Fleischer is directing.

Beall's pitch for the film is "a hard R-rated edgy street cop movie" that will use a new cast but keep the tone of the original.

The studio had at one time been considering a "Lethal Weapon 5" using a treatment written by LW creator Shane Black, however that never got off the ground

Also on the list are potential remakes for Warner Bros. are Sam Peckinpah's seminal western film The Wild Bunch,and a new version of  Michael Crichton's Westworld..

Tweet

Cutest Couple

The adult rom-com No Strings Attached--starring Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher won the weekend box office; Award fave The King's Speech has a lot to say...

Pamela McClintock of THR

Paramount's Natalie Portman/Ashton Kutcher R-rated romantic comedy No Strings Attached topped the weekend box office with a solid $20.3 million start, while The King's Speech neared a dazzling domestic cume of $60 million for a victorious Weinstein Co.

Portman is the darling of the box office, with her other film, Black Swan, still going strong as well.

Overall, though, business was down a steep 30%. Worrisome decline is attributed to only one new nationwide release -- No Strings Attached -- and no Avatar, which fueled record January grosses in 2010.

Sony's 3D The Green Hornet grossed roughly $18.1 million in its second weekend, declining a respectable 46%. Film's cume is $63.4 million.

Directed by Ivan Reitman, No Strings Attached came in at the upper end of expectations, fueled by women in their 20s. Females overall made up a whopping 70% of the audience.

Romantic comedy, playing in 3,805 theaters and receiving a B CinemaScore, is already on solid financial footing, having cost $25 million to produce. Paramount, Spyglass and Reitman's Cold Spring Pictures co-financed.

King's Speech placed No. 4 for the weekend, grossing an estimated $9.2 million from 1,680 theaters for a cume of $58.6 million, surpassing the lifetime domestic gross of hit British royal drama The Queen ($56.4 million).

Colin Firth's Golden Globe win a week ago for best actor likely boosted King's Speech profile even further.

On Saturday, King's Speech scored a surprise upset over The Social Network in winning the top award from the Producers Guild of America.

Likewise, Fox Searchlight said Portman's Globe win for Black Swan helped that pic, which placed No. 6 for the weekend, grossing an estimated $6.2 million from 2,407 theaters for a cume of $83.6 million.

King's Speech had no decline over the previous weekend, while Swandipped a narrow 26%

John Young of EW

Natalie Portman-Ashton Kutcher comedy tops at box office ($20.3M); ''Green Hornet'' at No. 2 ($18.1M)

Next Up; Anthony Hopkins and Colin O'Donoghue do the dance with the Devil in The Rite while Jason Statham, and Ben Foster play enforcers in a remake of the 1972 Charles Bronson classic of The Mechanic

Tweet

Sequel Chit Chat

*Bruce Willis told Access Hollywood that filming on The Expendables II will start sooner than anyone thought

"Apparently it’s going to happen this year… As far as I know, barring any unforeseen circumstances, but yeah, I would love to be a part of it” said Willis who cameos in the first one may serve as the villain in the new pic.

*Meanwhile filmmaker and JVCD pal Sheldon Lettich says (via The Van Damme Fans) that Jean-Claude Van Damme will also be joining in on the fun--having rejected an offer to co-star in the first film.

But there's a catch - "JC seems to be leaning towards appearing in the sequel, as far as I know...If Steven Seagal is not in the sequel. From what I've heard it, [Steven] Seagal won't be, not because of Sly (Sylvester Stallone), but because of producer  Avi Lerner, who had a few bad experiences with Steven" said Lettich.

*Making the rounds at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival actor Elijah Wood spoke with MTV about reprising his role of Frodo for a cameo in   The Hobbit: Part 2

"It's a gift to be able to go back to New Zealand. I mean, it's largely the same crew and the same creative team. It's seven years since we finished on the last film, and it's an opportunity to go back and have a reunion with everyone"

Wood adds "You know, it's a very small piece, and I think that's the most appropriate. Obviously Frodo's not alive within the context of the 'Hobbit' piece."

So how exactly will Frodio be seen? Wood waves off an answer but assures fans it's honorable - "It's an idea that  Peter and Fran [Walsh] and Philippa [Boyens] -- the writers -- came up with. The way that it'll fit in will not at all infringe upon the integrity of 'The Hobbit.' So I think it's -- it'll fit. And it'll be appropriate. And I'm excited. It'll be great."

*Don Cheadle tells us that plans are moving ahead for a film spin-off his Iron Man 2 character James "Rhodey" Rhodes and his superhero alter ego "War Machine"

"They're developing it now, they're working on that. I think they've hired a writer, so we'll see how it goes. It would be a lot of fun" the actor told MTV News while attending  Sundance as well

Don't expect Rhodes to appear in  The Avengers though "I don't think he shows up...I think he's kind of a lone wolf."

*And finally while doing press for Gnomeo & Juliet actor James McAvoy talks to Cinema Blend about his role as a younger Professor X in the upcoming 60's prequel "X-Men: First Class"and how it differs from Patrick Stewart's take on the character.

"You look at the kind of main, defining characteristics of Professor X, of Charlie Boy, and you go, 'Alright, he’s selfless. He’s a saint. He’s sexless, it seems. He’s egoless. He’s all about other people. He’s all about bettering the world and mutantkind and humankind.' And so you kind of try and flip that on its head. You don’t make him an evil person, or anything like that, but you make him ego-driven, women-chasing, he likes a good drink. He’s not the reluctant leader that you kind of want all heroes to be. He actually kind of wants to be in charge, you know what I mean? And all of those things, just to kind of show a journey. So by the end of the movie he’s some way towards becoming Patrick Stewart rather than just having the same guy at the beginning."

McAvoy confirmed something  that all kinda knew Wolverine doesn't appear in the film, and that initially the character was going to be bald, but the studio nixed the idea.

They're doing reshoots now with three key scenes in particular being worked on - a lot of underwater scenes shot last week, some tweaking of the final scene featuring him and Magneto, (Michael Fassbender) and a scene set on a boat.

McAvoy was also asked about whether he had been approached to star in Guillermo Del Toro's adaptation of "At the Mountains of Madness" "Not at all. Not at all."

Tweet

Psycho Schematics

Sacha Gervasi will write and direct a film about how Master of Suspense Alfred Hitchcock made his signature film Psycho says The Los Angeles Times. Anthony Hopkins is negotiating to play Hitchcock.

The film is based on Stephen Rebello's 1990 book which  Black Swan co-writer John McLaughlin‘ previously adapted

The book explores how the 1960 hit "Psycho" was actually quite a departure for the Hitch in that it was a more explicitly shocking film which was meant to compete with other low-budget horror pictures of the day. The script weaves in the relationship between Hitchcock and his wife Alma Reville.as well. Helen Mirren has been mentioned to play Alma

At one time Ryan Murphy was due to direct

No official deals have been made with Hopkins or Gervasi at this time, but they are imminent.

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

Tweet

Struck Strut

Recent Golden Globe winner and star of TV's Glee Chris Colfer has quickly put his award status to good use...

He wrote and will star in his big screen debut the high school comedy ‘Struck By Lightning.says Variety.

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

Beyond that though specific plot detets are being kept quiet for now.

David Permut ("Youth in Revolt") is producing this and the film will be shot during the "Glee" summer hiatus.

Tweet

In Jack We Trust? [Updated}

Kiefer Sutherland told TV news mag  Extra that the 24 movie will ramp up later this year.

Wow! As 2010 drew to a close we were told last year the film  was dead after the script by writer Billy Ray was nixed by the studio suits

Sutherland says the script issues will likely continue "until the day we start shooting and probably from that point forward too. It’s a very difficult thing to take something that you’ve done for eight years and almost 200 episodes, and try and find a story that’s going to be unique and yet also service the history of the show. That's to be expected."

Sutherland makes no mention of Tony Scott maybe calling action on the pic as hinted at by former 24 executive producer Howard Gordon but expects filming to begin sometime this December.

Believe it when it happens...

And in fact late today the studio says there's no director attached, and the actor may have jumped the gun when he said shooting on the pic would begin this year.

Tick Tock Tick Tock...

Tweet

Mortal Man

Alex Pettyfer is about to start negotiations as the male lead role in the film adaptation of author Cassandra Clare's supernatural novel series The Mortal Instruments says Vulture.

The first book called, "City of Bones", follows a ordinary teenage girl named Clary Fray (Lily Collins) who learns she is the descendant of the Shadowhunters, a clan of demon hunters who track and kill the creatures who run loose on the streets of New York City

Pettyfer would play sarcastic Shadowhunter Jace Wayland, the love interest of Collins who of course has a terrible secret.

Scott Charles Stewart ("Priest") will direct the pic from Jessica Postigo 's adapted script.

Robert Kulzer, Michael Lynne and Robert Shaye will produce.

Filming would start in March should a deal be inked by Pettyfer.

Another Twilight in the making?

Tweet

Sex-perts

The Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher rom-com No Strings Attached (reviews) is this weekend's only new wide release...Trying to help answer an age old question....I guess if it fails there's always Friends with Benefits starring Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis--due out July 22-- to do the job....

Pamela McClintock of THR:

Natalie Portman goes up against herself this weekend when Paramount opens Ivan Reitman’s R-rated romantic romp No Strings Attached in 3,018 theaters at the domestic box office.

Neither Paramount nor Fox Searchlight could have predicted that Portman starrer Black Swan would still be going strong when No Strings Attached — also starring Ashton Kutcher — hit theaters. Last weekend, Portman won the Golden Globe for best actress in a drama for Searchlight’s Swan, which could give that movie a bump.

No Strings Attached, which explores whether casual sex can actually stay casual, is the only new film opening nationwide this weekend. Tracking is great among younger women and older female teens.

Paramount expects the film to open in the mid- to high teens, in line with other R-rated romantic comedies.

Newmarket is taking a more limited approach with Peter Weir’s The Way Back, which opens in 650 theaters. The World War II drama is the Australian filmmaker’s first film in almost a decade.

The Weinstein Co. launches John Wells’ The Company Men in 106 theaters, exactly one year after the film made its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Originally, the Weinstein Co. was going to open Company Men in time for awards consideration, but it pushed back the release.

Overall, it’s going to be another down weekend at the domestic box office. Once a movie graveyard, January turned in strong performances the past several years, and especially last year with Avatar. January 2011 is a return to less prosperous times.

The one exception is awards fare like Black Swan and the Weinstein Co.’s The King’s Speech, both of which have overperformed. Swan’s cume through Wednesday was $76.6 million, while King’s Speech stood at $48.6 million. Like Swan, King’s Speech scored a top Globe acting award (for Colin Firth).

No Strings Attached was produced for a modest $25 million, so Paramount doesn’t need a huge opening weekend. From a script by Elizabeth Meriwether, the film tells the story of lifelong friends who end up becoming casual sex buddies.

The big question is whether Sony holdover The Green Hornet can beat No Strings Attached in its second weekend. Last weekend, Hornet debuted to $33.5 million for the three-day weekend and $40 million for the four-day holiday frame...

John Young of EW

No Strings Attached' tries to get around...

Reviews for Attached are not great by any stretch but better than I thought they would be...And this is Kutcher's 3rd rom-com in a row after Valentine's Day and  Killers--with  New Year's Eve on the way after that....Is he becoming too associated with the genre?

Tweet

Photo Swap & Body Paint

I was right...

X-FC Teaser Poster

20th Century Fox  released a bigger version of the cast promo photo for the upcoming X-Men: First Class today.

The previous photo that hit the web was leaked early and wasn't finished - explaining  why the colors seemed a bit dark...

Director Matthew Vaughn via /Film ranted “I freaked out on them yesterday. I don’t know where the hell that came from. I don’t think it’s a Fox image. It’s not a pre-approved image. When I found out, I said, what the f--k is this s--t, and Fox is running around trying to figure out what happened as well. I agree. It’s like a bad photoshop, which maybe it was by someone. It didn’t reflect the movie. I was shocked when I saw it."

I would be upset as well....Perhaps Just Not THAT Upset...Over one pic

The studio also dumped a lot of "X-Men" promo material as well- releasing the first five stills via Hero Complex and /Film and a new teaser poster via AICN.

Moving on...

Speaking with Heat Vision, Jennifer Lawrence says she spent nearly half of the five-month shoot in London and Georgia going through an annoying diet, two-hour daily workouts and eight hours in full-body makeup per day.

Lawrence needed seven female make-up artists who were “all up in [my] business. Nothing’s sacred anymore. Those girls and I got so close. They were painting me naked every day for months. It was kind of like going to a really bizarre sleepover."

The studio has options on Lawrence for two more films which means she'll have to wear the paint again if 'Class' proves a success.

Tweet

Departing Oz

Robert Downey Jr.has dropped out of playing the lead in The Wizard of Oz. prequel-esque Oz: The Great and Powerful says Heat Vision.

The story follows a young illusionist forced to flee a traveling circus. His hot air balloon is swept up by a tornado to the land of Oz, which is run by two magical wicked witches. He of course goes on to become the Wizard.

Johnny Depp is now apparently in discussions to take the role.

The Sam Raimi directed film aims to get into production in the second half of the year.

If Depp does Oz it means the planned adaptation of  The Lone Ranger would have to be either pushed back or Depp's role as Tonto will probably be recast.

If anyone could replace RDJ it's Depp.

Depp just talked Tonto earlier this week with EW

Tweet

Hype Machine

The suits at Marvel  like what they see from their Summer 2011 films

Cuts of Thor and  Captain America: The First Avenger have screened this past week and two people closely involved have given their totally objective opinions.

Chatting with The Los Angeles Times, "America" director Joe Johnston.says of his film:

"I watched the movie for the first time a few days ago and I just looked at the first cut and there is so much entertainment value — it’s just flat-out fun to watch. Maybe I’m somewhat biased  (Gee ya think? What else should he say at this point-T)— I was there [when we made it] — but, seriously, it’s funny, it’s exciting and there’s great visual effects."

He adds "The movie is going to be something more than people are expecting. This movie is going to surprise some people. It is the origin story of Captain America but it is also something rare — it’s a period superhero film but there’s great action in it. You don’t normally think of guys driving around in 1939 sedans in an action film but there are some great action beats in it. It’s just a helluva lot of fun to watch."

Meanwhile Marvel's Brian Michael Bendis says of the Thor via Twitter "I have seen it! It is fantastic".

Tweet

Purrrfect Parts

An official press release announced today via THR that Anne Hathaway has been cast as Selina Kyle in Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises alongside Christian Bale, who returns in the title role of Bruce Wayne/Batman.

Director Christopher Nolan stated, “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Anne Hathaway, who will be a fantastic addition to our ensemble as we complete our story"

A few months ago rumors claimed that Hathaway was being considered for Lois Lane in Superman: Man of Steel

Hathaway was among a shortlist of rumored actresses testing for the two females leads in Nolan’s third and final installment in his Batman trilogy. Other contenders included Keira Knightley, Jessica Biel, Kate Mara, Charlotte Riley, and Gemma Arterton, though it is unclear if any will be considered for the second role.

She will be the third actress in the role on the big screen, following in the footsteps of Michelle Pfeiffer in “Batman Returns” and Halle Berry in the bad “Catwoman” movie.

Hathaway in that outfit....ahhh!!

Also revealed is the casting of  Tom Hardy now set to play Bane. Nolan said, “I am delighted to be working with Tom again and excited to watch him bring to life our new interpretation of one of Batman’s most formidable enemies"

Bane appeared in Joel Schumacher's utterly awful Batman & Robin 

Nolan calls action on the DKR from a screenplay he wrote with bro Jonathan Nolan, from a story by Nolan and David S. Goyer.

Tweet

Class Picture

MSN put up our first look at cast of characters in Matthew Vaughn's prequel/reboot of the film series X-Men: First Class.

But is it fake? That's what the studio suits say about the pic Some sites are sticking to the claims that it's authentic

Several sites have been asked to take down the picture by Fox

The image shows from left to right Magneto (Michael Fassbender), Dr Moira MacTaggert (Rose Byrne), Emma Frost/The White Queen (January Jones), Azazel (Jason Flemyng), Hank McCoy/Beast (Nicholas Hoult), Alex Summers/Havok (Lucas Till), Angel Savadore (Zoe Kravitz), Raven Darkholme/Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) and finally Professor X (James McAvoy)

Probably is real but the studio is trying to contain the possible leak

Meantime Fassbender spoke to MTV about playing Magneto in the June 3rd pic

Tweet

Called Out Sick

Another installment of Production Meeting...On the agenda

*You may have noticed that I did not post yesterday. I caught a nasty cold and am trying to nurse myself back to health--this one has really knocked me on my ass...Not really feeling all that great today but I'm gonna give it a go anyway. Consequently the next Cinema Stew will be extra long and will not feature any links--save for the source of the story

*I have been asked by my pal to hold off on publishing my take on the Epic 3-D Digital Camera-He has his reasons and I will honor the request and our friendship

*The new column Up And Down will debut in late January

That's all for now...

Tweet