"The Butterfly Effect" Gets The Boot

Film Engine and Benderspink are set to produce a reboot of the great 2004 sci-fi film "The Butterfly Effect" says Variety.

The story followed Ashton Kutcher as a college student who discovers that he can travel back in time--using his consciemce to inhabit his younger self. He uses the ability to change several horrific childhood traumas. In doing so, there are unintended consequences that occur in the present that end ends up harming people he cares about.

Made for just $13 million, the movie made $96 million at the box-office and spawned two sub-par direct-to-disc sequels in 2006 and 2009

The original film's writer-director Eric Bress will write the new script, but no director is attached.

The original film's producers A.J. Dix, Anthony Rhulen, Chris Bender and Jc Spink are back to produce.

If you have never seen the original pic--Watch it--Kutcher gives an effective performance that proves the one time Kelso of That '70s Show can act. It's his best screen role to date

Yet A 3rd Film About Lance Armstrong In the Works

Stephen Frears will direct and Ben Foster is in final talks to play Lance Armstrong. in as yet Untitled Biopic about the disgraced cyclist says Deadline.

John Hodge ("Trainspotting") wrote the script which will span Armstrong’s career from his cancer ordeal to the doping scandal that destroyed it. 

Production could begin as early as this fall.

The project isn't to be confused with several rival Armstrong films in the pipeline including an untitled project with Jay Roach (Game Change) attached to direct from a script by Scott Z. Burns (Contagion), the J.J. Abrams' produced "Cycle Of Lies"--an adaptation of New York Times reporter Juliet Macur's  book at Paramount, or the soon to be released documentary "The Armstrong Lie".

Last Of The "Nuts" Cracked For Bogdanovich

THR reports Rhys Ifans, Lucy Punch, Ahna O'Reilly and Jake Hoffman have all joined Peter Bogdanovich's show business comedy Squirrels to the Nuts.

Bogdanovich wrote the script about a hooker-turned-Broadway performer (Imogen Poots) and how the two lives intersect. Owen Wilson will play a Broadway director who pays for the young woman's services despite being married to the play's star.

Ifans plays a movie star who is infatuated with the director’s wife (Kathryn Hahn). Punch will play an Eastern European escort, O’Reilly is a reformed escort, and Hoffman cameos as a hotel staff member.

Jennifer Aniston co-stars as a therapist in the movie, which finds Cybill Shepherd and Richard Lewis playing Poots' parents. Will Forte will act as the playwright of the show Wilson is directing. Tatum O'Neal and Bogdanovich are reuniting 40 years after their Oscar-winning collaboration, Paper Moon. O’Neal will make a cameo appearance that is currently under wraps.

Joanna Lumley, Debi Mazar Austin Pendleton and George Morfogen also star.

Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach will produce the pic with Holly Wiersma,

The film is currently shooting in New York. 

Guest Post: What If Wolverine Couldn’t Heal?

Hey kids.

As the clawed hero "The Wolverine" returns to theaters this weekend my pal Ryan tried to answer that very intriguing question....

If you’ve seen the trailer for the new Wolverine movie it sorta heavily implies he’ll lose his healing power at some point. That’s kind of a big deal for Wolverine, as he’s not the most careful guy in the world.

Thinking about his lack of caution got me wondering how much punishment he’d taken thus far on screen. So I went back and re-watched and re-cut the movies he appeared in. Every punch, kick, groin shot and throw edited together for one big highlight reel of pain. I also sketched up what he might look like at the end of each movie if his healing power didn’t kick in. I worked with a designer friend to put it all together, you can see the version with the super cuts at DSL.com/wolverine

The takeaway: If Wolverine is going to lose his healing power, he should probably invest in some self-defense classes, or at least some thick body armor. Otherwise, his probability of survival doesn’t look good. Something tells me he’ll make it through this next movie though.

You can find Ryan Harris on Twitter.

The guys did a great job putting all of that together--don't  you think? Ryan will return to TLR with more soon.

See "Sharknado" On The Big Screen Next Friday!!

Regal Cinemas will hold midnight screenings of the cult and social media hit Syfy channel film "Sharknado" on Friday August 2nd says THR.

The screenings will take place at roughly 200 theaters across the country, including New York City's Regal Union Square Stadium 14 and Regal L.A. Live Stadium 14.

The cinema chain will screen the film with the intent of replicating the fun of midnight theatrical showings of movies such as "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and 2003's "The Room".

A 'nado' sequel is already in the works at the network

Bentley Takes Final Supporting Role For "Interstellar"

Wes Bentley is in talks to join Christopher Nolan's sci-fi film Interstellar says THR. Bentley's character is said to be the last supporting role to be cast.

Interstellar has been around since 2006, when Steven Spielberg was attached to direct--the younger Nolan came on board to write the screenplay in 2007. As late as 2010, the idea was still in play for those two to collaborate.

The premise springs from "a scientific theory by Kip S. Thorne, a Caltech physicist and expert on relativity. His theory that says wormholes exist and can be used for time travel intrigued Spielberg, who attended a Caltech workshop on the subject with Thorne and other scientists."

Matthew McConaughey Jessica Chastain Casey Affleck Michael Caine Anne Hathaway and veteran character actor Bill Irwin also star. Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn (Requiem for a Dream) that Mackenzie Foy (The Conjuring The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2) John Lithgow and Timothee Chalamet  landed roles as well.

The script was penned by Chris and his younger brother Jonathan Nolan

The film will follow a group of scientists who travel through a wormhole into another dimension.

Christopher Nolan Emma Thomas and Lynda Obst will produce the pic. Jordan Goldberg is executive producing.

The pic already has a set release date of November 7, 2014

Fresh Face Lands Lead Opposite Firth In "The Secret Service"

Newcomer Taron Egerton will start negotiating shortly for the second lead role in "The Secret Service" for Fox says Variety.

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

Egerton beat out Jack O'Connell, John Boyega Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Christian Cooke .

Michael Caine has also joined the cast in the role of the head of the Secret Service.

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.

McAvoy Is Doctor Frankenstein For McGuigan

James McAvoy ("X-Men: First Class," "Atonement") is in talks to play Doctor Victor Von Frankenstein in director Paul McGuigan’s version of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein says Deadline.

Based on a script by Max Landis (“Chronicle”), this adaptation puts a sci-fi spin on the classic 19th century novel about a creature produced through a scientific experiment.

Toby Kebbell and Jack Huston were up for the role of Victor as well.

Daniel Radcliffe is already set to play the good Dr's lab assistant Igor The character is described as pathologically dirty and dressed in old clown's clothing.

Shawn Levy was previously attached as director but left due to budgeting issues.
 
John Davis is producing the pic when shooting kicks off in the Fall.

Box Office Preview: Logan's (Solo) Run

Hugh Jackman returns as clawed hero "The Wolverine" (reviews) in a solo movie before showing up in 2014's reunion sequel--Bryan Singer's "X-Men: Days of Future Past". Aubrey Plaza Alia Shawkat, Donald Glover, Bill Hader, Rachel Bilson, Andy Samberg, Mae Whitman, Johnny Simmons, Connie Britton, Clark Gregg, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse take you back to the 90's "American Pie"-style in the comedy The To Do List (reviews).

20th Century Fox's The Wolverine -- the summer's final superhero pic -- should enjoy a solid opening at the box office this weekend, ending a dismal run of big-budget disappointments.

Pre-release tracking shows the movie opening in the $65 million-plus range domestically. It is tracking even stronger overseas, where it is rolling out in a slew of markets coinciding with its North American launch.

With Hugh Jackman returning in the title role, Wolverine was directed by James Mangold (the two worked together previously on the 2001 romantic adventure Kate & Leopold). The film opens four years after X-Men spinoff X-Men Origins: Wolverine played in theaters, opening to $85.1 million in early May and grossing $373.1 million worldwide.

Wolverine's long-term outcome should be boosted by strong reviews; X-Men Origins was roundly bashed by critics.

Set sometime after the events of X-Men: The Last Stand, Logan (Jackman) has renounced his superhero powers and is living as a recluse in the Yukon. However, he's drawn back into the world when a Japanese man he once saved requests to become immortal. He also asks that Logan protect his granddaugther.

Fox spent between $110 million and $120 million on Wolverine, a fairly reasonable number for a superhero pic.

Wolverine is the only new major release this weekend. There is, however, a flurry of activity at the specialty box office, including the launch of Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine is six theaters in New York and Los Angeles. Sony Pictures Classics, Allen's longtime distribution partner, is releasing the film in the U.S.

CBS Films' raunchy comedy The To Do List, starring Aubrey Plaza, also opens in 591 theaters. The $1.5 million film is expected to do $2 million for the weekend.

Two other specialty films -- coming-of-age dramedy The Way, Way Back and Ryan Coogler's Fruitvale Station -- both expand nationwide.

Fox Searchlight's The Way, Way Back, starring Steve Carell, Toni Colette and Sam Rockwell, expands from 304 theaters into more than 800. Directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, who wrote the script for The Descendants, the pic has earned a strong $4.6 million to date.

Fruitvale, from The Weinstein Co., expands from 34 theaters into more than 1,000 in its third weekend after earning $1.3 million. The critically acclaimed film is prospering in both arthouse and African-American theaters and recounts the real-life shooting of an unarmed young black man by a BART police officer in Oakland. The film has drawn numerous parallels to the Trayvon Martin case.

NPH And Perry Circle Fincher's "Gone Girl"

Neil Patrick Harris and Tyler Perry are up for supporting roles in the drama "Gone Girl" says THR.

Based on author Gillian Flynn's novel, Ben Affleck stars as a husband whose wife (one time frontrunner Rosamund Pike) disappears during their fifth anniversary - leaving him the prime suspect for her murder.

Flynn wrote the first draft of the adapted script, from which David Fincher's going to direct.

Reese Witherspoon Bruna Papandrea and Leslie Dixon will produce the film.

Production begins this fall. Affleck will complete this film before going to work on his next directorial gig--an adaptation of author Dennis Lehane's latest novel "Live by Night".

"Kill The Messenger" Locks Down Its Cast

Oliver Platt, Andy Garcia and Tim Blake Nelson will join the biopic drama "Kill The Messenger" says Deadline.

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. Rosemarie DeWitt is set to play the female lead. Barry Pepper will play federal prosecutor Russell Dodson, tasked with keeping a lid on the agency’s connection to the massive influx of cocaine into the U.S. by Nicaraguan contras. Dodson tries to prevent Webb from running a series of articles about the case. Mary Elizabeth Winstead will play San Jose Mercury News editor Dawn Garcia.

Michael Sheen, Josh Close, Robert Patrick Lucas Hedges and Michael Kenneth Williams also star.

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 is underway in Atlanta.

"X-Men: Days Of Future Past": Magnetic Stunts [VIDEO]

A video from the Montreal set of Bryan Singer's "X-Men: Days of Future Past" has surfaced.

The sequel is based on a -2 issue story arc in the 'X-Men' comics published in 1981. Simon Kinberg(Sherlock Holmes) is on board to pen the screenplay which will include New Mutants. Magneto and his relationship with Charles X. Xavier will be front and center as well.

Singer penned the treatment and produced 'First Class' which was directed by Matthew Vaughn. Now, their roles will be completely reversed for this sequel with Singer helming the film while Vaughn wrote the treatment and will produce with Lauren Shuler Donner and writer Kinberg

Most of  “X-Men: First Class” cast will reprise their roles, including James McAvoy (Professor X), Michael Fassbender (Magneto) Jennifer Lawrence (Mystique), and Nicholas Hoult (Beast). Lucas Till (Alex “Havoc” Summers) Rose Byrne (Moira MacTaggert) recently confirmed that she is NOT in this film...

The original trilogy stars Sir Ian McKellen Sir Patrick Stewart and Hugh Jackman are already poised to return again as well. Anna Paquin (Rogue), Ellen Page (Kitty Pride) and Shawn Ashmore (Iceman)Halle Berry (Storm) While it was hoped that James Marsden (Cyclops) would be back. It seems Alan Cumming.(Nightcrawler) will not return.

Daniel Cudmore is returning as Colossus and BooBoo Stewart is also in the film--character as yet unknown. Chinese actress Fan Bingbing has joined the film--as Blink, a mutant with the power of teleportation. American Horror Story favorite Evan Peters will portray Quicksilver Peter Dinklage plays Bolivar Trask. He created the Sentinels--mutant-hunting robots. Aussie soap "Home and Away" actor Josh Helman -- once rumored to be playing a young Cyclops -- will portray Bill Stryker. In X2: X-Men United Brian Cox played him and in X-Men Origins: Wolverine Danny Huston took over. Omar Sy is Bishop Adan Canto also stars.

Post production on the sequel is now underway "X-Men: Days Of Future Past" hits screens May 23, 2014.

The video shows Fassbender's stunt double in action.

Hoult, Arterton & Fry Head Into The "Kitchen"

Nicholas Hoult, Gemma Arterton and Stephen Fry are set to lend their voices to the family-adventure animated feature "Once Upon a Time in the Kitchen" says Screen Daily.

The story deals with a feud between the everyday utensils and the best silver, cutlery from opposite sides of the table.

Alexander Williams, who worked on The Lion King, Pocahontas and Robots, will direct from a script by Chris Brown

Production kicks off in September.

"Dredd" Sequel Petition Online

It was just last week that "Dredd" star Karl Urban talked about how the film adaptation of the comic book had found a major audience on home video after its failure at the box-office.

Indeed "Dredd" has become one of the highest-selling Blu-ray titles of the year. Urban went on to say how demand for a sequel has increased, and if fans want one that they should contact the studio.

The comics publishers 2000 AD has created an official petition which they will send to Lionsgate in the hopes of getting a sequel made.

You can go to tinyurl.com/dreddsequel and fill in your name and e-mail address (and click a e-mail verification shortly after) to sign the petition.

The company also created an official Facebook page which has already received some 34,000 likes.

Bella Thorne Gets "Home Invasion" Role

Bella Thorne star of the Disney Channel comedy Shake It Up is set to play a lead role in the thriller "Home Invasion" says Screen Daily.

The story involves a family who is imprisoned in their own home by intruders who toy with their lives. Thorne plays Jamie, a disenchanted teen who guards a personal secret.

 Sean Carter will make his directorial debut on the project using Joseph Dembner's screenplay.

Dembner. Andrew Rona and Alex Heineman will produce the film.

Nicolas Chartier and Craig J. Flores. Joel Silver, Steve Richards, and Michael Fiore will exec produce.

Shake It Up will end its run after three seasons.

Mauzy Lets Her Hair Down For "Into the Woods"

Stage and soap actress MacKenzie Mauzy will play the role of Rapunzel in the film adaptation of the classic 1980s Stephen Sondheim Broadway musical "Into the Woods" says Deadline.

The musical tells the story of a baker (James Corden) and his wife’s (Emily Blunt) attempt to have a family, but uses several classic fairy tale characters, such as Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Rapunzel and Little Red Riding Hood, to enhance the story.

Musical co-creator James Lapine is now adapting the script and the film is expected to feature new songs by Sondheim. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides director Rob Marshall will call action on the musical adaptation.

Meryl Streep will play The Witch. a character originated on Broadway by Bernadette Peters. Johnny Depp is playing a sexy version of the Big Bad Wolf. Soap actor Billy Magnussen  will play Rapunzel's Prince Chris Pine is poised to play the film’s other prince. Tracey Ullman will play the mother to Jack the Giant Killer. Tammy Blanchard plays the role of Florinda, one of Cinderella’s evil step sisters. Christine Baranski also stars.

Production is due to get going this fall

Forte And O'Neal Are The Latest "Nuts" For Bogdanovich

The Hollywood Reporter and The Wrap are reporting that Will Forte, Tatum O'Neal, Joanna Lumley, and Debi Mazar have joined Peter Bogdanovich's show business comedy Squirrels to the Nuts.

Bogdanovich wrote the script about a hooker-turned-Broadway performer (Imogen Poots) and how the two lives intersect. Owen Wilson will play a Broadway director who pays for the young woman's services despite being married to the play's star.

Jennifer Aniston co-stars as a therapist in the movie, which finds Cybill Shepherd and Richard Lewis playing Poots' parents.  Forte will act as the playwright of the show Wilson is directing. O’Neal and Bogdanovich are reuniting 40 years after their Oscar-winning collaboration, Paper Moon. O’Neal will make a cameo appearance that is currently under wraps. 

Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach will produce the pic with Holly Wiersma,

The film is currently shooting in New York. 

2 More Of JCVD's Movies Get Remakes

Variety reports that two of Jean-Claude Van Damme's action films are in line for remakes.

There's 1988's Bloodsport and then 1989 Kickboxer which itself spawned a multi-film franchise. At the time of release both films helped to establish the Muscles from Brussels as a major player in martial-arts films.

James McTeigue (V for Vendetta) is set to helm the big screen remake of Bloodsport which Ed Pressman (American Psycho) will produce.

At one time director Phillip Noyce and writer Robert Mark Kamen scripted the original story. Noyce intended to direct but moved on to other projects.

Stephen Fung will call action on the Kickboxer update using a script by Dimitri Logothetis and Jim McGrath.

A remake of JCVD's Timecop is also on the way.

Mulligan Keyed Into Suffrage Film-"The Fury"

Deadline reports that Carey Mulligan is in talks to star in the drama The Fury.

Originally titled Suffragettes, the drama is reported to be an ensemble piece highlighting key figures from the Women's suffrage movement. There's no word on Mulligan's role yet.

The script has been written by Abi Morgan, writer of The Iron Lady and co-writer of Shame, which Mulligan starred in.

Sarah Gavron is calling action on the film

Welliver Set For "Transformers" Sequel

Deadline reports that Titus Welliver has joined the human cast of Transformers 4.

The new film follows a high school student, and daughter (Nicola Peltz) of Mark Wahlberg's character, and her race car driver boyfriend--Jack Reynor--who is expected to be signed for three-picture deal.

No word yet on the role that Welliver is going to play--but has played both good and bad folks over the years and makes a fine addition here.

Stanley Tucci has joined the cast along with a mysterious young actor who hasn't been identified yet. former Frasier star Kelsey Grammer has been cast as the human bad guy---counter intelligence officer Harold Attinger. British actress Sophia Myles ("Moonlight," "Thunderbirds") will play a scientist in the film Comedian-turned-actor T.J. Miller will play Wahlberg's pal in the movie. "Resident Evil: Retribution" co-star Li Bingbing also stars.  Chinese singer/actor Han Geng co-stars. The 29-year-old is a superstar sensation in both his home country – he has 35 millions followers on his Weibo account – and South Korea, where he began his show-business career as a member of the chart-topping pop group Super Junior. Josh Duhamel recently said that they are trying to ensure an appearance for his military hero character, Major Lennox in the film.

Director Michael Bay has confirmed that the next film is set four years after the events in Chicago as seen in the third film--Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Ehren Kruger is writing the script for the fourth film.

Production for Transformers 4 began in June, with location shoots in China scheduled to take place in the fall. The sequel hits theaters on June 27th, 2014