News Archive

It's Non-Stop for Liam Neeson

In the film Taken, Liam Neeson tells us that what he has is a very particular set of skills, skills he has acquired over a very long career, skills that make him a… dream for casting directors looking for a tough guy and perfect for the role he's in talks to take on in Non-Stop.

According to Variety, the action film which is being made by Warner Bros. is based on an original spec script by John Richardson and Chris Roach and has Jeff Wadlow (Cry_Wolf) attached to direct.

The story will follow Neeson's would-be character, an Air Marshall who discovers a terrorist threat aboard an international flight. There's no news on when shooting will begin or when the film's slated for release yet. But either way, it sounds like a whole load of non-stop action.

Emma Thompson back as Gareth Pierce?

Way back when, in 1993, Emma Thompson was Oscar nominated for her performance in In The Name Of The Father alongside Daniel Day-Lewis but famously lost out to an 11 year-old Anna Paquin for her role in The Piano.

Nearly two decades on and Screen Daily reports that Thompson is reprising the role of lawyer Gareth Pierce, who famously turned down a CBE and worked with clients ranging from The Birmingham Six to Julian Assange, for new flick The Secret Evidence.

The movie will focus on a young British couple who find themselves mistakenly caught up in the middle of the war on terror and turn to Pierce to help them get out of prison. In their fight for freedom the pair find themselves and their families a target of the UK Government's Secret Services. The film will be directed by Nicholas Racz (The Burial Society) and was co-written by Ceri Bullivant, who has drawn from his own experience of being placed under house arrest under suspicion of terror offences that were never proven.

Production is due to start in the autumn.

Avatar 2 unlikely to make its 2014 release date?

It looks like fans aren't going to be back in Pandora in time for the 2014 release date Avatar 2 is slated for, according to Empire Online.

While promoting the relaunch of Titanic in 3D, Avatar Producer John Landau admitted that aiming for 2014 was being overly optimistic. "We're not naming dates," he told the film rag, "but I think 2014 will be a tough date for us to make. It's about getting it right. Movies make release dates, release dates don't make movies."

However, never fear, for production has already begun, and Landau was happy to spill some blue beans. "We've started already," he said. "WETA are already working and we have our core team (Animation Supervisor) Richie Baneham and (Digital Effects Supervisor) Nolan Murtha, working with us. And we're working on underwater performance capture.

So what can audiences expect from these underwater worlds? "It's going to be like the floating Mountains in the first movie," explains the producer. "It's not going to be all underwater, it's going to be a place where we can go, leave and come back to."

Of course, thanks to the inspiration from James Cameron's dive to the Marina Trench be sure to expect to see some crazy sea creatures in this aquatic world.

Skyfall adds new Bond Girl

With production already underway on new James Bond film, Skyfall, you'd think that the casting roster had been full for a long time, but you'd be wrong. Sam Mendes has just hired Greek actress Tonia Sotiropoulou, joining Bernice Marlohe and Naomie Harris, as the third Bond Girl.

Tonia confirmed the news to friends on her Facebook page saying, "Dear friends I officially announce I got a part in the J.Bond film!!! Turkey here I come! Thank you for all your love and support! This is officially the happiest day of my life b*****s!"

According to the blog MI6, Sotiropoulou will play Bond's girlfriend and is due to start filming in Istanbul on 22nd April. Originally, Tonia had auditioned for the role of Severine but lost out to Bernice. Sam Mendes liked her so much, however, that he promised to find her a role in the film and here we are.

Alexander Skarsgaard top lining Hidden

Alexander Skarsgaard's big screen career has come on leaps and bounds since he first appeared on our TV screens in Vampire drama True Blood, and it's only going to get bigger as he's just been hired by Warner Bros. to front their bomb shelter thriller Hidden.

Horror-thriller Hidden follows the story of a family hiding in a bomb shelter after escaping a mysterious outbreak. Twin brothers Matt and Ross Duffer are helming the project as their directorial debut, having also penned the in-demand script.

Skarsgaard has a busy year ahead of him, as Battleship takes on the big screen, and he recently wrapped Zal Batmanglij's anticipated thriller The East and the Internet drama Disconnect.

Robert Downey Jr to star in The Judge

The Judge has been gathering press over the last year, after David Seidler, fresh from winning his Oscar for The King's Speech, signed on to rewrite the dramedy. David Dobkin (The Change Up) is now set to direct, while Robert Downey Jr and Susan Downey will produce.

The big news is, however, that in an article on Bill Dubuque being drafted in for yet another rewrite, Deadline mentions that The Judge is now reported to star none other than Downey Jr.

The story, originally scripted by Nick Schenk (Gran Torino), centres on an attorney who returns home for his mother's funeral and learns that his father, a judge who suffers from Alzheimer's is suspected of murder.

When The Judge will head into production is anybody's guess, as Downey Jr has a number of projects that will probably be deemed more important, including Iron Man 3.

The Mummy returns… in a reboot

Well. As if it weren't bad enough that Sony are rebooting Spider-man after the last film came out as early ago as 2007, now Universal have looked at this whole rebooting business and decided to give it ago on The Mummy, the last film for which came out in 2008.

In a move to make things bigger and better though, they've decided Prometheus co-scribe Jon Spaihts is the man to dust off the script.

"I see it as the sort of opportunity I had with Prometheus: to go back to a franchise's roots in dark, scary source material and simultaneously open it up to an epic scale we haven't seen before," Spaihts tells Variety.

Stephen Sommers bought the Universal classic back to life in 1999, casting Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz as the duo that scored big at the box office, and pulled them back together again for The Mummy Returns. Sommers and Weisz passed on the third film, which Rob Cohen went on to direct and saw Maria Bello take over in the female lead.

Now all that is left to be done is wait and see what Spaihts comes up with for the new and improved, The Mummy.

Here There Be Bradley Cooper and Jaume Collet-Sera

Director Jaume Collet-Sara is negotiating taking the helm of high seas drama Here There Be Monsters, while Bradley Cooper has had an offer take on the lead role, according to Variety.

Here There Be Monsters has already had a few big-name directors take a look at the script, including Robert Zemeckis and Brad Bird, but Collet-Sara is reportedly now in talks about the project, which was penned by Brian Helgeland. Fronting up the casting side, an offer has also reportedly been made to Bradley Cooper.

The film tells the story of a British Naval Officer who is hired by a shipping magnate to solve the mysterious disappearance of his merchant ships in the North Atlantic, only to discover that a giant sea serpent is to blame. Think the Kraken fused together with the Loch Ness Monster.

If everything goes to plan, the movie will begin shooting in early 2013, giving Cooper the opportunity to get over filming The Hangover Part III.

The Hunger Games top of the US charts for third week running

It looks as if there's no beating The Hunger Games, as it has stayed at the top of the US charts for the third week running having surpassed the $300million mark in takings.

It's not as though it was without competition either, as American Reunion opened in second position, with $21.5 million, which is good but doesn't compare to earlier movies in the series.

The reason could possibly be that it turned out that most people did want to see Titanic in 3D, even though they all know how it ends, as the Paramount picture sunk a hefty $17.2 million at the box office.

Sam Worthington's fight against the Titans dropped from second to fourth, while Mirror Mirror wasn't the fairest of them all in fifth and 21 Jump Street moved down to sixth.

Dr Seuss' The Lorax continued saving trees in seventh and Salmon Fishing In The Yemen's fishing expedition failed to gain any enthusiasm at eight.

Bringing up the rear in nine and ten were comedy Housefull 2 and John Carter.

Iron Man 3 gets his baddie?

While we've all been distracted with the Avengers Assemble's new clips and name changes, most have forgotten that a new Iron Man is due to start filming in May. Co-writer/director Shane Black came aboard, and it was a given that Robert Downey Jr would be returning as the iron-clad man, but there's been no word on a baddie. Until now. Sir Ben Kingsley is reportedly in talks to play the villain, according to Variety.

Which villain Sir Ben is in talks to take on is as yet to be seen as, quite naturally Marvel and Disney are keeping schtum. But with Drew Pierce on co-writing duties, rumours are that the plot will be laid out in the Avengers Assemble, so, all the more reason to go and see that then.

Kingsley is currently working hard on the adaptation of classic sci-fi novel Ender's Game and news just broke that the film's release date has been pushed back from March 2013 to November of that year.

Gary Ross not in for Hunger Games sequel

In a surprising twist it looks as though The Hunger Games sequel Catching Fire will be going ahead without director Gary Ross.

It turns out that Ross doesn't think he'll be able to do the second book in Suzanne Collins' trilogy justice within the allotted time schedule.

"Despite recent speculation in the media, and after difficult but sincere consideration, I have decided not to direct Catching Fire. As a writer and a director, I simply don't have the time I need to write and prep the movie I would have wanted to make because of the fixed and tight production schedule," Ross said in a statement.

Lionsgate said in the same statement that they are 'very sorry that Gary Ross has chosen not to direct Catching Fire.'

Now all that's left to be seen is who will be taking over directing duties. Lionsgate best get a move on, because if Ross thought he didn't have enough time the clock must be ticking.

Titanic sinks The Hunger Games

The re-release of Titanic in 3D has sunk The Hunger Games' domination of the UK Box Office top spot on its first week of release.

Titanic 3D sailed into first place with £2.8 million in takings while The Hunger Games speared an extra £2.3 million in ticket sales over the long weekend.

Not the fairest movie release of them all, Julia Robert's Mirror Mirror took a magical £2.3 million for third place while The Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists walked the plank from third to fourth in its second week of release.

It was a titanic-esque move for Wrath Of The Titans as it slipped from second position to fifth in its second week in cinemas.

21 Jump Street hopped from fourth to sixth, while The Cold Light Of Day premiered at a disappointing seventh taking just £500,000 ahead of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel which carried on taking bookings at eight.

Dancing drama Streetdance 2 and comedy Housefull 2 took the ninth and tenth spot.

Sabrina The Teenage Witch: The Movie?

She's been suited and rebooted more times than we've had hot dinners, as a comic, a cartoon and a TV series, but now it looks as though Sabrina The Teenage Witch is going to working her magic on the big screen.

According to Deadline, the reboot will be written by Die In A Gunfight scribes Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari and will be controlled by Real Steel producers Don Murphy and Susan Montford.

The character of Salem, who was a cat in the TV series, will reportedly become the role of a handsome prince in the movie version, creating a series of convenient 'love' situations for Sabrina in the film.

Sabrina tells the story of a teenage girl struggling with puberty and the fact that she has magical powers. There's no word on an actress to portray Sabrina yet.

Paranoia taking Gary Oldman and Harrison Ford?

In terms of hot movie casting news, it doesn't get much better. Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman are reportedly in advanced negotiations to star in corporate espionage thriller Paranoia.

The movie is being helmed by 21 director Robert Luketic and The Hunger Games' Liam Hemsworth is taking the lead role.

Taking place in the business world and about a duel between telecom giants, the script was initially written by Barry Levy (Vantage Point) but a new draft was created more recently by Jason Hall.

Paranoia looks due to start production this summer.

Sin City 2 starting to see the light?

It's been seven years since Robert Rodriguez released his adaptation of Frank Miller's Sin City and in that time we've heard lots of talk about a sequel but are yet to see any firm evidence that it's going to happen. Until now.

Dimension Films have announced that Frank Miller's Sin City: A Dame To Kill For is now scheduled to start production shortly. OK, OK, so we're not given any specific dates but it's still an improvement.

A Dame To Kill For focuses on Dwight McCarthy (played by Clive Owen in the original) who finds himself in serious trouble when an ex-girlfriend named Eva contacts him and says that someone is trying to kill her.

"The first question I am always asked is 'when will you make another Sin City?' said Rodriguez in a statement. 'I have wanted to re-team with Frank Miller and return to the world he created since the day we wrapped the original, but have felt a duty to the fans to wait until we had something truly exceptional that would meet and exceed what have become epic expectations. A Dame To Kill For will certainly be worth that wait"

Casting begins next week, and it's expected that actors from the first film will be returning plus, we imagine, some other big names.

The Hunger Games makes it four weeks at the top of the US Box Office

The Hunger Games made it four weeks in a row at the top of the US charts over the weekend, as new releases The Three Stooges, Cabin In The Woods and The Lockout divided male cinemagoers.

The Hunger Games' achievement is a big one as it's the first movie to take the top spot four weeks running since Avatar did so in January 2010.

The Three Stooges proved they're not so dumb as they took second place with $17.1 million.

Failing to terrify The Hunger Games from the top position, The Cabin In The Woods opened in third with an estimated $14.9 million.

Titanic 3D sailed into fourth place on the weekend of the 100 year anniversary of the infamous ship's sinking, while American Reunion rounded out the top five.

Snow White stomper Mirror Mirror fell one place to sixth, Wrath Of The Titans moved a massive three places from fourth to seventh, while 21 Jump Street was demoted from sixth to eigth.

Guy Pearce's The Lockout debuted in a disappointing ninth with $6.25 million in sales, while Dr Seuss The Lorax continued to save trees in tenth.

Wentworth Miller brings Disappointment

While many will know Wentworth Miller as the heavily tattooed kid brother in Prison Break, it looks as though Wentworth Miller is re-inventing his career as a screenwriter.

His script Stoker, starring Nicole Kidman and Mia Wasikowska, is currently in post-production and Miller has reportedly turned in a new script, The Disappointments Room, which is on its way into production.

According to Coming Soon, the dramatic thriller involves a family moving into an old house in the country and discovering that it has a dark past.

The movie is being pieced together by Killer Films and Voltage Pictures, and is now seeking a director.

While Miller's acting career appears to be on the back burner, he still has Stoker sequel Uncle Charlie in development.

Mark Ruffalo Foxcatcher

While playing The Hulk in the forthcoming Avengers Assemble meant lots of performance capture trickery for Mark Ruffalo he's going to be looking at a new exercise regime for what could be his next role in Bennett Miller's Foxcatcher, according to Variety.

Moneyball director Miller has been working on the project for years now, alongside Capote co-worker writer Dan Futterman and writer E Max Frye.

The movie aims to tell the story of John Du Pont (Steve Carrell) the heir to a chemical fortune, who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. During a fit in 1996 he shot dead his good friend Olympic wrestler David Schultz, the character Ruffalo will play if he locks in a deal, who trained in the wrestling facility Team Foxcatcher on Du Pont's estate.

Channing Tatum, who has been circling the film for a while, is playing Schultz's younger brother and fellow world champion wrestler, Mark.

Once casting is secured, Miller is looking to start shooting in Pittsburgh in October.

Battleship sinks Titanic 3D at UK Box Office

While 100 years ago it was an iceberg that saw a cold end to Titanic's maiden voyage, on the charts over the weekend it was Battleship that sunk Titanic 3D.

Peter Berg's explosive board game-based movie blew the competition out of the water to debuted in first with £3.7million at the UK Box Office.

Titanic 3D slipped from first to second, on her second week out of port spearing £1.8million over the weekend.

It seemed Titanic's only competition was at sea though, as The Cabin In The Woods' first week out saw the movie come in in third with £1.6million in takings.

The Hunger Games attempted to defend its position but moved down two to fourth, while The Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists slid down the riggin' to fifth.

Snow White story Mirror Mirror took an almighty drop from third to sixth, while Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill's 21 Jump Street hopped one place to seventh and Wrath Of The Titans took a mammoth plunge down to eighth.

Business struggled on at The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, which moved one spot to nine on its eighth weekend on the charts, and Streetdance 2 3D rounded out the top 10.

Nicolas Winding Refn may police Maniac Cop

Hot off the success of Drive, everyone is eager to see which projects director Nicolas Winding Refn signs up for. The news that he's going to be directing a sequel to the 1980s classic cult horror movie Maniac Cop is not news that everyone expected to hear.

The original premise followed a lunatic in a police uniform who was randomly murdering people in New York and starred Bruce Campbell.

Larry Cohen and William Lusting are back on board as producers and reports are in that Refn has just signed with them. In an interview with Daily Grindhouse Cohen and Lusting spoke about bring Refn on board. "It's going to be more a prequel than anything else, I am really excited to come back tot his world especially since Nick is going to be a part of it," said Cohen.

The project hasn't been 100% green lit yet, but it's definitely one to watch out for. Winding's next movie Only God Forgives, also starring Drive's Ryan Gosling, is due for release in 2013.

Darren Aronofsky ordering The General

Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky is taking on a US President in The General.

Looking at a specific chunk of George Washington's life, though there's no news on which part yet, Variety reports that the project will be more in the style of Unforgiven than the usual historical biography narrative. But of course it's Darren Aronofsky - you should expect the unexpected.

Adam Cooper and Bill Collage are behind the script, which Aronofsky's own Protozoa Pictures are offering to Paramount under a first look deal.

Aronofsky is currently putting together a cast for his next movie, Noah, which already has Russell Crowe aboard to play the title role, while Jennifer Connely is reportedly circling the project so production on The General probably won't start until that ship has sailed.

Bradley Cooper considering American BS

With David O'Russell due to direct American B******* after Ben Affleck passed on the opportunity, it seems he's bringing along one collaborator Christian Bale, and Bradley Cooper is reported to be circling the project, according to Deadline.

Eric Singer's script follows the real-life operation named Abscam that the FBI ran on members of the US Congress in the 1970s. With the help of convicted con man Melvin Weinberg, the Bureau rooted out corruption in Congress with the help of a company called Abdul Enterprises.

Sony was backing the project but was looking for someone else to share the financial burden. Now Megan Ellison's Annapurna Pictures appears to be close to stepping in and putting up the $30million to get it made.

With Dark Knight producer Charles Roven also involved and American BS should start shooting in January if the actors' deals can be set.

Charlize Theron wants to be Agent 13

After the success of The Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, director Robert Wyatt probably has his pick of leading ladies and projects to helm. He's finally made his decision on his next movie, which will be Agent 13 starring Charlize Theron.

Newcomer T.S Nolan has written the script, which is being kept a huge secret, but powers of deduction suggest that that there are going to be 13 agents in it.

There is no studio on board yet, but with such a big name directing and an Oscar-winning actress taking the title role, you can bet it's only a matter of time.

Charlize got a busy summer, as she's starring as Queen Ravenna in Snow White And The Huntsman and Ridley Scott's Prometheus. What do you mean you've never heard of it?

Francis Lawrence invited to direct the 75th Annual Hunger Games?

Francis Lawrence has been officially invited to direct the next Hunger Games instalment, Catching Fire.

According to Heat Vision, Lionsgate chose The Water For Elephants director after a fast and furious search when the The Hunger Games' director Gary Ross abandoned ship because of time constraints.

Other candidates for the massive gig have included, Tomas Alfredson (Let The Right One In), Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Babel), Cary Fukunaga (Jane Eyre), David Cronenberg (A Dangerous Method), Bennett Miller (Moneyball) and Duncan Jones (Source Code).

Lawrence is a veteran music video director, who made his directing debut with Constantine, starring Keanu Reeves, before directing Will Smith in I Am Legend.

The Hunger Games needs to have wrapped up shooting by late December in order for star Jennifer Lawrence to fulfil her duties on the set of the X: Men: First Class sequel, so Lionsgate, and whichever director takes on the project, face a daunting task.

Ding Dong! Mark Wahlberg is The Avon Man

The Avon Man is one of those sad projects that has been sitting in a heap of dust since 2009, waiting for someone to pick it up again. And now Mark Wahlberg has rung its doorbell.

Back in 2009, the 20th Century Fox comedy was all set to be filmed with Hugh Jackman in the leading role and Enchanted's Kevin Lima eyeing the megaphone.

Avon Man follows a car dealer who loses his job. Unable to find work, he takes a position as an Avon salesman and while primarily embarrassed his gift of the gab soon sees him become the best make-up salesman going. To try and save his town from hardship, he recruits his previous co-workers to try and win a regional sales competition.

Since Lima bowed out Wahlberg has stepped in to take on producing and starring duties, and is reportedly developing a fresh script with the help of Austin Powers writer Michael McCullers.

Just don't expect Wahlberg to be appearing on your doorstep anytime soon. Firstly he's currently working on Michael Bay's Pain And Gain, which he'll follow up with 2 Guns next to Denzel Washington before moving onto Peter Berg's Lone Survivor.

Thinking Like A Man beats The Hunger Games at the US Box Office

Proving that sometimes it pays to Think Like A Man, The Hunger Games was knocked off of the US top spot by new and fresher competition over the weekend.

Steve Harvey's Think Like A Man made a solid debut, taking $33million at the US Box Office, having only been made for a cool $12million.

Zac Efron was feeling lucky as he took second place with $22million from his latest offering The Lucky One. The Hunger Games moved down from its reign supreme in first to third, while Disney's offering Chimpanzee opened in fourth.

The Three Stooges continued their comedic assault in fifth, while The Cabin In The Woods continues to haunt in sixth.

American Reunion moved the party to seventh while, Titanic 3D almost slowed to a complete halt, as it slid to number eight

Bringing up the behind, 21 Jump Street moved to ninth and Mirror Mirror almost lost the battle to be the fairest of them all completely as it slipped to tenth.

Russell Crowe to become Noah

Though rumours have been rife that Russell Crowe is to set sail and play one of the best-known sailors of them all, Noah, in Darren Aronofsky's film about the biblical story Noah's Ark, Paramount and Regency have confirmed the news in an announcement.

According to the studios, the film is a "a close adaptation of the Biblical story of Noah's Ark, in which the titular Noah is given a divine mission of building an ark to save creation from the impending flood. " Aronofsky wrote the screenplay alongside Ari Handel (Black Swan) while John Logan (Gladiator, Hugo) made revisions. According to press notes, production will begin in July in New York and Iceland.

The movie's release date is set for March 2014 and Liam Neeson has been mentioned in connection with the other lead role in the movie.

Salmon Fishing In The Yemen reels audiences in but it's not enough to sink Battleship

It's hardly got a cinema-friendly title, and critics weren't overly welcoming of Salmon Fishing In The Yemen, but it appears that none of that matters as Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt's quirky romantic movie has debuted at number two, leaving Battleship floating safely in first.

The board game style sci-fi movie blasted Salmon Fishing In The Yemen's competition out of the water as it stuck to its guns at number one, seeing Ewan and Emily's fishy tale come in in second.

The Hunger Games in the meantime had a last ditch attempt at the top of the charts as it moved up one to third, while The Cabin In The Woods moved down to fourth.

Titanic 3D sailed into fifth, and The Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists dug for buried treasure in sixth.

Guy Pearce's sci-fi Lockout debuted in seventh, while Mirror Mirror moved the hunt for Snow White to eight.

Rounding out the charts were cop comedy 21 Jump Street at nine and newcomer, Amanda Seyfried's Gone in tenth..

Jessica Chastain in talks to join Iron Man 3?

If last year was anyone's year, it had to be Jessica Chastain's and now 2013 looks set to be great too as The Help actress is reportedly in talks to sign on to Iron Man 3.

Deadline report that Chastain would play a scientist and although no further details have been confirmed rumours are that it's Dr. Maya Hansen, one of the co-creators of the Extremis virus. This all ties in nicely with the news that Guy Pearce could potentially be cast as Aldrich Killian, the geneticist responsible for selling the virus to terrorists who go on to use it to target Iron Man.

Ben Kingsley has also been cast as the movie's primary villain, who is involved in distributing the said virus, which causes damage through nanotechnology. And unfortunately Iron Man has just upgraded his suit with the same technology, so he's more vulnerable than ever before.

Iron Man 3 is due to open in the UK on May 3 2013.

Jennifer Lawrence could be Jeanette Walls

Not determined to just take on one of the most-successful book to film adaptations of the last ten years, The Hunger Games' Jennifer Lawrence is in talks to turn her sights to another book adaptation, this time a memoir called The Glass Castle.

The Glass Castle was published in 2006 and was a New York Times Bestseller for more than 250 weeks. Following former gossip columnist Jeanette Walls hard upbringing to her time writing copy for the best glossy magazines.

One of four children to parents Rex and Rose Mary, Walls endured poverty in her childhood regardless of her mother owning Texan land worth millions. Though clever and creative, Rose Mary was eccentric and immature, which weren't the best qualities for bringing up four children. Rex, on the other hand, hit the bottle hard, all the while dreaming of getting rich and providing for his family.

Paramount and Brad Pitt's Plan B Company were quick to snap up the film's rights when it was first in the shops, but now Lionsgate has them and are developing the script with Jennifer Lawrence in mind. Fright Night's Marti Noxon is on board to write the screenplay.

In between her trips to Panem, Jennifer is appearing in horror House At The End Of The Street and David O'Russell's The Silver Linings Playbook, and is at work on Susanne Bier's Serena.

The Black Widow not returning for Iron Man 3

While Shane Black's Iron Man 3 seems to be announcing new cast members left, right and centre, it appears that Scarlett Johansson's character Black Widow won't be returning.

Scarlett spilled the beans to Screen Rant, but also admitted that she'd love to appear in a Black Widow movie.

"I personally think there's an awesome Black Widow movie in there," says Johansson. "A kind of Bourne film that would take the whole comic-book genre in a completely different direction. It'd be awesome."

"I've spoken to Marvel about it and Kevin Feige," she continues, "and there's so much story to draw from, I think it'd be totally awesome."

Iron Man 3 has recently been negotiating with Jessica Chastain and Guy Pearce, while also making the announcement that Sir Ben Kingsley is signed up to play the baddie.

Fantastic five in Cut Bank casting

Crime thriller Cut Bank may have big screen first timers Roberto Patinoa and Matt Shakman behind it, but Deadline reports that these guys are gathering some experienced hands to fill out the casting rosta, including Sir Ben Kingsley, John Malkovich, Michael Sheen, Armie Hammer and Teresa Palmer all signed on to star.

Writer Roberto Patinoa's previous credits only include the remake of Prime Suspect for NBC and director Matt Shakman is known for his wonderful work in television, most notably a recent Mad Men episode.

Cut Bank is a movie that sees how one small transgression can spiral out of control. The 2009 'black list script' is set in the titular town of Cut Bank, where Dwayne McLaren a former high school football star and now a mechanic is given the opportunity to change his, and his girlfriend's life. Once that ball starts rolling though, repercussions arise that will change the town of Cut Bank forever.

Shakman will be bringing together this eclectic mix of thespians in August.

Rooney Mara joining Spike Jonze's new film?

An Education's Carey Mulligan has stopped circling Spike Jonze's new, untitled project because of scheduling conflicts, leaving the door open for Oscar-nominated Rooney Mara (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) who is now in talks to take the role.

The script follows a man who falls in love with the voice of a computer, which is even more believable since the invention of Siri, let's be honest. Amy Adams and Samantha Morton are already signed up to star, and if Mara takes on the role this will be the next project she shoots once she's wrapped playing the lead role in Steven Soderbergh's The Bitter Pill.

Rooney also has a part in Terence Malick's untitled new movie, which was formerly called Lawless, opposite Ryan Gosling and Natalie Portman, meanwhile Carey Mulligan will see Baz Luhrman's The Great Gatsby and The Coen Brothers' Inside Llewlyn Davis through to the big screen this year.

Lee Unkrich celebrating Dia De Los Muertos with Pixar

One of the biggest bits of news announced at CinemaCon is Las Vegas this week was that Toy Story's Lee Unkrich is working on a project revolving around the Mexican holiday Dia De Los Muertos.

The event takes place through Mexico and around the world between November 1st and 2nd each year, when time is spent honouring family members who have passed away. The day also gives way to parades, parties, colourful costumes and face painting.

There's no sign of a release date yet, but with Toy Story 3's Unkrich at the helm and producer Darla K Anderson overseeing things expect lots of fun.

Farrell's Winter Tale?

Fresh from carving up Mars in Len Wiseman's Total Recall remake, Irish charmer Colin Farrell is being serenaded to join supernatural drama, Winter's Tale, reports Deadline.

The movie, which is set in the early and late 20th Century New York is a tale of love, redemption and supernatural forces.

The lovely Jessica Brown Findlay, of Downton Abbey and Albatross fame, is down for the love interest, while Hollywood heavyweights Russell Crowe and Will Smith are also attached.

That said, Col better act sharpish as other actors said to be in the running for the lead role include Luke Evans, Aaron Johnson and Garrett Hedlund.

Smith & Washington eye Uptown Saturday Night

You'd think that after getting all parties to agree to an Anchorman follow-up that director Adam McKay would be kicking back and basking in the glow of the Ron Burgundy lovin'.

Well not a bit of it. For Adam is already in talks to take on the remake of classic '70s comedy Uptown Saturday Night, which sees two guys trying to recover a winning lottery ticket after it is stolen in an armed robbery.

Penned by Timothy Dowling, the guy behind This Means War, Will Smith and none other than the legendary Denzel Washington are in the frame to take on the Bill Cosby and Sidney Poitier roles, though it is still early days reports Deadline.

Meanwhile Smith has still got Men In Black III to come out, and Denzel has got Flight in the pipeline.

Third draft lucky for Daredevil

While Twilight: Eclipse director David Slade has been attached to Fox's Daredevil reboot since last Spring and two drafts have already been turned in by David Scarpa (The Day The Earth Stood Still) and Brad Caleb Kane (Brooklyn's Finest) there's now word that Fox have ordered a third attempt, this time by David James Kelly.

The plan is to adapt Frank Miller's saga Born Again, which was first published in Daredevil issues 227 - 233, back in 1986. The story follows Matt Murdock as he is outed as Daredevil by his former secretary Karen Page, who has fallen on hard times and needs the money for a shot of heroin. Eventually this info reaches crime boss The Kingpin who proceeds to dismantle Murdock's life, sending super crook Nuke into New York to do his dirty work.

In the comic, The Avengers turn up to help out but the likelihood of that A-team appearing in this adaptation is small as the rights to Daredevil lie with a different studio to The Avengers.

David James Kelly has one credit to his name, as an editor on Sunshine Cleaning, which starred a fresh-faced Emily Blunt and Amy Adams back in 2008. The new take on Daredevil will surely be welcome though, after the Ben Affleck disaster that occurred in 2003.

The Pirates! Band Of Misfits doesn't plunder Think Like A Man at the US Box Office

The Pirates! Band Of Misfits failed to sink Think Like A Man at the US Box Office this weekend as the comedy stayed in the top spot for the second week running.

Band Of Misfits debuted in second having pillaged $11.4 million in takings, while comedy Think Like A Man reined supreme with a weekend gross of $18 million.

However, The scallywags did make Zac Efron's romantic drama The Lucky One walk the plank to third, while The Hunger Games moved out of the way and into fourth.

Emily Blunt and Jason Segel's comedy The Five-Year Engagement and Jason Statham's Safe debuted at fifth and sixth respectively, while The Raven took seventh on its first outing.

Disney's Chimpanzee moved into eighth, while those other monkeys The Three Stooges took ninth and The Cabin In The Woods took a wrong turn and headed for tenth.

The Pirates! Band Of Misfits doesn't plunder Think Like A Man at the US Box Office

The Pirates! Band Of Misfits failed to sink Think Like A Man at the US Box Office this weekend as the comedy stayed in the top spot for the second week running.

Band Of Misfits debuted in second having pillaged $11.4 million in takings, while comedy Think Like A Man reined supreme with a weekend gross of $18 million.

However, The scallywags did make Zac Efron's romantic drama The Lucky One walk the plank to third, while The Hunger Games moved out of the way and into fourth.

Emily Blunt and Jason Segel's comedy The Five-Year Engagement and Jason Statham's Safe debuted at fifth and sixth respectively, while The Raven took seventh on its first outing.

Disney's Chimpanzee moved into eighth, while those other monkeys The Three Stooges took ninth and The Cabin In The Woods took a wrong turn and headed for tenth.