Although Pirates of the Caribbean 2 (and particularly 3) almost solidified the fact that they should not make another one from a critical point of view (read: they were bad), based on the fact that combined the franchise has made over $2.5 billion it was pretty much inevitable they’d make a Pirates of the Caribbean 4.

At first news was sketchy (Depp’s crucial return was even in doubt at one point) but as of late things seem to be going full-steam ahead for the fourth Pirates. Notably, Johnny Depp will be returning as fan favorite Captain Jack Sparrow, and joining him will be Penelope Cruz and Ian McShane (the latter playing villain Blackbeard).

The latest we have on Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides is from super-producer Jerry Bruckheimer. He recently spoke to MTV and gave some details – one in particular regarding Cruz’s character that (as far as we know) hasn’t been revealed until now.

The Cruz information is who exactly her character is in the film: Bruckheimer revealed she will be playing the daughter of McShane’s Blackbeard. That’s interesting, considering they look nothing like one another (although Hollywood make-up artists these days can make just about anybody look like anybody). It’s already been said that she will be “[Jack] Sparrow’s foil and equal in many ways,” but Bruckheimer now adds that she brings a lot of humor to the film and there’s, “the fact that she’s so feisty.” Wow, nice to see she’s a replacement for completely different character from the one Keira Knightly played.

For folks out there who were hoping the fourth Pirates flick would get rid of all the romance that clogged up the second and third movies, Bruckheimer says that there will be some romance between Captain Jack and Cruz’s character. Hopefully it won’t be at the same level as it was with Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley in the first three movies (please don’t let it get to that stage again!). Here’s hoping it’s just some playful flirting thrown in there during the action scenes that adds to the fun and doesn’t detract from it.

Will Captain Jack finally meet his match?

Other details Bruckheimer spilled were that McShane’s Blackbeard is, “the nastiest pirate ever.”. I’m really looking forward to seeing what McShane does with that character (of course we won’t get his brilliant swearing found in HBO’s Deadwood).

New actors are in the process of being cast for certain unnamed roles, with tests already underway. Bruckheimer also confirmed something we pretty much already knew/suspected: Geoffrey Rush will be back as Captain Barbossa (he was arguably the best character in the last couple of movies).

Finally, as far as the direction they’re thinking of going, Bruckheimer says that while it’s a continuation of what’s come before in the franchise, they’re, “going to take a whole new direction.” Of course, we already know that the plot (based on the book by Tim Powers) is about the search for the Fountain of Youth. Which, even as someone who disliked (to say the least) the second and third movies, is a great plot for a Pirates movie.

Captain Jack Sparrow will search for the Fountain of Youth

What do you think of the details Bruckheimer has recently given? Surprised that Cruz will be playing Blackbeard’s daughter? What do you think of the fact romance between her and Captain Jack will come into play? And are you happy with the plot of the fourth movie?

Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides is set to shoot this June under the direction of Rob Marshall (Chicago). It sails into theaters on May 20th, 2011.

Source: MTV (via Coming Soon)

Ready to take a trip down inevitable road? Okay, here we go: It’s being reported that Michael Bay’s production company, Platinum Dunes, is going to be adding yet another remake of a classic ’80s movie to its resume with The Monster Squad.

Deadline reports the exclusive news that Bay will produce the Monster Squad remake along with his usual Platinum partners, Brad Fuller and Andrew Form (it’s no surprise Platinum is handling the project, since they’ve been responsible for such remakes/reboots as Friday the 13th, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and the upcoming Nightmare on Elm Street).

The original Monster Squad’s producer, Rob Cohen, will also produce the remake along with the Dunes team and even hopes to direct it this time. Those already involved are currently meeting with potential writers for the project.

Just to be clear, this has nothing to do with the other upcoming film called Monster Squad, a project previously entitled Nightcrawlers. Something tells me one of these two films will have to buckle and change its name – since one was previously titled something different, I’d say that would be the one to make the switch.

The original Monster Squad was directed by Fred Dekker (Night of the Creeps, Robocop 3) who co-wrote the script along with Shane Black, a couple of years after he wrote the first Lethal Weapon. It followed a group of kids who worship classic movie monsters and suddenly discover that Dracula is in town, along with his pals Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, The Gill Man and The Mummy. The kids must halt the monsters’ efforts to find an amulet that will give the creatures control of the world.

Classic movie monsters working as a team

Is anyone surprised by this news? Certainly not me. Apart from the fact that just about every movie held in any sort of high esteem (and even some that aren’t!) are getting the remake treatment, the fact that that Monster Squad features once-again-popular movie monsters is practically a box office slam.

With the success of the Twilight franchise in particular, anything (and I mean anything) vampire related is making studios snatch it up without a second’s thought. And here they’ve got the daddy of all vamps to play around with: Dracula.

What do you think of Hollywood remaking The Monster Squad? Are you a fan of the original and do you think it’s suited to be remade in this day and age?

Stay tuned for more on The Monster Squad as news comes out.

Source: Deadline

As if you needed any more reasons to catch Matthew Vaughn’s comic book movie Kick-Ass in theaters, Lionsgate has just released two brand new TV spots for the movie to further fuel the excitement.

Just as a reminder, Kick-Ass is based on the violent and profane Mark Millar comic book of the same name. It’s about a teenager who one day decides to dress up in a costume, give himself a name (the titular Kick-Ass) and proceeds to try and beat the crap out of the bad guys in his town (often to no avail). His actions inspire others and before you can say “It’s a bird! It’s a plane!” people are dressing up as superheroes, including Hit-Girl (Chloe Moretz), Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) and Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage).

The movie comes to us courtesy of director Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake) who has also co-written the script with Jane Goldman (they both worked together in the same capacity on Stardust).

Check out the two new TV spots below. The first one in particular, although quite short, is insanely well put together:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnOQXG5IIgM

www.youtube.com/watch?v=drNnCUsvYq4

I’m not really familiar with Millar’s Kick-Ass comic but I’ve heard it’s very violent and filled with bad language. Thankfully, Vaughn and Goldman have decided to make the movie in the same vein and haven’t dumbed it down in order to appeal to a younger audience. Apart from Inception, Kick-Ass is my most anticipated movie of 2010, and as someone unfamiliar with the comic that’s quite something.

What do you think of the latest TV spots for Kick-Ass? In case you missed it, check out the latest full length trailer, as well as our coverage of the Kick-Ass NYC screening.

Kick-Ass hits theaters in the U.S. on April 16th. The lucky folks in the UK (myself included) get to see it almost three weeks earlier on March 26th (now c’mon, don’t be jealous ).

Source: YouTube (via SuperHeroHype)

It was teased in the recent behind-the-scenes footage of the upcoming reboot, Predators, but now we have the first official trailer for the movie right here for your viewing pleasure.

Predators sports a cast that includes the likes of Adrien Brody, Laurence Fishburne, Topher Grace, Alice Braga (I Am Legend, Repo Men) and Danny Trejo. The plot involves a group of “the most dangerous killers on the planet” who are transported to a “game preserve” to be prey for the ultimate killers that are the Predators.

IGN premiered the new trailer moments ago – Prepare for a heavy dose of awesome:

Here are some stills in case you need a better look at some of the best bits:

Man, I think I have to change my pants!

Seriously, that is one awesome trailer. It really looks like director Nimrod Antal – with the producing help of Robert Rodriguez and writers Alex Litvak and Michael Finch – have really brought the legend of the Predator character up-to-date with awesome looking action and a solid cast (Topher Grace not withstanding ). I’m sure we’ll get a better look at the Predators themselves in future trailers but it’s plenty for the time being to get the discussion started.

What do you think of the first official trailer for Predators? Awesome or what?

In case you happened to miss them, check out the sneak peek behind-the-scenes video, as well as the first poster and some concept art we posted recently.

Predators opens in theaters on July 7th, 2010.

Source: IGN

Those of you who care about the upcoming live-action/CGI hybrid adaptation of The Smurfs will probably like to know that the movie is moving forward at high speed with some new cast members.

Entertainment Weekly has sources who say that Hank Azaria, Katy Perry and Jayma Mays have joined The Smurfs cast, which already features Neil Patrick Harris (playing the lead live-action character), George Lopez and Alan Cumming.

Azaria is best known for his voice acting work on The Simpsons, voicing characters like Apu and Moe. He will play the evil Gargamel, sworn enemy of The Smurfs (interestingly co-star Neil Patrick Harris Tweeted that Azaria will be playing him on-screen not just providing the voice).

Perry is a well-known popstar (yes, it’s that Katy Perry) who, as previously rumored, will be voicing Smurfette (who Gargamel originally created, FYI).

Jayma Mays is best known for playing the guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury in Glee. She will play the pregnant wife of Neil Patrick Harris’ character.

Azaria, Perry & Mays

Despite all these reports saying those folks have been cast, Sony declined to comment. I’m assuming an official announcement from the studio will be forthcoming.

The Smurfs will be directed by Raja Gosnell (Beverly Hills Chihuahua – ouch!) and it centers on the aforementioned expectant couple’s lives being turned upside-down upon meeting the titular blue creatures. It will take place in New York’s Central Park.

Personally I don’t really  like the direction they’ve decided to go in with the big-screen version of The Smurfs. To me it would be best kept totally animated, done in the style of Shrek or Kung Fu Panda (although the script was written by Shrek 2 & 3 writers, David Stern and David Weiss). The current CGI/Live-action format stinks of films like Alvin and the Chipmunks and Garfield (get the sick bags, quick! ).

To me the casting is the only ray of hope the movie as. Neil Patrick Harris might as well walk around with “legend” on his forehead, and I don’t think there are many better comedy actors working today than Hank Azaria (can you believe he does Moe, Chief Wiggum, Apu and Professor Frink in The Simpsons?). I remember really liking The Smurfs when I was a kid but do kids nowadays really care about them (or, for that matter, even know who/what they are)?

Do you like the voice casting so far for The Smurfs? Do you like the Alvin and the Chipmunk-esque way they’ve decided to go with the movie?

After being pushed back from its original December 17th, 2010 release date, The Smurfs 3-D is now set to hit theaters on July 29th, 2011.

Source: EW

Jason Statham is adding yet another “many British action-hero” role to his resume, with a remake of The Mechanic. Stepping into the shoes of the legendary Charles Bronson, Statham plays a veteran hitman who decides to take on an apprentice so he can retire knowing his “good work” is still being carried out.

Joining Statham is Ben Foster (playing said apprentice) and Donald Sutherland (playing Foster’s father and Statham’s handler). The film is being directed by Simon West, whose films will probably be familiar to fans of brainless action flicks (Con Air, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider).

Today we have the first ever trailer for The Mechanic. The movie is still in the filming stages but this is an early teaser to wet our appetites. Take a look, thanks to Trailer Addict (it could be considered to be SPOILERIFIC, although only slightly):

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As I said awhile back, Statham may not be a match for Charles Bronson (but let’s face it, who is?). However, they certainly could have done a lot worse as far as actors for this remake. Ben Foster is building a great career for himself: he has been on my radar ever since I first saw him in the Bruce Willis thriller Hostage and in other projects like HBO’s Six Feet Under and the Western 3:10 To Yuma (he nearly stole the show from Russell Crowe and Christian Bale).

Although the trailer may give away a bit too much (unless the betrayal of Foster’s character becomes a part of the story very early on), it looks like mindless fun that mixes Leon: The Professional and The Transporter movies.

What do you think of The Mechanic trailer?

The film has a release date of December 15th, 2010.

Source: Trailer Addict (via Film Junk)

We’ve been hearing more and more details about Christopher Nolan’s upcoming big-budget “mind-thriller,” Inception, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page and Joseph-Gordon Levitt. At first we knew nothing about the movie – the term “mysterious” didn’t even begin to cover it – but thankfully we now have at least a bit of an idea about what the plot entails.

For those who want to stay completely in the dark, STOP READING NOW. All good? Okay, Inception’s plot entails entering people’s minds (specifically their dreams) to extract and/or plant information. Nolan himself has recently confirmed this to be the basic plot of the movie.

The film’s leading star, Leonardo DiCaprio, has been more outspoken about the movie than most and today we have a new video interview courtesy of Empire, where he talks more about the nature of Inception. Interestingly enough, he talks about the narrative structure of the film, particularly how there will be more than narrative going on at once. Intriguing indeed. Here’s a key part of what DiCaprio said regarding the narrative structure of Inception:

“This is a plot-structure that’s working on multiple layers simultaneously – and quite literally when I say simultaneously, I do mean multiple narratives simultaneously. So everyone’s going to be in for a treat when they see it, including me.”

For the rest of what DiCaprio had to say during the (short) video interview you can head over to Empire.

I really don’t think there’s been a more intriguing and interesting looking film on the horizon for quite some time. It seems to be in line with the type of intellectual and yet totally engrossing films that Nolan has become known for, the trailers have been awesome, and it has a killer cast. Alongside the aforementioned DiCaprio, Page and Gordon-Levitt, Inception also stars Ken Watanabe, Marion Cotillard, Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy, Michael Caine, Tom Berenger and Lukas Haas.

But honestly, the film had me at “directed by Christopher Nolan” .

Thoughts on the latest hints from DiCaprio about Inception? Where does the movie rank on your most anticipated list? (It sits at numero uno on mine).

Inception makes its way into theaters on July 16th, 2010.

Source: Empire

The second movie in the Twilight franchise, New Moon, was released just last November and yet already calendars are being marked for the third film, Eclipse, which hits theaters this summer. However, if you think the teen vampire train is stopping at three you can think again – the fourth Twilight Saga movie, Breaking Dawn, is already in the planning stages.

Breaking Dawn the novel – which is being split into two movies – obviously follows on the heels of Eclipse and is about [Major SPOILERS for those who haven't read the books] Bella (Kristen Stewart) as she graduates high school and gives birth to a human/vampire hybrid baby. Awesome.

The baby matures in Bella’s belly at an accelerated rate, which causes some pregnancy troubles for mommy. Edward (Robert Pattinson) ultimately transforms Bella into a vampire so she can survive childbirth – but once their daughter, Renesmee, is born, Edward and Bella face a whole new problem: protecting her from the Volturi. You can read what Breaking Dawn producer Wyck Godfrey had to say about the challenges of adapting the book into a movie by going HERE.

Back when, there was a lot of talk of who was going to direct Eclipse. The job ultimately went to 30 Days of Night director, David Slade. But who’s going to direct the fourth movie, Breaking Dawn? Well, Entertainment Weekly has gotten word that Summit Entertainment is currently looking at three different award-winning directors.

EW has sources that say Summit has reached out to at least three well-known and respected directors including Sofia Coppola (Lost in Translation), Gus Van Sant (Milk) and Bill Condon (Dreamgirls) for Breaking Dawn. Nothing’s official but word is Summit wants to gauge the directors’ interest in doing the movie.

Summit declined to comment, Coppola and Condon’s reps weren’t available for comment but Van Sant’s reps did confirm he’s been approached about it. It seems that Summit is really serious about getting someone good for The Twilight Saga’s last big hoorah (after all, they snagged David Slade for the third movie).

Nothing’s going to move forward with this trio of directors until they see a full outline of Melissa Rosenberg’s script. EW notes that’s likely to happen next week, so check back then for the news of which, if any, of these directors ends up taking on the project.

For now: What do you think of the high-profile directors Summit wants for Breaking Dawn?

Both parts of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn will likely hit theaters in 2011 or 2012.

If you can’t wait that long, Eclipse hits theaters on June 30th this year and New Moon is released on DVD on March 20th (this Saturday).

Source: EW

Were you excited by the Eclipse teaser trailer? If you were, then we have another treat for you today: a sneak peek at Eclipse, which will be included on next week’s DVD release of New Moon.

Before we get into the sneak peek, here’s a reminder of what the third film in the Twilight Saga is all about:

In Eclipse, interspecies lovers Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Bella (Kristen Stewart) are reunited in love, although shape-shifter (and rival suitor) Jacob (Taylor Lautner) is still vying for Bella’s affections. While this trio tries to navigate their supernatural love triangle, conflicts with rouge vampires (Bryce Dallas-Howard) and the werewolf clan start to heat up.

Now that the plot is out of the way (as if you Twilighters really needed reminding), here’s the sneak peek:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKf6PbpRXi0

I have to admit I find myself strangely looking forward to Eclipse. Admittedly, I said the same thing about New Moon and ultimately that film went way over my head (I think you really needed to be a fan of the books to “get” it). However, I’m liking the fact that the action is being ramped up for the third movie. Hopefully they can make Eclipse more accessible to the general audience (who haven’t read the books) than they did with New Moon.

Are you looking forward to Eclipse? Like what you’re seeing so far in the first trailer and in this sneak peek?

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse opens in theaters on June 30th, 2010.

Source: YouTube (via Script-To-Screen)

Yesterday we told you that principal photography had begun on the live-action adaptation of DC Comics’ Green Lantern. The news was given out by Geoff Johns, recently named Chief Creative Officer for DC Entertainment, who revealed the first scene to be filmed on set in New Orleans was a bar scene.

Well, that was yesterday but today the very first set images for Green Lantern have appeared online and we have a few of them here for you to check out.

Now, those of you jittering with excitement over the prospect of seeing Ryan Reynolds in the green costume can calm down – these photos don’t show us anything nearly as exciting as that. The pics are basically Reynolds (in regular clothing) and other cast and crew members on set either before, during or after shooting the bar scene (there’s also a pic of the bar’s logo).

Anyway, take a look at some of the photos below, courtesy of Comic Book Movie:

Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan a.k.a. Green Lantern

So nothing overly exciting but hey, better than nothing, right?

Seriously, these are just the first set pics – expect plenty more from this point on. It reminds me of another green costumed hero that’s being adapted at the moment, Green Hornet with Seth Rogen. With that film we saw mundane set pics to begin with but eventually got snaps of Rogen in his green costume.

So what I’m saying is: be patient folks! And be sure to check back with Screen Rant for more set pics as they get released.

Green Lantern stars Ryan Reynolds as Green Lantern, Mark Strong as Sinestro, Blake Lively as GL’s love interest, Peter Sarsgaard as the villain Dr. Hector Hammond and Tim Robbins as the film hits theaters on June 17th, 2011.

Source: CBM (user “kenny”)

Those of you looking for your fill of TV news might want to check out this latest item, a video interview with Dominic Monaghan about two shows he stars in: FlashForward and Lost.

If, like me, you’re still sticking with ABC’s Lost-esque show FlashForward, then you were probably left pretty annoyed when the show went off the air for a break at the end of November. To add insult to injury, they extended the length of the hiatus and it finally returns in a few days, almost four months after it went off air.

Nonetheless, FlashForward is back this week and Monaghan talks to Collider about such things as how big of a part his character will have when the show returns and how much he knows about this season’s finale. Also, for you Lost fans out there, Monaghan also talks about if he’s been back to shoot more scenes for his limited return to the show (we saw him briefly in the season 6 premiere) and if he knows how Lost ends.

Check out the great video interview below:

It was accidentally spoiled for me that Monaghan was going to be on FlashFoward (those of you who watch it will know his character was, and still is, quite mysterious). But nonetheless, he’s one of the best things about the show, which had so much promise initially, but has gone downhill ever since the premiere. Nevertheless I still like it – I’m sill watching, aren’t I?

As far as Lost goes, anyone who has read Screen Rant for the last year or so will know that I’m a huge fan of it. Charlie was always one of the best characters on the show and [SPOILER ALERT!] when he died at the end of season 3 I don’t think there was a dry eye in the whole of Lost’s audience.

I’m surprised to hear that Monaghan knows what’s happening in Lost’s series finale. He’s not playing that big of a part in the final season, so perhaps what he knows are just tiny details that don’t make up a full picture . I’m sure we will see Charlie make at least one more appearance before the show comes to an end. I’m guessing – or at least I would like it if – Charlie turns up in Hurley’s “Flash Sideways” since their friendship was a major focus of the the earlier seasons.

Thoughts on what Monaghan has said above? Are you looking forward to FlashForward coming back after the hiatus or have you stopped watching? And would you like to see Monaghan make another appearance on Lost before the finale?

FlashForward returns to ABC @ 8/7c on March 18th (this Thursday).

You can catch the next episode of Lost also on ABC @ 9:00pm on March 16th (tomorrow).

Source: Collider

The latest installment of the Saw franchise has experienced serious behind-the-scenes turbulence before the cameras have even started rolling.

The disruption involves the director of Saw VI, Kevin Greutert. Originally, Greutert departed the Saw franchise after the sixth film in order to direct Paranormal Activity 2, but for contractual reasons he had return for Saw VII. Entries Greutert wrote on his blog indicated he was none too happy about the whole thing.

However, moving on from the controversy, things appear to be going ahead as planned with Saw VII. Dread Central recently got a chance to interview writer Patrick Melton about the latest Saw film (amongst others projects). Melton talks about such things as the bigger (better?) traps we’ll see utilized this time around, and how it’s “definitely the most expensive and ambitious Saw movie that we’ve done.”

Of course, the writer of the movie is obviously going to say stuff like that – but nonetheless I’m sure it will fall on glad ears of the gorehounds out there who lap up every Saw film, never mind the weak characters or underdeveloped story. Here’s what Melton said about what we can expect from Saw VII:

“In this one we have bigger traps and more traps and more characters – especially characters from the past (films) – than we’ve had in probably any other Saw movie. It’s definitely the most expensive and ambitious Saw movie that we’ve done. Some of it is in response to last year’s Saw VI, which, while being the most critically acclaimed Saw film in a while, didn’t do particularly as well (at the box office) as everyone would have hoped, so we are going pretty far with this one in terms of the scale and intensity of the traps and the amount of twists, especially into the third act, which is just a plethora of twists and reveals.”

For those wondering whether we’ll see Saw continue beyond the seventh movie, Melton addresses that very thing with the following:

“I can’t speak much of what the film is, but once you see it, you’ll understand that there is quite a bit of resolution (to the series). There is a place where it can go, but it’s been undecided at this point if the series will continue. If we end it with this one, then the entire franchise and story will be wrapped up in a nice pretty package.”

When Melton mentions that characters from past films will be returning, I can’t help but think and hope that it might include Dr. Lawrence Gordon. That name doesn’t ring a bell? [SPOILER!] He was the doctor from the first movie that cut off his foot and crawled out of the dank and dirty bathroom where he was being held… and we haven’t found out what happened to him since.

If Saw VII really is the end of the franchise, I can’t think of a better way to bookend it than to involve Dr. Gordon in some way (perhaps he’ll be the one carrying on Jigsaw’s work?…).

Will Cary Elwes return as Dr. Gordon in Saw VII?

If you’re interested in reading the rest of the lengthy interview with Melton – which includes him giving more info on Greutert’s reluctant return to the franchise and how he, as a writer, comes up with the twists and turns the franchise is known for – you can head over to Dread Central.

I’ve said it before but Saw has continued well beyond its prime (the first installment was the only “good” movie in my opinion), and seven movies is a running joke that isn’t even funny anymore. I really hope they wrap everything up with Saw VII and just wave goodbye to Jigsaw and the games he continuously wants to play.

What do you think of what Melton has said about Saw VII? Do you want Saw VII to be the last film in the franchise or are you hungry for more movies after that?

Saw VII (in 3D) is set to hit theaters this year on October 22nd, 2010.

Source: Dread Central (via Shock Till You Drop)

Beyond the thrills of the actual TV show, fans of Fox’s long-running real-time TV series 24 must be fretting in between each episode, as the fate of the show hangs in the balance. We’ve been hearing word for awhile now that 24 might be coming to an end after the current season. Sad news for long-time fans who still enjoy the exploits of Jack Bauer.

Previously on 24…

A few days ago we reported on the inside word that the decision about 24’s fate was going to come any day now (at the time of the post it was “a day or two” and yet here we are with no announcement). If the show ended, it would allow the creators time to make a feature film, as star Kiefer Sutherland and the writers and producers have been desperate to do for some time. In fact, they’ve already hired State of Play scribe Billy Ray to write the script for the 24 movie.

However, rather than flat-out cancellation there’s always the chance that once Fox decides not to continue making the show another network will step up to the plate. I theorized that NBC might be that network, since it looks pretty likely that Heroes won’t survive much longer. And now we’re getting the word from Entertainment Weekly that NBC may very well save 24.

EW say that they have multiple sources (unnamed, of course) that claim 20th Century Fox (the studio) and Fox (the network) have approached NBC about taking 24 off their hands, should they choose not to renew it for another season. And word is NBC is considering it – “There’s definitely some interest,” said an insider close to the talks.

It’s been noted that a move to NBC is still a long shot; aside from the dwindling ratings, the show comes with hefty price tag to make. Plus, it takes the better part of a year to make one season – that’s a lot of cost for a network to bear. Still, the interest from a rival network shows that 24 isn’t a dinosaur that no one wants anymore.

24 - Still going strong?

Unfortunately for those looking forward to seeing Jack Bauer take down terrorists on the big screen, you may have to wait a little longer if NBC does pick up 24 (or if Fox just renews for a ninth season). Since the show’s writers and producers have said it’d be impossible to shoot a feature film while still doing the TV version, we’ll pretty much be waiting until 24 ends before we see a feature film.

What do you think: Happy to see interest from another network in picking up 24 if Fox decides its done with it? Is NBC the right network for the show to jump ship to?

Stay tuned for more on this news as it comes out. I’m sure it won’t be too long before we get an announcement about Fox renewing or canceling the show, and in that case whether NBC does indeed pick it up.

Meanwhile, you can catch the next episode of 24 on Monday March 15th @ 9:00pm, on Fox.

Source: EW

Fans of Disney Pixar will be probably be interested in this latest item we have: a first look at the studio’s new short film, which is entitled Day & Night. It’s the directorial debut of Teddy Newton, a storyboard artist on The Iron Giant and a character designer on both The Incredibles and Ratatouille, as well as another Pixar short film, Presto (he’s also voiced a lot of Pixar movies).

This continues a much-loved Pixar tradition of having a short film play before one of the feature films. Day & Night will play in front of Pixar’s next feature – its only “threequel” so far – Toy Story 3. Past shorts have included the aforementioned Presto (which played in front of WALL-E), Lifted (which played before Ratatouille) and most recently, Partly Cloudy (which played in front of Up).

Our first look at Day & Night comes in the form of a promo image. Take a look at it below, courtesy of Coming Soon (click for the super high-res version):

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Our friends over at /Film point out something interesting: the promo hints at the fact that the short might be 2D animated instead of the CGI animation that we’re used to from Pixar (although it wouldn’t be the first one – Your Friend the Rat included on the Ratatouille DVD was 2D animated). It’s just an assumption based on one promo image, but if it was true it certainly would be cool to see. Perhaps the recent Princess and the Frog from Disney has spurred it on?…

So, curious as to what Day & Night is about? To satisfy that curiosity here’s the synopsis /Film has:

When Day, a sunny fellow, encounters Night, a stranger of distinctly darker moods, sparks fly! Day and Night are frightened and suspicious of each other at first, and quickly get off on the wrong foot. But as they discover each other’s unique qualities–and come to realize that each of them offers a different window onto the same world–the friendship helps both to gain a new perspective.

A strange idea but I’m sure the animation wizards at Pixar will make it work. What do you think of what we have on Day & Night so far? Do you think the promo hints at it being 2D animated?

As stated, Day & Night will play in front of Toy Story 3 when it’s released on June 18th, 2010.

Sources: Coming Soon and /Film

Following the initial teaser trailer we now have a full trailer for the fourth film in the popular Shrek franchise, entitled Shrek Forever After. The name and the poster suggest this will be the final installment but tell that to the studio execs once this sequel makes another gazillion dollars at the box office…

Before we get to the trailer, let’s remind ourselves of what this particular Shrek adventure entails:

Longing for the days when he felt like a “real ogre,” Shrek is duped into signing a pact with the smooth-talking deal-maker, Rumpelstiltskin (see pic above) and finds himself in a twisted, alternate version of Far Far Away, where ogres are hunted, Rumpelstiltskin is king and Shrek and Fiona have never met. Now, it’s up to Shrek to undo all he’s done in the hopes of saving his friends, restoring his world and reclaiming his one True Love.

I like that they’re bringing in a well known fairy-tale character like Rumpelstiltskin as a sort of “villain.” I have to admit it’s not a bad story, certainly taking the franchise in a new direction instead of rehashing ideas (although I’m sure we’ll have the same old overabundance of pop culture jokes and unfunny slapstick).

Without further ado, here’s the new Shrek Forever After trailer, courtesy of Yahoo:

You can watch the trailer in HD over at Yahoo.

Although it just looks like the typical stuff you find in the Shrek movies that have come before, I have to admit I chuckled a few times throughout that trailer. Namely at the stuff with Puss in Boots, especially at the end when he wants to borrow Donkey’s tongue .

However, the style of Shrek – with its overload of one-liner and pop culture jokes – means that there will obviously be jokes that work when presented out of context in a trailer. But something tells me (as was the case with the second and third movies) that this brand of humor will wear thin very quickly.

Those of you who are fans of the franchise will be happy to know that all three of the main voice actors – Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy – are back for the fourth movie. Antonio Banderas  is also returning as Puss in Boots (who is getting his own spinoff movie), and joining the fun are Julie Andrews, Justin Timberlake, Jon Hamm, Maya Rudolph, Amy Sedaris, Larry King, Regis Philbin and Kathy Griffin. Once again, a Shrek film will be littered with voices you know you recognize from somewhere but can’t quite place.

What do you think of the latest trailer for Shrek Forever After? Are you a fan of the franchise?

Shrek Forever After will make its world premier at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 21st. It hits 3D and regular 2D theaters on May 21st, 2010.

Source: Yahoo

Clint Eastwood certainly is a busy man these days. After making a name for himself as an actor (notably in the Dollars trilogy as The Man With No Name), he’s recently become known for his directorial work with films like Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, and Letters From Iwo Jima.

Most recently, Eastwood made the Oscar-nominated Invictus and has just finished filming a supernatural drama entitled Hereafter with his Invictus star Matt Damon. The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that after Hereafter, Eastwood is moving into the biopic genre by making a film about controversial FBI director, J. Edgar Hoover.

Eastwood is teaming up with Brian Grazer and Ron Howard’s Imagine Entertainment on the untitled pic (he worked with them on Changeling). This Hoover biopic was initially set up at Universal – however the project isn’t in the hands of any studio at the moment. THR suggests that Warner Bros. is most likely where it’ll end up, since that’s where Eastwood’s Malpaso company is based. Robert Loren of Malpaso will serve as a producer on the biopic, along with Eastwood and Grazer. Interestingly, Oscar-winning Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black wrote the script for the biopic.

In case you’re not up on your American history, Hoover was a key figure in the founding of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (or FBI for short) back in 1935 and largely helped turn it into an efficient crime fighting organization. He remained the director of the bureau for a whopping 37 years until he died in 1972.

FBI director J. Edgar Hoover

The details of what went on under his directorship is probably what drew Eastwood to the project: Hoover often employed the FBI to harass political activists and used illegal methods to collect secret files on political leaders. On a more personal level, many biographies written about Hoover claim he was a closet homosexual and cross-dresser. He was last portrayed in the Michael Mann crime drama, Public Enemies, where he was played by Watchmen’s Billy Crudup.

A neat bit of info that THR provides actually links the real-life Hoover to Warner Bros: He was hired as a consultant on the studio’s 1959 pic, The FBI Story, and on the resulting spin-off TV series, The F.B.I. Irony, eh?…

I’m truly amazed that Eastwood is still very much in the thick of the filmmaking business. At the age of 79 (he’ll be 80 this May), most people would be enjoying their retirement – but Eastwood clearly still has a lot to offer the film world and evidently isn’t thinking about retiring anytime soon.

Hoover is certainly an interesting figure in American history and I can’t think of anyone better to make a biopic about him than the masterful Mr. Eastwood.

What do you think of the idea of a J. Edgar Hoover biopic? Is Eastwood the best director to helm it?

Source: THR

It looks like one of the big studios, Warner Bros., is digging in unlikely places for the next action-adventure hero. We’re hearing now that the studio is going to be making an action-adventure film with none other than Leonardo Da Vinci as the hero.

The Hollywood Reporter has the news that WB is planning to feature Da Vinci as an action hero in an untitled project. The studio picked up a treatment entitled Leonardo Da Vinci and the Soldiers of Forever from Prime Universe producer, Adrian Askarieh, who came up with the idea and wrote the treatment himself.

Askarieh is teaming up with Vertigo’s Roy Lee and Doug Davison for the project. Both Vertigo and Prime Universe have a history with WB, with Askarieh producing a Johnny Quest movie for the studio and Vertigo’s Lee working on The Departed, which snagged the studio some Oscars, including Best Picture.

Although most people know Da Vinci as a painter – whose notable works include “The Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper” – he was also an architect, inventor, engineer and a mathematician, amongst many other things (just check out his Wikipedia page!). This project is said to be a reimagining of Da Vinci’s life, by placing him in “a secret society who falls headlong into a supernatural adventure that pits the man against Biblical demons in a story involving secret codes, lost civilizations, hidden fortresses and fallen angels.”

THR describes it as a cross between National Treasure and Raiders of the Lost Ark, with a doze of Clash of the Titans mixed in. Sounds about right to me.

Leonardo Da Vinci... an action hero?

There’s no director or writer for the project yet, but a search for the latter is already underway. I wouldn’t be surprised if they go for someone with experience in this type of film (it certainly would be the smart way to go), maybe even Lawrence Kasdan or Jim Kouf, who worked on the Indiana Jones and National Treasure franchises, respectively.

This Da Vinci pic just adds to a growing list of period projects that are getting fantastical spins. Ever since the success of Sherlock Holmes earlier this year, studios have been eager to jump on the bandwagon with projects like The Three Musketeers (there’s three different versions in the works) and recently King Arthur,which has Holmes director Guy Ritchie attached.

I have to admit that the idea of this Da Vinci pic seemed very odd to me when I first read the details on it, but thinking about it more and more, it could make for a pretty interesting and rather cool film. I’m just curious who they will cast as Da Vinci, as it needs to be someone with a lot of presence and maybe even charm. I don’t suppose they could get Sherlock himself, Robert Downey Jr., on-board? Wishful thinking, I suppose…

Do you like the idea of this new take on the life of Leonardo Da Vinci? Who could you see in the key role?

More from Screen Rant on this project as news comes out.

Source: THR

Well, it’s been visible on the TV horizon for awhile now but it looks like the news is finally coming into clear view: Fox’s hit show 24 looks to be coming to a close after this, its eighth season.

The news comes from Variety and states that a decision will be made whether to end the show or not after the current eighth season in a day or two. The execs of both the studio and the network declined to comment for the time being. I think you can take it that they don’t want to say anything until they make an official announcement either way.

Although sad for 24 fans like myself, all is not lost. The makers of the show have been trying for a years to get a 24 movie made – particularly star Kiefer Sutherland, who’s been pushing for it almost harder than anyone else. It was recently announced that State of Play screenwriter Billy Ray has been hired to write the 24 movie script based on his idea of taking Jack Bauer to Europe (an idea which was apparently a big hit with the studio and producers).

So why is the end now in sight for 24? Well, it’s always been a show that’s cost a lot to make with its film-like scheduling (it apparently takes the better part of the year to film a season). But those costs have been rising and rising as the seasons have gone on and the ratings have not risen enough to justify the cost. On top of dwindling viewer numbers, the once  acclaimed show has been getting some heat from critics. Heck, even loyal fans of the show admit it’s not as good as it used to be (although I admit I’m one of the few who thinks it’s just about as good as ever).

Of course if Fox stops putting the show out that doesn’t mean we might not see it on a rival network. And the studio is thinking about shopping it around to others (NBC sure needs a show if Heroes isn’t renewed…). However, it’s believed that because of the cost of making 24 and the show’s long run (can you believe it’s been over 8 freaking years?!) that interest from other networks will be limited.

If they’re thinking about going the feature film route with 24 (and hiring a writer is a stark indication of that) then perhaps it isn’t a total downer that the show is coming to an end. Would it mean that we’d have to say goodbye to the real-time format? Unless they decide, as they did with the TV movie Redemption, to make the movie take place within the space of just a couple of hours and keep the minute-by-minute thing going.

However, Sutherland has said before that one of the incentives of making a movie version would be the freedom for Bauer to travel without us having to see that on-screen (it would be more like the globe-trotting action of the Bourne franchise in that sense).

Personally, I just would be happy to see good ‘ol Jack Bauer back on-screen – whether it be the small or the big screen – kicking ass and taking terrorist names .

What do you think of 24 perhaps ending after eight seasons? Is its time up or is there more fuel left in the tank for a few more seasons?

Stay tuned for more on this story as it comes out. The announcement is expected to be given in the next couple of days.

You can catch the next episode of 24 on Monday March 15th @ 9:00pm, on Fox.

Source: Variety

The last couple of years really have been a rough period, with actors, actresses, directors and other figures within the film industry passing away. Sadly, today we’re hearing the news that actor Corey Haim passed away in the early hours of this morning at the age of 38.

Haim was an actor probably best known for his role in The Lost Boys when he was just 16 but he also starred in thirty-eight other movies and TV shows over the years. He had notable collaborations with his Lost Boys co-star, Corey Feldman, seven times throughout his career, including on a reality show called The Two Coreys. He had completed two films, New Terminal Hotel and American Sunset, that are currently in the pipeline. Haim also had a few other projects either currently filming or in-development, which sadly he didn’t have a chance to finish.

The cause of Haim’s untimely death is reported by TMZ to be a drug overdose, although it’s not clear whether it was accidental or not, as the complete details have yet to come out. Haim reportedly suffered a serious trauma back in 2001 when he suffered a drug-induced stroke and was rushed to hospital. He had trouble with drugs over the years, going in and out of rehab, but he had supposedly cleaned up in 2004 after moving to Toronto.

Haim is survived by his mother, Judy, father, Bernie, and older sister, Carol. Screen Rant would like to send out our condolences to Haim’s family and friends.

R.I.P. Corey Haim: December 23rd, 1971 – March 10th, 2010.

Source: TMZ

Update: Stephen Lang has confirmed that he will play the villain role of Khalar Singh in the new Conan movie. See bottom of the post for details.

Things are really gearing up for the upcoming remake/reboot of Conan, with Stargate: Atlantis‘ Jason Mamoa already cast as the titular hero and Mickey Rourke set to play his dad. We also reported last week that MMA fighter, Bob Sapp, has been cast as Ukafa, who is one of the film’s villains.

But is one villain really enough? The multiple villain idea often dooms superhero movies to terrible fates (ala Batman & Robin) but for a movie like Conan it’s entirely understandable that the hero would be up against more than one villain. Continuing his breaking news on Conan’s casting, Latino Review’s El Mayimbe has a “trusted source” who says that Avatar star Stephen Lang has been offered the part of Khalar Singh, the main villain of the film.

According to the casting call that leaked last October, Khalar Singh is described as follows [SPOILER ALERT!!!]:

He’s in his 40s to 50s, Asian or Middle Eastern, Central Asian, Mongol, Turkish, or Persian, open to all ethnicities; commanding in size and manner, a warlord and formidable warrior, brilliant, cruel, weathered and tanned by the many campaigns he has waged and won. He is driven in his quest to find the Queen of Acheron and has been building an empire to do so.

His goal is to find the Queen whose blood will bring life to the demonic minions of Acheron while making himself king of this hellish power. With this power, Khalar will protect his legacy against the onslaught of master sorcerer, Thoth-Amon so that his weak son, Fariq may rule after his death. While riding into a Cimmerian village to recruit his old comrade, Corin, his large collection of mercenaries slaughters them to the last soul when Corin refuses to join them. The village’s only survivor was young Conan. When Khalar’s search has finally narrowed to the likely discovery of the queen at a monastery of female monks, he also learns Conan is older and hungry for revenge…

It seems strange to me that they’d be going for a white American like Lang when the character is supposed to Asian, Middle Eastern or Turkish (amongst others). Still, words like “commanding in size and manner” and “brilliant, cruel, and weathered” sounds like traits that Lang can really embody. He was certainly a great bad guy in Avatar and I imagine it’s that role which has gotten the Conan folks to take notice. His small role in Public Enemies also showed that Lang isn’t just an over-the-top action stereotype.

El Mayimbe says that nothing is final right now, so take this news as a strong maybe instead of a certainty, at least until things are finalized. Millenium Films is currently negotiating with Lang’s reps so the deal can still fall apart (read: if Lang dislikes anything he sees in the project).

Update: On the red carpet a couple of days ago at the Oscars, MTV talked to Avatar star Stephen Lang and the actor confirmed the recent rumors that he will be playing the main villain of Khalar Singh in the new Conan movie. Here’s what he told MTV:

“I’ve accepted the role of Khalar Singh… I have no idea how I’m going to do it… First I’m going to find out how I’m going to sound. I’m going to get back on a Mongolian pony and ride like the wind. I’m going to flash my scimitar. I’m going to cut the nuts off Conan and his father.”

Fantastic news in my eyes.

Thoughts on Stephen Lang playing the main villain in Conan: Good idea? Bad idea? Let us know!

Conan is being directed by Marcus Nispel and will likely hit theaters in the summer of 2011.

Source: Latino Review

Update Source: MTV