By Eric M. Armstrong –TheMovingArts.com

“Pan’s Labyrinth” director Guillermo del Toro recently devastated J.R.R. Tolkien fans by backing out of helming the upcoming “The Hobbit.” And now fans learn what project likely drew him away — a reboot of Disney’s “The Haunted Mansion.” Ouch.

The announcement came at this year’s Comic-Con in San Diego. The film be live-action and shot for 3D. But for fans reticent about another goofy horror movie based on a Disney ride, del Toro had this to say: “If you take the children, they will scream.”

The director went on to explain that they’ll be staying true to the art and aesthetic of the original ride, that they are definitely not making a comedy and finally that Eddie Murphy won’t be back.

Still unknown is who will take del Toro’s place to direct “The Hobbit.”

Guillermo del Toro

Sam Raimi

by Josh Wigler – MTV News

Just because Sam Raimi has parted ways with the “Spider-Man” franchise doesn’t mean the filmmaker is leaving comic books altogether. In fact, the director has just booked his next paneled page property.

Heat Vision reports that Raimi is attached to direct “Earp: Saints for Sinners,” based on the Radical Publishing graphic novel of the same name. David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman at DreamWorks, Radical president Barry Levine and Star Road Entertainment’s Josh Donen are serving as producers.

“Saint for Sinners” tells a reimagined version of Western icon Wyatt Earp, thrusting the gunslinger into a dystopian future where he routinely takes out the bad guys and hangs his hat in Las Vegas. The comic was created by Matt Cirulnick and David Manpearl, with Cirulnick also writing the film’s screenplay.

Further details regarding “Saints for Sinners” are expected to be unveiled at Radical’s Comic-Con panel in San Diego on Thursday.

In saddling up for “Saints for Sinners,” Raimi has now added a third project to his increasingly busy film slate. The former “Spider-Man” director is already in negotiations to get behind the lens for Disney’s “Oz, the Great and Powerful,” with “Iron Man” star Robert Downey, Jr. rumored to headline as the titular wizard. Raimi is also attached to direct “World of Warcraft,” a project he enthusiastically spoke with MTV News about as recently as this month.

“Saints for Sinners” won’t be Raimi’s first voyage out west, as he also directed the 1995 western “The Quick and the Dead.”

Machete’s Cast of Characters:

Here’s the Story:

Machete (Danny Trejo) is a renegade former “Mexican Federale“. He roams the cities, towns, and streets of Texas looking for work after a shakedown from a drug lord called Torrez (Steven Segal).

Machete has a run-in with Michael Benz (Jeff Fahey), a local businessman and spin doctor, who tells Machete that McLaughlin (Robert De Niro), a corrupt senator, is sending hundreds of illegal immigrants out of the country and that he must be killed. Benz offers Machete $150,000 to kill McLaughlin who quickly accepts the murder contract out of greed for the money.

Attempting to assassinate the senator at a political rally, Machete is double-crossed and is shot in the shoulder by Benz’s henchmen whom are soon revealed to be in league with Senator McLaughlin who orchestrated the entire attempted assassination with Benz as part of a false flag operation to gain widespread public support for McLaughlin’s harsh anti-immigration laws by setting up Machete as the patsy to make it appear that an outlaw illegal Mexican immigrant tried to assassinate the senator.

Now on the run from the law and being tracked not only by a ruthless henchwoman hired by Torrez, but Machete is also tracked down by Sartana (Jessica Alba), a persistant U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent with a special interest in the blade slinger. Machete goes after Benz and his men, as well as Senator McLaughlin, with the help of his only three allies; his “holy” Federale-turned-priest brother Padre (Cheech Marion) with a thing for pump-action shotguns; a saucy meat cleaver-wielding taco slinger named Luz (Michelle Rodriguez); and Benz socialite daughter April (Lindsey Lohan), whom Machete kidnapps and who soon develops a fancination for the blade-wielding fugitive since April has a penchant for guns. Machete rallies a group of illegal migrants together, and they all begin to hunt the people who double crossed him.

Expect a Fall 2010 Release date for Machete

Jason Momoa as Conan the Barbarian

Lionsgate has released a brand new photo from the forthcoming Conan the Barbarian remake, showcasing Jason Momoa in the title role.

 Arnold Schwarzenegger played Conan the Barbarian in the 1982 movie of the same name.

Arnold Schwarzenegger as Conan the Barbarian

The movie follows Conan the Cimmerian and his adventures across the continent of Hyboria and his quest to avenge the murder of his father and the slaughter of his village.

The new movie is directed by Marcus Nispel (Friday the 13th) and co-stars Ron Perlman (Sons of Anarchy) as Conan’s father, Stephen Lang (Avatar) as Khalar Singh, Rose McGowan (Grindhouse) as Marique, Rachel Nichols (GI Joe) as Tamara, and Bob Sapp as Ukafa.

Rose McGowan as Marique

Rachel Nichols as Tamara

Chris Evans as Captain America

From ScreenRant.com

Last month we got a look at the conceptual art for the new Captain America outfit that actor Chris Evans will don in next year’s highly-anticipated Captain America: The First Avenger film from Marvel Studios.

Now the former Human Torch has opened up about the new design of the Captain’s costume and just what it is like wielding his iconic red, white and blue bullseye shield.

Evans gave the following, enthusiastic take on Captain America and his renovated look:

“It’s an amazing costume.  Given the fact that his costume is red, white, and blue, and it’s tight, and it could be kind of flash and over the top – and given the fact that the movie takes place in the ’40s and ’50s – they’re don a really good job of making it look cool.”

The new costume certainly does benefit from not having tiny white wings attached to the side of the helmet.  It also has a much heavier, more armor-like structure and seems like something that would actually protect the Captain in battle.

Evans said as much with his comment that “[The costume] doesn’t exactly breathe the way [my] Fantastic Four costume breathed, but it’s the way it should be.  Any type of World War II uniform would be a little chunky, and I think that’s what kind of gives it its character.”

The First Avenger: Captain America begins filming this month in London and will be out in the states on July 22nd, 2011.

Read the rest of this great article at ScreenRant.com

Source: Empire (via Coming Soon)

Chris Evans without the costume

By Josh Winning – TotalFilm.com

Men In Black III has been a long time coming, but we can finally expect it to crash land on our screens on 25 May, 2012.

Now, JoBlo have gathered together a time capsule of information about the alien threequel, which reveals plot details, potential celebrity alien cameos, and the nature of the new villain. Stop reading now if you don’t want to be spoiled.

According to JoBlo’s sources, the plot find the villainous Yaz travelling back in time to kill Kay (Tommy Lee Jones), “which sets off a chain of events that ends in the destruction of the world…

“The film has Agent Jay (Will Smith) sent back in time to 1969 where he teams up with a young Kay to stop Yaz from destroying the world in the future.”

Which pretty much confirms what we’d already assumed, considering Josh Brolin’s casting as a young version of Tommy Lee Jones. But it’s good to know, anyway.

Meanwhile, Yaz is described as “a nightmare biker who looks like Dennis Hopper and Satan”, and isn’t a comedy villain by any means. Which makes it strange that they’ve cast comedian Jemaine Clement in the role.

As for those celebrity cameos, they will of course all be ‘60s A-listers, with Yoko Ono, Jimi Hendrix, Fidel Castro, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Andy Warhol featured. The latter in a particular benefits from “an extended scene”.

Source: [JoBlo]

Olivia Wilde

by Ryan – ReelzChannel.com

News for director Joseph Kosinski’s long awaited sequel Tron: Legacy was in a lull until recent interviews with actors Olivia Wilde and Michael Sheen. The sequel to 1982′s Tron sees Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxleitner return to an updated version of the Tron mythology, with Garrett Hedlund playing Sam Flynn, the son of Bridges’ character, who also gets launched onto the game grid. The character Wilde is playing is a bit of a mystery, but she described the role as best she could to ComingSoon.

“I play Quorra. I’m a close confidant of Jeff Bridges’ character Flynn. Close, personal confidant. I don’t think it will give anything away to say that Joan of Arc was a major inspiration for my character. As far as other films I think there’s something to be said for Natalie Portman’s character in The Professional. So I don’t know if you can imagine a mixture between that little girl and Joan of Arc…”

So, look forward to seeing her fight people and then set herself on fire. Wilde has previously revealed that the fighting she does in Legacy took a physical toll, particularly the costume she wears, which integrates radio-controlled lights into skintight, molded black plastic. Wilde admitted that Bridges helped her gain perspective during uncomfortable moments.

“I won’t complain ’cause we’re really lucky to get to wear them, but they’re not easy. So whenever we’re sitting there straining or, you know, figuring out how to move in them, Jeff says, “Well, you know, in the first film, we wore basically white, you know, white leotards.” Not easy for any man or woman.”

Michael Sheen

Sheen, who plays nightclub owner Castor, was less positive about the wardrobe experience.

“I like the way it looks… There is not one bit of it that is comfortable, but it looks fantastic… all the work on the wardrobe department on this film has just been incredible. You know, they’ve worked so hard and I’ve had about six costume fittings over a series of, you know, a whole slew of months. Each time it gets tighter, each time I think I have to lose a little bit more weight.”

Read the rest of Ryan’s great article HERE

by Ethan Anderton – FirstShowing.net    Source: MTV

If for some reason you’re looking to have your film gain cult classic status, it’s not a bad idea to work Bruce Campbell into the mix somehow. Director Don Coscarelli certainly scored one with his alternative take on musical icon Elvis Presley (Campbell) in the dark comedy Bubba Ho-Tep. Luckily Ron Perlman was eager to fill Campbell’s shoes when the actor decided not to return for the sequel Bubba Nosferatu, but it sounds like the project still has an uphill battle to get off the ground due to a lack of financing. Fortunately, co-star Paul Giamatti told MTV, “I’m going to f***ing break my spine in half if I have to to get that thing done.”

Paul Giamatti

Giamatti, who will be playing Elvis Presley’s manager “Colonel” Tom Parker in this sequel, is absolutely dedicated to making Bubba Nosferatu happen (Ron Perlman has also voiced his support in mentioning the project on a couple occasions), but apparently it’s been quite a challenge. Here’s what Giamatti had to say:

“We’ve been trying so hard and we’ve had so many near-misses,” he continued. “It’s almost come together like 15 freaking times and then it falls apart. At some point we’re going to get that done because it’s a great script. We’ll get it done at some point. I think it’s just the atmosphere of movies right now, smaller movies. Nobody has the balls to make a movie for under — it’s got to be a $40 million comedy or a $200 million ‘Avatar,’ and that’s it. Those are the only things anybody wants to make right now. Nobody wants to do anything else. Everybody’s terrified of doing anything else except that kind of thing. So that movie is deemed way too bizarre and outside the box right now. Which is stupid, because there’s an audience for that movie, totally.”

Read the rest of  Ethan Anderson’s great article HERE

Nikki Reed

By Mike Fleming – Deadline.com

The indie drama Catch .44 has added two actresses transitioning from sultry vampire roles. Twilight Saga’s Nikki Reed and True Blood’s Deborah Ann Woll have signed on opposite Bruce Willis, Malin Ackerman and Forest Whitaker in the Aaron Harvey-directed thriller about three gorgeous female assassins sent on a job that might be their last.

The film is set for a July 8 start in Louisiana, and Sierra Pictures is aboard to handle international sales. Harvey wrote the script and the pic is co-production between Emmett/Furls Films and Annapurna Productions, with Randall Emmett, Megan Ellison and Michael Benaroya producing and George Furla, Curtis Jackson and Ted Schipper exec producers.

Reed plays Rosalie Hale, part of the Cullen vampire clan in Twilight Saga: Eclipse, and Woll plays True Blood’s precocious newbie bloodsucker Jessica.

Deborah Ann Woll

Marley Shelton

Borys Kit – Hollywoodreporter.com

Adam Brody, Marley Shelton and Erik Knudsen have joined the cast of “Scream 4,” which reunites Wes Craven with Kevin Williamson, who kicked off a horror movie revival with his “Scream” script in 1996.

The film will bring back original cast members Neve Campbell, David Arquette and Courteney Cox, though the plan is to pass the baton to a new generation of slasher victims, namely Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, Rory Culkin and Nico Tortorella.

Brody will play a cop recently graduated from college who was raised on the “CSI” TV series.

 Shelton will play a deputy who knew Campbell’s character in high school. Lake Bell had been in negotiations for the role.

Hayden Panettiere

Knudsen will have a role similar to the one  played by Jamie Kennedy in the first two installments, a character who is familiar with horror movie conventions and a provider of comic relief.

To preserve the identity of the killer, Craven and Williamson are operating under several layers of secrecy, including not sending the script to agencies. At a table read last week, the actors were told to stop reading at page 75 to prevent even those already cast in the film from knowing the climax. Shooting began this week in Michigan.

The UTA-repped Brody recently wrapped ensemble indie drama “The Oranges,” which also stars Hugh Laurie and Leighton Meester. He stars in “The Romantics,” an ensemble romantic comedy that also stars Katie Holmes, Anna Paquin and Elijah Wood which is slated to open this fall.

Shelton, repped by UTA and Untitled, starred in the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced CBS series “Eleventh Hour” and was most recently seen in director Sebastian Gutierrez’s ensemble comedy “Women in Trouble,” which premiered at the 2009 South by Southwest Film Festival. Other credits include “Planet Terror” and “Sin City.” 

Emma Roberts

Toronto-born Knudsen appears in August release “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” Edgar Wright’s adaptation of the Bryan Lee O’Malley graphic novel series, as well as “Beastly,” a CBS Films fantasy romance. The actor, repped by Gersh, Joannie Burstein and Fountain Head Talent, was seen in “Youth in Revolt” and was a regular on CBS’ “Jericho.”