Katherine Heigl Considering Starring in Gabaldon's 'Outlander'« FirstShowing.net

Onenews storyfrom 2008 that still gets new comments today was about an adaptation of Diana Gabaldon's popular"Outlander"series offantasy novels. Fans have been discussing casting and movie possibilities for years, but this one of the first times we've actually heard it mentioned since then. In a recent interview with theNY Times(viaThe Playlist) actressKatherine Heigldrops a little hint that she might be starring in theOutlandermovie."Scotland? 2012? What do you think?"she inquired after theTimessaid that"Heigl will then turn toward sharply dramatic work, starring as a Scottish heroine in an adaptation ofOutlander."

As a recap for anyone who doesn't know,Outlander, the first in a six novel series, starts in 1945 and followsClaire Randall, an English nurse who while on honeymoon in Scotland is transported back in time to 1743 where she ends up in a series of adventures and romance. It's a very popular series, with a lot of fans, that's"filled with adventure, religion, and human conscience."They already have a writer,Randall Wallace, but no director, and Essential Pictures is apparently casting, too. I'm honestly not keen on seeing Heigl in an epic romantic adventure, but maybe if they actually find a good director it could turn still out great. This isnotconfirmation that Heigl has the role, but it is at least a tiny amount of forward progress in this adaptation.

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Hitchcock's 'Strangers on a Train' Inspires New Teenage Thriller« FirstShowing.net

If the 2007 thrillerDistubriastarring Shia LaBeouf wasn't enough of a contemporary throwback to Alfred Hitchcock's work inRear Window, another modern teenage-centric thriller inspired by another film by the iconic director is on the way.Deadlinereports BBC Films& Slingshot Productions are developing a thriller with the working titleTeens on a Train, clearly inspired by Hitchcock's famous filmStrangers on a Trainwhich in itself was an adaptation of Patricia Highsmith'snovel of the same name. In this version though, when boy meets girl, he soon discovers that she's actually a raving psychopath. Ah, young love!

In the original film, two strangers meet on a train and agree to murder the person who’s making the other person’s life a misery, but here it sounds like the girl in question is made to be the antagonist. Apparently the idea came out of some Hitchcock-centric scriptwriting competition that Slingshot Productions held in 2007 (I guess if you need ideas for your production company,that's the easiest way to get them). The film, being written byJoshua St Johnstonwill apparently also have influences from the Richard Linklater's dialogue heavyBefore Sunrise.

Interestingly enough this news comes on the heels of a ruling that determinedDisturbiadid not infringe upon the copyrightheld for Cornell Woolrich's short storyRear Windowupon which Hitchock's film of the same name was based. The judge ruled,"the main plots are similar only at a high, unprotectable level of generality."I guess this announcement couldn't have come at a better time.Anyone like the sound of this?

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Paul Haggis and Russell Crowe Re-Teaming for 'The Equalizer'« FirstShowing.net

We missed out on reporting the news back in June thatRussell Crowewas attachedto a big screen adaptation of the80's television showThe Equalizer. NowHeat Visionreports screenwriterPaul Haggis, fresh off directing Crowe in the forthcoming thrillerThe Next Three Days, is negotiating to write the adaptation. The series followed Robert McCall, an agent with a mysterious past who once worked for a top-secret agency where he did some pretty horrible things. The gritty and violent series follows his exploits as he decides to right wrongs against the persecuted by settling scores with their antagonists and assorted miscreants.

It's unclear who will direct the adaptation, but there's still a chance that Haggis may take that responsibility himself. He's yet to line-up a follow-up toThe Next Three Daysso it's certainly in the cards. Though the adaptation seems to be following in the footsteps of an 80's revival on the big screen (with the success ofThe Karate KidandThe A-Team), it's actually been in development with The Weinstein Company for quite some time. However, now the property is in the hands of producers Mace Neufeld (The Hunt for Red October), Alex Siskin (Mr. Deeds) and Escape Artists, the company behindThe Taking of Pellham 123andSeven Pounds. Though no studio is yet on board, the talents of Crowe and Haggis together again will certainly reel one of them in.Anyone interested?

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Oscar Nominee and 'Titanic' Star Gloria Stuart Passes Away at 100« FirstShowing.net

After surviving James Cameron's blockbusterTitanic, at 87 years-old actressGloria Stuartreceived one of her greatest honors as she became the oldest Oscar nominee ever for her supporting role as the elder Rose Dawson, survivor of the ocean tragedy. Sadly, over a decade later,The Wasthington Postreports Ms. Stuart has passed away at 100 years old. In a century of life, there's little that Stuart hadn't seen or done. Though the pinnacle of her career may not have manifested itself until her later years, her career started way back in the 1930's. Like many talents on-screen, Stuart started in the theater but would find great success on the big screen.

After her film acting debut in the 1932 filmStreet of Women, Stuart would go on to become one of the early Scream Queens taking roles in horror classics likeFrankensteinandThe Invisible Man. Other work includedThe Prisoner of Shark Island,Time Out for Murder,Poor Little Rich Girl, andGold Diggers of 1935. During this part of her career, Stuart also became a founding member of the Screen Actors Guild in 1933. Though she retired from the big screen in the 1940's, she made a return to acting on TV series like"The Waltons."However, her true comeback wouldn't happen until 1997 after her Oscar nominated turn inTitanic. After her nomination, she found herself back on television in guest roles on"Murder She Wrote"and"Touched by an Angel."

On her late success, Ms. Stuart said,"When I graduated from Santa Monica High in 1927, I was voted the girl most likely to succeed. I didn't realize it would take so long."The actress attributed her success and survival of the Golden Age of Hollywood to the fact that she was one of the few age actresses who was"still viable, not alcoholic, rheumatic or falling down."Millions of people will remember Ms. Stuart for her turn inTitanic, but she had a rich career right in the middle of historical Hollywood that will live forever on celluloid. Rest in peace, Ms. Stuart.

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Stephen Fry Cast as Mycroft in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes 2« FirstShowing.net

I'm still amazed that in two years time we'll already have a sequel to the firstSherlock Holmes, which just hit theaters Christmas last year. We know the same cast will be back, we know that Guy Ritchie is directing again, we knowNoomi Rapacehas joined, and we know the villain will be Moriarty (seen in the first movie), but time to add another name to the cast. On BBC's 5 Live today, as transcribed byBleeding Cool(viaThe Playlist), beloved British actorStephen Frymade an appearance and revealed that he is playingMycroft, Holmes' older more intelligent brother, in WB'sSherlock Holmes 2, which starts shooting later this year.

"I'm playingMycroftin the sequel to the Sherlock Holmes film Guy Ritchie directed with Robert Downey Jr., and that sort of part is fun, but just once in a while to play a genuine all round sort of lead figure with complexity and tragedy and wit and all the sort of things thatOscar {Wilde}had was a once in a lifeftime thrill."

In Arthur Conan Doyle's stories, Mycroft Holmes is a more intelligent detective who has deductive powers exceeding even those of his younger brother, but is nonetheless incapable of performing any work similar to that of Sherlock as he is unwilling to put in the physical effort necessary to bring cases to their conclusions. Can't think of more perfect casting for this than Stephen Fry. I wonder how big of a role Mycroft actually has in the sequel? Either way, with Rapace joining as well as Mycroft and Moriarty getting big roles, it looks like they're really trying to expand theSherlock Holmesuniverse in bigger, exciting ways this time around. That should make fans happy, I just hope they can deliver a movie as entertaining as the first one.Sound good?

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Nu Image's Kane& Lynch Delayed, Still Stuck in Development« FirstShowing.net

Problems with another video game movie? No way! (That was sarcasm.) We got the sense from the news in June thatno director had been chosen yetthat Nu Image / Millennium Films' adaptation of the video gameKane& Lynchwas having some troubles getting off the ground. Now24 Frameshas confirmed with their own sources that another director we didn't even know was attached -Patrick Alessandrin(ofDistrict 13: Ultimatum) - has dropped off. And while they say a few other names thrown around before are still in the mix, the planned October start date has been pushed back untilat leastthe first quarter of 2011.Read on!

24 Frames says that other directors they're now trying to get involved with this once again include:Wayne Kramer(Running Scared),F. Gary Gray(Italian Job, Law Abiding Citizen) whowe wrote about in June, andAntoine Fuqua(2001 Training Day , Brooklyn's Finest). Didn't all of these guys already pass on the project? What are they going to do to win them over again? How is the adaptation going to change? No one in the public has answers, but Icansay that the TV spots I've been seeing for the video game sequel, Kane& Lynch 2: Dog Days,really kick ass. Get someone to make a movie that looks that good and I'll be happy!

This still hasBruce WillisandJamie Foxxattached in the title roles, but is struggling to find a director. But we thought withbig ads on display in Cannesthat Lionsgate / Nu Image were finally pushing forward to start shooting this year, but apparently not. Until we hear more, which probably won't be until next year, it looks like Kane& Lynch is back on the shelf waiting for some good news. In the meantime, why not pick up a copy ofKane& Lynch 2: Dog Days? Best to help support the franchise if you ever want to see this movie!

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MMA Fighter Cung Le Set for New MMA Project 'Dragon Eyes'« FirstShowing.net

Is mixed martial arts on the rise in cinema, too? I doubt it, but you never know.Deadlinereports that MMA starCung Le, who actually appeared in Christian Alvart'sPandorumas well as Dito Montiel'sFighting, is set to star in another MMA-themed project. Joel Silver's Dark Castle is developing the action crime dramaDragon Eyesthat will star Le as a mysterious man who comes from an impoverished part of New Orleans to unite two warring gangs against the corrupt lawmen who've been using them. Doesn'tsoundtoo exciting. The movie is a modernization of Kurosawa's classicYojimbo. Shooting begins next month in Baton Rouge.

We tried to find more information about who is directing or who wrote the script, but had no luck, as there is nothing listed and Deadline doesn't say anything either. Mixed martial arts (MMA) and leagues like the UFC are extremely popular nowadays, but I'm not sure that translates to the big screen.Fighting, which starred Channing Tatum, is the only mainstream movie I can think of recently that should've appealed to that audience, but it only made$23 millionat the box office. I'm not particularly a fan of Cung Le, but I'll give this a chance, as long as it's not too low budget.Anyone think MMA will break out on screen?

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Ron Perlman May Have Role in 'At the Mountains of Madness'« FirstShowing.net

After some collaborating to great results on bothHellboyfilms, actorRon Perlmanand directorGuillermo del Torohave a great working relationship and friendship. Therefore, we're not completely surprised byMTV'sreport from an interview with del Toro that there's a role in his forthcoming adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft'sclassic novelAt the Mountains of Madnessthat was written specifically for Perlman to take. The director said,""All I can tell you is if Ron Perlman is free, he will be in. I wrote a part for him. He read it and if everything falls in place, Ron Perlman has a role in it written specifically for him."Sounds good to me.

But luckily, del Toro went on to talk about the role tailored specifically for the actor and it sounds pretty good:

"Ron plays Larson, the sort of dog guy, the guy that cares for the dogs and the sled— the part of the expedition that is dog sleds. It's afantastic character. I really love him. He's sort of a pragmatic guy, doesn't care about science or the mythology or the cosmology. He just is ahard-boiled Nordic man, and it is written specifically for him."

Knowing little to none about the work of Lovecraft in literature, I can't speak as to whether or not Perlman is a good fit for this role. However, the actor has proven to be a commanding force on-screen in both a comedic and dramatic capacity (especially in his turn on FX's series"Sons of Anarchy"), so I'm guessing all will be well. Of course that assumes that the shooting schedule for the TV series will allow him to shoot the film when the time comes. Shooting forAt the Mountains of Madnessisn't slated to begin shooting until May, and del Toro even saidit's too earlyto begin officially casting anyway, so we'll be waiting a little longer for any real developments.Like it?

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Kevin Feige Confirms Development of a Black Widow Spin-Off« FirstShowing.net

Though we'd previously heard about the potential of aS.H.I.E.L.D. moviefrom Samuel L. Jackson, we now have word from Marvel Studios headKevin Feigethat development has begun on feature that would focus solely onBlack Widow, or ratherNatasha Romanoff, the character portrayed inIron Man 2byScarlett Johansson.ComingSoonsnagged the confirmation at a press conference promoting the forthcoming release of the aforementioned Marvel sequel on DVD/Blu-Ray. Feige said,"We've already started discussions with Scarlett about the idea of a solo movie and have begun putting together concepts, butThe Avengerscomes first."

In a perfect world, Marvel would have had time to square away Black Widow either in her own film, or a S.H.I.E.L.D. centric film beforeThe Avengersgot off the ground. That way we wouldn't have had to deal with all the set-up convoluting what should have been a knock-out sequel withIron Man 2. If Columbia wasn't already working on aSpider-Manreboot, the possibility of Marvel Studios bridgingSpider-ManwithThe Avengersin the future by way of Black Widow (since she's very prominent in the web-crawler's comic mythology) would be quite interesting. Either way,we'll get a chance to see the always sexy Scarlett Johansson back in that tight outfit and kicking some asses again whenThe Avengersrolls around in 2012.Do you guys want to see a Black Widow movie?

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Natalie Portman and Jeunet Interested in Edgy Snow White?« FirstShowing.net

Back in June we heard about andedgy reimaginingofSnow Whitefrom writer Melisa Wallack, Relativity Media and producer Brett Ratner. Now the project has the attention of some interesting talent in front of and behind the camera, though at this point nothing is a done deal and should be regarded only as rumor.PajibasaysNatalie Portman, who is receiving enormous buzz for her performance in Darren Aronofsky'sBlack Swan, has expressed interest in playing Snow White whileJean-Pierre Jeunet(Amelie) has an eye towards directing. And in case you forgot, Ratner said,"This is not your grandfather'sSnow White."

Apparently the new take includes more from the classic folk tale that was left out of Disney's animated adaptation. The story still includes the witch poisoning Snow White with an apple, but it will also see the seven dwarves as robbers and have a dragon. Few details about the script are known, but if a visually striking and stylistic director like Jeunet is circling the project and Natalie Portman is at least somewhat interested, then it certainly sounds like it has a lot of potential. For now, nothing is set in stone, but since the fairytale re-imagining waspicked upfor a decent amount of cash in June, surely we'll see some solid development sooner than later.What do you think?

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Universal Developing Another 'Timecop' Without Van Damme?« FirstShowing.net

This already sounds like a flop in the making, but oh well. We first reported a rumorway back in 2007that Dark Horse was developing a remake of the Jean-Claude Van Damme 1990's sci-fi action classicTimecop. Years have passed and we haven't heard a word about it, but a sketchy movie site calledWhat's Playing(viaThe Playlist) is now reporting that Universal is trying to develop a reboot ofTimecoptitled simplyTimecop 2.0. They claim that Universal has"been developing the pic forfour years"but won't be bringing back Van Damme (as it is a reboot). However, they say it will be on the release docket in the"next {12 to 18} months."

The reason why Dark Horse was/is originally involved is because theTimecopmovie is actually based on acomic book serial(two-issue series) written by Mark Verheiden and published by Dark Horse Comics in the 90s. The story in the comic involves a"time enforcement"officer who breaks the laws concerning time travel in order to save his wife. But the story in the Van Damme movie follows an interconnected web of"episodes"in the officer's life as he fights time-travel crime and investigates a politician's unusually successful career.Timecopis Van Damme's highest grossing movie at over$100Mworldwide on a reported budget of $25M.

The website says that Universal is"envisioning abig-budget science-fiction blockbusterwith a major star"and are apparently"pouringbuckets"of money into its development. That does actually makesomesense considering the studio is hurting nowadays and is probably searching their archives to find properties that they can remake/reboot that theyknowwill connect with audiences. Alas, I think it's kind of ridiculous that they would choose this, but then again there's no confirmation that it is actually happening yet, so for now it's only just a rumor. We'll let you know if we hear anything else.Anyonewantto see this reboot?

For nostalgic purposes, and anyone who hasn't seen the movie, I've included theTimecoptrailerbelow.

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Casey Affleck& Andrew Dominik Reuniting for a Crime Movie« FirstShowing.net

It seems thatThe Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Fordis becoming its own cult classic, mainly because it's such a fantastic movie that cinephiles are slowly discovering on their own and adding to their favorites. I saw it when it wasoriginally releasedand loved it, but I knew not many other people would even see it. I've been waiting to see what directorAndrew Dominikwould end up doing next, as he hasn't shot anything since, and word is that it may be a new project that will have him reteaming with actorCasey Affleck, who played Robert Ford, again. Anyone who's seenJesse Jamesknows that is very exciting news.

Dominik's first film was the Eric Bana crime flickChopper, then he shotThe Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Fordin 2005, but hasn't been able to move forward with anything since.The Playlistfirst picked up on a mention in theNY Times'big Joaquin Phoenix piecestating that Affleck"will return to acting for a while, probably in a film for Andrew Dominik."But it wasn't until they found another interview with Casey onCBS Radio 106.7(viaFSR) that they had confirmation the two would indeed be reteaming, plus a few minor details on the project and what we can expect. Here's his quote from the radio interview:

"In January, I'm going to be doing a movie withAndrew Dominikagain,"he revealed."I don't know if I'm allowed to talk about it but it's aBoston-based crime— it's anovelthat was set in Boston that's not going to be set in Boston unfortunately. But it's a novel that was set in Boston, it's agreat noveland his got a great take on it. There's a lot of good people in it, it's going to be a great movie."

It sounds like there's a lot we don't know about this project yet. In public, Dominik has only been attached to a Marilyn Monroe flick calledBlondewith Naomi Watts, but if Affleck says he's shooting a crime drama in January, that must be delayed. I can't think of any Boston-set crime novels that have been optioned in the last few years, but maybe I'm just blanking, as the name is probably out there and we just have to make the connection. Anyway, I thought Casey Affleck's performance inThe Assassination of Jesse Jameswas one of the best of the decade and I'm excited to see these two work together again, as I'm sure it'll be amazing. And although I enjoyedI'm Still Here, I'm also looking forward to seeing Casey in front of the camera once again.

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Kate Beckinsale Finds Some 'Contraband' with Mark Wahlberg« FirstShowing.net

Back in October of last year, we heard thatMark Wahlberghad signed on to star in the remake of the Icelandic thrillerReykjavik-Rotterdam. That project is still happening but according toLatino Review, the film is now going by the titleContrabandand has apparently gottenKate Beckinsaleto join the project as well. The story follows a security guard and former alcohol smuggler on the Iceland-Netherlands route who is tempted back into illicit business by a dubious friend after encountering financial problems. Aaron Guzikowski, who wrote theBlack ListedscriptPrisoners, is writing the American remake.

There hasn't been any word on whether or not the remake will change locations from Iceland (the title change mildly suggests such a modification), so I'm not sure how accurate that plot description is currently. Wahlberg's recent ventures into action likeMax PayneandShooterhaven't been the most well-received (I'm not countingThe Other Guyssince it's not a straight-up action movie), but with a stellar script and Baltasar Kormakur (the original film's star and producer) on board to direct, this has some potential. As far as Beckinsale's casting, she's just an absolute beauty and I'll watch her in just about anything.Interested?

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Alex Proyas Hired to Direct Legendary's 'Paradise Lost' Movie« FirstShowing.net

TakethatUniversal! It looks like directorAlex Proyas(The Crow, Dark City, I Robot, Knowing) mightnotbe shootingDracula Year Zerowith Sam Worthingtonnext year after all.Legendary Pictureshas a movie that they were developing withDay the Earth Stood Still'sdirector Scott Derrickson calledParadise Lost, based on the epic 17th-century English poem by John Milton, butVarietyreports that Legendary has hired Alex Proyas to direct in place of Derrickson and reveals some exciting details about how epic and huge this project will be. I know this is a high profile project for Legendary, so we might see it sooner than you think.

Paradise Lost, originally published in1667in ten books with over ten thousand lines of verse, tells the story of the epic war in heaven between archangelsMichaelandLucifer(basically the devil - the bad guy), and will be crafted as an action vehicle that will includeaerial warfare, possibly shot in 3D. Knowing that the guy behindThe CrowandDark Citywill be doing this is awesome. I've seen a glimpse of some concept art and this movie will be epic and incredibly stylized in a way you've never seen. Stuart Hazeldine (Exam) developed the primary draft of the screenplay that was originally written by Byron Willinger and Philip de Blasi. Lawrence Kasdan (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Dreamcatcher) provided a polish as well as Ryan Condal, of the most recent draft. Legendary's Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni will produce along with Vincent Newman.

Variety doesn't say anything about how soon they're hoping to move into production, but I have a feeling it's Proyas' priority and something he's really pushing to start sometime in2011. At least that's what I've heard Legendary wants, since it was already in development for a while with Derrickson. The project is only in the early pre-production stages and we don't know too much about it, but I've got a feeling this could be pretty awesome in the end. I'm also just happy to see Proyas getting back to something that he can put his unique stylistic touch on, as I love his more stylistic genre stuff more than his contemporaryKnowingkind of work.

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Daniel Stramm Looks to 'Reincarnate' for The Night Chronicles« FirstShowing.net

The first installment ofThe Night Chronicles(both a series of films and a production banner fromM. Night Shyamalan) will hit theaters later this week asDevilaims to stop you from using elevators ever again. Initially we heard that thesecond filmin the thriller anthology would be calledTwelve Strangers, a story involving a jury deliberating a case dealing with the supernatural where the members find themselves haunted by the same strange forces that hold the key to the case. However, today a press release reveals the second film is actually titledReincarnatewithDaniel Stamm, fresh off his work onThe Last Exorcism, set to direct.

Chris Sparling, a writer who has immense amounts of buzz thanks to his script for the claustrophobicBuriedstarring Ryan Reynolds and directed by Rodrigo Cortes, is scripting the intriguing thriller. It would be quite interesting (though a bit repetitive) ifReincarnatetook cues fromDeviland12 Angry Menby having the jury be haunted by these supernatural forces as the deliberation takes place in one room for the entire length of the film. That's probably way off from what we'll actually see, but it certainly sounds like an interesting (though recycled and remixed) prospect. Stay tuned for more information on this project, as well as the third film inThe Night Chronicleswhich Shyamalan saysuses his story and villainfrom the stagnantUnbreakablesequel.

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My Fair Lady Remake with Carey Mulligan Not Coming Soon« FirstShowing.net

When we heard that the proposed remake ofMy Fair Ladyfinallyhad a directorin John Madden (Shakespeare in Love), I still wasn't excited to see the classic 1964 movie musical (based on the 1956 Broadway play) recycled on the big screen. But when the film's screenwriter, actress Emma Thompson, revealed thatCarey Mulliganwaslined upto play Eliza Doolittle, I was immediately sold on the prospect. However, Mulligan seemed completely out of the loop on the projectshortly thereafter. Fortunately, the young actress cleared things up by finally saying she has read the script, would love to do the film, but it's not happening anytime soon.

In speaking toWorst Previews, the talented, stunning and now quite popular actress expressed her love for the script, but doesn't anticipate the film moving forward soon, let alone going into production this year. Here's what she had to say:

"It's not happening this year. I've definitely spoken about it, and I would love to do it if it happens, but it's just not happening right now. I read the script and thescript is incredible. Emma Thompson wrote it. It's telling the story again, in another way and not trying to sort of copy anything and not trying to take away anything from that version of it. It's justtelling it in a new erato a new generation of people."

Sounds like your average remake, and while stepping into Audrey Hepburn's shoes seems like quite a daunting task, I have every bit of faith in Mulligan's talents to bring something fresh to the familiar story. As for her singing voice, Mulligan says,"I can hold a tune, but not amazingly."The same can be said for Johnny Depp inSweeney Todd, so I wouldn't be worried if I were in her shoes. If you'd like to judge for yourself, check outthis little tunefrom recording artists Belle& Sebastian featuring Carey Mulligan herself.Are you interested in aMy Fair Ladyremake?

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Kurtzman& Orci Talk Kahn and Klingons for 'Star Trek' Sequel« FirstShowing.net

Though it certainly wasn't universally received, there are plenty of people looking forward to the impending sequel toJ.J. Abrams2009 franchise reboot ofStar Trek. While details have been scarce (just the way Abrams likes it) the script is a work in progress. Luckily the forthcoming200th issue ofSFXmagazine(viaTrek Movie) talked to Abrams and writersAlex KurtzmanandRobert Orciabout the potential of the anticipated sequel. I don't want to get anyone too excited, but Klingons and the infamous villain Kahn are certainly talking points, but you'll find all that in the information that they were willing to disclose below.

Keeping with his secretive traditions, Abrams isn't willing to give much up, but he talks about the challenge in figuring out what direction they should boldly go in theTrekuniverse:"The universe that Roddenberry created wasso vast. And so it's hard to say there's one particular thing that stands out as what the sequel must be. Which is on the one hand, agreat opportunity. On the other hand it's thegreatest challenge. Where do you go? What do you focus on? But I'm incredibly excited about the prospects."

Kurtzman isn't exactly overly forthcoming about what they will bring into play for the sequel, but he's very adamant about what theydon'twant to do:"Starting at a premise of what you want to see and then working a story around it isnothow we do it. You have to start with what is the right story. And that if you can say 'That's a story that Khan fits into,' that's how you get to that.Not deciding on a menu list of itemsand then seeing if you can't string them all together."So this thankfully isn't going to be a"greatest hits"of the finer points of Roddenberry's most iconic characters and stories, so that's at least a good start to the sequel.

Orci is a little more specific in his talks as he mentions their decision-making process on the sequel's villain:"Introducing anew villainin the sequel is tempting because we now have this incredible new sandbox to play in. On the other hand, some fans really want to see Klingons and it's hard not to listen to that. The trick is not to do something that's been seen before just because you think it will be a short cut to likeability."No matter who the villains end up being, they say not to expect a violent push into the dark side,"The first one had dark elements, but was ultimately very warm. We'd hope to strike asimilar balance{in the sequel}."

Agreeing with his writing partner, Orci confirms that humor will be alive and well in the sequel (in addition to beefing up the role for the always hilarious Simon Pegg as Scotty). The writer explains:"Humor is part of the franchise and I think it's critical, certainly to the Bones-Spock relationship. It's definitely a big part of the Bones-Kirk relationship. So, I don't see any world where humor doesn't play a part."Personally, I think Kurtzman and Orci have treated the characters and stories of Roddenberry's iconic universe with immense respect, and I can't wait to see where the sequel takes us. If you want more, pick up theOctober issueofSFXmagazine on newsstands now! Stay tuned for more.What do you guys want from aStar Treksequel?

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Toronto Review& Video: Matt Reeves' Wonderful 'Let Me In'« FirstShowing.net

One of the most heavily debated films of this year has to beLet Me In, which isCloverfielddirectorMatt Reeves'new take on John Ajvide Lindqvist's vampire taleLet the Right One In, that was brilliantly adapted in 2008 by Swedish director Tomas Alfredson. I'm a huge fan of the original film and I was truthfully a bit worrisome going into this, but despite all my fears, Reeves haspulled it off. I was stunned to discover thatLet Me Inis a beautifully dark and superb film that is actually on par with Alfredson'sLet the Right One In. Believe it. This is one American remake isjustas worthwhile as the original, in every way - it'sthatgood.

Before anyone goes off on this for being a remake, itisReeves' own interpretation, and yes the structure is very similar to the original film, but he borrowed both from that script and the novel, plus a little bit of his own personal ideas.Let Me Inis set in Los Alamos, New Mexico (near where they used to test atom bombs, but that doesn't play into the story), a small, quiet snowy town similar to the Swedish town from the original movie.Chloe Moretzplays the vampire Abby in this,Richard Jenkinswonderfully plays her elder caretaker, andKodi Smit-McPheeplays the unassuming young boy, renamed to Owen. And he does an incredible job.

After seeingLet Me In, I now truly believe that Reeves is the next big thing. I love his style, I love the way he uses sound in all of the scenes. The structure is similar toLet the Right One In, but it has all its own unique perks. This is a perfectly Americanized (don't take that negatively) version ofLet the Right One In, complete with all the little quirks that make it fit into our culture, as if the story was perfectly re-designed to fit Los Alamos at that time. My only minor complaints have to do with Moretz as a vampire, mainly that I thought Reeves pushed her transformation a bittoofar, although that might been because he wanted to put a more unique stamp on his version to differentiate it from the original movie. Aside from those issues,I loved it.

There's such an immense amount of depth to the characters and the story in this, almost even more than the Swedish film; it's definitelynotan over-simplified Hollywood remake by any means. Reeves andHammer Filmsdeserve a lot of praise for fighting the system and keeping true to the integrity of the story, including keeping the kids the proper age and making this as completely brutal and R-rated as it needed to be. This is no"sparkly"vampire film for tweens, it's bloody and dark and nearly perfect in every way. He even develops the other bully characters more and let's Owen's story build with more depth than inLet the Right One In.

I can't praise the film enough. See it just to hear Michael Giacchino's phenomenal score (which I hope wins an Oscar); see it to be amazed by Smit-McPhee, Jenkins, and Moretz's performances; see it for Matt Reeves' incredible direction; see it to be inspired by Greig Fraser's gorgeous cinematography; see it to relive a time whenNow& Later'swere the best candy around. There are so many great reasons to seeLet Me In, they're all worth it, and I hope many people do go out and see it. If anything, in the end it will only introducemorepeople to Lindqvist'snoveland Alfredson'soriginal film, and that can only held build more appreciation and love for this wonderful coming-of-age love story. Reeves has captured the spirit of that story in its entirety.

You can also watch avideo blogreview that Peter Sciretta ofSlashFilmand I recorded immediately after seeingLet Me In, so our thoughts are fresh and completely honest. The one thing I ask is that everyone who is concerned, please give this a chance, it deserves it. Let Reeves impress you as much as he impressed me, because this is one of the best"remakes"I've seen. He has"pulled it off,"so to say, andLet Me Indeserves to be seen for at least that reason. But again, there aremanywonderful reasons to see this beyond just that.

Alex's Toronto Rating:9 out of 10

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Tattoo's Noomi Rapace Nabs Lead Role in Sherlock Holmes 2« FirstShowing.net

Ever since the SwedishMillennium Trilogy, which starts up withThe Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, started making its way to the US earlier this year, actressNoomi Rapacehas been a increasingly hot commodity in Hollywood. Rapace starred as Lisbeth in the trilogy of films but hasn't been in much else; Rooney Mara isplaying the samecharacter in David Fincher's US remake. Although she's being considered for many major roles in lots of Hollywood projects,Heat Visionreports that the Swedish actress has nabbed the lead female role in Guy Ritchie'sSherlock Holmes 2sequel to the period piece action blockbuster from late last year.

Rapace's role in the sequel isn't revealed, or as THR says, it's"shrouded in mystery."Though they think she might be playing a French Gypsy. I'm guessing this means Rachel McAdams as Irene Adler won't be back? Robert Downey Jr. will return as Holmes, Jude Law will return as Dr. Watson, and word is the villain will be the popular character known asProfessor Moriarty. Additionally, Holmes' brother Mycroft will make an appearance. Warner Bros is hoping to start production later this year as they'd like to haveSherlock Holmes 2ready for release in exactly two years from the original inDecember 2011. Rapace is talented, but will this help sell the movie? Does anyone outside of the industry actually know who she is?What do you think?

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Casting Tidbits: Keanu Reeves, Malin Akerman& Joel McHale« FirstShowing.net

You better pray to the god of skinny punks that this wind doesn't pick up’cause I'll come over there and jam an oar up your ass! First up,Deadlinereports Voltage Pictures is following their Best Picture winning movieThe Hurt Lockerwith a project calledGeneration Um. Mark Mann will write and direct the story starringKeanu Reevesas a man with two beautiful female companions as they spend a day immersing themselves in sex, drugs and indecision.Bojana Novakovic(Edge of Darkness) andAdelaide Clemens(Mad Max: Fury Road) take the two female roles as Voltage hopes the film picks up steam for awards season next year.

Meanwhile, in that sameDeadlinearticle announcingGeneration Um, there's an extra tidbit of news that saysColin Farrellhas fallen out of theSheldon Turner directeddramaBy Virtue Fall. Both he and Eric Bana wereinterested back in June, but apparently weren't impressed with the paycheck that would come along with the work. While it's not entirely clear if Bana has stayed on board, apparentlyJeremy Renner(The Hurt Locker) is in talks to replace Farrell. However, Renner'srecent castingin the next installment of theMission Impossiblefranchise may prevent him from striking a deal.

Also,VarietyreportsMalin Akermanwill join Ethan Hawke for the thrillerThe Numbers Station.Kasper Barfoed(The Candidate) will direct the film which follows a disgraced black ops agent (Hawke) tasked with a dead-end job of protecting a young woman (Akerman) in the middle of the Nevada desert. When the two come under attack, they have to fight to stay alive. The $10 million budgeted film is scheduled to shoot early next year with Hawke also producing through his Under the Influence Productions company. The film is is looking to get sold at the Toronto International Film Festival which is going on right now.

Next,Varietyalso reports the hilariousJoel McHalewill join the cast ofSpy Kids 4(the franchise reboot) for director Robert Rodriguez. McHale will be playing a spy-hunting reporter who is married to Jessica Alba, the stepmother to his kids who actually become the new young spies. McHale has had small roles in films previously (includingSpider-Man 2) but recent turns in The Informant and forthcoming films likeWhat's Your Number?andThe Big Yearare pushing him towards a huge boost in his career. That's only good news for people who love McHale's comedic stylings and will be happy to see him get the career he deserves.

Finally,Varietyreports that the lovelyChristina Hendrickshas taken a role in Nicolas Winding Refn's adaptation ofJames Sallis' novelDrive. Hendricks joins Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston and Albert Brooks in the story of a Hollywood stunt drive (Gosling) who moonlights as a getaway driver in L.A.'s criminal underworld. He finds himself a target after agreeing to aid the ex-con boyfriend of his beautiful neighbor (Mulligan) in a job that goes dangerously awry. The only way he can keep her safe and stay alive is to put the pedal to the metal.

Well, that's all for this edition ofCasting Tidbits. Be sure to stay tuned for more casting updates on the way.

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Fox Searchlight Purchases Terrence Malick's 'The Tree of Life'« FirstShowing.net

After taking his sweet time to finish the film, it looks like the long-awaitedTerrence Malickdirected flickThe Tree of Lifehas been picked up by Fox Searchlight for release in2011. Malick wrote the film which tells the impressionistic story of a Midwestern family in the 1950's. More specifically, the film chronicles the journey of the eldest son, Jack (played as an adult by Sean Penn), through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father (Brad Pitt). He is a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the meaning of life and questioning an existence of faith.

Searchlight presidents Stephen Gilula and Nancy Utley couldn't be more pleased when they say,"Terrence Malick has crafted a deeply moving, keenly observed and magisterial film."Meanwhile producer Bill Pohlad is even more forthcoming with praise for the film and news:"Malick has given us anothermasterpiecethat is both profoundly moving and stunningly beautiful. And there is no better partner thanFox Searchlightto bring this film to audiences. Their ability to distribute and market independent films with a passion and creativity is incredibly rare in our industry."The film once had a distributiondeal in the makingwith the new distribution company Apparition that almost fell through, but Searchlight will do the film right as the company has made great strides with indie films likeLittle Miss Sunshineand recently500 Days of Summer.

This seems a bit odd for Searchlight, considering it's supposedly a very art house film that we'd normally expect to see from someone like Sony Pictures Classics, but I take this as an early sign thatThe Tree of Lifeis not only incredible, but much different than we might all be thinking. We'll definitely keep you updated on their plans and will follow their marketing as it kicks up.Excited to finally seeThe Tree of Life?

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Martin Freeman Might Still Play Bilbo Baggins in 'The Hobbit'« FirstShowing.net

Theinitial storythat precedes this bit of news didn't make it over here simply because an actornotstepping into a coveted role isn't all that newsworthy unless the actor whoactuallygets the role is mentioned in the same breath. But it looks like we have some fuel for the fire asEWreportsMartin Freeman(Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy,Love Actually) could still end up playing Bilbo Baggins in the troubled yet anticipated production ofThe Hobbitwith Peter Jackson finally at the helm. A commitment to BBC's series"Sherlock"(where he plays Dr. Watson) initially held him back, but a new schedule proposal may allow him to do both.

No doubt it would be an exhausting run for Freeman, but it might be well worth it for a role of this caliber that will certainly make him a household name. Freeman already has made a decent name for himself in the original British version of"The Office"not to mentionHitchhiker's Guideand bit parts in films likeShaun of the DeadandHot Fuzz, but this would be huge. Personally, I love the choice, and if New Line and MGM want him badly enough to jockey around their production schedule to accommodate his other commitments, he's obviously impressed all the right people. Apparently a deal is currently being negotiated so this is the most official word we've heard on casting Bilbo Baggins. Ireallyhope it happens.What do you think?

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Liam Neeson Latest to Be Drafted into Peter Berg's Battleship« FirstShowing.net

It looks like all that action and ass-kicking inTakenmight have knocked a screw loose in the head ofLiam Neeson. After having some fun in the surprise action hit, Neeson seems to have taken a liking to senseless action with recent roles in blockbusters likeA-TeamandClash of the Titans. Now it looks like we can add another one to the list asDeadlinereports Neeson has joined the ranks of Peter Berg's nautical board game adaptationBattleship. With a strange cast that already includes Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgaard and chart-topping singer Rihanna, many are already anticipating this will sink at thesummer 2012box office.

As we discussed back in August, this film is a huge risk for Universal as they'redropping roughly over $200 millionon it. That's a hell of an undertaking for a studio whose only movie that has exceeded any box office expectations this year (so far) wasDespicable Me(thoughScott Pilgrim vs. The Worldshould've succeeded as well). Not only is there a risk of a tired audience sick of toy and board game adaptations making their way to theaters, but I don't think there are many people who believe thatBattleshipcan be turned into a decent summer blockbuster. Even if it does turn out well, it's ridiculous that it couldn't stand on its own without the brand recognition from the board game, but of course that's Hollywood (and specifically Universal) for you.

The project is now shooting in Hawaii and will see Nesson playingAdmiral Shane, the Naval officer whose daughter (played by Brooklyn Decker) is engaged to a young naval officer (Kitsch). Meanwhile, Skarsgaard plays Kitsch's older brother, while Rihanna plays Kitsch's crew mate and a weapons specialist (yeah,that'sbelievable). All of the characters have some role in a story that follows an international fleet of battleships coming together to fight a water-bound armada of an otherworldly origin. As far as Neeson's casting goes, I wish he would take on more roles like his turns inChloeorFive Minutes in Heavenrather than yet another ridiculous action film like this.Are you guys any more interested with Liam Neeson in this cast?

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Jan de Bont Directing the Live-Action 'Mulan' with Zhang Ziyi« FirstShowing.net

Though Disney previously made an animated version in 1998 of the tale of the legendary female soldier, the House of Mouse has absolutely nothing to do with this new indie project coming straight out of China.THRreports directorJan de Bont(Speed,Twister) will direct an English-language live-action telling ofMulan, the story about the young female warrior namedHua Mulanwho joins an all-male army. Chinese superstarZhang Ziyiwill portray the title heroine first mentioned in a 6th century poem titled"The Ballad of Mulan"which was popularized around the world by Disney's musical telling of the ancient story. Doesn't sound bad.

Writer John Blickstead (who as far as I can tell, hasn't written anything previously) The film is set to start shooting this fall near Shanghai, but it's not clear as to what time period the story will take place. Since the story has been passed down through hundreds of years, it has taken place in several different time periods, the earliest of which being during theNorthern Wei dynasty. Inspiration can be drawn from a novel written sometime during the Ming dynasty, but no details from the script are mentioned to give us an idea of the film's focus beyond the warrior herself. Either way, the story is one of China's most famous and was one of the first to question gender inequality, thus striking an important chord in the progression of their culture.

While Jan de Bont is quite the generic filmmaker, bringing Ziyi into the mix inspires a lot of excitement, and this could be a moment to shine for both of them. De Bont could maybe get some awards attention, and Ziyi may finally gain a bigger audience following outside of her Western homeland. For now count me intrigued, but I'd really like to find out some more details about the story itself before gettingtooexcited.Thoughts?

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Ridley Scott Talks More About His Upcoming 'Alien' Prequels« FirstShowing.net

We've heard iconic directorRidley Scotttalk about his upcomingAlienprequel films (at least two of them remember?) many, many times over the last few years, but we still haven't seen any major progress on either of them (does anyone knowwhenthey're going to start shooting?). Although we still don't have any new info in that regard,The Independent(viaComingSoon) recently talked with Scott and got more quotes from him about what we can expect and the ideas/questions the movies will be addressing. It's not much, but it is a bit more about theAlienprequels, which is always good, and it sounds like exactly what I want to see in these.

Set 30 years before the 1979 original, so with no room for Sigourney Weaver's Ripley, the prequels will explore the origins of the deadly aliens."The film will bereally tough, really nasty,"he notes."It's the dark side of the moon. We are talking about gods and engineers. Engineers of space. And were the aliens designed as a form ofbiological warfare? Or biology that would go in and clean up a planet?"

As we know, the prequels will be about the"space jockey"guy seen in the chair from the first movie. We also knowLostco-creatorDamon Lindelofis currently writing the script and it's supposed to be one of Scott's next projects, but whoreallyknows. Ridley seems inspired by James Cameron's success withAvatar."Jim's raised the bar and I've got to jump to it,"he says."He's not going to get away with it."Considering not many people actually likedRobin Hood, which only made$105 millionat the box office, and Cameron'sAvataris now the highest grossing movie of all time, I think hedidget away with it. But theseAlienprequels will give Ridley a chance to prove himself again and I really hope they're damn good. Stay tuned for more updates!

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Great Concept Art Found for Two Dead Projects: 'Dune'& 'Newt'« FirstShowing.net

Okay, before anyone gets overly anxious about this, Paramount'snew takeonDuneisn't actually dead, but thePeter Bergversion is - and that's what this concept art is for. Earlier today, a bunch of concept art from two projects hit the web, but unfortunately it's some beautiful concept art for two projects that are now dead in the water. The first set of art is from Pixar'sNewt, whichwe reported last Maywas canceled, supposedly because ofRango. Pixar's ownFacebook pageput up a huge gallery. The second set is for Peter Berg'sDuneadaptation, with art fromJock, who posted a big gallery on hisown website. Examples from both are below.

Click either concept art pieces below, one from each project, to be taken tomoviesiteswith the full galleries.

Both of these look amazing, I'm actually quite sad the projects are dead.Newtwas going to be about anewtwho finds out he's the only one of his kind left, but then finds a mate elsewhere, which also sounds similar toBlue Sky'sRio. Beautiful art for that. And as forDune, I'm still excited to seePierre Morel's takeon the sci-fi epic, but I love all of Jock's art. Those spice worms look badass and it just looks like it would've been pretty awesome. Except I'm not sure if thecharacterswould've been a little bittoostylized. It's interesting that we even get to see all this concept and, as I said before, unfortunate that both of these are no longer going to be made. But of course,Pixarhas plenty more in the works, and a newDunemovieisstill coming eventually.

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Tom Hardy Replaces Fassbender in 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy'« FirstShowing.net

The forthcoming adaptation of John Le Carre'sspy novelTinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, from director Tomas Alfredson,boosted our anticipatory excitementwith animpressive cast: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Ralph Fiennes andMichael Fassbender. However, it looks like a change of the guard has taken place asThe Daily Mail(viaThe Playlist) reportsTom Hardy(Inception,Bronson) has replaced Fassbender in the film. Set in the aftermath of the cold war, the thriller (called a"breathtakingly ordinary"sort of anti-James Bond) tells the tale of a big spy hunt within the highest echelons of the British Secret Intelligence Service.

The Working Title production has Oldman in the lead role of George Smiley (once played in theTV seriesby Sir Alec Guiness) a small, podgy spy who is charged with unearthing a mole. Meanwhile, Hardy will play the character Ricky Tarr, a man who helps Smiley put the pieces of this jigsaw puzzle of a mole-hunt together. The other actors, which also include Benedict Cumberbatch (BBC's"Sherlock"), Jared Harris ("Mad Men") and Ciaran Hinds (There Will Be Blood) will play various intelligence chiefs and bureaucrats who are under suspicion of being the Soviet mole. Combine this cast with the spectacular writing talents of Peter Morgan (ofThe Queen,Frost/Nixon) and you've got yourself one hell of a thriller to look forward to down the road.

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They're Here - Another Viral Site for an Alien Invasion Film?« FirstShowing.net

If you're an avid reader ofFS.net, you'll know that we're big fans of any and all viral marketing games and concepts, big or small. Last week I came across an odd viral website located attheyrehere.netthat seems like it's promoting a big, mysterious sci-fi flick. The site only contains some very ominous text stating"Meet Them"and"Be The First To See Them"and that all will be revealed on 10-10-10, but other than that I have no clue what this is. However, we just got an email today from the site with a link to aYouTubevideo that shows some amateur UFO footage. Other than that, we're still in the dark. Anyone want to help us figure out what this viral is for?

The odd thing is that the site is centered on a potentially fictitious character namedPaul Geist, who has been communicating with peoplevia twitterand thewebsite. The site is also based out of the UK, which may not mean much, but I have a feeling this isn't connect with any Hollywood feature film. Obviously there are a lot of alien invasion sci-fi projects in the works, but I can't figure out which one this is for. Maybe it's something we've never heard of? And how much will they reveal? Apparently a trailer will be arriving in September for the"feature film"so it looks like we have more to check out soon.

In the meantime, look around the site and check out the video and let us know what you think. If you find any leads or hints or have any idea what this is for, let us know, as it seems like an interesting viral for an upcoming flick.

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Joel David Moore and Others Take a Dive into 'Shark Night 3D'« FirstShowing.net

If there wasn't enough bloody underwater action inPiranha 3Dto quench your thirst, then David R. Ellis, director ofSnakes on a Plane, will be delivering more in the form ofShark Night 3D. As we'vepreviously reported, the cheesy story follows seven people who spend a weekend at a lake house in Louisiana's Gulf area where their vacation quickly becomes a nightmare of hellish shark attacks. NowHeat Visionhas word on the casting of some victims withJoel David Moore(Avatar),Chris Carmack(Into the Blue 2: The Reef),Sinqua Walls("Friday Night Lights") andAlyssa Diaz("As the World Turns") joining the project.

Obviously with some cast members boasting soap opera work on their resume, it doesn't sound like Ellis is going for the highest caliber of talent, but rather just some good-looking young actors to literally feed to the sharks. In the story, the shark attacks, which are happening in freshwater, are soon discovered to be part of a"sick, greedy plan"on the part of several locals. As far as these new cast members go, Walls plays a Tulane University linebacker with plans on marrying his stunning college sweetheart (Diaz). Meanwhile, Carmack plays the ex-boyfriend of the still uncast female lead, while Moore takes on a comedic role as a a socially awkward guy who fancies himself a young Brad Pitt.

SincePiranha 3Dessentially succeeded in all areas thatSnakes on a Planeseemed to fail, I'm hoping thatShark Night 3Dwill deliver along the same lines. However, with the cast so far, it doesn't seem like it'll pack as much of a comedic punch. It'd be nice if the film worked as a stand alone piece of fluff without the 3D (for example, I could've still enjoyedPiranha 3Dwithout the gimmick), but I'm still not expecting much. These cheesy kind of throwbacks are going to get old sooner than later, and pretty soon the theater will be just as unsafe as these silly movies. Shooting starts in September; we'll be waiting for a first look sometime soon.

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