Javier Bardem signs on to play Roland in 'The Dark Tower'

The man in black fled across the desert, and Javier Bardem followed.

Javier Bardem

Yes, after months of speculation, Bardem has officially signed on to play Roland Deschain in Ron Howard's massive adaptation of Stephen King's epic fantasy western, "The Dark Tower" series.

In September, Universal Pictures and NBC Universal Television announced King's seven novel series would be adapted into three movies, with a television miniseries in between each of the films. The New York Post's Page Six is reporting Bardem has only signed on for the first film and miniseries so far.

The first film is set to open in theater on May 17, 2013.

'The Gunslinger' was published in 1982.

"The Dark Tower" series began with the publishing of "The Gunslinger" in 1982. The book introduced Roland as he pursues the unnamed Man in Black, during which he meets a variety of strange characters, including a young boy named Jake who is seemingly from our world. From there, the series continues as Roland gathers his ka-tet, a group with a shared goal, and they travel ever forward in search of the fabled Dark Tower. The seventh novel was published in 2004, although elements of the series have permeated into King's other works and vice versa, such as "Hearts in Atlantis" and "The Talisman."

Bardem is an interesting choice for Roland. The actor has proven his talent and skill time and time again, but this is just one of those roles where nobody is going to feel perfect, at least until we get to see him on screen.

This is an unprecedented project, involving years of work to produce three films and two television series and make it all feel like a single narrative. Good luck to all involved.

District 3's tributes announced for 'The Hunger Games'

District 3's tributes, as posted on the film's Facebook page.

The residents of Panem's District 3 no longer have to wonder who will be representing them in the upcoming film adaptation of Suzanne Collin's "The Hunger Games."

Lionsgate announced today newcomers Ian Nelson and Kalia Prescott will be the tributes of District 3, whose people are known for their skills with electronics. They are not large roles, since neither character is named in the book, although Nelson will get the most screen time of the two.

Prescott had an uncredited role in 2009's "Where the Wild Things Are."

The pair join Jennifer Lawrence ("Winter's Bone"), Josh Hutcherson ("Bridge to Terabithia"), Liam Hemsworth ("The Last Song"), Paula Malcomson ("Sons of Anarchy"), Leven Rambin ("All My Children") and fellow newcomers Willow Shields, Jack Quaid, Amandla Stenberg and Dayo Okeniyi. Elizabeth Banks ("The Next Three Days") is also in talks to star.

The film will be directed by Gary Ross ("Seabiscuit," "Pleasantville") based on a screenplay from Bill Ray ("State of Play"). It is set for a March 23, 2012, release. 

Mireille Enos to play Brad Pitt's wife in 'World War Z'

Mireille Enos, who is currently playing police officer Sarah Linden is AMC's "The Killing," will join Brad Pitt in the zombie apocalypse film "World War Z," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Mireille Enos in AMC's "The Killing"

The movie, to be directed by Marc Forster ("Finding Neverland," "Stranger than Fiction"), is based on the 2006 novel of the same name from author Max Brooks, son of the famed Mel Brooks.

The book's website describes it a recounting of the "apocalyptic and horrifying years that will make sure we never forget how close we came to total annihilation. Told from the perspective of numerous survivors from all over the world, from Denver to South Africa, Sydney to Yonkers, Malibu to India, 'World War Z' captures the sacrifices and, toward the end, the ingenuity of our race to defend and save our cities, towns, and villages from a plague that seemed virtually impossible to stop."

Pitt ("Ocean's 11," "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") is set to play a U.N. worker who collects the accounts. Enos will be his wife.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, shooting will begin in June based on a script from J. Michael Straczynski ("Babylon 5," "Jeremiah") and Matt Carnahan ("State of Play," "The Kingdom").

Holm in, Kazinsky out of 'The Hobbit'

"The Hobbit" continues to film and director Peter Jackson continues to keep Middle Earth fans up to date with the proceedings through his Facebook account.

Ian Holm

The latest news concerns casting issues, with Jackson confirming Sir Ian Holm will be reprising his role from "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy as the older Bilbo Baggins. Martin Freeman ("Hot Fuzz," "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy") is playing the younger Bilbo in the two-part film.

Additionally, Robert Kazinsky ("EastEnders") has had to drop out of the role of Fili.

Robert Kazinsky

"I am sad to report that Rob Kazinsky, who was cast in the role of Fili, is having to leave The Hobbit and return home, for personal reasons," Jackson posted. "Rob has been terrific to work with and his enthusiasm and infectious sense of humour will be missed by all of us. I should say that Rob's departure will not affect ongoing filming of The Hobbit, nor will it impact work done to date, as we had yet to film much of Fili's storyline. At the moment we are shooting scenes featuring Bilbo without the Dwarves, which will give us time to find a new Fili. I'll keep everyone posted with updates as they come."

Paula Malcomson joins 'The Hunger Games' as Mrs. Everdeen

Actress Paula Malcomson will be taking a trip to totalitarian country of Panem as the latest cast member of the upcoming "Hunger Games" adaptation.

Paula Malcomson

Malcomson, who has recently appeared in the television series "Caprica" and "Sons of Anarchy," will be Mrs. Everdeen, mother to Catniss (Jennifer Lawrence, "Winter's Bone") and Prim (newcomer Willow Shields).

The movie is based on the first novel in Suzanne Collin's "The Hunger Games" trilogy, about an annual battle to the death involving two children selected from each of the 12 districts of Panem. Catniss and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson, "Bridge to Terabithia") represent District 12 in the 74th annual event.

The cast also includes Liam Hemsworth ("The Last Song"), Leven Rambin ("All My Children") and newcomers Jack Quaid, Amandla Stenberg and Dayo Okeniyi. Elizabeth Banks ("The Next Three Days") is also in talks to star.

The film will be directed by Gary Ross ("Seabiscuit," "Pleasantville") based on a screenplay from Bill Ray ("State of Play"). It is set for a March 23, 2012, release.

Weinsteins sue Relativity over 'The Crow,' studio fights back

The original film debuted in 1994.

Apparently I wasn't the only one upset by Relativity Media's plans to remake "The Crow," although not for the same reasons.

The Weinstein Co. sued Relativity Wednesday, claiming the company broke an existing contract between the two over the exclusive worldwide distribution rights of the film.

According to the suit, which The Hollywood Reporter posted online, the Weinsteins claim that Relativity owner Ryan Kavanaugh "decided that Relativity would not perform that contract and will purport to sell TWC's distribution rights to others here and overseas in willful breach of the contract."

Relativity recently announced Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (“28 Weeks Later”) would direct the remake and Bradley Cooper is reportedly in talks to star.

It did not take long for Kavanaugh to respond to the suit, releasing the following statement:

This is yet another typical litigation stunt from the Weinsteins, who have a long history of threatening lawsuits with the sole purpose of intimidation. If served, Relativity will seek immediate dismissal. While we expect these types of antics from the Weinsteins, we are shocked that a lawyer of Mr. Fields' caliber would make such false, reckless and intentionally harmful statements to the press about Relativity and Mr. Kavanaugh. We intend to seek appropriate remedies for this misconduct. Clearly, this is a feeble attempt to create a press stir and a malicious effort to interfere with Relativity's development of the project.  

In addition, Relativity provided The Hollywood Reporter a letter sent by its attorney Carol Genis to The Weinstein Company's lawyer Bert Fields, rejecting the suit and claiming the Weinsteins failed to uphold their distribution agreement for 2009's "Nine," which was partially financed by Relativity.

"It takes gall for your client to make demands upon Relativity about The Crow, which has not even been greenlit, when TWC's failure to properly distribute Nine demonstrated that it will disregard and breach any and all of its distribution, marketing and financial obligations. If any party is entitled to seek legal remedies it is Relativity," the letter states.

"Your client is forewarned and proceeds at its own peril," Genis concludes.

It's not unusual for litigation such as this to spring up, especially on projects that have spent a long time on shelves or have bumped around from studio to studio. Usually both sides bluster and shout, then settle. The particular hostility in Genis' letter seems to put that in doubt, but it is still very early in this case.

Willow Shields will be Prim in 'The Hunger Games'

Another day and another casting announcement for the upcoming "Hunger Games" adaptation, with newcomer Willow Shields joining the project as Primrose Everdeen.

Willow Shields

Prim is heroine Catniss Everdeen's (Jennifer Lawrence, "Winter's Bone") younger sister in Suzanne Collin's best-selling trilogy of novels.

Shields appeared in an episode of the USA series "In Plain Sight" and has a role in the upcoming TV movie "Beyond the Blackboard," which debuts this Sunday at 9 p.m. on CBS.

The actress joins a cast which already includes Josh Hutcherson ("Bridge to Terabithia"), Liam Hemsworth ("The Last Song"), Leven Rambin ("All My Children") and fellow newcomers Jack Quaid, Amandla Stenberg and Dayo Okeniyi. Elizabeth Banks is also in talks to star.

The film will be directed by Gary Ross ("Seabiscuit," "Pleasantville") based on a screenplay from Bill Ray ("State of Play"). It is set for a March 23, 2012, release.

District 1 has its tributes for 'The Hunger Games'

The casting news continues to arrive fast and often for "The Hunger Games" film adaptation, with the latest additions involving District 1 tributes Marvel and Glimmer.

Newcomer Jack Quaid (son of Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan) will be Marvel while Leven Rambin ("All My Children," "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles") will be Glimmer. Both characters face off against heroine Catniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence, "Winter's Bone") and her District 12 counterpart Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson, "Bridge to Terabithia") in the Hunger Games, an annual battle to the death involving two children from each of the 12 districts of Panem.

From the film's Facebook page.

Marvel and Glimmer are considered "career" tributes, as they train and prepare for years to enter the games, while most of the others are chosen by lottery.

"The Hunger Games" is the first book in the trilogy of the same name by author Suzanne Collins. Other confirmed cast members for the film include Liam Hemsworth ("The Last Song") as Catniss' hunting partner Gale Hawthorne along with newcomers Amandla Stenberg and Dayo Okeniyi as District 11 tributes Rue and Thresh.

Additionally, Elizabeth Banks is in talks to play Effie Trinke, Catniss and Peeta's handler.

HBO's 'Game of Thrones' renewed for a second season

After drawing a combined 4.2 million viewers over the three airings of its first episode Sunday night, HBO's "Game of Thrones" has been renewed for a second season.

"We are delighted by the way David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have brought George R.R. Martin's amazing book series to the screen, and thrilled by the support of the media and our viewers," said Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming, who made the announcement today. "This is the continuation of an exciting creative partnership."

'Game of Thrones' airs Sundays at 9 p.m.

Based on the bestselling fantasy book series "A Song of Ice and Fire," by George R.R. Martin, "Game of Thrones" follows kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars and noblemen as they vie for power in a land where summers span decades and winters can last a lifetime.


The season one cast includes (in alphabetical order): Mark Addy, Alfie Allen, Sean Bean, Emilia Clarke, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Fairley, Aidan Gillen, Jack Gleeson, Iain Glen, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Isaac Hempstead-Wright, Harry Lloyd, Richard Madden, Rory McCann, Jason Momoa, Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams.

While the first season is 10 episodes, it has not yet been announced how long season two will be, but it will follow the events of "A Clash of Kings," which was 162 pages longer than "A Game of Thrones."

The series currently consists of four novels--"A Storm of Swords" and "A Feast for Crows" were published in 2000 and 2005 respectively. The fifth installment, "A Dance with Dragons" has a July 12, 2011, release date, although Martin has not yet completed writing it. Two additional books are also planned.

As a fan of the series, I felt the premier episode of the HBO television series was very well done, and although I cannot approach it as someone new to the story, I think most should be able to follow the story. Like many, I took advantage of the free preview weekend to catch the episode and will now have to order HBO so I can keep watching it.

Elizabeth Banks to play Effie Trinket in 'The Hunger Games'?

Elizabeth Banks is in talks to join "The Hunger Games" adaptation as Effie Trinket, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

In the best-selling book trilogy by author Suzanne Collins, Effie becomes handler to Catniss (Jennifer Lawrence, "Winter's Bone") and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson, "Bridge to Terabithia") after they are chosen for the games. She is notable for her pink hair and highfalutin Capitol attitude.

Elizabeth Banks

Banks most recently appeared as Russell Crowe's wife in "The Next Three Days." She is also in "The Details," a dark comedy starring Tobey Maguire and Ray Liotta. The film debuted in January at the Sundance Film Festival.

The news comes on the heels of an Entertainment Weekly report that newcomers Amandla Stenberg and Dayo Okeniyi had been cast as District 11 tributes Rue and Thresh. In the book series, Catniss and Peeta, along with the other tributes, must fight in the Hunger Games, an annual battle to the death involving two children chosen from each of the 12 districts of Panem.

With Liam Hemsworth ("The Last Song") already cast as Catniss' hunting partner Gale Hawthorne, should this latest news prove correct, the only main character remaining for "The Hunger Games" is Haymitch Abernathy, who serves as mentor to Catniss and Peeta during the lead up to the games. Described as a "paunchy, middle-aged man," Haymitch is a former victor of the games and a drunkard.

Unlike the previous casting announcements, this one has not yet been confirmed, but expect a formal statement from the studio soon if Banks gets the part.

EDIT: I spoke a bit soon about the main cast. We also need someone to play Cinna, Catniss' stylist during the games.

Rue and Thresh cast in 'Hunger Games' adaptation

The main cast of the upcoming "Hunger Games" adaptation is taking shape with the announcement today that newcomer Amandla Stenberg will play District 11 tribute Rue.

Amandla Stenberg

Entertainment Weekly broke the news along with the casting of fellow newcomer Dayo Okeniyi as Thresh, Rue's counterpart from District 11.

Stenberg has a role in the forthcoming "Columbiana," which is currently in post-production, as well as the TV movie "Taste of Romance," which is filming now. Okeniyi appeared in the 2010 short film "Eyes to See" and has a role in "Slew Hampshire," which is in post-production.

In the book series, heroine Catniss Everdeen (who will be played by Academy Award-nominee Jennifer Lawrence) meets Rue and Thresh in the Hunger Games, an annual battle to the death involving two children from each of the 12 districts of Panem. Rue especially becomes an integral part of the novel.

Dayo Okeniyi

These latest additions break with the trend set by earlier casting announcements, which had all been known quantities. In addition to Lawrence, the cast also includes Josh Hutcherson ("Bridge to Terabithia") as Peeta Mellark and Liam Hemsworth ("The Last Song") as Gale Hawthorne.

A fan backlash met each of the earlier announcements, but with so little known about these actors so far, I doubt we will see a similar outburst for now. Unlike the others, whose physical appearances differed from their characters', Stenberg and Okeniyi look quite a bit like my mental images of the characters from reading the books.

A.J. Cook returning to 'Criminal Minds'

If you went by the amount of turnover and angst surrounding the television series "Criminal Minds," you'd have a hard time believing it was a top 10 show.

Before the current sixth season had begun, however, it was revealed regulars A.J. Cook (Special Agent JJ Jareau) had been cut and Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster) would be leaving midway through. The news sparked outrage among fans, but to no avail, as JJ was whisked away to the Pentagon in the season's second episode and Prentiss, at the end of a recent arc of episodes, was left in hiding and presumed dead after a killer from her past returned.

Now, as Deadline revealed Friday, Cook has signed a new two-season deal to return to the crime procedural. According to the report, she will appear in this season's final episode on May 18.

Deadline also reported that ABC Studios, which produces "Criminal Minds," still has an option on Brewster, who is filming a comedy pilot for NBC, to return next season should her new project tank.

In addition to the cast shakeup, the series is also losing two of his executive producers in Ed Bernero and Simon Mirren, leaving Erica Messer running solo next season.

This has not been a stellar season for the show creatively, with rather stale writing raising questions about its premise's longevity even as it maintains its high ratings. It's ill-conceived spin-off--"Suspect Behavior"--can't be helping matters in that department.

I've been a fan of the series after picking up at the start of the second season, and it remains one of the better procedurals with "Law & Order" off the air and "CSI" showing its age. It just needs a bit of a creative jump start. Here's hoping the show can find it.

Chinese regulators crack down on time travel, 'bizarre' plots

No time travel for you! If you want to appear on Chinese television, at least.

In light of the continuing upheavals in North Africa and the Middle East, the Chinese government has been continuing to heighten its control over communications and media--to the point of dropping cell phone calls for quoted the wrong line of Shakespeare. Even so, the State Administration of Radio Film and Television's latest edict is a special kind of crazy.

According to CNN's Business 360 Blog, the agency issued new guidelines on March 31 discouraging plots line including "fantasy, time-travel, random compilations of mythical stories, bizarre plots, absurd techniques, even propagating feudal superstitions, fatalism and reincarnation, ambiguous moral lessons, and a lack of positive thinking."

The blog quotes CNN's Eunice Yoon, who said, "The government says … TV dramas shouldn’t have characters that travel back in time and rewrite history. They say this goes against Chinese heritage. They also say that myth, superstitions and reincarnation are all questionable.”

I usually try to keep the realms of politics and entertainment on separate spheres, but when politics invades the other, it's hard to ignore. The Chinese leaders behind this and other recent crackdowns are showing increased paranoia about their own positions even while their actions betray the power and control they wield.

The freedom of speech enjoyed in the United States is often taken for granted, especially when it comes to fiction. Many of the classics of Russian literature were banned in their home country after upsetting the Communist leaders while Shakespeare and his contemporaries had to be careful how far over the line they went when needling the royalty.

Of course there are many calls to ban books here in the U.S., from "Harry Potter" to "Tom Sawyer," and news of such blatant oppression as this latest Chinese crackdown shows just why we have to fight against any kind of censorship here.

Carbonell in talks to return to "The Dark Knight"

Nestor Carbonell (left) as Mayor Garcia in "The Dark Knight"

"The Dark Knight Rises" may be filmed in a new town, but it looked like it will have the same mayor.

According to Variety, Nestor Carbonell is in talks to reprise his role as Gotham City's Mayor Anthony Garcia. The actor is perhaps best known for his role as the ageless Richard Alpert in ABC's "Lost."

"The Dark Knight Returns," which will film in Pittsburg, Pa., is set for a July 20, 2012, release.

'American Gods' heading to HBO?

Deadline is reporting that Neil Gaiman's novel “American Gods” could be heading to HBO as a series.

Gaiman said in an interview with Digital Spy last month a film adaptation was in the works. In the interview, Gaiman did not reveal the identity of the company, but said he would be meeting with them to "find out where they're going and if there's any way that I can help."

"There is one cinematographer and director on board who has many, many Oscars and is, I think, a genius," Gaiman said. "I love the fact that he fell in love with this about six or seven years and has not given up."

According to Deadline, that cinematographer is Robert Richardson (“Shutter Island,” “Inglourious Basterds”) and he brought the project to the attention Playton partners Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman. They in turn approached HBO and are now in talks.

Richardson will reportedly write the pilot with Gaiman.

“American Gods” was published in 2001 to critical applause, winning the 2002 Hugo, Nebula, Locus, SFX Magacine and Bram Stoker Awards for Best Novel. The story follows Shadow, a man released from prison only to find his life turned upside down. He is hired by the mysterious Mr. Wednesday, becoming a piece in a larger conflict with the very soul of America on the line.

Publisher Harper Colllins describes the book as such: “As unsettling as it is exhilarating, 'American Gods' is a dark and kaleidoscopic journey deep into myth and across an America at once eerily familiar and utterly alien. Magnificently told, this work of literary magic will haunt the reader far beyond the final page.”

I was skeptical following Gaiman's original announcement that “American Gods” could be converted into a movie and maintain its epic qualities, so I welcome the news HBO is considering the project. They're preparing for the debut of another fantasy epic in the form of “Game of Thrones,” which begins Sunday night at 9 p.m.

The early reviews have been extremely positive and if any place could pull off a faithful adaptation of “American Gods,” it is HBO.

Paramount picks up 'The Martian Chronicles'

Paramount Pictures has picked up the movie rights to Ray Bradbury's short-story collection, “The Martian Chronicles.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, John Davis will produce the adaptation. Universal optioned the rights in 1997, but they reverted earlier this year after the studio couldn't get the project launched.

The Los Angeles Times' 24 Frames blog first reported Davis' involvement back in June. The producer's most recent credits include “Gulliver's Travels,” “Predators” and “Marmaduke.” He began his producing career with the original “Predator” film in 1987.

No writer or director has been announced.

“The Martian Chronicles” was published in 1950, collecting stories Bradbury wrote in the late 1940s. It follows the colonization of Mars by humans fleeing a troubled Earth and confronting the native population.

The collection was previously adapted into a television mini-series produced by NBC and BBC, starring Rock Hudson in the lead.

Although it remains to be seen whether Paramount will have better luck than Universal, this news coming on the heels of the Dragonflight adaptation getting a screenwriter is a good sign that Hollywood is taking a serious look at classic science fiction and fantasy.

That has to be better than yet another remake, right?

'X-Men' scribe David Hayter to adapt Anne McCaffrey's "Dragonflight"

Steven Hoban’s Copperheart Entertainment has closed agreements with David Hayter and Benedict Carver’s Dark Hero Studios, Don Murphy and Susan Montford’s Angry Films and Entertainment One to adapt the classic science fiction/fantasy novel “Dragonflight” by Anne McCaffrey into a feature film.

The studio made the announcement in a press release on Tuesday.

In “Dragonflight”, the first in the epic “Dragonriders of Pern” series of novels, an elite group of warriors take to the skies on the backs of giant, fire-breathing, telepathic dragons to save the wondrously exotic planet of Pern from a terrifying airborne menace.

Hayter will pen the screenplay. Hoban and Carver will produce the film with Murphy, Montford and Hayter executive producing. Patrice Theroux negotiated for Entertainment One to handle distribution in Canada and is in discussion to acquire a number of other territories including the UK, Benelux and Australia. “Dragonflight” will be an international co-production, financed by several distribution partners around the world in much the way “The Lord of the Rings” was put together. Production is scheduled to begin early 2012. No director is currently attached.

The first book in the “Dragonriders of Pern” series appeared in 1968 and new editions continue to be published to this day. The series has sold millions of copies around the world, won numerous literary awards and spawned many spinoffs, including videogames, board games and graphic novels.

“These books have remained popular bestsellers for over forty years because of their breathtaking adventures, vivid cast of characters and spectacular creatures,” said Hoban.

“The world of Pern is a unique and highly cinematic combination of science fiction and fantasy.”
“This property has an incredible literary heritage and a rabid fan base,” said Hayter. “I’m really looking forward to delving into the majestic world that Anne has created and transporting it to the screen.”

“The fans and I have been waiting, not so patiently, for a long time to see Pern and her characters on the big screen,” said Anne McCaffrey. “I couldn’t be more thrilled that a writer with David’s tremendous creativity and track record of translating beloved source material into fantastic movies has decided to make this his next epic adventure.”

Hoban’s Copperheart has produced a diverse body of work including the Vincenzo Natali directed science-fiction thriller, “Splice.”

Tuesday's announcement is the first significant movement on the project since Copperheart first optioned the books back in 2006. Many predicted, myself included, that the success of “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy would pave the way for additional big-budget fantasy films. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

Perhaps now with the box-office record breaker “Avatar”--which also featured character riding dragon-type creatures--has finally opened the doors for this project and (hopefully) others.

Cooper interested in "The Crow" lead

When Relativity Media announced last week they had signed director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (“28 Weeks Later”) to “re-imagine” the 1994 cult hit, “The Crow,” I questioned who would want to step into a role originally portrayed by Brandon Lee, who was killed by an on-set accident during filming.

Well, according to The Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision, Bradley Cooper is in early talks to take over for Lee in the new version.

The report continues that Cooper recently met with Fresnadillo and the two “hit it off.”

Cooper would play Eric Draven, who’s resurrected as The Crow to avenge his wife’s murder so he can reunite with her in the hereafter, as first envisioned by graphic novelist James O’Barr.

“The original 'Crow' was groundbreaking cinema; its gothic visual and musical ideas influenced a generation and cinema itself,” said Producer Edward R. Pressman, who has worked on the entire franchise.

Last week I questioned the need for remaking a “groundbreaking” film, and those questions remain. Still, I have to admit Cooper is an interesting choice for Draven. The actor impressed me considerably for his work in “Limitless,” where he showed ability as both a polished, smooth-talking genius and as a withdrawal-suffering wreck.

The news of Cooper's interest comes only a week after Fresnadillo was named director, so things seems to be moving a pretty fast pace for the remake.

More news as it becomes available.

Three more join 'The Dark Knight Rises' cast

According to Variety, the cast of Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Rises" has grown by three.

Daniel Sunjata ("Rescue Me," "Grey's Anatomy") will reportedly play a special forces officer while Diego Klattenhoff ("Mercy," "Men in Trees") will be a rookie cop.

Meanwhile, Burn Gorman ("Layer Cake," "Torchwood") will play an unknown supporting role.

"The Dark Knight Rises," which will film in Pittsburgh, Pa., is set for a July 20, 2012, release.

Peter Jackson filming 'The Hobbit' in 48 frames per second

Director Peter Jackson next to a 3D video set up on the set of 'The Hobbit'

'The Hobbit' director Peter Jackson updated his Facebook page Monday with a lengthy discussion about his decision to film the adaptation in 48 frames per second rather than the tradition 24 frames.

Time for an update. Actually, we've been intending to kick off with a video, which is almost done, so look out for that in the next day or two. In the meantime, I thought I'd address the news that has been reported about us shooting THE HOBBIT at 48 frames per second, and explain to you what my thoughts are about this.

We are indeed shooting at the higher frame rate. The key thing to understand is that this process requires both shooting and projecting at 48 fps, rather than the usual 24 fps (films have been shot at 24 frames per second since the late 1920's). So the result looks like normal speed, but the image has hugely enhanced clarity and smoothness. Looking at 24 frames every second may seem ok--and we've all seen thousands of films like this over the last 90 years--but there is often quite a lot of blur in each frame, during fast movements, and if the camera is moving around quickly, the image can judder or "strobe."

Shooting and projecting at 48 fps does a lot to get rid of these issues. It looks much more lifelike, and it is much easier to watch, especially in 3-D. We've been watching HOBBIT tests and dailies at 48 fps now for several months, and we often sit through two hours worth of footage without getting any eye strain from the 3-D. It looks great, and we've actually become used to it now, to the point that other film experiences look a little primitive. I saw a new movie in the cinema on Sunday and I kept getting distracted by the juddery panning and blurring. We're getting spoilt!

Originally, 24 fps was chosen based on the technical requirements of the early sound era. I suspect it was the minimum speed required to get some audio fidelity out of the first optical sound tracks. They would have settled on the minimum speed because of the cost of the film stock. 35mm film is expensive, and the cost per foot (to buy the negative stock, develop it and print it), has been a fairly significant part of any film budget.

So we have lived with 24 fps for 9 decades--not because it's the best film speed (it's not by any stretch), but because it was the cheapest speed to achieve basic acceptable results back in 1927 or whenever it was adopted.

None of this thinking is new. Doug Trumbull developed and promoted a 60 frames per second process called ShowScan about 30 years ago and that looked great. Unfortunately it was never adopted past theme park use. I imagine the sheer expense of burning through expensive film stock at the higher speed (you are charged per foot of film, which is about 18 frames), and the projection difficulties in cinemas, made it tough to use for "normal" films, despite looking amazing. Actually, if anybody has been on the Star Tours ride at Disneyland, you've experienced the life like quality of 60 frames per second. Our new King Kong attraction at Universal Studios also uses 60 fps.

Now that the world's cinemas are moving towards digital projection, and many films are being shot with digital cameras, increasing the frame rate becomes much easier. Most of the new digital projectors are capable of projecting at 48 fps, with only the digital servers needing some firmware upgrades. We tested both 48 fps and 60 fps. The difference between those speeds is almost impossible to detect, but the increase in quality over 24 fps is significant.

Film purists will criticize the lack of blur and strobing artifacts, but all of our crew--many of whom are film purists--are now converts. You get used to this new look very quickly and it becomes a much more lifelike and comfortable viewing experience. It's similar to the moment when vinyl records were supplanted by digital CDs. There's no doubt in my mind that we're heading towards movies being shot and projected at higher frame rates.

Warner Bros. have been very supportive, and allowed us to start shooting THE HOBBIT at 48 fps, despite there never having been a wide release feature film filmed at this higher frame rate. We are hopeful that there will be enough theaters capable of projecting 48 fps by the time The Hobbit comes out where we can seriously explore that possibility with Warner Bros. However, while it's predicted that there may be over 10,000 screens capable of projecting THE HOBBIT at 48 fps by our release date in Dec, 2012, we don’t yet know what the reality will be. It is a situation we will all be monitoring carefully. I see it as a way of future-proofing THE HOBBIT. Take it from me--if we do release in 48 fps, those are the cinemas you should watch the movie in. It will look terrific!

Time to jump in the car and drive to Bag End for the day. Video coming soon!

Michael Shannon will take on the 'Man of Steel' as General Zod

Warner Bros. has announced Michael Shannon is joining director Zack Synder's upcoming Superman movie, "Man of Steel," portraying the villainous General Zod.

Shannon was nominated for Best Supporting Actor Academy Award in 2009 for his work in "Revolutionary Road." He is also Agent Nelson Van Alden in HBO's "Boardwalk Empire."

"Zod is not only one of Superman's most formidable enemies, but one of the most significant because he has insights into Superman that others don't," Synder said in a statement. Michael is a powerful actor who can project both the intelligence and the malice of the character, making him perfect for the role."

Zod appeared in "Superman" in 1978 and "Superman II" in 1980. Terence Stamp played the character in both those films. Like Superman, Zod is from the planet Krypton, and shares his powers.

Shannon joins Henry Cavill as Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Diane Lane as Martha Kent and Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent.

Christopher Nolan ("The Dark Knight") is among the producers of the new film and helped develop the story with David S. Goyer, who is writing the script.

It is interesting that General Zod will be making an appearance in "Man of Steel," especially since he, along with Lex Luther, have had their share of film portrayals. Bringing Luther back as the primary villain in 2006's "Superman Returns" was one of that movie's biggest weaknesses even with a solid performance from Kevin Spacey.

Although few would argue that Superman has a villains gallery like that of Batman, there are other possibilities who have yet to be explored in the films such as Brainiac and Darkseid.

"Deadpool" gets a director

Ryan Reynolds (far left) as Deadpool in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine"

Multiple reports are stating special effects artist Tim Miller ("X-Men," "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World") will be making his directorial debut with "Deadpool."

Spinning off from 2009's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," the "Deadpool" film will also star Ryan Reynolds in the role. The actor will also reportedly produce.

The Marvel Comics character was created by Rob Leifeld and is known as the "merc with a mouth" and for his habit of breaking the fourth wall in his comics.

"Deadpool" is another one of those comic book films that generated buzz when it was first announced but has remained mostly silent until now.

It seems like an increasing trend for special effects artists to jump into the director's chair. A recent example is the Strause brothers (Colin and Greg) who directed "Aliens vs. Predator - Requiem" and "Skyline." But they had quite a few more supervisory positions before making the leap than Miller, who can only boast the creative supervisor title on "Scott Pilgrim."

Reynold's Deadpool was one of the few positive notes about "Wolverine," so here's hoping they found the right director to continue the character's story. It will also be interesting to see if they stick with the "Wolverine" continuity, which took place in the 1970s or early 80s, or move the story to present day.

Josh Pence joining 'The Dark Knight Rises' as a young Ra's

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Josh Pence ("The Social Network") has joined the cast of Christopher Nolans' "The Dark Knight Rises."

Pence, who played Tyler Winklevoss in "The Social Network" (and had Armie Hammer's face digitally painted over his for the final movie), will be a young Ra's Al Ghul.

Ra's Al Ghul was played by Liam Neeson in "Batman Begins" and The Hollywood Reporter quotes sources saying Pence will play the character some 30 years in the past.

Little is known about the plot for "The Dark Knight Rises" only that Anne Hathaway ("Love and Other Drugs") is joining the cast as Selina Kyle and her criminal alter-ego, Catwoman, and Tom Hardy ("Inception") will be the dangerous Bane.

Along with Hardy, his "Inception" co-stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Marion Cotillard are also new additions to the Batman franchise

Nolan has said in the past he considers his run to be complete at the conclusion of the third film and Pence's casting as a young Ra's seems to confirm that "The Dark Knight Rises" will come full circle to tie everything together.

Juan Carlos Fresnadillo will direct 'The Crow' reboot

Hollywood keeps remaking and rebooting films so often it would take a blog devoted entirely to the subject to have a chance of staying abreast of it all.

Still, sometimes you just have to take a moment and say...really?

Such is the case of Relativity Media's announcement yesterday that they have signed director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (“28 Weeks Later”) to “re-imagine” the 1994 cult hit, “The Crow.”

According to Relativity, Fresnadillo will collaboratively develop the script once a writer is attached to adapt the screenplay. Casting has not yet been announced.

The Crow adaptation will be a reboot of the iconic cult character Eric Draven, who’s resurrected as The Crow to avenge his wife’s murder so he can reunite with her in the hereafter, as first envisioned by graphic novelist James O’Barr, the studio said.

“Juan Carlos Fresnadillo is an incredibly talented and imaginative filmmaker,” Relativity Media’s president of worldwide production Tucker Tooley said. “We are thrilled to have him at the helm and are excited to work with both Pressman and Apaches on what we all believe will be a compelling and innovative reimagining of 'The Crow.'”

“The original 'Crow' was groundbreaking cinema; its gothic visual and musical ideas influenced a generation and cinema itself,” said Producer Edward R. Pressman, who has worked on the entire franchise. “With Juan Carlos, we have every confidence that his new 'Crow' will have a similar impact on the contemporary audience.”

Here's a thought. When a film's “visual and musical ideas influenced a generation and cinema itself,” doesn't it deserve to stand on its own and be remade 17 years later? Of course there have been sequels, but fans have had the luxury to simply ignore them, and as far as I can tell, most have.

(This doesn't get into the fact that Brandon Lee was killed on set while filming the original “Crow” by a gun mishap. Good luck to the guy who has to step into those shoes.)

Ignoring the inherit absurdity of remaking “The Crow,” is there really a market for a reboot? The original film made around $50 million at the box office. The first sequel, “City of Angels” (1996) made far less--$17.9 million. The next two--“Salvation” (2000) and “Wicked Prayer” (2005)--didn't even make it to theaters and instead went direct to video. Each of the sequels was met with progressively worse receptions.

The original comic was published in 1989 and no new material has come out since 1999. The only seemingly existing fan-base is those of the first film, who will most likely greet this latest news on the same level as blasphemy.

I guess we've just reached a point where Hollywood thinks a “groundbreaking” film is simply one that needs to be done again.

Hailee Steinfeld in talks to join 'Romeo and Juliet'

Hailee Steinfeld in "True Grit"

It's been a busy week for Academy Award-nominee Hailee Steinfeld.

Multiple sources reported today the "True Grit" actress is in talks to star in the latest adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the crew will include Italian director Carlo Carlie ("Flight of the Innocent"), screenwriter Julian Fellowes ("Gosford Park") and producer Garbiele Muccino (director of "The Pursuit of Happyness").

The news comes just over a week after reports had Steinfeld in talks to star Lindsay Devlin's unsold "Sleeping Beauty" project.

A debut role like Maddie Ross, not to mention an Academy Award nomination, will get you offers, and obviously this has been the case for Steinfeld. Of course one has to ask whether or not we really need another "Romeo and Juliet" adaptation, but it's hard to argue with the pedigrees behind it.

More interesting is the "Sleeping Beauty" project, which would reportedly follow Princess Aurora into a kind of dreamland during her long sleep.

Here's to whatever she does next.

'The Dark Knight Rises' to film in Pittsburgh

Batman is moving to Pittsburgh.

As first broken by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Christopher Nolan will be filming "The Dark Knight Rises," the third and reportedly final film in his Batman series, in the Steel City.

Chicago provided much of the exterior cityscapes for "Batman Begins" and crews spent 13 weeks in the city for "The Dark Knight," but the bat has flown the coop this time.

"Pittsburgh is a beautiful city," the Post-Gazette quoted Nolan. "We have been able to find everything we were looking for here, and I am excited to spend the summer in Pittsburgh with our final installment of Batman."

"We are thrilled to be welcoming the Batman film to Pittsburgh, and eager for the economic impact that our city will experience," Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said in a statement. "This is another example of the growing film industry in our community, and we will be rolling out the red carpet for them."

Nolan has done a wonderful job over the course of the two films so far in making Batman's Gotham City a character in its own right. Despite its name, "The Dark Knight" showcased much more of the city than its predecessor in the daylight.

So little is known about the story of "The Dark Knight Rises" it's hard to judge now just how the city will be portrayed and used by Nolan. The film is scheduled for release on July 20, 2012.

'Hunger Games' author, director defend latest casting decisions

Same song, different verse.

When Jennifer Lawrence ("Winter's Bone") was cast as Katniss Everdeen in the upcoming "The Hunger Games" adaptation, fans took the net to express their outrage, prompting author Suzanne Collins to publicly defend the decision.

Well, with Monday's announcement that Josh Hutcherson ("Bridge to Terabithia") and Liam Hemsworth ("The Last Song") would be playing Peeta Mellark and Gale Hawthorne respectively, the online outrage began anew.

Cue the defense.

This time Collins was joined by director Gary Ross and producer Nina Jacobs. According to Entertainment Weekly, Collins released a statement regarding Hutcherson, saying, “I was fortunate enough to be in the room with Gary Ross when Josh came in to audition. Three lines into the read I knew he’d be fantastic. Josh totally captured Peeta’s temperament, his sense of humor and his facility for language. I’m thrilled to have him aboard.”

Ross added that he feels Hutcherson can embody "every aspect" of Peeta's character.

Menwhile, Jacobs said, “Gale is a young man who uses words very sparingly, so the onus was on the actor we cast to capture him by showing, not telling. This was accomplished so beautifully in Suzanne’s writing, and Liam was able to translate it so naturally to the screen. At the same time, Gale’s journey across the three books transforms him, and Liam’s performance left no doubt that he would take us there.”

Of course, these statements shouldn't come as a huge surprise. If Ross and Jacobs didn't feel the actors were right for the roles, they wouldn't have cast them. Neither sport big enough names or resumes to speculate they were cast for any other reason.

Collins' opinion obviously holds a bit more weight in this regard, and it's interesting we don't have a direct quote from her about Hemsworth.

Hutcherson, Hemsworth join 'The Hunger Games'

The main cast for the film adaptation of Suzanne Collins' "The Hunger Games" is coming together with the announcement that Josh Hutcherson ("Bridge to Terabithia") will be playing Peeta Mellark and Liam Hemsworth ("The Last Song") will be Gale Hawthorne.

The pair join Jennifer Lawrence ("Winter's Bone"), who has already been cast in the lead role of Katniss Everdeen.

The trilogy of novels follows 16-year-old Katniss as she enters the Hunger Games, an annual event in which two children from each of the 12 districts of Panem are chosen to fight to the death for the Capital. Gale is her longtime friend and hunting partner, while Peeta is her counterpart also chosen from District 12 to play in the games.

Gary Ross ("Seabiscuit," "Pleasantville") is directing the adaptation with a screenplay from Billy Ray ("Flightplan," "State of Play").

Anytime you have a high-profile adaptation such as this, you're going to have controversies. Lawrence's casting sparked online outrage over everything from her hair color to her age, so much so that Collins came out and publicly supported the actress.

Now for round two.

I actually had Hutcherson on my shortlist for Peeta even though he doesn't have the blond hair the character sports in the books. I haven't seen "The Kids Are All Right," but based on work in "Bridge to Terabithia" and "Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant," I can see him being both the quite, reserved Peeta we first meet as well as the boy who can charm a nation with his words.

From what little I've perused the net on this, I seem to be in the majority in that opinion.

Hemsworth, however, is not feeling the love. Can't say I saw "The Last Song," so I don't have much to base an opinion of his acting chops. As far as his appearance, he's blond rather than dark-haired and seems a bit to thick to play the poor and malnourished Gale.

As usual, I'll reserve judgment until I actually see the movie.

'Superman' film will not tie into 'Justice League' either

With Warner Bros. executive Jeff Robinov's comments about Batman and 'Justice League' earlier this week, I didn't even mention director Zach Snyder's upcoming 'Superman' film.

And now it apparently doesn't matter, as Synder told HeyYouGuys.co.uk at the UK "Sucker Punch" premier that the two films will not be connected.

"Like what Chris Nolan is doing and what I’m doing with 'Superman,' what they’ll do with 'Justice League' will be it’s own thing with it’s own Batman and own Superman," Synder said. "We’ll be over here with our movie and they’ll kinda get to do it twice which is kinda cool."

This leaves only Green Lantern as potentially having a tie-in movie by the time a "Justice League" film would presumably begin production. Of course, Marvel is betting the farm on the opposite approach of introducing just about everyone before the "Avengers" ties together Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and The Hulk into one film.

It should make "Avengers" a more powerful film, but it also opens the super-franchise to a lot of risk. One bad movie could taint the entire system, as "Iron Man 2" came close to doing last summer.

It'll be at least two years before we see a "Justice League" film, but we're talking about one again. For DC, that has to be a victory in itself.