Last week we reported that Viola Davis going to be starring in Ender’s Game and Beautiful Creatures. The latter movie would be based on series of popular young adult novels that follow the story of two teenage lovers one of which uncovers dark secrets about their families, their history, and their town.

Now Variety has word that Jack O’Connell and Alice Englert have been given lead roles in Beautiful Creatures. According to the trade the movie will follow the two as they play two teenage lovers who “uncover dark secrets about their families, their history and their town.”

The movie will be based on Kami Carcia and Margaret Stohl’s Caster Chronicle series of the same name and will be directed by Richard LaGravenese (Living Out Loud, Freedom Writers, P.S. I Love You). The first book, Beautiful Creatures, tells the story of Ethan (Jack O’Connell) meeting a new town resident, Lena Duchannes, a 16-year-old whose family has moved to his small South Carolina town. Together they confront a curse that’s haunted her family for generations as she comes to grips with her powers.

Alcon Entertainment will be developing the movie at Warner Bros. With the Harry Potter series already completed and the Twilight series just about finished, Warner Bros is already looking for its next box office smashing series, and if its successful Beautiful Creatures may be the platform to kick things off.

Maven Pictures is preparing a movie adaption of Steve Martin’s novel An Object of Beauty and its already adding a star to its cast. The Hollywood reporter has word that Amy Adams (The Muppets and upcoming Trouble with the Curve) will act and produce in the movie. Maven Pictures’ Trudie Styler and Celine Rattray are also producing. The movie has yet to find a director. “We couldn’t be happier to be working with the brilliant Amy Adams on this adaptation of Steve Martin’s smart novel,” said producers Styler & Rattray.

Object of Beauty has yet to find a director and a writer, but with the recent hiring of Amy Adams, we should be hearing of a couple names being attached to the movie.
Here is the synopsis of the book that will be the basis of the movie:

Lacey Yeager is young, captivating, and ambitious enough to take the NYC art world by storm. Groomed at Sotheby’s and hungry to keep climbing the social and career ladders put before her, Lacey charms men and women, old and young, rich and even richer with her magnetic charisma and liveliness. Her ascension to the highest tiers of the city parallel the soaring heights–and, at times, the dark lows–of the art world and the country from the late 1990s through today.

I can’t imagine a better person than Amy Adams being attached to Object of Beauty, and from the premise alone it sounds like its right in her wheelhouse. The movie is still in the early stages of development, but you will keep you posted should there be any updates.

Two years ago, Harald Zwart surprised all of us (myself included) with his contemporary telling of The Karate Kid. The movie collected a hefty $250 million worldwide, so of course talks of a sequel would soon follow. Originally screenwriters Cyrus Voris and Ethan Reif were brought in to pen its sequel, but there hasn’t been any development with the movie and that bit of news was reported on over a year and a half ago.

Now Variety has word that Zak Penn is being hired to write the sequel to The Karate Kid, although the report does not mention if he will use the story drafted by Voris and Reif. We also don’t know if the Jackie Chan or Jaden Smith will be reprising their roles in the movie. But seeing as The Karate Kid was already a hit, its hard to believe that they won’t be coming back for a second time.

Penn has written a grab bag of good and bad movies, but the screenwriter has penned the Incredible Hulk, X2: X-Men United, and a few other underrated movies. So clearly he has the talent, it’s just sometimes his script doesn’t go to the right director, and because of that, he gets a reputation of being a bad screenwriter. But whatever happens, I am interested in seeing how The Karate Kid sequel develops. And hopefully Penn’s hiring can get things moving forward.

Do you believe that The Karate Kid deserves a sequel?

Just days before the release of Universal’s Safe House, Denzel Washington is near the completion of a deal that would have him star alongside Mark Wahlberg in 2 Guns, a movie based on the graphic novel by Steven Grant and published by BOOM! Studios.

The movie will follow the world of cops, thieves, and the citizens that are caught in between the two, Trench is planning to hit a local bank and has asked Steadman to assist on the job. Trench believes that stealing money from the mob is the best way to earn a score. They’ll be thieves ripping off thieves. But what Steadman doesn’t know is that Trench is a DEA agent. And what Trench doesn’t know is that Steadman’s got his own secret and isn’t who he appears to be.

There is no word on what the tone will be like in the movie, but it has been said that the story is in the same vein as Ocean’s 13 and the Italian Job. 2 Guns will be directed by Baltasar Kormakur (Contraband), who will use a script written by Blake Masters. The movie has no release date.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt doesn’t show any signs of slowing down and appears to be evolving his career from acting into directing. Though he has his very own production company, Hit Record Joe, Gordon-Levitt hasn’t directed a full length-feature film. Now a report from Deadline, has Gordon-Levitt directing a comedy about a modern day Don Juan, who is trying to change his ways. Not only will Gordon-Levitt be directing the comedy, but he will also be starring in the lead role. The actor-now-director has described the movie role as something one that people wouldn’t necessarily have thought of me for.” Joining him will be The Avengers’ actress Scarlett Johansson, although her role in the movie has yet to be defined.

According to the report, the project will a joint venture between Ram Bergman Productions in association with Hit Record Films, and will start shooting in April. This is a very exciting time for Gordon-Levitt. The actor has worked with some of the biggest directors in Hollywood and during that time Gordon-Levitt did more that just perform in a couple of scenes. He watched how these directors worked. “I spent a year working with Chris Nolan, Rian Johnson, Steven Spielberg and I did my best to pay attention. I’ve also been making short films for a long time now, I’ve directed a ton of them, and that is a huge part of why I feel comfortable and confident in this.”

With this directorial debut now on the horizon, Gordon-Levitt may have depart from his role in Quentin Tarantino’s spaghetti-western slave-era driven drama Django Unchained, due to the time constraints that directing a movie brings. However, Tarantino seems to be happy that Gordon-Levitt is leaving to take a stab at directing. The actor was upfront with the possibility of leaving his relativiely small role to direct. Gordon-Levitt said. “He was so cool and encouraging. He said, ‘You strike me as the kind of guy who would want to direct,’ and I took that as high praise.”

This Means War isn’t 20th Century Fox’s only movie that they are rescheduling. The movie studio has finally settled on a release date for The Wolverine, the sequel to X-Men: Origins: Wolverine. The film has met many production delays, the most recent occurred when Japan suffered a devastating earthquake last year. But now things are back on track, and Fox will be releasing The Wolverine on July 26, 2013.

Directed by James Mangold with a script written by Christopher McQuarrie and rewrites by Mark Bomback, The Wolverine stars Hugh Jackman, who is reprising his role as the titular character. The movie will follow the metallic clawed mutant into Japan, where he finds a forbidden romance between himself and a soon-to-be married woman. Not only does Wolverine take on the would-be husband, but he also has to clash with the native gang and their leader the Silver Samurai.

The new release date tentatively puts the project up against Lionsgate’s Dirty Dancing remake and Walt Disney Pictures’ Phineas and Ferb film.

In order to capitalize on Valentine’s Day, Fox pushed up the release date to the action romance comedy This Means War to the infamous February 14th date. At first the I though, this would be perfect for a dinner and a movie date, and it’s a movie guys can get behind since its an action packed film with names like Chris Pine and Tom Hardy trying to woo Reese Witherspoon. So what could go wrong? Well when you have a movie adaptation of a Nicolas Sparks novel, a lot could go wrong. And it would seem that strong tracking for The Vow, has forced Fox to push back the release date for This Means War to February 17th.

Originally, This Means War, wasn’t even scheduled for a February 14th release date, but as aforementioned, Fox thought it would take advantage of the most romantic day of the year, but releasing it on Valentine’s Day. But interest in the movie has been low, while its competitor, The Vow, has been high. In this case, the women have the say when it comes to Valentine’s Day, and they say they want a pure romance movie, not one that combines action elements. Sorry guys, you are on your own. Better pack that slingbox while you are watching The Vow. [Deadline]

For as long as I can remember, the Academy Awards has been performing the Best Original Song live in front of a global audience. Sure some of these songs mght not have been as memorable as the others, but they are a tribute to not only the song, but the movie itself. This year, Rio is nominated for Real in Rio, and The Muppets is nominated for Man or Muppet. However they might not even get the chance to perform seeing that this year’s Awards might skip the performances altogether.

Nothing is set in stone as of yet, but producers are considering omitting the performances from the event, something that doesn’t sit well with 20th Century Fox and Disney. Both studios have protested on the behalf of their movies, and with such wonderful songs as the nominated ones, it would be ashame for the Awards show to forego a live performance of these songs.

According to Deadline, “The show is not locked yet. Decisions about this and other things continue to be evaluated by the team trying to produce the most entertaining 3 hours possible,” one authoritative source just emailed us. “Someone ‘leaking’ this possibility to you is just another way for people to try and influence the creative direction of the show. And there have been Oscar shows that did not have the nom songs performed.”

The site also mentions Alan Carr’s infamous 1989 Oscars performed no songs, and another recent broadcast presented a clip reel of the warbling.

Personally, I’d like to see Jason Segel, Walter, and Jim Parsons (with Bret McKenzie of course) sing the existential song “Man or Muppet” and can you imagine the electricity with a live performance of “Real in Rio.” So yes I would love to see a performance of this year’s Best Songs.

Below are videos of the nominated songs.

Based on Seth Grahame-Smith’s novel of the same name, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire: Hunter is directed by Timur Bekmambetov and stars Benjamin Walker as the titular hero. 20th Century Fox will release Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter 3D on June 22, 2012.

Yesterday we reported that Harrison Ford was in early talks to reprise Deckard in the forthcoming sequel for Blade Runner, but it appears those talks were merely just rumors stirred up by someone. According to Deadline, there were no talks between Alcon Entertainment and Harrison Ford, and that talks are “unlikely” to happen. that the film will develop in a way that will require the actor.

Well I hope that the movie would develop in a way that it would require an actor. All joking aside, producer Andrew Kosove confirmed that the rumored talks are absolutely patently false that there has been any discussion about Harrison Ford being in Blade Runner. He also told the site, likening Scott’s current approach to what he’s doing with Prometheus. “To be clear, what we are trying to do with Ridley now is go through the painstaking process of trying to break the back of the story, figure out the direction we’re going to take the movie and find a writer to work on it.”

Talks of Ford reprising his role sparked an online debate on whether or not the actor, who has been on the slide as of late, deserves to return. The one standout argument is the actor’s appearance in the movie would ruin Blade Runner’s central enigma: whether Deckard is himself a replicant.

Check out the latest trailer for Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man, starring Andrew Garfield.

Watch the trailer in HD on Facebook.

Initally I was worried that this incartion of Spider-Man would be too similair to that of Sam Raimi’s, even with the new costume and early look from the first trailer. But based on this trailer, its safe to say that Marc Webb has separated his Spider-Man from Raimi’s. For one thing, Webb’s Spider-Man will be more faithful to the character in the comics. The amount of quips and sarcasm that this Spider-Man brings in the movie was never seen in Raimi’s version. Then there’s the webshooters. The footage looks amazing, a lot of it looks really grounded outside the insane collapsing building, which we can assume will be used in the third act of the movie. And with today’s technology, the its getting harder and harder to tell what is and is not CGI.

I am also surprised that Webb can make such a seamless transition from romantic comedy to a comic book action movie. Of course there are some hints of his directorial debut, and that’s okay. As far as I am concerned, this movie will be one surprising summer hit and in more ways than one.

Here is the official movie synopsis.

“The Amazing Spider-Man” is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Stone), and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents’ disappearance – leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father’s former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors’ alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.

Directed by Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer) The Amazing Spider-Man stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, and Rhys Ifans. The movie also stars Martin Sheen, Sally Field, Dennis Leary, and Iffran Khan. Columbia Pictures will release The Amazing Spider-Man in 3D and IMAX 3D on July 3rd, 2012.

Long before Todd Phillips found success in two Hangover movies, the director helmed Old School, Road Trip, and the PG-13 adaptation of Starsky and Hutch. But it was the Hangover movies that put Phillips on the comedic map and gave Warner Bros. an ample amount of box office revenue. While Phillips and his team prepares for The Hangover Part III and the promotional tour for Project X, Deadline reports that Warner Bros. is extending its deal with the director’s Green Hat Films through 2013 and revealed the company’s upcoming projects:

Mule – a movie about a young couple’s desperate turn to drug trafficking in order to make ends meet.

Arms and the Dudes – a movie about two drug addicts who discover their success in arms dealing but hit rock bottom when the government raids their compound.

The Island – Details on this movie are being kept under wraps. Due Date’s Adam Sztykiel wrote the script.

Million Dollar Strong – Feature film version of the YouTube and Funny or Die shorts from Ken Jeong and Mike O’Connell.

Out of the four, three of these movies sound like they are in Todd Phillips wheelhouse But with The Island being kept under wraps, its hard to tell if its something that Phillips is willing to pursue. So out of those three films, assuming he picks on of them, Mule and Arms and the Dudes are the projects that I am most interested in seeing coming to fruition. Of course this is merely a short list of films he could direct, and there is no confirmation that he will direct any of them.

Here is the official press release from Warner Bros:

Warner Bros. Pictures has extended its first-look deal with writer/director/producer Todd Phillips’ Green Hat Films through the end of 2013. The announcement was made today by Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Group and Office of the President.

Phillips, who most recently directed, wrote, and produced the studio’s record-breaking 2011 hit comedy “The Hangover Part II,” has been based at Warner Bros. since 2005.

“Todd’s been a cherished member of the Warner family for a long time, and the comedic genius he’s brought to the big screen has made for an extraordinarily successful partnership,” said Robinov. “We’re excited to extend our relationship and eagerly anticipate more great movies from Todd and Green Hat.”

“I’m really excited to renew my partnership with Jeff Robinov and everyone at Warner Bros.,” said Phillips. “I am so grateful that they will continue to provide me with a platform to satisfy my endless hunger for revenge and schadenfreude…you know who you are.”

As part of the announcement, Green Hat also unveiled its current development slate, which includes “Mule,” based on the acclaimed novel by Tony D’Souza about a young couple who turn to drug trafficking to make it through the recession. Phillips will produce with Green Hat’s Scott Budnick and Hunting Lane Films; “Arms And The Dudes,” based on a Rolling Stone article by Guy Lawson that follows two stoners from Miami Beach who become big-time arms dealers, until the Pentagon turned on them. Philips and Budnick are producing with Mark Gordon and Brian Zuriff; “The Island” with story by Travis Fickett and Terry Matalas, and a screenplay by Adam Sztykiel (“Due Date”). Phillips will produce with Budnick executive producing; and “Million Dollar Strong” based on the YouTube and FunnyOrDie sensation “What’s It Gonna Be” by Mike O’Connell and Ken Jeong. Phillips will produce with Budnick and Management 360 executive producing. Mike O’Connell and Peter Kline (“The Living Wake”) are writing the screenplay.

Phillips, whose first three films under the initial deal have generated more than $1.2 billion at the global box-office, produced the upcoming Warner Bros.’ film “Project X,” a comedy about three high school seniors who try to make a name for themselves by throwing an epic party that quickly spirals out-of-control. The movie, which Green Hat produced with Joel Silver and his Warner-based Silver Pictures, opens in theaters March 2, 2012.

Phillips’ first project under his deal at Warner Bros. was 2009’s smash hit “The Hangover,” which went on to become the highest-grossing R-rated comedy both domestically and internationally. The film retained those box office records until its sequel, “The Hangover Part II,” quickly surpassed the original to become the biggest R-rated comedy ever, earning a staggering $581 million worldwide.

Phillips also wrote, directed, and produced the 2010 Warner Bros. comedy “Due Date,” which paired Robert Downey, Jr. and Zach Galifianakis as unlikely travel companions forced to trek across the country together. Additional credits include “Old School,” “Starsky & Hutch” and “Road Trip.”

Ever since Disney announced that would be releasing Wreck-it-Ralph at the D23 Expo last year, there hasn’t been too many updates from animated feature based on various characters and generations of videos games and arcades. Course the movie is still in the early stages of development, so we really can’t expect too much. Now CineHeroes has revealed a couple of concept images from the film. Wreck-it Ralph will feature the voices of John C. Reilly as the titular character, an 8-bit character who is tried of being a bad guy and decides to prove he can be a hero too. Along his journey across the worlds of various arcades, he meets Sgt. Calhoun (Jane Lynch) a space soldier and defender of the galaxy. Sarah Silverman and Jack McBrayer will also lend their voices in the movie. Wreck-It Ralph opens November 12th.