Michael Caine to make Now You See Me even more awesome

Based on potential alone, Louis Leterrier's heist flick, Now You See Me, would be the greatest film ever. The novel concept alone was enough to get me pretty jazzed for it, featuring a super team of illusionists who use their act to commit bank robberies. That is until a specialized FBI unit is put together to bring them down. It sounds like a ton of fun, but the cast is what truly sets it apart.

Already starring Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Morgan Freeman, Melanie Laurent, and Woody Harrelson, Michael Caine is set to add his veteran presence. Moviehole broke the news, with ThePlaylist confirming he'll play Arthur Tressler, the man who sponsors the magicians' schemes. Here's hoping he gets to pull a few tricks himself, the way Caine did so beautifully in Christopher Nolan's The Prestige.

Now You See Me will open on January 18th 2013.

Liam Hemsworth, Dane DeHaan and a ton of others looking to star in The Host opposite Saoirse Ronan

Even though it may suck something fierce, Stephanie Meyer's Twilight novels are pretty easy to follow. A healthy dose of teen angst, with the ferocious emotions of young love, add vampires and werewolves, and there ya go. So I'll be curious to see if the adaptation of her far more confusing novel, The Host, will be nearly as successful.

Set to star Saoirse Ronan(Atonement), the story is set in the future where alien "souls" have taken over the planet. Wanderer is a veteran soul who has lived on multiple planets and posesssed many hosts before, but when she takes over the body of rebel fighter Mel Stryder(Ronan), she becomes overwhelmed by the power of human emotion, and Mel's desire to find her missing boyfriend and brother.

Trailer Time: We Need To Talk About Kevin, starring Tilda Swinton and Ezra Miller

Between Beautiful Boy and Lynn Ramsay's upcoming film, We Need To Talk About Kevin, it's been a tough year for parents on the big screen. Both films deal in some way with parents trying to cope after their sons commit terrible, VA Tech style massacres.  Beautiful Boy was a decent film that I think wallowed too much in it's own misery, but I'm curious to see how Ramsay's movie shakes out. It's certainly been the focus of a lot of praise and admiration, not just for the director but for Tilda Swinton's heroic performance. It's opening in limited on December 9th to make sure it's open for an Oscar push, and then it'll expand some time next year.

A new trailer has been released, and it shows we're going to get more of a look into the forces which molded the boy(played by City Island's Ezra Miller) into what he eventually becomes, and how Swinton's character seems unprepared to do anything about it. I can't wait. Check it out below....

Dave Bautista, Katee Sackhoff offered roles in third 'Chronicles of Riddick' film

So things don't seem to be going all that well for Vin Diesel and his self financed, R-rated third installment of The Chronicles of Riddick series, currently titled Dead Man Stalking. Yesterday TMZ reported that production on the film had come to a sudden halt because Diesel's production company, One Race Films, had failed to pay the Montreal studio where it's being shot. D'oh.  How much of that is true or not is yet to be known, but in the meantime there's been some offers made to some folks in case filming ever gets rollin' again.

Ex-WWE superstar turned failed MMA grappler Dave Bautista, Katee Sackhoff(Battlestar Galactica), Bokeem Woodbine(Strapped), and Andrea Aspergis have been made offers to join the film, which Diesel hopes to release some time in 2012. Last month it was reported that Karl Urban would be back to reprise his role as Necromonger Vaako from the last film, although to the best of my knowledge that hasn't actually been confirmed. Someone fill me in if you know for sure.

For that special Twilight fan in your life....

Dudes, you know that to the Twilight fanatic in your life, you can't possibly compete with the glittery glow of vampire Edward Cullen. At night she dreams of herself in Bella's shoes, embraced by the soulless fanger, and lusted after by a shirtless Native American werewolf.  It's a wonder she doesn't call out their names at night. What can you possibly do? Not much, probably, but this is a start.

You can make her feel like Bella Swan for a little while with this replica Breaking Dawn engagement ring and wedding band. For only $29.99, it'll be like you were really Edward proposing to your human counterpart. And you might even get some. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn pt. 1 hits theaters on November 18th, so make "dinner and a movie night" even more special. Buy yours today right here!

Oliva Wilde wins the female lead in Burt Wonderstone; Steve Buscemi comes aboard

Over the last few days a number of actresses were testing for the female lead in the Steve Carell/Jim Carrey comedy, Burt Wonderstone. The list included Olivia Wilde, Judy Greer, Sarah Silverman, Michelle Monaghan, and Jessica Biel. An impressive grouping, no doubt, but I was clearly on the side of Silverman or Greer winning out. Over the weekend it came down to Silverman(who was awesome on The Rachel Maddow Show last week) and Wilde, and unfortunately the overused Wilde came out victorious. Aw shucks.

Anthony LaPaglia to play Joseph Gordon-Levitt's brother in Django Unchained

We haven't seen much of Anthony LaPaglia on the big screen lately, with him spending the bulk of the last few years in the CBS series, Without a Trace. In fact I don't think I've seen him in anything since Winter Solstice back in 2005, although I've heard extremely good things about the controversial film, Balibo, which will probably never land on American shores anyway. That's ok, because LaPaglia has just signed on for a small role in a film that's guaranteed to make waves here and everywhere else, joining Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained.

Deadline has the news, stating that LaPaglia will play one of a greedy group of Australians escorting a group of recently purchased slaves. There they'll encounter freed slave turned bounty hunter, Django(Jamie Foxx), and I'm assuming things don't go well. He and the recently signed Joseph Gordon-Levitt will play "mean brothers" in the film, with one more brother yet to be cast. Just how big the parts are is unclear, but I speculated last week that certain roles might get bigger with Tarantino doing a rewrite. These seem like prime candidates for that.

Django Unchained is set to hit theaters Christmas Day 2012!

Sure Shots: Logan's Run; Mads Mikkelsen; John Goodman

* We're probably still a couple of years away from seeing Nicolas Winding Refn and Ryan Gosling's Logan's Run remake, with the duo having a number of films upcoming. Still the project is deep in in the screenwriting phase, with the original draft written by Alex Garland(28 Days Later), and polished by Will Beall(Gangster Squad). Now THR reports up 'n coming writer Andrew Baldwin has stepped in to do a fresh rewrite. Production isn't set to begin until later next year, after Refn completes his Bangkok set crime flick, Only God Gorgives.

* I keep hoping Mads Mikkelsen(Casino Royale, After the Wedding) will become as big as a star here as he is in his native Denmark, but it isn't likely to happen when he keeps getting roles in crap flicks like Clash of the Titans and The Three Musketeers. It's when Mikkelsen dives into tougher, dramatic material that he's at his best, so this next film sounds promising. He's set to star in The Hunt, a film by Dogme 95 founder Thomas Vinterberg(The Celebration). Written by Vinterberg and Tobias Lindholm, Mikkelsen will feature as a man from a small rural town who is accused of child abuse. Cheery stuff. [ScreenDaily]

* Considering he's played so many memorable characters for The Coen Brothers in the past, it's been way too long since John Goodman made a film with the duo. Not since O Brother,  Where Art Thou? That's changing now as Goodman has secured an unspecified role in their folk music film, Inside Llewyn Davis. Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan are set to star, with Justin Timberlake looking likely for another leading role. [Showbiz411]

Trailer Time: Sand Sharks, starring Brooke Hogan and Corin Nemec

My strange fascination with Brooke Hogan continues with this new trailer for her upcoming Asylum-inspired, SyFy Channel bound flick, Sand Sharks. What's it about? It's about sharks who can swim in the sand. And they kill folks. What else would it be about? No, this is not to be confused with 2 Headed Shark Attack, the other underwater predator flick she was filming a few months ago.

Directed by Mark Atkins, a master of ripoff sci-fi flicks like Transmorphers and Battle of Los Angeles, the film also stars Corin Nemec(Park Lewis Can't Lose), Vanessa Evigan, and Gina Holden. Other than Nemec I have no clue who these people are, and frankly I don't think I've seen Nemec since Drop Zone back in 1994.

Anyway, check out the trailer below, courtesy of our friends at Shocktilyoudrop...

Blu-Ray Deal of the Week: Rambo-The Complete Collector's Set

Sylvester Stallone isn't letting old age slow him down with The Expendables 2, Bullet to the Head, and now The Tomb clogging up his busy action movie schedule. No matter how many films he does, he'll be remembered for his two most iconic: Rocky, and the troubled Vietnam vet, John Rambo. This week on Amazon.com you can get the Rambo: The Complete Collector's Set for only $25! That's all four movies, from First Blood to 2008's Rambo, for more than 55% off the retail price. That's little more than $6 per Blu-Ray, and the set includes over 20 hours of bonus content.

Take advantage of this amazing deal today, but your Rambo collector's set here!

James Cameron's Fantastic Voyage now a love story; script 2/3 complete

It may seem like Shawn Levy(Real Steel) has a new project every other week, but don't let that fool you, he's still very much on board to direct a remake of Fantastic Voyage for producer James Cameron. He'll probably tackle his version of Frankenstein first, then maybe a new take on Pinocchio, plus there's the Real Steel sequel he's confirmed to return for. Somehow amongst all that he'll find time for Fantastic Voyage, which according to recent statements by James Cameron is going to diverge from the 1966 classic about a team of scientists who shrink down and enter the body of a colleague to save his life. Cameron told Deadline...

Rumor: The Star Trek 2 villains revealed...

It's no secret that JJ Abrams' is a big fan of the warrior race known as the Klingons. He wanted to use them in a major subplot in the first of his Star Trek films, but had to cut it out. The Klingons have gone through many different forms since their creation in the 1960s, from extremely tanned humans to ridge-headed aliens, so it'd be interesting to see what Abrams would do with them in his own rebooted universe. A new rumor from the reasonably reliable Trekbrasilis notes a source who says the Klingons will indeed be the villains in the Star Trek sequel, set to start shooting next winter.

Another part of the rumor says that there'll be no time travel used in the film, but all of this should be taken with a grain of salt at this point. The Klingons started as a sort of allegory for the Russians, but in later incarnations became noble and fierce warriors who eventually became (mostly) allies of Starfleet. The sudden change in appearance and demeanor, established with Star Trek: The Motion Picture, has been the source of a lot of humor when characters bring it up. I seem to recall Lt. Worf bristling at trying to explain what the heck was going on with earlier versions of his own race. It was later explained completely in an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise.

I really want to see what Abrams' will do with the robotic hive mind that is The Borg, but they're probably the most popular Trek villains and won't be around for awhile. So we'll see how this shakes out, but considering the secretive nature of most Abrams productions, it probably won't be any time soon.

Advance screening for Like Crazy, starring Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones

A winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Drama at this year's Sundance Film Festival, Like Crazy is a film we've talk about a lot here on this site. And now that we've seen it, we can reveal it was all for a very good reason. Starring Anton Yelchin(Star Trek, Fright Night), Felicity Jones, and Jennifer Lawrence(Winter's Bone), the film takes a passionate look at a pair of young lovers ripped apart when she overstays her VISA and is banned from entering the United States. We want you to have a chance to check out this powerful new film directed by Drake Doremus, and so we're offering the first 50 people to respond to this post a chance to attend a screening held on Tuesday November 1st at 7:00pm at a Washington DC Theater.

To qualify, you MUST be a fan of Punch Drunk Critics on Facebook. Simply leave a comment on this post with your name and email address to win. We'll be using Gofobo's ticketing system for this event, so if you haven't done so already please register with the site now. If selected we'll send you an email with your unique Gofobo code with which to download your passes.

A handful of new clips from The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn pt. 1

It's literally gut check time for Bella and Edward in the first of these new clips for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, the first chapter of the long awaited, much desired finale. In it, we get to hear Bella talk about her period, which is always fun, and watch Edward prove that even guy vampires can do little more than gawk stupidly when the subject comes up. Check out all three clips below....

Original The Hills Have Eyes star joins Rob Zombie's The Lords of Salem

If you don't recognize the name Michael Berryman, I guarantee you'll remember him on sight. The horror vet has probably has an even more distinctive look than somebody like Ron Perlman, the result of being born with hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia. This rare genetic disorder causes him to be unable to grow hair or fingernails, and Berryman has used his unique appearance to feature in such films as the original The Hills Have Eyes, The Guyver, and The Devil's Rejects. If you saw Weird Science, you might recognize him as the armpit sniffing gang biker. Berryman's 'Rejects' director, Rob Zombie, took to Facebook to announce his late addition to the cast of The Lords of Salem...

Zombie: "Michael Berryman is the latest name to join the crew down in merry old Salem as Virgil Magnus, 50% of a well-known witch hunting duo called The Brothers"

 The film is nearly a month into shooting, with a release planned for some time in 2012. Sheri Moon Zombie, Christopher Knight, Meg Foster, Billy Drago, Lisa Marie, Ernest Thomas, and many more are set to star. Check out the official plot synopsis below...

Tops at the Box Office: Puss In Boots scratches it's way to #1

1. Puss In Boots- $34 million
Who knows how much the surprise east coast snow affected moviegoers, but Puss in Boots' $34M opening is pretty low when compared to previous Shrek films, the lowest of which opened at nearly $71M back in 2010. Still it's hard to gauge what the expectations were for a spinoff of a popular franchise. The film has been in development for years since back when Shrek was in it's heyday, and the trailers made it look like a dusty old leftover, but the response has been strong from critics and audience alike. 51% of the audience took to the film in 3D, while roughly 7% was generated via IMAX screenings. If Shrek is truly over, expect to see more Puss In Boots in the near future.

Sure Shots: Kirsten Dunst; Arthur & Lancelot; Bradley Cooper

* Nothing has made me happier over the last year than watching Kirsten Dunst finally take her career to the next level with extraordinary performances in All Good Things and most recently Lars Von Trier's Melancholia. Next on her list appears to be Cities, a film by Roger Donaldson(The Bank Job) telling three stories affected in some way by the world financial crisis. The film stars Clive Owen, Anil Kapoor(Slumdog Millionaire), and Dunst's Elizabethtown co-star, Orlando Bloom.

* After being top listed alongside Kit Harrington for one of the two lead roles in David Dobkin's upcoming Arthur & Lancelot, Joel Kinnaman(Snabba Cash) has landed the part of Lancelot in the film. While details are still thin, Dobkin's version is a contemporary reimagining of the classic tale of Arthur's Knights of the Roundtable. Kinnaman has seen his career explode in the last year, with the biggest boost yet coming soon as part of David Fincher's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Arthur & Lancelot will begin shooting next year for a planned release on March 15th 2013. [THR]

* Two step forward, once massive step back for Bradley Cooper. After scoring big in Limitless, and lining up some great flicks like The Place Beyond the Pines, Paradise Lost, and The Silver Linings Playbook, Cooper is set to star in some bullcrap called Outrun written, co-directed, and starring Dax Shepard(Without a Paddle). Co-directed by David Palmer, the film features Shepard as an ex-wheelman in the Witness Protection Program, who breaks the rules by driving his girlfriend(Shepard's real life gal Kristen Bell) to LA for her dream job, but soon finds himself pursued by the Feds and his old gang, of which Cooper will be a part. Ugh.  Tom Arnold co-stars, so you know this must be good. *snort* [Deadline]

James Gandolfini in talks to join Steve Carell comedy, Burt Wonderstone

While the search continues for a female lead to star opposite Steve Carell and Jim Carrey in the magician rivalry comedy, Burt Wonderstone, there doesn't seem to be any dispute over who they want to fill one of the film's other major roles. Variety reports that James Gandolfini(The Sopranos) has entered talks to play a different kind of "boss" this time, as the casino owner who employs the title character.

Steve Carell plays Wonderstone, one half of a failed Las Vegas magic duo who must reunite to square off against a younger, hipper upstart(Carrey). Gandolfini will play Doug Munny, a billionaire who own the Aztec casino where the duo perform their act.

Don Scardino is directing, based on a script initially written by the Horrible Bosses duo of John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, but was given a fresh rewrite by Jason Reitman(Up in the Air). Gandolfini will be seen next in the potential Oscar contender, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.

Robert De Niro replaces Nic Cage in Killing Season; John McTiernan no longer directing

Well, those hoping Shrapnel would be the long awaited reunion of Face/Off stars Nic Cage and John Travolta will have to hope for something else crazy to pop up in the future, because it ain't happenin' now. Back in March it was reported the duo would re-team for Shrapnel, which was set to be directed by 1980s directing icon, John McTiernan(Predator), and sounds like a film tailor made for all three. Written by Evan Daugherty(Snow White and the Huntsman), the story follows two Bosnian War vets, an American(Cage) and a Serb(Travolta), who square off in a deadly game of cat and mouse in the Rockies.

Now it's looking like something totally different. First off, Cage is no longer involved, having dropped out over the summer(something I missed). He's been replaced by Robert De Niro of all people, playing the American soldier. De Niro showed there's still some spring in those old legs in the otherwise terrible Killer Elite, but there's no way he can match Cage's....eccentricity. Let's put it that way.

Trailer Time: The Innkeepers, directed by Ti West

In the new wave of horror maestros, right alongside folks like Eli Roth and Adam Green, the name Ti West has to be right there amongst them. The director first made some waves a few years ago as director of Cabin Fever 2, a follow-up to Roth's own film, and one which was so extensively re-edited by the studio that West asked to have his name taken off. That request was denied, but fans nonetheless applauded his attempt to maintain his creative vision. But it was really with 2009's The House of the Devil which put him to the top of the horror list. I still haven't seen it, but according to my friends who are diehards of the genre, it's an effective old school style thriller...

West's next film is The Innkeepers, a haunted house flick following the last two employees at the Yankee Pedlar Hotel, due to shut it's doors after a century of service. Long thought to be one of the most haunted places in New England, the two decide to investigate it's many mysteries, and along with an odd assortment of new guests, begin experiencing a number of strange occurrences.   Sara Paxton(Shark Night 3D), Pat Healy, and Kelly McGillis(Top Gun) star. After debuting to a fairly mixed response at SXSW, The Innkeepers is expected to open next year on February 3rd. Check out the trailer  below....

Trailer Time: ParaNorman, featuring Kodi Smit-McPhee and Casey Affleck

I've heard so much about ParaNorman coming out of last summer's San Diego Comic-Con that it's become one of the rare animated films I'm actually looking forward to. Stop-motion animation doesn't generally appeal to me but I found a new love for it after the near perfect adaptation of Coraline a couple of years ago, and with the people behind that film putting their energies into ParaNorman, it gives me more reason to get excited.

Directed by Sam Fell(Flushed Away) and Chris Butler, this Tim Burton-esque horror/comedy follows a misunderstood boy named Norman(Kodi Smit-McPhee) who must come to his town's aid when it's overrun by zombies and other spooks of the night. Casey Affleck, Leslie Mann, Tempest Bledsoe, John Goodman, Anna Kendrick, Elaine Stritch, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse lend their vocal talents to the film, due out on August 17th 2012. Check out the creepy new teaser trailer, with a score backed by Donovan's 'Season of the Witch'.....

The Sunday Drive: 10/30/11

3. The Rum Diary
Fans of Hunter S. Thompson will relish the opportunity to see Johnny Depp embody the Gonzo journalist yet again. In an early tale of the anti-hero/activist, Thompson finds himself in another liquor and drug fueled escapade, battling greedy land barons and falling in love with a dangerous woman.

The Coen Brothers offer Justin Timberlake a role in folk music tale, Inside Llewyn Davis

The Coen Brothers are many things, but stupid isn't one of them. All of their films have an authenticity to them that others fail to reach. Even an absurd flick like Raising Arizona makes sense in it's own little world. So for their folk music film, Inside Llewyn Davis, they've been seeking out actors with an equal musical talent. And now they're seeking to add the most talented actor/musician in the game today in Justin Timberlake.

Arnold Schwarzenegger lines up Black Sands, yet another lame sounding action flick

It's understandable that after being away so long from the Hollywood spotlight, Arnold Schwarzenegger would want to fill his schedule with movies that remind people of when he was considered great. Like in the 1980s. Y'know, those movies when he barely spoke two dozen words and carried around weapons the size of small homes. But those movies kinda went away for awhile, and since he came back it's like he lit a fire under the whole genre.

Arnie is set to star in Black Sands, which sounds like something they'd have been begging John McTiernan to direct twenty years ago. He'll play a loner who wages wear against a weapons manufacturer and his private army. Steven Seagal made this movie once before, only he replaced the weapons manufacturer with Jamaicans and called it Marked for Death. Or actually Arnie made this movie before, too, back when it was called Commando. Or Eraser. Ugh. The tone of Black Sands is described as Man on Fire meets High Plains Drifter. In theory, that sounds awesome. Considering the creative folks involved I have no hope that's what we'll get.

The script comes courtesy of Skip Woods, responsible for X-men Origins: Wolverine and the upcoming fifth Die Hard film. So this is clearly a brainy affair we're lookin' at. Scott Waugh and Mike McCoy, the duo behind the "real life Navy Seals" movie, Act of Valor, will be behind the camera. Production kicks off, fittingly, on April 1st 2012. [Deadline]

1st official look at Ryan Gosling in The Place Beyond the Pines

In Drive, Ryan Gosling proved to us how much of a kick ass tough guy he could be, playing a stuntman who moonlights as a criminal wheelman with a strict code you'd best not cross. In The Place Beyond the Pines, his second film with Blue Valentine director Derek Cianfrance, he's playing a guy who doesn't appear to be all that different on the surface. With the exception that he's sporting a slick motorcycle rather than a sports car.

We've posted a few photos of Gosling on set before, with his new tattoo and blond hair, but the above image is the first official image from the film. Looks pretty badass. The multi-generational story focus on Luke, a motorcycle stuntman who takes to crime in an effort to support his son. However he ends up crossing paths with a cop turned politician, kicking off a feud that lasts for years and soon envelops their own children. Whether this turns out to have the same sort of Oscar heat that Blue Valentine had remains to be seen. Bradley Cooper, Rose Byrne, Eva Mendes, Ben Mendolsohn, Ray Liotta, Max Martini, Dane DeHaan, and Emory Cohen co-star.

Bill Murray, Patricia Arquette, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead join A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III

The Coppola family has been very good to Bill Murray. The last time he was nominated for an Oscar it was eight years ago for his stunning performance in Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation. Now with her brother, Roman, preparing his first film in over a decade, Bill is coming along for the ride, signing on for a role in A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III.

Along with other new additions Patricia Arquette and Mary Elizabeth Winstead(*swoon*), Murray joins the film about a successful and famous graphic designer, with a charm that makes him irresistible to women. But when his girlfriend suddenly breaks up with him, his life goes into a tailspin.  Charlie Sheen stars as the title character, with Jason Schwartzmann, Katheryn Winnick, and Aubrey Plaza.

For Murray, he tends to be choosy on the roles he takes. Just look at the way he's held Ghostbusters 3 hostage for what feels like an eternity now. With production already underway on 'Charles Swan', here's hoping this further cements his decision to not rehash that long dead franchise. He's better than Ghostbusters at this point, and is making far more interesting films now than he ever has in his career. [Variety]

Sure Shots: Thunder Run; The Silver Linings Playbook; Robert Ludlum

* Movie hunk overload! Gerard Butler, Matthew McConaughey, and Sam Worthington have signed on to star in Thunder Run, a long gestating(like four years!!) Iraq War film from director Simon West(Con Air). Based on David Zucchino and Mark Bowden's non-fiction book, the motion capture, 3D film tells a story of the capture of Baghdad by American forces at the beginning of the Iraq War. Considering the beefcake potential of the cast, why would any studio choose to do this in any way other than live-action? Weird. [Thompson on Hollywood] 

* John Ortiz(Public Enemies) has joined the cast of David O. Russell's upcoming film, The Silver Linings Playbook. Starring Bradley Cooper, it centers on Pat Peoples, a former high school teacher released from a psychiatric institution into the care of his mother(Jacki Weaver), and tries to get a fresh start at life. Julia Stiles, Robert De Niro, Jennifer Lawrence, and Chris Tucker co-star, with Ortiz playing Peoples' best friend. [Variety]

* The novels of late author Robert Ludlum have proven to be a popular and lucrative choice for studios looking to score with intelligent espionage films. The Jason Bourne series is a prime example of Ludlum at the top of his game, but his work has been adapted half a dozen other times as well. Universal has tapped John Hlavin to adapt Ludlum's posthumous novel, The Janson Directive, about an ex-Navy Seal turned security consultant who goes on the run after the government issues a termination order against him. [Deadline]

Writer says Beetlejuice sequel must star Michael Keaton

I don't recall anybody cracking open champagne and doing cartwheels when it was announced that plans were underway for a sequel to Tim Burton's 1988 comedy classic, Beetlejuice. Certainly not me, and not just because I think the original doesn't hold up over time, but because no actor is identified more with a single character than Michael Keaton is with Beetlejuice. At the time it wasn't clear what form the story would take, whether it'd be a sequel or a remake. Nor was there much mention of Michael Keaton. All causes for concern. All we knew was who would be writing it, the duo of David Katzenberg and author Seth Grahame-Smith(Pride and Prejudice and Zombies).

In a recent interview with EW, the pair revealed the project would be a "true continuation", taking place 26 years after the last film. What's more, that they don't intend for the film to move forward without Michael Keaton on board. Good news all around...

Grahame-Smith: “When Warner Bros. came to us about it, we said the only way we’d do it if we got Tim [Burton’s] blessing and involvement, and we got that, and the star of the movie has to be Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice, and it’s a true continuation 26 years later. Not just throwing him in as a cameo going, ‘Hey, it’s me. I endorse this movie.’ We’re not there yet [with Keaton] because we don’t have a film to present to him.”

 With studio movies being how they are now, with endless sequels cranked out with no regard for the source material or the original filmmaker's intent, it's cool that they sought Burton's thumbs up before proceeding. Grahame-Smith and Burton have a solid working relationship already, with Burton producing his Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, so that may have had something to do with it. Grahame-Smith also did some scriptwork on Burton's upcoming Dark Shadows remake.

Sounds like the ball is in Keaton's court right now. The question is whether or not he'd want to revisit an iconic role for more than two decades ago. After falling off the face of the earth for awhile, it's been a pleasure to see him as a regular presence on the big screen again. If you haven't seen him in the paranoia fueled Game 6, make it a priority. He's also found his way into the Pixar family as the voice of Ken in Toy Story 3, and he was last seen as the moonlighting police captain in The Other Guys.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Jacob trailer

With the release of the latest clip for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, I noted how we didn't see hide nor hair from chiseled wolfboy, Jacob(Taylor Lautner). Actually we've barely seen him at all, with the focus falling squarely on Bella(Kristen Stewart) and Edward(Robert Pattinson) finally knockin' boots and producing their little demon seed.

Apparently Summit has remembered that Lautner is pretty popular too, even if his recent leading man turn in Abduction had people fleeing for the exits in droves. They've released a new teaser trailer centered solely on Jacob, who doesn't appear to be taking too kindly to seeing the love of his life all shacked up with some vamp.....

Sylvester Stallone to star in The Tomb; Antoine Fuqua no longer directing

When Arnold Schwarzenegger first escaped the political hell hole he had dug for himself, he had a number of action flicks ready made for his return to big screen glory. One of those was The Tomb, which at the time was also one of Antoine Fuqua's crowded slate of potential directing gigs. Written by Miles Chapman(rewritten by Jason Keller), responsible for the unwanted Road House sequel from 2006, the story centers on a security expert who gets framed for a crime and thrown into an inescapable maximum security prison of his own design.

Well Schwarzenegger has enough going on already, so the starring gig has instead passed to another wrinkled up old prune: Sylvester Stallone. Sly is currently hard at work on The Expendables 2, which also features the Governator in a major role, so maybe the two discussed it while applying Ben Gay to  their aching bodies.

Antoine Fuqua, having recently replaced Philip Noyce as director of Hunter Killer, is no longer aboard. So the search for a new director is underway. This doesn't sound like particularly brainy stuff, so I wouldn't be surprised to see Stallone try and tackle it himself. Or maybe somebody like Walter Hill, Stallone's current director on Bullet to the Head?

Albert Finney cast in Bond 23

The last time we saw the great Albert Finney on screen it was back in 2007 when he appeared in both The Bourne Ultimatum and Sidney Lumet's Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. Since then he's been battling some major health issues, but in recent months he's been making one heck of a comeback. Recently he signed to reprise his role as the manipulative Dr. Albert Hirsch in The Bourne Legacy, and now he's set to join the biggest spy franchise of them all in Sam Mendes' upcoming James Bond flick.

Craig Gillespie officially off Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

I knew it. Back in August, a story hit the web  that the troubled adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies had lost yet another director for unknown reasons, this time in Craig Gillespie(Fright Night).  That story was reversed without much explanation a few days later during the whirl of activity surrounding Blake Lively's possible casting, which she, like all the actresses before her, ultimately turned down. Now comes word from Deadline that Gillespie is now officially off the project,but at least we have a reason why this time.

The Rum Diary, starring Johnny Depp and Amber Heard

It's not often that an actor gets to portray any real life personality twice on film, much less at two wildly different stages in their career. Johnny Depp, a close friend and follower of the late Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, has now had the chance to play the man at his alcohol and drug fueled later years, and here in The Rum Diary as he's just beginning to find his journalistic voice. Written by Thompson when he was only 22 years old, Depp makes for an odd bit of casting considering he's in his 40s, but he's clearly playing on his memorable earlier performance in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. When not embarking on one of his more outlandish, cartoony characters like Jack Sparrow or the Mad Hatter, Depp has sometimes taken a "relaxed" approached to tackling regular people. Disinterested might be a better word. But with Thompson, Depp attacks the role with gusto and a sparkle we don't get to see nearly enough.

There's just one problem: the film, much like the novel, is a mish-mash of episodic comic events that don't always make sense taken as a whole. Set in 1960, Depp plays Paul Kemp(a version of Thompson), a somewhat brash writer/journalist who escapes the big city of New York for what he thinks will be a beneficial gig writing for the San Juan Star, a crappy, failing English language newspaper run by an odd assortment of folks ripped from the Peanut Gallery. Or the Betty Ford clinic.

In Time, starring Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried

Andrew Niccol could be considered something of an expert at using the cover of science fiction to expose the holes in our current social system. In 1997's brilliantly conceived Gattaca, Niccol took the idea of genetic tampering and produced an insightful morality tale about our desire for perfection and self worth. The elite in that film were those who were the most peerless in all aspects. In Time is much the same in that it's a story with a very clear message about the dangers of extreme economic disparity(hey that sounds familiar), and the very human desire to basically live forever. But where it differs is that In Time is a silky smooth, edge of your seat action flick that's not afraid to raise a few questions to ponder when it's over.

Anonymous, directed by Roland Emmerich

Although it may seem absurd, conspiracy theorists have been haggling about the true authorship of William Shakespeare's works for many years. In fact, there are barely enough hangars for those people to hang their tinfoil hats, and with a film like Anonymous, Roland Emmerich proves he's a member of their little club. The director behind such disaster trash epics like The Day After Tomorrow and 2012, has decided it's simply not enough to create another apocalyptic storm. So for his next and greatest trick yet, he'll see if it's possible to do as much damage to the Immortal Bard as he did to the White House in Independence Day.

Martha Marcy May Marlene, starring Elizabeth Olsen and John Hawkes

The scariest movies don't often involve crashing windows and angry demons, they come from the natural horrors heaped upon by the real world, by flesh and blood people with sinister motives and a long reach. You can be forgiven for not sorting out the title Martha  Marcy May Marlene, but don't let that deter you from a spell binding film featuring a star making turn by Elizabeth Olsen. In this haunting story by newcomer Sean Durkin, Olsen plays Martha, a young woman trying desperately to be normal after spending two years in what is best described as a whole other world.

Dylan McDermott joins Zach Galifianakis and Will Ferrell in Dog Fight

For awhile there it looked like Dylan McDermott was on the cusp of greatness. Like he was going to be the next big star to make the jump from TV to A-list Hollywood status. This was back in the days of his hit legal series, The Practice. But it never really came to pass. Starring in that awful new age western flick, Texas Rangers, didn't help. And other than a decent turn in 2003's Party Monster his resume has been pretty bleak. I mean, The Messengers? Really? Things have been looking up lately, though. I've heard good things about his new FX series, American Horror Story, and now he's locked up a role in the upcoming political comedy, Dog Fight.

Somebody dies in the new trailer for Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol

Every time I see Brad Bird(The Incredibles) I think he looks like an adult Haley Joel Osment. I only bring that up because the Pixar vet, making his live-action directing debut, is on hand to intro this latest trailer for Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol. And while it continues to look like the most balls out awesome action flick of the season, with a really cool car crash scene reminiscient of Inception, I must warn you that this trailer holds a pretty big spoiler. Like a key member of the cast being selected for that great final assignment in the sky. Obviously I won't say who, and suggest you avoid this new trailer if you want to remain blissfully unaware. Kinda wish I hadn't watched it now, to be honest....

Sure Shots: Jason Segel; Burt Wonderstone; Independence Day 2

* Nicholas Stoller and Jason Segel are sorta like the comedic equivalent of Nicolas Winding Refn and Ryan Gosling. The duo scored big time with Forgetting Sarah Marshall, have The Muppets headed our way next month, and will pair again in the Judd Apatow produced comedy, The Five Year Engagement. Now they may be working together yet again, with Reese Witherspoon in tow. Sony wants them all for the Kate Angelo penned comedy, Sex Tape, about a married couple who venture into their wildside and make a sex tape of themselves....only to have it go missing the next day. [Deadline]

* The search is on for a female lead for the Steve Carell/Jim Carrey comedy, Burt Wonderstone, about a failing old school magician upstaged by a hip rival. Sarah Silverman, Olivia Wilde(of course), Michelle Monaghan, Judy Greer, and Jessica Biel are the list of contenders for the unspecified role. Personal preference? Silverman, of course, who I keep hoping will find a way to bring her raw brand of comedy to the mainstream. Otherwise I'd say go with Judy Greer, an underrated character actress for years who deserves a real shot. Everybody else I'm bored to death of. [Deadline]

* Stories about a possible sequel to Roland Emmerich's breakthrough sci-fi hit, Independence Day, have been floating around for years. With the director making the rounds promoting his new film, Anonymous, obviously discussion turned in that direction, with him saying "It's happening soon". What does that mean? Vulture says the plan is to shoot the next two movies back-to-back possibly as early as next year, depending on how fast the script can be turned in. Most people don't care unless Will Smith returns, and it looks like he may if the conditions are right. The Fresh Prince is asking for a hefty $50M pay day to reprise his role as Captain Stephen Hiller, which is already ludicrous enough. But then there are reports he's demanding a role for his wife Jada(they're still together??) and son, Jaden. This one's still up in the air but worth keeping an eye on, as the films may shoot whether Smith comes back or not.  I'm one of the few who hated Independence Day, but I'd be curious to see what they could do for a follow-up.