New Kanye Album Due By Year's End?

In addition to crafting tracks for Jay-Z's upcoming album, "Blueprint III," Kanye West is plotting the release of his own as-yet-untitled Def Jam album, according to his management. 

West initially named his fourth album "Good Ass Job" several years ago, to follow the thread of "College Dropout," "Late Registration" and "Graduation," however, an official title has yet to be confirmed. 

Still, the disc may well hit shelves in the fourth quarter and management says West is seriously contemplating that timeline. Most recently, the MC has been performing a new track called "Love Lockdown," which is rumored to be his first single and to be hitting iTunes in a matter of days. 

There's speculation West will perform the song Sunday (Sept. 7) on the MTV Video Music Awards, to which he was added today. 

"Graduation," released in September 2007, has sold 2.2 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Raimi and Maguire Set for Spider-Man 4?

Back in May, Cinematical was the first to report that Sony Pictures might shoot Spider-Man 4 and Spider-Man 5 at the same time using James Vanderbilt's script that the site said spans two films. 

Now, Deadline Hollywood Daily has added on that director Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire have apparently signed on the dotted line for Spider-Man 4, which the studio is targeting for a May 2011 release. 

DHD adds that there's no deal for Kirsten Dunst to return as Mary Jane Watson yet, but the character will be featured and the studio would not recast her. 

As for the baddie in the fourth picture, the site says that principal photography doesn't start until the fall of 2009 and that once we find out who the villain we'll know who is playing it. Naturally, speculation would put Dylan Baker's character Dr. Curt Connors/The Lizard at the head of the line, but who knows? 

According to the site, "the studio is trying to figure out if it can feasibly shoot Spider-Man 4 and 5 at the same time because doing that is so cost effective and 'it wasn't so easy to get everybody back together.'" 

DHD also says that Sony has hired two screenwriters to pen the new script for the Spidey spin-off Venom. 

Is this all accurate? We'll have to wait and see if/when the studio starts making some announcements, which could be a while!

School of Rock 2 “Might Not Happen”

Just got home from the party for Me and Orson Welles at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival. I had the opportunity to talk with Richard Linklater, who confirmed that a School of Rock sequel is far from a done deal. Linklater admitted that he only had one conversation with the studio about the project. Richard said that he had another project in mind for his next film and was surprised as anyone else to see the sequel announced in the trade papers as a done deal. Linklater said that it “might not happen” after all, expressing apprehension to the whole idea of a sequel. You have to appreciate a director who isn’t just in it for a quick buck or two, and actually cares about the legacy of his films. 

Mike White’s screenplay for School of Rock 2: America Rocks follows the further adventures of Dewey Finn, as he leads a group of summer school students on a cross-country field trip that “delves into the history of rock ‘n’ roll and explores the roots of blues, rap, country and other genres.” A /Film reader poll showed that 95% of the 434 votes tallied were not interested in a sequel, while the remaining 5% voted for the option “There Was a School of Rock 1?”. It should be noted that no positive option was made available.

Inside Man 2 Moving Forward

The Hollywood Reporter says a sequel to Spike Lee's Inside Man is moving forward at Universal, with Terry George in negotiations to write the screenplay and Lee coming back to direct the Brian Grazer-produced film. 

Inside Man 2, as the project is tentatively being called, will pick up on the characters and dynamic but not the storyline of the original. The first film, which was written by Russell Gewirtz, centered on a standoff between a bank robber (Clive Owens) and a hostage negotiator (Denzel Washington) at a New York bank. 

Lee says he foresees that the new film will continue the relationship between the two main characters but in a new high-tension situation. 

Grazer will produce Inside Man 2 via his Imagine Entertainment banner, with Lee and Daniel Rosenberg executive producing. 

Lee said Denzel Washington and Clive Owen are interested in re-teaming for the project.

Denzel Washington to Star in Book of Eli

Denzel Washington will star in Warner Bros.' Book of Eli, a post-apocalyptic drama that will be directed by Allen and Albert Hughes, reports Variety. 

Washington will portray a lone hero in a not-too-distant apocalyptic future who must fight across America to bring society the knowledge that could be the key to its redemption. 

Gary Whitta wrote the script, and Anthony Peckham did the rewrite. 

Joel Silver is producing with Washington, Susan Downey and Alcon co-founders Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson. Shooting begins in January.

Three More Hired by Company

Martin Landau, Steve Zahn and Steve Buscemi have joined Ron Livingston in indie ensemble drama The Company Men. 

Writer/director Raul Sanchez Inglis' film will chronicle the employees of a collapsing toy company struggling to maintain its survival. 

Matthew Robert Kelly is producing and Alberta Mayne is executive producing. Principal photography is set to begin in November in Detroit.

Aliens Will Return to ABC

Greg Berlanti is developing a sci-fi project with Rene Echevarria for ABC, reports Variety.

Berlanti and Echevarria are behind "The Return," which they're developing for the network through ABC Studios (where Berlanti is based).

The project revolves around the impact on the world -- including the White House -- when aliens land.

Echevarria's credits include "Star Trek," "The 4400," "Dark Angel," "Medium" and "Now and Again." Berlanti has worked on "Dirty Sexy Money," "Eli Stone" and "Brothers & Sisters."

Both Berlanti and Echevarria are on board as executive producers on "The Return."

CONFIRMED! The Office’s Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg Writing Ghostbusters 3. “Next-Gen” Rumors Confirmed!

The trades are reporting that Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg (co-exec producers/writers on NBC’s The Office) have officially been hired by Columbia Pictures/Sony to pen the script for Ghostbusters 3. The script will reportedly bring together the original cast including Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson, Slimer?, though none of the actors have officially signed to reprise their roles. The Hollywood Reporter says that Ghostbusters I and II director Ivan Reitman is “aware and involved” in the project’s development. The “next-gen” storyline has also been confirmed, though no specifics were offered. Read below for further info on this aspect.

The general impression based on years of tentative Ghostbusters 3 rumors is that of a feisty tug-o-war between the original players. Yesterday, Dan Aykroyd parlayed that “two sharp young writers” were working on the script, and expressed hope that Seth Rogen and Judd Apatow would be involved. Today, Pajiba has possibly identified the writers as Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg of The Office (”Job Fair”, “Goodbye Toby”) and this goes along with what Slashfilm has been hearing from a few sources.

Interestingly enough, the site claims that their original script outline was done under-the-radar of director/star Harold Ramis, yet beloved by Columbia Pictures, even though Stupnitsky and Eisenberg scribed Ramis and Judd Apatow’s 2009 Biblical comedy Year One. So, now the three of them are rumored to be working on a new treatment that’s not sitting well with the studio. Slashfilm cannot confirm this, but it’s interesting nonetheless. Moreover, it’s said that the original script outline was a “next generation” sequel. Rumors were shot down back in July involving Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Steve Carrell and Romany Malco. Perhaps we should think younger?

One thing is for sure: With next year’s video game already earning lots of ink, Ghostbusters 3 is being dusted off and proposed as a torch of sorts. When and if confirmed, I think Stupnitsky and Eisenberg’s involvement will be seen is a plus. These are guys who probably love the original film(s) but also appropriately update the material and tone. And let’s hope Rick Moranis’s Louis Tully returns.

September 2008 Movie Releases

SEPTEMBER 5th:
Bangkok Dangerous****
Everybody Wants to Be Italian [limited]

SEPTEMBER 12th:
The Women
Burn After Reading**
The Family That Preys
Towelhead
Righteous Kill

SEPTEMBER 19th:
Lakeview Terrace
The Duchess
Blindness
Appaloosa
My Best Friend's Girl

SEPTEMBER 26th:
Miracle at St. Anna
Choke
Eagle Eye****
Nights in Rodanthe
The Lucky Ones

SEPTEMBER 5th
Bangkok Dangerous
Director: Oxide Pang Chun Danny Pang
Stars: Nicolas Cage, Charlie Yeung, Shahkrit Yamnarm (Full Cast)
Studio: Lionsgate
The Plot: A hitman (Cage) in Bangkok to pull off a series of jobs falls for a local woman and bonds with his errand boy.
THE BUZZ: In real life, Thailand's in a state of emergency; meanwhile, in Hollywood, Nic Cage sports hockey-player hair in the Pang Brothers's remake of their own 1999 film, which might have been more interesting if Cage could have been convinced to play his character as a deaf-mute hitman as the original story goes. Though they certainly have a cult following, the Pangs's brand of horror hasn't taken off with mainstream audiences here, what with their meddling English-language debut and that barely there remake with J'Alba achieving back-to-back strikeouts. Our suggestion: Scrap this version, redevelop the remake with a bankable Asian star (Chow-Yun Fat, Jet Li), set the story in the U.S., and watch the receipts roll in.

Everybody Wants to Be Italian [limited]
Director: Jason Todd Ipson
Stars: Jay Jablonski, Cerina Vincent, John Kapelos (Full Cast)
Studio: Roadside Attractions
The Plot: Jake (Jablonski) is a romantic guy who's still pining for his ex some eight years after their separation. But when he sparks with Marisa (Vincent), a beautiful Italian woman from Boston's North End, he learns how far he'll go for love when he opts to disguise the fact that he's not Italian -- a potential deal breaker for Marisa.
THE BUZZ: Loosely based on writer-director James Todd Ipson's own romantic experiences in Beantown, in which he landed an Italian bride, we can only imagine how this story will end. Penny Marshall has a small role among a cast of recognizable character actors in another ethnic romantic comedy that could catch on with older audiences.

SEPTEMBER 12th
The Women
Director: Diane English
Stars: Meg Ryan, Eva Mendes, Annette Bening (Full Cast)
Studio: Picturehouse Entertainment
The Plot: Happily married Mary (Ryan) finds her world shaken when she discovers that her husband is cheating on her with shopgirl Crystal (Mendes) -- and she was pretty much the last to know. Crying, divorce, recriminations, and revenge follow. Based on the star-studded 1939 classic starring Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford and Rosalind Russell and updated to the present day.
THE BUZZ: Like the original, no men were harmed -- er, employed! -- in front of the camera for this film. Hard core fans will want to know how the movie has been updated: Mary is now a clothing designer, frenemy Sylvia (Annette Bening -- perfect casting!) is a magazine editor, and Crystal is... still a perfume salesgirl. Writer-director Diane English (of "Murphy Brown" fame) has been working on this script for over ten years, and Ryan's availability finally got it made, albeit on an indie-shoestring budget (which is why you saw Ryan at the recent Independent Spirit Awards). The original, after almost 70 years, is still juicy as ever, and we'd call this superfluous if it weren't for English's much-ballyhooed script, which many thought would never get made. And now that Sex and the City made the movies and fun place for the Carrie Bradshaws and Stanford Blatches of the world, look for that crowd to swoon over the first trailer, which funny in a great sitcom way.

Burn After Reading
Director: Ethan Coen Joel Coen
Stars: Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, George Clooney (Full Cast)
Studio: Focus Features
The Plot: A disk containing the memoirs of a CIA agent ends up in the hands of two unscrupulous gym employees who attempt to benefit from the discovery.
THE BUZZ: The Coens want to make you laugh again, less than a year after bringing Anton Chigurh to life and saddling away with 4 Oscars for their efforts. While I don't think BAR will reach the same level of pop culture-saturation as NCfOM, I guess there's something to be said for a movie in which most everyone in the theater will understand the ending? Sigh ... More on this one after its premiere at the Venice Film Festival at the end of August ...

The Family That Preys
Director: Tyler Perry
Stars: Kathy Bates, Alfre Woodard, Sanaa Lathan (Full Cast)
Studio: Lionsgate
The Plot: Faced with a series of secrets and scandals that are threatening to tear their respective families apart, old friends Charlotte Cartwright (Bates) and Alice Pratt (Woodard) embark on a cross-country road trip in hopes of finding a way to end the drama and rebuild their familial connections.
THE BUZZ: Wait, there's no Madea aboard this trip? Hmm, well, Tyler Perry better hope for a Why Did I Get Married?-sized hit, and not another Daddy's Little Girls experience with his sixth theatrical release, which has yet to generate much buzz on the summer-movie circuit. (I think it's the quiet before the storm over at Lionsgate, however, as the studio ramps up to release 11 films between August and December -- a schedule that include guaranteed hits such as Saw IV and Transporter 3, awards-bait in the form of W. and Religulous, and clunkers such as My Best Friend's Girl and Punisher: War Zone.) My suggestion for marketing Preys: Promote it like a Bucket List for women, and make sure press outlets act dumbfounded if another Perry film debuts at #1. (P.S. The playwright plays a construction worker this time around, which really makes us giggle.)

Towelhead [NY/LA]
Director: Alan Ball
Stars: Summer Bishil, Aaron Eckhart, Peter Macdissi (Full Cast)
Studio: Red Envelope Entertainment
The Plot: An Arab-American teenager is sent to live with her strict father and struggles to find love and acceptance in a her new surroundings.
THE BUZZ: The creative mind behind American Beauty and Six Feet Under wasn't likely to avoid controversy for his feature directorial debut with a title like that. So, it's no surprise that controversy, like a creepy, nosy neighbor, quickly came-a-knocking. First up was Fox News, who dubbed it the "feel-awful film of the year". No need to dignify their claim here, but the novel is touted for exploring themes of racism, misogyny and pedophilia. Not exactly perky, feel-good, date-movie topics. And, what to make of the report that people supposedly walked out during advance screenings? Hmmm, sometimes that only makes us want to see a movie more.

Righteous Kill
Director: Jon Avnet
Stars: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Carla Gugino (Full Cast)
Studio: Overture Films
The Plot: Two veteran New York City detectives (De Niro and Pacino) work to identify the possible connection between a recent murder and a case they believe they solved years ago; is there a serial killer on the loose, and did they perhaps put the wrong person behind bars?
THE BUZZ: I've watched the trailer a few times, and I have to say that I wish RK's premise excited me as much as the long-awaited pairing of these two acting legends. That said, I have to keep in mind that the script was written by Russell Gewirtz, the pen behind Spike Lee's excellent Inside Man, so I imagine there are more twists in store than the one I already know. (And it's a good one, even if you have seen it before.)

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas [NY/LA]
Director: Mark Herman
Stars: Asa Butterfield, David Thewlis, Rupert Friend (Full Cast)
Studio: Miramax Films
The Plot: A WWII-set story as seen through the eyes of Bruno (Butterfield), whose Nazi-Officer father (Thewlis) has just been made the commandant of a concentration camp outside Berlin. Bruno's eventual friendship with Shmuel, a boy his age who is detained at the camp, will usher in a troublesome reality for Bruno, and lead to a fateful attempt to alter Shmuel's fate.
THE BUZZ: Typically cheery British director Mark Herman (Little Voice) looks back to the dark days of WWII in his adaptation of John Boyne's acclaimed, super-depressing novel. Prepare to be horrified by David Thewlis and Rupert Friend in what could be the saddest film released this year.

Flow: For Love of Water [NY/LA]
Director: Irena Salina
Stars: (Full Cast)
Studio: Oscilloscope Pictures
The Plot: A documentary that addresses how dwindling resources, pollution, privatization and other factors are affecting the world water supply.
THE BUZZ: Irena Salina's documentary has finished up the film-festival circuit (it won a Best Doc award at Vail and was shortlisted for Sundance'S Grand Jury Prize), where it received what industry types call "kind notices" for showing us things we already know (that bottled water you're drinking at your desk probably came from a dirty tap) and things we can only imagine (corporations are buying up the global water supply, drought is just one of many foreboding environmental factors, and even the Ganges is being siphoned). More than one reviewer has suggested the film could use more rhythm, but that hasn't prevented a raft of foreign sales as well as a likely future home on DVD and (perhaps) in classrooms and lecture halls.

SEPTEMBER 19th
Lakeview Terrace
Director: Neil LaBute
Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Wilson, Kerry Washington (Full Cast)
Studio: Screen Gems
The Plot: An LAPD officer (Jackson) will stop at nothing to force out the interracial couple (Washington and Wilson) who just moved in next door ...
THE BUZZ: It'll be fun to see Patrick Wilson in thriller mode (one of two genre flicks this season for the former phantom and soon-to-be owl -- look for him in Passengers next month), and I'm pro Kerry Washington (Ray) getting more notice, but if Neil LaBute isn't careful, he's going to find himself, like, rebooting a franchise or remaking his own early film for his next project. And if he tries to pass this off as anything but a cheap-and-easy mainstream release, we're going to laugh at him just like we laughed at Roland Joffe when he tried to promote Captivity as a film with a message.

The Duchess [limited]
Director: Saul Dibb
Stars: Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes, Dominic Cooper (Full Cast)
Studio: Paramount Vantage
The Plot: A chronicle of the life of Georgiana Cavendish (Knightley), the 18th century aristocrat who endured a difficult marriage to the Duke of Devonshire (Fiennes), and was known for her beauty, political manuvers, and gambling indulgences.
THE BUZZ: Keira K. gives the period drama another workout, this time with an able-bodied cast, a studio that knows how to market a genre film, and a story that mirrors the experiences of Georgiana's descendant, Princess Diana. Our eye isn't on Ms. Knightley, however, it's focused on Hayley Atwell, who is set to captivate audiences in Bridehead Revisited this year ...

Blindness [limited]
Director: Fernando Meirelles
Stars: Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Gael García Bernal (Full Cast)
Studio: Miramax Films
The Plot: A thriller set in a city that is suffering from an epidemic of sudden blindness, where only one woman (Moore) remains able to see as the rest of her society is pushed to its limits.
THE BUZZ: Fans of writer José Saramago have given their blessing to Fernando Meirelles as the director selected to handle the adaptation of Saramago's seemingly unfilmable novel. City of God proved that Meirelles can handle violence artfully and The Constant Gardener showed us his mysterious angles -- two elements crucial to successfully bring this story to life. Helping in front of the camera will be the alluring match up of Ms. Moore and Mr. Ruffalo, who play wife and husband (pretty on paper, but we SO don't buy it) and two of the only people who might be able to put an end to the epidemic. What we're most interested in seeing is how much of the first half of the novel, which is set in an asylum where those who have been stricken blind encounter even worse scenarios, is depicted in the film; if Miramax learned anything from marketing No Country for Old Men, it's that literary violence can equal critical and popular success and plenty of awards.

But now that the film's Cannes premiere has come and gone, and the un certain regard was unfavorable, we wonder if Miramax will take after former boss Harvey Weinstein and re-edit the picture for its general release?

Appaloosa [9/17 -- limited]
Director: Ed Harris
Stars: Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Renée Zellweger (Full Cast)
Studio: New Line Cinema
The Plot: A pair of lawmen (Harris and Mortensen) out to save a Western town from a rancher's tyrannical reign find their bond, and their mission, tested by the arrival of a double-dealing widow (Zellweger).
THE BUZZ: Ed Harris returns to the director's seat some 8 years after his award-winning Pollock, but I'm more excited for his reunion with his A History of Violence co-star, Viggo Mortensen. Both men are fit for the material, an adaptation of the novel by Robert B. Parker (whose Jesse Stone TV movies have been a boon for Tom Selleck's career), but I'm not so sure about the Zellweger's ability to be anything but comical as she makes her return Cold Mountain-ish territory. Does this photo earn your confidence?

My Best Friend's Girl
Director: Howard Deutch
Stars: Kate Hudson, Dane Cook, Jason Biggs (Full Cast)
Studio: Lionsgate
The Plot: Tank (Cook) makes a living as an uncouth womanizer hired by guys who want their girlfriends or wives to reconsider leaving them. But what happens when his behavior has the opposite effect on Alexis (Hudson), the love of his best friend's (Biggs) life?
THE BUZZ: Is Kate Hudson being punished for taking time off to have kids or something? If not, why does she have to star alongside these two bozos? Seriously! As for Jason Biggs, isn't there some American Pie DVD sequel requesting your presence? And Dane Cook, can't you take a parkour class or something -- you know, mix it up a little.

Igor
Director: Anthony Leondis
Stars: John Cusack, Molly Shannon, Steve Buscemi (Full Cast)
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
The Plot: Tired of playing second fiddle to his "Master," a talented laboratory assistant (Cusack) looks to win the annual Evil Science Fair with his own creation.
THE BUZZ: I sense that Igor's storyline mirrors the experiences of director Anthony Leondis, who has spent his career thus far laboring over direct-to-video sequels at Disney. Given his own animated creation, the first project from Exodus Film Group (who should have Bunyan and Babe in theaters sometime next year), Igor looks like it'll appeal to kids and Tim Burton fans alike; check the teaser trailer for a peep at the dark fun to be had this fall.

Ghost Town
Director: David Koepp
Stars: Ricky Gervais, Greg Kinnear, Téa Leoni (Full Cast)
Studio: Paramount Pictures
The Plot: Bertram Pincus (Gervais) dies for a seven-minute period during his routine colonoscopy, then awakens to realize he has gained the ability to see and communicate with ghosts. Problem #1: He never had people skills, in life or in death. Problem #2: His ghostly patron, Frank Herlihy (Kinnear), pesters him into meddling with the impending marriage of his widow, Gwen (Leoni), who lives in Bertram's building and isn't necessarily his number-one fan.
THE BUZZ: What did Ricky Gervais do to deserve such a schlocky foray into leading manhood? Look here for evidence that this rather-dated premise has zero signs of life or longevity. Greg Kinnear also deserves better roles than the aw-shucks types he tends to inhabit these days; the one time Bob Crane is this close to having a see-through career (and his upcoming Flash of Genius looks like a rainy day). Can we expect Téa and Ricky to form a clay bowl together?

SEPTEMBER 26th
Miracle at St. Anna
Director: Spike Lee
Stars: Derek Luke, Michael Ealy, Laz Alonso (Full Cast)
Studio: Touchstone Pictures
The Plot: A murder committed by post-office worker Hector Negron in 1984 sets in motion an investigation that ties back to the experiences of a battalion of black American soldiers who became trapped in a Tuscan village during WWII.
THE BUZZ: The Emmy-winning "When the Levees Broke" and the box-office topping Inside Man have made Spike Lee one of the busiest independent director/producers on either coast (Lee has sequels to both projects in mind, too), and now he's bringing a different WWII perspective to the big screen with Miracle at St. Anna. And he's not stopping for air while taking swipes at Clint and the Coens and angering Italians for revising bits of their WWII history. So will some other sort of miracle earn Lee his first-ever Oscar? Well, I imagine he has a better chance than, say, Oliver Stone this year, but a lot is riding on how Disney will market the film and how much of a push it will receive. We hear Disney had to put the kibosh on Lee's Eastwood comments, however, if he wants to make a good impression on the Academy -- a move which might cause the director to abandon studio filmmaking for a spell?

Choke [limited]
Director: Clark Gregg
Stars: Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston, Kelly Macdonald (Full Cast)
Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures
The Plot: An adaptation of the Chuck Palahniuk novel, in which sex-addicted con-man Victor Mancini (Rockwell) pays for his mother's (Huston) hospital bills by playing on the sympathies of those who rescue him from choking to death. Victor's mother's attending physician, Dr. Paige Marshall (Macdonald), initially sinks into his morass, only to become his best chance for redemption.
THE BUZZ: I'm still waiting to see if the planned film version of Invisible Monsters, Palahniuk's most-out-there novel, actually happens, it's exciting to ponder the effect of his prose on the movie-going public almost ten years after Fight Club's notorious, end-of-the-century reign. Palahniuk fans probably have heard already how well actor-turned-director Clark Gregg (who's always reminded me of a younger Richard Jenkins) molded the author's mania into something that's been described by many as slimy, weird, and oddly lighthearted to boot. And yes, the characters played by Rockwell, Macdonald, and supporting player Brad William Henke are as sexually obsessed as they are in the novel. Take a couple minutes to watch one of the best trailers of the year.

Eagle Eye
Director: D.J. Caruso
Stars: Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan, Rosario Dawson (Full Cast)
Studio: DreamWorks SKG
The Plot: Two strangers (LaBeouf and Monaghan) become the pawns of a mysterious woman they have never met, but who seems to know their every move. Realizing they are being used to further her plot for a political assassination, they must work together to outwit the woman before she has them killed.
THE BUZZ: How awesome is this teaser trailer?
When Disturbia surpassed everyone's expectations last spring, DreamWorks execs quickly reunited Shia LaBeouf and director D.J. Caruso for a second project, and it'll be interesting to see if all the kids who swooned for Shia in a retooled Hitchcock thriller will be as engaged by our hero (who lost his real life, real-world innocence this year) trying to prevent political terrorism. By the way, there are a lot of screenwriters present here -- perhaps an indication of how quickly this was rushed into production, which is confirmed by the release-date slippage from August (summer vacation) to late in the back-to-school season.

Nights in Rodanthe
Director: George C. Wolfe
Stars: Diane Lane, Richard Gere, James Franco (Full Cast)
Studio:
The Plot: A doctor (Gere) who is traveling to see his estranged son sparks with an unhappily married woman (Lane) at a North Carolina inn
THE BUZZ: After The Notebook became one the best recent examples of a sleeper hit, producers fought for the rights to the unoptioned novels of Nicholas Sparks. Superproducers Denise Di Novi and Bruce Berman secured Rodanthe and assembled an ace cast as well as an interesting director pick in George C. Wolfe (Lackawanna Blues). Though we love Richard Gere and Diane Lane so much, the question remains whether they can help reignite the romantic drama by pulling in a big audience on opening weekend or, a la The Notebook turning favorable word-of-mouth into staying power at the box office. Watch the trailer and if you listen closely, after the part where Diane says, "We saved each other," Richard whispers, "from career oblivion."

The Lucky Ones
Director: Neil Burger
Stars: Rachel McAdams, Tim Robbins, Michael Peña (Full Cast)
Studio: Roadside Attractions
The Plot: Three soldiers (McAdams, Robbins, and Peña) meet one another as they have all returned from Iraq, and circumstance unites them for a road trip across the country, in which they hope to fulfill different personal missions. As they travel, however, they soon realize the ways in which life has progressed without them in mind.
THE BUZZ: Though it has a comedic tone and it doesn't graphically depict the war, the latest project from director Neil Burger (The Illusionist) is still suffering from post-Rendition stress syndrome, the new condition that makes movie execs nerves about making Iraq-related pictures -- never mind marketing them. At least Lionsgate sounds sincere in their effort to find the right release strategy for these Lucky Ones, though I feel like, despite the appealing cast and apparent good vibes, audiences might take this as the Grace Is Gone of 2008.

Paramore Nervous About VMA Performance, Get Busy On New Album

'We're going to be playing in front of a lot of people,' realizes excited frontwoman Hayley Williams.

Things were ticking along like clockwork in Paramore's schedule: Their Final Riot! tour was about to wrap up, they were gearing up for a spate of shows in Mexico and South America, and they were beginning to work on a bunch of songs for their new record.

They soon found out that they were nominated for Best Rock Video at the 2008 Video Music Awards, and, on top of that, they also learned they had been tapped to perform at the big show. Suddenly, everything became very jumbled — in the best possible way, of course.

"Man, this is going to be the first performance we've ever done at any awards show. And I'm glad it's at the VMAs, because we've all grown up watching them. And there's always huge things happening and artists blowing up and doing crazy, ridiculous stunts," fiery frontwoman Hayley Williams laughed. "Since we're on tour, and we've found all this stuff out, we're stoked, but I don't think we've really had time to sit down and realize: 'We're going to the VMAs. We're going to be playing in front of a lot of people.' We're not nervous now, but it's definitely coming."

And while Williams stopped short of saying just what fans can expect from their VMA performance (she hinted at a surprise or two, but, as Zac Farro put it: "Why would we tell you about the surprises now?"), she did want fans to know that all the Moonman-related shenanigans will in no way interfere with the band's work on the follow-up to their platinum-plus Riot! album. Why?

"Well, it's in the very early stages," she laughed.

"Like, not even stage one. Stage 0.5," guitarist Josh Farro added. "The stuff we have now, the heavy stuff sounds a lot heavier, but the softer stuff is a lot softer, so I feel like it's more diverse. I feel like we'll be able to reach a lot more fans that we weren't able to with Riot!"

And that's a notion shared by Williams, who makes no bones about her desire to keep expanding Paramore's, well, ever-expanding fanbase. It seems that for album number three, some good old-fashioned world domination could be in the cards — conservatively speaking, of course.

"I've seen our fanbase grow even since we started this last tour. I feel like on this tour there's some older fans, and that could be from some of the bands we're bringing out — we've got Jack's Mannequin, Phantom Planet — and I think it's a perfect tour to take us to wherever we're going next as a band," Williams said. "With Riot!, we started getting radio play and MTV, and I think that brings in people that might not be into any particular scene of music. They're just into what's hot and what's working. I think that with this next record, we can bridge that gap even more, you know, to find people that just like to listen to the radio and people that don't even have a radio — they just listen to records. I just want to bridge that gap even more."

At the moment, Paramore can only speculate as to when they will actually get down to the business of making their new album. Farro says that they currently have "around 10 ideas" for songs, but they're "not finished in any way, it's mainly just music." All signs are pointing to sometime in early 2009, after the band has returned home and sufficiently unwound from the epic, globe-spanning tour.

And though it's still early, Williams said that fans can probably guess what kind of stuff she'll be singing about on the new record — especially if they've followed the "are they or aren't they" breakup drama the band endured earlier this year.

"Lyrically, I think everyone knows by this time our band has been through a lot of ups and downs — even the past six months have just been ridiculous. Like, personally and professionally, things that we never thought we'd go through, we're experiencing and learning from. And just growing up in general," she laughed. "I think you'll hear a lot of those types of themes. A lot of stuff about friends and relationships, like always. I'm excited to see where it goes, because once I'm home and once we're all writing together and not playing shows all the time, I think things will start pouring out that I didn't really know existed. And I'm psyched to see where it goes."

Michael Cera Unaware of Plans for an Arrested Development Film

We first heard of the possibility of an Arrested Development movie about eight months ago, when Jeffrey Tambor and Jason Bateman confirmed that talks for the film were in progress. Then this past June, Bateman discussed the film with MTV, saying: 

We all want to do it. All the actors want to do it, the writers want to do it, and the boss wants to do it. And they are working on making a deal, probably as we speak. But it’s a long, sort of drawn-out, complicated business process. ‘Arrested Development’ is such a specific tone, it doesn’t lend itself to mass appeal, as played out by the fact that it’s canceled. So it has to be done for a price. They can’t spend the money they spent on ‘Hancock.’ 

Bateman also said that Hurwitz was developing a story that “would not be just simply the equivalent of four episodes back to back to back. It’s actually something that would be specific to the medium of film.” 

However, in a recent interview with the National Post to promote Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, Michael Cera was asked about the status of the movie. According to the Post, Cera “hasn’t heard of any plans for an Arrested Development film.” Cera went on to say: 

I don’t think I would want to see a movie of the series if I was a fan, anyway…And I don’t really see a need for it if you can get the three seasons on DVD. 

It’s possible that Cera was never involved in early talks or wasn’t going to be in the movie at all, but that would seem to contradict Bateman’s comment about everyone being on board. It seems unlikely to me that Cera wouldn’t be interested in participating in a film whose TV predecessor helped propel him to stardom, so if he is unaware of plans then things really might not be as far along as we’d hoped. 

Aside from that, it’s clear that Michael Cera is an extraordinarily poor judge of the rabidness of Arrested Development fans, who continuously demand more of their favorite sitcom of all time in whatever form possible. I’m a huge fan and evangelist of the show and I was incredibly excited when the possibility of a movie first hit the web. However, I feel like the longer this protracted process takes, the more likely that the collective enthusiasm behind an Arrested Development film will wane. This new info from Cera certainly doesn’t raise my hopes that the film will happen anytime soon.

Guillermo del Toro is Booked Through 2017

Variety has published an article talking about director Guillermo del Toro's schedule, which is now booked through 2017. Here are several clips: 

Universal — which has a three-year first-look deal with the helmer inked in June '07 — and del Toro are making a long-term commitment by setting up four directing projects, including remakes of "Frankenstein," "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" and "Slaughterhouse-Five."

The fourth project is an adaptation of "Drood," a Dan Simmons novel acquired by U that will be published in February by Little, Brown.

Of course, del Toro's first priority is New Line and MGM's "The Hobbit," to which he has committed the next five years. He has begun writing "Hobbit" with Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, collaborating via video conferencing and trips to New Zealand every three weeks. 

While it's difficult, if not impossible, to plan projects five years into the future, at this point U execs think "Drood" is the most likely to be del Toro's first post-"Hobbit" directing vehicle. 

In addition to the four pics, the studio still has its sights set on del Toro's pet project, an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's "At the Mountains of Madness."

Ben Folds Five Reuniting For MySpace Show

Ben Folds Five will play its first show in nearly a decade Sept. 18 in Chapel Hill, N.C., as part of a taping for the new MySpace show "Front to Back."

The group will perform its 1999 album "The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner" in its entirety at the gig, which will be broadcast in October on MySpace. 

Tickets go on sale Sept. 8 via eTix.com, with proceeds to benefit Operation Smile: Changing Lives One Smile at a Time. 

"Of our three albums, this one brings back the most vivid memories," Folds says. "It was actually written to be one song of many movements, which is why there are motifs that appear throughout the album. That should make 'Reinhold' a natural to be played front to back." 

In related news, Folds' next solo album, "Way to Normal," is due Sept. 30 via Epic.

New Nickelback Album Due In November

Nickelback's next studio album will arrive Nov. 18 via Roadrunner, just in time for the holiday retail season. First single "If Today Was Your Last Day" will hit U.S. radio outlets Sept. 30. 

The Canadian rock outfit is recording the as-yet-untitled project in Vancouver with producer Mutt Lange, who hasn't worked on a new album since ex-wife's Shania Twain's "Up" in 2003. 

The album is the follow-up to 2005's "All the Right Reasons," which has sold an astonishing 6.9 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. 

In July, Nickelback signed a multi-rights deal with Live Nation, including its recordings once its Roadrunner deal is completed. The band is expected to play Live Nation amphitheaters beginning next year.

Brand New Music Video: Kanye West - Good Morning

Rapper Kanye West has just premiered a full version of "Good Morning" music video to continue supporting his third studio effort "Graduation", which was released in September 2007.

Aaron Eckhart on Two-Face

Yes, it's true. Aaron Eckhart says goodbye to Batman. At the press day for his upcoming indie film Towelhead, ComingSoon.net/Superhero Hype! talked to the actor who portrayed Harvey Dent/Two-Face in The Dark Knight. He told us he's definitely not signed on for another film and confirmed his character is dead.

Eckhart laughed about how he tried to ask if there was a chance he was coming back and was good-humored about the deadly fate of Dent.

CS/SHH!: Is Harvey Dent alive?
Aaron Eckhart: No. He is dead as a door nail. 

CS/SHH!: So he's not coming back?
Eckhart: He ain't coming back baby!

CS/SHH!: I was hoping he would.
Eckhart: No. I asked Chris [Nolan] that question and he goes, "You're dead" before I could even get the question out of my mouth. "Hey Chris, am I?" "You're dead!" Alright, cool.

CS/SHH!: That's not a problem in comic book movies. You could still come back.
Eckhart: I think in contract negotiations it's a problem.

CS/SHH!: So you were never signed on for another film?
Eckhart: No, I'm not coming back. I think unfortunately, Heath [Ledger] was supposed to go on and that didn't work out. I'm nobody. I'm a cog. I have no say over this sort of stuff. I'm sure that there's so many other characters that they could whip together. I heard Angelina Jolie was going to be Catwoman or something like that. I thought that was a great idea. I'd like to be in that one. 

CS/SHH!: It must be gratifying that so many people responded to your character.
Eckhart: Yeah, I dig it. Write your Congressman. I like that for the first time in my career I'm getting fan mail from kids and 8-year-olds. "My name is Bill. I really liked the film." I've never had that before. I think that's fun. I think someone told me they're going to be Harvey Two-Face for Halloween which is cool. I said to two kids the other day, "Did you see Batman yet?" Then I come to find out like two seconds later they've seen it four times. People are really going back to see it. My parents saw it I think 12 [times] so far. They're sick that it's going out of the theaters.

CS/SHH!: Do they normally see your movies 12 times?
Eckhart: I don't know about 12, but they like to go see the movies. They like to go see the audience. They like to tell people that I'm in the movie like popcorn people.

Nicolas Cage Talks Ghost Rider 2, Kick-Ass

During an interview for his new action bonanza Bangkok Dangerous, Oscar-winner and perennial strange-on-screen-hairdo connoisseur Nicolas Cage let slip about a few of his upcoming comic book films.

First up, he discussed a sequel to last year's Columbia Pictures and Marvel release, Ghost Rider.

Cage: Yes, actually, had a nice meeting with the studio about 3-months ago, and we talked about going international with that character. Taking him into Europe, having him go on a motorcycle tour through Europe, and he's connected with the church, if you can believe that. So it sort of has elements to it that are very much in the zeitgeist, with "The Da Vinci Code" and things like that.

Cage also discussed working with Matthew Vaughn (Stardust) on the adaptation of Mark Millar's comic series Kick-Ass, which is about a kid who always wanted to be a superhero.

Cage: As I continue working in film I want to try to keep it as organic and honest as possible, and I am that kid. I’m the kid that would dress up like a superhero, sneak out of the house at 10 o’clock at night, jump around pretending I was fighting crime. It was a good match because it's definitely sincere. I play a guy named Damon, the father of Mindy who is "Hit Girl" and I'm "Big Daddy," and I'm training my daughter to be a superhero.

Aykroyd on Ghostbusters 3

In a recent interview with EOnline, Dan Aykroyd was asked about the status of Ghostbusters 3. Aykroyd responded:

Well, y’know, two sharp young writers are purported to be writing the sequel, the third movie now. If I could interest Seth [Rogen] and Judd [Apatow] to be part of it, that would be an absolute dream.

Given Aykroyd’s relationship with the franchise, it’s nearly impossible that he wouldn’t know for certain exactly what is going on with the script, so it’s quite plausible that a script is currently in the works as he says. As for the involvement of Rogen and Apatow, capitalizing on the current popularity of the Apatow crew seems like it might be a good way to both placate longtime fans as to the quality of a new film, and also introduce the franchise to a new generation of viewers. Of course, all of this is the definition of “speculative,” but it feels like there might just be some truth to it.

Stephen Sommers to Direct Tarzan

Stephen Sommers (The Mummy) is in negotiations to direct a big screen version of Tarzan for Warner Bros. and producer Jerry Weintraub, reports Variety. 

Sommers will also co-write the Tarzan script with Stuart Beattie. Sommers directed the recently wrapped G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra for Paramount, with Beattie penning the final draft of the screenplay. 

Warner Bros. and Weintraub have been developing Tarzan since 2003, when John August was hired to pen a new take on the Edgar Rice Burroughs-created character. Two years ago, the studio was negotiating with Guillermo del Toro to direct. 

Burroughs' "Tarzan of the Apes" was written in 1912.

Ludacris' Busy Fall: New Album, Two Films

Ludacris is going to be a busy man this fall. He's completing the final tracks for his sixth Disturbing Tha Peace/Def Jam album, "Theater of the Mind," due Oct. 21, and that month will also yield co-starring roles in "Max Payne" (Oct. 17), adapted from the popular videogame, and Guy Ritchie's "RocknRolla" (Oct. 31). 

Ludacris' rap and acting personas intersect on "Theater of the Mind," which comprises tracks envisioned as short plots from movies. And in Ludacris' special brand of musical theater, the featured guests -- including T-Pain ("One More Drink"), the Game ("Call Up the Homies") and T.I. ("Wish You Would") -- are billed as co-stars. Helping out on the A&R side is DJ Khaled and producers include Dre & Vidal and 9th Wonder. 

Among the additional track selections is the healing-themed "Let's Stay Together." Armed with a beat and hook from artist/producers Juicy J and DJ Paul of Three 6 Mafia, Ludacris -- starring as a music fan -- exhorts artists to quell their beefs and come together to make better music. 

The set's official lead single is the bouncy "What Them Girls Like," co-starring Chris Brown and writer/producer Sean Garrett as Ludacris' female-loving sidekicks. During the video's Aug. 24 shoot at the Microsoft House/Studio in Los Angeles, the trio's natural camaraderie and magnetism were in keeping with the video's premise: three fly guys who know what women like. The Chris Robinson-directed video takes its cue from the Mel Gibson movie "What Women Want," with balloon pop-ups revealing the female extras' thoughts. 

"'Theater of the Mind' is all of my albums put together," says Ludacris, who still hopes to hook up with Eminem for the album. "There's the funny Ludacris, the serious Ludacris and the story-telling Ludacris as well as the movie-making Ludacris." 

Then there's the films. Ludacris co-stars alongside Gerard Butler, Thandie Newton and Jeremy Piven in "RocknRolla," which is about a London real-estate scam that attracts all manner of tough guys and underworld types. "Max Payne," a loose adaptation of the videogame, finds Ludacris playing deputy police chief Jim Bravura. The movie stars Mark Wahlberg in the title role and veteran actor Beau Bridges. 

"This adaptation takes the storyline and the characters to a whole other level," Ludacris says. "This is the first time I've played any kind of police role. It's funny ... in most movies, Mark plays the dominant role but my character is the dominant one over Mark. That was a power thing and I absolutely loved it."

Kevin Eastman Talks Live-Action TMNT

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" co-creator Kevin Eastman has confirmed the rumors that Imagi and Warner Bros. are in talks to develop a new live-action movie based on the characters. He posted the following at HeavyMetal.com: 

Yes, it is true. Although the CGI film did well enough to warrent a sequel, there has been much talk between Imagi and Warners to do a better "re-invention" (newest Hollywood buzzword) of the TMNT's, in a live action film--like what was done with Batman. Back to basics, back to the origin and the intro of the Shredder, etc...there have been talks, trips to Northampton to talk to Mr Laird, and discussions with the original "first" TMNT film director Steve Barron to come back and do it right--but no official word yet...will keep you posted. Best, Kevin 

The CG-animated movie TMNT, which was released in March of 2007, earned $95 million worldwide compared to its $34 million budget.

Damon Lindelof Updates The Dark Tower

A year and a half ago, Stephen King optioned The Dark Tower series to JJ Abrams and Damon Lindelof for $19. But since then we haven’t really heard any updates on the project. Recently AMC got a chance to chat with Lindelof, who admitted that he won’t have time to tackle the adaptation until Lost is finished. He also revealed that he would like to adapt the seven books into a seven film series. Here is the quote:

“The Dark Tower is to me every bit as daunting an adaptation as the Lord of the Rings trilogy must have been for Peter Jackson, except we’ve got seven books we’re looking at. And the idea of doing that at the same time Carlton and I are bringing Lost to a close is simply not viable. There are always Dark Tower conversations, but the figuring out of what this will look like as a movie has not begun. If The Dark Tower were in the right hands, I would love to see seven movies executed just right. But you have to get people to see the first one to get them to come and see the second one.”

I’m not sure the adaptation could sustain a big enough audience for seven feature film. The Dark Tower is a epic series of seven books written by King from 1982 to 2004. The story follows Roland Deschain’s quest for the Dark Tower, which is often described as a real structure, and also as a metaphor.

Mark Millar Plans for New Superman Trilogy; $70 Million Budget for Kick-Ass

In an interview with G4, comic book writer Mark Millar (Wanted) revealed his plans for a new trilogy of Superman films, which he would like to be shot back-to-back.

“A director approached me about three months ago,” Millar said. “and he said ‘look, [Bryan Singer's] The Man Of Steel might not be happening. If that doesn’t happen, it has been spoken about the possibility of me coming in, would you like to write it?’ And I was like Yeah.”

Yeah, we have already heard this before, but here is where the juicy details come in:

“I’ve had this plan for like 10 years for a big three-picture Superman thing, like a big Lord of the Rings epic, starting over from scratch again with a seven-hour Superman story. And hopefully release them one year after another,” continued Millar. “If it works out, we’ll have to start shooting next summer.”

Wow, big plans, but even Millar admits that nothing is firm yet, and while this is a “long shot”, the director in question is “a big deal” and he apparently said that he won’t do it unless Millar writes it. But would Warner Bros put up the cash to shoot three Superman films back-to-back, especially considering the box office disappointment of Superman Returns? Millar has previously revealed that his Superman would be “Superman for the 21st Century, keeping everything we adore, but starting from scratch and making the kids love it as much as the 30-somethings.”

Millar also claims that Matthew Vaughn’s Kick-Ass budget is actually $70 million, and not the already impressive $30 million budget that has been previously reported.

“He has a bunch of rich pals who coughed up $10 million each or something and in two dinner parties, he raised $70 million,” Millar revealed to G4. “Now he’s going to make the movie the way people want to see it.”

$70 million is a lot of money for an independent movie. For a complete overview of Kick-Ass, please check out out First Look: The Cast of Kick-Ass feature. You can watch the full interview with Mark embedded below.

Mark Millar on Wanted 2... and 3

As the DVD release for the film version of Mark Millar and JG Jones’ Wanted looms on the horizon (Millar’s completed his work for it already), and the film’s worldwide box office total hovers near the $260 million mark the focus has shifted to Wanted 2 and...Wanted 3.

Word of the sequel came early on, just after the movie opened, actually. Millar said that he remembers the moment well. “At the premiere, everybody knew that it was going to make a lot of money, and we were all buzzing,” Millar told Newsarama. “On the way out, Mark Platt, the main producer put his arms around me and JG and said, ‘Okay, so what’s the plan for Wanted 2?’ I looked at him and said, ‘There is no plan,’ and he said to me, ‘Okay, well, have something for us next week.’”

Millar has said before that he and Jones would not be going back to Wanted in a comic book sequel to the original 2004 miniseries, and he’s sticking to that pledge. “I’ve got this reputation of being a total whore, and even when I’m adamant about something like this, people don’t believe me, but there is nothing else coming from Wanted,” Millar said. “That six issues was the end. I love doing new stuff anyway – I get bored so quickly.”

That’s not to say he’s not doing something for Wanted 2 though...

“What I will be doing is providing them with a very small amount of stuff for a story, and that will be used as a basic story that they can build from. It will be a small outline that can possibly be picked apart and not used – but it will be something exclusively for the second film, and no one will ever really see it.”

Given that the film version of the story differs from the comic book version in a number of ways (some quite substantial) Millar’s outline will be set in the film’s continuity, but will reach back to the comics. “It will be some of the stuff that we didn’t utilize from the first book for the movie – like chapters three and four – there will be some stuff from that, so in the loosest sense it will be based on the book, but only very little,” Millar said. “The nice thing about owning it and creator-owned properties is that JG and I will still be producers on the thing, and will still obviously get paid for the rights.”

Millar acknowledged that he too had heard that Terence Stamp has said his character of Pekwarsky would be coming back for the sequel, and reportedly play a much larger role. Also, Wanted screenwriters Derek Haas and Michael Brandt have been at work on the screenplay for the sequel for some time.

Even though it’s his first comic book to make the leap to film, Millar’s taking it all in stride, and talking like a poolside-sitting, cigar-chomping, sunglass-wearing Hollywood insider. “The minute the movie came out and made $55 million the opening weekend, they knew it would be headed toward the $300 million mark in theaters, and another $200 estimated on DVD,” Millar said. “So they invested $100 million in it, and made $500 million back, and they were really pleased with that, so immediately, Wanted 2 and 3 were greenlit, and James [McAvoy] was signed on for another two movies, so there’s a larger plan at work here.”

While Millar declined to mention any plot specifics that he’s suggested to the producers and screenwriters in his outlines, he did reflect on Wanted’s creation and originally writing the project – a time when veering off to write a creator-owned project caused some strife in the Millar household.

“I remember what my wife said to me about five years ago when I was writing Wanted – ‘Oh I wish you were just doing six issues of X-Men again,” because we were doing Wanted for virtually nothing, and here’s it’s turned out to be a nice long-term bet,” Millar said. “Obviously in comics, both Marvel and DC – they really don’t take care of you when you’re an older guy and after you’ve done your work, so it’s nice having these things out there that will keeping bringing in money even after you’ve done your time with the big publishers. You start to realize that Robert Kirkman is right in a lot of ways. Creator-owned work is the kind of stuff that will take care of you when you’re older.”

Millar’s next comic to make it to film, Kick-Ass (the fourth issue of which shipped this week) begins filming in early September, and is directed by Matthew Vaughn and boasts Nic Cage in its cast. That film and project, Millar said, is rife with possibilities for sequels and spinoffs.

“Kick-Ass is the only thing that I feel I could never get bored with – I genuinely love doing that, and already have the sequel worked out for the movie and the comic, because the story ends in a way that is so completely going into another one,” the writer said. “So Kick-Ass is the only thing I see as a franchise that will just run and run and run, but everything else I see as being quite self-contained.”

New Coldplay EP

Chris Martin reveals new EP title, release date and a fifth studio album for 2009

Two of the biggest bands in the world went head to head on 6 Music (Saturday 30 August) with Coldplay revealing a bonanza of new material.

Chris Martin and Will Champion chatted to Michael Stipe live in the studio with Steve Lamacq - and following reports that Coldplay planned to release another record this year, it fell on Stipe to get to the bottom of the rumours.

“Is it true?” the R.E.M. singer asked, to which Martin replied: “We’re going to put an EP out at Christmas called Prospects March and we’re going to release an album next December.”

Martin then turned to Will Champion and asked: “Is it [the EP] called Prospects Songs or Prospects March?” Before Martin chipped is, “Let's ask Michael Stipe!” Stipe preferred Prospects March and the band agreed, before claiming that it would be released on 26 December or “something like that”.

Martin also whispered the name of the record, adding, “I’ve said it very quietly as we’re not allowed to announce the album. But we’re gonna have another record ready by November 2009 to end the decade.”

The singer then implied his band might disappear from the public eye after the release, saying “And then we’re gonna be ‘Whooosh!’ ‘Where’ve they gone?’ Just like [mysterious film villain] Keyser Soze.”

Media reports recently claimed that the band recorded a surplus of material during the sessions for their last album Viva La Vida they and had enough for another full release. However Martin explained that wasn’t the case, saying. “We’ve recorded the EP, but we’ve got to get around to the other thing.”

R.E.M. and Coldplay have been friends for years and Stipe gave his full endorsement of the band's music, saying.

"For me, having been around for 28 years, doing this, I’m thrilled when a band like Coldplay come along.

“I think ‘Great!’ Here are some contemporaries I respect what they do and they’re really smart fun people great people to be around and they’re very close friends."

Perelman in Talks to Direct Poltergeist

The Life Before Her Eyes and House of Sand and Fog director Vadim Perelman is in talks to helm MGM's Poltergeist remake. Juliet Snowden and Stiles White are writing the revamp of the 1982 classic.

The original was directed by Tobe Hooper from a script co-written by Steven Spielberg.

The Ukraine-born Perelman once was attached to Spielberg's endlessly developing Talisman project, adapted from the Stephen King-Peter Straub novel, as well as the World War II drama Truce at Warner Independent.

Tropic Thunder is Three for Three!

The ComingSoon.net Box Office Report has been updated with studio estimates for the weekend. Click here for the full box office estimates of the top 12 films and then check back on Monday for the final figures based on actual box office.

Despite five new wide releases opening in theaters over Labor Day weekend, Ben Stiller's comedy Tropic Thunder (DreamWorks) held its ground, remaining at #1 for the third weekend in a row, Stiller's second movie to achieve that rare honor after Night at the Museum in 2007. It grossed another estimated $14.3 million, down just 12% from last weekend, and brought its total gross to $86.6 million.

Projected by some to take the top spot this weekend, Vin Diesel's sci-fi action flick Babylon A.D. (20th Century Fox) instead grossed just $12 million in 3,390 theaters (the weekend's widest new release) with a weak average of $3,500 per site.

After four weeks at #1 before dropping down to fourth place last week, Christopher Nolan's action-thriller The Dark Knight (Warner Bros.) not only crossed the $500 million mark domestically yesterday, a feat only accomplished once before by James Cameron's Titanic, but it also moved back up a notch to third place with $11 million over the extended weekend for a total of $504.7 million. Internationally, The Dark Knight added $19.2 million for an overseas gross of $417 million. Combined, it has earned a massive $921.7 million worldwide and has climbed to the 9th spot on the all-time worldwide blockbuster list.

The Dark Knight pulled ahead of last week's #2, the Sony comedy The House Bunny with Anna Farris, which dropped to fourth place with an estimated $10.2 million and an 11-day gross of $29.7 million.

Opening on Wednesday and grossing $1.5 million before Friday, the political thriller Traitor (Overture Films) starring Don Cheadle added another $10 million over the four-day weekend in just over 2,000 theaters, claiming the best per-site average for a new wide release. With a reported production budget of just $22 million (compared to $70 million for Babylon A.D.), it's quite a victory for Overture and first-time director Jeffrey Nachmanoff.

Univeral's remake of Death Race starring Jason Statham dropped 35% from its opening weekend, settling for sixth place with $8.2 million and a total gross of $25 million.

The last nail in the coffin of the spoof movie trend was pounded home with the awful opening for Disaster Movie (Lionsgate), making just $6.8 million in its first four days, compared to the $19 million opening for Meet the Spartans just six months back.

With the help of a new Sing-A-Long version released for one week only into 299 theaters, Universal's hit musical Mamma Mia! grossed $5.8 million over the holiday weekend, up 34% from last weekend despite losing 358 theaters. Apparently, the Sing-A-Long did 20% of the movie's weekend business, as it brought its box office total to $133.9 million.

The top 10 was rounded out by Seth Rogen's action-comedy Pineapple Express (Sony) with $4.5 million and a total gross of $80 million, while Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona (MGM/Weinstein Co.), starring Javier Bardem and Scarlett Johansson, moved up a notch with $3.5 million and $13.3 million total while still playing in less than 700 theaters. With the best per-theater average in the Top 10, it looks like Allen is on his way to another hit, his first since Match Point.

Opening well outside the Top 10 at #14, MGM's long-delayed College, picked up when Lionsgate dropped it, grossed just $2.6 million in 2,123 theaters. After opening in limited release last week, Focus Features' R-rated comedy Hamlet 2, starring Steve Coogan, expanded wider into 1,597 theaters on Wednesday, but only grossed $2.1 million, enough for 17th place.

The Top 10 grossed an estimated $86.4 million over the four-day holiday weekend, down a whopping 26% from last Labor Day when Rob Zombie's Halloween remake set a new box office record for the holiday with $31 million in its first four days.

The Dark Knight Passes $500 Million Domestically

While we await the four-day holiday weekend estimates on Monday, Warner Bros. Pictures revealed that The Dark Knight became only the second movie in Hollywood history to surpass the $500 million mark at the domestic box office on Sunday, bringing its total to $502.4 million. Titanic, the biggest blockbuster, remains in first on the domestic chart with $600.8 million.

Dan Fellman, head of distribution at Warner Bros., said he expects The Dark Knight to finish at about $530 million, though it could reach $550 million if business persists as strongly as it has.

The Christopher Nolan-directed sequel earned an estimated $19 million internationally from 62 markets this weekend. It has reached an international total of $416.7 million and $919.1 million worldwide, the 10th highest of all-time.