Movie News

Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus’ future is shaky now that it has been “indefinitely suspended” after the death of Heath Ledger. The movie was half shot having just finished filming in London and was to start bluescreen work in Vancouver, which would've lasted through March. With the fact that funding depended heavily on Ledger’s being cast, the insurance company will probably be making the decision of whether to go forward or not. There’s been some rumors about having another actor take over the role after the point in the film where the character falls through a mirror, but right now it’s just that – a rumor.

Also, the adaptation of Walter Tevis' The Queen's Gambit, which would have been Heath Ledger's first go at directing, was in preproduction.

David Bowers has replaced Colin Brady in directing the CGI Astro Boy movie. It still has a 2009 release date.

Hoyt Yeatman’s first directing job, G-Force, is about secret agent animals who fight against an evil billionaire who wants to take over the world (dun dun dun). The voice cast has Penelope Cruz, Nicolas Cage, Steve Buscemi, and Tracy Morgan, and the live action cast has Bill Nighy and Will Arnett.

Ken Watanabe has been cast as barker Mr. Tall in Cirque du Freak. Filming starts February.

With Christine Peters producing and Grant Morrison working on the script, there’s plans to bring video game Blacksite: Area 51 to the big screen:
"The U.S. Army has received a distress signal from Area 51 where a viral outbreak has just shut down the research facility and the automated quarantine procedures have locked all scientific and military personnel inside. A small Special Forces unit led by Specialist Ethan Cole of the HAZMAT (hazardous materials) Division is sent to investigate."

Jess Weixler will be in the Joe Swanberg directed, Jeffrey Brown written Save the Date(working title). "It's a very cool movie, and it will have a kind of comic-book style to it, with a clumsy and awkward style. It just has a sensibility which is, they're comic books, but it's mostly like people who are very sweet but sort of clumsy. Like they have a hard time getting their feelings across, and they are very sensitive and easily hurt; that sort of a bunch." It will also have music from Of Montreal.

Oliver Stone's next project will be about George W. Bush, "It's a behind-the-scenes approach, similar to 'Nixon,' to give a sense of what it's like to be in his skin, but if 'Nixon' was a symphony, this is more like a chamber piece, and not as dark in tone." Stanley Weiser will co-write the script and Josh Brolin will play the president.

JJ Abrams already has Joshua Marston as the director for his next unnamed movie. It’s going to be a supernatural thriller, other than that I got nothing.

Tyler Bates will be composing the score for Watchmen.

Skye Bennett, Noah Huntley and William Hope play the heroes, and Finnish rock band Lordi will be playing the monsters in English language, Finnish made, slasher movie Dark Floors. It'll be in Finnish theaters February 8.

David Zucker will be doing his own take on A Christmas Carol as a comedy, only setting it around Independence Day instead of Christmas.

Revolver Entertainment has acquired the UK rights to the live action Mushi-shi movie (based off Yuki Urushibara's manga). It’ll be released on Region 2 DVD March 3. At the moment it’s unclear if Revolver also has the North American rights.

American Teen, Nanette Burstein's documentary about four teens, has had its worldwide (excepting the UK) distribution rights picked up by Paramount Vantage.

Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer, was acquired by Anchor Bay.

Fox Searchlight Pictures announced that they have acquired US and most worldwide rights to Choke.