FILM/TV NEWS: The New Superman, Catwoman, X-Men, & Charlie's Angels, and more

• It's official! Anne Hathaway and Tom Hardy have joined The Dark Knight Rises as Catwoman and Bane. For people who loved the Michelle Pfeiffer incarnation of Catwoman in 1992's Batman Returns, this might be a little disconcerting. Some might say she's too young to play Batman's love interest. Some might even say that she was only chosen because of her recent display of sensuality and toughness in Love and Other Drugs. I think I'll hold my judgment for the trailer. If you told me 5 years ago that they were considering Hathaway for Catwoman, I would've laughed in your face. But she's shown range over the years, so anything is possible. As for Hardy, I'm a little disappointed that of all the villains, he's been chosen for Bane, a character who basically amounts to a meathead. Really? I thought Christopher Nolan was far too sophisticated for such a crappy nemesis. He might as well be Bullseye in Daredevil.

• There was much speculation that the Daniel Craig chapter of the Bond franchise was closed. But after several months of back-and-forth and an official announcement that Bond 23 was in the works, everyone's main focus was on who would be cast as the villain and the Bond girl. First name to pop up so far is Javier Bardem. I say, why not make it a family affair? Cast his wife Penelope Cruz as the Bond girl, and create an awesome love triangle—just on-screen though.

• Check out the cast of X-Men: First Class:

Michael Fassbender (Inglorious Basterds) as Magneto, Rose Byrne ("Damages") as Moira MacTaggert, January Jones ("Mad Men") as Emma Frost (aka the White Queen), and Jason Flemyng (Snatch) as Azazel (aka Nightcrawler's father).

Nicholas Hoult (Original "Skins" and Clash of the Titans) as the Beast, Lucas Till (Hannah Montana: The Movie) as Havoc, Zoe Kravitz (It's Kind of a Funny Story) as Angel Salvadore, Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone) as Raven Darkholme (aka Mystique), and James McAvoy as Charles Xavier.

• Casting the leading ladies of the Aliens prequel, newly dubbed Prometheus, has been tough work. So many actresses have been vying for the lead that some are even willing to settle for the secondary lead. You'll never guess who's among them. Since Noomi Rapace, Hollywood's new It Girl, scored the lead, both Angelina Jolie and Charlize Theron are duking it out for the other female lead role Vickers. I think we all know who the fan favorite is, but it's an interesting duel nonetheless.

• Ben Affleck is flipping through scripts, trying to find his next directing project. It looks like it might be the spy thriller American Bullshit. It's about "the true story of Abscam, the FBI's 1980 undercover sting operation of Congress to root out corruption, which was the brainchild of the world's greatest con man." I vote for George Clooney to star. He's got that "I can get away with anything" attitude down from The Ocean's Eleven trilogy.

• I love when great casts are assembled. Benicio Del Toro, James Franco, and Michael Shannon ("Boardwalk Empire") will star in the mob thriller The Iceman. "Shannon plays Richard Kuklinski, a notorious mob contract killer and loving family man. He earned his nickname by freezing the bodies of his victims, disguising the time of death, and throwing police off-track. Kuklinski killed over one hundred people during his life and never felt remorse except for hurting his family. His family and neighbors believed he was an average businessman, having no idea about his deadly alternate life. Del Toro co-stars as Kuklinski’s employer, the notorious mobster Roy Demeo, and Franco plays his mentor assassin known as Mr. Softee."

• Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg are partnering up for the father-son comedy I Hate You Dad, which will most likely not be family-friendly. The story will focus on a disapproving father's feud with his son's fiance. Can't wait to see who they cast as the bride-to-be. It has to be someone hot but feisty. I love Kristen Wiig, who seems to benefit the most from SNL-led movies, but I think someone a little more age-appropriate might be better. I say we bring back that adorable nutbag Isla Fisher (Wedding Crashers)—Ana Faris is pretty good at those type of roles too. And if they're feeling particularly generous and/or campy, they could revive Amanda Bynes' career. If Sandler wants to redeem himself for putting Jessica Biel in I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, he could pick her. Of course, Elizabeth Banks has proven on "30 Rock" that she can hold her own up against the toughest.

• Sandler is also considering a film called Fat Man, where he'll play a 800lb man who tries to lose 600lbs after falling in love with his nurse. Director Miguel Arteta (Cedar Rapids) says that despite the fact that he would be naked for the first half of the film, it will be both touching and funny. What are the chances this won't be offensive to fat people?

• Casa de Mi Padre, Will Ferrell's comedic telenovela starring Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna, which is now called Castle, is about a farmer's son (Will Ferrell) who falls in love with his businessman brother's (Diego Luna) fiance (soap star Genesis Rodriguez) when he visits to save their family from financial ruin. Of course, his brother is actually quite shady and he ends up in a war with Mexico's most feared drug lord, the mighty Onza (Gael García Bernal). I can't freaking wait to see Luna and Bernal play bad guys.

• In other Ferrell news, he's signed on for a four-episode arc on "The Office," where he'll play an inappropriate branch manager who arrives from the home office. The rumor was that he'd replace Steve Carrell, who is leaving the series this season, but I think he's just a rebound to buy them some time to find someone permanent.

• Tina Fey is in negotiations to star in the college comedy Admission, where she'd play an admissions officer who falls in love with a student. Fingers crossed he's a graduate student or an older gentleman who's forced to go back to college after being laid off, as many graduates have had to do during this recession. Otherwise, Fey is about to be bombarded by a slew of cougar-related scripts.

• Charlize Theron opted out of participating in Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar biopic in favor of being in Snow White and the Huntsman. Naomi Watts will replace her to play Hoover's life-long secretary. In related news, apparently Blake Lively isn't the only "Gossip Girl" cast member to catch an actor-director's eye. Eastwood has cast Ed Westwick as the man hired to write Hoover's biography. Acting opposite Leonardo DiCaprio just might get him enough screen time to prove his worth.

• Will Smith is developing a remake of the musical Annie with his daughter Willow in the lead. Firstly, I'm interested in hearing the soundtrack, since Jay-Z will be the musical coordinator and in 1998, he sampled the musical's signature song for his hit "Hard Knock Life." Secondly, I wonder if it'll be as goofy and plucky as the original, or if she'll be an orphan in the ghetto and it'll be realistically depressing. Lastly, does Will Smith not love his kids enough to give them original material? Just saying.

• The Black Swan screenwriter Mark Heyman has signed on to write Age of Rage, the story of a post-apocalyptic world where everyone over a certain age has been killed. That sounds awfully similar to Now, the sci-fi film that Amanda Seyfried and Justin Timberlake are currently shooting, which is odd since Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer) supposedly developed the concept for it.

• John Travolta and James Franco are in talks to play father and son in the upcoming Nick Cassavetes John Gotti biopic. The 70s gangster took over the Gambino crime family and was later convicted of committing thirteen murders in 1992. Bloggers believe the film will be from the perspective of his son, Gotti, Jr. Either way, this could explain why Franco said he did the mob story arc on "General Hospital" as research.

• If you remember the Mortal Kombat short film that went online in June, you might remember that it was sort of a web proposal for a feature film reboot. Unfortunately, the best they get was a ten-episode webisode that just went into production.

• Broadway lovers rejoice! Wicked is being turned into an 8-hour miniseries on ABC. I'm sincerely excited. I meant to see it live or at least read the book but I never got around to it. This is the 3rd next best thing. Purists will be happy to hear that it's said to be based on the book, not the musical.

• ABC execs and Drew Barrymore have finally chosen the cast of their "Charlie's Angels" series reboot: "Friday Night Lights" alum Minka Kelly (The Roommate), Transformers actress Rachael Taylor, and newcomer Annie Ilonzeh.

FILM/TV NEWS: Wachowski's Take On Robin Hood, "Glee" Star Might Be New Buffy, and more

• The Wachowski brothers are interested in making a contemporary version of Robin Hood. When I heard that, I thought, "A contemporary Robin Hood is basically a thief…or Nate Ford in TNT's 'Leverage.'" Then I read they've had talks with Will Smith. Ah, so that kind of modernization.

• Taylor Lautner has signed onto the dystopian fantasy thriller Incarceron. He'll play a futuristic prisoner who finds a crystal key that allows him to communicate with the warden's daughter, who is being forced into an arranged marriage in the outside world that resembles the 17th century. Together, they'll figure out how to escape both their fates. If that girl Hailee Seinfeld wasn't 14, I'd say she was perfect for this. But maybe Nina Dobrev ("Vampire Diaries") or Emma Watson would do.

• In order to reinvent himself, I'm sure, Zac Efron has signed on for his first douchebag role. In Die in a Gunfight, he'll play a fight-prone, death-obsessed socialite who tries to court his father's enemy's daughter. Sounds like a role that would've been perfect for Bradley Cooper, if he was 10 years younger.

• I just finished listening to the audiobooks for The Hunger Games last week, and after getting a gist of the main character and her two love interests, I think I might agree with the director who is reportedly against casting a well-known actress in the lead. He's aiming for an unknown. I think it might be easier to focus on the storyline if a newcomer is at the forefront. Plus, they're more likely to be free for sequels than an up-and-comer with a million projects pending. However, the love interests shouldn't be newcomers unless they're as mesmerizing and charismatic as Robert Pattinson, Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson), or Ben Barnes (The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian) from the very start. My vote's for the relatively new Thomas McDonell (above), who'll make his film debut as a rebel this April in the teen dramedy Prom.

• Chris Colfer ("Glee") wrote and intends on starring in the "John Hughes-esque coming-of-age comedy" Struck by Lightning. Who knew he even had ambitions to write?

• Another "Glee" alum, Heather Morris (Brittany, left), is supposedly the "favorite" to star in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer remake. As if a remake isn't bad enough, they hire a girl with no action background. Okay fine, technically Buffy started off as a blonde cheerleader without a clue, and Brittany screams ALL of that, but it's mighty hard to believe that Morris will ever grow to be the formidable heroine that Sarah Michelle Gellar did. I mean, if you HAVE to hire a former cheerleader, than why not Alyson Michalka ("Hellcats").

• I love True Lies and, 15 years later, the film still holds up as an awesome action movie, so I totally get why they'd want to adapt it for TV. Especially, since NBC's "Undercovers" bombed and the plans for a "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" series has been delayed ever since the film came out five years ago. But casting might be the death of the series before it even premieres. There's talk of wrestler John Cena playing the Arnold Schwarzenegger role. While technically, they have a smilar body build, that role wasn't about being a meathead. And by then Arnold knew how to act. Cena has barely mastered that, and even if he did, I don't really care. Don't ruin one of my favorite spy films by choosing a former wrestler.

TV NEWS

• The next season of "The Closer" is reported to be its last. It's hard to believe it's been 5 years, but that's one of the best female-led shows I've ever seen. I'll miss Brenda Leigh and Co.

• In AWESOME TV news, Enver Gjokaj (left), the true breakout star of "Dollhouse," has scored a USA network pilot, which means he's as good as full-time employed. USA shows never get canceled. He'll costar with Nicholas D'Agosto ("Heroes" and Fired Up!) in the drama "Eden," which will be set in an NYC hotel. I would prefer him joining "Nikita" or livening up "Covert Affairs," but I guess this will do for now.

• I must say I am truly intrigued by the news that The Counte of Monte Cristo is being modernized for television. It'll be set in present day Hamptons and the lead will be changed to a woman. Now, if you don't know the story, it's about a man whose best friend frames him for a crime, gets him locked in jail, then steals his wife and kid. Hell bent on vengeance, he escapes from the prison with the help of a fellow old inmate who knows the location of a vast treasure. Once he's out, he finds the treasure and uses it to create a new identity where he's a mysterious Count. He squeezes himself back into his enemy's life and manages to steal back his wife and son, and, if I'm not mistaken, leaves him penniless. So, if they were to recreate this story from a modern day woman's perspective, then it could be safe to assume that this woman has reinvented herself so that she can get back the man she loves. I'm sold.

BUZZ: Forbes Hollywood Power List [Categorized]

This week. Forbes released a fantastic list of the most powerful people in Hollywood, so I decided to break it down into categories to see who's considered the best in their field:

ACTORS 
Knowing who tops the list in actors can usually give you an idea of who's getting paid the most and who can get a film greenlit the fastest.

1. Johnny Depp // I'm not even a little shocked. Pirates of the Caribbean is such a cash cow. He's the new Tom Cruise. He could star in the live action version of "Teletubbies" and it would sell big.
2. Brad Pitt // I think this is one of very few instances where having a ton of children can actually be profitable without the sweatshop.
3. Tom Hanks
4. Ben Stiller (#1 comedic actor) // I never would've guessed that Stiller was the most powerful comedic actor in Hollywood. Granted, Tropic Thunder was hilarious, but Night at the Museum is torturous.
5. Robert Pattinson // I'm pretty sure this is the last time he'll commit to a franchise and make this much money, so he better open up an IRA account ASAP.
6. Tom Cruise // Good to know he's still powerful, even though Knight & Day tanked. :(
7. Adam Sandler
8. George Clooney
9. Charlie Sheen
10. Leonardo DiCaprio
11. Robert Downey Jr.
12. Steve Carrell
13. Daniel Radcliffe (#1 youngest actor) / Who's really surprised by this? He could literally retire right now.
14. Ray Romano
15. Alec Baldwin
16. Kiefer Sutherland
17. George Lopez // He has the honor of being the only minority actor in the Top 100.

TV ACTORS

1. Charlie Sheen // People this rich shouldn't marry as many women as he has and do as many drugs as he does.
2. Steve Carrell
3. Ray Romano
4. Alec Baldwin
5. Kiefer Sutherland // He's the only dramatic TV actor on this list. I guess the mula's in the comedy.

ACTRESSES

1. Sandra Bullock
2. Miley Cyrus
3. Angelina Jolie
4. Jennifer Aniston // It must suck that she even has to take a backseat to Angie in Hollywood. But at least she can take comfort in knowing she ranks higher than Brad--she's at #26 and he's at #30.
5. Cameron Diaz
6. Kristen Stewart // By the constant look of indifference on her face and by the way she dresses when she's off-duty, you really can't tell how rich she is.
7. Sarah Jessica Parker
8. Reese Witherspoon // It's pretty impressive that she can outrank Julia Roberts, especially since the only film she did last year was Monsters vs. Aliens.
9. Julia Roberts
10. Meryl Streep // Power-wise, she should at least be at #3.
11. Drew Barrymore
12. Tina Fey
13. Eva Longoria // She's the only fully Hispanic actress (Cameron is half-Cuban) in the Top 100.
14. Katherine Heigl
15. Kate Hudson
16. Jennifer Love Hewitt // I'm just as confused as you are.
17. Mariska Hargitay

TV ACTRESSES

1. Tina Fey
2. Eva Longoria // I hope she's using this list to ask for a raise.
3. Katherine Heigl // I wonder if this means she's a shoe-in for an Emmy. lol
4. Jennifer Love Hewitt // Seriously, how is this possible?
5. Mariska Hargitay

COMEDIANS
The asterisked names denote the people who aren't exactly comedians, but do in fact make us laugh.

*Sandra Bullock
1. Ellen DeGeneres // She has the ability to make everyone from the age of 2 to 82 laugh.
*Jay Leno
2. Jerry Seinfeld
3. Ben Stiller
*Conan O'Brien
4. Adam Sandler
*Cameron Diaz
*Charlie Sheen
*Sarah Jessica Parker
5. Steve Carrell
6. Ray Romano
*Drew Barrymore
7. Alec Baldwin
8. Tina Fey (#1 TV scripted comedic actress)
*Eva Longoria (#1 Mexican, sorry George)
9. Jeff Dunham (#1 stand-up comic) // Who knew puppets were so profitable?
10. George Lopez
*Chelsea Handler

YOUNG HOLLYWOOD

1. Taylor Swift // All hail the Teen Queen! Thank you for dethroning a certain skanky Southerner.
2. Miley Cyrus (#1 youngest / #1 Disney product) // It is a terrifying notion that the youngest and most powerful person in Hollywood makes racist comments and is actually trying to use her youth as an excuse for dressing inappropriately.
3. Jonas Brothers // Justin Bieber may be taking over their heartthrob status, but they certainly went out with a bang.
4. Robert Pattinson
5. Kristen Stewart
6. Daniel Radcliffe

BLACK HOLLYWOOD

Surprisingly enough there are no black actresses on this list--and no, Beyonce doesn't count.

1. Oprah Winfrey
2. Beyonce Knowles
3. Tiger Woods
4. Kobe Bryant
5. Jay-Z
6. Michael Jordan
7. Tyler Perry
8. LeBron James
9. Floyd Mayweather
10. Shaquille O'Neal
11. Serena Williams
12. Sean (Diddy) Combs
13. Lil Wayne
14. Akon
15. Venus Williams

DIRECTOR/PRODUCERS

1. James Cameron // Take that, Kathryn Bigelow! Just kidding. ;)
2. Steven Spielberg // Without even trying...
3. Tyler Perry // The most profitable drag queen in America. lol When you are the most powerful black director in Hollywood, you get to hang out with Oprah, call on any black actor to star in your movies, and sell a concept about a trash-talking, gun-toting, ex-con grandmother.
4. Michael Bay // I'm assuming he'd be richer if he stopped wasting money on explosions.
5. George Lucas // The force is strong with this one. (Because I had to. That's why.)
6. Jerry Bruckheimer

WRITERS

1. James Patterson
2. Stephenie Meyer // Wow! She actually beat Stephen King. That's quite an accomplishment...for what boils down to a PSA on abstinence. Wonder if it worked. I guess we should keep an eye on the birth rate--maybe send it over to China if it does.
3. Stephen King

BANDS/GROUPS

1. U2
2. Black Eyed Peas (#1 Pop group) // I'm not surprised by this, because once you think they're on hiatus, they pop up with a new hit. And it's never just a summer hit, it's an every season hit.
3. Coldplay
4. AC/DC
5. Jonas Brothers
6. Rascal Flatts (#1 Country band) // I love them...and I don't even like Country.

SINGERS

1. Beyonce Knowles // She managed to keep her spot at the top in spite of Lady Gaga's innovation and overall attempt at revolutionizing the creativity within the music business.
2. Lady Gaga
3. Britney Spears
4. Madonna // She's still keeping up with the young ones.
5. Taylor Swift
6. Miley Cyrus
7. Bruce Springsteen
8. Pink // I love this girl. She rarely plays by Hollywood's rules and she always seems like she's effortlessly creating the most lasting music.
9. Kenny McChesney (#2 Country star, if you count Taylor as #1)
10. Toby Keith
11. Keith Urban

RAPPERS

I really thought Drake would make it on here, but maybe next year.
1. Jay-Z
2. Sean (Diddy) Combs
3. Lil Wayne
4. Akon // Interesting. Oh that's right, 50 Cent is busy trying to be an actor and Eminem just got out of rehab. Enjoy it while you can.

TV PERSONALITIES

1. Oprah Winfrey
2. Simon Cowell
3. Rush Limbaugh
4. Dr. Phil
5. Ellen DeGeneres
6. David Letterman
7. Donald Trump
8. Jay Leno
9. Jerry Seinfeld
10. Howard Stern (radio)
11. Glenn Beck
12. Ryan Seacrest (radio) // He has like a million jobs. I am so not surprised.
13. Conan O'Brien
14. Judge Judy
15. Heidi Klum
16. George Lopez
17. Chelsea Handler

TALK SHOW HOSTS

1. Oprah Winfrey
2. Dr. Phil
3. Ellen DeGeneres
4. David Letterman
5. Jay Leno
6. Conan O'Brien
7. George Lopez
8. Chelsea Handler

LATE NIGHT HOSTS

It's a good thing Jimmy Kimmel has been stepping his game up this year with "Lost" and Twilight specials, because he didn't even rank.
1. David Letterman
2. Jay Leno
3. Conan O'Brien
4. George Lopez
5. Chelsea Handler

ATHLETES

1. Tiger Woods (#1 golfer)
2. Kobe Bryant (#1 basketball player)
3. Michael Jordan // I didn't even know he played anymore.
4. LeBron James
5. Roger Federer (#1 tennis player)
6. Floyd Mayweather (#1 boxer)
7. David Beckham (#1 soccer player)
8. Phil Mickelson
9. Cristiano Ronaldo
10. Alex Rodriguez (#1 Hispanic / #1 baseball player)
11. Shaquille O'Neal
12. Manny Pacquiao
13. Serena Williams (#1 female athlete / #1 female tennis player)
14. Derek Jeter
15. Lance Armstrong (#1 cyclist)
16. Maria Sharapova (#1 youngest athlete)
17. Venus Williams
18. Danica Patrick (#1 race car driver)

 

MODELS...excuse me, SUPER MODELS

1. Gisele Bundchen
2. Heidi Klum
3. Kate Moss

BUZZ: Worthington's "Dracula Year Zero" vs. Hunnam's "Vlad," Jason Momoa is "Conan the Barbarian," and more

• I love Sam Worthington. But I don't love that he's going to be in Alex Proyas's (I, Robot and Knowing) Dracula: Year Zero. With the resurgence of vampire shows and films, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that some of the plots will start to overlap. But I was already wary of Charlie Hunnam's ("Sons of Anarchy") screenwriting debut Vlad getting the brush-off, and now an Avatar actor is going to play the infamous character in a big-budget film. Granted, they do have different plots. Hunnam's is more historical than mystical, and Proyas' has Vlad searching for a dark magical power that turns him into a creature of the night, in order to beat the Turkish army. Either way, by 2011 there will be two Vlads. With any luck, having Brad Pitt as a producer will score Hunnam a big-name lead.

• The Coen brothers are gearing up for their next film, a remake of True Grit, due out this Christmas. They've already cast Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon to play a U.S. marshal and a lawman, who help a 14-year-old girl track her father's killer in hostile Indian territory, but they haven't cast the teenager yet. Maybe it might be overkill, but my vote's for Chloe Moretz (Kick-Ass and 500 Days of Summer). She's proven to be tough enough to hunt for a killer.

• One of Steven Soderbergh's (The Informant) next projects is the action spy thriller Knockout. A black ops super soldier (mixed martial arts fighter Gina Carano) seeks payback after she is betrayed and set up during a mission. Channing Tatum will play one of the guys on her team, who's sent to bring her back, and Michael Angarano (Lords of Dogtown) will play a teenager who ends up helping her. Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas, Ewan McGregor, and Dennis Quaid also star. This sounds like a unique opportunity to watch him get his ass kicked by a professional fighter. lol

• For some unknown reason there's going to be a sequel to Four Brothers, and for an even more inexplicable reason it will be called Five Brothers. Since one of them died in the first film, there's speculation that there will be flashbacks of the deceased brother. However, that still doesn't explain who the fifth brother is. Did they adopt? Did he just get out of jail? Oooh, maybe it'll be the dead kid's biological brother. Now that might be interesting.

• Here's an unlikely pairing: Samuel L. Jackson and Josh Duhamel (When in Rome and Transformers) are teaming up for the supernatural thriller Sympathy for the Devil, where they play lawmen who are "caught in a cosmic confrontation between Heaven and Hell after stopping an assassination attempt of a charismatic preacher." Random!

• The Hawaiian Adonis Jason Momoa ("Baywatch Hawaii" and "Stargate: Atlantis") has been cast to play the lead in the Conan the Barbarian remake. (Hmm, I wonder if that means we'll finally be free of the dreds.) People keep saying he "beat out" Kellan Lutz, as if beating someone from Twilight is actually that difficult. Not to mention, Kellan's had like 6 lines in the entire franchise so far. Also rumored to be cast is Jared Padelicki ("Supernatural"). Can't wait to see how he factors in. lol

• For those of you who enjoyed the simplicity of Paranormal Activity, you'll be disappointed to learn that in the sequel There Will Be Blood!!! lol j/k Saw VI director Kevin Geutert has signed on to direct.

• I'm excited to see who gets cast for Jeff Morris's action-comedy True Memoirs of an International Assassin. "The story focuses on an accountant who writes a novel about the life he wishes he had, that of a fearless assassin. He sells the book, the publisher labels it a memoir, and the world comes to believe he is his alter ego. When he goes on vacation to Belize, he finds himself coerced into killing the country's prime minister and must now become the hero he's always written about but never dreamed he'd be." It'll have to be someone who looks geeky enough to be an accountant and that you'd never expect to do anything badass, like John Krasinski, Adam Brody, Demetri Martin, etc.

• What happens when you run out of quirky ways for people to meet in a romantic comedy? This: In 31 Days of Larry, a broke woman and a suicidal man agree to marry so that he can get help killing himself and she can collect on the life insurance. Awwww. Sounds like a Valentine's Day release to me!

• The priest at my church on Sunday delivered a sermon about how a lot of people have lost their way and how attendance is dwindling. Well, he'll be happy to know that there is in fact a solution. In Jeff Somers' sci-fi novel The Electric Church, a bodyguard-assassin is ordered to kill the founder of a church that converts people by transplanting their brains into pliant robotic bodies. It's unorthodox, but effective. I vote for Keanu Reeves to be one of the robots...for obvious reasons. ;)

TV NEWS
• Perhaps studios are expecting "Heroes" to get canned soon or they're attempting to capitalize off of their poor ratings. Either way, there are plans to adapt the sci-fi action film Push into a series. "The story centres on people with paranormal powers who band together to take down a corrupt government agency." Its one advantage is that David Hayter (Watchmen and X-Men) will be writing the pilot.

• AMC greenlit a new series, "The Walking Dead," an adaptation of Robert Kirkman's graphic novel. It follows a group of people who survive a zombie apocalypse. Led by a police officer they search for a safe home. I dunno. This kind of sounds like Zombieland, except not funny...which then defeats the purpose. lol

BUZZ: Carrell & Fey Re-Team, Gervais's Next Directing Project, Star of Step Up 3-D, and more

• Sam Worthington's next film is a remake of the thriller The Debt with Helen Mirren, Ciaran Hinds, Tom Wilkinson, and Martin Csokas. "In 1965, three young Israeli Mossad agents on a secret mission capture and kill a notorious Nazi war criminal. Now, thirty years later, a man claiming to be the Nazi has surfaced in the Ukraine and one of the former agents must go back undercover to seek out the truth." At the moment, it doesn't have an American distributor, but after the success of Avatar, I'm sure something will get worked out soon. Either way, you'll be seeing the rugged Aussie soon enough. He has two back-to-back films slated for March. First is the much-awaited Louis Leterrier-directed Clash of the Titans, where he'll play the mortal son of Zeus who must stop the underworld from overtaking Earth. Then he'll face the perils of love in the indie drama Last Night, where he'll play a businessman who must fight temptation while on a trip with a colleague (Eva Mendes), and Keira Knightley will play his wife who runs into her past love.

• I'm super excited for the Steve Carrell-Tina Fey rom-com Date Night, and even more excited to discover that they've already signed on to do another rom-com together called Mail-Order Groom. "The story follows a naive single woman who can't find love and ends up with a husband from Eastern Europe, bringing him home to the States." I'm just picturing Carrell acting like Balki from that 80s series "Perfect Strangers," super foreign, thick accent, and socially retarded, because the chances that Carrell's going to play suave and debonair are as high as Fey playing a Victoria's Secret model.

• I'm a bit intrigued about one of Mark Ruffalo's upcoming projects, where he plays the sperm donor for a lesbian couple's (Annette Benning and Julianne Moore) two children. The Kids Are Alright is a comedy about two kids (Josh Hutcherson and Mia Wasikowska) who get to meet their biological father when the oldest turns 18, which leads to a little bit of chaos. I've always wondered how that works out.

• Ricky Gervais and his "Office" buddy Stephen Merchant have co-directed and co-written the coming of age comedy Cemetery Junction, which takes place in the 70s. It's about "a young guy wants to escape his working-class world but his two best friends are happy with life as is. When the guy's job reintroduces him to an old sweetheart, the trio must make choices that will change their lives for ever."

• Ellen Page is very good at being quirky. And one of her next films is pretty quirky. She'll star alongside Rainn Wilson (The Rocker), Liv Tyler, and Kevin Bacon in the action comedy Super, where an everyday guy decides to become a superhero, which he dubs the Crimson Bolt, in order to save his wife from a seductive drug dealer. I pray to God she's his scrappy sidekick. I could totally see that.

• I was wondering what Adam Sevani had been up to since busting a move in Step Up 2 the Streets (besides hanging out with Miley Cyrus on youtube), and it turns out he's been filming Step Up 3-D. He'll reprise his role as the nerdy break dancer Moose. MSA goes to Paris and when they're headed back to the states, he misses the flight. So he decides to team up with French dancers to win an international dance competition. Maybe to get enough money to go home? Who knows? The point is it's a new location, new faces, new dance moves, and the promise of cameos by former Step Up stars Briana Evigan, Robert Hoffman, and Channing Tatum.

• Nick Swardson (I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry) will play the son of former 70s porn stars in the comedy Born to Be a Star. After he discovers his legacy, he decides to move to Hollywood and follow in his parents' footseps to become the biggest adult-film star in the world. Cue the laughs. Christina Ricci and Stephen Dorff (Blade) also star.

• Zoe Saldana admitted that ET was her favorite alien character. Mine is Marvin the Martian, and apparently I'm not the only fan. Warner Bros. is bringing the adorable alien character to the big screen in CG/live action film, where he'll come to Earth and try to destroy Christmas, but has a little difficulty when he gets stuck in a gift box. Hmm, I don't remember him being that dumb, but I'll reserve my judgment until the trailer arrives.

• The British humorist/on-air personality Danny Wallace will star in his own ABC comedy series "Awkward Situations for Men." It'll be based on his upcoming book, which "follows him as he moves to the U.S. with his wife, only to discover that his everyday behavior clashes with American values and gets him into trouble." The writers of "That 70's Show" are behind it, so perhaps there'll be a few decent laughs.

FILM: Portman in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe, Taylor Lautner as Max Steel, and more

• Natalie Portman just scored the rights to Seth Grahame-Smith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies horror spoof of the classic Jane Austen romance. The author "infused bloodthirsty flesh-eating zombies into the action. The tome now tells the timeless story of a woman's quest for love and independence amid the outbreak of a deadly virus that turns the undead into vicious killers." Portman will play Elizabeth, whose mission to destroy all of the zombies is sidetracked when Mr. Darcy enters her life. Please oh please let James McAvoy be her Darcy. Ok fine, if he has to be tall and broad-shouldered, then maybe...Ben Barnes or (lol) Robert Pattinson. Oh sweet jesus that would be torture. He should probably avoid romantic lead roles geared towards teenage girls for a while. A long while.

• Why is an American playing Pancho Villa in the biopic Seven Friends of Pancho Villa and the Woman with Six Fingers? I mean, I think Johnny Depp is an incredible actor, capable of completely transforming himself for a role, but with Hispanic actors like Javier Bardem, Antonio Banderas, Benicio Del Toro, and John Leguizamo in existence, why is Depp the lucky winner? Thankfully, they're not slapping a fake accent on a brunette-dyed-blonde to play the Mexican Revolutionary General's love interest. Salma Hayek is in talks to co-star.
 
• Another odd casting choice for an iconic character is Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe. Since Scarlett Johansson dropped out of Simon Curtis' My Week with Marilyn, the critically adored actress was tapped. It's not that I don't think she can cut it. Playing ditzy is a blonde reflex, which she proved she had on "Dawson's Creek." I just think that they could find another Hollywood blonde who not only has more facial similarities, but who has a rounder and more voluptuous torso. If only Christina Hendricks ("Mad Men") had a rounder face, or Christina Aguilera could act, or Lindsay Lohan were a lot more stable. I wonder if she'll put on weight for the role.
 
• The scripts are obviously rolling in for Taylor Lautner, and since he often mentions that he'd love to have the dramatic and action-packed film career of Matt Damon, it's no surprise that he's signed on to bring Mattel's action figure Max Steel to life. He'll play the "19-year-old extreme sports junkie recruited by a secret agency after an accident infects his body with nanobots, making him superhuman." He seems physically perfect for the role, but can he carry a franchise all on his own?
 
• While we're on the subject of vampires, a surprising new screenwriter has penned a script about Dracula as a young prince called Vlad. Who knew actor Charlie Hunnam (FX's "Sons of Anarchy") had writing aspirations of a supernatural nature? Well, actually he doesn't. The story isn't about vampires. It's about a 15th century Romanian warrior who had a penchant for brutality and a grudge against the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, who invaded his country, killed his father, and turned his little brother against him and converted him from a Christian to a Muslim. His legend inspired the tales of Dracula. A few more surprising facts about the project: 1) Brad Pitt is producing. 2) Hunnam wants it to be more Braveheart than 300. 3) He would prefer to play Vlad's younger brother, and have Colin Farrell (his favored choice) or Christian Bale or Ryan Gosling (a bit of a stretch he says) play Vlad. This sounds ambitious, but I'm still excited.

• I've been wondering, ever since I heard that the rights to the Terminator story were up for sale, whether McG was going to continue the new trilogy he started with Terminator Salvation. Apparently, until the property is auctioned off in February 2010 and the new owners decide whether they like McG's story arc, we won't know for sure. McG must be thinking "FML."

• It was reported previously that Anne Hathaway would be playing the villain Black Cat in the next Spider-Man film, but now the rumor is that she'll be playing the daughter of John Malcovich's villian The Vulture. And like James Franco's character, she'll take up the family business as The Vulturess.

• Josh Brolin is rumored to be in the running for a role in the upcoming Men in Black 3. I started to think about it and he kind of looks like Tommy Lee Jones. Could he be playing his son, and a potential new partner for Will Smith's character? Eh! He'll probably play a villain. Hopefully, it won't be too campy. It has the potential of veering into Spy Kids 3D: Game Over territory. Ugh.

• I enjoy supernatural tales, especially when they involve unorthodox creatures. Lauren Kate's teen novel Fallen, a "contemporary story that centers on an alienated girl torn between two charismatic young men, unaware that they are fallen angels who have battled over her for centuries." Besides the fact that this sounds almost exactly like "Vampire Diaries," it seems like it could lead to an interesting development. Falling in love with a dead demon-possessed creature or a hairy moon-driven wolf is one thing. Falling in love with a being that's one step closer to God than humans seems like it could be treading different romantic ground...but considering it's for teens, probably not. lol

• I love stories where people fall in love over time as opposed to in just one day or one moment (i.e. When Harry Met Sally; only exception: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist), which is why I'm psyched about Lone Scherfig's (An Education) latest project, which is ironically named One Day. "Based on author David Nicholls's novel, the story revolves around Dexter and Emma, who meet for the first time during their graduation in 1988 and proceed to meet one day a year for the next 20 years."

• Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl's five-novel fantasy series Beautiful Creatures is being adapted into a film. It "follows Ethan Wate, a popular high school student who hates living in a small town in South Carolina where nothing happens—until he os bewitched by Lena Duchanne, a 16-year old whose family has moved back to town and who wishes for a mundane life. The star-crossed couple has to confront an age old curse that has haunted her family for generations, as she comes to grips with her powers." It sounds like another product of the Twilight craze, except now we're entering Wiccan territory. I'll see who they cast before I start to judge. They already have Richard LaGravenese (P.S. I Love You) signed on to write and direct.

• While teen girls usually prefer watching films about hopelessly romantic characters, maybe they'll have a change of heart when they see the trailer for The Lonely Hearts Club. Elizabeth Eulberg's teen novel focuses on a "heartbroken teen who comes to the conclusion that most high school boys are total jerks and declares herself founding member of said club, refusing to date again until graduation. Other girls quickly join, taking the same oath and forming a movement that throws the high school into an uproar." I think I'd watch just to see if she's the first to break the pact and prove herself wrong. Hmm.

CRUSHWORTHY: Aaron Tveit from "Gossip Girl"

Tripp blows! But it turns out Aaron Tveit, the actor who plays him, doesn't. You might of heard of the Tony-award winning Broadway musical Next to Normal. Well, Tveit is actually one of the stars--one of the dancing and singing stars--who impressed the Great White Way's critics and practically stole the show. And that wasn't even his first play. He actually had the lead love-interest role in Wicked and in Hairspray for a while. That's right, Serena's current unsuitable suitor actually has serious talent. In fact, he even auditioned to play Finn in "Glee." (No offense, but I prefer Cory Monteith. He may not sing as good, but he definitely looks more like a suburban jock than the puny politician.)

Luckily for Tveit, his foray into more commercial entertainment outside of theater won't end with "Gossip Girl." He already scored a co-starring role in the much-talked about drama Howl, which also stars James Franco, Jon Hamm, and Jeff Daniels. He'll play the poet Peter Orlovsky, who was best friends with the poet Allen Ginsberg (Franco). The film will focus on the release-aftermath of Ginsberg's most famous poem, Howl. If critics eat it up, he could be looking at a serious film career.

BUZZ: Zombieland at #1, New Melissa Joan Hart & Joey Lawrence Series, and more

• Zombieland took the top spot with $25 mil, accompanied by critical adoration for just being dirty, good fun. It was quite the surprise hit, especially since it was up against Ricky Gervais' The Invention of Lying and Drew Barrymore's Whip It. These were the feature film directorial debuts for both actors, and while the critics were split on Gervais' secretly religious comedy, it was pretty much a consensus that Barrymore's coming of age dramedy is a must-see. However, with a 1700-theater release, Lying got the #4 spot with a $7 mil gross, and Whip It got the #6 spot and nearly $5 mil. Meanwhile, the Coen Brothers' indie comedy A Serious Man opened in 6 theaters with $252,000 and a lot of critical lovin'.

Surrogates dropped from #2 to #5 with $26 mil, only a quarter of its budget. The documentary Capitalism sky-rocketed from #31 to #7 after it was released in 900 more theaters. The Fame remake failed miserably, free-falling from #3 to #8 with barely $17 mil. The unbearably bland and awkward The Informant! dropped from #4 to #9 with $26 mil, even though it was a critic favorite. Jennifer Anniston's romantic dramedy Love Happens teeters at #10 with $19 mil. Retiring from the top 10 are Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself with $48 mil, the scifi horror Pandorum with $8 mil, Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds with $117 mil, the animated dystopia 9 with $39 mil, and the horror comedy Jennifer's Body with $15 mil.

• Just when you thought that Beyonce's "Single Ladies" would finally be put out to pasture after a year of parodies, homages, and awards, this Christmas, the Chipettes will be performing it in the Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel. You know a song hasn't been done to death until the chipmunks do it. The lovely rodents will be voiced by Christina Applegate (Jeanette), Amy Poehler (Eleanor), and Anna Faris (Brittany). Check them out in the trailer.

• With the upcoming release of Twilight: New Moon and The Wolfman, more and more werewolf films are coming out of the woodworks. Maggie Stiefvater's supernatural romance novel Shiver has been greenlit. "The story covers a bittersweet paranormal romance between a teen who becomes a wolf each winter and his girlfriend, who helps him find the secret to staying human." I wonder which lucky teen actor will get tapped to star.

• For God knows what reason, Jessica Alba will appear in the third Meet the Parents film, Little Fockers. She'll "play an attractive pharmaceutical rep whose looks wreak havoc on the male characters." I don't know what that really means, but it sounds like she'll be playing the homewrecking "eye candy."

• James Franco (Pineapple Express) will play the recurring role of a mobster on the soap opera "General Hospital" for two months starting November 20th. It's his way of researching for an upcoming film role. Can't wait to see what justifies the humiliation.

• Both Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence are returning to television in an untitled ABC Family half-hour comedy. The plot: "Hailey (Hart), a political dynasty wild child-turned-politician who takes in her teenage niece and pre-adolescent nephew when her sister goes to prison and her brother-in-law flees. She turns for help to Jack (Lawrence), who, desperate for a job, moves in and becomes the family's 'manny.'" Best of luck.

• "Day One," a series that chronicles life on Earth after a global catastrophe, was down-graded from a series to a four-part series that'll premiere after the Winter Olympics.

BUZZ: Wentworth on "Prison Break," Diablo Adapting "Sweet Valley High," and more

• Wentworth Miller ("Prison Break") is joining Resident Evil: Afterlife as a survivor trapped in a jail with several other people. He may have been infected, and becomes a key element of their eventual escape. Milla Jovovich's character returns after traveling the world to save these people from the company that's chasing them. And Ali Larter reprises her role as well.

• The action comedy The Other Guys is turning into one of those star-studded rom-coms, minus the romance. First Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell were cast as partners who have to prove they're not second rate cops, then Eva Mendes was added on as a love interest. Soon after Michael Keaton and Damon Wayans Jr. were tagged onto the cast. And now Dwayne Johnson, Samuel L. Jackson, and Steve Coogan have been added. Now it's sure to be the funniest and the most action-packed film Adam McKay (Anchorman) has ever directed.

• I'm so confused as to what Diablo Cody aims to contribute to film history. How exactly did she go from the award-winning Juno to the teensploitation "comedy" Jennifer's Body to adapting Sweet Valley High into a film? How? I need a new heroine.

• Stephen Gahan (Traffic) is developing an untitled action thriller about "an elite, highly trained, deep cover operative who loses everything, ultimately disappearing into Brooklyn, where he must start over. He washes up as a beat cop, only to discover the global organization he was dedicated to fighting is also operating in his new backyard."

• A potential epic is in the works as Bryan Singer has signed on to direct the modern version of Jack the Giant Killer. I'm sure you're familiar with the plot, but here's how it's updated: "When a princess is kidnapped, a long-standing peace between men and giants becomes threatened, and a young farmer is given an opportunity to lead a dangerous expedition to the giant kingdom to rescue her."

• One type of supernatural creature that television hasn't run into the ground is angels. I'm happy to report that there is a dramatic series in production called "Fallen." "The story revolves around a group of vigilante 'fallen' angels who take down the criminal and the corrupt in New York while falling in love, battling demons and seeking their own personal revenge."

FILM NEWS: "Meatballs" at #1, Hudson + Bernal?, New Villain in Green Hornet, and more

Wow! I can't believe Jennifer's Body did soooo badly. Opening in almost 3,000 theaters, it only managed to place at #5 with $6.8 mil. Apparently, the world has reached their maximum quota of Megan Fox in-take and is now suffering from an overload and overshare of info. My mom read me her Rolling Stone interview (because she was practicing her English, not because I'm lazy), and I learned that she got her period when she was 10, she has the libido of a 14-year-old boy, she's only had sex with two men in her life, and she's a pathological liar. I know more about her than I know about my best friend. Alas, I'll be seeing the film this week against my better judgment. I just know I'll wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. Surprise, surprise Jennifer Anniston's Love Happens actually did pretty well considering the tough competition. Unfortunately, even though she opened at #4 with $8.4 mil, the critics weren't in the least bit impressed, citing sheer boredom as the cause for the film's failure. That's...embarrassing. The film I'm saving for a stressful weekend is The Informant. While parents were busing hauling their broods to Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, which took the #1 spot with $30 mil, Matt Damon's quirky comedy took the #2 spot with a respectable $10.5 mil. Critics loved it and I'm sure I will too. Unfortunately with the premiere of the adaptation of the kids' classic, the post-apocalyptic 9 got shoved down from #2 to #6. It's still a winner in my book, and probably a shoe-in for a Oscar nom.

Ejected from the top 10 were the wintry thriller Whiteout, which had the most confusing and uninformative trailer, departing with a measly $8 mil, the beloved Julie & Julia, retiring with a hearty $88 mil, the cult-favorite District 9, with an unexpected $126 mil, and the practically-ignored action flick Gamer, with a pathetic $18 mil. I need to catch up on my in-theater films, since Whip It, which comes out this Friday, will be my third must-see. Luckily, I'm still on the fence about the action comedy Zombieland and Ricky Gervais's The Invention of Lying, so I don't have to worry about squeezing them in.

• I love Kate Dennings—no lie. And my love for her grew exponentially when I saw Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist. Unfortunately, she's often relegated to the sidekick role. But I suppose I should be happy at least that she'll be in good company for her next film, Liars (A-E). She'll play the bff to Rebecca Hall (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), who'll play a woman who was dumped on the eve of Obama's victory and is inspired to retrieve lost items from all of her ex-boyfriends. I know what you're thinking. Yes, she can! ;)

• For those of you who dug Tim Pocock, who played young Scott Summers, in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, you'll be happy to know that he'll be returning in the teen-oriented X-Men: First Class, which starts shooting next Spring.

• There's a slight possibility that Kate Hudson will crawl out of that hole she dug when she had herself branded the rom-com queen. Gael Garcia Bernal might sign on to star opposite her in the dramatic romance Earthbound, about a terminally ill woman who falls in love with her doctor. Fingers crossed.

• Finally! A Wall Street film I might actually want to see. (Sorry Shia, Wall Street 2 just isn't that alluring.) Chazz Palminteri, the actor who wrote the critically acclaimed A Bronx Tale, is writing the indie drama Wall Street Mafia. It'll be based on a true story about an FBI investigation of the mob's involvement in the world of finance during the 90s. It's kind of like The Departed in that it'll have a young executive who leaves his Brooklyn background to join the suits in Manhattan, only to find himself having to choose where his loyalties lie. Hmm, who should get cast? It has to be someone who looks both gritty and clean-cut. But for variety's sake, I say nix the idea of casting Joseph Gordon-Levitt or Emile Hirsch.

• Christopher Waltz, the breakout star of Inglorious Basterds, scored the villain role in Seth Rogen's Green Hornet, replacing Nicholas Cage. I don't know about you, but I think the movie's credibility just rose a couple of notches.

FILM NEWS: "Pirates" 4 Plot, "Sex and the City" Scoop, Angelina Returns in "Wanted" Sequel, and more

• It's official. The next Pirates of the Caribbean film, subtitled On Stranger Tides, will "deal with a pirate named Jack Shandy in a race against the legendary pirate Blackbeard and his crew of both living and undead to reach the Fountain of Youth."

• The breakout star of District 9 just scored (if that's what you want to call it) a role in The A-Team. He'll play Capt. "Howling Mad" Murdock, who is a "highly skilled helicopter pilot who was officially declared mentally unstable and spent much of the series residing in a psychiatric hospital (though its hinted more than once his insanity is a ruse)."

• There are a lot of rumors about the Sex and the City sequel making the rounds. From Samantha taking fertility drugs to Carrie and Big being hit by the recession, resulting in a separation and adultery. Most recently the gossip sites have been passing around a picture of Samantha in a wedding gown and news that Jason Lewis will be returning. Now I'm reading that Max Ryan (Death Race) is joining the cast to play the object of Samantha's affections. Uh-oh! Does that mean Smith has competition? Boy fight!

• Fans of Timur Bekmambetov's Wanted, who are dying to see the sequel, might be happy to know that Angelina Jolie will be returning. I know, she died. But apparently those "healing baths" can also revive the dead. I know. I know. Whatever, Angelina is back! lol

• Good news for lovers of the Wall Street classic. Charlie Sheen will reprise his role for a few scenes. Maybe he'll give Shia Labeouf a few tips on how to deal with the Gekko.

• Nicholas Cage opted out of the villain role in Seth Rogen's Green Hornet. Apparently, they couldn't nail down his deal, which is Hollywood-speak for "he thought he was worth more than he actually is." Unfortunately, it left Rogen high and dry in the middle of shooting. Now he has to find a quick replacement. I, personally, think casting a villain is very difficult. Then again, for every Bullseye (Colin Farell in Daredevil) there's a Joker (Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight).

• We haven't seen Halle Berry in a while. The last film I saw her in was 2007's Things We Lost in the Fire. So her next film would have to be quite the eye catcher. What she has in store for us are the dramatic adaptation of Marko King's Frankie and Alice, where she'll play a schizo with a racist alternate personality, and the action thriller Dark Tide, about a shark-attacked diving instructor. Hmmm, not bad.

• Anytime someone wins the lottery, the idea is that it makes your potentially crappy life exponentially better. Now imagine that you're a serial killer and you win the lottery. What do you do? Do you keep killing people...with more expensive equipment? Or do you decide it's time to pursue your lifelong crush like the character in the indie comedy Lucky? It's quite the dilemma. The film will star Colin Hanks and Ari Graynor (Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist), two underappreciated and very funny actors.

TV CASTING: Adam Rodriguez on "Ugly Betty," Natalie Morales joins "White Collar," and more

• As we learned last night, Tyra's loverboy Eggs won't be making it to "True Blood" next season. Mehcad Brooks actually just signed on for ABC's midseason legal drama "The Deep End" to play a lawyer. That's right ladies, no more excuses to take off his shirt.

• If you're wondering why you haven't seen Lauren London's character Christina on "90210" this season as Dixon's lesbian buddy, it might have something to do with the fact that she just gave birth to rapper Lil Wayne's third child. It's her first and his third. She's the third of four women's he's impregnated. The fourth will give birth later this year. Seriously Lauren? I had such high hopes for you.

• Natalie Morales ("Minutemen") is joining the cast of USA's "White Collar" full time. She'll play a rookie FBI agent who works with a well-known con artist (Matthew Bromer from "Chuck") to take down white-collar criminals.

• Edward Norton is guest-starring on "Modern Family." "In the November episode, Norton will play the bassist of a famous band whom Claire (Julie Bowen) hires as an anniversary surprise for husband Phil (Ty Burrell)."

• Adam Rodriguez will be leaving "CSI: Miami" to join "Ugly Betty" this season to play Hilda's love interest. Awwww, I was really rooting for Ralph Macchio's Archie. Maybe that bitch Gina Gambarro steals him away. lol

BUZZ: New Matt on "Friday Night Lights," McAvoy's Cancer Comedy, and more

FILM NEWS

• Quentin Tarantino is back on top with his #1 hit Inglorious Bastards, grossing $37 mil over the weekend. However, his buddy Robert Rodriguez's kiddie comedy Shorts debuted at #6 with $6.6 mil. Faring even worse is little Rory Gilmore, aka Alexis Bledel (Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants), who failed to bring in the big bucks yet again with her rom-com Post Grad, opening at #10 with $2.8 mil. And dropping out of the top 10 are Jeremy Piven's The Goods with a meager $11 mil, and the well-reviewed teen flick Bandslam with $4.5 mil.

• I'm kind of bummed Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio's Shutter Island was pushed back from October 2nd to February 19th. It just looks so good.

• Wow! You'd think Seth Rogen would avoid the cancer comedies after Funny People was deemed unfunny by the people. But, he's signed up for a supporting role opposite James McAvoy, who will play a 25-year-old who battles cancer for several years in an untitled film. The funniest thing about this film is that it dares not to mention drama as a genre it fits into. I can't imagine it'll all be funny.

• I swear to God if I have to watch another movie where Judy Greer (27 Dresses) has to play backseat to some beautiful starlet I'm going to form a protest. Yet again, the consistently hilarious Greer joins a film as a sidekick. This time she'll be playing a trainee instructor at a pharmaceutical company opposite Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway. The film, Love and Other Drugs, is based on James Reidy's novel about a Viagra salesman. It actually sounds funnier than the cancer comedy.

• A Dirty Dancing remake is in the works. Please God don't repeat the words, "Nobody puts baby in the corner."

• The Japanese movie Yomigaeri is being remade and renamed Rainbow Bridge. It's about a town whose dead people start coming back to life and returning to their families—but not as zombies. They've only classified it as a fantasy, but that sounds like a horror movie to me.

TV NEWS

• I am unnaturally excited that Matt Lauria, the adorably Southern, gay assistant on "Lipstick Jungle," is joining "Friday Night Lights" to play for Coach Taylor. Could he be his new Matt, since Zach Gilford will only appear in the first half the season?

• The only reason I'd watch the new "Melrose Place" is for Michael Rady (Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants) and Ashlee Simpson, and now I have even more incentive to watch now that Step Up's Jenna Dewan has signed on for a few episodes. But honestly, I still need a little more persuasion.

• Both Lifetime's "Drop Dead Diva" and Syfy's "Warehouse 13" have been renewed for a second season. Love "Diva," tolerate "Warehouse."

FILM: Adaptation of F.X. Toole's "Pound for Pound"

Producers are looking to cast a young Latino fighter for a boxing film called Pound for Pound. Billy Bob Thornton will play a retired and widowed boxer grief-stricken by his grandson's death. He starts to train an up-and-coming Latino boxer with a rough background. The story comes from Million Dollar Baby writer F.X. Toole. Since there aren't that many young Latino actors in the business, the first three that come to mine are these:

VICTOR RASUK

(Raising Victor Vargas and Lords of Dogtown),

RICK GONZALEZ
("Reaper")

JAY HERNANDEZ
(Crazy/Beautiful and World Trade Center)

Oh and no, I didn't forget Wilmer Valderrama ("That's 70's Show"). There's no way he could play a thug. I've stretched enough by adding Hernandez to the list. Any other suggestions?

BUZZ: District 9 at #1, Downey Jr. as Lestat, and more

• After rave reviews, it's no wonder that District 9 came in at #1 with $37 mil. But, of course, we'll only know of its true success after the second week, once non-critic word gets around. The Time Traveler's Wife managed to debut at #3 with a flimsy $19 mil. It irritated me to no end every time it previewed before a film I went to go see, but I thought girls would lap it up. Unfortunately, not even critics were impressed. Has Rachel McAdams lost her appeal? Regardless, I'm sure after moviegoers see her in Sherlock Holmes, people will remember why they fell in love with her. Speaking of lowered profiles, Jeremy Piven's star is seriously dimming. His comedy The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard died hard with a $5 mil open at #6. Alas, nothing tanked bigger than Vanessa Hudgens' Bandslam, which debuted at #12 with $2 mil, and it wasn't even a limited release. Ouch! Oddly enough, the critics thought the writing was rather refreshing. Nonetheless, that was Hudgens' first forray into non-High School Musical territory. Hopefully, this won't affect the open of her next lead role in the teen fantasy romance Beastly. A real indie, Ashton Kutcher's Spread, opened in less than a hundred theaters (and with much less critic approval), grossing $117,000. Meanwhile, G.I. Joe managed to hang in at #2 with $99 mil, and Julie & Julia slid down to #4 with a decent $43 mil. The horror thriller A Perfect Getaway, however, freefell out of the top 10, retiring with less than $12 mil.

• Apparently, vampires are so hot right now, even Robert Downey Jr. is getting in on the genre. There are rumors floating around that the Anne Rice series is about to get rebooted, and Downey Jr. is in the running for Lestat. If Tom Cruise ever needed a bigger sign that he was becoming increasingly irrelevant, he's about to get one. It's been fifteen years since the first movie in Rice's Vampire Chronicles was made, and seven since Stuart Townsend debuted as Lestat in The Queen of the Damned. There's no word on whether the series will be rebooted completely or if they'll continue the saga with the third book, The Tale of the Body Thief. But if Downey Jr. signs on to restart the franchise, he'll have three iconic characters that he'll be contractually obligated to preform for the next five to ten years: Iron Man, Sherlock Holmes, and Lestat, which leaves no room for indies or dramatic roles that don't involve fantasy. Heck, he won't even have time to just make us laugh like he did in Tropic Thunder, or better yet Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. I'm not too keen on that. Two is enough.

• Eric Bana is reportedly uninterested in reprising his role in Star Trek or Hulk, because he's more interested in doing a Mad Max remake. However, I think reusing him as a villain in the Star Trek sequel would be a bad idea. He was good, but having an unknown, mysterious villain is way more enticing than revisiting the same vendetta. Besides, it's not like he's as ominous and intimidating as say....Darth Vader. (I'm kidding. I know that's Star Wars.)

• Uhh, apparently Bradley Cooper isn't the only one benefitting from the super stardom status of The Hangover. Ed Helms was just tapped for a film that sounds awfully similar to NBC's "Chuck." In the action comedy Central Intelligence, an accountant is "thrown into the world of international espionage after reconnecting with an old friend through Facebook." We'll see if he can carry a film on his own or if it'll be a major flop. I think it's too soon for him to go out on his own, but I applaud him for having the balls to.

• USA is greenlighting yet another spy series called "Covert Affairs" that'll star Christopher Gorham ("Ugly Betty") and Piper Perabo (Coyote Ugly). It's about a multilingual CIA trainee (Perabo) who joins the agency and is still reeling over a mysterious ex-boyfriend who appears to be of particular interest to her bosses. Gorham will play a blind CIA military agent who'll help her navigate her new job.

• What would you do if you could start over? In Allison Winn Scotch's novel, Time of My Life, a woman is given the opportunity to redo her life. She wakes up seven years in the past without her husband and baby girl. Will she choose to do it all over again or forgo the white-picket-fence future? Hmm, sounds like a job for Reese Witherspoon.