September 15, 2006

While it is still two months more for his latest film "Borat" to hit theaters, director Larry Charles has already prepared for a new one to be developed under his hands. Production Weekly has learned that the man is engaged in pre-production process on "The Dirt", a biopic of famous Los Angeles-based hard rock band Motley Crue.

Set to be shot on some locations in L.A later this year, the movie will be made based on the troupe's 2001 book titled "The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band." As for the story, it follows the group's rise in music industry as well as all their ups and downs in friendships, on tour and in the studio. Rich Wilkes is penning the script with Jordan Berliant, Alan Kovac, and Michelle Manning producing for Paramount Classics.

This sure will be such delight for the "Eragon" fans. 20th Century Fox as the production company of the fantasy flick finally has revealed the new trailer of the film after four delays since May 2006. Those who can't wait to get a glimpse of it can now find the trailer attached to Columbia Pictures' "Gridiron Gang" at MovieFone.

Scheduled to open in theaters on December 15 this year, "Eragon" is an adaptation of the best-selling novel of the same title which actually is the first part of the Inheritance trilogy written by California-born author Christopher Paolini. Jeremy Irons, Sienna Guillory, Djimon Hounsou, and John Malkovich are starring with newcomer Edward Speleers taking the lead as the titular character.

After got busy writing for superheroes flick like "X-Men 2" and "Superman Returns", Mike Dougherty is now taking a turn towards horror genre. The writer has been assigned to pen also make his feature directorial debut in "Trick 'r Treat."

A Warner Bros. Pictures production, the project is described as "Pulp Fiction" set on Halloween night and will present a story which "interweaves four tales of chaos and malevolence." While cast has not yet been revealed, production is scheduled to begin November this year in Vancouver.

Filling up her resume with new film projects, Kyra Sedgwick has given her approval to have a starring role in "Daddy's Little Girl" aka "The Game Plan", a family football comedy from Walt Disney Pictures.

The actress therefore will join Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson in the cast and play his ruthless, over-the-top sports agent. As for the actor, his character will be the center of the story which follows his journey to become a father upon finding out that he actually has a daughter.

Shifting from small to big screen, producer Mark Burnett has picked up the rights to make a film feature of "The Alchemyst: Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel", an adaptation of the first part of children's fantasy book series "The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel" by Michael Scott, Variety has reported.

Described the series to have "the scope of The Lord of the Rings and the charm and intrigue of Harry Potter", Burnett is reported to currently look for studios to partner with on the project. The man himself has been known to be a prominent figure behind a series of reality shows on TV like "The Apprentice", "Survivor", "Rock Star: INXS", and "The Contender."

Putting attention to Japanese animation or known as anime, Imagi Animation Studios has been reported to acquire rights from Japan's Tezuka Productions Company Limited to produce a new CG animated feature length motion picture titled "Astro Boy." The flick, set for a 2009 theatrical release, will be based on the renowned anime franchise which was initially created by Osamu Tezuka, the company has confirmed.

In bringing the project to life CG feature animation, Imagi is intending to create a vivid new version on the titular hero with production taking place in the company's state of the art Hong Kong animation studio. Meanwhile, the movie's premise will be developed into a completely new story created in Imagi's U.S studio, similar to other Imagi's productions of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and "Gatchaman."

There it is, after months of chatters and speculation, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes wedding is said to be held soon. How soon? In within the next six weeks.

Andrea Bernholtz, Katie's close friend who also is the president of the Rock and Republic fashion line, told Us Weekly magazine, "All I really know is that the wedding is soon! They will surprise us all."

Official announcement on Britney Spears second delivery has yet been made. Yet, rumor has it that the pop superstar is about to name her second son with husband Kevin Federline, Sutton Pierce Federline.

Speculation is mounting that Britney wants to give the baby the name with the intention that he has the same initial with brother Sean Preston Federline.

Making a bold move, Lionsgate has just secured U.S distribution rights to a drama flick entitled "Away from Her", a directorial debut of Sarah Polley who is also the first-time screenwriter of the project. The announcement of the successful attempt was made jointly on Wednesday, September 13 by Lionsgate's President of Acquisitions and Co-Productions Peter Block and President of Theatrical Films Tom Ortenberg.

The deal was reached after Block and Ortenberg along with Vice President of Acquisitions Eda Kowan and Senior Vice President of Acquisitions Jason Constantine engaged in negotiations with William Morris Independent and producer Danny Iron on behalf of the filmmakers.

Jon Heder, the actor most famous for his portrayal of the title character in the 2004's "Napoleon Dynamite", will soon become a father.

A representative for the star has confirmed to People that he and wife Kirsten Heder are expecting their first child together.

Patrick Dempsey, the actor who is currently working as Dr. Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd on the medical drama "Grey's Anatomy", does daddyhood again.

The hunk and wife Jillian Dempsey are expecting their second child together, the star's publicist confirmed to People.

A good move has been made by Strand Releasing. The company has satisfyingly obtained the rights to this year's Sundance Film Festival participant "The Hawk Is Dying." In continuation to the successful attempt, Strand has set the movie to be released by the next spring, The Hollywood Reporter has revealed.

Written and directed by "Trans" helmer Julian Goldberger, "Hawk" features a star studded cast consisting of Paul Giamatti, Michelle Williams, and Michael Pitt with Corbin Day also Ted Hope serving as executive producers.

He announced his retirement three years ago with the release of "The Black Album". But now Jay-Z is invading, again, the music industry with his another new album.

The rapper has just released an announcement, confirming his comeback to the scene with his forthcoming set, "Kingdom Come", which is slated to hit stores this fall.

Former supermodel Christie Brinkley is officially ending her 10 years marriage to fourth husband, architect Peter Cook. The 52-year-old beauty filed for divorce in New York's Suffolk County Court earlier this week, just three months after reports mentioned her husband had an affair with Diana Bianchi, an 18-year-old he'd hired to work in his firm.

Since then on the couple became a hot commodity in Hollywood, even more after Cook published a public apology to Brinkley in a Cindy Adams gossip column, saying "This is an aberration. I'm sorry. I'm contrite. I'm stupid. Foolish. No excuse. I love my wife. ... For a lifetime I've tried to prove how much I love her."

She's been doing acting on stage and big screen. Now that it comes to directing, Julia Stiles would likely to give it a go.

The actress has joined forces with Elle magazine to make her directorial debut. Her first project will be the short movie "Raving", based on a story in the magazine's October "Personal Style" issue titled "The Dress That Changed My Life."

Following the hiring of Chilean filmmaker Jorge Olguin, production is gearing up for Mayhem Project's "Clock Tower." Production Weekly has reported that principal photography on the project is set to start December this year with Todd Farmer, Jake Wade Wall, and David Coggeshall writing the screenplay.

Based on the popular Japanese videogame franchise of the same name, "Clock Tower" centers on a young girl named Alyssa Hamilton who finds that she possesses a secret power that can destroy evil forces threatening the world. Being so, she then must win over the Evil Servants which "thrive on the trapped life force of their murdered victim's souls" before the clock tower reaches midnight.

Sets eyes to get himself double jobs, Ed Harris is intending to both star and direct "Appaloosa", a Western flick based on Robert B. Parker's novel of the same title. In bringing the project to the surface, the "Winter Passing" actor has gathered his co-star in "A History of Violence", Viggo Mortensen, and Diane Lane together in the cast line-up.

"Ed's working on financing now and has every intention of making the film," so Parker revealed. "I've seen the script, and it's top notch." Harris himself has put hopes to start filming the picture next fall.

Updating news on "The Golden Compass" which has already begun filming, BBC has reported that film crew are landing their feet in Oxford this week to shoot at the university's Exeter College which will stand in for Jordan College in the picture.

The filming in the location will last until the end of the week or so with an expectation to shoot scenes involving Nicole Kidman later in the week. To satisfy moviegoers' curiosity, BBC has delightfully provided some online photos of the shooting locations and production equipment which can be accessed through http://news.bbc.co.uk.