September 23, 2006

Hollywood hunk Brad Pitt has slammed rumors swirling among people out there that he's been tapped to replace Tom Cruise in the next installment of "Mission: Impossible" franchise.

Reports had been circulating around tinseltown that Paramount Pictures were eager to sign him. However, the actor has through his publicist claimed the rumors as "totally made up."

Continues to complete its cast, Columbia Pictures' "The Other Boleyn Girl" has officially added Kristin Scott Thomas in the line-up to play Lady Elizabeth, the mother of Boleyn sisters. The project previously included two rising starlets Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman who are billed to play Mary and Anne Boleyn, respectively.

A historical drama focusing on the clash between Mary and Anne Boleyn in competing for the love of King Henry VIII, played by Eric Bana, the movie is an adaptation of Philippa Gregory's 2002 novel of the same title.

Working its charm successfully to stun the critics, Pedro Almodovar's "Volver" has gloriously been named the Best Film of the Year by the International Federation of Film Critics. The announcement was made public on late Thursday, September 21 at a ceremony inaugurating the 54th San Sebastian International Film Festival in the northern Basque city.

Therefore being the winner of the FIPRESCI Grand Prix, the movie's achievement really brings a special treat for Almodovar as he previously won the first ever Grand Prix in 1999 through "All About My Mother" which was also chosen to be the Best Foreign-Language Film at Oscar in the same year.

Buju Banton has been forced to cancel his Oct. 2nd show, scheduled to take place in the Highland nightclub and restaurant in LA, following complaints from its patrons. It is the reggae star's violent lyrics about gays and lesbians that prompted the postponement of the concert.

The controversy derives from two songs released early in Banton's career, "Batty Rider" and "Boom Bye Bye", which allegedly advocate the killing of gay men. Back then in July, another Banton concert in Brighton was also axed following similar protests.

Still into comedic genre, funnyman Carlos Mencia has agreed to play a role in "Seven Day Itch", a new directorial stint of the Farrelly Brothers, Production Weekly has learned.

Billed to portray a sadistic hotel manager, Mencia therefore will join the likes of Ben Stiller, Michelle Monaghan, and Malin Akerman in the cast. Filming is scheduled to begin next week with taking locations around Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Cabo San Lucas.

"Little Lover Boy" eventually finds a proper home to stay at. Variety has reported that Universal Pictures has successfully obtained the rights to the Rick Overton-penned comedy. Overton first showed the script to his longtime acquaintance Dennis Miller who later brought it to the producers.

While the film's cast and director still remain a mystery, it has been reported that the flick follows the adventure of a small-time crook who gets abducted by aliens then swipes their spaceship and teams up with an alien pilot for a Robin Hood-inspired intergalactic road trip. Mary Parent, Scott Stuber, and Jimmy Miller are all producing.

Bill Cosby takes part Friday Sept 22nd in a campaign kicked off to build a national slavery museum amid the battlefields of the Civil War. Besides giving his own $1 million to the project, the actor also urges all Americans to donate $8.00 to the museum, to be called the United States National Slavery Museum (USNSM).

On the donation, Cosby said "The incentive is that they would join in with the rest of the United States of America in saying yes, as an American, I gave $8 to help build something that tells the story". Joining Richmond, Virginia, Mayor Douglas Wilder to launch the campaign, Cosby moreover described the museum as "a jewel that's missing in a crown."

Straying into sci-fi genre, James Caviezel has reached a deal to take a starring role in The Weinstein Company's "Outlander." The striking actor thereby will join Karl Urban to come under the direction of "Perfect Prey" helmer Howard McCain who also works on the script with Dirk Blackman.

Budgeted around $40 million, "Outlander" revolves around a man from another galaxy who crashes on Earth during the Viking age and unwittingly lets loose Moorwen, an alien predator that he has brought with him, into the land. Film production is slated to begin next month for ten weeks in Nova Scotia, Canada with taking locations around Halifax and Nine Mile River.

New rumors surface by the hour that Lindsay Lohan and Harry Morton call it quit. Several sources confirmed to People that the celebrated couple splits up.

"Harry broke up with Lindsay yesterday (Thursday, Sept 21st) at Chateau Marmont after they had dinner on the courtyard patio," a source reveals. "Nothing happened at dinner, but shortly afterward, he broke up with her."

Axl Rose is just one among the many Hollywood celebrities dealing with legal wrangle. The rocker has been sued by a Los Angeles art broker, claiming the star failed to pay $2.36 million for a portrait of John Lennon as done by Pop Art master Andy Warhol.

In the lawsuit, filed Sept. 11 in Los Angeles Superior Court, broker Acquire d'Arte stated that it negotiated with a New York art gallery and was able to lower the price of the artwork from $2.65 million to $2.36 million for Rose. However, after agreeing to buy the portrait, Rose paid only $1.21 million.

Joining forces together, Diane Keaton, Dax Shepard, and Liv Tyler have signed up to take part in an indie feature titled "Smother" for Inferno Distribution, Variety has reported.

The three stars will come under the direction of first-time helmer Vince Di Meglio who will also work on the script alongside Tim Rasmussen. Meanwhile, the movie's story focuses on a thirty-something guy who gets fired from his job while coming under pressure of his wife who desperately wants a baby and being overwhelmed by his mother who has decided to settle in his house.

Aging but still agile actress Sandra Bullock filed a lawsuit against California's mental health agency to ensure she is informed on the movements of an alleged stalker.

The legal action, filed Sept. 13 in Davidson County Circuit Court, on behalf of her production company, Fortis Films, calls on the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities to comply with a California court order requiring she be notified when Thomas James Weldon, the stalker, is released from the facility.

Updating the news of his status in the fourth installment of "Die Hard" franchise, Justin Long is finally confirmed to join the cast of the flick, officially titled "Live Free or Die Hard."

Thereby going to appear on screen with Bruce Willis, Long will portray a computer savvy who assists Willis' character, John McClane, to fight against a terrorist organization around the July Fourth holiday. The picture itself will be directed by Len Wiseman based on a script by Mark Bomback with filming slated to start this month.

Pop superstar Madonna came to the surface Thursday September 21st, set the record straight on the "misinterpretations" of her stage show's mock crucifixion scene. The "Material Girl" issued a statement that day, following the final date of her record-breaking Confessions tour, which wrapped up in Tokyo, claiming the stunt as "neither anti-Christian, sacrilegious or blasphemous".

Unlike the many "spiritual crisis" judgment addressed to her, the singer on the other way around said the crucifixion scene was meant to send a message of unity that Jesus would appreciate. "I wanted to explain it myself once and for all", Madonna explained. "It is no different than a person wearing a cross or 'taking up the cross,' as it says in the Bible."

"Crash" writer-director Paul Haggis is about to take another directorial work. The man is currently involved in negotiations to helm dramatic feature "In the Valley of Elah" of which genesis is taken from Mark Boal's article on Playboy magazine titled "Death and Dishonor" that Warner Bros bought for Haggis and his producing partner Larry Becsey last year.

Set to be distributed domestically under Warner Independent Pictures, the project has already included Oscar-winning stars Tommy Lee Jones and Charlize Theron in the cast. Jones is billed to play a career soldier whose son mysteriously goes missing not long after returning to U.S. from Iraq while Theron will portray a local police detective who helps him to reveal the mystery behind the disappearance.

"Rush Hour 3" really gets crowded now as more stars are coming down to fill in the remaining roles.

The flick director, Brett Ratner, has unveiled to USA Today that Hiroyuki Sanada has been included in the cast to play one of the villains in the project. Along with him also come Max Von Sydow, Vinnie Jones, Yvan Attal, Roselyn Sanchez, and surprisingly, Yao Ming.

Exodus Film Group has truly landed a big deal this time. The company has successfully brought award-winning animation veteran Tony Leondis in to direct its CG animated project of "Igor", president John D. Eraklis announced. Leondis, whose writing credits include Disney's "Home on the Range" and "DreamWorks'" The Prince of Egypt", won an Annie Award last year for Best Home Entertainment Production through DisneyToon Studios' "Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has A Glitch."

Responding to Leondis' inclusion, the film's executive producer Max Howard openly expressed his excitement. "Tony's diverse creative talents are a perfect match for 'Igor,'" so he commented. "His vast arrays of animation experience as a writer, director and storyboard artist are key ingredients to making the film a success."