February 15, 2007

Listing up more names in its cast, "The Dark Is Rising" has satisfyingly added a number of actors into the lineup following the inclusion of Ian McShane, Alexander Ludwig, and Frances Conroy. Those submitted include Gregory Smith of "Everwood" fame, "Heroes" star Christopher Eccleston, Amelia Warner, Emma Lockhart, Gary Entin, Edmund Entin, Jonathan Jackson, and John Benjamin Hickey, who was recently seen in "Flags of Our Fathers."

All will come under the direction of David Cunningham who will helm from script written by John Hodge. Smith will play the older brother of Ludwig's character, an edgy young man with piercings and tattoos who questions their father's authority, while Eccleston is set to portray the movie's villain, the Rider.

Embracing his first directorial work since 2000's "Men of Honor", George Tillman Jr. has signed on to helm "The Siege of Fulton Avenue", which is set to be produced by Contrafilm for DreamWorks Pictures, The Hollywood Pictures has revealed.

Adapted from a New York magazine article by David Amsden that is based on an actual event, the project is set on the eve of high school graduation during which seniors throw an epic house party. As it goes out of control, police then are called, making the night a defining moment for the teenagers inside as they struggle with their fears of growing up.

Good news has come from James Cameron regarding his ambitious project "Avatar." On his way back from filming three days of live action work in Kauai for the flick, the famed filmmaker eagerly gave Ain't It Cool News an update of the movie's cast.

The Oscar-winning director happily confirmed that Wes Studi, Sigourney Weaver, Peter Mensah, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, and Laz Alonso have all been included in the lineup with Weaver playing a character named Grace. Already submitted to the list were Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana who portray Jake Sully and Neytiri, respectively.

Madonna, Naomi Campbell, and Penelope Cruz were among the winners at the Elle Style Awards, the "unofficial fashion Oscars", held in Camden's Roundhouse in London Tuesday Feb 13th.

While the "Material Girl" has been named the Most Stylish Star, supermodel Campbell was hailed as Best Model, and Cruz nabbed the award for Best Film thanks to "Volver".

There's more to come from Will Arnett for the years ahead for sure. Variety has learned that the funnyman has been plotted to topline a comedic feature titled "Space Invader" of which script has successfully been purchased by Fox Atomic.

No details yet on the film's plot except that it will focus on a love triangle, but it is confirmed that Robbie Brenner and John Davis are both set to executive produce. Meanwhile, seating as producers are Principato Young Entertainment's Peter Principato and Paul Young plus Arnett, who also helped developing the script written by duo Mike Lisbe and Nate Reger.

Well, sure horror fans are being spoilt this time as the trailers of two highly anticipated horror flicks are coming this week.

It is reported that new trailers of both "Resident Evil: Extinction" and "Grindhouse" will appear in theaters in front of the screening of "Ghost Rider" on Friday, February 16, 2007. That of the latter's can first be viewed on the web at Yahoo! Movies tonight while the former's is expected to be available online shortly as well.

The dispute between Toni Braxton and her ex-personal manager is over. The singer has settled her multimillion-dollar lawsuit against her former personal manager, Barry Hankerson and her former label, Blackground Records.

Under the terms of the settlement, Braxton is free to pursue new projects following her return of a $375,000 advance to Hankerson. Furthermore, the singer is responsible for paying Hankerson royalties from her next album in exchange for being beholden to a contract.

New rumors surface by the hour that Natalie Portman and ex-boyfriend Gael Garcia Bernal have rekindled their romance.

Speculation on their back together sparked soon as they were spotted leaving a German nightclub together. That's not all, as earlier this week the pair was seen leaving the China Club in Berlin, where they had been partying with a number of other celebrities.

The list of film productions Johnny Depp handles keeps growing on and on. After those like "A Long Way Down" and "The People's Act of Love", the versatile actor has added one more into the lineup, only this time it turns out to be an animated feature.

According to TMZ.com, Depp is poised to both produce and voice the main character of "How the Dead Love", a project based on four of Charles Bukowski's short stories. The flick actually had been in the works for a while under the title "The Way the Dead Love" with Bruce Wagner penning the script yet Depp is likely to present a different version of the film instead.

America Ferrera, best known for her Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award-winning role as the title character of the ABC comedy/drama series "Ugly Betty", has just got engaged to longtime boyfriend Ryan Piers Williams.

Per American publication Life & Style, it is reported that Williams popped the question last month. And now the couple is busy preparing for their wedding.

The "Desperate Housewives" invade the world of doll.

The hit TV series will have its female stars, Eva Longoria, Teri Hatcher, Marcia Cross, Nicollette Sheridan, and Felicity Huffman debuted as limited-edition plastic dolls.

Confident in bringing noted people's lives onscreen, Universal Pictures is aiming to develop a big screen feature about Milli Vanilli, the famous singing duo comprised of Fabrice Morvan and Rob Pilatus who then were exposed to be frauds, Variety has revealed.

In working on the project, the studio has already pointed Jeff Nathanson to both write and direct with Kathleen Kennedy producing. Nathanson, known as the writer for "Catch Me If You Can", reportedly has obtained corporation of Morvan as well as the estate of Pilatus, who passed away in 1998.

Ben and Jerry's present their new ice cream flavor named after famous comedian Stephen Colbert.

The ice cream, dubbed "Stephen Colbert's Americone Dream", consists of vanilla ice cream with fudge-covered waffle cone pieces and caramel.

The new LP of Fall Out Boy, titled "Infinity on High", brings the pop/rock band to score the No. 1 spot on the Billboard's albums chart in the week ended Wednesday Feb 14th. The set, which is released via Island Records, successfully sold 260,000 copies in the week ended February 11, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Last week's chart-topper Norah Jones' "Not Too Late" slips one to 2nd spot, taking in another 236,000 copies. Rock band DAUGHTRY's self-titled debut holds at No. 3 for a third week selling 76,000 copies. Rounding out the Top 5 is Akon's "Konvicted" which rises two to No. 4 with 65,000, and Ashley Tisdale's solo debut, "Headstrong" at No. 5 sold 64,000 copies.

After numbers of famous celebrities, it is now the turn of Kate Moss to have her figure immortalized in wax.

The supermodel is the latest to have her figure immortalized in wax, having the sculpture unveiled this week at the Madame Tussauds waxwork museum in London.

Not hesitant to totally go into her character, Keira Knightley is putting her clothes off for her role in "Silk", one of her upcoming big screen features set to open in theaters this year on August 13.

According to the test screenings, the beauty gets naked in a couple of scenes of the film, including a love scene while going to be seen topless for several times. This is not the first time the actress being spotted nude on screen as she previously exposed her body in some of her films like "The Hole", "The Jacket", and "Domino."

Can she dance? Heather Mills, the estranged wife of Paul McCartney, is set to appear on US TV talent show "Dancing With The Stars."

The glamour model, who has a prosthetic leg as her left leg amputated below the knee after being hit by a motorcycle in 1993, has reportedly signed on for the upcoming fourth season of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars." The 38-year-old beauty will reportedly donate earnings from appearing on the reality competition series to an animal welfare charity.

Apparently not content with just being an actor, Michael Keaton is all set to spark another career in entertainment field. The "White Noise" star reportedly will take position behind the camera for the first time in an indie drama feature titled "The Merry Gentleman."

Keaton, on the other side, will also have a starring role here, accompanied by newcomer Keith Kupferer, who recently appeared in Will Ferrell's acting vehicle "Stranger Than Fiction." Production is due to start in Chicago on March 6 with expectation to wrap up by mid April.

There's still a little love between them. Lindsay Lohan still has love for her dad, and so does he. The father and daughter are rebuilding their relationship, it has been reported.

Lindsay who has not spoken to her father, Michael Lohan, for years reportedly was "touched and a little choked up" when she received a letter from him while she was in rehab. "It was such a welcome surprise," a source revealed. "She has been in touch and even though she is proceeding with caution she's thrilled to have made contact with her dad."

Another five notable names have been added as the presenters for the upcoming 79th annual Academy Awards. Producer Laura Ziskin revealed yesterday, February 14 that Rachel Weisz, Tom Hanks, Steve Carell, Penelope Cruz, and Cate Blanchett are all set to appear onstage to assume the role during the ceremony, joining the previously announced presenters like Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig.

Honoring best achievements in filmmaking of 2006, this year's event will take place at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center on Sunday, February 25 and be aired live by ABC at 5 p.m. PST (8 p.m. EST), beginning with a half-hour red carpet arrivals segment, "The Road to the Oscars."

Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, James Morrison, and Take That are among the winners at the 2007 Brit Awards, held at a ceremony Wednesday night Feb 14th in London.

British rock act Arctic Monkeys wins double, mainly for the categories of British Group and MasterCard British Album for "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I Am Not". Meanwhile, Las Vegas rockers The Killers also win two, which are the International Group award and International Album for "Sam's Town".

Singing, acting, designing clothes, and now Justin Timberlake can add TV mogul to his impressive career resume. The pop singer has just inked deal with communication giant Verizon to launch his own channel.

To be called JT-TV, the new network Timberlake is starting will feature movies, music and fashion programming. Announcement on the deal was made public by the singer's manager Johnny Wright at Timberlake's pre-Grammy Hollywood party on Friday night Feb 9th.