February 24, 2007

At last Brad Bird can have a live-action flick in his hands. After previously directed a series of animated works, notably "The Incredibles", the man reportedly is on board to helm "1906", a dramatic feature coming from Warner Bros. Pictures.

Based on James Dalessandro's historical fiction of the same title, the project depicts the events surrounding the 1906 great San Francisco Earthquake and fire. Bird is said to make the flick after finishing work on his next Pixar effort, "Ratatouille", which is set to open in U.S. theaters on June 29 this year.

As the prestigious event is drawing very near to its scheduled date, telecast producer Laura Ziskin has announced the last hefty addition for the list of this year's Oscar presenters. Submitted Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson into the lineup, the renowned producer also put in names like Gael Garcia Bernal, Emily Blunt, Catherine Deneuve, former Vice President Al Gore, James McAvoy, and Jerry Seinfeld.

Other well-known figures joining the pack are Oscar nominees Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert Downey Jr., Greg Kinnear, Helen Mirren, Clive Owen, Ken Watanabe, and Naomi Watts.

Keen to repeat the success of "The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants", Warner Bros. Pictures has reportedly drawn seven figures out of its pocket to acquire the screen rights to a new book written by Ann Brashares, the author of the original version from which the hit film is based on.

Titled "The Last Summer (of You and Me)", the project is set on Fire Island on Long Island's South Shore where a beach-community triangle develops between two sisters and a young man. No names attached yet to either star or direct, but it is revealed that Denise Di Novi is back to produce like he did before in "Sisterhood."

All Trekkers out there, it's time to celebrate your joy and relief that have been hold within for long. The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that J.J. Abrams ultimately is one hundred percent positive to direct "Star Trek XI" and finalized the deal yesterday evening, February 23, 2007.

For quite a long time, heavy speculations on whether or not Abrams will helm the project have buzzed around among the media and the series fans. The film and TV powerhouse himself previously was only confirmed to produce the sci-fi flick while his status as the director appeared to be unclear to public, which thus led to seemingly endless talks about the matter.

Accompanying the previously-announced Bradley Cooper, three bright talents namely Vinnie Jones, Brooke Shields, and Leslie Bibb have all been added into the cast of "Midnight Meat Train", an adaptation of Clive Barker's short story published in his popular "Books of Blood" series.

While it is still unclear what roles the other three are set to portray, Jones will play a serial killer named Mahogany who boards the midnight subways looking for victims to butcher before the train reaches the last stop.

There he was at Harvard University on Friday night Feb 23rd to accept his Pudding award. Ben Stiller, honored as the Hasty Pudding Man of the Year, took part in a parade through Cambridge and a celebrity roast.

"Thank you very much," Stiller said, accepting the award. "I feel everything tonight was a great, great honor - hit the nail on the head many times and I'm glad I got to show some of my range tonight. I'm glad there was a lot of press here who will hopefully take note of that. See you at the Oscars next year?"

Months ahead sure will be a busy period for Frances McDormand. Variety has reported that the Oscar-winning actress is taking starring role in both "Burn After Reading" and "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day" which are set to come up under Focus Features banner.

For "Reading", McDormand will likely become the female lead opposite George Clooney who recently was picked up to topline the project. A dark comedy about the CIA, the flick has already had Coen brothers to pen the script as well as to produce.

Long that he's been absent form the industry, Michael Jackson is still the darling across the pond. The pop superstar creates media headlines when he reportedly is converting to Islam.

Brother Jermaine Jackson revealed in an interview with a British Muslim newspaper that Jacko is likely to convert to Islam as he has shown a strong interest in the faith and has been reading about it. "I think it is most probable that Michael will convert to Islam," Jermaine told monthly newspaper The Muslim News.

With his love for the beach life, this should be one perfect role for Matthew McConaughey then.

Yes, the striking actor is reported to play the lead role in a big screen feature entitled "Surfer, Dude." While it is said that production is slated to begin early May, no word yet on plot details, but judging from the title, it is not that difficult to guess what the flick is about.

I guess people have so far made a wrong judgment of Kevin Federline. The estranged husband of Britney Spears apparently isn't that bad. Showing his supportive side towards the mother of his kids, the failed-rapper paid a visit to the Promises Rehab facility in Malibu on Friday Feb 23rd.

A source said that K-Fed has been involved in her stay there, claiming "He cares a lot about her." He is anxious about his wife's condition and about their two sons. Kevin reportedly stayed at the facility about an hour and a half.

Known for its productions of superhero movies, Warner Bros. Pictures is now aiming for larger scale in the pack. The giant studio is reportedly looking forward to bring up a live-action feature about Justice League of America (JLA), a fictional superhero team of which roster includes DC Comics' most popular characters.

In fulfilling this ambition, Warner has successfully tapped duo Kieran and Michele Mulroney to work on the script, the first major action the giant company has taken on the project. The twosome recently were appointed to carry out the same duty for Alexandre Aja's new horror thriller "Mirrors."

Actress Amanda Peet and her screenwriter husband David Benioff are now parents of a daughter. The screen beauty went into labor Tuesday February 20th.

The baby girl, named Frances Pen, weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces, Peet's publicist Brit Reece said Friday Feb 23rd. "Amanda and her daughter are resting comfortably," Reece confirmed further.

Academy Award-nominated American film and stage actor Terrence Howard is dating troubled supermodel Naomi Campbell it has been reported. Rumors on the street say that the pair will make their debut as a couple at the Oscars on Sunday Feb 25th.

On the new couple, a source tells New York Daily News, "Naomi's new main squeeze is Terrence. They are making their debut as a couple this weekend and will attend all the Oscar parties together."

Few changes have been made on what has already been known as "Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho." Hollywood-Elsewhere.com has reported that the project from now on is called "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" and will be developed under Universal Pictures instead.

Titled the same as the classic TV anthology series the Master of Suspense hosted, the flick previously was being set up at Focus Features with John McLaughlin penning the script. As for the story, it is said that the flick will center on the obstacles and discouragement Hitchcock had to go through in trying to get his popular classic "Psycho" made.

Constructing a cast lineup, Evan Ross, Michael Rapaport, Kerry Washington, and Victor Rasuk are all positive to highlight indie urban drama "Life Is Hot in Cracktown", The Hollywood Reporter has revealed.

Adapted from Buddy Giovinazzo's eponymous 1993 collection of short stories, the project intertwines several unsettling tales of people in a neighborhood ravaged by crack cocaine. Quincy-born actress Illeana Douglas, last seen in "Factory Girl", has also been attached to star in.