Movie News Page 1097

Tom Arnold has at last decided to take the hot job, joining the cast of "P.D.R.". The actor thus will star in the drama flick alongside the likes of Terrence Howard and Bernie Mac.

In the Lionsgate film project, Howard is set to play the role of Jim Ellis, who in the 1970s started a black swim team in one of the roughest neighborhoods in Philadelphia. As for Arnold, he will play the racist swim coach of the rival team.

The next character that Jack Black about to display is a kind of eccentric. The actor reportedly has signed on to star in the upcoming drama comedy "Be Kind Rewind".

Jack is slated to portray a man who becomes accidentally magnetized while trying to sabotage a power plant. His magnetic field erases all the tapes in the video store where his best friend works. To save the store, the duo re-enact and re-film every movie that its single loyal customer, an elderly woman, rents.

Signed on to star in "Tonight, He comes" has made it possible for Will Smith to reunite with director Gabriele Muccino.

Of action drama genre, "Tonight, He Comes" centers on a tortured superhero who crash-lands in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, and tries to transform himself by romancing an alluring housewife, causing chaos in the city.

"Walk the Line", the Johnny Cash biopic, nabs the top honor at the 10th annual Prism Awards held Thursday April 29th, 2006 at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The drama movie wins an award for the category of Feature Film Wide Release, thanks to its accurate portrayals of drug, alcohol and tobacco use and addiction within entertainment programming.

Some other winners include Kelly Rowan from "The O.C." who brings home the honor for Performance in a Drama Series Episode for Television category and Lori Loughlin who gets the Performance in a Drama Multi-Episode Storyline for Television honor for her portrayal in "Summerland".

Catherine Keener and Vince Vaughn have both agreed to walk on "Into the Wild". The twosome has agreed to star in the upcoming action adventure flick, which Sean Penn is going to direct.

The story will portray Christopher McCandless, who graduated from college in 1992, abandoned his possessions and hitchhiked to Alaska to live in the wilderness and return to nature. He died four months later in an abandoned bus at a remote campsite.

Not even once the thought to stop the "Power" crosses his mind. In fact, Jan De Bont is challenged to work on the "Stopping Power" and thus signs on to direct the flick.

Shooting is slated to begin in Germany next September, with casting is underway. Of action thriller genre, "Stopping Power" revolves around a test pilot in Berlin who is on vacation with his daughter and girlfriend when their RV is hijacked at a gas station, with the daughter inside.

In the past few days, moviegoers have been treated with some new movies, but as usual there will only one winner on the chart. Apparently, in the week ended Sunday April 30th, 2006, the North America box office is dominated by the family-friendly road-trip comedy "R.V." which opens at No. 1 on the chart, scoring $16.4 million in ticket sales.

Meanwhile, the acclaimed Sept. 11 drama "United 93" debuts at 2nd place with $11.6 million, just one place ahead of "Stick It" which opens at No. 3 with $11.3 million. Last weekend's top movie, "Silent Hill" is at No. 4, taking in $9.3 million, followed after by "Scary Movie 4" at No. 5 with $7.8 million, and "The Sentinel" at No. 6 with $7.6 million.

Fellow actors Adrien Brody and Lindsay Lohan are about to land their feet on a new independent romantic comedy titled "Speechless". The flick, moreover, will have Brian Dannelly in hand directing with shooting scheduled to start later this year.

Based on a story by L. Sprague De Camp from 1952, "Speechless" tells about an introverted man (Brody) who is invited to give a speech at his childhood friend's wedding and turns to a service that allows someone (Lohan) to speak through him.

Intended to produce such a high-qualified movie, Marvel Studios, a subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment, Inc., has attached Jon Favreau to direct its upcoming "Iron Man".

The studio, moreover, has also tapped Arthur Marcum and Matt Holloway to develop the script with Avi Arad set to serve as producer.

You'll soon hear the secret of pop queen Madonna as the superstar is going to release her documentary "I'm Going To Tell You a Secret" as a CD/DVD package June 13 via Warner Bros.

The set, which is directed by Jonas Akerlund, besides chronicling Madonna's 2004 Re-Invention Tour also will boast a 14-song CD of music culled from the film and concert, including "Holiday," "I Love New York," "Like a Prayer" and a cover of John Lennon's "Imagine."

Variety reported that Hollywood actor Will Smith has reached a deal to star in the new adaptation of "I Am Legend" which is about to be directed by Francis Lawrence.

The adaptation of the Richard Matheson novel, "I Am Legend" is set in post-apocalyptic New York. The story tells about the last healthy man following the release of a virus that decimates the population. To survive, he must battle mutants that wreak havoc during the night.

Ben Stiller is in final talks to topline the upcoming "Seven Day Itch", a loosely inspired remake of the 1972 film written by Neil Simon and directed by Elaine May.

And if the actor later on agrees to star in, he will once again team up with Bobby Farrelly and Peter Farrelly who both are set to direct. Meanwhile, give hand at producing are Bradley Thomas and Ted Field.

Listen to the "Underdog" and you'll find out whose voice is that. It's of Jason Lee who is lending his voice to the title character of the adventure comedy flick.

A live-action classic 1960s cartoon, "Underdog" followed the adventures of a humble dog named Shoeshine Boy who became the superheroic Underdog, who spoke in rhyme.

The idea to make the movie biopic about INXS star Michael Hutchence, who committed suicide in 1997, has been opposed by the star's family. Though, the project keeps going on with Hutchence's brother, Rhett Hutchence is said to be heavily involved.

Rhett is working on the biopic alongside British filmmaker and former INXS promo video director Nick Egan. Actors considered to star in among others are Johnny Depp who is being lined up to play Michael Hutchence. Meanwhile, the likes of Sienna Miller, Eric Bana, Naomi Watts, and Rachel Griffiths are being considered for the roles of Paula Yates and Bob Geldof.

The star-studded cast of "Ocean's Thirteen" becoming even more perfect as veteran actor Al Pacino has officially signed on to star in. Some other movie stars on board including George Clooney, Ellen Barkin, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, and Shaobo Qin.

Of action thriller comedy genre, the story of "Ocean's Thirteen" continuing criminal exploits of Danny Ocean and his crew of crooks. And just like the two earlier installments in the series, this third installment will still be directed by Steven Soderbergh. Filming is said to start on July 21 with the flick slated for a summer 2007 release.