Jessica Alba Plays a Prostitute in “Killer Inside Me”

Casey Affleck (Gone Baby Gone) and Jessica Alba are teaming with director Michael Winterbottom (24 Hour Party People, A Mighty Heart) for film adaptation of “The Killer Inside Me,” the classic novel by Jim Thompson.

The story follows a West Texas sheriff named Lou Ford, played by Affleck, and his downward spiral from a boring small-town cop into a ruthless, sociopathic murderer. Alba plays a prostitute that he gets involved with. The book was first published in 1952 and was actually made into a film in 1976 that starred Stacy Keach. The adaptation was penned by Robert Weinbach and John Curran (Down Rusty Down).

Winterbottom will be directing, based on a screenplay by Weinbach and John Curran. MuseFilm’s Chris Hanley, Cyclone Prods.’ Robert Weinbach, Revolution Films’ Andrew Eaton and Bradford Schlei are producing the latest adaptation which is expected to begin shooting in mid-January.

Another New “Watchmen” Poster: This City is Afraid of Me…

Yahoo! Movies has debuted new poster for Zack Snyder’s blockbuster-in-waiting, “Watchmen“

A complex, multi-layered mystery adventure, Watchmen is set in an alternate 1985 America in which costumed superheroes are part of the fabric of everyday society, and the “Doomsday Clock” - which charts the USA’s tension with the Soviet Union - is permanently set at five minutes to midnight. When one of his former colleagues is murdered, the washed-up but no less determined masked vigilante Rorschach sets out to uncover a plot to kill and discredit all past and present superheroes. As he reconnects with his former crime-fighting legion - a ragtag group of retired superheroes, only one of whom has true powers - Rorschach glimpses a wide-ranging and disturbing conspiracy with links to their shared past and catastrophic consequences for the future. Their mission is to watch over humanity…but who is watching the watchmen?

The film is based on the 12-part DC Comics series written by Alan Moore and featuring art by Dave Gibbons.

“Watchmen” stars Patrick Wilson, Jackie Earle Haley, Matthew Goode, Billy Crudup, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Malin Akerman, Carla Gugino, Stephen McHattie and Matt Frewer, opening in conventional theaters and IMAX on March 6 2009. Read the rest of this entry

New Pink Panther 2 Trailer

Yahoo! today premiered the new trailer for Harald Zwart’s upcoming sequel “Pink Panther 2“.

The sequel to the 2006 flick once again stars Steve Martin as Inspector Clouseau, Jean Reno and Emily Mortimer. New faces include Andy Garcia, Alfred Molina, Aishwarya Rai and John Cleese.

This time Clouseau teams up with a squad of International detectives who are just as bumbling as he is. Their mission: Stop a globe-trotting thief who specializes in stealing historical artifacts.

The script is written by Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber and Steve Martin.

The “Pink Panther 2″ comes to theaters February 13, 2009 from Columbia Pictures.

Rope of Silicon:

I am consistently shocked at how well received Steve Martin’s remake The Pink Panther did in 2006. I don’t say this because I saw it and hated it, I say this because I avoided it for fear I would hate it. It then went on to make over $80 million and earned a Certified Fresh 88% Rotten Tomatoes rating. What this says to me is that I need to get my ass out and rent it so I know what the hell I am really in for with The Pink Panther 2 which hits theaters on February 6, 2009 and just had its trailer debut online.

Read the rest of this entry

New “Valkyrie” International Poster

The international poster for director Bryan Singer’s (Superman Returns, Usual Suspects) upcoming historical thriller “Valkyrie” is now online featuring a shot of the lead characters.

Tom Cruise heads an international cast as Col. Claus von Stauffenberg, the aristocratic German officer who led the heroic attempt to bring down the Nazi regime and end the war by planting a bomb in Hitler’s bunker. The “July 20 Plot” on Hitler’s life is one of the most heroic but least known episodes of World War Two. Severely wounded in combat, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg returns from Africa to join the German Resistance and help create Operation Valkyrie, the complex plan that will allow a shadow government to replace Hitler’s once he is dead. But fate and circumstance conspire to thrust Stauffenberg from one of many in the plot to a double-edged central role. Not only must he lead the coup and seize control of his nation’s government… He must kill Hitler himself.

Valkyrie is produced by Bryan Singer, Christopher McQuarrie and Gilbert Adler. McQuarrie co-wrote the original screenplay with Nathan Alexander who also serves as co-producer. The executive producers are Chris Lee, Ken Kamins, Daniel M. Snyder, Dwight C. Schar and Mark Shapiro.

“Valkyrie” also starring Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy, Carice van Houten, Kenneth Branagh and Patrick Wilson and is scheduled to hit theaters on December 26th. Read the rest of this entry

Seven More “The Day the Earth Stood Still” Photos

The Day the Earth Stood Still - Keanu Reeves

20th Century Fox has released seven new photos for the upcoming sci-fi remake “The Day the Earth Stood Still.”

“The Day the Earth Stood Still” revolves around Klaatu (Keanu Reeves), an alien whose arrival on our planet triggers a global upheaval. As governments and scientists race to unravel the mystery behind the visitor’s appearance, a woman (Jennifer Connelly) and her young stepson (Jaden Smith) get caught up in his mission – and come to understand the ramifications of his being a self-described “friend to the Earth.”

The film also stars Kathy Bates, Jaden Smith, Jon Hamm and Kyle Chandler.

“The Day the Earth Stood Still” is scheduled to hit theaters on December 12th 2008.

Seven New “Angels and Demons” Photos

Today we have the seven new photos from upcoming highly anticipated “Angels and Demons,” which is based on a bestselling novel by Dan Brown.

When Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) discovers evidence of the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati - the most powerful underground organization in history - he also faces a deadly threat to the existence of the secret organization’s most despised enemy: the Catholic Church. When Langdon learns that the clock is ticking on an unstoppable Illuminati time bomb, he jets to Rome, where he joins forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and enigmatic Italian scientist. Embarking on a nonstop, action-packed hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even to the heart of the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra will follow a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols that mark the Vatican’s only hope for survival.

Ron Howard again directs the film, which is produced by Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, and John Calley. The screenplay is by David Koepp and Akiva Goldsman. Read the rest of this entry

Jack Black Takes On “Gulliver’s Travels”

Gulliver's Travels | Jack Black

Jack Black has signed on to star in an upcoming 21st century adaptation of the classic Jonathan Swift novel “Gulliver’s Travels.”

The comic will play Lemuel Gulliver, the adventurous travel writer who ends up washed up on the island of Lilliput, which is inhabited by tiny people.

Rob Letterman, director of the animated flick “Shark Tale” and the upcoming “Monsters vs. Aliens,” is attached to helm the film. Nicholas Stoller (Fun With Dick and Jane, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) is currently polishing a script by Joe Stillman (Shrek).

Stoller is in preproduction on “Get Him to the Greek,” which he co-wrote with Jason Segal and is directing.

Producing the project are John Davis (Alien vs. Predator) and Electric Dynamite, Black’s production company with Ben Cooley. Fox’s Steve Asbell is overseeing the project for the studio. Brian Manis (Garfield) is overseeing for Davis.

The film is set to enter production this March 2009.