Damon Houx
Though there are still many decisions yet to be made, Universal and Focus features are adapting '50 Shades of Grey' for the big screen, and the latest news is that 'Anna Karenina' director Joe Wright is currently Universal's top choice for the job.
There were rumors that there was going to be a big 'American Idol' shake-up, but before anything was made official Randy Jackson has given the show his walking papers. Jackson announced today that Season 12 will be his last on the hit show.
In 2009, Bradley Cooper went from utility handsome guy into movie star with his turn in Todd Phillips' 'The Hangover,' and in 2012 Cooper became an Oscar nominee for his work in 'Silver Linings Playbook.' It looks like before 2015 Cooper plans to add another feather to his cap as he's looking to direct his first feature film.
Though it may only be the end of January, and it may feel like another big movie season is wrapping up, we're only three months away from the start of the summer season, which means we're nearly ninety days out from 'Iron Man 3.' Which means the advertising blitz is about to start, and now there's a great new poster for the film to coincide with the new Super Bowl spot.
Though 'Brave' was a welcome respite, Pixar has gone sequel crazy, as their previous two films were sequels and this summer we're getting a prequel in 'Monsters University.' But the studio is also working on three non-sequels for the future, and have released images from each of them.
Though the trailer won't hit the web until December 17, and the film doesn't hit theaters until May 2013, 'Star Trek Into Darkness' has just released their teaser for the trailer that's coming. Yup, this nonsense again, but at least this one's a minute long.
'Skyfall' has become a monster hit, and is on track to be the most successful Bond film of all time (unadjusted, natch), as it's already crossed $100 Million domestically, is over half a billion worldwide, and shows no signs of stopping. Now the film's stunning opening credit sequence is available online.
Yesterday we learned that Michael Arndt had written a treatment for the upcoming 'Star Wars' sequel, currently called 'Episode 7,' but that didn't seem a confirmation that he had the job. Today it looks like his work has been approved and he's the first writer to take a crack at a new 'Star Wars' film.
Oh boy, we're in for a long road to 2015. That's when we'll get 'Star Wars - Episode 7' in theaters, but from now until then we're going to be dealing with a lot of rumors about the new 'Star Wars.' Today we heard that Matthew Vaughn might be the film's director, and now we're hearing that it's possible Harrison Ford could join the new film.
It's easy to poke fun at George Lucas. He directed the prequel trilogy after all, and refuses to acknowledge the original cuts of the first three 'Star Wars' movies. But when Lucas does good, that's no joke. And today word broke that Lucas will be giving the majority of the money he got for selling Lucasfilm to educational philanthropy.
The 'Iron Man 3' trailer. It's finally here, after a number of trailer teasers. And you get a good look and listen to Ben Kingsley's Mandarin, a taste of Guy Pearce's role in the film, and the sense that this is a film of scale, and that nothing is going to come easy for Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark.
Though it's light on footage, the teaser trailer that debuted at New York Comic Con 2012 for the upcoming remake of 'Carrie,' starring Chloe Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore, is pretty awesome. It showcases the wreckage from a Prom night gone bad that has left many dead and wounded.