Beowulf & Grendel: "Scottish thesp Gerard Butler has signed to play the lead in the Canada/U.K./Iceland co-production "Beowulf & Grendel". Part fable, part horror story, "Beowulf & Grendel," directed by Sturla Gunnarsson ("Rare Birds," "Such A Long Journey"), is an adaptation of the epic poem "Beowulf," about a Norse warrior's battle against Grendel the murderous troll. The epic medieval adventure will lense in Iceland for 10 weeks beginning in August. The setting includes real glaciers, a fake 6th-century village and a replica of a Viking ship..." (more info). Detour: "Paramount Pictures has bought screen rights to the James Siegel novel "Detour" for Lorenzo Di Bonaventura to produce. Di Bonaventura had the inside track on the material because he is producing the screen version of Siegel's novel "Derailed" for Miramax Films. The thriller concerns a couple who find peril when they travel to Colombia to adopt a baby. Before they know what hit them, the child has been switched, the woman is kidnapped by drug dealers and the husband is pressed into duty as a drug mule..." (more info). Low Life: ""Little Black Book" helmer Nick Hurran will direct "Low Life" for New Line Cinema. Hurran is in advanced negotiations to direct the pic, in which a posh housewife has to raise a quarter-million dollars in order to cover for her husband's embezzlement. In the process, she discovers she's a pretty good cat burglar...." (more info). Running Scared: "Talkshow host Wayne Brady has scored his first feature starring role. He'll play a shady character named Raggedy Man opposite Paul Walker in "Running Scared," an action thriller being directed by Wayne Kramer and financed by Media 8 Entertainment. Walker plays the father whose 10-year-old son comes into possession of a gun used in the shooting of a police officer. It puts the whole family in danger..." (more info). Sin City: "Rosario Dawson has joined the ensemble of the Robert Rodriguez/Frank Miller-directed Dimension Films noir drama "Sin City." Dawson will take part in the third and final segment. Rodriguez based the film on Miller's graphic novel series. The finale also stars Benicio Del Toro, Clive Owen and Brittany Murphy. Quentin Tarantino is considered likely to direct some of that episode..." (more info). The Holiday Club: "Orrite Bendory and Aaron Feldman have sold their spec "The Holiday Club" to 20th Century Fox, with Luke Greenfield attached to direct and produce. Thriller is set in the world of embassy kids immune to the laws that govern ordinary people..." (more info). Serenity: "Chiwetel Ejiofor, who starred in the indie feature "Dirty Pretty Things," is set to appear in the Universal Pictures project "Serenity," Joss Whedon's feature film version of his canceled television series "Firefly". Ejiofor is the first actor to sign on to the "Firefly" feature who did not appear in the TV series. He will play a character known as the Operative, an assassin and tracker who speaks with eloquent sophistication..." (more info). The Ice at the Bottom of the World: "Oscar winner Charlize Theron is teaming with "Boys Don't Cry" helmer Kimberly Peirce on an adaptation of Mark Richard's novel "The Ice at the Bottom of the World." At last month's Festival de Cannes, the actress confirmed that she and Peirce have been collaborating on the indie project which she said they are hoping to shoot sometime toward the fall of 2005..." (more info). The Reckoning: "Reese Witherspoon is in negotiations to star in and produce a feature film adaptation of the supernatural thriller "The Reckoning," which Paramount optioned several months ago. Tally will adapt the book, which hits bookstands next month. Written by Jeff Long, "The Reckoning" revolves around a female New York Times photojournalist who follows a part-military, part-civilian team to Cambodia to recover the bones of lost soldiers..." (more info). The Ring 2: "Elizabeth Perkins is peaking in this summer, lensing three back-to-back feature films. The actress recently finished a role opposite Diane Lane and Donald Sutherland in Lions Gate Films' "Fierce People" for helmer Griffin Dunne, signed on for a role in DreamWorks' "The Ring 2" and is part of the ensemble cast of the indie "Kids in America."..." (more info). Walter the Farting Dog: "New Line Cinema has optioned the best-selling children's book "Walter the Farting Dog" and has tapped Eric Champnella to adapt the picture book into a live-action feature. The book, written by William Kotzwinkle and Glenn Murray and illustrated by Audrey Colman, tells the tale of perpetually gas-passing pooch Walter, who gets adopted from the pound by a family. The family's father eventually has enough and says the canine is pound-bound. But that night, two crooks break into the home, and Walter unleashes a hideous cloud, saving the day..." (more info). Ask the Dust: The first three photos from the Colin Farrell/Salma Hayek flick are up at Coming Soon. Crimson Rivers 2: The official Japanese site for the French thriller is up. Doctor Who: British tabloid The Sun reports that SLIPKNOT are in talks to record the theme tune to the classic TV "Doctor Who" show when it makes its comeback on BBC by year's end. DVD News: Details & artwork are up for titles such as: Envy, 13 Going on 30, Clerks: 3-Disc, THX-1138: The Director's Cut , Sliders: Seasons 1 & 2, Seinfeld: Seasons 1 & 2, The Dead Zone: Season Two, 10.5: The Mini-Series, The Martian Chronicles, Boomtown: Season 1, Happy Days: Season 1 & ALF: Season 1. Godzilla: Final Wars: A set report from filming in Sydney the other night is up at AICN. Star Wars: Episode III: Ling Bai talks SW3 & Sky Captain to IESB. Superman: 'Brad' reports: "Spotted this afternoon at Sydney's Fox Studios : McG and Jessica Biel. Coffee. Talking. Lots of unrestrained arm movements".
The Aviator: First footage from the Howard Hughes biopic is up at The Trades.
The Chronicles of Riddick: AICN reports that around 30 minutes of character development footage looks like it's being cut from the final print and won't be restored til a 'Director's Cut' DVD down the track. Transformers: At the UK Transforce convention this August they will be previewing the new Transformers live action movie. It doesn't say what will be included in this preview - see here for details. Thanks to 'David', 'AceAlmighty82', 'Keith', 'Lime', 'CW', 'KarlChilders', 'Robert' & 'Alex'
