First 'Underworld: Awakening' Teaser: Kate Beckinsale Back for Some Action

Kate Beckinsale gets back into the action with "Underworld: Awakening". The first teaser trailer of the fourth installment for the "Underworld" series has just been released and offered a sneak peek at the leading lady fighting humans to ensure the survival of her Vampire clan.

The brand new sneak peek opens with a scene in which Selene wakes up in the nude after 12 years of cryogenic sleep. After putting on her signature skin-tight black suit, she plunges herself into the war where humans hunt to kill Vampires and Lycans. Aside from Selene, this teaser also offers first look at Theo James' vampire character David.

"Underworld: Awakening" is directed by Mans Marlind and Bjorn Stein. "Game of Thrones" actor Charles Dance, "V for Vedetta" star Stephen Rea and "Takers" thesp Michael Ealy also make up the cast ensemble. This action horror will arrive in U.S. theaters on January 20, 2012.

First 'Ghost Rider 2' Trailer Brings the Flaming Skull Back With More Action

First trailer for "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance" has been made available for viewing pleasure. The video presents Nicolas Cage as Johnny Blaze who can turn into a flaming skull rider. The cursed stunt rider is seen riding his bike at a high speed, grabbing some thugs with his chain and spitting fire all over the place.

The trailer also sees a boy who asks Blaze how it feels to pee when he's in fire mode. After Blaze replies that it feels awesome, the video ends with a shot of the back of the Ghost Rider who is seemingly urinating fire.

In "Ghost Rider 2", Blaze a.k.a Ghost Rider is hiding out in remote Eastern Europe and struggling to repress his curse. The rider is recruited by a sect to take on The Devil who wants to take over his mortal son's body on the kid's birthday.

Based on Marvel Comics' supernatural antihero character, the movie is directed by filmmaker duo Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor. Also starring Ciaran Hinds as The Devil, Johnny Whitworth as villainous Carrigan a.k.a Blackout, and Idris Elba as Moreau who is Blaze's comrade, the flick is going to be released in the U.S. on February 17, 2012.

On-Set Pictures From Kristen Stewart's 'Snow White' Tease Battle Scene

Four new pictures taken from the filming location of "Snow White and the Huntsman" hit the web recently. Courtesy of Hollywood Life, the photos show battle scene somewhere near a forest. They show a number of extras posing as the swordmen and knights in armors.

None of the main actors like Kristen Stewart, Sam Claflin, Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron were seen on the set. In a respective order, they tackle the roles of Snow White, Prince Charming, Huntsman and Evil Queen.

"Snow White and the Huntsman" presents a twisted story of the classic tale. While the Grimm story describes Snow White as a lovely-singing princess, this movie features the female royal as a tough lady. She fights and defends herself against the Evil Queen under the guidance of the huntsman.

Noah Huntley and Liberty Ross are set to star as Snow White's parents; King Magnus and his wife respectively. A directorial debut from Rupert Sanders, the Universal Pictures movie is going to hit theaters across the United States on June 1, 2012.

Beside the Stewart-starring movie, a similar project called "Snow White" is also being developed by Relativity Media. Lily Collins takes on the main role, while "Eat, Pray, Love" actress Julia Roberts will portray the Evil Queen, and "Reaper" hunk Armie Hammer will play the Prince. It's set for March 16, 2012 U.S. release.

Catwoman Rides a High-Speed Batpod in New 'Dark Knight Rises' Set Video

Anne Hathaway has been taped riding Batpod in high speed on the set of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Pittsburgh. In a freshly shared YouTube video, the 28-year-old actress is seen donning the full costume of Catwoman while she gets in action among a convoy of Tumblers. The scene was shot at Willam Penn Place on Sunday, August 21.

Another newly posted on-set video of the much-awaited superhero film, meanwhile, features the Batpod being prepared for the filming on Penn Avenue. The video gives a look at how the crew maintain the super bike and take a test-drive before it's used for the shooting.

While Hathaway looks flawless in her Catwoman suit on the set, she once confessed that it took a hard work for her to fit in the tight costume. During a talk show interview with Chelsea Handler last week, the "One Day" actress shared, "I'm a vegetarian, and right now I'm living on kale and dust for the training. That catsuit's unforgiving!" She also added that it takes three people to squeeze her into the costume.

Directed by Christopher Nolan, "The Dark Knight Rises" is slated to arrive in U.S theaters on July 20, 2012. Joining Hathaway in the cast ensemble are Christian Bale who reprises his role as Bruce Wayne a.k.a Batman, Tom Hardy who plays villainous character Bane, Joseph Gordon-Levitt who stars as John Blake, and Marion Cotillard who portrays Miranda Tate.

New Set Photo and Videos of 'World War Z' See Brad Pitt and Truck Crash

Brad Pitt has been seen filming a scene in a Chevy camper van for his upcoming thriller "World War Z". The "Megamind" actor was photographed with his co-star Mireille Enos on the movie set in Grangemouth, Scotland on Sunday, August 21.

This was not the first time the spouse of Angelina Jolie was spotted busy working on the Marc Forster-directed flick. Last Thursday, he and his stunt double were also spotted filming another scene in the capital of Scotland.

Meanwhile, several new on-set videos give a look at a truck crash scene in a busy Glasgow street, which has been transformed to look like the street in Philadelphia. The videos also see people running wildly to save their lives from the crash.

Based on Max Brook's best-selling novel, "World War Z: an Oral History of the Zombie War", the movie revolves around United Nations employee Gerry Lane. He traverses the world in a race against time to stop the Zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to decimate humanity itself.

Joining Pitt and Enos in the cast ensemble are James Badge Dale, Julia Levy-Boeken, Daniella Kertesz, Matthew Fox and Elyes Gabel. The movie is due to open in U.S. theaters on December 21, 2012.

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN to Be Released in IMAX 3D

In a bit of a no-brainer, Sony has announced that Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man will be released in IMAX 3D when it hits theaters next summer. The format is arguably the highest quality presentation currently available for film audiences, and seems a good fit for Sony’s big reboot of the franchise. Webb shot the film in 3D, and used the format to his advantage. I was present for the Comic-Con panel where they showed us the trailer fully rendered in 3D and I was quite impressed; it wasn’t too showy or in your face, and seemed to work well with the softer dialogue scenes in addition to the action sequences.

The film stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Martin Sheen, Sally Field and Rhys Ifans. You can read Matt’s full recap of the Comic-Con panel , which includes his thoughts on the extended footage we saw as well as our first look at Ifans as The Lizard. The Amazing Spider-Man opens July 3^rd, 2012. 

Here’s the full press release from Sony:

IMAX Corporation IMAX +1.32% CA:IMX -12.92% , and Sony Pictures Entertainment today announced that the highly anticipated 3D action-adventure, The Amazing Spider-Man, will be released to IMAX(R) theatres simultaneously with the film’s worldwide release on July 3, 2012. To date, the Spider-Man motion picture franchise has generated more than $2.5 billion in worldwide box office receipts. The last two installments of the franchise were also released in IMAX.

The Amazing Spider-Man stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, Martin Sheen and Sally Field. The film is directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt, Alvin Sargent and Steve Kloves, based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad, and Matt Tolmach are producing the Marvel Entertainment production for Columbia Pictures.

“We couldn’t be more excited to be able to offer this extraordinary new Spider-Man adventure in IMAX,” said Rory Bruer, President Worldwide Distribution, Sony Pictures Entertainment. “Marc Webb and the entire production team have been working tirelessly to deliver a 3D motion picture that will take the Spider-Man experience to a whole new level. Audiences will literally feel like they are swinging through the streets of New York and that will only be accentuated when seen in IMAX.”

“I was blown away after getting a sneak peek at some early footage for The Amazing Spider-Man and this latest installment in the iconic franchise is a perfect DNA match for IMAX,” said Greg Foster, Chairman and President, IMAX Filmed Entertainment. “The film is an important addition to our 2012 film slate and we’re excited to be working with Marc Webb, Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach and the team at Sony Pictures Entertainment to take IMAX and Spider-Man fans around the globe on this next adventure in IMAX 3D.”

The IMAX release of The Amazing Spider-Man will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience(R) with proprietary IMAX DMR(R) (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

Joseph Mazzello to Play Mouse in G.I. JOE 2: COBRA STRIKES

With filming set to begin next month, the cast of John M. Chu’s G.I. Joe 2: Cobra Strikes is beginning to finalize. The latest addition is Joseph Mazzello (The Pacific) who is set to take on the role of 18-year-old Southern charmer Mouse. Deadline reports that Mazzello beat out a number of hopefuls that were vying for the coveted role.

The cast now includes Ray Stevenson as villain Firefly, Channing Tatum (Duke), Dwayne Johnson (Roadblock), Lee Byung-hun (Storm Shadow), Adrianne Palacki (Lady Jay), RZA (Blind Master), D.J. Cotrona (Flint), Elodie Young (Jinx) and Ray Park (Snake Eyes). We previously broke the news that the film will not be in 3D. G.I. Joe 2: Cobra Strikes is set for release on August 10^th, 2012.

First Trailer for NEW YEAR’S EVE

The first trailer for Garry Marshall’s New Year’s Eve has been released. The follow-up toValentine’s Day stars every actor ever in the history of acting, whom I can only assume will appear for five minutes of screen time each. The trailer is basically a montage of all the actors making their New Year’s preparations and yearning for somebody to love. Nothing groundbreaking, but if you were a fan of Valentine’s Day it’s a safe bet that this movie is probably your kind of thing.

The cast includes Robert De Niro, Ashton Kutcher, Halle Berry, Jessica Biel, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sarah Jessica Parker, Hilary Swank, Zac Efron, Sienna Miller, Lea Michele, Sofia Vergara, Abigail Breslin, Til Schweiger, Seth Meyers, Jon Bon Jovi, Josh Duhamel, and Carla Gugino. New Year’s Eve opens on December 9^th.

New Trailer for HAPPY FEET TWO

Following up on the poster we saw earlier today, Warner Bros. has released a new trailer forHappy Feet Two.  The new trailer reveals more about the story than the first, but still makes time for the snippets of the adorable penguin versions of “Mama Said Knock You Out” and “Sexy Back.”  About that story: “Mumble (Elijah Wood) and Gloria (Pink) now have a son of their own, Erik (EG Daily), who is struggling to find his own particular talents in the Emperor Penguin world.”

Robin Williams, Sofia Vergara, Hank Azaria, and Brad Pitt also provide voices in the sequel directed by George Miller.  Happy Feet 2 is slated for 3D release on November 18. 

Official synopsis:

The sequel to the Academy Award®-winning animated smash hit, “Happy Feet 2″ returns audiences to the magnificent landscape of Antarctica, reuniting us with the world’s most famous tap-dancing penguin, Mumble (Elijah Wood), the love of his life, Gloria (Alecia Moore {Pink}) and their old friends Ramon and Lovelace (Robin Williams). Mumble and Gloria now have a son of their own, Erik (EG Daily), who is struggling to find his own particular talents in the Emperor Penguin world. But new dangers are threatening the penguin nation, and it’s going to take everyone working–and dancing–together to save them.

Ron Howard Won’t Direct THE DA VINCI CODE Sequel THE LOST SYMBOL

The Da Vinci Code made $758 million worldwide.  The sequel, Angels & Demons, earned a reduced (yet still very impressive) $485 million.  Naturally, Sony is going for the hat trick, and hired Steven Knight last year to adapt The Lost Symbol, the third book in the Robert Langdon series.  Last we checked, series author Dan Brown started work on a rewrite, though neither franchise star Tom Hanks nor director Ron Howard were confirmed to return.  Howard, at least, never will be — he may produce, but has decided not to direct The Lost Symbol.

Fair enough.  Laudable as a creative decision, though as Deadline points out, Howard could use a hit.  The Dan Brown films have propped up Howard’s resume lately — elsewhere, the last ten years are highlighted by relative flops likeCinderella Man and The Dilemma.  And it had to hurt when all the time and effort into setting upDark Tower went to waste after Universal passed on the project.  Not to fret too much.  Howard is already casting his next project, Rush, not to mention Under the Banner of Heaven and Spy vs. Spy in the pipeline.  The multimillionaire, now in his fifth decade as a director, will be just fine.

So will The Lost Symbol, probably.  The report does not update on Hanks’ involvement, but Sony is on the lookout for a replacement director, so I imagine they have some hope of securing the star for another round.

Here’s the book synopsis:

As the story opens, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned unexpectedly to deliver an evening lecture in the U.S. Capitol Building. Within minutes of his arrival, however, the night takes a bizarre turn. A disturbing object —artfully encoded with five symbols—is discovered in the Capitol Building. Langdon recognizes the object as an ancient invitation . . . one meant to usher its recipient into a long-lost world of esoteric wisdom.

When Langdon’s beloved mentor, Peter Solomon—a prominent Mason and philanthropist —is brutally kidnapped, Langdon realizes his only hope of saving Peter is to accept this mystical invitation and follow wherever it leads him. Langdon is instantly plunged into a clandestine world of Masonic secrets, hidden history, and never-before-seen locations—all of which seem to be dragging him toward a single, inconceivable truth.

Rhys Ifans to Co-Star in BOND 23

A couple weeks ago, we reported that Bond 23 had found its Miss Moneypenny in Naomie Harris and that the 28 Days Later actress would be joining a cast that includes Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes, and Javier Bardem.  Now another solid acting talent has signed on as The Telegraph [via Bleeding Cool] reports that Rhys Ifans will co-star.  There’s no word on who Ifans will play, but know that Bardem is playing the villain and that Fiennes is playing a “complex” character.   Director Sam Mendes hired playwright Patrick Marber (Closer) to handle the script.

Bond is another big get for Ifans who has gone from reliable character actor to nabbing major roles in the last year.  He’ll be starring in Roland Emmerich’s Shakespeare drama Anonymous, he’s co-starring in the comedy Five Year Engagement, and he’s playing baddie The Lizard in The Amazing Spider-Man.  The untitled 23rd James Bond film is due out November 9, 2012.

Teaser Trailer for THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

Judging by the box office, most of you may have seen the first teaser trailer for The Dark Knight Rises attached to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 this past weekend. But if you haven’t, or if you want to see it again (you do), the trailer has been officially released online. The teaser is made up of footage from Christopher Nolan’s first two entries in the franchise intercut with a tiny bit of new footage, including a couple of shots of Tom Hardy as Bane and a Lieutenant Gordon monologue.

It’s not really much, but I’m all for staying in the dark as long as possible. In essence, this is an announcement teaser letting everyone know that Nolan’s Batman trilogy ends next year, and it’s gonna be intense/bad ass/super cool. In that respect, this teaser trailer is a great success. Hit the jump to watch it yourself. The Dark Knight Rises opens July 20^th, 2012.

Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ “The Dark Knight Rises” is the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy,

Leading an all-star international cast, Oscar® winner Christian Bale (“The Fighter”) again plays the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. The film also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Oscar® winner Marion Cotillard (“La Vie en Rose”), as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake.

Returning to the main cast, Oscar® winner Michael Caine (“The Cider House Rules”) plays Alfred; Gary Oldman is Commissioner Gordon; and Oscar® winner Morgan Freeman (“Million Dollar Baby”) reprises the role of Lucius Fox.

The screenplay is written by Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. The film is produced by Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Charles Roven, who previously teamed on “Batman Begins” and the record-breaking blockbuster “The Dark Knight.” The executive producers are Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull, with Jordan Goldberg serving as co-producer. The film is based upon characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by Bob Kane.

Vanessa Hudgens is Totally Unrecognizable in New Movie Role

We're used to seeing the gorgeous Vanessa Hudgens all dolled up on the red carpet and in her movies, but she looked far from red carpet-ready while filming her new movie Gimme Shelter this week. In fact, the actress wasn't even recognizable! 
The pictures from the shoot show the Disney star with short, unkempt hair and tattered clothing for her role as a homeless person in the upcoming flick. The scary makeunder is quite shocking! 

Shooting the new flick has been taking up a lot of the actress' time, but she says she's very proud of the role. She wrote on her Facebook page this week: “Hey guys, what’s happenin? I have been so stupidly busy working on Gimme Shelter. I’m so excited and proud of the work I’ve been doing and let me tell you, you all are going to be SHOCKED with how I look in this movie. It’s crazy sauce. Lol.”

Vanessa finished filming next week, and the flick is due out in 2012. So, for now, catch a sneak peek of the shocking new role in pictures below.

Teaser Trailer for Pixar’s BRAVE

The first teaser trailer for Pixar’s Brave has been released and naturally, it looks incredible. The visuals are breathtaking, and it teases a darker tone than we’ve seen before from Pixar. Seriously, if the idea of the studio taking on a fairy tale set in the Scottish Highlands wasn’t enough to get you excited, that logline in visual form is fantastic.

Hit the jump to watch the teaser. The voice-cast includes Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Kevin McKidd, Craig Ferguson, Robbie Coltrane, and Julie Walters. Brave hits theaters June 22^nd, 2012.

Here’s the official synopsis for Brave:

Brave is set in the mystical Scottish Highlands, where Merida is the princess of a kingdom ruled by King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). An unruly daughter and an accomplished archer, Merida one day defies a sacred custom of the land and inadvertently brings turmoil to the kingdom. In an attempt to set things right, Merida seeks out an eccentric old Wise Woman (Julie Walters) and is granted an ill-fated wish. Also figuring into Merida’s quest — and serving as comic relief — are the kingdom’s three lords: the enormous Lord MacGuffin (Kevin McKidd), the surly Lord Macintosh (Craig Ferguson), and the disagreeable Lord Dingwall (Robbie Coltrane).

Casting Call: Nicole Kidman in Talks for THE PAPERBOY as Tobey Maguire Drops Out, John Goodman Joins Ben Affleck’s ARGO

We’ve got a couple more casting stories for you today. First up, Nicole Kidman is now in talks to join the cast of Lee Daniels’ (Precious) adaptation of Pete Dexter’s novel The Paperboy. THR reports that Kidman would replace Sofia Vergara, who was forced to drop out after Tobey Maguire’s exit from the project shifted the schedule, imposing on her Modern Family shoot. Matthew McConaughey and Zac Efron are apparently still attached to star in the film, which centers on the slacker son of a newspaper editor in Florida, who gets wrapped up in investigating a murder case. Filming is set to begin later this summer.

Hit the jump for the news of John Goodman joining Ben Affleck’s directorial vehicle Argo, as well as a synopsis for the novel The Paperboy.

Additionally, Affleck has added John Goodman to the cast of his political thriller Argo. So far, Goodman joins Alan Arkin as the only announced cast members. The true story tells how the CIA and the Canadian government teamed up to rescue six U.S. diplomats who had been taken hostage by Iranians in 1979. The CIA’s ruse involved convincing the Iranian government that the diplomats were actually a Hollywood film crew scouting locations.

Variety reports that Goodman Oscar-winning Planet of the Apes makeup artist John Chambers who was called in to help sell the ploy. Arkin is on board to play a Hollywood producer and O.S.S. veteran.

Here’s the synopsis for Pete Dexter’s The Paperboy:

Moat County, Fla., is located where the St. John’s River flows north-a geographical rarity and, in literature, a signal that we’ve entered the strange and violent world of National Book Award-winner Dexter (Paris Trout). Narrator Jack James is the son of the Moat County Tribune’s editor and publisher. While Jack’s older brother, Ward, reports for the Miami Times, Jack has settled for a job delivering papers for the Tribune. But when Ward and his partner, evil dandy Yardley Acheman, come to Moat County to investigate the four-year-old murder of the local sheriff, Jack assists them in the inquiry. After a vicious beating by two sailors lands Ward in the intensive care unit, Yardley finishes the story without Ward and Jack, fabricating evidence to do so. Accompanying his traumatized brother Ward back to Miami, Jack takes a job as a copyboy at the Times. It isn’t long, however, before Yardley’s wrongdoing comes to light, generating more trouble for the Jameses [Amazon].

Trailer for Darren Lynn Bousman’s 11-11-11

Writer/director Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II) has released the first trailer from his upcoming horror/thriller 11-11-11. Starring Michael Landes, Wendy Glenn, and Timothy Gibbs, the pic takes place on 11-11-11 and features an otherworldly entity that comes to Earth through Heaven’s 11th gate. After watching the cut, I’m not exactly sure why I should be afraid of 11-11-11 but, I’ll be honest, I sort of am. Check out the trailer after the jump. I’ll give you one guess as to what day11-11-11 hits theaters.

11-11-11 TRAILER from 11 11 11 on Vimeo.

RZA and D.J. Cotrona in Talks for G.I. JOE 2: COBRA STRIKES

Channing Tatum is on board to reprise the role of Duke in G.I. Joe 2: Cobra Strikes, and prior reports suggest Lee Byung-hun (Storm Shadow) and Ray Park (Snake Eyes) may also return.  Otherwise, Paramount is looking to a new cast to liven up the sequel.  The big get is Dwayne Johnson.  The man has revealed a penchant for joining film series midstream with Fast Five and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island.  G.I. Joe will make it a trend if/when Johnson officially commits to playing Roadblock.  Elodie Yung signed on earlier this month to add more fresh blood as Jinx.  Tonight, Heat Vision adds two more names: RZA and D.J. Cotrona.

Cotrona is in talks to play Flint, identified in the original series by his shotgun and beret.  RZA will play the Blind Master, a martial arts expert who once trained Snake Eyes and Jinx in martial arts.  The Wu-Tang Clan leader is carving out a nice second career as an actor.  Mostly comic work so far, but you can’t keep RZA away from filmic martial arts for too long (and who would want to?).  His next project — as writer, director, and star — is The Man with the Iron Fists, somehow starring Russell Crowe.

Directed by Jon Chu ( G.I. Joe 2 is scheduled for release on August 10, 2012.

Shia LaBeouf Is Donezo With 'Transformers'

We've come to know and love Shia LeBouf as the action-hunk hero in Transformers, but we're going to have to rewire our minds. The actor has confirmed to MTV that after starring in three installments of the movie, he's going to lay his Sam Witwicky role to rest. 

"I'm not coming back to do another one. I don't think [director Michael Bay] will either," he said. "It's still a hot property, I think, especially coming out of the third one. So I imagine they'll reboot it at some point with someone else."

Could this be political aftermath since 2009's Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen received negative reviews and earned LaBeouf and Megan Fox a shared "Worst Screen Couple of 2009" nomination? Probably not, since the film still grossed $800 million. 

LaBeouf, who has a thing for uber-successful but critically panned films (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps followed the same trajectory) is still amped about next month's release ofTransformers: Dark of the Moon. 

"This is the best movie we've made, I'm serious," he said. "It's not a joke. I'm dead honest, man. I get myself in trouble all the time, but this is our best installment. It's our best movie."