Exit Stage Left – Lily Collins Off Evil Dead Remake

The plot details for the new Evil Dead (coming our way thanks to Movie Hole) offered two cool new angles making this a worthwhile remake.

The first make the protagonist female. There can never be another Bruce Campbell, so why bother asking for the comparison by having a new twenty-something hapless schmuck fighting Deadites named Ash when you don't have to. Second, have your lead as a recovering drug addict. So when she's the first to notice all that craziness going on outside in the woods, the others are less inclined to believe her considering she's going cold turkey. It also gives director Fede Alvarez something cool to work with visually. Just imagine how seeing your best friend possessed by a demon would look from your POV when you're already seeing weird shit that isn't there.

With the right actress, the role of Mia could be something. A role that lined up for Lilly Collins (her claim to fame playing Sandra Bullock's daughter in The Blind Side and soon to appear in Tarsem's Mirror Mirror). However Jeff Sneider of Variety reports, from the magic that is Twitter it's a no-go for the British actress.

That leaves the producers two months before the planned start of production in New Zealand to find their new leading lady to cover with Karo syrup for months on end. Safe to say, it'll be an unknown career-wise not unlike Collins. Maybe even more low-profile.

The Raven Poster

In this gritty thriller, Edgar Allan Poe (John Cusack, Being John Malkovich) joins forces with a young Baltimore detective (Luke Evans, Immortals) to hunt down a mad serial killer who's using Poe's own works as the basis in a string of brutal murders. Directed by James McTeigue (V for Vendetta, Ninja Assassin), the film also stars Alice Eve (Sex and the City 2), Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges) and Oliver Jackson-Cohen (Faster). In theatres April 27th, 2012.

The Dark Knight Rises Statues

Collectors can now start salivating over the upcoming release of merchandise for the conclusion of Christopher Nolan's trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises. A few days ago, Hot Toys released a teaser image of their Bane figure which caused a frenzy amongst fans on the message boards. Idle Hands is adding on to that excitement with scans of DC Direct's catalog for 2012.

I am well involved in the collecting game and these sculpts look great from what I can tell. They seem to have been detailed nicely, but with no price tag yet it's hard to say if they are worth purchasing. My personal favorites are the 6'' sized action figures and it will nice to see the final molds of those. The scans also show some other DC related collectibles for anyone interested, just click the link above.

The Grey Red-Band Trailer For Those Too Lazy to Wait Till Friday

The Grey opens this Friday and, from the looks of it, stands to do very well at the box office.

So you'll excuse me if I scratch my head as to why there's a red-band trailer chocked full of four-letter words, maimed bodies, hungry-looking wolves and Liam Neeson three days prior to release. I don't have an answer unfortunately just said trailer below courtesy of Break.

You'll Believe Liam Hemsworth Can Cry & Travel Through Time

Being the younger brother of Thor and ex-flame of Miley Cyrus hasn't been a hindrance for Liam Hemsworth yet. That said it's not like he's broken out on his own either. If The Hunger Games and his supporting turn in The Expendables 2 don't do it this year, Lord knows what else will.

Movie Hole reports Relativity Media has committed to the young Australian young pen to paper for Timeless, under the direction of Phillip Noyce. He'll play a "young man who, haunted by unresolved issues between himself and his late wife, uses the money his wife left him to build a time-travel device so he can see her a final time."

That could work (the script comes from Enchanted scribe Bill Kelly). But it has a careful line to walk. Too schmaltzy and it's a Lifetime Movie of the Week. Done just right and this could break the hearts (and wallets) of the many girls Hemsworth's representation are hoping to attract to his projects on Friday night.

Lana Lang Is In The Man of Steel

A cinematic telling of his origin covering his journey from the rocket on Krypton as a soon-to-be-orphan infant to accepting his place in the world as Earth's protector standing for truth, justice and the American way. What Superman movie am I describing here?

Yes, that's Superman the Movie but, from everything we've seen aloud and heard behind closed doors, that plot layout also fits The Man of Steel. Nothing wrong with that per say. Just trying to get my head about how that's different and innovative as producer Christopher Nolan proclaimed. Oh because when a human-looking alien in a red-and-blue suit appears flying around the world, the first thought in our post 9/11 environment would realistically be, "Is he a terrorist?" I'll hand Zack Snyder & Co. credit for that.

Adding more credence to my personal "How's this so different again?" stance is this item courtesy of Superman Super Site. The site confirms Lana Lang shows her pretty little red-head during that time Clark Kent was just a regular-looking kid with weird powers in school and played by Jadin Gould whose credits rang from Battle: Los Angeles to iCarly.

Anything from Supes' first sweetheart past that will to be saved for the inevitable Man of Steel sequel and assuming she would appear I'll take a wild guess and say she won't sport her trademark red locks considering current onscreen Lois Lane Amy Adams is a red-head herself.

Ares & Poseidon Planning Tears In New "Wrath Of The Titans" Images

A decade after his heroic defeat of the monstrous Kraken, Perseus—the demigod son of Zeus—is attempting to live a quieter life as a village fisherman and the sole parent to his 10-year old son, Helius.

Meanwhile, a struggle for supremacy rages between the gods and the Titans. Dangerously weakened by humanity's lack of devotion, the gods are losing control of the imprisoned Titans and their ferocious leader, Kronos, father of the long-ruling brothers Zeus, Hades and Poseidon. The triumvirate had overthrown their powerful father long ago, leaving him to rot in the gloomy abyss of Tartarus, a dungeon that lies deep within the cavernous underworld.

Perseus cannot ignore his true calling when Hades, along with Zeus' godly son, Ares (Edgar Ramírez), switch loyalty and make a deal with Kronos to capture Zeus. The Titans' strength grows stronger as Zeus' remaining godly powers are siphoned, and hell is unleashed on earth.

Enlisting the help of the warrior Queen Andromeda (Rosamund Pike), Poseidon's demigod son, Argenor (Toby Kebbell), and fallen god Hephaestus (Bill Nighy), Perseus bravely embarks on a treacherous quest into the underworld to rescue Zeus, overthrow the Titans and save mankind.

The Daily Blam

The Hulk Wears Dockers In "The Avengers"

I wasn't a huge fan of Ang Lee's Hulk. I understand what Lee was trying to do, but I don't think it came off well. The film didn't resonate with the general public, and although I did enjoy The Incredible Hulk, that didn't either.

This hasn't stopped Marvel from forcing the character down our throats again in The Avengers. The studio sees it as a good opportunity to "reintroduce" the audience to the character while placing 4th fiddle to Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor among others. Something The Brothers Warner might want to try with Green Lantern.

Ang Lee's Hulk had a much different look to it than the character did in The Incredible Hulk, so the question is, what will this Hulk look like? Empire has our answer via the Toy Fair at London's Olympia, and the answer is that Hulk wears Dockers.

Liam Neeson Is In "The Dark Knight Rises" But Forgets Why

Liam Neeson has been bringing it as of late. Taken and Unknown were fast paced, pulse pounding, popcorn flicks. When I read the Safe House script over a year or so ago, I thought he would make for a great Frost (Denzel Washington). I was also hoping he would take his turn as Lincoln in the upcoming Spielberg flick based on Team Of Rivals but I digress.

We already knew Liam was in The Dark Knight Rises but don't how or why the character of Ra's al Ghul fits into the plot. Apparently either does Liam according to an interview with ShowBizSpy

“I can tell you nothing about ‘Dark Knight Rises’, seriously. I was on set for maybe an hour-and-a-half and the director didn’t tell me anything of what it’s about. So, I’m being very honest when I say I have no idea what’s going to happen.”

Funny how most everybody in a Christopher Nolan flick goes senial and can't remember who or where they are.

Oscars 2012 Nominations: Here We Go Again...

The tradition of complaining about the Academy Awards officially begins this morning as the nominations for the 84^th annual ceremony were announced. As expected there were snubs, both expected (No Drive love whatsoever and Andy Serkis was shut out for Rise of the Apes, just don't act surprised. They're snobbish towards motion-capture acting!) and those listed in the "Really?!" category (No Michael Fassbender Best Actor nod for Shame). On the flip side, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close scoring for Best Picture drew audible groans heard wide across the interwebs, mainly Twitter.

Surprisingly, Martin Scorsese's Hugo led the pack with 11 nominations followed by The Artist (Odds on favorite to win) with 10.

Here's the full list:

Best Picture
The Artist
The Descendants
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
The Help
Hugo 
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
War Horse

Best Director
Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist
Alexander Payne - The Descendants
Martin Scorsese- Hugo
Woody Allen - Midnight in Paris 
Terrence Malick - The Tree of Life 

Best Actor
Demián Bichir - A Better Life
George Clooney - The Descendants
Jean Dujardin - The Artist
Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt - Moneyball

Best Actress
Glenn Close - Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis - The Help
Rooney Mara - The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams - My Week With Marilyn

Best Supporting Actor 
Kenneth Branagh - My Week With Marilyn
Jonah Hill - Moneyball
Nick Nolte - Warrior
Christopher Plummer - Beginners
Max Von Sydow - Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Best Supporting Actress
Bérénice Bejo - The Artist
Jessica Chastain - The Help
Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer - The Help 

Best Original Screenplay
Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist
Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig - Bridesmaids
J.C. Chandor - Margin Call
Woody Allen - Midnight in Paris
Asghar Farhadi - A Separation

Best Adapted Screenplay
Alexander Payne, Jim Rash & Nat Faxon - The Descendants
John Logan - Hugo
George Clooney, Grant Heslov & Beau Willimon - The Ides of March
Aaron Sorkin & Steven Zaillian - Moneyball
Peter Straughan & Bridget O’Connor - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Best Animated Film
A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango 

Best Foreign Language Film
Bullhead (Belgium)
Monsieur Lazhar (Canada)
A Separation (Iran)
Footnote (Israel)
In Darkness (Poland)