New "Star Wars" Trilogy Planned?

Not sure who is running the site known as Inland Empire Strikes Back, there has been so many changes over there the last several months it might be R2D2.

That being said, the site has released a rumor about the possibility of some new "Star Wars" films. After weeding through a couple paragraphs championing the sites past scoops, you finally get to the meat of the story.

After the announced 3D release of the previously released six "Star Wars" flicks, which is already mind blowing news to the freaks and geeks, Darth Lucas is planning on dropping another three films on the public.

The rumor is that the movies will have nothing to do with the live action series no in development and will be financed by Lucas and company using the obvious gold mine they will make from the 3D re-release.

The films will be sequels to the already established 6-film foundation but most likely will deal with a whole new set of characters.  So same universe different tales of space cowboyism.

I know, sounds completely crazy. Could it be an attempt to overwhelm a website with a crazy amount of hits, or is it so out there in a galaxy far, far, away it could be true? Of course a LucasFilm spokesperson came out and denied the story:

“This is, of course, completely false,” Lucasfilm spokesman Josh Kushins told Wired.com in an e-mail Saturday about the report. “George Lucas has plenty of projects to keep him busy right now — including plenty of Star Wars projects — but there are no new Star Wars feature films planned.”

The Powers That Be denying a story doesn't exactly mean anything, happens all the time. I guess we'll have to wait until just under a decade to find out if this is true or not.

Check Out The "Meskada" Trailer

The trailer for "Meskada" is now available for download on Apple Trailers.

Meskada follows a small-town detective named Noah Cordin as he struggles to solve the brutal murder of a boy in the peaceful, affluent town of Hilliard. The killers left behind no clues at the crime scene, with the exception of a scrap of paper leading Cordin back to his hometown of Caswell. Here, Cordin and county detective Leslie Spencer consult with Cordin's old friends, all of whom are suffering from the economic troubles that have plunged Caswell into near-destitution. As their search fails to turn up a suspect, feverish tensions rise between the towns of Hilliard and Caswell, until the film reaches its shocking climax.

The film captures a snapshot of quintessential American small-town life. The story calls to mind our nation’s history, the brutal clashes over land and territory, the class-divides and the improbable victories for equal opportunity. Meskada portrays a vivid picture of the rift between characters in two towns, people bound by loyalty, family, community, and a battle born of circumstances beyond their control.

Stephen Norrington departs 'The Crow' remake

Well, that didn't take long.  Days after word broke that the makers behind The Crow remake had offered the lead role to Mark Wahlberg, news comes that director Stephen Norrington, who has been attached to the film since December 2008 (almost two years), has left the project.  Apparently, Norrington didn't like the fact that a name actor wanted to completely overhaul the script that Norrington and writer Nick Cave had been working on.  No word on if that actor was Wahlberg (likely not), who will replace Norrington, or if the film will even get made now.

To tell you the truth, I'm not too bummed about this.  While I think Norrington is a fantastic visual director with great sense of storytelling, the original Crow will always have a place in my heart due to brillance of the late Brandon Lee.  Now that was an actor.  Unless the producers are able to get a great director (John Dahl maybe?) and actor (Joseph Gordon-Levitt comes to mind), don't even bother trying to touch Lee's performance or the original film.

Steven Spielberg Leading the Robopocalypse

You just can't keep Steven Spielberg away from helming a blockbuster, and to be fair, he still very much has the skill. So despite me personally wanting him to further explore a side we saw with Munich, he's going to continue down the path of pop-munching, crowd-pleasers. As long as they're of quality, I suppose I could shut up about it. But knowing me, I probably won't.

"TOLDJA" confirms, after having watched its development since the beginning of this year, the Beard has decided to make Robopocalypse his next.

The film, adapted by Drew Goddard from an as-yet-published novel due out next summer, centers on mankind's survival in the midst of a robot uprising. That's all we know so far, but please lose that title.

Production will start in January 2012 (after his latest directorial endeavors War Horse and The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn are released next December) for a 2013 release.

Warner Brothers Would Love To Dream Up Inception 2

By their own admission, this leans on the "non-news" side of things, but it's an interesting reminder that profitability trumps creativity any day of the week at studios.

Word from What's Playing is Warner Brothers very-much wants a sequel to Christopher Nolan's acclaimed dream-centric action-epic Inception. Looking back at this summer, it's amazing how audiences and critics were in such agreement over the film, and that closing shot will be debated till the end of time. Or Nolan pulls a Ridley Scott in twenty years and blabs what it means.

Its box-office numbers were also considerably higher than anyone even with the most optimistic predictions had ($290 million domestically and $810 million worldwide) and with the awards-circuit approaching Inception is viewed as a sure thing to be nominated for "Best Picture" and "Best Director" Oscars.

So yeah why not do a sequel, Warner Brothers?

That's right. It doesn't really lend itself to one. Their sources' also stress WB heir-to-the-throne Jeff Robinov doesn't want to upset Nolan by greenlighting a sequel to his pet project-turned-smash hit behind his back, and we all know how much the folks over at Burbank love Chris. Essentially, this is something tinkering 100% on WB's side.

For now, file this under "What are you, high?"

Oskar Schindler Will Next Save The Hangover 2

This is genius.

Who could Todd Phillips & Co. think up to fill in for just-fired anti-Semite Mel Gibson in the tattooist artist cameo for The Hangover 2? Why, Oskar Schindler, of course.

The trades report Liam Neeson has been flown out to Thailand (where production is well underway) for the bit part.

That's fine, I guess. He's a solid actor who everyone seems to like. It's just amusing how everyone (and I'm certainly guilty of this) has paid such close attention the last few days to what's otherwise a little cameo for the audience to scream, "Hey, it's that guy!" out loud when The Hangover 2 opens next May.

BREAKING! Someone Will Be Cast as Superman!

Because we needed another Superman: The Man of Steel casting rumor to hear fanboys bitching about "So and so sucks! It has to be Tom Welling or fans will protest the movie!" Goddamn, they can be stupid and delusional.

So anyway, Vulture spoke with Armie Hammer and the subject of his being a favorite for the role was brought up. The Social Network co-star threw a curveball with his reply stating he wasn't exactly what Warner Brothers, Legendary Pictures and director Zack Snyder were looking for:

"I did talk to my people recently about that for the first time, and I think they're going a little older with Superman. I hear they're going 35, 40."

Cut to everyone assuming his word is gold and "that means Jon Hamm might be Superman after all!"

I'd love nothing more than Hamm to be secured in the role if for no other reason than stroking my ego and bragging rights, and that's notwithstanding how he'd be great.

But people need to remember Hammer is a reported contender (as per Movie Hole), and you know what, he could be just diverting the attention away from himself. Or maybe the kid is telling the truth. I don't know.

As 2012 comes to a close (and potentially the end of mankind, if you're an idiot and genuinely believe that crap), we know for certain that someone will wear the iconic red-and-blue suit. Best thing to do, fellas, is prepare for even more rumors until we officially know otherwise.

Magnet Releasing Acquires U.S. Rights To "Black Plague"

The Wagner/Cuban Company's Magnet Releasing, genre arm of Magnolia Pictures announced today that it has acquired US rights from HanWay Film to Christopher Smith’s BLACK DEATH. Starring Sean Bean (The Lord of the Rings), BLACK DEATH is a creepy, pitch perfect medieval period film that expertly channels such UK classics as The Wicker Man and Witchfinder General. Christopher Smith’s cult hit Severence was distributed by Magnolia in 2007.

BLACK DEATH made its US debut last week at LA’s Screamfest, where it took home several major awards: Best Director (Chris Smith),  Best Actor (Sean Bean), Best Cinematography (Sebastian Edschmid) and  Best Musical Score (Christian Henson).

Bean stars as Ulric, a grim emissary from the Church, who leads a young monk (Eddie Redmayne) and a band of violent vigilantes and war veterans through the English countryside. Armed with blood-chilling torture devices, their mission is to stamp out suspected paganism in a village that remains untouched by the black plague, even as the rest of Europe grimly succumbs to the pestilence.

“BLACK DEATH simmers with a kind of terror that’s all the more haunting cause it’s real,” said Magnet SVP Tom Quinn.  “It’s another great example of why

Chris Smith is one of the most versatile directors working today.”

“BLACK DEATH is a film that I am immensely proud of, and I’m so pleased it has found such a great home for its US release,” said director Smith. “On the one hand it is a violent historical drama and on the other, a terrifying horror movie, in which the more realistically I shot the past, the more it reflected the present. A time when in spite of the fact people were dying of the plague, they still found the time to torture and kill each other.” 

The US deal was negotiated by Magnet/Magnolia SVP Tom Quinn with Tim Haslam from Hanway. Magnet is planning a first quarter 2011 theatrical release. BLACK DEATH marks Magnet’s third major acquisition announcement this week, following André Ovredal’s The Troll Hunter on Monday, and Brad Anderson’s Vanishing on 7^th Street on Tuesday. 

"I Love You Phillip Morris" Red Band Trailer

Bad Santa co-screenwriters Glenn Ficara and John Requa re-team for this fact-based black comedy starring Jim Carrey as a Texas police officer-turned-con man who makes the leap to white-collar criminal after being sent to prison and falling in love with his sensitive cellmate. Steve Russell (Carrey) is a small-town cop. Bored with his bland lifestyle, Russell turns to fraud as a means of shaking things up. Before long, Russell's criminal antics have landed him behind bars, where he encounters the charismatic Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor). Smitten, Russell devotes his entire life to being with Morris regardless of the consequences -- which could well include a life sentence. 

"Casino Jack" Trailer

High rollers in Indian casinos, hookers in Saipan, a murdered Greek tycoon, Cold War spy novels, plush trips to paradise... and the United States Congress. These are among the intriguing clues that add up to the epic mystery behind one of the greatest attempted heists in American history. It’s a twisting tale in which a small group of charming con men use the power of the purse, the zealotry of religion and bare-knuckled political brawling to loot the American government for fun, ideals and profit. It’s about ambitious young men who wanted to change the world, the politicians who needed their money, the corporations and gambling-rich tribes who desired their influence -- and how millions were extorted and the foundations of our democracy imperiled in the toxic mix of power and cash.