Josh Pence Steps Out of Armie Hammer's Shadow & Into Liam Neeson's for The Dark Knight Rises

Irony's a bitch.

For all the praise Armie Hammer (rightfully, I'd add) got for his dual turn as the Winklevoss twins in The Social Network, it felt like it was almost glided over how another actor by the name of Josh Pence was used on his stand-in during takes. Then through the magic of effects-wizardry, they'd be spliced together and good old Armie's face got slapped on Josh's body and eureka we have two giant-sized Wasps bitching about suing Jesse Eisenberg's ass off.

So while Hammer is off working with the Clint Eastwoods and err...Tarsem Singhs of the world, what is Pence to do next? In an odd sense of irony and in a project that trumps his Social Network co-star, he's been added to the cast of future #1 money-maker of 2012 The Dark Knight Rises reports Heat Vision.

But here's where said irony kicks in, he'll be playing the young Ra's Al Ghaul (played by Liam Neeson in the first installment Batman Begins) in flashback sequences. So this guy's big break from not being "the other guy" and being trumped is playing a younger version of an on-screen villain previously played by a well-established, and now beloved frankly, actor? Will Neeson have his face and voice digitally glued over his face too?

Like I said, irony's a bitch.

Somebody Else Still Thinks The Crow is Viable

From this very moment until the end of all creation, The Crow will always be associated with the death of Brandon Lee.

Why filmmakers, studio heads, executives, etc. keep pushing as hard as they have with this property over the years, I'll never understand. After their first attempt to sequelize flopped hard (1996's The Crow: City of Angels), you'd think these well-paid, educated decision-makers would understand.

Pull someone off the street and ask them what they know about The Crow and I guarantee you'll get an answer to the affect of "Yeah isn't that the movie that guy died while they were making it?" That's name-brand awareness you don't want, people!

Relativity Media (hot with Limitless cash in their pockets) are the latest suckers to take a crack at the whip, reports Variety with 28 Weeks Later director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo at the helm. No writer or actors are attached for the moment, but the intention will be to use Eric Draven (the character Lee played in the original '94 film) as the protagonist for this planned reboot.

Schwarzenegger Readying His Return to the Action Genre

For all the talk about how his cameo brought down the house in last August's The Expendables (and it's true – it did, especially the "He wants to be President!" line), people weren't exactly standing in line for all of Arnold Schwarzenegger's action vehicles from the late 90s and on. The last hit for him was Eraser and by the time Terminator 3 rolled along, he was just cashing all his chips in and, of course, all the attention of that was from his gubernatorial bid for California going on.

But the question is with him out of office and a clear desire to be return to the silver screen, can Schwarzenegger be taken seriously again as an action-star? Personally, I don't think so at face value. This Governator non-sense hasn't helped that cause (whether or not, the project was intended to be ironic – which I seriously doubt). All that did is adding more validity that he's merely a walking parody of his former self.

It's a challenge director Jee-woon Kim and the makers behind Last Stand face with the news of Schwarzenegger making the action-thriller his first starring role since the afore-mentioned Terminator 3.

First broken by Movie Web and verified by both /film and Heat Vision, he'll play a sheriff trying to bring down an on-the-run drug cartel leader. If their intention is to play up how much older he is now and how he's out of shape compared to those days where he served on President Bush the Elder's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, it could genuinely work. It'd make him human on-screen; something I can't recall seeing.

But if it's just him as the invulnerable, perfect physical specimen yet again, don't count on it.

Anonymous Trailer

Ironic that I've been indulging on some tasty pepper-jack cheese sticks (from Sargento; my plug for the morning), and this hits.

While it's odd to hear the words "political thriller" in the same sentence as Roland Emmerich, this is the same cat who thought he was doing biting political commentary for The Day After Tomorrow. As in don't take it too seriously. It's the equivalent to Seth MacFarlane making fun of the lack-of-humor in other people's comedies.

Seriously though, here's the trailer to Emmerich's latest, Anonymous and you tell me. Does this feel like one of those parody trailers at the beginning of Tropic Thunder? I'll, of course, check this out. That's right because I love me some good-tasting cheese.

Hugh the Huntsman?

People like Hugh Jackman.

As my cousin's husband put it (I’m paraphrasing), "He's just a normal kinda guy; not some Hollywood asshole." You know, he’s not with that assessment. Jackman is one of the few actors I can think of who has very high marks from both men and women. Women want him around the house and do handy work, and wanna fuck his brains out. Guys want to hang out and have a beer with him, and some wanna fuck his brains out too.

But he's still riding all that good-will from the X-Men films (Can't think of many hits outside that franchise; one or two maybe), and honestly that well is about to go dry. He's in his mid-40s now and can't imagine it'll be too much longer he sports those adamantium-claws. I feel like he's been pushing so hard on The Wolverine as he has because he wants to exit that universe with a bang.

Since that sequel's been delayed indefinitely thanks to the departure of Darren Aronofsky and the tragedy in Japan, Jackman's schedule is wide open for the time being. Someone's gonna come along with a meaty offer, and according to "TOLDJA" it's Universal.

The studio has reportedly made an offer to the Australian actor for the male lead in Snow White & the Huntsman. If you'll remember, that role seemed all but locked for Viggo Mortensen until he mysteriously backed out; whatever the reason whether it was money or a conflicting schedule. He fits a similar enough "type" as Mortensen albeit way more assessable for an audience and just his charm/likeability factor.

If he accepts, he'll co-star along with Kristen Stewart as the half-other of the title duo and Charlize Theron as the Evil Queen with Rupert Sanders directing.

News, Rumors & 100% Grade-A Internet Bullshit - April 6, 2011

- If you're Andy Serkis and you've completed all your work on The Hobbit, what do you do now while everyone else keeps chugging along for the rest of 2011 and next year shooting? According to Heat Vision, help out Peter Jackson and take the brunt of second-unit photography over. Clever li'l way of keeping him around set (in the likely event of reshoots) and gives him a learning curve with 3D cameras as well as moving into directing on his own.

- While their leader Moe is still TBD, Variety reports Sofia Vergara is in talks to join The Three Stooges for Bobby and Peter Farrelly. The Modern Family star would play the female lead who will no doubt be the object of desire for Moe (*Shrugs*), Larry (Sean Hayes - I'm game, but it's taking time to sink in) and Curly (Will Sasso). Once again, good old Shemp gets the screw job.

- How do we know James Bond (2)3, thankfully with Daniel Craig turning up for his junior turn, for real? Because MI6 says the Broccolis and director Sam Mendes are currently in South Africa searching for filming locations. All power to the South African film-crews and local economy reaping the benefit of a massive, multi-hundred-dollar-production and all. But you know, they'll likely shoot in multiple countries, as is customary for that franchise, and I'll say it right here: come back to New Orleans. We've missed 007 since Live & Let Die.

- To be fair, this isn't on the level of awesomeness as having Syd Mead as your production designer. For us nerds, our ticket is as good as sold on that alone. But as per Variety, director Neill Blomkamp has tapped on the shoulder of character actor extraordinaire William Fichtner to join his newest sci-fi epic Elysium. One of the few flicks I'm genuinely looking forward to every nugget of information that gets out. Would love see the designs being cooked up for this.

- In no way does this suddenly spike its chances to click at the box-office. Not a shred of doubt in me, this is the bomb of the summer. But you know what? I get it; the big decision-makers think that by slapping on the brand-name that will strike up audience awareness. Comic Book Movie (I know! Who'd have thunk it? But they deserve credit here) and /film (who verified the item) say 20^th Century Fox has changed the title for Rise of the Apes to Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Yeah...I'm indifferent about it too.

Dark Knight Rises Filming in Pittsburgh

Real Dark Knight Rises news, I tells ya!

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports the City of Steel will serve as the base of operations for Christopher Nolan's final hooray in his Batman trilogy.

And just to show this is for real, there's even an honest-to-Jesus quote from the one they call Nolan. The reporter in question may, or may not, have even gotten the chance to touch Nolan. In order to confirm there is fresh, blood and bone at work behind this popular Batman movies, until fanbitches turn on him which they will:

"Pittsburgh is a beautiful city. We have been able to find everything we were looking for here, and I am excited to spend the summer in Pittsburgh with our final installment of Batman."

Filming starts this summer where upon Bat-mania will officially kick off once again and us nerds will be annoyed outta our minds.

Curious to hear what the Hell happened to Chicago, a key base of shooting for Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Did the tax rates go up? Maybe somebody higher-up in the local government offices pissed off Lord Nolan? Or maybe they and the Superman people tossed a coin and they lost out?

Diego Gonzalez Boneta to Headline Rock of Ages

Director Adam Shankman and Warner Brothers are following a tried and true formula with Rock of Ages. Fill up the supporting cast with a bounty of well-known and recognizable actors and at the center of the piece is an unknown for your lead.

After a long search, Diego Gonzalez Boneta (whose credits consist of TV shows like 90210 and Pretty Little Liars) has been selected to headline WB's big musical, set for a June 1, 2012 release. He'll play lead character Drew Boley who moves out to Los Angeles to, what else, start a singing career.

He joins a cast that includes Alec Baldwin, Mary J. Blige, Russell Brand, Tom Cruise, Paul Giamatti and the equally lesser-known Julianne Hough.  Amy Adams remains a question-mark, but given her recent commitment as the new Lois Lane I'm not going to hold my breath. Since both are Warner Brothers productions and both dropping next year, it's altogether possible to work out a schedule for her though.

Full-Retard Rumor of the Day: Lindsay Lohan Up for Superman...Again?

I shan't waste too much time on this one nor will I even link to the offending site.

A few months back a "rumor" surfaced that Zack Snyder, the Nolans and Warner Brothers/Legendary Pictures/DC were desperate (or certified stupid) enough for star-power on Superman: The Man of Steel that they were considering Lindsay Lohan for a role. Remember back in those care-free days of 2003 and 2004 when her career showed oh, so much promise? It reeked of bullshit back then, and this "update" stinks just as bad. Even a dumbass like me knows how bad this smells.

Why bother covering it then? Probably because I'm in a bad mood and feel like ridiculing the stupid and hit-whoring types; maybe my blood sugar is too high right now (if that's possible from having half a bowl of Cheerios this morning with 2% milk and sugar-free coffee).

The problem here is easy. She isn't exactly insurable in her current state, and if you read the tabloids, might have her constantly-misdemeaning ass going to the slammer in August; the same time the Superman reboot starts production. Then that's the li'l matter of them even wanting her, and having to deal with her well-documented unprofessionalism on set, to begin with.

Flight of the Conchords Star Joins The Hobbit

The likes o Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis and Cate Blancett aren't the only Middle-Earth alum returning for The Hobbit.

Variety reports Flight of the Conchords star Bret McKenzie (who had blink-and-you'll miss it parts in Fellowship of the Ring and The Return of the King) is the latest addition to the growing cast coming in-and-out of the production during its year-and-half long shoot. Filming has been underway for the last two weeks, and he won't be the last actor to be announced for the two 3D prequels. There's still the matter of nabbing down Hugo Weaving to return.

The trades say McKenzie will play Lindir, said to be an Elf of Rivendell. Sorry, I tried (really, I did!) to get into the Tolkien books before Fellowship opened ten years ago. But I couldn't get past the detailed ramblings of Middle-Earth.