WB Resurrecting Arthur & Lancelot; Want "Star Power" - So They Cast Colin Farrell?

David Dobkin was supposed to start shooting Arthur & Lancelot this January. Warner Brother pulled the plug beforehand, citing costs. It turns out, per Variety, Jeff Robinov and his army of underling Yes-Men weren't crazy for writer/director Dobkin's casting choices for the title roles; Kit Harington of Game of Thrones and Joel Kinnaman (aka the new Robocop).

They wanted a star, the trades say, and now they're looking to grab one as Arthur & Lancelot, like the Lady in the Lake clutching the sword of Excalibur in her drenched, watery hands, has arisen again. So what big, bankable actor has the studio secured?

Colin Farrell.

Hey, Jeff, or whatever executive made this play, quick problem. Farrell is not, nor has he ever been, a star. Even during that period in the 00s where the press wouldn't shut up about his off-screen antics, partying with whatever flavor-of-the-moment beauty, guzzling whatever liquor in sight and snorting whatever drug in plain view, he was never a box-office draw. And of the films he appeared in that were successes, his participation had zilch to do with its profitability despite all the "He's the next big thing!" proclamation. Think Ryan Reynolds, only Irish and a much better actor.

From the sounds of it, he'd play Lancelot, and that's fine all things considered. But again by this "star" logic (If logic is the term you'd prefer use), then you're an idiot thinking Farrell will secure asses in seats, given his track record, when his salary would be substantially higher than either Harington or Kinnaman and at least you'd spend less money on them and put it towards the movie and/or marketing it. Its thinking like this cements what dumbasses run the studios.

Jack Bauer Vs. Development Hell

The notion of a 24 movie never made sense.

All due respect to its many fans, there was never a "right" time to bring Jack Bauer to the big screen. If you went the route of making it while the show was still on the air (As Fox did with X-Files), you face the problem of convincing people to shell out $10 to see the film version of a television series they get to watch every week for free. On the other hand if you wait till after it goes off the air, you run the risk of waiting too late and cashing in your chips long after said show's popularity, an argument to be made if the show was still viable to begin with why did it go off the air? Either way, it was a tricky predicament.

Despite reassurances from star Kiefer Sutherland, the 24 movie that last we all heard would commence production this spring isn't, reports "TOLDJA." Fox pumped the brakes on the production with a script by Billy Ray and a director who, according to the last set of rumblings though no firmly committed, looked to be Antoine Fuqua.

Sounds like budget woes were the culprit, but to the credit of both parties though they barked over costs we weren't looking at a $100 million+ price-tag. Well under that range with the filmmakers wanting $60 million (though still a lot of money obviously) and Fox big-heads aiming for $30 million. Nobody is happy (Read: Sutherland) and we'll see if this blows over. The film, as a whole, isn't dead. Yet. Just don't expect Jack Bauer screaming on a cell-phone and running down a highway in 2012.

Battleship Trailer #3

Given the timing, hard not to label it a coincidence the third Battleship trailer focuses little attention on lead Taylor Kitsch, post John Carter bombing, and playing up the alien/robot/whatever those-are-supposed-to-be destruction.

Tired as it may be to throw around the Transformers, unfair to place fault against those doing so when every trailer so far makes no qualms telling us this is from "the company that brought you Transformers" and could visually pass for Transformers IV: The Voyage Home.

Skyfall Promises Anton Chigurh, Master of Disguise

Here is your first look at Javier Bardem in Skyfall, out in public during the shoot for the first time, as supplied by Daily Mail UK. We also have the name of the Oscar-winner's heavy (Silva) and a slight detail to his character. He'll be incognito during a raid where chaos spills out in the streets of London. Perhaps the attack on MI6 as alluded to in the official, and vague, plot synopsis?

Paramount Confirms the Obvious - Mission: Impossible 5 Coming

By sheer virtual of its $680 million gross, the fact Movie Hole already heard echoes straight from the top of the Paramount Mountain and the general awesomeness of Ghost Protocol, you knew it was coming. We're getting Mission: Impossible 5.

This confirmation doesn't come from a press release or some inside scoop, but during the shareholder meeting of Paramount's corporate big-daddy Viacom, as supplied by THR:

"And a brief statement made by Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman at the Paramount parent company's annual shareholder meeting Thursday in New York confirms the studio's intention to make a follow-up.

Dauman was asked by a shareholder if there were 'any plans to develop an additional sequel.' His response: 'Oh, yes'"

Concrete details remain on a TBD status. Though I imagine Simon Pegg would be the only returning cast member besides Tom Cruise. If you don't count another Ving Rhames cameo.

Directorially speaking, here's hoping they continue the tried-and-true formula of getting an IMF virgin. J.J. Abrams made his big splash with M:I 3 and he went on to Star Trek. Hopefully Brad Bird follows suit. As much as he wowed with Ghost Protol, the thought of him pulling a new trick from his magician's hat is more exciting than him simply doing M:I 5.

There Will Be a Chronicle Sequel

From that glowing, crystallized object and its resemblance to the starship Marlon Brando put the baby Kal-El in Richard Donner's Superman to the fact co-star Alex Russell himself could pass for a young Clark Kent before the red-and-blue suit and the bumbling disguise days, Chronicle played like an Elseworlds comic brought to life. So much so that by the time you see Russell's character Matt flying off at the end, you think, "Okay so he's going off to be Superman now!?"

There isn't much need to elaborate on the origins of that extraterrestrial ship nor do we need to see Matt randomly saving people across the globe if not meeting up with others the Josh Trank-directed film hinted may have also been effected. But Chronicle made good mint and like any studio seeing big dollar-signs coming off low costs, they want more.

"TOLDJA" says Fox has hired Max Landis to return to write a sequel. The fact there will be another Chronicle doesn't mean we'll see actor Russell back per say. It's not a guarantee it would even follow the same "found footage" (For lack of a better term) format either. All it means at the moment is writer Landis is in for a big(ger) paycheck this time out. Nothing wrong with that. The guy's earned it.

I just don't like continuing in this world, and potentially with these characters again, when Landis and helmer Trank did such a great job telling a complete and satisfying story the first time out. Not everything needs to have a sequel just because it was successful... and I say that knowing what a naive jackass I sound like.

What to Expect When You're Expecting Trailer #2 Really Wants Men To Watch

The best part of the first What To Expect When You're Expecting trailer (I realize how strange that sounds saying) was clearly "The Dudes," a group of dads who hang out at park-grounds with their small children; strollers, diaper-bags, etc. intact and talking about all the little shit there is to be someone's husband/father.

Whomever is in charge of the marketing clearly saw that and as an attempt to latch on to the Men Over 25 quadrant (As opposed to being dragged to see it by their wives), focuses on them for the second trailer, courtesy of Yahoo! Movies. Not garbage but not hysterically funny either. It's just cute enough.

So It’s Come to This: Boy Scouts vs. Zombies

We all complain about the lack of originality in the market place. In that sense, this is a breath of fresh air to see a boardroom full of executives (all vying for what's hip, cool, trendy, etc.) trying to one-up one another with championing projects that don't have a number behind it or is a reboot of a movie we saw 5 years ago.

Then you read the title of the upcoming film in question is Boy Scouts vs. Zombies and you think to yourself, "Really?" THR has the details. Etan Cohen (writing alum for Ben Stiller and behind Men in Black 3) will make his directorial debut on what’s described as a horror comedy with the plot synopsis being "a troop that must save a group of girl scouts from a pack of zombies with designs on spoiling a camping trip."

In case any of you were afraid it wouldn't deliver on the title. I just hope there's a gag involving Girl Scout Cookies and brains. Talk about something I would kill for...

Someone Still Thinks A Venom Movie Is A Good Idea...

Initial word bantering around the street had Josh Trank staying in-house with Fox to reboot Fantastic Four, and though I have no doubt there's truth to that nor was I crazy about that, it's still a better alternative than this.

LA Times says he's in talks with Sony to spearhead a solo Venom movie, even as the studio holds it collective breath on the reception (both critical and financial) on The Amazing Spider-Man this July.

Remember all those cries for Sam Raimi to get past his perceived bullish anti-Venom stance and how they were silenced when we saw him as depicted in Spider-Man 3? Some would argue it was the characterization as directed by Raimi and performed by Topher Grace that "fucked it all up" as fans would say.

Nah, the character was just never that interesting, and the angle Raimi were going for (Eddie Brock being Peter Parker without morals) was better than anything I've ever seen from his comic-book iterations. It's not like Grace would come back or anything. It's a reboot and you know how the kids love their reboots. Though nobody seems to know (Read: care) if there's a connection to the afore-mentioned Spider-Man cinematic do-over.

Never liked the idea of Trank, fresh off Chronicle, already getting lured by the mega bucks brought on by the franchises any way. Both he and writer Max Landis have shown they have the talent and potential they don't need to get involved; at least this soon into their careers. These guys could start their own franchises from idea cooking in their heads or influenced by the films, cartoons, comics, etc. of their young. You know... like George Lucas and Steven Spielberg did.

New Cabin in the Woods Trailer is a Terrific Tease

Friend to the site Robert Meyer Burnett told us in no uncertain terms would he dare reveal the secrets of Cabin in the Woods. Other than how great the final film would be based on the power of the script he'd been privy to read.

The first trailer showed just enough for me to want to see more and the second trailer, courtesy of Fear Net, offers a tad more insight... but not really. No idea what Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon are up to and I love that!

It hits theaters next month and is set to open the SXSW Festival this week. So it's going to be hard to resist reading reviews in fear of major spoilerage not to mention plenty of jackasses yapping away on Twitter, which you know they will.