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Peter Berg drops out of 'Dune' remake

Director Peter Berg has left Paramount's Dune remake, according to reports.

No reason has been cited for the Hancock helmer's exit, but Chud suggests that he departed to work on a number of "dream projects" at Universal.

Paramount is reportedly now eying District 9 filmmaker Neill Blomkamp and Neil Marshall, writer and director of The Descent, to replace the 45-year-old.

Berg had spoken to Twilight star Robert Pattinson about appearing in the update. However, it is unclear if the 23-year-old will be a part of the new Dune now that Berg has moved on.

The original Dune was directed by David Lynch, based on the 1956 Frank Herbert novel.

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Jessica Biel gets 'F***ing Engaged'

Jessica Biel has signed up to star in and produce sex comedy F***ing Engaged, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The project, written by newcomer Julia Brownell, centres on a couple who decide to have sex every day leading up to their wedding to keep them from becoming like their dull parents.

FilmNation Entertainment and Biel's Iron Ocean Films will finance and produce the movie.

Biel upcoming films include the ensemble rom-com Valentine's Day and the big screen spin on '80s TV classic The A-Team.

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Abrams 'not behind Mission: Impossible IV'

J.J. Abrams has revealed that he has no plans to direct Mission: Impossible IV.

The Star Trek director helmed 2006's Mission: Impossible III, starring Tom Cruise. He told MTV that he will most likely pass on steering the next sequel, but still plans to produce with Cruise.

"My guess is, given other things, that I will not be directing the movie," the 43-year-old stated.

He said of the film's story: "I don't want to give anything away yet, but I will say that it's a story that will feel consistent with the world that has been created. It's not a reboot kind of thing."

The Lost creator recently admitted that he would like Peter Graves to star in the next Mission: Impossible instalment.

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Anthony Hopkins joins Marvel's 'Thor'

Anthony Hopkins has joined the cast of Marvel Studios’ Thor.

The Oscar-winning actor will play Odin, Thor’s father and king of the mythical Asgard, reports Variety.

Kenneth Branagh is attached to direct the comic book adaptation, which also stars Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Tom Hiddelston as Loki and Natalie Portman as Jane Foster.

Production on Thor is expected to begin in January. The film is slated to open on May 20, 2011.

Hopkins will next appear on the big screen alongside Benicio Del Toro in The Wolfman, due in cinemas in February.

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'Men In Black 3' to film next spring?

Sony has hired Tropic Thunder screenwriter Etan Cohen to pen the new Men In Black movie.

Cohen is reportedly midway through a script draft that will bring the sci-fi franchise back for a new instalment. Barry Sonnenfeld, who directed the first two movies, is attached to helm the third, though no contracts are in place for Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones to come back.

Depending on negotiations with Smith and Jones, Men In Black 3 could begin production as early as next spring.

Based on Lowell Cunningham's comic series, the Men In Black franchise centres on a covert government agency which keeps aliens residing on Earth in check. The two movies grossed more than $1 billion combined at the worldwide box office.

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Jackman turns down Oscar hosting duties

Hugh Jackman has turned down the chance to host the 2010 Academy Awards.

The X-Men star, who was widely praised for his stewardship of this year's ceremony under the guidance of producers Laurence Mark and Bill Condon, declined the chance to renew Oscar presenting duties, says Variety.

Earlier reports had suggested that the 41-year-old was eager to compere the 2010 show, but he has instead chosen to prepare for his next film Real Steel once his Broadway run on drama A Steady Rain is completed.

Jackman may take on the master of ceremonies role in the future, but reportedly does not want to oversee the event for two years in a row.

The 82nd Academy Awards will take place on March 7, 2010.

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Reese Witherspoon attached to 'Rule #1'

Reese Witherspoon has signed up to star in and produce Fox Searchlight's Rule #1.

The movie centres on a New York woman who forges a friendship with a Puerto Rican girl with attention deficit disorder.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Brad Epstein (About A Boy) will co-produce the film, which is based on Terrel Seltzer's original screenplay.

Seltzer's credits include comedy How I Got Into College and George Clooney rom-com One Fine Day.

Witherspoon's next big screen outing will come in James L. Brooks's currently untitled rom-com.

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DreamWorks gets 'Doggy Day Care'

DreamWorks has acquired the rights to Laurie Craig's comedy Doggy Day Care.

The film, set inside a dog day care centre, will follow the adventures of the animals when they are left without human supervision.

Craig (Paulie, Ramona) penned the script with Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Julie Goldstein, according to Variety.

"We were utterly charmed by the story they have crafted," said DreamWorks's Holly Bario.

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'Sin City 2' to 'film in 2010'

Producer Stephen L'Heureux has revealed that filming on the Sin City sequel will begin in the latter half of 2010.

L'Heureux said that the follow-up will be based on an original script by Frank Miller, while the first film was adapted from his graphic novels, Mania reports.

He said: "As simple as Sin City seems, it's a very complex scheduling with all these actors and it's a very demanding shoot to be on a sound stage all day long. We have to space it for Frank.

"There's also talk, of course, of Sin City 3."

The producer added that Miller is currently working on the screenplay for Hard Boiled , which he is adapting from his 1990 comic book.

He added: "We're still developing it. We got the project in turnaround from Warner Bros and Frank. It's such a pleasure to work with someone like Frank Miller. He's so smart and passionate about story at all levels from 1940s noir pulp to modern film."

In April, Angelina Jolie reportedly resumed talks to join the cast of the Sin City sequel.

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Anderson: 'They need me for Baywatch film'

Pamela Anderson has suggested that producers of the proposed Baywatch film will not be able to make it without her.

The actress, who found fame as lifeguard CJ Parker in the TV series, has reiterated her dislike for Paramount's plans to remake the show as a comedy movie.

"I'd like to kind of leave it as it was," PA quotes her as saying. "I'm not a big fan of when they recreate television series for movies, but a good friend of mine is always saying to me, 'Just remember how important you are to that movie, they can't make that movie without you'."

Writer/director Jeremy Garelick is currently working on the Baywatch film, citing Police Academy as an influence for the big screen revival.

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Rhys-Davies 'won't return for 'Hobbit'

John Rhys-Davies has ruled out appearing in The Hobbit films.

Rhys-Davies, who portrayed dwarf Gimli in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, told Empire, that he has no desire to come back and play Gimli's father Gloin, who appears in author JRR Tolkien's novel on which the new films are based.

"I've already been asked and to be honest with you, I wouldn't," the British actor said. "I have already completely ruled it out. There's a sentimental part of me that would love to be involved again. Really I am not sure my face can take that sort of punishment any more."

Rhys-Davies admitted that even the prospect of a small cameo wouldn't tempt him back to the fantasy series: "Why would you want to do it if it was just a couple of shots? When you've been 1 of 1, why would you want to be 1 of 13?"

The 65-year-old noted that The Hobbit presented filmmakers Guillermo del Toro and Peter Jackson with "a different set of problems" from the previous franchise entries.

"You've got 13 dwarves, a whole band of them," he explained. "You're trying to represent a whole race... You're trying to do for dwarves what The Lord Of The Rings did for hobbits."

Gandalf actor Sir Ian McKellen recently said that he expects the two Hobbit films to be shooting for more than a year.

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Landau 'not interested' in 'M:I 4' cameo

Martin Landau has admitted that he is not interested in a cameo role on the next Mission: Impossible instalment.

The 78-year-old actor played elite secret agent Rollin Hand on the original TV series from 1966 to 1969. He said that he will not consider appearing in the film, following a bad experience that involved a rough draft script of the first movie.

He told MTV: "Unless it was a great part, which it probably isn't, it would probably be a cameo, a little joke, that wouldn't interest me at all.

"When they were working on an early incarnation of the first one - not the script they ultimately did - they wanted the entire team to be destroyed, done away with one at a time, and I was against that."

Landau added: "It was basically an action-adventure movie and not Mission. Mission was a mind game. The ideal mission was getting in and getting out without anyone ever knowing we were there.

"So the whole texture changed. Why volunteer to essentially have our characters commit suicide? I passed on it. I said, 'It's crazy to do this'. The script wasn't that good either!"

J.J. Abrams, who directed the third film in the franchise, recently stated that he would like original star Peter Graves to make an appearance in the project, which he is to produce with Tom Cruise.

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Lundgren: 'Expendables sequel possible'

Dolph Lundgren has said that an update to forthcoming film The Expendables could transpire.

The Swedish actor signed on in November to reunite with his Rocky IV co-star Sylvester Stallone, who has written and directed the tale of an elite team sent to South America to overthrow a dictator.

The 51-year-old explained that Stallone has not officially confirmed a follow-up, but he believes that audiences will want to see a sequel, Movie Web reports.

He stated: "[Stallone] hasn't mentioned a sequel. But people are obviously talking about it. Stallone is huge on sequels. I don't know what is going to happen. Even so, I think people are going to love this film. And want another one.

"They are going to be thrilled by what they see on that screen. Especially when I am going up against Sly. We are both friends and enemies in this movie. I think it's going to be really good."

Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis recently filmed a scene together for The Expendables, which is scheduled to open in cinemas on August 20, 2010.

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50 Cent, De Niro 'bonded over money'

50 Cent has claimed that he struck up a bond with Robert De Niro while shooting Righteous Kill.

The rapper said that he formed a friendship with the legendary actor by discussing finance.

"Robert De Niro asks me for business advice," Contactmusic quotes him as saying. "I worked with him and Al Pacino on Righteous Kill and that was a big deal for me. These guys are heroes.

"Robert doesn't see me like a lot of other people see me. He sees me as a businessman and he asks me for advice and has respect for my opinion."

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Campbell talks 'Green Lantern'

Director Martin Campbell has told fans to expect a different kind of superhero movie with Green Lantern.

The Casino Royale director described the process of making a film with about 1,300 visual effects as "mind-blowing".

He told Empire: "He's the only superhero to my knowledge who regularly goes to another planet.

"Superman and Batman were essentially locked into a particular city. The Lantern isn't so Earthbound."

Green Lantern, which stars Ryan Reynolds in the lead role, recently moved production from Sydney to New Orleans because of the soaring Australian dollar.

The film is due to hit cinemas in 2011.

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Jennifer Connelly to quit acting?

Jennifer Connelly has reportedly suggested that she may never work again.

The Oscar-winning actress, who has two sons with husband Paul Bettany, has said that she has no future film projects lined up after she finishes shooting What's Wrong With Virginia?

The 38-year-old told The Mirror: "The biggest thing for me is wanting my kids to grow up safely and have happy lives. To me that's enough.

"The family is the most important thing to me. I'm very blessed. I have gorgeous, healthy, funny kids and a good husband."

She added: "Becoming a mother has made all the difference in terms of learning to take responsibility for my life. Parenthood changed the way I do everything."

Connelly recently admitted that she would be interested in acting in an action movie.

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Cyrus: 'SATC' was a dream come true'

Miley Cyrus has said that she enjoyed working on Sex And The City 2.

Cyrus, who filmed a cameo with Kim Cattrall earlier this month, explained that she hadn't been on the set very long.

"Literally, I shot for like an hour-and-a-half and I was done," she told Ryan Seacrest on his KIIS-FM radio show. "It was a total dream come true."

The Hannah Montana star also praised the film's cast, saying: "Working with Kim was really cool. And Sarah Jessica Parker was the nicest person in the world."

Cyrus recently revealed that she was allowed to keep the necklace she wore in her cameo.

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Millar to direct superhero movie

Kick-Ass creator Mark Millar has announced that he is to direct a superhero film next year.

The comic scribe, who claimed that principal photography should begin in March, said that he plans to follow Matthew Vaughn’s directorial approach to Kick-Ass by making it outside the system with private investors.

He told fans through his website Millarworld.tv: "This is one of several big surprises planned for next year and you'll hear a bit more about this in February when we start to release details.

"What is it? Who is it about? Well, that's all a secret for now, but I learned a lot from Kick-Ass and love having the same creative freedom I have with comics when I work in cinema."

He added: "I couldn't be more excited. More as it happens, but this might just beat out War Heroes and American Jesus as my follow-ups to the Wanted and Kick-Ass movies.

"Have two other pictures about to go into development (and Wanted and Kick-Ass 2, of course), but I think you need to scare the hell out of yourself every once in a while, and something totally new like directing should do the trick."

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Davis: 'The 'SATC' cast are all close'

Kristin Davis has dismissed rumours of feuds between members of the Sex And The City cast.

The actress, who plays Charlotte in the franchise, told The Mirror that she keeps in touch with the other stars.

"Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon and I are all close in different ways and we've been together forever now," she said. "It's hard to explain what it's like to have gone through the crazy, crazy journey that is Sex And The City together.

"There is no-one else we could turn to and talk about 'remember when'. We have years of crazy experiences together. And you can't recreate that with anybody, you can't even pull anybody else into it.

"So I have different relationships with each of them and they have with each other. We're all in touch in different ways, which is obviously different than being in a group. It's hard to all meet up when we're off because Kim is in England and Sarah's at the beach and we're all so busy."

However, Davis explained that the cast had met up before filming started on Sex And The City 2 to read through the script together.

"We sat in the same building, at the same table, in the same chairs we have done since 1997," she said. "That's the part where it totally gels - it sparks. Something happens when we get in there together."

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Damon: 'I feel like a character actor'

Matt Damon has admitted that he finds it difficult being the "leading man".

Damon, who stars in upcoming film The Informant!, explained that he is interested in what motivates his characters.

"The leading man stuff doesn't come easily to me," he told The New York Times. "I've always felt like a character actor."

He added that he enjoys playing ambiguous roles, explaining: "As an actor you have to make decisions about what their motivations are, even if you don't let on."

However, he suggested that his method of working is often ignored, saying: "There's a style of acting that tends to get rewarded. It's not what I do."

Damon also claimed that he would like to be a director in the future, but is currently "arming [himself] with information".

"I've learned a lot just by standing next to these great directors and watching them," he said. "Clint [Eastwood] didn't start until he was 39, and he's had 40 great years."

The Informant! is released in the UK on November 20.

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