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Marvel has delayed its superhero blockbusters Thor and The Avengers by a year, says The Hollywood Reporter.

Thor's new release date is June 17, 2011, moved from July 16, 2010, while The Avengers is now on course for a May 4, 2012 arrival having been originally planned for July 15, 2011.

Marvel Studios chairman David Maisel said that the change of dates are in order to space out the release of their solo superhero movies before uniting the characters for ensemble film The Avengers.

"[It] maximizes the visibility of our single-character-focused films, leading to the highly anticipated release of the multi-character The Avengers film in 2012," he explained.

Initial plans would have seen two Marvel movies out in 2010 (Iron Man 2 and Thor) and three the following year (The First Avenger: Captain America, Spider-Man 4 and The Avengers).

Captain America has also been shifted back two months to July 22, 2011, with Spider-Man 4 slotting into its old May 6 release date.

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A sequel to last summer's 3-D blockbuster Journey To The Centre Of The Earth is in the works, according to Variety.

The follow-up will see Brendan Fraser's character Trevor Anderson and his nephew (Josh Hutcherson) visit the island that features in Jules Verne's Mysterious Island, Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island and Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels.

Richard Outen has penned the script for the sequel, titled Mysterious Travels: The Lost Map Of Treasure Island, and will undertake rewrites with Centre Of The Earth director Eric Brevig.

Neither Fraser or Hutcherson have committed to the sequel.

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Warner Bros has hired Dave Kajganich to write a movie adaptation of Stephen King's It.

Based on the 1986 novel, the story centres on a shape-shifting child killer (called 'It') who terrorises a small town in 1958, then later again in 1985.

ABC turned the book into a miniseries in 1990 with Tim Curry taking on the role of Pennywise, a clown who appeared as It's most common guise.

Kajganich recently penned Invasion for Warner Bros. He is currently working on a remake of Escape From New York.

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Welsh actor Rhys Ifans has been added to the cast of Ben Stiller's latest project Greenberg, reports Variety.

Brie Larson, Juno Temple and Greta Gerwig are also signed up for the movie, which is being helmed and scripted by Squid & The Whale director Noah Baumbach.

The story follows a New Yorker (Stiller), who moves to LA to housesit for his brother and reassess his life, only to end up having a relationship with his sibling's assistant (Gerwig).

Ifans will play Stiller's best friend, who is going through a divorce, while Larson is cast as a "college-age temptation".

Shooting is scheduled to begin later this month.

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Robin Hood star Alan Doyle has revealed that the forthcoming Russell Crowe blockbuster will include several singing characters.

Doyle, who this week joined the cast as lute-playing balladeer Alan-a-Dayle, told MTV to expect "a lot of singing in the film".

"A lot of it by different people in different parts of the film," he commented. "I don't know quite yet if Russell and I will be singing together. But there will be lots of music in the film."

Doyle, who has collaborated with Crowe on several music projects, said that preparing for the medieval epic is like a dream come true.

"I was just training in Australia with a couple of the other Merry Men," he said. "It's like a ten-year-old boy's fantasy schedule; you wake up and have horse riding at ten o'clock, archery at eleven o'clock, sword fighting at twelve o'clock. It was really fun, I'm really looking forward to it all."

Robin Hood begins filming in the UK next month for a May 14, 2010 release.

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Marianne Faithfull has agreed to allow her life story to be made into a film, adding that it makes a "great story".

The legendary rock wild child, who dated Mick Jagger for five years, published an autobiography in 1994 which will form the basis of the screenplay, reports the BBC.

Faithfull, 62, said: "I'll read the script, when it's ready, which isn't for a long time, and then I'll leave it to the director and the actress he chooses. I don't want to have much to do with it.

"I want to read the script and like the script, and then I'm going to let go of it and let them do what they want. That's the way to do it."

The 'Morphine' singer was discovered by Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham at the age of 17. Following a string of hits in the 1960s, she was reportedly wooed by Bob Dylan before dating Jagger.

Faithfull already had one son when she fell pregnant by Jagger in 1968, but miscarried. She attempted suicide in 1969, split from Jagger and then lost custody of her child. Following two years living on the streets of London addicted to heroin, she returned to music.

Her latest album Easy Come, Easy Go is released in the UK on Monday and features guests including Keith Richards, Rufus Wainwright, Jarvis Cocker and Nick Cave.

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Warner Bros has hired Joe Stillman to write its big budget family comedy Alien Zoo, says Variety.

The movie, based on an idea hatched by Dylan Sellers, is described as "Jurassic Park with aliens" and will blend live-action footage with CGI.

Sellers is also serving as a producer on the movie alongside Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne.

Stillman worked on the first two Shrek movies and penned the script for Jack Black's forthcoming Gulliver's Travels.

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Zac Efron has admitted that he was petrified during his performance at last month's Oscars.

The High School Musical 3 star was invited to sing alongside girlfriend and co-star Vanessa Hudgens in a tribute to famous musicals led by Hugh Jackman.

Speaking on Australia's The Today Show, he said: "I’ve never been so nervous in my entire life. The trick is you can’t look down.

"There are so many incredible actors and actresses just all around you and if you look down for a second, you might actually look at Angelina Jolie. My hat fell off at the end because I was making eye contact."

He added: "I actually asked if there was any opportunity to present at the awards and they said, 'No, no you can’t present at the awards. But you can perform'.

"I was like, 'Me, perform? Who else is doing it?' They said Hugh Jackman. Done. I was in."

Other celebrities who took part in the musical montage included Beyoncé and Mamma Mia! co-stars Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper.

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Matt Damon has confirmed that he is working on a fourth instalment in the Bourne franchise.

Speaking to Parade, the actor confirmed that plans to add another film to the series were in progress but warned fans that the project was still in an early stage.

"We're working on it. This time it would be from an original script rather than a book by Robert Ludlum," he said. "But the director Paul Greengrass is busy and I am too, so we'll see what happens."

When asked if he was ready to reprise the physically demanding role of Jason Bourne, he replied: "Listen, when I did the first movie, I was 29 years old. I am 37 now. After a tough fighting scene, the next day you wake up and feel your body more. That's just the way it is."

Last year, Universal picked up the exclusive rights to the Bourne character, who has grossed over $900m at the worldwide box office to date.

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Twilight star Robert Pattinson has insisted that he wouldn't care if his acting career proved to be short-lived.

The 22-year-old, who first rose to prominence by playing Cedric Diggory in the Harry Potter films, revealed that he would happily pursue another profession in the future.

"I'm not massively concerned about doing lots of acting jobs," Pattinson told GQ magazine.

"If it all just went, right now, I'd be like, 'All right. I don't really care'. That's probably a stupid thing to say. But I don't, really."

He added: "I think it'd be much worse to do a load of stuff that's really bad. Because then you can't go into another career.

"If you've made an idiot out of yourself, you're never going to be taken seriously, as a lawyer or something, if you're, like, a joke actor. The only thing I want from anything is to not be embarrassed."

Pattinson is currently filming for New Moon, the second movie in the Twilight series.

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Keira Knightley has insisted that she was unfazed when Sienna Miller took all her clothes off for a scene in The Edge Of Love.

The actresses play two lovers of the poet Dylan Thomas in the 2008 film, which includes a bath scene where they both bare flesh.

Knightey, who remained partially clothed, told Moviefone.com that nudity can be part of the profession.

"I think we're both used to doing things like that in our job," she said. "It was very soapy water, and it was a closed set and all the rest of it. And I actually had clothing on.

"She didn't. Well, I had something on. No, it was sort of fine. It was just a problem because the bath water got really cold."

Miller recently described as "absurd" media reports that she and Knightley shared an on-screen "romp" in the film. The actress added that the attention given to a kiss between the pair was "overboard".

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Tom Hardy has revealed that he must weigh 15 stone by the summer in order to play his next role as a cage fighter.

The 31-year-old already had to gain weight to play prisoner Charles Bronson in the screen biopic Bronson.

Hardy later revealed that he had become fond of the man dubbed as one of Britain's most violent prisoners while preparing for the role. He said: "The man I met wasn't a monster - massive anger problems, yes, and hugely charismatic, but very insightful and interesting."

ITN reports that Hardy is heading back to the gym to beef up for his next screen outing.

"Now I'm involved in a big cage fighting film, so I have to train to be a UFC [Ultimate Fighting Championship] fighter," he said, adding: "By July I have to be 15 stone and dangerous."

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Gwyneth Paltrow has cast doubt over her Two Lovers co-star Joaquin Phoenix's new 'music career' admitting she suspects it's a hoax.

The Gladiator star recently revealed he had quit acting to become a rapper.

He has since made a string of bizarre public appearances, including two nightclub performances, the last of which ended with an angry confrontation with a heckler, in Miami, Florida on Wednesday.

Sceptics have suggested Phoenix's hip hop endeavours are being staged as part of a prank project - and Paltrow admits she's not convinced by his claims.

The actress tells MTV, "I'm not a hundred percent sure that that's really going to be the case. I think that there might be some other explanation or something going on. I'm not quite sure what, but I can't believe that he's really going to quit forever to become a rapper. It seems odd."

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Daniel Radcliffe's stunt double wept after he was told he will never walk again following an accident on the set of the new Harry Potter movie, according to reports.

David Holmes was hospitalised in January with a back injury after falling from a harness at Leavesden Studios, near Watford, Hertfordshire, where he was practising flying scenes for the forthcoming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

The 25-year-old had surgery at the hospital, which specialises in spinal injuries.

Holmes' family published a message on his personal Facebook page to let friends know he was confident of a recovery: "David wants to thank everyone for their kind thoughts and wishes. And don't worry... the stunt-runt will be back."

But now doctors have delivered the devastating news that Holmes will be confined to a wheelchair and will never be able to walk again, according to Britain's The People newspaper.

A source tells the publication, "David is struggling to come to terms with the news. It's terrible news but his family and friends are trying to offer him as much support as they can.

"He is young and was very good at his job. But his life will be completely altered now."

But Holmes refuses to give up hope, despite the doctors' diagnosis.

The source adds, "Although David has been told he'll never walk again he is still not giving up hope. Deep down he knows it's unlikely but it's still early days and so he's not giving up completely."

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Producers of new movie Robin Hood have been criticised for not casting any English actors in the lead roles.

Russell Crowe stars as the Medieval folk hero, while Aussie actress Cate Blanchett will play Maid Marian.

The tale was originally set in Nottingham, England - and now critics have hit out at filmmakers for not featuring any British stars in the main parts.

Terence Doyle, editor of British Film Magazine, says, "These are frankly bizarre casting choices when you consider the depth of acting talent available in the U.K.

"Once again Robin Hood has been hijacked by Hollywood."

Shooting on the movie, originally titled Nottingham, will begin in Britain in April.

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Disney movie Race To Witch Mountain has shot to the top of the U.S. box office, taking $25 million (£17.85 million) during its opening weekend (13-15Mar09).

The film, starring former wrestler Dwayne Johnson, exceeded all expectations to topple Watchmen from the number one spot; the superhero movie garnered $18.1 million (£12.85 million) to secure the chart's second position.

Horror remake The Last House on the Left opened in third place, with $14.7 million (£10.5 million), followed by Taken in fourth, with $6.7 million (£4.78 million)

Elsewhere, Oscar winner Slumdog Millionaire celebrated another strong week, more than four months after it was first released, raking in $5 million (£3.57 million) to sit in sixth place

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Studio bosses are planning to bring U.S. TV toughguy MacGyver to the big screen.

New Line studios hopes to transform the cult TV show into a hit movie franchise.

Raffaella De Laurentiis is slated to produce the movie, with the series' creator Lee Zlotoff.

MacGyver, played by Richard Dean Anderson for seven years from 1985, is a resourceful secret agent.

No one is currently lined up to take on the iconic role.

A representative for New Line says, "We think we're a stick of chewing gum, a paper clip and an A-list writer away from a global franchise."

MacGyver was recently voted atop a poll to find America's favourite TV action heroes - beating Buffy the Vampire Slayer and 24's Jack Bauer.

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Spider-Man director Sam Raimi has admitted that Kirsten Dunst has not yet signed up to return for the latest superhero sequel.

Speaking to IGN, the filmmaker insisted that "it wouldn't be the Spider-Man series" without Dunst reprising her role as Peter Parker's love interest Mary Jane Watson.

"I'm hoping that Kirsten will be in it, but we're still talking about that," he said. "Definitely, she's got to be in it. It wouldn't be the Spider-Man series without her."

Raimi also dismissed the idea that Spider-Man 4 and 5 will be shot concurrently, saying that he is only concentrating on one movie.

"The writers, producers and I are working out what the story will be, but we haven't been talking in terms of part 4 and 5," he informed MTV. "Right now we're just working on the story for Spider-Man 4, just that one film."

When quizzed about villains for the sequel, Raimi added: "We're definitely talking about working from all the material in the comic books and nothing [invented] outside of that. All the characters or villains will be from Stan Lee’s creations or those that came after him."

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Zac Efron has revealed that he is excited about the possibility of starring in the proposed live-action version of 1960s cartoon The Adventures Of Jonny Quest.

The High School Musical 3 star has reportedly emerged as the studio's favourite to play the movie's title character, despite being ten years older than the animated original.

Speaking to Moviehole, the actor admitted that the project is "a great idea" and "would be very fun", but warned fans that it is still in a very early stage.

"It’s a long, long process. It’s so hard when people start leaking titbits," he said. "They’re very, very early on [with it] - not that it won’t happen happen, it’s just early."

Referring to another future project, he added: "People legitimately said to me today, 'So Footloose is coming out, right?' I’m like 'No. The script is coming out'."

Based on the Hanna-Barbara animated series, Jonny Quest tells the story of an 11-year-old boy who accompanies his doctor father on a series of extraordinary adventures.

Last month, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson confirmed his involvement in the project, saying: "I hadn't read an action script like that in a long time...[This] will happen."

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Disney has picked up Barry Blaustein and Jason Hefter's comedy pitch Wouldn't It Be Nice for the duo to write and direct.

The family movie centres on a high school couple who find themselves transported 20 years into the future to deal with the trials and tribulations of middle age. Still with teenage minds, they struggle to raise three young children.

Andrew Gunn will serve as producer on Wouldn't It Be Nice, says The Hollywood Reporter.

Blaustein has previously directed Johnny Knoxville's The Ringer, while Hefter is working on Magic 8 Ball for Universal.