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Video: 'Race To Witch Mountain' featurette

Hot on the heels of the thrilling trailer for Race To Witch Mountain, Disney has released a behind-the-scenes featurette for the family movie, opening in the UK on April 10. The story centres on cab driver Jack Bruno (Dwayne Johnson) helping two super-powered alien siblings escape the clutches of evil government agents. Click below to see the stars of Race To Witch Mountain discuss the movie.

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Alleged 'Wolverine' workprint leaked online

A high-quality, full-length version of what is being touted as a workprint version of X-Men Origins: Wolverine has leaked online and is available for download on several bittorrent sites this morning. The bootleg copy is said to be a DVD-quality version of 20th Century Fox's summer tentpole without a timecode or studio watermark, though it is also being described many places as an "early version" of the movie with some effects shots unfinished. Reviews of the movie based on the leak are also cropping up across the Internet. The film, which stars Hugh Jackman, is not scheduled to release until May 1.

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Steve Carell is 'Dumped' by Warner Bros

Steve Carell has been lined up for a comedy adaptation of Andrew Gottlieb's novel Dumped, reports Variety.

The Warner Bros project will be directed by Vic Levin.

Carell's character would be "a man searching for new meaning in his life" following an abrupt ending to his relationship with his wife.

The Office star's other upcoming projects include Shawn Levy-directed
Date Night, which also stars Tina Fey, and the sequel to spy comedy Get Smart.

Earlier this month, Carell was linked to testosterone comedy Hi-T.

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Patrick To Return For Terminator 5?

Terminator 2: Judgement Day actor Robert Patrick is set to thrill sci-fi fans - he is in talks to make a return to his evil robot role in the franchise's next instalment.

Filmmaker McG is taking the helm of the fourth movie, Terminator Salvation, and is lined up to direct the fifth movie in the action series.

And the director is eyeing Patrick for the forthcoming project - who shot to fame for his part as evil metal shapeshifter T-1000 in the first Terminator sequel.

Patrick reveals, "Yeah, he talked to me about it. I’m interested. I was listening to him tell me about it. I had no idea that he thought about that.

"I love McG. He’s a great guy... we saw each other and he talked to me about it, so we'll see what happens. The sci-fi genre, and specifically that character, is something I'm very proud of. It's what broke me out big to the world."

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Montana Movie Director: 'Cyrus Is The New Judy Garland'

Hannah Montana: The Movie director Peter Chelsom has compared Miley Cyrus to screen legend Judy Garland - insisting he was "blown away" the first time he saw the teen superstar.

The filmmaker is at the helm of Cyrus' first movie gig in the role of phenomenally popular kids' show heroine Hannah Montana.

And Chelsom admits he saw the 16-year-old's potential long before they worked together - recalling an appearance on Oprah Winfrey's talkshow which left him speechless.

He tells E! Online, "I was blown away. I just thought, you know there is no way this girl shouldn't be ranked with Shirley Temple or Judy Garland.

"I couldn't believe it. It was like watching an evening with Barbra Streisand."

And the filmmaker is adamant that Cyrus deserves to have her talent recognised - because she has reached such a high standard at such a young age.

He adds, "She was 15 for the whole making of the movie…Was Barbra doing that at 15? I don't think so."

Hannah Montana: The Movie hits theatres in the U.S. in April.

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Cage's 'Knowing' scores UK number one

Knowing has debuted in first place at the UK box office.

The Nicolas Cage blockbuster pulled in more than £2 million to end Marley & Me's two-week reign at the top of the chart.

New releases The Haunting In Connecticut and The Damned United enter at number three and five respectively.

Elsewhere, Two Lovers and Traitor fail to crack the top ten, landing at number 13 and 14 on limited releases.

The UK top ten in full:

1. (-) Knowing - £2,471,605
2. (1) Marley & Me - £1,680,143
3. (-) The Haunting In Connecticut - £1,127,679
4. (2) Paul Blart: Mall Cop - £1,020,667
5. (-) The Damned United - £618,929
6. (3) Duplicity - £547,324
7. (6) Gran Torino - £339,578
8. (4) Lesbian Vampire Killers - £322,520
9. (5) Watchmen - £303,998
10. (8) The Young Victoria - £233,516

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O'Dowd: 'Boat That Rocked' made me landsick

Chris O'Dowd has revealed that he spent so much time at sea when filming The Boat That Rocked that he found it difficult to return to dry land.

Speaking to DS, the actor admitted that he had been wary about the prospect of spending 14 weeks shooting the upcoming Richard Curtis comedy in the North Sea.

"I'd never been at sea, apart from maybe a little ferry ride. I was a bit worried about being seasick but, if anything, I was landsick! When I got off the boat I would vomit a lot," he explained.

O'Dowd, who plays breakfast jock Simon Swafford, joked: "Why did I vomit? I couldn't face the bloody earth anymore! The North Sea is my home now!"

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Josh Schwartz to helm 'Big City'

Gossip Girl creator Josh Schwartz will make his movie debut directing Bright Lights, Big City for MGM.

Based on Jay McInerney's 1984 novel, the story concerns a journalist who becomes reliant on drugs and alcohol to get over writer's block and his failed marriage. The book was previously the basis for a 1988 film starring Michael J. Fox and Kiefer Sutherland.

Schwartz, who masterminded TV shows The OC and Chuck, will write and produce the film with Stephanie Savage.

Discussing the novel's appeal with Variety, Schwartz said: "Jay created a world that is really seductive and then deconstructed it in a way that is both funny and emotional."

Schwartz is also writing X-Men: First Class for Fox.

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'Wolverine' leak: Fox issues a statement vowing to prosecute

Statement from 20th Century Fox regarding the online leak of X-Men Origins: Wolverine:

Last night, a stolen, incomplete and early version of X-Men Origins: Wolverine was posted illegally on websites. It was without many effects and had missing scenes and temporary sound and music. We immediately contacted the appropriate legal authorities and had it removed. We forensically mark our content so we can identify sources that make it available or download it. The source of the initial leak and any subsequent postings will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law -- the courts have handed down significant criminal sentences for such acts and the last person who committed such a crime is in jail. The FBI and MPAA are also actively investigating the crime. We are encouraged by the support of fansites condemning piracy and this illegal posting and pointing out that such theft undermines the enormous efforts of the filmmakers and actors and, above all, hurts fans of the film

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Paramount acquires 'Christmas' story

Paramount has acquired the rights to real-life story We'll Be Out By Christmas.

Written by How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days duo Kristen Buckley and Brian Regan, the film will chronicle the story of a hard-up family who are forced to move back in with their parents.

According to Variety, the movie is apparently based on autobiographical events from its producers William and Madeleine Sherak.

The Sheraks are the children of former Revolution and 20th Century Fox executive Tom Sherak.

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'Wolverine' leak: Hollywood's mixed response

When a high-quality, full-length work print of X-Men Origins: Wolverine surfaced on Internet bittorrent sites last night, early speculation was that this was a doomsday scenario for Fox and the filmmakers behind the tentpole, which is not due to be released until May 1. The response today from competing producers and studio execs, however, has been more measured. One producer behind another major summer franchise insists that while piracy is a serious problem that needs a "focused and visionary response" from the movie industry, a leak like this may not actually cut that deeply into Wolverine's ticket sales.

"People who are going to download and watch it on their computer were either never going to pay to see it anyway or they're the type of super-fan who was going to go 10 times in the first week," he says, citing a leaked version of Iron Man that circulated a week before its blockbuster opening. "Seeing a spectacle movie like this one on your computer is not the same as seeing with a communal audience, and I don't think this is going to hurt them that much."

On the other hand, a high-ranking theater exhibitor sees much more dire consequences for the franchise. "This is a disaster," he says, referring both to the free downloads resulting from the leak and to the subsequent bad reviews making their way around the Web. "It's tens of millions of dollars lost."

It's certainly a sign of our digital file swapping times, and many in Hollywood are viewing it as a chilling cautionary tale. "If there's been a tutor in my life about this stuff, it's Steven Spielberg," says director Brad Silberling, whose Land of the Lost is due to hit theaters June 5. "There's a reason why directors are control freaks. Between marketing and publicity and all the other areas that get their hands on a film, you have to monitor it. You never like hearing about something like this happening an inch away from a movie being released."

Fox and the filmmakers have released an official response, vowing to track down whoever is behind the leak, while competing studio execs seem to be engaging in some wishful prognosticating about whether audiences will still show up for the big theater experience, regardless of other cheaper options. "That movie is a spectacle and the audience wants spectacle," says the exec with his own tentpoles due for release this summer. "I predict it still opens with a seven in front of it."-- Additional reporting by Nicole Sperling and Josh Rottenberg

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'Men in Black III' and 'Ghostbusters III' in development at Sony

During a presentation at the movie industry's annual ShoWest convention in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Sony distribution president Rory Bruer said that the studio is going back for thirds on the Ghostbusters and Men in Black franchises. Now, of course, the question on everyone's mind is: Who will be starring in said monster-fighting movies? Sony isn't talking (Bruer's announcement arrived almost in passing), but it is expected that Ivan Reitman, Harold Ramis, Bill Murray, and Dan Ackroyd will return to be involved to some degree on a followup to 1989's Ghostbusters II. The story is being written by Office scribes Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg, and it will focus on a new crew of Ghostbusters who are mentored by the veteran fighters. (Contrary to Internet buzz, Judd Apatow is not on board to produce.) Meanwhile, Men in Black III is in even more of a nascent stage. Sony won't comment on whether Will Smith will be involved in the project in any way, either as an actor or producer. There is said to be interest in one screenwriter for the job, but he has not yet been hired.

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Caine: 'New Batman a long way off'

Michael Caine has said that the follow-up to The Dark Knight is probably a long way off.

The actor, who played butler Alfred Pennyworth in the film and its predecessor Batman Begins, told Collider that director Christopher Nolan is busy with other films.

Caine said: "Christopher is doing a picture called Inception with Leonardo DiCaprio which I saw on the internet. So I imagine another Batman is quite a long way away.

"If they do another one, I'll probably be the butler. I hope I'm still alive. Michael Gough, who played Batman before me, the last time he played in Batman he was 84."

He added that he believed Nolan would return to the franchise and that the villain in the next movie would be The Riddler.

Producer Michael Uslan has predicted that the third Batman film since the rebooting of the franchise will hit screens in 2011.

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Raimi: 'Spider-Man script due by summer'

Sam Raimi has said that the script for the upcoming Spider-Man 4 should be completed by the summer.

The director told SCI FI Wire that the blockbuster sequel is being kept to a tight release schedule by its producers.

Raimi said: "Right now, David Lindsay-Abaire is working on a draft of the new picture. And he's hard at work, and hopefully we'll see something in about three months. We have to make the release date.

"On all of these pictures, the Spider-Man films - and I'm sure it's the same as with many of the other bigger-budgeted films - they have release dates far in advance of a screenplay."

He added: "I'm not at liberty to discuss the villains yet. It'd really be up to Sony Pictures and the producers to determine when they want to release that information.

"To them, it's usually a big, a big, big thing, a big moment where they want to present the villain with the proper respect or fear that he or she deserves."

Raimi said that he plans to reassemble the main cast from the previous three movies but all such decisions will depend on the script.

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Fox, Rourke indulge in 'Passion Plays'

Megan Fox is reportedly attached to star alongside Mickey Rourke in forthcoming indie-drama Passion Plays.

According to The Hollywood Reporter's Risky Business blog, the Transformers actress has been tapped to play an angel who provides redemption for Rourke's fading musician in 1950s Los Angeles.

Mitch Glazer, who wrote Al Pacino's The Recruit and Bill Murray comedy Scrooged, has been confirmed to make his directorial debut.

Fox, 22, recently signed for comic book Western Jonah Hex and underwater adventure Fathom, while Rourke has been linked with a starring role in Iron Man 2.

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Golden Globes sets date on NBC: January 17, 2010

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association and NBC announced today that The 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards will air on NBC Sunday, Jan. 17, 2010. For the first time, the ceremony will air live across the country, meaning it will begin at 8 p.m. on the east coast and 5 p.m. on the west coast. In years past, there had been a tape delay for the west coast feed.

"In this age when news is disseminated with increasing rapidity, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association is delighted to announce that this year's Golden Globe Awards telecast will be aired live nationwide," Jorge Camara, president of the HFPA, said in the press release. "For the first time, viewers on the west coast will see the winners announced at the same time as the rest of the country, with no tape delay."

Key dates for other Globes festivities were also announced, most importantly that nominations will be announced at 5 a.m. on Dec. 15, 2009. The announcement revealing who Miss Golden Globe will be, as well as who will receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award, will come in November.

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Sex and the City' sequel set for May 28, 2010

Great Jimmy Choo, Warner Bros. has announced a release date for the Sex and the City sequel! Variety reports that the next chapter will roll out May 28, 2010. Director-writer Michael Patrick King will return, as will stars Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon, and Kristin Davis.

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Box Office Preview: 'Fast & Furious' revs up for a weekend win

It's not very hot outside, but, man, it sure feels like summer at the multiplex. Thanks to the one-two punch of the summer-esque blockbuster wannabe Fast & Furious and the strong holdover Monsters vs. Aliens, Hollywood could see its first April weekend ever to boast two $30 mil-plus grossers. Sure, that's one of those made up "records" that industry trackers love to trumpet, but it does speak to a broader issue that we've been aware of for some time now: Those antique things known as seasons are fading fast from movieland, for better or worse. And now, for better or worse, here are my weekend picks.

1. Fast & Furious -- $41 million
Yeah, yeah, this fourth installment in Universal's inexplicably popular car-smashing franchise has the same cast and title as the first film -- minus a few "the"s. Nice. It kinda reminds me of what Sylvester Stallone did with the name of his Rocky return, Rocky Balboa, a few years ago. Anyway, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, and Jordana Brewster are all back in their original roles, and that should bring back audiences, right? Well, sure, why not? Folks flocked to the first two films in the series (which opened to $40.1 mil in 2000 and then $50.5 mil in 2003), so this reunion/throwback should attract the same kind of crowd. I mean, Vin Diesel has had an up-and-down career arc in the years since, and the other actors haven't really broken out, but that shouldn't stop people from going, eh?

2. Monsters vs. Aliens -- $36 million
If Fast & Furious tanks -- or even comes in on the lower end of expectations -- this'll be the No. 1 movie for a second straight weekend. Having banked a sweet $3 mil-plus per day during the middle of the week, DreamWorks Animation's 3-D family flick should suffer a merely minor decline from its hefty $59.3 mil debut last time around.

3. Adventureland -- $12 million
People love the infinitely noogie-able Jesse Eisenberg and Twilight's Kristen Stewart, but will that widespread affection translate into box office bucks for this new raw comedy from Greg Mottola, the director of Superbad? Yes, but only to a certain extent. The movie is playing in just 1,862 theaters, so its financial upside is relatively limited.

4. The Haunting in Connecticut -- $10 million
Virginia Madsen's thriller surprised with a $23 mil debut last time around. But horror movies always tend to fall off pretty fast (and, uh, furiously).

5. I Love You, Man -- $8 million
Paul Rudd and Jason Segel's bromance brought in a somewhat soft $17.8 mil on its first weekend, although it dropped just 29 percent in its second frame. Competition with fellow R-rated funny film Adventureland may depress I Love You, Man's grosses a bit more this time, but people clearly aren't ready to dump the cool comedy just yet.

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Fast & Furious Revs Up To Fifth Gear

The Fast & The Furious star Paul Walker has confirmed the action franchise is to be extended for a fifth time - with plans for a new movie set in Europe.

The actor starred in the original film, The Fast & The Furious, in 2001 alongside Michelle Rodriguez and Vin Diesel.

Walker returned for the sequel, 2 Fast 2 Furious, in 2003 with a different cast but sat out the third installment, 2006's The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.

Walker reunited with Diesel and Rodriguez to reprise their original roles for this year's sequel, simply titled Fast & Furious - and the star admits movie bosses are already working on another follow up, taking the series to five movies.

He tells MoviesOnline, "It's beyond rumours at this point. I've spoken with executives at Universal and they're pretty serious about it. They're developing it. They know where they want it to take place. They want to do it in Europe."

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Transformers' robots revealed

Paramount Pictures has released a full list of the Autobots and Decepticons to appear in Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen.

After speculation regarding which robots will be battling it out in the summer sequel, it has been revealed that there will be a total of 18 new additions, Empire reports.

There will be four returning Autobots: Optimus Prime, Ironhide, Ratchet and Bumblebee, who has been upgraded to a 2010 Chevy Camaro. The new additions are female Autobot Arcee, Jetfire, Jolt, and Skids & Mudflap, also known as The Twins.

The new Decepticons include Sideways, Ravage, Soundwave, The Doctor, Wheelie, Demolishor, and the seven Constructicons who will form the massive Devastator.

Starscream and Scorponok will return from the first film, alongside The Fallen, who serves as the catalyst for the sequel.

It is also rumoured that Decepticon baddie Megatron could be a surprise addition, while ILM special effects supervisor Scott Farrar hinted that there could be upwards of 60 robots in the final edit.

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen opens on June 24.

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