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Aguilera to star in dancing film?

Christina Aguilera is rumoured to be interested in starring in upcoming film Burlesque.

The movie, about a modern-day burlesque dancer, is written and directed by Steve Antin, E! reports. It is currently unclear which role Aguilera is being considered for or whether she has read for it.

Dancing With The Stars pro Julianne Hough is also thought to be in line to appear as a pregnant dancer alongside the 'Dirrty' singer.

Burlesque is scheduled to begin shooting in January 2010.

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Rudd: 'I'll do anything for a laugh'

Paul Rudd has said that he is desperate for attention and would do anything for a laugh.

The I Love You, Man actor told London Lite that he was happy to flaunt his overweight tummy in roles if it brings a positive response from the audience.

Rudd said: "I'll do just about anything for a laugh. I've a belly and I don't mind getting it out in movies. It doesn't make sense being ripped doing comedies if audiences can't relate to you.

"As for acting silly, that's always been the case because I'm desperate for attention and love."

On being told that he was described by Entertainment Weekly as "the most loveable leading man on the planet", Rudd replied: "That was a misprint. I think they meant 'loanable' or 'gloveable'."

Rudd is currently in negotiations to join the cast of Jay Roach's new comedy Dinner With Schmucks.

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Jones for Gervais's 'Cemetery Junction'

Felicity Jones has secured the lead female role in Ricky Gervais's Cemetery Junction, says The Hollywood Reporter.

Jones, whose credits include Doctor Who and the upcoming Chéri, will play Julie, a woman whose ambitions to pursue a career in photography are held back by the social expectations of the time.

The '70s-set comedy-drama, previously titled The Men At The Pru, centres on three men in their 20s working at insurance firm Prudential. Gervais has said that the film is about "class and love in a small town".

Cemetery Junction is Gervais's first big screen collaboration with his Office and Extras co-creator Stephen Merchant. The pair will write, direct and produce the project.

Ralph Fiennes signed up to star in the movie earlier this month.

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Witherspoon linked to Fox's 'Nice'

Reese Witherspoon has been linked to a starring role in Fox Searchlight's dark comedy Nice.

According to Variety, the Monsters Vs Aliens actress will also produce the project, which is based on a novel by Ben Queen.

The original book tells the story of a magazine journalist who accidentally kills her lover. After discovering that she can get away with killing him quite easily, she realises that she has found a better way of disposing of unwanted lovers than simply breaking up with them.

Nice, which was published in 1998, was originally acquired by Warner Bros, who intended to use the film as a vehicle for Helen Hunt. However, the film never surfaced because of disputes over the movie's tone between Queen and producers.

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Ron Paul: 'I should have punched Bruno'

US politician Ron Paul has said that he will have to apologise to his supporters for not punching Sacha Baron Cohen when he tricked him into a spoof interview for his upcoming movie Bruno.

The 73-year-old failed presidential candidate told ABC Radio that the interview did not occur in a hotel as it appears in the film but instead took place in a studio made to look like a bedroom.

Paul said: "I was expecting an interview on Austrian economics. So, that didn't turn out that way. But by the time he started pulling his pants down...I ran out of the room. 'This interview has ended.'

"When this all gets out, I'm probably going to have to apologise to my supporters because I think most of them are going to figure out why in the world didn't I sock this guy in the nose?"

He added: "Movies I used to see include Sound of Music. Tonight, I was sitting here watching Gone With The Wind. So, I don't watch that kind of stuff.

"I understand he makes a lot of money. But, if he makes a lot of money - I have to permit the market to do this."

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Wanted' sequel gets 'Pooh' writer

The sequel to Wanted is being written by the screenwriter of Pooh’s Heffalump Movie, say reports.

Writer Evan Spiliotopoulos has been tapped up to pen the follow-up to the Angelina Jolie action movie for Universal.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the in-development sequel will also be based upon the comic series created by J.G. Jones and Mark Millar.

Timur Bekmambetov, the director of the first film has been assigned to direct the latest installment too.

The original movie, which co-starred James McAvoy, made a worldwide gross of $339 million.

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McConaughey to produce 'Exchange Students'

Matthew McConaughey is producing new film Exchange Students, say reports.

The actor’s production company JK Livin will oversee the comedy, currently being written by Mike Vukadinovich, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The plotline for the family comedy will center on the different experiences of two foreign exchange students, one who visits the U.S. and the other who travels from America.

McConaughey has been credited with the story idea, and may take a non-starring role in the project.

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Diddy to star in new Apatow production

Sean 'Diddy' Combs will star in the Judd Apatow-produced film Get Him To The Greek, reports say.

The upcoming Nicholas Stoller-directed movie has been billed as a spin-off to the recent comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Billboard reports.

Diddy will play the role of Sergio, an owner of a record label. Elisabeth Moss, Rose Byrne and Jonah Hill will star alongside Combs.

Also, Russell Brand will reprise his role as Aldous Snow from Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

Get Him To The Greek will be released in April 2010.

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Slumdog' team donate £500k to charity

The Slumdog Millionaire team have announced that they will donate £500,000 to charity.

Children’s charity Plan India will receive the money to help support slum communities located in Mumbai, where the film was shot.

Cast member Anil Kapoor has already announced that he would donate his fees for appearing in the film to the charity.

Director Danny Boyle said: “Slumdog Millionaire’s success is to support the underprivileged children of Mumbai.

“Having benefited so much from the hospitality of the people of Mumbai it is only right that some of the success of the movie be put back into the city in areas where it is needed most and where it can make a real difference.”

The charity will use the funds to improve education, health provisions and sanitation in the slums.

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Bana's 'Star Trek' haircut delays filming

A change to Eric Bana's hairstyle has reportedly led to delays on the set of The Time Traveller's Wife.

The Australian actor had finished work on the film adaptation of Audrey Niffenegger's 2003 bestseller and shaved his head for his villainous role in J.J. Abrams's Star Trek when some reshooting was ordered.

WENN reports co-star Rachel McAdams as saying: "We were waiting for Eric's hair to grow to do reshoots. Eric had gone off and played the villain in Star Trek and had to shave his head."

Helmed by Robert Schwentke, Bana plays a librarian with a gene that causes him to involuntarily time travel in the film.

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Anybody' script 'reduced Caine to tears'

Sir Michael Caine reportedly dropped his fee for his forthcoming movie Is Anybody There? because its script was the first to make him cry.

In the John Crowley-directed film, Caine plays a retired magician who forges an unlikely friendship with a ten-year-old boy (Bill Milner). His character gradually succumbs to dementia and relies on the youngster to keep him lucid.

"It's an extraordinary film. It's the only script I've ever read that made me cry," WENN reports the actor as saying. "And I don't cry easily. So I said I'd do it.

"It's produced by David Heyman, who made the Harry Potter films, and he got me cheap. I was vulnerable."

The film, which opens in cinemas on May 1, has been dedicated to a late friend of the Oscar winner who died following a battle with Alzheimer's disease.

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Film Fans In A Spin Over Jackman

Hollywood star Hugh Jackman is rarely recognised by fans - and often has to convince people he really is a famous actor.

The Australian shot to fame in 2000 comic book movie X-Men, and has gone on to film three of the superhero sequels. He also hosted this year's Academy Awards ceremony.

But Jackman insists he still doesn't receive the same kind of adoration as other stars - as members of the public never know who he is.

He says, "I've been stood in the street with people arguing with me over whether I am that guy from X-Men. I've had to show people my (driving) licence to prove who I am."

And Jackman admits he even gets mistaken for British actor Rupert Everett and action man Vin Diesel.

He adds, "I was in Moscow recently promoting a movie and this woman came in delivering my breakfast, and she said, 'Hello, I just wanted to say you are my favourite actor. For me, My Best Friend's Wedding was just incredible,' and I said, 'Yeah it's a great movie but I'm not in it.' And she said, 'No, you are in it. I've seen it 100 times.' She went on and on, and finally I convinced her that I was in X-Men but she then thought I was in XXX, which was Vin Diesel."

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Columbus Short joins 'The Losers'

Columbus Short is the latest addition to the cast of Warner Bros comic book adaptation The Losers.

Short will reunite with Stomp The Yard director Sylvain White and stars alongside Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Zoe Saldana and Idris Elba in the movie.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Short will play "wise-cracker" Pooch. The original Vertigo/DC Comics vehicle was about a black ops team, which is betrayed by the government and left for dead.

Short's upcoming projects include comedy remake Death At A Funeral and heist thriller Armoured.

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Fox to shut down Atomic label

20th Century Fox is to shut down its Fox Atomic production label, reports Variety.

The studio has declined to confirm the move, though speculation has surfaced claiming that the division will be axed because it failed to produce enough profitable movies.

Fox Atomic was formed in 2007 by Peter Rice, who is now in charge of Fox Broadcasting, to focus on making comedy and genre films. Their output has included The Rocker, 28 Weeks Later, The Hills Have Eyes II and upcoming releases 12 Rounds, I Love You, Beth Cooper and Jennifer's Body.

Debbie Liebling, the head of Fox Atomic, will reportedly return to Fox in an executive role. She is expected to bring projects in development at Atomic, including 28 Months Later and Sacha Baron Cohen's Accidentes, over to the parent studio.

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Jack Black cameos at Brand O2 show

Hollywood stars Jack Black and Jason Segel made cameos at Russell Brand's O2 show on Friday.

After Brand finished his stand-up show for the 16,000 crowd, he told the audience that they would be extras in his new film Get Him To The Greek.

Get Him To The Greek is a spin-off from 2008 comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall, focusing on Brand's rock star character Aldous Snow. Jonah Hill, Rose Byrne, P. Diddy and Elisabeth Moss are also in the cast.

Brand returned to the stage dressed as Snow and performed the tracks 'I Am Jesus' and 'Inside Of You'. The scenes will appear in the movie and a DVD of the gig, which is being released at Christmas.

During the interval when Brand was getting changed, Black and Segel performed the song 'Dracula's Lament' from Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

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New 'Toy Story' trailer unveiled

A teaser trailer for the long-anticipated Toy Story 3 has been unveiled, reports say.

The Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Group showed the trailer to the public during its presentation for the Digital Cinema Summit at the National Association of Broadcasters.

According to Variety, the animated short featured cowboy Woody overseeing other Toy Story characters in their attempt to construct a sign for the movie. They are subsequently upstaged by Buzz Lightyear’s more technically-advanced version of the same sign.

Disney plans to re-release the first two instalments in the animated series in 3D as a double feature. The new film will be released on June 18, 2010.

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Damon Turned Down Star Trek

Director J.J. Abrams has confirmed he originally approached Matt Damon to take on the role of Captain Kirk in the new Star Trek remake - but the actor turned him down.

The space age franchise originally featured William Shatner as the heroic starship captain, but the veteran stars from the first films have been replaced with a younger cast for the upcoming prequel.

And Lost creator Abrams admits Damon was his first choice for the starring role of Kirk - but he is glad to have been given the chance to subsequently hire little known star Chris Pine.

He tells America's Life magazine, "I actually approached Matt and we had some discussions, but everything happens for a reason. On the one hand, it would have been great to work with Matt - but at the end of the day, it was such a better move to cast the movie with unknowns."

The rest of the cast is also made up of lesser known actors, including Heroes' Zachary Quinto as Spock and Simon Pegg as Scotty.

And Abrams is convinced the casting will help make the characters more believable.

He adds, "It is fun to discover the stars of tomorrow, but even more so, just like with the first Star Wars, you didn't know who those people were when you saw the movie. You believed that guy was Luke Skywalker. You didn't recognise him from six other movies. You bought into who this guy was. It is a slippery slope when you cast any actor that is somewhat known. We weren't beholden to any fame meter.''

Star Trek is due for release next month.

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Star Trek' movie gets London premiere

The cast of Star Trek graced the red carpet tonight as the film premiered in London.

Simon Pegg and Chris Pine were among the stars at Leicester Square for the unveiling of the new movie, which chronicles the early days of the SS Enterprise.

Pegg, who wore a kilt for the event, described it as a "geek dream come true".

The film, the eleventh in the long-running franchise, is due to open in cinemas on May 8.

It has been rumoured that the cast have been signed up for two more instalments if the film performs well at the box office.

Star Trek, helmed by Lost creator J.J. Abrams, also stars Eric Bana and Heroes actor Zachary Quinto, both of whom greeted fans at tonight's premiere.

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Ferrell "willing" to make 'Anchorman 2'

Will Ferrell has revealed that he wants to return to the role of Ron Burgundy for Anchorman 2.

The 2004 comedy hit, about a misogynistic news team in '70s San Diego, took $90 million at the worldwide box office and helped launch Ferrell and Office star Steve Carell's movie careers.

Speaking to IESB.net, Ferrell said that he is "definitely willing to go back" and play Burgundy again.

"I think myself and Steve, we are all in different places when we filmed it, so we have to figure that out," he commented. "We've never been huge on the sequel thing in a way and yet, I was always kind of prodding him that if we were to do a sequel on anything, Anchorman would be the one to do it on."

Ferrell added that the success of the character on his and Anchorman director Adam McKay's comedy tour sparked the idea of a follow-up.

"It seems like it would be so much fun and so, I think Adam kind of came around on that idea and we started doing Ron Burgundy on the 'Funny Or Die' comedy tour and that got everyone fired up again," he said. "So, yeah, hopefully, we can actually get this going."

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Pro dancer: 'Biel could be a stripper'

Exotic dancer trainer Cati Jean has claimed that Jessica Biel is talented enough to be a professional stripper.

Jean, who worked with Justin Timberlake's lover on new straight to DVD thriller Powder Blue, described Biel as the 'whole package'.

Biel appears as down-on-her-luck dancer Rose Johnny in the movie.

"Jessica is so good and so focused," Jean told The Sun. "She has the beauty element, she has the body - she has all the package that you want in a professional dancer.

"She could be a professional dancer if she wanted to. She is strong, she is flexible. She has everything."

Powder Blue is released in June.

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