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Mickey Rourke has admitted that he is unlikely to star in Iron Man 2.

Marvel has been courting the Wrestler actor for the role of villain Crimson Dynamo. However, its paycheque of $250,000 (£181,000) appears to have dissuaded Rourke from making a deal.

"Right now, we're not doing Iron Man 2," he told New York Magazine.

Rourke is not the first star to drop out of the Iron Man franchise. Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury character will not be returning and Don Cheadle has replaced Terrence Howard in the role of Jim Rhodes. The exits are rumoured to be down to financial reasons.

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Paramount has reportedly opted against making Steven Spielberg's Abraham Lincoln biopic.

According to The Big Money, the studio passed on Lincoln this week, leaving Spielberg unable to proceed with his pet project. Liam Neeson has been attached to play the 16th US President for several years, while Sally Field's name was linked to the role of First Lady Mary Lincoln.

The film's screenwriter Tony Kushner recently claimed that the biopic would arrive in cinemas by Christmas - in time for the bicentenary of Lincoln's birth - should the project receive the greenlight.

When Spielberg's DreamWorks company split from Paramount last year, the studio kept the rights to Lincoln. The director is now hoping that the film will be picked up elsewhere.

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Sandra Bullock has joined the cast of Warner Bros American football dramedy Blindside, reports Variety.

Based on Michael Lewis's book The Blind Side: Evolution Of The Game, the story follows the journey of Michael Oher from his impoverished upbringing to become one of the NFL's most sought-after players.

Oher spent time in various foster homes and was homeless on several occasions before the age of 16. Bullock will play a conservative suburban housewife who takes Oher into her home.

John Lee Hancock (The Alamo) will direct the movie from his own script.

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Marvel and Paramount are pressing ahead with plans to turn comic book Thor into a movie.

According to Coming Attractions, a casting notice has been released by producers asking for an actor in his 20s to portray the eponymous god of thunder, described as "physically powerful, very handsome, occasionally egotistical, petulant and wild".

Daniel Craig, Kevin McKidd and WWE wrestler Triple H have all been rumoured for the role of Donald Blake, a partially disabled doctor who becomes the hammer-wielding hero.

Thor will begin filming in July under the direction of Kenneth Branagh. It is expected to arrive in cinemas on July 16, 2010.

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While the Oscars are undoubtedly the biggest red carpet event of the year, they are also almost always a fairly dour affair. With Hugh Jackman presenting rather than the traditional comedian, and victories for Kate Winslet and Heath Ledger seeming almost inevitable, this year's gong ceremony at LA's Kodak Theatre may be even more predictable than usual. To bring back some pizazz and sparkle to the occasion, DS brings you a drinking game accompaniment for the evening.

Rule One - Drink a shot each time God is mentioned during an acceptance speech.

Rule Two - Down another shot when they follow it up with thanks to their mum and dad, the director, their agent and their deceased pet hamster Cyril, who really got them through the hard times.

Rule Three - Keep supping beer whenever the band strike up a tune, politely informing any winner that it's time to stop blathering on and bugger off back to their seat.

Rule Four - Crack into the whiskey each time there's a shot of a weepy star during Heath Ledger's best supporting actor victory.

Rule Five - On any occasion Barack Obama is mentioned or the phrase "Yes we can!" is used, glug some vodka. If anyone cracks a tiresome gag about George Bush to earn some cheap applause, glug some more.

Rule Six - Each time the camera pans to Jack Nicholson grinning like a lunatic in the audience, have a spirit and mixer of your choice.

Rule Seven - Have a double spirit each time a gormless presenter asks someone on the red carpet, 'You look utterly fabulous! What are you wearing tonight darling?'

Rule Eight - Swig a couple of fingers of gin for each tear you spot on Kate Winslet's cheeks.

Rule Nine - Whenever any winner uses the phrases "amazing experience" or "wonderful people", help yourself to a very large glass of wine.

Rule Ten - Down all your remaining drinks if Robert Downey Jr invades the stage blacked up as Kirk Lazarus from Tropic Thunder and demands the best supporting actor gong off Heath Ledger.

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Dolly Parton has admitted that she is "disappointed" not to be appearing in the forthcoming Hannah Montana movie.

The country singer, who plays the recurring role of Aunt Dolly on the hit Disney show, told Access Hollywood that her character had been axed from the final script.

"I said I would love to [appear]! I assumed that they were gonna be writing me a part," she said. "[But] I'm not in the movie. I wish I had been."

However, Parton praised the programme for introducing her music to a new generation of fans, adding that her decision to play Aunt Dolly was "probably the best move" she had ever made.

Hannah Montana: The Movie will be released in the UK on April 10.

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Kate Winslet was the fourth choice actress for her Oscar-nominated role in The Reader, according to the movie's producer.

Speaking to Newsweek, Harvey Weinstein confessed that the British star was initially overlooked because of her filming commitments on Revolutionary Road.

"Before Kate came onboard, [producers] Anthony Minghella, myself and Scott Rudin had a conversation," he claimed. "I said 'Scott, she’s got Revolutionary Road. I think we should have insurance'."

Weinstein revealed that the part was first offered to Nicole Kidman, who was forced to abandon the project after falling pregnant. French actress Marion Cotillard was later screen tested in Berlin, while Naomi Watts was also approached.

However, Weinstein admitted that director Stephen Daldry was adamant that Winslet was the only person who could play former Nazi guard Hanna Schmitz.

Winslet has been nominated in the best actress category at this year's Oscars, which will be broadcast live on ABC this Sunday.

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Quentin Tarantino's war epic Inglourious Basterds sees Brad Pitt take on the role of American Lieutenant Aldo Raine as he leads a group of soldiers on a perilous revenge mission in Nazi-occupied France. Joining him for the operation are Eli Roth and B.J. Novak, Michael Fassbender and Mike Myers. Click below watch the trailer for Inglourious Basterds, complete with Raine's "I want mah scalps!" battle cry.

Inglourious Basterds is released in cinemas on August 21.

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Warner Brothers has denied asking Guy Ritchie to reshoot scenes for his upcoming movie Sherlock Holmes.

Earlier this week, The Sun suggested that studio executives had been disappointed with early footage, branding one particular scene "ridiculously unrealistic".

However, a representative for the company has dismissed the report as "untrue", insisting that it is "very pleased" with what Ritchie has delivered to date.

"The inserts and pickup shots being completed next week, which have long been part of the schedule, do not involve any cast and are a standard part of filmmaking," said the spokesperson in a statement.

"It is still early in the production process and the studio has not yet seen the movie. Both Warner Bros. and Guy Ritchie are very pleased with the footage they have seen thus far."

The film, which stars Robert Downey Jr. as the titular detective, is scheduled for release in November.

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90210 star AnnaLynne McCord has admitted that she is desperate to join the cast of Twilight sequel New Moon.

The actress, who plays Naomi Clark in the CW show, has confirmed that she auditioned for the role of Heidi, a "fisher" who uses her beauty to lure humans to the Volturi vampires.

Speaking to E! News, she said: "It went really well. We haven't found out yet. I'm just sitting here, crossing the fingers, hoping it'll work out.

"I really loved meeting with Chris Weitz. He's a darling director, and it would be cool to work on it. Obviously, I'm a fan of Twilight. I'm a huge vampire fan, so that, in general, makes me want to do the film."

McCord added that she is unfazed by reports that her potential character will only play a small role in the blockbuster movie.

"Honestly, for me, I really just want to do something really quick, very easy and be a part of a great film…I am more than happy to take the small role and then just take a week or two and go chill," she said.

Production is scheduled to begin in Washington next month, with a slated November release date.

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When it comes to Mickey Rourke, it looks like you can't always take what he says at face value. Yesterday, New York Magazine reported that in a conversation with the actor at New York's Fashion Week, Rourke explained that he is no longer doing Iron Man 2. But it turns out that's not necessarily the case. The Oscar-nominated star of The Wrestler, who starts his gig on Sylvester Stallone's testosterone-fueled The Expendables in two weeks, could still play a Russian baddie in the Iron Man sequel, as sources tell EW that the offer still stands, though nothing's yet being negotiated.
In other Expendables news, EW has learned that Ben Kingsley will not be part of the actioner, but Eric Roberts will. Whether the two have swapped parts remains unclear. Finally, the rumor that Arnold Schwarzenegger is joining the movie seems to be false -- though one source says, "You never know."

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A biopic of late Blockheads frontman Ian Dury has been confirmed for release in 2010.

The unconventional film, named Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll after one of the band's biggest hits, will star Lord Of The Rings actor Andy Serkis in the title role.

It will be produced by Damian Jones, who worked on Kidulthood and Adulthood, with The Blockheads recording music for the soundtrack.

Discussing the role last month, Serkis said that Dury "pre-empted the Sex Pistols and the whole punk movement".

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My Chemical Romance have dismissed speculation that they will write a song for the New Moon soundtrack.

Speaking to MTV News, frontman Gerard Way admitted that the band are "very choosy" about which movie soundtracks they contribute to.

"There were a few films that we didn't do the song for because it didn't fit," he said. "I guess a lot of people would say that a vampire movie would fit, but I would disagree with that these days.

"Even since Black Parade, I would kind of disagree with that. I don't know if we'd be interested in that."

Earlier this month, popstar trio the Jonas Brothers revealed that it would be "very cool" to record a track for the highly-anticipated Twilight sequel.

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Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl have reportedly signed to star in thriller Five Killers.

According to Variety, the film will begin as a romantic comedy which sees the pair falling in love after meeting on holiday. However, their relationship soon takes a dangerous twist when they begin to suspect their neighbours of being assassins hired to kill them.

Robert Luketic, who recently directed Heigl in The Ugly Truth, will helm the project for Lionsgate.

School Of Rock's Scott Aversano and Katalyst Films's Jason Goldberg are slated to produce.

Filming is scheduled to start in Atlanta and France next month.

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Linda Hamilton has revealed that she is in negotiations to reprise the role of Sarah Connor in Terminator Salvation.

Speaking to MTV, the actress confirmed rumours that she had been asked to provide a voiceover for the fourth instalment of the sci-fi franchise.

"I haven’t read it yet. I don’t know what direction they will go in," she said. “I would probably be very happy to loan my voice depending on what the material is. Wait and see. They’re already writing it. We’ve been negotiating it."

Hamilton first played the feisty heroine in the original 1984 movie, returning for its 1991 sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day. However, she admitted that she had rejected the chance to star in the third follow-up because she was unhappy with the storyline.

"They offered me a part. I read it and I knew my character arc was so complete in the first two, and in the third one it was a negligible character," she explained. "She died halfway through and there was no time to mourn her. It was kind of disposable, so I said no thank you."

Terminator Salvation, starring Christian Bale, opens in the UK on June 5.

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Watchmen star Jeffrey Dean Morgan is in talks to join Warner Brothers' The Losers, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

Based on the comics by DC-Vertigo, the story follows a group of Special Forces agents who set out for revenge after they are betrayed by their own government.

Morgan would reportedly play Clay, the group's leader.

Stomp The Yard director Sylvain White is slated to helm the project, which has been adapted for the big screen by Zodiac scribe James Vanderbilt.

The movie is scheduled for release in 2011.

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Oscar-winner Stephen Gaghan has signed up to pen the script for thriller Dead Spy Running.

The Traffic writer's latest project is an adaptation of a novel by British author John Stock, which follows the story of a newly-trained spy, who starts an around the world adventure to clear his father's name.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project is intended to be the first in a trilogy, which aims to reinvent the spy genre. The films will apparently mix the grittiness of the Bourne franchise with the humour of John Le Carré's novels.

Terminator Salvation director McG is expected to helm the movie.

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A leaked winner's list for this year's Oscars has been branded a "complete fraud" by organisers.

Earlier this week, a document surfaced that appeared to reveal the recipients of awards at Sunday night's event. It was thought to be authentic because it was signed by Academy President Sid Ganis.

Speaking to E! News, spokesperson Leslie Unger assured fans that the papers were a hoax, adding: "The Academy's president is not advised of the winners in advance."

She added that Pricewaterhouse Coopers was "still counting the ballots" and that a master list of winners was never compiled.

"There are only two people there who will know the complete list of winners in advance of the envelopes being opened during the ceremony," she explained.

Last month, bosses at the Golden Globes Awards were forced to deny claims that Anne Hathaway had been prematurely declared a winner because of an error on their website.

The 81st annual Academy Awards will be broadcast live on ABC on Sunday night.

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Mickey Rourke has expressed fears that he will miss out at this weekend's Oscars because of his past altercations with movie bosses.

The Wrestler star admitted that despite his BAFTA and Golden Globe successes, he does not think that he will win the best actor prize on Sunday.

Rourke said: "I don't know. It's voted for by people from the movie business and in the past I've hacked them all off. I was good at that. It came easy to me.

"I stupidly said acting wasn't a job for a real man. I threatened producers, raged at directors, forgot my agent's name. I really burned my bridges. And a lot of people have long memories."

He added that he went "out of control" during the filming of Angel Heart and ended up losing his house, career and his wife.

Rourke will attend the Oscar ceremony without his beloved dog Loki, who passed away earlier this week.

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Fox has purchased the big screen rights to Benjamin Mee's memoir We Bought A Zoo, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Zoo, which was published in September, tells Mee's story as he puts his family's life savings into a dilapidated English zoo, which faced destruction despite holding around 200 exotic animals.

The zookeeper and his children dealt with escaped tigers and endangered animals, while also looking after Mee's wife, who was dying from brain cancer. Mee was previously the subject of BBC documentary Ben's Zoo.

No writer has been confirmed for the project.