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'Slumdog', Winslet scoop SAG awards



Slumdog Millionaire and Kate Winslet were among the winners at last night's 15th annual Screen Actors Guild awards.

British movie Slumdog scooped the coveted best cast in a motion picture honour, while Winslet picked up the best supporting actress award for her role in holocaust drama The Reader.

Accepting Slumdog's award, star Anil Kapoor said: "It was overwhelming enough to be nominated. But to win this is unbelievable... It is historic where India is concerned."

Best actor went to Sean Penn for his role as a gay rights activist in Milk, while Meryl Streep was named best actress for her portrayal of a vindictive nun in Doubt.

Heath Ledger was honoured with a posthumous supporting actor prize for his performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight.

Accepting the award on his behalf, co-star Gary Oldman said: "I'm quite emotional. He was an extraordinary young man, with an extraordinary talent and it is wonderful that you have acknowledged and honoured that talent tonight."

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, which was recently nominated for 13 Oscars, came away empty-handed, as did the critically acclaimed Frost/Nixon.

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Fanning: 'New Moon' role would be "wonderful"



Dakota Fanning has admitted that being cast in New Moon would be "wonderful".

Speaking to Access Hollywood, the actress revealed that she would love to appear in the forthcoming Twilight sequel because she was big fan of the books.

"I think it’s too soon to tell if I’ll for sure be doing it, but it’s so great,” she said. "I'm a really big fan of that series and the first film and all the actors in it, so it would be wonderful... Pretty much all my friends are pretty big fans, so it would be great."

A representative for Summit Entertainment confirmed that the 14-year-old was in talks to play Volturi vampire Jane, saying: "We are considering all actors that have the unique requirements for the look of Jane — Dakota being one of them."

In a casting call for the film, Jane is described as a petite blonde with a "Botticelli angel-like face".

When asked if she could cope with the makeup required to play a vampire, Fanning joked: "I don’t think they’ll have to put a lot of makeup on me. I’m pretty white already."

New Moon, which is directed by Chris Weitz, is scheduled to begin production in March.

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'Mall Cop' sees off 'Underworld' at US BO



Paul Blart: Mall Cop has retained the number one spot at the US box office.

The Kevin James comedy holds off competition from latest Underworld instalment Rise Of The Lycans to lead the chart in its second week at cinemas.

New release Inkheart, starring Brendan Fraser as a man who can bring characters from books to life, enters at number seven.

Meanwhile, interest in Slumdog Millionaire and The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button has been revived thanks to last week's Oscar nominations. Slumdog climbs five places to number five while Button re-enters the top ten at number nine.

The US box office top ten in full:

1. (1) Paul Blart: Mall Cop - $21,500,000
2. (-) Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans - $20,700,000
3. (2) Gran Torino - $16,000,000
4. (5) Hotel For Dogs - $12,360,000
5. (10) Slumdog Millionaire - $10,550,000
6. (3) My Bloody Valentine 3D - $10,050,000
7. (-) Inkheart - $7,725,000
8. (6) Bride Wars - $7,000,000
9. (11) The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button - $6,000,000
10. (4) Notorious - $5,700,000

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Rihanna linked with 'Charlie's Angels 3'



Charlie's Angels producer Nancy Juvonen has hinted that Rihanna may star as a new Angel in the third movie in the series.

Juvonen, who oversaw the first two films with producing partner Drew Barrymore, told Sci Fi Wire that she has already considered adding the popstar to the franchise's crimefighting team.

"I'm having a Rihanna fixation myself," she said. "What are you going to do?"

Juvonen added of the potential sequel: "We'd have to do it with (director) McG. I don't think we could do it without McG and I think that the Angels all at least need to be there. Right?"

Barrymore, who starred in the action franchise opposite Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu, earlier told E! Online that she is "so into" the idea of a Charlie's Angels 3.

"It's percolating up," said Juvonen. "It's rising to the surface."

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Rourke hints at Wrestlemania appearance



The Wrestler star Mickey Rourke has hinted that he could wrestle for real at an upcoming WWE event.

Speaking to Access Hollywood at last night's SAG awards, the actor revealed that he had been asked to participate at the forthcoming Wrestlemania 25 pay-per-view.

"The boys from the WWE called me and asked me to do it," he said. "I said, ‘I want to.’ I’m talking with [WWE legend] Rowdy Roddy Piper about it.

"Chris Jericho, you better get in shape... Because I’m coming after your ass!"

Rourke, who has received critical acclaim for his portrayal of a fading pro-wrestler, added that he was honoured that the wrestling world had welcomed the film.

"The nicest thing has been the whole wrestling community embracing us. The movie was about their world."

Wrestlemania 25 will be broadcast live from the Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas on April 5.

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Rogen's 'Green Hornet' axed by Sony?



Seth Rogen's superhero comedy The Green Hornet has reportedly been axed by Sony.

According to Hitfix, the studio has pulled the plug on the movie's June 25, 2010 release date in the wake of director Stephen Chow's departure.

Rogen, who penned the script with writing parnter Evan Goldberg, was to star as newspaper publisher Britt Reid, who fights crime in the guise of superhero the Green Hornet. Chow had been attached to star as his sidekick Kato.

Sources say the movie is "highly unlikely" to begin filming this year.

The Green Hornet character, created by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker, first appeared in a '30s radio serial. A short-lived TV show aired in 1966 starring Van Williams and Bruce Lee.

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John Rice to direct 'Stan's Cup'

John Rice has signed up to make his directorial debut on comedy Stan's Cup.

Rice, whose writing credits included Blown Away and Windtalkers, will helm the project, which will have a "Full Monty vibe", according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The film is based in "the world of old-timers' hockey" and will follow the story of a once-great player, who gets the chance to follow his father's lead by playing in a rematch between his hometown, known as Hockeytown, and a Russian team of former Olympians.

It will focus on the "unusual place" and "eccentric people" rather than the traditional sports movie aspect. Shooting is expected to begin in Spring.

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Jackman beds wife dressed as Wolverine



Hugh Jackman has admitted that he brings his movie costumes into the bedroom for wife Deborra-Lee Furness.

The Australian actor, who has portrayed vampire hunter Van Helsing and superhero Wolverine in the X-Men films, said that his wife demands he wear his work outfits to make their love life more interesting.

"She loves me in costume because it makes her feel like she's having an affair in a good way," said Jackman.

The 40-year-old, voted People's Sexiest Man Alive last year, met his wife while starring as a convict in the Australian TV drama Correlli.

"I played a prisoner with tattoos and she'd say, 'Dont take your tattoos off tonight!'" he commented.

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Butler to star in Robert Burns biopic



Gerard Butler will reportedly begin work on the long-awaited Robert Burns biopic later this year.

According to The Times, production on the £5 million movie has been given the greenlight after a government-backed campaign to raise funding.

Most of the budget is reportedly now secured, including an investment from Scottish Screen. The remaining funds will be raised through a series of "subscribers" to the film, who will each commit a specific sum of money to the project.

First Minister Alex Salmond, who will host a dinner at Edinburgh Castle in May to help raise any outstanding sums, said: "Robert Burns is rightly regarded as Scotland’s favourite son.

"It would be great for Scotland if Burns could be immortalised in modern film, particularly as we mark the 250th anniversary of his birth this year and celebrate his genius through Scotland’s Year of Homecoming."

The movie, directed by Hogfather's Vadim Jean and scripted by Rob Roy's Alan Sharp, will mark the first screen biopic of the poet since the 1930s. It will be filmed on location in Edinburgh and Ayrshire.

Glasgow-born Butler has been attached to the project for several years. His previous screen credits include 300, Beowulf and PS, I Love You.

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Oscar nominee: 'I can't find work'



Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson has admitted that she has received no job offers since her awards success.

The 38-year-old, nominated for a supporting actress Oscar for her role in The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, told The Daily Beast that she has been searching unsuccessfully for work.

"I can't wait to write my memoir someday and talk about this moment in my life - my name is being bounced around the Oscars, Golden Globes, and all these awards, it's incredible. And I don't have a job. Nothing," she said.

Henson speculated that the threat of an actors strike may have hurt her chances of securing roles.

"I am at a standstill," she remarked. "It's funny that I have all these things going on and no work in sight. It's very shaky out here."

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Paramount drops Fincher's 'Torso'



Paramount has decided not to proceed with David Fincher's period crime thriller Torso.

The studio has allowed its rights to lapse on the comic adaptation and declined to purchase the outright option for Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Andreyko's graphic novel, says The Hollywood Reporter.

Fincher is still attached to the project, which revolves around federal agent Eliot Ness after he caught Al Capone, but Paramount must secure the rights to the original source material if it wants to film Ehren Kruger's screenplay.

"It's a weird and odd situation," said Bendis. "We heard it was greenlit one day, then the next we heard it wasn't. Hopefully, it'll have a happy ending."

Matt Damon had been lined up for the role of Ness, portrayed by Kevin Costner in The Untouchables, while Casey Affleck and Rachel McAdams have also been linked to the movie.

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'Underworld' to become TV series?



Len Wiseman has revealed that he is considering adapting his Underworld film trilogy for the small screen.

Speaking to Bloody Disgusting, the director admitted that he had discussed the possibility of creating a TV spinoff based on the vampire franchise.

"There's a lot of talk about a television series, I'm looking into that," he said. "If I could be very involved and can be a certain way, I'd be very interested in that.

"We had always hoped to do a trilogy. Now that we completed that trilogy it's kind of open, if people can join us and go back in time - and then leap forward, I'd like to go jump all across the time line."

Underworld, its sequel Underworld: Evolution and its prequel Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans centre upon a centuries old feud between werewolves and vampires.

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Isla Fisher to voice Verbinski's 'Rango'



Isla Fisher has joined Johnny Depp in the voice cast of Gore Verbinski's Rango.

The animated feature revolves around a household pet who sets off on a journey of self-discovery. Fisher will play a lizard who encounters Depp's character on his travels, according to MTV.

Ian Abercrombie, Hemky Madera and Abigail Breslin will also lend their vocal talents to the movie.

Rango will utilise ground-breaking animation techniques, filming the actors performing their roles and allowing animators to match facial movements and features with their virtual characters.

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World's first 3D porn film in pipeline

Production on the world's first 3D porn film is scheduled to begin later this year.

Sex And Zen, which is based on a 17th century erotica tale, will start filming in Hong Kong in April with a slated December release date, reports Variety Asia.

The film's producer Stephen Shiu Jr. reportedly hopes that making the movie in 3D will help lure audiences back to the cinema by preventing piracy.

"The 3D erotica will probably be the world's first. Just imagine that you'll be watching it as if you were sitting beside the bed," he is quoted as telling the Sunday Morning Post.

Shiu described the $3.9 million movie as a tale of how excess can lead to tragedy, adding that about 25% of the film will be love scenes which viewers can enjoy by wearing special 3D glasses.

However, he admitted that he is having trouble finding a male lead willing to strip off on film, saying: "It's a lot more difficult to find an actor than an actress for this kind of movie."

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'Lost Planet' movie to get huge budget



Capcom has revealed that the movie version of sci-fi shooter Lost Planet will require a budget of up to $200 million (£143.3 million).

Toshihiro Tokumaru, the firm's head of character content business, explained during a PR interview that Lost Planet has been "licensed out completely" to Spider-Man producer Avi Arad.

He claimed that the film "will cost somewhere between $150 and 200 million to make", which would theoretically put it in the same budget ball-park as The Dark Knight.

However, Tokumaru also said that the company wants to retain a stronger interest in future movie adaptations.

He cited the example of the Resident Evil license, which was granted to German company Constantin Films.

"In the end we got a very well-made motion picture that was a hit around the world, and spurred sales of our video games and other merchandise," Tokumaru explained.

"But, because we handed over rights to the movie, we couldn't freely use any of the finished product. In hindsight this seems unfortunate, so in the future, we'd like to create films where we retain the rights."

Capcom recently produced the movie Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, which will be released in February to coincide with launch of Street Fighter IV.

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Fox tipped for Jolie's Croft role



Megan Fox is being eyed to take over from Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft, according to reports.

Insiders have claimed that the 22-year-old Transformers star is a "strong candidate” to play the action heroine, who has so far featured in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and The Cradle Of Life.

It had earlier been rumoured that Jolie was being lined up to resurrect the role for a third instalment in the franchise.

She was nominated for a Golden Raspberry gong for Worst Actress for her turn in the original film.

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Craig, Bell join Spielberg's 'Tintin'



Daniel Craig and Jamie Bell have reportedly joined the cast of Steven Spielberg's Tintin.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Craig will play villainous pirate captain Red Rackham, while Bell has been cast as the title character.

The duo, who have previously worked together in Defiance, will join confirmed cast members including Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Mackenzie Crook.

Scheduled for release in 2011, The Adventures Of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn will reportedly revolve around Tintin discovering secret directions to a sunken treasure.

The screenplay has been written by Doctor Who's Steven Moffat, Shaun Of The Dead's Edgar Wright and The Adam And Joe Show's Joe Cornish.

It is expected that The Secret Of The Unicorn will be the first in a series of films about Tintin, with Lord Of The Rings director Peter Jackson being lined up to helm a sequel.

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Lawrence to helm 'Samson' retelling

I Am Legend director Francis Lawrence has signed up to helm Samson for Warner Bros, reports Variety.

The studio emerged with the project after stumping up a seven-figure sum in a heated bidding war. Scott Silver (8 Mile) will write the movie, described as a futuristic retelling of the Samson and Delilah tale.

The big-budget production is being prepared as a star vehicle for a major Hollywood actor. Samson will focus on an invincible man who is betrayed by Delilah when she cuts off his hair, the source of all his strength.

Lawrence previously directed Constantine and I Am Legend for Warner Bros. He is also working on a prequel to the Will Smith movie with screenwriter D. B. Weiss.

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'Valkyrie' tops Aussie box office chart



Tom Cruise's World War II thriller Valkyrie has topped the Australian box office chart.

Last week's number one, Bride Wars, slips to second, while Clint Eastwood's crime drama Gran Torino debuts at three.

Fantasy adventure Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans enters at four and Kate Winslet's on-screen reunion with Leonardo DiCaprio, Revolutionary Road, charts at nine.

Slumdog Millionaire holds on to fifth spot following its Oscar nominations, while Baz Lurhmann's Australia returns to the top ten at eight.

The top ten in full:

1. (-) Valkyrie - $2,329,880
2. (1) Bride Wars - $2,252,055
3. (-) Gran Torino - $2,239,229
4. (-) Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans - $1,870,184
5. (5) Slumdog Millionaire - $1,467,606
6. (8) Hotel For Dogs - $1,387,105
7. (2) Role Models - $1,228,104
8. (11) Australia -$1,148,202
9. (-) Revolutionary Road - $1,017,698
10. (4) Bolt - $929,065

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Fraser for comedy 'Furry Vengeance'



Brendan Fraser has signed up to star in action comedy Furry Vengeance.

According to Variety, the Mummy star will play a real estate developer who ends up at war with some furry creatures when he builds new houses on their Oregon forest.

Mr Woodcock writers Michael Carnes and Josh Gilbert will pen the script. Cruel Intentions' Roger Kumble is directing.

Shooting is scheduled to start in the summer.

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