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Keira Knightley to play Effie Gray in biopic 'Untouched

Keira Knightley has been cast as Effie Gray in Untouchable.

The newly-unveiled period drama will be helmed by Brazilian director Andrucha Waddington (House of Sand), reports Thompson on Hollywood.

Emma Thompson's directorial debut on Effie - which covers the same subject as Untouchable - began shooting last month.

Euphemia 'Effie' Gray was the wife of 19th century art critic John Ruskin.

She fell in love with his protégé John Everett Millais after finding herself caught in the loveless marriage, which was never consumated and later annulled.

Effie will star Dakota Fanning in the lead role.

A Dangerous Method's Knightley is also rumoured to have been approached to feature in the live-action Akira remake.

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Clive Owen cast in new action drama 'Recall' from 'Taxi Driver' writer

Clive Owen has been cast in Recall.

The Killer Elite actor will star in the Harold Becker (Mercury Rising, Domestic Disturbance)-directed action drama, reports Variety.

The film centres around an NSA agent who tries to piece together the events surrounding a botched hostage rescue operation.

As he gets nearer towards the truth, he discovers that there is no-one he can trust, and even his own memories are suspect.

The script is being penned by Raging Bull and Taxi Driver writer Paul Schrader.

Owen is also currently lined up to feature in the horror movie Intruders, Shadow Dancer and the financial drama Cities.

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Woody Harrelson Joins Martin McDonagh’s ‘Seven Psychopaths

EXCLUSIVE: Woody Harrelson, Tom Waits and Olga Kurylenko have joined Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell and Christopher Walken in Seven Psychopaths. Directed and scripted by In Bruges’ Martin McDonagh, the film began production this week in Los Angeles. CBS Films is co-financing and distributing in the U.S.

Farrell plays a screenwriter who struggles to find the handle on his script, called Seven Psychopaths. He gets drawn into the dog-napping escapades of his friends (played by Rockwell and Walken). Once the beloved Shih Tzu owned by a psychopathic gangster (Harrelson) goes missing, the screenwriter finds himself fueled with all the drama he needs for his screenplay, if he can stay alive long enough to write it all down. The film’s produced by Graham Broadbent and Peter Czernin, with Tessa Ross exec producing. It’s a production of Blueprint Pictures, and Film4 is co-financing with the BFI Film Fund and CBS Films. Hanway Films is handling foreign sales. Mickey Rourke, who had been in negotiations for a role, never closed a deal and will not be in the picture. Harrelson and Kurylenko are repped by CAA, Waits by WME.

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Sacha Baron Cohen 'joins Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained

Sacha Baron Cohen has reportedly joined the cast of Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained.

The Borat actor is in negotiations to star as a gambler who purchases the enslaved wife of Jamie Foxx's titular character, played by Kerry Washington.

Baron Cohen's on-screen counterpart is described by The Hollywood Reporter as a "minor but shadowy role".

Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Miami Vice actor Don Johnson were named as the latest additions to the Django Unchained cast in October, joining the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Kurt Russell and Samuel L. Jackson.

Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds colleague Christoph Waltz was injured on the set last month while rehearsing for a horse stunt.

Django Unchained will be released on December 25, 2012 in the US and on the following day in the UK.

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Tom Hanks to star in 'Patriot Down'?

Tom Hanks has been offered a role in Patriot Down.

The Da Vinci Code star could play the US president in the upcoming action film, Variety reports.

Patriot Down focuses on a American president who finds himself alone in Afghanistan after Air Force One gets shot down.

Hanks is developing a new comedy series with HBO titled Players.

In August, he refunded two moviegoers who expressed disappointment at his latest release Larry Crowne.

The actor can next be seen in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close opposite Sandra Bullock and Viola Davis.

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Brad Pitt: 'I'll retire before I'm 50'

Brad Pitt has claimed that he will retire from acting before the age of 50.

The 47-year-old announced that he will likely stop appearing in films within the next "three years", but hinted that he may continue to work behind the scenes.

"I've really enjoyed the producerial side and getting stories to the plate that may have had a harder time otherwise," he told Australian talkshow 60 Minutes.

Moneyball actor Pitt discussed his career further in a recent interview with The Sunday Times, stating that he believed his "shelf life" may be coming to an end.

"We all have a shelf life, and mine is coming," he said. "Although there are a couple of things I'd still like to do. I am looking forward to playing a foul-mouthed grumpy old dude one day, that's for sure."

Pitt previously credited his father with teaching him to love his work.

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Jake Gyllenhaal to star in 'The Way, Way Back'

Jake Gyllenhaal has entered talks to star in The Way, Way Back.

The Descendants writing team of Nat Faxon and Jim Rash have written the movie and are attached to direct, reports Indie Wire.

The film centres on a teenage boy who develops a strong friendship over one extraordinary summer that gives him the strength to stand up to his domineering father and reconnect with his mother.

The script was originally bought by producer Paul Young to Shawn Levy in 2007 when it was titled The Way Back.

Young was originally attached to direct the film.

There is no indication yet as to when The Way, Way Back will enter production.

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Channing Tatum to join 'Man from U.N.C.L.E.'?

Channing Tatum could join The Man from U.N.C.L.E..

The actor is being eyed by director Steven Soderbergh for the film's lead role, Deadline reports.

George Clooney was originally supposed to star in the upcoming movie before a back injury forced him to pull out.

In September, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ryan Gosling and Alexander Skarsgård were among the list of actors named as potential stars of the Man from U.N.C.L.E. remake.

Based on a 1960s television series of the same name, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. centers on the adventures of American and Russian spies in a secret agency known as the United Network Command for Law & Enforcement (U.N.C.L.E.)

Soderbergh recently directed Tatum in Magic Mike, which is based on Tatum's real-life experiences as a teenage stripper.

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Grant Morrison 'Rogue Trooper' movie in the works?

2000 AD has confirmed that it is in discussions for two Hollywood movies based on its properties.

Rumours have been circling that a Grant Morrison-penned Rogue Trooper movie is in the works.

Jason Kingsley, CEO of 2000 AD publisher Rebellion, discussed the two film projects, but stopped short of confirming the Rogue Trooper rumours.

"Everyone's seen the explosion in comic origin movies over the last ten years," Kingsley told Comic Book Resources.

"But 2000 AD's characters are very different to your normal spandex-clad beefcake superhero - for one they're mostly not superheroes, they're cool and stylish but flawed and unashamedly visceral, with strong backstories and the potential for great scripts. In other words, they're perfect for movies.

"Don't forget, we've had some of the biggest names in comics writing get their start with us - Grant Morrison, Alan Moore, Mark Millar, Peter Milligan. Maybe we've been slightly overlooked because we're the other side of the Atlantic, but we've been very much noticed now.

"Two other major pictures are in negotiation right now, but we've always been clear that we want the movies to do justice to the original comic story."

Rogue Trooper follows the adventures of a genetically engineered soldier who goes rogue on the planet of Nu-Earth.

2000 AD's Karl Urban-starring Judge Dredd film is currently in post-production.

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Amy Adams offered 'Trouble with the Curve' role

Amy Adams has been offered a role in Trouble with the Curve.

The film marks Clint Eastwood's return to acting after an extended period behind the camera.

The Superman: Man of Steel star has been approached to appear as Eastwood's daughter in the Robert Lorenz-directed movie, reports Variety.

The film features Eastwood as an ageing baseball scout whose eyesight is failing him.

He and his daughter travel to Atlanta to check out a rising young star, hoping to repair their relationship at the same time.

Eastwood has not appeared on screen since 2008's Gran Torino.

Trouble with the Curve marks Eastwood's long-time assistant director Robert Lorenz's full directing debut.

Sandra Bullock was previously approached to take on the role of the daughter, but scheduling difficulties prevented her from becoming involved.

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Star Trek' sequel to begin shooting early 2012

A start date for production on the Star Trek sequel has reportedly been decided.

The highly-anticipated follow-up will begin filming on January 15, 2012, according to Trek Movie.

The website also reports that the script for the film was completed a while ago and that screenwriters Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof are currently on the third draft of the script.

Earlier this month, Benicio Del Toro was purportedly offered the role of the villain in the upcoming sequel.

Star Trek featured Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin and Zoe Saldana. They are all expected to reprise their roles in the follow-up.

In June, it was reported that the new Star Trek picture would miss its scheduled release date. The film was originally slated to premiere on June 29, 2012.

It is now expected to reach cinemas in late 2012 or summer 2013.

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Tyler Perry defends casting Kim Kardashian in 'The Marriage Counselor

Tyler Perry has defended his decision to cast Kim Kardashian in The Marriage Counselor.

The reality star joined the cast of Perry's next comedy feature film in October. However, a number of fans have been outspoken against the casting, particularly in the wake of Kardashian filing for divorce from basketball star Kris Humphries.

Perry took to his website to address the casting, saying that he wanted to attract a younger audience to the film.

"I thought and still do think, that it would be very responsible of her to be a part of this film," Perry wrote. "To have the young people that look up to her, see her in a film that is about what happens in life when you make the wrong choices."

He continued: "If one of those young people see this film and find the strength to live a better life and not go through what these characters went through in this movie, then we have all done what I feel I'm being led to do here."

He concluded: "I hope you understand. I really do!"

Kardashian began shooting the film earlier this month.

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Ice Cube, Chris Tucker for fourth 'Friday' film

Ice Cube is reportedly in talks to work on a fourth movie in the Friday franchise.

The rapper starred, produced and co-wrote Friday in 1995, and later wrote the sequels Next Friday in 2000 and The Friday After Next in 2002.

Ice Cube is now in line to produce, write and direct a proposed fourth film, where he will reprise his role as Craig Jones, according to Collider.

Chris Tucker has also been contacted to reprise his role as Smokey from the first film, but he has yet to confirm his involvement, due to his newly-found religion, reports Deadline.

Tucker reportedly regrets his roles in movies such as Jackie Brown, due to the large amount of profanity in the script.

Disney picked up a new movie project from Ice Cube earlier this year called Chrome and Paint.

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Angelina Jolie for Ridley Scott's 'Gertrude Bell' biopic

Angelina Jolie is attached to Ridley Scott's Gertrude Bell.

The Tourist star is in line to appear as the titular character in the biopic, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Described as the female Lawrence of Arabia, Gertrude Bell was a writer, explorer, administrator and archaeologist.

Her involvement in the Middle East in the early 20th century was instrumental in the establishment of its modern framework.

The project is being developed by Scott's Scott Free Productions.

Gertrude Bell is on the shortlist of three movies - with Gucci and Child 44 - that he is considering directing following his Alien prequel Prometheus.

Jolie's directorial debut In the Land of Blood and Honey will debut next month.

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Dwayne Johnson To Star In ‘Monster Hunter’s Survival Guide

EXCLUSIVE: Dwayne Johnson has become attached to star in Monster Hunter’s Survival Guide, a live action adventure film based on the comic book miniseries by John Paul Russ that was published by Zenescope Entertainment. The film will be produced by Simon Kinberg through his Genre Films shingle. The book series is a comprehensive guide to hunt monsters, the undead and unnatural beasts, and survive the confrontations.

Johnson has had quite a rebound year. He joined the cast of Fast Five and helped the film to more than $626 million in worldwide box office, and he revived his Rock persona in the wrestling ring, hosting WrestleMania XXVII. Now, he’s back in the ring and is the main event for Sunday’s Survivor Series at Madison Square Garden, which sold out in 90 minutes. He’ll be the headliner of WrestleMania XXVIII, which has already broken ticket sales records.

Johnson is in production on G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation, playing the character Roadblock, and then follows with the Ric Roman Waugh-directed Snitch, playing a man who turns DEA informant to reduce his son’s prison sentence. Susan Sarandon, Jon Bernthal, Michael Kenneth Williams, Rafi Gavron and Barry Pepper. Kinberg produced X-Men: First Class, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, and the Neil Blomkamp-directed Elysium, which is shooting. He’s prepping the Mark Romanek-directed Cinderella. Johnson’s repped by WME and manager Dany Garcia.

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Steven Soderbergh departs 'Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Steven Soderbergh has reportedly quit as director for the upcoming Man from U.N.C.L.E. adaptation.

The Contagion director had been developing the project with writer Scott Z. Burns since early 2010, but has now dropped out due to disagreements with Warner Bros, according to The Playlist.

Soderbergh is said to have clashed with Warner Bros over the film's budget and lack of a male lead, after a deal with Bradley Cooper fell through recently.

Channing Tatum was said to be considered for the lead role, but has now reportedly also exited. George Clooney also decided against signing up for the main part of US agent Napoleon Solo.

The director was also displeased with the studio's lack of concrete plans for the film's production, with shooting expected to have started in March 2012.

Warner Bros are now reportedly looking to reschedule the project's filming dates with a new director.

Steven Soderbergh recently downplayed reports that he was planning to retire in the near future

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Noel Gallagher 'could sing James Bond: Skyfall theme

Noel Gallagher has been tipped to record the theme for the next James Bond movie, Skyfall.

The former Oasis singer is set to meet with producer Michael G Wilson this week to discuss using an existing track called 'Freaky Teeth' on the upcoming film.

"They're going to talk about potentially writing and performing the song for next year's new Bond film," a source told The Sun. "Nothing is signed or official, it's just being discussed at the moment."

'Freaky Teeth' has never been released, but Gallagher has occasionally performed the song at gigs.

In a 2008 interview, Gallagher said that he believed the track would make a "f**king great Bond theme".

Gallagher confirmed earlier this month that he is still working on his second post-Oasis album, a collaboration with Amorphous Androgynous.

Adele was recently named as "a strong contender" to record the Skyfall theme.

The 23rd James Bond movie, which stars Daniel Craig as the legendary spy, will be released on October 26, 2012.

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Game of Thrones' Kit Harington cast as Arthur in 'Lancelot'

Game of Thrones star Kit Harington has been cast as King Arthur in the upcoming Arthur & Lancelot.

The actor, who plays Lord Jon Snow in the HBO series, won the role after having a screen test in October, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Harington's co-star Richard Madden was reportedly also in line for the role of Arthur.

The movie will be directed by David Dobkin, and it is said to be a humourous action production in a similar vein to Sherlock Holmes.

Arthur & Lancelot is expected to have a March 2012 production start date.

The Killing star Joel Kinnaman was recently reported to be playing the lead role of Lancelot in the film.

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Jeffrey Wright cast in 'Broken City

Jeffrey Wright has been cast in the upcoming thriller Broken City.

The Casino Royale actor has joined the cast as a police commissioner in the film, alongside Russell Crowe, Mark Wahlberg and Catherine Zeta-Jones, according to Variety.

The Allen Hughes-directed film centres around an ex-cop (Wahlberg) who has been sent away from the force after shooting a 16-year-old. Eight years later he is hired by a mayoral candidate (Crowe) to investigate his wife's infidelity.

Jeffrey Wright recently signed up to play a guest role in Fox drama House.

He also recently revealed he has not been asked to reprise his role of Felix Leiter in the upcoming James Bond film Skyfall.

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The Avengers': Joss Whedon promises 'fresh' take on Hulk

Joss Whedon has promised a "fresh" take on the Hulk for the Avengers movie.

The director has explained how he and actor Mark Ruffalo, who will play Bruce Banner and his big green alter ego, based their inspiration on the Bill Bixby television show.

"He and I did the most character work of anyone, because we really were starting fresh, but we were starting with something that had been embodied several times," Whedon told Movie Talk.

"And both of us agreed upfront that the template for who we wanted this guy to be in his life was Bill Bixby, the TV [show character] who was busy helping other people. That was more interesting to us than the Banner in the first two movies who was always fixated on curing himself.

"We spent a lot of time talking about what makes us Hulk out, the nature of anger, how it feels.

"We even fought some. I mean literally we actually got some pads out and did some tussling. Just to talk about the physicality, and also the physicality of somebody who has to control this thing, and the way he moves in space and the way he relates to the people and the objects around him.

"It was extremely fun. What we found was that he could be very bumbling and kind of awkward, but at the same time very graceful and in this almost transcendent control of himself."

The makers of the upcoming Incredible Hulk television show are planning to use CGI from the Avengers film.

Bixby's television show ran from 1977 to 1982.

The Avengers is scheduled for release in cinemas on May 4, 2012.

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