Hollywood Movies

John Carter (without the of Mars portion of the title) hits theaters on March 9th, and in support of the upcoming release, Walt Disney Pictures has unleashed a batch of new photos from the film as well as two new video clips. I've got to say I'm not at all familiar with the source material and so far the videos haven't won me over, but I'll withhold judgment until I take in a screening...

The new photos from John Carter include pics of Taylor Kitsch in the lead role, Lynn Collins as Dejah Thoris, Willem Dafoe as Tars Tarkas, Samantha Morton as Sola, Mark Strong as Matai Shang, Ciaran Hinds as Tardos Mors, Dominic West as Sab Than, James Purefoy as Kantos Kan, Daryl Sabara as Edgar Rice Burroughs, and Polly Walker as Sarkoja.

_{(Photo from John Carter &Disney Enterprises)}

In 2008 we reported that The Weinstein Company picked up the film rights to August: Osage County, and then in October 2010 we noted that Oscar-winners Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts were combining their star power for lead roles in the movie. And then...nothing happened. But now, finally, there's movement to report.

The Weinstein Company says filming is expected to take place this fall on the film version of Tracy Letts' Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play. John Wells is on board to direct, and Streep and Roberts are still attached to star as mother and daughter.

Commenting on her acclaimed co-star, Julia Roberts stated, "After seeing Meryl Streep's mesmerizing portrayal as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady, it has me even more excited and proud to co star with her."

Director Wells said, "I'm delighted and feel very privileged to have the opportunity to direct Meryl and Julia in this magnificent piece written by Tracy Letts. Meryl's extraordinary body of work made her the only conceivable choice to play Violet. Coupled with Julia's effortless mastery of every role she undertakes and her fearlessness as an actress, I'm confident this first ever collaboration with Meryl and Julia will produce an exciting and moving film."

The official synopsis: "August: Osage County tells the dark, hilarious and deeply touching story of the strong-willed women of the Weston family, whose lives have diverged until a family crisis brings them back to the Midwest house they grew up in, and to the dysfunctional woman who raised them.

_{(Photo by Alberto E Rodriguez/Getty Images)}

There's a very good reason This Means War was pulled off of its Valentine's Day release date, and the reason is it's the anti-romance film. Tom Hardy and Chris Pine have great buddy chemistry, but unfortunately neither seems to click with the leading lady their characters are fitting over, Reese Witherspoon.

Released on Valentine's Day in 2,000ish locations for a one day sneak peek before its adjusted opening date of February 17th, This Means War is rated PG-13 after being reevaluated from an R-rating by the MPAA following the removal of a few jokes.

• This Means War movie review

More on This Means War:

• Photo gallery
  
• Cast list
  
• Movie trailers

_{(Photo © 20th Century Fox)}

Twihards aren't waiting for a Breaking Dawn Part 1 and Part 2 special DVD set that has to be in the works and instead forked over cash for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 on 2-Disc DVD and Blu-ray. Summit says Breaking Dawn Part 1 sold 3.2 million DVDs and Blu-rays over the weekend of February 11-12th. So, how does that stack up to past Twilight releases? The franchise is not showing any signs of fatigue, with DVD sales of Breaking Dawn Part 1 up 18% over the third film of the Twilight series, Eclipse, which sold 2.7 million copies during its first weekend in release. In addition, Twilight fans ordered Breaking Dawn 80,000 off of Video on Demand, up 142% over the VOD purchases of Eclipse.

The final installment of the Twilight Saga - where we'll finally be saying good-bye to Bella, Edward, Jacob, and the rest of the sparkling vampires and shirtless Native Americans who turn into wolves - hits theaters on November 16, 2012.

Meanwhile, the second film of the Journey to the Center of the Earth franchise (which will likely not end with just two movies) has already passed the $100 million mark worldwide after its North American release this past weekend. International audiences got the film a few weeks earlier than North American audiences, with Journey 2: The Mysterious Island opening internationally on January 19th. Adding in the North American opening weekend box office of 27.3 million, Journey 2 has grossed $112 million as of yesterday.

Also of Interest:

• Breaking Dawn Part 1 DVD and Blu-ray review
  
• Journey 2: The Mysterious Island review

_{(Photo © Summit Entertainment)}

Oren Peli - the filmmaker behind the Paranormal Activity movies and the creator of TV's The River - continues to be on a hot streak. Alcon Entertainment just snatched up his horror thriller Chernobyl Diaries and Warner Bros will be sending the film out into theaters this Memorial Day weekend.

Peli produced Chernobyl Diaries with Brian Witten (Final Destination), with Brad Parker directing from an original story by Peli. The cast includes Jonathan Sadowski, Devin Kelley, Jesse McCartney, Olivia Taylor Dudley, and Nathan Phillips.

The official synopsis: "Chernobyl Diaries is set in the city of Prypiat that once housed the workers of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor. The horror-thriller follows a group of friends who, while vacationing in Europe, find themselves stranded in the abandoned city only to discover that they are not alone."

Peli also has Area 51 which he wrote and directed, in post-production. He also was a producer on Rob Zombie's upcoming horror film, The Lords of Salem, and has Eliza Graves, Insidious 2, and Paranormal Activity 4 in various stages of development.

_{(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)}

Reese Witherspoon and her onscreen love interests, Chris Pine and Tom Hardy, walked the red carpet in front of the historic Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood for the world premiere of 20th Century Fox's This Means War. Also hitting the carpet to check out the film were Whitney Cummings, Abigail Spencer, Christa B Allen, Kristin Cavallari, Melanie Lynskey, and This Means War director McG.

In the action comedy/romance, Witherspoon plays a single woman who unknowingly becomes involved in a battle between best friends/CIA agent partners after her BFF (played by Chelsea Handler) posts her profile on an online dating website. This Means War opens on February 17th.

• This Means War premiere photo gallery

Other Recent Red Carpet Photos:

• The Vow exclusive premiere photos - Channing Tatum/Rachel McAdams
  
• Journey 2: The Mysterious Island premiere photos - Dwayne Johnson/Josh Hutcherson/Vanessa Hudgens

_{(Photo © Richard Chavez)}

Warner Bros' is ready to bring a new Beauty and the Beast tale to life, with Variety reporting the studio wants to make the film with Guillermo del Toro attached to produce and direct. Beauty and the Beast has suddenly become this super hot property, with multiple TV projects in the works. And Disney recently re-released a 3D version of their critically acclaimed animated fairy tale.

In a bit of inspired casting, it looks like del Toro would love for Harry Potter's Emma Watson to be his Beauty - if her deal goes through. Watson will next be seen in The Perks of Being a Wallflower with Logan Lerman and could be reuniting with HP director David Yates on Your Voice in My Head.

Andrew Davies (The Three Musketeers) will be working on the script based on a treatment by del Toro (who's currently busy working on Pacific Rim).

_{(Photo by Stuart Wilson/Getty Images)}

You didn't really believe Transformers #3 - Transformers: Dark of the Moon (a title I still type first as Dark Side of the Moon and then have to correct) - was really going to be the final film of the Transformers series, did you? And if you knew there would be a Transformers #4, you really didn't think it would be directed by anyone other than Michael Bay, did you?

Bay is in fact confirmed to return as director for the untitled fourth film of the Transformers franchise, and Paramount has set a June 29, 2014 release date for the next installment of the series. There's no word yet on who, if anyone, from any of the Transformers movies will be returning.

But before he gets to work on Transformers #4 Bay will direct Pain and Gain starring Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson. The film's based on the true story of bodybuilders who, according to the press announcement, "engaged in a campaign of kidnapping, extortion and murder in Florida." Bay's expected to shoot that film this spring and then move on to Transformers #4.

Announcing Bay's two-picture deal, President of Paramount's Film Group Adam Goodman stated, "Michael has been working on Pain and Gain for a number of years but has patiently waited for the perfect casting to trigger a start. Clearly his patience has paid off as we couldn't be more excited about this combo. His passion for this project is just awesome."

Bay also posted this update on Transformers #4 and Pain and Gain on his official website:

"To clarify uninformed reports coming out of Toy Fair - Steven Spielberg and I are working on a whole new re imagining of Transformers, the fourth installment. We have been working on the idea for a few months. I'm excited about where it's headed. But first I'm doing a small $20 million dollar edgy black comedy of a true crime story set in Miami called Pain and Gain, [starring] Mark Wahlberg and [Dwayne] Johnson, and very close to signing on a couple other great actors. I'm extremely excited to simplify my film career this spring with a great character piece.

That starts filming at the end of March. I might then jump onto a very cool television show my company Platinum Dunes is selling to a major cable network. It might be my first pilot I might potentially direct. We are still working out the details of the deal."

_{(Photo by Stuart Wilson/Getty Images)}

Nicolas Cage returns as Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider in the Ghost Rider sequel, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, coming to theaters this Friday. This outing finds the Crank filmmaking team of Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor delivering an action movie which is, according to Cage, much darker in tone than the 2007 film.

Discussing the differences between the two Ghost Riders, Cage explained, "When I did the first Ghost Rider, I wanted it to be like a Grimm's fairy tale - scary, but still something that children could enjoy, like that first trip to the principal's office where you made a mistake and you're in trouble, but don't give up. You can still rise above and do something good with the experience. This one, with Mark and Brian, will go into the wonderful bliss of the nightmare imagination. I think it will be very entertaining."

• Read the interview: Nicolas Cage, Idris Elba, Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor Interview - Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

More on Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance:

• Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance photo gallery
  
• Interview with Johnny Whitworth

_{(Photo © Columbia Pictures)}

The Brits love The Artist, that much was made clear when the results of this year's The Orange British Academy Film Awards were revealed this past weekend. The nearly silent black & white film won seven awards and cemented its spot as the favorite to win the Best Picture Oscar at the Academy Awards on February 26th. And while The Artist was expected to win big, Meryl Streep was sort of a surprise winner in the Best Actress category, given the fact the American actress is playing Margaret Thatcher and was up against stiff competition in the Best Actress category from Viola Davis, Tilda Swinton, Michelle Williams, and Berenice Bejo.

Here's a rundown of the major winners:

• The Artist was recognized as Best Film and won in the director (Michel Hazanavicius), actor (Jean Dujardin), screenplay (Michel Hazanavicius), cinematography (Guillaume Schiffman), original music (Ludovic Bource), and costume design (Mark Bridges) categories.
  
• Rango was named Best Animated Film.
  
• Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy won for Outstanding British Film and Bridget O'Connor & Peter Straughan won for their adapted screenplay.
  
• Oscar favorites Christopher Plummer (Beginners) and Octavia Spencer (The Help) captured the best supporting titles.

_{(Poster from The Artist © The Weinstein Company)}