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To start off, here is a great SW2 pic of the new Anakin. While I am not reading any scoops or rumors about this film, and am also ignoring most of the online pics… I feel that this is one that deserves to be online. Again, don't ruin the experience for yourself. Ignore the rumors… don't even read them. Go to www.starwars.com to get the official word, while knowing that this site will NOT ruin the experience for you.

So, enjoy and we'll see you soon! Remember, my film debut is on Oct. 20th in BEDAZZLED. Bit part… one line… probably cut. But you will see me as Brendan's co-worker in the office scenes. You can also find me in the trailers (almost all of them) when Brendan is yelling at the screen, look over his shoulder and you will see me with glasses on. Anyway, here ya go…

GHOST RIDER TALK
Writer-producer David Goyer is talking extensively about the Ghost Rider movie project.

While talking to Eon Magazine, Goyer revealed that the film may take a little while longer to get to the big screen than planned. The reason? Those looming threatened writers and actors strikes. Goyer explains how he'll approach the project with that in mind, saying, "I'm working on Ghost Rider now trying to get a draft done. The financiers are under the hope that the movie can happen before the strike, but I don't really see that happening."

Regarding how the script itself is going, the writer says, "The script is coming along great. I'm having a lot of fun. As I worked out the story with Steve Norrington [the film's director], I think we were both surprised at how mythic it's become. We both remarked that in some ways the themes were similar to those of Blade, but it just struck us as being a much more mature work. Even I was surprised when I sat down to write Ghost Rider with how sort of mythic and serious it's become. I think people are really going to be pleasantly surprised. We're definitely highlighting the curse element. It's not a happy story. The Spirit of Vengeance itself is a really horrific figure."

Goyer adds, "Ghost Rider has a lot more overt horror elements and it also has a kind of mythic, modern western quality in the same vein of The Road Warrior. I'm kind of using some of the Clint Eastwood westerns as antecedents for it, like Unforgiven and High Plains Drifter."

As far as how the flaming motorcycle riding entity of the Ghost Rider will be depicted on film, Goyer says, "[Director Steve] Norrington and I were talking about that. He's probably not always going to be in black leather. What's interesting about how we're talking about portraying the Ghost Rider, when he is the Ghost Rider he is a skeleton. We're treating the flames as if there were still muscle and sinew on his body, but it was translucent and the flames comprise the muscle and sinew. So there's like a little bit of a three-dimensional quality. It's like if you can envision blue flames constantly coursing over him, but the blue flames kind of form the sinews around the skeleton. Also, the flame itself is going to have a performance element so as he gets angrier he's going to sort of flame up even more and when he's calm it'll die down. He's probably not going to speak as the Ghost Rider either, or if he does it's only going to be one line. He's not going to talk like he does in the comics."

Goyer also reveals that the human persona of the Rider may not be Johnny Blaze, as mentioned previously. While addressing this point, the scribe also reveals some other details of the coming film's story, saying, "It's Blaze's story, although we're actually arguing over a better name -- Danny Ketch/Johnny Blaze -- because, as Norrington pointed out, its kind of a little arse to have a character named Johnny Blaze who catches on fire. We've been debating that back and forth, but it definitely is Blaze's story. Very obliquely, it's an origin piece. When the movie begins, he already is the Ghost Rider and has already been the Ghost Rider for some time, but we kind of jump back in time. I don't want to say in flashback, but very obliquely in dreams you see a little bit about what happened."

MUMMY 2 TALK
Brendan Fraser is giving out some info regarding the story in The Mummy Returns.

While talking to the Calgary Sun, the actor spoke of the film's plot, saying, "Rick's back in Egypt on the treasure trail one more time. There is the cursed spot where souls have been sucked in for 3,000 years because of a warrior who made a pact with the god of war."

That warrior is the much reported Scorpion King, played by WWF wrestler The Rock, alias Dwayne Johnson. Fraser spoke of the wrestler turned actor, saying, "In Morocco where we filmed, The Rock is a myth, a legend and, in our movie, one scary guy. I never got to meet him because he left Morocco before I got there, but all the Moroccans were in awe of him."

He adds, "The Rock has been cyber-scanned. It's going to be really fun and chilling for the audience."

Fraser also attempts to set aside any doubts about the film just being a retread of the first surprise hit, saying, "I'm going to go out on a limb and say this one is going to be much better. We're not doing a remake. We're taking what worked in the first one and making that even better."

MICHAEL CLARKE DUNCAN JOINS "APES"
Michael Clarke Duncan is the latest addition to the cast of Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes, according to Entertainment Weekly magazine. The magazine is reporting that Duncan will play a huge silverback gorilla in the film to come. Duncan also spoke of training for the role, saying, "It's tripped out. You have to learn to roll your shoulders forward, hunch your back and round out your arms the way apes do. I'm also learning how to pick things up with a curved arm."

OLDMAN OUT OF "APES" THOUGH
Don't look for Gary Oldman in the upcoming Planet of the Apes… even under ape make-up. He won't be there. While talking to Access Hollywood, Oldman revealed that he had passed on the project, saying, "Sadly, they'll be making the movie without me. They don't want to pay anyone. They're cheap."

ROMERO TALK
George Romero himself has provided the latest word on two of his upcoming projects.

While talking to Fandom.com's Smilin' Jack Ruby, Romero gave the word on The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon as well as the fourth Living Dead movie.

First, Romero was of a mind that Tom Gordon would not be able to start production prior to the threatened writer and actor strikes. In addition, given that the story takes place primarily outside, he would have to wrap shooting by June, which isn't at all likely.

Romero and Stephen King are collaborating on the Gordon script.

In addition, Romero revealed that the folks over at Anchor Bay video are looking to get in feature film production. One of the projects that they've been talking to Romero about has been the fourth Living Dead film. Romero also revealed that he is currently a third of the way through the potential film's script.

The filmmaker is also said to have dismissed any talk that Twilight of the Dead is the film's title, only because it, as yet, has no title.

"ALI" ON THE BACKBURNER
Sony Pictures has turned the heat down on their Will Smith starring Muhammad Ali biopic and placed the film in turnaround.

According to the trades, Sony decided to hold off on the project once it was determined that making the film would require a budget that would be over the studio's imposed cap of $105M. In addition, though the film is now considered in turnaround, Sony is meeting with filmmaker Michael Mann to see what can be done to shave the project down to place it under the cap.

Putting a positive spin on the matter, while talking to the Hollywood Reporter, producer Jon Peters spoke of the project, saying, "[Turnaround] is a technical term. We all worked through the weekend, and I spoke with (Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman and CEO) John Calley on Friday. He assured me everything would stay in place until Monday, when we are meeting and will confirm the magical number, which will allow us to move forward and make our dream come true…Everything's in position, including the foreign financing."

Should both parties be unable to work it out, Mann may shop the project around to other studios.

While talking to Daily Variety, Sony big shot John Calley provided Sony's current strategy for making films, perhaps explaining the Ali situation, when he said, "We're not going to make movies for audiences that need to be dynamited out of their homes. I would rather make Star Wars than Man's Fate."

Meanwhile, given that the project will be delayed for an unknown amount of time, this situation would seem to be more favorable for the budding Men in Black 2 project, also for Sony. Depending on the schedules of the film's principals; Smith, Tommy Lee Jones and director Barry Sonnenfeld; MIB2 could possibly be placed on the fast track. Time will tell.

Still, though he has openly showed enthusiasm for the MIB2 project, Will Smith has been hard at work for months, at times with Ali, getting in proper condition to take on the role of the champ, something he very much wanted to do.

BATMAN 5 DIRECTOR?
Is Darren Aronofsky really going to make Batman 5? Perhaps, he isn't yet, according to the Requiem For a Dream director, himself.

While talking to Salon, Aronofsky explains, "I am going to write Batman [V] with Frank Miller. I'm also writing a science-fiction story, and that's going to be set up in a studio really soon. We'll see which one happens first, because it's not like I'm definitely doing Batman, which everyone seems to think."

He continues, "Well, I'm going to write it and we'll see what happens. We'll see if they let me make the script that I'm interested in."

Aronofsky also explained what it was about Batman that he found so appealing. He says, "I just think it's a great story that's been told two different ways in the last 10 years, both interesting, but not the way I would tell it. I think it's an amazing story that touches very deep in the American consciousness…There's something about vengeance and justice that are really deep issues for Americans. And vigilantism. But to tell you the truth, I haven't even started on it. We've been talking about doing this for a long time. It seems like it's finally happening, but it's a long road."

AND HE TALKS ABOUT HIS NEW SF PROJECT
While talking to Eon Magazine, Aronofsky gave some details of the project to come, saying, "Right now I've been working on this original science fiction project that I've been working on for about ten months with my college roommate, who's an interesting guy. His name is Dr. Ari Handel, who's a real neuroscientist and he's the smartest guy I've ever met. He said he didn't want to do research anymore and was like 'what do I do?' and I said we were doing a lot of science fiction and it would be great to actually have a real scientist who reads all the science literature and it's been great. He's been going out and talking to different researchers around the world for all our different science elements. I call it a post-Matrix metaphysical science fiction film, and I can't share the name because the name tells you what the film's about and I'm not sharing that yet. It's not even a screenplay yet but it's back towards the style of Pi filmmaking but on a much bigger scale."

SPIDERMAN TALK
Sam Raimi has been talking a lot about Spider-Man of late, and now is no exception. While talking to Entertainment Weekly, the director commented on the frequent rumors that Alicia Witt was going to play Mary Jane Watson in the film. Raimi told the magazine that even though he was certainly impressed by the actress, "there are still other actresses I have left to interview."

In addition, Raimi is talking about the webslinger's costume in the film, warning, "I can't say [it] will be what the kids have seen in comic books."

BLAIR WITCH 2 TALK
Director Joe Berlinger is revealing that he initially wasn't at all interested in helming Book of Shadows Blair Witch 2. While talking to Entertainment Weekly, Berlinger says, "Was I dying to make the sequel? Absolutely not. I wasn't even sure a sequel could or should be made."

Still, he found a possible way to approach a follow-up film, saying, "I was fascinated that people were hoodwinked, that they actually emerged from the theater still convinced it was real. I wanted to make a sequel to the phenomenon, not to the movie."

But there have been recent online rumors that suggest the film has problem. Regarding rumors of a recent disappointing screening of the film for Artisan big shots, Berlinger says, "There were flaws. We needed to deliver scares earlier. A fundamental restructuring of the story [was needed to] satisfy a commercial audience."

To allay concerns, Berlinger and company went back and shot more footage for the film a month ago. He reveals, "It's cool footage, but I'm not entirely happy with how it's integrated into the movie. If we weren't up against a release date I would have tried to figure out a [better] way. But all those posters say 'October 27,' not 'Coming This Fall.'"

Unfortunately, the rest of the world is also wondering if a sequel should be made. Berlinger addresses this point, saying, "I'm definitely ready for [audiences] to hate us. Honestly, I think people want to see it fail."

"HITCHHIKER'S" ON BACKBURNER TOO
Director Jay Roach (Meet the Parents, Austin Powers) is intent on getting a big screen version of Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy on film, even though Disney placed the project in turnaround. While talking to Entertainment Weekly magazine, Roach explained the pronbelms with making the film, saying, "It's quirky and expensive and it's hard-to-sell. It's a risk, but Austin Powers was rejected at every studio before New Line took it."

Roach also revealed that the film's budget would probably have to be in the $85-100M range.

BUFFY BEING MOVED?
There's talk of Buffy the Vampire Slayer exiting the WB network, with the most recent rumbling suggesting that the ABC TV network is hoping to get their mitts on the popular series.

While talking to EW Online, an unnamed source "close to the drama" revealed, "Since day one, [ABC Entertainment cochair] Stu Bloomberg has been a fan of the show. He's been trying to get Joss Whedon to create a show for them." The site also reports that until the current contract between 20th Century Fox and WB runs out, 20th is said to in a position that will force them to prove to the network that the series doesn't just appeal to a niche audience.

In part, this may be a ploy on the part of the WB to retain the series without having to pay what is likely to be a high price tag for the series. The site reports that 20th will be looking for $2M per episode for the next contract, which may be over the WB's budget.

Still, all this talk may be a bit premature given that negotiations between the two parties won't start until January 2001, though the rumblings have been consistent over the last year.

In spite of protests from the WB, ratings continue to rise on the series, and Whedon's take no prisoners tinkering would seem to suggest that the concept will stay fresh for awhile longer.
SMITH TALKS "MIB 2" Will Smith is talking about the coming Men In Black 2, and sounds pretty excited about it. While talking to TV Guide Online, Smith gushed, "The whole gang is back! Oh, and how they bring Tommy's character back!... I can't let it out, but it's so brilliant."

He adds, "It's great when a sequel can have a better script, because it is so rare that the second film is better than the first one. But this one is ridiculous!" Smith does admit that there is one possible barrier on the horizon, saying, "[MIB director] Barry Sonnenfeld has the script and is working on it now, but the [potential Writers Guild of America] strike is kind of holding things up."

SMITH ALSO TALKS "ID4 2"
Will Smith also confirmed something is up with a potential sequel to Independence Day. According to TV Guide, in regards to Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich, Smith says, "We've been talking about it. When you've got a movie that made that kind of money rest assured somebody is talking about a sequel!"

MUMS THE WORD ON "MATRIX"
Don't ask Laurence Fishburne to talk about the upcoming Matrix sequels. When asked by Cinescape Online Cin City columnist Cindy Pearlman what the sequels will specifically be about, Fishburne answers, "I'm sworn to secrecy. If I tell you, I won't have to kill you. I'll have to kill me by jumping off the building."
LORD OF THE RINGS TALK John Rhys-Davies is talking about the challenges of taking on the role of Gimli the dwarf in the Lord of the Rings production.

In an interview with New Zealand's Southland Press (via the Stuff website), the actor spoke of wearing the costume that weighs in excess of 40 kg. Rhys-Davies says, "The sheer weight slows you down, it's enormously top-heavy."

The actor also revealed that most of his face is covered by make-up, saying, "The only bit you see of me is a tiny bit of my lips and my eyes...You have to do enormous overacting just to get anything on your face ... it's very hard to act in."

Regarding how the effect of making the large actor actually look dwarf-sized, Rhys-Davies i snot allowed to say, but he does add, "I think you'll find me small enough."

TRON SEQUEL!?
Yes, there is a sequel to Disney's Tron in the works.

As previously reported by Corona Coming Attractions, the original film's director, Steven Lisberger, has been rumored to have been working on the sequel called Tron 2.0.

Then, this week in an interview with VFXPro, the director confirmed something was up, saying, "It's been an interesting experience for me, certainly, to go back to that film after 20 years and really study it and see what it was about from this perspective. I learned a lot about my own film. It's going to be interesting on the next Tron to try to create some of the sensuousness that the first film had in terms of the graphics, but to do it in a digital way."

In addition, Corona is now reporting on rumors that scribe Richard Jeffries (Silver Surfer, Neanderthal) is also working on the film's script.

RIDLEY SCOTT'S NEXT?
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Scott is in talks to direct a big screen version of Ben Elton's play Popcorn, a satire about violence in the media. The trade reports that Scott and Elton had already been working together developing the project which will be produced under the director's Scott Free production banner.

Scott is currently at work on post-production on Hannibal. His next project is said to be Black Hawk Down, though there are also rumors that he's been considering directing T3.

"BEYOND BELIEF" COMING BACK!
Jonathan Frakes has previously said it was going to happen, and now Dick Clark Productions is confirming that Fox has committed to another season of the summer replacement series, Beyond Belief. In an official press release DCP announced that there would be 13 more episodes of the series which would bring the total amount of episodes up to 45, so far.

NEESON AND FORD TOGETHER?
Liam Neeson is said to be on the verge of signing onto Kathryn Bigelow's K-19: The Widowmaker project, which will star Harrison Ford.

According to Variety columnist Michael Fleming, the film, which will be the first dramatic offering from National Geographic Films, will tell the story of true life cold war era story of the Russian sub K-19. While under the command of Captain Zateyev (Ford), the sub's cooling system malfunctions. In addition, the ship's broken antenna makes it impossible to contact the surface. As a result, the captain and his second-in-command, Yenin (Neeson), must set aside a number of differences they have to work together to find a way to cool the sub's atomic reactor before an atomic meltdown happens that could very well also trigger a war between Russia and the U.S., neither of which are aware of the ship's true situation.

Plans are to start shooting the film in The film in February on location in Russia, Iceland and Canada. The film has a script by Christopher Kyle.

National Geographic will also produce a fact-based TV special on the event that will hit TV screens at the same time the feature hits theaters. So, we have a Jedi… A smuggler/pilot… how about a Wookie?

OSMENT ON "POTTER"
Haley Joel Osment was the name most often making the rumor mill rounds for the title role in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone when Steven Spielberg was eyeballing the project, but the young actor is saying there shouldn't even be a film based on the books.

While talking to TV Guide Online, Osment declares, "I never wanted to do Harry Potter. I thought it should have stayed a book. There are some books that should be made into movies and some books that shouldn't."

He adds, "Harry Potter is 70 percent imagination. You purposely have to leave stuff out in the books, for you to fill in with your imagination, and that's what's so great about the novels - you have so much input yourself. And now, when the movie comes out, it's going to be such a stereotype for kids to think of. When they think of Harry Potter, they're going to think of what's portrayed onscreen."

Regarding if he was ever asked about the role, Osment answers, "Nothing crossed our desk; we were never offered it, and I never wanted to do it."

BLADE 2 TALK
Artist Timothy Bradstreet is addressing rumors regarding the upcoming Blade 2, a film for which he is working as a designer.

While talking to PopImage (via Comics 2 Film), Bradstreet spoke of the film's plot, revealing, "Blade does in fact have to team with the nightwalkers, but not without hesitation and several nasty plot twists. The new breed are a threat to all concerned. They have some very interesting design requirements that are sure to be good for some eye-popping sequences."

Sticking to the design aspect, Bradstreet says, "The regular Vampires are going to be a challenge as well because there are a lot of characters being introduced to this film that require their own 'look.' I'm not sure (sounding like a politician) if I'm at liberty to discuss this point further than that at the present time."

As far as where the film will be shot, the artist says, "The plan is to shoot in Toronto again. I'll be up there during filming to get some extra shots. We're very seriously discussing me doing a Blade 2 movie adaptation for Marvel Comics. If that happens I'll want to work pretty heavily alongside the still photographer since I'd be using his shots for the artwork."

BOND RUMORS
The folks who control the James Bond franchise are dismissing virtually every rumor that has flown over the last few months about the eventual 20th film of the 007 franchise.

While talking to Empire Online, Anne Bennett, Director of Marketing at Eon Productions, the 007 production company, addressed the latest word that James Bond would be driving a £200,000 Aston Martin car in the next film, saying, "It's completely untrue. Everything is up on the air at the moment. The production hasn't begun and no deal has been done with any particular company."

Bennett then went on to shoot down some other rumors, saying, "It's all so boring. Robbie Williams is not singing the Bond song, Judy Dench is returning for the next film - honestly, it would take forever to refute all the rumours…There's nothing I can tell you, except that there will be a three year break between Bond movies, instead of the usual two. The next film will come out at the end of 2002."

THE HOBBITS SHALL SMOKE
In spite of rampant political correctness, the hobbits in the upcoming Lord of the Rings productions will smoke like they did in the original books.

According to the New Zealand Evening Post newspaper (via SCIFI.COM), Sir Ian McKellen spoke of the issue in a recent radio interview, saying, "I was wondering whether because of political correctness--people's worries of the dangers of smoking--that in a film a lot of children are likely to see we'd be asked to cut down the smoking, or not have it."

He adds, "It is pipe smoking, which if you don't inhale is safer than cigarettes. However, the hobbits, played as quite young people in our film, are all smoking away on their pipes."

FARELL ENTERS "PHONE BOOTH"
Colin Farrell (Tigerland), who has signed on to MGM's Hart's War project, has also snagged the leading role in Fox 2000's Phone Booth.

The project, which takes place entirely in a phone booth, will re-unite Farrell with his Tigerland director, Joel Schumacher. Plans are to rehearse the film extensively and then shoot on location in Manhattan in November for a week or two. Gil Netter and David Zucker will produce with a script by Larry Cohen.

Previously Jim Carrey was on the verge of signing on only to abruptly pass. Will Smith was also said to have been interested in the project while Michael Bay was contemplating it.

MEET THE PARENTS SEQUEL?
There's already a deal in place for a sequel to last week's record setting Meet the Parents. According to Variety columnist Michael Fleming, scribe Jim Herzfeld has signed a $1.1M deal to write the sequel for Universal and DreamWorks. Word has it that the early good buzz the film had prompted talks with the writer, though there was an option to roll over the deal into a blind script commitment should the film not have done as well as hoped. It set a record, and the sequel deal was signed.

DINOTOPIA TALK
Newcomer Katie Carr has been hired to take the lead female role in the upcoming ABC TV miniseries Dinotopia, according to Variety columnist Michael Fleming. Based on previous information about the project, Carr is likely to play the part of the beautiful, headstrong daughter of the mayor of Waterfall City, the capital city and island where dinosaurs and men co-exist.

ARNOLD GETTING' OLD?
Arnold Schwarzenegger is admitting that he's slowing down a bit for his next film, The 6th Day. Part of it is his age, but the other part is just responsibility.

While talking to the LA Times, Arnold explained why his new film is rated PG-13 rather than the usual R, saying, "You have to say, 'OK, people are talking about the violence and this and that. What can I do? Let's tone it down a little bit.'...I'm going more in that direction anyway, because my age now is such that I feel naturally more responsible. At the age of 30, you run around, you say, 'I want to do the biggest blow-ups, the biggest shooting. I want to have the biggest body count and all those things.' But then when you get to be over 50 and you have a family, you see that you should broaden out and do other things."

Though Arnold feels that it is parental failings that result in kids turning to violence, he still feels that Hollywood has a responsibility, saying, "Particularly when I see my children looking for films, and I see this is R-rated and that is R-rated, I think the trick is to do these action movies, but to bring it down, so you cut away when you shoot somebody...We could say to all those marketing people, 'Look, we know that if you sell an R-rated movie to 12-year-olds, they will want to go and see it. But is it really good in the end for our country to let them in?' Or should we come up with a system where we really don't let any kids in whether they're with a parent or not? Because to me, that's bogus: 'with parents.' Do I want my children watching incredible violence? No. You have to be much more careful with these things." Arnold, who is currently at work on Collateral Damage, will be moving over to Terminator 3 in March. He's also got the Doc Savage project on his plate. As far as the latter project is concerned, Arnold told the Times that the script by David Leslie Johnson, Frank Darabont and Chuck Russell is a lot like Raiders of the Lost Ark. Time will tell.

DUCHOVNY PROJECT
David Duchovny is confirming his participation in Ivan Reitman's upcoming science fiction comedy, Evolution. According to Empire Online, while participating in a French internet chat last week, Duchovny is said to have revealed his part in the coming project, saying, "Evolution has been official for several days. I've signed with Dreamworks. It's a comedy about aliens - but then you probably know that already."

He continues, "In Evolution I play a Professor who is charged with saving the world from aggressive aliens. I think that it's a transition that will take me away from the X-Files towards other roles."

Duchovny also added that filming will begin in a few weeks after Julianna Moore finishes her commitment to Hannibal.
DUCHOVNY DECLINED SW3? While participating in a recent French online chat, David Duchovny let loose with an odd bit of information: he had been approached by George Lucas to be in Star Wars: Episode III. According to Empire Online, Duchovny chose to turn it down, explaining, "I'm a fan of Star Wars, but I'm not sure of having the time to act in it...I've got tons of projects in production after the X-Files series."

MATRIX 2 SET FOR SYDNEY
Producer Joel Silver is finally confirming that part of the back-to-back Matrix sequel productions will be shot in Sydney, Australia.

In a recent interview with Empire magazine (via Know the Matrix), Silver revealed, "We talked about possibly shooting in the UK, like we talked about shooting in Germany or Rome. But looking at all the different places, it was strictly a financial decision. It's all based on the economics. As we did the first shoot in Sydney and there were economic benefits to doing such, we decided to shoot the others there, too."

In addition, the production will also shoot on locations in Chicago and San Francisco.

"SCOOBY DOO" TALK
Scribe James Gunn (Spy Vs. Spy, The Specials) has been talking, again, about the Scooby Doo movie. While talking to Popcorn, Gunn revealed the current status of the film.

First, though, he commented on rumors that Mike Myers was in the running for the role of Shaggy, saying, "That's a false rumor. It could be true. It could be true in the future. He'd be a great choice for the role, but no one's cast yet. We're looking at a lot of different people."

Beyond that, regarding where the film currently stands, the scribe reveals, "The script is on the second draft. It just went into Warner Bros. a couple of weeks ago. It looks like it's gonna happen. There's a lot of momentum behind the film. I've seen a lot of special effects and the way we're gonna deal with Scooby Doo. It's really gonna be an amazing movie. I promise it will be one of the most interesting special effects anyone has ever seen." Please DON'T make this movie!!!!

HEWITT AS DEVIL NOW?
It looks like the role of the horned one in the remake of The Devil and Daniel Webster has been cast… with Jennifer Love Hewitt, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

While talking to the trade about the role, Hewitt says, "It's definitely a different role than I normally take, but the character is amazing and incredibly well-written. It is a more grown-up role for me. And I want to show that I am growing as a woman and a human being and am ready to take on more adult roles. This project has all the things that an actor looks for. And obviously working with Alec (Baldwin) and Anthony (Hopkins) is never a bad thing. I have such respect for them."

She adds, "She's a sexy devil, a smart devil and an evil devil -- all the things that you expect the devil to be, just with a sweeter face than you might expect. I have a lot to prepare for in taking this role. I'm going to look into a new part of myself for this role and prepare by stealing some souls and hearts."

Hewitt will go head to head with Anthony Hopkins as Daniel Webster in the film which will be a contemporary retelling of the old story. Alec Baldwin will make his feature directing debut on the film as well as play the poor fool who sells his soul to the devil for fame and fortune only to try to keep what he promised to give.

DISNEY "PIRATES" MOVIE?
First it was a movie based on Disney's Country Bear Jamboree… now it looks like the once politically incorrect Pirates of the Caribbean attraction will also get its own film spin-off.

According to Variety, one-time game show producer Jay Wolpert has signed a deal with Disney to write one of their future projects as well as being in negotiations to do another. The first project, The Old Man in the Baseball Cap, is said to be based on the true story of a 19-year American pilot shot down over Yugoslavia in World War II. While on the run, a brave female freedom fighter came to his aid and helped the pilot to escape to safety in Czechoslovakia.

The second project is the potential Pirates of the Caribbean movie. According to the trade, Wolpert has already fleshed out some ideas for the film with Disney from a previously created treatment developed internally.

Previously, it has been reported that Disney was intent on developing many projects internally that would be cost effective as well as having name recognition. Country Bear Jamboree, a coming TV movie, was the first result of the plan. As far as Pirates is concerned, no story details are given, though one would presume that the film would be comedic in tone, like the ride.

One can't help but wonder what other park attractions might get the movie treatment, but after Pirates, it wouldn't be a stretch to imagine the Haunted Mansion is next. We just hope that there are no plans for a It's a Small World movie.

NO NEWMAN IN "BATMAN BEYOND"… DAMN IT!
Paul Newman possibly appearing as the aged Bruce Wayne in the Batman Beyond live-action feature film.

Newman's publicist finally returned our calls late this afternoon. "Who said that?" she asked. "Um, it was on the web," we told her. "Not a chance," she said. "I don't know how these stories get started." Talk about great casting idea though!

"HULK" SCRIPT TALK
Scribe David Hayter (X-Men) is currently hard at work on the script for Universal's Hulk feature film. While talking to the Comics Continuum, Hayter gave the latest word on how the script is going, saying, "I'm taking the same mixture of taking it seriously and also having a good time at the movies that X-Men had and am bringing it to the Hulk...I'm writing the whole thing up from the ground again. It's going great. I'm really happy with it and everybody seems happy with it."

Hayter also revealed to the site that he was a bigger fan of the X-Men than the Hulk, but he acknowledges the latter's popularity in mainstream culture, saying, "The Hulk is a bigger part of the mythology. Everybody knows the Hulk and knows his big journey. I always felt it was a really cool and tragic story."

Hayter was also asked if he had seen any of the computer generated test footage of the film that had been created under the aegis of Jonathan Hensleigh back in 1998. Hayter says, "I haven't seen any of that stuff. I was given some specs to work with. That (previous effects work) was a few years ago, and technology's come quite a way since then."

PEARL HARBOR TALK
Michael Bay, who has continued to develop projects through his Disney-based Bay Films production company, admits that the start of his Pearl Harbor project with the mouse factory suggested problems ahead for his WWII epic.

While talking to Variety columnist, Michael Fleming, Bay revealed, "It was pretty discouraging at the beginning and became an emotional roller coaster," said Bay. "It was greenlit, then ungreenlit, then greenlit again, meaning I had to hire, fire, then rehire the whole crew. The whole film had a recipe for disaster, with so many locations. We worked with 60-year-old aircraft, with hundreds of extras in the water around ships with explosives everywhere. But it was the best production experience I ever had, and we finished one day over schedule."

Bay told the columnist that Disney eventual put up $135 million with an extra $5 million cushion, just in case. In spite of the stress of launching the epic, Bay now says, "There are no hard feelings with the studio. I'm happy the movie got made. I would have been miserable if it hadn't...The thing I really like about the movie is it's shot with an old-fashioned feel, and women are responding to the love story."

OTHER BAY PROJECTS…
Michael Bay, currently working on post on Pearl Harbor, has been is lining up a number of

production projects after the Disney funded mega-project wraps. According to

Variety columnist, Michael Fleming, here are some of the things coming down the line for Bay:

An Untitled Thriller
The director's production company, Bay Films, has snapped up an script by Stuart Alexander. The project, which Bay and Jennifer Klien will develop, will tell the story of the kidnapping of the wife of a high-powered attorney. The kidnappers demand that the lawyer commit suicide in order for his wife to be safely released. It may be Bay's next theatrical feature project.

Quantico
Bay's next directing gig will be this TV pilot for a potential series about the FBI Academy. Bay will also executive produce it with Dario Scardapane, who wrote the pilot's script

Gory Details
Simply described as a dark comedy. No further details are given.