Every Friday, we will wrap-up 10 stories from around the internet and the business that didn’t make our normal news feed.  These could include nuggets, casting information, release dates, clips, cool movie-related stories, etc., that we feel you should know about or at least peaked our interest.  Check them out below.

1.

Box Office Mojo does a good job of keeping up with the release date changes and additions.  Here are a few that caught our attention:

DIRTY DANCING
The remake has been postponed indefinitely.

ALEX CROSS
The new version of the detective, originally played by Morgan Freeman and now by Tyler Perry, has moved up a week to October 19, 2012.

CLOUD ATLAS
The Wachowski’s next feature film has set its release date for October 26, 2012 (possibly resulting in the move you see above).

2.

Hans Zimmer appears to have changed his mind about scoring MAN OF STEEL. Originally he compared rewriting the Superman score to rewriting Beethoven’s 9th, but it appears that the insanely talented composer has changed his mind according to THR.

A quick look at his IMDb page shows that he has provided some great scores including:

THE PIRATES OF THE CARRIBBEAN QUADRILOGY
THE MADAGASCAR TRILOGY
CHRIS NOLAN’S BATMAN / THE DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY
INCEPTION
SHERLOCK HOLMES AND ITS SEQUEL
THE KUNG-FU PANDA FILMS
MEGAMIND
RANGO
The Adventures of Tom Hanks with a weird haircut (THE DAVINCI CODE and ANGELS AND DEMONS)

That is just to name a few.  Zimmer is definitely a very talented composer, however most of his compositions lack the catchy melodies of say John Williams. The question then becomes, with such a memorable score like John Williams’, will Hans Zimmer’s new score be given a chance or will it immediately be considered “not as good”.  What do you think? Are you willing to give Zimmer’s new score a chance?

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3.

From the wait, WHAT?!?!? department…. are Lionsgate and Summit thinking about rebooting TWILIGHT?  With the last movie in the popular franchise set to hit theaters this November and a brand new trailer that just released, one would think that they would want to wait a little while before doing the obligatory remake.  Well this week we got two conflicting stories.  Bloody Disgusting says they are and Deadline says it’s not true.  I’m sure we won’t hear any official news from the studio until after the dust settles from the final film, but I don’t see the Twilight series as one that is untouchable from remakes.

What do you all think?  Would you want to see Twilight rebooted?  If so, who is your fan cast for Bella and Edward?

4.

Casting Additions

Deadline reports Alex Pettyfer is joining the all star cast of Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, John Cusack, Alan Rickman, Jane Fonda, Cuba Gooding Jr, David Oyelowo, Lenny Kravitz, Terrence Howard and Minka Kelly in THE BUTLER about a long standing real-life tale of a butler working at the White House.

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET is adding two more to the Martin Scorsese film in the likes of Margot Robbie (via Deadline) as the female lead and Rob Reiner (via THR) as the father of Leonardo DiCaprio’s character.

Variety is reporting that  Cam Gigandet is set to join the cast of the Catherine Hardwicke directed PLUSH about the downfall of a superstar musician after the loss of a bandmate and brother to a drug overdose.  Cam will star opposite of Emily Browning.

DJANGO UNCHAINED has a last minute casting addition in the form of Jonah Hill according to Deadline.  No word yet on who he will be playing.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is set to join MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, part of George Miller’s new take on the series he created.  Just Jared is reporting that she will be playing one of the “five wives.”

Colin Farrell is joining SAVING MR. BANKS according to THR and will play the father of the main character who wrote the original Mary Poppins book.  Her father is who she based the Mr. Banks character on in the novel.

PARANOIA is adding two more in the form of Amber Heard (via Variety) who will play the female lead and Julian McMahon (via Deadline) as a character named Meechum in the film by Robert Luketic’s about a man forced into some corporate espionage.

5.

ComingSoon.net reported this week that Michael Bay’s Platinum Dune’s NINJA TURTLES, a new version of the beloved characters that may or may not see their origins altered from sewer mutants to aliens, has been delayed.  The movie, originally stated to hit Christmas of 2013, is now set to hit theaters on May 16, 2014.  This move puts it in direct competition with Marvel’s as-of-yet-undisclosed secret movie that also opens on the same day.  I know Michael Bay is pretty ballsy, but to go into direct competition with Marvel at this point may or may not be the best decision he’s made.

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6.

Did you see that we were surprised this week wtih a new trailer for THE DARK KNIGHT RISES?  Well, we also got some new promotional images of Batman, Bane, Catwoman and The Bat this week as well thanks to ComingSoon.net.  Check them out below and get excited for the new film.  It’s almost upon us.

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7.

This week, we also got our very first look at Angelina Jolie as the title character in Walt Disney’s MALEFICENT. Check out the Press Release (complete with synopsis) and image below.

Press Release:

Burbank, CA  (June 19, 2012) – The Walt Disney Studios announced today that production began Wednesday, June 13th, on “Maleficent,” starring Academy Award®–winning actress Angelina Jolie.

Directed by two-time Oscar®-winning production designer Robert Stromberg (“Avatar,” “Alice in Wonderland”), in his directorial debut, and produced by Joe Roth, “Maleficent” is written by Linda Woolverton (“The Lion King,” “Beauty and the Beast”) and executive produced by Angelina Jolie, Don Hahn, Matt Smith and Palak Patel.

Co-starring in the film are Sharlto Copley (“District 9”), Elle Fanning (“Super 8”), Sam Riley (“On the Road”), Imelda Staunton (“Vera Drake”), Miranda Richardson (“The Hours”), Juno Temple (“Atonement”) and Lesley Manville (“Secrets & Lies”).

This is the untold story of Disney’s most beloved villain, Maleficent, from the 1959 classic “Sleeping Beauty.” The film reveals the events that hardened her heart and drove her to curse the baby, Aurora.

Behind-the-scenes talent includes Academy Award®–winning cinematographer Dean Semler (“Dances with Wolves,” “In the Land of Blood and Honey”), production designer Gary Freeman (“Saving Private Ryan,” “The Bourne Supremacy”), two-time Oscar® nominated costume designer Anna B. Sheppard (“Schindler’s List,” “The Pianist”) and seven-time Academy Award–winning makeup artist Rick Baker (“Planet of the Apes,” “Men in Black”).

MALEFICENT is directed by Robert Stromberg and stars Angelina Jolie, Sharlto Copley, Elle Fanning, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Miranda Richardson, Juno Temple and Lesley Manville.

SYNOPSIS: This is the untold story of Disney’s most beloved villain, Maleficent, from the 1959 classic Sleeping Beauty. The film reveals the events that hardened her heart and drove her to curse the baby, Aurora.

MALEFICENT is set to hit 2D and 3D theaters on March 14, 2014.

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8.

Did you like Marvel’s THE AVENGERS?  Are you a fan of Joss Whedon’s cancelled-too-soon show Firefly?  Apparently YouTube user Hud1313 answered yes to both of those questions.  Hud1313 made an impressive intro the Marvel’s THE AVENGERS in the vein of the intro to Firefly.  Check it out below.

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9.

This one just broke on Thursday thanks to Vulture.  Barry Sonnenfeld (MIB, MIB II and MIB III) is now attached to direct a new comic-book movie, this time for DC Comics and Warner Bros.   The film will be the UNTITLED METAL MEN FILM. Metal Men is a group in the DC Comics world that centers around six cyborgs created by Dr. William Magnus that he makes from different elements: Gold, Iron, Lead, Mecury, Tin and Platinum (and sometimes a Nameless element).  Each of them have powers that correspond with the element they are made from.  The series has always been a little light-hearted and fun so Barry is a terrific pick for director.  This is all sorts of new right now so there is no information on timeline, casting or script, but as it comes available, we will bring it to you right here.

You can check out the image below (click to make it really big) to learn more about the team and their powers.

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10.

We’re off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Franco of OZ!!  As many of you probably know, Sam Raimi (EVIL DEAD Trilogy, SPIDER-MAN trilogy) is bringing the untold story of the Wizard’s arrival in the wonderful land of Oz.  James Franco will be playing Oscar Diggs (the Wizard) and today, thanks to James Franco Forever, we have our first image of him in the title role and he looks, well, he looks like James Franco.  Some actors really get lost in their roles, but James Franco is James Franco.  Whether we are talking Freaks and Geeks or 127 HOURS, he is who he is.  Check it out below and let us know what you think below.  (By the way, you have to wonder if somewhere Mike Wazowski is freaking out for just being in the picture….)

OZ, THE GREAT AND POWERFUL is directed by Sam Raimi and stars James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff, Joey King and Bruce Campbell.

SYNOPSIS: Walt Disney Pictures’ fantastical adventure “Oz The Great and Powerful,” directed by Sam Raimi, imagines the origins of L. Frank Baum’s beloved character, the Wizard of Oz. When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot-fame and fortune are his for the taking-that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity-and even a bit of wizardry-Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well.

Walt Disney Pictures’ fantastical adventure “Oz The Great and Powerful,” directed by Sam Raimi, imagines the origins of L. Frank Baum’s beloved character, the Wizard of Oz. When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot-fame and fortune are his for the taking-that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity-and even a bit of wizardry-Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well.

OZ, THE GREAT AND POWERFUL is set to hit theaters on March 8, 2013.

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