Nicolas Winding Refn is being considered for the next Die Hard film...

...along with some other choices, according to Deadline:

20th Century Fox is turning up the heat on Die Hard 5, even though its attached director, Noam Murro, left the picture after he got the job helming300: Battle Of Artemisia for Warner Bros. I'm told that the studio has come up with a short list of directors to helm the film scripted by Skip Woods. They are: Joe Cornish (who directed Attack the Block), Fast Five helmer Justin Lin, Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn and Max Payne helmer John Moore. The film brings the always in the wrong place cop John McLane to Russia. Bruce Willis is ready to reprise his signature role.

The surprise on the list is Cornish. While his feature directorial debut Attack the Blockhad a budget probably less than the catering bill on last weekend's other alien invasion film opener Cowboys & Aliens, the movie has become a critical darling as it opened to $130,000 in 8 theaters (it has grossed $4.3 million overseas). It would be a big jump to Die Hard 5, but remember the studio had attached Murro, whose debut was the 2008 character comedySmart People.

Lin is hot off Fast Five, and is expected to do another The Fast and the Furiousinstallment and is attached to the package to finish The Terminatorfranchise that was acquired by Megan Ellison's Annapurna Pictures.

Refn has much momentum for Drive, the drama that played Cannes and opens in September. Refn reteamed with Ryan Gosling for Only God Forgives,another action film that shoots late summer in Thailand, and which FilmDistrict acquired for U.S. distribution late last month. Refn is also booked to remake Logan's Run with Gosling. Then there is Moore, the Irish helmer who has directed all of his features--Max Payne, The Omen, Flight of the Phoenix and Behind Enemy Lines--for Fox. A web report indicated that Moore already had the job, but I'm told that the filmmaker meetings haven't started yet, so that might be jumping the gun.

This is certainly the big directing job of the moment. The last installment, 2007's Live Free Or Die Hard, showed there was still steam in the franchise when it grossed $384 million worldwide, not shabby considering the first installment, an action classic, came out in 1988.

-Joey's Two Cents: Refn or Cornish would be the out of the box choices, but with a less than "Die Hard" sounding plot to this one, I'm not sure how excited I am about the project yet...thoughts?

Here's some Avengers concept art!

Thoughts?

Here's a bunch of images from The Amazing Spider-Man!

The newest issue of Entertainment Weekly has a whole load of images from Marc Webb's upcoming take on Spidey, and it's overall an article worth reading (though it does shamelessly claim to exclusively confirm the villain, despite everyone knowing already for months). For those without the magazine, here are those images after the jump. Enjoy!

Thoughts?

Ed Norton could play opposite Jeremy Renner in the next Bourne film...

...and as the bad guy no less, as per this in Variety:

Edward Norton is in negotiations to play the villain in Universal's "The Bourne Legacy" opposite Jeremy Renner.

Tony Gilroy is on board to direct from a script he penned and Rachel Weisz has also signed on to star.

Plot details are being kept under wraps, but Jason Bourne will not be featured in the film, while Renner will play another assassin trained in the same program that Bourne was trained in. Universal had no comment on Norton's negotiations.

Frank Marshall, Ben Smith and Jeffrey Weiner are producing.

Besides "The Italian Job," Norton has not been in full-bore villain mode for some time. The "Bourne" role is his most commercial since starring as the Hulk in Marvel and Universal's "The Incredible Hulk."

In previous "Bourne" pics, Universal had not surrounded then-star Matt Damon with high-profile names, but the Gilroy pic is shaping up as a major ensemble piece.

Norton is filming the Wes Anderson pic "Moonrise Kingdom."

He is repped by WME.

-Joey's Two Cents: I like the direction of this film so far...thoughts?

Sherlock Holmes 2 gets a few Character Posters

Watson is after the jump...

Thoughts?

The Dark Knight Rises may have a Teaser by this time next week...

...since the rumors are swirling that it will be attached to the last Harry Potter flick. This was the day that most speculated it would show up in theaters, so it makes a lot of sense. I wouldn't say it's set in stone, but don't bet against it. There should also be the first poster dropping around the same time, so our first taste of Christopher Nolan's bat swan song are rapidly approaching!

-Thoughts?

Will Paul Feig be taking over the Bridget Jones franchise?

Perhaps, according to The Playlist:

With “Bridesmaids” picking up rave reviews and recently crossing the $150 million barrier, making it the highest-grossing film of producer Judd Apatow‘s career, it’s not surprising that director Paul Feig has swiftly become the hottest comedy director in town. He’s working with Jon Hamm and Melissa McCarthy, the breakouts of that project, on a new comedy again reteaming with Apatow, and dropped hints that he may spend the end of this year rebooting a comedy franchise.

But this morning brings news that Feig’s also being courted for another big comedy series, one that fits right in with the wheelhouse he established with “Bridesmaids,” as Baz Bamigboye reports that the helmer is in early talks to direct a second sequel to Universal and Working Title‘s romantic comedy “Bridget Jones’ Diary.” That film, released a decade ago, was perhaps the last female-driven rom-com to gain similar acclaim, picking up an Oscar nomination for star Renee Zellwegger (to which we say: let’s get Kristen Wiig one too), becoming a beloved staple of girl’s nights in, and taking in nearly $300 million worldwide.

It was swiftly followed by a sequel, 2004’s “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason,” which managed to get everything wrong that the original got right, but a third film has been quietly in development almost ever since, with a script by Jones creator Helen Fielding, focusing on her heroine’s quest for a baby. A stage musical version of the first film, penned by pop star Lily Allen, will debut in the West End next year, and Working Title are clearly keen to use the momentum to get the threequel moving.

Of course, it’s early days, and Bamigboye stresses that the negotiations are complex, with no deal in place for Zellwegger or her leading men, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth. While Zellwegger would probably be glad for the opportunity to return to her signature role, considering her recent run of luck (it’s half a decade since she had a hit of any kind), the boys are more complicated: Grant, who was a key figure in exposing the phone-hacking scandal sweeping the news, is often a difficult catch to land, and strained relations with Working Title when he pulled out of comedy “Lost For Words” a few years back, while Firth is now an Oscar-winner, and more in demand than ever, and much more expensive as a result.

But if you want to convince the trio that the new entry is worth their time, hiring the man behind the most successful comedy of its type in a decade is a good way to go about it, and we imagine Feig would land a hefty payday as a result; and we’re certainly more interested in the film than we otherwise would have been. With Feig likely to direct that comedy franchise reboot later in the year, and the Hamm/McCarthy project on the horizon, it’s unclear when it might happen, but even should the deals work out, it’s extremely unlikely it would go before cameras for at least another year.

-Joey's Two Cents: I could see him doing a good job with this...thoughts?

A sequel to Atlas Shrugged is still in the works...

...for better or worse, according to 24 Frames:

Atlas Shrugged: The Trilogy is still alive. The producers of the Ayn Rand adaptation will bring the first part of their planned series to home-entertainment platforms this fall, courtesy of a deal with 20th Century Fox, and expect to begin production on "Atlas Shrugged: Part 2" in September. They hope to bring the new film to theaters during the 2012 election season.

"Atlas Shrugged: Part 1," the low-budget adaptation of the first third of Rand's dystopian novel, grossed $4.6 million during its five-week theatrical run this spring. After the film drew scathing reviews, producer John Aglialoro said he was reconsidering whether to move forward with two sequels.

Now Aglialoro has resumed those efforts, according to producer Harmon Kaslow, and will devote all revenue from the release of "Atlas Shrugged: Part 1" to financing "Atlas Shrugged: Part 2."

"John has a much clearer perspective," Kaslow told 24 Frames. "He’s always wanted to have a studio level support for the film and I think feels that his effort in producing Part 1 has been validated by having the largest home video distributor in America aboard."

The producers are retaining the home entertainment rights, but are paying a distribution fee to Fox to release the film on DVD, Blu-Ray, digital download and video on demand, according to Kaslow. He said the deal was born of strategy, not necessity.

"What we discovered with the film is that it really doesn’t fit squarely into a lot of business models," said Kaslow. "We got incredible grass roots and community level support for the movie, but what we didn’t have was the polished marketing edge that the studios have perfected. Now we get to use their marketing, their fulfillment capacity. We think that makes more sense for us than mortgaging those rights off for a number."

Deals for TV and pay-TV airings are being negotiated, Kaslow said, and the producers have retained a foreign sales agent to secure international theatrical releases.

Aglialoro, the CEO of exercise-equipment company Cybex, spent $20 million to produce, distribute and market the movie, which was directed by first-timer Paul Johansson and stars Taylor Schilling (as railroad executive Dagny Taggart) and Grant Bowler (as steel magnate Hank Rearden).

Rand's novel, a touchstone work among many conservatives, takes place at an unspecified future time in which the U.S. is stuck in a depression and a mysterious phenomenon is causing the nation's leading industrialists to disappear.

Kaslow said the release of "Atlast Shrugged: Part 2" next year in theaters will be timed to capitalize on the national mood during the presidential election. "There will be a debate going on about the direction of the country, and a lot of the groups who have embraced Ayn Rand’s philosophies will be engaged," he said.

The filmmakers, who self-distributed and marketed "Atlas Shrugged: Part 1" as "the movie liberal Hollywood doesn't want you to see" may partner with a studio distributor this time around, Kaslow said.

"John appreciates the autonomy that came with spending his own money and doing his own theatrical release," Kaslow said. "But he realizes that the motion picture business is especially challenging and there are a number of things studios do better than anybody else."

-Joey's Two Cents: I've only heard phenomenally dreadful things about the first installment, so one assumes that the next one can't be as bad, but who knows...thoughts?

Which directors could take the Transformers franchise over from Michael Bay?

Collider has some ideas:

Now that Michael Bay has wrapped his trilogy of Transformers films, it looks like he’s ready to move on to other exploding pastures. Since Paramount and Hasbro want to keep the fire burning on one of their biggest moneymakers, two major decisions lay ahead: when to release the next movie and who should direct it. Bay has been able to crank out Transformers film every two years since 2007, but his infrastructure, crew, and designs have remained in place as opposed to a new director who will, to some extent, have to start from scratch so as not to simply imitate Bay. Transformers 4 could come as early as summer 2013, but I would bet a summer 2014 date is more likely.

But who will direct it? Who can fill Bay’s expensive, nonsensical shoes? It needs to be someone who can manage a big budget and even bigger special effects. It’s not enough to make stuff blow up. You need to understand how to do it properly. After the jump you can check out my suggestions for six directors who could handle Optimus Prime and Friends.

Roland Emmerich

Yes, the Foundation trilogy and Singularity, and he’s been offered Asteroids, but no one likes destruction like Roland Emmerich. He’s destroyed the Earth with aliens, weather, and a cataclysm, so why not with giant robots? Like Bay, he’s a storyteller who doesn’t seem to care so much about telling stories as much as creating intense, unrelenting thrill rides for the audience. Also like Bay, while he’s unpopular with critics, but his movies make a ton of money. Of everyone on this list, he’s the most similar to Bay and if he didn’t have other commitments, I’d consider him as a top choice for the job.

Joe Johnston

Joe Johnston is in prime position to take over a major franchise as early buzz on Captain America: The First Avenger indicates that it will be both a box office and critical success. Johnston is a bit of a journeyman director and twice in his career he’s been asked to take over a film or a franchise. In 2001, he took over the Jurassic Park franchise from Steven Spielberg (who just happens to be the executive producer on the Transformers films) and Johnston was brought in at the last minute to replace Mark Romanek on The Wolfman. Like Transformers, Captain America is set up at Paramount and the studio may want to keep him in house but place the Transformers franchise in his charge. However, if Captain America is a success, he may want to stick around and direct Captain America 2 instead of trying to serve as the follow-up to Michael Bay.

Jon Turteltaub

Like the majority of directors on this list, Turteltaub is a journeyman. He doesn’t exercise a strong creative vision but can competently put together an action film, and that’s what Hasbro and Paramount want. They want a guy who won’t make waves, will happily include as many robots as necessary so Hasbro can sell more toys, and won’t take Transformers too far away from the formula that has made it one of the most successful franchises of all-time. Turteltaub made a splash with the National Treasure films and then got a much larger budget to make last year’s flop The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. However, one could argue that Apprentice failed not because Turteltaub didn’t know how to do special effects or handle a big budget, but because it wasn’t based on anything more than a Fantasia segment. Transformers has a built-in audience so Turteltaub wouldn’t have that problem.

Stephen Sommers

This one is a bit of a long shot since it doesn’t seem like Sommers and Paramount parted on good terms after G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. There were rumors that he’d been locked out of the editing room and then he chose not to return for G.I. Joe 2. But the fact of the matter remains that big dumb action is Sommers’ forte and he’s already delivered a CGI-heavy blockbuster film based on a Hasbro line of action figures. He’s currently at work on an adaptation of Dean Koontz’ supernatural mystery novel Odd Thomas, but I doubt that Sommers’ hiatus from blockbusters will last for long.

Louis Leterrier

Following the success of Clash of the Titans, Leterrier had this eye on The Avengers, but didn’t get the gig. He’s also interested in adapting Brian K. Vaughan’s Y: The Last Man, but is currently at work on the magician heist thriller Now You See Me and he’s attached to the disaster film G, which follows “a father who has to search for his lost child as the world stops spinning and Earth begins to lose its gravity.” But if Paramount swooped in and offered him Transformers 4, it could conceivably take prime position in his schedule. Keep in mind: Transformers 4 is a sure-fire hit and little kids don’t care who’s in the director’s chair. What Paramount and Hasbro are looking for is someone who has handled big budget action films before, understands CGI, and preferably has some hits to their name. Because of Clash of the Titans, Leterrier absolutely fits that description.

David Yates

When the Harry Potter franchise is finally over, David Yates will be one of the most in-demand directors in Hollywood. He has delivered the best films in the franchise and has balanced pulse-pounding action scenes with thoughtful, moving drama. With the exception of Johnston, Yates is the only director on this list who seems to really care about characters and story and that may make him absolutely the wrong choice for Transformers. Keep in mind that Steve Kloves has done an incredible job adapting the Harry Potter novels and making good movies is made easier when you’re working from such strong source material. The Transformers films, on the other hand, have scripts that are written on the back of cocktail napkins. Yates will have a lot of offers following Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 and I can’t help but wonder if he would care to take his talents from a rich, wonderful franchise like Harry Potter and move them to a world as vapid as Transformers.

Final Thoughts

Remember that sometimes studios take chances. Marc Webb had only directed one critically acclaimed indie flick ((500) Days of Summer) but Sony thought it was good enough to hire him for The Amazing Spider-Man. However, I would bank on a director like the six mentioned above more than someone known for their smaller, non-CGI heavy work. I’m sure there are plenty of other directors we’ve forgotten so please sound off in the comments section on who you think should take over the Transformers franchise (and keep in mind that Paramount and Hasbro aren’t thinking just one more film; they’re thinking of at least another trilogy) and tell us why you think that director is right for the job.

One more thing to consider: With Shia LaBeouf also leaving the franchise, Paramount has some options on where to take the series next. They could do a reboot, but it’s unlikely since it would mean reintroducing all the Transformers. It’s possible that a supporting cast member could be elevated to the lead role, but that’s also a slim chance. With Spielberg still working behind the scenes, I would bet on another male teenage protagonist in the lead role and then that protagonist can grow over the course of three movies. That’s the formula that’s worked for the previous three movies and I don’t see any reason why Paramount would want to break from a formula that’s made them a ridiculous amount of money.

-Joey's Two Cents: I don't care who it is, as long as they're able to make a coherent film...thoughts?

Mission: Impossible- Ghost Protocol gets a Teaser Trailer!

Take a gander:

-Joey's Two Cents: It does appear to be catering to more of the 'Transformers' and 'Fast Five' type of crowd, but I must say...I dig it. Thoughts?

Don't count out a sequel to Green Lantern just due to mediocre Box Office...

...since Warner Brothers is pushing ahead with another installment of the now franchise, according to The Hollywood Reporter:

Warner Bros. is already planning a sequel to Ryan Reynolds' superhero pic Green Lantern, despite the film’s soft performance at the box office.

Sources say Warners still believes in the franchise, even if the studio is “somewhat disappointed” with Green Lantern’s result.

Over the weekend, Green Lantern fell a steep 66% at the domestic box office, grossing $18.4 million for a cume of $89.3 million. That’s a big decline.

Warner Bros. president of domestic distribution Dan Fellman said the movie is settling in, pointing out that fanboy pics often see a significant drop-off in their second weekends.

Still, Green Lantern fell off more than recent superhero picsThor and X-Men: First Class. Thor dropped 47% in its second weekend, while First Class dropped 56%.

Similar films that have seen the same sort of dip that Green Lantern did include Hulk, which dropped nearly 70% in its second outing.

Green Lantern cost $200 million to produce before a sizeable marketing spend (rival studios say it was one of the most expensive on record). Warners, preparing for the end of Harry Potter, needs new franchises, so was willing to invest big in Green Lantern.

A formidable obstacle standing in Green Lantern’s way now is Paramount’s Transformers: Dark of the Moon, which opens in theaters around the globe on Tuesday night.

-Joey's Two Cents: I think the second movie would undoubtedly be a step up, without having to deal with the origins of the character, but that's just me...thoughts?

Behold the new Trailer for Captain America!

Take a gander:

-Thoughts?

Today's Trailers: Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Killer Elite, and Girlfriend

First up is the latest (and best) look at the prequel 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes':

The others are after the jump...

Next up is the action flick 'Killer Elite':

Finally, we have the indie drama 'Girlfriend':

-Thoughts?

Wait...Jurassic Park 4 hasn't gone extinct yet?

Apparently not (and sorry for the pun), as you can see via Heat Vision:

Steven Spielberg has dinosaurs back on the brain lately. In addition to the impending launch of the television series Terra Nova on Fox in the fall, Spielberg has been meeting with screenwriter Mark Protosevich to kick around ideas for how to re-boot the Jurassic Park franchise.

Several years ago, the Oscar-winning director worked with Protosevich on a potential remake of Chan-wook Park's Oldboy that was to star Will Smith. That film ran into rights problems and didn't come to fruition, but Spielberg, who directed the first two Jurassic Park films and was an executive producer on the third, has since met twice with Protosevich to fashion a story for a potential fourth film in the franchise.

Both Universal, which released the trilogy, and Spielberg's camp stress that no one has been engaged to write a script and that the discussions have been purely exploratory. But the idea is kind of a no-brainer.

The franchise, born of the late Michael Crichton's 1990 novel, has been in stuck in amber since 2001, when Joe Johnston directed Jurassic Park III from a script by Peter Buchman, Jim Taylor and Alexander Payne. That last entry signaled the series' fading fortunes, as it grossed just $369 million worldwide -- Jurassic Park and The Lost World: Jurassic Park grossed $915 million and $619 million, respectively.

Spielberg's original 1993 film adaptation, which came on the heels of James Cameron's groundbreaking Terminator 2: Judgment Day, greatly advanced CGI technology (courtesy of ILM) in its depiction of colossal dinosaurs re-animated in the modern day. With the recent rebirth of 3D and soaring improvements in digital design marshaled by everyone from Cameron to Pixar, Jurassic Park is ripe for evolution into a 21st century phenomenon.

And Universal could use the revived sci-fi tentpole.The Fast and the Furious franchise remains healthy, but The Mummy has lost momentum, the Bourne series lost star Matt Damon (a reboot with Jeremy Renner is in the works) and Van Helsing, The Wolfman and Land of the Lost never caught fire. Battleship remains a gamble for summer 2012 but could spark a new alien-related franchise.

Stampeding dinosaurs endangering humans, fighting each other and smashing things never gets old, and Cameron showed how far an ambitious filmmaker can push an integrated, immersive 3D world with Avatar. A new Spielberg-produced Jurassic Park that takes full advantage of those tools could be (pre)historic.

The CAA-repped Protosevich recently had a story credit on Marvel Studios' Thor, and he is working on an adaptation of the Ape Entertainment comic Freakshow that he would also direct. He co-wrote the screenplay for I Am Legend and wrote both The Cell and Poseidon.

The CAA-repped Spielberg is finishing up The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn for Paramount and War Horse for DreamWorks/Disney, both scheduled for holiday releases. He next plans to direct Lincoln for DreamWorks/Touchstone.

-Joey's Two Cents: If handled with care, it could be a fun reboot...thoughts?

Here's a new Trailer for Rise of the Planet of the Apes!

Behold:

-Thoughts?

Look for James Bond to return to theaters on November 9th of 2012!

Collider has the details:

If you’re a James Bond fanatic and want to see director Sam Mendes take on the character as soon as possible, start saving for a ticket to the United Kingdom. That’s because MGM and Sony Pictures have set a October 26, 2012 release for Bond 23 in the U.K., which is two weeks before America (November 9, 2012). Production on the 23rd installment is set to begin later this year. In case you missed our previous stories, Javier Bardem and Ralph Fiennes have both been in talks with producers about taking on two separate roles, with Bardem being offered the villain. While I loved Casino Royale, I thought Quantum of Solace was a missed opportunity. However, Daniel Craig was great in both films and I can’t wait for the next installment.

-Joey's Two Cents: I'm a Bond fan, so I'll be counting the days...thoughts?

Speaking of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo...here's the International Poster!

Yes, the marketing is slowly coming out now, though it's still up for debate as to how much is viral. I like the look of the poster very much, completely feeling like a "David Fincher" movie, though I recognize that the domestic ones will not be quite the same. It's a slightly adult image, so you can see the poster (and a second one) after the jump...




-Thoughts?

Not that this shocks anyone, but prepare yourself for 'The Hangover Part 3'...

...despite a complete lack of quality inherent in the second one, at least to me. Anyway, here's the story from The Wrap:

It really shouldn't be a surprise, but Craig Mazin is on board to write the third "Hangover" movie.

Mazin and Scot Armstrong wrote "The Hangover Part II," the Warner Bros. comedy that grossed more than $205 million worldwide in its first five days. It's the best comedy premiere ever and Warner Bros. would love to replicate its success.

The movie was released Thursday.

Mazin (left) also wrote the 2003 "Scary Movie 3" and the 2006 "Scary Movie 4."

He and Armstrong wrote "The Hangover Part II" based on characters by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore.

Todd Phillips directed the 2009 "The Hangover" and this week's sequel.

-Joey's Two Cents: Money talks...thoughts?

'The Hobbit' films get their release dates...

...and you can read about them here, courtesy of Deadline:

The first of the Peter Jackson-directed installments will be called The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and Warners will release the film December 14, 2012. The second installment, The Hobbit: There And Back Again, will be released a year later, on December 13, 2013. The films revolve around the adventures of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), and his efforts to thwart the fearsome dragon Smaug. I'd heard way back when that Jackson was eyeing Bill Nighy to provide the voice of the dragon, but Jackson hasn't yet announced who he got and I'm told the whole thing is being kept under lock down. Jackson has brought back from The Lord of the Rings such cast members as Ian McKellen, Cate Blanchett, Elijah Wood, Andy Serkis, Christopher Lee and Hugo Weaving.

The other unanswered question is, since Jackson is shooting the Hobbit films in 3D, will New Line owner Warner Bros convert the original LOTR franchise into 3D format? Despite the recent indications that audiences are tiring of forking over extra money for 3D conversions on films like Pirates of the Caribbean that seem just as palatable in 2D, seeing Middle Earth in 3D through that classic trilogy seems like an event that many would feel is worth an extra couple of bucks. It would give the trilogy a new theatrical and ancillary life. It seems inevitable, though it might be a ways down the line.-Joey's Two Cents: I don't care much for the LOTR trilogy, but this is still something to take note of...thoughts?

Here's your first look at Tom Hardy as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises!

What does everyone think?