Harrison Ford Among Those Eyed To Join Asa Butterfield In Ender's Game

Right before Asa Butterfield spent a weekend in New York doing press for Hugo, it was all but announced that he would be starring in Ender's Game, an adaptation of Orson Scott Card's landmark children's novel. But of course, Butterfield couldn't confirm anything, so he spent the weekend hedging questions about Ender while smiling in a way that suggested it was totally in the bag. Now it really is official, according to Variety and Butterfield's own Twitter feed, and it's time for a bigger name actor to join Butterfield in the cast.

Variety's report says that several high-profile actors are being eyed to play Colonel Hyrum Graff, the commander of the military unit that recruits expert child gamer Ender. Viggo Mortensen had been their goal for a while, but apparently the producers are shifting directions and looking at several options, including Harrison Ford. Given that the character's name basically sounds like the kind of "harumph" the constantly grumpy Ford might give, he's kind of perfect for the role, though it's unclear why Ford would sign on for a film that could easily land him in a franchise-- there are several Ender books by Orson Scott Card. Isn't the general assumption that Ford is quasi-retired, and only shows up when there's easy money or the chance to wear a cowboy hat? Not that he wouldn't be great in Ender's Game, but I just have a hard time seeing him taking the role.

Regardless of who winds up playing the main adult role, Gavin Hood is still directing the film, which is set for a March 15, 2013 release from Summit Entertainment.

Breaking Dawn Part 1 Breaks Five Hundred Million Dollars At The Global Box Office

There’s cause to celebrate for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1. The film, which made its grand debut earlier this month, has already surpassed a half a billion dollars worldwide. That’s not a bad haul for twelve days in the theater and while things are bound to taper off at the box office, the film will probably continue to rake in even more cash as fans return for more or finally get around to seeing it.

Summit broke the news today, sharing the huge success at the global box office for the first part in the two-part adaptation of the final installment in Stephenie Meyer’s teen-vampire romance series. Summit’s release says the film has grossed more than $508 million globally since the film’s release on November 18, 2011. Just under half of that ($223 million) was earned domestically, which puts the movie among the top 12 films to reach $220 million in 10 days. That seems like a very specific milestone but I suppose it’s notable, especially to those who benefit from such a financial success.

Breaking Dawn Part 1 follows vampire Edward and his true love Bella down the aisle and off to a romantic honeymoon. A scary pregnancy and lots of drama (and blood, I hear) ensues. The franchise only has more money to make, not only from future screenings of Part 1 and the inevitable DVD/Blu-ray release, but from the second part, which is set to hit theaters next fall.

Jesse Eisenberg Sues Over Misleading Camp Hell DVD Cover

Lionsgate and Grindstone Entertainment are facing a lawsuit filed by Jesse Eisenberg over the DVD cover of the low budget horror film Camp Hell. The DVD cover art prominently features The Social Network stars name and face, which is apparently a major oversell in terms of Eisenberg’s involvement in the movie.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Eisenberg is suing Lionsgate and Grindhouse over the cover, “for allegedly turning his less-than-five-minute cameo in the horror flick Camp Hell into an above-the-title star turn. The complaint states that the actor is suing in order to warn his fans that, despite how it looks on the DVD cover, he’s not the star of the film, nor does he play a prominent role in the movie. He’s also looking for $3 million in damages. Considering that’s more than what it cost to make the movie, they may as well have hired him to star in it to begin with.

John Carter Gets A Brand New Poster

The new trailer for Disney's John Carter is scheduled to arrive online this Thursday. Last week the news brought six new stills from the film, which showed off the stunning landscapes, alien creatures, and star Taylor Kitsch. But just as I predicted, the marketing is only starting to ramp up and today we have a brand new poster

Starring Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Samantha Morton, Mark Strong, Ciaran Hinds, Dominic West, James Purefoy, Daryl Sabara, Polly Walker, Bryan Cranston, Thomas Hayden Church, and Willem Dafoe, John Carter makes the live-action debut of Pixar director Andrew Stanton, whose previous films include A Bug's Life, Finding Nemo and WALL-E. His new film, based on the novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs, is about a civil war veteran who is mysteriously transported to Mars. Dealing with strange creatures and discovered abilities on the red planet, he must both try to find a way home and save a princess from a life of misery.

Beginners And Tree Of Life Tie For Top Gotham Independent Film Award

The first film awards show of the season is also among the smallest, but it's always good to kick off the back-patting and celebrating with the Gotham Independent Film Awards, which celebrate the kind of small-scale indies that typically get clobbered when the Oscars roll around. The prizes were handed out last night, and for the first time in the 21-year history of the Gothams, there was a tie for Best Picture. Both Beginners, Mike Mills's autobiographical dramedy about the death of his father, and Terrence Malick's Tree of Life shared the Best Picture prize, with Beginners also taking home the Best Ensemble trophy.

Though both Beginners and Tree of Life are in the hunt for Oscars, though possibly not for Best Picture, the rest of the Gothams went to films that likely won't factor there at all. Felicity Jones, who won the Best Actress prize at the Sundance Film Festival, added another trophy for that performance, taking home Breakthrough Actor for her indie Like Crazy, and beating out bigger names like Martha Marcy May Marlene's Elizabeth Olsen and The Descendants' Shailene Woodley in the process. Pariah director Dee Rees won Breakthrough Director, and Better This World, a documentary about two young American men arrested on terrorist charges, won Best Documentary. The award for Best Film Not Playing In A Theater Near You went to Scenes of a Crime, a documentary about police interrogation that played a series of festivals this year.

What's nice about the Gothams is that you don't really need to tie them into a larger awards narrative, or try to figure out how these awards might give people heat for the rest of awards season. These are just statues that reward good work, and with such a solid slate of nominees, every winner is more than deserving. You can check out a lot of the winning performances and films on DVD or in theaters right now too, so really, everybody wins.

Tom Hanks Heading Back Into Battle For WWII-Era Drama

Tom Hanks, Oscar-winning star of Saving Private Ryan and producer behind Band of Brothers, hopes to be heading back to war for an adaptation of Erik Larson’s non-fiction best-seller In the Garden of Beasts.

Universal has optioned the rights to Larson’s story for Hanks and his producing shingle, Playtone, and will position it as a vehicle for the leading man, The Hollywood Reporter reports. Hanks would play William Dodd, America’s ambassador to Berlin in the early 1930s who gradually realized the atrocities that were being conducted around him as World War II escalated. Adding to the mix, according to the trade, is Dodd’s daughter Martha, who was romantically involved with Gestapo officials and even dated a Societ spy, no doubt complicating matters for Dodd.

The scenario appears to create a lot of gray area in which Hanks, an immensely talented actor who’s rarely tested, can explore. The actor’s an obvious student of history, and shows an overwhelming fascination in WWII. This passion can only help Beasts as it works its way to the screen.

Now we’re left to wonder if Hanks can lure his Band of Brothers collaborator Steven Spielberg back over to Universal – where he create so many masterpieces – for yet another WWII drama. If that would be the case, it might put Beasts on a temporary backburner, as Spielberg’s busy shooting Lincoln. But wouldn’t it be worth the wait? So long as Hanks doesn’t try to direct it himself, for as much as I love That Thing You Do!, I don’t think any of us can risk seeing Larry Crowne behind enemy lines.

Bret McKenzie Hints At A Possible Flight Of The Conchords Movie

While walking the red carpet for James Bobin’s The Muppets -- to which he served as music supervisor -- Bret McKenzie told The Hollywood Reporter that a feature film structured around the comedy-musical duo Flight of the Conchords is on his radar, but rabid fans might want to slow the hell down because, you know, movies take time.

“We’re gonna try and do a movie,” McKenzie told the trade. “We just need a story.”

Obviously. And when pressed on the matter a little bit further, McKenzie joked, “I’m gonna go back to New Zealand tomorrow, maybe film it next week. And then edit it the week after… I don’t know how familiar you are with movies, but there’s a lot of behind the scenes stuff that could take one or two weeks. Probably in about a month we’ll have a premiere.”

As if McKenzie actually had the time. He’s currently filming a part in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit, where he’ll play Lindir, the Elf of Rivendell. “I’ve never seen anything so massive,” McKenzie says of Jackson’s adaptation.

As for Conchord, sure, it’s great to hear that he’s like to make a Flight movie with colleague Jemaine Clement. But is this going to become the new Arrested Development, where McKenzie’s asked about little else until a movie reaches theaters? They don’t even have a story yet. They’d like to make a movie. Of course they’d like to make a movie! Who wouldn’t? And while I like Conchords, I’d rather hear about a Wire or Sopranos feature film if we’re talking HBO adaptations … and something tells me we’re just as close to those

Vin Diesel's Chronicles of Riddick Sequel Reportedly Secures Funding

Fans who subscribe to Vin Diesel’s Facebook page (I’m not joking) already know two things. One, Vin loves you. He says it all of the time. Second, he’s passionate about making a third Chronicles of Riddick film with writer/director/collaborator David Twohy. He has shared Riddick-inspired artwork and potential costume design with fans through social media, but has kept mum on specific details. Production on a Pitch Black sequel hit a snag when money dried up, but TMZ says the wheels are turning once again as cash flows back into Riddick’s coffers.

The gossip site says that the Montreal studio where parts of the sequel are being filmed has opened its doors to cast and crew now that the production company footing the bills has paid off its debt. The site even says that disgruntled Riddick crew members who went a while without being paid can expect to see compensation “in the very near future.” As TMZ states, this is but one step back toward a Riddick sequel reaching theaters, but it’s a major step for what’s expected to be a moderately-budgeted sci-fi thriller.

And why not bankroll Diesel on this effort? You know he;s passionate about the character. The Fast and Furious films demonstrate his bankability as an action star. And yet, Universal’s last stab at a Riddick film – 2004’s The Chronicles of Riddick -- tapped out at $57.7 million against a reported $105 million production budget. The keys for Diesel and crew, now that money’s available, will be to tighten the budget, squeeze every penny out of the expense report, and deliver a slam-bang Riddick film that fans of all generations will want to see.

According to TMZ, filming on this untitled Riddick sequel resumes on Dec. 28, which probably explains Diesel’s latest status update, “I have a good feeling about this winter …”

Curtis Hanson Has To Hand His Surf Drama Over To Michael Apted

Complications surrounding Curtis Hanson’s recent heart surgery will force the L.A. Confidential director to step away from his curtly-shooting picture, Of Men and Mavericks, though he’ll receive support from an equally qualified filmmaker who’ll step in a guide the production for a few days.

Michael Apted, award-winning director of the Up documentary series, will take over Hanson’s Northern California set and complete the final 15 days of principal photography on the director’s surfing drama, Deadline reports. Men, produced by Walden Media, tells the true story of surfer Jay Moriarty, who conquered a specific break off of California’s coast that became known as Mavericks. Newcomer Jonny Weston is on board playing Moriarty in the film. He’ll be joined by Gerard Butler, Abigail Spencer and Elisabeth Shue.

Apted’s no stranger to feature film work, having helmed the most recent Chronicles of Narnia film (for Walden), the James Bond thriller The World Is Not Enough, Jodie Foster’s Nell and Gorillas In the Mist.

It’s unclear just how much footage Apted will have to shoot for Hanson, or whether Hanson will be back in time to begin the editing process. As of right now, Men has scheduled an October 2012 release, which should give Hanson time to complete a final cut should he be able to overcome these unfortunate health complications that have popped up due to his surgery. Though Hanson helmed the TV movie Too Big to Fail, about our nation’s financial meltdown, his last theatrical release was 2007’s Lucky You with Drew Barrymore, and his fans were hoping he could rebound with a winning drama. We’re pulling for Hanson, for his health, and for Of Men and Mavericks.

John Lithgow Joins Ferrell And Galifianakis In Dog Fight

John Lithgow has proven to be just as adept at comedy as he is at drama. The success of the '90's sitcom 3rd Rock From the Sun is one example of that. The actor has a number of projects coming up, among which is a role in Warner Bros' comedy Dog Fight alongside Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis.

Variety posted the news, stating that the film is set to be directed by Jay Roach (Austin Powers) and follows two rival politicians (Ferrell and Galifianakis) as they run for a congressional seat in a small North Carolina District Election. Variety doesn’t specify what role Lithgow will play in the film, only that he's been cast. This is pure speculation here but perhaps he’ll be another, more serious (and possibly villainous) rivaling politician, or perhaps the father to Ferrell or Galifianakis’ character.

In recent years, Lithgow has appeared in Rise of the Planet of the Apes and CBS’ How I Met Your Mother. He also delivered and excellent, Emmy-winning performance as Arthur Mitchell (aka Trinity) in Season 4 of Showtime’s Dexter. Coming up, he’s see to appear in New Year’s Eve and further down the line, Judd Apatow’s This is 40.