Cinema & Movie & celebrity News And Rumors

[omid.k]

"Jurassic Park III" director Joe Johnston has signed a deal to bring the Marvel comic-book hero Captain America to the big screen



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"First Avenger: Captain America," a World War II-set movie, is scheduled for release in 2011 through Marvel Studios. No writers are on board, but the studio expects to hire shortly.

Created in 1941 by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon for Timely Comics, Captain America is the heroic alter ego of Steve Rogers, who is rejected by the Army for being too sickly and undergoes an experiment that takes him to the pinnacle of human form. Paired with an indestructible shield, he became a symbol of the war effort, in and out of comics.

The character disappeared in the 1950s but was revived during the early era of Marvel Comics. He was reintroduced as part of the all-star Avengers lineup, the absence explained by having him being in a state of suspended animation during a war mission until found by the superteam.

The character's last live-action appearance was in 1990's "Captain America," a cheap indie production that ended up going to straight to video. The movie starred Matt Salinger as the hero, dethawed in modern times to fight his archnemesis, the Red Skull.

Johnston first met with Marvel two years ago. When the two parties clicked, general talks turned into Captain America-specific meetings, with much of the project's current direction resulting from those early conversations.

Kicking off with "Iron Man," Marvel Studios' slate of movies -- including "Thor" and the "Iron Man" sequel -- is building toward an "Avengers" movie set for release in 2011, in which the characters from the films team for one big adventure.

Johnston is in post-production on Universal's retelling of "The Wolfman," starring Benicio Del Toro and Anthony Hopkins.

[omid.k]

The countdown to Nine has begun



. The Weinstein Company just released the first photo from the set of director Rob Marshall's movie adaptation of the Tony Award-winning stage musical, which is being shot in England and Italy.
Yeah, it's a bit difficult to tell who is who, but if ya look closely, you can see Nicole Kidman, Marion Cotillard, Dame Judi Dench, Penélope Cruz, Kate Hudson, Fergie and Sophia Loren.
Daniel Day-Lewis (his back is to the camera) stars as Guido Contini, an Italian filmmaker who is balancing his latest movie project with all the various women in his life.

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Hollywood actress Lindsay Lohan has told a U.S. magazine she is "bis*exual".

The Mean Girls star has been romantically linked to British DJ Samantha Ronson since they were spotted kissing and cuddling at a party in Cannes, France earlier this year.

The 22-year-old has continually refused to confirm their relationship, and has also dodged questions about her s*exuality.

But in an interview with Harper's Bazaar magazine, Lohan is asked whether she is bis*exual and answers, "Maybe. Yeah."

However, Lohan is adamant that she is not a le*sbian, giving journalists an emphatic "No" when asked, according to New York gossip column PageSix.com.l

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Movie star-turned-California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is urging the state Supreme Court to overturn the controversial bill that banned g*ay marriage last week.

The Proposition 8 bill was voted in earlier this month, overturning an earlier ruling legalising same-s*ex unions in the state.

In an interview on network CNN on Sunday he said, "It's unfortunate, obviously, but it's not the end. I think that we will again maybe undo that, if the court is willing to do that, and then move forward from there and again lead in that area."

Speaking to g*ay marriage supporters he added, "I learned that you should never ever give up... They should never give up. They should be on it and on it until they get it done."

G*ay unions were legalised in the state in May, which led to a flurry of celebrity weddings including TV host Ellen DeGeneres' marriage to longtime partner Portia de Rossi in August. l

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Roman Polanski will be honoured at this month's Turin Film Festival in Italy.

The event will feature a full retrospective of the Oscar winning filmmaker, including screenings of his movies and Marina Zenovich's documentary about his 1977 statutory r*ape case, entitled Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired.

Polanski will introduce the tribute, and meet with Zenovich for the first time at the event.

The 26th annual festival will run from 21-29 November. l

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Actor Josh Brolin sparred with his liberal step-mother Barbra Streisand - when she protested his role in new George W. Bush biopic W.

The singer has been an outspoken opponent of Bush throughout his two terms in the White House.

And according to Brolin, Streisand freaked out when he told her he would be playing him in Oliver Stone's movie.

Brolin tells the Times of London, "She said, 'How much are you getting paid? I told her it was a very low fee. She said, 'Then why are you doing it?'"

But the actor insists the legendary star's snub didn't give him second thoughts.

He adds, "She was furious and would not talk to me. I kind of liked that one." l

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Actress Jane Fonda and former husband Ted Turner have opened up about their tumultuous marriage the media mogul's new memoir.

In his autobiography, Call Me Ted, the pair both come clean about the events that led to their 2001 divorce.

In one passage, Turner admits he's always been "better in business and sailing than I was in marriage," adding, "Monogamy for me has always been a struggle... My dad told me 'real men run around'."

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter also contributes to the tome, recalling how Turner turned to him shortly after reading that Fonda was divorcing second husband Tom Hayden.

He writes, "Ted said to me, 'I think I'm going to call that woman up and ask her for a date.'"

Turner writes of his later phone call to Fonda, "She was taken aback. She said she was flattered... but that she needed six months (before she'd be ready to date again). I called her again. I said, 'Hi, it's Ted Turner. The six months are up.'"

The pair enjoyed nearly 10 years of marriage before they split. But Turner admits he's still in love with the star.

He adds, "Jane attempted to maintain her independence. Our crowded schedules took a toll on our relationship...

"I loved Jane very much and still love her to this day."

Fonda reminisces in the book about the pair's memories together, but adds of their divorce: "For Ted, there's a fear of abandonment that is deeper than with anyone I've ever known... He needs constant companionship, and keeping up with him can be exhausting." l

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Actress Sienna Miller has been awarded $22,300 in damages from two British tabloid newspapers over claims they breached her privacy.

The Alfie star filed lawsuits against The Sun and the News Of The World over pictures and articles which appeared in the publications over the summer.

She became a target for the paparazzi in June and July after it was revealed she had embarked on a relationship with married oil heir and actor Balthazar Getty - just weeks after splitting from Welsh actor Rhys Ifans.

And a lawyer for News Group Newspapers, which own the publications, has acknowledged that the tabloids "shouldn't have published such information or such photographs".

In a letter to Miller, News Group's lawyer Tom Crone wrote, "On the specific facts and circumstances of this case you had a reasonable expectation of privacy in respect of the information and the photographs that we published. We also accept that we should not have published such information or photographs."

Miller's lawyer Mark Thompson stated that the terms of the out-of-court settlement had been approved by London's High Court.

Thompson added the actress is still seeking various damages against paparazzi photograph agency Big Pictures (UK) Limited - which Miller accuses of waging a "campaign of harassment" against her.

The hearing is expected to start early next year. l

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The main suspect in the murders of Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother and nephew will remain behind bars on a parole violation while the investigations into the slayings continue.

William Balfour, who was married to the Oscar winning singer/actress' sister Julia, was arrested last month, following the grisly murders, and held by police on a parole violation.

He went before the Illinois State Parole Review Board on Monday to determine whether there was enough evidence to charge him with a violation or murder.

He remains in custody after his current girlfriend claims she saw him with a gun "identical to the gun recovered by the Chicago police near the body of the murdered child" days before the killings, according to the chairman of the Illinois Parole Review Board.

Members of the panel ruled they found "probable cause to keep "Mr. Balfour until December 3" until a full review of the case and evidence against him will be reviewed again. l

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Tara Reid has reportedly dropped her high-profile booking agent in an effort to shake off her party-girl image and salvage her acting career.

The American Pie star raised eyebrows by booking guest appearances at nightclubs for cash and hosting events including a Hustler bar party in Australia earlier this year.

But friends of the star, 33, insist she has now dropped Richard Squire, the booking agent who was reportedly responsible for lending her name to the events.

Squire, who is said to have also worked with actresses Nicollette Sheridan and Kim Kardashian, is "in a different place", according to a source at the New York Post.

Another source confirms, "She is no longer working with him."

A spokesperson for Reid has declined to comment. l