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X-Men: Click on the thumbnail above to view the cover of next week's Entertainment Weekly at CHUD. Thanks to Nick.

Beyond Borders: Meg Ryan will meet with director Oliver Stone to discuss starring with Kevin Costner in "Beyond Borders," a romance revolving around international relief workers. Ryan has also received an offer to star in "Criminal Conversation," which had been initially developed for Nicole Kidman. According to Variety, Iain Softley ("Wings of the Dove") will direct the legal thriller, which Ryan could star in after "Borders."

George Washington: Review of a "George Washington" script, written by David Franzoni ("Gladiator"). Robert Redford and Oliver Stone were attached to this project at one point. Minor spoilers. Thanks to Stax.

George Washington - Script Review (Positive)

Slackers: Devon Sawa ("Final Destination") is in final negotiations to enrol for the college comedy "Slackers." Jason Schwartzman ("Rushmore") is also in talks to co-star in the project, which begins shooting on June 8 in Los Angeles. Variety reports that the tale follows three college students who are experts at scamming the system. When the school geek uncovers their deception, he blackmails them to win over the school's most popular girl. Dewey Nicks will direct from a script by first-time scribe David Steinberg.

Miscellaneous: A few news reports from the most recent issue of "Movie Magazine." Thanks to Clint.

"Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe are teaming up for IN THE CUT, the story of a sexually daring university proffesor who gets involved with a cop on the trail of a serial killer. The script is filled with raunchy scenes that would put "Eyes Wide Shut" to shame."

"Liam Neeson and Sam Neill are being considered for the lead in the new "Exorcist" movie. Father Merrin battles the devil in Africa this time."

"Jim Carrey and Ben Affleck are two names being branded about as possibly starring in a remake of AFTER THE FOX. The film will be about a mastermind who uses his sister's dimwitted suitors to pull off a smuggling scam. Peter Sellers had the lead in the original."

Miss Congeniality: William Shatner will play a beauty pageant host/loose cannon in "Miss Congeniality," which stars Sandra Bullock. The picture concerns an FBI agent (Bullock) who must infiltrate the Miss Liberty pageant as Miss New Jersey in order to defuse the threat from a potential terrorist. Shatner will play the pageant's longtime emcee who has been told that this will be his last year to host the event. Also joining the cast is Jennifer Gareis ("The Sixth Day") as the real Miss New Jersey who Bullock must push out of the way, Wendy Raquel Robinson ("Ringmaster") as Miss California and Diedre Quinn as Miss Texas. According to Variety, the Castle Rock Entertainment project is scheduled to go before cameras next month.

Things Behind the Sun: Filmmaker Allison Anders ("Gas Food Lodging") is embarking on what will be her most personal project to date: "Things Behind the Sun," a semiautobiographical tale about a rape she suffered during adolescence. According to The Hollywood Reporter, a June start date is being planned in Florida with Kim Dickens ("Mercury Rising") and Gabriel Mann ("Outside Providence") attached to star. Anders co-wrote "Sun" with Kurt Voss, who co-scripted with Anders last year's "Sugar Town." "Sun" tells the story of a music journalist (Mann) reconnecting with his childhood girlfriend (Dickens) who is now an up-and-coming musician. The two share a dark secret - her rape - that continues to harm them.

Logan's Run: Skip Woods is in final negotiations to write and direct Warner Bros.' remake of its 1976 sci-fi feature "Logan's Run" for producer Joel Silver. The project will reteam Silver with Woods, who wrote the "Swordfish" screenplay for Silver's company. The original "Run" is a futuristic tale set after a holocaust when human survivors have sealed themselves into a domed city to survive. To maintain the population balance, the computers that run the city have decreed that all people must die at age 30. Logan, a policeman in the city, is forced to go on a mission to find the place where humans have been escaping to live beyond 30. However, after seeing for himself that there is life beyond his dreary world, Logan begins to question his own society. It is not clear what updating the new version will include.

The Patriot: A look at the official "Patriot" poster. This upcoming epic drama stars Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Joely Richardson and Jason Isaacs. Roland Emmerich ("Stargate") directs.

The Matrix 2 & 3: Carrie-Anne Moss has officially closed a deal to join Keanu Reeves in writer-directors Larry and Andy Wachowski’s two "Matrix" sequels. The new installments are scheduled to begin production next fall in a 250-day shoot. According to Variety, Moss also inked to play Judi Dench's daughter in Miramax Films "Chocolat."

Shanghai Noon: Cinema Confidential has landed an exclusive internet preview for the upcoming Jackie Chan film "Shanghai Noon." The clip is available in the following formats: QuickTime, Real Player and Windows Media. Thanks to Thomas.

Shanghai Noon - Internet Preview

Captain Corelli's Mandolin: A review of Shawn Slovo's fourth "CCM" draft, dated May 13th 1999. Nicolas Cage and Penelope Cruz are attached to star. Minor spoilers. Thanks to Stax.

Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Script Review (Mixed)

Angel Eyes: Jim Caviezel ("The Thin Red Line") is in negotiations to star opposite Jennifer Lopez in Warner Bros.' "Angel Eyes" for director Luis Mandoki. He replaces Aaron Eckhart, who abruptly dropped out of the project last week. "Angel" finds Caviezel stepping into the role of Catch Lambert, a man who, while coping with the death of his wife and son, saves the life of a police officer (Lopez) and falls in love with her. The screenplay was reworked by Mandoki from an original script by Gerald DiPego. According to THR, the project is slated to start shooting next month.

Human Nature: Tim Robbins has joined the cast of "Human Nature," a comedy written by Charlie Kaufman ("Being John Malkovich"). Patricia Arquette, Rhys Ifans and Miranda Otto co-star in the picture. "Nature" is a comedy about a woman plagued by an uncommon hormonal malady - she is covered in body hair; a scientist obsessed with saving the world by teaching table manners to mice; and a French lab assistant who is not as perfect as he may seem. All three have designs on a young man who was raised in the wild as an ape. Variety reports that Michel Gondry will direct.

The Incredible Mr. Limpet: "Beavis and Butt-head" creator Mike Judge is in negotiations to direct Warner Bros.' long-anticipated remake of "The Incredible Mr. Limpet." Judge will co-rewrite the script with Clay Tarver ("Squelch"). The "Limpet" remake, which was previously touted as a Steve Oedekerk-Jim Carrey project, was put on hold one year ago after a highly publicized exit by Oedekerk during preproduction over budgetary and creative differences. No cast has been set, though Chris Rock, Mike Myers and Adam Sandler's names have been bandied about as a possible leads for the live action-animated project. According to THR, the studio is also not ruling out the possibility of going back to Carrey once the Judge-Tarver draft is complete.

Swordfish: John Travolta is set to star in "Swordfish" for director Dominic Sena ("Kalifornia") and producers Joel Silver and Jonathan Krane. "Swordfish," written by Skip Woods ("Thursday"), is a dark story in which Travolta plays a bad guy. He'll portray the world’s most dangerous spy, a charismatic, multifaceted man hired by the CIA to coerce a computer hacker recently released from prison to help steal $6 billion in unused government funds. In exchange, the hacker can regain custody of his daughter and start a new life. According to The Hollywood Reporter, an early July start is being planned.

The Abarat Quartet: Disney has paid Clive Barker an advance of roughly $4 million against nearly $8 million for all movie and ancillary rights to four unpublished fantasy novels he is writing. The books carry the tentative title "Abarat Quartet." More >>>

The First King: Warner Bros. and producer Joel Silver have made a deal to develop "The First King," an action film based on an idea by Jet Li. He will be paid a career-best advance of more than $5 million against 5% of the picture's first-dollar gross. The actioner marries "Indiana Jones" with "The Mummy" as the first king of China (Li) and his court are brought back to life in modern times. Variety reports that production is set to start next year.

Bounce: A review of the romantic drama "Bounce," starring Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow. Spoilers. Thanks to Moviefreak.

Bounce - Film Review (Negative)

Four Feathers: Heath Ledger ("The Patriot") is in advanced talks to play the lead role in "Four Feathers," a remake of the famed 1939 Zoltan Korda picture. Ledger would portray a British officer who resigns his post just before battle and subsequently receives four white feathers from his friends and fiancee as symbols of what they believe to be his cowardice. Helmed by Shekhar Kapur ("Elizabeth"), "Feathers" was originally to have starred Jude Law, but talks over his salary broke down last month. Variety reports that the project will be shot in Morocco this spring.

The Count of Monte Cristo: Kevin Reynolds ("Waterworld") has come aboard to helm the big-budget, live-action "The Count of Monte Cristo" for Disney-based Spyglass Entertainment. The high-profile project, based on the classic book by Alexandre Dumas, is scheduled to go before cameras in late July in Ireland. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jim Caviezel ("The Thin Red Line") will star as the title character in the story of a sailor who has been sent to an island fortress after being falsely accused of treason. The seaman eventually gets rich from a buried treasure and exacts revenge on his captors.

Investigating Sex: Nick Nolte, Neve Campbell and Robin Tunney will be "Investigating Sex," having signed on to the indie comedy-drama directed by Alan Rudolph ("Breakfast of Champions"). Tuesday Weld, Terrence Howard and Til Schweiger also star in the project, expected to go before cameras next month in Berlin. According to THR, the script by Rudolph and Michael Henry Wilson, focuses on a group of men scientifically studying sex and two female stenographers (Campbell and Tunney) who transcribe the erotically charged discussions. Eventually, the lines of professionalism between the sexual explorers and transcribers break down.

Untitled: Trimark Pictures has paid a low-six-figure fee to acquire first-time scribe Alex Rio's "Untitled Low-Budget Thriller That Will Scare the Shit Out of You" spec script for Outlaw Prods. to produce. The script centers on a police officer and a female television producer. The producer is attempting to acquire the story rights to the cop's investigation of a serial killer in an effort to make the story into a movie-of-the-week. During the course of their meeting, several unsettling truths are revealed about the still-unsolved case through a series of flashbacks, resulting in a surprise ending. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project has been put on the fast track and is out to directors.

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