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Dinosaur: A teaser poster for Disney's computer animated film "Dinosaur." Thanks to Ryan.

Tomb Raider: Angelina Jolie ("Girl, Interrupted") is in final talks to play Lara Croft in "Tomb Raider," a live-action feature based on the hugely popular video game. Variety reports that the Paramount Pictures project is set to begin production this summer, with Simon West ("The General's Daughter") directing.

Tomcats: Shannon Elizabeth ("American Pie") and Jerry O'Connell ("Scream 2") are in talks to co-star in "Tomcats." The story centers on six pals who agree to ante up, with the last fellow to tie the knot receiving the jackpot. Variety reports that Gregory Poirier ("Rosewood") would direct this $10-12 million project from his own script.

Miss Congeniality: Donald Petrie ("My Favorite Martian") is in negotiations to direct Sandra Bullock in the comedy "Miss Congeniality," which is expected to begin production by the end of the month. Hugh Wilson ("The First Wives Club") exited the Warner Bros. project last week over creative differences. Bullock portrays an FBI agent who goes undercover as Miss New Jersey at a beauty pageant in order to thwart the efforts of a group that threatens to bomb the event. According to Variety, the film is slated for a holiday release.

Juwanna Mann: Music video director Jesse Vaughn is set to make his feature film directorial debut for Warner Bros. and Morgan Creek Prods.' comedy "Juwanna Mann." According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project is expected to begin shooting in May. "Juwanna," written by Bradley Allenstein and Mark Brown, follows the exploits of a Dennis Rodman-type basketball star who is banned from the NBA when his on-court antics go too far. To get back in the game, he poses as a woman and tries out for the league's female counterpart, the WNBA. To his surprise, he is accepted and must figure out a way to keep his identity a secret.

Pearl Harbor: According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ben Affleck ("Reindeer Games") is in talks to star in "Pearl Harbor," which would reteam him with director-producer Michael Bay and producer Jerry Bruckheimer ("Armageddon").

Unbreakable: Robin Wright Penn ("Hurlyburly") is in talks to play the female lead in "Unbreakable." Julianne Moore broke free of the role last month, having signed on to "Hannibal." Variety reports that "Unbreakable," which also stars Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson, is set to start shooting in director M. Night Shyamalan's Philadelphia hometown in mid-April. Willis plays the sole survivor of a devastating train wreck, and Jackson a stranger who offers a bizarre explanation.

The Road to El Dorado/Final Destination: Reviews for the animated film "Road to El Dorado," and the horror/thriller "Final Destination." Thanks to 'Brian' over at The Cinema Files.

The Road to El Dorado - Film Review (Mixed)
Final Destination - Film Review (Positive)

Constantine: A review of Kevin Brodbin's script for "Constantine," an unproduced live-action movie version of the 'Hellblazer' comic book. Thanks as always to Stax.

Constantine - Script Review (Positive)

Quantum Project: Stephen Dorff, Fay Masterson and John Cleese have signed to star in "Quantum Project," a $3 million indie picture that will be distributed exclusively online. Variety reports that production design veteran Eugenio Zanetti ("What Dreams May Come") will make his feature directing debut on the project, working from a script by David Aaron Cohen ("The Devil's Own"). The film, about two "electron-crossed lovers," begins shooting next week.

Touch of Weevel: Rowan Atkinson ("Bean") has committed to star in the action comedy "Touch of Weevel" for Working Title Films. Written by Robert Wade and Neal Purvis ("The World Is Not Enough"), "Weevel" is the story of a minor British diplomat, Johnny English (Atkinson), whom British intelligence mistakenly believes is their country's greatest spy. Consequences ensue when English attempts to resolve the country's greatest international crisis. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project does not yet have a director or a start date.

The Lord of the Rings: Hugo Weaving ("The Matrix") will join the "LOTR" project as elf leader Elrond, who leads the council at Rivendell, where the Fellowship first gathers. Australian actress Miranda Otto ("The Thin Red Line") has been cast as Éowyn, a beautiful maiden who falls in love with Aragorn. Recent arrivals on the set include Christopher Lee (Saruman the wizard), Ian Holm (Bilbo Baggins) and Brad Dourif (double-agent Grima Wormtongue). Thanks to E! Online and Xoanon.

Harry Potter: According to iFUSE, each of the directors considered for the "Harry Potter" project will have to pitch his or her ideas for the film to Universal Pictures. Whoever has the most creative concept will get the gig. Peter Weir ("The Truman Show"), Jonathan Demme ("The Silence of the Lambs"), Rob Reiner ("The Story of Us") and Brad Siberling ("Casper") are on the list, among others.

Made: Sean "Puffy" Combs is in final negotiations to make his feature film acting debut in the indie fish-out-of-water comedy "Made," which will mark Jon Favreau's first feature directorial effort. Combs would star with Favreau and Vince Vaughn in the $5 million-budgeted project that centers on two aspiring boxers and lifelong friends (Favreau and Vaughn) who get involved in a money-laundering scheme through a low-level organized crime group. Combs would play the leader of a New York-based syndicate who is awaiting the money. Favreau wrote the script for "Made" and will produce with Vaughn. According to THR, Combs' recent bouts with the law are not expected to prevent him from shooting the project, which is slated to start next month.

Queen of the Damned: Wes Bentley ("American Beauty") is now in final negotiations to star as the Vampire Lestat in "Queen of the Damned," the third novel from Anne Rice's "Vampire Chronicles." According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project is expected to go before the cameras this spring in Australia. Michael Rymer ("In Too Deep") will direct "Damned," which follows Lestat as he becomes a rock star whose music wakes up Akasha, the queen of all vampires. In the process, a young woman who works as a vampire hunter falls in love with him.

What Women Want: Bette Midler is in final negotiations to star opposite Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt in Paramount Pictures' "What Women Want." According to The Hollywood Reporter, Midler will play Gibson's psychiatrist in the story of a chauvinist (Gibson) who, after an accident, acquires the ability to hear what women are thinking.

Die Hard 4 / Future Projects: A brief report on a few upcoming Bruce Willis projects, including "Die Hard 4." Thanks to Clint.

Interesting Interview with Bruce Willis in the April 2000 Issue of MOVIE magazine here in Australia.
It confirms that Fox have signed up Bruce Willis to play John McClane in a DIE HARD 4 (finally), and Bruce also comments on what he plans to do then. Willis tells the interviewer he is exploring the possibility of another film franchise that will be as succesful as the DIE HARD series, but he concludes that he hasn't quite nailed the right formula yet. Following DIE HARD 4 though, Willis looks like doing a love film. "Love is the best thing in the world". I say hurry up and bring us this DIE HARD 4.

Stuart Little II: Geena Davis has committed to return to a sequel for the talking mouse comedy "Stuart Little," which is set for a Christmas 2001 release. Columbia Pictures has signed Bruce Joel Rubin ("Deep Impact") to pen "Stuart Little II." Columbia's Christmas 2001 target may not be overambitious, given much of the motion capture and specialized animation used to create the famed mouselike boy is already in existence, though several other pals are being planned as well, according to Variety.

Traffic: Kevin Costner appears to be edging ahead of the pack to replace Harrison Ford in "Traffic." Costner, who would have to take a substantial cut in his usual pay, would star as a district court judge who resigns his seat to become the U.S. drug czar, only to see his own teenage daughter become addicted to crack cocaine and heroin. According to The Hollywood Reporter, negotiations have not begun for Costner, and Al Pacino and Tommy Lee Jones are also being considered for the role.

When the Cat's Away: Heather Graham is set to star in Miramax Films' "When the Cat's Away," a remake of 1996 French feature "Chacun Cherche son Chat." "Cat's" is about a woman (Graham) who, before going on vacation, leaves her cat with the neighborhood's unofficial kitty sitter, an old lady with a house full of felines. Upon her return, the woman is told that the cat has disappeared. Searching for her missing pet, the woman meets a variety of colorful people. According to THR, Brad Anderson ("Next Stop Wonderland") will helm the project, which is scheduled to go before the cameras this summer in New York.

Driven: Universal Pictures is in final negotiations to acquire North American distribution rights to the Keanu Reeves starrer "Driven" from independent sales company Interlight Pictures. According to THR, "Driven," an action-thriller written by David Elliot and directed by first-time feature helmer Joe Charbanic, stars Reeves as a serial killer who turns the tables on an investigative team hot on his trail. The film, which also stars James Spader and Marisa Tomei, is currently in postproduction.

I Was Made To Love Her: Variety reports that Greg Germann (“Ally McBeal”) will co-star with Chris Rock in Paramount’s “I Was Made To Love Her.”

Script Reviews: A review of Corey Mandell's script for the forthcoming sci-fi film "Battlefield Earth." Also one for the romcom "What Women Want," which is currently filming and stars Mel Gibson, Marisa Tomei and Lauren Holly. Some spoilers are included. Thanks goes to 'Squelch,' Brad and Stax.

Battlefield Earth - Script Review (Positive)
What Women Want - Script Review (Positive)

See Spot Run: Martin Lawrence ("Blue Streak") has dropped out of the Warner Bros. comedy "See Spot Run" over creative differences, and THR states David Arquette is the front-runner to replace him. Lawrence had been on the project since October 1998 for producer Robert Simonds. Arquette and the studio are in discussions about the role.

Untitled Comedy: Columbia Pictures has ponied up a low-six figure sum against mid-six figures for an untitled comedy pitch from scribe Howard Franklin ("Antitrust") with Bill Murray attached to star. Murray would star as an unemployed man whose life gets crazy when he sets out to crack the secret of a popular game show. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Nicolas Cage's Saturn Films will produce with Stan Brooks' Once Upon a Time Films.

Novocaine: Helena Bonham Carter is set to star opposite Steve Martin in Artisan Entertainment's comedy "Novocaine." The project is slated to go before the cameras in mid-April, with screenwriter David Atkins ("Arizona Dreams") making his feature directorial debut. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kevin Bacon is in negotiations to take a small role in the film. "Novocaine" tells the story of an unassuming dentist (Martin) living the American dream who finds himself the target of a con gone bad. He becomes a murder suspect after a sexy patient (Bonham Carter) seduces him into prescribing her drugs.

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