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Chicken Run: A new poster for the animated comedy "Chicken Run," featuring the voices of Mel Gibson and Miranda Richardson. Thanks to DreamWorks SKG Fansite-Chicken Run.

Queen of the Damned: Josh Hartnett ("The Virgin Suicides") has emerged as the leading candidate to star in Warner Bros.' vampire flick "Queen of the Damned." According to The Hollywood Reporter, the role would be a coup for Hartnett as it would mark the first time the actor would be carrying a film.

Josie and the Pussycats: A review of Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont's "Josie and the Pussycats" script, dated December 3rd 1999. Kaplan and Elfont ("Can't Hardly Wait") will also direct the film, which stars Rachel Leigh Cook, Tara Reid, Rosario Dawson, Parker Posey and Alan Cumming. Minor spoilers. Thanks to Stax.

Josie and the Pussycats - Script Review (Mixed)

Beyond the Ice: Veteran British actor Edward Woodward is lined up to replace Judi Dench as James Bond's spy chief 'M' at the age of 70, Variety reports. Studio chiefs were so impressed with Woodward in the recent remake of "The Professionals" that they put him top of the list to play M in the next Bond film, which has the working title "Beyond the Ice."

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: Warner Bros. has officially moved the release date of what was to be its summer 2001 tent pole: "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," directed by Chris Columbus. The studio will move the film to November because the date is more realistic, given the project's slow start and the bevy of special effects involved in the fantasy story about a little boy schooled in wizardry. More >>>

Revelation: George Clooney is in talks to star in "Revelation," which Danny DeVito will direct for Warner Bros. According to Variety, Clooney would play an Internal Affairs cop who takes a bullet during an assassination attempt on a cardinal, and whose search for the assassin parallels his own religious journey. Aimed for a September start date, "Revelation" is based on a screenplay by Michael Petroni ("Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys").

Spy Game: Tony Scott is in negotiations to direct Robert Redford and Brad Pitt in Beacon Communications' "Spy Game." Scott is coming aboard the project after helmer Mike Van Diem ("Karakter") dropped out this week. According to THR, a late-summer or early fall start is still being planned for the thriller. Originally written by Michael Beckner and rewritten by David Arata, "Spy" is about a CIA agent (Redford) who, during his last day at the agency, must mastermind the rescue of a protege (Pitt) captured by the Chinese.

Dieter: David Hasselhoff ("Baywatch") will star opposite Mike Myers in "Dieter" (a k a "Sprockets"). Hasselhoff will play himself in the film, which will mark the feature directorial debut of art director Bo Welch. The script is being kept tightly under wraps, but it is understood that the story revolves around Dieter (Myers), who co-hosts Germany's most successful talk show alongside his monkey. "Sprockets" even surpasses syndicated series "Baywatch" in popularity, which irks Hasselhoff, the beach show's star and executive producer. When the "Sprockets" monkey is kidnapped, Dieter has no choice but to fold his show and embark on a search for the animal; his suspicions about the identity of the kidnapper lead him to America. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project will shoot this summer.

Big Trouble: Tim Allen ("Galaxy Quest") is in talks to topline Disney's "Big Trouble," a Barry Sonnenfeld-directed comedy based on the novel by humorist Dave Barry. The comedy revolves around how a bomb in a suitcase, and how it changes the lives of a divorced dad, an unhappy housewife, a couple of teens, hitmen, street thugs and some FBI men. According to Variety, "Big Trouble" begins shooting in August.

Muhammad Ali Biopic: Will Smith has finally signed on the dotted line to star for director Michael Mann in the Columbia Pictures biopic of Muhammad Ali. Variety reports that Smith will be paid an advance of $20 million against 20% of gross to play the Greatest, and has already begun training in earnest to portray the charismatic boxer.

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind: A review of Charlie Kaufman's third "Dangerous Mind" draft, dated May 5th 1998. Minor spoilers. Thanks to Stax.

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Script Review (Positive)

Dinosaur / Small Time Crooks: Minor spoiler reviews for Disney's "Dinosaur" and the Woody Allen comedy "Small Time Crooks." Thanks to The Reel Site.

Dinosaur - Film Review (Positive)
Small Time Crooks - Film Review (Positive)

Tuck Everlasting: Jay Russell ("My Dog Skip") is set to direct "Tuck Everlasting," based on Natalie Babbit's critically acclaimed children's book of the same name. Russell plans a fall start. "Tuck" is about a 10-year-old girl who discovers that a neighboring family (the Tucks) has a spring that grants eternal life. At the same time, a greedy stranger also suspects the Tuck secret. The discovery brings about questions regarding the meaning of life, death and the cycle of nature. Jeffrey Lieber ("Conspiracy of Weeds") adapted the novel to the screenplay form. " 'Tuck' has a top layer that is fun and adventurous, which makes for a great movie," Russell told The Hollywood Reporter. "But it also touches on life themes that really resonate."

Untitled sci-fi/fantasy Project: Darren Aronofsky and Artisan Entertainment are reteaming on a new, $30 million sci-fi/fantasy that the writer-director will make as his next film. According to THR, Aronofsky and his Protozoa Pictures partner Eric Watson are developing the script for the new film, though no details about its story line were available. Artisan will fully finance the movie in a deal closed by Artisan's co-CEO Amir Malin and president Bill Block. "This is our most ambitious project to date," said Aronofsky, whose first film, "Pi," was a critical hit. "Darren is one of the most talented young filmmakers around, and his creative vision is indisputably unique," Block said. "He is exactly the kind of filmmaker we are proud to have with Artisan."

The Anniversary Party: After bonding over a revival of "Cabaret," Alan Cumming and Jennifer Jason Leigh will next join forces on an unusual film collaboration at Fine Line, where they will co-direct "The Anniversary Party," based on a script they wrote together. The duo will play the starring roles. "Jennifer made a film and told me how quick it was to work on digital video, so we made up a story, pitched it and then wrote a screenplay," Cumming said. "It just grew into a monster." According to Variety, they play an estranged couple who reunite and hold a sixth anniversary party to commemorate the event. The tensions involving friendships and professional relationships at the party threaten to pry the couple apart once more.

USA Films is ramping up its production slate with a number of high-profile projects, including a dark comedy with Billy Bob Thornton, his wife, Angelina Jolie, Matt Damon and Penelope Cruz attached to star. The untitled Thornton-Jolie feature is being penned by his longtime collaborator, Tom Epperson, for Todd Harris to produce. Thornton and Epperson came up with the idea for the project - described as a "Midnight Cowboy" for the new millennium - and then pitched it to Harris, who last month signed a two-year, first-look film/TV deal with USA. According to THR, Oscar-winning helmer Pedro Almodovar is being eyed to direct, though discussions with him through Cruz and Thornton thus far are only preliminary. No start date has been finalized for what will likely be a modestly budgeted film.

Donnie Darko: Jason Schwartzman ("Rushmore") is set to star in the dramatic fantasy film "Donnie Darko" for Pandora, with Drew Barrymore to take a small role and executive produce through her Flower Films. First-time director Richard Kelly will helm from his own script, with shooting scheduled to start in July. "Darko," budgeted at less than $10 million, combines elements of mystical fantasy and science fiction with a teenage romance. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the love interest for Schwartzman's character has yet to be cast.

Proteus: David Twohy ("Pitch Black") has signed on to write and direct "Proteus," a World War 2 science fiction thriller about an American submarine trapped between Nazi depth charges from above and an alien monster from below. "Proteus" is the first of a three-picture deal between Twohy and Miramax, with Twohy writing and directing a second film for Dimension and a third for Miramax. Thanks to Mothership.

Star Wars: Episode II: Hayden Christensen ("The Virgin Suicides") was recently tapped to play Anakin Skywalker in "Star Wars: Episode II." According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 19-year-old read with Natalie Portman last weekend and was informed Friday that he got the job. Though too young to remember the theatrical release of the first trilogy, the actor said that "everyone at my school stayed home to go see the second one. It was a big deal."

Easy Rider II: Plans are underway to make a $30 million sequel to "Easy Rider," the iconic 1969 film that starred Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper as two hippies on a motorbike expedition. Variety reports that principal photography is slated to begin this fall, using many of the locations utilized in the original. Producer Glen Tobias ("The Gingerbread Man") obtained the "Easy Rider" sequel rights, with an option for two more, from Bert Schneider, executive producer of the original. Mikki Allen Willis ("Shoe Shine Boys") will write and direct.

Possession: Warner Bros. and USA Films are co-financing "Possession," which Neil LaBute has committed to direct as his next film. Gwyneth Paltrow and Ralph Fiennes have committed to star. Aaron Eckhart ("Erin Brockovich") is in talks to star, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "Possession" is based on British author A.S. Byatt's novel "Possession: A Romance." The film, alternately set in present day and Victorian England, is about two academics who, while researching 19th century poet Randolph Ash, stumble upon a love letter written by Ash - a man believed to be faithfully married - to a lesser known poet, a chaste spinster. In unearthing the romance, the scholars embark on a journey that challenges their beliefs about themselves. LaBute has been rewriting the "Possession" script.

Joplin: The Movie: Wrestler "Stone Cold" Steve Austin is in final talks to make his feature film acting debut in an indie movie about famed 1960s musician Janis Joplin. In the race to bring Joplin's story to the big screen, director-producer Joel Freedman is at the starting gate with "Joplin -- The Movie." Singer-actress Laura Theodore will star in the film with Jennifer Tilly and Austin. Sam Andrew, guitarist for Joplin's first band, Big Brother and the Holding Company, will also appear in the film. Talks are under way for Roy Scheider to join the cast, according to THR. Tilly will play Joplin's close friend, who is a drug pusher. Scheider would play Joplin's manager, Albert Grossman, and Austin will play a member of the Hell's Angels motorcycle gang. Freedman wrote the screenplay to "Joplin" based on interviews he conducted with people who knew her. The script traces Joplin's life from childhood to her death at age 27 from a heroin overdose.

Film Australia