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Riddick
A start of production announcement has confirmed the rest of the cast for David Twohy's upcoming third film in the sci-fi series starring Vin Diesel.

Along with the already confirmed Karl Urban, Jordi Molla and Katee Sackhoff there's Matt Nable, Bokeem Woodbine, Dave Bautista, Conrad Pla, Raoul Trujillo, Nolan Funk and Keri Hilson. [Source: Sciencefiction.com]

Evil Dead
"Suburgatory" star Jane Levy is in talks to play the lead in Fede Alvarez's remake of "Evil Dead" for FilmDistrict. Levy replaces Lily Collins who exited the film recently.

If she signs she will play Mia, one of five young people who head to a remote forest cabin where evil awaits. Recovering from a recent overdose, Mia is particularly vulnerable. [Source: Deadline]

Despicable Me 2
Al Pacino will make his animated film debut as the voice of the villain in "Despicable Me 2" for Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment.

Pacino’s exact role is being kept under wraps, but he’s the nemesis of Gru (Steve Carell). [Source: Deadline]

Brad Ingelsby ("The Low Dweller," "Run All Night") has been hired to pen the script for the remake of "The Raid" at Screen Gems and XYZ Films says Deadline.

The Gareth Evans-directed Indonesian martial arts film follows the surviving members of a police riot squad who've become trapped in a derelict apartment building with the worst criminals in the city.

Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group scored both domestic distribution and remake rights back at Cannes last year. The original is slated for release by Sony Pictures Classics on March 23rd.

Hugh Grant has NOT left the production of "Bridget Jones' Baby" according to the film's producers reports The Press Association.

Tim Bevan, co-chairman of Working Title Films, released a statement: "Reports that Hugh Grant has exited Bridget Jones's Baby are untrue. We are still working on the script hence the delay to the start of production, but the film is going ahead as planned."

Grant was reported to have concerns over David Nicholls and Helen Fielding's script. Renee Zellweger and Colin Firth are also returning for this third film in the comedy series.

Gerardo Naranjo ("Miss Bala") is in negotiations to direct the survival romance story "The Mountain Between Us" for 20th Century Fox and Chernin Entertainment reports Deadline.

An adaptation of the Charles Martin novel, the story follows a female writer heading off to get married and a doctor returning home from a medical conference.

After their flight is cancelled, the strangers agree to charter a ride only to see the pilot suffer a heart attack and crash into a desolate snowy mountain.

The doctor is an avid climber and he struggles to help get her down from the mountain in harsh weather.

J. Mills Goodloe adapted the script while Peter Chernin, Dylan Clark and Jenno Topping will produce.

"The Avengers" co-stars Mark Ruffalo and Scarlett Johansson will re-team for "Once" writer/director John Carney's new musical romance project "Can A Song Save Your Life?" for Exclusive Media says Screen Daily.

Johansson will play a woman who moves to New York City to pursue musical dreams with her boyfriend. When his career takes off without her, she meets a down-on-his luck record producer (Ruffalo) who spots her raw talent.

Anthony Bregman, Nigel Sinclair and Guy East will produce while Judd Apatow will executive produce. Shooting kicks off in June.

Katherine Heigl is in final negotiations to join Jim Henson Co.'s noir puppet comedy "The Happytime Murders" reports Variety.

The story is set in a world where puppets and humans live together, but the puppets are viewed as second-class citizens.

When the puppet cast of an 1980s kids TV show gets murdered one by one, a disgraced detective-turned-private eye puppet takes on the case.

Brian Henson ("A Muppets Christmas Carol") helms from a script by Todd Berger ("Kung Fu Panda 2") based on a story by Dee Austin Robertson.

Sequels are already underway on two recent cult film successes.

First up Alliance Films is moving forward on a follow-up to last year's supernatural spook tale "Insidious". Writer-director James Wan and actor/writer Leigh Whannell, who also created the "Saw" franchise, are in talks to return for the sequel says Variety.

The original revolved around a young boy, who has become possessed by an evil spirit. No word if Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne will reprise their roles.

Made for just $1.5 million, the film went on to garner over $150 million worldwide. Shooting aims to begin later this year ahead of a 2013 release through FilmDistrict.

Meanwhile Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group have pre-bought U.S., Latin American and Spanish rights to the in the works sequel to Gareth Evans' Indonesian action feature smash "The Raid" reports Deadline.

The original has played like gangbusters on the film festival circuit since last Fall ahead of a limited theatrical release late next month. A Hollywood remake is already in the works.

Evans and actor Iko Uwais will return for the sequel which begins shooting at the end of the year in Jakarta and will have a "significantly larger budget". Story details are being kept under wraps.

Filmmaker Jim Sheridan ("In The Name Of The Father," "Brothers") is penning and is attached to direct a reimagining of the cult 1992 Irish fantasy feature "Into The West" reports Screen Daily.

Mike Newell helmed the original feature about two young boys who escape the poverty of their Dublin council estate on adventure ‘into the west’ to find a mystical horse recently stolen from them. Gabriel Byrne, Ellen Barkin, Brendan Gleeson and David Kelly starred.

Tim Palmer, who produced the original, is onboard this version which will shift the action to a United States setting.

Oscar-nominated "The Help" actress Viola Davis has scored supporting roles in sci-fi epic "Ender's Game" at Summit Entertainment and "Beautiful Creatures" at Warner Bros. Pictures and Alcon Entertainment reports Variety.

Gavin Hood penned and directs the adaptation of Orson Scott Card's future-set novel "Ender's Game" which follows a genius boy strategist recruited by the government to help destroy an insect-like alien race.

Davis will play a military psychologist who oversees the emotional welfare of young trainees. She also helps design the games that test their skills and resilience. Asa Butterfield, Hailee Steinfeld, Abigail Breslin and Harrison Ford also star.

Based on the first in a trilogy of novels by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia, 'Creatures' follows two teens who must confront a curse that has haunted the girl's family for generations.

Davis plays a librarian and friend of the teen boy's deceased mother who loves him like a son and will do whatever she can to protect him.

Richard LaGravenese penned the script and is directing. Shooting kicks off in April in New Orleans.

Jessica Chastain and Joel Edgerton have signed on to star in "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby", a dual-film project for Myriad Pictures says Reuters.

Ned Benson writes and directs the story of a New York restaurant owner and his wife, who goes back to college. The twist is the story will be played out across two feature-length movies -- one from the husband's perspective, one from the wife's.

Myriad is currently calling the movies "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: His" and "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Hers." William Hurt is said to be in negotiations to join the cast as well.

"The Help" star Octavia Spencer has joined the cast of Bong Joon-Ho's high-profile sci-fi indie "Snow Piercer", an adaptation of the French comic "Le Transperceneige" reports Heat Vision.

The story is set in a future when an Ice Age has killed off all life on the planet except for the inhabitants of the Snow Piercer, a train that travels around the globe and is powered by a sacred perpetual-motion engine.

A class system evolves on the train but a revolution brews. Spencer plays a passenger on the train who joins the revolt in order to save her son. Chris Evans, John Hurt, Tilda Swinton and Kang Ho Song are already on board the project.

Kelly Masterson penned the most recent draft of the script while Chan Wook-Park and Dooho Choi are producing. Filming kicks off in April.

Masters of Sex
Michael Sheen is set to replace Paul Bettany in the John Madden-directed pilot for Showtime's new drama series "Masters of Sex" which begins shooting in March in New York City.

Sheen plays William Masters, a man who explored the science of human sexuality and whose research touched off the sexual revolution. Lizzy Caplan ("Party Down") is set to co-star as Virginia Johnson. [Source: The Live Feed]

Attachment
Sharon Stone will play a married woman who has a one-night stand with a student in Tony Kaye's sexual thriller "Attachment" for W2 Media and Panther Films.

Christopher Denham penned the script in which the indiscretion comes back to haunt the woman when her lover begins to date her daughter and stalk her family. Shooting kicks off in April. [Source: The Hollywood Reporter]

Red Machine
Scott Glenn, Adam Beach, Michaela McManus, and Kelly Curran have rounded out the cast of David Hackl's "Red Machine" at Indomitable Entertainment and Paul Schiff Prods.

James Marsden, Piper Perabo, Thomas Jane and Billy Bob Thornton star in the story of two estranged brothers on a camping trip with their girlfriends relentlessly stalked by a horrifying grizzly bear. [Source: Variety]

Shiloh Fernandez ("Red Riding Hood") has joined both the "Evil Dead" reboot at FilmDistrict and Mandate, and "Deep Powder" at Killer Films says Variety.

Fede Alvarez writes and directs the reinvention of 1981 cult classic 'Dead' about a group of teens who holed up in a remote cabin who discover a Book of the Dead that unleashes demons they cannot control.

This new take will NOT feature a character called Ash, the lead role Bruce Campbell played in the original. Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert and Campbell will produce.

"Uptown Girls" helmer Mo Ogrodnik writes and directs "Deep Powder", story details are under wraps.

Shooting on it kicks off at the end of the month in New York City. Filming on 'Dead' commences later this year.

"The Incredibles" and "Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol" director Brad Bird is reportedly meeting with Legendary Pictures about hopping onboard the history-meets-Lovecraftian monsters mashup project "Here There Be Monsters" reports Vulture.

The story follows Revolutionary War naval hero John Paul Jones, but throws in tentacled monsters of the deep to the mix - meaning the tone looks to be akin to the upcoming "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter".

Brian Helgeland penned the script in which Jones is wrongly stripped of his British naval commission and is hired by a shipping magnate to investigate the disappearance of merchant ships in the North Atlantic. Jones and his crew suspect that it's the handiwork of a sea monster and have to fight to survive it.

Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, Todd Lieberman and David Hoberman are producing.

Untitled John Crowley Project
Eric Bana and Rebecca Hall will play former lovers in "Boy A" director John Crowley's new untitled international thriller for Focus Features and Working Title Films.

Steven Knight ("Eastern Promises") penned the script in which the pair play old flames who find their lives at risk when they are working together on a terrorism trial. Shooting kicks off in April in the UK. [Source: Reuters]

Captain Phillips
Catherine Keener is attached to play Tom Hanks' wife in Paul Greengrass' "Captain Phillips" for Sony Pictures.

Based on true events, Hanks plays freighter Captain Richard Phillips who allowed himself to be taken hostage by Somali pirates in 2009 in order to guarantee the safety of his crew. [Source: Variety]

Vigilandia
Edwin Hodge ("Take Me Home Tonight," "Red Dawn") will star in James DeMonaco's sci-fi thriller "Vigilandia" for Universal Pictures, Platinum Dunes and Blumhouse Productions.

Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey star in the film, story details are being kept under wraps. [Source: Deadline]

Katherine Heigl is set to star in the Dominic Harari and Teresa De Pelegri-scripted indie thriller "Face Blind" for Maven Pictures says Deadline.

The former "Grey's Anatomy" star will play a psychologist struck with a rare affliction that makes it impossible to distinguish people by their faces.

When a man who terrorized her most vulnerable patient stalks her, the psychologist can’t recognize him, and her husband thinks she’s the one who is going crazy. Heiglm Trudie Styler and Celine Rattray are producing.

If the premise sounds familiar, it's nearly the same as that of last year's direct-to-disc Milla Jovovich thriller "Faces in a Crowd".

New photos from Snow White and the Huntsman, Savages, Prometheus, Dredd, Argo, and The Hunger Games.

Set photos from Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained will look mighty familiar to "Deadwood" fans. There's also concept art for John Carter and cartoon promo art for The Expendables 2.

New posters from Resident Evil: Retribution, Bel Ami, The Island President, Friends with Kids, Hysteria, 21 Jump Street, Bullhead.

"Focus Features and Participant Media are in negotiations to acquire Gus Van Sant's $15 million "Promised Land" project written by Matt Damon and John Krasinski. Damon and Krasinski plan to star in the story of a salesman whose life is changed after he enters a small town…" (full details)

"New Blu-ray release dates have been announced - "The Adventures of Tintin" on March 13th, "In the Land of Blood and Honey" on April 3rd, "The Darkest Hour" on April 10th, "Young Adult" and "The Innkeepers" on April 24th…" (full details)

"Two major features have had big release date changes this week. Oliver Stone's "Savages" has been moved up several months from September 28th to July 6th. The Meryl Streep & Tommy Lee Jones marital dramedy "Great Hope Springs" from December to August 10th…" (full details)

"Jennifer Lawrence says she begins training for the 'Hunger Games' sequel "Catching Fire" in July ahead of a shoot in the Fall. Hawaii looks likely to be the location for a lot of filming…" (full details)

"Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all North American, Latin American and Eastern European rights to Jacques Audiard's romantic suspense tale "Rust & Bone" starring Marion Cotillard and Matthias Schoenarts…" (full details)

"Actress Nora Arnezeder says that Alexandre Aja's upcoming remake of "Maniac" will be told and shot from the P.O.V. of Elijah Wood's unstable killer character, and it will take a "very different direction" to the original…" (full details)

"Scribe Matt Wheeler will adapt Thomas Perry's novel "The Informant" for Sony Pictures. The story revolves around a hit man avenging his father’s death and a Department of Justice official who wants to dismantle the mafia…" (full details)

"Piper Perabo will star opposite Billy Bob Thorton, James Marsden and Thomas Jane in director David Hackl’s thriller "Red Machine" about camping couples terrorised by a bear…" (full details)

"DreamWorks Animation said Monday that "Puss in Boots" has earned about $507 million to date at the worldwide box office…" (full details)

"Asked about recent rumours, 'Chronicle' director Josh Trank says "I really have nothing to say about the 'Fantastic Four' reboot because I know as much about this as everyone else. I’m just working on my own original stuff right now"…" (full details)

"Kate Winslet will not be in Charlie Kaufman’s musical media satire "Frank Or Francis"…" (full details)

"Sony Pictures has set up an action-comedy at Neal H. Moritz' Original Films from an untitled pitch from "Kitchen Sink" scribe Oren Uziel. The story is described as "Die Hard" meets "Home Alone"…" (full details)

"Black Swan" director Darren Aronofsky is reportedly pursuing Russell Crowe to play the title role in his epic "Noah" for New Regency/Paramount says Deadline.

An adaptation of the Noah’s Ark tale, Aronofsky is also said to be after Liam Neeson for another role in the project.

"Gladiator" scribe John Logan recently rewrote the script by Aronofsky and Ari Handel. Aronofsky, Mary Parent and Scott Franklin are producing.

"Captain America: The First Avenger" director Joe Johnston has signed on for the micro-budgeted thriller "Not Safe For Work" for Universal Pictures says Heat Vision.

Adam Mason and Simon Boyes penned the script which centers on a young paralegal who is trapped in the office with a killer on a mission to destroy files for another corporation.

Jason Blum ("Paranormal Activity," "Insidious") will produce. The film's $2.5 million budget is a big change from the $100+ million Johnston's had on his last few films.

"Winter's Bone" and "Deadwood" star John Hawkes will star opposite Yasiin Bey (aka. Mos Def) in an adaptation of Elmore Leonard's 1978 crime novel "Switch" reports Variety.

Dan Schechter ("Supporting Characters") is adapting the script and will direct. "Switch" is a prequel to Leonard's "Rum Punch" which was adapted into Quentin Tarantino's 1997 feature "Jackie Brown".

Hawkes and Bey play the younger versions of Louis Gara and Ordell Robbie, the characters Robert De Niro and Samuel L. Jackson played in 'Jackie'.

The story takes a slightly different approach to the same premise as acclaimed 1986 comedy "Ruthless People". In this, Ordell and Louis team to kidnap Mickey Dawson, the wife of a corrupt Detroit real estate developer.

When the husband refuses to pay the ransom for his wife's return, the ex-cons are forced to reconceive their plan, and the angry housewife uses the duo to get her revenge.

Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Lee Stollman, Michael Siegel and Leonard are producing with shooting to kick off in May.