In the wake of floundering or developing projects on Superman and Batman, Warner Bros. looks to be going ahead with their plans to bring the two comic book heroes together in one film. Wolfgang Petersen (Das Boot (1982), Air Force One (1997), The Perfect Storm (2000)) will helm the adventure film about the two biggest names in superhero lore squaring off against one another before coming together (albeit reluctantly) to battle a common foe. The ying and yang nature of the two characters is what really peaked Petersen's interest in developing the film. According to the trade paper Daily Variety, the director says of the film - "It is a clash of the titans. They play off of each other so perfectly. (Superman) is clear, bright, all that is noble and good, and Batman represents the dark, obsessive and vengeful side. They are two sides of the same coin and that is material for great drama." The story will incorporate both of the heroes' home cities as a further reflection of their light and dark nature - Superman's Metropolis with all of its shine and grandeur, and Batman's Gotham, with its' haunting shadows and dark, twisted landscapes. The studio hopes to have the film ready for release by 2004, but at this stage no actors have yet been cast in the big roles. Batman vs. Superman is one of several projects involving the two heroes that are currently in development at Warner Bros., alongside Batman: Year One, which is being prepped by Requiem for a Dream and Pi director Darren Aronofski, a Batman Beyond feature film based on the animated series, and a Superman Lives film which had Nicolas Cage and Kevin Smith attached at one point, but never got off the ground and seemed to die in development hell. Now the studio seems to be going ahead with a Superman film with Charlie's Angels director McG calling the shots.

Action star Vin Diesel seems to have a lot of his plate these days. In addition to the upcoming Pitch Black (2000) sequels, including The Chronicles of Riddick, he has the upcoming extreme spy flick XXX (2002) coming out later this summer and will shortly begin shooting the expected sequel XXX 2 for a probable 2004 release. In between these projects, it looks as though Diesel will have to find some time to shoot an as-yet untitled Hannibal historic biopic for Revolution Studios. According to Variety, Diesel has signed on to star as the Carthaginian leader who led a famous surprise attack on the empire of Rome in around 200 B.C., moving his men on elephants and across treacherous mountain terrain. The script for the film is based on author Ross Leckie's book Hannibal (not to be confused with Thomas Harris' novel and subsequent film by Ridley Scott about Anthony Hopkins' famous flesh-munching killer) which is written as an "autobiography". Apparently, Fox also has a Hannibal film in development, so Revolution hopes to begin shooting on their film as soon as possible.

One of the biggest question marks sweeping through Hollywood at the moment is that of director Ron Howard's (A Beautiful Mind (2001), Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), Apollo 13 (1995)) attachment to the upcoming historical epic about the battle of the Alamo. The director had signed on, actors like Billy Bob Thornton, Russell Crowe, and Ethan Hawke had all been rumored to be a part of the cast, and massive sets have already been built for the film, with an estimated budget of $125 million. Now, it seems as though Howard has suddenly departed the production over conflicts with the studio about the vision for the film. Howard feels he can only deliver a quality film about the site of the bloody massacre if he has the freedom to shoot for an 'R' rating. Disney, the studio that is producing the film, feels that the film will not return on the investment if it isolates its audience with anything above a 'PG-13'. The studio was left "distressed" after Howard's announcement, and reportedly may bring in The Rookie (2002) director John Lee Hancock in an admittedly risky move (the ironic title of Hancock's baseball film says it all). However, there is a chance that Howard may still direct the film - he and producer Brian Grazer are reported to be working on a rewrite of writer/director John Sayles' (Sunshine State (2002), Limbo (1999), Lone Star (1996)) screenplay. Grazer and Howard are reportedly also not keen on reducing their salaries for the picture in an effort to keep Disney's budget down - after all, the two have full reign and control at their "home" studio, Universal. Only time will tell on whether lil' Opie decides to helm this epic film project or not.

Colin Farrell, the Irish thesp who gains more notoriety with every successive film he's in, has just signed on to join the cast of Columbia Pictures' Samuel L. Jackson headliner, a remake of the old television series S.W.A.T., which will be helmed by The West Wing and Law and Order television director Clark Johnson. Farrell (Minority Report (2002), Hart's War (2001), Daredevil (2003)) will reportedly pick up an $8 million paycheck for his part in the film, his highest salary to date. The screenplay was written by David Ayer (Training Day (2001)) and follows a S.W.A.T. team as they bring a druglord across town for incarceration. A plot twist develops when the man offers a bounty to anyone who can break him out of captivity. Production on the film is expected to begin at the end of the year.

Pop diva and current London stage actress Madonna will not only be contributing the theme song to the next James Bond flick, Die Another Day (2002), she'll also have a small cameo role in the film. Madonna's publicist recently confirmed that the Material Girl has recently finished filming a scene at England's Pinewood Studios in which she plays a fencing instructor in an action sequence. Pierce Brosnan is back in the lead role as Britain's top spy (after Austin Powers, that is!) in the 20th film of the James Bond franchise. Also starring in the film are Oscar winner Halle Berry, John Cleese as the hapless gadget inventor 'R', and Toby Stephens as the main baddie. Madonna will also be filming a music video for the Bond theme song next month. Die Another Day, directed by Lee Tamahori, is set to be released on November 22nd.

Casting continues on Universal studio's next big screen Dr. Seuss adaptation with the addition of Alec Baldwin, who joins Mike Myers and Dakota Fanning in the magical tale of the famous cat who pays a visit to two children in their home. Television actress Peri Gilpin is also joined the cast as the mother of the two kids. While no actor has yet been chosen to play the little brother, Myers signed on early into the production to play the Cat himself, with Fanning set to play the young girl after her breakout performance in I Am Sam (2002). Variety reports that Baldwin will play Alex Kulchak, the neighbor who wonders about the mysterious happenings next door. The Cat in the Hat was written by Seinfeld writers Alec Berg, Dave Mandel and Jeff Schaeffer, and will go into production this fall under the direction of first timer Bo Welch, with an eye towards a release date of summer 2003.

Christopher Walken has signed on to play the bad guy in the latest vehicle for The Rock (The Scorpion King (2002)) entitled Helldorado. The Rock would take the lead role as a bounty hunter to heads to the remote jungle to kill off a target (Dude, Where's My Car?'s Seann William Scott), but soon discovers that the man is more of an ally than an enemy. The two then work together to fight a greater evil, The Rock's former boss Bloomocks (to be played by Walken). Actor/Director Peter Berg (Very Bad Things (1998)) is set to direct the project, which will head into production in September at Universal studios.

Actress Sharon Stone is set to return to a major studio production for the first time since 1998's science fiction dud Sphere and 1999's flat romantic comedy The Muse. The actress will star alongside Dennis Quaid for Touchstone's thriller Cold Creek Manor, about a married couple who buy an old rural farmhouse and are terrorized by its' former owner after his release from prison. Mike Figgis (Timecode (2000), Leaving Las Vegas (1995)) is set to direct the project. Since 2000, Stone has kept a relatively low profile, starring in mainly independent fare and cable productions, like HBO's If These Walls Could Talk. Her last role was in the small film Beautiful Joe (2000). Production on Cold Creek Manor should begin sometime later this year, since Figgis has long since wrapped his second split-screen digital feature, Hotel (2002).

Comedians Jim Carrey and Garry Shandling will provide the voices for Dreamworks' upcoming animated feature Over the Hedge, set (as all animated films are) for the long way-off release year of 2005. The film project is based on a comic strip, and concerns the animals that have to deal with the ever encroaching human presence as the suburbs take over the once wild forest. Carrey will be the voice of R.J. the Raccoon, and Shandling will be the hapless turtle Verne. Animated film director Tim Johnson (Antz (1998), Sinbad (2003)) will helm the picture, with Bonnie Arnold (Tarzan (1999), Toy Story (1995)) producing. Over the Hedge will be Dreamworks' second animated feature developed at their new production facility, the first being the upcoming Sharkslayer (2004), which will star Will Smith and The Sopranos' James Gandolfini.

Director Jay Roach (Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999), Meet the Parents (2000)) has quite a few projects on his plate to choose from. According to Harry Knowles' site Ain't it Cool News, an interview with the director revealed that the assumed sequel-in-the-works Meet the Fockers (2003) isn't moving ahead as smoothly as planned and seems to be sinking in Development Hell. If Roach decides not to take the Robert De Niro/Ben Stiller sequel under his wing, it can be assured that the studio will find another director as it is keen to develop the series into a franchise. Roach also remarked that, while Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002) was widely assumed to be the final film featuring the groovy super spy, Mike Myers called him recently to discuss some "exciting new ideas" for a possible fourth Austin movie. The director has long been attached to the ever-developing feature film version of Douglas Adams' popular novel The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a film that seems to be in a constant state of re-writes. While Roach seems genuinely intrigued to do the film, the notes that studios aren't generally interested in anything "quirky and expensive", which is how he describes the comic, sci-fi romp (personally, after watching this one get stale in the wings for so many years, I hope it never gets made - Douglas' wit and complex story could never really be fully realized onscreen). Aside from a few ideas for personal films he wants to make over his career, we have yet to see which project Roach will ultimately pursue as Goldmember fever swings into full tilt this summer.

The rumor mill swung into overtime this past week concerning casting for Wolfgang Petersen's newly announced and highly anticipated super hero blockbuster, Batman vs. Superman. The studio released a shortlist of names who they are looking to cast in what has become the two hottest roles in Hollywood - but it's been widely thought that they've already made their decision. While in firm denial of the rumor, saying the parts are far from cast, the word on the street is that British thesp Jude Law has won the part of Superman, while up and coming Irish leading man Colin Farrell (who will be seen as Bullseye in the comic book film Daredevil next year) has landed the role of Batman. According to representatives from both actors and the studio, they both are certainly interested in the film but are far from a sure thing. (Personally, I think the casting would work better the other way around on this one.) Other names considered for the movie include Christian Bale, Matt Damon, and Paul Rudd. Another rumor that screenwriter Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind (2001)) is now re-writing the original draft by Andrew Kevin Walker (Seven (1995), 8MM (1999)) has also been quelched by the studio. Batman vs. Superman begins shooting in February, with an eye towards a summer 2004 release.

One of the big screenplays making its way around Hollywood and into the hands of resourceful fanboys over the past year has been Darren Aronofsky's (Pi (1998), Requiem for a Dream (2000)) sci-fi dream project, entitled The Fountain. The film, which recounts the adventures of a man in the present as well as 500 years both in the past and future, has finally been greenlit by Warner Bros. and will begin shooting in Australia in October. Brad Pitt has signed on for the lead role, joining Cate Blanchett and Ellyn Burstyn. The rather vague description of the movie from both the studio and director bills it as a "post Matrix-style metaphysical sci-fi" story. Knowing audiences are ready for something beyond the standard sci-fi realm, Aronofsky wrote The Fountain as a journey from the past to the future and tackled such themes as the search for God and the quest for "love, death, and immortality." The project has an initial budget of $70 million, and will lens both in Queensland and Sydney at Fox Studios.

Visually inspired director Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge! (2001), Romeo & Juliet (1996), Strictly Ballroom (1992)) is currently in talks to helm the latest epic Alexander the Great project. Universal's Alexander film is currently the fourth such movie in some stage of production in Hollywood (others include Oliver Stone's film, a Mel Gibson cable version, and a Martin Scorcese project with Leonardo DiCaprio - all of which seem to have gotten stalled at some point). Universal studios may decide to co-finance the film with Twentieth Century Fox, but they already have the financial and military support (as an army of extras) from Mohammed VI, the king of Morocco. The Silence of the Lambs / Hannibal team will be heading up this one, with Dino De Laurentiis producing and screenwriter Ted Tally writing the script from a series of books about the conqueror by author Valerio Manfredi. Every other planned version of an Alexander the Great story has run into its fair share of snags, as Oliver Stone's film was going to star Heath Ledger, and later Colin Farrell, but both actors have since dropped out of that project. Universal's Alexander film is set to go before cameras in January, with construction already underway in Morocco and a budget that may swell well above its current $140 million mark. Concerning the fascination with the famous conqueror who lived hard and died at a tender age of 32, Luhrmann believes that Alexander was "the world's first rock star...a fantastic freak of nature. Alexander succeeded in achieving his goals beyond the scope of anyone's imagination (but) achieving absolute success brought him absolute failure." Twentieth Century Fox would distribute the film internationally, while Universal will maintain control over domestic distribution.

It looks as though another video game will make it to the big screen, according to Universal. The studio has gotten the rights and apparently will be moving forward with a planned film based on the popular game Spy Hunter with an eye towards casting Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson in the lead. The Rock, who made his feature film debut with The Mummy Returns (2001) and who became a marquee film star in his first lead role with The Scorpion King (2002), would play a fighter pilot who becomes a super spy, complete with a special vehicle and all the bells and whistles that are included. The studio is planning the project as a franchise for the wrestling star turned action hero, who is already committed to starring in the bounty hunter adventure Helldorado with Christopher Walken and Seann William Scott, and who may also star in a yet to be titled "buddy action comedy" as well as a King Kamehameha biopic. Of landing the man with the famous eyebrow for the franchise, producers Adrian Askarieh and Chuck Gordon remarked that "The Rock is one of the most charismatic actors on Earth and Spy-Hunter will greatly benefit from his very human presence at the core of this mammoth adventure. All we can say is that the fans of the Spy-Hunter game franchise will not be disappointed and for those who haven't played the game, prepare to be hunted at a theatre near you!"

Stunning British actress Kate Beckinsale (Pearl Harbor (2001), Serendipity (2001)) has signed on to star in the dark, gothic romance/adventure film Underworld for Lakeshore Entertainment. Set in the modern world of Werewolves and Vampires, Underworld tells the story of the centuries-old battle between the two supernatural races beneath the streets of present day New York. Scott Speedman (Dark Blue (2002), Duets (2000)) has also signed on for the film, which will begin filming in Europe this September. Beckinsale will play the part of a powerful vampire who falls in love with a Werewolf (Speedman) while researching the origins of the conflict between vampires and werewolves. Although sworn to be bitter enemies, the two must struggle in a Romeo and Juliet-type tragedy to overcome the war around them through their commitment to one another. The script was written by Danny McBride, and the film will be directed by first-timer Len Wiseman.

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