David Goyer, the screenwriter behind the gothic-style Blade films as well as the cult classic Dark City, will write the screenplay for the next Batman film, which was recently put into the hands of Memento director Chris Nolan. The newest incarnation of the Dark Knight will be toned down immensely from the flashy box office fluff of the recent films, focusing more on the psychology and more human drama of the superhero. Nolan's announced Batman film comes at a time when there seems to be more projects about it than any other in Hollywood. Nolan's Batman is a different project from other recent rumored films, including Darren Aronofsky's Batman: Year One or the highly touted Batman: The Frightening script that is currently making its way through the rumor mill. Goyer recently wrote the screenplay for the upcoming Freddy Vs. Jason project, which pits two horror icons against one another in a much anticipated scare fest. No word yet on when Chris Nolan's Batman film would expect to get underway.

Pierce Brosnan will take a break from his hero identity of James Bond and star in After the Sunset, which will find him playing a career thief. After his last major heist, the thief sets sail for paradise to retire - meanwhile being tracked by an FBI agent who has followed him to make sure that he's really finished with his criminal ways. The film was written by screenwriter Paul Zbyszewski, and the project will be produced by Firm Films. In addition to Sunset, Brosnan is also set to star opposite Julianne Moore in the romantic comedy The Laws of Attraction, to be directed by Peter Howitt.

Hollywood star Tom Hanks is apparently gearing up to star in a remake of Akira Kurosawa's 1952 film Ikiru, which Dreamworks will be producing. The original film followed the story of a man who discovers he has a terminal illness and sets about doing something to give him a meaning and purpose to his life by building a park. Richard Price, a novelist and screenwriter, has been approached to write the new version. No word yet on how closely the remake will follow the original film, but with Hanks spearheading the project, it's likely to attract some major talent. No director is yet attached to the film. Hanks' other upcoming project include the Coen Brothers' remake of The Ladykillers and a big screen adaptation of the classic children's story The Polar Express. He is also rumored to be Steven Spielberg's first choice for a long-in-development biopic of Abraham Lincoln.

Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore, who recently won the Oscar for his film Bowling for Columbine, is set to polarize audiences once again with his next film - which will reportedly follow the generational ties between the Bush family and the bin Laden family over the course of many years. Moore's film is set to begin with the close business ties between former President George Bush and Mohammed bin Laden, whose vast fortune went to his son upon his death, and which was eventually used to fund a global terrorist network which culminated in the September 11th attacks. Moore has been very vocal in his views against the Bush administration, which he made clear during his Oscar speech. The new film should be completed in time for release near the 2004 presidential elections.

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