UPDATE: THR has just confirmed that Johnny Depp will indeed play the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, which is currently in pre-production. Disney announced the news earlier today. Depp was rumored to be playing the role for a couple months now, and it definitely suits the actor. The film itself will combine live action and motion-capture animation, and it will be released in digital 3-D. Newcomer Mia Wasikowska has been cast as Alice. Additionally, it's now bring reported that Depp will also take on a role in The Lone Ranger (IESB says he'll be playing Tonto).

Good ol' Ben Affleck must have gone stir crazy. We haven't seen him on the big screen since 2006, and now he's got a bunch of projects on the way. Last week there was The Town, and now The Hollywood Reporter posts that he's in talks to star in The Company Men, with John Wells directing. This is not to be confused with the Ron Livingston-starring The Company Men, which is also in the works. Both are a bit similar in plot -- Livingston gets to try and save a sinking company in a crappy economy while Affleck will get laid off and struggle with the fallout. Hopefully one of them will change their name soon.

Anne Hathaway has landed another gig, this time as a "young, commitment-phobic attorney" in The Opposite of Love, so says The Hollywood Reporter. Essentially, this gal's life falls apart when she rejects her current boyfriend who was ready for marriage, like, yesterday. What's the opposite of interesting?

Bruce Willis is picking up a helming hat. Variety reports that he will make his directorial debut with an indie psychological thriller called Three Stories About Joan. Starring Camilla Belle, Kieran Culkin, and Willis in a supporting role, the film focuses on three tragedies in a young woman's life "that cause her to lose her grip on reality." Hmmm ... Demi directs and now Willis? Could one be trying to top the other? Thoughts?

It looks like once Ben Affleck cleans up the not-so-sexy straggly, shaggy-man look for Extract, he's going to town. The Hollywood Reporter posts that he's in negotiations to write, direct, and star in The Town -- a romance/heist flick. It's about a gal bank manager who has her heart broken by a thief "who stole more than her heart" and an FBI agent trying to bust him. Yes, more bad guy allure versus good guy aggravation, I'm sure. Ben has already got all sorts of Best Feature and Most Promising Director accolades, so do you think he's got another gem in him, or will he hit the sophomore slump?

Universal Studios Hollywood will offer an extended first look at The Wolfman on its "Terror Tram" as part of the park's Halloween Horror Nights, beginning October 3rd. (Footage to arrive online -- what -- October 4th, ya think?) Said tram takes you to places like the Bates Motel, Psycho House and the "tortured landscape" of War of the Worlds. (Trip to the set of Ace Ventura Jr. not included on Terror Tram for some odd reason.)

Amazon.com has just announced that its subsidiary, IMDB (aka Internet Movie Database), has begun showcasing both feature films and TV shows on its website for users to watch for free. While at first it looks to be more suitable for the casual TV viewer who wants to watch an episode of 30 Rock before its first air date (one pretty cool feature), the announcement indicates that "over 6,000 titles will be available." Films available now include Some Like It Hot, Liar, Liar, Bring It On, Fiddler on the Roof and more (in addition to a whole bunch of shorts). Anyone else losing track of all the different places online where one can download a film or TV program and watch for free? [The Hollywood Reporter]

Here's a movie that's getting stranger and stranger the more details we get -- and I'm loving it. First, Mike Judge's Extract was simply a movie that "explores what it's like to be the boss when everything seems to be shifting around you." Then it became about a guy who owns an industrial flower-extract plant and has to deal with workplace issues and a cheating wife. Now, it turns out that one of the "workplace issues" is an employee who loses a body part in a freak accident, and that the wife is cheating on the protagonist with a gigolo. Awesome.

Jason Bateman plays the factory owner -- that, we already knew. We also knew that the amazing Kristen Wiig is playing the wife, and Mila Kunis another employee. The new info is that Clifton Collins, Jr. has joined the cast as the maiming victim, and Ben Affleck as an ambulance-chasing lawyer who, I'd imagine, wants to milk Bateman's character for all he's worth. No word on who's playing the gigolo.

I got pelted with poop for praising Mike Judge's last movie, the largely direct-to-DVD Idiocracy, the first time I wrote about this project, but I stand by comments. It would have been easy for Judge to do Office Space 2, but it's been gratifying to watch him go in some even more offbeat directions instead.

There have always been those great Hollywood stories about how people got their big break. We all know the one about Lana Turner being discovered in a drugstore, and Steven Spielberg sneaking onto the lot in his Dad's suit (even though it never happened). But, how about the guy who's famous for writing a song about 'F**king Matt Damon'? Variety reports that Wayne McClammy has been hired to direct the comedy Cool School for 20th Century Fox.

Up until now, McClammy was best known as one of the writers behind the original comedy song with Sarah Silverman and Matt Damon. But, he was also responsible for the slightly less funny response from Jimmy Kimmel and Ben Affleck. McClammy was a *writer for Jimmy Kimmel Live and worked as a director for The Sarah Silverman Show. Other than a few comedy shorts, McClammy has mainly worked in TV, and School will be his feature film debut.

Cool School centers on a group of ad-men in their 30's who feel like they have become out of touch in their middle age. The group is shuttled off to high school in hopes of learning how to be 'cool'. The story was written by Derek Guiley and David Schneiderman and casting will begin as soon as a final polish on the script has been completed.

*Correction: McClammy was a field director for Jimmy Kimmel Live

Moviefone has debuted the trailer for He's Just Not That Into You, due in theatres October 24th (watch it above or over on Moviefone in HD). While it's a charming trailer, I cannot help but feel that every man in the world is actually really into one or more of these actresses (especially Scarlett Johansson) so it automatically loses credibility. Plus, it's a movie based on a dating guide. How will that work out? Happily ever after, I suspect.

The star power in this movie is pretty impressive, though! It was indelibly associated in my mind with Drew Barrymore (who I like; she is impossible not to). I had no idea it boasted the likes of Jennifer Connelly, Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Aniston, Ginnifer Goodwin, Ben Affleck, and Justin Long. That speaks well for it, actually, as Connelly especially tends to do the more serious scripts. And I really want to see Affleck make a major comeback, so I hope his mere presence in a romantic comedy doesn't condemn him to Gigli level again. What do you think -- perfect date movie or too reminiscent of real life to be amusing? I think I am in the latter category, myself. The scene with Barrymore at the end of the trailer is like every interaction I have ever had with the opposite sex. Sad, but true.

But now the big question still remains: Will he get to take his shirt off? According to Entertainment Weekly, Matthew McConaughey was offered the leading role of Thomas Magnum in Universal Pictures' adaptation of Magnum P.I. In fact, right this very second (and possibly shirtless) McConaughey is said to be reading over the script from writer-director Rawson Thurber (Dodgeball); trying to decide whether or not he'd be a good fit. For those youngsters in the crowd, Magnum P.I. was a boss '80s TV show about a Navy Seal-turned-detective who liked Hawaiian shirts and big, porn mustaches.

This isn't the first we've heard of McConaughey and Magnum P.I. All the way back in January of 2007, he was rumored to be up for the part -- a role that, at one point, was going to Ben Affleck, George Clooney and Vince Vaughn. And ... what about Tom Selleck? Will he get to play a part? Probably not. Back in 2006 (oh yes, this project has been lingering in the halls of Hollywood detention for quite some time), Selleck called the movie idea "stupid" and said he'd take no part in it. Heck yeah, Tom! Tell it like it is. But if they were to move ahead on this, I like McConaughey out of everyone. Keep in mind, they'll update it to a point where the only traces from the old TV show come in character names and cheesy Hawaiian shirts.

What do you think about a Magnum P.I. movie? Keep it or kill it?

So it appears as if Sacha Baron Cohen is still causing quite the mess here in the United States as his alter-ego Brüno; getting kicked out of airports, showing up to an Easter play at a church in Kansas wearing chains, and the list goes on. First off, for those not familiar with Brüno, he's a gay Austrian fashion reporter who's wildly flamboyant in every way. The film, which marks Cohen's follow-up to Borat, will be called (deep breath) ... Brüno: Delicious Journeys Through America for the Purpose of Making Heterosexual Males Visibly Uncomfortable in the Presence of a Gay Foreigner in a Mesh T-Shirt. Needless to say, I cannot wait to hear my local news coughing up that title when it comes time for the weekend box office figures.

But back to Ben Affleck. Seems Mike Walker from the National Enquirer called into Howard Stern last week saying that Affleck called friend Sarah Silverman following an interview with Brüno. Affleck was told Brüno was a "very famous openly gay fashion journalist," but that didn't stop Ben from admitting it was "the weirdest sit-down he has ever had with a reporter." Eventually, Silverman coughed up his name and only then did Ben realize he'd been had. Part of me doesn't believe this at all, because I can only imagine the hoops one would need to jump through in order to get an actual sit-down interview with Ben Affleck. Then again, perhaps Cohen's crew have perfected their little joke by now. Either way, I'm sure Affleck will be making an appearance in the film.

For more, as well as a brief video of Brüno's crew dancing in an airport, head over to Slashfilm.

After the success of the crime drama, Gone Baby Gone, I guess Ben Affleck and everyone else involved figured why mess with a good thing, and jumped right into another project based on a gritty crime novel. The Hollywood Reporter announced that Affleck is reuniting with his producing (and writing) partner Sean Bailey for The Blade Itself. The two will be producing the flick along with Miramax for Bailey's Ideology Films.

Miramax owns the film rights to Marcus Sakey's crime novel about two childhood friends. The Blade Itself centers on Evan and Danny, two kids from the 'mean streets' of Chicago. After a botched pawn shop robbery, Evan serves hard time and Danny turns to the straight and narrow. Seven years later, Evan is out and comes looking for Danny for payback. Using their past ties as a bargaining chip, Evan tries to drag Danny back into their partnership.

Back in October, Sakey himself had announced that it was Affleck and Matt Damon who would be producing. But it looks like there have been a few changes, since it is now Bailey and Affleck in charge. Bailey recently scored a first look deal with Disney for Ideology Films, and in the tradition of keeping it in the family, they will also produce the Jennifer Garner film, Sabbatical. Aaron Stockard, who also co-wrote Gone with Affleck, has been hired to adapt the script. I can't see them making many changes, but something tells me that with these two in charge, The Windy City will most likely be transformed into Bean Town. Just call it a hunch.

Over at our sister site Moviefone, they have a piece up counting down Hollywood's 25 hottest on-set hookups. From Bogey and Bacall to Madonna and Warren Beatty, from Brad and Angie to Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn, those Hollywood stars just can't seem to keep their movie romances confined to the screen. We thought it might be fun to pit some of these on-set romances against each other, in sort of a celebrity hook-up showdown. Sound off and let us know which of each pair of hook-ups you think is hottest:








Which Hollywood hookups from Moviefone's list do you think were smolderingly hot? Which leave you cold? And whose hookups did they overlook?

I guess hearing musical numbers about different celebrities f**king each other is going to be all the rage for the next little while. On the heels of the highly successful Sarah Silverman/Matt Damon gag, and the only slightly less funny revenge song courtesy of Silverman's boyfriend Jimmy Kimmel and Ben Affleck, comes a contribution from Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks from the set of Zack and Miri make a Porno (courtesy of Quick Stop Entertainment)

It's pretty much the same jokes as the other two videos but with one notable difference; this time there is not a 'bleep' to be heard. Honestly, maybe that's what's missing; sometimes a well-placed bleep can almost be funnier than the naughty word itself. But, this is marketing for a Kevin Smith movie after all, so get ready for some truly crude lyrics; funny, but kind of gross. As for the cameos? Don't go looking for any A-listers in this video, but Jason Mewes, Traci Lords and Craig Robinson all make a brief appearance (but I guess they kind of had too since they are in the movie after all).

Smith and company are still shooting the romantic comedy about two childhood friends who get into the porn business. Rehearsal finished back in January and now Smith has begun shooting on location in *Chicago. Zack and Miri make a Porno is scheduled for release later this year. As for this 'I'm F**cking ____", craze, I can only image who might come up with one next? Hilary Clinton is f**king Obama? Not to mention, it is getting just a little less funny each time -- where is the next 'D**k in a Box' when you really need it?

*Correction: Smith is shooting in Pittsburgh