Pirates of the Caribbean 5 Title Reveal. Coming in 2015

Jerry Bruckheimer and Johnny Depp are raising the anchor and setting sail on another Pirates of the Caribbean adventure, this time with Kon Tiki directors Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg at the helm. 

And now, the filmmakers have reportedly revealed that the title of Pirates 5 will be Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales will begin production early next year and is scheduled to hit theaters on July 15, 2015.

Ben Affleck is the New Batman for Man of Steel Sequel

Ben Affleck is set to star as Batman in Zack Snyder's Man of Steel sequel, Warner Bros. has announced.

“We knew we needed an extraordinary actor to take on one of DC Comics’ most enduringly popular Super Heroes, and Ben Affleck certainly fits that bill, and then some" said Greg Silverman, President of Creative Development and Worldwide Production at Warner Bros. earlier today. "His outstanding career is a testament to his talent and we know he and Zack will bring new dimension to the duality of this character.”

“Ben provides an interesting counter-balance to Henry’s Superman," added director Snyder. He has the acting chops to create a layered portrayal of a man who is older and wiser than Clark Kent and bears the scars of a seasoned crime fighter, but retain the charm that the world sees in billionaire Bruce Wayne. I can’t wait to work with him.”

“We are so thrilled that Ben is continuing Warner Bros.’ remarkable legacy with the character of Batman," continued Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution President Sue Kroll. He is a tremendously gifted actor who will make this role his own in this already much-anticipated pairing of these two beloved heroes."

Warner Bros. has a longstanding relationship with Affleck. His most recent hit for the studio was 2012's Argo, which won Best Picture at this year's Academy Awards. Affleck's next directorial effort, Live By Night, will also be produced by Warner.

Affleck is no stranger to the superhero gig, having played Daredevil in 20th Century Fox's 2003 flick of the same name. His will be the fifth big-screen Batman since Michael Keaton donned the cowl in Tim Burton's 1989 effort.

The Man of Steel sequel, which will likely be called Batman vs Superman, was announced at Comic-Con earlier this year. The film will be penned by Snyder and Man of Steel screenwriter David S. Goyer, and is currently slated to open worldwide on July 17, 2015. The sequel will reunite Man of Steel stars Henry Cavill, Laurence Fishburne, Amy Adams and Diane Lane.

Man of Steel has taken in more than $630 million at the worldwide box office to date.

The Expendables 3 Commences Filming.

Lionsgate and Millennium Films announced today that principal photography has commenced on its star-studded sequel The Expendables 3. Production is now underway on location in Bulgaria and at Nu Boyana Studios in Sofia.

Returning cast members include Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Terry Crews and Arnold Schwarzenegger. New cast members include Wesley Snipes, Antonio Banderas, Mel Gibson and Harrison Ford, as well as Kellan Lutz, MMA star Ronda Rousey, welterweight boxing champion Victor Ortiz and Glen Powell.

Here's the official plot synopsis: "In The Expendables 3, Barney (Stallone), Christmas (Statham) and the rest of the team comes face-to-face with Conrad Stonebanks (Gibson), who years ago co-founded The Expendables with Barney. Stonebanks subsequently became a ruthless arms trader and someone who Barney was forced to kill… or so he thought. Stonebanks, who eluded death once before, now is making it his mission to end The Expendables -- but Barney has other plans. Barney decides that he has to fight old blood with new blood, and brings in a new era of Expendables team members, recruiting individuals who are younger, faster and more tech-savvy. The latest mission becomes a clash of classic old-school style versus high-tech expertise in the Expendables’ most personal battle yet."

Patrick Hughes (Red Hill) is directing, with Dan Bradley (the Bourne films, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, Quantum of Solace) directing the second unit. The script was penned by Creighton Rothenberger & Katrin Benedikt (Olympus Has Fallen) and Sylvester Stallone.

The Expendables 3 opens August 15, 2014.

Emperor Palpatine to return for new Star Wars Trilogy

Ian McDiarmid is reportedly set to return to the Star Wars franchise for Episode VII.

Jedi News reports that an unnamed source told them the actor, who played Palpatine in the first two trilogies, has signed on for a part in the upcoming movie, though it's unclear what the role would be.

Minor speculation follows about what the role could be, so if you've yet to see any of the Star Wars movies you should head off to avoid spoilers. And watch them. Obviously.

Considering Palpatine is pretty much his signature role, it'd be odd if he appeared as another character. While a cameo is possible, it's far more likely that Palpatine could appear as a Force Ghost or in flashbacks seeing as he died at the end of Episode VI. There's also the possibility that he's been cloned, or it could be tied into the ability to attain immortality using the force that he supposedly learnt from his old Master before killing him.

Regardless, until we hear anything solid from Lucasfilm this is nothing more than a rumour. With filming due to start next year for a 2015 release, we should hear something before too long though.

District 9 and Elysium Director Neil Blomkamp's next film is 'Chappie'

Columbia Pictures announced today that Sony and MRC have agreed to co-produce and co-finance Chappie, the next feature project from Elysium director Neill Blomkamp. Additionally, we've picked up a few more details on the upcoming film.

Earlier this summer, we learned that Chappie is a sci-fi comedy featuring a "ridiculous robot" with an "unusual setting" and that the idea is based on Blomkamp's 2003 short film Tetra Vaal (embedded below). Now, we have an official logline for the pic: "Chappie tells the story of a robot imbued with artificial intelligence who is stolen by two local gangsters who want to use him for their own nefarious purposes."

District 9 and Elysium's Sharlto Copley is set to star in this film as the voice of Chappie, with Ninja and Yolandi Visser, from the South African rap-rave duo Die Antwoord, as the two gangsters.

Tom Cruise to return as Ethan Hunt in 'Mission Impossible 5'

The last time audiences saw super spy Ethan Hunt on screen in 2011, Lalo Schifrin’s iconic “Mission: Impossible” score seemed to be playing him toward the exit. Jeremy Renner’s William Brandt character had breathed new life into the franchise’s fourth installment, “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol,” leading to speculation that the “Hurt Locker” lead would take over the reins from star Tom Cruise.

And in “Ghost Protocol’s” final scene – SPOILER ALERT – Cruise as Hunt is shown wistfully reconnecting with his supposedly dead wife (Michelle Monahan). That's a clear violation of the secret agent playbook if there ever was one.

Then a funny thing happened on Ethan Hunt’s trip out to pasture. “Ghost Protocol” took in more $700 million at the box office – a personal best for Cruise, long one of moviedom’s most bankable stars, as well as a financial high-water mark for the already blockbuster “M:I” franchise.

Now Cruise has signed on to reprise his role as the world-beating IMF agent in a fifth “Mission: Impossible” movie. As reported by Deadline Monday and confirmed by franchise distributor Paramount today, the actor will star in and produce the new sequel, developing the project with “Star Trek: Into Darkness” director-producer J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot.

Although Paramount and Skydance Productions (which co-financed and executive produced “Ghost Protocol”) have yet to reveal who will write or direct “M:I 5,” Christopher McQuarrie – who directed last year’s Cruise-starring action adventure “Jack Reacher” and wrote Cruise’s 2008 Nazi thriller “Valkyrie”  – is reportedly the leading contender to direct the new sequel.

McQuarrie would follow in an illustrious line of “Mission: Impossible” directors: Brian DePalma (responsible for 1996’s movie adaptation of the ‘60s TV series), John Woo (“M:I 2”), Abrams (M:I 3”) and animation ace Brad Bird (“Ghost Protocol”).

One message designed not to self-destruct in five seconds: The “Mission: Impossible” franchise has earned over $2 billion globally, to rank among Hollywood’s most successful movie series.

New Study Reveals Movie Trailers Are Showing Too Much, but People Don't Seem to Mind

In news that should be surprising to absolutely no one, a new survey finds that half of movie viewers think trailers give away all the best scenes in a movie. What’s next, a survey that discovers most people find visiting the dentist unpleasant?

According to results from a recent YouGov Omnibus study, 49 percent of interviewees feel that trailers give away too much these days. 16 percent of the respondents strongly agreed with the sentiment. One would think this might convince Hollywood to stop giving away endings and all the big action set pieces in their preview clips, but not so fast…

While nearly half of all respondents think trailers show off all the really cool stuff in an upcoming feature, only 19 percent said that made them less interested in seeing the full film. Twenty-four percent said it actually made them want to see the movie more. This is why we can’t have nice things.

The study also revealed that trailers are still the biggest influence when it comes to getting audiences to the theater. Forty-eight percent of the people interviewed said it was the most important factor in convincing them to see a film, while 46 percent cited personal recommendations.

So, even though trailers are spoiling all the best parts of movies months before we ever get to sit down in a theater, it looks like at least half the people out there don’t really mind. With the proliferation of social media, maybe we’re reaching a point where spoilers don’t really matter – or simply are no longer avoidable while staying connected to the rest of the world. Maybe I’m a dinosaur from a different era, but that kind of sucks.

What do you think? Are trailers too spoilery? Does a preview that shows off all the film’s biggest and best moments make you not want to plunk down $19 to see it? Partake in our totally nonscientific survey by leaving your thoughts below.

Kelsey Grammer has signed on for 'Transformers 4'

Kelsey Grammer (Frasier) is more than meets the eye as the new – and quite human – antagonist for Michael Bay’s Transformers 4.  Not too much is known about his character except that he’ll be playing counter-intelligence operative Harold Attinger – a flesh-and-blood baddie – and not a voice of any villainous Decepticons.  

Grammer will join Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Nicola Peltz and Jack Reynor in a story that centers on “a group of powerful, ingenious businessman and scientists [who] attempt to learn from past Transformer incursions and push the boundaries of technology beyond what they can control—all while an ancient, powerful Transformer menace sets Earth in his cross hairs.”  Transformers 4 opens June 27, 2014.  Hit the jump for more.

Movie Preview: Rush

Release Date: September 20, 2013Director: Ron HowardWriter: Peter MorganCast: Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Brühl, Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara, Stephen Mangan, Christian McKay, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Jamie de Courcey, Pierfrancesco Favino, Natalie Dormer

The year, make, and model were quite different but Rush filmmaker Ron Howard has felt the rumbling power of iconic cars when it comes to engines of cinema and symbolism. It was 40 years ago this summer that one of the ultimate automobile movies, American Graffiti, rumbled into box office history and steered Howard toward television and Happy Days.

Howard is a two-time Oscar-winning filmmaker and with Rush (featured in the first-look poster to the right with star Chris Hemsworth) and its fact-based tale of Formula One racing rivalry in 1976 he found himself feeling like he was covering some familiar road — but it wasn’t films about wheels on asphalt that hit close to home.

“People ask what has Rush been like and I say from a filmmaking standpoint it’s been kind of like a cross between Apollo 13 and Backdraft,” says Howard, who other films include The DaVinci Code, Splash and A Beautiful Mind. “In the case of Apollo 13, that’s for the complexity and the authenticity and the intent to capture an era and an endeavor that blends technology, action and danger.”

Howard added a hairpin segue: “But, then speaking of danger, it reminds me of Backdraft because those fires scared me and so did shooting racing action in this film. I was happy when we wrapped Backdraft and frankly it was the same reaction this time. The relief of it, I was just as happy when we wrapped Rush.”

Rush stars Hemsworth of Thor fame as driver James Hunt and Daniel Brühl as his nemesis, Niki Lauda,but while they put their lives on the line  (like astronauts and firefighters) the Formula One demi-gods were surrounded with a bubble of glamour and rock-star swagger that makes them seem more like princes addicted to danger than dedicated souls called to duty.

The director said the elite European scene was as close to cocky Jagger as it was to quietly cool Yeager. “Folks from the era are fond of saying of the 1970s F1 racing that’s it time when when sex was safe and driving was dangerous. That’s the way they lived. These folks aren’t forthcoming with a lot of details but there are a lot of winks and nods.

I really did sort of fall in love with the sport. I love teams but yet the draivers are really unique talents and fascinating personalities, which is why I was involved in the story that [Frost/Nixon screenwriter] Peter Morgan wrote these characters brilliantly and there’s great acting opportunities blended with this cool, visceral action. I also loved the blend of teamwork and the state-of-the-art technology and, throughout, the wall-to-wall aggressive action.”

Zack Snyder might be line to direct Justice League

Warner Bros' superhero franchises need a savior. The studio's relatively recent non-Batman movies, Superman Returns and Green Lantern, took a beating at the box office despite top dollars being spent on their production. But no, that savior won't be Christopher Nolan because, after directing three very successful Batman movies, he may not have any creative juice left for another costumed-hero movie.

However, that person may be Zack Snyder, the director of Watchmen and the forthcoming Superman movie, Man of Steel. Warner Bros seems to be placing all its superhero movie hopes on him because if his Man of Steel does well, he will be asked to direct Justice League, according to Empire (via Joblo).

Per the article,

"Warner Bros.' long-term view has been revised to embrace this new vision , just as the Dark Knight films resisted the com-modification of Marvel. Whether we get a Justice League, they say, depends on Man of Steel. If we do, they say, Zack Snyder will be asked to direct."

As we know, Man of Steel will set up the world in which all the WB's superheroes will reside, so its success is will determine if there is going to be a Flash movie, a Green Lantern movie, and so on.

And then there's Justice League, the studio's answer to Marvel's The Avengers, or what comic book author Mark Millar calls "an excellent way to lose $200 million."

WB has been trying unsuccessfully to get the right director to come on board to take it across the finish line, but nothing became of the studio's efforts. Ben Affleck, Brett Ratner, and the Wachowski siblings have all been rumored to have kicked the tires on the movie.

Turns out that director the studio is looking for is Snyder, but only if Man of Steel does well.

As to whether or not a successful movie can be made of WB's other superheroes, those who are not Superman or Batman, well, that's another discussion.

Dodgeball sequel in the works

The sports comedy DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story is finally getting a sequel, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn are expect to return to reprise their roles.

In the first movie, Vaughn stars as Peter LaFleur, the owner of a small gym who's trying to prevent his gym from being taken over by a larger, more successful gym owned by Ben Stiller's White Goodman. In order to get the funds need to save his gym, he forms a team to enter a Las Vegas Dodgeball tournament for the $50,000 in prize money.

In the sequel, Stiller and Vaughn will have to team up to take on a more threatening foe. Obviously, there will be more dodgeball action. Clay Tarver, who has one produced screenplay in the 2001 thriller Joy Ride, is writing the script. According to THR, Tarver "has spent much of his time in the comedy world and has a familiarity with niche, subculture activities" so he's not exactly an out-of-left-field hire.

DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story was generally well-received by the critics when it was release, scoring a 70% at RottenTomatoes. The movie also made over $167 million at the global box office on a $20 million budget.

Jurassic Life. New Jurassic Park game for 20th Anniversary

This year is a very special year: Jurassic Park celebrates its 20th anniversary. And wouldn't it be great for a brand new game to be released based on Spielberg's classic blockbuster. Well, no major publisher is working on that adaptation (as far as we know), but some dedicated fans of the film are working on a JP mod for Half-Life 2: welcome to Jurassic Life!

They've been coding for some time now – over six years, in fact – but it's a labour of love produced by a small team. Updates on the project's status have been infrequent, but the latest is definitely the most exciting yet. If you're a fan of the film, just watch the trailer for Jurassic Life below: