Now that Pirates of The Caribbean 3 is becoming a distant memory in the summer blockbuster rush, Keira Knightley fans will just have to wait until the release of her next period drama, Atonement to get their fix. Keira Knightley Daily, is hosting promotional stills from the film, based on the novel by Ian McEwan. It centers on a young girl from an upper class family, with aspirations of becoming a writer, who falsely accuses her older sister's (Knightley) lover of a crime. What follows seems to be long-suffering love, class battles, and regret, all the things that make up a successfully weepy period romance. Oscar-winner Christopher Hampton adapted the book for the screen, and Joe Wright is directing. The cast also includes Saoirse Ronan, Vanessa Redgrave, and James McAvoy as the wronged man. This is the second project for Knightley and director Wright, having already worked together on Pride and Prejudice.

Knightley is also busy finishing up the Dylan Thomas film Edge of Love, and we recently received the somewhat wacky news that she was being considered to play Princess Diana. But since the producer of the Diana project has only made a low-budget horror flick, it seems a little far-fetched to imagine that Knightley would say yes. If you cannot get enough of Knightley's pout, there are also now plenty of new images online from Edge. When put side by side with Atonement's stills, they start to look a little interchangeable -- but at least this set of photos isn't going to spark off a round of litigation. Atonement is set for release in September in the U.K. with a North American release date set for December 7th.

Considering I kind of thought of the first AVP film as the equivalent to Billy the Kid vs. Dracula, you could see how maybe I couldn't quite work up much enthusiasm for Alien vs. Predator 2: AVP2 -- an it looks like I wasn't alone in that particular sentiment. Erik had reported on a first look at some images from the film back in January, and now Design Press has posted a sneak peek at an upcoming book from ADI on creature effects from film. Titled Alien vs. Predator: Survival of the Fittest, the book contains over 300 illustrations from he film and is being released in December, to presumably coincide with the Christmas Day release. This time, the story is set in a small Midwestern town, believe it or not, as the two warring species apparently land for another one of those "epic battles" they seem to enjoy so much. John Ortiz stars as a local sheriff leading a small group of townsfolk who band together to survive the invasion.

The sequel was directed by Greg and Colin Strause, brothers who both have had extensive visual effects resumes (including 300 and X-Men: The Last Stand), but relatively few directing credits -- talk of lackluster script reviews didn't exactly inspire confidence in the hearts of the few remaining fans of the series. Considering the reception the first film received I don't think anyone really was demanding a sequel, but the first one did pull in over $80 million at the U.S. box office, so I guess there were still a few dollars to squeeze out of the franchise.

Just when you thought you had seen the last of casting announcements for Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight, Batman-on-Film (The Dark Knight fan site) has reported that William Fichtner has officially joined the cast. Fresh off Will Ferrell's Blades of Glory, Fichtner is best known as a mainstay in the Bruckheimer universe -- he played the antsy astronaut who squares off against Bruce Willis in Armageddon, and had roles in Pearl Harbor and Black Hawk Down as well. His face might also ring a bell as the slightly psychotic government agent on Fox's Prison Break. So far there aren't many details about his role in The Dark Knight; other than the vague title of "bank manager," which may or may not even be accurate, considering the unofficial nature of the source. If that is his role, it's not exactly the most dynamic sounding part, but you never know.

The film is currently shooting in Chicago, and Erik gave us the heads up for the first set photographs online (most of the photos were related to an opening action sequence in a bank, so that is probably where Fichtner's character comes in) and just today we got our first, if somewhat blurry look at Heath Ledger as The Joker. There hasn't exactly been a shortage of fan scrutiny over every casting choice in the film, and while it seems like some of the choices have been met with universal approval, there has been plenty of debate on other roles, proving yet again that you can't please all of the Batman fans all of the time. Considering that Fichtner's role, if it is what it is, seems pretty "controversy-free," I doubt there is going to be that kind of attention this time around.

Either someone at After Dark Pictures can't make up their mind, or the marketing machine is in full throttle for the Elisha Cuthbert (24) film Captivity. Bloody-Disgusting has a look at the third poster for the horror flick, along with a detailed set visit and some behind the scenes photos of blood stained baby dolls and mattresses -- don't ask. Roland Joffe directs the horror about two people that are abducted and tortured by the usual "madman with ulterior motives". Bloody-Disgusting also reported that Courtney Solomon (American Haunting) had joined the production and that a new ending and four more "torture scenes" had been added, including what they describe as "a brain bashing scene". The film is shooting the added material in California with sets based on the original Russian locations.

Even though the last poster wasn't exactly being targeted at my demographic -- consisting of Cuthbert in a tank-top pressed against glass, I think it was a much creepier image than what they have come up with for the new one-sheet -- which unfortunately kind of looks like an ad for no-run mascara. So I would not count on this being the final poster for the film, if they have not even finished shooting, who knows how many more ideas they might come up with.

I'll be the first to admit to being excited about Spider-Man 3, having been somewhat blown away by the trailers, the footage and the images released online thus far. But, there comes a point when you've seen enough -- and, with only a month and a half before the film is set to hit theaters, you'd rather keep your eyes closed and hope there's at least a few surprises that haven't been ruined yet. With that said, a new batch of Spidey 3 pics have arrived to keep the high going, just as last week's exclusive footage buzz is starting to wear off.

This time around, we're provided with a very cool pic that shows Venom choking Spider-Man from below. Though he's somewhat out of focus, you tell he means business. There's also an image of what looks to be an explosion occurring in the middle of the woods, as well as two nice shots of Gwen Stacy (Bryce Dallas Howard) looking all sexy and big-chested; unfortunately, the second shot also includes Eddie Brock (Topher Grace) kicking some weak game. Finally, we have a shot of Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) and Harry Osborn (James Franco) staring up at something (sinister?) heading in their direction, as Spider-Man balloons float nearby. If it were up to me, this would be the last set of images we see. While I congratulate the Spidey marketing team on practically handing us the entire film prior to its release, how about we leave the rest up to our wicked imaginations? Spider-Man 3 opens everywhere on May 4.

This is me on the weekends: I sit around twiddling my thumbs and waiting for a new Stephen Chow movie. (It used to be Terry Gilliam, but that's over between us until I hear he's really doing Good Omens.) It seems like ages and ages since I laughed my way through Kung Fu Hustle and Shaolin Soccer. I've been grabbing eagerly at any crumbs of news about Long River 7, aka A Hope, the film Chow is currently shooting in China. The film has been described as "the Stephen Chow astronaut movie" and "the Stephen Chow sci-fi film" and "whatever we have to wait for him to finish before he does Kung Fu Hustle 2."

So you know, I jumped like a rabbit when MonkeyPeaches posted a photo from the set of A Hope (MonkeyPeaches isn't very good about linking to individual entries -- you'll have to scroll down the page to find the story and picture). It's not even a picture of Chow, but of a spaceship that's part of the movie. MonkeyPeaches also quoted a summary of the plot that appeared in a Chinese newspaper: Chow plays a single dad who loses his job and gives his son a toy he found in the trash ... except the toy turns out to be a powerful object from another planet. Compare this summary to the one MonkeyPeaches reported in September (which also includes a few pictures of Chow on the set of the film). Then compare it to the storyline that Martha heard about back in July. It's like one of those group games where you whisper something from one person to another down a long line and it keeps changing in weird ways. All these slightly varying stories are making me even more curious and eager about the film. At least it's stopped sounding frighteningly like a heartwarming family drama, and more like something with potential for some goofy comedy. That spaceship does look wonderfully cheesy. We'll just have to wait, and wait, and wait to find out for sure.

[via Twitch]

I know, I know: You freakin' love The Hitcher and you've been sick to your stomach ever since the remake got green-lit. But the flick is coming whether you want it or not (on February 7th, to be precise), and now we have certifiable visual evidence that this new-fangled version of The Hitcher is almost ready to roll. So here are the pics that a lovely publicist just sent me:



And that's pretty much all we have so far. As a re-cap, I'll remind you that The Hitcher comes from Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes outfit, is being directed by music video mega-pro Dave Meyers (from a screenplay by Eric (Highlander: Endgame) Bernt and Jake Wade (When a Stranger Calls) Wall), and stars the likes of Zachary Knighton, Sophia Bush and Sean Bean as the hitchhiker your mom warned you about. Repeatedly. Recap of the Platinum Dunes output so far: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake, the Amityville Horror remake and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake prequel. You dole out the grades.

For a minute or two, I debated whether or not to label this story as 'Breaking News," until I realized that we're only talking about a baby picture here, folks. However, millions upon millions of people from around the world have been anxiously waiting for months and counting down the seconds until Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes release images of their daughter, Suri.

Well, thanks in part to something called the internet, Cinematical has uncovered the first images of this darling little girl, and, um, check out that hair! That's right, baby Suri does exist and, if you promise not to tell anyone, I must say she looks rather cute. The pictures are part of a Vanity Fair piece which hits newsstands tomorrow and features several photos of mom, pop and their precious tot. CBS managed to snag the pics first, airing them tonight during Katie Couric's debut on the CBS Evening News. After watching said news program and managing to catch a closer look at the Vanity Fair cover, it kind of appeared as if Suri was wearing a wig. Folks, I kid you not. Regardless, she's here ... and she's fabulous.

A bunch of rumors have surfaced over the last month or so that spoke about an alleged Natalie Portman nude scene in her upcoming film, Goya's Ghosts. Of course, fanboys everywhere immediately jumped at the chance to see Queen Padmé Amidala in her birthday suit, re-arranging their lives so they could quietly count down the seconds until said film arrives in theaters. Unfortunately, there's news today that Portman's spokesperson denied the rumors, claiming the scene in question featured a body double and not Portman herself. Oh Natalie, why won't you just take off your shirt already? I mean, didn't you see where it got Halle Berry?

Hey, anyone up for some nasty Lindsay Lohan pics? In an effort to sneak away from her cutesy on-screen persona, Lohan is looking to go all "crazy rebellious teenager" for her latest role in Georgia Rule. And, based on the set pictures leaked online, apparently director Garry Marshall is either creating a deep, meaningful film or simply fulfilling some bizarre Lohan-related fantasy. As far as the pics go, um, let's just say they feature Lohan helping some dude out with his "oral presentation."

Here's some advice: If you're ever invited out for drinks with Jackie Chan, think twice before going. According to reports, the Rush Hour star did some rushing of his own when he drunkenly forced his way on stage during a concert given by Taiwanese singer-songwriter Jonathan Lee. After attempting to perform with the singer, Chan, who was obviously wrecked off his face, began receiving heckles from the audience. The actor reportedly then shout back his own insults. Not for nothing, but I couldn't see myself heckling Jackie Chan, even if he was making an ass out of himself. We've all watched the guy fight sober. Do you really want to take a chance on his drunk-fighting skills? Yeah, I'll let you think about that one while I go fix myself a drink. Shh, don't tell Jackie.

Well, look at what we have here -- it's our good friend Tobey Maguire pulling back his shirt to reveal a black Spidey suit. While there's not much to see, it's our first official (minus the questionable teaser poster) glance at that infamous black suit. But is it a real picture?

Spider-Man 3 invaded New York City this weekend, reportedly shooting a big elaborate scene in midtown. Lucky for us, a few fans managed to snap an assortment of photos and send them to AICN. Hooray! Since it's obvious these were taken within the city, the majority feel as if these pictures are the real deal. Along with this shot of Tobey is a first look at Topher Grace as Eddie Brock. Ya know, before he turns into Venom. As an added bonus, there's also a few far away shots of Captain Stacy (James Cromwell) and Gwen Stacy (Bryce Dallas Howard). With production all over the streets this weekend, look for a few more photos to pop up soon. When that happens, we've got you covered.

 

Although Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest isn't due out for more than a month, those of us in movie news land are already gearing up for part three. A new picture of Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow has surfaced online and some believe this is the first image from Pirates 3 (rumored to be called World's End).

Seeing as parts 2 and 3 were being shot at the same time, it wouldn't be too far-fetched to believe this is an actual image from the third installment. In it, Captain Jack is wearing some bizarre warrior outfit that appears to be asian-inspired. While none of us have actually seen Dead Man's Chest yet, there's a chance this could just be an image from that film instead. Regardless, it looks pretty neat and certainly pumps me up for more Pirates of the Caribbean this July.

 

Over the past few years, the words 'Broken Lizard' have brought thoughts of mediocre silliness to most of our brains. That's all about to change. The same team who brought us Super Troopers and Club Dread are gearing up for their latest trip to, "Eh, it's okay" land with the film, Beerfest. Now, with brand spanking new Beerfest images on the net, those of you who want nothing more than to eat, breathe and crap this movie can rejoice for the time being.

After checking out said pictures, it does look funny ... yet awfully painful. Ya know, like how you feel after witnessing someone you don't know get completely sloshed and wind up vomiting in the corner. At first, it's funny ... but then you can't help but feel their pain. Described as Dodgeball meets a lot of beer, pic (in case you've forgotten) will focus on two American brothers who, after being humiliated in an underground beer-drinking tournament abroad, decide to assemble a rag-tag team of guzzlers to help defend their country's honor. Yeah, I know who this film is geared toward. Problem is, purchasing an admission ticket means giving up beer money. Seriously, is it really worth it? Is it?

USA Today has our first look at Steve Carell as Evan Almighty and, by God, the man either looks like something out of the Bible or a leftover from a Grateful Dead show. Taking over where Jim Carrey left off, this sequel to Bruce Almighty will switch to follow Carell's character, who goes from news anchor to congressman.

The first half of the film will center around Evan Baxter's rising success in the political world, as he picks up his family and shuffles them off to Washington, D.C. God (Morgan Freeman) finally makes an appearance after he's summoned through prayer, and instructs Evan to build an ark before a great flood arrives. Evan attempts to play off his meeting with God -- however, hair begins to grow and, soon, the whole thing goes biblical on his ass. 

The picture above is Evan's final transformation, though he does sport several different looks throughout the film. Here are the names these looks were given: Mountain Man, Marlboro Man, The Unibomber, Ten Commandments, The Metrosexual and Longest Brown. While I felt Bruce Almighty became a little too preachy for me about halfway through, I'm thinking Evan Almighty is going to be a better film for some reason. I swear, it all came to me in a dream. The hairy dude hits theaters in June 2007.

[via Coming Soon]

Perhaps you Spider-Man fans can make some sense out of this gallery of new pictures from the Spider-Man 3 set, because they just confuse me. Mary Jane, standing at the top of a grand staircase, in front of a backdrop of stars? What the hell is going on? Does Spidey have a lair near Superman's big ice house that I somehow didn't know about?  Is it a dream? Since we don't know much about the plot of the upcoming movie, it's almost impossible to figure out how this scene fits into the movie.

Those of you familiar with the comics, however, might have a few reasonable guesses, based on MJ's character arc. Jared suggests one (possible spoiler) option in his writeup over at the gallery, so when you go look at the pics, see what you think of his guess. After you do, though, come on back and explain to me exactly why MJ is in fantasyland. Please.

Hey, Warner Brothers! I think it's pretty safe to say that we've got a firm grip on what Brandon Routh looks like in his Superman suit - do we really need new pictures every day or two? I mean, the movie doesn't come out for like six months - you're just not going to be able to keep the buzz at a fever pitch by dropping 80 photos every week. Sigh. They will, of course, keep trying, and the new pile of pictures includes both character pics and some behind-the-scenes shots, as well.

Among today's photos are a great one of Routh in the suit and his glasses (That poor Clark Kent is just so conflicted!), a bunch of Kevin Spacey, and one of Bryan Singer standing next to a model (a small landscape, not a person who gets paid to look good) in which he uncannily resembles Will Truman playing with a toy train. It's quite creepy, actually.

[via AICN]