Thursday, July 2

• Voting Update for ReelzChannel's TwiCon Fan Correspondent Search

  We're a solid three days in to the voting for our TwiCon Fan Correspondent and we're hearing from all parts of the country — with a few exceptions. Hey, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Kansas, and Arkansas, what gives? Is there not a single Twilight fan in your entire state?

  Here's how the voting stands right now: 1) Samantha Fabetti, 2) Ana Velazquez, and 3) Dominique Alexis. But, we have to tell you, it's been changing over time ... so it's anyone's race.

  Be sure to cast at least one vote for your favorite by July 17. Then tune in on July 27th to find out who's going to Dallas.

  
  

  Posted 07/02/2009 by reelz

  Related: TwiCon Coverage | Twilight | The Twilight Saga: New Moon | The Twilight Saga: Eclipse | The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn

• Asteroids on the Big Screen?

  Hollywood is out of ideas. OK, that's not necessarily 100% true, but it is easy to believe when you consider that Universal just won a four-studio bidding war over ... Asteroids, the classic (read: old) black-and-white Atari video game. What's next? Frogger? Pong?

  Originally released in 1979 as a stand-up arcade game, the entire goal of Asteroids is to safely maneuver your tiny triangular spacecraft through an asteroid field while shooting the asteroids to reduce them in size and ultimately destroy them all. Unlike many modern video game properties that have a built-in storyline, there's no Asteroids story per se, so Universal has the freedom to craft a story from scratch and hope that name recognition will drive fans to the theater to watch it.

  Lorenzo di Bonaventure, producer of the upcoming action film G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, will also produce Asteroids, with Universal Senior VP of Production Jeff Kirschenbaum overseeing production. Matthew Lopez (Race to Witch Mountain) is writing the script.

  
  

  Posted 07/02/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Lorenzo di Bonaventura | G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

• Michael Welch Originally Auditioned for Edward Cullen in Twilight

  Robert Pattinson wasn't the only good-looking guy to audition for the role of the sexy lead vampire who steals Bella Swan's heart in Twilight. Originally Michael Welch was sent by his manager to audition for the part of Edward Cullen, but as he told Reelz Channel, that didn't quite work out:

  
  

  Posted 07/02/2009 by reelz

  Related: Robert Pattinson | Michael Welch | Twilight | The Twilight Saga: New Moon

• Daniel Radcliffe "Disappointed" by Lack of Darkness in Latest Harry Potter Movie

  

  Even though David Yates, the newest director to bring the Harry Potter mythos to life, took the franchise on a dark journey in the previous installment, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the tone is much lighter in the next movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

  Apparently, the new tone did not necessarily sit well with all of the cast members. In a recent interview, Daniel Radcliffe, who plays the titular character, said:

  My favourite stuff is always the dark stuff. When I read scripts for the first time that's what I always lean towards and it's what I want to see included – even more so in Harry Potter movies, because we need the films to appeal to adult audiences. In fact one of the things I was disappointed about with the sixth Harry Potter movie was that there wasn't so much of that element.

  Radcliffe said that he had a conversation with Yates about this and was told that it was important to give the audience some comedy. Radcliffe said:

  There are huge opportunities for comedy in the sixth film and we use all of them, even though my natural inclination is not towards that. I love watching comedy but doing it is something else.

  Yates will also be on board as director on the follow-up to Half-Blood, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which will be split into two movies.

  
  
  

  Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - Trailer

  Releasing July 15, 2009

  Posted 07/02/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Daniel Radcliffe | David Yates | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

• Vanessa Hudgens to Get Tough in Sucker Punch

  

  Vanessa Hudgens isn't famous for playing action roles but that's about to change in her next project, Zack Snyder's all-female action movie Sucker Punch. The director told MTV that even he was nervous about bringing in the High School Musical star.

  I wasn't sure at first – [the casting people] were like "Oh, Vanessa's coming" and I was "Oh, okay – that sounds cool" but I didn't know what to think. Then I saw the tape and I literally went "Wow, she's good." She's really good.

  While Hudgens' role is not the main part (that role went to Emily Browning when Amanda Seyfried was forced to drop out), Snyder sees the smaller role as a plus for Hudgens:

  She has a big part, but she's not the center of the movie. It'll allow her to stretch herself and do whatever she wants, and not be too exposed by the movie – but also, on the other hand, do things that people have never seen her do.

  What "things" will audiences get to see Hudgens do?

  You're going to see her shooting machine guns, fighting, beating the s**t out of people. It's funny – we sat her down for her physical evaluation, and she was really athletic. She's a dancer, so all the [fight] choreography is gonna be fun for her.

  The fight choreography is being handled by Damon Caro, who worked on The Bourne Supremacy, and Snyder says the fights have "that [Bourne] vibe." Snyder promises the movie will be "hardcore," even if the rating won't. Snyder insists a PG-13 rating is possible:

  If you can make Taken PG-13, you can make this movie PG-13. That's what I believe. Because it's more fantastic. No one really dies in the movie.

  Production on Sucker Punch starts soon, with an opening date of March 25, 2011.

  
  

  Posted 07/02/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Amanda Seyfried | The Bourne Supremacy | High School Musical | Emily Browning | Zack Snyder | Suckerpunch | Vanessa Hudgens

• Forbes Lists Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston as Top Female Moneymakers in Hollywood

  

  According to The Hollywood Reporter, Forbes announced Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston as the biggest female moneymakers in Hollywood this past year. Many people are, of course, already taking note of the Brad Pitt connection. From June 2008 to June 2009 Jolie pulled in $27 million, while Aniston earned $25 million.

  Jolie's big paycheck comes courtesy of Wanted, which grossed $341 million worldwide, and an advance for her role as a CIA agent in Phillip Noyce's upcoming Salt. Aniston's money comes from box-office winner Marley & Me, as well as her role in SmartWater commercials. She also received an advance for The Baster, where she will star alongside Juliette Lewis, Jason Bateman, and Jeff Goldblum.

  Completing the top 10 are Meryl Streep, Sarah Jessica Parker, Cameron Diaz, Sandra Bullock, Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Drew Barrymore, and Renée Zellweger.

  THR also noted that the $183 million earned by the Top 10 women falls well short of the $393 million taken in by the Top 10 men. Harrison Ford topped that list with $65 million.

  
  

  Posted 07/02/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: Brad Pitt | Cameron Diaz | Drew Barrymore | Harrison Ford | Jason Bateman | Jeff Goldblum | Jennifer Aniston | Juliette Lewis | Liev Schreiber | Meryl Streep | Phillip Noyce | Reese Witherspoon | Sandra Bullock | Tom Cruise | Nicole Kidman | Angelina Jolie | Sarah Jessica Parker | Renee Zellweger | The Baster

• Four Clips from Bruno

  Cinema Blend has posted four new clips from Bruno, starring Sacha Baron Cohen and directed by Larry Charles (who also directed Borat). Here are a couple of samples to whet your appetite:

  
  
  Next Showing: Bruno comes out in theaters July 10, 2009

  Posted 07/02/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: Sacha Baron Cohen | Larry Charles | Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan | Bruno

• Funny People's Viral Campaign Adds Comedy Superstar Randy Soudha

  

  The viral campaign for Funny People started with a fictional TV show starring Jason Schwartzman's character called Yo, Teach. Next was a website for Adam Sandler's comedian character George Simmons, including clips from his "movies." The latest entry is another fictional website, this time for Aziz Ansari's character the "superstar comic" Randy Soudha, who is a mix of Dane Cook's antics and Eddie Murphy's material.

  The website includes a bio, an interactive soundbyte mixing board, and videos of Ansari – sorry, Raaaandy – performing standup (Warning: the clips are funny, but not work-friendly).

  
  
  Next Showing: Funny People opens July 31

  Posted 07/02/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Adam Sandler | Eddie Murphy | Jason Schwartzman | Dane Cook | Funny People | Aziz Ansari