Recent Movie News

Insidious 2 is on the way

When a film made on a meagre budget becomes outstandingly successful at the box office then you can bet your Hollywood studio socks that a sequel will be in the works faster than you can say Clerks II. So it is that a follow-up to last year's supernatural horror Insidious has been announced with original directors James Wan and Leigh Wannell in talks to return.

According to The Hollywood Reporter the sequel will begin shooting this year for a 2013 release, but Rose Byrne and Patrick Wilson, the two leads from the first film, are yet to sign on. Meanwhile, Bloody Disgusting has the following statement from Whannell: "Insidious was the most fun project I've ever worked on," he says. "From start to finish it was an absolute joy... James and I both feel that we can mine more terror from the world we created and know that if we assemble every member of the original team, we will have an amazing continuation of the story for fans of the first film. See you in The Further."

Eric Bana and Rebecca Hall sign on for international thriller

Awkwardness between ex-lovers is to be expected, but imagine if that tension were present during a terrorist trial. That's what Focus Features and Working Title Films' new international suspense thriller will be asking of audiences in their untitled film starring Eric Bana and Rebecca Hall.

Director John Crowley (Boy A) is set to begin shooting in April in the UK from a script by Steven Knight. The Hollywood Reporter informs us that the story will follow a pair of ex-lovers who find their lives at risk when they end up working together on a terrorism trial. Bana has been relatively quiet of late, although he did do dome sterling work in Hanna last year, while Hall was last seen in The Awakening and will pop up again later this year in Stephen Frears' Lay The Favourite.

Emma Watson to hear Your Voice In My Head?

She may have left Hermione and Hogwarts behind, but Emma Watson could be teaming up again with Harry Potter director David Yates for his upcoming film, Your Voice In My Head. Yates, who so successfully brought the last four Potter films to the screen, has been in discussions with his former leading lady to star in his adaptation of Emma Forrest's book.

According to Deadline, Watson could play the lead role of a young woman whose suicide attempt is thwarted by a cancer-stricken psychiatrist. Studio Warner Bros is hopeful that the role of the psychiatrist will be taken up by an actor of the calibre of Tom Hanks or George Clooney. Meanwhile, though Yates is set to direct Voice as his first post-Potter project, his name is still linked to helming a potential Doctor Who film.

Pacino will be a Stand Up Guy

He may be single-handedly attempting to shred his credibility this week by starring in Jack And Jill, but Al Pacino has his sights set on another comedy: Stand Up Guys. The Hollywood Reporter informs us that Pacino, Alan Arkin and Christopher Walken will star together in the film that was formerly titled Old Timers.

The film tells the story of an ageing criminal who is considering taking a job where he must kill one of his fellow crooked pals. The two friends reunite for one final night of mayhem-filled fun, including a brothel and a police chase, while also working out those great big questions about life. It isn't clear yet which of the roles the three actors will take, but Fisher Stevens will be the man behind the camera for this one.

Katy Perry to star in 3D concert film?

Anything Justin Bieber can do, Katy Perry can, well, emulate. The I Kissed A Girl singer will be hitting cinema screens this summer as the star of a 3D concert movie. According to Deadline, director Nanette Bernstein has already shot the film - Imagine Entertainment and AEG filmed Perry as she performed late last year with 3D cameras.

Following in the footsteps of Paramount's Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, the studio appears to be the frontrunner to land the job of distributing the film which will combine concert footage with the story of her rise to global stardom. The film is scheduled for release in gloriously predictable 3D in June or July.

Ridley Scott enters talks for McCarthy's Counsellor

Well, what do you know: Ridley Scott has jumped at the opportunity to helm Cormac McCarthy's first original film script, The Counsellor. Deadline reports that the Gladiator director has entered talks to direct the film.

McCarthy's script follows a respected lawyer who gets sucked into a world of criminality after dabbling in the drugs trade. Of course, Scott has the small issue of releasing Prometheus to contend with first, while a Gertrude Bell biopic and Child 44 are still on his radar. But with Scott the first director attached to The Counsellor, expect others to throw their hats into the ring too.

War Horse battles to third week at UK No. 1

Steven Spielberg's War Horse continued galloping at a pace unmatched by its rivals this week as the weepy epic retained its position at the top of the UK Box Office. With a healthy £2 million take, War Horse beat a Hawaiian shirt-clad George Clooney in The Descendants at number two and a snow-covered Liam Neeson in The Grey at three. A Monster In Paris got the audiences animated at four and The Artist painted itself into the top five.

Sherlock Holmes remained a mystery at six; Underworld: Awakening came up for air at seven; while The Iron Lady is looking decidedly creased at eight. The Sitter will be retiring soon at nine and Tom Cruise's fourth Mission: Impossible adventure is looking easily surmountable at ten.

Vaughn signs on to direct X-Men: First Class sequel

It's the news that all X-Men: First Class fans wanted to hear: the man who brought us one of the finest blockbusters of last year will be returning to the X-Men universe to direct the sequel. Deadline reports that Vaughn and some of the other First Class team will be returning, with Simon Kinberg writing the script.

Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy and co are all expected to return too, though their schedules are currently busier than ever before. Vaughn himself is a man in demand as well so we may have to wait before we see Magneto and Xavier square off.

The Help and The Artist clean up at the 18th annual SAG Awards.

The road to the Oscars is a long and winding one and there's still plenty of time for the leading contenders to jostle for position and scoop up some consolation prizes should their Big Night not come to pass at The Academy. And so it was that The Help managed to best its rivals at the 18th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Both Octavia Spencer and Viola Davis nabbed the Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role and Best Female Actor in a Lead Role respectively for their turns in The Help. Indeed the entire ensemble cast went home with the collective award for Best Cast in a Motion Picture. The Artist, many peoples' favourite to take home Oscar, went home with just the one gong - Jean Dujardin silently making off with the Best Actor in a Leading Role prize.

Golden Globe-winner Christopher Plummer kept up his impressive batting average with another success for his performance in The Beginners. The veteran star waltzed off with Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role.

The Grey KOs US Box Office

Its director and star would have you believe that The Grey is a metaphor for man's ongoing struggles against nature and self. Fortunately we all know that to be hokum - The Grey is really just an excuse for A-Team helmer Joe Carnahan to unleash his star man Liam Neeson on a pack of wolves armed with nought but some broken bottles and a grizzled demeanour.

Whatever their reasons behind making this survival thriller, it's high-fives all round as The Grey scooped up an impressive $20 million to claim top spot at the US Box Office. That was enough to best runner-up Underworld Awakening and rom com queen Katherine Heigl in One For The Money at number 3.

George Lucas' WWII actioner Red Tails is on course to crash and burn at 4 with Sam Worthington precariously placed at 5 in Man On A Ledge. Tom Hanks' Oscar-nominated Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close languishes at 6 just ahead of George Clooney in The Descendants, which falls to 7. Mark Wahlberg is stealing himself for a backlash as Contraband plummets to 8 and is vying for position with the re-release of Beauty And The Beast at 9. Rounding out the US Box Office this weekend is the all-star, all-action fest Haywire.