HEADLINES

LEO TO LEND A VOICE
Leonardo Dicaprio has signed on to lend his voicing talents for Dreamworks new animated film, The Guardians. Here is the synopsis of the film:

"When an evil spirit called Pitch becomes bent upon taking over the world by inspiring fear in the hearts of kids everywhere, a group of our greatest heroes -- Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman and Jack Frost -- band together for the first time, determined to stand in Pitch's way. More than a collection of storybook subjects, "The Guardians" are also a band of superheroes, who possess their own special powers. Now joined in opposition of a common foe, the Guardians heed the call and combine their powers to defeat Pitch and protect the world from his campaign of fear."

Dicaprio will voice Jack Frost. Other casting rumors include; Ian McShane as Pitch, Christopher Lee as Santa, Natalie Portman as the Tooth Fairy, Hugh Laurie as the Sandman and Dwayne Johnson as the Easter Bunny.

Really Leo? You were in greats like The Departed, Gangs of New York, Titanic, Blood Diamond and The Aviator, and you are going to stoop down and do a movie about superhero holiday characters? When does this work out for anyone ever?



NEW RIDDICK MOVIE IN THE WORKS
Vin Diesel stated in a facebook update the other day that the "Riddick Team" was in New Zealand scouting for a new film. This film is supposed to be a lower budgeted film, much like Pitch Dark was and will be going for a gritty "R" rating.

The sequel to Pitch Black was just ok. I like the character, but I thought the film was silly in parts and that the PG-13 rating held back what it really was supposed to be. I'll be willing to give this franchise one more shot, but word is that they have two more sequels already planned so we will have to see how this one goes first.

Does anyone else wish that Diesel would stay away from these franchise films and maybe try being in a real film every now and then. I think he could be a great star if he would stay away from The Fast and Furious, XXX, and Riddick films.



DEPP TO STAR IN SPANISH FILM
Johnny Depp has signed on to star in the Spanish film, Seven Friends of Pancho Villa and the Woman with Six Fingers. Depp will play Pancho, a Mexican revolutionary hero. Salma Hayek is in talks to co-star, of course. The film will be shot entirely in Spanish.

I know nothing about the character, but this doesn't sound appealing to me at all. I like when Depp does different roles, and not all the weird Tim Burton ones, just different characters like John Dillinger, but this is probably something I will skip.



HUNGRY RABBIT JUMPS GETS A CAST
Nicolas Cage, January Jones, Haold Perrineau and Guy Pearce have signed on to star in Hungry Rabbit Jumps. The film is about a high school chemistry teacher (Cage) whose wife is the victim of a brutal crime which leads him to align himself with an underground vigilante organization.

This sounds just like The Brave One and Death Sentence to me. Nicolas Cage hasn't been in a good film yet this century, but the rest of the cast I like. Could this be the first good film from Cage this millennium? Probably not.