What were you doing a few weeks ago? Can’t remember? Well I’ll tell you what Universal were doing…pulling out of Tintin that’s what! For some reason Universal have declined to exercise an option to co-finance Tintin, which will be directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by Peter Jackson.

From Nikki Finke’s blog:

The decision was quietly made a few weeks ago. So now DreamWorks will look only to owner Paramount for the rest of the moolah in the same way the two shared financing on Dreamgirls and Transformers. Unfortunately, Paramount is presently without an overall financing deal to mitigate risk, but is arranging it on a film-by-film basis. I say Tintin — to be played by Love Actually’s Thomas Sangster — sounds like an expensive but safe bet, considering that the beloved Belgian boy is a worldwide phenomenon, and that the two great filmmakers are directing and producing even though also participating as huge first-dollar-gross players.

Filming is expected to begin in October so hopefully Spielberg and Jackson can get the money by then. If not I’m sure they could probably pay for it themselves as they are both stinkin’ rich.

One of the movies most people are looking forward to next year is Zack Snyder’s Watchmen. However, one man who isn’t as enthusiastic about it is Alan Moore, the writer of the Watchman graphic novel. Moore has distanced himself from the movie adaptations of his work, and I’m not surprised considering what they did to The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. He wasn’t too happy about V for Vendetta either, even though most people enjoyed the film. Now Watchmen is on the horizon, Moore is giving his opinions and it is safe to say he won’t be seeing it on opening weekend:

From ComingSoon.net

In the interview, Moore says that he finds “film in its modern form to be quite bullying,” and as far as the much-publicized lawsuit, Moore seems to be thrilled about the legal problems surrounding the film which is due out on March 6, 2009, two months after the trial date that’s been set for the case. “Will the film even be coming out? There are these legal problems now, which I find wonderfully ironic. Perhaps it’s been cursed from afar, from England, and I can tell you that I will also be spitting venom all over it for months to come.”

Zack Snyder will no doubt be crying in his sleep over these words, as he ‘absolutely adores the work of Moore and has been laboring intensely to bring “Watchmen” to the screen with faithful sophistication.’

Over the past few months (possibly years) there has been speculation regarding William Shatner’s appearance in J.J. Abrams upcoming Star Trek movie. Every now and again we will hear in interviews that ‘he will not be in’ and then a few weeks later we will hear ‘he will have a cameo’. Well last week Abrams said the following:

We actually had written a scene with him in it that was a flashback kind of thing, but the truth is, it didn’t quite feel right. The bigger thing was that he was very vocal that he didn’t want to do a cameo. We tried desperately to put him in the movie, but he was making it very clear that he wanted the movie to focus on him significantly, which, frankly, he deserves.

Now it is Shatner’s time to respond, which he has done via a Youtube video:

In a shocking and unpredicted move, Keira Knightley has signed up to star in a movie set in the 21st Century. No pirates, no period clothing, no old fashioned wigs…just cars, hit and runs, the internet and other stuff we have nowadays. The movie is called Last Night and the cast includes Eva Mendes (The Spirit), Sam Worthington (Terminator Salvation, Avatar) and Guillaume Canet (He’s french).

From Variety:

Story follows a married couple, apart for a night while the husband takes a business trip with a colleague to whom he’s attracted. While he’s resisting temptation, his wife encounters her past love.

The film will be the directing debut of Massy Tadjedin, who wrote the script and has also been writing an untitled project for Steven Spielberg.

Walmart have kindly released Megan Fox’s audition tape from the first Transformers movie. At first I was surprised that she even had to audition, but what surprised me even more was that there was no nudity involved. You’d have though a young actress would have to show a bit of flesh to get a part in a Michael Bay movie. It turns out things are a bit more professional than previously thought.

According to Dread Central Nu Image, the people behind the Conan remake, are threatening to put Brett Ratner in the directors chair. This is the same Brett Ratner who a few weeks ago wanted to make a Guitar Hero movie. It is also the same Brett Ratner who directs music videos for Jessica Simpson, Mariah Carey and Miley Cyrus.

We got word today that Nu Image is offering the long-awaited new Conan movie to, of all people, Brett Ratner. Over the years there have been so directors circling this project, everyone from Robert Rodriguez to Rob Zombie, the fact that Brett Ratner might actually attach himself to this and make it a reality is almost enough to make one wish they’d just stop trying to bring Robert E. Howard’s creation back to the big screen.

Lets hope this is pure lies and another director gets attached soon. (Anyone will be an improvement…anyone!)

A new trailer for Inkheart has appeared online. The film is about Brendan Fraser who’s mutant power is to make the characters in books come to life just by reading. Unfortunately he got a bit excited and read a book called ‘Inkheart’ which caused lots of bad guys, such as Andy Serkis in non-Gollum form, to come to life. Helen Mirren turns up at some point as well.

Inkheart was first slated for release on March 19th 2008, but has been pushed back to January 30th 2009, partially because of New Line’s marketing worries in connection with the now-concluded writers strike.

/film were sent a couple of new images of Eva Mendes, Samuel L. Jackson and others from Frank Miller’s The Spirit, which opens on December 25th 2008.

To see the rest click here!

The player below will allow you to hear the new Quantum of Solace theme tune named ‘Another Way To Die’. The song is written and sung by Jack White and Alicia Keys and at this moment in time I do not have an opinion on it.

What are your thoughts? Could Amy Winehouse have done a better song?

A few weeks ago there was talk around the internet that Tom Cruise would be voicing a villain in Shrek Goes Fourth. Well he isn’t.

“As of today, there is no truth to the Tom Cruise-Shrek 4 rumor,” rep Jeff Raymond tells E! News without further explanation.

That is all.