Author J.K. Rowling has written an 800-word Harry Potter prequel outline that will be auctioned off for charity on June 10, Reuters reports. Rowling is one of 13 authors who have written story outlines for the benefit of charities English PEN and Dyslexia Action.

Rowling wrote on her official website: “Although I did feel a bit like a relapsing addict as I sat down to write - the words poured from my pen with frightening ease - I am NOT working on a prequel. Indeed, I’ve written that clearly at the bottom of the card itself. I just thought that this was the best way to make money for two extremely worthwhile charities.” The final line of the story is said to read “From the prequel I am not working on – but that was fun!”

Meanwhile, an article in The Guardian tells us that the story (which is set 3 years before Harry is born) will include a plot around Harry’s dad James and his best friend Sirius Black. The story outline will get a limited book print run that Waterstones hopes to have available by August. Purchases will be limited to two per person due to the expected high demand.

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Posted in Books & Comics, Harry Potter •

We usually don’t run things that originated in the tabloid press, but I’m making an exception in this case because the alleged news is something that I’d be supportive of in the sense that I’d like to see it happen.

Earlier this week, The Hobbit director Guillermo del Toro and producer Peter Jackson revealed in an online chat that they have a shortlist of names they’re considering for the role of the younger Bilbo Baggins, and that there was one name in particular they all agreed on.

The Daily Express (the aforementioned tabloid) now claims that it’s Scottish actor James McAvoy (The Chronicles of Narnia, Atonement) who’s the film bosses’ favourite, while names like Daniel Radcliffe and Jack Black are also doing the rounds. (I admit that last bit immediately makes the report less credible.) Official casting announcements can’t be expected until next year, so we’re bound to hear a few more names pop-up.

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Posted in Movies, The Hobbit / LOTR •

Production on Michael Bay’s sequel to last year’s Transformers is currently underway, and The Hollywood Reporter tells us who of the main cast is confirmed to return.

Lead actor Shia LaBeouf was obviously a given - but some of the following names are more surprising, considering the story arcs of their characters seemed to have concluded in last summer’s blockbuster: LaBeouf’s Sam Witwicky will be joined by Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson and John Turturro.

Meanwhile, Rainn Wilson of The Office fame confirmed to MTV that he’ll be seen in a cameo as Sam’s college professor. The film is scheduled for release in 2009.

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Posted in Movies, Transformers •

Paramount intends to resurrect another 80s action franchise with a fourth installment of Beverly Hills Cop on the cards, according to Variety.

The original Beverly Hills Cop, released in 1984, propelled actor Eddie Murphy to international stardom and was producer Jerry Bruckheimer’s biggest hit until the first Pirates of the Caribbean film two decades later.

Murphy is attached to reprise his role, while none other than Brett Ratner is in talks to direct the film. Ratner, of course, is an outspoken fan of the original, having paid hommage to it with his Rush Hour films.

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Posted in Movies •

Producer Peter Jackson and director Guillermo del Toro participated in a live chat hosted by Weta during which they answered fans’ questions about the upcoming The Hobbit and its sequel film. A transcript of the entire chat can be found on their website, here are the most interesting points of note:

• 2008: Scripting & conceptual design / 2009: Pre-production / 2010: Back-to-back shooting of both films in New Zealand / 2011: The first film will hit cinemas in December
• The working title for the second film is ‘Film Two’ - a proper title won’t be decided upon until scripting is complete. The sequel won’t just randomly focus on the years between The Hobbit and Fellowship of the Ring, but instead cover a specific incident that took place in those years.
• Casting doesn’t officially get under way until next year, but they want to bring back everyone they can for their roles. This includes Ian Holm in some form, even though the role of Bilbo will be re-cast to reflect the character’s younger age. Del Toro’s frequent collaborator Ron Perlman (Hellboy himself) will have a role. Howard Shore will be back to score the soundtrack.
• A Blu-Ray version of The Lord of the Rings is in the works, but will definitely not be released anytime this year.

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Posted in Movies, The Hobbit / LOTR •

This summer’s most anticipated release Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull scored the year’s highest box office haul so far, taking in $126 million over the four day Memorial Day weekend.

The fourth Indy adventure grossed $151.1 million over its first five days of release (Thursday through Monday), which amounts to the fifth highest five-day opening ever ($1 million shy of Spider-Man 2, but far off Star Wars: Episode III, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest and Spider-Man 3, all of which came in around the $170 million mark).

As of Thursday, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull has reached $165.6 million in the United States, and more or less again that figure across the rest of the globe. 

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Posted in Movies •