This just in from Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures: Diane Lane will star in the upcoming "Superman."

Here's the press release:

"Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures announced today that Oscar®-nominated actress Diane Lane will play Martha Kent, the only mother Clark Kent has ever known, in the new Superman movie to be directed by Zack Snyder.

"Snyder stated, “This was a very important piece of casting for me because Martha Kent is the woman whose values helped shape the man we know as Superman.  We are thrilled to have Diane in the role because she can convey the wisdom and the wonder of a woman whose son has powers beyond her imagination.”

"Lane will star with Henry Cavill, who was recently announced as the new Clark Kent/Superman."
 

Today is the late, great Mr. Arnaz's birthday and I'm wishing him a happy one. The man had quite a life -- leaving Cuba with his father for political exile in Miami (his family's fortune was destroyed and his father banned from Cuba under the Batista regime), teenage Arnaz was discovered by band leader Xavier Cugat, and was soon leading his own band in Miami Beach.

From the late 1930’s-1940’s, he rose in prominence as a spectacularly talented drummer, singer and band leader of Afro-Cuban music. And then he met Lucy -- they then revolutionized television.

Happy Birthday and ... Babalu!


 

Oh no ... a franchise? A "Bladerunner" franchise? And without Ridley Scott?

I don't think this is going to fly with all of the rabid "Bladerunner" fans, those who argue passionately over whether or not Harrison Ford is, or is not a replicant. Well, now, at least they have more to argue about -- and actually agree upon.

Here's the details from Coming Soon:

"It appears that a sequel to Ridley Scott's Blade Runner is on the way. Alcon Entertainment has set plans to develop a franchise based on the original 1982 film and are in final negotiations to secure the rights (which, interestingly enough, would not allow them to remake or reboot the original). The original press release explains:

"Warner Bros-based financing and production company Alcon Entertainment ('The Blind Side,' 'The Book of Eli') co-founders and co-Chief Executive Officers Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove, in the most significant property acquisition negotiations in the Company’s 13-year history, are in final discussions to secure film, television and ancillary franchise rights to produce prequels and sequels to the iconic 1982 science-fiction thriller 'Blade Runner.'

"Alcon is negotiating to secure the rights from producer-director Bud Yorkin, who will serve as producer on 'Blade Runner' along with Kosove and Johnson. Cynthia Sikes Yorkin will co-produce. Frank Giustra and Tim Gamble, CEO’s of Thunderbird Films, will serve as executive producers."

 

Good news! Charlie Kaufman is re-teaming with Spike Jonze. They haven't worked together in nine years since "Adaptation" in 2002, and though I loved Kaufman's own direction in "Synecdoche, New York," I've missed their collaborations.

Here's more from Cinema Blend:

"Back in December it was announced that after nine years apart, Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze would be re-teaming to write and direct, respectively, a new project. Their third collaboration together and first since 2002's Adaptation, it was reported that they were shopping their idea to independent financiers while putting everything together. Now it appears that they have found a backer.

"Deadline is reporting that Megan Ellison, who recently made movie fans blissfully happy by offering to back Paul Thomas Anderson's next two projects, is currently negotiating a deal to acquire the new Kaufman-Jonze project for her Annapurna Pictures label. The report also sheds some light on the plot of the project, calling it a satire about global leaders who 'gather to figure out all the seismic events that will take place in the worlds, from oil prices to wars that will be waged.'"

 

Austin's SXSW (South by Southwest) Film Festival has an interesting line-up this year, and like the Tribeca Film Festival features an interesting music documentary -- this one, Billy Bob Thornton's "The King of Luck" about country legend Willie Nelson.

Here's more from EW:

"The SXSW Film Festival — running Mar. 11-19 in Austin, TX. —  has announced that a screening of Billy Bob Thornton’s The King of Luck, a documentary about Willie Nelson, will close the festival on March 19. The fest also revealed other additions to its schedule, including a work-in-progress screening of director Paul Feig and writer-star Kristen Wiig’s wedding-themed comedy Bridesmaids, and a screening of the HBO special The Pee-wee Herman Show on Broadway."

 

Yes. Elton John and Leon Russell. Not enough Leon Russel love, but Cameron Crowe will shine a little his way in his documentary about Elton John that follows the famous "Rocket Man" singer as he collaborates with Russell.

It will open the Tribeca Film Festival.

Here's more from EW:

"A free, outdoor screening of The Union, a documentary by Almost Famous director Cameron Crowe, will kick off the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival, fest organizers just announced. The film follows Elton John as he embarks on a collaboration with fellow music legend Leon Russell. After the premiere, which will take place on Wednesday, April 20 at New York’s World Financial Plaza, John himself will perform. The festival plans to announce the rest of its feature film slate on March 7 and March 14; the fest itself will run from April 20 through May 1."

 

I would normally admit to being a little sick of zombies at this point, but Jonah Hill's zombie-vampire-alien​s-overload idea seems the right way to handle the brain eater's ubiquity. Hence, the title "The Kitchen Sink."

Here's more:

"Jonah Hill is " set to make his directorial debut with one of the nuttiest-sounding scripts we’ve heard of in a long time. The Superbad actor is currently in talks to helm The Kitchen Sink, which has been described around town as The Breakfast Club meets Zombieland. Why? Well, the plot follows a bunch of high school kids who are attacked by zombies. While they're on the run, the zombies are then attacked by vampires. Before aliens land on Earth, and everybody has to band together to fight them."

 

Movieline is talking Oscar (and let's face it, people will continue through the week), but this time, rather than focusing on the hosts, they discuss nominees they wish would have won, simply for their superior speech-giving skills. Or, as they write, "podium panache."

Here's one:

"Helena Bonham Carter

"The witty and fun Helena Bonham Carter won a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress recently. Her speech looked and sounded like this.

"That extemporaneous, but efficient vibe was sorely lacking at the dais last night. While Melissa Leo clamored about nothing using four-letter words, Ms. Carter would’ve seized the moment with a few quips, a few thank-yous, and a joke about how she could never play the white swan. That extemporaneous, but efficient vibe was sorely lacking at the dais last night. While Melissa Leo clamored about nothing using four-letter words, Ms. Carter would’ve seized the moment with a few quips, a few thank-yous, and a joke about how she could never play the white swan."