"ÜBER LIFE", THE FIRST SERBIAN INTERACTIVE FILM BRINGS STUNNING ACTION, MESMERIZING FANTASY AND EPIC TALE!

Now, this is something really fresh and original. Premiering this November in Serbia and the Balkans region, ÜBER LIFE is the first Serbian interactive film and also one of the first ones in the world as well made in that new technology which gives the viewer a sense of being truly involved and able to choose a course of dramatic action and to affect the fate of the hero.

The new interactive way of watching the movie gives a whole new dimension to the classic epic tale. Or to put it more simple - this is a film which you both watch and play like a video game :)
ÜBER LIFE is universal and archetypal tale about the forces of good and evil, love and courage. The main hero, a man who has lost

everything, opposes deviant religious powers of darkness and unexpectedly discovers love, the true motive for the struggle and life. Driven by strong motives and the will to survive he gets into various adventures, in which dream and reality are constantly intertwined. This epic adventure takes place in three different ways, via multiple choices of dramatic flows,

where the viewers with their participation and selection decide on the further course and destiny of the hero. Film is full of fiction, special effects, action scenes and a large number of dreamy and surreal scenes. For more information you can visit ÜBER LIFE official website.

CHARLIZE THERON INSTEAD ANGELINA IN "SNOW WHITE & THE HUNTSMAN"? ERIC MCCORMACK AS A NEUROSCIENTIST IN "PERCEPTION". "ONCE UPON A TIME" NEW SF FANTASY SHOW ON ABC! JOEL SILVER AND "DEMONOLOGIST"

Eric McCormack, whom we still remember from WILL & GRACE,  has been signed by TNT to play the lead role in their new show PERCEPTION.  Coming from the producers who brought us LEGEND OF THE SEEKER, STAR TREK VOYAGER and SMALLVILLE,

this new show will follow an eccentric neuroscientist who uses his unique outlook to help the federal government solve complex cases. With an intimate knowledge of human behavior and a masterful understanding of the mind, this quirky, crime-solving professor pulls lessons from an odd and imaginative view of the world.

Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, the authors of popular LOST, will develop a new TV show together with ABC. Their ONCE UPON A TIME will center around a female protagonist with a mysterious background in a small, present-day Maine town. The series will be a modern take on fairy tales, which will include elements of sci-fi, mystery and fantasy. Similar to LOST, the new show will also have a huge cast.

Just a few days ago I told you about Angelina Jolie possibly taking the role of the evil stepmom in SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN, but it now seems Charlize Theron is another contender for the villainous role. Unlike Angelina, Charlize has a more relaxed schedule and it's also interesting that if she gets the role she would play alongside Tom Hardy in the role of the huntsman with whom she will also star in the remake MAD MAX: FURY ROAD for which the shooting has been postponed for 2012.

Joel Silver will produce DEMONOLOGIST, an unusual  horror about a family of ghost hunters who think they're taking on another normal job when they realize that the house has been overrun by demons and just plain ghosts.

And don't forget to check out the music HOLLYWOOD SPY is playing for you in the sidebar - DARIN with his breathtaking voice and stunning new video LOVEKILLER, the best newcomers this year HURTS with their larger than life song STAY, and Latin sensation PRINCE ROYCE whose song will make your hips move from the first beat :)

FIRST LOOK OF CHRIS EVANS AS CAPTAIN AMERICA! TOM CRUISE AND TAYLOR SWIFT IN "ROCK OF AGES" MUSICAL??? PAUL HAGGIS DIRECTS INTENSE PRISON FLICK "CELL 211"

Ah, here it is finally, the first official picture of Chris Evans as CAPTAIN AMERICA THE FIRST AVENGER has appeared on the cover of next week's ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY! Well, he does look positively dashing, even though we can't see the whole costume. How do you like it?

Starring Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Tommy Lee Jones, Sebastian Stan, Dominic Cooper ... the film comes out next July!

Talented Paul Haggis might direct the English version of the Spanish film CELL 211. This critically acclaimed film centered on a newly hired prison guard who wants to make a good impression on his bosses, when he leaves behind his pregnant wife and comes in a day early to get a tour of the facility. When a brutal prison riot breaks out, he is knocked unconscious and when he awakens, the guard is forced to assume the role of a prisoner alongside the most dangerous killers alive. He tries to defuse the uprising and escape before the prisoners realize who he really is.

Oh, what a strange, strange combination: Tom Cruise has been offered a supporting role in ROCK OF AGES, a film based on the hit Broadway musical, in which country star Taylor Swift will take the lead role. With the sound of 80's pop and rock classics, the film itself will follow a young rocker and a small town girl chasing their dreams in L.A. and Cruise might play a bartender mixing them some cocktails :)

DARREN ARONOFSKY TO DIRECT "MACHINE MAN". A HAUNTED CASTLE IN "THE KEEP". EXCITING TRAILER FOR JAMES CAMERON'S UNDERWATER THRILLER "SANCTUM"

Talented Darren Aronofsky (REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, THE FOUNTAIN) has agreed to direct MACHINE MAN, a film based on an unfinished novel byMax Barry, in which the story centers on a tech-savvy engineer who is obsessed with self-improvement so he decides to replace his body parts with state of the art titanium upgrades but comes to learn that several organizations want to use him to serve their own agendas. Aronofsky will do this film after he finishes WOLVERINE II.

Niels Arden Oplev (THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO) is going to direct THE KEEP, based on Jennifer Egan's bestseller. Set in Eastern Europe THE KEEP brings a story within a story about two cousins with a shared secret who reunite to renovate a legendary haunted medieval castle that turns dreams and nightmares into reality.

Today, you can check out the super exciting and ultra dynamic trailer for the underwater thriller SANCTUM produced by James Cameron which comes to cinemas next February. It follows a team of underwater cave divers on a treacherous expedition to the largest, most beautiful and least accessible

cave system on Earth. When a tropical storm forces them deep into the caverns, they must fight raging water, deadly terrain and creeping panic as they search for an unknown escape route to the sea. With dwindling supplies, the crew must navigate an underwater labyrinth to make it out. Soon, they are confronted with the unavoidable question: Can they survive, or will they be trapped forever? The cast is lead by two amazing gentlemen Richard Roxburgh and Ioan Gruffudd.

ANGELINA JOLIE AND TOM HARDY TO STAR IN "SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN"! ANG LEE DIRECTING THE ADAPTATION OF "LIFE OF PI" BESTSELLER. WARNER BROS. PREPARING A FILM ON WILE E. COYOTE'S "ACME" MANUFACTURER

HOLLYWOOD SPY has already mentioned the SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN project, but now it seems Relativity Media has found themselves the cast headliners: two very sexy people - Tom Hardy who will play the Huntsman (he will also play a new villain in BATMAN) and Angelina Jolie who is supposed to portray the evil queen who sets the Huntsman after her

stepdaughter, Snow White, with orders for the Huntsman to kill her but instead, he becomes her mentor, shackled to Snow White for much of the story as they make their escape. As you can

see from my pics, both Angelina and Tom like showing tattoos and breaking taboos :)Did I just make your day? :)

Now, admit that you've always wanted to visit the famous ACME factory from which that darling genious Wile E. Coyote buys his gear and gadgets :))) Well, Warner Bros. is going to make a feature film centered around the fictional ACME warehouse which manufactures all the silly products used by glorious Wile E. Coyote in his quest to catch the Road Runner. The studio wants to make a live-action CG hybrid franchise about those crazy devices which will not feature the Looney Tunes characters.

According to "Variety" director Ang Lee has cast 17-year-old newcomer Suraj Sharma as the lead actor in his film adaptation of the worldwide bestseller LIFE OF PI by Yann Martel. The intriguing story centers on a boy lost at sea in a lifeboat with four unusual and increasingly hungry companions - a Bengal tiger, a hyena, a zebra and an orangutan, after the ship carrying his family and its zoo animals sinks.

TOPHER GRACE IS HOLLYWOOD SPY'S FAVOURITE GEEK! NEW POLL: THE BEST LIVING ACTRESS

Our, IT'S CHIC TO BE GEEK poll is over, which off course doesn't mean being geek isn't chic anymore. Geeks remain cool forever! Because it's better being smart, goofy and charming than handsome and shallow. Do you agree? :) And who's the winner? Well it's no one else but that 70's guy Topher Grace with amazing 41% of your votes.

He left equally charming Christopher Gorham in the second place with 24% of votes. The list continues with Zachary Levi (10%) and Adam Brody and John Krasinski (both with7% of votes).

Now, I'm guessing it was kinda expectable that Topher would win this poll. THAT 70'S SHOW, with him as the main star, really was hugely popular all around the world and after the show ended Topher has continued with the successful movie career. Being always adorkable and charismatic, seducing the ladies with his green puppy eyes and winning over guys with his humour, Topher Grace had great romantic roles in IN THE GOOD COMPANY (with Scarlett Johannson and Denis Quaid) and VALENTINES DAY, but he was also an action hero in SPIDERMAN III and PREDATORS. We will be watching him in KEEP COMING BACK with Milla Jovovich and in Curtis Hanson's TOO BIG TO FAIL next year.

It's interesting that Topher is exactly three months younger than your HOLLYWOOD SPY :), that he started his career in musicals, Topher is just the short form of his real name Christopher, actress Chloe Sevigny was his babysitter when he was a kid, he gained 24 pounds of muscle for the role of Venom in SPIDERMAN.

Now since we've proclaimed our favourite geek, let us find THE BEST LIVING ACTRESS. Next two weeks you can vote as much as you like for these four ultra talented, heavenly gifted, breathtakingly expressive, mind-blowingly gorgeous, stunningly omnipotent, otherworldly almighty thespians: Judi Dench (AS TIME GOES BY, NOTES ON A SCANDAL, CHOCOLAT, IRIS, MRS BROWN), Cate Blanchett (ELIZABETH, LORD OF THE RINGS, NOTES ON A SCANDAL, BENJAMIN BUTTON, CHARLOTTE GRAY, THE GOOD GERMAN), Meryl Streep (JULIE AND JULIA, CRAMER VS CRAMER, DOUBT, OUT OF AFRICA, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS) or Kate Winslet (TITANIC, THE READER, LITTLE CHILDREN, QUILLS, IRIS, HEAVENLY CREATURES, HAMLET). Those are the four ladies who deserve an Oscar for each and every of their roles. Who's your favourite among them?

MICHAEL MANN TO GO MEDIEVAL IN "AGINCOURT". "THE LORAX" BY DR. SEUSS GETS ITS 3D FILM. SPOOKY POSTER FOR POST-APOCALYPTIC THRILLER "THE DIVIDE"

The team which made DESPICABLE ME is preparing a new environmentally friendly animated project - THE LORAX by Dr. Seuss, and you can check out the first image of a stumpy little guy who stands on a tree stump deploring the destruction of a

forest. Danny De Vito will give voice to Lorax, and other characters will also include The Once-ler, a shortsighted, greedy creature who chops down every tree he can find, and O'Hare, another industrialist who sells cans of fresh air to the polluted world the Once-ler creates and wants to keep it that way. Betty White and Zac Efron will also be the part of the voice cast.

Last year I wrote a beautiful article revealing that the story of the famous battle at AGINCOURT was going to be made into a film, but now it seems the possible director could be famous Michael Mann (THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS).

Based on the bestselling novel by Bernard Cornwell, this medieval epic will describe the famous 15th century battle between England lead by young king Henry V and France. Henry lead his glorious army in the quest to claim the French crown but he soon discovered that the enemy was more daunting than he could ever have imagined. But although much more bigger, the French army had at least five times more casualties in the end with most of the French noble men dying in the battle.


And check out the cool new poster from next year's futuristic thriller THE DIVIDE. Starring Milo Ventimiglia, Rossana Arquette and Michael Biehn it starts after a cataclysmic explosion

devastates New York and eight strangers take refuge in the basement of their apartment building, a converted fallout shelter. While they try to fathom the catastrophe that has ended their world, suddenly men in HAZMAT suits storm their shelter and open fire. The strangers join forces in a desperate bid to take on this enemy and to, later on, deal with the claustrophobia, radiation-poisoning and dwindling supplies. But in order to survive the end of the world they must first survive each other. HOLLYWOOD SPY has published an intense trailer of THE DIVIDE earlier this year.

KRISTIN DAVIES IN NBC'S "THE HAPPINESS PROJECT". SYFY GREENLITS "BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: BLOOD AND CHROME". TOUCHING TRAILER FOR NICOLE KIDMAN'S "RABBIT HOLE"

Kristin Davies (voted your favourite SEX AND THE CITY girl in HOLLYWOOD SPY's poll) is coming back to small screens in NBC's new sitcom THE HAPPINESS PROJECT based on the bestselling book

by Gretchen Rubin about a writer from New York who spends her time testing theories on how to be happier in life. It's interesting that the book has also inspired a blog, which had Kristin Davies as one of the faithful followers and readers :)))

SyFy has decided to greenlit BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: BLOOD AND CHROME, a new chapter in the popular sf saga.  The 2-hour pilot will have cutting edge CGI and will take place in the 10th year of the first Cylon war. As the battle between humans and the sentient robotic race rages across the 12 colonial worlds, a brash rookie viper pilot enters the fray. Ensign William Adama, barely in his 20's and a recent Academy graduate, finds himself assigned to the newest battlestar in the Colonial fleet... the

Galactica.The talented but hot-headed risk-taker soon finds himself leading a dangerous top secret mission that, if successful, will turn the tide of the decade long war in favor of the desperate fleet.

We've been waiting for a trailer from Nicole Kidman's and Aaron Eckhart's new drama RABBIT HOLE,  in which  they play a grieving husband and wife struggling with life after the loss of their child. The trailer is here and it reveals a possible Oscar contender in this film which gives an intimate glimpse into two people learning to re-engage with each other and a world that has been tilted off its axis:  she will open up to her mother and secretly reach out to the teenager  involved in the accident that had killed her child, while he will try to find solace with another woman. Oscar winner Dianne Wiest also appears in the movie playing Nicole's mother.

SANDRA BULLOCK'S FUTURE PROJECTS: "GRAVITY", "EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE", "KISS AND TANGO", "MOST WANTED" AND A FILM WITH MERYL STREEP & OPRAH WINFREY

What is our dear Sandra Bullock up to these days? She might get the lead role in Alfonso Cuaron's GRAVITY, after a whole bunch of female stars have refused it,

which will be a sf film about the female astronaut, the lone survivor of a space mission, who desperately tries to return to Earth, and reunite with her daughter. Robert Downey Jr will join her in a supporting role.

She will also appear in Stephen Daldry's (THE HOURS) inspiring drama EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE, a touching story of a nine-year-old amateur inventor, jewelry designer, astrophysicist, tambourine player and pacifist, who searchesNew York for the lock that matches a mysterious key left by his father when he was killed in the September 11 attacks.

Tom Hankswill join Sandra in that one.

According to fresh rumors, Sandra will also join a dream cast including Meryl Streep and Oprah Winfrey in the untitled new film by SEX AND THE CITY 2 director Michael Patrick King which will be set in the world of a home shopping network and will follow the lives of various characters who try to juggle their marriages with their jobs, and the marketing and media attention that surrounds it.

We will be watching her in KISS AND TANGO as well, a romcom about a tango teacher who starts a fake love relationship with her local's owner just to keep her business alive :) Can't wait to see with whom will she play with in that one. I vote for Gerard Butler. Are you with me? :)

Another action-comedy she will star in is MOST WANTED about an FBI agent who is ambushed while trying to escort a criminal suspect so the pair are forced to go on the run together. Here, she will be joined by Ryan Reynolds again with whom she already had a very nice chemistry in successful romantic comedy THE PROPOSAL back in 2009. Equally charming Lauren Graham (GILMORE GIRLS) will also star in the film.

RICHARD ARMITAGE & AIDAN TURNER JOIN MARTIN FREEMAN IN "THE HOBBIT". BRYAN SINGER WANTS AARON JOHNSON AS HIS "JACK THE GIANT KILLER". STEVEN SPIELBERG DIRECTING "ROBOPOCALYPSE"

You already know that Bryan Singer (USUAL SUSPECTS, X-MEN) is preparing JACK THE GIANT KILLER fantasy tale,

but it seems he has found his Jack - the young and popular KICKASS star Aaron Johnson (one of the contestants in HOLLYWOOD SPY's current poll), at least according to latest rumors. Based on the famous fairy tale, the film will follow a young boy who must climb the beanstalk to slay a mighty giant.

If you have read news around the Net, you now already know that the cast for Peter Jackson's THE HOBBIT has been officially revealed yesterday: Martin Freeman (SHERLOCK) will be Bilbo Bagggins joined by three dashing gentlemen - Richard

Armitage (ROBIN HOOD, SPOOKS) as Thorin Oakenshield, leader of the Company of Dwarves, and Aidan Turner(BEING HUMAN) and Robert Kazinsky (EASTENDERS) as Kili and Fili of the Company of Dwarves. The cast should also include Ian McKellan as Gandalf, Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, Hugo Weaving as Elrond, Andy Serkis as Gollum and there are rumors that David Tennant, Stephen Fry, Saoirse Ronan and Bill Nighy could also head for the Middle Earth. It's also interesting that Peter Jackson might move the whole production of THE HOBBIT from New Zealand to Great Britain because of the problems Warner Bros. has been having with actors unions.

Steven Spielberg has officially agreed to direct ROBOPOCALYPSE, the sf robot epic which centers on the human race trying to survive a robot uprising, based on the novel by

charming young writer Daniel H. Wilson which still hasn't been published. The film itself might appear in cinemas somewhere in 2013.

Laeta Kalogridis (PATHFINDER, AVATAR, SHUTTER ISLAND, ALEXANDER) will write the script for the remake of FANTASTIC VOYAGE to be produced by James Cameron. As you remember the sf classic follows a team of scientists who are shrunk to atomic size and sent in a miniature submarine inside the body of a scientist to save his life. Beside this project, Laeta is also writing the script for Cameron's long awaited adaptation of ALITA BATTLE ANGEL.

And I wanted to congratulate our dear Lisa Maliga whose book NOTES FROM NADIR is now officially on Kindle! :)

ZOMBIES GO MEDIEVAL IN "STRONGHOLD". TAKE A LOOK AT THE PLANET OF OA FROM "GREEN LANTERN". WILL COLIN FARRELL TAKE THE LEAD IN "TOTAL RECALL" REMAKE? DAKOTA FANNING IN SUPERNATURAL FILM "IF I STAY"

Now, since I've assured you yesterday that zombies will take over the 19th century, I must warn you that they are heading for the middle ages as well: STRONGHOLD will be based on the book "Tomes of the Dead: Stronghold" by Paul Finch and it will be set in the times when King Edward I of England built Grogen Castle

in Wales, and proclaimed it the strongest fortress in the British Isles - impregnable to assault, armed with devices so fiendish that all attackers would die in multitudes. But the Welsh have had enough of English tyranny. Armed with druidic magic and an ancient, mystical artifact, they summon an army to their banner even the most superstitious of Edward’s soldiers could never have imagined. Soon, Grogen Castle finds itself besieged by forces forged from splintered bone and rotten flesh. Just how long can this Stronghold hold out against the zombie horde?

You already know, that among endless remakes we shall see a TOTAL RECALL one too. The remake of Arnold Schwarzeneger's sf flick from the 90s will be directed by Len Wiseman, and according to fresh rumors, the lead role might go to Colin Farrell. Wonder who will get the role of Sharon Stone who played the bad girl in it? The good news is that the script is being written by Kurt Wimmer the author of the amazing sf classic EQUILIBRIUM.

Young Dakota Fanning will probably take the lead role in IF I STAY, an adaptation of Gayle Forman's young adult novel, about a gifted musician and her boyfriend,

a rising star in the indie rock world. Already faced with a choice between her art and her relationship, she is forced to make a harder choice between life and death after being involved in a fatal car accident.

"ComingSoonNet" has published the cool concept art image of the planet Oa from the upcoming Ryan Reynolds' super hero movie GREEN LANTERN. Oa is his home, the planet where the Guardians, a small but powerful race, have existed for centuries. They are the protectors of peace and justice, a brotherhood of warriors sworn to keep intergalactic order, and each Green Lantern wears a ring that grants him superpowers.

And a huge CONGRATULATION to our dear Clarissa Draper who just signed a contract with a publisher!!! I can already smell some bestsellers in the air :)

"PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES" TO BE DIRECTED BY JONATHAN DEMME. ASIAN WESTERN IN "THE WARRIOR'S WAY". HEMINGWAY'S "THE GARDEN OF EDEN" FILM ADAPTATION

A whole bunch of directors is fighting to get the helm of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES,  a crazy parody in which Jane Austin's classic tale of the tangled relationships between lovers from different social classes in

19th century England is faced with a new challenge - an army of undead zombies.  Based on the novel by Seth Grahame Smith, the film might be directed by Jonathan Demme (SILENCE OF THE LAMBS) who is currently the strongest candidate and who could give the main role to Anne Hathaway.

Check out the poster for an Asian movie with a lot of Western actors in the cast: THE WARRIOR'S WAY with  Kate Bosworth, Geoffrey Rush and Danny Huston and Korean actor Dong-gun Jang in the lead role.

This visually-stunning modern martial arts western  follows an Asian warrior assassin forced to hide in a small town in the American Badlands. The film is out in USA this December.

If you like Ernest Hemingway, you probably shouldn't miss the adaptation of his posthumously published novel THE GARDEN OF EDEN coming out this December. The story follows a successful American writer (Jack Huston) and his wife (Mena Suvari) on an extended European honeymoon as she becomes restless in the relationship and draws an Italian girl (Caterina Murino) into their lives. According to "Movieweb" the cast of this Jazz Age, erotically-charged romance also includes Richard E. Grant and Matthew Modine.

LADY GAGA AND ELTON JOHN IN A DUET? MARK WAHLBERG MIGHT BE THE NEW "CROW". MIND BLOWING POSTER FOR "TRON LEGACY". WARNER BROS PREPARING "DARK MOON"

I'm not sure why is he so popular suddenly, I personally find him overly cocky, but according to "Beyond Hollywood" Mark Wahlberg has been offered the lead role in the upcoming reboot of THE CROW to be directed by Stephen Norrington. As you remember Brandon Lee had played the lead role in the original film from the 90's, and he also died accidentally during the production.

Warner Bros. and Akiva Goldsman will produce DARK MOON a film which will focus on the belief that manned moon missions did not stop with Apollo 17 in 1972.

Using the "found footage" route, the film will reveal a black ops post-Apollo mission sent to the moon to explore previously classified discoveries and its unintended and disturbing consequences.

And check out yet another marvelous poster for the sf adventure TRON: LEGACY coming to cinemas this December. Starring Jeff Bridges, Michael Sheen, Olivia Wilde, Garrett Hedlund, Bruce Boxleitner, John Hurt ... it tells the story about the world of futuristic games in which humans are pawns themselves. Although not so intriguing in plot, the film promises amazing visuals and breathtaking special effects.

Now it was only natural for this to happen. Although he admits he will probably never record another pop album again, music legend Elton John has revealed that he might record a duet with Lady Gaga on her next album. Recently, he also had a privilege to listen to Gaga's BORN THIS WAY, the most anticipated album for 2011, and he said that the tittle song is so mind blowing that it will completely get rid of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" as the self-confidence anthem when it comes out. He has also called Gaga the bastard daughter of Elton John :) Gaga herself said that the upcoming album will be the "absolute greatest work" she's ever done.

And if you have a minute or two, drop by over to FILM INTEL, where my dear friend Sam has written a great article about Angelina Jolie's UNTITLED BOSNIAN LOVE STORY using me as his personal spy :)

MCG TO DIRECT AN EPIC ON CHRISTOPHER "COLUMBUS". JAMES FRANCO AND ANNE HATHAWAY MIGHT JOIN RIDLEY SCOTT'S "ALIEN" PREQUEL. MEL GIBSON WILL BE A BANGKOK TATTOO ARTIST IN "HANGOVER II"

According to "Deadline", adventurous billionaire Richard Branson is negotiating to acquire the script for COLUMBUS written by T.S. Nowlin for his new production company. If he succeeds, infamous director McG (TERMINATOR SALVATION, CHARLIE'S ANGELS) will helm this epic about the equally infamous Christopher Columbus and his famous voyage to America apparently in a Zack Snyder's 300 style.

For some reason, Ridley Scott's future sf horror project, the prequel to ALIEN,  is a hot topic these days around the net, probably because of the possible stars who might end up starring in this film which Scott wants to make as an R-rated flick. Natalie

Portman was already mentioned as a female Marine general in the film, and the latest possible additions to the cast include James Franco and the totally unexpected Anne Hathaway in unknown roles.

I must admit I haven't watched the first HANGOVER, since such comedies aren't really my cup of tea, but this new detail about its sequel HANGOVER 2 , coming out next, year is just super hilarious:  according to "The New York Post" Mel Gibson will be playing a Bangkok tattoo artist in it but it still isn't clear whether he would be playing himself as an actor hiding out in Thailand, or if he would be playing a character not at all associated with his own public image. What's even more crazy is that there's another disgraced guy who might appear in the sequel - no other but Tiger Woods :)

INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR OF SF NOVEL "CASSASTAR": ALEX J. CAVANAUGH WANTS JAMES CAMERON TO DIRECT "CASSASTAR" AND SAYS THE SECOND BOOK WILL HAVE A FEMALE HERO!

The long awaited launch of Alex J. Cavanaugh's sf book CASSASTAR is finally happening today, and HOLLYWOOD SPY had the honour to get an exclusive interview with the writer himself. I' ve asked him a few questions about the book and

about the influence of films on his writing since we know how much Alex loves movies and cinema.

DEZZ:WHICH MOVIES HAVE INSPIRED YOU AS A WRITER? AND HOW HAVE FILMS INFLUENCED CASSASTAR?
ALEX: Science fiction films such as "Star Wars", "Aliens", and "Serenity" influenced me. The original series "Battlestar Galactica" was a big influence on CASSASTAR. "Raiders of the Lost Ark" had a big impact on me. I was enthralled by the action and fast-paced adventure. I enjoy a movie with a fast pace, but it must possess heart as well. I wanted both of those aspects in my novel and I hope I achieved a good balance.

DEZZ:DO YOU THINK THAT WRITERS CAN LEARN FROM MOVIES?
ALEX:Yes, they can learn a great deal about pacing. Scenes might move faster in movies, but writers can still gauge the pacing of their story by watching films of their genre. How is tension maintained? What else is occurring during dialogue? How are scenes pieced together? We often learn what doesn’t work as well.

DEZZ:SINCE SF BOOKS ARE OFTEN INTERESTING TO FILM PRODUCERS, WHICH DIRECTORS AND ACTORS WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE WORKING ON CASSASTAR FILM ADAPTATION?
ALEX:Tough question, Dezz! James Cameron comes to mind first, as he knows how to handle science fiction - action movies better than any other director. Guillermo del Toro would also be a fine choice, as would Christopher Nolan. Even Steven Spielberg would do well with the material.

Now, as far as actors… can I just wave a white flag now? The only actor who comes to mind for Bassa is Sean Bean. (He’d have to be in shape, too.) Needs to be someone with authority and a wry sense of humor. Byron’s even more difficult. Chris Pine (Kirk in the new "Star Trek") has the cockiness, although he’s a bit old for the role and possibly too light-hearted. Skander Keynes (Edward in the "Narnia" movies) is closer to the correct age and possesses the intensity.
I guess as long as the actor never played a vampire at any point in his career, I wouldn’t protest too hard!

DEZZ:HOW MUCH OF YOUR PERSONALITY AND YOUR LIFE DID YOU PUT IN THE BOOK THROUGH THE PLOT AND CHARACTERS?
ALEX:Dezz, didn’t you know? I’m really a Cassan… Just kidding!
Actually, very little. The main two characters were created when I was in my teens, and each possessed characteristics I admired. My original inclination was to say I am more like Byron, but Bassa’s steady nature is closer to my own. We’re both perfectionists, disciplined, organized, and reserved.
And while flying a Cosbolt sounds exciting, truth is - I hate to fly!

DEZZ:WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR READERS TO THINK AFTER THEY FINISH READING THE LAST SENTENCE IN CASSASTAR?
ALEX:"Everyone on my Christmas list is getting this book!"
Seriously though, I want them to regret the story ends. I hope readers enjoy the ride and connect with the characters, feeling their struggles and growth.
I also hope they think that it would make a great movie!

DEZZ:WHAT KIND OF BOOK WOULD YOU LIKE TO WRITE IN THE FUTURE?
ALEX:In addition to science fiction, I’d like to venture into fantasy. I enjoy it even more than science fiction sometimes. As a "Dungeons and Dragons" geek, I can see lots of potential in this genre.

DEZZ:WHAT CAN WE EXPECT IN THE SECOND PART OF CASSASTAR?
ALEX:I’m working on a sequel, adding twists and turns to the storyline. It will begin twenty years after CASSASTAR ends and introduce a female lead. (Yes, you read that correctly!) Between the story’s main conflict and this female character, Byron will find his abilities stretched yet again!

CASSASTAR BY ALEX J. CAVANAUGH

Few options remain for Byron. A talented but stubborn young man with a troubled past and rebellious attitude, his cockpit skills are his only hope. Slated to train as a Cosbolt fighter pilot, Byron is determined to prove his worth and begin a new life

as he sets off for the moon base of Guaard.
Much to Byron’s chagrin the toughest instructor in the fleet takes notice of the young pilot. Haunted by a past tragedy, Bassa eventually sees through Byron's tough exterior and insolence. When a secret talent is revealed during training, Bassa feels compelled to help Byron achieve his full potential.
As war brews on the edge of space, time is running short. Byron requires a navigator of exceptional quality to survive, and Bassa must make a decision that could well decide the fate of both men. Will their skills be enough as they embark on a mission that may stretch their abilities to the limit?

ABC TO MAKE "ROMEO AND JULIET" AND "THE INCREDIBLE HULK" TV SHOWS. NEIL PATRICK HARRIS PLANNING A DIRECTORIAL DEBUT

Now this is highly unusual: ABC is planning a ROMEO AND JULIET TV show! Yes, you heard it well, they will make a TV show out of the famous tragic love story by Shakespeare and they are  already negotiating with TWILIGHT's director Catherine Hardwicke to helm the

pilot. The show will tell the famous love story while also pealing away the curtain on the impetuous, incestuous, bloody and violent relationships during the Renaissance in Verona according to "Deadline".  Can't wait to see who will be the main actors!

Another show which will hit television in the future is THE INCREDIBLE HULK. Since the green monster wasn't overly successful in cinemas, Marvel and ABC are planning  a live-action TV series adaptation of the popular comic book about a physicist who turns into a green monster when his emotions are triggered. As you know,

Hulk will also appear in the superhero blockbuster THE AVENGERS in a few years played by Mark Ruffalo. And you also know, that Marvel's rival DC Comics is preparing their WONDER WOMAN TV show produced by David. E. Kelley.

One of the most popular TV comedians, Neil Patrick Harris (HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER) will make his directorial debut with ARON AND SARAH, a  film with Emma Roberts and Josh Hutcherson whose teen relationship throughout the years,  including four proms, a funeral, and everything else till graduation day, will be the topic of the plot. Neil Patrick Harris is also having some nice moments in his private life as well: a few days ago he and his gay partner have become fathers of twin babies born from a surrogate mother.

And as you can see in the side-bar HOLLYWOOD SPY has hit the maximum four nominations in Dempsey's renowned MOVIE BLOG AWARDS competition, but in order for me to get into the final round you must vote for me in all four categories: best gossip blog, best gold movie blog, best design and sexiest male blogger :)) So, click on one of the badges in the sidebar or the above link and vote if you think I deserve those awards :)

ANTONIO BANDERAS GOES ARABIAN IN "BLACK GOLD". PETER JACKSON EYING MICHAEL FASSBENDER & DAVID TENNANT FOR "THE HOBBIT". KIRSTEN DUNST & ALEXANDER SKARSGAARD IN LARS VON TRIER'S "MELANCHOLIA"

Now here's something that sounds promising: according to "Deadline New York" Antonio Banderas has joined Mark Strong, Freida Pinto and Tahar Rahim in BLACK GOLD, a movie set in the 1930s when oil was first being discovered in parts of Arabia. The story will center on rival Arabian tribes and a young ruler who manages to unite these warring kingdoms. The great thing is that the movie will be directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud the sensual French director of ENEMY AT THE GATES, SEVEN YEAR IN TIBET ...

You've probably already heard this Friday that THE HOBBIT has finally been officially greenlit with Peter Jackson at the helm. Now the search for the actors begins: I've already told you that Martin Freeman, from BBC'S SHERLOCK series will take the role of Bilbo Baggins. Ian McKellen and Andy Serkis should return as Gandalf and Gollum. Cate Blanchett might appear again as the Elven queen Galadriel, and according to "The Playlist" Michael Fassbender and David Tennant have also been offered unknown roles in the film.

Lars von Trier is about to begin shooting his post-apocalyptic film MELANCHOLIA which will basically  start with the end, with the audience seeing the world being crushed and destroyed at the beginning and then it will not be a film about what happens but how it happens! The film will show people who are trying to deal with the planet’s impending doom. Kirsten Dunst will be a woman who is planning to get married to Alexander Skarsgaard while his father Stellan Skarsgaard will play the best man and John Hurt will play Dunst's father. The film will also star Charlotte Gainsbourg and Kiefer Sutherland.

JAMES CAMERON TO DIRECT "CLEOPATRA" WITH ANGELINA JOLIE. JESSICA LANGE & SAM NEILL JOIN CHANNING TATUM & RACHEL MCADAMS IN "THE VOW". VANESSA HUDGENS JOINS JOSH HUTCHERSON, DWAYNE JOHNSON & MICHAEL CAINE IN "JOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND"

As you already know by now,  the biggest news yesterday around the net was the one about James Cameron directing CLEOPATRA with Angelina Jolie. HOLLYWOOD SPY has already written about the project earlier this year, and now James Cameron and Sony Pictures Entertainment are  making plans about the luxurious epic film based on the book "Cleopatra: A Life" by Stacy Schiff. According to "Deadline" screenwriter Brian Helgeland has already finished a brilliant script deserving of epic treatment. Angelina herself said that the film will focus on the truth about Cleopatra as a leader and not just a sex symbol, since she was a mother, leader and an intellect who spoke five languages and whose upbringing also reflected her relationship with Rome. The filming could start next year, before Cameron dedicates himself to AVATAR sequels.

Upcoming romance film THE VOW has just got some new additions to its cast: Jessica Lange and Sam Neill will join Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum in the story about a young woman who loses all recent memory in a car accident and struggles to rebuild her identity, while her husband tries to win her heart for the second time. Scott Speedman will play Rachel's ex-love, who appears in their lives while Channing tries to remind her of their marriage.

Charming Vanessa Hudgens has just joined JOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND in which she will star together with Josh Hutcherson and Dwayne Johnson who is replacing Brendan Fraser. In the film, Josh Hutcherson and Dwayne Johnson will travel to a mysterious island in search of Josh's grandfather played by Michael Caine. Vanessa Hudgens will portray a girl from the island who will fall in love with Josh.