What Is Is What Was and What Will Be

To hear filmmakers Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski and Tom Tykwer talk about it, the upcoming Cloud Atlas is going to be an epic mind-bender.

If you don’t believe them, take a gander at this most-intriguing five-minute trailer for the film, which features Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Ben Wishaw, Susan Sarandon, and Hugh Grant playing multiple parts, weaving some era-spanning stories together in what promises to be quite the spectacular way.

Back yet? Good.

I. Cannot. Wait until Oct. 26 to see David Mitchell’s novel up on the big screen.

Photo: EW.com.

Guess the Wolfpack’s Serving Up Thirds...

Looks like The Hangover 3 is happening, people.

With luck, the powers that be won’t bamboozle folks again by simply changing the location of the shenanigans in which Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis find themselves like they did in The Hangover Part II.

Seriously, and honestly, I think the only reason I tolerated the unoriginality of the sequel was that I caught it for free at a press screening....

Anyway, this is the preview the masterminds behind the comedy franchise served up on Facebook today.

Simple and to the point, I s’ppose.

Photo: EW.com.

007 Reporting for Duty

You know what surprised more than seeing a doppelgänger of the Queen of England jumping off a helicopter with Daniel Craig-as-James Bond during last Friday’s London 2012 opening ceremony?

Seeing a TV spot for 007’s next adventure, this November’s Skyfall.

Can you dig it or can you dig it?

Sharp GaGa

I guess Lady GaGa didn’t make her acting debut in the Men in Black threequel as rumored, huh, because she’s doing it in the upcoming sequel to Machete.

That’s right – the singer will be playing La Chameleón in Machete Kills.

“Filming was insane,” Mother Monster tweet-confirmed.

She joins a cast that includes recent series returnee Michelle Rodriguez, Oscar nominee Demián Bichir, Sofia Vergara, tabloid magnets Charlie Sheen and Mel Gibson, and Edward James Olmos.

What, no Lindsay Lohan in this one.

Oh, btw – Madonna circa Dick Tracy called...you know what she said.

Photo: EW.com.

Prophecy Boy

The wait is over – Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel is coming soon.

Well, next summer, but y’ know, at least we can officially start a countdown to see Henry Cavill in his full Clark Kent/Superman glory.

Now, not one but two teasers dropped over the weekend, and I can and will totally say that I beyond-psyched about next June.

Each trailer features the same images but is narrated by two different voices – that of Clark’s adoptive dad, Jonathan Kent (Kevin Costner), and that of his Kriptonian biological father, Jor-El (Russell Crowe) – and each is full of real-life-ness, grounded by an early, ambitious promise to make this a character-driven blockbuster rather than one that takes its cues from its otherworldly character’s abilities or that of the entities that will surely pose a threat to his adoptive kind.

It seems the challenge for Cavill’s Superman will be to answer the question of whether he wants to save Earth...or if he’s even destined to soar for it. The answer is obvious, but what a fun time it will be to see him figure it all out, huh.

Photo: Filmofilia.com.

Naughty Bridesmaids

They say it’s best to keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

Well, three mean girls – uptight Kirsten Dunst, loose-y Isla Fisher, and hard-edged Lizzie Caplan – are going to learn the meaning of that, alright, when they all have to be in the wedding of Rebel Wilson, the ugly duckling they tormented back in high school, in the upcoming Bachelorette.

Check out the trailer and tell me this doesn’t look hella fun:

Bachelorette opens on Sept. 7.

Be there.

Here Comes the Man of Steel

At long last, the promo machine behind next summer’s Man of Steel is kicking it into high gear (on-set pics just aren’t enough, y’ know).

And, of course, the powers that be waited for Comic-Con to do so. Wisely.

Check out the first official for the Henry Cavill starmaker – and click here to find out some cool deets about the footage that director Zack Snyder unveiled at the convention this weekend.

Photo: EW.com.

The Oz Has Landed

Last week, we got a first look at the poster for the upcoming Wizard of Oz prequel, Oz: The Great and Powerful.

This week brought us Comic-Con, so, naturally, that means plenty more goodies to share.

Behold, then, your first look-see at some teaser footage of the Sam Raimi-directed, James Franco-starring blockbuster. The special trailer also has glimpses of Michelle Williams, Mila Kunis, and Rachel Weisz as Glinda, Theodora, and Evanora, respectively.

Check it out, and wish it were next March, already.

Cool, huh.

The New Q

There’s a new, younger Q in the Bondverse, people, and he will be played by Ben Wishaw in this fall’s Skyfall.

Q has yet to assist Daniel Craig’s James Bond – the character wasn’t part of Casino Royale or Quantum of Solace – so his inclusion in Sam Mendes’ movie is especially, well...special.

007 fans will be pleased to know the guy will, in fact, play a pivotal role in helping Bond rescue MI6 from a looming threatening force from M’s (Judi Dench) past.

Photo: EW.com.

As Di

The role was supposed to be Jessica Chastain’s, but it seems Naomi Watts was the better way to go, looks-wise.

I mean, take a look at the 21 Grams Oscar nominee in character as the one and only Princess Diana in this Diana project, a movie chronicling the princess’ secret affair with heart surgeon Dr. Hasnat Khan (Naveen Andrews, whom you may remember as Sayid on TV’s Lost).

Pretty uncanny, huh.

Photo: EW.com.

Oz Is Coming Soon

Behold the poster for Oz: The Great and Powerful, Sam Raimi’s upcoming Wizard of Oz prequel.

The movie starring James Franco, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz, Mila Kunis, and Zach Braff may not feature any of its stars on its one-sheet, but it sure capitalizes on a lot of the elements that we are sure to recognize from the Frank Baum 1900 novel, like the hot air balloon belonging to Franco’s would-be man behind the curtain, that most-famous yellow brick road, and a glistening Emerald City on the horizon.

We can expect to find out more about Oz: The Great and Powerful on July 12 once Raimi’s had the chance to talk about the movie at Comic-Con.

Photo: EW.com.

...And then Girl Learns That Boy Used to Rob Banks

A little while ago, I shared one of the first images that made it onto the Web of Hit & Run, a new comedy by Dax Shepard (the dude had a hand on just about everything on the caper road comedy, on top of his Emmy-worthy gig on TV’s Parenthood).

The reason I was so keen on the comedy was Kristen Bell, who plays a young woman who finds out, while on the road, that her bf used to drive getaway cars.

Now that I have seen the red-band-trailer for the upcoming Aug. 24 release, which also features Bradley Cooper describing what a “c--- in your a---” feels like and a blue-talkin’ Kristin Chenoweth, I am totally sold.

This one looks like a raunchy good time, folks. Mark your calendars now. Get!

Photo: FlicksAndBits.com.

Meet Jack Reacher

Last summer, Tom Cruise made headlines when he was cast as Jack Reacher in One Shot, Christopher (Oscar-winning screenwriter of The Usual Suspects) McQuarrie’s adapation of Lee Child’s 2005 novel.

They were unkind headlines because Jack Reacher is meant to be this real tall guy, right – like, 6’5” – and Cruise is...not.

Clearly, though, from the looks of this sneak-peek look-see at Cruise in character, the actor is nevertheless quite the commanding presence.

And he makes me wish it already were time to meet Jack Reacher (that’s the movie’s new title – Potential Franchise Alert!), but, unfortunately, we gotta wait until Dec. 21 for that. Something tells me it’ll be well worth it.

Photo: EW.com.

Ooh, Kids – Do Not Mess with a Vampire Mama

Bella Swan will not have anybody messing up with her new vampire in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2.

So you better don’t.

That’s the takeaway from the longer teaser for the upcoming follow-up to The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1, and you know what? I won’t.

Looks like girlfriend’s gonna make one fierce vampire mama to Renesmee (Mackenzie Foy), her daughter with Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson).

Photo: DigitalSpy.com.

The Monsters Are Back

Back in the fall of 2001, America fell in love with a couple of...monsters.

Oh yes, we did – we totally lost it for Monsters, Inc.’s James P. “Sulley” Sullivan and Mike Wazowski, in no small measure because the lovable Disney/Pixar characters that were meant to frighten us but instead gave us the warm and fuzzies were voiced by John Goodman and Billy Crystal, respectively.

Well, now, the powers that be have dreamt up a prequel (Pixar’s very first, btw) titled Monster University that’s due to scare up some awwws and laughs when it arrives in theaters next summer.

Whaddya say you click here and spent a little time watching what Sulley and – cue up Boo’s voice – Mike Wazowski used to be like back in their University of Fear days.

Cmon – you know you want to, ya big lug.

Photo: EW.com.

The Look of Maleficent

At last, Maleficent is happening.

Behold the first image of Angelina Jolie in costume as the Mistress of Evil, a.k.a. Sleeping Beauty’s antagonist .

The 3-D project – that’s not due to arrive in theaters until next spring – promises to reveal just why Maleficent acts the way she does toward Princess Aurora (Elle Fanning), and, one would hope, just where she got the inspiration for such a fierce look.

Photo: HuffingtonPost.com.

Update: Check out this from-the-set pic of La Jolie in full Maleficent regalia, staff and all. (I have it once, and I will say it again: Girlfriend needs to put another potato in her broth.)

The Latino Stripper

Lest you should think Magic Mike is going to be a parade of pretty white boy after pretty white boy and swarthy man goodness, behold the brown beauty of Adam Rodriguez.

The erstwhile star of TV’s Roswell and CSI: Miami is bringing a little Latino heat to the Steven Soderbergh feast for the eyes that’s opening in – oh goodness – 17 short days.

Rodriguez plays Tito in the movie.

Tito? Surely they coulda given the guy a randier name. But, I mean, how do you top Big Dick Richie? (Wait...that sounds funny.)

Photo: The Karpel Group.

The Veteran Stripper

You thought I was done extolling the beauties of Magic Mike, huh.

Behold Matthew McConaughey in full – ha! – costume for his role in the Steven Soderbergh sure-to-be-crowd-pleasing movie opening on June 29, as a former stripper who now owns the club where the young’uns (i.e., Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Matthew Bomer, and Joe Manganiello, among other hotties) shake their moneymakers.

Just 21 more days, ladies and gays.

Photo: The Karpel Group.

Why So Covered Up, Big Dick Richie?

Alright, so this picture of Joe Manganiello in the upcoming Magic Mike leaves way too much to the imagination....

But, oh boy, does he smolder.

Worry not, though – the actor will totally bring his big ol’ ax to the party, ladies and gays. His character’s name is Big Dick Richie, after all.

Photo: The Karpel Group.

Boys in Skivvies

Uh, WTF is Matthew McConaughey teaching Alex Pettyfer in this new still from Magic Mike?

Actually – WTF is he wearing?

I guess we will have to wait, patiently, until the Steven Soderbergh summer gift to cinema, also starring Channing Tatum, Matthew Bomer, and Joe Manganiello, arrives in theaters on June 29.

Photo: The Karpel Group.