BYZANTIUM (Update: Photo + Plot)

• BYZANTIUM

Byzantium, the upcoming vampire saga from director Neil Jordan, has released a new image online as well as the first glimpse of an official synopsis.

Gemma Arteton & Saoirse Ronan are VAMPIRES in Byzantium

The new snap shows stars Gemma Arterton and Saoirse Ronan huddling together in front of what looks like a seafront attraction, looking less than thrilled with their situation.

The pair are vampires you see, and having fled the scene of a violent and bloody crime, they’re now looking for refuge at a run-down resort somewhere on the British coastline.

“Clara (Arterton), ever-practical, sells her body,” says the official publicity. “She soon meets shy and lonely Noel, who provides a roof over their heads in his seedy guesthouse, Byzantium. Clara, always looking towards the future, turns it into a ‘pop-up’ brothel.”

“Meanwhile Eleanor, the eternal schoolgirl, meets Frank, a kindred spirit who unwittingly prompts her to tell the truth about her life. She tells him that Clara is her mother; yet Clara is only a few years older. She says that she was born in 1804; yet she is just sixteen. She confesses that she must drink human blood to stay alive – and so must her mother. In the small, quiet town, people start to die.”

MAN OF STEEL (Update)

• MAN OF STEEL

Man Of Steel might still only be a year away, but the news still just keeps pouring in.

Michael Shannon

The latest info from the film comes from star Michael Shannon, who’s dropped a few clues as to what we can expect from his incarnation of General Zod, Total Film reports.

“He’s actually a not very scary guy,” says Shannon of the marauding Zod. “He’s just trying to do his job, just like anybody.” Good point, but for the fact that most people’s nine to five doesn’t involve invading other planets…

As to how audiences will respond to the character, Shannon is uncertain. “I don’t know, you know?” he muses. “I don’t want to say. Some people might hate him, some people might love him. But I’m fond of him. I respect him.”

So will he be instructing every Tom, Dick & Harry to “kneel before Zod?” “Zod has some speeches,” confirms Shannon cautiously. “He has some cool speeches. I got to say some cool stuff, but I can’t say any of it right now.”

Shannon did reveal one line of genuine dialogue: “Do you realize the universe is constantly shrinking, Superman?” Make of that one, what you will…

Man Of Steel will open in the US on 14 June 2013.

OUT OF THE FURNACE (Cast News)

• OUT OF THE FURNACE

Oscar winner Christian Bale has just been locked in for the leading role in Crazy Heart director Scott Cooper's upcoming drama Out of the Furnace.

Bale in TDK

According to Indie Wire's The Playlist, Bale will play Slim, an Indiana native who has just been freed from prison in 1986. Although he initially has plans to marry his girlfriend, Slim's brother is soon found to be murdered after falling in with a dangerous gambling racket. This eventually leads to Slim's quest for revenge.

Current plans are for production to begin before the summer when Bale's Knight of Cups is slated to shoot.

You can catch Christian Bale in his next film, The Dark Knight Rises that releases July 20 2012. Be There!! His BATMAN!!

RIDDICK (Photos)

• RIDDICK

Riddick is Back!!

Vin Diesel has posted some pics from Riddick on his Facebook page which you can check out below.

Written and directed by David Twohy, the Universal release also stars Karl Urban, Jordi Molla, Matt Nable, Katee Sackhoff, Bokeem Woodbine, Dave Bautista, Conrad Pla, Raoul Trujillo, Nolan Funk and Keri Hilson.

The films plot, “the infamous Riddick has been left for dead on a sun-scorched planet that appears to be lifeless. Soon, however, he finds himself fighting for survival against alien predators more lethal than any human he's encountered. The only way off is for Riddick to activate an emergency beacon and alert mercenaries who rapidly descend to the planet in search of their bounty.

The first ship to arrive carries a new breed of merc, more lethal and violent, while the second is captained by a man whose pursuit of Riddick is more personal. With time running out and a storm on the horizon that no one could survive, his hunters won't leave the planet without Riddick's head as their trophy.”

ROSALINE (Cast News)

• ROSALINE

Lily Collins is Beautiful

Lily Collins is in negotions to play the title role in, Rosaline, Variety reports. The film is based on the debut novel of Rebecca Serle (titled "When You Were Mine"), set for release later this year. On her official site, Serle describes the novel as follows:

In this intensely romantic, modern recounting of the greatest love story ever told, Romeo’s original intended—Juliet’s cousin Rosaline—tells her side of the tale.

Rosaline knows that she and Rob are destined to be together. Rose has been waiting for years for Rob to kiss her–and when he finally does, it’s perfect. But then Juliet moves back to town. Juliet, who used to be Rose’s best friend. Juliet, who now inexplicably hates her. Juliet, who is gorgeous, vindictive, and a little bit crazy…and who has set her sights on Rob. He doesn’t even stand a chance.

Rose is devastated over losing Rob to Juliet. This is not how the story was supposed to go. And when rumors start swirling about Juliet’s instability, her neediness, and her threats of suicide, Rose starts to fear not only for Rob’s heart, but also for his life. Because Shakespeare may have gotten the story wrong, but we all still know how it ends.

Collins recently appeared in Abduction and will soon play Snow White in the upcoming Mirror Mirror.

HERCULES (in Development)

• HERCULES

Dwayne Johnson is in talks to star in MGM's Hercules, to be directed by Brett Ratner (Tower Heist), reports Variety.

The film is based on the Radical Publishing "Hercules" comic books of which there were two series, "The Thracian Wars" and "The Knives of Kush," both written by Steve Moore with Cris Bolsin on art.

"The Thracian Wars" was described as follows:

“Fourteen-hundred years ago, a tormented soul walked the Earth that was neither man nor god. Hercules, powerful son of the god king Zeus, received nothing but suffering his entire life. After twelve arduous labors and the loss of his family, this dark, world-weary soul turned his back on the gods, finding his only solace in bloody battle.

Over the years he warmed to the company of six similar souls, their only bond being their love of fighting and the presence of death. These men and woman never question where, why, or whom they go to fight; only how much they will be paid. Knowing this, the King of Thrace has hired these mercenaries to train his men to become the greatest army of all time.

Hercules begins to question King Cotys' motives when he takes his army out to battle and sees them practice on innocent men, women, and children of their neighbors. Deep in his soul something stirs, but is it enough to stop a mad king and his army of the damned from marching across Greece - or even Olympus itself?!”

Johnson can currently be seen in theaters in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island and this summer in G.I. Joe: Retaliation. He will next film Michael Bay's Pain and Gain, and then he will rejoin the cast for Fast Five in Fast and Furious Six.