NEWS UPDATE: The Hobbit Trilogy, The Avengers 2, Shia LaBeouf and More

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As previously reported, Peter Jackson is determined to turn "The Hobbit" into a trilogy. Warner Brothers seems to be on the same page as Jackson and everyone is working hard on trying to turn two movies into three. So far, there is no script and no projected budget for this third movie, but Warner has scheduled the final installment for a summer 2014 release, assuming all goes to plan, once a plan is actually available. To make his intentions clear, Peter Jackson wrote the following on his facebook page :

"It is only at the end of a shoot that you finally get the chance to sit down and have a look at the film you have made. Recently Fran, Phil and I did just this when we watched for the first time an early cut of the first movie – and a large chunk of the second. We were really pleased with the way the story was coming together, in particular, the strength of the characters and the cast who have brought them to life. All of which gave rise to a simple question: do we take this chance to tell more of the tale? And the answer from our perspective as the filmmakers, and as fans, was an unreserved ‘yes.’

We know how much of the story of Bilbo Baggins, the Wizard Gandalf, the Dwarves of Erebor, the rise of the Necromancer, and the Battle of Dol Guldur will remain untold if we do not take this chance. The richness of the story of The Hobbit, as well as some of the related material in the appendices of The Lord of the Rings, allows us to tell the full story of the adventures of Bilbo Baggins and the part he played in the sometimes dangerous, but at all times exciting, history of Middle-earth.

So, without further ado and on behalf of New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Wingnut Films, and the entire cast and crew of “The Hobbit” films, I’d like to announce that two films will become three.

It has been an unexpected journey indeed, and in the words of Professor Tolkien himself, “a tale that grew in the telling.”

Cheers,

Peter J"

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Joss Whedon has signed on to write and direct "The Avengers 2". Not only that, but Whedon will also be creatively consulting on future Marvel movies and help out with a new live action series for Marvel Television at ABC. Whedon has become quite essential to Marvel's plans after he turned "The Avengers" into a record-breaking summer blockbuster which earned 1.461 billion dollars worldwide. It's safe to say that Joss Whedon will be working on Marvel movies for a very long time.

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Shia LaBeouf is in talks to star in Lars von Trier's erotic drama "Nymphomaniac". The movie follows the erotic events in a woman's life (played by Charlotte Gainsbourg), from her youth to age 50. Stellan Skarsgard stars as her husband. No information is available on LaBeouf's role. The movie begins production in September and will be available in two versions : softcore and hardcore.

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Saoirse Ronan will star as Mary, Queen of Scotland, in the historical drama "Mary Queen of Scots" (working title). The script is penned by Michael Hirst ("Elizabeth") and the producers are currently out shopping for a director. Ronan has currently finished working on "The Host", an adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's sci-fi novel, and will also star in Neil Jordan's vampire drama "Byzantium" (based on a play by Moira Buffini).

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Matthew Mcconaughey has joined Martin Scorsese's drama "The Wolf of Wall Street", the true story of Jordan Belfort, a hard-partying, drug-addicted stockbroker who went to prison in 1998 for security fraud and money laundering. Leonardo DiCaprio will play the lead and McConaughey will star as Belfort's mentor and boss. The cast includes Jonah Hill, Jean Dujardin, Kyle Chandler, Joe Bernthal and Rob Reiner.

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Baz Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby", starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan and Tobey Maguire, has a new release date. The movie has been dislocated from its Christmas release date and pushed back to summer 2013 (the exact date has yet to be announced). The winter release date was clearly set so that it could qualify for the 2013 awards race, but now it seems Warner Brothers might consider box-office interests as a priority, since earnings in December are not usually satisfying. Warner Brothers President of Domestic Distribution, Dan Fellman, had this to say : "Based on what we’ve seen, Baz Luhrmann’s incredible work is all we anticipated and so much more. It truly brings Fitzgerald’s American classic to life in a completely immersive, visually stunning and exciting way. We think moviegoers of all ages are going to embrace it, and it makes sense to ensure this unique film reaches the largest audience possible.". You can watch the TRAILER here.

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