Ralph Fiennes might have only just finished dusting himself off from work on Clash of the Titans, but it seems the star will be donning his sandals once again for Roman epic Coriolanus.

Adapted from Shakespeare’s historical tragedy of the same name, Fiennes will star as the eponymous General, who finds himself expelled from Rome when the public turn against him.

Not one to take such a slight lying down, Coriolanus soon joins forces with sworn enemy Tullus Aufidius (Gerard Butler) to take his revenge on the Eternal City. And if Aufidius is even half as angry as 300’s Leonidas, the Romans should be very afraid indeed…

The film will be Fiennes’s first outing behind the camera, and he’s assembled quite the cast for his first attempt, with Vanessa Redgrave and Brian Cox adding gravitas to a stellar lineup.

Filming kicks off next week in Belgrade, with The Hurt Locker’s Oscar-winning cinematographer Barry Ackroyd heading up the crew.

We haven’t had a good Shakespeare adaptation in a while now, and as an accomplished Shakespearean actor himself, Fiennes could be just the man to deliver one.

We’re also looking forwards to seeing Gerard Butler in something a bit sturdier than the half-baked romcoms his agent keeps signing him up for! Fingers crossed Coriolanus will do the trick.

Ready for another swords-and-sandals epic? Let us know!

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Celeb gossip website TMZ is reporting that ’80s icon Corey Haim has died at the age of 38.

Haim has reportedly died of an overdose. We’ll update with more details as they come in.

As kids of the 1980s, we’re especially sad to hear about Haim’s passing. Films like License To Drive, Dream A Little Dream and, of course, The Lost Boys taught us everything we needed to know about girls when we were growing up.

We’ll miss him.

UPDATE: CNN has confirmed the news: "Police said Corey Haim, 38, was taken to St. Joseph Hospital in Burkbank, California, where he was pronounced dead at about 3:30 a.m. Wednesday (6:30 a.m. ET), police Sgt. Frank Albarran told CNN. The death appears to be accidental, possibly an overdose, Albarran said."

Ralph Fiennes might have only just finished dusting himself off from work on Clash of the Titans, but it seems the star will be donning his sandals once again for Roman epic Coriolanus.

Adapted from Shakespeare’s historical tragedy of the same name, Fiennes will star as the eponymous General, who finds himself expelled from Rome when the public turn against him.

Not one to take such a slight lying down, Coriolanus soon joins forces with sworn enemy Tullus Aufidius (Gerard Butler) to take his revenge on the Eternal City. And if Aufidius is even half as angry as 300’s Leonidas, the Romans should be very afraid indeed…

The film will be Fiennes’s first outing behind the camera, and he’s assembled quite the cast for his first attempt, with Vanessa Redgrave and Brian Cox adding gravitas to a stellar lineup.

Filming kicks off next week in Belgrade, with The Hurt Locker’s Oscar-winning cinematographer Barry Ackroyd heading up the crew.

We haven’t had a good Shakespeare adaptation in a while now, and as an accomplished Shakespearean actor himself, Fiennes could be just the man to deliver one.

We’re also looking forwards to seeing Gerard Butler in something a bit sturdier than the half-baked romcoms his agent keeps signing him up for! Fingers crossed Coriolanus will do the trick.

Ready for another swords-and-sandals epic? Let us know!

Total Film on Facebook

Celeb gossip website TMZ is reporting that ’80s icon Corey Haim has died at the age of 38.

Haim has reportedly died of an overdose. We’ll update with more details as they come in.

As kids of the 1980s, we’re especially sad to hear about Haim’s passing. Films like License To Drive, Dream A Little Dream and, of course, The Lost Boys taught us everything we needed to know about girls when we were growing up.

We’ll miss him.

UPDATE: CNN has confirmed the news: "Police said Corey Haim, 38, was taken to St. Joseph Hospital in Burkbank, California, where he was pronounced dead at about 3:30 a.m. Wednesday (6:30 a.m. ET), police Sgt. Frank Albarran told CNN. The death appears to be accidental, possibly an overdose, Albarran said."

You win an Oscar and everybody wants a piece of you.

Sadly, even though we’d love to wield casting power in Hollywood and draft Christoph Waltz into every single film made from this point forward (like that Seinfeld gag in 30 Rock), the actor’s only got so much time and energy to play with.

Which is why he’s had to drop out of tinkering about on-screen as Sigmund Freud in David Cronenberg’s cool-looking (but boring-titled) The Talking Cure.

The flick’s set to start filming from May for a pretty extensive 10 weeks. But with Waltz signing up to play another head case in Water For Elephants, he’s had to leave Freud in the gutter.

Bad for us, great for Viggo Mortensen, who’s been called in by Cronenberg to replace him. So it’s now Mortensen as Freud, Michael Fassbender as Jung and Keira Knightley as Sabina, the disturbed woman who goes to see Jung for help.

Expect some steamy scenes between the latter, as the producers have pledged “lots of spirited sex”. And if the Mortensen-Cronenberg team-up record is anything to go by (Eastern Promises, A History Of Violence), The Talking Cure will be a punchy, impactful jaunt.

Okay, probably not so much a jaunt as a haunting, depressing examination of humanity. But hey ho!

Can Mortensen fill the thesping void left by Waltz?
 

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Reports ran rampant yesterday regarding casting of Joe Johnston’s Captain America.

First, John Krasinski (a firm favourite with producers and news reporters for the past few weeks) was said to have all-but signed a deal to play the patriotic do-gooder.

Then, suddenly, he wasn’t. Apparently he read for the part four times, and recorded a costumed screen test. But now Mike Fleming at Deadline is reporting that Krasinski has bailed on (or been bailed out of) the project altogether.

Not only that, but Marvel have expanded their search to include two previously un-tapped “serious” contenders; Mike Vogel (Cloverfield, this year’s She’s Out Of My League) and Garrett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy). Meanwhile, Chris Evans is also in there somewhere with a slim chance.

So who will it be? Previous contenders Chace Crawford, Scott Porter, Michael Cassidy and Patrick Flueger have all been kicked to the curb, so attention is fixed entirely on Vogel, Hedlund and Evans.

Our take? Vogel is little-known enough to be what Hollywood producers love to refer to as “fresh”, meaning they might favour his lack of filmic baggage over Chris Evans’ string of big screen turds (Fantastic Four, Push, ouch).

But then, Hedlund is all-but-guaranteed to be a major star this time next year in the wake of Tron: Legacy’s release. Signing him early would be a very wise move for Marvel (assuming Legacy is good, which we have a feeling it might be). By the time America is shot and in the can, they should have a shiny new star on their hands.

Whatever happens, Joe Johnston is already way past his casting deadline of 1 March, and with filming heading to our little island in June, the clock really is ticking.

Who’s your favourite?

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The new Iron Man 2 trailer is so super-awesome, we’ve only just managed to pull our eyes away from it in order to discuss how ace it is.

Highlights include a glimpse at Tony Stark’s suitcase armour…

A first proper glance at Justin Hammer…

A gawp at Black Widow’s patented crotch attack…

And lots and lots of assembly-line robots. We’re sure they won’t get finished before the end of the film. No way.

We really enjoyed pretty much any bit featuring Scarlett Johansson.

Especially the crotch attack. Did we mention the crotch attack?

We want one.

 If you haven’t seen it yet, the trailer’s here.

And you can check out loads of new images in our gallery, top right.

So, is ol’ tin-head looking proper metal, or slighty rusty? Tell us below!

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The Hollywood Reporter have announced that Liv Tyler and Patrick Wilson have been cast in a new suspense flick called The Ledge.

Directed by first-time writer-director Matthew Chapman, the two acting titans have joined Terrence Howard and Charlie Hunnam.

Overseen by Monster producer Mark Damon, the film’s plot follows a man (Hunnam) who threatens to jump off the ledge of a high-rise building at noon. A policeman (Howard) attempts to coax him down.

Says Chapman: “The Ledge examines the different and sometimes dangerous beliefs people adopt as a means of surviving emotional trauma.”

Meanwhile, producer Michael Mailer said: "As more and more films succumb to the visual wizardry of 3D, The Ledge explores the fourth dimension: the interior life of tortured souls hovering over the precipice of emotional nullity.

“This film is the reason why I became an independent filmmaker and why I continue to suffer in the trenches of independent filmmaking."

Tyler will also be appearing this year in Super, the James Gunn comedy drama about an ordinary Joe who becomes a superhero (it’s not Kick-Ass).

Fancy it? Drop us a comment…

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Indie werewolf movie Jack & Diane has been in and out of production for over four years now.

Originally billed as an indified teen flick starring Ellen Page and Olivia Thirlby (below) as the titular girls, it was reported last year that Page had bailed on the project after funding fell through.

Now British actress Juno Temple (of Year One and Glourious 39) has been cast in the role vacated by Page, and the film is at last prepping to shoot this May in New York City.

The film follows lesbians Jack and Diane, who meet and fall in love in New York City. But then Jack discovers that Diane is leaving the country and attempts to end things.

As Diane tries to keep a hold on her new lover, she must also contend with hiding a deep, dark secret: she’s a werewolf.

Yeah, there’s a she-wolf in the closet. But… Indie? Werewolves? This has Ginger Snaps written all over it. But it sounds like, where Snaps used lycanthropy as a metaphor for periods and growing up, Jack & Diane will use that hairiest/hoariest of mutatitions as an expression of sexuality and desire.

Think this is something you could sink your teeth into?
 

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Nothing too surprising here, but interesting enough on a slow, post-Oscars news day.

Paramount and Marvel have released an updated version of their official Thor plot synopsis. Which basically confirms everything that we’ve heard, while making sure the film sounds wicked cool.

Here’s what they had to say…

Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment present the epic adventure, “Thor,” which spans the Marvel Universe from present day Earth to the realm of Asgard. At the center of the story is the mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth), a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war.

Thor is cast down to Earth by his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and is forced to live among humans. A beautiful, young scientist, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), has a profound effect on Thor, as she ultimately becomes his first love.

It’s while here on Earth that Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.

So, sort of an anti Wings Of Desire, with some Nordic lore and comic book action thrown in for good measure. The cast is perhaps one of the film’s greatest assets, with Rene Russo, Tom Hiddleston and Kat Dennings also involved.

And Asgard forces invading Earth? Get ready for one heck of a God-sized smackdown.

The flick’s set for release in May 2011, and is being directed by Kenneth Branagh.

Think Thor will make you roar? Comments below, if you will…

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