This past weekend at Wonder Con it was announced that director Jon Turtletaub will be directing a third National Treasure movie. The National Treasure franchise has been a huge money maker since the first movie hit theaters in 2004 and grossed $173 million in its domestic run. The sequel, National Treasure: Book of Secrets was released in 2007 and tapped out at $219 million so it is not surprising a third film is in the works. Writer Carlo Bernard and Doug Miro, the pen masters behind this summer’s Prince of Persia and The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, have been hired to write the script. For more on this hit the jump.

There have been no confirmed reports what the story for the third National Treasure will be but the studio is pushing for the movie to be in theaters next year sometime. We would assume Nicolas Cage, Justin Bartha, and Diane Kruger will all return for a third go around.I enjoyed the first National Treasure movie but I thought the second one was not as much fun as the first. That may come as a surprise since most people thought they were pretty much the same film. I do think this is a fun franchise and a third movie will be a hit.

If you are not familiar with the National Treasure franchise here is a synopsis of the first film:

Ben Gates comes from a family of treasure hunters. Now his grandfather believes that the forefathers’ buried a treasure somewhere in the country and have placed clues everywhere but unfortunately the clues are highly cryptic and scattered all over the place. Now Ben thinks he has found it but it only leads him to another clue which is on the back of the Declaration of Independence. Now one of his associates Ian wants to steal it so that they could get the clue but Ben refuses to do it so he tries to kill Ben. But Ben evades him and tries to warn the authorities about Ian’s plans but they don’t believe him. So Ben takes it upon himself to steal it in order to protect it. And he does but Abigail Chase the curator of the National Archives, where it is kept, discovers what he has done and tries to stop him but gets caught in the crossfire between Ben and Ian, so Ben takes her with him. While she doesn’t believe him, he is determined to prove he is right about the treasure. But it won’t be easy cause Ian’s always a step behind him and he is being hunted by the FBI.

Last week we reported the big news that Sony had pulled the plug on Spider-Man 4 and had now planned to reboot the Marvel franchise with a new director and actors. There had been many red flags leading up to this which suggested not everything in production for Spider-Man 4 was running smoothly. In fact, we had reported just two weeks ago that Sony had postponed production when director Sam Raimi reportedly hated the script and refused to go any further with production. Rumors swirled as to who would play Spider-Man and just as important: who would direct. Tonight we are able to confirm (via Sony) that (500) Days of Summer director Marc Webb will be directing the reboot. Continue reading for more on this breaking news.

Here is the official press release from Sony regarding this news:

“At its core, Spider-Man is a small, intimate human story about an everyday teenager that takes place in an epic super-human world. The key for us as we sought a new director was to identify filmmakers who could give sharp focus to Peter Parker’s life. We wanted someone who could capture the awe of being in Peter’s shoes so the audience could experience his sense of discovery while giving real heart to the emotion, anxiety, and recklessness of that age and coupling all of that with the adrenaline of Spider-Man’s adventure. We believe Marc Webb is the perfect choice to bring us on that journey.” “Over the years, the Spider-Man comics have been told with bold and creative new writers and artists who have re-calibrated the way audiences see Peter Parker. Marc Webb will do for the new direction of the films what so many visionary storytellers have done with the comic books. He is an incredibly talented filmmaker and we look forward to working closely with him on this new adventure.”

Here is what director Marc Webb had to say:

“This is a dream come true and I couldn’t be more aware of the challenge, responsibility, or opportunity. Sam Raimi’s virtuoso rendering of Spider-Man is a humbling precedent to follow and build upon. The first three films are beloved for good reason. But I think the Spider-Man mythology transcends not only generations but directors as well. I am signing on not to ‘take over’ from Sam. That would be impossible. Not to mention arrogant. I’m here because there’s an opportunity for ideas, stories, and histories that will add a new dimension, canvas, and creative voice to Spider-Man.”

Spider-Man creator Stan Lee had this to say:

“I’m excited that Sony has chosen a director with a real penchant and understanding for the character. This is a brave, bold direction for the franchise, and I can’t wait to see what Marc comes up with next.”

I’m not sure just yet how I feel about Marc Webb directing a Spider-Man reboot. His claim to fame at this point in time is 2009′s (500) Days of Summer. Although that film was nominated for a Golden Globe for best picture (as well as being one of my favorite films of the year,) I just don’t see this being the guy to direct a big budget superhero movie. Earlier tonight, before this news was confirmed, many fellow movie news sites were reporting that Webb was set to direct a trilogy for Spider-Man, but currently the studio claims he is only set to direct one film.

What do you think of this news? If you are unfamiliar with Marc Webb you can check out his IMDB profile by clicking here.

With all the rumors that have been reported on Spider-Man 4 over the last few months here is one that has been confirmed by Variety. They are reporting that Sony Pictures has postponed production on the upcoming Spider-Man 4 so additional work can be done on the script. Reports are surfacing that director Sam Raimi dislikes the script and that he is battling the studio to delay production so the script can be re-tooled. Back in December there was a hint of trouble when the studio put production on hiatus for the holidays. Sony stated that production would resume in 2010 but now that is clearly not the truth. Continue reading for more on this story.

Variety is also reporting that the May 5th 2011 release date, “has become highly unlikely.” “We’ll try, but I think making May is a real question,” a source told the trade. “We will not start until we have it right. The feeling is we are not going to rush it to make the date.”

New reports are coming in via Nikki Finke (who was the source for our previous article about Bond 23 and Sam Mendes) has a source at Marvel that has confirmed production has indeed been shut down on the film even though Sony is denying the claims. Finke is reporting that director Sam Raimi hates the latest script and is currently waiting for a new draft of the script from screenwriter Alvin Sargent who assisted on both Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man 3. I think it is a good sign that Raimi does not want the film to proceed until they have a quality script, so hopefully the studio, the screenwriters, and Raimi can all come together so we get to see Spider-Man 4 next summer!

Five days into 2010 and we finally have some awesome news to report! American Beauty and Road to Perdition director Sam Mendes is reportedly signed on to direct the 23rd James Bond film. Heat Vision is reporting that the Oscar winning director will take on the project which returns actor Daniel Craig to the role of James Bond. This is finally some positive news to report after rumors of MGM delaying production on the movie over budget concerns.  It is interesting to see Mendes take on an action movie of this caliber. His previous work includes dark, thought-provoking dramas, which are not the typical popcorn fare as a James Bond movie will be. The news broke this afternoon and there has been an update to the story (via Nikki Finke) who states that Mendes is in fact not directing, but has been hired on as a consultant by MGM. This information has yet to be confirmed so continue reading for more on this story.

Here is what Nikkin Finke is reporting about Sam Mendes being hired as a consultant for Bond 23:

“The producers are working on a deal to bring Sam on as consultant with an eye to direct,” one of my insiders says. “Once they put him on as the director, something happens to the contract in terms of ownership. But let me emphasize there’s not any deal done.”

I am sure we will hear more news on this as the story develops. You have to admit this is great news for the Bond franchise which was revitalized in 2006 with Casino Royale. The last bond film was 2008′s Quantum of Solace which was the second Bond film to star Daniel Craig. While Sam Mendes may be an odd choice to direct an action movie I think he could bring some appealing style to the franchise as we have seen before in his previous films. What do you think of the news? Can Sam Mendes bring the heat for a 23rd Bond film? Share with us your thoughts below.

IMAX and Summitt Entertainment announced today that the third film in the Twilight franchise, Eclipse, will be released in IMAX theaters when the film is released next summer. Arriving in both regular formats and IMAX, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse hits theaters June 30th 2010. “Twilight moviegoers will have a whole new way to experience this next installment of the series, with the enhanced image and sound quality of ‘The IMAX Experience’ putting them IN the movie,” said Richie Fay, Summit Entertainment’s President of Domestic Theatrical Distribution. “The IMAX release puts us on the event film calendar for 2010, and we’re very excited to work with IMAX to bring a new kind of film to the IMAX theatre network.”

Opening this film in IMAX is one more source of revenue for Summitt who have a huge cash cow on their hands. The Twilight Saga: New Moon hit theaters last month with an enormous opening of $140 million its first weekend. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse will take over movie theaters next summer when the movie arrives in theaters on June 30th 2010.

In The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger as Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob — knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella is confronted with the most important decision of her life.

I was born in January and I keep asking myself “What do I want for my birthday?”. Then the gods saw fit to grant me a present of thunder and lightning. Ok, maybe it’s not that big, but according to the Splashpage via ProductionWeekly Marvel Studios is set do start principal photography early next year.

Read more after the jump.

In a report from PW, Marvel Studios will start principal photography in LA in January then proceed to Santa Fe, New Mexico from March to mid- April. This is good news for Thor fans. I know that most of us were beginning to think that this film may never happen. The studios give us whispers for so long and then BOOM, all of the pieces start to fall into place. With the cast being filled by Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Tom Hiddleston as Loki and Anthony Hopkins as the all father Odin, I believe that this movie will take off and be done before we know it.

Reportedly, the story is about Thor being cast down from his home, and land of the Gods, Asgard. Thor must rediscover what is means to be a hero and protect humanity from all manners of evil. In the comics Thor is bound to a human alter ego, a doctor named Donald Blake. It has not been said whether or not Thor will have his human counter part, but with Natalie Portman cast a Jane Foster (Blake’s love interest) it may be safe to say that would be possible.

We will keep you posted on later Thor news as it becomes available.

Lord of the Ring’s Ian McKellan who played Gandalf in Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy recently spoke with Sci-Fi Wire about the upcoming Hobbit movie. In fact, he did more than just talk about the project – he talked about the script which he has read. If you don’t already know Guillermo del Toro will direct the film which was co-written by Peter Jackson. McKellan did say that Jackson has written the part of Gandalf specifically for the actor who is expected to reprise his role in The Hobbit. Continue reading to hear what McKellan had to say about the upcoming project.

“As Peter has said, they loved writing Gandalf [for The Hobbit] because they knew who they were writing him for,” McKellen told Sci-Fi Wire exclusively in an interview last week while promoting AMC’s The Prisoner. “There are a lot of characters in The Hobbit, including, crucially, Bilbo, and they don’t know who’s going to play Bilbo. So it’s extremely attractive that this part has been written for me. The other Gandalf was written for, well, just as Gandalf. There’s lots for me to enjoy, in all sorts of ways. And I couldn’t be happier. But I’m sworn to secrecy. I’m not to say anything at all about the script.”

McKellan went on to say that taking on the role of Gandalf completely changed his life. Here is what he had to say:

“I can’t believe it’s 10 years for me,” I remember being told by a friend in Hollywood that ‘your life is going to change,’ and it has. Gandalf is an extremely famous character, and I quite like having him around the corner. He’s very popular.”

The Hobbit will be a two part film with the first film to arrive in theaters in December 2011 and the second part a year later in December 2012.

Variety is reporting that Columbia Pictures is moving forward on a sequel to 2007′s Ghost Rider which starred Nicolas Cage as the Marvel vigilante. Screenwriter David Goyer (The Dark Knight, Blade) has already written the script for the sequel which will star Nicolas Cage once again. The first Ghost Rider suffered from horrible reviews but went on to gross $115 million domestically. Marvel, which was recently acquired by Disney for $4 billion, has plans to reboot the Fantastic 4 franchise as well as bring heroes like Captain America and Thor to the big screen.

The plans to bring a Ghost Rider sequel to theaters is not surprising since the first made so much money, but hopefully this time out the studio can actually make a good film. Ghost Rider is based on the Marvel character, stunt motorcyclist Johnny Blaze gives up his soul to become a hellblazing vigilante, to fight against power hungry Blackheart, the son of the devil himself.

Cyclops has spoken and according to the superhero we can expect X-Men: First Class to begin filming next year. Superherohype is reporting that actor Tim Pocock who played a young Scott Summers aka Cyclops in X-Men Origins: Wolverine will reprise his role in the upcoming X-Men: First Class. Pocock said on his Twitter that he is, “Currently shooting Australian TV series till February 2010…then X-men first class.” Wolverine producer Lauren Shuler Donner recently hinted that a new X-Men movie would start production in 2010. We reported back in April that the producers of First Class were interested in turning this into a franchise. The idea here is that multiple films could follow the mutants as they grow up.

The idea of more X-Men movies is appealing since Wolverine was such a major let down. However, I would fear it could go down the same path as X-Men Origins: Wovlerine and that would be very dissapointing. If this begins shooting next year it would be likely that it would have a 2011 release date. Stay tuned for more news on X-Men: First Class.

Although Nicolas Cage was never officially cast in The Green Hornet, THR is reporting that the actor will not be appearing as the villain as originally reported. This news broke back in July and was just a rumor that Cage would be playing the villain in the film opposite Seth Rogen and Cameron Diaz. According to THR Cage and the studio could not reach an agreement therefore the actor dropped out of the production. He had not filmed any scenes at this point and his departure has not effected the shooting schedule. Columbia is now on the hunt for a new villain for the film. The Green Hornet started shooting this past week and will hit theaters in 2010.