US-FILM Summary

Depp to play Tonto, Mad Hatter in upcoming films
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Johnny Depp is becoming the new face of Walt Disney Studios. The actor will preside over the manic tea party in Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" as the Mad Hatter and will play Tonto in "The Lone Ranger," whose latest screen incarnation is being produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. Disney formally announced the casting Wednesday at a studio presentation. It also said it is officially in development on a fourth installment of "Pirates of the Carribean," which would see Depp reprise his popular role of Captain Jack.
Oprah Winfrey hops aboard Disney's "Frog"
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Oprah Winfrey has joined the voice cast of the upcoming Disney animated film "The Princess and the Frog." At a Disney presentation in Hollywood on Wednesday, John Lasseter, the chief creative office at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios, said that Winfrey will play the character of Eudora, the mother of the main character, Princess Tiana, voiced by Anika Noni Rose.
Spielberg eyes helm of DreamWorks' "Chocky"
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - DreamWorks has acquired the dramatic rights to the science fiction novel "Chocky" from Pollinger Ltd., the U.K. agency that handles the literary estate of the late author John Wyndham. Steven Spielberg is said to be keen to make the adaptation his next directing project.
"Harold & Kumar" writers line up next feature
NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - The creators of the "Harold & Kumar" franchise have smoked out a new project. Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, who wrote "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle" and wrote and directed "Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay," will write and direct the comedy "'Til Beth Do Us Part" for Warner Bros.
"Made of Honor" takes the cake on DVD chart
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Two films that grossed about the same at the box office battled it out for the top spot on the national video sales chart, and the one with the significantly lower production budget won. "Made of Honor," a Sony comedy that earned $46 million in theaters, bowed at No. 1 on the Nielsen VideoScan sales chart for the week ended September 21, while Warner's "Speed Racer," which made $43.9 million at the box office, landed at No. 2 on its debut. "Speed Racer" cost an estimated $120 million to make, three times as much as "Made of Honor."
"Nights In Rodanthe" tells of love's second chances
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - When romantic thriller "Unfaithful" debuted in theaters in May 2002, odds were that it would be quickly forgotten because it opened in the summer season against action-filled competitors such as "Spider-Man" But the pairing of Richard Gere and Diane Lane won the hearts of audiences. "Unfaithful" pulled in a strong $119 million at global box offices, and the film about a mesmerizing married couple earned Lane an Oscar nomination.
Anne Hathaway compatible with "Opposite"
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Actress Anne Hathaway will star in "The Opposite of Love," portraying a commitment-phobic attorney who finds her well-constructed life coming apart when she rejects her ready-for-marriage boyfriend. The 20th Century Fox project is based on the best-seller by Julie Buxbaum, with writer (and actress) Kara Holden adapting the screenplay.
"Cars 2" racing to theaters in 2011
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Pixar is pushing the pedal to the metal on its sequel "Cars 2." The follow-up to John Lasseter's 2006 film "Cars" originally was scheduled for release in summer 2012. But at a Disney presentation Wednesday, Lasseter, Pixar's chief creative officer, said that the film has been moved up to a 2011 release.
Ambrose, Kaufman take "Unorthodox" roles
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Lauren Ambrose and Adam Kaufman lead the cast of "Unorthodox," a Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation for CBS. Susie Essman, Ricki Lake and Mercedes Ruehl co-star in the film, which is now in production.
Affleck eyeing good "Company" of real-life drama
NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Ben Affleck is in talks to star in "The Company Men," and John Wells will direct the timely drama about a man whose life is up-ended by a financial downsizing. Producer Wells is writing the screenplay about a man who is laid off and must cope with the financial consequences and the fallout at home.

by news.yahoo.com

Tags: Film, Hollywood, Johnny Depp, Anika Noni Rose, drama