End of the Week Recap: Jason Segel's 'Sex Tape' Gets Director, March Madness and Joshua Jackson as Batman?

In case you were living under a rock, The Hunger Games opens in theaters this weekend. Numbers from midnight screenings show that the movie has already pulled in $19.7 million and some pundits have the film grossing over $150 million. How much do you think the movie will make this weekend? Be sure to check out our Hunger Games Guide as well and hit the Like button while you're there.

 

Speaking of franchises, Stephenie Meyer certainly isn't a stranger, what with her multi-million dollar Twilight franchise. Her follow-up book, The Host has been adapted into a feature film and we got a look at the teaser trailer yesterday. What are you first impressions of Meyer's latest adapted book?

 

Since we're on a franchise kick here, Harry Potter fans, rejoice! A comprehensive "Wizard's Collection" will be coming to DVD and Blu-Ray in September. The 31-disc set will contain all eight films, plus exclusive, never-before-seen extras.

 

 

Beatles fans, rejoice! Apple has digitally remastered the 1968 film Yellow Submarine, which has been out of print for years. They're planning on a full reissue on May 28.

 

A Social Media Survey says that theatergoers want to be able to text and Tweet in movie theaters. We've set up a poll and have received lots of great feedback! Keep it up and we'll be sure to circle back next week with some of choice comments.

 

If you thought that little gay slur incident that got Brett Ratner kicked out from producing this year's Oscars telecast was going to put him out of work for a while, well, think again. Ratner is currently in talks with Universal to direct a sequel to Midnight Run. The 1988 action comedy starred Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin and it is thought that the sequel will focus on Grodin's character's son.

 

Snow White, Cinderella, Peter Pan. All of them are in the process of receiving re-imagined movies. Snow White will be first up to bat when Mirror Mirror hits theaters next weekend. And then there's Universal's Snow White and the Huntsman. Well, now make way for two of Mark Twain's most famous characters. Paramount has picked up a script that features Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn as adults in a re-imagined supernatural movie.

 

New pics for G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Sparkle, Step Up 4 and Woody Allen's To Rome With Love arrived. Check them out.

 

We also got a look at nine groovy character posters for the Tim Burton/Johnny Depp feature Dark Shadows. We've paired them up with the first look of Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean in The King's Speech director Tom Hooper's adaptation of Les Miserables.

 

Darren Aronofsky's dream project, Noah, has finally received a green light. Not only that, but Russell Crowe is confirmed to star as the title character. The focus is now being turned toward an atagonist. Liam Nesson's name has been mentioned since the Bible-themed project was first announced. Are you excited to see what Aronofsky and Crowe can come up with?

 

A bunch of brief bits of news from this week include Sylvester Stallone countering Chuck Norris' claim that The Expendables would be rated PG-13 so that kids could watch the old guys kick butt again. Sly said the film will indeed be R-rated. WWE Films also announced that they are looking into rebooting the Leprechaun franchise and fresh off of WonderCon, Sony released a new Amazing Spider-Man viral video featuring Denis Leary.

 

We kicked the week off with all sorts of controversy involving Michael Bay, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and talk about changing the turtles' origin. Bay, who is producing the reboot, said that his version would give the turtles an alien origin. He stated a day later that fans should "chill," and that he's working with one of the original creators of the franchise. Most of the folks who voiced the turtles in previous movies, with the exception of Michaelangelo, were in favor of Bay's new take. Are you?

 

Michael K. Williams, perhaps best known as Omar from the HBO series The Wire, is set to play Wu-Tang Clan's Ol' Dirty Bastard in an upcoming biopic titled Dirty White Boy.

 

What are some of the most twisted games in movie history? The Schmoes know a few.

 

Despite grossing $231 million, David Fincher's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo didn't live up to MGM's expectations. The company has told its investors that it booked a modest loss and will now exercise its option to co-finance the next two films in the franchise with Sony if it can work out "better economics."

 

Jamie Waylett, who played Slytherin Vincent Crabbe in the Harry Potter films, has been sentenced to two years in jail after being convicted of "violent disorder" during the riots in London last summer.

 

Seth Rogen is teaming up with comedian Kevin Hart in an undercover buddy cop comedy. The currently untitled project is set in the 1940s and features the duo going undercover at a jazz club to bust up a marijuana ring. Commence the pot jokes!

 

The Hangover: Part 3 received a May 24, 2013 release date. Director Todd Phillips also promised that the third film would be the last in the franchise. "We're going to surprise a lot of people with the final chapter we have planned," Phillips said. "It will be a fitting conclusion to our three-part opera of mayhem, despair and bad decisions."

 

Disney announced that John Carter was set to net a $200 million loss. The company is hoping to make back a large chunk of that money with May's Avengers (itself cost $220 million) and June's Brave.

 

A possible poster for The Wolverineleaked online. Do you like it?

 

Finally, Movies.com is currently in the midst of March Madness. But instead of crumpling up a bunch of busted brackets, they're on a quest to find out which summer movie will reign supreme. Vote for your favorites!