The Lorax by Dr. Seuss will be made into a film in 2012.  It will be an animated feature, which is good news.  But the voice actor casting may bring your hopes right back down again.  Zac Efron and Taylor Swift join Danny DeVito as the Lorax. 

Via /Film

I mentioned a few days ago that Peter Pan is being made into a new movie.  But that is only part of the Peter Pan potential out there right now.  Brace yourself. 

There are FOUR Peter Pan related projects in the works. 

There is an untitled project that is being sold as a family adventure.  OK, no warning bells there.

There is “Pan” which is based on the 1904 stage play, which is the project I mentioned earlier.  You may remember it as the one that is written with Peter and Hook as brothers.  Ick.

Then there is “Neverland” which seems to be turning the story on its head with Peter as the villain and Hook as the hero.  Say what?

And finally, my favorite, “The.Never.Land” which has Peter and Wendy together with a Twilight spin.  Yes, Twilight.  Think tween schoolgirl and the boy who never grows up.  Double ick.

Via Cinematical

Entertainment Weekly has an interview with Gary Ross, the director of The Hunger Games film.  He answers questions that we are all asking:

1. What about Jennifer Lawrence’s age at 20 compared to Katniss at 16?

2. What about race when portions of the books hint that Katniss is biracial?

And the answers time and again are that Suzanne Collins played a huge role in the casting of Katniss, which will be music to the ears of fans.  But I’m not sure it really answers the heart of the questions about this casting.

The Wrap is reporting that Jennifer Lawrence has landed the role of Katniss in the feature film version of The Hunger Games.  The actress has signed on for the full trilogy franchise. 

Last week, I posted about an upcoming movie version of Peter Pan with the working title of Peter Pan Begins.  My hopes were not high for the film, given the disappointments of previous Peter Pan films.  I mean, you know that it’s bad when it’s the Disney version that was the best version done yet.

I thought my expectations could not be lowered, but I should not have feared.  They were lowered.  Considerably.

According to Cinematical, the film being pitched as Peter Pan Begins rethinks the relationship between Peter and Captain Hook.  They are writing Peter Pan and Captain Hook as BROTHERS. 

Ugh.  Ick.  Sigh.

Looks like Pettyfer may be building on his teen novel heart-throb career.  He’s already appeared in both Beastly and I Am Number Four.  Now he is under consideration for Peeta in The Hunger Games.

So what do you think?  Is he Peeta to you?

Thanks to /Film for the information.

Harry Potter frenzy is picking up with the anticipation of the final film.  Here are a couple of interesting recent news items:

Daniel Radcliffe will be appearing on Broadway in How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying.  Unfortunately, it seems Radcliffe has double-booked himself, since that’s the same time that he should be doing publicity for the final Harry Potter movie!

What is a studio to do if their star can’t make the PR tour?  Well, if you are Warner you rent the entire Hirschfiend Theater for five nights to keep the star’s schedule clear for your PR tour.  How much?  $500,000.

In other news for Harry Potter fans, you can now attend the Grey School of Wizardry!  A real world version of Hogwarts for young and old wizards alike.  Tuition is a very reasonable $30 per year though you do pay a bit more as you advance through the courses.  I wonder if a diploma would get me in shorter lines at Universal’s Harry Potter rides? 

Moviefone has the news that a new Peter Pan movie may be in the works.  The movie will be an “origin story” that is tentatively called Peter Pan Begins.  So my guess is that it is the story of how Peter Pan himself became a Lost Boy.

Now if it can just be better than the last few Peter Pan movies.  Anyone want to take bets on that?

Variety has the news that the lead in Hunger Games may be a previous Academy Award nominee.  But that doesn’t narrow down the choices, really.

The three actresses under consideration at this time are:

  

Jennifer Lawrence – star of Winter’s Bone

Hailee Steinfeld from True Grit

Abigail Breslin from Little Miss Sunshine

Three very different types of actress but all brilliant at their craft.  The film is due out March 2012.

So should it be one of the three above?  Do you have a better pick?  Or should it be an unknown?