Mother Earth is coming for us - through the eyes of director Barry Levinson.

The Oscar-winner, known for his direction of Rain Man and Bandits, is directing a new 'zombie eco-horror thriller' (whatever that is) called The Bay. The team behind Paranormal Activity, including director Oren Peli and producers Jason Blum and Steven Schneider, is assisting in production of the film.

Previously known as Isopod, the film tells its story of a viral outbreak in Claridge, Maryland in a nontraditional manner - through a collection of camera phone accounts, 911 calls, and other mediums. Spooky! Looks like Levinson is trying to create his film in a new and fresh way, but we can't help but wonder, Blair Witch Project anyone?Sadly, no other details plot details are known about The Bay. But, the term 'eco-horror' elicits one movie in our mind: The Happening. And boy, did that suuuck! Here's to hoping that with Levinson's steady hand and strong resume of character development, The Bay will be a success.

By Eric Sundermann

The cast for Final Destination 5, a.k.a. 5inal Destination, just added four new members: David Koechner, Nicholas D'Agosto, P.J. Byrne, and Ellen Wroe.

Koechner (The Office, Anchorman) is the biggest name on the list. He's playing a clueless executive (imagine that!), and will probably die from a stapler to the forehead while galloping around the office, screaming 'yeehawww!'

D'Agosto (Heroes) plays a guy who doesn't make a fast decision on his own life - which definitely doesn't sound like it ends well. Byrne (Dinner for Schmucks) will be an obnoxious kleptomaniac (who probably steals from death - haha! get it?); and Wroe (Huge) plays a snobby gymnast and daughter of a company executive - so yeah, she'll die pretty quick.

The four new members join Miles Fisher (that dude who looks like Christian Bale). 5inal Destination is penned by Eric Heisserer (A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010), The Thing) and produced by Craig Perry. The film starts shooting on September 13 in Vancouver.

By Eric Sundermann

After not surprising anyone by winning the Emmy for Best Miniseries, The Pacific's co-executive producer and writer Bruce McKenna wants some more and according to Deadline, he'll have his chance.

Last week, McKenna pitched The Battle of Midway to Warner Bros - a 3D film telling the story of the 3-day long battle in the Pacific Ocean which is touted by history professors as the turning point in the naval war against the Japanese. The studio must have liked it, because they bought it and are fast tracking the film. McKenna is expected to turn in a script in eight weeks and the movie will cost around $200 million.

No word on casting yet, but Tom Hanks will probably be involved in some capacity (either as a producer on the project or hopefully as a star, but don't hold your breath).

This isn't the first time the Battle of Midway will be captured on film. In 1942, director John Ford won an Oscar for his documentary short film, The Battle of Midway, using real footage shot by the Navy. Then in 1976, Charlton Heston, Henry Fonda, James Coburn, and Hal Halbrook starred in Midway - another take on the famous battle in the Pacific Theatre.

This one may not have real footage or Henry Fonda, but according to Warner Bros, the production will be influenced by more recent rousing war films like Saving Private Ryan or Pearl Harbor. Hopefully, more of Saving Private Ryan. Hopefully.

By Eric Sundermann

Grimm Up North Film Festival is back for a second year – Bigger, Bloodier and more Brutal than ever.

This Halloween between the 28th and 31st October the darkness descends on Manchester, as the UK’s premier horror and sci-fi film festival returns. Last year’s inaugural festival saw 25 feature films, including 15 premieres - featuring Q&As and seminars with directors, cast and crew. Grimm Up North screened movies from Japan, Finland, Germany, Romania, Canada and Australia with many of the award-winning international films as UK premieres.

For months festival organisers have been sifting through the latest in genre cinema to bring the best horror and sci-fi to this year's festival. They've kept their ears firmly to the ground and are delighted to officially announce the first of the confirmed Grimm Up North 2010 films!

Grimm Up North can announce that Reel Zombies, Evil In the Time of Heroes (starring Billy Zane), Slice and Alien Vs Ninja will all be playing at the festival. There will be further announcements from premieres to classics, opening night galas to special guests coming soon…

Are you brave enough to sit through a screaming screening? If you have the guts, we promise you’ll be hooked. You can find out more at the official website

Guillermo del Toro's next film, says Deadline, will be the 3D At the Mountains of Madness, an adaptation of the HP Lovecraft tale that he’s been attached to for some time. The film is at Universal and now has James Cameron coming aboard as a producer.

At the Mountains of Madness will be a big-ticket item, says Deadline, with the film starting preproduction in the next few weeks ahead of shooting next summer.

Per Deadline, the story sees a gruesome discovery during a scientific expedition to the South Pole in the 1930s that hints at the true origin of mankind having come from elder gods from another planet. Bad things happen when those life forms are awakened.

Producers are Susan Montford and Don Murphy.

Mountains was first set up at DeamWorks in 2004 by del Toro, Montford and Murphy. Del Toro and Matthew Robbins wrote the script, which they are now retooling. The package was acquired by Universal when del Toro made a big overall deal there in 2007.

By Nancy Tartaglione

Edgar Wright has long been toiling away at his Ant-Man script and storyboards, hoping to get the film greenlit sooner than later. At this week's Comic-Con, many details about almost all of Marvel Entertainment's upcoming projects will make their way to the public, but one burning question that I'm personally interested in is whether or Ant-Man will, in fact, be a part of Paramount Pictures The Avengers and, if so, who will play him.

According to AMC's John Campea, that question may have already been answered as he has received word that Adrien Brody is at the top of a shortlist for actors to play Henry Pym, who fashions technology that allows him to shrink to the size of and communicate with the insects. Latino Review confirmed the scoop from a contact at the actor's agency (Paradigm), who said that 'at press time, they were pursuing Ant-Man but got nothing yet.'

The Playlist has challenged the rumor, stating that they have 'checked with sources very close to the project this morning and it's evidently untrue.' This conflicting report also states that recent claims that fanboy favorite Nathan Fillion is also in the running for the part are untrue. Brody's significantly higher industry status suggests that, of the names mentioned, he'd be the studio's choice.

By Daniel Hubschman, Hollywood.com

I can't help welcoming our new primate overlords. It's hard to have high hopes for the Planet Of The Apes prequel, since Tim Burton's recent foray into the franchise was so dismal, but there seems to be a lot of talent involved. Brian Cox is the latest to join the impressive cast of Rise Of The Apes. Cox, known for his impressive scenery-chewing capabilities, has been cast as 'the villainous owner of a primate sanctuary' who will inevitably be first up against the wall when the Ape uprising starts. Cox joins cast members James Franco, John Lithgow, and Andy Serkis, who is putting the motion capture suit back on to play the ape leader Caesar.

Rise Of The Apes will be set in the modern day and serve as an origin story for the primate franchise. The story follows a scientist (Franco) whose genetic engineering accidentally creates an advanced race of apes, led by Caesar. The film is being directed by Rupert Wyatt, who previously worked with Cox on The Escapist, and written by Amanda Silver and Rick Jaffa.

By Natalie Silverman

Roman Polanski is a free man. Swiss authorities have decided not to extradite the director to the US to face sentencing in his 1977 unlawful sex case. Polanski has been under house arrest in Gstaad since December last year pending the decision. In a statement, the Swiss Justice Minister said the 'measures of restriction on his liberty have been lifted.'

Polanski was released from electronic monitoring, the Justice Ministry said yesterday. 'Mr. Polanski is able to move around freely,' Swiss Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf said at a press conference in Bern. 'He's been a free man since 11:30 a.m. today. He’s free to leave.'

Widner-Schlumpf added, 'The reason for the decision lies in the fact that it was not possible to exclude with the necessary certainty a fault in the US extraditionary request.'

'Today it's about a remaining sentence of maximum of two years,' Widmer-Schlumpf said. After his imprisonment and house arrest, 10 months remain, she said. 'Under consideration of all aspects, we've decided to reject the extradition request.'

According to Widmer-Schlumpf, the US has accepted the decision. It does not have the possibility to appeal.

George Kiejman, Polanski's lawyer, told Swiss Info, 'I pay tribute to the Swiss justice system; its legal analysis is very fair. I think the continuing misunderstanding with the American authorities will be easier to settle and I hope he will one day be able to return to the US.'

By Nancy Tartaglione, Hollywood.com

The X-Men: First Class casting process will not slow down for you, or for me, or for anyone. Now we are hearing that the illustrious Kevin Bacon (of Footloose fame) has been made an offer to play the unnamed villain in the Matthew Vaughn-directed prequel/reboot, and is currently in talks with 21st Century Fox.

If Bacon joins the roster for First Class, he'll be in good company with the likes of James McAvoy (Xavier), Michael Fassbender (Magneto), Alice Eve (Emma Frost), Nicholas Hoult (Beast), Caleb Landry Jones (Banshee), and Lucas Till (Havoc).

I'm sure this announcement has people turning heads ('Kevin Bacon' is not a name we hear too often in Hollywood, and yet he has a sort of je ne sais quoi cachet), but I think Bacon could be perfect for this feature's villain. Observe his sallow face, the surly demeanor, the high cheekbones and thin lips. He really is aging just perfectly for a villainous turn.

By Ben Landy , Hollywood.com

Even more bad news for Bond fans as the financially drained MGM has officially cancelled Bond 23 until it can find a buyer/saviour. Though we've all known about the delays on the film that follows the phenomenal reboot of Hollywood's longest running film franchise, today marks the lowest point in 007's storied history.

AICN broke the story today and it's a sad, sad development to an already dismal scenario. After nabbing Oscar winner Sam Mendes to direct Daniel Craig in his third outing as Britain's suave secret agent and Peter Morgan to write the script for it, MGM's publicized bankruptcy brought the production to a screeching halt. The project was classified as 'delayed' since then, but is now to be considered scrapped.

True: this is a major blow to fans like myself and all the hard working hands that make Bond the globe-trotting, girl-getting, villain-thwarting hero we love, but we shouldn't go to Defcon-5 just yet. MGM will be purchased by a movie studio, hedge-fund, billionaire or Santa Claus at some point, or the property will be sold to a party that is willing and able to continue the adventures of MI:6's most valuable player. This is not the end of James Bond. However, as we wait for one of the fore mentioned actions to occur, we suffer a long, unknown period of time without 007. On a positive note, Daniel Craig finally gets to eat some carbs.

By Daniel Hubschman, Hollywood.com