Several News Bits from Around the Web

Well, the header says it all as BlackFilm has posted our first look at Maggie Q in the upcoming Hannibal Lecter prequel, Young Hannibal, detailing the early years of the man-eating machine made popular by Anthony Hopkins in the Oscar-winning film Silence of the Lambs. To check out the full pic click here.

Director John Whitesell and screenwriter Don Rhymer are still attracting interest after Big Momma's House 2, and this time Variety tells us that Danny DeVito and Matthew Broderick will be their latest victims. DeVito and Broderick will play neighbors in a small New England town who collide when one decides to decorate his house for the holidays so brightly that it can be seen from space. Michael Costigan is producing the pic, which will get under way in May. Regency hopes to have the film ready for a holiday release this year through 20th Century Fox. Fast tracking a comedy penned by the man that wrote Big Momma's House 2 doesn't necessarily sound like an attempt at good filmmaking but we will have to wait and see.

The second bit of casting news reports that Cook will star in Walt Disney's Dad Knap a film that is currently looking for a writer, but the story revolves around a man who kidnaps his dad in order to get the type of father-son time he never had.

Variety brings us the news quoting Smith's 71-page ruling, "It would be quite wrong if fictional writers were to have their writings pored over in the way "The Da Vinci Code" has been pored over in this case by authors of pretend historical books to make an allegation of infringement of copyright."

"I'm pleased with today's outcome, not only from a personal standpoint but also as a novelist," Brown said in a statement.

Columbia Pictures will release the film adaptation of The Da Vinci Code on May 19.

The Variety article goes on to say "it's an unusual license, since 'Cold Fear' didn't sell well to gamers. But producers are betting that the scary atmosphere and compelling story — a Coast Guard Officer trying to reconnect with his daughter is adrift on a whaling ship infested with aliens — will translate well as a horror film."

It is also unusual that the continue to adapt videogames into film considering most of them end up su…. Dammit! I said I wouldn't comment!

The film is based on the true story of Philadelphia swim coach Jim Ellis. Ellis fixed an abandoned city pool in one of Philadelphia's toughest neighborhoods and recruited African-American youths to join his team, which went on to win the state championship.

Our final piece of news comes from Production Weekly which is reporting that Freddie Prinze Jr. is set to star in Vanessa Parise's rom-com Dick and Jane vs. the World, a love story for cynics. When organized, successful, but bored ad-man Dick falls for his roommate Jane, a free-spirited actress, they decide to write a manifesto detailing their rules of life. What Dick doesn't know is that Jane has been ignoring Rule #1, "Be Honest," in order to hide her biggest secret. Parise will be both directing and starring in the film when it begins shooting in late May in Los Angeles.