So with all the Oscar hardware handed out, back to what Hollywood knows how to do best: make reboots and sequels. And one project Hollywood keeps trying to make happen is new version of “The Crow.” At one time, the movie was gearing up as a vehicle for Bradley Cooper with “28 Weeks Later” helmer Juan Carlos Fresnadillo directing, but they both wound up leaving the project by the end of 2011, and not much has been heard since. But it seems a new face may be eager to go goth.

Bloody Disgusting reports that James McAvoy is circling the lead role of the reincarnated Eric Draven, who is murdered and returns to avenge the death of his girlfriend. Huh. It’s not the first time the actor has put on his blockbuster pants, as he’s getting ready to make his second mutant movie, “X-Men: Days Of Future Past,” this spring. It’s not exactly the choice that comes immediately to mind, but then again, neither was Cooper, and we suppose it offers up the chance for total reinvention for whoever takes it on.

With the actor hitting the press circuit any time now for his two spring thrillers — “Welcome To The Punch” and “Trance” — he’ll likely address these rumors, so we’ll soon see if he’ll put on the paint or is merely kicking the tires. We’d wager McAvoy will want to know who may be directing before he commits, but it’s certainly an adventurous part if he does take it on. Thoughts?

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It looks like James McAvoy won’t be reuniting with his Atonement and Starter for 10 co-star Benedict Cumberbatch after all. Earlier this month, we learned that McAvoy had signed on for Bill Condon‘s WikiLeaks movie in the role of Daniel Domscheit-Berg, right-hand man to Julian Assange (Cumberbatch). Unfortunately, negotiations have now broken down over McAvoy’s commitment to X-Men: Days of Future Past.

When McAvoy’s name cropped up a few weeks ago, the word was that Condon’s movie would shoot around the actor’s X-Men schedule. As of now, however, DreamWorks has fast-tracked the project for a January start.

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Even though Julian Assange has gone from notorious hacker to exiled cause celebre (hell, Lady Gaga of all people paid him a visit at the Ecuadorean embassy in London), his saga remains fascinating and important. Which means Hollywood has come calling. And while there are a handful of competing features and documentaries out there, DreamWorks looks to be out of the gate first as their untitled project begins to take shape.

First rumored last month, Benedict Cumberbatch is now confirmed to play the WikiLeaks founder, while his foil will be none other than James McAvoy. It will be the third pairing for the actors who’ve previously appeared in the enjoyable and underrated “Starter For Ten” as well as Joe Wright’s “Atonement,” and this time, it will be Bill Condon (“Dreamgirls,” “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn“) behind the camera.

Based on the books “Inside WikiLeaks: My Time With Julian Assange At The World’s Most Dangerous Website” and “WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange’s War On Secrecy,” and penned by Josh Singer (“The West Wing,” “Fringe“), the film will apparently side with the narrative that Assange was a whisteblower who apparently let power get to his head and let the ethics of his work slide, much to the chagrin of his right hand man Daniel Domscheit-Berg (McAvoy, though Joel Kinnaman was previously rumored for the part), who also just happened to write that ‘Inside Julian Assange‘ book. It’s a juicy direction to take this story for sure, though one wonders about the reliable nature of the storyteller, who is also behind his own “competing” venture OpenLeaks.

But either way, it’s a pretty crackerjack pairing and great material to work with, so we’re definitely curious. No exact start date yet, but it will work around McAvoy’s commitments to “X-Men: Days of Future Past.”

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The life story of Scottish blog founder Peter Cashmore – who is reportedly set to sell his website Mashable for £127million while still only 26 – is being translated on to the big screen, with James McAvoy being eyed up for the lead role.

Cashmore grew up in Banchory, and founded Mashable in Aberdeen in 2005 at the age of 19.

The site’s primary focus is social media news, but it also covers the latest developments in the likes of mobile, entertainment, online video, business, web development, technology, memes and gadgets.

It’s been reported that Cashmore will make £127million when he sell his website Mashable to CNN.

His Twitter account is also one of Twitter’s 40 most-followed pages, with over 2.8 million followers.

Now it has been reported that a bidding war has begun over the rights to film Mashed Up, which tackles his life story.

Its screenwriter Anthony Phelan was quoted as saying: “We’re talking to studios and there’s a real buzz.

“James McAvoy is our No 1 choice to play Pete – he’s Scottish and they look similar.”

McAvoy last year starred in blockbuster X-Men: First Class, and has recently been filming in Scotland for the adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s Filth.

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For a moment, it looked like Warner Bros. was getting ready to take Arthur and Lancelot of the production halt line. Colin Farrell was in talks to star as Arthur’s second in command knight Lancelot. But now the movie has fallen apart once more as Farrell is now out of the project due to scheduling conflicts.

Kit Harington and Joel Kinnaman were originally signed on to play as the legendary medieval duo, but when Warner Bros pulled the plug on the project due to budgetary concerns, the pair eventually went their separate ways. Gary Oldman is currently attached to play as Merlin.

David Dobkin’s Arthur and Lancelot is a heavy actioner and would require a lot of training and preparation, something that Farrell couldn’t fit into his schedule. So it’s back to the drawing board for the Arthur and Lancelot casting, and the studio already has someone in mind to play the role of King Arthur. According to Deadline, James McAvoy and other names have been approached for the lead role. I imagine that we will be hearing of more names as Warner Bros is very eager to make the movie.

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A sequel to 2011′s Gnomeo & Juliet is underway at Rocket Pictures, Deadline has announced. Titled Gnomeo & Juliet: Sherlock Gnomes, the next adventure offers a lawn ornament take on Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic detective.

The original film featured the voices of James McAvoy and Emily Blunt who, though unconfirmed, are likely to return. The first film’s director, Kelly Asbury, will serve as creative consultant while Andy Riley and Kevin Cecil are set to again provide the screenplay.

As in the original, Sherlock Gnomes will feature new music by Elton John.

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The writers of the film Wanted have been rehired to work on the script for a sequel.

Derek Haas and Michael Brandt will rewrite Evan Spiliotopoulos’ screenplay for Wanted 2.

“Wanted 2 is going to take off after the events of what just happened. Pick up Wesley a few years later and go back in for another round,” Haas told TheWrap.

“We just always loved the Wanted world and loved working with Universal and [director] Timur [Bekmambetov] on the first one, so we’re excited.”

Haas said there was no director attached yet, although as you might have guessed from his statement above he’d be happy to work with Bekmambetov again. “But he’s a busy guy,” Haas added.

James McAvoy starred in the 2008 comic-book movie about a lowly office worker who discovers he has unusual abilities that make him the perfect assassin.

The two writers are clearly seen as hitmen themselves by film studio Universal, with the first movie making $341m on a $75m budget.

Will McAvoy return, though?

The actor is filming Trance right now, while his next movie Filth is currently in pre-production and he’s also been named as the favourite to play Elton John in the biopic? Rocketman.

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If the rumours are to believed, then Scottish actor James McAvoy might be set to take on the role of legendary singer Elton John, in a movie following the story of the star’s rise to fame.

The upcoming movie, titled ”Rocketman”, is reportedly being written by the man who penned the screenplay for ”Billy Elliot”, Lee Hall. Elton John himself will act as executive producer on the project, whilst a number of his hit songs are thought to be being included within the narrative itself.

This will be the second time that John has worked alongside Hall, as he was also involved in composing the score for the West End theatre adaptation of ”Billy Elliot”, which took place in 2000. Still, there are plenty of Elton John classics for Hall to choose from, and it is thought that the movie will not be without big hits like ‘Candle In The Wind’ and, of course, ‘Rocket Man’. It has not yet been confirmed who will take on the role of the eccentric singer, but McAvoy is certainly tipped to be one of the preferred choices.

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Yesterday we reported from Variety that James McAvoy was in “early talks” to star in Danny Boyle‘s 127 Hours follow-up, Trance. We’ve just received word straight from Fox Searchlight that he is confirmed to be in talks, but in a different role than his X-Men: First Class co-star Michael Fassbender was previously circling. As for Fassbender’s involvement, they provided no comment. Could a reunion still be in the works after they carried Fox’s recent blockbuster? We don’t have enough to go on, but stay tuned and read our original story below.

Danny Boyle is set to remake Joe Ahearne‘s 2001 British thriller Trance. The modestly budgeted art heist film is being described in the “dark, sexy, hard-edged tone of Boyle films like Shallow Grave and Trainspotting” and we now have an actor in talks to the role, after Michael Fassbender was rumored.

His X-Men: First Class co-star James McAvoy has entered early talks to play the a role, but not the one of Simon. Fassbender was circling that role of “the shady leader of the gang who partners with the assistant.” Check out a synopsis below.

An assistant at an auction house masterminds the heist and teams up with a gang of thieves, but suffers a blow to the head and wakes up with amnesia. He is the only one who knows where the painting’s location is and after his continued failure to remember, the gang begins to suspect duplicity on his part and hire a female hypnotist to get into his brain.

Boyle, and his producing partner Christian Colson, plan a different kind of production schedule. He will have a London shoot this fall, then take a break to direct the opening 2012 Summer Olympics ceremony. He will then return to the film and edit it for a March 2013 release via Fox Searchlight. Many films are on such a tight production schedule, it will be interesting to see what this extended break can help in the formation of the film.

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James McAvoy, star of The Last King of Scotland and X-Men: First Class, has replaced fellow X-Men actor Michael Fassbender in the lead role of Danny Boyle’s next film, Trance, according to a report in Variety magazine. Trance is a remake of a 2001 British TV drama written and directed by Joe Ahearne (best known for his work on This Life and Doctor Who), and is about an auction house employee who helps to steal a painting, but then suffers amnesia and can’t remember where it’s hidden.

Fassbender, who played Magneto in X-Men: First Class, was originally in line for the role, but appears to have dropped out, clearing the way for McAvoy, who played Xavier in the same movie.

Boyle, who won the Academy award for best director in 2008 for Slumdog Millionaire, is due to direct the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games in London, and plans to shoot Trance before the event gets under way.

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