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Is Tom Cruise ready to lose that lovin' feeling again? Maybe, according to Deadline. The site reports that Cruise has been approached by New Line to have a supporting role in their big-screen adaptation of "Rock of Ages," which would include -- you guessed it -- lots of singing. How can we not love the idea when a young Cruise/Maverick once serenaded us with this?

"Rock of Ages" is Broadway's musical homage to '80s hair bands, and the character Cruise is being asked to play is a bartender who would get to join in with plenty of singing. Considering Cruise has expressed some interest in being in a musical in the past, and is an expert bartender thanks to another of his earlier films, "Cocktail," we don't see why he wouldn't say yes just to have a little fun with the project. And, adding to the list of movies that make him qualified for the gig, Cruise also proved he's still got some moves in 2008's "Tropic Thunder" (and at this year's MTV Movie Awards). Read more...

Tags Cocktail, rock of ages, tom cruise, Top Gun, tropic thunder

Almost a year ago today, I spoke to actor Thomas Jane about his directorial debut, "Dark Country" — a noir-fueled thriller with a scary, Hitchcock-style twist that was filmed entirely in digital 3-D. Starring Jane, Lauren German ("Hostel: Part II"), and Ron Perlman ("Hellboy"), "Dark Country" will receive not just one but two 3-D screenings attended by its director and lead actor at Long Beach Comic Con this Halloween weekend.

The veteran actor is currently enjoying the success of his HBO television series "Hung" (set to premiere its third season in 2011), but he took time out to chat with me about this weekend's "Dark Country" screenings, and remind the world that the film is not only his passion project, but also the very first fully digital, live-action 3-D movie. Read more...

Tags dark country, long beach comic con, Thomas Jane

Going "Back to the Future" seems to have paid off for both Michael J. Fox and Lea Thompson: 25 years after the time-travel comedy became a worldwide sensation and the highest-grossing movie of 1985, the stars are still amazed by the impact the film had back then... and still has today.

At a recent event to celebrate the release of the "Back to the Future" Trilogy 25th Anniversary Collection on DVD and Blu-ray, Fox told MTV News that while he doesn't remember "large chunks" of making the film -- he was also starring in "Family Ties" at the time and was thus working 20-hour days -- he does remember what happened when the movie hit theaters. "I was away in England when it opened," he said. "And I was getting these calls from the States saying, 'You have no idea how big this is.' And when I came back, it was a different world."

Thompson, meanwhile, marveled that she's now getting recognized by a whole new generation of fans. "It's kind of crazy, you know. I see these kids and they're like, 'Oh my God -- you're Lorraine McFly! And you're so hot!' And I'm like, 'You were -10 when I made this movie. That's so cool!'" Read more...

Tags back to the future, Lea Thompson, Michael J. Fox, Video

Christopher Nolan gave Batman fans quite a bit to chew on this morning, when he revealed that the movie we've heretofore known as "Batman 3" a) will not feature the Riddler as its villain and b) will bear the not-so-different-from-its-predecessor title "The Dark Knight Rises."

OK, take a moment to shed a tear for the Riddler (and for Jim Carrey, who no doubt would have loved to play him again). Got that out of your system? Good -- now let's talk about that title, "The Dark Knight Rises." "The Dark Knight" was a brilliant title for the 2008 sequel to "Batman Begins" because, in addition to referencing one of Batman's moniker's from the comics, it foretold of the Caped Crusader's descent into loneliness, self doubt and exile in that film. In naming the follow-up "The Dark Knight Rises," Nolan seems to be hinting that a little something called redemption lurks ahead for our tortured hero.

"The Dark Knight Rises" also calls to mind the great sequel title "Return of the Jedi": Both titles suggest a return to glory for our down-and-out heroes. Just as Luke and co. were left Solo-less, emotionally scarred (Vader was Luke's father!) and on the lam at the end of "The Empire Strikes Back," so too was Batman left friendless, girlfriendless and a fugitive from the law at the end of "The Dark Knight." These were the dark middle chapters our protagonists had to go through to emerge the stronger, better heroes we always knew they could be in the third chapter. Of course, while most franchises of this sort play best in trilogy form, I welcome Nolan to keep making Batman movies as long as he wants.

All of that said, what do you think of "The Dark Knight Rises" as a title and how does it stack up to some of the other all-time great sequel titles? Hit the jump to vote for the best and worst sequel titles ever in our poll. Read more...

Tags batman 3, christopher nolan, the dark knight, the dark knight rises

FROM SPLASH PAGE: Ever since their first collaboration on 1985's "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure," director Tim Burton and composer Danny Elfman have established themselves as one of Hollywood's most perfect pairings. This holiday season, Warner Bros. Records will commemorate their prolific partnership with the release of "The Danny Elfman & Tim Burton 25th Anniversary Music Box," a massive collection of the duo's 13 scores together, featuring more than 19 hours of music, an exclusive DVD, and a long list of rare audio, video and collectible material.

Later this week Splash Page will feature a rare interview with Elfman discussing his work on projects like 1990's "Batman," but Warner Bros. Records has also provided MTV News with an exclusive clip of Elfman and Burton reflecting on "The Nightmare Before Christmas," one of the many projects featured in the 25th Anniversary Music Box. In the clip, the award-winning composer explains why he identified so well with the film's skeletal hero.

"['Nightmare'] probably reminded me more of your days in clubs and the certain type of music you were doing," Burton told Elfman. "To me, that always seemed like the clearest thing to you in a way — something that was just inside of you for a long time." Read more about Burton and Elfman's "Nightmare Before Christmas" conversations on Splash Page!

Tags danny elfman, nightmare before christmas, tim burton

Michael Ian Black refuses to perform at John Stewart's Rally to Restore Sanity this week, but he's got a good reason, and if you've been following his Twitter account you know what that is.

Meanwhile, the NBA tweets have been in full swing with the new season officially kicked off. Danny Pudi was all about it yesterday, while Marlon Wayans sounded worried about the Miami Heat. While the NBA is a popular topic in Twitter-Wood, it still may not have been as popular as AMC's "The Walking Dead"; Carlton Cuse and Eric Appel checked out the premiere last night and posted their thoughts. You'll find them after the jump along with Brian Lynch's concerns about last night's "Glee" episode.

I'm @brianwarmoth, and this is Twitter-Wood for October 27, 2010. Read more...

Tags Twitter-Wood

Has there ever been a more perfect match for a movie soundtrack than Daft Punk and "Tron: Legacy"? Certainly there are few collaborative efforts that have received as much fan excitement as this one. Daft Punk is going to be involved in a good portion of the "Tron: Legacy" promotional efforts as the days tick down until the film's December 17 release, and that explains why the latest trailer is really a music video for one of the 24 songs on the "Tron: Legacy" soundtrack, "Derezzed."

The only new scene in the trailer is a shot of the Daft Punk duo, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter, in their cameo as disc jockeys at a nightclub within the digital world. And those costumes that they're wearing aren't even costumes, but just the typical outfits that Daft Punk wear during all their performances. So, has there ever been a soundtrack and film so perfectly matched for one another? Check out a handful of our recent favorites after the jump! Read more...

Tags Away We Go, Daft Punk, Karen O, marilyn manson, Resident Evil, robert pattinson, The Social Network, the twilight saga, Trent Reznor, Tron Legacy, Video, where the wild things are

When MTV News heard that director Tony Scott, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and "Usual Suspects" screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie were speeding down the highway to the danger zone for a sequel to 1986's "Top Gun," we nearly wet our Naval aviator jumpsuits with joy. Of course, our enthusiasm for "Top Gun 2" wasn't quite unbridled because Tom Cruise was reportedly only going to appear in a small supporting role, presumably making way for a new crop of cocky pilots to take steam baths together, make slow sweet love to Kelly McGillis, and play volleyball whilst listening to Kenny Loggins' "Playin' With the Boys."

Well, you can go ahead and take that bridle right off your enthusiasm... because McQuarrie sent an email to Vulture (which broke the sequel news a couple weeks back) to deliver this brief but powerful message: "There is no 'Top Gun 2' in which Maverick is not the starring role." Read more...

Tags Christopher McQuarrie, jerry bruckheimer, tom cruise, tony scott, top gun 2

There's been so much hemming and hawing about "The Hobbit" production that we've almost lost track of which group is angry over what. But finally -- finally -- it seems like all the anger and wordplay is over with, as New Zealand Prime Minister John Key announced last night via a live press conference that an agreement has been reached between Warner Bros. and the New Zealand government... and "The Hobbit" will be staying in N.Z.

"I am delighted we have achieved this result," Key said. "Making the two Hobbit movies here will not only safeguard work for thousands of New Zealanders, but it will also follow the success of the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy in once again promoting N.Z. on the world stage."

So let's recap: Peter Jackson is directing, Martin Freeman is starring as Bilbo Baggins, and the movies are being filmed in New Zealand. After seven years and a lot of doubts, everything actually finally came together! Read more...

Tags andy serkis, Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, peter jackson, the-hobbit

Will the greatest music video of all time make for one of the greatest movies of all time? We may soon find out. According to Deadline, "This Is It" and "High School Musical" director Kenny Ortega is looking to direct a film based on Michael Jackson's famous music video "Thriller."

Several studios including Fox 2000, Mandate/Lionsgate and Summit Entertainment are looking to pick up the project, which is being budgeted at around $50 million, but further negotiations are waiting on a deal to be completed with Jackson's estate.

The script will be written by "The Hangover"'s Jeremy Garelick (interesting choice), and is said to follow the basic folklore of the music video "involving Vincent Price and the town he grew up in." It's also unclear whether the film will be a musical, though Ortega's involvement would seem to suggest that this is indeed the case. Read more...

Tags justin timberlake, kenny ortega, michael jackson, This Is It, Thriller