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For many Americans, Benedict Cumberbatch is somewhat of an unknown quantity. Though he’s gathered accolades for his roles in English projects like "Sherlock" and "Tinker Tailor Solider Spy," he hasn’t had a big Stateside success just yet -- something that will change soon, as he’s set to star in a number of blockbusters within the year. Though his voice will only be used for "The Hobbit," Cumberbatch will have a prominent role as (perhaps) a villain in the untitled "Star Trek" sequel, due for release in 2013.

When we caught up with "Star Trek" star Chris Pine (Captain Kirk, if you forgot) at the premiere of "This Means War," he told us about his excitement for Cumberbatch to get his proper due.

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Tags Benedict Cumberbatch, chris pine, Sherlock, star trek, Star Trek 2

It's been years since "Maleficent" was first announced, but apparently Angelina Jolie is finally ready to settle down with the project. She has expressed interest in the "Sleeping Beauty" spin-off since its early days back in 2010, but the project never quite came together. Now, however, "Maleficent" is actually pretty close to going in front of the camera.

Back in January, it was announced that "Avatar" and "Alice in Wonderland" production designer Robert Stromberg will direct the project. Apparently that was all the forward momentum the film needed, because The Hollywood Reporter has learned that this will be Jolie's next project after she's done with "In the Land of Blood and Honey."

"I haven't acted in two years, and I haven't done anything else since this. The next thing I am looking at is a Disney movie," she said at a news conference at the Berlin International Film Festival.

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Tags Angelina-Jolie, Maleficent

Better late than never! Even though Peter Jackson and the rest of the cast of "The Hobbit" have been busy filming the upcoming two films in New Zealand, there were still apparently characters left to be cast. But no longer.

Deadline is reporting that Billy Connolly has come on board to play the role of Dain Ironfoot. The dwarf warrior is the second cousin of head dwarf Thorin Oakenshield. The reason that Connolly was able to sign on so late in the game is because the character of Dain only has a small role in "The Hobbit," and likely will only appear in the second "Hobbit" film, "There and Back Again," which comes out in 2013.

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Tags Billy Connolly, the-hobbit

Even before we get to see action legends Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone fighting together on the big screen in "Expendables 2," their next collaboration is already set to go.

Deadline is reporting that the duo will star in "The Tomb," a prison-escape thriller directed by Mikael Hafstrom.

In "The Tomb," Stallone will play a man who designs an "inescapable" high-tech prison. After being double-crossed, he'll become a prisoner in his own design. To escape, he will have to find the flaws of his own system. Luckily, Stallone's character will have help from a fellow inmate with a heart of gold, played by Schwarzenegger.

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Tags Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, The Expendables 2, The Tomb

Joseph Gordon-Levitt has a monumental 2012 in front of him. He's set to star in some of the year's biggest films, including "The Dark Knight Rises," Spielberg's "Lincoln," the sci-fi thriller "Looper" and Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained." That isn't even counting his bike messenger starring vehicle, "Premium Rush."

But now, you can add a directorial debut to JGL's planned list of 2012 accomplishments. This year, Gordon-Levitt will helm his first movie, a comedy he wrote himself. He'll also pull star duty as the film's lead, a "modern-day Don Juan" who tries to change his womanizing ways.

Scarlett Johansson will co-star, along a yet-to-be-cast second female lead. Gordon-Levitt said that the role is one that may surprise the fans that know his previous work. "I wrote myself a helluva role, one that people wouldn’t necessarily thought of me for," he said.

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Tags Django Unchained, joseph gordon-levitt, scarlett johansson

Fans of the sci-fi classic "Blade Runner" may have gotten their hopes up over the weekend after Twitch reported that Harrison Ford, the star of the original, was in early talks to return for director Ridley Scott's follow-up.

Unfortunately, Twitch's scoop didn't pass the Voight-Kampff test. Deadline is now reporting that Alcon, the company producing Scott's proposed return to the world of replicants, has completely denied any rumors surrounding negotiations with Ford.

Calling the rumor "patently false," Alcon co-head Andrew Kosove reiterated what had been previously stated about the film, stating "What Ridley does in 'Prometheus' is a good template for what we’re trying to do. He created something that has some association to the original Alien, but lives on its own as a standalone movie."

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Tags blade runner, harrison ford, ridley scott

With names like Denzel Washington and Robert Zemeckis attached to the upcoming film "Flight," you would normally expect big budget thrills along the lines of the director's previous work "Back to the Future." But according to Washington, the action will be there, but the budget may not be.

Washington told MTV News that he and Zemeckis made the film on a tigher budget than usual. "[Zemekis] did it on a shoestring budget, for him a shoestring budget," he said. "We made the movie for, I think, $32 million." For a movie that focuses on an A-list cast and a plane crash, that's discount filmmaking.

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Tags denzel washington, Flight, Robert Zemeckis

If you loved Robert Rodriguez's 2010 action campfest, "Machete," you're in luck: Deadline reports that he's signed on for a sequel titled "Machete Kills," the second in a planned trilogy.

Star Danny Trejo is expected to return, as is most of the original cast. The first "Machete" made loads of money on a tiny budget -- with that type of financial payoff, what's the risk in returning to such a memorable world?

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Tags Danny Trejo, machete, machete 2, robert rodriguez

"G.I. Joe: Retaliation" is shaping up to be one of the can't-miss movie events of 2012. Not only did it kick ass and take (a few) names during the MTV Movie Brawl, it also unleashed one of the greatest Super Bowl commercials of the entire game (which you can watch below), thanks to its star-studded cast led by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Bruce Willis.

Those two real American heroes get the spotlight in a terrific new Hero Complex interview that also debuts a brand new photo from "Retaliation." See that photo above you, then click on for highlights from the interview.

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Tags G.I. Joe: Retaliation

Russell Crowe has been at the front of some of today's most intriguing casting rumors. A chain reaction of reports set off by a Deadline post places Crowe on the shortlist for two high-profile projects.

Wednesday night (February 1), Deadline's Mike Fleming reported that he heard that Darren Aronofsky has his top choices picked for his biblical epic, "Noah." According to Fleming, Aronofsky wants Russell Crowe for the title role and Liam Neeson for a different character.

The "Black Swan" director's first choice, Christian Bale, had to drop out due to a busy scheduling conflicts, and Crowe's credentials certainly qualify him as a suitable replacement.

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Tags darren aronofsky, liam neeson, Noah, robocop, Russell Crowe