Universal has released a new official clip and a poster for Snow White and the Huntsman, both of them selling that the film is not exactly what fans of the fairy tale may have been expecting.  This take on the familiar story is a big action-adventure with many a surreal, fantastic image against a grim and grimy aesthetic.

Wedding Crashers, Fred Claus, and The Change-Up director David Dobkin is looking to make a big departure with Arthur & Lancelot, a big-budget medieval adventure tale. Warner Bros. seemed very much on board until late last year, when budgetary considerations halted then appeared to kill the project outright.  Apparently Arthur & Lancelot is still alive, albeit without its previously-cast leading men, as Colin Farrell is now reportedly in talks to play one of the two leads.

Two months ago, the first Mirror Mirror domestic trailer provided the most substantial look at Relativity Media's fantastical reimagining of the classic Snow White fairy tale.  Today, a newly-released international trailer showcases even more of the sumptuous visuals that have become the signature of any film from director Tarsem Singh, who last helmed the hit 3D action epic Immortals. 

The sight of dwarf bandits gracefully bandying about in elaborately designed stilt costumes – as well as an any number of other visual flourishes, including a lavish costume party and a magnificently designed palace – certainly makes an undeniable impression.  Just as importantly, though, this international trailer also features a better sense of the film's tone, which combines whimsical humor and spirited, swashbuckling adventure in a manner reminiscent of The Princess Bride.

From here to the end of February, nary a day will go by that won't have that dark cloud of the Oscars hanging over it, threatening to rain awards season accolades all over your day when you didn't think to bring an umbrella.  While a handful of critical organizations already went ahead and just started throwing honors around ally willy nilly, most of the awards news consists of nomination announcements.  Yesterday, the Producers Guild of America officially declared their line-up of would-be award winners, and today, the Art Directors Guild announced the movies, television series, and commercials up for the 16th annual art direction honors.

Up until now, we've seen nothing official from Jack the Giant Killer, director Bryan Singer's 3D action adventure that uses the beanstalk-climbing fairy tale as the basis for an epic journey.  Today, Warner Bros. has gone ahead and dropped the teaser trailer online, complete with thumping giants and what looks to be in-process effects work.  Anyone seeing Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows this weekend will see the trailer in theaters, along with the second trailer for a little picture called The Dark Knight Rises, but why not check it out right here and now?

If you happen to be making a tentpole movie with a budget over $100 million, you might want to be mindful of the bottom line.  Not too long at after news that Legendary Pictures is postponing the start of production on Paradise Lost due to a budget that has swelled from 10% to 15% over its initial $120 figure, we're now hearing that Warner Bros is so concerned about the budgetary waistline of Arthur & Lancelot that the studio will simply opt out of the project if it can't be made cheaper.

It's been almost a decade since The Lord of the Rings first showed up on movie screens with The Fellowship of the Ring, and surprisingly few subsequent endeavors have attempted the same large-scale fantasy, at least with any success.  Universal Pictures will use a familiar fairy tale as the narrative spine for a big, battle-filled action fantasy taking place in a world resembling Middle-Earth with next summer's Snow White and the Huntsman.  The influence of Peter Jackson's trilogy is evident in a new banner for the film, featuring Kristen Stewart and Chris Hemsworth as the title characters, along with Charlize Theron as The Evil Queen.

Bradley Cooper is all set to play Lucifer in Paradise Lost, an effects-filled blockbuster based on one of the finest epic poems ever written in the English language.  Since the prideful fallen angel is, at best, an anti-hero, though, he'll be butting heads with the Archangel Michael, a reciprocal other who is more obedient to God the Creator and less gung-ho on the whole hubris thing.  Deadline reports that Benjamin Walker, who just finished filming his role as the titular 16th President/supernatural avenger in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, is in talks to play Michael.  Not only that, but Mike Fleming managed to get plenty of new insight from Paradise Lost director Alex Proyas.

With Conan the Barbarian arriving in less than a month, Robert E. Howard's most famous creation returns to the big screen for the first time since Conan the Destroyer in 1984.  Given that seven time Mr. Universe-turned-action-hero-turned-philandering-California-governor Arnold Schwarzenegger made a lasting as a monosyllabic, thickly-accented slab of beef, the actor playing Conan now faces a formidable challenge, but Jason Momoa seems undaunted.  Momoa, who just impressed as Khal Drago on HBO's Game of Thrones, recently discussed his preparation for the role and the challenges of the production.  He also voiced his absolute confidence that we'll be seeing his Conan again in sequels.