Ever since Martin Scorsese signed up to direct a 3D adaptation of Brian Selznick's kid-oriented novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret, it's been sort of an open question what the family film, now titled simply Hugo, would look and feel like.  That question is now considerably less open, as the first trailer for the family-friendly holiday release has just dropped.  It introduces the title character, played by Asa Butterfield, who ends up living in the walls of a Paris train station after his father (Jude Law) dies in the 1930's.  The trailer shows off some handsome production design, with seemingly no end of Jules Verne-style clockwork machinery.  Not only that, but Sacha Baron Cohen gets several opportunities to engage in a whole lot of physical comedy.

While watching Robert DeNiro take Cybill Shepherd to a porno movie in Taxi Driver or Joe Pesci squeeze a man's cranium to the popping point in Casino, it's difficult to image that Martin Scorsese would ever get around to directing a 3D film that the whole family can enjoy during the holiday season.  But the director behind Goodfellas, Raging Bull, The King of Comedy, and The Departed has done just that with Hugo, formerly titled Hugo Cabret.  Based on the novel "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" by Brian Selznick, the story follows Hugo, a young orphan living in the walls of a busy Parisian train station during the 1930's, when an enchating mystery unfolds.  A first look at the film's teaser poster has emerged, giving an idea of just how un-Scorsese an experience Hugo will be.

With the imminent debut of their new series Game of Thrones, adapted from a series of novels by George RR Martin, HBO is betting that literary fantasy is the way of the future.  The cable network is reportedly in negotiations to acquire the novel 'American Gods', arguably the finest work from unimpeachable author Neil Gaiman.  Not only that, but Gaiman will co-write the pilot, along with one of the finest cinematographers working today.

Martin Scorsese's first foray into adventure-fantasy, Hugo Cabret is compiling a truly impressive cast so far. The live action 3D film, based on Brian Selznick's best-seller "The Invention of Hugo Cabret", has just reeled in Emily Mortimer, whom Scorsese directed in Shutter Island last year, and Michael Stuhlbarg, best known to audiences as the lead in Joel and Ethan Coen's A Serious Man.

The two join Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jude Law, Chloe Moretz, Richard Griffiths, Christopher Lee and Asa Butterfield, who plays the titular character.

Hugo Cabret tells the tale of an orphan boy living a secret life in the walls of a Paris train station. When Hugo encounters a broken machine, an eccentric girl, and the cold, reserved man who runs the toy shop, he is caught up in a magical, mysterious adventure that could put all of his secrets in jeopardy.

Hugo Cabret will be filmed at London's Shepperton Studios as well as on locations in London and Paris.

Martin Scorsese's awesome-sounding Hugo Cabret just got more awesome... sounding. The fantasy epic, which will be shot and released in 3D, has added Jude Law, Ray Winstone, Christopher Lee, Frances de la Tour and Richard Griffiths to its cast. I've got to wonder: Has Chistopher Lee made some kind of unholy pact that keeps him working nonstop? Seems possible, and I'm not going to complain...

Here's the synopsis for the book that the film is based on, "The Invention of Hugo Cabret": Twelve-year-old Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks with an eccentric girl and the owner of a small toy booth in the train station, Hugo’s undercover life, and his most precious secret, are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message all come together...in The Invention of Hugo Cabret.