A month ago, Arthur & Lancelot was thought to be dead, but then we learned quite suddenly that not only had Warner Bros. not given up on the medieval action-adventure, but was in talks with one of two leading men.  About two weeks ago, word emerged that Colin Farrell was in talks with the studio to star in the film as one of the two title characters, but it looks like those discussions have proven fruitless, as Farrell will not be appearing in the film.

Last summer's X-Men: First Class ended with a snap, crackle, and pop, as erstwhile BFFs Professor Xavier and Magneto ended up on opposite ends of the spectrum agitating for mutant rights.  While Xavier set about establishing his school for gifted youngsters, Magneto adopted his codename and helmet to bring the fight to the Man.  That doesn't mean, however, that Erik Lensherr will be twirling his mustache as an arch villain in the planned sequel, though.  According to screenwriter Simon Kinberg, Magneto will remain a conflicted character in the continuation.

2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine was commercially successful, but critics and audiences didn't exactly fall in love with the film and there was a general sense that the X-Men franchise might be running out of steam.  Then last summer, X-Men: First Class pulled a Batman Begins, basically rebooting the series and setting it in a promising new direction.  20th Century Fox has indicated it would continue with a sequel to the prequel and even hired a writer to do some work, but its been an open question whether or not Matthew Vaughn would return for another round. 

All the attention regarding cinematic Marvel superheroes is currently aimed at The Avengers, the big ensemble crossover brewing for next summer.  But what's the status of the Marvel heroes whose movie rights reside over at 20th Century Fox?  We know The Wolverine should go into production in 2012, but beyond that, plans aren't exactly clear.  Fans would love to see a continuation of the prequel universe established in X-Men: First Class, but it remains to be seen if that will come together.  Fox Filmed Entertainment co-chairman and Chief Executive Officer Tom Rothman recently offered a little clarification on the potential sequel's development, and also chimed in on the studio's reboots for both Daredevil and Fantastic Four.

When you think of classic Christmas films you think of It's a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34^th Street, A Christmas Story (which is played ad nauseam every holiday season) and even the more recent Elf, but thanks to Aardman Animation and Sony Pictures Animation you can add a new title to that list … Arthur Christmas.

Currently playing in theaters everywhere, Arthur Christmas tells the unique story of the Clause family and finally reveals how Santa is able to deliver so many presents all around the world in just one night. Stepping into the 21^st Century, Santa’s (Jim Broadbent) oldest son Steve (Hugh Laurie) now runs the family business like a military operation utilizing high-tech equipment and thousands of helpful elves. Santa is still the face of Christmas but is nothing more than a mere figurehead at this point, and Steve is counting down the minutes until his father retires and passes the torch to him. But Santa and Mrs. Claus (Imelda Staunton) have a second son named Arthur (James McAvoy), a sweet and clumsy boy who loves Christmas but has been put in charge of the mailroom in order to stay out of the way. When Arthur realizes that Steve’s operation has a flaw and a child has been missed, it starts a chain of events that will lead Arthur, along with Grandsanta (Bill Nighy) and an elf named Bryony (Ashley Jensen), on an adventure that will teach everyone the true meaning of Christmas.

Arthur Christmas marks the feature film directorial debut for Sara Smith, who got her start writing and producing the popular British TV show The League of Gentlemen. Smith also co-wrote the film along with her writing partner Peter Baynham (Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan). I recently had a chance to speak with director/writer Sarah Smith about her work on Arthur Christmas. Smith discussed the genesis of the project, working with Aardman Animation, the concept of a “high-tech” Christmas, the excellent cast of British actors, directing her first movie, and her all-time favorite holiday film.

Opening in U.S. theaters on November 23rd is the new 3D computer animated holiday film from Aardman Animations (Chicken Run, Flushed Away) entitled Arthur Christmas. The film is set on the North Pole and tells the story of Santa's son Arthur Christmas, who in order to save the beloved holiday must complete a important mission before Christmas morning.

The movie features an impressive cast of actors lending their voices to the project including James McAvoy (X-Men: First Class), Hugh Laurie (TV's House), Jim Broadbent (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull), Bill Nighy (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End), Imelda Staunton (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix), Ashley Jensen (Gnomeo & Juliet), Joan Cusack (Toy Story 3), Robbie Coltrane (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince), Michael Palin (A Fish Called Wanda), Dominic West (300), and Andy Serkis (Rise of the Planet of the Apes).

IAR's managing editor Jami Philbrick recently had a chance to sit down and speak with actor Hugh Laurie about his work in Arthur Christmas. The Golden Globe award-winning actor discussed the new film, his character's similarities to our former President George W. Bush, Christmas across the pond, and the freedom that comes with voice acting.

Over the summer, the prequel X-Men: First Class pulled a Batman Begins, performing well, but not phenomenally, and establishing a new direction for a franchise that was probably running out of creative momentum.  It was something of a palate cleanser, a well-reviewed adventure with solid word of mouth to hook wayward fans back into the world of Marvel's mutants.  It also ended with a promise of continued adventures for Michael Fassbender's Magneto and James McAvoy's Professor Xavier, we've seen precious little indication that 20th Century Fox would continue the series.  An as-yet unconfirmed rumor suggests that a continuation of X-Men: First Class is in the works, with a writer familiar to the Merry Mutants at work on a sequel to the prequel.

Christmas came early to the Sony lot in Culver City on Monday, as I attended the first official holiday party of the 2011 season on behalf of IAR. It’s hard to believe that it’s not even Halloween yet and we are already talking about Christmas, but the halls of Sony Pictures Animation were fully decked complete with Christmas Carolers, cocktail wieners, and non-alcoholic eggnog. The shindig was to celebrate the upcoming release of Sony’s animated holiday film Arthur Christmas, which will be delivered into theaters on November 23^rd.

The movie is being produced by Aardman Entertainment (Chicken Run, Flushed Away) in partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment and is co-directed by Sarah Smith and Barry Cook, based on the script by Smith and Peter Baynham (Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan). The film takes place on Christmas night and attempts to explain how Santa is able to give toys to every boy and girl on the planet in just one evening. In addition to impressive 3-D computer animation, the film boasts an exceptional cast of voice actors including James McAvoy (X-Men: First Class), Hugh Laurie (TV’s House), Jim Broadbent (Moulin Rouge!), Bill Nighy (Underworld), Ashley Jensen (TV’s Extras), and Imelda Staunton (Vera Drake).

In 2008, the summer action movie Wanted managed the rare feat of incorporating Angelina Jolie's bare backside, exploding rats, inexplicable looms, an expletive-spouting Morgan Freeman, and intentionally ludicrous physics for 110 minutes of entertainment that felt like a hyperactive 13 year-old boy's sketchbook coming to screaming, disjointed life.  Given that the film went on to earn $341.4 million globally, talk of a sequel was natural, though it seemed to die on the vine last year.  Not so, it seems, as according to Derek Haas, and and writing accomplice Michael Brandt have just been hired by Universal Pictures to get to work on Wanted 2.

At the young age of twenty-one actor Lucas Till has already compiled an impressive resume of film work in movies such as Walk the Line, Hanna Montana: The Movie, The Spy Next Door, and Battle: Los Angeles. But it was his role as the energy-wielding mutant Havok in this past summer’s hit super hero film X-Men: First Class that has put the talented actor in the spotlight.

In the movie, which is a prequel to the original series, Till plays Alex Summers, the brother of X-Men leader Scott Summers (Cyclops), who was played by actor James Marsden in the first three films. While Havok was mostly portrayed as a hero in the comics there has always been an edge to the character and he quite often bumps heads with his older brother. In X-Men: First Class, Alex Summers is recruited by a young Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) to join his team of heroic mutants along with Magneto (Michael Fassbender), Beast (Nicolas Hoult), Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), and Banshee (Caleb Landry Jones). The movie was directed by Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass) and based on a story by executive producer Bryan Singer who directed the first two films in the franchise. So far the film has gone on to earn over $350 million worldwide.