Movie News Today

The party just keeps right on 'a rollin' in Hobbitland. Ian McKellan and Andy Serkis have both officially agreed to reprise their "Lord of the Rings" roles in "The Hobbit." I may freak out when these movies finally hits, just warning you all.

James Bond, the other huge franchise affected by MGM's issues, will reappear on the screen in November of 2012. (What a great two months Novemeber and December of '12 will be!) Still not sure how I feel about Sam Mendes as the director of this installment but excited nonetheless.

Casting continues for "Dark Knight Rising" with the likes of Anne Hathaway, Jessica Biel, and Keira Knightley all adding their names to the list of choices for two big female roles in the movie. I trust Christopher Nolan implicitly but I kind of hope he goes the lesser-known route this time around.

The Hollywood Reporter gives us an interview with Aaron Sorkin, mind-blowingly-good screenwriter of "Social Network" fame.

Entertainment Weekly's Lisa Schwarzbaum delivers a recap of last night's New York Film Critics Circle awards during which director Darren Arnofsky ("Black Swan") and critic Armond White got into a war of words. I've discussed my absolute disdain for White before; he's the worst kind of critic the world has to offer: he doesn't like any films and he uses his platform for personal attacks. He's a notorious fraud who has discovered that the easiest way to draw attention is to write inflammatory statements rather than actually displaying a little talent. I hate people like this. But big props to Schwarzbaum for reporting on the incident and (politely) scolding White for his antics. A gusty move that many other writers have shied away from.