That's good news if you loved him as Jacob in Twilight, anyway. If you didn't, well, I guess it sucks to be you, because he ain't going anywhere.

Taylor Lautner was one of the youngest Twilight cast members, not quite 16 years old when the film was shot (he turns 17 next month), making him essentially the same age as his character -- a rarity in teen films. His character, Jacob Black, is the Native American boy whose forefathers' anti-vampire streak, coupled with his own fondness for Bella (Kristen Stewart), made him wary of dreamy teenpire Edward (Robert Pattinson), and while Jacob played only a minor part in Twilight's story, he becomes much more important in the sequel, New Moon. I haven't read it, but evidently (and this is no spoiler) he goes through some physical transformations befitting a lad of his werewolfy ancestry.

Lautner's youth and baby-facedness made some people question whether he'd be the right choice to continue playing a beefed up Jacob. At 5'9", Lautner is taller than lots of Hollywood leading men -- but most Hollywood leading men aren't required to play 6'7" lycanthropes. Rumors swirled that he would be replaced, and a representative for New Moon director Chris Weitz confirmed back in December that "the casting decision in regards to the character Jacob Black has yet to be made." Actor Michael Copon, a 26-year-old Lautner lookalike, was being considered at one point, going so far as to say on his Facebook page that he had been locked to take over the role.

Hold on to your glo-suits, because Tron 2 has finally kicked into high gear. Just one month after Olivia Wilde signed on to star in the much anticipated sequel, The Hollywood Reporter has announced that Disney has chosen Eragorn's Garrett Hedlund for the lead in the sequel to the cult sci-fi flick. Plus, if you were like me and were less than thrilled with the working title TR2N, it looks like Disney has made it a lot easier on all of us and the film will now go by the much simpler title of Tron.

So while most details about the film have been kept under wraps, Sci Fi Wire recently got the chance to sit down with Wilde and she gave us a little tease of what we should expect from the sequel. Don't worry, the interview is spoiler free but Wilde was willing to share a few tidbits, including the return of Bruce Boxleitner, and that director Joseph Kosinski will not just be relying on green screen, and is actually building some honest to goodness sets for the film.

There had been a few hints that the film was going to act as a 'next chapter' in the story, but what we do know is that Hedlund plays a man who finds himself retracing the steps of a character from the original movie named Kevin Flynn. Flynn was originally played by Jeff Bridges (who will also be returning for the sequel), a computer programmer that ended up as the CEO of a software corporation.

Tron is expected to start production this spring, and should arrive in theaters in 2011. Sound off below, and tell us what you think about Disney's choice of leading man...

Talk about a comeback -- Mickey Rourke has gone from wrestling his way back into our hearts to getting cast in what is perhaps the biggest blockbuster of 2010: Iron Man 2. Variety tells us that Rourke is in talks to play a villain that's described as "Tony Stark's Russian alter ego, a heavily tattooed bruiser who is in the arms trade and battles Iron Man in his own nuclear-powered armored suit." Though the script isn't finished yet, most likely the character will be that of Crimson Dynamo. From Wiki: "The first Crimson Dynamo was also the creator of the armor: Professor Anton Vanko. A Soviet scientist of Armenian birth with a PhD, Vanko was the world's foremost expert on electricity. He built a suit that was wired up to perform electric miracles, making him a human dynamo. The Crimson Dynamo battle-suit allowed him to control electricity in all of its forms, allowing him to fire devastating bolts of electricity. It also allowed him to fly." THR, however, mentions that Rourke is playing the villain Whiplash, who's also known as Blacklash, "a man with deadly, technologically enhanced coils." Rourke also signed on to star in Sylvestor Stallone's The Expendables, as reported earlier, which means the man is taking all he can get.

According to casting calls, they still need to cast an "Eastern European, brilliant, gritty" male lead in his thirties and a "beautiful [female lead who] speaks several languages fluently and is equally proficient in martial arts" in her twenties, who is Tony Stark's assistant Natasha (as per THR). Mickey Rourke playing villain in Iron Man 2? What do you think about all this? We'll have more as it develops -- Iron Man 2 hits theaters on May 7, 2010.

UPDATE: Sam Rockwell is also circling the role of Stark rival Justin Hammer (which takes care of our "Eastern European, brilliant, gritty" male lead").

Right on the heels of word that Forest Whitaker was in talks to join The Expendables, Variety reports that Mickey Rourke has signed on. Holy machismo, Batman! The Sylvester Stallone-directed (and written) film will star Sly, Jet Li, and Jason Statham as badass mercenaries (according to the original news) who head to South America to overthrow a dictator, and this latest news adds that both Randy Couture and Dolph Lungdren are also title characters.

Rourke, unfortunately, won't be one of the mercenaries. Instead, he's "an unscrupulous arms dealer who becomes the go-to guy" for the Expendables. Mix all that testosterone with Whitaker possibly playing a CIA liaison for the group, and Ben Kingsley circling the project, and you've got one heck of an unconventional action film -- UFC fighters*, action stars, has-beens, and praised actors. It also means that the dictator is screwed. I'm not sure any man could face these men (as a group) and live.

Now, if only Rourke didn't go and get that darned plastic surgery. He looked much tougher beforehand.

*Corrected thanks to Angry_Robot.

There's just something so gratifying about a vigilante flick isn't there? Sure, they might be a little silly, but you're usually guaranteed a very satisfying night at the movies. Now that F. Gary Gray's Law Abiding Citizen is back gearing up for production, The Hollywood Reporter has announced that four new cast members have just signed to star alongside Gerard Butler and Oscar winner Jamie Foxx in the thriller; they are: Michael Gambon, Leslie Bibb (Iron Man), Colm Meaney and Theresa Randle (Bad Boys II).

In Citizen, Butler plays a successful assistant D.A., who finds himself at the center of a plot for revenge hatched by Foxx after he's been screwed by the legal system. When Foxx discovers that one of the men responsible for the death of his wife and daughter is about to go free, he targets everyone who had either something to do with the murder, or the impending legal deal.

Citizen is the first film to come out of Butler's Evil Twins shingle, and it's had some high-powered help along the way -- including a rewrite by Frank Darabont, who was also set to direct at one time, but there were some personnel changes and now Gray, a former music video director, is at the helm. Not to mention the script is still scheduled for a polish by Sheldon Turner (The Longest Yard) before the film starts production on January 21st.

Law Abiding Citizen will arrive in theaters later this year.

When you've had trouble getting financing, had to move to a new company, and lost your lead actor, things don't bode well. So, how do you increase confidence in a film about Tintin? You grab Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, naturally. Ohhhh yes, folks!

Variety has confirmed that Pegg and Frost have been cast as Thomson and Thompson -- the mustachioed and bumbling detectives. While they might not be completely identical like the almost-matching men from the comic, I would love to see Simon and Nick dressed up as the pair. This whole deal might be performance capture, but maybe, just maybe, some promo material could be live action? Or maybe a brief live-action short to accompany the film? Please? (If you haven't already guessed, I'm a rabid fan of Hot Fuzz.)

Production is supposed to start in a month, but we're still without our star -- the one who will have to fill Thomas Sangster's shoes. With Pegg and Frost attached, along with Andy Serkis as Captain Haddock, who could hold their own? Freddie Highmore?

When news first hit regarding Sylvester Stallone's ensemble action flick The Expendables, it came as no surprise that some of the big names in action were willing to sign up. But it wasn't like the film had anyone attached who could be considered an 'actor with a capital A' -- however, that's about to change now that The Hollywood Reporter confirms that Forest Whitaker is in talks to take on the role of Agent Will Sands.

According to THR, "Whitaker would play the CIA liaison for a group of mercenaries who are clandestinely sent to South America to overthrow a dictator." Stallone has already secured action heavyweights Jet Li, Jason Statham, and UFC star Randy Couture to star. But those of you out there who had their fingers crossed for that 'Demolition Man' reunion with the return of Sandra Bullock are going to be disappointed since Millenium Films has since dismissed the rumor as "wishful thinking" -- although, I'm not quite sure who in their right mind would be anticipating a reunion between Bullock and Stallone, of all people.

Whitaker already has four other films being released this year, and is currently filming the drama My Own Love Song with Renée Zellweger, as well as finishing up some post-production voice work on the long-delayed adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are. The talks with Whitaker for Expendables are still ongoing, but it's going to be an awfully tight timeline now that Stallone is already scouting locations for a February shoot.

The Expendables is expected to arrive in theaters in 2010.

Perhaps all possibly iconic roles should come with a warning: If you get too popular, too much of a heartthrob or superstar, there's a good chance that the spotlight will fade and you'll have to make your "comeback" on a reality show. Oh, how the mighty can fall.

We've had everything from The Surreal Life to The Two Coreys, and now we're getting Confessions of a Teen Idol. Heard of it? The upcoming VH1 show has some completely unsurprising faces, including: Eric Nies (who is now a hippie-looking life coach!?), everyone's favorite No-Match-For-A-Cool-Rider Adrien Zmed, and Jamie Walters, who has morphed from Shout star to head-shorn, tat-covered musician. But the big surprise on the list, at least for me, Christopher Atkins -- also known as the man who led The Pirate Movie and showed off his stuff with Brooke Shields in The Blue Lagoon.

We've all heard the stories -- some scout happened into some mall or cafe, saw a stunning girl, and suddenly she became a famous supermodel or actress, rocketed to superstardom. But have no fear -- it's not only for the young lookers these days. The Mirror reports that a homeless man in the UK nabbed a part in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes.

Raymond Emanuel had been taking care of his ill mother, and when the money ran out, he found himself on the streets. Seven months later, a talent scout saw him leave a movie theater he'd gone into to warm up, and immediately offered him a role in the film. He was on set the next day as an MP in the House of Commons (you'll be able to see him on the front bench when the film comes out). While it wasn't a big money payoff for the man (just £20 for the costume fitting and £75 for acting), he's already found a new flat in Longsight and his agent is looking for more work.

In the neverending torrent of bad-economy news, it's nice to see at least one success story. Best of luck, Mr. Emanuel!

Zack Snyder isn't a director that lets a little legal drama bring him down, and currently he's busy at work on Guardians of Ga'Hoole, the Lord of the Rings of owl stories. (Two young friends of mine have since assured me it's a really good series; I should drop hints until they lend it to me.)

Sydney's Daily Telegraph is reporting that Aussie up-and-comer Ryan Kwanten has joined the voice cast of Ga'Hoole, along with fellow Aussies Hugh Jackman and Hugo Weaving.

While their involvement hasn't been confirmed anywhere else, this certainly could be the "schedule conflict" alluded to in Jackman dropping out of Cleo -- but would Snyder really reuse two memorable parts of the Happy Feet voice cast? Then again, why wouldn't he? Weaving is The Voice of All Voices, and Jackman did a pretty memorable job in Happy Feet and Flushed Away. Plus, they're Australian, which is where most of the Ga'Hoole work will be done. You might as well save on the production costs by using the local talent, right?

Going by Wiki's character list (don't read it, it's chock full of spoilers), I can hazard a guess as to which Aussie will be playing what owl -- Kwanten is probably going to be the young hero, Soren. Jackman sounds rather perfect for Twilight, "a confident and boastful owl who is always singing songs about himself." There's far too many wise and kingly owls to assign one to Weaving, so we'll have to wait and see on that one. I'm really very curious about this film -- an epic about owls sounds a lot more promising than half the stuff that gets optioned, anyway. At least there will be no question as to who owns the rights to this Snyder film.