Batman 3 casting Rumors

Despite the ass-kicking he's getting via optic cable, the British reporter who ran with those ridiculous "Batman 3" (or "Gotham", which is what the writer said the film would be titled) casting rumours a couple of weeks ago - Eddie Murphy as The Riddler, Shia LaBeouf as Robin, Rachel Weisz at Catwoman - is sticking to his guns, or rather, wonky report.

Despite Warner Bros publicly slamming the hard-to-believe rumours, stating that the film's not even close to beginning its casting phase, Sun reporter Gordon Smart is still claiming there's truth to his story.

There's one thing going for Smart's story - he did announce the casting of Daniel Craig as the new James Bond a wee bit before anyone else did.

"Everyone had a crack at us when we published that one," Smart tells The Guardian. "I was almost laughed out of conference that day, but it turned out to be spot on. I wish I had had a bet on it."

Is it possible his Batman story has an ounce of truth to it?

FUCK no! but power to the man for standing by his story.

'Hellboy' tops 'Hancock' at box office

It was boom or bust at the Friday box office.

Universal's "Hellboy II: The Golden Army", directed by filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, grossed an estimated $13.8 million from 3,204 runs on Friday to win the day on the strength of males and an aggressive marketing campaign.

The critically acclaimed “Golden Army,” which should win the weekend and open north of $30 million, outpaced the $8.6 million earned by del Toro’s 2004 “Hellboy” on its first Friday.

At the other end of the spectrum, Eddie Murphy’s family comedy “Meet Dave” couldn’t rally much interest at all, grossing an estimated $1.7 million from 3,011 runs for New Regency and 20th Century Fox. It’s the worst debut for a Murphy pic since the ill-fated “Adventures of Pluto Nash,” which grossed $727,870 on its opening day in 2002. “Meet Dave” placed No. 7 on Friday.

The weekend’s third new wide release, New Line and Walden Media’s family action-adventure “Journey to the Center of the Earth” in 3-D did a pleasant $6.7 million from 2,390 screens, of which 854 are digital 3-D screens. “Journey,” released by Warner Bros.,placed No. 3 for the day behind “Hellboy” and Sony holdover “Hancock.”

Interestingly, both “Hellboy” and “Meet Dave” received the same CinemaScore—a B. “Journey” did better, earning an A-.

Will Smith tentpole “Hancock” declined just 44% in its second Friday to an estimated $10.4 million from 3,965 runs for a cume of roughly $142.4 million.

Disney-Pixar’s “Wall-E” continued to play well, grossing an estimated $5.6 million on Friday for a cume of nearly $150 million, or $149.9 million.