Disneys D23: 'The Avengers,' 'John Carter' and 'The Muppets' Casts Share Exclusive Stories From the Set

At Disney's D23 Expo in Anaheim, there was no shortage of star power, with the superhero-heavy cast of Marvel's The Avengers attending, along with the actors of Disney's action-epic John Carter and muppet and human actors from the first Muppet film to come out in more than a decade. The Hollywood Reporter spoke to many of the actors and filmmakers on the red carpet before Saturday's big panel event, which features sneak peeks and clips from the upcoming films. VIDEO: Disney's D23 Expo 2011 At the panel, Pixar also announced plans for two new films, including a project directed by Up'sPete Docter and an untitled dinosaurs feature. The cast members of The Avengers gathered together for the red carpet. Scarlett Johansson told THR that the physical challenges of playing Black Widow would have her "rehabbing these injuries for years." Jeremy Renner also spoke of the extensive training he had to undergo to play Hawkeye. STORY: 'Avengers,' 'John Carter,' 'Brave': The 5 Coolest Presentations at Disney's D23 Expo Robert Downey, Jr., and Chris Hemsworth walked to carpet together. They told THR who they thought would win in a fight between Iron Man and Thor. Downey was greeted by a standing ovation when he hit the stage for The Avengers panel. STORY:'Avengers': Robert Downey, Jr., New Footage Wow D23 Expo Cobie Smulders, a new face in the hero epic, spoke to THR about playing Maria Hill, a secret agent and right-hand woman to Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury. Tom Hiddleston also talked to THR about the return of Loki. Taylor Kitsch, who stars in Disney's John Carter, walked to carpet with director Andrew Stanton. They spoke to THR about the stress of filming such a huge movie, which follows John Carter, who is mysteriously transported to Mars and must save the warring nations. THR also asked them if they thought there would ever be life on another planet. Find out what they said here. Seasoned actor Willem Dafoe spoke about creating his nine-foot, four-armed alien character by the use of stilts and motion capture. Finally, the co-writer and star of The Muppets, Jason Segel, revealed his life-long admiration for Kermit the Frog, and why the Muppets are in inspiration to comedians everywhere. Watch all of THR's exclusive interviews on the D23 red carpet here. Avengers Chris Hemsworth Robert Downey Jr. Taylor Kitsch Pixar John Carter Andrew Stanton

Matthew McConaughey Set to Play Ex-Stripper in Channing Tatum Pic Magic Mike

When Channing Tatum takes Alex Pettyfer under his wing to teach him the ins and outs of male stripper life in Steven Soderbergh’s Magic Mike, the young bucks will have another ex-stripper on hand with extensive shirtless experience: Matthew McConaughey. Best casting move in a while, Hollywood — doubly so for you, Matty McC. Shall we study the history books to guess whether or not McConaughey will strip down himself as Dallas, “a former exotic dancer who now owns and operates Xquisite, the club where ‘Magic Mike’ works?” [Variety]

Dot-Marie Jones Dishes On Crazy Emmy Nomination & Fractured Foot

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Dot-Marie Jones who plays gruff-on-the-outside/soft-on-the-inside Coach Beiste on Glee still cant believe her hard work on the hit show has earned her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. I looked at all who was entered in to be nominated and stuff, and its like, I cant believe Im one of them, a grateful Dot-Marie told Access Hollywood at the Los Angeles premiere of Glee: The 3-D Concert Movie in Westwood, Calif., on Saturday night. And the six [actresses] that are in our category [are] crazy! Gwyneth Paltrow, Kristen Chenoweth, Cloris Leachman and Elizabeth Banks and Tina Fey, who I love to death from Saturday Night Live. So, you know how people say its just an honor to be nominated? To be in that group --are you kidding me? I just want to have lunch with them and Im good, she continued. I just want to sit and have lunch. Despite a nearly 20-year career in television, the recently-earned nomination marks Dot-Maries first Emmy nod, and the 47year-old actress revealed she suffered an unfortunate foot accident that may force her to alter her planned wardrobe for the prestigious ceremony. I just fractured a bone in my foot last night, so Im gonna have to rethink what Im gonna wear, she told Access when asked if shed picked a dress for the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards, which will air on September 18. Im gonna totally do a pantsuit or something. Im not the dress-wearing [type]. I havent worn a dress since I had to, and that was, I think, graduation. As for her foot fracture, Dot-Marie explained that she had recently been experiencing swelling in the lateral part of her foot a symptom of bigger problem to come. I was going out of the house last night [and] I took like, five steps and I heard this loud pop, she told Access. I fractured a bone on the outside of my foot right down from my little pinky toe. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

New Movie Reviews: 'Rise from the Planet from the Apes,' 'The Change-Up' in Theaters A Few Days Ago

Moviegoers possess a slew of options a few days ago. James Franco, Freida Pinto and John Lithgow star in director Rupert Wyatt's sci-fi Rise from the Planet from the Apes. Meanwhile, Ryan Reynolds, Jason Bateman, Leslie Mann and Olivia Wilde switch physiques within the R-ranked comedy The Modification-Up by director David Dobkin. Also opening this Friday, The Whistleblower, a well known fact-based thriller by director Larysa Kondracki starring Rachel Weisz like a Nebraska cop in publish-war Serbia and Vanessa Redgrave. STORY: Box Office Preview: 'Rise from the Planet from the Apes' Aims to carry on Summer time Boom See exactly what the Hollywood Reporter's experts have to say of individuals films -- yet others opening a few days ago -- and discover how well they're likely to perform in the box office. Rise from the Planet from the Apes Main Point Here: It's Apes 1, Humans following the first round of the solid reboot from the perennially effective franchise. Click the link to see The Hollywood Reporter's review. The Modification-Up Main Point Here: A revival from the body-switch movie that sees two grown males regress into adolescent behavior. Click the link to see THR's review. The Whistleblower Main Point Here: The incendiary subject of human trafficking offers the gritty backdrop for that Whistleblower. Click the link to see THR's review. Bellflower Main Point Here: Cool romance turns shockingly violent. Click the link to see THR's review. Mysteries of Lisbon Main Point Here: A fantastically guilty pleasure for any day you need it. Click the link to see THR's review. Gun Hill Road Main Point Here: A tired though intensely behaved story in regards to a father faced having a boy who would like to be considered a girl. Click the link to see THR's review. An Ideal Chronilogical age of Rock 'n' Roll Main Point Here: Unconvincing rock-biz melodrama feels even thinner when invoking legendary music artists. Click the link to see THR's review. Miracle Trip: Ken Kesey's Visit a Kool Place Main Point Here: Go back to the psychedelic '60s within this documentary featuring lengthy- lost footage of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters. Click the link to see THR's review. Related Subjects Freida Pinto James Franco Jason Bateman Ryan Reynolds The Modification-Up Rise from the Planet from the Apes The Whistleblower Bellflower Mysteries of Lisbon Gun Hill Road

Tom Sherak Re-elected as Academy President

Tom Sherak has been re-elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences by the organization's board of governors. At a meeting Tuesday night, the board approved a third consecutive one-year term for Sherak, a governor from its executives branch. In addition, Hawk Koch, from the producers branch, who had been serving as treasurer, was elected first vice president. He takes over from producer Sid Ganis, who held the past for the past term. Robert Rehme, of the executives branch, was elected to one vice president post and Phil Robinson, from the writers branch,was re-elected to the other vp post. John Lasseter, from the short films and feature animation branch, was elected treasurer. And actor branch governor Annette Bening was re-elected secretary. During his first two terms, Sherak was instrumental in recruiting Dawn Hudsonas the Academy's new CEO, and he has also supported moves to keep the annual Oscar show in the spotlight, including this year's shift to a new voting procedure that could result in five to ten best picture nominees. Currently a consultant for Skydance Prods. and Relativity Media, Sherak has spent more than four decades in the film industry as a marketing, distribution and production executive. He began his career at Paramount in 1970 before moving to Fox, where he held a number of positions, ultimately rising to chairman of the 20th Century Fox Domestic Film Group. After his tenure at Fox, he became a partner at Revolution Studios. Academy board members serve three-year terms, while officers serve one-year terms, with a maximum of four consecutive terms in any one office. Related Topics AMPAS

Ben Foster Cast as John Gotti Jr. Opposite John Travolta and Al Pacino in Gotti Biopic

Big news on the Gotti front of the non-legal variety: Fiore Films has just announced that Ben Foster has signed on to star in Barry Levinson’s star-studded crime family biopic, Gotti: In The Shadow Of My Father as John Gotti Jr. opposite John Travolta and Al Pacino. The project will be a reunion for Levinson and Foster, who worked together on the 1999 period drama Liberty Heights. Foster joins Travolta (playing John Gotti, Sr.), Kelly Preston (playing Victoria Gotti) and Pacino (as Neil Dellacroce, a Gambino crime family underboss who mentors the senior Gotti) in the film, and seems positively thrilled about the development: “Barry Levinson was the first director who took a chance on me, and I have a career because of him. […] This is a film about family, fathers and sons. I am deeply honored for the opportunity to work with Barry and the amazing cast he is assembling to help bring the story of the Gotti family to the screen.” Barry Levinson replaced Nick Cassavetes as director of the film in May and is re-writing the script with his Bugsy co-writer James Toback. Pre-production on the film will start in September before principal photography begins in early January. · Ben Foster to play John Gotti, Jr. [Variety]

'Cowboys & Alien's' Harrison Ford Rips Smurf's Mind Off on Conan (Video)

The best spinner's Harrison Ford's Cowboys & Alien's narrowly beat The Smurfs in the weekend box office ($36.4 million versus. $35.six million) -- no because of his 10-year-old boy with wife Calista Flockhart, Liam. PHOTOS: Summer time Movie Guide "My spouse required my boy to determine The Smurfs," Harrison deadpanned in the trademark seriously voice on The best spinner's' Conan Monday evening. "He experienced my movie free of charge, and thus she required him to determine The Smurfs." When Conan O'Brien requested if he was mad his money went to cover a competitor, Harrison stated, "We're going to get it back." STORY: How 'Smurfs' Tied 'Cowboys & Aliens' in the Box Office Conan then handed Harrison a Papa Smurf toy, and told him to get "anger or rage" onto it. Harrison ripped its mind off because the audience congratulated. PHOTOS: Best and Worst Alien Movies Smurfs and Cowboys & Aliens involved in a neck-to-neck weekend box office race, with Smurfs carrying out much better than expected because of the nostalgia factor of their ྌs Television show along with a more youthful-skewing audience. Calista Flockhart Harrison Ford Conan O'Brien The Smurfs Cowboys & Aliens