Dwayne Johnson In Talks To Join 'Journey 3'

Dwayne Johnson may be returning to more family-friendly fair with a third installment of the "Journey to the Center of the Earth" franchise. Meanwhile, Jake Gyllenhaal has already backed out of "Motor City," "Maleficent" may have found its Sleeping Beauty and Tom Hardy is prepping a new film about an outlaw biker. It's March 9, and you're tuning in to today's casting call. Dwayne Johnson May Join "Journey 3" Just how many big journeys can one franchise make? At least three, according to The Wrap. Dwayne Johnson is in talks to join director Brad Peyton, screenwriters Brian Gunn and Mark Gunn and (potentially) actor Josh Hutcherson in a third installment of the "Journey" series. Hopefully this means a return of the Peck Pop of Love. Jake Gyllenhaal Already Out Of "Motor City" That was fast. Hot off yesterday's news that Jake Gyllenhaal would be replacing Dominic Cooper in "Motor City," Deadline is reporting that he has backed out of the project. The site says that the talks fell apart because he wasn't able to fit "Motor City" into his schedule, so the hunt is back on for a leading man for the film. Elle Fanning In Talks For "Maleficent" Well, here's the proof we needed that there is actually some forward momentum on the long-delayed film "Maleficent." Twitch and Deadline have learned that Elle Fanning is in talks to play Sleeping Beauty in the skewed take on the classic fairy tale. Last we heard, Angelina Jolie was still planning on playing the movie's title character. Tom Hardy Prepping An Outlaw Biker Movie At this point in his career, Tom Hardy can do pretty much anything he wants. And what he apparently wants to do right now is star in a movie about a renegade biker in late '60s San Francisco. Variety is reporting that Hardy will produce and star in the as-yet untitled film, and the screenplay will be written by "Vacancy"'s Mark L. Smith. The story follows a wounded Vietnam soldier who ends up emerging as the leader of California's most violent outlaw biker club after he returns home to San Francisco in 1969. Viola Davis Is Working On A Barbara Jordan Biopic Viola Davis is moving from heavy project to heavy project. Hot off her Oscar nomination for "The Help," Variety is reporting that Davis has been planning to headline a biopic of civil rights leader Barbara Jordan that will be directed by "Smash"'s Paris Barclay. In addition, Davis also has adaptations of "Ender's Game" and "Beautiful Creatures" on her plate. She's certainly keeping busy! In Casting Call, the MTV Movies team rounds up the day's biggest casting news and offers it up to you on a silver platter. If you're looking to see which movie your favorite actor has booked next, look no further. Tell us what you think in the comments section and on Twitter!

The brand new the new sony Pictures Classics nabs 'Smashed'

The brand new the new sony Pictures Classics has acquired worldwide rights to "Smashed," which opened up at Sundance."Smashed" is directed by James Ponsoldt and produced by Jonathan Schwartzand Andrea Sperlingof Super Crispy Entertainment. The film is executive produced by Audrey and Zygi Wilf.Pic stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Aaron Paul, Octavia Spencer, Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally and Mary Kay Place.Story concentrates on a relationship that develops quickest around the shared fondness for music, laughter and achieving smashed.The sale was talked about by UTA and CAA, regarding Super Crispy Entertainment, additionally to lawyers Lawrence Kopeikin and Elsa Ramo. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

France to recognition Harvey Weinstein

Harvey Weinstein will be receiving a lot more than an Oscar for "The Artist." French leader Nicolas Sarkozy has granted the nation's greatest recognition, the Legion d'Honneur, towards the Weinstein Company co-chairman. "This exclusive distinction, that we desired to originate from my own allocation, is really a testimony from the admiration of countless French people for that exceptional excellence of the films you have created," Sarkozy stated inside a statement. "Additionally, it expresses our gratitude to somebody who has always proven great friendship towards our country and our cinema that you've enabled a lot of People in america to uncover." While French-created "Artist" may be the latest title to enthrall Gaul (also directed by and starring a Frenchman), TWC has distributed a lot more than 30 Gallic photos within the U.S., including "Sarah's Key" ("Elle s'appelait Sarah"), "War from the Buttons" ("La Novelle Guerre des Boutons"), and "Le Concert." Past Hollywood readers from the Legion d'Honneur include Charlie Chaplin, Marlene Dietrich, Clint Eastwood, Robert DeNiro and Steven Spielberg. Contact Rachel Abrams at Rachel.Abrams@variety.com

Moguls Are In Denial About Poverty, Time Warner Cable CEO Says

Time Warner Cable CEO Glenn Britt may be the most prominent media exec making this important point:”Our whole (entertainment) ecosystem should try to create affordability,” he told investors today at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference. “A lot of the people who are living paycheck to paycheck want our product, but simply can’t afford it. Many entertainment executives are in denial about this, but it’s happening.”Big Media ignores that fact at its peril: The vast majority of the industry’s profits come from cable networks — but the chief of the No. 2 cable company says that the pay TV business “is fundamentally not growing.” Programmers and networks have ignored that: “What they’re trying to do is grow by raising prices” on companies like Time Warner Cable, Britt says. That may work for a while, but “it clearly is not sustainable.” One of his strategies to deal with that is offering TV Essentials — a low-cost package of channels that doesn’t include costly sports services led by ESPN as well as popular networks such as TNT, Comedy Central, Fox News and MSNBC. “We’re clearly moving away from one size fits all,” Britt says. That also applies to Time Warner Cable’s broadband service: This week the company introduced a plan around San Antonio, Texas that gives subscribers the opportunity to sign up for a $5 a month discount if they hold their usage to less than 5 gigabytes. “It’s not coercive,” Britt says. “I think we’ll roll that out further as we go along.” Customers pay an additional $1 for each gigabyte that they use beyond the 5 gb ceiling, up to a maximum of $25 a month. Britt says that customers can shift back and forth to the undiscounted, unlimited service plan as much as they want. “We’re trying to be very consumer friendly.” That’s important to the company, which ran into a PR firestorm in 2009 when it briefly tried to cap Internet usage. Britt says that his focus on affordability also makes him skeptical about forecasts predicting that Internet video services will begin to compete with cable and satellite — resulting in massive cord cutting. “The economics of that are pretty tough,” he says. Most networks run other people’s programming, and lack the legal authority to offer the shows online. It’s also inefficient to transmit popular videos via the Web.”The Internet is neither magical nor free,” Britt says. “Sure, people are going to try….But I think it’s a daunting thing and the current (pay TV) model is quite powerful.”

Leonard Nimoy Becomes Large Bang Theory's "Dream" Guest Star

Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder Once The Vampire Journals exhibited to the first 1900s to understand more about Stefan's ripper roots, Damon was greatly absent from his brother's existence. Once the CW series travels to that particular era again, audiences might find how the rift between your Salvatore boys was produced. Vampire Journals Photos! Expensive back a century to "1912" "You understand the rebirth of Damon Salvatore and where he is at 1912," Ian Somerhalder informs TVGuide.com. "You become familiar with a lot concerning the dynamic of Stefan [Paul Wesley] and Damon and just how it transformed." The Vampire Diaries' Daniel Gillies: Elijah taking Elena hostage was the best disgrace Even though pair has already established greater than a century of good and the bad, Somerhalder is certain that the effectiveness of their brotherhood exceeds their variations - even those that involve a particular brunette named Elena (Nina Dobrev). "These men could've wiped out one another 100 occasions plus they can't. They simply cannot finish it," he states. "They are the only real two that know one another and understand one another ... and also at the finish during the day they are doing love one another and they've to consider proper care of one another." The Vampire Journals returns with new episodes on Thursday, March 15 at 8/7c around the CW.