Brad Pitt, arguably the biggest movie star in the world, will soon be shooting another film in New Orleans. While the actor shares a residence in the city with Angelina Jolie, it will be his first film in Louisiana since 2008’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

The film is Cogan’s Trade, written and directed by Andrew Dominik, who previously worked with Pitt on the The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Pitt will play the titular character, Jackie Cogan, an enforcer investigating the robbery of a high stakes poker game protected by the mob. The film’s ensemble cast is also rumored to include Pitt’s Jesse James co-star Casey Affleck, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Bill Murray, Mark Ruffalo, Sam Rockwell and Avatar star Zoe Saldana, who recently wrapped Columbiana in New Orleans.

Cogan’s Trade has already made a commitment to Second Line Stages, with all shooting expected to be done in the New Orleans area. Shooting is expected to begin in March.

Rumors regarding the shooting locations for Christopher Nolan’s followup to The Dark Knight have run rampant for the last six months. Last August, the internet came alive with rumors that the project could shoot in New Orleans, and then in October, ComingSoon.net reported that not only would filming on Batman 3 commence in April 2011, but the film’s location would indeed be New Orleans. Local and national publications ran with the news.

While Scene has been aware that some scouting in Louisiana has occurred, we’re also aware that nearly all studio projects at least consider if their project can be shot in Louisiana, a primarily financial consideration resulting from our State’s generous tax incentive programs for filmmakers. In an effort to contextualize some of the rumors, Scene reported last October that the project had not yet filed a pre-certification with the State film commission, a necessary step to earn film tax credits. Christopher Stelly, the State’s director of film & television, confirmed again today that no pre-certification has been filed and that his office has had no communication with the film’s producers or Warner Bros regarding The Dark Knight Rises.

In an interview just before Christmas, Scene asked Ravi Mehta, SVP of Production at Warner Bros, for a status update on the project. Mehta is the WB executive responsible for bringing both Jonah Hex and the upcoming Zac Efron starrer The Lucky One to New Orleans. Here are his comments:

Scene: Are we going to get to interview Christopher Nolan in a couple of months?
RM: [Laughs] Someone took that story and ran wild with it. I know they are going to the U.K., L.A. and there will be a third city.

Scene: Is New Orleans at least in the running?
RM: Well, I’m sure! Why not, right? You’ve guys have got great incentives and [we've had] positive experiences in Louisiana.

Mehta also emphasized that things were still very early, indicating that the script for The Dark Knight Rises had only been turned in a few weeks before. For those who are unaware how powerfully a script determines location, consider that a script rewrite made shooting The Lucky One in Louisiana a reality. A script rewrite also forced Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides to abandon plans to shoot at Raleigh Studios in Baton Rouge in favor of the United Kingdom.

The Dark Knight Rises is currently expected to begin filming in May 2011. Look for more from our interview with Ravi Mehta in the January/February edition of Scene Magazine, where he details why The Lucky One, originally set in North Carolina, was rewritten to be both set and shot in Louisiana.

Tonight, 100 Monkeys continues their hot streak of performances in Louisiana at the House of Blues New Orleans. Here are some teaser photos from their last gig at the Manship Theatre in Baton Rouge. Look for more photos and an in-depth interview with Jackson Rathbone, Jerad Anderson and the rest of the Monkeys in the next issue of Scene Magazine.

Photos by Beth Gold. Click for a closer look.

Along with its new release date of Feb. 25, Drive Angry 3D has a new international poster and trailer for the upcoming Nic Cage action flick courtesy of Lionsgate UK.

The film follows a vengeful father (Nicolas Cage) who hunts down the group of people who brutally killed his daughter and kidnapped her baby. As the chase gets bloodier by the mile, his rescue spins out of control, leaving bodies strewn along the highway. But the bloodthirsty cult is the least of Milton’s problems. The police are after him too. And worse, an enigmatic killer known only as The Accountant – who has been sent by the Devil to retrieve Milton and deliver him back to hell. With wicked cunning and hypnotic savagery, the Accountant will relentlessly pursue Milton at high speed across the country until his mission is accomplished.

Patrick Lussier directs from the original screenplay he co-wrote with Todd Farmer who previously collaborated with him on My Bloody Valentine 3D.Joining Cage is Amber Heard, David Mors, Katy Mixon, William Fitchner, Tom Atkins and Twilight‘s Billy Burke.

Source: Hey U Guys

To promote the release of Eclipse in advance of Christmas, Twilight cast members will be appearing across the country to autograph DVDs.

In Baton Rouge, four members of the Volturi, including Jamie Campbell Bower (Caius), Cameron Bright (Alec), Charlie Bewley (Demetri) and Daniel Cudmore (Felix), will appear this Saturday, December 18 at the Best Buy near the Mall of Louisiana. Starting at 2:00pm, the first 200 customers to line up will receive an autograph, with autographs being signed between 4:00-6:00pm.

From the press release:
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse is now available on Two-Disc Special Edition DVD, Single Disc Blu-ray, Single Disc DVD, and Blu-ray/DVD Combo. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Two-Disc Special Edition DVD has a suggested retail price of $32.99, while the Single Disc Blu-ray is set at $34.99, the Single Disc DVD is set at $28.99 and the Blu-ray/DVD Combo is $40.99. The Two-Disc Special Edition DVD and Blu-ray/DVD Combo are packed with bonus features that are sure to please even the most-hard core fans, including two different audio commentaries with Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, and author Stephenie Meyer and producer Wyck Godfrey; a mesmerizing six-part “Making Of” documentary that takes you behind the scenes; deleted and extended scenes; a comprehensive photo gallery; music videos and more.

Scene Magazine writer David Draper discusses award season on CBS’s Baton Rouge affiliate.

There are two truly great things about working on a film that the rest of the working world needs: free passenger van transportation and craft service. The craft service table is where you snack in-between takes to get you through a fourteen hour day. There’s always coffee, soft drinks, a random assortment of healthy and unhealthy treats and gossip. It’s sometimes referred to as “crafty” but always called awesome.

Below is the glorious craft service spread available to Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner and the rest of the cast and crew of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn. Located right outside of the entrance to one of the stages where cameras are rolling (and right down the hall from my office at Raleigh Studios Baton Rouge), Scene Magazine is but one of the many treats stocked by crafty professionals Sanford Hatcher and Shelly Hatch. They are two locals known well to film professionals throughout Louisiana as much for their smiles as their freshly brewed coffee.

The list of nominees was announced today for the 68th annual Golden Globe Awards. Representing Louisiana this year is New Orleans-shot “Red”, nominated for Best Picture in a Comedy or Musical. Kenner-born Chad Sellers was an animator for Disney’s latest happily-ever-after flick, “Tangled”, which earned a Best Animated Feature nomination.

“Treme” star Melissa Leo earned a Best Supporting Actress nod for her role in the upcoming drama “The Fighter” which comes out in theaters Dec. 17. Mark Wahlberg also grabbed a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Drama for “The Fighter.” Look for Scene’s interview with him in the next issue.

The 68th annual Golden Globes airs on Sunday, January 16, 2011 on NBC from 5:00-8:00 p.m. (PST) /8:00-11:00 p.m. (EST) from the Beverly Hilton Hotel with host Ricky Gervais.

Check out the whole list of nominations below:

MOTION PICTURES

Best Picture — Drama
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The King’s Speech
The Social Network

Best Picture — Musical or Comedy
Alice in Wonderland
Burlesque
The Kids Are All Right
Red
The Tourist

Best Actor — Drama
Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
Colin Firth, The King’s Speech
James Franco, 127 Hours
Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine
Mark Wahlberg, The Fighter

Best Actress — Drama
Halle Berry, Frankie and Alice
Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone
Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine

Best Actor — Musical or Comedy
Johnny Depp, Alice in Wonderland
Johnny Depp, The Tourist
Paul Giamatti, Barney’s Version
Jake Gyllenhaal, Love and Other Drugs
Kevin Spacey, Casino Jack

Best Actress — Musical or Comedy
Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
Anne Hathaway, Love and Other Drugs
Angelina Jolie, The Tourist
Julianne Moore, The Kids Are All Right
Emma Stone, Easy A

Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale, The Fighter
Michael Douglas, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
Andrew Garfield, The Social Network
Jeremy Renner, The Town
Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter, The King’s Speech
Mila Kunis, Black Swan
Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom

Best Director
Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
David Fincher, The Social Network
Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech
Christopher Nolan, Inception
David O. Russell, The Fighter

Best Screenplay
127 Hours, Simon Beaufoy and Danny Boyle
Inception, Christopher Nolan
The Kids Are All Right, Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg
The King’s Speech, David Seidler
The Social Network, Aaron Sorkin

Best Original Song
“Bound to You,” Burlesque (performed by Christina Aguilera; written by Samuel Dixon, Christina Aguilera and Sia Furler)
“Coming Home,” Country Strong (performed by Gwyneth Paltrow; written by Bob PiPiero, Tom Douglas, Hillary Lindsey, Troy Verges)
“I See the Light,” Tangled (performed by Mandy Moore & Zachary Levi; written by Alan Menken & Glenn Slater)
“There’s a Place For Us,” The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader(performed by Carrie Underwood; written by Carrie Underwood, David Hodges, Hillary Lindsey)
“You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me Yet,” Burlesque (performed by Cher; written by Diane Warren)

Best Original Score
127 Hours, A.R. Rahman
Alice in Wonderland, Danny Elfman
Inception, Hans Zimmer
The King’s Speech, Alexandre Desplat
The Social Network, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Best Foreign Language Film
Biutiful
The Concert
The Edge
I Am Love
In a Better World

Best Animated Feature
Despicable Me
How to Train Your Dragon
The Illusionist
Tangled
Toy Story 3

TELEVISION

Best TV Series — Drama
Boardwalk Empire
Dexter
The Good Wife
Mad Men
The Walking Dead

Best TV Series — Musical or Comedy
30 Rock
The Big Bang Theory
The Big C
Glee
Modern Family
Nurse Jackie

Best Miniseries or Made-for-TV Movie
Carlos
The Pacific
The Pillars of the Earth
Temple Grandin
You Don’t Know Jack

Best Actor — Drama
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House M.D.

Best Actress — Drama
Elizabeth Moss, Mad Men
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Piper Perabo, Covert Affairs
Katey Sagal, Sons of Anarchy
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer

Best Actor — Musical or Comedy
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Steve Carell, The Office
Thomas Jane, Hung
Matthew Morrison, Glee
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

Best Actress — Musical or Comedy
Toni Collette, United States of Tara
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Laura Linney, The Big C
Lea Michele, Glee

Best Actor — Miniseries or Made-for-TV Movie
Idris Elba, Luther
Ian McShane, Pillars of the Earth
Al Pacino, You Don’t Know Jack
Dennis Quaid, The Special Relationship
Edgar Ramirez, Carlos

Best Actress — Miniseries or Made-for-TV Movie
Hayley Atwell, Pillars of the Earth
Claire Danes, Temple Grandin
Judi Dench, Return to Cranford
Romola Garai, Emma
Jennifer Love Hewitt, The Client List

Best Supporting Actor in TV Series, Mini-Series, or Made-for-TV Movie
Scott Caan, Hawaii Five-0
Chris Colfer, Glee
Chris Noth, The Good Wife
David Strathairn, Temple Grandin
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family

Best Supporting Actress in TV Series, Mini-Series, or Made-for-TV Movie
Hope Davis, The Special Relationship
Jane Lynch, Glee
Kelly Macdonald, Boardwalk Empire
Julia Stiles, Dexter
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family

Source: HFPA

Here are a few photos of stars currently working on films in Louisiana. Making a film largely monopolizes their time, but it’s nice to see Zac Efron, Kellan Lutz, Peter Facinelli and Taylor Lautner are enjoying their downtime.

Below, Zac Efron and Kellan Lutz were kind enough to pose for a photo with fans while attending yesterday’s Saints game in New Orleans. Efron filmed Warner Bros’ The Lucky One in New Orleans at Second Line Stages and Lutz is currently in Baton Rouge filming The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn.

Below, Twilight star Taylor Lautner poses with a young fan on the sidelines of the Saints game yesterday at the Superdome.

Below, Twilight star Peter Facinelli takes a photo with Chri Nakamoto of WBRZ in Baton Rouge. Facinelli bought the first raffle ticket to win a St. Jude’s Dream Home in an effort to promote the charity hospital’s fundraiser, appearing on WBRZ to publicize it.

A standout from this summer’s New Orleans-shot hit The Last Exorcism, Caleb Landry Jones has joined the cast of Universal’s Contraband. After shooting The Longshots in Shreveport in 2008 and bit roles in NBC’s Friday Night Lights, the Coen Bros’ No Country for Old Men and The Social Network, Jones’ career is taking off with roles in Contraband and Matthew Vaughan’s high profile prequel X-Men: First Class.

Starring Mark Wahlberg, Kate Beckinsale and Ben Foster, Contraband begins shooting in New Orleans next month.

Source: Deadline