We want to bring you more news every day, but unfortunately our robot army of writers who never need to sleep, to eat, or to love, is still under development (currently all they do is sleep, eat, and love).  In the meantime, we’re going to be making “A Fistful of News” a regular feature you’ll see every other day where we bring you some additional news stories we found but didn’t have time to write.  Until the Robot Army is ready to proceed (which is unlikely as we cut corners and ordered them from Belize, a country not known for quality robotics).

After the jump you’ll find ten quick news items including what’s next for Up director Peter Docter even though it’s not Monsters, Inc. 2, Guillermo del Toro’s monster cameo in The Hobbit, and Jeff Bridges’ behind-the-scenes photography on the set of Iron Man.

Writer-Director-Demigod Guillermo del Toro knows how much to reveal about “The Hobbit” and how much to withhold.  He’s been pretty tight-lipped but that’s partially been due to the long pre-production and it’s unwise to release information which will probably shift over the following year.  The pre-production for “The Hobbit” will continue as Del Toro doesn’t begin shooting its back-to-back films until late spring 2010 to make a release date of late 2011.  However, he did release some details of his work schedule, his relationship with Peter Jackson, and most interesting, the task of designing the big bad of “The Hobbit”, Smaug.  Hit the jump for details.

At the San Sebastian Film Festival, Sir Ian McKellen was asked about the status of director Guillermo del Toro’s “Lord of the Rings” prequel “The Hobbit” and “X-Men Origins: Magneto”. What he said after the jump:

I want “Splice” to be good.  It’s a sci-fi/horror/monster movie, it’s produced by Guillermo del Toro, it’s directed by Vincenzo Natali (”Cube”), and it stars two awesome actors in the lead roles (Sarah Polley and Adrien Brody).  I don’t see how this movie can fail.  Anyway, the first clip has been released and it’s after the jump -  along with an introduction by del Toro and Natali.

Guillermo del Toro is doing something.  Good enough for me.  Just thought you’d like to know.

Alright, in a bit more detail about the next great thing he’ll be bringing us (even though we’re not worthy and don’t deserve it), del Toro is teaming up with Disney to create a series of animated films called “Disney Double Dare You” in what I believe is a valuable quest to make sure that the next generation isn’t a bunch of pussies despite their helicopter parents making sure they never experience anything in life that would make them grow as human beings.  Less personal ranting and more news about greatness after the jump.

It’s been quite a while since anyone has heard anything about David Goyer’s Green Arrow prison break script, “Supermax”, so long in fact that Columbia Pictures has purchased a completely different script called “Supermax” from actor/writers Christopher Allen Nelson and Mitch Rouse. This time, the titular prison is a top secret facility designed to hold various monsters and supernatural beings. Sounds pretty damn cool to me. Hit the jump if you think so too.

During my “Sons of Anarchy” set visit, I had the opportunity to participate in roundtable interviews with members of the cast.  The legendary Ron Perlman talked to us about not really getting into the social aspects of the show, getting in touch with his character (Clay), and talked a little bit about the possibility of him appearing in Guillermo Del Toro’s “The Hobbit”.  Check it out after the jump.

I don’t think there were any real worries that “The Hobbit” would be stopped from going forward thanks to the long ongoing legal disputes between New Line and The Tolkien Trust.  In case if you were worrying though, you can now breathe and sleep easily tonight.  News has now come out that everything is settled and that “The Hobbit” will still go along as planned.  You can read all about it when you follow me after the jump.

I had a chance to speak with Ron Perlman today on the set of the FX show “Sons of Anarchy”.  He talked about not being interested in what people say on the internet and never reading blogs because he doesn’t want anyone to dictate his own opinion of himself and his craft.  It came as a surprise to him (or so it seemed) that rumors are floating around that he will be in Guillermo Del Toro’s “The Hobbit” films, and that the films have been added to his IMDB.com page (albeit listed as “rumored”). Is there any credibility to the rumors?   “If that’s what Guillermo wants, then that would be nice”.  More after the jump.

With all the hubbub surrounding the Marvel and Disney deal, it’s easy to forget the deft moves Warner Brothers have been making with DC’s comics properties. After the unprecedented success the company had with Chris Nolan’s films “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight”, WB seems to taking a much more serious stance in its selection of filmmakers for these comic franchises. We have Martin Campbell, director of the two best modern Bond flicks, helming “The Green Lantern”, Guillermo del Toro producing “Deadman”, and now we can add to that list the king of Brit grit, Guy Ritchie, who’s set to take on a live action, big screen adaption of DC comics’ resident bad ass bounty hunter, “Lobo”. Hop on your space cycle and hit the jump for more.

It’s no secret Guillermo del Toro has one of the fullest plates of anyone working in Hollywood at the moment. With two “Hobbit” flicks on the horizon, and a veritable cornucopia (oh yeah, cornucopia I went there) of rumored projects on his table that would make a horror geek’s all you can eat buffet, including a possible “Frankenstein” project, and, god willing, an adaption of H.P. Lovecraft’s “At the Mountains of Madness”. But we can add yet another delicious dish to this weak food metaphor as del Toro is apparently set to produce a live action film version of DC Comic’s “Deadman”. Head toward the light and hit the jump for more.

With the abundance of “Lord of the Rings” fans, whenever anything related to “The Hobbit” happens, it’ll be online five minutes later. So when Ian McKellen stopped by at a special screening of “Lord of the Rings” last night in London, it’s no surprise everything he said is now online. The big news is he knows who is going to play Bilbo, filming begins in March on TWO movies, and he’s getting the script next week! More after the jump:

First off, we must be clear that this is all strictly RUMOR material.  Nothing is confirmed, and while this rumor has been attributed to a credible source, things are always subject to change.

At Comic-Con, Steve had a chance to talk to Peter Jackson about his upcoming projects, and he briefly touched on “The Hobbit”.  Though he said no casting decisions had been made, he did say that “The Hobbit” would be in two parts, with the first to release in December 2011 and the second in December 2012.  My, how things change in a matter of two weeks.  MarketSaw has it on good faith (again, rumor) that a THIRD hobbit movie is now scheduled, which will act as a bridge to the Lord of the Rings series.  More rumor info that you’re going to want to read after the jump.

You may not have heard of actor/producer/director Larry Fessenden but he’s kind of a big deal in underground horror circles.  Now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the man behind such films as “Wendigo” and “I Sell the Dead” is about to expand his sphere of influence as he takes on directing duties for New Line’s “The Orphanage” remake.  More after the jump…

If you’re a fan of “The Lord of the Rings” movies and cannot wait to see Guillermo del Toro’s “The Hobbit” in two years,  the news you’re about to read is going to make you very happy.

The re-building of Hobbiton has begun!

Yes, the village where Bilbo Baggins, Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee live has begun being rebuilt for the upcoming movies. So if you’re interested in seeing what work has been done so far, after the jump are two pictures. I’m sure you want to see them!

According to LA Times’ Hero Complex, James McAvoy, Daniel Radcliffe, and David Tennant are all in contention to play Bilbo Baggins in Guillermo del Toro’s “The Hobbit”.  Moreover, there are whispers that we’ll get the casting announcement next week at Comic-Con.  Some folks are trying to put two and two together by saying that if David Tennant is there for “Doctor Who” and producer Peter Jackson is there for “District 9″ then maybe the two will rush the stage at Hall H right in the middle of the “New Moon” presentation, announce the casting, and then get murdered by a horde of tweenage girls.  Sorry, got carried away with a fantasy there.

Hit the jump to get my thoughts about these casting rumors.