Universal Studios has released a new conceptual image from their upcoming Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park, which will be part of Universal’s Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida. The artwork depicts the Three Broomsticks, where theme park guests will be able to enjoy authentic food and drink from the world of Harry Potter upon its opening at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. The Three Broomsticks is one of the local pubs in Hogsmeade. Known for its delicious butterbeer and its beautiful owner Madam Rosmerta, who lives above the pub, the Three Broomsticks is a favourite pub among Hogwarts students and staff.

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Universal Studios has released a new conceptual image from their upcoming Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park, which will be part of Universal’s Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida. The artwork depicts the Three Broomsticks, where theme park guests will be able to enjoy authentic food and drink from the world of Harry Potter upon its opening at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. The Three Broomsticks is one of the local pubs in Hogsmeade. Known for its delicious butterbeer and its beautiful owner Madam Rosmerta, who lives above the pub, the Three Broomsticks is a favourite pub among Hogwarts students and staff.

Related Stories:

• JK Rowling’s New Harry Potter Mini-Movie
• Six New Photos from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Harry Potter Prequel?
• Harry Potter: The Exhibition
• What is Twilight? And is it the Next Harry Potter?
• Cool Stuff: Palpatine and Voldermort For President

It’s funny how the tides change so quickly. At WonderCon 2007, Brad Bird insisted that Pixar was not in the sequel business. Bird said:

“At Pixar, the bottom line is the story that you’re telling. And Pixar does not look at sequels as a financial plan. We feel we have a relation ship with the audience and that they believe in each movie we put out. We believe completely in every movie we put out. If I can come up with a story that is as good or better than that first film, then I’d love to return to that world, but it would have to be story first.”

After Disney acquired Pixar, Toy Story 3 was confirmed. Less than a year after Wondercon, Disney announced that the Emeryville powerhouse would be making a Cars sequel. And just last week at Comic Con, Monsters, Inc director Peter Doctor revealed to MTV that they have quietly been developing ideas for a sequel.

“We’ve thought about it,” “Monsters, Inc.” director Pete Doctor told MTV. “We’ve got a couple ideas.”

It seems to me that Pixar is in the sequel business. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not anti sequel. I’m just anti-bad sequels. And yes, most sequels are not The Dark Knight or The Godfather 2. Most sequels are made for money reasons rather than story reasons. So the question is, does the world of Monsters, Inc have enough laugh juice for a second movie? I’ll tell you this: I have a lot more faith in a Monsters, Inc sequel than I do in Cars 2.

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• Comic Con: Teasing Pixar’s Up
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It’s funny how the tides change so quickly. At WonderCon 2007, Brad Bird insisted that Pixar was not in the sequel business. Bird said:

“At Pixar, the bottom line is the story that you’re telling. And Pixar does not look at sequels as a financial plan. We feel we have a relation ship with the audience and that they believe in each movie we put out. We believe completely in every movie we put out. If I can come up with a story that is as good or better than that first film, then I’d love to return to that world, but it would have to be story first.”

After Disney acquired Pixar, Toy Story 3 was confirmed. Less than a year after Wondercon, Disney announced that the Emeryville powerhouse would be making a Cars sequel. And just last week at Comic Con, Monsters, Inc director Peter Doctor revealed to MTV that they have quietly been developing ideas for a sequel.

“We’ve thought about it,” “Monsters, Inc.” director Pete Doctor told MTV. “We’ve got a couple ideas.”

It seems to me that Pixar is in the sequel business. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not anti sequel. I’m just anti-bad sequels. And yes, most sequels are not The Dark Knight or The Godfather 2. Most sequels are made for money reasons rather than story reasons. So the question is, does the world of Monsters, Inc have enough laugh juice for a second movie? I’ll tell you this: I have a lot more faith in a Monsters, Inc sequel than I do in Cars 2.

Related Stories:

• Comic Con: Teasing Pixar’s Up
• Monsters Inc Ride Coming to Disney World?

Warner Bros has just released high resolution versions of the Watchmen Comic Con character posters. Click on the posters to enlarge.

Also, Empire Magazine has four new photos from the film. Check out the new photos below, and head on over to Empire for the full high resolution versions of the photos.

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Hey there folks! Welcome to the 300th installment of The Movie Blog: Uncut. This episode was originally recorded live on Wednesday July 30th 2008. Take off your shoes, kick back, relax and listen in as Doug and I discuss:

1) The new Harry Potter trailer and how they’ve done things right

2) Angelina Jolie as Catwoman???

3) Patrick Swayze kicks crap out of Cancer

4) Cheech and Chong together again

5) Bitch Slap

6) Punisher: Warzone disaster

7) Mummy and Swing Vote opening

8) Taking questions from the live interactive Chat Board

You can WATCH the show here:

Or you can LISTEN to it or DOWNLOAD it here:

BRAND NEW PODCAST FEED!

Subscribe the the podcast feed

The trailer for Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist has hit the web. Looks like a half-decent teen flick. And the uncomfortable delivery of Michael Cera could get me through anything, I’m pretty sure. I’m also a huge fan of teen films that takes place over the course of one night (ala Go, Can’t Hardly Wait, Superbad). As always, share your thoughts in the comments below.

Directed by Peter Sollett (Raising Victor Vargas), and based on the novel by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, Michael Cera (SuperBad) and Kat Dennings (The 40-Year-Old Virgin) star. “It all starts when Nick asks Norah to be his girlfriend for five minutes, to avoid his ex-girlfriend, who’s just walked in to his band’s show. And then, with one kiss, Nick and Norah are off on an adventure set against the backdrop of New York City-and smack in the middle of all the joy, anxiety, confusion, and excitement of a first date. This is the story about one date over one very long night, with two teenagers, both recovering from broken hearts, who are just trying to figure out who they want to be-and where the next great band is playing.”

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist will hit theaters on October 3rd, after premiering at the Toronto Film Festival in September.

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• Page 2
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John Goodman is back on board Pope Joan after getting sued for leaving. We get this interesting tale of back and forth from our friends at cinematical:

It can be a challenge just to work with people you clash heads with, but imagine going back to work after a big lawsuit? Back in April of 2007, John Goodman started off the Pope Joan plague by backing out of the project and getting sued. Then there were those director kerfuffles, and then star Franka Potente had to back out because the film was taking too damned long to come together. But now at least one drama is righting itself.

Variety reports that the case between Goodman and Constantin films has been settled, and he is once again starring in the film as Pope Sergius. With the cast now in place, the film is finally schedule to begin production next month in Germany and Morocco.

Going back to work after a legal battle would be weird; well, it would be weird for me. Goodman has been described as a consummate professional, and if anyone could pick and resume “business as usual” it would be him.

I am excited to see Goodman dressed up as a pope. This very well could be the only factor pulling me towards this project like a tractor beam. Say what you will about the Catholics - they have sharply dressed leaders, this is gospel!

Disney has announced that they will be pushing the big screen adaptation of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time back to May 28th 2010, from it’s previously announced June 19th 2009 release date. The old date was one week before Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. The good news is that the new date is part of Memorial Day weekend, which will give the film a four day opening. The bad news is that the movie will now have to contend with Shrek Goes Fourth, which opens one week prior, and Marvel’s Thor, which is scheduled to hit theaters one week later.

Prince of Persia is an action adventure video game which follows an adventurous prince who teams up with a rival princess to stop an angry ruler from unleashing a sandstorm that could destroy the world. Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal) must join forces with Tamina (Gemma Arterton), a feisty and exotic princess, to prevent a villainous nobleman from possessing the Sands of Time, a gift from the gods that can reverse time. Alfed Molina and Ben Kingsley co-star. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire helmer Mike Newell is directing under producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Persia began filming at the beginning of July in Morocco.

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A bootleg trailer for Stephen Soderbergh’s two part Che Guevara biopic Che has hit the interwebs. The Benicio Del Toro film which premiered at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival in May has yet to find a domestic distributor. It certainly seems like a hard sell, especially as two films. I think I’d rather see a four-hour cut the combines both films. Check out the trailer below in it’s dark flickery goodness. And as always, tell me what you think in the comments.

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