April 1, 2009–Marion Cotillard, Cillian Murphy and Ellen Page will join the cast of “Inception,” which Christopher Nolan wrote and will direct. Leonardo DiCaprio has already been set to star.

Warner bought the spec script before other studios read it, wishing to be in business with the filmmaker after smash hit “The Dark Knight.” Production begins this summer for 2010 release.

March 31, 2009–Paramount will release  on May 8 the eagerly awaited new “Star Trek,” but meanwhile, the studio is moving forward with a sequel, and has hired Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof to write the script.

March 28, 2009–Paramount's DreamWorks Animation release “Monsters vs. Aliens” grossed $16.7 million at 4,104 sites.  It's the second best opening day for a DreamWorks Animation release behind the $17.6 million posted by last November's “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa.”

March 24, 2009–John Hamm (TV's “Mad Men”) has joined the cast of “Howl,” the indie feature about the obscenity trial of Allen Ginsberg's famed poem.  The other members already cast are James Franco, Mary-Louise Parker, David Strathairn and Jeff Daniels.  Hamm will star as defense attorney Jake Ehrlich, whose life inspired the TV series “Perry Mason.”

March 16, 2009–The Weinstein Co. has acquired U.S. rights for British helmer Sam Taylor-Wood's John Lennon biopicture “Nowhere Boy.”   Starring Kristin Scott-Thomas, Thomas Sangster and Anne-Marie Duff, the film relates the teenage years of the Beatles' member.