What the photographer THOUGHT he was getting was a simple stop-and-chat with actor Benicio Del Toro. The actor had emerged from a restaurant in Los Angeles and was met with a barrage of questions about topics like Cuba’s statehood. In the background, a nondescript and plainly dressed man walks around awkwardly, clearly avoiding the camera but also clearly compelled to stick near Del Toro. It wasn’t until later that some eagle-eye discovered that the man was none other than Terrence Malick, the director of The Tree of Life (and other masterpieces) who makes it a point to almost never appear in public. Well, at least he didn’t have to answer any annoying questions! (Deadline)

With cameras set to roll, JJ Abrams has cast Peter Weller in an unspecified part. Since this is a JJ Abrams film, there are no details about who or what Weller will play. Will he reprise his Star Trek: Enterprise role of John Frederick Paxton, the racist that almost derailed the formation of the Federation? A hard-as-nails Star Fleet senior official who doesn’t cotton to the antics of Chris Pine‘s Kirk? Or maybe the spirit of a long-dead God that roams the galaxy in a vague, on-going mystery that makes us all ponder creation. Or maybe, JUST MAYBE, he’ll be a severely wounded ensign they are able to bring back with cybernetic implants. That last option should be old hat for him. (Variety)

Anyway, it’s not set in stone yet, but Del Toro has reportedly “met with Abrams but, in an effort to keep the role a secret, still doesn’t know exactly what it is.” Man, so this Abrams guy is like that with people he knows in real life too. Must be annoying. (Variety)

The Savages is about two California potheads (Aaron Johnson and Taylor Kitsch), whose communal girl-pool Ophelia (Lively) gets kidnapped by a badass Mexican drug cartel, forcing the two top dealers to work for them. And that’s why you shouldn’t do drugs, you guys. Cause bad guys played by Salma Hayek and Benicio Del Toro will come after you and the hot girl you share with your pal. You’ve been warned.

The Savages begins production this July. (Deadline)

The plot concerns Ben and Chon (Johnson and Kitsch), two Laguna marijuana makers who will not take a wacky trip to White Castle. Why leave the house when they both share a sexy girl named O? Unfortunately, like something out of the video games they no doubt play a lot of, O is kidnapped by a Mexican drug lord and are told they have to work for him if they want their “joint” girlfriend (see what I did there) back alive. Del Toro plays the drug lord’s enforcer.

Based on a bestselling novel by Don Winslow, Stone is trying to setup a deal with Universal, though other studios are also interested in toking a bit of this crazy plot. (Deadline)

Del Toro will be directing the Monday segment in documentary fashion, with actor Josh Hutcherson (The Kids Are All Right) travelling around the country for the first time, soaking up the culture and presumably not trying to be one of those Americans that just saddles up in an Irish pub wherever they are and orders light beer. Though that would be a pretty funny angle.

The other directors participating in the event include Laurent Cantet, Gaspar Noe, Elia Suleiman, Pablo Trapero, Julio Medem and Juan Carlos Tabio. If you know who any of those people are, you receive the international cinema appreciation merit badge. (Deadline)

Not to worry though, Kusturica is already seeking a replacement to star opposite the still-attached Salma Hayek. with plans to meet with Benicio Del Toro and Gael Garcia Bernal. Bernal seems very confident that he’ll win the role, having been quoted recently as saying, “I will probably land the leading role because of physical resemblance with Pancho Villa” and “I believe Emir is the only director who can do the Pancho Villa story. Even better than any Mexican director. You know why? Because he is a kind of Pancho Villa in his own right.”

“Besides, did you see The Wolfman? Ay dios mio,” I added while talking in a Gael Garcia Bernal voice. (via The Playlist)

As we thought, the rumors about Scorsese directing Wolf Of Wall Street this summer were as reliable as Bernie Madoff. The Leonardo DiCaprio movie will not be the Taxi Driver director’s next project. “Alright then, wiseguy. What is?”

We have confirmation his next project will be Silence. Though it’s debatable whether or not it’s golden, Silence is a drama based on Shusaku Endo’s book about two Jesuit priests in the 1600′s on a tumultuous journey, who travel to Japan to find their mentor and spread Christianity. It sounds a lot like a Harold and Kumar style road movie, only not like that at all. Silence has long been a passion project for Scorsese, though hopefully not in a creepy Passion of the Christ kind of way.

Benicio Del Toro and Daniel Day-Lewis will star, and the story was adapted by Jay Cocks (Gangs of New York). There’s no official shooting dates yet, because Scorsese still has to finish his crazy-sounding 3D movie Hugo Cabret. (The Playlist)

While the cast is certainly standout, the star of this film will remain the story of Richard Kuklinski, a seemingly normal man who led a double life as a mob hit man with over 100 kills to his name and no discernible remorse. The title The Iceman refers to his freezing of the corpses so that police could not pinpoint the time of death. Ariel Vroman is directing, which seems incongruous with the notable cast, but having written the screenplay with Morgan Land, it’s likely that Vroman has conveyed very specific ideas for the project. No word on timeline or a release date, but expect more discussion of this seemingly stellar project once all this Sundance hogwash dies down. (Deadline)

“It’s all new material. It’s not a biopic. We want to give a matinee feel to it. But none of the studios had any interest in it at the beginning. There was a lot to prove. We even had to show that in the script, despite all the hitting the Stooges were known for, it could be a PG movie.”

You know, that quote could also be about the band The Stooges and you wouldn’t have to change anything.  Set your Twitter hashtags to #DelToroforIggyPop. (The Playlist)

The change in studio oversight is accompanied by a tentative start date for the comedy: Twentieth Century wants to begin shooting on March 14, 2011. An ambitious milestone, but whether it’ll actually happen hinges on how soon Bobby and Peter Farrelly can secure a cast. So far, things are looking shaky. At one point, Sean Penn, Jim Carrey, and Benicio Del Toro were on board to play the trio of lovable idiots. That lineup was all but lost, however, when Penn and Carrey both dropped out, leaving questions about whether Del Toro would stay on. At the moment, there are no official cast confirmations, but the Farrellys remain optimistic.

“The script is ready to go, and we are opening up these roles to the world right now,” Peter Farrelly said. “We’ll make it with the best possible people. Our feeling is that no star is too big to audition and no matter who it is, we’re going to have to see him in the role. This is not ‘The Flintstones.’ You’ve got to be Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard, and that could be a major movie star or at unknown.”

The script, which was written by the Farrellys and actor Mike Cerrone, will place the Stooges in the present day, starting from their shared childhood at an orphanage and following them through adulthood. I’m already doubting the realism of this film considering that these days any child who displays the sort of erratic behavior that characterizes the Stooges is immediately prescribed massive amounts of Ritalin and/or enrolled in special ed. Looks like I just gave you your hook, boys. Sean Penn might return to the project if he can play a retard. (Deadline)

Every new image or clip of The Wolfman gets me less and less excited for the film’s release… and now comes the second full trailer, which ends up playing out like some sort of Victorian version of The Fast & The Furious.

There’s so much dried poop stuck to the hairy butt of this trailer you’re gonna need to resurrect Billy Mays to figure out a solution for getting it out. C’mon Joe Johnston! Not since Jumanji have we had to deal with hairy CG animal poop clumps. The only convincing part of the trailer was Hugo Weaving, and he pretty much fapped around all day on set (see photo):