As you may have heard, New Line Cinema will cut 450 jobs in Los Angeles and New York because of its merger with Warner Bros. In other news this Tuesday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced key dates for next year's Oscars, Demi Moore gets busy again, Steven Spielberg is chasing a famous ghost and "Speed Racer" gets the featurette treatment on Apple. We also have to new film posters for you today. Enjoy our take on Tuesday's film news. 

AMPAS announces key dates for 2009 Oscars
The 81st Annual Academy Awards will be presented on Feb. 22, 2009, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Sid Ganis announced today.

Monday, December 1, 2008: Official Screen Credits forms due
Friday, December 26, 2008: Nominations ballots mailed
Monday, January 12, 2009: Nominations polls close 5 p.m. PT
Thursday, January 22, 2009: Nominations announced 5:30 a.m. PT, Samuel Goldwyn Theater
Wednesday, January 28, 2009: Final ballots mailed
Monday, February 2, 2009: Nominees Luncheon
Saturday, February 7, 2009: Scientific and Technical Achievement Awards presentation
Tuesday, February 17, 2009: Final polls close 5 p.m. PT
Sunday, February 22, 2009: 81st Annual Academy Awards presentation

The dates are in keeping with those of recent years, because the presentation date was moved from March to February. However, one notable change for the 81st edition of the Oscars is the move of the nominations from the traditional Tuesday to a Thursday. The switch was made to avoid a conflict with the 2009 presidential inauguration.


Demi Moore boards two indie films
Actress Demi Moore has signed on to star in two upcoming independent movies, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

In “Happy Tears,” Moore stars alongside Parker Posey and plays a woman who’s fed up taking care of her demented father. The film is written and directed by Mitchell Lichtenstein, helmer of “Teeth.”

The second project is “Bunraku,” in which Moore joins Josh Hartnett and Woody Harrelson. Directed by Guy Moshe, the film focuses on a man who embarks on a quest for revenge.

Moore was last seen in Michael Radford’s crime drama “Flawless.”


Spielberg hunts ‘Ghost in the Shell’
Steven Spielberg helped DreamWorks acquire the rights for a live-action adaptation of the Japanese manga hit “Ghost in the Shell,” Variety reported Monday. DreamWorks plans to produce a 3-D version of the film, and has recruited Jamie Moss to compile the script.


‘Speed Racer’ featurette debuts on Apple
Apple today posted a new “Speed Racer” featurette on their trailer page. Now, don’t get too excited. The Wachowskis aren’t in it. The clip features brief cast interviews with Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, Susan Sarandon, Scott Porter and Matthew Fox, and also includes a little bit of footage from the film, most of which we have already seen in the different trailers.
 
Click HERE to see the behind-the-scenes look on Apple.


New posters for ‘Hulk’ and ‘Chihuahua’
To wrap up today’s news take, we just got hold of new posters for “The Incredible Hulk,” and “Beverly Hills Chihuahua.” Enjoy them both below.