Daily news dose: 'Resident Evil: Afterlife' shooting scheduled; Russell Crowe to return as Jack Aubrey?

Here is your dose of film news for July 17, 2009:

• Production Weekly reports "Resident Evil: Afterlife" is set to start shooting Sept. 28 at Toronto's Cinespace Film Studios for eight weeks. A couple of weeks ago, we learned the fourth installment in the series is currently scheduled to open Sept. 17, 2010. Milla Jovovich will return to star, and Paul W.S. Anderson wrote the script. But who will direct? (via ComingSoon)

• Russell Crowe is apparently in negotiations to reprise his role as Capt. Jack Aubrey in a new "Master and Commander" movie. Crowe first starred as the character in Peter Weir's excellent 2003 flick "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World." The actor told the AP the script is based mostly on the eleventh novel of Patrick O'Brian's series, "The Reverse of the Medal."

• Jeff Wadlow, whose credits include "Cry Wolf" and "Never Back Down," is set to direct Summit's "Arena" from a script by Toby Wagstaff and Darren Howell. The story follows a group of soldiers who must battle powerful warriors from different eras. Sounds a bit awkward to me, but okay, we'll see what happens inside the "Arena" once more information will be released. (THR)

• Last thing I heard, Marc Forster was set to direct the big-screen adaptation of Max Brooks' bestseller "World War Z," with J. Michael Straczynski writing the screenplay. According to Fangoria, Brooks said Matthew Michael Carnahan is now working on the script. Carnahan's credits include "The Kingdom" and "State of Play."