Giovanni Ribisi joins 'Gangster Squad'

Warner Bros. is currently developing "The Gangster Squad," and Giovanni Ribisi is the latest to join the crime drama which Ruben Fleischer is directing. Also on board are Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Anthony Mackie, Michael Pena and Josh Brolin.

Will Beall wrote the script, which focuses on the LAPD's gang of mercenary cops who were after gangster Micky Cohen (Penn) in the 1940s. Deadline says Ribisi will play Conway Keeler, a cop who is also a master of electronics and wires.

Ben Affleck was originally attached to direct "Squad," but Fleischer took over. As for Ribisi, he starred in "Public Enemies" and "Avatar," and he will soon be seen in "The Rum Diary," "Contrband" and "M."

'Avatar' pulls $3.5M at midnight screenings

James Cameron's 3D sci-fi epic "Avatar" delivered a solid start as it scored an estimated $3.5 million from midnight screenings Friday. The film played at 2,000 locations (85 percent of the showings were in 3D).

Of course, "Avatar" didn't come close to any midnight record holders. "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" is still No. 1 with $26.3 million, followed by "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" with $22.2 million.

Still, "Avatar" is not a sequel, and this decent midnight run may help the film score a strong opening weekend gross. The film is now playing in 2D, 3D and 3D IMAX at approximately 3,452 locations.

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New 'Avatar' stills don't show anything new

Somehow I feel I've seen these photos before, except for the ones with James Cameron in them. Anyway, the folks at Spoiler TV today posted a bunch of new photos from "Avatar," and here are some of them.

"Avatar" takes us to a spectacular new world beyond our imagination, where a reluctant hero embarks on a journey of redemption, discovery and unexpected love, as he leads a heroic battle to save a civilization.

Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Peter Mensah and Zoe Saldana star. Check out Cameron in action in the pictures below.

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Wilson, Ribisi to explore online porn in ‘Men’

Luke Wilson and Giovanni Ribisi have signed on to star in George Gallo’s “Middle Men,” an indie comedy about the origins of the Internet porn business.

Variety says the film centers on a businessman who builds an online billing company and is consequently pulled into chaotic mess involving conmen, federal agents and terrorists.

Gallo, whose credits include “Bad Boys” and “Code Name: The Cleaner,” co-wrote the script with Andy Weiss. Oxymoron Entertainment is financing the project.

Wilson is currently onscreen in “Henry Poole is Here.” He is also filming Mile Million’s comedy “Tenure.”

As for Ribisi, it’s been a while since we last saw him on the big screen. He recently wrapped filming for Michael Mann’s upcoming crime drama “Public Enemies.”