Awesome trailer for 'Black Swan' arrives!

Wow! Here is the first trailer for Darren Aronofsky's upcoming thriller "Black Swan," and it looks pretty darn intriguing in my book. Watch it after the jump and I will guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Natalie Portman plays an experienced ballerina who's having a hard time dealing with a rival dancer (Mila Kunis). As the story develops, Portman's character is not sure whether what she experiences is real.

Sounds weird, and as this preview shows, it looks weird. Still, "Black Swan" seems to be a beautifully photographed film filled with great performances and a mysterious plot, and that's how I like it.

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Vincent Cassel returns in 'Eastern Promises 2'

Here's a piece of good news: Vincent Cassel will return in "Eastern Promises." This according to the folks at Coming Soon, who spoke with the actor recently. David Cronenberg is developing the sequel.

"We talked very seriously about 'Eastern Promises 2' and it's going to be shot in Russia with Viggo and myself," Cassel said. Viggo Mortensen will return as well. No start date has been set for the sequel yet.

Cronenberg is not a big fans of sequels, but he's fully on board for this one. "Eastern Promises" really delivered the goods, and I can't wait to see the gang back together. Cassel also stars in "Black Swan."

Aronofsky's 'Black Swan' opens Venice Film Fest

Darren Aronofsky's upcoming thriller "Black Swan" has been selected to open the 67th Venice International Film Festival, which kicks off Sept. 1, 2010 and runs through September 11.

Natalie Portman plays an experienced ballerina who's having a hard time dealing with a rival dancer (Mila Kunis). As the story develops, Portman's character is not sure whether what she experiences is real.

Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey and Winona Ryder co-star in the film written by Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz and John McLaughlin. Aronofsky won the Golden Lion in Venice in 2008 for "The Wrestler."

Rourke, Braga, Cassel join '11 Minutes'

Mickey Rourke, Alice Braga and Vincent Cassel are ready to star in Hany Abu-Assad's "11 Minutes," the big-screen adaptation of Paulo Coehlo's novel.

According to Variety, Braga is on board to play a girl who becomes an expensive call girl after she's betrayed by her first lover and loses faith in romance.

Cassel plays a music producer who introduces her to the world of S&M, while Rourke is set to play the owner of the gentlemen's clup she's working at.

Hany Abu-Assad is known for directing the utterly intriguing terrorist tale "Paradise Now."

Rourke, of course, is currently onscreen in "The Wrestler." He's got "The Informers," "The Expendables" and "13" coming up soon.

French actor Cassel was seen in "Eastern Promises" and "Ocean's Thirteen." As for Braga, she appeared in "Blindness" and will soon be seen in "Repossession Mambo."

Orlando Bloom joins Niccol's 'The Cross'

Orlando Bloom, Vincent Cassel and Olga Kurylenko are set to join "The Cross."

According to Variety, "Bloom plays a man seeking to cross a mysterious border, something no one else has achieved."

Cassel will play a guard who tries to prevent Bloom form achieving his goal. Kurylenko will take the female lead, but details about her role are unknown at this stage.

The trade also says the project is produced on a $24 million budget, with production set to start this summer in Australia.

This is obviously not Niccol's first visit to the sci-fi genre. He kicked off his directorial career in 1997 with "Gattaca," followed by "S1m0ne." Most recently, he helmed the enjoyable thriller "Lord of War."

As far as Orlando Bloom is concerned, he was last seen in "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End." Dang, that was ages ago. He's got "New York, I Love You" and "Sympathy for Delicious" coming up.

The good-looking Kurylenko, of course, last starred in "Quantum of Solace."