1. The Independence Day sequel is happening with or without Will Smith
We're less than two years away from the planned sequel to 90s blockbuster Independence Day, but it's still unclear whether or not Will Smith will return to welcome the aliens back to Earth — and screenwriter Jamie Vanderbilt has adjusted by writing two entirely separate versions of the script: One with Smith's character, and one without. But don't worry, Independence Day fans; if Smith refuses to participate, they could always just re-release After Earth and call it Independence Day 2, since it's not like anybody saw it the first time around. [Indiewire]
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2. J.J. Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan are taking over the Star Wars: Episode VII screenplay
There's no piece of Star Wars: Episode VII news that's too small to drive fans into a frenzy — so the announcement that J.J. Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan would take over scripting duties from screenwriter Michael Arndt caused a minor internet meltdown yesterday. No explanation was made for the change, but Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy assured fans that Arndt "has done a terrific job bringing [the film] to this point" — so there's no reason to have a bad feeling about Episode VII just yet. [The Hollywood Reporter]
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3. New Zealand is putting The Hobbit on its stamps and money
Director Peter Jackson almost singlehandedly made the Lord of the Rings franchise the entire GDP of New Zealand — so it's fitting that even the country's stamps and money will bear the characters from the popular film franchise when The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug hits theaters. The Los Angeles Times reports that the special coins, which will bear the likenesses of Bilbo Baggins, Smaug, Thranduril, and others will be available later this year — so tourists can use Lord of the Rings junk to buy even more Lord of the Rings junk. [Los Angeles Times]
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4. Cliver Barker is rebooting the Hellraiser franchise
There are no less than nine movies already in the Hellraiser franchise, which you'd think would be more than enough to tell a story about a weird pale monster guy in bondage gear. But because this is how Hollywood works now, we're getting a reboot story. The Wrap adds that original Hellraiser writer/director Clive Barker will return for the reboot, alongside original star Doug Bradley — so there's even less of a reason not to just watch the original again. [The Wrap]
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5. Katie Holmes is on Twitter now
Over the past few years, Twitter has become an increasingly valuable platform for celebrities who want to increase their #promotional and #branding opportunities in the most half-assed way possible. The latest celebrity to join up? Katie Holmes, who has already used her new handle @KatieHolmes212 to name-check her partnership with BobbiBrown Cosmetics and promote her upcoming film adaptation of The Giver. The messages aren't exactly illuminating — but she already has 20,000 followers and counting, because that's what happens when you're a famous person. [E! Online]
