The 3PM Dispatch: Avatar Sued, Awards, Spike Lee, Thor 2

James Cameron Sued For Ripping Off 'Avatar'. Not By 'Fern Gully' But By Former Employee.
The Hollywood Reporter have the scoop that a former employee of James Cameron is suing him for ripping off Avatar. Eric Ryder claims he spent two years writing a movie called K.R.Z 2068, creating treatments, photos, 3D imagery and character elements while working at Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment. His treatment was "an environmentally-themed 3D epic about a corporation's colonisation and plundering of a distant moon's lush and wonderous natural setting". Ryder says he had an "implicit agreement" that the company wouldn't exploit his material without compensating and crediting him. He then claims that in 2002 Lightstorm told him that his movie could not be made because "no one would be interested in an environmentally themed science fiction film". 

Another Star Turns Down Spike Lee.
TwitchFilm has reported that Colin Firth is the latest star to turn down the main villain role in Spike Lee's remake of the South Korean thriller Oldboy.

Return To The Blue Lagoon. Again.
America's Lifetime channel is making a "contemporary" remake of the Brooke Shields' 1980s romance/adventure The Blue Lagoon. In 1991 Milla Jovovich starred in a sequel/rehash.

Awards! Here's Some More Winners...
The New York Film Critics Online have handed out their awards. Black and white silent film The Artist won Best Picture, Michael Shannon won Best Actor for Take Shelter and The Iron Lady's Meryl Streep took out Best Actress. Comedy Bridesmaids won Best Ensemble Cast.

Awards! Here's Some More More Winners...
The Boston Society of Film Critics have also bestowed Best Picture honours on The Artist. Their Best Actor was Brad Pitt for Moneyball and Best Actress was Michelle Williams for My Week With Marilyn. Martin Scorsese won Best Director for his 3D family adventure Hugo.

Marvel Looking At Television Directors For 'Thor 2'
The Hollywood Reporter bring word that Marvel Studios is looking at either Alan Taylor of Daniel Minahan to direct Thor 2. Both men are television directors who have been working on the popular series Game Of Thrones.  

Today In Superheroes: Criminals beware, Iron Baby is coming for you!

Today In Trivia: The studio wanted to cast either Matt Damon or Jake Gyllenhaal in Avatar's lead role of Jake Sully, however director James Cameron decided to go with an unknown and cast Sam Worthington in the role.

Today's Bad Movie Tagline: The tagline for Sam Worthington's 2011's crime-drama Texas Killing Fields: "Once in... There's no way out." I thought the Hotel California was in California, not Texas....

Happy Birthday:  Hailee Steinfeld. True Grit's breakout star is 15 today.

TODAY'S POLL
Did you like 'Avatar'?
The subject of robust discussion when Flicks went down to the pub was whether the tree-hugging sci-fi flick was actually any good. So tell us, did you like it?

The poll results will be in Tuesday's edition of The 3PM Dispatch.

Friday's Poll Results
Flicksters are not looking forward to the return of Jigsaw and his torturous traps...

Out of today's movie news which do you consider the worst?
34.25% - Another Saw sequel
24.66% - American Psycho remake.
21.92% - Top Gun sequel
10.96% - Kathrine Heiquel thriller
04.11% - Les Mis remake
02.74% - The Man From U.N.C.L.E
01.37% - None, it's all good!