Just last week, we bemoaned the news that Lindsay Lohan was “in early talks” to play Elizabeth Taylor in an upcoming Lifetime movie. But now, a blabby producer has proven two points in a recent chat with E! News – one, it’s bad news to report on “early talks” and two, it’s pretty likely that big names (even tarnished ones like Lohan, especially tarnished ones like Lohan) are getting tossed out into the press to drum up interest in what will likely be a throwaway TV movie. So why keep covering this? Because I cannot wait to see how it shakes out. Larry Thompson, the executive producer of Liz and Dick reportedly told E! News that Lohan is not the only actress in talks for the role – Megan Fox is also a possibility. Thompson said, “I’ve been talking to Lindsay Lohan directly, and with her reps, and have been in conversations with other actresses, including Megan Fox.” However, Thompson reportedly gave E! News a lesson in how Hollywood works, as he “added that being in talks with more than one actress is not meant as an affront to the talent involved, but rather is simply de rigueur for projects of this nature.” Too true, Thompsy. He continued, “it’s a very serious selection. It’s like casting for Hollywood royalty.” No, it is casting for Hollywood royalty.

Paramount Pictures has released the first trailer for The Dictator, in which Sacha Baron Cohen plays a ruthless Middle Eastern dictator, something along the lines of Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi, who is sent to America in exile and must live among the infidels. It’s what one might call a brave move, if this weren’t another Sacha Baron Cohen and Larry Charles joint. It’s safe to assume that Cohen is trying to create this modern generation’s version of Chaplin’s The Great Dictator, but with far more hairy Kardashians jokes.

Judd Apatow’s fourth feature film is set to be a sort-of sequel to his 2007 effort Knocked Up. No, it doesn’t have anything to do with the main protagonists that Katherine Heigl and Seth Rogen played in that film, but instead it’s supposed to focus on the married couple that was brought to life by Apatow’s real life wife Leslie Mann and that delightful Paul Rudd. Once he got his story down and his principle couple locked in, Apatow then needed to dig into his deep bag of comedic actors to fill out the supporting roles. We’ve already reported that he’s signed on Bridesmaids breakout Melissa McCarthy to join the cast, and apparently he picked up Megan Fox somewhere along the way as well because today comes some Fox related news that I’m super stoked about. When it comes to my current man crushes, Paul Rudd is up there pretty high at the top of the list, but even closer to the tippy top is Jason Segel; and according to a picture that Fox uploaded to her Facebook account, it’s looking like Segel is on set to reprise his so-into-Leslie-Mann-it’s-ridiculous role from the first film.

What is Movie News After Dark? It’s a nightly movie news and commentary column that is a little disoriented at the moment. But don’t worry, it will find its way. Oh, there’s a few Michael Bay-related stories to talk about. That’s so much better… With the release of Transformers: Dark of the Moon happening this evening at 9pm or midnight or whatever, there’s been a lot of talk about Michael Bay, the most divisive man in cinema (at the moment). Today brought several must-reads, including GQ’s Oral history of Michael Bay exposé, which chronicles the life and times of the man who demands it all to be awesome. I also enjoyed this defense of Michael Bay piece by Jacob Hall at Movies.com. It’s a delightful look at the internal struggle movie-lovers face when confronted with pure, unfiltered awesome.

What is Movie News After Dark? It doesn’t even know anymore… Megan Fox and John C. Reilly are tonight’s lead story. The choice of lead image was bound to be a sexy one. And as you can see, I believe I’ve made the right choice. He’s almost too sexy. Anyway, he’ll be starring alongside the outcast Transformers actress in Sacha Baron Cohen’s The Dictator. No word on what role either will play in the story of a Middle Eastern dictator who ends up in the U.S., where no one cares who he is.

What is Movie News After Dark? It’s a nightly movie news column that rounds up junk and stuff. It also likes J.J. Abrams’ movies, but not so much that it can’t laugh at them, as well. It is also currently being written by an author who is distracted with Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules. It’s surprisingly charming. Geek icon Simon Pegg released a book recently, “Nerd Do Well,” chronicling his life as a now-famous nerd. Personally, I can’t wait to read it. In the mean time, one passage about George Lucas and the Star Wars prequels has become a topic of discussion. Did Lucas apologize for the prequels? That’s the question of the day.

What is Movie News After Dark? It’s a nightly thing about movie stuff. Tonight’s edition features mini-ninjas, talk about naked pictures of Blake Lively, Sly Stallone set to music, an explanation of who Jane Lynch is, a joke about Michael Bay, an even less funny joke about Blake Lively and a profile of Richard Ayoade. That and more, we assure you. Above you will see something I never thought we’d lead with in a Movie News After Dark entry: someone’s grave stone. But there it is, the resting place of actor Leslie Nielsen. Modest, simple and complete with one last fart joke for the road. Nielsen may not have lasted forever, but his penchant for the fart joke will forever stay in our hearts.

If there was an official casting announcement naming Megan Fox as MGM’s pick to play the blood-covered lead in Carrie, there might be something to get upset about. After all, it’s difficult to imagine the kind of top-rate work that would have to be done just to make her look like a homely outcast (Sissy Spacek didn’t look like a porn star for the role), not to mention the vapid air that counts for Fox’s delivery. However, since an inside source is claiming she wants to get more serious as an actor and make Carrie part of that plan, it’s fun to brainstorm how that might be possible. What would it take to make Megan Fox rock that role? It’s not worth getting worked up over though as some are prone to do. The official rumor, according to Bloody Disgusting, is that Fox is aiming for the role as a big fan of the original film and as a big fan of being paid money for talking and walking while being filmed. No word yet on what sticky, pig-based substances she likes to be covered in while earning that check. This is just a public service announcement for anyone who just turned as red as a bucket to remember that actors talk about wanting roles all the time. Usually when they have to talk this publicly about that desire, they’re looking at long odds. On the other hand, it’s harmless fun to imagine her in the role. Just make sure [Due to Content Scraping and Theft, we have been forced to try abbreviated feeds. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and woud very much appreciate you clicking through to view the full article on FilmSchoolRejects.com]

As we all already know, Judd Apatow is taking the characters created by Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann in Knocked Up and giving them their own story. Now, The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that negotiations are happening for Megan Fox to join the cast in some capacity. What exactly that capacity is, is still a production secret, but the typecasting options aren’t really numerous. She could play a sexy temptress for Paul Rudd to get sexily tempted by, she could play a slutty babysitter for Paul Rudd to be tempted by, or she could play a rocket scientist teaching philosophy at the local college who acts as a stirring mentor figure who dispenses wisdom just at the right moment. In all honesty, and without sarcasm, the big question is whether Megan Fox can do character-based comedy. She made fun of herself in a Funny or Die video a while back, but that doesn’t exactly translate to playing a role with some of the best comedic improvisers in the business. The apathetic smugness of her line delivery in every other flick she’s in doesn’t seem like it works for comedy. Unless she takes it over the top. That’s it. She can play a ridiculously apathetic rocket scientist.

What is Movie News After Dark? This is a question that I am almost never asked, but I will answer it for you anyway. Movie News After Dark is FSR’s newest late-night secretion, a column dedicated to all of the news stories that slip past our daytime editorial staff and make it into my curiously chubby RSS ‘flagged’ box. It will (but is not guaranteed to) include relevant movie news, links to insightful commentary and other film-related shenanigans. I may also throw in a link to something TV-related here or there. It will also serve as my place of record for being both charming and sharp-witted, but most likely I will be neither of the two. I write this stuff late at night, what do you expect?

With the Transformers franchise behind her and Jonah Hex falling in line as yet another headlined bomb, Megan Fox is looking to move on to greener pastures. And by greener, I’m of course referring to pastures full of lesbian sex and violence. She wants to play the role of Sarah Rainmaker in Gen 13, a movie that isn’t even remotely in development. Go figure.

If your favorite part of the theater-going experience is the trailers this weekend holds a special treat for you. Head down to your local cineplex, buy a ticket for Splice or Get Him To the Greek, and then sneak into a showing of Jonah Hex. At under eighty minutes it’s a little long for a traditional trailer, and it gives away too much of the ending, but the brief hints of big action, effects, and fun will really get you excited for when the actual movie is released.

This week, Fat Guy Kevin Carr opens up his toy box to look at Toy Story 3D and Jonah Hex.

Kevin and Neil meet up in the miraculously bird-free Magical Studio in the Sky to gush over the latest Pixar release – Toy Story 3. They also shrug their shoulders at Jonah Hex, not having had a chance to review it at the time of recording.

I honestly can’t remember where I was going with this article. I believe it has something to do with Michael Bay. Ah yes, Victoria’s Secret has decided to congratulate model Rosie Huntington-Whitely on her acquisition of a lead role in Transformers 3.

For the most part, we don’t get into the world of surgically enhanced pseudo-celebrities and their tabloid level life events. However, this one is just too strange to pass up.

IGN has debuted a new trailer for the upcoming Warner Bros. release Jonah Hex. And while the production has been marred by reports of re-shoots, editing problems and a list of creative differences longer than its eventual credit roll, this new trailer could give fans a bit of hope.

This week, on a very special episode of Reject Radio, we talk with Mystery Team director Dan Eckman about piracy, hot women casting, and what the cool kids are wearing for Halloween this year.

The first thing we need to do for Victoria’s Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is get her a nickname. Because having to type Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is going to get a little old.

To be honest, we were just way too busy positing alternate actresses to replace Megan Fox in Transformers 3 that we had not time to think about who might actually end up in the movie. This and more in today’s B-Roll.