Clive Barker's Latest Film Projects
Clive Barker was originally tapped to direct the Arnold flick End of Days but decided to pass. He recently told IGN magazine that he didn't regret that decision and he has a full load of film projects in the making. First up is the film adaptation of his 1992 novel The Thief of Always "It's in good shape," Barker said. "I have a meeting at Universal tomorrow (December 15) on that very thing. Though the issues we're looking at right now are exactly how it's going to be done. There is some argument as to whether it will be entirely CGI -- Toy Story style -- or a mixture of live action and CGI. Presumably we will make up our minds tomorrow."

Although Barker doesn't plan to direct Thief, he is working on a new film he will both write and direct. It's an as-yet-untitled horror project for New Line, rumored to be an American gothic horror tale.

Barker also mentioned another possibility to IGN regarding a future film project revolving around his groundbreaking collection of short horror fiction, the Books of Blood. "Those are written, actually," he verifies. "Bill Condon (director of Gods and Monsters, which Barker executive produced) has written one of them and it's tremendous."

And what about any new novels? Barker gave a glimpse of one of those too. He has plans to release a short novel on his experiences in Tinseltown. "I'm writing a short novel right now. It's a book about Hollywood...a book, which is primarily reality-based, that is to say that it doesn't go off to any alternative world or anything, but has a touch of the supernatural about it, but just a touch." We wouldn't expect anything less from our Hellraiser Hero.

Anthony Hopkins Singing On for Hannibal?
In a recent interview with the Popcorn movie website, Anthony Hopkins reportedly told the site that he is signing on again as Hannibal Lecter in Hannibal. Hopkins said he likes scripter Steven Zillian's new version of Thomas Harris' controversial ending.

Blade's David Goyer Scripting Freddy vs. Jason?
Horror Online reports that during an online chat, Robert Englund, (Freddy Krueger) said that the film Freddy vs. Jason would "most definitely" be made. Englund went on to say the following: "The powers that be want this to be done right. They've already been in bed with, and consulted with, talents as diverse as Rob Bottin, the great special effects creator, as a potential director...the newest draft of Freddy vs. Jason is being readied by the screenwriter of one of my favorite films of two years ago, Blade. So scream it out on the Internet - the screenwriter of Blade is now doing the final draft of Freddy vs. Jason. I have been promised by the absolute power at New Line Cinema that we are going to start, at least in pre-production, in February! So we might have a Freddy 2000."

"I think Freddy vs. Jason is a new interpretation of the franchise, especially since New Line Cinema secured the rights to the Friday the 13th films," Englund said. "I'd imagine that this would be the finale. Though there might be more Friday the 13th films - I don't know. I've heard a rumor that there will be two endings to Freddy vs. Jason - Freddy will win in one, and Jason will win in another. And the audience will never know what ending they'll see, because they'll change the last reel."