Tough guy with a heart-of-gold Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is continuing his association with Disney by being the first actor cast in the reboot of "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." Directed by McG and produced by Sam Raimi, it’s set for a 2010 release.

Hmmm, interesting because I read earlier this year that Will Smith was in contention for the movie. Seeing as there are two main leads – Captain Nemo and Ned Land – there’s still room for Smith in there. We don’t know which role Johnson has, but it seems like maybe he’d be Land and, if cast, Smith would be Nemo…? Any predictions there?

The plot, as unveiled by Disney: "A fugitive whaler teams up with a naturalist, a mysterious woman, and a captain of a futuristic submarine, to search for a lost underwater civilization that holds libraries of vast knowledge and a weapon with the power to destroy mankind."

And way to go, McG! From "Terminator Salvation" to "20,000 Leagues" … I’m sure he can use a little lighter fare after the intensity of "Terminator."

Image: PR Photos

Jackie Chan is nothing if not prolific. The Asian action-star just booked his 100th movie. He’ll star in and direct "Chinese Zodiac," an action flick centered on a series of treasure hunts across the globe that are linked with a major event in Chinese history.

Not only is it Chan’s 100th movie, but it’s also the first time he’s directed a film since 1998’s "Who Am I?"

But before that, he’ll begin shooting "Kung Fu Kid" in June in China, a remake of "The Karate Kid" starring Jaden Smith, son of Will Smith, who’s also producing the film.

It’s amazing to me that Jackie Chan has continued to make the same type of movie for his entire career. Most movie stars venture into other genres or politics or whatever, and while I’m sure Chan has plenty of other ventures, they’re all based on his particular brand: Asian action star.

You’ve gotta wonder how long he’ll be able to continue. He’s 55 right now, but he can’t keep up the martial arts action forever.

Image Credit: Amazon.com

That crazy little pup known as Marley hit DVD this week. It’s a great movie, but I thought it was too intense for a PG rating and should have been rated PG-13. Do you agree with me?

New on DVD this week:

Marley and Me (single-disc and 2-Disc Bad Boy Edition). Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston star in this real-life story about a couple and their unruly dog. [Film Gecko Review] [Trailer] [Official Site] [Buy Single-Disc] [Buy 2-Disc]

Seven Pounds. Will Smith stars in this mysterious movie about a guy who grants strangers wishes in order to atone for a past mistake. But when he falls in love with a woman with heart problems (Rosario Dawson), his plan starts to unravel. [Trailer] [Official Site] [Buy It]

Slumdog Millionaire. Danny Boyle directed this touching story about an 18 year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai who’s competing on India’s "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" Amazon is running a note that some of the DVDs are missing the special features. So if yours doesn’t include special features, call their hotline at (888) 223-4FOX to receive a replacement DVD. [Trailer] [Official Site] [Buy DVD] [Buy Video on Demand ($14.99)]

Image: Amazon.com

The stars came out in full force for the 22nd annual Kids’ Choice Awards. Check out the highlights and winners here. I snagged a few videos of the stars on the red carpet. It’s mostly paparazzi stuff, but kinda fun:

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LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 28: Actress Megan Fox arrives at Nickelodeon’s 2009 Kids’ Choice Awards at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion on March 28, 2009 in Westwood, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

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Nickelodeon’s 22nd annual Kids’ Choice Awards was on last night, and host Dwayne Johnson made quite the entrance, sailing in on a zip line and landing smack dab center stage, a.k.a. the Slime Pyramid. Whoever thought up the whole slime theme for these awards knew what they were doing!

A few highlights:

Favorite TV Show: Nick’s "iCarly," starring Miranda Cosgrove.

Favorite Animated Voice: Jack Black, for voicing the title role in Dreamworks’ "Kung Fu Panda." He arrived onstage in a motorcycle sidecar, saying "Skadoosh! I am touched, I am moved, I am pumped, and I am jazzed. I promise you will try my hardest to make ‘Kung Fu Panda 2′ even more awesome than that first one."

Favorite Movie Actor: Will Smith

Favorite Actress: Vanessa Hudgens, who thanked her little sister Stella "for asking all her friends at school to vote."

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Spike Lee and his production company, 40 Acres and a Mule, has nabbed the rights to "Now the Hell Will Start," a nonfiction book written by Brendan Koerner. Check out the book’s Web site here.

The true story follows Herman Perry, a black Army private during World War II who snapped and went AWOL after shooting an unarmed white lieutenant. Instead of facing the gallows, he ran deep into the Southeast Asian jungle and ended up living with the natives.

I haven’t read the book, but it sounds like a great story that will make a fantastic movie with Spike Lee at the helm. I wonder who they’ll get to play the main character. I kind of hope it’s not Will Smith, because I can’t really see him in that role.

I picture someone more like Derek Luke (pictured). In fact, I’d bet that he might end up in the role, because “Miracle at St. Anna,” in which Luke starred, was also a 40 Acres and a Film movie.

Any thoughts on that? Think I’m right?

Image: Miracle at St. Anna, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, 2008

I finally sat down and watched "I Am Legend" tonight. It’s a pretty good movie, and has some intense, nightmarish scenes, too. It stars Will Smith as Robert Neville, a scientist in New York City who has survived a virus that’s taken out most of the population.

The ones who are left have mutated into these super-strong, ghoulish-looking beings who seem to feel no pain. And they prey on the few human survivors who are left, and eat them to survive. Neville is a scientist who’s working on a cure for the virus, and encounters a woman and child who survived, too. Somewhat gruesome overall, but a great production, and Will Smith is great, as always.

THE GIVEAWAY: I have one "I Am Legend" Ultimate Collector’s Edition to give away ($36.99 value). It’s an awesome set for sci-fi and/or Will Smith fans. The three-disc box set includes two versions of the movie, one with a controversial ending; a digital copy of the film; four animated comics; 12 never-before-seen deleted scenes along with filmmaker’s commentary; a 44-page concept sketch book; a lucite commemorative piece featuring images from the movie; and hours of featurettes covering filming on the aircraft carrier Intrepid, canine training, making New York City look deserted, assistance provided by the U.S. Military, and the integration of CGI images with live action footage.

TO ENTER: To enter the contest, simply leave a comment on this post by midnight on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2009. Be sure to include a valid email address. A winner will be drawn randomly. I’ll email the winner for their snail-mail address after the contest ends. Good luck!

Image: Amazon.com

What if you were a loser (hypothetically speaking, because no Film Gecko reader is a loser), and found a book on how to prevent an alien invasion of the Earth? And then had to use that knowledge when one actually occurs?

Such is the premise of “The How-To Guide for Saving the World,” an action comedy picked up by MGM with Barry Sonnenfeld attached to direct and produce.

Apparently, the script by BenDavid Grabinski landed enough votes among execs to make this year’s unofficial Black List of “most liked” screenplays.

More after the jump…

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I love that Will Smith. I’m tellin’ ya, he just seems like a straight-up guy who really wants the best for himself, his family, and everyone around him. I’d like Will Smith to be MY friend! Check out this clip of Will at the premiere of his new movie, “Seven Pounds.” Watch the “Seven Pounds” trailer here.

Horton Hears a Who. Dr. Seuss’s classic 1954 book comes to life, with Steve Carell and Jim Carrey just a few of the actors offering voice talent. [Gecko Review] [Official Site]

The Dark Knight. Heath Ledger just got a Golden Globe nod for his turn as “The Joker.” The best Batman flick so far. [Gecko Review] [Official Site]

I Am Legend: Ultimate Collector’s Edition. Wow, this awesome DVD set includes tons of extras. Read more here, and check out the bonus features after the jump…

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