Francis Lawrence, who directed I Am Legend and Water For Elephants, is the official choice to direct the sequel to The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, replacing the now-departed Gary Ross. It was down to Lawrence (no relation to the movie’s star, Jennifer Lawrence) and Bennett Miller (Moneyball), but it came down to whose schedule would best accommodate their November 2013 release date. We won’t get upset that Lionsgate couldn’t have thought outside the box and chosen a female director, but allow us a moment to wallow for exactly five seconds over this missed opportunity. 5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … 1. Okay! Moving on.

I thought this debate was over a few months ago after actor Liam Neeson talked to the press about being on the set of Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises. Apparently I was wrong. About the arguing, not about the fact that Neeson is actually in the film. Which he 100% is. How do we know for sure? Read on! 

The public outcry over the harsh R rating for the documentary Bully has hit a new level and headed straight to the Washington, D.C., headquarters of the people who granted that rating, the Motion Picture Association of America. In an attempt to quell criticism over the rating — which prevents the people who need to see this movie from seeing without adult supervision — the MPAA held a screening and panel discussion to try to convince the highly-influential guests who were invited (including Congressional Representatives) why the R rating was sound. The opposite happened, and now the MPAA is under fire on its own turf.

Disney‘s The Snow Queen was languishing in development hell for a while until it was finally abandoned in 2010. But just around Christmas, it was announced that the movie had been revived, under a different title, Frozen, with concept art and everything! And things are moving right along for Disney’s Frozen — they’ve found their lead, and it’s Kristen Bell! She will provide both the speaking and singing voice for what is being called the “lead” character. But which character will that be?

Camilla d’Errico‘s career began at Comic Con 1998, and has continued through companies like Image and Dark Horse Comics, through collaborations and individual work, painting and self-publishing her own graphic novels. But today d’Errico is revealing her new art book with Dark Horse Comics

as a follow-up to her very sucessful Femina & Fauna. Helmetgirls will showcase the art that inspired her upcoming Helmetgirls: Origins series. To d’Errico, the book represents is her “signature work” that defines her as an artist. See exclusive art from the upcoming book and an interview our very own Jill Pantozzi conducted with d’Errico below!

We reported on the intense round of harassment leveled at BioWare writer Jennifer Hepler recently, due to a number of quotes that were mostly fake, but, when true (and still half a decade old), were made regarding her opinions on how to improve the inclusivity of games to people outside the demographic of “hardcore gamers.” The fact that Hepler herself has a voice in the games industry but neither identifies as hardcore nor fits the narrow, stereotypical but prevalent stereotype of the hardcore gamer (a relatively young, usually single, usually white, straight male), undoubtedly increased her perceived threat to the strangers who called her home phone and called for her to commit suicide on Twitter. In the wake of it, many called upon BioWare itself to make an official statement denouncing the treatment she’d received from a segment people who claimed to speak for “real gamers.”

Well, BioWare has, with words and money.

Marvel has found someone with epic credentials to direct Thor 2 — Alan Taylor, best known for directing episodes of HBO‘s Game of Thrones, will take over for Patty Jenkins, who departed the project earlier this month. Taylor was one of two directors in the final running to take over the superhero sequel, ultimately beating out Daniel Minahan, who also directed episodes of Game of Thrones. But what the world is surely going to wonder now is whether or not this will please Natalie Portman.

Okay, you guys. It’s not embeddable, but it It is official: The official trailer for The Dark Knight Rises is here. That thing you’ve seen as a bootleg today following its appearance before Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows is in its full legitimate glory — and you can watch it by clicking here. UPDATE: Or, you can just follow us after the jump and watch it right here!

When Steven Moffat said that he’d be taking Doctor Who in another direction in the future, he failed to mention whether or not that meant a new companion — or set of companions — for the Doctor. Until he spoke after a screening of this year’s Christmas special, when he confirmed that the Doctor would be meeting “a new friend” and that the Ponds days were numbered. And it was going to be “heartbreaking.” You know, Steven Moffat has a funny way of spreading Christmas cheer …

Doctor Who Season 6 was released on DVD and blu-ray last week and it was revealed in Doctor Who Magazine back in September that the next season of the hit BBC show probably wouldn’t begin until Autumn of 2012. Now showrunner Steven Moffat is telling us it’s because of what goes along with that time of year. And well, he forgot about that other half of the world where the sun hits differently…