It's not only an honor just to be nominated for an Academy Award; it's a major career boost.  Jeremy Renner, who received a nomination for Best Actor, is now receiving--like most first-time nominees in the major categories--a slew of offers.  The New York Times reports that Renner's next project will be director James McTeigue's (V for Vendetta)  indie period piece/thriller Raven with Ewan McGregor in talks to co-star.  The film is based on Edgar Allen Poe's famous poem, but set in 1850's Baltimore with a serial killer whose crimes mirror Poe's work.  He spoke about the project in greater depth when Steve interviewed him back in November.

But the bigger news is that two blockbuster projects, both of which are set to shoot this summer, are competing to get the actor.  First, there's Peter Berg's Battleship, based on the board game but told as a naval-warfare story against aliens.  Then there's a "secret project" where Renner has had five meetings to discuss playing the role, but he declined to say what it was.  That "secret project" has to be something massive if it's enough to make Renner think twice about starring in a movie as big as Battleship.