The first trailer and poster for Rob Reiner’s drama The Magic of Belle Isle have gone online.  The film stars Morgan Freeman as a famous Western novelist whose struggle with alcoholism has sapped his passion for writing. He takes a lakeside cabin for the summer in Belle Isle, where he befriends a single mom and her daughters who (naturally) help him to feel inspiration once again.  Though this is the same director as A Few Good Men and Stand By Me, Reiner’s recent output has leaned heavily toward Hallmark fare with pics like The Bucket List and Flipped, and The Magic of Belle Isle is no exception.  That said, I can say without hesitation that my mom will absolutely want to see this.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer.  The film also stars Madeline Carroll, Fred Willard, Kenan Thompson, and Kevin Pollak.  The Magic of Belle Isle will be available on iTunes on June 1st and opens in theaters on July 6th.

Oscar-nominee Virginia Madsen (Sideways) and SNL‘s Kenan Thompson are in the midst of negotiations to join director Rob Reiner’s (When Harry Met Sally) drama Summer at Dog Dave’s. Already starring Morgan Freeman, the film tells the story of a disabled author (Freeman) whose love of the sauce is reducing his creative output. According to Variety, Madsen would make a turn as Freeman’s new neighbor, a single-mother of three who befriends the author and inspires him to, well you can probably guess the outcome (hint: he starts writing again). As for Thompson, the report claims he is in talks to take on the role of Freeman’s “helpful nephew.” Apparently not helpful enough to help him overcome alcoholism, but helpful nonetheless. Production on Summer at Dog Dave’s is set to begin in New York this July with the film aiming for a 2012 release.

Kenan Thompson has been kicking around Saturday Night Live for six years now and he’s finally going to get a movie out of it.  Deadline reports that SNL‘s executive producer Lorne Michaels has set Thompson to star in the original high-concept comedy Party Starters.  SNL writer Bryan Tucker will pen the screenplay.  While I want to say that I’m grateful the movie won’t come out of Thompson’s recurring sketches, MacGruber has taught me not to write off an SNL movie before it’s fully cooked.  Classic MacGruber.

Thompson will be providing the voice of Greedy Smurf in the upcoming 3D live-action/CGI family flick The Smurfs.  To the surprise of no one, Thompson’s starring roles in Good Burger and Fat Albert did not launch his film career.

Upon first inspection, it would appear that Will Forte’s recently reported departure from Saturday Night Live is warranting a trio of comedians to replace him. However, The New York Post’s report that three new rising improv comedians are joining the cast in September suggests that more veteran departures may be on the way. Of course this is only speculation, but getting three news cast members to join the sketch comedy series while only one is leaving just seems a bit excessive and unnecessary. So who are the lucky young comedians who will be performing live from New York? Find out after the jump.

James Franco (Spider-Man and Pineapple Express) showcased Saturday Night, his all-access documentary about SNL for a New York premiere& panel at the Tribeca Film Festival on Sunday at the Directors Guild of America.  The film (which debuted at SXSW in March) is a fly-on-the wall look at the show’s production week for the December 6, 2008 episode with host John Malkovich.

Hit the jump to hear audio from a very lively panel moderated by Entertainment Weekly’s Dave Karger with Franco (who’s hosted SNL twice) and cast members: Will Forte (MacGruber), Kenan Thompson (Fat Albert) & Jenny Slate (who joined the cast nine months after the documentary was filmed).  They give away several secrets, including how Franco got unprecedented access; a big dispute over MacGruber & why Kenan Thompson didn’t think Ludacris was the most supportive host.