The first trailer Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters has been released.  The first Percy Jackson received mixed critical response and lukewarm box office, but the sequel seems to be retaining the same tone even though Thor Freudenthal (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) has replaced Chris Columbus at the helm.  Hopefully, the sequel will have a better plot, but since this trailer appears to give away a lot of the movie, it already looks overcrowded with the best moment belonging to Nathan Fillion, who plays Hermes.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer.  The film stars Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario, Brandon T. Jackson, Stanley Tucci, Douglas Smith, Leven Rambin, Missi Pyle, Yvette Nicole Brown, and Mary Birdsong.  Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters opens in 3D on August 16th.

When we invent screenwriting programs that can write a screenplay from start to finish, it will crank out something like Chasing Mavericks.  The script is so cynically calculated in its plot beats and character motivations that it’s easy to forget the story is based on a person’s real life.  The biopic of surfing prodigy Jay Moriarty comes off as a disservice to his memory as his character, like everyone else in the movie, is one-dimensional and saddled with stilted dialogue.  The only times when Mavericks truly comes alive is when it embraces the act of surfing; everything else is a wipeout.

Here’s a quick look at the highlights of our most recent movie casting roundup:

• Gemma Arterton (Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time) will star in Relativity’s dark comedy/thriller, The Wright Girls.
• Ryan Merriman (Final Destination 3) joins the Jackie Robinson biopic, 42.
• Leven Rambin (The Hunger Games) stars opposite Logan Lerman in Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters.
• David Henrie (Wizards of Waverly Place) joins Taylor Lautner opposite Adam Sandler and company in Grown Ups 2.

Hit the jump for more on each project.

Calling all Hunger Games fans: we’ve got a good deal of Panem-related material to wade through today. A batch of new images and an IMAX banner from the film have been released, and Lionsgate announced that advanced tickets for the film go on sale tomorrow. Additionally, the studio is planning a national mall tour to give fans a chance to meet the actors from the film at their local shopping mecca. Director Gary Ross, stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth and more will be popping up at malls across the country to participate in fan Q&A’s. I’m not exactly sure The Hunger Games needs a mall tour in order to drum up awareness (it feels very 80s pop star), but I guess it gives superfans a chance to interact with the cast.

Hit the jump to check out the images and banner, as well as the full list of participating mall tour cities which includes information on which actors will be at which events. The Hunger Games opens March 23rd.

We have a couple of quick casting stories for you this afternoon.  First up, Robert Knepper has joined Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges in Robert Schwentke’s supernatural action flick R.I.P.D. The story centers on two deceased cops (Reynolds and Bridges) who come back to Earth to police rogue spirits (known as “Deados”) who refuse to depart our world. According to Heat Vision, Knepper, who is probably best known for his role as creepy hick Theodore ‘T-Bag’ Bagwell on Prison Break, will play a “Deado” although the size of his character’s role is unknown.  The film is currently filming in Boston and also stars Kevin Bacon, Mary Louise-Parker, Stephanie Szostak, Marissa Miller, and James Hong.  R.I.P.D. is set to open on June 28, 2013.

Hit the jump for casting news on Curtis Hanson’s surfing biopic Mavericks.

It’s a slow news day so here’s some minor casting news: Paula Malcomson (Deadwood) has been cast as the mother of protagonist Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and her younger sister Primrose (Willow Shields) in The Hunger Games.  According to Heat Vision, Mrs. Everdeen “is grieving after her husband’s death, living in fear that her daughters will participate in the deadly Hunger Games.”  I haven’t read the books so I don’t know how major the role is, but Malcomson was tremendous on Deadwood so I’m glad to see her nab a role in a major flick like this.

Casting for the movie has been chugging along the past several weeks with Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Amandla Stenberg, Dayo Okeniyi, Leven Rambin, and Jack Quaid having joined the project thus far.  Elizabeth Banks is currently in talks to play the role of Effie.  Hit the jump for the official synopsis.  The Hunger Games opens March 23, 2012.

Lionsgate has sent out a press release announcing that newcomer Willow Shields has landed the role of Primrose Everdeen in Gary Ross’ adaptation of The Hunger Games.  Primrose is the younger sister of protagonist Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawerence).  When Primrose is selected to fight as one of District 12′s tributes in the deadly Hunger Games, Katniss volunteers to take her sister’s place.  Said Ross of casting Shields, “It’s so exciting to find an amazing young actress like the one we just met.  Prim is an emotionally demanding role and in many ways she is the cornerstone of the story.  Willow Shields will make an amazing Prim and we’re very lucky to have her.”

The film also stars Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Dayo Okeniyi, Amandla Stenberg, Jack Quaid, Leven Rambin, and possibly Elizabeth Banks.  Hit the jump for the official synopsis.  The Hunger Games is set to open on March 23, 2012.

Lionsgate is revealing all of the actors cast as District tributes in The Hunger Games.  The lead characters are from District 12: Katniss (played by Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson).  Yesterday, we learned that newcomers Dayo Okeniyi and Amanda Stenberg would play District 11 tributes Thresh and Rue.  Today, the official Facebook page for the movie has revealed that Jack Quaid and Leven Rambin have been cast as District 1 tributes Marvel and Glimmer. The cast also includes Liam Hemsworth as Katniss’ friend Gale, and Elizabeth Banks is in talks to play Effie Trinket, “a flaky bureaucrat who escorts her district’s young death-match contestants to their fate.”

Hit the jump for the official synopsis.  The Hunger Games opens March 23, 2012.

As a science fiction nerd, I was onboard Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles at the word “Terminator”.  The show focuses on the bond between Sarah and her son John as they work together with the first cute Terminator, Cameron, to stave off Armageddon.  Were they successful?  Was it entertaining?  More after the jump.