The cast of Wes Craven’s upcoming fourth installment of the hugely successful Scream franchise has just grown by one more. Emma Roberts (Valentine’s Day, Hotel For Dogs and the upcoming It’s Kind of a Funny Story) will join returning original cast members Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox and David Arquette in Scream 4, which is also being scripted by original Scream writer Kevin Williamson.

Roberts will play “Jill,” one of the heroines in the new film and probably help solve yet another series of grisly murders perpetrated on the citizens of Woodsboro. Poor citizens. Obviously, Roberts is thrilled at the news.

“I am so excited to be part of this ground-breaking franchise,” said Roberts. “As a huge fan of the previous films, I jumped at the opportunity to work with the original Scream team of Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson. It’s the perfect opportunity for me to do something completely different than I’ve ever done before. With Bob Weinstein and Dimension, and the return of original cast members Neve, Courteney and David, I have no doubt Scream 4 will live up to fan expectations.”

Producer/director Wes Craven added, “I’m absolutely delighted that Emma will be joining the cast of Scream 4. Her talent, beauty and range will add immensely to the sophistication, intensity and fun of the SCREAM franchise as it returns to the screen once more.”

Well, there you go. if he doesn’t know, nobody does. Shooting on the film will begin in June in Michigan. Scream 4 hits theatres in April 15, 2011.

UPDATE: Looks like we can add Hayden Panettiere and Rory Culkin to the cast now also. Dimension Films just confirmed their casting.

Well, I have officially run out of clever ways to say that Avatar won the weekend box office, and I think I still have weeks, if not months, to go. For the fourth week in a row, Avatar ruled the domestic box office and it has now made a mind-blowing $429 Million in one month. The movie dropped almost 30% from last weekend, yet still managed a hefty $48 Million, which places it in the seven spot for highest grossing movie (domestically) ever. It has earned $1.2 Billion globally.

Trailing the top earner were Sherlock Holmes, and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, which each made around $16 Million. Holmes has now made $165 Million in three weeks, and Squeakquel has made $178 Million in as many weeks. Both look poised to surpass $200 Million during their theatrical runs.

New releases were almost shut out of the top five this weekend, but the vampire horror flick Daybreakers, starring Ethan Hawke, managed to squeeze into fourth place with a respectable gross of $15 Million. It’s Complicated took the number five spot, and made $11 Million, for a cumulative total of $76 Million. The critically maligned  romantic comedy Leap Year stirred enough interest to make about $9 Million for sixth place.

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Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds is the WW II movie we’ve needed to see since the war ended. Some might consider it overlong or self-indulgent, but it showcases Tarantino’s filmmmaking skills at their finest and serves as an example of one filmmaker’s singular vision and immense storytelling craft. It is immensely entertaining, and at times brilliant, for its entire running time.

Those going into the film hoping to see lots of bloody action like some of the director’s other films are going to be somewhat disappointed. There is some violence and gore to be sure, but this is a war movie that barely features any of the war. Instead, Tarantino focuses on the people and a very personal story of revenge. This is what Inglourious Basterds is at its core: a revenge film.

From the first scene where we’re introduced to “Jew Hunter” Colonel Landa (brilliantly played by Christoph Waltz) and he lets young Shosanna Dreyfus go instead of killing her as he did with her family, the stage is set for Shoshana’s revenge on the man, and the Nazis, who took everything from her and so many others. This is not just Shoshanna’s personal tale of revenge, however, its the cathartic revenge for all Jews — and by extension all people — who suffered at the hands of the Nazis.

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