"The Iceman" is hitting the fest circuit hard this Fall with premieres scheduled for Venice, Toronto and Telluride. Pic, starring Michael Shannon as real-life mafia hitman Richard Kuklinksi, is a "home run" according to Variety critic Justin Chang. Directed by Ariel Vroman, "The Iceman" also stars James Franco, Ray Liotta and Winona Ryder.

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Martin Scorsese has issued a response to producer Cecchi Gori's lawsuit, filed Wednesday, which claims the Oscar-winner failed to direct "Silence," the long gestating adaptation of the Shusako Endo novel. Cecchi Gori Pictures claims Scorsese agreed to direct the bigscreen drama after completing "Hugo" this past year but after the helmer announced "The Wolf of Wall Street" as his next film, Gori took legal action against Scorsese and his production company Sikelia Productions.

Scorsese's reps call the lawsuit "absurd" and a "media stunt."

Read the full statement:

“It is shocking to us that the lawyers for Cecchi Gori Pictures would file a suit pursuing such absurd claims considering the amicable working relationship existing between Martin Scorsese and the principals of Cecchi Gori Pictures.The claims asserted are completely contradicted by, inconsistent with, and contrary to the express terms of an agreement entered into by the parties last year.

The lawsuit filing on the eve of Mr. Scorsese starting another picture has all the earmarks of a media stunt.

Mr. Scorsese is confident that he will prevail in court should Cecchi Gori Pictures actually pursue this meritless action.”

Disney and DreamWorks today unveiled the first poster for Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln." Pic, set for release a Nov. 16 release, has been eyed as an awards contender ever since two-time Oscar winner Daniel Day Lewis signed on to play Honest Abe.

Prolific director Tony Scott, who died Sunday at the age of 68, recently talked about working on the set of his last two completed features: "Unstoppable" and "The Taking of Pelham 1, 2, 3."

Universal is currently exploring a SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN spinoff that would center on Chris Hemsworth, a plan that that still may include co-star Kristen Stewart and/or director Rupert Sanders, Showblitz has learned.

The studio is open to several creative directions for its potential franchise -- including the possibility of a straight sequel -- but for now will focus development resources on Hemsworth, the THOR star who appears in Universal's upcoming Formula One racing pic RUSH.

A Hemsworth-led spinoff has been in U's plans for some time: Two months before SWATH opened to a healthy $56 million in the U.S., Universal chief Ron Meyer said that while "the upcoming (SWATH) doesn’t appear to lend itself to a sequel, Universal thinks it can do more movies based on the character of the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) if it is successful."

Around the time of its release, studio brass began getting serious about a straight sequel, a notion it was considering as early as April. That idea was backburnered in the wake of widespread tabloid reports regarding Stewart and Sanders, though either could play a role in future SWATH installments.

Universal just picked up the book 90 CHURCH for Sanders to develop, while Hemsworth has THOR: THE DARK WORLD, AVENGERS 2 and (maybe) ROBOPOCALYPSE on the horizon. After dropping out of CALI, Stewart's sked is clear -- after extensive press tours for THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN -- PART 2 and ON THE ROAD.

While the odds of all three being reunited are clearly diminished, some combination of the original SWATH teaming is still very much in play. -- Josh L. Dickey

Here's the first trailer for Kathryn Bigelow's hunt-for-Osama Bin Laden pic "Zero Dark Thirty." Starring Joel Edgerton and Jessica Chastain, "Zero" has long-been embroiled in political controversey, after documents uncovered that "The Hurt Locker" duo of Bigelow and Boal were given extensive access to the top secret mission by the White House, Pentagon and CIA. Distribbed by Sony, "Zero Dark Thirty" arrives Dec. 19.

The Los Angeles Times reported Thursday that Jimmy Fallon was in early talks to host the Oscars in February.

Will it happen? Possibly. The Academy has a lot of convincing to do to get ABC on board with NBC-branded talent. But judging from Fallon's Emmy-hosting stint in 2010, in which the late night MC received largely positive reviews, it seems like a no-brainer.

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