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Film News: Estes' black comedy to shoot this summer -- James McAvoy, Elizabeth Banks, Laura Linney and Anna Friel are set to star in "The Details," a black comedy scripted and directed by Jacob Estes.

He wrote his first block-buster as a student, went on to make the cult TV show Lost - and now the new Star Trek film. How does JJ Abrams do it? Steve Rose finds outI was trying to avoid using the G-word, but JJ Abrams brings it up himself, unprompted. We're talking about his childhood and I begin a question with a slightly meandering: 'So were you a ...''Geek?' he interjects, pre-empting a question he's clearly heard many times. Well, now you mention it, were you? 'I don't think it's much of a question,' he laughs.He's right - it doesn't really need asking. Firstly, in an age when the most popular movies and TV series are based on comic books, sci-fi, fantasy and the supernatural, we are all basically geeks now. And secondly, his appearance is all the answer I need: a slight, young-looking, 42-year-old with thick, black-rimmed glasses, wavy vertical quiff and a blue-grey smock shirt that could be part of a uniform on, say, an intergalactic space vessel. And he's just directed the new S

Front Page: Joanou to direct film for CBS -- CBS Films is in final negotiations with Dwayne Johnson to star in 'Faster,' an action drama that will be Johnson's next film.

Exclusives: Weinstein to produce Rubenfeld adaptation -- Warner Bros. has set Alex Holmes to rewrite and direct 'The Interpretation of Murder,' an adaptation of the Jed Rubenfeld novel.

Pittsburgh CLO and the University of Pittsburgh are proud to announce the nominees for the Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater. The awards show will take place on May 23, 2009, at 7:30 p.m. at the Benedum Center in downtown Pittsburgh.

When Leonard Nimoy took the helm of the Enterprise and directed Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), he did more than revive everyone's favorite Vulcan. He rescued a series that had gone boldly into no man's land and put it back on course.

Film News: Producer shows soft spot for animation -- Luc Besson took a bold step into the toon biz in 2006 with 'Arthur and the Invisibles.' Directed by Besson and produced by EuropaCorp, the animated feature stood apart from traditional French toons.

Weekend B.O.: Paramount pic opens in U.S., overseas Thursday -- Foreign box office for 'Star Trek,' which Paramount begins beaming into theaters around the world Thursday, will be every bit as important as the domestic performance.

Legit News: Ethel Barrymore Theater to host play this fall -- 'Race,' the new play written and directed by David Mamet, has staked out its Broadway real estate, with the show set to begin perfs at the Ethel Barrymore Theater this fall.

Los Angeles: U.K. director tapped for Moonstone Ent. drama -- British helmer Julien Temple ('Pandaemonium') will direct period crime drama 'Gun Girl' for Moonstone Entertainment, with John Strong producing.