The Daily Dish: April 1

As tempting as it is to slip in a faux scoop in honour of April Fools Day, I have gotten punked with too many fake entertainment headlines today to pass the shame onto you, our gentle readers. So rest assured, all items that follow are 100% accurate...nary a false word among them.

The Lowdown on ShoWest! Each year the event allows studios to give theatre owners a sneak peek at their big movie plans and offerings and this year has been no exception. The annual convention is now in full swing in Vegas and Cineplex is lucky enough to have a man on the inside to report back to us on all the good stuff going down.

• Disney let the crowd in on the fact that, for the next few years, their focus will be (you guessed it) 3D! In fact, they have at least 17 3D films set for release. So hang onto your glasses, folks, 'cause you're going to need them! 3D versions of Toy Story 1 and 2 are set for release, as a special double-feature, two-week limited run presentation, followed by a brand new third installment of the series and a re-release of their Academy Award nominated Beauty and the Beast as well. Their presentation wasn't all about blasts from the past as they also treated the audience to a 47-minute preview of their imminent release, Up. The 3D push didn't end there as it was also announced that both Alice in Wonderland and Tron 2 will be released in the format, with Alice (directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter) actually being filmed in Imax 3D.

• Warner Brothers also stepped up to the mic this week to give the crowd a taste of their upcoming big ticket ventures. They brought out the big guns early with a preview of one of the most anticipated films of the year, Sherlock Holmes. And we're not going to mince words here...it looks good - really good. Dismiss every pre-conceived, conservative image of Holmes that you've ever had because this is not your father's favourite detective. Action, sex, humour... it has it all! The man himself, Robert Downey Jr., was on hand to introduce the exclusive preview of the Guy Ritchie-directed film. (More on that here.) And no presentation from the WB would be complete without an appearance from The Boy Who Lived (for you Muggles out there, that's just another name for Harry Potter). With each successive episode in the series, the bar has been set higher and judging from the crowd reaction, this film successfully continues that trend Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince plumbs new depths of emotion and dazzles with out-of-this-world effects.

• Sony threw their hat in the ring, showcasing a hefty roster of top-tier films coming to a theatre near you as well as some exclusive news about upcoming productions. It looks as if sequels to blockbusters Ghostbusters and Men in Black are both moving forward. Executives said they are working on reuniting the actors from both MiB and the supernatural exterminator series but can't confirm casts as yet. An extended trailer of Angels & Demons, Ron Howard's highly anticipated follow-up to The Da Vinci Code, starring Tom Hanks and Ewan McGregor, sent jaws wagging, revealing Howard's distinct vision and Hanks' dramatic chops. Peter Jackson returns to the big screen as producer on District 9, an intense sci-fi effort that examines a world where humans and aliens co-exist. Though the special f/x were still in production mode, the clips reinforce Jackson's reputation as a visionary and spell good things for newbie director Neill Blomkamp. Julie & Julia represents Meryl Streep and Amy Adams' second on-screen collaboration and tells the inspirational tale of one woman's journey of self-discovery through cooking. Switching gears to comedy, Sony showed additional footage of the Harold Ramis laffer Year One, starring the ever-excitable Jack Black and co-stars Canuck Michael Cera, David Cross and McLovin'. The Ugly Truth got the full trailer treatment, plus an additional clip which we'll call the Orgasm Scene, and it seems co-stars Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler are evenly matched in a film that looks to be a really cute date movie.

Stay tuned for more buzz from Vegas!

Related Stories:

Watch this behind-the-scenes look at Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince!
Watch Disney/Pixar's Up shorts: UPisode 1 and UPisode 2!