Movies

Melissa McCarthy looks gooooood!!!

Reese Witherspoon will never have another birthday celebrating her 30's, but her big 4-0 was pretty epic.

Reese had #40 at Warwick in Hollywood Saturday night, and lots of celebs showed up, including Taylor Swift, Elizabeth Banks, Keith Urban, Nicole Kidman, Kate Hudson, Jason Bateman, Toby McGuire and Zoe Kravitz.

Reese turns 40 March 22nd.

Elle Fanning has scored a sweet payday for her role in Ben Affleck's next directorial effort.

Fanning will pull in $250,000 for playing Loretta Figgis in the movie, "Live by Night." The paperwork was filed with an L.A. County judge, who must approve the contract because she's only 17.

Fanning can make extra if the movie does really well at the worldwide box office -- she'll get an additional $75k if the flick pulls in $300 million, and an additional $100k if it tops $400 mil.

Rian Johnson is as cold-blooded as Boba Fett ... so claims his ex-agent who says the director axed him right before he signed on to direct "Star Wars: Episode VIII" ... just to dodge the bill.

Brian Dreyfuss claims in a new lawsuit he took on Johnson as a client before the guy ever directed a single film ... even getting his own dad to invest in Johnson's debut flick, "Brick."

Dreyfuss claims his deal with Johnson called for him to get 10% of any project he helped Johnson land.

According to the suit, Kathleen Kennedy from Lucasfilm hit up Dreyfuss in January 2014 to gauge Johnson's interest in working together. Dreyfuss says Johnson declined the meeting.

Two months later, Dreyfuss claims Johnson fired him out of the blue. In August of 2014 ... Johnson announced he was writing and directing 'Episode VIII.'

Dreyfuss is suing Johnson for the 10% he believes he's owed for 'Star Wars.'

Dylan O'Brien -- the star of the 'Maze Runner' movies -- was severely injured in an accident on the set of the new movie ... and has suffered multiple broken bones .... TMZ has learned.

Sources on the set tell us the 24-year-old -- who plays Thomas in the hugely successful franchise -- was filming a scene for "Maze Runner: The Death Cure" involving a car ... when something went wrong and he was run over.

We're told O'Brien was rushed to a hospital in British Columbia with "severe injuries" -- where he is currently undergoing treatment.

A spokesperson for 20th Century Fox tells us production will shut down while Dylan recovers.

Story developing ...

Emmy winning actor Larry Drake, who famously played Benny on "L.A. Law" died Thursday ... TMZ has learned.

We're told Larry had some health problems lately, related to his weight, but nothing acute or terminal ... as far as his rep knew. Sources on scene tell us Larry was found in his Hollywood home by a friend, who called paramedics around 1:30 PM.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Larry won two consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor for "L.A. Law" in '88 and '89. He also starred in the 1990 cult classic, "Darkman."

Larry had dropped out of movies and TV in recent years, but we're told he was an acting coach.

He was 66.

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson got a makeover for his most prized possession ... the iconic 'A-Team' van, and says it's finally worthy of a viewing from Mr. T himself.

Producers hooked up the ex-UFC champ after he played B.A. Baracus ... gifting him the van he and the crew mobbed around in for the 2010 'A-Team' flick. We're told it had been sitting in a garage for years and the paint job was jacked.

Enter the guys at L.A. Street Customs -- we're told Rampage took his baby to their shop in North Hollywood to make it presentable again. Check out the unveiling. Luckily for everyone involved ... Rampage seems happy.

No need to pity a fool ... this time.

Former NFL running back Ahman Green has been cut again ... this time it's from the upcoming 'Batman v Superman' blockbuster ... but don't fear, you could still see the Packers great on-screen.

Green is a huge DC comics fan and 'BvS' director Zach Snyder is a huge Packers fan so when Green hit him up and asked for a spot in the movie ... all things were a go.

Ahman shot his scenes as "Thug No. 2" a few months ago but he tells TMZ Sports his hopes were crushed recently when he got a fateful call from a honcho on the film.

"It’s all a part of Hollywood, but I got a call from the casting director explaining that my scene was cut from the theatrical release of the movie."

All bad right? Not so much ... Green tells us he will still indeed make an appearance in the movie (kinda) ... and actually hopes to make a return to the series in the future.

"I’ll still be in the Director’s Cut when that comes out ... I have a good relationship with Zack Snyder, so we’ll definitely stay in touch for future releases like 'Justice League.'”

Shooter McGavin took a page out of Happy Gilmore's playbook by giving a hot bikini clad comic swinging lessons ... on the green.

Christopher McDonald, who played the sleazy golf pro in the Adam Sandler flick, showed up at a $10 million hole in one tournament in Las Vegas. He didn't win the tournament, but it's hard to say he lost -- based on his interaction with Kate Quigley.

Still, nice to see Shooter finding his happy place ... just like Happy.

It's the kind of 'Star Wars' secret normally kept under lock and key, but the new "Shadow Trooper" just got exposed by Lucasfilm's need to make big money merchandising the character.

Lucasfilm filed docs to lock up the trademark to manufacture and sell all things "Shadow Trooper" -- such as clothing, footwear, toys, gymnastic and sporting articles, electronic games, Christmas stockings, Christmas tree ornaments, snow globes ... pretty much everything under Tatooine's 2 suns.

Shadow has already been introduced to the 'Star Wars' universe via video games, but hasn't been in any of the movies. This move is a strong sign that's about to change. 'Star Wars' geeks have speculated a debut in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" ... which comes out in December.

Lucasfilm filed similar docs for Kylo Ren, BB-8 and Poe Dameron long before 'The Force Awakens' was released.

A horse went down like the Titanic near the "Fast 8" set in Iceland after gale force winds sent a fake iceberg flying into a paddock where the animal was grazing.

Local police tell us the horse, named Jupiter, had to be euthanized. Strong winds sent a portion of a plastic iceberg -- a set piece for the movie -- flying and it struck the horse, breaking its leg. Another horse was also injured but is expected to recover.

Neither was involved in the production -- just a case of wrong time and place.

We're told production called the horse owner and broke the news but said insurance would cover the cost of the horse and fence repair.

Filming for 'Star Wars: Episode VIII' is underway in Croatia and there are a lot of new faces on set.

We got pics of two new alien species ... and a land speeder, which looks like an upgrade from any of the pod racers in 'Episode I.' Then again, anything is an upgrade from 'Episode I.'

Production moved from a London studio to Dubrovnik this month and set designers got creative with the Old Town's gothic architecture ... giving it some 'Star Wars' flare! Filming is about 5 weeks in, but the movie won't hit theaters until December 2017.

Jennifer Garner turned a mother/daughter dance into a fangirl sesh.

Garner was filming "The Tribes of Palos Verdes" at Friendly Hills Country Club in Whittier, CA Friday night. The club was also hosting a mother/daughter dance for Grazide Elementary.

Producers gently asked the hoofers to keep it down during shooting, so the make good was Garner making a surprise appearance, taking the mic and talking to the group.

Garner told the kids they probably wouldn't be allowed to see her movie ... it's about a wife who goes nuts when she suspects her husband is cheating.

George Jung's gone from filthy rich drug smuggler to dirt poor unemployment ... but that's finally paying off for him with a reality TV gig about poverty.

Of course, Johnny Depp played Jung in "Blow" -- portraying his heyday in the drug game, but since getting out of prison in 2014, he's struggled big time to make a buck. All of which made him perfect for "Poverty Sucks" ... a reality show produced by Tremendous Films.

Producers tell us it focuses on Jung learning normal tasks like opening a checking account, going grocery shopping, etc. -- y'know all the stuff he did while doing his cocaine kingpin thang. The show's also about him rebuilding his relationship with his daughter, Kristina.

Moonie, the dog who shared the big screen with Reese Witherspoon in "Legally Blonde" has died.

Reese just broke the ruff news ... posting a pic of her and Moonie, who played Bruiser Woods. She said, "I will never forget all the days we spent together ... I'm sure his tail is wagging in the sky."

Moonie was a rescued chihuahua before landing the "Legally Blonde" gig ... and was good pals with Gidget, the Taco Bell dog.

He was 18.

#RIPBruiser

Jonathan Goldsmith -- best known as "The Most Interesting Man in the World" until yesterday -- is staying thirsty ... for bigger, better gigs.

Dos Equis announced it was retiring the famous commercial character on Wednesday, and Goldsmith tells TMZ ... he immediately got his management team on the horn to relaunch his film and TV career.

Goldsmith's been with Dos Equis for 9 years, but before that he was a very successful working actor ... starring in movies like "Hang 'Em High" and TV series like "Dallas," "Knots Landing," and "CHiPs."

He says the Mexican beer gig was very, very good to him -- about $1 mil a year for 5 days of work. And while real life JG counts Prez Obama and Richard Branson as friends, and clears active land mines in Vietnam -- he's hoping for new roles to break the 'Most Interesting Man' mold.

At least Dos Equis is sending him off with a bang ...