Director Michael Winterbottom’s film adaptation of the Jim Thompson’s 1952 novel The Killer Inside Me caused plenty of panties to bunch up at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. The serial-killer drama triggered disgust and anger among many female viewers, leading to public outcries (one woman yelled “How dare you” at Winterbottom during the premiere’s Q&A) and walkouts, including one by star Jessica Alba (her reps claim she had a flight to catch).

The film’s controversial scenes include rough sex and raw, prolonged violence against its female leads, namely Kate Hudson and Jessica Alba, the latter of which gets spanked with a belt and later punched in the face repeatedly. Casey Affleck plays perverted, homicidal maniac-with-a-badge Lou Ford. To see the offending scenes for yourself, click here.

In an interview with Anne Thompson, Winterbottom states:

The violence is shocking in the book and it’s shocking in the film. It’s not a police procedural. The story is being told by someone who’s crazy. The story is the way he tells it and sees it, not the way it happened. The film has no sense of pleasure in the violence.

The audience didn’t understand that when they watch this shocking violence, Casey is not the hero where the audience gets off on it. It should be shocking and brutal.

No word yet on whether The Killer Inside Me has scored a distribution deal.

Guests of Universal Studios Hollywood will go ape-shit this summer when they come face-to-face with a 3-D King Kong. Created by Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson and his F/X team Weta Digital, the two-and-a-half minute attraction will be part of the theme park’s back lot studio tram tour.

“King Kong 360 3-D, created by Peter Jackson (the attraction’s official name)” was built on a 200-foot-long sound stage with a “tram-mover” system capable of rocking the tram back and forth, up and down. The attraction also features two 180-foot-long by 40-foot-tall screens that wrap around the tram to create an all encompassing 3-D environment.

Universal Studios show producer Valerie Johnson-Redrow promises:

You are really going to be immersed in every part of the show. We are going to bring you to Skull Island. We are going to bring you right in the middle of a knock- down, drag-out fight with a T. rex.

The new King Kong attraction replaces the 30-foot-tall animatronic Kong that was destroyed during the park’s 2008 back lot fire.

To read about the Harry Potter attraction at Universal Studios Orlando, click here.

Zelda Rubinstein passed away today. The actress, best known for her portrayal of medium Tangina Barrons in the Poltergeist series, was taken off life support late last month after suffering lung and kidney failure while at Cedars Sinai hospital in Los Angeles. She was 76.

Rubinstein acting credits also include Southland Tales, Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, Teen Witch, Anguish, Wishcraft, and David Kelly’s surreal small town TV drama “Picket Fences.”

Marvel Studios head of production Kevin Feige has indirectly confirmed the crime-fighting roster to Marvel’s upcoming superhero epic The Avengers.

In an interview with British sci-fi mag SFX, Feige says:

My only concern is that when we launch a franchise … whichever characters franchise that may be, it should stand on its own two feet. With Iron Man being the first one out of the gate, thank goodness thats what happend. Everyone loved it. Its our job to do the same with Thor and Captain America two years from now, so by the time The Avengers comes in 2012 its not just a team super hero movie with a bunch of characters with powers, its three people, four including Hulk , five including Nick Fury-who you have seen before in other movies, coming together for the very first time.

The Avengers is slated for release in 2012.

Julianna Guill, better known as the hot topless chick in last year’s Friday the 13th reboot, has joined the cast of The Apparition, a Paranormal Activity ripoff influenced thriller from director Todd Lincoln and Dark Castle Entertainment. Guill and her magnificent breasts will star alongside Twilight babe Ashley Greene and “Gossip Girl” bad-boy Sebastian Stan.

The Apparition is “based on a true story” and follows the plight of a young married couple tormented by ghosts after a college experiment goes inexplicably wrong. The film is set to go into production in February.

Check out Guill’s talents in the following clip from Friday the 13th (an extended version of the scene is available on the home editions):

Marvel Studios and Columbia Records have joined forces to provide director Jon Favreau’s Iron Man 2 with a cranium-rattling soundtrack courtesy of Aussie rockers AC/DC.

Fifteen of the band’s head-banging anthems have been culled from their 30-plus-year career to produce AC/DC: Iron Man 2, scheduled for release on April 19 (pre-orders can be made now at Walmart.com and Amazon.com).

“Shoot to Thrills” is the soundtrack’s first single and video. The vid features exclusive Iron Man 2 footage mixed in with performance clips from the band’s highly successful Black Ice World Tour.

Take a look:

The track listing for AC/DC: Iron Man 2 is as follows:

Shoot to Thrill

Rock ‘N’ Roll Damnation

Guns for Hire

Cold Hearted Man

Back in Black

Thunderstruck

If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)

Evil Walks

T.N.T.

Hell Ain’t a Bad Place to Be

Have a Drink on Me

The Razor’s Edge

Let There Be Rock

War Machine

Highway to Hell

Iron Man 2, starring Robert Downey Jr., arrives in theaters on May 7. To see a trailer, go here.

It’s a magical time for middle-aged virgins Harry Potter fans. Universal Studios Orlando is set to open its new attraction The Wizarding World of Harry Potter this spring. Hogwarts Castle (pictured above) is the first official image released by Universal.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will feature attractions, shops, and restaurants themed after the Harry Potter films. Rides include the Dragon Challenge, a twin high-speed roller coaster set to a Triwizard Tournament backdrop and Flight of the Hippogriff, a family coaster set to simulate a Hippogriff training flight over Hogwarts Castle. The castle, itself, plays a role in the state-of-the-art interactive attraction Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

From the press release:

The expectations of Harry Potter fans are high and Universal Orlando Resort is collaborating closely with J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros. Consumer Products and the Warner Bros. Harry Potter brand team to ensure that The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be an experience of a lifetime.  The Harry Potter films’ production designer, Stuart Craig and art director, Alan Gilmore, in cooperation with a corps of artisans from Universal Creative are working daily to construct the most authentic Harry Potter experience possible.  Guests will be able to sip Butterbeer in Three Broomsticks, buy Extendable Ears at Zonko’s and experience a state-of-the-art attraction that brings the stories of Harry Potter to life in a way never before imagined.

“All of the action and adventures of Harry Potter’s world will come to life here at Universal Orlando Resort,” said Tom Williams, chairman and CEO, Universal Parks and Resorts.  “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be unlike any other experience on earth and we can’t wait to see the looks on our guests’ faces as they enter this rich environment.”

From the front archway of Hogsmeade to the immensity of Hogwarts castle, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will feature the locations listed below:

At the entrance of Hogsmeade, billowing steam and an iconic whistle signal the arrival of the Hogwarts Express into Hogsmeade station.

Across the way is Zonko’s, a joke shop with a collection of tricks and jokes, including Extendable Ears, Boxing Telescopes and Sneakoscopes.

Honeydukes is next door and full of treats like Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans.

The Three Broomsticks and adjacent Hog’s Head pub will serve traditional British fare and drinks including Butterbeer and pumpkin juice.

Across from the Three Broomsticks is The Owlery, where owls roost and await their next delivery.

The Owl Post sends letters with a certified Hogsmeade postmark and sells official stamps from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Ollivanders wand shop is an incredible interactive experience where the wand chooses the wizard.

Completing Hogsmeade is Dervish and Banges, the magical instruments and equipment shop featuring Quidditch equipment, Triwizard apparel, Spectrespecs and Remembralls.

The first attraction, Dragon Challenge, features a twin high-speed roller coaster with many iconic elements from the Triwizard Tournament.

Next is Flight of the Hippogriff, a family coaster simulating a Hippogriff training flight over the grounds of Hogwarts castle.

Located in Hogwarts castle, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is a thrilling new state-of-the-art attraction that uses entirely new technology to bring the magic, characters and stories of Harry Potter to life in ways never before experienced.

Before exiting back into Hogsmeade, Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods is full of Ministry of Magic and magical creatures merchandise, Omnioculars, and even remote control Golden Snitches.

Jessica Alba reportedly walked out yesterday during the Sundance Film Festival’s screening of her serial-killer drama The Killer Inside Me. Alba plays a prostitute-turned-punching-bag in director Michael Winterbottom’s adaptation of Jim Thompson’s 1952 novel of the same name.

Why Alba left is unknown but, according to critics in attendance, there were quite a few walkouts from folks who found the film’s violence towards women disturbing, namely scenes featuring Alba repeatedly punched in the face and taking a ruthless belt-lashing across her ass from Casey Affleck, who plays Texas lawman and sociopath Lou Ford.

The flick also includes some nasty rough sex between Affleck and Kate Hudson, who gets choked during a scene that would give David Carradine a boner … if he weren’t a perverted dead bastard right now.

To see the controversial scenes, click here.

Jessica Alba was chosen by Clatto as one of the Ten Hottest Horror/Sci-fi Babes of the Past Decade.

Oh, yes … there will be blood.

Looks like Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures are done playing games with Paramount Pictures. The team behind Saw, horror’s most successful franchise to date, are enforcing a clause in Saw 6 director Keven Greutert’s contract that will prevent him from helming Paramount’s Paranormal Activity sequel.

The news comes on the heels of Paramount’s announced scheduling of Paranormal Activity 2 on Oct. 22, opposite Saw 3-D (the seventh installment in the series) at the box office.

Bad blood between the players began last Halloween when Greutert’s Saw 6 faced off against Oren Peli’s Paranormal Activity. Despite being the best Saw film since part three, Saw 6 stalled at $31 million and became the first flick in the series not to break a $100 million in worldwide coin. As a result, Lionsgate decided to rehire Saw 5 director David Hackl to shoot this year’s installment, thus freeing up Greutert to pursue other projects.

Last week, word got out that Greutert had signed on to direct Paranormal Activity 2 (Peli and Jason Blum return as producers). Paramount, which greenlit the sequel back in November when it became clear they had a blockbuster on their hands (the movie grossed over $150 million domestically), scheduled the film’s release date to coincide with Saw 3-D.

Now, Lionsgate has thrown down the gauntlet and Greutert finds himself caught in the middle of a franchise war. The editor-turned-director, who made his feature film debut with Saw 6, is understandably upset. He first expressed his disappointment by comparing the fiasco to parental rape on his blog, but has since changed the entry.

Greutert writes:

(I was told that my metaphor describing my feelings right now was in excessively poor taste, so let’s just say I’m pissed.)

In the “About” section, he adds:

Kevin Greutert is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker.  He’s very, very angry right now.

It’s unfortunate that Lionsgate didn’t show faith in Greutert early on and have only now brought him back to seemingly spite Paramount. However, like most Saw fans, I’m thrilled he’s back and grateful that Hackl is gone. I just hope Greutert doesn’t mail it in. The Saw fans are counting on him, especially after catching a peek at the new after-creds ending on the Saw 6 home editions, available tomorrow (click here to see new ending).

Lionsgate has bought the North American distribution rights to director Rodrigo Cortes man-in-the-pine-box thriller Buried. The deal was made at this year’s Sundance Film Festival for just about $4 million. The film stars Ryan Reynolds as an American citizen working in Iraq who is kidnapped and buried alive in the desert.

Lionsgate beat out bids from Screen Gems and Fox Searchlight for the rights. To see a trailer and learn more about Buried, click here.