Film News: Godzilla returns; Creative Scotland seeks new executive; Simon Pegg joins Monty Python

CREATIVE SCOTLAND STILL SEEKING NEW DIRECTOR OF FILM & MEDIA
Despite a long application process and rigorous interviews, beleagured arts funding organisation Creative Scotland has so far failed to fill the position of Director of Film & Media, The Scotsman revealed today. The post, which was advertised over the past few months in an open recruitment process, was expected to be filled ahead of the publication of a new report into the way films are funded in Scotland, and the viability of a new Scottish film studio, as discussed by producer Gillian Berrie (Dogville, Hallam Foe) in our recent feature on Scottish film, by the head of Scottish BAFTA Alan de Pellette in our piece on this year's Scottish BAFTA nominees, and by producer Claire Mundell (Weekend, Not Another Happy Ending) in our piece on the future of film from earlier this year.

A statement from Creative Scotland, quoted by The Scotsman, explained the reasons for the difficulties in finding the right person for the job: "Despite a strong response, we did not find the right candidate and, as such, we will re-advertise the post early in the new year. We are as keen as anyone to see this post filled and ideally we would have liked to have made an appointment by now, but it is absolutely vital we get the right person for the job.”

The new appointee will be faced with a number of challenges, from figuring out how to increase the maximum budget currently available to filmmakers through the organisation (currently capped at £300,000), and increasing the value of location shooting happening in Scotland, which is worth £25 million at the moment. 

SIMON PEGG TO JOIN CAST OF NEW MONTY PYTHON MOVIE
Following the news that the cast of Monty Python's Flying Circus are reuniting for a series of stage shows and a new film, today it was revealed that actor Simon Pegg will be joining the legendary cast of John Cleese, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Terry Gilliam. The new film, with a working title of Absolutely Anything, has not yet been slated for release.

The plot concerns a group of CGI aliens who give humanity the power to do "absolutely anything." The film will be directed by Jones, director of the classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail, who recently told Variety magazine: "It's not a Monty Python picture, but it certainly has that sensibility." Pegg plays a teacher given special powers by the aliens, and according to website io9.com, will be the owner of a talking dog voiced by Robin Williams. 

TRAILERS: GODZILLA, PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE MARKED ONES
Following on from the tantalising virals on MUTOresearch.net which we shared yesterday, a full preview has surfaced for the new Godzilla movie, directed by Gareth Edwards (Monsters), and starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass) and Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad). In the trailer, which offers only a fleeting glimpse of the movie's saurian star, a group of crack soldiers attempt a HALO jump on to the site of the creature's destruction. 

The Paranormal Activity franchise gets a fifth outing in Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones, which will be released in 2014. Pitched as a 'spin-off' rather than a sequel, the new entry is directed by Christopher B. Landon, and deals with a group of American party fiends who encounter creepy children, black magic and supernatural forces, all filmed in Blair Witch-esque found footage or 'shaky cam' style.