Robert Downey Jr. is best known for playing the most indestructible Tin Man of all time. But the Iron Man star might decide to make a journey to Oz as the Wizard in an upcoming adaptation. Sam Mendes is already on board to direct Oz The Great and Powerful, based on the L. Frank Baum books that spawned one of the most gay-loved films of all time, The Wizard of Oz. And now Downey is in talks to play the man behind the curtain. Nothing’s set in yellow brick just yet, but wouldn’t Kick-Ass star Chloe Moretz be a great against-type choice to play Dorothy?

(You know, as long as she didn’t have to say that c-word again.)

Already a cult hit in arthouse cinemas stateside, the Swedish thriller The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is set to invade America’s movie consciousness with an English version of its sinister suspense. Nervy director David Fincher (Fight Club, Zodiac) is taking on the remake of the convoluted, unsettling mystery, and Carey Mulligan, Oscar-nominated star of An Education, may take on the central role of troubled, surly, bisexual, violent, dragon-tattoo-sporting computer hacker Lisabeth. Some say Mulligan’s too cute for the part, but that’s why they call it acting, folks. A little jet-black hair dye, a nose ring and some kick-boxing lessons and Mulligan will probably do the role plenty proud. Look for this one to get all dark and moody sometime in 2011.

For a country where, until just recently, even a heterosexual smooch was considered taboo, the news that a new Bollywood film will feature Indian cinema’s first gay kiss is almost downright shocking. The film in question, titled Dunno Y… Na Jaane Kyun, is a drama about a same-sex relationship and is already being talked about as India’s own Brokeback Mountain. Now, this news would be a blip on America’s culture screen if it weren’t for the fact that Bollywood films have developed an increasingly strong presence in the American market, with more titles than ever coming to the U.S., several of them outgrossing the English language competition. So when Dunno Y opens in India in a few weeks, don’t be surprised if it winds up in a multiplex near you sooner rather than later. The best part: There’s usually at least one big song and dance number in Bollywood films. Dunno Y that is, but Romeo likes it.

More than 30 years ago, the film version of cheesy stage musical hit screens. Pretty cheesy itself, the immensely popular Grease spawned millions of album sales, posters and T-shirts, a bad sequel, an even worse re-teaming of its stars John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in the weird flop Two of a Kind and countless drag queen impersonations of Stockard Channing singing “There Are Worse Things I Could Do.” Now, buoyed by the popularity of both karaoke and the success of special-event screenings where audiences sing along with the film as lyrics are subtitled on screen, here comes your chance to see and participate in Grease Sing-Along when it opens in theaters later this summer.

Academy Award-winning filmmaker Bill Condon (Dreamgirls) has been chosen to shepherd Twilight teens Edward, Bella and Jacob as they enter their final on-screen chapter, Breaking Dawn. Not missing a single lesson learned by the people who directed the three earlier films, Condon is courting fans in a way that most franchise helmers don’t really have to. Of course, other franchises tend not to have the sort of maniacal, demanding followings that the Twilight series “enjoys.” The director posted an open letter to those fans online, acknowledging his newcomer status and asking for comments and questions, and they responded in droves (Two movies please? No 3D please?). The verdict? The majority of the Twihards seem supportive. The rest are angry about Jar Jar Binks. Look for the movie sometime in 2011.

A quarter of a century ago, the novel Less Than Zero established Bret Easton Ellis as the young hipster prince of contemporary literature. Soon afterward, the disturbing, disaffected tale of amoral, drugged-up youth was turned into a strangely nondisturbing movie with a strong Nancy Reagan-like anti-drug message. And any day now Ellis’ follow-up novel Imperial Bedrooms will revisit both its cast of characters – all grown up but no less spiritually empty – and the practice of sampling Elvis Costello for a title. Speaking recently at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, Ellis alluded to Fox Searchlight as possible producers for the film version, a project he’d like to see feature the reunited actors of the 1987 film: Robert Downey Jr., Jami Gertz, Andrew McCarthy and James Spader. Great idea, but only if LL Cool J promises to re-record “Goin’ Back to Cali,” the Bangles score, and Brad Pitt shows up as an uncredited extra like he did in the original.

The little dragon that could has given birth to another chapter, thanks to every filmmaker’s dream come true: great reviews and crazy box office. Dreamworks’ How To Train Your Dragon, from gay director Dean DeBlois and director Chris Sanders (the guys behind the sweet-natured Lilo & Stitch) has grossed nearly $400 million worldwide and earned the kind of nearly unanimous glowing reviews that classics (and 2011 Oscar noms) are made of. So it’s a bit of a no-brainer and not at all surprising that a sequel has just been announced. Obviously without caring hands to guide it (a plea to the powers that be: bring back DeBlois and Sanders; they know how to do this kind of thing just right) it could all turn to dull, cashing-in-focused merchandising, but until that goes down this remains great news. There’s now at least one sequel probably worth seeing on your 2013 calendar. That is, if you plan your movie-going that far in advance. Romeo does.

It was 22 years ago that seminal hip-hop group N.W.A. burst onto the music scene with its album Straight Outta Compton, introducing gangsta rap to the world and shocking conservative critics with the song “F*** Tha Police.” That means a new generation doesn’t know who N.W.A. was (the group’s members included Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and Eazy-E) or what the group did (N.W.A. was frequently accused of inciting violence, misogyny and homophobia). It also means it’s time for a biopic. Enter Straight Outta Compton, from screenwriter Andrea Berloff (World Trade Center), that will chronicle the rise and dissolution of the band thanks to money squabbles and egos, as well as the reconciliation that occurred following the death of Eazy-E to AIDS. No stars are attached yet, but Romeo will keep it real with updates.