HOLLYWOOD—This week there have been major rumblings inHollywoodwith major movie news being announced. First up, fans who have been eagerly anticipating a sequel to the singing sensation “Pitch Perfect” are that much closer to seeing the movie happen. Co-star Elizabeth Banks is set to helm the sequel to the picture. The actress is making her directorial debut with the sequel, and served as a producer on the 2012 box-office smash. No word has yet been announced on others set to return for the sequel.

For “X-Men” fans new pictures have surfaced for the hotly anticipated sequel, “Days of Future Past” which will see a collision of new faces with old faces when the pre-sequel arrives in May. The new look for the Sentinels and mutant Quicksilver portrayed by actor Evan Peters already has some fans in an uproar, but hey, its 2014, time for an upgrade in my opinion.

Audiences were also treated to images of Toad and William Stryker, both characters who appeared in previous “X-Men” movies. This does indeed concern me a bit as the film looks to be loaded with mutants, so here’s hoping the story weaves all characters without forcing them onto the audience.  Those heading to the multiplex may be surprised to discover that theaters will no longer showcase trailers to movie’s ahead of five months before they are to be released. Personally, I think that’s a bad idea, as when it comes to marketing and advertising, that’s the key to a movie’s success. Just think of the power of a teaser trailer to build buzz for an audience.

As awards season begins to slowly dwindle, the Directors Guild of America selected their winner on the road to Oscar. In a hard fought battle between Alfonso Cuaron “Gravity” and Steve McQueen “12 Years a Slave,” the DGA selected Cuaron as the winner. This makes the director a front-runner for the coveted Oscar for Best Director on March 2. The Academy is known for matching Best Director and Best Picture, but we’ve had occasions where that hasn’t happened, 2006 “Crash” won Best Picture, while Ang Lee won Best Director for “Brokeback Mountain” and last year Ang Lee won Best Director for “Life of Pi,” while “Argo” was heralded as Best Picture. I have a feeling we’ll see a split this season or perhaps a huge surprise on March 2.

By LaDale Anderson