Cate Blanchett will play Maid Marian alongside Russell Crowe’s Robin Hood in the Ridley Scott-directed adventure pic for Universal Pictures. The film, which had been called “Nottingham” but is undergoing a title change, begins production in early April. Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer is producing with Scott and his Scott Free banner. The drama, originally scripted by Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris and then rewritten by Brian Helgeland, has evolved into a “Gladiator” version of the Robin Hood legend. Crowe starred in that film and Scott directed it. The film will be shot on a $130 million budget, benefiting from favorable exchange rates and tax credits that come from shooting in London. Scott will be aiming for a PG-13 rating. Robin Hood woos Cate Blanchett

Kerrie from KOMPOLT sends this along: Lord of the Rings Cast & Crew Autograph Original Movie Poster for American Cinematheque – Movies have the power to not only tell a story – they fill our lives with emotions, make us see things differently, help us discover new ideas, or simply create an escape from the daily bustle of life. To mark the release of the all new step-by-step movie making guide “Filmmaking for Dummies” and to celebrate the movies we know and love, Wiley Publishing will be auctioning off autographed movie posters ranging from hilarious comedies, classic dramas, and every movie in between. Among the featured listings is an original Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings Movie Poster signed by Peter Jackson, Elijah Wood, Cate Blanchett, Viggo Mortensen, Mark Ordesky, Fran Walsh, Phillipa Boyens, Ngila Dickson, Howard Shore and Robert Shaye. Decorating your walls has never felt so good because 100% of proceeds benefit the American Cinematheque, the cultural organization dedicated exclusively to honoring and preserving America’s favorite pastime: the movies! Head over to www.ebay.com/wiley to find out more! Ebay…

Hot off the heels from her Star on the Walk of Fame announcement, Cate Blanchett has been nominated in the Best Actress category for the 2009 Critics Choice Awards, often seen as a preview of the Oscars (or so they say). Blanchett has been nominated for her work in ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’. She has tough competition from Kate Beckinsale (Nothing But the Truth), Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married), Angelina Jolie (Changeling), Melissa Leo (Frozen River) & Meryl Streep (Doubt). More…

Like 2,735 actors before her, Cate Blanchett has had her name cemented on a sidewalk in Hollywood, outside of the Egyptian Theatre. Steven Spielberg introduced the regal beauty who said, “This is utterly incredible to me,” during the footpath ceremony.

You can search for news stories and find a lot of options but I thought the Sydney Morning Hearld’s website seemed appropriate for the native Australian. Read one account right here.

Collectors can look forward to a pretty realistic looking diorama coming soon from Sideshow Collectibles titled “‘Dark Council’ – Theoden and Grima Wormtongue.” From the looks of the piece, the sculptors have perfectly captured the likeness of Brad Dourif as Grima and Bernard Hill as the possessed Theoden. If Sideshow follows their regular schedule, we can expect this item to pre-order next week around 6pm PT. And if you are a Cate Blanchett fan, check out the Sideshow/Weta Polystone Statue of Galadriel, now listed at 35% OFF. [Dark Council Diorama] [The Lady Galadriel Statue]

Catherine Élise “Cate” Blanchett (born May 14, 1969) is an Academy Award- and Golden Globe Award-winning Australian actress and stage director. She has won various other acting awards, most notably two SAGs and two BAFTAs, as well as the Volpi Cup at 64th Venice International Film Festival. Blanchett came to international attention in the 1998 film Elizabeth, directed by Shekhar Kapur, in which she played Elizabeth I of England. She is also well known for her portrayals of the elf queen Galadriel in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Katharine Hepburn in Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator, a role which brought her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She and her husband Andrew Upton are currently artistic directors of the Sydney Theatre Company.

Cate Blanchett and playwright husband Andrew Upton welcomed Ignatius Martin Upton into the world yesterday. Initial reports were that the Sydney-based mother and child were both well. The baby boy weighed in at just over eight pounds (3.6kg). Blanchett and her husband, who have shared co-artistic director responsibilities at the Sydney Theatre Company since January, already have two sons: Dashiell, 6, and Roman, 3. The NIDA graduate will next be seen alongside Harrison Ford as Agent Irina Spalko in the fourth film of the highly anticipated Indiana Jones franchise, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The film opens nationally on May 22. Read More

The Lady of the Golden Wood has made her way into the Sideshow Collectibles Premium Format line-up. The new figure features Galadriel as she bid farewell to the Fellowship in The Fellowship of the Ring. The most impressive aspect of this collectible is the expertly-tailored scale reproduction of the costume from the film. If you are a fan of Galadriel or the costuming from the film, this is something you may want to pick up. Check out the complete details at SideshowCollectibles.com. [Click Here]

‘Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’ is one of the most anticipated movies of the year, and LOTR alum Cate Blanchett seems to have a rather significant role. Check out this photo of Cate as Agent Spalko. She doesn’t look too happy with Dr. Jones! [View the Pic]

The Oscar® Nominations are out today and two LOTR Alums have snagged nominations. First up, Viggo Mortensen, has landed a Best Actor Nomination for his role in ‘Eastern Promises.’ And continuing her critical success in 2008, Cate Blanchett has been nominated for two awards: Best Actress in Leading Role and Best Actress in a Supporting Role. The Oscars will air (maybe) on February 24th 8pm ET/5pm PT. Congrats to Cate and Viggo! [Complete Oscar Nominations]