· Oh, Steven Soderbergh; always toying with that whole "retirement" nonsense. After dismissing the initial reports of his retirement as the post-drunken ramblings of "14-year-old girl" Matt Damon, Soderbergh was back at pushing the story in an interview with the New York Times. "I'm interested in exploring another art form while I have the time and ability to do so," the Oscar-winning director said about his burgeoning painting career. "I'll be the first person to say if I can't be any good at it and run out of money I'll be back making another Ocean's movie." OK, then! The article also compares Contagion with Irwin Allen disaster films, in case you want to get yourself hyped up. [NYT]
· Speaking of Contagion, the thriller will open the Zurich Film Festival on Sept. 22. [Variety]
· Still more Soderbergh! Per Deadline, George Clooney has dropped out of the director's planned adaptation of The Man from U.N.C.L.E., the famed '60s television series. Try to mend your broken heart as best you can. [Deadline]
· In non-Soderbergh news, Broadway World reports that Hugh Jackman is "pushing" for Anne Hathaway to take the role of Fatine in the upcoming film adaptation of Les Miserables. UPDATE: EW confirms that Hathaway is in talks. [Broadway World]
· Ben Affleck has added three more names to the growing cast of Argo: Taylor Schilling (last not seen in Atlas Shrugged) will play Affleck's onscreen wife, Tate Donovan (Jimmy Cooper!) is set as a U.S. Embassy officer in Tehran, and Nelson Franklin (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) has signed up as a news reporter. [Variety]
· After blowing up earlier this summer, MoviePass is back again with a new partner: Hollywood Movie Money. Monthly passes won't cost $50, but rather be comparable to ticket prices in your area. (Sorry, New Yorkers.) The service will launch again in mid-September. [Deadline]