TriStar Pictures

We've bid farewell to the Great White North for another year — yup, the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival is officially over. In years past, Oscar winners like "Slumdog Millionaire" and "The King's Speech" made their international debuts at TIFF. With that in mind, we took in every screening our schedules allowed, looking for the Next Big Thing of this year.

We narrowed the Best of Fest list to 15; They may not be the Oscar nominees of 2013 — though we'd bet cash money some of them are — but they'll be among the best movies you'll see for yourself this year. -- By Kevin Polowy and Brooke Tarnoff

'Antiviral'

IFC

Brandon Cronenberg's name looks familiar for a reason; he's the son of "Cosmopolis" director David Cronenberg. And while the imagery in his first feature-length film evokes memories of his dad's work — there are echoes of "Videodrome" and "Naked Lunch" in "Antiviral" — the younger Cronenberg has created something unarguably unique. A vision of a celebrity-obsessed future wherein fans pay to be infected with stars' illnesses turns into a suspenseful race to save lives when the virus industry proves potentially fatal. The whole thing seems a fantastically implausible testament to Cronenberg's imagination. Then again, TMZ already exists. — Brooke Tarnoff

'Argo'

Warner Bros.

In case you weren't convinced by "Gone Baby Gone" and "The Town," Ben Affleck offers further proof that he's a full-on filmmaking force to be reckoned with; his third directorial effort, "Argo," is another winner, and we all know three makes a trend. This time, Affleck headlines the film as well, playing a real-life CIA operative who attempts to pull off a bold rescue mission during the Iranian hostage crisis by posing as a Canadian movie producer scouting locations. It's a true story, one almost too unbelievable to believe, and it makes for stirring and thrilling entertainment. Look for this one to be an awards heavyweight. —Kevin Polowy

'Cloud Atlas'

Warner Bros.

One of the festival's most anticipated premieres, "Cloud Atlas" also became Toronto's most hotly debated films. An ambitious collaboration between the Wachowskis ("The Matrix" trilogy) and Tom Tykwer ("Run Lola Run") and based on the bestseller by David Mitchell, this nearly three-hour epic that spans centuries is a gorgeous-looking spectacle to behold, even if its storytelling doesn't always work and fizzles out a bit in the third act (it also doesn't help the distant future's simplified dialect is nearly indecipherable). It's still must-see moviemaking, if only to see what thesps like Halle Berry and Tom Hanks look like as six or seven different characters.  — KP

Also Check Out: Reviews of the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival Movies

'Disconnect'

LD Entertainment

On one hand, "Disconnect" is a reminder to get offline and make real connections with real people — on the other, it's a reminder to race home, change all of your passwords and buy an industrial-sized document shredder. In his first feature film, director Henry Alex Rubin ("Murderball") braids together three stories: a journalist investigating underage online sex shows, a shy kid tormented by cyberbullies and a grieving couple ruined by identity theft. The message of the film could default easily to "internet bad," but never does, and the nuance and complexity of each story makes for a powerful whole. Jason Bateman in a rare but effective dramatic role and Jonah Bobo knocking it out of the park as Bateman's son are just the icing on the cake. — BT

'Great Expectations'

Out-source Media

Dickens may have been the bane of your high school existence, but "Great Expectations" is clearly beloved by many, if the number of adaptations is any indication (15, give or take). This is far and away the best, helmed by "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" director Mike Newell, and its trio of "Potter" alum (Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter and Robbie Coltrane) is just one of its charms. Stars Jeremy Irvine and Holliday Grainger bring sexy back to the 19th century, and Bonham Carter was clearly born to play Miss Havisham. — BT

'Hyde Park on Hudson'

Focus

It's Bill Murray's first lead role since 2005's "Broken Flowers." That's reason alone to celebrate, if you ask us. The fact that he goes all in as FDR, one of America's most beloved presidents? Reason to celebrate and steal a golf cart. Framed as a romantic drama about FDR's fling with a distant cousin played by Laura Linney (turns out FDR wasn't a playa but just crushed a lot), this slow but intriguing drama is really about the prez's relationship with the stuttering King George VI in the lead-up to WWII. It may also be the most important hot dog story ever told. — KP

'The Iceman'

Millennium

Thank you, film industry, for continuing to give Michael Shannon ("Take Shelter") lead roles. This time, the husky character actor plays Richard Kuklinski, a contract killer for the mob known as The Iceman (and to his bosses, simply "Pollack") for his habit of freezing his victim's bodies, but also his cold, remorseless persona. The only thing Kuklinski cares about is his family (including the ageless Winona Ryder), so despite his cold-bloodedness, we can still somehow relate to the guy in a Tony Soprano sort of way. The film scores points for not just packing a walloping punch, but for returning Ray Liotta to the wise guy genre, and featuring David Schwimmer and a nearly unrecognizable Chris Evans as killers. — KP

Also Check Out: Stars Looking Hot at the Toronto International Film Festival

'Imogene'

Lionsgate

Anyone rooting for Kristen Wiig to keep on it killing it post-"SNL"/"Bridemaids" will be glad to hear she brings the thunder in this indie that sounds like a drama (once-promising NYC playwright suffers a breakdown after she's dumped by her boyfriend) but delivers laughs like a comedy (fine, it's a dramedy). Annette Bening, Ray Liotta, "Glee"'s Darren Criss all get assists for their sublime supporting roles, but it's Wiig – whose lovable loser stock is starting to rival Will Ferrell and Steve Carell – who makes this one recommended. Once we can master pronouncing it, anyway. — KP

'The Impossible'

Summit

Spoiler alert: You will cry while watching this movie. Unless you're under 10 — and if you are, sit this one out — you'll never forget the tsunami that devastated the populations of 14 Asian and African countries in 2004; watching the events unfold onscreen, in minute detail, pours salt water in a not-yet-healed emotional wound. The title "The Impossible" refers to the chance of surviving such a powerful disaster — but make no mistake. The plot revolves around survivors, but this story won't shield you from the heart-stopping reality of ruin. It's an unflinching but beautiful examination of loss, courage and perseverance. And Naomi Watts looks ghastly— that should get the Academy's attention. — BT

'Looper'

TriStar

It's an astonishing movie on an astonishing number of levels: the alternately compassionate and coolly brutal performances by Joseph Gordon Levitt and Bruce Willis, the uncanny (and unexpected) physical similarity between the two, a time travel logic that treats sci-fi with real respect and, better yet, an understanding of when to stop explaining it. You'll never have the attention span to soak in all the small details that fill out writer/director Rian Johnson's take on the far and farther future; he's done a bang-up job of world-building. The only disappointment is that we'll only see one movie set there. — BT

'The Master'

The Weinstein Company

Paul Thomas Anderson's highly anticipated follow-up to "There Will Be Blood" that may or may not be based on L. Ron Hubbard and the early days of Scientology (anyone who's ever naively agreed to a "free stress test" will probably say yes) is gorgeously shot, crafty and meditative, even if it doesn't quite live up to expectations. It just never hits a "wow" moment; in other words, there's no milkshake drinking here. That said, you're going to want to see it for the performances, namely Philip Seymour Hoffman (you've never seen him so red-faced) as "master" theologian Lanaster Dodd, and Amy Adams as his quietly cunning wife, Peggy. — KP

'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'

Summit

With "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" author Stephen Chbosky as screenwriter and director, this is possibly the most faithful adaptation of all time. And since "Perks" ranks high among the most touching comings-of-age ever put on paper, by the transitive property, the movie version must be something truly special. And it is. For a story about a teenage boy discovering sex, drugs and "Rocky Horror," it's remarkably sensitive, and Logan Lerman was a solid choice for the lead role. However, it's Ezra Miller's Manic Pixie Dream Boy supporting character that takes the film from beautiful to infinite. — BT

'On the Road'

IFC

A screen version of Jack Kerourac's seminal Beat Generation Bible was long considered unfilmable – and took a helluva long time making its way there once the project commenced – but Walter Salles ("The Motorcyle Diaries") has pulled it off. Granted, he trimmed off 20 minutes from the overly long version that debuted at Cannes, and folks unfamiliar with the source material (do you exist?) shouldn't expect a traditional narrative.  But this is a vibrant, stylish and incredibly faithful adaptation that's just alive in every sense. Dig on this one when it hits theaters in December. — KP

'Sightseers'

Big Talk

Alice Lowe ("Hot Fuzz") and Steve Oram ("Kill List") understand that feeling of barely-repressed rage you get when people carelessly disregard the rules of polite society; the pair wrote and star in "Sightseers," a disturbingly euphoric road trip movie in which a well-behaved, quiet couple punctuates trips to pencil museums and campgrounds with brutal murders of people who piss them off. It's the darkest of black comedies and painfully, relatably funny — it's worth noting that the people sitting behind us talked enthusiastically through much of the screening, missing a hilarious movie and the learning moment unfolding in front of them. They're lucky we're pacifists. — BT

'Spring Breakers'

Muse

Harmony Korine's slyly entertaining satire of a time-honored collegiate institution is the closest thing you'll ever witness to an avant garde frat party. There are boobs and beer bongs aplenty, but captured with an artful, "indie" aesthetic, if you can picture it (go ahead, we'll wait). The film's gotten notice for being the "naughty" R-rated coming-out party for teen idols Vanessa Hudgens and Selena Gomez (they play two of four college co-eds who get into all sorts of trouble in a jaunt to Florida), but this movie is worth seeing alone (and you really should see it) for James Franco's hilariously awesome turn, as a gun-toting "gangsta" with cornrow dreadlocks and grills. We wouldn't mind this character in every movie ever. — KP

Forget Los Angeles — Canada is where the famous actor-types are at every year in September. The Toronto International Film Festival is a great way to kick off the more "serious" fall movie season as it features more adult-oriented dramas like "Looper," "On the Road" and, uh, "Dredd 3D."

However, just because it's time to get a little more serious with the storytelling now that the summer movie season is over doesn't mean there aren't some good Hollywood fun and games going on, too. Check out the stars getting down up north — and check them out often, as we'll be updating this gallery daily through Sept. 16.

Keep up with all the TIFF movie reviews at Film.com.

[From Hollywood Crush] As circa-1995 Alanis Morissette would hiss, isn't it ironic that Nina Dobrev auditioned for the big-screen adaptation of Stephen Chbosky's "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" via Skype, considering the technology wasn't a thing in the early '90s (the time period in which the novel is set)? I mean, don't you think?

Well, it was all part of a journey "The Vampire Diaries" star took to land the role of Charlie's sister Candace — despite a geographic challenge or two.

"I think I was one of the last pieces, probably not the last piece," Nina told MTV News during the Toronto International Film Festival. "But I was in Atlanta filming, and I really loved the script, and I really wanted to be a part of it, but I couldn't get to where Stephen was, so we Skyped my audition. I was in between takes, and I kind of had to be like, 'Guys, I'm going to go to the bathroom. I just have to pee for five minutes.' And then I went and Skyped and auditioned and there was a moment definitely a moment that we both knew this was a right fit and it worked."

For more on what she had to say, head to MTV's Hollywood Crush. And be sure to tune in to MTV on Tuesday, Sept. 18, at 7:56 p.m. ET for an exclusive clip from the movie, followed by a special MTV First interview with the cast on MTV.com at 8 p.m. ET.

CBS Films

With films like "Slumdog Millionaire" and "The King's Speech" having made their international debuts at the fest, the movies showing this year are among those we can't wait to see this fall — in fact, we listed 20 of them before TIFF even kicked off.

So, how did they fare? Well, here's what the reviewers from our sister site, Film.com, had to say...

"Seven Psychopaths": A
Starring Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell, Christopher Walken and Woody Harrelson. If you love quick dialogue and madcap situations, you'll feel this one came with a bow attached. Read the full review.

"The Company You Keep": C
Starring Susan Sarandon, Shia LaBeouf, Anna Kendrick and Robert Redford. Missing major moral fiber and a clear point. Read the full review.

"Thanks for Sharing": D+
Starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Mark Ruffalo, Tim Robbins and Josh Gad. It's like "Shame" as a rom-com, which works about as well as you'd think. Read the full review.

"Silver Linings Playbook": A
Starring Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Tucker and Robert De Niro. Exceptional performances and direction by David O. Russell make this a film to see in theaters. Read the full review.

"The Master": B-
Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Jesse Plemons. A movie for students of film history, and for audiences far more patient than average. Read the full review.

RedBud Pictures

"To the Wonder": B-
Starring Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Olga Kurylenko and Javier Bardem. The first and only Malick move that had me checking my watch. Read the full review.

"Imogene": D+
Starring Kristen Wiig, Darren Criss, Annette Bening and Matt Dillon. The real juice comes from the cast of pros, but that's not enough to save a hollow and uninteresting movie. Read the full review.

"The Iceman": C-
Starring Ray Liotta, Chris Evans, Winona Ryder and Michael Shannon. The enemy of all storytelling — and the downfall of "The Iceman" — is disconnection and boredom. Read the full review.

"Bad 25": A-
Starring Michael Jackson. Non-fans will be enthralled by Spike Lee's documentary. Actual fans will be ecstatic. Read the full review.

"Byzantium": C+
Starring Saoirse Ronan, Gemma Arterton and Caleb Landry Jones. It will make moody, gothic fantasy fans happy, but non-vampire lovers will find it a bit, well, lifeless. Read the full review.

StudioCanal

"The Place Beyond the Pines": B
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Rose Byrne and Eva Mendes. There is true beauty in the despair that pervades "The Place Beyond the Pines," a treatise on the compromises we all make to protect and provide for our loved ones. Read the full review.

"Hyde Park on Hudson": D+
Starring Bill Murray, Laura Linney and Olivia Williams. A movie in desperate search of a point, despite a good concept and colorful cast. Read the full review.

"Cloud Atlas": C+
Starring Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugh Grant and Hugo Weaving. It's sort of like the "Matrix" trilogy in micro; it starts out absolutely brilliantly, then segues into a pretentious slog. Read the full review.

SBS Films

"Passion": C
Starring Rachel McAdams, Noomi Rapace and Karoline Herfurt. If director De Palma was trying to call to mind softcore cable movies from the '90s, he succeeded. Read the full review.

"Much Ado About Nothing": C
Starring Nathan Fillion, Clark Gregg and Amy Acker. Everyone from high school kids to hipsters will dig this vibrant and bubbly adaptation from Joss Whedon. Read the full review.

"The Perks of Being a Wallflower": A-
Starring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller and Paul Rudd. A must-see for fans of the coming-of-age drama... and the book. Read the full review.

"Hotel Transylvania": D+
Voices by Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Selena Gomez and Andy Samberg. A children's tale missing an innovative story is a miss. Read the full review.

Scott Rudin Productions

"Frances Ha": A
Starring Greta Gerwig, Adam Driver and Grace Gummer. It's a masterpiece at every level at execution. Read the full review.

"Dredd 3D":  B+
Starring Karl Urban, Lena Headey and Olivia Thirlby. The rare remake/reboot that's actually far superior to the original. Read the full review.

"Spring Breakers": B-
Starring Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, James Franco and Ashley Benson. It's shallow, it's boring, it's poignant, it's clever, it's poorly acted, it's intentionally poorly acted. Read the full review.

"End of Watch": C
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Peña and Anna Kendrick. If you compare it to an average episode of "Criminal Minds," it's pretty good. Read the full review.

"Rust and Bone": B
Starring Marion Cotillard, Matthias Schoenaerts and Armand Verdure. If you're a lover of international cinema, you'll find much to enjoy here. Read the full review.

MK2 Productions

"On the Road": B+
Starring Kristen Stewart, Garrett Hedlund, Kirsten Dunst, Sam Riley and Viggo Mortensen. A plainspoken and restrained filmmaker's vision based on the classic book. Read the full review.

"Anna Karenina": C
Starring Keira Knightley, Jude Law, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Visually striking, but leaves one of the greatest novelized tragedies entirely bereft of an emotional connection on the big screen. Read the full review.

"Argo": A
Starring Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman and Alan Arkin. Affleck, who also directs, is in complete control of his game here. Read the full review.

"Looper": A-
Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis and Emily Blunt. Fans of rich sci-fi may want to keep a handkerchief on hand lest they find themselves drooling. Read the full review.

Stars at the 2012 Toronto Film Festival

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For all our fellow "Twilight" fans, we all know things are coming to an end, movie-wise, with the highly anticipated release of "Breaking Dawn - Part 2," and although we're pretty sure we know how the final chapter finishes up (since we've read all of Stephenie Meyer's books), we've heard some rumblings to the contrary.

When MTV News recently caught up with leading lady Kristen Stewart at the Toronto International Film Festival where she was promoting "On The Road," she totally confirmed our suspicions! Not only that, but she also offered up a pretty decent review layered with vague/expert teasery, the kind only Stewart can deliver.

Check it out above, courtesy of MTV News. "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 2" opens Nov. 16.

Getty Images

Turns out Penn Badgley is not just another pretty face – apparently he has a pretty voice as well. Who would've thought "Gossip Girl"'s Dan Humphrey could carry a tune? In his latest film, "Greetings From Tim Buckley," Badgley manages to capture the very essence of one of the most ethereal musicians of the '90s, Jeff Buckley.

Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival, "Greetings From Tim Buckley" chronicles the days in the life of Jeff Buckley leading up to a tribute concert for his mostly absent father, 1960s folk artist Tim Buckley.

We caught up with a particularly chatty Badgley to talk about how he prepared to play an iconic music artist, his own personal music background and, of course, his hair.

Smuggler Films

Going into this, were you a fan of Jeff Buckley or his father, Tim Buckley?
I didn't know Tim's music at all. I didn't know Tim existed before this script. And I was a fan of Jeff's. I think I listened to him the perfect amount. I deeply respected him and it was like, "That's Jeff Buckley. Of course, he's amazing," but I didn't know his music that well. I knew his live performances of Sin-é. His album I wasn't a huge fan of because of the broad '90s pop production. I love the music itself but it turned me off to a lot of the production and then once I got past that I just saw how beautiful and amazing it was.

I didn't even listen to him that much leading up to [filming the movie]. I studied him for like a week. Think about it: an entire week of watching one person. But the key there is evoking his qualities and being natural myself and letting the qualities that I have take over as opposed to mimicking him. Mimicry, to me, would have been the worst thing we could have done to this movie because he's not Ray Charles or Johnny Cash. He's this mysterious, misunderstood, weird, tragic icon. And to do him justice, you gotta do something different. I'm only using those examples because that's what everybody's like, they see that and they're like, "You have to look and sound and be exactly like him." And that's not what we were gonna do. There are plenty of biopics where they don't do that but I think that's become the standard … We're trying to get to a deeper, larger soul. We weren’t trying to be some big, bombastic "Look at Jeff Buckley" – it was more like "Look at Jeff Buckley, just for a second."

I'm talking so much because, for the first time, I'm so proud.

What was your musical background before coming into this movie?
I've always loved music. I listen to music the way a lot of actors watch movies. I'm actually cinematically totally uneducated. Haven't seen "Goodfellas" or "Grease." But I just poured over music. Neither of my parents play music. As weird as it was, my parents actually showed me "Kokomo" by The Beach Boys, All 4 One's "I Swear" and an Aaron Neville and Kathy Lee Gifford Christmas album. I mean, my parents have the worst musical tastes. But my dad listened to jazz. There was a Yusef Lateef album and a couple Miles Davis albums he had, the iconic stuff that everybody knows. So my musical background is weird in that I don't really have one. I love music and I've always sung to myself.

Getty Images

You were self-taught vocals and guitar, is that correct? Is what we see on screen all you?
Yeah. But I stopped playing the guitar for about eight years so, when I got this movie, I was like, "Oh, s**t."

[What you see on screen] is all live too. We all did it. The whole concert, everything was real. We played the concert without stopping all the way through. We just did that three times. Thank God it all worked. But the real important thing is that the reason anybody watching the movie feels something is because it was simple and honest and real. And that's the coolest thing about it.

Now that you've had a taste for music, will there ever be a Penn Badgely album? Will you be transitioning to music?
There will never be a Penn Badgely album [laughs]. But for the first time, I'm friends with a bunch of musicians, so I'm playing with them and opening for them. But I've gotta get my legs. There was this thing online of me singing "Lilac Wine." It's good that people liked it, but it's also not representative of what I want to do at all. I got talked into doing that by a good friend who was like "You just gotta play, so do 'Lilac Wine.'" I was like, "No, I can't do that! I've never played before. It's messy – that's Jeff's thing." I want to play music, I like to play music. I don't know where that will go.

The CW

There has been so much fuss over your hair in the past year – do you agree with it?
You know what's so funny about that? It's my hair. On the show ["Gossip Girl"] since day one, it's been such a topic of conversation with producers. And no matter what I do, even if they've asked me to do it a year prior, they're not happy. They're just not happy with my hair. Ever. So what I'm gonna do, I think, finally, when it's over, is just shave it off and get rid of all that. It's like, "Uhh, beard? No beard? I'm sorry – it's my hair. I'm not asking your opinion [laughs]." It’s like, it's long because I'm trying to grow my hair out, would you calm down?!

[From MTV News] It's not quite "The Avengers," but you can bank on the fact that a colorful assortment of heroes and villains will collide when "Captain America" returns for its 2014 sequel, titled "The Winter Soldier."

Based on a run of comic books written by noir-minded writer Ed Brubaker, the "Winter Soldier" story deals heavily with the apparent resurrection of Bucky Barnes, played in "Captain America: The First Avenger" by Sebastian Stan. In the comics, Bucky resurfaces in the form of a brainwashed Russian assassin known as the Winter Soldier, and it's up to his old partner and friend Steve Rogers to bring him back to the side of the angels. Exactly how faithful the Marvel Studios film plans to stick to that source material remains to be seen, but actor Chris Evans insists that the seeds for "Winter Soldier" were planted long ago.

"There were always hints at that," Evans told MTV News about the "Cap" sequel during a Toronto Film Fest interview about "The Iceman," his new hit-man biopic featuring "Man of Steel" villain Michael Shannon. "The best thing about [Marvel Studios president] Kevin Feige is he's a fan. He's not just a businessman, he's a rabid comic book fan. Even during the first 'Captain America,' well before 'The Avengers,' there were whispers of ['Winter Soldier'] being the sequel. So I'm excited to tackle that."

To find out why he's so excited, head to MTV.com.

[From MTV.com] He's played a dark wizard and a villainous vamp, but actor Jamie Campbell Bower is tackling his most physically demanding role yet in the upcoming "The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones" as demon-destroying Shadowhunter Jace Wayland.

Based upon the urban fantasy series by Cassandra Clare, "City of Bones" stars Lily Collins as a Brooklyn teen who discovers she's a descendant of an ancient line of half-human, half-angel warriors tasked with protecting Earth from dark forces. Campbell Bower plays her love interest in the film, and the actress had plenty of accolades for her co-star when MTV News caught up with her at the Toronto International Film Festival recently, where she was supporting another film, "Writers."

"When he walked into the room for the audition — I remember telling you this actually, a while ago — that he walked on and that was it. That was Jace. He nailed it," Collins recalled. "He didn't have to try. He's that perfect mixture between being this, like, mysterious Jace and also very endearing and funny, and he brings this wit and charm that only Jamie can bring. You just burst out laughing because he's so deadpan when he delivers things."

For more of what she had to say, head to MTV.com.

Some things you just can't stand for if you consider yourself to be ... well, a person.

MTV's own Josh Horowitz caught up with the "Dark Shadows" star at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival, though their conversation was a bit more serious than your usual piece of Tim Burton whimsy. Depp spoke about how moved he was by the real-life events that are explored in "West of Memphis," director Amy Berg's new documentary that chronicles the "failure of justice" that was the case of the West Memphis Three.

Check out Johnny Depp's interview with MTV News, and see what all the rage is about when "West of Memphis" opens in theaters on Dec. 25.

Finnick Odair, the dreamiest tribute in Panem, has finally been found, but only after a lengthy search that spanned countless A-list actors and virtual unknowns alike. "Snow White and the Huntsman" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" actor Sam Claflin will star as the trident-wielding Finnick in Francis Lawrence's "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," but once upon a time, there was a very different man in the running for the role: "Tron Legacy" star Garrett Hedlund.

Hedlund confirmed his near miss with "Catching Fire" during a recent interview with MTV News at the Toronto International Film Festival, where he was promoting "On The Road," yet another hotly awaited novel adaptation.

"They did [approach me]," Hedlund admitted to MTV about almost playing Finnick in the upcoming "Hunger Games" sequel. "But I was working on this film at the time. We shot the whole film in 23 days and I was really immersed in it. I couldn't get around [to reading the 'Hunger Games' novels]."

Read what else he had to say at MTV.com.

The powers that be at Marvel have broken their silence on "Guardians of the Galaxy" director James Gunn — and by "powers that be" we mean "Avengers" director Joss Whedon.

Whedon, a friend of Gunn's, recently spoke with MTV News at the Toronto International Film Festival (where he was busy promoting "Much Ado about Nothing," his modernized take on Shakespeare's classic play) about how Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy" adaptation is coming together, and what the film's director brings to the equation.

"James is what makes me think it will work," said Whedon. "I myself was sort of like, 'Well, I liked Rocket Raccoon as a kid, but I'm not sure how that plays [to a wider audience].' And then they said, 'Well, we're thinking about using James Gunn.' And I said, 'Oh, then no, you're fine.' He is so off the wall, and so crazy, but so smart, such a craftsman and he builds from his heart. He loves the raccoon. Needs the raccoon."

Head to MTV's Splashpage for more!

It's looking more and more likely that Joseph Gordon-Levitt's days of stalking around Gotham City in a cape and cowl have ended before they ever really started. By the end of "The Dark Knight Rises," Gordon-Levitt's optimistic beat cop John Blake — real name Robin, as it turns out — discovered Bruce Wayne's abandoned Batcave, leaving him the heir apparent to Batman's legacy in Gotham.

Gordon-Levitt hasn't been shy about his beliefs that the ending of "Rises" wasn't meant to be a "to be continued," but a decisive conclusion to the "Dark Knight" trilogy and its themes. Given that Christopher Nolan has also said that he won't be involved in future Batman films, it's a safe bet that further appearances of JGL in Gotham aren't in the cards, either.

But how about that "Justice League" movie that Warner Bros. is currently assembling? It's unclear at the moment how WB plans to connect their superhero team-up (rumored to hit theaters in 2015, the same year as Marvel and Joss Whedon's "Avengers" sequel) to the "Dark Knight" trilogy, if at all. But for the sake of argument, let's say Gordon-Levitt was approached to be a part of "Justice League" — would he even be interested in signing on?

MTV asked the man himself during the Toronto Film Festival this week, but for JGL's answer, you'll have to head to MTV.com.

The next installment of "The Hunger Games," titled "Catching Fire," promises all kinds of changes for the world of Panem. Katniss Everdeen isn't just a Hunger Games survivor, for one; she's a full-blown celebrity now. Civil unrest is catching throughout the 12 districts, too, causing all sorts of problems for Katniss as well as the cruel President Snow.

And here's something else that's new: when "Catching Fire" hits theaters, it'll have a brand new fan in the form of A-List actor Bradley Cooper.

It seems the "Hangover" actor, currently at the Toronto International Film Festival promoting his and co-star Jennifer Lawrence's new film, "The Silver Linings Playbook," is the latest person to catch fire and become a "Hunger Games" fan. "I just saw it," Cooper told a surprised Lawrence when MTV News spoke with the pair at TIFF. "I didn't even tell you? I didn't text you?"

He goes on to further prove his fandom... but you'll have to head to MTV.com to read it.