Whitney Houston returns to the big screen for the first time in 15 years in Sparkle, a remake of the 1976 Motown-era film. In the first official still from the movie (via PEOPLE), the legendary singer plays mother to her co-star, Jordin Sparks.

“Part of the fun of making this movie is definitely the costumes and the hairstyles,” the 48-year-old diva tells PEOPLE. “The movie is set in 1963, and we had a great wardrobe, hair and makeup person and I loved wearing the outfits.”

Sparks makes her film debut alongside Houston.

“She was so cool and very motherly toward me,” says the 22-year-old “American Idol” winner, who plays a singer who hits it big. “If I ever looked like I needed something, here she came saying ‘Are you okay?’”

Sparkle, which marks Houston’s first big-screen role since The Preacher’s Wife in 1996, opens in theaters on August 10.

Now, TI has revealed that while sitting in prison, he missed on opportunities to star in many other high-profile films. “I was supposed to be in the film ‘Tower Heist’ with Ben Stiller. I was supposed to be in that. And I wasn’t able, obviously, to be there,” he said. “‘GI Joe 2,’ they called me for that. ‘World War Z’ with Brad Pitt. They called me for that. The Joel Silver movie ['Bullet to the Head'] – I would have been co-starring with Sylvester Stallone. They called me for that too.“

Ne-Yo is a high-flying hero in his latest acting role. The R&B gentleman plays Andrew “Smoky” Salem, a tobacco-chewing fighter pilot, in the George Lucas-directed Red Tails, based on the true story of African-American World War II pilots Tuskegee Airmen.

In the latest stills from the film, which opens in theaters nationwide on January 20, Ne-Yo appears alongside an all-star cast including Cuba Gooding Jr. and Terrence Howard.

“It was definitely a learning experience shooting this movie,” the 32-year-old singer told Rap-Up TV. “I developed a love and appreciation for the acting thing, but it will never take the place of music.”

Watch a trailer below.

The trailer for the final Batman-movie directed by Christopher Nolan thundered onto select scenes a few days ago, much to the delight of both fans and those casually familiar with Bob Kane’s legendary comic book hero. Fans of the Batman comic lore know Bane as the one man (mostly) who really beat Batman; using his enhanced strength to break the caped crusader’s back; an injury from which Batman almost didn’t recover.

The scene starts with an almost ethereal rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner being sung at what appears to be Heinz field in Pittsburgh, with the uber-villain Bane purposefully making his way up a shaft. Bane is played by actor Thomas Hardy, who acknowledged that he packed on 30-40 lbs. of muscle to play the part; however, at just 200 lbs; he still seems a tad small to play the part of the giant that broke the Bat. Everything else, however, looks good; Bane’s pain-negating mask makes him look unmistakably formidable.

It’s good to see that much of the old crew from Batman Begins is back; Michael Caine reprises his role as Alfred the loyal butler; Gary Oldman as Commissioner Gordon; and, although we do not see him in the trailer, Morgan Freeman as Lucious Fox. Obviously, Christian Bale returns as Batman.

The Dark Knight Rises trailer strongly suggests civil unrest – a class struggle waged between the rich and the poor. New actress Anne Hathaway plays the sometimes-villain Selina Kyle (Catwoman), and is seen dancing and whispering what appears to be sweet nothings to Bruce Wayne…until you get closer and hear her blithe and foreboding admonition. On cue, an inmate break-out leads into the most telling sequence of Bane’s resolve in the trailer – the detonation of a football field. With the players on it.

This impressive CGI-concocted devastation is still reverberating, and you haven’t had time to process it yet as the concluding scenes roll by; of a broken Batman, scores of SWAT fighting Bane’s legions, and a smattering of breathtakingly-cool new vehicles – including a missile-laden hovercraft. It looks like Batman had to commission his own small army to deal with Bane’s minions! Sigh…it’s going to be a long seven months until the July 2012 release.

“My life is perfect,” Tyler Perry’s well-groomed character tells us in the trailer for his latest picture, Good Deeds. That’s far from the truth, and you’ll find out why in the clip, which we have posted below.

Wait, this isn’t the one that Perry took heat from regarding his Kim Kardashian casting? Seriously, this man works harder than virtually anyone else in the industry. Instead, Good Deeds looks like a pay-it-forward melodrama about a corporate tycoon who wakes up to reality when he’s compelled to help a struggling single mother (Thandie Newton) and her child. Hallmark probably could have run this story on a Sunday evening, but with Perry’s signature on the dotted line, Good Deeds should enjoy good returns at the box office come February.

Truthfully, I’m just happy Perry’s making movies that find legitimate roles for talented actresses like Newton, Phylicia Rashad and Gabrielle Union. And at least, by the looks of things, we don’t have Madea to contend with in Deeds.

As for all of you Kardashian fans, the reality-television starlet will appear in Perry’s The Marriage Counselor, which is eyeing a 2012 release date (if the writer-director can deliver on time). I wonder how many times Kardashian can marry and divorce on camera before the publicity train for that drama gets underway?

O’Shea Jackson is on board for another installment and that they’re rounding up the cast.

It’s been close to a decade since Friday After Next released, but the cast of the Friday series is ready to give it another go. According to TMZ, Ice Cube is confirmed to return to the fourth installment and that Chris Tucker is also on board to star.

“Absolutely yes the studio is in the process of getting the entire original cast to do another ‘Friday,’” said a rep for Cube Vision Productions. “[Ice Cube] is very excited about this and has every intention to make it happen.”

Friday hit theaters in 1995, becoming a cult hit and netting over $28 million worldwide. Next Friday followed in 2000, grossing almost $60 million worldwide, while its Christmas-themed threequel Friday After Next impacted in 2002.

Steve Harvey, the host of the nationally syndicated Steve Harvey Morning Show, can’t count the number of impressive women he’s met over the years, whether it’s through the “Strawberry Letters” segment of his program or while on tour for his comedy shows. These are women who can run a small business, keep a household with three kids in tiptop shape, and chair a church group all at the same time. Yet when it comes to relationships, they can’t figure out what makes men tick. Why? According to Steve it’s because they’re asking other women for advice when no one but another man can tell them how to find and keep a man.

The film is an adaptation of author Steve Harvey’s self help book, “Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment.”

Directed by Tim Story (Barbershop, Fantastic Four) the film stars Michael Ealy, Jerry Ferrara, Meagan Good, Kevin Hart, Taraji P. Henson, Regina Hall, Romany Malco, Gary Owen, Terrance J, Arielle Kebbe, Gabrielle Union and Lala Vazquez.

Don’t mess with Rihanna. The pop star brings out the big guns in the latest trailer for Universal Pictures’ Battleship, her first dramatic big screen role.

“She’s a fighter, she’s a killer,” explains RiRi of her tough character, Navy weapons officer Raikes. “I’m one of the boys. We do everything together. We go on all our missions together.”

As part of her physically-demanding role, she hunts aliens at sea.

“These aliens are thugs,”

adds the singer, who suffered bruises, scrapes, and sore muscles while being trained by real military officers.

The big-budget film co-starring Liam Neeson, Alexander Skarsgard, and Taylor Kitsch sails into theaters May 18, 2012.

After releasing several mixtapes and viral videos, Teairra Mari makes her official return with “U Did Dat,” the lead single from her as-yet-untitled sophomore album. The R&B siren exited Warner Bros. Records earlier this year and signed to Rico Love’s Division1 label.

“Ever since I went there with you/ Never been so turned out and turned on/ I’m so glad he’s gone ’cause you’re the one I want,”

a smitten Teairra coos over the seductive midtempo, written and produced by Rico and D-Town.

“I believe in her. She’s a superstar,” Rico said. “If somebody is a star and they have that ‘it’ thing that cannot be taught, all you have to do is put a record with it. I believe that she’s gonna have a successful career. I believe that she has that potential.”

HIPOHOPUCIT.com has your first listen.

Whitney Houston is making a sparkling comeback to the big screen. The legendary diva is executive producing and starring alongside Jordin Sparks in a remake of the 1976 Motown-era film Sparkle. “ET” went on set with Houston for her first big-screen role since The Preacher’s Wife in 1996.

“I got a call from my partner Debra Martin and she said, ‘You’re not gonna believe this, but Sparkle‘s been picked up and they want to do a film.’ And I was like, you’re kidding,” said the 48-year-old singer-actress.

She explained why the “American Idol” winner was perfect to play the role of her musical daughter.

“She speaks for herself—the face, the smile, the innocence, the love for music, the love for singing,” said Whitney of her 21-year-old co-star. “Her personality just being Jordin and transferring that to Sparkle, it was not a hard transition.”

Sparks picked up some pointers from her on-screen mother.

“I listened to her and I watched her and for her to be standing here and just telling me different things, I definitely want to take it to heart ’cause she’s been through so much—highs, lows, ups, downs, successes, different things like that—and it’s just so amazing to stand here and she’s still doing it.”