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Hugh Jackman's out. Ricky Gervais is taken. Neil Patrick Harris is moving up the Academy Awards' invite list.

Not so fast on that last one.

On Friday, we asked Las Vegas' own Oscar handicapper Johnny Avello for his take on who'll be the awards show's next host. Avello, director of sports race and sports operations for the Wynn and Encore hotels, kindly complied with a hot-off-the-presses line.

When we first took a look, we were surprised. And not because the favorite of favorites is a dark horse. Because it—or rather, he—isn't. At all. Let's just say if Avello's right, your next Oscars telecast is going to be a blast from the past.

And not a blast from the Emmys by way of the Tonys. (Sorry, NPH.)

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Hugh Jackman would like to thank the Academy, but no thanks.

Despite his critically (the gig garnered several Emmy nominations) and publicly (he breathed new life and viewers into the ratings sinkhole) acclaimed Oscars hosting stint last spring, the Aussie actor will not be returning to the podium for the 2010 telecast.

Jackman's quiet exit doesn't mean he won't one day become this generation's Billy Crystal. His rep confirmed to E! News that he has not ruled out a return to the Oscar stage, but just didn't want to emcee for two consecutive years.

Fair enough. After all, how are we supposed to realize how good this is until we spend a year without it?

No frontrunner has emerged to fill Jackman's sizable song-and-dance shoes, but with one obvious fill-in, Ricky Gervais, suddenly bringing new buzz to the Golden Globes, the Academy better bring out the big guns.

So…Stephen Colbert, Neil Patrick Harris, Conan O'Brien, Chris Rock, Ellen DeGeneres, uh, Robert Pattinson…who would you like to see host the 82nd Annual Academy Awards when they return March 7?

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You know what movie's already getting Oscar buzz? You do now.

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David Beckham couldn't look bad no matter how hard he tried.

That said, we really haven't been digging that scraggly beard he's been sporting of late.

Thankfully, there's a good explanation. No, it's not some sort of strange soccer ritual—he's just trying to channel Hugh Jackman.

"Halloween's coming up and I was thinking of Wolverine from X-Men," he told the U.K.'s Daily Star. "It's not some playoff ritual. I'm just lazy and can't be bothered to shave. And everybody keeps telling me to cut it off and I'm stubborn."

With those eyes and abs, the image of Mr. Posh Spice trick-or-treating with sons Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz is still howlingly hot...but we're sure hoping he takes a razor to that scruff come Sunday.

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Becks isn't the only star psyched for Halloween. Check out who else is getting pumped in our Pumpkin Pickin' gallery.

A.M.P.A.S. / Michael Yada

Wolverine's gonna sink his claws into a meaty part.

Hugh Jackman has signed on to appear in a new musical, E! News has confirmed.

Showman will chronicle—in song!—the colorful life of legendary P.T. Barnum, the impresario whose talent for giving the people what they wanted led to many entertainment firsts, including the three-ring circus. Barnum is also said to have claimed, "There's a sucker born every minute."

The female lead is being written with an actress in mind: Anne Hathaway, Jackman's Oscar night singing partner.

While the huckster has already been the subject of the Broadway musical Barnum (which starred Harry Potter audiobook legend Jim Dale), this new film will feature contemporary songs, possibly by Mika.

Sounds like a total circus already.

Who else is putting on a show? Check out the Casting Couch gallery!

Jeff Vespa/Getty Images; Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images; Todd Williamson/Getty Images; George Pimental/Getty Images; Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

Seth Rogen and James Franco have taken the pineapple express to Oscar credibility.

As if expanding the Best Picture nominee pool and potentially nixing the Best Song category wasn't enough to modernize the usually staid Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, surely its welcoming of cinema's preeminent bong jokesters is.

Rogen and Franco are two of 134 new artists and movie industry executives who have been extended invitations to join the Academy and, in doing so, secure voting rights for all future Oscar ceremonies beginning in 2010.

The smokin' Pineapple Express duo are joined by fellow Judd Apatow repertory players Michael Cera, Paul Rudd and Jane Lynch, along with Casey Affleck, Viola Davis, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Taraji P. Henson, James McAvoy, Tyler Perry, Danny Boyle, Emile Hirsch, Michelle Williams, Amy Ryan, Slumdog soundtracker A.R. Rahman, Peter Gabriel, Tom Cruise's producing partner-in-crime, Paula Wagner, Milk man Dustin Lance Black and Mr. Oscar himself, Hugh Jackman.

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•  Sacha Baron Cohen's Brüno plays leap frog with supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio for the cover of British Marie Claire and offers a fashion guide from A to Z. Here's a taste: "O is for...ORLANDO BLOOM. He's basically obsessed mit me. I don't vant to use ze word stalker, but ven ich vas at Milan Fashion Veek I stayed at ze Hotel Malecci. Guess who checked in to ze same hotel two hours later…Orlando Bloom. Coincidence? Ich don't think so." Yeah, this might actually be even funnier than that staged bit with Eminem.

•  Chris Pine and Audrina Patridge call it quits. So that happened, we guess, if they were ever really dating in the first place.

•  Models don't seem to like Kristin Cavallari any better than her Hills castmates.

•  Apparently, if you're Hugh Jackman, strollers are disposable.

•  Even Clay Aiken's own charity wants nothing to do with him.

•  Dear James Franco: Not cool. Love, Rise 'n' Shine

Glasses are sexy. If you don't believe us, check out the Gorgeous in Glasses gallery!

If you can still see straight, please make sure you're following us on Twitter @eonline!

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•  When it comes to campaigning, it's never too early to get started. Even Hugh Jackman knows that. He's supposedly (and probably sarcastically) hot to nab the cover of People's Hottest Man Alive issue next November and remain tops for a second year in a row.

•  Vanessa Minnillo, Nick Lachey's current girlfriend, and Ashlee Simpson-Wentz, his former sister-in-law, had a meeting of minds at an Eminem concert. The Melrose Place starlet described it exactly as we imagine it: awkward!

•  The LeAnn Rimes/Eddie Cibrian publicity stunt affair apparently hasn't completely gone away just yet. Now the Third Watch star's wife is calling the songbird a stalker.

•  In case you were wondering, Kimora Lee Simmons and Djimon Hounsou named their new son Kenzo Lee Hounsou.

•  Megan Fox finally admits to being hot.

•  Dear Denzel Washington: We're sorry to say that your sadness is well-founded. As handsome as you are, you probably will be too old to play Barack Obama in a biopic when the timing is right for it. Love, Rise 'n' Shine

Who helps get Denise Richards moving in the morning? Check out our Denise Richards: Idols & Inspirations gallery and see!

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @eonline!

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Prepare to get wet.

Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig are making plans to appear in A Steady Rain together on Broadway this fall. According to a report in the New York Post, the stage drama tells the story of two Chicago cops whose friendship is rocked by a case.

No word on whether the stars will be forced to remove their shirts. (But we highly recommend it.)

Though best known as action heroes, Jackman is no stranger to Broadway, having won a Tony for the Peter Allen musical bio The Boy from Oz, and Craig has appeared onstage in England. Also worth noting, both are famous, handsome and really well-built.

And while Wolverine and 007 are away from the multiplexes, reliable action figure Tom Cruise is going to Wichita with Cameron Diaz, the Valkyrie star's rep confirmed to E! News. The action comedy is about a secret agent and a woman and, well, isn't that usually enough? Expect it next summer.

Now let's talk about A Couple of Dicks. Seann William Scott and Adam Brody are all set to bring the funny in the buddy cop movie starring Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan, per the Hollywood Reporter. Kevin Smith rolls cameras Monday.

Though Dr. Drew Pinsky isn't hunky man-candy, his just-announced third season of Celebrity Rehab, set for early next year, sounds as addictive as earlier installments. With Heidi Fleiss, Dennis Rodman, Mindy McCready and Mackenzie Phillips among the celebs looking to straighten out, this sobering dramafest sounds front-loaded for good television and, we hope, some actual healing and recovery.

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•  It was only a matter of time. Suri Cruise and Cruz Beckham are, like, totally getting married! Word is Cruz asked her to hit the swingset with him after one of her dance shows. They celebrated over cupcakes. Parents Katie Holmes, Tom Cruise, David and Victoria Beckham are so proud.

•  Angels & Demons star Stellan Skarsgård thinks Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown sucks. Oy.

•  It's totally on the D-L, but Jessica Alba may join a secret society at Yale.

•  Hugh Jackman's washboard abs may drive you crazy, but at least now he can drive himself there to meet you. Wolverine got his license!

•  Vanessa Hudgens' Zac Efron is not altar-bound.

•  Kevin Spacey supposedly wants to host the Oscars. What do you think?

•  Dear Chris Pine: Hello, lovah! These pics from GQ have our jaws on the floor. Love, Rise 'n' Shine

Jennifer Aniston brings quizzical (and, thus, fun vocabulary) to the Big Picture gallery.

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Crikey! Woody Allen's latest ensemble project is down one Aussie.

Nicole Kidman has opted out of the director's London-set flick due to a scheduling conflict with another of her pet projects.

Presumably to preempt the baby bump speculation, Kidman's rep says the actress' double duty as producer and star (alongside Aaron Eckhart) duties for Rabbit Hole will prevent her from taking part in Allen's latest offering.

Even sans Kidman, there will be plenty of star power to go around: Naomi Watts, Freida Pinto, Antonio Banderas, Josh Brolin and Anthony Hopkins remain on board and will begin shooting this summer in the U.K.

Meanwhile, those wondering what you'd get if you crossed Wolverine with a Mummy-seeking archaeologist need wonder no more. According to Hollywood, the answer is Robert Pattinson.

The New Moon hunk heads up today's castings, along with Hugh Jackman, Rachel Weisz, Kevin Spacey, Monica Bellucci, Guy Pearce, Danny Glover and Al Pacino.

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