Ben Affleck is in talks to direct George Clooney's project Argo, it has been reported.
According to Entertainment Weekly, Affleck may come on board to helm a film that was set up at Warner Bros by Clooney.
The movie, based on an article in Wired Magazine, tells the story of a CIA rescue operation to save six US diplomats held hostage in Iran in 1979.
Variety reports that the plot focuses on a scheme concocted by the CIA, which involved using a fake movie project titled 'Argo' to help the hostages escape.
Should Affleck accept the position, it will be his first directing assignment since The Town.
The Red Riding Hood actor auditioned for the role but told Wonderland that he is glad to have avoided the level of fame it would have granted.
According to Metro, Fernandez said: "It makes me happy that I didn't do it. How can you want that for yourself? How can you wish that on anybody?
"I think [Robert] Pattinson handled it really well - he seems like a neat kid, interesting and kind of strange, but I wasn't in the right mind to take any of that.
"I wasn't mentally prepared to have any sort of success in that way. Even with this tiny, tiny morsel of fame I'm experiencing now I still feel uncomfortable."
Previously, Fernandez told VMAN: "No-one had any idea what Twilight would become. At the time, it was just another audition. I didn't realise I was missing out on stardom and giant paychecks.
"Now, looking back on it, I certainly wouldn't have been mentally stable enough to deal with all that. Lucky for me, not getting that part led to other work that was a much better fit for me."
Inception and The Social Network have scooped prizes at the 2011 Writers Guild of America awards.
Christopher Nolan's mind-bending science fiction thriller took home the 'Original Screenplay' award ahead of Black Swan, The Fighter, The Kids Are All Right and Please Give.
Aaron Sorkin was awarded the 'Adapted Screenplay' prize for his Facebook drama The Social Network. Sorkin's script - inspired by Ben Mezrich's book The Accidental Billionaires - beat out 127 Hours, I Love You Phillip Morris, The Town and True Grit for the gong.
Sorkin's WGA victory follows his win at the Golden Globes last month.
Elsewhere, Charles Ferguson, Chad Beck, and Adam Bolt's financial meltdown movie Inside Job was awarded the 'Documentary Screenplay' prize.
There has been word recently that Samuel L. Jackson's S.H.I.E.L.D. leader Nick Fury will be joined by a female sidekick for The Avengers.
Now Deadline are reporting that Cobie Smulders, best known for TV show How I Met Your Mother, is the front runner to play S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Maria Hill in Joss Whedon's superhero epic.
She could be locked in before the weekend is out, after besting competition that included Firefly's Morena Baccarin, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Jessica Lucas.
As the ruthless agent, Smulders could see herself committed to several Marvel movies if she takes the role.
She'll be joining Scarlett Johansson as one of the rare ladies in a testosterone-heavy cast that features Robert Downey Jr, Jeremy Renner, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo and, of course, Samuel L. Jackson.
The Avengers is set for release on 4 May 2012.
A good choice for Maria Hill? Comment now!
Martin Freeman has admitted he feels daunted as he prepares to don Bilbo Baggins' furry feet for The Hobbit.
The actor, best known for his British TV work, was cast in Peter Jackson's two-part Tolkein epic several months ago, after almost missing the opportunity due to Sherlock commitments.
Freeman said he was nervous about about journeying to New Zealand when he spoke to Modcast's Eddie Piller: "It's very daunting - the daunting part is leaving home…"
"I'm a real homebody, even before we had children, I was a homebody, so with children it's like aww... I'm very excited though."
He also spoke about almost missing out on the chance to play Bilbo: "I had to turn it down because of being contractually obliged to do the second series of Sherlock for the BBC, which we are doing in the middle of this year."
"I turned it down with a very heavy heart because things like this don't come your way very often. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, as far as scale is concerned."
"It's a huge, huge deal. But I was contracted to do Sherlock. I wanted to do both."
Freeman added: "When I found out I couldn't do both it was very sad. And then it was very flattering when Peter Jackson rearranged the filming around my availability."
In other good Hobbit news, Peter Jackson is reported to have left hospital after undergoing surgery for a perforated ulcer.
The Hobbit is due to start shooting next month, with Part 1 still scheduled for release in December 2012.
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