So, depending on who and what you believe, the world is ending tomorrow. That’s right: Judgment Day arrives on May 21, 2011, so if you’ve got anything left on your bucket list that you’re really hoping to scratch off, well… now’s the time to do it.

Of course, the world isn’t really ending tomorrow. I hope not, at least. But if it does, you better start praying to your deity of choice that you’ve seen enough post-apocalyptic movies to get you through whatever horrible bloodbath is coming our way if you want to stand a chance at survival.

In case you haven’t seen many world-ending films, click past the jump and get the lowdown on the five essential movies you need to see to survive Doomsday. After all, it’s still Friday — you’ve got all day to brush up on your post-apocalyptic movie know-how before the real thing comes your way tomorrow!

“Armageddon” & “Deep Impact”
Separate movies but bearing similar messages, “Armageddon” and “Deep Impact” both center on massive asteroids heading straight for the Earth with no apparent relief in sight. If meteors are coming our way tomorrow, well, let’s hope we’ve already got Bruce Willis and a crack staff of oil drillers up there solving the problem. If not, do as Tea Leoni did: make peace with your father, stand by the nearest beach and accept your tidal wave fate as it washes all over you.

“Dawn of the Dead”
When there’s no more room in hell, the dead shall walk the earth. And when the dead start walking the earth, it’s time to take over your nearest shopping mall and turn it into your very own post-apocalyptic paradise. “Dawn of the Dead” will show you the do’s and don’ts of how to survive Doomsday in style. Do as Peter does and avoid Roger’s arrogance and you’ll most certainly have this thing by the A.

“Mad Max”
Mel Gibson headlined this post-apocalyptic series about a world where law has broken down and given way to total chaos. I don’t expect that skintight leather-wearing motorcycle gangs are going to be the biggest threat if the world ends tomorrow, but the swift dissolution of civilization and societal niceties is a virtual certainty come Judgment Day. For that reason, “Mad Max” is required viewing if you want to get some tips on how to be a badass and make sure that no one messes with you whatsoever when the Rapture hits.

“The Road”
In “The Road,” Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee star as a father and son who struggle to survive through the scorched landscape of America, doing their best to find any remaining shreds of humanity. Sadly, it doesn’t look like there’s much to be found. The real takeaway from this one, should Judgment Day arrive tomorrow, is that sticking with your loved ones is a good idea. The end of the world isn’t pleasant; it’s dangerous, it’s bloody, and it’s mostly uninhabitable. But if you’re going to try and stick it out, best to do it with the people you love the most — they’ll keep the fire in you, as much as they can.

“Terminator 2: Judgment Day”
You know the drill: man builds Skynet, Skynet becomes self-aware, man tries to disconnect Skynet, Skynet gets pissed and destroys mankind via nuclear armageddon and builds a robot army to keep the survivors in line. Pretty much the worst case scenario. The good news is we already survived the “Terminator” apocalypse — just ask Joe Morton!

Which movies would you recommend as must-watch post-apocalypse survival guide viewing? Let us know in the comments section and on Twitter!

By now, you’ve probably heard all about how the woeful financial struggles of once-powerful studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer have been holding up the works on future James Bond movies (it owns the rights to the 007 franchise). Well, good news — on Wednesday, MGM rejected a takeover bid by Lionsgate and billionaire Carl Icahn… and instead filed for bankruptcy! That may not sound like the peachiest news, but in doing so MGM has effectively wiped $4 billion in debt off its plate and set in motion a complicated financial restructuring that will allow it to continue to make movies, including the soon-to-be-in-production “The Hobbit”… and more James Bond flicks!

According to Bloomberg, in submitting the bankruptcy claim, MGM charted its plans for the coming years, and chief among them was assigning a release date to the long-awaited follow-up to 2008′s “Quantum of Solace.” The next 007 film — for now let’s call it “James Bond 23” — is slated to hit theaters in November 2012.

But before you go hopping in your Aston Martin for a victory lap, be warned that the good news doesn’t stop there. MGM also stated that it plans to release a new Bond flick every second year thereafter.

What’s more, the fact that “Bond 23″ has its Goldeneye on a November 2012 release means that Daniel Craig will likely return to the role he gave a new, darker edge to in 2006′s “Casino Royale” and ’08′s “Quantum of Solace.” There had been concerns that MGM’s financial problems could leave the James Bond franchise to wallow in limbo for years, making the now 42-year-old Craig too old to return. Whether he’ll be back for more than the next installment remains to be seen, though he does have a five-Bond-picture deal in his back pocket. Also up in the air is whether “American Beauty” and “Road to Perdition” helmer Sam Mendes, who had been attached to direct “Bond 23,” is still on board. Either way, there are (fingers crossed) only two more years until the next Bond flick… and we can take a quantum of solace in that.

Are you stoked we’re finally getting “James Bond 23″? If Craig doesn’t return, who should take over as the superspy? Tell us in the comments!

With the wealth of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” trailers and TV spots Warner Bros. has treated fans to over the course of the last month or so, seeing the “Seven Potters” — Harry’s pals, both male and female, transformed by a spot of Polyjuice Potion into perfect Potter doppelgangers in order to act as decoys during a daring escape from 4 Privett Drive — has become old hat by now.

But while the various videos have shown the Seven Potters (two of them clad in full-on women’s ensembles) standing around in awkward disarray in the aftermath of their Polyjuice potion swigging, the characters’ transformation has heretofore remained unseen. Now, a new clip from the flick has hit the official “Harry Potter” Facebook page to sate our curiosity, showing everything from Mad Eye Moody hatching the plan to Harry’s obligatory protestation to the metamorphosis of Fred, George, Fleur, Ron, Hermione and Mungungus Fletcher. Check out the clip below.

What do you think of the Seven Potters clip? Is the transformation believable? And will you be first in line to see “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” when it hits theaters on November 19? Share your thoughts on everything Potter in the comments!

Middle-Earth, baby, Middle-Earth!

It’s been a process years in the making — one that’s been plagued by financial woes, years of production delays and the departure of original director Guillermo del Toro — but at long last “The Hobbit” has reportedly been green-lit (finally!), with MGM and Warner Bros. okaying a production start date of February 2011.

The Wrap broke the news, citing the ever-popular “source close to the production,” and a rep for Warners’ New Line Cinema had yet to respond to MTV News’ request for comment as of press time… so we’re reserving all-out debaucherous celebration until we get the official confirmation.

For now, we’re tentatively optimistic. And, as if the project getting the go-ahead wasn’t cause enough for diehards to start throwing Elvish feasts, the website goes on to state that Peter Jackson has finalized his deal to direct the two-part “Lord of the Rings” prequel. In the words of Homer Simpson, “Woohoo!”

Jackson had been on board to co-write and produce “The Hobbit” from the get-go. When del Toro forfeited the director’s chair five months ago to work on other projects, fans the world over began clamoring for Jackson to step in, arguing that no one else would suffice. With news that Jackson is locked in to direct, it appears the filmmaker will get to complete his vision for the translation of J.R.R. Tolkein’s beloved books to the big screen.

Though reports have varied, the combined budget for the two films is said to be in the $400-500 million range. The first film is slated for a December 19, 2012, release, with the second pegged for a theatrical bow in 2013.

Once the green light and Jackson’s role as director have been unequivocally confirmed, the only remaining question is: Who will play Bilbo Baggins? Andy Serkis and Ian McKellen are reportedly on board to reprise the roles of Gollum and Gandalf, respectively. With none of the other members of the original Fellowship set to return, it will have to be someone pretty freaking awesome. May we suggest Martin Freeman, the star of the British “Office” and del Toro’s rumored top pick? If not him, Simon Pegg will more than suffice.

Who would you like to see play Bilbo? And are you encouraged by the news that “The Hobbit” finally, finally, finally has the green light?

Playing tetherball is a fun, time-honored school-yard tradition (just ask Napoleon Dynamite). Playing tetherball with a beehive? Not so much. But you don’t have to ask “Jackass” stars Steve-O and Dave England for verification. You just have to watch an exclusive clip of the fellas doing exactly that in “Jackass 3D.”

In the video, the two jackasses suit up in naught but their underwear and some very flattering bear hoods and prepare to slap a beehive on a string back and forth at each other. Beforehand, however, they ask the kindly long-maned beekeeper how many stings it takes to make a man dead… to which he responds, “I think it takes about a hundred to kill a man.” We’re not sure how many Dave sustains (many of them before the game officially begins), but it looks like it may have been pushing a hundy. Thankfully, he didn’t die (we think). Still, we’re going to go ahead and give Steve-O the victory.

“Jackass 3D” opens today in theaters everywhere and, with solid reviews and the commercial-friendly 3-D element, could rake in more that $30 mil for the weekend to best the $29 million opening frame of “Jackass 2.”

Are you planning to see “Jackass 3D” this weekend? And have you ever done anything on par with smacking around a buzzing beehive? Tell us in the comments!

Just when you thought there couldn’t possibly be any more posters for “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” (after all, we already have these and these and these and this and this), three more posters have popped up. No need to worry, they adhere to the same level of awesome as the previous posters and — gasp! — even show us some new things.

The new batch of posters includes Dobby and Bellatrix Lestrange character banners and an extra-long bus wrap, all three of which add to the slowly mounting anticipation for the November 19 release of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1.” In addition to the fresh crop of images, Warner Bros. will be unveiling a never-before-seen sneak peek at the film at the 2010 Scream Awards, which air October 19 on Spike. And we’re sure a whole mess of “Potter” TV spots, talk show appearances and what not will ensue. But until then, you can feast your eyes on the three posters after the jump.

The Dobby poster is in the same vein as the up-close character banners that we loved so much the first time around. Of the three new posters, this one is hands down our favorite, because it both shows the vulnerability Dobby has in “Part 1″ and highlights him as being on the story’s main characters (finally!). Just look at those eyes!

Similarly, the Bellatrix image calls to mind these character posters. Considering Ms. Lestrange is easily one of our favorite villains in the films, we’re glad she’s also being highlighted so much.

Last but not least, there’s the epic bus poster for “Part 1″ (click on the image below for a larger, easier-to-see version). The idea is pretty simple: It takes the escape from 4 Privet Drive (during which most of the good guys are disguised as Mr. Potter) and turns it into the basic good versus evil fight that’s underlined the entire series. It’s not the grittiest or darkest of the “Potter” posters by a long shot, but it’s cool nonetheless.

Which of the three new posters is your favorite? Tell us in the comments

If you felt like the only thing missing from this summer’s well-received “Predators” was a cameo by the definitive kicker of dread-locked-alien behind, one Arnold Schwarzenegger, you’re not alone.

While promoting the “Predators” DVD release at New York Comic Con, Adrien Brody — the man who did a stellar job assuming Arnie’s mantel as premier alien destroyer — told MTV News that he also felt there was a distinct lack of Schwarzenegger in the franchise reboot.

“I was hoping he would be in this film,” Brody said. “It would have been great. I really was hoping.” As you may have guessed, Schwarzenegger was a bit busy being governor of California, so that never happened.

That didn’t stop filmmakers from writing Schwarzenegger — who played a commando named Dutch in the 1987 original — into the script, however. “There was a version we were going to do that had a different ending that it really would have been fitting for Schwarzenegger to be there,” Brody said. “It would have been like him passing the gauntlet to my character… and the bravery of my character proven. That would have been just epic.” We agree, and we’re crossing our fingers that the rumored “Predators” sequel remedies that Ahnuld deficiency.

Would you have liked to see Schwarzenegger in “Predators”? Or were you happy with the way it ended? Tell us in the comments!

When Tony Gilroy was confirmed as director of “The Bourne Legacy” last week, there was renewed hope that Matt Damon might, just might, return for a fourth go-around as Jason Bourne. After all, if Damon absolutely had to team with a director besides Paul Greengrass on a new “Bourne” film, who better than the man who co-wrote the three previous installments?

Sadly, it is not to be… not yet anyway. Gilroy himself rang up Hollywood Elsewhere to tell them the following: “This is not a reboot or a recast or a prequel. No one’s replacing Matt Damon. There will be a whole new hero, a whole new chapter… this is a stand-alone project.

“The easiest way to think of it is an expansion or a reveal,” Gilroy continued. “Jason Bourne will not be in this film, but he’s very much alive. What happened in the first three films is the trigger for what happens. I’m building a legend and an environment and a wider conspiracy… the world we’re making enhances and advances and invites Jason Bourne’s return [down the road].”

“We’re going to show you the bigger picture, the bigger canvas. When you see where we’re going and see what we’re doing it’ll be pretty obvious… but Jason Bourne’s actvities in the first three films is the immediate trigger.”

In other words, we’re going to get a new hero to follow in “The Bourne Legacy,” though we may be treated to Mr. Bourne’s badass return sometime down the line. Until then, just like Damon at the end of “Ultimatum,” we’ll be holding our breath.

Who do you think should play the hero of “The Bourne Legacy”? Tell us in the comments!

How cool is Johnny Depp? When he (or his publicist) got a letter from an adorable British third grader requesting pirate Captain Jack Sparrow’s help in rising up in mutiny against teachers at Meridian Primary School in Greenwich, south-east London — where J.D. just happens to be filming “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” — ‘ol John boy knew just what to do: keep the Sparrow dreads on after work and swish on down to the school for some real-life pirating. After regaling the kids with some swashbuckling songs and dances, Depp wisely counseled the tot to hold off on the mutiny, since, you know, the authorities were keeping an eye on him.

That just got us thinking about how awesome it would be if Johnny dressed up as some of his other legendary characters and paid in-character visits to other totally inappropriate audiences.

Click here or on the image above for our gallery of Edward Scissorhands visiting a petting zoo (ouch), Willy Wonka shilling candy to the “Biggest Loser” cast and more fun stuff.

Don Juan DeMarco Visits the Carmelite Sisters
DJD heard there were a whole bunch of ladies hanging around with no other men in sight, so he figured that was just the place for him to show off some of his patented loverman charms… until he found out they were celibate nuns.

Edward Scissorhands at the Petting Zoo
Poor Eddie Sciss, he can’t ride in hot air balloons, is banned from the jumpy at Chuck E. Cheese’s and is absolutely never again allowed to go tubing on the river. Imagine his dismay, then, when he went down to the local petting zoo and, well, you can imagine.

Raoul Duke and the Driver’s Ed Class
The one person you absolutely, positively don’t want as your driver’s ed teacher is that perpetually hallucinating, substance hoovering, cigarette chomping “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” lunatic Raoul Duke. Though he is apparently a hell of a parallel parker.

Willy Wonka and the ‘Biggest Loser’
You thought Charlie Bucket was disappointed when Willy initially told him he had blown his chance at that lifetime supply of Wonka bars cuz of that stunt with the fizzy lifting drink? Imagine how the weight-obsessed contestants of “The Biggest Loser” would feel if the trippy candyman showed up to surprise them with a truckload of Wonka treats?