20th Century Fox

In the first twist of this year's San Diego Comic-Con, an unscheduled Hugh Jackman bonded with fans and showcased footage from next summer's prequel, X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

"Without you guys, I wouldn't have a career," Jackman told an energized crowd, who had gathered to see Keanu Reeves promote The Day the Earth Stood Still and Mark Wahlberg talk about Max Payne.

The party-crashing Jackman, muttonchops-free and just off a plane from Australia, offered a shout-out to Wolverine creator Len Wein and waded into the audience to shake hands with the comics vet.

Sneak-peek footage from the flick, due May 2009, had a few surprises as well:

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Warner Bros. Entertainment.com

Can anything stop the Batman?

With The Dark Knight having blown past $200 million on Tuesday, just five days into its release, the answer apparently is no.

Steve Mason, lead box-office analyst for FantasyMoguls.com, said he thinks the movie will pick up another $70 million-$80 million this coming weekend, helping it blow past $300 million in less than 10 days.

"There's never been anything like it," Mason says via email.

The seemingly endless record grosses are coming despite a pair of offscreen incidents that, individually, have helped kill lesser movies: (1) the shocking death of one star and (2) the criminal allegations against another.

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Press Association via AP Images

The third time was apparently the charm for Pete Doherty. At least in terms of punctuality.

After missing his two previous hearings on the matter, the Babyshambles frontman finally appeared in British court today to cop to roughing up a paparazzo.

Officially, Doherty pleaded guilty to a charge of causing criminal damage stemming from an encounter last summer.

The Yeovil Magistrates Court accepted Doherty's plea, with the magistrate ruling that there was a "degree of provocation" in the incident before fining the rocker roughly $2,000.

"Yeah, it was OK today. It should have been sorted out ages ago, to be honest," Doherty said outside the court. "It's been hanging over me a long time."

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AP Photo/American Eagle Foundation

The eaglet has landed flown the coop.

Two 14-week-old apparently well-connected bald eaglets, who earlier this year were christened "Hope" and "Tennessee" by Miley Cyrus and papa Billy Ray following the birds' births at Dolly Parton's Dollywood park, have been released into the wild by the nonprofit American Eagle Foundation.

Neither Cyrus was on hand to witness the event, which took place today at Tennessee's Douglas Lake near the Great Smoky Mountains.

A group of Hannah Montana fans, however, was happily on hand for the birds' release.

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Mike Marsland/WireImage.com

The Dark Knight has decided to keep everybody in the dark when it comes to allegations of assault lodged by his Batmom and Batsis.

During a press conference promoting The Dark Knight in Barcelona last night, Christian Bale decided to keep his private life private when faced by relentless queries from the press about what went down in a London hotel room that resulted in him being questioned for more than four hours by police.

"It's a deeply personal matter," Bale said. "I would ask you to respect my privacy in the matter."

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AP Photo/Jennifer Graylock

Score one for normalcy.

Oscar-nominated actress Amy Adams has confirmed, without fanfare or baby bump, that she is engaged to her boyfriend of six years, actor Darren Legallo.

Adams' rep Megan Moss confirmed to E! News that the thespian couple will tie the knot sometime next year.

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AP Photo/Manu Fernandez

Christian Bale's family ties are a little loose right now, but his marital relations appear to be holding fast.

Sources close to the Dark Knight star tell E! News that, contrary to new headlines suggesting that his eight-year marriage to Sandra Blazic is on the rocks, "his and Sibi's marriage is solid."

Marital troubles are just one of the reasons being bandied about to explain the seemingly random alleged showdown between Bale and his mother, Jenny, and sister Sharon at a London hotel that resulted in the actor's arrest Tuesday when he turned himself in for questioning.

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50 Cent has made a run for the court order.

The Get Rich or Die Tryin' rapper sued Taco Bell Corp. Wednesday for "diluting the value of his good name" with a guerilla ad campaign that he says was intended to fool the chalupa-craving masses into thinking he had endorsed the fast-food chain.

Last month, Fiddy's camp called the gimmick a "sleazy and ill-conceived publicity stunt."

"Without seeking or obtaining Jackson's authorization, defendant Taco Bell made him the star and focus of its nationwide advertising campaign by using his name, persona and trademark to promote Taco Bell's business and products," stated the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan.

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Jeff Frank/ZUMAPress.com

Mindy McCready's hope for a comeback just got pushed back, after a drug and booze binge landed the troubled country songbird first in the emergency room of a Tennessee hospital and then in an Arizona rehab center.

"Mindy McCready did receive emergency care at Vanderbilt University Medical Center," her publicist tells E! News. "Other issues made it prudent for her to seek longer-term and broader-based treatment."

"To her credit," says the singer's publicist, "she has entered into an extended-care facility where she will receive the care needed. And for the moment we ask that everyone respect her privacy."

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©PacificCoastNews.com

Brad Pitt's got a Fight Club sequel in the works. His new sparring partner: paparazzi.

The actor's attorney is threatening legal action against any media outlet that publishes photos snapped "surreptitiously" of Pitt, Angelina Jolie and their family, including new twins Knox and Vivienne, on the grounds of their French estate. Jolie and the newborns checked out of the hospital on Saturday, a week after the birth.

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PacificCoastNews.com

Ethan Hawke's got a new leading lady in his life.

The actor and new wife Ryan Shawhughes welcomed their first child together in New York City last Friday, daughter Clementine Jane Hawke.

Hawke's publicist, Mara Buxbaum, confirmed the arrival to E! News today.

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