Stars of the new Avengers film, Age Of Ultron, will quietly re-assemble in London early in the New Year to shoot some extra scenes for the Marvel blockbuster.

Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Robert Downey Jr (Iron Man), Mark Ruffalo (The Hulk), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Paul Bettany (The Vision), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow) and Tom Hiddleston (bad-guy Loki) have all been asked to make themselves available over a two-week period in January to film additional scenes at Pinewood Studios.

Director Joss Whedon and the film’s producers may not require all the stars to fly into the UK, but they had to send out an early blanket notice so they’d be around if required. And for the kind of money this cast is being paid, they’re not going to refuse.

Stars of the new Avengers film will come together again in London in the New Year to shoot extra scenes

I understand that, as with the James Bond films, Age Of Ultron — the second Avengers movie — needs a bit more kick-ass on an extravagant scale. The Avengers movies and their spin-offs have become box office diamond dust. Audiences cram into cinemas to see them — but they also demand that the action in each new film be more spectacular than the last.

Later next year, Avengers 3 and 4 will shoot back to back, most likely at Pinewood in the UK.

There are some huge pictures coming to film here. In fact, so many U.S. film-makers and actors are working at British studios now that when Dawn Hudson, head of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, visited recently, she saw so many members she joked she could have held a governors meeting in the UK.

It’s a testament to British film talent — and that of the other craftsmen and women who opt to be based here.

Later next year, blockbusters Avengers 3 and 4 will shoot back to back, most likely at Pinewood in the UK

Strictly a game of cha-cha change

Sparkly: Strictly Ballroom the Musical, pictured on stage in Sydney this year, could make its way to West End

That showman Baz Luhrmann is exploring ways to bring his theatre extravaganza, Strictly Ballroom, to the West End.

The show, based on his 1992 hit movie (which was itself based on a stage production he created) played in Sydney this year. It’s due to travel to Melbourne, and possibly on to Brisbane and Perth.

Luhrmann’s producers will open Strictly in the West End late in 2015 or early 2016 — if a theatre can be found.

The director’s team viewed three venues several weeks ago, but nothing was available. They’re due back later next month, but are at a slight disadvantage because not all of Strictly’s notices were as sparkling as the show’s costumes.

True, Luhrmann and co have reworked it since Sydney. However, West End theatre chiefs are reluctant to offer a house until they see an improved production when it arrives in Melbourne.

Even if it was a five-star smash, though, where would it go?

The Palladium has everything from Cats to Red Nose Day (the BBC charity event will be beamed from there), and possibly Elf for Christmas 2015. Disney’s Aladdin will zoom in on its magic carpet in 2016 — if a deal can be struck.

The Dominion, meanwhile, has rung up £5.3 million in ticket sales for White Christmas. It might return next Yuletide (or Elf could, if it doesn’t go to the Palladium). Or Motown might boogie its way in at the start of 2016. I don’t think the Back To The Future musical, tipped for this venue, will be ready any time soon.

Over at the Palace, the producers of The Commitments have dug in their heels and won’t be shoved out without a fight.

And the Shaftesbury is enjoying great success with Memphis, thanks to the star power of Beverley Knight and Killian Donnelly. How will it fare, though, once their contracts are up?

Made In Dagenham at the Adelphi needs to re-think its marketing. It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of the show and the cast, led by Gemma Arterton, but vultures could be circling by March unless ticket sales pick up. In that case, Kinky Boots would move in there before the Strictly Ballroom crowd could utter ‘pasodoble’.

The Scottsboro Boys is doing well at the Garrick. But while its run is limited, I don’t think the Garrick’s right for Strictly.

So unless one of the long-running shows begins to falter, poor old Strictly has limited choices.

Watch out for...

James McAvoy has hailed his next movie, The Ruling Class, as 'one of the best pieces of writing' he'd read

James McAvoy, who has started rehearsing The Ruling Class by Peter Barnes. The actor hailed it as ‘one of the best pieces of writing’ he’d ever read.

Peter O’Toole starred in what has become a cult movie version — but McAvoy hasn’t seen it. ‘I can’t be watching somebody else. I want to put my own stamp on it,’ he told me recently.

The Ruling Class hasn’t been done professionally in London for more than four decades. Director Jamie Lloyd started rehearsing it in South-East London this week, with a cast that includes Ron Cook, Joshua McGuire, Kathryn Drysdale and Anthony O’Donnell.

The production will form part of the Trafalgar Transformed season and will begin performances at the Trafalgar Theatre from January 16. McAvoy’s excitable character becomes the 14th Earl of Gurney after his father’s passing. And after that . . . stuff happens. Forbes Masson, Michael Cronin, Serena Evans, Elliot Levey, Oliver Lavery, Andrew Bloomer and Rosy Benjamin are all part of the ensemble.

Julianne Moore, who gives one of the best performances of the season in the film Still Alice.

The movie is directed by the team of Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland, and adapted from a novel by Lisa Genova.

Ms Moore (pictured far right) plays a distinguished professor of linguistics at New York’s Columbia University. Aged 50, Alice is at the height of her career. She has a husband (Alec Baldwin) and three children, played by Kate Bosworth, Hunter Parrish and Kristen Stewart.

Julianne Moore (pictured with on-screen husband Alec Baldwin) gives a great performance in Still Alice

Slowly, Alice notices that she’s forgetting chunks of her lectures, and when she’s out running she can’t remember where she lives. She’s diagnosed with early-onset familial Alzheimer’s.

As her life begins to crumble, she feels so ashamed, socially, of her disease. She says bitterly at one point that she wishes she had cancer instead, because then at least people would know what to say to her.

There’s a scene where Alice gives a speech to an Alzheimer’s association and she notes that she’s not suffering from Alzheimer’s, but struggling with it. It’s the most heartfelt performance I’ve watched in a long time.