The First Dweebing of JUNE!

EDITOR'S NOTE: JUST A LITTLE HODGEPODGEING TO KICK OFF A NEW MONTH.

FIRST UP.....PANDERING TO DWEEBPAL SAMANTHA. (WHO STILL MISSES XENA?)

COMICS AND MISC:
Batwoman is a lesbian



DC Comics has announced a new comic-book heroine, Batwoman, who will be a "lipstick lesbian" that fights crime in the comic 52.

The new-look Batwoman is one of many new characters which are more ethnically and sexually diverse than their predecessors. The characters are part of a wider effort to broaden the make-up of comic-book characters to make them more in-line with society as a whole.

In 52, Batwoman will be a rich socialite who has a romantic history with another character, ex-police detective Renee Montoya. The series will be set in a world in which established superheroes like Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman no longer play a role. EDITOR'S NOTE: UMM....WHERE'D THEY GO?

The publication will be year-long and began this month.

Batwoman, who first appeared in July 1956, has not been seen since September 1979 when she was killed by the League of Assassins and the Bronze Tiger. EDITOR'S NOTE: WELL THAT WASN'T VERY NICE OF THEM. I GUESS IF THEY WERE NICE, THEY'D BE CALLED THE 'LEAGUE OF....UMM....NICE PEOPLE'?

Season 2 of LOST to DVD in October



The second season of LOST will be released on October 3, 2006 via Buena Vista Home Entertainment.

The release will be a seven disc DVD set and contain every episode from the second season as well as bonus materials and extra features.

It is expected to retail for $59.99 (though Amazon has it listed at $41.99) and feature the following bonus material:

- Lost Connections
- Lost: On Location
- The Lost Flashbacks
- Secrets of the Hatch
- Lost Bloopers
- Deleted Scenes
- Fire and Water: Anatomy of an Episode
- Audio Commentaries and more
EDITOR'S NOTE: WONDER WHY THEY'RE NOT COMING OUT WITH THIS BEFORE THE NEXT SEASON STARTS? (THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE, HUH?)

STAR WARS NEWS:
Star Wars Celebration IV in Los Angeles To Mark 30th Anniversary of Saga
To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Star Wars, Lucasfilm Ltd. and Gen Con LLC will throw the largest party ever for fans of the saga, taking over the entire Los Angeles Convention Center in May 2007 for five days filled with live entertainment, celebrities from all six movies, special film and video presentations, an exhibit of movie props and costumes, exclusive merchandise sold at a 24-hour-a-day store EDITOR'S NOTE: OH MY LANDS! DWEEBING SHOPPING ROUND THE CLOCK! (LIKE ONLINE, BUT YOU CAN GROPE THE MERCHANDISE!), pop culture tributes, immersive events EDITOR'S NOTE: IMMERSIVE? SO WE DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK TO THIS GALAXY?, costume contests, and scores of additional activities.

Star Wars Celebration IV will fill the L.A. Convention Center from Thursday, May 24 to Monday, May 28, 2007. EDITOR'S NOTE: OK GANG (IN HOUSTON). WE'VE MISSED ALL THE PREVIOUS SW CELEBRATIONS. DON'T YOU THINK WE REALLY MUST GO TO THIS ONE?!!! (30TH ANNY, ETC. PLUS ALL OUR LALA FRIENDS WE CAN STAY WITH!) Admission to the first day of the event will be for worldwide members of the Official Star Wars Fan Club,EDITOR'S NOTE: OOO..THAT'S ME!! I'M A MEMBER!! WOOHOO, I ROCK! many of whom will help plan and run special programming themselves. The convention will be open to the general public from Friday through Monday, Memorial Day.

"Generations of fans have loved Star Wars, many passing along the 'Star Wars gene' to their children," said Steve Sansweet, Director of Content Management and head of Fan Relations for Lucasfilm. "This is the first chance to celebrate all six movies in the saga-George Lucas' complete story-as well as the vibrant future of Star Wars. If you've ever been to one of our Celebrations-or if you haven't been before-this is the one not to miss."

Celebration III, a four-day event held in Indianapolis in April 2005, attracted more than 34,000 fans from all over the world.

"We started getting questions about a possible Celebration IV even while the last convention was running," Sansweet noted. "So we're determined to far outstrip anything we've done before, both in size and scope, as well as introduce many first-time activities and lots of exclusives." EDITOR'S NOTE: AND HERE'S HOPING THAT IT IS WAY BETTER ORGANIZED THAN I HEAR PAST ONES HAVE BEEN?

Lucasfilm is also working on other Star Wars-related events in the Los Angeles area just prior to Celebration IV, "so we're expecting Southern California to become 'Destination: Star Wars' from the weekend before through Memorial Day weekend," Sansweet said. EDITOR'S NOTE: OO...AND DISNEYLAND!!!!

The convention announcement was made jointly by Lucasfilm Ltd. and Gen Con LLC. Gen Con will once again manage the convention on behalf of Lucasfilm and the Official Star Wars Fan Club. The Celebration IV announcement is being made a year in advance to give fans worldwide a chance to plan for a week-long "Destination: Star Wars" blow-out in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles is the ideal site for a 30th Anniversary convention, Sansweet said, since there are many Star Wars roots in the area. It was also the location of the first official Star Wars fan gathering, the 10th Anniversary Convention. Star Wars opened on May 25, 1977, on just 32 theater screens in North America, including Grauman's Chinese Theater on Hollywood Boulevard.

One of the highlights for fans at a Star Wars convention is the chance to buy unique merchandise, including an exclusive, limited-edition action figure. Because this has led to bottlenecks and long lines in the past, the Celebration IV store will be bigger than ever, self-service, well-stocked with merchandise, have plenty of check-out lanes...and be open 24 hours a day from the opening of the show on Thursday until the close on Monday!

"Gen Con is thrilled to be working again with Lucasfilm on this very special event," said Peter Adkison, owner of Gen Con LLC, producer of Gen Con Indy and other Gen Con events.
"Together I know that we will produce a convention that will not only meet, but exceed, fans' expectations. With Lucasfilm 100% behind this show, it's going to be the biggest party in the history of the franchise. We are particularly focused on dramatically improving the selection and service in the Celebration store."

Stay tuned to starwars.com as your primary source for updates about programming, guests, activities, entertainment and exclusive merchandise at Celebration IV to be released as they are confirmed closer to the convention.

Online ordering for tickets to the event and for discounted hotel rooms is scheduled to begin late summer/early fall. EDITOR'S NOTE: SERIOUSLY...WHO WANTS TO TAKE A HOUSTON GROUP FORAY!?? (AND WHAT ABOUT YOU DALLAS FOLKS??!!!) There will also be information on getting around Los Angeles, traveling to and from the Convention Center, and on shuttle buses available for convention-goers who are staying in the city.

The Kir Kanos & Mystery Figure Expanded Universe 2-pack is now available for preorder at StarWarsShop!



A new shared-exclusive for fans and collectors: the Kir Kanos & Mystery Figure Expanded Universe 2-pack, which includes two brand new Hasbro action figures and a Dark Horse comic book! The mystery figure and comic book identities will be announced at the right time, and the right place!

Expanded Universe fans know Kir Kanos as a steadfast disciple of Palpatine's New Order even after the Empire's collapse,EDITOR'S NOTE: AH YES. I KNEW HIS NAME SOUNDED VAGUELY FAMILIAR. whose beliefs made him one of the most deadly fugitives in the galaxy. Kanos was a member of the Emperor's Royal Guards, the elite red-robed sentinels that guarded Palpatine during his rule. Kanos was an expert at the echani fighting form and in wielding a force pike. His fanatical loyalty, though, was his greatest and most dangerous weapon.
Kir Kanos and the mystery figure will represent the second and third entries in Hasbro's new line of Expanded Universe figures, which launched with StarWarsShop's exclusive Shadow Stormtrooper last month. Be sure not to miss out on these incredible exclusives!

Kir Kanos & Mystery Figure Expanded Universe 2-pack
Our Price$19.99
Ships Sep 1
http://shop.starwars.com/catalog/product.xml?product_sku=SWHBEUP&rid=EMAILC-122

TV NEWS:
Govich gets 'L&O' badge; Farina exits
Dennis Farina is leaving NBC's crime drama "Law & Order" after two years, while Milena Govich, who co-starred in "Conviction," Dick Wolf's midseason drama for NBC, has come on board Wolf's flagship "L&O" series. EDITOR'S NOTE: WONDER WHICH BORING, SKINNY WHIPPERSNAPPER SHE WAS ON THAT BORING SHOW. (I LOVE DICK WOLF'S MANY CREATIONS, BUT I LASTED ABOUT 1 AND A HALF EPISODES OF "CONVICTION". BLAH). SORRY TO SEE FARINA LEAVE. HE HAD NICE, PRICKLY CHEMISTRY WITH JESSE L. MARTIN.

On "L&O," from Wolf Films and NBC Universal Network TV, Farina played Detective Joe Fontana, who investigated crimes and apprehended suspects with partner Edward Green (Jesse L. Martin).

"Dennis is the consummate professional, and I respect his decision to pursue other opportunities, and he will be sorely missed," Wolf said. "I genuinely hope we work together again." EDITOR'S NOTE: AND THE BACK-STORY TO THIS IS.........??????

Morgan gets new life with Rhimes, ABC
Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who recurred on Shonda Rhimes' hit medical drama for ABC "Grey's Anatomy" this past season, has been tapped as a regular on Rhimes' new project for the network.

The untitled Rhimes project, about a group of female journalists, has a pilot order. It is being produced by Touchstone TV, the studio behind "Grey's."

On "Grey's," Morgan played heart patient Denny Duquette. Duquette, who was romantically linked to Izzie (Katherine Heigl), died in the series' recent second-season finale.

Additionally, Morgan has recurring roles on WB Network's series "Supernatural," on which he plays the ghostbusting father of series stars Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, and on Showtime's comedy "Weeds," on which he plays star Mary Louise Parker's deceased husband, who appears in flashbacks and fantasy sequences. EDITOR'S NOTE: SO HE SPECIALIZES IN DEAD GUYS, OR GUYS WHO TALK TO DEAD GUYS?

Ashford leads HBO expedition
Writer-producer Michelle Ashford has been tapped as writer and co-executive producer of the 10-hour HBO miniseries revolving around the legendary journey across the western U.S. by explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in the early 1800s.

Edward Norton and Brad Pitt are executive producing the still-untitled miniseries, based on the book "Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson and the Opening of the American West" by Stephen F. Ambrose. The project will be produced as a co-venture of HBO and National Geographic. National Geographic Feature Films president Adam Leipzig and National Geographic Ventures Tim Kelly are exec producing alongside Norton and Pitt. EDITORS' NOTE: GUESS NORTON AND PITT AREN'T ACTUALLY STARRING IN IT THOUGH? DRAT.

The book chronicles the historic three-year expedition Lewis and Clark began in 1803 at the behest of President Jefferson to map what was then largely untamed wilderness to facilitate the then-young nation's westward expansion.

The project has been in development at HBO for nearly a year. Ashford's recent credits include serving as a writer-producer on the 2002-03 NBC drama series "Boomtown" and the 1998-99 CBS drama "L.A. Doctors."

Pair join Lifetime's 'Trace' telefilm
Amanda Detmer and Jonathan Scarfe have joined the cast of the Lifetime telefilm "Trace Evidence," due to begin shooting in Ottawa on June 16. The thriller, produced by Montreal-based Muse Entertainment Enterprises and Ottawa-based Sound Venture Produs., sees Detmer play a scientist on the verge of discovering the genetic cause of addictive behavior. EDITOR'S NOTE: SOUNDS LESS SAPPY THAN THE USUAL LIFETIME (TELEVISION FOR THEM) FARE?

The TV movie already has been picked up by Lifetime Television for a late summer air-date, as well as Canadian broadcaster Chum Ltd. and European commercial TV distributor Granada International. Peter Svatek is directing. Producer credits go to David Patterson and Jesse Prupas

MOVIE NEWS:
SUPERMAN Flies to New Date
Warner Bros. has pushed the release date of SUPERMAN RETURNS up to June 28th. The move means the film will open on a Wednesday rather than the originally scheduled Friday (June 30th).

Warner Bros. also announced a few other date changes:
THE ANT BULLY: Now releasing on July 28, 2006

Brad Pitt's THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD: Pushed back to sometime in 2007. EDITOR'S NOTE: OUCH. WONDER WHY?

SPIDER-MAN 3 Pics and Teaser News
With shooting underway, tons of set pictures from SPIDER-MAN 3 are showing up on the web.

In a bit of related news, Superhero Hype! reported that the teaser for SPIDER-MAN 3 is expected to show up in theaters attached to SUPERMAN RETURNS. Keep a look out for that.

SPIDER-MAN 3 will sling into theaters on May 4, 2007. EDITOR'S NOTE: YAY! HOPE IT'S AS GOOD AS LAST TIME. (AND A TRAILER....SO SOON!!!)

The pics from the set of give us a good look at Tobey Maguire dressed in that black suit that may or may not be the alien symbiote that eventually bonds with Eddie Brock and becomes Venom (who Topher Grace may or may not be playingEDITOR'S NOTE: CHECK OUT PICS, BELOW. AND TOPHER GRACE! JUST ABOUT UNRECOGNIZABLE! ), may or may not be a physical manifestation of Spidey's inner angst or may or may not be Spidey going through an emo rock goth phase.

Whatever it is, the black suit was looking great and Grace looked like he was fitting in well as whoever it is he's actually playing. The ones below, give us a clear look at Bryce Dallas Howard as Spidey love interest Gwen Stacy and her apparently having an emotional moment with her father (played by James Cromwell).


EDITOR'S NOTE: IS IT JUST ME, OR DOES BRYCE HOWARD LOOK LIKE SHE'S GAINED SOME CURVES SINCE "THE VILLAGE"?


EDITOR'S NOTE: WHO KNEW TOPHER GRACE WAS A CUTIE?!

EDITOR'S NOTE: THE EVER-RELIABLE JAMES CROMWELL.

EDITOR'S NOTE: SHAGGY...BUT SO CUTE.

EDITOR'S NOTE: STILL IN SHAPE!

EDITOR'S NOTE: AND THE BEST FOR LAST......LET'S JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO ENJOY THIS SHOT.......

AND WE'RE BACK......

AND SPEAKING OF SPIDEY, ET AL ----

Avi Arad Steps Down as Head of Marvel Film Studio

Avi Arad has resigned as chairman and CEO of Marvel Studios and chief creative officer of parent company Marvel Entertainment. Upon stepping down, Arad created his own company, Avi Arad Prods., which will be charged with producing HULK and IRON MAN.

Essentially, very little will change with regards to the production of Marvel's upcoming slate of films. A noncompete clause will stop Arad from producing anything about superheros and probably anything even fantasy or science fiction related. Arad will no longer deal with the day-to-day corporate responsibilities and will instead focus on producing movies via his new company. Arad will be paid with a percentage of the box office from the films his company produces.

Arad will remain a creative adviser to Marvel Studios for the remainder of this year. Arad also remains Marvel's designated producer for any future movies based on SPIDER-MAN.

"Spider-Man is the crown jewel. I would never let go of that," Arad said.

In talking about the switch, Arad also commented on various upcoming Marvel films, saying that a director would be named for HULK within 40 days.

"This time, we'll make it the Marvel way," Arad said of HULK. EDITOR'S NOTE: THEY'RE MAKING ANOTHER HULK MOVIE? ARE THEY COLLECTING ALL THE COPIES OF THE ANG LEE ONE AND BURNING THEM? (AND THEN ADJUSTING THE MEMORIES OF EVERYONE WHO STILL CAN'T QUITE SHAKE THE AROMA?)

Taking Arad's old position at Marvel Studios will be Michael Helfant (chief operations officer) and Kevin Feige (president of production).

Wiseman wants to DIE HARD
Len Wiseman is in discussions to direct the upcoming DIE HARD 4 for 20th Century Fox.

Bruce WIllis will be reprising his role for the screenplay written by Mark Bomback and Doug Richardson.

The script pits a retired McClane against an Internet terrorist organization. EDITOR'S NOTE: SO WHAT ELSE IS NEW?! (JUST GLAD THE THING IS FINALLY MOVING FORWARD!)

Wiseman previously directed the vampire thriller UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION.
EDITOR'S NOTE: HE'S THE DIRECTOR ENGAGED TO THAT STICKINSECTOFTALENT, KATE BECKINSALE. SO HERE'S HOPING SHE ISN'T MCCLANE'S NEW PARTNER OR LOVE INTEREST? (SHUDDER....)

Sean Bean is THE HITCHER

Sean Bean is thumbing his way to "The Hitcher," Rogue Pictures' remake of the 1986 horror film being produced by Platinum Dunes. Sophia Bush also is on board the film, which is being directed by veteran music video helmer Dave Meyers. EDITOR'S NOTE: DIRECTED BY A MUSIC VIDEO GUY AND PRODUCED BY MICHAEL BAY. SO....IT'LL BE LOUD.

The script follows a young couple driving across the country who become prey for a serial killer, who blames all of his murders on the young man. Eric Bernt wrote the current draft. Bean will carve out the serial killer role made famous by Rutger Hauer in the original. EDITOR'S NOTE: AWW....I KNOW SEAN BEAN DOES THESE BADDIES VERY WELL, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE HIM DO MORE GOOD-GUY ROLES. HE CAN BE QUITE CHARMING IN THEM. Bush (WB Network's "One Tree Hill") has been cast as the young woman; casting is imminent on the young man.

Producing are Michael Bay, Andrew Form and Brad Fuller as well as Charles Meeker and Alfred Haber. Production is scheduled to start this month in Austin and Santa Fe, N.M.

Movie NewsAPOCALYPTO Poster



Touchstone Pictures has released the poster for the upcoming film APOCALYPTO.

The film is an ancient epic by Mel Gibson that is set against the turbulent times at the end of the Mayan civilization. EDITOR'S NOTE: PERFORMED, NO DOUBT IN THE DEAD MAYAN LANGUAGE?

APOCALYPTO releases on December 8, 2006.

Zellweger will solve CASE 39 with Alvart
German director Christian Alvart is negotiating to direct the Paramount Pictures horror film, CASE 39. The film will star Renee Zellweger and is due to start shooting later this summer in Vancouver.

The script is by Ray Wright and centers around an idealistic social worker (Zellweger) who saves a 10-year-old girl from her abusive parents. She later discovers that the girl is not quite as innocent as she thought. EDITOR'S NOTE: I HAVE AN 11-YEAR-OLD NEPHEW. THEY NEVER ARE AS INNOCENT AS YOU THINK.

Also cast in the film are Kirsten Storms and Alexis Thorpe. Alvart was officially announced to be the "New Face of German Cinema 2005" at the AFI Fest 2005 in Los Angeles. EDITOR'S NOTE: YES, BUT CAN HE TAP DANCE?

Ana Vega joining HANNIBAL
An administrator of the unofficial Vin Diesel fan club was kind enough to drop me a line regarding some news for the upcoming Diesel film, HANNIBAL. EDITOR'S NOTE: BACK UP A SEC....THERE'S A FAN CLUB?

She wrote:
Ana Vega has been linked to Vin Diesel's pet project, HANNIBAL. She is of a few women who have been connected to the film of Hannibal. Vin Diesel in the past has mentioned an interest in Paz Vega but nothing came to fruition.

Now, Ana Vega has been listed at IMDB.com. It is unclear as to the details of what her role may be. However many members EDITOR'S NOTE: MANY? AS IN MORE THAN A FEW? at Unofficial Vin Diesel Fan Club have considered the idea that it may be for the role of Hannibal's wife Imilce.

Movie NewsWhitaker has his VANTAGE POINT



ColumbiaForest Whitaker will co-star in the Pete Travis directed film, VANTAGE POINT. Whitaker is joining Dennis Quaid, Matthew Fox, and William Hurt for the film by Columbia Pictures.

The script is by Barry Levy and it follows an attempt to assassinate the U.S. president in Madrid. It is told from five different points of view and unfolds in 15-minute increments.
Whitaker is playing the part of an American tourist who snags video footage of the assassin.

Expect the movie sometime in 2007.

Col secures Zook spec for Sandler
Columbia Pictures has pre-emptively acquired the spec "Jack and Jill," by actor-scribe Ben Zook, for Jack Giarraputo and Adam Sandler to produce via their Sony-based Happy Madison banner. The comedy would serve as a possible starring vehicle for Sandler. EDITOR'S NOTE: NOT THAT I REALLY CARE WHAT'S ON-DECK FOR SANDLER, BUT I THINK IT'S BEST TO KNOW WHAT TO AVOID, WHICH WEEKENDS I'LL HAVE FREE FROM MOVIE OBLIGATIONS, ETC.Todd Garner brought the project to Happy Madison, and he will also produce through his Broken Road Prods.

Columbia paid $350,000 against $1 million for the comedy, whose plot line the studio is keeping under wraps, though it is known to be about fraternal twins. Zook co-wrote, co-directed and co-starred in the 1999 comedy "Can't Stop Dancing."

Actingwise, he is working on Lifetime's "Lovespring" and has "Tom, Dick, and Harry" set up at New Line and "I Hate Valentine's Day" at Revolution.

Sandler next appears in Sony's comedy "Click."

Myers touting self-help with Par seminar
Mike Myers is in final negotiations to write, produce and star in an untitled self-help comedy at Paramount Pictures.

The film, which Myers will co-write with Graham Gordy, centers on a self-help guru named Pitka who is called upon to solve a couple's romantic problems. Like Myers' groovy Austin Powers incarnation, Pitka was created and workshopped by Myers at several theaters in Manhattan.

The film marks Myers' second deal with the Melrose studio in as many months. In April, he signed on to star in "How to Survive a Robot Uprising" for Paramount and producer Michael De Luca. Paramount's Alli Shearmur will shepherd the guru project for the studio.

Myers, whose credits include the "Austin Powers" trilogy and "Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat," will again voice the title character in the third installment of DreamWorks' animated "Shrek" franchise.

Gordy has worked for Myers for years. The guru film marks his first writing project

Collins shines for Warners' 'Diamond' pic
Stephen Collins, one of the stars of television's "7th Heaven," is making a rare foray into the feature world.

Collins has joined the cast of "Blood Diamond," the Leonardo DiCaprio drama Ed Zwick is directing for Warner Bros. Pictures.

The story centers on a poor African farmer, played by Djimon Hounsou, who gets caught up in a conflict between an U.S. diamond smuggler (DiCaprio) and the syndicate that controls the local diamond mining industry. Collins plays an ambassador.

The story is by Charles Leavitt and C. Gaby Mitchell, with a screenplay by Leavitt, Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz.

Filming is underway in South Africa.

Collins has starred on "7th Heaven" since the show first aired in 1996. The series was just renewed for the inaugural season of the CW network. His last feature was 1999's "Drive Me Crazy" with Melissa Joan Hart and Adrian Grenier.

Crowe Flies Lurhmann's Epic/Russell's out of Baz' next film



Somebody fetch Baz Luhrmann a stiff drink. He’ll need it now that Russell Crowe has departed his planned Australian period epic. The fickle fates of film, not content with robbing the Moulin Rouge helmer of a real shot at Alexander The Great (thanks, Oliver Stone, thanks), and throwing weather and finance-related delays in his path while planning his big comeback Aussie film, have now seen Russell Crowe leaving the movie, following disagreements with 20th Century Fox.

And the story gets even more tangled with tabloid The New York Post “revealing” that Heath Ledger had been cast to replace him, when the actor’s management told Variety that Ledger had already passed on the film. EDITOR'S NOTE: AH THE TANGLED WEB, INDEED. (OF COURSE, MY EYES KINDA GLAZED OVER AS SOON AS THE WORDS 'BAZ LUHRMANN APPEARED IN THE ARTICLE. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ)

What we do know at this point is that Luhrmann is unbowed and plans to press ahead with his epic, and that Nicole Kidman is still attached. And this marks Crowe’s second problem with an Australian film in as many years – only last year his creative differences with Fox drama Eucalyptus saw that film shut down.

Creature Feature/Monster comedy gets lead
When you hear the title Spanky Johnson: Monster Hunter, your gut tells you this won’t be a deep psychological drama. EDITOR'S NOTE: NO? And your gut would be right.

But Spanky is from the pen of Elf writer David Berenbaum, so you know it’ll at least be funny and work on several levels.

Now Spyglass Entertainment has nabbed New York theatre star Dan Fogler to star in the film, which focuses on a man who takes over his father’s business as a creature tracker and discovers that maybe pop wasn’t making it all up after all…

"Any comedy depends on a star vehicle, and I think Dan can really drive this movie," Berenbaum told Variety. "He's hilarious." EDITOR'S NOTE: DAN FOGLER?

Ten Is The Holiest Number/Commandments comedy planned



As if The Da Vinci Code wasn’t enough to make religious types foam at the mouth with barely controlled fury at Tom Hanks’ hair, along come MEGA films with a plan to spoof no lesser sacred text than the Ten Commandments.

Written by The State’s David Wain and fellow scribe Ken Marino, Ten will star Paul Rudd, Amanda Peet, Jessica Alba, Ken Marino and The OC’s Adam Brody. Wain – who previously helmed Wet Hot American Summer, plans to start directing the film in New York this July. EDITOR'S NOTE: SO WITH CREDITS LIKE "WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER", I'M GUESSING THE GIST OF THE MOVIE WILL BE ALL THOSE VERY SKINNY YOUNG PEOPLE BREAKING ALL 10 COMMANDMENTS?

EDITOR'S NOTE: AND, IN CLOSING FOR THE DAY, LET'S SAY A LITTLE PRAYER FOR A MOVIE GURU AND SAGE ---

Ebert undergoing cancer surgery again

CHICAGO -- Roger Ebert, who has battled cancer in recent years, will undergo surgery again, according to a published report.

In Thursday's Chicago Sun-Times, where Ebert has been the movie critic for nearly 40 years, columnist Robert Feder reported that Ebert will have surgery June 16 to remove a cancerous growth on his salivary gland.

"It's not life threatening, and I expect to make a full recovery," the 63-year-old critic and host of the nationally syndicated movie review show "Ebert & Roeper," told Feder. "I'll continue to function as a film critic during this time." Ebert said he plans to tape enough shows with Sun-Times columnist Richard Roeper that their program will continue to air during his recovery.

Star Wars for the end of May

EDITOR'S NOTE: THIS FIRST ONE IS KIND OF A BIZ NEWS ITEM, WITH A SMALL SW/ILM SPIN ----
'War' is hell for f/x shops
(Pic's sped-up sked may cause problems for future titles)
"War of the Worlds" didn't blow up just the New England countryside and invading aliens. It blew out expectations for the f/x biz.

When Steven Spielberg's sci-fier sped through post and f/x work in record time to make its June 29 release date last year, everyone was duly impressed. Spielberg's technical mastery, his long experience working with Industrial Light & Magic and ILM's revamped production pipeline were all essential to the quick turnaround. Pic even landed Oscar noms for its CGI effects sequences by ILM.

But one f/x pro says "people lost years off their lives working 24/7" on the pic. And with f/x work on "King Kong" also hurried to completion, f/x shops worried that producers would demand that all pics follow a similar sked.

Now the signs are that's exactly what's happening -- and f/x shops are paying a price.

Margins at f/x shops continue to fall, and with the accelerated schedules, many find there's no alternative but to outsource work to India, Malaysia, Singapore and other low-cost locales.
The squeeze almost certainly helped drive the sale last week of f/x house Digital Domain to Wyndcrest Holdings, an investment group that includes helmer Michael Bay and former NFL star Dan Marino.

Bay and the other new owners say they're making a renewed commitment to the biz and hope to expand into "direct development of animated films and effects-reliant live-action films."
But with the U.K.'s tax incentives luring business to Blighty and outsourcing forcing work to Asia, DD's domain may still be shrinking.

EDITOR'S NOTE: MOVING ON TO MORE TRULY STARWARSIAN FUN......STUFF TO BUY, STUFF TO BUY:

Hundreds of New T-shirt Phrases Added at StarWarsShop



Fans who have ventured into StarWarsShop's new t-shirt studio recently may have noticed an increase in the number of phrases available to attach to their favorite t-shirt images. Over 500 new ways to express your Star Wars fandom in both words and images have been added over at StarWarsShop -- here's a handful of some of the new phrases you'll find:

Jedi business, go back to your drinks (Anakin)
My kind of scum (Bounty Hunters)
I'm just a simple man (Jango Fett)
Blind Faith (Clone Troopers)
Wookiees are known to do that. (Wookiees) EDITOR'S NOTE: ACTUALLY A HAN SOLO QUOTE, ISN'T IT?
Back in Black (Darth Vader)
Mindless Philosopher (C-3PO)
No Loose Wire Jokes! (R2-D2)
Cough, Cough, Wink Wink, Say No More (General Grievous)
Sorry about the mess (Han Solo)
Weak-Minded (Stormtrooper)
Can you sense me now? Good! ......Can you sense me now? Good! (Jedi) EDITOR'S NOTE: NO NO NO....
Bald and beautiful (Mace Windu)
The ability to speak does not make you intelligent (Qui-Gon Jinn) EDITOR'S NOTE: !!!
I got my own problems. (Lando Calrissian)
Always a pleasure to meet a Jedi. (Obi-Wan Kenobi)
You're a funny little boy. (Padmé Amidala)
SWF Seeking Scoundrel (Princess Leia) EDITOR'S NOTE: MUST HAVE! YESSS!
I get my kicks with Order 66 (Palpatine) EDITOR'S NOTE: OH THE SHAME I FEEL, BUT SNICKER....
I used to bullseye womp rats in my T-16 back home. (Luke)
Not this ship, sister. (Millennium Falcon)
Look at the size of that thing. (Death Star) EDITOR'S NOTE: MY MY MY....(DIRTY)

Head on over to StarWarsShop's new t-shirt studio today to check out the hundreds of new phrases now available!
http://shop.starwars.com/catalog/category.xml?category_id=100769&&rid=SMCMFH00001

Episode IV: Your Favorite Moments, LEGO Style!
LucasArts' release of LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy this fall on multiple platforms continues the original's tongue-in-cheek approach to our favorite galaxy far, far away, also adding new gameplay features such as in-depth character customization plus vehicles and creatures to ride through on-foot levels. But it's perhaps the Original Trilogy setting itself that has many fans most intrigued.

Equally excited are the people actually creating the game, both at developer Traveller's Tales (a division of TT Games) and LucasArts.



At this point in development, most of the levels based on Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope are nearing completion. With that in mind, which cherished moments from the movie that started the entire Star Wars phenomenon have the team most enjoyed giving the LEGO treatment?

"I love seeing the fantastic variety of aliens that populate the Mos Eisley Cantina come to life in LEGO form," says Jonathan Smith, director at TT Games. "Our character modeller has done an amazing job on all the individual headpieces, and each one makes me smile -- both as a Star Wars fan and a LEGO fan. The Bith band members are particular favorites -- and great to mix into the Character Customizer!"



"I think my favorite moment from Episode IV is the trench run," says David Perkinson, producer at LucasArts. "Getting into the cockpit of the X-wing, battling TIE fighters and ultimately destroying the Death Star is something that every Star Wars fan will love. Plus, the cinematic leading up to the introduction to the Death Star level is incredible!"




"Yeah, I also get a thrill every time I see the X-wings of Red Squadron wheel into their assault on the Death Star," adds Smith. "Those LEGO models are so cool, and as the music strikes up it remains an awesome moment in the story."

"I've really enjoyed working on the opening scene of Episode IV, set on the Rebel Blockade Runner, Tantive IV," comments James Cunliffe, lead artist at TT Games. "It's great in Story mode, with fantastic cutscenes depicting the ship's capture by a Star Destroyer, as Leia is trying to escape with the plans for the Death Star."



"That's my favorite part, too," chimes in Jeffrey Gullett, assistant producer at LucasArts. "It's the first scene of all the Star Wars movies, and is still one of my favorites. I'll never forget that first time I saw the stormtroopers blast through that door -- I think that we've done an amazing job of capturing the feeling of that moment, while also adding the fun and humor of LEGO."

"It's got a lot of the features which are new to LEGO Star Wars II, as well," says Cunliffe. "And in Free Play, there's even more to do. You can even 'grow' a LEGO tree, then blow it up. What could be better than that?" EDITOR'S NOTE: WHAT COULD BE BETTER, INDEED?!

Only one thing, according to John Hodskinson, TT Games' lead programmer for the game. With all of the great moments in Episode IV, it's easy to forget what's at the core of what makes the movie so special -- the characters. Hodskinson says it's important to realize this, and the team is working especially hard to keep in line with this spirit.

"From Han's cocky swagger to Vader's menacing appearance, the personalities of all the main characters have been brilliantly brought to life by the animators throughout the game," he says. "All but the hardest of hearts will find their scenes together both funny and nostalgic."

EDITOR'S NOTE: AND HOW ABOUT SOME EU (EXPANDED UNIVERSE) NEWS:
First Look: Tempest

Forty years after the Battle of Yavin, a dangerous new era in the Star Wars epic begins with the nine-book series, Legacy of the Force. Here's a first look at book three, Tempest, by Troy Denning. EDITOR'S NOTE: WOW. I AM FALLING BEHIND AGAIN. I HAVE SEVERAL SW BOOKS IN-LINE FOR READING AS IT IS. MY OWN DURN FAULT FOR READING SOMETHING NON-STAR WARS FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. (QOTD, HANGING HER HEAD IN DWEEBSHAME).

As civil war threatens the unity of the Galactic Alliance, Han and Leia Solo have infuriated their families and the Jedi by joining the Corellian insurgents. But the Solos draw the line when they discover a rebel plot that hinges upon the murder of a longtime ally and her daughter.

The Solos' selfless determination to prevent this death cannot dispel the inescapable consequences of their actions, which will pit mother against son and brother against sister in the battles ahead. For elsewhere in the galaxy, a once-forgotten menace, Lumiya -- Dark Lady of the Sith -- is tipping the balance of the Force once more towards the darkness... EDITOR'S NOTE: THE BALANCE OF THE FORCE IS PRETTY DARN PRECARIOUS, AIN'T IT? ALWAYS MIT DE TIPPINK, IT IS! (SORRY.....I'M SUDDENLY A YIDDISH JEDI?)

Here's a look at the cover of Tempest, featuring illustration by Jason Felix. The third book in the series will be released in paperback, but the series itself is a mix of three hardcovers and six mass-market paperbacks.

In addition to Denning, the series will feature authors Aaron Allston and Karen Traviss.




Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Tempest is scheduled for release in November, 2006 from Del Rey Books. The first book, Betrayal comes out soon.

Here are the titles are they are currently scheduled. Please keep in mind that the further down the schedule you go, the more likely the dates are subject to change.

Book 1: Betrayal by Aaron Allston (June 2006, Hardcover)
Book 2: Bloodlines by Karen Traviss (September 2006, Paperback)
Book 3: Tempest by Troy Denning (December 2006, Paperback)
Book 4: Exile by Aaron Allston (March 2007, Paperback)
Book 5: Sacrifice by Karen Traviss (June 2007, Hardcover)
Book 6: by Troy Denning (September 2007, Paperback)
Book 7: by Aaron Allston (November 2007, Paperback)
Book 8: by Karen Traviss (March 2008, Paperback)
Book 9: by Troy Denning (June 2008, Hardcover)
EDITOR'S NOTE: I LOVE IT WHEN THEY WRITE LOTS OF STUFF AND KEEP ME FROM HAVING TO LIVE TOO MANY OF MY WAKING HOURS IN THIS HIDEOUS THING CALLED THE....SHUDDER...'REAL WORLD'.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK UNCLE GEORGE!

EDITOR'S NOTE: AND HERE'S YET ANOTHER....THE THIRD ONE, I BELIEVE....IN THOSE 2007 TEASER PICS.


The skies of this historically tranquil planet are once again filled with gigantic warships.
EDITOR'S NOTE: THIS ARTWORK SO FAR HAS BEEN GORGEOUS!

EDITOR'S NOTE: AND NOW...THE WEEKLY PICS


The digital model of the noss monster, an Utapau creature design that went unused in Episode III.


Aaron McBride illustrates Darth Vader's cybernetic leg replacement.


The all digital incarnations of the classic Star Wars duo, C-3PO and R2-D2.


This arsenal of Original Trilogy replica weapons flanked by ignited sabers makes for a stunning display, and would do any self-respecting scoundrel, soldier, or Jedi Knight proud. From the collection of BoBoDohn. EDITOR'S NOTE: WHAT A VERY GROOVY DISPLAY!


Joe Johnston hones in on some of Boba Fett's finishing details in this sketch.


A squadron of ARC-170 fighters dives into action during the amazing Battle of Coruscant.


An early storyboard depicting prototype versions of Princess Leia and Chewbacca aboard the Falcon.


There's always time for a Han Solo pic EDITOR'S NOTE: HI, HONEY!

AND ON THAT NOTE.....

HOPE EVERYONE IS HAVING A LOVELY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!

SAFE AND FUN, DWEEBPALS! SAFE AND FUN!

A segue...from "Lost" to STAR WARS

EDITOR'S NOTE: FIRST UP, FOR THOSE OF YOU LOOKING FOR BIG-PICTURE MEANING IN YOUR TV VIEWING (BUT WHO DON'T WANT TO BE STUCK WITH C-SPAN AND PBS) ---
Lost in translation
Spirituality and redemption subject to interpretation in popular series
By PHIL KLOER
Cox News Service
ATLANTA - Season 1 was about surviving for 40 days in the wilderness. Season 2 has been devoted to figuring out the meaning of dharma. And it really all comes down to a bunch of sinners who need to be saved.

Now what do you think Lost is about?

"Certainly Lost didn't become popular because it's a religious show or because it deals with spiritual themes. But that seems to be one element that hooks a particular part of the audience," said Lynnette Porter, co-author of Unlocking the Meaning of Lost (Sourcebooks Inc., $15).
The new book analyzes one of the most talked-about series on TV, devoting two chapters to the spirituality of Lost and its stories of redemption.

The ABC drama about a group of people who have crashed on a mysterious island has achieved the dual feat of being a consistent Top 10 show as well as sustaining a fanatically geeked-out, Internet-churning cult following.

While some just watch it for the unfolding story — as if it were a soap opera — others watch for clues to support their brain-frying theories of collective consciousness and electromagnetism.

There is also, for those alert to it, a spiritual core summed up by the enigmatic character Mr. Eko.

"People are saved in different ways," he said. And if you were to ask if he meant saved in an evangelical Christian sense, or in a rescued-from-the-island sense, surely Eko would just give one of his piercing but noncommittal looks EDITOR'S NOTE: IF YOU LOOK AS HANDSOME AND MYSTERIOUS AS THIS ACTOR, AND IF YOU SPEAK WITH AN AFRICAN LILT, YOU CAN SAY SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS THE LINE ABOVE AND HAVE A WHOLE BOOK WRITTEN ABOUT IT. and go back to building his little homemade church.

Lost is basically a secular series, says Porter, an associate professor of humanities at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida. It doesn't carry an overt Christian message the way Touched By an Angel or Highway to Heaven did. But rarely has a show trafficked so heavily in religious symbolism and spoken so frequently in the language of faith — mainly, but not exclusively, Christian.

There's Eko, a former drug lord who became a priest (without official recognition), carving Bible verses into a stick he carries; statues of the Virgin Mary used by drug smugglers; Sayid, a Muslim, and his prayer beads; references to baptism; manna from heaven (food that mysteriously appeared); a newborn wrapped in swaddling clothes (Claire's infant Aaron) and the possibility of a miracle conception.

"Outside of religious shows, you generally don't see people offering to share their faith" on TV, notes Porter, who co-wrote Unlocking with David Lavery. "On Lost, you have a character like Rose who says, 'Here, let me pray with you.' "

And perhaps running the whole enterprise is the shadowy group called the Dharma Initiative.

Dharma is a Sanksrit word that is a key concept in several Eastern religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism. It's an elusive idea, defined in Unlocking as "a life plan in harmony with the greater good." The Web site Wikipedia states that "dharma can refer generally to religious duty and also mean social order, right conduct or simply virtue."

Lost also has built some of its conflict on the concepts of science (or rationalism) vs. faith, the same battle that plays out regularly over the teaching of evolution in schools. For example, on the island, Dr. Jack Shephard is the "man of science" who attempts to explain everything rationally, and John Locke is the "man of faith" who sees the island as mystical. EDITOR'S NOTE: THE BEST LITERATURE WORKS ON MULTI LEVELS. "LOST" IS AN AMAZING, LAYERED WORK.

SEGUING TO THE STAR WARS NEWS ...WHICH IS COMING UP NEXT.... WE ALREADY HAD A NICE LONG ARTICLE ABOUT MANY OF THE STAR WARS REFERENCES AND IN-JOKES INSIDE OF "LOST". BUT HERE'S ANOTHER LITTLE TIDBIT ABOUT THE "LOST" CREATORS AND THEIR STAR WARS FANDOM ---

LOST, far far away
The Creators of "Lost" reveal their Star Wars favorites
When producer/director J.J. Abrams and writer Damon Lindelof -- creators of the hit ABC primetime drama "Lost" -- bonded over a Bantha Tracks Fan Club t-shirt during their first meeting, it only made sense that the duo would have plenty to say about why they love Star Wars, right down to which character they most identify with.

"I'm definitely Admiral Ackbar," Lindelof says. "Isn't it obvious why? He's the man! And by 'man' I mean 'squid.'"

While Lindelof fancies himself part of the Rebel Alliance, Abrams thinks he measures up more as a sassy droid who always saves the day. "I'm probably most like R2-D2 because I am just about his height," Abrams laughs.

Being lifelong fans of the saga, both Abrams and Lindelof have separate ideas of what they like to collect.

"I really don't collect Star Wars toys or comics," Abrams admits. "However, I do have my original Star Wars laserdiscs that I bought a while back and I also have the Star Wars portfolio which was the conceptual artwork done for the films."

Lindelof is all about the plastic. "You better believe I played with Star Wars toys!" Lindelof says. "I still have my original Star Wars action figure set -- Luke, Leia, Chewie and Artoo -- which we mailed away for before Kenner was even packaging them! Of course, I've played with them many, many times over the years, but I'm happy to report their lightsabers still extend out of their arms!"

Star Wars is forever, and Star Wars fans are everywhere.

This and That (dweebing) from the past week

PUT THIS ON YOUR CALENDAR NOW:
Golden Globes coming Jan. 15
EDITOR'S NOTE: AS DWEEBS OUR SCHEDULES BOOK UP REALLY FAR IN ADVANCE, SO IT'S BEST TO HAVE A NICE AMOUNT OF LEAD TIME ON THESE THINGS.
The Golden Globe Awards will take place on Monday January 15, 2007. Nominations for the 64th annual Golden Globes will be announced on December 14, final ballots will be mailed on December 26, and the deadline for ballots to be returned is January 10.

The show will be broadcast live by NBC and is held at the Beverly Hilton. Best Animated Film will be an included category this year.

HARRY POTTER NEWS
HARRY POTTER 5 Casting News



Helen McCrory has dropped out of the movie HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX because she is expecting a child and would be heavily pregnant during shooting. Helena Bonham Carter will now play the role of Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange. EDITOR'S NOTE: SO. MY SEMI-LOOKALIKE ISN'T PLAYING MY ROLE. BONHAM CARTER WILL BE GREAT IN THIS ROLE (I THINK SHE'S PLAYED SEVERAL SIMILAR ONES BEFORE, ACTUALLY). BUT IT FELT A LITTLE LIKE KARMA TO ME, WHEN I SAW SOMEONE CAST WHO WAS SIMILAR IN APPEARANCE TO ME (AND WHEN I HAD SOME SORT OF SENSE THIS WAS THE ROLE I WOULD PLAY IF I WERE FAMOUS. AND BRITISH. AND A LITTLE BIT YOUNGER).

OK....IT HAS NO CONNECTION TO ME WHATSOEVER. STILL.....

Other casting news from HP5:
Apple Brook will play replacement Care of Magical Creatures teacher Professor Grubbly-Plank. James Walters will play the young version of Sirius Black. James Utechin will play the young version of Lupin. Alec Hopkins will play the young version of Snape. Jason Piper will play Bane the Centaur.

HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX is tentatively scheduled for July 13, 2007. EDITOR'S NOTE: ONE YEAR AND A LITTLE BIT MORE!

In related news:
Bloomsbury publishing director Liz Calder says she expects that the seventh and last Harry Potter book will hit shelves in 2007. EDITOR'S NOTE: 2007...SO HAPPY AND YET SO BITTERSWEET.

Richardson discusses role in GOF



Miranda Richardson, Rita Skeeter in the fourth Harry Potter movie, recently did an interview with The Independent. In it she discusses how she portrayed the role and the fan reaction after her appearance in Goblet of Fire.

She loved playing the tabloid journalist Rita Skeeter in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. She combined elements of the Vivienne Westwood of yesteryear with "someone like Liz Smith", gossip columnist for the New York Post. "Kids are very generous. I got some really sweet letters saying: 'You were exactly how I thought you should be', so I was very relieved about that," she says.

Scientists developing real life invisibility cloak
An invisibility cloak similar to the one Harry inherited from his father in the first book may not be far off from reality.

Researchers in the US and England are laying out a blue print and collecting the exotic materials needed to build such a cloak.

John Pendry, a physicist at the Imperial College London said, "Such a cloak does not exist, but early versions that could mask microwaves and other forms of electromagnetic radiation could be as close as 18 months away.... We will have a cloak after not too long." EDITOR'S NOTE: FORGET INVISIBILITY. I WANT A CLOAK THAT MAKES ME LOOK 15 POUNDS THINNER! (BESIDES....IF MUGGLES DEVELOP ALL THIS WIZARD-DOFER STUFF, WHAT WILL WIZARDS DO TO FEEL ALL SPECIAL AND SUPERIOR!?)

TELEVISION NEWS:
THE 4400
While THE 4400 will be returning to USA's regular schedule soon, co- creator Ira Steven Behr says that fans may have to ait a bit to see the resolution of last season's cliffhanger. EDITOR'S NOTE: THANK HEAVENS THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DO SOME SORT OF RE-CAP SHOW BEFORE THE SEASON STARTS, BECAUSE THIS IS ONE SHOW WITH SUCH A RICH AND DETAILED MYTHOLOGY, ........AND THEN ONE THAT GOES ON 'VACATION' FOR ALMOST A YEAR BETWEEN EPISODES,...... THAT I AM DEFINITELY GOING TO NEED A REALLY GOOD REFRESHER COURSE. (THIS SHOW ALSO TENDS TO DO SEASON FINALES SO CHOCK FULL OF STUFF YOUR EYES BLEED)..

IN A GOOD WAY, I MEAN.....

Peter Coyote and Jeffrey Combs are back for the upcoming third season, but the mysterious reappearance of Billy Campbell's Jordan Collier, he says "We're going to tease this a little longer, partially because Billy Campbell is on a tall ship cruise around the world as a crew member, not as a passenger. He's up there in the riggings." Behr said, "[But] it will be worth the wait, that's all. We've come up with an idea for him that I think is very good, and the way you saw him at the end of last season, with that beard and that hair, I think, is going to play a part in his character, so that might give you some idea."

At the end of last season, fans saw what appeared to be 4400 leader Collier on a beach, though he was supposedly assassinated earlier in the year. The new season will bring back new regular cast member Karina Lombard as Alana Mareva, who was introduced as the love interest of Joel Gretsch's Tom Baldwin last year.

"I think she's going to be in 10 out of 13 episodes playing Alana, Tom's lover and 4400 member," Behr said. "And I think that relationship and her abilities are going to have a big impact this season." EDITOR'S NOTE: I JUST SAW "XMEN3" YESTERDAY, SO MY MUTANT SKILL THING AND MY 4400 SKILL THING A GETTING A LITTLE CONFUSED HERE.

Next season will also see the return of "the equally lovely and talented Jeff Combs, who I worked with numerous times in the past," Behr said, with tongue in cheek. Combs, who worked with Behr on various Star Trek projects, will again play Kevin Burkhardt, a brilliant but troubled scientist who played a key role in last season's finale. EDITOR'S NOTE: JEFFREY COMBS ROCKS! (WONDERFUL CHARACTER ACTOR)

Former series regular Peter Coyote, who played the nefarious NTAC chief Dennis Ryland, makes an appearance. "He's in for a nice couple of episodes," Behr said. "Peter came back last year at the end, in those two episodes, and he ... scored hugely. He was in what could be an unsympathetic role, I'd say, and yet made it so cogent and so clear and his point of view was so well-stated that you just want to see more of him. ... We're not going to see Dennis Ryland back as the head of NTAC. Those days are certainly gone. But he will still play a decisive role in the series, and I think that he'll have a lot of fun."

The 4400 returns with 13 new episodes starting June 4. EDITOR'S NOTE: WOOHOO! (AND HERE I THOUGHT...WITH ALL MY MAIN SHOWS DONE FOR THE YEAR...I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO GET A LIFE, OR SOMETHING. PHEW! DODGED A BULLET, HUH?!)

THE DRESDEN FILES Coming in January



The Sci Fi Channel has ordered 11 episodes of THE DRESDEN FILES, a supernatural detective series based on Jim Butcher's best selling books.

The show will be produced by Nicolas Cage's Saturn Films and Lionsgate TV. The two-hour pilot is expected to kick off in January.

Paul Blackthorne (24) EDITOR'S NOTE: ABOVE. plays Harry Dresden, a Chicago-based private detective who has the powers of a wizard.

THE DRESDEN FILES will shoot in Toronto.

David Carson directed the pilot, which was written by Hans Beimler (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)EDITOR'S NOTE: GOOD. and Robert Wolfe (Andromeda)EDITOR'S NOTE: MUCH LESS GOOD. they will serve as executive producers of the series, along with Cage, Norm Golightly and Morgan Gendel. EDITOR'S NOTE: SO SCI FI CHANNEL DECIDED TO RUN SOME SCIFI FOR A CHANGE? FREAKY, MAN!

LOST Looking for New Members
LOST is looking to add two new actresses to the cast for the upcoming third season. No word yet on who it might be.

Also adding members will be Fox's PRISON BREAK, CBS's CLOSE TO HOME, THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE and GHOST WHISPERER.

PRISON BREAK wants a nemesis to Michael Scofield, GHOST WHISPERER needs someone to take the place of departing Aisha Tyler, LAW & ORDER needs a female assistant district attorney to replace departing Annie Parisse, and LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT needs someone to replace departing Jamey Sheridan.

LOST
MOBISODES or mobile-hone episodes -- the latest in adventures for LOST fans.

Executive producer, Carlton Cuse, says he and the show's creators are deeply involved in creating this new medium and that they will feature the show's main cast of characters.

"We were able to negotiate this deal, which is going to allow us to use our series regulars in these mobisodes," Cuse said in an interview. "We don't want to do the 24 version, where you're dealing with characters you've never seen and have no relation to the central characters. We feel if we're going to do the mobisodes, they have to feature the characters that are part of the world of Lost that you know and love."

The mobisodes, available exclusively from Verizon in the fall, will be two or three-minute segments spun off of the main series, Cuse said. He added that producers were able to incorporate the show's main characters, as played by the series' stars, as a result of special deals worked out with Touchstone Television, which produces the series, and the various unions representing the show's talent. EDITOR'S NOTE: WOW. EVERYONE PLAYED NICE FOR A CHANGE!

As for the mobisode storylines?

"We have a concept for them," Cuse said. "You know, [series co-creator] Damon [Lindelof] and I have not written them yet, but we have a game plan." He added: "But the specifics of when they come on and how they'll be available and how you acquire them and everything, I think everyone's still trying to work all that out." EDITOR'S NOTE: OK. WHO DO WE KNOW WITH A VERIZON PHONE WHO WANTS TO LET US IN ON THESE MINI-STORIES WHEN THEY COME OUT?

Sylvester Stallone doing TV?
Scooper Shannon sent in this blurb regarding Stallone:
According to Sly Central (http://www.slycentral.com/), Sylvester Stallone will guest-star on the new SHOWTIME series Brotherhood. Stallone is believed to have signed to appear in the final four episodes of the first season, playing "an Italian mobster in a war against the Irish mob".

"Brotherhood" will follow the lives of an Irish mobster in Providence and his brother, a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives who is under a lot of pressure from his sibling's associates to bend the rules. EDITOR'S NOTE: ARE THERE REALLY THAT MANY IRISH MOBSTERS? CAUSE IT'S A SMALL ISLAND, AND EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD A LOT OF KIDS....WHAT WITH THE CATHOLIC THING AND ALL...IT STILL SEEMS LIKE THERE HAVE TO BE MORE IRISH (AND ITALIAN, FOR THAT MATTER) MOBSTERS ON TV THAN EVER THERE WERE IRISH OR ITALIAN PEOPLE.

The series, which is loaded with racial and socio-economic tensions, is inspired by the real-life brotherhood of Boston's William Bulger, the former state senator and university president, and James "Whitey" Bulger, one of the FBI's most-wanted fugitives.

In the meantime, he is prepping two films. "The Kitchen Boys", which goes into production in January, and "Rambo 4", which co-stars James Brolin, Kim Dickens, Avery Brooks, Linden Ashby and Jenna Boyd, for NuImage.


MOVIE NEWS:
Julia Stiles on THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM
In a recent interview, Julia Stiles talked about her upcoming role in THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM.

"I'm going to be in it," she confirmed to ComingSoon.net. "Paul Greengrass is going to direct it. Matt Damon and Joan Allen are going to be back too, and it's going through so many incarnations of scripts. I think I was lucky to not die in the last one, but I just don't know if I'm going to be good or bad." EDITOR'S NOTE: AND WE DON'T KNOW IF THE SCRIPT IS GOING TO BE GOOD OR BAD THIS TIME. SO....LIFE IS JUST FULL OF THESE QUESTIONS QUESTIONS QUESTIONS.

"I really liked that you didn't know what I was doing in the first one," she continued, "and then luckily for me, they decided to explore my character a little bit more in the second one, and now hopefully, more in the third one. You feel like it's a trilogy that is complete. It's not just one movie and then another, and then another. Characters you didn't pay much attention to in the first one, you realize they are much more significant as the trilogy goes on. It's also a work in progress, too. That's part of the reason why I can't explain what exactly my role is going to be in this one, because what's great about Paul Greengrass is he's really good at updating those stories so it's not going to be anything like what the book was. I've seen a first draft, and then Tom Stoppard is doing [rewrites]. It'll be much more about current events, which I think is much more interesting." EDITOR'S NOTE: OK. GOOD SIGN. STOPPARD. GOOD SIGN. (THE RE-WRITING THING IS TROUBLING, BUT AT LEAST THEY ARE WORKING ON THE SCRIPT. AND WITH A PRO).

In the movie, Bourne races to discover the final mysteries of his past while a government agent tries to track him down after a shootout in Moscow.

Filming is scheduled to begin in July.

THE DRAGONRIDERS OF PERN Going Large



The best-selling and long-running sci-fi/fantasy series by Anne McCaffrey, THE DRAGONRIDERS OF PERN, is heading to the silver screen.

Copperheart Entertainment has optioned the 19-book series which began with Dragonflight in 1968. In the books, humans ride dragons by telepathically bonding with them.

"I decided that 'Pern' had to be done right, and I wouldn't let it go to someone unless I was certain that they were committed to excellence," McCaffrey said. EDITOR'S NOTE: DO PEOPLE LISTEN TO THEMSELVES IN HOLLYWOOD. SO, MOST PEOPLE GO INTO A MOVIE PROJECT COMMITTED TO CRAP?

Picturehouse plucks 'Rose'
CANNES -- Picturehouse has nabbed all U.S. rights to the French-language Edith Piaf biopic "La Vie en Rose," starring Marion Cotillard as the tragic French singer and Gerard Depardieu as Louis Leplee, the nightclub owner who discovered her.

President Bob Berney and several execs from other companies viewed a 12-minute preview reel of writer-director Oliver Dahan's project at Cannes from production companies Legende and TF1 International. It was produced by Ilan Goldman and became one of the most talked-about potential acquisitions of the festival.

"The promo reel blew us away," said Berney, who negotiated into the wee hours Wednesday night at the Martinez Bar and his office at the Majestic. "It gave us a chill. The actress channels her speaking voice and mannerisms and becomes Piaf. The film has a shot at getting accolades for this performance. This is not a typical period piece, it has an unusual modern style. She was a free artist, she was wild." EDITOR'S NOTE: I'M GUESSING THIS IS NOT A COMEDY?

Hawke Stands BEFORE THE DEVIL
Ethan Hawke has signed on to star in a new Sidney Lumet thriller BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD. Also starring in the film are Albert Finney and Marisa Tomei.

The script follows two brothers who organize the robbery of their parents' jewelery store. The job goes horribly wrong, triggering a series of events that sends them, their father and one brother's wife hurtling towards a shattering climax. EDITOR'S NOTE: HMMM...ALSO NOT SOUNDING LIKE A LAUGH RIOT.

Hawke will play one of the brothers, Tomei will play his wife and Finney will be his father.

Shooting is set to begin June 19th in New York City.

Favreau Talks More IRON MAN
MTV recently caught up with Jon Favreau, the director of the upcoming film IRON MAN. Below are the quotes I found most relevant.

"It's the first movie Marvel is self-financing," he said of a new deal that frees the makers of the "Spider-Man" and "X-Men" movies from studio control. "We're set to come out in the summer of '08, and we'll start shooting in January."

"We're gonna have it take place in the present day, but there will be an origin story that has the old, gray Iron Man suit; eventually it will progress into more of the modern look," Favreau said. "That's the fun of doing the first one."

"The alcoholism doesn't come into play until later on in the story of Iron Man," he said. "[The comic] started off in the '60s, where it was about him as a successful manufacturer who developed this suit. Then, later, it spins off into that story about him fighting against himself. I think we're going to lay the groundwork for it, but the first one's going to explore him taking on this alter ego of Iron Man, and developing the suit, and what happens politically within the Stark Corporation."

Regarding casting:
"What's nice is that those movies don't require an expensive star; Iron Man's the star, the superhero is the star," the director insisted. "The success of 'X-Men' and 'Spider-Man' without being star-driven pieces reassures [executives] that the film does have an upside commercially."

FREEMAN Joins GONE, BABY, GONE


EDITOR'S NOTE: IS THERE AN ACTOR ALIVE WITH A WARMER PRESENCE THAN MORGAN FREEMAN? I WONDER IF HE IS AS NICE AS HE SEEMS?

Morgan Freeman will join the cast of GONE, BABY, GONE, a film directed by Ben Affleck.
The cast also includes Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan and Ed Harris. Shooting has already begun in Boston, according to the Boston Herald.

Based on Dennis Lehane's novel of the same title, GONE, BABY, GONE is a story about a two detectives in search of a 4 year old girl that has been kidnapped in Boston. The movie will be Ben Affleck's directorial debut.

Reports say Ben Affleck will not act in the film. EDITOR'S NOTE: YES, BUT DOES HE APPEAR IN IT?

SHOOTER Hits Danny Glover
Danny Glover has been added to the cast of Antoine Fuqua's political thriller SHOOTER. Glover will join Mark Wahlberg, Michael Pena, Rhona Mitra, Kate Mara and Eliza Bennett.

The film will follow an ace marksman (Wahlberg) who has been double-crossed and framed for a presidential assassination he was trying to stop. He is forced to go on the run while trying to track down the real killer and find out who betrayed him. EDITOR'S NOTE: GOSH, I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER SEEN A PLOT LIKE THIS BEFORE.

The film will be released by Paramount and is set to begin filming next month.

Harris and Spacey to bite into Blueberry
Ed Harris and Kevin Spacey are in talks to star in “My Blueberry Nights”, the English-language film debut of filmmaker Wong Kar Wai, says The Hollywood Reporter.

The film tells of a young woman (Norah Jones) who travels across America, looking for love, and encounters some weird and wonderful characters along the way. EDITOR'S NOTE: OOO....I WONDER IF SHE'S COMING FOR COFFEE WITH THE DWEEBPALS!? (WHO COULD BE WEIRDER AND MORE WONDERFUL, AFTER ALL?!)

Harris and Spacey would join an already impressive list of performers on the film, including Norah Jones, Natalie Portman and Jude Law. EDITOR'S NOTE: MARVELOUS CAST!

Bean encounters a Green Goblin
The once selective Willem Dafoe (“Spider-Man”, “The Boondock Saints”) has signed to, assumingly, ham it up in “Bean 2” – or “French Bean”, as I’ve seen it being called on casting breakdowns and in-house release schedules - opposite British funnyman Rowan Atkinson.

The film started shooting in France this week.

In the film, the hapless Mr. Bean goes to the south of France where mishap and mayhem begin, and by film’s end, has his video diaries screen at the Cannes Film Festival. EDITOR'S NOTE: WHY?

Emma de Caunes and Jean Rochefort have also joined the cast, says Variety

Jackie Chan Vs.Teabing?
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, “X-Men 3” director Brett Ratner announced that he’s hoping to get Ian McKellen, who plays the baleful Magneto in the latter film, to play the nasty piece of work in “Rush Hour 3”. EDITOR'S NOTE: MCKELLEN IS RAPIDLY BECOMING THE GENE HACKMAN OF THE BRIT SET.

McKellen, whose also reprising his “X-Men” role for a spin-off, would play “the very bad French villain, who is inspired by Max Von Sydow in Three Days of the Condor”, says the director.

Meantime, according to IESB, hot-as-a-microwaved-muffin Roselyn Sanchez (“Dragnet”) has signed to reprise her role as Isabella Molina – the character she played in 2001’s “Rush Hour 2” – for the forthcoming film.

According to director Brett Ratner, Sanchez’s role will only be a “cameo” this time around. She’s back as the secret customs agent that fell for Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan), in the last film.

Olivier Martinez Rings A Belle/Starring in a new drama
Taking Lives’ Olivier Martinez has signed on to star in an English-language adaptation of cult French book Belle Du Seigneur.

Leonor Watling (My Life Without Me) will co-star in the tale of a controversial love affair between Solal, a Jewish League Of Nations official and the protestant wife of one of his employees. With a shoot planned for Switzerland, Italy and Germany this October, Glenio Bonder will step behind the camera for the first time.

"In English it can be a freer adaptation than if it were in the original French," the director blabbed to Variety at Cannes. EDITOR'S NOTE: HUH? (LOST SOMETHING IN THE TRANSLATION THERE?)

Kill Churchill/Assassination drama pitched
As if the legacy of cigar-chomping wartime PM Winston Churchill hadn’t suffered enough in Churchill: The Hollywood Years, he’s now being targeted for assassination.

You might argue it’s a little late, given that he’s been dead since 1965, but Warren Adler’s novel Target Churchill spins the tale that Joseph Stalin planned to have him offed during World War Two.

Producer Tony DiDio and director Kevin Connor (Sunset Grill) have commissioned Adler to write a script based on his book, with a shoot planned for January in the US and Europe.

Shooting Star/Jane Campion preparing Keats drama
It’s been a while since we’ve heard about The Piano’s Jane Campion, who last helmed a big studio film in 2003 with Meg Ryan thriller In The Cut.

But speaking at Cannes, Campion has revealed that she’s writing and directing Bright Star for Pathe.

The film explores the three-year romance between 19th century poetry scribbler John Keats and lover Fanny Browne, which was slightly curtailed by Keats dying at the age of 25. EDITOR'S NOTE: CAN'T POETS KEEP ROMANCE GOING INDEFINITELY POST-DEMISE?

"I'm still in the process of writing it, and we don't know yet when we're going into production," she told Variety. As soon as she finishes the script, she’ll begin casting. Expect more news as it arrives…

Twang Time/Hustle & Flow director goes country
After making an impact with hip-hop in Hustle & Flow, writer director Craig Brewer is switching his focus to country music.

He’s just just finished shooting Black Snake Moan, an exploit-o-drama starring Sam Jackson, Christina Ricci and Justin Timberlake, and plans to move on to Maggie Lynn, a country-fried film that will be handled by Paramount’s new company Paramount Vantage.

Lynn tracks a woman who gets her heart broken (in a film about country music? Surely not! EDITOR'S NOTE: I HATE IT WHEN THE ITEM DOES MY WORK FOR ME. GIGGLE) and must struggle to regain her sense of self-worth by returning home to Tennessee and teaming up with her brother to play the music she loves.

There’s no cast yet, but Brewer wants to start shooting before the end of the year.

STRANGE CIRCUS Comes to Town in 2007



TLA Releasing has acquired the rights to the movie STRANGE CIRCUS the latest film from director Sion SOno.

TLA acquired the film from Japan-based Sedic International at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. The film will be released as part of TLA’s Danger After Dark label in 2007.

“We work very hard to remain loyal to our filmmakers and when the opportunity allowed us to work with Sion Sono again, we were thrilled .” Says Mr. Wolff. “STRANGE CIRCUS is a visually disturbing and edgy film that will certainly cause a stir because it plays with audiences perspectives and emotions in the most unconventional way, making it an original addition to our Danger After Dark label.”

In STRANGE CIRCUS, adolescent Mitsuko is forced to watch her parents’ lovemaking by her perverted father and her domineering mother, who imprison her in a cello case employed with a peephole. EDITOR'S NOTE: A CELLO CASE? When Mitsuko’s mother dies, her father forces the girl to be the victim of his incestuous desires, driving her to attempt suicide with a leap from a height, yet all of this is apparently a new novel being penned by reclusive, wheelchair-bound author Taeko (Masumi Miyazaki, who also plays the mother). Or is it? Taeko is assigned a new assistant named Yuji and the two begin a sexual relationship in Taeko’s ornately designed estate. But we soon must question the real identities of both Taeko and Yuji as bloody clues begin to surface. EDITOR'S NOTE: GOT ALL THAT? (AND I'M BEGINNING TO QUESTION WHY I POSTED INFO ABOUT THIS ODD, DISTURBING FLICK. WEIRD MOOD SWING, I GUESS?)

DVD NEWS:
BLADE RUNNER Final Cut in September


EDITOR'S NOTE: HI, HONEY!

BLADE RUNNER the "Final Cut" will be coming to DVD this September.
'Blade Runner' replicated on DVD again
By Thomas K. Arnold
Warner Home Video has acquired worldwide rights to Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner" and is preparing two DVD editions of the landmark 1982 science fiction classic.In September, Warner will release a restored and remastered version of the film's 1992 director's cut, which debuted on DVD in 1997 as one of the first movies to appear on the format. This version of "Runner" will only be available for four months. EDITOR'S NOTE: THE BLADE RUNNER RE-RELEASE THING IS WORSE THAN WITH STAR WARS. HOW MANY VERSIONS DO I NEED TO BUY BEFORE WE'RE DONE, HERE?!

Next year, to celebrate the film's 25th anniversary, Warner will release "Blade Runner: The Final Cut," which it is billing as Scott's "definitive new version" of the film. After a limited theatrical releaseEDITOR'S NOTE:OOO...OK. THAT SOUNDS GOOD. A CHANCE TO SEE IT ON THE BIG SCREEN AGAIN, AND ALL SPRUCED UP! LET'S GO!, the newly spruced-up "Runner" will be released in a multidisc special edition DVD that also will include the original theatrical cut, the expanded international theatrical cut and the 1992 director's cut.

"This is clearly Ridley's signature film, and we are thrilled to have it back," Warner senior vp and general manager of theatrical catalog Jeff Baker said.

He said that while specifics about the two DVD editions will be announced later, Warner wanted to announce its release plans early "to get this great news to the many serious film buffs and ardent 'Blade Runner' fans who have been so patient, despite besieging us with thousands of annual requests in recent years for new 'Blade Runner' DVDs."

" 'Blade Runner: The Director's Cut' was one of the very first titles to be released on DVD, and so it came out before optimal formatting standards had been established," said Doug Pratt, editor of the DVD-LaserDisc Newsletter. "Shortly afterwards, it went into moratorium. The early adopters who bought the title have long since wished to see it upgraded, while other fans, who came into DVDs later on, have been unable to find it at all. It is the only 'big' sci-fi spectacle currently unavailable on DVD."

"Runner" stars Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edward James Olmos and Daryl Hannah and won plaudits -- as well as two Oscar nominations -- for its dark, bleak vision of the future.

Ford heads the cast as Rick Deckard, a futuristic cop -- the film is set in 2019 Los Angeles -- who needs to kill four errant human clones who hijack a space ship back to Earth after escaping from exile in an off-world colony.

The film bowed in theaters in summer 1982, and while it only grossed $26.2 million, it quickly became a cult classic. The film is based on the novel by late science fiction writer Philip K. Dick, whose prose also led to such films as "Total Recall," "Minority Report" and "Paycheck."