31/03/11 - Cranston is up for Total Recall's villain

Bryan Cranston [pictured] is currently in final negotiations to play the lead villain in Columbia Pictures' remake of Total Recall.

Len Wiseman is directing the movie, with Colin Farrell set to take over the role portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1990 original.

The story follows a construction worker who discovers he has a secret identity after he starts having dreams about a trip to Mars. He soon discovers that a number of people are out to kill him, and that he must travel to Mars to discover the truth behind what is happening to him.

Total Recall will be released in cinemas on 03 August 2012.

 

30/03/11 - Hawkeye to appear in Thor movie

The Avengers's Jeremy Renner [pictured] is to make a cameo appearance in Thor, as Hawkeye.

The appearance of Hawkeye in Thor was meant to be kept a secret but, according to Movieweb, fans' underwhelming response to the trailers thus far pushed Marvel's hand in revealing this character moment in hopes that it will encourage more people into the cinema.

Thor will be released in cinemas on 06 May 2011 and stars Natalie Portman, Chris Hemsworth, Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony Hopkins, Kat Dennings, Stellan Skarsgård, Ray Stevenson and Jaimie Alexander.

 

29/03/11 - Author Diana Wynne Jones dies

Diana Wynne Jones, one of the most respected writers of fantasy for younger readers, has passed away after a two-year battle with cancer.

Jones was the author of more than 40 novels and several volumes of short stories, and her work was often compared with that of J.K. Rowling.

Howl's Moving Castle (1984) is probably her best-known novel, which was turned into a critically acclaimed Japanese animated movie.

Jones developed lung cancer in 2009 and discontinued chemotherapy in 2010. She passed away on 26 March.

 

28/03/11 - Amy Adams is Superman's new Lois

According to the Hero Complex website Amy Adams [pictured] will play Lois Lane in director Zack Snyder's reboot of Superman.

In a recent interview Snyder said: "There was a big, giant search for Lois. For us it was a big thing and obviously a really important role. We did a lot of auditioning but we had this meeting with Amy Adams and after that I just felt she was perfect for it."

Adams joins a cast that now includes Henry Cavill as Superman, along with Kevin Costner and Diane Lane as his adopted Earth parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent.

 

25/03/11 - Doctor Who's Shada to be novelised

For Doctor Who fans, the mere mention of the episode Shada sends a shiver down the spine. Well now Gareth Roberts is to turn the story into a novel.

Written by Douglas Adams it was originally meant to be an episode during Tom Baker's [pictured] time on the show. However the story was never broadcast because a BBC strike killed the production.

It looks like Who fans will finally learn about the prison planet of Shada and the only Time Lord in the universe who knows its location - a Time Lord who has masqueraded as a professor at Cambridge University for centuries.

In the '90s the recorded footage from Shada was released on video using linking narration by Tom Baker to complete the story.

At the end of 2003 Shada was turned into an audio drama by Big Finish starring Paul McGann as the Doctor. You can read our original review by clicking here.

 

24/03/11 - New Doctor Who series spoilers

WARNING - CONTAINS SPOILERS!

Sources close to the next series of Doctor Who have confirmed to Sci-fi-online.com a few of the plot details and surprises for the next series.

A two-part episode will be set in New York in 1969 and will feature the return of Alex Kingston as River Song, who "turns up in a glittering evening dress, of course."

The new series will also feature Cardiff Castle, most likely in the story that is partly set on a pirate ship, which was filmed in February in Charlestown, Cornwall.

And as previously reported in the media, James Corden returns to Doctor Who to reprise the role of Craig Owens, who appeared last season in the episode The Lodger. His new story, provisionally called The Lodger 2, and once again written by Gareth Roberts, is scheduled to run 12th in the new series and features the return of the Cybermen, accompanied by their metal rodent ‘pets’, the Cybermats. The episode will also be part Earth-based.

Welsh actor Michael Sheen features in the fourth episode, which is set on a junkyard planet. Written by Neil Gaiman, and held back from last year due to budget issues, it also features Suranne Jones who plays a character from the Doctor’s past but with a new face. The rumour is that it’s his daughter, regenerated. And there’s also talk of a story about cloning...

 

23/03/11 - Total Recall casting gets underway

The production company behind the Total Recall remake is currently auditioning Kate Bosworth and Diane Kruger for the role of Lori, while Eva Mendes and Paula Patton are to read for the part of Melina.

In the original 1990 Total Recall, Lori was played by Sharon Stone, the dutiful wife who turns out to be a spy for the agency. Rachel Ticotin played Melina, who helps Arnold Schwarzenegger's Douglas Quaid go along with the Resistance.

Jessica Biel and Eva Green are also being considered for Melina and it is understood that Eva Mendes may be up for the role of Lori as well.

Total Recall is due to be released in cinemas on 03 August 2012 and stars Colin Farrell. The film is directed by Len Wiseman.

 

22/03/11 - First look at new Wonder Woman

The first official picture of the Wonder Woman costume, for David E. Kelley's new TV series have been released.

This is what Adrienne Palicki will be wearing when she takes on the role of Diana, Princess of Themyscera.

The pilot for the show is due to go into production shortly and then we'll discover whether the world is ready for a reboot of Wonder Woman.

 

21/03/11 - Actor reveals Spider-Man's villain

Rumours have been rife on the Internet for some time over which Marvel character would be the villain in The Amazing Spider-Man, but the identity of who would be going up against Spidey have been a closely guarded secret... until now.

In a podcast interview with Retro Radio, actor C. Thomas Howell accidentally let slip that Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield) will go up against the Lizard, a.k.a. Dr. Curt Connors, in the film:

"Sony wants us to be hush-hush right now," said Howell. "I play a relatively small role. I play a construction worker whose son is caught in the middle of a battle between the Lizard and Spider-Man on the Manhattan Bridge. Spider-Man helps me get my son back from this perilous situation."

The Amazing Spider-Man is due to be released in cinemas on 03 July 2012.

 

18/03/11 - Actor Michael Gough passes away

Michael Gough [pictured], who is perhaps best known for playing Bruce Wayne's butler Alfred in Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher's Batman films, has died aged 94.

Gough appeared in over 150 films and TV shows during his 65-year career. He continued to work with Burton, starring in Sleepy Hollow and also providing voices in Corpse Bride and Alice in Wonderland.

Born in Kuala Lumpur, in 1916, Gough started his career in the 1946 television movie Androcles and the Lion. In the early 1960s he starred in a number of TV series including The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Count of Monte Christo and The Saint.

The next two decades saw him appear in more cult series including The Avengers, The Champions, Colditz and Blake's 7. He was also known to Doctor Who fans after appearing in 1966's The Celestial Toymaker and again in the 1980s in an episode opposite the fifth Doctor, played by Peter Davison. But Gough will be best remembered for his role as Alfred Pennyworth in the four-film Batman franchise, starring opposite Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer and George Clooney.

 

17/03/11 - Is another Daredevil movie due soon?

Despite the box office flop of 2003's Daredevil movie, Fox is planning to have another go at bringing the comic book hero to the big screen.

Director David Slade (30 Days of Night, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse) is onboard and wants to pursue the Frank Miller and David Mazzuchelli story arc in which the Kingpin learns Daredevil's secret identity and proceeds to dismantle the blind crimefighter's life, piece by piece.

According to the Movieweb site, this new Daredevil is being conceived as a loose sequel to the 2003 movie, even though Affleck is not involved. And, given that the news item makes no mention of Marvel Studios, the comic company might not be involved either, meaning that Daredevil would exist outside of Marvel's carefully cultivated cinematic continuity.

 

16/03/11 - Alec Baldwin leaves Men in Black III

Men in Black III, which has had its production delayed at least twice now, has hit another problem after Alec Baldwin [pictured] announced he is dropping out of the project.

In a recent interview Baldwin said: "I'm not doing that. I'm out of it. The schedule didn't work out."

Originally Baldwin was to play the head of MIB in the year 1969.

With the movie given an extended holiday hiatus, that was pushed back even further last month, it's not yet clear if there will be scheduling issues for other cast members.

Production on Men in Black III is due to finally commence on 28 March. It's due to be released in cinemas on 25 May 2012.

 

15/03/11 - Plans on hold for Sandman show

The much planned Sandman TV series looks unlikely to go into production for some time yet.

The show was originally in development by Supernatural creator Eric Kripke. But talking with trade paper The Hollywood Reporter recently, Kripke revealed that it: "... just didn't quite happen this season through nobody's fault, and hopefully we can do it again in the future."

In the past Kripke has stated that Sandman: "is without a doubt my all-time favourite comic," it looks likely that we haven't heard the last of the project.

 

14/03/11 - Will Two-Face return for next Batman?

According to the Sci-Fi Wire website Aaron Eckhart has hinted that we might not have seen the last of his Two-Face character [pictured], which he brought to life in 2008's The Dark Knight.

Even though his character appeared to have been killed at the end of The Dark Knight, when asked in a recent interview if we'd seen the last of Two-Face, Eckhart said: "I could not possibly say."

Whether he was toying with the interviewer is uncertain, but it certainly adds fuel the current batch of rumours that he will return for the next Batman movie.

 

11/03/11 - Keira Knightley to voice Tinker Bell

Keira Knightley [pictured] is to provide the voice of Tinker Bell in Neverland, Syfy's sequel to Peter Pan.

Neverland will be a four-hour live action television movie directed by Nick Willing. Knightley will bring to life Tinker Bell, a magical tree spirit whose strength and powers are put to the test when her colony within Neverland's treetops is endangered.

Current cast members include Rhys Ifans, Anna Friel, Bob Hoskins, Charles Dance, Raoul Trujillo and Charlie Rowe.

Knightley will record her role this spring for the series which will air on Syfy this December.

 

10/03/11 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reborn

According to Movieweb, Nickelodeon has spent $60 million dollars (£37 million) to acquire the global rights to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, and is planning to launch a brand new CGI animated series sometime in 2012.

According to Ciro Nieli, executive producer for the new series, the turtles will have more individual attributes, but they will also be the turtles we've come to know and love.

The show will make its debut in 2012, but there is not a firm release date at this time. Nickelodeon and parent company Paramount Pictures is also planning to launch a live action feature sometime in the near future.

 

09/03/11 - Tomb Raider reboot moves forward

The proposed Tomb Raider reboot is another step closer after GK Films purchased the movie rights from Japanese video game company Square Enix.

The current plan is to revive the Tomb Raider film franchise with an as-yet-untitled Lara Croft film aimed for a 2013 release.

No production info or date has been set yet by GK Films.

 

08/03/11 - Avatar 2 will be set underwater

In a recent interview with the Associated Press, actress Michelle Rodriguez [pictured] revealed that the second Avatar movie will take place underwater.

Rodriguez stated that James Cameron's sequel will take viewers under the oceans, and that it will be "extraordinarily beautiful." However, the actress is unsure whether Cameron will bring her character back from the dead.

There have been previous hints from Cameron that Avatar 2 may take place on another planet in the same solar system as Pandora. There was also the possibility of taking the story into the oceans of Pandora, and this, according to Rodriguez, is the route the director seems to have chosen.

 

07/03/11 - Anthony Hopkins up for Bond villain?

According to sources close to the production of the next as-yet-untitled Bond movie, Anthony Hopkins [pictured] is close to signing a deal to appear as 007's nemesis.

The only stumbling block seems to be hammering out a deal for the number of films he will be signing up for. There is a chance the character they want him to play could become a regular feature, like Blofeld once was.

Earlier this year the producers of Bond 23 announced that Javier Bardem had been offered the role of a villain. It's not yet clear if both Hopkins and Bardem are up for the same part, or if they will act alongside each other in a dual villain capacity.

Bond 23 is due to open in cinemas on 09 November 2012 and will star Daniel Craig and Judi Dench. The film is directed by Sam Mendes.

 

04/03/11 - More Blade Runner in the near future

Warner Bros. and Alcon Entertainment are to join forces in order to produce a number of sequels and prequels to the 1982 classic sci-fi movie Blade Runner.

Producers Broderick Johnson and Andrew A. Kosove recently revealed that they don't plan on remaking the original, but instead want to use the movie's mythology, using today's technology, to create a series of movies set in that universe.

 

03/03/11 - Save Luke Skywalker's Tatooine farm

Star Wars fans who can't make up their mind which charity to donate to might be interested to hear that Mark Dermul, a tour guide who specialises in the Star Wars sites of Tunisia, is spearheading a project to restore the structure used as the Lars's homestead, which has been damaged over time by the harsh Tunisian climate.

Dermul and his team are planning to travel to the site and repair the dome that is located in Nefta. They are currently accepting donations.

For more information visit: www.markdermul.be/tatooine/savelars.html

 

02/03/11 - Robocop reboot secures a director

It looks like that planned Robocop remake is a step closer after MGM producers hired a new director to replace the Black Swan Oscar nominee Darren Aronosfky - who backed out some time ago because the project wasn't moving forward.

MGM has hired the Brazilian filmmaker Jose Padilha to revamp the story of a Detroit cop who, after getting gunned down, returns to the streets as a metal law enforcer.

 

01/03/11 - Lost Boys film and TV series planned

Sources close to the production are claiming that work on a fourth movie in the Lost Boys movie franchise, as well as a TV show, are about to be announced by Warner.

Lost Boys 4 will be the latest adventure in the on-going saga of The Frog Brothers (Corey Feldman [pictured] and Jamison Newlander).

In addition a TV series featuring The Frog Brothers is also in development, although plot details for both the movie and weekly show have yet to be officially announced.

 

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