THE WALKING DEAD
Over at Ain't It Cool News, Quint continues recounting his visiting to the set of the pilot episode. During lunch, he asked producer Frank Darabont about the pace at which the show will eat up story relative to the comic series. "Darabont said the current plan is to reach the prison somewhere at the end of the second season. He really wants the first two seasons to be an on-the-road story," writes Quint. Since I still haven't started the book, I have no idea what this means. Yes, I will start it soon. Quint goes on to report more shooting he witnessed and offers up a new zombie photo:
Comic Book Movie's Bryan Kritz hears Hank and Janet may have already been cast. "A well trusted source close to Marvel Studios is saying that Nathan Fillion ('Serenity') will be playing Dr. Henry 'Hank' Pym. The actor is in final negotiations for a multi film deal that would start with 'The Avengers' in 2012. Eva Longoria ('Desperate Housewives') will play Janet Van Dyne as has long been speculated ever since leaving Marvel with a stack of Avengers resource material (that's comic books to you and me) in 2008. This would actually make her the second person cast for the movie, only behind that of Robert Downey Jr," he writes. He also notes it is unknown at this time if Hank and Janet will have superhero indentities or just appear as S.H.I.E.LD. agents. Of course, I'm always a little more skeptical of "well trusted sources" and "studio insiders." In the past, I've called them cover identities for Mysterio ... and really, why stop now?
Release date: May 4th, 2012
SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD
Meanwhile, Broken Social Scene evades telling MTV News too much about their work on the soundrack:
Starring Michael Cera and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, release date: August 13th 2010
Breck Eisner tells Fearnet the following: "'Flash Gordon' is a total passion project for me. We've just extended the option and the studio's very committed in trying to make it happen. It's just a gigantic 3D experience with years of prep, it's one of those movies you get once in a lifetime to make and for me it's been a passion of mine since I was a kid. If I could pick and just control everything I would love to make 'Flash Gordon', it's really kind of my dream job, but it's multi-year, in terms of writing and designing." Eisner is also developing a remake of "Escape from New York" and an adaptation of "Blood of the Innocent." Which film he makes first depends on which script gets into a shape that satisfies both himself and the studios.
Release date: TBA
THE GREEN HORNET
Pietro Filipponi from Comic Book Movie sent me this clearer photo of a poster that appeared at the Licensing International Expo in Las Vegas a few weeks back:
"Sony has said isn't official. Which is strange to me since I saw it firsthand," he writes. It could be a mock up for the Expo or even an early stab at the official film poster. It certainly has that theatrical poster composition, but also some unfinished qualities. It could also end up being the official image for tie-in merchandise. It's pretty easy to imagine this composition on the side of a toy package.
Staring Seth Rogen, release date: January 14th, 2011
Our friend at Bleeding Cool reports that we can't talk too loudly about Jean Reno taking on the French pulp character. Linking to a press release, he echoes Reno's comment: "For the moment we do not have a script so it is only a project. They said it's going to be in 3D so nothing is signed. So it is bad luck if we talk a lot of that." I just realized I'm doing a bad job at not talking about this possible film.
Release date: TBA
RISE OF THE APES
What's one way to make me really care about this "Apes" movie? LITHGOW! Heat Vision reports actors John Lithgow and Freida Pinto have joined the film. "Lithgow will play Franco’s Alzheimer's-stricken father. Pinto is the movie's female lead, a primatologist," they write. You may remember Lithgow as Emilio Lizardo in "Buckaroo Bonzai" or B.Z. in "Santa Claus: the Movie." He's also appeared in critically acclaimed fare, such as his turn on "Dexter."
Release date: June 24th, 2011
Vulture debunks the Neill Blomkamp rumor. "An insider at his agency, William Morris Endeavor, confirms to Vulture that not only is Blomkamp not doing the movie, no one from MGM/United Artists or Warner Bros. has even contacted them about his directing the film," they write. Of course, this could be just an issue of contracts, but for the moment, it's time for the next potential director to get some press.
Release date: 2012?
Time for the film's international trailer, thanks to IGN:
Starring Lawerence Fishburne, release date: July 9th, 2010
THE KEYBOARD CONTROLLER
Have you seen the controller for "Rock Band 3" yet? The prototype of the keyboard is awesome. "The Cure" are already confirmed for the initial tracklist and I'm hoping a keyboard controller means New Order isn't far off. They've been missing from the game for a long, long time. Meanwhile, if any of you in the great, wide Internet discover something awesome, disheartening, or just plain weird, let us know! Take credit, come up with a clever nickname, or go anonymous. The choice is yours. Fresh rumors and movie news every weekday morning. I am Erik Amaya bracing for the future threat of plastic accessories.