According to M, Bond (2)3 Starts Shooting This November

Maybe it's because I can be such an easy lay at times (Imagine that?), but, as a fan, I'm just happy to hear there’s more servings of Daniel Craig's James Bond to indulge. For a good-long-while there, it looked like Craig would serve a two-picture reign not unlike the underrated Timothy Dalton in the late '80s.

But, as you all know, he's not (for now...) and Bond (2)3 is scheduled for release November 9, 2012. While we all wait to see if Javier Bardem and Ralph Fiennes work out (I say "and" assuming they’re up for separate roles), Dame Judi Dench let the cat outta the bag on when production is expected to start up to the Express:

"I am going to do the next Bond in November. I don’t know the location yet but hopefully it will be somewhere nice. I can’t tell you much more but I do enjoy ­playing M as she is such a strong character. I like being bossy and my grandson thinks its cool that I’m in Bond."

Yes, it's a minor update and we'd assumed things would commence either at the end of this year or early next year. But it's something, dammit. Interested to hear from Sam Mendes (who's onboard to direct this installment) while we're all waiting.

Disney Gets Out of Joseph Kosinski Business; Drops Oblivion

While a studio is high on a filmmaker, they’ll go ahead and option properties left and right. "Hey if so-and-so is behind it, then it's gotta be worth our time!" Said mentality is fine and dandy if the director in question has a couple of hits under his/her built. If we’re talking about someone unproven and this is a formality in case they, and the big tentpole they’re currently working on, explode, then there's always the chance of reneging down the line. You know, in case that big 4000-screen release doesn’t meet up to expectations.

I remember that happening with McG leading up to Terminator: Salvation and every studio in town were conducting knife-fights just to get his name attached to something of theirs. Then it opened and all those optioned properties went kaput. Here’s another example.

Variety reports Disney has pulled the plug on Oblivion, an adaptation of the illustrated novel by filmmaker Joseph Kosinski.

Check out the plot synopsis:

"Book is set in a future where the Earth's surface has been irradiated beyond recognition and the remnants of humanity live above the clouds, safe from the brutal alien Scavengers that stalk the ruins. But when surface drone repairman Jak discovers a mysterious woman in a crash-landed pod, it sets off an unstoppable chain of events that will force him to question everything he knows."

Yes, that's the same Joseph Kosinski whom the Mouse pined all their hopes and dreams (with images of sequels, animated spin-offs and merchandising dancing in their head) on Tron: Legacy. Until it opened. While prospects for Tron 3 are slim-to-Who are you fucking kidding, Kosinski is free to take Oblivion to competing studios.

Paramount Places Star Trek 2 as Priority Over Jack Ryan Reboot

Paramount is invested in Chris Pine. He's headlining the Star Trek franchise (co-headlining along with Zachary Quinto, to be exact) and the studio decided to cement that working relationship by making him the new Jack Ryan for the planned reboot Moscow. Clearly, they want to be in the Chris Pine business.

That was a year ago though, and the plan was for Moscow to lens before Star Trek 2. Things even advanced as far as Jack Bender being assigned directing duties and Oscar-winner scribe Steve Zaillian (Schindler's List) performing rewrites.

Word from "TOLDJA" is those plans have been scrapped as Zaillian backed out of the production. In a surprise move (given the mentality of meeting release-dates, quality be damned!), Paramount has placed Moscow on hiatus as they search for a new writer and waiting to get it done right with Bender remaining attached to direct, for the time being.

With the return of Jack Ryan stalled, the priority's been placed on the Star Trek sequel. Despite the script still being worked on (No word if there's even a first draft completed yet; I think that's fans' #1 concern) and J.J. Abrams being ambivalent towards his return to the director's chair, they’re still insisting on that June 29, 2012 release with the start of filming going this fall.

Quiet the tall order all things considered. It's doable where things stand right now, but as time keeps a ticking with no visible progress that opening next summer is looking less and less likely. Thankfully our pals at Coming Soon cornered Abrams and brought up that concern with this response:

"We're working on the story. That's probably more important than the release date at this point, but at the moment, we're not going to change anything."

If Paramount is serious about keeping that date (and they badly need Star Trek 2 after losing The Avengers), a "Ya" or "Nay" answer from Abrams, whose producing the sequel regardless, should be given so they can lock down a directorial replacement and get the ball rolling. Matt Reeves, anyone?

And if (God forbid for fans...like me) that Star Trek 2 can't hit summer 2012, there's always that Christmas instead. Ironic considering the reboot was originally set for Christmas 2008 before they opted for Summer 2009 months into filming (read: they saw the footage being pulled together and knew they had a mega hit on their hands). The way I see it if they keep their release, they'll kick The Amazing Spider-Man's ass and if they move to say Christmas '12 they'll kick Superman: The Man of Steel's instead.

Justice League Movie in 2013 & a Post-Nolan Batman Reboot?

Back in August 2008 while riding still riding high on The Dark Knight goodness, Jeff Robinov (#2 big-cheese at Warner Brothers) boldly told the Wall-Street Journal an entire slate of DC cataloged films were planned including a third Batman installment with Christopher Nolan/Christian Bale, a Superman "re-invention" flick, Green Lantern and The Flash, and so on. An official announcement dishing out all the gory details were promised.

Then nothing ever came of said promise.

Plenty of things transpired moving the DC film unit ahead, despite that. Green Lantern got going with Martin Campbell directing and Ryan Reynolds headlining as Hal Jordan (due out this June) and Nolan is actively doing double-duties as he preps The Dark Knight Rises to direct and producing the Zack Snyder-directed, Henry Cavill-starring Superman: The Man of Steel; both will hit in 2012.

Between that initial WSJ interview and today however, there's one big difference with Robinov. He got handed the keys to the WB kingdom and, most important of all, greenlight authority. What started off as a minor blurb in the Los Angeles Times has exploded with the studio's future plans for their DC-on-film lineup.

Chatting it up with Hero Complex (a genre-oriented subsidiary of the LA Times), the new #1 at WB Robinov elaborated on their intentions confirming a script for a Justice League film is being typed as we speak for an unspecified 2013 release, and the Batman franchise will once again hit the "Reboot" button post-TDKR with Nolan and his wife/producing-partner Emma Thomas staying onboard as producers.

Interesting.

Well for one, why not simply bring Christian Bale's Batman back into the equation for JL? TDKR will bring that story to a close, yes. But his committment to Terminator: Salvation shows he hearts money and it ain't always about "the art." Maybe he just doesn't want to or maybe Bats bites the dust at the end of TDKR? The latter could certainly explain the need of a new Bats.

I'm also not buying a JL flick dropping in two years. To go from the first, in their hopes/intentions a series of, Superman (that's hitting at the end of 2012, no less) and final-Nolan-anchored Batman to seeing Cavill in the red-and-blue suit again, Reynolds as Green Lantern and a new actor as Bats 6 months-to-a year later is definitely on the jarring side. There's also the problem of what happens if GL and TMOS under-perform. They're jumping the gun on this one, and it feels like this is their way of riling up fandom. Once reality settles in, a more firm (read: realistic) release will get set out.

Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows - Part II Poster Hits

If I wasn't already going to see it, would this one-sheet for Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows – Part II get my interests? Doesn't hurt.

Facebook has the first, of what will certainly be, many posters as the release of the final Harry Potter film* approaches. Does a nice job of building up to the big confrontation between Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) fans have been waiting for since the Chris Columbus freshman installment hit a decade ago.

Let's just hope they don't do a one-sheet showcasing the AfterMASH coda, and don't give me any looks for saying that. Everyone knows how it ends, at this point!

*Until the mortgage on J.K. Rowling's fifth castle is due.

Fox Fishing That X-Men Lake Dry

This feels like a fallback plan because The Wolverine hitting the skids or maybe it isn't and this is a part of an epic strategy to further whore out a once-prosperous film-series. In this month's Empire (via Obsessed with Film), producer Lauren Shuler Donner reveals a treatment for X-Men 4's been written and submitted to 20^th Century Fox.

Add to that an X-Men 5 (4 leads into it), any First Class sequels (I have a feeling deep down that, quality notwithstanding, there won't have any conversations about X-Men: Second Semester or X-Men: Cramming for the GED after that prequel drops in June) and the afore-mentioned Wolverine sequel-to-a-prequel. Whenever Fox makes their move on that one.

Oh yeah, and there's that Deadpool solo-flick which, in a case of having your cake and eating it too, will retcon the Merc with a Mouth's appearance in the first Wolverine movie. Basically, taking people's money (and damn well knowing it before hand – remember when the story leaked of how Wade Wilson was being portrayed and they denied it?) and then claiming ignorance. Assuming that goes forward. I don't care what Ryan Reynolds says; he very-well knows doing another comic-book tentpole with a rival studio won't sit well with Warner Brothers when they spending a hot-wad of cash pimping him hard as Green Lantern.

The X-Men 4 thing, though, makes me wonder if they've gone as far to start talks with varying cast-members from the 2000-2006 films. Having Bryan Singer aboard again might be entice some (like Ian McKellen) to come back while others (like Hugh Jackman and Halle Berry) will show up if the price is right.

Amy Adams IS Lois Lane in Superman: The Man of Steel!

When you think of Superman, you think of specific things: the phrase "Truth, Justice & the American way," his power of flying, the iconic red-and-blue suit, and Lois Lane.

For as difficult a role to pull off the title character is, the same applies for Lois. It's a part that requires displaying the toughness and spunk being a hard-ass reporter, the wit supplied by the humor and one-liners and, most importantly, the chemistry with both the Man of Steel and his Clark Kent persona. You have to believe the person arguing with Perry White is the same one reduced to a wide-eyed, vulnerable girl when he's in front of Superman.

Hero Complex says Zack Snyder has found that actress, and it's the kind of casting that I can get behind. Amy Adams is the new Lois Lane.

Some will argue the age difference between her and Henry Cavill; she's 36 years-old and he’s 27. That shouldn't be a concern. If we're gonna nerdy about it, some of the comic-interpretations state that his being Kryptonian makes him physically age slower than human beings when he's actually quite older. On the other hand, and in a better and more basic way to put it, Lois needs to have a few extra years on Superman. She has the experience of living out in the real world where he's spent his youth on the Kent Farm in Smallville.

Check out her performances in Enchanted, Julie & Julia, Doubt, Sunshine Cleaning, and The Fighter (Hell even Night at the Museum 2) and tell me she's not a great choice.

Sony Does What Any Studio Would Do; Hires Writer for Spider-Man Sequel Early

Someone amongst Sony executives or producers Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin really likes James Vanderbilt. First they hired the Zodiac scribe to pen Spider-Man 4, but eventually had to let him go when Sam Raimi wasn't too fond of his stuff. Then they turned around and re-hired him for Spider-Man 5 and 6. Then when the sky fell and Raimi, Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst exited the franchise, Vanderbilt's story was said to be ported over and used for the reboot The Amazing Spider-Man.

So yeah, somebody in the higher-up, decision-making rank at the studio digs Vanderbilt as Heat Vision reports he's just been hired to cook up the script for an Amazing Spider-Man sequel.

But before anyone starts leaping for joy taking this to mean there will be a sequel, take the chill pill with a full glass of water. Hiring a writer is the cheapest part of the process and isn't proof of any sequel, no matter how inevitable they seem. The Marc Webb-directed, Andrew Garfield-starring 3D reboot is into its fourth month of production and won't swing into cinema-houses until July 2012.

They're going to have to wait and see how audiences react before making their move. This is just the studio lining up all their ducks, just in case audiences like what they see. There's also the chance if they move forward on The Spectacular Spider-Man or whatever it's called, Vanderbilt's material is thrown out.

Still, a good writer is getting another good-paying gig. Good for him.

Captain Kirk Getting His Own Ass to Tap in Star Trek 2

UPDATE: IT'S FAKE, JIM! Trek Movie says that not only have none of the actors received the Star Trek 2 script yet, but Chris Pine doesn't even have a personal Facebook account. My apologies, folks.

About the only quintessential Kirk-thing that Chris Pine didn't get to do in the Star Trek reboot was tap some ass. If his brief (and quickly interrupted) play with the green-skinned Rachel Nichols counts. I say it doesn't, but I'll have to seek the council of resident Trekker, my pal Lou to confirm.

In what amounts to the first actual news on Star Trek 2 beyond the multitude of "We're still writing the script!" remarks, Captain James Tiberius Kirk himself Chris Pine went to Facebook (via Collider and MTV) to confirm the script is finished and he'll get some action of his own since Zoe Saldana’s Uhura is spoken for (read: Vulcan fever):

"After a thousand questions regarding the Star Trek sequel I can finally say I am holding the draft script in my hand. I can also now tell you I have a love interest and it's all looking very exciting. Sorry but I cant give you a date for filming yet, but you guys are going to love it!"

Could have sworn I heard in early drafts Carol Marcus (who is the only confirmed baby-mama of Kirk's - Lord knows there were others) had a role in the reboot, but was wisely excised. Perhaps screenwriters Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Damon Lindelof revised that idea or maybe this is a new character altogether; hopefully it's the latter.

New Superman Villain Candidate Emerges: Edgar Ramirez

He doesn't fit next to fellow candidates Viggo Mortensen (who didn't work out; an issue with scheduling most likely), Daniel Day-Lewis (total pipe-dream as awesome as it would be to nabb him) or Gerald Butler (who knows where that one stands) when you factor in the filmmakers attempt at getting established, name-actors to wrap around the lesser-known Henry Cavill as our defender of truth, justice and the American way.

But like his competitors, Edgar Ramirez looks like he would put up a good fight against Cavill's Superman. This guy could crack some bones, and just fuck people up.

Latino Review reports the actor, coming off his acclaimed leading role in Carlos and whose familiarity with most pin-points to The Bourne Ultimatum, is up for a villain role in Zack Snyder's Superman: The Man of Steel, due out next Christmas. Things are so tight-lipped over on their front, it's a mystery as to what baddie he'd portray were he cast; Zod (who's in the reboot, that much we know), Lex Luthor (everyone's assuming he plays a role) or someone else altogether. Guessing Zod because his passing resemblance to Cavill, and all Kryptonians look alike to me.

While he lacks the marquee name recognition, as El Mayimbe points out Ramirez is familiar with the Warner Brothers/Legendary Pictures bunch as he's currently filming Wrath of the Titans and if you'll remember that sequel's director Jonathan Liebesman was up for the Superman gig before they settled on Snyder. He'd also be considerably cheaper than say Butler or Day-Lewis.