Robert Schwentke in the Running to Direct R.I.P.D.

So I just spent the article below talking about how Fox and WB weren’t going to want to share Ryan Reynolds for their perspective comic-book franchises Deadpool and Green Lantern. But here we are talking about a third comic-based property the actor is attached to set up at a third studio (Universal). So am I a horse's ass?

Yes, but not over this. The project I'm referring to is R.I.P.D. and there's a big difference between having an actor doing something in this vein (itself about two deceased cops continuing their job in the after-life) as opposed to them dressing up in a costume, playing a comic-book superhero over potentially multiple flicks. It's apples and oranges.

Universal wants production on R.I.P.D. to start going ASAP. In this case, the moment Reynolds has free-time in his schedule. McG was hovering over this (as broken by Pajiba), but only as a follow-up to This Means Wars. So he's out. Instead, the Los Angeles Times report Robert Schwentke (whose Red hits this fall) has met with the studio.

If he gets the gig, there won't be a moment to spare as he'll immediately jump onboard. If all goes according to their plans, cameras could roll by the early months of next year.

Fox Versus WB - The Ryan Reynolds Round

The moment Ryan Reynolds signed on to headline Green Lantern (and by default any sequels and/or the much-rumored Justice League movie) for Warner Brothers, there was no way he was playing Deadpool for 20^th Century Fox's planned X-Men spin-off.

"NU-UH! Fox hired those Zombieland writers and they talked to Robert Rodriguez about directing it! YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT!?!"

Take a breather there. We might still yet get that Deadpool movie, but you're nuts to think Reynolds will do it at this juncture.

"BUT REYNOLDS SAID HE WAS GONNA DO IT! AND HE WOULDN’T LIE ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT! YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT!?!"

What people in the entertainment industry say out-loud rarely gels with the reality of what's going down. I'm sure there are public statements from Kevin Feige saying how much he can't wait to see Edward Norton in The Avengers. In a fashion similar to Bryan Singer having to choose between Fox and WB (twice in fact, once back in 2004 and the other just last year), Reynolds had to make a choice when the opportunity presented itself for him to play Hal Jordan versus Wade Wilson again.

The point of contention appears to be some Tweets made by Rob Liefeld (the creator of the Merc with the Mouth) over the last day or so:

"Bottom line about Deadpool film is that if FOX doesn't pull the DP film together with Ryan Reynolds between GL films-they should Hari Kari"

"Ryan Reynolds is the new Will Smith, if FOX can't maximize this window of opportunity with this star, this character, that script=MASSV FAIL"

"You have it reversed @GeekTyrant it's Warners that wants to film back 2 back GL's and disrupt Deadpool. Not FOX!! Get it right!"

To be fair, he subsequently reneged from some of those statements saying a piece over at Obsessed with Film triggered it. And some of the information there (referencing the rumors from last week of WB already moving ahead on Green Lantern 2 and 3) is false. Right now, they're lining their ducks up for one sequel that will obviously wait until the numbers come in from the June 17, 2011 opening weekend.

Come on, fellas. You really think both studios are perfectly fine with sharing Reynolds for rival comic-book franchises? Really?

John Belushi Biopic in Development at Warner Brothers

If you don't succeed, try a couple of decades later.

The story of comic-icon John Belushi was already chronicled in Wired, based on the Bob Woodward book. It was universally-rejected by Belushi's family/friends, critics and the general public. Good luck if you can find a copy of it on VHS.

But it's the kind of story that was eventually going to be attempted again. Properly handled, Belushi's story could result in a most excellent film. Risky Business reports Warner Brothers are up for that task and have assigned a screenwriter in Steven Conrad (The Pursuit of Happyness) and Todd Phillips (currently one of the studio's Golden Boys – thanks to The Hangover, its forthcoming sequel due next May and this fall's Due Date).

For the time being Phillips' role is merely that of the producer. Whether he'll decide to sit in the director's chair will be determined down the line – i.e. after Conrad turns in his first draft and once The Hangover 2 wraps.

The big jalapeno, of course, is who would play Belushi. Again like the director, it's too early in the process to answer that question. But plenty in the current crop of "fat guy" actor/comedians are having their names thrown around – Zach Galifianakis, Jack Black and so on and so forth. If I'm casting this, I'd go for an unknown. That said I wouldn't bank on that.

Idris Elba May Be the New Alex Cross

James Patterson's detective/ psychologist hero Alex Cross appeared onscreen in Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider as portrayed by Morgan Freeman. But with everything else under-the-sun getting rebooted, it was a matter of time before Alex Cross got his shot at a franchise resurrection.

Black Voices reports Cross (the twelfth of so far sixteen Patterson-written novels) will return the character onscreen. No details on who will be adapting the novel or any directors being considered.

They do however have the identity of who might take over the series for Freeman – Idris Elba. The confirmation came straight from the British actor himself:

"I have been offered to play Alex Cross and if that happens, I'm really excited about it."

Indeed, Elba is a very, very good choice for the Washington, D.C. based character. Having been a fan of the books, he fits the criteria for Cross – way more than Freeman who felt like he was doing more an extension of his Somerset character from Seven. Knock on wood, this happens. He's one of those actors you've seen around but couldn't put your finger on where you'd remembered him from. The Wire, his turn on The Office last year, The Losers, he'll appear as the god Heimdal in Thor next May, etc.

John Carter of Mars Coming June 8, 2012!

Phil and I were bullshitting about our anticipation for John Carter of Mars before recording this week's Movie Moan podcast. The resident British Gentleman Agent speculated maybe it would join Superman: The Man of Steel for Christmas 2012, or "taking that Avatar slot" as he better put it.

Speaking of which, it'll be interesting to see how audiences' react to Edgar Rice Burroughs' pulp hero (finally) adapted into a big-budget tentpole. Especially when you throw "biggest movie ever!" Avatar into the equation and it’s admitted influence from Burroughs.

We've known for awhile the Mouse had an unspecified 2012 release date penciled in, but nothing beyond that. The studio has officially set Andrew Stanton's live-action directorial debut for June 8, 2012. It'll join an already-stuffed summer including Batman 3, the untitled Star Trek sequel, Sony's Spider-Man reboot, The Avengers and Men in Black 3, to name a few.

Taylor Kitsch (who's headlining two effects-heavy tentpoles that summer along with Universal's Battleship opening mere weeks before Mars) plays the Civil-War veteran transported to the Red Planet.

Like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, I can't wait to see just how this is going to look.

Mad Max: Fury Road Going Royal - The King's Granddaughter Joins Cast

Riley Koeugh, who just appeared in The Runaways, will join the cast of Mad Max: Fury Road, the first of two new movies George Miller will direct. This is according to Heat Vision.

The granddaughter of Elvis Presley (!?!) is set to play one of "the Five Wives" who our leather-clad hero (now played by Tom Hardy) protects from the baddies.

And no, this is not a reboot as earlier stated but a sequel to the last film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.

Production is expected to start early next year in Australia.

Mission: Impossible 4 Searching for New Female Lead

Just as its tradition to have Tom Cruise and Ving Rhames (both returning), it's also customary to have a new female lead for each Mission: Impossible.

So who will join the ranks of Emmanuelle Béart, Thandie Newton, Michelle Monaghan and Maggie Q for M:I 4 next Christmas? According to What's Playing, director Brad Bird and producers Cruise and J.J. Abrams have met with "lots of young ladies – all pretty well-known."

Two of those names reportedly include Australian model-turned-actress Jacinda Barrett and Amber Heard. It's not known what role they're meeting for. Considering that Simon Pegg is expected to return as well, it's not out of the question that Mrs. Ethan Hunt (aka Michelle Monaghan) could show up.

Presumably the role in question is for a new IMF agent.

Michael Goldenberg Tapped to Write Green Lantern 2

Last week came a report that a Green Lantern sequel starts filming before the original was even released for a Summer or Christmas 2012 release. It sounded bogus for a reason. Because it was. Come on, what studio would seriously take that kind of risk on an unproven property even if they're confident they have a hit on their hands?

By no means however does that suggest Warner Brothers isn't thinking ahead with the Emerald Knight.

The trades report Michael Goldenberg has been hired to pen the screenplay for Green Lantern 2. He's no stranger to the character – having been involved with writing on the first film. This comes months after his co-writers Greg Berlanti, Michael Green and Marc Guggenheim were commissioned to cook up a treatment.

No word on when WB would plan to unleash the Lantern follow-up. But you can bet that they're going to wait and see the results of Martin Campbell's freshman installment before fully committing to another one. The soonest it'd probably be unleashed is 2013/2014.

Dolph Lundgren Isn't Too Sure of Another Universal Solider Sequel

If there's another Universal Solider happening, it's news to Dolph Lundgren.

He tells Movie Hole (despite an initial announcement of the 3D sequel) he's yet to read any script and it's not written in stone whether his co-star Jean-Claude Van Damme is coming back either.

The former Master of the Universe doesn't sound too enthusiastic of his own participation:

"I don't know if I'm going to do it. It's just hard to say whether it's going to be any good, but we'll see. I suppose the hard thing is, I've died twice - got chopped up at one stage - so they'd have to think of a clever way to bring me back again."

Well, there's always that Expendables sequel. Assuming it rakes in the dough this weekend.

Cloverfield 2 is Coming! Eventually.

Is there really a desire for a Cloverfield sequel? Never got the impression people were crazy about it. What with its near 70% drop its second weekend in theaters? I thought it was alright, but nothing really spectacular. But there's been talk from J.J. Abrams & Co. of another monster attack even before it opened.

Director Matt Reeves tells Music Television it's on everyone's "To-Do" list. They're just too busy on other things:

"It really isn't the moment for [the sequel] to go any further than it has, but it continues to be a priority for both of us."

Reeves is in post-production on the forthcoming Let the Right One In remake Let Me In (Damn, does that look good or what?) meanwhile Lord J.J. is about to start lensing on his top-secret Super 8 for next summer (which isn't connected to Cloverfield in any way, shape or form thankfully) and Star Trek 2 for June 2012.