"Panda" Director Takes On "Grayskull: Masters Of The Universe"...

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In the wake of the boffo box office for the "Transformers" live-action, toy-inspired features, comes reports that producer Joel "Lethal Weapon" Silver has signed John "Kung Fu Panda" Stevenson to direct a new, live-action version of "He-Man", based on the popular line of the "Masters of the Universe" toys.

"Grayskull: Masters Of The Universe" will be produced by Warners in conjunction with toy manufacturer Mattel.

The original Filmation Studios animated series, inspired by author Robert E. Howard's "Conan The Barbarian", aired 130 syndicated episodes in 1983, featuring 'He-Man' defending 'Eternia' and the secrets of 'Castle Grayskull' from the evil forces of 'Skeletor'.

The series was followed in 1990 by "The New Adventures of He-Man".

The first series was set during the aftermath of a 'Great War', when the 'Sorceress of Castle Grayskull', aka 'The Goddess', gave 'Prince Adam', son of planet Eternia's 'King Randor' and the earthling 'Queen Marlena', his He-Man super powers, holding aloft the 'Sword of Power', proclaiming, "By the power of Grayskull...I have the power!"

Adam's physique would then ripple with muscles and his green tiger 'Cringer' would change into the armored 'Battle Cat'.

He-Man's love interest was 'Teela', female 'Captain of the Royal Guard', adoptive daughter of mentor 'Duncan', aka 'Man-At-Arms' and the only daughter of 'The Sorceress'.

He-Man's chief adversary Skeletor was a blue-skinned sorcerer with a cowled skull for a head, skilled in black magic, wielding a 'Havoc Staff' ram's skull atop a rod for channeling magic.

Skeletor's reptilian base of operations was 'Snake Mountain', a fortress made of black basalt located on the 'Dark Hemisphere' of Eternia. His motley crew of henchmen included witch 'Evil-Lyn', 'Beast Man', bionic 'Trap-Jaw', multi-sighted 'Tri-Klops' and the 'fish lord' known as 'Mer-Man'.

In 1987 a live-action "Masters of the Universe" feature was produced starring actor Dolph "The Punisher" Lundgren as Prince Adam...

Vancouver Casting Call For "Twilight: New Moon"...

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Casting is underway in British Columbia for speaking roles in the sequel to the Portland-shot vampire feature "Twilight", titled "Twilight: New Moon", scheduled to shoot in Vancouver mid-March to May.

The open casting call is looking for Canadian First Nations/aboriginal actors interested in a speaking part in the film, playing 'werewolves'.

"New Moon" will contain parts for both male/female aboriginal actors.

Local auditions wil be held Feb. 8 in Vancouver @ Second Avenue Studios, 225 W. 2nd Ave., from 9 a.m. to noon.

"New Moon" continues the story of 'Bella Swan', her teen vampire boyfriend 'Edward Cullen' and 'native American' teen 'Jacob', who can turn into a werewolf, along with the rest of his 'tribe', in the presence of vampires.

At the auditions, potential candidates will receive script-sides and be asked to return the same day to read.

Following the monster opening of "Twilight," Summit Entertainment greenlit "New Moon", targeting the mid-March 2009 start, after the feature staked out a first-day gross of $35.7 million from 3,419 playdates.

Author Stephenie Meyer’s "Twilight" novels have sold more than 17 million copies worldwide.

Actors Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart will return to play the leads in the film.

"I don't think any other author has had a more positive experience with the makers of her movie adaptation than I have had with Summit Entertainment," Meyer said...

Kurylenko Stars In Marshall's "Centurion"...

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Actors Olga Kurylenko, Michael Fassbender and Dominic West will star in director Neil "The Descent" Marshall's "Centurion," for "Slumdog Millionaire" producer Christian Colson of Celador Films.

The thriller, set during the Roman invasion of Britain circa A.D. 117, followss the story of 'Quintus Dias', sole survivor of a Pictish raid on a Roman frontier fort, who marches north with the 'Ninth Legion' under 'General Virilus', with orders to defeat the Picts and their leader 'Gorlacon'.

Colson will produce for French-owned, U.K.-based Pathe Distribution.

Marshall, who also wrote "Centurion," made "The Descent" for Pathe and Celador.

Pathe International will start pre-sales of "Centurion" at next month's European Film Market, which runs during the Berlin International Film Festival...

Sneak Peek "Eureka": Dormant Gene...

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The SCI FI Channel produces the Vancouver-lensed TV series "Eureka".

The premise is set in a secret town of the same name inhabited by 'uber-geniuses'.

After World War II, with Albert Einstein's help, US President Harry S. Truman authorized the construction of a residential town built in a remote area of the Pacific Northwest, to protect and nurture the country's greatest thinkers. 'Eureka' would never appear on any map and remain unknown to the public.

But in the fifty years since the town's founding, with its residents responsible for every leap in natural sciences, a number of experiments go awry...

"Necessary Evil" Optioned For Live-Action Series...

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The Cartoon Network has optioned "Necessary Evil", a monthly comic book series created by Joshua Williamson/Marcus L. Harris, published by Desperado Publishing, that is currently in development as a live-action weekly TV series.

Premise is set at the 'Necessary Evil Academy', where villianous 'Jacob' and 'Miller' leave the school in search of their father, then forced to fight robots and super heroes.

TV series writers are Max Burnett, Chris Borelli and Jonathan Davis.

Producers are Chris Fenton, Chris Cowles of H2F Entertainment and Brendan Deneen, Jarred Weisfeld of Objective Entertainment...

First Look! The Official Posters of the 81st Academy Awards....

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"...The iconic Oscar statuette is spotlighted center stage among the bright, glowing lights of the Kodak Theatre in the official poster of the 81st Academy Awards®, the Academy of Motion Picture of Arts and Sciences announced today...The artwork presents the point of view that host Hugh Jackman and Academy Award® winners, presenters and performers will experience from the stage of the Kodak on February 22..."

Sneak Peek "Dollhouse"...

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"Ghost", the episodic debut of the new TV series "Dollhouse", written/directed by Joss "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" Whedon will air Friday, Feb. 13.

Premise of the series follows 'Echo' (Eliza Dushku), a member of an illegal, underground group of 'Active' individuals who have had their personalities 'wiped clean' so they can be imprinted with new personas.

"...Hired by the wealthy, powerful and connected, Actives don't just perform their hired roles, they are, with mind, personality and physiology, whomever the client wants or needs them to be.

Whether imprinted to be a lover, assassin, corporate negotiator or best friend, Actives know no other life than the specific engagements they are assigned to..."

In "Ghost", Echo is hired by a businessman to be a kidnapping negotiator when the man's young daughter is abducted...

Orloff Shoots For "Fleming" Biopic..

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Writer John "A Mighty Heart" Orloff, will draft the screenplay "Fleming", a biopic about English author/journalist Ian Fleming, creator of "James Bond".

The son of a British Parliament member, Fleming served as an intelligence officer in the British Navy and later created the Bond character, first published in the 1953 novel "Casino Royale".

Besides chronicling his '007' spy adventures in twelve novels and nine short stories, Fleming additionally wrote the children's story "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" and two non-fiction books...

Universal Wants To Do The Right "Thing"..

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Universal will produce a feature remake of "The Thing" with Matthijs Van Heijningen directing, adapting the 1938 "Astounding Magazine" 'novella' "Who Goes There", by author John W. Campbell Jr.

The short story was the basis of a 1980's feature by director John Carpenter and a 1951 film "The Thing From Another World" by director Howard Hawks.

Premise of the original story follows a group of scientific researchers, isolated in Antarctica, that discover an alien spaceship buried in the ice. They recover the alien pilot that can assume the shape, memories and personality of any living creature.

Strike Entertainment's Eric Newman and Marc Abraham will produce the new film with David Foster executive producing...

Amanda Seyfried Is "A Woman Of No Importance"..

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Actress Amanda "Mamma Mia!" Seyfried will star in Myriad Pictures' adaptation of author Oscar Wilde's comedy "A Woman of No Importance", co-starring Annette Bening and Sean Bean.

Donald Zuckerman will produce and Bruce Beresford direct from a screenplay adaptation by Howard Himelstein.

Wilde's "A Woman of No Importance" debuted April 19 1893 at London's Haymarket Theatre. Like many of his plays the main theme of "Woman" delves into the secrets of the upper-classes...