Tony Stark: Full Metal Jacket...

"Iron Man 2', the upcoming Paramount sequel, based on Marvel Comics 'Tony Stark' aka 'Iron Man', is directed by Jon Favreau with actor Robert Downey, Jr. reprising the title role.

The film will be released May 7 , 2010.

"Iron Man 2" is set six months after the events of "Iron Man", with the ' S.H.I.E.L.D.' organization continuing to have a major role. The film explores Stark's alcoholism, as he is unable to cope with his advancing age, concealing the fact he is Iron Man, and dealing with his budding love interest 'Pepper' (Gwyneth Paltrow), finding another boyfriend.

Downey revealed that while the film was not an adaptation of the "Demon in a Bottle" storyline from the comic book series, it was more about the 'interim space' between the origin and the demon story arc.

Cast of "Iron Man 2" also includes Don Cheadle as 'Lt. Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes' aka 'War Machine', Scarlett Johansson as 'Natasha Romanoff' aka 'Black Widow', an undercover spy posing as Stark's assistant, Sam Rockwell as 'Justin Hammer' and Mickey Rourke as 'Ivan Vanko', aka 'Whiplash', son of Russian scientist 'Anton Vanko' aka 'Crimson Dynamo'.

Rourke researched for the part by visiting 'Butyrka' prison, suggesting that half of his character's dialogue be in Russian.

Also appearing is Samuel L. Jackson as 'Nick Fury', director Favreau as 'Happy Hogan', Stark's bodyguard/chauffeur, John Slattery as 'Howard Stark', Tony's father, Garry Shandling as a Senator who wants Stark to turn over his Iron Man armor to the government, Paul Bettany voicing Stark's computer 'JARVIS', Clark Gregg as S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent 'Phil Coulson', Kate Mara as 'Bethany Cabe', Olivia Munn and "Iron Man" creator Stan Lee....

"Judge Dredd" Lays Down The Law...

British comics illustrator Mark Simpson, aka 'Jock', noted for his work with writer Andy Diggle on the comic books "2000 AD" and "The Losers", has posted some new 'Judge Dredd' concept designs for the developing "Judge Dredd' feature from DNA Films and Fox Searchlight.

Producer is Allon "28 Weeks Later" Reich from a screenplay by Alex Garland.

First published in 1977, created by writer John Wagner, artist Carlos Ezquerra and editor Pat Mills, 'Judge Dredd' debuted in Brit sci fi anthology "2000 AD", leading to numerous comic book spin-offs.

Inspired by Clint Eastwood's "Dirty Harry", Dredd is a law enforcement officer in a violent city of the future where uniformed Judges combine powers of police, judge, jury and executioner. Dredd and his fellow Judges are empowered to arrest, sentence and execute criminals on the spot.

With 'bionic' eyes implanted after a time-traveling mission to the 'City Of The Damned', Dredd uses a 'lawgiver' pistol, while riding his cannon-mounted, artificial intelligence 'lawmaster' motorbike.

'Joseph Dredd' and his brother 'Rico' were cloned from the DNA of 'Chief Judge Fargo', the first chief judge. Their growth was artificially accelerated, emerging in 2066 with all the appropriate knowledge for their age, electronically implanted in their brains by computer during gestation.

The name 'Dredd' was chosen by genetic scientist 'Morton Judd', to "instill fear in the population."

In 2070 the Dredds saw action for the first time during the 'Atomic Wars', when as cadets, they were temporarily fast-tracked through the 'Academy Of Law', assigned the rank of full judge and sent to restore order, after the US Justice Department deposed 'President Booth'.

Joseph excelled as a judge, rapidly gaining promotion to the rank of senior judge, saving the world from being destroyed during the 'Fourth World War'...

Sneak Peek "Smallville: "Absolute Justice"...

The Vancouver-lensed CW TV series "Smallville", focusing on the early life of 'Superman', will feature DC Comics' 'Hawkman' in the 2-hour TV movie special "Smallville: Absolute Justice".

The film connects the unaired, new TV episodes "Society" and "Legends".

Michael "Stargate SG1" Shanks is Hawkman, Andromeda's Brent "Andromeda" Stait is 'Dr. Fate', Brittney Irvin is 'Stargirl' and Pam Grier is 'Amanda Waller', leader of the superheroes.

"Smallville: Absolute Justice" airs February 5, 2010.

Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, published by All-American Publications in 1940. Several incarnations of Hawkman have appeared in DC Comics, all of them characterized by the use of archaic weaponry and large, artificial wings, attached to a harness made from the special 'Nth metal' that allows flight.

"Stargirl" can shoot stars from her 'Cosmic Converter Belt', via a 'cosmic staff'.

'Doctor Fate' is a sorcerer, possessing mystical powers by wearing the 'Helmet of Nabu', giving him the ability to fly, an invulnerability to injury and super-human strength...

Milla Jovovich On "Resident Evil: Afterlife"...

From TorontoFilm.Net, comes footage of actress Milla Jovovich, filmed by Milla Jovovich on the Toronto set of "Resident Evil: Afterlife", the fourth film in the series, that started shooting in Toronto September 28.

Originally a Capcom video game series, created by Shinji Mikami, selling 40 million games , other "Resident Evil" spin-offs have included comic books, novelizations and action figures.

The first feature, directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, released in 2002, grossed $102 million worldwide, focusing on amnesiac affected heroine 'Alice' and a squad of 'Umbrella Corporation' commandos, as they attempted to escape a secret underground facility overrun with zombies.

The new film picks up after the events of "Resident Evil: Extinction", the Mexican-filmed 2007 sequel focusing on Alice and a group of survivors from 'Raccoon City', as they traveled across the Mojave desert wilderness to Alaska, staying one step ahead of a 'zombie apocalypse'.

"Resident Evil: Afterlife" will be released September 17, 2010...

Weird Al: Trapped In The Drive-Thru...

"Trapped in the Drive-Thru" is from singer/composer 'Weird' Al Yankovic, featured on his twelfth studio album "Straight Outta Lynwood", parodying "Trapped in the Closet" by R. Kelly. The song contains an exact cover from Yankovic's clone band of "Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin, when the main character turns on the radio:

Salzman Exploring More "Madtv"...

"MAD tv", the sketch comedy television series, licensing the name/logo of "Mad".
debuted October 14, 1995, airing Saturday nights on Fox and in syndication on Comedy Central. The series was created by Fax Bahr and Adam Small, originally produced by Bahr/Small Productions and Quincy Jones/David Salzman Entertainment.

Comedy Central picked up the show after its syndication package of Saturday Night Live reruns was acquired by the E! Entertainment Network, and has aired 30-minute and full-hour reruns of episodes from seasons eight to eleven.

Producer Salzman said he is exploring the continuation of the show on cable...

Dick Dale & The Del Tones: "Misirlou"...

Dick Dale, aka 'The King Of The Surf Guitar", was an early experimenter of reverberation, making use of custom made Fender equipment including the first 100-watt amplifier.

With backing band 'The Del-Tones', Dale's "Surfer's Choice" LP was released in 1962 on his own 'Deltone' label, then picked up by Capitol Records. Dale soon began appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show and in films, with his signature single "Misirlou".

"I still remember the first night we played it ("Misirlou"), " said Dale.

"I changed the tempo, and just started cranking on that mother. And...it was eerie. The people came rising up off the floor..."

Interlude- Jim Morrison: The Doors...

"The End", performed by The Doors, was originally written by Jim Morrison as a good-bye song, evolving after months of performances at Los Angeles' Whisky a Go Go into a nearly 12-minute opus on the band's debut album, released January 1967.

"The End" was most famously used as a framing device for director Francis Ford Coppola's surreal 1979 Viet Nam war epic"Apocalypse Now"...

Interlude- Madonna: "Bad Girl"...

"Bad Girl" performed by Madonna, was released as the third single from her 1992 studio album "Erotica", February 1993 on Maverick Records.

The video was directed by David "Fight Club" Fincher, previous collaborator on Madonna's "Express Yourself", "Oh Father" and "Vogue" music videos.

"Bad Girl" featured Madonna as 'Louise Oriole', an alcoholic Manhattan executive with a penchant for one-night stands, distracted by cigarettes, cocktails and random hook-ups. Christopher Walken plays a guardian angel and Matt Dillon is a crime scene cop.

Madonna only performed the song once, during an appearance on "Saturday Night Live", January 1993...

Year Of The Rat: Disney Reveals "Epic Mickey"...

Disney has confirmed the Fall 2010 release of the "Epic Mickey" videogame, designed by Warren Spector's Junction Point, exclusively for the Nintendo Wii home console.

Players will control 'Mickey Mouse' as he moves around "...a world devoid of color, painting it back to life..."

Premise revolves around 'forgotten' Disney toon characters, pushed out of the spotlight by Mickey, 'Goofy' and 'Donald Duck'.

Main villain, 'Oswald the Rabbit' wants to unleash the 'Phantom Blot', oozing black ink and melting colours to threaten the Disney toon universe.

Junction Point was purchased by Disney in 2007.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Epic Mickey"...

Ubisoft Montreal Plugs Into Cameron's "Avatar"...

According to BigGameHunter, director James "Terminator" Cameron's "Avatar" video game, to be released 2 weeks prior to the film's debut December 18, is the latest in a serious of international accomplishments for Ubisoft Montreal, the Canadian connection for the France-based games publisher.

Instead of the standard procedure of releasing a film, then gauging audience interest for an ancillary video game, Cameron initiated the "Avatar" game three years ago, looking to both introduce and compliment his upcoming motion-capture/live-action, 3D feature.

The game diverges from the film's story line, with players able to explore parallel narratives, either portraying a member of the blue-skinned 'Na'vi' warriors, or a human soldier for the 'Resources Development Administration', strip-mining on the planet 'Pandora'.

"Games derived from movies, historically, some of them have kind of sucked," said Cameron.

"And I didn't want 'Avatar', I didn't want anything associated with 'Avatar', to suck. So I proposed to Ubisoft this theory that the game should not be a slave to the movie..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Avatar: The Game"...

"Wolverine And The X-Men: Foresight"- November 29...

"Foresight," the three-part season finale of "Wolverine and the X-Men", premieres on Nicktoons, Sunday, Nov. 29.

In Part 1, 'Jean Grey' finds herself in the clutches of the organization 'The Inner Circle' and the nature of the 'Phoenix Force' dwelling inside her is explained, with a plan set in motion to remove it, before it can cause mass destruction.

At the same time, 'Magneto' uses 'Mystique' to impersonate 'Senator Kelly' and order the launch of the 'Sentinels' on 'Genosha'. In the face of such an overt, unprovoked attack from the humans, Magneto has everything he needs to unite 'mutant-kind' and mount a counterattack. However, 'Wanda' wants no part of it and sends a warning to the 'X-Men'...

In Part 2, Jean is still in the clutches of the Inner Circle, as 'Emma' and 'The Cuckoos' work to open mental barriers Xavier had placed in Jean's mind to hold back the 'Phoenix'. But the process is interrupted by Jean's psychic connection to 'Scott' who lays unconscious with the other X-Men in their crashed jet outside the Sentinel launch facility while the 'MRD' closes in on them.

Emma insists on going to Scott, creating a rift between her and the Inner Circle, as she learns the Inner Circle does not plan to destroy the Phoenix, but to harness it. Meanwhile, in the future, Xavier has been forced to use 'Master Mold's Cerebro' unit to track down every last mutant on the planet...

In Part 3, Magneto's Sentinels land in New York, the Cuckoos wear down Jean's mind and the final barriers holding back the Phoenix are ready to fall. In the future, Xavier, 'Bishop', and the rest of the X-Men prepare to make a final stand against Master Mold and in the present, it's up to 'Wolverine' to stop both Magneto and the Inner Circle to prevent a catastrophic future from coming to pass...

Sneak Peek "Wolverine And The X-Men"...