Warners Investigates "Fletch" Reboot

Warner Bros. will reboot the "Fletch" franchise, the basis for the 1985 Universal feature that starred actor Chevy Chase as an LA-based investigative journalist, as well as the 1985 sequel "Fletch Lives".

The first "Fletch" novel, by author Gregory Mcdonald, published in 1974, was the first in a series featuring the character 'Irwin Maurice Fletcher'.

In the book, Fletch is working as a reporter. Over the course of the series, he acquires a moderate fortune and becomes a globetrotter perpetually working on a biography of fictional artist 'Edgar Arthur Tharp, Jr.' He tends to stumble upon mysteries, often to be suspected of crimes by the police, and to win through depending heavily on his wits.

Because of the popularity of "Fletch", several sequels (and prequels) were written involving the character, including "Fletch Won", "Fletch, Too", "Fletch and the Widow Bradley", "Carioca Fletch", "Fletch's Fortune", "Confess, Fletch", "Fletch's Moxie", "Fletch and the Man Who", "Son of Fletch" and "Fletch Reflected".

"Fletch" won the 1975 'Edgar Allan Poe Award', for 'Best First Novel', from the Mystery Writers of America. The sequel, "Confess, Fletch" also won an Edgar Award, for 'Best Paperback Original' in 1977.

"Fletch Won" is Warners top priority to kick off the reboot, following Fletch in his early years as a newspaper junior reporter.

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Sneak Peek The Vanity Fair 'Hollywood Issue'

Sneak Peek the cover to Vanity Fair magazine's annual 'Hollywood issue' cover by photographer Norman Jean Roy, featuring upcoming Oscar hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway, Ryan Reynolds, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Duvall, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Olivia Wilde, Anthony Mackie, Mila Kunis, Andrew Garfield, Jesse Eisenberg and Noomi Rapace.

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Summit Resurrecting 'Frankenstein' With "This Dark Endeavor"

Summit Entertainment has puchased screen rights to the young adult novel "This Dark Endeavor: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein", by author Kenneth Opell, borrowing ideas from the public domain novel "Frankenstein" by author Mary Shelley.

The property will be developed for the big screen by producer Karen Rosenfelt ("Twilight").

Premise will follow young 'Victor Frankenstein' who is trying to save his twin brother 'Konrad' after he falls ill.

Victor turns to an old alchemist who says Konrad can be saved if Victor goes on a dangerous quest for the three rare ingredients needed to create a serum that will grant the drinker perpetual health.

With his close friend 'Elizabeth', Victor goes off on a journey that includes a love triangle between himself, Elizabeth and Konrad.

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Firth And Diaz Plan A "Gambit"

Cameron Diaz ("The Green Hornet") will join actor Colin Firth ("The King's Speech") in the remake of the 1966 crime comedy drama "Gambit", written by the Coen Brothers ("True Grit") and directed by Michael Hoffman ("The Last Station").

Screenplay follows a London art expert (Firth) who aims to con a collector into purchasing a fake Monet. To help push the ruse, the man finds an American woman (Diaz), to claim that her grandfather liberated the painting at the end of World War Two.

With financing from Crime Scene Pictures, the new "Gambit" will start shooting May 2011 in London, UK, produced by Mike Lobell.

The original "Gambit", directed by Ronald Neame, from a screenplay by Jack Davies and Alvin Sargent from an original story by Sidney Carroll, starred Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine as two criminals involved in an elaborate plot centered on a priceless antiquity owned by millionaire 'Mr Shahbandar', played by Herbert Lom.

The film is told in a reverse chronological order, with a twist at the beginning of the story that is not revealed until the end, resulting in a punchline, marketed with the headline, "Go Ahead Tell The End - It's Too Hysterical To Keep Secret - But Please Don't Tell The Beginning!"

"...Cockney cat burglar 'Harry Dean' and exotic Hong Kong showgirl 'Nicole Chang' are seen executing a masterfully planned robbery of a priceless antiquity owned by 'Mr. Shahbandar', the world's richest man. However, it turns out that this foolproof scheme is only in Harry's head for now, still in the planning stage. When he and Nicole set out to pull off the actual heist, everything that possibly could go wrong does..."

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"Doctor Solar, Man Of The Atom" - February 23

Dark Horse Comics' "Doctor Solar, Man Of The Atom" #5, available February 23, 2011, is written by Jim Shooter, illustrated by Roger Robinson/Agustin Alessio, with a cover by Michael Komarck:

"...'Doctor Solar, the Man of the Atom', is the greatest single power in existence. But 'Tanek Nuro', a ruthless global power broker, has acquired the key code to the operating system of the universe, and he means to change things. With no limit to Nuro's monstrous ambition and only Doctor Solar in his way, a war of biblical proportions starts now..."

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"Conan: Road Of Kings" - February 16

Dark Horse Comics' "Conan: Road Of Kings" #3, available February 16, 2011, is the lead title in Dark Horse's ongoing Robert E. Howard campaign, written by Roy Thomas and illustrated by Mike Hawthorne/John Lucas, featuring painted covers by Doug Wheatley:

"...When 'Conan' finds a nice out-of-the-way tavern to leave his female companion 'Olivia', for a few hours, he imagines she'll be safe under the watchful eye of the dancing wench he paid to watch her. Unfortunately, Olivia has a big mouth when she's drinking and news that she's royalty turns the safe oasis into a watery death trap--seeing as how the tavern is conveniently situated over the top of an underground lake that is home to a prehistoric water dragon..."

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Katy Perry's On The Cover Of The "Rolling Stone"

Sneak Peek singer Katy Perry in the August 2011 issue of "Rolling Stone" magazine.

Katy Perry (aka Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson), signed with Capitol Music Group in 2007, her fourth record label in seven years. She rose to fame with the release of her second single "I Kissed a Girl" in 2008, which went on to top international charts.

Perry's first mainstream studio album "One of the Boys" followed later that year and subsequently, became the thirty-third best selling album worldwide of 2008, accredited platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America, while "I Kissed a Girl" and her second single "Hot n Cold" both received multi-platinum certifications.

Perry's next studio album "Teenage Dream" was released August 2010 and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. The album included hit singles "California Gurls", "Teenage Dream" and "Firework", all of which topped the charts on the Billboard Hot 100.

Perry recently released a fragrance called "Purr By Katy Perry".

Teaming with Gigantic Parfums, Perry was involved in the development of her signature scent, that opens with a fresh citrus accord featuring peach nectar and apple with green bamboo. Supporting notes include a bouquet of jasmine blossom, pink freesia and Bulgarian rose, balanced by vanilla orchid, white amber, sandalwood and musk.

"I'm absolutely thrilled to finally introduce me in a bottle," said Perry.

"There is a wonderful world of fragrances out there, but like with my music, I believe there is room for me and my own unique twist on it. 'Purr' is a natural extension of who I am as a woman - it's a gorgeous blend of all my favorite scents that embodies my style, my tastes and my love for all things incredibly cute. It is an absolutely purrfect perfume that I hope leaves you meowing with delight!"

Perry was also hands-on in the design of the bottle. Having already appeared on stage dressed as DC Comics 'Catwoman' along with an oversize blow-up cat, she used this inspiration designing the perfume bottle with jeweled eyes, metallic accents and lavender coloring.

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John Woo Producing "Killer" Remake

According to reports, John H. Lee will direct a 3D remake of director John Woo's 1989 Hong Kong action feature "The Killer", for producers Essential Entertainment and Lion Rock Productions.

Woo ("Face/Off") will produce from a screenplay by Josh Campbell.

South Korean actor Jung Woo-Sung will play criminal assassin 'Ah Jong' who accidentally damages the eyes of the singer 'Jennie', by his muzzle flash, during a shootout involving the 'Triad'.

He later discovers that if Jennie does not have an expensive corneal transplant operation, she will go blind.

To get the money for Jennie, Ah Jong decides to perform one last hit. Meanwhile, as the Triad sends enforcers to take him out, Ah Jong also must contend with police detective 'Li Ying' who is determined to bring him to justice.

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"The Kennedys" Revealed On ReelzChannel

According to reports, the Toronto-lensed TV mini-series "The Kennedys" will now air in the US on ReelzChannel.

Filmed in Toronto last summer, the show stars Katie Holmes as First Lady 'Jackie Kennedy' and Greg Kinnear as 'JFK'.

Former partner, The History Channel yanked the show reportedly under pressure from defenders of the 'Kennedy legacy', including former presidential advisor Theodore Sorenson, critical of the project because it originated from "24" creator (and avowed political conservative) Joel Surnow.

Canada's History Television, owned by Shaw Media, will air the mini as a four-part movie event starting April 10, 2011 at 9 pm ET/PT.

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Sneak Peek "Captain America: First Vengeance"

"Captain America: First Vengeance", is a new eight-part digital comic book series from Marvel Comics and Marvel Studios, supporting director Joe Johnston's upcoming Marvel Studios/Paramount Pictures release, "Captain America: The First Avenger".

Written by Fred Van Lente, featuring several artists, "Captain America: First Vengeance" is set in Marvel's 'cinematic universe' to tie-in with "The First Avenger" feature, opening July 22, 2011.

The first issue features 'Steve Rogers', growing up in the 1920s. When he's declared unfit for military service, Rogers volunteers for a top-secret research project so he can be a 'real soldier'.

Following a dose of 'super-soldier' serum, Rogers dons the 'Captain America' costume and becomes a World War II hero.

"Captain America is a guy who never gives up," said Van Lente. "That makes him a hero not just for World War II but for the tough times we're going through right now."

"2011 is Cap's 70th anniversary," said Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige. "Characters don't stick around that long unless they remain relevant and vital to the modern era."

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Warners And CBS Films Plan To Make A "Stand"

Warner Bros. and CBS Films will adapt author Stephen King's 1978 post-apocalyptic horror/fantasy novel "The Stand" as a big screen feature.

The story was previously adapted as a TV miniseries for ABC in 1994.

King's "The Stand", although published in 1978 was later re-released in 1990 as "The Stand: The Complete & Uncut Edition", with King changing the setting of the story from 1980 to 1990.

A graphic novel was also published by Marvel Comics.

Premise of "The Stand" follows a full-scale apocalypse, driven by the accidental release of a biological weapon and the ensuing struggle of good versus evil carried out by the world's final survivors.

The novel is divided into three parts, with the first, titled "Captain Trips" taking place over nineteen days, with the escape and spread of a human-made biological influenza virus known formally as 'Project Blue', aka 'Captain Trips'. The resulting pandemic leads directly to the death of an estimated 99.4% of the world's human population.

King outlines the total breakdown and destruction of society through widespread violence, the failure of martial law to contain the outbreak and the death of virtually the entire population. The human toll is also dealt with, as the few survivors must care for their families and friends, dealing with confusion and grief as their loved ones succumb to the flu.

Marvel Comics continues to adapt "The Stand" into a series of six, 5-issue comic book miniseries, written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and illustrated by Mike Perkins. Colorist Laura Martin, letterer Chris Eliopoulos and cover artist Lee Berjemo are also confirmed to be on the staff.

The first issue of "The Stand: Captain Trips" was released September 10, 2008.

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