"True Blood" Author Digs "Cemetery Girl"

Charlaine Harris, author of the original 'Sookie Stackhouse' novels adapted into the HBO TV series "True Blood" , will develop a three-volume graphic novel series, in collaboration with comic book writer Christopher Golden.

Harris said "Cemetery Girl" will focus on a woman who finds herself living in a graveyard with no memory of her past life, "...only the sense of a mysterious threat hanging over her..."

Golden's previous work includes "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", also collaborating with "Hellboy" creator Mike Mignola on the illustrated novel "Baltimore, or The Steadfast Tin Soldier and Vampire".

"The publishing company that I've been with, Penguin, is going into graphic novels, so it's a great book with a very original concept", said Harris about "Cemetary Girl".

"We're doing it in a three-book arc. It should be out next year."

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Cassel Cast As "Fantômas"

Actor Vincent Cassel ("Mesrine: Part 1 - Killer Instinct") has been cast to play the 'Joker-like' villain 'Fantômas', in the upcoming feature adaptation, from director Christophe Gans ("The Brotherhood Of The Wolf").

"Fantômas", created by writers Marcel Allain (1885–1969) and Pierre Souvestre (1874–1914) in 1911, is one of the most popular characters in French crime fiction, appearing in a total of 32 volumes written by the two collaborators, then a subsequent 11 volumes written by Allain after Souvestre's death.

The character has also been the basis of numerous film, television, and comic book adaptations, typified as a ruthless bastard, loyal to no one, while maintaining abilities as a master of disguise, usually appearing under an assumed identity.

With a budget set at $70 million, Gans will also write the screenplay for the "Fantômas" 'detective fantasy' feature, with David Martinez, from an original story by Thomas Langmann.

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Par Chases After The "Runaways"

Screenwriter Drew Pearce ("Iron Man 3") has confirmed that his screenplay for "Runaways", adapting the 2003 Marvel Comics teenage superhero team-up, is still in consideration with Marvel Studios and Paramount for a 2012 production start.

"Basically, 'The Avengers' came along and everything else at Marvel got put on hold for a year," said Pearce. "But the script is there and we're good to go. They're very happy with it..."

Marvel Comics' "Runaways" was created by "Lost" writer Brian K. Vaughan and illustrator Adrian Alphona.

The story follows a group of five rebellious, LA teenagers who discover that their parents are actually part of a secret 'supervillain cabal' that controls the West.

But the teens plan to stop their parents, using a variety of their inherited super-abilities and tough street smarts to try and save the day.

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"Star Wars- Episode 1: The Phantom Menace 3D"- February 10, 2012

Sneak Peek the first new poster supporting "Star Wars- Episode 1: The Phantom Menace 3D", opening in theatres February 10, 2012.

The 3D big screen re-release is the restored 1999 feature, written and directed by George Lucas, the fourth film to be released in the "Star Wars" saga, the first of a three-part prequel to the original "Star Wars" trilogy and the first film in the saga in terms of story chronology.

"The Phantom Menace" was also Lucas' first time back as a DGA film director after a 22 year absence.

The film follows 'Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn' and his apprentice 'Obi-Wan Kenobi', who escort and protect 'Queen Amidala', traveling from the planet 'Naboo' to the planet 'Coruscant' in the hope of negotiating a peaceful end to a large-scale interplanetary trade dispute.

Along the way, they meet 'Anakin Skywalker', a slave who seems to have strong nascent powers of 'The Force', while contending with the mysterious return of the 'Sith'.

"The Phantom Menace" grossed $924.3 million worldwide, making it the "Star Wars" film with the highest grossing box office income of all time.

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"Monster" Director Takes On "Thor 2"

Marvel Studios has confirmed that Patty Jenkins ("Monster") will direct "Thor 2", to be released in theatres, November 15, 2013.

Actor Chris Hemsworth will return as 'Thor', Natalie Portman as 'Jane Foster' and Tom Hiddleston as 'Loki'.

Marvel Studios' Kevin Feige will produce the sequel.

Released May 6, 2011 by Paramount, the PG-13 rated action adventure "Thor" had a production budget of $150 million, earning a domestic total gross of $181,030,624 and a foreign gross of $267,482,200, bringing its world-wide theatrical total to $448,512,824.

Rather than being real 'gods', 'Thor' and the denizens of Asgard are an alien race that were worshipped as gods by the ancient Norse :

"...in 965 AD, 'Odin' (Anthony Hopkins), king of 'Asgard', wages war against the 'Frost Giants of Jotunheim' and their leader 'Laufey' (Colm Feore), to prevent them from conquering the nine realms, starting with Earth. But the Asgardian warriors defeat the Frost Giants and seize the source of their power, the 'Casket of Ancient Winters'.

"In the present, Odin's son 'Thor (Chris Hemsworth) prepares to ascend to the throne of Asgard, but is interrupted when Frost Giants attempt to retrieve the Casket. Against Odin's order, Thor travels to Jotunheim to confront Laufey, accompanied by his brother 'Loki' (Tom Hiddleston), childhood friend 'Sif' (Jaimie Alexander) and the 'Warriors Three: 'Volstagg' (Ray Stevenson), 'Fandral' (Joshua Dallas) and 'Hogun' (Tadanobu Asano).

"A battle ensues until Odin intervenes to save the Asgardians, destroying the fragile truce between the two races. For Thor's arrogance, Odin strips his son of his godly power and exiles him to Earth as a mortal, accompanied by his hammer 'Mjolnir' — the source of his power, now protected by an enchantment to allow only the worthy to wield it..."

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Activision Calls For "Men In Black"

Activision Publishing, Inc., in partnership with Columbia Pictures, reports that a new "Men In Black" video game, titled "Book Of Thoth", will launch as a standalone title to coincide with the global theatrical release of "Men in Black III", Spring 2012 :

"...the films' unique blend of action, humor, and eye-popping special effects will fuel the 'Men in Black' gameplay experience. Utilizing the rich mythology of the 'Men in Black' universe, the game's original story will build on the history of the series to bring back familiar faces, while also introducing new foes..."

"The 'Men in Black' franchise is an unbeatable starting point to deliver a genre-bending gaming experience with a level of production value on par with Hollywood," said David Oxford, Executive Vice President of Activision Publishing, Inc.

"With Activision bringing the 'Men in Black' universe to life on next gen consoles for the first time," said Mark Caplan, Vice President of Licensing at Sony Pictures Entertainment, "the 'Men in Black' video game will be both familiar to fans, an exciting beginning for the uninitiated, and revolutionary for the franchise".

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John McClane Has "A Good Day To Die Hard"

20th Century Fox reports that the fifth "Die Hard" feature, starring Bruce Willis, will be titled "A Good Day to Die Hard", to be directed by John Moore ("Max Payne"), now prepping for a January 2012 start in Russia :

"...'John McClane' (Willis) has always found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, with the skills and attitude to always be the last man standing, making him enemy #1 for terrorists the world over.

"Now, McClane faces his greatest challenge ever, this time on an international stage, when his estranged son 'Jack' is caught up in the daring prison escape of a rogue Russian leader, with father and son McClane working together to keep each other alive and the world safe for democracy..."

The 2007 release of "Die Hard 4" aka "Live Free or Die Hard" grossed $383.5 million theatrical worldwide. The franchise kicked off with director John McTiernan's $28 million budgeted "Die Hard", released in 1988, written by Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza, for producers Lawrence and Charles Gordon.

Based on the 1979 novel "Nothing Lasts Forever" by author Roderick Thorp, that book was a sequel to the novel "The Detective", previously adapted into a 1968 feature starring Frank Sinatra.

The first "Die Hard" movie followed its source material closely, with much of the film's memorable scenes, characters and dialogue taken directly from "Nothing Lasts Forever", subsequently adapted as a stand-alone movie when Sinatra refused to appear in a sequel to "The Detective".

In 2009, comic book publishers Boom! Studios began publishing the early adventures of 'Detective John McClane', written by Howard Chaykin.

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"The Simpsons: Treehouse Of Horror XXII" - "Dial D For Diddly"

Sneak Peek new promotional art supporting Fox' "Treehouse of Horrors XXII," the upcoming, annual gruesome 'Halloween' episode of "The Simpsons", written by Carolyn Omine, directed by Matthew Faughnan, airing October 30, 2011 :

In "The Diving Bell and Butterball", the first of three Halloween tales, a venomous spider bite leaves 'Homer' paralyzed, but when 'Lisa' discovers Homer’s ability to communicate through natural gases, he is able to express his love for 'Marge'.

In another segment, Homer takes a dangerous dive into an isolated canyon on 'Candy Peak', but when a crashing boulder traps his arm, he channels 'Aron Ralston' (guest voicing as himself) to save him.

The killer spells continue in "Dial D for Diddly", when Ned Flanders, devout preacher by day, transforms into a cold-blooded vigilante by night.

In the final terrifying tale, "In the Na’Vi", 'Bart' and 'Milhouse' are assigned on a mission to access a sacred extract on a distant planet. They morph into the land’s indigenous one-eyed 'avatars', but when Bart finds love and an eternal mate abroad, he is caught in planet warfare.

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