Although the WGA strike is all but over, Lost is still going to suffer a series cull.

The Hollywood Reporter say that the current season of Lost will only run a MAXIMUM of 13 episodes, losing at least 8 episodes from it’s original plan of 21.

Eight episodes were already scripted before the strike, with a further five now to be scribed and shot, though it’s not expected that any of the major plotlines planned will be scrapped. They will simply “condense them” into the episodes and it’s unlikely that the missed hours will be added to further seasons. So for those saying Lost moves to slow… I don’t think that will be the case any longer!

It’s also entirely possible that the 13 season run will air without any breaks now that the strike is over.

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G.I. JOE began filming yesterday (or will begin tomorrow according to some sites) but one guy who wasn’t present to shoot was British theatre actor David Murray, who was due to play Destro but suffered some Visa issues which he couldn’t resolve in time to begin work.

Paramount were said to be pissed because they were impressed by the talent of Murray and they were banking on the actor to breakthrough in the industry with this movie. They were forced to re-cast very late in the day and you gotta admire who they picked… former Dr. Who and Heroes star Christopher Eccleston.

I can’t say I know much about Murray, but as an outsider looking in I’m far happier that an actor with experience and talent that I know of like Eccleston is on board than some guy I’ve only heard is a good actor.

source - iesb

If you can’t get excited over a Coen Brothers picture, then I have to wonder what it would take to get that cinematic blood pumping through your veins.

Variety say that The Coens will adapt their second Pulitzer Prize winning novel with Michel Chabon’s novel THE YIDDISH POLICEMEN’S UNION (name change needed!) for Columbia Pictures. The last time they adapted a Pulitzer Prize novel they ended up with their most financially successful movie and tons of Academy Award Noms with NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN.

Chabon sets up a contemporary scenario where Jewish settlers are about to be displaced by U.S. government’s plans to turn the frozen locale of Sitka, Alaska, over to Alaskan natives. Against this backdrop is a noir-style murder mystery in which a rogue cop investigates the killing of a heroin-addicted chess prodigy who might be the messiah.

Sounds perfect for the Coens.

Before we get to see this cool sounding project, we will be privileged to see the CIA comedy/thriller BURN AFTER READING which is due out in September with George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Tilda Swinton and John Malkovich starring.

After READING, they will move straight onto A SERIOUS MAN, a dark comedy about a Jewish college professor in the Midwest in 1967 who begins to question the value of life when he discovers his wife wants a divorce. Then probably this Chabon adaptation.

Guess that violent Spaghetti Western will have to wait… but hell this project sounds awesome.

Confirmation has come, those rumblings were correct.

STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS will have a theatrical debut run of the first three episodes (100 minutes) on August 15th before becoming a half-hour show on the Cartoon Network and TNT during the fall. Rather surprisingly the movie is a dual production from Lucas Film and Warner Brothers, instead of 20th Century Fox who have distributed every single STAR WARS production to date.

The show will cover all the missing gaps between STAR WARS episodes II and III, because Lord knows we need to see what went on during the Clone Wars.

When will Lucas learn that mystery is far more interesting then being told EVERYTHING? Everyone knows the better idea was to set this far, far away from any of the current STAR WARS canon.

Here’s George…

“I was eager to start telling some of them through animation and, at the same time, push the art of animation forward.”

So there’s Anakin in the image above, with the new character of Ahsoka, who is his Jedi apprentice. I fear a bad ending for that character!

Obi-Wan, Yoda, Padme, Darth Sidious, Count Dooku are just some of the already established characters who will appear in the show, along with many new characters. The only returning actors from the series to voice their characters are Anthony Daniels (C3PO) and Matthew Wood (General Grevious).

I could never get into the Tartakovsky style animation of The Clone Wars, so I’m happy to see that this a completely different setup and artist mentality.

I’ll see it, no doubt you will see it too… though until Lucas gives up his series to someone else and let’s them go rip with a tale set far away from anything that has gone before then we’ll never truly get excited again for a STAR WARS picture.

source - coming soon, starwars.com

Marvel today announced that beginning in May this year, a second ongoing monthly IRON MAN title will begin to coincide with the film.

Titled The Invincible Iron Man it will be writted by fan-favourite writer Matt Fraction with art by long-time Marvel artist Salvador Larroca. The book appears to be following the more superheroic aspects of Tony Stark’s life, as opposed to the more espionage and subterfuge elements running through the Knaufs’ Iron Man: Director of SHIELD title.

It’s a slightly surprising move from Marvel, as the Iron Man book is not their highest seller. However, there is a lot of anticipation from fans and the general movie-going public for the new film, which will be released earlier in that month.

Tony Stark, the billionaire weapons industriallist who becomes the metal-clad hero, has seen some interesting changes in his character and his world, really upping his position in the Marvel Universe. Evidently, this is a trend that Marvel intends to see continue.

Two movies that for years looked like they would never actually get off the ground and actually roll for camera’s have been struck with lawsuits, both of which could potentially block either films from ever being released. Yes that includes WATCHMEN, which has been filming for at least four months.

First up, The Hollywood Reporter say that 20th Century Fox has initiated a legal battle against Warner Bros. over the rights to develop, produce and distribute a film based on the classic Alan Moore graphic novel WATCHMEN, claiming they own the exclusive production rights to the book. Which is kinda bizarre because the film is about 40% through it’s production with much of the film already shot.

Do the guys at Fox not read the trades everyday? Everyone on the web knows that a WATCHMEN movie was being made during the summer, this lawsuit should have been filed months ago.

You can read the boring legal stuff HERE but I personally don’t think this lawsuit has a change in hell of becoming anything. It’s too late in the day to bitch and moan because you could never get a movie based on WATCHMEN off the ground.

Ok, the other lawsuit and the one that really made me sit up and take notice was the one filled against THE HOBBIT. This project is cursed!

Variety say that The Tolkien Trust filed a $150 million lawsuit against New Line Cinema yesterday claiming “the trust has not received any of its gross profit participation payments for the three films based on the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy“. It’s not just the money they are after but a stop on the upcoming HOBBIT movie for compensation.

This one seems one to worry about. We’ve heard about New Line and their shoddy way of paying out to actors already, none of this news surprises me in the least. Here’s what the head of The Trust had to say…

“New Line has brought new meaning to the phrase ‘creative accounting.’ I cannot imagine how on earth New Line will argue to a jury that these films could gross literally billions of dollars, and yet the creator’s heirs, who are entitled to a share of gross receipts, don’t get a penny.”

The Trust are arguing a breach of contract which was apparently put in place back in the 70’s where the Tolkien Estate would gross a 7.5% taking from the final earnings of the picture. They have so far received zero payouts, and are accusing New Line of under-reporting the home-video revenue of the film, the destruction of key documents and the unwillingness to allow an audit on the where the money went on the last two LOTR movies.

I would worry about this one folks.

If The Tolkien Estate win their lawsuit then that’s $150 million that New Line Cinema can’t really afford to lose. That’s the budget for the new film, gone out of the window and the studio may not have the finances to go ahead with THE HOBBIT regardless of whether the Judge blocks production on it or not as part of the legal decision. I can’t imagine he would do that, but the money loss might and probably would be detrimental.

The Trust case seems strong to me. It’s baffling how they haven’t received anything from a multi billion dollar franchise.

This doesn’t sound good to me. With the track record of THE HOBBIT, it’s hard to believe it will recover from this.