Welcome dear readers!

In a shocking break with Australian tradition, the writer didn’t spend his Australia Day long weekend passed out in an alcoholic haze, but in accordance with his traditions, it was spent gaming. As far as he’s concerned, it was a far more interesting way to spend his time, but he’s odd that way.

It’s official: Disney have confirmed that JJ Abrams is directing the next Star Wars movie. Not sure how I feel about that – he’s far from a bad choice, but none of the directors who were talked about really struck me as someone who could capture the spirit of Star Wars, with the exception of Brad Bird who directed The Incredibles and The Iron Giant and thus can DO NO WRONG in my eyes. Either way, I’m looking forward to the film – it can’t be any worse than Episode 1 was. In further Wars news, there’s a look at the shiny new action figures that make me curse how empty my wallet is and in news that will shock no-one, the 3D re-releases of the films have been cancelled. Officially, it’s so they can concentrate on Episode 7, but really, who wanted to watch Attack of the Clones again, even in 3D?

When Christopher Lee can’t save your film, something is very wrong.

Marvel’s Kevin Feige has said he wants Doctor Strange and Ant-Man movies for ‘Phase Three’ of the Marvel films, there’s a new poster and a look at the look at the toys of Iron Man 3, Cobie Smulders is in talks to appear in SHIELD and you can meet Joss Whedon’s stunt double from the show. Oh, and in news that will shock no-one, Joss would love to return to Firefly. So would we all Joss, so would we all… 

Bryan Singer has announced that Anna Paquin, Ellen Page and Shawn Ashmore (AKA Rogue, Kitty Pryde and Iceman) are joining X:Men: Days of Future Past, at least part of which will be set in the 70’s. We have the first picture from the set (It’s only a model) and Singer has promised another F-Bomb in the film, though I don’t know if he can make it as funny as the one in First Class. In other Marvel news, Paul Giamatti is said to be in talks to play The Rhino in Amazing Spider-Man 2 and there’s a collection of art that has Deadpool ruining classic literature.

Moon director Duncan Jones has signed on to the Warcraft movie and *shock horror* apparently the studio wants Johnny Depp to star. *froth* There are other actors out there you know… Sorry, I get a bit tetchy about that. Switching topics, there’s more info on the next Muppet movie, Guillermo Del Toro’s stop motion Pinocchio film has been cancelled, with the performance of Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie (or lack of in this case) to blame and a large collection of props from Dredd will soon be up for auction. As much as I may try, I don’t think I can convince my wife to let me buy a Lawmaster.

Take your stuff back, just please stop glaring at me like that!

You can help fund the documentary The Death of Superman Lives, about the late 90’s attempt at making a Superman film that would have been directed by Tim Burton and star Nicholas Cage. Some details from the script of the film have emerged and… wow. We can be thankful that it collapsed, as from what I’ve seen it would have done more damage than a dozen Batman and Robins. There’s also the first official picture of Lois Lane from Man of Steel, a look at some of the films action figures and it could feature a lovely background cameo. In related news, DC’s movie division has once again taken two steps forward and one step back, with word that the Justice League movie could be on hold until after the box office of  Man of Steel comes in. *Sigh* Take a chance will you?

We’ve the first look at Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton in the vampire film Only Lovers Left Alive, directed by Jim Jarmusch and there’s pictures of a French chapel that traded in it’s gargoyles for something a lot geekier. You can read Harrison Ford’s script notes for Raiders of the Lost Ark and Steven Spielberg has said he would make another Indy film, but only if it was based on a George Lucas story. Please don’t – we all saw what happened last time, as much as we may not want to remember it.

It looks like the DVD and Blu-Rays of The Hobbit will be out in March (In time for my birthday!) and we’re expecting the extended editions later in the year. There’s also some concept art from Ralph Bakshi’s Lord of the Rings and the swordsmiths at Weta have outdone themselves with a stunning replica of Orcrist. The list of things I’d do to get my hands on one of those is too long to be repeated here, but given it costs $10,000, I’d need to do a lot!

You know, my birthday’s coming up awfully fast…

We’ve the first trailer for Stephen Chow’s adaption of Journey to the West, based on the classical Chinese tale of the same name, or as it’s known to my generation, Monkey! We also have trailers for indie film Mood Indigo, the anime Captain Harlock, Space Pirate and the next DC animated film Superman Unbound. We also have a teaser for the next DC Nation short, starring Black Lightning’s daughters.

There’s an epic new live action trailer for the Defiance tie-in game, which launches in April, a new Game of Thrones video looking at the location shooting in Iceland, some more footage from Lego: Marvel Super Heroes and a new World War Z spot doesn’t mention zombies. Odd that. The Fringe cast has said goodbye and thank you and audio has surfaced of Edward James Olmos performing the end credits narration from the original Battlestar Galactica.

Fun Fact: The story goes that when the Miami Vice movie was casting, the producers asked Olmos if he wanted to appear, as he was one of the main cast in the TV series. Olmos is said to have sent them a reply: a VHS tape with 20 minutes of him glaring at the camera on it. I have no idea if that’s true, but I really hope it is.

There’s a gallery of the characters of Game of Thrones season 3, you can buy a plush Jon Snow and there’s some unexpected last minute casting for the show: a bear. Those who’ve read the books will know who the maiden fair is and indeed, what I’m talking about…  Meanwhile, in an unexpected piece of geekery, actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers has written to the White House endorsing Catelyn Stark for the position of Secretary of State. I’d prefer Tyrion Lannister myself, but you could do a lot worse than Lady Stark.

“Those are brave men. Let’s go kill them.”

There’s some good and bad news – the Powerpuff Girls will return (With a one hour special), but the animated series Young Justice and Green Lantern won’t be. Continuing the theme, the CW network has postponed Amazon (Citing script and casting issues) but they have greenlit a reboot of 70’s British series The Tomorrow People. One can only hope it has a higher budget than the original, which was so cheap Doctor Who laughed at it!

The Evil Dead remake has been classified NC-17 (Close to our R-rating) in the US, Brad Bird’s mystery movie is called Tomorrowland and Warners are making another attempt at a Robotech movie. IDW are producing new X: Files comics, the writers of Skyfall are working on a Barberella TV show and Felecia Day will be returning to Supernatural, while in news that makes me happier than it should, the Roger Rabbit sequel has been cancelled -it would seem to have been a victim of regime change at Disney. Why am I happy? Because the first film scared the living harry out of me as a child, to the extent I haven’t watched it since. Some scars are too deep to ever heal…

We’ve a casting update on Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, with the Dame of the title being played by Eva Green, along with an update on An Adventure of Space and Time, the drama about the creation of Doctor Who. The First Doctor, William Hartnell, will be played by David Bradley, who recently appeared in the Who episode Dinosaurs on a Spaceship.

“It all began as a mild curiosity in a junkyard…”

We don’t have anything heartwarming to end the week on, but we do have some strange for you. Have ever wanted both adorable and sneaky headwear? Now you can combine the two, with ninja bunny hats!  Moving on, two things I thought never would be combined have been, with the Twitter feed Star Trek and the City and lastly, a German man has invested possibly the ultimate weapon: the Chainsaw slingshot. Trust the Germans to invent something like that.

Quote of the Week:

[Upon opening the Well of the Souls and peering down]
Sallah: Indy, why does the floor move?
Indiana: Give me your torch.
[Indy takes the torch and drops it in]
Indiana: Snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes?
Sallah: Asps... very dangerous. You go first.

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Cheers,

Gavin