Scott Z. Burns, the writer of Steven Soderburgh’s CONTAGION, has been hired to write the sequel to last year’s summer hit RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Andy Serkis is already on board to reprise his role as the lead ape behind the revolution, Caesar, and will be rejoining the director of the first film, Rupert Wyatt. No word on whether James Franco come back. CONTAGION was packed with tension and very clever in its way of balancing the story between its massive cast, so Burns seems like a good choice.

I have to say, as a huge fan of the original PLANET OF THE APES franchise and finding myself unimpressed by the trailers, I was not at all excited for RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. But, with the help of Serkis’ killer performance, and a better than I expected plot, with some awesome action sequences at the end, I’m rather pumped for another romp. Following the freedom that they achieve at the end of the film, the sequel will presumably chronicle the apes’ ascension to rulers of the planet.

Source: Dark Horizons

For those lucky enough to be attending this year’s Comic Con, you’ll be able to participate in the upcoming apocalypse with “The Walking Dead Escape.” Robert Kirkman, creator and brainchild behind THE WALKING DEAD is teaming with his publisher Skybound to celebrate the 100th issue of his comicbook in a robust way: a zombie themed obstacle course in the San Diego Padres baseball stadium, Petco Park. The event takes place from July 12th through 14th, timing it perfectly with this year’s Comic Con (July 12th to 15th).

You will be allowed to be a Walker, or attempt to be a survivor, or merely watch the blood bath in what sounds like the most fun obstacle course ever conceived. The news comes courtesy of Hollywood Reporter. Kirkman had the following to say about the event: ”Our fans have been reading about it, watching it and now they get to live it with The Walking Dead Escape…We are literally transforming Petco Park into the early days of society’s collapse and San Diego is just the first city to fall.” Can we expect more of these events in other cities across the world? With the popularity of THE WALKING DEAD and the ingenuity behind the idea, I don’t see why not.

Also, who’s got an extra ticket to the Con this year?

With a kid on the way, Boyd needed the job bad. But the idea of going underground at the Hobart Mine, down into the dark labyrinth of tunnels to get at the raw ore, left him with a brooding sense of unease. Maybe it was the fact that his father had died down in the mines or maybe it was something much worse.

Digging a new drift down in Level #8, the lowest level of the mine, an immense shaft opens up. Boyd and a few others volunteer to explore it. Some 400 feet down, they find a passage that leads to an immense cavern from prehistory.

A petrified world.

A prehistoric graveyard.

Then a cave-in traps them down there. In the darkness and dank shadows of a fossilized world, they realize they are not alone.

Something has woken in the stone.

Something ancient and terrible and coldly intelligent.

And it is lonely.

Tim Curran’s “Underdwelling” was a very uncomfortable story for me to read. Anyone who follows my reviews  (my heartfelt thanks to you) knows I am claustrophobic and a story about miners trapped underground doesn’t help that fact.

That being said, if the story is not good, does not have good characters, pacing, plot line and atmosphere, it won’t work at all.

But, thankfully with “The Underdwelling” you won’t have to worry about that. It is an exceptional story that got my heart racing, my nerves frazzled and sweat oozing from my pores.

It might seem like a basic premise to a story, a group of miners trapped underground,  it is anything but.

Tim fills the story with a group of great characters that I really enjoyed. The interaction, their fears and their emotions were all believable and lifelike.

The sense of dread, panic and slowly building tension was very well done. A few times I had to put the book down for a few minutes, I was that uncomfortable.

I especially liked how Tim slowly revealed what was down there with them. No spoilers from me, read the book. I especially liked the ending.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed “The Underdwelling”, even though I felt at times that I was trapped down there with them, which is not a good feeling.

If you are at all claustrophobic you might just want to stay away from this book as it will definitely affect you and I highly recommend it.

Idris Elba, the British star of LUTHER and the upcoming PROMETHEUS, is reprising his role as Heimdall for THOR 2. JoBlo reports that he’s on board and excited to learn more about his character, the gatekeeper of Asgard. Elba is a terrific actor who has Oscars in his future if he finds the right role, and he had some awesome moments in THOR despite limited screen time. More of him is definitely a good thing for the franchise.

“Brave New World, Part 2”

Air Date: 5/11/12

If you haven’t watched last week’s FRINGE, “Brave New World: Part One,” then go do so now, unless you want MEGA SPOILERS. However, I promise not to ruin any of the massive twists and turns of this week’s “Brave New World: Part Two,” so you’re safe to sit back, grab some red licorice, and ruminate with me about this divided, mixed, and ultimately classic season of FRINGE.

Last week, Walter’s convictions that William Bell (the venerable Leonard Nimoy) was alive and behind David Robert Jones’ machinations turned out to be true. Unfortunately, his mission led to the shot heard round both universes, with Astrid crumpling to the ground from a bullet wound. The stunned silence and emotional punch which that moment produced in me caused me to leave common sense behind. Even though dead doesn’t mean dead on FRINGE (plus there’s two of almost everyone to begin with), you can breathe easy, Astrid is not dead. She’s hurt and in the hospital, but she is stable and grounded for the final (or is it?) showdown with William Bell.

Belly is back, and we open on the new world he hopes to create, a land of brilliant light replete with dinosaurs and his lab creatures. He’s showing Walter what can be, in an attempt to convince him of his plan. The plan to collapse both universes and create their own, to play God and to achieve their destiny. These two old friends are aboard Bell’s ark, shepherding them to the dawn of a new age.

Peter and Olivia return to Walter’s lab, which is empty. They discuss the events from the night before, when Olivia supernaturally controlled Peter in his fight with David Robert Jones. Olivia wonders why she can do these things now, why her powers have suddenly been activated. Before they can worry, Jessica (LOST’s Rebecca Mader) calls Olivia, worried that she’s been followed since Olivia saved her life in last week’s episode. As she makes her call, September, our favorite Observer (the brilliant Michael Cerveris), watches on. Only, he seems to be stuck on some wacky signal on the floor.

Peter and Olivia arrive to find no sign of Jessica, but they do come across an octagonal shape cut out of the floor (where September was). Then, they get the call that Astrid is in the hospital and rush over there. Astrid relays what she knows, and they return to the mostly abandoned warehouse, where they find Jessica and the Observer, but discover that the situation is not as they expected.

Walter learns who inspired Bell’s divine plan, linking us all the way back to the first season. We learn why Olivia’s been “activated” and there are a few big twists (and a gun shot that makes Astrid’s recent mishap look like a skinned knee). There are many other connections to previous episodes (most notably, the awesome “Letters of Transit”) and the events that transpire obviously profoundly shape the fifth season of FRINGE. Still, something seemed off about this episode. I think that overall, the FRINGE team thought that “Brave New World” was going to be the end of the show. Now, with the news of a 5^th season in the offing, the perception of this final episode has shifted and definitely changed the very end. It all felt too easy, which, I suppose, could be a perfect set up for what’s to come. All in all though, I would have been much more psyched if “Letters of Transit” had been the finale. That said, “Brave New World” does nothing to stifle my excitement for the final thirteen episodes.

The trailer, courtesy of EW.com, is embedded below for your enjoyment. Will you be tuning in?

The film, which also stars Charlize Theron, Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace, Guy Pearce and let’s be honest it wouldn’t surprise me if Sigourney Weaver somehow showed up to blow people’s minds (she’s been specializing in end game cameos recently). Regardless, how great is this cast?

“A Land Without Magic”

Air Date: 5/13/12

After a clunky beginning (with a couple stinkers inbetween), ONCE UPON A TIME has cemented itself as a Sunday night staple on ABC. It’s an hour of whimsy and fun, filled with heart and (Prince) charm(ing), sometimes painfully so. The show takes risks with classic characters and stories, some of which don’t always work, but has also made it dark enough to delight a broader spectrum of viewers. Last night it all came together in what is easily the best hour of the show, and I do mean that as a compliment. I’ve been up and down all year, and found it hard to take OUAT seriously at times, but everything the show’s been building up to pays off and then some in “A Land Without Magic.”

Prince Charming makes an escape on the way to his execution, with the help of the Huntsman (Jamie Dornan, making a return from the dead). And thus, the race is on to save Snow! The Evil Queen is furious that the Huntsman and her guards allowed the Prince to escape, and the Huntsman vows to capture him (despite his true intentions). That’s the last we see of the Huntsman in the only real dangling plotline in the episode. The Huntsman was a fan favorite before his abrupt death on the Storybrooke side of things, so perhaps OUAT writers are merely hinting at a return next season.

In Storybrooke, David confronts Mary Margaret with his feelings. He’s screwed up (like a metronome, really) but loves her. He’s going to Boston unless Mary Margaret gives him a reason to stay. Ladies love ultimatums, right? [Sidenote: While I can get behind Prince Charming and Snow White's "true love," I don't buy for a second that Mary Margaret would continue to have fondness for David, who's proven not so charming on the other side]

Anyways, Henry has been taken to the hospital, where Dr. Whale has no idea what is wrong with the boy (maybe David Anders is befuddled as to why he doesn’t get an origin story). Emma insists that it must be something in the apple turnover Regina made, but Dr. Whale didn’t find anything. It’s almost as if, it’s magic. Ding ding ding. Emma opens up Henry’s book, and everything clicks, and amazingly vivid memories of infancy flash before her eyes. She believes. Within seconds, she accosts Regina and throws her about a hospital room. But, the thought of Henry’s death leads them to form an unlikely alliance to try and save him, one of the better moves and switcheroos in the episode. Their attention is then turned to Mr. Gold. Turns out, Rumpelstiltskin has kept some magic at hand for a rainy day.

Speaking of Rumpel, the evil magician joins Prince Charming in the infinite forest, with a desire to help PC find Snow White. The Prince doesn’t want his version of help, so they fight and bandy about the wood like a bad HERCULES ep. After Rumpelstiltskin establishes his dominance, he goes all Wayne Brady and tries to make a deal. He’ll give Charming his mother’s ring, now enchanted to grow brighter as Snow grows nearer, if he can hide his vial of true love potion in the belly of the beast for safekeeping…

…The very belly of the beast that Regina and Emma must go into to retrieve this golden egg filled with true love in Storybrooke. The two converging sides of the story in dueling worlds has always been one of the trademarks of OUAT, and this is one of the better and more effective examples thus far. I won’t spoil what beast it is, and the alter ego of said beast, but it’s cooler than I expected, and I hope that they both return next year.

While both battle the beast, the only other storyline involves Jefferson the Mad Hatter (Sebastian Stan). He wants his kid back like Regina promised. He still doesn’t get that Regina doesn’t really uphold her ends of bargains (she’s a villain after all), so Jefferson goes to the hospital to find someone hidden in the depths to help his cause, bringing another guest star back into the equation. While definitely thrown in, the addition of Jefferson and his freed prisoner to the main cast would add a needed new dimension to the cast on the Storybrooke side of things.

Emma’s transformation from reluctant hero to believer is a fast one, but for the most part it works, and Prince’s quest to save Snow White and Emma’s quest to save Henry (but will she break the curse?!) headline the finale. By the end, monumental changes occur, deaths happen (or don’t happen) and I’m not going to lie, I’m more than a little curious where OUAT picks up the pieces next year. It’s impossible to discuss Season 2 possibilities without ruining last night’s game changer, but suffice to say, we’ll be looking at a different show in September, something I’m very much looking forward to seeing.

“A Man Without Honor”

Air Date: 5/13/2012

Last night’s episode, “A Man Without Honor,” could refer to any number of characters. Hell, practically every character not named Stark, as it becomes more and more evident how awful Westeros and the realm beyond it really is. And we haven’t even met the Bastard of Dreadfort yet. Thankfully, the title refers to Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), who has unfortunately taken a backseat and really been a forgotten man up to this point in season 2, but that all changes with this episode, and perhaps it’s not a coincidence that this was the best all-around episode of the year thus far.

Theon wakes up to discover that Osha, Bran, Rickon and Hodor have escaped, in no small part due to his copulation with the wildling the previous night. He takes out his frustration on one of his men, and thus continues the Sad, Angry Ballad of Theon, in his quest to piss off and make everybody hate him. Theon and his men go off to try and find the escaped heirs to Winterfell. If Rodrik still had a head, this would’ve been the time to take back the castle.

Beyond the wall, Jon Snow wakes up with his, ahem, soldier, at watch, if you get my drift. Ygritte isn’t oblivious to it, and has a point when she realizes why crows are always so miserable (because they can’t lay with a woman). She finds out that Jon has never been with a woman and spends the rest of the episode mercilessly toying and flirting with him in an attempt to bed him, or escape, or both (Rose Leslie is wonderfully entertaining and in a sea of awesome accents, hers stands out). By the end of the episode, we learn her objectives, and get to hear the first uttering of her immortal line.

At the accursed Harrenhal, Arya serves Lord Tywin mutton. The meal itself is unimportant, but it’s a sentence I couldn’t resist typing. Tywin forgoes the mutton (he’s not a fan) and lets Arya eat in his company, where he gives her a history lesson and details how Harrenhal became ruined remains and a stain on the realm. Arya surprises Tywin with her breadth of study, and whether he actually buys her act as low born or not, it’s clear the head of the Lannister family is tickled pink by his cupbearer. The stellar scenes between Charles Dance and Maisie Williams (“most girls are idiots”) have become my favorites of the show, even if they don’t really have a ton of implications in the overarching storyline to this point. Regardless, Tywin questioning his legacy in front of one of the heirs of one of his biggest enemies unknowingly is great stuff.

Xaro Xhaon Daxos remains a “humble” servant of Daenerys, trying to help her retrieve her dragons which were stolen from her at the end of last week’s episode. Dany, thankfully, rebuffs him and his intentions once again. When Ser Jorah returns to her plight, there’s a fantastic scene between them about trust and their realm, which has all kinds of subtext (it doesn’t hurt to hear Iain Glen’s awesome voice neither). Dany has learned not to trust anyone, but she must have trust to retake Westeros as Jorah says, yet the man doesn’t want her to trust anyone save himself. Right or wrong, he has selfish reasons, and it’s clear that the Mother of Dragons still has some growing up to do. We soon learn who’s responsible for stealing the dragons and the slick scene that follows is my favorite one that’s taken place in Qarth, and slightly assuages my concern that Dany’s arching story will be as plodding as it is in Martin’s novels. I understand the trials that Dany must go through, but there’s many times where she seems more like a sideshow where Martin must use delay tactics before she can become an integral part of the narrative. It helps that Emilia Clarke continues to be enchanting as the last remaining Targaryen.

At Robb’s camp, our Young Wolf finds it pretty easy to get over Theon’s betrayal whenever he talks with Lady Talisa (played by Oona Chaplin, who yes, is related to Charlie). She needs medical supplies, so Robb invites her with him to the Crag to retrieve some (and perhaps repair his broken heart). Once he’s left camp, trouble brews, due to the new inmate sharing Jaime’s cage with him. Robb sent Alton Lannister there while more tents are made. His appearance in Jaime’s cage brings an interesting dynamic and with it a couple wonderful scenes that get in Jaime’s head more than we’ve seen to this point and forces Lady Catelyn to make a decision about the Kingslayer. When Jaime questions Ned’s honor, it’s great stuff.

The last subplot, aside from a brilliant and much different scene between Cersei and Tyrion than we’re used to seeing, involves Sansa. Fresh from her nightmarish near-rape and a chilling encounter with her savior, the Dog (Rory McCann), Sansa endures her first moonblood. Never a fun experience for any girl, but for Sansa, it signals that she’s now able to provide children to King Joffrey. If you don’t undersand how mind-blowingly terrifying that is, you haven’t watched GAME OF THRONES. And that, my friends, would be a silly mistake to make. With three episodes to go, GAME OF THRONES has successfully brought everything to the foreground, cast its characters note perfectly (though we’ll see if Alfie Allen can play the other shades of Theon) and set us up for three gangbuster episodes to close out its sophomore season. Now we’ll be able to see how  HBO and its creators can shoot an action scene or two.