Written by Brandon Camp (JOHN DOE) and with Bill Gerber (GRAN TORINO) attached to executive produce, the project revolves around a former cop as he serves time in an afterlife limbo and hunts down earthly criminals on behalf of the dead – and soon to be dead – if ultimate justice is not served.

THE SPECTRE was originally created by Jerry Siegel and Bernard Bailey and first appeared in 1940 in DC’s MORE FUN COMICS #51, eventually getting its own title in 1967.

Locke & Key is a graphic novel series by Joe Hill and put out by IDW  Publishing. The series revolves around three kids who end up watching over a secret, spooky New England mansion filled with mystical doors that transport them to different worlds and give them special powers (like turning into a ghost).

Produced by Robert Rodriguez and Elizabeth Avellan, and directed by Nimród Antal (Armored, Vacancy), the story has its roots in a treatment that Rodriguez developed years before the Aliens Vs. Predator films. Adrien Brody stars as Royce, a mercenary leading a group of elite warriors brought to an alien planet to serve as prey for a new breed of Predators.

“The idea with the film was to not make it feel like it was the fifth or sixth movie in a series, but the first,” says Rodriguez.”You can’t compete with Arnold Schwarzenegger, so it’s much better to go the other direction and do something the audience isn’t expecting.”

The cast also includes Topher Grace, Alice Braga, Laurence Fishburne, Danny Trejo, Walton Goggins and Oleg Taktarov. One of the actors under the Predator mask will be Derek Mears, a guest at our very own Famous Monsters Convention July 9-11, the weekend that Predators opens.

According to the site, the first full trailer will available for viewing online on March 18, while Rodriguez expects the theatrical version to be attached to Repo Men, opening next Friday. Keep checking the film’s site and FamousMonsters.com for more news!

Abrams began his career writing assigned scripts for a few big-budget Hollywood productions (Armageddon, Joy Ride), before finding his niche in the realm of network television. He gave Keri Russell minor stardom in the WB college dramedy Felicity, and then made a splash by essentially tweaking a similar premise with the qualifier “what if she was also a spy,” and creating Alias. Despite critical praise for his creations, neither managed to garner huge ratings. Nevertheless, Abrams would gain further critical attention with his next brainchild, Lost, and manage to accumulate enough clout to be hired on to direct a few huge blockbuster franchise films — Mission Impossible III and Star Trek.

In the midst of his rising stardom, Abrams carved out enough time to create his first televised serial since Lost (excluding a string of other short-lived Abrams-produced offerings that bore little more than his stamp of approval), the paranormal detective tale, Fringe.

Since debuting two seasons ago, the series has proved relatively prosperous for the network that is forced to measure all ratings against their one cultural behemoth, American Idol. Although a recent timeslot shift to the more crowded Thursday nights has led to a decrease in overall viewership — estimates are at 7.6 million viewers per episode, enough for just 50th overall in the key 18-49 demographic — FOX clearly still feels kindly enough to keep it around.

J.J. Abrams produces alongside longtime collaborators Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. It stars Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble, Lance Reddick, Blair Brown and Jasika Nicole. Currently on a hiatus, Fringe will return with new episodes beginning April 1.

Thus, it is with great disappointment to learn from various sites that the latest Wolverine workprint has already made its way onto the torrent sites. Despite all the commercials that deter the masses from piracy, I believe most downloaders out there are still ignorant as to how many jobs they are jeopardizing per single download, and in Wolverine’s case a crisp cut a full month before release. The consequential damages in many cases are irreparable and Fox has issued the following response to take severe action against such thefts.

Last night, a stolen, incomplete and early version of X-Men Origins: Wolverine was posted illegally on websites. It was without many effects and had missing scenes and temporary sound and music. We immediately contacted the appropriate legal authorities and had it removed. We forensically mark our content so we can identify sources that make it available or download it. The source of the initial leak and any subsequent postings will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law – the courts have handed down significant criminal sentences for such acts and the last person who committed such a crime is still in jail. The FBI and the MPAA also are actively investigating this crime. We are encouraged by the support of fansites condemning piracy and this illegal posting and pointing out that such theft undermines the enormous efforts of the filmmakers and actors, and above all, hurts the fans of the film.

View X-Men Origins: Wolverine for the first time in its intended form in theaters May 1, 2009.

In X-Men Origins: Wolverine, “Hugh Jackman reprises the role that made him a superstar – as the fierce fighting machine who possesses amazing healing powers, retractable claws and a primal fury. Leading up to the events of X-Men, X-Men Origins: Wolverine tells the story of Wolverine’s epically violent and romantic past, his complex relationship with Victor Creed, and the ominous Weapon X program. Along the way, Wolverine encounters many mutants, both familiar and new, including surprise appearances by several legends of the X-Men universe whose appearances in the film series have long been anticipated” (/Film).

Michael Dougherty, who wrote X2: X-Men United and Superman Returns, will pen the script under the supervision of TV writers Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts (Pushing Daisies) for Warner Bros. TV. The project has received a penalty commitment from the network so I don’t expect this will get as easily dumped as Doughtery last werewolf project, Trick ‘r Treat, did.

Bitches will add to our already full slate of upcoming werewolf films in the 2009 following the release of Universal’s remake of The Wolfman, Twilight’s sequel New Moon, and Underworld: Rise of the Lycans. I’m sure there will be more to come. Stay tuned!

“This week, [Fox] quietly took action against The Asylum, firing off a lengthy cease-and-desist letter and hiring attorneys to go after the prolific purveyor of high-end, low-budget knockoffs of Hollywood blockbusters.”

The article’s summation of The Asylum’s game plan?—“[To] produce a movie with themes similar to an upcoming blockbuster, then borrow a trick from the porn industry and title it something comically derivative, create parallel marketing materials and take advantage of the millions the studios spend to promote their hits.”  The result is hardly a high-end film. The Asylum is the production responsible for the knockoffs Snakes on a Train after new Line’s Snakes on a Plane, Street Racer after Warner Bros.’ Speed Racer, and Transmorphers after DreamWorks’ Transformers. The article proceeds to go into a name game and citation of ancient film title issues from various studios.

“Then there’s the question of whether the new title causes a ‘likelihood of confusion’ in the marketplace or competes unfairly with the original. That’s where marketing materials — especially those featuring nearly identical typefaces and spherical blobs — might raise copyright and trademark eyebrows.”

“The Asylum didn’t return calls to comment on the Fox action. But in its defense, one need only peruse this year’s listings at the American Film Market underway in Los Angeles to see that many low-budget producers craft marketing materials to associate themselves with established studio franchises. The film business is nothing if not derivative.”

It is truly sad I cannot disagree with the report. This years AFM was a disappointment to say the least in regards to originality of content. It was expected since every week we’re covering more and more remakes. To read the full Yahoo! News article, click here.

Originally scheduled for a DVD release on December 16th, just days after the theatrical release of Fox’s The Day the Earth Stood Still on December 12th, the spoof may or may not see the light of day.

“The original X-Men film began with a prologue that showed the character as a child being led to a concentration camp by Nazis and that is the period in which the Magneto film will take place. This setup will allow a future villain to at least flirt with the designation of protagonist since the character will be seen almost exclusively in his formative years. The storyline will heavily involve Professor X, the wheelchair-using X-Men leader. That character was a soldier in the allied force that liberated the concentration camps. The professor meets Magneto after the war and while they bond over the realization that they are alike in their special powers, their differences soon turn them into enemies.”

Sir Ian McKellen who starred in all three of the X-Men films is said to be involved only as the bookend to Origins. As the synopsis reveals, the studio will need to cast a youthful Magneto for the story—where he started, where he got his powers, the very beginning.