Megan Fox as Lara Croft?

Holy crap, I'm breaking this story before all of the major blogs out there. No offense to Hitfix (the source where I read it and am subsequently referencing), but they're not exactly top shelf when it comes to internet movie news sites.

Megan Fox is rumored to take over Angelina Jolie's role as Lara Croft in the Tomb Raider franchise. Seems like some good casting if they want to breathe some new life into the series after a couple of poor attempts (2001's Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, and 2003's Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life). The only better way to rebound a series based on a heroine that wears short shorts? Actually writing a good script and hiring a competent director. I know some of you may balk at this suggestion - but how about getting Michael Bay down on this action? At least we know it would be a fun summer movie if he was attached. The original article suggests that the film would start shooting in 2010 for a 2011 release.

Roundup 1/22

While many of you are expecting another edition of Ben's Video Roundup, I simply don't have the time to get one together right now (especially since I wrote most of this at work). That being said, I hope to get a BVR going next time a Roundup comes around. On with the show...

• John August, the screenwriter behind one of my favorite movies (Big Fish) and frequent Tim Burton collaborator, has signed on to write the film adaptation of Preacher. Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Revolutionary Road) is still attached to direct. This news bodes well for the project - hopefully August can craft the script into something filmable. I'll keep you posted.

• 500 Days of Summer is the runaway hit of the Sundance Film Festival this year. Everyone has been giving it positive reviews, and I'm glad it turned into such a good project. Fox Searchlight has picked it up with intentions of releasing it to the rest of us sometime this year. If you'll recall, I've been hyping this one for quite a while now.

• Tom and Jerry will become a live-action movie in the vein of Scooby-Doo and Alvin and the Chipmunks. But get this - they're doing a freaking origin story. You think you might be taking it a little too far, filmmakers? That's like doing an origin story of the Three Stooges. Who gives a crap how they met? This movie will be so bad it'll induce instant vomiting, but inexplicably manage to be the number one movie in America during its release weekend.
  

• Dakota Fanning is in talks to join the Twilight sequel New Moon as some character named Jane. Children scream with delight. Apparently she didn't even audition - they just offered it to her straight up. No word yet on the final outcome, but it will assuredly make Hot Topic a little bit richer.
  

• Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard (the writer of Cloverfield and some LOST episodes) have teamed up for a movie. They both co-wrote the script, and Goddard is directing. It's called Cabin in the Woods, and hopes to re-invent the sub-genre of horror that gives the film its title. There is no telling how this will turn out - both guys have considerable geek cred, but time will tell if they'll be able to handle a serious horror film.
  

• The Shadow is coming back - but not in Alec Baldwin form. According to a producer of the new project, the film will go back to concentrate more on its pulp and radio roots. He says The Shadow may be multiple people instead of just one guy; I'm guessing something like The League of Shadows from Batman Begins.
  

• William Monahan, screenwriter of The Departed, will make his directorial debut with a film that he wrote called London Boulevard. Colin Farrell and Keira Knightley will star, with Farrell as an ex-criminal who becomes "a handyman for a reclusive young actress." Unless he goes all Liam-Neeson-in-Taken on somebody, this could be questionable at best.
  

• A bunch of film sites are just now getting around to reporting on the Ong-Bak 2 trailer that I posted to the site seven months ago, thanks to the guys at Twitch. Way to drop the ball, you other jackholes.

• Oh yeah - and the trailer to Outlander hit the net a couple weeks ago, but I guarantee none of you (save Branz) has seen it yet. A brief excerpt:
  

"Who are you, Outlander? And why were you there?"
"I was hunting."
"Hunting what?"
"Dragons."

Jackie Chan is Mr. Miyagi???

"Wash my car, fool. I didn't tell you to take a break."

You've got to be kidding me. Jackie Chan as Mr. Miyagi? This sounds like it's going to put the "ass" back in "disaster."*

Not only are they remaking The Karate Kid (unnecessary and probably insulting, by the way), but the jackhole who is directing The Pink Panther 2 is taking over the directing duties for the movie. And Will Smith's son is still going to play the Ralph Macchio part. In China, instead of America. Do me a favor right now, and promise me that you won't see this movie when it comes out, or ever - even on DVD. The only way the studios are going to learn their lesson is if their films don't make money, so for the love of Pat Morita - boycott this one.

*Yeah, I had to switch some letters around for it to work. Bite me - I'm pissed about this movie being made.

Ninja Assassin Training Video

This post is pretty much specifically for Mikey and Boze, but anyone with a hint of "Ultraman" in them should get excited for this as well.

This is a training video for James McTeigue's (V For Vendetta) new movie Ninja Assassin, written by the Wachowski's (The Matrix). The movie stars Rain (the Asian dude from Speed Racer) as one of the best assassins in the world, raised by a secret clan from childhood. But after they murder his friend, he goes on the run. He saves the life of a government agent who stumbles across the clan's ties to politcal assassinations, and they both go on the run from the killers that are now hunting them.



The flick should be released sometime in the first quarter of 2009, so keep your eye out for a trailer sometime in the next couple months.

DJ Caruso Directing Jack The Giant Killer

In what sounds amazingly close to the Fables spin off comic series "Jack of Fables," DJ Caruso is directing a live action adult look at the Jack and the Beanstalk legend called Jack The Giant Killer.

Caruso (Eagle Eye, Disturbia) sounds like a good choice for this project, and since I like most of his movies, I hope this goes well for him. No word yet on whether this will be his next project or if he will finally be able to start production on his long-waiting plan for Y: The Last Man trilogy before this one. Either way, I'm glad to hear he's attached to both of these projects. Sounds like it could be a cool movie.

DiCaprio's Company Picks Up Another Title

This story is a few days old, but I think it's worth mentioning because (as most of you know) DiCaprio is one of my favorite actors. His production company, Appian Way Productions, has recently picked up the rights to a novel called "Beat The Reaper."

The story follows a New York City surgeon who is in the witness protection program when he gets noticed by a mobster who recognizes him from his previous life as a hitman.

Obviously since Appian Way picked this up, a connection could be made that this could be a starring vehicle for Leo, but nothing has been announced yet. Sounds like an interesting project that I hope to see hitting theaters within the next couple years.

The Slammin' Salmon Trailer

This red band trailer for Broken Lizard's newest flick The Slammin' Salmon hit the web yesterday, and I thought it was funny/rare enough to share. The guys who brought us Super Troopers (and are currently writing a sequel that may or may not get made) are back with this story about a restaurant run by a famous boxer.

Iron Man 2 Casting Rumors

Today is officially Mickey Rourke Day here at Ben's Daily Movie News. Not only was it announced earlier this morning that the comeback kid would be joining the ridiculously awesome cast of Stallone's The Expendables, now he's in consideration for Iron Man II.

Rourke, along with fellow actor Sam Rockwell (Matchstick Men), are rumored for villain parts in Jon Favreau's upcoming sequel. Rourke would play either Crimson Dynamo or Whiplash (I have no idea who either one is), a Russian counterpart to Tony Stark who battles the hero in his own nuclear powered suit. Rockwell's character, if the deal goes through, will be the manly-named Justin Hammer, a rival industrialist of Stark's with a genius IQ who finances criminals and requires half of their profits for his services.

I'm really digging how comic book movies have slowly gone from casting ridiculous actors to more respected ones. Iron Man II hits theaters in May of 2010.

Could The Expendables Cast Get Any More Awesome?

I think not. Mickey Rourke has joined the already-legendary cast of Stallone's next action flick, The Expendables. He'll play an arms dealer who the soldiers go to before they try to take down a South American dictator.

In case you've been in hiding for the past few months, here's the rundown of who's involved so far: Stallone (writing, directing, starring), Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture (the only subpar addition), Forest Whitaker, and now Marv himself, Mikey Rourke.

I didn't think I could get any more excited about this movie, but Stallone has stepped it up for me yet again. Hurry up and get this thing into theaters!