I am – Hercules!!
Some of the stuff I thought worth noting from coverage of Los Angeles’ Television Critics Association event, which finally ended Saturday:
* HULK/AVENGERS
Tim Roth, promoting “Lie To Me,” told reporters Marvel signed him to play “Incredible Hulk” villain Emil “The Abomination” Blonsky for three movies, a deal that could put him in both a “Hulk” sequel and the “Avengers” movie due May 4, 2012. "I don't want to get into it, but they signed me up for three," he offered.
* CABIN IN THE WOODS
“Dollhouse” star Fran Kranz describes his Feb. 5 comedy thriller “Cabin In The Woods,” from writer-producer Joss Whedon (“Serenity”) and writer-director Drew Goddard (“Cloverfield”), as “basically ‘Evil Dead’ meets ‘The Truman Show.’” Does this mean “Cabin” star Bradley Whitford, who played a TV sketch-show exec on “Studio 60,” will play a bloodthirsty TV reality show exec on the big screen?
* V
ABC’s shrugworthy lizard-Nazi sci-fi drama remake “V” now has a premiere date: Nov. 3.
* LOST
“V” star Elizabeth Mitchell says she’ll be making more than one trip to Hawaii to appear on the final season of “Lost.”
* STAR TREK XII
“Fringe” co-creator Roberto Orci, screenwriter of the 11th and upcoming 12th “Star Trek” movies, calls “Heroes” star Greg Grunberg’s suggestion to cast Grunberg as Harry Mudd in an upcoming sequel “a good idea.”
* VIEW-MASTER
Orci told reporters DreamWorks’ in-development “View-Master” movie did not start as a “View-Master” movie. “Our company got a look at [a completed script by “Fringe” writer Brad Caleb Kane], and [we] thought, 'We could actually connect this with View-Master who we know happens to be looking for someone.' So it wasn't like, 'Let's come up with a View-Master movie.' There was a great idea out there, and it was perfect to marry with View-Master."
* FRINGE
Orci confirms JFK is still alive in the alternate “Fringe” universe where the twin towers of the World Trade Center still stand. Olivia Dunham will be the only character hopping between universes in the first half of season two. Also, Leonard Nimoy will be in at least two season-two episodes and likely more. For those who missed it, “Fringe” producers told me at a Comic-Con roundtable that J.J. Abrams’ name is on the teleplay for the new season’s first episode.
* THE JAY LENO SHOW
Leno's primetime show will feature the product-placement dream of having celebrities race environmentally friendly autos. Can you feel your sides splitting?? He also hired Selma Blair's hunky boyfriend as a "correspondent" for the show alongside Jim Norton, Rachael Harris and D.L. Hughley (who apparently lost his CNN show way back in March). Leno will spend most if not all of the new nightly show away from a desk and likely have only two musical guests per week. Oh, and "Tonight Show" announcer Stuttering John Melendez will not have an on-camera role in primetime; he'll now serve as one of the new show's 19 writers. (Stuttering John can write?)
And here’s a non-TCA bit I'll just toss in:
* THE GREEN HORNET
Just before “Funny People” hit cinemas Seth Rogen told Howard Stern on his satellite radio show that his “Green Hornet” movie would seek to emulate the Martin Brest films “Beverly Hills Cop” and “Midnight Run.” Sweet!
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