After only a short time of release in the wild, Apple has today issued an update to its brand new version of OS X — code named Snow Leopard. This update, which should now be live in Software Update and at Apple’s website, provides several bug fixes and security enhancements which in typical Apple-speak could mean almost anything.

Here’s a list of at least some of the items this update addresses:

• Printer compatibility fixes for printers that do not properly appear in the “Add Printer” browser.
• Fix for DVD playback (when playback stops abruptly)
• Fix for the Dock (bug prevents removal of icons from the Dock)
• Fix for account set up and sending mail via SMTP servers in Mail
• Fix for Sierra Wireless 3G modems
• Adobe Flash Player update (new plug-in version 10.0.32.18)

Apparently, the Flash update is of particular importance because the version shipping with Snow Leopard has a number of security vulnerabilities fixed by this update. For the scoop on that, head on over to Adobe’s website. As with any OS update, we suggest you download and install the Combo Update instead of doing an update via Apple’s software update. Sadly, as of now, the Combo update doesn’t seem to be live at Apple’s download page yet so you may consider waiting until tomorrow to do the update.

We’re very excited here at The Flickcast for Spike Jonze’s adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s Where The Wild Things Are. While the film is still a month away, we’ve brought you featurettes, trailers, and more coverage for the film than you could shake a stick at. Now, four new character banners and a new poster just debuted on Myspace’s blog for the film!

The new banners showcase three “Wild Things” Judith, Carol, KW, and Max, the main character as played by Max Records. In addition to Records as “Max”,  the film features James Gandolfini, Catherine O’Hara, Lauren Ambrose, Mark Ruffalo, and Forrest Whitaker. Where The Wild Things Are hits theaters and IMAX October 16th.

You can view the four character banners and poster after the jump.

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First off: we know it’s not Wednesday. But along with this week’s comic books, we’re running a day late due to the holiday. With that said, we have a good one for you. If you’re interested in, working with, or have some concept of the movie industry, you’re going to be interested in Natalie Portman’s MakingOf.com.

Originally founded by actress Natalie Portman (who we know) and Christine Aylward (who we should know), MakingOf.com is a half social networking/half industry news site that’s dedicated to the world behind the glitz and glamor of Hollywood and film. Check out the four main features that the site offers after the break.

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Trick ‘r Treat is a movie that has had a seemingly endless road from production to release. Originally slated to hit theaters back in October of 2007, the studio decided to push the film’s release back. Several bumps and unsuccessful screenings later, Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures finally decided the film would do best as a DVD release this October.

No word on whether or no the film itself was changed at all in the two years, but True Blood fans will get star Anna Paquin in the film before she went all Southern Blond. Also starring in the film is Brian Cox, Leslie Bibb, and Dylan Baker. The film was written and directed by X2 and Superman Returns scribe Michael Dougherty.

Check out the new trailer after the jump, pick up the exclusive Trick ‘r Treat graphic novel from DC Comics Entertainment next month, and grab the DVD just in time for Halloween on October 6th.

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Each year, right before they start up a new season, the cast of Saturday Night Live gets an overhaul. Sometimes it’s good news, sometimes it’s bad. In the past few years, the show lost members like Maya Rudolph, Amy Pohler, Darrel Hammond, and now it it looks like relative newcomers Casey Wilson and Michaela Watkins will not be joining in the upcoming 35th season.

There is no public report on why Watkins was canned, but according to E! Online, the reason for Casey Wilson’s firing was due to her weight.

Our inside comedy sources tell us SNL producers told the curvy Casey to lose 30 pounds during the show’s summer hiatus. They pretty much demanded it. And whether Wilson just couldn’t drop the weight or she just only wanted to give her middle finger some exercise, she didn’t drop a damn pound. And that’s when she was axed, we’re told.

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For those of us who are a fan of the franchise, we all know the headache that comes with waiting for a live action Halo movie. From Peter Jackson to Steven Spielberg, the film has gone through so many rumors and incarnations, there’s no way of knowing if we’ll ever get to see the Spartans fragging aliens on the big screen. With that in mind, we have to take pleasures in the smaller things.

In promoting Microsoft’s Halo 3: ODST, out later this month, they produced a TV spot in which we see the life, and death, of an ODST Spartan. The team just released the uncut version, which is about a minute longer. It has a very strong Battlestar Galactica vibe, which works, because BSG can very easily meld with the Halo universe.

The video shows everything we’d expect to see from a Halo film trailer: the Spartan masks, a Covenant brute, explosions, and lots of yelling. Check out the uncut trailer after the jump, and pick up your copy of Halo 3: ODST on September 22.

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At San Diego Comic-Con, we got the chance to sit down and speak with Claudio Sanchez, lead singer of the band Coheed and Cambria and creator of the Amory Wars, about his involvement in the upcoming project Kill Audio from Boom! Studios. Those who have seen the pages available on Kill Audio’s Myspace are probably wondering what’s going on inside Claudio’s head to come up with the out of this world character like Kill Audio and that’s what we sought to find out when we got the chance to talk with him.

The Flickcast: You’re going to be working on a comic book with Boom! Studios. Would you like to tell us about that?

Claudio Sanchez: The comic is called Kill Audio. It’s a bit of a fantasy comedy. This main character, Kill Audio, kinda wakes up, well not so much wakes up but finds himself kind of confused and unsure of what his purpose is in this world called Sight and Sound. His main enemy actually gives him some kind of insight.

He finds out his purpose in this world of Sight and Sound is he is a part of this team called the Void, which is like void of creativity, and music has spiraled out of control in his absence. In trying to put all the pieces back together and get everything kind of in order, he figures that it’s not so much that creativity has naturally spiraled and evolved, it’s actually somebody motivating it so that becomes the mystery.

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And you thought Marvel only put previously released or “second tier” comics online. Well, I wouldn’t call Wolverine or Thor second tier characters (especially not to their faces) and as for new comics, this one is brand new. To what new comic am I referring? How about a matchup between Wolverine and Thor in Wolverine Vs. Thor #1 which Marvel is dropping at Marvel Digital Comics in celebration of X-Men Origins: Wolverine coming to DVD on September 15th.

Here’s all the info from the official Marvel press release. Plus, as always, we’ve got a couple pages from the comic after the break. Be sure to check ‘em out.

WOLVERINE VS. THOR #1 Debuts on Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited

It’s time for some serious heavy metal mayhem when the God of Thunder goes hammer-to-claw with Marvel’s most popular mutant exclusively on Marvel’s groundbreaking Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited In celebration of the blockbuster “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” coming to DVD on September 15!

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Do you have a passion for movies, tv, comics, video games and all things geek? Do you love to express your ideas and share them with friends on message boards or your own blog or do you already have a body of work at various other publications across the Internets and are looking for more exposure? Can you express your ideas in a thoughtful, entertaining, informative and professional style? If the answer to these questions is yes, we may have a place for you right here at The Flickcast.

Due to the rapid expansion, we are in need of more writers to take on our favorite subjects: movies, tv, comics, video games and all things geek. So, if you think you have what it takes and can make the kind of commitment we’re looking for, get in touch with us.

We are particularly interested in contributors who live in New York or Los Angeles and obviously you need access to a computer and the Internet. Plus, general knowledge of CMS platforms like WordPress, blogging, photo editing and HTML preferred, but not mandatory. Don’t worry, if we like your writing, we can teach you the rest.

Other than that, all are welcome. To apply, send two sample posts in The Flickcast style covering subjects you’re passionate about to the following email address: jobs [at] the flickcast dot com

If we like what we read, we’ll be in touch to give you further details. Thanks and good luck!

WARNING: Do not for one second think comics come out today. They don’t, they come out tomorrow. While everyone has taken the weekend and Monday off, so to has the printer, which is the reason why things are slow this week.

The best thing coming from DC this week is Adventure Comics #2. Unfortunately there are only four more issues with Geoff Johns and Francis Manapul on the title, but when they end, so begins their run on a new Flash ongoing! Which is just fine by me.  I must say the cover on this issue is just heart-warming (at right).

From Marvel we have the conclusion to the Dark Avengers/X-Men series. I have to say this event has been one of the better X-Men events I’ve read in a long time. What’s great about this event is how well Matt Fraction really gets Cyclops.

The character is exceptionally hard to write, and often alot of writers have no idea what to do with him.  Case in point: X-Men 3: The Last Stand. Regardless, in this conclusion we have the X-Men vs the Dark Avengers finally. I can’t wait to read this showdown.

Finally, Kick-Ass.  To me, the leaked footage from Comic-Con was barely discernible so I can’t decide if the movie will be any good or not, so I’m not even going to bother. Regardless, this book comes out and features the main character getting his butt kicked yet again.

As always, we here at The Flickcast care about what you read, so leave us a comment and let us know what you liked/didn’t like from this week’s comics. For a more complete list of what comes out this week, Midtown Comics has a great listing of everything.

Ever since the news first came through about Disney and Marvel joining, everybody and their mother came out of the woodwork with their ideas for Disney/Marvel mash up ideas. Such bad ideas as Finding Namor, HERB-E, Casper the Friendliest Ghostrider, and All Dogs go to Asgard were thrown into the mix, but no one had any thoughts on Disney working on a real-life Marvel property.

It looks like that time has come, as Pixar is interested in taking on one of Marvel’s first superheroes, Ant-Man. According to Entertainment Weekly, “Marvel has thousands of characters to feed Disney’s film, TV, and animation business (Pixar is said to already be eyeballing an Ant-Man movie). As Iron Man proved, they don’t need to be iconic to become blockbusters.”

Last we heard, the Ant-Man property was already in the works for a feature film, to be helmed by Shaun of the Dead team Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost with a script cowritten by BBC comedian Joe Cornish. Though the ilk of the writer/directors was that of comedy, the team insisted that the film was to be purely action based. Back in March of 2008, the film reportedly went on hold, and hadn’t been heard from since.

With Pixar taking on the film, you can believe that the story won’t be about Eric O’Grady, also known as The Irredeemable Ant-Man. Now that Disney has their mitts on the project, the story will presumably take more of a family friendly tone, which could be a bad thing or a good thing (these are the same people that brought us The Incredibles). No word yet on details of the film, if the original script will still stand, or if Wright and his team will be staying on the project.

Last month, we brought you an exclusive interview with director/producer Timur Bekmambetov where he talked about his plans for a sequel to last year’s comic book adaptation of Wanted. We also got to speak to the director of such great horror films as Nightwatch and Daywatch about working as producer with Tim Burton on 9, which hits theaters today.

For those unaware, 9 started off as an award-winning animated short, which peaked the interest in a few agents. One of which, happened to be the agent of both Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov, who were both eager to bring the project to the big screen as a full length feature.

Check out the video after the jump, as we discuss how 9 came to be, Timur’s journey along the way, and what his initial thoughts were on Shane Acker’s short. Be sure to keep it here in the coming weeks for more with director/producer Timur Bekmambetov.

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