With X-men: First Class scheduled to start filming next week, 20th Century Fox has turned their focus to the their next Marvel film. That film? A reboot of Fantastic Four.

Rumors about the films casting have started with news that The Thing will be completely CGI and Sue Storm being played by Alice Eve or Amber Heard, and it seems the film’s star power will be stemming from the group leader Mr. Fantastic. The two actors in the running for Fantastic Four’s Reed Richards are Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Adrien Brody.

While Jonathan Rhys Meyers is probably best known for his starring role in the Showtime series The Tudors, he also has From Paris With Love in which he starred opposite John Travolta under his belt. He’s also been seen in film such as Mission Impossible III, Match Point and Bend It Like Beckham.

The bigger get would obviously be Adrien Brody, who is quietly growing into an action film with the recent releases of Predators and Splice. Brody is also the forerunner for Edgar Wright’s Ant-man for Marvel Studios. Having the Oscar winning actor attached to the film would add some credibility to the project.

The title of the film will not be Fantastic Four Reborn as previously report, but the actual title has not been released. Now that Chiklis is moving on to No Ordinary Family on ABC and Evans is headed over to work on that other Marvel movie, who would YOU cast as The Thing and Human Torch in the upcoming reboot?

Following tons of casting and recasting news, X-Men: First Class producer Bryan Singer contacted AICN and revealed tons of juicy tidbits about the highly anticipated film. Of course, we’re going to share them with you right here to save you the trouble of clicking that link.

The film will take place in the fitting time of the 1960′s, with civil rights being of high concern at the time and the obvious parallels between the racial and mutant struggles. In addition, Singer implied that Vaughn will also be utilizing James Bond type technology from that era in the film.

X-Men: First Class will follow the young Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Eric Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender)as they plan the futures of mutant kind.  Xavier will not be in a wheelchair in the beginning of the film, but we will witness him losing the use of his legs.

The antagonists of the film will be the Hellfire Club which will include Kevin Bacon as Sebastian Shaw and January Jones as Emma Frost. On a surprising note, he stated that we will not be seeing Jean Grey or Cyclops. Unsurprisingly, he announced that we can expect tons more casting news in the next couple of days.

Singer also explained that even though the costumes in the film will be more “comic booky” than previous films, the film is shying away from the story written in the comic after which the film is named.

Do you think that it’s the right move to delve deep into little known comic book characters, while not utilizing the pre-existing lore? Can an X-men story exist without Jean Grey and Cyclops?

With filming set to begin later this month, some of the final pieces of casting for the film X-Men: First Class are falling into place. Joining the recently announced Rose Byrne and Jason Flemyng, Oliver Platt is the newest addition to the start studded cast.

Along with James McAvoy as Xavier, Michael Fassbender as Magneto, Alice Eve as Emma Frost, Nicholas Hoult as Beast, Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique, Caleb Landry Jones as Banshee, Lucas Till as Havoc, Edi Gathegi as Darwin, Kevin Bacon as the villain, Jason Flemyng as Azazel and Rose Byrne as Moira MacTaggert, we now have Oliver Platt joining as “The Man in Black”.

Like Kevin Bacon before him, Oliver Platt’s character has yet to be described fully.  So far the only information being released is that Platt will not be playing a mutant character.

Even though I feel that I’m versed in the world of geekdom and comics, I’m not sure who this “Man in Black” character could  be. If he was a mutant, many names come to mind ranging from Black Tom Cassidy to the Black Rook of the Hellfire Club. The moniker may just be a blanket government agent title.

There are still some glaring absences in the list of parts that have been cast. If this film is to mirror the comics at all, we are still missing Cyclops, Jean Grey, Angel and Iceman.

Who do you think Platt will play? Who do you think will play the remaining major parts?

X-men: First Class will be released in theaters June 3rd 2011.

Enjoy Josh Hartnett’s performance in Lucky Number Slevin? If so, good news for you, as he will once again work with Director Paul McGuigan on a new project called Tomorrow. Hartnett and McGuigan have actually worked together twice before, on Lucky Number Slevin in 2006 and Wicker Park in 2004.

The new film, which follows a man stuck traveling through time and space who’s trying to prevent the murder of his family, was written by newcomer Michael Gould. There is no word on what type of plot device will be utilized to precipitate the time travel, but from the brief synopsis one can only assume that he has no control over when or where he jumps in time.

One can only hope that we are looking at a Groundhog Day-esque scenario where he relives one day repeatedly until he gets it right. It isn’t incredibly difficult to do a film where the time travel is completely random with no rhyme or reason, much like in The Time Traveler’s Wife.

When one looks at McGuigan’s track record it’s not hard to believe we could be concerned with his spin on the space-time continuum. Take his most recent release, last year’s Push, which was almost universally panned. It had a lot of potential, but in the end the story was convoluted and scattered. Hopefully, Tomorrow won’t share the same fate.

Tomorrow will begin principal photography in Louisiana later this year for a projected 2011 release.

For years we have been teased with the possibility of the Dark Horse comic R.I.P.D. coming to the big screen. Now it looks like it will finally happen.

Super producer Neal Moritz (The Fast and Furious, Green Hornet, Luke Cage, Every other upcoming movie you can think of) has been successful in his talks with the man who is becoming a comic book movie regular, Ryan Reynolds (X-men Origins: Wolverine, Green Lantern, Deadpool) and has gotten him to star in the film. In addition, it appears Moritz has scored again, as now rumored to be joining the project is none other than McG (Charlie’s Angels, Terminator Salvation).

McG is currently working on the troubled  This Means War. Unfortunately, This Means War has been a passion project for McG and now that Fox is backing the film it will be his first priority.

With McG’s history of directing big budget blockbuster movies, the expectation is that Universal is looking to take a risk, with them betting that R.I.P.D. will become a summer blockbuster.

R.I.P.D. (Rest in Peace Department) follows the adventures of two dead cops, one recently deceased and the other who died centuries ago, who police the dead. In addition to Reynolds, rumored for the co-starring role opposite is Zach Galifiniakis.

Do you think McG is the right fit to direct? Who do you think would be better? Sound off and let us know!

Just two weeks  before filming was to begin,  Nicholas Cage has pulled out of Joel Schumacher’s Trespass. According to reports, Cage is on vacation and will stay in the Bahamas.

Rather than waiting for the star, the studio plans to keep the film on schedule and will move forward without Cage. The studio is currently scrambling for a replacement. The rumored forerunner for the role is Liev Schreiber.

In the film, Cage was set to play opposite Nicole Kidman as a husband who is kidnapped with his wife by a group of thugs looking for ransom. The problems began when Cage decided that he rather play one of the kidnappers instead of the lead male role.

One thing is for sure, Cage isn’t known for pulling out of projects or turning down roles. Even with a recent streak of wins such as Knowing and Kick-Ass, Cage has taken on some horrible roles in films like The Wicker Man, Next, Ghost Rider, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Astro Boy, Bangkok Dangerous and the upcoming Season of the Witch.

How bad could a role be that the man who was the “star” of The Wicker Man remake decided to drop out? Could it be that Schumacher is past his prime and is making a film that even Cage knows is horrible? Or is it another bad move by Cage who may end up regretting it? Only time will tell.

The remake none of us were waiting for, and that has been rumored for a year, has finally been made official today. You will soon once again be seeing Total Recall at a movie theater near you.

Columbia Pictures officially announced Len Wiseman (Live Free or Die Hard, Underworld films) as the director for the project. It has been report that he will be working off a script written by Kurt Wimmer, who recently wrote Salt and Law Abiding Citizen. Doug Belgrad and Matt Tolmach, presidents over at Columbia Pictures, stated that negotiations are almost finalized.

The original Total Recall, was based on the immortal Philip K. Dick’s story We Can Remember It for You Wholesale. The original follows Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Quaid who is a seemingly unsophisticated construction worker, who is haunted by a recurring dream of journeying to Mars.

He buys a literal dream vacation from a company called Rekall Inc., which sells implanted memories. It turns out he is a freedom fighter from Mars who has been relocated to Earth, and he must restore order, and reverse the corrupt influence that commercial powers had over the red planet.

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For those Family Guy fans who have been impatiently waiting for the next installment of their Star Wars parody series, you need wait no longer. Seth McFarlane and crew have taken on the last film of the original series,  Return of the Jedi.

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment announced that the new film, Family Guy: It’s a Trap! will be available right in time for Christmas. It will be available in both Blu-ray and DVD formats. Those lucky enough to get into the Comic-Con panel received a 10 minute preview of the new spoof and from various reports it doesn’t disappoint. The rest of us will unfortunately have to wait  until December to get a glimpse.

The press release is touting an all-star array of guest stars including Adam West and Carrie Fisher. We also have the privilege of having Patrick Stewart and Michael Dorn reprise their Star Trek roles once again. For those who have not purchased the previous two films, it was also announced  that they will be releasing a triple-pack of all three Star Wars spoofs.

If you are willing to wait, there is a chance that they will follow suit of their last release, Family Guy: Something Something Something Darkside, and utilize Family Guy: It’s a Trap! as next season’s finale. There is no report about what special features will be available or whether there will be any other special editions released concurrently.

Look for Family Guy: It’s a Trap! on December 21st when it hits stores nationwide. For more Family Guy news keep it here at The Flickcast.

The much anticipated Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides revealed its teaser trailer during the Disney panel held over the weekend. In the trailer we have the incomparable Captain Jack Sparrow drunkenly inviting the audience to join him in an adventure in search of the fountain of youth.

Sparrow goes on to entice the audience with various dangers he will be encountering, including cutthroats, zombies, mermaids and his co-star Penelope Cruz. In the film, Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) crosses paths with a woman from his past (Penelope Cruz), and he’s not sure if it’s love or if she’s a ruthless con artist who’s using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth.

When she forces him aboard the Queen Anne’s Revenge, the ship of the formidable pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn’t know who to fear more: Blackbeard or the woman from his past.

The movie will be directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago). It is set to hit theaters on May 20th, 2011 in both 2D and 3D formats.

Keep it here for all of your Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides news and check out the teaser after the jump.

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Big news out of the Burn Notice panel, as the ever charismatic Bruce Campbell revealed he is set to star in a prequel story to the hit USA TV show Burn Notice. The prequel will follow the exploits of Campbell’s character Sam Axe on a mission in Latin America. The prequel will give some background into the sarcastic spy’s life before he became tied up in the events of the TV show.

The Burn Notice prequel will be co-produced by USA and Fox TV Studios.  Most of the filming will take place on location in Latin America and will be scheduled between the filming of seasons 4 and 5 of Burn Notice. It will be a one shot movie rather than a spin-off TV show.

When asked about the planned prequel star Bruce Campbell respond with his typical humor: “What do I have to say about that? I have to say that USA finally got their s#!t together.”

I for one can’t argue with that. With the explosive response from the audience in the panel one can only assume that other spin-offs can’t be far behind –  especially if this one is a success.  Are there any TV shows that you are currently watching that you would like to see a character spin-off of?

For more San Diego Comic-Con coverage, keep it here at The Flickcast.

In a recent interview promoting the new BBC mini series Sherlock, Benedict Cumberbatch candidly implies his interest in becoming the next Doctor Who. With current Doctor Who show runner Steven Moffat also heading up the Sherlock mini-series, the possibility is much higher than with most similar rumors.

During the interview with Digital Spy, the interviewer unassumingly asked if Cumberbunch had any interest in appearing on an episode of Doctor Who, to which he responded that he wouldn’t want to be in an episode. Then the interviewer realized that Cumberbatch was asserting that he didn’t want to just have a single episode run and asked if he wanted to be the doctor, and with a sly smile he responds with a quizzical maybe.

Cumberbatch then explains that after Sherlock, it would be more fitting to have a substantial role in his next project. The video is open to interpretation, as Cumberbatch has previously been rumored to be Moffat’s choice for a role as The Master, but he does seem to imply that he wouldn’t be in a supporting role if he were to join the cast of Doctor Who.

Whether this lends any credence to the rumor that Matt Smith is looking to leave the role after next season has also yet to be determined. One thing is for sure, the bravado I saw Cumberbatch display as he responded to the question assures me that he will no doubt be having an impact on Doctor Who sooner rather than later.

How do you feel about the possibility of Matt Smith leaving Doctor Who? Do you think Benedict Cumberbatch would make a fitting replacement?

To see Cumberbatch’s response check out the video after the jump and for all your Doctor Who news stick with The Flickcast.

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With the news that we will be witnessing the culmination of the Saw franchise this October, one had to wonder if Saw 3D could really be a worthy cap to the series. From the looks of the new official trailer, Saw 3D will not disappoint.

For all you torture porn lovers out there, this film is shaping up to be the biggest and baddest of them all. The magnitude and complexity of the traps previewed in the trailer, as well as the addition of the 3D component, should bring a satisfying end to the world record setting franchise.

Those of you who have come to depend on the Saw films as their horror fix every Halloween will be disappointed by the trailer’s confirmation that this will in fact be the final film. In the film, Bobby Dagen (Sean Patrick Flannery) is a self help guru and Jigsaw survivor who is sought out by a group of Jigsaw survivors who are seeking his support to help overcome their trauma. Unfortunately, it’s Dagen’s demons that end up unleashing the new round of terror.

The film is set to star Tobin Bell (Saw), Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride), Costas Mandylor (Beowolf) , Betsy Russelly (Saw III) and Sean Patrick Flannery (Boondock Saints).

With Saw ending its reign as the top horror franchise, are there any upcoming or recent horror movies that you the Flickcast readers are hoping to see franchised?

Lionsgate’s Saw 3D is opening in theaters October 29. Check the trailer out after the jump and stay with us for more Saw 3D news as it develops.

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Promptly following it’s premier at their Comic-con panel, Disney’s Tron: Legacy new trailer has hit the web. For those of you looking for some glowing spandex action, this trailer does not disappoint. With flying L.E.D. motorcycles and L.E.D. covered razor Frisbees, we can expect lots of colorful action, especially in 3D.

It also features the first glimpse of the CGI versions of a young Jeff Bridges’ Flynn. Unfortunately, the technology has not improved much since it was used with Patrick Stewart’s Professor X and Sir Ian McKellan’s Magneto in X-Men: The Last Stand four years ago. It appears that instead of Flynn, we are watching the characters interact with the Tom Hanks character from Polar Express.

Tron: Legacy stars Oscar Winner Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart), Garrett Hedlund (Eragon) and Olivia Wilde (Year One). Rookie director Joseph Kosinski has brought to life the imaginative script of co-writers Richard Jefferies and Adam Horowitz. You may recognize Adam Horowitz’s name from his days as a co-producer and writer on the hit TV show Lost.

With Tron: Legacy being written by someone so heavily involved in Lost, do you think we can expect a similarly mind boggling story line from Tron:Legacy?

Tron: Legacy will be hitting theaters December 17th, but until then keep it here for all your Tron: Legacy news and check out the trailer after the break.

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Since the announcement of Hulu’s pay service (aptly titled Hulu Plus), the big question on everyone’s mind is simple: Why pay for a service that I was getting for free? Well, we’re happy to say that it’s definitely worth it. The worth became apparent to me as I stood in a 45 minute line at Comic-Con in San Diego and passed the time by watching episodes of Family Guy and The Office.

You may be saying to yourself: “I have plenty of videos on my iPhone so who cares.” and before today I could agree with you. There is something incredibly freeing about having access to the handful of movies or TV shows stored on your iPhone. The wonderful new Hulu Plus app gives you instant access to every episode of hundreds of different TV shows and movies.

Unlike previous streaming technologies, such as Slingbox, that required WiFi, the videos streamed seamlessly using the 3G network and the quality was on par with any video purchased in iTunes. Another concern that usually pops up with programs like this is how it will handle multitasking when faced with oncoming texts and phone calls.

Hulu Plus performs admirably by reloading the video where you left off, rather than restarting from the beginning.

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Current Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat is now giving us his interpretation of history’s most famous detective. No, not Batman, but Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s own Sherlock Holmes. On BBC’s Sherlock, Moffat is giving us a modernized version of Sherlock Holmes’ exploits as he searches for a serial killer who makes his murders look like suicides.

The series remains true to the more iconic details from the original books. Holmes and Watson still live on 221b Baker Street and all the characters have the same names. The glaring difference is that the series is set in contemporary London rather than the late 19th century.

The miniseries is set to star Benedict Cumberbatch (The Other Boleyn Girl) as Holmes and  Martin Freeman, who you may remember as Jim from the British version of The Office, as Watson. This project is co-created by Mark Gatiss, writer and actor in various British series including Doctor Who and The League of Gentlemen.

The first episode of the three part series will air on July 25 on the UK’s BBC1 and BBC HD. No premiere date has been announced for the United States, but the show is expected to air on PBS as part of its Masterpiece series.

Between this news and the success of Robert Downey Jr.’s popular film franchise, could we be looking at a resurgence of interest in the classic detective? Can other classics be far behind?

Check out the trailer for this new series after the jump.

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