This is an open letter to anyone at 20th Century Fox, with how I would handle their X-Men Universe in the wake of The Avengers and their successful First Class Pre-Boot-quel-thing. 

The X-Men cinematic universe was the first major franchise launched in this modern era of comic book blockbusters. The original X-Men film managed to successfully lay in the groundwork of how these types of films can be a success without losing their comic book soul.

The sequel was a massive leap forward in both action and general cinematic quality. While the other sequels have received mixed reviews, it was clear that despite the reboot happy tendencies of modern hollywood. Fox remained committed to the continuity of the universe they established in 2000.

Just a few weeks ago The Avengers made more money than conceivable in its debut, representing the culmination of a five-year, 6 movie plan. The newly established ‘shared universe’ model demonstrated by Marvel Studios could be a new gold standard for what a studio can do with these types of properties.

So it is with that context that I present my plan for a smaller scale ‘shared X-universe’ that can allow Fox to use it’s already established property in an exciting new way.

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Even though Fox may have axed shows like Alcatraz and The Finder, they are at least going to be in the Seth MacFarlane business for a while longer. That’s right, the network has renewed Family Guy and American Dad for another season. Both will be getting 22 episode orders.

As for MacFarlane’s other show on Fox, The Cleveland Show, no word yet on if it will be getting another season, which would be its fifth. This is reportedly not because of the network’s lack of confidence in the show but rather because it already has quite a few episodes of it ready and the show is still in production.

The network is apparently waiting to see how next year’s schedule comes together before making a decision. Of course, that could just be a nice way of saying the show is going to be canceled but they just don’t want to tell anyone yet.

In other Fox animated news, The Simpsons already has a two-year renewal, Bob’s Burgers‘ third season pickup was announced in January, Allen Gregory has been canceled, and Napoleon Dynamite is still,as they say, “on the bubble.”

That’s okay, we’re just glad Family Guy is coming back. It’s a funny show that just seems to get better and better.

To be honest, we kinda lost interest in both of these shows almost as soon as they started. So, it isn’t really much of a surprise that Fox has given the axe to both The Finder and Alcatraz.

Both series had dropped considerably in the rating since their debut and were, if we’re being brutally honest, not all that engaging or entertaining. Even though it was nice to see Michael Clarke Duncan getting more work.

Fox does like being in the Kiefer Sutherland business and consequently has given his series Touch, Exec. Produced by Heroes alumni Tim Kring, a second season. I’m sure that decision may have something to do with Sutherland’s participation in some 24 movies, regardless of Touch’s relative quality. Still, good for Kring and company.

In addition, Fox has also given series orders to Mindy Kaling’s It’s Messy and other shows like Goodwin Games and Ben & Kate. Other series commitments are expected to be announced soon.

Fortunately, all is not lost for J.J. Abrams current TV career as Fox did have the smarts to give Abram’s other show, the awesome Fringe, a final 13 episode season. That was a good move on Fox’s part and we could not be happier about it.

For all of you who have been buying into the ‘drama’ surrounding Prometheus’ ultimate rating, we have some good news for you. Fox has confirmed that the moody, dark and probably terrifying sci-fi film will indeed be rated R for sci-fi violence including intense images, and brief language.

Many people never believed that a PG-13 rating was possible for the subject matter, so when it took this long to get a confirmed rating people were getting nervous. It also didn’t help that Ridley Scott has been telling people conflicted things about the movie, the process and the rating for months now.

Speaking of which, Prometheus must be setting a new record for the most outright and open deception from a filmmaker to his audience. Scott has gone on record with several quotes that don’t seem to right based on the footage we are seeing. He already famously said the film would not be a prequel to Alien and only have a core DNA similarity with that franchise. Watching the trailer for 2 seconds pretty much disproves that concept.

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Fans of Fox’s quirky Sci-Fi/paranormal series Fringe can relax. It seems the network is happy enough with the show’s performance and dedicated fanbase that it has decided to renew the series for fa fifth and final season.

That’s right, the show will live on at least one more year and debut with a final 13 episode season in the Fall, the last episode of which will mark the show’s 100th. Fox made the announcement today and of course, fans are not the only ones happy about this development.

“We are thrilled and beyond grateful that FOX — and our fans — have made the impossible possible: ‘Fringe’ will continue into a fifth season that will allow the series to conclude in a wild and thrilling way,” series co-creator/executive producer J.J. Abrams said.

No word yet on the exact premiere date for the final season. However, don’t get too down about that because there’s already a promo for season 5. Check it out after the break. Fringe airs Friday nights at 9/8C on Fox.

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I’m probably going to see better comedies this year, but I don’t think I’m going to laugh at any one as much as I did at The Three Stooges. When I told that to my editors, they both wrote back in disbelief. I know the trailer got a massive amount of flack—the appearance of Snooki was a major criticism—but I’m not alone in my appreciation of the film. My colleague at SlashFilm, Jordan Hoffman, recently shared his like.

And it’s the Farrellys; after nearly 20 years of their films, have we learned to not underestimate them yet? Whatever. The movie is funny, very, very funny and, as Ebert noted in his review, is as good a film that could have been made about The Three Stooges. If you don’t like the original shorts, you probably won’t like it, but if you do, I think you’ll laugh a lot, because the Farrellys stay close to the source.

The plot is as shallow as any of the original shorts—the boys try to raise $830,000 to save an orphanage, getting caught up in several hair-brained, money-making schemes. That’s pretty much it. Of course one of those schemes involves an unwitting assassination, and Moe somehow ends up as the star of Jersey Shore; there’s Larry David as a put-upon nun (with a very pronounced New Jersey accent) and Jane Lynch as Mother Superior; a subplot involving an angry lion at the zoo and a sick kid at the orphanage.

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For twenty three years, longer than some of the readers of this site have been alive, one of the greatest mysteries on television has carried on with little to no hints as to the truth. Everyone knows who shot JR. Everyone found out the secret behind Twin Peaks.

The Cylons were revealed in Battlestar Galactica. We even all found out just where the survivors ended up in Lost. But no answer was harder to come by than which Springfield the Simpsons actually lived in.

For years, people tried to piece together the landmarks of Springfield and find out just where the Simpsons lived. Which city in the United States out of the 38 cities, towns and townships named Springfield had its own nuclear power plant, gorge, glacier and national forest that was also within driving distance to New York City? People quickly learned the answer is none, but that didn’t stop people from questioning where the Simpsons took place.

When talking to the Smithsonian Magazine, Groening was asked about the generic nature of the name Springfield. Groening replied that, “Springfield was named after Springfield, Oregon. The only reason is that when I was a kid, the TV show Father Knows Best took place in the town of Springfield, and I was thrilled because I imagined that it was the town next to Portland, my hometown.

When I grew up, I realized it was just a fictitious name. I also figured out that Springfield was one of the most common names for a city in the U.S. In anticipation of the success of the show, I thought, ‘This will be cool; everyone will think it’s their Springfield.’ And they do.”

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To be honest, I stopped watching Fox’s drama Bones around mid-season three. Now sure why but it happened, but it did. However, that hasn’t stopped the show from becoming a powerhouse ratings-wise for Fox.

In fact, the network loves the show so much they’ve just renewed it for an eights season. That’s right, no drawn out negotiations or nail biting here, just an early renewal for a show lots of people still seem to love.

“Over the past seven seasons, Hart Hanson, Stephen Nathan and the incredible Bones cast and crew have redefined the traditional crime procedural with an irreverent and adventurous sensibility and I’m really happy to have this distinctive, fan-favorite on our schedule for another season,” Fox entertainment president Kevin Reilly said.

Well, there you have it. Look for Bones to return to Fox’s schedule next Monday with new episodes and then back in the Fall for a brand new season.

If you’re a fan of Fox’s Terra Nova, were disappointed the show has been cancelled but were holding out hope it would find a new lease on life at Netflix, get ready to be disappointed again. Sadly, a deal could not be reached between Netflix and 20th Century Fox TV and, to put it directly, Terra Nova is now extinct.

Well, almost. In one bit of interesting news, Fox has not yet released the show’s cast so that could mean they are still looking for a way to bring the show back. Or, they’re going to shop it to others.

Although, some of the show’s cast, including star Jason O’Mara, have already booked new gigs, that doesn’t necessarily mean anything. Even if O’Mara does get on another show, he could still be required to come back to Terra Nova if it ends up going somewhere else. He would have to honor his contract with Fox for the show.

Still, with Terra Nova costing a lot per episode and it not doing very well in the ratings, it’s very unlikely we will ever see the show again. . . except in reruns. It’s too bad, the show was actually starting to get interesting.

With the “found footage” movie Chronicle making so much money at the box office, especially in relation to how much it cost, it was pretty much inevitable a sequel was going to be made. Fortunately, Fox seems to be playing this one smart and has brought back Max Landis, the writer of the first Chronicle, to pen the sequel.

In case you’re not familiar with Chronicle, it featured actors Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell and Michael B. Jordan playing three high school friends who gain superpowers. Unfortunately, as cool as that may sound, things don’t go exactly as they hoped.

Soon, the trio find their lives going out of control and friendships tested as they explore the dark side. Didn’t they ever see Spider-Man? Great power, great responsibility, that kind of thing? Kids today.

Anyway, Landis will reportedly be working on the sequel as his next project after recently selling projects to both Ron Howard and Disney. Fox is looking at a 2013 release for the Chronicle sequel.

After 3 decades of having a pretty solid streak in the realm of science fiction, Steven Spielberg has finally hit a dud with his very expensive show Terra Nova. Fox has decided to not renew the sci-fi series about a civilization that saves their future by going to the past, or an alternate universe…we’ll never find out.

THR says that while the show may be over on Fox, there still may be hope on a different network.

The news comes as Fox has an increased roster of hourlong dramas, including J.J. Abrams’ Alcatraz and Kiefer Sutherland-Tim Kring’s Touch, and heavy hype surrounding its drama development. Given Terra Nova’s international appeal, however, its studio, 20th Century Fox TV, will attempt to shop the big-budget series to other networks.

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Chuck is back! Well, actually, it’s not really Chuck, sorry. It’s actually the actor who played him, Zachary Levi.

Sorry fans, Levi won’t be back as your favorite reluctant spy. Unless, of course, they decide to do a Chuck movie. Fingers crossed on that one.

Until then, the much sought-after actor has jumped into a new pilot for Fox called Let It Go. The script was written by DJ Nash who will be executive producing with Peter Tolan and Michael Wimer.

Levi will play the male lead of the ensamble comedy which concerns a married man (Levi) and his wife, his best friend and her sister “as they try to navigate, negotiate and sometimes manipulate society’s unspoken rules.” Hmm, sounds good. After all, “unspoken rules” are the most fun to break, right?

No word yet on other casting for the pilot and when or if it will be picked up as a series. However, as we’re big fans of Mr. Levi around here (and writer DJ Nash, who’s a talented so and so), you can bet we’ll be keeping tabs on this one.