We’ve been following this one for at least a year now when word first surfaced that a new Buffy: The Vampire Slayer movie was in the works. Now, it looks like the deal is finally going through, although the players have changed a bit, and we will be seeing a brand new big screen incarnation of the character. I’ll let the excitement of that one sink in.

Now for the disappointment: Joss Whedon will have nothing to do with the film. Yes, in the infinite wisdom of Warner Bros. and the new film’s producers, the man who created the character, the entire world in which she resides and guided the successful TV series through seven seasons will be left behind as this new project moves forward.

Instead, the new film will be scripted by newcomer Whit Anderson who’s sole writing credit on IMDB is a film that hasn’t even been produced yet. In other words, she’s done nothing to prove herself or her work. Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. I’m sure her take on the material was really compelling.

In case you can’t tell, I don’t really understand why anyone would think not having Whedon involved is a good idea. And I’m sure I’m not the only one.

In fact, Joss Whedon himself thinks these development are rather strange and has responded to the news in true Joss fashion. He sent the response to E! Entertainment via email. Click through to read the whole thing. . . it’s pretty funny.

In an era where things like Monopoly, Battleship, and Stretch Armstrong are all getting turned into big-time movie properties, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Warner Bros. is planning a movie adaptation of the 60’s sitcom Gilligan’s Island.

The show, which surrounded the crash of the S.S. Minnow, leaving 7 strangers deserted on an island, went on for 98 episodes, including some big specials with guest stars like The Harlem Globetrotters. According to Variety, the film is set to be a major reboot, with some of the original creative team helping out.

Charles Roven and Richard Suckle are onboard to produce for Atlas, with Brad Copeland penning the screenplay. Original show producer Sherwood Schwartz is aboard to exec produce along with son Lloyd Schwartz.

Plans are for a contempo take on the well-known premise and characters, with the studio and the Schwartzes’ blessing Copeland’s initial idea for the screenplay. Roven told Daily Variety that he’s hoping to start production as early as next year but won’t move forward on seeking a director or cast until Copeland’s script is completed.

“The characters are so good,” Roven added. “We think it’s going to be a great story to transport these cultural icons to the modern day.”

The film is currently in the stages of being written, with Wild Hogs writer Copeland typing away. No word yet on who they are looking to for casting, but you can imagine that they’d want to amp up a film like this with some of the bigger names in Hollywood.

Might we suggest Dan Aykroyd and Jay Baruchel as The Skipper and Gilligan? Who would you cast as the 7 castaways? Let us know!

Coming off the success of $9 million in seven weeks in limited release for The Hurt Locker, Paramount is reteaming director Kathryn Bigelow and writer Mark Boal to work on the action-adventure Triple Frontier, with Charles Roven (producer, The Dark Knight), Alex Gartner (Get Smart) and Steve Alexander (Swimming with Sharks) producing through their Atlas Entertainment banner. From Variety:

“Triple Frontier” is described as a high-stakes ensemble project. Boal and Bigelow, who will both exec produce, sold the original idea together; the logline is being kept under wraps. Boal’s writing the script, set in the notorious border zone between Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil where the Igazu and Parana rivers converge — making “la triple frontera” difficult to monitor and a haven for organized crime.

Producer Charles Roven told Variety he’s hoping to begin production on Triple Frontier next year. He’s in post-production on historical drama Season of the Witch and is producing Sam Raimi’s Warcraft adaptation for Warner Bros. We’ll be sure to have more information on the film as it develops, and The Hurt Locker is open now in limited theaters across the country.