Crazy like a Fox.

The forthcoming Nolan Batman adds Morgan Freeman to the mix as “Lucius Fox, a respected businessman and the CEO of billionaire Bruce Wayne’s mega-conglom, based in Gotham City.” (If this is some character from the comics, I’ve never heard of him.) Also, Neeson is confirmed as Ras Al Ghul, meaning the only high-profile character left is Commissioner Gordon (which Chris Cooper, sadly, already turned down.)

Haircut 100.

A day after the announcement of the Original Trilogy DVDs (coming this September – unfortunately, they’re the Greedo-shoots-first versions), a new wave of Episode III pics make it online, including Anakin and Padme in full, bad-hair glory. After killing Indy IV due to a, ahem, *bad script*, Lucas now has extra pressure to make this Star Wars movie a keeper. Well, I for one have gone to the dark side…if there’s hope for this franchise, I don’t sense it.

The Calculus Affairs.

In a strange bit of movie news, Steven Spielberg and Roman Polanski may be heading rival Tintin projects. Moreover, the Spielberg version is looking at Rupert “Ron Weasley” Grint or Jamie Bell as the boy detective in question…Not exactly star wattage, but I could see Bell in particularly working out. (And I could also see Spielberg going to the well and putting Tom Hanks or somebody as Captain Haddock.) As for a Polanski Tintin…I’m scared to think about it.

El Retorno del Rey, extendida.

And before we write off Return of the King for good, there’s still room for a little more. A Spanish LotR fan site compiles all the Return of the King extended edition pics floating around, along with their thoughts (in Spanish) on how they’ll fit back in. (Thank you, Babel Fish.)

Sigh.


More news on the Hitchhiker’s front: Apparently Warwick (Willow) Davis will be playing Marvin the Paranoid Android, and this Marvin prototype suit by Jim Henson’s workshop leaks online. I really like this look for Marv, not that he really cares one way or another what a pea-brained humanoid like me finds appealing, mind you.

Harvey and the Moff.

In a bizarre conflation of sinister intergalactic bureaucrats, Wayne Pygram, a.k.a. Farscape‘s Scorpius, is cast as Grand Moff Tarkin (well, more than likely) in Episode III. There’s also some goofy rumor going around that Peter “Chewbacca” Mayhew has been signed for four SW films. Sheah. Update: On a semi-related Star Wars note, check out this tricked-up “H-Wing” Civic del Sol (More here.)…now here’s a guy who’d be into a third SW trilogy.

Gotham’s Finest.

While unconfirmed, an interesting scoop for the Nolan Batman (apparently titled Batman: Intimidation) has recently emerged online: Apparently, neither Viggo nor Cillian Murphy are playing the villains – they have yet to be cast. In fact, Viggo is somebody named Judson Caspian (apparently, Katie Holmes’s father…I dunno, this sounds like Ras Al Ghul/Talia to me), while Murphy is playing a young Harvey Dent (a.k.a. Two-Face, previously portrayed by Billy Dee Williams in the first Batman and hammed into the ground by Tommy Lee Jones in Batman Forever.) More intriguing still, the scooper says Chris Cooper is on for Commissioner Gordon. (Michael Caine is already squared away as Alfred.) Perhaps it’s all fanboy wishful thinking…but that sounds like great casting.

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

creeps about this petty pace ’til Summer 2004, as three sci-fi/fantasy trailers are released in the wake of the King: Vin Diesel returns in The Chronicles of Riddick, aka Pitch Black 2. I enjoyed the first one decently enough, but this teaser doesn’t do anything for me. Meanwhile, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Angelina Jolie fight giant robots in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, which looks like a great idea for a short film but may be hard to sustain for a full two hours. (And Jolie looks ridiculous.) Finally, Spiderman 2 gets the Quicktime treatment (I already commented on this one here.)