Bieber Upsets Batman Fans

Pop douchelette and inexplicable teen-panty-moistener Justin Bieber has taken to Twitter with a rather bold implication that he is set to play Robin in 2015's Batman/Superman team-up movie.

The singer, who is more famous for attacking photographers, spitting on his fans and defacing tributes to Anne Frank with self-agrandizing messages than he is for his music, posted a picture of himself holding what would appear to be a reasonablly authentic-looking mock-up script of the forthcoming Snyder film, with the caption "#robin?"

#wtf

The photo has been met with equal parts revulsion from Batfans and sycophantic squealing from Beliebers. But there's no need to get too angry (or excited) just yet. It's worth noting that just hours before the picture appeared, Bieber made a comment about how it was "time to get funny... or die", implying that this move is a prank, either of his own making, or as a part of Will Ferrell's Funny Or Die video series.

Furthering the "it's a joke, calm down" argument is the fact that the "script" claims that the movie is based on "The Dark Knight Falls" - this was an issue that formed a part of the "Dark Knight" saga of the late 1980s, a story where Robin was not Dick Grayson, Tim Drake or Jason Todd, but rather... Carrie Kelley, a thirteen-year-old girl.

...who bears no resemblance to the bastard

To be fair to the little scamp, it's a prank that seems to be working so far.

And if it is true [and it isn't] then, well, at least the heat may be off Ben Affleck for a while.

Zack Snyder's as-yet-untitled follow-up to Man Of Steel stars Henry Cavill as Superman and Ben Affleck as Batman, and hits cinemas on July 17th 2015. 

Davison Confirms 50th Involvement

First off, it's important to take this with a massive pinch of salt.

But Peter Davison has been speaking of his appearance in Doctor Who's fiftieth anniversary.

Says Davison, who played the fifth incarnation of the Time Lord:

"I'm making an appearance somewhere over that period of time but I can't reveal in what.

"I can't reveal anything specific about it. I'm not allowed to. It is a big year for the show and we're all doing our bit for it. Trust me."

Everything else is just speculation at this point, I cannot stress that enough (and if they had somehow managed to sneak in a past Doctor - or Doctors - into filming without anyone noticing, it would surprise me), but Davison's refusal to reveal just what he's appearing in is very interesting. Surely, if he was just a talking head on one of the documentaries coming up he wouldn't be sworn to such secrecy.

Davison reprises his role in the Children In Need episode "Time Crash"

Now, Davison did make comments about having seen the script for The Day Of The Doctor last week, but David Tennant is his son-in-law, and Moffat has previously stated that no Classic-era Doctors will appear, so I'm not sure how much should be read in to that.

My gut feeling - and that's all this is, it's in no way official - is that this is to do with either the as-yet-unannounced show on BBC Three (which must be something big for the Beeb to hold it back and yet reveal the rest of the TV shows set for the anniversary period), or perhaps even the "special content" that will be on the iPlayer (probably a prequel to the main episode, although the rumours of a McGann minisode refuse to go away).

But again, that's all speculation. All we know is that Davison is doing something.
 
Davison has also been busy lately filming his own comedy short about the past Doctors and their upset at not being invited back for The Day Of The Doctor [which is telling in and of itself] so maybe that's what he's referring to.

Maybe a rousing chorus of "Doctor In Distress" would cheer them up...

...Wait, did he just say "we're all doing our bit"? Speculate away...

The Day Of The Doctor Airs on BBC One and BBC America on November 23rd, and stars Matt Smith, David Tennant, Jenna Coleman, Billie Piper and John Hurt

Bruckheimer Joins Beverly Hills Cop 4?

Jerry Brukheimer continues to be a very busy boy.

 Not letting the commercial failure of The Lone Ranger get him down, Bruckheimer is plowing ahead with 2016's Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, is working on the script for Will Smith/Martin Lawrence reunion Bad Boys 3, and is still pushing for a sequel to Top Gun.

And now it looks like he's returning to the Beverly Hills Cop franchise as producer, at least according to Variety.

The long-standing plans four a fourth movie were recently revived when CBS passed on a pilot for a Beverly Hills Cop series.

The movie is good news at least for Eddie Murphy - the BHC name alone is sure to carry box office numbers, a welcome relief for the actor, who's much touted 2011 comeback Tower Heist failed to get anyone really excited.

Foley sees ahead to future scandals. "I had who in my car?!?"

Sure, the third film was utter gash, but who doesn't want to see Axel Foley back on the big screen? If nothing else, it's about time us movie-goers reclaimed the theme song from that bloody frog.

We still all hate you. Bastard.

Doctors Revisited To Air On Watch

As if the recent announcement of celebratory shows appearing on every major BBC channel - both television and radio - wasn't enough, Watch has announced that the BBC America series "The Doctors Revisited" will air on their channel from October.

The series, which has been airing monthly since January in the States, is designed to get viewers less familiar with the show's history up to date on all the past incarnations of the Time Lord.

While many doubted Moffat when he claimed that Doctor Who would "take over television" for the anniversary, there's certainly a lot of Who-related things heading to our screens this year.

The Day Of The Doctor airs on BBC One and BBC America on the 23rd of November, and stars Matt Smith, David Tennant, Jonh Hurt, Jenna Coleman and Billie Piper.

Two New Thor: The Dark World Posters Unveiled

Marvel have unveiled the latest two posters for the upcoming sequel Thor: The Dark World.

The movie - the second in Marvel's "Phase 2" that will culminate in Avengers: Age Of Ultron in 2015 - features Chris Hemsworth's Thor being forced into a tentative alliance with the villainous Loki when an army of Dark Elves headed by Christopher Eccleston threaten both Asgard and Earth.

The posters show Tom Hiddleston's Loki and Sir Anthony Hopkins as Odin the All-Father.



Hiddleston has gone on record as stating that his hugely popular character will not return for the Avengers sequel, so anyone fancying a cheeky flutter on Loki sacrificing his life to save Thor may well wind up quids in.

Also Starring Idris Elba, Stellan Skarsgård, Natalie Portman, Zachary Levi, Jaimie Alexander, Kat Dennings, Ray Stevenson, Tadanobu Asano, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Rene Russo, Thor: The Dark World releases in the UK on October 30th, with a US release following on November 8th.

See the trailer below:

Star Wars Side-Movies Will Be "Origin Stories"

Disney have confirmed the long-standing rumour that the Star Wars Spin-off movies, set to be released every year that a main trilogy movie is not due, will be "origin stories" for certain characters.

Speaking to Variety, the company's Jay Rasulo refused to comment on which characters will get the nod, although Yoda and Han Solo have long been rumoured.


Yoda makes sense, since he has been computer generated since his return in The Phantom Menace. But  Han Solo could be a tough sell - he was hardly old in A New Hope, so unless they want to go with another angsty teen lead (which has served them so well in the Prequel Trilogy), it may be hard to disguise the fact that Han Solo... isn't Han Solo.

Inevitably, a movie outing for overhyped extra - and the galaxy's worst bounty hunter - Boba Fett, is also rumoured. Sigh.

Although if Robot Chicken has taught us anything, it's that there's only two characters who truly deserve their own movie...

Star Wars Episode VII releases worldwide in 2015, with the first origin movie to follow in 2016.

Grudge Match Debut Image, Trailer

It's the movie we've wanted for decades. Rocky vs. Raging Bull, slugging it out in the ring.

This is no epic drama, though - Peter Segal's comedy sees two retired boxers [Stallone and De Niro] - each with one victory against the other - returning to the ring to finally settle which of them is the greater boxer. Kinda like a more lighthearted Rocky Balboa.

Oh, and I cannot stress this enough, it's Rocky vs. Raging Bull!!

Check out the trailer below.

Also starring Alan Arkin, Kevin Hart, Kim Basinger and The Walking Dead's Jon Bernthal, Grudge Match hits the US on December 25th, and follows to the UK on January 24th 2014

Seven-and-Out? Hugh Jackman Hints At Wolverine Retirement

Speaking to MTV, Hugh Jackman has hinted that the upcoming X-Men: Days Of Future Past may be his last big screen outing as Wolverine.

It may be the last. By the way, it didn't hit me until three weeks before the end [of shooting X-Men: Days of Future Past], because we promoted The Wolverine and I came back on set with three weeks to go, and that's when I went, 'Well, who knows? Maybe there's no more Wolverine. Maybe this is it. Who knows? Maybe',

"So I really made the most of those last few weeks. I enjoyed every time I put the claws on."

Jackman in this year's The Wolverine...

Days Of Future Past will mark the seventh time that Jackman has played Wolverine. The actor has so far appeared in every big-screen outing for the X-Men (although he had but a brief cameo in First Class), and has been the lead in two solo efforts.

...And back where it all began in the first X-Men flick.

Jackman's comments seem far from any sort of confirmation, but it's interesting that he is now speaking with uncertainty over the future of a character that has become so synonymous with the franchise.

X-Men: Days Of Future Past is released May 22nd 2014 in the UK, and on May 23rd in the US.

An Unearthly Child "Unconfirmed"

Doctor Who News is reporting that the BBC Four repeat of An Unearthly Child has been " unconfirmed, pending the resolution of issues with one of the episodes".

 No news yet as to what this issue may be - content could be an issue, I guess, what with the heavy implication that Ian and Barbara enter the TARDIS because they think that The Doctor is being... inappropriate towards Susan, but that's never stopped previous repeats of the serial.

 It was this look that made them suspicious...

While going back to the very start is of course the most appropriate way to celebrate Who at Fifty (especially given that a few of the locations from this serial reappear in The Day Of The Doctor), maybe if this issue, whatever it may be, goes unresolved they may opt to show a Hartnell serial that is (dare I say it) a bit less... tedious.

Geekin' Out will keep you updated. 

New 50th Anniversary Merchandise Revealed

Kasterborous.com has revealed details of four new pieces of kit being released for Doctor Who's Fiftieth anniversary.

There's nothing revolutionary here - these seem more like stocking-fillers for fans at Christmas than anything that will set the hardcore collectors alight, but that said, a lot of these - particularly Risk - seem pretty entertaining.

Top Trumps Turbo: Doctor Who (RRP £24.99, ages 6+, available from September 2013)

 Features 180 new cards across three sets.

Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Jigsaw (RRP £12.99, ages 10+, available now)

A specially-comissioned 1000-piece jigsaw of Van Gogh's painting of the exploding TARDIS. Regardless of your views on jigsaw puzlzles, this is very pretty.

Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Trivial Pursuit (RRP £9.99, ages 12+, available from September 2013)

Pretty much exactly as you'd expect. Should be fun for fans of Who trivia.

 Doctor Who Risk (RRP £34.99, ages 10+, available from October 2013)

The priciest of the lot, but still... YES!

Bill & Ted 3 May Not Happen After All

Strange things are apparently afoot in Keanu Reeve's creative process.


 The oft-discussed threequel to the classic 80s original finally seemed to be plowing ahead. The script was written (courtesy of original writers Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon), the surviving cast members were on board (though George Carlin obviously can't return as Rufus), and according to Alex Winter there were no "legal troubles" or "skirmishes" - everything seemed to be on track for a tale about Bill S. Preston Esq. and his most excellent friend Ted "Theodore" Logan travelling to the future to meet the men they were set to become.

But now it seems that things have taken a turn for the weird.

Speaking to MTV News, Keanu Reeves has claimed that production has entered "a dark period".

Reeves went on to say that "There's lots of subterfuge and conspiracy theories. There's a whole thing. I might have to do one of those independent press, conspiracy, other-name kind of [statements] explaining why it hasn't happened yet, because it's pretty dark out there. There's darkness out there that's keeping it from happening."

Whoa...

Everyone involved seemed to be happy to be on board (and face it, while Keanu is plodding along just fine with his career, Winters could probably use a return to the big screen), so it's very much unclear what Reeves is talking about.

But it all sounds totally heinous.

We'll just have to wait and see if the movie sees the light of day or not. In the mean time, be excellent to each other, and party on, dudes!!

At least Ghostbusters 3 is still on track, right guys? ...Guys?

Why Sleepy Hollow May Be The Most Batshit Brilliant Show Of The New Season

It sounds like a joke, doesn't it? Just take a look at the official synopsis:

In this modern-day retelling of Washington Irving's classic, ICHABOD CRANE  is resurrected and pulled two and a half centuries through time to find that the world is on the brink of destruction and that he is humanity's last hope, forcing him to team up with a contemporary police officer to unravel a mystery that dates back to the founding fathers. 

Wow. This synopsis doesn't even mention that the famous Headless Horseman is dragged into the "future" with Crane, or that "friction and tension" are promised from the fact that Crane's new partner is... get this... a black woman! I know, right?

All it needs is a "Starring Troy Maclure" disclaimer and we have us a Simpsons joke.

Name one show that wouldn't be better if this guy was in the lead role. Name one.

 But let's take a moment to just let this sink in - put aside all cynicism and think about just how joyfully simple and fun this sounds. In an age where new TV shows are either mind-numblingly tedious "reality" shows that attack our faith in humanity with an onslaught of detestible cockbags getting drunk and arguingwith each other in the name of "banter", complex and artistic character studies (not that Mad Men, Breaking Bad et al aren't amongst the very best shows ever made), or tediously predictable - not to mention several years past the window of opportunity - attempts at being the "next Lost" that scream "cancellation fodder" as loud as they can from the off (Revolution, Alcatraz, FlashForward, The Event...), here's a show that looks like it just wants to be a good time, and that doesn't care how dumb it sounds in the process. Seriously - Ichabod Crane travels through fucking time to team up with modern day cops to fight the Headless Horseman and prevent the apocalypse. How ace does that sound?

When the new TV season was announced, like most geeks I poured over the schedules, seeing what looked good (Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. - surely set to be the next Event TV show now that Breaking Bad is winding down; Hostages, which looks set to appeal to the Homeland crowd; The Michael J. Fox show), what looked crap (Dads - Seth Macfarlane doing live-action in what seems like a carbon-copy of the already-weak Grandma's Boy; Mom, which looks like Chuck Lorre doing Cybil and Grace Under Fire again, only this time with the star-power of... Anna Farris - both look like being big hits, unfortunately), and what shows were bound to be cancelled by November (The Tomorrow People, a shiny CW remake of the classic British kids' show, with an "edgy" twist... yawn; Almsot Human, which seems like a disturbingly po-faced version of Mac and C.H.E.E.S.E., starring Karl Urban).

But it was Sleepy Hollow that stood out immediately. Not because of big-name pulling power (with Michael J. Fox, Robin Williams, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Julia Ormond, Rebel Wilson, Beau Bridges and Michael Sheen taking to the small screen, Sleepy Hollow's token big name... er... Orlando Jones doesn't sound much of a draw), but purely by virtue of the concept, and how crazy it sounded. I was grinning like a kid when I first read it, and every revelation since then has only increased my excitement. The fact that, before Crane even comes to the present day, his story is shifted back in time from Washington Irving's original tale, instead taking place in the Revolutionary War (while meanwhile the Massachusetts witch trials are pulled forward in time - and location - to become a part of the story of the Horseman's origin), or that action from the Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse is promised as the show's story arc progresses... Oh, and not forgetting that the key to everything is George Washington's lost bible. Not since the BBC's Robin Hood was faced with electric buzzsaws, weird lava traps and a fucking lion has a show so liberally disregarded the source material in favour of the Rule Of Cool.

And I'm totally okay with that.

For better or worse, this is a show that looks like the focus is purely on having fun. And honestly it's been kinda a long while since we've had a show that has done that with such a grandious abandonment of any hint of pretensiousness.

And also - dare I whisper it? - more surprising than the extreme liberties the show takes with both the source material and with history itself is the fact that the early reviews are actually suggesting that the show may just be something pretty good. Critics have praised the show's "taut and compelling pace", "convincing" special effects, "cinematic" look , and particular the cast, headed by relative unknowns Tom Mison and Nicole Beharie. 

Oh, and that's not to mention that the show has some genuine blockbuster clout behind the scenes, coming from the mind of Underworld/Die Hard 4 supremo [and Mr. Kate Beckinsale] Len Wiseman, and Star Trek scribes Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman.

The show's appeal undoubtedly lies in its unparralleled insanity, but it looks that Sleepy Hollow might - might - just have something to back that up with.

Crane and Abbie Mills investigate. Yep. It's a book.

Whether it's through morbid curiosity, childlike glee, or just pure incredulity, this is a show that's attracted a surprising amount of buzz over the last few months. 

Cancelled by November? Oh, probably.

But it might just be a hell of a ride until then.

Starring Tom Mison, Nicole Beharie, Katia Winter, John Cho, Orlando Jones and Clany Brown, Sleepy Hollow begins in the US at 9pm this Monday, airing on FOX. The Universal Channel has secured the rights to air the show in the UK, but no premiere date has been set as of yet.

Breaking Bad Spin-Off Finally Confirmed

There's been talk for months and months about a spin-off from the insanely popular (and insanely good) Breaking Bad, following the career of shady lawyer Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), and now a deal has finally been reached, with Sony and AMC announcing that the show is to move straight into production, with no pilot episode.

Odenkirk as Saul Goodman in BrBa

Better Call Saul will focus on the early career of Odenkirk's character, focusing on "the evolution" of the character, and what made him the shady rogue who represents Heisenberg.

No word yet on whether Odenkirk will reprise the role.

Meanwhile, Breaking Bad's final season continues apace Sunday nights on AMC in the US, and Mondays on Netflix in the UK.

Moff On Matt: "That's What We're Losing"

Steven Moffat has been speaking to EntertainmentWise about Matt Smith's final episode of Doctor Who, filming for which began this week.

The showrunner praised Smith's performance, saying the departing star is "at the height of his powers".

"It's hard to let go - watching him on set... he's so heartbreakingly good," Moffat continued, "he's so funny, so clever, so inventive."

Smith filming scenes for the Christmas special with co-star Jenna Coleman

Moffat's attention the turned to the incoming Twelfth (Thirteenth?) Doctor. "[Peter] is a brilliant actor and he wanted the part, so that was it." It seems that finding a new star is a somewhat bittersweet experience in many ways, though. Moffat muses "You get all excited about the new doctor and then you go back and you see Matt on his first day back on set, and you think, 'Oh my God, that's what we're losing'."

Matt's last episode is expected to air Christmas Day 2013, and also stars Jenna Coleman and Peter Capaldi.

But before then there's the small matter of "The Day Of The Doctor" on November 23rd...

Whedon Talks Spader

Joss Whedon has explained his reasoning behind casting James Spader in the upcoming Avengers: Age Of Ultron.

Says Joss, speaking to Marvel's video series "The Watcher": "Spader was my first and only choice. He's got that hypnotic voice that can be eerily calm and compelling, but he's also very human and humorous.  Spader can play all of the levels. He's the guy to break the Avengers into pieces."

Sounds good to me.



Spader is perhaps most famous in recent years for playing the slimy-yet-oddly-heroic Alan Shore in the superb Boston Legal, but her proved his blockbuster chops back in the 90s in the original Stargate movie.

We don't know much about the Cinematic Universe's iteration of Ultron. The fact that Ant-Man is confirmed to not appear until his own movie, a few months after Age Of Ultron hits, implies that Hank Pym will not have a hand in creating the AI this time. The smart money is on Stark creating the villain instead (and the autonymous suits in Iron Man 3 point to this outcome), but that remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, there are rumblings that Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth are finally close to sealing the deal n the roles of Quicksilver and The Scarlet Witch respectively, confirming one of the worst-kept secrets in current Hollywoodland. Anthony Mackie is also reportedly set to appear as Falcon, reprising the role he plays in the upcoming Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Avengers: Age Of Ultron releases May 2015, and also stars Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Cobie Smulders and Jeremy Renner.