Variety announced Rene Russo would be playing the role as Frigga, whose husband Odin, to be played by Anthony Hopkins. Frigga is the stepmother to both Thor and Loki, and Loki will become the central villain in this tale, played by Tom Hiddleston.

In other Thor news, the folks over at IGN noticed that Joseph Gatt has a special announcement on his personal website, that he is

"prepping for his most prominent job to date: a (secret) role in the forthcoming Marvel Studios film Thor, slated for release in 2011."

He doesn't say who he is playing, but already the internet is guessing it's for the role of Skurge the Executioner, which he does have the build for. And at least now we know there will most likely be more than one bad guy.

Whiplash is in good company. Here are a few more counter-intuitive weapons from pop culture history.

Movieline is reporting that if all negotiations go as planned, John Malkovich will be playing the bald and pissed off Vulture in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 4. All right, fine, another bad guy in the mix. But wait they're not done yet. According to the site, Anne Hathaway is not in negotiations to be the Black Cat, as we'd previously heard. Instead it's much, much worse.

The 27-year-old actress is currently the top choice for Felicia Hardy, who'd been long-rumored as one of the new characters in this installment. (Other names bandied about for the role included Julia Stiles, Rachel McAdams, and Romola Garai.) However, unlike in the comic books, this Felicia Hardy doesn't transform into the Black Cat. Instead, Raimi's Felicia will become a brand-new superpowered figure called the Vulturess.

Well, I think it's safe to say "no thanks," to that idea. While we like the idea of getting Anne Hathaway in a comic book movie, turning the Felicia Hardy character into the Vulture's distaff counterpart is a sacrifice we're just not willing to take. But take solace in this fact, it's still merely a rumor at this point. And the rumors for this film have been spreading like untamed symbiotes.

Publisher's Weekly noticed this little gem on Amazon. Both complete series will be available soon, along with The Best of Rocko's Modern Life but when, we're not sure. There is no date as of right now, but we'll keep checking. Maybe this is the holiday miracle we've been dreaming about. Now all we need is the complete DVD set of Liquid Television, and we're set.

You can watch the first episode of the The Maxx, which was adapted from Sam Kieth's comic book below, along with the first episode of The Head.

Mania is reporting based on inside sources that McAdams has met with producers for Spider-Man 4 and is the "top contender" for the role of The Black Cat. Let's hope she's the number one pick — McAdams is not only gorgeous, but she sells her characters hard. And she'll have to walk a tightrope to play a slightly unstable, tortured cat burglar, especially since everyone will most likely compare this character to Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman in Batman Returns, even thought they're very different characters.

But also reportedly in the running for Black Cat is Romola Garai, who starred in Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. Slashfilm pointed out that in The Observer she comments about "putting something on tape for a part in Spider-Man 4." And rumors are also running wild that she may also be playing The Black Cat.

Whoever gets cast in the part, we're cautiously optimistic about the Black Cat joining the films — Spider-Man needs a female character who isn't always getting kidnapped.

While Ryan Reynolds gets into shape for his superhero role as Hal Jordan, the film's director explains to Empire Magazine just how much work it's going to take to make this world a reality.

"It's daunting. Just the process, something like 1,300 visual effects shots, it's mind-blowing, quite honestly...It's energised by a battery on the planet of Oa, which taps into the willpower of everyone in the universe..."From that ring you can form constructs. So if you got into a fight, you could form a giant fist. Or a fighter plane."

But that's not all that's revealed, apparently the concept art from months back is spot on, and we'll get to see the Green Lantern travel through space.

"He's the only superhero to my knowledge who regularly goes to another planet. Superman and Batman were essentially locked into a particular city. The Lantern isn't so Earthbound."

The Green Lantern will be released in 2011.

[via Coventry Telegraph]

Instead of Superheroes: Disney Mash-Ups

As much as I love a well-dressed Clark Kent with the Superman T-shirt peeking out from underneath his white button down, we've all seen it before. And sadly, the Watchmen idea is a little played out by now as well. I'm sorry, but the 1,000 Rorschach comic con cosplayers pretty much solidified Rorschach's status as this year's Joker costume. So mix it up, literally. Be a Disney Marvel Mashup like Mickey Venom here. It's clever, timely and most likely the most original costume you'll see all night.

Instead of Sexy Princess/Sexy Beloved Childhood Icons: Undead/Evil Princesses And Villains

Another Halloween, another batch of slutty Disney Princesses and beloved childhood characters getting sexified by the masses. Look, just because they make the costume, doesn't mean you have to wear it. Sexy Snow White and Rainbow Brite are TIRED. We suggest that if you're going to sexify a cartoon princess, do it with edge, twisted princess style — like this overhauled evil Alice get up from horrorland. You could even flip it around and be the baddie, we're actually kind of excited about sexy Maleficent, at least we haven't seen her around the block as many times as Snow White.

Instead of The Joker: Cesar's Joker

We get it, you really, really, really liked Dark Knight's Joker. Well so did millions of other people, which is why the streets are perpetually flooded with Jokers every year, The Office even poked fun at the Joker masses. This year if you must don the old purple suit, at least go retro Cesar Romero style. Don't forget the pencil-thin mustache.

Instead of Bloody Doctor: A Real Science Experiment Gone Wrong, District 9 Style

Every year one of my friends in the medical profession always half asses it with an old pair of scrubs and some fake blood. This is not scary, nor is it interesting. Put a timely spin on this look with a "Prawn" hand! Slap on a "property of MNU" and this amazing arm extension and BAM you're Wikus from District 9. Just remember to say "fook" a lot. Alien hand available on ebay.

Instead of Sexy Cat: Sexy Avatar Cat

Throngs of unwashed, mewing "sexy cats" prowl paws first through our city street every year. But this year, we beg of you, update your kitty ears and tails into a James Cameron approved sexy cat, an Avatar Na'vi. Plus 1,000 points if you wrap it in with Arrested Development's "never nude" shorts.

Instead of Darth Vader: Sexy Vader

While we all love a good Chewy and Han here and there, I'm a little tired of seeing poorly constructed Vaders. Give the old costume a whirl this year and throw a pair of heels on the Dark Lord.

Instead of Leia: Zombie Leia

Same thing that applies to Vader also applies to the tons of Leia costumes, switch it up, take her from beauty to undead lovely with a zombie twist!

William Nolan, the guy who wrote the original novel on which Logan's Run is based, helped craft the continuation of Logan's adventures with the Bluewater team.

According to a release about the series, here's what we have in store:

The pieces are falling into place for Deep Sleep Operative Logan-6 on his clandestine mission to find the ever-elusive Ballard and destroy his precious Sanctuary. But even the best-laid plans can go awry. When his cover is blown, not only does Logan risk being killed, but also he must make a split second decision that transforms him from the hunter to the hunted. In this heart racing continuation of LOGAN'S RUN: LASTDAY, Logan soon discovers that going rogue comes with a price.

The series starts in January, but in the meantime you can take a gander at these goofily awesome covers. They'll make you remember why the blinky lights and shiny clothes of the original flick were so memorably groovy.

Art by Matt Bellisle.

Art by Erich Owen.

Art by Michael Shelfer.

Art by Daniel Gete.

If Venom is going to be, as the trades describe it, "transformed into an anti-hero who becomes a defender of the innocent," then this will most likely be borrowing from Venom's solo titles. Still, was the character of Eddie Brock, as set up in the last Spider-Man, enough to merit his own film? Especially if Columbia Pictures recasts the role, which originally starred Topher Grace. And there's been quite a bit of speculation that they will recast, since Topher is not a "tent-pole" actor.

We'll have to wait to see what Gary Ross does, but right now he's busy rewriting the script for the third time. Plus we still have another Spider-Man film to get through, before this film is ready to be made.

[Variety]

Ron Howard revealed the first tiny details of his film to the LA Times. Howard called the whole project "challenging as it's the first time he's translated a graphic novel.

"It very cleverly uses H.P. Lovecraft in a fictional way, but there's some loose biographical elements. But it certainly has the flavor and the tone of Lovecraft. The character is a very young Lovecraft."

The film is loosly based on Image Comics' graphic novel The Strange Adventures of H.P. Lovecraft which has received fair reviews. Still the worry of a Lovecraft versus Cthulhu showdown makes us nervous, but we'll keep positive, for now.

Agent Provocateurs' autumn line is called New World Order. While this brand is known to be a little racy and out there, some of these new creations are cray-cray. But hey props to letting girls be as crazy as they want to be, like Tarantula - she scares the crap out of me, as do the stripey jailbird musicians.

While doing press for Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, out next week, we got to check in with geek comedian Bill Hader. In an interview we asked the man who makes it rain food about possible new comic books from him and his SNL co-star Seth Meyers, why MacGruber gets a movie and Laser Cats doesn't, and what's happening with Simon Peggs alien road-trip film Paul.

I know you and Seth Meyers wrote that Spider-Man comic, [Spider-man The Short Halloween] are there anymore comic books in your future?

We have a Daredevil idea that we'd like to do.

What's this idea about? How will it be different?

I can't tell you what the idea is. I would say it's kind of the same thing as the Spider-Man book as it's kind of a stand alone. It wouldn't be in the current Daredevil arc. It would be in it's own stand-alone story, kind of how the Spider-Man book was. It doesn't fit into any sort of...but yeah that's how it would be different. And our idea is similar to the Spider-Man one, where it also involves peripheral characters are the main character and Daredevil is influencing the story in different ways. It is that kind of similar thing to the Spider-man one. I know people were kind of mixed on it. Some people liked it and some people were like, "why isn't Spider-Man the main character?" We weren't interested in that, we found that funnier.

My favorite part of SNL these days has been all the science fiction shorts, so when is Laser Cats getting a movie? MacGruber has a movie...I feel like it's justified.

I would love to do a Laser Cats movie. Yeah, maybe... I feel like Macgruber is a little bit more of a hit than Laser Cats is. Andy [Samberg] Akiva [Schaffer] and Jorma [Taccone] really find that so funny. And that's what's great about doing that, you really get a sense of the four of us just making each other laugh at how dumb it is. Because we all grew up making videos. What makes Laser Cats so funny to me is the idea that it's being presented to Lorne Michaels each week, and we actually think it's so good. The Steve Martin one was a lot of fun, where Steve Martin is totally into it like "hey look at this video I made, and it's total shit." Yeah we love doing that.

Will there be a lot more science-fictional sketches in the new season?

I don't know, honestly I have no idea what I'm going to do up until the moment we do it. We had a character last season that we want to do again called "Greg Is Not An Alien." We want to do that again. We tried it once with Zac Efron and it didn't fully work. So we might try that idea again. That was a lot of fun to do. That's John Mulaney, Simon Rich and I, they made that thing so funny.

We're all really excited to see more from Simon Pegg's movie Paul. What's going on with your character in this film?

In Paul, I play a guy named Haggard and it's me and Jason Bateman's character and Joe Lo Truglio's character are these agents who are tracking Simon, Nick and Paul, and Kristen Wiig's character. To put it pretty well, we're kind of like the epic Kota and Midnight Run.

What were the rumors that you were supposed to be the alien in Paul? But now it's Seth Rogen correct?

I think those rumors were started because I did a test for Simon and Nick to show the studios here's what Paul will look like and here's how he will interact with the actors. And Mottola and Simon Pegg and Nick Frost called me and said, "I know this is last minute but would you want to come here and do this real quick almost as like a favor. And I said yeah sure, free trip to London. So I went to London for three or four days, we shot the test and I came back. It was totally not an audition for the character, it was just to help them out. I think that's how all those rumors got started.

Is Paul, the alien, totally human form or CG?

You'll have to see. [Laughs] No I don't know. I honestly don't know now. It's funny you asked that because I don't know — it could be a mix of both.

Until the next season of SNL you can catch Bill Hader in the movie Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, out September 11.

Variety is reporting that Green Lantern screenwriter and Kings producer Michael Green has been hired to reboot the franchise. If Fox's deal remains in place, can we assume superhero franchises like Spider-Man and Iron Man will stay at the same studios they are presently with?

Let's just hope that Fox learned a lesson from its previous PG blunder and will make an attempt to give a bit of depth to the foursome. Hopefully we'll get the Doug Jones Silver Surfer we've been waiting on forever.

August, who had been tapped as the screenwriter on Shazam!, announced in January that the film was dead and buried, citing the sense that movie executives want more superhero movies like The Dark Knight. But producer Michael Uslan quickly assured us that a Captain Marvel movie was still in the works, and it looks like he was telling the truth.

Warner Bros. has announced that Bill Birch (now being affectionately called "Billy" Birch by media outlets to make him sound more like Marvel's alter ego Billy Batson) is on board to write the script. Otherwise, the movie's lineup remains the same, with Get Smart director Peter Segal set to direct.

This may be Birch's first foray into writing for a feature film, having spent most of his Hollywood career as an actor, but he'll have some help along the way. Geoff Johns, who most recently brought the Shazam! family of characters back into DC's limelight with the Justice Society of America arc "Black Adam and Isis," will be co-writing the story with Birch.

[The Hollywood Reporter]

According to KryptonsiteDavid Gallagher (7th Heaven) and Allison Scagliotti (Warehouse 13's awesome Claudia) have been cast as Zan and Jayna in the ninth season of Smallville. And you thought Smallville couldn't sink any lower? Bring on the water transforming Zan. I believe this clever clip expresses exactly why the Wonder Twins should be thrown into lake of fire.

In happier news, TV Guide Magazine has the first look at the cyborg-ish Brian Austin Green who stars in two special Smallville episodes in September as Metallo, the Daily Planet reporter who gets a heart of kryptonite after a tragic accident.

Luke's Landspeeder Bed, 17 Again

Ned Gold, played by Thomas Lennon, was mercilessly teased and bullied in High School. But later he grows up, gets rich, and builds his own nerd palace full of goodies, my favorite being his amazing bed. Take that jocks.

Still, the mural next to his foosball room is pretty grand as well. Apparently there's this whole other plot about Matthew Perry being transformed from and old guy into Zac Efron, but I didn't make it all the way through after all the pausing and rewinding to go and drool over Ned's wonderful toys. Here are some shots of the mural.

Dr. Lazarus' Fan Head Piece, Galaxy Quest

By Grabthar's hammer, by the sons of Worvan, I shall have my Galaxy Quest Dr. Lazarus cap.

Brodie's Comic Collection, Mallrats

You just know Jason Lee's stash has some serious classics hidden in there. Plus, this is the collection that stated the rules we all try to follow: "Touch not, lest ye be touched."

The Van, Fanboys

It has an R2-D2 up top. Enough said.

The Trio's Van, Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Since I'm trying to keep it realistic — because wouldn't we all want a working freeze ray — I'm going to have to say the second automobile I covet, and would happily hot wire home, is The Trio's ride. Especially the horn.

Oscar Goldman Acton Figure, 40-Year-old Virgin

Andy Stitzer's toy collection is, well, ridiculous. There were so many boxes around his house that made me go "ohhh and ahhhh" I lost count. He even had The Six Million Dollar Man's boss, Oscar Goldman, action figure. Second only to his toys is the video game chair...which was pretty amazing.

Darlene's Sandman Fodder, Roseanne

Every so often, Darlene would have poster's of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman up in her room. This is why we love her. I desire not just any Sandman poster but her poster, not just because she was a cool art school chick, but because Joss Whedon was crafty enough to get them posted up on the set.

The Detailed Toy Dioramas, Can't Hardly Wait

First off dioramas are cool, no matter how you cut it, but William Lichter's basement is basically his world recreated by his toys.

Milhouse's Watchmen Babies, The Simpsons

Who doesn't want a copy of the Watchmen Babies DVD that set off comic book writer Alan Moore?

Wayne And Garth's Batman Exit Strategy, Wayne's World 2

Additional thanks to Marc Bernardin and Kara Warner.

At the Teen Choice Awards, Jackman joked that he'd see if Wolverine could use his surf board trophy, for Best Actor in an Action/Adventure movie, in Japan, where the next film will be set...right now. He later elaborated on the quip to MTV. Apparently they're getting started sooner rather than later as the project is currently in development, and not so far off in the future that Jackman thinks he needs to shy away from talking about it.

Also, I want to reach out to the children — sorry teens — who voted for Wolverine as the Best Action/Adventure Film. Really?

That is all.

Hugh Jackman Offers 'Wolverine 2' Update: 'We're Starting To Work On It Now' [MTV Splash Page]

Stardust and Layer Cake director Matthew Vaughn and Mark Millar screened these clips at Comic Con, showing how Vaughn has tweaked the source material to give it a slightly funnier, more traditionally comic book-ish feel. But the live-action superheroes share their on-paper counterparts' propensity for misadventure, as in this intro, which mirrors the book's, but adds a tributary musical cue to comedic effect:

In the second clip, Kick-Ass takes on his first mission, with disastrous consequences:

Here, we get our first look at Nicholas Cage's creepy, sing-songy Big Daddy, engaged in a moment of questionable child-rearing with an uncostumed Hit Girl:

And, in the most violent sequence of the screened footage, we finally get to see Hit Girl in all of her purple-wigged, plaid-skirted, PVC-suited glory:

Calling a comic book purchase a "deal" is sort of an anathema to me. I love comic books — more importantly I love certain comics. The value to me is less in the potential for monetary transaction as it is for the potential for enjoyment. Still, we understand where people are coming from in these trying fiscal times we live in.

That's why we approached every comic book retailer at the San Diego Comic Con to ask for their best recession specials. Some comic book guy-like owners, like Scott Hudlow, the owner of Scott Hudlow Comics of Bakersfield, CA, told us he didn't need no stinkin' value meal for his customers, claiming "there's 100,000 potential customers out there in front of me, why do I need a deal to get them to buy. What value is there in that for me?" He then proceeded to show me his 50% off trade paperback rack.

Others are taking different tacks. The proprietor of What's Hot Comics & Cards had hidden in his dollar-per-issue bargain bins a plethora of $15/$20 silver age comics to entice value-hungry collectors. So, there are certainly deals to be had in San Diego this weekend. To see the seven deals we found, click the next button over at the right to start by seeing how we determined what's a deal.

Almost every retailer on the floor has some kind of a bargain in their booth because, hey, comic shop owners have to keep themselves stocked with nuke-able burritos and rent money — and if the kiddies have less to spend, then they've got to keep pace. Which is how we've created the rules for these "deals." I've put myself in the just-dropped-off-at-the-door laces-untied shoes of a twelve-year-old kid who's been given ten bucks by his or her parents. That ten dollars is a lot of money because his or her dad just lost his job at the GM/Toyota/Tesla plant so he or she wants to get the biggest bang for the buck from a personal as well as a financial value perspective.

But basically the rule is how much can this kid get for ten dollars. Let's find out.

Retailer: Coastline Comics
Booth #: 1137
What You Get:
• Stephen King's Dark Tower: Treachery #1-#5
• Stephen King's Dark Tower: Long Road Home #1-#5
eBay Total Value: $40.00
Your Price: $10.00
Ray's Comic Deal Value Scale: Although the cover price may say you're getting a deal here at $40 for ten books, we've got to say there's probably some better books out there. Still, at least it's the entire storyline, so the kid will feel fulfilled. But although the financial value's high, but the kid's probably better off just reading King's books instead.

Retailer: Major Comics
Booth #: 531
What You Get:
• Hellblazer #2
• Saga of the Swamp Thing #29
• The Thing #1
• Spawn #8
• Silver Surfer #2
eBay Total Value: $25.00
Your Price: $10.00
Ray's Comic Deal Value Scale: At $25, this deal's in the middle of the financial value range. There's also a nice variety of books here with some interesting storylines. I'd have to say this is a nice way to get a kid hooked on a couple new books. Not too shabby for any retailer to be doing at Comic-Con.

Retailer: What's Hot Comics & Cards
Booth #: 708
What You Get:
• Patsy & Hedy #108
• Firestorm: The Nuclear Man #1
• Daredevil #100C
• Dark Horse Comics #7
• Adventures of Superman #500
eBay Total Value: $72.00
Your Price: $10.00
Ray's Comic Deal Value Scale: Huge financial value, but who wants to read "Patsy & Hedy?" Also, a bagged copy of Adventures of Superman #500? He'll never be able to read it without opening it first! There goes that financial value. Well, at least $4.00 of it.

Retailer: Comic Age Entertainment
Booth #: 1343
What You Get:
• Batman: The Cult #1-#4
eBay Total Value: $25.00
Your Price: $10.00
Ray's Comic Deal Value Scale: Another middle of the range financial value deal, but again, at least you're getting the full story line here so the kid'll feel fulfilled with his purchase on the way home. Also, although the subject matter's a bit on the older side, we think we could have handled it at twelve and most kids probably can too.

Retailer: Superworld Comics
Booth #: 5318
What You Get:
• Fantastic Four #176
• Fantastic Four #71
eBay Total Value: $22.00
Your Price: $10.00
Ray's Comic Deal Value Scale: This is one of the retailers who may not have understood the question well enough. Yes, we get two comic books that'll probably rise in financial value over the next ten years, but the kid's going to be bored before he even gets back to the minivan.

Retailer: Graham Crackers Comics
Booth #: 5316
What You Get:
• Strange Tales #161
• Captain America #123
eBay Total Value: $24
Your Price: $10.00
Ray's Comic Deal Value Scale: Same problem here. Who thinks a kid wants a story about Dr. Strange? I mean, there's a reason he lost his book so many times. Just sayin'. Still, it's two high-value (for a kid) books. Hard to beat that.

Retailer: Torpedo Comics
Booth #: 815
What You Get:
• Iron Man #250 - #260
eBay Total Value: $30.00
Your Price: $10.00
Ray's Comic Deal Value Scale: Torpedo Comics basically told us they think the best value's any ten comics in a series for ten bucks. Smart idea — you get a lot of books for a little price and you've got reading material for the next two car rides. True, the financial value isn't that high, this one smacks of a retailer making an effort to give the kiddies what they want.

Fabled graphic novel publisher Last Gasp announced this week that they will be publishing a translation of weird manga The Strange Tale Of Panorama Island, created by Suehiro Maruo.

According to manga translator Ryan Sands:

Panorama is an adaptation of a novella by Japanese detective fiction godfather, Edogawa Rampo. The story takes place at the end of the Taisho era, and follows an unsuccessful science fiction author with an uncanny resemblance to a former classmate/son of a rich industrialist family. When the industrialist's son dies, the author fakes his own death, digs up and hides the other man's body, then washes himself up starving on a beach in a town where the dead man's family lives. After some more intrigue and scheming, he proceeds to take redirect all of their money to build a mysterious pleasure palace island, and live like a sensual weirdo king. Crazy and amazing stuff!

This sounds fantastic to us. There's much nothing more dangerous than a failed a science fiction writer who blows a bunch of money creating fake paradise – I think there may be some parallels between this manga and the story of Scientology.

And this isn't the only tale of a criminal science fiction author coming out soon. The upcoming movie Gentlemen Broncos> features Jemaine Clement as a famous SF author who plagiarizes ideas from a student. (You can see a fake web site for this fake author here – it's hilarious, filled with videos of Jemaine Clement.)

Via Same Hat! Same Hat! and Anime News Network