Variety reports that Cage is in talks to play a "gangster villain" in Gondry's film adaptation of The Green Hornet, starring funnyman Seth Rogen as a bumbling superhero. Presumably, this is the same villain Gondry described in earlier interviews: a "horrible" fellow with a double-cannon gun that lets him "shoot people in both eyes with one shot."

Cage's previous foray into comic-book films (the ill-conceived Ghost Rider) was anything but a success, and it is possible that, with Stephen Chow's departure from the role of popular sidekick Kato, the studio is looking to bring bigger names to the project (like Cameron Diaz, rumored to be playing the film's love interest). But I suspect that we're actually getting a glimpse of Gondry's Green Hornet master plan.

The central theme of this version of The Green Hornet is that the eponymous hero is severely outclassed by his more competent – and popular – sidekick, and Gondry might well be expanding that idea of mismatched characters across the entire cast. If Cage's particular brand of strange intensity seems at odds with Rogen's earnest persona, that's probably the point. Gondry may well be deliberately casting actors who normally wouldn't share screen time to create his won unique flavor of superhero stew.

It does seem a risky balancing act for Gondry, one made even more complicated by the difficult job of recasting Kato. But I, for one, am looking forward to watching him try to pull it off.

[Variety]

Production Weekly Twittered this week about a new movie called Villain, describing it as:

In Richard Warren Stern's "Villain," a supervillain finds his most diabolical inventions have been stolen and used to terrorize the globe.

I wonder if this film will actually make a meaningful distinction between terrorists and supervillains, since it's hard to see a real difference most of the time. But perhaps it's another villain who steps to the plate, and not really a terrorist at all. Which sounds an awful lot like this dreadful claymation movie, the other Villain.

Here's the claymation Villain's plot:

Koil, a super villain, is caught by the police. After escaping prison, he decides to quit his villain ways and to become a normal person. Every thing seems fine, until his replacement villain is chosen and the city is in more danger than it has ever been.

I'm assuming these are two different movies called Villain, but you never know. The rumor boards say the claymation Villain has been canceled due to funding (clay is expensive!), but the release date is still set to 2010.

Dr. Horrible (Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog): Aspiring supervillain Dr. Horrible sings of his hatred of Captain Hammer, his unrequited love for Penny, and, of course, his freeze ray.

Dr. Abner Sedgwick (It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…It’s Superman): In the television adaptation of this Superman musical, David Wayne plays Dr. Sedgwick, a ten-time Nobel also-ran seeking to take revenge on Sweden.

The Joker (Batman): The Joker was supposed to get a musical number in the never-produced Batman musical. But he does get a song in The Killing Joke.

And another in the Animated Series episode “Christmas with the Joker.”

Dr. Frank-N-Furter (The Rocky Horror Picture Show): When he isn’t building himself living sex toys or murdering Meat Loaf, Frank offers a little musical exposition.

Mr. Hyde (Jekyll & Hyde): Mr. Hyde (who looks and sounds suspiciously like David Hasselhoff in addition to Dr. Jekyll) belts out showtunes about murder, darkness, and lust.

Rotti Largo (Repo! The Genetic Opera): The ruthless head of GeneCo, Rotti helped create and profits from a system that makes organ repossession legal, hiring an army of legal assassins known as Repo Men.

HAL 9000 (2001: A Space Odyssey): The homicidal computer system starts to go a little nuts as David Bowman initiates his shutdown sequence. As HAL dies, he sings the same song sung by BM 7094 in 1961, “Daisy Bell.”

Oogie Boogie (The Nightmare Before Christmas): The Boogie Man is one of the few denizens of Halloweentown who is not merely frightening but malevolent as well. And he thinks that “Sandy Claws” will be the perfect addition to his Snake and Spider Stew.

Audrey II (Little Shop of Horrors): This alien vegetable takes a break from munching on human flesh to illuminate her plan for world domination in song.

Siren (The Titans): Atlantean ecoterrorist Siren can sing humans into submission, but didn’t get a musical number in the Aquaman pilot.

Dr. Drakken (Kim Possible): How does Kim Possible’s mad scientist nemesis unwind? With karaoke, of course.

Sweet (Buffy the Vampire Slayer “Once More, With Feeling”): The villain of Joss Whedon’s other musical, Sweets is a singing, dancing demon. And when he sings, the world sings with him.

Fu Manchu (The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu): In Peter Selles’ comedy, Fu Manchu must round up the ingredients to his age-regressing elixir. And with ultimate victory comes a musical number.

The Robot Devil (Futurama): When the Robot Devil grows bored with tormenting robot souls in Robot Hell, he rounds up his robot band and sings robot songs.

The Goblin King (Labyrinth): Casting David Bowie as your flamboyant villain doesn’t necessitate musical numbers, but they certainly don’t hurt.

GLaDOS (Portal): After spending most of the game trying to kill you and promising you cake, GLaDOS adds insult to injury by assuring you, in song, that you haven’t destroyed her.

Number 21 and Number 24 (The Venture Bros.): Monach henchmen 21 and 24 may not be so good at the evil, but they do a mean rendition of Holst’s “Mars.”

The Master (Doctor Who): Once the Master has taken over the world, has apparently defeated the Doctor, and is on the verge of creating a massive time paradox, he celebrates with a little Scissor Sisters.