Random News of the Week (May 25, 2009 - May 31, 2009)

Jon Favreau had a few words about IRON MAN 2 this week. Favreau hints that the Jim Rhodes (Don Cheadle) character could be decked out as War Machine sooner than you may think - "Rhodesy is definitely stepping up in this film. Let me put it this way: Tony's not the only person with technology in the film." Mickey Rourke went on to say, “It's been really brutal, because my Iron Man suit weighs 23lb. It's sort of a half-suit, with half my skin showing, with lots of Russian tattoos, because [Whiplash is just] out of a Russian-zone prison."

Chevy Chase is coming out of semi-retirement to play Hot Tub repairman for Cusak’s comedy HOT TUB TIME MACHINE. Chase will play the repairman who may have something to do with the ability for Cusak’s hot tub to be able to send him in time. The story follows a bunch of unsatisfied guys, including John Cusack and Rob Corddry, who get thrown back to their younger days in 1987 via their Jacuzzi.

In what appears to be the worst news in recent memory and virtually guarantees a disaster of a film, Ridley Scott and Tony Scott will be producing (Ridley will not be directing) a prequel to ALIEN. The idea is to return to the formula of the first film (one alien, one ship) and the film could be a non-Ripley involved film set before the events on the Nostromo to avoid both continuity problems. Here’s where it all breaks down… They are going with music video director Carl Erik Rinsch! WTH!

Great news! Paul W.S. Anderson is officially off of the CASTLEVANIA film adaptation. His contract has expired and he is moving on.

Al Pacino is in talks to play the title role of Jack “dr. death” Kevorkian in a biopic about his struggle to build and promote his assisted suicide machine. Kevorkian, also known as Dr. Death, assisted in more than 150 cases of suicide and had beaten the state court system in Michigan numerous times, but was finally convicted after he willingly sent a videotape of himself euthanizing a terminally ill man to "60 Minutes." He was convicted of second-degree murder in 1999 and is serving his sentence in a maximum-security prison in Michigan.

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN and CRYSTAL SKULL screenwriter Jeff Nathanson has been hired to pen Summit Entertainment's THE SECRET LIFE OF HOUDINI.

The vampire villain Morbius has previously been rumored for the fourth SPIDER-MAN film and this week when asked about it, Sam Raimi gave a rather knowing and coy response in a video interview. This would be right up Raimi’s alley.