Author: Josh Wigler

Ever wanted to ride shotgun in the red cab of Optimus Prime’s big rig truck? Get in the cockpit of Starscream’s fighter jet? Now’s your chance, as Universal Studios has announced a Transformers attraction at its parks in Hollywood and Singapore. The attractions are scheduled to open in 2011, two years after the release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

According to a press release, the Transformers ride will utilize "3D-HD media, mega special effects and stunning robotics with a ride system that will transform perceptions of theme park experiences. The rides are scheduled to make their debuts in early 2011, first at Universal Studios Singapore and then at Universal Studios Hollywood."

"Transformers will be a jewel in our collection of world-class rides based on great movies," says Tom Williams, Chairman and CEO of Universal Parks & Resorts. "We’re thrilled to be collaborating with Hasbro, DreamWorks, director Michael Bay and the film’s executive producer, Steven Spielberg, who has been responsible for so many of our signature rides and attractions."

"We are thrilled to be working with Universal Parks & Resorts and DreamWorks to create this Transofmers attraction because we believe it will deliver an ultimate one of a kind immersive Transformers experience for our fans around the world!" said Brian Goldner, President and CEO of Hasbro, Inc.

Just be careful that the ride doesn’t transform with you inside of it. That would suck. (more…)

Pineapple Express director David Gordon Green has been tapped to direct Freaks of the Heartland, an adaptation of the Dark Horse graphic novel from Steve Niles and Greg Ruth, for Overture Films. The screenplay was written by Peter Sattler and Geoff Davey. Green will produce alongside Dark Horse Entertainment president Mike Richardson, with Steve Niles executive producing.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 2004 limited series centers on "the horrible secret of a rural Middle American town involves Trevor Owen’s attempts to protect his ‘monster’ of a 6-year-old younger brother and Gristlewood Valley’s other ‘freaks’ from their parents’ worst instincts."

Overture Films is currently developing other genre movies Pandorum and a remake of George A. Romero’s The Crazies. Their most recent release was the Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro starring Righteous Kill.

Freaks of the Heartland is the second of Steve Niles’ graphic novels to be adapted for film. 30 Days of Night, arguably Niles’ most commonly known work, was released in 2007 by director David Slade. Josh Hartnett, Melissa George, Danny Huston and Ben Foster starred in the film.

In supernatural sequel news, Seth Rogen spoke to Collider about his unofficial attachment to the newly speculated Ghostbusters 3. The film reportedly involves the original Ghostbusters recruiting a new generation of spook-stalking experts, allegedly played by Judd Apatow favorites — namely Rogen.

Asked if anyone has formally spoken to him about the film, Rogen replied: "No. Not at all."

"It’s hard to imagine that [Ghostbusters 3] would be good, isn’t it?" Rogen admits. "I mean just as a movie fan, I am the first guy to be skeptical of that. It sounds like a terrible idea when you first hear it. At first, hearing it sounds like the worst idea ever."

That doesn’t mean Rogen’s totally out on the idea, but it’ll take a lot to get the actor on board.

"[Ghostbusters 3] would have to be one motherf***ing good script," Rogen says. "There is a point where it’s so bad, it’s really easy to say no."

Click here to check out Rogen’s thoughts on other projects, including The Green Hornet.

In other news, if you ain’t afraid of no ghost, then maybe you’re afraid of zombies. At least you should be if it’s Paul W.S. Anderson zombies we’re talking about. The director of the Alien vs. Predator, Death Race and the Resident Evil trilogy wants to return for more zombie bashing fun.

"I’m writing an adaptation of the Long Good Friday right now, set in present-day Miami," Anderson tells the Sunday Sun. "Then I will probably write Resident Evil 4."

The most recent Resident Evil: Extinction concludes with series star Milla Jovovich’s Alice in an Umbrella Corporation facility filled with hundreds of her clones. Taking a cue from Neo in The Matrix, Alice then calls Umbrella executives to tell them she’s coming for vengeance with an army of herselves. Certainly sounds sequel worthy, eh? Eh?!

Zeljko Ivanek is joining the cast of Heroes for a multi-episode arc as The Hunter, a charcter debuting in the show’s fourth volume, Fugitives. Fugitives, the follow-up to the current Villains arc, is set to debut either in January or February 2009 with the season’s 14th episode.

According to Kristin at E! Online, "Since [Volume Four] is all about fugitives, the role of the Hunter sounds pretty key, don’t you think? Tommy Lee Jones has nothing on this newbie, from what I hear…"

Ivanek has made a career out of playing smarmy, villainous characters. He’s turned memorable performances as Andre Drazen on 24, Governor Devlin on Oz and Dr. Edmund Burke on Lost. Most recently, the actor won an Emmy award for his portrayal of Ray Fiske on FX’s Damages and will reprise his role as the tortured lawyer when the series returns for a second season in January.

With Ivanek’s character described as a "Hunter," the implication is that he’ll be tracking down super-powered individuals. Will he be on HRG’s side? Against him? With The Company, or with its rival Pinehearst? Either way, his presence is bound to complicate an already complex plot.

Heroes‘ current arc, Villains, has been met with higher critical acclaim than the second season Generations arc, despite a drop in ratings. What superpower will it take to bring viewers to the show? You tell us!

IESB attended a press junket for the upcoming Malcolm Lee-directed Soul Men starring Samuel L. Jackson and the late Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes. When asked if he’d be returning as Nick Fury for Iron Man 2, Samuel L. Jackson gave the thumbs up.

"Jackson replied that as a matter of fact, Iron Man director Jon Favreau spoke to him at the Scream Awards," reports IESB. "Favreau told Jackson that Nick Fury would have a much more prominent role in the second one."

The site is quick to point out that "[a prominent role] isn’t hard to accomplish considering he was relegated to the end of the film with a very short cameo."

Jackson later joked that he’ll make sure to sign a contract after Terrence Howard’s widely reported drop from the super-hero sequel. Don Cheadle will replace Howard as Jim Rhodes in Iron Man 2.

Later at the junket, Latino Review got the chance to ask Soul Men director Malcolm Lee if he’d ever be interested in working on a super-hero franchise. Lee replied that he’d love to direct an Iron Fist and Power Man dually headlined film. The two are commonly known to comic fans as Heroes for Hire.

"You got a white karate dude and a big blaxplotation dude," says Lee of the property. "I want it to be an action-comedy."

He described his desired tone for the movie as an aciton-comedy "in the vein of Bad Boys … as far as the comedy dynamic [goes] between [Luke Cage and Danny Rand.]"

While Lee wouldn’t talk about his ideal casting, there have been previous rumblings of a Tyrese Gibson starring Power Man and a Ray Park starring Iron Fist. Gibson reprises his role as USAF Tech Sergeant Epps in the upcoming Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, while Park will be seen next summer as Snake-Eyes in G.I. Joe.