Author: Robert Greenberger

Cinema Blend is reporting that rather than Gore Verbinski, Tim Burton may helm the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean feature for Disney. While the rumor is unsubstantiated, the site values its source.

Additionally, the film may introduce a brother for Captain Jack Sparrow, giving Johnny Depp someone new to play off of. Additional rumors have the story centering on Sparrow’s search for the Fountain of Youth. Geoffrey Rush is also said to be interested in returning to the high seas.

If any of the above is true, we feel it will most certainly refresh the franchise and possibly allow it to sail towards open seas where the possibilities are endless as opposed to getting further tangled in its convoluted mythos. Certainly, replacing Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom as his foils would keep things new.

Jimmy Gownley’s delightful Amelia Rules! has been picked up by a division of Simon & Schuster for repackaging for the bookstore market.  Gownley began sel-fpublishing the comic in 2001 thoruhg his Renaissance Press imprint and features the advenuteres of Amelia Louise McBride and her fourth grade buddies.  Since its inception, the series has tackled real world issues through the prism of youth and has received priase.

The series has been nominated for three Eisner Awards,  two Harvey Awards, and a short list finalist for the Howard E. Day Prize. in 2002. In 2007 Amelia Rules Volume 3: Superheroes won the Cybil Award for Best graphic novel for readers twelve and under.

Ginee Seo Books, an imprint of Atheneum/Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, will reprint the first four Amelia Rules! trade collections beginning with Amelia Rules!: The Whole World’s Crazy to be published in Spring 2009 and the last reprint Amelia Rules!: When the Past is a Present scheduled for release in Spring 2010. The fifth volume, Amelia Rules!: The Tweenage Guide to Not Being Unpopular will be the first original publication with the hardcover and paperback scheduled to come out simultaneously in Fall 2010.

“Jimmy is a true creative genius, and Amelia Rules! has that rare combination of mass appeal and literary substance that every publisher dreams about. We are thrilled for Jimmy to be joining the S&S list, as we work to expand our list with some of the top comic and graphic novel talent publishing today, and we look forward to making his name and his characters known to even wider audience beyond his already substantial following,” said Ginee Seo, VP, Editorial Director of Ginee Seo Books.

Jimmy Gownley added in a release, “It was important for me to find the perfect home for Amelia Rules! and I strongly believe Simon & Schuster and Ginee Seo books are a great match. I am more excited than ever about Amelia and kids graphic novels in general”

Trevor von Eeden returns to comics tomorrow with a series that is especially meaningful to our American culture.  It’s the story of boxer Jack Johnson, whom von Eeden describes as “the first psychologically free black man in American History.” This is the first major biography of Johnson created by an African-American artist.

The Original Johnson is the story about the man behind the face, a boxer who defeated white men in the ring and took their women after the show, who openly triumphed in white society. He was self-educated, well-read and fluent in three languages. And yet, as von Eeden says, “unlike today’s uncouth gangsta-rapper-thug black ‘stars,’ Jack Johnson had taste, style and class.  He conquered racist America because he saw everything from the point of view of his own private joke.  I want to explain that joke to our audience.”

Mike Gold, editor-in-chief of ComicMix, said, “I’ve known Trevor for more than three decades, and this is the best I’ve ever seen him do. This 240 page graphic novel is the work of a man reaching his creative peak.”

The timing could not be better as Congress last month passed a resolution, recommending President Bush grant a pardon for Johnson’s 1913 conviction, recognizing the racist overtones, and in order to exonerate Johnson and recognize his contribution to boxing. A similar Senate bill was sponsored by John McCain.

Johnson (1878-1946) was the first black heavyweight champion in the boxing world, reigning from 1908-1915 and participated in the first "Fight of the Century", defeating James J. Jeffries, the former champ, in 1910. The 1913 conviction was regarding his bi-racial marriage which was said to be a violation of the Mann Act.

After retiring from the ring, he opened a Harlem night spot in 1920 that became to be famously known a few years later as The Cotton Club. Johnson also holds a patent for modifications he made to a wrench.

Von Eeden remains the youngest artist employed by DC Comics, joining the company in 1977 and debuting on Black Lightning.  He continued to work for the company for years and may be best remember for his work on Thriller, co-created with Robert Loren Fleming.  He has also done extensive work for Continuity Associates and commercial efforts.

The Original Johnson will run every Wednesday on ComicMix.
 

There’s a lot of prequel/sequel talk in the air this week.  First, rumors have it that Jennifer Aniston is being offered tons of cash to reprise her character in a follow-up to The Break-Up, opposite Vince Vaughn.

On the other hand, Corey Haim says he’s up for a Lost Boys film; one he claims will be a prequel to the first film and not a follow-up to the direct-to-DVD sequel that was released in July. He told Bloody Disgusting, “I’ve seen the whole movie; I don’t like it, to be honest with you. I don’t like it, I’m not gonna lie to you. I don’t like it as much as the first one.”

No official word has come from Warner Bros. or any of the Lost Boys participants so Haim could be drumming up work for himself. Still, he clearly had his own vision of how the next film should be done. “[The] direction [will be] more so like the first one…" Haim described. "As far as I heard, it will be thrown back into the proper genre it was when Joel [Schumacher] executed it.”

Warner Bros. announced yesterday that they have signed a three-year first-look deal with The Office’s Steve Carell. The deal, according to Variety, has led to the formation of Carousel Productions to be overseen by Vance DeGeneres and Charlie Hartsock.

The new deal does not guarantee a sequel to the television spin-off, but given its $230 million success around the world, the gears have started to turn.  Anne Hathaway, his co-star, already told the press she was up for a second film.

"My idea was to partner with friends of mine, people I trusted, with whom I share a certain sensibility," Carell told Variety. "I have some ideas for films, but I’ve gotten to know so many people who are funny, talented and fertile with ideas that I’m confident this very strong base of friendships will lead to projects."

After the fifth season of the NBC hit, he will co-star with Tina Fey as spouses in Date Night for 20th Century-Fox and director Shawn Levy.
 

The cast for Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland is rounding out with the addition of Anne Hathaway as the White Queen opposite Helena Bonham Carter’s Red Queen according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The film has already begun shooting with Mia Wasikowska scenes as Alice outside the looking glass having been completed in Australia.

The White Queen is described in the story as “a benevolent monarch who is deposed and banished by her sister, the Red Queen, who has an affinity for crying out, ‘Off with their heads!’

The cast also includes Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter. Burton is shooting both live-action and motion-capture work for the film, which Disney Studios will release in 2010.
 

Velile Tshabalala will guest star in 2008’s Doctor Who Christmas special, “The Next Doctor”.  In a profile published in West Sussex Today, she revealed some details about her character Rosita, "I am just so excited about it. We filmed it in April in Cardiff and Gloucester and Monmouth and so it has died down a bit, but now it is getting closer and I just can’t wait.

"It is just a one-off Christmas special but out of all the episodes I could have been asked to do it is far better that it is this one. The Doctor is faced with another Doctor. Rosita is the assistant to the other Doctor but as the episode goes on she starts helping the Doctor we know."

Will she follow the debut of Donna Nobel in a special and become the Doctor’s next assistant?

"A lot of people have been saying that it hasn’t yet been decided who the next assistant will be. But obviously I would love to do more. At the moment I am just being positive about it, that I did it and that I had a great time. But I would love to be in it again if I can."

Tshabalala is a comedic actress who debuted first appeared on CBBC’s Kerching! fdollowed by three season of Tittybangbang and had an appearance on ChuckleVision.

Her film work includes 2004’s Streets.