Producer Ari Lerner told The Los Angeles Times that Brett Ratner was the “perfect” choice to direct a new version of Conan the Barbarian.

"He has the passion and feeling for this project — he even wrote a story about Conan when he was 10 years old," Lerner said. "He understands the character; he analyzed the script really well. He knows how to make this a really big movie. I like his childlike enthusiasm–he almost sees these movies as wonderful toys. What can I say, he’s a nice, likable Jewish boy."

He confirmed that although the news broke over the weekend, the director remains unsigned. He has though spoken with the screenwriters who were rushing a new draft to see if his ideas made the script more to his liking.

"We still have a few obstacles," Lerner said. "Brett is only committed if we agree on a budget, on how to do the special effects and exactly where we’d shoot the film." Lerner has a studio in Bulgaria, so he’d like to shoot most of the movie there, with some exterior work in China.

"Let me make this very clear," Ratner told the Times. "I am not doing Conan now. This is totally premature. For now, Conan is only a development deal. I have a deal at Paramount and I’m doing Beverly Hills Cop first, no matter what. Avi shouldn’t be telling you or anyone else in the press what I’m doing."

The story went on to explore how the announcement may have surfaced before contracts were signed. With the American Film Market occurring at the time, Lerner was likely making noise in order to sell foreign distribution rights and raise capitol he’d need for the production.

The film rights to Robert E. Howard’s barbarian hero have bounced around Hollywood since Dino De Laurentiis failed to get a green-light despite five years’ effort at Warner Bros. Paradox Entertainment, a Swedish company, picked up the rights then sold them for $2.5 million to Lerner nearly a year and a half ago.

"Everyone was after it, from New Line to Paramount to Universal," he says. "But we acted quicker. The studios always say they need a committee to discuss the decision and then run the numbers. With us, it’s very simple. I talk to my partner, Danny Dimbort, and then I say yes."

He fully expects Ratner to shoot Beverly Hills Cop 4 first and let development continue on Conan which he’d film next. Meantime, the producer said he wants to find a younger Arnold Schwarzenegger for a 3-4 picture deal.

"I saw Arnold in Las Vegas at the premiere of Rambo," Lerner said. "He said, ‘Wait two years for me — I’ll be coming back.’ But I can’t wait that long." Lerner did offer the Governor $1 million for a cameo.

Earlier this week we reported that Showtime was looking at a modern day retelling of the Camelot tale and now Ain’t it Cool News is reporting that director Terence Malick (The New World) is developing his own take on the legendary court of knights.

The Independent on March 23, 2002, first wrote about this, saying, "[Jim] Caviezel’s old friend Malick (also a Catholic) is apparently planning to make a film of the Middle English poem, Gawain and the Green Knight. Gawain is a proud and virtuous knight tempted three times by a beautiful lady, the Green Knight an emissary from God who ultimately exposes the chinks in his armor. Caviezel may well have talked himself out of a job by the time Malick gets round to casting, but he’d make a perfect Gawain. He’s so determined to be a saint, but what he always sounds is human."

Freshman series My Own Worst Enemy, starring Christian Slater, has been canceled by NBC, along with sophomore entry Lipstick Jungle, according to The Hollywood Reporter. At present their final airdates and replacements have not been formally announced but both shows saw declining ratings throughout the season.  Enemy was considered important to peacock network but its reviews were mostly negative and it generated zero buzz.

The CW, meantime, has ordered five more episodes of Privileged, which is actually generating a little chatter. The 18-episode order is four shy of a full season but is an act of faith on the part of the network. To let people find out what they’ve missed, they will run episodes on consecutive days from December 1 and 8 while being repeated in the series’ normal timeslot, Tuesdays at 9 p.m.

One of our favorite character actors, Joshua Malina (West Wing), has been added to the cast of USA Network’s In Plain Sight. He joins the second season, which just started shooting in Albuquerque, NM, and Malina will portray Peter, a recovering alcoholic.

CBS holiday programming includes annual classic animated specials and feature films: Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer celebrates its 44th anniversary when the digitally re-mastered version airs Wednesday, December 3, 8 p.m.; Frosty the Snowman is set for Friday, December 12 at 8 p.m. followed immediately by Frosty Returns at 8:30 p.m.; CBS will air the feature film Elf on Saturday, December 20, 8 p.m..

Audiences will be invited to visit 1313 Mockingbird Lane once again as the long-delayed revamp of The Munsters, under the control of the Wayans Brothers, is finally inching forward. Shawn Wayans confirmed for MTV News that they’re nearly done with the third draft of the script.

“I’m almost ready. It’s almost ready to be shot. We had to finish this movie and now we’re going through our third polish on The Munsters.”

The project first surfaced for the comedy family in 2004 and the focus will be on the fish-out-of-water family.  “If we do anything, maybe we’ll do a cameo, but we’re not gonna make The Munsters black all of a sudden,” Wayans said. “They’re gonna be green, white people just like they were in the TV show. Their characters are still who they were in the ‘50s. It’s just in modern day.”

“We were big fans of The Munsters. We grew up watching them. We loved the characters. We thought that they would be a very, very funny movie,” Wayans insisted. “You know, they did ‘The Addams Family,’ which I thought wasn’t that funny or well-thought out of a show, but they did it ‘cuz they had a catchy theme song and turned it into a movie. I thought The Munsters had the real meat and potatoes rich characters.”
 

Mike Luckovich, editorial cartoonist for The Atlanta Journal Constitution, is this year’s winner of the Brooke Baker Award for Lifetime Achievement, according to Editor & Publisher.
The award, now in its 13th year, honors the memory of Joseph Brooke Baker (1940-1991) a dedicated supporter of the library and a supporter of the library as a community hub. Baker served on the Board of the Fiends of Dunwoody Library in Georgia from 1980 to 1990, and served as its president from 1989-1990.

Luckovich is syndicated in 150 newspapers nationwide and previously has won a Reuben Award for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year, the National Headliner Award, and the Pulitzer Prize.

Mike Morrisey, president of the Friends of the Library — who bestowed the Georgia-based award — told the Dunwoody (Ga.) Crier that the selection was based on the cartoonist’s body of work. During the awards ceremony, the Crier reported, Morrisey told those in attendance that although readers may not always agree with Luckovich’s views, his cartoons “always make you think.”

Upon accepting the award, Luckovich told the assembled that he has “the funnest job in the world,” according to the Crier.
 

ICv2 spoke with Wizards of the Coast CEO Greg Leeds in the wake of the sudden closing of WizKids.

“The state of the economy is impacting every business right now; however I remain optimistic that our industry can grow and prosper in both the short term and long term,” Leeds said.  “The inevitable changes forced by hard times will leave the remaining companies and brands stronger and better able to serve the gaming community with great product and service at a reasonable price. Gaming is an activity that can have tremendous entertainment value relative to the cost.”

He indicated that retailers are reporting that diehard gamers are giving up other luxuries but maintaining their commitment to favorite games. As a result, their recent efforts to emphasize both Magic: The Gathering ands Dungeons & Dragons comes at a good time.

“We have an array of initiatives and product releases that will get current gamers more involved with our core brands as well as bring new people in.  Particularly in tough economic times, customers will gravitate towards established brands that they trust and have proven play value — a "flight to quality." Then the critical mass effect occurs — more players means more interest by others in playing…and so on.

 “We have plans to enhance every aspect of how we take Magic: The Gathering and Dungeon & Dragons to market.  Our games, as usual, are getting better and better.  The new Pre-Release program is driving incremental revenue to our store base.  We are reaching out to schools and libraries to recruit new players who will go back to stores for product.  Our advertising and promotion programs are driving a new level of cool.  The “Here I Rule” campaign for Magic has just kicked off and early feedback is great.  Our digital initiatives are starting to bite.  D&D Insider has successfully launched with thousands of subscribers and Magic Online has gone through a user interface face-lift.”

ICv2 reports that Image Comics’ Liberty Comics, an anthology benefiting the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, has raised nearly $27,000 for the charity.  The comic, which shipped in July and sold nearly 17,000 copies its first month, was a joint effort of Image, the creators involved, and Diamond Comic Distributors, all of whom donated their revenues.

Liberty Comics, edited and conceived by current IDW editor Scott Dunbier, included top properties and creators:  Hellboy by Mike Mignola, Danger Girl by J. Scott Campbell, The Boys by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, Criminal by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, plus shorts by Mark Millar, Darwyn Cooke, John Paul Leon, Art Adams, Rick Veitch, Sergio Aragones, and Mark Evanier. 

A second printing, featuring a Thor cover by Walt Simonson, will be in store December 3. 

Image Publisher Eric Stephenson explained the company’s involvement.  “We couldn’t be more proud to support the CBLDF and their never-ending battle to defend our medium’s first amendment rights,” he said.  “Considering Image’s place in the industry as a bastion of independent, creator-owned comics, we feel they’re one of the most important institutions in the industry and look to support them at every chance we get.”