Slash Film has unearthed a largely overlooked cache of concept artwork from this past summer’s Iron Man movie. Artist Phil Saunders was commissioned to create official designs of for three separate armors originally slated to appear in the film.

According to Saunders, the designs were "three images I did at the very end of production as alternate suit designs that would have been in a Hall of Armor coda at the end of the film."

Of the War Machine armor pictured right, Saunders says: "I spent a lot of time on developing this suit, which was of course cut from the script about half way through pre-production. Originally it was going to be called the MK IV armor and would have been weaponized swap-out parts that would be worn over the original MK III armor. Earlier versions were red and gold, and would have ben worn by Tony Stark in the final battle sequence."

Saunders is quick to note that if War Machine appears in Iron Man 2, "it’s unlikely to be this one." As many fans are now aware, the man who would wear the War Machine armor is also different than the man in Iron Man. Terrence Howard, who portrayed Jim Rhodes in the first film, will be replaced by Don Cheadle in the sequel.

In addition to the War Machine armor, Saunders presents two other armors: an aquatic suit and a stealth suit. The stealth suit design attempts at "suggesting ‘stealth’ technology in the surface treatment of the suit, [and was] ultimately abandoned as not being classic enough." The aquatic armor design represents an underwater suit requested by Avi Arad for licensing and merchandising purposes.

"Needless to say," says Saunders, "the underwater suit never saw the light of days, but in homage to Avi, I drew this one up as a possible addition to [Tony’s] hall of armor."

Head over to Slash Film to check out the unused stealth and aquatic armor designs.

Good Vibrations is a potential animated mid-season replacement series for Fox. Created by Pineapple Express’ David Gordon Green, Variety says the show “centers on two high school surfer dudes who live near the beach in California.”

The trade also reports voice casting is complete and will feature Josh Gad (Back to You), Adam Brody (The O.C.), Debi Mazar (Entourage), Olivia Thirlby (New York I Love You), Alan Tudyk (Firefly) and Jake Busey (Broken).

Gad will star as Mondo, an “out-of-shape, shaggy-haired teen looking to master surfing and win over Jeena (voiced by Thirlby) — who thinks of Mondo more like a brother.”

Brody, the once and maybe future Flash, plays Woodie, Mondo’s best friend. Tudyk will supply the voice for Lonnie, “an old surf bum who doubles as the show’s narrator.”
 

Marvel Studios President of Production Kevin Feige tells MTV News that he wants to bring Dr. Stephen Strange to the big screen in the not too distant future.

When asked if he thinks the Master of the Mystic Arts would translate well on film, Feige answers, "Very much so."

"I’d say in the next year, year and a half, as we start putting together our film slate for 2012 and 2013, I would not be shocked if we saw Dr. Strange on those lists. I love the idea of tapping into the magical realm of the Marvel Universe, which is fairly significant and hasn’t yet seen life on screen. It’s something I’m very, very interested in."

For the detractors who say Strange is too, er, strange and obscure for a mainstream audience, Feige points out that it wasn’t long ago that Tony Stark was an obscure character himself.

"I remember two years ago at Comic Con, the cover of the ‘LA Times Calendar Section,’ red ‘Marvel calls out the B team’ and there was a picture of Iron Man," says Feige. "We don’t look at [these characters] as ‘B team.’ Dr. Strange? This is one of the best characters we have."

The good doctor is no stranger to appearances away from the page.  He has been seen in numerous animated series starting with Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends and at one point was being voiced by John Vernon (Animal House) who was the very first vocie artist for Iron Man back in the 1960s. (more…)

Sci-Fi Wire is joining the growing chorus of place claiming that Steven Moffat, the incoming new producer for Doctor Who has cast the first black Doctor, actor Paterson Joseph, to replace David Tennant.

Of course, Tennant, the Tenth Doctor, is contracted through the 2010 season and may well sign for more seasons.  However, since he is not yet signed beyond a fifth full season, speculation has been running rampant as to whom Tennant could regenerate into.

Joseph as an option first surfaced a few weeks back in Rich Johnston’s Lying in the Gutters column.  He wrote,  “Previously playing Roderick in the Doctor Who episodes “Bad Wolf”/”Parting Of Ways,” Joseph is known for fine upstanding and terribly-well-spoken-dontcha-know roles as Johnson in Peep Show, the Marquis De Carabas in Neverwhere, Space Marshall Clarke in Hyperdrive, Lyndon in Green Wing…and more importantly Benjamin in Jekyll. Written and produced by upcoming Doctor” Who showrunner, Steven Moffat.”

Joseph initially told Sci Fi Wire, "I am on a list of God knows how many others, but flattered to be considered."

A follow up e-mail said, "The news on Who was news to me as of last Wednesday, when my agent said they’d had lots of journos asking if the rumors were true. That’s all I know, and I’m very pleased to even be thought of in this way. It’s a blast!"

On the other hand, TV Scoop reported a while back that James Nesbitt would replace Tennant while the London Telegraph wrote just months back that Russell Tovey, who played Midshipman Frame in the most recent Christmas special, was being eyed by producer Russell T. Davies as a potential replacement. He wrote in an e-mail, "He’s amazing. I think I’d make him the 11th Doctor."

Regardless, Tennant is working on the four Specials for 2009 and then will shoot the fifth season to air in 2010.  By then, he may have re-signed for a sixth season or someone else will be taking up residence in the TARDIS.  Isn’t this fun?