104
An acting heavyweight joins Ender's Game. Joss Whedon debunks the hot new Avengers rumor. Roberto Orci discuss the script for the Star Trek sequel. Fringe prepares for its first ever Astrid-centric episode. Plus there's a new photo of Karl Urban in Dredd!
Spoilers from here on out!
Top image from The Dark Knight Rises.
The Dark Knight Rises
Christian Bale reveals why he considers Batman, who has sometimes been portrayed as borderline fascist in his commitment to law and order, as an essentially anarchic character:
"For me he [Batman] is an anarchist and a free spirit. He knows that there are parallels between him and his enemies because life is never stable — you always have to fight for it. Keeping in mind that it may never be boring and that nobody is obliging you to behave like a superhero and to always have your muscles flexed and bulging."
He also offers his take on the central question that drives Bruce Wayne to keep being Batman, something that appears to be a major issue in The Dark Knight Rises:
How long will you let the pain and loss define your life? Walking around chasing bad guys is very heroic and attracts attention, but at the end it all accounts for, as a means to deal with the pain of a huge loss."
Tom Hardy discusses the experience, both physically and emotionally, of playing the supervillain Bane. Basically, the physical part was a whole lot tougher than the emotional bit:
"Bane's mask is tight, actually. I got used to it, but you get used to anything really, in time...I didn't get into a dark place at all. A lot of dark characters are easy to have distance from, it's something I feel comfortable with, I suppose."
[UKPA]
The Avengers
During a Twitter Q&A; session, director Joss Whedon flatly denied those Spider-Man cameo rumors, complete with one of those trademark Joss Whedon zingers:
"There is no Spider-Man cameo. But the Avengers do turn off the dark."
We can only hope they turn off the dark, because really someone has to. [Comic Book Resources]
I find it more than a little ridiculous that there are now teaser trailers for other, slightly longer trailers, but here we are, as Marvel has released a teaser for the upcoming Avengers Super Bowl ad.
Star Trek 2
Cowriter Roberto Orci clarifies star Zachary Quinto's recent comments about script changes:
"You should know the story hasn't changed, the structure hasn't changed, and the action sequences haven't changed. Most changes are minor. The changes I suspect Quinto is referring to are the character interactions as we fine tune the level of their various friendships."
He also suggests that the four-year gap between the first and second movies in the real world won't be the same amount of time that has passed for the characters between films. [Trek Movie]
Ender's Game
This rumor first surfaced about a month ago, but now it's being reported as official: Ben Kingsley, star of such films as Gandhi and Sexy Beast - which I really, really should not have to point out are two different films - has reportedly been cast as legendary war hero Mazer Rackham in Gavin Hood's adaptation of the Orson Scott Card novel. G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra actor Brandon Soo Hoo has also reportedly joined the cast as Fly Molo. [Deadline]
R.I.P.D.
Ryan Reynolds says that this film, in which he and Jeff Bridges play a pair of dead cops who patrol the afterlife, could be the first in a series:
"I'm hoping to be able to work with all those people again. It could be a franchise. It certainly is set up, plot-wise, for a sequel. But nobody's signed on for that just yet. We would like it to be [a film series.]"
Dredd
Here's a new promo image of Star Trek's Karl Urban as the rebooted Judge Dredd. [Stark Industries]
G.I. Joe: Retaliation
Channing Tatum wouldn't confirm or deny the rumors that his character Duke dies early on this sequel — perhaps sparking the titular retaliation — but he did say he thinks this film will be better than Rise of Cobra. Hard to believe anything could top that cinematic masterpiece, I know, but let's hear him out on this:
"I don't know. I think they're going to have to check it out. I think that the movie is going to be better than the first one. I think that Jon Chu has a younger, hipper sensibility. ['Rise of Cobra' director] Stephen Sommers is great, I really enjoyed working with him, but I think this movie is going to be a little hipper. A little bit more edgy."
Ben 10
Producer Joel Silver, whose credits include everything from Die Hard to The Matrix, is still working on a big screen adaptation of the Cartoon Network series, and now he has reportedly found a screenwriter in Albert Torres, whose credits include Henry Poole is Here and a rewrite on that Akira reboot we've all agreed to pretend doesn't exist. [Variety]
The Weapon
Platinum Studios has announced that they are working on a film adaptation of Marvel Zombies writer Fred Van Lente's comic book series, with company CEO and Cowboys & Aliens producer Scott Rosenberg on board to produce. Here's the synopsis of the series:
"The Weapon" is about a martial arts enthusiast, Tommy Zhou, that has discovered a means to create solid objects from light — and invented a superhero persona to promote it, The Weapon. Not believing the legends his grandfather told him as a child, Zhou's inventions unsuspectingly make him the target of a millennia-old assassin cult that's convinced he's unlocked the ancient mystical techniques of the Order of Wu-Shi-'The Way of the Weapon.'
Fringe
Here's a behind-the-scenes video in which Jasika Nicole and the rest of the cast preview "Making Angels", which airs Friday night and is the first episode to focus primarily on Astrid. [TV Line]
Game of Thrones
Alfie Allen, who plays Theon Greyjoy, offers this tease for season two:
" I can tell you it's got a lot of dragons in it. It's got a lot of love and a lot of hate. But it's going to be epic. There's a scene in episode in ten which I'm very excited to see."
True Blood
Here are some casting calls for episode five, which is titled "Boot N' Rally Ally":
[SCRAWNY MAN (JIMMY)] In his 30s, very skinny, babbling in terror, he's found in a padded cell. RECURRING
[KATE] Late 20s-early 30s. Skinny, unconscious, Kate is one of the prisoners with the Scrawny Man in the padded cell. No lines in this episode, RECURRING
[KATHY] 20s. This pretty brunette fangbanger is more friendly than slutty. 4 lines, 2 scenes (10)
[BEVERLY] This plump, good-natured family friend of Luna's has been babysitting for Emma while Emma is out with Sam. CO-STAR
[BURLY VAMPIRE] This burly vampire at the bar asks for a Tru-Blood. CO-STAR
And here's one for the sixth episode, which doesn't appear to have a title yet:
[VIVIAN] Female, Caucasian, early 20s to late 20s. She is radiantly beautiful and British. RECURRING
Alcide actor Joe Manganiello and White Collar star Matt Bomer are apparently best friends — because really, why wouldn't they be? — and they want to see Bomer make a guest appearance on the show:
Bomer: "I'm Team Alcide all the way but if I'm going to do a guest spot on True Blood, I wanna play a vampire."
Manganiello: "I think Matt would make a great vampire," he agrees. "He's got the suit thing going on. He's got that sophisticated elegant thing going on."
Of course, this is just two actors talking, and there's no reason to think it'll actually happen, but, uh...you heard it here first second! [E! Online]
Once Upon a Time
An upcoming episode will feature flashbacks to Snow White as an innocent, naive 12 year old. Also, costar Giancarlo Esposito, who plays Sidney and the Mirror, offers this tease for the next episode, "Skin Deep":
"I have a great storyline coming up," he tells us. "Next week you're going to see some fireworks between Sidney and the Evil Queen (Lana Parrilla)."
Supernatural
Here's a sneak peek for this Friday's episode, "The Slice Girls."
Being Human (UK)
The Secret Circle
Here's a promo photo for episode fifteen, "Return", in which Cassie is reunited with her estranged father John Blackwell, played by guest star Joe Lando. You can check out another photo at the link. The episode is set to air February 16. [EW]
Additional reporting by Jennifer Griffith-Delgado, Ben Vrignon, and Charlie Jane Anders.
Follow ben 10 on io9 
