With the news of the $4 Billion Marvel/Disney merger a few weeks back, now it seems every movie studio that has the rights to a Marvel property is rushing that property into production. Fox did it with their recent announcement of a Fantastic Four reboot.  Now, Variety reports that Columbia Pictures is moving ahead with plans for a sequel to Ghost Rider. David Goyer, who is no stranger to superhero films, having written Batman Begins and the Blade series, is currently in talks to create the story for the film. It’s said the Ghost Rider sequel will be based on a script Goyer wrote a few years ago. The original film’s star, Nicolas Cage, is also expected to return in the title role.

Every studio with Marvel rights is rebooting or making sequels to ensure their hold on the rights don’t slip back to Marvel/Disney. I, for one, wasn’t clamoring for a Ghost Rider sequel, but with Goyer in charge of writing, it does pique my interest. If only they could recast Nicolas Cage’s role. What do you think of this “hot” (insert drum roll here) Ghost Rider news?

Score one for the 3-D medium as today marks the first time I can recall in the recent 3-D craze where a big name actor has signed on to film a movie in that format.  Actor Nicolas Cage has joined the movie Drive Angry, an apropos title for anyone who regularly commutes in LA. The movie’s plot goes a little something like this (via Heat Vision) -hit it!!:

Written by Lussier and Todd Farmer, the story centers on a man (Cage) driven by rage who is chasing the people who killed his daughter and kidnapped her baby. The vendetta/rescue spins out of control as the chase gets bloodier by the mile, leaving bodies strewn along the highway.

FYI, Farmer and Lussier are the men behind My Bloody Valentine 3-D.  The format has been waiting to gain widespread legitimacy and despite those not believing in the format, to me this appears to be the swing that the medium might need for longer term success.  I think we may now see an avalanche of quality name actors coming on board to act in movies shot in the format. Even big name directors have claimed they want in on it at some point.  It will now not simply be for horror and animation genre films, I don’t think, despite what appears to be yet another horror-ish entry with Cage in the role.  The question still remains though, is this a good thing for the movie going public in general?  With The Final Destination cleaning up at the box office and a new Halloween in 3-D being announced earlier today, it certainly seems that there is a large market for films in this format.  Will Larry’s Bird fly out of Nicolas’s Cage?  That makes no sense, but still… Who’s on board with this?  Either the format or to simply “drive angry?”  Share.

Reports from various outlets on the internet are informing the world that Nicholas Cage aka Nickel Gauge Cage, is in talks to star opposite Seth Rogen in The Green Hornet.  Cage would be scheduled to be the bad guy in the film project.  I would love to say that I am excited about this news, but I cannot quite report that.  I enjoy Cage as much as any actor working when he is on his game.  When he is not, he becomes almost a punchline for bad choices in movies and schlocky characters.  So, therefore, I remain on the fence about his addition.

I wasn’t stoked at the thought of a trimmed down Rogen playing the lead in a “crimefighter/superhero” movie in the first place, which in truth is still probably my biggest gripe with the project.  I think he is a solid sidekick, especially in his formerly pudgier state, but he has yet to prove to me that he is lead material.  Then we have seen original director Stephen Chow bow out from that duty and I believe he dropped his role as Rogen’s would be sidekick, Kato as well.  I did however, like the move of having Michel Gondry come on board as director, as he delivers project that generally intrigue me.  Rogen was very hyped about adding Gondry, which in turn, helped us get excited.  The recent addition of Cameron Diaz was met with general indifference, I think she is a capable actress when she is on, so I didn’t really have a problem with that, almost embracing it.

Now with Cage, again if their games are tight, you have two capable actors on board.  If you had reduced Rogen the sidekick role and brought in another quality actor as the lead, all of a sudden I think you have a very intriguing project on hand, but alas that doesn’t seem to be in the cards.   Pajiba has a take on the project, that seems to be nearly unanimous these days about the way the internet feels about it.  I am hoping it comes together nicely as I try to remain upbeat about the porject, however difficult it may be at times.  What are your thoughts overall?  Is the addition of Cage good?  Is this project high on your radar or diminishing with all the recent news?  Drop it on us.

I just saw at Target last night that old-school Ninja Turtles were being sold in what looked like their original packages due to the character’s 25th anniversary this year. Nice. However, news came out today via [Film Drunk] that a new live-action Ninja Turtles movies is due for release in 2011. Very nice. I didn’t care for the animated one that came out a couple of years ago and I think live-action is the way to go. Cowabunga!

Our preview writer, Joe, will be very conflicted with this news. Nightmare on Elm Street is getting remade. Sarcastic yea’s all around. Rooney Mara is playing the lead terrified woman and Jackie Earl Haley is playing Freddie Kruger. Jackie Earl was actually announced a bit ago, but the Mara announcement exposed us to it. I hate the idea of this being remade, but I don’t care for the original anyway. However, Haley’s involvement is awesome. [Screen Rant]

Here are some more set photos for you, shockingly not debuting from the new “Empire” issue. The subject is Nic Cage and Jay Baruchel’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. [Film Geek]

[Rama's Screen] has the news that Anna Faris will star in What’s Your Number? for director Mark Mylod. The film is based on the book “20 Times A Lady” by Karen Bosnak. It kind of sounds like a female version of Ghosts of Girlfriend’s Past. Perhaps what’s most important, though, is the script was written by Gabrielle Allan and Jennifer Crittenden. Crittenden has written for “The Simpsons,” “Seinfeld” and “Arrested Development.” Believe it or not, I knew that off the top of my head. This might actually be something.

We told you about Elizabeth Shue in Piranha 3-D the other week, now Richard Dreyfuss, who’s no stranger to fierce things lurking in the water, has joined the project. [Nuke the Fridge]

Remember the list of projects Guillermo del Toro was scheduled to be involved in that we wrote about a while ago? Well, Robert Rodriguez dropped his list today at [Dread Central]. It contains Machete, Nervewrackers, Sin City 2, The Jetsons and Predators. What’s Predators? Why that would be Rodriguez’ reboot of the Predator franchise. People seem to really like this news, but can the original really be improved upon? What do you think?

Want to see the new Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen trailer? It’s debuting April 29th on 20 screens all over the country in front of a one-day screening of Transformers in IMAX. [Transformers Live] has more details.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt has joined the cast of the new Christopher Nolan film, Inception. He’ll be surrounded by Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Cillian Murphy and Marion Cotillard. Not that we needed any more reason to see it, but we got it. [Sci Fi Cool]

I promise this is the last remake news I’m posting today. James Marden is poised to play the lead in a remake of 70′s fight-for-survival flick, Straw Dogs. I can tell this is going to be a watered-down version just with this announcement. [In Case You Didn't Know]

Lastly, do you want to see the first seven minutes of The Brothers Bloom? Hulu has posted it up. We’ve seen the whole film and reviewed it back in October. Click the film’s title to see the review. Here’s the first seven minutes:

In the Bay Area, one of the popular things to do in the last few years was “ghost-riding the whip”, to get out of your car, with it in drive, and dance next to it (or other variations), while it is still cruising along.  Not entirely sure if the phase has passed us by or not.  What does this have to do with anything?  Little, but Ghost Rider, the comic book adaptation and Nic Cage starrer from last year is going to be back with a sequel (Ghost Rider 2), and yes, Cage is back on board.  I can’t say that I am surprised nor can I say I am happy, I think “good” Cage may be lost for good.  I don’t know anyone that had an interest in or liked the first one, but it did $110mm, so it made the cut for another go round.  We’ll see if Eva Mendes is back as well.  Probably so.

I still can't decide if this woman is hot or not.

Also, Universal studios is set to bring back The Thing, another re-make based on the classic first film from 1982.  This horror movie will be directed by Matthijs Van Heijningen, the household name.  Who, you ask?  Well, he is a commercials director, hence you probably haven’t heard of him.  But, before you jump to any conclusions, consider that many big-time directors have gotten their start this way, through music videos or commercials, or a combination thereof.  Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Fight Club director, David Fincher comes to mind.  So place no early limits on Van Heijningen, just don’t try to spell or pronounce his name three times fast.  Definitely don’t repeat it to yourself while looking in a mirror in the dark either.  I’m just sayin’.

Finally, there is a rumor going ’round that Robert Rodriguez, visionary director of Sin City among others, will produce a new Predator re-boot.  Notice I said, produce, not direct.  That is the key difference to note here.  Apparently, the idea is that the new film will follow a team of Commandos (plural) tracking down a species of predators (plural).  You know, I used to work out at this gym and call this guy Predator ‘cuz he had braids with the beads on the end that made him look like the predator from the film.  If he is still rocking that played out haircut, perhaps he can sign up for one of the aliens.  It could save on production/make-up budget off the top.  Just a thought.  Anyhow, this last one is rumor, the first two are confirmed, and since Rodriguez would only produce and not direct this, it loses a bit of steam in my eyes.  We’ll see what happens.  Thanks to /film and variety for the source info.  What say you?

In the department of another film I didn’t want to see happen, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, the live action re-make of the Disney classic, adds another star to help round out the cast.  The Hollywood Reporter tells us:

Teresa Palmer has nabbed the female lead in Disney’s “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” starring Nicolas Cage and Jay Baruchel…Palmer is playing Baruchel’s love interest…The move brings Palmer back into Disney’s arms; she is onscreen in the company’s holiday film “Bedtime Stories.”

This is good news for Palmer as she appears to be an actress on the rise.  After her turn opposite Sandler in the afore-mentioned Bedtime Stories that dropped on Christmas, she can be seen opposite Topher Grace in Kids In America.  I mean, getting to star opposite Grace and Baruchel?  Any leading ladies dream come true!  I am sure Angie Jolie is pissed that she couldn’t find time in her schedule to beat her to the punch on these.  I guess they “went with somebody with more theme park experience.”  She would have “killed for that job.”  Out.