Grant Kempster checks out the fantastic
world of entertainment

X-Files back without Fox • Duchovny gets a life

No, we don’t mean that the Fox network have done the fashionable thing by dumping their best genre show, we’re talking about a Fox of the Mulder variety. That’s right guys and gals, although the series has been granted yet another year, David Duchovny most certainly won’t be returning. “For a lot of people, if you don’t like your job, you can quit your job. I don’t necessarily have that option,” says a none-too-pleased Gillian Anderson to the New York Times, regarding her inclusion in the next year of alien chasing high-jinks. On a more positive note, Anderson continues, “There are a lot of twists and turns that the audience has been journeying through with us.”

At present, details of the ninth year are sketchy at best, and it’s unclear how they will explain the absence of the show’s male star (although as he’s no longer in the FBI, there’s no reason for him to turn up at work). It’s also uncertain whether creator Chris Carter will still be in residence as head honcho, or if he’ll step back as executive producer and let Frank Spotnitz and Vince Gilligan take over. One thing is almost certain though; since Carter’s second failure, The Lone Gunmen, has been canceled, the boys are bound to return, as well as a certain arch-villain...

Cage Rides Again?

First of all he wanted to be Superman, then he was interested in being Iron Man, now Nic Cage is close to signing up for the upcoming $80 million Ghost Rider movie. Written and produced by David Goyer and helmed by Steven Norrington, both of whom are behind Marvel’s other R-rated movie success Blade, the production is close to a full green light as teaser posters for the film were recently spotted at the Cannes film festival.

“The script is done and we’re in pre-production right now,” Goyer told fans at the recent WonderCon in Oakland, CA. “Nicolas Cage is circling the drain, he hasn’t signed on the dotted line yet, but we’ve had lots of discussions. Depending on the writers’ strike and the actors’ strike, if the strike doesn’t happen, we’ll be shooting this summer.” With Ghost Rider, Blade 2 and The Hulk all at varying stages of production, it looks as if the Marvel phenomenon will continue to grow, especially with news of further comics to turn movie sometime soon. Avi Arad recently confirmed that movie versions of Deathlok, Werewolf by Night and Iron Fist (to star Ray Park) are all still on the cards, as well as a Sub-Mariner film.

Become a Cropper

The next project to come under the masterful eye of The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable’s M Night Shyamalan is yet another spooky cinematic treat, this time called Signs. The film, which Shyamalan will both write and direct, takes place in Pennsylvania’s buck country and will concern huge crop circles that mysteriously appear in the harvest fields of a farm family. An eight-figure deal is said to have been struck up with Disney, which should put the movie into production by the coming fall. With M Night behind the camera, though, we wouldn’t expect just an average alien story to unfold, as the word is that this will be another supernatural thriller. No doubt with Bruce Willis and a small child.

Wonder Lawless

Who could possibly be a better choice to play the warrior amazon princess who we all know and love as Wonder Woman than Lucy Xena Lawless? Yes, you see, you can already picture her in those satin tights fighting for your rights, can’t you? Well, so can she and she’s already stated to Entertainment Weekly Online, that she’d be very interested in the role, as long as Princess Diana is shown as a ‘flawed hero’. She’ll have to fight for the gig, though, as WWF wrestler Chyna is still gagging for the role, telling the site, ‘Come hell or high water, I’m going to make them notice me.’ Also rumored for the role is Buffy/Angel’s Eliza Dushku. Personally, I’d recommend my wife for the job. I’ve started sewing the stars onto her underwear already.

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