In my book and most others The Twilight Zone is categorized as one of the best TV shows ever made. It was a suspenseful show that mixed and matched all kinds of genres including psychological thriller, science fiction, and horror. It entertained, with its wild, out of nowhere twists and turns. It fascinated by holding a mirror to society in discreet and sometimes blatant ways. It premiered in 1959 with inventive creator and narrator Rod Serling; its original run lasted until 1964 after 156 episodes aired. Since then, the series has been revived twice in 1985 and again in 2002, and in 1983 Steven Spielberg produced a feature film based on the show. The TV revivals did not have the same spark and tenacity as the original run with Serling, but producer/writer/director Bryan Singer thinks third time’s the charm.

The Twilight Zone is looking to make another comeback. Singer, who is best known for directing the first two X-Men movies in that franchise and the upcoming X-Men: Days of Future Past, as well as the pilot for House and the recent Mockingbird Lane special, has signed a deal “to develop, executive produce and possibly direct a reboot” of The Twilight Zone, scoops Deadline. The site reports that the new drama series project is in the “early stages” of development, so we may be eyeing a fall 2014 debut or later at this point (especially with Singer being so busy with his film career at the moment). Though the reboot hasn’t been pitched to networks yet, it is being surmised that CBS will be its home since it owns the rights to the original series. Currently it’s set up at CBS TV Studios, they’re looking for a writer to come up with a pilot script, and Singer hopes to direct it.

Are you looking forward to new installments of The Twilight Zone? Can it ever reach the same levels of success and permeate people’s psyches the way it used to without the ever-present Mr. Serling at the helm? Do you think an anthology series could work on network TV today? FX has proven it can with American Horror Story, so perhaps.

[Via Deadline]

Director Zack Snyder and star Henry Cavill took part in the Man of Steel panel at Comic Con last week. There they unveiled footage from the flick as well as the Comic Con branded poster seen above. Snyder says that fans will get a taste of the footage Con attendees were privy to when The Dark Knight Rises hits theatres this Thursday; a teaser trailer for the upcoming Super-Man reboot will play before Christopher Nolan’s anticipated conclusion to his Batman trilogy. The teaser will be uploaded here once it hits the ‘Net.

Snyder and Cavill made it a point to say that their mission with this new Superman is to make him relatable. “How would you feel if you were Superman?” Snyder posed to the excitable crowd.

Man of Steel is out next summer.

In a recent interview with EW, Pushing Daisies creator Bryan Fuller shed light on his most recent TV project Mockingbird Lane. Here are some choice quotes from the extensive interview that can be read in full right here.

Fuller on the inspiration behind the Munsters reboot: “It started when I was at the Tim Burton exhibit in New York and he had all these monster family portraits. And I thought there should be a show about a family of monsters. But any show about a family of monsters is going to be calling back to the original show about a family of monsters. We are reinventing The Munsters because if we didn’t everybody would just say, “You’re ripping off the Munsters!” So why not just make it official?”

On why he decided to change the name of the show from The Munsters to Mockingbird Lane: “The script is such a dramatic departure from the tone and style of the original show. If we continued to call the show The Munsters, people are just going to to think we’re doing The Munsters. We’re doing a reinvention and re-imagination of this property. I love the Universal monsters. I love The Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Invisible Man, The Wolfman, Phantom of the Opera, The Mummy. There’s so many great characters we can run through this metaphor of family storytelling that it just felt it was ripe to do as a one-hour dramedy. Having all those elements to play with, the toy box is really, really full.” (Note: the title is a direct reference to the Munsters’ address: 1313 Mockingbird Lane.)

On what viewers can expect in the pilot: “There’s some great stories going forward in the series. Any story you can tell onParenthood we can run through a Universal monster prism and tell it in a very twisted, off-kilter way. What I love about the pilot story is it’s about a family who loves each other and they have a child [Eddie, the werewolf] with a disability and they’re trying to craft a path for that child so he can have a happy life — they just happen to be monsters. And, unlike in the original, we’re going to see our monsters do monstrous things.”

Fuller’s grand vision for the show: “We want this show to be an American Harry Potter. To have that sense of a magical world that you get to go to with your family and find stories told in a fantastical way that are instantly relatable. It’s an American Horror Story that the whole family can watch.”

Since the pilot is still being tweaked, no actual footage has been released from Mockingbird Lane…until now, that is. EW got their hands on a still that reveals the Munsters‘ mansion. “We wanted [the mansion] to have feeling of the original,” Fuller comments. “We wanted a house in the neighborhood that children would walk past faster than other houses.” The image looms above.

Mockingbird Lane, starring Eddie Izzard as Grandpa, comes to TV this fall on NBC.

[Via EW]

With Fear Factor back on the air, call it a return to the early naughts with this announcement. Hidden camera reality series Punk’d is making a comeback this March. Original host Ashton Kutcher will not serve as host this time around, however he remains in the background as executive producer. Each episode will be hosted by a different celebrity. So far the list of celeb guests include Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Kellan Lutz, Bam Margera, and Dax Shepard. The Parenthood star, I’m sure you remember, is part of the original Punk’d team. According to Deadline, the reboot “will also offer a behind-the-scenes look at how the elaborate pranks were put together.” MTV recently aired a preview of what’s in store for unsuspecting stars. Embedded up top you’ll find celeb host Miley Cyrus pranking the eldest Kardashian sister Khloe. It involves a penis and a zipper. Use your imagination and watch it unfold above. Punk’d premieres March 19.

Do you remember the sketch comedy series In Living Color that aired on FOX from 1990 to 1994? It was created by the second eldest Wayans brother Keenan Ivory Wayans and it featured a cast that was predominantly black including big stars like Wayans’ family members Damon, Shawn, and Marlon, Jamie Foxx, David Alan Grier, Jim Carrey and Jennifer Lopez was introduced to the world as one of the Fly Girls. Well news broke that the show is coming back to FOX as the network is celebrating its 25th anniversary later this year. Keenan Ivory Wayans is back as executive producer and this time he will play host, too. FOX has ordered two half-hour primetime specials that will air in midseason, and they picked up a series option. This means that if the sketch show performs well in the ratings, FOX can pick it up to series and allow Wayans to pump out additional episodes. (Re)introduce yourself to one of my favorite characters from In Living Color after the break, Homey D. Clown.

[Via Deadline] (Click here for more…)

That read that right, folks. NBC is rebooting Fear Factor, the reality game show that originally ran from 2001-2006. Host Joe Rogen is back and so are the disgusting and adrenaline pumping tasks the human competitors must face. Paul Telegdy, NBC’s president of alternative and late night TV, marked the occasion with these words: “We have taken the groundbreaking Fear Factor franchise that many fans remember fondly and have ramped it up to make it even more challenging and competitive than ever before. Once again, the contestants will have to face their ultimate fears to prevail — and the tension and drama of that process will make for some riveting television.” Watch a 2-minute preview of what’s in store for the new season above. Fear Factor returns December 12 and will air Mondays at the 8PM-10PM timeslot.

[Via Deadline]

Ah we all knew this day would come. After proving himself worthy of rebooting the beloved video game franchise, Kevin Tancharoen has been given the reigns to direct a Mortal Kombat reboot feature film. Though his preview credits include Fame and Glee: The 3D Concert Movie, Mortal Kombat fans know that Tancharoen holds a special place in his heart for the violent and controversial game. In June 2010 a MK short film surfaced on the ‘Net and people went bananas. The nearly eight-minute long video Mortal Kombat: Rebirth reached millions of hits in a matter of days. Turned out that it was Tancharoen’s attempt to pitch a reimagined Mortal Kombat movie to the studios. Though he wasn’t immediately granted the rights to helm a movie early on, he was given the opportunity to produce a 10-part web series based in the MK universe. Apparently Mortal Kombat: Legacy and the rebooted video game that followed gained enough steam and attracted enough viewers/gamers to make Warner Bros. (New Line’s parent company) greenlight the movie with Tancharoen in the director’s chair. Oren Uziel (who collaborated with Tancharoen to make the short film) will pen the script. No word as to whether or not the actors in the web series (Michael Jai White, Jeri Ryan, Ian Anthony Dale, etc.) will reprise their role in the reboot feature film. In the end, Kevin’s wish was granted.

Update: Tancharoen shared his vision for the movie with EW. Choice quote right here: “Up to this point, we’ve only been talking ‘rated R.’ I like realistic takes on things, I like it when it’s a little darker and grittier. And I want the martial arts to feel real as opposed to balletic and super-choreographed. It needs to feel brutal, because that’s the nature of the video game itself.” As long as he can recreate what he did in the original short film (and with a much higher budget from New Line I’m sure he’ll exceed expectations) I trust Tancharoen will have no problem injecting new life into the aging, classic franchise.

[Via Deadline]

Entertainment Weekly’s got their hands on a batch of amazing stills from the set of Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man reboot. Peep the gallery below to see images featuring Andrew Garfield (Peter Parker/Spider-Man), a blonde and beautiful Emma Stone (Gwen Stacey), Martin Sheen (Parker’s uncle Ben), Sally Field (Spidey’s aunt May), and Rhys Ifans (antagonist Dr. Curt Connors/The Lizard).

The Amazing Spider-Man releases in 3D on July 3, 2012.

[Via EW]

Reboot time! The 1984 classic Footloose is making a comeback with a brand new cast. Newcomer Kenny Wormald is ready to step into the big shoes once filled by a young Kevin Bacon to star as the rebellious Ren MacCormack. Country singer Julianne Hough plays the minister’s daughter Ariel, Dennis Quaid is her father, and Miles Teller is Ren’s friend Willard. Need a recap on the story? Here it is:

Ren MacCormack is transplanted from Boston to the small southern town of Bomont where he experiences a heavy dose of culture shock. A few years prior, the community was rocked by a tragic accident that killed five teenagers after a night out and Bomont’s local councilmen and the beloved Reverend Shaw Moore responded by implementing ordinances that prohibit loud music and dancing. Not one to bow to the status quo, Ren challenges the ban, revitalizing the town and falling in love with the minister’s troubled daughter Ariel in the process.

Footloose is a timeless classic. Is a remake necessary? Probably not. But the music and dancing entwined in this love story is so fantastic that I wouldn’t mind watching it all over again in a slightly altered modern form. Dig the trailer above and get ready to snap in the aisles when Footloose circa 2011 hits theatres this October.

And the fanboys and girls shrieked!  That’s right–Buffy the Vampire Slayer is being primed for a comeback, but this time around Buffy (TV) creator and beloved showrunner turned Avengers director Joss Whedon is not attached to the project.  Today Warner Bros. and Atlas Entertainment announced that a Buffy reboot film is in the works.  Atlas’ Charles Roven and Steve Alexander and Vertigo Entertainment’s Doug Davison and Roy Lee are signed on to executive produce the upcoming vampire flick.  Whit Anderson, actress turned screenwriter, will pen the script.  If you didn’t know, Buffy actually started out in the movies.  Buffy the Vampire Slayer, created by Fran and Kaz Kuzui, hit theatres in 1992.  Joss Whedon worked his magic to spin the feature into a long-running TV series on The WB (1997-2003).  Warner Bros. managed to option the rights to Buffy from the Kuzuis to Atlas and Vertigo.  Let’s take a look at some choice quotes surrounding this surprising announcement.

Says Roven of Atlas: “Generally,  I wouldn’t have said,‘Let’s revive this,’ but Whit’s take is pretty compelling and a lot of fun, and it’s interesting to see all of this reimagined. This is a completely new reboot. Tone is extremely important, and you want the audience to realize what is at stake and the peril is real, but at the same time what’s going on should be fun and inviting and keep everyone engaged. It needs to be relevant to today too, and that is what Whit has found a way to do.” … “There is an active fan base eagerly awaiting this character’s return. … While this is not your high-school Buffy, she’ll be just as witty, tough and sexy as we all remember her to be.”

And Whedon made sure his two cents were heard ’round the world shortly after the announcement: “Obviously I have strong, mixed emotions about something like this. My first reaction upon hearing who was writing it was, “Whit Stillman AND Wes Anderson? This is gonna be the most sardonically adorable movie EVER.” Apparently I was misinformed. Then I thought, “I’ll make a mint! This is worth more than all my Toy Story residuals combined!” Apparently I am seldom informed of anything. And possibly a little slow. But seriously, are vampires even popular any more?”

You’re going to want hop after the break to read the rest of Whedon’s remarks.  In so many words, he is not happy about a Buffy comeback at this moment in time (he’d prefer it come “after [his] death”), but he understands that the situation is out of his hands.  Buffy fans, what say you?  Can a Whedon-less Buffy survive today?

[Via LATimes; EOnline; Deadline] (Click here for more…)

This month brought news that Pushing Daisies creator Bryan Fuller is bringing a “modern-day reboot” of The Munsters to NBC.  Today Fuller expressed interest in nabbing actress Kristen Bell, who comes from TV roots (Veronica Mars), to play the part of Marilyn, the “plain” cousin of the wacky Munster clan.  “Are you kidding me?” explaimed Fuller.  “Kristen would be perfect.”  He explains that Marilyn will have a much more pivotal role in the reboot than she did in the classic 1960s sitcom.  “She is our eyes into the world, in the sense that we all can relate to our families exhibiting some level of monstrous behavior.”  He also hinted that Eddie’s pet dragon Spot will also serve a larger purpose.  NBC has ordered a pilot to be made, and Fuller splendidly spilled some info as to what we can expect.  “This version has teeth and isn’t afraid to use them,” he said.  “For example, the story begins when young Eddie unexpectedly manifests as a werewolf on a scout camping trip and inadvertently eats two of his fellow scouts.”  Um, yes.

[Via EW-AusielloFiles]

Zack Snyder, helmer of 300, Watchmen, and the upcoming Sucker Punch, has signed on to direct the Superman franchise reboot.  He joins a stellar creative team in the Warner Bros and Legendary Pictures backed project.  Christopher Nolan, the man famous breathing life into the Batman franchise, is producing alongside wife Emma Thomas, Charles Roven (The Dark Knight), and Zack’s wife and producing partner Deborah Snyder.  The Superman story has already been imagined by Nolan and David S. Goyer (The Dark Knight); Goyer is currently penning the script.

Deadline recently spoke with Snyder about the news.  “I’ve been a big fan of the character for a long time, he’s definitely the king of all superheroes, he’s the one.  It’s early yet, but I can tell you that what David and Chris have done with the story so far definitely has given me a great insight into a way to make him feel modern.  I’ve always felt he was kind of awesome.”  Snyder promises to get started on Superman as soon as production wraps on Sucker Punch.  Warner Bros. and DC Comics are aiming for a 2012 holiday release.

[Via Deadline]

Bryan Fuller, the brilliant mind behind Pushing Daisies, is creating a “modern-day reboot” of the classic 1960s sitcom The Munsters.  According to EW’s Michael Ausiello, NBC has ordered a pilot and the reboot is being described as “Modern Family meets True Blood.”  And there’s this: Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Pans Labyrinth) is rumored to have a behind-the-scenes role in the show.  Uhhh…count me in!  I wonder what The Munsters will look like in beautiful HD technicolor, don’t you?

[Via EW-AusielloFiles]

On Tuesday this viral video hit the ‘Net and quickly garnered critical acclaim.  After watching this extremely well produced short film based on the classic video game Mortal Kombat people everywhere began to speculate.  Was this a teaser trailer for a reboot of 1995′s Mortal Kombat film or was it just a fan-made work of art?  Shortly after its arrival it was discovered that the seven-and-a-half minute short was directed by Kevin Tancharoen (director of 2009′s Fame) and it was produced in an attempt to pitch Tancharoen’s vision for a reimagined Mortal Kombat movie to Warner Brothers (as confirmed by actress Jeri Ryan’s Twitter feed).  Mortal Kombat: Rebirth was Tancharoen’s way of saying, “Hey WB, check out this video, see what I can do, and let’s talk about making a new Mortal Kombat flick.”

This mini-movie is nothing short of fantastic.  Though it takes place in the MK universe, the characters’ origins are based in reality.  Instead of attributing their abilities to the supernatural, each villain transforms into their malaligned selves due to psychotic breaks or hereditary disease.  These characters have mental and physical “issues” and they know martial arts.  That’s Tancharoen’s spin on the MK universe.  And obviously he retains the overall plot which revolves around the tournament.  From the intense fight sequence to the stunning camera shots and visuals, Tancharoen’s short deserves WB approval.  As Jackson Briggs was trying to convince Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpion to enter the tournament to kill Baraka, Reptile, and the other villains I was instantly imagining and anticipating how the story would continue.  And then I remembered I was only watching a short clip on YouTube.  I have no doubt this masterpiece of a short will lead to a feature-length MK movie sometime in the near future.

MK: Rebirth stars Michael Jai White as Jackson Briggs, Matt Mullins as Johnny Cage, Ian Anthony Dale as Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpion, Richard Dorton as Reptile, Lateef Crowder as Alan Zane/Baraka, and Jeri Ryan as Sonya Blade.  The fight sequence was choreographed by Larnell Stovall. (Click here for more…)

People, I have sad news to share with you: Spider-Man 4 is not being made.  Director of the first three movies Sam Raimi and Spider-Man himself Tobey Maguire will not be involved in future Spider-Man films.  I am quite disappointed.

Ramai pulled out of the blockbuster franchise “because he felt he couldn’t make its summer release date and keep the film’s creative integrity,” according to Deadline.  There were disagreements between him and the studio heads.  He wanted to focus on one villain while the studio wanted to incorporate numerous villians.  He insisted that John Malkovich play the villain (Vulture), and the studio wanted to nab Anne Hathaway for the part.  The studio wanted to shoot the film in 3D (look at the financial success from Avatar, right?!), but the Spidey 4 team did not include anyone with background knowledge of shooting in 3D.  With all these issues up in the air and the script getting delayed on more than one occasion, Sony Pictures decided to scrap a fourth installment and reboot the entire franchise with a new production team and actors.

Sony has released an official statement about the matter: “The new chapter in the Spider-Man franchise produced by Columbia, Marvel Studios and Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin, will have a new cast and filmmaking team. Spider-Man 4 was to have been released in 2011, but had not yet gone into production.”  What direction will the new film take?  “Peter Parker is going back to high school when the next Spider-Man hits theaters in the summer of 2012. Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios announced today they are moving forward with a film based on a script by James Vanderbilt that focuses on a teenager grappling with both contemporary human problems and amazing super-human crises.”  Hm, this could work if executed properly.

Raimi shares his thoughts: “Working on the Spider-Man movies was the experience of a lifetime for me. While we were looking forward to doing a fourth one together, the studio and Marvel have a unique opportunity to take the franchise in a new direction, and I know they will do a terrific job.”  As does Maguire: “I am so proud of what we accomplished with the Spider-Man franchise over the last decade.  Beyond the films themselves I have formed some deep and lasting friendships.  I am excited to see the next chapter unfold in this incredible story.”

When I first heard news that the Spider-Man franchise was going to be rebooted I felt severely disappointed.  Though the third film was not so good, we are all so invested in the characters and the building relationships and themes in the three films.  I believe the franchise is strong and there’s no need to restart the story.  Tobey Maguire is Spider-Man.  What’s happening here is like taking Sean Connery out of a James Bond film only three movies in.  (I am not comparing Maguire to Connery in any way, shape, or form; it’s the idea that counts.)  With word of new a direction–going back in time to witness Peter Parker’s high school days–I feel somewhat confident that such a new story could work, only if executed successfully.  If the reboot is a flop (think what happened with The Hulk, but Ang Lee’s version coming second) my disappointment will turn into sheer anger.  Hopefully the studio can find the right set of actors and come up with a smart story to reignite the Spidey film series.

[Via Deadline]