Extra bits n’ bobs from the week’s genre news!

* We’ve had mega Sharks, Octopie, Crocodiles, Piranhas – this was only a matter of time…

* Various news sites are reporting that Columbia Pictures are eyeing PARKS AND RECREATION star Aziz Ansari for a role in the long-mooted GHOSTBUSTERS 3. Funny that this non-news (ain’t gonna happen) hits in the exact same week Ansari needs 30 MINUTES OR LESS pimping. As much as I’d love to see another GHOSTBUSTERS sequel, I think I have to get used to the fact that we’ll never get to see it. Damn you, Bill Murray! Just sign already!

* Despite Stallone insisting he was done with the character of John Rambo, CONAN THE BARBARIAN writer Sean Hood has just completed his draft of RAMBO: LAST STAND for production company Millenium. We’re still peeved Stallone dumped his own 2009 draft that featured the character hunting a Monster! We’re not even kidding, google it.

* WEEDS star Mary Louise Parker has joined the cast of Jeff Bridges & Ryan Reynolds comic-book adaptation R.I.P.D. as the bereaved wife of the latter.

* Forever chasing that TWILIGHT demographic, DreamWorks have acquired the rights to DARKFEVER, the first book in Karen Moning’s acclaimed fantasy series. Expect a franchise should it hit.

* Will Smith is in talks to go on a FANTASTIC VOYAGE with director Shaun Levy (NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM). The remake of the 1966 sci-fi classic will be produced by James Cameron and his Lightstorm Entertainment partner Jon Landau. Always preffered INNERSPACE myself.

* Sorry BABYLON 5 fans, creator J Michael Straczynski has shot down star Walter Koenig’s recent claims that the series is set to return in the near future. “Walter misspoke” Straczynski told Spinoff Online. Oh.

* Good news for Muppet fans however – not only is their big-screen return almost upon us, but now we have THE GREEN ALBUM, a collection of contemporary artists covering classic Muppet tracks. And you can listen to the entire thing for free, here!

* Just as I was beginning to warm to the idea of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES (predominantly due to Marti Noxon overseeing screenwriting duties), turns out the flick is undergoing huge delays due to their bewildering difficulties finding a leading lady! Hollywood might have its problems, but a shortage of young actresses isn’t one of them. Most recently ZOMBIELAND’s Emma Stone passed on the lead role, and before that Natalie Portman walked when original director David O. Russell (THE FIGHTER) did the same. 

* Is there anybody out there that’s a fan of the CHILDREN OF THE CORN series? There has to be right? Otherwise why would we have CHILDREN OF THE CORN: GENESIS, the eighth entry into the series?! Here’s the trailer for the upcoming direct-to-DVD sequel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmvqzZzJAsE

* BUFFY/ANGEL alum Charisma Carpenter and James Marsters are set to return to the genre in an upcoming season 7 episode of SUPERNATURAL.

* THE WOLVERINE finally begins shooting on the 11th of November in Vancouver, which will double for the story’s Japanese setting. Will Hugh and co get it right this time? We’ll find out next summer.

* The RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION folk aren’t settling for no faux Japan however, with plans to film sequences of Alice’s upcoming globe-spanning adventure in the country itself. But first, a quick trip to Russia, where, according to Milla Jovovich’s Twitter account, they’re “DOING A HUGE ACTION SEQUENCE IN RED SQUARE!!!”. Glad to see at least one person excited about this flick.

* Hot on the heels of the trailer comes the new promotional poster for GLEE creator Ryan Murphy’s upcoming TV show AMERICAN HORROR STORY. Something tells me he’s not going after the same crowd…

* Who’s up for a third trip to the HOSTEL? Not Eli Roth apparently, who has nothing to do with the direct-to-DVD HOSTEL: PART III. Originally held up due to a few problems with American sensors the MPAA, the film has now finally secured an R rating. Sorry, but no Eli, no point in my opinion.

* Aaaaand finally. Ever wondered what the deal with Marty McFly and Doc Brown’s relationship was? Quite honestly, no. But it seems a lot of people over the years have been somewhat puzzled as to why a 16 year old kid would be knocking around with an old bloke as his best mate. So much so, BACK TO THE FUTURE writer Bob Gale’s stepped in to set people’s minds at rest: “We never explained it in the movie. But the history of the characters that Bob Zemeckis and I created is this… For years, Marty was told that Doc Brown was dangerous, a crackpot, a lunatic. So, being a red-blooded American teenage boy, age 13 or 14, he decided to find out just why this guy was so dangerous. Marty snuck into Doc’s lab, and was fascinated by all the cool stuff that was there. When Doc found him there, he was delighted to find that Marty thought he was cool and accepted him for what he was. Both of them were the black sheep in their respective environments. Doc gave Marty a part-time job to help with experiments, tend to the lab, tend to the dog, etc. And that’s the origin of their relationship.” Thanks for clearing that up, Bob.

Thoughts on any of the above? Them share ’em with your fellow Starburst readers in the comments or on Twitter @Starburst_Mag