Bits n’ Bobs From The Week Ending 15/05/11

* The poster for the eagerly-awaited new MUPPET movie has been leaked. Anybody know what that weird tagline could mean?

* Despite mediocre box office Dimension Films teases the possibility of SCREAM 5 on Twitter.

* SNL star Bill Hader confirmed to appear in MEN IN BLACK III as Andy Warhol. Script leaks indicate a time travel-heavy plot, with Agents J and K journeying back to 1969. Here’s hoping Hader’s considerable comedy-chops won’t be as wasted as they were in PAUL.

* Creator/writer/director Shawn Ryan hopeful for THE SHEILD movie. Vic Mackey, not Nick Fury (though MARVEL STUDIOS are developing that too.)

* Andrew Nicol (GATTACA) to direct adaptation of (our Editor’s favourite author) Stephanie Myers’ latest novel, the originally titled THE HOST. Saorise Ronan turns down THE HOBBIT to star.

* Neca Toys to release series of action figures based on Sam Raimi’s horror classic EVIL DEAD 2. Groovy!

* Ashton Kutcher replaces Charlie Sheen on TWO AND A HALF MEN. (Ok, so not technically genre news, but Sheen did star in the 1996 sci-fi masterpiece THE ARRIVAL so….)

* Check out the poster for the Marti Noxon (BUFFY) penned FRIGHT NIGHT remake featuring David Tennant as Peter Vincent. Can it possibly live up to Tom Holland’s horror classic? Unlikely… but credit where credit’s due, this is starting to look pretty darn cool.

* More EVIL DEAD news! Backflip Studios release ARMY OF DARKNESS for iPhone/iPad (available for 59p, limited time only!)

* Vertigo Films announce sequel to Gareth Edwards’ excellent MONSTERS. Producers promise: “there will be a lot more creatures this time around”, completely missing the point of the original. Meanwhile, Edwards is currently at work on Legendary Pictures’ GODZILLA re-reboot.

* Cancelled: THE EVENT; NO ORDINARY FAMILY; HUMAN TARGET.

* Production on Ron Howard’s ambitious adaptation of Stephen King’s DARK TOWER (3 movies + 2 TV series!) has been stalled. Universal getting cold feet?

* Renewed: CHUCK; FRINGE.

* Hot on the heels of J.J. Abrams’ ALCATRAZ being picked up for a full season, comes the news that PERSONS OF INTEREST (starring another LOST alum, the awesome Michael Emerson) has also been commissioned.

* New CHARLIE’S ANGELS TV show is a go! Sadly, McG will have limited involvement.

* 20th Century Fox developing movie adaptation of the Brothers Grimm story THE PIED PIPER.

* This news week alone we’ve had DINOSAURS VS. ALIENS; aliens vs. robots in PACIFIC RIM; robots vs. robots in REAL STEEL; and robots vs. samurai in ZANBATO. And now… brace yourself for STRIPPERS VS. WEREWOLVES, a new horror comedy currently shooting in the UK with genre favourite Robert Englund.

* Saorise Ronan (again?! does this woman not sleep?!) to star in vampire film BYZANTIUM for Neil Jordan.

That’s all, folks! Check back every day for all the latest genre news!