Several News Bits from Around the Web

FIRST LOOK AT MAGGIE Q IN HANNIBAL

Q AND LOPEZ HAVE BALLS OF FURY

Speaking of Maggie Q, according to The Hollywood Reporter she has joined the ping-pong comedy Balls of Fury along with George Lopez. The film already stars Christopher Walken as Fang, an evil crime lord who is also a pingpong enthusiast. Dan Fogler, the Tony-winning star of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” plays a disgraced player enlisted by the CIA to join a tournament held in Fang’s lair. You see, Fang is the man who killed his father. Thomas Lennon plays the comeback kid’s East German nemesis. Lopez will play the FBI agent who recruits Fogler, while Q plays the sexy niece of his mentor, Master Wong.

AJA LOOKS INTO THE MIRROR

It seems The Hills Have Eyes helmer, Alexandre Aja, has caught the eye of Regency Enterprises as he is now set to direct the horror Into the Mirror reports The Hollywood Reporter. The story follows a security guard at a high-end department store who begins to investigate mysterious deaths occurring in front of the stores’ mirrors. He soon discovers that there are murderous reflections out for revenge.

DEVITO AND BRODERICK ARE ALL LIT UP

DANE COOK TAKES A DAD KNAP WITH MR. BROOKS

Things are certainly looking up for comedian Dane Cook as he has found his way into two upcoming films reports Variety. First off he will join the cast of the psychological thriller Mr. Brooks pitting him alongside Kevin Costner, William Hurt and Demi Moore. The story centers on a prominent businessman (Costner) who has an alter ego that causes him to do dangerous things. Cook’s character blackmails him into being his new accomplice. Shooting starts April 17 in Shreveport, La.

The second bit of casting news reports that Cook will star in Walt Disney’s Dad Knap a film that is currently looking for a writer, but the story revolves around a man who kidnaps his dad in order to get the type of father-son time he never had.

“DA VINCI CODE” AUTHOR WINS!

It seems yet another meaningless, time and money wasting lawsuit has come to a close as High Court judge Peter Smith rejected a copyright-infringement claim by Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh, authors of “The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail,” who alleged that Dan Brown’s blockbuster novel, “The Da Vinci Code,” “appropriated the architecture” of their 1982 book.

Variety brings us the news quoting Smith’s 71-page ruling, “It would be quite wrong if fictional writers were to have their writings pored over in the way “The Da Vinci Code” has been pored over in this case by authors of pretend historical books to make an allegation of infringement of copyright.”

“I’m pleased with today’s outcome, not only from a personal standpoint but also as a novelist,” Brown said in a statement.

Columbia Pictures will release the film adaptation of The Da Vinci Code on May 19.

UNIVERSAL BRINGS IN A TROUBLESHOOTER

Variety is reporting that Universal Pictures and Working Title have acquired John Hamburg’s spec script “The Troubleshooter,” with Hamburg to direct the comedy. “It’s a comic thriller about a guy who is trying to figure out his life while running for his life,” Hamburg told Variety as the pic is currently being fast-tracked, with casting to begin shortly for a shoot later this year.

VIDEOGAME “COLD FEAR” BEING MADE INTO A MOVIE

I think I have beat to hell my opinion on turning videogames into movies so I will refrain from comment here and just tell you that Variety is reporting that Avatar Films and Sekretagent Prods. have optioned bigscreen rights to survival horror game “Cold Fear” from developer Darkworks and publisher Ubisoft.

The Variety article goes on to say “it’s an unusual license, since ‘Cold Fear’ didn’t sell well to gamers. But producers are betting that the scary atmosphere and compelling story — a Coast Guard Officer trying to reconnect with his daughter is adrift on a whaling ship infested with aliens — will translate well as a horror film.”

It is also unusual that the continue to adapt videogames into film considering most of them end up su…. Dammit! I said I wouldn’t comment!

ELISE JOINS P.D.R.

Variety is reporting that Kimberly Elise has been cast as the female lead opposite Terrence Howard in Lionsgate’s inner-city sports drama P.D.R.

The film is based on the true story of Philadelphia swim coach Jim Ellis. Ellis fixed an abandoned city pool in one of Philadelphia’s toughest neighborhoods and recruited African-American youths to join his team, which went on to win the state championship.