Movie & TV News: Dark Tower, Speed Racer, The Dark Is Rising, Conspiracy of Fools, The Hardy Men, Mike Fright, Comic Previews

Dark Tower
The Hollywood Reporter is saying that J.J. Abrams is in negotiations to adapt the Stephen King "Dark Tower" books for either the big or small screen. Word is that King wants Abrams out of all the large field of people who want to do the project. King is fan of "Lost," and he is happy to admit it. Whether Abrams would take on the project solely as a producer or might would direct as well is, at this time, unknown.

Speed Racer
Andy and Larry Wachowski are moving to the Berlin Studio Babelsberg in May to start production "Speed Racer," says The Hollywood Reporter.

The Dark Is Rising
Ian McShane, Frances Conroy and Alexander Ludwig will star in the David Cunningham directed "The Dark Is Rising" for 20th Century Fox and Walden Media. The film will be based on the books by Susan Cooper about Will Stanton (Ludwig) who discovers at age 11 that he's the last of a group of immortals - - the Old Ones - - who have dedicated their lives to fighting a growing presence of dark forces. McShane plays Merriman Lyon, one of the Old Ones who is Stanton's mentor. John Hodge is adapting the project and shooting starts this month in Romania.

Conspiracy of Fools
Leonardo DiCaprio will star and produce the Warner Brothers film "Conspiracy of Fools" about the collapse of Enron. The film will be based on the book by Kurt Eichenwald (adapted by Sheldon Turner), DiCaprio will play a newcomer to the Houston-based energy company who is shocked to find the campaign of greed and fraudulent accounting.

The Hardy Men
Tom Cruise and Ben Stiller will play "The Hardy Men" in the Shawn Levy directed Twentieth Century Fox film. A follow-up the "Hardy Boys" mysteries, the action comedy will have Cruise and Stiller as the youth sleuths who have now all grown up and long estranged, brought together to solve one last case. Shooting on the Michael Sargent script is hoped to start in 2008.

Mike Fright: Stand Up!