Movie & TV News: Star Trek XI, Movie Musicals on Stage, Justice League: The New Frontier, True Blood, The Oscars, Mike Fright, Comic Previews

Star Trek XI
The Hollywood Reporter states that the question is settled, finally, and that J.J. Abrams will direct the revival film of the Star Trek franchise. The prequel to the original TV series will chronicle the first meeting of a young James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock at Starfleet Academy and their first space mission. The report puts to rest speculation that Abrams would not direct, but only produce the film.

Movie Musicals on Stage
For years this is the way it went: Book begat Stage Play begat Movie begat Stage Musical begat Movie Musical. With the occasional skip in the chain and the misguided Television series here and there, that was the way of the world. Disney has shot that formula in the head more times than once in recent history, and continues to do so. But, there have also been a number of movies that made their way back to the boards as a musical. The most recent is a musical based on the movies of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. According to syndicated columnist Liz Smith, "Dancing the Night Away" is being mounted on London's West End before heading to Broadway. Smith quotes choreographer Gillian Lynne as saying, "There is something fantastic about a man and a woman dancing close. I am sick of street dancing and hip-hop . . . We want to give audiences escapism and magic and take the electrifying charge of dance to new heights." Meanwhile, other reverses in the movie-musical chain were announce. While Mel Brooks' "The Producers" will close at the St. James Theatre on April 22 after six years, it will be replaced by the stage version of another Brooks movie, "Young Frankenstein." Plus FoxNews.com's Roger Friedman reported that a big-budget musical based on "Gone With the Wind" is set for the London stage in 2008.

Justice League: The New Frontier

Comics Continuum is relating that a trio of TV staples will be voicing characters in the direct to DVD feature. David Boreanaz will be the voice of Hal Jordan/Green Lantern, Neil Patrick Harris will give us Barry Allen/The Flash and Brooke Shields will provide the voice of Carol Ferris (GL's girlfriend and boss). A representative of Warner Brothers Animation, however, would not confirm the names of any voice talent for the DC direct-to-DVD projects.

True Blood
Anna Paquin will play Sookie Stackhouse in her first TV series "True Blood," for HBO. Ryan Kwanten and Sam Trammell have also been cast in the project, based on the "Southern Vampire" book series by Charlaine Harris, and adapted by Alan Ball, who will also direct and executive produce. In a world in where vampires can buy Japanese-made synthetic blood, Stackhouse (Paquin), is an innocent waitress who can read people's minds, and the worlds she encounters are in constant flux and just as constant conflict. Kwanten plays the waitress' brother and Trammell will play her boss.

The Oscars
In case you missed it, the Academy Awards were given out on Sunday. Here is a list of the winners. IMDb has posted lots of pictures here.

Mike Fright: Stand Up!