*Universal apparently hasn't learned a thing about mashing up genres after the disastrous Cowboys & Aliens. The studio has pegged Marc Forster to direct Cowboy Ninja Viking, based on the comic by A.J. Lieberman Riley Rossmo. Written by Zombieland scribe Rhett Rheese and Paul Wernick, the story centers on a secret government program using multiple personality disorder patients as powered field agents. The story follows Duncan, who has a cowboy, viking, and ninja's attributes to draw from. Forster has gone from being the guy behind prestige films like Monster's Ball, Finding Neverland, and Stranger than Fiction, to being a guy who gave us the terrible Quantum of Solace and awful Machine Gun Preacher. What the hell happened? [Deadline]
* Even though 21 Jump Street doesn't open until March 16th, the early buzz has been so good that Sony is already down for another helping. Jonah Hill revealed over the weekend that the sequel has gotten the greenlight and is being written right now. Presumably it'll be by him and Michael Bacall(Project X) again, but that hasn't been verified yet. That the studio has this much confidence is a good sign. [E!]
* Tom Hiddleston, Bella Heathcoate(In Time), Benjamin Walker(Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter), Lily Collins, and Jessica Brown Findlay(Downtown Abbey) are all circling the lead roles in Winter's Tale, the directorial debut by Hollywood super scribe Akiva Goldsman(The Da Vinci Code). Based on the fantasy novel by Mark Helprin, the story follows Irish immigrant Peter Blake, who falls in love with the terminally ill Beverly Penn while breaking into her home. Did I mention Peter has a guardian angel in the form of a flying white horse? There's even more craziness to be found, but the book was favorably received when it was published in 1983. Earlier this month we learned that Goldsman had called in a few old markers and got his buddies Will Smith and Russell Crowe to make appearances in the film.
