The Morning Roundup: Gore does MMORPGs, Spirit Preview, End of Year List Roundup

Written by: Mike Leader, Special to CC2K

This morning we've got some great looking posters for Coraline and GI Joe. Plus, we've got some tidbits including Gore Verbinski's MMORPG-themed film. We've also culled the best end of year toplists the internet can offer. It's all for you, dear reader. It's the Morning Roundup!

– Harrison Ford has signed on for the JJ Abrams-produced comedy Morning Glory.

– Gore Verbinski is taking inspiration from the gaming world with an upcoming currently-untitled film project. The film will focus on the gamers behind the avatars on popular, life-sucking MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role playing games), and will show the effects of a gaming habit on your life. Cheery stuff!

– Empire have an exclusive chat with Kristen Stewart about her performance as super-foxy Joan Jett in The Runaways.

– Ain't It Cool News have a link up to some preview clips from the Frank Miller-directed comic adaptation The Spirit. Now, I know this column is more about reportage than opinion, but grant me this. I saw a longer edit of some of these (and others) at a press preview in London the other week, and it certainly looks like Frank Miller has turned Will Eisner's heart-warming, funny, dark, cheeky, beautifully designed, ground-breaking comic strip into 'Sin City + goofy slapstick humour'. I'd like to think that the full feature will surprise me, but, unfortunately, I don't have the money to waste finding out – maybe best to spend money on the Eisner (or Darwyn Cooke) graphic novels instead. But don't take my words as gospel; the film hits theatres on Christmas Day.

– Not sure if you've noticed, but it is toplist week here at CC2K. We've all been beavering away compiling our favourite games, tv shows, books and THINGS of the last 12 months. Of course, December is high-time for reflective lists. Here are a few notables from various corners of the internet:

– Scenester Music Bible Pitchfork have started their listathon, at they moment they've uploaded their best tracks, plus some other side articles.
– Likewise media behemoth IGN have so far published their tops in the fields of music, comics, and some selected gaming platforms.
– Rolling Stone have their best albums and singles.
– Reuters have put up a fantastic feature with their pictures of the year.
– Time have gone all out with their Top 10 of EVERYTHING 2008. From Breakups and Buzzwords to Editorial Cartoons and Viral Videos – there's something for everyone.
– Canadian comic blog Drawn! have their favourite comics and art books (part one, part two).
– Everyone's favourite serious gaming site Gamasutra have myriad top 10s, including top indie games, downloadable titles, gameplay mechanics and overlooked games.
– And high-class gaming mag Edge have their top 30 games of the year.

– Hey, let's finish up with some posters, yes? Take a look at this, for Coraline [thanks AICN].

– And one for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

– And check out some tight, black-suit GI Joe action! (more here)