The Morning Roundup: Up Poster, 7 Pounds Trailer, Iron Man 2 Changes, Lethal Weapon 5 Dead?

Written by: Big Ross, CC2K Staff Writer

This morning we have news that the alleged new entry in the Lethal Weapon franchise might be DOA, there's been a casting change in the upcoming Iron Man sequel, the first "real" Star Trek trailer should be debuting in November, and more!

Despite rumors that a fifth Lethal Weapon film is in the works, director Richard Donner laments how Joel Silver came to take control of the project, and that because of this development series star Mel Gibson has dropped out:

"Joel Silver tried to ace me out of it. He tried to put it together but made sure he didn't do it until my contract was up. You know, it's typical of the man. A guy who wasn't even around at the beginning when we started on the first one. He came in late.  Mel turned it down. I would like to think that Mel turned it down because I wasn't involved. Knowing Mel, I would like to think that. Would that be the kind of thing he does? It sure would be."

While plans for a sequel to Iron Man are underway, we have a report that Terrence Howard will be replaced by Don Cheadle in the role of James Rhodes, who many fans believe might take on the heroic persona of War Machine in the sequel (as he does in the comics).  Negotiations with Howard apparently fell through.

If there are any World of Warcraft fans out there actually looking forward to the planned feature film adaptation, you might be disappointed to hear that Blizzard President Mike Morhaime is uncertain of their ability to meet a 2009 release date saying, "We do have a draft of a script, it isn't final. I think we still need to do a lot of work." Maybe that's a good thing.

The Daily Show due of Jason Jones & Samantha Bee (actually married in real life) will co-create, co-write a script and star in an as-yet-untitled comedy for CBS focusing on the behind-the-scenes world of a celebrity chef (Jones) and the two women who run his cooking empire (Bee plays one of them).

Wha-?  A sequel to Wall Street is in the works?  And Michael Douglas is "interested" but is waiting to see a script (currently being re-written) to decide his involvement?  And it's going to be called Money Never Sleeps?  Yes, yes, and yes.

Hey Trekkies!  We've got word that a new trailer due out in November is "not a teaser, but a real trailer with footage from the film."

In gaming news, for all you Xbox 360 owners who have been coveting thy neighbors PS3 for the sole purpose of playing Metal Gear Solid 4, you might get your wish.  A Konami public relations representative commented at the Tokyo Game Show that "we're actively looking into a release for the Xbox 360."  Nothing definite there, but it's promising.

In more gaming news, it's a great time to own an Xbox 360.  Here are some highly anticipated releases set for the coming weeks.  Check back with CC2k as we attempt to review as many as humanly possible!

Dead Space – 10/14/08
Fable II – 10/21/08
Guitar Hero: World Tour – 10/26/08
Fallout 3 – 10/28/08
Gears of War 2 – 11/7/08

Here's a new poster for the Disney-Pixar project Up:

Finally, here's the second trailer for the new Will Smith drama Seven Pounds: