TIM BURTON'S AND JOHNNY DEPP'S "DARK SHADOWS" PROJECT MOVES ON WITH A NEW WRITER

I remember that whenever I've published something on Tim Burton in the past a lot of you mentioned in your comments that you would like him to just quit all his plans and finally start working on his version of "Dark Shadows". Well good news for you: according to "Deadline NY", Tim Burton has hired Seth Grahame Smith to write the script so that they might start shooting the film in January 2011. If you remember, Seth Grahame Smith is the author of the bestselling novel "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" which will be adapted into a film by Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov, and now he will work with Burton again on "Dark Shadows" with a new and unique approach to the material. "Dark Shadows" was cult supernatural TV show from the 60's full of vampires, monsters, witches, werewolves, ghosts and zombies as the main characters. In Tim Burton's adaptation, Johnny Depp is supposed to play the vampire patriarch Barnabas Collins.

FIRST OFFICIAL PICTURE OF RYAN REYNOLDS AS "GREEN LANTERN". JENNIFER LAWRENCE IS THE NEW MYSTIQUE IN "X-MEN FIRST CLASS"

You didn't think I would let you go without your daily dose of super hero news? Well, first of all probably the most popular news of the day was the first official picture of Ryan Reynolds as "Green Lantern" which appeared around the Net today. It is actually the cover of the upcoming issue of "Entertain ment Weekly" which shows Ryan for the first time in the truly magnificent and modern "Green Lantern" suit. As you know Ryan plays Hal Jordan, a cocky test pilot who becomes an intergalactic superhero with a power ring which can conjure virtually anything he can dream up, so he uses his will and imagination as superpowers. How do you like the look of his suit???

I also have new official updates on "X-Men: First Class" casting: young actress Jennifer Lawrence who got praise for her role this year in indie movie "Winter's Bone" has signed on to play young Mystique who was played marvelously before by stunning Rebecca Romijn in the previous parts of the mutant saga. And the rumor about Kevin Bacon getting a villain role in the same movie has now been officially confirmed - he will really play one of the bad guys in "X-Men: First Class".

ELIZABETH BANKS IS LIVE ACTION "TINKERBELL". NEW "HERCULES" EPIC. MARK RUFFALO MIGHT BE THE NEW HULK. "CASSASTAR" TRAILER!

As you've noticed from my recent daily updates Hollywood has gone crazy about fairy tales so I have another fairy tale movie adaptation to announce today: Disney will make "Tink", a live-action film about the adorable Tinkerbell produced by Adam Shankman and McG. The good news is that blond angel Elizabeth Banks ("30s Rock", "Scrubs") is set to take the lead role in the film which will focus on the mischievous nature of the Tinkerbell.

Although the public got excited with the news of Joaquin Phoenix possibly taking the role of Hulk in "The Avengers" from Edward Norton, it seems that we have a new candidate for the role: according to "Deadline NY" Mark Ruffalo is already in final talks to portray The Hulk in "The Avengers". It seems that after "Thor", "Spiderman" and "Captain America" we now have a new casting mystery to deal with in next few weeks :)

A news I mentioned a year ago is hot again: Brett Ratner ("X-Men: The Last Stand") is planning a live-action movie about the famous mythological hero "Hercules". According to "MovieWeb" Avi Lerner ("The Expendables") has been working on the script for over three years and is now looking to use the current trend of epic movies in cinemas to film his story.

And something exclusive which has just come up: check out the first rockin' trailer for CASSASTAR, the upcoming sf book from my great friend Alex. J. Cavanaugh. The book is out October 19th, and you will be honoured to read the worldwide exclusive interview with Alex on the same day here at Hollywood Spy :) Congrats, on the great book trailer, Alex!