MAGNETO

There's an interview with screenwriter Sheldon Turner over at Bullz-Eye.com where he briefly touches on the early days of the master of magnetism. "It's a young Magneto. It opens up with a 14-year-old Magneto being abducted and put into Auschwitz. It's made for a 28-, 29-year-old actor. And then it tracks on how he seeks vengeance on the Nazis who killed his parents in the camps. And in the same way -- a la Anakin Skywalker, Leatherface, any of these iconic characters -- what was interesting for me and what will be interesting for the audience is, 'All right, now I understand why he did that thing. Does it make me love him more? Maybe not, but ...' People are fascinated by the origins of any human being. It's a way to indulge their pseudo-psychological interests, and have fun at the same time."

SUPERMAN RETURNS

Switching from the serious to the silly, Dark Horizons is running with a rumor "that the size of 26-year-old Brandon Routh's bulge in the superhero's skintight costume could be distracting enough that the studio has ordered the makers to cover it up with digital effects. Their source says 'It's a major issue for the studio. Brandon is extremely well endowed and they don't want it up on the big screen. We may be forced to erase his package with digital effects.'" Riiiiiiight ...

In other news, apparently this California vision care company is doing a "color change" effect for the eyes of Brandon Routh and an actor named "Stephen Bender." Heat vision? They are also doing a top secret effect for "Ghost Rider."

BLADEComics Continuum has what appears to be a first look at Kirk Jones as the Daywalker, alongside quotes from David Goyer.

WITCHBLADE

Speaking of characters with sharp names, there was a press release (which we have for you, right here at CBR) about the partnership between Platinum Studios, IDG Films, Arclight Films and Relativity Media are teaming up to do two back-to-back live action features on the property.

SPIDER-MAN 3

According to Superhero Hype, "The Day After Tomorrow" star Adrian Lester will join Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst in "Spider-Man 3." "All I know is that I'm playing a research scientist who tries to cure the baddie of whatever badness he's got," Lester said. "I don't even know who the new baddie is!"

Meanwhile, showbiz authority Army Archerd listed on his blog that Gentle Giant will be providing digital figures for both this movie and "X-Men 3."

X-MEN 3

Speaking of the kids at Xavier's, actor Bruce Davidson told If Magazine that we won't see Senator Kelly in this installment of the franchise. "I was nowhere near that one. I was in Africa and they were in Vancouver. I'm dead I think. I tried to convince Bryan that I went down a drain, show a shot of water running down a drain so that I could come up out of a bathroom fixture. My kid tells me, 'why don't you do 'LORD OF THE RINGS' or 'THE HOBBIT' or something, you just melt in 'X-MEN!'"

HULK MEETS HAWKMAN?

Well, satirized versions anyway -- the animated "reality series" "Drawn Together" will feature versions of comic book favorites in an upcoming episode, according to Superhero Report. They have screen captures. Brace yourself.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION

Here's where you get in on the action. Did you see a link we didn't catch? Have you snuck into a closed movie set, and have inside data? Maybe your cousin is dating somebody who knows something, and they had to tell you? Whatever it is, we wanna know it all -- fire off an email and let us know whether you want your name used or your contributions to geekdom to go down anonymously. Broadcasting live from Los Angeles, this is novelist/reviewer/karaoke host/all-around lunatic Hannibal Tabu saying thanks for your time and indulgence, I swear to you that Chapter Four of my new serial novel "Faraway" will be online by 1PM PST, and [tagline sent back to development hell until something hipper can be dreamed up].