DN: Flash Gordon, John Carter and Avatar-the Prequel

Well today we go across the universe (as an actual genius once sang) with three different planets on our list.

First up Hitflix has an interview with director Breck Eisner (promoting his upcoming remake of George Romero's The Crazies) in which he talks about his plans for the long gestating Flash Gordon reboot http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/2008-12-6-motion-captured/posts/breck-eisner-talks-about-his-goals-for-flash-gordon. Eisner does reveal that the script should be ready in another month or two and that the film will follow the Alex Raymond strips instead of the Buster Crabbe serials or the 1980 film. He also says that it will more likely follow John Carter of Mars to the screen and actually says it has a "great script." Does he know more than we do about it?

One person who should know is actor James Purefoy, who is playing Kantos Kan. Purefoy also on the PR trail promoting the British release of Solomon Kane and has briefly talked about his role to interviewers. No big bombshells and most of the comments read like a hawk-eyed Disney publicist is in the room but it will be "huge" and Purefoy shares fellow countryman Mark Strong's opinion of Andrew Stanton-he's a "genius." (No offense to Misters Purefoy or Strong but is there a genius shortage in England? Or is it just the fact the rest of us aren't getting paid to believe Stanton's apparent brilliance.) http://www.johncartermovie.com/ has the collection of Purefoy's quotes.

Finally for those going through blue people with drawl, well you can book your return trip to Pandora-and a lot quicker than expected. Several sites are reporting that James Cameron has signed a deal to write a prequel novel to Avatar that will be out at the end of the year. No word on the plot but producer Jon Landau did tell a reporter it will follow the characters before the events of the movie. More info is at http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/feb/18/james-cameron-avatar-prequel-novel