Strike movie updates

You might’ve heard about the impending Hollywood talent strikes (alternately known as The Strike of the Apocalypse and The Strike of Doom and Dread). Basically the current contracts for writers (followed by actors and directors) are ending, and they want to renegotiate for a better chunk of the cash studios tend to hide with shady accounting, plus protection for future profits with new media.

To prepare for this possibility, studios have been stockpiling scripts and hustling projects into the pipe before they’re truly ready. What this means to you as a moviegoer is that the next two or three years will see poorly crafted product in even greater amounts than usual.

Enough about the “why” — the press exposure has yielded a few intriguing tidbits about a few major projects currently in the works:

Actor Sam Worthington, an up-and-comer who’ll star in James Cameron’s AVATAR, is apparently being courted for G.I. JOE (Clooney’s rumored involvement is pure fabrication).

Fox is trying to get an adaptation of the noir-flavored Woo-inspired action videogame MAX PAYNE made before next summer’s strike deadline.

Since David Benioff’s draft, the script for WOLVERINE (oh, sorry — X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE) has been polished and pecked at by writers Scott Silver (8 MILE) and Jamie Vanderbilt (THE RUNDOWN). The Hugh Jackman flick starts shooting in November.

THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS 4 is shifting into gear, apparently with “franchise” starters Paul Walker and Vin Diesel back at the wheel, and TOKYO DRIFT director Justin Lin punching the pedal.

Director McG is officially involved with TERMINATOR SALVATION: THE FUTURE BEGINS. Maybe he has enough influence to change the shitty title.

New Line’s remake of ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK is still on the short list, although there’s currently no director attached (Len Wiseman and Brett Ratner both bolted from the project).

TRANSFORMERS 2 isn’t transforming into an actual movie anytime soon, even though it has a projected release date of June 26, 2009.

Johnny Depp is ready to star in the adventure SHANTARAM, but Warner Bros. wants the budget shaved.

George Miller’s JUSTICE LEAGUE is now listed as “likely to begin production by spring”.