TERMINATOR 5 (Speculation)

• TERMINATOR 5

Fast & Furious director Justin Lin, passed on directing Highlander but still has Terminator 5 on his project list. Speaking to Moviehole, Lin revealed that part of his wish-list for Terminator 5 is to bring back Sarah Connor.

Back in June there were some casting whispers that Lin quickly shot down, but there was also talk of the next Terminator being a Star Trek-style reboot, with a ruptured timeline setting up a narrative thread to veer off from the established franchise without necessarily contradicting what's gone before.

Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor

"I think the great thing about this franchise is that you can actually have different canons," confirms Lin, "because you have the element of time travel. So, there’s a way of kind of respecting all the works but also being able to create a new time line. Sarah Connor is such a big part of the franchise, and I’ve always been surprised how in part 3 it was like one line and she was gone. If you go back to the thematic drives of the first film especially, I think that’s a way to be able to reengage..."

The project is still at its very early stages. Lin has had productive meetings with Arnold Schwarzenegger and new rights-holder Megan Ellison, but there's not even a screenplay yet. "A lot of what we've discussed has been really good," says the director, "but it's necessary to really find the right group of people to execute it, so we'll see how it fleshes out. I have my own criteria set, and [if they don't pan out], I won't make it..." 

GANGSTER SQUAD (cast news)

• GANGSTER SQUAD

Nick Nolte

Nick Nolte is the latest addition to the cast of Warner Bros.' period crime drama Gangster Squad.

Deadline reports that the veteran actor will portray the real-life LAPD chief Bill Parker in the Ruben Fleischer-directed Neo-Noir. The site calls the new chief "the first in a awhile who hasn't been corrupted by Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn). The chief, a Purple Heart recipient at Normandy, is the one who starts the Gangster Squad, a crack team designed to bring down organized crime."

Nolte's casting is ironic considering he previously portrayed a member of the LAPD's "The Hat Squad" (who were modeled after the real-life guys in Gangster Squad) in Mulholland Falls.

Gangster Squad also stars Ryan Gosling, Josh Brolin, Emma Stone, Anthony Mackie and Mireille Enos.

CAPTAIN AMERICA 2 (Speculation)

• CAPTAIN AMERICA 2

Captain America co-screenwriter Christopher Markus has been making the rounds lately with the press, offering up his thoughts on what and who he'd like to see in Captain America 2.

Peter Dinklage as MODOK??? Interesting....

Markus tells The Los Angeles Times that he thinks M.O.D.O.K. -- yes, that "Mobile Organism Designed Only for Killing" one -- would make a good and scary villain for the proposed sequel.

While the scribe admits he appears to be alone in that opinion, he insists that casting a certain Game of Thrones star in the role would convince any doubters.

"I will win you over to Peter Dinklage as MODOK," said Markus. If he came around the corner and you saw him floating there you would be terrified. It would be amazing."

OLDBOY

Josh Brolin

• JOSH BROLIN IS A REAL OLD BOY

He's been rumored for the film for awhile, and now Oscar nominee Josh Brolin is reportedly set to play the title role in the American remake of Oldboy.

Deadline says the film, to be directed by Spike Lee for Mandate, begins shooting in March after Brolin wraps Gangster Squad.

Christian Bale was recently rumored as being up for the role of the mysterious villain who secretly imprisons Brolin's character for 15 years. After he is freed, the title character goes on a bloody quest for revenge.

U.N.C.L.E

• GEORGE CLOONEY ISNT READY TO BE AN U.N.C.L.E.

George Clooney & Steven Soderbergh

 So it looks like star George Clooney and director Steven Soderbergh won't be reuniting for the big screen version of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. after all.

Deadline isn't sure why Clooney is dropping out of the picture, but insists Warner Bros. remains committed to starting production on the espionage flick next February.

Clooney would have played protagonist Napoleon Solo in the flick, the role originated by Robert Vaughn on the 1960s TV series.

In addition to the three Ocean's films, Clooney and Soderbergh also made Solaris, The Good German and Out Of Sight together.