Tuesday, April 23, 2002

KRISTA ALLEN ON MUTANT X

Krista Allen will play an alluring mutant in "Deadly Desire," a new episode of Mutant X scheduled to air the week of May 6.

In the episode, Allen, a former Baywatch beauty, plays the role of Lorna Templeton, a sexy and powerful mutant who controls her victims by making them fall hopelessly in love with her.

Lorna seduces Mutant X team member Brennan Mulwray (Victor Webster) in hopes of acquiring a highly destructive computer virus worth $5 million to Genomex.

Allen is currently shooting George Clooney's directorial debut Confessions of a Dangerous Mind opposite Sam Rockwell. She has been signed to co-star with Jack Nicholson and Adam Sandler in Revolution Studio's Anger Management, and recently completed a role opposite Alan Cummings in the NBC pilot Zero Effect.

After making her television debut on NBC's Days of Our Lives, she went on to guest star in several episodes of Baywatch Hawaii before landing the role of series regular Jenna Avid in 2000. In addition to numerous guest star appearances on television, she has been seen in the feature films Liar Liar opposite Jim Carrey, Raven with Burt Reynolds and Sunset Strip opposite Jared Leto.

Click on the thumbnails for larger images from "Deadly Desire" and look for more Mutant X news later this week here in The Continuum.

JONATHAN HENSLEIGH ATTACHED TO PUNISHER MOVIE

Jonathan Hensleigh has been tabbed to write and direct The Punisher movie, Variety reported on Tuesday.

The film is part of the multiple-franchise deal between Artisan Entertainment and Marvel Enterprises struck two years ago.

Hensleigh's credits include Jumanji, Die Hard: With a Vengeance, The Saint and Armageddon.

"The Punisher is one of the biggest and most important characters in the Marvel universe," Marvel's Avi Arad told Variety. "When Amir (Malin, CEO of Artisan) and I signed the deal between Marvel and Artisan, the Punisher was one of the marquee properties that we both felt needed to be given a strong theatrical presence. Bringing Jonathan on board is a major step in bringing our vision to fruition."

Iron Fist, which will star Ray Park, is also in active development at Artisan.

Hensleigh will be making his directorial debut. At one time, he was slated to write and direct Universal's Hulk movie, but the film was put in turnaround, reportedly because of budgetary concerns.

Gale Ann Hurd, who is producing the Ang Lee-directed Hulk, will also be producing The Punisher.

This will be the second Punisher movie. The first one, in 1990, starred Dolph Lundgren and was produced in Australia by now-defunct New World.

MICHAEL CLARKE DUNCAN TALKS DAREDEVIL

Michael Clarke Duncan said he is putting on bulk for his role as the Kingpin in the Daredevil movie.

Duncan, who said he normally weighs 315 pounds, is now up to 330 pounds.

"They said, 'We want you bigger.' Because the Kingpin, who I'm going to play, is a bigger-than-life character," Duncan said during an appearance on CBS' The Late, Late Show with Craig Kilborn on Monday. "And he runs all of New York. And he's Daredevil's No. 1 arch-enemy."

Duncan said the filmmakers want him to add weight and muscle.

And how is he putting on the pounds?

"Fat Burger! Fat Burger! Fat Burger!" Duncan said. "That big king cheese Fat Burger, with the curly fries and a big shake."

STATIC SHOCK'S "JIMMY"

"Jimmy," a special episode of Static Shock, is scheduled to air on Kids' WB! on Saturday, May 4.

Here's how Kids' WB! describes the episode:

"Virgil and Richie befriend shy classmate Jimmy Osgood, who unfortunately has become the focus of the school's bully. After his laptop is destroyed, Jimmy is stuffed into a school locker and humiliated in front of his friends. Jimmy believes there is only one way to stand up to the bullies…by bringing a gun to school. As Virgil recounts that fateful day, he must come to terms with his pain and anger over a moment that forever changed his life and the people he most cares about."

The episode was written by Dwayne McDuffie.

Click on the thumbnails for larger images from "Jimmy."

BRIAN K. VAUGHAN TALKS Y - THE LAST MAN

Former Swamp Thing writer Brian K. Vaughan returns to Vertigo territory with Y - The Last Man, a new series that begins in July from DC Comics.

Here's the series' set-up:

"When a mysterious plague suddenly kills every living creature on the planet with a Y chromosome, all of the men die... except for amateur escape artist Yorick Brown. How will this lone remaining male (not counting Ampersand, Yorick's surly helper-monkey) be used and exploited by world powers hoping to repopulate their countries? And will Yorick ever find his missing girlfriend and one true love, an exchange student trapped in Australia? It's an epic quest with a likable protagonist, a present-day sci-fi thriller that combines action, horror, romance, and humor."

"People always ask if, as a male, I'm nervous about tackling such a 'female-centric' series," Vaughan told The Continuum. "But Y is about the absence of men as much as it's about the near-exclusive presence of women. Though our stories will primarily be seen through a male's perspective (Yorick's), I'm confident that I'll also be able to write a wide variety of strong, complex female characters. Yes, I'm a guy, but more importantly, I'm a human being, a writer with an imagination. If I could write about goddamn talking plants every month in Swamp Thing, I'm pretty sure I can tackle the opposite sex.

"Still, there's no doubt that this book benefits greatly from the input of my co-creator, Pia Guerra, an unbelievably talented artist who happens to be a woman. Karen Berger is also there to yell at me if I ever start sounding like Dave Sim... but so far, she's been nothing but supportive."

Y -- The Last Man is Vaughan's first creator-owned work.

"I think it's a fun, intelligent, different kind of Vertigo series, and it's definitely the best thing I've ever written," Vaughan said. " In the current market, there's never a guarantee that a series will be collected, so I hope interested 'mature readers' will consider pre-ordering our extra-sized (40 pages), specially priced ($2.95), first issue with their retailers.

Y - The Last Man #1 hits stands on July 17.

BRIEFLY

Here's a first look at the covers to Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #156, Harley Quinn #21, Robin #103, Superman: The Man of Steel #127, Supergirl #71, JSA #37, The Legion #9 and The Titans #42.

GIVE'EM A CLICK