Please, say it isn't so! I was reading a news item that Keanu Reeves is reportedly being considered by Warner Bros. for the lead role in their Akira project, based on the popular anime. I had seen an interview with Keanu where he was asked about the status of another project he was involved in based on the popular anime series "Cowboy Bebop", which currently running on Saturday nights on the Adult Swim segment of Cartoon Network. He indicated that the project had stalled and that he was getting to old to play the lead character bounty hunter Spike Siegel and that he could play his older brother ( I know, there was never an older brother even mentioned in the series). Well, as much as I like Keanu, how in the world is he going to play the lead in "Akira" if he's to old to play Spike? Akira is a kid!!! A teenager at best. At least, Spike is a grown man. Wait, it only gets better!

    Apparently, actor George Takei ( Star Trek, Heroes) made a public plea via Twitter to Warner Bros. "Don't whitewash Akira!". For those of you who are unfamiliar with the story. "Akira" is a sci-fi/action story set in 2019 in the futuristic city of Neo-Tokyo.The beloved manga was made into an anime in 1988. The American remake is intended to be live action. Aside from Keanu, actors being considered for other lead roles are Robert Pattinson (Tetsuo) and Justin Timberlake (Kaneda). Takei tweeted: “Akira epic fail–all actors up for Kaneda & Tetsuo are white?” Along with thousand of others, Takei wants to insure that Warner Bros.' adaptation of "Akira" will star Asian actors. Good luck with that!

     Well, let's just make it official. NBC cancelled the fledgling series "The Cape". I really enjoyed that show and I watched it even with the knowledge that it would probably be cancelled before given a real opportunity to thrive. My sixteen year-old son even said much the same thing while we were watching an episode. I don't recall being that jaded about network television at that age, but who could blame him.

      Marvel seems determined to rule the summer with superhero movies. Not content to have "Thor" already in theaters and "Captain America: The First Avenger" set for release on July 21; they also have "X-Men: The First Class" set for release on June 3. This is the movie version of the one-time friendship between Charles Xavier (Professor X) and Erik Lensherr (Magneto) and how they originated the team of mutant heroes. While this has very little resemblance to the what transpired in the comic books, you can bet money that the story, characters, and big budget special effects will attract the die hard fans. 

      The upcoming season of The Avengers: The Earth's Mightiest Heroes on Disney XD will include the animated Secret Invasion storyline. The one of last episodes of the season "Widow's Sting" hinted at the storyline when the super-villainess The Viper was revealed to be one of the shape-shifting Skrulls. Last season's finale also hinted at the possiblity of an upcoming Kree-Skrull War storyline.

       There is a new version of Conan the Barbarian starring Jason Momoa (Baywatch,Stargate:Atlantis).This version tells the tale of Conan the Cimmerian and his adventures across the continent of Hyboria on a quest to avenge the murder of his father and the slaughter of his village. While he is not in Schwarzenegger's weight class (Honestly, who is?) Jason Momoa can hold his own and he obviously revels in playing warrior-types like his character Ronon in "Stargate:Atlantis". Also starring in the movie is Rachel Nichols (Star Trek, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra), Stephen Lang (Avatar, The Men Who Stare at Goats), Rose McGowan (Charmed, Planet Terror), Saïd Taghmaoui (Lost, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra), and Ron Perlman (Hellboy II:The Golden Army, Season of the Witch). A bit of trivia, while making the original "Conan The Barbarian", Arnold Schwarzenegger did all his own stunts. Seems the studio couldn't find a stunt double to match the physique of the Austrian bodybuilder. No kidding!

       One final note, I am excited and very much looking forward to Friday's two hour series ending episode of "Smallville" the aptly entitled "Finale". I am also quite bummed because it brings this very unique series to a close.The complete series will be available on DVD this fall and it is definitely on my must own list.