The fall television season is in full swing and we have lots of casting news and the axe has fallen on the first new shows of the season. Read on…

Lets start with the breakout hit of the season, the Zooey Deschanel sitcom New Girl, after an awkward actor swap between the pilot and second episode — Lamorne Morris took over for Damon Wayans Jr who appeared in the pilot, but then his low rated series Happy Endings was surprisingly renewed which didn’t let him continue with New Girl. Not only has the series been picked up for a full season, but they just scored an awesome guest star, Zooey look-a-like Lizzy Caplan, who will be a love interest for Nick (Jake Johnson). She’ll be around for multiple episodes.

When 30 Rock returns (at some point midseason?) look for X-Men‘s Cyclops James Marsden to be appearing in at least one episode if not more. This might be the last season of the NBC comedy, with Alec Baldwin thinking about bowing out after the new season. Other announced guests for the new season include Denise Richards and Will Arnett (who might be pulling triple duty between this, his new series Up All Night, and the rumored return of Arrested Development in mini-series format).

NBC, who canceled the Playboy Club earlier, has now pulled the plug on their new comedy Free Agents, which starred Hank Azaria, Kathryn Hanh, and featured Buffy alum Anthony Head. Surprisingly the network ordered a full season for their struggling new comedy Whitney. With things not looking that promising with their new crop of shows, maybe NBC will go back on calling this season of Chuck its last? Maybe they will throw us fans a bone with a full season order (instead of just 13 episodes)? We can hope, can’t we?

Speaking about Chuck, if the casting of Mark Hamill and Carrie Anne-Moss in guest spots wasn’t cool enough, lets add comic book legend Stan Lee to the mix along with Community funny man Danny Pudi and White Collar‘s Tim DeKay. The new season begins in three weeks with a Halloween-themed episode.

I seem to be doing a lot of TV talk these days, so why don’t I change the pace a little bit for the newest edition of The Pit. Lets talk about movies…

Low budget horror filmmaker John Johnson has started shooting a remake of Ed Wood’s infamous Plan 9 from Outer Space. Johnson is the writer/director behind such micro budget features as Skeleton Key, Skeleton Key 2: 667 Neighbor of the Beast, and Freshman Psych. I’m all for independent film, but I really don’t see the point of remaking classic (even if they are classic for how bad they are) films. Johnson should stick with producing original movies, heck, I might even try to track down his Skeleton Key flicks after I’m done with this posting…

Michael Shannon is the latest actor to be rumored for Zack Synder’s Superman: The Man of Steel. It is unknown what role he is in talks for, but can you say… Lex Luthor? He would be an inspired choice for Superman’s number 1 foe, even if Zod is the rumored leading villain in the flick. Shannon would make even a short appearance as Luthor memorable, and it could also set up future films nicely.  Just don’t cast another actor as Luthor that has a problem shaving their head.

Speaking about Synder, his new flick Sucker Punch opens this weekend. The movie looks like a mind bending visual cocktail. It is just too bad that Warner Brothers has completely dropped the ball with advertising it. I’m a fan of Synder. I’m looking forward to Sucker Punch, yet I have no clue what it is about. Sadly I doubt it is going to do that well, and I just hope that doesn’t cause the studio to be looking over his shoulder as he crafts the new Superman movie. I have the utmost faith in Synder as a director and I can’t wait to see what his vision for Superman is.

Also coming out this weekend is Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules. Um… wait, am I the only one that had no idea they made a sequel to the mildly successful book adaptation? I’ve seen even less advertising for this than I have for Sucker Punch.  Have the studios just given up on getting people to theaters? Did I miss them throwing in the towel?

Next week we have Russell Brand and James Marsden acting opposite a CGI Easter Bunny in Hop. Rainn Wilson and Ellen Page suit up to fight crime in James Gunn’s Super. Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne fight evil spirits in Insidious, by the director of the original (and best) Saw. Finally there is the over advertised Source Code, a sci-fi tale that sees Jake Gyllenhaal and Michelle Monaghan on a train that keep exploding. Well, at least I’d have something to watch as I munch on my popcorn. How about you folks, what will you be seeing over the next few weeks?