It looks like ABC is doing the Daytime shuffle come September as Katie Couric’s new syndicated talk show will take the east coast timeslot that General Hospital has held for as long as I can remember. That will move General to an hour earlier into the current spot of the cancelled talk show, The Revolution, and the spot that was long held by One Life to Live. The shift begins on September 10th. This past week ABC’s last soap took home five Daytime Emmys including Best Drama, Best Lead Actor Anthony Geary, Best Supporting Actor Jonathan Jackson, Best Supporting Actress Nancy Lee Grahn, and Outstanding Directing Team. This news comes off recent news that One Life to Live actress Kassie DePaiva will reprise her role of Blair Cramer on General for the second time since One Life went off the air. Another bit of casting news concerns the hiring of Richard Steinmetz, formerly on Loving, who has been cast as the son of an unknown former character who will have a big upcoming storyline with Sonny.

BJ Novak joins Mindy Kaling and James Spader and will not return as a series regular in a season that is shaping up for a lot of change on The Office. That doesn’t mean that we’ve seen the last of Novak’s Ryan as he is scheduled to make reoccurring appearances in the ninth season of the NBC comedy. Novak of course has been a producer and writer on the series, but it is unknown if he’ll continue writing episodes. He joined Mindy Kaling over on her new show, The Mindy Project, as an executive producer on the pilot, but it does not appear that he will be a regular producer on the project. Returning to The Office next season are co-stars Ed Helms, John Krasinski, and Jenna Fischer who are all in long contract talks that thankfully ended successfully for the show. Catherine Tate has been upgraded to a series regular (here is hoping they continue to make her character a bit more likeable as they started at the end of the eight season). Also interesting to note is that this season will try to launch a Rainn Wilson lead Dwight Schrute spinoff. Will any other Office regulars join him? Maybe Angela Kinsey’s Angela Martin, the mother of his child. We’ll have to wait and see.

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?

Dreamworks Animation have released an all new trailer for Monsters vs Aliens, an upcoming 3D animated flick from Rob Letterman (Shark Tale) and Conrad Vernon (Shrek 2).

After aliens invade America (“the only country that UFOs ever seem to land in”, heh), the President is forced to enlist monsters that the military has secretly been rounding up to save the planet. Included in the mix of monsters are a 49 foot 11 inch tall woman, “the brilliant but insect-headed Dr. Cockroach, Ph.D.; the macho half-ape, half-fish The Missing Link; the gelatinous and indestructible B.O.B.; and the 350-foot grub called Insectosaurus”.

Continue reading for more details and the new trailer!

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