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Salary rumors aside, there's also some speculation floating around about one of Marvel's other future Avengers. If reports are correct and contracts get signed, Natalie Portman and Josh Hartnett might be join the cast of the upcoming Thor. The Marvel branding will guarantee it some sort of success, but Thor is no X-Man. Casting on this one will be crucial. Hartnett's name doesn't ring any great bells for me, but Portman is sure to bring credibility to a project that otherwise might have become the next Ghost Rider. She was, after all, one of the main reasons V for Vendetta was so enjoyable.

In going with this week's theme that studios can't seem to get a hold on their hiring process, the Twilight franchise has hit a bit of a snag as well. In their attempt to rush out the vampire flicks before their 13-year-old-girl audience grows up too quickly, Summit has been searching for a director to the third entry in the series, Eclipse, to be released in Summer of 2010. Of the many names tossed around, Drew Barrymore's seemed the most surprising. It would have been a great launching pad to her career, but this series now comes with expectations too high for a new director to take on. My vampire craving has been on overdrive since True Blood debuted on HBO, so as of now I plan to be at all four opening nights regardless of their critical reception or director selection. With Dakota Fanning recently signed on for the first sequel as well, my interest seems destined to remain until no less than what its release proves to us this Fall. Twilight was good enough, but New Moon better step up or we'll all grow up.

One more note worth mentioning is the sad second weekend take of Watchmen. Despite being one of the greatest graphic novels of all time, and an above-par adaption to film, the vigilantes fell 67% from their already soft opening weekend outing of $55 million to $18 million. To anyone who is reading this article about super heroes that hasn't seen this film: you should be ashamed of yourselves. It's not The Dark Knight, but it's still a great experience.

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