ComingSoon.net will have a full write-up of the presentations made by the various studio's international distribution arms at ShoWest's International Day, but some potentially interesting information was leaked by Andrew Cripps, President of Paramount Pictures International, when he announced that Iron Man, the studio's summer kick-off and first movie in their partnership with Marvel Studios, will be released Day-and-Date worldwide on April 30.

Now most people might remember that Iron Man has long staked a claim on the release date of May 2, 2008, almost since it was announced, and it seems odd that Paramount might release the movie two days earlier in other markets, although it's not unheard of. (Maybe this writer is misremembering but they might have done that with Mission: Impossible III a few years ago.) It's more likely that they realized how much anticipation there'll be for the movie and decided to try a similar strategy they did with Michael Bay's Transformers last year, where the release date kept being moved earlier and earlier until it had screenings on Monday night, building up word-of-mouth for its first weekend. If Paramount does plan to release the movie a few days earlier, possibly with preview screenings on Wednesday or Thursday, expect that announcement to be made very soon.

After showing the teaser trailer and talking about the marketing for George Lucas and Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Cripps also told the audience of mostly international exhibitors that there would be a new trailer for the movie sometime in April, presumably with Iron Man, as if anyone who went to see that superhero movie wouldn't know that Indy's back! Earlier that day, Cripps wouldn't comment when a moderator at a seminar tried getting him to confirm that the new Indy movie would premiere at this year's Cannes Film Festival in early May.

Look for future Comics Impulse posts for the video game adaption news.

New Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Trailer!



In 1957, Indiana Jones is thrust back in action, venturing into the jungles of South America in a race against Soviet agents to find the mystical Crystal Skull. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull will be in theaters May 22, 2008.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Trailer!

The 3-D animated movie will take an in-depth look at the space between Episode II and III, first referenced by Obi-Wan in A New Hope. Star Wars: The Clone Wars will also have an accompanying series on Cartoon Network which will launch shortly after the movie's August 15th release date. You can watch the teaser trailer here.


Fox Sues Warner Bros. Over Watchmen

20th Century Fox has initiated a legal battle against Warner Bros. over the rights to develop, produce and distribute a film based on the graphic novel Watchmen, says The Hollywood Reporter.

On Friday, the studio sued Warner Bros., claiming it holds the exclusive copyrights and contract rights to Watchmen.

Warner Bros. plans to release on March 6, 2009 a big-screen version of the popular graphic novel written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons. The film is directed by Zack Snyder (300) and stars Patrick Wilson, Jackie Earle Haley, Matthew Goode, Billy Crudup, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Malin Akerman, Carla Gugino, Stephen McHattie and Matt Frewer.

The trade says Fox seeks to enjoin Warner Bros. from going forward with the project, saying in the lawsuit that it seeks to "restrain (Warner Bros. Pictures) from taking actions that violate Fox's copyrights and which stand to forever impair Fox's rights to control the distribution and development of this unique work."

Fox claims that between 1986 and 1990, it acquired all movie rights to the 12-issue DC Comics series and screenplays by Charles McKeown and Sam Hamm. In 1991, Fox assigned some rights via a quitclaim to Largo International with the understanding that the studio held exclusive rights to distribute the first motion picture based on Watchmen, according to the lawsuit.

When Largo dismantled, the rights were transferred to producer Lawrence Gordon. Under a "turnaround agreement" between Fox and Gordon, the producer agreed to pay a buy-out price to Fox if he entered into any agreement with another studio or third party to develop or produce Watchmen, among other things.

Now, Fox claims that neither Gordon nor Warner Bros. has paid the buy-out price or advised the studio of any other conditions required under the agreement, including procedures necessary to acquire the rights to Watchmen from Fox.

Heroes Renewed for 2008-09 Season

Now that the writers strike is over, ComingSoon.net says that NBC has renewed "Heroes" for the 2008-09 season, but it looks like you won't see the show again until the fall.

NBC's Co-Chairman Ben Silverman said, "Additionally, we will be saving and re-launching our #1 drama and most successful franchise, 'Heroes,' so that it will run in all original episodes in the fourth quarter."

Shia LaBeouf on Transformers 2

Empire magazine talked to Transformers 2 star Shia LaBeouf, who says he has seen a lot for the sequel already and knows that there will be new robots on both sides of the battle. Here's a clip:

"I know of a few things I have to work on for the next one," said LaBeouf. "I've seen pre-vizes of the action scenes and I just saw Michael yesterday. It's going to be bad-ass. We're not making another one unless it is, and Mike is definitely not resting on his laurels — he's doing insane sh*t again. And the pre-vizes that I've seen… it's just massive."

You can read the full interview here. DreamWorks/Paramount is planning a June 26, 2009 release date.

Lastly... you can check out the Hellboy 2 valentine e-card here! Hellboy II: The Golden Army opens in theaters on July 11, 2008.