Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

It’s finally Friday. YAY! And, only a few more days until the mass exodus to San Diego for Comic Con. Yes! Yes!

In the meantime, here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Casting changes have taken place on the upcoming HBO fantasy drama Game of Thrones. Varys, the calculating spymaster for the king of Westeros, will be played by UK actor Conleth Hill and the role of Waymar Royce has been recast due to a scheduling issue. Jamie Campbell-Bower had played the role in the pilot but when the producers decided to do reshoots of his scenes, Campbell-Bower was unavailable. The role of Royce will now be played by Rob Ostlere. (Maureen Ryan at Chicago Tribune and Televisionary)

Tammy Blanchard (Guiding Light) has been cast in a recurring role on The Good Wife, playing a fair-minded assistant state’s attorney who looks more like an indie-band drummer than a lawyer, and who will serve as “one of Glen Childs’ underlings and a confidante to Cary (Matt Czuchry). Meanwhile, Chris Saradon (Judging Amy) has been cast as Judge Goode. He will recur throughout the season. (Michael Ausiello at Entertainment Weekly and Televisionary)

Kirsten Vangsness may pull double-duty and appear on the Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior spinoff in either a regular or recurring capacity, following a similar trend to Rocky Carroll on NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles. Vangsness would bring her Penelope Garcia to a cast that also includes Forest Whittaker and Janeane Garofalo. (Deadline Hollywood Daily)

Joseph Mallozzi, executive producer for both Stargate Universe and Stargate Atlantis, announced details about an upcoming crossover between the two series. Here is what he had to say:

“With word from producer John G. Lenic that the deals have been closed on those Atlantis alums, we can now move forward on the script, secure in the knowledge that both extra-special guest stars will actually be on hand to say the dialogue written specifically for them. Great news for fans of the old series. There was a reluctance to move ahead with an SGA crossover, particularly on my part, because the feeling was it would step on the timing of the SGA movie, Stargate: Extinction, the events of which directly proceed the Atlantis series finale, Enemy at the Gate. But given the delay on the movie front and the ideal premise pitched out by Remi Aubuchon and Brad Wright, it was decided to go ahead with the crossover.”

No details were revealed as to which Atlantis cast will appear on Universe though. (Blastr – formerly Sci-Fi Wire)

The CW will air the hit Canadian comedy series 18 to Life, which is a modern-day Romeo and Juliet, starting on August 3 with back-to-back episodes airing at 9 and 9:30 PM. The network will air all 12 half-hour episodes. The series follows Tom and Jessie – 18-year-old next-door neighbors who have grown up together – who run off and get married, forcing their warring families to become one in this hilarious multi-generational half-hour about relationships, true love, and who takes out the garbage. The series stars Stacey Farber (Degrassi: The Next Generation) and Michael Seater (Life With Derek) as the young lovers. (The Futon Critic)

VOTING

Tater Top Awards: Say Whaaa?! Vote for TV’s Best Quotes

FIRST LOOK AT TV

THE FUTON’S FIRST LOOK: “TEEN WOLF” (MTV)

DVD ANNOUNCEMENT

Men of A Certain Age

BOX OFFICE

Amy Adams (Julie & Julia and Enchanted) is confirmed to play Janis Joplin in a biopic, which will be directed by Fernando Meirelles (City of God). (Deadline Hollywood Daily and Zap2It)

Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone and The Burning Plain) has been cast as the mutant Mystique in the box office prequel/reboot X-Men: First Class. Mystique is a shape-shifter who can mimic other people, though she can’t replicate superpowers. The cast includes James MacAvoy as Charles Xavier and Michael Fassbender as Magneto as young men discovering their powers for the first time, and meeting up with other mutants. The movie is expected to be released on June 3, 2011. (Heat Vision and First Showing)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Must Watch: Great Official Trailer for Ben Affleck’s The Town

That’s it. Enjoy!