The daily gossip: The Breaking Bad spin-off almost ended up on Netflix, and more

1. The Breaking Bad spin-off almost ended up on Netflix

In the Breaking Bad universe, Saul Goodman is a lawyer for two-bit criminals and junkies — but in the real world, he's a pretty hot commodity among Hollywood's elite. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Goodman-centered Breaking Bad spin-off Better Call Saul, which is currently in development at AMC, was actively courted by several other networks: FX, WGN America, and Netflix, which was deemed the top competitor due to its Walter White-esque "deep pockets." Fortunately, Better Call Saul fit perfectly into AMC's new "shamelessly milk all of our successful shows until they run dry" strategy, so Saul will reappear on the network that so desperately needs him. [The Hollywood Reporter]

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2. Joss Whedon was called in to help rewrite the Thor: The Dark World script

When you're responsible for the third-highest grossing movie in cinema history, people tend to trust your judgment. So it's no great surprise that the screenwriters behind the upcoming Thor: The Dark World called upon Avengers director Joss Whedon to ensure that their script is a superhero-sized success. In an interview with SFX magazine, director Alan Taylor revealed that Whedon "basically got airlifted in" to the film's London set to rewrite a few scenes that weren't working — presumably because his Iron Man suit was still in the shop. [SlashFilm]

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3. Jennifer Aniston isn't pregnant, says Jennifer Aniston

Under normal circumstances, it's probably safe to assume that someone isn't pregnant when they tell you they're not pregnant. But when a rep for Jennifer Aniston denied her pregnancy in an interview with Us Weekly, the magazine went ahead and ran a cover story proclaiming she was pregnant anyway. "She's thrilled!" insisted an unnamed source who spoke to Us Weekly, adding that Aniston's stylist "had to redo her whole press wardrobe." This is a story, once again, that Aniston vehemently denies — but what would she know about it, anyway? [Daily Mail]

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4. No, Arnold Schwarzenegger isn't the villain in Avatar 2

Earlier this week, a widely circulated story proclaimed that Arnold Schwarzenegger would play the villain in the upcoming sequel to James Cameron's Avatar — perhaps assuming that Schwarzenegger's proven track record fighting dreadlocked aliens was credential enough. Not so, says 20th Century Fox, which insisted that the actor wasn't even being considered for any role — probably because he's too busy starring in every other sequel scheduled for release in the next few years. [The Hollywood Reporter]

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5. The Dante's Inferno movie will be directed by Fede Alvarez

Last year, Universal announced plans to mount a big-budget blockbuster based on Dante's Inferno. No, not the 14th-century epic poem, but the 2010 Xbox 360 game, which substituted the poem's heady meditations on morality for a guy killing hundreds of demons with a sickle. But what director could possibly capture the nuance and complexity of the beloved action-adventure video game? Fortunately, the studio has found its answer: Fede Alvarez, who was also responsible for the The Evil Dead remake released earlier this year. So good news, gamers; the only ones who need to abandon all hope are classics majors. [Deadline]