1. Lionsgate might open a Hunger Games theme park
In a shameless and vaguely disturbing bid to cash in on the Hunger Games craze before it's too late, Lionsgate has announced that it's entertaining two separate offers to turn the popular franchise into a theme park — because there's nothing that says "fun for the whole family" like "dystopian child-murder competition." CEO Jon Feltheimer didn't elaborate on what kinds of rides or attractions might appear in a Hunger Games theme park, but just to be safe, any families who are thinking about going should probably decide which one of them will volunteer as tribute. [Variety]
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2. A few actresses might have auditioned to play Wonder Woman
"New actresses test for Batman vs. Superman…as Wonder Woman?" reads a headline at Variety that does, indeed, baselessly speculate to that effect. The evidence? Warner Bros. reportedly tested several actresses, including Gal Gadot, Elodie Yung, and Olga Kurylenko for an unspecified character that is "tall, brunette, athletic, and exotic" — a description that could be applied to Wonder Woman, or to literally hundreds of other characters. To be fair, not every woman Hollywood casts in a superhero blockbuster is "tall, brunette, athletic, and exotic." Some of them are blonde. [Variety]
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3. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have retired from acting
For almost 20 years, fans have been eagerly anticipating sequels to any number of Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen classics, from It Takes Two Two to that How the West Was Fun/Deadwood crossover HBO has been dragging its feet on. Alas, the dream is dead; in a recent interview with Women's Wear Daily, the duo revealed that they're probably retired from acting for good. "We still feel welcome in the industry," said Mary-Kate Olsen. "But it's not the one we're in." The news may disappoint Olsen fans, but it's hard not to sympathize — when you've headlined a critically lauded classic like Holiday in the Sun, how can you possibly go anywhere but down? [Daily News]
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4. The CW is making another zombie show
Like that weird guy who turns up just as the party is winding down, The CW has nervously stumbled into the TV development schedule with a planned adaptation of DC Comics' iZombie. "Zombies… You guys like zombies, right? They're still cool?" we assume some CW executive said, probably looking nervously at his shoes. iZombie will join other CW supernatural dramas like The Vampire Diaries and Beastly — so if you have an idea for a drama about teenaged mummies or creatures from the Black Lagoon, now is probably the time to pitch it. [Deadline]
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5. Cobie Smulders will probably be in the Avengers sequel
It wouldn't be The Avengers 2 without the Avengers, so it's safe to assume that Iron Man et al. will be showing up in the high-profile sequel — but what about the non-superpowered agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.? In a recent interview with the Calgary Herald, Cobie Smulders, who played Maria Hill in the first Avengers, stopped just short of confirming that she'll return for the sequel. "I think I'm in Avengers 2, but it is very top secret," said Smulders. "I didn't get my invitation yet" — an invitation that will presumably arrive in the form of a cryptic, dramatic appearance by an eyepatch-wearing Samuel L. Jackson. [SlashFilm]
