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The recent sequel to 1989’s Batman proves how great Clayface can be as the star of his announced upcoming DC movie. Clayface is a classic Batman foe from the Golden Age of DC’s comics. While the character is now known for his shapeshifting abilities, his initial portrayals were more grounded, with the actor Basil Karlo – who lacked superpowers – basing his Clayface persona on a role he played in a film. A later iteration of Clayface – Matt Hagan – would be the first iteration of Clayface to have the character’s iconic shapeshifting abilities, though he lacked Karlo’s acting background.

Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths storyline, however, the modern iteration of Basil Karlo would acquire shapeshifting powers like Matt Hagan, making for a fascinating combination – as Karlo became a murderous former actor with the ability to convincingly mimic anybody, thanks to both his powers and background. Clayface has made...

Variety is reporting that a Clayface movie is officially moving forward at DC Studios, with Mike Flanagan (Doctor Sleep; The Fall of the House of Usher; Midnight Mass) attached to write the screenplay. 

Flanagan and Trevor Macy, his partner at Intrepid Pictures, pitched the potential film to James Gunn and Peter Safran over a year ago, and it looks like the idea won over the new DC bosses as they've issued a formal greenlight.

Plot details remain under wraps, but what we do know is that Clayface won't be a villain in the feature, which makes sense considering that back in 2021, Flanagan, when asked which DC movie he'd like to make, said, "Well I've wanted to do a Superman movie since I was a kid, but I would also be really keen to do a standalone Clayface movie as a horror/thriller/tragedy."

Filming is tentatively scheduled to begin early next year,...

Spock brought peace between Klingons and the Federation as an Ambassador, and his work had a significant impact on the galaxy. Spock's efforts toward Vulcan and Romulan reunification showcased his commitment to unity beyond hisStarfleet missions. Ambassador Spock's sacrifice to save Romulus in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek left him stranded in the alternate Kelvin reality.

Star Trek's Spock (Leonard Nimoy) may be most remembered for the time he spent on the USS Enterprise, but he made the most impact as a Federation Ambassador. Since his introduction in Star Trek: The Original Series, Spock has become one of the most iconic and recognizable figures in science fiction. Working alongside Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), Spock helped save the galaxy many times over. Despite this, Spock's most significant accomplishments came after he left Starfleet to become a Federation Ambassador.

Spock's diplomatic career began...

Prior to his gig on "Star Trek" in 1966, actor DeForest Kelley spent 20 years traversing the wild and hoary world of episodic television and appearing in supporting roles in little-regarded feature films. His first professional screen acting job was a one-off performance in the one-season 1947 TV series "Public Prosecutor." The series holds the distinction of being the first-ever mainstream televised series to be released on film, instead of being broadcast live, which was standard at the time.

Between that show and "Star Trek," Kelley appeared on over 80 TV shows, often just in single episodes, but sometimes returning for two or three. He also had bit roles in films like "Variety Girl," "The Men," "Taxi," and "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral," playing Morgan Earp. He was just a hardworking character actor, taking the jobs that were offered him. There is an integrity to that approach.

In 1960, Kelley appeared in an episode of "Alcoa Theater,...

Stephen Kandel, the prolific screenwriter whose work over four decades in television spanned Sea Hunt to Star Trek, Batman to Barnaby Jones and Mannix to MacGyver, has died. He was 96.

Kandel died Oct. 21 of natural causes in his Boston apartment, his daughter Elizabeth Englander told The Hollywood Reporter.

Kandel also wrote multiple episodes of such shows as The Millionaire, The Rogues, Gidget, I Spy, Ironside, The Wild Wild West, It Takes a Thief, Dan August, The New Mike Hammer, Mission: Impossible, Room 222, The Magician, Medical Center, Cannon, Hawaii Five-o and Hart to Hart.

Plus, he co-created Iron Horse, a 1966-68 drama from ABC and Screen Gems that starred Dale Robertson, as a gambler turned railroad baron, Gary Collins and Ellen Burstyn.

“His résumé reads like a Baby Boomer’s dream list of must-see TV,” Tom Weaver wrote in his 2005 book, Earth vs. the Sci-Fi Filmmakers.

Kandel had a hand...

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has successfully reinvented classic Star Trek characters and offers the possibility of introducing more in season 3. The prequel series brilliantly reimagined characters like Captain Christopher Pike and Ensign Nyota Uhura, adding new layers to their characters. There are several characters from Star Trek: The Original Series, including Carol Marcus, Gary Mitchell, and Janice Rand, who could make an appearance in Strange New Worlds.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has successfully reinvented and reimagined several classic Star Trek characters, but there are still many characters they could add in season 3. Not only are there multiple main characters from Star Trek: The Original Series that have yet to make an appearance, but there are also fascinating characters who only pop up in one or two episodes of Tos. The events of Strange New Worlds are still a few years out from Tos, leaving the possibility for younger...

In the latest episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Kirk confesses his feelings for LA'an, but also reveals he is in a complicated relationship with a woman named Carol. Kirk's relationship with Carol Marcus is not consistent with the source material, suggesting that Snw exists in an alternate timeline. The revelation of Kirk and Carol's relationship challenges the established narrative of Tos, opening up possibilities for new storylines and character dynamics in Snw.

The wait is over. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' (Snw) La’an (Christina Chong) finally told James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) she has feelings for him in the latest episode of the Paramount+ streaming series. During Season 2, Episode 9's Subspace Rhapsody, Kirk admits he feels something for LA'an. But he also reveals a possible timeline-disrupting “relationship” that further corroborates that Snw does not faithfully follow the same narrative blueprint laid out in the mid-to-late 1960s and...

Warning: This Article Has Spoilers for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 6 - "Lost in Translation"

Lt. Kirk and Ensign Uhura's meeting in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds mirrors their initial encounter in the Star Trek 2009 movie, setting the stage for their friendship aboard the Starship Enterprise. In both the Prime and Kelvin realities, Kirk and Uhura meet in a bar, with some key differences in the details of their meetings. Uhura is involved in three significant canon moments in Strange New Worlds, including her introduction of Lt. Kirk to Lt. Spock, which sets the foundation for their friendship in Star Trek: The Original Series.

Lt. James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) meeting Ensign Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds perfectly echoes how Kirk (Chris Pine) and Uhura (Zoe Saldana) met in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek 2009 movie. In Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 6, "Lost in Translation,...

Warning: Spoilers for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 6 - "Lost in Translation"Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) meets Lieutenant James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 6, but this major Star Trek canon event also debunks a popular fan theory. Kirk comes aboard the USS Enterprise initially to reunite with his brother, Lt. Sam Kirk (Dan Jeannotte), but James quickly comes to the aid of a distressed Ensign Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding). Together, Kirk and Uhura solve the mystery of horrific waking visions, and how it ties into the aliens who reside in Bannon's Nebula.

Captain Pike met an alternate future version of Captain Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 1's finale, "A Quality of Mercy." In this now-deleted timeline, Pike was never in a delta-ray accident and remained in command of the USS Enterprise. Kirk was Captain of the USS Farragut,...

Warning: Spoilers for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 4 - "Among The Lotus Eaters"Star Trek: Strange New Worlds almost introduced a great new Commodore, and it's Starfleet's loss that it didn't happen. Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 4, "Among the Lotus Eaters," sent Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and the USS Enterprise back to Rigel VII, first seen in Star Trek's original pilot, "The Cage." Pike and the Enterprise crew had to endure massive memory loss to redeem Chris' aborted mission five years earlier, but Pike also set off a personal crisis of his own making by foolishly ending his relationship with Captain Batel (Melanie Scrofano).

Star Trek: The Original Series canon establishes that before Captain Pike's debilitating delta-ray accident in 2265, he gets promoted to Fleet Captain. This is a high honor, but it's less than the rank of Commodore, which is a lower grade of Rear Admiral.

Warning: This article contains Spoilers for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 1, "The Broken Circle"Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' season 2 premiere sets up Spock's theft of the USS Enterprise in the classic Star Trek: The Original Series episode "The Menagerie". In that seminal Tos 2-parter, Commander Spock (Leonard Nimoy) abducted the critically wounded Fleet Captain Christopher Pike (Sean Kenney) and absconded with the USS Enterprise. Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and Commodore Jose Mendez (Malachi Throne) followed the Enterprise to the restricted planet Talos IV, and Spock was put on trial for his uncharacteristic actions.

During Spock's court-martial, it was revealed that he was acting out of loyalty to his former commanding officer. Learning of Pike's tragic accident, the Talosians offered him sanctuary on Talos IV and Spock made plans to bring his former Captain to the restricted planet. Such loyalty to his former commanding...

Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) is the latest Star Trek character to be promoted to the role of Commodore, following in the footsteps of many Starfleet officers. The Commodore rank is one of many Naval terms adopted by Starfleet over the years, and Geordi is the first regular Trek character to be given the rank. A Commodore is placed between Captain and Rear Admiral in both the real-life Navy, and the fictional Starfleet, and is the most junior of the flag officer ranks.

In Naval terms, a Commodore is the officer in charge of more than one ship. As the officer in charge of the Athan Prime Fleet Museum, Geordi earned his Commodore rank because he's in charge of the various legendary starships housed in the museum's collection. While the Commodore rank is relatively rare in both the modern Navy, and the history of Starfleet, Geordi isn't the only character to hold the rank.

By Dean Brierly

“It Takes a Thief,” the iconic adventure/espionage series that many consider Robert Wagner’s defining role, has had an interesting if somewhat checkered DVD release history. As reported in Cinema Retro back in 2010, the first digital presentation of Alexander Mundy’s nefarious exploits appeared in July of that year courtesy of the German company Polyband, which released all 16 season one episodes in a pair of three-disc sets, followed up with a four-disc set featuring 12 of the 26 season two episodes, but then inexplicably ended its release program. These Region 2 sets, which have English as well as German audio options, are still available at Amazon Germany.

In October 2010, Australia’s Madman Entertainment jumped into the fray, putting out the complete first season in a five-disc set, and subsequently issuing seasons two and three as seven-disc sets. These Region 4 sets are now out of print.

Meanwhile, American fans clamoring...

We are incorporating two elements here in the Caped Crusader’s universe: applying the Batman 60′s ABC-tv show (1966-1968/3 seasons) with the Batman film franchise (1989 and beyond). The link that we are looking for to connect Batman’s cheesy television past and its current and future filming state of mind is the conception of repackaging the Dynamic Duo’s cartoonish villains from the small screen and giving them new life on the big screen in the millennium. Let’s examine this line of reasoning, shall we?

As any Batman enthusiast (or casual observer) knows about the campy TV series back in the late 60′s is that the main off-kilter charm was the colorful and wacky regular guest star villains that populated the program many times through the three-year broadcast on the network. Household hooligans such as Catwoman, the Joker, the Penguin and the Riddler would return and become the routine...

The year now ending marks another 12-month period of losing talents who have given television viewers entertainment or information ... and some of those passings, even more sadly, came as major and untimely shocks. Zap2it remembers:

Paul Walker: The actor best-known for the "Fast & Furious" movies had career roots in such TV shows as "Who's the Boss?" "Highway to Heaven" and "Touched by an Angel."

James Gandolfini: He projected so much older as mobster Tony Soprano, many were surprised to learn the three-time Emmy winner only was in his 30s and 40s when he played the part.

Cory Monteith: As Finn Hudson on "Glee," the Canadian-born performer touched fans of all ages both in life and afterward.

Jean Stapleton: Forever TV's top "dingbat," the "All in the Family" actress earned three Emmys as lovably daffy Edith Bunker.

Jonathan Winters: The improvisation genius who inspired his...

Universal Pictures has plans to bring the 1968 ABC series It Takes a Thief to the big screen, Variety reports. Hollywood newcomer Greg Russo has come aboard to provide the screenplay. Robert Wagner, Malachi Throne and Fred Astaire starred in the original show, which ran for 66 episodes and followed cat burglar Alexander Mundy (Wagner) as he agrees to work for the United States Secret Intelligence Agency in exchange for his release from prison. It's quite likely that the studio has hopes of turning the 60's spy series into a franchise, similar to what Paramount Pictures did with Mission: Impossible and what Warner Bros. is aiming for with their upcoming The Man From U.N.C.L.E. . John Davis and Joseph Singer are attached to produce.

Malachi Throne, the man who played Commodore Jose Mendez in the original "Star Trek" episodes "The Menagerie" died last week following complications of lung cancer. He was 84. Throne, who had already established himself as a character actor when he appeared on the original science-fiction series in 1966, helped NBC and Desilu Pictures make back some of their money in television's first failed pilot that earned a show a second chance. "The Menagerie" was actually a two-part envelope episode for "The Cage," which was the original "Star Trek" pilot starring Jeffrey Hunter and Leonard Nimoy. Throne played Mendez, the commander of a space station where Hunter's character of Capt. Christopher Pike (this time played by Sean Kenney) was severely injured, and then kidnapped by Nimoy's Spock. ...

Malachi Throne, who played Robert Wagner's boss Noah Bain in the 1960s series "It Takes a Thief" among many other roles during a long career, according to multiple sources. He was 84. "Supernatural" and "Justified" actor Jim Beaver, posted news of Throne's death on his Facebook page Thursday, writing, "My good friend Malachi Throne died last night. One of the finest actors and finest people I've been fortunate enough to know." Theatre West, a Los Angeles-based theater company, also noted Throne's death, writing, "Theatre West says goodbye to our good friend and...

Malachi Throne is dead. The character actor, most known for his memorable appearances on "Star Trek" and "Batman," died Wednesday, Mar. 13. after succumbing to cancer. He was 84.

Friend and "Justified" actor Jim Beaver appears to have been among the first to break the news to the public, via his Facebook page. "My good friend Malachi Throne died last night. One of the finest actors and finest people I've been fortunate enough to know," he wrote.

Throne's agent, Annette Robinson, confirmed the actor's passing to The Huffington Post, saying the actor had been battling cancer for some time and that he had died peacefully in his sleep.

Throne acted in more than 90 different television shows over a span of five decades; he first appeared on "The DuPont Show of the Month" in 1959. Fans will remember him as Robert Wagner's boss Noah Bain on the series "It Takes a Thief" and as False Face on "Batman,...

Walter Koenig, who played Pavel Chekov in the original Star Trek series, is set to receive his star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. He is the last cast member of the original crew to receive the honour and he will unveil the star on Hollywood Boulevard on September 10th 2012. It’s being reported that the star will be close to the plaque of friend and co-star George Takei, who played Mr Sulu.

A two-day celebration will coincide with the event. On 8th September there will be a gala event that will also mark the 46th anniversary of Star Trek which first aired in 1966. The following day Koenig will be on the receiving end of a roast at the Beverly Garland Hotel.

Attending the celebration will be fellow Star Trek actors Leonard Nimoy, Nichelle Nichols, Grace Lee Whitney, Marina Sirtis, Alan Ruck, Armin Shimerman, Tim Russ, Gary Graham, J.G. Hertzler,...

A group of actors are banding together to stop two of Hollywood's largest actors unions from merging, and among them are a couple of people famous for their Star Trek work. Nichelle Nichols, who played Uhura in the original "Star Trek" series as well as six subsequent movies, along with Malachi Throne -- who played Comm. Jose Mendez in the classic "Star Trek" episode "The Menagerie" -- are part of a group of more than 40 actors who oppose the merger between the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. The merger was announced last month as a way to combine SAG's 140,000 members and AFTRA's 80,000 members, especially since many of those people maintain dual membership in both guilds. When it was announced, SAG national president Ken Howard and ...

DVD Playhouse—December 2011

By Allen Gardner

The Rules Of The Game (Criterion) Jean Renoir’s classic from 1939 was met with a riot at its premiere and was severely cut by its distributor, available only in truncated form for two decades until it was restored to the grandeur for which it is celebrated today. A biting comedy of manners set in the upstairs and downstairs of a French country estate, the film bitterly vivisects the bourgeoisie with a gentle ferocity that will tickle the laughter in your throat. Renoir co-stars as Octave. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Introduction to the film by Renoir; Commentary written by scholar Alexander Sesonske and read by Peter Bogdanovich; Comparison of the film’s two endings; Selected scene analysis by Renoir scholar Chris Faulkner; Featurettes and vintage film clips; Part one of David Thomson’s “Jean Renoir” BBC documentary; Video essay; Interviews with Renoir, crew members,...

Release Date: Oct. 25, 2011

Price: DVD $199.99

Studio: Entertainment One

Robert Wagner is Alexander Mundy in It Takes a Thief.

The arrival of the 1960s’ classic action-adventure television series It Takes a Thief: The Complete Series marks the show’s home entertainment debut.

Fusing the heist and espionage genres, the show aired on ABC-tv for two and a half seasons, beginning in January, 1968.

Inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s 1955 film To Catch a Thief starring Cary Grant, It Takes a Thief stars Robert Wagner (TV’s Hart to Hart) as dashing Alexander Mundy, the world’s greatest cat burglar … until the day he got caught. As part of his pardon to stay out of prison, Mundy uses his wily skills in the world of espionage, helping to steal for the Sia, an American spy agency.

Technically under house arrest, Mundy travels the world over, performing daring acts of thievery in the name of the U.

Part II of our exclusive coverage (read part I here) from the set of Powerman 5000's "Super Villain" from their new album Somewhere On The Other Side Of Nowhere (see our advance review here).

On a rubble strewn indoor set in Alhambra, California, Powerman 5000 frontman Spider One sings and gyrates for his new video "Supervillain". Directed by Almost Human FX wizard Rob Hall, Spider explains "it's everything in his life flashing through a supervillain's head right before he dies!"

Taking a quick break, the singer explains, "It's all about robots, villains and destruction!"

Pat Jankiewicz/Fangoria: I see a big Marvel Comics/Jack Kirby influence on this video...

Spider One: There is--i was a Marvel kid growing up. When I was really young collecting comics, I didn't 'get' Jack Kirby. I collected in the age of George Perez and John Byrne. Those are my favorite artists; John Byrne...

In 1966, Batman was an overnight sensation. Starring Adam West and Burt Ward, the series ran for 120 episodes. Kids liked the action while parents enjoyed the campy satire.

While villains like Riddler (Frank Gorshin, John Astin), Joker (Cesar Romero), Catwoman (Julie Newmar, Earth Kitt), Penguin (Burgess Meredith), Egghead (Vincent Price), Mr. Freeze (George Sanders, Otto Preminger, Eli Wallach) and King Tut (Victor Buono) made multiple appearances, many only appeared once or twice.

Lesser-seen villains include Zelda the Great (Anne Baxter), Mad Hatter (David Wayne), Bookworm (Roddy McDowall), Ma Parker (Shelley Winters), Black Widow (Tallulah Bankhead), Shame (Cliff Robertson), Siren (Joan Collins), Louie the Lilac (Milton Berle), False Face (Malachi Throne), The Clock King (Walter Slezak), The Archer (Art Carney), and Marsha, Queen of Diamonds (Carolyn Jones). Most of these characters were created specifically for the show and haven't been seen since -- until the new Batman The Brave and the Bold series.