HANCOCK is coming back. Columbia has just hired Adam Fierro (THE SHIELD/DEXTER) and Glen Mazzara (CRASH/LIFE) to pen the sequel. In 2008, the original film grossed $624M worldwide.

The HollywoodReporter notes both Will Smith and helmer Peter Berg will both return. Plot details are yet still unknown.

Sony Pictures Entertainment has landed screenwriter James Vanderbilt to pen SPIDER-MAN 5 and SPIDER-MAN 6, reports
Variety.

Vanderbilt was the first writer onboard SPIDER-MAN 4. Director Sam Raimi then brought in playwright David Lindsay-Abaire to rewrite his script and Gary Ross to perform final rewrites, before the 2010 shoot begins.

Asian actor/singer, Jay Chou, will replace Stephen Chow as Kato in THE GREEN HORNET. According to the HollywoodReporter Chou and Seth Rogen are confirmed to be the new crime-fighting team for Columbia’s THE GREEN HORNET, under Michel Gondry’s direction.

Chou, born in Taiwan, transitioned from singer to actor with a lead role in the 2005 comedy, INITIAL D. In 2006, he appeared in CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER, alongside Chow Yun-Fat and Gong Li.

Producer Alex Garcia plans to bring the Hanna-Barbara TV cartoon, TOP CAT, to new life reports Variety.

Garcia will pair with Anima Studios for the animated feature as WB preps for a summer 2011 or 2012 release across Latin America. The former finance exec. has also partnered with Santa Barbara-based Nala Films, the Rovzar Bros.' Lemon Films in Mexico and Argentina's Costa Films.

Garcia’s grandfather, Arturo de Cordova, was a screen icon from Mexico’s Golden Age.

Press Release from Ottawa Animation Festival

From October 14-18, 2009, hundreds of international animators will descend on Canada’s capital with one goal in mind: capturing one of the prizes up for grabs at this year’s Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF).

Columbia's BATTLE: LOS ANGELES had added Michelle Rodriguez, Michael Pena and Bridget Moynahan to the cast, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Aaron Eckhart will stars in the sci-fi flick, which begins filming this fall.

Directed by Jonathan Liebesman follows a Marine staff sergeant (Eckhart) and his new platoon as the try to repel an alien invasion on the Los Angeles streets.

Press Release from IMAX Corporation

LOS ANGELES, July 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sony Pictures Animation and IMAX Corporation (NASDAQ: IMAX; TSX: IMX) today announced that CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS, an adaptation of the bestselling children's book written by Judi Barrett and illustrated by Ron Barrett, written for the screen and directed by Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, will be released to IMAX(R) theatres simultaneously with the film's wide release on September 18, 2009.

At SIGGRAPH this year, an added focus will highlight music and audio in their significant relationship with computer graphics and interactive techniques.

Nicolas Cage is in early talks with Columbia Pictures to play the gangster villain in THE GREEN HORNET, reports VARIETY.

Cameron Diaz has been in discussions to play a reporter and love interest to Seth Rogan's masked crime fighter. Michel Gondry is directing the film, set for a fall start date. Last week, the studio announced they were looking to replace Stephen Chow as sidekick Kato.

The film is set for a summer 2010 release.

Rogen and writing partner Evan Goldberg wrote the script. Neal Moritz is producing via his Original Films banner.

Press Release from Walt Disney Family Foundation Films

Acclaimed documentary WALT & EL GRUPO, a festival favorite in Rome, Rio, San Francisco, Palm Springs and Seattle, is set to begin its theatrical run with limited releases in Los Angeles and New York on September 11, 2009. The film, from writer/director Theodore Thomas ("Frank and Ollie") and producer Kuniko Okubo, is also scheduled to run for a week in Seattle starting September 25th and will debut in additional markets soon after.