BONE COMIC SNAPPED UP BY WARNER.

Jeff Smith's comic book series BONE has been purchased by Warner,
VARIETY reports.

In-house producer Dan Lin will produce the Bugs Bunny meets LORD OF THE
RINGS property, which was purchased for a deal in the mid-six-figure
option against seven figures for purchase.

The comic will likely be a CG family cartoon, but could end up being
live-action, depending on the director.

Smith started self-publishing BONE in 1991. Scholastic, looking for
another franchise a la HARRY POTTER, picked up the series in 2005.

The first installment, entitled OUT FROM BONEVILLE, begins with the
three Bone cousins lost in the desert, but ends with them reuniting in
the family's farm run by Gran'Ma Ben and her granddaughter Thorn.

The Bone cousins slay dragons, fight rats and go treasure hunting in
other installments. Scholastic has sold more than a million copies of
the series, with two of the nine installments yet to be released.

Smith will executive produce the project. Jon Silk, VP of production for
Lin Pictures brought the project in and will co-produce.

Lin's other projects in the works for Warner include JUSTICE LEAGUE and
Korean remake THE CHASER.

ORIGINAL CAST IS BACK FOR FAST AND THE FURIOUS 4.

Michelle Rodriguez, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Jordana Brewster -- the
stars of the original -- are back for the anticipated THE FAST AND THE
FURIOUS 4, ComingSoon.net reports.

It's set to hit theatres on June 5, 2009 and will involve Brian (Walker)
and Dominic (Diesel) teaming up again, going undercover to help the Feds
stop heroin importer Braga.

DRAGONBALL PUSHED TO '09.

Manga movie DRAGONBALL has been delayed until April 3, 2009, according
to ComingSoon.net.

On its original August 15, 2008 release date, it was up against
anticipated flims THE INTERNATIONAL, STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS, TROPIC
THUNDER and WILD CHILD.

It is the first to jump on April 3.

The 20th Century Fox project was written and directed by James Wong,
based on the manga by Akira Toriyama.

The story follows an alien sent to destroy Earth who has a change of
heart and decides to join the humans in their fight against the forces
of evil.

Justin Chatwin, James Marsters, Jamie Chung, Emmy Rossum, Eriko Tamura,
Joon Park, Chow Yun-Fat, Texas Battle, Randall Duk Kim and Ernie Hudson
star.

BAKUGAN TO DEBUT ON CARTOON NETWORK.

The hit anime series BAKUGAN will make its U.S. debut Feb. 24 on Cartoon
Network.

Airing first in Japan and Canada, the series follows the adventures of
Dan and his fellow Battle Brawlers as they use strategy and skill to
save the Earth from destruction.

BAKUGAN begins with kids around the world discovering cards with
different characters.

They create a battle game with them, not realizing the cards correspond
to an alternate universe called Vestroia, where Bakugan warriors are
waging war.

"Baku" in Japanese means "to explode" and "gan" means "sphere."

Bakugan are small spheres from a far-off universe that morph into
powerful warriors, sent to Earth when the war in Vestroia spins out of
control.

Now Dan and his friends must save both universes from destruction with
their Battle Brawling skills.

BAKUGAN is produced by Sega Toys Ltd., Spin Master Ltd., Nelvana
Enterprises, TMS Ent., Ltd., Japan Vistec Inc. and Sega Corporation,
with animation by Japan Vistec Inc. and TMS Ent., Ltd.

BOONDOCKS EPISODES PULLED FROM ADULT SWIM.

Cartoon Network's Adult Swim has pulled two upcoming episodes of THE
BOONDOCKS from its schedule, reports AD AGE. Recently, the two episodes
appeared on YouTube, making some wonder whether the move to yank the
episodes was done over content concerns or as part of a viral marketing
plan.

Aaron McGruder, who created the show and the comic strip on which the
show was based, has long been critical of BET, and in the two yanked
episodes he turns his satirical eye toward BET execs. In the episodes,
the show's protagonist Huey goes on a hunger strike in an effort to
force top BET execs to commit Japanese-style ritual suicide to atone for
"their destruction of the black people." BET CEO Debra Lee is portrayed
as Dr. Evil-like Debra Lee-vil, while her lieutenant, based on BET Ent.
president and BOONDOCKS exec producer Reggie Hudlin, plans to expand the
network's original lineup by only producing MTV retreads cast with black
people.

AD AGE did not hear back on the matter from McGruder, Hudlin, Lee or
Cartoon Network Chief Content Officer Bob Sorcher. However, Cartoon
Network spokesman James Anderson, wrote to the trade pub stating, "The
two episodes you were asking about are not scheduled to air on Adult
Swim. We really have no further comment, but you should know that
neither Turner nor Adult Swim were contacted by BET, Ms. Lee or Mr.
Hudlin."

AZARIA TO ESCAPE FROM THE SMITHSONIAN.

Hank Azaria will portray all-powerful Egyptian pharaoh Kah Mun Rah in
Fox's NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM 2: ESCAPE FROM THE SMITHSONIAN, joining Ben
Stiller in the follow-up to the 2006 hit NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM.

Amy Adams and Dick Van Dyke are also set to appear in the sequel,
according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

Shawn Levy will direct, Robert Ben Garant, Thomas Lennon and Scott Frank
wrote the script and Levy's 21 Laps Entertainment and 1492 Pictures'
Michael Barnathan and Mark Radcliffe will produce.

G.I. JOE VILLAIN CAST.

British actor Chris Eccleston is set to play villain Destro in the
big-screen adaptation of G.I. JOE, directed by Stephen Sommers, with the
latest script by Stuart Beattie.

Eccleston has most recently been seen as invisible man Claude on NBC's
HEROES.

Ireland native David Murray had been cast in the role, but had to
withdraw because of visa problems, reports THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

G.I. JOE also stars Channing Tatum, Dennis Quaid and Sienna Miller.