On Her Majesty's Secret Hiatus

The 23rd Bond installment, which was supposed to start filming at the end of the year, has been indefinitely delayed. With MGM on the auction block, the series' producers have pulled the plug, saying they have no idea when development will pick up again or when the film will come out.

Verdict: The real losers here may be MGM. Without the latest installment of their most lucrative franchise -- Casino Royale made $594 million, and Quantum of Solace made $586 million -- their balance sheet's not going to look too hot to buyers. The fans may not like waiting a year or two longer, but it's not like the series isn't going to keep on going for another 50 years.

Dazzler and Hellstorm and Moon Knight, Oh My!

With monster franchises like X-Men, Spider-Man, and Iron Man well underway and the Avengers prequels in the process of assembling, it's not like there's a shortage of Marvel movies out there. But there are thousands of characters in the Marvel universe, and the publisher-turned-studio is talking with writers about exploiting some of their lesser heroes to star in low-budget movies.

Verdict: Smaller budgets might mean they actually take some risks, and Marvel has some great little-known heroes. But there's also Seaweedman. And, lest we ever forget: the last third-tier Marvel character who made it to the big screen? Howard the Duck.

Spock Hangs up His Vulcan Death-Grip

After six decades of acting, 79-year-old Leonard Nimoy announced this week that he's retiring from acting to focus on photography and give Zachary Quinto a chance to be the only Spock on the block.

Verdict: Over the years Nimoy went from resenting his most famous role to embracing it, and he became a fan favorite on the convention circuit. And sure, he'll always be remembered as the Dr. Spock, but he also directed Three Men and a Baby. See? You really do learn something every day.

"Here I Come, to Make Some Paaaay!"

The '50s cartoon Mighty Mouse is the latest classic headed for a big-screen remake. After several years in development, Paramount is pushing to nail down a writer and director, hoping to duplicate the performance of its 2004 hit Spongebob Squarepants.

Verdict: The original Mighty Mouse was created as a parody of Superman, and while the producers could go back to its satiric roots, a way safer bet is that it'll be the usual milquetoast family-friendly grind. Hey, it worked for Alvin and the Chipmunks. See what happens, America, when you go to movies like Alvin and the Chipmunks?