If you were wondering what was going to replace Harry Potter when he finally graduates Hogwarts, i think the new Tintin movie franchise could be a strong contender.

I remember reading a few Tintin books as a child (although i was more an Asterix fan). However, unlike Asterix’s forays onto the big screen, the Tintin movie is shaping into something that’s looking pretty special. The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn is to be the start of a planned series of Tintin movies. The 1st film due in 2011, is to be directed by Steven Spielberg and the 2nd by Peter Jackson (subsequent directors tbc if the first 2 movies go down well!)

Todays announcement adds James Bond actor Daniel Craig to an already impressive looking list of talent:

Jamie Bell – (Billy Elliot, King Kong, and erm… Jumper) will take on the title role of Tintin.

Daniel Craig – (James Bond, Layer Cake, and The Golden Compass) is playing the nefarious Red Rackham.

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost – (Spaced, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) are cast as Thomson and Thompson.

Andy Serkis – (Gollum in The Lord of the Rings, King Kong, Inkheart) is playing Captain Haddock.

Other cast members include Toby Jones, Gad Elmaleh, and Mackenzie Crook.

The screenplay has been written by Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish.

Kryten (Robert Llewellyn), Cat (Danny John-Jules), Lister (Craig Charles), & Rimmer (Chris Barrie) return in Red Dwarf: Back to Earth

Red Dwarf is back!! I’d been hearing rumblings for a couple of months that ‘something’ was possibly going to happen, but I always take these things with a pinch of salt, as they often never amount to anything.

However, this is confirmed. Digital channel ‘Dave’ is going back to the Dwarf for a two-part Easter weekend special which see Rimmer, Lister, Cat, Kryten, and Holly finally make it back to Earth… but what will they find there?..

Seeing as the BBC totally ignored the 20th aniversary (20yrs… man, i’m old!) of Red Dwarf last year, i’m really happy Dave has picked up the show, even if it is only for a one off special!

Red Dwarf: Back to Earth will be written and directed by Red Dwarf co-creator Doug Naylor.

The portal gun from portal

In a return to our occasional series ‘Stuff Built By People With Way to Much Time on Their Hands‘, i give you the Portal Gun from the Valve’s brilliant game, Portal!

Emily, the recipient of the gun explains, “My boyfriend made this ASHPD for me for my upcoming Aperture Science Test Subject costume. It lights up both blue and orange along the tube and in the barrel, and the prongs light up red as long as the gun is on.”

Her boyfriend goes on to say “I tried to get the weathering as accurate to the gun in-game as possible. The idea here is that this gun has gone through Aperture labs several times by various test subjects, and probably has some mileage on it.”

Excellent work Emily’s boyfriend, you deserve some cake.

Bunch more photos of the Portal Gun here

Apple introduces the MacBook Wheel, a revolutionary new laptop that replaces the keyboard with a giant scroll wheel! Keyboards are sooo 2008!

Apple Introduces Revolutionary New Laptop With No Keyboard

(I love theonion.com)

I just love this. I suppose it could be seen as slightly cruel to record it and put it on the net, but still very funny.

“My friend Amanda had never seen a whole Star Wars film. When I asked her if she wanted to watch the original trilogy she said that she would, but that she already knew what happens. So I took out my voice recorder and asked her to start from the top.”

Star Wars: Retold (by someone who hasn’t seen it) from Joe Nicolosi on Vimeo.

No, that’s not Photoshopped… That’s a Kite in the shape of a cursor! Genius!

” The WindFire Cursor is a work of art, both as a concept and a performance. A flying sculpture and social commentary. Like a magic act, the visual simplicity comes at the cost of considerable behind-the-scenes complexity… …Quad-line control, asymmetrical framing, nearly invisible hand-formed stainless fittings, and opposed-bow tensioning for the sail make this incredible kite look digitally pasted right into the sky.”

Designed by Tim Elverston as part of WindFire Design‘s new OS Series. More info at WindFire’s site.