The Sankei Sports newspaper has confirmed that the live-action film adaptation of Asao Takamori and Tetsuya Chiba's classic boxing manga Ashita no Joe will open early next year. 24-year-old Tomohisa Yamashita (Ikebukuro West Gate Park, Kurosagi) of the idol group NEWS will star as an orphan named Joe Yabuki who rises from the Tokyo slums under the tutelage of a former boxer. Teruyuki Kagawa (20th Century Boys, Tsurugidake Tennoki, Gedo Senki) will play Danpei Tange, the former boxer who tutors Joe. Joe's opponent Rikiishi and other characters are still being casted. The Japanese television station TBS denied published reports that Keiko Kitagawa (live-action Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Romance of Darkness, Hitsudan Hostess) is also starring in the film. Fumihiko Sori (Ping Pong, Vexille - 2077 Isolation of Japan, To) is directing the Ashita no Joe film.

The Syfy Channel has finally announced an airing time for The Phantom miniseries in the United States, six months after its initial Canadian airing. Craig Engler from Syfy has posted on Twitter that it will air on the network in June 2010.

Teppei Koike (Lovely Complex, Gokusen 2) and other castmembers from the live-action television adaptation of Yuma Ando and Masashi Asaki's Shibatora police manga appeared at a Thursday press conference to announce a second television special in the franchise. Shibatora Special 2 will air in Japan this May. Naohito Fujiki and Muga Tsukaji will reprise their supporting cast roles, and Junpei Mizobata will join the cast as the young suspect Igarashi.

In an interview with STV, Millar was asked whether he's been contacted by and studios who want to adapt Nemesis onto the big screen. The comic book writer said: "We turned everyone down. It's really weird; I've been getting advice from pals who said wait until Kick-Ass comes out and you'll have much more latitude in what you can do, you'll get a better deal for starters, and probably the best directors.".

The CW Television Network has just announced that Smallville will be returning for a 10th season, thanks to strong ratings (for Friday nights) and a creative resurgence. As The CW points out, the series has "dramatically improved" the network's performance on the night in all major demo categories. There's no word if season 10 will be the show's last.

The next episode of the Hugh Jackman starrer is ready for a start next January. Christopher McQuarrie, of "X-Men" and "Valkyrie" fame, has finished the script that THR reported he was starting last August. No director has been signed. And the script is a little different than originally thought. Based on a story cycle by Frank Miller and Chris Claremont, Wolverine's adventures in martial arts should be a love story featuring a Japanese actress.