Sure Shots: David Slade; McG; Red 2

* David Slade(30 Days of Night) is set to team up with legendary(at least to me) comic book scribe/horror novelist Ed Brubaker on an adaptation of Coward, the first of his award winning Criminal series. The story centers on Leo, a master thief and heist planner who works by his own code and strict set of rules. Until a job goes bad and then all bets are off. Isn't that always the way? If it sounds a lot like Drive, you aren't alone in thinking that. Brubaker himself admits Gosling would be a perfect fit for the lead role if it weren't for that Nicolas Winding Refn flick. As for Slade, he's still set to direct the Daredevil reboot.....if it ever gets off the ground. [Variety]

* Let's face it, McG makes some really crappy movies. Other than the first Charlie's Angels, that is. That's a masterpiece, and the sequel is just crazy enough that it works. But in general, McG sucks. And now he's going to direct a film by one of the hottest writers in the biz, David Guggenheim(Safe House). McG will helm Puzzle Palace, about a lawyer who breaks into One Police Plaza, the most secure building in NYC, to find evidence that will free his cop father, who has been framed for murder. The only problem is he gets locked in the building with all those crooked cops he was trying to expose. Oh it sounds so terrible, but doesn't it sound like a film that's just begging for a Nic Cage injection? [THR]

* So let's kick around some release dates, shall we? There's a ton of 'em so best to just jump right in. Red 2, the sequel to last year's geriatric action/comedy, will hit theaters on August 2nd 2013. Breck Eisner is still seen as the frontrunner to direct, with all the surviving principles(Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich) set to return.

Ender's Game, based on the wildly popular series of sci-fi novels by Orson Scott Card, has landed a March 15th 2013 date. Gavin Hood will direct and take a final stab at the script.

My IPad calendar now has January 18th 2013 set in digital stone, as it's the date for Louis Leterrier's brilliant sounding heist flick, Now You See Me. The story centers on a super team of illusionists/bank robbers squaring off against a squad of FBI agents tasked with bringing them down.

And lastly, Jonathan Levine's zombie comedy, Warm Bodies, will slug it out with the Hollywood blockbusters on August 10th 2012. The film stars Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, John Malkovich, Dave Franco, and Analeigh Tipton(Crazy Stupid Love).