Update #2: Check out a new image from The Box; Updated with a look at Dakota Fanning as Jane in ‘New Moon’ and some awesome behind-the-scenes pics from ‘Zombieland’. The weekend is upon us so I figured I might as well bring you one more batch of News Bites so you have something to look at other than H2 and Final Destination news. Beyond the break you can check out an interesting video discovered by CHUD that looks to be a viral video for Cloverfield 2 (although, odds are it isn’t), there’s a look at “The Vampire Diaries” online prequel, details on getting tickets for this year’s Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios and details on a new TV series based on “Heathers”! More coming as the day runs on.
CLOVERFIELD 2 VIRAL?

Devin over at CHUD came across the following video that looks like it COULD be for Cloverfield 2, although odds are it isn’t. But continuing on with the odds, if they did make a sequel, I’m sure they’d do it completely under the radar just like the first. The last we heard Matt Reeves and J.J. Abrams were waiting for the perfect take before brining the creature back to New York, but it is odd that casting was put on hold for Reeves’ Let Me In, his remake of Let the Right One In. Could something be up? We’ll let ya know. My thoughts are this is a fan video because it’s shot at the actually Cloverfield street in Santa Monica, CA and the footage of the dinosaur is from a mall nearby.

ZOMBIES ATTACK HOLLYWOOD

One of my favorite websites is LA Times’ Backlot, where they go behind-the-scenes of various productions in Los Angeles and take beautiful photos.

The latest Backlot edition carries a behind-the-scenes look at the filming of Columbia Pictures’ Zombieland in Hollywood, CA, where zombies took over Hollywood blvd in rom of the infamous Mann’s Chinese Theater. Dig on the pics below.

Arriving in theaters October 2, Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) has made a habit of running from what scares him. Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) doesn’t have fears. If he did, he’d kick their ever-living ass. In a world overrun by zombies, these two are perfectly evolved survivors. But now, they’re about to stare down the most terrifying prospect of all: each other.

A NEW PRESENTATION OF THE BOX

MTV posted the following new image from Rochard Kelly’s The Box, which arrives in theaters November 6.

A simple wooden box promises to deliver its owner $1 million with the press of a button. However, pressing this button will simultaneously cause the death of another human being somewhere in the world. – Based upon the short story “Button, Button” by Richard Matheson.

THE VAMPIRE DAIRIES WEB PREQUEL

Getting you set for the September 10th premire of “The Vampire Diaries” on the CW, a four-episode prequel web series “A Darker Truth” will premiere every Tuesday. Below you’ll find part 1, along with details on the prequel, courtesy of Tubefilter.tv

“The network tapped Retrofit Films, the same shop that created four of the “Heroes” spinoff web series for NBC last year, with Tanner Kling and Chris Hanada directing. Cast members for the TV series, like stars Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev, are only used via clips and stills with new web-only actors used for most of the show. The showrunner for the TV series, Kevin Williamson, did not write the web version; instead staff co-producer Sean Raycraft did the honors.

While there is no direct sponsor for the series, there is a look integration of the anti-tobacco “Truth” campaign with the characters sporting “Truth” t-shirts as part of a larger deal with The CW.”

HEATHERS HEADS TO TV

Fox is developing a contemporary take on the 1989 Christian Slater/Winona Ryder feature “Heathers,” reports Variety.

The dark comedy will be adapted for TV by scribe Mark Rizzo, with an assist from “Sex and the City” alum Jenny Bicks. Sony Pictures TV, where Bicks is based, will produce, along with Lakeshore Entertainment, which holds the rights to “Heathers.”

Rizzo is still kicking around ideas on how to update “Heathers” 20 years after the film became a favorite among the underground set. But the characters from the movie are all expected to be there — Veronica Sawyer (played in the movie by Ryder), J.D. (Slater) and the “Heathers.”

The original movie revolved around Veronica as she navigates a clique of mean girls — all named Heather — and rebels after meeting J.D., the new guy at school. Soon, the Heathers start “accidentally” dying at the hands of Veronica and J.D., who cover up the deaths by faking them as suicides. Ryder’s character chronicles her teen angst and the rising body count with regular diary entries.

“We had the title, and talked about doing a film remake at times,” said Lakeshore prexy Gary Lucchesi. “But doing it for TV seemed like a fresh and original idea.”

FANNING AS JANE OF VOLTURI IN NEW MOON

UPDATE: CHECK OUT MORE FIRST LOOK PHOTOS AT: Yahoo!, MySpace, Moviefone, MTV, and Examiner

From MySpace: “It must be Volturi day today, because Summit just released photos of the powerful coven online. We lucked out on our exclusive: feast your eyes on Dakota Fanning as Jane in New Moon. When it was announced that the 15-year-old actress had been cast we knew we were in for a treat. Check out the photo of Jane and her bio below, then tell us what you think!

Director Chris Weitz on the Volturi — “No matter how strange one of the characters is in a work of fantasy, I think you have to approach them as people and then so you start to think, ‘They’ve been around for 2,000 years. How would they interact with one another?’ The conclusion was that after 2,000 years you’d probably be more than mildly insane. No matter how cultured or gracious you appear on the surface. And I think that’s what Michael Sheen managed to portray as Aro, the head of the Volturi — on the surface he’s terribly gracious, warm, a wonderful host and at the same time he’s lethal and frightening. It’s also what Dakota Fanning conveys as Jane. She’s innocent looking in appearance but she’s absolutely deadly. The first thing I wanted to do was put them in a setting that wasn’t Dracula’s castle. There have been so many vampire movies and werewolf movies and horror movies where everything has been dark and dreary. Instead, their headquarters is surprisingly light and crisp. And the characters that they play have a kind of a tactile reality to them in spite of how bizarre their situation is really. The whole point is not to leave Forks, Washington where everything has really been quite realistic and then suddenly go to a location that completely throws you out of the movie. And the set although it’s huge and grand and magnificent actually feels like a real place.””

HORROR NIGHTS TIX ON SALE

With the announcement of four new maze experiences, four new “scare zones,” a new “Terror Tram” backlot experience, a “Rocky Horror Picture Show: A Tribute” and a new “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure” production, the re-imagining of Halloween Horror Nights for 2009 at Universal Studios Hollywood is now complete, setting the stage for the most intense and impactful “live” horror event ever to be presented in a theme park environment.

Halloween Horror Nights, Southern California’s most terrifying Halloween event, begins a 16-night run on Friday, October 2. Tickets are now on sale at halloweenhorrornights.com

New “Halloween Horror Nights” attractions will include “Saw: Game Over,” a “live” maze experience based on the “Saw” film franchise, per an agreement among Universal Studios Theme Parks, Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures. The interactive maze, “Halloween: The Life and Crimes of Michael Myers,” per an agreement reached between the theme park and Compass International Pictures. will be the first attraction based upon the “Halloween” films to be created by a U.S. theme park. The “live” multi-sensory horror experience, “My Bloody Valentine: Be Mine 4 Ever,” per an agreement between the theme park and Lionsgate