2009 brings its first cinematic and television casualty. Patrick McGoohan of The Prisoner and Danger Man fame has passed away at the age of 80 years old.

McGoohan died following a short illness at his Los Angeles home.

In the 1960’s Patrick McGoohan starred as John Drake in Danger Man, and then as Number 6 in Danger Man’s unofficial spin-off The Prisoner, a surreal but iconic show that has gone down in cult-legend despite only lasting seventeen episodes. The success of Danger Man and The Prisoner led to McGoohan being offered the role of James Bond, however the actor turned down the offer, refusing to be typecast in spy roles.

An Emmy and Bafta award-winner, McGoohan starred in several Columbo episodes between the mid-70’s and late 90’s, and Peter Falk recently stated that the British actor was his favorite co-star in the detective series.

In recent years, McGoohan played small but pivotal roles in films such as A Time To Kill, The Phantom and Mel Gibson’s  Oscar winning 1995 film, Braveheart, in which he played King Edward. Other notable roles were in the 1960’s thriller Ice Station Zebra and a cameo in a 2000 episode of The Simpsons, in which he spoofed his Prisoner role.

The actor will be sorely missed with his sophisticated gravitas adding much to television and film over the last fifty years.The Screen Rant team would like to offer our deepest condolences to Mr. McGoohan’s family and friends in their time of grieving.

You can learn more about Patrick McGoohan’s celebrated career from his IMBD page.

• David Carradine Dies At 72
• Mel Gibson Talks Mad Max 4
• Will William Hurt Robin Hood?
• Mel Gibson Bashes Skulls in ‘Edge of Darkness’ Trailer
• The Kenneth Branagh Gameshow: Pick Your Thor!
• Chris Nolan Leaves ‘The Prisoner’ (For Batman 3?)

One week to Christmas and to take your mind off all the shopping that you haven’t done is the Mid Week Movie News Wrap Up.

This week:

Adam Shankman sails Sinbad; Sam Worthington may be The Phantom; Barry Sonnenfeld reads The How-To Guide for Saving the World and Rachel McAdams has Morning Glory.

1. Adam Shankman is in negotiations to direct a new Sinbad film for Sony Pictures. The film was originally going to star Keanu Reeves and Rob Cohen was set to direct, however the plug was pulled following the cinematic travesty that was Stealth. According to Variety:

“The story centers on Sinbad and his crew, who are marooned off the coast of China and embark on a quest to find the lamp of Aladdin.”

I just can’t see this being any good.

Source: Variety

2. The Phantom Legacy witer Tim Boyle is reportedly hoping that he will be the man that is going to weild the megaphone on the set of the forthcoming superhero film.

Boyle also hopes that Avatar and Terminator Salvation star Sam Worthington will be donning the purple tights for the action-adventure film. The pair originally worked together on a low budget film named Fink.

Nothing is offical yet, and this is speculation but expect an announcement soon naming all key members of cast and crew.

Source:  News.com

3. Men In Black director Barry Sonnenfeld will direct The How-To Guide for Saving the World. Sonnenfeld had this to say about the action-comedy:

“One of the first things I read when I joined the manly William Morris Agency was Ben David Grabinski’s script. I loved the writing, and the concept: what would happen if one afternoon, the secret group that protects Earth from alien invaders was wiped out? Fortunately, they left behind an instruction manual for saving Earth. Unfortunately, a non-action-hero guy not unlike me, in terms of manliness, and a woman who hates him, find the book, and have to save the planet from an impending attack. I had a great experience making Get Shorty with MGM/UA and could not be more excited to be working with them again.”

The phrase been there done that springs to mind.

Source: Comingsoon

4. Rachel McAdams is in negotiations to join Harrison Ford in Morning Glory. The comedy is set in the cut-throat world of morning TV news. The J.J Abrams produced comedy was written by Aline Brosh McKenna the writer behind the musical montage that was The Devil Wears Prada. Roger Michell director of Notting Hill and the outstanding Enduring Love (starring Daniel Craig) will call the shots.

Source: Variety

That’s it for now, see you at the movies!

• Barry Sonnenfeld Adapting ‘Tom Swift’ Novels
• Keaton & Goldblum Have ‘Glory’ For J.J Abrams
• Mid-Week Movie News Wrap Up – April 17, 2009
• Adam Shankman Signs on to Direct ‘Rock of Ages’
• Tom Cruise Jumps Onto Wichita
• Spider-Man 4: McAdams Denies Black Cat Rumor

News started circulating yesterday that an $87 million sequel to the 1996, Billy Zane starring comic book adaptation of The Phantom was in the works (what a mouthful). However, as regular Screen Rant readers will know – we don’t like to jump on every story, especially if it doesn’t sound quite right. I mean – who would ever make an $87 million sequel to a Billy Zane movie (not counting Titanic)?

Well, it turns out that we were right to wait again! The Phantom Legacy will not be a sequel, but one of the never-ending “reboots” that Hollywood is so found of these days.

The Phantom was a comic strip created by Lee Falk in 1936, and it follows the adventures of …er… The Phantom, who is also known as The Ghost Who Walks, a jungle dwelling hero who inherited the legendary name from his father.

The 1996 film was directed by Simon Wincer and the cast was filled out Treat Williams, Kristy Swanson and a pre-Michael Douglas/Oscar-winning Catherine Zeta Jones. The period set adventure was a box office bomb when it was released, grossing a measly $17 million. This new adventure produced by Sherlock Symington Productions will be set in present day and will probably be shot entirely in Australia.

Writer Tim Boyle had this to say about the film on his blog:

“First of all, I’ve got to say – this is a very exciting time. Being able to bring the first masked comic superhero back to the big screen is an absolute honor. I’ve been researching The Phantom intensely for the last year or so and I’ve been working with the support of King Features Syndicate to try and bring you the tightest possible film. Yes, this is a new look at the comic book hero, but rest assured –  He wont be ‘heavily gadget man’ (as that is another comic book hero named Batman) and he wont be an ‘angry mob killer’ (as The Punisher -Frank Castle has been made into a film 3 times – remember the Dolph Lundgren film – that too was shot in Australia… old skool). He will be, without doubt The Phantom. A man who has sworn an oath to protect – but at what cost?”

It really appears like everyone wants to get a superhero movie out on the big screen these days and I hope that quality is not suffering over quantity. 2008 has been a year of highs and lows for comic book heroes (highs: The Dark Knight and Iron Man lows: The Punisher War Zone) so will we be sick of seeing spandex sporting characters in 18 months?

Hard to say. We’ve got Wolverine, The Spirit; Watchmen; more men of Bat and Iron as well as Captain America and a whole lot more. It’s inevitable that some of these will crash and burn at the cash registers – so what is to stop The Phantom Legacy from suffering the same fate as the previous film 12 years ago? I can only imagine some A-list talent; I mean every A-lister needs a franchise to fall back on. Could this be Tom Cruise’s chance of career rebirth by making “one for the kids?”

Time will tell. However, at the moment no director or cast is attached to the film.

More when we get it.

Source: Tim Boyle

• Thomas Jane Talks Perfect Punisher Movie
• Is Iron Man Headed For 3D (and IMAX)?
• Fox Moving Forward With ‘Fantastic Four’ Reboot
• ‘30 Days Of Night’ Sequel Going Straight-To-DVD?
• Batman 3 Status: Gary Oldman Jumped The Gun
• Trailer for SyFy’s ‘The Phantom’