Best known for directing the cult movies Clerks and Mallrats, it was announced at Comic-Con over the weekend that Kevin Smith would be behind the camera for Heroes: Origins.

Smith is well-known for his love of comic books, as they’ve often served as side stories in his films. He even wrote a draft for the most recent Superman movie.

How funny would it be, fans, to see Jay and Silent Bob on the street corner during some future Heroes episode?

The Heroes: Origins series will be single shot episodes that focus on either known or completely new characters. Nothing has been revealed yet about any the plot details.

Heroes: Origins is currently expected to produce six episodes that will run immediately after the conclusion of Heroes‘ second season. Because the episodes do not necessarily intersect with the continuity of the series, writers and directors like Smith are, in theory, free to create their own one hour superhero movie.

We can’t wait to see what they come up with.

At the 38th Annual Comic-Con International, fans of the sci-fi and fantasy genres proved they’re no longer on the fringe of pop culture.

The mammoth convention, held this past weekend at the San Diego Convention Center, attracted more than 125,000 people. And our beloved cast of Heroes was deservedly front and center.

The entire Heroes ensemble appeared and was given a rock-star welcome. Fan favorite Masi Oka (pictured with Bionic Woman star Michelle Ryan, Skeet Ulrich and Matt Dallas) played to the crowd and even showed his geek cred when he helped fix a faulty speaker on stage.

On the first day of the convention, it was officially confirmed that Zachary Quinto, Heroes‘ slithery villain Sylar, will be playing Spock in the next Star Trek movie (opening December 25, 2008).

“It’s really incredible,” Quinto said. “To be a part of something so iconic with the support of the man [Leonard Nimoy] who created the role is a true honor… I certainly intend to bring my own spin on Spock, and with these guys I’m sure I’ll be able to find that.”

The franchise’s other big news was the announcement that another Comic-Con demigod, Kevin Smith (Clerks, Mallrats, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back), will write and direct an episode of next year’s spin-off, Heroes: Origins.

After receiving thunderous applause, Kevin Smith gushed about being a fan of the first season, which he says mastered “the art of the cliff-hanger.”

It’s not yet known what Kevin Smith’s episode is about (the spin-off is an anthology of standalone installments, featuring as-yet unknown characters coming to grips with special abilities), but he said, emphatically:

“I don’t want to be the guy who ruins Heroes.”

Executive producer Tim Kring was effusive in his gratitude to the Comic-Con fans, who last year gave the show its first major buzz. At TV Guide’s Hot List panel he acknowledged the power of the cult fans: “This audience was always there, ready to become a mainstream audience.”

A group of TV reporters has been turned loose on the world of Heroes - a sprawling complex of sets at the venerable Gower Studios - and they’ve all got questions about the show’s second season.

The only problem: There are no answers. Throughout a press visit, the cast members of last season’s surprise hit were pressed for a little insight into what the future may hold, but they were dancing as fast as they can - trying to be polite but admitting they can say almost nothing.

Asked if the show’s producers had called a meeting to go over what can and cannot be said, a newly bearded Adrian Pasdar - who plays Nathan Petrelli, the flying politician - laughs and says, “Yeah, but it wasn’t that long. Basically, it was, `You can’t say anything. Have a cup of coffee and keep your mouth shut.’ ”

This, of course, leads to all manner of speculation, based on the sets and who’s present for the press visit.

Reporters walking through the set of a new home for Claire Bennet (Hayden Panettiere), and her family try to figure out where it’s located. (Rumor has it: California)

Why is Pasdar - whose character appeared to have been blown up in the finale - among the actors on hand? Why is Milo Ventimiglia - who plays Nathan’s brother, Peter - dressed in a slick business suit? What’s the deal with the new cast member Dania Ramirez (The Sopranos), who plays a “hero” fleeing the Dominican Republic to the United States?

And where is Leonard Roberts, who played D.L. Hawkins, the man who can walk through walls as the loving husband ofNiki Sanders (Ali Larter)? Since he isn’t here, can we assume we’ve seen the last of D.L.?

“I wouldn’t make too many assumptions about anything,” says show creator Tim Kring.

About the only thing Kring is willing to say about season two of Heroes is that much of it will be set outside the United States, including story lines taking place in Mexico, Central America, Ukraine and Ireland. (There’s a very cool Irish pub set that’s been built.)

We’ve tried to uncover as many Heroes spoilers as possible, of course, but the cast isn’t very helpful. Not that we can blame them. In fact, we’ll probably thank them when surprises next season catch us off guard.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News

Ali Larter spent her time away from Heroes filming a couple of movies. Below is a less-than-stellar review of one of them, Marigol, by Business of Cinema…

They say movies and music transcend boundaries; such is the attempt with Marigold that stars Salman Khan paired opposite Ali Larter. The Indian element does not end there; Javed Akhtar has penned the lyrics and the musical trio Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy have provided the songs. This cultural mishmash of sorts affects the music as well.

Guessing that it is indeed Shaan crooning Yeh Pyaar Kya Hai is not difficult. His soft and melodious voice renders the song with a great amount of likeability. The track is more like an explanation of the colors in love, while this seems like a pointless exercise; the lyrics actually make you smile. The song is a slow number and makes for a sweet play while cuddled up in bed with your better half.

So we see Salman Khan dancing about singing Yeh Pyaar Hai in the trailers. Once again rendered by Shaan, the song features a harmonious chorus as well. Its great hearing the song till you begin hearing the track in English. There is something about this track that distances you away from it, its soft, musical and the works, but does nothing to you. This one is easy on the ear but that’s about it.

Paagal Si Saari Leheren sounds like some track from a broadway musical. Hearing it you can almost see the actors jump about performing to a filled auditorium. Sung by Alka Yagnik and Vikas Bhalla the song is more like a forced inclusion aimed at pleasing the alien listener. Hunt for trees and find yourself a heroine to run around it with, or better gate crash a wedding singing the song or better give this song a pass.

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Despite her young age, Heroes star Hayden Panettiere is quickly becoming a major sex symbol.

Here she is on the cover of FHM in Great Britain. Can you really blame guys for not being able to turn away from shots such as this?

With the season one DVD of Heroes hitting shelves next month - and season two set to premiere on September 24 - it seemed like the perfect time to come up with the official Heroes Drinking Game.

The requirements are simple, the rules are straightforward and the fun is guaranteed!

Get together with friends, designate a driver (it’s okay, he/she can still play with water; we just don’t want to be blamed for any Lindsay Lohan-type incidents) and enjoy Heroes like never before. And don’t forget:

Please let us know if you have any additions to the game. Like Peter and Sylar when it comes to super powers, we’ll take on any suggestions that come our way.

Just be careful, everyone. As you can tell by this image of a drunken Mr. Bennet, some enjoy our drinking game too much. Read through its details now.

Fans of Heroes caught the first public showcase of the interactive extras on the show’s first season HD DVD at Comic-Con International earlier this week.

Robin Cole, group manager for HD DVD consumer technology for Microsoft, showed off the special features for Heroes: Season 1 at the NBC booth on the convention floor, addressing hundreds of people who were wandering this way and that.

“It takes the elements of comic books and puts them on the screen,” Cole said, showing how viewers could single out the famous paintings in the series and use picture-in-picture options.

Of course, this set has the usual fare: deleted and extended scenes (50 in all), a never-aired premiere episode with a commentary by show creator Tim Kring, a making-of featurette, etc., but Cole wanted to talk about the interactive features.

“Interactivity — I know, it’s one of those buzz words we use,” she said.

Cole walked the audience through an extra called The Helix Revealed, a guide to the mysterious symbol that keeps popping up in the show, and Character Connections, which allows viewers to follow just the clips of their favorite characters. There’s picture-in-picture cast and crew video commentary and a mind-reading feature. Extras such as these make the viewer feel like they are a part of the show, she said.

Sadly, due to the lack of an Internet connection at the booth, “What I can’t show you is the networking,” Cole said.

Viewers can take a Heroes’ Ability Test, create a profile, upload it to an NBC Web site, and find out via a unique access code what powers they may have. Users can download exclusive content and Heroes updates to their HD DVD player every day.

“This series doesn’t end when you buy the disc,” she said.

The people behind HD DVD feel this set is their coming-out party, showing what HD DVD is capable of, with Comic-Con as the venue.

“We really want the consumer to understand the experience they’re going to get,” said Ken Graffeo, EVP of marketing for Universal Studios Home Entertainment, which is distributing the HD DVD.

Heroes: Season 1 will hit stores on August 28 for $99.98.

The recent on-set tour with Masi Oka revealed a few more spoilers for season two of Heroes. Some of thee may be repeats, but they’re all still exciting…

• There was a spoiler of sorts on the set of Suresh’s apartment. In one bedroom, there was a dollhouse, several stuffed animals (including a gray horse and a purple rabbit) and the lampshade was decorated by a pink butterfly. It certainly looked like the living space of a little girl.

Could it be the home of Molly Walker (Adair Tishler), the girl with the ability to pinpoint the location of others?

• Leonard Roberts, who plays D.L. Hawkins, was not on the panel. Tm Kring would only say that we shouldn’t “draw any conclusions” from Roberts’ absence. But his bio was also missing from a press packet on the show’s 12 series regulars that NBC handed out on Tuesday.

• Regarding Ali Larter’s character, Niki, Kring said: “We have to wait and see what happens with Niki’s character this season. She’s going to be going through all kinds of changes as a character.”

• We first meet a new character, Maya Herrera, when she’s “on the run from the cops in Central America,” according to the actress who plays her, Dania Ramirez. Herrera also has a twin brother, Alejandro (Shalim Ortiz).

• Another new character, played by Dana Davis of The Nine, “with newfound special abilities would give up everything to help the people around her,” according to the Heroes press kit handed out Tuesday.

• James Kyson Lee, who plays Hiro’s friend Ando Masahashi, is part of the regular cast this season.

• The Heroes DVD comes out August 28. That’s the same day as a total eclipse. Coincidence?

• In Season 2, Heroes will travel to Central, Japan, Ukraine, Egypt (“for a second,” Kring said), Haiti, Mexico. All via the magic of special effects, set decoration and so forth, of course.

Yesterday, we reported on Hayden Panettiere kindly leading reporters around the set of Heroes.

Today, it’s time for Masi Oka to lead us around. As relayed by The Chicago Tribune, the Heroes star took members of the Television Critics Association on a field trip of the set Tuesday. Here’s what went down:

The bus load of writers was divided into two smaller groups, and we had as our guide a charming young man who cheerfully ushered us through various sets and kept us moving and laughing with various jokes and friendly directives.

Our guide? Masi Oka, who plays Hiro Nakamura on the NBC show.

He didn’t shuffle along aimlessly, clickety-clacking on his Blackberry or Sidekick and mumbling distractedly when forced to interact with members of the press. In other words, he didn’t act like a bored, over-it star of a hit show.

Frankly, he couldn’t have been more fun.

One minute he was imitating a chipper “We’re walking! We’re walking!” tour guide, the next minute he was doling out hints about the upcoming season of the show. At one point he even had a few reporters in stitches with his imitations of both Larry King and “Star Trek’s” George Takei, who plays Hiro’s father on the show.

“‘Masi, if I ever get sick, you could do the interviews for me,’” Oka said, imitating Takei’s booming baritone.

“I dare not copy his Sulu stuff [from Star Trek]. Not in front of him,” Oka said with a laugh, before rendering a pitch-perfect. “Aye aye, Captain.”

The funniest thing about the whole experience was that Oka was a very efficient tour guide. When he told our group to stand behind a yellow line and “allow the other tour group to exit,” we all did as we were told unquestioningly.But can you blame the reporters? Everyone has seen what Hiro can do with a sword.

Heroes is currently rolling out worldwide – and soon NBC will be shutting down production on the show down for a week so the cast can travel abroad and do foreign press. The end result is, for about a year now, Oka, like the rest of the cast, has been answering the same questions over and over again, which must be oodles of fun.

“The biggest [question] I know everyone in the cast is sick of is, ‘If you had a super power what would it be?’ Especially now, with the show launching in foreign territories, we’re part of that launch, so we’re being asked that again and again,” Oka said.

“The funny thing was, on Larry King Live, when the cast did it, we were like, ‘Oh cool, he didn’t ask that question.’ Then it was [imitating King’s deep voice], ‘OK, for the final question, this is the question that everybody in the world wants to know – if you had a super power what would it be?’”

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We already know Americans love Heroes. The show has been nominated for eight Emmy Awards and television critics here named is Program of the Year recently.

But our favorite sci-fi adventure is now also officially a hit in England.

The show drew an audience of 4.3 million on British channel, BBC Two, in its series debut this week. That’s a lot viewers for that country; it was the second most-watched program of the week, only beaten by ITV1’s Wire In The Blood.

The entire first season of Heroes previously aired on the UK’s digital Sci-Fi channel earlier this year.