Here's your dose of quick news bits for Dec. 22, 2008...

• Arcana Studios is working on a big-screen version of "Paradox," a comic book series about a detective who uses unusual methods during his investigations in a world powered by magic. Christos Gage and Ruth Fletcher Gage wrote the script. (Variety)

• Megan Fox fans, rejoice! Karyn Kusama's upcoming horror comedy "Jennifer's Body" finally received a release date: Sept. 18, 2009. Diablo Cody wrote the script, about a cheerleader with the perfect life who becomes the girl from hell when she gets possessed and begins killing boys in a small town. (Box Office Mojo)

• "Judge Dredd" is headed to the big screen again. Rebellion and 2000 AD recently announced a new film is in development. Not much is known about it at this stage, except that it will head into production in 2009. Sylvester Stallone played Dredd in the 1995 version by Danny Cannon. (2000AD)

• David Fincher is currently working on "Chef," a project Keanu Reeves is attached to star in. Fincher recently talked to MTV about the film, and here is a snippet of what he had to say: “It’s good and chewy. It’s like a celibate sex comedy if that means anything.” Read more at MTV.

David Fincher seems to be interested in directing the big-screen adaptation of Erik Larson's "The Devil in the White City," according to ComingSoon.

Eric Roth, screenwriter of Fincher's "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," recently revealed this at a press junket.

As for the book, it focuses mainly on the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago and features H.H. Holmes, the first documented serial killer in America.

Roth, who wrote the script, said, "Fincher's actually interested in it. I want to do a whole thing showing how skyscrapers were built. I love the fact that, in Chicago, there's no low ground to put skyscrapers in. There's just water."

Sounds like an interesting project to me. I just realized I have the book lying around here somewhere, although I haven't had a chance to read it yet. Now I've go the perfect opportunity to do so.

If you are a die-hard David Fincher fan and you are still looking forward to his big-screen adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke’s sci-fi novel “Rendezvous with Rama,” I must disappoint you: the project is dead.

Firstshowing.net recently talked to the helmer and asked him about the status of the adaptation, which was supposed to star Morgan Freeman. Sad to say, Fincher believes it’s not going to happen anytime soon.

"It looks like it's not going to happen. There's no script and as you know, [Morgan Freeman's] not in the best of health right now. We've been trying to do it but it's probably not going to happen," he said.

Dang, that really sucks! Apparently, Fincher has been fighting for many years to gather the appropriate funding, but as it turns out, he doesn’t seem to have enough to get the ball rolling on the project.

When I first heard about this plans to bring Clarke’s book to life I was really excited, but this news is a pretty big shock.

Fortunately, Fincher fans will be able to see his latest flick in theaters Dec. 25, 2008. It stars Brad Pitt and is titled “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” The trailer sure looks fantastic.