Picture a studio, desperate for new script idea. (What? This is news about The Twilight Zone; I couldn't help myself.) The Hollywood Reporter announced that Summit Entertainment (Resident Evil) has put the sci-fi thriller Countdown on the fast track to production. The movie is based on a classic episode of The Twilight Zone titled Death Ship, by Richard Matheson (I Am Legend). Michael Brandt (Wanted) will adapt the script along with Derek Haas, and also take over directing duties. Some of Brandt and Haas' other projects include 3:10 to Yuma and 2 Fast 2 Furious.

Death Ship centered on three astronauts who discover a mysterious spacecraft while exploring the galaxy for hospitable planets. When they stumble upon a wreckage of a ship identical to their own, they are left to try and discover what exactly has happened. If you ever spent a lot of time watching TV late at night, or you are a Zone aficionado, then you can probably guess what happens next. If not, I won't spoil it -- especially since, at this point, we have no idea how much Brandt and Haas are planning on changing in the original story.

The film had originally been slated for production in 2005; Summit was planning on producing the film along with Mandalay Entertainment. Now that Summit has become a fully functioning and independent studio, they will be producing Countdown on their own and the deal with Mandalay has gone out the window. Countdown is tentatively scheduled to go into production later this summer. They have already projected a budget of around $30 million, but so far no names have been attached to star. Stay tuned to Cinematical for any updates that come our way.

As a longtime science fiction aficionado with a weakness for special effects, Francis Lawrence's I Am Legend is catnip to me. That doesn't mean I won't be watching with a critical eye, though. I've accumulated a long list of pet peeves about the way that "last man on earth" stories are told, both in print and on screen, and personal warning signs have already popped up just from watching the trailers for I Am Legend. I hope I'm proven wrong and that the film allays my concerns, carrying me away to another time and place, but I'll be on the lookout for some of the stupid things last men on earth do -- and don't do.

1. They Become Attached to Just One Pet

Uh oh, it looks like Will Smith only has one dog. That's never a good sign. He exercises with him, tells him to eat his vegetables, hunts with him, and bathes him. (Later he holds the dog's limp body in his arms; just before that, he screams "Nooooooo!!", sounding like Darth Vader, which may or may not be related to what happens to the dog.) Why do you think all those old ladies keep dozens of cats around? In case one of them dies! Now, I'm not saying Will Smith's dog dies in the movie -- I told you, I haven't seen it -- but if you're the last man on earth, you have to plan ahead. Even if your best dog friend doesn't get eaten by lions or murdered by mysterious creatures of the night, you might actually outlive your buddy, so always have multiple dogs hanging around just in case. (Don't fret too much; remember, All Dogs Go to Heaven.) Unless, of course, Will's canine pal is The Last Dog on Earth, which might be another movie entirely.