Bourne free? Not only will "The Bourne Legacy" not star Matt Damon, it won't even feature Jason Bourne. Wait, what? Says director Tony Gilroy ("Michael Clayton," "Duplicity"), "Jason Bourne will not be in this film, but he's very much alive. What happened in the first three films is the trigger for what happens. I'm building a legend and an environment and a wider conspiracy." Free admission for anyone who can explain what that means!

The final reel Rhys Ifans will play the villain in "Spider-Man." Which villain, the filmmakers aren't saying. ... Bradley Cooper is the frontrunner to play "The Flash." ... "How to Train Your Dragon 2" is in the works. ... John Cusack stars in "The Raven," an account of the final days of Edgar Allan Poe. ... Brian Henson (son of Muppets creator Jim) will direct "Happytime Murders," a "puppet thriller" described as "Avenue Q" meets "L.A. Confidential." ... Sam Rockwell plays a villainous drug dealer in the Jonah Hill comedy "The Sitter." ... Jim Carrey is the titular house painter in "Mr. Popper's Penguins," based on the classic children's book.

CYNTHIA DICKISON