I’ve been sick, so in lieu of heavy content here’s some random geeky news.

Smallville has been renewed for a ninth and final season. No big surprise there, seeing as how the current season is the CW network’s biggest ratings grabber among scripted shows for key demographic groups. The largest hurdle was getting star Tom Welling to commit to one more season, but apparently a large pile of money and an offer to direct multiple episodes did the trick. However, it appears that half of the current four-person showrunning committee will be moving on to oversee the new version of Melrose Place. The CW also renewed Supernatural for a fifth and final season.

Warner Bros. announced the release dates for several upcoming genre films: Sherlock Holmes, 25 December 2009; Clash of the Titans, 26 March 2010; Jonah Hex, 6 August 2010; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I, 19 November 2010; Green Lantern, 17 December 2010; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II, 15 July 2011. Marvel Studios also announced that Thor will hit screens on 16 July 2010.

Speaking of Marvel films, Samuel L. Jackson has signed a contract to reprise his Iron Man role as Nick Fury in several films, with appearances in Iron Man 2, Thor, The First Avenger: Captain America, and The Avengers planned, as well as a possible S.H.I.E.L.D. film.

So who should they cast as Hal Jordan in Green Lantern? David Boreanaz was mentioned as a possibility last year, but that was before director Martin Campbell (Casino Royale) came aboard. Boreanaz certainly captured Jordan’s personality in the Justice League: New Frontier animated film. If I was the director, I’d consider Nathan Fillion (Firefly). He’d be perfect as Hal Jordan. Matt Keeslar (The Middleman) or Jensen Ackles (Supernatural) would be good choices, too.

Dollhouse is getting decent ratings in key demographic groups for a Friday night, which suggests the possibility of a second season. If it holds steady over the remaining eleven episodes of the first season, I think it’ll be back. If it loses ground with each episode, it’s probably a goner. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is unlikely to survive to a third season, though. Which is a good thing, IMO.

With the final season of Battlestar Galactica having been filmed last year, it’s been interesting to see the trickle down effect of its writing staff moving on to other shows: Mark Verheiden to Heroes, Jane Espenson to Dollhouse (and soon to Caprica, the BSG prequel series), and Bradley Thompson & David Weddle to CSI: Las Vegas.

Russell Crowe as Robin Hood and Cate Blanchett as Maid Marian? Apparently so, as they’ve been cast in Ridley Scott’s Nottingham (though that title may change), which begins shooting in April.

– Danielle Ni Dhighe