Slice of SciFi News Briefs

There will be an “Iron Man 2″ in 2010, a film based on the comic book character Thor, as well as the Avengers. “Superman: Man of Steel” will now not be delayed due to the “Justice League of America” film but is geared up for a 2009 release with Brandon Routh back as Superman.

Seth MacFarlane, the creative genius behind “Family Guy” and “American Dad,” has signed a new deal with 20th Century Fox TV that will make him the highest-paid writer-producer working in television today. He has a new show coming up called “The Cleveland Show,” a spinoff of “Family Guy.”

Good news for “Reaper” fan. The series is getting a second look by the CW Network and it appears they will be keeping the show on hand as a Thursday night companion of “Supernatural” when “Smallville” finishes out its last season in the fall. CW has also been watching the DVR numbers on “Reaper” and they like what they are seeing.

Other shows looking good for a return in the fall despite some recent low numbers are the CBS vampire drama “Moonlight,” a consistent winner of its timeslot, and ABC’s “Eli Stone.” Although “Eli” has never been a ratings king, network brass like it so it’s likely to stick around.

NBC’s summer lineup of all new shows is not being kind to sci-fi. Almost all the programming planned for the new expanded summer shows are reality based.

Rick Yune, whose big-screen credits includes roles in “Die Another Day” and “The Fast and the Furious,” has been cast as the antagonist in the new Wachowski Bros. action film “Ninja Assassin.”

New York’s attorney general proposed legislation on Monday that would set heavier penalties for people who record movies in theaters to illegally sell or distribute. The legislation will make it a felony for people who repeatedly record movies for commercial purposes without permission.