Film News: Avatar Preview Rush Crashes Site; McAvoy Picks Next Role; Spidey 4, 5 & 6?

- After crashing on Monday from the overwhelming number of people logging onto the site, AvatarMovie.com is back up for those looking to secure tickets to see advance footage from the upcoming James Cameron film. As we reported from San Diego Comic-Con last month, fans who secure the free tickets through the Avatar website will be able to see 15 minutes of the film in IMAX 3D on August 21. While many locations have already sold out of their allotment of tickets, some locations and showtimes are still available. [AvatarMovie.com]

- James McAvoy will star in a comedy co-produced by Seth Rogen and based on the real-life story of a screenwriter who was diagnosed with cancer in his mid-twenties and battled it successfully for the next several years.  The untitled project will be McAvoy's first project since starring in the hit 2008 action movie Wanted with Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman. [Hollywood Reporter]

- With Spider-Man 4 in the pipeline for a May 2011 release, Sony Pictures Entertainment has begun prepping for two more installments in the Spider-Man story. Screenwriter James Vanderbilt has been hired to write Spider-Man 5 and Spider-Man 6.  Director Sam Raimi and stars Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst are not currently signed beyond the fourth film, but that does not rule out any or all of their returns for future movies. [Variety]

- 20th Century Fox has brought scribe Christopher McQuarrie onboard to pen the sequel to this summer's Wolverine.  The project marks a return to the franchise for McQuarrie, who did uncredited work on Bryan Singer's first X-Men film. [Variety]

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Theater News: Spidey Gets Its Mary Jane & Green Goblin, Avenue Q Shutters This Fall

- Evan Rachel Wood and Alan Cumming have been cast as Mary Jane Watson and Norman Osborn (aka the Green Goblin), respectively, in the upcoming Broadway musical Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark. Directed by The Lion King's Julie Taymor, Spider-Man features music by Bono and The Edge. Previews for the new show will begin at the Hilton Theatre on February 25, 2010. Tickets go on sale to the general public on September 12. [Playbill]

- Avenue Q, the Tony Award-winning musical that stars a cast of people and puppets, will end its six-year run on September 13. [Associated Press via MSN]

- Film veteran Jerry Lewis will direct a Broadway musical version of The Nutty Professor with the legendary Marvin Hamlisch and Rupert Holmes penning the songs.  Lewis co-wrote and starred in the 1963 Nutty Professor film, which is one of his best-known roles. Lewis has appeared on Broadway before, but this will be his first foray into directing a Broadway musical.  The Nutty Professor is expected to open during the 2010-2011 season. [Variety]

- After headlining a production of Parade in Los Angeles, T.R. Knight (the erstwhile Dr. George O'Malley from Grey's Anatomy) will head to Broadway to star in the Stanley Tucci-directed revival of Lend Me a Tenor.  The production is scheduled to open in February 2010. [Entertainment Weekly]

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