In a joint venture that will encourage all sorts of action and darkness, Joel Silver’s Dark Castle Home Entertainment has teamed with Courtney Solomon’s After Dark Films for the action-movie franchise, After Dark Action.  The team-up will include five feature films with an international cast that includes Jean Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren, Christian Slater, Jim Caviezel, Peter Weller and Cung Le.  The lineup will hit video-on-demand starting on May 11th, but there will also be a theatrical showcase for each of the pictures via a film festival in nationwide markets.  Hit the jump to see what films will be part of After Dark Action.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Star Trek 2 is on officially on the way. Paramount Pictures has announced that production has commenced on director J.J. Abrams’ follow-up to the fantastically awesome 2009 sci-fi pic Star Trek. We’ve got John Cho, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoë Saldana, Karl Urban, and Anton Yelchin all reprising their roles from the first film, and in an inspired bit of casting, Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch is onboard as the film’s villain. Joining Cumberbatch in the Star Trek newbie circle are Alice Eve and Peter Weller.

Development on the sequel hasn’t been without its fair share of drama (Benicio Del Toro dropped out of the villain role weeks before filming began), but it’s reassuring to know that production has finally begun. The script was written by Star Trek writers Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, and Damon Lindelof, and composer Michael Giacchino will indeed return to score the pic (huzzah!). The currently untitled sequel will be post-converted to 3D and is set for release on May 17th, 2013. Hit the jump to read the full press release.

It was announced on Monday that Peter Weller will join the cast of Star Trek 2, though his role was not specified.  At the time, Matt speculated we shouldn’t expect details any time soon thanks to director J.J. Abrams‘ patented secrecy.  And he was mostly right.  But we do have a small tidbit from Weller’s agent Todd Eisner, who informed EW, “Of course J.J. Abrams is very tight-lipped about his projects, but I do know that it’s a substantial role and that Peter is playing a C.E.O.”  Trekkies, I need your help: Is there a well-known businessman or corporation in the Star Trek mythology?  I actually like the theory proposed in the comments section at /Film that the agent meant “CO”—a commanding officer is a more natural fit in the military-based universe.  [Edit: Commenter Brian chimed with my new favorite theory, that CEO stands for "chief engineering officer."  Chief engineer is a common position in the Star Trek franchise.]

Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, Anton Yelchin, Karl Urban, John Cho, and series newcomer Alice Eve also star.  Following Benicio Del Toro’s  departure from the project, Édgar Ramírez (Carlos) has emerged as the frontrunner to play the villain (quite possibly Khan).  Star Trek 2 opens in 3D on May 17, 2013.

As J.J. Abrams‘ Star Trek 2 speeds towards its January 15th start date, casting continues to heat up.  Last month, we learned Benicio Del Toro would be playing the villain (who may or may not be Khan); last week we heard Alice Eve (She’s Out of My League) had signed on to play a new character to the franchise; and now Variety reports that Peter Weller, the original RoboCop, is joining the party.  There are currently no details on what role Weller will play, and given Abrams’ penchant for secrecy, we shouldn’t expect to hear those details any time soon.

This won’t be Weller’s first time with the Trek franchise.  He previously played the character “John Frederick Paxton” in two episodes of the TV series Star Trek: Enterprise.  Let the rampant speculation begin that he’s playing the same character in Abrams’ film (even though the character was killed on Enterprise).  Star Trek 2 opens May 17, 2013.

In the upcoming season, Dexter may face his fiercest opposition yet: RoboCop.  Peter Weller, who assumed the title role RoboCop franchise, has joined the cast of Showtime’s Dexter for season five.  According to Deadline, he will play “a troubled Miami Metro police officer who gets caught up in an internal affairs investigation.”  The veteran actor — most recently seen in a guest spot on the third season of Fringe — joins Julia Stiles as a new addition to the cast.

Hit the jump for details on The Wire alum Aidan Gillen’s role in the HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones, and who might replace Melina Kanakaredes as she departs CSI: NY.