As for the next emerging trend along this vein, the green light of "Transcendence" with Johnny Depp seems to be triggering a studio run on similar mind-in-the-machine / nanotech / borg projects. Mary Parent and Paramount just optioned the book "Nexus" earlier this month which shares all of those story traits in a similar but different kinda way...

This is stated poorly, Scott. "Similar but different is going nowhere". Clarity? What are you trying to say? A script (singular) with SBD attributes won't get any traction or attention and go nowhere. Meaning: Don't write one. Or, scripts (plural) with SBD attributes are "here to stay"? Meaning: Keep writing them. Screenwriting is hard enough. Give me a straight tip. LOL.

SS101: You're entirely right. Bad articulation on my part. What I mean is this: similar but different is here to stay. Fact of life. Something screenwriters need to learn to live with. If you want to write mainstream commercial movies. There is another path. You can read my thoughts about both approaches here.

Forget Tatum. How about Maggie Gyllenhaal! Seems like it's been forever since we saw her. I'll have to wait to see the trailer for White House Down. Millennium's trailer for Olympus was somewhat intriguing. However, as a wanna-be writer, I'm much more interested in character than special effects, and I'm not sure at this point whether these movies will even try to develop character in any effective way. I may give Olympus a chance, though, since it comes out first. And if there are more like me, that could hurt Sony come summer.