Hollywood Ink: John Malkovich Doubles Up on the Comics Front

· Confirming a scoop first reported here a while back, John Malkovich told an Italian talk show recently that he's definitely in for the role of Spider-Man 4 villain Vulture. And because apparently comics adaptations are all anyone in Hollywood pays to make any more, the actor will also join the cast of the espionage thriller Red, adapted from the Wildstorm/DC title. Malkovich replaces John C. Reilly, joining Helen Mirren and Morgan Freeman in the most prestigious fanboy-courting cast this side of Thor. (Which coincidentally just got less prestigious; details below.) Shooting launches this month, and we'll see the presumably awards-courting results when Red opens Nov. 19. [Variety]

That Thor update as promised, plus more comics-casting news (of course) as Hollywood Ink continues after the jump.

· Owing to undisclosed "creative differences," the historically difficult Stuart Townsend has left the set of Thor, which is scheduled to begin shooting today. He will be replaced as Fandral by relative newcomer Joshua Dallas; sorry again, Dominic Cooper! [THR]

· Blake Lively has joined The Green Lantern as Carol Ferris, the lady-pilot love interest of Ryan Reynolds's title character. [Variety]

· A pair of co-producers have signed on to back House at the End of the Street, based on a story by Jonathan Mostow and, apparently, a masterpiece by Alfred Hitchcock. "We believe this will be to Psycho what Disturbia was to Rear Window, but with the addition of a strong female lead," said one producer, who must not have actually ever seen Psycho. Unless Norman Bates is a woman here? There's no logline! So confused. [Variety]

· The Human Centipede (First Sequence) -- inarguably the greatest horror film ever made about a mad scientist who surgically conjoins a handful of victims mouth-to-anus -- has been acquired for domestic release by IFC Films. [THR]