The Hollywood Reporter reports that Taylor Lautner has snagged the lead in Universal’s projected tentpole, Stretch Armstrong – based on the Hasbro action figure.

The plot revolves around a spy who happens upon a stretching formula and takes it. Now he has to learn how to deal with the consequences of this rash action. The film is being developed by Universal and Imagine, for shooting in 3D. As a result, the film’s release date has been pushed back from May 15, 2011 to some time in 2012.

Universal co-chairman Donna Langley was quoted as saying, ““In the past two years, Taylor has emerged as a real star at the global box office. He brings the perfect balance of energy and athleticism to the role of an unlikely super hero with a fantastic super power.”

The folks at Shout! Factory will be in booth 3749 in the main hall rocking their upcoming Transformers and G.I. Joe Complete Series anniversary sets – which, sadly, they won’t send to reviewers. But these are awesome looking packages.  If you purchase the sets at Comic-Con you’ll get a limited edition poster Signed by Frank Welker, MEGATRON himself, these Limited-Edition Comic-Con Exclusive Lithographs will be a Gift-with-Purchase for the first 350 Collector’s sets sold of the TRANSFORMERS: 25th Anniversary Matrix of Leadership Edition Collector’s Set.

Also available will be the G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero The Complete Series Collector’s Set, with the first 350 copies sold featuring a limited edition lithograph autographed by G.I. JOE: Origins comic book artist Tom Feister.

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Considering that the Transformers were created by taking a bunch of disparate Japanese toys with no connection – but kinda looked like they might belong together – and given unique identities and a backstory by a group of guys at Hasbro®, they’ve certainly managed to hold the public’s interest.

With the second Transformers movie about to hit theaters, here comes the 25^th anniversary release of the first season of the [dare I say it?] iconic animated series that forever etched the phrases “robots in disguise” and “more than meets the eye” into the cultural consciousness. Sure, there are some really goofy concepts [Megatron, the Decepticon leader turns into a gun? That has to be fired by some other Decepticon? Really?], but it’s easy to see why the series – and the toys, for that matter – caught on in such a big way.
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