Hot Topics:

Rodat climbs aboard 'Warcraft'

Raimi is signed to direct vidgame adaptation

Activision, Universal couple on 'Hero'

Universal and Imagine make 'Frenemy'

MGM, Columbia chief Daniel Melnick dies

'New Moon' breaks box office records(6423 views)

'Avatar' toys with augmented reality(2557 views)

Spielberg, King team on 'Dome'(2464 views)

Ever capable entrepreneur(1814 views)

Planet 51(1636 views)

'Oprah' to end run in 2011(1476 views)

Robert Rodat ("Saving Private Ryan") will pen "Warcraft," the live-action film adaptation of the vidgame franchise "World of Warcraft."

Sam Raimi is signed to direct "Warcraft." The plan is for Raimi to supervise development of "Warcraft" and shoot the picture after he completes work on "Spider-Man 4," which gets under way early next year for Columbia Pictures.

Legendary Pictures and vidgame publisher Blizzard Entertainment are mounting the film, and Warner Bros. will co-finance and distribute. Charles Roven and his Atlas producing partner Alex Gartner will produce with Legendary's CEO Thomas Tull and chief creative officer Jon Jashni, Raimi and his producing partner, Joshua Donen.

The "Warcraft" universe features an epic conflict between the Horde and the Alliance. The game has developed a global following since its launch in 1994.

News of Rodat's hiring first emerged in an interview Raimi gave to MTV.