This week, in news: Paul Rudd is heading back in time to spy on the Nazis, and maybe HYDRA while he’s about it, while Alicia Vikander swaps her period finery for short shorts in the new Tomb Raider and Ridley Scott shares a first glimpse at Alien: Covenant’s wardrobe. Meanwhile, the new Wolverine adds two to its cast and Empire launches its big September moviepalooza, Empire Live.
Paul Rudd goes to war (but needs to work on his war face)
Not content with popping up in Captain America: Civil War and, as is Scott Lang's habit, stealing the show, Paul Rudd is back in the headlines this week with a very different project. [He’s signed up for The Catcher Was A Spy](
http://www.empireonline.com/movies/captain-america-civil-war/paul-rudd-starring-world-war-ii-drama-catcher-spy/), a World War II-set espionage drama written by Robert ‘Saving Private Ryan’ Rodat. Rudd will be playing real-life OSS spy Moe Berg, a man who balanced all the secret squirrel business with a day job as catcher for the Chicago White Sox. It’s a tricky business operating those tiny cameras with a giant catcher’s mitt on, as we’ll no doubt see.
Alicia Vikander to raid some serious tomb
An Oscar-winner and bona fide superstar in the making, Alicia Vikander can do just about anything she wants at the moment. And what she wants to do next is play Lara Croft in the new Tomb Raider reboot that’s cooking at Warner Bros. and GK Films. That news lends immediate pulling power to a franchise that’ll look to shake off The Cradle Of Life’s stinky odour with fresh action, exotic locations and a plot that actually makes sense. Click here for the full low-down.
First look at Alien: Covenant
Alien Day, 24 hours dedicated to all things xenomorphic and facehuggy, brought news of an Alien movie to come and one that remains snoozing in hypersleep. Ridley Scott showed off a little of Alien: Covenant leg – well, shoulder – by dropping a image of the colony ship Covenant’s badge online. And guess what? It boasts a visual reference to the Ark of the Covenant itself. We’re guessing that doesn't bode well for anyone aboard. Meanwhile, Neill Blomkamp joined the Alien party by [sharing some concept art of Newt](http://www.empireonline.com/movies/alien/alien-day-neill-blomkamp-posts-new-newt-art/
), all growed-up and meaning business, in his planned sequel to the original franchise. They should have Alien Day everyday.
Empire Live goes, well, live
If you love movies, hanging out with other films fans and spectacular exclusive screenings, the week brought big news. Empire Live, a new movie extravaganza from the people that bring you Empire Magazine (that’s us!), will basically turn London’s The 02 into Sunset Boulevard for three nights and two days in September. Tickets went onsale this week, allowing early birds to get tickets lined up and seats baggsied. [Head here for all the info](
http://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/empire-live-weekend-film-events-o2-coming-soon/).
Grant and Merchant will be part of the new Wolverine's cast
If you'd had to guess which two British actors had been added to the Marvelverse this week, Stephen Merchant and Richard E. Grant’s names would have been low down on the list. Both, though, have put their scrawls on contracts to star in the new Wolverine movie alongside Hugh Jackman. No word on what The Merch is up to in the movie, but we did find out that Grant is playing a mad scientist who’ll be acting as an additional adversary to Boyd Holbrook’s big bad. It’s a poacher-turned-gamekeeper switch for the man who played the pharmaceutically-enhanced Withnail. Find out more here. Expect to see Wolverine finding sinister 'matter' in his sink.