Dreamworks buys Masi Oka’s MMORPG inspired movie: Does this seal the fate of Hiro Nakamura?

Masi Oka is an intelligent guy having graduated from Brown and worked at George Lucas’s motion picture special effects company, Industrial Light and Magic. Undoubtedly the most recognized star on Heroes, Masi Oka, an avid World of Warcraft player, is seemingly teleporting future to future, speeding through Hollywood at lightening speed. Once the ‘special effects guy’ who dreamed about being on the stage rather than behind it, he got his wish and is pushing his capabilities, having landed a deal with Dreamworks, who purchased Masi’s MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) based movie, The Defenders. The movie is said to revolve around a group of teenagers whose lives are intertwined in an unnamed MMORPG but find themselves meeting IRL (in real life) who persevere to become IRL heroes in their own right. Alex Kurtzman and Robert Orci will produce while DJ Caruso (Eagle Eye) may direct. With Gary Whitta (The Book of Eli) directing and Masi as the Executive Producer, I’m a pessimist, but when I state my concern about the lack of experience on this project, I’m being realistic. Gary Whitta’s first movie, The Book of Eli, is due in 2010 but he has yet to attribute a movie to name. Masi, despite his special effects background, has had a few inconsequential roles on the big screen. But then again, I wouldn’t put it past him to deliver a crowd pleaser, having come so far so quickly.

Does this mean that Masi has bigger and brighter things churning in the back of his mind? For his career’s sake and Hiro Nakamura fans out there, I hope not. But, rumor has it that an unnamed Heroes star wants out. E! inside Kristen Dos Santos has the cryptic details:

#1 It’s a series regular who’s been on since season one.
#2 Some of you fans would freak if this actor were to leave.
#3 This particular Hero-ic soul has more name recognition than others in the cast.
#4 According to Peacock-net insiders, NBC is not likely to release this actor. (See number three.)
#5 If this actor does return for season four, there’s an easy way to bring him or her back from the planned “death.”

With the occasional bloody nose and feinting spells of Hiro Nakamura, could Masi be moving on? Kristen Dos Santos had one more clue that sealed the deal for me.

I was wondering if you knew anything about the next season of Heroes.

Hiro’s bloody noses and headaches are not going away next season on Heroes. In fact, it’s going to be a cause for speculation on if we’re going to lose another hero soon

Only time will tell for the skeptics out there. At least I’ve come to terms with the possibility.

-Francis Bea