There have been several deals made this week in Hollywood on geek-related film projects. We round them up here.

Fast & Furious director Justin Lin, who also helmed Star Trek Beyond, will develop, direct and produce a feature film based on Mattel’s Hot Wheels toyline, according to THR. Under his Perfect Storm Entertainment banner Lin will also have an option to co-finance the film. There have been many iterations of the project in development since 2003. Legendary picked up the rights for the film earlier this decade. Mattel created a new division to promote development for its global brands across film, TV and digital platforms earlier this year (see “Mattel Forms Mattel Creations”).

Sony has switched the order of release on its five-film plan for features based on Valiant’s line of comic books, The Wrap is reporting. Originally, Bloodshot was set to be the first feature shot (see “Sony Plans Five Valiant Films”), but now Sony has moved Harbinger to the front of the pack, preemptively renewing its option on the film for a sum in the high six figures. The plot for Harbinger was not revealed, but The Wrap believes it will follow Valiant’s 2012 volume of Bloodshot.

Warren Ellis and Jason Howard’s graphic novel series Trees has been optioned by NBCUniversal International Studios, Deadline is reporting. The series was released in 2014 by Image Comics (see “Ellis Overprints 'Trees'”). The screenplay will be adapted by Hardy Son & Baker, actor Tom Hardy’s production company. Trees is a sci-fi series set 10 years after aliens arrive on Earth -giant aliens who do not move or try to communicate, or even acknowledge humankind.

Keean Johnson (Nashville) has joined the cast of Alita: Battle Angel, according to THR. Johnson will play the love interest in the film opposite Rosa Salazar (see “Mid-June Geek Film Casting Round-Up”). Johnson will play a young man named Hugo, who teaches Alita how to play the gladiator-style game Motorball. He also has a secret job stealing parts from robots.

Winston Duke (Person of Interest) has been cast in Marvel’s Black Panther film as the villainous M’Baku (Man-Ape), Variety reported. Danai Gurira joined the cast in August (see “Michael Chernus Joins 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' As 'The Tinkerer'”).

Legendary Pictures’ Pacific Rim 2 has cast Adria Arjona (Emerald City) to join a cast that stars John Boyega, Scott Eastwood, Jing Tian and Cailee Spaeny (see “Late September Geek Film Casting Update”). The film begins production in Australia this November, with some scenes filmed in China.