We can rebuild him better, faster, stronger, and for less than fifty grand.  At least, that's what director Terry Zwigoff is claiming, says Variety.  Zwigoff is set to direct "The 40,000 Man," a spoof of a certain bionic series.  New Line is financing the flick, which is the story of an astronaut who is injured in a car crash and "rebuilt by the government to be a bionic man."  Unfortunately for him, it's on a budget.  Chris Bender and J.C. Spink (Benderspink) are producing based on a spec by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein.  "The $40,000 Man" was on the short lost of films moving ahead in the chaos before next year's strike, so there should be lots more news in the coming days about who's signing on next.

The spoof genre has gotten a shot in the arm recently.  Lame efforts like the "Scary Movie" franchise and yawner "Epic Movie" have sucked the life out of what used to be a fun time.  Now, "301" -- a new effort from the National Lampoon crowd -- is waiting in the wings, and "Spaceballs" is coming to the small screen.  This premise, mocking another classic television series, could have been like the oddball "I, Spy" or "Starsky and Hutch" remakes.  Instead, the out-and-out parodies are on an upswing.  (Of course, the buzz around The Bionic Woman series can't hurt, either.)