Breaking! Heroes News Straight from the Set (Find Out Who's MIA!)

They're baaack!

The Heroes are back on set as of today to start work on the new fall season, and yours truly (along with about 50 other reporters) is on the set for a special announcement...

The entire cast is here. (Woo!) Tim Kring is here. (Double woo!) Kring announces that the Heroes DVD box set will hit stores Aug. 28, and castmembers wil embark on a "Heroes World Tour," with appearances in at least seven cities in seven countries around the world. Fans can follow their worldwide adventures on nbc.com, which will include photos and blogs. Good times.

Says Kring: "The central message of Heroes always has been one of hope—the idea that people from all around the world could come together and do great things. And this project is based on those ideals."

Wait a minute...D.L. (Leonard Roberts) is not here. Ruh-roh.

Now, time for reporter Q's. "We're well into breaking the middle of the season," Kring tells us when asked what's going on in the writers' room. "We started production two days ago on the new season." He also says he might show some of the footage at Comic-Con next month.

Kring says they haven't started scripting Origins (the episodes revolving around new characters), but it is fair to describe it as an anthology series. Right now, he is not expecting any of this cast to take part. "This is our chance to tell stories about other people out there."

And how nutty is this? Kring says that Heroes will run contiguously through April, and then the Origins episodes will air in May.

When asked if anyone has done anything like this tour before, Grunberg says: "Well, The Brady Bunch went to the Grand Canyon." Awesome.

Kring says Hiro will remain in the past for "at least a few episodes." The first episode is very Claire-centric. Grunberg hasn't worked yet, but he will.

Ooh! Money Q. A reporter (who wants each actor to identify him- or herself) asks whether Nathan will survive. Says Adrian: "I'm Adrian Pasdar. I play...um, played?... Nathan Petrelli. On this show, anything can happen. I'm very happy to be up here today, but we'll have to wait and see." Wah wah. No real answer.

The DVD will have 50 deleted scenes, commentary and the unaired 73-minute pilot.

Huge globe cake is rolled out. Looks yummy. As do (you know what's coming next, right?) Adrian (still bearded) and Milo (now with short, clean-cut hair!). And sorry, but you also can't help but notice Ali Larter, who looks as if she's done nothing all summer but exfoliate, hydrate and moisturize while doing Pilates.

Again, all the cast is here (including Santiago!), but Leonard Roberts is nowhere to be found. Poop.

They're cutting the ice cream cake, and...Gotta run and do interviews! Look for them this Monday in a Vine show near you.