Motion-capture tests acting boundaries

Andy Serkis portrays Caesar, the ape leader, in 'Rise of the Planet Ape.'Is it acting, or animation? The awards season brings this question into sharp relief again, with motion-capture films like "Tintin" planting themselves firmly in the animation camp, while Fox runs an awards campaign for Andy Serkis' perf in "The Rise of the Planet of the Apes."The Screen Actors Guild faces a tough battle with studios over a fundamental question -- are the characters in these films, or earlier pics such as "Polar Express," "Beowulf" and "Avatar," performing as genuine actors or something else?The Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers doesn't recognize such work as being covered by the guild's master contract. That means employers get to call the shots regarding the terms and conditions for thesps who do performance-capture work, sometimes classifying it as lower-paying background work.SAG is eager to get performance capture, a part of motion capture (or mo-cap), as a feature of standard contracts, since multimillions are at stake. Aside from salaries, a decision affects actors' terms for ancillaries, as well as health and pension coverage.A little more than a year ago, SAG brought in "Avatar" producer-director James Cameron and producing partner Jon Landau to explain the impact of motion capture technology during negotiations with AMPTP. The hourlong presentation included eight minutes of behind-the-scenes footage, with Cameron recalling that he and Landau took pains to not take sides."The presentation was very agnostic," Cameron tells Variety. "There were 50 people on one side and 50 on the other side, so Jon and I were careful to make sure that we stayed right in the middle. I wanted to be very sympathetic to the artists, but I am also a producer, so we weren't there with a political agenda -- we were there so they could negotiate from a position of knowledge."Cameron notes that there were very few questions. The key point he wanted to make is that what performers do in motion capture is indeed acting, and not what he called "a red-headed stepchild.""I think it's great for actors, because you have the undivided attention of the director," he says. "And I wanted to shake the perception that it's not really acting."Cameron notes that motion-capture acting often requires less filming than conventional shooting, in which each take needs to be shot from five different vantage points and then duplicated by the actor."With performance capture, an additional take can be exploratory because you don't have to duplicate performances (to get an exact match)," he says. "You can have a brand new idea, so there's more possibility of being creative. People think you only have one chance, but it's quite the opposite."Neither SAG nor the AMPTP would comment about Cameron's presentation, citing the confidentiality pledge they took covering the substance of negotiations in September 2010.Insiders recall that reps of the AMPTP had asserted during the negotiations that motion-capture performers should not be covered specifically in the master contract because they were engaged in nothing more than a computer creation. And even the presence of Cameron, kept under wraps by SAG and the AMPTP for more than a year, wasn't enough to persuade the AMPTP signatories that SAG deserved specific contract language covering mo-cap."Our position is that actors are acting, and that triggers coverage," says SAG's Ray Rodriguez, national exec director of contracts. "Ultimately, it would be in the companies' interests to standardize the contract language."The key is that producers are free to set the terms of motion capture -- meaning they're not required to classify a performer as a "principal." That holds down initial compensation, since many are paid the daily minimum, and precludes the performer from receiving residuals.In performance capture, actors wear bodysuits that track every movement digitally so that fantastical character features can be overlaid onscreen. The technology has been deployed in an array of movies.More recently, the art has advanced to the point where it's possible to capture subtle facial movements, making it possible to add human emotion to the faces of characters ranging from Na'vi to apes. This has resulted in a change of terminology from motion-capture to performance-capture.The proliferation of the technology has raised enough concern from SAG that it formed a national performance-capture committee two years ago.Rodriguez says members want a standardized set of terms. "I would not describe the current situation as ideal."Woody Schultz, who did performance-capture work in "Avatar," "Beowulf," "The Adventures of Tintin" and "The Polar Express," has been chairman of the SAG panel for nearly two years. Schultz notes that the acting that's behind motion capture is the same as non mo-cap perfs."There's a lot of misinformation in that the public sees this as being like 'Shrek,' when it really is a flesh-and-blood performance with nuance and emotion," Schultz tells Variety.Schultz believes "Apes" was a critical and box office success due to the emotion conveyed by the actors playing the simians -- particularly Serkis, who's the protagonist.In addition, for the first time in a major performance-capture movie, the actors in "Apes" did much of their performing in outdoor locations rather than in the highly controled environment of motion-capture soundstages, which are commonly called "volumes." This allowed for a much greater range of motion and interaction with real physical objects rather than imagined ones."It made what could have been a sci-fi movie into something much more," Schultz says. "More and more filmmakers are realizing what you can do now."Schultz was a part of the Morocco sequence in "Tintin," the Asher character in "Beowulf" and played one of the scientists and about 100 different Navi in "Avatar.""I love getting the work," Schultz says. "It's really truly no different from regular acting except that you have to learn to move in the equipment -- and you don't (always) have the luxury of props."When SAG, which has jurisdiction over actors in nearly all major films, has raised the performance-capture issue in past contract negotiations -- the first time a dozen years ago around the time when Cameron was touting the small bits of digital thesping in "Titanic" -- companies have responded during negotiations by asserting that mo-cap is a "non-mandatory" subject of bargaining on which they're not required to negotiate.Though the number of thesps working in mo-cap is still relatively small, the AMPTP has been loath to make any concession on any area of jurisdiction, because it sets a precedent that is generally irreversible.Before reaching a three-year deal in November 2010, SAG leaders agreed to drop the demand for motion-capture coverage.SAG could bring up the issue again in two years, although it's likely that the guild will have merged with the American Federation of Television & Radio Artists by then, which may complicate negotiations, since the key issue of that merger will probably be how to allocate employer pension and health contributions rather than anything to do with mo-cap.The pro-merger forces have contended that SAG and AFTRA will have more clout as a combined union -- a contention that been disputed on numerous occasions by Alan Rosenberg, who served two terms as SAG president from 2005 to 2009. He continues to insist that AFTRA's leaders have been too accommodating to employers, and that a merger will put those leaders in a dominant position."We might get motion-capture language if the AMPTP is in a magnanimous mood, but I'm sure it would be at the cost of something else," Rosenberg tells Variety. "It's a lie to say that we'll be stronger by merging with AFTRA."Still, Cameron's willing to return to AMPTP headquarters if summoned. "I'll involved to the extent that either side wants me to be involved," he says. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

Britney Spears Is Engaged!

First Published: December 16, 2011 12:12 PM EST Credit: Getty Premium Caption Jason Trawick and Britney Spears arrive at the 28th Annual MTV Video Music Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles on August 28, 2011LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Britney Spears and Jason Trawick are about to make it official! Jason confirmed to Access Hollywoods Billy Bush that the pair will soon be headed down the aisle. Yes, we are engaged, Jason told Billy on Friday. The 40-year-old added that he is over the moon, as [is] she. Britney seemed to hint at the engagement news on her Facebook page on Friday morning. OMG. Last night Jason surprised me with the one gift Ive been waiting for. Cant wait to show you! she wrote. SO SO SO excited!!!! Xxo Jason initially began working with Britney as her TV manager (while the star was still married to Kevin Federline), a job he gave up in 2009 after their relationship became romantic. In October, Britney dropped her Criminal music video, in which her now-fiance plays her hero, saving the star from an abusive man at who slaps the pop star at a highbrow party. The modern-day Bonnie and Clyde musical adventure is filled with various criminal acts intermixed with steamy shower scenes, and culminates in a massive slow-motion shootout with the police as Britney and Jason lock lips in a blaze of bullets, then escape through the streets of London. The impending nuptials will be the third time the pop princess has said, I do. Britney famously wed childhood friend Jason Alexander in January 2004 in a Las Vegas marriage that was annulled within 55 hours. The Till The World Ends singer married Kevin Federline later that year, but the two divorced in 2007. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Globes heap TV noms on newcomers

Fox's frosh series 'New Girl' acquired two Golden Globe nominations, including Best Actress inside a Comedy Series for Zooey Deschanel.It had been by helping cover their that old as well as in using the new around the TV side from the Golden Globes. The kudocast saw a hostile reshuffling from the decks across groups, which injected lots of fresh bloodstream including many rookie series.While HBO's "Boardwalk Empire," the reigning drama series champion, has returned again but it's the lone coming back entrant. Another four are frosh: HBO's "Bet on Thrones," Showtime's "Homeland," FX's "American Horror Story" and Starz's "Boss." With CBS's"The Great Wife" neglecting to nab a repeat nomination, the dramas is going to be entirely symbolized by cable series.Broadcast worked out a little better around the comedy side, where Fox might find the 2011 champion, "Glee," return and add another in rookie series "New Girl." ABC's "Modern Family" has returned too but alongside some dark-equine challengers -- HBO's "Enlightened" and Showtime's "Episodes" -- that handled to knock out some broadcast faves: NBC's "30 Rock" and CBS' "The Large Bang Theory."Cinemax had its typically strong showing overall, nabbing 18 nominations -- 1 / 2 of which arrived movies/miniseries groups brought by four for "Mildred Pierce." Only PBS' "Downton Abbey" had as numerous noms. "Mildred Pierce" made Globes fave Kate Winslet a double nominee, together with her mention for film comedy actress for "Carnage."Among series alone, there is nobody dominant player, with "Boardwalk," "Modern Family" and "Homeland" each getting three. Showtime got all eight of their noms in series groups, second as a whole simply to Cinemax."Mildred Pierce" made Kate Winslet a double nominee this time around around, as she's also on the feature comedy/musical side for "Carnage."Within the comedy thesping warmth, "Large Bang" was knocked for any loop within the lead actor category where the 2011 champion, Jim Parsons, did not obtain a nomination, but his co-star, Johnny Galecki, did. He's became a member of by "30 Rock's" Alec Baldwin and "Hung's" Thomas Jane, in addition to two newcomers from Showtime: David Duchovny for "Californication" and Matt LeBlanc for "Episodes."For lead comedy actress, the reigning champion Laura Linney returns again for Showtime's "The Large C." Laura Dern of "Enlightened," Amy Poehler of "Parks and Entertainment" and Zooey Deschanel of "New Girl" complete the course. Particularly absent in the category is Edie Falco, a kudos darling for Showtime's "Nurse Jackie."Possibly the greatest surprise within the thesping groups was the shutout for "Glee," which gained probably the most nominations associated with a series this past year. But all stars who have been nominated did not get asked to compete, including Matthew Morrison, Jum Michele, Jane Lynch and Chris Colfer.The drama actress category stored using the Globes' upheaval theme by only coming back "The Great Wife's" Julianna Margulies and getting in 2 challengers who have been on couple of shortlists to obtain a nomination: Madeleine Stowe from the new ABC sudser "Revenge," and Callie Thorne of USA's "Necessary Roughness." They are became a member of by two more expected newbies, AMC's Mireille Enos of "The Killing" and Showtime's Claire Danes of "Homeland," a Globes fave who won this season within the miniseries category on her submit HBO's "Temple Grandin."Kelsey Grammer gained his first Globe nom since 2002, and the first lead drama actor bid, for his turn because the tyrannical politician in Starz's "Boss." "Homeland's" Damian Lewis is yet another new face within the category, rounded out by Steve Buscemi of "Boardwalk," Bryan Cranston of "Breaking Bad" and Jeremy Irons for Showtime's "The Borgias."Competing against "Downton Abbey" and "Mildred Pierce" within the longform warmth are HBO's "Too Large to Fail" and "Cinema Verite" and BBC America small "The Hour." PBS and BBC America also fielded other gamers, with Idris Elba of BBC America's "Luther" coming back towards the longform actor category, that also welcomed Bill Nighy of PBS' "Page Eight." The relaxation were William Hurt ("Fail"), Hugh Bonneville ("Abbey") and Dominic West ("Hour")."Hour," which recreated the nineteen fifties British news biz, also recognized Romola Garai within the miniseries/movie actress category. Also within the race are Winslet, Diane Lane ("Verite"), Elizabeth McGovern ("Abbey") and Emily Watson of Sundance Channel's "Appropriate Adult."Within the supporting acting groups, where series talent intermingles with longform thesps, "Modern Family" demonstrated its strength by coming back Sofia Vergara and Eric Stonestreet. Stonestreet will face off against "Bet on Thrones' " Peter Dinklage and three longform gamers: Paul Giamatti of "Too Large to Fail" Guy Pearce of "Mildred Pierce" and Tim Robbins of "Cinema Verite." Competing against Vergara are Jessica Lange of "American Horror Story," Kelly Macdonald of "Boardwalk Empire," Maggie Cruz of "Downton Abbey" and Evan Rachel Wood of "Mildred Pierce.""American Horror Story" joins a listing of rookie implies that should obtain a nice jolt of fresh attention in the public after scoring dual nods that insert them in contention for series and acting honors, including Fox's "New Girl," Starz's "Boss," HBO's "Enlightened" and Showtime's "Episodes."While AMC was likely to lighten its statuette load given "Mad Males" was qualified for that Globes race this season, it might have wished for a much better showing given "The Killing" and "Breaking Bad" only came one nomination each while "The Walking Dead" was ignore entirely.Ditto for Forex, which saw no fascination with "Justified," "Louie" and "Sons of Anarchy." Other notable omissions were "Friday Evening Lights," "Work,Inch and "Dexter." Contact Andrew Wallenstein at andrew.wallenstein@variety.com

'Mission: Impossible' Star Tom Cruise Is Impossibly Interesting

Tom Cruise is not a normal man. He's lived a life of celebrity since his "Risky Business" days, and it's hard to see where he gets a chance to come down to reality, if ever. But it does happen... sort of! When we talked to the "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" star at the film's press junket in Dubai last week, we asked him what the most mundane thing about his life was. Thinking about it for a second, he deadpanned: "I eat. I get up." Thinking on it some more, he added, "I eat food. I brush my teeth. I love ice cream." So, yes. He is not very mundane. Aside from the fact that wife Katie Holmes loves pastry shops, that's about all we got out of Cruise. Of course, he's got a lot bigger stuff to worry about than the ways in which his life isn't awesome -- like these ridiculous stunts, which he insists on doing himself. With the awesome results we get in return, can't say we blame him! "Ghost Protocol" comes out this Friday (December 16), where it'll compete against other timely Christmas movies like "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked" and "Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows." It's been a while since we saw agent Ethan Hunt on screen but we imagine he'll still be up to the task, whatever that may be. If you can't wait until Friday for the new "Mission," you can tune into the movie's premiere in Brazil tomorrow (December 14) at 4PM EST and watch a live performance by Grammy-nominated DJ and producer Tiesto, who will unveil his new remix of the classic "Mission: Impossible" theme song. Tell us what you think of the news in the comments section and on Twitter!

'Girl Using the Dragon Tattoo' Hard Copy Video Checks Mystery

The "feel below par movie of Christmas" does not open until 12 ,. 23, but meanwhile, you are able to explore the strategies of 'The Girl Using the Dragon Tattoo' with a brand new viral video. Published to Mouth Recorded Shut is exactly what appears to become a chapter from the old 'Hard Copy' tabloid TV, filled with cheesy reenactments, cheesy 1980s hair and lo-res, apparently 30-year-old VHS. The 'Swedish Mystery' episode goes in to the dying of Harriet Vanger, the central mystery in the centre of 'Tattoo.' 'Hard Copy,' for which it's worth, went from 1989 to 1999, taking up a pre-E! niche of celebrity crime tales, inspiring the 'Rock Bottom' parody on 'The Simpsons' episode 'Homer Badman.' [via HuffPo] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

COO Brian Edwards ankles Relativity

After less than six months on the job, Brian Edwards has left his post as Chief Operating Officer at Relativity Media, the fifth high-level exec to ankle Ryan Kavanaugh's fledgling studio in less than a year. The long string of departures began in January, when CFO Bill Sutman quit, followed by marketing and distribution prexy Peter Adee in April; president Michael Joe in May; and senior VP of acqusitions Joe Matukewicz, news of whose exit broke Monday. And the exodus may not be over: Current prexy Steve Bertram, promoted from COO when Joe left the company, reportedly said he's weighing whether to stay at Relativity, where his contract expires at the end of the year. The turnover also comes as the studio's talks with JP Morgan, which was being courted as a replacement for primary investor Elliot Management, have ground to a halt, as Variety first reported Nov. 10. Elliot, the NY-based hedge fund that helped get Relativity off the ground by backing its co-financing deals with Universal, is in the process of cutting its ties to the studio, leaving Kavanaugh on the hunt for a new backer. Edwards joined the company in May from Mark Burnett Prods. and left Relativity in October, the studio confirmed Thursday. A veteran entertainment attorney, Edwards is a former COO and general counsel at DreamWorks, and he also held the same posts at Burnett's company. The company's big-budget epic "Immortals" has grossed $77 million in North America, and its $100 million Snow White pic "Mirror, Mirror" hits U.S. theaters in March. Contact Jeff Sneider at jeff.sneider@variety.com

Guide to Thursday TV: An Ode to Community, Person Gets Interest-ing, and More!

Jim Rash Let us sing the praises of Community while we can - an apt sentiment as the NBC cult comedy, and recent TV Guide Magazine "Fan Favorite," airs its last original episode (8/7c) before taking an unwelcome and indefinite hiatus in the new year. Also appropriate since this inspired outing is a splashy musical parody of Glee that, as is Community's wont, becomes a mash-up of genres that goes to some awfully dark and weird places, though always with an effervescent absurdist whimsy. Saturday Night Live's Taran Killam is right at home in this company, playing the perky yet kinda sinister glee club leader "Mr. Rad," who recruits (or is it brainwashes?) the initially reluctant study group to join the club in time for the Christmas pageant - even Pierce, who can't stop grumbling, "What the hell are regionals? They never stop talking about it!" Sample lyric from the first number, all about the notion of "Glee:" "It's the feeling you get when your brain finally lets your heart get in its pants!" It's really no sillier than what goes on most weeks with New Directions, when you think about it. Piece of friendly advice: Record this episode, because you'll likely want to watch it again. And again. Whatever it takes to get us through the next few months until NBC brings the show back.Stay tuned for a very touching Christmas episode of Parks and Recreation (8:30/7:30c) that finds a suspended-from-work Leslie (Amy Poehler) going so stir crazy she forms a "militant citizen group" action committee to storm City Hall. Back in the office, the goal is to come up with a gift for Leslie that's as personal and thoughtful as the presents she famously doles out every year. Even Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman, in top form) is willing to try something "cute" (a word he has trouble uttering, but you'll be glad he did). The climax of this memorable episode approaches It's a Wonderful Life-level sentimentality, and is just as open-hearted and moving.Want more TV news? Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!From there, the NBC comedies take a steep quality dive, although any night that gives us back-to-back slams of The Black Eyed Peas in two separate episodes can't be all bad. The Office (9/8c) is built around another unpleasantly raucous office holiday party, where Andy's intent is to grant everyone's Christmas wish - so why would he invite along his new girlfriend, which predictably sends Erin into a drunken frenzy. Robert California (James Spader) is also on hand, down in the dumps after being dumped, because where else is a CEO going to go? And Jim and Dwight keep playing pranks, even at the risk of their year-end bonuses. This all feels about as fresh as last year's fruitcake. ... But for a truly blue Christmas feeling, look no further than the shrill Whitney (9:30/8:30c), where guest stars Peter Gallagher and Jane Kaczmarek (as Whitney's long-divorced parents) bellow their punch lines in hopes of convincing us something funny is going on. A fool's errand, to be sure, but at least NBC is giving us the gift of bouncing this show from Thursday to the black hole of Wednesday night.NBC's lineup concludes with a special Thursday airing of Friday sleeper Grimm (10/9c), evoking memories of Buffy in its storyline of a prep-school outcast who's implicated in the death of a teacher. When Nick sees under the surface of this prodigy, he turns to reformed creature Monroe to talk some sense into the tormented teen.How do you protect someone who's trying to take you down? That's the challenge in this week's strong feels-like-sweeps episode of CBS's Person of Interest (9/8c), revolving around Detective Carter (Taraji P. Henson), whose number comes up on The Machine, meaning Reese (Jim Caviezel) will have to get uncomfortably close to the person who's been tracking him all season. We learn quite a bit about Carter, including her past as an Army interrogator in the Middle East, as Reese and Finch (Michael Emerson) try to figure out just how the elusive master criminal Elias (Enrico Colantoni) will target his prey. Will it be through one of the many cases she is selflessly pursuing? The more Reese observes, the more he sees a kindred spirit in Carter. "Some people the world can't afford to lose," he says, as he tries to stay a beat ahead of her in hopes of averting disaster. The palpable sense of looming danger is what separates Person of Interest from most often formula procedurals.Anyone for Jingle Balls? ABC's Wipeout (8/7c) returns for a Christmas special, with new co-host Vanessa Lachey. This kicks off an all-reality lineup including an America's Funniest Home Videos "Christmas Spectacular" (9/8) full of yuletide gags, and a new special, The Great Big American Auction (10/9c), in which Ty Pennington scours flea markets and yard sales all across the USA, finding hidden treasures that are then auctioned off. Sounds like a collision of about half a dozen hit cable series.So what else is on? ... Leonard confronts the bully who tormented him in high school on CBS's The Big Bang Theory (8/7c). ... Craig Bierko guests on The Mentalist (10/9c, CBS) as a retired NFL quarterback. ... ZZ Top's Billy F. Gibbons returns to Fox's Bones (9/8c) as Angela's rocker dad, who offers to babysit and give the new parents a rest, while Booth is busy being overprotective of the pregnant Bones. ... After several weeks in the bottom, is this the night Marcus Canty is sent packing on Fox's The X Factor (8/7c)?Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!

Nickelodeon vs. Nielsen: Who's to Blame for the Network's Plummeting Ratings?

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Horror director Alexandre Aja is teaming up with scary storyteller Joe Hill on the feature adaptation of Hill's novel Horns, being made by Mandalay Pictures.our editor recommendsPiranha 3D -- Film Review Aja is coming on board to direct the project, about a 26-year-old man who wakes up with a massive hangover and discovers horns sprouting from his head. He becomes convinced that their existence is tied to the unsolved murder of his girlfriend. PHOTOS: The 10 Least Scary Movies of All Time Scott Bunin wrote the script adaptation of the novel, which was published in February 2010. Mandalay's Cathy Schulman and Peter Guber are producing. Hill, also the writer of the horror comic book series Locke & Key and the son of author Stephen King, is executive producing. Mandate is packaging the project and is in the middle of securing financing. The goal is to have Aja direct the movie in late spring or early summer 2012 before moving on to Cobra, a sci-fi pirate movie based on manga source material. Aja, repped by WME and attorney Adam Kaller, last directed the horror hit Piranha 3D. His other credits include The Hills Have Eyes and his French breakout Haute Tension (High Tension). Mandalay is also developing an adaptation of Hill's short story Twittering from the Circus of the Dead. Todd Lincoln is attached to direct. Email: Borys.Kit@thr.com Twitter: @Borys_Kit PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery 'Piranha 3D' premiere Piranha 3D

WSJ: Ryan Seacrest May Replace Matt Lauer

NBC Universal is courting Ryan Seacrest as a potential replacement for Matt Lauer on the Today show, the Wall Street Journal reports.The paper saysNBC News,Today show, and NBC networkexecutives met with Seacrest on Tuesdayabout the possibilty of him joining the morning talker. The discussions with Seacrest includemultiple possibilities that might enhance his role within the broader corporate context at Comcast and NBC Universal.Seacrest’s existing deal with Comcast/NBCUniversal expires next year. He serves as host and producer of a daily news show on E! network as well as E!’s red-carpet specials. Seacrest’s prolific TV production company is also based at E! A Seacrest spokeswoman would say only that negotiations with NBC Universal were ongoing.

TNT Orders Medical Drama Pilot from David E. Kelley According to Sanjay Gupta Book

David E. Kelley Chicago Hope creator David E. Kelley is in the medical drama business. This time around around, he'll be penning the pilot of Chelsea General for TNT, a task in line with the approaching novel Monday Morning by CNN's chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.It, scheduled for publication in March, stories the private and professional lives of 5 surgeons. Gupta, a practicing neurosurgeon themself, will executive-make the pilot alongside Kelley.Kate Burton inspections back to Grey's for alternate world episode"Chelsea General promises to become a wise, witty and very effective medical drama, the type of series David E. Kelley is famous to make,Inch stated Michael Wright, executive v . p . mind of programming for TNT, The best spinner's and Turner Classic Movies. "We anticipate dealing with David and Sanjay in getting the doctors' fascinating tales and figures to television."Photo gallery: The most popular holiday moviesKelley is presently the executive producer on Harry's Law on NBC. He's also the creator of Picket Fences, The Practice and Ally McBeal.

Buble edges Nickelback on chart

Inside a virtual dead warmth, Michael Buble's "Christmas" snuck past Nickelback's new "PresentInch to consider No. 1 on the U.S. album chart reflecting hearty Black Friday sales. In the fifth week around the charts, crooner Buble's Warner Bros. assortment of Yule tunes moved approximately 227,000 copies (attaining 37%), based on Nielsen SoundScan data for that week ended November. 27. Canadian rock act Nickelback's Roadrunner set showed up at No. 2, trailing Buble just by 419 models and denying the audience its second U.S. chart-topper. Individuals albums signified a large publish-Thanksgiving weekend for music retailers, although one less potent as last year's. Eight from the week's top ten albums offered more than 100,000 this year, the very first 11 records around the publish-Poultry Day chart exceeded that much cla, brought through the 496,000-unit debut of Kanye West's album "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy." Prolific R&B/pop diva Beyonce bowed at No. 3 with "Talk That Talk" (Def Jam), which cruised along with 198,000 moved. This past year, her collection "Noisy" first showed at No. 2. Rapper Drake's "Be MindfulInch (Cash Money) was hit hard through the fresh competition: Last week's large No. 1 entry fell to No. 4, decreasing 73% and moving 173,000. High-current R&B singer Mary J. Blige's "My Existence II: Your Way Continues, Act I" (Geffen) settled in at No. 5 having a 156,000-unit stanza. It bested the performance from the original "My Existence," her sophomore collection, which peaked at No. 7 in 1994. Singer's 2009 set "More powerful With Every Tear" arrived at No. 2. Week's some of the best 10 debut was Daughtry's "Break the Spell" (RCA), which joined at No. 8 with 129,000 moved as they are. Arrival is far from "The American Idol ShowInch grad Chris Daughtry's best: His band's two previous albums both first showed at No. 1. Justin Bieber's Christmas collection "Underneath the Mistletoe" (Island) ended up one notch to No. 6 despite a 78% increase to 150,000 models. Another gainer, Adele's "21" (Columbia), ongoing on its six-figure track having a 140,000-unit week (up 24%) but lost chart property, shedding four rods to No. 7. It's the very first time the smash album has made an appearance outdoors the very best five since its March chart debut. Singer's Compact disc/DVD package "Live in the Royal Albert Hall" hit stores Tuesday and like "21" should take advantage of this week's Grammy nominations. Other holdovers include country singer and "Idol" champion Scotty McCreery's "Obvious as Day" (Mercury Nashville), which re-makes its way into the very best 10 at No. 9 with 88,000 (up 165%), and Coldplay's "Mylo Xyloto" (Capitol), which dipped one publish to No. 10 with 79,000 (up 46%). Hot Chelle Rae's debut album is really a prime contender to find the best-10 space on next week's chart. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Foreign exchange Announces Return Dates for Justified and Archer

Justified, Archer Justified and Archer will return for third seasons this The month of the month of january, Foreign exchange introduced Monday. Coming off its Emmy-winning second season, the drama will premiere its year on Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 10/9c. This season will dsicover the entrance of Carla Gugino becoming an assistant director in the U.S. Marshals Service which has a brief history with Raylan (Timothy Olyphant). It Definitely Is Sunny producers and Foreign exchange synergy for animated comedy After airing the initial three episodes from Season 3 in September, Archer will return on Thursday, Jan. 19 at 10/9c. Approaching site visitors include Burt Reynolds, who'll voice an animated version of themselves. Foreign exchange will premiere its new animated series Not being watched, from It Definitely Is Sunny in Philadelphia author/producers David Hornsby, Scott Marder and Make the most of Rosell, soon after Archer at 10:30/9:30c. The comedy follows two close buddies moving their teenage existence with no parental guidance. Unsupervised's voice cast includes Kristen Bell, Justin Extended, Fred Armisen, Romany Malco, It Definitely Is Sunny star Kaitlin Olson and Alexa Vega. Are you currently presently excited for further Justified and Archer? Will you watch Not being watched?

Demme to direct Avitabile docu

ROME -- Jonathan Demme will direct a Naples-set music docu about Enzo Avitabile, the local jazz and fusion musician of whom he is a big fan. Demme, whose previous portrayals of music bands include docus about Neil Young and The Talking Heads, unveiled the project in Naples where he met with Mayor Luigi de Magistris, who is supporting the pic and will also appear briefly. Producer Davide Azzolini is shepherding via his Dazzle shingle with financing from RAI Cinema, the film arm of Italo pubcaster RAI. Avitabile is a sax player and songwriter who, after touring internationally and collaborating with James Brown and Tina Turner, among others, returned to his Southern Italian roots and incorporated the sacred Southern Italian "Bottari" tradition involving the use of barrels as percussion instruments, into his sound. His "Salvamm' O Munno" (Save the World) album, with the Bottari pulse, was nominated for a BBC Award for World Music in 2006. Demme heard a track of this album on the radio while driving his car, became a big fan, and asked Azzolini if he could put him in touch with Avitabile when Demme attended the Naples Film Festival in 2010, Azzolini said. The Demme docu, working-titled "Enzo," will include a live performance by Avitabile and a host of world music stars, such as Eliades Ochoa, from the Buena Vista Social Club group, Palestinian singer Amal Murkus, Indian percussionist Trilok Gurtu, Iranian sitar virtuoso Hossein Alizadeh and Spanish guitarist Gerardo Nunez. The fertile Neapolitan music scene, which comprises forms of jazz, blues, rock and rap, which fuse local sounds with African and American influences, has also recently featured in John Turturro's well-received docu "Passione." Contact Nick Vivarelli at nvivarelli@gmail.com

Box Office Report: 'Muppets' Have Returned With Forecasted $40 Mil Debut

Inside a notable victory for Disney, The Muppets is constantly on the rule over other family films in the Thanksgiving box office, grossing $12.3 million on Friday for any three-day cume of $24.8 million.our editor recommendsBox Office Report: 'Twilight: Breaking Dawn' and 'Muppets' Rule Thanksgiving'The Muppets': Exactly what the Experts Say The pic, which cost you a modest $45 million to create, has become forecasted to publish a Wednesday-Sunday debut with a minimum of $40 million, putting it behind just the Twilight Saga: Breaking Beginning--Part 1, which made $16.9 million on Friday for any cume of roughly $195 million (the pic will jump the $200 million mark sometime on Saturday). PHOTOS: 'The Muppets' Premiere Red-colored Carpet Arrivals Wally Disney Galleries chairman Wealthy Ross is a persistent advocate of refreshing the classic brand since Disney bought the privileges to Jim Henson's legendary figures in 2004. The film stars Jason Segel and Can Be. Muppets opened up on Wednesday opposite two other PG films--The new sony and Aardman Entertainment's three dimensional pic Arthur Christmas and Martin Scorsese's Hugo. Arthur Christmas and Hugo, written by Vital, have been in a defunct warmth, despite the fact that Hugo's theater count is almost another of Arthur's. On Friday, Arthur Christmas made $4.six million, in comparison to $4.5 million for Hugo. The 2 films arrived No. 4 with no. 5, correspondingly, using the No. 3 place likely to Warner Bros. holdover Happy Ft Two, which made $5.a million for cume of $35.5 million. Forecasts show Happy Ft Two remaining at No. 3 having a five-day gross within the $16 million range, adopted carefully by Arthur Christmas and Hugo. PHOTOS: 'The Muppets' Spoofs 'Twilight: Breaking Beginning' in New Posters One unique attribute: Muppets, Arthur Christmas and Hugo all received rave reviews from experts, that could protend strong legs. The new sony thinks Arthur Christmas may have great playability into December due to its holiday theme. And also, since Hugo is playing over the age of a regular family film, Vital made the decision to spread out on the more compact quantity of screens, after which expand on strong person to person. Among niche films competing for honours attention, Alexander Payne's The Descendants ongoing to grow nicely, arriving No. 10 and grossing $2.7 million from only 433 theaters to have an 10-day cume of $6.two million. It's one of the better showings of the season for any platform release. Opening Friday in four theaters in NY and La, The Artist made $75,456 for any per location average of $18,864. Like other adult-skewing films, the black-and-whitened quiet film should visit a healthy uptick on Saturday. The Weinstein Co. is getting an active Thanksgiving between your Artist and Michelle Williams starrer My Week with Marilyn, which opened up Wednesday in additional than 100 theaters and broadened on Friday right into a total 244 locations. The film made $607,000 on Friday for any three-day cume of $918,000. PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery 'The Muppets' Premiere Red-colored Carpet Arrivals Related Subjects Box Office Happy Ft 2 The Muppets Hugo

Smallville's Justin Hartley to visit Castle

Justin Hartley Smallville's Justin Hartley will guest-star on Castle, TVLine reviews.The actor may have the boyfriend of Kay Cappuccio (guest star Hilarie Burton), a Kim Kardashian-like reality star who's famous to become famous. Unsure yet on once they got married for 72 days.Keck's Exclusives: Hilarie Burton can get the secrets for the CastleHartley most recently came out on Chuck.Castle returns Monday, 12 ,. 5. Hartley and Burton's episode, titled "An Embarrassment of Bitches," will air early next season.

Kudos to remake 'Real Humans'

LONDON -- U.K. shingle Kudos Film and Television is to develop a remake of what it hopes will be another high-profile Scandinavian TV drama, Swedish sci-fi skein "Real Humans." Both the format and international rights to "Real Humans," produced in Sweden by Sveriges Television (SVT) and Matador Films, have been acquired by Shine, which owns Kudos. The 10-part "Real Humans" is due to bow on SVT in early 2012. Story focuses on a new generation of robots, so-called "Hu-bots," so advanced it is almost impossible to distinguish them from people. Created and written by Lars Lundstrom, "Real Humans" is helmed by Harald Hamrell and Levan Akin. Exec producers are Stefan Baron, head of drama at SVT, and Henrik Widman, managing director of Matador Films. The Kudos re-make will be co-produced with Matador Films. SVT is co-producers of the "Millennium" trilogy, one of several recent Scandinavian dramas that have drawn attention to the region's talent for screen fiction. Others include "The Killing," made by Danish pubcaster DR, and a local version of "Wallander," produced in Sweden for Yellow Bird and shown on SVT. Shine is run by Elisabeth Murdoch and was bought by News Corp. earlier this year. One of its biggest hits is "MasterChef." Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Kenneth Branagh on Mister Laurence Olivier in 'My Week With Marilyn': 'He Was Impatient'

While awaiting actor Kenneth Branagh to call me last Saturday, I happened upon 'Harry Potter and also the Chamber of Secrets.' Particularly, the scene where Professor Gilderoy Lockhart (performed by Branagh), flies to safety with Harry, Ron and Ginny Lockhart screams, "Amazing! Case like miracle!" When I viewed, it had been tough to imagine Branagh tugging off the kinds of jobs he's been on his career -- a wizard, a prince, a Confederate researcher, a director around the blockbuster super hero epic, 'Thor' -- without the assistance of some Hogwarts charm. In Branagh's approaching movie, 'My Week with Marilyn' (in line with the books by Colin Clark), the actor once more showcases his flexibility by playing Mister Laurence Olivier. Whenever you consider the kind of career Olivier had, this really is very difficult task -- particularly since the Mister Laurence in 'My Week' isn't the one audiences are most likely acquainted with. Here, he's frazzled and bitter, because he tries to direct and star alongside Marilyn Monroe (performed by Michelle Williams, already garnering Oscar buzz) in 'The Prince and also the Showgirl.' Situations are complicated from the beginning, as Olivier will get frustrated using the sex symbol's tardiness and acting style. It's funny, right before you known as I had been funnel surfing and located 'Chamber of Secrets' using TV Really? Oh ... sigh. The correct answer is striking really if you notice the first films the thing is the way the central three have transformed, they are like babies within the first couple of. Moving to 'My Week With Marilyn,' where would you start to research a person with as storied work as Laurence Olivier? The good thing is you have lots of material. I began with things that I had not really checked out before, that have been his autobiography, 'Confessions of the Actor,' after which another book he authored known as, 'On Acting.' After which, using the great benefits from the Internet and YouTube, I could haunter the internet archives and discover plenty of interview material with him where he spoke directly concerning the Marilyn experience [on 'The Prince and also the Showgirl'], where he was very honest about this. He was an actress who continued record as saying he loved to experience roles beginning in the outdoors in. He was always searching for the appearance -- your hair, the walk, the mitts -- he's a superbly handsome fella, and that he were built with a great square jaw... and that i stated, "Well, listen, within this a part of his existence he does not possess a beard, he does not have hair on your face -- I do not cash to cover behind that helped me to kind of transform, so are we able to obtain a prosthetic face piece that will produce that square jaw?" Also, there's lots of audio stuff he'd do -- short tales around the radio. And things i had not known about before is he did a whole reading through from the bible, a dramatic reading through from the Bible. After I found be shooting 'My Week,' previously take a few hrs per morning to really obtain the prosthetic in and start the entire process of the makeup. And So I took in to Laurence Olivier reading through the Bible every day. So, I not just reached play Laurence Olivier, I grew to become a lot more religious along the way. I'm surprised to listen to that you simply used an imitation face for that role. I wouldn't have suspected that whenever watching the film. It is good watching another side of Olivier in 'My Week' -- he's clearly frustrated. Well, the face piece certainly assisted [around the look]. Olivier had an imperious quality to him. He was adopted to playing an innovator, he was adopted to playing nobleman, he was adopted to being the boss ... You will find pictures of him where he appears stern and perhaps authoritarian -- everything that Marilyn might have been afraid of. As described within the film, while shooting 'Prince,' there just appeared to become this impending disaster that his career is visiting a detailed -- compounded because filming the film was driving him mad. He talks very honestly about this, when it comes to what he wished for from dealing with Marilyn -- she might make him awesome again. He felt he was incredibly well-respected and revered, but he was being a dinosaur, he was in some way museum-like, and also the mark of his work had been to become harmful ... And So I think he opposed being an excessive amount of "Mister Laurence." It is simply interesting because after 'The Prince and also the Showgirl' he ongoing to possess this type of distinguished career. He was impatient, I believe, and that he seemed to be confused by why [Marilyn] did not be seduced by him. He wished that in some way, otherwise literally, but possibly literally, he would seduce her and they'd have the ability to talk and that he would produce the truly amazing performance and she'd win an Oscar or something like that and it might be a married relationship produced in paradise, appropriately. However it just wasn't that. He did not direct another movie for pretty much two decades, and that he stated Marilyn was the main reason -- it put him off. And that he loved pointing movies. However I think he felt their own performance experienced consequently from the situation within this movie, i think for some time he was quite perplexed just how good she being despite him, because he kind of comically states. What exactly are your ideas on Marilyn Monroe's affect on contemporary society? How can you see her legacy playing by helping cover their more youthful decades? I believe this is an interesting question. I believe this film might be a fascinating one whether or not this transmits people to some of her work and whether you will see an increase in rental fees for such things as 'Some Enjoy it Hot' or 'Gentlemen Prefer Blonds' ... I believe for most people, she's a remarkably vivid face, an legendary face that's always a part of movie montages. It is a type of legacy of movie images. However the actual work continues to be ignored. Returning to Laurence, I just read that Anthony Hopkins urged you to definitely take part in the role... We certainly spoken about this a great deal. Hopkins' acting emergence had been an understudy to Laurence Olivier in the National Theater in England within the sixties, and that he would be a great favorite of Mister Laurence's. Hopkins just explained a great deal by what Olivier was like throughout anyone day, such a great leader he was, such a sharp spontaneity he'd, how camping he or she is sometimes. Simply to be, kind of amusing [and] gossipy, very generous together with his stars, greatly of the type of an all natural leader. This may be a totally coincidental however i was interested in the choice to cast Anthony Hopkins as Odin in 'Thor,' since Hopkins was an understudy to Olivier, who wound up playing an identical god, Zeus, in 'Clash from the Leaders.' I believe what individuals men are evident is if you have been within the National Theater and you've performed the classics, and you've spent considerable time with large robes on and large bits of armor, and playing either God or even the commander or even the general, each of them had huge encounters of this. But it is a pleasant touch to consider that the pair of them, at various points, [were] ruling the world. [Photo: The Weinstein Company] 'My Week With Marilyn' Photos Michelle Williams as Marilyn MonroeEddie Redmayne as Colin ClarkKenneth Branagh as Mister Laurence OlivierEmma Watson and Eddie Redmayne as Lucy and Colin Clark See All Moviefone Art galleries » Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

David Gordon Green Adapting Q

The time traveller's strifeWhen you think of the letter Q in movies, chances are your brain flits either to James Bond's Major Boothroyd, Star Trek's capricious super-alien or the Winged Serpent. Or, you know, none of the above. But now there's a chance it could drift towards a new planned film by David Gordon Green.Sony has announced (in a statement picked up by Variety) that it's nabbed the feature rights to Evan Mandery's novel Q for the writer/director to tackle as a future project.The twisty comic drama finds a man who getting an unexpected visit from a future version of himself, who warns him that marrying the love of his life would be a very bad idea. But though our hero agrees, he later regrets the choice and sets out to track down the woman once again.There's no word on when Green will get started on the movie, as he has lots of possible projects sitting in his development file. His next film, Jonah Hill comedy The Sitter, is scheduled for January 20.

Rupert Grint Plays My Favorite Scene: Harry Potter Edition

This weekend, most of the Harry Potter cast and filmmakers flew down to Universal Orlando’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter to fte the home release of Deathly Hallows — Part 2, the final installment in the film series based on J.K. Rowling’s beloved books. At a Potter-themed party in Hogsmeade Village Saturday night — complete with a performance by the frog choir, endless rounds of butter beer served by wizards and fireworks — franchise star Rupert Grint took a moment to play a round of ‘My Favorite Scene’ with Movieline. Just outside of Honeydukes Homemade Sweets, the English actor recalled his favorite moment from all of the Potter films, in which he has spent a decade playing Harry’s dependable best friend Ron Weasley. After thinking hard for a few moments, Grint explained, “I think the chess scene was always quite a big one for me, because the set was just amazing.” “That first film really was just so exciting. It was a whole new world for me. It was just very new. Getting to ride that horse and doing all of these stunts. It was just amazing at 11 years old to be there while they’re blowing up chess pieces and others are on fire. It’s something I’ll always remember.” Relive Rupert’s favorite Harry Potter moment below before sharing your own in the comment section. Follow Julie Miller on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.

Heavy D's Funeral Searching For November. 18

An individual funeral is planned to be held for rapper Heavy D, who died out of the blue at 44 Tuesday, November. 8, inside a historic Baptist chapel Friday, November. 18.our editor recommendsHeavy D's Final Performance at Wager Stylish-Hop Honours Was Part of Comeback Attempt (Video)Heavy D Visited Physician yesterday His DeathHeavy D Dies: 5 Things to learn about the Rapper-Actor PHOTOS: Hollywood's Notable Deaths Sophistication Baptist Chapel of Mount Vernon, NY introduced Friday that it may be carrying out the memorial, the Connected Press reviews. VIDEO: Heavy D's Friend and Friend, Russell Simmons Recalls the Rapper The rapper and record producer produced Heavy D & the Boyz, who was simply best-renowned for their hits "Since We Found Love" and "Somebody Personally.In . VIDEO: Heavy D Dies: 5 in the Late Rapper's Most Memorable Tunes He was pronounced dead at 1 p.m. Tuesday after failing before his home andbeing moved with the Beverly Slopes Fire Department paramedics to Cedars Sinai Clinic in L.A. The Sophistication Baptist Chapel's website states it absolutely was founded by five Black women in 1888. Related Subjects Heavy D

Franklin & Party Summons Sean Astin for Superhero Duty

Sean Astin Even superheroes need lawyers, or otherwise individuals on Franklin & Party do. Mark-Paul Gosselaar is engaged Sean Astin may have a college security officer throughout your day, caped crime fighter named Viper by evening by having an approaching Season 2 episode of Franklin & Party, TVLine reviews. He incurs trouble when he's billed with killing grounds and turns to Jared Franklin and Peter Party (Breckin Meyer, Mark-Paul Gosselaar) for help. The Our god in the Rings star joins Jane Seymour and Peter Weller as other approaching Franklin & Party guest stars. The second season will air inside the summer season of 2012.

Items In Jacksons Final Home Available

First Released: November 9, 2011 9:38 AM EST Credit: Getty Images La, Calif. -- Caption Michael Jackson at Madison Square Garden, New york city, 2001The mattress where Michael Jackson required his last breath expires available. The full-size piece is one kind of 100s of products in the Holmby Hillsides mansion where Jackson spent his final days that are going to hit the auction block the following month. You want to preserve a brief history of those products, stated celebrity auctioneer Darren Julien, leader of Juliens Auctions, that will sell the different antique furnishings, works of art and sculptures that encircled the King of Pop because he ready for a number of comeback concerts. Its Northern Border Carolwood Clarify where Jackson resided together with his three children from December 2008 until his dying on June 25, 2009, is individually up available. The home and it is furnishings were leased to Jackson as they and the family resided there. An email from among the children remains on the blackboard within the houses sprawling kitchen, where three stools were lined facing the middle island an ideal breakfast place for the children. I (heart) Dad. SMILE, its free of charge, the chalk note reads in childlike scrawl. The blackboard is going to be offered as-is, and it is likely to fetch a lot more than $400. In the moment on Monday that Dr. Conrad Murray was charged of involuntary wrongful death in Jacksons dying, reporters were strangely taking aprivate preview tour from the three-story home in which the pop star resided and died. The bed room proven in evidence photos at Murrays criminal trial was really considered a medicine room through the Jackson team. Murray was in prison for delivering an insomnia-affected Jackson using the effective operating-room anesthetic propofol to assist him sleep because he practiced for his comeback. Jackson maintained an adjacent bed room he regarded as as his inner sanctum a personal place just for him. It's within this second bed room the pop star authored a note to themself around the mirror of the antique armoire. TRAIN, perfection, March April. FULL OUT May, it reads. Jackson ended up being to begin his London concert run in This summer. His private bed room incorporated your bathroom bigger than most living spaces and 2 massive walk-in closets. One of the products available within the medication room, where evidence was collected for Murrays trial, are upholstered chairs smudged with Jacksons makeup and Jacksons dying mattress, which looks to an expansive backyard encircled by tall trees. The yard is moored with a large pool along with a pool house, in which the performers boy Prince created his title on the beeswax candle. The medication room, on top floor, results in another walk-in closet and bathroom, where Jacksons makeup still remains on the small silk-covered stool underneath the vanity. Curving stairs on both sides from the mansions most well-known room lead lower towards the kitchen and also the elegant foyer, in which a grand piano sits capped with very candlesticks. The house and it is dcor are similar to Neverland Ranch, Jacksons famous estate near Santa Barbara, stated Martin J. Nolan, executive director of Juliens Auctions. He loved it since it was like Neverland, Nolan stated. It had been a really happy place where he spent his final days. Juliens Auctions offered memorabilia in the Neverland Ranch in April of 2009. Like Neverland, the Carolwood house possesses its own cinema that one fitted entirely in burgundy velvet with loveseat-style sofas along with a fresco of the cloud-dotted sky around the ceiling. Katherine Jacksons attorney, Perry Sanders Junior., stated he understands the Carolwood auction and it has done everything we are able to to determine that products out of this address aren't being sold using Michaels title and likeness to boost the products value. Built-in 2000 and created by architect Richard Landry, the home at 100 North Carolwood Drive appears like a French chateau and it is centered by 18th and 1800s French dcor. The walls are lined with assorted watercolor and acrylic works of art and sculptures fill spaces within the living room and family rooms. The 54,885-square-feet house is available, although not up for auction. The cost wasn't revealed but similar houses in the region are listed at $18 million or more. The home has six sleeping rooms and 10 fire places. Additionally, it includes a wine cellar, health club and formal dining and sitting rooms. Photos of the home and also the products available available are featured inside a limited-edition auction catalog, that is being offered for $100. The catalog and auction are carefully entitled 100 North Carolwood Drive and also the words Michael Jackson aren't pointed out in marketing materials. Highlights in the purchase is going to be on view in a free exhibition at Juliens Auctions in Beverly Hillsides, Calif., beginning 12 ,. 12. The auction is placed for 12 ,. 17. Celebrity home tours still regularly go by the home. At the time of Murrays conviction, an excursion guide might be heard telling people, This is actually the home of Michael Jackson, where he died. Copyright 2011 through the Connected Press. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Russell Crowe To Tell A Winter's Tale?

Playing an architect of the apocalypseNope, he's not playing Leontes or Polixenes, or covering David Essex songs with his band. The Winter's Tale that Russell Crowe may be involved in is based on the magic realist novel by Mark Helprin, and marks the directorial debut of screenwriter Akiva Goldsman.Set in a fairytale, fantastical, turn-of-the-century NY, the book involves a love story between orphaned Irish burglar Peter Lake and the dying Beverly Penn, inhabitant of an upper-West-Side mansion he targets. Which goes little way to describing a novel that involves vision quests, NY street gangs, guardian angel flying white horses and messianic self-sacrifice. Lake also disappears for a number of years, hence the Shakespeare-riffing title. Nobody gets pursued by a bear though.Rather than Lake, THR's story says that Crowe is "loosely attached" to play "the villain" in the film. Nothing is quite that clear-cut in the novel, but we're guessing the antagonist they're talking about is Jackson Mead, a master bridge builder planning to create a structure so incredible that it will catch the eye of God and cause the end of the world.Goldsman was prompted to make A Winter's Tale his first foray behind the camera by its fantastical elements and by its eulogising of his native NY. The story looks to be seducing others too: Tom Hiddleston and Benjamin Walker are apparently in the running for the role of Lake, while Bella Heathcote, Elizabeth Olson, Gabrielle Wilde and Sarah Gadon have all attended "chemistry reads" for the part of Penn.It's not quite all systems go though, as Warners seem keen to find a third-party partner to help stump up the budget, estimated at $75m back at the start of this year. That's quite a lot for a project as strange as this one, so that eventual cast will be part of putting together as strong a package as possible to attract investors...

Drafthouse Films ink multiplatform cope with Image

Danish comedy Clown is just one of several photos that Drafthouse Films has acquired to distribute in The United States. Year-old Drafthouse Films has pacted with Image Entertainment within an exclusive distribution deal for home video, digital, television and VOD. Deal marks an additional growth of Texas-based Alamo Drafthouse's plan to become lifestyle brand. The Alamo Drafhouse chain of theaters -- which depend on person to person and serving alcohol inside a laidback setting -- has 10 locations and it is searching to grow into La and NY soon. Drafthouse Films has acquired United States privileges to Michael Roskam's crime drama "Bullhead," Belgium's official candidate for that Oscar language film, and Mikkel Nogaard's Danish comedy "Clown." Drafthouse acquired United States privileges to "Comin at Ya! three dimensional" in September following a premiere from the restored film at Fantastic Fest. Drafthouse Films has hired James Emanuel Shapiro, former professional director of sales planning and purchases for Anchor Bay, because the company's new chief operating officer.

Todd Phillips' Crazy Project X Trailer: Party of the Century/Apocalypse

Todd Phillips doesn’t feel like directing the new Hangover right now, so he’s taking time to helm a cray-zay party movie where a self-declared “uncool” kid throws the bash of the century. Cars jump into pools! Music blares! Girls lick on some popsicles under Fiona Apple “Criminal” lighting! Parents call to make sure everything is going OK. It’s like a grittier version of Blank Check. I’ve been waiting for this since ‘94. The cast is full of unknowns, but that adds something to Project X’s anonymous bacchanal. No one has to know that the spectacle is very reminiscent of Marilyn Manson’s “Tainted Love” cover video and Britney Spears’ “My Prerogative” cover video. In fact, let’s bring up either of those again. [Plus a soupcon of “Aaron’s Party (Come Get It)” but shhhh, no telling.]

Keck's Exclusives: Andrew Dice Clay Pays Trip to Raising Hope

Andrew Dice Clay Andrew Dice Clay gets another opportunity to play themself (following the final season of HBO's Entourage). Fox's Raising Hope has asked the potty-mouthed stand-as much as come in the November 29 episode. Within the show, Dice may be the celebrity judge of the amateur creators convention attended through the Chance family. As the Chances have high hopes their invention can make them super wealthy, they once more end up around the losing finish of lady luck, because of a twist including the Diceman'scharacter. Although this is Dice's first appearance around the sitcom, a March episode found Jimmy (Lucas Neff) telling his father, "Father, I've said one hundred occasions, I've no clue who Andrew Dice Clay is." Well Jimmy, you are going to discover! How can you all experience Andrew Dice Clay's revival this year? Sign up for TV Guide Magazine now!

Spider-Guy Musical Bids Adieu to 2 Original Stars

NY (AP) Broadway's "Spider-Guy" musical will lose a few its original cast people.Producers mentioned Friday that original stars Jennifer Damiano and T.V. Carpio will finish their run in "Spider-Guy: Turn Off the Dark" the next month when their contracts expire.Damiano, which has carried out Mary Jane Watson since performances began last November, will probably be transformed by Rebecca Faulkenberry, who made her Broadway debut in "Rock old range." Carpio, that's been playing the spider-lady named Arachne, will probably be transformed by Christina Sajous, who starred in "Baby, It's You!" and "American Idiot."Reeve Carney, who plays Peter Parker as well as the webslinger, and Patrick Page, who's the Eco-friendly Goblin, are sticking while using $75 million show, which carrying out a difficult birth, has converted into a high Broadway earner.The musical, Broadway's most pricey, was impacted by accidents and postponed premieres before finally formally opening in June.With this time, the first director and co-book author Julie Taymor happen to be ousted, as well as the musical's tunes by U2's Bono as well as the Edge as well as the narrative were reworked.Carpio initially showed up an element inside the so-referred to as Geek Chorus four comic fans who presented the plot and represented Taymor, Bono, The Benefit and co-book author Glen Berger. But Carpio happen to be the understudy for a lot of roles since joining the show in 2007 and will be a natural choice when the original Arachne Natalie Mendoza attracted out after getting experienced a concussion in December.Through the show's rocky spring, the role of Arachne was reworked and Carpio experienced whiplash when one of the artists playing Spider-Guy toppled onto her in March.Damiano's last performance will probably be November. 6. Carpio's will probably be November. 13.Copyright 2011 Connected Press. All rights reserved. These elements is probably not launched, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Start Looking: Jessica Simpson and Nicole Richie on NBC's Fashion Star

Nicole Richie, Jessica Simpson NBC will get in to the fashion business this midseason with Fashion Star, located and executive created by Elle Macpherson (yes, playing the role here of Heidi Klum). Your competition show includes "celebrity mentors" Jessica Simpson (pre-alleged baby bump?), Nicole Richie and John Varvatos. The series follows 14 designers because they placed on a significant fashion show every week and compete for an opportunity to produce their lines at Macy's, H&M and Saks Fifth Avenue. Purchasers all three stores will purchase a few of the work every week (that will immediately be accessible within their stores), but designers who to neglect to sell their wares are removed. Here is a start looking at Jessica Simpson and Nicole Richie around the group of Fashion Star. Sign up for TV Guide Magazine now!

Eames: The Architect and also the Painter

An Initial Run Features discharge of a Mission Prods. and Bread and Butter Films production in colaboration with Thirteen's American Masters for WNET.org. Created by Jason Cohn, Bill Jersey. Executive producer, Shirley Kessler. Co-producer, Camille Servan-Schreiber. Directed by Jason Cohn, Bill Jersey. Compiled by Cohn.With: Richard Saul Wurman, Kevin Roche, Tina Beebe, Eames Demetrios, Deborah Sussman, Pat Kirkham, Jesse Albrecht, Gordon Ashby, Jeannine Oppewall, Bill Tondreau, Jed Perl, Marilyn Neuhart, Rob Capian, Richard Wright, Paul Schrader, Joe Giovannini, Judith Wechsler, Zeke Seligsohn, Ford Peatross, Meg McAleer, Lucia Eames, Thomas S. Hines, Mike Grawe, Bob Blaich, John Neuhart.Two midcentury modernists having a rare populist touch are profiled in "Eames: The Architect and also the Painter." A designer who rarely colored as well as an architecture-school dropout, correspondingly, Charles and Ray Eames made ultramodern design appear fun, mostly through the famous, still-manufactured "Eames chair." Jason Cohn and Bill Jersey's sprightly documentary weighs in at its subjects' unique achievements and common influence while probing rapport more complicated than its sunny public face indicated. First Run pickup must do well in limited theatrical release beginning November. 18, having a 12 ,. 19 broadcast debut on PBS' "American Masters." Though Charles had been a husband and father at that time, he and Ray (nee Bernice Kaiser) immediately clicked on upon meeting at Michigan's Cranbrook Academy of Art within the late nineteen thirties Ray even given a hands around the chair's unsuccessful original prototype. Following his 1941 divorce, they quickly married, gone to live in La and commenced making "the very best which are more for that least," as Charles place it. Initially this incorporated enhanced leg splints mass-created for World war 2 military personnel. That assignment assisted them solve the problem of molding plywood for body-sculpted domestic furniture, permitting eventually for that output of the easy, elegant, playful Eames chair. It demonstrated a determining object for that postwar generation and it is middle-class suburban lifestyle. Charles' problem-fixing gifts and Ray's aesthetic ones likewise married affordable materials to abstract yet practical, inviting designs in myriad other media beyond interior decor. Their very own Off-shore Palisades house, graphic designs for companies (particularly IBM), experimental films illustrating complex ideas basically, along with other projects all caught the public's fancy. Former co-employees the Eames' offices felt a lot more like a design playground than the usual workspace. They also observe that highly collaborative team endeavors usually ended up credited solely towards the couple, in order to Charles alone. It's surmised that Ray should have chafed somewhat in the perception that they could not be her husband's creative equal. (One amusing/appalling sequence shows Arlene Francis on TV's "What's My Line?" stubbornly setting Ray a far more subservient role despite Charles' insistence on his wife as being a full working partner.) The wedding itself would be a mystery to everyone, another friend states, particularly since Charles (despite their own difficulties with mingling and obfuscation) was undoubtedly the greater charming figure. Yet their collaborative bond was perceived by others to become so inviolate that certain lady with whom Charles were built with a lengthy-term affair attests that after Charles agreed to divorce and marry her, she just "could not get it done to Ray." Between your range of interviewees and surplus of colorful archival materials, the deftly put together pic has nary a dull moment.Camera (color, HD), Ulli Bonnekamp, John Dowley, Vicente Franco, Edward Marritz Petr Stepanek, Brett Wiley, Edgar Boyles, Andrew Dryer, Tom Hurwitz, Jon Shenk, Thaddeus Wadleigh, John Wingert editor, Don Bernier music, Michael Sausage animation/graphics designer, John Oakes seem, John Buckley, Douglas Dunderdale, Mark Mandler, Bob Schuck, Mario Cardenas, Steve Haskin, Gabriel Monts, Jayme Roy, John Zecca seem mixers, James LeBrecht, Serta Olmsted. Examined on DVD, Bay Area, March. 17, 2011. (In Mill Valley Film Festival -- Valley from the Paperwork Doc New york city.) Running time: 84 MIN. Narrator: James Franco. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg Tops Fortune's 40 Under 40 List

NY - Facebook Boss Mark Zuckerberg, 27, needed the most effective devote Fortune's second annual 40 Under 40 listing of the very popular youthful stars in operation before Google Boss Ray Page, time Warner publication mentioned Thursday.our editor indicates Rupert Murdoch 'Very Humbled' while he Apologizes Personally for the Number of Wiped out Schoolgirl Milly Dowler Rupert Murdoch, James Murdoch To Handle Questioning Under Oath In Phone-Hacking Judicial Inquiry Other tech stars available include Jack Dorsey, co-founder and executive chairman of Twitter, who made the eighth place, Google co-founder Sergey Brin inside the eleventh place. Large entertainment industry names available include thirteenth-ranked Ryan Seacrest, 36, who's immediately then Univision Systems mind Cesar Conde, 37, and 16th-ranked Kevin Feige, mind of Marvel Art galleries. CBS News leader David Rhodes (ranked 17th), Spotify founder Daniel Ek (18), Relativity Media boss Ryan Kavanaugh (22) and CNN's Erin Burnett (33) also made this list. However, News Corp. deputy COO James Murdoch, who showed up eighth a year ago when tech pioneer and investor Marc Andreessen assigned this list before Zuckerberg, shipped this list. Asked for by Fortune in regards to the business term he hates most likely probably the most, Rhodes mentioned: "Worst overused business term: facilitate. Who had been elevated saying, 'Mom, once i develop If only to facilitate.' How about rather 'I'd would rather report, disclose, reveal'?" Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com Twitter: @georgszalai Related Subjects Google Mark Zuckerberg Facebook Ryan Kavanaugh James Murdoch Erin Burnett

Monster In-Laws and regulations and rules: TV Review

Moving rapport while using parents of the person's spouse has extended been a vexing relationship challenge. To wit, in-law jokes - most of them keen on inherited moms - are becoming standard fare in comedy clubs, literature, films and tv. Cribbing its title from Monster-in-Law, the 2005 Jane Fonda/Jennifer Lopez comedy concerning just this kind of conflict, A&E's new series Monster In-Laws and regulations and rules explores the disorder of people extended families who, as you would expect, can't locate eye-to-eye. PHOTOS: 10 Tv Shows Canceled Faster Than 'The Playboy Club' Inside the premiere episode, we meet Kim, her husband Anthony in addition to their youthful daughter Nina Marie, a middle-class family in western NY whose existence is centered by the presence of Kim's parents, Richie and Pam. "Obtaining a daughter might be the finest factor in the world,In . Pam states, justifying the insane time period she and her husband spend at their daughter's home doting on Nina Marie. "It's a lot better than sex. It's a lot better than anything." The particular monster here, however, is not Pam, but Richie, a bald, Italian, my-way-or-the-highway father. PHOTOS: Fall TV Dying Pool: Which New Show Could Possibly Get Canceled? "Anthony's and Kim's rules aren't my rules when my daughter is to apply us," Richie states unapologetically. "She lives by my rules, so when everybody can't understand that then you definitely certainly got an problem.Inch Clearly, no sits too well with Anthony or Kim, even though couple have introduced lots of their predicament on themselves given that they go into business with Kim's parents inside an Italian restaurant named ... watch for this ... Nina Marie's. "Participating in business with my in-laws and regulations and rules was certainly one of the worst options I've available,Inch Anthony states, explaining why he and Kim abruptly left around the duties within the restaurant, departing Richie to deal with it. To make certain, there's an abundance of problems on Monster In-Laws and regulations and rules, as well as the explosive promotions for your show will make you think that it's going to use be simply a Basketball Partners scream-fest in family form. Rather, producers Brent Montgomery (Pawn Stars) and Courtney Montgomery (Just what the Sell?!) have fortunately chosen for your therapy kind of reality television (see also: Hoarders and Intervention) in which a specialist is introduced directly into fix all that's so clearly broken with this particular protagonists. Within moments of her arrival in your home, "family expert" Mel Robbins are able to see what's what. "It's Ritchie's rules. He doesn't care just what the parents want. So, yes, clearly he's undermining your family, which is pissing Kim and Anthony off," Robbins states in the cut away interview. Diagnosis might be the simple part, however, and Robbins is not any Cesar Millan if the involves whispering problems away. Her means to fix get Richie and Pam to start enhancing their daughter and stepson? She rips off large items of duct tape in the roll and notifies her to affix them over her parents' mouths. The truth is this suggestion pushes the half-hour episode towards the emotional climax. Exactly why is the proceedings stand out off their shouting match television, is always that Richie and Anthony show genuine discomfort and vulnerability among their fits. The stress throughout this family feels all-too-real, and not entirely manufactured for ratings. For just about any genre that seems to require bigger blowouts, plus much more spectacular existence changes with each passing season, that's no small task.

Works U.K. takes 'Shelter'

"Take Shelter"LONDON -- The Whole Shebang U.K. Distribution has clicked up all Brit privileges to Shaun Nichols' thriller "Take Shelter." Pic, which preemed in Sundance captured and won the Cannes 2011 Critics' Week grand prize and Fipresci award, may have its U.K. preem on Friday in the BFI London Film Festival. Pic, starring Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain, centers around a parent who's affected by apocalyptic visions. Nichols composed and helmed the script while Tyler Davidson and Sophia Lin produce. The Whole Shebang is planning for a countrywide release for that pic on November. 25. Contact Diana Lodderhose at diana.lodderhose@variety.com

NY Film Critics Circle Moves Up Voting Date, Jumps to Front of Awards Line

This is interesting: The NY Film Critics Circle announced today that it has moved up its 2011 awards-voting conference to Nov. 28 — two full weeks prior to its usual mid-December vote and right to the front of the line in terms of awards-season tone-setting and influence. The vote will take place the same day as the Gotham Awards, which themselves are less a mainstream kudos barometer than an indie/specialty confab where the likes of Moneyball, J. Edgar, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, War Horse, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and other studio fare would not likely find any quarter. Those latter three titles in particular raise the question of how and when the NYFCC (of which our own Stephanie Zacharek is an illustrious member) will actually get to see these films; historically only the secretive National Board of Review — who last year voted on Dec. 2 — have enjoyed such early access from the studios in particular. The NBR may yet move its own date back ahead of the critics, which would then, of course, require even earlier screenings of carefully withheld films, and thus — in concert with the NYFCC — anoint a handful of legitimate Oscar frontrunners before December even starts. Pretty nuts. Developing…

Scarlett Johansson was too sexy for Fincher's Dragon Tattoo

Director David Fincher states Scarlett Johansson was too sexy to experience Lisbeth Salander in the remake from the Girl Using The Dragon Tattoo."The one thing with Scarlett is, you cannot watch for her to consider her clothes off," Fincher stated.To place that into context (and to really make it seem a little less strange), we believe Fincher was saying the character needs to be boyish and vulnerable before she shows various other side.Let us try that again..."Look, we had some amazing people. Scarlett Johansson was great. It had been an excellent audition, I am suggesting. But the one thing with Scarlett is, you cannot watch for her to consider her clothes off," Fincher told Style."Salander ought to be like E.T.," he added. "Should you put E.T. dolls out before anybody saw the film, they'd say, 'What is little squishy factor?' Well, guess what happens? When he hides underneath the table and that he grabs the Reese's Pieces, you like him! It needs to end up like that."OK, he managed to get strange again.

Latest Contender Gets The Boot On Dancing

First Published: October 18, 2011 10:26 PM EDT Credit: ABC Caption Kym Johnson and David Arquette, Anna Trebunskaya and Carson Kressley, Hope Solo and Maksim ChmerkovskiyLOS ANGELES, Calif. -- One week shy of Broadway week, Dancing with the Stars lost one of its most colorful contenders. (SPOILER: This story contains the results of Tuesdays elimination show) He may have jumped for joy, performing a Wham of an 80s-themed cheerleader styled jive to Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go on Monday night with professional partner Anna Trebunskaya, but another low score for Carson Kressley meant the end of his stay in the DWTS ballroom. On Tuesday, the former Queer Eye For The Straight Guy guru became the fifth celebrity eliminated from the show. Ever the positive spirit, Carson had plenty of praise for his time on the program. This has been pure joy for me and I hope I could make people smile and laugh and have a great time, Carson said after learning the news. It was great being here, he added. Carsons exit came following his second week at the bottom of the leaderboard. While never a top talent in the competition, the Carson-Nation host brought a positive attitude, style and some real comedy to the dance floor, whipping out routines that always made the judges smile. Original American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson performed on Tuesdays elimination show, and was impressed by the moves of pros Tristan MacManus and Kym Johnson, to her new song, Mr. Know It All, even expressring an interest in Dancing. If I could dance like that, I would be on this show, but I cant, the singer said. We could teach you, show co-host Tom Bergeron suggested. It would be a comedy, Kelly replied, shooting down his hopes of bringing her to the ballroom. Dancing with the Stars returns on Monday night at 8/7 C on ABC. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The Dark Dark night Increases New york city Location Shoots May Occupy Wall Street

The Dark Dark night Increases, that has been shooting in La along with other configurations all over the world, is going to mind for NY City locales that could range from the vicinity of Occupy Wall Street protests, the La Occasions reviews. Producers from the third movie in Christopher Nolan’s vision from the Batman saga lately released a casting call underneath the code title “Magnus Rex,” and cast people happen to be told the shoot could include moments shot in the Occupy Wall Street protests. Individuals demos will probably be happening throughout the 2-week period the Warner Bros.-Legendary Pictures production is scheduled to become shooting within the city that unexpectedly happens to be nicknamed Gotham, beginning October 29. That doesn’t mean more knowledge about the protests will estimate the story, however they could add authenticity to styles from the franchise. The shoot was planned several weeks ago, and director Christopher Nolan probably would make use of the protests like a backdrop for something which’s already in the script. Exact locations remain secret, however the casting call specified that interested stars must have “military and/or police force training/experience, weapons training, and/or fighting techinques training.” Maybe they’re also prospecting for location security.

The Great Physician: Film Review

Orlando Blossom, playing an initial year medical resident by having an important device missing from his package, craves worship and would go to remarkable, psychopathic measures to have it within the Good Physician, a tense, psychosexual film that may get people to think hard before considering a hospital. Blossom includes a following in the The almighty from the Rings trilogy, so that as a number one guy see how to avoid romantic comedy, but he's a lengthy way from either of individuals personas within this outing, and without other large-title stars, the doctor's box office prognosis is just fair.our editor recommendsOrlando Blossom Movie 'The Good Doctor' Will get PG-13 Rating on AppealOrlando Blossom to star in 'Good Doctor' Directed having a way of measuring ironic detachment by Irishman Lance Daly (Kisses), working from the competent script with aspects of black comedy by John Enbom, the film, occur the problematic paradise of Los Angeles, is less about medicine compared to banality of evil and also the narcissism of Dr. Martin Blake (Blossom), an outwardly respectful youthful physician whose ambition and homicidal habits are masked by his politeness and pallid affectless exterior. In early stages, carrying out a serious mistake having a patient, you will find hints he might be a calculating impostor but, inside a deftly handled change, it works out he's an even more sinister breed. Blake blows a gasket when he becomes enthusiastic about the teenage Diane, an angelic-searching, blue-eyed blond patient (well performed by Riley Keough), whose vulnerability and flirty teasing trigger his famished ego. Asked to dinner at her grateful parents' home, he spikes her meds to make sure her go back to a healthcare facility. Then and again under his "care," he takes steps contributing to her becoming mortally ill. He's remarkably cunning and skilled at covering his tracks but, when an orderly (Michael Pena) blackmails him with incriminating evidence, his criminality gets worse. Together with his cheap sport jackets and antisocial habits, Blake does not appear just like a candidate for advancement but ruthlessness as well as an lack of conscience get their advantages along with as being a blank slate others project onto him what they need to determine. He handles to allay the accusations of the vigilant, in-your-face nurse (a feisty Taraji P. Henson), whom he feels better than, and snookers his supervisory physician (Take advantage of Morrow within an odd, underwritten part). The film is most enjoyable when Blake careens unmanageable, sailing lower stairwells inside a full-on stress, furtively stealing hospital supplies, poisoning pharmaceutical drugs or climbing from his bathroom window to flee a baffled, not terribly tenacious police detective (the always reliable J.K. Simmons.) But Enbom's excessively careful script and Bloom's recessive portrayal offer too couple of clues towards the roots from the doctor's behavior to create him understandable and, by not heightening the horror facets of the storyline, Daly does not go far enough to provide the crowd a satisfying jolt of danger and dramatic kick. Yaron Orbach's cinematography conveys Blake's isolation-he's frequently presented alone in shots on deserted roads, in empty hallways or looking to ocean with an expansive stretch of beach, and it is rarely buffeted through the traffic of the busy hospital. Some moments appear cleaned out, a metaphor for that unreality from the outdoors world and those who inhabit it for any guy trapped inside his mind. John Byrne's subtle score ranges from romantic to unsettling and production designer Eve Cauley Turner's bland institutional configurations are just right, particularly the rendition from the doctor's impersonal, all-whitened, beachside apartment, that is as sterile like a laboratory primed for pathology. Venue: Mill Valley Film Festival (Magnolia Pictures). Tha harsh truth: A risk-averse film a good out-of-bounds, not too good physician with pernicious hidden talents. Production companies: A Code Red-colored Presentation of the King/Etheridge production in colaboration with Viddywell Prods. Fastnet Films. Cast: Orlando Blossom, Riley Keough, Taraji P. Henson, Take advantage of Morrow, Michael Pena, Troy Garity, Molly Cost, Wade Williams, J.K. Simmons. Director: Lance Daly Film writer: John Enbom Producer: Orlando Blossom, Serta Etheridge, Jonathan King Executive producer: Orlando Blossom, Leonid Lebedev, Sharon Burns Director of photography: Yaron Orbach Production designer: Eve Cauley Turner Music: John Byrne Costume designer: Jill Newell Editor: Emer Reynolds Telemarketer: Current Pictures, La PG-13 Rating, 91 minutes Orlando Blossom The Great Physician

ABC Orders More Happy Endings Scripts; Revenge, Suburgatory Get Full Seasons

Emily VanCamp, Revenge, Jane Levy, Suburgatory For Emily VanCamp, Revenge is sweet. ABC has given a full-season order to the contemporary take on The Count of Monte Cristo, TVGuide.com has confirmed. Suburgatory, starring Jane Levy and Jeremy Sisto, has also been picked up for a full season. Emily VanCamp: Emily Thorne isn't the only one getting Revenge Executive-produced by Mike Kelley, Revenge debuted to 10.15 million viewers. Its latest outing on Wednesday drew 7.9 million viewers. Suburgatory, which follows a single dad who uproots his daughter from NY proper to the suburbs, debuted to 9.8 million viewers, marking a 27 percent improvement over last year's tenant of the time slot, Better With You. The latest episode drew 8.7 million viewers. CW gives Sarah Michelle Gellar's Ringer a full season In addition, ABC has ordered six more scripts of Happy Endings, the breakout midseason comedy that debuted to 7.4 million viewers in Season 2. The news comes on the heels of CW picking up all three of its new dramas, Ringer, The Secret Circle and Hart of Dixie. Previously, Fox ordered a full season of New Girl, while NBC picked up Up All Night and Whitney, and CBS put its faith in Whitney Cummings' other comedy, 2 Broke Girls.

Escandalo boards Garaje's 'Chronicle'

SITGES, The nation -- New Barcelona-based production company Cine p Garaje has inked with Escandalo Films to co-produce Garaje's first feature, "Chronicle Beyond the Border." Garaje was founded by Luis p la Madrid and South usa-born Andre Cruz Shirawa. "Chronicle" marks the directorial debut of Shirawa, a plentiful music-vid helmer. Put in co-production equity from Catalan pubcaster TV3, and subsidies within the Icaa Film Institute and Icic Catalan film board, Escandalo's boarding "Chronicle" reps a powerful greenlight for your movie. Put together by Shirawa and Aurora Sulli, "Chronicle" follows a girl, Hannah, as she flees along with her 9-year-old boy in the disaster that has devastated their country. They are eventually interned in the refugee camping guarded by soldiers and video cameras that holds a sinister surprise. "Chronicle" will probably be professional-produced by Antonia Nava, the longtime V . p . of sales and co-productions at Filmax before she ankled to find out her own company. The director of sales hit "The Nun," a Filmax production, and editor on greater than 20 features, including Guillermo del Toro's "The Devil's Backbone," P la Madrid edited and edited or oversaw publish-production on many Filmax features including Kaira Anderson's "The Machinist," and Jaume Balaguero's "The Nameless" and "Darkness." "Garaje aims to produce sci-fi and fantasy contents: 'Chronicle' is our flagship," P la Madrid mentioned at Sitges. Escandalo produced Sitges opener "Avoi" and approaching Martin Freeman starrer "Animals." The co-production equity on "Chronicle" marks further growth at Escandalo which, in the first feature, 2007's "Me," has seen large success focussing on lead or solo creating first features by former students of Barcelona's Escac film school. On "Chronicle," in the departure, Escandalo puts up minority equity. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

'Man of Steel' Actress, Cesar Nominee Ink With New Agencies

German actressAntje Traue, the lead female villain in Warner Bros.' forthcoming"Man of Steel," has signed with UTA. Traue's credits include films"5 Days of War"and"Pandorum." She is also represented by the U.K.'s Troika and attorneyFred Toczek of Felker Toczek Gellman and Suddleson LLP.Jon Amiel, who directed"Creation," which opened the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival, has signed with Gersh. Amiel recently directed two episodes of Showtime's"The Borgias." His feature directing credits include"The Man Who Knew Too Little"(1997),"Entrapment"(1999) and"The Core"(2003). Amiel is also represented by manager Dave Brownof Artist International Management.French actressLouise Bourgoin, who starred in"A Happy Event," which debuted at Toronto, has signed with WME. She was nominated for the Cesar award for most promising actress for her performance in"The Girl From Monaco"(2008).Bourgoinis represented by Isabelle de La Patelliere and Olivier Kahan of France's VMA.Bill Pruitt, a showrunner on Discovery's"Deadliest Catch," has signed with ICM. Pruitt has previously produced episodes of"The Apprentice"and"The Amazing Race," for which he has won four Primetime Emmys. The Hollywood Reporter

Meet Laurence R. Harvey, the Face of The Human Centipede II

Laurence R. Harvey (not to be confused with Laurence Harvey, the late Oscar-nominated Lithuanian-British actor) made an unusual debut on the world’s stage when a close-up of his face, sweaty and bug-eyed, was released as the first image from Tom Six’s depraved sequel The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence). Meeting the British stage veteran — and, yes, one-time children’s television performer — on the red carpet at Fantastic Fest, Movieline was pleasantly relieved to find that Harvey is far from his disturbing alter ego, the put-upon Human Centipede-worshipping drudge Martin, who commits unspeakable acts upon fresh victims in the new film. But does his mother know what he’s been up to? I hardly recognized you, since the only glimpse I’ve seen of you is from… Harvey: The photo…! Yes, the photo. How do you feel about the idea of the world at large getting to know you through this particular character? Harvey: [Laughs] Well, I guess it’s kind of strange. In the U.K. some people kind of remember me from doing kids’ television ten years ago, so this is quite a difference from that. That’s hilariously perverse. Harvey: Yeah! Exactly. How does The Human Centipede II compare to the kinds of projects you’ve done before, children’s programming notwithstanding? Harvey: Most of the stuff I’ve done before has been kind of small audiences, experimental theater, and then this… It’s a huge explosion of madness. Considering your past work in children’s programming, were you looking for something this shocking and depraved to make a break of sorts? Harvey: Well, it’s not that I was looking for something specifically. I like working with different styles and different… methods… of working. Tom Six has recounted your audition for the role of Martin, in which he says he instructed you to rape a chair. What other crazy things did you have to do to get this role? Harvey: [Laughs] Was it the chair raping? I’m not sure. The most embarrassing thing was, because the character lives at home with his mum I just wore clothes that had been chosen by my mum. But I didn’t realize my jumper had a hole in it. I thought it was a little hole, but by the time I’d finished doing all the running around in the casting I came out and there was this big slit all the way down [runs finger down the side of his torso]. I just went, ‘Aaaah.’ That sounds pretty appropriate, actually. Harvey: Yeah! It works for the character, I think. How does your mother feel about The Human Centipede II and her son becoming famous for starring in it? Harvey: Well, I’m just glad that she can’t see it. I’m glad that it’s banned in the U.K.!

Jennifer Aniston: There's No Desperation To Experience A Baby

First Launched: October 5, 2011 6:14 PM EDT Credit: Getty Images La, Calif. -- Caption Jennifer Aniston poses for photos through the Breast Care Center within the Inova Alexandria Hospital at Mark Center, Alexandria, Virtual assistant., on October 3, 2011Jennifer Aniston can be obtained to allow character take its course if the involves getting children. It's not everything you read. There's no desperation, the actress told ELLE magazine throughout the interview due to its Women in Hollywood 2011 problem. Whether it will probably be, its supposed to have been. Im peaceful with no matter the plan's. And frequently are you going to hate me if I believe that I should not discuss my relationship? she added, mentioning to her romance with new love, fellow actor Justin Theroux. Jennifer also revealed she once got very, very angry around the film set so mad, she thrown furniture at someone. I put a chair inside a director, Jennifer mentioned in excerpts within the interview released with the magazine now. It wasnt my proudest moment. He was handling a script supervisor horribly When the director walked in, I put a chair at him. I missed, clearly. I used to be like, You can't speak with people such as this. I cant tolerate it. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All rights reserved. These elements is probably not launched, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Lifetime Will Update Its Amanda Knox Movie, Which Airs Tuesday

Amanda Knox: Murder on Trial in Italia Since Amanda Knox's Italian murder conviction continues to be overturned, Lifetime is racing to update its TV movie, Amanda Knox: Murder on Trial in Italia. Like a stroke of luck for Lifetime, the cable network had already scheduled a re-airing from the film on Tuesday, October 4. Now Lifetime is likely to rapidly give a new brief opening towards the movie, an "epilogue" of sorts detailing Monday's news, in addition to a new coda how the brand new trial finishes. Amanda Knox Freed, Murder Conviction Overturned Lifetime initially opened the questionable movie, which stars Hayden Panettiere as Knox (a united states who had been initially charged of killing her roommate in Italia), on Feb 21. The funnel and also the movie's producers were belittled by both Knox's lawyers and also the group of victim Meredith Kercher after promotions incorporated moments of Kercher being attacked. Amanda Knox didn't air in Italia because of legal reasons, as Knox's situation was ongoing at that time. Most probably, since the situation is closed, the film might finally be proven there. (Associates say there is no intends to screen the film in Italia at this time, however, as some legal loose finishes remain.) Last winter Amanda Knox executive producer Craig Piligian told TV Guide Magazine the producers ensured to not take sides within the debate over Knox's guilt or innocence. "Everyone's divided, and also the viewing public will probably be divided too,Inch Piligian stated at that time. "That is what makes this this type of great story." Audiences may have several chances to trap Amanda Knox: Murder On Trial in Italia within the next couple of days. Besides Tuesday's airing on Lifetime, sister funnel Lifetime Movie Network will screen it on Thursday. Next, speculation has begun which news organization might land the exclusive first interview with Knox. ABC and NBC are seen as the early management, as both news divisions happen to be on the top from the Knox story for a while. Sign up for TV Guide Magazine now!

The bold and also the bald

Seth Rogen and Frederick Gordon-Levitt party in the Four Seasons. Summit's Take advantage of Friedman with Hoda Kotb Helmer Jonathan Levine and Will Reiser Anna Kendrick The Rx for Monday night's "50/50" premiere in the Ziegfeld in Gotham was laughter -- and a lot of it. Summit Entertainment's dark comedy, according to author-producer Will Reiser's fight with cancer, gave close friend Seth Rogen an opportunity to imagine themself without his curly locks. "I really shaved my mind in senior high school also it wasn't pretty. My looks got much worse," joked Rogen. "My style is not far better. The final factor I purchased would be a strap-on dildo yesterday." Reiser rapidly found his pal's aid, and added, "He wears rid of it, though." Pic's Frederick Gordon-Levitt described it was his second time breaking the shears to shave his mind. "I simply got done carrying this out really heavy movie known as 'The Lookout' and that i wanted to get away from that mind space and so i buzzed it," Gordon-Levitt stated from the 2007 pic. "I regretted it rapidly as my mind am cold immediately." Publish-preem, visitors filled the 4 Seasons Restaurant to have an very mellow party. "Saturday Evening Live" star Bill Hader overheard the shaved-mind question and stated to Gordon-Levitt, "C'mon, I am sure it did not look that bad. I must get it done however i have this huge dent during my mind. I'd seem like a 'Star Wars' character." "Today" host Hoda Kotb congratulated co-stars Anjelica Huston and Anna Kendrick, who wouldn't spill any beans around the approaching "Twilight" installment. Edward Norton talked with Hader, Rogen and the fiance, Lauren Burns, over cocktails and sushi. "Adding humor to this type of sensitive subject is very difficult," stated Norton. "However they managed to get work." Added Hader, "The finish just makes you need to smile." Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com