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.