The Newsdesk 10.28.09 – First Trailer for Eastwood’s Invictus; Sandler Will Be Jack and Jill
• Zach Galifianakis and Amy Adams are in talks to star in the drama Town House. The story follows an agoraphobic man who strikes up a friendship with a call girl. Could it be a modern take on Pretty Woman?
• The first trailer for Clint Eastwood’s Invictus has debuted. Morgan Freeman portraying Nelson Mandela in an Eastwood-directed film? Just mail them the Oscars right now.
• Adam Sandler will star in the comedy Jack and Jill, playing both Jack and his twin sister Jill. So he’s back to making the kind of comedies he made fun of himself for making in Funny People?
• Tom Cruise could be reteaming with director John Woo for the movie Flying Tigers. Expect many shots of Tom shooting two pistols at a time in slow motion.
• January Jones will star opposite Nicolas Cage in the thriller Hungry Rabbit Jumps. The plot finds Cage joining an underground vigilante organization after his wife (Jones) is murdered. What this has to do with the title still remains to be seen.
• Emmanuelle Chriqui is costarring with Val Kilmer as the female lead in Renny Harlin’s war film Georgia. Chriqui is known to most as E’s boring girlfriend Sloan on Entourage.
BIZ
This year, it’s hip to be dead. The deaths of so many
celebrities recently has highlighted the continued public fascination with
deceased stars and the booming industry surrounding them.
Film News: Studio putting busy development program in place
— Though development has all but disappeared at some studios, New Regency is
putting a busy development program in place and plans to produce as many as
four movies during the first half of next year.
DreamWorks Animation Reports Third Quarter 2009 Financial
Results
from PR Newswire: Film & Motion Picture
GLENDALE, Calif., Oct. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ —
DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA) today announced financial results
for its third quarter ended September 30, 2009.
FESTIVALS
Colin Firth to be Feted at 25th Santa Barbara Film Fest
from indieWIRE News
Colin Firth will be honored with the “Outstanding
Performance of the Year Award” at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival
on February 13.
AWARDS
Newcomer Sidibe starts award season with win
from MSNBC.com: Movies
Actress honored for work in ‘Precious’; Swank, Mulligan also take prizes.
Gervais hopes to make Golden Globes an ‘industry party’
from L.A. Times – TV News
There’ll be no shortage of laughs when the British comedian
hosts the award show, its first host since 1995.
Oscar hopefuls turn out in force at Hollywood Awards
from Los Angeles Times – Celebrity News
Hilary Swank, Ewan McGregor and Steven Spielberg were among
celebrities at the star studded affair.
FILM
Daily Box Office: Monday, October 26, 2009
from Box Office Mojo – Current Box Office Results
Paranormal Activity tops Monday’s box office with $1.9
million
Global premiere for Jackson movie
from BBC News | Entertainment | World Edition
Michael Jackson’s family and thousands of fans attend the
worldwide premiere of his documentary film, This Is It.
‘Sex And The City 2’ EXCLUSIVE Details From Kristen Davis
from MTV Movies Blog by MTV Movies Team
Finding out legit details about the sequel to “Sex and the City: The Movie” is a feat about as
rare as a Manolo Blahnik sale.
from PR Newswire: Film & Motion Picture
NEW YORK, Oct. 27 /PRNewswire/ — Award-winning filmmaker
Raul Barcelona is releasing his critically acclaimed film, THE PROMISE OF NEW
YORK, on YouTube.com in hopes of inspiring New York City voters to participate
in the upcoming general election on November 3rd.
Jerry Bruckheimer sees a new civil war
from Entertainment Weekly’s News Briefs by Wendy Mitchell
Jerry Bruckheimer is eyeing a modern civil war project with
Disney, hiring J. Michael Straczynski to adapt the game Shattered Union,
Variety reports.
J.J. Abrams Probably Won’t Helm ‘Mission: Impossible 4’
from MTV Movies Blog by Eric Ditzian
In 2006, J.J. Abrams was largely known as a TV guy, one of the
creative minds behind fare like “Lost” and “Alias.” Then
came a turn in the directing chair for “Mission:
Impossible III,” when he popped off explosions galore around Tom Cruise,
and Abrams’ career was never the same.
‘Astro Boy’ breaks records in China
from Entertainment News – UPI.com
HONG KONG, Oct. 27 (UPI) — “Astro Boy” set a new
opening weekend box-office record in China for a CG-animated movie
‘The Twilight Saga: New Moon’ cast to make in-store appearances
from Entertainment Weekly’s News Briefs by Mandi Bierly
Cast members from The Twilight Saga: New Moon will make
appearances at select Hot Topic and Nordstrom stores next month to promote the
sequel’s Nov. 20 release.
Movie takes aim at celebrity news obsession
from MSNBC.com: Movies
The new documentary “Starsuckers” looks at the culture of celebrity
and whether it has undermined journalistic standards and warped society’s
values.
TELEVISION
Forget recession, let’s throw a “Mad Men” party
from Reuters: Entertainment News
NEW YORK (Reuters) – With the country in the midst of the
worst recession in decades, some Americans are finding comfort in clothing,
martinis and parties inspired by the award-winning retro TV series “Mad
Men.”
DVR use helps network ratings rise
from USATODAY.com Life – Top Stories
Viewers are tuning in to the major networks this fall.
Ratings are up 2% after years of steady declines.
TV Ratings: NBC’s ‘Jay Leno Show’ hits tough times — ABC,
riding “Dancing With the Stars” and improved scores for drama
“Castle,” ruled as the top broadcaster in key demos on the final
Monday of October.
Peter Berg and Kyle Chandler on the restructuring of ‘Friday
Night Lights’
from Los Angeles Times – Celebrity News
Chandler: “I just didn’t expect that we would overcome
a network’s desire for something.”fresh.”
from mediabistro.com: TVNewser
MSNBC is now solidly in second place in primetime, but still far beyond #1 Fox
News Channel.
Cable news: Is ‘just the facts’ dead?
from EW.com: Today’s Latest Headlines by Ken Tucker
Ken Tucker on widening gap between straight news reporting
and viewers; does TV biz demand bluster?
Kids watch more than a day of TV each week
from L.A. Times – TV News
The latest figures from Nielsen have children’s TV usage at
an eight-year high. Children’s health advocates warn of adverse effects.
NBC starts Vancouver Olympics push
from Hollywood Reporter by Associated Press
NBC and its Olympic cable partner, Universal Sports, will
bring an unprecedented amount of Winter Games action to viewers.
White House War with Fox News Fuels Ratings Fire
from The Wrap RSS by Dylan Stableford
The White House’s war on Fox News does not appear to be
working.
Lisa Kudrow to visit ‘Cougar Town’
from EW.com: TV
The mini-”Friends” reunion will film next month and air in 2010
from Entertainment Weekly’s News Briefs by Wendy Mitchell
TNT has greenlit a drama pilot called Delta Blues, which
will be executive produced by George Clooney for his Smokehouse Pictures.
Augusten Burroughs plans new TV shows with CBS, Showtime
from Entertainment Weekly’s News Briefs by Wendy Mitchell
Writer Augusten Burroughs is partnering with Katalyst Films
to develop new TV projects, Variety reports.
Ausiello: ‘Melrose’ eyes ‘Cougar’ hottie
from EW.com: TV
Michael Ausiello confirms exclusively that Nick Zano is in talks for irreverent
character to replace brooding Auggie
MUSIC
Michael Jackson On Track For 6th No. 1 On Billboard 200
As Michael Jackson’s movie “This Is It” is about
to open in theaters, the film’s companion album of the same name is already
doing brisk business.
Bruce Springsteen Cancels Show After Cousin/Roadie Lenny
Sullivan’s Death
from Entertainment on HuffingtonPost.com by The Huffington Post
News Team
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Bruce Springsteen canceled a performance in Kansas City
after his cousin and road crew member died.
from Top Stories from LiveDaily.com
Los Angeles punk icons X will make a few live appearances
in December, including a special pre-Christmas show with special guests
Calexico.
LISTEN: Weezer and Lil Wayne Collabo!
from Spin magazine’s Daily Noise by Matt Kiser
In recent weeks, two things have been quite popular around
the SPIN offices: the fall sniffles and “(If
You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To,” Weezer’s catchy
song from the band’s new album, Raditude.
Ex-Oasis singer Liam Gallagher to start new band
from Entertainment Weekly’s News Briefs by Jennifer Armstrong
Former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher is starting a new band,
saying, “I don’t want to do anything solo,” NME reports.
Clapton cancels Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concert
from USATODAY.com Life – Top Stories
Eric Clapton has pulled out of this week’s Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame concert in New York after undergoing gallstone surgery.
Lady Gaga Talks About Collaborating With Beyonce
from MTV News
‘I don’t want to be fashion Gaga in your video — I want to
do you,‘ Gaga told Beyoncé.
‘All-star cast’ for Gabriel album
from BBC News | Entertainment | World Edition
Musician Peter Gabriel is set to release new collaborative
album next year, his first major collection in seven years.
Paul Haggis on Scientology: ‘Morally reprehensible’
His letter, full of passion and moral outrage, resembled
large portions of his film and TV work.
Writer Slams Letterman Workplace as Sexually Charged
Former writer: Letterman’s workplace dalliances created
hostile atmosphere.
Johansson to make Broadway debut
from BBC News | Entertainment | World Edition
Actress Scarlett Johansson is to make her Broadway debut in
Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge.
