Simon Cowell Idol idol judges The X Factor

Simon Cowell, The X Factor The X Factor burst onto TV wanting being the greater, bigger brother of yank Idol. But ratings were not as large - The X Factor has averaged 12.7 million audiences this fall compared to American Idol's 25 million last season. Still, professional producer Simon Cowell states viewer awareness expires, aided with the show's surprise eliminations and unscripted drama. "Inside the U.K., it needed us seven seasons to really get to some degree where I used to be happy," states Cowell, who created the show in England. After one season inside the U.S., "I'm happy with the talent, I'm pleased with the thrill, but people know the show." He confesses there has been a few hiccups this season, specially the failure of Paula Abdul's groups. "Paula developed a large mistake," states Cowell. "She should have saved that kids' group [inTENsity] in. Beginning the second year, hopefully we'll improve groups." There has been intense debate and anger surrounding options created by judge/mentor Nicole Scherzinger. After voting off Came Ryniewicz after which it forcing a deadlock that sent Rachel Crow home, audiences are actually viciously attacking Scherzinger through Tweets ("You are a lowlife for voting off Rachel!"), Facebook messages in addition to dying risks. "It's absurd, but I've had them formerly and i'm still alive," states Cowell. "I respect the fact we have rules, and you also can't cry relating to this after because that's the way is." Could he replace Scherzinger next season? "Don't know,In . according to him. "We change these shows constantly. You give consideration towards the network, you give consideration towards the sponsors." Ultimately, Cowell thinks they've satisfied their mission statement. "We came the following to discover a star, but we found a few,Inch according to him. "People now have the rules and understand that we encourage older entertainers and teens to compete. I actually do think we're part of a next-generation talent show." Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!

Digital tools add quality, spend less

'The Girl using the Dragon Tattoo'The fluid workflow of digital editing is developing a faster, cheaper and -- based on Angus Wall and Kirk Baxter, co-editors of "The Lady Using the Dragon Tattoo," -- better method of making movies.What was once visual effects tasks, for example compositing, is now able to handled within the editing bay faster and much more inexpensively, and also the shots will go back in to the cut.Digital tools also empower the editors to seize their most favorite components from multiple takes -- an actor's line reading through in one take, another actor's entrance from another -- and mix them. The end result, hopefully, is preferable to any take that happened at the time.InchWhenever we enter into that final degree of detail, everything begins to sing," Baxter states. "There's an amount of minute particulars which help an editor give clearness that ultimately produces a much better film."

Film Incentives be employed in New You'll be able to

Whilst many states boost the debate round the real price of tax incentives to boost film and television production, the consensus in NY seems being that such incentives complete the job. Which position now appears to own received support within the latest data released with the Bureau at the office Statistics (BLS).NY state's incentives are mentioned to lead to aiding to lure such projects as films "The Bourne Legacy," "Males in Black III" and "New Year's Eve" and tv series "Blue Bloods," "Boardwalk Empire," "Damages," "Person of curiosity,In . "Glee," "Gossip Girl" and "Pan Am."Research in to the data signifies the film and television production industry makes up about greater than 141,000 jobs within the health of NY, including direct production-related jobs additionally to indirect jobs in companies coping with the expansion industry. The core production jobs covered inside the 2010 jobs report in the NY Condition Comptroller are around 43,000, an increase of 20% within the 36,000 jobs in 2008, plus an increase of 22% over 2009. (The expansion recession this past year is credited to uncertainty in individuals days in regards to the incentives program.)With non-core production-related jobs place in, the quantity of direct jobs reaches 48,690, up 13% (nearly 5,600) over 2009. (Annual overall job growth between 2009 and 2010 in NY Condition was flat country wide it absolutely was lower 1%. NY's production incentive features a 30% refundable tax credit applied against qualified costs. Furthermore for the BLS report, the incentives' success may also be measured with the rise in NY projects. This Season, the NY film incentive program received 91 programs for your incentives, including 71 movies, six television aircraft aircraft pilots and 14 television series. This Season, the program stood a 66% boost, with 137 programs so far, including 91 movies, 20 television aircraft aircraft pilots and 26 television series, according to NY Condition Governor's Office for Film and television Development.In one instance of the area impact of filming, the feature "Arthur," which shot in NY for 48 days this season, spent greater than $26 million with local providers, making greater than 4,300 local utilizes, including 1,043 crew people."The completely new job figures released by BLS confirm what a lot of us working for this industry know actually was, that film and television production remains a catalyst for NY's economic recovery," mentioned Mike Jackman, co-chair in the NY Production Alliance, a company of guilds, unions, providers the ones representing the film industry. "It's of not surprising really the only dip in job growth came throughout 2009, yearly funding for your NY Condition incentive briefly went dry," he added. "The NY Condition Film Credit, created with the legislature and maintained under Governor Andrew Cuomo, is constantly create job options for NYers within the economic spectrum." John Ford, leader of IA local 52, mentioned, "Regarding the males and girls at Local 52, we are so pleased with the impact of individuals programs if this involves real job growth. The robustness of production in NY suggests that there are more chance and competition for professional studio mechanics, artists and craftspeople." "Film tax credits create jobs, stimulate local economic climates, and film productions in-condition," added Richard Masur, chair in the Screen Stars Guild national legislative committee and former Guild leader. "SAG individuals have experienced an increase in work due to these credits, plus a thirty percent increase in background actor workdays. These extra occasions of employment keep stars working and make them to become qualified for any medical insurance and pension benefits.""States understand that film and television production bring elevated investment and good jobs, which explains why NY put incentives in place and the reasons you start to see the positive year-after-year rise in this sector," mentioned Vans Stevenson, senior V . p . of condition government matters within the Film Association of America. "Competition between states and Canada is fierce of those jobs since they are the types of work people want - with benefits plus an average salary of $79,000 yearly - which describes why an ailment like NY focuses on growing this sector."Stevenson also challenged recent claims the development tax credit was in some manner directly affecting funding for public schools, particularly in NY City. "The assertion that public school students not have access to the educational assets due to there being a low cost allocation for your production incentive program is intellectually dishonest and factually incorrect," he mentioned. "For example, this past year the film and television production companies spent $5.10 for every dollar invested with the condition inside the program, in line with the group of the Empire Condition Film Production Credit launched August 2010 with the NY Condition Department of Taxation and Finance as well as the NY Condition Governor's Office of motion Picture and television Development. This is a really positive return on investment.Inch Contact Peter Caranicas at peter.caranicas@variety.com

Rosie ODonnell Engaged!

First Released: December 5, 2011 3:05 PM EST Credit: Getty Premium La, Calif. -- Caption Rosie ODonnell and Michelle Models attend the fourth Annual Thanksgiving Feed a buddy at Bongos, Miami, Fla., on November 24, 2011 Rosie ODonnell is engaged to Michelle Models, a businesswoman, her repetition confirmed to gain access to Hollywood on Monday. The repetition told Access the 2 grew to become engaged several days ago and can still split their time between NY City and Chicago, where Rosie films her The famous host oprah Winfrey Network talk show, The Rosie Show. Rosie and Michelle first went public using their romance in the red-colored carpet for that Building Dreams for children Gala in NY City in September. When news of the romance first broke, a resource told People who Rosie and also the IT company headhunter met in a cafe captured. They met in a Local cafe a couple of several weeks ago, a resource told the magazines website at that time. They're adorable together and therefore are very, happy. Rosie and her last girlfriend, Tracy Kachtick-Anders, apparently split in Feb 2011 after at least a year of dating. The talk show host was with Kelli Contractor, a tv marketing executive, from 2004-2007. The happy couple have four children together Parker, Chelsea and Blake, who have been all adopted and Vivienne Rose, who Kelli delivered in 2002. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

People's Choice Awards 1980s Photos: Drew Barrymore, Burt Reynolds and More

It has been more than two decades since we've seen a 1980 dateline, which likely makes you feel old. Still! That's no reason to get upset. After all, the '80s provided us with a whole host of hilariously embarrassing celebrity photos. Now, thanks to folks at the People's Choice Awards, you're able to see a collection of them in one convenient gallery. In honor of the PCAs, where Moviefone is hosting the Top Star Under 25 Category, we've posted a few of our favorites below. Make sure to head over to the People's Choice Awards for the full gallery -- and to vote for the Top Star Under 25 Award (right now, it's down to Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Tom Felton and Chloe Grace Moretz). GO HERE TO VOTE ON YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE STAR UNDER 25 People's Choice Awards: 25 Under 25 See All Moviefone Galleries » Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Stop What You're Doing and Reacquaint Yourself with Rita Hayworth

Starting with the magic of Gilda: “I DIE. I die a thousand Classic Hollywood beautiful deaths. There’s a pantheon of perfect moments in cinema, and this moment resides there, right between the moment when Paul Heinreid lights Bette Davis’ cigarette in Now, Voyager and Claudette Colbert hikes up her skirt on the side of the road in It Happened One Night. (Feel free to add your own classic moments […], but realize that this one wins by default.) The film doesn’t need anything else but that moment, but it one-ups itself with Hayworth singing ‘Put the Blame on Mame.’ TWICE.” It all ends tragically, but still! Go read this. [The Hairpin]

Cablers to reap wireless windfall

The country's two biggest cable companies, Comcast and Time Warner Cable, will reap a windfall selling spectrum to Verizon, announcing Friday intends to unload $3.6 billion price of licenses, plus an ongoing collaboration in which the erstwhile rival cable and telco groups will sell each others' services. Comcast, TWC and more compact player Vibrant House Systems, the 3 partners inside a venture known as Spectrum Co., will require in, correspondingly, $2.3 billion, $1.1 billion and $189 million in the purchase of 122 advanced wireless services spectrum licenses to Verizon. The businesses stated the cablers similarly and Verizon Wireless Carrier alternatively will even become agents to market one another's items and, with time, the cablers will have the choice of promoting Verizon Wireless Carrier service on the wholesale basis. Cable companies and Verizon Wireless Carrier have created a venture to build up technology which will better integrate wireline and wireless items and services. The offer was inked at any given time when consumer interest in wireless services and bandwidth is growing quickly, and in front of likely government action to release much more spectrum. Comcast Cable prexy Neil Smit stated the contracts, with the Philadelphia giant's Wi-Fi plans, "enable us to carry out a comprehensive, lengthy-term wireless strategy and expand our concentrate on supplying mobility to the Xfinity services." "Spectrum may be the raw material which wireless systems are made,Inch stated Serta Mead, Boss of Verizon Wireless Carrier. "People in america deserve excellence from the wireless company, and innovative wireless companies plan in advance to be able to deliver on that expectation." Time Warner Cable prexy Take advantage of Marcus stated he's pleased in the cost the partners got for that spectrum and "excited to have the ability to provide the nation's best wireless services to the clients and also to have Verizon Wireless Carrier like a sales funnel for the superb wireline services." His traders were also happy with the unpredicted cash inflow. Time Warner Cable shares were greater at the begining of buying and selling, up 2.36% at $62.36. Comcast shares got a lift too, rising 2.66% to $23.17. Both were running in front of the overall market. Verizon shares lagged, up only .24% to $37.86. The purchase is susceptible to FCC approval. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Helena Bonham Carter on Dark Shadows: Its Likely To Be Impossible To Market

Speaking to MTV following the Britannia Honours, the actress describes her role as Dr. Julia Hoffman: “She’s an alcoholic mental health specialist, and so i hadn’t performed that before. And she or he’s got a secret. Every one has secrets. It’s about those who have secrets.” The film in general? “It’s very original also it’s type of uncategorizable. It’s likely to be impossible to market, frankly, because … it’s a cleaning soap opera, however it’s very, very subtle. I don’t know. We’ll see. It’s a ghost story, however it’s an unsatisfied vampire story” — directed by Tim Burton with The Actor-brad Pitt because the vampire Barnabas Collins and Avoi Eco-friendly as Angelique. Warner Bros. has slated the Village Roadshow coproduction to spread out May 11.

REVIEW: Scorsese's Hugo Melds Modern Filmmaking getting a Glorious Feeling of history

God help filmmakers who become legendary: Even if they be capable of avoid becoming crooks that goes for them high standards, there’s no avoiding people from the audience. And therefore Martin Scorsese has already established possibly one of the finest challenges of his career — bigger, even, than developing a radiant, low-key movie in regards to the roots in the Dalai Lama — in adapting John Selznick’s subtle and wonderful children’s novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret. You just know there’s apt to be some asshole within the supper party asking, “Yes, but wait, how does it match facing Taxi Driver?” Scorsese’s Hugo is extra-large, ambitious and pricey-searching — but nonetheless it handles being lovely, the most difficult task of to tug off, to have an alleged movie genius like Scorsese. And like another movie opening now, Michel Hazanavicius’s The Artist, Hugo isn’t nearly the adoration for movies it’s in regards to the necessity, as well as the pleasure, of having some mention of the yesteryear. I realize a lot of teachers who lament their students, when confronted with a cultural reference that predates the eighties, moan, “How is one able to be likely to uncover every one of these old things?” With Hugo Scorsese forges a connection between past and provide, using newish 3-D technology inside the service of adoring everything movies frequently way to us, the greater understanding concerning the delivery system notwithstanding. Hugo states, within the adamant, straightforward poetry, that old things matter. At the center of Hugo, that's occur the 19 thirties, might be the orphan boy Hugo Cabret (carried out by Asa Butterfield, who resembles a pint-sized Maggie Gyllenhaal joined while using Artful Dodger). Hugo lives independently within the walls of the large (and wonderfully imaginary) Paris stop. His father, a clockmaker (carried out in flashback having a mischievously appealing Jude Law), has died, departing him for the cruelty of his sozzled uncle (Ray Winstone), who immediately puts him to use: Hugo uses his mechanical capabilities to keep the station’s clocks wound and running easily, even though very child knows he’s there. But Hugo features a secret saved away within the attic lair, an analog guy that his father found, broken and forgotten, in museum storage. Hugo hopes to bring back the automaton to working order compared to that finish, he periodically steals parts within the stop’s toy stall, run having a crotchety old gent carried out by Ben Kingsley. And like Hugo, “Papa George” — while he’s referred to as by his ward, Isabel (a winsome Chlo Sophistication Moretz), who becomes Hugo’s close friend and partner in a number of capers and scrapes — also provides a secret. Hugo’s mechanical guy, a silvery mannequin with blank yet all-seeing eyes, might be the hyperlink that connects Hugo and Papa George. It connects us for the pleasures in the mirror world everyone knows since the movies, a shared-secret world where Harold Lloyd, Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton are as alive today simply because they ever were, and where a vacation to the moon isn't associated with NASA or Neil Remedy. Improbably and wonderfully, Hugo can be a large, mainstream Hollywood picture that dares to assert that Georges Mlis’ famous and infamously fanciful 1904 short A vacation to the Moon — a movie that’s familiar to film students and fans while not always to contemporary kids — might have some resonance for audiences today. Mlis’ daring and artistic little movies — he gained greater than 500 short films involving the late 1890s and 1913 — certainly are a significant reference reason behind Hugo, and so they give Scorsese and also the longtime production designer Dante Ferretti the opportunity as well as the freedom to re-create numerous gorgeous miniature toy-theater galaxies. There’s a delicately tinted underwater tableau where mermaids cavort with lobster males, plus an action sequence through which sultans with swords fight a crew of skeleton gamers who disappear — poof! — in the puff of smoke. That is Scorsese’s approach to connecting up “primitive” movie miracle while using finest of recent filmmaking effects, and it seems sensible a bit of great charm and question. Hugo is both a mysterious plus an adventure story, a movie in which the tiniest gears can also enjoy a deeply significant role — maybe that’s why it’s more intimate than overwhelming. And Scorsese never handles to get rid of sight in the human scale. As glorious as Hugo is to look at — it absolutely was shot by Scorsese’s frequent collaborator Robert Richardson and cut with the crackerjack Thelma Schoonmaker, a goddess among film editors — the heavens never wander off, even poor Ferretti’s elaborate, toy house-like set. Congressman Congressman Christopher Lee appears just like a solemn but kindly bookseller, as well as the wonderful character stars Richard Griffiths and Frances p la Tour appear as tentative sweethearts saved apart having a yapping dachshund. Emily Mortimer comprises a mournfully adorable flower-seller. The wonderful British actress Helen McCrory plays Papa George’s loyal wife, Mama Jeanne, though she's also, with, a princess, a mermaid, a dancing girl, maintained on celluloid much like Leonardo saved one mysterious smile alive on canvas. Too as with a marvelous task of physical comedy, Sacha Baron Cohen appears just like a surly station master who likes nothing a lot better than taking wayward boys — like Hugo — and delivering those to the orphanage. Cohen has marionette hands or legs — they appear to become controlled by springs and strings — which he moves while using combined sophistication from the quiet-film comedian together with a contemporary-day goofball. Hugo also provides the excellence to become one of the handful of 3-D films that assisted me forget I used to be watching 3-D — it’s more naturalistic than assaultive. (Really, a couple of from the movie’s best 3-D effects would be the simplest, such as the ultra-significant snout and ears in the station master’s doberman, emerging within the frame to link up solely canine surprise and dismay.) But there’s ambition here, too — we are ultimately, speaking of a Martin Scorsese movie. Selznick’s book is ambitious by itself, a marvel of figurative and literal crosshatching: The illustrations are marvelously textured pencil sketches in black, white-colored and gray. Scorsese’s Hugo is much more colorful, nevertheless it still props up spirit of Selznick’s book delicately, as if it were a distinctive treasure situated inside the spend from the egg. So when Scorsese can’t resist adding some type of special pleading for just about any subject near and dear to his heart — the value of film upkeep as a way of keeping our movie past alive — you'll be able to hardly blame him. While Hugo is wonderfully modern, Scorsese has furthermore very carefully placed it poor our shared cultural history. During digital age, our dreams still move at 24 fps. Follow Stephanie Zacharek on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.

'Paranormal Activity' and 'Paranormal State' Producers Option Supernatural Mag (Exclusive)

This story initially came out inside the November. 25 problem in the Hollywood Reporter magazine.our editor recommendsIconic Horror Movies'Paranormal Activity 3' Only Survivor in Hollywood Horror Film Bloodbath The red-colored-colored-hot producer oftheParanormal Activityfilm franchise as well as the team behind A&E's unscripted seriesParanormal Stateare likely to become strange bedfellows. Jason Blum's Blumhouse Productions and Picture Shack Entertainment'sGeorge PlamondonandBetsy Schechterhave optioned rights toFatemagazine, a extended-running chronicler in the odd and inexplicable, by getting a watch toward mining its library of thousands of tales for television and film. PHOTOS: Top 15 Grossing Threequels ever Fate, founded in 1948, notifies tales of flying disks, close encounters, poltergeists plus much more. The cult magazine, situated in Lakeville, Minn., has offered just like a well of inspiration for Plamondon and Schechter in creating various series, including Animal Planet's paranormal docuseriesThe Haunted. Launched byAmazing StorieseditorRaymond A. PalmerandCurtis Bigger,Fatehas launched first-person accounts in the macabre additionally to investigative features as well as the periodic story debunking dubious claims. PHOTOS: Legendary Horror Movies "Whether you believe or else, in the event you watch somebody who thinks, it's fascinating," states Plamondon. CAAintroduced the look Shack duo to Blum, whoseParanormal Activity 3has assigned $100 million within the domestic box office (he's also planning ABC's mystery thrillerThe Riverfor midseason), as well as the three made a decision to team. Adds Plamondon, "There's some fear we explore that Jason explores too while using scripted projects he's done." Related Subjects A&E Television Systems Paranormal Activity Paranormal Activity 3

Jane Curtin Joins CBS Drama Memorable As New Regular

EXCLUSIVE: Jane Curtin is joining the cast of CBS’ newcomer drama series Memorable like a new regular. The crime procedural stars Poppy Montgomery as former Syracuse, NY police detective Barbara Wells employed through the NYPD’s Queens homicide unit that has rare medical problem that enables her to aesthetically remember everything. Curtin will have Jane Webster, an acerbic and demanding Inspector who had been running the Medical Investigators office in Manhattan until being demoted towards the Queens PD for mouthing off one a lot of occasions. Although she is a great forensic pathologist by having an encyclopedic understanding of NY crime, she will not be pigeonholed as basically a criminal offense fighter, as well as shows a training course in Romantic Poetry at New School. Barbara will quickly arrived at depend on Jane types deductive prowess and historic expertise to assist solve the murder of her very own sister a lot more than 2 decades ago. This can be a rare foray into drama for Saturday Evening Live alumna Curtin, who starred on such comedy series as Kate & Allie, which gained her 2 Emmy Honours, and 3rd Rock In the Sun. Memorable, which lately received a complete-season pickup, may be the second CBS crime drama procedural to include an experienced sitcom actor for any lighter touch, following CSI‘s hire of Ted Danson since it's new leading guy. Curtin is by using ICM. Meanwhile, in another new regular casting, Italian actress Valentina Cervi is joining Cinemax’s True Bloodstream. She'll play Salome, a effective ancient vampire along with a first class seductress. Cervi, that has signed with ICM, arrived the part after a comprehensive worldwide search that incorporated 100s of stars from around the globe competing to experience the exotic character, that is likely to be featured conspicuously next season.

Coen, Streep join U.S.-China Forum

BEIJING -- Filmmaker Joel Coen, thesp Meryl Streep and music artist Years of age-Years of age Ma are the large names going to Beijing for your inaugural U.S.-China Forum on Arts and Culture. Some-day event starts Wednesday evening getting an evening meal for 240 site visitors within the U.S. embassy, overseen with the organic food guru Alice Waters, proprietor in the Chez Panisse bistro in Berkeley. Waters will prepare the meal within the embassy, that is offered with the celebrity site visitors, which include artist Eric Fischl, scribes Amy Tan and Mark Danner, and ballet dancer and director Damian Woetzel. Coen will apparently meet "Capital of scotland - Existence and Dying" helmer Lu Chuan throughout his visit, while Streep will host a screening in the Margaret Thatcher biopic, "The Iron Lady." Waters may even attend a screening of Robert Kenner's "Food Corporation." The helmer will attend along with scribes Corby Kummer and Michael Pollan. "Hopefully this really is really the to start many annual occasions from the type, alternating between China as well as the united states . States," mentioned the united states . States' freshly minted ambassador to China, Gary Locke. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

VIDEO: Watch the very first Full-Length Trailer for that Hunger Games

Jennifer Lawrence It is now time for that first full-length trailer for that anticipated film, The Hunger Games. VIDEO: Catch the very first look in the Hunger Games The clip starts with close friends Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Gale (Liam Hemsworth) imagining they remove together and may be free after that it segues into picking a the District 12 tribute who'll compete within the 74th annual Hunger Games. Soon Katniss meets her fellow competitor and eventual ally, Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), and together they fight for survival. Also featured within the trailer: Lenny Kravitz, Jesse Sutherland, Woodsy Harrelson and Elizabeth Banks. "The games can change everybody," a clip reads. The Hunger Games, in line with the best-selling Suzanne Collins trilogy, is scheduled to stay in theaters March 23, 2012. Are you going to visit it?

Billy Crystal to Host the Oscars

Billy Crystal tweeted that he will host the 84th Academy Awards telecast and the Academy later confirmed by re-tweeting Crystal's tweet and sending out a statement on the matter.our editor recommendsEddie Murphy Out, Brett Ratner Deuces: Who Should Replace the Oscar Team? (Poll)Eddie Murphy Exits as Oscar HostBrett Ratner Out as Oscar Show Producer (Exclusive)Brett Ratner's 10 Offensive Quotes That Ended in Oscar Trouble Howard Stern Defends Brett Ratner, Slams Hollywood As 'Loony' (Video) Crystal wrote Thursday, "Am doing the Oscars so the young woman in the pharmacy will stop asking my name when I pick up my prescriptions. Looking forward to the show." The gig marks the actor-comedian's ninth turn as master of ceremonies. He previously hosted in 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2000, and 2004. PHOTOS: Oscar Hosts Through the Years Crystal replaces Eddie Murphy, who resigned from the high-profile job Wednesday in the wake of Brett Ratner's decision to step down on Tuesday. Brian Grazer, who joined the telecast Wednesday, and Don Mischer will produce. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter earlier on Thursday, Grazer and Mischer said they had drawn up a list of five possible candidates to host the show and would begin making calls to them Thursday afternoon. They would not respond to a question about Crystal possibly hosting. The two producers did say they want to emphasize comedy on the Oscar telecast, a direction that Ratner also had been promising. "We agree that some of the best shows we're formed around comedy, whether it was Bob Hope or Johnny Carson. That's just the direction that we believe in and we're going to be staying in," Grazer said. PHOTOS: Oscar Show Moments Later in the day, the Academy sent out an official release, in which Grazer said, "Like so many others, I've been eager to see Billy host again. It's very gratifying that he agreed to do it with Don and me at the helm." Mischer said, "With Billy, we're moving forward with one of the greatest hosts in Oscar history. His return to the Oscars is, in a sense, a celebration." AMPAS president Tom Sherak said in the official statement, "I'm thrilled to welcome Billy back to the Oscar stage. He's a comic legend and Oscar icon, and it feels good to have him back where he belongs." Ratner exited as producer of the telecast after making a series of ill-judged remarks in recent days, including saying "rehearsal is for fags" and discussing his sex life with Howard Stern. Crystal reportedly turned down an offer to host the awards in 2006. He next appears in The Muppets, coming out later this month. James Franco and Anne Hathaway hosted the ceremony in 2011. Related Topics Billy Crystal Brett Ratner Eddie Murphy Oscars AMPAS Oscars 2012

Hamlet

A Young Vic presentation of a play in two acts by William Shakespeare. Directed by Ian Rickson, HamletMichael Sheen ClaudiusJames Clyde GertrudeSally Dexter PoloniusMichael Gould Ophelia, OsricVinette Robinson HoratioHayley Carmichael LaertesBenedict Wong Player King, GravediggerPip Donaghy RosencrantzEileen Walsh GuildensternAdeel AkhtarLed into the back of the reconfigured theater for Ian Rickson's production of "Hamlet," audiences are told to switch off mobile electronic equipment because it could interfere with treatment programs. Turning Elsinore into a secure psychiatric wing creates an apposite world for Michael Sheen's madness in the title role, but the concept is overstated. A more aggressively slashed text could have strengthened the conceit, but Rickson delivers over three hours of Shakespeare. Exhibiting ever-increasing signs of strain, the mismatch finally proves fatal. Initially, the interpretation is both coherent and cogent. Regardless of whether Hamlet is actually mad or merely putting on the "antic disposition," he is described, classified and manipulated as a mad person. Placing him in this kind of unit, as realized in immersive, environmental theater fashion by designer Jeremy Herbert, makes complete sense. Most of the other characters are given roles accordingly. Thus Claudius (a suitably languid and besuited James Clyde) is the smug senior physician, with Polonius (superbly detailed, creepily efficient Michael Gould) as a doctor whose spying on Hamlet is wittily done with a Dictaphone. Minor characters are hospital orderlies, with other sympathetic characters as patients. Audiences seated in the horseshoe-shaped, thrust space are made to feel as if they are watching a series of cases, all of which are bound up and, as the beginning and end suggest, possibly imagined by Hamlet. At the very opening, he picks up his father's coat, which lies on top of his coffin and dons it to "become" the ghost. Sheen, one of Britain's most mercurial actors, keeps his curly locks damp with sweat and his eyes flashing with sudden anger until Shakespeare's act five. The venom of his attack, his speed of thought and the suddenness of his gear changes are impressive, but two crucial aspects are missing. His Hamlet displays his grievances, his justifiable self-pity and, most certainly, his rage. Yet because he doesn't appear to be listening to any of the other actors on the stage, he seems neither vulnerable nor truly moving. The biggest gain of Rickson's approach are the mad scenes, notably that of the notoriously underwritten Ophelia (Vinette Robinson). In her final scene, instead of handing out "rosemary for remembrance," she wildly scatters brightly colored pills and medication. Within a context that already accepts "madness," her behavior has affecting power. Prior to that, however, Robinson's Ophelia seems unfocused and lost, as do several of the other characters who fall victim to the overweening nature of the production. Rickson made his name coaxing and shaping exquisitely detailed performances from actors in largely naturalistic texts, notably "The Weir" and "Jerusalem." The most peculiar thing about his first Shakespeare production is how inauthentic it feels, as if, faced with the Bard, he decided to mimic the avant-garde. All the cliches are here from immersive site-specific design to fluorescent-tube lighting to use of video and groaning soundscape to gender-blind casting, none of which are second nature to him. The effort involved is more noticeable than the achievement. After three high-profile London Hamlets from helmers Gregory Doran (David Tennant), Michael Grandage (Jude Law) and Nicholas Hytner (Rory Kinnear) in under three years, Rickson evidently felt the need to fashion something unexpected. But the prism through which he has chosen to view the play turns out to be a prison, the pity and the dramatic tension locked out.Sets, Jeremy Herbert; costumes, Nicky Gillibrand; lighting, Adam Silverman; sound, Gareth Fry; music, Stephen Warbeck; production stage management, Pin Dix. Opened, reviewed Nov. 9, 2011. Running time: 3 HOURS, 20 MIN.With Callum Dixon, Adam McNamara, Matthew Trevannion. Contact David Benedict at benedictdavid@mac.com

Russia modernizes media regs

New rules guaranteeing media freedom to be introduced in Russia on Thursday will help boost post-economic crisis recovery for content-on-demand and nontraditional platforms in a pay TV market worth more than $1 billion per year. They do away with restrictive rules on registration for Internet and other-new media platforms that provide TV services, abolish licenses for secondary relay broadcast services and tightly define the rights and duties of TV license holders. "The new rules are more transparent, dynamic, flexible and progressive," Dmitry Golovanov, a broadcasting lawyer and expert for the European Audiovisual Observatory told Variety on Tuesday. Broadcasters have the right to use any media to deliver their content -- terrestrial, cable, satellite, Internet -- without additional licenses or registration. The rules specify that only editorial boards are responsible for broadcast content. Based on reforms drawn up last year by Russia's supreme court in the first amendments to the post-Soviet media laws introduced 20 years ago, the changes will make doing business for new-media and pay TV operators much simpler and less expensive, Golovanov said. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

'Bond 23' Titled 'Skyfall,' Javier Bardem And Ralph Fiennes Confirmed

Goodbye "Untitled James Bond 23" code title, hello "Skyfall." At long last, the name for Sam Mendes' take on the 007 franchise has been revealed, along with some other key details about the project. Director Sam Mendes met with 100 journalists at a London press launch for the flick to offer some details about the secretive production. However, according to a report written up by Reuters, Mendes still wasn't ready to give everything away. He confirmed a number of the actors involved in the project -- including Javier Bardem and Ralph Fiennes -- but could "give you very little information about" the characters they're playing. Still, fans looking for some more details to chew on should be happy with the tidbits Mendes let slip today. Click on after the jump to read the rest of the recently-revealed news. » The movie will be called "Skyfall," and is slated to hit theaters on November 9, 2012. » In addition to Daniel Craig and Judi Dench, actors Javier Bardem, Albert Finney, Naomi Harris, Ben Whishaw, Berenice Marlohe and Ralph Fiennes will be in the film. » The plot follows Bond as his loyalty to M is tested when "her past comes back to haunt her." MI6 comes under attack, and Bond must track down and destroy the threat, "no matter how personal the cost." » Filming will take place in London, Shanghai, Istanbul and Scotland. » Producer Barbara Broccoli said Craig will "definitely" continue playing Bond over the next few years. Are you looking forward to "Skyfall"? Do you think it's a good title? Tell us in the comments section below or on Twitter!

Evolution Entertainment Opens New You'll be able to Outpost

Management/production company Evoluton Entertainment has opened up up offices in NY the first time. Work, referred to as Evolution-East, will probably be run by Stephen Gates, that's been at Evolution for 11 most focus on lit talent and making inroads to theater, book together with other intellectual characteristics for clients. “There is a good amount of chance here along with a significant unique talent pool too,” Evolution leader Mike Menchel mentioned. Evolution is at pre-production round the Charlie Sheen series Anger Management and recently wrapped the newest Texas Chainsaw Massacre offering, Leather Face 3d.

Much deeper Dark evening Increases photos leak online

In the future, another glut of photos leaked within the number of The Dark Dark evening Increases, which was filming in NY a couple of days ago. This time around around, we're treated a greater-speed chase completed on motorcycles, a hi-tech-searching explosive of some description and what might be the Batcopter.Even though explosive (in the event that's indeed how it is) looks a bit as being a relic from one of the Joel Schumacher movies, the 'copter looks fantastically sleek and menacing since it moves over Gotham's streets.Take a look within the gallery below, because of SuperHeroHype, and discover everything you type of it.

Academy and Other Hollywood Groups Urge Iran to Free Jailed Filmmakers

Last week, director Jafar Panahi's latest movie was screened at the NY Film Festival, even as an appeals court in his native Iran upheld his sentence, calling for six years of imprisonment and a 20-year ban on filmmaking or travel outside his homeland. He's one of several of Iran's most prominent filmmakers who've faced harsh sentences in recent weeks. Now, Hollywood has come together in support of the jailed artists. On Wednesday, a joint statement came from the Academy as well as Hollywood's top unions and trade groups, urging Iran to free the filmmakers and actors whose draconian sentences were recently handed down or upheld on appeal. Panahi and fellow filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof were arrested in March 2010 and accused of making anti-government films. Since last May, Panahi has been under house arrest. In December, he and Rasoulof received six-year prison sentences and were banned for 20 years from directing movies, writing screenplays, talking to the press or traveling outside Iran (except for medical care or to make pilgrimages to Mecca). Last week, an appeals court reduced Rasoulof's jail term to one year but upheld Panahi's sentence. Panahi and Rasoulof had been working on a documentary about the turmoil surrounding the 2009 Iranian elections. Panahi argued that he wasn't making an anti-government film; ironically, he did start making one during his house arrest. Shot in collaboration with Mojtaba Mirtahmasb, 'This Is Not a Film' chronicled a typical day of Panahi's house arrest during his appeals struggle. Shot in part on an iPhone, it was smuggled out of Iran on a flash drive hidden in a cake, which is how it managed to screen at Cannes and the NYFF this year. Now Mirtahmasb is under arrest, too. Excerpt from 'This Is Not a Film' Also drawing international outrage was the sentence against actress Marzieh Vafamehr, who starred in the 2009 Australian film 'My Tehran for Sale.' In some scenes, she appeared without her head covered (permissible, she argued, because her hair was shaved off), prompting a sentence of 90 lashes and a year in prison. According to The Guardian, director Granaz Moussavi said she provided the court with documentation citing permission from the government to make the film, but when it screened at the Toronto Film Festival two years ago, the filmmakers boasted of having shot much of the film guerrilla-style, without permits. Other film artists recently targeted for prosecution include Ramin Parchami (an actor recently sentenced to a year in jail after being held since his arrest in February during opposition protests) and six documentary filmmakers accused of being British spies (two are still being held). "We join our colleagues around the world in calling unequivocally for these filmmakers' safety, release, and return to filmmaking," said the Academy statement. "They deserve the same, full freedom of expression that the overwhelming majority of our members enjoy every day, no matter where they are from, no matter where they work, no matter what their beliefs." The Academy statement was issued in conjunction with similar statements by the Screen Actors Guild, the Writers Guild, the Directors Guild, the Producers Guild, the American Cinema Editors, the American Society of Cinematographers and the International Documentary Association. The Hollywood heavyweights' joint statement follows one made earlier this week by a group of 21 Iranian film artists working outside Iran. The group, which includes Oscar-nominated actress Shohreh Aghdashloo and directors Mohsen and Samira Makhmalbaf, called upon the world's governments, film festivals, and movie and TV organizations to petition Iran's government for the filmmakers' release. The group also called for economic sanctions and boycotts of Iran's official movie and TV organizations. Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook Follow Gary Susman on Twitter: @garysusman

'Glee' Cast Boosts Money for Budding Screenwriters at Youthful Storytellers Annual Benefit

What goes on once the Simpsons meet The Exorcist and also the stars from Glee carry it out? Well, a lot of money of money will get elevated for Hollywood-preferred charitable organisation Youthful Storytellers.our editor recommends'Glee' Star Cory Monteith Confesses He 'Was From Control' With Drugs'Glee's' Harry Shum Junior.: An Ultimatum Could Impact Mike and Tina, New Directions (Video)'Glee': Chord Overstreet Out as Darren Criss, Harry Shum Junior. Upped to Regulars'Glee' Season 3: Matthew Morrison and Jayma Mays Share a minute (Video) On Saturday evening, the business -- which connects mentors in the market with schoolchildren to assist them to write short scripts -Held its annual "The Greatest Show" benefit at Santa Monica's Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences. PHOTOS: 'Glee' Season 3: The Episodics Four kids were selected from around 700 students who required part within the program in the last year, and the like stars as Raven-Symone, Diary of the Wimpy Kid's Devon Stockand Glee's Us dot Marie Johnson, Cory Monteith, Harry Shum Junior. and Jayma Mays did cold blood pressure measurements-performances from the material. One of the highlights would be a script by 12-year-old Noam Greenfield from L.A.'s Canfield Elementary. "Noam's script would be a mash-from The Exorcist and also the Simpsons. You'd figures like Bart Skywalker and Darth Homer," states Abram Makowka, author-director from the 2010'sTug, who mentored Greenfield this past year. "We all do let the kids to develop something wholly initially and never to lick of the favorite show or movie. but it was so beyond his years that people just allow him to gone with it. It's known as The Simpire." PHOTOS: 'Glee' Season 3: To School Pictures The Youthful Storytellers runs enter in about 30 Title 1 schools, that are schools having a high area of free or reduced-cost breakfast and lunch program participants, a poverty indicator. Ten students per semester are combined with industry professionals, who they talk with to have an hour per week for seven days. In the finish of every session, stars arrived at the college to do what's known as "The Large Show." The audience can thank Glee co-creatorBrad Falchukfor getting cast people to go to the penultimate "Greatest Show." He co-founded Youthful Storytellers with Burn Notice professional producer Mikkel Bondesen and film writer Andrew Barrett. PHOTOS: Behind the curtain of Emmy Contender Glee's 'Rumours' Episode "For a number of these kids within the program, either British is another language, or they don't have lots of chance to appear and heard, may it be by their instructors or peers," states Falchuk. "Oftentimes, they're viewed as troublemakers or don't do this well in class or viewed as kids who don't cash to provide. Through writing the script, they gain self-esteem. It sometimes doesn't get together until they reveal up at 'The Large Show' and all of a sudden you will find these famous stars carrying out a reading through of the play also it's great. All of a sudden everybody sees them in a different way." Adds Makowka: "It's exceptional for building their self-confidence as well as for teaching them they have a voice." Related Subjects Glee Harry Shum Junior. Jayma Mays Cory Monteith Kaira Falchuk

Rdio launches free tier

Music streaming site Rdio has released a totally free version of their service, which makes it the first one to offer free on-demand music without advertisements. The freemium tier, which bows today, will operate in collaboration with Rdio's existing compensated tiers. Customers can subscribe to a forex account through Facebook or by delivering their email, and won't be needed to provide charge card info or download software to start listening. Customers might find an onscreen meter denoting just how much free music is at hand every month. Rdio rejected to reveal precisely the number of hrs is going to be available. The move comes in a busy time for that digital music streaming world, that was shaken up within the summer time through the U.S. debut of Spotify, the very first on-demand service to provide a free option. Further disruption showed up with Facebook's Open Graph platform, which enables customers to talk about streaming music activity through their profiles, but necessitates the user's buddies a subscription towards the same plan to sample this content, placing a premium on free access. Recently, streaming service MOG revealed a totally free, ad-supported tier of their own, and longtime on-demand player Rhapsody introduced a 30-day ''free trial'' period because of its offering. (Rhapsody also acquired Napster on Monday.) Rdio's insufficient an advertisement-supported model because of its free services are unique. While Spotify is betting on transforming a lot of its free customers to compensated customers, the organization does accrue some revenue from advertising. Rdio Boss Came Larner noted that although the service's gratis option stretches well beyond typical trial periods, the free ride doesn't continue indefinitely, and free customers is going to be requested a subscription eventually. Produced by Skype and Kazaa founders Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, Rdio was released this year and it has a catalog of 12 million tunes. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Social Power Rankings: Glee Makes People Cry!

Glee "Asian F," Tuesday's emotional roller coaster of an episode of Glee, certainly got people talking - and as a result, it's No. 1 in Wednesday's Social Power Rankings. The consensus? It made people literally weep. "Last night I was a crying mess. Anyone who has been in a drama club or a glee club understands the emotions Mercedes has," says TVGuide.com commenter Giovanni Moretti. "When Will sang to Emma, that was it, all over, the entire box of Puffs was gone." Fans were also glad to see Mike Chang and Brittany Pierce take center stage. "It's strange to think that back in Season 1 Brittany and Mike were just window dressing," says TVGuide.com commenter bobby-j. "Heather [Morris] and Harry [Shum] have proven that they can dance, act, and sing. It was nice seeing them getting some good screen time."Other hot topics: Wednesday's premiere of American Horror Story, the possible end of The Simpsons' 23-season run and the cancellation of The Playboy Club. User @nevrothwen tweeted: "Am I the only one who actually liked Playboy Club?" Answer: Yes. (Sorry.)Check back anytime to see the latest Social Power Rankings, which are updated in real time throughout the week.

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Coroner: Shaun Conaway's Dying Was Triggered by Infection

Shaun Conaway An autopsy has says Shaun Conaway's dying was accidental and triggered with a major internal infection, the coroner told The Connected Press. Grease actor Shaun Conaway dies at 60 La County coroner Craig Harvey told the AP that the toxicology test wasn't carried out because Conaway have been put in the hospital for days prior to his dying and the bloodstream would have return clean. However, Harvey did observe that the actor's bloodstream contained traces of opiates along with other drugs when he was initially accepted towards the hospital. See other stars who've died this season Conaway died at age 60 on May 27, 2011. The actor, who had been most widely known for playing Kenicke in Grease and the role around the TV series Taxi, constantly battled with addiction, most of which was recorded on Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Came.

Fox Buys Wyatt Earp Western From Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci, Dating Comedy

Fox is joining the Western trend this development season with an untitled drama project from producers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, who co-wrote this summer’s big-screen Western with a sci-fi twist Cowboys & Aliens. Written by The Shield alum John Hlavin, the project is described as a Western that tells the origins of Wyatt Earp, chronicling both the well-known incidents in his life such as the Gunfight at the OK Corral and lesser-known details of Earp and his brothers bringing order to a lawless frontier. UTA-repped Hlavin, who has a feature Western, The Gunslinger, in development at Warner Bros, brought the project to Kurtzman and Orci. The three will executive produce with Heather Kadin for 20th Century Fox TV and Kurtzman and Orci’s K/O Paper Products. This marks K/O’s return to Fox, where the company had two high-profile drama pilots last season, Locke & Key and Exit Strategy, neither of which were picked up to series. This is Kurtzman and Orci’s second sale this season, following the script plus penalty commitment at CBS for an Anna Fricke-written drama about a congresswoman advocate. The Hlavin project joins a slew of Westerns in development at the broadcast networks. NBC has an untitled Kerry Ehrin project set in the 1880s, which is produced by Sean Hayes’ Hazy Mills; ABC has Ron Moores Hangtown, set in the early 1900 and David Zabels Gunslinger. Additionally, TNT recently gave a cast-contingent pilot order to Bruce C. McKenna and Danny Cannons Gateway, set in the 1880s. On the comedy side, Fox has bought The Good Life, a single-camera comedy project by stand-up comedian/writer Carlos Kotkin and writer Justin Sternberg (The Paul Reiser Show), which is being produced by 20th TV and another studio pod, Chernin Entertainment. Loosely based on Kotkin’s upcoming book Please God Let It Be Herpes, a collection of short stories about the often awkward dating situations Kotkin has found himself in, the comedy is about a guy whose continued optimism always lands him in unexpected and humorous predicaments. Chernin, Katherine Pope and Brad Mendelsohn of Circle of Confusion, which manages Kotkin, are executive producing. Steinberg is with WME.

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Trammell joins 'Long Time Gone'

Mike Trammell of "True Blood stream" has grew to become an associate from the cast of indie drama "Very Very Long Time Gone" opposite Virginia Madsen and Anthony LaPaglia.Smokewood Entertainment is creating "Very Very Long Time Gone," with co-founder and producer Sarah Siegel-Magness ("Precious") making her directorial debut.Production began Sept. 12 in La. Trammell began work Monday."Very Very Long Time Gone" also stars Zach Gilford, Amanda Crew and newcomer Graham Rogers. Karen McCullah ("The Ugly Truth") written the script according to April Stevens' novel "Angel, Angel."The story follows a broken family who must cope when the husband (carried out by LaPaglia) leaves his wife, (carried out by Madsen) for the next lady. Their sons have no idea what direction to go when their mother will not leave her mattress room for the on finish which becomes days.Trammell plays an easy-going garden enthusiast who utilizes one of the sons just like a day laborer and befriends his troubled mother.Bobbi Sue Luther, Gary Magness ("Precious") and film author McCullah are coming up with. Andrew Sugerman and Seth Jaret are executive creating.Shooting continues until March. 25. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

The Great Food Truck Race Season 2 Winner Is ...

Team Hodge Podge's Chris Hodgson, Team Lime's Jesse Brockman After a coast-to-coast challenge and six defeated food trucks, the Lime Truck and Hodge Podge were the last two competitors in Sunday night's finale of Food Network's The Great Food Truck Race. Did The Lime Truck's take on fresh California cuisine drive laps around its rival? Or did Hodge Podge's fancier twist on comfort food propel it through the finish line first? The final stop: Miami, where the first truck to make $15,000 and meet host Tyler Florence at South Point Park would win. Fall Preview: Get scoop on your favorite returning shows Starting with $500, the teams had to start serving ASAP. Although Chris Hodgson had connections in the city and was able to obtain high-end ingredients like lobster, black truffles and foie gras. Lime Truck didn't have a plan in place but purchased mussels for a red curry, crab for ceviche and beef for Philly cheesesteak fries. Speed Bump No. 1 Tyler calling on the phone is always bad news, so after brisk sales by both trucks, they were bummed to hear that they had to start selling food without the heating elements on their trucks, which in turn would be towed to a nearby impound. Only when the teams earned $200 from the food they prepared off the truck would they be able to pay off the impound. Hodge Podge started serving sashimi off the top of their Volkswagen and quickly retrieved their truck. Lime Truck, however, struggled with their sidewalk mussel-cooking demonstration and were reunited with their truck much later. Regardless, they seemed to recoup that night when they started serving in Little Havana, near several bars. Truck Stop Each team was up early to go fishing in the Atlantic Ocean. From their catch, they had to prepare one dish that would change the competition. Chef Michael Schwartz of Michael's Genuine Food and Drink would judge which dish was best and win a prize that Florence hinted was a "game changer" in the competition. Jesse from Lime Truck presented an amuse-bouche of raw fish wrapped around shredded asparagus and then a seared citrus fish topped with tuna tartare. It was deemed, fresh, well-seasoned, well-executed, with bright flavors but perhaps a little dated in concept. Hodge's king mackerel steak with potatoes, garlic, onions, heirloom tomatoes and kale topped with remoulade sauce also got high marks, although Schwarz felt the dish could use some editing. Meet the trucks in The Great Food Truck Race Season 2 Lime Truck took the prize -- $1,500. They had been trailing by about $100, so now they were far in the lead and closer to the $15,000 victory. Hodge Podge was a bit bummed, but they recouped quickly by its strategic central location at Kendall's Car Wash. Lime Truck didn't do badly, either, by locating near a brewery. At the end of the night, when Florence ordered them to stop selling, Lime Truck had earned more than $13,000, while Hodge Podge had $12,000. These are unprecedented earnings on the show. This final showdown is taking much less time than we expected. Speed Bump No. 2 For the first two hours the next morning, the trucks had to sell nothing but desserts. Sweets. In the morning. Lime Truck decided to do the breakfast-as-dessert concept downtown, while Hodge Podge would sell to the employees at a wholesale business where they purchased their ingredients. Bread pudding, Nutella and mascapone quesadillas, bananas not so fosters, berry waffles, "puppy chow" ... what's not to love? The concept is a hit, possibly selling even faster than their regular menu. Hmm, we smell a spin-off truck! Both Hodge Podge and Lime Truck reached their $15,000 goal quickly, pack up and race off to see Florence. Check out our fall preview for galleries, scoop, premiere calendars and more! In the end, we see the Lime Truck trio run up to Florence, who's dressed in his best aviator sunglasses, shorts and inscrutable expression. He demands that Daniel wear his lime green sweatband so he can match his partners in "full team regalia" before handing them a briefcase. If they open it and it's empty, they've lost. If they find $100,000 inside, well, they get the $100,000. It wasn't empty. Lime Truck wins. Chef Jason Quinn wants to put part of the money toward opening his own brick-and-mortar restaurant. Although the Hodge Podgers run up to see them celebrating, and sad piano music plays over their entrance, the somber mood doesn't last for long. It was a worthy competition, Hodgson grew closer to his sister and girlfriend, and he reflected, "It's the greatest win of my life." Aww! Congrats to Lime Truck! And now, we all do the Lime Truck dance! Are you happy with the winners? Do you think the competition was fair?

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Its Official: Trisha Cardoso Attracted on As Top Communications Executive At Showtime

Trisha Cardoso Lands Top Showtime PR Job Showtime Systems today introduced the appointment of veteran PR executive Trisha Cardoso up communications publish of EVP, Corporate Communications. Cardoso works Richard Licata who departed last evening to participate his former boss Robert Greenblatt as EVP communications for NBC Entertainment. In their new role, Cardoso, who started her professional career in Showtime’s PR department two decades ago, will oversee Showtime Systems’ programming publicity, media and talent relations, occasions, corporate branding and pr. She'll also function as organization’s chief press officer to ensure that as communications liaison with parent company CBS Corp. Cardoso is not a straight-forward choice for the job as she doesn’t result from another network or studio. The first sort SVP publicity for Vital Network TV spent yesteryear eight years outdoors in the spotlight, controlling her own proper speaking to firm although raising her daughter. Cardoso oversaw crisis communications, lifestyle marketing, media relations and social mediaoutreach for a range of clients, like the Hollywood-centric ICM, seriesTwo . 5 Males, producers James Burrows and Chuck Lorre, additionally to non-entertainment organizations the California Condition Summer season School for your Arts, the African nation of Gabon, The Turks & Caicos Worldwide Film Festival, Hudson Jeans, as well as the five-star luxury resort Pelican Hill in Newport Beach. It absolutely was really Cardoso’s unorthodox background that be a huge hit to Showtime’s entertainment leader David Nevins who introduced the mission for Licata’s alternative. “My goal wound up being to hire a roofer creatively inspired andstrategically focused,who could also bringa large picture perspective,” he mentioned. “I’ve known and respected Trisha for quite some time, then when you mix her broad connection with such varied regions of the communications business along with her extensive background in entertainment media relations, you have a very formidable leader for that already top-notch communications department.” Showtime’s Robin McMillan, SVP, Pr, is constantly on the supervise consumer pr teams on shores. Johanna Fuentes, V . p ., Corporate Pr, is constantly on the handle corporate trade and business media relations. Both will account to Cardoso. As SVP of Advertising, Publicity and Promotion for Vital TV, Cardoso oversaw trade, consumer media, award campaigns,and mix-promotions on all series, including juggernaut Frasier. Before joining Vital in 1993 as V . p ., Media Relations, she was V . p ., Entertainment Marketing for Burson-Marsteller, where she oversaw media campaigns for Coca Cola, The Grammys, the Golden Globe and seriesNorthern Exposure andCheers. She grew to become an associate of Burson-Marsteller in 1991, combined with formerly been Director of Television for Mahoney Communications.

Toronto 2011: ATO Pictures Grabs 'Last Get in touch with the Oasis'

"Last Get in touch with the Oasis" ATO Pictures has acquired U.S. rights to Last Get in touch with the Oasis, that have its premiere within the Toronto Worldwide Film Festival the other day. The project, directed by Jessica Yu, was produced, funded and executive produced by Participant Media. "We are in a position to Not more proud being coping with Participant relating to this riveting, enthralling doc which everyone knows will open people eyes for the severe calamity at hands," mentioned ATO co-foundersJohnathan DorfmanandTemple Fennell. "Audiences will be in with an eye opening experience and Jessica is doing a great job lighting this vital problem." Oasis explores the world water crisis and the way it'll affect cities around the globe. Elise Pearlstein produced the film, which featuresErin Brockovich, Peter Gleick, Alex Prud'homme, Jay Famiglietti and Robert Glennon. "We're very excited being joining tabs on ATO Pictures to produce Jessica's bracing and fantastically-made wake-up call in regards to the emergency in the water crisis to U.S. movie audiences with the kind of robust social action and advocacy campaign that Participant is well known,In . mentioned Participant leader Ough Strauss. ATO mind of purchases Sarah Lash talked about the sale with Submarine'sJosh Braunand Participant COO Rob Ivers. ATO Pictures has recently released Terri, Casino Jack and Mao's Last Dancer. Forthcoming game game titles are the Lady inside the Fifth, Thin Ice as well as the Oranges. Participant Media is behind such films becoming an Annoying Truth, Food, Corporation. and Waiting for "Superman." Toronto Worldwide Film Festival Worldwide

Complete List: 2011 Emmy Those who win

La, Calif. -- Listing of those who win at Sundays 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Honours presented through the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences: Drama Series: Mad Males, AMC. Actress, Drama Series: Julianna Margulies, The Great Wife, CBS. Actor, Drama Series: Kyle Chandler, Friday Evening Lights, DirecTV/NBC. Supporting Actor, Drama Series: Peter Dinklage, Bet on Thrones, Cinemax. Supporting Actress, Drama Series: Margo Martindale, Justified, Forex. Writing, Drama Series: Jason Katims, Friday Evening Lights, NBC. Pointing, Drama Series: Martin Scorsese, Boardwalk Empire, Cinemax. Comedy Series: Modern Family, ABC. Actor, Comedy Series: Jim Parsons, The Large Bang Theory, CBS. Actress, Comedy Series: Melissa McCarthy, Mike&Molly, CBS. Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Julie Bowen, Modern Family, ABC. Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Ty Burrell, Modern Family, ABC. Writing, Comedy Series: Steven Levitan and Jeffrey Richman, Modern Family, ABC. Pointing, Comedy Series: Michael Spiller, Modern Family, ABC. Miniseries or Movie: Downton Abbey (Masterpiece), PBS. Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce, Cinemax. Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Craig Pepper, The Kennedys, ReelzChannel. Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Maggie Cruz, Downton Abbey (Masterpiece), PBS. Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Guy Pearce, Mildred Pierce, Cinemax. Pointing, Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special: John Percival, Downton Abbey (Masterpiece), PBS. Writing, Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special: Julian Fellowes, Downton Abbey (Masterpiece), PBS. Reality-Competition Program: The Astonishing Race, CBS. Variety, Music or Comedy Series: The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, Comedy Central. Pointing, Variety, Music or Comedy Series: Don Roy King, Saturday Evening Live, NBC. Writing, Variety, Music or Comedy Series: The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, Comedy Central. Copyright 2011 by Connected Press. All privileges reserved.These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

REVIEW: Straw Dogs Remake Trades Edgy Complexity For Genre Schlock

As I’ve mentioned, I’ve never been the type to get hives over the remake announcements that seem to crop up in the trades every other day, or who feels that a bad redo can somehow denigrate its original. I understand that the idea of people associating The Wicker Man with Nicolas Cage karate kicking Leelee Sobieski into a wall instead of the 1973 Christopher Lee version can be a little painful, but overall what’s the harm, so long as the film at least tries to bring something interesting to the table? That said, there are few films that are worse candidates to receive a Hollywood gloss than Straw Dogs, Sam Peckinpah’s nasty, brutish and sharp 1971 film about how we’re all just animals underneath the surface, prone to dominance displays and aggressiveness, merely fooling ourselves into thinking we’re not slaves to fleshly impulses. The original Straw Dogs starred Dustin Hoffman as David Sumner, a masculinity-challenged mathematician who moves with his hotcha wife Amy (Susan George) back to her rural Cornwall hometown, only to clash with the rough-hewn villagers, and is centered around a controversial and much-discussed rape scene that suggests that Amy enjoys it when her brawny former lover forces himself on her. It’s nihilistic and violent and a virtuoso bit of filmmaking, and it has the capacity to linger with and disturb you long after your first viewing. This new version of Straw Dogs, written and directed by Rod Lurie (of Resurrecting the Champ and The Contender), has been contemporized, sanitized and stripped of all complexity, and what’s left is as empty as a used piata. The action’s been transported to a small Mississippi town named Blackwater, and the cast has been prettied up — James Marsden plays David, now a Los Angeles screenwriter planning to hole up in a bucolic part of the Deep South to finish his script about the Battle of Stalingrad. Amy (Kate Bosworth) has become an actress whose supporting role on a network procedural means she’s the local superstar. Alexander Skarsgrd is her ex, Charlie, who is, like the rest of his construction crew who take on the job of repairing the hurricane-wrecked roof of the barn next to Amy’s childhood home, a former high school football hero whose glory days are gone. The red state/blue state divide is carved out with a ham fist — David drives a Jaguar, likes to listen to classical music and tries to pay for everything with a credit card, even at the town picnic. He’s constantly condescending, wears a Harvard Lacrosse T-shirt and walks out in the middle of a church service because God’s not his thing. Charlie and his crew get around in a pickup with a Confederate bumper sticker that reads “These Colors Don’t Run,” drink at a bar that only has Budweiser on tap (David’s attempt to order a Bud Light is shot down), blast hard rock and love to go huntin’. Charlie is capable of making the denim/denim combination sometimes referred to as a “Texas tuxedo” look rather fetching, which has to be a point in his favor. As the macho posturing escalates, Amy starts needling David, suddenly needing him to become more like the men she grew up with rather than the kind of guy who suggests she put on a bra when she complains that the contractors are shamelessly ogling her. Other than a moment in which she strips down for the workers by an open window out of revenge after a tiff with David, Amy’s absolved of much of the retrograde behavior in this take on Straw Dogs. She isn’t trying to provoke the townies — she begs to leave, and the rape scene, when it arrives, is far less muddied. This centering of Amy seems a way around the accusations of misogyny that were aimed at Peckinpah’s version, but it also puts her in the more typical position of a female character being the voice of reason, the sane one, while everyone else around her gets to be a luxuriant asshole. Open violence finally erupts in Straw Dogs because of an Of Mice and Men-ish accident involving the mentally disabled Jeremy Niles (an incredibly miscast Dominic Purcell). His wife has kept what happened to her a secret from David, which makes the stand he takes on behalf of Jeremy bitterly ironic — after everything that’s come to pass, this is his breaking point? And yet the film doesn’t seem to see the irony — the film seems to think it’s finally gotten to the exciting part, and there’s not denying the audience at my screening cheered on the splatter like it was a long time in coming, like they agreed with Charlie that it was high time David learned to nut up and defend his home. When you set aside the film that served as its source material, this new Straw Dogs is left a clumsy, culture war-baiting revenge B-movie that seems assured of its relevance without actually settling on meaning. It includes seemingly significant elements — the shadows of war, religious belief, ethical convictions — without actually using them for anything other than decoration for what’s really just two pretty boys cockfighting.

Five Reasons 'Warrior' Is The Next Must-See Movie

Using the summer time movie season formally wrapped, you're ready to turn our filmgoing focus toward the generally more desirable fall fare. The very first of the season's must-see movies is "Warrior" starring Tom Sturdy, Joel Edgerton and Nick Nolte, directed by Gavin O'Connor ("Miracle"). This film is all about a lot of things: recognition, duty, love, family, but mainly it's the story of two siblings beaten lower by misfortune and private devils, who when playing not one other options, enter a mma tournament with the expectation of having the ability to fulfill promises designed to their family members. And O'Connor, who also co-authored the film, drawn no punches (pun intended) in subjecting audiences towards the intense, gritty realm of MMA. Take a look at five explanations why this film is essential-see following the jump. It'll Change How You Consider MMA Fighting I understand nothing about MMA, nor will i like watching it, however the means by which O'Connor woven it into and round the story, you come away by having an understanding and appreciation for that artistic elements active in the sport. For Tom Sturdy, Celebrity Within The Making Individuals who've seen Sturdy in "Bronson," happen to be aware of a peek at the British actor's crazy talent. From his swagger to his stare to his silence, Hardy's intensity because the broken, estranged brother and boy Tommy is unnerving. As well as his total bad-assery like a take-no-criminals fighter within the cage. It is the way he plays the subtle, nuanced cracks within the character's hardened exterior that actually reach you, however. Grown Males Are Reduced To Tears Basically haven't already chose to make this point obvious, a warm and fuzzy movie, "Warrior" isn't. It's an almost nonstop, adrenaline-fueled assault in your feelings, every single one of these, and that's why people of audiences is going to be gone to live in tears. (I saw a minimum of two males dabbing at their eyes and sniffing at because they walked from the two tests I attended - yes, I needed to view it two times.) Just when was the final time you heard about a movie that moved grown males to tears? Bear Witness To Nick Nolte's Soon-To-Be-Nominated Performance I can not think about a movie by which Nolte has completed a finer performance. And frankly, who thought he'd any greatness left in him? Not me. But wowza. Nolte just knocks it from the park because the damaged and dejected formerly alcoholic father to Sturdy and Edgerton's figures. There's a particular scene so devastating that after it performed out onscreen I immediately thought, 'I is going to be seeing it can in clip form come honours season.' The Unconventional Ending No spoilers here, I promise, but when you're able to the climax of the film, you are feeling as if you have been via a fight yourself. Even when you believe you realize what's coming. And also you will not, the industry beautiful factor. Roger Ebert authored that "This can be a rare fight movie by which we don't wish to see either fighter lose," and that he is completely correct (See: "Grown Guy Are Reduced To Tears" previously mentioned). "Warrior" is within theaters today, September 9. Are you likely to see "Warrior?" Inform us within the comments or on Twitter!

Ough Gervais To Reside-Snark Golden Globes

Wow, this is appointment listening. But most probably it might happen only when he doesn’t host again. From Ough Gervais’ blog: Exactly what do you think about this? An active 3 hour podcast throughout The Golden Globes. Me along with a couple of chums (like Louis CK, Chris Rock, Karl Pilkington, John Stewart, Ray David popping out and in) doing our very own alternative commentary. People in your own home might have the telly up with the seem lower hearing us online say stuff that no broadcaster could pull off. Nobody could perform a fucking factor. The greatest live webcast ever? You never know? Who cares? What’s fun may be the shit we may come forth with. Nothing. No sponsor. No guide lines. Fuck me I'm able to’t wait. Maybe I’ll perform a non-broadcast practice using the Emmys to ascertain if it really works. I’ll inform you. [And Then ...] Wow. I’ve opened up a can of earthworms. Or The planet pandora’s box. Or launched the Kraken maybe? I’ve had an incredible reaction to yesterday’s blog entry. Not just was the concept received well, but we’ve had offers of sponsorship, tech support team and a lot of comics up for this. I don’t want individuals to believe that this really is some kind of anti-establishment stunt. It’s not. Any longer than determining to perform a podcast in 2005 was. It’s about new horizons, technology and artistic freedom. Fun essentially. Although, basically really get it done, it'll show people how tame my official hosting was this past year. I still can’t quite know how anybody would think I overstepped the objective, was cruel, or pressed any limitations of taste and decency. It had been a network friendly gentle ribbing of the profession. Anything. I didn’t even dress as Hitler ultimately. Anyway. I’m considering it. May not happen. I would not really be accessible. You never know, I would attend The Golden Globes. (awkward silence.) The funny factor is, everybody who tunes into the live webcast can also get to become watching the particular show on NBC. I possibly could be helping their rankings. ' '. I hadn’t thought this through. Maybe they ought to sponsor me? (awkward silence… slightly more than the final one… gradually fade to black.)

Rockman EXE The Program of Light and Darkness

The Dematerialization Phenomenon, in which the real world becomes digital, has become a problem and must be resolved immediately. After hearing of this incident, Netto and Rockman left off after their father and Network Researcher, Yuuichirou. He also had found news of an invasion in the computer of the Trinity Brain trust company: 'The Earth itself will understand the way things stand in the cyber world'. In order to destroy the program causing the incident, Netto and Rockman have to go deep underground. But old enemies await them there, as well as new ones. As they fought each other, the vicious cyber-life, Nebula Grey, awakens. The Dematerialization Phenomenon will not be stopped unless Nebula Grey is defeated.

David Bergstein Sues His Former Attorney for $50 Million

The David Bergstein litigation circus has grown to include another former attorney for the embattled film executive. Bergstein and an entity called Graybox LLC on Monday sued Teri Zimon, who previously represented his interests and is now accused of using private information to aid the creditors in the involuntary bankruptcy proceeding against him. EXCLUSIVE STORY: Two New Lawsuits Filed as David Bergstein Film Finance Mess Heats Up Bergstein, the former head of film companies ThinkFilm and Capitol Films, has been the subject of court scrutiny over his business practices with film investor Ron Tutor. Bergstein already is embroiled in litigation with Susan Tregub, a former attorney who he claims used sensitive information against him, allying herself with Bergstein nemesis Aramid Entertainment Fund to initiate the involuntary bankruptcy that has plauged Bergstein for years. Zimon, who is alleged to be a close confidant of Tregub,is accused of helping Aramid dig up dirt on Bergstein to fuel the claims against him. The suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, claims at least $50 million in damages from breaches of fiduciary duties, professional negligence and aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duties. STORY: Judge Rejects David Bergstein Trustee's Request to Abolish Attorney-Client Privilege "Zimon has made every effort to avoid the day of reckoning but cannot hide any longer," the complaint states. Zimon did not return a call or email for comment. Email: Matthew.Belloni@thr.com Twitter: @THRMattBelloni David Bergstein

Watercooler: What Did We Miss in the MTV Video Music Honours?

Lil Wayne Energy? We do not need no stinking energy... we now have you! True story: About midway into last night's VMAs - because of a particular city's top-notch publish-Hurricane Irene mending - Watercooler Central really lost energy. About a minute, Adele is telling us what singing seems like without autotune, the following minute, total darkness. If perhaps we'd been fortunate with the lack of cable throughout Lady Gaga's drag-king opening performance. That pompadoured greaser mess appeared as if something from RuPaul's The Outsiders. So today, here's your column. Inform us what rocked or what rotted throughout the show, who must never win another award, and all sorts of that other fun stuff. We hear the so-known as Britney tribute really was only a weak lead-in a larger salute to recently preggo Beyonce. And based on our @TVGuideMagazine Twitter feed, Lil Wayne would be a large disappointment. Fill us in lower within the comments below making us feel happier about needing to miss the always out-there evening of the 1000 bleeped-out emcees. Sign up for TV Guide Magazine now!

Lost Ranch

Cattlemen's Protective Association agent Tom Wade and the partner Happy are designated to consider the disappearance of rancher John Carroll, that has been kidnapped by Carson, who would like to use his out-of-the-way ranch like a base for his smuggling procedures. Complications arise as Carrol's daughter, Rita, searching for him, comes with an unfriendly run-along with Wade, then later is herself kidnapped by Carson.

Tom Cruise on the hunt for Horizons' female lead

Every time Tom Cruise signs on for a role, he seems to have his pick from the cream of young, female talent to play opposite him.It wasn't long ago that Rosamund Pike beat of competition from Hayley Atwell and Alexa Davalos to star in One Shot, and it would appear that the competition for new film Horizons (formerly Oblivion) is even stiffer.Showblitz reports that Jessica Chastain, Olivia Wilde, Noomi Rapace, Brit Marling and Olga Kurylenko are all set to test opposite Cruise in the coming weeks. Whether they will be going directly head-to-head remains to be seen, as there are two significant female parts in the script.The film takes place in a post-apocalyptic future, in which humans are forced to live in clouds above an uninhabitable Earth. Cruise will play a soldier stationed on Earth in order to work on a series of drones charged with identifying and eliminating a malevolent alien threat.One of the two female roles will be as Cruise's military number two and off-duty lover, whilst the other will be the fiancée he was engaged to before Earth was invaded by aliens.While we're totally shooting in the dark here, we would guess that Wilde, Kurylenko and Rapace fit the bill for the former part, while Chastain and Marling seem better suited to the latter.The film will be directed by Tron: Legacy's Joseph Kosinski, and was initially adapted from the graphic novel Oblivion. One Shot is Cruise's next project, so we'd expect production to begin on this one early next year.

Sony Brings Flatliners Back From the Dead With Source Code Screenwriter

Because Hollywood never met a property it didn’t want to resuscitate, Sony has commissioned Source Code screenwriter Ben Ripley to pen its remake of Flatliners. The Joel Schumacher-directed 1990 film starred Julia Roberts (and her awesome hair), Kevin Bacon, Kiefer Sutherland and Billy Baldwin as medical students toying with near-death experiences to increasingly dangerous outcomes. Sorta like movie executives continuing to mine former VHS faves for redux treatment! [Deadline]

TV Ratings: CBS' 'Big Brother' Ties Season High

Sonja Flemming/CBS"Big Brother" There's no quitting with Big Brother. The CBS summer staple drew its largest audience since September 2007, with 8.5 million total viewers tuning in to see both Daniele and Jeff leave the Big Brother house for jury. The latest episode also tied its season high in the ad-coveted adults 18-49 demographic, averaging a 3.2 rating. With the strength of Big Brother's ratings performance, CBS easily topped the night in both viewers (7.2 million) and the demo (2.2). Expedition: Impossible (5.2 million, 1.5) aired its season finale, up 15 percent from the previous week. Rookie Blue (5.1 million, 1.3) also improved 8 percent, while Wipeout (6.7 million, 1.9) remained steady. Worthy of note, CBS repeats at 8 p.m. of The Big Bang Theory and Rules of Engagement topped Wipeout in the demo. As the network with a complete lineup of originals, ABC placed second in viewers (5.7 million) and the demo (1.5), behind CBS. NBC, Fox and the CW aired repeats. CBS-- 2.2 * The Big Bang Theory (R): 2.1, 7.9 million * Rules of Engagement (R): 1.8, 6.1 million * Big Brother: 3.2, 8.5 million * The Mentalist (R): 1.3, 6.1 million ABC -- 1.5 * Wipeout: 1.9, 6.7 million * Expedition: Impossible finale: 1.5, 5.2 million * Rookie Blue: 1.3, 5.1 million Fox-- 1.1 *Bones: 1.0, 4 million *Bones: 1.2, 4.5 million NBC -- 0.9 * Community (R): 0.9, 2.9 million * Parks & Recreation (R): 0.9, 2.5 million * The Office (R): 1.1, 3 million * 30 Rock (R): 1.0, 2.7 million * Law & Order: SVU (R): 0.9, 3.2 million TV Ratings Big Brother

War of the Simons: Fuller Lawyer Says Cowell 'Does Not Understand' 'X Factor' Lawsuit

Menternational/Redferns/Getty Images American Idol creator Simon Fuller's attorney is responding to criticism by Simon Cowell of Fuller's lawsuit over the U.S. version of The X Factor. In an interview with THR published on Wednesday, Cowell, who appeared as a judge on Idol for nine seasons before quitting to launch X Factor in the U.S, said Fuller has no right to demand an executive producer credit and fee on the Cowell-produced singing competition, set to launch in September. EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Behind the Scenes of THR's X Factor Cover Shoot "It's like me saying I want to be executive producer on The Voice or Project Runway," Cowell said. But Dale Kinsella, Fuller's lead lawyer in the multi-million dollar lawsuit against Fox and producer Fremantle, believes Cowell should keep his legal opinions to himself. PHOTOS: An 'American Idol' to 'X Factor' Timeline "Mr. Cowell would be better served reading scripts than legal pleadings and documents he clearly does not understand," Kinsella tells us. PHOTOS: 'The X Factor': First Look at Simon Cowell's New Judging Tea Of course, the feud between the two Simons goes back years. Fuller sued Cowell shortly after X Factor first appeared on British television in 2004, leading to the settlement that Fuller now claims granted him the right to a rich fee and credit on the U.S. X Factor. Email: Matthew.Belloni@thr.com Twitter: @THRMattBelloni Simon Cowell International American Idol Simon Fuller The X Factor

Shane Brennan Sells 2 Projects, Including David Baldacci Book Series Adaptation

Shane Brennan’s lately released CBS TV Galleries-based production company has offered its first 2 projects — an adaptation from the King & Maxwell number of books by best-selling author David Baldacci, which Brennan will write, along with a medical drama from author Jordan Hawley. Have been setup at CBS. Furthermore, NCIS and NCIS: LA executive producer Brennan has drawn on CBS TV Galleries’ current executive Grant Anderson to operate his Shane Brennan Prods. as leader. Tentatively entitled King & Maxwell, the very first project focuses on 2 former Secret Service Agents-switched-private detectives who solve cases considered too sensitive for normal police force to deal with. “David has produced an amazing world with individuals 2 figures who take part in the shadowy side from the energy and politics from the Beltway to Wall Street,” Brennan stated. Just because a broadcast series requires 22-24 episodes a season, “we’ll go ahead and take figures beyond David would do,” Brennan stated, “but we are most evident towards the mythology from the figures he produced.” Baldacci themself had offered to aid in getting his heroes towards the screen. The 2nd project, Cure, focuses on a team of highly trained doctors who travel the nation dealing with unusual medical cases with the hope of locating the remedy for a reclusive billionaires crictally ill child. “I dont think I've ever seen a set so clearly at this kind of initial phase,” Brennan stated of Hawley’s pitch. Brennan contacted Anderson to become listed on his company following a four-year working relationship on NCIS and NCIS: LA. Anderson spent the final 6 years at CBS TV Galleries, most lately as Vice president current programming. “I obtained a coup landing Grant that has production go through it’s rare to locate a TV executive that has labored within the trenches.” Before joining CBS Galleries, Anderson would be a producer on several John Wells series, including Third Watch. Brennan and Anderson hit the floor running because they remained as organizing the furnishings within their offices throughout their first week like a company once they heard that Baldacci’s King & Maxwell books (Moment, Hour Game Simple Genius, First Family) were available. “It was baptism by fire,” Brennan stated. They immediately approached Baldacci and the longtime creating partner Karen Spiegel and then spoke with Baldacci, acquiring the privileges towards the book series inside a competitive situation. Brennan and Baldacci are with Paradigm Hawley with ICM.

Disney Family Museum taps Calicchio

Legit exec Gabriella Calicchio has been named CEO of the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco.She'll take the helm of the museum in November after spending the past four years as managing director of the Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis. She was previously managing director of Marin Theater Company in Mill Valley, Calif., for six years. The exec "brings extensive experience across disciplines in the non-profit arts," said Walter E.D. Miller, museum co-founder and grandson of Walt Disney. "She is highly regarded in the field and has amassed an enviable record of administrative and artistic successes."Calicchio succeeds the museum's founding exec director, Richard Benefield. The museum opened in a 40,000 square foot facility in the San Francisco Presidio in October 2009. Contact Cynthia Littleton at cynthia.littleton@variety.com

Fox walks 'Tightrope' with 20th TV, Chernin

Fox has nabbed a drama project from "Fight Club" scribe Jim Uhls and 20th Century Fox Television and Chernin Entertainment. "Tightrope" is about an FBI agent who is exceptionally skilled at finding, turning, and using criminal informants, rendering them totally trusting and trustworthy. But it's a process that comes with a cost: the blurring of the boundaries of morality. Uhls is also on board as executive producer along with Peter Chernin and Katherine Pope. Chernin and 20th have stayed busy with Fox since parking "Terra Nova," "New Girl" and "Allen Gregory" on the broadcaster's fall schedule (and midseason drama "Touch"). The studio and company have already set up a script for an animated comedy from Demetri Martin as well. In other development news, Sony Pictures Television and Adam Sandler shingle Happy Madison have sold a single-camera comedy script to ABC. The story, set in the year 2016, is about a guy who thinks his life is perfect until he's struck by lightning, which takes him back to the year 2011. As he tries to escape from 2011, the reasons he was meant to relive his past start to become clear. Script was written by Daniel Sweren-Becker, who will executive produce along with Doug Robinson ("Rules of Engagement") and Steve Carr ("Paul Blart: Mall Cop"). In another Sony-ABC transaction, Shawn Ryan ("The Shield") and Karl Gajdusek ("Trespass") have set up a drama script with a penalty attached for "The Last Resort," which follows a rogue submarine crew who go on the run after defying an order to deploy their nuclear weapons. Marney Hochman Nash also executive produces. Contact Andrew Wallenstein at andrew.wallenstein@variety.com

It's All About Katie: ABC Names Couric's New Talk Show

Katie Couric Can you guess what Katie Couric's new ABC talk show is called? Couric's syndicated talker will simply be called Katie, TVNewser reports. Disney/ABC is also apparently vetting the website www.TalkToKatie.com as a hub for social media and viewer interaction. When can you next catch Katie Couric on TV, online or on demand? Add her to your Watchlist and you'll know for sure In May, Couric announced that after working five years behind the desk of CBS Evening News, she was leaving. Couric then signed a multiyear deal with Disney/ABC to host and produce her own syndicated talk show, which will reunite her with Jeff Zucker, who served as executive producer on Today when she co-anchored the show. Katie is slated to premiere in the 3 p.m. slot on the eight ABC-owned affiliates in September 2012.

Don't Take a Bath and Stay Out of the Garage in Two New Clips from 'Don't Be Afraid of the Dark' (VIDEO)

With 'Fright Night' in theaters and horror season in full swing, the next scare factory we have to looks forward to is 'Don't Be Afraid of the Dark.' Written and produced by Guillermo del Toro, the story revolves around a little girl (Bailee Madison) who goes to live with her father (Guy Pearce) and his new girlfriend (Katie Holmes) in a big old mansion. Soon after moving in, the little girl discovers the presence of little creatures imprisoned in the basement and sets them free because she's looking for new friends. It doesn't take long for the girl to realize that the creatures aren't all that nice, and before she knows it, they're trying to kill her and her family. Click through to check out two new clips from CinemaBlend that give us a better look at the creatures and their evil antics. Directed by Troy Nixey, and set for an August 26 release, guess we have one more reason to keep better track of our keys. So do you think those little creatures look stupid or terrifying? [via CinemaBlend] Photo courtesy of FilmDistrict.

'Midnight in Paris' Opens Wide Again on August 26

'Midnight in Paris' is already Woody Allen's highest-grossing film and now it's set to earn even more bucks at the box office. Sony Pictures Classics is so high on the hit -- and its Oscar buzz -- they're sending it back to more theaters for a glory lap on August 26. The studio says that the romantic comedy, which stars Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams, will surpass $50 million at the domestic box office this weekend. The film was released on May 20 to glowing reviews. Deadline's Pete Hammond went so far as to say that if the Oscars were held today, 'Midnight' would win Best Picture. Our own Gary Susman recently examined all the reasons why the film has become such a runaway hit. Have you seen the movie? Do you think it's Woody's best? [via Deadline]

DGA promotes three

The Directors Guild of America has promoted three of its top execs -- Russ Hollander, David Korduner and Bryan Unger -- to associate national executive director. DGA national exec director Jay D. Roth made the announcement Tuesday. The moves come six months after Warren Adler, the longtime No. 2 exec at the DGA, announced his retirement after 13 years as associate national exec director. The trio will report to Roth, who's been in the top spot at the DGA since 1995. The guild, which has more than 14,000 members, said Tuesday that the changes are aimed at providing greater clarity about leadership roles and responsibilities. Unger's full title will be associate national executive director-Western executive director. He'll have national responsibility for administration and enforcement of the basic agreement, low budget agreement, all dramatic programming (including basic cable), creative rights, diversity and agency relations. Unger began his career at the DGA in 1994 as an assistant exec director. Hollander's full title will be associate national executive director-Eastern executive director. He'll have national responsibility for administration and enforcement of the freelance live and tape television agreement, the national commercial agreement, all non-dramatic programming (including basic cable), new media, all network news, sports and operations and all local stations. Hollander joined the DGA in 2001 as assistant Eastern executive director. In addition, Unger will be responsible for local service and representation related to the Western offices while Hollander will be responsible for local service and representation related to the Eastern offices. Korduner's full title will be associate national executive director-senior general counsel. He will oversee departments for residuals, membership, credits, reports compliance, signatories, human resources and legal. Korduner first joined the DGA in 1995, serving as associate general counsel until 2001 before a stint at ABC/Touchstone Television and Disney/ABC Cable Networks. Korduner rejoined the guild in 2005. Roth oversees the communications, finance, government affairs, operations and special projects departments. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

Bennett-Jones to give BAFTA lecture

Bennett-JonesLONDON -- U.K. agent and TV producer Peter Bennett-Jones is set to deliver the BAFTA Annual Television Lecture on Sept. 19. Bennett-Jones will give his views on the state of creativity within the U.K. industry and what the future holds for the biz. He was managing director of TV shingle TalkBack Prods. from 1982-86. In 1988, he formed PBJ Management to nurture local comedic talent, including Rowan Atkinson, Armando Iannucci and Eddie Izzard. The same year, he founded Tiger Television, whose credits included "Mr Bean" and "Billy Elliott." It later became Tiger Aspect, which he left earlier this year. He was awarded the BAFTA Special Award in May. Amanda Berry, BAFTA chief exec, said: "Peter has nurtured and championed some of the most distinctive and compelling talent to have graced British television screens. Creativity and innovation are more important today than ever, so who better to share his views on how the industry can foster and champion creative excellence?" BAFTA has also revealed the lineup for its Screenwriters' Lecture Series, which it co-hosts with the British Film Institute next month. Speakers will include William Nicholson ("Gladiator"), Moira Buffini ("Jane Eyre"), John Logan ("The Aviator"), Guillermo Arriaga ("Babel"), Frank Cottrell Boyce ("Hilary and Jackie"), Paul Laverty ("The Wind That Shake the Barley") and Charlie Kaufman ("Being John Malkovich"). Contact Leo Barraclough at leo.barraclough@variety.com

WWE Studios chief Mike Pavone ankles

After shepherding the production of eight films, WWE Studios chief Mike Pavone has called it quits. The exec is ankling the company to "pursue other opportunities," according to a corporate filing. He had headed up the film division since 2009, after replacing former Village Roadshow exec Michael Lake. The departure follows remarks this week by WWE topper Vince McMahon that the company was looking to rethink its film strategy after recent releases have struggled to find an audience. Company is narrowing down a list of candidates to replace Pavone. The Samuel Goldwyn Co. has been distribbing WWE's slate since the company began self-financing its own slate in early 2010, after partnering with Fox and Lionsgate in the past. Its most recent release, the drama "That's What I Am," starred Ed Harris and Amy Madigan, earned just $6,400 from 10 theaters in three days at the box office. Its next pic is the comedy "Inside Out," that bows Sept 9., and co-stars HHH, Parker Posey and Michael Rapaport, to be followed by "Family Reunion," "Bending the Rules" and "Barricade." It's also already released "Legendary," "Knucklehead" and the Stephen Herek-helmed comedy "The Chaperone." WWE has opted to give its pics a limited theatrical release in certain markets, using them as promo pushes for the a launch across homevideo platforms shortly thereafter. Walmart is the company's primary retail partner, which has been giving the films prominent displays and shelf space. The pics it produced also didn't star its wrestlers, but featured them in smaller co-starring roles opposite more established thesps like Harris, Patricia Clarkson, Danny Glover, Mark Feuerstein, Dennis Farina, Jamie Kennedy and Eric McCormack. Although WWE Studios generated $4.3 million during the last three months, "I Am What I Am" wound up losing $3.3 million during the second quarter. Moving forward, WWE is looking at pairing up with other production partners for films. It also wants to lower the production budgets on future releases, which currently hover around the $5 million mark. In May, WWE paired up with Pathe U.K. on the horror film "No One Lives," that stars Luke Evans ("The Three Musketeers," "Immortals") and Ryuhei Kitamura ("Midnight Meat Train") is directing. Leaning more toward genre fare might be part of WWE's playbook after Pavone's slate of mostly feel-good dramas and family fare didn't appeal to the company's fanbase. The film division generated $400,000 in profit last year, through previous releases and Pavone's first titles. Either way, WWE is hoping to turn to its own films to use as programming on the WWE Network, a TV channel the company hopes to launch within the next year to 18 months. Company has also been digitizing its vast library of footage, which consists of 100,000 hours, as programming to adapt for the new network when it launches. Contact Marc Graser at marc.graser@variety.com