Matt Damon Blasts President Obama Again

First Published: December 22, 2011 2:24 PM EST Credit: Getty Images LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Caption Matt Damon steps out at the Contagion premiere at Lincoln Center in NY City on September 7, 2011Academy Award winner Matt Damon was one of Barack Obamas most vocal Hollywood supporters in the 2008 election, but the actor has since changed his tune. After speaking out against Obamas economic decisions to Piers Morgan last year, the We Bought a Zoo star has expressed his disappointment with the Commander-in-Chief yet again. Ive talked to a lot of people who worked for Obama at the grassroots level. One of them said to me, Never again. I will never be fooled again by a politician, Matt, 41, told Elle magazine in a new interview. You know, a one-term president with some balls who actually got stuff done would have been, in the long run of the country, much better. Referencing nearby Occupy Vancouver protestors (the interview took place in the British Columbian city), Matt said the President had more than enough of a mandate to make more drastic political decisions. If the Democrats think that they didnt have a mandatepeople are literally without any focus or leadership, just wandering out into the streets to yell right now because they are so pissed off, he told the mag. Imagine if they had a leader. As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, though Matt may have strong political opinions, the actor shot down rumors of possible political aspirations earlier this year. When asked by a paparazzo if hed consider running for President back in August, Matt quickly replied, No, sir. Adding, I think there are probably better choices out there. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Kendall Jenner Dishes On Kardashian Sisters

First Published: December 19, 2011 3:44 PM EST Credit: Access Hollywood Caption The adorable Kendall Jenner chats with Billy Bush and Kit Hoover on Access Hollywood Live on December 19, 2011LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- With Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian, Kendall Jenner has three sisters to offer up advice on everything from guys to her career but which ones blunt honesty can sometimes come off as a little mean? I dont have a favorite, I love them all! Kendall told Billy Bush and Kit Hoover on Mondays Access Hollywood Live. So, who does the 16-year-old Kendall and younger sister Kylie, 14, go to when they need guidance on dating? Its so hard right now. Sometimes, we go to Kim, but then when we go to Kim, Khloe is like, Why are you going to Kim? Like, I have the husband! Kendall said with a laugh. Kendall explained to Billy and Kit that Kim is the sister she looks to for guidance on her career as a model, but what about help with friends? I would say Kourtney, but sometimes Kourtney, shes just like, she doesnt care, so she could be like mean about things, she explained. As for Khloe, she just gives good advice about everything, the young reality star told Billy and Kit. In related news, check out the Kardashian/Jenner family Christmas card, HERE! Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Official Expendables 2 Poster Arrives

Your investment fake, here's the actual dealAteaser trailer yesterday, now a poster?Oh Mr.Stallone, you're really ruining us together with your Expendables 2 press announcements...Oddly enough - in comparison towards the original's advertising campaign , a minimum of - there's a smaller amount of the entire "Take a look at our castlist!" position, and much more of "Hey it is the second one!" vibe.Sure, will still be got that ludicrously large listing of names at the very top, however it in some way maintains that distinct Expendables impact, even without all individuals guns we have arrived at expect.Take a look below and let's read your comments within the comment box below. Will the inclusion of JCVDand Chuck Norris - in addition to a new director - presuade you back for any second dose of hyper-masculine action? Click on the image for any hi-res version on AICNExpendables 2 is anticipated to shoot and bang and boom and bang its distance to movie theaters at some stage in August 2012.

Paris Jackson Informs Ellen: It Had Been "Stupid" Our Father Made Us Put on Masks

Paris Jackson Michael Jackson's 13-year-old daughter Paris made an appearance around the Ellen DeGeneres Show Wednesday, on her first-ever solo interview, where she talked about her adoration for acting and her relationship together with her late father."He stated, 'If I die tomorrow, remember things i said.A I required his advice, and that i appreciated everything he explained,Inch Paris stated, when requested about the wedding factor her father ever stated to her.She also addressed her unconventional upbringing - masks and all sorts of. Browse the clip:

Online music site sues Universal Music Group

Online storage service Megaupload filed suit against Universal Music Group, claiming that the music giant abused copyright law in an effort to get a promotional video removed from YouTube in which artists like Kanye West, Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys and Chris Brown appear to endorse the company. The lawsuit is being used by critics of anti-piracy legislation in Congress to show the overzealousness of content companies even when it comes to existing copyright laws. Megaupload is a frequent target of studios and record labels, and appeared on an MPAA list of "notorious" foreign websites that routinely host pirated movies and music for download. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in San Jose, claims that after Megaupload unveiled its promotional video, called "Megasong," UMG issued a takedown notice to YouTube, claiming copyright infringement and asking it to remove the video. Under the terms of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, user-generated sites like YouTube can gain "safe harbor" from infringement claims if they take down the material quickly when getting a notice from a copyright holder. Megaupload claims that all of the performers and industry figures in its video -- which also included Will.i.am, Sean Combs, Jamie Foxx and Brett Ratner -- executed "full releases of any intellectual property rights" to the video, including the use of their likeness. UMG disputes this claim and said it had complaints from some of its artists. UMG's "acts in filing improper DMCA notices to materially cause Internet intermediaries such as YouTube to take down the Megaupload song video has cause Megaupload substantial injury and money damages," the company said in its suit. "Indeed, it appears as though UMG permits recording artists to exercise their views and free speech only when UMG agrees with such speech." A spokesman for UMG said the case is "an on-going dispute that surfaced several weeks ago with respect to the unauthorized use of a performance from one of our artists. We heard from a number of other artists, and their representatives, who told us that they never consented to being portrayed in this video. As a result, at least one of them has already sent a takedown notice for the unauthorized use." A source said that the artist was Will.i.am. Attorney Ira Rothken, who filed the suit on behalf of Megaupload, said that the company "stands by the notion that they got breathtakingly broad releases from each of the folks who appear in the music video. We believe that UMG's argument is demonstrably false." Rothken added that the company had "a very broad agreement with Will.i.am to use his statements in the context of that music video." Meanwhile, supporters and opponents continued their flurry of lobbying activity in advance of a Thursday vote by the House Judiciary Committee on a controversial anti-piracy bill. Even though one of its key supporters, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) unveiled a series of changes on Monday designed to win over skeptics to some of its provisions, the Internet lobby again came out against it. The NetCoalition, which includes Google, Facebook and Twitter, said that the changes "create new problems in other places and fails to correct some of the original concerns we have raised since the start of the debate," in the words of the coalition's executive director, Markham Erickson. A more dramatic protest against the legislation could come from Wikipedia. Its founder, Jimmy Wales, posted a message on the site asking users whether they should stage a "blackout" to send a message in opposition to the legislation. But MPAA chairman Chris Dodd, appearing at an event at the Center for American Progress, compared the debate over the legislation to the "misinformation" that surrounded the debate over healthcare reform and Wall Street reform. He said that "misinformation -- spread both knowingly by those who have a financial interest in the status quo and by those who are well-intentioned and misled -- threatens to derail much needed reform." "Hollywood is pro-Internet," he said. "We stand with those who strongly oppose foreign governments that would unilaterally block websites, and thus deny the free flow of information and speech. So I want to make it clear right at the outset that our fight against content theft is not a fight against technology. It is a fight against criminals." Contact Ted Johnson at ted.johnson@variety.com

Niche Box Office: December 10-11

Carrying out a solid $22.6M European opening, Focus Features’ Mess, Tailor, Soldier, Spy began its U . s . States run in 4 theaters (2 in New you are able to city, 2 in LA) by getting a remarkable per screen average of $75+K. Everywhere again experienced become not possible or close to become not possible conditions from late matinee using the 9PM shows. The weekend results make Mess Tailor the #3 greatest opening average of niche films this season, behind #1 Woodsy Allen’s Evening amount of time in Paris and #2 Terence Malick’s Tree Of Existence and #3rd film opening on 4 screens on record. Vital’s Youthful Adult platformed in 8 theaters with $40K per screen earnings. Vital highlights it-made the expansions of both Artist and Shame on half the screens. Vital gets the Adventures Of Tintin for domestic, and also the new the new sony for overseas. The Steven Spielberg/Healing For Healing For Peter Jackson collaboration gets a great come from The U . s . States’s Quebec following an effective European run. (Tintin Passes $200M Worldwide Will U.S. Audiences Board The Bandwagon?) Tintin made an thought $8.1M on 6,000 screens in 51 areas in the last weekend, obtaining the cume to $233.7M now. Company breakdown may be the following: The brand new the new sony $170.5M cume, Vital $52.7M cume, others $10.5M cume: Mess, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (Focus Features) NEW [4 Theaters] Weekend $300K, Per Screen Average $75,184 Youthful Adult (Vital) NEW [8 Theaters] Weekend $320K, Per Screen $40,000 The Adventures Of Tintin (Vital) NEW [70 Theaters] Weekend $1.3M, Per Screen $19,113, Cume $1.4M Ladies Versus Ough Bahl (Yash Raj Films) NEW [80 Theaters] Weekend $211K, Per Screen $2,640 I Melt Together With You (Magnolia) NEW [2 Theaters] Weekend $3K, Per Screen $1,293 Panjaa (India) NEW [31 Theaters] Weekend $194K, Per Screen $6,274, Cume $194K Osthe (India) NEW [16 Theaters] Weekend $60K, Per Screen $3,800, Cume $60K Cent Pinchers (CJE) NEW (1 Theater) Weekend $5K, Per Screen $5,878, Cume $5K Eye In The Storm (EONE) NEW [3 Theaters] Weekend $5K, Per Screen $1,874, Cume $5K Miracle To Win (China) NEW [5 Theaters] Weekend $5K, Per Screen $1,049, Cume $5K Shame (Fox Searchlight) Week 2 [21 Theaters] Weekend $276K, Per Screen $13,146, Cume $774K My Week With Marilyn (Weinstein Co) Week 3 [244 Theaters] Weekend $784K, Per Screen $3,213, Cume $5.1M The Artist (The Weinstein Co) Week 3 [16 Theaters] Weekend $292K, Per Screen $18,258, Cume $885K A Dangerous Method (The brand new the new sony Classics) Week 3 [4 Theaters) Weekend $80K, Per Screen $20,031, Cume $539K Melancholia (Magnolia) Week 5 [135 Theaters] Weekend $222K, Per Screen $1,644, Cume $1.9M Constantly (Vital Vantage) Week 7 [162 Theaters] Weekend $170K, Per Screen $1,049, Cume $3.1M Margin Call (Kerbside Sights) Week 8 [146 Theaters] Weekend $184K, Per Screen $1,265, Cume $5M Martha Marcy May Marlene (Fox Searchlight) Week 8 [64 Theaters] Weekend $48K, Per Screen $751, Cume $2.8M The Skin Home Is (The brand new the new sony Classics) Week 9 [109 Theaters] Weekend $111K, Per Screen $1,029, Cume $2.8M Take Shelter (The brand new the new sony Classics) Week 11 [63 Theaters] Weekend $47K, Per Screen $747, Cume $1.5M, Evening amount of time in Paris (The brand new the new sony Classics) Week 30 [195 Theaters] Weekend $128K, Per Screen $657, Cume $56.1M

25 Things You Didn't Know About 'Ocean's 11'

Proving that even passion projects for high-grossing directors cost a pound of flesh, Vulture reports that Michael Bay may come back for a fourth 'Transformers' film -- provided the studio lets him make 'Pain and Gain.' "Without 'Pain & Gain,' there's not tit for tat," said a source to Vulture. "That's Paramount's leverage." Bay has been looking to make 'Pain and Gain,' based on a series of articles in the Miami New Times, since 1999. (The film -- described as 'Fargo'-esque -- follows two bodybuilders who wind up embroiled in a kidnapping and extortion plot to increasingly terrible results.) Per Vulture, if the deals for 'Pain and Gain' and 'Transformers 4' are reached, things could move very quickly; 'Gain' could shoot in the spring, with 'Transformers' headed to cameras by winter of 2012. While nothing is official yet, apparently Bay and the studio are "not far" from an agreement. During the press for 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon,' it was thought that Bay was done with the series (Shia LaBeouf, who is done with the franchise, said as much), but it appears that isn't the case. What plot 'Transformers 4' will use remains to be seen, but it likely won't be a prequel. Vulture thinks this could all become official in the coming week; considering what happened with Benicio Del Toro, however, don't hold your breath for too long. [via Vulture] [Photo: Paramount] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Judge Allows Sheens Ex-Wife To Return Home

First Launched: December 6, 2011 12:12 PM EST Credit: WireImage Caption Charlie Sheen, Brooke Mueller in addition to their kids Lola and Mike at the ability of Elysium Benefit on August 25, 2007ASPEN, Colo. -- A Colorado judge will let actor Charlie Sheens ex-wife, Brooke Mueller, revisit California following her arrest in Aspen on assault and drug charges. A Pitkin County judge on Monday approved a request by Muellers attorney allowing Mueller to come back home so she'll take proper care of her children. In line with the Aspen Daily News, authorities arrested Mueller Saturday inside a nightclub carrying out a lady reported being assault by Mueller. Government physiques released Mueller after she released $11,000 bond. She's due in the court 12 ,. 19. Sheen and Mueller divorced taken, stating Christmas Day 2009 since the day's their breakup. Sheen was arrested in Aspen tomorrow on suspicion of attacking Mueller. He completed his probation because situation last November. Copyright 2011 with the Connected Press. All rights reserved. These elements is probably not launched, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Are Movie Titles Too Literal?

I. In which I introduce the premise. Ever since 'Snakes on a Plane,' goes the argument in this essay at Slate, movie and TV titles have become too literal, serving as spoilers for the content. Other current and recent examples: 'Tower Heist,' 'Bridesmaids,' 'Cowboys and Aliens,' 'The Social Network,' 'Step Brothers,' 'Wedding Crashers,' and 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin.' (The author might also have mentioned 'Drive,' 'The Muppets,' 'The Smurfs,' and 'A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas.') Such titles, the article argues, are a triumph of marketing over content and indicate a severe lack of creativity on the part of our filmmakers. To which I have to respond with a giant, "Yes, but..." For one thing, this isn't exactly a new phenomenon. Now, as in decades past, movie marquees offer a variety of titles, some simplified for marketing reasons, some still ambiguous and literary. Also, without meaning to, the Slate author has hit upon a particular genre of comedy, spearheaded by Judd Apatow, in which the bluntness of the title ('40-Year-Old Virgin' and 'Bridesmaids,' as well as 'Knocked Up') is part of the joke. It actually echoes the content of the movie, as if to promise that the humor contained within will be equally blunt and frank. So let's leave those out of the discussion. OK? Let's continue. II. In which I note that 'twas ever thus. The Slate piece implies some golden age of more creative movie titles, but Hollywood started simplifying titles to make them more market-friendly decades ago. In 1957, Warner Bros. changed 'The Sleeping Prince' (as Terence Rattigan's play was called) to 'The Prince and the Showgirl' to emphasize box-office draw Marilyn Monroe's presence. There are plenty of classic movies with blunt, ordinary titles: 'The Gold Rush,' 'The Champ,' 'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,' 'The Ten Commandments,' 'An American in Paris,' 'The Killing,' 'Judgment at Nuremberg,' 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.' Many directors made films with both kinds of titles. Western king John Ford did 'Stagecoach' (duh) and 'My Darling Clementine' (which gives no hint that it's about the shootout at the OK Corral). Alfred Hitchcock made 'Psycho,' 'The Birds,' 'To Catch a Thief,' and 'Lifeboat,' but he also made 'Shadow of a Doubt,' 'Strangers on a Train,' 'Vertigo,' and 'North by Northwest.' Conversely, there are plenty of contemporary titles that are more evocative than informative: 'Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close,' 'In the Land of Blood and Honey,' 'Martha Marcy May Marlene,' 'The Interrupters,' 'The Tree of Life,' 'Crazy, Stupid, Love.' Granted, most of these are art-house movies, meant for audiences with a taste for ambiguity. Nonetheless, you could argue that some titles can be too reductive, to the point where they're unmemorable. 'Warrior' might have done better with a less generic title. Same with 'Shark Night,' 'Our Idiot Brother,' 'Abduction,' and 'In Time.' Still, Slate has a point when even art films go the simplified title route. How is 'Carnage' a better title than the original 'God of Carnage,' except for its brevity? Why else shorten 'The Invention of Hugo Cabret' to 'Hugo'? (Too French, maybe?) And 'J. Edgar'? Was Clint Eastwood worried there wouldn't be room on the marquee for Hoover's last name? III. In which I do an about-face and try to blame the Internet. Slate suggests that movie titlers have been influenced by YouTube, where the titles are purely descriptive and user-friendly, but perhaps we should take this idea one step further. Doesn't it seem like these utilitarian movie titles were designed not just by marketers but by SEO experts? (Search Engine Optimization.) It's like they have to make sure they get the keywords in there so that the movie titles will get picked up by search engines. (After all, that's how you find videos on YouTube of piano-playing cats or smoking Indonesian babies.) This even applies to the non-spoiler-y titles. The only way an incomprehensible title like 'Quantum of Solace' makes marketing sense is that there's no other event on the Internet likely to put those two nouns together in the same phrase. Oh, also, the Internet has helped ruin our attention spans, so we don't have the patience for long, poetic titles. Plus, the short ones are easier to text. IV. In which I ponder the notion that the movies themselves are so forgettable these days that it's much more interesting to analyze their marketing than their content. Well, yeah, there's that. V. In which I try to make some current movie titles more oblique and mysterious by using Babelfish to translate them into Japanese and then back into English. Wouldn't you be more intrigued by a multiplex marquee listing the following movies: Damage of Dawn Immortal Person Burglar of Tower Lass of Boots Like Insanity Ram Liquor Diary Steel Iron of Substance My Week of the Mali Phosphorus Alas, this trick didn't work on 'Drive,' 'The Artist,' 'Shame,' or even 'Happy Feet Two,' all of which came back unaltered. VI. In which I poll the readers. Do You Prefer Blunt, Spoiler-y Movie Titles?Yes. They help me decide whether or not to see the movie.No. They signal a lack of creativity on the part of the filmmakers.Vote [Photos: FilmDistrict, Disney, Lionsgate] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook Follow Gary Susman on Twitter: @garysusman

New Moviefone Home page: Your Handy Help guide to Our Top Of The Page Facelift

Right now you've most likely observed the Moviefone home page includes a brand new look. (Should you arrived with the side door and have not yet seen it, go ahead and click over and take a look around.) So ... what is your opinion? Granted, it cannot quite rival the view of the Imperial Starfleet crossing the universe -- or Michelle Pfeiffer climbing down Robert Loggia's staircase in Scarface, for your matter -- but we are pretty pleased with it the same. Right towards the top of the brand new home page, you will find poster-formed links towards the most popular new movies -- both not far off as well as in theaters -- and below that links to Moviefone's world-class content: lead tales come in the rotating slide carousel at the very top, then articles around the subjects individuals are speaking about at this time. The most recent news head lines run lower the left side from the page, and merely right are video links to new trailers. Around the far-right rail, beneath the ad, there's a listing of links to movie review pages (you can observe the critic scores immediately -- bad November, Hollywood!) and, under that, an accumulation of irresistible photo art galleries. Also debuting today: an up-to-date site header, which you'll see towards the top of this site, with enhanced search functionality -- you'll find showtimes by browsing the film and theater menus, or by typing terms into the search bar -- along with a cleaner group of navigation options. Gleam Facebook feed to help you see what social mlm networkers, as well as your buddies, are discussing. These changes represent a little but significant milestone within our lengthy-term mission to create Moviefone nothing under the very best damn site on the web for movie enthusiasts and those who love them. (OK, we'll be satisfied with only the movie enthusiasts it may be our little factor.) You want to improve all of the experience -- from finding movies and showtimes to consuming news, to discussing, leaving comments, quarrelling, and otherwise engaging having a like-minded community of fellow movie fans. But to actually accomplish this goal, we have to know what you think! If you see something which needs work, know of methods we're able to improve, or would like to shout out an element that you simply really like (we are able to dream, right?), please take the time to talk about your feedback. OK, intermission over. Time for you to dim the lights and return to the enjoyment stuff. Thank you for going to! Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

From 'The Artist' to 'War Equine,' 22 Honours Competitors That Plainly Feature Animals (Photos)

last century Fox"We Bought a Zoo" Within the last month roughly -- throughout that people saw Carnage, Hugoand The Adventures of Tintinand are actually itching to find out War Equine which we Bought a Zoo -- it dawned on me that they are only a small amount of lots of 2011 honours hopefuls that plainly feature animals ... a couple of which really give excellent "performances." Sure, every year really are a couple of animated movies are created around anthropomorphic creatures, but this year seems to own really people than usual, together with reasonable uptick in live-action movies including animals. Therefore I sitting lower, emerged with all of the 22 good good examples and set together the following photo gallery of those. Hopefully you'll have a look inside my options -- and let me know connected having a omissions, together with your individual favorite, inside the comments section in the finish from the publish. PHOTOS: 22 Honours Competitors Featuring Animals War Equine The Adventures of Tintin We Bought a Zoo Hugo

SNL Ties Season Full Of Grown ups 18-49

SNL Auditions Regis Philbin Substitutes Last evening’s Saturday Evening Live located by Jason Segel with musical guest Florence + The Device, averaged a 4.6/11 in metered-market homes along with a 2.8/12 in grown ups 18-49 in Residents Meters. The late-evening sketch show was up a tenth both in measures from a week ago’s telecast located by Emma Stone with Coldplay. In 18-49, SNL mached its best result this year (tied using the March. 12 edition located by Charlie Day with Maroon 5). Here's Segel’s monologue, by which he was became a member of by his co-stars in the Muppets movie:

Whitened House Screening 'Muppets' for Military Families

A few days back, there is an unconfirmed rumor the Obama Whitened House had purchased a duplicate from the drama 'Martha Marcy May Marlene' for that Barack and Michelle Obama to look at. While 'Martha' has gotten critical acclaim, it appears such as the Whitened House prefer to opt for something a bit more wholesome. Based on the Hollywood Reporter, the favourite residence on the planet is going to be screening a duplicate from the approaching 'Muppets' movie for military families on November. 22. Jason Segel and Kermit the Frog may also be available to consider pictures (not sure on if the First Family intentions of attending). Should you aren't among the lucky couple of to visit the screening, you will need to watch for 'The Muppets' official release, which happens eventually afterwards November. 23. RELATED: Kermit's Craziest Evening Out [via THR] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

THR Poll: Oscar Viewers Prefer Eddie Murphy Over Billy Crystal as Show Host

This article originally appeared in the Nov. 25 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.our editor recommendsBilly Crystal to Host the OscarsEddie Murphy Exits as Oscar HostBrian Grazer Replacing Brett Ratner as Oscar Producer (Exclusive)Brett Ratner Out as Oscar Show Producer (Exclusive)Related Topics•Oscars 2012•The Race The Academy breathed a sigh of relief when Brian Grazer and Billy Crystal took over for Brett Ratner and Eddie Murphy as producer and host of the Oscars. But are viewers as excited to see Crystal's ninth turn as emcee? To find out, market research firm Penn Schoen Berland surveyed 510 awards-show viewers aged 13 to 59 and compared the results against similar surveys about Murphy and 2011 hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway. Notes pollster Jon Penn, "A Crystal Oscars restores class and credibility to the show, but his appeal is significantly older, female and conservative." PHOTOS: Oscar Hosts Through the Years 56%: Viewers who support Crystal as host Down from 72 percent for Murphy Only viewers over 45 and women over 30 support Crystal more than Murphy 53 percent of nonwhites support Crystal; 82 percent of nonwhites support Murphy Crystal's overall support is only 2 percent higher than that for Franco and Hathaway (54 percent) PHOTOS: Oscar's Biggest Bombs 67%: Viewers who intend to watch the Crystal-hosted Oscars 7 percent lower than those who would watch a Murphy show African-Americans are more than 2½ times less likely to watch Crystal In head-to-head competition, Murphy is the choice of 58 percent of viewers, compared with Crystal's 42 percent Related Topics Anne Hathaway Billy Crystal Brett Ratner Brian Grazer Eddie Murphy James Franco Oscars Oscars 2012

Bill Condon on Breaking Dawn, Bella as Bride of Frankenstein and Twilight's 'Gay Sensibility'

Every director who’s gone through the whirlwind circus that is filming and releasing a Twilight movie eventually gets to relax and breathe a sigh of relief, but Bill Condon (Gods and Monsters, Dreamgirls) still has miles and miles to go. Fans and critics will finally see what the Oscar-winner brings to the YA vampire franchise when The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 hits theaters Nov. 18, but if they find themselves displeased with his treatment of Stephenie Meyer’s beloved novel, it could be a tough year’s wait until Condon’s simultaneously-shot series ender (Breaking Dawn - Part 2) concludes the series next fall. But! Judging from the temperature of the Twilight community thus far, Condon probably needn’t feel anxious; he’s played the Summit game so far with palpable enthusiasm for the tale of one Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and her angst-ridden coming of age saga, earning fan support along the way. Fully aware that much rides on getting Breaking Dawn - Part 1’s big moments right — the wedding, the honeymoon, the butter-hued love-making, and its gory repercussions — Condon collaborated creatively with the series’s best expert (Stewart, “the biggest Twi-hard in the world”) but took care to put his own cinematic stamp on Breaking Dawn. Condon rang Movieline the other week and discussed his pre-release nerves, the Breaking Dawn on set dance-off that warmed his heart, the question of the “gay sensibility” he may or may not have brought to the Twilight franchise, what big plans might be in store for Breaking Dawn 1 & 2 on DVD/Blu-ray, and more. How are you feeling in this moment, knowing the film is about to start being seen, finally, after all this time? I know! Well, anxious, obviously. But excited, too. Because you live in a cocoon for so long, and we don’t do big previews or anything like that, so it’ll be fun, you know? Breaking Dawn - Part 1 is a part of the Twilight Saga that contains a lot of big important life events happen to Bella Swan — the wedding, the honeymoon, the birth of a child, and what comes after that… which of those big moments did you feel the most pressure to nail? I think the big three — wedding, honeymoon, birth. You just felt like those, you’ve got to get right. But man, I would say the most pressure might have been the wedding. Just because, my god, everybody has an idea of what it should be like. And I have to say, ultimately I kind of stayed with that one idea: What’s Bella feeling? For each of those three things. And once you sort of do it through that prism, things start falling into place. So that it really because about, what is she feeling as she walks down that aisle? But you have this incredible collaborator in Kristen Stewart. The wedding made us all anxious, but excited. Did Kristen have a lot to say, a lot of input into how the wedding came together? Absolutely. She was a big collaborator in the design of the dress, and in general… as you know, she’s like the biggest Twi-hard in the world, and she’s very tough on herself as well. She had a list of things she was most anxious to get right, and I think the wedding was a huge part of that. Just making sure that she could express as much as possible — and again, it’s all happening on her face. That’s not dialogue, that’s not anything. It’s just to express as much of what’s going on inside that character as she could. So in a way, it’s like you and Kristen planned the wedding together. Right! Rumor has it there is a musical number in the wedding scene. True? This has gotten a little [distorted]… there’s no musical number. No. All there is, is that people dance at the wedding so we brought a choreographer in; Ashley [Greene] and Jackson [Rathbone] are both great dancers, and they just chill out for a moment. That’s all it is. But there was some sort of dance battle on set? There was. It was one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen. In that second movie, as you know from the book, a half hour takes place in this one location, this on field. And we shot there for — when you include the second unit it was a couple of months, but the first unit was there for many weeks - and we came to the last, widest shot, with 80 vampires on one side and 27 vampires on the other. I’m sitting up the ladder and suddenly you hear this music — “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” — and suddenly the Cullen side starts this incredible, West Side Story kind of rumble dance, and of course the other vampires then start to dance back. It was unbelievably great. Did you film that? Is that something that will be seen on the Blu-ray? I think there was a lot of B-camera rolling, and stuff like that. So that will all come out - but it’s the second movie. Who was responsible for that? It was a couple of actors who organized it. I know Myanna Buring was behind it, and Lee Pace. There were a couple of others, I should figure out exactly who. But they kept it a secret! They rehearsed this number for a week and kept it a secret! It was great. It was so great.

Hot Trailer: Red-colored-colored Tails

The story in the Tuskegee Airmen, first African-American aircraft aircraft pilots to fly in the combat squad throughout World war ii, Red-colored-colored Tails is directed starting with-timer Anthony Hemingway (with numerous experience who offered as first AD several features). It stars Cuba Gooding Junior, Terrence Howard, Nate Parker, David Oyelowo, Michael B. Jordan, Ne-Years of age, Elijah Kelley and Bryan Cranston. Script is actually John Ridley (Undercover Brother, Barbershop) and Aaron McGruder (The Boondocks). The 20th Century Fox release from Lucasfilm and Partnership Pictures opens The month of the month of january 20, 2012.

War from the Arrows (Choejongbyungki hwal)

A Lotte Entertainment discharge of a Dasepoclub Co., DCG Plus Co. production. (Worldwide sales: Lotte Entertainment, Seoul.) Created by Kim Sang-hwan, Jang Won-suk. Executive producers, Sohn Gwang-ik, Park Hyun-tae. Co-producer, Jung Ji-hoon. Directed, compiled by Kim Han-min.With: Park Hae-il, Ryu Seung-ryong, Moon Chae-won, Kim Mu-yeol, Lee Kyeong-yeong, Ryohei Otani, Kim Ku-taek, Lee Han-wi, Park Gi-woong, Lee Da-wit, Jeon Min-search engine optimization. (Korean, Manchu dialogue)After whistling along nicely to have an hour, Korean costume spectacle "War from the Arrows" allows fly having a other half of nonstop action and excitement. Toplining Park Hae-il ("The Host") being an archer whose prowess puts Robin Hood to shame, this rip-roaring yarn has hit the bull's-eye in your area, with 7.4 million admissions since August. 11. Reissued March. 21 inside a director's cut, "Arrows" has edged out "Sunny" as South Korea's greatest domestic hit of 2011, and obtained respectable amounts in limited U.S. release March. 7. Fests seeking high-energy crowdpleasers should take a look ancillary is going to be robust. Getting rid of the ponderous plot development that frequently hampers South Korean period actioners, scripter-helmer Kim Han-min cracks the narrative whip immediately. Attention-getting 1623-set prologue finds kid Nam-yi (Lee Da-wit) and little sister Ja-in (Jeon Min-search engine optimization) narrowly getting away dying when their father is top quality a traitor and wiped out by rivals within the Chosun empire court. Cut to 1636, and Nam-yi (Park Hae-il) and also the beautiful Ja-in (Moon Chae-won) stay in the proper care of Kim Mu-seon (Lee Kyeong-yeong), a wealthy family friend whose slightly nerdy boy, Search engine optimization-gun (Kim Mu-yeol), has requested Ja-directly into marry him. Badly luck might say, the couple's big day coincides using the Manchu invasion of Korea, leading to Ja-in and Search engine optimization-gun being taken and held prisoner close to the Korea-Manchuria border. Perfectly fine entertainment to date, the pic becomes full-on exhilarating when Nam-yi, that has evaded capture, determines to save his sister. Formerly seen as an gifted archer without any concentrate existence, Nam-yi springs superbly into action as some kind of superman with Ph.D-level understanding of bow-and-arrow the rules of aerodynamics, plus a chance to hear enemy missiles and take split-second evasive action. With one of these talents proven in dazzling p.o.v. and slo-mo images, Nam-yi picks off a large number of enemy soldiers on the way to saving Ja-in in the lecherous advances of Manchu prince Doreukon (Park Gi-woong). But that is just half the fight to get Ja-in and Search engine optimization-gun to safety. Nam-yi's cat-and-mouse game with fearsome Manchu warrior Jiusinta (Ryu Seung-ryong) and the uber-macho hit squad is very staged and packs real emotional punch once the final arrow hits its target. A significant vary from his previous features, psychodrama "Handphone" and murder mystery "Paradise Damaged," helmer Kim marshals large-scale action with considerable flair. Thesping, a lot of it within the almost extinct Manchu language, is tops: Park shades his guy-of-action heroics with warm notes of quiet contemplation, Ryu is things rugged because the dominant heavy, and television star Moon is terrific because the feisty girl together with her own group of combat abilities. Topnotch cinematography by Kim Tae-seong (to not be mistaken with the composer of the identical title here) includes thrilling chase moments in misty forests along with a riot of carnal colors within the randy royal's boudoir. Excellent CGI blends effortlessly in to the action, and also the Manchu martial artists look wonderful in fur-lined heavy leather costumes. Other tech jobs are first-class.Camera (color), Kim Tae-seong editors, Kim Chang-ju, Steve Choi music, Kim Tae-seong production designer, Jang Choon-sub costume designers, Jung Suk-ho, Im Seung-hee seem (Dolby Digital), Choi Tae-youthful visual effects administrators, Han Youthful-woo, Lee Dong-hoon visual effects, Digital Ideas action choreographers, Oh Se-youthful, Choi Tae-hwan stunt coordinator, Kim Sang-youthful second unit director, Shin Sun-youthful second unit camera, Park Jong-chul. Examined at Busan Film Festival (Korean Cinema Today), March. 12, 2011. Running time: 122 MIN. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

New American Reunion Trailer: Is Stifler a Twihard?

Look, I’m excited to revisit American Pie, all right? Jason Biggs is hilarious, Thomas Ian Nicholas is still winsome in his hirsute state, Chris Klein has hilarious Street Fighter cred now, and Seann William Scott has apparently updated his repertoire to include Twilight jokes — at least according to the movie’s new trailer. Check it out after the jump if, like me, you’re game for yet another hornball summit. American Reunion - Trailer #1 [VO|HD] by cinemakervideo If Eugene Levy hooks up with Jennifer Coolidge, I can’t promise I won’t emit a new human noise of ebullience and fear. I’ll be there April 6 to attempt this breakthrough in evolution. ‘American Reunion’ Trailer Teases a Hookup Between the Series’ Oldest Characters [/Film]

Bette Davis Joins Michael Jackson and Elvis on Finest-Producing Dead Stars List

Roughly couple of years after his dying, Michael Jackson remains best entertainment property from beyond. Forbes released its 2011 roster in the top-producing dead stars, and Jackson tops these with $170 million in revenue. Besides he best anybody dead, he tops most living pop functions too. Only U2 made more since October 2010. PHOTOS: Hollywood's Notable Deaths Also retaining his place in the earlier list is Elvis. His amounts are dwarfed by Jackson's, but 34 years after his dying, he introduced in $55 million inside the a year ago. The present Cirque Du Soleil show highlighting his music, Viva Elvis, aided him retain his place. New addendums to this list are the late Bette Davis. Dying at 79 in March of the season, Taylor ties John Lennon for your number 5 place. Each of them acquired $12 million. Taylor's perennially effective scent, White-colored Diamonds, counts for almost all her profits. Another notable addition for the list is Marilyn Monroe. Gone for 51 years, Monroe has formerly been a "near miss" for your Forbes list. This year she will come in third, producing $27 million. PHOTOS: Bette Davis's Existence in Pictures Monroe's renaissance in popular culture, thanks in no small part for the Weinstein Company's approaching biopic My Week With Marilyn, remains credited to her jumping within the chart. Peanuts creator Charles Schultz, Albert Einstein and Dr. Seuss may also be incorporated inside the top 8. Related Subjects Michael Jackson Bette Davis Marilyn Monroe Elvis

Penumbra

An IFC Evening time (within the U . s . States) relieve a Cinemagroup production in colaboration with Tres Mentes and Abs Prods. Produced by Horacio Mentasti, Esteban Mentasti, Alberto Trigo. Co-producers, Anton Sole, Jaume Sole. Directed, put together by Adrian Garcia Bogliano, Ramiro Garcia Bogliano.With: Cristina Brondo, Camila Bordonaba, Berta Muniz, Arnaldo Andre, Mirella Pascual, Diego Cremonesi, Victoria Witemburg, Maria Nela Sinisterra.Sister filmmakers Adrian and Ramiro Garcia Bogliano tough toy with audience sympathies and anticipation in "Penumbra," a slickly produced thriller that frequently helps it be super simple for you to that it's nominal protagonist (Cristina Brondo), menaced by possibly deranged cultists and written just like a thoroughgoing bitch, can get exactly what's going to her. Acquired for U . s . States release by IFC throughout the 2010 Fantastic Fest, this Argentinean import likely will scare up interest as VOD fare, though its theatrical potential shouldn't be underrated. Marga (Brondo), a business lawyer situated in the united states, isn't whatsoever sentimental about her family ties to Argentina. Indeed, she absolutely despises the entire country, especially Buenos Aires, which she regards just like a cesspool populated by lazy underachievers Sadly, she must spend a while within a Buenos Aires business visit exhibit an authentic-estate agent a family group-possessed apartment in the gone-to-seed neighborhood. A lot more sadly, the agent as well as the affiliate marketers who soon join him, effectively attract Marga's avarice by promising her a hefty payback in the potential renter if she'll only stay little more time. Like, until the start of an impending pv eclipse. Brondo comes off as so strongly uncomfortable through the pic's first half -- through which Marga barks orders into her cell phone, condescending for the agents in most cases producing the enmity of neighborhood people -- that particular cannot help admiring the fearlessness of her hard-charging, take-no-crooks performance. Indeed, although her character's abrasiveness from time to time seems justified (an unseen business connect clearly is plotting against her alternatively finish from the phone connection), it is not prior to the agents reveal their true colors that Marga begins to produce anything resembling a rooting interest. The Garcia Bogliano brothers and sisters shrewdly exploit viewer ambivalence toward Marga simply because they ratchet within the suspense. In addition to their final plot twist is much more satisfying to get the flavour of just deserts. Lenser Ernesto Herrera intensifies audience unease in many moments by portentously framework figures in mirrors, entrance doorways and hallways, subtly suggesting that energy is shifting and screws are tightening.Camera (color), Ernesto Herrera editor, Hernan Muyano music, Martin Jurado production designer, Catalina Oliva art director, Fabian Forte appear (Dolby Digital), German Suracce effects supervisor, Lanfranco P. Burattini connect producers, Raul Perez, Paula Parisi. Examined at Fantastic Fest, Austin, Sept. 25, 2011. Running time: 85 MIN. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

See Emma Watson and Logan Lerman in First Still from 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'

Emma Watson is well on her way to leaving Hermione Granger in the Hogwarts library. The rising young star appears as a wardrobe girl in next month's Oscar contender 'My Week With Marilyn' and will take a lead role in next year's 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower.' Summit Entertainment sent over a first official still of Watson and star Logan Lerman ('Percy Jackson') in the new film, which is based on Stephen Chbosky's best-selling novel about an awkward high school freshman in Pittsburgh, Penn. Check out the pic ahead. 'Wallflower' co-stars Ezra Miller, Nina Dobrev ('The Vampire Diaries'), Mae Whitman (Ann from 'Arrested Development'; her), Johnny Simmons, Nicholas Braun and Paul Rudd, and hits theaters in 2012. [Photos: Summit Entertainment] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook RELATED

Lifetime to Remake Steel Magnolias With an All-Black Cast

Julia Roberts Lifetime is developing an updated version of Steel Magnolias with an all-black cast, Deadline.com reports. Check out the rest of today's news Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are set to produce the TV movie, based on the original 1989 film, which starred Sally Field, Dolly Parton and Julia Roberts, among others. Zadan and Meron are said to be looking for equally high-caliber black actresses to fill the roles in their contemporary take set in Louisiana. Kenny Leon, whose previous credits include ABC's A Raisin In the Sun, will direct. Who do you think should be cast in the all-black Steel Magnolias? We think The Help's Octavia Spencer would be perfect in Parton's role, or Audra McDonald could fill Olympia Dukakis' shoes as Clairee.

Three set for Independent Edge thriller

Logue SpiridakosKatie Cassidy, Tracy Spiridakos and Donal Logue are toplining an untitled thriller from Independent Edge Films, with Michael Greenspan pointing and Kyle Mann creating.Pic, put together by Christian Forte, Christopher Dodd and Greenspan, concentrates on two female college roommates whose lives take an unforeseen dark and deadly detour. Filming has started in Victoria, Bc.Mann and Greenspan teamed on "Wrecked."Cassidy came out in "Nightmare on Elm Street" and "Monte Carlo" and Spiridakos reaches "Rise in the Planet in the Apes."Greenspan and Dodd are repped by Alex Lerner at Kaplan/Perrone and Original Artists. Forte is repped by Bryan Brucks, who's also professional creating. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

Tom Cruise Has Moves Like Jagger in Dance-Off Video

From 'Risky Business' to 'Tropic Thunder' one factor is obvious: Tom Cruise loves dancing. It was confirmed once more in the wedding of 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol' producer David Ellison a few days ago, when Cruise was challenged to some dance-off with a fellow guest. Signal up, Maroon 5! Tom's got a bit of dancin' to complete. Watch ahead. video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player If Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson require a large cameo for 'Zoolander 2,' Tom's most likely available. [via TMZ] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Director Beth McCarthy-Miller Ventures Into Development With ABC Comedy project

EXCLUSIVE: Top TV director Beth McCarthy-Miller is making her first foray into network development with a single-camera comedy project at ABC through ABC Studios. Haught Mess, written by Ellen Rapoport, is an adult family comedy centered on a woman who is caught between her new boyfriend and her inability to say “no” to her siblings and mother. Rapoport and McCarthy-Miller are executive producing, with McCarthy-Miller set to direct the potential pilot. This past season, McCarthy-Miller directed 3 pilots, ABC’s Man Up and Work It and Nickelodeon’s How To Rock, all of which went to series. McCarthy-Miller is best known for her directing work on NBC’s Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock, which has earned her a total of 6 Emmy nominations, most recently this year for the live 30 Rock. CAA reps McCarthy-Miller and Rapoport who is managed by Management 360. Also at ABC, the network has bought a comedy script from writer Jeff Lowell (Just Shoot Me) and Brillstein Entertainment, which produced the NBC workplace comedy. The ABC Studios project centers on a politically correct modern-day guy who is haunted by the ghost of his father a 1950s winner, who coaches him on life and love. Lowell, JoAnn Alfano and Daniel Rappaport exec produce.

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Gene Simmons & Longtime Girlfriend Marry

First Launched: October 2, 2011 10:45 AM EDT Credit: Getty Images La, Calif. -- Caption Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed pose at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in LARocker Gene Simmons and also the longtime girlfriend, actress Shannon Tweed, have tied the knot. Publicist Beginning Burns offered her congratulations for the new couple on Facebook. Simmons and Tweed are actually a couple of for any very long time. Their engagement announcement lately surprised many fans. People magazine reported the happy couple exchanged vows they written themselves. Playboy mentioned about 400 site visitors attended the Saturday evening ceremony outdoors a Beverly Slopes hotel. The 62-year-old Hug bassist as well as the 54-year-old Tweed have two children. The completely new season in the reality show Gene Simmons Family Jewels premieres Tuesday round the A&E network. (Copyright 2011by Connected Press) Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All rights reserved. These elements is probably not launched, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The very best spinner's Builds up Vince Vaughn-Steve Byrne Comedy Pilot

The very best spinner's is banking on Vince Vaughn's model of comedy. The Turner-possessed cable network has bought a comedy pilot of Sullivan and Boy, half-hour project starring comedian Steve Byrne.The comedy, that's prone to begin shooting later this year, concentrates on the legendary Pittsburgh bar, which may serve as the unofficial "town hall" in the working-class neighborhood. In this situation, Steve Sullivan (Byrne) might be the boy in the current bar owner as well as the grand boy of the founder who leaves his effective corporate attorney gig in NY to think about over Sullivan & Boy. The series tales his search for an even more rewarding existence behind the bar. Byrne is positioned to pen the project, which will count Make the most of Extended (Cheers) as showrunner.Vaughn and Peter Billingsley (Iron Guy) will join Extended as executive producers round the project, which arises from Vaughn's Wild West Picture Show Productions and Warner Horizon Television. Related Subjects Vince Vaughn The very best spinner's TV Development

Tom Cruise is the Greatest Auteur Slut of Our Time

What keeps Tom Cruise relevant after 30 years in Hollywood? Take this hint from his Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol director Brad Bird: “You look at the directors he’s worked with […] It’s a who’s who. Scorsese and Kubrick and Spielberg and Oliver Stone — when Oliver Stone was making better movies — and Michael Mann and Sydney Pollack and on and on and on. It’s kind of stunning. Not every one of them was a great movie, but he’s worked with great directors over and over again, and you can engage him in those conversations.” Or Paul Thomas Anderson. Or Ridley Scott. Or Brian De Palma. Or John Woo. Or Neil Jordan. Isn’t Quentin Tarantino hiring at the moment? Let’s make that happen. [LAT]

Disney's 'Lone Ranger' Near to Riding Again After The Actor-brad Pitt, Jerry Bruckheimer, Gore Verbinski Reduce Costs

This piece seems within the new problem from the Hollywood Reporter. Clickhereto begin to see the cover.our editor recommendsMelissa McCarthy Focusing on Comedy with 'The Help' Director How 'SNL' Made Her CryJohnny Depp's 'The Lone Ranger' Shut Lower By Disney Box Office Smackdown: Kaira Pitt's 'World War Z' to spread out Against Johnny Depp's 'Lone Ranger'Disney's 'Lone Ranger' Will get December 2012 Release So how exactly does a film which was considered dead and hidden get cut back to existence? Request Disney's studio chief Wealthy Ross, who seems to become around the edge of resurrecting The Lone Ranger with star The Actor-brad Pitt, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski all remaining aboard. After budget discussions that pulled on before film skipped its fall start date, the project appears like it could crawl back in the precipice because of some unusual financial work. ANALYSIS: Why Disney Will Make 'Lone Ranger' -- Unwillingly The fantasy Western, once allocated in an eye-popping $250 million, is going to be cut lower to $215 million. To reach that figure (along with a eco-friendly light), the creatives involved will reduce their costs: no $20 million for Depp, no $ten million each for Bruckheimer and Verbinski, out of the box their norm on tentpoles. A resource also states the filmmakers will sacrifice their back-finish participation when the film is available in over budget, a substantial incentive to operate a good ship. One of many planned train sequences continues to be scrapped, and numerous CGI-heavy features happen to be removed. But what's most surprising of is the fact that an insider informs The Hollywood Reporter that suppliers focusing on the film, for example effects houses as well as hotels, are now being requested to simply accept reduced guaranteed costs to be able to secure the company from the production. STORY: 'Lone Ranger': Director, Producer Offer to Trim Costs as Budget Fight Rages While particulars are sparse, top professionals at other galleries say they've never heard about such shared sacrifice on the major studio release. As well as with all of individuals credits, many think your budget continues to be way too top- and remain skeptical that Verbinski can meet it. Disney hasn't introduced whether Lone Ranger can continue to hit theaters by its planned holiday 2012 release date. Related Subjects Jerry Bruckheimer The Actor-brad Pitt Wealthy Ross The Wally Disney Company Gore Verbinski The Lone Ranger

Japan's TV Asahi into China

Tokyo, japan, japan -- TV Asahi, among Japan's five terrestrial tv producers, aims to start production in China. In the press conference on Tuesday, network prexy Hiroshi Hayakawa mentioned that it's going to send staffers to Shanghai Media Group with the finish of year incorporated within an exchange program. SMG employees are actually going to TV Asahi in recent several days for learning Japan. The Tv Asahi staffers will survey china market just like a preliminary for beginning local production and broadcasting as well as SMG. Furthermore to standard broadcasting, TV Asahi aims to connect to SMG to bow Internet streaming services. Facing stagnation inside their core biz in your house, Japanese media companies are trying to grow into other areas, with China a great target. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Karl Urban Joins Riddick 3

Down again one of the NecromongersTheir source is unclear as you would expect, but BD believe they've exclusive word that Karl Urban has signed onto Riddick 3, to reprise his Stories role of Vaako.Vaako, you'll recall, was commander from the all-overcoming Necromongers, assigned last time through the The almighty High Marshall with lowering Vin Diesel's Riddick and coming back together with his mind. He was married to Thandie Newton, the lucky demon, coupled with designs around the LHM's throne, but [Stories spoiler] was avoided from presuming energy through the shiny-eyed Richard B, who won the authority to lead the Necromonger troops because, "You retain that which you kill" and that he wiped out their large boss.Urban's return is not an excellent surprise, since various scripts featuring Vaako have appeared across the route to Riddick's production. How big that role has not yet been revealed, however. The script monikered Dead Guy Stalking was stated to feature Vaako heavily 18 several weeks ago, but newer reviews from the casting sheet appeared to point some thing like a cameo.In either case, anything you think about Stories, it is good to determine the series a minimum of keeping some continuity, instead of choosing to have an embarrassed reboot. The slimmer, meaner, more-along-the-lines-of-Pitch-Black Riddick threequel is preparing to have an imminent shoot, having a release planned for sometime the coming year. As before, it's directed by David Twohy.

Four boost road grosses

Four from the seven shows drawn in additional than $a million in Week 16 (Sept.12-18). Total box office rose 4.8%, using the first company of "Wicked" moving to Atlanta. First company of "Wicked" also brought all shows, using more than $1.8 million in sales. Total gross for that week was $8,419,178.ATLANTA Wicked (M-first Co.) Fox Theater ($73 4,440, $2,189,856) (9/14-10/9/11).PW, $1,456,140 in Hartford, Conn.Last (first) wk, $1,845,000. COSTA MESA, CALIF. West Side Story (M-first Co.) Segerstrom Center for that Arts ($100 3,039 $1,488,540) (9/13-9/18/11).PW $1,032,452.Last (second) wk, $1,136,785. MEMPHIS, Tenn. L'ensemble des Miserables (M-first Co.) Orpheum Theater ($92 2,424 $1,156,949) (9/12-9/18/11).PW, $1,349,895 in Colorado.Last (first) wk, $1,086,840. OMAHA, NEB. Jersey Boys (M-first Co.) Orpheum Theater ($80 2,570, $1,357,740) (9/12-9/18/11).PW, $891,016.Last (second) wk, $953,958. PITTSBURGH Wicked (M-second Co.) Benedum Center ($82 2,806, One Dollar,640,056) (9/7-10/2/11).PW, $1,612,690.Last (second) wk, $1,730,923. SALT LAKE CITY Mary Poppins (M-first Co.) Capitol Theater ($85 1,834, $1,094,200) (9/1-9/25/11).PW $766,159.Last (3rd) wk, $722,282. SYRACUSE, N.Y. The Lion King (M-first Co.) Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater ($100 1,926 $1,242,700) (9/6-10/2/11).PW, $922,112.Last (second) wk, $943,390. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

China to Submit 'The Flowers of War' in Foreign-Language Oscar Race

Beijing New Picture FIlm Co Zhang Yimou's The Flowers of War, starring Christian Bale, will probably be China's submission to find the best foreign-language film Academy Award, China's Film Bureau introduced on Friday. STORY: Top U.S. Customers Get First Look at Christian Bale's 'The Flowers of War' Modified by film author Liu Heng from Yan Geling's historic novel 13 Flowers of Nanjing and produced with the director's extended-time creating partnerZhang Weiping, the film is occur Nanking in 1937 since the Japanese Imperial Military overruns China's capital. Bale plays John Haufman, a u . s . states missionary who aided safeguard several schoolgirls and hookers within the entering military. PHOTOS: Toronto Film Festival: 13 Films to know The film, with dialogue in Mandarin and British, cost $90 million to produce. It absolutely was executive produced by DengChaoyingand David Linde. Glen Basner's FilmNation Entertainment, that's handling worldwide sales, previewed footage through the current Toronto Worldwide Film Festival, and several U.S. customers are presently circling the project. The Next time may be the charm for Zhang, who directed the opening occasions in the Beijing Olympics. Despite getting been nominated formerly with Ju Dou and lift the Red-colored-colored Lantern, Zhang has yet to produce home an Oscar. Composer Su Cong increased being the initial citizen of individuals's Republic of China to win an Academy Award, for his use David Byrne and Ryuichi Sakamoto round the soundtrack for Bernardo Bertolucci's The Ultimate Emperor. Hunan province-born Tan Dun later won for top Original Score for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Flowers can get full China domestic release in December. No U.S. release date is positioned, despite the fact that Oscar nomination will spur interest. Toronto Worldwide Film Festival Oscars Worldwide Asia Christian Bale Oscars 2012 Zhang Yimou

Box Office Report: Kaira Pitt's 'Moneyball' and Family Pic 'Dolphin Tale' in Close Race

Kaira Pitt baseball drama Moneyball and family pic Dolphin Tale will be in an in depth race within the weekend box office, which causes it to be tough to call which movie will score the winning homerun.our editor recommendsDolphin Tale: Film ReviewAbduction: Film ReviewMoneyball: Toronto Review Early returns show both films grossing inside the $20 million range for your weekend, although Moneyball is predicted to win the the Friday race itself. Consider family films frequently gain traction on Saturday or sunday, Dolphin Tale -- from Alcon Entertainment and Warner Bros., the identical team behind The Blind Side -- could pull ahead. Still, Sony's Moneyball is not any slouch and could search in. The film is drawing glowing notices, particularly for Pitt's performance, which is enjoying useful advantages of strong interest among males and older women. PHOTOS: 'Moneyball' Premiere in Concord The weekend's two other films -- Rachelle Lefervre thriller Abduction and Jason Statham-Robert DeNiro action pic Killer Elite -- depends heavily on evening time business, so early returns make predictions difficult. However, box office experts put weekend grosses for your two films at $hundreds of an incredible number of to $13 million, in line with pre-release anticipation. Directed by Bennett Burns, Moneyball stars Kaira Pitt since the real-existence Billy Beane, the gm in the Concord A's who switched the franchise around no matter the team's bleak finances. Moneyball, also starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Robin Wright and Jonah Hill, is founded on Michael Lewis' 2003 book of the title making its world premiere within the Toronto Film Festival. Dolphin Tale also boasts strong awareness and good reviews, which is monitoring well with women and families. Directed by Charles Martin Cruz, the sensation-good film is founded on an authentic story of a bottlenose dolphin saved in the Florida Coast after her tail was hurt. VIDEO: Rachelle Lefervre's 'Abudution' Premiere: What's Next for your 'Twilight' Actor? Alcon and Warner Bros. marketed the film -- starring Harry Connick Junior., Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman -- both to belief-based audiences and general moviegoers, simply because they did with Blind Side. The very first strength of Dolphin Tale is an additional win for the family members genre. Last weekend, Disney's 3d re-relieve The Lion King assigned el born area office chart getting an outstanding $30.2 million opening. Lion King is predicted to fall about 50% within the second outing. Lionsgate's Abduction might be the apparent choice among teen ladies and youthful as well as could easily over-perform. Inside the action-thriller, directed by John Singleton, Lautner plays a teenager who finds out his parents aren't who they are in the beginning sight when he sees his picture around the missing children's website. The film, that's recieving poor reviews, also stars Lily Collins, Sigourney Weaver, Maria Bello and Freema Agyeman. Killer Elite might be the very first release from Tom Ortenberg's Open Road Films, the independent purchases and distribution company backed by AMC Entertainment and Regal Entertainment. Killer Elite is leading to plenty of interest among males, but will have to deal with Moneyball. The film also stars Clive Owen and was directed by Gary McKendry. Moneyball and Killer Elite aren't really the only game game titles playing within the recent Toronto Film Festival to bow a couple of days ago within the domestic box office: Relativity Media opens Gerard Butler action biopic Machine Gun Preacher in four theaters in NY and La before growing into 15 additional areas on Sept. 30. Relativity acquired U.S. distribution rights to Machine Gun Preacher from Lionsgate. Related Subjects Kaira Pitt Rachelle Lefervre Moneyball Dolphin Tale Killer Elite

Nico Minardos dies at 81

Actor Nico Minardos, who appeared in film and television during a three-decade career and was the subject of a 2010 documentary, died of natural causes on Aug. 27 in Los Angeles. He was 81.Minardos was a contract player at 20th Century Fox, making his first (uncredited) film appearance in 1952's "Monkey Business" with Marilyn Monroe and Cary Grant. Film credits also include "Istanbul," with Errol Flynn; 1960's "Twelve Hours to Kill," in which he starred opposite Barbara Eden; "It Happened in Athens," with Jayne Mansfield; and 1977's "Assault on Agathon," which he produced and starred in with Marianne Faithfull and John Woodvine.Minardos also made appearances on dozens of TV shows starting in 1956. Credits included "Maverick," "The Twilight Zone," "Perry Mason," "The Flying Nun," "Mod Squad," "Mission: Impossible," "Ironside," "Alias Smith and Jones" and "The A-Team."He was also the subject of Owen Prell's 2010 feature documentary "Finding Nico."Born and raised in Athens, Greece, Minardos attended the Sorbonne in Paris and graduated from UCLA.He was briefly married to Deborah Jean Smith, who later married Tyrone Power.Minardos is survived by his second wife, Julie Minardos; son George Minardos; daughter Nina Aloni, who is married to CAA agent Dan Aloni; and three grandchildren. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

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ANALYSIS: Behind New Women Remarkably Large Opening And Also The iTunes Experiment

New Girl Opens Large, Tops Evening The very first time inside a decade, Fox know that it features a live-action half-hour comedy hit on its hands with New Girl, which blew past all rankings forecasts to spread out having a large 4.8/12 in grown ups 18-49 (10.3 million audiences overall). New Girl‘s great rankings performance caught everybody unexpectedly, including Fox’s mind of selling Joe Earley. As they is elated today, just a few days ago he was very worried because the network’s dangerous promo stint of putting the brand new Girl pilot on iTunes, VOD, hotels, planes and Hulu for just two days in front of the premiere had began to obtain beyond control. Fox had made the offer to boost awareness for that series starring Zooey Deschanel because the show’s intent to see levels have been consistently high nevertheless its awareness amounts remained as lagging. In return for obtaining the pilot free of charge streaming, the marketers devoted to promote the show across their platforms, together with a prominent positioning around the home page of iTunes, that was going for a pre-premiere window on the show the very first time. Following the first week, things looked good — awareness for brand new Girl was up by 6%, something Earley stated couldn't happen to be accomplished through the network’s standard advertising campaign alone. (Free press for that sneak look experiment may have assisted, too.) After awareness increased, the excitement metrics also began jumping, and chatter on the program elevated 400%. “People were speaking peer-to-peer, also it was extremely positive,” Earley stated. “So we figured any viewing lost (through the marketing streaming) could be changed by individuals who didn’t plan to watch.” However a truly alarming trend developed. “The amounts began climbing and climbing in a much greater rate,” Earley stated. “When we hit millions of sights, I began being nervous, whenever we hit two million, I began to interrupt in a chilly sweat. Over two million audiences had consumed this show before it even opened!” Fox couldn’t stop the promotion because they were built with a resolve for their distribution partners but started considering methods to decelerate the speed of use of the pilot, like tugging back on promotion. “But there is no slowing down it lower, everyone was taking pleasure in it,” Earley stated, observing the huge most of audiences viewed the entire pilot, something rarely observed in free previews of recent series. What’s more, the marketing streaming window didn’t finish until yesterday the brand new Girl premiere, further chipping away at potential repeat viewing. So Earley and also the relaxation from the Fox brass found accept the truth that the promo streaming stint would most likely depress viewership for that opener but hopefully raise the series’ lengthy-term prospects by compelling lots of people who tried the show to use it their Digital recording device season pass. Using the massive pre-premiere viewing and Fox’s (not too good) history of starting live-action comedies, the network was ready for a premiere 18-49 rating within the high 2s and wishing for just one within the neighborhood of last fall’s Raising Hope, which released to some 3.1, then a sluggish build. The very best-situation scenario was if New Girl held onto its Glee lead-in. Rather, the rookie’s demo rating increased by 20% from Glee. How did which happen? 1. The show was good, so word-of-mouth and critical response was great. However the same was true for ABC’s Modern Family 24 months ago, and New Girl surpassed even that premiere by 12%. What New Girl had extra was: 2. A large, pleasant star. Fox made Deschanel the middle of its marketing push, which ranged from traditional advertisements and Web ad banners to speaking video advertisements in departmental stores to Deschanel filming special promotions to air throughout syndicated comedies on Fox stations. Furthermore, Fox drawn on directly into Deschanel’s large group of followers and Internet following, including marketing the show on her behalf popular blog, HelloGiggles. Earley thinks the rankings spike from Glee to New Girl could be described with Deschanel “bringing in new people” towards the network who don’t always watch television or Fox. Furthermore, New Girl had: 3. Great repeatability, something which assisted offset some from the pre-premiere online viewing as some people who had already seen the pilot viewed it again last evening. Overall, we'll most likely don't know just what brought to New Girl’s remarkable opening number. It had been “some good alchemy happening,” Earley known as it, observing that, as the free installing experiment ultimately labored, he'd get it done in a different way the next time, beginning the marketing window per week earlier and ending it per week prior to the series premiere. Still, was there a quick fix? “Yes,” Earley stated. “It was Zooey Deschanel.”

Acad cracks lower on Oscar campaigns

The Academy of motion Picture Arts and Sciences features new rules controlling the marketing of Oscar competitors, banning Academy people and nominees from certain non-screening occasions after nominations and adding social media for the whole world of restricted speech -- but still time eliminating obstacles to tests with filmmakers' live participation.These campaign rules play a crucial role in safeguarding the integrity in the Academy awards process as well as the distinction in the Oscar," mentioned Academy Leader Tom Sherak. "Most of all, we wish Academy individuals to determine movies simply because they were supposed to have been seen, in the theatrical setting."Possibly compared to that finish, voters will probably be allowed to visit tests situated particularly for Academy individuals with sections and filmmaker Q&A -- additionally to focused receptions -- as lengthy because they occur just before the nominations. Formerly, filmmakers and cast were forbidden (as were receptions with refreshments) at any screening held for voters, no matter season.Nonetheless, anybody filmmaker are just allowed to check out two Academy tests after nominations, that is introduced The month of the month of january 24, 2012.It can possibly be the initial year that art galleries will probably be allowed to digitally distribute screeners to Academy people, provided people copies stick to established rules for dvd disks.But possibly most likely probably the most pointed change was keen on parties: From nominations for the close of polls, both Academy people and nominees are nixed in the non-screening event that "encourages or honors a nominated movie or individual nominee." That rule would most most likely have placed on several high-profile occasions held a year ago (though not Sony's "Social MediaInch DVD-release party at Spago, which was well-attended by filmmakers and cast but happened just before the nominations). Really the only exceptions: Academy-approved occasions and honours occasions presented by various orgs like guilds and critics' associations.And add social media for the report on places where both bad-mouthing and tubthumping are, as they've been, verboten. Specific penalties add a one-year suspension for first-time violations and expulsion for subsequent violations for individuals.Oscar's new rulesAmong the completely new campaign rules are crackdowns on receptions and negative campaigning.ScreeningsPrior nominations, tests presented by or funded by film companies may be a Q&A session by persons connected while using film. Such tests may be preceded or a reception including food and beverage. After nominations are introduced, anybody person connected getting a movie, nominee or else, may skip greater than two tests including Q&A periods. In addition, throughout this time around around period, tests of nominated films (with or without Q&A periods) may not include food and/or beverage.After nominations are introduced, no Academy member may be listed just like a "host" from the screening at all unless of course obviously that member is directly connected while using film. ScreenersScreeners may also be distributed to individuals digitally, via download or streaming, as lengthy because the delivery of people movies changes to all or any other provisions of individuals RegulationsMusicBefore nominations are introduced, Dvds of qualified scores may be shipped to individuals in the Music Branch only. No Dvds of tunes may be shipped to the Academy member before nominations are introduced. After nominations are introduced, Dvds of nominated scores and tunes may be shipped to the Academy member. Non-Screening EventsAfter nominations are introduced, no member may be requested to or attend any event, including breakfasts, lunches, dinners, parties and receptions, that at all encourages or honors a nominated film, a nominee, or possibly is attended having a nominee or anybody getting an immediate link with a nominated film, except as permitted under Rule 1. These rules affect nominees additionally to Academy people, and nominees are similarly prohibited from attending such occasions.Excluded using this prohibition are approved occasions and honours occasions presented with the various guilds, experts groups together with other organizations.References along with other Nominees. Ads, mailings, websites, social media (e.g., Facebook) or other kinds of public communication by anybody directly connected by getting an qualified film attempting to advertise a particular film or achievement by casting a detrimental or derogatory light around the competing film or achievement will not be tolerated. Particularly, any tactic that singles out "your competitionInch by title or title is particularly forbidden. Academy people who violate this Rule 16 will probably be prone to single-year suspension of membership for first-time violations, and expulsion for nearly any subsequent violations.Complete rules can be found in the Academy's website Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Dolores Hope Dies At 102

FIRST PUBLISHED: September 19, 2011 7:21 PM EDT LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Dolores Hope, who was married to entertainer Bob Hope for 69 years and sang at his shows, has died at age 102. Hope family spokesman Harlan Boll says Hope died Monday at home in Los Angeles. A specific cause of death was not available. Bob Hope died in 2003 at age 100. Dolores Reade was a nightclub singer before she married Bob Hope in 1934. She mostly stayed home with their children before Hope began his Christmas trips to entertain U.S. troops during World War II. She sang for U.S. troops and on his television specials. The Hopes made their last visit to troops overseas in 1990. Dolores Hope sang White Christmas in Saudi Arabia during the run-up to Operation Desert Storm. Copyright 2011 by Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Gary Oldman Knows the Ending to 'The Dark Dark evening Rises'

'The Dark Dark evening Rises' isn't being launched until next summer season, but fans are actually lucky (or unlucky, for that way relative it is) enough to find out plenty of photo and video leaks within the begins Pittsburgh in La. However, what these particulars does not exhibit might be the particular ending in the film. Not remarkably, director Christopher Nolan isn't telling many individuals relating to this -- apart from Gary Oldman. "Christopher doesn't want anybody to ruin [the ending] which i realize fully that," Oldman told Contact Music. "The greater recent people round the film visit his office to determine the script. They sent mine out, nevertheless it must be hands shipped right to me and nobody. As well as the final handful of pages were missing. I went along and spoken to Christopher and personally in regards to the ending. I Rapidly locked it away throughout my thoughts.Inch To echo just what the good folks at CinemaBlend written, you'll most likely have to water torture Oldman to obtain the ending from him. (Much less you'd ruin the entire movie by yourself, anyway.) [Contact Music via CinemaBlend] Image because of Getty

'Lights' does touchdown dance at Emmys

"Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose" was the onscreen mantra of "Friday Night Lights" dating back to its first season, but one that was constantly tested offscreen.From its ceaselessly uncertain future as an NBC drama to its virtual abandonment by TV Academy voters (one Emmy victory in its first four years, for casting), there was always someone trying to pin a loss on "Lights."Sunday at the Primetime Emmys, however, "Lights" did its touchdown dance.Capping a run that was extended three seasons only by a virtually unprecedented production deal between NBC and satcaster DirecTV, "Lights" won two high-profile drama kudos, one for lead actor Kyle Chandler as Eric Taylor, the other for exec producer Jason Katims' script for the series finale."Sometimes it takes a while for your moment to come around," said David Nevins, who was president of "Lights" producing shingle Imagine Television before becoming Showtime's entertainment topper last year. "But I couldn't be happier -- Jason and Kyle are two of the most talented and most menschy people I've ever worked with."Though continually praised by critics for its nuanced, powerful writing and acting, "Lights" operated so far under the radar that it did not receive a nom in either of those categories until 2010, after the series' second season of firstrun episodes on DirecTV. That year, Chandler and co-star Connie Britton each were tapped, as was writer Rolin Jones for an episode that dealt with a character (Zach Gilford's Matt Saracen) coming to grips with the death of his father.Delicate handling of such serious material, without becoming maudlin, was the series' hallmark, but it was widely perceived that for a series relegated to the outskirts of the TV world, "it's an honor to be nominated" was the new mantra.But quietly, the groundswell of support for "Lights" grew. This year, not only were Chandler and Britton were nominated again, alongside Katims for writing, but the show received its first drama series nom.Though it lost to four-peater "Mad Men" for the drama series grand prize, "Lights" had to knock off some serious competition to win its two Emmys. All Chandler had to do was outpoll Steve Buscemi ("Boardwalk Empire"), Michael C. Hall ("Dexter"), Jon Hamm ("Mad Men"), Hugh Laurie ("House") and Timothy Olyphant ("Justified").In the drama writing category, the on-field rivals included "Game of Thrones," the pilot of "The Killing" and two episodes of "Mad Men," including the ballyhooed episode "The Suitcase" written by showrunner Matthew Weiner.Taking the Emmy stage to accept his award, the unexpected triumph wasn't lost on Katims."To the Academy, I will cherish this," he said, before uttering one more time, "Clear eyes, full hearts - can't lose." Contact Jon Weisman at jon.weisman@variety.com

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Gun Van Sant on Restless, Test-Screening Nightmares and Why He Went Out For Breaking Dawn

After bookending the summer with prestigious appearances at festivals in Cannes and Toronto, acclaimed auteur Gus Van Sant brings his latest film, Restless, to theaters this weekend in limited release. The outcome of an unusual creative collaboration including co-producers Ron Howard and his daughter Bryce Dallas Howard, her former NY University colleague and screenwriter Jason Lew, and the visionary for hire Van Sant, Restless stars Mia Wasikowska as a terminally ill teenager who sparks up a star-crossed love affair with a gloomy, funeral-crashing, imaginary friend-confiding orphan (played by Henry Hopper). The two-time Oscar-nominated director sat down with Movieline this week to discuss Restless’s festival reception, the one-size-fits-all perils of test screenings, the 20th anniversary of his classic My Own Private Idaho, and what he was thinking when throwing his name in the hat to direct The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn. You were up in Toronto with this, and you met a NY audience the other night. What’s your sense of how viewers are receiving Restless? It seems really positive. I’m pretty happy. Do you actually like this part of the process? The exchange with the audience? No, I don’t. But I know they do, so that’s nice. Do test screenings or what audiences say in general ever influence you? Yeah. I mean, I totally take advice for the audience, but sometimes the test is not just for advice. It might also be for approval. The tests have different ways you can count up the scores. It asks you, “Do you like the lead character? Who’s your favorite character? Would you tell a friend about it? Would you rate it excellent, good, fair, poor?” There’s a way to count those up so you get a score, but it’s a score based on these arbitrary questions; the score is different than the other part of the test, like, “Are there any scenes that were too slow? Are there any scenes that are too fast? How did you like the ending? Did it begin too slow?” Questions about pacing, communication and so forth. Those can be one thing. But there can also be this concern about the overall adding of the score, because then it becomes more like a grade on a paper in high school or college ow wherever. So you want it to be A+. And a 90 is an A-, a 95 is an A, a 99 is an A+. And an 85 is a B, and a 75 is a C. So you want it to be 90. Do you remember the highest grade you ever got? Yeah. I’ve gotten in the 90s like… three times? What’s the lowest you ever got? 33. 33? No, wait. 32. On what? To Die For was 32. You got a 32 on To Die For? And that’s the reason I don’t necessarily look at the score. You can interpret that wrong. The people who are interested in the score, then that’s the score. To them, it’s like high school: “If it’s 32, it’s failing. It’s a failure. That means the movie’s gonna be a failure.” There thinking of it like a grade in college. Their bosses are thinking of it like a grade in college. Their shareholders are thinking of it like a grade in college. And what they do is based on their interpretation of that number. But you can get a score like that if you say, “Here’s a really funny Robin Williams movie. Come to it and laugh!” and then you show them a serious downer Robin Williams movie like One-Hour Photo. They give you a 32 and you say, “What’s wrong?” Like it must be a failure, you know? You didn’t test it right. You can screw the test up. And in the particular case of some tests, it can be that you’re trying to change the profile of the movie. I often make dark comedies. [To Die For] is a dark comedy. The dark comedies tend to be in a non-releasable area. There can be romantic comedies. There can be dramas. But there’s no “dark comedy” inbox for the advertising. So they might test it as a romantic comedy when it’s actually a dark comedy, and as a result you’ll get a low score. You’re saying, “Bring your date! You’re going to get laid on this one!” And then Nicole [Kidman] kills her husband, and the score is D or F because I’m not going to get laid now. And you wonder, “Gee, what went wrong?” And it’s all because you’re trying to make it into something it’s not. Are you ever enlightened at all about your past films by talking about them? Either with fans, or in interviews, or wherever? [Long pause] Yeah, I guess. James Franco is recutting My Own Private Idaho, so I learned something new about that one because I’ve seen the old footage. But I don’t really by talking about them. I like hearing people talk about them; maybe you learn something new about people’s reactions to them. But I don’t necessarily learn about the film. My Own Private Idaho turns 20 this year. What are your reflections two decades later — particularly in light of James Franco’s work revising it? That was the one film — well, in that era, before 2000 — it was the one film that was sort of my own. Some of them, I adapted other people’s books. That was the one I kind of cobbled together with different elements. There was a little bit of Shakespeare in it. It was like this collaged story. So there’s that aspect I like to remember. Do you have a personal relationship with your films over time? Does your impression of them or their memories ever change? No. I mean, they exist as films that other people mention, but there’s no particular relationship.

Newsweek's Michele Bachmann Cover Sparks Controversy

Newsweek editor-in-chief Tina Brown is stirring up controversy again over another cover.our editor recommends'Newsweek' Owner Sidney Harman Dies at 92Sidney Harmans Family Committed to Newsweek, Daily BeastFormer Entertainment Weekly Publisher to Run the Business Side of Newsweek-Daily Beast A month after sparking debate over a cover image that was edited to make it look like a 50-year-old Princess Diana was walking alongside Kate Middleton, Brown has decided to use an image of presidential hopeful Michele Bachman on the cover that makes her look, as Yahoo's Cutline blog puts it, "crazy." Specifically, the photo -- which features the headline "The Queen of Rage" -- shows Bachman, a Republican representative from Minnesota, with intense eyes and a half-smile. "Michele Bachmann's intensity is galvanizing voters in Iowa right now, and Newsweek's cover captures that," Brown tweeted Monday. STORY: Princess Diana Newsweek Cover Sparks Outrage on Twitter Bachmann's press secretary declined to comment when reached by Yahoo, while the politician herself deflected a question from a voter in Iowa. But a slew of conservatives attacked Brown over her decision. "Under the editorial control of Tina Brown, the rice paper magazine barely struggles against its bias towards conservative women to view them with anything other than contempt," Dana Loesch wrote on Andrew Breitbart's website BigJournalism.com. Added Ed Morrissey on HotAir.com: "Memo to conservative women. When approached by Newsweek or Time for a cover story, always bring your own photographer." STORY: Princess Diana, Kate Middleton Share Cover of Newsweek Via Digital Trickery Some tweeters made jokes about the cover image, saying it wasn't that out of the ordinary. "Honestly, I think the greater technical feat would be Newsweek shooting a photo of Michele Bachmann NOT looking crazy," quipped Conan writer Rob Kutner. Added Florida radio DJ Randi Rhodes: "'Baggers up in arms because Newsweek took a pic of Bachmann that looks like half of the other pics of Bachmann." Before Brown took over, Newsweek raised eyebrows over an extremely close-up photo it published of Sarah Palin on its cover in 2008. The following year, it published an old photo of the former Alaska governor with the headline "How do you solve a problem like Sarah Palin?" STORY: Official: Newsweek, Daily Beast Merger a Done Deal Last month, the cover image showing Princess Diana and Kate Middleton, the new Duchess of Cambridge, appearing to walk side by side generated outrage online, with one tweeter writing of the image: "Vomit rises in the throat." Newsweek merged with Brown's website the Daily Beast in November. As part of the deal, Brown also remained editor-in-chief at the Daily Beast. Since taking over, Brown has made many changes to the magazine, including switching typefaces and increasing its use of photography, that were initially met with several less-than-rave reviews, but some critics have since come around. Related Topics

Jessie Eisenberg May Be The Double

For Richard Ayoade's next film.... Given how solid IT Crowd co-star Richard Ayoade's first film - Submarine, in case you were crazy enough not to see it - was, it's no surprise that he's attracting top name talent for his follow-up. And so it has proved to be, with Vulture learning that Jesse Eisenberg will star in The Double. The casting hasn't been officially announced just yet, so we're going to let this one straddle the worlds of rumour and fact for now. But if it definitely pans out, it's great news. That said, Ayoade hasn't picked something easy for his second stab at filmmaking - he's adapted Fyodor Dostoyevsky's eponymous novella. Nor familiar with it? Not a shock, but the basic story finds a Russian government clerk whose life begins to fall apart when he discovers that an identical man, right down to the details of his life, including his name, starts working in his office. Since this is an indie production, we doubt Ayoade will be splashing out on the technology David Fincher used to create the Winklevoss twins in The Social Network, but a double dose of Eisenberg being paranoid and twitchy sounds like it could work.

Director Silvio Narizanno dies

Silvio Narizzano, a Canadian-born film and TV director with wide-varying credits but most widely known for his 1966 romantic comedy "Georgy Girl," starring Lynn Redgrave and James Mason, died This summer 26 working in london. He was 84.Occur swinging London, the sexually frank "Georgy Girl," that also starred Charlotte now Rampling and Alan Bates, came four Oscar nominations, including best actress (Redgrave), supporting actor (Mason) and cinematography. The film, which gained Narizzano a nomination in the Berlin Film Festival, was the director's second.Narizzano was created to Italian-People in america in Montreal. After graduation from Bishop's U. in Sherbrooke, Quebec, he became a member of Montreal's Mountain Playhouse, where he was affected by Pleasure Thompson, an innovator in British-language theater within the province.In the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., he was an assistant to Norman Jewison, Arthur Hiller and Ted Kotcheff. In early nineteen fifties he created instances of "Ford Television Theatre," "Tales of chanceInch and "Encounter" in the network.In 1956 Narizzano co-directed "Method of Theatre," a documentary short that profiled Tyrone Guthrie, a vital founding father of Canada's Stratford Theater Festival.After that he started pointing and creating mostly within the U.K., though he did helm an adaptation of Graham Greene's "The Fallen Idol" for CBS' "The DuPont Show from the Month." He directed the Brit telepic "Doomsday for Dyson," compiled by J.B. Priestley, and multiple instances of "ITV Television Playhouse" and "ITV Play each week.Inch He also directed several episodes all of "Saki," "Paris 1900" and "Zero One."In 1965 Narizzano made his feature helming debut with Hammer horror film "Die! Die! My Darling," notoriously Tallulah Bankhead's last movie.He adopted 1966's "Georgy Girl" using the 1968 romantic Western "Blue," starring Terence Stamp, and 1972 black comedy "Loot," an adaptation from the Joe Orton play. He came back to Canada for 1977's "Why Shoot the Teacher," the storyline of the teacher (Bud Cort) your one-room schoolhouse throughout the Depression.Exactly the same year he helmed a exclusive TV adaptation of "Return, Little Sheba," starring Laurence Olivier and Joanne Woodward.A 1980 adaptation of Paul Scott's novel "Remaining On," which starred Trevor Howard and Celia Manley and broadcast on PBS' "Great Performances" the year after, came critical huzzahs, but Narizzano's options that come with the time, "The Category of Miss MacMichael,""Bloodbath" and "Options," were substantially less effective in each and every respect.After helming the 1984 Agatha Christie adaptation "Your Body within the Library" for that BBC, Narizzano labored little for a long time his long term trouble with depression was amplified through the 1983 dying of his partner, the author Win Wells.He's made it by two siblings along with a brother. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

Henry Cavill as Superman in 'Man of Steel' (First Photo)

Warner Bros. has released the first photo of Henry Cavill as Superman in Man of Steel. In the photo, Cavill, who last starred on Showtime's The Tudors, wears his cape and appears to dodge sparking flames. Zack Snyder's take on the superhero film hits theaters in 2013. It also stars Amy Adams as Lois Lane, former CSI star Laurence Fishburne as Daily Planet editor in chief Perry White, and Diane Lane and Kevin Costner as Superman's adoptive parents, Martha and Jonathan Kent. Russell Crowe and Julia Ormond play his birth parents. Michael Shannon plays villain General Zod. His partner in crime is Faora, played by Antje Traue. Man of Steel is produced by Charles Roven, Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Deborah Snyder. The screenplay was written by David S. Goyer, from a story by Goyer and Nolan, based upon Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster and published by DC Comics. Thomas Tull and Lloyd Phillips are serving as executive producers. RELATED: 'Man of Steel's' Laurence Fishburne: 5 Things to Know Zack Snyder's Superman Movie 'Man of Steel' Moved to June 14, 2013 Hollywood Shares Their Comic-Con 2011 Experiences Henry Cavill Man of Steel

TCA: Showtime Picks Up Steve Carell & David Steinberg's Doc Series On Comics, Sets Premiere Date For 'House Of Lies'

Showtime has picked up Steve Carell and David Steinberg's docu/interview series, now titled Laughing Stock. The series, which will premiere in January, features host Steinberg interviewing top comedians of several generations, including Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks, Lily Tomlin, Don Rickles, Carol Burnett, Jerry Seinfeld, Ellen DeGeneres, Judd Apatow, Robin Williams, Sarah Silverman, Chris Rock, Jane Lynch, Tina Fey and Carell. Additionally, Showtime announced a premiere date for new dark comedy series House of Lies starring Don Cheadle. It will debut on Jan. 9, sandwiched between the season premieres of Shameless and Californication. Showtime entertainment president David Nevins today introduced to critics his first 2 new at the network, drama Homeland and House of Lies. There will be more soon. "Weve definitely been in expansion mode, we're now up to 10 major scripted shows and there are more coming," he said during the network's executive session."We believe in investing in renewable resources, which is fundamentally our series. We are in a good place now trying to get gradually bigger." He said Showtime is not tempted to reenter the longform arena despite HBO's Emmy success with movies and miniseries. "If you do longform, you can rack up a large number of Emmy nominations but I like our strategy to put resources in renewable things." Asked about the cancellation of United States of Tara, Nevins said, "It was a big show for us, it received critical acclaim, it got Toni Collette an Emmy. We thought that show had accomplished what it was going to accomplish, and it was time to plant some new seeds." As for veteran Weeds, "We haven't picked it up yet but Im optimistic," Nevins said. "I think that show has real life in it. (Creator) Jenji (Kohan) has done a really good job of evolving her show." Nevins also hasn't made a decision on the future of reality series The Real L Word but noted that creator Ilene Chaiken "has made good creative adjustments, the show became more distinctive, about a specific subculture." Asked about the upcoming season of Dexter, despite a strong spiritual element, "Jesus will not be in the show this year," Nevins quipped. He described the season as a "Dan Brown-style mystery. Theres a story to be followed, clues to be unpacked."

IATAS to fete Nigel Lythgoe

The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is set to present British producer Nigel Lythgoe with a 2011 founders award. Lythgoe, exec producer of "American Idol" and e.p. and co-creator of "So You Think You Can Dance," will receive the kudo at the 39th annual International Emmys gala in Gotham on Nov. 21. Lythgoe began his showbiz career as a professional dancer and choreographer, starting out in the corps de ballet for the national tour of "The Merry Widow" and moving on to choreograph the BBC's "Young Generation" company, among many others. As a television choreographer, he collaborated with performers ranging from Ben Vereen and Shirley Bassey to the Muppets. As a producer, Lythgoe's credits include "Gladiators" and "Blind Date," as well as the U.K. incarnation of "Survivor;" Lythgoe joined Simon Fuller's 19 Entertainment group, where he produced "Pop Idol" -- the show that would spawn "American Idol." Most recently, he launched "CMT's Next Superstar," and is involved with charities including Dizzy Feet, which provides scholarships to young dancers and works to provide dance education in underprivileged communities. "This is a true honor," Lythgoe said. "The world of television is becoming increasingly more global, and I am grateful that The International Academy is recognizing the growing importance of performing arts and dance on television throughout the world." Contact Sam Thielman at sam.thielman@variety.com