Cinemax to resume 'Enlightened'

UPDATE: Cinemax renews 'Enlightened,' cancels comedy trioSources say Cinemax is going to renew "Enlightened."Despite its low rankings, experts happen to be encouraging from the Laura Dern starrer and also the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. gave it a thumbs up a week ago too, giving both show and Dern a Golden Globes nom.Pay cabler must come to a decision around the fate of three partner-hour comedies: "Steps to make It in the usa,Inch "Hung" and "Bored to Dying."UPDATE: Cinemax renews 'Enlightened,' cancels 'Hung,' 'How to really make it in the usa,A 'Bored to Death' Contact Stuart Levine at stuart.levine@variety.com

New DVD Releases: Tuesday, 12 ,. 13, 2011

Family Guy: Volume Nine Family Guy: Volume 9 This three-disc set features 14 uncensored episodes within the eighth and ninth seasons of Fox's hit animated series, like the memorable 150th episode, "John and Stewie," plus an extended version of "After Which It There Has Been Less." The set also features removed moments, side-by-side animatics, audio commentaries, three featurettes, plus an episode in the Cleveland Show getting a unique introduction by Mike Henry. (Buy Family Guy: Volume 9 on DVD) Spin City: Season 6 The best 22 cases of this ABC sitcom are available in this four-disc set from Shout! Factory. Special site visitors include original star Michael J. Fox, Farrah Fawcett, Denise Richards, Olivia D'abo, Lori Loughlin, Full Latifah, Krista Allen, Michelle Phillips, Judith Light, Perry King and Martin Sheen. (Buy Spin City: Season 6 on DVD) Begin to see the complete report on releases for December 13 at TVShowsOnDVD.com.

Buzz in the biz

The Worldwide three dimensional Society will show The new sony Corp. of America using its 2012 Mister Charles Wheatstone Award for advocacy, technology and professional education in the Society's 3rd Annual three dimensional Creative Arts Honours ceremony to become held in the Beverly Hillsides Hotel on Feb 1, 2012. The honours yearly give the Lumiere statuette to three dimensional movies, TV programs, videogames, and advertising, as selected through the society's voting membership. "Fundamentally from the Society's charter may be the education and support of filmmakers starting on three dimensional projects and also to refine the abilities of three dimensional veterans," stated I3DS chair Jim Mainard. "Knowing that, The new sony created of, and implemented, a greatly compelling hands-on three dimensional program, the results that would be recognized in films for a long time.Inch * * * Catherine Winder, prexy and professional producer of Vancouver animation studio Rainmaker, hired management and production firm Circle of Confusion to aid the business's growth of its current slate of animated movies by indentifying brand-building possibilities for Rainmaker's library of animated figures and qualities. Circle of Confusion's David Alpert and Ken Freimann works with Winder on determining qualities and talent for a number of platforms, including online, mobile and social networking. Presently, Rainmaker is within production on "Avoid The World,Inch an animated feature film that'll be written by The Weinstein Company in 2012 it stars the voice talents of Brendan Fraser, Jessica Alba, Nicole Kidman and James Gandolfini. * * * Several stars have get together to spread out a brand new 7,000-square-feet production space within the artist district of downtown La. Known as Six01, the area includes a bow truss ceiling warehouse and it is readily available for productions and occasions. The stars active in the project include Anthony Ruivivar, Yvonne Jung, Maura Tierney, Louise Fancy-Mirren, Jane McKidd, Sean Wing and Nathan Levine-Heaney. Contact Peter Caranicas at peter.caranicas@variety.com

Adam Pascal Returns to Broadway in 'Memphis'

NY (AP) Adam Pascal seriously considered in "Memphis" extended before he ever saw "Memphis," which sounds somewhat crazy."It is only insane initially,Inch the 41-year-old actor states, laughing. "View of it's that i'm a Broadway leading guy and you'll find very handful of Broadway leading guy roles. I understood the thing that was a demonstrate that I'd be capable of accomplish.InchHe was right: Pascal, a skilled of "Rent," ''Aida" and "Cabaret," has wound up to the role of Huey Calhoun inside the Tony Award-winning musical, overpowering from Chad Kimball."I'm built to accomplish this. It's kind of things i am best doing," according to him. "I'm physically made to make it happen. I'm psychologically made to make it happen. For reasons unknown, I have the very best groups of capabilities to produce doing musicals a thing that I really, really enjoy.InchThe musical, put together by playwright Joe DiPietro and David Bryan, keyboardist while using band Bon Jovi, is occur 19 fifties Memphis and traces the burgeoning romance between Huey, an R&B-obsessed white-colored DJ, together with a black singer carried out by Montego Glover.Pascal approached the producers for "Memphis" two summer time season ago about coming and finally got the role in the finish of October when Kimball thought we would leave. Yesterday his audition, he saw the show the first time.InchHow a lot of a remarkably enjoyable surprise I'd once i finally did start to see the show and loved it. Again, I didn't care essentially loved it or else. I desired this. I understood it absolutely was appropriate for me personally,Inch according to him. "But, getting seen the show, it absolutely was a massive sigh of relief."Christopher Ashley, the artistic director in the La Jolla Playhouse in California who directed "Memphis," states Pascal was one of the primary names he as well as the creative team considered after they discovered altering Kimball."There is not that numerous individuals who In my opinion their talents, their vocal chops in addition to their adventurousness can fill this part completely up. This is often a very difficult part," states Ashley. "He's on stage constantly for two main 1/2 several hours. He's eight tunes that belongs to them it's challenging, really ruling role."One of the most difficult challenges might be the power tune "Memphis Lives Within MeInch that Pascal calls "one of the better tunes ever written for theater." The song demands a great-high note be struck within the very finish and Pascal states he'll get on the internet for about fifty percent of your time. "It doesn't always serve any purpose aside from my own, personal ego," according to him.Pascal found fame alongside Anthony Rapp, Jesse L. Martin, Idina Menzel and Taye Diggs inside the original cast of "Rent." He originated from the role of Roger, the Helps-infected singer afraid of falling for one another and acquired a Tony Award nomination for his performance.More youthful crowd originated from the role of Radames in Disney's "Aida" by Elton John and Tim Grain, known as the final MC inside the Mike Mendes-Make the most of Marshall output of "Cabaret." Fortunate getting a young face together with a powerful voice, Pascal states he's drawn to an array of musicals but is famous for rock-inflected ones."I certainly shouldn't be pigeonholed as 'the Broadway rock guy.' I kind of am, which is alright. But it's really my job becoming an actor together with a artist to produce people my abilities beyond that. Which I truly think this is often a role that will help do that,In . according to him.Pascal reprised his role as Roger inside the Chris Columbus-directed film of "Rent" and was cast alongside Jack Black as Theo, charge singer of No Vacancy, in "School of Rock."Although he initially tried to distance themselves from "Rent" inside the years after turning up inside the musical, Pascal has be ready for its role within the career. He's even attended start to see the new off-Broadway production."Being connected with a thing that has inspired many people, that has moved many people, that has touched many people you will discover worse products to connect to,Inch according to him. "I owe my whole career to 'Rent,' compared to that incredible springboard it gave in my opinion.InchPascal can be a music artist too and contains launched three solo records. He works his music on tour, playing a vertical bass and guitar getting a piano player together with a drummer. He's, clearly, added tunes from "Rent.""The initial few years, I wouldn't have touched from the show. I Rapidly type of found the realization that i'm spiting within the audience. It is not for my own, personal ego. Everyone else desires to participate in it, to ensure that they ought to participate in it.Inch1 factor he hopes an audience will hear eventually is his stage adaptation of "Operation: Mindcrime," a concept album released in 1988 with the heavy metal and rock and rock-band Queensryche, whom Pascal, a longtime fan, calls "the intellectual, thinking man's metal band."The album follows a disillusioned guy while he becomes connected by having an innovative group becoming an assassin and Pascal is becoming permission within the band to convert it into a musical. He desires to expand it according to him a variety of it should be "defanged" making up a tale-driven musical."In my opinion I'm smart enough to know who everyone else is ideal for this. Which is not Queensryche fans. That should be apparent," according to him. "Everyone else must work as those who are going to 'Memphis' also to 'Wicked.'"Copyright 2011 Connected Press. All rights reserved. These elements is probably not launched, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Kim Kardashian Heads To Haiti With Maria Bello

First Launched: December 9, 2011 8:57 PM EST Credit: Getty Images Caption Kim Kardashian steps in the Kardashian Kollection Handbag launch in Sydney, Australia on November 2, 2011LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Kim Kardashian has headed to Haiti with Prime Suspect actress Maria Bello. According to People, the divorcing reality star made the trip with Maria as well as the NBC stars We Advance group, which, in line with the organizations website, actively works to advance the healthy, safety and wellness of girls throughout Haiti. Kris Jenner looks like it's also round the trip. She connected with Mario Bello which is there with Marias foundation in addition to along with her mother, an origin close to Kim told People. Her intention was always to simply accept finish of year to give consideration to some couple of from the alternative activities that are crucial that you her which trip was one. The foundation added that Kim was inspired into undertaking charitable operates by her late father, Robert Kardashian. [Kims] father developed in their and her siblings and siblings that every small bit counts and he or she always tries to do around she shall be it individually or perhaps be it a thing that she'll use her platform for to help, the foundation mentioned. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All rights reserved. These elements is probably not launched, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

George Clooney And Also The new the new sony Pictures Plan Feature On Televisions The Smothers Brothers and sisters

EXCLUSIVE: The brand new the new sony Pictures and Smokehouse partners George Clooney and Grant Heslov will turn the story of 60s comics Tom and Dicky Smothers in to a feature film. They’ve optioned the David Bianculli book Hazardously Funny: The Uncensored Story In The Smothers Brothers and sisters Comedy Hour, and so they’ve set John Hecker and Craig Sherman to produce the script. Clooney and Heslov will produce. It’s too early to discover whether Clooney will star or direct. The show went from 1967-69 on CBS, as well as the brothers and sisters, who infamously squabbled on / off screen, were transformed with the period’s social upheaval. They went from squeaky clean comics to counterculture troublemakers. They were aided having a writing staff that incorporated Steve Martin, and Make the most of Reiner and so they were the first introducing liberal hippie politics to the mainstream, additionally to innovative rock functions like the Who, Jefferson Plane as well as the Entrance doors. All this acquired them a perfect Leader Richard Nixon’s competitors list and ultimately got them fired by CBS. Hecker and Sherman most recently scripted Atari, a Black List script about 27-years of age digital digital rebel genius Nolan Bushnell, who created it game industry and Atari, gave Jobs employment, and paved the means by which for your computer age. Vital and Appian Way are developing the project. Original Artists reps the scribes. Clooney and Heslov will be in the Oscar race while using Ides of March and Clooney may also be inside the Best Actor mix for your Descendants.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows: Film Review

The life story of the late singer, dancer and actor Sammy Davis Jr. will be developed for the stage and as a feature by Entertainment Studios, it was announced Thursday, on what would have been the entertainer's 86th birthday.our editor recommendsOscar Rat Pack "Sammy Davis, Jr. was a phenomenal entertainer, icon, and American treasure whose inspirational story has to be told," said Byron Allen, founder, chairman and CEO of Entertainment Studios. Entertainment Studios acquired the life rights to the story from Davis's daughter Tracey Davis, whose mother is actress May Britt, the second of his three wives. PHOTOS: Hollywood's Riches to Rags: 18 Stars Who Have Lost It All "On his deathbed, one of the last things my father told me as he put my face in his hands was: 'Tracy, tell my story. Warts and all'," said Tracey Davis. "Byron Allen, who knew and worked with my father, is the perfect producer to help my family and I achieve my father's dying wish." Davis, who died in 1990, started out as a child in vaudeville as a dancer and singer working with his father and uncle. He later became a recording artist. Davis lost an eye in an auto accident in 1954 but continued to grow as a performer, starring on Broadway in Mr. Wonderful in 1956. He became even more famous when he was the only African-American who was part of Frank Sinatra's "Rat Pack," which led to movies, performances in Las Vegas and elsewhere. In 1966, Davis had his own variety show on TV, making him one of the first African- Americans to do so. He talked about the racism he faced in his life in interviews and was a supporter of the Civil Rights movement. However, he was criticized in 1970 for publically embracing then President Richard Nixon. Davis died deep in debt to the IRS of throat cancer. His estate was left to fight years of legal battles. PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery Hollywood's Riches to Rags: 18 Stars Who Have Lost It All Related Topics

Whistler kudos & credits

Steven Gaydos interviews Jay Baruchel at Whistler Film Fest. Beneath pristine peaks within the ski resort capital of scotland - Whistler, Bc, Variety saluted a few its award individuals who win within the eleventh annual Whistler Film Festival.Andy Serkis, honored as Tech Pioneer of year for his be employed in performance-capture acting, was shooting aerial footage in Nz for "The Hobbit" but interrupted his morning to "jump commando style" from the helicopter and Skype in to a master class within the Whistler Fest. He told the festival aud, "I'm very lucky being in the stage where (performance capture) is just beginning to become charted and used properly." But he did have a very complaint in regards to the way his tasks are known to -- and credited. "I enjoy a report on the techniques my work remains discussed. 'Andy Serkis has given his voice to,' or 'Andy Serkis has given his actions to,' or 'Andy Serkis has lifted the level of smoothness up.' You will discover every one of these elliptical techniques for explaining it. Actually, it's acting."Jay Baruchel, the longtime thesp which has switched scribe for "Goon," recognized kudos among Variety's "10 Screenwriters to appear atInch for 2011 inside an onstage conversation with Variety's Steven Gaydos. Montreal native Baruchel needs to keep making movies in Canada. "If only to complete for Montreal what David Cronenberg did for Toronto," he mentioned.

Report: Real Average women of Beverly Hills' Kim Richards Makes its way into Rehab

Kim Richards The Actual Average women of Beverly Hillsides star Kim Richards has joined rehab, Entertainment Tonight reviews. Real Average women of Beverly Hillsides season finale: Kim Richards inspections into rehab No particulars were available about when Richards, 47, started rehab or just what she's seeking strategy to. The previous Disney child star was stated to possess joined rehab sometime following the tape from the Bravo series' Season 1 finale, by which she got inside a heated argument together with her sister and castmate, Kyle Richards, who known as her an alcoholic. The 2009 season, new cast member Brandi Glanville accused Richards of utilizing drugs throughout a game title evening using the ladies.

Write a Haiku, Win Tickets to the L.A. Premiere of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Attention all spy genre enthusiasts, Cold War buffs and Gary Oldman fans: Movieline is giving away three (3) pairs of VIP tickets to the Los Angeles premiere of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy to the trio of readers who come up with the most clever haiku poems dedicated to one of the film’s stars. The thriller from director Tomas Alfredson (Let the Right One In) is set in 1973 and stars Gary Oldman as an espionage veteran forced out of semi-retirement to uncover a Soviet agent who has infiltrated Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service. Colin Firth, Stephen Graham, Tom Hardy, John Hurt, Toby Jones and Simon McBurney co-star. You have 24 hours to write a haiku in ode to any of the film’s stars to officially enter the contest. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy’s L.A. premiere will take place in Hollywood on Tuesday, December 6 at 7:00 p.m. Winners will have to pick up their tickets at will-call before 6:00 p.m. that day. Lastly, since Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is rated R, only readers that are 18 and older can win. The official synopsis: The long-awaited feature film version of John le Carr’s classic bestselling novel. The time is 1973. The Cold War of the mid-20th Century continues to damage international relations. Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), a.k.a. MI6 and code-named the Circus, is striving to keep pace with other countries’ espionage efforts and to keep the U.K. secure. The head of the Circus, known as Control (John Hurt), personally sends dedicated operative Jim Prideaux (Mark Strong) into Hungary. But Jim’s mission goes bloodily awry, and Control is forced out of the Circus - as is his top lieutenant, George Smiley (Gary Oldman), a career spy with razor-sharp senses. Estranged from his absent wife Ann, Smiley is soon called in to see undersecretary Oliver Lacon (Simon McBurney); he is to be rehired in secret at the government’s behest, as there is a gnawing fear that the Circus has long been compromised by a double agent, or mole, working for the Soviets and jeopardizing England. Supported by younger agent Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch), Smiley parses Circus activities past and present. In trying to track and identify the mole, Smiley is haunted by his decades-earlier interaction with the shadowy Russian spy master Karla. The mole’s trail remains cold until maverick field agent Ricki Tarr (Tom Hardy) unexpectedly contacts Lacon. While undercover in Turkey, Ricki has fallen for a betrayed married woman, Irina (Svetlana Khodchenkova), who claims to possess crucial intelligence. Separately, Smiley learns that Control narrowed down the list of mole suspects to five men. They are the ambitious Percy Alleline (Toby Jones), whom he had code-named Tinker; suavely confident Bill Haydon (Colin Firth), dubbed Tailor; stalwart Roy Bland (Ciarn Hinds), called Soldier; officious Toby Esterhase (David Dencik), dubbed Poor Man; and - Smiley himself. Even before the startling truth is revealed, the emotional and physical tolls on the players enmeshed in the deadly international spy game will escalate… Entries must be received along with your name and an email address where you can be reached. You may enter in the comment section below or on Movieline’s Facebook or Twitter pages. Contest ends Friday, December 2 at 2:00 p.m. PT/5:00 p.m. ET.

Don DeVito dies at 72

A&R professional and producer Don DeVito, most widely known for his '70s use Bob Dylan, died November. 25 in a hospice within the Bronx following a lengthy fight with cancer of the prostate. He was 72. DeVito, who offered as senior Vice president of the&R at Columbia Records for several years, started his connection to Dylan around the 1976 album "Desire," among only four albums through the singer-songwriter to achieve No. 1 around the U.S. album chart. Exactly the same year, younger crowd created "Hard Rain," an active collection attracted from the date on Dylan's Moving Thunder Revue tour. Producer continued to helm Dylan's 1978 studio album "Street Legal" (1978) and "Bob Dylan at Budokan," an active collection recorded in Japan and released within the U.S. in 1979. Younger crowd done the 1985 boxed set "Biograph" and created the live seem for Dylan's all-star "30th Anniversary Concert Celebration," launched on Compact disc in 1993. Besides creating the boxed Dylan collection "The Bootleg Series Vol. 1-3," DeVito done catalog projects for Sony's Legacy division by Tony Bennett, Carole King, the Byrds, Journey, Janis Joplin and Shaun Buckley, amongst others. Younger crowd created albums by Billy Joel and Aerosmith and actor Joe Pesci's 1998 vocal set "Vincent Laguardia Gambini Sings Only for You." Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Is This the Strangest Michael Jackson-Related Lawsuit Ever?

The year is almost over, but it's not too late for a late contender for the most ridiculous lawsuit of 2011. This one comes at the cross section of Michael Jackson fandom and the sometimes conspiracy-breeding domain of law known as copyright. A man is suing MSNBC for airing an interview with Dr. Conrad Murray on the theory that it infringed his work-in-progress animation film.our editor recommendsHollywood's Notable DeathsMichael Jackson's Bed Pulled From Auction Everett Watson filed the lawsuit last week in U.S. District Court in Texas, saying that he spent two years working on a film script that was to be titled, Murder of Michael Jackson: The Perfect Murder. PHOTOS: Hollywood's Notable Deaths Sony wouldn't look at his script, citing a policy of not examining unsolicited submissions, but Watson allegedly found a law firm to take a look at it after handing over a $550 retainer fee and agreeing to pay $275 an hour. Unfortunately, paying the firm has convinced Watson that he has a "partial agreement with the firm to produce and market the film." Earlier this month, MSNBC aired its interview with Murray after the physician was found guilty by a jury of involuntary manslaughter. The interview touched off a debate about "checkbook journalism" and led to a lawsuit from Murray's creditors attempting to gain money from Murray's participation. PHOTOS: Hollywood's Riches to Rags: 18 Stars Who Have Lost It All Now comes Watson's error-prone, punctuation-happy complaint, which pretty much sums up all the most unfortunate reasons why Hollywood needs lawyers in this day and age: "My script involves the death of Michael Jackson. The c.p.r. attempt. The transporting of Michael Jackson to the hospital! The discovery of the propofol! The quest to find out who gives Michael the propofol! It covers other suspects. It reveals Conrad Murray as a potential suspect without a clear motive then goes on to present a possible motive for the murder...Conrad Murray had no right to sell any story under the guise of A documentary to anyone. That story is copyrighted. There are so many elements in [the MSNBC special that are protected from reproduction by anyone without my consent it has to prevented from further broadcast or I will not be able to profit from my work." E-mail: eriqgardner@yahoo.com Twitter: @eriqgardner PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery Hollywood's Notable Deaths Michael Jackson MSNBC

Aaron Sorkin 'Strongly Considering' Steve Jobs Biopic

First he took on Mark Zuckerberg and now, Aaron Sorkin could be bringing the late Steve Jobs to the big screen.our editor recommends'Steve Jobs: The Lost Interview' Preview Hits the Web (Video)Aaron Sorkin Says Steve Jobs Asked Him to Write a Pixar MovieTHR's Writer Roundtable: 6 Top Scribes Talk Standing Up to Clint Eastwood, Dealing with Rewrites and Being Fired by Your Wife PHOTOS: Behind the Scenes of THR's Writer Roundtable 2011 "Sony has asked me to write the movie and it's something I'm strongly considering," Sorkin told E! Online on Monday, Nov. 21 at the P.S. Arts Express Yourself event. "Right now I'm just in the thinking-about-it stages," he said. "It's a really big movie and it's going to be a great movie no matter who writes it." VIDEO: THR's Writer Roundtable Includes Aaron Sorkin and 5 Other Top Scribes Sony reportedly paid $1 million for the rights to Walter Isaacson's biography of the late Apple co-founder, which sold more than 379,000 copies in its first week on the market. Interest in Jobs' life story skyrocketed following his sudden death on Oct. 5. Jobs was 56-years-old and had suffered from pancreatic cancer. Sorkin confirms that he is currently reading Isaacson's book as he mulls Sony's offer. PHOTOS: Steve Jobs' 10 Memorable Milestones From His Career "He was a great entrepreneur, he was a great artist, a great thinker," Sorkin said of Jobs. "He's probably inspired [my 11-year-old daughter] Roxy more than he's inspired me... she plays with all his toys." Following the news of Sony's acquisition, The Hollywood Reporter asked veteran casting director Sharon Bialy who could embody Jobs in his older and younger years. Her suggestions: Ashton Kutcher, Andrew Garfield or Shia LeBeouf for young Jobs, and Keanu Reeves, Ralf Fiennes or Noah Wyle for older Jobs. Related Topics Aaron Sorkin Steve Jobs

Boss Rupert Murdoch Sells Block of Non-Voting News Corp. Shares

NY - News Corp. chairman and Boss Rupert Murdoch has offered nearly all his non-voting shares inside the entertainment conglomerate, with different controlling filing. An origin mentioned the acquisition, revealed in the controlling filing late Friday, will be a pure financial planning move that will not reduce his voting stake within the organization. Another moguls and industry professionals regularly sell small amounts of stock inside their companies to enhance money that they may use or place in their estate. The Financial Occasions reported the acquisition reverses stock purchases created in February, that have been layed out just like a signal of Murdoch's confidence inside the company's outlook. A News Corp. representative declined to go over the stock purchase. In line with the controlling filing, the 80-year-old Murdoch offered 3.63 million class A non-voting shares at prices which can be between $16.60 and $17.26. Overall, the acquisition netted him around $61.7 million, in line with the Feet. Because the purchase was of non-voting stock, it won't dilute the Murdoch family's forty percent voting stake in News Corp. Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com Twitter: @georgszalai Related Subjects Rupert Murdoch News Corp.

European film channel launches

MOSCOW -- The Film Europe Channel, which is dedicated to screening only European films, launched late Thursday to subscribers in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Film Europe Media Company founder and CEO Ivan Hronec said it will eventually go continent-wide. The channel will show annually up to 500 European films in their original version with subtitles 24 hours a day, seven days a week without advertisements. It will broadcast in SD via satellite, with an HD option using fiber-optic cable. "We will offer viewers film productions not only from the traditionally strong countries like the U.K., France, Italy, Poland and Russia, but also from smaller countries, such as Portugal, Denmark, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Austria and even Liechtenstein, the latter being the co-producer of 'Paris je t'aime,' which we aired symbolically yesterday as the very first film on our programming schedule." The channel is being launched by a company that, since it was founded six years ago, has opened 10 TV channels across Europe. Film Europe Media Company, which is privately owned, has been built without government subsidies from individual countries or the European Union, Hronec said. "We want to show that the project has a strong commercial foundation and only then will we take on partners. This is the path that culture today must take -- responsible projects that have a healthy financial approach, while at the same time bringing cultural and artistic value to audiences," Hronec added. In Slovakia and the Czech Republic, project partners for the new channel are the satellite platform Skylink, M7 Group and Slovak Telecom, which will be an exclusive partner in the beginning for IPTV. Slovak Telecom will include the television channel as part of its satellite package. At the same time, Slovak Telecom will include films from Film Europe in its VOD service, Magio. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

NBA Players Reject Latest Contract Offer, Plan To Decertify Union; Season In Doubt

The NBA’s locked-out players rejected the league’s latest offer for a new collective bargaining agreement today, with union executive director Billy Hunter calling the proposed deal “extremely unfair.” He said the players’ association is beginning the process of disbanding the union — the first step in filing an antitrust action against the league and sending the whole mess to the courts. It’s the same tactic the NFL’s players used during their lockout over the summer, but this time the move could jeopardize the entire NBA season; already, the league had cut 10 games from the normal season in a revised schedule as the two sides remain far apart in contract talks. It would mean a big hit on ad revenue for ABC/ESPN, TNT/Turner and regional sports networks that hold lucrative TV rights to games. Commissioner David Stern had called the latest labor offer the league’s best, proposing a 50-50 split in revenue between players and owners. He said the next offer on the table will be much less favorable: a 53-47 split in favor of the league.

Rolex watch watch fetes arts mentorships

Rolex watch watch will celebrate the culmination of the 2011 Mentor & Protege Arts Initiative at Lincoln subsequently subsequently Concentrate on Monday. The philanthropic effort partners veteran mentors with ambitious artists in six different fields: dance, literature, film, music, visual arts and theater. This year, helmer Annemarie Jacir was selected to make use of Zhang Yimou. Rolex watch watch director of philanthropy Rebecca Irvin aided to look for the biennial program, first launched in June 2002. To find the proteges, separate nominating sections for your six disciplines each choose three runners as much as satisfy while using particular mentors, who increase the risk for concluding decision. For your mentorship, Zhang requested Jacir on occur Beijing for your filming of his epic pic "The Flowers of War," starring Christian Bale. Jacir also had the opportunity to edit a couple of from the movie's British-language moments. "Despite the text barrier, they discovered that they a good deal to keep,In . Irvin mentioned. "These are actually interesting mix-cultural trades, additionally to combine-generational." Other mentors this year were legit director Peter Sellars, music artist John Eno, dancer Trisha Brown, artist Anish Kapoor and author Hendes Magnus Enzensberger. Past mentors include Martin Scorsese, who requested Celina Murga on set and to the editing room for "Shutter Island." This Years proteges will showcase their be employed in public occasions within the NY Public Library, but Monday's gala will focus on praising 2010's-11 mentorships. Within the finish in the evening, Rolex watch watch will announce the mentors for an additional cycle. "It's been so satisfying and rewarding to find out that really great artists is so generous and enthusiastic about handing something lower," Irvin mentioned. "For an individual like Martin Scorsese, they aren't carrying it out for your ($50,000 honorarium). They're doing the job since they trust the project." Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

House Preps For That Finish

Hugh Laurie Could it be lights out for House? Executive producer David Shoreline is placed to satisfy with executives from Fox and Universal TV (which produces the show) within the future to determine if this sounds like indeed the final season from the lengthy-running medical drama.Shoreline lately told the network and studio he needs a solution to be able to start plotting a possible series finale. One of the factors playing in to the decision: Is star Hugh Laurie prepared to hang up the phone Dr. House's stick? Would he perform the show if Shoreline leaves (the producer's deal expires in the finish of the season)? Does Fox have the show is simply too pricey to carry on, even while still it posts decent rankings? And would NBC (parent company to Universal TV) create a Hail Mary attempt for overtaking the show if Fox passes?Laurie's deal expires in the finish of the season, and also the actor has stated he might be prepared to move ahead. "It will likely be resolved soon," one show insider states. "[Shoreline] is searching to possess that conversation. She has a little of likely to do." An unexpected pickup is definitely possible, but when it's truly over, "eight years is a good run," the insider adds.Following a tough settlement last spring, Fox Entertainment leader Kevin Reilly stated it had been "pretty likely" it was House's final year. Reilly later told reporters that the concrete decision could be produced by mid-fall - that is now. In either case, expect a comment soon.Sign up for TV Guide Magazine now!

Outsider takes U.S., Canada on 'Finisterrae'

Outsider Pictures has acquired all U.S. and Canadian privileges to Sergio Caballero's comedy drama "Finisterrae," offered by Buenos Aires' FilmSharks Intl. A L.A.-based telemarketer and distributor, delivering films within the U.S., Canada and Latin America, Outsider aims to create moviegoers probably the most original tales from all over the world, based on its mission statement. Winning a Tiger Award for debut feature in the 2010 Rotterdam Festival, pic activates two Russian ghosts, who walk the St. James Method to Finisterrae, a cape in northwest The country, so that they can rejoin the land from the living. Pic is peppered with surreal moments which appear to spoof highbrow artfilms. "Finisterrae" is created by Luis Minarro's Barcelona-based Eddie Saeta, co-producer of Cannes Palme d'Or champion "Uncle Boonmee," and among the driving forces behind left-of-area filmmaking in Europe. Inside a separate deal closed in the Rome Festival's Business Street, Inmovision has acquired Brazilian privileges to Argentinean Marcos Carnevale's "Widows." Argentina's greatest late-summer time local hit, grossing $1.9 million for BVI from the August. 18 bow, "Widow" toplines a couple of the nation's best-regarded as stars, Graciela Borges ("The Hands") and Valeria Bertuccelli ("A Boyfriend For My SpouseInch) within the story from the widow of the guy who grudgingly takes care of his mistress, now pregnant together with his child. Created by Fernando Sokolowicz and Disney co-possessed Patagonik, "Widows" has sparked distributor curiosity about the U.S., Japan, France and The country, stated FilmSharks' Guido Rud. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Rihanna Forced To Cancel For A 2nd Time In Sweden

First Published: November 3, 2011 9:04 AM EDT Credit: Getty Premium STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- Caption Rihanna performs on day 2 of the V Festival at Hylands Park in Chelmsford, England on August 21, 2011 Organizers say Rihanna has been forced to cancel a show in Sweden due to exhaustion for a second time this week. Live Nation spokesman Kristofer Akesson said the singer felt ill ahead of her concert in Stockholm on Wednesday night and that she decided in consultation with a doctor to cancel the show about an hour before she was to go on stage. Akesson says Rihanna is exhausted and doesnt feel well, but could not give more details. The singer called off a concert in Malmo in southern Sweden on Monday, but was able to perform the following night in Stockholm. Organizers are trying to arrange new dates for the shows. Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

RZA joins 'Django Unchained' cast

RZAQuentin Tarantino is reaching to a familiar face for any part in "Django Unchained," tapping his "Kill Bill" composer RZA for any supporting role within the Weinstein Company's spaghetti Western. RZA will have Thaddeus, a violent slave focusing on a Mississippi plantation. Furthermore, "Frozen River" star Misty Upham continues to be cast like a buying and selling publish-bar owner named Minnie. RZA obtained both "Kill Bill: Volume 1" and "Kill Bill: Volume 2" for Tarantino, who's showing RZA's directorial debut "The Guy Using the Iron Fists," which RZA co-authored with Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds" star Eli Roth. RZA stars within the Universal pic alongside Russell Crowe, in addition to Tarantino alums Pam Grier and Lucy Liu. Best referred to as p facto leader from the Wu-Tang Clan, RZA has spent the final many years building his feature resume and studying top-tier company directors, with looks in Ridley Scott's "American Gangster," Judd Apatow's "Funny People," Todd Phillips' "DeadlineInch and Paul Haggis' "The Following 72 Hours.Inch Thesp, who lately wrapped production on Paramount's "G.I. Joe 2," will quickly be observed in "A Really Harold and Kumar three dimensional Christmas." RZA will even join David Duchovny around the approaching season of Showtime's "Californication." RZA is repped by ICM and attorney Joe Carlone, while Upham's deal was brokered by Blaine Johnston and Kevin McGinley of Rogues Gallery Management. Contact Shaun Sneider at shaun.sneider@variety.com

Talkback: Who Has Been Bill Murray's Best Co-Star?

Yesterday it was announced that Bill Murray had signed on to star in Roman Coppola’s upcoming film, A Glimpse Into the Mind of Charles Swan III alongside — drum roll please — Charlie Sheen. In honor of this out-of-left-field pairing, let’s recall some of Murray’s best onscreen partners in film and consider who has been the best. It’s hard to even ponder the best without considering his most frequent collaborator and co-star in the ’80s, Harold Ramis. Before the pair’s notorious falling out, the Chicago-raised comedic actors appeared alongside each other in Stripes, Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters 2 and Groundhog Day. Ramis also directed the Murray vehicle Caddyshack and co-wroteMeatballs. Although no one remembers Murray and Ramis for their groundbreaking scenes shared or crackling chemistry, Ramis deserves mention as a formidable co-star who could match Murray in wit and dryness if not prickly charisma. Then there are the co-stars that played pupil to Murray’s offbeat professor like Chris Makepeace, who was taught some crucial camp social lessons by Murray’s Meatballs counselor and Jason Schwartzman, whose peculiar private school student was taken under the wing of Murray’s lonely tycoon in Rushmore. Both actors lured multiple dimensions and a caring quality from Murray, who more often than not has lapsed into the role of incorrigible grump (Groundhog Day and Scrooged) or staple smart aleck (Ghostbusters) during his career. Richard Dreyfuss turned that pupil-professor relationship on its ear though, when in 1991’s What About Bob?, he played the angry therapist and mentor to Murray’s obsessive-compulsive patient with stalker tendencies. Although the movie was only a modest box office success, Murray’s role as an upbeat optimist — even in the face of his many phobias — was a welcome change. But perhaps most audience members would credit Scarlett Johansson as Murray’s best co-star for helping to coax out his most gentle, honest performance ever in Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation. As an aging actor who forges an unlikely bond with an unhappily married twentysomething (Johansson), Murray allowed himself to be completely vulnerable, finally trading wisecracks for subtle emotion, thoughtfulness and his first Oscar nomination. Which co-star do you think has been Murray’s best? Maybe you consider Johnny Depp (for Ed Wood), Robert Duvall (for Get Low) or Uma Thurman (in Mad Dog and Glory) to be the finest. Either way, we’d love to hear your opinion below.

Berlinale unspools Panahi film

"This Isn't a movieInchGermany -- The Berlin Film Festival continues its support of Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, who's facing six years imprisonment following a Tehran appeals court upheld the sentence earlier this year. Inside a further show of solidarity with Panahi along with other jailed filmmakers, the Berlinale is joining the German Film Academy and Berlin public radio station Radioeins to recognition Panahi having a screening of his latest film, "This Isn't a movie,Inch on November. 9 in the KulturBrauerei in Berlin as "a kind of public protest and recognition for that courage of those Iranian filmmakers who continue their work despite constant danger." Co-directed by Mojtaba Mirtahmasb -- who had been arrested in September -- the film shows each day within the existence of Panahi because he waits for several weeks under house arrest for that results of his appeal, eating breakfast, contacting his lawyer, talking using the building's maintenance guy as well as enacting roles of the planned film he continues to be prohibited from making. "'This Isn't a Film' may be the defiance of the director who cannot desist from making films and is definitely the atrociousness to be banned from his profession with no self-pity whatsoever," the Berlinale stated. "Convicting artists and banning them using their professions violates human privileges, freedom of opinion and expression within the arts," added Berlinale director Dieter Kosslick. "We dramatically condemn such infringements and wish to demonstrate our solidarity with this particular screening." In September, Mirtahmasb and fellow Iranian filmmakers and stars Katayoon Shahabi, Hadi Afarideh, Naser Safarian, Shahnam Bazdar and Mohsen Shahrnazdar were also arrested included in the Tehran government's draconian attack on experts from the Islamic regime. In December 2010 Panahi and fellow director Mohammad Rasoulof were billed with distributing "propaganda from the system," and sentenced to 6 years imprisonment and banned from making films and travelling for the following two decades. Only at that year's Berlinale the fest expressed its support, calling focus on the plight of Panahi, along with other Iranian filmmakers with numerous initiatives. Additionally, it asked Panahi for everyone around the Berlinale's worldwide jury -- something the director was not able to complete because of his arrest. Moved by his plight, the German Film Academy has released the project "Filmmakers imprisonmentInch to aid politically persecuted filmmakers. Contact Erectile dysfunction Meza at staff@variety.com

Chinglish

Comedy Chinglish explores an American entrepreneur in China who feels lost without his native tongue.A presentation by Jeffrey Richards; Jerry Frankel, Jay & Cindy Gutterman/Cathy Chernoff, Heni Koenigsberg/Lily Fan, Joseph & Matthew Deitch, Dasha Epstein, Ronald & Marc Frankel, Barry & Carole Kaye, Mary Lu Roffe; the Broadway Consortium, Ken Davenport, Filerman Bensinger, Herbert Goldsmith, Jam Theatricals, Olympus Theatricals, Playful Prods., David & Barbara Stoller, Roy Gottlieb, Mary Casey and Hunter Arnold, in association with the Goodman Theater, of a play in two acts by David Henry Hwang. Directed by Leigh Silverman.Daniel Cavanaugh - Gary Wilmes Peter Timms - Stephen Pucci Minister Cai Guoliang - Larry Lei Zhang Xi Yan - Jennifer Lim Miss Quian, Prosecutor Li - Angela Lin Miss Zhao - Christine Lin Bing, Judge Xu Geming - Johnny WuDavid Henry Hwang puts a happy face on "Chinglish," his new play about a naive American entrepreneur who crashes head-first into language and cultural barriers when he tries to do business in China. But behind its cheerful facade, this well-made comedy takes a poignant view of the profound isolation and terrible vulnerability of people who are lost without their native language. Like the delicacy of Hwang's writing, the subtlety of that point tends to get lost in the broad comic spirit of this Broadway show -- which suggests a more intimate setting for any future productions. Director Leigh Silverman, who was also at the helm when show opened to kudos at the Goodman, takes every step -- from setting a brisk performance pace for the excellent cast to staging scenes along space-filling horizontal lines -- to assert the play's unpretentious charms. David Korins' witty scenic design, in particular, creates a cozy perspective for each of the multiple scenes set in the provincial Chinese city of Guiyang where a Cleveland businessman has gone to drum up trade for his sign company back home. Revolving setpieces (depicting hotel rooms, restaurants, lecture halls and the imposing offices of the town's cultural ministers) glide in on tracks from both sides of the stage and link up in the middle like the rooms of a reconstructed dollhouse. Daniel Cavanaugh (Mr. All-American Nice Guy, in Gary Wilmes' amiable perf) is pushing a product the Chinese can really use -- signage with English translations that don't make people double up with laughter. Much hilarity is made of public notices like "Fuck the Certain Price of Goods" (for "Dry Goods Pricing Department"), the unfortunate literary efforts of Chinese translators like the hapless specimen played so amusingly here by Angela Lin. With the help of Peter Timms (played with great comic verve by Stephen Pucci), a seedy-looking expat Englishman who speaks impeccable Mandarin and serves as his translator and cultural guide, Daniel is awarded the contract to supply the signage for a new Cultural Center. But after a series of hilarious meetings with the Minister of Culture (a bureaucrat to the bone, in Larry Lei Zhang's perf) in which everyone talks at cross-purposes and no one understands what anyone else is saying (unless they can read the droll supertitles above their heads), the precious contract is withdrawn. Suspicion for the double-cross falls on Xi Yan, the gorgeous but treacherous Vice Minister played with ferocious comic energy by the enchanting Jennifer Lim. But as Daniel comes to (mis)understand, from pillow-talk exchanges with this delightful creature, Chinese business practices are no less corrupt than those conducted in the States. They're just a whole lot funnier in the convoluted argot of "Chinglish." Looking back on his education-by-fire, Daniel comes up with the sobering moral that individuals (and perhaps nations) might never be able to learn the language and bridge the vast social divide between cultures. "You can see that we don't really understand each other too well," he says, a little wistfully. But at least he tried.Sets, David Korins; costumes, Anita Yavich; lighting, Brian MacDevitt; sound, Darron L. West; projections, Jeff Sugg and Shawn Duan; cultural advisers, Joanna C. Lee and Ken Smith; Mandarin Chinese translations, Candace Chong; production stage manager, Stephen M. Kaus. Opened Oct. 27, 2011. Reviewed Oct. 26. Running time: 2 HOURS. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

H&M Selling 'Girl With the Dragon Tattoo'-Inspired Clothing

Because dressing like your favorite fictional characters isn't just for Halloween, H&M is set to unveil a new line of threads inspired by Lisbeth Salander -- better known as the girl from 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.' In anticipation of the David Fincher-directed adaptation of Steig Larsson's worldwide best seller, the Swedish clothing retailer has paired with 'Dragon Tattoo' costumer designer Trish Summerville to produce the quintessential Lisbeth look. Bleached eyebrows, tattoos and piercings not included. "We took her basic pieces that we used throughout the film and did a little more fashionable version for H&M," said Summerville, who apparently "scoured" Swedish shops to find Lisbeth's look for the film. In an interview with Vogue, star Rooney Mara -- who plays Salander in the Fincher film -- revealed that pre-production on 'Dragon Tattoo' involved two days of wardrobe tests with 26 different looks for the iconic computer hacker. The Lisbeth clothing line will debut on Nov. 28 in Paris, before going onsale at H&M stores worldwide on Dec. 14. 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' hits theaters on Dec. 21. [via The Telegraph UK] [Top Photo: Sony/Columbia Tri-Star] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook RELATED

The 9 Best Women's Sports Movies In Honor of The Mighty Macs

This weekend, Carla Gugino and Ellen Burstyn storm the multiplex with The Mighty Macs, an inspiring action drama about how women’s basketball coach Cathy Rush (Gugino) trained a small Catholic college team to unlikely victory in the ’70s. In celebration of this upcoming show of cinematic she-sportsmanship, Movieline has compiled (what we consider to be) the nine best women’s sports movies. National Velvet (1944) Director: Clarence Brown Stars: Elizabeth Taylor, Mickey Rooney and Donald Crisp Sport: Horse racing Why It Is Awesome: A 12-year-old Elizabeth Taylor stars as Velvet Brown, a spunky tomboy who comes into possession of an equally vivacious horse, Pie, and trains him for the Grand National steeplechase with the help of a hired hand, Mi (Mickey Rooney). After an unexpected turn of events, Velvet takes the place of her jockey and wins the race to the delight of the public who declares her a national treasure. Although Taylor’s star-making film isn’t as high-impact as the other sports films on its list, it features a fearless female willing to risk injury and exhaustion for victory for her precious Pie. Ice Castles (1978) Director: Donald Wrye Stars: Lynn-Holly Johnson, Robby Benson and Colleen Dewhurst Sport: Figure skating Why It Is Awesome: Scoff all you want but if you can’t be inspired by a beautiful, figure-skating heroine who must re-learn her passion after losing eyesight — only to perform a flawless program thanks to the support of her loved ones — then, I don’t know what to do. Other than to say that a packed arena will probably never stomp their feet in unison to get you on the ice so that they can adoringly hurl flowers at you. A League of Their Own (1992) Director: Penny Marshall Stars: Geena Davis, Lori Petty and Tom Hanks Sport: Baseball Why It Is Awesome: Comedy, drama, sibling tension, Tom Hanks playing an alcoholic, historical significance, Madonna, Rosie O’Donnell in a skirt — this charming Penny Marshall feature about the All-American Girls’ Professional Baseball League has it all. Even though we care more about spirit and fortitude on this list than actual “wins,” it’s worth noting that A League of Their Own is the most successful movie ranked here, having grossed over $130 million worldwide.

25 Things You Might Not Learn About 'West Side Story'

The film version of 'West Side Story' appears enjoy it happens to be a part of our collective reminiscences. The sounds and pictures in the street-gang update of 'Romeo and Juliet' have resonated around lower over time, as refracted in other movies (like Francis Ford Coppola's 'The Outsiders'), music videos (Michael Jackson's 'Beat It'), Bruce Springsteen lyrics ("There is a ballet being fought against in the alley") as well as tv shows (this year of 'Glee') to ensure that -- even when you haven't seen 'West Side Story' -- you are feeling you realize it. Still, there is lots concerning the classic movie musical, launched half a century ago today (on March. 18, 1961) that you might not know. Read onto find out about the real-existence gangbangers hired for that film, how star Natalie Wood almost got male lead Richard Beymer and herself fired in the film, and just how the co-director who had been fired in mid-shoot wound up winning an Oscar. 1. Regardless of the movie's NY street feel, the majority of it had been shot on the soundstage in Hollywood. The famous prologue, however, was shot around the gritty Manhattan roads, in the western world 60s (among tenements going to be torn lower to create method for Lincoln subsequently Center) as well as in The spanish language Harlem (around East 110th Street). Ballroom dancers sustained some injuries from jumping about around the hard pavement, but individuals were not the only real injuries they risked. Local people bothered the entertainers by tossing rocks and shedding objects off roofs before the filmmakers hired a real street gang to safeguard them. 'West Side Story' - Prologue 2. Some audiences who'd loved the 1957 Broadway musical were miffed that Ray Kert and Carol Lawrence were not even thought to reprise the roles of Tony and Maria within the movie. However the producers wanted a cast that looked youthful enough to become teens, and also the Broadway leads were both about 30. Nevertheless, when they wound up casting two 23-year-olds within the leads, the majority of the gangbangers and gals they hired were indeed near to 30. 3. Elvis was contacted to experience Tony, but Col. Tom Parker switched the studio lower, favoring the anodyne musicals his client had been making more than one that will have experienced him carrying a switchblade. (Though he'd already performed a street kid driven to violence such movies as 'Jailhouse Rock' and 'King Creole.') If Elvis tried the film, he'd have wound up playing opposite real-existence ex-girlfriend Wood. 4. Other people who almost performed Tony: Marlon Brando, Tab Hunter, Anthony Perkins, Russ Tamblyn, Burt Reynolds, Troy Donahue, Bobby Darin, Richard Chamberlain, Dennis Hopper, Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood. Hunter (age 30), Reynolds (26) and Chamberlain (26) counseled me considered too old. The versatile Darin was too busy. Brando wanted to get it done but figured that, at 34, he was far too old. Tamblyn wound up using the role of Jets leader Lick. Beatty was co-director Robert Wise's first choice, and that he even examined with then lover/'Splendor within the Grass' co-star Wood. Ultimately, the filmmakers opted for the small-known Beymer. 5. Stars considered for Maria incorporated Katherine Hepburn, Barbara Luna, Jill St. John, Diane Baker, Valery Harper, Elizabeth Ashley, and Suzanne Pleshette. Hepburn dropped out when she grew to become pregnant. 6. Wood wanted to complete 'West Side Story,' but she understood if she switched lower Warner Bros. forthcoming melodrama 'Parrish,' studio chief Jack Warner would not loan her towards the rival U . s . Artists. So she photoshopped a bout of tonisillitis. That trick got her from 'Parrish,' however it backfired when she contracted a significant situation of pneumonia and almost needed to give up of 'West Side Story' too. Fortunately, she retrieved over time. (Pneumonia also struck cast member Eliot Feld, who performed Baby John, throughout the NY shoot.) 7. Feld was one of many veterans from the Broadway production who arrived roles within the film. Others incorporated Tony Mordente (Action), Tucker Cruz (Ice), and Jay Norman (Pepe). George Chakiris, who performed Sharks leader Bernardo, had performed Lick around the London stage. 8. A couple of people from the Broadway cast ended up getting to reprise their roles within the movie: Carole D'Andrea (Velma), Tommy Abbott (Gee-Tar) and William Bramley (Officer Krupke). 9. David Winters performed Baby John on stage along with a-rab within the movie. On stage, it is a-rab whose beating through the Sharks sparks a rumble, whilst in the movie, it's Baby John. Had Winters' roles been corrected, he'd happen to be beaten up both occasions. 10. Stefanie Forces, then going through happens title Taffy Paul, was hired like a chorus dancer but needed to give up because she was underage and might have needed an on-set tutor along with a shorter time-table. Years later, obviously, she'd co-star with Wood's husband, Robert Wagner, on TV's 'Hart to Hart.' 11. The scope from the project am large the studio made the decision to separate the workload between two company directors. Jerome Robbins, who directed and choreographed the Broadway show was hired despite never getting directed a movie before. Veteran representative Robert Smart was hired despite never getting designed a musical. It had been made the decision that Smart would handle the drama moments and Robbins the musical amounts. But Robbins' perfectionism started to tug the film lower. His exacting demands and endless rehearsals required a toll around the ballroom dancers. ("They did not dance from pleasure, they danced from fear," stated music supervisor Saul Chaplin.") Soon the film was behind schedule and $300,000 over budget. Smart defended Robbins, but he was soon requested to complete the film by themself. Robbins' choreography continued to be, however the only completed amounts he shot that stay in the film were the prologue, 'America,' 'Cool,' and 'Something's Coming.' 12. Robbins labored Wood 16 hrs each day, until she begged to become fired in the film. She also wanted Beymer fired, worrying about his insufficient singing and dancing chops (despite the fact that her song-and-dance abilities were just like limited). Eventually, she determined ways to get together with both Robbins and Beymer, as the company directors determined how you can shoot round her dance restrictions. 13. For the stars' vocal restrictions, most fans realize that Wood's singing voice was named by Marni Nixon (who'd perform the same for Katherine Hepburn 3 years later in 'My Fair Lady'). Wood herself did not know, however. She'd assumed her very own singing voice could be used, a minimum of for that lower-register parts, and did not learn she'd be named before the shoot was over. Beymer was named by Jimmy Bryant. 14. There is other vocal doubling happening too. Tucker Cruz (Ice) also sang Tamblyn's part in 'The Jet Song,' though Tamblyn's own voice is heard throughout 'Gee, Officer Krupke' and 'Quintet.' 15. As Anita (Bernardo's sister and Maria's confidante), Rita Moreno sang on 'America,' but Betty Ward was hired to dub her lower notes on 'A Boy Like This.A At the time the vocals for 'Quintet' were recorded, however, both Moreno and Ward were sick, so Nixon walked in, singing for Anita and Maria. The like film, the song really was a quartet. 16. 'West Side Story' was no. 2 box office hit of 1961, behind only Disney's '101 Dalmatians.' The film, which cost $six million to create, has gained back $43 million in the box office during the period of multiple releases over time. 17. The film was popular overseas, too. It performed for 4 years straight at Paris's George V Theater, setting an archive. 18. In 1962, the film won 10 Academy awards, an archive for any musical that stands even today. One of the honors: Best Picture (a prize that visited Smart, like a producer), Best Director (shared by Robbins and Smart, who was adamant that his fired collaborator remain credited as co-director), Best Supporting Actor (Chakiris) and finest Supporting Actress (Moreno). The only real Oscar it had been nominated for your it did not win was Best Modified Script (Ernest Lehman). Smart and Robbins were the very first pair ever to talk about a pointing award (and also the last, until Joel and Ethan Coen won for 2007's 'No Country for Old Males.') Robbins may be the only director ever to win an Oscar for his sole feature pointing credit he never directed another film. Smart, however, continued to repeat his task 4 years later, winning Best Picture and finest Director for 'The Seem of Music.' 19. Rita Moreno, the only real actual Puerto Rican one of the principal cast, grew to become just the second Hispanic artist (after fellow Puerto Rican José Ferrer ten years earlier) to win an Oscar. However it did not help her career the way in which she expected. "', '. I demonstrated them. I did not make another movie for seven years after winning the Oscar," she remembered inside a 2008 interview. "Before 'West Side Story,' I had been always offered the stereotypical Latina roles. The Conchitas and Lolitas in westerns. I had been always barefoot. It had been humiliating, embarrassing stuff. However I made it happen because there is little else. After 'West Side Story,' it had been virtually exactly the same factor. Lots of gang tales." Today, Moreno is just one of only 10 stars who've won the EGOT grand slam of competitive entertainment honours (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony) and it is the one that made it happen within the least length of time (14 years). 20. Leonard Bernstein, who composed the tunes, complained the movie was over-orchestrated. The film used some 90 music artists, around three occasions as much as the Broadway production. 21. The soundtrack album was extremely popular and won a Grammy for the best Soundtrack. Other near-synchronised instrumental versions from the score, by lounge pianists Ferrante & Teicher by jazz bandleader Stan Kenton, were large retailers too. 22. On her work dubbing Moreno's vocals, Ward went uncredited around the album. She prosecuted the film's producers and also the CBS record label for $60,000 in damages. The suit was settled from court. 23. Nixon was refused royalties too. She finally got a bit of when Bernstein decided to offer her some of his percentage. 24. Nowadays, Russ Tamblyn is much better referred to as father of Amber Tamblyn, from the 'Sisterhood from the Traveling Pants' movies and TV's 'Joan of Arcadia' and 'House.' 25. From the 'West Side Story' cast alumni, Wood had probably the most celebrated career, like a leading lady such films as 'Love Using the Proper Stranger,' 'Inside Daisy CLover,' 'This Rentals Are Condemned,' and 'Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.' Moreno has proven her flexibility in a number of media today, the first kind 'Electric Company' star is playing Fran Drescher's mother on TV's 'Happily Divorced.' Chakiris starred such movies as 'Diamond Mind,' 'Is Paris Burning?' and 'The Youthful Women of Rochefort" before embracing TV within the seventies and 1980s, retiring from acting and trying out jewellery design. Nearly 3 decades after 'West Side Story's release, Richard Beymer and Tamblyn were reunited as people from the ensemble cast of David Lynch's 1990 TV drama series 'Twin Peaks.' Beymer performed the sinister hotal magnate Ben Horne, while Tamblyn was the mysterious mental health specialist Lawrence Jacoby. Both still maintained flashes from the old mystique and menace. 'Cause when you are a Jet, you are a Jet completely. Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook Follow Gary Susman on Twitter: @garysusman RELATED

Viacom Replaces Superstar Lawyer on Eve of YouTube Appeal

Getty ImagesTed Olson The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday heard Viacom's arguments whya judge wrongfully dismissed its billion-dollar copyright infringement lawsuit against YouTube. The federal courthouse was packed with Viacom employees, Google lawyers and others in expensive suits who had shown up to witness a hearing that might shape the future of the Internet. STORY:Viacom, Google Face Off in Appeals Court Over YouTube Copyright Issues But there was one person not in attendance: Ted Olson, the superstar attorney from Gibson Dunn & Crutcher who Viacom had hired with much fanfare to handle its appeal in front of a three-judge circuit panel. On the eve of the hearing, Olson had been replaced as the lead litigator by Paul Smith, chair of the appellate practice at Jenner & Block and another member of the Viacom team. Why? The Hollywood Reporter attended the hearing Tuesday and spoke with several people in the viewer's gallery who are connected to the case. Here's what they said: EXCLUSIVE: Google Answers Viacom in YouTube Appeal In the weeks leading up to the case, both sides conducted mock hearings to get ready for this important appeal. Google's team expressed confidence after watching the meticulous preparation of its lead litigator, Quinn Emanuel's Andrew Schapiro. Meanwhile, while several folks seemingly connected with Viacom expressed their own faith in the case, the big talk surrounded Olson, who, according to one individual who claimed to have been privy to the rehearsals, had been replaced for not being adequately prepared to talk about a key issue: how YouTube had derived "direct financial benefit" from hosting copyrighted material on its servers -- one of the prongs in establishing vicarious liability under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. THR reached out to Viacom, Olson and the Gibson firm to explain his absence from Tuesday's hearing and to respond to the chatter in the gallery. ANALYSIS: Viacom's Appeal in the YouTube Case Gibson declined to comment. Viacom's general counsel Michael Fricklas tells THR in a statement: "Ted Olson and his team have been and will continue to be a key part of our appellate strategy. I was fortunate to have two great appellate lawyers that could argue the case, and decided that Paul Smith, who was involved in the earliest days of this litigation, would appear for Viacom today." Olson, the former solicitor general of the United States, is one of the most prominent attorneys in the country. His range of cases involve winning Bush v. Gore, the landmark Supreme Court decision that put an end to recounts in the 2000 presidential election, and finding some success in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, the case that challenged the constitutionality of a California ballot proposition prohibiting same-sex marriages. STORY: Viacom Friends Back Appeal of YouTube Decision Viacom points out that while Olson did not attend the hearing, one of his fellow Gibson colleagues was there. But the company doesn't dispute that a conscious decision was made to have someone other than Olson handle oral arguments Tuesday. "Viacom is fortunate to be represented by exceptional counsel that includes experienced attorneys from Gibson Dunn, Jenner & Block and Shearman & Sterling," the company says in a statement. "Paul Smith was selected to present Viacom's arguments today because of his outstanding experience on these issues and his qualifications as a highly respected appellate lawyer." E-mail: eriqgardner@yahoo.com Twitter: @eriqgardner Viacom YouTube

The Future of IMAX is... Lasers!

By the year 2013, IMAX theaters and Kodak will bring digital theatrical projection to the next level with a single, exciting, futuristic-sounding concept: LASERS! The companies announced their partnership today in a statement promising advances in quality projection in large-scale IMAX and dome theaters in the coming years to benefit moviegoers, theaters, and investors. Win-win-win? “This Kodak intellectual property is truly cutting edge,” said IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond in a press release today, “and will be used by IMAX’s esteemed Technology Group to enhance the cinematic experience for consumers, enable the application of digital technology in our larger and institutional theatres, and make being in business with IMAX even easier and more profitable.” IMAX is exclusively licensing over 50 Kodak laser and digital projection-related patents and technologies that promise to enhance the visual experience and light quality of the IMAX experience, as well as make content distribution within the IMAX network easier. “Because this technology produces the deepest blacks, and the brightest 3D of any system demonstrated to date,” said Kim Snyder of Eastman Kodak Company, “it will truly make the movies more exciting for consumers, and that creates a strong value proposition for the studios and exhibitors as well.” Meanwhile, Kodak has in recent years been developing laser projection technology, which previously fell under separate laser-specific regulations. In February, the company got the go-ahead from the FDA to bring their technology to cinema theaters (vs. specialized laser shows, etc.). According to Kodak’s website, the features of their Laser Projection Technology include combined 2-D and 3-D projection,” 3-D images “twice as bright” as those used in standard industry practice, and 2K resolution scalable to 4K. In a statement last spring, Kodak explained the initiative: Typically, digital projection systems using high power lasers fall under the definition of a “demonstration laser” and must follow existing regulations for conventional laser projectors, such as those used in laser light show displays. Kodak has been working in conjunction with laser safety consultants and the FDA to address potential safety issues.KODAK Laser Projection Technology promises to bring vastly improved image quality to theater screens, including significantly brighter 3D viewing, and to dramatically reduce costs to digital projection in cinemas through the innovative use of long-life lasers, lower-cost optics and more efficient energy usage. Could lasers be the key to the future of theatrical moviegoing? Will it make the sucky peripheral IMAX seats you get when you arrive late suck any less? Would Jim Cameron approve? Stay tuned… [Press release, Kodak]

Gross! The Brains Behind The Walking Dead Dissect the Premiere's Zombie Autopsy

The Walking Dead [Warning: The following story includes spoilers within the Season 2 premiere in the Walking Dead. Read in the own risk.]AMC's The Walking Dead has not been for your squeamish, so that it shojuld 't be an unexpected the growing season 2 premiere would attempt what executive producer Robert Kirkman calls "one of the grossest things we have develop."The Walking Dead looks for existence after Frank DarabontLed by Deputy Sherriff Ron Grimes (Andrew Lincoln subsequently subsequently), the show's gang of zombie-apocalypse children left Atlanta behind in hopeful search from the rut within an abandoned military fort. However, the gang was postponed simply because they showed up at a bit of interstate that was blocked with abandoned automobiles. When Ron and Dale (Jeffrey DeMunn) spotted a "herd" of ramblers approaching, everyone quickly hid under cars prior to the mob had passed. But soon after that, a couple of straggling zombies chased little Sophia (Madison Lintz) into the forest.Despite Rick's best efforts to be able to save her - including bashing two zombies' brains together with a rock - Sophia never returned for the group, which instantly produced in to a search party. When Ron and Darryl (Norman Reedus) discovered a spook who had just given, they feared Sophia had become breakfast, but there's only a good way to know certainly: They gutted the zombie and checked the products in the stomach."In my opinion I'd the idea of doing as being a CSI study of fingernails and examining the zombie's mouth," Kirkman, who written the graphic books in which the series relies, notifies TVGuide.com. "Later on, it simply increased being a pleasurable spit-balling session inside the writer's room. [Author Scott Gimple] made the suggestion of really cutting the main one factor open and diving inside. ... [It's] one of the grossest things we have develop."The Walking Dead: Creator weighs in at in at in on Season 1's finest mysteryNewly installed showrunner Glen Mazzara states the scene was a lot more disgusting. However when it absolutely was edited, the scene also increased being darkly funny. "I made a decision to operate lower and very play plenty of appear effects," Mazzara states. "Then you definitely certainly enter the gore and Andy Lincoln subsequently subsequently does such an admirable job of playing the fact he's nauseous. We just like it. We feel it's fun and memorable."While Mazzara and Kirkman agree that chuckling using the grossness is ok, they hope everyone else realizes the stakes facing the figures nowadays. "It's this type of absurd situation ... however they'd decide to,In . Mazzara states. "Hopefully everyone else will say, 'Well, yes, essentially was there, clearly I'd stomach that zombie.' They're people dealing with existence and dying situations each day. ...They live in terror they might not survive your entire day.InchTo that one finish, the episode finishes getting a doozy from the high high cliff-hanger. While admiring a deer inside the forest with Ron and Shane (Jon Bernthal), Carl (Chandler Riggs) was shot with a mystery assailant. Mazzara states the accident might have major impact on the comfort of the year, particularly for his mother, Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies).Have a look at photos in the Walking Dead cast"She becomes a really major character, not just Rick's wife," according to him. "Once I was place in my new position, that was a thing that I immediately started to develop with techniques that individuals had not formerly planned. The higher pressure we are in a position to positioned on our central character, the higher. Ron is not just facing questions of leadership, but he's also facing marital problems, together with an individual crisis."Adds Kirkman: "It's really a focus of the year. Carl getting shot really kind of turns everyone's attention toward the reality that might be lots of dangers nowadays you'll be able to hardly keep close track of them. He certainly wasn't shot having a zombie. [Ron and Lori] have to be aware it doesn't matter the way you strive, you just can't safeguard a youthful child from everything. ...You learn to survive nowadays, however when you really start to examine it, it starts to look like it's kind of impossible."Whoever else consider The Walking Dead's season premiere?

'Cars 2' Toys, Disney Princesses Help Drive Mattel's Third-Quarter Results

our editor recommends'Toy Story 3' boosts Mattel profitsCarl Icahn Unloads Yahoo Stock, Buys Mattel Shares NY - Toy giant Mattel on Friday reported a 6.2 percent gain in third-quarter earnings helped by sales of toys tied to Cars 2and the company's Disney Princess line. Quarterly profit amounted to $300.8 million, in line with Wall Street expectations. Revenue exceeded projections, rising 9 percent to $2 billion. Stifel, Nicolaus analyst Drew Crumsaid that was "well ahead" of his estimate of $1.94 billion. "Not only have we continued to benefit from the strength of our core brands, but this year's big entertainment property, Cars 2, is also fueling momentum," said Robert Eckert, chairman and CEO of Mattel. "As we enter into the all-important holiday season, we remain keenly focused on execution and delivering growth in our core brands, working to expand and leverage our international footprint, optimizing our entertainment portfolio, and building our newest franchise, Monster High." Entertainment segment revenue increased 14 percent, driven "primarily" by Cars 2sales, the company said. Barbie sales rose 17 percent, and the company recorded a 32 percent gain in its "other girls brands" segment driven by Monster High and Disney Princess sales. Related Topics Cars 2

ABC Gives Full Seasons to 'Revenge,' 'Suburgatory' Orders More 'Happy Endings'

ABC"Revenge" ABC is making its first moves throughout this television season, obtaining the rear nine on two Wednesday evening choices: Revenge and Suburgatory. Additionally, the network has purchased six additional scripts for sophomore comedy Happy Being. Revenge, loosely in line with the Alexandre Dumas book The Count of Monte Cristo, continues to be given a complete 22-episode season. The series, brought by Emily Van Camping and Madeleine Stowe, continues to be holding firm in the 10 p.m. slot, calculating 8.8 million total audiences along with a 2.8 rating among grown ups 18-49 in the first three days. Its newest episode won the hour within the demo, topping veteran CBS procedural CSI along the way. PHOTOS: Fall TV Dying Watch: Which New Shows Is Going To Be Axed? Revenge, produced by Mike Kelley, focuses on Emily Thorne (Van Camping), or Amanda Clarke, who returns towards the Hamptons to consider revenge on those who destroyed her family, including her father's (James Tupper) dying. Gabriel Mann, Henry Czerny, Ashley Madekwe, Josh Bowman, Nick Wechsler, Connor Paolo and Christa B. Allen complete the ensemble cast. The entire order is anticipated for Suburgatory, because the rookie series notched a powerful rankings performance in the debut on Sept. 28, calculating 9.8 million total audiences along with a 3.3 rating among grown ups 18-49, becoming a powerful lead-directly into Modern Family. PHOTOS: ABC's New Fall Television Shows Starring Jane Levy, Jeremy Sisto and Cheryl Hines, Subugatory involves just one father (Sisto) and teenage daughter (Levy) who proceed to the and surrounding suburbs after residing in NY City. Produced by Emily Kapnek, the Warner Bros. TV-created series airs at 8:30 p.m. following a Middle. The extra script order for Happy Being may come as the comedy notched an 18 percent increase from the previous week, although the evening saw less competition without any X Factor on Fox. The David Caspe-produced half-hour series has seen a rankings bump within the plum publish-Modern Family slot. This past year, Happy Being adopted a less strong lead-in, Cougar Town -- and saw a number of its episodes broadcast from order. Using the pick-ups of Revenge and Suburgatory, ABC's newcomer series join Whitney, Up Through The Night, 2 Broke Women, New Girl, Ringer, Hart of Dixie and also the Secret Circle in receiving full seasons. The network comes out its ambitious fairytale drama Not so long ago later this month and new comedy Guy Up! on Tuesday. This news mark ABC chief Paul Lee's first moves so far this year. Revenge Suburgatory

Jeffrey Katzenberg, J.J. Abrams Leading the Control of Hollywood's Super PAC Spenders

Inside a town that loves its blockbusters, Hollywood's political fund-raising scene is turning out to be a large-budget drama, because of the super PAC.our editor recommendsStephen Colbert's Super PAC Supports Ron Parry, Not Perry, in First Ad (Video)As Obama Comes to Hollywood, Showbiz Heavies Plan More Democratic Party FundraisersDisappointed Hollywood Giving Obama Cold ShoulderRick Perry: The Strange Reason Hollywood is Disappointed in Him Political action committees built around industries or causes happen to be an element from the political landscape for a long time, however the "super" variety -- technically, they're known as "independent expenditure-only committees" -- was produced following a bitterly divided U.S. Top Court struck lower the McCain-Feingold campaign-reform act this year. The premise: Super PACs can accept limitless funds for they want political candidates, as lengthy because the money isn't directly funneled right into a campaign. PHOTOS: 10 Artists Dems and Republicans Like to Hate That ruling has motivated a totally free-for-all attitude in fund-raising circles. Hollywood political associates say reps from the super PACs have walked up calls to set up conferences and fall into line potential contributor. Three from the Dems' major entertainment industry givers curently have been generous to Focal points USA, an excellent PAC run by former Obama Whitened House aides Sean Sweeney and Bill Burton. Jeffrey Katzenberg has given $two million towards the committee which will offer the leader's re-election campaign, and J.J. Abrams and the wife, Katie McGrath, have led $100,000. Producer Steve Bing has contributed $400,000 towards the Democratic PACs American Bridge twenty-first century and quite a few PAC. (The utmost donation it's possible to give straight to a presidential campaign is $2,500 per election, plus $30,800 annually to some national party committee. Contributor may also give $5,000 yearly holiday to a political committees.) "Every moment we now have viewed Republican extremists inch our nation nearer to the catastrophe of default, People in america have felt the impact from the last election cycle and the prosperity of Karl Rove and also the Koch siblings," stated Katzenberg during the time of his donation in May. "The stakes are extremely high for all of us to merely permit the extremism of the small but well-funded right-wing minority to visit unchallenged." PHOTOS: Dems and Republicans' Favorite Movies Demand around the Republican side is especially heavy due to the unsettled GOP area heading into primary season. Rove, the Rose bush Whitened House political mastermind whose American Crossroads committee spent $38 million helping Republicans recapture the home this year, has elevated a lot more than $25 million throughout the present cycle, a minimum of $a million which has taken care of advertisements attacking Leader Obama's jobs proposal. Since Rove created the PAC, Jerry Perenchio, the first kind Univision executive whose huge fortune makes him among the GOP's most prolific givers, has contributed $3 million to American Crossroads, including $two million this season. Texas Gov. Ron Perry is backed through the super PAC Make Us Great Again, run by his former chief of staff Mike Toomey. Make Us Great apparently would like to invest $55 million to assist Perry gain the Whitened House. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is backed with a super PAC, Restore Our Future, that has elevated a lot more than $20 million to aid his campaign. Minnesota Repetition. Bachmann Wanted has got the super PAC Keep Conservatives U . s . in her own corner. Even Comedy Central host Stephen Colbert has released an excellent PAC, raising money from audiences (considered "heroes" within an onscreen scroll featured nightly around the Colbert Report). Colbert hasn't revealed just how much he's elevated, but it's regarded as a substantial number. The show's super PAC funded an amusing ad advocating voters in Iowa's August hay poll to back "Ron Parry." Burton, who has worked with Katzenberg and top Hollywood fund-raiser Andy Spahn, states he and Sweeney will visit La and talk with the's Democratic heavy players throughout the approaching days. Spahn states contributor is going to be told that after it involves super PACs, "it's obvious that Focal points USA may be the one." The mission, describes Burton, "would be to answer what Rove does, especially with regards to the presidential race." To that particular finish, Focal points USA has elevated about $3.two million to date. "Individuals have been encouraging round the country," adds Burton. "People realize that there's a necessity as well as an emergency to reply and be prepared for 2012." Nevertheless, another experienced Democratic operative in Hollywood states the super PACs will dsicover themselves operating inside a town whose usual contributor are already on overload. "I don't know anybody who would like to write millions of-dollar check at this time,Inch states one industry politico. "People aren't saying no thanks, however they want more details. They would like to obtain a better feeling of who Obama is facing. They should also determine where their cash might be best placed." Further complicating the problem, most super PAC costs could be for negative advertising that certainly continues to be the pattern to date, and because of the character of recent politics, there's little chance which will change. Actually, experts from the 2010 Top Court decision lament that it'll turn campaigns nastier because "independent" advertisements frequently go negative. Greater than a couple of industry political givers might balk at financing the broadcast attacks certain to saturate the airwaves throughout the following year, thanks to the super PACs. Among the Dems' greatest contributor, L.A.-based mogul Haim Saban, informs The Hollywood Reporter he hasn't made the decision "who to offer to and just how much yet." Saban echoes a sentiment pervasive in Hollywood. Still, because of the pivotal role these massively funded organizations will probably participate in the presidential and congressional elections and also the try to sell you that's visiting gracious living spaces through the Westside, the super PACs could give new meaning to pocketbook politics. Related Subjects J.J. Abrams Jeffrey Katzenberg Stephen Colbert

Ornstein, Kuryak cover coasts for TLC

TLC has named a VP for each coast: The net has upped Alon Ornstein to VP of production and development for the East Coast, based in parent company Discovery Communications' Silver Spring, Md. HQ. Simultaneously, former OWN exec Timothy Kuryak has been moved to the net, where he will be VP of production and development for the West Coast, based in L.A. and reporting to Howard Lee (as will Ornstein). Ornstein has worked on shows at TLC including "19 Kids and Counting," "Dr. G.: Medical Examiner" and "Hoarding: Buried Alive," among others. At OWN, Kuryak oversaw "Searching For...," "Enough Already! With Peter Walsh" and other shows, and served as head of West Coast p&d during the launch of Planet Green. Contact Sam Thielman at sam.thielman@variety.com

Hero Shots Galore: The Avengers Trailer Assembles!

This morning Disney released the first full trailer for Joss Whedon’s Marvel superhero party The Avengers, and ZOMG guys — have there ever been two minutes of action more packed with hero shots, zingers, and things blowing up before this very moment? (Michael Bay might give Whedon a run for his money, but the Avengers trailer has what even his robot spectaculars don’t: copious slow-mo superhero booty shots. Consider the bar raised.) In fact, the trailer doesn’t even bother with explaining plot and set-up; it assumes (correctly) that you already know what The Avengers is all about, why Sam Jackson’s corralling a bunch of A-listers to his cause and who that pale, long-haired Shakespearean looking fellow is that’s tearing up the streets of America. Which means: Cut to the assembling, already! Let’s take a look. “What do we do?” “We get ready.” Oh, that Sam Jackson. Always prepared. In fact, the only nagging thing about this trailer, which I kind of love because of the aforementioned butt-shots, the fiery set pieces, and the sight of Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr., and Scarlett Johansson looking bad ass in their spiffy costumes, is the strangely conspicuous verbiage this super-team throws around. “Assemble” is their battle cry? What are they, Voltron? Putting a puzzle together? Building IKEA furniture? “But it’s from the comics!” you say. Yeah, yeah. Well, it sounds funny. Also see the line, “”If we can’t protect the Earth, you can be damn sure we’ll avenge it,” spoken by a serious RDJ, in contrast to the rampage of witty one-liners he’s on during the rest of the trailer. Of course you will. You’re the Avengers. Verdict: I’m nitpicking. This looks pretty badass, and who am I kidding? They had me at [explosion]. [Apple]

Cable sets blue plate special offers

As the prospect of cable operators offering a la carte prices in the near future remains slim, the reduced tier is clearly taking root.Within the wake of the wave of customer deficits that cable operators contend are largely driven through the shaky economy, Comcast has silently broadened a minimal-cost trial offering in choose marketplaces that does not only provides less channels than fundamental cable but additional options that group together choose channels by programming genre.The package, referred to as MyTV Choice, started testing in Charleston, S.C. a week ago, after being used in western Colonial and Dallas within the summer time.The development occurs the heels of your time Warner Cable's announcement recently of intends to expand its very own reduced tier, TV Necessities, across its New England footprint. Like MyTV Choice, the tier is created affordable by departing out a few of the channels which are probably the most costly to operators in monthly costs compensated to developers, including Disney-possessed ESPN. While these tiers have experienced minimal traction available on the market up to now, their growing visibility in the nation's two greatest MSOs boosts new questions. The chance of even slight growth for reduced tiers could impact tha harsh truth at content companies given that they get compensated on the per-customer foundation for the channels that will get left off. As well as for customers, Comcast's variation around the reduced tier with MyTV Choice might be as near to some la carte as they are getting. "To visualize that that's not to consider these packages is fairly naive, especially because Time Warner Cable examined the package with a minimum of some success with limited marketing," stated Michael Morris, media analyst with Davenport & Co.The deployment of recent tiers is supposed to give cost-sensitive customers an alternate throughout tough financial aspects occasions towards the progressively pricey standard monthly subscriptions. Cable operators experienced huge sub deficits within the second quarter of the year. Recently, a Reuters report elevated the specter that cable-industry worries were compelling some more compact operators introducing a la carte programming -- a questionable possibility considering the fact that developers and MSOs have lengthy held this kind of arrangement would destroy their current business design. Another factor was an costly new lengthy-term ESPN deal for National football league privileges that spurred reviews Dish Network was searching to ditch the all-sports network from the funnel selection instead of pass onto customers the price of expected fee hikes.ESPN charges MSOs an believed $4.69 per sub monthly, based on SNL Kagan -- roughly four occasions the 2nd-most costly network, Time Warner's TNT ($1.16), also is unavailable on Comcast or TW Cable's low-cost tiers. Nor is News Corp.-possessed Fox News Funnel (78). Every dollar allocated to reduced tiers will not visit content-company coffers, argues Morris, who calculated that a 1% drop in ESPN's sub base might cost Disney $60 million in affiliate costs."Traders are unlikely to bother with 1% or 2%," stated Morris. "But let's say it increased to 10% or 12%? That might be real financial impact." Nevertheless, sources acquainted with affiliate contracts observe that tiers are only able to become very popular before they violate MSOs' contractual contracts with developers. Most channels require positioning around the 1st or 2nd most permeated funnel packages an MSO offers. An excessive amount of traction for any tier would trigger the re-insertion from the funnel, which may avoid the very discounting that fuels the tier's appeal.While TV Necessities has become lots of attention since its rollout last November, reduced tiers have been in existence for a long time. Comcast, Cox, Cablevision and Dish Network are among individuals that provide all of them with minimal returns.Some saw TV Necessities being an empty gesture to impress Wall Street, where cable operators happen to be roundly belittled because of not being nimble enough against upstart rivals like Netflix. But unlike typical discount tiers, Comcast's new tier is made to attract customers searching for cost in addition to versatility. MyTV Choice provides a "My Starter" tier for $25 or perhaps a "My Starter Plus" tier for $45, the second retaining various ESPN channels taken off the first kind package. Additionally, there's $10 supplements for funnel packages designed around kids, news, movies and entertainment. The offering varies a little city to city as Comcast understands a great way.Busting the cable bundle up into discrete blocks is not a brand new notion Comcast even consulted with cable companies abroad that employ the model before going after its very own, including Canada's Shaw Communications and Australia's FoxTel, based on a speaker.But Comcast's model may represent the only real realistic middle ground between your unlikely prospect of customers cherry-picking channels and also the existing bundles of channels that leave little room for versatility. Even operators desired to perform a la carte -- with no major MSO is on record as saying such -- they don't have the privileges and technology to implement it in the near future. Stated Morris, "I do not think true a la carte occasion to happen. At this time it seems structurally impossible." Contact Andrew Wallenstein at andrew.wallenstein@variety.com

FEINBERG FORECAST: 'Marilyn' Divides, 'Ides' Disappoints, 'Hugo' May Be Monday's Surprise

The Weinstein Company Among the things that factored into this week's projections (which appear further down on the page)... Simon Curtis's My Week with Marilyn had its first press screening at the NY Film Festival this morning, and the early reviews are decidedly mixed. Moviefone's Christopher Rosen writes that Michelle Williams "is perfection" as Marilyn Monroe and compares the film to last year's Oscar winner The King's Speech. IndieWire's Eric Kohn, however, calls it a "tolerably superficial crowdpleaser" and says Williams gives a "one-note performance," merely "offering her best Marilyn voice and grin." Someone from The Playlist (there is no byline), meanwhile, falls somewhere in-between, suggesting that the film is "not terrible... engaging enough... and tolerable enough," and Williams gives "an admirable but certainly not spectacular performance... in a role she's arguably not very suited for," but that it is Judi Dench who gives "a stand-out" turn. (He or she also gets the film's title wrong in the opening paragraph, though, calling it My Life with Marilyn, so I'm not sure how much stock I'd put in that assessment.) George Clooney's The Ides of March opened on Friday and -- despite starring "It" guy Ryan Gosling and Clooney for stumping it on Charlie Rose and in an interview with Time, among other things -- delivered only so-so numbers at the box-office (roughly $10.4 million), finishing in second place way behind Real Steel and only slightly ahead of holdover Dolphin Tale. Less than enthusiastic reviews from the NY Times, Los Angeles Times, and Wall Street Journal didn't help its launch. Multiple sources suggest that tomorrow night's "surprise screening" at the NY Film Festival will be Martin Scorsese's Hugo, which apprently is still not 100% finished but is far enough along that Scorsese and Paramount are willing to unveil it at the director's hometown fest in advance of its November 23 release date. (The Telluride Film Festival is well known for surprise screenings of this sort, but it is, to the best of my knowledge, an unprecedented occurence at the NYFF.) The NY premiere of Emilio Estevez's The Way, which stars his father Martin Sheen, was an unusually hot ticket last Wednesday thanks to the attendance of former president Bill Clinton, a friend of Sheen's and of the founders of the organizations for which the premiere was raising funds. Clinton offered a hearty endorsement of the film ("I thank the people who made this beautiful movie"), which went into limited release on Friday and grossed more per theater -- $4012 in 33 theaters -- than all but four other films (Real Steel, Take Shelter, The Ides of March, and The Women on the 6th Floor). Over the past week, we got our first look at the posters for Shame (which debuted exclusively on The Race) and for J. Edgar; trailers for War Horse and for Young Adult; and new trailers for The Adventures of Tintin, for Arthur Christmas, and for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (for international audiences). BEST PICTURE Frontrunners War Horse (Disney, 12/25, TBA, teaser) The Artist (The Weinstein Company, 11/23, TBA, trailer) Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (Warner Brothers, 12/25, TBA, trailer) J. Edgar (Warner Brothers, 11/11, R, trailer) Moneyball (Columbia, 9/23, TBA, trailer) Midnight in Paris (Sony Pictures Classics, 5/20, PG-13, trailer) The Help (Disney, 8/12, PG-13, trailer) The Descendants (Fox Searchlight, 11/23, R, trailer) The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Sony, 12/21, TBA, trailer) The Iron Lady (The Weinstein Company, 12/21, TBA, teaser) Major Threats Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (Focus Features, 12/9, TBA, trailer) The Tree of Life (Fox Searchlight, 5/27, PG-13, trailer) My Week With Marilyn (The Weinstein Company, 11/4, TBA, TBA) The Ides of March (Sony, 10/14, TBA, trailer) Drive (FilmDistrict, 9/16, R, trailer) Carnage (Sony Pictures Classics, 12/16, R, trailer) Like Crazy (Paramount Vantage, 10/28, PG-13, trailer) 50/50 (Summit, 9/30, R, trailer) We Bought a Zoo (20th Century Fox, 12/23, TBA, trailer) Possibilities Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2 (Warner Brothers, 7/15, PG-13, trailer) The Adventures of Tintin (Paramount, 12/21, TBA, trailer) Hugo (Paramount, 11/23, TBA, trailer) Young Adult (Paramount, 12/9, TBA, TBA) A Dangerous Method (Sony Pictures Classics, 11/23, TBA, trailer) The Lady (Cohen Media Group, 12/?, TBA, trailer) The Way (Producers Distribution Agency, 10/7, TBA, trailer) Coriolanus (The Weinstein Company, 12/2, TBA, trailer) Super 8 (Paramount, 6/10, PG-13, trailer) In the Land of Blood and Honey (FilmDistrict, 12/23, TBA, TBA) Still Seeking Domestic Distribution Take This Waltz BEST DIRECTOR Frontrunners Steven Spielberg (War Horse) Stephen Daldry (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) Clint Eastwood (J. Edgar) Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris) Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist) Major Threats Bennett Miller (Moneyball) Alexander Payne (The Descendants) David Fincher (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life) Roman Polanski (Carnage) Tate Taylor (The Help) George Clooney (The Ides of March) Tomas Alfredson (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy) Phyllida Lloyd (The Iron Lady) Possibilities Steven Spielberg (The Adventures of Tintin) Martin Scorsese (Hugo) Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive) Cameron Crowe (We Bought a Zoo) Jason Reitman (Young Adult) David Cronenberg (A Dangerous Method) Simon Curtis (My Week With Marilyn) Luc Besson (The Lady) Ralph Fiennes (Coriolanus) Angelina Jolie (In the Land of Blood and Honey) Still Seeking Domestic Distribution Sarah Polley (Take This Waltz) BEST ACTOR Frontrunners Brad Pitt (Moneyball) Leonardo DiCaprio (J. Edgar) Jean Dujardin (The Artist) George Clooney (The Descendants) Michael Fassbender (Shame) Major Threats Woody Harrelson (Rampart) Ryan Gosling (The Ides of March) Ryan Gosling (Drive) Gary Oldman (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy) Anton Yelchin (Like Crazy) Michael Shannon (Take Shelter) Joseph Gordon-Levitt (50/50) Thomas Horn (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) Christoph Waltz (Carnage) John C. Reilly (Carnage) Daniel Craig (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) Possibilities Owen Wilson (Midnight in Paris) Matt Damon (We Bought a Zoo) Jeremy Irvine (War Horse) Demian Bichir (A Better Life) Michael Fassbender (A Dangerous Method) Paul Giamatti (Win Win) Martin Sheen (The Way) Rhys Ifans (Anonymous) Johnny Depp (The Rum Diary) Sam Shepard (Blackthorn) Tom Hardy (Warrior) Eddie Redmayne (My Week with Marilyn) Still Seeking Domestic Distribution Christopher Plummer (Barrymore) BEST ACTRESS Frontrunners Viola Davis (The Help) Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady) Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs) Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn) Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) Major Threats Felicity Jones (Like Crazy) Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene) Charlize Theron (Young Adult) Keira Knightley (A Dangerous Method) Jodie Foster (Carnage) Kate Winslet (Carnage) Tilda Swinton (We Need to Talk About Kevin) Possibilities Kirsten Dunst (Melancholia) Mia Wasikowska (Jane Eyre) Michelle Yeoh (The Lady) Ellen Barkin (Another Happy Day) Adepero Oduye (Pariah) Rachel Weisz (The Whistleblower) Vera Farmiga (Higher Ground) Saoirse Ronan (Hanna) Still Seeking Domestic Distribution Michelle Williams (Take This Waltz) BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Frontrunners Christopher Plummer (Beginners) Kenneth Branagh (My Week with Marilyn) Max von Sydow (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) Jim Broadbent (The Iron Lady) Albert Brooks (Drive) Major Threats George Clooney (The Ides of March) Jonah Hill (Moneyball) Nick Nolte (Warrior) Viggo Mortensen (A Dangerous Method) Tom Hanks (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) Armie Hammer (J. Edgar) John Hawkes (Martha Marcy May Marlene) Brad Pitt (The Tree of Life) Possibilities Andy Serkis (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) Patton Oswalt (Young Adult) Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Ides of March) Thomas Haden Church (We Bought a Zoo) Jeffrey Wright (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) Ezra Miller (We Need to Talk About Kevin) Corey Stoll (Midnight in Paris) Tom Hardy (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) Still Seeking Domestic Distribution Terrence Howard (Winnie) BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Frontrunners Berenice Bejo (The Artist) Octavia Spencer (The Help) Vanessa Redgrave (Coriolanus) Jessica Chastain (The Help) Shailene Woodley (The Descendants) Major Threats Evan Rachel Wood (The Ides of March) Carey Mulligan (Shame) Judi Dench (My Week with Marilyn) Sandra Bullock (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) Emily Watson (War Horse) Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs) Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) Possibilities Naomi Watts (J. Edgar) Scarlett Johansson (We Bought a Zoo) Judi Dench (J. Edgar) Anna Kendrick (50/50) Charlotte Gainsbourg (Melancholia) Charlotte Rampling (Melancholia) Judy Greer (The Descendants) Kim Wayans (Pariah) Still Seeking Domestic Distribution Judy Davis (The Eye of the Storm) Charlotte Rampling (The Eye of the Storm) BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Frontrunners Richard Curtis, Lee Hall (War Horse) Eric Roth (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian (Moneyball) Tate Taylor (The Help) Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash (The Descendants) Major Threats Steven Zaillian (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughan (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy) George Clooney, Grant Heslov (The Ides of March) Roman Polanski (Carnage) Hossein Amini (Drive) Cameron Crowe, Aline Brosh McKenna (We Bought a Zoo) Possibilities Pedro Almodovar (The Skin I Live In) James Ellroy, Oren Moverman (Rampart) John Logan (Hugo) Christopher Hampton (A Dangerous Method) Emilio Estevez (The Way) John Logan (Coriolanus) John Banville, Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs) BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Frontrunners Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist) Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris) Dustin Lance Black (J. Edgar) Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life) Abi Morgan (The Iron Lady) Major Threats Adrian Hodges (My Week with Marilyn) Drake Doremus, Ben York Jones (Like Crazy) Will Reiser (50/50) Diablo Cody (Young Adult) Asghar Farhadi (A Separation) Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter) Sean Durkin (Martha Marcy Mae Marlene) Possibilities Annie Mumolo, Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids) Tom McCarthy, Joe Tiboni (Win Win) Rebecca Frayne (The Lady) J.J. Abrams (Super 8) Dee Rees (Pariah) Mike Mills (Beginners) Angelina Jolie (In the Land of Blood and Honey) Still Seeking Domestic Distribution Sarah Polley (Take This Waltz) BEST ANIMATED FILM (FEATURE) Frontrunners Rango (Paramount, 3/4, PG, trailer) The Adventures of Tintin (Paramount, 12/21, TBA, trailer) Happy Feet 2 (Warner Brothers, 11/18, TBA, TBA, trailer) Cars 2 (Disney, 6/24, TBA, trailer) Arthur Christmas (Sony, 11/23, TBA, trailer) Major Threats Puss in Boots (DreamWorks, 11/4, TBA, trailer) Rio (20th Century Fox, 4/15, G, trailer) Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked (20th Century Fox, 12/11, TBA, TBA) Winnie the Pooh (Disney, 7/15, G, trailer) Possibilities Kung Fu Panda 2 (DreamWorks, 5/26, PG, trailer) The Smurfs (Sony, 7/29, TBA, trailer) The Lion of Judah (Animated Family Films, 6/3, TBA, trailer) Still Seeking Domestic Distribution The Dreaming Machine The Rabbi's Cat Tales of the Night BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM (FEATURE) Frontrunners The Interrupters (The Cinema Guild, 7/29, TBA, trailer) Project Nim (Roadside Attractions, 7/8, PG-13, trailer) Buck (IFC Films, 6/17, PG, trailer) Senna (Producers Distribution Agency, 8/12, PG-13, trailer) If a Tree Falls (Oscilloscope, 6/22, TBA, trailer) Major Threats Hell and Back Again (Docurama Films, 10/5, TBA, trailer) Cave of Forgotten Dreams (IFC Films, 4/29, G, trailer) Into the Abyss (Sundance Selects, 11/11, TBA, TBA) Koran by Heart (HBO Documentary Films, TBA, TBA, trailer) Page One: Inside the NY Times (Magnolia, 6/24, TBA, trailer) Tabloid (Sundance Selects, 7/15, R, trailer) Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey (Submarine Deluxe, TBA, trailer) Magic Trip (Magnolia, 8/5, TBA, trailer) Bill Cunningham NY (Zeitgeist Films, 3/16, TBA, trailer) Possibilities The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 (Sundance Selects, 9/9, TBA, trailer) Pearl Jam Twenty (Abramorama, 9/20, R, trailer) Bobby Fischer Against the World (HBO Documentary Films, TBA, TBA, TBA) The Whale (Paladin, TBA, TBA, TBA) The Bully Project (The Weinstein Company, TBA, TBA, trailer) Revenge of the Electric Car (Westmidwest Productions, TBA, TBA, trailer) The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (Sony Pictures Classics, 4/22, PG-13, trailer) African Cats (Disney, 4/22, G, trailer) Life in a Day (National Geographic, 7/29, PG-13, trailer) Still Seeking Domestic Distribution Bombay Beach Footnote