• The war of words over Watchmen continues, with producer Lloyd Levin defending Warner Bros. right to make the movie in an open letter. Meanwhile, Larry Gordon, the producer at the center of the courtroom tussle, fired off an angry letter of his own to the judge arbitrating the case, blaming 20th Century Fox and his own lawyers. The plot thickens, but won't be resolved until January 20.
• The Dark Knight continues to gain Oscar heat, this time with Christopher Nolan scoring a Director's Guild of America nomination. Slumdog Millionaire, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, and Milk also scored nods for their respective helmers. This is could definitely be the best picture line-up come Oscar night.
• Meanwhile, Slumdog Millionaire is starting to look like this year's "little movie that could," winning best picture at the Critics' Choice Awards. Hope you aren't award season-ed out yet--we still have the Golden Globes, the SAGs, the Independent Spirit Awards, the Golden Raisinets... OK, I made that last one up.
• As the Travolta family mourned the loss of son Jett at a private memorial service, Tom Cruise spoke about the tragedy on The View.
• Speaking of the Globes, an error on the Golden Globes website awarded Anne Hathaway the best actress prize a few days early. Did the Hollywood Foreign Press tip their hand, or was it just a goof-up?
• Colin Farrell, Ed Harris, Jim Sturgess, and Atonement's Saoirse Ronan have all signed on to Peter Weir's latest film, The Way Back. Weir (Witness, Master and Commander) doesn't make movies all that often, so when he does, they tend to attract A-list talent.
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
BIZ
Box Office '08: Not 'recession-proof'
from EW.com: Movies
By Joshua Rich
Joshua Rich goes inside the numbers: While the year had big receipts (thanks,
Batman!), attendance dropped
from /Film by orfilms@gmail.com (slashfilm.com)
Netflix has announced that they will be holding their own
Project Greenlight of sorts.
Get Ready to Pay Big Fees: Live Nation Ticketing Service
Launches
from Rolling Stone : Rock and Roll Daily by Daniel Kreps
After splitting with Ticketmaster and locking down massive
360 deals with Madonna and Jay-Z, Live Nation has finally launched its own ticketing service.
Death Row returning to auction block
from The Hollywood Reporter - Music by Mariel Concepcion and Ed Christman, Billboard
The assets of Death Row Records, once the thriving home to
artists such as Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg, are going back on the auction
block Jan. 15 as part of a Chapter 11 proceeding.
Dupri is out at Island Records
Music News: Rapper-producer-mogul exits music unit --
Jermaine Dupri is out as president of Island Records Urban Music division, a
unit he ran for almost two years.
Obama backs extending digital TV cutoff date (Reuters)
from Yahoo! News: Entertainment News
Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama backs a move to delay a mandatory switch to digital television signals on fears viewers are unprepared and as the government has run out of coupons to help pay for converter boxes.
SUNDANCE
CAMP FREDDY To Perform At SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL
from Google Alerts - "sundance film festival"
Sundance Fest may not be about sales this year
from MSNBC.com: Movies
The chance of finding a "Little Miss Sunshine"
seems highly unlikely particularly in this difficult economy.
Sundance Film Festival: The rebel and the Empress
from Google Alerts - "sundance film festival" by Independent
-
Empress Farah, the widow of the Shah of Iran, is set to be an unlikely star of the Sundance Film Festival.
2009 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL SHINES NEW LIGHT ON ROCK LEGENDS
from Google Alerts - "sundance film festival" by Park City Television
Sundance Institute today announced the lineup of
music-themed films and events at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.
MySpace to Host MySpace Café at The Sundance Lift
from Google Alerts - "sundance film festival" by WELT
ONLINE -
MySpace Café is an official media partner of The Sundance
Lift at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. The MySpace Café is open to celebrities
and industry ...
AWARDS
from NYT > Movies
As
The Carpetbagger: The Globes Are Nice, but the Directors Guild
May Set the Oscar Pace
from NYT > Movies
All eyes are trained on Sunday night, when the Golden Globes
will winnow the herd.
Are the Golden Globe Awards the Stupidest Movie Prizes Ever?
from Rolling Stone: The Travers Take
Don't get me wrong I love the Golden Globes TV show. You can
see it this Sunday on NBC. What other awards telecast sits dressed-to-thrill
stars at tables and serves up booze in large quantities prompting loose lips
and the delicious possibility of embarrassing acceptance speeches?
Boyle, Fincher & Nolan get DGA nods
from Entertainment News - UPI.com
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- The Directors Guild of America
has nominated Danny Boyle, David Fincher, Ron Howard, Christopher Nolan and Gus
Van Sant for its top film honor.
'Burn,' 'Milk' up for WGA screenplay award
from Entertainment News - UPI.com
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- The Writers Guild of America
has nominated "Milk," "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" and
"The Visitor" for its best original screenplay prize.
Berry, Perry named Image Award show hosts
from Entertainment News - UPI.com
from EW.com: Today's Latest Headlines by Whitney Pastorek
Forget ''bests and worsts'' -- Whitney Pastorek says these ''awards''
are pandering, artificial hooey
Sandra Bullock and Zac Efron Join Golden Globe Lineup
from Film Awards: News & Videos about Film Awards - CNN.com
The actors join list of stars who will present at Sunday's
show
BAFTA's long lists led by 'Button' and 'Frost/Nixon'
The final five contenders in each category will be announced Jan. 15.
MOVIES
Daily Box Office: Wednesday, January 7, 2009
from Box Office Mojo - Current Box Office Results
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button tops Wednesday's box office with $1.4 million
Video:
First Look: 'All About Steve'
from Access Hollywood - Movies
Access has your first look at Sandra Bullock's new romantic
comedy where she falls hard for the perfect guy, and she'll follow him
anywhere.
Steven Soderbergh's 'Che' Expanding Its Roadshow Run
from Box Office Boffo
Exclusive:
'Quantum of Solace' Biggest Bond Of All Time In North America
from Box Office Boffo
It was the smell. That was what really hit Danny Boyle the
first time he went into a slum in
from EW.com: Today's Latest Headlines
Owen Gleiberman on Steven Soderbergh's studiously eccentric
drama. Plus: ''Bride Wars,'' ''Bashir,'' more
from /Film by orfilms@gmail.com (slashfilm.com)
Rouge Pictures has released the first trailer for Fighting
action drama set in the world of underground street fighting.
New Watchmen Website: The New Frontiersman
from /Film by orfilms@gmail.com (slashfilm.com)
I just got word that a Watchmen viral website has launched -
TheNewFrontiersman.net.
Kristen Johnston steals the scene
The comic actress is in her element as the friend of Anne
Hathaway's 'Bride Wars' character.
The Next Object Of Your 'Twilight' Obsession: Edward Cullen
Dolls
from MTV Movies Blog by James Montgomery
We're already cringing at the implications of this one, but now you can get your hands all over a fully poseable version of Edward Cullen.
Guillermo Del Toro Unveils Plots For His 'Epic' Vampire Novels
from MTV Movies Blog by Shawn Adler
When news was came recently that director Guillermo del Toro was writing a series of vampire novels with author Chuck Hogan, headlines and columns across the internet rang out in chorus: committed for the next four years to "The Hobbit" and some half dozen projects after that, del Toro was already straining, spreading himself too thin. He would never -- how could he ever -- possibly find the time?
Darren Aronofsky Discusses 'Lone Wolf And Cub' Movie Status
from MTV Movies Blog by Casey Seijas
FROM SPLASH PAGE: On the very short list of
"Directors We'd Like To See Tackle A Comic Book Movie," Darren
Aronofsky has a permanent spot among the top three names.
Movie
Review | 'Bride Wars': Two Weddings and a Furor
from NYT > Movies
Do
'Batman 3' Update: Christopher Nolan & David Goyer
'Talking,' Says 'Dark Knight' Producer
from Splash Page by Rick Marshall
During last night's People's Choice Awards, "The Dark Knight" producer Chuck Roven cleared up some of the speculation surrounding the sequel to the celebrated Batman blockbuster, telling MTV that director Christopher Nolan and writer David Goyer are indeed "talking and thinking" about the next film.
'Dark Knight' Writer David Goyer Says DC Comics Movies 'On
Hold' At Warner Bros.
from Splash Page by Splash Page Team
If you're one of the DC Comics faithful and were hoping the dual box office
successes of "Iron Man" and "The Dark
Knight" would mean more familiar properties on the big screen, you
might be disappointed. According to "Dark Knight" scribe David Goyer,
many DC Comic films in development at Warner Bros. are currently in a holding
pattern -- including his planned adaptation of "The Flash" and his Green Arrow
prison-break caper "Super Max."
TELEVISION
New Era in Politics, New Focus for '24'
from NYT > Television
When "24" begins its seventh season on Sunday with
a two-night, four-hour premiere, much will have changed in the world since Jack
Bauer was last on the job.
Joan, Melissa Rivers set for 'Apprentice'
from Entertainment News - UPI.com
NEW
Ratings: Barbara Walters' 'Patrick Swayze: The Truth' sets ABC
free
from Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider by Annie Barrett
'Gossip Girl': Nate's new cousin?
from EW.com: Today's Latest Headlines by Michael Ausiello
Michael Ausiello reports casting is under way for an
easy-on-the-eyes ''relative'' of Chace Crawford
'Psych': 10 reasons we love it
from EW.com: Today's Latest Headlines by Marc Bernardin
'Real World: Brooklyn': Tour the house
from EW.com: TV
By Lindsay Soll
Roommates Katelynn and Chet show Lindsay Soll around, and promise a season ''not at all like anything you guys have ever seen before''
'Morning Show' will end in September
from Hollywood Reporter by By Kimberly Nordyke
Twentieth Television has opted not to renew its syndicated
talker "The Morning Show With Mike and Juliet," citing economic
concerns.
Discovery aims for big splash with slate
from Hollywood Reporter by By James Hibberd
Discovery Channel is set to unveil a sweeping new
programming slate that includes a series about infomercial pitchmen and a rare
venture into scripted programming with a movie inspired by the success of
"Deadliest Catch."
MUSIC
Phish announce summer tour dates
from AP Top Entertainment News At 11:05 ...
Cardigans' singer on life after 'Lovefool'
The breathy vocals of Nina Persson helped launch The
Cardigans onto the music scene in the 1990s. The band developed its dreamy pop
sound in the Southern Swedish town of
'Just Dance' is No. 1 on U.S. record chart
from Entertainment News - UPI.com
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Lady GaGa's "Just
Dance" is No. 1 on the
Jonas Brothers 'Fear' Grammy Night
from People.com Latest News by Michelle Tan
The first-time nominees are psyched - and slightly scared -
about the show
"Led Zeppelin Are Over," Jimmy Page's Manager
Declares
from Rolling Stone : Rock and Roll Daily by Daniel Kreps
The plan for Led
Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham to tour and record
an album with a singer other than Robert Plant is "completely over now," Page's manager Peter
Mensch tells Music Radar
Dolly Parton headed to gospel Hall of Fame
from The Hollywood Reporter - Music by Associated Press
Dolly Parton, Michael W. Smith, Dr. Bobby Jones, the Dixie Hummingbirds and producer Lari Goss will be inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame next month.
Obama and Spider-Man appear in comic together
from AP Top Entertainment News At 11:05 ... by By LISA TOLIN
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Spider-Man has a new sidekick: The
president-elect....
Justin Timberlake to Show at Fashion Week
The star designer's William Rast line will be making its
Bryant Park debut on Feb. 16
Jamie Spears gets permanent control over Britney
from Los Angeles Times - Celebrity News
Britney Spears is gonna be Daddy's Little Girl forever.
Kevin Costner Briefly Hospitalized
from People.com Latest News by Ken Lee
The actor felt lightheaded while driving and called 911, but
tests showed everything was normal
Real Housewives Star Sheree Ready to Be 'Single & Hot'
The
Ugly Betty's Ana Ortiz Is Pregnant
"They are thrilled and ecstatic," a friend says of
the actress and her husband
Fergie and Josh Kick Off Their Wedding Week
from People.com Latest News by Rennie Dyball
The couple throw a joint bachelor-bachelorette party in
