• Sony has backed out of Moneyball, Brad Pitt and Steven Soderbergh's baseball drama. If even Brad Pitt can't get a movie green-lit these days, Hollywood is in serious trouble.
• Sandra Bullock scored her biggest opening weekend ever with The Proposal, which topped the weekend box office with $34.1 million. In a related story, the year is currently 1998.
• New images of Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and Anne Hathaway in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland have been released. Caution: May cause eye melting.
• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen has already hauled in $20 million in overseas box office receipts.
• Michael Bay is not quitting the Transformers franchise, despite rampant rumors. I'm sure hardcore fans will have no problem with this news.
• A Teen Wolf remake is reportedly in the works. When will someone look into the legality of high school basketball playing wolf-teens? That's gotta be against regulation.
• The red-band trailer for World's Greatest Dad features Robin Williams delivering some decidedly not-safe-for-work language. It's the first time Robin's worked blue since his cocaine days.
BIZ
Paramount Pictures cuts top executives
from Entertainment News - UPI.com
LOS ANGELES, June 20 (UPI) -- Paramount Pictures Chairman Brad Grey says the U.S. studio has parted ways with Paramount Film Group head John Lesher and production executive Brad Weston.
Producer calls indie world to task
from Hollywood Reporter by By Steven Zeitchik
Producer Jim Stern issued a warning call to the indie business Saturday, saying it needed to stop working at cross-purposes both with itself and its financiers.
Labels aim to profit on videos online
Music News: Majors band with YouTube to push content -- As label revenue streams struggle, they are eying the Web as a way to make music videos more profitable for themselves
Top 10 Advertisers in Ten Measured Media
from Advertising Age - MediaWorks
Top marketers by total measured ad spending in ten media. From the 100 Leading National Advertisers, 2009 edition. Based on spending in 2008 for newspaper, magazine, outdoor, national radio, local radio, network TV, spot TV, syndicate TV, cable TV networks and internet.
Set Times for 2009 Pitchfork Music Festival
It's been a busy week for Chicago festival schedules. First, Lollapalooza is revealed and now we get the set times for Pitchfork's 3 day orgy of music taking place July 17-19.
Lollapalooza 2009 Schedule Announced
Having a festival in downtown Chicago is a bit easier on travel, unlike say traipsing to a farm in the middle of nowhere Tennessee. The trade-off is that the multitude of bands performing at Lollapalooza have to be finished by 10pm due to local noise ordinances.
'Stoning of Soraya M.' Leads L.A. Debate on Iran Turmoil
from The Wrap RSS
The screening of an Iranian film at the Los Angeles Film Festival on Saturday
became the occasion to debate the turmoil happening a half a world away, while
serving as a timely reminder of the struggle for women's rights under Islamic
regimes in the Middle East.
Mendes brings 'Away' to Edinburgh
from Variety.com - Film Festivals
Film Festivals: Helmer hails festival for repping new talnet -- Sam Mendes hailed the role of the Edinburgh Intl. Film Festival in shining a light on new talent.
'Original' tops in Shanghai awards
from The Hollywood Reporter - Awards by By Patrick Frater
Swedish comedy "Original" won the top prize Sunday at the 12th running of the Shanghai International Film Festival.
'October Country' wins at Silverdocs
from Variety.com
Film News: 'White African' wins world feature award 'Country' time at Silverdocs -- "October Country" has won the grand jury award at the AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs Documentary Festival.
It's manliness unplugged at Spike TV's Guys Choice awards
from L.A. Times - TV News
'Honors' for Clint Eastwood, Mickey Rourke and Halle Berry
highlight the bawdy, brawny testosterone-tinged affair.
MOVIES
Weekend Box Office: June 19-21, 2009
from Box Office Mojo - Current Box Office Results
The Proposal tops the box office with an estimated $34.1 million
'Proposal' finds love at the box office
from Variety.com
Front Page: Sandra Bullock comedy tops weekend -- Disney's Sandra Bullock-Ryan Reynolds topliner "The Proposal" smooched its way to No. 1 at the domestic box office.
Box Office: Woody's "Whatever" Worked Well This Weekend
from indieWIRE News
Woody Allen's "Whatever Works" found itself working out just fine with audiences this weekend, pulling in a fantastic $280,720 from 9 screens according to estimates provided by Rentrak earlier this afternoon.
New 'Transformers' bows No. 1 overseas
from Hollywood Reporter by By Frank Segers
Playing in just two key foreign markets, Paramount's "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" from director Michael Bay premiered No. 1 over the weekend on the international circuit.
Michael Bay Attacks Paramount Over 'Transformers 2' Promotion
from Entertainment on HuffingtonPost.com by The Huffington Post
News Team
Michael Bay sent a scathing email to Paramount Studios before the release of
"Transformers 2," complaining in effect that his famous director
friends would be shocked at the way Paramount was promoting the flick.
Bruno In Amsterdam: A Red Thong For The Red Light District
(PHOTOS)
from Entertainment on HuffingtonPost.com by The Huffington Post
News Team
Sacha Baron Cohen brought Bruno to Amsterdam on Friday.
Kurtzman and Orci Talk About The Future of Star Trek
from /Film by orfilms@gmail.com (slashfilm.com)
Screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman haven't yet started writing
a Star Trek sequel, but last week we
published some quotes from the duo talking about the debate of revisiting an
old story/villain, or exploring new territory (something we've discussed
about in a past video blog) This weekend at the Transformers 2
junket, my good friend Steve from Collider was able to probe them for more
speculative details.
Film: Iran's Tensions, Foreshadowed in Its Cinema
from NYT > Movies by By A. O. SCOTT
From the early 1990s until the middle of this decade, Iran's historically rich movie culture entered a remarkable period of rejuvenation.
Julianne Hough joins 'Footloose' remake
from Hollywood Reporter by By Jay A. Fernandez and Borys Kit
"Dancing With the Stars" mainstay Julianne Hough will be punching her card for "Footloose."
Nick Cassavetes and Cameron Diaz on 'My Sister's Keeper'
In 'My Sister's Keeper,' starring Cameron Diaz, Nick Cassavetes sees parallels with his own family's experience.
Going Shot-By-Shot With The '2012′ Trailer
from MTV Movies Blog by Larry Carroll
Nobody makes a better movie trailer than Roland Emmerich ― the man behind "Independence Day," "The
Day After Tomorrow" and "Godzilla." And while many might be tempted to insert a
joke here about how good or bad those movies actually turned out to be, we'll
hold our tongues and simply say this: "2012″ looks awesome.
from NYT > Movies by By MANOHLA DARGIS
Chick flicks? Are you nuts? Kathryn Bigelow makes movies that go right for the gut.
Brad Pitt's Steven Soderbergh-Directed Adaptation Of
'Moneyball' Strikes Out
from Defamer by Foster Kamer
Columbia Pictures balked at the latest script for the adaptation of Michael Lewis' Moneyball
arrived. So much so that they've put the project in turnaround. Oh, and:
production was supposed to start next week.
Film: The Movie Industry's New Playthings
from NYT > Movies by By DAVE ITZKOFF
The new "Transformers" and "G. I. Joe" movies are the payoff of a strategy that the toy company Hasbro has been cultivating for nearly a decade.
New 'Astro Boy' Images Hit The 'Net
from Splash Page by Rick Marshall
Summit Entertainment has released a pair of new images from "Astro Boy,"
the CGI-animated film based on the popular anime/manga character.
City Island Set for Theatrical Release
from Tribeca Film News and Features Feed by Elisabeth Donnelly
Miss Audience Award Winner City Island at the 2009 Festival? Don't worry―Anchor Bay Films has picked up Raymond De Felitta's Bronx dramedy for distribution.
NBC, CBS Have Conflicting Visions of Broadcast Future
from Advertising Age - MediaWorks by bsteinberg@adage.com(Brian Steinberg)
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- You'd think the nation's two oldest broadcast TV
networks would agree where the future of the industry lies. You'd be wrong.
'Scrubs' makeover: School's in, hospital's out
from MSNBC.com: Television
When the show returns next winter, the action will shift from the hospital to
the classroom and make med-school professors of John C. McGinley's Dr. Cox and
Donald Faison's Turk.
from L.A. Times - TV News
The former critical darling on FX, now showing its age, quietly wraps up shooting.
T.R. Knight leaves 'Grey's Anatomy,' Katherine Heigl stays
from L.A. Times - TV News
After months of speculation, the questions surrounding the returns of T.R. Knight and Katherine Heigl to "Grey's Anatomy" have been answered. Heigl will be back for its sixth season and Knight will not.
Television: A Comedy to Inspire Premise Envy
from NYT > Television by By DAN BARRY
Now that "Hung" has your attention, the creators of the show on HBO want you to get past the title.
Is Lindsay Seacrest's new reality TV star trainwreck?
from Los Angeles Times - Celebrity News
Has Ryan Seacrest found himself another reality TV train wreck?
A Do-Gooder With a Potential Image Problem
from NYT > Television by By DEVIN LEONARD
"The Philanthropist," which begins Wednesday on NBC, follows a ruthless executive who, after the death of his son, decides to use his talents in the name of righteous causes.
'Royal Pains' hits ratings high
from The Live Feed by hollywoodreporter
The third episode of USA's freshman drama "Royal Pains" jumped 17% from last week.
Linda Hunt joining cast of 'NCIS: Los Angeles'
from USATODAY.com Life - Top Stories
CBS says Academy Award-winning actress Linda Hunt is joining the cast of the new fall drama NCIS: Los Angeles.
First Look: 'FlashForward' Spins Global Blackout Into Time-Warp
Mythos
from Wired: Entertainment by Hugh Hart
An unexplained phenomenon leaves all the people on Earth
with a two-minute, 17-second, hole in their lives. The weird setup serves as a
springboard for a sprawling sci-fi show, coming this fall to ABC.
MUSIC
Adam Lambert Pre-'Idol' Debut Album Due This Summer
from Billboard News - All by Monica Herrera and David J. Prince, N.Y.
It looks like Adam Lambert's debut album may not be released on 19 Recordings/RCA after all.
Rodrigo y Gabriela time September dates to '11:11'
from Top Stories from LiveDaily.com
Acoustic guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela [ tickets ] have lined up some new headlining dates behind their forthcoming sophomore studio effort, "11:11."
Uncle Kracker sets release date for 'Happy Hour'
from Top Stories from LiveDaily.com
Uncle Kracker [ tickets ] will release his new album, "Happy Hour," on Sept. 15, according to a press release.
Sting readies 'Winter' release
from Top Stories from LiveDaily.com
Sting [ tickets ] will release a new album this fall that is dedicated to the musician's favorite season, winter, according to a statement on his website.
New home of 'City Limits' being built
from Entertainment News - UPI.com
AUSTIN, Texas, June 21 (UPI) -- "Austin City Limits" producer Terry Lickona says seeing the future home of the U.S. TV series in Austin, Texas, was a "heart-stopping" moment.
ETC...
Report: Supermodel Bundchen is pregnant
from AP Top Entertainment News At 11:05 ...
BOSTON (AP) -- Is she or isn't she?...
Madonna's New Daughter Leaves Malawi On Private Jet
from Entertainment on HuffingtonPost.com by The Huffington Post
News Team
LILONGWE, Malawi ― Madonna's new daughter has flown out of her native Malawi on
a private jet headed for London, an airport employee and a person familiar with
Madonna's adoption proceedings in this southern African country said Saturday.
'Star Trek's' Chris Pine boldly goes in search of challenging
roles
from Los Angeles Times - Celebrity News
The 28-year-old, the hot young Capt. Kirk in 'Star Trek,' is heating up the boards too: in the Geffen's political drama 'Farragut North.'
Whitford, Kaczmarek to divorce after 16 years
from USATODAY.com Life - Top Stories
After over 16 years of marriage, actors Bradley Whitford and Jane Kaczmarek are divorcing.
