• Natalie Portman is joining the cast of Thor as Jane Foster, intrepid nurse and love interest of the Norse warrior. We smell spin-off! It's Grey's Anatomy meets Ring of the Nibelungs.
• Bruno has been cut down for a younger crowd in the U.K. The running time is now a lean 17 minutes.
• A new study found that teenagers are willing to pay for movies, but don't care what they see. The researchers conducted this study by going to any movie theater on a Friday night since the beginning of modern cinema.
• Circus legend P.T. Barnum is getting a biopic from Columbia Pictures. Will the Hippodrome be in 3D?
• Johnny Depp is rumored to be in consideration to play Dean Martin in an upcoming biopic. Wait, didn't Depp already do the slurred, drunken thing in Pirates?
BIZ
Betting on cinemas in troubled times
from Film Journal
The economic outlook continues to be filled with dark clouds, but more evidence surfaced in recent weeks that movie exhibition is weathering the storm better than most businesses.
Magna Forecast: U.S. Ad Economy to Drop 14.5% This Year
from Advertising Age - MediaWorks by mbush@adage.com (Michael
Bush)
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- In his first forecast as the new global director of
forecasting for Interpublic Group of Cos.' Magna, Brian Wieser came bearing a
new methodology and some bad news.
Teens Are Still Willing To Pay For Movies, But Don't Really
Care Which Film They See
from /Film by orfilms@gmail.com
(slashfilm.com)
A new report from Morgan Stanley attempts to capture the media habits of a
modern-day teenager. The findings conclude that teenagers are "very reluctant"
to pay for music (80 percent download it illegally, most have never bought a
CD) and the majority consider Newspapers and other print media as "irrelevant."
FESTIVALS
Comic-Con 2009 Preview: 'New Moon,' 'Iron Man 2' And More
from MTV News
We give you a rundown of what to expect at the year's biggest and best pop-culture fest!
Raindance Festival finds a new venue
from The Hollywood Reporter - Awards by By Stuart Kemp
This year's Raindance Film Festival has a new home signing an agreement with Apollo Cinema Piccadilly Circus for the theater to play host to the shindig.
Three TFF '09 Films to Show in August
from Tribeca Film News and Features Feed by Kristin McCracken
Three films from TFF '09 will find a larger audience in August: Spike Lee's take on Passing Strange, Ian Olds' Fixer: The Taking of Ajmal Naqshbandi, and Rebecca Cammisa's Which Way Home.
AWARDS
Neil Patrick Harris to host CBS' Emmycast
from AP Top Entertainment News At 11:05 ... by By FRAZIER MOORE
NEW YORK (AP) -- Neil Patrick Harris, who won critical acclaim hosting last month's Tonys, will fill the same role for the prime-time Emmys....
from The Wrap RSS by Michael Speier
New Emmys.com will stream Thursday's nomination
announcement.
MOVIES
Year-To-Date Box Office Stats: Week 27
from Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood Daily by Nikki Finke
At the halfway point, according to Hollywood.com Box Office (formerly Media By Numbers) YEAR-TO-DATE STATISTICS - WEEK 27 Thursday January 1 2009 through Sunday July 5, 2009 YTD REVENUES 2009: $5.438 BILLION YTD REVENUES 2008: $4.870 BILLION REVENUE UP: +11.64% ATTENDANCE UP: +9.06%
Behind
The Scenes: 'The Ugly Truth'
from Access Hollywood - Movies
Katherine Heigl talks about her new romantic comedy with Gerard Butler, which follows a romantically challenged morning show producer and chauvinistic talk show host.
Natalie Portman joins the cast of `Thor'
from AP Top Entertainment News At 11:05 ...
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- "Star Wars" co-star Natalie Portman is storming back into action films with a role in the comic-book adaptation "Thor."...
Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith start 'Karate Kid' remake
from AP Top Entertainment News At 11:05 ... by By MIN LEE
BEIJING (AP) -- Jackie Chan will play the wise kung-fu master in a Hollywood-Chinese remake of the 1984 hit "The Karate Kid" that kicked off filming in the Chinese capital at the weekend, a movie company publicist said Monday....
Second Edit of Bruno Set For UK Cinemas
from /Film by orfilms@gmail.com
(slashfilm.com)
In a rather odd and possibly disappointing move, there is to be a second,
censored cut of Sacha Baron Cohen's Brüno released in UK cinemas.
Oscilloscope greets 'Messenger'
from Hollywood Reporter by By Steven Zeitchik
Adam Yauch's upstart label has picked up North American rights to Oren Moverman's directorial debut "The Messenger," which premiered this year at the Sundance Film Festival.
'Food, Inc.' gets boost from Chipotle
from Hollywood Reporter by By Alex Palmer, Nielsen Business Media
Chipotle Mexican Grill has partnered with Magnolia Pictures, Participant Media and River Road Entertainment to promote the documentary "Food, Inc."
Danny Huston cast in Robin Hood pic
from Hollywood Reporter by By Gregg Kilday
Danny Huston is joining the cast of Universal and Imagine's untitled Robin Hood movie, which Ridley Scott is now directing in England.
Deschanel, Gordon-Levitt make sweet music in '500 Days'
from Los Angeles Times - Celebrity News
Think it was easy casting quirky the Indie rom-com with
nontabloid treasures?
Tweets From The 'Iron Man 2′ Set And Defending Hayden Panettiere In Today's Twitter-Wood
from MTV Movies Blog by Brian Warmoth
One week after the Fourth of July holiday, Hollywood is back at work and
tweeting about it. Jon Favreau gave a status update from the "Iron Man 2"
set, where he's getting ready to shoot scenes with Robert
Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow now that Mickey Rourke is finished.
Paramount Wants To Play With 'Max Steel'
from MTV Movies Blog by Elisabeth Rappe
Paramount has decided it wants to continue being a Toys 'R Us kid by bringing yet another Mattel toy to the big screen.
Denzel Washington exits 'Unstoppable'
Film News: Actor formally withdraws from Fox film -- After waiting at the station for almost three months, Denzel Washington has decided he won't be catching the "Unstoppable" train.
Jason Statham tracking 'Blitz'
Film News: Actor in final talks to star in thriller -- Jason
Statham is in final negotiations to star in "Blitz," a London-set
thriller about a serial killer targeting police officers.
from Splash Page by Brian Warmoth
Warner Bros. Entertainment's 2011 calendar of tentpole movie property releases
includes "The
Green Lantern," "Sherlock Holmes," and "The Hobbit,
Part 1," but a new Superman movie remains conspicuously absent -- especially
given Judge Stephen G. Larson's requirement that such a film go into
production.
Riding on 'Mad Men's' Stylish Coat Tails
from Advertising Age - Madison+Vine by ahampp@adage.com (Andrew
Hampp)
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Since its season two finale in October 2008, AMC's
"Mad Men" has achieved some significant cultural milestones, from
star Jon Hamm's hosting of "Saturday Night Live" to a
"Simpsons" parody to its key role in the resurgence of 1960s chic.
It's no surprise, then, that marketers are lining up to associate themselves with
the "Mad Men" franchise in advance of the show's third season.
A&E's 'Jackson Family' Reality Show Could Air Next Year
from Billboard News - All by James Hibbard, Hollywood Reporter
A&E is working on a reality project with the Jackson family which could gain newfound viewer interest in the wake of the King of Pop's death.
Ryan Seacrest Re-Ups With 'Idol' In $45 Million Deal
from Billboard News - All by Matthew Belloni and Nellie Andreeva, Hollywood Reporter
Ryan Seacrest is Fox's 45-Million-Dollar Man.
Ratings: 'Big Brother' continues its reign
from Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider by Jennifer Armstrong
There's no surer sign of summer than Big Brother dominating pretty much every night when people bother to watch TV. This Sunday was as sunny as ever for the 11th-season reality hit, as BB averaged 6.8 million viewers.
TV Ratings: Show opened to a solid 2.8 million viewers -- Lifetime was in good shape Sunday with the debut of its latest original skein, "Drop Dead Diva."
Tierney talks about 'Parenthood' delay
from Variety.com
TV News: Actress releases statement regarding health -- "Parenthood" star Maura Tierney released a statement Monday, elaborating on what caused the frosh drama to be pushed into midseason.
FX picks up animated series for fall
from Entertainment Weekly's News Briefs by Alynda Wheat
FX is jumping into the animation pool. The cable network
announced today that it has ordered six episodes of spy spoof Archer from Adam
Reed, one of the creators of Frisky Dingo and Sealab 2021.
Morgan Spurlock tapped for 'The Simpsons' 20th anniversary
special
from Entertainment Weekly's News Briefs by Kate Ward
FX announced today that Super Size Me's Morgan Spurlock will produce and direct next year's The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special in 3-D on Ice. The documentary special, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the animated program, will air Thursday, Jan. 14...
'FNL' casting 4 new characters
from EW.com: Today's Latest Headlines by Michael Ausiello
Michael Ausiello's got the scoop on descriptions for three
new regulars and one recurring guest star.
Stephen King's Cell Now To Be A Miniseries From John Harrison
from /Film by orfilms@gmail.com
(slashfilm.com)
Originally, the Weinstein Brothers' planned for their option on Stephen King's
novel Cell to translate into a feature film directed by Eli Roth.
HBO's 'Teddy: In His Own Words'
from L.A. Times - TV News
The documentary is more a tribute than analysis.
Television Review | 'Miami Social': A Primer on Self-Love Under
the Florida Sun
from NYT > Television by By GINIA BELLAFANTE
The seven friends at the center of "Miami Social," Bravo's latest reality series, exist to populate rooftop bars with pools after 6 p.m.
MUSIC
Michael Jackson fans gather at London's O2 arena
from USATODAY.com Life - Top Stories
Hundreds of Michael Jackson fans gathered outside London's
O2 arena to pay tribute to the star on what would have been the evening ...
Lady GaGa Makes Mainstream Top 40 History
from Billboard News - All by Gary Trust, N.Y.
Lady GaGa becomes just the third artist in the 16-year history of the Mainstream Top 40 airplay chart to collect three No. 1 songs from a debut album.
LaToya Jackson makes stark allegations
Michael Jackson's sister, LaToya Jackson, told a London newspaper she suspects her brother was "murdered" in a conspiracy by "a shadowy entourage."
Exclusive: Ryan Ross Talks About Leaving Panic! At The Disco
from MTV News
'It got to the point where there might have been too many cooks in the kitchen,' the guitarist tells MTV News.
from Spin magazine's Daily Noise by Eric Nowels
Seattle's cavernous, 3300-capacity WaMu Amphitheater was less than half full
for Tori Amos' woefully under-publicized Sinful Attraction tour opener Friday
night -- Amos' name was even left off the marquee outside -- but she regaled an
attentive crowd with a 20-plus-song setlist that found her transforming old
favorites and unleashing the gospel-laced force of her recently-released 10th
album, Abnormally Attracted to Sin.
ETC...
Lindsay Lohan Starts Production Company
from Access Hollywood - Movies
Lindsay Lohan already has her own self-tanning spray and line of leggings - and now the young actress is about to become a film and television producer.
Molly Ringwald gives birth to twins
from Entertainment News - UPI.com
LOS ANGELES, July 13 (UPI) -- U.S. television actress Molly Ringwald has given birth to a son and a daughter.
from Entertainment News - UPI.com
LOS ANGELES, July 13 (UPI) -- Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has broken up with singer-actress Jessica Simpson, a source told People magazine.
