• Sam Raimi will direct a live-action version of the World of Warcraft video game. Now how will they get fans to stop playing and actually see the movie?
• Sony's Michael Jackson concert film could be released as early as Halloween. The movie will be composed of rehearsal footage from the King of Pop's "This Is It" tour and a new 3D version of "Thriller."
• A new photo of Scarlett Johansson in Iron Man 2 has been released. Marvel is showing uncharacteristic restraint by not announcing a Black Widow solo movie right now.
• Uma Thurman will play a nun who rescues Ugandan schoolchildren in the indie drama Girl Soldier.
• Here's the first look at the set of the Nightmare on Elm Street remake. Hopefully they'll eventually remake the one with Roseanne Barr and Tom Arnold.
• The first trailer for Jane Campion's Bright Star has debuted. Beautifully shot, and no naked Harvey Keitel.
BIZ
Twitter: Affecting movie choice?
from EW.com: Movies
Mandi Bierly on studios trying to figure out how those 140-character blasts are affecting their opening day business; do they matter to you?
A $65 Billion Advertising Shift?
from Forbes.com: Media News by Dirk Smillie
More and more marketers are pulling out of traditional ad channels and spending it on themselves, says a new study. Outsell's Anthea Stratigos explains.
Report: Entertainment biz slumping
from Hollywood Reporter by By Carl DiOrio
A midyear economic report on regional effects of the recession says the entertainment industry has been slumping despite solid boxoffice this year and suggests that SAG's fall elections could prove pivotal to Hollywood's well-being.
Hollywood sends its troops to Comic-Con
from MSNBC.com: Movies
Studios have learned that the festival provides a great opportunity to create buzz about a new film or television series. But have they ruined Comic-Con for hardcore fans?
Toronto Sets Docs, Wavelengths, Midnight Madness; Adds Two New
Awards
from indieWIRE News
The Toronto International Film Festival - running September 10-19 - has unveiled another slew of titles for its 34th edition, including 17 documentaries, its genre-focused Midnight Madness program, and avant-garde Wavelengths program.
China boycott hits Melbourne festival
from Variety.com - Film Festivals
Film Festivals: Three Chinese films withdrawn from event -- The Melbourne Intl. Film Festival's refusal to bend to pressure from China and yank the world preem of a doc about the plight of ethnic minority Uighurs appears to have resulted in the cancellation of three other Chinese pics from the fest.
MOVIES
Daily Box Office: Monday, July 20, 2009
from Box Office Mojo - Current Box Office Results
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince tops Monday's box office with $9.9 million
Eric Bana's 'Funny People' Sex Scenes Banned By Director
from Access Hollywood - Movies
Judd Apatow's new comedy, "Funny People," features the director's trademark obsession with racy humor and often-raunchy topics - but after casting Eric Bana to star opposite his wife Leslie Mann, Eric's sex scene were mysteriously left out.
Nicolas Cage in talks for role in 'Green Hornet'
from Entertainment Weekly's News Briefs by Jennifer Armstrong
Nicolas Cage is in early negotiations to play the gangster villain opposite Seth Rogen's Green Hornet in the forthcoming superhero flick directed by Michel Gondry, Variety reports. Cameron Diaz is in talks to play Rogen's love interest.
from Access Hollywood - Movies
Renee Zellwegger stars in this new romantic comedy based on the true story of actor George Hamilton's early years, during which he accompanied his glamorous mother, Anne Hamilton Spalding, on an extended road trip to track down her former boyfriends.
Sam Worthington to be 'The Candidate'
from EW.com: Movies
Variety: Australian action hero du jour will star in remake of 2008 Dutch thriller, as aspiring lawyer blackmailed when he wakes up to find one-night stand dead
Uma Thurman starring in indie drama 'Girl Soldier'
from Entertainment Weekly's News Briefs by Jennifer Armstrong
Uma Thurman will headline Girl Soldier, a drama about a nun who helped rescue 140 kidnapped Ugandan schoolgirls, Variety reports.
Sam Raimi to direct 'World of Warcraft'
from EW.com: Movies
Variety: ''Spider-Man'' helmer has signed on to direct a live-action adaptation of the fantasy videogame
from /Film by orfilms@gmail.com (slashfilm.com)
USA Today has published a bunch of preview photos from Iron Man 2.
Illuminating 'The Cove': Louie Psihoyos' activist documentary
shines light on dolphin slaughter
from Film Journal by Doris Toumarkine
The extraordinary documentary The Cove is a celebration of dolphins and a damnation of Japanese policies and indifference that allow the unconscionable slaughter of these exceptional animals and the proliferation of mercury poisoning in humans who are tricked into eating toxic dolphin meat disguised as whale meat.
Sam Worthington checks box for 'Candidate'
from Hollywood Reporter by By Jay A. Fernandez
Sam Worthington is attached to star in a remake of the recent Danish thriller "The Candidate." Beau Willimon has been hired to write the project, and Summit has picked up the remake rights.
from Advertising Age - MediaWorks by jrash@cmithun.com(John Rash)
MINNEAPOLIS (AdAge.com) -- "Make love, not war," went the '60s
slogan. Forty years later, based on Nielsen ratings for the ad-centric 18-to-49
demographic, it could be amended to "Watch love, not war." The
premiere of ABC's "Dating in the Dark," the most recent relationship
show to hook up with lead-in "The Bachelorette," had three times the
viewers of NBC's "The Wanted," a new news-division show about chasing
war criminals.
'Kendra' renewed for 12-ep second season
from EW.com: TV
Hollywood Reporter: E! will also air two specials in December, centered around birth of first child and move to New Jersey
'Wipeout' renewed for a third season
from EW.com: TV
Hollywood Reporter: ABC picks up an unspecified number of episodes of the stunt-driven reality hit for next summer
Ausiello: Jamie-Lynn Sigler on 'Ugly Betty'
from EW.com: TV
Michael Ausiello confirms exclusively the ''Sopranos'' alum will be going a la Mode this season
'Ugly Betty' heads to TV Guide Network
from Hollywood Reporter by By Nellie Andreeva
In its first major acquisition since it changed programming direction under its new ownership, the TV Guide Network has picked up the cable off-network rights to ABC's dramedy "Ugly Betty."
Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles on vocal rest
from AP Top Entertainment News At 11:05 ...
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Sugarland singer Jennifer Nettles is on vocal rest after canceling two shows over the weekend....
Michael Jackson Theatrical Release Deal Close
from Billboard News - All by Ray Waddell, Nashville
Sources have confirmed to Billboard that a deal between the Michael Jackson Estate, AEG Live and Sony for a theatrical release of the Michael Jackson rehearsal footage from the ill-fated This Is It concerts could close today.
Jason Mraz, Wilco to perform at Farm Aid
from Entertainment News - UPI.com
ST. LOUIS, July 21 (UPI) -- Jason Mraz, Wilco, Jamey Johnson and Phosphorescent have joined the lineup of Farm Aid 2009 in Missouri, organizers said Tuesday.
Gossip Announce U.S. Tour Dates
from Spin magazine's Daily Noise by Matt Kiser
Get out your glitter makeup and put on your dancing shoes -- Portland
punk-meets-soul-meets-disco act Gossip are touring the U.S. this fall!
Australia's Jet weathers career turbulence
from The Hollywood Reporter - Music by By Dean Goodman, Reuters
After selling more than 3 million copies worldwide of their first album, there was really only one way Australian rock band Jet could go. Crash and burn.
The Raveonettes Unveil Album Release And Tour Dates
from Billboard News - All by Monica Herrera, N.Y.
Danish rock duo The Raveonettes has announced the dates for a fall tour in support of its fourth studio album, Billboard.com can exclusively report.
Cheap Trick's Latest Available on 8-Track
from Paste Magazine
Cheap Trick has a new album titled (aptly, though not especially creatively) The Latest.
Hanson teams up with HelloGoodbye for fall outing
from Top Stories from LiveDaily.com
Pop rock trio Hanson [ tickets ] will take time off from working on their fifth studio album to head out on a club tour alongside HelloGoodbye this fall.
Alicia Silverstone, Laura Linney set for Broadway
from AP Top Entertainment News At 11:05 ...
NEW YORK (AP) -- Alicia Silverstone will join Laura Linney on Broadway this season....
