• Steven Spielberg will tackle a remake of Harvey for his next project. Tom Hanks should start talking to rabbits, real or imaginary, immediately.
• Judd Apatow's Funny People topped the box office with a lackluster $23.4 million, less than expected by box office pundits.
• Chicago director Rob Marshall is in talks to helm the fourth installment of Pirates of the Caribbean. Depp's already got the singing down. Time to go full-on pirate musical!
• Will Ferrell and director David Dobkin (Wedding Crashers) have reportedly left Neighborhood Watch, a project described as 'The Burbs meets Men in Black.
• Michael Moore plans to switch from documentaries to features for his next two projects. Does no one remember Canadian Bacon? Alan Alda, John Candy, Rip Torn -- a modern-day classic!
• The Hurt Locker star Jeremy Renner is the rumored front-runner to play Mad Max for director George Miller. In a related story, Mel Gibson wants to punch out Jeremy Renner.
BIZ
PBS chief welcomes public TV funding under Obama
from AP Top Entertainment News At 11:05 ... by By LYNN ELBER
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) -- PBS chief Paula Kerger (KUR'-gur) says budget numbers tell the tale of how public TV is faring under the Obama administration, compared to that of former President George W. Bush.
from Hollywood Reporter by By Anthony Crupi, Mediaweek
Seventy-four days after the last of the broadcast networks
took the wraps off its fall programming lineup, the Sisyphean 2009-10 upfront
finally is creeping to a close, with executives on both sides of the table
indicating that business could finish up by the beginning of next week.
FESTIVALS
Michael Moore plans Traverse City comedy festival
from AP Top Entertainment News At 11:05 ... by By JOHN FLESHER
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) -- Oscar winner Michael Moore has more big plans for his adopted northern Michigan hometown of Traverse City, where he's already established a film festival....
High attendance at Newport Folk Festival
from Entertainment News - UPI.com
NEWPORT, R.I., Aug. 2 (UPI) -- The 2009 Newport Folk Festival in Newport, R.I., reportedly enjoyed its highest attendance in years with 9,200 visitors.
from Hollywood Reporter by By Gregg Kilday
Justin Ambrosino's "The 8th Samurai" received the Best of the Fest Award at the the 2009 LA Shorts Fest, which ended Friday night with its awards ceremony at Cinespace in Hollywood.
from Hollywood Reporter by By James Hibberd
Although long snubbed by the Emmys and Golden Globes, Syfy's
"Battlestar Galactica" was named program of the year Saturday by the
Television Critics Assn.
FILM
Weekend Box Office: July 31-August 2, 2009
from Box Office Mojo - Current Box Office Results
Funny People tops the box office with an estimated $23.4 million
Box Office: "Adam" Leads Box Office Estimates, "Cove and
"Thirst" Next
from indieWIRE News
"Adam," which Fox Searchlight opened on four screens this weekend, earned $66,265 for an average of $16,566, leading the roster of limited release films, according to estimates from Rentrak today. The film, directed by Max Mayer, opened last Wednesday and has earned $94,776 so far. Meanwhile, also from Searchlight, Marc Webb's "500 Days of Summer" pulled in an estimated $2.75 million in its third weekend in release.
'Harry Potter' repeats overseas
from Hollywood Reporter by By Frank Segers
The international circuit entered the dog days of summer over the weekend with "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" still on top in its third overseas frame.
Article: Spielberg Hops Onto Update Of Rabbit Tale 'Harvey'
from Access Hollywood - Movies
Steven Spielberg has a giant rabbit on his mind for his next film.
Lindsay Lohan 'Excited To Be Back On Set' For 'Machete'
from Access Hollywood - Movies
Lindsay Lohan is heading back to the big screen.
Russell Crowe To Spend 'The Next Three Days' With Paul Haggis
from Access Hollywood - Movies
Russell Crowe is in talks for the lead role in Paul Haggis' "The Next Three Days," the writer/director's follow-up to 2007's "In The Valley Of Elah," according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Paul Giamatti searches for his soul in 'Cold Souls'
The actor's not the kind of guy he plays in movies -- or is
he? 'Cold Souls' may provide the answer.
Ferrell, Dobkin depart 'Neighborhood'
from Variety.com
Film News: Duo were attached to the comedy in the spring -- Will Ferrell and director David Dobkin have departed 20th Century Fox's "Neighborhood Watch."
TELEVISION
Expert: Stress, emotions key to reality TV
from Entertainment News - UPI.com
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 2 (UPI) -- Organizers of U.S. reality TV series want to have their shows' contestants in an emotional and stressful state to make for better television, an expert says.
Ausiello: Tyra Banks as 'Gossip Girl' guest
from EW.com: TV
By Michael Ausiello
Michael Ausiello confirms the ''Top Model'' mogul signs on for straight-up
acting gig, her first since 2004
Fox, MSNBC told to dial rivalry back a notch
from L.A. Times - TV News
News Corp.'s Rupert Murdoch and GE's Jeffrey Immelt, whose
corporations cooperate on other ventures, want to end the sniping between
anchors Bill O'Reilly and Keith Olbermann.
'Jon & Kate': TLC preps for series return
from EW.com: TV
By Margaret Lyons
As network briefs TV critics on new season, Margaret Lyons asks: Are we now
more into how the show covers events than the events themselves?
New 'Deal' to replace 'Guiding Light'
from Hollywood Reporter by Staff report
CBS is expected to announce Monday that recently canceled daytime soap stalwart "Guiding Light" will be succeeded by a new version of the classic game show "Let's Make a Deal."
PBS develops religion miniseries
from Hollywood Reporter by By James Hibberd
PBS announced a trio of new multipart religious documentaries that will explore faith in America.
Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash on 'Sun Gospel' CD
It has long been assumed that Sun Records founder Sam Phillips didn't like gospel music because he discouraged his greatest discoveries, including Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash, from recording spiritual music for his Memphis label in the 1950s.
Q&A: Juliette Lewis pushes to the limit with new band
from Reuters: Entertainment News
NEW YORK (Billboard) - An actress of startling range, Juliette Lewis has released an EP and two albums since 2003 with her band the Licks.
Natalie Imbruglia recruits Coldplay, Eno
from The Hollywood Reporter - Music by By Richard Smirke, Billboard
Australia-born singer Natalie Imbruglia has teamed up with Coldplay and Brian Eno for her first new album in four years.
Jack White has a new flame: The Dead Weather
from USATODAY.com Life - Top Stories
Jack White says starting a band is like falling in love: There's nothing like that first kiss.
