The Brazilian Job: the follow up to Paramount's US remake of The Italian Job is still on the cards, and it's got a 2009 release date marked. Jason Statham, Mos Def, Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron are attached, as is director F Gary Gray.

I, Robot 2: All we know on this one is that it's in the scripting stages still, with a potential 2010 release date planned in. No news on Mr Smith's involvement.

I Am Legend 2: Warner's huge Christmas 2007 hit could also have a follow up, although it'd be interesting to see if Will Smith returned to it. A 2010 release date is also being mooted for this one.

Beverly Hills Cop 4: If Die Hard can still do it at the box office, why can’t Axel Foley? Er, because the third BHC movie was crap, and a flop. Still, it's not stopped development work going ahead on number four. No further news than that, though.

National Treasure 3: Not a huge surprise, but as the Nic Cage Indiana Jones knock off franchise has proved to be quite a juggernaut, you’ll only have to wait until 2011 for the third film in the series.

Cars 2: We spotted this on AintItCool – is Pixar really looking to make a sequel to its weakest film? Apparently so…

Toy Story 3: This one, after lots of umming and ahhing, appears to be a goer. It won't, as was speculated, be a straight-to-DVD affair, and Tom Hanks and Tim Allen are both expected back on voicing duties. It’ll be out in 2010.

Jeepers Creepers 3: MGM is running the rule over a potential third instalment in the horror franchise, with director Victor Salva still attached. Hmmm.

Shrek 5: The fourth film was a no-brainer after the tepid third outing made so much cash. But a fifth instalment has also been confirmed. No wonder Shrek is the same colour as an American dollar…

Night at the Museum 2: Ben Stiller is returning for his most commercially successful role outside of the Meet the Parents franchise. We can wait. No news on the proposed Meet The Little Focker, though

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The New Trailer for Burn After Reading

Here's the new trailer for Burn After Reading, the Coen Brothers next film after No Country for Old Men. The film stars Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, George Clooney, John Malkovich and Tilda Swinton. It's a dark comedy about a disgruntled former CIA agent (Malkovich) who writes his scandal-laden memoirs. The spy's soon to be ex-wife (Swinton) steals the disk, then accidentally leaves the CD with the manuscript at the gym, where it's found by a trainer and the gym owner (Pitt and McDormand) who want to blackmail the owner of the CD. Madness ensues.



Posted on May 31, 2008
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USA Network Expanding Character Arcade

As television producers have become more web-savvy, they now routinely build websites for new shows, with character blogs, plot summaries, photos and message boards. It's smart because it builds fan loyalty and it makes the fans happy because they can easily view episodes they missed, interact with other fans and get the latest scoop on the show. USA Network has gone a step further with the concept, launching Character Arcade, a casual gaming site which features over 25 character-based flash games -- such as Monk-shui and Psych In Training -- and original takes on popular online games like Character Sudoku and Character Solitaire. The site was launched earlier this year and already has over 165,000 users.

The site is now expanding into social networking and will also add more games. When fans sign up, they can create their own gaming profile to play games, make friends with fellow players, track the performance of elite gamers and friends, send direct challenges to rival gamers, and win prizes. It's an interesting concept: the site is for all USA Network shows. And speaking of those, our current favorites are Burn Notice, Psych and Monk which are all returning this summer.

Here's the promo for Character Arcade:



Posted on May 29, 2008
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Indiana Jones Tops the Box Office

Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull made box office magic over the Memorial Day weekend, taking in $126,917,373 over four days. We saw it and loved it. And we were shocked at how good Shia LaBeouf was. Really. He was pretty annoying in Transformers, but somehow he's grown up a bit. He's calmer. He's funnier. Or maybe he paid attention to what Harrison Ford was doing and learned a few tricks. In any event, the dialogue is snappy, the action is non-stop and Harrison Ford has still got it. We're ready for Indy 5!

In second place was The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, which pulled in another $29,810,163, putting its cumulative take at $97,855,173. In third place was Iron Man which made another $26,111,130, for a cumulative take so far of $258,278,546. Now that's what we call a comeback for Robert Downey, Jr. The sequel is already being planned. In fourth place was What Happens in Vegas, which made another $11,363,713 for a cumulative take of $56,609,605. That's excellent for a romantic comedy and probably means we'll be seeing more of Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher in the near future.

Here's the trailer for Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull:



Posted on May 27, 2008
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Comedian Dick Martin Dead at 86

Comedian Dick Martin of Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, the monster tv hit from the sixties has died.

Dick Martin, the zany half of the U.S. comedy team whose "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" took television by storm in the 1960s, making stars of Goldie Hawn and Lily Tomlin and creating such national catch-phrases as "Sock it to me!" has died. He was 86.

Martin, who went on to become one of television's busiest directors after splitting with Rowan in the late 1970s, died Saturday night of respiratory complications at a hospital in Santa Monica, family spokesman Barry Greenberg said. "He had had some pretty severe respiratory problems for many years, and he had pretty much stopped breathing a week ago," Greenberg said. Martin was surrounded by family and friends when he died just after 6 p.m., Greenberg said.

Laugh In was way ahead of its time, with it's irreverent humor, a bikini-clad, go-go dasncing Goldie Hawn, and of course the famous Sock it to Me gag, which even President Richard M. Nixon participated in. Here's a classic clip of the Joke Wall, with Rowan, Martin, Goldie, Joanne Worley, and guest stars The Monkees.



Posted on May 26, 2008
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Lindsay Lohan to Guest Star on Ugly Betty

Lindsay Lohan will guest star on Ugly Betty's season finale on May 22nd. But that's not all.

No, the big news is that Betty producers are currently talking to LiLo's camp about bringing her back next season for a sizable arc -- and I do mean sizable. We're talking as many as eight freakin' episodes. No doubt ABC is looking at the ratings mileage CBS got out of Britney Spears' How I Met Your Mother cameo and is hoping Lohan can perform the same magic for Betty, which, despite firing on all cylinders creatively this season, has seen its viewership tumble by double digits. Depressing, I know.

Specifics on Lohan's character are still being finalized, but the original idea was to have her play a hapless fast-food worker that Betty befriends. Not sure if that would still be the plan. Now, I know you Betty fans were initially resistant to the prospect of a Lindsay-Betty confab, but in light of the show's recent ratings woes, are you warming to the idea? I certainly am.

We like the idea of a Lindsay guest starring stint on Ugly Betty. But we don't know about her playing some random fast food worker. Still, Lindsay can do comedy quite well -- whatever the writers do, it will most likely be funny.

Posted on May 1, 2008
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Sneak Peeks For Grey's Anatomy

Here are two sneak peeks of the Grey's Anatomy episode that will air tomorrow night on ABC. They're pretty funny.





(Videos via Watch With Kristin).

Posted on April 30, 2008
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New War Inc. Trailer is Here

An upcoming film that has been getting a lot of buzz is War, Inc., which stars John Cusack, Marisa Tomei, Hilary Duff, Ben Kingsley and Dan Ackroyd. It's a dark political satire that reminds us a bit of the classic Wag the Dog. The film is set in the future when the desert country of Turagistan is thrown into chaos by a riot after a private corporation, owned by the former US president, has taken over the whole state. Hit man Brand Hauser (John Cusack) is hired by the corporation's head to kill the CEO of its competitor. Hilary Duff has a featured turn as Yonica, the girl who puts a scorpion down her pants then proceeds to dance. It's worth seeing for the Hilary Duff Scorpion Dance alone. Plus we love when John Cusack plays a hit man. Here's the trailer:



Posted on April 14, 2008
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Stanley Kamel Dead at 65



Stanley Kamel, a veteran actor who is currently playing Dr. Kroger on the hit television show Monk, has died. The L.A. Times reports that he suffered a heart attack in his home; he was 65.

Stanley Kamel, a veteran character actor who appeared most recently in the USA television network series "Monk" as detective Adrian Monk's psychiatrist, has died. He was 65.

Kamel was found dead of a heart attack Tuesday at his Los Angeles home by his longtime agents and friends Donna Massetti and Marilyn Szatmary, publicist Cynthia Snyder said Wednesday in a statement.

Often cast as unsavory characters in TV dramas, Kamel got attention as the suicidal Bruce Teller in the Fox prime-time soap "Melrose Place" in 1994, Dylan McKay's scheming father-in-law Tony Marchette in Fox's "Beverly Hills, 90210" in 1995 and creepy psychiatrist Dr. Graham Lester in the ABC crime series "Murder One" in 1995-96.

We love Monk and Stanley Kamel's portrayal of Monk's psychiatrist Dr. Charles Kroger was always such fun to watch. He will be missed. There's no word yet from USA Network about how they're going to handle the actor's death in the script; right now, no doubt the entire cast and crew is still hearing about the tragedy.

Posted on April 10, 2008
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NBC Announces Fall Lineup

NBC has announced its programming for the next year, which features a new flexible schedule for year-round programming. Some highlights: there will be new webisodes online for Heroes, Chuck and The Office starting in July; the new Heroes spinoff has been canceled before it even got started and a new digital show will launch called Fears, Secrets, & Desires. Here's the rest of the (lengthy) press release that explains everything that's coming up:

New chapters of webisodes for "Heroes," "Chuck" and "The Office" will debut on NBC.com beginning in July. Additional chapters of webisodes for each show will roll out throughout the season. Each chapter of webisodes will continue to weave online with on-air creative to give fans a deeper entertainment experience.

"30 Rock" joins "The Office," "Heroes" and "Lipstick Jungle," and goes "360" next season. Fans of the Emmy-winning comedy can learn from the best through Jack Donaghy's Online Business Courses (or "Jack U"), have access to Jack's blog and offer their own business advice by uploading videos. Other challenges for users will include submitting skits for "TGS," enacting provided skits from "TGC," user response to "Ask Tina" and guided tours of their workplaces (in response to Kenneth the Page's tours).

NBC.com will also debut its second season of original productions with "Fears, Secrets & Desires." This series, detailed below, will be available exclusively on NBC.com.

A comprehensive list of digital features, by show, follows.

Original Digital Production:

"Fears, Secrets, & Desires"

In this unique online experience users help create an original online series by sharing their deepest, darkest secrets, their unimaginable fears and their scandalous desires. Two hosts will entice and inspire users by sharing their own stories, as well as providing discussion topics each week via vlogs. Users will submit stories in one of three areas on the site: Fears, Secrets or Desires. Starting in October 2008, selected posts will be adapted for an online NBC Anthology series that brings the posts to life with creative interpretation meant to tease, tantalize or terrify. Segments will be produced both in-house at NBC.com, and by Hollywood talent normally associated with the big or small screens, not necessarily the computer screen.

Returning Shows:

"American Gladiators" - The site explodes with a User Generated Photo Gallery - "Be A Gladiator," Gladiator personality quiz, and Ultimate Gladiator Workout and advice from the Gladiators.

"Biggest Loser" - Users will be able to see more confessional videos, extended "Where Are They Now?" segments, bonus scenes and customized features which will include recipe sharing and contests and fitness tips, widgets and games.

"Chuck" - In addition to the new webisodes, fans of the show will be able to join Buy More and take Big Mike's Management Lessons and see inside the Nerd Herd "Help Desk" as well as get a look at the villains photo gallery and check out the Buy More Music Section (featuring music from the show).

"Deal or No Deal" - New content includes video profiles of the models, a quarterly tournament with an online game and a highly anticipated new PSMS game.

"ER" - New features include weekly preview scenes.

"Heroes" - Season 3 of "Heroes 360" expands the "Heroes" universe further with webisodes, online manhunts for the villains, the addition of more micro sites that allow the users to uncover more of the "Heroes" universe, wireless iTV interactivity and the ability to view the graphic novel on mobile platforms.

"Last Comic Standing" - Users can see extended audition footage, a User Generated "You're Funny" showcase and weekly international commentary from former finalist Deb DiGiovanni.

"Late Night with Conan O'Brien" - If They Mated; Actual Items; Celebrity Survey; Travels with Conan (customization available); Late Night Underground hosted by Late Night Insider; REWIND; Pale Force New Season

"Law & Order: SVU" - Popular weekly previews give fans a sneak peek into what's ahead.

"Life" - New content features include an interactive prison timeline giving the fans a chance to see what happened while Charlie Crews was incarcerated, a User Generated conspiracy wall and a "Life" Wiki.

"Lipstick Jungle" - In addition to popular existing features such as "Get The Look" Online Store, fans will find a mobile shopping guide and new additions to the online Bonfire Magazine.

"Medium" - Users can recreate their favorite "Allison Waking Up In Bed After a Nightmare" scene, upload it and share.

"Nashville Star" - New content features include original behind-the-scenes segments with online correspondent Wix Wichman, extended audition clips, weekly highlights, behind-the-scenes photos, quizzes, games and featured music.

"The Office" - In addition to new webisodes, this mega micro-site has it all for fans of "The Office." Returning features include deleted scenes, Dwight's blog, User Generated office galleries, Adventures with Dwight bobblehead gallery, Office quote game, Office personality quiz, Adventures with Angela page, an interactive photo set tour and season two of Dunder Mifflin Infinity, the on line community where fans get a chance to run the branches.

"Saturday Night Live" - Users will get a VIP tour backstage with weekly production blogs and video tours.

"The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" - Jay's Garage enters its third season and opens it up to the users to create their own Garage pages. An historical "Tonight Show" timeline will also be introduced this season. New Shows:

"America's Toughest Jobs" - Features will include in-depth contestant profiles, challenge analysis and an online survival game.

"Celebrity Family Feud" - Fans will find celebrity family bios, interviews, photos and profiles.

"Chopping Block" - Digital features will include featured recipes delivered via web, mobile and SMS and a New York City restaurant guide.

"Kath & Kim" - NBC.com will have full episode streaming accompanied by weekly "wine time" segments - featuring Molly Shannon and Selma Blair as their characters discuss the week in pop-culture, fashion and neighborhood gossip, beauty Q & A and Kim dating profiles powered by myNBC.

"Kings" - Digital features will include city sites for Shiloh, Gilboah and Gath, creating a deeper experience for the user. Additionally, viewers will find videos about the King's ascension to power, a family history expose and full streaming episodes.

"Knight Rider" - Fans of the show will find a "KITT" My Ride feature, weekly KITT voicemails to mobile subscribers, talking KITT e-cards and streaming full episodes.

"The Last Templar" -- Digital features will include a Guide to the Templars, Making Of video pieces, interactive decoder games and full streaming episodes.

"Merlin" - Digital features will include Merlin's diary and Spells for Everyday Life.

"My Own Worst Enemy" - New content features will include an alter ego game, dossiers on supporting characters, an archive of Edward and Henry video messages to each other and a split site (suburbs v. international intrigue).

"The Philanthropist" - In addition to full streaming episodes, users will find Giving Back tips, Teddy's Lifestyle game and money tracker files.

"Crusoe" - Digital features will include extended flashback scenes, an interactive adventure game, Crusoe's diary and full episode streaming.

"Shark Taggers" - Fans will be able to meet the taggers through video profiles, interact with a Tag the Shark game and watch deleted scenes.

"XIII" - Digital features will include interactive mobile events synched to the live broadcast and full episode streaming.

There is a lot of SF programming in the bunch: mostly, we're just happy that Chuck and Heroes are returning. Medium was on the chopping block, but got a reprieve. The Knight Rider premiere was ok, but it didn't really get good until Hasselhoff showed up at the very end. More of the Hoff! There is no Knight Rider without the Hoff! Although, we do love Val Kilmer as KITT. He steals every scene he's in -- and you only hear his voice.

Posted on April 3, 2008
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New Giveaway: Set of Three Hot New DVDs

Win a Set of Three Hot New DVDs from our sister site, ShoppingBlog.com: Dan in Real Life, Enchanted and No Country for Old Men.

Dan in Real Life is a funny and heartwarming story which stars Steve Carell and Juliette Binoche. Enchanted is one of our new favorite movies: Amy Adams is hilarious as an animated Disney princess who lands in the real world and must convince stick in the mud lawyer (Patrick Dempsey) that true love really will conquer all. The music is fabulous and the dialogue is a scream.

No Country for Old Men won the Oscar for Best Picture: it's a compelling, gritty and violent post-modern Western that's a must-see for Javier Bardem's Oscar-winning performance as a sociopathic serial killer.

To enter, please fill out the online form here. There is no entry fee or purchase obligation of any kind to enter. You must be a U.S. resident and be eighteen or over in order to enter. Winners will be selected in a random drawing, which will be announced on ShoppingBlog.com and in the Writers Write Update email newsletter. There's also an optional comment form where you can give your opinion about topics in the news. The comment section is optional, but we'd love to hear your opinion!

As with all Writers Write, Inc. giveaways, email addresses and mailing addresses will remain strictly confidential and will not be revealed to any third parties. You must enter before 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time/12:00 p.m. Central Time, Friday, April 11, 2008.

Good luck!

Posted on April 2, 2008
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Jennifer Aniston Forms New Production Company

Jennifer Aniston has formed her own production company called Echo Films. She's partnering with her producing parter Kristin Hahn.

The studio has just acquired screen rights to Jane Fallon's British bestseller "Getting Rid of Matthew," and Aniston and Hahn will produce with Lynda Obst and Marc Rosen. Fallon, a veteran U.K. TV producer who is married to Ricky Gervais, will adapt her novel about a hard-charging publicist whose lusty affair with a married man is ruined by his decision to leave his wife and two children for her. She invents a new persona, befriends the spurned wife and attempts to patch up the marriage up so she can be rid of him. In the process, she develops a thing for his oldest son.

Universal and Echo also have tapped the book market to acquire "The Divorce Party," a Laura Dave novel that Viking will publish in May, with Gwyn Lurie ("The Man Who Ate the 747") aboard to write the script. As a husband and wife reach their 35th wedding anniversary, they hold a party to announce their divorce. It creates complications for their son, who returns home with his commitment-shy fiancee.

*****

Echo's emphasis will be on producing grounded, relatable material, the partners say. "We particularly like working from books and real-life stories about distinct characters that embody something relatable and relevant about human nature's double-sided coin of vulnerability and mettle," Hahn said.

That theme prompted the company's name, Aniston said. "We're drawn to stories about people finding their voice and finding their way because they help us as listeners and viewers do what we feel we're all trying to do, which is making sense of our lives through the stories of others," Aniston said. "That's why we chose the name Echo, to echo back an idea, a challenge, something that resonates through all of us."

It's a good move for Aniston. She's worked with Hahn since she was a partner with then-husband Brad Pitt and Brad Grey in Plan B Productions. The company sounds like it has some interesting projects lined up, most of which are tailor-made for Jennifer to star in.

Posted on April 1, 2008
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21 Tops the Box Office

The story of a group of MIT students who broke the bank at the casinos, 21, topped the box office this past weekend, making $24,105,943. The film stars Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, Jim Sturgess and Laurence Fishburne. In second place was Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! which made $17,740,106 in its third week of release. In third place was Superhero Movie which made $9,510,297. In fourth place was Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns which made $7,481,508.

In fifth place was the new Owen Wilson comedy, Drillbit Taylor which made $5,713,585 in its second week of release, for a cumulative total so far of $20,487,226.

Posted on March 31, 2008
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Chuck Producer Wants Van Damme as Bad Guy

Michael Ausiello confirms that Chuck producer Josh Schwartz is determined to cast Jean-Claude Van Damme as a bad guy next season.

I'll give you a little Chuck scoop from the show's Paley Fest session last week: Josh Schwartz was deadly serious when he told the crowd that it's his goal to cast Van Damme as one of next season's Big Bads. "I would love to have him on the show," Schwartz later told me. "I'm just not sure if he's available." This just in: After doing some digging, I can confirm that Van Damme is most definitely available.

How cool would that be?? We're ready for some evil Van Damme action on Chuck, which is one of our favorite shows.

Posted on March 26, 2008
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Michelle Trachtenberg to be a Gossip Girl

Michelle Trachtenberg, who played Buffy Somers' little sister on Buffy the Vampire Slayer is going to be a Gossip Girl.

And even though probably every other starlet in Hollywood under the age of 30 had to be salivating over the prospect of playing Georgina Sparks, a troublemaker from Serena's past who makes Blair look about as dangerous as Donna Martin, I think the CW's casting department nailed it. (C'mon, Buffy's sis was always one prickly pear!) For that matter, Trachtenberg lucked out, too: Could there be a more entertaining way for a young actress to make her comeback than by playing an adolescent Cruella? Didn't think so.

Michelle should do very well in the role. It looks like she'll be putting her supernatural typecasting days behind her.

Posted on March 19, 2008
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Jim Carrey and Steve Carrell Hear a Who

Steve Carrell and Jim Carrey interview each other about their new animated film Horton Hears a Who. Who doesn't love the Dr. Suess classic about an elephant who hears a cry for help that no one else can hear. The film also stars the voices of Dane Cook, Isla Fisher, Dan Fogler, Jonah Hill, Amy Poehler, Jaime Pressly, Charles Osgood, and Seth Rogen. This video clip is part of Moviephone's Unscripted series and it's quite funny.



Posted on March 12, 2008
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Semi-Pro Tops the Box Office

In a very slow box office weekend, Will Ferrell's Semi-Pro barely took the top spot, making $15,200,000. In second place was Vantage Point which made $13 million in its second week of release. The action flick has now garnered over $41 million at the box office. In third place was Paramount's The Spiderwick Chronicles which made $8,752,000 in its third week of release, for a cumulative take of over $55 million.

In fourth place was The Other Boleyn Girl starring Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson and Eric Bana in a bodice-ripping Henry VIII drama. The film took in a disappointing $8,752,000 in its opening weekend. In fifth place was Jumper, which took in another $7.6 million for a cumulative take of $66,823,000.

Posted on March 3, 2008
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Ferrell's Semi-Pro Not a Critic Favorite

AP Movie Critic Christy Lemire says 'Semi-Pro' "follows a now familiar formula: Cast Will Ferrell, pick a sport to mock, and watch the laughs pile up." Lemire says there are laughs but that you've seen these characters before. That may not be such a bad thing because the characters are very funny characters. Many other critics were unhappy with the film but the many spoofs of the 70s look hilarious. Will Ferrell and Jon Heder managed to make Blades of Glory hilarious despite a very simple concept. Christy Lemire also reveals that the 'fro Ferrell has in Semi-Pro is all Ferell's real hair.



Posted on February 29, 2008
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Saturday Night Live Returns February 23

The writers' strike is finally over and the screenwriters are heading back to work. Saturday Night Live will return on February 23rd on NBC and Tina Fay will be the host. We're guessing that there will be lots of political skits.

The other networks are still finalizing plans. 24 won't return until January, 2009, which is too bad. But CBS announced that it will be airing six new episodes of Ghost Whisperer on April 4 and four new episodes of Moonlight on April 11.

Posted on February 13, 2008
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Will Ferrell Talks Semi-Pro

Will Ferrell is in character as owner/player/coach Jackie Moon from his new film Semi-Pro about the ABA basketball league (yes, it really existed). Will and Heidi Klum hit the court as part of a Sports Illustrated photo shoot.

In the SI interview, Will talks about the characters's famous shooting style (granny) and those scary short shorts that all the basketball players used to wear.

SI.com: You conveniently find a way to show off your stellar physique in all your movies. You showed some restraint in Semi-Pro, although we do get a closer-than-comfortable look under your short shorts while you are on the free-throw line. What was the goal of the groin cam and do you think the NBA will implement a similar camera angle now?

Ferrell: They will if they're smart. I knew going in I wanted to have the nice tight shorts because it was first, historically accurate and second, just stupid looking. That close-up shot came about to focus on Jackie Moon's form in the classic, granny style free throw. It was all about capturing that moment.

SI.com: What did you think when the Lakers played in the short shorts for the first half of their game against the Celtics a few weeks back?

Ferrell: I heard about it. I didn't see it, I heard they were extremely self conscious and that the audience half cheered and half laughed and didn't know how to react to it. So I don't think they'll be going back to the short shorts anytime soon.

Semi-Pro opens in wide release on February 29, 2008.

Posted on February 12, 2008
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Paris Hilton Plays Hottie in Movie

Paris Hilton plays hottie Cristabel Abbott in her new movie The Hottie and the Nottie. Christine Laki plays Christabel's not-so-hot friend June. Christine Laki is an attractive actress - this hints at an inevitable transformation scene. The critics are not impressed with The Hottie and the Nottie. AP's movie critic Christy Lemire doesn't think it is worth seeing either.

Really, there's no point in paying to see a movie starring Paris Hilton -- she of the platinum blonde extensions and the nonexistent acting range -- because you can get exactly what she has to offer for free by turning on a TV infotainment show or clicking on any number of gossip Web sites.

In "The Hottie and the Nottie," she once again essentially plays herself, or at least the version of herself she's concocted for public consumption. (Sadly, the world may never get to know the "real" Paris, if such a thing exists.) Then again, Katharine Hepburn built a career on portraying a carefully crafted version of herself, so hey, anything's possible.

This time, Hilton stars as sexpot Cristabel Abbott, who's so massively desirable, men line the beach path where she jogs every day (in slow motion, naturally) with marriage proposals and other wacky expressions of love. Cristabel has an entire walk-in closet devoted entirely to her extensive collection of lingerie. When she practices yoga, the instructor compliments her on the quality of her downward facing dog.

With no critics on her side the only hope for Paris is that her fans turnout for her comedy.



Posted on February 8, 2008
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Hannah Montana Rules the Box Office

Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert ruled the box office this past weekend. The 3-D film of Miley Cyrus' tour as herself and as alter ego Hannah Montana took in $29 million this past weekend, which was the biggest Super Bowl weekend debut ever.

Distributor Disney planned to have the movie out for only a week but now has decided to keep it in theaters until it runs its course. The concert film -- featuring 15-year-old Cyrus both as herself backstage and as her Disney Channel character, pop sensation Hannah -- filled the void for fans unable to catch one of the live shows on the Hannah Montana 54-date tour.

The digital 3-D technology also gave fans the illusion of practically being at a live show, said Mark Zoradi, president of Disney's motion-picture group, who visited several packed theaters where the movie played over the weekend. "The screaming level was unbelievable. It almost plays like a concert. At the end of a song, you have audiences clapping like you do at a concert," Zoradi said. "Parents who weren't able to get concert tickets, now they were able to take their kids and satisfy that demand, and kids were in a way able to be up close and personal, with the best seats in the house."

*****

Lionsgate's "The Eye," a remake of the Japanese horror hit, opened at No. 2 with $13 million. "The Eye" stars Jessica Alba as a blind concert violinist whose vision is restored by a corneal transplant that also results in terrifying visions.

"Desperate Housewives" co-star Eva Longoria Parker delivered a dud with her first top-billed movie, "Over Her Dead Body," which opened with a weak $4.6 million to finish at No. 11. Distributed by New Line, the movie stars Longoria Parker as a dead woman whose ghost tries to break up a romance between her fiance (Paul Rudd) and his new girlfriend.

Playing in just 683 theaters, "Hannah Montana" broke another record: never before has a movie in so few cinemas premiered at the top of the box office chart. The movie averaged a whopping $42,460 a theater, compared to an average of $5,337 in each of 2,436 cinemas for "The Eye" and about $2,327 in each of 1,977 theaters for "Over Her Dead Body."

We saw Beowulf in 3-D at the Imax and it really is amazing technology. We admit that we took alcohol wipes with us to make sure we didn't pick up someone else's eye or ear infection from the 3-D glasses they hand out. Hey, we don't watch Monk for nothing.

Posted on February 4, 2008
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Meet the Spartans Tops the Box Office

The 300 spoof Meet the Spartans topped the box office this past weekend, making $18,505,530. In a very close second place was Sylvester Stallone's Rambo which made $18,203,876. In third place was Kathryn Heigl in 27 Dresses, which made $13,360,535 in its second week.

In fourth place was Cloverfield which made $12,712,134 in its second week of release, which is quite a drop from its opening weekend. Its total gross to date is $64,306,110. In fifth place was Diane Lane in Untraceable which opened with $11,354,069. In sixth place was The Bucket List which made another $10,532,406 in its fifth week of release.

Posted on January 28, 2008
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Johnny Depp Talks Sweeney Todd

Johnny Depp reveals how disturbing it was to film one scene in his new hit movie, Sweeney Todd.

The 44-year-old actor says that a simple flashback scene in 'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street' had him and director Tim Burton shaken to their cores. It was when young Sweeney's happy life before he was sent to prison by the judge. Although seemingly normal, the actor and the director who created the movie couldn't stomach it. "I think that was the weirdest thing I ever had to shoot," Depp says in an interview. "[Burton] literally was sobbing. He left the set of his own movie." The 49-year-old director says the melodrama of the scene was too much to bear. "That's when I knew [Depp] was a great actor, because that was terrible. That was so bad."

*****

"That and having to soap up Alan Rickman's face were two of the scariest moments, maybe of my life," quips Depp.

Sweeney Todd has gotten rave reviews from critics and has been nominated for a number of Golden Globe awards.

Posted on December 28, 2007
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Pilot Season is in Jeopardy

The writers' strike isn't ending anytime soon, and it's looking the traditional tv pilot season may not happen at all.

The disruption of the pilot season, which runs from January through April, would shake up the $9 billion "upfront" market that begins in May when advertisers pay to book commercial time long in advance of a broadcast.

Some experts believe the very time frame of the broadcast season as a whole, which has traditionally run from September to May, may now be relegated to entertainment history. "This strike is certainly going to cause a shift. If it isn't resolved by February 1, it will rule out many pilots," said Jeff Hermanson, assistant executive director of the Writers Guild of America (WGA).

*****

Industry sources said the networks have only a few scripted programs in development and even fewer pilots shot. Some fear the 2008-2009 TV season may be scuttled altogether if the strike lasts into February or that the upfronts -- during which networks sell roughly 85 percent of their annual commercial inventory -- will be pushed to June or July.

We think that if the strike isn't settled soon (and the AMPTP refuses to even come back to the bargaining table) the entire television industry will change. That could eventually be a good thing, but it's going to make for some truly awful television programming for the next year or so.

Posted on December 21, 2007
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Trailer for Will Ferrell's Semi-Pro

Here's the new trailer for Will Ferrell's new movie, Semi-Pro, a sports comedy set in 1976. The popular pro basketball league, the ABA, competed with the staid NBA with flashy stunts, wild promotions and its trademark red, white and blue ball. Eventually the ABA merged with the NBA.



Posted on December 11, 2007
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Enchanted Tops the Box Office

Disney's new film Enchanted laid a spell on moviegoers over the holiday weekend. It topped the box office for the three day weekend, making $35,332,000. The film made $50,048,000 over the five day weekend. In second place was This Christmas which made $18,600,000. In third place was Beowulf, which made $16,240,000. That brings its take so far to $56,361,000.

In fourth place was Fox's Hitman which shook off its terrible reviews to make $13,035,000. In fifth place was Bee Movie, which made another $12,010,000. That brings its total take to date to $112,069,000. Clearly, moviegoers are in a family-friendly frame of mind when it comes to filmgoing.

Posted on November 25, 2007
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Bee Movie Wins the Weekend

Jerry Seinfeld's Bee Movie buzzed into the top box office spot in its second week of release, making an estimated $26,000,000. That brings the animated film's gross to date to $72,214,000. In second place is last weekend's box office winner, American Gangster, which made another $24,319,000, bringing its cumulative to $80,679,000.

In third place was Fred Claus, which made $19,225,000 and a surprisingly decent (considering the awful reviews) $5,335 per theater. In fourth place was Lions for Lambs, which opened with a disappointing $6,710,000. The film stars Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, but moviegoers are staying away from Iraq War-themed movies in droves.

In fifth place was Dan in Real Life which made another $5,872,000, bringing its total take to date to $30,678,000. The horror thriller P2 opened in eighth place, making $2,200,000.

Posted on November 12, 2007
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Patrick Dempsey and Ellen Pompeo Support the Writers' Strike

Patrick Dempsey and Ellen Pompeo of Gray's Anatomy talk about the writers' strike and why they fully support it in this short video. You can find breaking news, updates, links and explanations of what the strike is all about at our sister site Writerswrite.com's special Writers' Strike section.



Posted on November 8, 2007
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Writers Strike Will Cripple Hollywood

The Writers Guild goes on strike this Monday, November 5th at 12:01 a.m. Hollywood will be crippled by the strike. All writing for television and film projects will stop. The talk shows will go into reruns. The soap operas, and scripted dramas and comedies will stop after producers air the finished episodes that they have. Generally, it means we'll have good tv until December, then it's going to be a virtual wasteland.

Reality shows will be unaffected, as will news. Film projects without a completed script will grind to a halt. One bright spot in February will be Lost. The producers have been shooting until June, and they already have 14 episodes in the can. So that's one bright spot. But some of our favorite shows -- Ugly Betty, Chuck, 24, Grey's Anatomy, Eureka, Psych -- will all stop production.

Unless there's a last minute deal this weekend, the strike is on. You can find out more about the strike and what it all means on Writers Write's Writers' Strike resource.

Posted on November 2, 2007
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Writers' Strike Would Cause Major TV Programming Changes

With the Writers Guild poised to go on strike on November 1st if they don't reach a deal with the producers, things are looking a bit grim for television viewers. If the writers go on strike, there won't be anyone to work on new episodes of The Bionic Woman, My Name is Earl or any comedy, thriller or drama. That means lots of reality TV and news programs in our future. But it also may mean some Sci Fi channel favorites like Battlestar Galactica will air from the beginning on NBC.

[I]t's a different world in television than it was in 1988 when writers struck for 22 weeks, causing many shows to bring down their tents midway through the season. Even "Star Trek: The Next Generation" tried to get around it all by digging up old scripts from "Star Trek: Phase II," but most shows don't have those kinds of luxuries.

Today, however, many networks own multiple cable channels, and nearly all of those have some kind of original programming or another. So don't be surprised if "Heroes" gets replaced by NBCU's SciFi Channel programming like "Battlestar Galactica," or even a watered down "Nip/Tuck" joining reality programming on Fox.

NBC Universal probably has the biggest library of cable programming to pull from thanks to owning both SciFi Channel and USA Network where they could easily start adding previously aired shows like "Psych," "Monk" and "The 4400" to the main network schedule. TNT isn't owned by a company that also owns a major network, but Time Warner officials reportedly are offering "The Closer" to networks ... for a price, of course.

"Battlestar Galactica" could be the biggest beneficiary. Although it's clear that a strike would delay production on the show's final season (and likely ensuring that the last 10 episodes will air in 2009), NBC could opt to start the entire show from the beginning or even start picking and choosing episodes it feels will draw viewers when they run out of existing scripted programs. "The 4400" -- which is possibly facing cancellation after a not-so-stellar fourth season -- may get new life with a run on NBC as well.

A writers' strike will be a disaster for everyone, including the writers who mostly live from paycheck to paycheck. Everyone's rushing to get scripts locked down for upcoming features films, as well. But if the writers do strike, look for the worst film year ever in 2008.

Posted on October 24, 2007
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Adios to Viva Laughlin

After only two episodes, Hugh Jackman's musical drama, Viva Laughlin has been cancelled

Viva Laughlin, the musical-drama hybrid that starred Hugh Jackman as a casino owner and was lambasted by critics, has been canceled by CBS after only two episodes. The Amazing Race will replace Viva Laughlin in the Sunday at 8 p.m. time slot beginning Nov. 4. (A CSI repeat will be broadcast this Sunday.) The Hollywood Reporter calls Viva Laughlin the first major casualty of the 2007-08 season.

When Viva Laughlin debuted on Oct. 18 in a special time slot after CSI ­ the program shed more than half of its valuable lead-in and averaged 8.8 million viewers. It then moved to its normal time slot on Sunday, following 60 Minutes, but its second episode, on Oct. 21, drew an average of 6.8 million viewers, placing CBS in fourth place for the hour.

Viva Laughlin featured a character named Lloyd Owen, a man who dreams about having a casino of his own in Laughlin, Nevada. Hugh Jackman and Melanie Griffith starred. The reviews were unbelievably bad, with one reviewer calling it the worst show on television. It was a remake of a very popular British show. We never saw it, but still --- pulling a show that had almost 7 million viewers after only two episodes? That's harsh.

Posted on October 23, 2007
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Hey Betty. You are Beautiful

Mika and ABC did this song and music video for Ugly Betty. It's a special Ugly Betty remix of Mika's "Big Girl (You are Beautiful)" single. You can hear the original song on Mika's website.