Madonna visit ends new '007' shoot
It's better late than never for 007 and Madonna.
Filming of the forthcoming James Bond epic "Die Another Day", has been completed, ending with Madonna's visit to the set to shoot her cameo.
Madonna was joined on the final day of filming by Justin Llewelyn, son of the late Doug Llewelyn, who played gadget-maker Q. Justin spent the day working as an extra in the film.
Pierce Brosnan told reporters earlier in the year that filming was set to wrap in June. "Die Another Day" is scheduled for release on November 18, 2002.
Yes, May I Have 2 Scoops Of...
To help promote its fall season, NBC has joined forces with Baskin-Robbins to create ice-cream flavors based on its shows. Soon you will be able to buy scoops of Fear Factor Sundae, Will & Grace's Rocky Road of Romance and Stuckey Bowled-Over Brownie.
NBC Premieres
Here are all of the premiere dates and times for NBC's fall schedule:
American Dreams - Sept. 29. 8 p.m.
Boomtown - Sept. 29. 10 p.m.
Crossing Jordan - Sept. 23. 9:30 p.m.
Ed - Sept. 25. 8 p.m.
ER - Sept. 26. 10 p.m.
Fear Factor - Sept. 23. 8 p.m.
Frasier - Sept. 24. 9 p.m.
Friends - Sept. 26. 8 p.m.
Good Morning Miami - Sept. 26. 9:30 p.m.
Hidden Hills - Sept. 24. 9:30 p.m.
In-Laws - Sept. 24. 8 p.m.
Just Shoot Me - Sept. 24. 8:30 p.m.
Law & Order: CI - Sept. 29. 9 p.m.
Law & Order: SVU - Sept. 27. 10 p.m.
Providence - Oct. 4. 8 p.m.
Scrubs - Sept. 26. 8:30 p.m.
Third Watch - Sept. 30. 9 p.m.
The West Wing - Sept. 25. 9 p.m.
Will & Grace - Sept. 26. 9 p.m.
NBC Plans THREE'S COMPANY Movie
Do you picture yourself as a John Ritter-type? Well now's your chance to play him, as NBC is developing a tv movie about THREE'S COMPANY.
Fans of '70s TV will be interested to know that come Aug. 6, Hollywood will be hit with a wave of John Ritter, Suzanne Somers and Joyce DeWitt wannabes. It's an open casting call for "Three's Company Revisited," producer Stan Brooks' NBC movie about the behind-the-scenes intrigue on the ditzy hit sitcom. A theater for the auditions has yet to be announced. Brooks notes that Ritter, Somers and DeWitt "were unknowns who became big stars. Now we're looking for unknowns to play them."
Brooks also reveals that DeWitt will serve as narrator of the flick, which is targeted for a late August production start. According to descriptions of the script, it'll show the "greed, manipulation and avarice of Hollywood managers and network producers when they get their hands on a runaway hit." Says the producer, "It's based on interviews and research, with all of us involved being big fans of the show. I actually was friends with Don Knotts' son when I was growing up, and I'd go to the 'Three's Company' Friday night tapings." Knotts, you may recall, played the ever-harried Mr. Furley on the show.
Stewart Preps For X2 and NEMESIS
Patrick Stewart told the British DreamWatch magazine that X2—the upcomimng sequel to X-Men—will hinge on his character, Professor X, according to a report on Cinescape Online. "The story goes in a direction that I thought was quite unexpected, which is always a good thing," Stewart told the magazine. "It involves my character a good deal more than the other movie did. Unlike the first X-Men, where he was just out of the movie for a big chunk of time, he is consistently active. I think it's looking really promising."
Stewart also said that the upcoming 10th Star Trek movie, Nemesis, will combine many of the elements fans have been looking for. "I think it's possible that there might be more to anticipate and to be excited about with Nemesis than with any of our previous movies, including everybody's favorite, First Contact," Stewart said. "I think we've got the mix right, in terms of a strong story. ... There are two storylines running side by side, interconnecting at different times. We have a very strong action base as well for this, which means that the dialogue scenes are broken up with really quite effective sequences of action. It has romance in it—in fact, it's probably the sexiest movie we've done in some respects, although unfortunately none of this involves me. It has a psychological aspect to it, too, which is interesting and potent. And there are surprises—the kind of surprises that, while we were shooting it, we were licking our chops with glee at the thought of these things that were going to surprise people." Nemesis opens Dec. 13; X2 is currently in production for a 2003 release.
Can 'Austin' Power Box Office?
Last weekend's threadbare box office looks likely to prove a one-weekend shortfall if New Line Cinema strikes the kind of motherlode that's predicted for "Austin Powers in Goldmember."
The studio bows its third-in-a-franchise spy spoof in 3,613 theaters Friday, with industryites forecasting a three-day haul comfortably above $50 million.
And that could be good news for more than just New Line, as conventional wisdom says buzz generated from such big bows has a beneficial effect on other current releases.
"It gets people wanting to go to the movies," said DreamWorks distribution president Jim Tharp, whose reigning champ "Road to Perdition" is entering its third weekend.
The original "Austin" debuted with $53.9 million in May 1997 and the first sequel opened at $54.9 million in June 1999.
"You always want to do better than the last one," said New Line distribution president David Tuckerman. "So that's our expectation."
New Line offered 2,416 "Austin" sneak peeks Thursday night, but those grosses won't be reflected in weekend totals.
Also bowing in wide release Friday is Disney's kids-and-parents affair "Country Bears," tagged for 2,553 locations. It will compete for the same crowd as Sony's "Stuart Little 2," which opened disappointingly last weekend.
Meanwhile, Paramount will try to salvage a decent sophomore session from its sub drama "K-19: The Widowmaker" after a poor launch last weekend. The modestly budget horror picture "Eight Legged Freaks" (Warner Bros.) will seek to avoid a drop from the top 10 in its second frame.
And DreamWorks adds about 100 engagements -- for a total 2,250 -- for "Road to Perdition." The studio appears well validated in its strategy of adding playdates this week and last after securing a solid second-place bow over the July 12 frame. Gripping but dark, the mob-themed adult drama finished No. 1 last weekend and now seems headed north of $100 million domestically.
"Country Bears" is a modestly budgeted live-action adaptation of a Disney World theme-park attraction of the same name. Never intended as a box office behemoth, "Bears" will likely remained caged in the single-digit millions over its opening weekend.
Sony marketing and distribution president Jeff Blake expressed hope that "Stuart Little 2" would follow the trajectory of its 1999 predecessor, which ended up with an impressive $140 million tally after opening with $15 million. The costly sequel opened with $15.1 million, just behind "Perdition," but has out-performed the market each weekday since then.
"But as always, we'll have to wait to see how it does this weekend," Blake said.
Industrywide, the box office was off 18% last weekend from the same frame in 2001. But 21 of the preceding 22 weekends had seen year-over-year upticks, and industryites are hoping the frame was a mere aberration.
"It's my impression that it was just a one-weekend thing," DreamWorks' Tharp said, noting mid-week grosses have shown signs of renewed vigor. "But people aren't really sure why that was last weekend."
It is definately better the second time.
My thoughts on AUSTIN POWERS IN GOLDMEMBER after I saw it the first time are easily summed up in Roger Ebert's review. He may be no Gene Siskel (RIP) but for the first time ever he crystalizes my thoughts exactly, after the first time I saw it that is.
I defer to something my friend Chris wrote about the movies to sum up my thoughts on GOLDMEMBER after my second viewing:
"I think these movies (the Austin Powers films) really get better with repeated viewings - I did laugh the most of all three movies (on first viewing)."
He is right. After 2 viewings, I can tell you it is hilarious. After one viewing, well you might agree with Roger Ebert's review.
Enjoy the popcorn and I'll see you at the movies, baby!
Shatner Praises One-Hit Wonders
William Shatner says musicians shouldn't take offense if they're featured on his new VH1 documentary show, "One Hit Wonders."
The "Star Trek" star, who has poked fun at his own cover versions of "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" and "Mr. Tambourine Man," said the show is a tribute to unforgettable tunes by artists who never repeated the same success.
"In the world that we inhabit, having one hit is a lot better than having no hits," Shatner told The Associated Press this week.
Despite the show's lighthearted approach, he added, it illustrates the difficulty of achieving success in the music industry.
"This show is about the kind of songs you like and can sing, but you can't remember the artist because maybe they never caught on again," Shatner said. "We give those artists some renown."
Derived from a five-part VH1 special, the new half-hour show will debut next Monday on the music channel with new episodes scheduled weekly. About four songs will be featured on each show. Special episodes will focus on disco, heavy metal, New Wave, TV themes, novelty songs and celebrity singers.
WTC Song Features Victims' Families
Several relatives of World Trade Center victims have recorded backing vocals and will be in a video for a hip-hop song about the Sept. 11 attacks.
The song, by the group Angels with Broken Wings, is called "Wake Up Everybody." Producer Terry Lewis said a portion of the royalties will be donated to a coalition of victims' families.
Bill Doyle, who helped organize the relatives who participated, said the money would be used for family members' health care costs and other needs.
Lewis also produced another song about the attacks, called "I Cried." Both songs are expected to be released in August.
REMEMBERING
NBC announcing plans to air a prime-time concert on the first anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, the Associated Press reports. First lady Laura Bush will appear on NBC's Concert for America at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., but no official word yet on who will be performing. ABC and CBS, meanwhile, are both planning news programming for that night.
GOODBYE RAYMOND?
Everybody Loves Raymond creator Phil Rosenthal telling reporters that the upcoming seventh season of Ray Romano's CBS hit could be its last. "I love Les [Moonves, president of CBS], and they've been incredibly supportive," he told Daily Variety. "But when it's over, it's over. You don't want to get repetitive, and I've never seen a show get better after seven seasons."
IT'S OFFICIAL
Jennifer Lopez filing for divorce from her hubby of 10 months, Cris Judd. Lopez and Judd, who confirmed their breakup last month, have already filed their settlement agreement, and lawyers say all of their issues are resolved. The divorce becomes official in six months.
BEN'S TURN?
The New York Post reporting that Lopez and Ben Affleck "kissed, cuddled and made goo-goo eyes at each other" during her surprise 32nd birthday party Wednesday at the Park restaurant in New York.
Tennis Anyone?
Anna Kournikova seems to spend her life launching impassioned defenses of her sporting credibility.
007 to Austin Powers: "Laugh While You Can, Baby."
Springsteen Gives Lauer Hometown Tour
Bruce Springsteen gave "Today" show host Matt Lauer a taste of Asbury Park and briefly performed at a city restaurant as he prepared for his upcoming performance on the NBC morning program.
Lauer and The Boss cruised around the city, Springsteen's adopted hometown, in a blue Mustang convertible on Wednesday. They were accompanied by cameramen shooting footage to be used Tuesday, when "Today" will broadcast Springsteen's performance before an invitation-only crowd at Convention Hall.
Lauer also interviewed Springsteen at various locations around the city. Among their stops was the Stone Pony nightclub, where Springsteen has made surprise appearances over the years.
They also stopped at Sonny's Southern Cuisine, where Springsteen performed "My City of Ruins," a song of hope for Asbury Park's revitalization. He performed with a group of gospel singers, then played guitar as they sang the gospel number, "I've Got a Feeling (Everything's Gonna Be All Right)."
A crowd of about 100 people packed the restaurant for the performance, while dozens more waited outside, unable to get in.
"It was like seeing someone on VH1, unplugged," the restaurant's owner, Bill "Sonny" Wiley, told The Star-Ledger of Newark for Thursday's editions. "I tell you, he brought tears to my eyes. You could hear a pin drop in the room."
Sheen 'Heartbroken' Over Lowe Leaving
Martin Sheen said he is heartbroken over the impending departure of "West Wing" co-star Rob Lowe, who is quitting the Emmy-winning NBC series over a salary dispute.
"I was shocked and dismayed, frankly," Sheen told reporters. "And disappointed, but for selfish reasons because we keep talking about the next four years as the next administration."
But Sheen, who plays President Josiah Bartlet on the Emmy-winning White House drama, isn't entirely surprised.
"We saw something coming but we didn't know it was such as it was, you know. We knew there were some contract disputes, but I never get into that with a fellow actor because frankly it's none of my business," he said. "Everyone's entitled to go for whatever they can get. I did, certainly."
Sheen recently renegotiated his contract to triple his salary to $300,000 per episode, according to Variety magazine.
But the show's producers, Warner Brothers, refused to increase Lowe's reported $75,000-per-episode salary. Lowe told The Associated Press Wednesday that the salary dispute spurred his decision to leave his role as White House communications director Sam Seaborn at the end of next season.
"We're all heartbroken and a bit concerned because we've become so close," Sheen said. "But with Rob and me in particular, I've known him since he was a boy. You know, he grew up with my family and I've become kind of a Dutch uncle to him all these years. And to have this last three years together, we've gotten extremely close."
Despite the recent conflict, Sheen believes Lowe's "West Wing" time will help his career.
"He's been brilliant on the show. I think it's the best work he's ever done. And he's elevated his image to the public to a great level. I just have to let him go and wish him the best. He's still young and has a big career in front of him," he said.
Cocaine Cited in Entwistle's Death
John Entwistle, the 57-year-old bass player for the rock band The Who, died from a heart attack caused by cocaine use, the Clark County coroner said Thursday.
Coroner Ron Flud ruled the death accidental and said it was not an overdose.
"The heart attack we believe was brought on by the significant amount of cocaine" that was in Entwistle's system at the time of death, he said.
The exact amount of the drug remains unknown.
"Cocaine is a different animal," Flud said. "It's not like alcohol. There's no way we can put a number on it. You've got a lethal drug on board at the time you have a bad heart. That's a bad combination."
Entwistle's body was found in his bed at the Hard Rock Hotel on June 27, one day before the band was scheduled to kick off a three-month nationwide tour at the hotel's concert hall.
Hotel officials declined comment Thursday, as did a spokeswoman with the band's record label, MCA/Universal Music Enterprises. District Attorney Stewart Bell said no criminal charges were anticipated.
"From a legal point of view, there isn't anything to be done because we don't have anybody else who might be responsible," he said.
Entwistle was one of the band's founders. Another original member, drummer Keith Moon, died in 1978 of a drug overdose at the age of 32. Authorities said he took too many pills prescribed to control his alcoholism.
Entwistle's death was caused when cocaine caused the contraction of coronary arteries that were already damaged by heart disease, Flud said.
After the death, a musician in Entwistle's own band said he had been on medication for a heart condition.
The Who, founded in London in the early 1960s, was part of the British rock invasion along with the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. Their parade of hits included "I Can See For Miles," "I Can't Explain," "Substitute," "Pinball Wizard," "Won't Get Fooled Again" and "Who Are You."
The group, which includes original members Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey, is scheduled to play a show Friday in Mansfield, Mass.
Street date alert!
Bad news for Ed Wood fans...Buena Vista has just announced that the upcoming special edition of Tim Burton's Academy Award-winning comedy has been postponed until further notice. Originally scheduled for release on 8/13, no new date has been announced, but stay tuned...