Charlize Theron Rides Ferris Wheel
Charlize Theron will star in the indie drama Ferris Wheel with Nick Stahl, AnnaSophia Robb, Woody Harrelson, Dennis Hopper and Deborra-Lee Furness.
The movie Drama an 11-year-old girl's struggle to come to terms with her mother's abandonment. Bill Maher will make his feature directing debut from a script by Zac Stanford. Shooting begins next month.
Theron will also serve as producer on the project. It was announced earlier this week that she'll star in The Battle in Seattle for director/boyfriend Stuart Townsend. She's also rumored to be in talks for Tonight, He Comes opposite Will Smith.
"Manchurian Candidate" Actor Joins "CSI"
Film actor Liev Schreiber will soon be seen as a recurring character on TV's hit crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
Moviehole.net reports The Manchurian Candidate actor will take on the role of an experienced investigator, whose talent for solving cases brings him to the Las Vegas Crime Lab.
CSI executive producer Carol Mendelsohn says, "We first sat down with Liev earlier this summer to discuss the possibility of him appearing as a recurring character on CSI. We knew it was a long shot, he really doesn't do television.
But he was patient and I think amused, as we promised that we'd create a character for him that he couldn't refuse to play. Excitingly for us, he collaborated in this process. And we've got a wonderful, complex character as a result."
Obviously pleased with his upcoming role, Schreiber says, "After meeting the people who run CSI, it immediately becomes apparent why it has consistently been one of the top shows on television. I am a fan, how could I say no?"
New Releases, Oct. 31: The Who, Meat Loaf, Barry Manilow
The Who "Endless Wire"
It will be a very happy Halloween for The Who fans, as the classic rock act releases its first new studio album since 1982's "It's Hard."
According to a press release, the new record will include new tracks, "as well as music culled from a 29-minute operatic work, described by The Who's co-founder Pete Townshend as a mini-opera inspired by his novella 'The Boy Who Heard Music.'" All of the songs that appear on "Wire & Glass," an EP recently issued by The Who (available in the US only as an import), will turn up on the forthcoming album.
The sole remaining founding members of the group are guitarist/singer Townshend and frontman Roger Daltrey. Original Who bassist John Entwistle died of a cocaine-induced heart attack in 2002. Original drummer Keith Moon died of a drug overdose in 1978.
Last month, The Who kicked off its first world tour in 20 years. The touring lineup includes drummer Zak Starkey (son of Ringo Starr), guitarist Simon Townshend (Pete Townshend's brother), bassist Pino Palladino and keyboardist John Bundrick.
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Meat Loaf "Bat Out Of Hell III"
What better time than Halloween for Meat Loaf to release the third installment of this ghoulishly titled series? The first two efforts, 1977's "Bat Out of Hell" and 1993's "Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell," were tremendously successfully, combining to sell some 45 million copies around the globe.
"Bat Out of Hell III" features seven songs written by longtime collaborator Jim Steinman. Steinman's involvement follows the amicable resolution of a lawsuit regarding ownership of the lucrative "Bat Out of Hell" trademark.
Produced by Desmond Child (Aerosmith, Cher), "Bat Out of Hell III" features additional vocal arrangements by Todd Rundgren, producer of the first "Bat Out of Hell" album, and songs by Nikki Sixx (Motley Crue), John 5 (Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie) and Marti Frederiksen, a contributing Aerosmith songwriter.
During a recent teleconference, Meat Loaf said that the upcoming "Bat Out of Hell III" tour, slated to start March 1 in Florida, will be his last.
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Barry Manilow "The Greatest Songs of the Sixties"
Having hit the jackpot with "The Greatest Songs of the Fifties," Manilow now jumps a decade and shoots for gold with this set.
"The Greatest Songs of the Sixties" find the crooner covering such well-known '60s chart-toppers as "Can't Take My Eyes Off You," "Can't Help Falling in Love," "Blue Velvet," "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" and "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime."
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Deftones "Saturday Night Wrist"
The Deftones return with the first release since their 2003 self-titled album. The first single from the record is "Hole in the Earth."
The band is supporting the album with a lengthy tour, which kicked off last week and is currently scheduled to last through an early December date in Washington, DC.
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Phish "Colorado '88"
This three-disc live set chronicles the legendary jam band's early trip through the Rocky Mountain state, and features many songs that would go on to become staples of the group's concerts. "Colorado '88" is available exclusively through the band's website.
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Other new releases:
Ayo, "Joyful" (Universal)
Behemoth, "Pandemonic Incantation" (Metal Mind)
Birdman, Lil Wayne, "Like Father, Like Son" (Cash Money)
Closterkeller, "Nero" (Metal Mind)
Sonny Curtis, "Beatle Hits Flamenco Style Guitar" (E)
Desdemona, "Version 3.0" (Metal Mind)
DJ Jazzy Jeff, "Hip Hop Forever, Vol. 3" (Rapster)
Kevin Federline, "Playing With Fire" (Reincarnate)
Flavor Flav, "Hollywood" (Draytown)
Lady Sovereign, "Public Warning" (Def Jam)
Lizard, "Spam" (Metal Mind)
Pitbull, "El Mariel" (TVT)
Theatre of Hate, "Revolution" (USD)
Various Artists, "Bayou Blues Blasters" (ACE)
R.E.M., Van Halen Headed to Hall?
R.E.M., but not the Replacements. The Stooges, but not MC5. Van Halen, but not Mötley Crüe, Billy Idol or KISS.
Nominations were announced Monday for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Class of 2007. And as happens, some eligible acts made the ballot; most didn't.
The nominees are:
- Producers Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards' funk group Chic ("Good Times");
- British Invasion band the Dave Clark Five ("Glad All Over");
"White Lines" hip-hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash and his outfit, the Furious Five;
- College/indie-rock icons R.E.M.;
- 1960s girl-group/Phil Spector project The Ronettes ("Be My Baby");
- Punk poet Patti Smith (Horses);
- Iggy Pop's breakthrough act, the Stooges ("I Wanna Be Your Dog");
- The late soul singer/rap innovator Joe Tex ("Hold What You've Got");
- And arena-rock gods Van Halen.
Of the nine, R.E.M., The Ronettes and Van Halen are the only first-time nominees. And of the nine, only a maximum of five will end up in the Cleveland museum next year.
The inductees will be announced in January. The hall's typically jam-packed induction ceremony is scheduled for Mar. 12 in New York City.
An act becomes eligible for the Rock Hall of Fame 25 years after the release of its first single or album. On that basis, R.E.M., which hit college radio in 1981 with "Radio Free Europe," is the only band from this year's nominee crop to make the ballot in its first year of eligibility.
Artists and acts who, like R.E.M., debuted in 1981 but didn't score a Hall of Fame nomination on Monday included, per FutureRockHall.com: Billy Idol; Depeche Mode; Duran Duran; Eurythmics; Mötley Crüe; Phil Collins, the solo act (i.e., not the Genesis drummer); the Replacements; and the Stray Cats.
Veteran snubbed acts who got snubbed again included: KISS; Rush; Alice Cooper; and, much to the presumed dismay of the 258 signatories of the "Osmonds Rock & Roll Hall of Fame" online petition, the Osmonds.
Like the Osmonds' faithful, KISS' fans did their part to try to get their heroes on the ballot. In August, more than 500 members of the so-called "KISS Army" assembled outside the Rock Hall's headquarters to demand the band's induction. KISS, which released its first album in 1974, has been eligible for at least seven years.
One of this year's more curious snubees was MC5. The seminal Detroit rock band, a former nominee, was noted in the official nomination announcement as having helped shepherd the Stooges. And yet in the end, it was the Stooges that were nominated, and not MC5.
If record sales are any judge—and, frankly, they don't appear to be—then R.E.M. and Van Halen would have the inside track to the Hall. The highest-profile nominees, both groups have sold millions of albums, specializing in songs that helped score the post-boomer's life.
R.E.M., the jangly Atlanta outfit originally consisting of singer Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Bill Berry, was the preeminent band of 1980s college radio. Its hits include "Losing My Religion," "Stand" and "Man on the Moon."
Van Halen, the California hard-rock band distinguished by the guitar prowess of Eddie Van Halen and the lead vocals of David Lee Roth...and then Sammy Hagar...and then Gary Cherone...and then Sammy Hagar again, briefly, sold 10 million copies with its 1978 self-titled debut. 1984's 1984 sold another 10 million. Its hits include: "Jump," "Panama" and "Right Now."
Singer returns for 'Superman' sequel
Bryan Singer has reportedly reached an agreement to directed the sequel to this summer's "Superman Returns."
According to Variety, Legendary Pictures is expected to co-finance the Warner Bros. production with an eye toward a summer 2009 release.
Of course, "Superman Returns Again" ("The Return of Superman Returns"? "Superman Returns Is Back"? "Superman Rereturns"?) is currently without a script or a budget, so the film hasn't officially been greenlit, a decision that won't come until later in the development process.
"Superman Returns" just limped past the $200 million domestic figure. The DC Comics franchise reboot is also approaching the $400 million figure worldwide. Legendary and Warner Bros. still insist that "Superman Returns," which starred newcomer Brandon Routh, will be profitable, though nearly everybody involved has admitted that its performance was less impressive than anticipated.
It's assumed that a "Superman Returns" sequel will have a somewhat lower budget than on the first entry, where casual and conservative estimates put the figure at around $250 million. Singer has discussed the overly expositional structure of the movie and emphasized that a sequel would be able to jump straight into the action.
Routh and several other cast members have contract options for a sequel.
Reese Witherspoon, Ryan Phillippe split
LOS ANGELES - Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe, who started the year on an Oscar-winning high, are ending it on a low note: The couple have separated.
"We are saddened to announce that Reese and Ryan have decided to formally separate," publicist Nanci Ryder said in a statement issued Monday on behalf of the couple.
"They remain committed to their family and we ask that you please respect their privacy and the safety of their children at this time," the brief statement concluded. Ryder said she could not elaborate on the split.
Witherspoon, 30, and Phillippe, 32, have two children, 7-year-old Ava and 3-year-old Deacon. The couple, who co-starred in the 1999 movie "Cruel Intentions," married that year.
In March, Witherspoon won a best-actress Academy Award for her role as June Carter Cash in 2005's "Walk the Line." Phillippe co-starred in the best-picture winner, "Crash," and is starring in Clint Eastwood's latest film, the World War II drama "Flags of Our Fathers."
November sweeps a real turnoff
November sweeps used to be the mother of all TV deals. To goose ratings and boost advertising revenues, networks used to spend millions on all kinds of flashy new junk. You could always look forward to a CBS Hallmark literary classic starring Jane Seymour or a live execution on Fox.
Today, not so much. For one thing, the networks are broke. NBC just announced they're not going to try anymore from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. All that money they spent on Kidnapped and Studio 60, right down the drain.
Besides, viewers aren't at the mercy of network schedules anymore. You no longer have to wait for sweeps to see something cool -- you can rent, buy or download anything anytime you want. Tons of entertainment, good or bad, is always just a click away.
Networks have countered by trying to goose their own brand by stacking their CSI's, Law & Orders or House's with big name guest stars. Even NBC, which hardly has any hits any more, supersizes the so-so shows they still have. It's that old marketing strategy -- if you've got nothing, make it longer.
In Canada, there really is no November ratings sweeps period, so horrible award shows like The Geminis (Nov. 4, Global) can be thrown on a schedule without anybody caring. Still, except at CBC where it is over, everybody is trying to win every hour.
Here, in no particular order, are ten November sweeps goodies to look out for:
1. Show Me the Money (premieres Nov. 22 on ABC). Here it is folks, the future of network television: William Shatner hosting a big money game show. With the instant success of Howie Mandel's Deal Or No Deal, the rush is on to get dumb-luck game shows featuring dumb-luck Canadian hosts on the air. (Want proof? Alan Thicke is set to host The Singing Office on CBS).
Shat's show features trivia questions, showgirls holding scrolls with hidden dollar figures and TV's latest sensation, dancing. As Spock used to say, "fascinating."
2. No more Twenty Good Years. The horrible NBC sitcom starring John Lithgow and Jeffrey Tambor has been pulled off the air. Thank you, NBC! 30 Rock survives and has been moved to Thursday nights where it will be paired with the return of Scrubs Nov. 16. It will also be super-sized that night, so maybe they'll call it 40 Rock, or Alec Baldwin will be taller.
3. Tuesday November 7 is the night of the U.S. mid-term elections. The Daily Show (Comedy, 11 p.m., CTV 12:05 a.m.) will have a field day unless the Republicans hold Congress, in which case it will be a wake.
4. Speaking of which, The Simpsons run their annual Treehouse Of Horror post-Halloween special Sunday Nov. 5. The XVII edition ends with a shockingly direct anti-Bush, anti-war statement that I can't believe will really air (and probably won't if any of the spin dogs at Fox News find out about it).
5. On that same election night, CTV deals with no new Law & Order: SVU by slapping in The Giller Prize, the annual Canadian literary awards. Justin Trudeau hosts. As his dad used to say, "Just watch me."
6. The big Prison Break mid-season finale airs Monday, Nov. 27 (Global/Fox). Fox plans to rest this a while to give T-Bag time to grow another hand. They'll show Christmas goodies throughout December, then bring back 24 Jan. 14 and 15 in a two-night, four-hour premiere. Speaking of which...
7. Don't wait until November sweeps. Go, right now, to www.24trailer.com. You'll see how Jack Bauer's next bad day is about to unfold. When last we saw Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland), he was getting the snot beat out of him on a slow boat to China. After a year-and-a-half in confinement, a bearded, Jesus-like Bauer gets swapped in a prisoner exchange. Praise the Ford! Then he gets a shave and a haircut so he can save the world again. Even Chloe gets a makeover. Cool.
8. Those guest stars? Listen for Sutherland on The Simpsons (Nov. 12). David Morse starts a stint as a cop on House Nov. 7 (John Larroquette pays a House call the week after). Jane Seymour? It's sweeps and she's still working, guesting on Fox's Justice Nov. 20.
9. Among the series premieres next month will be The O.C., returning this Thursday night at 9 p.m. on Fox. The crowd-pleasin' challenge: How to kill off the rest of the cast now that Mischa Barton is gone. Stanley Tucci headlines the new medical drama 3 lbs (CBS/CITY-TV, Nov. 14). If that sounds too heavy (I kill me), Taye Diggs stars as a cop who keeps re-living the same bad day in the Groundhog Day-like Day Break (ABC, Nov. 15). And Wendy Mesley has a new CBS series called Underdogs coming later next month.
10. The 2006 American Music Awards airs Nov. 21 on ABC. Rascal Flatts has been added to the lineup. Like I said, sweeps ain't what they used to be.
Universal raises eyebrows with "Bruno" deal
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Universal Pictures has won the intense bidding war for "Bruno," Sacha Baron Cohen's follow-up movie to "Borat."
Sources said that Universal is paying $42.5 million for the worldwide rights to the film. The price includes the production budget of the film, rumored to be in the $20 million-$25 million range. Also included is a significant profit-participation component for the film's participants, believed to be the 15% range.
The price has raised eyebrows in Hollywood because Baron Cohen's much-hyped "Borat" does not open until November 3. Despite much advance praise for "Borat," distributor Fox scaled back its Friday opening to about 800 theaters because it is concerned that the movie wasn't registering high enough in audience-awareness tracking.
With "Bruno," Baron Cohen is calling upon another of his comic alter egos, Bruno, a gay fashionista from Austria who fancies himself as "the voice of Austrian youth TV" and who sashayed from New York Fashion Week to Miami nightclubs in his previous appearance on HBO's "Da Ali G Show,"on which Baron Cohen also first introduced Borat to American audiences.
As in the case of "Borat," Jay Roach would produce with Baron Cohen. No director is on board, though it has been reported that Baron Cohen wants to shoot the movie during the summer.