George Lucas planning 'Star Wars' TV series
Filmmaker George Lucas said Tuesday that he has "just begun work" on a live-action television series rooted in the "Star Wars" universe, which is huge news not just for fans of the science-fiction epic but also for networks looking for a piece of the Lucas magic that has grossed $4.3 billion in theaters worldwide.
There is a caveat, though: The proposed series doesn't have anyone named Luke or Anakin in it, a story path that Lucas concedes is "taking chances" as far as connecting with an audience expecting the familiar mythology.
"The Skywalkers aren't in it, and it's about minor characters," Lucas said in an interview. "It has nothing to do with Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader or any of those people. It's completely different. But it's a good idea, and it's going to be a lot of fun to do."
Lucas joked that the series would be about "the life of robots" but wouldn't let any details slip about the true premise. The "extended universe" of "Star Wars" has come to life already in Lucas-sanctioned novels, comics and games that chronicle the history of the Jedi and tell the tales of bit players in the films, such as the bounty hunters from "The Empire Strikes Back."
Lucas already has another television series percolating: Lucas Animation has been working for months on "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," a computer-animated series that he hopes will introduce a new era of visuals to weekly episodic television. Lucas plans to produce it through his own companies before shopping the finished product to networks.
That model may also be used for the live-action show, although producer Rick McCallum said Tuesday that it's too early to say. McCallum is interviewing writers for the live-action series.
Lucas is confident he can find a home for his droids and Jedi, but he also knows the projects are unorthodox enough to give network executives pause.
"They are having a hard time," Lucas said. "They're saying, 'This doesn't fit into our little square boxes,' and I say, 'Well, yeah, but it's "Star Wars." And "Star Wars" doesn't fit into that box.' "
Nickelback's 'Reasons' joins rare 6M sales club
The members of Nickelback are music's latest 6-million-seller men. But the way things are going, there may not be many more.
The Canadian rockers' All the Right Reasons album, which was released in October 2005, crossed the 6 million sales mark last week. It's the only album released that year or since to reach that level; only one album from 2004 and two from 2003 have hit 6 million. Just 15 new albums released since 2000 have sold more than Nickelback, most from the early years when album sales were far healthier.
Nickelback's success might be a throwback to the past, and the way the band has accomplished its feat — gradually but steadily, with more than 100 consecutive weeks in the top 30 of Billboard's album chart — seems pretty old-fashioned as well. Singer Chad Kroeger and company don't dominate the tabloids, occupy a lot of magazine covers or give away their albums online.
Instead, all the right reasons for the album's success include:
• Relentless touring. The band is seldom off the road, having toured to support the album through much of 2006 and 2007.
• Radio appeal. Reasons has enough variety to appeal to adult-contemporary stations (with more pop-oriented material such as Photograph) and rock formats (with heavier tunes such as Side of a Bullet). Five songs from the album have appeared on Nielsen BDS' multi-format national radio airplay chart, all reaching No. 25 or higher.
• A sound for the times. Nickelback's classic formula of rock rhythms with catchy choruses and guttural vocals defines what a lot of casual music fans think of as rock 'n' roll. The recipe works so well that American Idol's Chris Daughtry has scored three big hits with Nickelback sound-alikes.
• Talent. Give it up for the band. Despite barbs from critics who say they're crass and rock fanatics who say they're too pop, Nickelback has a knack for songs that stick in your head and probably have more depth than they get credit for.
Prime example: current hit Rockstar, a celebration of wannabe rock-lifestyle excess that works as a savage satire: "We'll all stay skinny 'cause we just won't eat"; "get washed-up singers writing all my songs"; "I'm gonna sing those songs that offend the censors/Gonna pop my pills from a Pez dispenser" — the one-liners keep coming.
THESE THREE ARE CLOSE
Although the 6-million-seller is an endangered species, there should be at least three more joining the ranks in the near future.
-American Idol Carrie Underwood's 2005 debut, Some Hearts, has sold 5.95 million. It's still selling around 10,000 a week, so it should hit the mark by the end of November.
-The Dixie Chicks' Home has sold 5.94 million since 2002 but is not currently on Billboard's top 200 catalog chart, meaning its sales have slowed to fewer than 1,500 copies a week. So it may take a year or more to pass 6 million. Had Natalie Maines opted to talk about the weather instead of President Bush, it probably would have been a different story.
-Another American Idol, Kelly Clarkson, is at 5.86 million with 2004 sophomore album Breakaway. It's selling nearly 4,000 copies a week and may get a boost from her current tour, so 6 million by mid-2008 is not out of the question.
All sales figures courtesy Nielsen SoundScan
Welles' 'Kane' Oscar to be auctioned
NEW YORK - Orson Welles' 1941 Oscar for "Citizen Kane," considered one of the greatest movies of all time, will go on the auction block in December.
Sotheby's auction house estimated Tuesday that the Academy Award for Best Screenplay will sell for between $800,000 and $1.2 million.
The golden statuette, believed to have been once lost by Welles himself, resurfaced in 1994, and after an extended legal battle was returned to his estate. In 2003, it was acquired by the Dax Foundation, a Los Angeles-based charity. The proceeds will help fund the organization's worldwide efforts.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said it has no plans to block the sale.
"We're never happy to see Academy Awards go on sale," said Bruce Davis, executive director of the academy.
"Citizen Kane," a story about a power hungry publishing magnate played by Welles and widely believed to be based on the life of William Randolph Hearst, was voted the number one film in history by the American Film Institute in 2007 and by the British Film Institute in 2002.
The Oscar will be sold Dec. 11 and displayed at Sotheby's in New York on Dec. 7-10.
Welles was awarded an honorary Oscar in 1970 "for superlative artistry and versatility in the creation of motion pictures."
U2's 'Joshua Tree' Blooms Again
To celebrate the 20th birthday of its landmark album "The Joshua Tree," U2 is reissuing the set in four different incarnations on Nov. 20 via UMe. The album will be available as a remastered single CD, a 2-CD set, a 2-CD/1-DVD collectible box and a double-vinyl package.
The single-disc will be housed in a jewel case, but the 2-CD set comes in a hard back case. The 2-CD/1-DVD version has a base and lid to accommodate the discs as well as five portfolio prints. Band members have contributed new liner notes for the package.
Of most interest to fans is the inclusion of rare material on the expanded editions. Although details have yet to be announced, "Joshua Tree" demos, alternate versions and B-sides from the period are expected to appear.
The DVD is understood to comprise a July 4, 1987, show at the Paris Hippodrome, as well as the documentary "Outside It's America."
Produced by Brian Eno, "The Joshua Tree" shot U2's commercial fortunes into the stratosphere. The album's first three tracks were huge singles, with both "With or Without You" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Jorja Fox quitting role on CBS hit 'CSI'
NEW YORK - Jorja Fox is waving goodbye to "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation." Fox, 39, tells EW.com she has quit the Las Vegas-based forensics drama, saying she wants to explore other opportunities.
"There are all these things I want to do," she said in a story posted Monday on the Web site. "Some are personal. Some are professional. And I really need to do some of them before I get too old."
Fox has wrapped up filming on the hit CBS series, and will make her last appearance as Sara Sidle in an episode to air next month, according to the Web site.
CBS publicist Kate Fisher had no comment Tuesday.
Fox's run on "CSI" nearly ended in 2004 when she and co-star George Eads were fired during tense contract negotiations. They were later hired back.
"If I thought the show were on its last legs, I would have tried harder to stay the course," said Fox, whose contract expired in May. "But I feel like it's going to be around for a while, so if I don't want some of those dreams to pass me by, I have to get off the ride for a while."
Fox has been a cast member since "CSI" premiered in 2000.
Madonna, Live Nation link up on deal
LOS ANGELES - Madonna and concert promoter Live Nation Inc. announced a deal Tuesday that will give the company an all-encompassing stake in the music of the Material Girl, the latest big-name artist to break ranks with a major record label.
Financial terms were not disclosed in the joint statement released by Madonna and Live Nation.
The deal is worth about $120 million over 10 years, a person who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the confidential nature of the matter previously told The Associated Press.
The official announcement came after weeks of speculation that Madonna would abandon Warner Music Group Corp., which refused to match the Live Nation deal.
Madonna said in the statement that she was drawn to the deal with Live Nation because of the changes the music business has undergone in recent years.
"The paradigm in the music business has shifted and as an artist and a business woman, I have to move with that shift," Madonna said. "For the first time in my career, the way that my music can reach my fans is unlimited. I've never wanted to think in a limited way and with this new partnership, the possibilities are endless."
The singer still owes Warner Bros. Records another studio album and a greatest hits album.
The deal with Live Nation encompasses future music and music-related businesses, including the Madonna brand, albums, touring, merchandising, fan club and Web site, DVDs, music-related television and film projects, and associated sponsorship agreements, the statement said.
Shares of Live Nation rose 8 cents to $21.50 during afternoon trading.
Under terms of the deal, Madonna, 49, would receive a signing bonus of about $18 million and a roughly $17 million advance for each of three albums, the person said. A portion of the compensation would involve stock, the person told the AP.
Madonna could also benefit significantly from the touring component of the agreement, which gives Live Nation the exclusive right to promote her tours, the person said.
Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino said in the statement that Madonna will be the founding artist in its new Artist Nation division, created to partner with musicians to manage their diverse rights and provide global distribution and marketing.
"I am thrilled that Madonna, who is also now a shareholder in our company, has joined with us to create a new business model for our industry," Rapino said. "Bringing all the varied elements of Madonna's stunning music career into the Artist Nation and Live Nation family, moves her future and the future of our company into a unique and extraordinary place."
Some Wall Street analysts have questioned whether Live Nation can squeeze out a significant profit from the deal. The Material Girl's age has also led some to suggest she may not be as bankable a recording artist as she's been in the past.
Arthur Fogel, the head of global touring at Live Nation who has produced Madonna's last three tours, shrugged off the criticism, blaming "ageism" for doubts about her ability to sell CDs and fill arenas.
"Madonna is an incredibly talented and vital artist and will continue to be," Fogel told the AP. "Clearly, we would not have done this deal if we didn't have a great expectation of great returns."
Rapino said he doesn't understand Wall Street's skepticism.
"I'm amazed that our stock hasn't jumped considerably in that we're absolutely delivering what we talked about for two years," he said, referring to Live Nation's efforts to grab a bigger slice of the music business beyond touring.
"This is not about a Madonna deal ... Madonna is the validation that this division is the strategy that's come to life," Rapino said.
The company expects to do other all-encompassing deals involving a range of artists, from superstars to new talent.
"There's no reason it can't work with a baby band," Rapino said.