Categories
Rumours

This actually makes sense

BASIC INSTINCT
Sharon Stone being eyed to play Hillary Clinton in an upcoming A&E TV movie, the Associated Press reports. The project, titled Hillary’s Choice, is slated to air in 2004.

Categories
Rumours

From Film To DVD?

‘Idol’ Movie Slows Its Rush to DVD
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) – The profits from the “American Idol” franchise are coming so fast and furious that Fox Studios can be forgiven for almost putting the cart before the horse in its latest run for the money. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Fox was prepared to blitz the first “Idol” -related film, “From Justin to Kelly” onto video and DVD within six weeks of its theatrical release, scheduled for Friday, June 13.
Not surprisingly, nationwide exhibitors balked at this possibility. Exhibitors typically receive a miniscule percentage of the box office proceeds from early in their run, relying on longevity and shelf-life (as well as popcorn and beverages) to make money.
Longevity and shelf-life haven’t necessarily been the watchwords of the “American Idol” franchise. With twice-weekly airings, regular specials, CDs by the winners, CDs by the finalists, concert tours, a spin-off (“American Juniors,” starting Tuesday, June 3), and now a film, Fox has realized the importance of capitalizing as quickly as possible on a product that has very little second-run syndicated value.
“From Justin to Kelly,” starring the show’s first two finalists, Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini, has already been moved from a proposed spring release to its current early summer slot in order to cash in on the show’s sustained popularity and to maintain the show’s buzz. An additional dose of aural methadone comes courtesy of Guarini’s new album, which is schedule to drop just days before the film. Citing anonymous sources, the HR says that Fox intended to get the film into theaters as quickly as possible and then have the DVDs on shelves before the end of the summer.
Any dead air around that time would be filled by the “American Idol” tour and with the release of singles by this season’s winner, Ruben Studdard, and Clay Aiken, the popular runner-up. The DVD momentum then might carry into hypothetical Christmas releases for their full albums, which would flow into the new season of “American Idol” starting next winter. That could gush into the inevitable feature film starring Ruben and Clay, which could be swiftly followed by its own release on DVD.
Exhibitor concerns have reportedly slowed this “Idol” circle of life somewhat and the DVDs of “From Justin to Kelly” won’t hit shelves until September.
A Fox spokesperson denies the whole fracas, saying, “As with all of our films, no home entertainment release date has been set prior to the opening in theaters.”

Categories
Rumours

I love it when there are billions and billions of our entertainment dollars at stake!

Merger Reports Sweep Through Music Industry
LONDON (Reuters) – The familiar tune of merger rumors swept through the music business again on Monday when a report suggested AOL Time Warner and Bertelsmann were in music merger talks to secure a future in the battered industry.
The Wall Street Journal said media giant AOL Time Warner Inc. and Germany’s Bertelsmann AG were discussing a possible merger of their Warner and BMG recorded music businesses, though a deal was still highly uncertain.
Facing an outlook of declining sales and escalating piracy, the smallest three of the big five music companies have been in repeated merger talks with one another in recent years in an effort to build bulk and cut costs to survive.
The Journal report cast gloom over EMI Group Plc, the world’s third-biggest music company, which has been in separate talks with both Bertelsmann and AOL in recent months, according to sources familiar with the situation.
EMI shares were 0.2 percent lower at 126-1/4 pence at 1040 GMT, after earlier falling as much as five percent on concerns that it could be left out in the next round of mergers.
“The valuation gap is likely to widen further over the medium term as it becomes evident that further restructuring is required in the face of ongoing revenue pressure,” ABN Amro said in a note, cutting its EMI rating to “sell” from “hold.”
Citing people familiar with the matter, the Wall Street Journal said talks had heated up between AOL and Bertelsmann, including at the highest levels. But the newspaper added that key issues such as valuation and management remained outstanding.
Bertelsmann declined to comment on the report.
“Lots of talks are going on throughout the music industry but we do not comment on speculation,” said a spokesman.
AOL Time Warner was not immediately available to comment.
AOL’s Warner Music ranks number four in the world with artists including Madonna and Linkin Park while Bertelsmann’s BMG ranks five with artists including Avril Lavigne and the Elvis Presley catalog. However, a combination would rival industry leader Universal Music in the key U.S. market.
Both AOL Time Warner and Bertelsmann separately came close to merging their music businesses with EMI three years ago but were confounded by European regulators who were uncomfortable with the world’s five biggest music companies shrinking to four.
However, the music industry has since shrunk and recent European rulings have led some to believe that regulators could be more open to a deal among the big five now.
The Journal suggested that AOL and Bertelsmann may strip their music publishing businesses out of the deal currently being discussed to smooth the passage through regulators.
While merger talks have focused on Warner, BMG and EMI, the world’s biggest music company Universal Music also recently held talks with Apple Computer Inc..
However, sources close to the companies say those talks have since cooled, although Apple may still be interested in taking a stake in Universal Music as part of an online deal.

Categories
Rumours

Is Baldwin back on screen with Jack Ryan?

Alec Baldwin in RED RABBIT?
Zentertainment recieved an anonymous tip on Thursday, in regards to Alec Baldwin’s possible involvement in the upcoming Jack Ryan film, “RED RABBIT”.
“Secret Squirrel” had the details:
SMALL SCOOP, NOTHING MAJOR..BUT YOUR SITE IS A FAVE, SO HERES SOMETHING I FOUND, DATED LAST WEEK APRIL.
ALEC BALDWIN IS TIPPED TO BE STARRING IN “RED RABBIT” OPPOSITE BEN AFFLECK.
IRONICALLY, BALDWIN PLAYED JACK RYAN IN “RED OCTOBER”.
ACCORDING TO LEMONSOFT WEEKLY MAGAZINE, AFFLECK IS EXPECTED TO PLAY RYAN, AND PARAMOUNT IS IN TALKS WITH BALDWIN TO PLAY CHIEF OF STATION, ED FOLEY.

Categories
Rumours

Nooooooooooooooooo! Blasphemy!!!!

Justin Timberlake as Jimmy Olsen?
According to an article posted on Yahoo News, Warner Bros. has offered the role of Jimmy Olsen in the upcoming SUPERMAN film to musician, Justin Timberlake. Timberlake received the script last month and has not yet made a decision as to whether or not to to accept the role.

Categories
Rumours

It would take a seven nation army to bring them down!

White Stripes Deny Reports Of Imminent Break-Up
The White Stripes are denying reports about their imminent demise. Mojo magazine and other British publications have quoted Jack White as saying the band will release one more album and then break up. White said he “never made a statement like ‘Elephant is our last record’ or ‘The one after Elephant is the last record.’ That’s stupid. It was actually Mojo magazine misquoting us, which is surprising because they are usually on the ball. I only said that the band isn’t going to last forever, and that maybe we’d just do a couple more albums and that would be it. But it wasn’t some fake retirement ploy crap, I hate when people do that.”
The new White Stripes album, Elephant, is at Number 13 in the U.S. and has spent two weeks at Number One in the U.K.
The White Stripes begin a four-night run on Late Night With Conan O’Brien on Tuesday (April 22).
The group’s next concert is Sunday (April 27) at the Coachella Valley Music Festival on the Empire Polo Field in Indio, California.

Categories
Rumours

Hmmmm…

Report: Apple May Buy Universal for $6B
LOS ANGELES – Apple Computer Inc. is in discussions about buying Universal Music Group, the world’s largest record company, for as much as $6 billion, according to a published report Friday.
Talks between Apple and Vivendi Universal, Universal Music Group’s parent company, have been held secretly for months, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Apple may offer $5 billion to $6 billion for the music company before Vivendi’s April 29 board meeting, the newspaper said, citing sources it did not identify.
When reached by the newspaper, representatives for both Apple and Vivendi declined to comment about the possible deal.
Vivendi has been trying to sell some of its assets and raise about $7 billion this year after barely staving off bankruptcy in 2002 as it struggled to cope with billions of debt, a collapsing share price and boardroom infighting. Top executives such as Barry Diller and former chairman Jean-Marie Messier have departed within the last year.
Investor Marvin Davis has offered about $13 billion for 65 percent of the entertainment assets and has been the only known bidder to express serious interest in the music company. A separate sale of the music operation would appear to work in favor of Liberty Media Corp. and others that are focused on the company’s other entertainment properties.
Apple, which has annual sales of about $5.7 billion, owns less than 3 percent of the desktop computing market but has indicated that supplying music to customers may be its future.
The Cupertino, Calif.-based company has been testing a service that allows users to buy and download digital music for their computers. The service is expected to debut by the end of April.
Universal reaps about $6 billion in sales annually from artists such as 50 Cent, Shania Twain and U2, but has seen operating profits slide 23 percent last year. It accounts for about 25 percent of all CD sales and has such top labels as Interscope and Def Jam.
Vivendi first approached Apple CEO Steve Jobs in December, not long after its music executives visited Apple’s headquarters to view a demonstration of Apple’s new digital service, sources told the Times.

Categories
Rumours

She kind of looks like Uma Thurman

Indian Miss World could get licence to thrill James Bond
capt.sge.rwc79.040403110111.pho
BOMBAY (AFP) – Top Indian film star and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai is in talks to appear in the next James Bond movie, her secretary told AFP.
A London-based agency, on behalf of the studio making Bond movies, has approached the actress to discuss a role in the next Bond movie, Rai’s personal secretary Hari Singh, said Friday.
“It is still premature. But the agency guys are in town and have shown interest in discussing the role with Aishwarya,” he said.
“I cannot name the agency as it is confidential. But they are keen to cast her. Let us see what Aishwarya says,” he said.
If Rai, who won the Miss World title in 1994, got the role, she would be the first Indian to join the Bond girl clan, which includes Ursula Andress and recently Halle Berry.
Singh said the talks between the agency and Rai had been delayed because she had fractured her foot in an accident Wednesday.

Categories
Rumours

Me Like her!

Nicole Kidman News
SEXY COUPLE: Nicole Kidman and Brad Pitt in talks to star in Mr. and Mrs. Smith, an action-adventure flick following a bored married couple who discover they are enemy assassins hired to kill each other. Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity) will direct.
TWITCHING HER NOSE: Nora Ephron coming aboard to pen and possibly direct the feature version of the 1960s sitcom Bewitched, with Kidman set to star.

Categories
Rumours

If its the end of the world, as we know it, I have to admit that I feel fine

Newton doomsday prophecy cited
JERUSALEM (AP) — Sir Isaac Newton predicted the world would come to an end 57 years from now, a TV network says, based on a document unearthed from a Jerusalem archive by a Canadian researcher.
Newton’s sombre prediction is part of the documentary Newton: The Dark Heretic. In a statement promoting the program, to be aired March 1, the British Broadcasting Corp. said it will show a handwritten Newton document predicting the end of the world in 2060, according to calculations he made based on the Bible.
The BBC said the document was found in a Newton collection in the Jewish National Library in Jerusalem.
Raphael Weiser, director of the library’s manuscripts and archives department, said Sunday that Canadian academic Stephen Snobelen had worked extensively on its Newton collection and had brought a BBC camera crew with him, but Weiser said he had not seen whatever document the program intended to present as evidence.
“They came here two months ago with a researcher from Nova Scotia,” Weiser said Sunday. “He found in one of our folios this note and they are going to show it on their program.”
Snobelen, of the University of King’s College in Halifax, could not be reached on Sunday.
Weiser said he could not confirm the manuscript’s contents or authenticity until it is revealed in the BBC film.
“I didn’t see it with my own eyes,” he said. “When they show it on TV, we will see it.”
Newton, who died in 1727, won immortality for formulating the law of gravity, but he was also a theologian who wrote well over a million words on biblical subjects and was influenced by Hebrew scripture, according to academic articles on his work.
The BBC statement said he studied the Bible for more than 50 years, trying to unravel what he believed were God’s secret laws of the universe.
The Israeli daily Maariv said the documents now in Jerusalem were discovered in England at the home of the Duke of Portsmouth and put on sale at the London auction house, Sotheby’s, in 1930.
The buyer, named by the paper as Abraham Yehuda, later donated the collection to the Jewish National Library, it said.
Weiser said the library has never fully examined its wealth of Newton manuscripts.
“We have thousands of volumes of Newton,” he said. “We haven’t researched it all.”