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| Berry, Aubry, Martinez call truce after holiday custody brawl Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 06:52 PM PST  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Halle Berry, her ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubry and her current lover Olivier Martinez have called a truce after their angry Thanksgiving Day brawl outside the Oscar-winning actress's Los Angeles home. Attorneys for the trio said after a closed-door court hearing on Thursday that the trio "have reached an amicable agreement" but gave no details. "There will be no further statements regarding this matter," the attorneys said in a brief statement. ... Full Story | Top |
| Lindsay Lohan risks return to jail after double trouble Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 05:47 PM PST  NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Lindsay Lohan on Thursday faced the possibility of being sent back to jail after a tumultuous 24 hours in which she was arrested in New York for assault, and charged in California with reckless driving and lying to police over a June car crash. Lohan, 26, who has been to rehab, jail and court multiple times since a 2007 arrest for drunk driving and cocaine possession, is still on unsupervised probation in Los Angeles for a 2011 jewelry theft. ... Full Story | Top |
| After Thanksgiving weekend record, box office now looks like a turkey Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 05:42 PM PST LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - One week after shattering the record for the biggest Thanksgiving weekend, the box office is entering a post-turkey, pre-"Hobbit" dead zone. Dominated by turkey day leftovers, this week's top ten will look a lot like last week's - only with much smaller numbers. The studios have pulled back, convinced that many potential moviegoers will be busy shopping for the holidays. There are only two wide openers - the gritty Brad Pitt crime thriller "Killing Them Softly" and the low-budget horror film "The Collection. ... Full Story | Top |
| William Broyles Jr. boards Disney's "McFarland" Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 05:41 PM PST  LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Disney's long-gestating sport's drama "McFarland" is getting a new lease of life, with "Planet of the Apes" scribe William Broyles, Jr. coming on board to re-write the script, an individual with knowledge of the situation told TheWrap. The film is based on the true story of a high-school coach in McFarland, Calif., who created a track team of Latino champions in the 1980s, overcoming many social obstacles along the way. "Whale Rider's" Niki Caro is directing the feature, with Mark Ciardi and Gordon Gray producing for Mayhem Pictures. ... Full Story | Top |
| Dolly Parton talks dreams, love, plastic surgery Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 05:14 PM PST  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Although Dolly Parton has cemented her place in country and popular music, pop culture, and as an entrepreneur and philanthropist, she still, on occasion, gets nervous. Her new book, "Dream More: Celebrate the Dreamer in You" encourages readers to overcome their fears, believe in their passions and keep taking risks. The "I Will Always Love You" singer/songwriter, 66, who has written more than 3,000 songs and sold more than 100 million records, talked to Reuters about the message of the book, which was published this week. Q. You say you put off writing this book? A. ... Full Story | Top |
| Universal files lawsuit against "Fifty Shades" porn "rip-off" Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 05:06 PM PST LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Hollywood's Universal Studios has filed a copyright lawsuit against a porn production company, accusing it of lifting language, characters and plot from the best-selling erotic book trilogy "Fifty Shades of Grey" for its own adult films and sex toys. Calling one of the adult movie adaptations of the British novel "a rip-off plain and simple," Universal's lawsuit seeks to stop sales of copycat porn movies and to recoup any profits they earn. "Fifty Shades of Grey" by E.L. James and its two sequels have sold more than 40 million copies since first being published in 2011. ... Full Story | Top |
| Strauss-Kahn in preliminary deal with maid in civil case: source Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 04:49 PM PST  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn and the hotel maid who accused him of sexually assaulting her last year have reached a preliminary agreement to settle the civil lawsuit she brought against him, a person familiar with the case said. The person, however, cautioned that the agreement could still fall apart. The development was first reported by the New York Times, which cited people with knowledge of the case. Lawyers for Strauss-Kahn and the maid, Nafissatou Diallo, will appear before a judge in New York next week, the Times reported. ... Full Story | Top |
| Joe Jackson, father of Michael Jackson, suffers stroke Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 04:43 PM PST  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Michael Jackson's father, Joe Jackson, has suffered a stroke but is OK and resting in a Las Vegas hospital, a family friend said on Thursday. "He was doing well and says he's feeling OK," close family friend Brian Oxman told Reuters. Oxman, Michael Jackson's one-time attorney, said the 83-year-old patriarch of the pop music family started experiencing weakness on Wednesday while walking in a park near his home and was later admitted to a hospital. Jackson has a history of strokes, Oxman said. "He was talking fine," Oxman added. "He sounded excellent to me." A former ... Full Story | Top |
| "Killing Them Softly" review: crime comedy bludgeons us repeatedly with subtext Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 04:21 PM PST  LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - There's a great short film nestled inside of "Killing Them Softly," namely the two scenes between mob enforcer Jackie (Brad Pitt) and Mickey (James Gandolfini), the out-of-town hit man Jackie has hired to take care of a problem within the organization. And while these two scenes aren't the only parts of the movie that work, the occasional moments of brilliance are far outweighed by the constant references to 2008's economic collapse and bank bailout. Having the radio or TV report this news once or twice to make a point about organized crime and capitalism? Fine. ... Full Story | Top |
| Mauritanian president says returning to France for treatment Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 04:20 PM PST  NOUAKCHOTT (Reuters) - Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz said on Thursday he will once again travel to France for medical treatment for a bullet wound he suffered in mid-October. The Western ally in the fight against al Qaeda in Africa already spent nearly six weeks in France recuperating from the wound to his abdomen, which his government said was caused when a Mauritanian patrol accidentally fired on his car. ... Full Story | Top |
| How Graffiti inspired Machinima's new film festival Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 04:19 PM PST NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - When creating a new film festival, such names as Cannes, Sundance, New York and Toronto all spring to mind as models. Yet when Machinima, a major power in online video and one of YouTube's most prominent partners, launches its festival this week, its inspiration will not be Cannes' La Croisette but art exhibits about graffiti and videogames. The Machinima Interactive Film Festival blends the physical with digital, securing a presence at in an art gallery as well as a special YouTube channel for the films. ... Full Story | Top |
| Joss Whedon's "Much Ado About Nothing" gets June release date Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 04:18 PM PST LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Joss Whedon's adaptation of the Shakespeare comedy "Much Ado About Nothing" will hit theaters June 7, 2013. The film will be released jointly by Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions. "Avengers" and "Cabin in The Woods" director Whedon's take on the classic tale will bring a contemporary spin to the story, though it was shot with the original text of the play. The film stars Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Nathan Fillion, Fran Kranz, Jillian Morgese, Sean Maher, Clark Gregg and Reed Diamond. ... Full Story | Top |
| Lasse Hallström: why the adopted king of American emotionalism went home to Sweden for bloody thrills Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 04:16 PM PST LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Director Lasse Hallström is known primarily at this point for heart-tugging films aimed squarely at American audiences. His next big U.S. release, "Safe Haven," is, like his earlier "Dear John," a Nicholas Sparks adaptation - not exactly the mark of someone interested in gritty foreign fare. But Hallström has also made his first Swedish film in a quarter-century and, surprisingly, it's an occasionally blood-soaked thriller. ... Full Story | Top |
| Emmy Awards date announced by CBS Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 04:14 PM PST LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - The 65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards will air Sunday, September 22 on CBS, the network said Thursday. The annual celebration of excellence in television will once again take place at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles. Nominees will be announced Thursday, July 18 from the Academy's Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre in North Hollywood. Full Story | Top |
| "Dark Knight Rises," "The Hobbit" make short list of visual effects Oscar contenders Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 04:14 PM PST LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - "The Dark Knight Rises" and "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" have made it onto the short list of contenders for Oscars in the Visual Effects category at the 85th Academy Awards, the Academy said Thursday. The films are included on a list of 10 remaining contenders, a list that also includes "The Amazing Spider-Man," "Cloud Atlas," the big-screen bomb "John Carter," "Life of Pi," "The Avengers," "Prometheus," "Skyfall" and "Snow White and the Huntsman. ... Full Story | Top |
| Sundance feature "LUV" strikes exclusive AMC release deal Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 04:12 PM PST LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - AMC Theatres (AMC) and Indomina Releasing have struck a deal for the independent feature "LUV" to play exclusively at AMC locations around the country, through the AMC Independent program, the companies announced on Thursday. Directed by Sheldon Candis, the film will be released on January 18, exclusively in AMC Theaters nationwide. It will also receive support from AMC, including marketing and promotional efforts. ... Full Story | Top |
| Seven Oscar campaign managers you should know Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 04:11 PM PST LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Notable Oscar campaigners include more mainstream publicity companies like 42West, ID-PR and Ginsberg/Libby, and an array of folks who specialize in foreign films, documentaries and below-the-line talent. Here are some important names to remember: Tony Angellotti The Angellotti Company A 10-year vet of the Miramax wars (though was he never on the Weinstein staff), Angellotti now handles awards for Disney and Pixar's animated films and Universal's live-action ones; this year, that gives him "Les Miserables," "Brave, Frankenweenie" and "This Is 40," among others. ... Full Story | Top |
| "Rise of Guardians" filmmakers hoping to make Sword-Wielding-Santa sequels Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 04:10 PM PST LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - The filmmakers who made "Rise of the Guardians" are hoping that the strong A-Cinemascore average for the film and an enthusiastic word-of-mouth will drive support for the just-released film at the box office and give them a holiday present for the future: the chance to make a sequel or two. "I think we have to see how the audience loves this movie," said producer Christina Steinberg at TheWrap awards series screening, "and hopefully there's many more stories to tell. But we'll see. ... Full Story | Top |
| Stephen King and Steven Spielberg's "Under the Dome" gets series order from CBS Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 04:08 PM PST LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - "Under the Dome" has landed under the wing of CBS. The network has given a 13-episode, straight-to-series order for the project, an adaptation of the Stephen King novel of the same name. The series will premiere in summer 2013. King will executive-produce, along with Steven Spielberg, whose Amblin Television will produce the series in association with CBS Television Studios. Neal Baer, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Stacey Snider and Brian K. Vaughan are also executive-producing. Niels Arden Oplev ("The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo") will direct the first episode. ... Full Story | Top |
| Dr. Dre ranks as Forbes' highest-paid musician, at $100 million Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 03:13 PM PST  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - You may be singing "Call Me Maybe" or dancing "Gangnam Style" to this year's music, but it was veteran hip-hop artist Dr. Dre who topped Forbes' list of the 25 highest-paid musicians in 2012, released on Thursday. California native Dre, 47, became one of the leading names in hip-hop and rap in the early 1990s and has worked with artists including Eminem and Snoop Dogg. Along with his extensive back catalog, Dre's lucrative headphones business, Beats by Dre, helped him gross $100 million in pre-tax earnings according to Forbes. ... Full Story | Top |
| Show sheds light on Handel's hidden "Messiah" helper Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 03:06 PM PST  LONDON (Reuters) - Anyone dusting off their copy of George Frederic Handel's "Messiah" in the run-up to Christmas this year might spare a thought for the unsung hero of the piece. Without Charles Jennens, experts argue that the 18th century oratorio would never have been created, robbing Western choral music of one of its greatest works. Handel House Museum, located in the cozy London home where the German-born composer spent much of his life, is seeking to put the record straight about a man who, for many reasons, has been passed over by history. ... Full Story | Top |
| Lindsay Lohan risks jail return after double trouble Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 02:42 PM PST NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Lindsay Lohan on Thursday faced the possibility of being sent back to jail after a tumultuous 24 hours in which she was arrested in New York for assault, and charged in California with reckless driving and lying to police over a June car crash. Lohan, 26, who has been to rehab, jail and court multiple times since a 2007 arrest for drunk driving and cocaine possession, is still on unsupervised probation in Los Angeles for a 2011 jewelry theft. ... Full Story | Top |
| Serbia's richest man faces police questions over business deals Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 02:20 PM PST BELGRADE (Reuters) - Serbia's richest man, Miroslav Miskovic, will appear for police questioning over his business activities, his Delta Holding said on Thursday, weeks after the deputy prime minister vowed to investigate corruption allegations against Delta affiliates. Last month, Aleksandar Vucic, Serbia's deputy prime minister and defense minister, accused Miskovic of plotting to remove him from office and topple the ruling nationalist Serbian Progressive Party because of its efforts to fight corruption. ... Full Story | Top |
| Under Zucker, CNN to go beyond politics, war coverage Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 01:49 PM PST  (Reuters) - Jeff Zucker, the newly appointed president of CNN Worldwide, pledged on Thursday to maintain the cable news network's nonpartisan programming but said it needed to broaden its coverage beyond politics and war. Zucker, the former chief executive at NBC Universal, was named president of CNN Worldwide, beginning in January. Zucker, who will leave his producing role on Katie Couric's syndicated television talk show, will succeed Jim Walton, and report to Phil Kent, chairman and chief executive of CNN parent Turner Broadcasting System. ... Full Story | Top |
| Russell Simmons honored with Producers Guild of America's 2013 Visionary Award Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 12:29 PM PST LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Russell Simmons was named winner of the Producers Guild of America's 2013 Visionary Award, the group announced Thursday. Simmons, a filmmaker and hip-hop producer, will receive the prize at the 24th Annual Producers Guild Awards ceremony on January 25 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. "Throughout his career, Russell has accomplished the kinds of things that only a true visionary can," Michael DeLuca, the chairman of the 2013 award jury, said in a statement. ... Full Story | Top |
| Francis Ford Coppola returns to Paramount lot, home of "Godfather" series Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 12:28 PM PST  LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola is moving back to his creative stomping ground of the 1970s, taking offices on the Paramount lot starting next year, TheWrap has learned. "As of 2013, Francis Ford Coppola will open offices and work out of the Paramount lot. He and Paramount go way back, and he is thrilled to be back there," said his publicist Leslee Dart in an exclusive statement to TheWrap. An individual close to Coppola said he was looking to get "creative" and would be moving into the Lubitsch building on the lot. ... Full Story | Top |
| Jennifer Lee to direct Disney's animated "Frozen" Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 12:25 PM PST LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Jennifer Lee has been chosen to co-direct, along with "Tarzan's" Chris Buck, Disney's upcoming animated 3D film "Frozen," the company said Thursday. Lee was a co-writer on the recent animated film "Wreck-It Ralph." She also contributed to the "Frozen" screenplay. The toon, to be voiced by Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel, is about an optimist who embarks on an epic journey with a mountain man and his reindeer to stop her sister, a Snow Queen who's put an icy spell on her kingdom. ... Full Story | Top |
| Taking a page from Louis C.K., Chill launches online store for films, comedy specials Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 12:23 PM PST NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - Chill, a social video platform with close to 20 million users, has launched Chill Direct, a new store for creatives like Maria Bamford and Michael Urie to sell their movies, specials and documentaries directly to fans. Comedian Louis C.K. sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry this summer by selling a comedy special directly online rather than making a distribution deal with a television network or online service. He made millions, and various others have followed suit, including Jim Gaffigan and Aziz Ansari. ... Full Story | Top |
| Britain's Cameron rejects press law after hacking scandal Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 11:55 AM PST  LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister David Cameron rejected the idea of a law to regulate the British press on Thursday, risking a split in his government after an inquiry advised legal backing for a watchdog to police the sometimes outrageous conduct of newspapers. Opposing an independent regulator enshrined in law will delight the British press ahead of the 2015 election but may raise concern inside the coalition government that Cameron lacks the mettle to stand up to media barons such as Rupert Murdoch. ... Full Story | Top |
| France’s Depardieu detained for drunken driving Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 11:23 AM PST  PARIS (Reuters) - French actor Gerard Depardieu was detained for driving his scooter while drunk on Thursday after he had a minor accident in Paris, prosecutors said. The 63-year-old star of films such as "Jean de Florette" and "Green Card" was held for questioning after he fell from his scooter mid-afternoon, slightly injuring his elbow. No-one else was hurt in the accident. One of France's best-known actors for roles in more than a hundred films, Depardieu has recently grabbed headlines for the wrong reasons. ... Full Story | Top |
| WikiLeaks' Assange downplays health concerns Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 10:41 AM PST  LONDON (Reuters) - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, holed up in London's Ecuadorian embassy for nearly six months, played down concerns about his health on Thursday, saying he enjoyed being at the centre of the legal and diplomatic storm. Assange, 41, whose website angered the United States by releasing thousands of secret diplomatic cables, took sanctuary in Ecuador's embassy in June, jumping bail after exhausting appeals in British courts against extradition to Sweden for sexual assault allegations. ... Full Story | Top |
| Adele's "21" sells 10 million, Rihanna leads Billboard Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 10:29 AM PST  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - British singer and Grammy darling Adele reached the 10 million sales mark in the United States on Wednesday with her heartbreak album "21" becoming the first by British woman to reach the milestone, Nielsen SoundScan said. "21," released in February 2011, produced the hits "Someone Like You" and "Rolling In The Deep" and became the top-selling album of 2011. Earlier this year, Adele swept the Grammy Awards with six, including song, record and album of the year. ... Full Story | Top |
| Womens' stories dominate 2013 Sundance film lineup Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 10:28 AM PST NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Sundance Film Festival, the top U.S. film festival for independent cinema, on Wednesday unveiled its lineup for 2013, with films centered on female characters dominating the American fiction film competition. The 113 feature length movies, including both narrative films and documentaries, cover a range of topics, but more than half of those chosen for the U.S. dramatic competition focus on stories about women, including several about females exploring sexual relationships. ... Full Story | Top |
| Directors Guild to honor Milos Forman with lifetime award Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 10:28 AM PST  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Oscar-winning director Milos Forman, known for works such as "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest," will be honored with a lifetime achievement award, the Directors Guild of America said on Wednesday. Forman, 80, will receive the coveted accolade, one of the guild's highest honors, at an awards ceremony in Los Angeles on February 2. The Czech-American director won two Academy Awards for best director, one for 1975's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and his second for 1984's "Amadeus." Both films also won Oscars for best picture. ... Full Story | Top |
| "Homeland" in, "Boardwalk Empire" out in PGA TV nominations Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 10:27 AM PST  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Emmy-winning dramas "Homeland", "Mad Men" and British period piece "Downton Abbey" will compete for the annual Producers Guild Awards for the top shows on U.S. television, organizers announced on Wednesday. But last year's winner - HBO's lavish Prohibition-era gangster drama "Boardwalk Empire" - failed to make the cut this year with the Producers Guild of America, one of the leading professional guilds in Hollywood. ... Full Story | Top |
| France's Depardieu detained for drink driving Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 10:27 AM PST PARIS (Reuters) - French actor Gerard Depardieu was detained for driving his scooter while drunk on Thursday after he had a minor accident in Paris, prosecutors said. The 63-year-old star of films such as "Jean de Florette" and "Green Card" was held for questioning after he fell from his scooter mid-afternoon, slightly injuring his elbow. No-one else was hurt in the accident. One of France's best-known actors for roles in more than a hundred films, Depardieu has recently grabbed headlines for the wrong reasons. ... Full Story | Top |
| Qatar, Arab Spring sponsor, jails poet for life Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 09:58 AM PST DOHA (Reuters) - A court in Qatar, which has supported Arab uprisings abroad, jailed a local poet for life on Thursday for criticizing the emir and inciting revolt - a sentence that drew outrage and cries of hypocrisy from human rights groups. In his verses, Muhammad Ibn al-Dheeb al-Ajami praised the Arab Spring revolts that toppled four dictators, often with the help of money and other support from the tiny, energy-rich Gulf state. But he also criticized Qatar's own absolute monarch and spoke, for example, of "sheikhs playing on their Playstations". ... Full Story | Top |
| London show fetes Italian fashion designer Valentino Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 09:38 AM PST  LONDON (Reuters) - The Oscar dress worn by Julia Roberts and a frock for Audrey Hepburn are just two tantalizing items out of the dozens of sumptuous pieces gathered for a new show in London celebrating Italian designer Valentino Garavani's 50 years in fashion. "Valentino: Master of Couture" at Somerset House on the River Thames in central London features more than 130 pieces from a designer whose clients included Grace Kelly, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor and Princess Margaret. ... Full Story | Top |
| Russian court bans "extremist" Pussy Riot video Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 05:51 AM PST  MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian court ruled on Thursday that video footage of the Pussy Riot punk group protesting against President Vladimir Putin in a church was "extremist" and should be removed from websites. The demonstration last February offended many Russian Orthodox Christians. But Putin has been criticized by U.S. and European leaders over what they saw as disproportionate jail sentences imposed on three Pussy Riot members. Their trial was also seen by Putin's critics as part of a clampdown on dissent. ... Full Story | Top |
| Book Talk: Do you really know who lives next door? Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 03:48 AM PST TOKYO (Reuters) - Andrew, in a daring leap to freedom from an overbearing mother, moves in with a friend whose ramshackle house is the one blight on a gorgeous neighborhood - and promptly is attracted to his next door neighbor, the friendly Harlow. Welcomed by a plate of homemade cookies and admiring of the picture-perfect home where she lives with her husband, Red, it is a while before Andrew starts to suspect there is something a little off about this woman, who seems just too good to be true. ... Full Story | Top |
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