| | |
| Temptations singer Otis "Damon" Harris dead at 62 Friday, Feb 22, 2013 05:37 PM PST (Reuters) - Otis "Damon" Harris, a former member of The Temptations who sang on the group's 1972 hit "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone," has died at the age 62, the Baltimore Sun reported on Friday. Harris, a native of Baltimore, auditioned to join the Temptations in 1971 at the age of 21 after the departure of Eddie Kendricks, one of the original lead singers of the group. Harris died at the Joseph Richey Hospice on Monday after fighting prostate cancer for 14 years, according to the Sun. ... Full Story | Top |
| Pop singer Jermaine Jackson changes last name to Jacksun Friday, Feb 22, 2013 05:27 PM PST  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Pop singer Jermaine Jackson officially has changed his name to Jermaine Jacksun for "artistic reasons," Los Angeles court officials said on Friday. The Jackson 5 member and older brother of pop stars Michael and Janet Jackson filed a petition to change his name in Los Angeles Superior Court in November 2012. The change became official on Wednesday after a hearing, a court spokeswoman said. The 58-year-old singer, who is on tour in Europe with his three surviving brothers, Jackie, Marlon and Tito, did not attend. ... Full Story | Top |
| New "Fantastic Four" movie gains "Kick-Ass" director Matthew Vaughn as producer Friday, Feb 22, 2013 05:11 PM PST NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - Matthew Vaughn, writer and director of "Kick-Ass" and "X-Men: First Class," will produce "The Fantastic Four," Fox's upcoming reboot of the comic book-based film franchise, a studio spokesperson told TheWrap. "Chronicle" filmmaker Josh Trank is directing the project, which Fox has slotted for a March 2015 release. The studio has released two "Fantastic Four" movies in the past decade, starring Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis and Chris Evans as the superhero quartet. Those films grossed more than $600 million together though neither was a critical success. ... Full Story | Top |
| Glenn Beck challenged to WWE "Raw" appearance Friday, Feb 22, 2013 05:10 PM PST  LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Could Glenn Beck be getting ready to rumble with the WWE? For anyone who's ever thought that conservative firebrand Beck's style of punditry comes off like pro wrestling, your suspicions may be confirmed on Monday's edition of "Raw." The wrestling organization invited Beck to appear on Monday's show, after Beck took issue with new WWE character Zeb Colter, who he feels is "demonizing" the Tea Party. ... Full Story | Top |
| "NCIS: LA" cameraman injured shooting spinoff episode Friday, Feb 22, 2013 05:08 PM PST NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - A cameraman for "NCIS: LA" was hospitalized with serious injuries after he was pinned while shooting an episode. Production was shut down immediately after the accident Thursday night but was to resume Friday. The cameraman's name was not released. The accident comes two years after the death of a guard who was struck and killed by an out-of-control van during filming of an episode of "NCIS." Police said the van's 60-year-old driver suffered a medical condition and hit the security guard, who was 52. ... Full Story | Top |
| Jane Lynch hosting new NBC game show, "Hollywood Game Night" Friday, Feb 22, 2013 05:07 PM PST  NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - Jane Lynch is hosting the new NBC game show "Hollywood Game Night," which will pit A-list contestants against mere mortals in a cocktail-party atmosphere. NBC has ordered eight episodes of the series, from Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner. "With Jane Lynch on board as our host, we now have a key component in place that will further enliven the sheer fun of a raucous Hollywood party that will include real everyday people," said NBC president of alternative and late night programming Paul Telegdy. ... Full Story | Top |
| "Dark Skies" review: When your haunted house is behind on the mortgage, it's doubly terrifying Friday, Feb 22, 2013 05:05 PM PST LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - You know a horror film is effective when it remains creepy even after they explain the unexplained phenomena. On that front, and on many others, "Dark Skies" emerges as a smart little chiller, one that can be read as a metaphor for the American family in crisis during tough economic times or merely as a tense exploration of things that go bump in the night. We can only wonder what possessed the folks at Dimension Films to hide this movie from critics, thus creating the impression that it was a stinker. ... Full Story | Top |
| Relativity Moves 'Turkeys' Up a Year; Amy Poehler Joins Voice Cast (Exclusive) Friday, Feb 22, 2013 05:04 PM PST NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - Relativity Media has moved up its animated film "Turkeys" by a year and will release it November 1, multiple individuals close to the project told TheWrap. In addition, Amy Poehler has joined the voice cast for the film, which Relativity and Reel FX are co-producing and co-financing, TheWrap has learned. The movie had been scheduled to debut November 14, 2014, but Relativity and Reel FX made the aggressive scheduling move based on early footage, according to two of those individuals. ... Full Story | Top |
| It's Indie Vets Vs. Upstarts at a Varied Independent Spirit Awards Friday, Feb 22, 2013 05:04 PM PST LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - After finding the Oscars encroaching on their territory for a number of years, have the Film Independent Spirit Awards finally gotten a little space from their bigger, flashier weekend neighbor? You'd think so, given that six of the Oscars' nine Best Picture nominees have grossed more than $100 million, and the roster of represented companies includes Warner Bros., Universal, 20th Century Fox, DreamWorks, Disney and Sony. But one of those $100 million films, David O. ... Full Story | Top |
| The Staple Singers' Cleotha Staples dies at age 78 Friday, Feb 22, 2013 05:03 PM PST (Reuters) - Cleotha Staples, a founding member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame R&B and gospel group The Staple Singers, has died after a decade-long battle with Alzheimer's disease, the group said on Friday. She was 78. Staples, who died on Thursday at her Chicago home, is best known for singing on the group's 1970s hits, including "I'll Take You There," "Respect Yourself" and "Let's Do It Again." "We will keep on," Mavis Staples, the group's lead singer, said in a statement. "Yvonne and I will continue singing to keep our father's legacy and our sister's legacy alive. ... Full Story | Top |
| Academy often misses Hollywood's greatest films, actors Friday, Feb 22, 2013 02:08 PM PST  (Reuters) - People may think that in the director category, Ben Affleck got robbed by the Academy this year, but consider this: Alfred Hitchcock never won a competitive Oscar. Actor Peter O'Toole was nominated eight times but never took home the award. If that doesn't prove the Academy doesn't vote with posterity in mind, I don't know what could. Members play the cards they are dealt, year by year, which leads to some questionable decisions when hindsight enters the picture. "Citizen Kane" may be widely regarded as the greatest film of all time, but that's not what the Academy thought in 1941. ... Full Story | Top |
| Warner's "Jack the Giant Slayer" may see soft U.S., Canada debut Friday, Feb 22, 2013 01:44 PM PST  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Warner Brothers' "Jack the Giant Slayer," the first big-budget, special effects-filled action movie of 2013, could be headed for less than huge sales at U.S. and Canadian box offices when it opens on March 1. Industry tracking suggests the 3D movie based on the "Jack and the Beanstalk" fairy tale will debut with $27 million to $32 million in the domestic market during its first three days, according to sources who have seen the pre-release surveys. ... Full Story | Top |
| Cirque du Soleil to stage second Michael Jackson-themed show Friday, Feb 22, 2013 01:23 PM PST  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Michael Jackson fans will get more acrobatic dance moves, moon walks and pyrotechnics when Cirque du Soleil launches a new Las Vegas stage show based on the late King of Pop's music. Called "One," the show will begin on June 29 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, the Canadian circus troupe said. It will be second official Jackson-related production by Cirque du Soleil, whose "The Immortal World Tour" opened in 2011 in Montreal in collaboration with Jackson's estate before going on an international tour. ... Full Story | Top |
| Actress Megan Fox to star in new "Ninja Turtles" film Friday, Feb 22, 2013 01:14 PM PST  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Actress Megan Fox has been cast in the new "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" movie, according to filmmaker Michael Bay, who directed the actress in two Transformers films. The two appear to have resolved their differences after Fox compared Bay to Hitler in a magazine interview. The actress was replaced by British model and actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in the third Transformer film after making the comment. "TMNT: we are bringing Megan Fox back into the family!" Bay wrote on his website. ... Full Story | Top |
| Fox seeks to block new Dish "Hopper" feature Friday, Feb 22, 2013 11:40 AM PST  (Reuters) - Fox Broadcasting Co has asked a federal judge to stop Dish Network Corp from letting customers who use Dish's controversial Hopper digital video recording device watch Fox programs on tablets and smartphones. Fox, a unit of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, on Thursday asked U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee in Los Angeles to issue a preliminary injunction against Dish. If granted, the injunction would also stop Dish, the second-largest U.S. satellite TV company, from retransmitting live programs to computers and mobile devices via the latest Hopper set-top box. ... Full Story | Top |
| Aerosmith's Tyler, Perry lead Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees Friday, Feb 22, 2013 11:17 AM PST  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Aerosmith song-writing duo Steven Tyler and Joe Perry headline this year's class of inductees into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the organization said on Friday. Singer Tyler and guitarist Perry wrote such rock classics as "Dream On," "Walk This Way" and "Love in an Elevator" since the band formed in 1970 and went on to win four Grammy awards. Aerosmith was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001. ... Full Story | Top |
| Andy Warhol works to be auctioned in cybersale Friday, Feb 22, 2013 10:52 AM PST  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Seasoned art collectors and first-time buyers wanting to own an Andy Warhol will get their chance next week when 125 paintings, drawings and photographs by the artist will be auctioned in a week-long cybersale. The global online auction from February 26 through March 5 will include works with estimated values ranging from $600 to $70,000 and bring Warhol to a much broader audience. Interested buyers can browse and bid online and will receive updates if a higher bid comes in. ... Full Story | Top |
| Madonna crowned top music earner in 2012 due to world tour Friday, Feb 22, 2013 10:50 AM PST  (Reuters) - Madonna was named the biggest money maker in music in 2012 on Friday, with a world tour helping her take home up to $34.6 million and highlighting the earning power of live performances as the industry increasingly goes digital. The 54-year-old Material Girl topped Billboard Magazine's annual list of 40 top money makers for the second time after earning an estimated $32 million - 93.5 percent of her revenue - from her 88-date "MDNA" tour, 2012's biggest tour. ... Full Story | Top |
| "Beasts" comes to Oscars with tiny budget, first-time director Friday, Feb 22, 2013 10:28 AM PST  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "Beasts of the Southern Wild", nominated for four Oscars including Best Picture, is one the most unlikely contenders ever for Hollywood's top honors. Produced for just $1.5 million by a collective of first-time filmmakers who bunked in a fishing shack during the shooting, it is considered a long-shot to win the top Oscar, but it has already set a new standard for thrifty filmmaking in an industry that routinely spends 100 times more for a major picture. ... Full Story | Top |
| Britain's first Oscar-winning animator Bob Godfrey dies at 91 Friday, Feb 22, 2013 10:14 AM PST LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's first Oscar-winning animator Bob Godfrey, whose work ranged from the children's TV cartoon "Roobarb" to mock-erotic movies like "Kama Sutra Rides Again", has died aged 91, his family told the BBC on Friday. Godfrey, often referred to as "The Godfather of British Animation", was born in Australia but educated in England and started his career as a graphic artist in London in the 1930s before gaining work in the film industry. ... Full Story | Top |
| Lindsay Lohan Chewed to Pieces in Pitbull Lawsuit Friday, Feb 22, 2013 09:56 AM PST  LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - As it turns out, Lindsay Lohan doesn't have much luck as a plaintiff in legal proceedings either. Troubled "Liz & Dick" actress Lohan, who has experienced more than her share of legal woes in recent years, was shot down Thursday in her lawsuit against Pitbull, Ne-Yo and Afrojack over the 2011 song "Give Me Everything." Lohan had sued the trio, along with others, under New York Civil Rights Law, claiming that the song made "disparaging and defamatory statements" about Lohan, violated her privacy, and used her name for advertising purposes without authorization. ... Full Story | Top |
| "Snitch" review: dose of depth elevates Dwayne Johnson drug trade tale Friday, Feb 22, 2013 09:53 AM PST  LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - In a recent interview in New York magazine, director Steven Soderbergh lambasted critics for praising movies he felt weren't, as he sniffed, "up to snuff." "I don't grade on a curve," Soderbergh said, implying that movie reviewers do. Guilty as charged. When looking at the curve for all Dwayne Johnson movies, "Snitch" belongs a little over the hump on the side of the better, more ambitious efforts. ... Full Story | Top |
| Michael Imperioli to play tormented sensei on 'The Office' Friday, Feb 22, 2013 09:53 AM PST  NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - "Sopranos" veteran Michael Imperioli will join "The Office" for one of its final episodes, playing Dwight Schrute's tormented sensei. Imperioli's Sensei Billy will find his patience tested by his exasperating student, who has apparently maintained a love of karate first demonstrated in the second season of the show. He will go to unusual means to make Dwight (Rainn Wilson) go away. "The Office" is quickly pairing off characters into romances and resolving plotlines as it approaches its finale after nine seasons. ... Full Story | Top |
| Jack Nicholson, Dustin Hoffman join list of Oscar presenters Friday, Feb 22, 2013 09:50 AM PST  LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Jack Nicholson and Dustin Hoffman will present on this year's Oscar telecast, adding some old- school prestige to the proceedings. They also bring an impressive track record of Oscar victories. Nicholson has been nominated 12 times and won three statues for his leading performances in "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1975) and "As Good as It Gets" (1997) and for his supporting work in "Terms of Endearment" (1983). He has also become an Oscars fixture over the years, with his trademark sunglasses and leer enlivening many a telecast. ... Full Story | Top |
| 'Inescapable' Review: All that's inescapable in this action/personal drama mash-up is Marisa Tomei Friday, Feb 22, 2013 09:50 AM PST LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - It's one thing to be an action or horror movie that slides silently into theaters on Oscar weekend in the hopes of appealing to a demographic that has little interest in whether "Life of Pi" will take home more trophies than "Amour." But if you're an art-house film getting a relatively quiet release on that same weekend, things look a little more hopeless. ... Full Story | Top |
| Weinstein Co. acquires "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" Friday, Feb 22, 2013 09:48 AM PST  LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - The Weinstein Company has acquired distribution rights to "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" in North America, Australia and New Zealand, the studio said Friday. The biopic of Nelson Mandela's life draws on the anti-apartheid leader's autobiography of the same name and is directed by Justin Chadwick ("The Other Boleyn Girl") and produced by Anant Singh. William Nicholson ("Gladiator") wrote the script. Shot in South Africa, the film stars Idris Elba ("The Wire") in the title role and Naomie Harris as his wife Winnie. ... Full Story | Top |
| Why Hollywood studios need to learn Chinese Friday, Feb 22, 2013 09:47 AM PST  NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - For the last few years, Hollywood has sharpened its focus on releasing English-language movies in China, one of the world's fastest growing film markets. But that may not be enough. In the next few years, they may want to make the movies in Mandarin as well. A pair of recent releases co-produced by Village Roadshow Pictures Asia, a subsidiary of Village Roadshow Limited focused on Chinese-language movies, show why language may matter more than ever. ... Full Story | Top |
| Jay-Z, Timberlake announce summer tour Friday, Feb 22, 2013 09:18 AM PST  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Rapper Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake are teaming up for a 12-city summer stadium tour that will include concerts in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago, music promoter Live Nation said on Friday. The "Legends of the Summer" tour will kick off at the Roger's Center in Toronto on July 17, and finish on August 16 at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami. Venues in Boston, Detroit and Baltimore will also be included in the tour. ... Full Story | Top |
| Megan Fox, Michael Bay Reunite for 'Ninja Turtles' Reboot Friday, Feb 22, 2013 09:14 AM PST  NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - Megan Fox will star in Paramount's "Ninja Turtles," a reboot of the iconic comic book and TV series, producer Michael Bay said on his personal blog Thursday. Just two years ago, Bay fired Fox from "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" after Fox compared the director's on-set persona to Hitler. Fox had starred in the first two films in the franchise, and Bay later told GQ magazine that the two had patched things up. "We Are Bringing Megan Fox Back Into The Family," he wrote on Thursday. ... Full Story | Top |
| Peter Morgan's play 'The Audience,' starring Helen Mirren, to be broadcast live to movie theaters Friday, Feb 22, 2013 09:10 AM PST  LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Peter Morgan's "The Audience," a play starring Helen Mirren reprising her Oscar-winning role as Queen Elizabeth II, will be broadcast live from London's West End on June 13. National Theatre Live will deliver the feed of the Stephen Daldry-directed production from the Gielgud Theatre to cinemas around the world, as the company has done before with Donmar Warehouse's "King Lear" and Complicite's "A Disappearing Number. ... Full Story | Top |
| Cuban women filmmakers to make groundbreaking U.S. trip Friday, Feb 22, 2013 08:56 AM PST NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - Four prominent Cuban female filmmakers will screen their films in the United States as part of a tri-city program to promote the work of Cuban women and empower women in the film industry. A bevy of organizations, including the Women In Film International Committee, the Cuban Women Filmmakers Mediatheque and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have partnered for the series, which will showcase a selection of features and shorts made by Cuban women. ... Full Story | Top |
| Chris Egan, Tom Ellis cast in ABC's sexy gothic soap pilot Friday, Feb 22, 2013 08:52 AM PST LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - "Poe" star Chris Egan and "Miranda" actor Tom Ellis are ready to get hot and soapy for ABC. Egan and Ellis have been cast in the network's drama pilot "Gothica," billed as a "sexy gothic soap set in present day that weaves together a mythology that incorporates the legends of Dracula, Jekyll and Hyde, Frankenstein and Dorian Gray among others." Egan has been cast in the role of Dorian (presumably, Gray), while Ellis will play Victor (presumably, Frankenstein). ... Full Story | Top |
| Washington Post reports loss on writedown of test prep business Friday, Feb 22, 2013 08:02 AM PST  (Reuters) - Washington Post Co posted a fourth-quarter loss on Friday after taking a $111.6 million writedown of one of its troubled educational businesses, Kaplan Test Preparation. The company, which publishes its namesake newspaper and operates cable and education businesses, reported a loss of $45.4 million, or $6.57 per share, compared with year-earlier net income of $61.7 million, or $8.03 per share. ... Full Story | Top |
| Adam Ant delivers first new album in 18 years Friday, Feb 22, 2013 06:18 AM PST  LONDON (Reuters) - Flamboyant and wild, Adam Ant stormed the British pop scene in the 1980s dressed as a pirate and highwayman, but crashed out of the music world in 1995, exhausted and battling mental illness. The British singer/songwriter spent these years raising his daughter and in and out of psychiatric care with bipolar disorder before slowly re-emerging with concerts leading to the release this year of his first album in 18 years. ... Full Story | Top |
| Factbox - List of key Oscar nominations Friday, Feb 22, 2013 05:31 AM PST LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences hands out the Oscars at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre on February 24 for the best movies, performances, writing, directing and other achievements on film in 2012. Following is a list of nominees in leading categories. ... Full Story | Top |
| Factbox : Key historical facts about the Academy Awards Friday, Feb 22, 2013 05:31 AM PST (Reuters) - The 85th Academy Awards, the highest honors in the film industry, will be handed out on February 24 during a live televised ceremony at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre attended by 3,300 guests. The Oscars show is hosted for the first time by writer, actor and singer Seth MacFarlane, best known for creating the animated TV shows "Family Guy" and "American Dad." The winners of Oscars in 24 categories are decided by about 5,800 movie industry professionals who are members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. ... Full Story | Top |
| Who needs an Oscar? Hollywood basks in industry's comeback Friday, Feb 22, 2013 05:12 AM PST  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The moguls of Hollywood might engage in more backslapping than usual at Sunday's Oscars, and it won't necessarily be over those golden statuettes. The tuxedoed movie studio chiefs can boast about an unusually large number of blockbuster films in 2012 that lifted ticket sales for the first time in three years and stemmed a seven-year free fall in sales of DVDs and other home entertainment products. ... Full Story | Top |
| "Zero Dark Thirty": too cool, or too controversial for Oscars? Friday, Feb 22, 2013 05:08 AM PST  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Just three months ago, "Zero Dark Thirty" looked like a strong contender for the movie industry's biggest prize. But when the Oscar for Best Picture is handed out on Sunday, the thriller about the decade-long U.S. hunt for, and 2011 killing of, Osama bin Laden is unlikely to get its name engraved on the coveted gold statuette. After a fierce campaign over the movie's depiction of torture that started in Washington and extended to human rights groups, "Zero Dark Thirty" went from front-runner to also-ran at the Academy Awards. ... Full Story | Top |
|
No comments:
Post a Comment