Weekly Ratings: 9/28 – 10/3

Sunday Ratings: The Future Looks Bright for Housewives 

7 pm/ET
The season premiere of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition averaged 9.55 million total viewers.

8 pm
The Amazing Race 13 placed third for the hour, premiering to 10.29 mil (down 25 percent from Cycle 12's launch). The Simpsons returned to an audience of 9.3 mil, dipping just 135K from its previous opener; King of the Hill led out with seven mil. 

9 pm
Housewives bested NBC's coverage of the Eagles-Bears with 18.44 mil, virtually matching last season's premiere. Cold Case (11.24 mil) dropped a mil. Family Guy (9.2 mil) built on King's audience, while American Dad (6.86 mil) was up 13 percent from its previous premiere. 

10 pm
Brothers & Sisters (12.35 mil) trailed football, but was down just seven percent from a year ago. The Unit (9.75 mil) lost nearly a mil from its previous, Tuesday-night season opener. 

Monday Ratings: How Did Chuck's Hot Date Go? 

8 pm/ET
Dancing with the Stars was the night's most-watched program, averaging 19.28 million total viewers (an eight percent dip) over its two-hour run. CBS' Big Bang (8.7 mil, down 650K) and Mother (8.8 mil, down 900 thou) placed second, followed by Chuck, which kicked off its sophomore run with 6.6 mil. That's off 29 percent from the NBC series' launch, yet on par with its latest airing (in January). Terminator (5.33 mil) lost another 480K, while Gossip Girl (3.54 mil) gained 190 thou. 

9 pm
Trailing DWTS, Two and a Half Men did 13.76 mil, shedding a million-plus from its season premiere; lead-out Worst Week (9.3 mil) in turn dropped 15 percent from its debut. Heroes (9.34 mil, down 550K) and a good episode of Prison Break (5.25 mil, down 680 thou) both took hits, while One Tree Hill (3.42 mil) saw a 320K increase. 

10 pm
CSI: Miami (14.3 mil) dominated, albeit with a 15 percent smaller audience that tuned in for its premiere. (Yes, Worst Week, all eyes are on you.) Boston Legal (9.8 mil) was up 380 thou from its opener. NBC's Life returned from a long, long absence to 6.9 mil viewers, a 32 percent plunge from its series bow but only a little shy of its most recent (December 2007!) outing. 

Tuesday Ratings: NCIS Steps on Dancing's Toes 

8 pm/ET
After nipping at DWTS' heels last week, NCIS this time around emerged as Tuesday's most-watched program, delivering 17.24 million total viewers. House (12.6 mil) topped the night in demos, and added 460K to its previous tally. Behind Biggest Loser (7.2 mil), Opportunity Knocks (six mil) found 800,000 fewer people to be home. 90210 (3.2 mil) bounced back from last week's dip. 

9 pm
Dancing with the Stars (15.14 mil) dropped 17 percent week-to-week, and even trailed The Mentalist (15.27 mil) in viewers. At 10 mil, Fringe was up 390 thou, while Privileged (1.88 mil) inched up juuuust a hair. 

10 pm
Without a Trace surged 11 percent to top the hour with 12.65 mil, though SVU (10.22 mil, up 720K) was No. 1 in demos. ABC's Half Their Size special (5.36 mil) ostensibly would have beaten a test pattern. 

Wednesday Ratings: CBS and NBC Kick Some Addison 

8 pm/ET
Bones handily topped the hour (and demos, with 9.82 million total viewers (up 220K week-to-week). Knight Rider (somehow) got a bit more gas — adding 260 thou to its debut numbers — to place second with 7.56 million. CBS' combo of Christine (6.86 million) and Gary (6.98 million) placed third, each gaining about 150 thou. Pushing Daisies returned to an audience of 6.3 million, down 11 percent from its last episode (12/12/07). Top Model held steady with 4 million. 

9 pm
Criminal Minds came out on top with 14.5 million, dipping 600K, followed by the America's Got Talent finale (12.55 million). (Deal or No Deal steps in for NBC next week.) Private Practice's Season 2 launch drew just 8 million, down 22 percent from its Season 1 sign-off. A pair of 'Til Deaths averaged 4.26 million. 

10 pm
CSI: NY reepated as Wednesday's most-watched program, with 14.67 million viewers. The Season 2 bow of Dirty Sexy Money placed second with 7.15 million, up a hair from its last episode (12/5/07). Lipstick Jungle dropped 13 percent week-to-week, hitting 5.3 million. 

Thursday Ratings: Gosh, VP Debate Draws a Darn Decent Crowd 

CBS' Survivor: Gabon — which is set in one of them foreign countries — was Thursday's most-watched program, delivering 12.85 million total viewers. Placing second during the 8 o'clock hour was Ugly Betty, which at 8.58 mil was down 12 percent from its season premiere. 

Back-to-back Earls did seven mil (up 600K week-to-week), while Smallville (3.95 mil) slipped just a hair. 

At 9 pm, Supernatural (3.67 mil) gained 310 thou. 

The Big 4's coverage of the vice-presidential debate drew in about 38.5 million viewers. 

Friday Ratings: Whisperer Makes Some Noise 

8 pm/ET
Ghost Whisperer was the evening's most-watched program, delivering 9.3 million total viewers, a seven percent increase over its year-ago opener. 5th Grader (5.8 mil) was a distant second, followed by Wife Swap, Toughest Jobs and the CW's returning comedy combo of Everybody Hates Chris (2.09 mil) and The Game (1.91 mil). 

9 pm
This is where Moonlight fans say, "Told you so!" The Ex List topped the first half-hour with 7.2 mil (or 73 percent retention coming out of GW), but ceded the lead to Deal or No Deal during its back half, dropping to 6.49 mil. Moonlight, Les Moonves will scold me for reminding you, premiered a year ago to 8.63 mil and even mustered 7.56 mil in its May finale. That said, the luminous Ms. Reaser appears to have drawn slightly better demos. Elsewhere, Fox's Lyrics (4.35 mil) edged out ABC's Supernanny (4.19 mil). 

10 pm
Numbers' numbers were down a mil from its previous premiere, but it still came out on top with 8.13 mil. 20/20 followed with 6.34 mil, while NBC's Life (5.44 mil) was down 74 percent from its Monday premiere.

Lucas in 'Think Mode' for Indiana Jones 5

Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, Harrison Ford said Friday that momentum is building for a fifth movie in the "Indiana Jones" franchise and that George Lucas is already cooking up a suitable plot. 

"It's crazy but great," the 66-year-old Ford said. "George is in think mode right now." 

Hitting DVD and Blu-ray Disc on October 14th, Indiana Jones the the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull has made $783.7 million worldwide compared to its budget of $185 million. 

"It's automatic, really, we did well with the last one and with that having done well and been a positive experience, it's not surprising that some people want to do it again," Ford said.

Lil Wayne Already Recording 'Tha Carter IV'

His latest album, "Tha Carter III," has only been out since May, but Lil Wayne is already recording its follow-up. According to his blog on ESPN.com, the rapper is in the studio working on "Tha Carter IV" as well as a new mixtape. 

The latter, "Dedication 3," will fall under DJ Drama's "Gangsta Grillz" series and "you can expect [it] real soon," Wayne says. 

In a nod to his well-recognized prolific output, Wayne says immediately after "Dedication 3" comes out, he'll re-release it "with 20 extra songs for free on my Web site." 

"Tha Carter III" is far and away the best-selling album of 2008, having shifted 2.5 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Lil Wayne is also collaborating with T-Pain for a highly anticipated duet album, "T-Wayne," which is slated for 2009. 

"We've got three or four songs we've finished," T-Pain tells Billboard. "They don't really have titles. We're just doing music and however it comes out, it comes out." 

The singer says the tracks won't sound like his current Wayne-featuring single, "Can't Believe It," but will have the collective flair shown on tracks like "Got Money." 

Wayne will take a break from recording later this month to play the Voodoo Music Experience on Oct. 25 in his New Orleans hometown, and will also drop by Power 105.1's Powerhouse concert three days later in East Rutherford, N.J.

Club Nintendo Coming to America

US to finally get the Nintendo reward system. 

Nintendo fans in the US can finally get a reward for their loyalty. 

Nintendo announced at the Media Summit in San Francisco that Club Nintendo, the popular reward point system in Japan, is coming to America by the end of the year. 

Club Nintendo has been a feature in Japan that gives people points when they register their Nintendo games online. The points can be redeemed for exclusive merchandise. 

The announcement was short and did not go into whether the registered Nintendo games users have already entered in on the Nintendo official site would earn points, or whether it's only titles released after the Club opens.

DSi Factoids

Technical details dished out by Nintendo regarding the next DS handheld. 

Last night in Tokyo and this morning in San Francisco, Nintendo revealed the next handheld system from the company: an updated Nintendo DS called the DSi. This handheld, to be released next month in Japan, upgrades the current platform with a unit featuring a smaller footprint, larger screens, an SD card slot, built-in browser, and dual digital cameras. 

Nintendo engineers shaved a few millimeters off to make the DSi slightly thinner, but it's a bit longer and wider: when closed, the DSi is 137.0mm wide by 74.9mm long, and 18.9 mm thick. The current DS Lite is 133.0 mm wide, 73.9mm long, and 21.5mm thick. With the DSi, you'll be getting a longer stylus: 92mm long vs. the DS Lite's stylus at 87.5mm. 

While both the Nintendo DS Lite and the DSi systems share identical LCD technologies for their displays, the DSi screens are 3.25 inches diagonal, compared to the DS Lite's 3.0 inches. The DSi system will have five brightness settings where the DS Lite featured four. 

The DSi will have its own unique AC adapter and will not share the same battery pack as the DS Lite handheld. But with all the extras the DSi offers, the battery life isn't quite up to the same standards as the DS Lite. At the lowest brightness setting, the DSi lasts 9 to 14 hours on a single charge depending on a variety of factors like Wi-Fi use. This doesn't quite meet the DS Lite's energy usage, at least according to Nintendo numbers where the current system lasts between 15 and 19 hours on a single charge. At the highest brightness, the usage of the DSi drops to 3 to 4 hours on a charge, compared to DS Lite at 5 to 8 hours. 

According to the spec sheet, even though the DSi won't play Game Boy Advance games due to the lack of GBA slot, it will play games written specifically for the DSi as well as current DS games. It is unclear whether there will be exclusive DSi packaging for games that are made only with the DSi and its unique functions in mind. 

The DSi will ship in Japan on November 1st 2008 for 18,900. Nintendo of America has only offered a "2009" release window for our territory.

New DS Model Announced

Smaller, GBA-less handheld. More details inside. 

Nintendo has just announced a new model of the Nintendo DS. Called the Nintendo DSi, the unit is a smaller handheld that features larger screens, an SD card slot for digital downloads and MP3 playback, and a .3 megapixel camera (640x480 resolution). It is roughly 12% thinner than the current DS Lite model. 

Using the touch screen, users will be able to adjust pitch and playback speed of MP3s as well as edit photos taken with the camera. 

The Nintendo DSi handheld will have browser software built-in and have access to a DSWare store where gamers can spend Nintendo Points on software. Nintendo will give gamers 1000 points for free if they visit the store by March 2010 -- games will feature four price structures: Free, 200 Points, 500 Points and Premium (800 Points). 

The Nintendo DSi will not feature compatibility with Game Boy Advance games due to the lack of a GBA cartridge slot. Though it hasn't been revealed by Nintendo, it's likely that peripherals such as the Guitar Grip for Guitar Hero will not work with the DS-i handheld. 

The system will be released November 1st in Japan for 18,900 yen (approximately $180 US) in white and Matte black colors. As of right now, the system is a Japan exclusive.

Punch-Out!! to Next Level

The Super Mario Strikers developer takes control of Little Mac's future. 

IGN has learned that the recently-announced Wii version of Punch-Out!! is being developed by Next Level Games. 

Next Level is best known for its work on Super Mario Strikers and Mario Strikers Charged, the GameCube and Wii soccer games featuring Nintendo's characters on the football pitch. 

Punch-Out!! is being worked on for a release sometime in 2009. It is based upon the boxing series first released in the arcades, then followed-up by the popular Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! on the NES. The last Punch-out!! title was Super Punch-Out!! produced for the Super NES in 1994.

Fall Out Boy's New Album To Feature Lil Wayne, Pharrell And ... Blondie's Debbie Harry?

'The record is going to be diverse,' bassist Pete Wentz tells MTV News of Folie à Deux.

It's perhaps testament to Fall Out Boy's clout that even when they're publically denouncing rumors about big-name musicians making cameos on their albums, there's a pretty good chance that those big-name musicians actually will end up making an appearance of some sort ... and they'll probably bring along some of their friends too. 

Case in point: Last month, an underage — yet apparently very knowledgeable — blogger named Justin Goldberg posted on his site that Kanye West and Lil Wayne were lined up to make appearances on FOB's Folie à Deux album, citing "a reliable source." 

"Knowing the right people has finally paid off," Goldberg wrote in the post. 

A few days later, Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz addressed that post on his blog, writing that "none of the guests but the ones we have named are currently on the record, to clear [things] up." 

And yet, at the same time, he was apparently working overtime to make (some) of said cameos happen, because on Thursday, Wentz confirmed to MTV News that Wayne will appear on Folie, along with a few other guests that might raise an eyebrow or two. 

"We got Wayne and Debbie Harry cameos done," he wrote in an e-mail. " Pharrell produced a track too." 

The Wayne cameo we can understand — after all, FOB's last album, Infinity on High, kicked off with a spoken intro from none other than Jay-Z — and Williams did spend plenty of time hanging out on the set of the band's "I Don't Care" video last month, so we get that one too. But where does Debbie Harry — frontwoman of groundbreaking NYC punk/ new-wave act Blondie — fit in on Folie? 

Well, Wentz isn't exactly sure either, but he knows that her cameo works with the entire vibe of the album. "I just think the record is going to be diverse," he wrote. "It goes all the way between [Blondie and Wayne]." 

He remained tight-lipped about just what FOB fans can expect to hear from Wayne and/or Harry, but he did hint that there were more surprise guests still to be revealed — and some of them may be even more head-scratching than Harry. He also was mum about just what song Williams produced on the album — though perhaps you can venture a guess using the just-released track list.

Seven Pounds (2008) Trailer

Columbia Pictures has released the first trailer for Seven Pounds, the Will Smith drama about a IRS agent with a secret who will change the lives of seven strangers. The film reteams Smith with The Pursuit of Happyness director Gabriele Muccino, and features Rosario Dawson as Smith’s love interest, who is suffering from a heart condition, and Woody Harrelson as a blind pianist. Conner Cruise, the 13-year-old adopted son of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, makes his acting debut as a younger version of Smith’s character. 

The trailer looks promising, but early reviews from test screenings haven’t been nice, calling it “a bit too heavy handed for its own good”, pointing to its predictability and uneven pacing as weak points, and Smith and Dawson’s performance as the film’s strengths. As always, tell me what you think in the comments below. 

Seven Pounds hits theaters on December 19th 2008.

Punisher: War Zone Gets R-Rating

For a comic book film based on a Marvel character, official updates on the status of Punisher: War Zone remain few and far between. Back in August, rumors circulated that the December release from Lionsgate would be re-cut for a PG-13 rating. No word from the studio was released to confirm or deny this. Today, CHUD says the film has received an R-rating from the MPAA for “pervasive strong brutal violence, language and some drug use.” 

Director Lexi Alexander has kept mum about her apparent severed involvement with the production. The last update on her once loud-and-proud War Zone-centric blog begins: “Sometimes you have to remind yourself of the past to create a happy future.” Some sites have reported that there is no problem(s), basing this on the optimistic words of the film’s DP, Steve Gainer, who claims that Alexander is still on board. Weirder still, I’ve come across blogs that say this is all a publicity stunt. Have we reached the point where spray painting “Who Knows?” on a turtleshell passes for marketing savvy? If so, I’d rather see clips of people getting shot.

300 Prequel/Sequel to be The Battle of Plataea?

IESB uncovered new details about Zack Snyder’s 300 sequel/prequel. Apparently the film will take place between the Battle of Thermopylae and the Battle of Plataea. You remember, the battle that Dilios (the narrator) is at during the film’s final monologue. So the film is kinda, sorta, a prequel and a sequel, because it takes place in the one year window, and likely concludes with the Battle we saw at the conclusion of the first film. 

According to Wikipedia, The Battle of Plataea was the final major battle of the Greco-Persian Wars in southern Greece. It took place in 479 BC between an alliance of the Greek city-states Sparta, Athens, Corinth, Megara and others against the Persians. The Greek to Persian ratio is given as 1:3 (”Good odds for any Greek”) with the Greek force numbering 40,000 against 120,000 Persians. 

I’m not quite sure if that is cool or not. Either way, it will likely be a long while before the film even goes into production as Frank Miller must first write/draw the story first. But Snyder insists that he is definitely going to film it, if and when it is completed.

DreamWorks Animation Sets Kung Fu Panda 2 Date

DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. today announced that Pandamonium will be back in 2011 when the sequel to its worldwide hit, Kung Fu Panda, is expected to hit theaters on June 3, 2011. The Company also anticipates releasing the film into IMAX® theatres worldwide. Kung Fu Panda 2, like all DreamWorks Animation feature films starting in 2009, will be produced in stereoscopic 3D technology. 

During its theatrical run, Kung Fu Panda has reached over $626 million in worldwide box office to date, making it one of the most successful films of 2008 and DreamWorks Animation's most successful original film ever. The sequel will follow Po, the world's biggest kung fu fan, as he continues his journey as the chosen one who fulfills an ancient prophesy while mastering the art of kung fu. 

The sequel to Kung Fu Panda will once again star Jack Black, Angelina Jolie and other original cast members and will be directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson, head of story on Kung Fu Panda. It will be produced by Melissa Cobb. Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, who wrote and co-produced the original film, will also be returning. 

DreamWorks Animation's CEO, Jeffrey Katzenberg, said, "We are thrilled to reunite the creative team that made 'Kung Fu Panda' such a global success. Because of their imaginative work, Po's path to heroism proved popular with moviegoers of all ages around the world." 

Bill Damaschke, Co-President of Production and President of Live Theatrical, added, "The story of 'Kung Fu Panda' provided a great introduction to these characters and afforded wonderful opportunities to further expand on the world we created in ancient China. Quite simply, there's more story to tell." 

Kung Fu Panda, which has exceeded $215 million in domestic box office and over $411 million in international territories to date, will be released on two-disc DVD and Blu-ray on November 9, 2008 alongside a brand new companion story, Secrets of the Furious Five.

Yogi Bear Headed for the Big Screen

Warner Bros. Pictures is developing a feature version of "Yogi Bear," the classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon, and Surf's Up co-helmer/co-writer Ash Brannon is attached to direct. 

Joshua Sternin and Jeffrey Ventimilia, who executive produced "That '70s Show" and are writing the feature Tooth Fairy for Fox, are penning the screenplay. Donald De Line is producing via his De Line Pictures; Karen Rosenfelt is also producing. 

The project is planned as a live-action/animated hybrid along the lines of Fox's 2007 hit Alvin and the Chipmunks. Much of the movie will be live-action, but Yogi Bear and sidekick Boo Boo will be done in CG. 

Yogi's exploits take place in Jellystone Park, where he and Boo Boo get into good-natured mischief and must elude their nemesis, Ranger Smith.

Fringe Gets Full Season!

Fox has ordered an additional nine episodes of the critically acclaimed thriller "Fringe," bringing the series to a full season order, it was announced today by Kevin Reilly, President, Entertainment for Fox Broadcasting Company. 

"We're having a blast working on this show with this great team of producers and amazing cast," said Reilly. "The series has really taken off creatively, and it's exciting to see that the audience is responding. We believe this is the first full season of many years to come." 

"Fringe" has captivated audiences this fall, winning its Tuesday time period weekly among key demographics and ranking as the No. 1 new series in primetime among Adults 18-49, Adults 18-34 and Teens. On Tuesday, Sept. 30, "Fringe" dominated its time period by posting a 4.3/11 among Adults 18-49, which was an increase over the previous week's airing by +5% (vs. 4.1/10), and growing +6% in Total Viewers (10.0 vs. 9.4 million). 

On Tuesday, Oct. 14 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), "Fringe" returns with a high-voltage episode as the unlikely trio investigates the cause of a fatal elevator accident that had some very unusual circumstances. They discover a connection to a dangerous man whose developing abilities point to a bigger threat. Meanwhile, Olivia has a highly charged encounter of her own when she is rocked by someone from her past, and Dr. Bishop turns to a methodology Peter thinks is for the birds to help break the case. 

Created by J.J. Abrams & Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci, "Fringe" stars Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, Lance Reddick, Kirk Acevedo, Blair Brown, Jasika Nicole with Mark Valley and John Noble. The series is produced by Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. Abrams, Kurtzman, Orci, Jeff Pinkner and Bryan Burk serve as executive producers.

Tina Fey Reportedly Offered $6 Million Book Deal

Everyone wants a piece of Tina Fey.

The 30 Rock creator and former Saturday Night Live star has been everywhere lately — from winning three Emmys to flawlessly impersonating Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. But now, publishers who have been hounding her to write a book are turning up the heat to capitalize on her brighter-than-ever star. 

According to the New York Post, agent Richard Abate was feeling out publishers, one of whom reportedly offered to pay a $5 million advance. That offer launched a bidding war which, according to sources, sent the payday toward $6 million. 

Although Fey has not met with anyone (how could she possibly have the time?) and no proposal is on the table, the book is not being pitched as a memoir, but rather as humorous nonfiction. 

Brand New Music Video: Jack's Mannequin's - The Resolution

The Resolution by Jack's Mannequin the first single off The Glass Passenger available now.

Jack Black Reuniting with Panda Writers

The Hollywood Reporter says Jack Black is reuniting with Kung Fu Panda writers Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger for an untitled live-action action comedy at Universal. 

Black will produce with his Electric Dynamite partner Ben Cooley. 

A sort of comedic The Bourne Identity, the story sees Black as an American who finds himself washed up the shores of Cuba with no idea of who he is and how he got there. He comes to the conclusion that he must be a superspy, though in reality he is far from one. 

"For our next live-action project, we knew we wanted to work with either a panda or Jack. Luckily, Endeavor repped Jack," Aibel said. "We also figured that if we could write for Jack as a panda, we could write for him as a human."

The Graysons are Coming to The CW

The CW is developing a series based on Batman sidekick Robin's pre-Caped Crusader days, reports Variety. 

"Smallville" executive producers Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson, as well as "Supernatural" executive producer McG, are behind "The Graysons," which has landed a put pilot commitment at the network. 

Just as "Smallville" focuses on Clark Kent in the years before he became Superman, "The Graysons" will follow the world of Dick "DJ" Grayson before he takes on the iconic Robin identity and aligns himself with Batman. 

"The Graysons" is seen as a potential replacement for "Smallville" should that show end its run this season, which has been speculated. Should "Smallville" return next year, "The Graysons" might also make a strong companion piece. 

In the one-hour "Graysons," which will be set in modern times, young DJ will face challenges involving first loves, young rivals and his family as he grows up. Souders and Peterson have come up with an original take on the character.

Thursday Signs New Deal With Epitaph

Veteran rock outfit Thursday has signed a new deal with Epitaph, which will release the band's fifth album in spring 2009. The news was first reported by Alternative Press and confirmed by reps for the band. 

Thursday broke through with its 2001 Victory debut, "Full Collapse," which has sold 380,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. After a contentious split with the Chicago indie, the band signed with Island and released the albums "War All the Time" (2003) and "A City by the Light Divided" (2006). 

Having patched up relations with Victory, Thursday returned to the label last year for a one-off rarities/live compilation, "Kill the House Lights." The group will issue a split single with Envy Nov. 4 via Temporary Residence Ltd. 

"It's a great feeling to have a label owner push you to explore the most experimental and challenging aspects of your band's music instead of dissuading you," says Thursday frontman Geoff Rickly of Epitaph, which of late has snapped up fellow ex-major label acts New Found Glory and Story Of The Year.

Brett Ratner Confirms God of War

Rumored since May, director Brett Ratner has finally confirmed that he is attached to direct the God of War movie in an interview with UGO. 

Universal Pictures secured the movie rights to the popular video game created by Sony Computer Entertainment back in the summer of 2005. Mosaic Media Group's Charles Roven and Alex Gartner were announced as producers at the time. 

Set in ancient Greece, the game follows the battles of the warrior Kratos, who tackles mythological beasts including Medusa, Cyclops and the Hydra. Players navigate Kratos on his quest to find Pandora's Box and destroy Ares, the god of war. 

The game, created by David Jaffe and Shannon Studstill, was released for PlayStation 2 in March of 2005. A sequel was released in March of 2007 and a prequel, exclusive to PlayStation Portable, in March of 2008. A third title is in development for the PlayStation 3. 

In addition to God of War, Ratner also mentioned he has Playboy and Beverly Hills Cop 4 in development as well.

David Gordon Green’s Animated TV Series, Good Vibes, Picked Up by Fox

Judging by the title and the subject matter, this could be David Gordon Green’s latest foray into the land of sinsemilla. Fox has picked up the pilot to Good Vibes, a new animated series to be written and exec-produced by the talented director behind Pineapple Express. The trades report that the series centers around “two high school surfer dudes living near the beach in California.” Brad Ableson, who has worked on The Simpsons and HBO’s new The Life & Times of Tim, will handle the animation. 

On the film front, Green remains attached to a remake of Dario Argento’s Suspiria, and another stoner comedy, the amazing-sounding Your Highness, with Danny McBride set to play a lazy prince who puffs ganja and fights dragons in an ode to droopy ’80s fantasies like Dragonslayer and Yor. Green will also helm an episode of McBride and Jody Hill’s Eastbound and Down for HBO—which looks to do for booger sugar, ta-tas, jet skis and the South what Billy Mitchell did for arcade games. The man has good taste.

October 2008 Movie Releases

October 1
- Ballast (NY)
- Religulous (NY; wide release: October 3)

October 3
- Allah Made Me Funny (limited)
- An American Carol
- Beverly Hills Chihuahua
- Blindness
- Flash of Genius*
- How to Lose Friends & Alienate People**
- Humboldt County (NY, LA)
- Just Buried (limited)
- Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist***
- Rachel Getting Married (NY, LA)

October 8
- RocknRolla (NY, LA, Toronto; wide: October 31)*

October 10
- Ashes of Time Redux (NY, LA)
- Body of Lies**
- Breakfast With Scot (NY, LA)
- Choose Connor (NY)
- City of Ember
- The Express**
- Good Dick (LA; NY, Columbus release: Oct. 17)
- Happy-Go-Lucky (limited; expands: Oct. 17; expands: Oct. 24)
- Nights and Weekends (NY)
- Quarantine

October 17
- The Elephant King (NY)
- Filth and Wisdom (NY; LA release: October 31)
- Mary (NY)
- Max Payne****
- Morning Light
- The Secret Life of Bees
- Sex Drive**
- W.*
- What Just Happened (limited; expands: Oct. 31)

October 22
- Stranded: I Have Come From a Plane That Crashed on the Mountains (NY; L.A. release: November 7)

October 24
- Changeling (limited; wide: Oct. 31)
- Dalton Trumbo's Johnny Got His Gun (NY)
- Fear(s) of the Dark (limited)
- High School Musical 3: Senior Year
- I've Loved You So Long (NY, LA)
- Let the Right One In (limited)
- Passengers (limited)
- Pride and Glory
- Roadside Romeo (limited)
- Saw V*
- Synecdoche, New York (NY, LA)
- The Universe of Keith Haring (NY)

October 31
- The Haunting of Molly Hartley
- The Other End of the Line (limited)
- Splinter (limited)
- Zack and Miri Make a Porno****

OCTOBER 1st

Ballast [LA/NYC]
Director: Lance Hammer
Stars: Micheal J. Smith Sr., JimMyron Ross, Tarra Riggs (Full Cast)
Studio: Required Viewing
The Plot: A drama set in a Mississippi township, where three people try to reconnect to their respective lives after a young man's suicide.
THE BUZZ: I know the depth of Lance Hammer's narrative, but I won't spoil it for you like others have done in their post-Sundance reviews of the film, which won a best-director award at said festival earlier this year. (It also won for best cinematography, quite a feat considering the production only used available light.) Scoreless and near-silent in nature, Ballast has a legion of supporters (and a few detractors) but I think both sides can agree that Hammer is a unique, European-and-Asian-influenced director who is guaranteed to make a statement with each and every future project. Here's a link to a great interview with the director.

Religulous
Director: Larry Charles
Stars: Bill Maher (Full Cast)
Studio: Lionsgate
The Plot: Atheist Bill Maher looks to understand the beliefs behind different world religions.
THE BUZZ: Bill Maher has embraced controversy all of his career, and I'm primed to see what he and Borat director Larry Charles have created with their guerilla-filmmaking approach to documenting the beliefs and tenets of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, et al. I believe (I bee-LEAVE!) Maher and co. have already gone viral with their intent to expose the truths, untruths, and misconceptions to be found in Vatican City, Jerusalem, Salt Lake City, and elsewhere around the world. However, it remains to be seen if Maher can parlay all the attention into box-office dollars.

OCTOBER 3rd

Beverly Hills Chihuahua
Director: Raja Gosnell
Stars: Drew Barrymore, George Lopez (Full Cast)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
The Plot: While on vacation in Mexico, Chloe (Barrymore), a pampered Beverly Hills chihuahua, finds herself lost and in need of assistance in order to get back home. Coming to Chloe's aid is a a macho Chihuahua named Papi (Lopez), a spirit guide (Hayek) who endeavors to help Chloe discover her true heritage.
THE BUZZ: I'm wondering if Disney employees think BHC looks kind of kinda juvenile after the refreshing Enchanted became a worldwide hit and was nominated for 3 Oscars. Chihuahua! Or why the trailer, which reveals nothing about the movie, also doesn't indicate that Drew Barrymore's voice is the star of the show. Chihuahua! Or if Raja Gosnell will ever make a non-syrupy movie. Chihuahua!

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Director: Peter Sollett
Stars: Michael Cera, Kat Dennings (Full Cast)
Studio: Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)
The Plot: Nick (Cera) asks Nora (Dennings) to pretend to be his girlfriend for 5 minutes so he won't have to feel as awkward around his ex-g.f., who just walked into the club where Nick's band is playing ... with a new guy. But when the fake couple decides to kiss, sparkage occurs, leading to a first date which seems to span all of New York City.
THE BUZZ: Wow, a mainstream movie set in NYC's queercore punk scene? Those Weitz brothers (producers Chris and Paul) sure know how to work the studio system, even if their last teen-skewing comedy, Bickford Shmeckler's Cool Ideas, didn't get much attention. Bickford couldn't boast Michael Cera in a starring role, however, or a long-awaited second film from a promising indie director (Peter Sollett turned heads back in '02 with Raising Victor Vargas). Assuming Sollett knows how to handle an awkward boy, a hot girl, and lots of swearing and cool music, we can see the iPod generation embracing this as their own sort of High Fildelity. (Look at that, not one mention of Juno.)

Blindness
Director: Fernando Meirelles
Stars: Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Gael García Bernal (Full Cast)
Studio: Miramax Films
The Plot: A thriller set in a city that is suffering from an epidemic of sudden blindness, where only one woman (Moore) remains able to see as the rest of her society is pushed to its limits.
THE BUZZ: Hmm, more like Deafness, in terms of the level of hoorahs ready to greet Fernando Meirelles's adaptation of José Saramago's seemingly unfilmable novel. When the film's Cannes premiere came and went without un certain regard, I thought distributor Miramax might pull a Harvey Weinstein and re-edit the picture for its general release. But it looks like the studio is ready to take the hit for this one while they mount awards campaigns for Doubt and possibly The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. Meirelles can withstand the potential bomb while he considers Love's Labors Lost as his next project, and all eyes are on Ruffalo's other two 2008 movies, Reservation Road (this year's All the King's Men?) and The Brothers Bloom. Julianne Moore, meanwhile, continues to recede into the true-indie world, which serves her better.

How to Lose Friends & Alienate People
Director: Robert B. Weide
Stars: Simon Pegg, Kirsten Dunst, Megan Fox (Full Cast)
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
The Plot: British journalist Sidney Young (Pegg) crosses the pond for a new job with a high-profile New York magazine, though he soon learns the bridges he burned on his way to the top can only lead to his downfall.
THE BUZZ: This comedy is based on the first memoir by former Vanity Fair contributor Toby Jones, and if there's anyone would can make the snide, self-deprecating Brit palpable, it's Simon Pegg, who is having the opposite real-life experience from Jones as he becomes an NY/LA darling with a slate of upcoming movies (which includes Paul, a Brits-in-USA comedy he's writing with Nick Frost). We Americans love to watch people fail, so I wonder if the producers here have already optioned Jones's The Sound of No Hands Clapping, his follow up to How to Lose Friends that chronicles his failed attempt to segue from the writing desks at Vanity Fair to the pitch meetings of Hollywood. Helping to ratchet up the awkward moments here is director Robert B. Weide, one of the guys behind "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

The Express
Director: Gary Fleder
Stars: Rob Brown, Dennis Quaid, Clancy Brown (Full Cast)
Studio: Universal Pictures
The Plot: A drama based on the life of Ernie Davis (Brown), a high school football standout who is recruited by Syracuse University, where he becomes the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy.
THE BUZZ: The Express's seemingly artful blend of archival and recreated footage might help erase the memory of recent clunker pigskin movies (Leatherheads, We Are Marshall). Casting Dennis Quaid as a coach is always the right decision, and surrounding him with the phenomenally talented Clancy Brown ("Carnivàle") and Rob Brown (Coach Carter) is a good way to get men (and women?) into theaters.

Rachel Getting Married [NYC]
Director: Jonathan Demme
Stars: Anne Hathaway, Rosemarie DeWitt, Debra Winger (Full Cast)
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics
The Plot: Kym (Hathaway), who has been in and out of rehab for the last decade, reunites with her family for her sister Rachel's (DeWitt) wedding. Can she keep it together for the weekend?
THE BUZZ: Anne Hathaway continues her smart, measured approach to leading-lady status with an indie-minded drama, her first such endeavor since 2005's Havoc. I just watched the trailer (now conveniently located just over this rambling text) and I feel like this could be one to watch come award-nomination time. A young actress in ascent, stretching her range, coupled with sure-to-be-stellar performances from Rosemarie DeWitt (from TV's "Mad Men") and Debra Winger (last seen in another indie black comedy, Eulogy). This is A.H.'s Girl, Interrupted, her Pieces of April, and the difference is: she'll probably score her first Oscar nod here ...

Flash of Genius
Director: Marc Abraham
Stars: Greg Kinnear, Lauren Graham, Alan Alda (Full Cast)
Studio: Universal Studios
The Plot: Once Robert Kearns (Kinnear) discovers that new cars are coming equipped with intermittent windshield wipers -- a technology Kearns invented, patented, and unsuccessfully tried to sell -- he launches a landmark lawsuit against the U.S. automotive industry.
THE BUZZ: This true story might make for a killer HBO movie, but a feature film? Seems hard to market to general audiences, especially during a busy awards-baiting month such as this. One has to imagine that producer-turned-director Marc Abraham has the clout to see a big push from Universal as his first film enters Oscar chase; the studio has revealed the first trailer, and it looks like the film will hit all the appropriate notes, but I'm still uncertain its appeal is broad enough to remain in focus for too long.

An American Carol
Director: David Zucker
Stars: Kevin P. Farley, Kelsey Grammer, Leslie Nielsen (Full Cast)
Studio: Vivendi Entertainment
The Plot: An anti-American filmmaker who's out to abolish the July Fourth holiday is visited by three ghosts who try to change his perception of the country.
THE BUZZ: Former liberal David Zucker believes that it's "almost illegal" to make a conservative film in Hollywood today, so he's used his decades of influence to skewer the Michael Moore set as the presidential and Oscar races shift into fifth gear. The problem here: Looks like Zucker has had to dumb down his political satire in order to entice the movie-going masses, because Carol looks tepid in comparison to his YouTube salvos that even stupefied the GOP two years ago (remember this?). Plus, those Disaster Movie wanks pretty much ruined the spoof genre for a few years. Do you want to know more about Zucker and his "Friends of Abe?" Then go here.

OCTOBER 10th

Quarantine
Director: John Erick Dowdle
Stars: Jennifer Carpenter, Steve Harris, Columbus Short (Full Cast)
Studio: Screen Gems
The Plot: What happened to the people who were locked inside an apartment building by a CDC-issued quarantine? The only evidence left after the quarantine has been lifted is a videotape shot by a TV reporter (Carpenter) and her cameraman (Harris) who were investigating the initial 911 call ...
THE BUZZ: Is this the next attempt to create a Cloverfield-like hit? Insiders are beginning to think so, since this latest viral outbreak looks like a few clips from Quarantine, the remake of [Rec], Spanish filmmaker Jaume Balagueró's international horror hit that wasn't even given a proper U.S. release in favor of a rushed-into-production remake by director John Erick Dowdle (whose other recent film, The Poughkeepsie Tapes, is being held captive by MGM). You'll recognize star Jennifer Carpenter as the titular Emily Rose or as Dexter's sister. We have the first trailer online, while Yahoo! has the second ...

Body of Lies
Director: Ridley Scott
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Mark Strong (Full Cast)
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
The Plot: In Jordan, an ex-journalist (DiCaprio) working to locate an Al Qaeda leader for the CIA faces pressure from an agent (Crowe) for whom failure is not an option.
THE BUZZ: Ridley Scott gets his war on again, with a screenplay by William Monahan (his first credit since The Departed, and perhaps an effort to erase the memory of his previous collaboration with Scott). I wonder if this one is being positioned as Oscar bait, because it looks more like Hollywood's savvy attempt to finally profit from this gosh darn war. Do you think Crowe and Monahan teased Scott and DiCaprio on the set for not having any Oscars? Another question: Did the first trailer engage you, or leave you feeling like you don't have any idea what the movie's about? If you feel confused by it all, good luck with the second trailer.

RocknRolla [limited]
Director: Guy Ritchie
Stars: Gerard Butler, Tom Wilkinson, Idris Elba (Full Cast)
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
The Plot: In London, a real-estate scam puts millions of pounds up for grabs, naturally attraction the attention of some of the city's scrappiest tough guys (Butler, Elba) its more established underworld players (Wilkinson), and others -- all of whom are looking to get rich quick.
THE BUZZ: Is Guy Richie back? Will he still be married by the time his fifth movie is released this fall? Will Warner Bros. handle it, or will it ultimately be distributed by someone else? These are the questions overlapping one another while Richie tries to keep his cool as the pressure builds around his career and his family life. Back in his criminal element, with a formidable cast that includes Thandie Newton, Jeremy Piven, and Ludacris, I'm thinking Richie could be in for his biggest international success to date. ("International" being the keyword, since there's a severe chance this scam could be bungled by Hollywood types.)

City of Ember
Director: Gil Kenan
Stars: Saoirse Ronan, Toby Jones, Bill Murray (Full Cast)
Studio: Fox-Walden
The Plot: For generations, the underground City of Ember has been the only light in an otherwise dark world. But when the city's generator begins to fail, teenagers Lina (Ronan) and Doon (Treadaway) desperately race to help their fellow citizens escape before the lights go out permanently. To do so, they will have to search Ember high and low for clues that will unlock the ancient mystery of their city's origins.
THE BUZZ: After Monster House, I am totally on board with anything Gil Kenan brings to the big screen. I have to think Kenan and Fox-Walden are hoping to turn Jeanne DuPrau's novels into a franchise (the fourth book, The Diamond of Darkhold will be released this August), but we all know how spotty the adaptations of young-adult fantasy books have been post-Harry Potter. If Ember can meet or surpass the successes won by Bridge to Terabithia and The Spiderwick Chronicles, perhaps we will see The People of Sparks in 2010 or a year later. While we ponder that, check out the first trailer on Yahoo!

Happy-Go-Lucky [limited]
Director: Mike Leigh
Stars: Sally Hawkins, Alexis Zegerman, Samuel Roukin (Full Cast)
Studio: Miramax Films
The Plot: A look at a few chapters in the life of Poppy (Hawkins), a cheery, colorful, North London schoolteacher whose optimism tends to exasperate those around her.
THE BUZZ: Though it feels like a perfect summer movie, undoubtedly there's a motive behind Miramax's decision to release Mike Leigh's latest during the quote-unquote serious-movie season -- even though Poppy has already enchanted her native UK and come out there on DVD. Last time through, Leigh scored 3 Oscar nominations for Vera Drake, and though I don't think H-G-L was conceived as awards bait, it's made the European Film Academy's shortlist this year, and something tells me it's going to get a royal push from M's Hollywood offices. Funny, considering the dramatic crux here arrives when Poppy has an encounter with a male driving-school instructor, that causes a gentle rift between her and her housemate.

Nights and Weekends [NYC]
Director: Greta Gerwig Joe Swanberg
Stars: Greta Gerwig, Joe Swanberg (Full Cast)
Studio: IFC Films
The Plot: A young couple (Gerwig and Swanberg) face the tension that begins to appear in their long-distance relationship as they shuttle back and forth between New York City and Chicago.
THE BUZZ: The mumblecore movement categorized by recent movies such as Old Joy and The Puffy Chair sees its volume dial turned up a few notches with the latest no-budget film from Joe Swanberg and Greta Gerwig (LOL, Hannah Takes the Stairs). The narrative begins with the dissolution of their relationship, then picks up a year later. Interspliced is plenty of nudity to keep you engaged if your own personal long-distance partner makes you attend a showing of this film; it'll provide a kind of distraction when and if you catch yourself wondering what exactly you are doing at this particular point in your life, with the particular person next to you.

OCTOBER 17th

W. [limited]
Director: Oliver Stone
Stars: Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Banks, Ioan Gruffudd (Full Cast)
Studio: Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment
The Plot: Texas Governor, George W. Bush, follows in the footsteps of his father, former President George H.W. Bush, in the wake of a controversial election to lead the United States of America.
THE BUZZ: People love him, people hate him. And we're just talking about the director. Whatever your take is: Stone's the perfect choice to bring this biopic to life. As for Mr. Bush, we're pretty sure this film will get a higher approval rating than he does. Not that that's saying much. But, with an all-star cast including the red-hot Brolin as the man-in-charge and Mr. Fantastic as Teflon Tony, this one's got our vote based on curiosity alone.

Sex Drive
Director: Sean Anders
Stars: Josh Zuckerman, Clark Duke, Amanda Crew (Full Cast)
Studio: Summit Distribution
The Plot: High school senior Ian (Zuckerman) "borrows" his brother's beloved '69 GTO and recruits his best friends (Duke and Crew) on a road trip from Chicago to Knoxville in order to hook up with a babe he met online.
THE BUZZ: Director Sean Anders has one cult film under his belt (Never Been Thawed) and he's writing the proposed Meatballs remake (boo, hiss), but here he's offering a sex comedy that is an homage to everything between Fast Times and American Pie. While I don't think Judd Apatow needs to be looking over his shoulder, this is the kind of movie that we all dismiss until it pulls down big DVD numbers. You might remember star Josh Zuckerman as Hot Wheels from Feast (and he's also in the sequel); meanwhile, only Seth Green could truly turn a role as an Amish farmer into something that looks worth catching (and we hear his character throws a mighty rave).

Morning Light [limited]
Director: Paul Crowder Mark Monroe
Stars: Chris Branning, Kate Theisen, Chris Schubert (Full Cast)
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
The Plot: Fifteen young sailors are chosen for a six-month training in order to compete in one of the most challenging open-ocean sailing races in the world.
THE BUZZ: So many of us have OD'ed on nasty reality shows ... this documentary is an antidote. Although that bearded dude in the trailer looks like troubllllllllle ... like the guy who'd steal your passport from the hostel. See? I'm ruined by "Big Brother."

Max Payne
Director: John Moore
Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Beau Bridges (Full Cast)
Studio: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
The Plot: Coming together to solve a series of murders in New York City are a DEA agent (Wahlberg) whose family was slain as part of a conspiracy and an assassin (Kunis) out to avenge her sister's death. The duo will be hunted by the police, the mob, and a ruthless corporation.
THE BUZZ: Director John Moore (Behind Enemy Lines) is back in his element after stinking up the big screen with a pair of woeful remakes earlier this decade. But don't video-game adaptations seem so boringly retro in 2008, the year of the superhero? Ditto the normally bankable Mark Wahlberg, who managed to make a worse film than Rock Star this past summer. I think Sony should put Quarantine back in this slot to take on Payne (Screen Gems, Sony's lower-budget distribution arm, pushed up their buzzing horror remake's release date once Payne staked out the 17th for his assault).

The Secret Life of Bees
Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Stars: Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Queen Latifah (Full Cast)
Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures
The Plot: South Carolina, 1964: A fateful incident inspires young Lily Owens (Fanning) to flee her abusive household with Rosaleen Daise (Hudson), the only parental figure she's ever known, in tow. Together, the duo travel to the fictional town of Tiburon, where they are taken in by an eccentric trio of beekeeping sisters, and Lily begins to piece together the secrets of her deceased mother's past.
THE BUZZ: No buzz jokes, please. Love & Basketball filmmaker Gina Prince-Bythewood adapted and directed Sue Monk Kidd's highly regarded novel, and the timing for her film could not be better, since I expect it'll appeal to mother-daughter duos (similar to Twilight moms and their progeny) in this femme-friendly year. Plus, could one of the Boatwright sisters find themselves nominated for Oscar?

What Just Happened? [limited]
Director: Barry Levinson
Stars: Robert De Niro, John Turturro, Stanley Tucci (Full Cast)
Studio: Magnolia Pictures
The Plot: A comedy that chronicles two weeks in the life of a fading Hollywood producer (De Niro) who's having a rough time trying to get his new picture made.
THE BUZZ: Aside from good-humored as-themselves appearances from Bruce Willis and Sean Penn, critical reaction has been less than favorable to Barry Levinson's movie version of the Hollywood-insider novel by Art Linson (who adapted his own material for the big screen). Put another way: WJH? was not supposed to end up at an indie distributor such as Magnolia (no offense, dudes) but that's what happened months (and months) after two splashy festival dates (first Sundance, then Cannes) didn't yield a U.S. distributor.

OCTOBER 24th

High School Musical 3: Senior Year
Director: Kenny Ortega
Stars: Zac Efron, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale (Full Cast)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
The Plot: As seniors in high school, Troy (Efron) and Gabriella (Hudgens) struggle with the idea of being separated from one another as college approaches. Along with the rest of the Wildcats, they stage a spring musical to address their experiences, hopes and fears about their future.
THE BUZZ: Here's the dirty little secret of the HSM flicks -- they're actually not half bad, executed with solid professionalism, boundless enthusiasm, and wholeheated willingness to embrace a world of 'dances 'n songs!' (here's a question: does the Generation HSM even know who Xander from "Buffy" is?). It's an immersive musical sensibility that recent big-screen musicals like Dreamgirls and Chicago shied away from with their jazz hands wide open. But will what looks great on TV transfer to the big screen? It's kind of beside the point -- the audience is built-in, with wallets already open, as the Hannah Montana concert movie proved. First Showing has the first trailer ...

Changeling [limited]
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Angelina Jolie, Colm Feore, Amy Ryan (Full Cast)
Studio: Universal Pictures
The Plot: 1920s Los Angeles: A woman (Jolie) who is reunited with her missing son is subsequently committed to an insane asylum when she begins to question whether the boy is her child. Ultimately bringing her case to the city council, she begins to pick apart a conspiracy that reverberates throughout the city.
THE BUZZ: This is the higher-profile project from Clint Eastwood this year (Gran Torino, meanwhile, is shaping up as some sort of spin on Tokyo Drift -- for serious) and it's definite awards-bait in the vein of L.A. Confidential and Chinatown, because we all know how much the Academy likes Angelina when she's been institutionalized. Cinematical has great things to say about Eastwood, Jolie, Amy Adams, and the rest of the talented cast and crew after seeing its Cannes debut.

Saw V
Director: David Hackl
Stars: Scott Patterson, Costas Mandylor, Tobin Bell (Full Cast)
Studio: Lionsgate
The Plot: Forensics expert Hoffman (Mandylor) goes on the hunt in order to prevent being identified as the newest person to carry on Jigsaw's legacy.
THE BUZZ: The fifth installment of the Jigsaw legacy has wrapped production under the direction of David Hackl (the production designer/trap master who has been with the franchise since the second chapter), and details have spilled like so much blood. Official Saw is the best place to go for updates and first looks; our message boards are the place to be if you want to read long theoretical strings about how Rigg will be the new Amanda. We hear there are two twists at the end here, so while you keep your eye on Hoffman, you might just want to keep Rigg in check as well.

Passengers
Director: Rodrigo García
Stars: Anne Hathaway, Patrick Wilson, David Morse (Full Cast)
Studio: Columbia Pictures
The Plot: A grief counselor (Hathaway) working with a group of plane-crash survivors finds herself at the root of a mystery when her clients begin to disappear.
THE BUZZ: By cribbing a bit from Lost and setting this mystery in the Pacific Northwest (forever made creepy by Twin Peaks), suddenly I'm primed for the strange thrills in store for Ms. Hathaway, Mr. Wilson, and their ace supporting cast. But I have to admit: As much as I'm looking forward to Hathaway exploring the genre, you know one of the reasons Sony is keeping this PG-13 is to not alienate the youngsters that love their Prada Princess; we wish she was allowed to wade out in deeper, murkier territory.
Pride and Glory
Director: Gavin O'Connor
Stars: Edward Norton, Colin Farrell, Noah Emmerich (Full Cast)
Studio: New Line Cinema
The Plot: A family of prominent New York City cops is shaken to its core when one brother (Norton) uncovers a scandal at his sibling's precinct.
THE BUZZ: For those of us who have been tracking this film through its initial production and subsequent re-shoots, this October 2008 release date is a relief on the one hand and somewhat distressing news on the other. Perhaps Gavin O'Connor's first excursion into dark territory doesn't look as good on film as it does on paper? Still, Edward Norton and Colin Farrell -- I'd buy one of their table reads on DVD.

Synecdoche, New York [limited]
Director: Charlie Kaufman
Stars: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Samantha Morton, Michelle Williams (Full Cast)
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics
The Plot: A theater director (Hoffman) struggles with his work, and the women in his life, as he attempts to create a life-size replica of New York inside a warehouse as part of his new play.
THE BUZZ: The indie-movie business is hurting, and now no one knows this better than Charlie Kaufman, the still-celebrated screenwriter who encountered a frosty environment when his directorial debut screened as Cannes this year. Synecdoche sold two months after the festival ended (the so-so reception couldn't have helped the matter, just so we're clear here), and two other highly anticipated Cannes premieres, Che and Two Lovers, which have yet to find U.S. distribution. Us? We're primed for the picture, which has been described by many as a story you have to see more than once in order to take it all in. Sounds perfect to us, since it's not like we walked out of the theater knowing what to do with our hearts after seeing Eternal Sunshine for the first time. More on this one when a trailer is finally released. P.S. Whoever first said that Focus Feature should have snapped this one up is right on the money.

OCTOBER 31st

The Haunting of Molly Hartley
Director: Mickey Liddell
Stars: Haley Bennett, Chace Crawford (Full Cast)
Studio: Freestyle Releasing
The Plot: Molly Hartley (Bennett) looks to put her troubled past behind her with a fresh start at a new school, where she sparks with one of the most popular students (Crawford). But can her secrets stay buried, especially as she learns more about the horrific truth that awaits her once she turns 18?
THE BUZZ: The presence of "Gossip Girl"'s Chace Crawford might help attract an audience that would otherwise pass on this low-budget thriller, which marks producer Mickey Liddell's directorial debut and his first teen-skewing project since Go. Really, though, is this truly anything more than ultimate slumber-party fodder? MTV just posted the trailer, which fuels our suspicion that the movie might make for a fun night in with Serena van der Woodsen -- but a theatrical release? Not so much. XOXO

Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Director: Kevin Smith
Stars: Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks (Full Cast)
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
The Plot: Lifelong platonic friends Zack (Rogen) and Miri (Banks) look to solve their respective cashflow problems by directing and starring in their own adult film.
THE BUZZ: Two of the busiest actors in L.A. get down for Kevin Smith and his legion of sex-hungry fanboys who probably won't take the second to realize that Elizabeth Banks and the slimmed down Seth Rogen look more like sister and brother than potential soulmates. As the f-word pings around theaters in THX, look for Banks to pull a Heigl and outshine her male counterpart; meanwhile here's hoping Kevin S. pulls away from Harvey W. and makes Red State his follow-up project.

Splinter [limited]
Director: Toby Wilkins
Stars: Shea Whigham, Jill Wagner, Paulo Costanzo (Full Cast)
Studio: Magnet Releasing
The Plot: An ex-con and his girlfriend dupe a young couple into driving them to Mexico, though the trip is beset with troubles, namely, a parasite that prey on humans and turns its victims into deadly hosts. Now holed up in a remote gas station, can the unlikely alliance outlast their attacker?
THE BUZZ: The first movie from visual-effects vet Toby Wilkins has earned a limited Halloween release, which is more you can say about his in-production, direct-to-DVD project, The Grudge 3. Horror-loving insiders love the movie, and here's what else I know: It's not long before one of the quartet pushes up daisies, violently. We're expecting the trailer for this one any day now ...

The Other End of the Line [limited]
Director: James Dodson
Stars: Jesse Metcalfe, Sara Foster, Anupam Kher (Full Cast)
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
The Plot: An employee at an India-based call-center (Foster) travels to San Francisco to be with a guy (Metcalfe) she has fallen for over the phone.
THE BUZZ: Producer Ashok Amritraj has a mixed track record here in the U.S., with plenty of hits and misses during his nearly 25 years in the business. This romantic comedy is an experiment; Amritraj wants to see if he can successfully import some Indian stars to America, and vice versa. While I feel like the former landscaper's physique will turn heads in any country, I don't think it's going to be on display in this good-natured affair. Ditto Metcalfe's lesser-known co-star, Sara Foster, who looks like a supermodel from yesterday (but, you know, updated for today) without the résumé to back it up (yet).

Green Lantern Aims For Spring 2009 Shoot

Our friends at FirstShowing caught up with producer Donald De Line, who revealed that a new draft of The Green Lantern has been turned in, and while nothing is “confirmed” they’re “gearing up to start shooting early spring.” 

I have to admit that while I’ve read comics over the years, Lantern isn’t one of them. I’ve never found the character to be that interesting, but have a lot of friends who disagree. Our friends at Latino Review got their hands on the script a couple weeks ago, and El Mayimbe called it “one of the most solid first draft superhero screenplays EVER”. Talk about high praise. One thing is for sure, DC needs to bring their A game to compete with the onslaught of Marvel projects coming up.

Kenneth Branagh to Direct Thor!

Kenneth Branagh is negotiating to direct Thor for Marvel Studios, reports Variety. The comic book adaptation is scheduled for a June 4, 2010 release. 

Branagh is the latest in a string of directors -- such as Jon Favreau (Iron Man), Christopher Nolan (the Batman franchise) and Gavin Hood (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) -- with arthouse roots taking on big-budget comic book fare. 

Marvel will set a distributor for Thor shortly. 

Thor, written by Mark Protosevich, follows disabled medical student Donald Blake, who has an alter ego as the hammer-wielding Norse god Thor.

Marvel Studios and Paramount Extend Distribution Agreement

Paramount Pictures and Marvel Studios today announced an agreement under which Paramount will distribute Marvel's next five self-produced feature films on a worldwide basis. The deal, an extension of the original agreement made by Brad Grey when he arrived as CEO and Chairman of Paramount Pictures, includes theatrical distribution in foreign territories previously serviced by Marvel through local distribution entities (Japan, Germany, France, Spain and Australia/New Zealand). The distribution pact capitalizes on Marvel and Paramount's successful efforts with Iron Man, which has grossed $574 million worldwide for Marvel. 

The highly anticipated live action releases include Iron Man 2 (May 7, 2010), Thor (July 16, 2010), The First Avenger: Captain America (May 6, 2011), and The Avengers (July 15, 2011). The distribution agreement also includes Iron Man 3. 

"Coming off of 'Iron Man's' incredible success this summer, we could not be more excited about extending our relationship with Marvel," said Rob Moore, Vice Chairman of Paramount Pictures. "Marvel's iconic brand, its popular characters and its proven ability to create compelling and visually spellbinding films complement Paramount's great history of filmmaking. We look forward to a long and successful run together." 

"Paramount is an excellent partner and an outstanding global distributor," said David Maisel, Chairman of Marvel Studios. "Through our experience on 'Iron Man,' Paramount has demonstrated a passion and ability to release Marvel properties theatrically, allowing us to focus on making great movies for the largest audience possible." 

Marvel's Iron Man, starring Robert Downey Jr. and directed by Jon Favreau, was distributed by Paramount earlier this year and was one of the top films of 2008. The DVD, including a version in Blu-ray, will be released on September 30, 2008.

Miramax Acquires Clive Owen's Boys

Miramax Films has acquired North American and Western European rights (excluding Spain) to Scott Hicks' drama The Boys Are Back, starring Clive Owen. 

The Hollywood Reporter says that in Allan Cubitt's adaptation of Simon Carr's seriocomic novel "The Boys Are Back in Town," Owen plays a widower struggling to raise his two sons. Laura Fraser and Emma Booth also star. 

Greg Brenman (Billy Elliot) and Tim White (Out of the Blue) are producing the film, which begins principal photography today in Australia.

Zack Snyder Developing 3 EA Video Games

Zack Snyder (upcoming Watchmen, 300) has signed a deal to develop three original games for Electronic Arts, reports Variety. 

Snyder will work with EA's Los Angeles studio in Playa Vista to produce his games. EA will own the intellectual properties, but under the deal the publisher may turn some or all of them into films that will be produced by Snyder's Cruel & Unusual Films banner, which is run by the director with co-president Deborah Snyder and producer Wesley Coller. 

"Zack Snyder has a fresh and bold creative style that resonates with our core audience," EA Games label president Frank Gibeau said in a statement. Snyder is joining a small group of Hollywood helmers who produce video games that aren't adaptation of their own films, including Steven Spielberg, John Woo and Peter Jackson.

Brand New Music Video: Bayside - No One Understands

The official video for Bayside's first single off of "Shudder".

Lethal Weapon 5 Waits on Mel Gibson’s Approval

In August it was revealed that Shane Black was working on a screenplay for Lethal Weapon 5. When news hit earlier this week that Black had signed on to direct Cold Warrior for Universal, we assumed that the momentum for a new Lethal Weapon film had died. Entertainment Weekly reveals that producer Joel Silver is waiting on series star Mel Gibson’s approval of Black’s treatment for the fifth film. Apparently, the story introduces a new pair of young NYPD police officers, and Silver needs Gibson’s approval before moving forward. And Black still intends to direct the fifth film in the series.

Eagle Eye Sets Its Sights on the Top Spot

The ComingSoon.net Box Office Report has been updated with studio estimates for the weekend. Click here for the full box office estimates of the top 12 films and then check back on Monday for the final figures based on actual box office. 

While the first Presidential election between Obama and McCain may have kept some people home on Friday night, the box office was up this weekend from last, thanks to the release of DreamWorks' Eagle Eye, an action-thriller that brought in $29.2 million from 3,500 conventional and IMAX theaters to become the fourth biggest September opening ever. The movie reunited actor Shia LaBeouf with D.J. Caruso, director of his 2007 sleeper hit Disturbia; while the tech-enhanced thriller is now director D. J. Caruso's top opener, it only made a little more in its first weekend than LaBeouf's turn in last year's blokcbuster Transformers made its first full opening day. 

The reunion of Richard Gere and Diane Lane in the Nicholas Sparks adaptation Nights in Rodanthe (Warner Bros.) grossed $13.6 million its opening weekend in 2,700 theaters for a solid second place. It's both actors' best opening weekend since they were teamed in the 2002 thriller Unfaithful, which opened with $14 million. (We're not counting Jumper for Lane because she only had a cameo in the film.) 

Last week's #1, Screen Gems' thriller Lakeview Terrace starring Samuel L. Jackson dropped 53% in its second weekend, taking third place with $7 million and a total gross of $25.7 million. 

The inspirational drama Fireproof (Samuel Goldwyn) starring Kirk Cameron may have been the weekend's biggest surprise, as it became the biggest opener for the indie distributor, grossing $6.5 million in 839 theaters, scoring the second highest per-theater average in the Top 10. The movie's amazing opening weekend could be traced back to church groups who pushed advance sales of the spiritual movie, making it the third highest-opening "Christian" movie, not including Disney's "Narnia" films. 

Joel & Ethan Coen's dark comedy Burn After Reading (Focus Features) dropped down to 5th place with $6.2 million and a grand total of $45.5 million after three weeks, putting it slightly ahead of the Oscar-winning bros' 2000 hit O Brother, Where Art Thou? as their second highest-grossing film. 

MGM's G-rated animated comedy Igor, featuring the voice of John Cusack, held up well in its second weekend, bringing in $5.5 million, off just 30% from its opening weekend, to bring its total to $14.3 million. 

The police crime-thriller Righteous Kill (Overture) starring De Niro and Pacino took 7th place with $3.8 million, moving ahead of Lionsgate's R-rated romantic comedy My Best Friend's Girl, co-starring Kate Hudson, Dane Cook and Jason Biggs, which dropped 54% and 5 places to also end up with $3.8 million in its second weekend. Righteous Kill has grossed $34.8 million in three weeks, while My Best Friend's Girl brings its total to $14.5 million after ten days. 

Opening in ninth place, Spike Lee's highly-anticipated war movie Miracle at St. Anna (Touchstone Pictures) grossed just $3.5 million in 1,185 theaters, a weak per-theater average of under $3,000 per site, making it the biggest bomb of the new movies in wide release. Although Lee's biggest movie is reported to have a budget of $45 million, roughly 60% of that came from Italian backers with Touchstone fronting roughly $8 million more. 

Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys (Lionsgate) rounded out the Top 10 with $3.2 million, another large drop from its previous weekend. So far, it's grossed $32.8 million in three weeks, making it doubtful that it will gross the $41 million made by Perry's last film, Meet the Browns. 

Clark Gregg's adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk's Choke, starring Samuel Rockwell, opened in 435 theaters, bringing in $1.3 million for a 14th place opening with an average of $3,000 per site. Neil Burger's The Lucky Ones (Roadside Attractions) didn't fare as well, grossing just $208,000 in a similar number of theaters. 

The Top 10 grossed $82.1 million, about $10 million more than the Top 10 made in the same September closing weekend last year.

Fox Slams Door on Do Not Disturb

Fox has canceled Jerry O'Connell and Niecy Nash's inn-centered sitcom, Do Not Disturb, after just three episodes. The series launched to low ratings, and didn't pick up enough steam to last a full season, EW's Michael Ausiello reports. 

The show's Wednesday slot will be filled by 'Til Death reruns for the moment. The cancellation comes days after the production team sent a letter to TV critics apologizing (!) "for being the perpetrators of such bad television." In addition, the team also blamed the show's bad reception, in part, on Fox's decision to air a different first episode than initially planned, according to Variety. 

Asked to comment, a Fox rep told TVGuide.com "the show is pre-empted next week," but elaborated no further.

UMG Plans Online Music Video Portal

Universal Music Group is in the planning stages of establishing its own online music video portal—similar to NBC’s Hulu video streaming site, Billboard.biz has learned. 

According to sources with knowledge of UMG’s plans, the service would host not only music videos, but also a variety of other programming, such as artist-focused content and editorial. Content from other labels and content partners is also welcome, sources say, and UMG would likely partner with a “leading media company” to manage the site. 

The venture is not expected to have any affect on UMG’s licensing relationships with YouTube, which is set to expire at the end of the year, or any other online source hosting the label’s music videos. Instead, it is an effort to produce and syndicate higher-quality premium content than is available from other sources in an attempt to bring in more advertising dollars. 

UMG's music video channel is the most popular on YouTube, having streamed more than 2.6 billion videos over the last year. UMG historically has been very aggressive on issues regarding music videos online. It was the first label to insist that websites provide compensation for streaming its music videos. Previously, music videos were licensed freely to all who wanted them, as they were considered a promotional vehicle more than a profit center.