Brett Ratner Commits to Conan

The Hollywood Reporter says that Brett Ratner has weighed two high-profile projects the past few weeks: Paramount's fourth installment of the "Beverly Hills Cop" franchise and a 21st century take on "Conan" co-produced by Nu Image/Millennium and Lionsgate. 

Ratner has now made his choice and is in final negotiations to direct Conan, which is aiming for a release in early 2010. 

The trade says that Ratner jived to the Conan script by Joshua Oppenheimer and Thomas Dean Donnelly, who looked to Robert E. Howard's original pulp stories of the 1930s to create their take on the character. The writers are doing a quick polish to incorporate some of Ratner's ideas. 

Joe Gatta and Avi Lerner of Millennium Films are producing, along with Paradox Entertainment president and CEO Fredrik Malmberg. 

Millennium and Lionsgate are eyeing a potential franchise and envision a very R-rated approach in the $85 million budget range. Preproduction is under way for a shoot at Nu Image's Nu Boyana Studio in Bulgaria. 

"The story opens on the battlefield where Conan is born and tells the origin story that sets the stage for what will be the first of multiple films," Lerner said.

Monsters vs. Aliens (2009) Movie Trailer

When a meteorite from outer space hits a young California girl named Susan Murphy and turns her into a giant monster, she is taken to a secret government compound where she meets a ragtag group of monsters also rounded up over the years. As a last resort, under the guidance of General W.R. Monger, on a desperate order from The President, the motley crew of Monsters is called into action to combat the aliens and save the world from imminent destruction! 

The cast of "Monsters vs. Aliens" includes: Oscar® winner Reese Witherspoon ("Walk the Line," "Rendition") as Susan Murphy, a.k.a. Ginormica; Golden Globe winner Hugh Laurie (TV's "House," "Stuart Little") as Dr. Cockroach, Ph.D.; Will Arnett (TV's "Arrested Development," "Blades of Glory") as The Missing Link; Seth Rogen ("Knocked Up," "Superbad") as B.O.B.; Rainn Wilson ("Juno," TV's "The Office") as Gallaxhar; Emmy winner Stephen Colbert (TV's "The Colbert Report," "Bewitched") as The President of the United States; Golden Globe winner Kiefer Sutherland (TV's "24," "Phone Booth") as General W.R. Monger; and Paul Rudd ("Knocked Up," "Night at the Museum") as Susan's boyfriend, Derek. 

Release Date: March 27, 2009

Rock to Star and Co-Write Death at a Funeral

Chris Rock is set to star and co-write Death at a Funeral, a re-imagining of the 2007 comedy for Screen Gems and Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, reports Variety. 

Aeysha Carr will write the script with Rock for a comedy inspired by the SKE-produced original, which was written by Dean Craig and directed by Frank Oz. 

The plan is to make an ensemble comedy about a funeral ceremony that leads to the digging up of shocking family secrets, as well as misplaced cadavers and indecent exposure. While the original was set in Britain, the new film will take place in an urban American setting. 

Screen Gems and SKE are out to directors, and will begin production next spring.

Lost Finds Itself Back on Wednesdays for Season 5

Cue our favorite creepy whooshing sound, because ABC has confirmed the premiere date for the fifth season of Lost, and it's Jan. 21. 

Yep, that's a Wednesday, and it's where Lost — which last season aired Thursdays at 10 pm/ET, following Grey's Anatomy — will stay. 

More specifically, Lost's regular time slot will be Wednesdays at 9 pm, though the new cycle will kick off with a three-hour event — a clip show followed by the first two episodes. 

Last season, Lost saw its best-laid plans to air all of its episodes uninterrupted, à la 24, waylaid by the WGA strike. At this time, sources are unable to confirm if the 17-episode Season 5 will in fact pull off the straight-through feat.

Jamie Foxx Taps Into 'Intuition'

Jamie Foxx will take a break from Hollywood next month to release his third album, "Intuition." 

Due Dec. 16 from J Records, the set is preceded by the single "Just Like Me" featuring T.I., which is the top debut this week at No. 48 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. 

The track, which was co-written and produced by the hitmaking team of the-Dream and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, goes to digital retailers on Tuesday. 

"Intuition" will also feature contributions from Timbaland, Ne-Yo, Sean Garrett, Salaam Remi and Carlos McKinney, among others. It's the follow-up to 2005's "Unpredictable," which has sold 1.98 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. 

Foxx next appears alongside Robert Downey Jr. in "The Soloist," which opens March 13 in U.S. theaters.

The Strokes Getting Back To Work In '09

The Strokes plan to regroup in February, ending a hiatus that began after touring to promote 2006's "First Impressions of Earth," according to drummer Fabrizio Moretti. 

Moretti -- who's about to tour in support of the just-released debut album of his new band Little Joy -- tells Billboard.com that the quintet has "plans of meeting up all of us together in February (to) kind of start noodling around and stuff." A new album and, presumably, more touring, is expected to follow. 

Moretti says the five Strokes are "all pals" and relationships are good, but he did some have concerns about whether the group would indeed come back together. "I never had anything to base that anxiety on, but it crossed my mind," he confesses. "We all kinda knew we were just taking a bit of a break." 

Moretti made the most of his time away with Little Joy, a group he formed with girlfriend Binki Shapiro and Rodrigo Amarante of Brazil's Los Hermanos, who Moretti met when both of their bands played at a festival in Portugal. The trio recorded its 11-track debut in Los Angeles -- where Moretti and Shapiro reside -- with producer Noah Georgeson. 

The Strokes' Nick Valensi, Devandra Banhart (Moretti guested on the new album by Banhart's Megapuss) and the Moldy Peaches' Adam Green make guest appearances. Another two musicians will accompany the trio on its tour, and Moretti says shows will include covers and some unreleased and even brand new Little Joy songs. 

"I think this is not a side project," says Moretti, who in addition to drums plays guitar, bass and piano and sings backing vocals on "Little Joy." "This would've been a side project had it been solely my songs and I was singing and I hired these guys. But it's really a band that evolved into an honest kind of three-part beast, I guess you can say. And I would like to continue with it, even when I go back to the Strokes."

Spielberg and Smith Eyeing Oldboy Remake

Steven Spielberg and Will Smith are in early discussions to collaborate on a remake of Chan Wook-park's Oldboy, says Variety. DreamWorks is in the process of securing the remake rights, and the new film will be distributed by Universal. 

In the 2003 Korean original, a man gets kidnapped and held in a shabby cell for 15 years without explanation. Suddenly, he's released and given money, a cell phone and clothes and is set on a path to discover who destroyed his life so he can take revenge.

Smith who would play the kidnapped man if all the pieces fall into place. Spielberg is looking for a writer to begin the development process. 

Spielberg is next expected to direct Tintin.

Steve Carell to Make Beaver Speak?

The Hollywood Reporter says Anonymous Content recently picked up The Beaver, a script from first-time writer Kyle Killen about a man who walks around with a beaver puppet on his hand, treating it as something close to a human creature with human feelings.

The trade says that Steve Carell (Get Smart, "The Office") is attached to play the lead. 

The fable, which occupies the fantastical territory somewhere between Being John Malkovich and Lars and the Real Girl, has a lot of studios interested. Anonymous is seeking a director. 

Killen is one of those spec-writer rags-to-riches stories -- a 30ish USC grad whose writing career until now has consisted of writing for small literary magazines. He follows a tradition that this year alone includes such previous unknowns as Michael Martin and Brad Ingelsby.

CG-Animated Santa Claus Movie Coming

Ashok Amritraj's Hyde Park Entertainment has joined forces with Singapore-based Toonz Entertainment and Gang of 7 Animation to mount The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, a CG-animated feature based on the book by L. Frank Baum. 

Variety says the film is expected to be ready for a holiday 2010 theatrical release. 

"Santa Claus" will be the first animated film for Hyde Park. Gang of 7 Animation head Tom Tataranowicz will direct with Rich Arons and Dick Sebast. Tataranowicz wrote the script with Mark Edward Edens. 

Production begins in November at the Toonz Animation Studio in India. The story follows Santa's formative years, including a battle against the heart of evil that establishes the Santa mythology.

Chris Morgan Writing Screenplay For ‘Wanted 2,’ Hints At Sequel Going ‘Global’

When “Wanted” screenwriter Chris Morgan first helped bring to life the ultra-violent story about a world where supervillains had kicked out the good guys, he had some pretty impressive source material in Mark Millar and J.G. Jones’ critically praised graphic novel. While there won’t be the same ready-made reference for “Wanted 2,” the writer told MTV that shouldn’t be cause for concern among fans. And he should know, since he’s the one writing it. 

“Yes, I will be writing it,” confirmed Morgan. “I’m actually leaving this conversation with you to go to a meeting with the director, Timur [Bekmambetov], and we’re talking about the story.” 

According to Morgan, Universal Pictures is in the final stages of negotiating a deal with Millar for a sequel to the June 2008 film, which was a box-office success despite diverging significantly from the story in the graphic novel. Millar hasn’t given any indication that he’ll be penning a print follow-up to “Wanted,” but as with other projects adapted from his work, the comic book writer is expected to take an active role in shaping the over-arching story. 

“As far as I know, the studio is finishing their deal with Mark [Millar], and then we’re all going to get together and collaborate,” said Morgan, a longtime comics fan. “And that’s something I’m very excited about.” 

As for the plot of the second film, Morgan acknowledged the difficulty of scripting the sequel to a film in which most of the supporting cast is, well… dead. While Terence Stamp has teased that his character, Pekwarsky, will be making a return in “Wanted 2,” one of the only other characters to survive the first film was the film’s lead, Wesley Gibson (played by James McCavoy). 

“That is the challenge here,” laughed Morgan, “but the point is to continue the journey that Wes started in the first film. Wherever he ended up at the end of the film, now it’s time to move him forward.” 

“There’s a natural journey that Wes needs to take,” continued Morgan, adding that the sequel “is going to be opened up to be more global.” 

However, Morgan was quick to add that the film is very much in the early stages of story development at this point, “so anything I tell you about is likely to change.”

Sylvester Stallone Helming The Expendables

Sylvester Stallone is set to star in and direct The Expendables for Nu Image/Millennium Films, reports Variety. 

Stallone, who also wrote the script, will be joined onscreen by Jason Statham, while Jet Li is in final negotiations to join the action film. 

The movie follows a team of mercenaries on a mission to overthrow a South American dictator. 

Filming starts in February in Costa Rica and Louisiana. 

The producers are Avi Lerner, John Thompson and Kevin King Templeton. Boaz Davidson, Trevor Short and Danny Dimbort executive produce.

Jack Black Set for Gulliver's Travels

20th Century Fox is moving forward with a big screen adaptation of Gulliver's Travels, with Jack Black taking on the title role as his next project, says Variety. 

Rob Letterman (Shark Tale) has signed on to direct the contemporary reimagining of the classic Jonathan Swift tale. 

The story centers on Lemuel Gulliver, a free-spirited travel writer who, on an assignment to the Bermuda Triangle, suddenly finds himself a giant among men when he washes ashore on the hidden island of Lilliput, home to a population of industrious, yet tiny, people. 

Forgetting Sarah Marshall director Nicholas Stoller and Joe Stillman (Shrek) wrote the screenplay. 

Shooting will start in March.

War of the Gods and Clash of the Titans Casting Begins

Relativity Media is negotiating with Henry Cavill ("The Tudors") to star as Theseus in the Tarsem Singh-directed War of the Gods. 

At the same time, Warner Bros. is in talks with Sam Worthington (Terminator Salvation, Avatar) to play the role of Perseus in the Louis Leterrier-directed Clash of the Titans.

Variety says that deals for both actors are expected to be worked out, keeping the Greek mythology-themed projects on a parallel track. Both films are expected to begin production by late winter or early spring and both will use the greenscreen techniques that made 300 so visually arresting. 

Relativity bought the Charley and Vlas Parlapanides-scripted War of the Gods last summer. Hollywood Gang's Gianni Nunnari and Canton Productions' Mark Canton are producing with Ryan Kavanaugh. 

Clash of the Titans is a remake of the 1981 film that tells the story of Zeus son Perseus' journey and battles against Medusa. Written by Lawrence Kasdan, the film is a co-production with Legendary Pictures, produced by Basil Iwanyk of Thunder Road and Kevin De La Noy.

Boorman to Helm CG-Animated Wizard of Oz

John Boorman is attached to direct the $25 million, CG-animated pic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. 

The adaptation of L. Frank Baum's original novel will be Boorman's first animated film. 

Produced by Laurent Rodon and Claude Gorvsky at France's Films Actions and John Boorman's longtime associate Kieran Corrigan, and currently in pre-production, "Oz" is written by Boorman, Ron Mita and Jim McClain (Robots). 

The film is scheduled for a summer 2010 release. 

The English-language adaptation maintains the tale's main characters and settings. Unlike the MGM classic, however, it's not a musical.

Marc Forster in Talks for Die Bad

Variety says that Universal Pictures is in negotiations to remake the Korean film Die Bad, developing the drama as a potential directing vehicle for Quantum of Solace helmer Marc Forster. 

Brad Ingelsby will write the script. 

The film will be produced by Forster and his Apparatus partner Brad Simpson, Vertigo's Roy Lee and Doug Davison and Rick Schwartz of Overnight Productions. 

Written and directed by Seung-wan Ryoo, the 2000 original consisted of four short films that told the story of the rise and fall of a gangster. The components are being combined for the English-language remake that will be set in New York.

Jackie Chan Starting Up “Junior Soldiers”

What is it about Hollywood money that completely destroys Asian film greats? 

As an Asian-American raised on pop Asian action classics like Hard Boiled, Drunken Master 2, and Once Upon a Time in China, I’ve seen virtually every one of my childhood heroes fall dramatically in stature after coming stateside. John Woo made Paycheck. Jackie Chan appeared in the Tuxedo and Rush Hour 3. Jet Li made The One (among others), rather than appear in the Matrix sequels. And the latter both made The Forbidden Kingdom . 

Adding fuel to the fire is that fact that John Woo’s return to Asian cinema has resulted in the apparently-monstrously successful Red Cliff.  Chan’s own recent New Police Story showed me that the man still has game, even if he can’t risk exactly the same death-defying stunts of days past. 

Now comes word from Variety that Chan has started working on Junior Soldiers, a “road movie” set during the Qin dynasty that Chan will produce, write, and star in. According to Variety, the movie “focuses on three people and a horse.” Even that plot description sounds a bit heavy for a Jackie Chan film, but I’m always up for whatever he tries next, even if it’s just to catch the action scenes (which, let’s face it, is pretty much the only reason to watch any Chan film). Here’s hoping the set pieces will still wow.

Smokin' Aces Prequel Gets the Green Light

Smokin' Aces writer/director Joe Carnahan says on his official website that a prequel to the 2007 release has been greenlit. He wrote the following on October 30th: 

Finally, some actual 'Smokin Aces' news. Universal has officially greenlit the prequel and we are underway. Cameos will abound. Trust me. 

The original action-comedy starred Ben Affleck, Andy Garcia, Alicia Keys, Ray Liotta, Jeremy Piven, Ryan Reynolds, Peter Berg, Taraji Henson, Chris Pine, Martin Henderson, Jason Bateman and Common. 

Made for about $17 million, Smokin' Aces earned $57.1 million worldwide.

Schneider, Dewan and Davis Join Virgin

Rob Schneider, Jenna Dewan (Step Up) and Brianne Davis (Jarhead) will star in sex comedy Virgin on Bourbon Street, which starts filming this week in Detroit. 

The movie, sold at the American Film Market by Echo Bridge Entertainment, sees a night of debauchery threaten the university career of a sexually abstinent woman student. 

It is directed by The Wedding Date helmer Clare Kilner.

Paramount Pictures Acquires Battling Boy

Paramount Pictures has acquired Paul Pope's upcoming graphic novel Battling Boy, with Brad Pitt's Plan B to produce the adaptation, reports Variety. 

The gritty tale centers on the son of a god or superhero who comes down from the top of a mountain at his father's behest in order to rid a giant city of monsters. 

The book will be published in spring 2010 by First Second Books. 

Pope, a multiple Eisner Award winner who writes and illustrates his work, is best known for his "Heavy Liquid" and "Batman: Year 100" comic book series. He worked for years at Kodansha, Japan's best-known manga publisher.

Pushing Daisies Creator Bryan Fuller to Return to Heroes?

When Heroes writers/producers Jeph Loeb and Jesse Alexander were ousted from the show, it was clear that series creator Tim Kring was looking to change things up. I personally stopped watching Heroes because it became needlessly confusing and overstuffed—a far cry from what it was throughout most of its first season. 

Now Kristin dos Santos is reporting that Kring may be aiming to repeat the golden days of that first season by bringing back Bryan Fuller, an acclaimed television writer who has made a habit of creating cult shows. Fuller created Dead Like Me (though he left due to disagreements with the show’s drection), Wonderfalls (unjustifiably cancelled by Fox), and most recently, the sweetly morbid Pushing Daisies. He was a producer throughout most of season one of Heroes, wrote two of the best episodes of the series (most notably, “Company Man”), and was also responsible for much of Claire’s plotline. 

While still unconfirmed, Fuller’s return could be exactly what the show needs right now. It may be difficult to recall today, but season one of Heroes was a refreshingly tight narrative experience (until the finale at least). At the time Lost was muddled in its own convoluted plot machinations, and Heroes served as a sort of anti-Lost for genre television. It’s ironic that today the situation is almost exactly reversed now that Lost is back to kicking ass. 

The only issue with Fuller’s return is that he’ll have to spend less time with his current baby, Pushing Daisies. He could balance his time between both shows—it’s certainly not unheard of—but his potential availability may also hint that Pushing Daisies may not return next season, which is something I’m not quite prepared to think about just yet.

Is King of the Hill Headed for ABC?

Variety says that ABC has expressed interest in "King of the Hill," which Fox last week opted not to renew beyond its current 13th season. 

"King of the Hill" would make a strong companion to the ABC's upcoming animated comedy "The Goode Family," which comes from "King of the Hill" executive producers Mike Judge, John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky. 

Other potential homes for the show include Comedy Central, FX and Cartoon Network. But the series, which would be entering its 14th season, is believed to be too expensive for a cable channel at this point in its run. 

Given the lengthy lead time on animated projects, the 14th season of "King" probably wouldn't be available to ABC until late 2009 or early 2010.

Brand New Music Video: The Cab - Bounce

The Cab's video for 'Bounce' from their album, Whisper War - in stores now on Decaydance / Fueled By Ramen.

November 2008 Movie Releases

November 7
- The Alphabet Killer (Rochester; NY, LA release: Nov. 14)
- The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (limited)
- Gardens of the Night (NY; LA release December 5)
- The Guitar (NY)
- House (limited)
- JCVD (NY)
- Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (conventional theaters and IMAX)
- Otto; or Up with Dead People (limited)
- Pray the Devil Back to Hell (NY)
- Repo! The Genetic Opera (limited)
- Role Models****
- Soul Men

November 12
- Slumdog Millionaire (limited)

November 14
- A Christmas Tale (NY)
- B.O.H.I.C.A. (LA)
- Dostana (Friendship) (limited)
- The Dukes (NY; expands: Nov. 21)
- Eden (limited)
- House of the Sleeping Beauties (NY)
- How About You (limited)
- Quantum of Solace****
- We Are Wizards (NY)

November 21
- Bolt (Disney Digital 3-D)
- Special (NY, LA)
- Twilight

November 26
- Australia
- Four Christmases**
- Milk (limited; expands: Dec. 5; expands: Dec. 12)
- Transporter 3****

NOVEMBER 7th

Soul Men
Director: Malcolm D. Lee
Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, Bernie Mac (Full Cast)
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
The Plot: Though it's been some twenty years since they have spoken with one another, two estranged soul-singing legends (Jackson and Mac) agree to participate in a reunion performance at the Apollo Theater to honor their recently deceased band leader.
THE BUZZ: Oh, man, how to market a movie about a deceased singer right after the passings of co-star Bernie Mac and supporting player Isaac Hayes? The pressure here is on distributor Dimension Films, good-natured director Malcolm Lee (Roll Bounce, Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins), and co-star Sharon Leal, the Dreamgirls scene stealer who here plays Samuel L. Jackson's daughter and the new singer of the soul group.

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
Director: Eric Darnell Tom McGrath
Stars: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer (Full Cast)
Studio: DreamWorks Distribution
The Plot: In the sequel to Madagascar, Alex the lion (voiced by Stiller) and his friends board an NYC-bound plane (that's been "repaired" by their penguin pals), only to find themselves touching down in the African plains. It's an opportunity for the animals to encounter their own kind for the very first time, and to discover, while various plots play out, what "home" truly means to each of them.
THE BUZZ: Say what you will about the original's primitive animation and whatnot, but it tallied up over $400 million in worldwide receipts, so this crack-a-lackin' sequel comes as no surprise -- but did it really require three years to come together? Maybe those psychotic penguins held out for more money. Maybe this time around the creative talent behind the camera will have more going on in the wild (something sorely missing from the first movie). And while we expect a big return here, honestly, we're more primed for Dreamworks' 2009 offering, Monster vs. Aliens.

Repo! The Genetic Opera
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
Stars: Paul Sorvino, Anthony Head, Alexa Vega (Full Cast)
Studio: Lionsgate
The Plot: A worldwide epidemic encourages a biotech company to launch an organ-financing program similar in nature to a standard car loan. Too bad the repossession clause is a killer ...
THE BUZZ: First it was a short film, then it became a play, and now we have the movie version of Darren Smith and Terrance Zdunich's horror musical, which was bankrolled by Twisted Pictures, the production company behind Saw (which also started life as a short film). Though the Saw legacy kickstarted Darren Lynn Bousman's career, you have to imagine the director was thrilled to be let out of his trap and able to stretch his legs a bit. Can we expect something, more engaging and stomach-turning than, say, Sweeney Todd, with flourishes of George Romero-like social commentary (alongside the obvious environmental/healthcare parallels, the health care the suddenly subversive Paris Hilton here plays the surgey-addicted Amber Sweet)? Most reviewers are still trying to figure that out, but one thing is for sure: "Buffy" fans and Saw addicts are likely to converge in theaters this weekend, and the number of screens Repo! is set to open on is increasing as the release date draws near.

Role Models
Director: David Wain
Stars: Paul Rudd, Seann William Scott, Elizabeth Banks (Full Cast)
Studio: Universal Pictures
The Plot: Unsavory behavior forces a pair of energy-drink reps (Rudd and Scott) to enroll in a Big Brother program, where the duo learn, however reluctantly, to bond with their assigned kids.
THE BUZZ: David Wain (The Ten) isn't nearly as famous as Judd Apatow, but he got his career started the same way (both guys turned oddball comedy shows into cult hits in the early/mid-90s) before taking tentative steps toward the big screen. And from the sound of this movie's premise, it appears that Wain is learning the lesson Apatow aced a few years ago: Get less cerebral with your comedy, rotate key players through your projects, and gun for the hard-R rating. I'm curious as to why these Models earned a winter release when they are clearly a summer-movie confection, though it is a savvy and rather funny counter-programming effort by Universal ...

House
Director: Robby Henson
Stars: Reynaldo Rosales, Heidi Dippold, Michael Madsen (Full Cast)
Studio: Roadside Attractions
The Plot: A freak accident strands a couple on a deserted back road in Alabama. Happening upon the Wayside Inn, they meet another couple -- victims of a similar accident -- and thus begins a game enacted by a killer known as the Tin Man. Can the couples survive the night, knowing the only "safe" way out of the inn is to kill one of the four of them?
THE BUZZ: This adaptation of the best-selling novel from Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti finally locked in a post-Halloween release after a year of come-and-go dates. Seeming to combine elements of the Saw legacy, Vacancy, and even Se7en, the material here focuses on the struggle between Good and Evil; that fact, combined with the faith of the writers, is causing a lot of people to brand House as a "Christian cult film." Be that as it may, the trailer reveals a potentially controversial phrase (the villain apparently "killed God" after he let Him into his house) -- a brazen statement that to me makes Jigsaw (who is so tired after Saw V) and his ilk feel somewhat tame in comparison. Director Robby Henson has worked from novels by Dekker (Thr3e) and Peretti (The Visitation) before, and something tells me this triad will find their greatest success working together. Fans of the hardworking Michael Madsen will not be disappointed here, either.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas [limited]
Director: Mark Herman
Stars: Asa Butterfield, David Thewlis, Rupert Friend (Full Cast)
Studio: Miramax Films
The Plot: A WWII-set story as seen through the eyes of Bruno (Butterfield), whose Nazi-Officer father (Thewlis) has just been made the commandant of a concentration camp outside Berlin. Bruno's eventual friendship with Shmuel, a boy his age who is detained at the camp, will usher in a troublesome reality for Bruno, and lead to a fateful attempt to alter Shmuel's situation.
THE BUZZ: Typically cheery British director Mark Herman (Little Voice) looks back to the dark days of WWII in his adaptation of John Boyne's acclaimed, super-depressing novel. Prepare to be horrified by David Thewlis and Rupert Friend in what could be the saddest film released this year. Awards bait? Certainly. What are its chances? We'll have to see what sort of push Miramax gives it -- they've also got Mike Leigh's buzzing Happy-Go-Lucky on their plate this season ...

NOVEMBER 12th

Slumdog Millionaire [limited]
Director: Danny Boyle Loveleen Tandan
Stars: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto (Full Cast)
Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures
The Plot: The story of how impoverished Indian teen Jamal Malik (Patel) became a contestant on the Hindi version of "Who Wants to be A Millionaire?" -- an endeavor made without prize money in mind, rather, an effort to prove his love for his friend Latika (Pinto), who is an ardent fan of the show.
THE BUZZ: Danny Boyle's latest has had quite the ride on the way its awards-friendly berth; originally purchased by Warner Independent Pictures, the film's future was in limbo when WIP closed its doors given the gloomy climate for indie/art-house films. For a minute there, Slumdog almost went direct to DVD (which may not come as a surprise to those who saw Sunshine). "Dickensian" and "Capraesque" are two descriptors being used by those who saw it at the Telluride Film Festival, though to me it sounds like Boyle is giving a nod to his contemporary, Michael Winterbottom, who often (successfully) mines for gold outside of his native UK.

NOVEMBER 14th

Quantum of Solace
Director: Marc Forster
Stars: Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric (Full Cast)
Studio: Columbia Pictures
The Plot: Picking up where Casino Royale left off, James Bond (Craig) sets his sights on the organization behind Vesper Lynd's betrayal. The mission puts him on a collision course with Dominic Greene (Amalric), a ruthless businessman who, Bond soon learns, is brokering a deal to take total control of one of the world's most precious resources. Relying on allies new and old -- including Camille (Kurylenko), a beautiful woman with her own agenda -- Agent 007 looks to bring down Greene and his conspirators.
THE BUZZ: Is Bond losing his edge? With the Jason Bourne's and Jason Statham's of the world busting the roof off of Hollywood's typical car-chasing action genre, 007 can't really rest on his martini-sipping laurels anymore. Don't think we didn't notice you pulling up in a Honda rental car in Royale, Bond. The parkour stunts and blood stains on your tux were a nice touch, though. Keep it up. You know, we'll keep coming back for more, and who knows, you might see us in a Quantum cardigan; it is autumn, after all. P.S. The reviews from the world premiere have been decidedly mixed.

Christmas Tale [limited]
Director: Arnaud Desplechin
Stars: Catherine Deneuve, Jean-Paul Roussillon, Mathieu Amalric (Full Cast)
Studio: IFC Films
The Plot: The Vuillard family's history of physical and mental illness, estrangement, self harm, and loss doesn't lead itself to the idea of a cheerful holiday season. But can a Christmastime reunion, a scheme concocted by three of the youngest family members, finally bring peace their clan?
THE BUZZ: Arnaud Desplechin's last film, Kings & Queen, was a smash in the director's native France, and it eked out a decent tally at the American box office. That film's Catherine Deneuve and Jean-Paul Roussillon reunite as the respective matriarch and patriarch of the Vuillard clan, and I think their presence, combined with Gallic cinema's string of 2008 successes on this side of the Atlantic, could add up to some sort of art-house sensation this holiday season. For sure: That audience swooned over Mathieu Amalric's performance in Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and it should be compelling to watch him portray an alcoholic who has been banished by his sister. Why is that? Well, said sister is played by Anne Consigny, who handled with grace the role of blink-by-blink translator in the Diving Bell.

NOVEMBER 21st

Bolt
Director: Byron Howard Chris Williams
Stars: John Travolta, Susie Essman, Mark Walton (Full Cast)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
The Plot: Bolt (voice of Travolta) is a celebrity dog and the star of a hit TV show where his amazing feats and powers draw big ratings. But when a mail-room mix-up finds him roaming free on the streets of New York City, the wonder dog will have to learn to rely on his actual strengths -- as well as his new friends, an abandoned housecat and a starry-eyed hamster -- in order to find his way back home.
THE BUZZ: Disney's latest morality tale sort of sounds like their other upcoming movie, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, with touches of Cars here and there. Travolta was creepy to look at in Wild Hogs and Hairspray, so it's a good thing Bolt looks nothing like his master. Meanwhile, listen close while "Curb Your Enthusiasm" standout Sussie Essman steals as many scenes as she's in -- though she'll have to keep her language family friendly here.

Twilight
Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Stars: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Billy Burke (Full Cast)
Studio: Summit Entertainment
The Plot: In her new town of Forks, Washington, misfit teenager Bella Swan (Stewart) falls for her alluring and mysterious classmate, Edward Cullen (Pattinson). As it turns out, Edward belongs to a lineage of vampires, although he doesn't fit the typical vampire mold. As their passion reaches dizzying heights, can Edward resist his natural urges, and will he be able to defend Bella from his family members who have come for her?
THE BUZZ: In terms of movies, 2008 will be remembered as the year superheroes went truly mainstream and, separately, the industry realized that female and gay male audiences are a neglected demographic. But what about the younger generation -- more specifically, teenage girls? Has any studio been able to figure out what they want, aside from Hannah Montana? Enter Catherine Hardwicke's adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's first novel, a project that first captured our interest very early this year when Kristen Stewart (Bella), Robert Pattinson (Edward), and a handful of their castmates took over our STARmeter chart, well in advance of any available footage from the production. The hype reached its first apex at Comic-Con, when the movie's panel earned Beatlemania comparisons from aging journalists who covered their ears as the teen girls and their "Twilight Moms" made the event more of a freak-out and less of a presentation. It's always tricky to predict if Internet buzz will turn into box-office gold (or, in this case, crimson) but I will say this: If the mother-daughter duos turn out for opening weekend (which was pushed up from mid-December to pre-Thanksgiving once Harry Potter decided to hide until 2009), Twilight could trump some higher-profile holiday movies, powered by repeat audiences, and send competing studios rushing off to optioned like-minded novels. Stephenie Meyer is keeping a blog on the movie's progress, so you might want to bookmark it as your destination for all things vamp as the release date draws near.

Special [limited]
Director: Hal Haberman Jeremy Passmore
Stars: Michael Rapaport (Full Cast)
Studio: Magnet Releasing
The Plot: Metermaid Les Franken (Rapaport) has an unexpected reaction to the anti-depressant he's taking as part of a clinical trial; suddenly convinced he's a superhero, he embraces his new powers, dons a homemade costume, and hits the streets to protect the citizens of his city. the corporation behind the pill, fearing bad publicity about their drug, set out to bring down our hero, who in turn hones his abilities to fight off his new arch-nemeses.
THE BUZZ: This one has been around since '06, but Magnet Films has saved it from DVD obscurity as part of their Six Shooter Film Series. You can bank on an ace performance from go-to character actor Michael Rappaport (who is sadly un-super-famous), but reviewers say prepare for a tonal shift that steers the story away from its comedic beginning and into murky, paranoid territory. Is that a good or bad thing? Either way: It sounds better than Hancock to me.

NOVEMBER 26th

Transporter 3
Director: Olivier Megaton
Stars: Jason Statham, Robert Knepper, Katia Tchenko (Full Cast)
Studio: Lionsgate
The Plot: Plot unknown. This is the third chapter of the action trilogy centered on Frank Martin (Statham), the former mercenary who reinvented himself as a specialist in moving goods of all kinds.
THE BUZZ: Looks like a much leaner (as in: 0% body fat) Jason Statham has punched in for a third-and-final? installment of the franchise that helped him break big in America. But do me a favor: Watch the teaser trailer and let me know if you think it's kind of embarrassing that the production -- which is still being steered by writer/producer Luc Besson, but is in the hands of graffiti-artist-turned-director Olivier Megaton -- lifted a story convention from Statham's Crank 2: High Voltage? In C2, Statham has a rejiggered heart that needs electrical jolts to keep ticking, here in T3, he's been outfitted with a silver bangle that will detonate if removed. Is this a metaphor for what might happen to Statham if he ever decides to transition out of action-anti-hero mode and into, say, a romantic leading man?

Four Christmases
Director: Seth Gordon
Stars: Reese Witherspoon, Vince Vaughn, Mary Steenburgen (Full Cast)
Studio: New Line Cinema
The Plot: A comedy about a married couple (Witherspoon and Vaughn) from two divorced families who are tasked with attending four Christmas Day celebrations.
THE BUZZ: Sounds more like Christmas with the Kranks to us, given the reports that Reese and Vince didn't exactly get along during filming. That's going to make promoting the movie interesting; picture them on daytime TV together: him rumpled and probably hungover, her glowering and taking questions about her other upcoming projects. Maybe this one should end with the main characters going about their separate ways. That sure seemed to work for The Break Up ...

Australia
Director: Baz Luhrmann
Stars: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman (Full Cast)
Studio: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
The Plot: Set in northern Australia before World War II, an English aristocrat (Kidman) who inherits a sprawling ranch reluctantly pacts with a stock-man (Jackman) in order to protect her new property from a takeover plot. As the pair drive 2,000 head of cattle over unforgiving landscape, they experience the bombing of Darwin, Australia, by Japanese forces firsthand.
THE BUZZ: Originally Russell Crowe was set to star opposite Kidman in this paean to the antipodean outback, but everyone's favorite bad boy balked at the salary, stating, "I don't do charity work for major studios." Charming or surly? In stepped Wolverine to help Mrs. Keith Urban herd cattle, and while we couldn't be happier that Jackman and Kidman will play dueling cheekbones, the combination of dust, sweat, and livestock seems a far cry from Luhrmann's usually spangled-and-sumptuous milieu. This better deliver more than cattle or you're looking at the Australian Atonement come Oscar time.

Milk [limited]
Director: Gus Van Sant
Stars: Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch (Full Cast)
Studio: Focus Features
The Plot: A chronicle of Harvey Milk's (Penn) ascent to become San Francisco's first openly gay city supervisor in 1977, and the political fallout that led to his assassination, as well as Mayor George Moscone's, the following year.
THE BUZZ: While Oliver Stone skewers the current president, Gus van Sant turns the clock back 30 years to a golden moment in San Francisco that soon turned to rust. I am fortunate enough to live in said city, and it was striking to see what the Milk crew did with their big budget (well, big for a GVS production) in order to return the Castro to its 70s-era splendor; Milk's camera store was recreated, the Castro Theater got a hot makeover, classic cars jammed the streets, there were parades, and Sean Penn could be seen traipsing around the Haight in a kimono. (At least I think that was him.) While the film received its fair share of attention toward the end of the summer -- James Franco, who plays Milk's lover, seemed to enjoy throwing a kink in Pineapple Express press junkets by describing what it was like to kiss Sean Penn -- we already know that distributor Focus Features (still smarting from Brokeback?) has an Oscar campaign waiting in the wings. Will Josh Brolin, who here plays city-supervisor-turned-assassin Dan White, receive a nomination for this role, or for W., or both?

The Farrelly Brothers to Finally Direct The Three Stooges

In 2003, it was announced that the Farrelly Brothers were developing a film based on The Three Stooges. They spent five years trying to make the film at Warner Bros, but for one reason or another, the film never went into production. Now, Peter and Bobby Farrelly have brought the project over to MGM, and not only is the film going into production, but they’ve announced a November 20th 2009 release date. The Three Stooges will go head to head with Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes, the animated sci-fi film Planet 51, and Disney’s Old Dogs (which opens five days later).

I use to be such a huge fan of the Farrelly Brothers. I mean, these are the same guys who directed Dumb and Dumber, There’s Something About Mary and Kingpin. But they haven’t helmed a really good film in at least 8 years (Osmosis Jones, Shallow Hal, Stuck on You, Fever Pitch, The Heartbreak Kid). The fact that the film didn’t get off the ground at Warner Bros doesn’t exactly instill faith in the project. And honestly, a Three Stooges movie just sounds like a horrible idea.

NBC Positions Itself for New Comedy

Meet the Fockers is coming to TV - sort of.

Fockers and Meet the Parents scribe Jim Herzfeld is developing a new multi-camera sitcom for NBC loosely based on the uber-sexual propagators of Ben Stiller's Gaylord Focker, The Hollywood Reporter reports.

Changing Positions will focus on household shenanigans when a Wall Street honcho and his family, after losing everything, are forced to move in with his very, very sexually active parents. Ah, senior citizen love.

The raunchy 'rents are living large in the Hollywood Hills thanks to making and starring in a slew of 1980s instructional sex videos, in which they invented the notorious "standing O" position. Hmm, should the FCC be alerted?

Herzfeld, who has also created Meet My Folks for the Peacock, will executive produce the show with Dough Limon and David Bartis.

Pistons acquire Iverson, send Billups and McDyess to Denver

The shakeup promised by Detroit Pistons president Joe Dumars after last season's Eastern Conference finals has materialized just two games into the new season.

The Pistons and the Nuggets have finalized a trade that sends guard Allen Iverson to Detroit and Pistons mainstays Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess to Denver.

"We just felt it was the right time to change our team," Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars told The Associated Press. "Iverson gives us a dimension that we haven't had here and we really think it's going to help us."

The Pistons will introduce Iverson at a news conference Tuesday in Auburn Hills, Mich., at 3:30 p.m. ET. His debut with the Pistons might come Wednesday night in Toronto.

"He was very excited about the trade," Iverson's agent, Leon Rose, told the AP.

Young center Cheikh Samb, selected by the Los Angeles Lakers for the Pistons with the 51st overall pick in the 2006 draft, will also be going to Denver in the deal.

The Nuggets are expected to waive the 34-year-old McDyess, ESPN.com's Chad Ford reports. McDyess has no interest in playing for any team other than the Pistons, meaning he could choose to retire or negotiate a contract buyout with Denver.

Billups is in the second season of a four-year contract worth a guaranteed $46 million with a $14 million team option for a fifth year. The Pistons kept McDyess off the free-agent market by giving him a $13.5 million, two-year contract extension, and they would love to have him back if the Nuggets don't want his salary and buy out his contract.

Dumars put the entire Pistons roster on notice after they lost to Boston in the East finals, saying that there "are no sacred cows" on his team and vowing to consider trading anyone -- even a major contributor to the Pistons' 2004 title run like Billups -- in addition to firing coach Flip Saunders and replacing Saunders with the untested Michael Curry.

The Pistons could not find a workable deal over the summer after talking with numerous teams -- Denver included, according to NBA front-office sources -- but it emerged then that Billups, MVP of the 2004 Finals, was the most likely Piston to be dealt.

With Denver's desire to acquire a dependable point guard growing, Dumars moved quickly to finally consummate this deal with the Nuggets, who acquired Iverson from Philadelphia shortly before Christmas in 2006 but failed in two attempts to get out of the first round with a three-man core of Iverson, Carmelo Anthony and Marcus Camby.

Camby was jettisoned to the Los Angeles Clippers in a straight salary dump in July for luxury-tax purposes. After playing sparingly in the preseason, Iverson was stripped of his captaincy last week and averaged just over 13 shots per game as the Nuggets opened with a 1-2 mark.

The Nuggets will be hoping now that the homecoming of Billups, a Denver native who starred collegiately at the University of Colorado, meshes better with Anthony, given that he's more of a natural point guard than Iverson. Yet there is some risk for the Nuggets, since Billups is 32 and has three more seasons left on his deal after this one, with the four years totaling in excess of $50 million.

Both Billups and McDyess were Nuggets in the 1990s.

The Pistons, meanwhile, will undoubtedly contend that their risks are mitigated by the fact that Iverson, who turned 33 in June, is in the final year of his contract at $20.8 million.

Dumars loves to gamble on players who are reputed to possess as many minuses as pluses, as seen with the trade-deadline acquisition of Rasheed Wallace in 2004 which spurred Detroit to its first championship since Dumars was playing in 1990. If this gamble doesn't work, swapping Billups for Iverson would give Detroit financial flexibility to pursue a more aggressive makeover next summer, with the highly regarded Rodney Stuckey staying put as the long-term cornerstone of the Pistons' backcourt.

"Two teams had one common problem, or challenge," Nuggets executive Mark Warkentien said, according to AP. "I think the Pistons looked at Stuckey and saw him as the point guard of tomorrow, and you have an All-Star in Chauncey who was in his way.

"We're just thrilled with the way J.R. [Smith] is progressing and he had a Hall of Famer in front of him. You understand the motivation of both teams."

Iverson brings considerable star power to Detroit. The 20th-leading scorer in NBA history was the league MVP in 2001 -- four years after being the Rookie of the Year -- and is a nine-time All-Star. He has averaged nearly 28 points for his career and has led the NBA in steals three times, tying a league record.

Philadelphia drafted Iverson No. 1 overall in 1996 out of Georgetown and he spent 11½ seasons with the franchise, leading it to the NBA Finals in 2001. He was traded Dec. 19, 2006, to the Nuggets and helped them reach the playoffs twice.

Halloween 2 Update From Producer

The "Halloween: 30 Years of Terror" convention took place in Pasadena, California this weekend. Dread Central was in attendance says that producer Malek Akkad dropped some news on Halloween 2, a direct follow-up to Rob Zombie's 2007 re-invention. 

According to the site, Akkad said Tyler Mane is encoring as Michael Myers and pre-production is expected to begin this January with shooting starting sometime in March. 

Akkad added they're still in negotiations with a potential director, or directors, but he would not confirm that Inside's Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury were a lock. 

Akkad said they are eyeing a theatrical release for the follow-up.

Another Planet of the Apes Reboot?

According to CHUD, Fox is considering (read: probably won’t happen) relaunching the Planet of the Apes series again with a remake of the prequel Conquest of the Planet of the Apes. Referred to internally as Genesis: Apes, the script written by Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver is set in modern times and tells the story of Caesar, the first talking intelligent ape who leads a campaign to unite the species and overthrow human society. 

I agree that Tim Burton’s remake of the original film was a disaster, but I’m not sure going with a relaunch/prequel is a good idea either. I would rather them hire a visionary with a good sense of story to completely rewrite a film based solely on only the few core elements. I’d like to see it set only a few years in the future, just weeks after the Apes take control of our planet. I’m not really interested in seeing the uprising as much as the immediate aftermath, where the Apes and the humans are still trying to figure out this new world.

Max Allan Collins to Write and Direct Two “Road to Perdition” Sequels

After Sam Mendes’ breakout hit American Beauty, he went on to direct Road to Perdition and Jarhead, two expensive critical darlings that failed to live up to box office expectations (/Film readers will know that Mendes is currently attached to helm Preacher).  In particular, Perdition, which at the time was one of Tom Hanks’ few starring roles as an ostensible “bad guy,” is regarded in some circles as a beautiful and criminally underappreciated film. It now seems as though that world will be brought back to life again by the one who first created it. 

Max Allan Collins, the man behind the original series of Road to Perdition comics, has been tapped to write and direct two sequels to Perdition, called Road to Purgatory and Road to Paradise, for JBM Productions (which has produced films as Leprecaun and Angel Eyes) and EMO Films.  According to the press release: 

Road to Purgatory will follow the character of Michael Sullivan, Jr., the son of Tom Hanks’ character in the original film, who returns from World War II with a new determination to avenge his murdered father. His quest ultimately leads him to Frank Nitti, whom he is urged to kill on the orders of Al Capone. The second sequel will follow Sullivan’s continued plight. 

Collins’ IMDB resume primarily consists of some small films, and writing credits on a few high-profile television shows. Road to Purgatory will be dedicated to Paul Newman. 

The Capone era is unquestionably the most interesting in the realm of modern crime, with a sprawl of tangled loyalties and political connections. Any book, film, or television show that continues to mine this period for material is already starting off at an interesting place and has the potential to be enthralling. Whether or not these follow-up films will live up to that, or even to the first Mendes film, remains to be seen.

Quantum of Solace Opens to $38.6M in Three Countries

James Bond returned with a record-setting opening at the international box office as Sony/MGM's Quantum of Solace earned an impressive $38.6 million at 2,123 theaters in the U.K., France and Sweden, two weeks ahead of the domestic launch. 

The British business for the film dazzled on Bond's home turf with $25.3 million at 1,150, breaking the three-day launch record held by Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and taking in a jaw-dropping 70% of the market. The Daniel Craig vehicle also set a Friday record with $8 million, 23% higher than "Goblet." 

The $10.6 million French launch for "Solace" set a Bond film record over three days, topping the five-day mark of Casino Royale by 16%. And the $2.7 million Swedish debut was the fourth-biggest ever in that market after the final "Lord of the Rings" film, "Goblet" and the third "Pirates of the Caribbean."

Big Shakeup Behind the Heroes Scenes

Variety says there was a big shakeup behind the scenes of NBC's "Heroes" on Sunday as writers/co-executive producers Jesse Alexander and Jeph Loeb were fired. 

The duo had been with the show since its first season and were known to have led the day-to-day production operation under the direction of creator/executive producer Tim Kring. 

"Heroes," produced by Universal Media Studios, has struggled in the ratings its third season. It's understood that Alexander and Loeb were let go because of NBC executives' frustration with the creative direction of the show. 

The trade added that the show is also said to have been dealing with hefty budget overruns this season that are going well beyond its already sizable $4 million per-episode pricetag.

High School Remains Atop Rankings

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.

Despite coming in at No. 5 on Friday due to Halloween night activities, High School Musical 3: Senior Year rebounded strongly on Saturday and Sunday to remain at No. 1 with $15 million, a drop of 64.2% in ticket sales from its first weekend. The third installment of the popular Disney franchise has earned $61.8 million in its first 10 days. Additionally, overseas the film added $26 million from 26 markets, pushing its foreign total to $85 million and worldwide total to $146.8 million. Disney says there is a "very likely" chance there will be another sequel, but the format and cast have not been decided yet. "High School Musical 3" was made for only $11 million.

According to The Weinstein Company, Kevin Smith's new comedy Zack and Miri Make a Porno, starring Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks, opened in second place with an estimated $10.7 million from 2,735 theaters, an average of $3,906 per location. Other studios, however, said the estimate was at least $1 million to high, so final numbers on Monday will show if it remains in second or might drop a spot or two.

Dropping one spot to third was Liongate's Saw V, which took in another $10.1 million in its second weekend. The fifth installment has earned $45.8 million in two weeks and only cost about $10.8 million to make.

The fourth spot belonged to Clint Eastwood's The Changeling, starring Angelina Jolie. The Universal thriller expanded into 1,850 theaters and earned $9.4 million for a total of $10.1 million after two weeks.

Indie horror-thriller The Haunting of Molly Hartley rounded out the top five with $6 million from 2,652 theaters. The Freestyle Releasing pic stars Haley Bennett.

Weekly Ratings: 10/26 – 10/31

Sunday Ratings: Housewives Thankful for the Memories

This Sunday... in a world where Fox's coverage of World Series Game 4 averaged more than 15 million total viewers....

8 pm/ET
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition surged 13 percent to nail down and cement second place with 12.15 million viewers. The Amazing Race followed with 9.7 mil, while the CW's Valentine (846,000) trailed NBC's 40-Year-Old Virgin broadcast.

9 pm
The flashback-filled Housewives was the only program to thrust itself past baseball in viewers as well as in the demos, delivering its second-largest audience of this fall television season — 15.62 million (up 320 thou week-to-week). Cold Case was a cool third with a hair under 12 mil. The CW's Easy Money saw its numbers eradicated by another 55K, to hit 667,000.

10 pm
Brothers & Sisters held steady and placed second with 10.1 mil. The Unit (biff!)followed with a typical 9.1 mil.

Monday Ratings: Enemy Grows Even More Anemic

8 pm/ET
Dancing with the Stars averaged 18.8 million total viewers over its 90-minute run, inching up 230K week-to-week. Placing fourth behind CBS comedy repeats and World Series coverage, Chuck dipped 220 thou, to 6.48 mil. Gossip Girl held steady at 3.02 mil.

9 pm
Samantha Who? gained 450K to place second (behind baseball) during the 9:30 half hour. A repeat of the Gary Unmarried pilot delivered 8.6 million viewers, well shy of Worst Week's most recent tally, but an increase of 750 thou over Gary's last (and fresh) Wednesday outing. Make of that what you will.

Heroes dipped 300K to 8.15 mil, but topped the demos once DWTS bowed out. Tree Hill toppled 14 percent, to 3.14 mil.

10 pm
Trailing a CSI: Miami repeat, Boston Legal drew 9.1 million viewers (up 100 thou), while My Own Worst Enemy (5.25 mil) dropped another 420K, and is now down 28 percent from its debut.

Tuesday Ratings: The Mentalist "Sees" Its Largest Audience Yet

8 pm/ET
NCIS won the hour with 17.08 million total viewers on par with last week's numbers. House placed second with 13.15 mil (up 350K), and topped the demos. The Pumpkin was a little less great for Charlie Brown this year, as the Peanuts special dipped a mil to 10.4 mil. (And I'm a Grinch for even pointing that out.) Behind Biggest Loser (eight mil, up 730 thou), 90210 (3.2 mil) saw a small gain over its last, ages-ago fresh episode.

9 pm
Dancing with the Stars tacked on another mil, to deliver 17 million viewers. The Mentalist was close behind with its best numbers yet - 16.1 mil — and matched DWTS in demos. Privileged (2.16 mil) recovered from last week's plunge with a 660K rebound.

10 pm
Without a Trace gained 540 thou to win the hour with 12.14 million viewers. SVU dipped a bit to claim second with 9.2 mil. Eli Stone, which is hoping against all hope for a back-9 pick-up, dropped 830K, to 7.67 mil.

Wednesday Ratings: Daisies Gets Push from Obamamercial

This Wednesday, as Fox's World Series Finale coverage averaged north of 16 million total viewers....

8 pm/ET
Across CBS, Fox and NBC, a total of 26.4 million people tuned in for White House hopeful Barack Obama's paid program. Opposite that, fence-sitter Pushing Daisies (6.64 mil) seized the chance to gain 17 percent, while Top Model (3.93 mil) slipped 10 percent. At 8:30, Old Christine delivered 7.64 mil, down 360K.

9 pm
Criminal Minds placed second (behind baseball) with 13.8 million viewers, down 918 thou week-to-week. Trailing Deal or No Deal, Private Practice came in at No. 4, with 7.73 mil. The CW's Stylista (1.87 mil) said "sew" long to 24 percent of its premiere audience.

10 pm
CSI: NY this week claimed the top spot with 13.6 million. It was followed by Dirty Sexy Money (6.08 mil, inching up four percent) and NBC's Fridays-bound Lipstick Jungle (4.9 mil, surging 17 percent).

Thursday Ratings: 30 Rocks Hard with its Biggest Audience Ever

8 pm/ET
Survivor (13.15 million total viewers) and Betty (8.55 mil) put up typical numbers to claim the top two spots. While NBC's Earl (6.17 mil) dipped a bit, lead-out Kath & Kim (5.46 mil) reversed its downward trend by gaining 500K. Smallville held steady at 4.24 mil.

9 pm
CSI led the hour with 18.64 mil (down 553 thou) but this week ceded command of the demos to Grey's Anatomy (which at 15.05 mil was up six percent). Now here's where things get serious, yet funny. The Office (9.32 mil) surged 20 percent week-to-week, setting up 30 Rock for its largest audience ever — 8.53 mil. That represents a 16 percent bump over the Rock's previous season opener, and a 52 percent improvement on its last episode. Well-played, Garkle! Supernatural was up nine percent, to 3.53 mil.

10 pm
Eleventh Hour (11.47 mil) dipped six percent, but still easily bested ER (9.12 mil) and Life on Mars (8.4 mil, adding 349K week-to-week).

Friday Ratings: Numbers Really Add Up with a Stronger Lead-In

Which Friday shows got tricked, and which received treats? Let's assess the goodie bags.

8 pm/ET
Ghost Whisperer won the hour this week with 9.4 million total viewers, a 537K dip from last week's season high. (See our GW celeblog for insight on You Know, That Rumor.) Halloween really scared away the reality fans, with Deal or No Deal (five mil), 5th Grader (4.6 mil) and Wife Swap (3.6 mil) all posting percentage drops in the double digits. Similarly, the CW's family friendly Chris (1.26 mil) and The Game (1.24 mil) each sank 30 percent.

9 pm
CBS looked Ex-tremely smart, as an NCIS repeat not only doubled The Ex List's last audience, but also topped the hour in viewers, with 11.2 million. Lyrics (4.56 mil) and Supernanny (4.2 mil) both were down 17 percent, while NBC's Crusoe (4.17 mil) saw 30 percent of its audience wash away.

10 pm
Thanks to the stronger lead-in, Numbers delivered 10.62 mil, a 17 percent improvement upon last week's season high. Trailing 20/20 (6.9 mil), newly relocated Lipstick Jungle (3.18 mil) kissed off 35 percent of its final Wednesday audience.

Samantha, Kath & Kim Receive Full-Season Pickups

Two more shows can breathe a little deeper now that they have received full-season (or almost full-season) orders. 

ABC has ordered seven new episodes of sophomore comedy Samantha Who?,  bringing the full-season count to 20, two shy of the usual order. (The network isn't "forgetting" about Sam, but rather says the smaller order is only a result of having a wealth of midseason shows, like Scrubs and According to Jim (groan), on deck.) 

Receiving the traditional "back-nine" pickup is NBC's Kath & Kim, starring Molly Shannon and Selma Blair as a dopey mother-daughter duo. The Australian adaptation is the latest of NBC's freshman class to receive a full-season order, following Knight Rider. 

Sam Who?, which stars Christina Applegate as an amnesiac trying to piece her life back together, has averaged 10.5 million viewers following Dancing with the Stars this season, winning its time slot among women 18-49. Kath & Kim averages about 6 million viewers a week, and while its numbers have declined since its premiere, the series retains all of its My Name Is Earl lead-in audience.