About six months ago, we reported on a rumor that Keanu Reeves might play Spike Spiegel in an upcoming live-action English adaptation of Cowboy Bebop. We’re now hearing confirmation from Variety and THR that Reeves will indeed play Spiegel for Fox’s upcoming film, with a script by Peter Craig.
As Peter Sciretta wrote back in July, Sinichiro Watanabe’s popular Japanese anime is set in the year 2071 A.D. when an cataclysmic astral gate accident has scattered humanity across the solar system. Bebop follows a group of bounty hunters, called “Cowboys”, on the spaceship Bebop. Spiegel is a bounty hunter and a former member of the Red Dragon Crime Syndicate, who is haunted by the memory of his time in the organization. The anime has spawned an animated movie, two manga series, and two video games.
The show’s creators will be involved in the creation of the film, with Kenji Uchida and Shinichiro Watanabe (from Bebop’s Japanese animation company Sunrise) associate producing along with series writer Keiko Nobumoto. Masahiko Minami, a producer onCowboy Bebop, has also signed on to the film as a production consultant.
I think Reeves would make for a fine star in the film adaptation, but is it just me or has Hollywood demonstrated an alarming lack of sense for what makes anime successful in the first place, and how to translate that to the big screen?
Thursday, January 15, 2009
NPD: Wii and DS Rule Galaxy as Father and Son
The numbers don't lie. Nintendo's hardware prints money, but so does its software.
The December sales figures are in from the NPD Group and once again Nintendo's two platforms outperformed all competitors by a wide margin. DS was the month's top-seller with 3.04 million units moved. Wii sold to another 2.15 million users. Xbox 360 1.44 million. PSP 1.02 million. PlayStation 3 726,000. And PlayStation 2, 410,000.
The top-selling games for December, as follows:
1. Wii Play w/ Wii Remote -- 1.46 million
2. Call of Duty: World at War (360) -- 1.33 million
3. Wii Fit -- 999,000
4. Mario Kart Wii -- 979,000
5. Guitar Hero World Tour (Wii) -- 850,000
6. Gears of War 2 -- 745,000
7. Left 4 Dead -- 629,000
8. Mario Kart DS -- 540,000
9. Call of Duty: World at War (PS3) -- 533,000
10. Animal Crossing: City Folk -- 497,000
Wii controlled five of the Top 10 slots for the month. Wii Play (which includes a controller) continued its reign at the top. More interestingly is the shelf life of Wii Fit, a $90 game that released last May and still sold almost a million copies in December. Also of note, Guitar Hero World Tour apparently sold 850,000 copies in December, just for Wii. It's clear that the franchise officially performs best on Nintendo's system.
Perhaps most shocking of all are the best-sellers of the year. According to NPD data, Nintendo owned the top four slots in 2008 with Wii Play (5.2 million), Mario Kart Wii (5.0 million), Wii Fit (4.53 million) and Super Smash Bros. Brawl (4.17 million). These titles outsold Grand Theft Auto IV Xbox 360 (3.29 million), Call of Duty 4: World at War 360 (2.75 million), Gears of War 2 (2.31 million), Grand Theft Auto IV PS3 (1.89 million), Madden NFL 09 360 (1.87 million) and finally, Mario Kart Wii (1.65 million).
By the way, Nintendo also sold 865,000 copies of Wii Music in 2008, we're sorry to report.
The December sales figures are in from the NPD Group and once again Nintendo's two platforms outperformed all competitors by a wide margin. DS was the month's top-seller with 3.04 million units moved. Wii sold to another 2.15 million users. Xbox 360 1.44 million. PSP 1.02 million. PlayStation 3 726,000. And PlayStation 2, 410,000.
The top-selling games for December, as follows:
1. Wii Play w/ Wii Remote -- 1.46 million
2. Call of Duty: World at War (360) -- 1.33 million
3. Wii Fit -- 999,000
4. Mario Kart Wii -- 979,000
5. Guitar Hero World Tour (Wii) -- 850,000
6. Gears of War 2 -- 745,000
7. Left 4 Dead -- 629,000
8. Mario Kart DS -- 540,000
9. Call of Duty: World at War (PS3) -- 533,000
10. Animal Crossing: City Folk -- 497,000
Wii controlled five of the Top 10 slots for the month. Wii Play (which includes a controller) continued its reign at the top. More interestingly is the shelf life of Wii Fit, a $90 game that released last May and still sold almost a million copies in December. Also of note, Guitar Hero World Tour apparently sold 850,000 copies in December, just for Wii. It's clear that the franchise officially performs best on Nintendo's system.
Perhaps most shocking of all are the best-sellers of the year. According to NPD data, Nintendo owned the top four slots in 2008 with Wii Play (5.2 million), Mario Kart Wii (5.0 million), Wii Fit (4.53 million) and Super Smash Bros. Brawl (4.17 million). These titles outsold Grand Theft Auto IV Xbox 360 (3.29 million), Call of Duty 4: World at War 360 (2.75 million), Gears of War 2 (2.31 million), Grand Theft Auto IV PS3 (1.89 million), Madden NFL 09 360 (1.87 million) and finally, Mario Kart Wii (1.65 million).
By the way, Nintendo also sold 865,000 copies of Wii Music in 2008, we're sorry to report.
NBC Renews Three Series, Extends ER's Run (a Bit)
Angela Bromstad, NBC's president of primetime entertainment, announced at Thursday's TCA Winter Press Tour that the Peacock has picked up new seasons of The Office, 30 Rock and The Biggest Loser.
NBC's The Office is in its fifth season and will enjoy an hour-long après-Super Bowl showcase on Feb 1, while 30 Rock currently is unspooling its third cycle.
Now in its seventh cycle, The Biggest Loser just last week weighed in with its largest audience ever (11.82 million viewers) for a season opener.
Bromstad also confirmed that ER's final run is being extended by three episodes, so as to allow John Wells a bit more time to ready Southland, his new police drama taking over the Thursdays-at-10 time slot starting April 9. ER will now sign off April 2, with a three-hour "extravaganza" featuring a two-hour retrospective.
We have to wonder: Might the three additional weeks also afford ER's creator more time to woo George Clooney back for a last hurrah? Bromstad told TVGuide.com with a laugh, "I'll let you ask John Wells that!"
NBC's The Office is in its fifth season and will enjoy an hour-long après-Super Bowl showcase on Feb 1, while 30 Rock currently is unspooling its third cycle.
Now in its seventh cycle, The Biggest Loser just last week weighed in with its largest audience ever (11.82 million viewers) for a season opener.
Bromstad also confirmed that ER's final run is being extended by three episodes, so as to allow John Wells a bit more time to ready Southland, his new police drama taking over the Thursdays-at-10 time slot starting April 9. ER will now sign off April 2, with a three-hour "extravaganza" featuring a two-hour retrospective.
We have to wonder: Might the three additional weeks also afford ER's creator more time to woo George Clooney back for a last hurrah? Bromstad told TVGuide.com with a laugh, "I'll let you ask John Wells that!"
CBS Near Deal With Mayer For Variety Show
CBS is nearing a deal with John Mayer for a music-driven variety show, CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler told a meeting of the Television Critics Association. No additional details were made available.
Mayer previously made a cameo in a 2006 episode of the hit CBS drama "CSI," and may also perform during the network's Grammy telecast next month.
The artist, who in the past has done unannounced stand-up comedy sets while away from the stage, has become a tabloid fixture in the last year thanks to his relationship with actress Jennifer Aniston.
In November, he wrote on his blog that "I'm working on the next CD, which I'm sure you will immediately hate until you eventually love. I'm basing out of L.A. because I'm working on a side project that is extremely cool (I'll tell you about it soon)."
Mayer's last album, 2006's "Continuum," has sold 2.3 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Mayer previously made a cameo in a 2006 episode of the hit CBS drama "CSI," and may also perform during the network's Grammy telecast next month.
The artist, who in the past has done unannounced stand-up comedy sets while away from the stage, has become a tabloid fixture in the last year thanks to his relationship with actress Jennifer Aniston.
In November, he wrote on his blog that "I'm working on the next CD, which I'm sure you will immediately hate until you eventually love. I'm basing out of L.A. because I'm working on a side project that is extremely cool (I'll tell you about it soon)."
Mayer's last album, 2006's "Continuum," has sold 2.3 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Idris Elba Joins The Office
Idris Elba has been cast on "The Office" as a new rival to Dunder Mifflin regional manager Michael Scott (Steve Carell), reports Variety.
Elba will appear in six episodes later this season. He'll play a no-nonsense hire at Dunder Mifflin's corporate office who will throw Michael Scott into turmoil.
Elba's credits include Rocknrolla, The Unborn, the upcoming Obsessed and he just filmed the feature Bone Deep.
Elba will appear in six episodes later this season. He'll play a no-nonsense hire at Dunder Mifflin's corporate office who will throw Michael Scott into turmoil.
Elba's credits include Rocknrolla, The Unborn, the upcoming Obsessed and he just filmed the feature Bone Deep.
Chevy Chase to Guest on Three Episodes of Chuck
Spies Like Us' Chevy Chase has been tapped to infiltrate Chuck.
Chevy Chase has signed on for a three-episode arc on NBC's Chuck, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
On the Warner Bros. TV-produced Chuck, Chase will play a mega-billionaire technology mogul who is accused by Chuck's father of stealing his ideas.
The funnyman's latest projects on TV included guest spots on Brothers & Sisters and Law & Order. He will also be appearing in features Not Another Not Another Movie and Stay Cool, both to be released in 2009.
Chevy Chase has signed on for a three-episode arc on NBC's Chuck, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
On the Warner Bros. TV-produced Chuck, Chase will play a mega-billionaire technology mogul who is accused by Chuck's father of stealing his ideas.
The funnyman's latest projects on TV included guest spots on Brothers & Sisters and Law & Order. He will also be appearing in features Not Another Not Another Movie and Stay Cool, both to be released in 2009.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Michael Cera Holding Up Arrested Development Movie
The long-awaited Arrested Development movie is happening — but it's currently arrested in development by one of its own.
Michael Cera, aka George Michael Bluth, is the sole cast member who has yet to sign on to the big-screen feature, E! Online reports.
"I know he's thinking about it," Jason Bateman said while promoting his new animated Fox series, Sit Down, Shut Up (premieres April 19 at 8:30 pm/ET). "And we're all awaiting some finality to all of that so Mitch [Hurwitz] can get writing."
Bateman, who turned 40 on Wednesday, clarified that Cera has not turned down the role reprisal yet, adding that he understands why the Superbad star is super wary about reuniting with the dysfunctional Bluths.
"I think Michael is clearly the guy that has come out of Arrested Development with a very big plate, so I think he's trying to really give some responsible thought to what makes sense for him to do with his career," he said. "The guy is 20 years old and I'm sure he doesn't want to screw up this opportunity."
If Cera does not come back, it will put a damper on Hurwitz's premise for the flick. Although he toyed with the idea of a prequel, featuring a kid CG version of Cera, Hurwitz, also a producer on Sit Down, Shut Up, said his plan now is to jump ahead in time.
"We're going to pick up five years later, and family dynamics change, but they also kind of stay the same," he said. "So hopefully we'll just explore where they are now."
Michael Cera, aka George Michael Bluth, is the sole cast member who has yet to sign on to the big-screen feature, E! Online reports.
"I know he's thinking about it," Jason Bateman said while promoting his new animated Fox series, Sit Down, Shut Up (premieres April 19 at 8:30 pm/ET). "And we're all awaiting some finality to all of that so Mitch [Hurwitz] can get writing."
Bateman, who turned 40 on Wednesday, clarified that Cera has not turned down the role reprisal yet, adding that he understands why the Superbad star is super wary about reuniting with the dysfunctional Bluths.
"I think Michael is clearly the guy that has come out of Arrested Development with a very big plate, so I think he's trying to really give some responsible thought to what makes sense for him to do with his career," he said. "The guy is 20 years old and I'm sure he doesn't want to screw up this opportunity."
If Cera does not come back, it will put a damper on Hurwitz's premise for the flick. Although he toyed with the idea of a prequel, featuring a kid CG version of Cera, Hurwitz, also a producer on Sit Down, Shut Up, said his plan now is to jump ahead in time.
"We're going to pick up five years later, and family dynamics change, but they also kind of stay the same," he said. "So hopefully we'll just explore where they are now."
Rescue Me Returns To FX After Two Years.
Dennis Leary and Peter Tolan are psyched about Season 5.
Rescue Me, a show that brilliantly blends drama and comedy, is making its long awaited return to FX this April. After two years off the air, due largely to the Writer's Strike of '07, Rescue is headed back to TV with a whopping 22 episodes. The time off plus the extended number of episodes for a cable season seemed to have really re-invigorated both Creator/Star Denis Leary and Creator/Writer Peter Tolan who revealed to the TCA at the recent press tour that they are having a blast. Working under the "write as we go" model, Leary and Tolan are usually about "two episodes ahead of what they're filming," Leary confessed. "Because we want to see what the actors are doing," said Leary. Being able to write to his fellow actor's strengths, Leary said that "the stories are bursting at the seams. We have so many stories that could be told."
"We're just full of ideas and energized," said Tolan. "I think we just wanted to come back strong. We told the guys that we've got to hit the ground running at 120 miles per hour. The episodes are very strong." This season boasts both Michael J. Fox and Maura Tierney as guest stars, with Fox appearing in the first five episodes as the wheelchair-bound and troubled Dwight. When asked about what kind of limits they have on a cable show like this, Leary answered comically with "I had a crazy idea of getting paid two hundred thousand dollars an episode and they kind of put a limit on that. That's Kiefer Sutherland money." Dennis was his usual amiable, yet bitterly funny, self during the panel, and even predicted that Michael J. Fox would win an Emmy for his performance while he himself will remain winless. Leary praised Fox for being one of the best guys around, and Tolan said that they were encouraged to dabble in a bit of "stunt casting" but that when they approached a lot of people who had told them that they wanted to do a spot on the show, they declined.
Leary's angry praise continued for his co-star Adam Ferrara. "Adam's a great comedian, but he's pissing me off now because he's become such a great dramatic actor," joked Leary. "Peter and I are like Double Joe Torres. We just have a great team." This season marks a return to the 9/11 theme that seemed to ground the show right at the beginning. The station is visited by a French Female Reporter who's making a coffee table book about 9/11 and wants to hear some on-hand accounts. It creates a bit of a rift among the boys, who think the idea of commercializing the events is terrible, but still want to have their stories told.
Another interesting note for Season 5 is the introduction of a potentially socio-politically controversial topic of "alternate" 9/11 disaster theories. Using their own method of writing for their actors, Leary and Tolan have made Daniel Sunjata's character of Franco believe that the tragic events on 9/11 were caused by an "inside job" due partially to the fact that Sunjata himself believes the very same thing. They wanted to explore the dynamics of a firehouse that's divided in debate over the theories and treat it in a serious way. Sunjata thinks that this move, to show differing opinions on the show is "admirable and should be applauded."
Leary, venting as usual, told the audience the story of how he lost the Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe for Recount this past Sunday night – "early, which was good so I could smoke." But then Leary had to head back in and stand in for his Recount co-star Kevin Spacey who was up for Best Actor, but couldn't be there because he was doing a play in London. So Dennis would have had to accept the award if Spacey had won. But Spacey lost, leaving Dennis thinking "I'm losing awards for other people now."
Rescue Me, a show that brilliantly blends drama and comedy, is making its long awaited return to FX this April. After two years off the air, due largely to the Writer's Strike of '07, Rescue is headed back to TV with a whopping 22 episodes. The time off plus the extended number of episodes for a cable season seemed to have really re-invigorated both Creator/Star Denis Leary and Creator/Writer Peter Tolan who revealed to the TCA at the recent press tour that they are having a blast. Working under the "write as we go" model, Leary and Tolan are usually about "two episodes ahead of what they're filming," Leary confessed. "Because we want to see what the actors are doing," said Leary. Being able to write to his fellow actor's strengths, Leary said that "the stories are bursting at the seams. We have so many stories that could be told."
"We're just full of ideas and energized," said Tolan. "I think we just wanted to come back strong. We told the guys that we've got to hit the ground running at 120 miles per hour. The episodes are very strong." This season boasts both Michael J. Fox and Maura Tierney as guest stars, with Fox appearing in the first five episodes as the wheelchair-bound and troubled Dwight. When asked about what kind of limits they have on a cable show like this, Leary answered comically with "I had a crazy idea of getting paid two hundred thousand dollars an episode and they kind of put a limit on that. That's Kiefer Sutherland money." Dennis was his usual amiable, yet bitterly funny, self during the panel, and even predicted that Michael J. Fox would win an Emmy for his performance while he himself will remain winless. Leary praised Fox for being one of the best guys around, and Tolan said that they were encouraged to dabble in a bit of "stunt casting" but that when they approached a lot of people who had told them that they wanted to do a spot on the show, they declined.
Leary's angry praise continued for his co-star Adam Ferrara. "Adam's a great comedian, but he's pissing me off now because he's become such a great dramatic actor," joked Leary. "Peter and I are like Double Joe Torres. We just have a great team." This season marks a return to the 9/11 theme that seemed to ground the show right at the beginning. The station is visited by a French Female Reporter who's making a coffee table book about 9/11 and wants to hear some on-hand accounts. It creates a bit of a rift among the boys, who think the idea of commercializing the events is terrible, but still want to have their stories told.
Another interesting note for Season 5 is the introduction of a potentially socio-politically controversial topic of "alternate" 9/11 disaster theories. Using their own method of writing for their actors, Leary and Tolan have made Daniel Sunjata's character of Franco believe that the tragic events on 9/11 were caused by an "inside job" due partially to the fact that Sunjata himself believes the very same thing. They wanted to explore the dynamics of a firehouse that's divided in debate over the theories and treat it in a serious way. Sunjata thinks that this move, to show differing opinions on the show is "admirable and should be applauded."
Leary, venting as usual, told the audience the story of how he lost the Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe for Recount this past Sunday night – "early, which was good so I could smoke." But then Leary had to head back in and stand in for his Recount co-star Kevin Spacey who was up for Best Actor, but couldn't be there because he was doing a play in London. So Dennis would have had to accept the award if Spacey had won. But Spacey lost, leaving Dennis thinking "I'm losing awards for other people now."
Will Linda Hamilton Be Back for Terminator Salvation?
There's been a lot of rumors about the return of the "Governator" Arnold Schwarzenegger for McG's upcoming Terminator Salvation, and while McG remained mum about whether these rumors were true at a special Terminator Salvation roadshow event on Monday night, ComingSoon.net did see some cool footage and learned a lot about the plot and the direction for the upcoming franchise relaunch.
We'll save that for our comprehensive write-up of the event which you can read sometime tomorrow, though we may have figured out one of the "secrets" McG alluded to during the presentation. After the presentation was over, we talked with McG at the cocktail reception that followed and asked him whether he planned on doing any sort of recap of the first three movies as an introduction for those who didn't get a chance to see them. He said they were still trying to figure out what to do, but one option they came up with was to have Sarah Connor do a voiceover to open the movie. We didn't press him on this idea he tossed out, but we're now wondering whether maybe he was going to try and convince Linda Hamilton, the original Sarah Connor, to come out of "Terminator" retirement to provide that voiceover or just find a soundalike. The former option certainly would be a nice surprise for longtime fans of the series if they could make it happen.
Earlier in the Q & A segment of the presentation, McG was asked about the plans to shoot two back-to-back sequels to Terminator Salvation and he released another tidbit of what to expect in a fifth movie if it were to happen. He has spent some time with Jonah Nolan arcing out what the story for the next two movies might be and he hinted that "time travel has yet to be explored" in the upcoming movie, and that it would be one of the themes of the next movie. Since the plot of "Salvation" involves Christian Bale's John Connor trying to save Anton Yelchin's Kyle Reese, who would later go back in time and father John, a sequel may deal with some of the things leading up to Kyle going back in time to save Sarah from the original T-800.
We'll save that for our comprehensive write-up of the event which you can read sometime tomorrow, though we may have figured out one of the "secrets" McG alluded to during the presentation. After the presentation was over, we talked with McG at the cocktail reception that followed and asked him whether he planned on doing any sort of recap of the first three movies as an introduction for those who didn't get a chance to see them. He said they were still trying to figure out what to do, but one option they came up with was to have Sarah Connor do a voiceover to open the movie. We didn't press him on this idea he tossed out, but we're now wondering whether maybe he was going to try and convince Linda Hamilton, the original Sarah Connor, to come out of "Terminator" retirement to provide that voiceover or just find a soundalike. The former option certainly would be a nice surprise for longtime fans of the series if they could make it happen.
Earlier in the Q & A segment of the presentation, McG was asked about the plans to shoot two back-to-back sequels to Terminator Salvation and he released another tidbit of what to expect in a fifth movie if it were to happen. He has spent some time with Jonah Nolan arcing out what the story for the next two movies might be and he hinted that "time travel has yet to be explored" in the upcoming movie, and that it would be one of the themes of the next movie. Since the plot of "Salvation" involves Christian Bale's John Connor trying to save Anton Yelchin's Kyle Reese, who would later go back in time and father John, a sequel may deal with some of the things leading up to Kyle going back in time to save Sarah from the original T-800.
Rumor: DSi U.S. Launch Date, Price Revealed
Nintendo's next-generation handheld may be coming to America sooner than you think.
Multiple sources close to Nintendo tell IGN that the company is gearing up to debut the anticipated successor to its DS Lite handheld during the first half of this year in America. More specifically, the company has allegedly relayed to its partners that DSi will ship stateside in early April, most likely on April 4. Insiders assert that they have been told the system will retail for $179.99 when it launches domestically.
Nintendo's DSi handheld looks similar to its predecessor, but boasts a built-in camera, an SD Card slot, internal memory, an improved user interface and access to DSiWare, an ever-expanding list of downloadable DSi games and content available over Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
DSi released in Japan last November and presently retails in the homeland for 18,900 yen ($211 USD). More than a million gamers purchased the system through December 2008, according to overseas data tracking services. DS Lite, meanwhile, sells in Japan for 16,800 yen ($188), a cost difference of almost $25. If our sources are to be trusted, the price divide between the two systems in America would be much wider, as DS Lite currently retails for $129.99 stateside, approximately $50 cheaper than DSi's alleged U.S. price point.
In contrast to the Japanese market, where penetration of DS Lite has peaked, Nintendo of America may be planning to market DSi alongside the still-popular DS Lite, which would at least explain the different price points: one version for casuals and another for the core.
Nintendo of America said last October that it did not feel it necessary to release DSi in 2008 because its predecessor continued to sell at a phenomenal rate. Last year, NOA president Reggie Fils-Aime was also quoted as promising that DSi would not debut in America until sometime after the first quarter.
When contacted for comment, a Nintendo representative told us that the company does not comment on rumors and speculation. Although IGN verified today's story through three independent sources, we have filed the information as rumor until Nintendo makes an official announcement.
Multiple sources close to Nintendo tell IGN that the company is gearing up to debut the anticipated successor to its DS Lite handheld during the first half of this year in America. More specifically, the company has allegedly relayed to its partners that DSi will ship stateside in early April, most likely on April 4. Insiders assert that they have been told the system will retail for $179.99 when it launches domestically.
Nintendo's DSi handheld looks similar to its predecessor, but boasts a built-in camera, an SD Card slot, internal memory, an improved user interface and access to DSiWare, an ever-expanding list of downloadable DSi games and content available over Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
DSi released in Japan last November and presently retails in the homeland for 18,900 yen ($211 USD). More than a million gamers purchased the system through December 2008, according to overseas data tracking services. DS Lite, meanwhile, sells in Japan for 16,800 yen ($188), a cost difference of almost $25. If our sources are to be trusted, the price divide between the two systems in America would be much wider, as DS Lite currently retails for $129.99 stateside, approximately $50 cheaper than DSi's alleged U.S. price point.
In contrast to the Japanese market, where penetration of DS Lite has peaked, Nintendo of America may be planning to market DSi alongside the still-popular DS Lite, which would at least explain the different price points: one version for casuals and another for the core.
Nintendo of America said last October that it did not feel it necessary to release DSi in 2008 because its predecessor continued to sell at a phenomenal rate. Last year, NOA president Reggie Fils-Aime was also quoted as promising that DSi would not debut in America until sometime after the first quarter.
When contacted for comment, a Nintendo representative told us that the company does not comment on rumors and speculation. Although IGN verified today's story through three independent sources, we have filed the information as rumor until Nintendo makes an official announcement.
Samuel L. Jackson May Not Be Nick Fury?!
These are troubling times for America—unemployment is on the rise, and entire industries face their end—but one thing we geeks have had to look forward to in the next few years is everyone’s favorite bad motherfucker himself, Samuel L. Jackson, as Nick Fury. Now it seems we may even be robbed of that one slice of happiness. In an interview today over at the LA Times blog Hero Complex, Jackson hints that all is not well at Marvel, and that his role as Nick Fury is anything but a sure thing at this point.
In response to the character’s appearance in Iron Man 2, Captain America, and The Avengers, he says that the role may be recast (with a cheaper actor of course), or Fury may not appear at all. Jackson elaborates further:
"I saw ['Iron Man' and 'Iron Man 2' director] Jon Favreau at the Scream Awards and we had a conversation. He said, ‘I hope things are working out for you because we’re writing stuff for you.’ Then all of a sudden last week I talked to my agents and manager and things aren’t really working that well.
There was a huge kind of negotiation that broke down. I don’t know. Maybe I won’t be Nick Fury. Maybe somebody else will be Nick Fury or maybe Nick Fury won’t be in it. There seems to be an economic crisis in the Marvel Comics world so [they're saying to me], ‘We’re not making that deal.’"
Of course Marvel is not alone in the economic crisis, but they certainly seem to enjoy kicking their fans in the balls when it comes to cutting costs. First we had Terrence Howard replaced with Don Cheadle in Iron Man 2, and now this?
I’ll save my unfiltered vitriol for further developments on this news, but for now I’ll say this: There should be no discussion Marvel. Samuel L. Jackson is the best actor for the role (the resemblance of Ultimates Nick Fury to Jackson is what we in the biz call a big fucking hint). And if it’s a cost issue, I suggest you look back at the release of Iron Man and see just how much audiences were excited by Jackson’s 10 seconds of screen time.
Getting him in the future Marvel films at this point should be your top priority. Lose him, and you’ll lose much of the goodwill you’ve built up this year.
In response to the character’s appearance in Iron Man 2, Captain America, and The Avengers, he says that the role may be recast (with a cheaper actor of course), or Fury may not appear at all. Jackson elaborates further:
"I saw ['Iron Man' and 'Iron Man 2' director] Jon Favreau at the Scream Awards and we had a conversation. He said, ‘I hope things are working out for you because we’re writing stuff for you.’ Then all of a sudden last week I talked to my agents and manager and things aren’t really working that well.
There was a huge kind of negotiation that broke down. I don’t know. Maybe I won’t be Nick Fury. Maybe somebody else will be Nick Fury or maybe Nick Fury won’t be in it. There seems to be an economic crisis in the Marvel Comics world so [they're saying to me], ‘We’re not making that deal.’"
Of course Marvel is not alone in the economic crisis, but they certainly seem to enjoy kicking their fans in the balls when it comes to cutting costs. First we had Terrence Howard replaced with Don Cheadle in Iron Man 2, and now this?
I’ll save my unfiltered vitriol for further developments on this news, but for now I’ll say this: There should be no discussion Marvel. Samuel L. Jackson is the best actor for the role (the resemblance of Ultimates Nick Fury to Jackson is what we in the biz call a big fucking hint). And if it’s a cost issue, I suggest you look back at the release of Iron Man and see just how much audiences were excited by Jackson’s 10 seconds of screen time.
Getting him in the future Marvel films at this point should be your top priority. Lose him, and you’ll lose much of the goodwill you’ve built up this year.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Exclusive: Mark Hoppus Announces Solo Plans, Puts +44 To Bed
'I've been in the studio every week writing songs with the intention of putting out a record of my own,' former Blink-182 member tells MTV News.
Earlier this week, Mark Hoppus piqued the interested of Blink-182 fans everywhere when he told MTV News that he had been talking to former bandmate Tom DeLonge "several times a day," and when it came to the possibility of a reunion, "the future is wide open."
Of course, those answers only led to more questions.
Because while a Blink reunion would be amazing, it still sounds like a long shot. And while fans wait for the pieces to fall into place, they're still clamoring for new music from Hoppus and Travis Barker's other band, +44, who haven't made a peep since releasing their debut, When Your Heart Stops Beating, in late 2006.
So what's the deal with +44? When MTV News spoke with Hoppus backstage at the Woodie Awards in New York, why did he go to such great lengths to not mention the band by name? Is the group finished?
In part two of our exclusive interview with Hoppus, we get the answer to that question ... and a few others. And if you're expecting a new +44 album anytime soon, well, you might be out of luck.
On The Future of +44: "To answer your question about the interview at the Woodies — and, by the way, I want to thank everyone at MTV for choosing the most flattering photos possible to go in the article — the reason I wasn't able to answer with a great deal of specificity is that I didn't really know how to say what was going to happen. Since late August of last year, I've been in the studio every week writing songs with the intention of putting out a record of my own. As of this week, I've got about 10 songs in various stages of completion and another 10 ideas that I still want to work on. ... By the way, this interview will be the first time many people at the label are going to hear about the possibility of me doing an album on my own. Hi, Interscope!"
On Going Solo (Sort Of): "Travis has played on a bunch of [my]tracks, and he's working on his own album as well. We totally support each other in whatever we're doing. He's like a brother to me. I see him in our studio every week, and we'll be in the room of the studio he's working in, listening to stuff he's recorded, or he'll come into the room where I'm working and check out my songs. He's played on a bunch of them, and he's asked if I'll play on some of his songs. We collaborate and give each other ideas and support. That's what I meant when I said [in the interview at the Woodies], 'No matter what I work on, Travis will be a part of it.' "
On Just When We'll Get to Hear His Music: "Well, I just co-wrote a song for a movie coming out called 'Fired Up,' [and] the New Found Glory record I produced comes out soon, and I'm super proud of that. Those guys wrote a great album, and I think people will be blown away. There are a bunch of collaborations, producing offers and film and TV projects that I'm working on as well."
Earlier this week, Mark Hoppus piqued the interested of Blink-182 fans everywhere when he told MTV News that he had been talking to former bandmate Tom DeLonge "several times a day," and when it came to the possibility of a reunion, "the future is wide open."
Of course, those answers only led to more questions.
Because while a Blink reunion would be amazing, it still sounds like a long shot. And while fans wait for the pieces to fall into place, they're still clamoring for new music from Hoppus and Travis Barker's other band, +44, who haven't made a peep since releasing their debut, When Your Heart Stops Beating, in late 2006.
So what's the deal with +44? When MTV News spoke with Hoppus backstage at the Woodie Awards in New York, why did he go to such great lengths to not mention the band by name? Is the group finished?
In part two of our exclusive interview with Hoppus, we get the answer to that question ... and a few others. And if you're expecting a new +44 album anytime soon, well, you might be out of luck.
On The Future of +44: "To answer your question about the interview at the Woodies — and, by the way, I want to thank everyone at MTV for choosing the most flattering photos possible to go in the article — the reason I wasn't able to answer with a great deal of specificity is that I didn't really know how to say what was going to happen. Since late August of last year, I've been in the studio every week writing songs with the intention of putting out a record of my own. As of this week, I've got about 10 songs in various stages of completion and another 10 ideas that I still want to work on. ... By the way, this interview will be the first time many people at the label are going to hear about the possibility of me doing an album on my own. Hi, Interscope!"
On Going Solo (Sort Of): "Travis has played on a bunch of [my]tracks, and he's working on his own album as well. We totally support each other in whatever we're doing. He's like a brother to me. I see him in our studio every week, and we'll be in the room of the studio he's working in, listening to stuff he's recorded, or he'll come into the room where I'm working and check out my songs. He's played on a bunch of them, and he's asked if I'll play on some of his songs. We collaborate and give each other ideas and support. That's what I meant when I said [in the interview at the Woodies], 'No matter what I work on, Travis will be a part of it.' "
On Just When We'll Get to Hear His Music: "Well, I just co-wrote a song for a movie coming out called 'Fired Up,' [and] the New Found Glory record I produced comes out soon, and I'm super proud of that. Those guys wrote a great album, and I think people will be blown away. There are a bunch of collaborations, producing offers and film and TV projects that I'm working on as well."
Pushing Daisies Movie a Possibility, Chenoweth Says
Bad news and very good news for Pushing Daisies fans, straight from star Kristin Chenoweth: The final episodes, when and if they eventually air, won't resolve all of the plotlines on the show — but show creator Brian Fuller has an idea for a movie that would.
"It would wrap up a lot of the unanswered questions that people will have once they finally air our final episodes," the singer-actress told TVGuide.com.
And is Fuller pushing ABC to air those episodes?
"It's way too good to push on somebody," she said. "You either air it and let the world see it or — you know, that show, I'm sorry if it sounds arrogant, but it's the best thing ever."
Fuller himself hinted at the possibility at a recent appearance at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills, where he also talked about his longstanding idea of resolving the story in comic-book form.
If the movie goes ahead, Chenoweth says she's in — and she believes her Daisies castmates would be as well.
"I'm sure that Brian Fuller wouldn't do it without the six main characters," she said. "Paul Reubens was a big part of it — we have certain guest stars that are standouts that we'd want back. But he has such a great idea for it. ... We all want to."
Fuller is returning to Heroes, his former show, and has written a part for Daisies alum Swoozie Kurtz.
Chenoweth, meanwhile, is moving on to David E. Kelley new legal pilot, Legally Mad.
"My character is Skippy Pylon — I love the name — she's the smartest lawyer in the firm, but she's insane. She's crazy. So it'll be very different from Olive. It's also going to be very fun for me to play that kind of part — someone who will just let a judge have it."
"It would wrap up a lot of the unanswered questions that people will have once they finally air our final episodes," the singer-actress told TVGuide.com.
And is Fuller pushing ABC to air those episodes?
"It's way too good to push on somebody," she said. "You either air it and let the world see it or — you know, that show, I'm sorry if it sounds arrogant, but it's the best thing ever."
Fuller himself hinted at the possibility at a recent appearance at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills, where he also talked about his longstanding idea of resolving the story in comic-book form.
If the movie goes ahead, Chenoweth says she's in — and she believes her Daisies castmates would be as well.
"I'm sure that Brian Fuller wouldn't do it without the six main characters," she said. "Paul Reubens was a big part of it — we have certain guest stars that are standouts that we'd want back. But he has such a great idea for it. ... We all want to."
Fuller is returning to Heroes, his former show, and has written a part for Daisies alum Swoozie Kurtz.
Chenoweth, meanwhile, is moving on to David E. Kelley new legal pilot, Legally Mad.
"My character is Skippy Pylon — I love the name — she's the smartest lawyer in the firm, but she's insane. She's crazy. So it'll be very different from Olive. It's also going to be very fun for me to play that kind of part — someone who will just let a judge have it."
TNT Greenlights Ray Romano's Men of a Certain Age
Ray Romano's return to TV is official.
After greenlighting new series from Jerry Bruckheimer and Jada Pinkett Smith last week, TNT is giving the go-ahead to Romano's character dramedy Men of a Certain Age, according to Variety.
The series, starring Romano, Andre Braugher and Scott Bakula as three fortysomething college buddies trying to reconcile their midlife situations with what they had expected, was created by Romano and Mike Royce (Everybody Loves Raymond). Rocye will serve as showrunner, and he and Romano will also serve as executive producers.
TNT has ordered 10 episodes and is targeting a January 2010 premiere. A start date for production has not yet been set.
The series becomes TNT's eighth hourlong series, behind cop drama The Line, from Bruckheimer and starring Dylan McDermott, and Pinkett Smith's hospital series Time Heals.
After greenlighting new series from Jerry Bruckheimer and Jada Pinkett Smith last week, TNT is giving the go-ahead to Romano's character dramedy Men of a Certain Age, according to Variety.
The series, starring Romano, Andre Braugher and Scott Bakula as three fortysomething college buddies trying to reconcile their midlife situations with what they had expected, was created by Romano and Mike Royce (Everybody Loves Raymond). Rocye will serve as showrunner, and he and Romano will also serve as executive producers.
TNT has ordered 10 episodes and is targeting a January 2010 premiere. A start date for production has not yet been set.
The series becomes TNT's eighth hourlong series, behind cop drama The Line, from Bruckheimer and starring Dylan McDermott, and Pinkett Smith's hospital series Time Heals.
Fox Boss Announces Prison Break's Return ... and Finale
Michael and Lincoln soon will be able to finally catch their breath. Fox entertainment president Kevin Reilly announced at Tuesday's TCA Winter Press Tour that "this will be the last year" of Prison Break.
While citing the series' four-year run as one for the "win column," Reilly acknowleged, "It got to a point where a lot of the stories had been told."
Prison Break aired its 16th episode/annual "winter finale" on Dec. 22. At least six more hours are set to kick off Friday, April 17 (after Sarah Connor unspools eight straight new episodes), but that count could be upped to eight so as to properly finish the serialized saga. Said Reilly, "We want to finish strong."
While citing the series' four-year run as one for the "win column," Reilly acknowleged, "It got to a point where a lot of the stories had been told."
Prison Break aired its 16th episode/annual "winter finale" on Dec. 22. At least six more hours are set to kick off Friday, April 17 (after Sarah Connor unspools eight straight new episodes), but that count could be upped to eight so as to properly finish the serialized saga. Said Reilly, "We want to finish strong."
Jay Chandrasekhar to Helm Opposites
Broken Lizard's Jay Chandrasekhar will direct Bold Films' upcoming comedy, Opposites Attract.
Written by Dan Ewen, "Opposites" is a body-switching comedy involving a young couple who must "walk a mile in each other's shoes" in order to make their relationship work.
Bold and Chandrasekhar are aiming to do an R-rated take on the body-switching genre while looking at the differences between the sexes.
Although Chandrasekhar helmed such Broken Lizard films as Super Troopers and Beerfest and tends to work with his comedy troupe, "Opposites" is not a Broken Lizard production.
Written by Dan Ewen, "Opposites" is a body-switching comedy involving a young couple who must "walk a mile in each other's shoes" in order to make their relationship work.
Bold and Chandrasekhar are aiming to do an R-rated take on the body-switching genre while looking at the differences between the sexes.
Although Chandrasekhar helmed such Broken Lizard films as Super Troopers and Beerfest and tends to work with his comedy troupe, "Opposites" is not a Broken Lizard production.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Brendan Fraser Joins Ford in Crowley
Brendan Fraser will play the title role in director Tom Vaughan's Crowley, joining Harrison Ford in the film that begins shooting April in Portland.
The drama is based on the true story of John and Aileen Crowley, whose two children had a rare genetic disorder. Rather than give up hope that nothing could help his children, John Crowley found a researcher (Ford) with a potential cure.
Ford also will executive produce the film inspired by a Wall Street Journal article and subsequent book, "The Cure," by Geeta Anand.
The drama is based on the true story of John and Aileen Crowley, whose two children had a rare genetic disorder. Rather than give up hope that nothing could help his children, John Crowley found a researcher (Ford) with a potential cure.
Ford also will executive produce the film inspired by a Wall Street Journal article and subsequent book, "The Cure," by Geeta Anand.
South Park Creators Bring How's Your News? to MTV
Matt Stone on Camp Jabberwocky's special news team.
About 10 years back South Park's Matt Stone and Trey Parker put their love and money into a docu-film called How's Your News?, which featured members of an Adults with Disabilities camp, Camp Jabberwocky, hitting the streets as part of a news team and getting a slew of "man on the streets" interviews. Trey and Matt saw some of the footage that was coming out of the camp and, as Matt Stone put it at the recent TCA press tour, "we just loved it. This was back before South Park was on the air." And ever since the feature film in 1999, Matt and Trey have been "kind of Godfathering the project which has changed a lot over the past 10 years," said Stone.
Moving How's Your News? into a TV series on MTV is definitely something that might not have ever seemed possible, especially given the beast that MTV has become and how much the network has changed its focus over time. But Stone was hesitant to try and get it on Comedy Central, mostly out of respect for the participant's disabilities and the humor that may unintentionally grow out of their interviews with celebrities. The TV show itself, however, has more to do with the team, and their own lives, than the previous incarnations of Hows? "This show is really about them. We have a lot of celebrity stuff because we went to LA and New York and Las Vegas, but it's really about them," Stone clarified.
In the 6 episodes of the new series, we follow the reporters, including Jeremy Vest and Sue Harrington, as they cram on board a bus and live along with the camera crew and meet the likes of John Stamos, Sarah Silverman and Jeremy's confessed lifelong hero, Kermit the Frog. And it wasn't just any bus. "It was really fun. It's really amazingly and outrageously orange," beemed Vest. Who was the dream interview for Sue Harrington? The Plain White T's.
Stone was also asked to comment on how he and Trey Parker are able to maintain a respectful portrayal of the How's Your News? reporters, especially since they are, of course, notorious for their off-color and controversial antics of South Park. Stone was really never afraid to be associated with the members of Camp Jabberwocky, he was more afraid for them to be associated with him, given the stigma that might come with the phrase "from the creators of South Park." Jabberwocky Video Teacher and Executive Producer, Arthur Bradford said that the show will be about "this amazing and talented group of people as they travel across the country. Their sense of humor permeates every moment of every episode."
About 10 years back South Park's Matt Stone and Trey Parker put their love and money into a docu-film called How's Your News?, which featured members of an Adults with Disabilities camp, Camp Jabberwocky, hitting the streets as part of a news team and getting a slew of "man on the streets" interviews. Trey and Matt saw some of the footage that was coming out of the camp and, as Matt Stone put it at the recent TCA press tour, "we just loved it. This was back before South Park was on the air." And ever since the feature film in 1999, Matt and Trey have been "kind of Godfathering the project which has changed a lot over the past 10 years," said Stone.
Moving How's Your News? into a TV series on MTV is definitely something that might not have ever seemed possible, especially given the beast that MTV has become and how much the network has changed its focus over time. But Stone was hesitant to try and get it on Comedy Central, mostly out of respect for the participant's disabilities and the humor that may unintentionally grow out of their interviews with celebrities. The TV show itself, however, has more to do with the team, and their own lives, than the previous incarnations of Hows? "This show is really about them. We have a lot of celebrity stuff because we went to LA and New York and Las Vegas, but it's really about them," Stone clarified.
In the 6 episodes of the new series, we follow the reporters, including Jeremy Vest and Sue Harrington, as they cram on board a bus and live along with the camera crew and meet the likes of John Stamos, Sarah Silverman and Jeremy's confessed lifelong hero, Kermit the Frog. And it wasn't just any bus. "It was really fun. It's really amazingly and outrageously orange," beemed Vest. Who was the dream interview for Sue Harrington? The Plain White T's.
Stone was also asked to comment on how he and Trey Parker are able to maintain a respectful portrayal of the How's Your News? reporters, especially since they are, of course, notorious for their off-color and controversial antics of South Park. Stone was really never afraid to be associated with the members of Camp Jabberwocky, he was more afraid for them to be associated with him, given the stigma that might come with the phrase "from the creators of South Park." Jabberwocky Video Teacher and Executive Producer, Arthur Bradford said that the show will be about "this amazing and talented group of people as they travel across the country. Their sense of humor permeates every moment of every episode."
Weekly Ratings: 1/4 – 1/9
Sunday Ratings: Did the Superstars of Dance Have Legs?
7 pm/ET
Trailing the conclusion of Fox's NFL coverage, 60 Minutes placed second with 12.32 million total viewers. The first hour of Saturday Night Live's "Sports Extra" special came in a distant fourth (behind Funniest Home Videos), with 4.48 mil.
8 pm
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition topped the hour with just under 11 million viewers; Million Dollar Password was a close second with 10.4 mil. The SNL Sports Extra surged to 6.88 mil in its second hour. Fox's rebroadcast of 24: Redemption averaged 5.9 mil over its two-hour run.
9 pm
Housewives was No. 1 with 14.33 million viewers, yet down 10 percent from its last fresh outing. Cold Case came in second with 12.66 mil, followed by the first hour of NBC's Superstars of Dance premiere (10.4 mil).
10 pm
NBC's superstar Dancers showed some legs by topping the 10 o'clock hour with 10.07 million viewers, besting The Unit (9.73 mil, up 19 percent from its previous new episode). Brothers & Sisters brought up the rear with 9.16 mil, down 14 percent.
Monday & Tuesday Ratings: Huge Gains for Biggest Loser, Scrubs-on-ABC
The Nielsens this week have experienced delays, so I just had two days' worth of data dumped on my desk. Here are selected highlights:
Monday
• Fox's coverage of the Fiesta Bowl dominated the night with 16 million total viewers.
• NBC's Superstars of Dance (9.59 million) dropped 615K from its Sunday bow.
• The arrival of ABC's new Bachelor averaged 8.7 mil, barely grabbing third at 8 pm/ET and dropping to No. 4 come 9 o'clock.
• Gossip Girl (2.94 mil) more or less matched its most recent audience, while One Tree Hill (2.63 mil) enjoyed a gain of 420 thou.
• ABC's True Beauty debuted to 7.64 mil, placing a distant second behind a CSI: Miami repeat.
Tuesday
• NCIS netted 19.07 million viewers, its second-largest audience ever (trailing only this past Dec. 16). That set up The Mentalist for yet another series high, 19.56 mil.
• The Biggest Loser: Couples debuted to 11.82 mil, the series' biggest premiere ever and a 51 percent increase over the Families opener.
• The ABC premiere of Scrubs averaged 6.7 mil across two episodes — a 25 percent improvement upon the sitcom's NBC send-off.
• Both 90210 (2.78 mil) and Privileged (1.74 mil) dipped 150K.
• Without a Trace scored 13.2 mil, down 1.5 mil from its last fresh episode (which delivered a season high). SVU (10.65 mil) slipped 250 thou.
Thursday Ratings: BCS Game, Private Practice Are Night's Only Winners
This Thursday, as Fox's coverage of the BCS Championship game 'tween the Gators and Sooners dominated the night with some 24 million total viewers....
8 pm/ET
Ugly Betty placed third (behind a CSI: NY repeat) with an audience of 7.5 million, down 900K from its last fresh outing. Both NBC's Earl (5.5 mil, down 17 percent) and Kath & Kim (4.15 mil, down 22 percent) suffered serious blows.
9 pm
Grey's claimed the No. 2 spot with 13.7 million viewers, down 10 percent from its last new episode. Leading out of an Office repeat with what I posit was its best episode of the season, 30 Rock (5.24 mil) plunged 30 percent.
10 pm
Private Practice benefitted from its new après-Grey's time slot, surging 36 percent (from its last Wednesday outing) to 9.03 million viewers. Trailing an Eleventh Hour repeat, ER scored 7.32 mil, down, 18 percent.
Friday Ratings: CBS' Flashpoint Is Back with a Bang
How did Friday's fare fare? Allow me to tell you via American Flight 3 to Los Angeles, where Mickey, Tim and I will be covering the Golden Globes and this week's Winter TCA Press Tour. (Thanks, GoGo in-flight wireless!)
8 pm/ET
Ghost Whisperer topped the hour as well as the night with an audience of 10.63 million total viewers, up 450K from its last fresh outing. Howie Do It did 7.68 mil to place second ahead of Wife Swap (4.77 mil).
9 pm
CBS' Flashpoint kicked off its second season with an all-time high audience of 10.06 million viewers (up 400K from its Sept. 18 finale). Trailing Supernanny (5.6 mil) and the second hour of Fox's Bruce Almighty, Lipstick Jungle's last scheduled episode delivered 4.08 mil, dipping 150 thou week-to-week. Did the sudsy sophomore series finish strong enough to make NBC reconsider its swing of the axe? Stay tuned....
10 pm
Numbers (10.08 mil) notched a 10 percent increase from its last new episode, easily besting 20/20 (7.89 mil) and Dateline (4.86 mil).
7 pm/ET
Trailing the conclusion of Fox's NFL coverage, 60 Minutes placed second with 12.32 million total viewers. The first hour of Saturday Night Live's "Sports Extra" special came in a distant fourth (behind Funniest Home Videos), with 4.48 mil.
8 pm
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition topped the hour with just under 11 million viewers; Million Dollar Password was a close second with 10.4 mil. The SNL Sports Extra surged to 6.88 mil in its second hour. Fox's rebroadcast of 24: Redemption averaged 5.9 mil over its two-hour run.
9 pm
Housewives was No. 1 with 14.33 million viewers, yet down 10 percent from its last fresh outing. Cold Case came in second with 12.66 mil, followed by the first hour of NBC's Superstars of Dance premiere (10.4 mil).
10 pm
NBC's superstar Dancers showed some legs by topping the 10 o'clock hour with 10.07 million viewers, besting The Unit (9.73 mil, up 19 percent from its previous new episode). Brothers & Sisters brought up the rear with 9.16 mil, down 14 percent.
Monday & Tuesday Ratings: Huge Gains for Biggest Loser, Scrubs-on-ABC
The Nielsens this week have experienced delays, so I just had two days' worth of data dumped on my desk. Here are selected highlights:
Monday
• Fox's coverage of the Fiesta Bowl dominated the night with 16 million total viewers.
• NBC's Superstars of Dance (9.59 million) dropped 615K from its Sunday bow.
• The arrival of ABC's new Bachelor averaged 8.7 mil, barely grabbing third at 8 pm/ET and dropping to No. 4 come 9 o'clock.
• Gossip Girl (2.94 mil) more or less matched its most recent audience, while One Tree Hill (2.63 mil) enjoyed a gain of 420 thou.
• ABC's True Beauty debuted to 7.64 mil, placing a distant second behind a CSI: Miami repeat.
Tuesday
• NCIS netted 19.07 million viewers, its second-largest audience ever (trailing only this past Dec. 16). That set up The Mentalist for yet another series high, 19.56 mil.
• The Biggest Loser: Couples debuted to 11.82 mil, the series' biggest premiere ever and a 51 percent increase over the Families opener.
• The ABC premiere of Scrubs averaged 6.7 mil across two episodes — a 25 percent improvement upon the sitcom's NBC send-off.
• Both 90210 (2.78 mil) and Privileged (1.74 mil) dipped 150K.
• Without a Trace scored 13.2 mil, down 1.5 mil from its last fresh episode (which delivered a season high). SVU (10.65 mil) slipped 250 thou.
Thursday Ratings: BCS Game, Private Practice Are Night's Only Winners
This Thursday, as Fox's coverage of the BCS Championship game 'tween the Gators and Sooners dominated the night with some 24 million total viewers....
8 pm/ET
Ugly Betty placed third (behind a CSI: NY repeat) with an audience of 7.5 million, down 900K from its last fresh outing. Both NBC's Earl (5.5 mil, down 17 percent) and Kath & Kim (4.15 mil, down 22 percent) suffered serious blows.
9 pm
Grey's claimed the No. 2 spot with 13.7 million viewers, down 10 percent from its last new episode. Leading out of an Office repeat with what I posit was its best episode of the season, 30 Rock (5.24 mil) plunged 30 percent.
10 pm
Private Practice benefitted from its new après-Grey's time slot, surging 36 percent (from its last Wednesday outing) to 9.03 million viewers. Trailing an Eleventh Hour repeat, ER scored 7.32 mil, down, 18 percent.
Friday Ratings: CBS' Flashpoint Is Back with a Bang
How did Friday's fare fare? Allow me to tell you via American Flight 3 to Los Angeles, where Mickey, Tim and I will be covering the Golden Globes and this week's Winter TCA Press Tour. (Thanks, GoGo in-flight wireless!)
8 pm/ET
Ghost Whisperer topped the hour as well as the night with an audience of 10.63 million total viewers, up 450K from its last fresh outing. Howie Do It did 7.68 mil to place second ahead of Wife Swap (4.77 mil).
9 pm
CBS' Flashpoint kicked off its second season with an all-time high audience of 10.06 million viewers (up 400K from its Sept. 18 finale). Trailing Supernanny (5.6 mil) and the second hour of Fox's Bruce Almighty, Lipstick Jungle's last scheduled episode delivered 4.08 mil, dipping 150 thou week-to-week. Did the sudsy sophomore series finish strong enough to make NBC reconsider its swing of the axe? Stay tuned....
10 pm
Numbers (10.08 mil) notched a 10 percent increase from its last new episode, easily besting 20/20 (7.89 mil) and Dateline (4.86 mil).
Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino Tops Box Office
The ComingSoon.net Box Office Report has been updated with studio estimates for the weekend.
Clint Eastwood's new drama Gran Torino took first place at the box office with an estimated $29 million, a new record for the 78-year-old actor, topping the $18 million his Space Cowboys made in 2000. The movie increased its theater count from 84 theaters to 2,808 this weekend and averaged an impressive $10,337 per location. Since opening on December 12 in New York and Los Angeles, the film has earned $40.1 million so far. The Warner Bros. release, directed by, produced by and starring Eastwood, cost about $33 million to make.
Two other newcomers also opened with more than $20 million. 20th Century Fox's new comedy Bride Wars, starring Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson, opened to $21.5 million from 3,226 theaters, while Rogue Pictures' new supernatural thriller The Unborn, directed by David Goyer and starring Odette Yustman, was close behind in third with $21.1 million from 2,357 theaters.
Fox's Marley & Me dropped down the fourth but added another $11.4 million in its third weekend to bring its total to $123.7 million.
Paramount Pictures' The Curious Case of Benjamin Button rounded out the top five with $9.5 million. After three weeks, the David Fincher fantasy drama starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett has reached $94.3 million. It carried a budget of about $150 million.
Sixth place belonged to Disney's Bedtime Stories, which earned $8.6 million for a total of $97.2 million after three weeks. Bryan Singer and Tom Cruise's Valkyrie added $6.7 million in its third weekend for a total of $71.5 million. Jim Carrey's Yes Man made $6.2 million in its fourth weekend for a sum of $89.4 million.
TriStar Pictures' Not Easily Broken also opened in 724 theaters and earned $5.6 million.
Clint Eastwood's new drama Gran Torino took first place at the box office with an estimated $29 million, a new record for the 78-year-old actor, topping the $18 million his Space Cowboys made in 2000. The movie increased its theater count from 84 theaters to 2,808 this weekend and averaged an impressive $10,337 per location. Since opening on December 12 in New York and Los Angeles, the film has earned $40.1 million so far. The Warner Bros. release, directed by, produced by and starring Eastwood, cost about $33 million to make.
Two other newcomers also opened with more than $20 million. 20th Century Fox's new comedy Bride Wars, starring Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson, opened to $21.5 million from 3,226 theaters, while Rogue Pictures' new supernatural thriller The Unborn, directed by David Goyer and starring Odette Yustman, was close behind in third with $21.1 million from 2,357 theaters.
Fox's Marley & Me dropped down the fourth but added another $11.4 million in its third weekend to bring its total to $123.7 million.
Paramount Pictures' The Curious Case of Benjamin Button rounded out the top five with $9.5 million. After three weeks, the David Fincher fantasy drama starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett has reached $94.3 million. It carried a budget of about $150 million.
Sixth place belonged to Disney's Bedtime Stories, which earned $8.6 million for a total of $97.2 million after three weeks. Bryan Singer and Tom Cruise's Valkyrie added $6.7 million in its third weekend for a total of $71.5 million. Jim Carrey's Yes Man made $6.2 million in its fourth weekend for a sum of $89.4 million.
TriStar Pictures' Not Easily Broken also opened in 724 theaters and earned $5.6 million.
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