Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

The long, holiday weekend is almost here. Do you folks have any fun plans arranged? Hope so. For those of you on the East Coast please take care, batten down the hatches (as the saying goes) and let’s hope that Hurricane Earl does end up being as destructive as reports are currently stating.

In the meantime, here are the news items for today.

TELEVISION

Lifetime has passed on the Army Wives spin-off that was to star Brigid Brannagh and Gabrielle Union. (Deadline and Televisionary)

The USA Network has slashed the episodic budget for the new legal drama Facing Kate from twelve to ten episodes and pushed the premiere into early 2011, due to scheduling issues. (Deadline and Televisionary)

ARTICLE ABOUT TORCHWOOD

Jane Espenson tells us about Torchwood’s ‘intense’ next season

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIES

A new 4-hour made-for-TV movie Neverland, a prequel to author J.M. Barrie’s classic Peter Pan, will start production soon by Syfy with a cast that includes Rhys Ifans (Pirate Radio and Notting Hill) as James Hook, Anna Friel (Pushing Daisies) as Captain Elizabeth Bonny, Bob Hoskins as Smee, Raoul Trujillo (Tin Man) as Holy Man and Charlie Rowe (Pirate Radio) as Peter Pan. The movie is slated to air in 2011.

Here is the premise of the movie: Raised on the streets of turn-of-the century London, orphaned Peter (Rowe) and his pals survive by their fearless wits as cunning young pickpockets. Now, they’ve been rounded up by their mentor Jimmy Hook (Ifans) to snatch a priceless some believe, magical treasure which transports them to another world. Neverland is a realm of white jungles and legendary mysteries of eternal youth, where unknown friends and enemies snatched from time welcome the new travelers with both excitement and trepidation. These groups include a band of 18th century pirates led by the power-mad Elizabeth Bonny (Friel), and the Native American Kaw tribe led by a Holy Man (Trujillo), which has protected the secret of the tree spirits from Bonny and her gang for ages and that has meant war. But as the fight to save this strange and beautiful world becomes vital, Hook, Peter, and the ragamuffin lost boys consider that growing old somewhere in time could be less important than growing up-right here in their new home called Neverland. (The Futon Critic)

Alyssa Milano will star in Lifetime made-for-TV movie called Sundays at Tiffany’s, which is based on the book by James Patterson. She will star opposite Eric Winter (Moonlight and Brothers & Sisters) and will play a “bride-to-be visited by the adult incarnation of her childhood imaginary friend” who “begins to re-examine her life.” (Variety and Televisionary)

EXCITEMENT FOR FALL TV

5 Reasons Why You’re Not Going to Want to Miss the Second Season Premiere of LIFE UNEXPECTED

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

JJ Abrams and Lost executive producer Elizabeth Sarnoff are about to shop around a drama spec script written by Sarnoff to the networks about Alcatraz. The project, however, is shrouded in secrecy but it is about the San Francisco Bay island that once housed some of the country’s most notorious criminals, including Al Capone. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline Hollywood Daily)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

There is talk that Warner Bros. TV is in talks with several writers-producers about adapting the award-winning 1990s comic series “The Sandman” by Neil Gaiman into a feature film. At the top of the list of writers-producers is Eric Kripke (creator of Supernatural). The story of The Sandman follows Dream (aka. Morpheus), the Lord of the dream world who is held captive for seven decades by an occult ritual. Having escaped, his kingdom has fallen into disrepair in his absence and he sets about changing his old ways – hard for a being who has been around for billions of years. (Heat Vision and Dark Horizons)

Australian actress Jessica McNamee (Packed to the Rafters and The Loved Ones) has joined the cast of the romantic drama The Vow, which follows a real-life newlywed New Mexico couple (played by Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum) who get in a car crash. The wife is in a coma, where her husband takes care of her. When she awakes with no memory of her husband, he attempts to win her heart again. McNamee will play Rachel McAdams’ estranged younger sister. Scott Speedman also stars. (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

John Hawkes (Deadwood), Sarah Paulson (Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip), Hugh Dancy (Ella Enchanted) and Elizabeth Olsen (younger sister of the Olsen twins) will star in the indie drama Martha Marcy May Marlene, which follows a young woman who goes to live with her older sister after escaping from a cult led by Hawkes’ character. (Jeff Sneider at The Wrap)

Paula Patton (Precious) has landed that female lead role in the upcoming Mission: Impossible 4 film that will start Tom Cruise and Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker). (Mike Fleming at Deadline)

Monica Bellucci has joined the cast the upcoming comedy movie called Manual Of Love 3, starring as the love interest of Robert De Niro’s American professor character. (Dark Horizons)

That’s it. Enjoy!