Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

It’s a big night tonight for those of us who watch the CW, as it’s the long-awaited return of new episodes for both The Vampire Diaries (for those of you who follow the show Klaus will be introduced on the April 21 episode!) and Nikita, after a 6-week spring hiatus. But for those of you who don’t watch the former WB network, you can check out new episodes of Bones on FOX or new episodes of CSI and The Mentalist on CBS.

In the meantime, please check out the news for today, as there are some interesting casting items, some new show pick-ups that you’ll want to know about and there are some new movie trailers that you’ll want to check out (and more):

TELEVISION

Actress Mary McDonnell will reprise her role as Captain Sharon Raydor on The Closer during the series super-sized ‘final’ season, being upgraded as a full-time series regular. This has led to the belief that she will lead the spin-off series titled Major Crimes along with some of the current cast of The Closer crossing over to that new series. Nothing has been confirmed for this latter part of news, though. The final season of The Closer will air 10 episodes this summer, followed by five in the winter, and the final six next summer. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Despite rumors to the contrary, actress Christina Ricci will not be appearing on the CBS drama CSI. That role will actually be filled by actress Elisabeth Harnois (Miami Medical), who will debut in the May 5 episode as a young woman who helps the Las Vegas team with the Nate Haskell investigation who is the estranged daughter of Conrad Ecklie (Marc Vann). Her character works for the Los Angeles Police Department. Harnois is expected to return in the fall for more episodes. (Lynette Rice at Entertainment Weekly)

Showtime has picked up two new shows: Homeland and House of Lies, which have both received 12 episode orders. Homeland is a psychological thriller that tells the story of Carrie Anderson (Claire Danes), a CIA officer battling her own demons, who becomes convinced that the intelligence that led to the rescue of Scott Brody (Damian Lewis) a U.S. soldier who had been missing and presumed deal for nine years, was a setup and may be connected to an Al Qaeda plot to be carried out on American soil. Mandy Patinkin will portray Saul, a veteran CIA Division Chief who is Carrie’s (Danes) boss and mentor. Meanwhile, House of Lies is a half-hour comedy that stars Don Cheadle as Marty, a highly-successful and cutthroat consultant who is never above using any means (or anyone) necessary to get his way with and for his clients. Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars and Heroes) will play Jeannie Van Der Hooven, a razor-sharp, Ivy-League graduate who works at Marty’s firm. Co-stars include Ben Schwartz (Undercovers), Josh Lawson (The Deep End) as Marty’s corporate team members and Dawn Oliveri (Heroes and The Vampire Diaries) as Marty’s acerbic ex-wife [among others]. (The Futon Critic)

Actress Annabeth Gish (Mystic Pizza and The X-Files) will appear in the second season of Pretty Little Liars as the therapist that all of the girls have to visit because of the events that unfolded in season one. Gish’s character is Anne Sullivan, the mysterious woman assigned to uncover the ugly truth from each girl. The show will be back with new episodes on June 14. (Pop Wrap)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actress Hope Davis (In Treatment) will star opposite Tea Leoni in the HBO half-hour comedy pilot Spring/Fall, which is set in New York City against the backdrop of the fashion world and centers on the dysfunctional partnership between Margo (Leoni) and Eden (Davis), two women with different approaches to career, family and friendship. Margo is a successful designer and a happily married mother of 5-year-old twins working for famous fashion designer Victor Cross. When he commits suicide, Margo takes over his line and quickly realizes she’s in over her head, so she reaches out to her estranged former best friend and collaborator Eden, a one-time famous fashion designer herself, and convinces her to come work for her. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Amber Valletta will guest star in the ABC drama pilot called Revenge that revolves around Emily (Emily Van Camp from Brothers and Sisters), a woman who moves to the Hamptons and learns quickly that every kind gesture her new neighbors make is an invitation to their own downfall. Ashley Madekwe (Secret Diary of a Call Girl), Nick Wechsler (Roswell), Gabriel Mann (Mad Men), Connor Paolo (Gossip Girl), Christa B. Allen, Henry Czerny (The Tudors), Madeline Stowe and Josh Bowman round out the cast. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

MADE FOR TV MOVIE NEWS

The upcoming four-hour mini-series Titanic has announced some of its cast, including Linus Roache (Batman Begins), Geraldine Somerville (Harry Potter) and Toby Jones (Infamous). The film will focus on different characters ranging from steerage passengers to upper class guests. (Jeff Labrecque at Entertainment Weekly)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Javier Bardem is close to signing a deal to play gunslinger Roland Deschain in The Dark Tower, the mammoth adaptation of the Stephen King 7-novel series that will span three movies and a limited run TV series in between each film. The premise is that Deschain becomes humanity’s last hope to save civilization as he hits the road to find the Dark Tower; but along the way, he encounters characters, good and bad, in a world that has an old West feel. Ron Howard directs a script from Akiva Goldsman with Brian Grazer producing. The deal itself is a complex one, almost unprecedented, because it calls for Bardem to star in the feature film and the TV component. (Mike Fleming at Deadline)

Actor Jay Baruchel has joined the upcoming box office film Cosmopolis, which stars Robert Pattinson as a financial whiz kid who bets his entire fortune against the yen on one day. Baruchel will play the shy guy who founded the company, and who acts as the trader’s conscience. (Dark Horizons)

Actor William Fichtner (Prison Break) is in final negotiations to join Jodie Foster in the upcoming sci-fi epic Elysium. (Dark Horizons)

Actors Clive Owen, Andrea Riseborough, Gillian Anderson and Aidan Gillen have all joined the cast of the box office film Shadow Dancer, which is based on the novel by Tom Bradby. The story is about a former female IRA terrorist turned informer. Owen and Riseborough replace Guy Pearce and Rebecca Hall who were set for the lead roles late last year. (Dark Horizons)

Actress Maggie Grace (Lost) will reprise her role as the daughter of Liam Neeson in the upcoming sequel Taken 2. (Dark Horizons)

A film based on legendary singer Dusty Springfield is in the works. The film is to be based on the Sharon Davis book called A Girl Called Dusty. Cast and crew have yet to be chosen. [MY OPINION HERE: Kristin Chenoweth or even UK singer Duffy would be great in the role.] (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

In addition to Keira Knightley, Jude Law and Aaron Johnson being part of the upcoming adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, Director Joe Wright (Hanna, Pride and Prejudice and Atonement) has announced that actress Kelly Macdonald (Boardwalk Empire) and actor Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock) are now a part of the cast as well. It is also rumored that James McAvoy and Saoirse Ronan may also be joining the cast. The eight-part novel deals with a 19th century Russian woman (Knightley) trapped in a loveless marriage who becomes a social outcast when she has an affair with the aristocrat Count Vronsky (Johnson). (The Playlist, MTV News and Dark Horizons)

BOX OFFICE TRAILERS

Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone in ‘Crazy, Stupid, Love’ Trailer

Watch: First Full Teaser Trailer for Roland Emmerich’s ‘Anonymous’

That’s it. Enjoy!