Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Happy Over the Hump Day Everyone!! There is a lot of news to share so let’s get right to it all:

TELEVISION

ABC Family has picked up another one-hour scripted drama. This one is called Jane By Design (formerly known as What Would Jane Do). Set to debut in early 2012, this light-hearted drama follows Jane (Erica Dasher from The Lake), a teenager who lands a job at a hip retail company when they mistake her for an adult. Jane soon finds herself juggling life both as a regular high school student and as an assistant to a high powered executive in the cutthroat world of fashion… all while trying to keep her true identity a secret. The cast includes Nicholas Roux (Lemonade Mouth), Rowly Dennis (Desperate Housewives), India De Beaufort (One Tree Hill), Meagan Tandy (10 Things I Hate About You), Matthew Atkinson (CSI) and Andie MacDowell (Four Weddings and a Funeral), who appears as Jane’s steely boss. (Deadline)

With the soon departure of executive producer Ed Bernero, actress A.J. Cook just might be coming back to Criminal Minds. Cook left at the end of last season when her option was not picked up, which, of course, sparked a huge outcry among fans. Meanwhile, actress Paget Brewster who left the show not that long thereafter MAY come back as well SHOULD her new comedy pilot for NBC not be picked up; but that is more rumor than fact right now. Cook’s return will make things “interesting” for actress Rachel Nichols who was brought in to fill the void left by Cook’s departure. Bernero may be moving over to ABC should his pilot Partners be picked up to series. Erica Messer will take over show-runner/executive producer duties at Criminal Minds. (Nellie Andreeva at TV Line)

Are you curious about where your favorite shows stand in terms of being renewed or canceled? Then, check out the following from the folks at TV.com:

What’s Renewed, What’s Canceled, and What’s Still In Between? (2011 Edition)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

TV, film and comic book writer Mark Verheiden has been tapped to co-write with Akiva Goldsman the NBC TV series The Dark Tower, which is part of a massive joint deal to turn Stephen King’s opus of best-selling novels into a feature film trilogy and a TV series. Verheiden will executive produce the The Dark Tower series along with Goldsman, Ron Howard will direct the series. Verheiden’s resume includes Smallville, Heroes, Battlestar Galactica, the upcoming TNT series Falling Skies as well as nearly 125 comic books including The American, Aliens, Predator, The Phantom, Superman and Superman/Batman. (Deadline)

Actress Jessica Lange has been cast in the FX drama pilot American Horror Story that comes from Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk (the men behind Glee). She will star opposite Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights). Plot details are being kept under wraps; but she will play a nosy neighbor to Vivien Harmon (Britton). (Nellie Andreeva at TV Line)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Bradley Cooper is in early negotiations to star in the remake of The Crow. He would play a rock musician who is murdered while trying to save his fiancée from thugs. He is then resurrected by supernatural forces and seeks revenge. (The Hollywood Reporter)

Actor Rufus Sewell (A Knight’s Tale) will play Adam, the lead vampire villain, in the upcoming box office film Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. He joins Benjamin Walker, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Dominic Cooper in the film that is expected to be released on June 22, 2012. (Variety)

Kevin Durand (Lost and I Am Number Four) is in final negotiations to join the cast of the upcoming film Cosmopolis, which is an adaptation of the popular Don DeLillo novel of the same name. The film stars Robert Pattinson as a financial whiz who risks his immense fortune by betting against the yen on one particularly chaotic day. His decisions eventually make him the target of an assassination. Durand would play his chief security officer. The cast includes Samantha Morton, Juliette Binoche, Paul Giamatti and Sarah Gadon. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Daniel Sunjata (Rescue Me) has joined the cast of The Dark Knight Rises, but no details have been released on which character he will play. (Dark Horizons)

Actor Russell Brand (Arthur) is joining the cast of the big screen adaptation of Rock of Ages, playing Lonny, the show’s narrator and a rock club operator. The cast includes Diego Boneta (Pretty Little Liars), Alec Baldwin and Tom Cruise. Amy Adams is reportedly circling the role of a rock journalist. (Brent Lang at The Wrap)

Actors Sean Penn and Christian Bale are looking to team for the war zone drama called The Last Photograph that revolves around a photograph that becomes the catalyst for a journey two men undertake through war-torn Afghanistan. Bale is expected to play a war correspondent who is the only survivor of an attack on a group of Americans. While Penn is expected to play a retired ex-special ops soldier determined to free a family member who has been kidnapped and the war correspondent agrees to travel the rough terrain to find them with him in exchange for the story. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

Q&A SECTION (with Michael Ausiello from TV Line and Adam Bryan and Natalie Abrams from TV Guide)

Question: I’m dying for more information on Castle and Beckett sharing the same hotel room in Castle‘s upcoming L.A. episode. —Ashley

Ausiello: It’s not as contrived as it sounds. There’s actually a very plausible explanation for the slumber party. “Beckett booked a hotel on a cop’s salary that’s located all the way out in the valley,” explains exec producer Andrew W. Marlowe, “and Castle has a two-bedroom suite at a high-end hotel in Beverly Hills.” Um, duh. The Valley vs. 90210? Take it from an L.A. sorta-native — it’s a no-brainer. Anyway, one thing leads to another which, in turn, leads to… sex? “She certainly thinks about it, and considers it,” teases Marlowe. “She’s emotionally raw because they’ve come out to Los Angeles in the aftermath of the murder of her training officer, so she’s dealing with those emotions and kind of where she is in life. We call it our ‘Walls of Jericho’ moment for any [viewers] out there who are fans of It Happened One Night.”

Question: I am positively dying after the amazing Pretty Little Liars season finale. Megan’s interview with Oliver Goldstick helped (a little), but there is no way I can make it until June without some Liars scoop! Any tidbits you can share — particularly about my favorite Liar (Hanna) and the sweetest guy in Rosewood, Lucas? —Paige

Ausiello: When the show returns, it’ll be the dynamic between Lucas and Caleb that will have fans talking. “A budding bromance is formed,” reveals exec producer I. Marlene King of the polar opposites. “It’s a lovely story between Lucas and Caleb, so that’s going to play out over the summer episodes.” And what about Hanna’s reaction to Caleb’s return? “We literally just filmed the scene where Hanna realizes Caleb is back in Rosewood and it’s just so bittersweet,” King swoons. “It’s so lovely. So I can’t wait for our fans to see it. She’s happy to see him, but she’s not going to let him know that.”

Question: Will Jill and Hank ever admit they love each other on Royal Pains? I am all for a bit of “Will they/Won’t they?” but this is getting ridiculous. — Nancy

Ausiello: I have bad news for you, Nance. Word is, the show is introducing a new love interest for Hank — and she may stick around full-time.

Question: Do you have anything concerning Burn Notice? Preferably something on the Michael-Fi relationship?! —Franziska

Ausiello: Anything? Yes. Something on Michael-Fi’s romance? Not today, sorry. Watch for an upcoming episode to feature Michael matching wits with a con artist who’s sharp enough to know that the key to not getting caught is not getting rich. But oh! Oh! Oh! Does he wanna be rich! (You see where this might be a problem for him.)

Question: When will we actually see Klaus on Vampire Diaries? — Joey

NATALIE: Not until April 21, but in this week’s episode — which also includes a shocking death — Klaus will use Alaric’s body to infiltrate the group. He’ll discover what Katherine couldn’t tell him, no matter how much he tortured her: Bonnie is one powerful lady now, thanks to 100 dead witches. Expect not only a double cross while trying to take down Klaus, but a triple cross. So much crossing!

Question: Who’s going to die on Castle’s finale? I can’t stand the thought of losing anyone! — Amy

ADAM: I’m desperately hoping this is a case of “it isn’t what it looks like,” but I’m hearing the show is looking for actors to play Capt. Montgomery’s previously unseen wife and daughter. Even worse, they’ll show up right around the same time the Grim Reaper is supposed to come calling.

Question: Love all the NCIS scoop. Now give me some more! — Lance

ADAM: Could someone new be joining the ranks of NCIS brass? The show is in search of someone to play a politically savvy and powerful D.C. administrator who steps into his new job driven to get things done with little concern for consequences. The character is scheduled to play a substantive part in the end of this season, and possibly the beginning of the next.

Question: Got any scoop on this week’s episode of Fringe? — Charlie

NATALIE: Is it a coincidence that “Brown Betty,” last season’s musical episode, was Episode 219, one of the most experimental in Fringe’s history, and this Friday’s episode, No. 319, is titled “Lysergic Acid Diethylamide,” aka the full name of LSD? Nope! Is it also a coincidence that William Bell (Leonard Nimoy) has a presence in both episodes? Maybe not, but it’s certainly odd, his being dead and all. Intrigued? Watch this trippy promo.

Question: I can’t wait until Royal Pains comes back. Will Divya and Raj ever have their wedding? — Samantha

ADAM: Being detained (and missing your nuptials) for possibly having the plague is kind of a bad omen for marriage — even an arranged one. When the show returns, jumping almost a year in time, viewers will probably not be that shocked to know that Divya has called off the wedding, vowing to marry for love. What is shocking, however, is just how drastically Divya’s parents respond to the news.

Question: Is Auggie really being replaced on Covert Affairs? — Melanie

NATALIE: Yes, by an aggressive, impersonal new tech named Reva. Not to worry, though, Christopher Gorham isn’t leaving the show. In fact, Auggie will be back working with Annie as soon as Episode 5, when she has to infiltrate the CIA training facility as a recruit who didn’t graduate. That shouldn’t be too hard considering she never did.

That’s it. Enjoy!