Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Oscar winning actress Ellen Burstyn has joined the cast of the much-buzzed-about six-hour USA Network series Political Animals that will star Sigourney Weaver as Elaine Barrish, a divorced former first lady and current secretary of state, who is struggling to keep her family together while simultaneously dealing with the crises of the State Department. Burstyn will appear as Margaret Barrish, Elaine’s mother, who is a tough Chicago broad and one-time Vegas showgirl with biting tongue and sharp wit. Other cast members include James Wolk (Lone Star and Happy Endings), Sebastian Stan (Gossip Girl) and Carla Gugino. (Lacey Rose at The Hollywood Reporter)

Two very different stories broke today regarding legendary actress Dame Maggie Smith and her continuation in the raved about BBC series Downton Abbey. One story says she has asked to leave the show after the third season (which is being filmed now for airing in the U.K. in September) and one that says the rumor is false. Time will tell which story is true. (Deadline, The Daily Mail, BBC America, The New York Times and PBS)

Actress Skyler Day (Parenthood and TeenNick’s short-lived teen series Gigantic) will appear in a recurring role on the Lifetime drama Army Wives, playing Sophie Clarke, the 16-year-old daughter of Jackie and Army Gen. Clarke (Kelli Williams and Robert John Burke). Sophie is described as a pretty and willful girl who can be flippant to the point of rudeness but knows how to turn on the charm and portray the perfect daughter. She’s close with her father and has a deep resentment toward her mother for what she believes was a childhood of neglect. (The Hollywood Reporter)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

HBO is edging closer to making the Philip Kerr trilogy into a series to be called Berlin Noir. The potential series would focus on Bernie Gunther, a police detective in 1930s Germany, with the political climate and run-up to WWII and then the Cold War as the backdrop. The books from the trilogy – “March Violets”, “The Pale Criminal” and “A German Requiem” were published starting in 1989 and will include Tom Hanks as one of their executive producers. (Deadline and The Futon Critic)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Here are the top 10 box office films for this past weekend courtesy of Exhibitor Relations and E! Online:

1. The Hunger Games, $21.5 million
2. The Three Stooges, $17.1 million
3. The Cabin in the Woods, $14.9 million
4. Titanic 3D, $11.6 million
5. American Reunion, $10.6 million
6. Mirror Mirror, $7 million
7. Wrath of the Titans, $6.9 million
8. 21 Jump Street, $6.8 million
9. Lockout, $6.3 million
10. Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, $3 million

Actress Joelle Carter (Justified) has joined the cast of the upcoming horror film called Jessabelle that will be about a woman who returns to her father’s Louisiana home after an accident robs her of the use of her legs. Once there, she must confront an enraged ghost. Carter will play the woman’s mother. (Dread Central and Dark Horizons)

Actor Wentworth Miller (Prison) has sold the original thriller screenplay called The Disappointments Room to Voltage Pictures and Killer Films. The story follows a family that moves into a mysterious old house in the country that has a dark past. (Risky Biz Blog and Dark Horizons)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Must Watch: Heartwarming ‘Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog’ US Trailer

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Treat Williams (Everwood) will guest star on an upcoming episode of Leverage, playing Pete Rising, an ex-hockey player who now owns a professional team. After Rising sacrifices the team’s star player to get ahead, Nate and his team step in to protect the hockey team from its ruthless owner. No air date has been set for this episode, but Leverage is expected back on TNT for its 5th season later this year. (Robyn Ross at TV Guide)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

First Full Trailer For That Twisty Time-Traveling Hitman Movie Looper

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Dwayne Johnson is looking at a film adaptation of the T.P. Louise graphic novel called Lore for his next film since it has been picked up by Warner Bros. The graphic novel is described as being set in times past in a world full of mythical creatures – creatures long since banished and held at bay by the secret society of Shepherds. But when the generational line of Shepherds is broken, a reluctant hero finds her life threatened from every quarter. And the creatures are coming back! It is being presumed that Johnson’s character turns into some sort of protector of the female hero. (The Hollywood Reporter and First Showing)

Q&A SECTION (with Sandra Gonzalez at Entertainment Weekly)

Question: I wouldn’t argue with some Pretty Little Liars scoop. — Kim

Gonzalez: I see what you’re doing there. ‘Oh, spoils! Those old things? I suppose you can give me some. Yawn.’ Your reverse psychology won’t work on me, ma’am! Well, I guess it actually will. But only because Tyler Blackburn was kind enough to fill me in on the action we’ll be seeing in season 3. “Obviously [Caleb’s] recently been enlightened on what has been going on for the last two seasons, and I think it made him more concerned about Hannah,” he said at the Avengers premiere. “The secrets never stop and he is a little shaken by his new-found knowledge, so he is going to come into season 3 way more cautious and leary of Hannah. I think their relationship will be put to the test.” And as you might recall, there was a bit of a mixed reaction to the reveal of “A,” but Blackburn says that now that Mona’s secret is out, he only sees it getting better from here. “I think season 3 will be really good from what I have seen. I don’t think anybody’s going to be disappointed with where we are taking the show,” he says. “It’s [still] a combination of both — some comes from the books and some of it is original storylines. To keep it fresh and new, they want to do some of their [own] things. Otherwise everything would be predictable for people who read the books. But the books also have such a following that they don’t want to veer too far from them either and they want to stay true to that.”

Question: Thank you for your chat with Tim Matheson of Hart of Dixie! I love that show. I’d love any scoop! — Becca

Gonzalez: We’ve seen hints of a bridge being built between Brick (Matheson) and Zoe (Rachel Bilson), and Matheson says we’ll continue to see Brick develop a soft spot for the young doc. “I think that what I’ve discovered is that there’s a part of Brick that is beginning to feel protective of Zoe, and having paternal feelings toward her, which he tries not to deal with,” he says. “It’s an interesting development for me. I think if you’re playing a villain or an antagonist, you have to step on those feelings to do the things you’re doing. But for me, those feelings are being allowed to come out. But I do like being on obstacle for her. I hope to do many, many episodes where I can be a thorn in her side.”

Question: Castle scoop please! I’ll take anything. — Veronica

Gonzalez: Excited about Adam Baldwin’s guest spot on Monday? You should be. I’m told that we won’t be disappointed — especially my fellow Browncoats.

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a terrific weekend!

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