Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

NBC has given a second season to their new thriller series Hannibal. (The Wrap)

Actress Ashley Davenport is leaving the ABC soap opera Revenge. It is believed to be for “storyline reasons” that she will no longer be part of the cast. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

NEW SHOW TRAILER

Star-Crossed (The CW) Trailer

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actress Agnes Bruckner, who plays Anna Nicole Smith in the upcoming Lifetime biopic about the former Playboy model, has joined the cast of the A&E drama pilot Occult where she will star opposite Josh Lucas and Lynn Collins. This pilot centers on Dolan (Lucas), an FBI agent who returns from administrative leave after going off the deep end while investigating his wife’s disappearance. Eager to be back on the job, he is paired with Noa Blair (Collins), an agent with her own complicated backstory who specializes in the occult. Together, they will solve cases for the newly formed occult crimes task force. Bruckner will play Lucy, an attractive, edgy young soul caught up in the occult. Presumed dead after being shot in the heart, she rises from the autopsy table, possessed and hell-bent on joining her fellow cultists. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Leven Rambin (The Hunger Games) will appear in two upcoming independent films. The first is Seven Minutes about a young athlete (Luke Mitchell) whose serious injury leads him to break bad. The second is called Walter, which will tell the story of a guy (Andrew J. West) who believes he’s the son of God and thinks he is destined to decide the fate of everyone he encounters. Rambin plays a love interest to the male leads in both films. (The Deadline Team)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Watch: Hugh Jackman & Jake Gyllenhaal in First ‘Prisoners’ Trailer

INSIDE LINE AND Q&A SECTION (with Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Revolution | The Season 1 finale has yet to air, and already NBC’s freshman hit is busy recruiting reinforcements for the battles yet to come. Season 2 casting calls have gone out for the possibly series regular role of Gene, a folksy, 60something doctor from a small Texas town, as well as the recurring characters of Cynthia (a religious single mom), Annabeth (a femme fatale who runs an entertainment “mecca” of sorts), Titus (a slightly psychotic professor) and a handsome sheriff in his 30s. As for Monday’s season-ender itself, Elizabeth Mitchell assures us, “Forces collide…. Forces most definitely collide!”

Question: Got any NCIS scoops, particularly on McGee? –Marla

Mitovich: As revealed in the season finale, Tim’s got himself a new honey. And though show boss Gary Glasberg has yet to decide what “type” the mysterious Delilah is, viewers will eventually get to lay eyes on her. “I’m hoping to pick [that storyline] up and explain more — and hopefully, at some point, we’ll get to meet Delilah, as well,” Glasberg says.

Question: Is it just me, or do you think Hook has feelings for Emma on Once Upon a Time? Any scoop on them would be awesome! –Kelley B

Mitovich: You know my stance on the whole Emma thing: What guy wouldn’t? But where Hook is concerned, seeing as he’s now on a journey with two eligible bachelorettes, the Jolly Roger might transform into the Love Boat. “It’s probably about time he sort of found another love in his life,” Colin O’Donoghue shared with me at season’s end. “But if it was a toss-up between [traveling companions] Regina or Emma, I’m not sure exactly who he’d go for.” Given that Emma is currently reeling from the loss of Neal, “Maybe he’ll have fun with Regina, while he’s waiting for Emma,” the pirate’s portrayer ventures. “Who knows!”

Question: I love the dynamic between Rizzoli & Isles‘ Jane and Casey. Can you please give us some info on what’s going to happen to them? –Tracie

Mitovich: The June 25 season premiere has a scene (or several) to make you smile… followed by one that will furrow your brow, as it does Jane’s, when Casey reveals an itinerary that will take him out of town, and then some. “Trying to work out whatever it is [they have] — Jane’s not really ready to settle down, and he kind of is — is incredibly difficult to do while he’s back in Afghanistan,” notes Angie Harmon. As for the season a whole, the actress enthuses, “We’ve gone back a bit towards the pilot, as far as going more dramatic. The playful banter is still there, but the cases are a lot more serious — which I’m excited about.”

Question: I’ve seen a few promos for Major Crimes but none have shown Rusty. Is he still around? –Estee

Mitovich: Though the character was the target of some backlash during Season 1 — perhaps a scapegoat for TV’s trend at the time to inundate us with petulant teens — Rusty is back for Season 2. In fact, his fate looms large in the premiere, as Deputy D.A. Emma Rios (played by new series regular/My Name Is Earl alum Nadine Velazquez) vigorously preps the lad for his sure-to-be-difficult/dicey testimony in the Stroh case — and Ms. Rios’ demeanor is not improved a lick when she learns with whom her No. 1 witness has been living!

That’s it. Enjoy!

PS: Have a terrific weekend!!

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Hey All,

Here are the few news items for today:

ONLINE SERIES NEWS

Actor Sam Page (Mad Men) and actress Molly Parker (Deadwood) have joined the cast of the Netflix online series House of Cards, but details on the characters for which they will play are being kept under wraps. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Legendary actress Glenn Close is reportedly going to play a leadership role in the upcoming box office film Guardians Of The Galaxy. The cast already includes Chris Pratt (Parks & Recreation), Zoe Saldana (Star Trek) and Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies) [among others]. (Mike Fleming, Jr. at Deadline)

Actor Cheyenne Jackson (Glee) has joined the cast of the upcoming box office film Love Is Strange that already includes among its cast actors Michael Gambon and Alfred Molina. The film focuses on the characters played by Gambon and Molina, who play Ben and Jorge, a couple who after 38 years together finally marry at City Hall in Manhattan. Trouble begins when they return from their honeymoon, though, as Jorge gets fired and the couple is forced to temporarily separate. (The Deadline Team)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Barbara Niven (One Life to Live and The Bold and the Beautiful) has joined the cast of the upcoming Hallmark Channel first-ever scripted series Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove. She joins Andie MacDowell (Jane By Design), Dylan Neal (Blood Ties) and Bruce Boxleitner (Scarecrow & Mrs. King) in the series that will focus on Judge Olivia Lockhart (MacDowell) whose Cedar Cove Municipal Court is the professional milieu and social microcosm of issues the judge will face in her own day-to-day life with family and friends. Niven will play Peggy Beldon, the wife of Bob Beldon (to be played by Boxleitner). (The Futon Critic)

Eight of the best words put together in one sentence: Neil Patrick Harris to return as Emmy host. (Twitter)

NOTE: This fact alone might be the only reason I watch the awards show, which I have not watched in YEARS!!

Actor Warren Kole (The Following and Common Law) will have a recurring role on White Collar when it returns for its 5th season later this year. He will play Agent David Seigel, Neal’s overly ambitious new FBI handler who takes over for the now-jailed Peter. In addition, actor Richard Thomas (The Americans and The Waltons) will guest in an upcoming episode of the season, playing the patriarch of a wealthy family. (HuffPost TV and TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actor Noah Taylor (Game of Thrones) will star opposite actor Logan Marshall-Green in the Cinemax drama pilot Quarry that is based on the series of novels by Max Allan Collins. The pilot is set in the 1970s, centering on a Marine sniper (Marshall-Green) who, upon his return home from Vietnam in 1973, finds himself shunned by those he loves and demonized by the public. Taylor will play Buddy, a hitman who helps Quarry learn the ropes. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Hot Trailer: ‘Percy Jackson: Sea Of Monsters’

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

Question: Only two episodes of Game of Thrones left this season! Give me some scoop or I’m going to weep manly tears into my ale! — Jorge

NATALIE: Get ready to make love and war with a new colorful yet charismatic warrior, as the producers are looking to cast Oberyn in Season 4. This highly skilled and cultured man with a vendetta will run afoul of at least one of the Lannisters, while cultivating another to his side. But will his bloodlust overshadow his lust for a string of diverse lovers? Let’s just hope he doesn’t peak too soon!

Question: What’s Jane’s history with the new guy on Rizzoli & Isles? — Rebecca

ADAM: You won’t have to wait very long to find out. All will be explained via flashback in the new season’s second episode, when Lt. Det. Rafael Martinez (Amaury Nolasco), the new head of the Boston PD drug unit, arrives. The case-of-the-week involves the drowning of Martinez’s confidential informant. The ordeal brings back painful memories of a case Jane was involved in nearly a decade earlier. Let’s just say she clearly understands what Martinez is going through.

Question: How does Wonderland fit into the world of Once Upon a Time? — Betty

NATALIE: Let us take a look back to what executive producer Edward Kitsis told reporters before the show was picked up to series: “Wonderland takes place post-curse, so the pilot actually starts when magic comes and the Wraith happens.” Note the Wraith, because that’s very important to where the spin-off actually picks up, with fans seeing a different character’s point of view that won’t make you angry. Also look for the spin-off to feature other lands in a mash-up style similar to Once that may make you question who a past character really was.

Question: How is Agent Coulson alive in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.? — Matt

NATALIE: Gregg promises the reveal will be realistic and won’t undermine the integrity of The Avengers. In my very humble comic-book-nerd opinion, I would put money on Coulson being a Life Model Decoy.

Question: What’s next on White Collar after Peter’s arrest? — Maria

ADAM: Surprisingly, It doesn’t take long for Peter to get back into the FBI’s good graces, and once he does, he looks into starting a new joint task force with the NYPD for large-scale busts. In the meantime, Peter and Neal will fall into their old routine quickly. In fact, before you know it, Neal will be posing as a butler for an affluent family Elizabeth knew way back when so that he can investigate the rebellious eldest son. Call me crazy, but I’m not so sure that Neal will be very good at taking orders.

Question: Do you know if Thea or Roy will become Speedy on Arrow? — Zach

NATALIE: Even though DC Comics fans have always suspected that Roy would go on to become Oliver’s sidekick Speedy, the Season 1 finale seemed to indicate that he might skip over that and go on to become Red Arrow or Arsenal. (He is always wearing that red hoodie!) “One of the fun elements is what I call the comic book destinies for each of the characters and seeing how much they’ll follow those destinies and how much they’ll deviate,” executive producer Marc Guggenheim says of Roy’s future. “As we’ve probably shown a couple times in Season 1, we like to be unpredictable.”

Question: I’m going through serious Suits withdrawal. Please say you have a scoop! —Emily

Ausiello: I have a scoop! The July 16 premiere finds Mike and Rachel trying to “navigate a relationship,” reveals Meghan Markle. “There is an episode that is sort of like Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, where Mike comes to the Zane household, which will be pretty great to shoot.” Rachel, meanwhile, is still coming to terms with Mike’s big Harvard bombshell. “It’s a lot to take in,” Markle acknowledges. “And also, you have to think, Donna knew about it, so that really challenges Rachel and Donna’s friendship, that she wouldn’t reveal that to her. This season is a lot of Rachel trying to determine who has been truthful with her and if she can forgive them.”

Question: Longtime reader and fan. Is it too early to ask for some Sons Of Anarchy scoop? I will take anything you got. —Rachel

Ausiello: Here’s what I got: Beauty and the Beast head-turner Bridget Regan has signed on to appear in a relatively minor multi-episode arc, sources confirm to me exclusively. There are zero details on her character, but Kurt Sutter previously told us Season 6 would delve deeper into the escort world so I’m thinking maybe possibly she’s playing what my Aunt Joan still refers to as a streetwalker?

Question: I’m curious about NCIS‘ four-month time jump in the finale — will the show flash back to those intervening months when it returns this fall? —Jacob

Ausiello: Not sure if we’ll get actual flashbacks, but exec producer Gary Glasberg promises that “everything that happened that led up to Gibbs looking through that rifle will be explained,” adding, “All the pieces will fit together.”

Question: With so many Vampire Diaries peeps migrating to the Originals spin-off, what kind of new characters can we expect to populate the show next season? —Warren

Ausiello: Prepare for a rush of college kids! “We’re definitely going to be entering an entire new world at Whitmore College, so we’ll get to meet new friends and new enemies,” reveals exec producer Julie Plec. “There’ll be a lot of new people entering our universe that we’ll get to know well — and then also maybe some new romantic interests for some of our characters.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

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