Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Rookie Blue has been renewed for a fourth season (it will continue to air in both Canada and the US). (Twitter and Amber Dowling at TV Guide Canada)

BBC America has picked up the new Canadian sci-fi drama series Orphan Black, which centers on a street-wise chameleon, who discovers that she is a clone. The series will premiere in the US as part of BBC America’s Supernatural Saturdays programming block. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Kristin Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies and GCB) has been cast in a recurring role in The Good Wife. She will “match wits with both Alicia and Peter”, playing a top-of-her-game political reporter who wants to know more about the Florrick campaign and marriage. (CBS)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Derek Luke will star opposite Paula Patton in the upcoming film called Baggage Claim based on the original novel by David Talbert. The film follows a flight attendant (Patton) who is the oldest unmarried woman in her family. With her sister about to get hitched, she becomes determined to find a man in 30 days. Luke plays her long-time friend and neighbor. (Variety)

Actors Hugo Weaving (The Matrix and The Lord of the Rings franchises) and Ryan Kwanten (True Blood) have joined the cast of the cast of the upcoming thriller called Mystery Road about an Aboriginal detective who returns home to an Outback town to solve the murder of a teenage indigenous girl. Weaving will play a cop with questionable motives, while Kwanten will play a pig hunter. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

Actress Angela Bassett has joined the cast of the upcoming film called Olympus Has Fallen that will star Aaron Eckhart as the U.S. President who, along with key members of his administration, are taken hostage and a Secret Service agent (Gerard Butler) tries to stop them. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Watch: First Full Trailer for Rob Cohen’s ‘Alex Cross’ with Tyler Perry

ME: Damn, does Matthew Fox (of Lost fame) looked wicked in this movie or what? Not just in his physique but in the role – creepy!!

INSIDE SCOOP/SPOILER CHAT (from Team WWK at E! Online)

Question: Got any information on Teen Wolf? – Jacqui

Team WWK: Two words: bottle episode! “We’ve just started editing episode 10, which is something of a bottle episode as it takes place mostly inside the Sheriff’s Station,” creator Jeff Davis tells us. “It’s tense and dramatic and I’m quite excited to see how the cut turns out.”

Question: Anything on White Collar? It’s the best thing about summer! – Ethan

Team WWK: White Collar will take a political turn around episode 12, so be on the lookout for a senator character who’ll stick around for two-episodes—his actions are primed and ready to impact everybody.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items, few though they are, for today:

TELEVISION

Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson will have a multi-episode arc on season two of Smash when it returns on NBC. She will play Veronica Moore, a Tony Award-winning Broadway star who impacts the lives of Karen and Ivy. The musical series is expected to be back mid-season. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Maura Tierney (ER) will have a recurring role on The Good Wife. Tierney will play a self-made millionaire who has become the doyenne of Chicago Democratic politics. (CBS)

BOX OFFICE MOVIE NEWS

Actor Aaron Eckhart will play the U.S. President in the upcoming film called Olympus Has Fallen, which is about a Secret Service agent (Gerard Butler) who becomes America’s only hope when the White House is overtaken by terrorists. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

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

1. Brave, $66.7 million
2. Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, $20.2 million
3. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, $16.5 million
4. Prometheus, $10 million
5. Snow White and the Huntsman, $8.012 million
6. Rock of Ages, $8 million
7. That’s My Boy, $7.9 million
8. The Avengers, $7 million
9. Men in Black 3, $5.6 million
10. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, $3.8 million

MADE FOR TV MOVIE NEWS

Actresses Hayley Atwell (Captain America), Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey) and Charlotte Rampling (Never Let Me Go) and actors Rufus Sewell (A Knight’s Tale) and Michael Gambon (Harry Potter franchise) will all star in the adaptation of the espionage thriller/love story by William Boyd for BBC One. Dockery will play a young woman in 1979 who learns that her mother (Rampling) has been living a double life and is really a former spy for the British Secret Service. In flashbacks to 1939 Paris, Atwell plays Rampling’s younger self who’s recruited into the service by and falls in love with Sewell’s spymaster. After a crucial mission collapses, she must go into hiding, but 30 years later she wants to resurface and enlists her daughter to track down her former lover, now played by Gambon. (Nancy Tartaglione at Deadline)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Patrick Wilson (A Gifted Man) has landed a guest starring role in Season 2 of the much talked-about HBO comedy Girls, playing Joshua, a fortysomething doctor who lives next door to where Hannah works and becomes a potential love interest for Hannah. (Michael Ausiello at Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

It looks like Lifetime has picked up the Marc Cherry pilot Devious Maids that ABC past over at the upfront presentations in May. The show has received a 13-episode order and is based on a Mexican telenovela that will star Susan Lucci, Ana Ortiz, Judy Reyes, Dania Ramirez and Roselyn Sanchez. (Variety)

MADE FOR TV MOVIE NEWS

Actor David Tennant and actress Emily Watson will play a husband and wife in the upcoming 3-part BBC series called The Politician’s Husband, which follows the shifting balance of power in a political marriage and the consequences when a wife becomes more successful than her husband. (Nancy Tartaglione at Deadline)

Actress Teri Polo (Meet the Parents) has been case in the made-for-TV movie Christmas Angel, where she will play Melinda Mead, a single mom raising her daughter alone in a quaint small town. The movie is centered on an old house that seems to be fulfilling wishes. The cast includes Tamera Mowry-Housley, Della Reese and Kevin Sorbo. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Marcia Gay Harden will star in the independent drama film called The Librarian, where she will play a mild-mannered librarian trying to start a new life for herself while touring Costa Rica. (Variety and Coming Soon)

Actor Caleb Landry Jones (X-Men: First Class) will star in the film called Broken Dream that is a love story set in a futuristic world. Actor John Hurt is attached to play his father. (Deadline)

Actress Reese Witherspoon will star in the film adaptation of classic self-help book Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus about marital and relationship problems. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

Actress Sarah Wayne Callies (Prison Break and The Walking Dead) will star in the tornado thriller that is as-yet-untitled. She will play Allison Stone in the found-footage natural disaster film. The film follows a group of high school teens dealing with the aftermath of a devastating tornado. (Dominic Patten at Deadline)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items, few though there are, for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Blair Brown (Fringe) will appear in the fifth episode of the 6-part USA Network mini-series Political Animals, which is set to debut on debut on July 15. She will play Barbara Berg, the mother of the journalist (Carla Gugino) who is out to get the scoop on First Lady turned Secretary of State Elaine Barrish (Sigourney Weaver). (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

TELEVISION SCOOP (taken verbatim from Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Drop Dead Diva | Wrapping things up with a dip into the reader mailbag, Lia says, “I would love some Drop Dead Diva spoilers if you have them.” Well, Lia, as part of our recent chat with show boss Josh Berman, even though there will be no big, splashy musical numbers this season, “There is a lot of music” – courtesy of Teri (played by Margaret Cho). “We learn this season that Teri’s secret dream is to be a performer, so we get to watch her perform in multiple episodes,” Berman shared. “We replaced [the bigger production numbers] with some original songs that were written just for the show, and we’ve given it the context through Margaret Cho[‘s character].”

Rizzoli & Isles | Speaking of complicated mother/daughter issues…. Now that we’re a few weeks into the new season and have dialed down the drama between the ladies, you may be wondering when Maura will delve into finding Hope, the woman who gave birth to her. Well, as Sasha Alexander told me, “It’s not until Episode 5 (airing July 3) that Maura decides that the curiosity is killing her, and she really wants to find her biological mother.” Played in a multi-episode arc by Sharon Lawrence (NYPD Blue), Hope’s introduction promises to be “very interesting,” Alexander says, in part because her adoptive mother Constance “did know her. It was all a bit of a secret to basically protect my life, because Paddy Doyle’s parents were not good people.” All told, she teases, the mother/daughter reunion serves up “a nice mystery.”

Once Upon a Time | Already TV Line has brought you Ginnifer Goodwin’s take on Season 2 and her own anticipation of the Charmings’ reunion, now that Mary Margaret and David know their true identities and connection to Storybrooke sheriff Emma. Now, we’ve got Josh Dallas’ own prediction for the family get-together. “Bliss,” he states. “That’s what I hope it feels like.” But, as Goodwin also expressed, Dallas would not be surprised if Emma has some abandonment issues to work through, even given the far-out fairytale circumstances. “For 28 years, she’s been carrying around a lot of stuff. She’s felt lost the whole time. Her identity hasn’t been clear to her,” he notes. “So this is all going to come rushing back at her. She’s going to have a lot to deal with.”

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Mark Pellegrino (Supernatural and Lost) has been cast in the upcoming movie called The Trials of Cate McCall. He will join actress Kate Beckinsale, who plays the title character and actors Nick Nolte and James Cromwell in this independent redemptive legal drama. He will play a rough detective who is no fan of Beckinsale’s once high-flying attorney character. (Dominick Patten at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Must Watch: First Full Trailer for ‘Dredd’ with Karl Urban Released

Must Watch: Liam Neeson in Kick Ass ‘Taken 2’ International Trailer

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Xander Berkeley (24 and Nikita) will have a recurring role on the upcoming third season of Being Human (the Syfy version) He will play Liam, the father of Brynn (Tracy Spiridakos) and Connor (Jon Cor) who is seeking answers for what happened to his children and also seeking to wipe out the vampires that remain. A brute with charisma and chilling elegance, he will be both enemy and father-like figure to Nora (Kristen Hager). He will appear in an 8-episode arc. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Robbie Amell (Revenge and Alcatraz) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Pretty Little Liars, playing Eric Khan, the older brother of Noel Khan (Brant Daugherty). He is expected to show up in episode 9 that is set to air on August 7; and while this is to be a one-time appearance there is a possibility the character could recur. (Megan Masters at TV Line)

Lost alum Emilie de Ravin has been promoted to a series regular on Once Upon a Time where she plays Belle. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

Actor Michael Imperioli (The Sopranos) will guest star on the Necessary Roughness summer finale, which is set to air on August 29. He will play Jimmy Folkes, a legendary record producer, with whom TK (Mehcad Brooks) crosses paths in an unlikely place. (Sandra Gonzalez at Entertainment Weekly)

It looks like CBS isn’t giving up on last year’s new drama Unforgettable despite it was not picked up for a second season this past May. It seems the network is in discussions to bring the show back with a 13-episode order targeted for next summer. No other details are available, though. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Charisma Carpenter (Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel) just might be getting bumped up to series regular on the ABC Family teen soap The Lying Game. Nothing is confirmed yet, but the deal appears to nearly be set. (Variety and TV Line)

MADE FOR TV MOVIE NEWS

Actress Linda Hamilton (Terminator franchise and the 1980’s TV series Beauty & the Beast) will join actors Jeremy Sisto (Suburgatory), and actress Emilie de Ravin (Lost and Once Upon a Time) [among others] in the four-hour TV mini-series to be called Air Force One Is Down. Hamilton will play U.S. President Harriet Rowntree in the thriller about a sabotaged Air Force One crashing into the Mediterranean, where she is captured and held hostage by a Serbian strongman. Sisto will play Captain Fergus Markey in the project, who is charged with tracking down the kidnappers’ lair. (Tim Kenneally and Alexander C. Kaufman from The Wrap)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Amber Heard will star alongside Liam Hemsworth, Harrison Ford and Gary Oldham in the corporate espionage film called Paranoia. Hemsworth will star as a young office worker who throws a lavish retirement party for a colleague with company funds, and ends up blackmailed into infiltrating a rival company’s top secret project. Heard will play the female lead. (Digital Spy and Dark Horizons)

Actor Miles Teller (Footloose and Rabbit Hole) will star alongside Shailene Woodley (The Secret Life of an American Teenager) in the upcoming film called The Spectacular Now, which is based on the Tim Tharp novel. Teller plays a charming and popular high school senior who lives for the moment and as a project begins to date a social outcast and realizes he has the power to permanently impact someone’s life. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

Actor Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) will provide the voice of the film’s still-unnamed villain in the upcoming animation film How to Train Your Dragon 2. The sequel will again feature the voice talents of Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, TJ Miller and Kristen Wiig. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Jemima West (The Borgias) has joined the cast of The Mortal Instruments, which is based on the Cassandra Clare book. The story follows Clary Fray (Lily Collins), a seemingly ordinary teenager who discovers she is the descendent of a demon-hunting clan. Jaime Campbell Bower also stars. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Actors Chris Rock, Jamie Foxx and Idris Elba are all up for the key role in the remake of French hit film The Intouchables. The story follows a wealthy, disabled man who hires a commoner caretaker. Actresses Jessica Chastain and Michelle Williams are said to be in contention for the female lead. (Vulture and Dark Horizons)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

New Breaking Dawn Part 2 Trailer: Vampire Bella Is Ready for Action

Watch: First Teaser Trailer for Pixar’s ‘Monsters University’ is Here

BOX OFFICE TRAILER AND POSTER

Trailer & Poster for Joe Wright’s ‘Anna Karenina’ with Keira Knightley

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

Question: I know everyone is excited about McGarrett’s mom on Hawaii Five-0, but what about Kono!? She was drowning! — Kim

ADAM: Relax, Kim. Kono’s not going to become a floater. Once she’s back on dry land, she and the rest of Five-0 will go hard after Wo Fat and Delano. But the near-death experience will change Kono: During an interrogation, look for her to use some of the more, ahem, physical tactics usually employed by McGarrett to extract information.

Question: Got any scoop on the new season of Once Upon a Time? — Sarah

NATALIE: In Season 2, we’ll meet “Anastasia,” a princess who is willing to sacrifice her life of privilege for love, and “Magnolia,” a tough Asian warrior. There are quotes around their names because we’re guessing that the producers are trying to throw us off with fake character names. If we’re right, get ready for Aurora and Mulan to come to town!

Question: Hank’s love life is going to heat up on Royal Pains, but what about Divya? — Kendra

ADAM: As we teased a few weeks ago, Divya’s love life will mostly be a disaster, but she will share some sparks with an attractive polo player named Rafa. He’s a bit (read: extremely) arrogant, but the duo’s shared love of horses will bring out his softer side.

Question: Tell me my eyes aren’t deceiving me! Mike and Rachel kiss on Suits?! — Jenny

ADAM: Your eyes don’t lie! They lock lips right in the office this week after Mike tells her that he got her message. Done squealing? Good, because problems arise when Mike wants to tell Rachel his secret, which naturally doesn’t exactly go over well with Harvey.

Question: Do you have any scoop on the season of premiere of Castle? —Ivy

Ausiello: Well, Castle and Beckett obviously know they hooked up, and we know they hooked up, but what about everyone else? “It’ll be fun to see who finds out about them being together — who stays out of the loop and for how long and how they decide to reveal all of that,” Stana Katic shared with us at the Critics’ Choice Awards, where she was a presenter. “That’s a big bombshell.” But speaking of bombshells, Katic feels that the unsolved murder of Beckett’s mother could hang a cloud over Kate and Rick’s otherwise happy coupling. “One of the things that I, as viewer, am curious about is … her mother’s murder. Even though the two of them have gotten together, that still looms over them.”

Question: Since it seems there won’t be much in the way of Castle spoilers coming out of Comic-Con this year, do you have anything you can share that will help us through the hiatus? —Rachel

Ausiello: The new season will pick up pretty much where last season left off.

Question: Any scoop on Jane By Design? —Sandra

Ausiello: Sounds like Rita is going to regret letting Ben go so easily in last week’s episode. “A rival for Rita [comes] into the picture, so there will be a little bit of a love triangle going on,” teases Ben’s portrayer, David Clayton Rogers, who reveals that the nemesis (played by Cougar Town breakout Briga Heelan) is a new teacher — and former classmate of Ben and Rita’s — that “has her eyes set on the bachelor.” The ensuing conflict sets up a “Mean Girls-esque” battle between the two women.

Question: Will you give me a spoiler or two or three or four on my new love Leverage? —Alicia

Ausiello: I will give you exactly four spoilers from the con-man drama’s fifth season premiere (airing July 15): The episode opens with a series of quickie flashbacks that reveal what the gang was up to while they were separated. The key takeaway: Nathan and Sophie are still romantically involved. Also of note, Parker and Hardison are, like, totally officially dating, and there’s a twisty ending involving a surprising (and top-secret) alliance.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

First of all, congrats to the winners at last night’s Critics’ Choice Television Awards, including (but not limited to) Homeland, Claire Danes, Bryan Cranston, Ginacarlo Esposito, Christina Hendricks, Lucy Liu, Sherlock, Benedict Cumberbatch and Julianne Moore.

Now, here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond and Men Of A Certain Ag) will show up in an arc on NBC’s Parenthood, playing a photographer and former photojournalist who befriends Sarah (Lauren Graham) and complicates her relationship with Mark (Jason Ritter). He will first appear in the season premiere. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Mark Pellegrino (Lost, Supernatural and The Closer) will guest in an episode of Grimm this fall, playing Jarold Kempfer, one of Hank’s (Russell Hornsby) high school buddies whose daughter goes missing. Hank doesn’t know, though, that his old pal is also a coyotl, or coyote-like creature. (Kimberly Roots at TV Line)

Actor Rupert Friend (Pride & Prejudice) has joined the cast of the Showtime series Homeland as a series regular. He will play Peter Quinn, a button-down CIA analyst who oversees a critical operation. The drama returns for a new season starting on September 30. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actor Brian Dietzen will FINALLY be made a series regular on NCIS when it returns this fall for its tenth season on CBS. Brian plays Jimmy Palmer, Dr. Mallard’s (aka Ducky’s) assistant. (Sandra Gonzalez at Entertainment Weekly)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Cam Gigandet (Twilight and Burlesque) will join actress Emily Browning (Sucker Punch) in the upcoming Catherine Hardwicke thriller called Plush. Gigandet will play a psychic psychologist who delves into the minds of patients and sees their memories in order to help them unleash past demons. He meets his match in Browning’s character, who shares his gift. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

That’s it. Enjoy!!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items, few though they may be, for today:

TELEVISION

Actor-singer Cheyenne Jackson (Glee) will guest star in the pilot of Mockingbird Lane, the reimagined version of The Munsters that will be coming to NBC courtesy of Pushing Daisies creator Bryan Fuller. He will play Steve, Eddie’s new Scout Master, a widower with no children who becomes smitten with Lily (Portia de Rossi). (The Futon Critic and Deadline)

Actor Adam Baldwin (Chuck and Firefly) will make a guest appearance in an episode of Leverage sometime this fall, playing Col. Michael Vance, an ex-Army Ranger who now runs a government counter-terrorism unit who often ruffles the feathers of other intelligence community bureaucrats with his unorthodox method of recruiting small teams of agents — and even civilians — from a wide range of expertise. This could potentially be a recurring role. Leverage will be back with a new season starting on July 15 on TNT. (Adam Bryant at TV Guide)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Here is a list of the top 10 movies at the box office this past weekend courtesy of Exhibitor Relations and E! Online:

1. Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, $35.5 million
2. Prometheus, $20.2 million
3. Rock of Ages, $15.1 million
4. Snow White and the Huntsman, $13.8 million
5. That’s My Boy, $13 million
6. Men in Black 3, $10 million
7. The Avengers, $8.8 million
8. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, $2.2 million
9. Moonrise Kingdom, $2.18 million
10. What to Expect When You’re Expecting, $1.3 million

Actor Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson will star in the upcoming film called Saving Mr. Banks, which is to chronicle the behind-the-scenes story of how Walt Disney himself snagged the rights to the book on which the classic Mary Poppins is based. Hanks will play Walt Disney himself while Thompson will play author P.L. Travers. And, word has it that actor Colin Farrell will play Travers’ father, the man who inspired the Mr. Banks character in the classic 1964 musical. (Deadline and First Showing)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Meghan Ory has been promoted to series regular for season two of Once Upon a Time. She plays Ruby aka Red Riding Hood. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Rising Broadway heartthrob Jeremy Jordan (who won a 2012 Tony for his role in Newsies) will be joining the cast of Smash for the show’s second season. He will play a very sexy (and straight) Brooklyn-born singer with a self-destructive streak . His character is one of three roles being added by new showrunner Josh Safran (Gossip Girl). The other new characters will include gay Broadway dreamer Joe and African-American chorus member Courtney; but those parts have yet to be cast. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actor Robert Patrick (The Unit and Terminator 2) will appear in at least two episodes of True Blood as Jackson Herveaux, Alcide’s (Joe Manganiello) dad. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

MADE FOR TV MOVIE NEWS

Actor-singer Cheyenne Jackson (Glee) has joined the cast of the HBO Liberace biopic called Behind the Candelabra that will star Michael Douglas in the lead role with Matt Damon playing the late entertainer’s longtime partner, Scott Thorson. There are no current details on the part he will play, though. (Erin Carlson at The Hollywood Reporter)

BOX OFFICE MOVIE NEWS

British actor William Moseley (The Chronicle of Narnia franchise) will play a young lover in the upcoming romantic film called The Silent Mountain, which tells the story of a young couple preparing to get married as Europe descends into World War I. (Dominic Patten at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

See Anna Kendrick Sing Her Heart Out in First ‘Pitch Perfect’ Trailer

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a great weekend!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Jeanne Tripplehorn will join the cast of the CBS procedural Criminal Minds as a new series regular next season. She will play a new FBI profiler, but details on the character are still being “fleshed out”. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Brent Spiner (Star Trek: The Next Generation) will appear in a six-episode arc on Syfy’s Warehouse 13, playing Brother Adrian, the leader of a top-secret sect known as the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Black Diamond. The Brotherhood is descended from the Knights Templar and connected to the Vatican; it is charged with the protection of many powerful artifacts, one of which Artie (Saul Rubinek) desperately needs to make everything right again [after the massive explosion in last season’s finale]. Brother Adrian will become a major obstacle for the team. (Michael Logan at TV Guide)

Actress Jacinda Barrett (who will be seen in this fall’s Zero Hour) will guest star in an upcoming episode of the USA Network drama Suits (which just so happens to star her off-screen husband Gabriel Macht). She will play Zoe Lawford, a former lawyer-turned-jury consultant who once worked at the law firm of Pearson Hardman. Jessica (Gina Torres) is skeptical when Harvey (Macht) brings Zoe in to work a difficult case and is afraid his past history with her may cloud his judgment. Suits returns tonight with all new episodes. (Philiana Ng at The Hollywood Reporter)

MADE FOR TV MOVIE NEWS

Actors Rob Lowe (The West Wing) and Scott Bakula (Quantum Leap) have joined the cast of the HBO biopic about Liberace called Behind the Candelabra that will star Michael Douglas in the lead role. Lowe is in talks to play Liberace’s plastic surgeon, while Bakula will play Bob Black, the choreographer who introduced the singer to his longtime partner, Scott Thorson (Matt Damon). They join a cast that already includes Dan Aykroyd and Debbie Reynolds. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone) and actor Dane DeHaan (Chronicle) have joined the cast of the upcoming film called The West Memphis Three that already stars Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon. Ryan would play Firth’s estranged wife, while DeHaan would be a teenager who shares some kind of history with the three young murder victims at the center of this ultimately tragic story. (Variety and First Showing)

Actor Bill Paxton (who was just seen on History’s Hatfield & McCoys mini-series) will play a high-ranking CIA operative in the adaptation of the comic book 2 Guns that centers on a DEA agent and an undercover naval intelligence officer who unknowingly investigate each other as each is stealing money from the mob. Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington play the two leads. Actress Paula Patton (Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol) is also in talks to star. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Recent Oscar winner Jean Dujardin (The Artist) has joined the cast of the upcoming film by Martin Scorsese called The Wolf of Wall Street. He will play Jean-Jacques Handali, a suave Swiss banker who launders money for Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio), the stockbroker who tastes success but gets caught up in drugs, excess, and greed. Jonah Hill will co-star in the film. (Variety and First Showing)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Portia de Rossi (Arrested Development, Ally McBeal and Better Off Ted) will play Lily Munster in the NBC reboot of the classic 60’s comedy, which will be called Mockingbird Lane. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Bellamy Young, who plays First Lady Mellie Grant on the ABC drama Scandal has been promoted to series regular. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Margarita Levieva will be back for season two of Revenge, appearing in 7 of the first 14 episodes. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Showtime is bringing their “ground-breaking’ dramedy Weeds to a close after its current 8th season. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

MADE FOR TV MOVIE NEWS

Actresses Mia Kirshner (The Vampire Diaries and The L Word) and Rachel Blanchard (TV’s Clueless) have joined the cast of the Lifetime TV movie called The Perfect Surrogate, which tells the story of a couple turning to surrogacy to have a child, only to find a young woman they choose as a partner is not as perfect as she appears. (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

HBO has given a pilot order to the Cold War spy drama called The Missionary with actor Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) in talks for the lead role. The series will be set in Berlin in the late 1960s, centering on a young American missionary (Paul) who becomes involved with the CIA. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

NBC has given a pilot production order to the Jerry Bruckheimer project called The Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives that will revolve around three couples living in a seemingly idyllic California community that becomes a hotbed of secrets and intrigue. The script had been in development at ABC this past pilot season and is inspired by the book of the same name by Josie Brown. (Cynthia Littleton at Variety)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Hugh Laurie (House) is in negotiations to play the villain in the remake of Robocop that stars Joel Kinnaman (The Killing) as cop Alex Murphy who is brought back from the brink of death and turned into a cyborg police officer. Laurie will play the evil and ultra-rich CEO of Omnicorp, the company that makes Robocop. Gary Oldman and Samuel L. Jackson also star. (Heat Vision and Dark Horizons)

Actors Brendan Fehr (Roswell and Bones) and Tony Sirico (The Sopranos) and actress Erin Cummings (Spartacus) will star in the upcoming movie called Zarra’s Law with Sirico playing a retired police detective who is pulled into the criminal underworld when his younger brother is murdered. (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER/BANNERS

ME: I missed posting this trailer back in March so when the following banners were released, I thought I should include the very cool looking trailer too:

Teaser Trailer for DreamWorks Animation’s ‘Rise of the Guardians’

Check Out Six Colorful Character Banners for ‘Rise of the Guardians’

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

Question: Any Tony-Ziva NCIS scoop? — Rita

ADAM: Executive producer Gary Glasberg says it was no accident that the fan-favorite couple ended last season in close quarters when the bomb went off at NCIS HQ. “We’ll pick up with them in that elevator and, with the situation that they’re in, there will be some conversations,” Glasberg says. “Hopefully we’ll scratch our way a little bit deeper into the relationship.” What’s that?

Question: Will The Vampire Diaries kids actually graduate and leave Mystic Falls this year? — Jess

NATALIE: Put your Kleenex away: Executive producer Julie Plec says it could be a while before those decisions will be made. However, the theme of moving on and growing up will be prevalent this year. “What is that passage of adulthood for these kids who have been living these tragic lives as young adults [with] no parents, no parental supervision?” Plec says. “That’s our next couple of seasons, to get them through senior year and into college… or not.”

Question: Got any teases about the new season of Burn Notice? — Mitch

ADAM: The show is looking to bring on a pretty nasty nemesis who Michael & Co. will chase to Panama as part of a CIA snatch-and-grab job. Described as cunning and merciless, this operative will have a major impact on Michael when his ruthless actions force Michael to again question the CIA after finally getting back in their good graces.

Question: We know where Neal will be when White Collar returns, but what will happen to Peter? — Chad

ADAM: After Neal’s escape, Peter is put on leave by the FBI and is barred from having any role in the manhunt for Neal. (That effort will be led by guest star Mekhi Phifer). But with all that free time on his hands, why shouldn’t Peter take a little tropical vacation of his own? Naturally, Peter gets mixed up in the search — but he won’t be playing for the FBI.

Question: Are Jane and Dean done on Rizzoli & Isles? — Lisa

NATALIE: No, Dean is still in the picture, but Jane has bigger fish to fry when her old flame Lt. Col. Casey Jones (Chris Vance) returns next week — injured — which sets up one doozy of a triangle. “There’s a little more to [his injury] and she doesn’t know how to react at first,” Angie Harmon tells us. “She’s not exactly skilled in the areas of the heart and I love the way she handles it. But Dean is certainly in there, which is problematic, and her heart’s telling her one thing and she has to figure out if she’s acting accordingly or not.”

Question: Sad to hear about the casting changes on Body of Proof. What can you tell me about the new characters? — Deb

ADAM: Police detective Tommy Sullivan has transferred to Philadelphia in order to rekindle his relationship with Megan. Even though he cheated on her 20 years ago, Megan still finds Tommy hard to resist. Perhaps standing in the way of a reunion is Tommy having to babysit his new partner, who joined the force to stick it to his high-profile defense attorney father. He’s super-green, but, to Tommy’s chagrin, thinks he’s got it all figured out.

Question: Any scoop on Drop Dead Diva? —Alex

Ausiello: There will be multiple deaths by season’s end, one of which (I suspect) will make viewers very happy.

Question: Any Vampire Diaries scoop on Bonnie? —Macarena

Ausiello: Her decision in the finale to help Klaus take possession of Tyler’s body (all for the greater good and unbeknownst to everyone) sets up a very interesting Season 4 for Elena’s BFF. “This is Bonnie’s ‘I am witch woman, hear me roar’ moment,” declares Vampire Diaries EP Julie Plec. “She went and made a decision that she felt was best for the people that she loved, consequences be damned. Bonnie is the true hero in all of this, if you really look at it. She came in and found a way to save the day. Had she not done what she did, all of our heroes would be dead… We’re just seeing the beginning of growth for her, exploring who she is and what it means to be a witch and how she feels about it.”

Question: I need some Vampire Diaries scoop on Delena. —Karolina

Ausiello: Although not specifically about the star-crossed duo, Plec reveals that Year 4 will be the Season of Transition. “Every character is growing up and graduating, so to speak,” she says, “and setting up the future of their grown-up worlds outside of Mystic Falls… Or maybe not.”

Question: ABC Family’s The Lying Game is quickly moving up my list of favorite television obsessions. Can you give me any scoop? —Gina

Ausiello: There will be a time jump between Seasons 1 and 2, but it will be teensy. We’re talking a few seconds, which, technically, still qualifies as a time jump in my book.

Question: Got anything on Pretty Little Liars? —Dawn

Ausiello: Additional members of Team A will be revealed, and “they are people you might know,” hints exec producer Oliver Goldstick. “Just when those girls thought the ‘A’ of it all went away, he or she seems to resurface and take a new form. And it might be even more difficult and more formidable than the previous version.”

Question: In the Once Upon a Time finale, did Rumple restore the magic — even if it meant empowering Regina — because he was so ticked about Belle being hidden away so long? —Joshua

Ausiello: “His plan was set in motion long before he knew that Belle was alive,” notes exec producer Adam Horowitz. So all his actions in the finale were part of something else going on. When he discovers that Belle is alive and that Regina had her locked away, that’s a wrinkle in his plan and something that he must deal with in Season 2 while he also deals with whatever agenda he already has (hey, we’re not gonna spill that just yet!).”

Question: Any tidbits on Falling Skies? —Scott

Ausiello: In this Sunday’s Season 2 opener, on the very same night that The Killing wraps its second season, Brandon Jay McLaren (who recurred as Bennett Amed on the AMC drama) joins the cast as Jamil, a heretofore never-seen 2nd Mass member who’s extremely crafty with auto-mechanics and is poised for romance with one of the TNT sci-fier’s pretty (if grungy) ladies.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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