Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Judy Greer will be making a guest appearance on an upcoming episode of Royal Pains where she will play a professional matchmaker named Veronica Sullivan who seeks treatment from Hank Med for a heart condition, and ends up making Hank (Mark Feuerstein) and Divya (Reshma Shetty) reevaluate their own romantic lives. Royal Pains is back on the USA Network starting on June 6. (Sandra Gonzalez at Entertainment Weekly)

Actor James Cromwell will join the cast of American Horror Story, playing Dr. Arden, a foil to the new character to be portrayed by returning cast member Jessica Lange, who will be Arden’s boss at a mental institution. (Joyce Eng at TV Guide)

Lifetime has renewed The Client List for a second season. (TVDoneWright.com)

TV SHOW TRAILER

Watch Now: Teen Wolf Season Two Trailer Promises More Scares, Romance and Monsters

ONLINE SERIES NEWS

The online series Aim High will be back online with a second season, starring Jackson Rathbone (from the Twilight Saga franchise) as government operative Nick Green. Aim High tells the story of a young man leading a double life – juggling his studies by day and serving as a government operative by night. The entire first season can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/aimhighseries. (Warner Bros. Digital Distribution)

CONDOLENCES

Actor George Lindsey, best known for his role as Goober on The Andy Griffith Show passed away yesterday after battling an undisclosed illness. He was 83. (E! Online)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Here are the box office estimates for the top 10 movies from this past weekend courtesy of Deadline:

1. Marvel’s The Avengers – 200 million
2. Think Like A Man – 8 million
3. The Hunger Games – 5.7 million
4. Pirates! Band of Misfits 3D – 5.4 million
5. The Lucky One – 5.4 million
6. The Five-Year Engagement -5.2 million
7. The Raven – 2.6 million
8. Safe – 2.5 million
9. Chimpanzee – 2.3 million
10. The Three Stooges – 1.8 million

Actor John Hawkes (Deadwood and Winter’s Bone) has joined the cast of the independent film called Too Late that follows the tangled relationship between a troubled private investigator (Hawkes) and the missing woman he’s hired to help find. The cast includes Rider Strong (Boy Meets World), Natalie Zea (Justified) and Dichen Lachman (Dollhouse and Being Human) [among others]. (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

Q&A SECTION (with Matt Roush at TV Guide)

Question: I really enjoyed your review of BBC’s brilliant Sherlock and its amazing cast. It’s so satisfying to see a show where everything delivers on all levels and the audience isn’t taken for granted and are treated as proper mystery and Conan Doyle aficionados. Do you think the show has a chance for any Emmy nods, especially in the acting category? Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman were at their absolute best with such true and emotional performances. I know it’s hip to be a Downton Abbey fan, but Sherlock is so much more fulfilling, mentally and visually (I could also stare at Cumberbatch’s face for the whole 90 minutes of the show!). I do hope I hear some Sherlock Emmy nominations come July.

On another note, is CBS really going ahead with its own version of modern-day Sherlock with Elementary? Is this a definite pick-up? I know both Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu are fine actors, but the Sherlock comparisons are going to be persistent. It has already ruined the Sherlock movies directed by Guy Ritchie for me. The only Sherlock and Watson are, in my mind, Cumberbatch and Freeman. What do you think? — Sonal

Matt Roush: Hard to predict with the Emmys, but now that Downton Abbey is putting itself in the drama series race (as opposed to movie-miniseries), that would seem to open the door for Sherlock to get more notice. (The highest-profile nomination last year, well-deserved, was for Steven Moffat’s writing.) Cumberbatch and Freeman couldn’t be more delightful, and this season the work by Lara Pulver (as Irene Adler) and Andrew Scott (Moriarty) are worth celebrating as well — and for those following the series, this Sunday’s episode (“The Hounds of Baskerville”) features an enjoyable turn by Being Human’s Russell Tovey, whose fear of creatures in the woods is rather ironic given his past employment. Regarding CBS’ Elementary: No word yet on whether it will be picked up or not — this network tends to keep these decisions under wraps until very close to the upfront announcement, which will be next Wednesday — but I agree it may be difficult to embrace this show on its own merits unless it’s as well executed as this version (which would be a small miracle). To be fair, though, CBS tends to operate on such a mass scale I doubt they’re worrying too much about the BBC/PBS adaptation impacting their pilot one way or another. It does seem awfully superfluous, though.

Question: In response to the talk recently in your column about the endgame of Once Upon a Time: Isn’t it a bit early to be talking about that? The show is still new, and I’m still thoroughly enjoying it on a regular basis, so I don’t really find myself itching for Regina to be taken down just yet. I trust that the writers have some kind of plan here, and I’m perfectly happy to enjoy the ride for the time being. I think it’s also a mistake to assume the show is over when the curse is broken; remember how everyone initially thought Lost would be over when they got off the island? Lost was always extremely successful at taking the story in a new direction when the viewers least expected it, and I’m sure the Once writers learned a thing or two from their time on that show.

Off the top of my head, I wonder what breaking the curse even means. If/when everyone becomes aware of their previous lives, what happens if some of them like this life better, or don’t want to leave? What about Emma and Henry, who don’t really have a place in the fairy-tale world? Even for those who do want to return to their old life, it probably won’t be that easy to snap their fingers and go right back to the way things were before the curse happened. Let’s just let this sort itself out. I’m going to be watching the show next year no matter what they do, and that’s what matters here. They’ve entertained me this year and I see no reason to doubt their ability to do so next year. — Jake

Matt Roush: Of course it’s too early in a successful new show’s freshman season to be too worried about the ultimate end game, and your desire to just go along with the ride for now is the best option. But it’s fair game to acknowledge the growing pains of any show’s first season, which for me with Once involves many things involving Storybrooke, in part because most of the characters are only living half-lives there, as opposed to the richly realized revisionist doings back in fairy-tale land. Once Upon a Time is especially well suited to reinvent itself when the time comes, depending on what happens with this curse. (Which doesn’t necessarily have to be the last curse, especially if we go back to a world of magic.)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

The news is pretty short today, but still there are a few good items to share:

TELEVISION

TNT has renewed their police drama Southland for a 10-episode fifth season. (TVDoneWright.com)

Showtime has given a third season order to their Renaissance drama The Borgias. (The Futon Critic)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Must Watch: Third Trailer for Marc Webb’s ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’

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

Question: I’ve been feeling a major lack of Vampire Diaries dish, specifically on Caroline! Help a girl out! — Kirsten

Sandra: I have endless love for Vampire Barbie, so I’m happy to help. Too bad Alaric doesn’t share my adoration. As we saw last night, after his plan to have Elena stake Caroline failed, Alaric called a Council meeting to announce that Sheriff Forbes and Mayor Lockwood were the mothers of a vampire and a hybrid and to reveal his own supernatural status. And as we head into next week’s season finale, this leaves Caroline and Tyler in a severely compromising position. ”Caroline and Tyler learn that there’s a target on their back and that if they stay in Mystic Falls, they could very well end up dead. So they have to decide what they’re gonna do about that,” says executive producer Julie Plec. “There’s a lot of choices that each of the characters need to make about their future. Do they stay and fight to the death? Do they run and get the hell out of dodge?” (Side note, when last night’s episode ended, Stefan and Damon were on their way to dump Klaus’ desiccated body into the Atlantic Ocean. Why am I not convinced that plan won’t be an epic fail?)

Question: Can’t end Castle season 4 without asking you one last time for Scoop! What do you have for us? Will the finale be as jaw-dropping as last year’s? I know there is so much speculation about a Castle/Beckett hookup in the finale, but I am curious about the fate of my other favorite duo on the show, Ryan & Esposito. Does something shocking happen to them? Thanks! — Cheryl

Sandra: Last year’s finale — with the reveal that the chief was involved in Beckett’s mom’s murder — was several years in the making, as you’ll recall. And I can most definitely say the same thing about this year. So yes, definitely as jaw-dropping — and probably more. As far as Ryan and Esposito, you’ll find them at a point come season’s end that will give them a very interesting launching point next season — and I wouldn’t count out a little drama between those two.

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a fantastic weekend!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Mary Lynn Rajskub (24) and Patrick Fischler (Lost) will guest star in the penultimate episode of Grey’s Anatomy. They will play a couple in the midst of their third honeymoon when they come to Seattle Grace complaining of mysterious symptoms. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Actor William Mapother (Lost) will make a guest appearance on Burn Notice as Garret Hartley, the leader of a team of mercenaries hired to kill money launderer Barry Burkowski (Paul Tei). He will appear in the sixth episode scheduled to air in mid-July. Burn Notice will be back on the USA Network on June 14. (Philiana Ng at The Hollywood Reporter)

The CW has given early pick-up orders for The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural and 90210 for next fall. (Press Release from The CW)

Starz has given the green light to Black Sails, a straight-to-series project from filmmaker Michael Bay. The eight-episode series is a pirate adventure that will center on the tales of Captain Flint (the most brilliant and most feared pirate captain of his day) and his men. It will take place twenty years prior to Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic Treasure Island. Flint. (The Futon Critic)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

AMC has given pilot orders to two potential series called Low Winter Sun and an as-yet untitled series from Richard LaGravenese and actor Tony Goldwyn (currently starring in the ABC series Scandal). Low Winter Sun is based on the 2006 two-part British mini-series that will be a contemporary story of murder, deception, revenge and corruption that starts with the murder of a cop by a fellow Detroit detective. Seemingly the perfect crime, in reality the murder activates forces that will forever alter that detective’s life and pull him into the heart of the Detroit underworld. The latter project is a legal thriller centered on a District Attorney who uncovers new evidence that prompts the reinvestigation of a sensational murder case. It explores personal morality and how people struggle with the shades of grey found in the absence of a simple, ordered moral universe. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Jeff Fahey (Lost) and director David Cronenberg will guest star in the Syfy drama pilot called Rewind. The project features a team of military field operatives and civilian scientists who use untested technology to travel back in time in order to change the future and avoid a devastating terrorist attack. The cast includes Keisha Castle-Hughes (Whale Rider) and Jennifer Ferrin (The Cape) [among others]. Fahey will play a former NASA aerospace engineer with Zen-like wisdom who serves as the spiritual backbone of the time travel team. Whereas, Cronenberg will play a brilliant scientist and Nobel Prize winner who becomes unhinged after his wife’s death. He comes up with a dangerous plot to change the course of history. (Vlada Gelman at TV Line)

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE NEWS

Actors Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter franchise) and Jon Hamm (Mad Men) will star as the same character in the four-part British TV mini-series that follows Russian doctors after the first World War. Hamm will primarily narrate the story with Radcliffe portraying the younger version of the main character. (The Sun and Dark Horizons)

Actor Rob Lowe (Brothers & Sisters) will star in the Lifetime movie tentatively called Prosecuting Casey Anthony. He will portray Jeff Ashton, the Florida prosecutor in last year’s controversial Caylee Anthony murder trial and author of the best-selling book Imperfect Justice: Prosecuting Casey Anthony, for which the movie will be based. (TV By the Numbers)

Singer/actress Jewel will portray the late, legendary country singer June Carter Cash in the Lifetime movie tentatively entitled The June Carter Cash Story. The telefilm will follow June from early childhood growing up in the rural mountains of Virginia to her relationship with Johnny Cash. (The Futon Critic)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Wes Bentley (The Hunger Games), Michael Cudlitz (Southland) and Mark Moses (The Killing) [among others] have joined the cast of the upcoming independent drama biopic Chavez. The film will follow Cesar E. Chavez (Michael Pena) who organized the largest non-violent protest in U.S. history to obtain basic human rights for over 50,000 farm workers in California. Bentley will play fearless attorney Jerry Cohen; Cudlitz will play a sheriff who lets his personal opinions cloud his judgment and Moses will play seasoned organizer Fred Ross who mentors Chavez. Other cast members include America Ferrera and Rosario Dawson. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Actor Kellan Lutz (the Twilight Saga franchise) will star as Tarzan in the fully animated CGI with motion capture film. (Mike Fleming at Deadline)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items collected over the last few days (as I took some much needed time off over the last couple of days):

TELEVISION

Actor Dominic Monaghan (Lost) has been cast as the narrator of the original horror-thriller anthology series called The Unknown, which launches later this year on the Sony TV-owned multi-platform network Crackle. Monaghan will play a blogger who chronicles the unexplained phenomenon that occurs in each of the six half-hour episodes. (Deadline)

The Canadian police drama Flashpoint, which is a hit here in the US, will end after its upcoming fifth season. (Toronto Sun)

Actor Peter Jacobson (House) and actress Brooke Smith (Grey’s Anatomy) will guest star in the season finale of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit with actor Dean Winters (30 Rock) reprising his season 1 role. It is said the finale features the death of a high-end call girl who works for an escort service owned by Bart Ganzel (Jacobson). Brian Cassidy (Winters), a former SVU detective, now runs Ganzel’s security team. Smith will play Ganzel’s rival. The season finale is set to air on NBC on May 23. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Actress Madchen Amick (Twin Peaks and Damages) will guest on Drop Dead Diva when the popular Lifetime series. She will appear in the 7th and 8th episodes as Gina Blunt, a beautiful friend of Parker’s from law school who is considering assuming the firm’s debt as its creditor. The series is back starting on June 3. (Joyce Eng at TV Guide)

Soap star Bree Williamson (One Life to Live) has been added as a series regular to the Syfy series Haven where she will play the town’s resident shrink. Haven will be back with a 13-episode season later this year. (Blog Talk Radio via WormholeRiders.net and TV Line)

Actor Adrian Pasdar (Heroes and The Lying Game) has joined the cast of the USA Network six-episode mini-series Political Animals. He will play the president who ultimately defeats the character to be played by Sigourney Weaver in a presidential race and then appoints her to his cabinet. The mini-series will debut on Sunday, July 15 and air consecutively until August 19. (Variety)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Here are the top 10 movies at the box office from this past weekend, courtesy of Exhibitor Relations:

1. Think Like a Man, $18 million
2. The Pirates! Band of Misfits, $11.4 million
3. The Lucky One, $11.3 million
4. The Hunger Games, $11.3 million
5. The Five-Year Engagement, $11.2 million
6. Safe, $7.7 million
7. The Raven, $7.3 million
8. Chimpanzee, $6.5 million
9. The Three Stooges, $5.4 million
10. The Cabin in the Woods, $4.5 million

Actor Kyle Gallner (Veronica Mars) has joined the cast of the supernatural love story Beautiful Creatures, which is based on the first novel in the popular book series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. The story is about teen lovers (Alden Ehrenreich and Alice Englert) who uncover dark secrets about their families, their history and their town. Gallner will play Larkin, the younger brother of Emmy Rossum’s character whom she casts a spell on. (Dark Horizons and Variety)

Actors Sebastian Roche (Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries and Vik Sahay (Chuck) have joined the cast of the werewolf film called Wer. The pseudo-doco follows a defense attorney (Kate Moore) looking to clear a client (Brian J. O’Connor) suspected in a grisly multiple slaying of a vacationing American family. Roché will play a French ex-military type turned detective while Sahay (Chuck) will play a member of the defense team who learns their suspected client (O’Connor) is also a werewolf. (The Playlist and Dark Horizons)

Actress Abigail Spencer (Mad Men) has joined the cast of the independent romantic drama called Kilimanjaro that will center on a man (Brian Geraghty) who is determined to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro after a recent breakup. Spencer will play a receptionist whom he develops a crush on. (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

Actor Pierce Brosnan will star opposite Owen Wilson in the upcoming film called The Coup that follows an American family that relocates to the region (Southeast Asia) only to become embroiled in a violent coup as rebels mercilessly attack the city. He will play a mysterious and ultimately heroic government operative. (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

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

Question: Does Castle’s finale have a cliff-hanger like last year’s? I’m not sure I could handle that! — Jessica

ADAM: Creator Andrew W. Marlowe hints that Beckett will be experiencing a lot of changes in the finale, and the domino effect of said changes leads to this season’s climax. And while I’m pretty sure that no one’s life will be hanging in the balance, Castle-Beckett fans will likely still be in for a long summer. Why? Marlowe says this finale doesn’t lend itself to a large time jump between seasons. “The way we’re ending this season, people will want to know what happens in the immediate aftermath,” he teases.

Question: Got any scoop on Game of Thrones? — Harold

NATALIE: Theon Greyjoy will storm Winterfell. Unfortunately, he will prevail and a familiar face will fall victim to his quest for glory. Guesses as to whom we’re saying goodbye to now?

Question: Got any Psych spoilers? — Parker

ADAM: Juliet will go undercover to catch a serial killer who murders the women he meets on a singles website. Amongst the losers she’ll encounter during her investigation: a guy who proudly shows off photos of himself and his prized pet sea horses. Unfortunately for Shawn, all of Juliet’s suitors aren’t so dorky. We see major jealousy in his future!

Question: Are Divya and her parents going to get past their estrangement on Royal Pains? —Kathryn

ADAM: Yes, Divya and her mother will be getting really close after Divya accidentally inspires her mom to leave her father, and Mommy moves in! Naturally, they butt heads a bit, which will lead Divya to unload all her parental issues on an unsuspecting blind date. As luck would have it, though, he’s a family therapist!

Question: I’m so excited about the return of Nick on The Secret Circle! Got any scoop? —Jennifer

NATALIE: Nick isn’t the only familiar face who’ll be back. Kate Meade (Stepfanie Kramer), Diana’s grandmother, will also show up in the finale — and seeing how she reacted to Cassie’s dark magic, we should probably expect some trouble to be a-brewin’.

Question: Any chance Katherine will resurface before the finale of Vampire Diaries? —Allie

Ausiello: Not unless a certain someone is taken out first. “You will not see nor hear of Katherine until Klaus is gone for good,” says Plec. “His survival ties into her appearance, or lack thereof.” As for whether Original vamp Elijah will return this season, Plec coyly offers a “Maybe.”

Question: Any scoop on Scandal? —Lynda

Ausiello: In the wake of how last week’s episode ended, this Thursday’s is a doozy. For one, you may raise an eyebrow at how Cyrus reacts to the Amanda Tanner news — and then see him quake when someone steps forth with a blackmail attempt. You’ll also meet Grant’s vice president, played with Bible-thumping imperiousness by Kate Burton. (Yes, Meredith Grey’s mother and father even briefly share a scene.) It’s also a big episode for Guillermo Diaz, as we learn a bit more about what sort of line of work Olivia rescued Huck from.

Question: I need a Hart of Dixie scoop. —Theresa

Ausiello: Sounds like Zoe/Wade fans are going to be rather pleased with the May 14 finale. “For some viewers, that relationship has started to maybe feel like a tease,” acknowledges Wade’s portrayer, Wilson Bethel. “But I’ll say that the payoff by the end of the season is worth it.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

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

TELEVISION

FOX picks up their low-rated, but much-beloved sci-fi series Fringe for a 13-episode fifth and final season. (Twitter)

It’s been confirmed that Big Love actress Chloe Sevigny will indeed appear in the second season of American Horror Story, playing Shelly the Nymphomaniac, a bitter rival of the new character to be played by returning cast member Jessica Lange. (The Wrap)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Watch: Elizabeth Olsen in the ‘Peace, Love & Misunderstanding’ Trailer

NOTE: Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Chace Crawford are in this movie along with Jane Fonda, Catherine Keener and Elizabeth Olson. I have NEVER been a fan of Fonda, but I’ll be there for Morgan ANY DAY!

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Rooney Mara (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) is replacing actress Carey Mulligan (An Education) in the upcoming film Brooklyn, which is an adaptation of the Colm Toibin novel of the same name. She will play a young woman torn between her family in Ireland and the American who wins her heart. The film will be a period piece set in the 1950s. (The Hollywood Reporter and First Showing)

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a terrific weekend!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Sundance Channel has brought together most of its cast for the network’s first hour-long legal drama Rectify. The series will center on Daniel Holden who, after 19 years in prison, is released from Death Row when he is exonerated for rape and murder by DNA evidence. He returns to his hometown where he has to readjust to his new life, including unfamiliar family members and surroundings. Among the cast are actress Abigail Spencer (Mad Men) and actor Clayne Crawford (The Glades and A Walk to Remember), who will play Daniel’s sister and step-brother respectively. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

The cable network ReelzChannel has picked up a 13-episode second season of the Steven Seagal crime fighting drama series True Justice. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Sterling Sulieman (The Vampire Diaries) will pay a visit to Rosewood, PA on Pretty Little Liars, playing Maya’s (Bianca Lawson) cousin Nathan St. Germain, who transfers to Hollis College where he is on the fast track to law school. Pretty Little Liars is back with a new season on June 5 on ABC Family. (Robyn Ross at TV Guide)

Actress Jennnifer Morrison (Once Upon a Time) will make a cameo appearance in the series finale of House, which is set to air on May 21 on FOX. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

ABC Family has cancelled the gymnastic-themed drama Make It or Break It. The series’ current third season will be its last with the finale set to air on May 14. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

It is being rumored that actress Chloe Sevigny (Big Love) is in final talks to join the cast of American Horror Story. If she does sign on, she will play a character named Shelly the Nymphomaniac, who is one of the mortal enemies of Jessica Lange’s character. (Tim Stack at Entertainment Weekly)

MADE FOR TV MOVIE NEWS

Lifetime Movie Network has green-lighted an original movie based on the debut novel “The Eleventh Victim” from Nancy Grace. Actress Jennie Garth (90210 and What I Like About You) is set to play the lead. The telefilm (and book) centers on Hailey Dean (Garth), a highly successful Atlanta assistant DA whose fiancé is murdered. After a big courtroom triumph, securing the conviction of Clint Burrell Cruise for the murder of 11 prostitutes, Dean leaves the DA office and moves to Manhattan for a new career as a therapist. But soon Cruise is released from prison on appeal and starts stalking her and killing off her patients. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Josh Duhamel (Transformers and Las Vegas) is in negotiations to star in the film adaptation of the Nicholas Sparks novel “Safe Haven,” which tells the story of a young North Carolina woman who is determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships. As she begins to fall in love, she struggles with a dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her. Duhamel would play a widowed store owner and father of two. The film is expected to be released in 2013. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Actress Andrea Riseborough (W.E. and Happy-Go-Lucky) will star opposite Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood) in the upcoming horror-thriller film called Hidden that will follow a family hiding in a bomb shelter after escaping a mysterious outbreak. She will play the wife of Skarsgard’s character and mother of their child. (Heat Vision and Dark Horizons)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Syfy made a big announcement yesterday, regarding their development plans for potential new shows, with my bringing details on the Charlaine Harris book series about Harper Connelly that will be called Grave Sight as well as the adaptation of the Stephen King novel Eyes of the Dragon. Those two projects will be topped off by the following projects:

• Rewind, which revolves around a team of military field operatives and civilian scientists who must use untested technology to travel back in time to alter events and change the future — and avoid a devastating terrorist attack.

• The Adjustment Bureau, based on the hit movie starring Matt Damon, is about guardian angel-type agents working to keep the world according to The Plan: they create everything from plane crashes to coffee spills in order to steer people to realize their true destiny. But there is one thing the operatives and their Chairman can’t control — free will.

• High Moon, based on the novel, The Lotus Caves, by John Christopher, the project explores a world where the countries of Earth have established colonies to mine the Moon’s resources, but when a new life form is discovered, chaos erupts as various factions race to uncover its powerful secrets.

• Untitled Booster Gold Project, based on the best-selling DC Entertainment Comic, this project tells the story of a washed-up athlete from the future who travels back to the present in hopes of becoming the greatest superhero of all time; but instead of chasing criminals, his main priority is chasing fame and money. Booster Gold discovers that being a hero takes more than just a megawatt smile.

• Seeing Things, based on the comic Grey Legion, will look at what happens after a cop meets his violent demise, returning as a ghost to close his last case. But the only person who can help him is a socially awkward man who is realizing for the first time that his hallucinations may not be all in his head.

• Defender, which is about the aftermath of an intergalactic war between humans and transhumans. The starship Defender, populated by a combustible mix of former enemies, is sent on a seemingly simple goodwill mission, which turns into a fight for their lives and for the safety of the Universe at large.

• The Family, which about an alien family who, for generations, has hid amongst humans in plain sight using their advanced intellect to carve out a life for themselves as their family grew. But when the family patriarch that kept peace amongst the factions dies, a war begins to brew with some members believing the time has come to reveal themselves, and their superior power, to the inferior human race.

• Darkfall is when, without warning, modern forms of power and technology become a thing of the past, Los Angeles, and the world at large, becomes a place where magic rules and life as we know it is turned upside down.

• One Mile Straight Down is about what happens when a powerful earthquake hits California and opens up a chasm bigger than the Grand Canyon, revealing an enormous hidden ocean lying deep beneath the earth’s crust. Billionaire adventurer James Exeter works with the government to take an advanced nuclear submarine down to explore it and discovers more than he ever could have imagined.

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

Question: Is it too early to ask for Homeland scoop? — Devon

ADAM: Never! Even though Carrie was booted from the CIA by David Estes at the end of Season 1, I hear she’ll be travelling overseas on a special mission — with Estes’ approval — when the new season, which reportedly takes place six months later, begins. And speaking of Estes: One of Brody’s first assignments from Abu Nazir requires him to break into a safe in his office!

Question: Is there more than one death in The Secret Circle finale? — Billy

NATALIE: We’ll let executive producer Andrew Miller take this one. “There’s for sure one death and maybe more,” he teases. “The deaths will weigh incredibly heavily. The fate that befalls another character will weigh almost equally heavy in terms of the fans.” Ha, we got him to say deaths, plural. Stock up on tissues, people!

Question: Is Rebekah really dead on The Vampire Diaries? — Rachel

NATALIE: Not exactly. Now that Esther has the white oak dagger from Alaric’s alter ego, she’ll leave Rebekah’s body and return to her own. But Esther isn’t done with Alaric yet. In Thursday’s episode, she’ll reveal that she needs something from both Alaric and Elena to carry out her plan of eliminating her family. And what Esther wants, Esther will get.

Question: Any scoop on Drop Dead Diva? —Anadi

Ausiello: When the Lifetime series returns this June, Jane will be relaxing in Italy, and she won’t be alone! “She’s with Owen,” leading lady Brooke Elliott told us at the GLAAD Media Awards. “It’s going to be a really exciting season. It’s got a lot of, ‘I love you, you love me, but I love him.’” Does that mean there’s still a chance for Grayson, who was last seen rushing to the airport after Stacy told him it’s really Jane he wants? “Grayson starts to turn his eye toward [her],” teases Elliott. “That’s going to be fun because Jane doesn’t know it. It’s going to be a little bit of a reversal of wanting the other one. … He thinks that Jane could be Deb, but you’ll have to see what happens with that. There’s a flip-flop there.” Plus, the actress dropped this surprise on us: “There’s a proposal coming up.”

Question: Can I have a Vampire Diaries spoiler on Caroline and Klaus? —Elizabeth

Ausiello: Our gal is going to be seriously conflicted when it comes a certain Original. “Caroline doesn’t understand what draws her to Klaus [just like] any young woman who is seduced by and charmed by and intrigued by a dangerous man,” says EP Julie Plec. “There’s a lot of things that she can’t really explain about herself and her connection to him.” But there is one thing that she knows for certain. “She’s made her loyalty to Tyler and her love for Tyler very clear and will continue to have to do that.” However, that might not be enough to reassure her hybrid boyfriend, who’s “jealous and pissed off” about her new sorta-relationship with his sire. “[Tyler will] deal with that in the next episode, realizing that, ‘Hey, I sort of brought this on myself by leaving and leaving the opening for this guy to come in and move in on my girl,’” previews Plec. “Unfortunately, there’s still the question remaining: Was he able to effectively break that sire bond, or is he in for a rude awakening? You’ll definitely see that play out over the next couple [of episodes].”

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actresses Heather Graham and Carrie-Anne Moss as well as actors Kevin Dillon and Joe Mantegna will star in the independent film called Compulsion where Moss will play an embittered former child star while Graham plays her neighbor, a chef who dreams of hosting a Food Channel show. They are both fearless, only the chef fears nothing in life while her neighbor fears nothing about death. There are no details on the characters to be played by Dillon and Mantegna at this time. (Mike Fleming at Deadline)

Actress Kristin Scott Thomas and actor Tom Hollander have joined the cast of the upcoming film called The Invisible Woman, which will be directed by Ralph Fiennes. This film will be an adaptation of the Claire Tomalin biography about Nelly Ternan, a woman who had a decade-long affair with author Charles Dickens. Fiennes will also star as Dickens with Felicity Jones portraying Ternan. It is unknown at this time what roles Thomas or Hollander will play, however. (Brian Gallagher at Movie Web)

BOX OFFICE MOVIE TRAILER

Tom Hardy & Shia LaBeouf in First Trailer for Crime Drama ‘Lawless’

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Brendan Hines (Lie to Me) will guest star on the Covert Affairs in episode 3, playing Wade, a Peace Corps volunteer with an appetite for living and a good heart, who works with Auggie’s gal pal Parker (Devin Kelly). Covert Affairs is back with new episodes starting July 10. (Vlada Gelman at TV Line)

ABC Family has renewed The Lying Game for a second season. It will be back for a winter premiere. (Deadline)

Actor Ray Stevenson (Rome) will appear in a seven-episode arc on Dexter. He will play the leader of a Russian organized crime syndicate. Dexter is back starting September 30. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Syfy is developing the 1987 best-selling novel “Eyes of the Dragon” by Stephen King into a long-form project (be it a movie or mini-series). The book was a stand-alone novel that takes place in the fictional realm of Delain, following a teenage prince who is falsely accused of murdering his father, the king. Imprisoned in a high tower, the prince must figure out a way to escape, clear his name, and confront the devious and powerful wizard who is responsible for his father’s death. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

Syfy has also picked up the rights to the Charlaine Harris four-book series Harper Connelly Mysteries that will be developed into a project called Grave Sight. The story follows a young woman who was struck by lightning as a teenager; but now in her 20s, she senses the location and last memories of dead people. In the TV adaptation, Connelly teams up with her protective stepbrother, Tolliver Lang, to help find a missing teenage girl, only to uncover a network of lies and murders throughout a small town in the Ozarks. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Jessica Chastain (The Help) is in talks to join the cast of Iron Man 3; reportedly taking on the role of a sexy scientist who will conceivably go toe-to-toe with Downey’s genius Iron Man alter ego, Tony Stark. (Deadline and E! Online)

Actress (and MMA athlete) Gina Carano (Haywire) is in negotiations to join the cast of Fast Six that already has actors Paul Walker, Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson set to return. Carano will play a member of Johnson’s team. (Heat Vision and Dark Horizons)

Actor Armie Hammer (The Social Network and Mirror Mirror) has joined the cast of the upcoming crime thriller flick called Cut Bank. He will join John Malkovich, Ben Kingsley, Michael Sheen and Teresa Palmer in a story about a former high school football star looking to escape from a small town, changing him and the town forever. (Deadline and First Showing)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Must Watch: Second Trailer for Jon Chu’s ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’ Lands

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Rebecca Mader (Lost) will guest-star on an upcoming episode of White Collar, which returns to the USA Network on July 10 for its fourth season. She will play Abigail, an elusive con woman who blackmails Neal (Matt Bomer) into getting involved in her latest heist. At the same time, she is trying to woo Diana (Marsha Thomason), who is working undercover to bring Abigail to justice. (Kate Stanhope at TV Guide)

Actresses Mia Kirshner (The Vampire Diaries and The L Word) and Fionnula Flanagan have joined the cast of the new Syfy series Defiance that will be sent in the near future drama. The series will be about a completely transformed planet Earth, inhabited by the survivors of a universal war. Kirshner will play Kenya, the self-assured, dauntless town madam whose unvarying devotion to the town of Defiance has inexorably woven her into many of its complicated affairs. Flanagan will play Nicky, the popular ex-mayor of the town whose intrinsic expertise from her years on the job have made her a trusted mentor to her successor, Amanda (Julie Benz). Other cast members include Graham Greene, Grant Bowler, Jaime Murray, and Tony Curran. (The Futon Critic and Deadline)

The BBC has decided not to move forward with a third season for Upstairs Downstairs. (Stuart Kemp at The Hollywood Reporter)

MADE FOR TV MOVIE NEWS

Troubled actress Lindsay Lohan will portray Elizabeth Taylor in the upcoming Lifetime biopic called Liz & Dick, which will chronicle the late film legend’s romance with actor Richard Burton. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

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

1. Think Like a Man, $33 million
2. The Lucky One, $22.8 million
3. The Hunger Games, $14.5 million
4. Chimpanzee, $10.2 million
5. The Three Stooges, $9.2 million
6. The Cabin in the Woods, $7.8 million
7. American Reunion, $5.2 million
8. Titanic 3D, $5 million
9. 21 Jump Street, $4.6 million
10. Mirror Mirror, $4.1 million

Actress Maiara Walsh (Desperate Housewives and Switched at Birth) has landed the leading role in the upcoming independent drama film called Grace, about a woman named Grace (Kelcie Stranahan) accused of killing another woman in an accident. The victim reaches out from beyond the grave to help unveil the truth about what happened. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Actress Toni Collette (The United States of Tara) and actor Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire) have joined the cast of the upcoming film called Defiant that is based on the true story of a double honor killing in India. Patel will play Hari, a young man who is, along with his girlfriend, trying to escape vengeful parents who want to kill the lovers to stop them marrying. Collette will play Sally Lane, a journalist who in covering the story of the lovers, gets drawn into its dangers. (Dominic Patten at Deadline)

Actress Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games) will next star in the film adaptation of the best-selling novel The Glass Castle by famed gossip columnist Jeanette Walls. The movie covers Walls’ childhood, which featured a nomadic lifestyle and parents who weren’t exactly well-adjusted. (Deadline and First Showing)

BOX OFFICE MOVIE TRAILER

Watch: Charming Indie ‘A Buddy Story’ Trailer with Elizabeth Moss

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Taylor Cole (CSI: Miami and The Event) has landed a recurring role on The Glades, which will be back for its third season this June on A&E. She will play Jennifer Starke, a dynamic FDLE Bureau Chief who is sent to the South Florida station to evaluate its high success rate in hopes of recreating it state-wide; but when it becomes clear that said success is due to Det. Longworth’s unique approach to law, Starke changes her evaluation tactics, which creates an “interesting” dynamic between the two. (Megan Masters at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Sonar Entertainment and James Patterson Entertainment will produce the author’s New York Times best-selling book series Private as a 13-episode hour-long original TV series with Patterson serving as Executive Producer. The story follows former CIA agent Jack Morgan, who runs the world’s most elite investigation firm. With maximum force and maximum discretion always guaranteed, Jack’s staff of global investigators uses advanced forensic tools to make and break the cases that involve the secrets of the most influential people in the world. (The Futon Critic)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Toni Collette, who is already set to star in the films Hitchcock and The Way, Way Back is in negotiations to join Jennifer Aniston in the upcoming film called Miss You Already that would have the two women playing lifelong best friends who help each other with challenges – the outgoing one (Aniston) is battling breast cancer while the more reserved one (Collette) is preparing for her first child’s birth. She is also expected to join the cast of the upcoming film called The Long Way Down that follows four strangers on New Year’s Eve who coincidentally plan to jump to their deaths from the same rooftop. Collette would play the helpless single mom of a disabled young man. Pierce Brosnan is also in talks to play a scandal-plagued talk show host. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Actor Titus Welliver (Lost) will join Matt Damon and John Krasinski in the upcoming film called Promised Land that explores the dynamics of how a powerful natural gas company infiltrates a small rural town to tap into subterranean resources that could change its residents’ lives forever. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Actor Guy Pearce (Lockout) is in final talks to join the upcoming sequel film Iron Man 3 where he would play geneticist Aldrich Killian. The cast of the film already includes Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle and Scarlett Johansson as well as Ben Kingsley. The film has a release date of May 3, 2013. (Variety)

Singer Taylor Swift is circling the role of Joni Mitchell in the planned adaptation of the Sheila Weller Girls Like Us that examines the careers of singers Mitchell, Carly Simon and Carole King. Swift does not have an official offer, but has been linked to the Mitchell role for several months. (Variety)

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

Question: NCIS was great this week, but like you, I noted the open-endedness of the case. Are we going to see more from this case before the end of the season? — Nicole

Gonzalez: All I’ll say is that this is not the last time the Navy will feel the pressure of a direct threat before season’s end. In related news, here’s one return you can definitely count: Scott Wolf! He’ll appear in the season finale (airing May 15), reprising his role as the seriously disturbed Jonathan Cole.

Question: That little show Once Upon a Time loves toying with my emotions. A three-week hiatus? Now that’s just cruel. However, that has meant I’ve been reading up on just about anything that has to do with the show to pass the time. Bet you can’t spoil something I don’t already know. — Shannon

Gonzalez: Well, if you already know about the planned returns in the finale for Aussie Belle Emilie de Ravin, hipster sheriff Jamie Dornan and Mad man Sebastian Stan, what I can tell you is that writer Jane Espenson, who I chatted with yesterday, is more than confident that we’ll be blown away. In fact, the former Buffy the Vampire Slayer producer says that even with her long list of credits, “this finale is one of the biggest I’ve ever been a part of.” “If you’ve ever said, ‘Gee, I wish they would…’ you’ll see it,” she teases.

Question: Just got into Fairly Legal, how about some scoop on Kate and Justin. [I] love their chemistry and their back and forth! — @whyfores

Gonzalez: Wait, so you’re not pro-Ben?! I don’t know if we can talk anymore…Kidding! But I will say that an upcoming episode finds both our guys going toe-to-toe on a case involving a, um, colorful character who dresses up in costume. That’s a chemistry I think you’re really going to enjoy. But I really have to wonder how their relationship and Justin’s relationship with Kate will change after what transpires at the end of episode 8…

Question: Anything good on the Secret Circle finale? While I hate to see this show go on hiatus, I’m smelling a big cliffhanger… — Emma

Gonzalez: Then that’s a good nose you have! Because Gale Harold told me that’s exactly what’s in store. But it sounds like it has more layers than a Super Bowl dip. “It’s not a straightforward cliffhanger,” he says. “It’s loaded with confusion. It’s loaded with overlaps. Everything is getting twisted inside of itself. These people are getting drawn outside of the physical realm of reality [in terms of their magic] and at the same time, they have to deal with each other every day [as normal people]. So I think that’s going to be the nature of the finale.” Also, Emma, what, pray tell, does a cliffhanger smell like exactly? Wait, nevermind. I probably don’t want to know.

Question: Revenge finale. Go. — Amber

Gonzalez: Fight. Win. And if there’s anything worth cheering for, it’s how good this finale is. “There was a lot of oohing and ahhing in the table read,” says Nick Wechsler. “And we know that they’re doing something right with this thing, man. They hook you. And [the finale] has to hook you for another season while also wrapping some stuff up and they do both things quite nicely.” And if you think you have an idea of where it’s all headed, think again says Gabriel Mann. “I have to genuinely say that by the end I did not anticipate anything that they have now set up that is coming. So kudos and bravo to our writers and the team.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a terrific weekend!

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