Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

First of all, congratulations to last night’s Golden Globe Award winners, including (but not limited to) Meryl Streep, Octavia Spencer, Michelle Williams, Homeland, Downton Abbey, Claire Danes, Idris Elba, Peter Dinklage and Morgan Freeman.

Now, let’s get into today’s news:

TELEVISION

Actor Joe Lando, best known for his role of Byron Sully on the long-running CBS drama Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, will appear as Cassie’s (Brit Robertson) father, John Blackwell, on The Secret Circle. Blackwell will return to Chance Harbor in Episode 15, claiming to be a changed man and determined to protect Cassie and her Circle. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Actress Cassidy Freeman (Smallville) will guest star in an upcoming episode of The Vampire Diaries, playing Sage, a character seen in 1920s flashbacks whose allure is felt by both the Salvatore brothers and the Original family. She will make her series debut in Episode 16, and this role has the potential to recur. (TV Line and TV Guide)

Actor Justin Hartley (Smallville) will be guest star in Hart of Dixie, playing Jesse, a charming Southerner and war hero who becomes a potential love interest Zoe (Rachel Bilson). He will show up on the show sometime this spring. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

It looks like the proposed FX pilot called Powers, which is based on the comic series about a cop, to be played by Jason Patric, who works in the Powers division of the police force that deals with crimes involving those endowed with special abilities may not be happening after all because the network is “mulling over reshoots of the project”. It is likely that a decision will made in a couple months, though. (The Hollywood Reporter)

NBC is moving forward with more pilot orders for the following three new, potential dramas: The Frontier – from writer (and former actor/singer) Shaun Cassidy, which chronicles the journey of a group of disparate travelers from Missouri to the West Coast in 1840; Midnight Sun, which is a thriller following the mysterious disappearance of a group living on a commune in Alaska and Do No Harm, which is a medical drama about a brilliant neurosurgeon who wrestles with his dangerous alter-ego that threatens to wreak havoc on his personal and professional life. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

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

1. Contraband, $24.1 million
2. Beauty and the Beast 3D, $18.5 million
3. Mission: Impossible—Ghost Protocol, $11.5 million
4. Joyful Noise, $11.3 million
5. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, $8.4 million
6. The Devil Inside, $7.9 million
7. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, $6.8 million
8. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, $5.8 million
9. War Horse, $5.6 million
10. The Iron Lady, $5.4 million

Actress Jessica Chastain (The Help), Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) and actor-comedian Martin Short will lend their voices to the upcoming animated film Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted. Chastain will play Gia the jaguar, Cranston as Vitaly the Siberian tiger, and Short as Stefano the sea lion. The story follows our regular quartet of escaped zoo animals (Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer and Jada Pinkett Smith) continuing their way back home who end up joining a European traveling circus. That’s where they come across these three new characters. Frances McDormand and Sacha Baron Cohen also star in the film that will hit theatres on June 8. (Heat Vision and Dark Horizons)

Actress Emily Browning (Sucker Punch) has replaced actress Ophelia Lovibond in the period-drama called Summer in February that stars Dominic Cooper and Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey) in the story of a love triangle within a group of UK Bohemian artists at the start of the 20th century. (Screen Daily and Dark Horizons)

Actors Jonny Lee Miller (Eli Stone) and Tom Hollander are joining the cast of the sci-fi thriller Byzantium that stars actress Gemma Arterton as a vampire who has to protect herself and her daughter (Saoirse Ronan) from those seeking to plunge a stake through their hearts. (The Daily Mail and Dark Horizons)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

The cable network Starz greenlit a new 10-episode scripted series called Marco Polo about the 13th century explorer that is being described as a fantastical martial arts epic chronicling the famous adventurer’s early years in the court of Kublai Khan. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

NBC is planning a contemporary spin on Count Dracula, but the series will be set in the 1890s, and is expected to be a “big, sweeping international soap opera that is young, sexy and supernatural”. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

The CW is finalizing a deal for a pilot order to Arrow, an hour-long superhero drama based on DC Comics’ Green Arrow, coming from Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim and Andrew Kreisberg. It is being reported that this version will set Green Arrow in a new world with an original story that is not based on the comics; but there is no word on whether actor Justin Hartley, who played Oliver Queen/Green Arrow in Smallville, will star. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

A&E is developing a TV series prequel to Psycho called Bates Motel. The series would focus on giving viewers “an intimate understanding of how Norman Bates’ psyche developed from his childhood through his teen years.” (IGN)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Chris Diamantopoulos (the upcoming box office film The Three Stooges, The Kennedys and Starter Wife) has joined the cast the comedy flick called The Black Marks that will star Kurt Russell as a retired motorcycle daredevil with a penchant for snatching art. Matt Dillon and Jay Baruchel also star. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

Actress Kate Winslet is attached to star in the Kenneth Branagh film called The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society that is a love story set in London and the Channel Islands after WWII. Winslet will play a magazine columnist who enters into a correspondence with a man from Guernsey. She soon learns how the islanders used a book group during the war as cover to outwit their German occupiers; so captivated by their stories, she travels there herself. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Actress Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene) is set to join the upcoming thriller Kill Your Darlings that is set to star Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter franchise). The story is about the relationship between Allen Ginsberg (Radcliffe), Jack Kerouac and Lucien Carr which eventually ends up with them caught up in murder. Olsen will play Edie Parker, the wealthy art-student girlfriend of Jack Kerouac who will be played by Jack Huston (Boardwalk Empire). (Variety and First Showing)

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

Question: I am dying over these Vampire Diaries photos right now and don’t know what to think, especially Caroline and Klaus. I need scoop immediately anything on #TVD. — @Gval21

Gonzalez: You should be dying — of excitement. Because as hinted in last night’s episode — and teased to Spoiler Room by Julie Plec — it sounds like it’s on. “I have a feeling that Klaus ultimately is equally capable of indulging in love and sabotaging love, just like Damon is. But there is certainly going to be an object of his interest very soon,” she told us Wednesday night.

Question: I’ve been reading a lot online recently about a new character coming to The Vampire Diaries, Samantha Gilbert, and that she’s supposedly a new love interest for Damon?? As a hardcore Delena shipper, please SAY IT ISN’T SO!!! — Sophie

Gonzalez: It isn’t so. “She’s not for Damon,” EP Julie Plec assures. “We’ll meet her in the past, not the present. She’s somebody that we meet in not present-day Mystic Falls.” All better, Soph?

Question: Anything about TVD‘s Stefan/Katherine? Thanks! — Rose

Gonzalez: Though she’s currently on the down low, I’d expect to see Katherine very soon. “She’s gone underground, and so it will be a surprise when we see Katherine again. As Katherine tends to do, she’ll pop up sometime and throw everyone for a loop,” says Plec.

Question: Drop Dead Diva won’t be back on for a while, but I’m dying for some scoopage. Please help! S.U.S. (Send Us Scoop!) — Dani

Gonzalez: There’s a new angel on the block. Well, there will be. The show is currently casting the role of Luke, a young-at-heart, confident “after-life coach” who will act as Jane’s new guardian angel. Casting intel describes him as having the “charm of Jack Nicholson and the soul of Russell Brand” with a little Vince Vaughn and a touch of Christian Slater thrown in. Well, that’s specific. Meanwhile, the show is also casting someone — presumably for one of the show’s cases of the week. They’re looking for someone to play a charming, intelligent — and possibly murderous — socialite named Emily Horn who comes to Jane needing help.

Question: I know everyone probably is asking you for Castle-Beckett spoilers, but I want some Ryan and Esposito scoop. What do you have for me about my favorite Bromance? — Jen Jones

Gonzalez: There are no specific plans as of yet, according to EP Andrew Marlowe. “That stuff is living toward the back half of the season. But it’s something we have our eye on.”

Question: I’m hearing amazing things about the Castle noir episode. DISH! — Tonya

Gonzalez: The episode, airing in February, will find Castle and Beckett coming across the journal of an investigator from the 1940s, and as Stana Katic told the press at the People’s Choice Awards, “Castle dreams it into reality where all of our characters dig up kind of film noir stereotypes — Castle become the P.I. I become a gangsta’s mom. [Ryan and Espocito] are thugs… Everybody looks absolutely phenomenal in that episode.” But you might not recognize everyone. I hear Castle’s mom (Susan Sullivan) actually goes blonde for the occasion! More importantly, though, the episode supposedly has a pretty epic moment. (You didn’t think it was gonna just be fancy costumes and sets, right?) “I think the best version of the Castle-Beckett story happens in that episode,” Katic teased.

Question: I’d love something on Snow and Charming from Once Upon a Time. They are easily my favorite TV couple. Talk about a twist on the will-they-won’t-they formula. So GOOD! — Suzanna

Gonzalez: I agree on all counts! Especially after I heard what Ginnifer Goodwin had to say about the “dark” revelations coming our way. “There are some big surprises. I mean, there are surprises that have led me to throw scripts at walls,” she says. “We’re going to learn a lot more about Snow and the things that we learn are not pretty. There is a dark side. We jump back in time so much; in the past you will learn about her wretched history. Yes, there are some wretched parts of her history. There will be some pretty MASSIVE obstacles put between Snow White and Prince Charming.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Congrats to all of the winners of the People’s Choice Awards last night, especially Nathan Fillion, Nina Dobrev, Supernatural, Pretty Little Liars and Castle!

And now, here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actors Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J will be making a crossover appearance from their show NCIS: Los Angeles to Hawaii Five-0; this will actually be an “exciting May sweeps two-night crossover event. The crossover “stunt” will first take place on Hawaii Five-0 and then roll over to NCIS: Los Angeles. (William Keck at TV Guide)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor James Badge Dale (24 and Rubicon) is the frontrunner to join the cast of the box office film The Lone Ranger, playing the older brother of the title character (played by Armie Hammer) Dan Reid is an ex-ranger and hero of the Old West. (Mike Fleming at Deadline)

Up-and-comer actor Douglas Booth (to be seen in the upcoming films Great Expectations and LOL) and Billy Crudup (Watchmen) are set to star in the box office film Life at These Speeds that is based on the novel by Jeremy Jackson. The story follows a rural teenager (Booth) who loses his best friends in a tragic accident and channels his survivor’s guilt into an addiction to running. Along the way he becomes a world-class distance runner. Crudup will co-star as Booth’s coach and confidante. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Young actress Isabelle Fuhrman (Orphan and the upcoming The Hunger Games) is in negotiations to join the M. Night Shyamalan sci-fi action adventure flick called After Earth that is set to star Will and Jaden Smith as a father and son who crash-land on Earth a millennia after mankind has abandoned the planet. The crash leaves the elder Smith badly injured, and it’s up to the boy to find help in what is now a strange and dangerous place. Zoe Kravitz and Sophie Okonedo also star. (Heat Vision and Dark Horizons)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here is today’s update, very short though it may be:

TELEVISION

Psych has been renewed by the USA Network for a 7th season. The current (sixth) season will resume with new episodes starting on February 29. (Kate Stanhope at TV Guide)

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

Question: I hear there’s going to be a kiss in Castle’s 1940s film noir episode. Is that true? — Erin

ADAM: After chatting with Stana Katic, my money is on a kiss… and much, much more. “What fans will see is probably the fulfillment of what most any fan would like to see happen with the Castle and Beckett relationship,” Katic says of the episode, in which Castle daydreams about a detective who falls in love with a gangster’s moll (played in Castle’s fantasy by Beckett, of course). “Fans will be seeing the ultimate expression of love for those two characters.” Ultimate expression of love? Is that what the kids are calling it these days?

Question: When are we going to see the Impala again on Supernatural? It just doesn’t seem right to have Dean separated from his baby for this long! —Laura

Ausiello: The two shall be reunited! “You will eventually see the Impala again,” exec producer Sera Gamble confirms. “He could never leave [her] forever! It breaks everyone’s heart, including ours. That’s one of the biggest loses of the season is that Dean can’t drive her.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

IT’S OFFICIAL: The CW has acquired the Canadian original drama The L.A. Complex, a six-part hour-long drama about the lives of six, sexy young performers pursuing their dreams in Hollywood. The L.A. Complex will have its U.S. premiere on The CW later this spring. The series stars Jewel Staite (Firefly/Serenity and Stargate Atlantis) and Chelan Simmons (Kyle XY) [among others]. (The Futon Critic)

DEVLEOPMENT NEWS

AMC has put into development a series version of the 1990 Martin Scorsese mob classic Goodfellas. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Fox has picked up two more drama pilots: one is a serial killer project from Kevin Williamson and the other is a legal drama from Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim. The untitled Williamson project is described as an edge-of-the-seat thriller about a diabolical serial killer who uses technology to create a cult of serial killers, and the FBI agent who finds himself in the middle of it. The Berlanti-Guggenheim project, entitled Guilty, centers on a brilliant, morally questionable defense attorney who, after being falsely convicted of fraud and stripped of his legal license, uses his unorthodox methods to solve the cases he’s been prohibited from handling and to ultimately exact revenge on the men who set him up. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

L.A. Noir, from Frank Darabont, has landed at TNT with a pilot order. The project is based on the John Buntin book L.A. Noir: The Struggle For The Soul Of America’s Most Seductive City, which chronicles the epic battle between Los Angeles Police Chief William Parker and mobster Mickey Cohen. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica) is in final negotiations to play Dahl, a Nordic mercenary tasked with tracking down Riddick. (Deadline, Variety and Dark Horizons)

Richard Schiff (The West Wing) has joined the cast of the Superman reboot Man of Steel where he will play Dr. Emil Hamilton, a character which in the comics served as a scientific advisor for Superman. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Q&A SECTION (with Kristin from E! Online)

Question: Revenge spoilers? – BrunetteNoel

Kristin: Someone is taking advice from The Social Network and lawyering up. A well-connected and high-profile criminal defense attorney who loves being in the spotlight is coming to the Hamptons soon. However, he might get more than he bargained for. The really interesting part? He first appears in episode 16, one week after we finally learn who’s been murdered.

Question: Anything Revenge related would be just lovely! – Sarahirwin92

Kristin: Something we were curious to know when we chatted with Gabriel Mann? When will we see flashbacks of Nolan and David Clark (James Tupper), a bond that’s only been talked about on the show. “I’m really curious how they’re going to start to incorporate some of that backstory,” he tells us. “James is great and there’s been really fun stuff that’s been talked about and written, in terms of what has happened between Nolan and David. I think it’s really going to be about how they want to end up telling that story and introduce it and if it’s something they want to focus on.”

Question: Thirsty for some Vampire Diaries information! – Bea in San Diego

Kristin: One Gilbert leaves, another enters: a new Gilbert is coming to Mystic Falls! It’s time to meet Samantha, who’s kind and warm, but can turn on a dime, unleashing a devilish side. Regarding Jeremy’s (Steven R. MCQueen) exit, you can expect to see him for a hot minute in this week’s episode.

Question: Any hope for Stefan & Elena? – Thewurzelx3

Kristin: Something tells us those two won’t be reuniting anytime soon. And that something would be Stefan (Paul Wesley) using Elena (Nina Dobrev) as his ultimate weapon in his war against Klaus (Joseph Morgan).

Question: Is there much Bonnie-Damon interaction coming up? Book fans are desperate for those long-awaited Bamon moments. – Lorainnecollins

Kristin: When we recently chatted with Kat Graham we made sure to tell her that we received one or two…or 50 Bamon-related tweets. “Oh my gosh! They will drag you into the Bamon world—it’s so funny! There is none of that so far and I’m actually having more scenes with Paul than with Ian [Somerhalder], but Ian and I are very close.” Don’t start reaching for the tissues just yet book lovers! Kat tell us that she adores her Bamon fans: “They’re wonderful…I would put them up there with Beliebers. Bamon and Beliebers, they’re strong.”

Question: Secret Circle is getting so dark and I love it! Any new big bads coming to town? –
Liam

Kristin: A bad, bad man is coming to Chance Harbor. Handsome, confident and calm, Steve is an inspiring and intimidating leader whom you’d want to think twice before crossing. Something tells us we’re about to meet a new witch hunter, maybe even the witch hunter, as he’s set to appear through the rest of the season.

Question: Are we ever going to see Adam and Cassie together on Secret Circle? Or is Cassie and Jake more likely? – blondie429

Kristin: How about Jake (Chris Zylka) and Adam (Thomas Dekker)?! “No one wants him back when he does come back. He’ll probably regret it,” executive producer Andrew Miller says of Jake’s return to town. “No one is more angry about his return than Adam.” As for what brings Jake back, Miller teases, “If he doesn’t come back, they’re screwed. The only reason he would show up to Chance Harbor knowing how much they all hate him is because he has no choice.”

Question: Any Supernatural news is great! – shanni1124:

Kristin: New recurring Supernatural guest-star alert! The show is casting the role of George, who will first appear in episode 16 as a miserable assistant to a real estate agent. But (there’s always a but!) there’s more to him than meets the eye, especially when it comes to self-preservation.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Rhona Mitra (The Gates) is finalizing a deal to play the new female lead in the Cinemax series Strike Back, which will be back for a second 10-episode season. She will play the beautiful, cunning and ultimately ruthless Capt. Rachel Dalton of the British military who is offered the position of head of Section 20 after a long stint working in North Africa. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Yesterday, FOX announced at the TCA’s (the Television Critics Association winter press gathering) that new animated series Allen Gregory has been cancelled; no news on the renewals of Terra Nova, House or Fringe (yet) and there will be no spin off of Glee. (TV By the Numbers)

Today at the TCA’s ABC Family announced they are “on the verge of putting a movie into development” for their recently cancelled TV series The Nine Lives of Chloe King. No specifics are available at this time, though. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Dermot Mulroney (My Best Friend’s Wedding) will appear in multiple episode of New Girl as a love interest for Jess (Zooey Deschanel). He will play a handsome, intelligent and wealthy gentleman who also happens to be the father of one of Jess’ students. They start off disliking each other but their chemistry is undeniable. His episodes will begin airing either in March or April. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

The cable giant A+E Networks is closing in on Bonnie and Clyde, a potential mini-series based on the Depression Era outlaws that would air on either Lifetime or History. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Here are the top 10 box office movies for the weekend from E! Online and Exhibitor Relations:

1. The Devil Inside, $34.5 million
2. Mission: Impossible—Ghost Protocol, $20.5 million
3. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, $14.1 million
4. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, $11.4 million
5. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, $9.5 million
6. War Horse, $8.6 million
7. We Bought a Zoo, $8.5 million
8. The Adventures of Tintin, $6.6 million
9. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, $5.8 million
10. New Year’s Eve, $3.3 million

It looks like the box office movie adaptation of the TV series 24 is finally going to happen with filming expected to start in April or May. Kiefer Sutherland will, of course, return as Jack Bauer and actress Mary Lynn Rajskub, who played Chloe during the show’s entire run, is expected to be involved as well. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Actor George Clooney will write, direct and star in the big-budget film called “The Monument Men that will be about the hunt for Nazi-stolen art treasure. This film will be an adaptation of the Robert M. Edsel book about a hand-picked group of art experts chosen by the U.S. government to retrieve artwork taken by the Nazis during World War II. The team of American and British museum directors, curators and art historians all came together to find and return the treasures which Hitler systematically emptied from the museums and private collections of Europe. (The Wrap and Dark Horizons)

ONLINE TELEVISION

Lionsgate has sold Canadian crime drama Endgame to Hulu, which will begin streaming the show’s first season in the U.S. on Hulu and Hulu Plus. Endgame centers on a brilliant chess master (Shawn Doyle) who, traumatized by the murder of his fiancée, becomes a prisoner in his luxury Vancouver hotel and, to pay the bills, works as a detective, solving mysteries with the help of a band of hotel employees and chess fanatics. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Tom Hanks’ Playtone and Reliance Entertainment are teaming to produce the animated online science-fiction series Electric City that will initially stream exclusively on Yahoo. There will be 20 episodes in the online series with Hanks providing the voice for the lead character. (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Singer-actor Harry Connick Jr. will appear in a multi-episode arc on Law & Order: Special Victims unit, appearing as Executive ADA David Haden, who is described as a straight-shooting prosecutor who is assigned a case with Detective Benson (Mariska Hargitay). Although Benson is at first wary of Haden, they are both surprised to find they work well together. As the case develops, so does their relationship. He will first be seen in the January 18 episode. (The Futon Critic)

Yesterday came news that The CW will be airing the new Canadian series The L.A. Complex and now NBC is stepping to possibly acquire the upcoming Canadian medical drama Saving Hope. The series is set at a fictional Toronto hospital and follows the lives of the doctors and staff and the complicated decisions they make trying to save lives. The show stars Michael Shanks (Stargate SG-1), Erica Durance (Smallville) and Daniel Gillies (The Vampire Diaries). (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Nikki Deloach (Awkward!) will have a recurring role in the new CW series Ringer, playing Shaylene, the often-mentioned stripper whose murder Bridget (Sarah Michelle Gellar) witnessed. The smart and savvy exotic dancer will be seen through flashbacks. The series returns with new episodes starting on January 31. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actress Frances Conroy (American Horror Story) has landed the lead role in the NBC drama pilot called Beautiful People, which is set in the near future in a society where humans co-exist with mechanical androids that look like people but are treated like second-class citizens. The potential series will center on the very wealthy Lydia (Conroy) whose late husband founded the firm that makes Mechanicals. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

It would appear that actors Jessica Chastain (The Debt and The Help), Mark Strong (Sherlock Holmes) and Edgar Ramirez (The Bourne Ultimatum) may join the cast of the highly-anticipated new film from director and Oscar winner Kathryn Bigelow. The Bin Laden movie follows the Navy SEAL Team’s long hunt for the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks. (Mike Fleming on Deadline)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Erica Gimpel (Fame, Veronica Mars and Roswell) will appear in a two-episode arc of Nikita for February sweeps. She will play the important role of Carla, a mysterious woman who has a deep connection Nikita. Much like how Nikita helped Alex (Lyndsy Fonseca) get clean, Carla is the woman responsible for taking Nikita off the streets. (E! Online)

Actors Michael Eklund (Fringe) and Eric Johnson (Smallville and Rookie Blue) will play escaped prisoners on the new FOX drama Alcatraz. Eklund will play Kit Nelson, a terrifying kidnapper who always returns his victims to their homes… after he’s killed them. While Johnson will portray Cal Sweeney, a smooth talking bank robber whose interests lie in safety deposit boxes and the secrets they contain. (Natalie Abrams on TV Guide)

The new Canadian series The L.A. Complex, which stars Firefly and Stargate Atlantis alum Jewel Staite – which is set to debut in Canada this month – is looking to air on The CW here in the States this summer. Currently there are only six episodes of the new drama that revolves around twenty-somethings living in the same LA apartment complex as they try to make it in Tinseltown. The L.A. Complex is expected to be a key piece of the full-fledged summer original programming by the network. The cast includes Jonathan Patrick Moore (the Australian soap Neighbours); Cassie Steele (from the hit Canadian series Degrassi) and Chelan Simmons (Kyle XY) [among others]. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Bianca Lawson (Pretty Little Liars and The Vampire Diaries) will appear in at least four episodes of the MTV series Teen Wolf this summer when the show returns for its second season. She will play Ms. Morrell, the guidance counselor at Beacon Hills High School, who becomes an ally to several characters. Additionally, actress Gage Golightly (Ringer) will appear as a tough girl who transforms from ugly duckling to swan and actor Michael Hogan (Battlestar Galactica) as Allison’s grandfather. (Tierney Bricker at E! Online)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

A new drama from The Shield creator Shawn Ryan and feature writer Karl Gajdusek called Last Resort is staffing up while waiting for a formal pilot green light from ABC. This potential series is a thriller set in the near future when the country is very fractured and revolves around the crew of a U.S. nuclear submarine who become hunted after ignoring an order to shoot nuclear missiles. They escape to a NATO listening outpost where they publicly declare themselves to be the world’s smallest nuclear nation with 24 nuclear warheads. (Nellie Andreeeva at Deadline)

Farscape creator Rockne O’Bannon has secured a pilot order for a new crime drama on The CW called Cult with executive producers Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage on board. The tagline for this potential series is: “After a rash of disappearances and a likely murder, an inquisitive, young female production assistant on a wildly popular television show called Cult joins a journalist blogger in investigating the rabid fans of the series who might be re-creating crimes seen on the program, in real life.” (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actors Benedict Cumberbatch (the BBC’s Sherlock) and Noel Clarke (Doctor Who) have landed roles in the upcoming Star Trek sequel. Cumberbatch has landed the villain role in the sequel while Clarke will have a smaller role said to be that of a family man with a wife and young daughter. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Looks like actor Liam Hemsworth (the upcoming The Hunger Games) will be starring in the independent heist movie called Chris that may also feature Dwayne Johnson. The film is based on the true story of a 1982 NYC armored car company robbery thought at the time to be the largest cash heist in U.S. history. (Nikki Finke at Deadline)

A BLAST FROM THE PAST – CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD

Doris Day back in the spotlight

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

The USA Network dramas Fairly Legal and In Plain Sight will be teaming up for Friday night airings starting on March 16. This is the first time in 2 ½ years that the network has scheduled programming on that night of the week. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Michael B. Jordan (Friday Night Lights and Parenthood) will guest star in an upcoming episode of House. All that is known right now is that he will play a patient. (Philiana Ng at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actor Josh Stamberg (Drop Dead Diva) will appear in a February sweeps arc on Castle, playing an intelligence officer that ends up being very important to the case that will feature Jennifer Beals as a CIA agent who helps Castle and Beckett search for a fellow operative who has gone rogue. (TV Line)

Actor Jonathan Groff (Glee) will guest star in an upcoming episode of The Good Wife, playing Jimmy, a plaintiff suing a software company after his sister disappears during a peaceful protest in Syria. The episode is slated to air during February sweeps. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

The upcoming BBC America police drama called Copper has added the following cast members: Tom Weston-Jones (MI-5), Anastasia Griffith (Damages and Once Upon a Time), Kyle Schmid (Blood Ties) and Franka Potente (The Bourne Identity). The series will follow an Irish-American cop in 1860’s New York City as he solves crimes with the assistance of friends from his time as a Civil War soldier. (Variety)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

ABC has ordered a drama script from film director Roland Emmerich. The project would be set in New York City against the backdrop of the presidential race of 2012, when a young astrophysics student learns his destiny lies not in science but somewhere between heaven and hell. (Variety)

Actor Christian Campbell will be joining his sibling, actress Neve Campbell (Party of Five), in the two-hour Lifetime movie Sworn to Silence that is also a backdoor pilot for the network. The movie will be set in an Amish farming community that was shaken up by a series of brutal murders 15 years ago. It centers on Kate Burkholder (Neve Campbell), who as a young girl survived the terror and left the Amish life behind, and now returns to Painter’s Mill as its chief of police. Christian play Kate’s brother. This is the first time the two will play siblings. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Matthew Fox (Lost) will star in the Japan-set political thriller epic called Emperor that is inspired by true events and set amidst the uncertainties of the days following the Japanese surrender at the end of WWII. Fox will play Gen. Bonner Fellers, one of the leading Japanese experts of General Douglas MacArthur who served as the de facto ruler of Japan. Fellers is charged with reaching a decision of historical importance: should Emperor Hirohito be tried and hanged as a war criminal? The story also covers Fellers’ love affair with a Japanese exchange student he met years before in the U.S., and his quest to find her in the ravaged post-war landscape. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

BOX OFFICE MOVIE TRAILER

Indie Drama ‘Return’ Trailer with Linda Cardellini and Michael Shannon

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

Question: I can’t wait for The Vampire Diaries to return! What can you spoil? — Heather

NATALIE: When Klaus decides to take up residence in Mystic Falls, Elena will learn the hard way just how much danger she’s putting her brother in. “There has to be a big change,” executive producer Julie Plec tells us. “What that is, and what she does, is part of the first episode back.” Let’s just say we might not see Jeremy for a while.

Question: Anything good coming up on NCIS? — Katie

ADAM: The show is looking for an actress to play a quick-witted investigative journalist who, while charming on the surface, isn’t afraid to get scrappy in order to get the story. When she bulldozes her way into the NCIS team’s investigation, however, she gets more than she bargained for — namely, a reunion with someone from her past that brings up a flood of old emotion.

Question: I’m dying for some Justified scoop! Are Raylan and Winona going to stay together? — Tammy

ADAM: It sure looks like it. But where will they live? Now that the couple has a little gunslinger on the way, the motel room they currently call home isn’t exactly family-friendly — especially once it becomes a crime scene in the season premiere.

Question: How long will it take for Hank to figure out that it was Divya who prescribed Eric Kassabian (Wilmer Valderrama) the wrong medication on Royal Pains? — James

NATALIE: Her conscience will push her to come clean with Hank fairly quickly after the incident, and it will not only impact her relationship with him, but she’ll also lose her job at Hamptons Heritage. Hank will be fairly calm about the whole thing, but don’t expect things to go back to normal any time soon.

Question: Your Rizzoli & Isles postmortem says “we may get into” how Jane and Maura met. Does that mean a flashback episode? — Jacob

ADAM: Affirmative! Look for one in early Season 3. “I have always toyed with the idea of doing a scene about how they met and I think I’ve come up with an elegant way to do it,” executive producer Janet Tamaro tells us. “I think as they try to find their way [to being friends again] it will be interesting to see how they first became friends.”

Question: I’ve got Revenge on the brain! Anything good coming up? —Carol

Ausiello: The Takedown of the Week is returning with a vengeance! Exec producer Mike Kelley reveals that the Jan. 11 episode will find Emily zeroing in on a fresh target. “We decided to do a pretty elaborate takedown… and we found a really strong way to introduce a villain we quite like,” teases the showrunner, referring to the pretentious journalist character played by Desperate Housewives‘ Roger Bart. “Emily ends up using what she knows of Amanda from juvie to help her in her quest to destroy [him]. This takedown just so happens to open up a whole new vein of intrigue and surprise and possibility that will have a great impact on Emily’s quest. It paints villains in a softer light and makes people you like seem a little darker.”

Question: I want some Vampire Diaries scoop! –Philip

Ausiello: Things get very heated between Damon, Stefan and Elena when the series returns on Thursday. Look for all three to have dramatic confrontations with each other — and one of the showdowns even ends with a slap. Elsewhere, keep a close eye on Alaric’s new love interest, Dr. Fell (played by Paul Wesley’s real-life wife/Tree Hill alum Torrey DeVitto). Something tells us this is one character that’s going to be a lot more important than first thought.

Question: Please tell me there are some Caroline and Stefan scenes coming up on Vampire Diaries! I really miss their friendship! —Amy

Ausiello: Sadly, there’s nothing in this Thursday’s episode. Stefan’s a bit preoccupied with hiding coffins from Klaus. But I have to imagine he’ll find some time in his hectic schedule to wish Caroline a happy birthday next week.

Question: Scoop on Vampire Diaries’ Bonnie, please! Any details about the reunion with her mother? —Alta

Ausiello: It’s not going to be “all Hallmark cards and cookies,” warns executive producer Julie Plec. “There’s a lot of tension there. There’s [also a] surprising explanation about why [her] mother felt like she needed to walk away and never come back to Mystic Falls.” Plec adds that Bonnie’s back-story will “play an interesting role in solving a present-day mythology puzzle.”

Question: Joseph Morgan recently mentioned that he’d like to see Klaus have a love interest on Vampire Diaries. Is this happening anytime soon? —Amy

Ausiello: Morgan is getting his wish! While Plec wouldn’t tell us if the lucky (or maybe not so lucky?) lady is someone we’ve met before, she did confirm “someone will catch Klaus’ eye very soon.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here is the first entertainment news update for 2012; and my first update in several days due to the loll in news between the holidays. I hope that everyone had a great Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone. And now for the news:

TELEVISION

The Canadian series Flashpoint, which has become a hit both in its native Canada but also here in the States has been picked up for a fifth season. The series will air on CTV in Canada and on ION here in the States. (TV Done Wright)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actors James Murray (Primeval and Chaos) and Patrick Heusinger (Royal Pains) will co-star in the NBC drama pilot called Beautiful People that is set in the near future in a society where humans co-exist with mechanical androids that look like people but are treated like second-class citizens. It centers on the very wealthy Lydia whose late husband founded the firm that makes Mechanicals. Murray will play her son, a handsome and very successful attorney who’s lived a rich and privileged life but makes a name for himself by publicly suggesting that Mechanicals might have civil rights — a notion that’s largely scoffed at. Heusinger will play a family man employed as a servant in Lydia’s home who is in fact a Mechanical, but after one of his daughters is killed in a car accident, he proves to be “defective” as he’s plagued with forbidden emotions like grief and loss. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

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

1. Mission: Impossible—Ghost Protocol, $29.6 million
2. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, $21 million
3. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, $16.4 million
4. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, $14.8 million
5. War Horse, $14.4 million
6. We Bought a Zoo, $13.2 million
7. The Adventures of Tintin, $11.4 million
8. New Year’s Eve, $6.4 million
9. The Darkest Hour, $4.3 million
10. The Descendants, $3.4 million

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

Question: Smash is a show that sounds like something I would be interested in, but why on earth is NBC pitting it against not one, but two hit shows (Castle and Hawaii Five-O, respectively)? Shouldn’t they try to cultivate an audience on a softer night? It just seems like another example of why NBC has fallen so far from what it used to be. — Dan

Matt Roush: Hey, they’ve got to put it somewhere, and from NBC’s perspective, using one of its few hit franchises (The Voice) as a logically compatible (as in musical) lead-in is about as good as Smash could hope. Getting massive promotion throughout the Super Bowl the night before its premiere isn’t going to hurt, either. But there really is no such thing as a safe time period anymore, and any show on NBC is going to face an uphill battle to break out of the pack. I hope Smash succeeds, obviously, and while Castle and Hawaii are formidable competition, neither show is a runaway NCIS-level smash, and being from the same crime genre (although very different in tone), there’s conceivably room for smart counter-programming against them. Smash is a risk, no question (so was Glee), but on the front end, NBC is doing everything it can to get this high-profile, high-quality, Broadway caliber production noticed and sampled.

Question: I wanted to ask your thoughts about Touch. It marks the return of Kiefer Sutherland on TV, and the trailer of the show is amazing, but it really doesn’t explain the story of it. Is it about preventing events or what? Also from the trailer, it looks like it has some of the elements of 24, which is by far the best show I have ever seen. No show has ever come close to 24, so can you suggest a show that is as good? Many people have suggested Person of Interest, but what do you suggest? — Ishaan

Matt Roush: Expecting any show to be the next 24 is setting yourself up for disappointment, and that’s certainly the case with Touch, which only shares with 24 the sense that I’ve never seen anything quite like it. I’ve only screened the pilot (which will air Jan. 25 as a sneak preview before returning for a regular run in March), and it’s a difficult premise to explain. Kiefer Sutherland is excellent in this show, but he’s playing pretty much the opposite of Jack Bauer, a very ordinary man (not a super-agent) caught up in an extraordinary situation when he realizes that his gifted but emotionally closed-off (think autistic) son is making connections through complicated mathematical patterns that predict interlocking events in the future, and it becomes the dad’s job to somehow make things right. In that respect, it’s not so much different from the missions the heroes of Person of Interest go on to prevent crimes “the Machine” intuits. But Person is primarily a procedural-with-a-twist whereas Touch is a much more emotional experience, weaving a fantastical landscape in which random characters are destined to have a profound impact on other strangers’ lives, and only Kiefer’s boy can see it coming. Regarding “the next 24,” my best recommendation (if you don’t subscribe to Showtime) is to mark time until the first season of Homeland comes out on DVD. It’s just as intense, but isn’t as trapped by the format, which was always a blessing and a curse for 24. I miss it, too, and hope that if the movie does ever happen (Kiefer insists it’s still a go), it lives up to our expectations.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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