Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Alfre Woodard will guest star in an upcoming episode of Copper on the BBC America. The period piece series will return for its second season on June 23 with Woodard playing Hattie Lemaster, a former slave who has recently arrived to the Five Points to start anew. Jarred by raucous city life, Hattie must reconcile her past against hope for a future. (Press Release)

Actor Carter MacIntyre will not be back as a series regular on Drop Dead Diva when it returns for its resurrected 5th season. He will, however, appear in a “limited capacity” during the new season. Casting is underway now for a replacement guardian angel for Jane Bingum. (Vlada Gelman at TV Line)

Actress Patricia Arquette (Medium) will have a major recurring role in Boardwalk Empire, playing Sally Wheet, a tough-as-nails Tampa speakeasy owner with connections to local gangsters. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Ned Bellamy (Justified) will have a recurring role on the summer series Under the Dome that will debut on CBS on June 24. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Relative newcomer Matt Kane has landed a recurring role on Switched at Birth, playing Jace, a brilliant and intense coffee shop barista and potential love interest for Daphne (Katie Leclerc). (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Drea de Matteo (The Sopranos) will reprise her role of Wendy (Jax’s baby momma) on Sons of Anarchy. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE NEWS

Lifetime has given the greenlight to a new two-hour original movie called Babysellers, a follow-up to the networks’ 2005 movie Human Trafficking. This made-for-TV movie will star Kirstie Alley (Cheers) as Carla Hughes, a well-respected, influential owner of a major U.S.-based adoption agency that helps prospective parents fulfill their dream of having a family. While presenting an innocent veneer of kindness and good intentions to her trusting clients, behind-the-scenes Hughes functions as a ruthless international kingpin, controlling an expansive syndicate spanning the world and manned by subordinates authorized to use any means necessary to procure children for her business. It will also star Jennifer Finnigan (Monday Mornings) as Nic Kingman, the dedicated, tough-as-nails Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent who believes Hughes is fueling a global business that stops at nothing to find the right child for the right owner — at the right price – and goes undercover to bring her sordid operation down. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

MINI-SERIES NEWS

The History Channel is developing a multi-hour project based on the life of Harry Houdini with Adrien Brody set to play the lead role. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

Actor Jamie Bamber (Battlestar Galactica and Monday Mornings) will play the lead in the UK eight-part series called The Smoke. He will play a firefighter in the drama about the lives of a crew in a London fire station. (Nancy Tartaglione at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit) is set to star in the upcoming box office film The Homesman opposite Tommy Lee Jones. This period piece western will also star Meryl Streep, Hilary Swank, James Spader and John Lithgow. The film is about a man (Jones) who teams up with a pioneer woman (Swank) to escort three insane women across the prairie back to civilization. Steinfeld will play a poor, simple, and barefooted teenager named Tabitha Hutchinson. (Jen Yamato at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Jerky Steve Carell & Cool Sam Rockwell in ‘Way, Way Back’ Trailer

Q&A SECTION (With Team Watch with Kristin at E! Online and Sandra Gonzalez at Entertainment Weekly)

Question: Loving Nashville! Any scoop on Rayna and Deacon? I hope they get together for real soon! – Gwen

Team Watch with Kristin: Well, things are about to get real messy in Rayna and Teddy’s divorce because of, you guessed it, Deacon! It seems like Teddy will be trying to change their custody agreement in order to keep the girls away from Rayna whenever she’s around Deacon.

Question: Any Revolution finale scoop? — Sara

Sandra: There’s a cliffhanger! Before you pelt me with tomatoes of dissatisfaction let co-executive producer David Rambo elaborate: “It’s a very unsafe world. It’s a very dangerous place. No one is safe, and I would expect that there will be some losses and some gains,” he says. As far as whether any of the new people we’ll be meeting later this season will pop up in season 2, Rambo says we’ll “definitely meet some people beyond the borders of the Monroe Republic that we’ll get to know in the second half of the season and maybe into season 2.”

Question: There’s been NO love for Hawaii Five-0. PLEASE change that. — Maria

Sandra: Finale intel: We’re used to seeing the team chase after the bad guys, but in the final episode of the season, I’m hearing someone on the team is going to be running from the good guys.

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor John Barrowman (Doctor Who, Torchwood and Arrow) will guest star in the May 9 episode of Scandal, but there are no details on what role he will play. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actor Colin Hanks (Dexter and Roswell) will appear in the final two episodes of NCIS as Department of Defense Investigator Richard Parsons. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

The CW has pulled the new drama Cult (that sounds like an early cancellation), being replaced by the reality series Oh Sit and repeats of The Carrie Diaries. (TV By the Numbers)

Syfy has renewed Being Human for a 13-episode fourth season. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actress Yvonne Strahovski (Chuck) will return for a multi-episode arc on the 8th season of Dexter, reprising her role of Hannah McKay. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Syfy is developing a new project called No Place, based on the Top Cow comic book “The Test” by Matt Hawkins and Joshua Hale Fialkov that is about residents of a high-tech gated community awaken one morning to find themselves alone and cut off from the rest of reality – nothing exists beyond the community’s walls. Only one man has contact with the powers responsible for what is known as ‘The Rift’, and he must lead his fellow residents beyond the void to discover the truth. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

Syfy is also developing seven other projects, according to Lacey Rose at The Hollywood Reporter, including the following:

Dominion (formerly known as Legion), which tells the story of what happens twenty years after evil angels descended from heaven to lay waste to the human souls they felt God had favored over them. A reluctant “savior” must arise to protect Vega, the last remaining stronghold of humanity. The savior has more to fear than just angels, as the elites of this new society conspire to gain power for themselves.

Orion, which is a space opera that centers on Orion, an adventurous female relic hunter who tracks down valuable artifacts while trying to piece together her past.

Sojourn is about the first detective ever in space, who is tasked with investigating a murder on a starship that is headed to colonize another planet, but instead becomes embroiled in a vast conspiracy involving a mysterious terrible crime dating back to the original launch of the ship 50 years ago.

Clandestine is about what happens after a clan of bandits are nearly destroyed and left for dead by Coalition forces. They take refuge in the nearest safe haven, a derelict Coalition starship floating in space. Once onboard, they masquerade as Coalition officers while continuing their criminal ways ¬- until they stumble upon a shocking realization about the true nature of the Coalition.

Infinity tells the story of what happens when an alien armada is sighted in the region of Pluto, causing the Earth government to turn to a young billionaire industrialist, who has the only ship ready for interstellar travel, to greet the aliens and avoid a catastrophe. Powered by secret alien technology discovered on Earth in the 1960s, the ship engages in a firefight that sends them spinning through a wormhole into an uncharted region of space. Lost in the universe, the team struggles to survive as they encounter new planets and alien species, searching for a way back home.

Silver Shields is about what happens when farm boy Caymer’s father is slain by assassins connected to the government of the large nearby city of Pont Royal. He journeys there to continue his father’s legacy as a member of the local police force and to solve the mystery of his father¹s death. He discovers that his simple country view on life is at odds with the big city, filled with orcs and other magical creatures.

Shelter is about what happens when a massive meteorite is headed toward Earth, forcing 30,000 hand-picked humans to live underground in a government funded shelter in order to start a new society. What begins as a Utopia quickly succumbs to the old human faults and jealousies as certain members of society create alliances to gain favor and power. Meanwhile, things on the surface are not what they seem. Humans slowly realize that this event may have been fated and the survivors meant for a greater purpose in rebooting life on Earth.

MINI-SERIES NEWS

Syfy is also working on two new mini-series: Ringworld based on the book by Larry Niven and Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clarke. Ringworld will be a four-hour mini that follows a team of explorers who travel to the farthest reaches of space to investigate an alien artifact called Ringworld, an artificial habitat the size of one million Earths. As they crash land on this enormous structure, they discover the remnants of ancient civilizations, technology beyond their wildest dreams, mysteries that shed light on the very origins of man and, most importantly, a possible salvation for a doomed Earth. Meanwhile, Childhood’s End follows a peaceful alien invasion of Earth by the mysterious Overlords, whose arrival ends all war and turns the planet into a near-utopia. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Noah Emmerich (The Americans) will star alongside Natalie Portman, Bradley Cooper and Joel Edgerton in the upcoming box office film Jane Got A Gun. He will play the outlaw husband of the title character (Portman) who is trying to keep her farm from going under. Knowing that his gang–led by a desperado played by Cooper–will come to kill her husband and destroy her farm, Jane hires her ex-lover (Edgerton) to stop them. (Mike Fleming, Jr. at Deadline)

Actors Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) and Mads Mikkelsen (Hannibal) and actress Rebel Wilson (Pitch Perfect) will lend their voices along with Jack Black, Angelina Jolie and other original cast members for Kung Fu Panda 3. (The Deadline Team)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Hot Trailer: ‘Elysium’

Q&A SECTION (with Team Watch with Kristin at E! Online, Natalie Abrams and Adam Bryant at TV Guide and Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Question: Zoe and George scoop would be really, really, really, really, really nice! – ampdalejr89

Team Watch with Kristin: Prepare for your ship to set sail again! “George is in a happy relationship for the first time in a long time and in comes Zoe Hart to try to ruin it all once again,” Scott Porter teases. “So, things are going to get bumpy for George. And there’s some more singing in the future and there might be a couple of kisses with people who aren’t Tansy.” Woah! So can we expect a juicy moment between George and Zoe? “I would say we’re heading that way, yes!”

Question: I love Person of Interest. Will the Stanton Virus wreak havoc on the Machine? — James

ADAM: Finch pretty much confirmed in the last episode that the virus was most likely behind the Machine’s glitchy behavior in recent episodes. But it sounds like the Machine will fight back in the run-up to this year’s finale. “What’s really interesting about the Machine is whether or not you believe it is an evolving organism,” executive producer Greg Plageman says. “What happens when an organism like that comes under attack? The question to ask is: Have we seen all the facets of the Machine and its true power?” Anyone else hoping to see Terminators in Season 3?

Question: Got any scoop on The Vampire Diaries spin-off episode? — Jorge

NATALIE: After Klaus and Haley’s hookup, Phoebe Tonkin’s casting on the spin-off makes a little more sense, but in the backdoor-pilot episode, we’ll discover why they’ll always be connected — and why Elijah is so damn happy about it.

Question: Do you know if there any big deaths coming up on The Vampire Diaries? —Audrey

Ausiello: Nope, but I can tell you that next Thursday’s episode features another big return (in addition to Steven R. McQueen coming back), as well as a passing glimpse of Silas’ real face — rumor has it he looks a lot like an actor out of Atlanta named Scott Parks. However, don’t get too used to seeing Silas’ authentic self. According to sources, the erstwhile warlock will continue to do most of his dirty work in disguise.

Question: When will Vampire Diaries start addressing the fact almost all of the core characters will be graduating high school in a few weeks? —Matt

Ausiello: The G-word will soon become a big topic of conversation in Mystic Falls. “There’s going to be a lot of questions about, ‘Who am I? What am I going to do with my life? What am I meant to be? Where am I meant to go?’” previews exec producer Julie Plec. “All of our characters will be faced with that question as they make decisions about whether to stay or go, go to college, travel the world, break up, stay together. A lot of big, important life decisions as we say goodbye to the high school chapter of the show.”

Question: I’m obsessed with Nashville and I’m so happy new episodes have returned! Any scoop? —Jill

Ausiello: The apparent heart attack/stroke that Lamar suffered at the end of last week’s episode will prove to be fatal. Just joshing. He survives, but for how long? “He’s one tough customer,” acknowledges series creator Callie Khouri. “But there’s also the oh-how-the-mighty-have-fallen aspect to deal with. It’s a different place than we’ve seen him throughout the whole season. He seems very strong and a kind of invincible person. And then suddenly you realize: Everybody’s mortal.”

Question: Please, Scandal withdrawal is killing me. Anything related to the show is greatly appreciated. —Mateo

Ausiello: How about some new intel on the mysterious character Jasika Nicole is playing? TVLine previously scooped that the Fringe vet’s alter ego has “a deep connection to an existing character.” Well, the preview snippet ABC just released for her episode — airing April 25 — includes this telltale line: “Secrets from Huck’s life before Pope and Associates are revealed.” You thinking what I’m thinking?!

Question: Any word on a renewal for Nikita? It seems to have stayed pretty steady since moving back to 8pm? —Jared

Ausiello: Good news: Buoyed in part by a report in Deadline that said the show might be renewed for a shortened final season, Nikita has been upgraded to a “safe bet” on TVLine’s Renewal Scorecard. Also brightening the show’s renewal prospects is word that the show’s May 17 closer features a cliffhanger-ish ending. Basically, if they ended the series that way, people would be very unhappy.

Question: Nikita scoop, please! Preferably anything on Alex and Owen? I love the dynamic that has been set up between them. —Steph

Ausiello: Lyndsy Fonseca hints that there’s a “really cool twist” coming with regard to Owen’s relationship with not only Alex but everyone. “Owen as a character changes a lot by the end of the season,” she teases. “All I’m going to say is that Amanda’s influence on — and what she’s done to — Alex and Nikita and Owen and eventually another character is going to become apparent.” Bonus Scoop: The aforementioned finale? Per Fonseca, Amanda has a “big part” in it.

Question: I loved the Justified finale. Is that the end of the Detroit mob plot, or will it continue in Season 5? —Keith

Ausiello: Much like Nicky Augustine, it’s dead. “It’s our intent to move off of it, to a certain extent,” confirmed exec producer Graham Yost, before nothing that we may see Max Perlich’s mafia heir Sammy Tonin again. “We really like [him]. There could be fun stuff there, but that’s not something we’re driving toward. [But] if something materialized, it would be a good story.”

Question: Do you have any Grimm news? —JP

Ausiello: Nick’s heightened abilities in the wake of being attacked by that fly Wesen won’t turn him into Superman, maintains exec producer David Greenwalt. “You’ll see some cool fighting for sure,” he adds, “but he won’t be able to leap off tall buildings in a single bound or anything like that.” Adds fellow EP James Kouf with a laugh: “It’ll take at least two bounds.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

A&E has ordered another new scripted drama that will debut next year. The series is called Those Who Kill and is based on a Danish format that was inspired by the books of Elsebeth Egholm. The drama will star Chloë Sevigny and James D’Arcy, who will play a detective and forensic psychiatrist, respectively. They work together to track down serial killers — and investigate the ongoing mystery of Sevigny’s character’s stepfather, whom she believes to be a killer as well. (Michael O’Connell at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actress Natalie Dormer (The Tudors and Game of Thrones) will guest star as legendary character Irene Adler in the CBS drama Elementary. She will appear in a three-episode arc that starts on May 9 and ends with the two-hour season finale on May 16. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Actor Reid Scoot (Veep and The Big C) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Perception that will start its second season on TNT on June 18. He will play a brain surgeon who helps determine the mental stability of a self-proclaimed murderer. (Megan Masters at TV Line)

ONLINE SERIES NEWS

Actresses Anna Paquin (True Blood) and Maggie Grace (Lost) will star in the online web series presented on the YouTube channel WIGS called Susanna. They will play two sisters, Katie (Paquin), the mother of a newborn, and her younger sister, Susanna (Grace), an investment banker on the rise who has no interest in becoming a mother. When Katie develops acute postpartum depression and is hospitalized, Susanna must take care of her sister and her sister’s child while trying to keep the biggest business opportunity of her life from being derailed by her sister’s illness. Virginia Madsen and Rob Benedict co-star. (The Deadline Team)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Starz is developing a new drama from TV writer Gideon Yago (Newsroom). The project is called Airborne and is a coming of age story set at the dawn of the Vietnam War. The series, should it be picked up, would follow a young helicopter crew as they fight for survival, sanity, their souls, and each other in a country – and war – that are descending into chaos. (The Futon Critic)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Mekhi Phifer (ER and Torchwood) has joined the cast of the upcoming box office film called Divergent that is based on the first novel of the same name by Veronica Roth. The story is set in a post-apocalyptic Chicago divided into five factions and stars Shailene Woodley (The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Theo James (Golden Boy), Kate Winslet (Titanic), Jai Courtney (Jack Reacher), Zoe Kravitz (X-Men: First Class), and Maggie Q (Nikita). (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Actor Luke Evans (Immortals) will play the title role of Dracula in yet another adaption of the legendary character. In this version the story will center around the life of the young Transylvanian Prince Vlad, better known as Vlad the Impaler; the story has the young prince leading the charge to fend off the Ottoman Empire’s attempts to use Romania as a foothold to conquer the rest of Europe. In a moment of desperation, he ascends a mountain where a dark magical power resides in the hope of finding something to keep the Turkish hordes at bay. That power helps him defeat the Turks, but comes at the price of him changing into a creature of the night. (Heat Vision and Dark Horizons)

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

Question: Teen Wolf scoop right now. – Clare

Team Watch with Kristin: Shiz is about to get real serious in Beacon Hills this season. How do we know this? The FBI is coming! Towards the end of the first half of season three, fans will meet the handsome and tough Jack Keller, a field agent, who comes to town on official business and we’re hearing his presence will have a profound impact on Beacon Hills.

Question: So bummed that Scandal isn’t on this week! Make me feel better with some scoop? – Tristan

Team Watch with Kristin: Fans that have been less than pleased with Fitz in the last couple of episodes will probably be a little happy to hear the president will be in a bit of a pickle when it comes time to deal with the whole “saying someone was the mole when he really wasn’t” thing. Cyrus and his team will be working overtime to find an explanation for an “oversight” in the mole investigation and aren’t above Fitz’s recent troubles (Verna’s death, the assassination attempt, etc.) to do it.

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Laura Benanti (Go On and The Playboy Club) will have a recurring role on Royal Pains when the show returns for its new season this summer. She will play Shelby Shackelford, the dynamic new Senior VP of Acquisitions at Symphony Health Systems, a health care company trying to buy Hamptons Heritage Hospital. An out-of-towner, Shelby comes to the Hamptons and brings an unexpected vision for the hospital — one that may mean new competition for HankMed. Royal Pains will return with new episodes on the USA Network starting on June 12. (Kate Stanhope at TV Guide)

A&E has renewed the new thriller series Bates Motel for a second season. (TV By the Numbers)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

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

1. Evil Dead – $26 million
2. (TIE) G.I Joe: Retaliation 3D AND The Croods – $21.1 million
4. Jurassic Park 3D – $18.2 million
5. (TIE) Olympus Has Fallen AND Tyler Perry’s Temptation – 10 million
7. Oz The Great And Powerful – $8.1 million
8. The Host – $5.2 million
9. The Call – $3.5 million
10. Admission – $2 million

Actor Bradley Cooper has taken over for Jude Law in the upcoming movie called Jane Got A Gun that will also star Natalie Portman and Joel Edgerton. (Mike Fleming, Jr. at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

First Trailer for Ron Howard’s F1 Movie ‘Rush’ with Chris Hemsworth

MOVIE TO STAGE NEWS

Stage legend Andrew Lloyd Webber (Phantom of the Opera) is reportedly developing the box office film School of Rock for the stage. (Samantha Highfill at Entertainment Weekly)

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

Question: Is Sarah Shahi going to join the cast of Person of Interest next season? There was the POI episode about Agent Shaw (Shahi) with very little Reese and Finch. Then Shaw makes another appearance last Thursday. POI fans on Facebook like the idea, while some others do not like it. They like it as a two-man show, with help from Detectives Carter and Fusco of course. — Hiram

Matt Roush: She may recur next season, in much the way that Paige Turco’s similarly appealing character, Zoe, reappears from time to time, but I doubt she’d become a full-time regular. It’s all part of expanding the universe that Reese, Finch and their cop colleagues inhabit, keeping POI from being altogether formulaic. Which is part of what makes it such fun.

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

The History Channel has ordered a second season for its first scripted series Vikings. (Press Release from History Channel)

Actress Katey Sagal (Married with Children and Sons of Anarchy) will play Artie’s mom on Glee in the upcoming Stevie Wonder-themed episode. (Kristin Dos Santos at E! Online)

The UK company behind the mini-series Sherlock is working on a new 3-part drama called The Guilty that will star Tamsin Greig (Episodes) as a detective investigating the disappearance of a little boy that is set across two timelines, one in 2008 and the other in the present day. (Nancy Tartaglione at Deadline)

Actors David Andrews (Justified) and Jonathan Keltz (Entourage) and actress Johanna Braddy (Greek) will be appearing in the upcoming season of Unnecessary Roughness. Andrews will appear as the Hawks’ new coach, Tom Wizinski, who takes the reins after a personnel shake-up. Keltz will play a high school baseball player named Darryl “Hutch” Hutchinson while Braddy will guest-star as a court-ordered patient Dr. Dani (lead Callie Thorne) must keep out of trouble, and out of jail. Unnecessary Roughness returns on June 12 on the USA Network. (Kate Stanhope at TV Guide)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Syfy has bought a drama spec fro Alfonso H. Moreno (NCIS), which is currently untitled, but will start off with a meteorite striking a plane. The only two survivors find themselves sleepwalking and waking up with no memory of their actions. On the run from the government, they must figure out what happened to them and prove their innocence. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Paul Reubens (aka Pee Wee Herman) will provide the voice of the White Rabbit in the proposed Once Upon a Time spin-off. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

PILOT NEWS

Actress Jessica Lu (Awkward.) will have a guest starring role in the ABC pilot Westside that focuses on two rival families and a forbidden and dangerous romance between two members of the rival families. Lu will play Eva, the best friend of Sophie is one half of the forbidden love affair. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Kellan Lutz (Twilight) will star in the upcoming epic box office film Hercules 3D that will deal with a romance between the son of Zeus and the mortal princess of Crete, who was promised to his older brother despite her love for Hercules. (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

Actor Jason Clarke (Zero Dark Thirty) and Omar Sy (The Intouchables) have joined the cast of the upcoming box office thriller Candy Store that is set against a dynamic criminal underworld in Brooklyn’s Brighton Beach. Clarke will play a former covert operative, who discovers the organization he was dedicated to fighting is now operating in his new backyard. When he teams up with a disgraced local cop, their investigation leads them to a king pimp (Sy), a Cold War consigliere, and a beautiful girl wrapped up in an elaborate threat against Manhattan. (Lionsgate and Dark Horizons)

Actors Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock and the upcoming Star Trek sequel) and Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy) and actresses Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty) and Emma Stone (The Amazing Spider-Man) have joined the cast of the upcoming box office film Crimson Peak that is to be directed by Guillermo del Toro. (The Deadline Team)

Actor Michael Pena will join the likes of Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Jennifer Lawrence in the upcoming as-yet-untitled David O. Russell film that is inspired by a true story of a notorious financial con artist and his mistress/partner in crime, who were forced to work with an overly ambitious federal agent to turn the tables on other con artists, mobsters and politicians. (Mike Fleming, Jr. at Deadline)

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

Question: I about died when I saw the beautiful Tom Ellis (The Fades, Merlin) in the Once Upon a Time promo. Do you have any scoop on his Robin Hood character? –Sandi

Mitovich: While Adam Horowitz says that Ellis is “amazing” in the role and Eddy Kitsis teases that he figures into “a very fun scene with Rumple,” the series’ creators stress that the Rumple/Belle-centric episode (airing April 21) will not delve into the Prince of Theives’ backstory. “It’s done in the spirit of what we did a lot in Season 1 — bringing in a character and mashing him up with our story without having to do ‘the Robin Hood story,’” says Kitsis. “But now there is a character in our universe who, should the time arise, we would love to delve into further.”

Question: We were given a hint about a connection between Once Upon a Time’s Neal and Hook in Neverland. Do you have any scoop about what their history might be? – Stef

Mitovich: I kinda sorta do, and I share it in the next episode of Spoiler Alert! But until that goes live, I can share that the dots will be connected in this season’s penultimate episode, “Second Star to the Right.”

Question: I have been waiting for Warehouse 13 to air the back half of season 4. Any scoop on what’s going to happen? –Brendan

Mitovich: I’m going to be honest: Not a fan of the midseason finale. It was clunky, and the cliffhanger was only slightly better than what turned out to be the Alphas finale. Which isn’t saying much. That said, the resolution to all that Artie/Chinese Orchid hullabaloo plays out satisfyingly when the Syfy series returns April 29. Among the teasers I can slide your way: Leena resurfaces in an interesting way (as do the likes of Dr. Calder and James Macpherson); you’ll see the warehouse like you have never seen it before; Saul Rubinek turns in a heartbreaking performance; Caprica’s Polly Walker makes quite an impression; and James Marsters is pretty damn terrific in the guest-starring role of an expert on somethingoranother, playing “drunk” in the first stretch of scenes and taking part in a Buffy shout-out that will have you rolling.

Question: I have never asked for spoilers but I am asking in my nicest, chattering-teeth way to sink your teeth into BBC America’s Orphan Black and give your readers some info. –Jen

Mitovich: Wowza, that was quite the request. How about an answer to the age-old question: Will Sarah start to develop real feelings for her clone Beth’s boyfriend? “Initially, Sarah doesn’t have any sense that she’s going to stick around long in this life, so there are no ties being made to anybody in Beth’s life,” says series star Tatiana Maslany. ”But the more she steps into this life, the less she’s able to get out without causing trouble. So she does start to become very linked to all the people in Beth’s life.” OK, but: Paul included? “An interesting dynamic between Paul and Sarah starts to develop,” the actress hints. ”Things definitely get more complicated.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a great weekend!!

Read Full Post »

Hey All

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

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

British actress Emma Rigby (Hollyoaks) has joined the cast of the in-development spin-off to Once Upon a Time. The story behind this spin-off will be told through the point of view of Alice (Sophie Lowe). Rigby will play the Red Queen, a character based on the playing card that originated in the novel Through The Looking Glass by Alice In Wonderland author Lewis Carroll. And, it is being reported that if the show is picked up Barbara Hershey, who had been seen as Cora on Once Upon a Time will play a role in the spin-off, which will be set in Wonderland pre-curse. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline and Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Cinemax has given a pilot order to a drama project called Quarry, which is based on the series of novels by Max Allan Collins. The project is set in the 1970s, centering on a Marine sniper who, upon his return home from Vietnam in 1973, finds himself shunned by those he loves and demonized by the public. Combat-hardened and disillusioned, he’s recruited into a network of contract killers and corruption spanning the length of the Mississippi River. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Keiko Agena (Gilmore Girls) will guest star in the upcoming ABC Family summer series Twisted that centers on a charismatic 16-year-old (Avan Jogia) with a troubled past who spends five years in juvenile detention and then reconnects with his two female best friends from childhood (Maddie Hasson and Kylie Bunbury). Agena will play April Tanaka, a bohemian grief specialist who heads up a counseling session for the students at Green Grove High. Also, actress Brittany Curran (Men of a Certain Age) has landed the recurring role of Phoebe, an overly dramatic classmate who enjoys the limelight and tries to bond with Bunbury’s Lacey. Both characters will make their debut in Episode 2. (Vlada Gelman at TV Line)

MINI-SERIES NEWS

Actor Sam Shepard will take over for Chris Cooper in the Discovery Channel’s first-ever scripted mini-series Klondike, which is based on the Charlotte Gray book “Gold Diggers: Striking It Rich in the Klondike”. The mini will bring to life the tale about six strangers and their collective fight for survival and wealth in a small, frontier town in the remote Klondike. (The Futon Critic)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Nicholas Hoult (X-Men: First Class) has joined the cast of the upcoming box office movie Dark Places that will also star Charlize Theron. The film is an adaptation of the Gillian Flynn mystery novel about a woman who is forced to re-face the massacre of her family over two decades before. (Dominic Patten at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Hot Teaser: Disney’s ‘Planes’

Q&A SECTION (with Team Watch with Kristin at E! Online, Natalie Abrams and Adam Bryant at TV Guide and Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Question: Stop holding out on the Nikita scoop! – Evan

Team Watch with Kristin: Nikita is going rogue…again! Expect to see our heroine break off from the group by episode 22, but there may be a twist involved that has Michael and Alex truly concerned. What we can tell you is that a desperate Nikita goes to extreme measures to get a meeting with the President.

Question: Thanks for all the scoop on Revolution. What the heck is the tower?! — Clark

NATALIE: We will see the tower of power before the end of the season, co-executive producer David Rambo says. “It’s very much like the cave that the Dragon guards in mythology,” he says. “It’s a place of a lot of power and it’s dangerous for everybody who goes in there. Whoever controls the tower, controls the power.”

Question: What can you tease about the Person of Interest finale? — Lisa

ADAM: Executive producer Jonathan Nolan promises that Reese and Finch’s nemesis Root (Amy Acker) may finally have her day with Shaw (Sarah Shahi). The bad news: Our team of heroes may not be equipped to handle to the fallout. “We are going to see something from Fusco’s past come back that becomes very divisive among our guys,” executive producer Greg Plageman teases. “It becomes an interesting point of conflict in whether our characters can ever actually move past that.” Adds Nolan: “We’re trying to avoid the idea that they always save everybody all the time,” Nolan says. “This is not a season that necessarily ends well for anybody… If that’s what folks are looking for, they’re going to be disappointed.”

Question: I’m so glad Justified will be back next year. Got any early scoop on Season 5? — Evan

ADAM: Walton Goggins seems pretty confident that, after Ava’s arrest, we’ll see more of heartbroken Boyd next season, despite his new heroin partnership with Wynn Duffy. “He has everything that he’s ever wanted, except the only thing that really mattered to him,” Goggins says. “To be away from Ava is his worst nightmare.” So, will Ava’s sad fate inspire Boyd to turn his back once and for all on his outlaw ways? Probably not. Then again, Goggins says, “In the life that he’s chosen and the price that he’s ultimately paying, I think this is a man who will probably be disgusted with himself. I don’t know that he’s ever felt that before.”

Question: When are we going to see Diggle go after Deadshot on Arrow? — Kathleen

NATALIE: Very soon — though David Ramsey says the ramifications of that may also spill into Season 2. “For once you get to see the strong, stringent soldier,” Ramsey says. “He’s out for blood. Deadshot’s presence in his life will not only create a bloodthirst with Diggle, but it will also cause a problem with him and his new relationship.” Speaking of relationships, Diggle’s quest for vengeance will also put his partnership with Oliver to the test.

Question: I’m curious about this first son of Victoria’s on Revenge. Will we meet him this season? —Sam

Ausiello: Unlikely. Word around the Hamps is V’s MIA demon spawn will turn up next fall.

Question: I just watched the entire first two seasons of Awkward on Netflix in two days! Do you have any scoop for Season 3? BTW, love TVLine! —Elizabeth

Ausiello: Flattery won’t get you everywhere but it will score you scoop, Liz. During a recent Season 3 set visit, Beau Mirchoff told TVLine that Jenna and Matty are “pretty great” as an official couple, adding, “They both care about each other a whole lot.” But as Shakespeare once wrote, the course of true love neverith did runneth smoothith. “I hate to say it, but I wonder if Matty cares for Jenna a little bit too much,” the actor teased, before delivering this little tidbit: “You get to learn more about Matty this year in his home life. He’s not as happy as people may think.” (BTW, Season 3 launches on April 16.)

Question: I need some Hart of Dixie scoop, please! —Audrey

Ausiello: A New York-bound Zoe will experience the flight from hell in the season finale when a passenger falls ill and, naturally, she’s the only doctor on board. Now I have a question for you: Who do you think is accompanying her on this trip? Because rumor has it she’s not travelling alone.

Question: Do you know anything about Royal Pains‘ fifth season? —Cristina

Ausiello: Hope you’re sitting down, because we have it on good authority that Evan’s well-heeled artist wife is getting a (gulp) 9-to-5 job. The show is casting the recurring role of Russel Berger, a fortysomething curator at Sutton and Chesterfield’s, where Paige is interviewing for an internship. Her fastidious potential boss looks her up and down, rolls his eyes and sighs, “Oh, that’s right… you’re a woman.” How rude (and kinda hilarious)!

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

I’m back from WonderCon, surviving yet another year of the craziness that is the annual fete. And, with that being said I found a lot of news from the past few days to share with you. Please read on:

TELEVISION

A&E is finalizing a deal for a series order for the drama pilot called Those Who Kill that is set to star Chloe Sevigny and James D’Arcy, which is an adaptation of a Danish format that revolves around police detective Catherine Jensen (Sevigny) and forensic profiler Thomas Schaffer (D’Arcy), who possess a deep understanding of the serial killers they hunt. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

HBO has renewed Game of Thrones for a fourth season. (The Wrap)

Doctor Who fans rejoice!! David Tennant and Billie Piper will be joining the cast for the show’s upcoming 50th anniversary!! Also announced is that legendary actor John Hurt will also be part of the anniversary special. (Nancy Tartaglione at Deadline)

ReelzChannel has picked up the Canadian police procedural Cracked that stars Stefanie von Pfetten (Battlestar Galactica) and David Sutcliffe (Gilmore Girls), who work in a Toronto-based Psych Crimes Unit. (Etan Vlessing at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actress Annabella Sciorra (The Sopranos) will play the never-seen wife of Capt. Jim Brass (Paul Guilfoyle) on CSI. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actress Hilarie Burton (One Tree Hill and White Collar) will have a recurring role on Grey’s Anatomy, playing a craniofacial specialist who visits the hospital to work on a case. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

TV TRAILERS

TV Trailer: Simon West’s Pilot ‘The Saint’

TV Teaser: CBS Series ‘Under The Dome’

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

English-born Australian actress Sophie Lowe and British actor Peter Gadiot have landed lead roles in the proposed Once Upon a Time spin-off that is being called Once: Wonderland. Lowe will play Alice while Gadiot will play Cyrus, Alice’s love interest. This possible spin-off would be sent in the world of Wonderland pre-curse. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Cinemax has put in development a drama series called The Straits, which is an adaptation of the 2012 Australian series that is a gritty modern-day drama, telling the story of a powerful and dangerous crime family who run their business out of the Florida Keys and into Jamaica, trafficking drugs, guns and exotic animals. When the kingpin tells his three sons that he has not yet chosen a successor, he sets in motion a series of catastrophic events that could destroy the very business he’s fought to build. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

FX has put in development a six-part limited series called They Marched Into Sunlight based on the bestseller by Pulitzer Prize-winning author and journalist David Maraniss that explores the Vietnam War both on the battlefield and at home. It will center on two simultaneous events in October 1967 — the violent ambush of the Black Lion army battalion in the jungles of Vietnam, and a student protest against Dow Chemical, the makers of napalm, on the Madison campus of the University of Wisconsin — both of which marked a dramatic turning point for the war and the beginning of an American conversation that is ongoing today. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

FX has also added another limited series to its development plans: Conquistadors, an event series based on the Kim MacQuarrie book “Last Days of the Incas”. The drama would tell the story of Francisco Pizarro and Diego de Almagro, two Spanish Conquistadors who above all odds conquered the Incan empire of 10 million with just 168 men, and Manco Inca and Cura Occlo, two teenage Incan royal lovers, who led one of the greatest rebellions in history. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

HBO Films is developing the original movie called The Man Who Walked Around the World that chronicles the real life adventures of the Kunst brothers, who following the Apollo moon landing, were inspired to walk around the world. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Here are the top 10 box office movies for this past weekend courtesy of Box Office MoJo and TV Guide:

1. G.I. Joe: Retaliation – 41.2 million
2. The Croods – 26.5 million
3. Tyler Perry’s Temptation – 22.3 million
4. Olympus Has Fallen – 14 million
5. Oz the Great and Powerful – 11.6 million
6. The Host – 11 million
7. The Call – 4.8 million
8. Admission – 3.2 Million
9. Spring Breakers – 2.7 million
10. The Incredible Burt Wonderstone – 1.3 million

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Watch: First Trailer for the Sequel ‘Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters’

NOTE: Cue the “squeeing” for Natahan Fillion being in this movie!!

Q&A SECTION (with Team Watch with Kristin at E! Online)

Question: Loved the Game of Thrones premiere! Any scoop on my fictional boyfriend Jon Snow?! – Beth

Team Watch with Kristin: Prepare to see Jon Snow even more conflicted thanks to his respect for Wilding leader Mance Rayder. “Mance is so charismatic and intriguing to Jon that it’s the first element of Jon not feeling like he’s been told the truth about this band of people and this man,” Kit Harington teases. “He starts to feel his emotions twisted about whether or not he wants to be a part of the Night’s Watch.”

Question: Once Upon a Time scoop? – Amanda in Seattle

Team Watch with Kristin: This scoop is Once Upon a Time-adjacent, so it counts right? This little casting info has to do with the OUAT Alice in Wonderland-themed spinoff. ABC is looking for someone to play a mental hospital psychiatrist for scenes set in Victorian England. Alice’s doctor, perhaps? Well, there might be Mad Hatters involved.

Question: The Suits finale left me hanging! What’s going to happen with Mike and Rachel? – Morgan

Team Watch with Kristin: Probably not anything soon, seeing as Mike will be going through a bit of a rough patch from being kept out of the courtroom. And the person who gets him out of his funk is the last person you’d suspect to come to his aid.

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Eion Bailey (aka August aka Pinocchio on Once Upon a Time) will guest star on an upcoming episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, playing Frank Patterson, a veteran of the Iraq war with PTSD, who is a key witness in an investigation of a sexual assault in a nightclub. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

Justified has been renewed for a 5th season by FX. The second season of The Americans will premiere in January 2014. The third season of American Horror Story: Coven will start airing in time for Halloween (this year). The new FX series The Bridge will premiere in July. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actress Karissa Lee Staples (the Canadian comedy What’s Up Warthogs) has joined the cast of Necessary Roughness as a series regular. She will play Dr. Dani Santino’s (Callie Thorne) stunning, energetic and ambitious assistant, Paloma, who is in transition from sorority president to high-powered businesswoman and is determined to help Dani run her practice ¬whether Dani wants the help or not. But being the best assistant ever does not preclude Paloma from having her own agenda. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Luke Grimes (Brothers & Sisters) has landed a recurring role on True Blood, playing James, a circa ’70s-made vamp who is smart, spiritual and emotionally deeper than any other vamp seen on the show before. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actor Eric Ladin (The Killing) is set to play young J. Edgar Hoover on Boardwalk Empire. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

FX has given the green light to an adaptation of the 1996 comedic crime drama Fargo; and the network has several high-profile limited mini-series projects in development, including Grand Hotel, about a fictional terrorist plot in Paris; Sutton, about the infamous band robber; Mad Dogs, based on the British black comedy/psychological thriller miniseries. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Colin Firth & Emily Blunt Go American in the ‘Arthur Newman’ Trailer

Q&A SECTION (with Team Watch with Kristin at E! Online)

Question: Glenda in Madison, Wis.: Love Scarlett and Gunnar together on Nashville. What’s next for them?

Team Watch with Kristin: Sleeping with a roommate isn’t the best idea, right? Wrong. Clare Bowen explained that even though things between Scarlett and Gunnar might be changing, maybe it’s for the best. She told us: “Scarlett cares very much about Gunnar. I can just tell you that she’s very devoted to this person as a friend, and there is love there. It may blossom into something else.” Friends with benefits, maybe? Although they’re clearly attracted to one another, Bowen told us it’s much more than just that with those two. “She feels safe with him. It goes deeper than just an attraction. They’re best friends, they do everything together, you never see them with other people or with other friends.” Well, we hope things work out for them. After all, what could be better than dating your best friend?

That’s it. Enjoy!

PS: I will be heading to WonderCon 2013 tomorrow and will gone until Sunday so I won’t be posting any news until Tuesday. Have a great holiday weekend!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

GENERAL NEWS

Recipients of the 72nd Annual Peabody Awards were announced with the following being just some of the winners: TNT’s Southland, ABC Family’s Switched at Birth, the HBO movie Game Change, the HBO comedy Girls and Doctor Who.  (E! Online)

TELEVISION

Actress Jessica Camacho, who had a recurring role on the short-lived ABC drama Last Resort, will guest star in an upcoming episode of Nikita, playing Rachel, a Division agent aiming to ruffle some feathers. (Megan Masters at TV Line)

Actor Adrian Pasdar (Heroes and The Lying Game) has joined the cast of Burn Notice for its upcoming season. He will have a major recurring role, playing Randall Burke, a savvy, dangerous and unpredictable former special ops soldier who is now suspected of running a freelance terrorist ring. (Philiana Ng at The Hollywood Reporter)

CBS has renewed some more dramas, including NCIS: Los Angeles, Person of Interest, Elementary, Hawaii Five-0, The Mentalist, Blue Bloods and The Good Wife. NCIS and CSI were already announced as renewed. (Twitter)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Nicola Peltz (Bates Motel and The Last Airbender) has landed the lead female role of the upcoming sequel Transformers 4 that will star Mark Wahlberg. (Twitter and Dark Horizons)

Actor Ron Perlman (Hellboy and Sons Of Anarchy) and country singer Trace Adkins have joined the cast of the latest adaptation of the western novel The Virginian. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Actress Kate Mara (House of Cards) has joined the cast of the upcoming Johnny Depp movie called Transcendence. Plot details are being kept under wraps, though. (Borys Kit at The Hollywood Reporter)

BOX OFFICE TRAILERS

Hot International Trailer: ‘The Wolverine’

Hot Trailer: ‘White House Down’

Q&A SECTION (with Natalie Abrams and Adam Bryant at TV Guide, Michael Ausiello at TV Line and Sandra Gonzalez at Entertainment Weekly)

Question: Give me Game of Thrones scoop now or I’ll sic my dragon on you. — Chet

NATALIE: One unlucky bastard (no, not a literal one like Jon Snow) will tick off the wrong person and as a result, lose an appendage. Ouch! And if you think this sounds like The Walking Dead, then you’ll be interested to learn that another poor sap gets trussed up in a torture room, one leader will be betrayed and a baby will be born in the midst of violent events. All that and the dead rising back up to kill the living? Watch out, AMC!

Question: Any Klaroline scoop for The Vampire Diaries? — Helen

NATALIE: When we last saw Klaus, he wasn’t looking so well, considering Silas had stabbed him with a piece of white oak stake. While we’re used to seeing Klaus care for/hurt/take advantage of Caroline when in a vulnerable state, this time the tables will be turned. As Klaus screams in pain trying to heal himself, Caroline walks in and finds him practically on his deathbed. In light of their recent relationship state, do you think she helps him or laughs in his face?

Question: What’s next for Scarlett and Gunnar on Nashville now that they hooked up? — Rachael

ADAM: Trouble, of course! (Happy couples don’t make for good drama, you know.) In particular, look for The O.C.’s Chris Carmack, who plays the duo’s new neighbor, to come between the couple. But it’s not Scarlett who’s swept off her feet. “He becomes Gunnar’s new dude-friend, because he hasn’t had a guy friend,” Sam Palladio tells us. “He’s always hanging out with Scarlett. … He needs a companion, and Will becomes that kind of best mate. … He ends up actually finding a new lease on life with this new character.” Anyone think that sounds a little more than friendly? Perhaps you should!

Question: Is Jenna back for good on Pretty Little Liars? An what about Shana — is she around for a bit? —Lori

Ausiello: According to exec producer Oliver Goldstick, “You’ll see both around,” adding, “We saw [in last week’s finale] that they’re a weird trio, like Macbeth’s witches, with Melissa and Jenna and Shana plotting. So the four girls start Season 4 questioning what the alliance is between those three. Is one of them actually giving orders to the others? What bonds them besides their antipathy toward Alison and the Liars?”

Question: Is Colton Haynes really gone from Teen Wolf? If so, are they going to recast the part? –Kriselda

Ausiello: Now that Haynes has been upped to a series regular for Arrow Season 2, his days as Jackson are definitely over. And while there was talk that his character would be killed off for the Season 3 premiere (airing June 3), Haynes himself has heard nothing to that effect. “I don’t know, actually,” he tells us. “I’m still really good friends with everybody, and I’m sure that [showrunner] Jeff [Davis] and all the writers, whichever way they go [with Jackson], it will be epic and true to the show. I think that Jackson will always be alive, somehow. Whether they kill him or not, Jeff will find a way where everybody is happy.”

Question: Scandal scoop? Please? I’m obsessed! —Jeff

Ausiello: The Grim Reaper will be putting in another appearance soon. No recurring character is safe!

Question: How long before Neal figures out Tamara’s real deal on Once Upon a Time? —Kelly

Ausiello: Not any time soon, so everyone there in Storybrooke — both magical and “Muggle” — had better watch their backs. Because make no mistake, Tamara isn’t pulling off her dirty work using any ol’ $99 stun gun. “We did not just kill a magical creature with an off-the-shelf Taser,” series co-creator Adam Horowitz affirms. “The Taser isn’t what it seems at first, and we get into that soon.”

Question: Just loving Arrow. Any hope for Laurel and Oliver? —Clare

Ausiello: Though in this Wednesday’s episode Oliver is there to console Felicity in the wake of this tragic incident (for which she blames herself), know that by hour’s end, the tough guy bravely reaches out to his ex, having decided he’s “tired of living on an island.”

Question: Help me out, I need some scoop on Beauty and the Beast! These last couple of episodes have been crazy good. And by good, I mean hot. — Andrea

Sandra: After you take an ice cold shower, Andrea, help yourself to this little tease: Cat and Vincent’s already complicated relationship is going to be double-dipped in turmoil during an upcoming episode later this season in which someone (read: a man!) gets close to Cat, causing Vincent to become uncharacteristically jealous and quite possessive (and also probably very hot). The big Q: How will Cat react to this jealous shade of Vincent?

Question: Arrow scoop? PLEASE! — Jane

Sandra: Sure, but not from me. Colton Haynes, come on down! “I just read episode 22…Roy starts to give a little bit of information to Thea and he starts to give her a little bit more backstory into his life that makes her realize he needs a mentor,” he scoops. Lucky for Roy, I think I know just the man for the job…

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »