Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Syfy has canceled the drama Alphas after two seasons and a massive cliffhanger. Grr! Argh! (Twitter)

BBC America will co-produce a new drama with the working title of Fleming that will focus on the life of Bond creator Ian Fleming. Box office film star Dominic Cooper will portray the celebrated author in the four-part drama. Additionally, British actress Annabelle Wallis has joined the cast, playing Muriel Wright, a woman with whom Fleming had a love affair and who some believe to be the original inspiration for the Bond Girl. (The Futon Critic and Nancy Tartaglione at Deadline)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Series creator and drama pioneer Steven Bochco is getting closer to a having a new police drama on the air courtesy of TNT. The prospective series is to be called Murder in the First and will be set in San Francisco, following season-long cases rather than a crime-of-the-week format (similar to the format of the AMC drama The Killing). (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actors Patrick Stewart and Matthew Lillard and actress Carla Gugino will star in the film adaptation of the Tony-nominated play Match. Stewart will play a reclusive, eccentric Juilliard dance instructor and former choreographer, who is visited by a Seattle couple, (Gugino and Lillard) under the pretense of interviewing the dancer for her thesis on the New York dance movement in the 1960s. However, as the couple’s true intentions are revealed, he finds himself unable to dance around the impact of decisions he made long ago. (Mike Fleming, Jr. at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

First US Trailer for Peter Webber’s ‘Emperor’ with Tommy Lee Jones

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

Question: I’m loving how adorable Zoe and Wade are on Hart of Dixie but I hate seeing Lemon so sad! When will she and Lavon reunite!? Please say soon! – Ashley R.

Team Watch with Kristin: Brace yourself for this piece of scoop. Not only will Lemon and Lavon not reunite any time soon, but in an upcoming episode, something seems to be sparking between Lemon and…Wade! Bluebell is about to have some serious relationship drama.

ME: SPOILER ALERT!! SPOILER ALERT!! Tread VERY lightly on the next question as it reveals a MAJOR spoiler for Downton Abbey!!!

Question: Christina: I am a huge Downton Abbey fan and can’t believe (SPOILER ALERT!!!) that they killed off Matthew! What’s next for Lady Mary?! – Christina

Team Watch with Kristin: A whole lot of soul searching, according to executive producer Gareth Neame, who tells us Michelle Dockery’s character will attempt “to rebuild her life” in season four. “This is a lesson in something that seems like a really big loss in the moment [that] will actually turn into a great opportunity,” he explains, “which it will also be for the show, to take a turn in a whole different direction.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

TNT has given the greenlight to the new as-yet untitled private-eye drama that will star actor Jon Tenney (The Closer) and actress Rebecca Romijn (X-Men franchise) and is based on the popular characters of Sean King and Michelle Maxwell by best-selling author David Baldacci. The series is slated to premiere in the summer of 2013; and will be about Sean King (Tenney) and Michelle Maxwell (Romijn), who aren’t your typical pair of private investigators. Both are former Secret Service agents, and their unique skills often give them a leg up on suspects and conventional law enforcement. (TNT)

Actor Colin Morgan (Merlin) has been cast in the new British drama called Quirke for BBC One (one of the major networks in the U.K.), which is based on the acclaimed novels by Benjamin Black (a pseudonym for the award-winning Irish writer John Banville). Quirke will air as a 3-part series about a titular chief pathologist in the Dublin City Morgue, both charismatic and a loner, whose job takes him to places he never expected. (Film Thrasher)

Lifetime has canceled the fan favorite series Drop Dead Diva. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

It looks like actress Ruth Wilson may be back in the upcoming season of Luther, the hit BBC drama that stars Idris Elba in the lead role. (Digital Spy and Dark Horizons)

Actors Debra Jo Rupp (That 70’s Show) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Hart of Dixie as Betsy Maynard, Wanda’s gin-loving mom who comes to Bluebell for a visit. Unfortunately, she becomes such a handful; her daughter pawns her off on Zoe. (Megan Masters at TV Line)

Legendary actor Lance Henriksen will guest star in an episode of the new NBC thriller Hannibal, a contemporary take on the characters from the Thomas Harris novel Red Dragon that focuses on the fledgling relationship between FBI agent Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and his mentor Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen), his mentor. There are no details on what role Henrisken will play, though. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actor James Marsters (Buffy, the Vampire Slayer and Caprica) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Warehouse 13, which is set to return for the remainder of its current season starting in April. (Twitter)

Actor Edi Gathegi (X-Men: First Class) will have a recurring role in the new CW series Beauty And the Beast, playing Kyle, a “composed agent for a top-secret organization with killer looks and instincts to match. He doesn’t like his time to be wasted, and can easily assess anyone’s weaknesses and happily exploit them.” (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Syfy and Ron Moore are finalizing a deal for a 13-episode straight-to-series order for his new project called Helix that will be about a team of scientists investigating a possible disease outbreak at an Arctic research facility who find themselves trying to protect the world from annihilation. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

CONDOLENCES

Actor Conrad Bain, who played wealthy widower and adoptive father Phillip Drummond on the TV comedy Diff’rent Strokes, passed away today at the age of 89. (The Deadline Team)

ME: Rest in Peace, Mr. Bain. Condolences are extended to his family, friends and fans. Moment of silence, please.

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

Question: Hey, what about Revenge? – The Juan D

Team Watch with Kristin: It’s going back to basics! “The show’s resetting itself and they’re going back to what the origins were, which is a more personal thing,” Madeleine Stowe says. “You’re not going to have this Initiative out here and this thing happening out here. They are going to concentrate on the central character.” To this we say: Wheeee! As for Victoria, Stowe teases, “I’m once again being the targeted villain and doing horrible things to Emily, and Emily’s going to be doing horrible things to me. It’s on again, which is really, really good. It’s really going to be us trying to destroy each other.”

Question: I want to know about the president and Olivia Pope on Scandal and if their relationship will continue now he’s awake. – SavannahRidout

Team Watch with Kristin: Rest assured, Fitz will be up out of bed and back to work soon on Scandal, but he might have to put Olivia on the back burner, so to speak, for the time being. The POTUS will have his hands full with a very scary hostage situation that will lead to a Seal Team raid. How’s that for a warm welcome back to work?

Question: Viva La Revolution! What’s coming up for my favorite character Neville when the show returns in March? – Josh

Team Watch with Kristin: A whole lot of tension, according to Giancarlo Esposito! “[Neville] starts to become estranged from his son. His son has this soft spot for [Charlie] and also has questions about brutality. Monroe Republic now has power and now has big guns and the question of brutality is why would you take all those people out who only have crossbows?” Esposito also teases “major strain” coming up for Neville and Monroe. Yikes!

Question: I am loving Deception! Any scoop on what’s coming up? – Helen

Team Watch with Kristin: If you are digging the love triangle drama developing on the show, you should know there will be plenty more juicy romantic tangles ahead for Joanna. “There is a love triangle. And what’s crazy is that she actually loves both guys,” Meagan Good tells us. “One of them is her teenage heartthrob, her first love, her first everything. There’s this love growing between them that was always there and now it’s on a different level. And now you have Will, this guy was her best friend and her partner and there for all her adult years. The relationship could’ve potentially been something, but he left. Now they’re working together again. So, she cares about both guys.” As for the murder mystery, don’t you dare think you have it all figured out yet. “What you find about every episode is it starts to point in every direction,” Good teases. “Nothing is what it seems.”

Question: What have you heard about the upcoming Abby flashback episode on NCIS? — Jill

ADAM: Unlike previous “origin story” episodes (we’re looking at you, DiNozzo!), Abby’s tale is not about how she joined NCIS. “The goal was step all the way back and see when Abby started to develop an interest in putting clues together and solving mysteries,” executive producer Gary Glasberg says. The (somewhat painful) flashbacks, which are brought on by a present-day investigation of a Marine’s car accident, will also feature Abby’s brother Luka. “There’s almost a To Kill a Mockingbird quality to it,” Glasberg says. “It’s really emotional, and it ends with a beautiful scene of Gibbs pointing out to Abby just how special she is.”

Question: So excited about Rena Sofer as Snow White’s mother on Once Upon a Time. Is there anything you can share about her role? — Phyllis

NATALIE: Executive producer Adam Horowitz confirms that Queen Eva has a “surprising connection to someone else in our world.” If your first guess is Cora — since it seems likely that the Evil Queen’s evil mother may have had a hand in Queen Eva’s death — you may be in for a treat. “That would be a feud that goes back so long,” executive producer Edward Kitsis says. But what you may find more interesting? “You would think it would be easy to be Snow White’s mother, but perhaps Snow White wasn’t always Snow White,” Kitsis says.

Question: Will we ever find out why the power really went off on Revolution? — Winston

NATALIE: We know the how since Rachel was working on a device to turn it off, but the who and the why in regards to the big blackout will soon be uncovered. “Rachel knows why the power went off in the first place,” executive producer Eric Kripke tells us. “She says it way earlier than anyone thinks, so we reveal it. We say it because she would. And eventually it evolves into a really epic quest to just turn the power on for everybody.”

Question: Is Wren coming back this season on Pretty Little Liars? — Brittany

ADAM: Yep, and he’ll run straight into the arms of Spencer. “When Spencer finds out about Toby… somehow Wren just shows up at the right time,” Troian Bellisario tells us. “It’s like he has a sixth sense [about] when she’s hurting!” Or perhaps he too has dangerous intentions for Spencer? “There’s a side to Wren that hasn’t been explored yet. There’s a lot more fun waiting to happen there that’s not what you’d expect,” Bellisario says.

Question: Roy Harper is coming to Arrow! — Matt

NATALIE: Yes, he is! And that Speedy will get very close to the other Speedy. “Our interpretation of Roy is hopefully unexpected,” executive producer Marc Guggenheim says. “Roy is from the Glades, which is part of Starling City that is the slum of the slums, and obviously he’s from a very different side of the tracks from Thea, so that gives us a fun dynamic to play around with. We’re designing it to be a longer-term relationship.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Jurnee Smollett (Friday Night Lights) will appear in at least three episodes of the upcoming NBC drama Do No Harm, the Jekyll and Hyde thriller that will debut on January 31. Smollett will play the daughter of Phylicia Rashad’s character. (Kimberly Roots at TV Line)

Actor Colin Ford, best known for playing young Sam on Supernatural and appearing the box office film We Bought A Zoo, has been the first actor cast in the upcoming 13-episode series Under the Dome based on the Stephen King 2009 novel of the same name. The series will be set in Chester’s Mill, a small New England town suddenly and inexplicably sealed off from the rest of the world by an enormous transparent dome. The town’s inhabitants must deal with surviving the post-apocalyptic conditions while searching for answers to what this barrier is, where it came from and if and when it will go away. Ford will play Joe, a teenager living in Chester’s Mill, a very smart kid who’s understandably freaked out when he discovers that the mysterious barrier covers the whole town — and both his parents are outside of it. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Scott Foley (The Unit and Felicity) is joining the cast of the ABC drama Scandal, but details about his role are being kept under wraps, but it is said that he will be on the show for a major arc that will air toward the end of the show’s current second season. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actor Mark Moses (Desperate Housewives and Mad Men) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Blue Bloods, playing Curtis Swint, a racist, xenophobic talk-radio host who visits New York for a live broadcast of his show. His outspoken views will force police commissioner Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) to choose between his sworn duty to ensure Swint’s rights to free speech and assembly, and his own personal creed of tolerance and equality. This episode is slated to air on February 1. (Adam Bryant at TV Guide)

Actress Audra McDonald (Private Practice) will guest star in an upcoming episode of The Good Wife, playing Alicia’s (Julianna Margulies) “nemesis” from their days at Georgetown law school. The two will go toe-to-toe again in the courtroom. Currently McDonald is only booked for one episode, but there is a chance she could return. (Philiana Ng at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actress Alexandra Daddario, who can be seen in the current box office film Texas Chainsaw 3D (and also appeared in White Collar) and actress Elizabeth Reaser, best known for her role in the Twilight franchise have joined the cast of the upcoming HBO drama called True Detective that will star Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey. The series centers on two detectives, Rust Cohle (McConaughey) and Martin Hart (Harrelson), whose lives collide and entwine during a 17-year hunt for a serial killer in Louisiana. The investigation of a bizarre murder in 1995 is framed and interlaced with testimony from the detectives in 2012, when the case was reopened. Daddario will play Lisa Tragnetti, a sexy court reporter whose relationship with Hart takes a dark turn for them both while Reaser will play Laurie Perkins, Cohle’s (McConaughey) pretty, refined girlfriend, a surgeon who works at the hospital with Maggie, and has dated Cohle for 4 years. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

It looks like the much-anticipated pilot S.H.I.E.L.D. (from Joss Whedon) may not be the only comic-based TV series from Marvel up for consideration. AKA Jessica Jones, which has been in the works for several years now, just might not be a dead project as once thought. It would seem the project is still being shopped around to the networks and could eventually land on cable. There are no certainties at this point in time, though. (IGN and Blastr)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

It is being reported that Warner Bros is making The Odyssey into a futuristic re-imagining of the Greek epic. (Mike Fleming at Deadline)

Actress and recent Golden Globe winner Anne Hathaway will star in a new adaptation of Taming of the Shrew, which will be a re-telling of the iconic play, shifting the action to mid-20th century Italy. (The Wrap and Dark Horizons)

Actor Billy Campbell (The Killing) has joined the cast of the upcoming romantic comedy called 10 Things I Hate About Life that will star actress Evan Rachel Wood (True Blood) and Thomas McDonnell (the box office film Prom) as a young woman and man who meet while attempting to commit suicide at the same jumping-off point. Complications ensue when the man’s ex-girlfriend re-enters his life just as his budding rock band is on the verge of signing a record deal. Campbell will play McDonnell’s father, a wealthy and entitled lawyer who doesn’t approve of his son dropping out of law school. (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

Warner Bros. Pictures has picked up the film rights to the upcoming period spy thriller novel called Dark Invasion by Howard Blum with plans to turn it into a project for actor Bradley Cooper. The story is set in 1915 when Germany, with war raging in Europe and the U.S. still neutral, decides to send their Secret Service to America to wage a covert war to keep this country from helping the Allies. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

It looks like actor Johnny Depp will produce and could star in the upcoming movie called Mortimer Wintergreen, a magical adventure film based on the 1987 young adult novel called The Magic Hat of Mortimer Wintergreen by Myron Levoy. Depp would, of course, play the title character, a traveling magician who meets two young children who have run away from their evil aunt. (First Showing)

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

Question: I love Gabriel Mann so much! Can you ask him if someone is going to play Nolan’s mom? — @ean_nae

Sandra: If you’ve had many questions about Nolan’s still unseen mother, join the club! Mann told me during our chat that he’s as eager as we are to see who finally lands the plum part. But he’s got some strong suggestions. “I’m dying to reveal the actress who approached me about playing my mom on the show, but I would be terribly afraid to jinx the possibility of it. But it’s actually no one anybody has guessed yet,” he says, saying he’s received suggestions like Candice Bergen and Donna Mills. “I don’t think it’s a direction anyone is expecting at this moment.”

Question: Let’s have some Revolution scoop! — Megan

Sandra: Well, as the creators explained at the Television Critics Association press tour, the second half of Revolution will indeed focus on, well, the revolution aspect of the show. And with that, says star Tracy Spiridakos, comes not only a faster-paced show but “a little bit of a crazy battle.” “There’s going to be good guys versus bad guys…and some twists and turns will happen pretty quickly,” she says. As far as what awaits Charlie in the second half, Spiridakos says we’ll continue to see her grow into “quite the warrior” but the actress wonders of the stresses of her current situation may start to sully her good girl image. “I’m interested to see whether she’s going to be able to hold on to her humanity or not in the process of it all.”

Question: Can you tell me anything about the Castle two-parter? — Ginny

Sandra: Other than saying there were some “big, surprising” things in store, Seamus Dever was pretty mum when we caught up with him at the People’s Choice Awards. But he did reveal a nugget that will make fans of the dapper detective very happy. “I think later on in the season we’re going to find out some more about Ryan’s past,” he says. “So there’s an episode that’s going to be dedicated to that.”

Question: Any Arrow scoop would make my day. I’m mildly obsessed with Stephen Amell. — Suzie

Sandra: Those mildly obsessed with Amell or Arrow should stayed tuned for a mildly insane episode, according to the ripped star. “We just wrapped probably our most ambitious episode yet. It’s called The Odyssey and it explores the island a lot,” he says. “The island story is really the second stanza of the show. We took a break after episode 9 and are back for 6 or 7 episodes before another little break. The island is a really really, really big part of this moment.”

Question: I miss Grimm. I can’t wait (until) March! I need scoop! How will Nick deal with this Juliette-Renard thing? I need something!!! — Ashley

Sandra: Hopefully you’ve already seen the awesome Grimm trailer for a sneak peek, but in case you haven’t, I’ll let executive producers David Greenwalt and Jim Kouf elaborate: “Nick will deal with it by simmering and then coming to a violent boil,” says Greenwalt. “He will deal with this head on!!” Kouf agrees.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

GENERAL NEWS

Congrats to the winners of the Golden Globe Awards, which were presented last night, including (but not limited to) Argo, Les Misérables, Jessica Chastain, Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Lawrence, Brave, Adele, Homeland, Damian Lewis, Claire Danes, Kevin Costner and Maggie Smith.

TELEVISION

The ABC Family drama Switched at Birth will produce an episode told entirely in American Sign Language – a first in scripted, mainstream TV, told from the perspective of the shows’ multiple deaf characters. The episode will air on March 4. (TV By the Numbers)

Actor John Hannah (Spartacus and The Mummy film franchise) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Elementary, playing Rhys, Sherlock’s old drug dealer from London who comes to New York seeking Holmes’ help. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Paul Abbott, the creator of the British and co-creator of the US version of Shameless, will produce the English-language adaptation of the French series known as Les Revenants with a working title of They Came Back, which centers on a group of men and women in a small Alpine village who find themselves in a state of confusion, trying to return to their homes. What they don’t yet know is that they’ve been dead for several years, and no one is expecting them back. (Nancy Tartaglione at Deadline)

Showtime has made a deal for a drama series from John Logan (co-writer of the box office film Skyfall) and director Sam Mendes called Penny Dreadful, which will be a psychosexual horror series that will feature some of horror literature’s most famous characters – including Dr. Frankenstein and his creature, Dorian Gray and Dracula – as they become embroiled in Victorian London. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

NBC has given a pilot order for the drama called I Am Victor from former House executive producer Katie Jacobs and best-selling Norwegian novelist Jo Nesbo that centers on Victor Port, a high powered divorce attorney with a unique view of relationships. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Michael Hirst (creator of The Tudors, producer on The Borgias and writer of Elizabeth) is working on a TV series based on Alexander the Great, which will initially consist of 8 to12 one-hour episodes, covering the key moments of the Macedonian king’s life across a three-season run. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Actress Michelle Monagham (Eagle Eye) is set to star opposite actors Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson in the HBO drama called True Detective, which has been given a straight-to-series order by the cabler. The series centers on two detectives, Rust Cohle (McConaughey) and Martin Hart (Harrelson), whose lives collide and entwine during a 17-year hunt for a serial killer in Louisiana. The investigation of a bizarre murder in 1995 is framed and interlaced with testimony from the detectives in 2012, when the case has been reopened. Monaghan will play the female lead, Maggie Hart, the wife of Martin Hart (Harrelson), a woman who makes a hard decision that has long-reaching and devastating consequences. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

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

1. Zero Dark Thirty, $24 million
2. A Haunted House, $18.8 million
3. Gangster Squad, $16.7 million
4. Django Unchained, $11.1 million
5. Les Misérables, $10.1 million
6. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, $9.1 million
7. Lincoln, $6.3 million
8. Parental Guidance, $6.1 million
9. Texas Chainsaw 3D, $5.2 million
10. Silver Linings Playbook, $5 million

It looks like the powers that be behind the recently cancelled TNT series Leverage are shopping the show around to see if there is any interest in it possibly being made into a feature film. There are no confirmations of any interest; but fans can take heart that series creator Dean Devlin and his team are looking into other possibilities. (Dominic Patten at Deadline)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

GENERAL NEWS

Congrats to the winners of the Critics’ Choice Awards from last night, including (but not limited to) the following: Argo, Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook, Anna Karenina, Wreck-It Ralph, Bradley Cooper and Looper.

TELEVISION

Actress Melissa George (Hunted) and Roy Dupuis (La Femme Nikita) are set to play a troubled couple in Rest Home, a psychological drama that is a co-production between Canada and Australia. Dupuis will play a security guard in a retirement home who’s married with two kids and is hooked on painkillers and anti-depressants. His life spirals out of control when he catches his wife (George) with her lover. (The Deadline Team)

Singer-actor Jesse McCartney (Summerland) will have a recurring role on the Lifetime drama Army Wives. He will play Private Tim Truman, a young, eager and enthusiastic soldier determined to prove himself on his first deployment. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

The CW is developing a spin-off of The Vampire Diaries for which series executive producer Julie Plec would write and serve as showrunner. The spin-off will be called The Originals and will center on Klaus (Joseph Morgan) who “returns to the supernatural melting pot that is the French Quarter of New Orleans — a town he helped build centuries ago — and is reunited with his diabolical former protégé Marcel”. Actress Phoebe Tonkin, who plays werewolf Hayley on The Vampire Diaries, is also set to star. [But the big question fans have is why is there no mention of Elijah (Daniel Gilles)?! (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

Lifetime is developing a remake of the BBC drama called Prisoners’ Wives, which centered on four different women, each struggling to cope with a man in her life serving prison time. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

First Trailer for Brad Anderson’s Thriller ‘The Call’ Starring Halle Berry

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

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

GENERAL NEWS

Congrats to all of the winners from last night’s People’s Choice Awards, including (but not limited to): Jennifer Lawrence, The Hunger Games, Emma Watson, Perks of Being a Wallflower, Awkward, Nathan Fillion (YES!!!), Leverage, Beauty And the Beast, Castle (YES!!) and Supernatural.

TELEVISION

Actress Rena Sofer (NCIS) will guest star as Snow White’s mother, Queen Eva in at least one episode of Once Upon a Time set for early March. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Actor Dylan Walsh (Nip/Tuck and Unforgettable) will guest star in a two-part episode of Castle, playing Agent Harris, an even-keeled FBI investigator who works with Rick and Kate when a murder investigation exposes a plot to kidnap the daughter of a wealthy Middle Eastern businessman. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actress Ali Larter (Heroes) will play the female lead opposite Sean Bean in the TNT drama pilot called Legends that is based on the novel by Robert Littell. The pilot centers on Martin Odum (Bean), a deep-cover CIA operative who has an uncanny ability to transform himself into a different person for each job. Larter will play Crystal, an operative with D.C.O. who has a history with Martin and initially objects to his return to the task force. The cast of the pilot includes Steve Harris, Amber Valletta and Tina Majorino. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

First Official UK Trailer for Danny Boyle’s Art Heist Thriller ‘Trance’

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actors Anthony Michael Hall (The Dead Zone) and Nolan Funk (Glee) have landed roles in the upcoming season of the MTV comedy Awkward. Hall will play Mr. Hart, a sadistic creative writing teacher that pushes the students out of their comfort zones while Funk will play Collin James, a confident new prep school transfer to the high school featured in the series. A return date has not yet been announced yet. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actress Zoey Deutch (Ringer) [and real life daughter of Lea Thompson] will appear in at least two episodes of her mom’s show Switched at Birth. Deutch will play Elisa, an attractive young woman whom Toby (Lucas Grabeel) meets while campaigning for his father, John. (Philiana Ng at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actor Derek Luke (Hawthorne and Friday Night Lights) will have a recurring role in the upcoming new FX drama The Americans. He will play Gregory, a civil rights activist-turned-KGB asset whose romantic past with Elizabeth Jennings (Keri Russell) complicates his work as a trusted operative. The series debuts on January 30. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Jack Reynor may not be well known right now, but wait until the next Transformers movie is released – yes, there is going to be another one. Reynor will be taking over for Shia LaBeouf in the lead role in the franchise alongside Mark Wahlberg. Very few details are known about the story behind this latest incarnation though. (First Showing)

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

Question: Will anything surprise us about the upcoming episodes of Once Upon a Time? — Megan

NATALIE: We know that the flashbacks lead to Regina enacting the curse, but coming trips to the past may surprise you. “We’re going to show you some things in our world that you didn’t even think were an option,” executive producer Edward Kitsis says. Will we see flashbacks to other lands — say, Oz? Kitsis remains coy. “[They’ll] center on our characters, but in surprising ways.”

Question: Are we going to see more of Randall and Grace on Revolution? — Kevin

NATALIE: We’ll learn more about the evil mastermind holding Grace hostage very soon. “Randall starts to play a very large part in the mythology in the second half,” executive producer Eric Kripke tells us. “They’re in this mysterious location, and we’ll learn what [it] is. We’ll learn what Randall wants, what he’s doing and indeed how dangerous he is and how it’ll affect our heroes.” Bonus: Kripke also says we’ll get all those answers by season’s end.

Question: What can you tell me about Esposito’s upcoming spotlight episode on Castle? — Heather

ADAM: “He has to forge a relationship with an at-risk youth who is at the center of our investigation,” creator Andrew W. Marlowe tells us. “It gives us a bit of insight into who Esposito was before he became a cop. … I think we’re in a place where Esposito is really looking for something in his life.”

Question: I am so excited to see Jesse L. Martin back on the small screen! What can you say about his role on Smash? — Diane

NATALIE: The Law & Order alum (and Broadway vet) will play the producer of an Off Broadway theater company and will share many scenes with Karen’s new love interest Jimmy (Jeremy Jordan), the mastermind behind Hit List, this season’s new musical. “He shows some interest in our show and becomes this shepherd for our show coming into the New York theater scene,” Jordan says. “Jimmy’s not really fond of letting other people take control of his show. He’s not fond of having a director.” Uh-oh!

Question: Big-picture Lying Game question — do the producers envision a show where both twins are out in the open? —Tara

Ausiello: Big-picture answer: Yes. “I don’t want to say exactly, but from the very beginning we’ve called it The Twin Show, and that’s the logical next thing to happen,” explains exec producer Chuck Pratt Jr. “You’ll see in this season we’ve kind of already accomplished that. [Emma and Sutton] are in more scenes together than they’ve ever been; one’s living in secret and they switch back and forth a couple of times. So, we really feel like we’re already doing it. When the story of the past and what happened to Derek and all of that comes out, at some point they’ll have to find out. Mads found out [last season], and other people are going to find out this season until it gets to the point of, well, who doesn’t know? We just want to make sure we’ve gotten the most we can out of The Prince and the Pauper before we move into The Parent Trap.”

Question: Anything on Revolution? —Pete

Ausiello: On the casting front, Eric Kripke tells us we’ll be seeing “a lot more” of Colm Feore (as the mysterious Randall) and Mark Pellegrino (as militia meanie Jeremy Baker). He also had new scoop on ER alum Leland Orser’s character, John Sanborn — that he’s an old scientist colleague of Rachel’s.

Question: Looking for a Once Upon A Time scoop. —Sara

Ausiello: Your search is over. The ABC hit is casting the 20-year-old version of Regina’s father as well as his fourtysomething father, presumably to take part in the same flashback that features Rose McGowan as Young Cora.

Question: I’m in dire need for some Scandal scoop. —Mateo

Ausiello: Rumor has it the Grim Reaper’s about to make a cameo.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Legendary actor Barry Bostwick will guest star in an upcoming episode of Scandal, appearing as the father of President Fitzgerald Grant (Tony Goldwyn). That episode is expected to air on January 17. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Actress Sarah Shahi (Fairly Legal) has landed a recurring role on the CBS drama Person of Interest where she will play Shaw, a fearless, sexy and witty operative in a secret paramilitary organization that tracks and eliminates terrorists before they can act. She will first appear in the February 21 episode and her role may continue into season 3. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

FOX has renewed Bones for a ninth season. (TV By the Numbers)

Actor Burn Gorman (Torchwood) will have a recurring role in the ABC soap Revenge, playing Trask, another representative of the “nefarious” Americon Initiative. (Michael O’Connell at The Hollywood Reporter)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Box office director Brett Ratner and Law & Order veteran Barry Schindel are teaming together for the ABC drama project called Tomorrow, which has been given a script-to-series commitment by the network. That means if the pilot does well enough, the network will continue with a 13-episode order of the series, which is a high-concept law enforcement procedural about an FBI agent who gets trapped in a time travel scenario. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

NBC has given a pilot order to a new stylized drama called Bloodline from writer David Graziano (Awake and Lie To Me) and producers Peter Berg and Sarah Aubrey. This project is set against the backdrop of modern suburbia, following the story of an orphaned young girl name Bird Benson, who, due to an accident of birth, is caught in the epic struggle between two warring families of mercenaries and killers. Mentored by a mysterious Chinese man, Bird must accept the quest to find and defeat her mother in mortal combat if she is ever to lead a normal life. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

FOX and FX announced the launch of a new production unit that would supply them with high-profile limited series and/or mini-series; and it would seem they have chosen their first project. It is called Wayward Pines from feature film director M. Night Shyamalan and Chad Hodge. The project is based on the best-selling novel “Pines by Blake Crouch” and is an intense, mind-bending thriller evocative of the classic cult hit Twin Peaks. Here is the synopsis: Secret Service agent Ethan Burke arrives in the bucolic town of Wayward Pines, ID, on a mission to find two missing federal agents. But instead of answers, Ethan’s investigation only turns up more questions. What’s wrong with Wayward Pines? Each step closer to the truth takes Ethan further from the life he knew, from the husband and father he was, until he must face the terrifying reality that he may never get out of Wayward Pines alive. Fox plans to order at least one event series pilot this year and launch its first long-form series in 2014. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit) is confirmed to be joining actor Kevin Costner as well as actress Amber Heart and Connie Nielsen in the as-yet untitled action thriller film that will star Costner as a Secret Service agent who comes out of retirement for one last mission in exchange for access to an experimental drug that could save his life, all while trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter (Steinfeld). Hallucinatory, narcoleptic action ensues as he tries to complete the mission while battling the drug’s side effects. (The Deadline Team)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

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

TELEVISION

Actor James Cromwell (American Horror Story: Asylum) will appear in multiple episodes of the new NBC drama Do No Harm, which is a Jekyll and Hyde story about a brilliant surgeon (Steven Pasquale from Rescue Me), who struggles to contain “Ian,” a dangerous alter ego who threatens to wreak havoc on the good doc’s personal and professional lives. Cromwell will play Jason’s mentor who may or may not have his best interests at heart. The series is set to debut on January 31. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

British actor Julian Ovenden (Any Human Heart and the UK series Foyle’s War) will appear in the NBC drama Smash playing John F. Kennedy in the musical within a musical. His character will actually be Simon, the actor portraying the legendary President opposite Marilyn Monroe portrayed by Karen Cartwright aka actress Katharine McPhee. Ovenden will appear in multiple episodes of the series that is set to have it season premiere on February 5. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Looks like NBC is moving forward with a new project for summer TV (even though we are barely out of winter right now). The network has greenlit a 13-episode hour-long drama called Camp from the creator of the upcoming NBC series Deception (which will debut tonight). This summer series will be set at Little Hawk Family Camp, where parents decompress with gin while teens make mischief and fall in and out of love. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Here are the top 10 box office films for this past weekend courtesy of TV Guide:

1. Texas Chainsaw 3D – 23 million
2. Django Unchained – 20 million
3. The Hobbit – 17.5 million
4. Les Miserables – 16.1 million
5. Parental Guidance – 10.1 million
6. Jack Reacher – 9.3 million
7. This Is 40 – 8.5 million
8. Lincoln – 5.2 million
9. The Guilt Trip – 4.5 million
10. Promised Land – 4.3 million

Actress Anjelica Huston (Smash) and David Thewlis (Harry Potter franchise will star as Lady Astair and Count Zurov in the upcoming box office film called The Winter Queen, which is an . adaptation of the Boris Akunin best-selling novel which follows intrepid young police detective Erast Fandorin, who is looking into the suicides of several wealthy young men throughout Russia in 1886; soon uncovering an extensive plot for global domination. (Seven Arts Entertainment and Dark Horizons)

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Zuleikha Robinson (Homeland and Lost) will guest star in an upcoming episode of The Mentalist, playing Dr. Sonia Kidd, a brilliant scientist specializing in the biological roots of murder who meets Jane and the team when one of her top students is killed. (Megan Masters at TV Line)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actors Vinnie Jones (X-Men 3) and Stephen Lang (Terra Nova) have joined the cast of the upcoming movie The 34th Battalion, which will tell the story of an Australian Army unit that fought heroic battles against the Germans during World War I. Jones will play the British-born Lieutenant-Colonel who led the battalion while Lang will play as a U.S. officer. The cast includes Luke Hemsworth (older brother of Chris and Liam), Emilie de Ravin (Once Upon a Time and Lost) and Charles Mesure (Desperate Housewives) [among others]. (The Deadline Team)

Q&A SECTION (with Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Question: The lack of Once Upon a Time news regarding August W. Booth/Pinocchio and his current state/possible reunion with his dad is getting on my nerves. Please tell me you have a scoop about him? —Angelique

Ausiello: The best answer series co-creator Eddy Kitsis will part with, regarding August being seen again this season, is: “Perhaps.” He goes on to add, “We are hoping to have him back. August is an important part of the fabric of the story, and it’s a story that we are continuing to tell.” In the meantime, though, Kitsis confirms that “you will get the answer” to what it was that August showed Neal Cassidy to convince him of Emma’s fantastical backstory.

Question: I have a question about Once Upon a Time: Are there any chances to get the Huntsman/Jamie Dornan back? I miss him so much!!!

Ausiello: As has often been the series creators’ refrain, you will maybe someday see Dornan again in a flashback, but never in Storybrooke. “[Sheriff] Graham is dead,” asserts Kitsis, “and if we brought him back, everyone would say we were messing with continuity. We don’t want to do that.” Kitsis notes that last season revealed one love of Emma’s life — son Henry — while this cycle introduced us to another, Neal Cassidy, who likely will resurface during February sweeps. As for a certain pushy pirate? “Hook is obviously eye-candy,” Kitsis allows. “I don’t know if Emma would stare at him and think he’d be a great father to Henry, but he might be fun in Vegas!”

Question: Fans all over the globe are saddened and enraged by Matthew’s exit on Downton Abbey. It might make us feel better to know what Downton has in store for Lady Mary without him. Maybe a new love interest? —Kay

Ausiello: No maybe about it: There will definitely be a new man in her life in Season 4. The only question is, will it be someone we’ve met before or someone brand-spankin’ new?

Question: The winter break is killing me. I need some Supernatural info to save my life. —DJ

Ausiello: We already know that a murder investigation brings Dean and Sam into the wild and wacky world of live-action role playing — specifically a LARPing convention. Now I’m happy to announce that yes, the Brothers Winchester will play dress-up.

Question: I can’t believe we have to wait until March 8 for Grimm to return! At least they had the decency to actually say “Sorry” when they aired the fall finale. Please tell me something, anything to help get me though the long, dark Grimm(less) months… –Jacquie

Ausiello: I do have a whole lot of hot Grimm scoop to warm these Nick-less Friday nights, Jacquie, but it’s got to last you a while… so I’ll give you some now and keep some in reserve for another time. Sound good? First bit: Series co-creator and exec producer Jim Kouf tells TVLine that Captain Renard “gets very close” to the key in the first few episodes back after the break. Second bit: I hear there’s a good chance the captain’s Adalind-conspiring brother Eric will be in the mix during the second half of the season. And finally: The show very much wants to bring Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio back as Nick’s mom in upcoming episodes, but whether that happens or not depends largely on scheduling.

Question: I’d be really grateful for a Nikita scoop that has nothing to do with romance of any kind. —Alexis

Ausiello: Pretty sure this meets your criteria: Exec producer Craig Silverstein says Isaiah “Old Spice” Mustafa will return later this season as reformed Dirty Thirty agent Cyrus. Probably. Maybe. “We want to get him back,” he says. “We still have a bunch of episodes in our back half, so we’re trying to figure out how to do it. We definitely want to see him again.”

Question: Any Revenge scoop? —Winnie

Ausiello: Here are some details from Revenge creator Mike Kelley himself. “I don’t think you’ve seen the last of Jennifer Jason Leigh,” the boss says of Emily VanCamp’s unhinged onscreen mom. “She will be involved in the show as we move forward — but I don’t want to tell you how just yet; she’s terrific.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

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