Jeff Zucker's Year-End Letter to NBCU Employees

Holiday tidings segue to Comcast/GE merger as company waits government 'green light.'

On Wednesday, outgoing NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker offered his own sort of NBCU's Best of 2010 list in a year-end letter to staffers, before getting down to serious business. He wrote:

"As the year draws to a close, I wanted to extend to you, and your loved ones, the happiest of holidays and wish you each a very Happy New Year.

"This has been a fantastic year for our company, on both creative and business levels.

"Whether you think about the unbelievably successful Vancouver Olympics ... the worldwide sensation of the despicably adorable Minions ... Butterbeer and Chocolate Frogs flying off the shelves at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter ... and so much more ... 2010 was a year to remember for NBC Universal. And that is a complete tribute to each of you, whose hard work and dedication has made it all possible. Like the entire media industry, we are not without our challenges, but we are as well situated for them as anyone. Thanks to you.

"As you know, we are still awaiting government approval of the new joint venture between Comcast and GE, which will mark a whole new era for NBC Universal. We have made substantial progress this month with both the FCC and the Department of Justice, and expect that we will get a 'green light' in January. The official close of the transaction would happen shortly after government approval. Until then, of course, business continues as normal. And we will give you frequent updates once the new year begins.

"Meanwhile, I do hope that each of you will find some time in these next few weeks to be with family and loved ones, and to remember how fortunate we are.

"I send you my best wishes, wherever you are, for a wonderful holiday and very Happy New Year."

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'How Do You Know' Price Tag: $120 Million, $50 Million Just for Talent

This week's The Hollywood Reporter looks at the James L. Brooks dramedy featuring Reese Witherspoon ($15 million) and Jack Nicholson ($12 million).

Oscar-winning filmmaker James L. Brooks doesn’t work often, and he doesn’t work fast. And when he does work, he commands a budget as jaw-dropping as his history of brilliant work (Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News). When many studios are shying away from star-driven adult dramedies, Sony lavished a budget on Brooks’ How Do You Know that even has talent reps with clients in the movie marveling.

THR has learned that the film, which centers on a love triangle, cost $120 million to make, though the studio drove that down to about $100 million thanks to tax rebates from Pennsylvania and D.C. One reason for the price tag is old-fashioned salaries for the pic’s talent: Reese Witherspoon ($15 million), Jack Nicholson ($12 million), Owen Wilson ($10 million) and Paul Rudd ($3 million) received their quotes, and Brooks will earn about $10 million plus backend for writing, producing and directing. That’s about $50 million for the major talent alone.

The cost also was high because of the time Brooks devoted to production and postproduction and his decision to reshoot the beginning and end of the movie. “He’s slow and meticulous,” a person familiar with the production says.

Another challenge: How Do You Know opens Dec. 17 against Tron: Legacy, Gulliver’s Travels and Yogi Bear. “That’s a big weekend,” sighs a talent rep with a star in the film, which could have the slow-but-steady adult space to itself. Brooks’ 1997 holiday release As Good as It Gets rode Oscar buzz to $314.2 million worldwide, but his most recent December effort, 2004’s Spanglish, fizzled. “They thought it would do a couple hundred million worldwide,” a source says. “It did $55 million all-in.”

But Sony hopes How Do You Know will perform like It’s Complicated, an $85 million-budgeted Universal pic from Nancy Meyers.That film pulled in nearly $220 million worldwide last winter.      

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Mexican Cinema Claims Small Percentage of Country's Total 2010 Box Office

MEXICO CITY -- Theater chains in Mexico are enjoying a record-breaking year in admissions, yet homegrown fare continues to struggle at the box office.
 
Exhibitors here expect to close out the year with 191 million tickets sold, which positions Mexico as the world's fifth largest exhibition market in terms of attendance figures, according to an annual report by the National Film Chamber. The report ranks Mexico fifth behind India, the U.S., China and France.
 
Despite the upswing in revenues, domestic releases captured a mere 5.6% of the box office share, a disappointing result when compared to double-digit market share figures reported in other top Latin American film-producing nations such as Argentina and Brazil.
 
Opinions vary on why Mexican cinema, which has seen a spike in production volume in recent years, has come up short at the box office. Some industry players blame Hollywood, saying studio fare is gobbling up the bulk of Mexico's 5,000-plus screens. Marina Stavenhagen, head of state-run financing agency Imcine, believes that's only part of the problem.
 
"Eight-nine percent of public film funding goes toward production development and only 11% goes toward distribution, but there are many other factors," she said at a Friday news conference.
 
No Mexican films appeared on the list of the year's top 10 highest-grossing films. Of the 310 titles screened here this year, Disney's Toy Story 3 topped the charts with 777 million pesos (about US $63 million).
 
The two biggest local hits of the year were the romantic comedy No Eres Tu, Soy Yo (It's Not You, It's Me) and the narco-themed political satire El Infierno (Hell). All told, Mexico produced 68 features and released 54 pictures, yet only No Eres Tu exceeded the 100-million-peso mark.
 
The National Film Chamber projects continued growth for next year, estimating that theater operators in Mexico will sell nearly 205 million tickets.

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3D TV Channel Announces Six New Series

Joint venture of Sony, Discovery and Imax expects to have an estimated 200 hours of 3D programming by the end of 2011.

For emerging 3D channels -- including the 24/7 entry slated to launch in early 2011 as a joint venture of Sony, Discovery Communications and Imax -- one of the key challenges is to make available a steady stream of content.

The joint venture on Monday announced six new titles to its planned network programming slate, and it expects to have an estimated 200 hours of 3D programming by the end of 2011.

The result could be among the world's largest libraries of 3D content, and the majority of it would be original productions commissioned by the channel, according to Tom Cosgrove, president and CEO of the venture.

As the channel is for the U.S. market, this library may also become available to 3D ventures launching in other countries.

"We are certainly considering it," Cosgrove told The Hollywood Reporter. "We are in initial conversations with folks about doing that. ... The big complaint that most people have about 3D is that there is just not enough to watch, so part of the mission of the channel is to fill that gap."

At this stage, the venture is focused on creating native 3D content rather than converting 2D material to 3D.

"We are still evaluating (conversion) technology," Cosgrove said. "For us, the sweet spot of an affordable price to do this as close to flawless as possible hasn't quite come together. ... At this point, our emphasis has been on native 3D productions or acquiring content that was shot in native 3D.

Production for the venture is testing a Sony prototype camcorder that was previewed this year. It also is putting through the paces another prototype of a 3D camera that was built by Sony and co-developed with Discovery, also unveiled this year.

However, Cosgrove said that his venture is "fairly agnostic in terms of the brands of cameras that we use. There's lots of different rigs out there and single-body cameras."

Cosgrove also noted that Imax is working on proprietary conversion technology to prepare its large-format films for the small screen.

"What is meant to be seen on a 70-foot screen requires some changes to the convergence," he said. "They have been able to bring it into that television format."

To speed production, the venture has encouraged training at Sony's 3D Technology Center on the Culver City lot. "We have sent through hundreds of people already for those classes," Cosgrove said, adding that the organization has paired new 3D filmmakers with experienced ones for field training.

Content announced Monday included three original series -- with the working titles Bullproof, High Octane and Making the Brand -- and three acquisitions: Discovery's Ghost Lab, Sony Pictures' Open Season and Imax's Space Station.

This programming will be added to a lineup of previously announced content including African Wild (working title), China Revealed (working title), Jewels of the World (working title), Attack of the Giant Jellyfish, The Haunted, Into the Deep 3D, Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and Monster House.

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Ryan Gosling: Indie Films Don't Pretend to Know Everything

"Things like a Golden Globe help raise awareness for the film that is immeasurable," the "Blue Valentine" star tells THR.

Ryan Gosling, reeling from a long day of promotion for Blue Valentine, was a little knackered but still thrilled at the movie’s twin nominations, one for him, the other for Michelle Williams, since it would shine a spotlight on the little movie that could.

 

It’s great for the film,” he said. “When you make a small move like this, things like a Golden Globe help raise awareness for the film that is immeasurable. You can go out and promote the film all you want, but it can’t give the film as much of a voice as something like this.”

Gosling said he loves to work in the indie sphere since their smaller budgets equate, to him, creative freedom.

“Not to discriminate against budgets, I feel that independent films tend to ask more questions and don’t pretend to know as much as the bigger films, which tend to think they know everything.”

Gosling planned on resting up for a Blue Valentine reception being thrown by Ben Kingsley. “I’ve never met him so I’m excited.”

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'Social Network' Tops Boston Critics Awards

David Fincher's Facebook movie starring Jesse Eisenberg wins five prizes, including best picture, director and actor.

With film critics groups around the country beginning to anoint their favorite films of the year, the Boston Society of Film Critics, which voted Sunday, friended The Social Network in a big way.

Sony Pictures' drama about the founding of Facebook took home five prizes, including best picture, best actor for Jesse Eisenberg, best director for David Fincher, best screenplay for Aaron Sorkin and best use of music in a film for Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. [Related: Social Network named best picture by the L.A. Film Critics Assn. and the N.Y. Films Critics Online.]

Natalie Portman was named best actress for her neurotic ballet dancer in Black Swan. That film's Andrew Weisblum also took the award for film editing.

The Fighter claimed two distinctions: Christian Bale earned best supporting actor honors, and the pic also took the prize for best ensemble cast.

Juliette Lewis, who plays a woman who recants her testimony in Conviction, was singled out as best supporting actress.

Toy Story 3 was crowned best animated film, while Bong Joon-ho's Mother and Jeff Malmberg's Marwencol were named best foreign film and best documentary, respectively. Malmberg was also hailed as best new filmmaker.

Best cinematography laurels went to Roger Deakins for True Grit.

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Twilight: Eclipse Sells 3 Million on DVD, Blu-ray in First Two Days

"The Sorcerer's Apprentice" and "Knight and Day" round out the top three on the sales chart.

Eclipse, the third film in the Twilight vampire saga, topped the national home video sales charts the week ending Dec. 5 even though it arrived in stores at midnight Friday instead of the customary Tuesday. Summit Home Entertainment says consumers bought 3 million DVDs and Blu-ray Discs of the film its first two days in stores.

Two other new releases, Walt Disney Studios’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and 20th Century Fox’s Knight and Day, captured the No. 2 and No. 3 spots on the Nielsen VideoScan First Alert sales chart, each selling about 30% as many units as Eclipse.

The previous week’s top seller, Disney’s Toy Story 3, slipped to No. 4, just ahead of yet another Disney new release, an anthology of the original 1940 Fantasia and its belated sequel, Fantasia 2000.

On Nielsen VideoScan’s dedicated Blu-ray Disc chart, Sorcerer’s Apprentice also debuted at No. 2, followed at No. 3 by Fantasia and No. 4 by Knight and Day.

On Home Media Magazine’s video rental chart for the week, Eclipse debuted at No. 3, right behind the Lionsgate actioner The Expendables, which repeated at No. 1, and The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, which finished the week at No. 2.

Neither of those three titles has a rental window — unlike Knight and Day, which for 28 days is only available at Blockbuster and other brick-and-mortar stores. Despite debuting at No. 1 on both the Blockbuster and IDEA rental charts, Knight and Day could only muster a weak No. 9 on Home Media Magazine’s overall rental chart because it cannot yet be rented at Netflix or Redbox.

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Cate Blanchett Revisiting 'Rings' Role In 'Hobbit'

Cate Blanchett has joined the cast of Peter Jackson's The Hobbit, where she will again play the role of Galadriel, the Lady of Lothlorien, who also appeared in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

"Cate is one of my favorite actors to work with," Jackson said, "and I couldn't be more thrilled to have her reprise the role she so beautifully brought to life in the earlier film."

The latest additions to the cast also include Ken Stott as the Dwarf Lord Balin; Sylvester McCoy as the wizard Radagast the Brown; and Mikael Persbrandt as the shape-shifter Beorn.

Ryan Gage will play Drogo Baggins, while New Zealand actors Jed Brophy will play the role of the dwarf Nori and William Kircher will appear as the dwarf Bifur.

The Hobbit, which will be comprised of two films shooting back-to-back, begins principal photography in February.

The actors join the previously announced cast that includes Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Aidan Turner, Rob Kazinsky, Graham McTavish, John Callen, Stephen Hunter, Mark Hadlow and Peter Hambleton.

The two films are targeted for release in December 2012 and December 2013.

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Women's Image Network to Honor Elizabeth Taylor, Philanthropist Suzanne Fleisher Roberts Jan. 18

"Glee," "Secretariat" and actresses Jennifer Aniston, Jane Lynch and Susan Sarandon are among 2011 WIN Awards nominees.

Elizabeth Taylor and philanthropist Suzanne Fleisher Roberts, mother of Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts, will be among the honorees next month at the 2011 Women's Image Network Awards.

WIN founder Phyllis Stuart said Monday that Taylor is being honored for her "artistic genius and her HIV/AIDS activism." The two-time Oscar-winning actress agreed to be honored but is ailing and might not be able to attend the Jan. 18 ceremony in Santa Monica.

Roberts is expected to fly in from Philadelphia, where she is well-known for her philanthropy and work in the arts. The wife of Comcast founder Ralph Roberts, she hosts a cable TV show called Seeking Solutions With Suzanne.

WIN presents awards in 13 categories. The 2011 nominees include Temple Grandin, Glee, Made in Dagenham and Secretariat and actresses Diane Lane, Sally Hawkins, Jennifer Aniston, Maggie Smith, Jane Lynch, Susan Sarandon and Selena Gomez.

Presented since 1993, the WIN awards celebrate film, television and advertising artists who "create dimensional female media images which shape positive public opinion about the value of women and girls."

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Djimon Hounsou Circling Black Panther?

io9 recently spoke with actor Djimon Hounsou, who revealed that he is interested in portraying Black Panther for Marvel Studios. Here's what he told the site below:

"He's a king, he's a man of the people, and he's very powerful - he challenges himself throughout his kingdom, and I think that's rare when the king puts his own life [on the line] and challenges [people] to beat him, in order to see [who's] the best out there... He's really cool. He comes from a world in Africa that is cool, and has all those minerals and it's very exciting. It's just a matter of time for that to be realized."

If he does portray T'Challa in the Marvel movie, it wouldn't be his first time as the character. He provided the voice for the animated Black Panther TV series. He added that the animated series was used to drum up interest for the movie: "That was the idea: using it as a leverage to tell a feature story."

We reported last year that Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje was in talks to play Black Panther, but it is unclear if he's still in contention for the role. We'll be sure to keep you posted with any future details on a Black Panther movie as soon as we have more information. Black Panther is in development .

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The Three Stooges Shoots in March

Because MGM is moving towards a more stable financial situation as a studio, 20th Century Fox is now able to announce a start date for its long-gestating comedy The Three Stooges, which will be directed by Peter Farrelly and Bobby Farrelly. According to Deadline, the Farrelly brothers ten-years-in-the-making passion project will begin principle photography on March 14th.

The Farrelly brothers will be directing from a script that they wrote with long time collaborator Mike Cerrone. There is no cast in place at this time, as previously announced Stooges Jim Carrey and Sean Penn have dropped out. Benicio Del Toro, who was set to play Moe, may still appear. Casting will begin immediately.

The story begins with the stooges being dumped off at an orphanage as babies. Richard Jenkins is in talks to play the head of the orphanage, who is terrorized by the Stooges as they grow up. The Stooges will be followed through adulthood, where this blue-collar trio will act out against a wealthy society that aims to keep them down. The gags will arrive at a rapid-fire pace, and the structure of the jokes will adhere closely to the original short films upon which this comedy is based.

Peter Farrelly stated, "The script is ready to go, and we are opening up these roles to the world right now. We'll make it with the best possible people. Our feeling is that no star is too big to audition and no matter who it is, we're going to have to see him in the role. This is not The Flintstones. You've got to be Moe, Larry and Curly, and that could be a major movie star or an unknown. There will be non-stop slapping, more in the tone of Dumb and Dumber than anything. Our goal is 85 minutes of laughs in a film that will be very respectful of whom the Stooges were. It's by far the riskiest project we've ever done, without question, but it is also the one closest to our hearts."

The movie will be split into three twenty-seven minute segments, which will allow the Farrelly brothers to use all three original The Three Stooges theme songs. It will be rated PG despite its strong physical comedy. The directors are hoping to shot in Atlanta.

The Three Stooges comes to theaters in 2012. The film is directed by Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly.

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Superman Solely in the Hands of Zack Snyder

At a recent reception in Hollywood for the Blu-ray and DVD release of Inception, which hits on December 7th, Hitfix caught up with Christopher Nolan's wife and producing partner Emma Thomas, who revealed that her husband will have no creative input when it comes to Zack Snyder's reboot of Superman.

While Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer wrote the screenplay for Superman, it will be completely in the hands of Snyder. Emma explained that Christopher and David have hit upon an idea that has never been explored by Warner Bros. before. But Nolan is far too busy with his own sequel The Dark Knight Rises to offer any further help in getting the project off the ground. They have completely handed off the idea to Snyder, who will be the sole creative force behind getting it to the screen. There will be no collaboration between the two maverick directors.

In other news stemming from the Inception reception, Thompson on Hollywood learned that Hans Zimmer will be scoring the Superman reboot.

Superman comes to theaters in 2012. The film is directed by Zack Snyder.

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Jackass 3.5 Launches Digitally in March 2011

Paramount Digital Entertainment in association with MTV, both part of Viacom Inc. announced today that it plans to add another original project to its popular digital programming line-up: Jackass 3.5, which will premiere in March 2011.

The third installment of Jackass from Paramount Pictures and MTV Films - Jackass 3D - hit theaters on October 15, 2010 and has already grossed over $155 million at the worldwide box office. The film stars Johnny Knoxville and the boys and was produced by Dickhouse Production's Jeff Tremaine and Spike Jonze, along with Knoxville. Jackass 3.5, which was tailor-made for launch in digital media, will feature all new content, including never-before-seen stunts, pranks and other side-splitting antics by the Jackass crew. New stunts and antics from Jackass 3.5 will be released online weekly and then packaged together as a feature length film distributed digitally followed by other platforms including home video.

"I don't want to say that the Jackass guys invented the Internet, but they were doing viral videos before most people had even heard the term. That distinguished heritage makes Jackass the perfect franchise for digital," said Thomas Lesinski, President of Paramount Digital Entertainment. "When the Jackass guys went to make Jackass 3D, we proposed that we shoot a follow up to the successful Jackass 2.5 digital feature alongside it, and everyone was up for it. In Jackass 3.5, you are going to see an entire movie's worth of new stunts, new pranks and new gags, on whatever screen you choose."

"For Jackass 3D we shot enough footage for two movies so a lot of great stuff didn't make it in the film. Luckily you will get to see those bits in 3.5. We also shot some additional footage in Europe specifically for 3.5. I have staples in my head right now to prove it. Woo hoo," said Jackass co-founder and star Johnny Knoxville.

"It's been ten years since Jackass first launched on MTV and there is still more poo, stunts and hilarity to go around on every screen imaginable," said Van Toffler, President, MTVN Music/Logo/Films Group. "Whenever the Jackass crew gets together, you know there will be a plethora of valuable fragments of entertainment to satiate their fans, and Jackass 3.5 will not disappoint as the latest installment in this fine franchise."

In 2007, Paramount Digital Entertainment & MTV released Jackass 2.5, the first digital movie released by a studio that quickly became the most successful non-theatrical release in the studio's history. In the first few weeks of launch, the digital property garnered over 20 million views and was the #1 title on iTunes the week it launched.

The Jackass franchise first debuted as an original television series on MTV from 2000 to 2002, launching the careers of Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera and other now-popular personalities shown performing outrageous stunts and hysterical pranks. Since 2002, three successful Jackass theatrical films have been produced and released by MTV Films and Paramount Pictures. Jackass: The Movie grossed more than $64 million in the United States alone, and finished in the Number 1 spot at the box office in its opening weekend. Jackass Number Two was released in September 2006 and like its predecessor, topped the box office in its debut weekend, and ultimately earned more than $72 million in cumulative box office revenues. Jackass 3D, released this October 2010 dominated the weekend box office opening to $50 million in ticket sales, setting several records such as becoming the biggest opening ever for a non-scripted/documentary-esque film, the 10th highest opening comedy of all-time, notching the record for an October midnight gross with $2.5 million, making it a special event for throngs of moviegoers.

The Jackass franchise also includes a Jackass: The Game video game for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS. Its numerous DVD releases include Jackass, Vol. 1, Jackass - Vol. 2, Jackass: The Movie, Jackass, Vol. 3, Jackass - The Box Set, Jackass Number Two DVD, Jackass 2.5, Jackass Presents: Mat Hoffman's Tribute to Evel Knievel DVD, and Jackass: The Lost Tapes.

Jackass 3.5 comes to theaters in 2011 and stars Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Steve-O, Ryan Dunn, Chris Pontius, Jason Acuña, Preston Lacy, Dave England. The film is directed by Jeff Tremaine.

Jackass 3D was released October 15th, 2010 and stars Seann William Scott, Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Steve-O, Spike Jonze, Chris Pontius, Jason Acuña, Ryan Dunn. The film is directed by Jeff Tremaine.

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James Franco and Anne Hathaway Hosting The 83rd Academy Awards

James Franco and Anne Hathaway will serve as co-hosts of the 83rd Academy Awards, Oscar telecast producers Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer announced today. Both have previously appeared on the telecast but not in hosting capacities.

"James Franco and Anne Hathaway personify the next generation of Hollywood icons- fresh, exciting and multi-talented. We hope to create an Oscar broadcast that will both showcase their incredible talents and entertain the world on February 27," said Cohen and Mischer. "We are completely thrilled that James and Anne will be joining forces with our brilliant creative team to do just that."

Franco, who currently can be seen in 127 Hours, will be making his second appearance on an Oscar telecast. His other film credits include Eat, Pray, Love, Date Night, Milk and Pineapple Express. Franco is also known for his portrayals of Harry Osborn in the Spider-Man trilogy.

Hathaway will be making her fifth appearance on an Academy Awards telecast. She was recently seen in Alice in Wonderland and currently can be seen in Love and Other Drugs. Hathaway's other film credits include Bride Wars, Becoming Jane, The Devil Wears Prada and The Princess Diaries. She was nominated for an Oscar in 2008 for her lead performance in Rachel Getting Married.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2010 will be presented on Sunday, February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

The Academy Awards episode 83.1, "The 83rd Annual Academy Awards" airs on ABC February 27th, 2011. The episode stars James Franco, Anne Hathaway.

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Ghostbusters 3 Casting Rumors Confirmed by Dan Aykroyd

It was rumored on Wednesday that Anna Faris and Bill Hader were up for roles in the long awaited sequel Ghostbusters 3. Now, franchise creator Dan Aykroyd has come forward to confirm those rumors.

Bloody Disgusting learned from a reader that Aykroyd had appeared on WGN Radio in Chicago this past week, where he commented about the casting process on Ghostbusters 3. He stated that they definitely want to bring in some "fresh faces", and that Faris and Hader are at the top of his list for future Ghostbusters. Eliza Dushku's name was also mentioned, as previously rumored, and Dan confirmed that Bill Murray and Sigourney Weaver will definitely return for this third movie.

No "official" casting announcements were made by Aykroyd in regards to the new Ghostbusters coming in to take over for Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, Bill Murray, and himself. The comedian said that it was still too early to tell who will round out the cast. Columbia Pictures is eyeing a May 2011 start date for Ghostbusters 3. So expect an official announcement soon.

Ghostbusters 3 comes to theaters in 2012 and stars Sigourney Weaver, Anna Faris, Bill Murray, Eliza Dushku, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Annie Potts, Ernie Hudson. The film is directed by Ivan Reitman.

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Ghostbusters 3 Eyeing Anna Farris

The Australian site What's Playing discovered a casting call from Feature Film Auditions which notes that Anna Faris has signed onto play a young Ghostbuster in Ghostbusters 3.

The notice revealed that casting is currently under way to find more of the younger replacement Ghostbusters for the sequel. We reported in October that Dan Aykroyd was writing the script, which would feature new Ghostbusters being mentored by the original members of the team. We also reported a few weeks ago that Ghostbusters 3 will start shooting in May 2011, which was confirmed by this casting notice. The movie will be released in December of 2012.

What's Playing reached out to Sony for confirmation on Anna Faris' involvement, and while their source couldn't confirm her casting, Saturday Night Live actors Will Forte and Bill Hader were mentioned as possible Ghostbusters 3 actors.

Regardless, the casting for Ghostbusters 3 is currently happening and we'll be sure to keep you posted with any further details on this highly-anticipated project as soon as we have more information.

Ghostbusters 3 comes to theaters in 2012 and stars Sigourney Weaver, Anna Faris, Bill Murray, Eliza Dushku, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Annie Potts, Ernie Hudson. The film is directed by Ivan Reitman.

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Monte Carlo and Moneyball Get New Release Dates

The girl-centric romantic comedy Monte Carlo has been bumped from its earnest Valentine's date in February to the more brutal playground of July 1st, where it will now go up against Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Tom Hanks' Joe Versus the Volcano-esque comedy Larry Crowne.

20th Century Fox moved the drama, which centers on three girls (Selena Gomez, Leighton Meester, and Katie Cassidy) assuming fake identities in Paris, so that it wouldn't have to content with Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, which is aiming for the exact same audience. The Jennifer Aniston-Adam Sandler romantic comedy Just Go with It and the Disney animated romance Gnomeo and Juliet are also slated to open on Monte Carlo's original date of February 11th.

In other release news, the Brad Pitt drama Moneyball, which also stars Jonah Hill, Robin Wright, and Philip Seymour Hoffman, has been tagged with a September 23rd debut date. The real-life tale recounts Oakland A manager Billy Beane's record breaking winning streak in professional sports.

Because of this new release date announcement, Roland Emmerich's latest thriller Anonymous has been bucked from its original September 23rd date to a week later, where it will open on September 30th. It will now have to face the Daniel Craig thriller Dream House.

Monte Carlo comes to theaters July 1st, 2011 and stars Selena Gomez, Leighton Meester, Katie Cassidy, Andie MacDowell, Cory Monteith. The film is directed by Thomas Bezucha.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon comes to theaters July 1st, 2011 and stars Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Julie White, Kevin Dunn, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Alan Tudyk, John Malkovich. The film is directed by Michael Bay.

Larry Crowne comes to theaters July 1st, 2011 and stars Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Taraji P. Henson, Bryan Cranston, George Takei, Peter Scolari, Cedric the Entertainer. The film is directed by Tom Hanks.

Moneyball comes to theaters September 23rd, 2011 and stars Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Robin Wright, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kathryn Morris, Rick Yudt, Frankie Ingrassia, Renee Diamond. The film is directed by Bennett Miller.

Anonymous comes to theaters September 30th, 2011 and stars Rhys Ifans, Vanessa Redgrave, David Thewlis, Edward Hogg, Julian Bleach, Tony Way, Robert Emms. The film is directed by Roland Emmerich.

Dream House comes to theaters September 30th, 2011 and stars Rachel Weisz, Naomi Watts, Marton Csokas, Claire Geare, Taylor Geare, Rachel G. Fox, Mark Wilson, Jonathan Potts. The film is directed by Jim Sheridan.

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Relativity Media Picks Up 3D Shark Movie

Relativity Media has announced its completion of a deal securing domestic rights to the film, The Untitled David R. Ellis 3D Shark Thriller (previously titled Shark Night 3D), from Sierra Pictures and partner Incentive Filmed Entertainment. The studio plans for a wide release of the film in 2011. The film is currently in post-production, with the partners planning for a new title to the film and a specific release date, both to be announced shortly.

The film is directed by David R. Ellis (The Final Destination, Final Destination 2, Cellular) and stars Sara Paxton, Dustin Milligan, Katharine McPhee, Chris Carmack, Alyssa Diaz, Joel Moore, Donal Logue, Sinqua Walls and Chris Zylka. The Sierra Pictures and Incentive Filmed Entertainment project was penned by Jesse Studenberg and Will Hayes and is being produced by Chris Briggs and Mike Fleiss via their NextFilms banner, and Lynette Howell via the Silverwood Films banner. The plot surrounds a group of college friends spending a weekend at a house on the lake, only to find that danger lurks beneath its waters.

The announcement today follows shortly after Sierra's success during this year's 2010 American Film Market at which the company sold the rights to Ellis' film in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Benelux, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, CIS and the Baltics. They were also successful in closing deals in multiple international territories for the comedy Darling Companion, the crime thrillers Rampart and Catch .44.

The distribution agreement was negotiated on behalf of Sierra and Incentive by Nick Meyer, President and CEO of Sierra with the filmmakers being represented by Graham Taylor of WME Global.

Shark Night 3D comes to theaters in 2011 and stars Sara Paxton, Dustin Milligan, Katharine McPhee, Chris Carmack, Alyssa Diaz, Joel Moore, Donal Logue, Sinqua Walls. The film is directed by David R. Ellis.

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Japan's first 3D television series "Tokyo Control"

       Three-dimensional technology has become increasingly mainstream with Japanese electronics makers releasing 3-D television sets, riding on the popularity of Hollywood blockbusters such as "Avatar".

　　Japan's first 3-D television series -- an airport drama called "Tokyo Control" -- will air from January on a satellite television channel, Fuji Television Network Inc. said.

　　Sky Perfect JSAT Corp. will broadcast the 10-episode drama about Tokyo's air traffic control centre, said Fuji Television, which produces the drama.

      "3-D will give us a more vigorous and realistic impact," said actress Ayako Kawahara, who plays the main role. "I think (viewers) can feel like they are actually in there."

　　Three-dimensional technology has become increasingly mainstream with Japanese electronics makers releasing 3-D television sets, riding on the popularity of Hollywood blockbusters such as "Avatar".

　　Fuji will also launch a new midnight Sunday 3D slot on its broadcast satellite BS Fuji channel that will feature sports, documentaries and music programs. It will begin with three specials on Jan. 1, 2 and 3, and then commence regular broadcasts from Jan. 9.

　　The series will be titled 3D*3D – pronounced sande sande – a play on the Japanese word for three (san) and the English word Sunday.

　　Sony is partnering with Fuji, Japan’s biggest network, to produce the 3D for both series.

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Superman Casting Begins!

Deadline reports that casting for the highly-anticipated Superman movie has begun, with speculation that actors such as Armie Hammer (The Social Network), Joe Manganiello (True Blood) and Ian Somerhalder (The Vampire Diaries) may be up to play Clark Kent .

We reported a few weeks ago that Joe Manganiello is being considered for the lead role, although there is no indication that Armie Hammer or Ian Somerhalder have taken meetings or expressed interest in the part. It seems, though, that Warner Bros., producer Christopher Nolan and director Zack Snyder want to create a new star with their Superman, as they hope to cast a movie or TV actor who isn't a household name yet.

They are looking for actors who are between the ages of 28 and 32 for this new Man of Steel, and it was said they will cast a, "wide net" to find the right Superman. Zack Snyder will direct from a script by David S. Goyer, which they are both polishing at this time. Production is said to start next June.

We'll be sure to keep you posted on any Superman updates as soon as we have more information.

Superman comes to theaters in 2012. The film is directed by Zack Snyder.

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The wedding of Prince William

　　Prince William (Bauer Griffin) Prince William is off the market! The royal, who's second in line to throne behind his father the Prince of Wales, will marry 28-year-old Kate Middleton next year following a secret engagement during a holiday to Kenya last month, Clarence House have confirmed.

　　A statement read: “The Prince of Wales is delighted to announce the engagement of Prince William to Miss Catherine Middleton.

　　“The wedding will take place in either spring or summer next year in London. Further details about the date and venue will be released in due course.”

　　The pair began dating eight years ago while they both studied at St. Andrews University in Fife, Scotland.

　　William, the eldest son of Charles and the late Princess Diana, has previously revealed he planned to get married at the age of 28 or 29, although later said he regretted the statement.

　　He said: “I was young, I'd had a few drinks... what can I say? I wish I had kept my big mouth shut!"

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New app of Star Wars game for iPhone

　　It is the dream app for anyone still harbouring unfulfilled fantasies of being Luke Skywalker in Star Wars.

　　A new game for iPhone lets users take the controls of the Millennium Falcon and battle enemy spaceships using the phone's built-in camera to create the backdrop.

　　The new app uses whatever the camera is seeing as the backdrop to the game, in this case the skyscrapers of Manhattan in New york.

　　The app, which is due to be released later this month, is one of the first games to use 'augmented reality', when meshes real-life environments with virtual additions.

　　Augmented reality places layers of virtual information over real-life locations and is expected to be widely used to enhance tourist sites with the new generation of smartphones.

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Hatsune Miku has taken the music scene

　　She is cute, stylish and has had a number one chart-topping single. But Japan’s newest and biggest pop star differs from most of her peers in one crucial aspect: she is a hologram.

　　Hatsune Miku has taken the music scene by storm in her native Japan where her concerts are always sold out and are full of screaming, adoring fans. Now, like something out of a science fiction film, videos have emerged which show Miku on tour in Japan, singing a selection of hits.

　　Miku is a digital avatar created by Japanese technology firm Crypton Future Media that customers can purchase and then program to perform any song on their computer. She is supposed to be 16 years old and five foot two inches tall but her makers have given little away about her personality. Crypton uses voices recorded by actors and then puts them through Yamaha’s Vocaloid software to create its characters.

　　Miku's voice was created by taking vocal samples from the voice actress Saki Fujita. All of the samples contained a single Japanese sound which when strung together would create full words and phrases.

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Emma Watson finished filming Harry Potter

　　Emma Watson just finished filming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts I and II, the seventh and eighth movies in the wizarding franchise, and the end of the life-changing experience is still sinking in.

　　She said: “I’m going to say something really sad. Knowing that there's still more to come from me -- it feels very strange to feel like you're retiring when you're 20 years old. But it does feel that way. I've spent 10 years making these movies and I just hope that the second part of my life is as incredible as the first half.”

　　Though she is sad about the end of filming, Emma will have a permanent reminder of her stint after revealing she has a “serious collection” of bibles which she is often sent by well-meaning fans.

　　She explained on UK TV show Daybreak: “I think people just think we need guidance, you know? It is slightly strange, I do have quite a serious collection of them now.”

　　The brunette beauty also spoke about how much she is enjoying student life at Brown University.

　　She said: “I work hard, I work really hard. I do really enjoy it so that helps.”

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Jen Aniston pose nude in her new movie

　　Working on the raunchy Judd Apatow comedy Wanderlust, actress Malin Ackerman was mightily impressed with costar Jen Aniston, she tells UsMagazine.com.

　　Aniston, 41, is "amazing", Ackerman gushed to Us Tuesday at the People's Choice Awards 2011 nominee announcements in West Hollywood.

　　In the flick, Aniston is rumored to go topless. True? "There's a very big maybe, yes...One of the cast members is a nudist," Ackerman teased, adding, "I am not the nudist!"

　　Despite staying vague on the topless talk, Ackerman couldn't stop praising her famous colleague. "She is an incredible woman in every area of life," she said of Aniston. "She's just so giving and wonderful with both feet on the ground. Just lovely, really exceptional."

　　In Wanderlust, Ackerman plays a member of a "hippie" commune which Aniston and onscreen husband Paul Rudd mistake for a bed and breakfast.

　　One nutty sequence, she said, involves characters "tripping" on a "crazy peyote-like drug." 　　

      The cast really had fun off-set, too. "It was an amazing love fest," Ackerman noted of the production, which shot in rural Georgia. "We all really got along, and it was nice to be in such a small town and you end up having dinner together and hanging out. Lot of karaoke!"

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Zooey Deschanel in the role of Betty Brandt of Spider-Man

　　Sony is starting to cast the secondary characters for Marc Webb's upcoming Untitled Spider-Man Reboot, also known as Spider-Man 2.0. According to Showbizspy.com, Webbwants his former (500) Days of Summer star Zooey Deschanel in the role of Betty Brandt.

　　Brandt is the sexy personal assistant of Daily Bugle boss J. Jonah Jameson, who has yet to be cast. As previouslyreported, Mad Men star John Slattery and Sam Elliott are both still being considered for the role.

　　While Betty Brandt only had a small role in the original trilogy, as played by Elizabeth Banks in all three Sam Raimidirected Spider-Man movies, an insider close to the production stated:

　　"Marc Webb has big plans for her. He wants a strong performer to carry the role and Zooey Deschanel fits the bill perfectly. The role is hers if she wants it."

　　Official casting announcements for Betty Brandt, J. Jonah Jameson, and Richard and Mary Parker, Peter's biological parents, are expected soon.

　　Untitled Spider-Man Reboot comes to theaters July 3rd, 2012 and stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone,Rhys Ifans, Martin Sheen. The film is directed by Marc Webb.

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Iran will arrest suntanned women and girls

      Iran has warned suntanned women and girls who looked like "walking mannequins" will be arrested as part of a new drive to enforce the Islamic dress code.

　　"The public expects us to act firmly and swiftly if we see any social misbehaviour by women, and men, who defy our Islamic values. In some areas of north Tehran we can see many suntanned women and young girls who look like walking mannequins. We are not going to tolerate this situation and will first warn those found in this manner and then arrest and imprison them," said Brig Hossien Sajedinia, Tehran's police chief.

　　Iran's Islamic leadership has in recent weeks launched a campaign to persuade the population that vice is sweeping the streets of the capital. National law stipulates that women wear headscarves and shape shrouding cloaks but many women, particularly in the capital, spend heavily on fashions that barely adhere to the regulations.

　　The announcement came shortly after a leading cleric warned that women who dressed immodestly disturbed young men and the consequent agitation caused earthquakes.

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Remarks of President Barack Obama

This week, Americans across the country cast their votes and made their voices heard.  And your message was clear.
 
You’re rightly frustrated with the pace of our economic recovery.  So am I.
 
You’re fed up with partisan politics and want results.  I do too.
 
So I congratulate all of this week’s winners – Republicans, Democrats, and Independents.  But now, the campaign season is over.  And it’s time to focus on our shared responsibilities to work together and deliver those results: speeding up our economic recovery, creating jobs, and strengthening the middle class so that the American Dream feels like it’s back within reach.
 
That’s why I’ve asked to sit down soon with leaders of both parties so that we can have an extended discussion about what we can do together to move this country forward.
 
And over the next few weeks, we’re going to have a chance to work together in the brief upcoming session of Congress. 
 
Here’s why this lame duck session is so important.  Early in the last decade, President Bush and Congress enacted a series of tax cuts that were designed to expire at the end of this year.
 
What that means is, if Congress doesn’t act by New Year’s Eve, middle-class families will see their taxes go up starting on New Year’s Day.
 
But the last thing we should do is raise taxes on middle-class families.  For the past decade, they saw their costs rise, their incomes fall, and too many jobs go overseas.  They’re the ones bearing the brunt of the recession.  They’re the ones having trouble making ends meet. They are the ones who need relief right now.
 
So something’s got to be done.  And I believe there’s room for us to compromise and get it done together.
 
Let’s start where we agree.  All of us want certainty for middle-class Americans.  None of us want them to wake up on January 1st with a higher tax bill.  That’s why I believe we should permanently extend the Bush tax cuts for all families making less than $250,000 a year.  That’s 98 percent of the American people. 
 
We also agree on the need to start cutting spending and bringing down our deficit.  That’s going to require everyone to make some tough choices.  In fact, if Congress were to implement my proposal to freeze non-security discretionary spending for three years, it would bring this spending down to its lowest level as share of the economy in 50 years.
 
But at a time when we are going to ask folks across the board to make such difficult sacrifices, I don’t see how we can afford to borrow an additional $700 billion from other countries to make all the Bush tax cuts permanent, even for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans.  We’d be digging ourselves into an even deeper fiscal hole and passing the burden on to our children.
 
I recognize that both parties are going to have to work together and compromise to get something done here.  But I want to make my priorities clear from the start.  One: middle class families need permanent tax relief. And two: I believe we can’t afford to borrow and spend another $700 billion on permanent tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires.
 
There are new public servants in Washington, but we still face the same challenges.  And you made it clear that it’s time for results. This a great opportunity to show everyone that we got the message and that we’re willing, in this post-election season, to come together and do what’s best for the country we all love.
 
Thanks.

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