It's Official: 'Moonrise Kingdom' will open Cannes

AndersonWes Anderson's "Moonrise Kingdom" is set to open the 65th Cannes Film Festival.Cannes delegate general Thierry Fremaux announced Thursday that the film had been selected for the fest's prestigious opening-night slot, though it remains unclear whether it will play in or out of competition.Cannes kicks off May 16, the same day "Moonrise" is slated to open in French theaters through Studiocanal. A Croisette berth has seemed likely ever since Focus Features announced the pic would open May 25 Stateside.An ensembler set in 1960s New England and featuring Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDorman, Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman and Bob Balaban, "Moonrise Kingdom" is Anderson's live-action follow-up to his 2009 stop-motion toon, "Fantastic Mr. Fox."Fest has tended to open with U.S. studio/specialty-division titles in recent years, such as Disney-Pixar's "Up" (2009), Universal's "Robin Hood" (2010) and Sony Classics' "Midnight in Paris" (2011).Fest runs May 16-27. Contact Justin Chang at justin.chang@variety.com

Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese Yanks Advertisements From GCB

Should you could recognize Kanye West's "Runaway" from that first tinkling piano note within the Bud Lite Platinum Super Bowl commercial, then you may be fortunate. FremantleMedia has guaranteed the privileges towards the classic game show Title That Tune for any reboot, Vulture reviews. The organization includes a good history for refreshing game shows for example Family Feud and Let us Create a Deal. Find Out More > Other Links From TVGuide.com Title That TuneKathy Lee GiffordKanye West

Woodsy Allen calculates 'Gigolo' role

AllenVergaraIt remains more than ten years since Woodsy Allen socialized in the film he didn't direct, nevertheless the recent Oscar-champion is positioned to participate John Turturro inside the indie comedy "Diminishing Gigolo," which Turturro is writing and pointing."Modern Family" star Sofia Vergara is at talks to battle a supporting role, and Sharon Stone may also be set to co-star.Jeffrey Kusama-Hinte ("The Kids Are Right") and French shingle MK2 are coming up with the pic, which finds Turturro and Allen playing cash-strapped close buddies who subscriber towards the gigolo business together and subsequently attract the suspicion in the Hasidic Jewish community through which they live. Duo undertake the pseudonyms Virgil and Bongo, with Allen pimping out Turturro's character until he falls for just about any Jewish widow, that is not cast.Stone may have Allen's skin physician who utilizes Turturro to relaxation along with her, while Vergara is predicted to see another wealthy client who's fed up with her marriage and desires to experience a threesome with Turturro and Stone.Production is skedded to do this April in Gotham.The ultimate time Allen came out in someone else's project is at 2000, because he starred in Alfonso Arau's comedy "Acquiring the Pieces" and did an uncredited cameo in Peter Askin and Douglas McGrath's "Company Guy," which featured Turturro.Allen is coming initially from off an Oscar win for writing The brand new the new sony Pictures Classics' "Evening amount of time in Paris," that more youthful crowd acquired a pointing nomination. He's doing appear onscreen within the next film, "Nero Fiddled," which SPC will release in June.Turturro formerly written, directed and produced the musical "Romance and Cigarettes," in addition to directed the documentary "Passione," in regards to the musical roots and influences of Naples, Italia. Turturro carried out a author in Allen's 1986 pic "Hannah and Her Brothers and sisters."Allen is repped by ICM and MBST Entertainment, while CAA and Untitled Entertainment repetition Vergara. Turturro is repped by Cinetic Media. Contact Rob Sneider at rob.sneider@variety.com

New Hunger Games images arrive

The Hunger Games has first demonstrated a trio of latest images while watching film's release later this month, featuring supporting players Jesse Sutherland, Woodsy Harrelson and Wes Bentley.The initial shows Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss receiving some last-minute encouragement from Woodsy Harrelson's former tribute, Haymitch Abernathy.The next sees Jesse Sutherland's wicked Leader Snow, walking by having an orchard based on mind Gamemaker Seneca Crane (Wes Bentley), in the setting that won't help telling us in the Godfather's orchard scene!Finally, we view a couple of from the film's youthful players collected together, with Isabelle Fuhrman, Alexander Ludwig, Jack Quaid, and Leven Rambin representing numerous Katniss' rival rivals.That has agreed to whet our appetites much more for your film's arrival on 23 March. The earth will probably be watching, nevertheless the large question for you is... will you?

'Artist's' kudos boost French plan

'The Artist'PARIS -- The honours triumph of "The Artist" is improving a lot more than the egos and fortunes of their creative team. The whole French market is basking within the glow from the Cesar-Oscar champion, which might maintain the nation's film subsidies. Beyond that, the film is certain to function as the shining illustration of worldwide production, advancing the advantages from last year's Oscar champion "The King's Speech." "That's a great chance for Europe," states Philippe Carcassonne at Cine@, which, with Gaumont, is creating Anne Fontaine's yet-to-be-entitled British-language debut, with Naomi W and Robin Wright. The popularity started before "The Artist," with large Gallic clothes -- Studiocanal, Wild Bunch, Gaumont, Pathe, EuropaCorp -- getting into British-language productions with bigger budgets in trendy, audience-friendly films. Even though the largely quiet "Artist" can't exactly be known as "British-language," the pic certainly features the worldwide melting pot of talent now for. A U.S. distribution deal might not be also necessary in some instances. Movies produced by French companies with budgets below $25 million could be funded and recoup without this type of deal. Strong United States B.O. simply reps "a large cherry around the cake," states Carcassonne. "French groups and independents will most likely keep trading in medium-sized indie American Films," states Vincent Maraval of untamed Bunch, which backed "The Artist," pointing towards the shingle's new James Grey film, and Guillaume Canet's "Bloodstream Ties." Studiocanal funded "Mess Tailor Soldier Spy," and it is co-financing the Coen brothers' "Inside Llewyn Davis" in addition to Susanne Bier's "Serena," with Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper. Diving into more mainstream fare, these small-galleries find willing partners among a burgeoning bevy of indie production houses -- La Petite Reine, Quad, L'ensemble des Productions du Tresor, LGM, Why Don't You, Fidelite, Dimitri Rassam, Aton Soumache -- that are making films with artistic and social-problem heft, in addition to box office and worldwide sales ambitions. Paris-based producer Stated Ben Stated, who's creating John P Palma's "Passion" Paulo Branco, who's shepherding David Cronenberg's "Cosmopolis" and Georges Bermann, who's creating Michel Gondry's "The We and also the I," are good examples of European producers with global aims. "'The Artist' represents the power French producers are in possession of to gain access to American talent, enhance the financing in Europe and set together high-quality, creatively ambitious movies within the midbudget range for that worldwide market," states Nicolas Duval-Adassovsky at Quad Films, which created "The Intouchables," is developing the British-language remake of "Intouchables" with TWC and casting "Diamonds Dogs," the very first British-language film from "Heartbreaker's" helmer Pascal Chaumeil. Adds Quad's Yann Zenou: " 'The Artist's' situation will definitely be a reference in discussions between bankers and producers pitching unusual projects." Underlining Gaul's growing footprint around the worldwide film biz, 13 of the year's Oscars visited films with French backing. "Night time in Paris" and areas of "Hugo" lensed in France and came upon Gaul's Tax Rebate for Worldwide Production. Pathe, France's second earliest film company, co-created "The Iron Lady." And "The Artist," despite being shot in La having a U.S. crew, is -- in the end -- a French film. "The Artist's" triumph has extended in to the political arena, with French Leader Nicolas Sarkozy trumpeting the pic "demonstrates the exceptional vitality from the French cinema and also the (film) guidelines set up by public government bodies." France's first picture Oscar will bolster the arguments of authorities who offer the film subsidy system when confronted with possible austerity measures that may be put in place following a next presidential election, May 6. Additionally, the pic underlines the growing need for the Cannes Film Festival within the worldwide honours circuit. Three of the year's Academy-Award best pic challengers -- "The Artist," "The Tree of Existence" and "Night time in Paris" -- performed finally year's Cannes fest. "Paris" opened up the big event, "Existence" won the Palme d'Or and "Artist" required the actor prize after Cannes topper Thierry Fremaux knocked it up to and including Competition slot 1 week prior to the fest began. "The Artist's" win stands for Cannes' award-season role. "Producers and purchasers agents are searching to put films not only for Oscars however for a whole sequence of honours celebration. Cannes is well-situated and well-timed to become where these films premiere," states Erectile dysfunction Arentz of U.S. distributor Music Box. With Oscar challengers for example "Inglourious Basterds," "Mystic River," "Babel" and "No Country for Old Males," amongst others, bowing at Cannes, "The Oscar race can begin in Cannes," states Wild Bunch's Maraval. "Cannes is today the ce ntral platform for the standard films of the season. The U.S. industry usually favors Sundance, but the past few years demonstrated this really is wrong." The Weinstein Co. bought "The Artist" at about the time of Cannes. "We do not wait on anything," states David Glasser, Weinstein chief operating officer. "When we visit a film we love to, we purchase it immediately." The takeaway: French purchase of British-lingo photos could boom. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

NBC Builds up Erica Durance Medical Drama for Summer season

Adam Baldwin and Nathan Fillion, Castle Extended before Nathan Fillion was fixing crimes with Stana Katic on Castle, he was soaring through area surrounding rapid-were living cult fave Firefly. Now, the first time, Castle gets back Nathan using one of his former co-stars round the ABC crime series. Inside an episode slated for spring, Adam Baldwin, who carried out Firefly's Jayne Cobb to Nathan's Capt. Malcolm 'Mal' Reynolds, will guest star just like a detective named Ethan Slaughter. (How's that for just about any character title?) Slaughter is known to in my opinion just like a rough and tumble cop within the city's gang unit who lands a scenario that Castle is wanting to follow. In route, Slaughter shows Castle a dirtier side of police work that forces Castle to reconsider what he's ready to do to be able to close a scenario. Since the season will get near its cliffhanging conclusion, expect this new alliance to place Castle within the kind of fire the very first time. My sources tell me Nathan is finished the moon relevant for this fun jerk to his sci-fi past. Nathan and Adam also co-starred together in Firefly's 2005 spin-off feature film, Peace. Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!

SAG-AFTRA Merger: How Stars Come On Energy

SAG-AFTRA merger ballots venture out soon, and when people of Hollywood's two actor unions provide a thumbs-up, they'll trigger a 2-year procedure for mixing staff, boards, contracts and, most likely, pension and health plans.After which what?What about two more mergers? Don't laugh. Proper combinations could change Hollywood and spawn a titan worth top billing inside a summer time action movie: a bulked-up superunion with star energy, deep achieve into every congressional district and unparalleled leverage from the major galleries.The initial step is always to merge SAG-AFTRA with Stars Equity, happens stars union. That will bring just about any professional actor in one place -- permitting the megaguild to show in the warmth on Disney, a large theater producer.The merged stars union could go one step further and join having a union which has very little mind-be part of Hollywood: the American Federation of Music artists. Besides discussing the worries of all entertainment union people -- wages, benefits and job possibilities -- the bond here's AFTRA, the 77,000-member guild that signifies stars, newscasters and, importantly, performers. Major-label tracks are often made by AFTRA performers and AFM music artists, working 16-hour days together.The unions interact too. They manage a joint royalties fund, as well as their music contracts are actually synchronized, providing them with more energy when confronted with labels -- including The new sony Music, which turns into a pressure point from the company's movie studio too.A mix of SAG-AFTRA using the AFM could be a game title-changer. The musicians' union boasts 90,000 people, which may bring the combined total to some hefty quarter-million. More essential, AFM's people are dispersed across 250 local people, a geographic achieve SAG and AFTRA are only able to imagine.That means a chance to area significant amounts in each and every condition and congressional district -- required for fighting for union legislation focal points or against individuals from the galleries. The union could, for example, tie lower NBCUniversal by flooding city local authorities across the nation with complaints about cable companies possessed by Comcast, the studio's parent.Now add the wattage of SAG-AFTRA celebs -- required for bringing in national media attention -- and you've got the elements for any potent campaign in mid-air and on the floor.May be the chairman of the key congressional committee from rural Kansas? SAG-AFTRA-AFM could deploy a Kansas-born star to garner local coverage and generate calls and e-mails. SAG alone, as well as SAG-AFTRA, has little achieve in places where cows outnumber people. But AFM people live from coast to coast.Certainly, the final time an entertainment union strode over the national stage was 70 years back, once the AFM shut lower the record industry -- and set radio stations industry inside a vise -- for 2 years starting in 1942. Choking off entertainment in the height of The Second World War brought to some national uproar, but AFM leader James Petrillo was firm, even when confronted with an individual appeal from FDR. So undeterred was Petrillo he did not hesitate to call another strike, in 1948, that survived several months. Both ended using the companies capitulating.Can entertainment labor accomplish a hat trick? SAG-AFTRA politics are certain to be complex, the AFM features its own stresses, and mega-union plans frequently founder over concerns that certain constituency might dominate. Certainly none of the may happen unless of course SAG and AFTRA merge. Equity will not link up if individuals two unions are estranged, as well as for SAG, the direction to AFM leads straight through AFTRA -- and perhaps to true national energy.--------------MERGER Enemies MAKE THEIR CASEDespite signs os member support for mixing SAG and AFTRA, a little yet progressively vocal minority is making its opposition heard. About 30 picketers collected outdoors the La headquarters of both actor unions in Feb for 2 "Save SAG" rallies made to call focus on perceived weak points from the merger, including questions regarding whether SAG health plans could be destabilized after mixing with AFTRA. The unions' leadership argues that the merger brings the clout required to endure conglomerate-possessed galleries, beat back nonunion work and improve benefits. However, many, for example longtime SAG board member and former vice president Anne-Marie Manley, call that the fallacy, quarrelling the program would "marginalize stars and become a foundation smashing the union." Other medication is agonizing that method to election once the problem is defined before people at the end of Feb. "I am leaning toward no," states Ron Ostrow, another on SAG's settling committee, before adding that he's "concerned that saying no thanks is worse than tallying.Inch SAG people declined merger plans in 1998 and 2003, however the union has chosen professional-merger leaders recently, and 87 percent of their national board endorsed a mixture plan in The month of january. Still, a whiff of lawsuit is incorporated in the air, with a minumum of one opposition group threatening to file a lawsuit in federal court to prevent the merger election before it takes place.Revise: This story was prepared on Feb 20 for inclusion within the weekly print edition of THR. Next date, the suit recommended above was indeed filed. The Hollywood Reporter

MPTF Reveals New $350M Fundraising event Campaign

Movie Television Fund board member George Clooney today introduced the launch from the $350 million fundraising event drive within the organization over the following three years. Within a breakfast within the Polo Lounge in Beverly Slopes, MPTF brass mentioned that $238 million had been elevated inside the effort, with key contributions in the type of Clooney, Steve Bing, Tom Cruise, Craig Diller, Fox Entertaiment Group, David Geffen, Michael Lewis, Jerry Perenchio, Joe Roth, Jeffrey and Marilyn Katzenberg, Todd Phillips, Patrick Soon-shiong, Thomas Tull and John Wells, among others. That’s furthermore for the $100 million already available according to Katzenberg, chairman in the MPTF Foundation. Within the last 2 decades, the fund has elevated $200 million. MPTF leader Bob Beitcher mentioned the fundraising event push has come about as an75,000 baby senior citizens will probably be retiring in the market over the following 2 decades. “This can be a back-on their account,” he mentioned today.The fund’s finest fundraising event event of year, the annual “Night Before” Oscar party, is positioned for Saturday within the Beverly Slopes Hotel. It’s been an assorted bag of news within the MPTF — Clooney, a board member for just about any year, mentioned today that Katzenberg told him, “If you think the Sudan is tough, just try the MPTF.”The organization that provides extended-term health care and services for individuals in the entertainment industry was punished $80,000 with the condition yesterday due to its part inside the dying from the patient this season. Beitcher addressed the citation today, saying the MPTF introduced in outdoors safety consultants and completed special practicing staff so “this won’t happen again,” he mentioned. “This is important but is ancient history for people.”The Woodland Slopes-based nursing facility lately introduced it had reorganized enough to reverse a 2009 decision to close it lower — a move that came critique and law suits. The reopened facility will house around 40 patients anytime continuing to move forward.Last week, the MPTF also introduced a tie-tabs on UCLA Health System which is Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital that will offer ageriatric psychiatry unit within the fund’s Wasserman Campus. It'll provide inpatient and outpatient services and chances are it will anticipate to go noisy . 2013.

5 million 'Breaking Dawn' dvd disks offered

'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Beginning, Part 1'Summit Entertainment has offered greater than 5 million DVD and Blu-ray types of "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Beginning, Part 1" inside the pic's first 11 occasions of homevid release.Summit mentioned DVD sales for your fourth "Twilight" film are roughly 13% before sales for "Eclipse," the next film inside the franchise, within the same reason behind its release. Digital sales may also be before "Eclipse" using more than 74,000 electronic sell-through transactions, up 53%, well as over 175,000 video-on-demand transactions, up 162%.The fourth "Twilight" makes greater than $700 million worldwide within the box office so far. The fifth film, "Breaking Beginning, Part 2," opens November. 16.The homevid prospects for "Breaking Beginning - Part 1" is probably the factors that has elevated Lionsgate stock in recent days round the heels in the small-major's acquisition of Summit while using stock striking consecutive all-time levels with shares jumping 2% Tuesday and Wednesday, closing at $12.55. Analyst David Pleasure of Burns Tabak upgraded the stock with a buy and lifted his cost target from $12 to $14 on Wednesday. While strong, the "Breaking Beginning, Part 1" sales aren't enough to unseat "Avatar" since the reigning homevid champion. This Season, "Avatar" moved 4 million DVD models in the very first day on purchase and also the other 2.7 million Blu-ray game game titles after four days on shelves. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

Reelz acquires Sarah Palin doc

Reelz Channel has acquired TV rights to Stephen Bannon's Sarah Palin documentary "The Undefeated" and will premiere it on March 11, just a day after HBO debuts "Game Change," the adaptation of the best selling book chronicling the Alaska governor's entrance into the 2008 race. The two projects will certainly be a study in contrasts: "The Undefeated," which had a theatrical and pay-per-view run last year, is a reverential look at Palin, from how she took on the good-old-boys club of Alaska politics to her battles against the entrenched media and Beltway establishment as she rose to national prominence. Palin attended the film's premiere last summer in Iowa. "Game Change" is based on the 2008 campaign tome by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, but the HBO movie focuses on the drama surrounding John McCain selection of Palin as his running mate. While it portrays her 2008 convention speech and vice presidential debate as triumphs and her defense of family and special needs children as strengths, she's also shown as a mercurial figure way in over her head, particularly when it comes to foreign policy. Palin already has denounced the movie. Bannon said that Reelz's showing "will be a counterweight" to the HBO film, which he called a "fictionalized account of what happened." The makers of "Game Change," director Jay Roach and writer Danny Strong, have defended not only the research from the book but their own research. They said they reached out to Palin for her input, but she declined. Stanley E. Hubbard, CEO of Reelz Channel, said that Palin "is a charismatic figure who burst onto the political scene, and whatever your leanings, if you have any interest or curiosity in politics, social change or the Sarah Palin phenomenon, this is a must-see movie." Reelz Channel stepped into the political fray last year when it acquired the miniseries "The Kennedys" from History channel, which dropped the controversial project in the face of criticism from some historians. It went on to garner 10 Emmy nominations. Bannon, host of KABC's nationally syndicated "Victory Sessions," is currently at work on the documentary "Occupy Unmasked," a conservative counter to the Occupy Wall Street movement. Citizens United Prods. is producing. Contact Ted Johnson at ted.johnson@variety.com

Ex-Voice critic Hoberman lands gig

Former Village Voice critic J. Hoberman continues to be named chief film critic of Blouin ARTINFO, Louise Blouin, chairman and Boss of Louise Blouin Media, stated Friday. Hoberman will join film editor Graham Larger in the publication. "Hoberman and Larger join a previously outstanding team of worldwide recognized arts journalists," stated Benjamin Genocchio, Vice president of editorial at Louise Blouin Media. "With staff within the U.K., France, Germany, China, South america, Russia, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong and India, we're building the earth's premiere online place to go for coverage from the arts and culture." Hoberman, who had been formerly the senior film critic in the Village Voice, is going to be adding weekly film reviews featuring for Blouin ARTINFO, beginning in a few days. Noted for his noticeably intellectual style, Hoberman has assisted pioneer cinema critique since his first review in 1983. He's trained at NY College, Harvard College and Cooper Union, and it has offered two terms around the NY Film Festival selection committee, from 1982-1984 and 2007-2009. Throughout his celebrated career, Hoberman has additionally curated film displays at P.S. 1, the Museum from the Moving Image and also the Jewish Museum. Larger will furthermore write film market news and reviews features for that website, and continue his blog, The Cutting Room, on Blouin ARTINFO. He's even the editor of "Potter on Potter" and "Loach on Loach," both released by Faber and Faber. "At a time in which the ease of access to details are more universal than ever before, we're ongoing to challenge the limitations of traditional news mediums by supplying original content that encourages, helps and improves the progress of cultural dialogue within our global community," stated Blouin. "To possess two film experts of the quality reflects the deep commitment for Blouin ARTINFO to construct upon the talents in our existing platform." This film expansion follows the current rebranding of Blouin ARTINFO and also the debut of Blouin ARTINFO Australia, Blouin ARTINFO Hong Kong and Blouin ARTINFO United kingdom. Additional worldwide versions of Blouin ARTINFO is going to be released throughout every season in other nations, to become introduced later. Contact Shaun Sneider at shaun.sneider@variety.com

ICM Parting Ways With 3 Movie Lit Agents

EXCLUSIVE:This is being spun two ways to me. Either ICM is dismantling its movie department under President and newly in charge of the entire agency Chris Silbermann who’s all about the TV biz. Or else the agency is emerging from its civil strife by just doing some innocent housecleaning. Hmm. ICM is parting ways with three motion picture lit agents:Ava Jamshidi who came to ICM from APA several years ago, Nick Harris who came from Mosaic, and Aaron Hart who came from William Morris when that agency merged with Endeavor.The fact is these exitings follow theforced departure ofindependent film guru Hal Sadoff. AndI’ve heard that right now pressure is being put on one very well knownlongtime ICM movie agent to move on.Andthe heads of more high-profile movie agents may be on the chopping block because they also weren’t Silbermann supporters in the coup d’etat against Chairman Jeff Berg.Silbermann’s campsimply explainsthat such moves are necessary as “we’re taking back the company and promoting the next generation of stars”.The agency tried for soft landings forthis week’s trio by finding them other jobs “but in this economy it’s hard”.

New 'Game Of Thrones' Photos: Winter's Finest Hits

Holy Westeros, that's plenty of "Wager on Thrones" goodness! Cinemax has released 17 new stills while watching second season premiere of "Thrones," airing on April 1. Inside the new batch of photos, you're going to get acquainted with beginners Stannis Baratheon, Melisandre of Asshai, Davos Seaworth plus much more. Additionally, you will see familiar faces like Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen as well as the Imp Tyrion Lannister. See the whole gallery by striking Dany's exhausted face below, and search for our rundown of all the new "Wager on Thrones" figures when you are advertising online!

Nominees for the best song

THE MUPPETS"Guy or Muppet" Music and lyrics by Bret McKenzie Overview: Emmy-nominated "Flight from the Conchords" songwriter McKenzie composed four tunes for Disney's Muppet comeback movie. His energy ballad "Guy or Muppet" puts a distinctively "Muppetational" spin on finding a person's devote existence.Oscar pedigree: First nomPlacement: Just a little over an hour or so in to the movie, Gary (Jason Segel) finds out his girlfriend Mary (Can Be) leaves him, and the Muppet brother Walter wrestles with talent issues because the Muppet Telethon approaches. "Large Bang Theory's" Jim Parsons includes a funny cameo as Walter's human counterpart.Aesthetic: "The premise itself I've found funny," states McKenzie, "to ensure that was simple to write. It's most likely Gary's most sincere moment within the movie, and Jason does a very beautiful performance on the watch's screen. That's certainly one of individuals tunes that actually goes within the character and you're able to observe how the smoothness is feeling."Greatest challenge: "We understood that Gary could be searching at his reflection, and the reflection could be searching back. There have been visual ideas that must be incorporated."RIO"Real in Rio" Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown, lyrics by Siedah Garrett Overview: Legendary Brazilian music performer Mendes (of "South america '66" fame) became a member of with Brazilian percussionist Brown and lyricist Garrett (most widely known on her Michael Jackson song "Guy within the Mirror") to create a samba salute to Rio p Janeiro for that three dimensional animated film.Oscar pedigree: First nom for Mendes and Brown second for Garrett (formerly nominated for any song from "Dreamgirls").Positioning: Opens the film having a splashy, colorful morning scene within the jungle near Rio, because the wild birds sing concerning the town's special characteristics song returns for that film's happy ending.Aesthetic: "(Director Carlos Saldanha) wanted a haunting tune that will feel the whole movie and, in the finish, explode in to the parade for Circus," states Mendes. "Immediately I returned to my childhood, you awaken, all of the wild birds are singing, the gorgeous greenery, that atmosphere. Carlinhos did many of the percussion."Greatest challenge: "Every song around the soundtrack was initially in Portuguese," Garrett states. "They made the decision to complete the soundtrack in British. My assignment ended up being to create an British lyric that seemed such as the Portuguese words which were happening underneath. The song required to convey the sensation of fun, party, festivity, music and beats, only the soulfulness of Rio. Sergio continues to be saying about Rio for 25 years I'd never been."Eye around the Academy awards: The MusicTune deafThe nominees:Score Song Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Oscar season spotlights disconnect

It's always surreal during awards season to watch studio chiefs applaud the winning pictures, since these are the same movies that they'd previously turned down. When an out-of-the-box film like "The King's Speech" strikes pay dirt, executives will always confide that it was an "accident," even an "inadvertency." That's because its budget was under $100 million and its plot did not emanate from a Marvel comicbook -- hence it had to try for "indie" money.The basic irony of Oscar season is that it has all the trappings of Official Hollywood but the awards themselves speak a different language. That's why the most dramatic way to energize the Oscars this year would be turn the entire ritual over to the brave souls who actually put up the resources to make "The Artist," "Hugo" or "The Iron Lady." Or to stars like Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Meryl Streep who not only acted in their films but went to the mat to produce and market them. (Streep even contributed her fee to build a new museum honoring the achievements of other women.) Or to Steven Spielberg, whose company delivered "The Help" and who also created in "War Horse' the closest thing to an old-fashioned studio picture.Indeed "War Horse" symbolized a fact that a generation of filmmakers has all but forgotten: that films like "The Godfather" or "Dr. Strangelove" or "Terms of Endearment" or "Nashville" were once mainstream studio pictures. When they were honored during awards season, the studio executives applauded because they, too, had put their butts on the line to see them through.So think of an Oscar show produced by Harvey Weinstein and directed by Spielberg and hosted by Clooney and Pitt with Graham King and Scott Rudin telling some war stories and Uggie the dog doing a dance number. The ratings won't be distinguished, but at least the show will be a true representation of the real Hollywood.That is, the real anti-Hollywood.The secrets of 'Service' Here comes yet another book subtitled "The Secret Sex Lives of the Stars." It's surely a weary genre, but this book has stirred an aura of mystery and expectation. That's because it was written by an 88-year-old ex-Marine named Scotty Bowers, who has become a mythic figure in Hollywood's gay subculture.In his heyday of the '50s and '60s, Bowers was the ultimate fixer -- the man who purportedly arranged sexual liaisons for the likes of Spencer Tracy, Cary Grant, the Duke of Windsor and anyone else passing through town who wanted a gay adventure. He claims to have arranged scores of female escorts for Katharine Hepburn as well.Bowers' book, published recently by Grove Press, is titled "Full Service," a clever title reflecting the fact that Bowers' activities were based out of a gas station in the middle of Hollywood. Its cover carries endorsements from the likes of Gore Vidal and Griffin Dunne and the book was greeted by a long and felicitous story in the Sunday NY Times. There will even be a Vidal-hosted book party this week at the Chateau Marmont where Bowers will be on hand.Does the book deserve this sort of attention? Surely Bowers (and co-author Lionel Friedberg) are skilled name-droppers and spare no sexual detail, but I always cringe when I read lurid reports about long-dead celebrities who are not around to defend themselves. The topic of sexual ambiguity itself has become overexploited: Try Googling any movie star and you encounter a sideshow purporting to offer inside "gay" information about anyone from Will Smith to Matt Damon to George Clooney.To Sonny Bowers in his prime, every movie star was ostensibly gay except for Bowers himself who, while turning gay tricks, lived with a woman, had a child, and then married yet another woman with whom he presently lives. Bowers documents his encounters with great specificity -- including Walter Pidgeon's proclivities -- and takes the reader inside some of the most fascinating "scenes" of the period. He was invited to George Cukor's mythic salons, hung out with Tennessee Williams, advised Dr. Kinsey on his sex surveys and tried to help Errol Flynn with his drinking problem.Trouble is, while Bowers seemed well traveled, he describes his adventures in a sort of relentless monotone -- a man who, like a sexual Zelig, has seen everything but cannot capture any of the color or understand the nuance. His dedication to supplying "full service" seemed downright exhausting at the time, but his service to the reader -- or to the memories of the stars he describes -- seems seriously open to question. Contact Peter Bart at peter.bart@variety.com

CW orders three drama aircraft pilots

CW has added three more drama aircraft pilots to the 2012-13 slate, together with a sudser from "One Tree Hill" creator Mark Schwahn and J.J. Abrams. The orders bring CW's roster to eight, the biggest quantity of aircraft pilots within the net's six-year history. "Shelter" is placed one of the staffers and visitors in a Colonial summer time resort. Schwahn composed the pilot and can professional produce with Abrams and Bad Robot's Bryan Burk for Warner Bros. TV and Abrams' Bad Robot Prods. banner. "The ChoiceInch originates from Warner Bros. TV and scribes Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain, who're professional producers of CW's frosh drama "The Key Circle" as well as professional produce "Selection." High-concept vehicle set 300 years later on involves an undesirable lady who's selected by lottery to compete being the following full of the war-torn nation. It's according to an approaching number of books by Kiera Cass. "Joey Dakota" is dependant on an Israeli TV format where a docu filmmaker travels in time for you to the the nineteen nineties where she falls deeply in love with the rock-star subject of her pic, after which needs to learn how to prevent his dying when she returns to the current. Bert Royal ("Easy A") composed the variation for CBS TV Galleries and professional produces with Mark Harmon, Eric Tannenbaum, Kim Tannenbaum and Martha Haight. Contact Cynthia Littleton at cynthia.littleton@variety.com

Broadway fends off chill

Nick Jonas, center, assumed the lead role in "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" last week. Broadway's overall cume may have taken a fall last week, but things weren't so bad for the individual shows on the boards. Although total Rialto receipts fell by about $2 million, a lot of that can be accounted for by the absence of two shows that closed during the prior frame, "Follies" and "The Mountaintop." The only really big slide of the week was taken by "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" (deflating nearly 50% to $682,879), but even that had been expected, since last week was the first to see topliner Nick Jonas step into the role that Darren Criss ("Glee") played for three B.O.-busting weeks. Whereas the brevity of Criss' stint prodded fans to buy now, Jonas' six-month run doesn't offer the same urgency, especially at the end of what is traditionally a tough month for the Rialto. In general, most of the shows on the Main Stem had a relatively steady week. Most productions, in fact, upticked, and the other declines weren't terribly dramatic. "The Book of Mormon" ($1,445,407) for instance, rose a bit to break yet another house record at the Eugene O'Neill Theater. Show managed to climb to the second rung on the Top 10 -- an indicator that while demand at other, older hits may sag a bit this month, last season's "Mormon" continues to ride its wave of must-see hype. Coming in right behind "Wicked" ($1,503,461), "Mormon" outpaced both "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" ($1,417,922) and "The Lion King" ($1,382,353). One of the biggest bumps was seen at "Porgy and Bess" ($921,404), continuing to look strong despite wintertime sales challenges and reviews that were all over the map. In fact, the majority of shows on the Rialto posted gains, although most were fairly modest. The heftiest rise of the sesh was at "Chinglish" ($366,258), climbing more than $100,000 thanks to last-minute biz prior to its Jan. 29 closing. Also exiting last week were "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever" ($614,214) and "Relatively Speaking" ($338,355). With three shows off the table, Broadway's overall cume may well slide downward again this week. Still, with an attendance of 205,816 at 26 shows, last week was a lot more active on the Rialto than the same frame in 2011, which brought in about 150,000 theatergoers to a smallish slate of 19 productions. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com

Hiddleston Joins Only Fanatics Left Alive

For director Jim JarmuschYou are Jim Jarmusch. You've been busy assembling the cast for that planned stab within the vampire genre, Only Fanatics Left Alive. You've scooped up Tilda Swinton, John Hurt and Mia Wasikowska for your horror drama, but you've missed around the overbooked Michael Fassbender. What now ?? No, you don't go to a screening of Shame and throw fruit within the screen, you hire Mister Thomas of Hiddleston.Yes, the present Empire web chat customer, Loki themselves, has walked straight into one of the lead roles for your film, which Jarmusch has known to love a "crypto-vampire love story." "I've been imagining this film for any very long time,Inch Jarmusch told Screen Daily as he was trying to find financing in Cannes. "I am unable to wait to i can say that it using these amazing collaborators." Almost no is well known in regards to the plot beyond the fact it concerns two vampires of the underworld from the underworld (most most likely Hiddleston and Swinton) who had been for one another for 100s of years.Although waiting for the investment to obtain together has meant Fassbender increased being unavailable, Jarmusch is becoming setting his sights around the shoot inside the NRW region of western Germany later this year.Hiddleston, meanwhile, will probably be back as Loki in little-known indie pic The Avengers on April 27.

Australian Academy lauds 'Artist'

"The Artist" required top picture, actor and pointing honors in the first Australian Academy of Cinema and tv Arts Intl. Honours Friday evening. Michel Hazanavicius was named best director in the inaugural ceremony, while "The Artist's" Jean Dujardin and "The Iron Lady's" Meryl Streep arrived the acting nods. Voters were tied on script honors, so honours visited both "Ides of March" and "Margin Call." AACTA prexy Geoffrey Hurry introduced the those who win in five groups in an intimate West Hollywood ceremony at Soho House. "As our industry turns into a truly global entity, it's fitting the new Australian Academy recognizes the industry's best, fitness center abroad," Hurry stated. Even though Australian Film Institute continues to be around for over a half-century, the academy was produced last summer time like a professional offshoot and patterned following the branch structure from the Academy of movement Picture Arts and Sciences. "We are wishing it's the start of an excellent tradition," stated AACTA Boss Damian Trewhella. Trewhella stated AACTA has between 1,500 and a pair of,000 people and it is searching to develop further. The audience can also be searching ahead to some second developmental phase, including opening a workplace in La to advertise Australian productions within the U.S. The AACTA Intl. Honours are made to recognition film excellence no matter geography, as based on a jury of Australian entertainment professionals. Contact Christy Grosz at christy.grosz@variety.com

Weinsteins gamble on 'Lay the Favorite'

'Lay the Favorite'The Weinstein Co. is at active predicts acquire Stephen Frears' gambling dramedy "Lay the favored,In . though sources caution the initial offer didn't pan out, no deal has closed and you'll find issues yet to function on."Lay the favouriteInch stars Rebecca Hall, Bruce Willis, Vince Vaughn and Joshua Jackson. CAA is repping domestic rights regarding the filmmakers. D.V. DeVincentis written the script, based on Jesse Raymer's memoir. Scribe also produced with Anthony Bregman and Paul Trijbits, additionally to Randall Emmett and George Furla. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

The Walking Dead's Jon Bernthal in Talks to Join New Frank Darabont Pilot

Jon Bernthal, The Walking Dead Spoiler alert? We may need to get ready to mourn the death of Shane on The Walking Dead... Jon Bernthal is reportedly in early talks to join Walking Dead executive producer Frank Darabont's new TNT series pilot L.A. Noir, according to Variety. The show would chronicle the dangerous underbelly of Los Angeles in the '40s and '50s; namely, the battle between gangster Mickey Cohen and L.A. police Chief William Parker. Bernthal would portray L.A. cop Joe Teague. Former Walking Dead producer Frank Darabont develops new TNT drama Should Bernthal sign on, he would reunite with Darabont, who developed and executive-produced the first season of The Walking Dead before being ousted in July. It also could mean that Bernthal's Walking Dead character, Shane, is likely not long for this world, though he's outlived his comic book counterpart, who was killed off in Issue #6. Could Bernthal be the mystery castmember who wanted out of his contract after Darabont left?

TV Guide Network Sits Down With Phil Donahue and Dr. Oz for Hollywood Icons and Innovators

Dr. Oz Pioneers in the talk-show landscape Phil Donahue and Dr. Oz are the final subjects of TV Guide Network's Hollywood Icons and Innovators series. Donahue, whose eponymous talk show ran from 1970 to 1996, holds the record for the longest continuously running syndicated talk show. He received nine Emmy awards in his broadcasting career. Oz, whose television career began as an expert on The Oprah Winfrey Show, has led the charge - sometimes controversially - in health infotainment. In the conclusion of the network's four-part series, Dr. Oz sits down with Donahue as the two share memorable interviews, mistakes and moments. Hollywood Icons and Innovators airs Sunday at 9/8c on TV Guide Network. Watch a clip below:

Rep: Gene Hackman Fine, On His Way Home Following Accident

First Published: January 13, 2012 6:11 PM EST Credit: Getty Images LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Caption Gene Hackman attends the Next House ESPN The Magazine party in Jacksonville, Fla., on February 4, 2005 Gene Hackman is all right after being hit by a car while riding a motorcycle in Key West, Fla., his rep tells Access Hollywood. He is fine, he is on his way home, a rep for Hackman told Access on Friday, adding that the actor suffered only bumps and bruises. On Friday afternoon, TMZ reported that the Academy Award-winning star, 81, had been airlifted to a Florida trauma hospital with serious injuries to his head and body following the collision. The accident reportedly took place at approximately 3 PM local time, according to the website. No other details on the accident were immediately available. Hackman last appeared on the big screen in the 2004 comedy Welcome to Mooseport. Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Cheers & Jeers: Madeleine Stowe's Sweet Revenge

Madeleine Stowe Cheers to Madeleine Stowe for freezing time.Want more Cheers & Jeers? Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine.The scariest part of the actress' performance as the perfectly named Victoria Grayson - the high-society target of Emily VanCamp's titular plot on ABC's new hit Revenge - is how she looks exactly the same as she did two decades ago when she starred opposite Kevin Costner in a movie of the same name. (The same can't be said for Bryan Brown, who was almost unrecognizable in his recent grizzled guest turn on The Good Wife - 25 years after making a film with the same title - but his charm remains undiminished.)Stowe's career comeback comes complete with nomination for best actress in a TV drama at Sunday's Golden Globes. Revenge is her highest-profile role of the last decade, which she's spent on her ranch in Texas. Guess this proves living well truly is the best revenge.What do you think of Madeleine Stowe on Revenge?Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!

MTV Movie Brawl 2012 Bracket Open For Voting!

The MTV Movie Brawl 2012 is formally on! Following the initial play-in and wild card models, 16 films happen to be selected to compete in a number of mind-to-mind single elimination matches within our March Madness-style bracket. Ultimately, only one of these simple movies could be crowned the can't-miss movie of the season, and also the option is entirely your decision. After first-round voting closed on Sunday mid-day, the MTV Movies selection team locked itself inside a room with many different food, a restricted quantity of oxygen, and something all-important goal: seed this bracket. To that particular finish, we considered numerous criteria to choose each film's ranking. We noted first-round voting totals, overall buzz, potential box-office performance along with a slew of other benchmarks. The options were tough. Some arguments were heated. But ultimately we walked away having a 16-team bracket we are proud to provide up for that inaugural MTV Movie Brawl. But hey, differ around? Show us we first got it wrong by voting for the favorite can't-miss flick of the season. In the end, You're in charge! Simply click the bracket above and begin BRAWLING!!! Watch our MTV Movie Brawl 2012 analysis!

Trio team for Nelson Mandela biopic small

South Africas From Africa is developing a Nelson Mandela small. K. MandelaA miniseries using the information on Nelson Mandela is within the works from South Africa's From Africa Entertainment, the U.K.'s Left Bank Pictures and Canada's Blue Ice Films.Producers round the small include From Africa principal Kweku Mandela, a great boy in the famous African leader. Scribe Nigel Williams, whose credits are the Helen Mirren small-series "Elizabeth I," is penning the scripts for your project, imagined just like a six-part series. The functional title is "Madiba," the tribal clan title by which Nelson Mandela is often recognized to within the native country.Other producers round the project are Lance Samuels, Kweku Mandela's partner inside the From Africa banner Blue Ice's Steven Silver and Neil Tabatznik and Left Bank principals Andy Harries and Marigo Kehoe.Producers have optioned a few Nelson Mandela's books as source material: "Conversations with Myself" and "Nelson Mandela by Themselves." Kweku Mandela mentioned the aim is always to tell the story of individuals and occasions that introduced his grandfather to get a historic role in falling apartheid and having South Africa's first black leader. Although there's been numerous Mandela-related docu and narrative photos lately, Kweku Mandela desires to craft a portrait of his grandfather just like a person, beyond his political and human rights achievements."I felt once we would do this, it had been vital to put the focus on the guy," Mandela mentioned. "This is why inside the research with this particular, it is crucial that people get as close to his ideas as you possibly can. Individuals who aided guide him and shape him while you be strong figures."Right now, the three partners are financing the development of the project. They've received interest from South African TV shops. This program is always to secure a director and key cast people before they're going to U.S. and U.K. customers. Williams remains concentrating on the scripts since mid-November. He's also done projects formerly with Harries and Kehoe.Nelson Mandela together with other family people provides you with input and feedback round the scripts. When told about plans for your project, Kweku mentioned the 93-year-old icon asked for: "Simply how much am i held getting paid out?"Kweku Mandela, who's 26, sees the little as a way of creating sure that youthful decades know the good status for apartheid.The greater youthful Mandela increased being someone with Samuels in From Africa Entertainment this past year. The banner became a member of with Left Bank and Blue Ice round the 2010 feature "The Bang Bang Club," turning around photojournos recording the ultimate occasions from the apartheid regime.Kweku Mandela produced a love for film and tv throughout his early years, which have been largely place in Massachusetts and Connecticut. He attended film school in Sydney, and he returned to Nigeria and began used in entry-level production jobs.Among other film and tv projects, From Africa is concentrating on a docu about Nelson Mandela's relationship along with his grandchildren, tentatively titled "Mandela's Children." Contact Cynthia Littleton at cynthia.littleton@variety.com

'Spider-Man' swings to nearly $3 mil

Sure, Broadway tuner "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" has endured more than its fair share of media ridicule -- but sometimes it still manages a superheroic feat. Take week 31 (Dec. 26, 2011-Jan. 1, 2012), when the show came cliffhanger-close to hitting the $3 million mark in sales from the single frame between Christmas and New Year's.Topping $2 million was once a rare feat along the Main Stem.But the high-demand holiday sesh that annually rings in as the year's most profitable included four shows at more than $2 million each: besides "Spider-Man" were "Wicked" ($2,712,535), "The Lion King" ($2,444,132) and the closing "Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway" ($2,056,957). Each played nine perfs rather than the usual eight, common among shows looking to capitalize on the timeframe's tourist-boosted biz.Overall, the week left Broadway with broken house records as several shows pulled in venue-best numbers; every production posted an increase vs. the previous week. An astonishing 18 shows logged sales of more than $1 million each, helped by the year-end tradition of higher ticket prices. The cume hit $37,657,455 for the 34 shows on the boards, up from the $35 million logged last year at this time. Attendance hit 321,152, down slightly from the 330,000 posted a year ago. The 25 musicals grossed $32,940,313 for 86.5% of the Broadway total, with attendance of 246,720 and an average paid admission of $122.52.The nine plays grossed $4,717,142 for 13.5% of the Broadway total, with attendance of 58,151 and an average paid admission of $81.12. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com