Mega Buzz: Castle's Tough Choice, Housewives' Health Scare and a Diaries Death?

Stana Katic, Felicity Huffman, Nina Dobrev Every week, editors Adam Bryant and Natalie Abrams satisfy your need for TV scoop. Please send all questionsto mega_scoop@tvguide.com. Please tell me Castle and Beckett will still be in a good place when the show returns in January? -Anna ADAM: They'll be in a good place, but maybe not for long. When a dead woman ends up in the mayor's car, Beckett will find herself afraid of pursuing the most obvious suspect. "The stakes are enormous," creator Andrew W. Marlowe tells us. "If something happens to the mayor, Castle is not going to be able to continue his partnership with Beckett. How do you deal with an investigation when you're compromised because of the way you feel?" Got any scoop on Desperate Housewives? -Jennifer NATALIE: Two Wisteria Lane women will be stricken with two different diseases: One is of the venereal ilk and the other is even more severe. We'll go ahead and tell you that Bree is one of the women, and based on her upcoming escapades, it's probably safe to assume she's not the one about to battle cancer. So Rebecca's coming back on The Vampire Diaries? Please tell me that doesn't mean Elena is in danger! - Hayley ADAM: Well, somebody is in danger. Big danger. (I mean, isn't someone always on this show?) "There is definitely a major character whose fate is looking bleak," executive producer Julie Plec tells us. But not, like,Aunt Jenna bleak, right? "[He or she] may not come out the other side of a terrible life-or-death situation," Plec teases. Eek! Any guesses? Got any scoop on Revenge, Bones, Ringer, True Blood, or Castle? --Harry NATALIE: OK, that's plenty to choose from! On one of these shows, the leading man will be shot by a bullet intended for a person he'd rather kill himself - it's fair to call the other man a romantic rival, but it's not a complete description of their relationship. It's been a while since we had any good Blue Bloods scoop. - Will ADAM: When Danny's friend is gunned down during an undercover drug bust, he becomes consumed by the search for his killer. But solving the case will be the easy part. Linda is so shaken by the murder that she will ask Danny to choose between her and the department once and for all. Will Schmidt and Cece ever hook up on New Girl? -Tara NATALIE: Schmidt's dreams are about to come true, and after they've done the deed, he will shout it from the rooftops. (He will then put a dollar in the jar.) How will Cece feel about their flirtation/fling going public? How do you think? Can you tell me anything about Parenthood?-Kathryn ADAM: Zeek may have conquered ED with his smooth-as-silk acting skills, but in the real world, there's some question about his overall health. When a clumsy pharmacist accidentally gives Crosby his father's prescriptions, he learns that his dad isn't exactly as hale and hardy as he appeared in the ad. Anything good happening on Rizzoli & Isles? -Sammy NATALIE: The most difficult part of being a cop is putting those you love in the way of potential harm. The ladies will learn this the hard way when two family members are the victims of a hit-and-run as well as a shooting. How is Homeland going to get Carrie back into the CIA? -Josh ADAM: Whatever happens, we're betting that Saul will be leading the charge. "[Saul and Carrie's] relationship is sort of the axis of the series," executive producer Alex Gansa tells us. "In many ways, it's the focal point of the show." Our theory? Saul uses his knowledge of the drone attack to get Estes fired. Once Saul takes over, he brings Carrie back into the fold. Right? Is there any hope for Adam and Diana on The Secret Circle? -Jaime NATALIE: Sorry to break it to you, Jaime, but Diana is moving on. "She's going to be struggling for a bit," executive producer Andrew Miller says, "but you can't keep that girl away from love because she's too amazing, so there will be love for Diana in this half of the season. It'll just come from an unexpected place." Is Sheriff Roosevelt going to be a part of Sons of Anarchy next season? -Bart ADAM: If creator Kurt Sutter has his way, you bet. "We have not made a deal yet for him next season, but ... he is definitely open to it," Sutter says, noting that he likes the challenge Roosevelt presents to SAMCRO. "He is difficult for the Sons. They know how to go after a guy who just wants to shut them down. And then they know how to pay off a guy and keep him on the take.But how do you navigate around a cop who is a real cop? That will be a fun exploration." What's in store for the Shameless premiere? -Arnie NATALIE: This scoop will be as shameless as the series itself. James Wolk and Emmy Rossum. Naked. In public. Not enough? OK, how about this? William H. Macy. Half-naked. In the restroom of a gay bar. Adam's Mega Rave: We were sweating just as much as Brody watching the pivotal attack scene of Homeland's outstanding season finale. Would he do it? Ohmigod, yes! But it's a good thing he wasn't able to, since it means we'll still have Damian Lewis to kick around next season. Natalie's Mini Rant: Agreed. But here's hoping that Brody's plan to affect policy isn't as boring as it sounds. Crave scoop on your favorite TV shows?E-mail Adam and Natalie at mega_scoop@tvguide.comor drop us a line atTwitter.com/TVGuide Editor's Note: This will be the last Mega Buzz column of the year. Until Adam and Natalie return in 2012, entertain yourselves with our Best of the Year special section. Happy Holidays! (Additional reporting by Joyce Eng, Robyn Ross and Kate Stanhope)

VIDEO: James Franco's NYU-GradeGate Receives Gory, Hard-Hitting News Animation it Deserves

A former NY University film professor made headlines recently for suing the school, which he said fired him for giving barely present graduate student James Franco a D in his class. Jos Angel Santana alleges not only racist employment practices at NYU, but also that, “In my opinion, they’ve turned the NYU graduate film degree into swag for James Franco’s purposes, a possession, something you can buy.” Burn. Anyway, none of this would matter were it not for the requisite Taiwanese news animation showcasing both Santana’s firing and a reimagining of 127 Hours that’s quite possibly better than Danny Boyle’s film itself. NMA.tv has the story below. I’d err on the NSFW side of caution if I were you, but you tell me. Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.

Broadway B.O. slips 3% for week

'The Lion King'Broadway did a backslide after last week's gains, with overall box office decreasing by 3% and attendance falling 4% in week 29. Those declines were softened somewhat by newly previewing shows "Porgy and Bess" ($292,703, attendance 2,564 for two performances) and "The Road to Mecca" ($80,118, attendance 2,268 in five perfs). Subtract those ducats and butts and the Main Stem was off more than 4% in terms of dollars and nearly 6% of attendance. B.O. dropoff was especially severe at "Sister Act" ($601,705, off 23%) and the flagging one-act collection "Relatively Speaking" ($345,133, a drop of almost $400,000 from its peak in Week 23). The news was not all bad on the Rialto, though. "The Lion King" took the overall crown for the third consecutive week with a haul of $1,833,881, up 2% against last week. Audiences also flocked to "Billy Elliot" ($817,957, up 2%) in advance of its closing on Jan. 8, and "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" ($1,100,832, a 6% increase) to see star Daniel Radcliffe before his upcoming departure. Plays were also hit less hard than musicals, with "Other Desert Cities" ($551,176) continuing to command a per-ticket price above $100 and "War Horse" ($988,373) galloping along at 100% attendance more than eight months after opening. The prognosis is less rosy for struggling David Henry Hwang play "Chinglish" and just-opened basketball-Greek comedy-musical "Lysistrata Jones." "Chinglish" played to 35% of capacity at the Longacre, while "Jones" sold tickets for $25.14 on average, or $2 less than its lowest advertised price. Even taking opening-night comps into account, that's terrible news for the newcomer. However poor the news this week, legiters should look for Broadway to bounce back nicely during the final weeks of the year as tourists swarm to Midtown Manhattan. Indeed, recently opened Harry Connick, Jr. starrer "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever" ($744,076) and "An Evening With Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin" ($480,422) both increased their box office by adding an eighth performance to their weekly schedules to capture the winter crowds. Overall Broadway cume tallied to $24.3 million, up nearly $400,000 against last year, when three more shows were playing. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

The 8 Stupidest Movies to Ever Receive a Golden Globe Nomination

Congratulations, 2012 Golden Globe nominees, you can hold your head high knowing that you now have something in common with 'Patch Adams.' No one can ever take that away from you. It's quite an honor. (And, yes, 'Patch Adams' really was nominated for a Golden Globe.) You see, the reason the Golden Globes are not the most respected awards is because it's voted on by a very small group of foreign (ahem) journalists who have been known to be susceptible to, let's say, (ahem) outside influences that may or may not determine what gets a nomination. I was on an elevator with a member of the Hollywood Foreign Press (I bet he called it a "lift") on the day of the 'War Horse' junket. He seemed like a nice enough chap, but he really wanted to tell anyone that would listen that he was about to have lunch with "Steven." (I can only assume he was referring to Spielberg and not Seagal or Guttenberg.) Then, after, shared his tales of fortune on just how many times he has shared a meal with "Steven," going as far to list all of the different countries in which this has occurred. (This was a very long elevator lift ride.) So, in other words: If you treat the Hollywood Foreign Press right and promise that you will show up to their party, there's a good chance that they, in turn, will treat your movie right. (Though not Steven; he was snubbed.) With that, here are the eight stupidest movies that have ever gotten a Golden Globe nomination. 'The Tourist' (2010) This really awful movie starring Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp was nominated for a Best Picture Golden Globe. 'Burlesque' (2010) This really awful movie starring Cher was nominated for a Best Picture Golden Globe. 'Bobby' (2006) This really forgettable movie starring Lindsay Lohan was nominated for a Best Picture Golden Globe. 'Analyze This' (1999) This really awful movie starring Billy Crystal and Robert De Niro was nominated for a Best Picture Golden Globe. 'Patch Adams' (1998) This really awful movie starring Robin Williams with a ball on his nose was nominated for a Best Picture Golden Globe. 'Sabrina' (1995) This really awful remake starring Harrison Ford was nominated for a Best Picture Golden Globe. 'Sister Act' (1992) This really annoying movie starring Whoopi Goldberg was nominated for a Best Picture Golden Globe. 'The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas' (1982) This really awful movie starring Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton was nominated for a Best Picture Golden Globe. You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter [Photo: Universal] 2012 Golden Globe Nominees Best Actor in a DramaBest Actor in a DramaBest Actor in a DramaBest Actor in a DramaBest Actor in a DramaBest Actress in a DramaBest Actress in a DramaBest Actress in a DramaBest Actress in a DramaBest Actress in a DramaBest Actor in a Comedy/MusicalBest Actor in a Comedy/MusicalBest Actor in a Comedy/MusicalBest Actor in a Comedy/MusicalBest Actor in a Comedy/MusicalBest Actress in a Comedy/MusicalBest Actress in a Comedy/MusicalBest Actress in a Comedy/MusicalBest Actress in a Comedy/MusicalBest Actress in a Comedy/MusicalBest Supporting ActorBest Supporting ActorBest Supporting Actor'A Dangerous Method'Best Supporting ActorBest Supporting ActressBest Supporting ActressBest Supporting ActressBest Supporting ActressBest Supporting ActressBest DirectorBest DirectorBest DirectorBest DirectorBest Director See All Moviefone Galleries » Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Ernest Gordon-Levitt Together With Other Golden Globes Nominations We're Psyched About

Since we're a direct consequence in the Golden Globe nominations those everywhere are focusing around the snubs and robberies, it is really an important time to consider the choices we are absolutely deeply deeply in love with. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association did be capable of acknowledge many of the 2011 appropiate product no matter the annual longlist of snubs, here will be the picks you need to applaud using this year's section of competitors. Fixing the SAG Mistakes Possibly the finest good the HFPA did this year was fixing the oversights committed for that Screen Stars Guild. The heavens union snubbed a couple of from the year's best performances including Michael Fassbender for "Shame," Albert Brooks for "Drive," and Shailene Woodley for "The Descendants." These omissions were unquestionably most likely probably the most glaring for your SAGs as well as the HFPA did the very best factor and elevated their chances for Oscar nominations. Two for your Gos Simply put, the man had an incredible year. Ryan Gosling not only starred in three from the finest films of year, but handed in consistently stellar performances. I'll disregard the Lead Actor - Drama nomination came for "The Ides of March" instead of for "Drive," but his jerk for "Crazy, Stupid, Love" was both unforeseen and entirely deserved. Ernest Gordon-Levitt for '50/50' No entirely surprising nomination, but Ernest Gordon-Levitt deserved it for his be employed in "50/50." He's established themselves lately one of the better youthful stars in Hollywood, so anytime JGL can get honours recognition, it's proof the HFPA is needing to give consideration right stars. Brendan Gleeson for 'The Guard' He's been quietly stealing moments for any very long time, it is therefore nice to find out Brendan Gleeson get recognition for your under-seen "The Guard." Gleeson plays a larger than existence local officer that could have acquired him more serious honours consideration once the movie happen to be pressed harder. Fortunately, the HFPA looked for this and rightfully recognized Gleeson for his hilariously dark performance. Retroactively Nominating the Cast of 'The Wire' Both Idris Elba and Dominic West walked away with nominations for concentrate on television, and frankly, it feels as if justice. When the reveal that numerous people consider one of the better drama series ever, "The Wire," initially broadcast, it didn't score a singal nomination within the HFPA association. Now, finally, it seems like Stringer Bell and Jimmy McNulty have become their due. Reveal everything you consider the nominations inside the comments and also on Twitter!

Showrunners Q&A: The League On Foreign exchange

Rob and Jackie Schaffer, the showrunnersfor FXs The League, required to deal withan Nfl lockout which delayedproduction in the 3rd season cases of their comedy about several pals obsessedwith fantasy football.Your October sixth season premiere, withguest star Seth Rogen, was the shows most-seen telecast ever for women18-34 and itsthird most-seen among total audiences.Foreign exchange just restored The League for just about any fourth season. The Schafferstalked to Deadline contributor Diane Haithman the following day of thisseason’s premiere: DEADLINE: OK, I have to admit majorsports insufficient understanding -how will you play fantasy football? JACKIE SCHAFFER: Were always very happy to explain it,because clearly were obsessed. Rob: Fantasy football is actually anamazing American pastime, because it takes the very best team sport, Nfl andfootball, and turns it to the mission for individual achievement. Your fantasyteam might be attracted in the team inside the Nfl. You might have Aaron Rodgers, thequarterback in the Eco-friendly Bay Packers, but you may even have Matt Forte, therunning back in the Chicago Bears.Andhow they're doing happens when you must do.Just in case your running back scores a touchdown, you obtain people six points. Andyou play in person while using others within your league.What this really is really about is gloating andbragging rights. A person's heart of every single league might be the forum that you canjust trash-talk and dredge up any embarrassing factor about all your friendssince everybody were in secondary school. Thats that which you always say in regards to the show: You don't have to like fantasy football, you need to simply have pals that you just hate.Fantasy football leagues become asocial unit.Its an easy method for old pals,secondary school pals, or people in the office, or families to acquire together. Its as being a book club, except you'd nevertell folks your book club to think about a ride inside your suck stick. DEADLINE: Why perhaps you have think fantasy sportswould produce a good comedy series? Rob: We thought it may be an chance toexplore what pals are really like, especially pals with deephistory.It doesn't matter in the event you arenow a effective physician or lawyer, your pals will probably dredge up stuffyou did if you were 13 and may never live lower, and believe to dothat than as fantasy football? JACKIE: Inside the television business, I dont think anybody allows you to employ andpitch a show unless of course obviously you employ the words ‘organizing principle’ or ‘this is theprism through which we view their lives’.Everything takes a hook. That is a thing that provides an ideal way tosee people interact. Every week, becausetheres a game title title being won and rankings, you'll find always individuals who win and nonwinners.Sightseeing experience victory and defeat each week in differentcombinations is a good dynamic for your show. DEADLINE: Do enough people play fantasy football to produce vid viable TV series? Rob: People always inform us: Its this kind of niche show. But 35 million people arent a market. There arent 35 million doctors or lawyers or priests that solve crimes, but you'll find plenty of shows regarding the subject. Whether you are inside a league or else, everyone knows somebody that's within one or acting as being a maniac within a meaningless game because they wish to beat their pals. DEADLINE: TV series about sports have acheckered historyfinding an audience.Exactly why is you different? JACKIE: Hopefully its to begin with acomedy.Using the several hours we spend onthe whitened board every week, we arent thinking about whos prone to win and losefrom an illusion football perspective. Were thinking about are you aware the funnieststories? Back in the day our guest stars who got most likely probably the most attention werethe football players. However we've Eliza Dushku and may Forte and BrieLarson furthermore to Seth Rogen who was simply round the season premiere.We like to to believe that it is as much ahome for comedy since it is for your fantasy sports fans. Rob: It's not a comedy about fantasyfootball. Its a comedy about lots of males who play fantasy football. JACKIE: In my opinion individuals who're fanaticalabout anything are funny. DEADLINE:Rob, just like a veteran of Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, whoever else bring from people shows for the League? Rob: I'd say we certainly carry out the League round the Curb model.In my opinion TheLeague outlines have an overabundance lines included the Curb outlines, andthats partly because you must do some air traffic control with as much as six or seven figures. Most of the Curb moments are Ray David then one otherperson. They are more elaboratelywritten in comparison to Curb remedies, nonetheless they arent scripts. JACKIE: Sometimes well whisper something in somebody's ear as well as your partner doesn't know its coming all people techniques that Rob remains type of crafting at Curb, hes used stylistically on our show. Its roughly Curb together with a network sitcom. I'd say a substantial misunderstanding about theshow is always that its 100% improvised and there's no script. People desire to labelthese shows because its one which having a systems or some customers may be alittlescary – assisting to release the strings and letting people go play. Our outlinestend being between 11 and 16 pages single-spread. Thats plenty of content fora demonstrate that eventually eventually ends up being 20 minutes and 45 seconds. DEADLINE: Where can you draw the street on content and where does Foreign exchange draw the street? JACKIE: I dont think that theres anythingthat weve mentioned: Were not going to accomplish this because its potential to gross peopleout. We always would rather say we are equal chance causes. We are notinterested in picking on anybody group or cause, singling anybody out. We areinterested in tales that are funny. It's not a soapbox. For better or worse,were just trying to entertain. Rob: Usually, if it's funny, we figureout a technique to make it happen.And yeah, Foreign exchange hasbeen great about basically giving us enough rope to keep ourselves, and wehavent had stood a hanging yet, so were feeling excellent. If it's funny,would have it inside. I am in a position to truly say weve never thoughtabout when the audience will enjoy something or else likesomething. We just think: is goingto be funny? DEADLINE: Describe the show’s process. Rob: Concentrating on this show is similar to beingwith several your wickedest, best, funniest pals. I've no clue thatpeople understand how small the show is.There is no staff. You'll find few other company company directors. You'll find no otherproducers.Theres the cast in-front ofthe camera, and us behind the digital camera at that time were which causes it to be, and thatsit. JACKIE: We feel it seems really goodfor 72 hours an instalment getting a $750,000 budget.It's not an pricey show, its a show shotentirely on location mix-boarded in a inch of the existence, Literally, ifwere in the bar, we must shoot every scene for the block of episodes atthat bar.In my opinion thats the way in which we love to itevaluated, very honestly, based on how it is. DEADLINE: Any advice to would-be comedywriters? Rob: In case you have only 10 jokes, andtheyre all within your spec script, and someone states, Right, I've no clue essentially likethat one, youll say:However cant losethat one, its a tenth of my jokes! Jackie which i Are going toproduce 13 episodes inside a few several days. You will have to have 100s andhundreds of jokes.And several Are going toend around the cutting room floor, some arent prone to work, some Are going tochange in manners you will not ever expected.Thatjoke will uncover its existence somewhere, nevertheless it need not function as the following.

'Great Gatsby' Photos: First Look At Leonardo DiCaprio And More!

"The Great Gatsby" is the Great American Novel, or at least the one you were assigned to read in class before skipping ahead to SparkNotes. Adaptations have been done before, but why not another one? That's the thinking behind Baz Luhrmann's version, a sparkling 3D blockbuster with a budget over $100 million, a cast headed by multiple Oscar nominees and a Christmas 2012 opening date that basically screams, "We are going to win so many freaking awards." Today, Warner Bros. released a handful of photos showing its actors in place. Check out Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby, Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway, and Carey Mulligan as Daisy, looking appropriately dressed to the nines for this 1920s period piece. We imagine the silver drapings in the background will shimmer in 3D, though hopefully the effect won't be too overt. Nothing would take one out of classic literature like having Gatsby pop out of the screen to grab a glass or point at a horse carriage he's about to step into. There's also this nice shot of DiCaprio holding Mulligan, looking like the tousled, sensitive millionaire that he probably is in real life. Way to challenge yourself creatively, dude. If you haven't caught up on pre-production news, don't worry: there's no singing. That'll probably put your English teacher's fears to rest, though probably not. After all, they're English teachers. What do you think of the first official photos from Baz Luhrman's "Great Gatsby" adaptation? Let us know your take in the comments section and on Twitter!

Sundance 2012: 15 Hot Movies Up for Grabs

Chris Hyde/Getty Images In the old days, superstar recording artists used to get together and warble for causes like humanitarian aid to Africa, world hunger and AIDS. Now a bunch of musicians and other celebrities are singing an ode to a popular file storage site that has often gotten under the skin of the movie and record industries.our editor recommends54th Annual Grammy Nominees: Kanye West, Adele, Bruno Mars, Rihanna, Katy PerryTweeting With the Devil: How the Grammys Launched a Misinformation Campaign in 140 Characters (Opinion)Kim Kardashian Attends THR's Women in Entertainment BreakfastFoo Fighters' Six Grammy Nominations Put Analog Recording Back on the Map Move over Band Aid and USA for Africa. It's time for the "Megaupload Mega Song," from Will.i.am, P Diddy, Kim Kardashian, Alicia Keys, Snoop Dogg, Chris Brown, Kanye West, Lil John, Jamie Foxx, Mary J Blige, Floyd Mayweather, The Game and more. Over a simple electro-beat, the various stars sing how much they love the service. Torrent Freak says the music video is a "stunning PR coup" for Megaupload, which has been attacked by the MPAA and RIAA. And on Friday the video was taken down from YouTube, a move that TechDirt says might be due to a copyright infringement claim from Universal Music Group. PHOTOS: 54th Annual Grammy Nominees The servicehas reportedly garnered Kanye West's support because it's "the fastest and safest way to send files," gotten Keys on board because it proves she's serious about music, and earned Snoop's endorsement because "it keeps the kids off the street." The Game adds that even his lawyers know he uses it, noting "...and I got plenty of them." Megaupload is based in Hong Kong and is run by a guy named Kim Dotcom (bornKim Schmitz). The company has only been sued one time in the United States for copyright infringement. In January, adult entertainment company Perfect 10 accused the company of encouraging users to upload its copyrighted material on the service. VIDEOS: The Best (and Worst) Moments of AMAs 2011 Many industry folks probably figured it would be tough to litigate against a company that operates outside U.S. jurisdiction and is cloaked in mystery, but Megaupload surprised Hollywood by responding to the lawsuit. In July, a federal judge turned down Megaupload's motion to dismiss the suit, finding: "Megaupload serves as more than a passive conduit and more than a mere 'file storage' company: It has created distinct Web sites presumably in an effort to streamline users' access to different types of media. It encourages and in some cases pays its users to upload vast amounts of popular media through its rewards programs. It disseminates URLS for various files throughout the Internet. It provides payouts to affiliate websites who maintain a catalogue of all available files and last at a minimum, it is plausibly aware of the ongoing rampant infringement taking place on its Web sites." In September, however, Megaupload settled the lawsuit with Perfect 10. Terms of the agreement haven't been revealed, but the parties submitted a motion so that the judge's July decision would be vacated. PHOTOS: 20 Best and Worst Music to Movie Crossovers The content industry has continued to attack Kim and the storage locker. Two weeks ago, Creative America, a coalition of major studios, networks, labor unions, and others, released an anti-piracy advertisement that includes among its targets "the infamous founder of Megaupload," alleging he makes up to $300 million in profits off of piracy. The creators of"Megaupload Mega Song" are now rallying support of Megaupload. Besides the video below, there's also a club remix of the song in circulation. MEGA UPLOAD SONG!!!! BROUGHT TO YOU BY OKFOCUS! from OKFocus on Vimeo. E-mail: eriqgardner@yahoo.com Twitter: @eriqgardner PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery 54th Annual Grammy Nominees: Kanye West, Adele, Bruno Mars, Rihanna, Katy Perry Alicia Keys Chris Brown Kanye West Kim Kardashian Mary J. Blige Snoop Dogg Will.i.am Lil Wayne P. Diddy

Hulk Hogan Sues Ex-Wife for Defamation

Hulk Hogan Hulk Hogan filed a civil suit against ex-wife Linda Bollea Thursday, proclaiming she defamed him in their new book Wrestling the Hulk - My Existence In the Ropes, in line with the St. Petersburg Occasions. Inside the book, and subsequent interviews to market it, Bollea claims that Hogan (real title: Terry Bollea) physically roughed up her in addition to stood a sexual relationship with male wrester Brutus Beefcake. Hulk Hogan remarries, while not without any fight Hogan is seeking an attempt by jury to avoid Bollea from visiting a additional comments. "He's being charged with a myriad of vile conduct he did not commit," mentioned Wil Florin, Hogan's attorney. "Miss Bollea's made an sufficient quantity of these crazy accusations it's the perfect time they stop. Really the only realistic approach to causing them to be stop is through legal court system." Bollea declared divorce from Hogan after 23 years in 2007. They have two children together: Brooke and Nick. Hogan got married girlfriend Jennifer McDaniel last December.

'Arthur' a big step for Sony-Aardman

Posted: Thu., Dec. 8, 2011, 4:00am PTBy 'Arthur Christmas'For its behind-the-scenes look at the complex logistics of Christmas present delivery, the team on the 3D CG comedy (co-produced by Sony Pictures Animation and U.K. stop-motion darling Aardman Animation) went appropriately big: "large sets, large scale, large amounts of detail to try to raise the bar on the visual look and 'believability factor,' which was the big challenge," reports visual effects supervisor Doug Ikeler."The look of our film is fairly distinctive, and it adheres to this formula we worked out. I really pushed for a very textural look and we painted very hi-res," he says.The film has more than 1,400 shots, including tricky water and cloud effects, and took 300 artists working at full capacity four years to complete. "The size of our geometry was huge: over 30 unique sets, including two cities and the North Pole," he explains. "Before, you'd limit the data, but we've turned a corner. Now, we're setting up 'super-rigs' that are nested into larger rigging systems, like the sleigh scenes where the animators can animate each reindeer and all the harnessing, so you get this very cool hierarchical rigging."It helped that the team had the muscle of Sony Imageworks' Arnold renderer to assist them, since the Aardman team back home in Bristol was more accustomed to the lo-fi approach of animating by hand."With the character animation, we can now give animators interactive tools to pose and shape faces," he says. "We did video dailies every morning, and it was a very efficient system. Now that we've established the pipeline, we're all set up for 'Arthur 2,' if and when." EYE ON THE OSCARS: ANIMATION Animated pics boost property valuesWhether working on a shoestring hand-drawn project or pushing the limits of computer-generated technology, this year's offerings overcame major challenges in bringing their animated visions to screen. Here's how:'Arthur Christmas' | 'Chico and Rita' | 'Gnomeo and Juliet' | 'Rango' | 'Wrinkles' | 'Rio' Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Mindy McCready & Son Zander Found Hiding In Closet

First Published: December 3, 2011 11:48 AM EST Credit: Access Hollywood Caption Mindy McCready: I Did Not Steal My Child! LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Mindy McCready and her 5-year-old son, Zander, have been found by police after being reported missing on Tuesday. On Friday night, the country singer, 36, and her son who she does not have custody of were reportedly found in Heber Springs, Ark., in a home belonging to the man believed to be her boyfriend, local authorities told CNN. The child appeared to be in good condition when we found him he was in the closet with his mother, eastern Arkansass chief deputy U.S. Marshal, Davuid Rahbany told CNN. Zander is currently in the custody of the Arkansas Division of Children and Family Services. The organization is expected to arrange for the child to be returned to Gayle Inge (McCreadys mother) and her husband, Michael Inge, who have legal custody of the boy and live in Florida, CNN reported. As previously reported on Access Hollywood.com, on Wednesday, McCready responded first to Access Hollywood, following a report she and her son were missing. I am working with lawyers to try to get all this straightened out, she told Access Hollywood in a previous e-mail. I did not steal my child, as it would be impossible for me to kidnap what already belongs to me! There never was any missing persons report and never an Amber Alert. According to the Associated Press, however, the Department of Children and Families said a missing persons report was filed in Florida on Tuesday. It was also revealed on Wednesday evening that McCready is expecting twins. A rep for the embattled singer confirmed the news to People, and, according to the Associated Press, which spoke to McCraedy on Wednesday, she is 7 months pregnant. Neither report listed details of who the father of the babies is. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Zynga to Raise up to $1 Billion in IPO

This story originally appeared in the Dec. 9 issue of The Hollywood Reporter. our editor recommendsHow to Be an Oscars Winner: Dress Like One at the Golden GlobesWhy 'Tintin' and 'Rango' Stand Out Among This Year's Animated Awards Contenders (Opinion)Does Brad Pitt's Beane in 'Moneyball' = Gregory Peck's Finch in 'Mockingbird'?THR Actor Roundtable: George Clooney's Worst Job, Nick Nolte's Thoughts On Death, and Who Has 'Rage' IssuesMichael Fassbender on Sexual Deviance in 'A Dangerous Method' and 'Shame' (Video) At 84, Oscar may no longer be a stud, but he still hangs out witha pretty studly crew. At least that could be the case this year if, as the bloggerati are predicting, a particularly handsome lineup of leading men is nominated for best actor. And that, in turn, could help the Oscar broadcast's efforts to fend off further ratings decline. VIDEOS: THR's Awards Season Actors Roundtable The contest is fluid -- nominations won't be announced until Jan.24 -- but the consensus has George Clooney, for his beleaguered dad in The Descendants, and Leonardo DiCaprio, for his embittered FBI director in J. Edgar, at the top of the list. Brad Pitt is a strong contender for the casual ease with which he steps into the shoes of baseball GM Billy Beane in Moneyball. And a couple of relative newcomers have become early favorites: Germany-born, London-based Michael Fassbender, who fearlessly lets it all hang out in the NC-17 Shame, and French matinee idol Jean Dujardin, who pours on the charm as a fading star in the silent movie The Artist. PHOTOS: Oscar Legends on Oscar It's a lineup straight out of the GQ Men of the Year Awards by way of People's Sexiest Man Alive cover-- Clooney and Pitt are two-time titleholders. (There's even an outside chance fellow SMA Matt Damon could join them for We Bought a Zoo.) It's not a typical Academy roundup if only because the Oscars tend to underrate the work of a lot of the best-looking leading men. Big-screen smoothies, they can make it look too easy; they often appear in action films or romantic comedies that aren't considered awards-worthy and steer clear of the showy transformations the Academy favors. That's one reason DiCaprio, who was ignored for his clean-cut earnestness in Titanic, is now being applauded for donning all that aging makeup in J. Edgar. It's all the more impressive that Clooney and Pitt are being taken seriously this year because neither adopts a thick accent or funny mustache to play his part. PHOTOS: Oscar Show Moments Now all of that would just be something for fan sites to gush over if it also didn't have ratings implications. The Academy might have breathed a sigh of relief when Billy Crystal agreed to emcee the show in the wake of Eddie Murphy's departure. But Crystal, who hasn't hosted since 2004, is 63, making him the second-oldest solo host since a 74-year-old Bob Hope fronted the show in 1978. And that's not going to make the young girls swoon. There's also a question of how widespread the appeal of the movies nominated for best picture will be when the show is broadcast Feb.26. When noms were announced last awards season, there were two mega-grossers: Toy Story 3 ($415 million domestic) and Inception ($293 million). But this year, with only five nominees guaranteed, it's an open question whether 2011's top-grossing movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part2, will make the cut. The closest thing to a popular nominee right now is the all-girl The Help, which has collected $168 million domestically. PHOTOS: Oscar Hosts Through the Years But if the best-picture nominees are short on crowd-pleasers, a posse of hot actors could provide ratings insurance. Certainly, it would help the surrounding media industry that feeds into the Oscars. "It's an exciting possibility that George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon, the men from the Ocean's movies, could all be on the red carpet together competing for best actor," says Entertainment Tonight executive producer Linda Bell Blue. "And they all play strong men with backbone, which is what female moviegoers are looking for." GOLDEN BOYS: Dishy leading men have to wait to get the gold Cary Grant: Two nominations before his Honorary Oscar in 1970 Paul Newman: 10 noms, a win for The Color of Money, an Honorary in 1986 Robert Redford: 1 acting nom, 1 directing win, then an Honorary in 2002 Warren Beatty: 4 acting noms, 1 directing win, then the Thalberg in 2000 PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery Oscars 2012: The Early Signals Related Topics Brad Pitt George Clooney Leonardo DiCaprio Matt Damon Michael Fassbender Moneyball The Descendants Shame Awards Season Preview

Cruise cues 'All You Need Is Kill'

CruiseAfter sitting in development limbo for many months, "All You Need Is Kill" may finally be on the fast track as Tom Cruise has agreed to star.Based on the graphic novel, the original story is in the vein of "Groundhog Day," with a twist: A soldier in a war against aliens finds himself reliving his last day over and over after being killed. Through the training and battles he experiences in these time loops, he becomes a better soldier.While a deal with the studio isn't officially signed, Cruise has been weighing this role for some time after continued talks with director Doug Liman.Sources say Warners. prexy Jeff Robinov always wanted a big star, though the script called for a younger actor like Ryan Gosling or Joseph Gordon Levitt. Studio has already had the script rewritten to make the character fit Cruise's age.Dante Harper penned the script with Joby Harold doing the rewrite. Sources said Cruise liked the script so much that Liman traveled to Pittsburgh, where the thesp was shooting Paramount and Skydance's "One Shot," to meet with the actor about the role.Another important development: Liman, who's been onboard to direct "Kill" for some time, has lined it up as his next project. For months, Liman had been weighing doing this or the Paramount space adventure "Luna," which struggled to assemble financing and saw David Ellison's Skydance Productions drop out -- forcing Liman to turn to "Kill" for now.Cruise' busy schedule could enable Liman to do both: After "One Shot," Cruise is expected to shoot the Universal sci-fier "Oblivion" in March, then start on "Kill" in the late third/early fourth quarter of 2012. No start date is yet set.Cruise, repped by CAA, can be seen next in Par and Skydance's "Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol," which bows Dec. 16, followed by New Line's "Rock of Ages" next summer.Erwin Stoff, Tom Lassally and Jason Hoffs are producing through 3 Arts Entertainment.Harold is an exec producer on the project. Contact Justin Kroll at justin.kroll@variety.com