News

With his latest role, Chet Hanks got to explore some art imitating life.

The Running Point actor, who is the son of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, recently revealed he was prepared to “quit acting” if he didn’t get the role of basketball bad boy Travis Bugg on the Netflix sports comedy series from Mindy Kaling.

“It was just uncanny—it’s almost like it was written for me, but it wasn’t,” Hanks told Esquire. “So I basically get to be a slightly exaggerated version of myself.”

Three years sober, he also related to Travis’ addiction struggle in the series, which was co-created by Kaling, Ike Barinholtz, David Stassen and Elaine Ko.

“That’s just great writing, and I’m glad that they allowed the opportunity to give their character more depth,” added Hanks. “But it’s exciting. I’ve always noticed art imitating life in a lot...

The Big Bang Theory is one of the most popular and iconic sitcoms of modern television. It lasted for an impressive 12 seasons, running from 2007 to 2019. The Big Bang Theory follows a group of nerdy, socially awkward friends and coworkers, along with their one really hot friend across the hall. We're talking, of course, about the waitress and aspiring actress, Penny.

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

The Big Bang Theory RomanceComedy Where to Watchstreamrentbuy

Not available

*Availability in US Release Date September 24, 2007Cast Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Melissa Rauch, Mayim Bialik, Kevin Sussman, Carol Ann Susi, John Ross Bowie, Laura Spencer, Wil Wheaton, Brian George, Christine Baranski, Brian Posehn, Laurie Metcalf, Joshua Malina, Ian Scott Rudolph, Aarti Mann, Brian Thomas Smith, Alice Amter, Pamela AdlonSeasons 12 Expand

Penny is played by Kaley Cuoco, one of the leads in...

The Big Bang Theory is one of the best and most popular sitcoms of modern television. The geeky, Pasadena version of Friends or Seinfeld, this series follows a group of nerdy, socially awkward friends and coworkers -- and their one really hot friend across the hall. We're talking, of course, about Penny, the waitress and aspiring actress who's played by Kaley Cuoco. The Big Bang Theory ran for an impressive 12 seasons, an eternity in TV land, running from 2007 to 2019. (What would Sheldon have thought about the Covid-19 pandemic? We wonder).

The show's tremendous success birthed an entire franchise, which includes the prequel series Young Sheldon and its spin-off series about Sheldon's older brother, Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage. A fourth series is reportedly in development for Max, which will thrust supporting character Stuart into the spotlight and will follow him, his girlfriend Denise, and geologist Bert Kibbler.

Your changes have been...

Infinity Nikki, the brand-new open-world dress-up game, has taken the gaming scene by storm since its release on December 5. There are many reasons for the game's overnight success; its unique fusion of open-world exploration combined with the primary purpose of crafting and styling outfits is a new take on the open-world gaming experience, while the game's countless mini-games and puzzles make it continuously exciting. The fairy tale aesthetic of the game is also outstanding, with its beautiful landscapes and focus on colors, and the visuals of the game are complemented by a beautiful soundtrack.

One of the most charming features of Infinity Nikki is that, although there is combat in the game, it is never a stressful experience. Players can enjoy being able to jump from the highest of heights, floating to the ground without ever injuring the game's main protagonist, Nikki. Additionally, and delightfully, animals in Infinity Nikki can never be harmed.

Following the massive worldwide success of Fallout, Prime Video is looking to adapt another successful video game franchise into a television series in the form of Mass Effect. A sci-fi epic launched in 2007, Mass Effect follows the adventures of Commander Sheppard as he attempts to save the galaxy from a powerful foe known as the Reapers. Sheppard is accompanied by a loyal crew of companions, encompassing the franchise's vast array of aliens. The series, which includes Mass Effect 2 (2010), Mass Effect 3 (2012), and Mass Effect: Andromeda (2017), is critically acclaimed and regarded as one of the best video game series of all time.

Variety reports that Amazon MGM is moving forward with a Mass Effect television series. Daniel Casey, who is best known as the writer of F9: The Fast Saga, is set to write and executive produce the series. Former SVP of Original Programming & Production at Marvel Television Karim Zriek is on...

Borderlands movie breaks records with a disappointing 9% Rotten Tomatoes score, disappointing many involved. Cate Blanchett and eight other actors set personal record lows with their involvement in Borderlands. Director Eli Roth sees Borderlands as his worst-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes, with only a 9% rating.

Borderlands' Rotten Tomatoes score breaks several records, just not in the way everyone involved would have hoped. The first-ever live-action adaptation of 2K and Gearbox's popular video game franchise attracted top talent from across Hollywood. Lionsgate eventually landed Eli Roth as the director, with Cate Blanchett and others headlining Borderlands' cast of characters. The talent involved even grew through the movie's reshoots, which brought Deadpool's Tim Miller aboard to handle the additional photography. All this was done in the hopes that the Borderlands' reviews and the general response would be favorable, leading to a box office hit franchise.

Unfortunately, the reaction to the 2024 video...

Exclusive: Logan Browning (Dear White People) has been cast in a series regular role in Ed Brubaker’s Prime Video series Criminal. She joins the previously announced cast of Charlie Hunnam, Adria Arjona, Richard Jenkins and Kadeem Hardison.

Criminal is an interlocking universe of crime stories based on the multi-Eisner Award-winning graphic novel series created by Brubaker and Sean Phillips.

Browning will play Jenny, an Internal Affairs detective with a dry sense of humor and an absurdly calm demeanor. She presents as an even-tempered woman who appears to be without a care in the world. Jenny is very smart; her father was a criminal and she loves her job — which gives her the right to question, harass, terrify and imprison cops all day long. Jenny was raised with Leo (Hunnam) as her playmate/buddy/blood brother for life.

As Deadline previously revealed exclusively, Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden are confirmed...

We’re now eight weeks into The Masked Singer‘s 10th season, and eagle-eyed — sorry, make that eagle-eared — viewers are pretty sure they’ve figured out which nine remaining celebrities are hiding inside those over-the-top costumes.

Let’s start with Gazelle, who returns to the stage on Wednesday (Fox 8/7c) to compete against fellow Group A contestants Cow and S’More, none of whom have been seen since Oct. 11. That’s right, more than a month ago.

More from TVLineFox Announces Post-Strike Return Dates, Including America's Most Wanted and Brand-New Night for Family Guy9-1-1: Lone Star's Return...

A few weeks ago, Variety reported that Paramount’s Republic Pictures had acquired the distribution rights to the serial killer horror thriller Vindicta and were planning to release the film sometime in October. Now a trailer for the film has arrived online (you can watch it in the embed above), and along with the trailer comes details on Paramount Global Content Distribution’s release plans: Vindicta will be reaching select theatres and will be available to buy on digital as of October 6th.

Starring Elena Kampouris of the most recent Children of the Corn movie, Sean Astin (The Goonies), and Jeremy Piven (Judgment Night), Vindicta has the following synopsis: When a city is terrorized by a sadistic serial killer, a seasoned detective and a newly recruited paramedic are forced into a deadly game of vengeance, only to discover the key to stopping the bloodshed lies in unlocking the truth of their own haunted pasts.

Warner Bros’ Barbie ain’t missin’ no steps as the Greta Gerwig-directed title is clicking past the $600M mark at the domestic box office in its 43rd day of release.

Note that it took Top Gun: Maverick 47 days to cross that threshold, with the Tom Cruise pic ending its stateside run at $718.7M. Barbie is pacing 2% ahead of the Top Gun sequel’s running total at the same point in time. It took Avatar: The Way of Water 40 days (final total $684M) to cross the six-century mark at the domestic box office.

So many records broken by Mattel’s top doll: Top-grossing movie of the year stateside, Warner Bros. highest-grossing movie ever at $1.34B ahead of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part Two, Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling’s highest-grossing movies ever, top-grossing live-action title by a female director in North America and worldwide and on and on.

Sean McNamara has racked up a ton of directing credits over the last thirty years, including Casper: A Spirited Beginning, 3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain, Casper Meets Wendy, The Even Stevens Movie, Bratz, The Suite Life Movie, Soul Surfer, Spare Parts, Cody the Robosapien, Cats & Dogs 3: Paws Unite, On a Wing and a Prayer, a couple Sister Swap movies, Aliens Ate My Homework, Aliens Stole My Body, and multiple Baby Geniuses movies. His latest is a serial killer horror thriller called Vindicta, and Variety reports that Paramount’s Republic Pictures has acquired the distribution rights. They’re planning to release the film sometime in October.

Starring Elena Kampouris (the most recent Children of the Corn movie), Sean Astin (The Goonies), and Jeremy Piven (Judgment Night), Vindicta has the following synopsis: When a city is terrorized by a sadistic serial killer, a seasoned detective and a newly...

Barbie has taken the global box office by storm, and it's no surprise that Mattel is already looking at the future based on that success. Although spinoffs and sequels will undoubtedly be in the pipeline for the pink picture, Mattel has a huge list of other properties that it's currently developing. Polly Pocket, Hot Wheels, Uno and Magic 8 Ball are just a few existing products currently being eyed for the Barbie treatment.

A lot of criticism has been levied at Mattel for this plan, with the assumption that there's no real audience for any of these projects. They're being deemed cynical cash-ins, attempting to take advantage of toys being in the spotlight once more. But if Mattel learns the correct lessons from Barbie, there might be some genuine standouts among this group. It's important not to underestimate this slate, as many of those concepts could have potential in the right hands.

Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" is already a huge box office success. According to Variety, the film made over $155 million in its opening weekend, making it the biggest debut of the year. Besides its genius marketing campaign and star-studded cast, one of the things viewers will remember about the film is its attention to detail.

"Barbie" includes so many clever Easter eggs, from nods to discontinued toys like Midge and Sugar Daddy Ken to pop culture references like "The Wizard of Oz" and "The Matrix." One of the movie's most subtle Easter eggs, however, may have involved another popular doll franchise: Bratz. According to a popular TikTok theory, "Barbie" features a secret cameo from the Bratz characters Cloe, Sasha, Yasmin, and Jade. If you failed to catch it, let me explain.

Does the "Barbie" Movie Reference Bratz?

According to TikTok user Jessica Weslie, the scene in question happens at the beginning...

Clawdeena has always had a fascination for dolls. The Los Angeles-based content creator had about 150 Bratz dolls and 50 Barbies in her childhood years. Her favorites: Bratz’s Jade and Barbie’s Raquelle, because they aligned with her half-Chinese identity. Despite having a shared love for both, she says she gravitated toward the street-style appearance and the unapologetic rebellion associated with the Bratz brand as a kid.

“It did feel exclusionary,” Clawdeena, 23, says. “There was a very specific image of what it meant to be a Barbie.”

Greta Gerwig’s hotly...

This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being discussed here wouldn't exist. This article also contains spoilers for "Barbie."

I was a casual Barbie girl growing up. I recall having a couple of dolls as a wee one and marveling at Barbie's a little-too-perfect beauty. Bratz were more my jam, as they were marketed as the diverse, grown-up, spunkier version of the all-American image of Barbie. It could be argued that all American girl dolls were created to either follow or respond to Barbie's template, and as time went on, girls (I'm generalizing with "girls" because of that pesky ol' gender binary) had their pick of which doll line they resonated most with. But even as doll variations have become more "mature," eclectic, and malleable to changing trends, something inevitably happens to the girls that play with them.

In the days leading up to the Fourth of July, New York governor Andrew Cuomo took to social media urging state residents to avoid indoor parties and large gatherings. But it seems folks didn’t listen and after seeing pictures of packed beaches and stocked bars surface online, a second wave of coronavirus-induced quarantine and social distancing seems closer than ever before.

Should it come to that, at least Netflix will have you covered. Over the past week, the streamer added a whopping 103 new movies and 23 new shows. Yes, it seems they’re giving subscribers enough content to last a lifetime of isolation and here’s a quick overview of some of the best titles that arrived this week.

Let’s start with movies. If you’re aching for a familiar yet thrilling crime drama, look no further than Donnie Brasco. This film, which stars Johnny Depp in one of his first lead roles ever,...

You can usually rely on the content tap over at Netflix HQ to deliver a steady stream of new movies and TV shows into our homes, but sometimes what drips out isn’t so amazing. Today, Netflix has added just one new movie to the service, and it’s a film that’s generally considered one of the worst of the 2000s. So, what is this cinematic monstrosity we speak of? We’re talking about 2007’s Bratz: The Movie.

Based on the now unpopular toy line of the same name, Bratz: The Movie follows four high school girls as they engage in teenage drama you won’t care about even if you’re a teenage girl. The film was panned upon release, sitting at a lowly 10% on the Tomatometer (with a 46% Audience Score). Critics described it as “insipid,” “derivative,” “cloying” and “bad even by the low standards of its genre.

How does Netflix determine which titles leave and which enter its dauntingly large library? Do they carefully analyze viewing statistics and find content that caters to our interests? Or do they simply throw an immense amount of content at the wall and watch what sticks?

The answer is probably a mix of both. Like most entertainment companies, Netflix knows full well the potential of mathematics, but it also respects the creative spirit. As such, some new additions may have been carefully chosen, and others not. In any case, here’s an overview of the 81 new movies and TV shows headed to the platform this coming week.

Let’s begin with the basics. One of the most inoffensive yet well-crafted Hollywood films arriving is Donnie Brasco. Produced in 1997, it stars now-legendary actor Johnny Depp in one of his first lead roles ever, and tells the story of an undercover cop who...

There's a lot that you likely know about Vanessa Hudgens. She's an actress, singer, and dancer who rose to fame as a cast member of the High School Musical franchise. Most recently, she starred in the Netflix holiday rom-com The Knight Before Christmas and in this year's Bad Boys For Life. But the 31-year-old also harbors a deep, dark secret; one that she bravely shared with me during a phone call on March 3.

You see, Vanessa Hudgens is what we in the community call a Simmer. Simply put, she is an enthusiastic player of the iconic life simulation game The Sims, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Vanessa first discovered The Sims after watching her younger sister Stella play and has become such a dedicated Simmer that she's partnering with EA for their ongoing Play With Life campaign, which encourages fans to unleash their creativity, joy, and love of...

Universal Content Productions (Ucp) is developing a follow up series to the classic sitcom “Punky Brewster,” Variety has confirmed.

Original series star Soleil Moon Frye is attached to the new version, which would follow Punky (Frye) as a single mother of three trying to get her life back on track when she meets a young girl who reminds her a lot of her younger self.

Steve and Jim Armogida will write and executive produce the new series. Frye will also serve as executive producer along with original series creator David Duclon and Jimmy Fox of Main Event Media, an All3Media America company. Ucp will produce. The company’s recent slate includes shows like “Homecoming,” “The Act,” “The Umbrella Academy,” “Mr. Robot,” “Dirty John,” and “The Sinner.”

“Punky Brewster” debuted on NBC in 1984 and ran four seasons. The series was nominated for three Emmy Awards during its run, including two for best children’s program.

A bit of Punky Power has come to Tuesday’s news cycle: Universal Content Productions is developing a Punky Brewster sequel series, with Soleil Moon Frye on board to reprise the title role, TVLine has confirmed.

Punky Brewster originally ran from 1984 to 1988 and starred Frye as a young girl growing up with foster father Henry Warnimont. In the potential follow-up series, Punky is now a single mother of three trying to get her life back on track when she meets a young girl who reminds her a lot of her younger self.

Frye will also serve as an executive producer on the project,...

Kaley Cuoco will lend her voice to the title character in the upcoming “Harley Quinn” animated series at DC Universe.

The announcement was made at New York Comic Con, with Cuoco taking the stage after a special first look video (see below) was unveiled. In the video, Harley sits in a prison cell with Posion Ivey and takes a few pointed shots at previous DC projects and the “Deadpool” cartoon that was previously set up at FX.

Cuoco will also be an executive producer on the series through her Yes, Norman Productions, serving alongside Justin Halpern, Patrick Schumacker and Dean Lorey. She joins previously announced voice cast members Lake Bell, Alan Tudyk, Ron Funches, Jb Smoove, Jason Alexander, Wanda Sykes, Giancarlo Esposito, Natalie Morales, Jim Rash, Diedrich Bader, Tony Hale, and Chris Meloni.

Cuoco is best known for her role as Penny on the hit CBS sitcom “The Big Bang Theory,...

Wedding bells are on the horizon!

Janel Parrish, best known for her role as Mona Vanderwaal on Pretty Little Liars, announced her engagement to her boyfriend Chris Long on Monday.

“Went to the park for a stroll with Klee and came back with a fiancé,” she captioned a photo of the two kissing, showing off her sparkly ring.

“I get to marry my best friend and I’m over the moon,” she added. “I love you @c_long.”

Parrish’s friend and Bratz: The Movie costar Skylar Shaye, 31, was quick to offer her congratulations on Instagram.

“My best friend is engaged!

Could have been assembled entirely from clips from other movies — mostly the Star Wars prequels — and would have been better if it had been. I’m “biast” (pro): nothing

I’m “biast” (con): never hopeful about based-on-videogame movies

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

Ah, so there’s my answer, once again.

I was wondering how that standard movie philosophy still applied to me. You know, that standard movie philosophy that is not only the stuff but the actual stuffing of 99 percent of wish-fulfillment genre fantasy movies for decades now. I approached Ratchet & Clank with great anticipation. Can I do anything? Can I be anything I want to be? Am I destined for greatness, to save the world or even the whole galaxy even if I am a foolhardy, thoughtless, unfocused screwup with almost nothing to my name but maybe some undisciplined smarts and outsized aspirations to grandeur?...

Powers is the latest comic adaptation – based on the Marvel/Icon comic by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming – from the team who produced The Walking Dead which turns the concept of superheroes on their head and asks: what if the world was full of superheroes who aren’t heroic at all?

For those that haven’t heard of the show before (why not?) Powers follows the lives of two homicide detectives, Christian Walker played by Sharlto Copley (District 9, Maleficent) and Deena Pilgrim played by Susan Heyward (666 Park Avenue, 30 Rock). Powers was actually the PlayStation Network’s first scripted original programming, premiering on March 10th 2015; however now the UK arm of Spike have announced it is to join their roster of shows which also includes From Dusk Till Dawn, Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead.

The Powers Division is assigned to investigate cases involving people with extraordinary abilities,...

Michael Bay is the gift that keeps on giving. The fourth film in his clashing-robots franchise, "Transformers: Age of Extinction," leads the 35th Annual Razzie Awards with seven nominations, including Worst Picture and Worst Director (Bay). (Click here for the complete list of nominations.) -Break- This is the third "Transformers" film to reap a Worst Picture bid. In 2007, the generally well-reviewed first film only contended for Worst Supporting Actor (Jon Voight, who was also cited for "Bratz," "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," and "September Dawn"), but the first sequel, "Revenge of the Fallen," fell hard in 2009 with seven nominations and a "win" for Worst Picture. The third sequel, "Dark of the Moon," was nominated for eight awards in 2011, including Worst Picture, but it left unscathed thanks to Adam Sandler's "Jack and Jill," which made Razzie history by swee...'...

Ten years ago Elsa started practicing law on the backlot of Universal Studios, in a trailer on the lot. “I began in 2005 with a lot of schlock films in the early days of digital shooting,” she told me from her Beverly Hills office where she now employs five other women attorneys and has just hired the first man. In 2005 you could make digital movies (just after “Blair Witch”) and international sales agents paid good money for them. DVDs still existed and were a relevant income stream for independent producers. For a $200,000 budget you could reap a return of $2 million even without a large theatrical release. What came out of those days was “bootstrap entrepreneurship” from producers who could produce a film digitally on a shoestring budget.

Her firm also employs a packaging and sales person, Tiffany Boyle, to consult and advise with producer and financier clients on meeting and evaluating distributors, sales agents and financiers. This is not too different from the job of producer reps, but the packaging and sales consultant can work on an hourly or take a percentage of distribution which includes legal.

“It is an enhanced legal service, not at all in competition with Submarine, Preferred Content and other indie producer reps. In fact, sometimes we place our films with them, or we work in tandem with them and even introduce our clients to them as we value what producer reps and agents bring to the table in terms of procuring offers and creating a marketplace for an independent,” she adds.

Tiffany Boyle was previously director of sales at Crystal Sky, working under head of production Benedict Carver (“Underworld”, “Resident Evil”) and head of international sales Daniel Diamond (“The Believer”). She worked in the development and sales on the company’s films, including “Doomsday”, “Big Stan” And “Bratz”.

Ramo herself was born in L.A. but grew up in San Diego as a first generation U.S. citizen. She went to Uc Riverside and as soon as she graduated from University of San Diego School of Law, she returned to L.A.

She began in royalty litigation for music and asked her first employers if she could find her own clients and proceeded to network through the film organizations in L.A. for whom she would do free transactional work. She came from a family business and is very entrepreneurial by nature.

Her expertise has been featured in numerous outlets, including Variety’s 2014 Women Impact Report, The Wrap, Forbes, and Latino Weekly. Incidentally, she is not Latino but her partner, Erika Canchola, is Mexican-American. Erika was an intern for Elsa during law school, then was hired, became an associate, and now is a partner.

Ramo has also lectured on film financing for the California Lawyers for the Arts, Film Independent, Attorney Credits, LawReview Cle,myLawCLE, and the Institute for International Film Financing.

She has been a panel and guest speaker at USC, AFI, UCLA, South by Southwest V2V, Slamdance Film Festival, the San Diego Film Festival, Digital Hollywood, Boston University School of Law, and the University of San Diego Law School. In May 2010, she was awarded an Artistic License Award along with Maria Shriver by California Lawyers for the Arts for her outstanding pro-bono work providing artists and arts organizations with legal services.

Eight years ago she moved her office to Beverly Hills. Every year her business doubles in size. She handles about 50 features a year at various stages of financing, production and distribution. At every major market she has a handful of films.

She just spoke at Digital Hollywood on a panel about women entrepreneurship. She recognizes that men and woman are different and respect for one another professionally is what makes progress possible. She began ten years ago as a young woman in an older man pool, but now she is seen less as a female and more as an equal professional. She tells her interns who are women “never give an excuse of sexism, better than putting energy in negativity is putting it into negotiating and doing your job well irrespective of your sex.”

Elsa is straightforward and outgoing, she has a self-confidence that is warm and welcoming. You want to share with her.

She also notes that the talent to produce low budget films is the same skill set which, even without money to back it, can be used for the new networks and she finds that she is succeeding at pre-selling TV series lately. She is currently legal counsel for her first unscripted doc series to Netflix Chef’s Table and finds that non-conventional serial content is hot now.”

“What is your real goal?” I asked, and she answered that she appreciates the opportunities given to her and appreciates the growth of herself and of her clients. She is also interested in “how much the indie business is changing and has always changed. Three or four years ago it was DVD, and now it is all changed to digital streams of revenue and the great thing is it will all change again.”

Content evolves in a circle. She started with offering free services and was happy to be hired. Now she gives low rates to new filmmakers; she can evaluate their talent better, she recognizes passion and talent. Sometimes it works out for her and the new talent, and sometimes it fails.

“I am always looking for emerging talent, looking at the cutting edge.” The business is constantly evolving and my biggest goal is never to ‘settle’, never to stop.”

Check out her website at www.ramolaw.com. It offers a great list of filmmaker resources as well as bios of her growing staff.

Shooting his first film in Australia, fantasy/adventure The Moon and the Sun, Us producer Bill Mechanic is so rapt with the Australian crew he.s keen to work with them again.

That may happen later this year as Mechanic plans to team again with La-based Australian producer Paul Currie on 2:22, a thriller about an air traffic controller who investigates a mysterious flash of light. Currie will direct from a screenplay based on an original concept by Todd Stein and Nathan Parker.

And Mechanic hopes to shoot another film, WW2 drama Hacksaw Ridge, in Australia next year.

The Moon and the Sun stars Pierce Brosnan, William Hurt, Fan Bing Bing, Kaya Scodelario, Benjamin Walker, Ben Lloyd-Hughes and Pablo Schreiber, directed by Sean McNamara (Soul Surfer, Bratz, Raise Your Voice).

The $40 million film is shooting at the Docklands after two weeks at the Palace of Versailles in France, where the...

Last night we posted the email that Avi Arad sent BusinessWeek in response to their profile about Kevin Feige which you can read here.

Arad had more to say today and gave Deadline the following update:

“We had a list of titles, but the slate didn’t have Iron Man or Hulk, and I had a very tough time getting Iron Man back from New Line, but we got it back. I always loved Iron Man. I left because I wanted to leave. It was nothing other than it was time to go. The company was growing and I didn’t like committees and I was 60 and was doing well as it was. I took a walk and thought, ‘I’m too old for this.’ And I thought if I keep nothing but Spider-Man, I will continue with Marvel, but I can do other things. I wanted to do other things … and I am now.

Businessweek recently published a cover story about Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige — “The Man Who Saved Marvel.” We’ve heard a lot of people gush about Feige the wunderkind, and given the success of Marvel’s films, it seems pretty deserved. But Feige’s old boss, Avi Arad, disagrees. Well, he takes issue with one section of the article, specifically this paragraph:

“Finally, Marvel decided to create its own studio. In 2005 it put up as collateral the film rights to characters it still controlled, such as Captain America and Nick Fury, and got $525 million in financing from Merrill Lynch. Arad, who had doubts about the strategy, resigned the following year. Feige was named studio chief in 2007. He was 33 years old, and he was in charge of Hollywood’s first major independent movie studio since DreamWorks.”

That sounds a lot like Arad left or was booted because he didn’t agree with the independent production plan.

The National Commission of Audit.s proposal to cease the $20 million international film incentives program is a nonsense.

An initiative of the former Labor Government, the $20 million was a one-off payment to attract offshore production and was never going to be perpetuated by the current Government.

Besides, the money has been spent, or at least committed, to three films. Angelina Jolie.s drama Unbroken is in post-production and will be released by Universal in the Us on December 25 and in Australia on January 8.

The Moon and the Sun, a fantasy adventure starring Pierce Brosnan, William Hurt, Fan Bing Bing and Benjamin Walker, is shooting in Melbourne after locationing in France, directed by Sean McNamara (Soul Surfer, Bratz, Raise Your Voice) .

San Andreas, an action-thriller starring Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino and Alexandra Daddario, is in production at the Village Roadshow Studios on the Gold Coast.

.The money has been committed,. one film industry executive tells If.

William Hurt has replaced Bill Nighy in one of the key supporting roles in The Moon and the Sun, a fantasy/adventure which starts shooting in Paris next week and moves to Melbourne in mid-April.

Sean McNamara (Soul Surfer, Bratz, Raise Your Voice) is directing the film based on a novel by Vonda McIntyre.

Pierce Brosnan heads the cast as King Louis Xiv, who is determined to protect the future of France by reigning for all eternity. His search for immortality leads him to capture and steal the life force from a mermaid, but soon his 18-year-old illegitimate daughter discovers the mystical creature and strikes up a friendship with her.

Chinese actress Fan Bing Bing portrays the mermaid, a Gollum-type digital creation. Kaya Scodelario (TV.s Skins) plays the daughter, Marie-Josephe. Hurt is Pere La Chaise, spiritual adviser to the king. The producers said Nighy dropped out due to a scheduling conflict.

Scouting locations for The Moon and the Sun, a fantasy/adventure film starring Pierce Brosnan, Bill Nighy and Fan Bing Bing, the producers weighed offers from a number of countries.

Victoria won out thanks to a combination of the location offset, state rebate, quality of the crews and the expertise of VFX houses, according to Paul Currie, who is one of the principal producers alongside Pandemonium Films. Bill Mechanic.

Budgeted at $US40 million, the film will shoot for two weeks in Versailles, France in March, then move to Australia in April using the stages of Docklands Studios and locations throughout Victoria.

An Aussie who.s based in Los Angeles, Currie tells If, .$40 million goes a long way in Australia. Cost effectively we do great work for realistic budgets..

Film Victoria, Screen Nsw and Screen Queensland all pitched for the project and Ausfilm was co-operative. Currie was grateful for the agencies...

Pierce Brosnan, Bill Nighy and Fan Bingbing are attached to star in The Moon & the Sun, a Hollywood film which will shoot in Australia and France.

The producer, Bill Mechanic of Pandemonium Films, told If he will probably shoot a second film Down Under, WW2 drama Hacksaw Ridge (aka The C.O.).

The news is a feather in the cap for Ausfilm, which organised Mechanic.s trip to Oz two weeks ago to scout locations, inspect studio facilities and meet key crew, as part of its program of in-bound visits for offshore producers.

Based on a novel by Vonda McIntyre, The Moon & the Sun is an adult fairytale centring on Louis Xiv, who brings a mermaid into captivity in order to steal its life force. The King.s quest is complicated when he brings to Court the daughter of the mistress he always loved and the creature seeks out the girl.

Stars: Kim Coates, Penelope Ann Miller, Joaquim de Almeida, David Eigenberg, Jae Head, Bobby Coleman, Peter Jason, Holliston Coleman, Billy Slaughter | Written by Avi Arad, Max Botkin | Directed by Sean McNamara

Originally announced way back in 2008, Robosapien has had a long gestation period and has gone through numerous re-titles (including Cody the Robosapien and Robosapien: Rebooted) since being filmed in New Orleans some 5 years ago. Helmed by longtime kids TV director Sean McNamara (Even Stevens, That’s So Raven, Bratz), the film is a family-friendly adventure film with a heart, the type of movie which rarely gets made outside of the TV movie arena these days…

The film is based (loosely) on Wow Wee’s robotic toy of the same name, and tells the story of an inventor working for Kinetech Labs who designs a robot for search and rescue missions that has the ability to mimic human actions and emotions.

On Monday, May 27, VH1 will try to match the success of Single Ladies with the premiere of its next scripted series Hit the Floor — a fun, sexy soap centered on the Los Angeles Devil Girls, the dance team for the city’s fictional professional basketball team. We have your first look at a fiery new tease below.

Hit the Floor, created by James Larosa, stars newcomer Taylour Paige and Logan Browning (Bratz, Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns) as the squad’s promising, naive rookie Ahsha and ruthless, threatened captain Jelena, respectively. (They are the two exchanging looks at the end.

Actress Janel Parrish is trading in her wicked ways for a ticket to paradise. She’s exchanging her villainous role on the set of Pretty Little Liars for a three-episode stint on the CBS series, Hawaii Five-0.

Fans know Parrish as Mona Vanderwall on the ABC Family teen drama. Mona is a shoplifter and sometime mental patient. What a great specimen for any social circle, am I right? She will now play a Type-a chemistry student who may also be a bit of a sociopath on the cop series. Let’s just say she doesn’t handle it very well when others muck up her plans. I suspect her already, but did she do it and who might she be suspected of murdering? We’ll have to wait and see.

According to THR the first of her Hawaii Five-0 episodes will air next year.

You may have guessed it, but...

Melbourne, August 20: The life of round-the-world teenage sailor Jessica Watson is to be turned into a major movie that will be filmed in Sydney and the Gold Coast next year.

The director of the Hollywood movies Soul Surfer and Bratz: The Movie, Sean McNamara, will shoot what's described as an "inspiring drama" called True Spirit in Australia next year.

The.

The kids cannot be ignored! With movie, television and music related gifting suites popping up in Los Angeles throughout the year, there is one that's geared specifically towards the tween and teen generation: the Kids Choice! And although there were were only a couple of these suites, they sure packed a punch for the young ones!

The Gbk, Bop and Tiger Beat hosted Celebrity Gift Lounge in honor of the 2012 Kids Choice Awards at the Sls Hotel benefiting the American Cancer Society, Dream Center and Model Citizen Fund.

Celebs could choose from an array of Bratz Dolls, including the brand new True Hope Bratz -- a bald doll to raise awareness of children going through chemotherapy. There were also light and sound toy vehicles from Toy State including Dub Garage and Road Rippers.

Beverly Mitchell and Francia Raisa of The Secret Life of the American Teenager at Gbk

Beauty products...

The kids cannot be ignored! With movie, television and music related gifting suites popping up in Los Angeles throughout the year, there is one that's geared specifically towards the tween and teen generation: the Kids Choice! And although there were were only a couple of these suites, they sure packed a punch for the young ones!

The Gbk, Bop and Tiger Beat hosted Celebrity Gift Lounge in honor of the 2012 Kids Choice Awards at the Sls Hotel benefiting the American Cancer Society, Dream Center and Model Citizen Fund.

Celebs could choose from an array of Bratz Dolls, including the brand new True Hope Bratz -- a bald doll to raise awareness of children going through chemotherapy. There were also light and sound toy vehicles from Toy State including Dub Garage and Road Rippers.

Beverly Mitchell and Francia Raisa of The Secret Life of the American Teenager at Gbk

Beauty products...

Studies have shown that Hidden Gems of the Week, EW.com’s collection of reader-submitted ridiculata, is the best way to enjoy Dancing With the Stars without ever having to turn it on. It’s a visual feast of sparkles, fringe, and stunning awkwardness. Ready to go down the rabbit hole? Behold this bountiful smattering of Visible Gems!

Most Valuable Gem (Mvg) Of The Week:

“Omg when Bruno was yelling “It’s a Hit!” There was a moment where he looked Exactly like Russell from True Blood when he did the news! Please someone else notice this!” –Mals

“Who was...

It’s time for the annual Rosewood Charity Fashion Show, which, even with the last-minute satanic tribute to Alison, is the least sinister annual Rosewoodian event we’ve ever seen. Remember the fun house with the bloody notes on the wall? Remember the scarecrows?

The Liars are folding programs and reminding us what happened at the end of the last episode — they watched a sex tape of their best friend projected onto a mausoleum in a graveyard in the middle of the night — then changing the subject to boyfriends and girlfriends. Hanna goes, “The person who killed our best friend might still be on the loose. Or, the person who killed our best friend and then definitely tried to kill Spencer and also recorded pervy videos of us since middle school is dead. So the chance one of us will be axe-murdered tonight is still pretty high. Hey, who’s...

Actress Logan Browning has just been announced as the newest member of the cast of the CW’s upcoming series, Secret Circle. The fresh paranormal Ya series was, in fact, picked up by the network from the creators of The Vampire Diaries. It seems like only yesterday we were reporting Secret Circle having snagged a director at long last. Now we can report Cassie and the witches of New Salem will hit your television screen on Thursday, September 15th.

Logan Browning once starred on the TBS network offering Meet the Browns. For the CW she is Sally Matthews, a girl who is not a witch, but is known as “an outsider” in the L.J. Smith novels (and this adaptation) who will befriend Cassie, portrayed by actress Britt Robertson of Life Unexpected fame. Thomas Dekker, Shelley Hennig, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Louis Hunter, Ashley Crow, Gale Harold, Natasha Henstridge and Phoebe Tonkin will also star.

Somewhere not far beneath the glossy pop skin of Soul Surfer, the true story of Bethany Hamilton is struggling to get out. It’s a headline-grabber: as a 13-year-old up-and-coming competitive surfer, Hamilton lost her left arm in a shark attack, then fearlessly returned to surfing, ultimately going pro. But the film’s bubbly narration, relentless pop soundtrack, wearying MTV editing, and desperately intense positivity wash away most of her story’s drama, as well as any sense of reality. Director/co-writer Sean McNamara (Bratz: The Movie) and a committee of six other writers give the script an unusual specificity ...

ABC/Bob D’Amico Kendra Wilkinson and dance partner Louis Van Amstel.

The “Dancing with the Stars” premiere had some sweet surprises (Hello, Pittsburgh Steelers’ Hines Ward! You are adorable!) and some aggravating eye-roll-inducing moments (we expected Kendra Wilkinson to be annoying but she was nearly upstaged by her partner Louis van Amstel).

A tip for watching the dancing like the judges do: it’s not just about the finished flip or twist, it’s about how someone moves from one point to another.

The new cast of Dancing with the Stars answer a few questions from the audience:

Full Dwts Cast list and Dancing with the Stars schedule below:

The 11 celebrities heading to the dance floor this season, as announced tonight by “Dancing with the Stars” hosts Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke in a live press conference during “The Bachelor,” are as follows:

Kirstie Alley – Kirstie Alley has emerged as one of the great actresses of her generation, proving time and again that she is capable of great depth and range, as well as possessing comedic timing second to none. Kirstie’s work in television has earned her seven Golden Globe and eight Emmy nominations, winning one Golden Globe, two Emmys and three People’s Choice Awards. She co-wrote and starred in Showtime’s critically acclaimed comedy “Fat Actress,” and played the title character, as well as serving as executive producer, on the NBC sitcom “Veronica’s Closet.

Those sneaky people at TMZ have just broke the news of several cast members that are joining this seasons of ABC’s Dancing With the Stars.

A typical hodgepodge of sports figures, reality stars and general public personas, this time around you can expect to see:

· WWE star Chris Jericho paired with Cheryl Burke

· Lil’ Romeo paired with Chelsie Hightower

· E! star and former Playboy Playmate Kendra Wilkinson paired with Louis van Amstel

· Cheers star Kirstie Alley paired with Maksim Chmerkovskiy

· Talk show queen Wendy Williams paired with Tony Dovolani

· Bratz and Disney star Chelsea Kane paired with Mark Ballas

Of course, ABC promises to announced the official cast tonight during the airing of The Bachelor, but let the speculation begin of who is best suited to take home the trophy this season.

There are few things more cynically exploited by Hollywood marketers than the knuckle-dragging simple-mindedness of the American dream. The unending and unwavering relief that with a little faith and a lot of hard work all challenges in life abides so completely as to have an almost religious hold of the popular consciousness. Politicians contrive all manner of platitudes and sound bites to this resolutely, obstinately optimistic view of life, and producers and marketers of box office cinema know that so a powerful prejudice is a fast route to easy money.

Given this, it can hardly be a surprise that the life story of Bethany Hamilton has been adapted for the screen. For those unaware of her, Hamilton was a teenage surfer living in Hawaii who lost her arm when she was attacked by a Tiger Shark. She then went on to return to surfing after rehabilitation, followed by a stint...

[1] Earlier this month, a in-house promotional teaser trailer leaked [2] for Soul Surfer, a drama about young, teenage surfer girl (played by Bridge To Terabithia/Race To Witch Mountain's AnnaSophia Robb) who "summons the courage to go back into the ocean after losing an arm in a shark attack." When I posted the teaser, I was kind of weirded out that it contained no hint of a shark attack -- the teaser made it out like the film is just a happy-go-lucky story about a teenage girl surfer. The new full length trailer which has premiered on EW [3] (via FirstShowing [4]) gives audiences the full reveal of what this story is really about. That and a really cheesy speech from Carrie Underwood. Written and directed by Sean McNamara (Bring it On: Fight To The Finish, Into The Blue 2: The Reef, Bratz, 3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain), the film co-starring Dennis Quaid,...

Today we have a teaser trailer for the upcoming "Soul Surfer" movie, starring Dennis Quaid, AnnaSophia Robb and Helen Hunt. Check it out below. Plot: The true story of competitive teen surfer Bethany Hamilton (Robb), who lost her arm in a shark attack and courageously overcame all odds to become a champion again, inspiring millions worldwide through her sheer determination and unwavering faith. "Soul Surfer" is directed by Sean McNamara (Bratz) and is based on Bethany Hamilton's memoir. It also stars Craig T. Nelson, Kevin Sorbo and Carrie Underwood. The movie is scheduled to hit theaters on April 8th. Trailer: If you cannot see the player, click here. Click here to read more about "Soul Surfer."...